cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rates of processes in magmatic arcs : implications for the timing and nature of pluton emplacement and wall rock deformation

Abstract The construction of arcs and in many cases the emplacement of plutons occur in tectonically active regions. It is critical, therefore, to evaluate the rates of structural and magmatic processes when trying to understand the evolution of arcs and the associated pluton-wall rock systems. Our best estimates of average rates or durations of processes in shallow to moderate level arc environments are the following: (1) crystal growth rates in magma of 10 −4 cm year −1 ; (2) growth rates of metamorphic porphyroblasts between 10 −5 and 10 −2 cm year −1 ; (3) long-term magma supply rates of 10 −1 km 3 year −1 and short-term rates of up to 350 km 3 year −1 ; (4) diapiric ascent rates for mafic plutons of 1–3 m year −1 ; (5) cooling of plutons to ambient wall rock temperatures in 10 5 –10 6 years; (6) final crystallization of plutons in a small fraction of the time needed for complete cooling; (7) fault displacements of 3 cm year −1 ; (8) development of cleavages in fault zones in less than 10 6 years at strain rates of 10 −13 s −1 or higher; and (9) the development of regional cleavages in 10 6 years at strain rates of 10 −14 s −1 These rates indicate that processes operating in magmatic arcs are relatively rapid: pluton emplacement, cleavage development, etc., occur over time spans of tens of thousands to no more than a few million years. However, the rate of ascent and crystallization of plutons at shallow levels is generally shorter than that needed to get large displacements on faults or widespread cleavages developed. At deeper levels, or in zones undergoing faster strain rates, the time spans of the various processes approach one another. Thus plutons, with otherwise similar characteristics, emplaced in regions undergoing fast strain rates, or at deeper crustal levels, may appear quite different structurally from those emplaced at shallow levels or in regions undergoing slower strain rates. Comparison of these data also suggests that the rate at which wall rock deforms is the limiting factor controlling the rates of other structural processes during emplacement of plutons unless fast strain rates or multiple deformation mechanisms are considered. Thus emplacement mechanisms that rely on the transport of magma over 10 5 to 10 6 years are favored and need further consideration. Finally, we argue that the structural and other characteristics of pluton-wall rock systems will depend on rates of various processes involved and that these rates at the very least influence, and sometimes invalidate, the timing criteria previously published by us and others.
Percolation theory of vapor adsorption—desorption processes in porous materials

A percolation model for adsorption—desorption phenomena in porous solids is developed. The model relates the sorption isotherm characteristics and the hysteresis observed to the pore space geometry (size distribution) and topology (connectivity) and the physical parameters of the process. Kelvin's equation is taken to represent the process at the local (pore) level, while the porous solid is represented by a network of pores. The statistics of the pores occupied by vapor during adsorption or desorption are determined from Kelvin's equation and the network properties. In contrast to adsorption, desorption processes (both primary and secondary) are strongly dependent on accessibility properties of the network. Exact analytical expressions are derived for the accessibility functions when the porous medium is represented by a Bethe lattice. These results generalize previous work in ordinary percolation. Alternatively, an algorithm is developed for regular lattices, and numerical results from Monte Carlo simulations in square lattices are also presented. The model is shown to predict major characteristics of both primary and secondary sorption isotherms and suggests methods for thei rinterpretation. This study is motivated and extends previous work by G. Mason (Proc. R. Soc. London A 390, 47 (1983)).
Assessment of evidence of human rights violations in Kashmir

From a region with ethnic and political contrasts, recent human rights violations are documented through medical examinations of a small sample of victims and through information given by local medical doctors and lawyers. Within the individual case stories of torture, there was consistency between the history and the clinical and paraclinical data. Furthermore, the sum of the evidence fitted into a general pattern of torture and killing of civilians committed by the Indian Security Force. Cases of rarely documented mutilating torture are presented. Examples of difficulties in the assessment of complicated cases where a complete history could not be obtained are given, together with examples of difficulties and inaccuracies arising from the use of interpreters, who were possibly biased.
Development of improved welded moment connections for earthquake-resistant design

Abstract A comprehensive research program was conducted at Lehigh University to investigate the causes of brittle failures observed in numerous welded connections during the 1994 Northridge earthquake and ways to improve their ductility. In this program, tests on pre-Northridge connection details demonstrate that several weak links in the connection design and fabrication resulted in their premature failures. To develop improved details for welded unreinforced connections the effects of weld metal, weld access hole geometry, beam web attachment, continuity plates, and panel zone strength on cyclic ductility were investigated using non-linear finite element models and full-scale connection tests. The results from these studies are presented, along with recommendations to insure ductile connection performance.
SEX-TYPING OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES: A CURRENT APPRAISAL

Summary.--One of the effects of the recent trend to equalize the sexes has been a greater awareness and effort on the part of women to participate in and become associated with activities formerly engaged in predominantly by males. In the present study, 65 males and 62 females were asked to indicate their knowledge of, interest in, and the degree to which, each of 29 skill-activities were associated wich one sex or the other. Seven of the skillactivities were reliably sex-typed as masculine and six were reliably sex-typed as feminine by both males and females. Correlations of interest and knowledge with the sex type of the activities indicated a bias against activities associated with the opposite sex.
VARIATIONS IN THE MEIOSIS OF ALFALFA

MEDICAGO SATIVA is a predominantly tetraploid species (2n = 32) and this fact has raised a number of questions important to alfalfa breeders, first among which is whether it is autoor alloploid. Cytological evidence strongly suggests that it is autoploid, while genetical evidence just as strongly indicates alloploidy. Part of this cytological evidence is based on a hexaploid plant described by Julen (1944). This plant arose from the hybridization of a tetraploid and an artificially induced octoploid. If the four chromosome sets of the tetraploid are symbolized as AABB and those of the octoploid as AAAABBBB, the hexaploid must have been of the constitution AAABBB. Twenty-four bivalents were formed during synapsis of this plant, indicating that the A set of chromosomes must have been homologous enough with the B set to pair with it. Among crosses of diploid M. falcata with tetraploid M. sativa Ledingham (1940) obtained a tetraploid that resulted, apparently, from the fertilization of an unreduced egg in the M. falcata female parent with a normal male nucleus from M.
The Role of Airway Secretions in COPD: Pathophysiology, Epidemiology and Pharmacotherapeutic Options

Often considered an aggravating but otherwise benign component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), airway mucus hypersecretion is now recognised as a potential risk factor for an accelerated loss of lung function in COPD and is a key pathophysiological feature in many patients, particularly those prone to respiratory tract infection. Consequently, it is important to develop drugs that inhibit mucus hypersecretion in these susceptible patients. Conventional therapy including anticholinergics, beta2-adrenoceoptor agonists, alone or in combination with corticosteroids, mucolytics and macrolide antibiotics are not entirely or consistently effective in inhibiting airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD. Novel pharmacotherapeutic targets are being investigated, including inhibitors of nerve activity (e.g., BK(Ca) channel activators), tachykinin receptor antagonists, epoxygenase inducers (e.g., benzafibrate), inhibitors of mucin exocytosis (e.g., anti-MARCKS peptide and Munc-18B blockers), inhibitors of mucin synthesis and goblet cell hyperplasia (e.g., EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, p38 MAP kinase inhibitors, MEK/ERK inhibitors, hCACL2 blockers and retinoic acid receptor-alpha antagonists), inducers of goblet cell apoptosis (e.g., Bax inducers or Bcl-2 inhibitors), and purinoceptor P(2Y2) antagonists to inhibit mucin secretion or P(2Y2) agonists to hydrate secretions. However, real and theoretical differences delineate the mucus hypersecretory phenotype in COPD from that in other hypersecretory diseases of the airways. More information is required on these differences to identify therapeutic targets pertinent to COPD which, in turn, should lead to rational design of anti-hypersecretory drugs for specific treatment of airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD.
Swine basal cell proliferation during a course of daily irradiation, five days a week for six weeks (6000 RAD)☆

In swine skin irradiated with 200 rad per day, 5 days per week for 6 weeks, basal cell density remained at control levels for the first 2 weeks and then decreased to a nadir of 50% at 38 days. Thereafter it began increasing and returned to near control levels within 1 day after the end of irradiation on day forty-three. The mitotic index increased progressively to a maximum value three times the controls at day forty-two and then decreased as the cell density returned to control levels. The pattern strongly suggests that cell proliferation occurred during the period of irradiation. The cell density changes are simulated by a model in which doubling time switches from 12 days to 2.5 days at the 50% cell density level.
Plasma prolactin concentrations in parental male and female rats: effects of exposure to rat young.

The effects of pup presentation on the PRL responses in parental male rats were measured and compared with those in parental virgin and lactating female rats. Blood samples were collected from rats through indwelling intraatrial cannulas after a suckling challenge, i.e. presentation of rat young. Lactating rats showed full parental behavior and characteristic large surges in plasma PRL levels within the first 5—10 min on each day that rat young were presented (days 4, 8, and 12 of lactation). When pups were not presented, PRL rises did not occur. In contrast to the pattern of PRL responses shown by lactating mothers, parental ovariectomized nulliparous female and parental intact male rats failed to show specific increases in PRL in response to pup presentation. Plasma PRL levels in these groups, as in nonparental female and male rats, occasionally rose in response to blood collection rather than to pup presentation alone. Treatment of nulliparous female as well as male rats with estradiol and progesterone...
Correction: Abstract on Thalassemia

Excerpt To the editor: The abstract of the paper we presented at the 1973 meeting of the American College of Physicians, "Mass Screening for the Detection of β-Thalassemia Trait," as published in t...
Give me just a little more time: effects of alcohol on the failure and recovery of cognitive control

Numerous externalizing behaviors, from aggression to risk taking to drug abuse, stem from impaired cognitive control, including that brought about by the acute effects of alcohol. Although research generally indicates that alcohol impairs cognitive abilities, a close examination of the literature suggests that alcohol's effects are quite variable and likely depend on a number of contextual factors. The purpose of the current study was to characterize the effects of alcohol on cognitive control in terms of neural and behavioral responses to successful and unsuccessful control attempts. Participants were randomly assigned to consume an alcohol (0.80 g/kg ETOH), placebo, or nonalcoholic control beverage prior to completing a cognitive control (flanker) task while event-related brain potentials were recorded. Alcohol reduced the amplitude of the error-related negativity on error trials and increased the posterror compatibility effect in response time. Of particular interest, neural indices of conflict monitoring and performance adjustment (frontal slow wave) were attenuated by alcohol, but only on trials following errors. These functions had recovered, however, by 2 trials after an error. These findings suggest that alcohol's effects on cognitive control are best characterized as impaired (or delayed) recovery following control failures. Implications of these findings for understanding alcohol's effects on behavioral undercontrol are discussed.
The path of photosynthate translocation into citrus fruit

Abstract The path of [14C]photosynthate translocation into citrus fruit was examined to determine which anatomical and physiological features were involved in this process. Experiments were conducted during the final pre-harvest months of 2 years grapefruit crops (Citrus paradisi Macf. cv. ‘Marsh’). A source leaf nearest the fruit was exposed to 14CO2 for 1 h + 5 h ambient air, followed by dissection of vascular and phloem-free tissues in the fruit quarter directly aligned with the source. Radioactivity in each tissue was quantified after separation and extraction in boiling 80% ethanol. Peel (flavedo+albedo) contained an average 35% of the label in the quarter fruit, but an additional 20% was localized entirely in dorsal vascular bundles along exterior walls of juice segments. Less [14C]photosynthate was recovered from other vascular tissues and was nearly absent from adjacent mature seeds. Radioactivity in the single layer of segment epidermis, however, averaged 17% of that in the quarter fruit. Juice tissues interior to this accumulated only 17% of the total. No phloem tissue was evident in either the segment epidermis or juice tissues, but over 70% of the [14C]assimilates in the latter were localized in thread-like stalks which attach juice vesicles to dorsal vascular bundles. In addition, labelled hexose/sucrose ratios in these structures increased with distance from the vascular bundle. The majority of photosynthates, therefore, entered citrus fruit via dorsal vascular bundles and were partially hydrolysed during slow transfer through non-vascular segment epidermis and juice stalks.
Serum FGF-21 levels are associated with worsened radial trabecular bone microarchitecture and decreased radial bone strength in women with anorexia nervosa.

Abstract Background Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by self-induced starvation and low body weight. Women with AN have impaired bone formation, low bone mass and an increased risk of fracture. FGF-21 is a hormone secreted by the liver in starvation and FGF-21 transgenic mice have significant bone loss due to an uncoupling of bone resorption and bone formation. We hypothesized that FGF-21 may contribute to the low bone mass state of AN. Subjects and methods We studied 46 women: 20 with AN (median age [interquartile range]: 27.5 [25, 30.75] years) and 26 normal-weight controls (NWC) of similar age (25 [24, 28.5] years). We investigated associations between serum FGF-21 and 1) aBMD measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, 2) parameters of bone microarchitecture in the distal radius and tibia measured by high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT and 3) bone strength, estimated by microfinite element analysis. Results FGF-21 levels were similar in AN and NWC (AN: 33.1 [18.1, 117.0] pg/ml vs. NWC: 57.4 [23.8, 107.1] pg/ml; p = 0.54). There was a significant inverse association between log FGF-21 and trabecular number in the radius in both AN (R = − 0.57, p Conclusions FGF-21 may be an important determinant of trabecular skeletal homeostasis in AN.
Freshwater transport from the Pacific to the Bering Sea through Amukta Pass

[1] Flow through the Aleutian Passes connects the North Pacific to the Bering Sea and ultimately the Arctic. Moorings spanning the width of Amukta Pass, deployed 2001–2008, allow quantitative assessment of volume and freshwater transports. Volume transport through Amukta Pass averages 4.7 Sv, with maximum transport in January, minimum in September, and a secondary maximum in July. Average freshwater transport through Amukta Pass is ∼5800 km3 yr−1 with a seasonal cycle similar to that of volume transport. Combining this estimate with first-order estimates of freshwater transports in the other eastern passes in the Aleutian chain suggests that total freshwater transport is more than five times the cross-shelf flux of freshwater needed to supply transport through Bering Strait into the Arctic. Ongoing measurements in the Aleutian Passes are critical to understanding the influence of these waters on the Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean.
The nuclear receptor transcription factor, retinoid-related orphan receptor β, regulates retinal progenitor proliferation

Abstract We examined the role of retinoid-related orphan receptor (ROR) β , a member of the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors, in retinal neurogenesis. In situ hybridization studies showed that ROR β is expressed in retinal progenitor cells in the embryonic rat retina. Further studies demonstrated that ROR β colocalizes with Chx10, a transcription factor thought to influence retinal progenitor proliferation (Burmeister, M., Novak, J., Liang, M-Y., Basu, S., Ploder, L., Hawes, N.L. Vidgen, D., Hoover, F., Goldman, D., Kalnins, V.I., Roderick, T.H., Taylor, B.A., Hankin, M.H. and McInnes, R.R., 1996. Ocular retardation mouse caused by Chx10 homeobox null allele: impaired retinal progenitor proliferation and bipolar cell differentiation. Nat. Genet. 12, 376–383). Northern analysis reveals that ROR β expression is dramatically decreased in the ocular retardation J mutant, which possesses a defect in the Chx10 gene. Overexpression of ROR β in retinal progenitors by biolistic transfection results in an increase in the number of large cell clones. These data support a role for ROR β in regulating retinal progenitor proliferation, possibly via the Chx10 gene.
On the structure of CH3O+2 product ions in Ar/O2/CH4 mixtures: the first example of a kinetic surface

Abstract Collision-induced dissociation (CID) studies are used to investigate the structure of the CH 3 O + 2 ions formed by reaction of O + 2 with CH 4 . The evidence unambiguously identifies the product structure as the methylene hydroperoxy ion, CH 2 OOH + , in agreement with Van Doren., who came to the same conclusion using chemical reactivity studies. Earlier studies that identified the O + 2 /CH 4 product ion as protonated formic acid are shown to be in error. We also investigated the structure of CH 3 O + 2 product ions in various Ar/O 2 /CH 4 mixtures. We are able to show that the product structure varies between CH 2 OOH + and the cluster ion CH + 3 ·O 2 in reproducible ways which depend on mixture conditions. It is necessary to run the source at 80 K to observe this effect. The term “kinetic surface” is coined to describe the family of curves which shows the variation of m/z = 47 intensity and structure as the Ar/O 2 /CH 4 mixture varied. A qualitative discussion of the underlying kinetics that explain the phenomena is given. A case is made that the CH + 3 ·O 2 species is a triplet, which probably explains why it does not isomerize to the more stable CH 2 OOH + singlet on the time-scale of our experiment.
Pervasive Sensing of the Environment

Networked embedded sensing combining, low power computing, novel wireless networking, and fundamental algorithm advances now enables a vision for
Molecular evidence and functional expression of a novel drug efflux pump (ABCC2) in human corneal epithelium and rabbit cornea and its role in ocular drug efflux.

Abstract Cornea is considered as a major barrier for ocular drug delivery. Low ocular bioavailability of drugs has been attributed primarily to low permeability across corneal epithelium, thus leading to sub-therapeutic concentrations of drug in the eye and treatment failure. The role of drug efflux proteins, particularly the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in ocular drug bioavailability has been reported. The objective of this research was to determine whether human corneal epithelium expresses multidrug resistance associated proteins (MRPs) contributing to drug efflux by employing both cultured corneal cells and freshly excised rabbit cornea. SV40-HCEC and rPCEC were selected for in vitro testing. SV40-HCEC and freshly excised rabbit corneas were utilized for transport studies. [ 3 H]-cyclosporine-A and [ 14 C]-erythromycin, which are known substrates for ABCC2 and MK-571, a specific inhibitor for MRP were applied in this study. RT-PCR indicated a unique and distinct band at ∼272 bp corresponding to ABCC2 in HCEC, SV40-HCEC, rabbit cornea, rPCEC, and MDCKII-MRP2 cells. Also RT-PCR indicated a unique band ∼181 bp for HCEC and SV40-HCEC. Immunoprecipitation followed by Western Blot analysis revealed a specific band at ∼190 kDa in membrane fraction of SV40-HCEC, MDCKII-MRP2 and no band with isotype control. Uptake of [ 3 H]-cyclosporine-A and [ 14 C]-erythromycin in the presence of MK-571 was significantly enhanced than control in both SV40-HCEC and rPCEC. Similarly a significant elevation in (A → B) permeability of [ 3 H]-cyclosporine-A and [ 14 C]-erythromycin was observed in the presence of MK-571 in SV40-HCEC. A → B transport of [ 3 H]-cyclosporine-A was elevated in the presence of MK-571 in freshly excised rabbit cornea indicating potential role of this efflux transporter and high clinical significance of this finding.
The role of the dissolution of silicic acid powders in aluminosilicate synthesis mixtures in the crystallization of large mordenite crystals

The role of the dissolution of silicic acid powders in alkaline aluminosilicate synthesis mixtures in the crystallization of mordenite was investigated. Three different as-received lots of silicic acid (Aldrich lots 01807PW (lot A), 04720KX (lot B), and 18913LY (lot C)) were used to synthesize mordenite from the same initial batch composition (4.32 Na 2 O: Al 2 O 3 : 19 SiO 2 : 293.6 H 2 O). Different overall crystallization times (lot A ≈ 10 h, lots B and C ≈ 28 h), conversion rates at the 50% point (lot A ≈ 44% h 1 lots B and C ≈ 12% h 1 ) and maximum crystal sizes (lot A= 10–15 μn, lot B = 35–40 μm, lot C = 30–35 μm) were observed. The prismatic crystal morphologies were the same in all cases. Heat treatment of as-received lots A and B in air at 550°C before syntheses resulted in about 6- and 2-fold decreases of mordenite conversion rates, respectively; and in about 6- and 2-fold increases of mordenite crystal sizes, respectively. Heat treatment of asreceived lot C in air at 850°C resulted in about a 6-fold decrease of mordenite conversion rate and in about a 6-fold increase of mordenite crystal size. Induction periods and overall crystallization times also increased in these cases. Large crystals of mordenite with sizes of up to 250 μm were obtained using lot C heat treated at 850°C. These results reflect different silica dissolution rates that were correlated with the variation of specific surface area and average pore diameter of silicic acid powders. The dissolution of silicic acid in the investigated crystallization of mordenite intervened in the rate-determining step for nucleation and growth of mordenite crystals.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY SIZE OF FILTER‐FEEDING CLADOCERA AND THE MAXIMUM SIZE OF PARTICLE INGESTED

The maximum size of plastic bead ingested by Bosmina Zongirustris and six species of Daphnia increased with increasing body size of the animals. The relationship between the diameter (,u) of the largest bead ingested ( y ) and carapace length (x, in mm) is given by an expression, y = 22x + 4.87. This relationship could be used to predict which members of a phytoplankton community would be available as food for different-sized -species of filter-feeding Cladocera.
The process of dying and managing the death event

The end of life is a period of intensive care. It is imperative that physicians have training and skills in the care of dying patients. Understanding the process of dying and recognizing physical changes aids in prognostication. Skills in facilitating family coping, treating pain, respiratory distress and delirium are critical.
Designing fluoroprobes through Förster resonance energy transfer: surface modification of nanoparticles through ``click'' chemistry

Aqueous-phase 83 nm poly(propargyl acrylate) (PA) nanoparticles were surface-functionalized with sparingly water soluble fluorescent moieties through a copper(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) (i.e., “click” transformation) to produce fluoroprobes with a large Stokes shift. For moieties which could not achieve extensive surface coverage on the particles utilizing a standard click transformation procedure, the presence of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) during the transformation enhanced the grafting density onto the particles. Moieties containing oxadiazolyl groups exhibited an 84% increase in grafting density when the transformation was performed in the presence of the oligosaccharide, going from 1.04 oxadiazolyl groups/nm2 to 1.91 oxadiazolyl groups/nm2. Similarly, an azide-modified coumarin 6 (AD1) underwent a 17% enhancement in grafting density from 1.56 AD1 groups/nm2 to 1.82 AD1 groups/nm2 when the transformation was done in the presence of β-CD. A polyethylene glycol modified naphthalimide-based emitter (AD2) was less sensitive to the presence of β-CD due to its elevated water solubility and exhibited a 5% increase in grafting density. In contrast, a carbazolyl-containing moiety which could achieve 100% surface coverage of the particles without the use of β-CD exhibited a slight retardation in the incorporation rate (and final grafting density) onto the particle when the oligosaccharide was employed. Photoluminescence studies of the particles modified singly or with multiple moieties indicated that when oxadiazolyl and carbazolyl groups were attached to the particles, an exciplex was formed that had a peak emission at ca. 400 nm. The absorption of the surface attached naphthalimide-based dye exhibited a complete spectral overlap with the carbazole/oxadiazole exciplex emission and photoluminescence excitation studies indicated an efficient energy transfer process from the carbazolyl and oxadiazolyl groups to the dye, resulting in an emission maxima at 510 nm for the modified particles and a total Stokes shift of 180 nm. This large Stokes shift is an important determinant of the ultimate sensitivity of a fluoroprobe, where scattering and background fluorescence can interfere with the detection of low concentrations of an analyte and the ability to manipulate the separation between the excitation and emission wavelengths is a critical parameter for optimal detection.
Laparoscopy-assisted and open living donor right hepatectomy: a comparative study of outcomes.

Background Minimally invasive liver surgery is a rapidly advancing field with demonstrated applicability to living donation. In this paper, we compare the safety and efficacy of laparoscopy-assisted donor right hepatectomy (LADRH) to open donor right hepatectomy (ODRH). Methods We performed a retrospective, comparative analysis of 33 LADRH to the most recent 33 ODRH performed at our institution, evaluating donor complications, costs, and recipient outcomes. Results Donor demographics including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and vascular and biliary anomalies were comparable. Donor complication rates were equivalent for LADRH and ODRH. Donor operative times were shorter for LADRH (LADRH 265 minutes, ODRH 316; P P = .19). Higher operative supply costs for LADRH were balanced by higher time-based operative costs for ODRH resulting in no significant differences in total operative costs. Finally, there were no differences in graft size, recipient patient or graft survival, or recipient vascular or biliary complications. Conclusion Our experience suggests that LADRH compares favorably with ODRH with equivalent safety, resource utilization, and effectiveness. We believe that LADRH provides potential physical and psychological benefits without an adverse effect on outcomes.
Inverted Gcg/CGC trinucleotide microsatellites in the 5'-region of Mus IDS mRNA: recurrent induction of aberrant reverse transcripts.

An investigation was initiated to explore previously published results indicating that ∼80 bp of the 5′-end of the iduronate sulfatase (IDS) cDNA sequence (Accession No L07291) are 100% homologous with the 3′-UTR of isoform 1 of the sodium hydrogen exchanger (Acc. No. U51112). 5′-RACE carried out on IDS mRNA demonstrated the apparent homology to be a cloning artifact. A sequence comparison of the IDS 5′-RACE product with a mouse BAC clone covering the region, and with various IDS ESTs, suggested that the region is highly susceptible to cloning artifacts, a common one of which is template switching by reverse transcriptase. The nucleotide sequence flanking the translation start site is unusual in containing two inverted repeats composed of the complementary trinucleotide microsatellites, (GCG)9 and (CGC)6. These likely form a highly stable stem of 20–21 nt, through which reverse transcription is compromised. Such a stem could be involved in the regulation of IDS expression by directly affecting translation, message turnover, or serving as a substrate for siRNA production. Though such mRNA features are relatively rare, they may be more abundant but overlooked due to difficulties in their reverse transcription.
Graduate training in school psychology

Abstract A survey was conducted in spring of 1975 to elicit factual information concerning organizational characteristics and training emphases of the school psychology training programs in the United States and Canada. Ninety-nine training institutions responded. The result indicated a rapid growth of graduate education programs in school psychology in the past 10 years. Faculty shortage constituted a major problem in many training institutions. Overall, the school psychology programs placed strongest emphases on assessment, consultation, and other active intervention techniques in their training content. Significant differences in training emphases were found between doctoral and subdoctoral programs.
An aphid-injection method for the transmission of barley yellow dwarf virus.

Abstract Liquid extracts of two vector-specific strains of barley yellow dwarf virus, made from viruliferous aphids or from infected plants, were injected into Macrosiphum granarium (Kirby) or Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) by means of fine glass needles connected by tubing to a rubber syringe bulb operated by the foot. Each aphid species readily transmitted the virus to oat test plants only if the strain injected was the one that the species regularly transmits from leaves. When 180 individuals of M. granarium were injected and tested on separate plants, 154 survived injection and 58 transmitted virus. Virus was detected in hemolymph of M. granarium given a 1-day acquisition feeding on source plants, and M. granarium transmitted within 1 day after injection. Results of parallel assays of partially purified preparations by means of the aphidinjection and membrane-feeding techniques were in general agreement.
Photoreactivity of α,gb-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. 3. Radical-ion cidnp during irradiation of cyclohexenones with dabco.

Abstract Chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP) evidence is presented to support the hypothesis that irradiation of 2-cyclohexenone and 4,4-dimethylcyclohexenone in the presence of amines leads to formation of the corresponding radical-ion pair via electron transfer from the amine to the enone.
Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) acts as a downstream mediator of TGF‐β1 to induce mesenchymal cell condensation

Mesenchymal cell (MC) condensation or the aggregation of MCs precedes chondrocyte differentiation and is required for subsequent cartilage formation during endochondral ossification. In this study, we used micromass cultures of C3H10T1/2 cells as an in vitro model system for studying MC condensation and the events important for this process. Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) served as the initiator of MC condensation in our model system and we were interested in determining whether CTGF functions as a downstream mediator of TGF-beta1. CTGF is a matricellular protein that has been found to be expressed in MC condensations and in the perichondrium. Micromass cultures of C3H10T1/2 cells condensed under TGF-beta1 stimulation concomitant with dramatic up-regulation of CTGF mRNA and protein levels. CTGF silencing by either CTGF siRNA or CTGF antisense oligonucleotide approaches showed that TGF-beta1-induced condensation was CTGF dependent. Furthermore, silencing of CTGF expression resulted in significant reductions in cell proliferation and migration, events that are crucial during MC condensation. In addition, up-regulation of Fibronectin (FN) and suppression of Sox9 expression by TGF-beta1 was also found to be mediated by CTGF. Immunofluorescence of developing mouse vertebrae showed that CTGF, TGF-beta1 and FN were co-expressed in condensations of MCs, while Sox9 expression was low at this stage. During subsequent chondrogenesis, Sox9 expression was high in chondrocytes while CTGF expression was limited to the perichondrium. Thus, CTGF is an essential downstream mediator of TGF-beta1-induced MC condensation through its effects on cell proliferation and migration. CTGF is also involved in up-regulating FN and suppressing Sox9 expression during TGF-beta1 induced MC condensation.
Urea Transport in Bacteria: Acid Acclimation by Gastric Helicobacter spp

Urea transporters in bacteria are relatively rare. There are three classes, the ABC transporters such as those expressed by cyanobacteria and Corynebacterium glutamicum, the Yut protein expressed by Yersinia spp and the UreI expressed by gastric Helicobacter spp. This review focuses largely on the UreI proton-gated channel that is part of the acid acclimation mechanism essential for gastric colonization by the latter. UreI is a six-transmembrane polytopic integral membrane protein, N and C termini periplasmic, and is expressed in all gastric Helicobacter spp that have been studied but also in Helicobacter hepaticus and Streptococcus salivarius. The first two are proton-gated, the latter is pH insensitive. Site-directed mutagenesis and chimeric constructs have identified histidines and dicarboxylic amino acids in the second periplasmic loop of H. pylori and the first loop of H. hepaticus UreI and the C terminus of both as involved in a hydrogen-bonding dependence of proton gating, with the membrane domain in these but not in the UreI of S. salivarius responding to the periplasmic conformational changes. UreI and urease are essential for gastric colonization and urease associates with UreI during acid exposure, facilitating activation of the UreA and UreB apoenzyme complex by Ni2+ insertion by the UreF-UreH and UreE-UreG assembly proteins. Transcriptome analysis of acid responses of H. pylori also identified a cytoplasmic and periplasmic carbonic anhydrase as responding specifically to changes in periplasmic pH and these have been shown to be essential also for acid acclimation. The finding also of upregulation of the two-component histidine kinase HP0165 and its response element HP0166, illustrates the complexity of the acid acclimation processes involved in gastric colonization by this pathogen.
Structured covariance estimation for state prediction

In this paper we propose a structurally constrained expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for estimating noise covariances in state-space models, for the purpose of state prediction and control. More specifically, we generalize the problem of covariance estimation on the basis of given i.i.d sample sequence to the dynamic setting where the samples (i.e. state and observation noises) are observed only through the measurement data, or equivalently, drawn from the conditional distribution governed by the dynamic model. By applying the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm to the innovation model representation, we view the resulting ML covariance estimates as the conditional sample covariances, and augment the negative log-likelihood function with matrix norm penalty terms that enforce low-rank and low cardinality structure in the estimated covariances or their inverses. These constraints serve to reflect realistic problem structure expected from model knowledge, yet are still general and flexible enough to be broadly applicable. In addition, the new derivation of the EM algorithm based on the innovation representation gives the common sufficient statistic for both the process and observation noise covariances. This illustrates the coupling between the two covariance estimates, and in simulated cases, enables the calculation of an upper performance bound against which the EM estimates can be compared. The use of the innovation representation also provides a tractable connection to the existing techniques such as the Autocovariance Least Squares (ALS) algorithm. Numerical results comparing the constrained EM and the ALS algorithms are also provided, showing favorable performance for the EM covariance estimates.
Experience With An Imaging Infrared Radiometer In A Simulated Space Environment

A commercially available imaging infrared radiometer, an Inframetrics 760 system, was subjected to simulated space and Martian environments in JPL's 25 ft and 10 ft space simulators for a total of 108 hours. Initially, the IR camera was integrated with the Satellite Test Assistant Robot (STAR) system which demonstrated successful operation in late 1994. During this initial demonstration, the IR camera experienced 24 hours of a hard vacuum with simulated space temperatures between minus 190 degrees Celsius to plus 25 degrees Celsius. Subsequently, the IR camera was subjected to 12 hours of a simulated space and 72 hours of a simulated Martian environment during the Mars Rover test. Equipped only with thermostatically controlled heaters to prevent undercooling, the IR camera operated continuously during these periods and provided numerous images of the simulator interior, a reference target, and the Mars Rover. The reference target consisted of nine samples of different materials used in typical aerospace thermal designs. The emittance range covered 0.02 to 0.90. The target temperature range was varied from minus 80 degrees Celsius to 55 degrees Celsius. The IR camera was reliable and provided quality images throughout this range but measurement accuracy was a strong function of target temperature and emittance. Best results for high emittance targets were within 12 degrees Celsius at minus 80 degrees Celsius to within 1 degree Celsius at plus 55 degrees Celsius.
Sisters of the Yam: African American women's healing and self-recovery from intimate male partner violence

In this womanist ethnographic investigation African American women (N = 21) survivors of intimate male partner violence were interviewed about their resilience-recovering experiences. This article foregrounds the role of therapeutic support groups in African American women's healing experience and addresses how race and ethnicity shape the lives and the recovering process for many African American women. The findings are important to practitioners who strive to provide assistance and interventions for African American women as well as other women of color.
Combinatorial modulus and type of graphs

Let A be the 1-skeleton of a triangulated topological annulus. We establish bounds on the combinatorial modulus of a refinement A′, formed by attaching new vertices and edges to A, that depend only on the refinement and not on the structure of A itself. This immediately applies to showing that a disk triangulation graph may be refined without changing its combinatorial type, provided the refinement is not too wild. We also explore the type problem in terms of disk growth, proving a parabolicity condition based on a superlinear growth rate, which we also prove optimal. We prove our results with no degree restrictions in both the EEL and VEL settings and examine type problems for more general complexes and dual graphs.
The Mechanics of Bent Yarns

This paper analyzes the idealized geometry of a bent yarn. Expressions are derived for the cal culation of local fiber tensile strain, average strain in the helix half loop, motion of the fibers du...
The association between time of birth and fetal injury resulting in death.

Objective In obstetrics, the care of patients in labor or with emergencies takes place day and night. Birth-related injury is among the worst of obstetric outcomes. This study sought to examine the relationship between time of birth and fetal injury resulting in death. Study design The Birth-Related Neurologic Injury Compensation Association (NICA) is a Florida organization that pays for the care of infants >2500 g with birth-related brain or spinal cord injury resulting in permanent impairment. We conducted a case-control study using all deaths from the NICA database from 1989 to 2002. Data were collected on the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care of the mother and fetus/child. Time of birth was identified for all cases and compared with a randomly selected control group of 1000 births in 1996 from Florida. Results Eighty deaths were identified in the NICA database of 447 total cases. Of the 80 cases, 36/80 (45%) were born from 11 pm to 8 am. Of the 999 controls (1 certificate sealed for adoption) 281 (28.1%) were born from 11 pm to 8 am. This yields an odds ratio of 2.09 (95% CI 1.29-3.40) for the association of nighttime birth with fetal injury resulting in death. Conclusion Fetuses sustaining injuries resulting in death were more than twice as likely as controls to have been born from 11 pm to 8 am. Further studies are needed to determine the factors that affect this association and what changes might need to be made to optimize care regardless of time of day or night.
City of hope cancer center hematology–oncology fellowship and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation fellowship†

The City of Hope (COH) ACGME-accredited Hematology-Oncology fellowship began in 1978 with two fellows and has grown up to seven fellows per year. It remained as the last fellowship independent of an Internal Medicine Training Program until its affiliation with Harbor-UCLA Internal Medicine Program as the Research Track of the fellowship in 1995. City of Hope Cancer Center is an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, a founding member of National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and one of the top medical centers as named by the US News and World Report. This provides an ideal environment for learning patient care and research within both a county hospital and a tertiary teaching hospital setting. In addition, it provides ample opportunities for both basic science and clinical research in the latter years of the fellowship. The fellowship is a fully-funded 3-year program which provides experience through a multidisciplinary approach to prepare trainees for a successful career in academic medicine or private practice.
II. Choosing Beta-Blockers for Initial Medical Therapy For Glaucoma

The introduction of topical timolol maleate in 1978 revolutionized the medical treatment of glaucoma. 26 Timolol, as with all the topical beta-receptor antagonists, reduces intraocular pressure (IOP) by aqueous suppression. 23 Until this time, medications used to treat glaucoma were limited to topical pilocarpine hydrochloride (introduced in 1877), oral acetazolamide (1954), and topical epinephrine borate (1950s). Each of these early glaucoma medications had significant side effects, often necessitating surgical management of glaucoma as a next step. Betaxolol was introduced in 1985; it is a selective beta 1 receptor antagonist that lowers IOP to a lesser degree than timolol. Other topical beta adrenergic antagonists subsequently introduced into the U.S. market include timolol hemihydrate, metipranolol, and levobunolol—which lower IOP to a degree similar to timolol maleate—and carteolol—which has intrinsic sympathomimetic activity. 30 All of these medications are well established in the treatment of glaucoma; timolol maleate 0.5% is most frequently used as the “gold standard” for drug study comparisons. With over 20 years of experience with topical betablockers, most ophthalmologists choose one of these agents as first-line therapy for the medical management of glaucoma. 3 There are many reasons why beta-blockers are preferentially regarded as first-line agents; these include the long-term success clinicians have had with these medications, a well-established understanding of their potential systemic (and ocular) side effects, improved patient compliance, and lower cost due to the availability of generic equivalents. Betaxolol may have the secondary effect of functioning as a neuroprotectant. 40 Thus, betablockers offer several advantages to warrant their position as first-line medications. This discussion will highlight the benefits of considering beta-blockers as first line agents and will address the systemic and ocular side effects of this class. Moreover, the drawbacks of other classes of drugs that may be considered as competitors for this role will be discussed.
SETTING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN SPACE AND PLACE: ACUTE AND CHRONIC AIRBORNE TOXIC RELEASES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

This paper compares the spatial distribution and character of two categories of risk—chronic toxic releases (small-scale, long-term exposures) and acute releases (large-scale, short-term events)—for the southeastern United States from 1987-1990. Our purpose is to identify whether lower-income minority counties are disproportionately at risk from these airborne releases of extremely hazardous substances. We found a fairly uniform distribution of chronic releases across the region, whereas the acute releases exhibited a more clustered pattern in the Carolinas, Florida, and Alabama. A correlation analysis failed to indicate any association between the racial composition of the county and the frequency of airborne toxic releases, yet wealth indicators were positively associated with the frequency of releases. When examining these in more detail, a principal components analysis yielded a hierarchy of toxic counties: (1) high-exposure urban counties, (2) high-exposure African American counties, (3) low-release ...