cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Roles of the Highly Conserved Amino Acid Residues Val236 and Gly232 in the Ligand Channel of Ba3 Cytochrome C Oxidase from Thermus Thermophilus

Cytochrome ba3 in the plasma membrane of Thermus thermophilus is a member of the heme-copper oxidase superfamily and functions as a terminal oxidase for aerobic metabolism under limited oxygen concentration. The X-ray crystal structure of Thermus thermophilusba3 (Tt ba3) oxidase revealed a Y-shaped hydrophobic channel leading to the binuclear active site, which is proposed to provide access of ligands such as O2, NO and CO. Recent time-resolved optical absorption (TROA) studies in our laboratory showed that O2 and NO binding is 10-times faster in ba3 than in bovine aa3 and that a tryptophan constriction residue which is present in the ligand channel of the aa3 oxidases, but not in Tt ba3, significantly impeded ligand access in the former (Einarsdottir et al. BBA (2012) 1817, 672-79; McDonald et al. Biochemistry (2013) 52, 640-53). These structural differences could be due to the adaptation of T. thermophilus to microaerobic environments. Comparison of amino acid sequences and crystal structures of the heme-copper oxidases have also identified strictly conserved residues in the ligand channels of these enzymes, including V236 and G232 (Tt ba3 numbering). V236 is located in the proximity of the binuclear active site, and the G232 residue has been postulated to create a small passage-way for ligands to enter the active site. In this study, we investigated by TROA spectroscopy the O2 and NO binding in various Tt ba3 V236 mutants and the mutation of G232 to a larger valine to clarify the role of these conserved amino acid residues in modulating ligand access to the active site in Tt ba3.
Shuffled Frog-Leaping Model for Solving Time-Cost-Resource Optimization Problems in Construction Project Planning

AbstractTime-cost-resources usage variation trade-off analysis is one of the most challenging tasks of construction project planners. Project planners face complicated multivariate, time-cost-resource optimization (TCRO) problems, which require simultaneous minimization of total project duration and total project cost, while considering issues related to optimal resource allocation and leveling. The authors present a shuffled frog-leaping model to solve complex TCRO problems in construction project planning. The proposed model is different from existing optimization models in construction project planning. The proposed shuffled frog-leaping model considers the simultaneous optimization of three important objective functions in project planning: (1) minimizing total project duration, (2) total project cost, and (3) total variation of resource allocation. This model finds optimal Pareto fronts of project planning solutions in the three-dimensional space of total project duration, total project cost, and tot...
The Sex Ratio and Female Marital Opportunity as Historical Predictors of Violent Crime in England, Scotland, and the United States:

The effects of sex ratios and marriage markets on violent crime were investigated by regression analysis of temporal variation in violent crime rates in England and Wales (1856 to 1980), Scotland (1871 to 1980), and homicides in the United States (1900 to 1988). Independent variables included the sex ratio of adults (15 to 44 years), marital opportunity of women (ratio of single men to women at the peak age of marriage), illegitimacy ratios, and unemployment. For England and Wales, and Scotland, violent crimes against persons increased with the sex ratio and illegitimacy ratios and were inversely related to marital opportunities for women. For the United States, homicides were inversely related to marital opportunities for women. Reduced marital opportunity for women predicts violent crime independently of the sex ratio, as does illegitimacy. These associations were contemporaneous, suggesting a role of mating competition, rather than being delayed a generation, consistent with effects of reduced parental...
Adaptive Virtual Support Vector Machine for the Reliability Analysis of High-Dimensional Problems

In this study, an efficient classification methodology is developed for reliability analysis while maintaining the accuracy level similar to or better than existing response surface methods. The sampling-based reliability analysis requires only the classification information — a success or a failure – but the response surface methods provide real function values as their output, which requires more computational effort. The problem is even more challenging to deal with high-dimensional problems due to the curse of dimensionality. In the newly proposed virtual support vector machine (VSVM), virtual samples are generated near the limit state function by using linear or Kriging-based approximations. The exact function values are used for approximations of virtual samples to improve accuracy of the resulting VSVM decision function. By introducing the virtual samples, VSVM can overcome the deficiency in existing classification methods where only classified function values are used as their input. The universal Kriging method is used to obtain virtual samples to improve the accuracy of the decision function for highly nonlinear problems. A sequential sampling strategy that chooses a new sample near the true limit state function is integrated with VSVM to maximize the accuracy. Examples show the proposed adaptive VSVM yields better efficiency in terms of the modeling time and the number of required samples while maintaining similar level or better accuracy especially for high-dimensional problems.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Beer, breast feeding, and folklore

Beer consumption by nursing women altered the sensory qualities of their milk and the behavior of their infants during breast-feeding in the short term. The infants consumed significantly less milk during the 4-hr testing sessions in which their mothers drank alcoholic beer compared to when the mothers drank nonalcoholic beer; this decrease in milk intake was not due to a decrease in the number of times the babies fed. Although the infants consumed less of the alcohol-flavored milk, the mothers believed their infants had ingested enough milk, reported that they experienced a letdown during nursing, and felt they had milk remaining in their breasts at the end of the majority of feedings. Moreover, the mothers terminated the feeds the same percentage of time on both testing days. The mechanism by which the consumption of alcoholic beer by lactating women decreases milk intake by their nurslings remains to be determined.
Mechanism for the differential effects of high carbohydrate diets on lipogenesis in rat liver.

Abstract 1. 1. The changes in the hepatic concentration of glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, the conversion of [14C6]glucose and [14C6]fructose to fatty acids and CO2 in liver slices, and the activity of certain lipogenic and glycolytic enzymes in the liver have been compared in fasted rats refed a chow diet or diets high in glucose or fructose content. These measurements have been correlated with the effects of the different diets on the hepatic and serum triglyceride concentration. 2. 2. The animals fed the fructose diet had the highest hepatic and serum triglyceride concentrations whereas the chow-fed animals had the lowest. 3. 3. Several differences were noted between fructose, glucose or chow-fed rats in the concentration of glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Most important, fructose feeding was associated with a greater hepatic concentration of pyruvate, CoASAc and malate than in either the glucose or chow-fed groups. The conversion of [14C6]fructose to fatty acids was increased by either the fructose or glucose diet in comparison to the chow diet. Further, in each dietary group more [14C6]fructose than [14C6]glucose was incorporated into fatty acids, indicating that the synthesis of hepatic fatty acids from glucose was not limited by the activity of the fatty acid synthesizing enzymes. 4. 4. The activity of fructokinase (ATP : d -fructose 1-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.3) was greater than that of glucokinase (ATP : d -glucose 6-phosphotransf erase, EC 2.7.1.2) and hexokinase (ATP : d -glucose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) in all diet groups. As a result more fructose than glucose could be phosphorylated in rat liver. In comparison to the chow-fed rats the hepatic CoASAc-carboxylase (CoASAc : carbon-dioxide ligase (ADP), EC 6.4.1.2) activity was increased to the same extent by the fructose or glucose feeding. 5. 5. It is concluded that the mechanism for the differential effects of high carbohydrate diets on hepatic fatty acid synthesis depends upon the higher rate of CoASAc formation from fructose as compared to glucose. The difference m the activity for the glucose and fructose phosphorylating enzymes in rat liver could account for the different rates at which fructose and glucose were metabolized to CoASAc. A secondary effect is that either a high glucose or fructose diet increases the hepatic activity of CoASAc carboxylase.
The interpretation of some low equation results

Diagrammatic arguments are used to obtain the propagator modifications contained in previous solutions of pion-nucleus Low equations.
Macroeconomic fluctuations: Demand or supply, permanent or temporary?

Abstract We use generalized method of moments to estimate a rational expectations aggregate demand/aggregate supply macroeconomic model for five European economies and the United States. Our aim is to examine whether supply or demand shocks have predominated in these economies during the post-war era, and whether shocks of either type have been primarily temporary or permanent in nature. We find that permanent or temporary demand shocks have been the dominant source of variance in output growth in all six countries, but there is a less consistent pattern for inflation. Permanent supply shocks had the dominant influence on autocorrelations.
Experimental Hypersonic Aerodynamic Characteristics of the Space Shuttle Orbiter for a Range of Damage Scenarios

Aerodynamic tests in support of the Columbia accident investigation were conducted in two hypersonic wind tunnels at the NASA Langley Research Center, the 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel and the 20-Inch CF4 Tunnel. The primary purpose of these tests was to measure the forces and moments generated by a variety of outer mold line alterations (damage scenarios) using 0.0075-scale models of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Simultaneously acquired global heat transfer mappings were obtained for a majority of the configurations tested. Test parametrics included angles of attack from 38 to 42 deg, unit Reynolds numbers from 0.3 x 10(exp 6) to 3.0 x 10(exp 6) per foot, and normal shock density ratios of 5 (Mach 6 air) and 12 (CF4). The damage scenarios evaluated included asymmetric boundary layer transition, gouges in the windward surface thermal protection system tiles, wing leading edge damage (partially and fully missing reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels), deformation of the wing windward surface, and main landing gear and/or door deployment. The measured aerodynamic increments for the damage scenarios examined were generally small in magnitude, as were the flight-derived values during most of the entry prior to loss of communication. A progressive damage scenario is presented that qualitatively matches the flight observations for the STS-107 entry.
EHMTI-0290. Headaches in patients with autism spectrum disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent deficits in social communication, social interaction and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. In general, ASD is associated with pain insensitivity and self-injurious behavior. Support for these associated traits are derived mostly from anecdotal and clinical observations. Headache disorders like migraine can be a disabling condition but none has been reported among individuals with ASD.
The Microrevolution: Applications and impacts of microarray technology on molecular biology and medicine (Review)

Microarray is a technique that provides a global analysis of gene expression at the level of transcription. Genetic and epigenetic changes underlie neoplastic transformation, cardiovascular disease, some psychiatric illnesses, and a growing list of disease pathogeneses and therapeutic responses. The profile of genes expressed by different cells (gene up- and downregulation under different conditions) determines their phenotype, and thus provides insights into the molecular basis for health and disease. Microarray technology combines standard molecular techniques with high-throughput screening to monitor the expression of up to 38,500 genes. A single experiment can assay gene expression across the entire genome under experimental or clinical conditions. Microarray therefore extends wide bridges between basic science and clinical medicine. This review describes the principles behind transcriptional profiling, experimental designs, and data analyses in the context of basic and clinical sciences. In addition, we survey the Microrevolutionized field of clinical cancer research by reviewing the most recent and innovative microarray studies of breast carcinoma.
Studies of the phase behaviour of poly(vinyl phenol)-poly(n-alkyl methacrylate) blends

Abstract The results of theoretical and experimental studies of poly(4-vinyl phenol) (PVPh) blends with a series of poly(n-alkyl methacrylates) are presented. PVPh is miscible with poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate) and poly(n-propyl methacrylate) over the entire composition range at temperatures between ambient and 200°C. In contrast, PVPh—poly(n-butyl methacrylate) blends phase separate at temperatures below 200°C. Quantitative analyses of the fraction of hydrogen bonded carbonyl groups were obtained by FT i.r. spectroscopy for all the PVPh blends—poly(n-alkyl methacrylates) as a function of composition and temperature. The data obtained from the miscible blend systems was employed to determine values of the equilibrium constant describing inter-association, K A , and the enthalpy of hydrogen bond formation, h A . Theoretical fractions of hydrogen bonded carbonyl groups and spinodal phase diagrams were calculated using a recently reported association model. The results compare very favourably to experiment.
The Child in Grief: Implications for Teaching.

Based on a thorough review of the literature, this paper presents information on child bereavement. It takes a particular focus on the implications for teaching young children about death and loss. Child educators are in a position to provide a safe environment in which children can explore the concepts of death and dying. For the bereaved child the classroom can be a place where support is offered and expression of feelings toward the loss is allowed. In addition, teachers can help educate parents about various behaviors children manifest in expressing their grief. Given such information, parents may be better able to cope and respond to their child's needs.
Effect of hydrocortisone on response of lymphocytes to stimulation by sodium periodate.

Abstract The response of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to stimulation by sodium periodate in vitro was suppressed by 10 4 –10 −6 M hydrocortisone. The effect was lessened if hydrocortisone was added 24 hrs after initiation of culture. However, if hydrocortisone was present at the initial 4 hrs of culture and then removed by washing, the inhibition could not be reversed. It was concluded that hydrocortisone predominantly affected the initial events of lymphocyte stimulation by sodium periodate.
A review of ground-based, mobile, W-band Doppler-radar observations of tornadoes and dust devils

Abstract A ground-based, mobile, W-band Doppler-radar has been used in the U.S. during the last decade to obtain high-spatial resolution maps of the radar reflectivity and wind fields in tornadoes and dust devils. This radar is one of the best tools available for studying the substructure of intense, small-scale vortices in the boundary layer. The most significant findings to date are summarized. In one case, it was found that just prior to tornadogenesis in a supercell, a 100–200 m scale cyclonic vortex formed at the leading edge of a bulge in the rear–flank gust front. This vortex appeared to interact with a larger-scale (500 m to 1 km wide) cyclonic vortex, just as the tornado formed. Other small-scale cyclonic vortices were present along the rear–flank gust, but they did not develop into tornadoes. The mature tornado-vortex was dominated by quasi-stationary wavenumber-two disturbances, while the mean vortex resembled a two-celled, Rankine combined vortex. The diameter of the mean vortex narrowed as it intensified and widened as it weakened, even though the tornado condensation funnel narrowed as the tornado was dissipating. Evidence was also found of short-term, inertial-like oscillations in vortex diameter and intensity. Spiral bands and eyes were ubiquitous. The eye in one well-documented case was broader in the lowest few hundred meters than it was aloft. Multiple vortices and “umbilical” cords of very narrow bands of reflectivity have also been found. Both cyclonic and anticyclonic dust devils have been documented. Some dust devils resemble a relatively narrow, Rankine combined vortex, while others are wider and have a broad, calm eye and a narrow annulus of intense vorticity just within the radius of maximum wind (RMW), and rising motion just inside the RMW and sinking motion well inside the RMW. Multiple-vortex structure, Rossby-like wave motion, and the Fujiwhara effect have also been documented.
Carnitine metabolism and inborn errors

Current knowledge of the metabolic role, biosynthesis, cellular uptake, excretion and turnover of carnitine is reviewed. The clinical spectrum and possible aetiology of the primary muscle and primary systemic carnitine deficiency syndromes are considered and the various genetic defects of intermediary metabolism which can give rise to secondary carnitine deficiency are indicated.
Rapid stopped-flow voltammetry with potential scanning

Abstract The stopped-flow voltammetric technique described is based on measurements of the differences between currents with the solution flow on and off while the applied potential is scanned linearly. A flow cell with an impinging jet of solution on a stationary planar or porous carbon disk electrode is employed. A nonsteady-state modulation approach is utilized as a compromise between sensitivity and speed. Charging and surface-transient background currents are eliminated, allowing measurements at micromolar concentrations. Well-defined current—potential curves are obtained and compared with those obtained by differential pulse voltammetry. Ascorbic acid, hexacyanoferrate(II), NADH, and dopamine were used as test systems. When 3 s on and 3 s off flow periods were used, detection limits of 0.1 μM dopamine and 0.2 μM ascorbic acid or hexacyanoferrate(II) were obtained.
Proteolytic inactivation of a pentafunctional enzyme conjugate: coordinate protection by the first substrate

Abstract The arom pentafunctional enzyme conjugate of Neurospora crassa was exposed to trypsin, chymotrypsin, or a protease preparation from Neurospora in the presence and absence of the first substrate, 3-deoxy-D- arabino -heptulosonate 7-phosphate. It was found that the first substrate coordinately protects all five activities from proteolytic inactivation, which indicates a conformational change induced by this compound. In addition, the data presented are consistent with the “domain” theory of conjugate structure. It is also argued that coordinate protection may be of physiological significance.
Cadmium sorption by bacteria and freshwater sediment

Sorption of cadmium by sediment bacteria and freshwater sediment was investigated using diffusion chambers to simulate the water-sediment interface. Diffusion chambers were constructed to provide two compartments separated by a dialysis membrane. Diffusion of cadmium across the membrane was monitored after pure cultures of sediment bacteria or lake sediments were added to the sediment side of a diffusion chamber. Cellular accumulation of cadmium by cadmium-sensitive and cadmium-resistant bacteria removed between 20% and 80% of the dissolved cadmium from the simulated water column and pore water. Cellular accumulation of cadmium was greatest for cadmium-sensitive isolates that were tested. Sediment with an intact microbial community sequestered 80% of the cadmium added to sediment, whereas autoclaved sediment retained 97% of the metal that was added. Addition of glucose to cadmium-amended sediment decreased retention of cadmium by untreated and autoclaved sediments, resulting in elevated concentrations of dissolved cadmium in the simulated water column.
Comparison of load-based and queue-based active queue management algorithms

A number of active queue management algorithms have been studied since Random Early Detection (RED) was first introduced in 1993. While analytical and experimental studies have debated whether dropping/marking should be based on average or instantaneous queue length or, alternatively, based on input and output rates (or queue length slope), the merits and drawbacks of the proposed algorithms, and the effect of load-based versus queue-based control have not been adequately examined. In particular, only RED has been tested in realistic configurations and in terms of user metrics, such as response times and average delays. In this paper, we examine active queue management (AQM) that uses both load and queuing delay to determine its packet drop/mark probabilities. This class of algorithms, which we call load/delay controllers (LDC), has the advantage of controlling the queuing delay as well as accurately anticipating incipient congestion. We compare LDC to a number of well-known active queue management algorithms including RED, BLUE, FRED, SRED, and REM in configurations with multiple bottlenecks, round trip times and bursty Web traffic. We evaluate each algorithm in terms of Web response time, delay, packet loss, and throughput, in addition to examining algorithm complexity and ease of configuration. Our results demonstrate that load information, along with queue length, can aid in making more accurate packet drop/mark decisions that reduce the Web response time.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mitogen-induced B-cell proliferation activates Chk2-dependent G1/S cell cycle arrest

B-cell activation and proliferation can be induced by a variety of extracellular stimuli. The fate of an activated B cell following mitogen stimulation can be dictated by the strength or duration of the signal, the expression of downstream signaling components necessary to promote proliferation, and the cell intrinsic sensors and regulators of the proliferative program. Previously we have identified the DNA damage response (DDR) signaling pathway as a cell intrinsic sensor that is activated upon latent infection of primary human B cells by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Here we have assessed the role of the DDR as a limiting factor in the proliferative response to non-viral B-cell mitogens. We report that TLR9 activation through CpG-rich oligonucleotides induced B-cell hyper-proliferation and an ATM/Chk2 downstream signaling pathway. However, B-cell activation through the CD40 pathway coupled with interleukin-4 (IL-4) promoted proliferation less robustly and only a modest DDR. These two mitogens, but not EBV, modestly induced intrinsic apoptosis that was independent from the DDR. However, all three mitogens triggered a DDR-dependent G1/S phase cell cycle arrest preventing B-cell proliferation. The extent of G1/S arrest, as evidenced by release through Chk2 inhibition, correlated with B-cell proliferation rates. These findings have implications for the regulation of extra-follicular B-cell activation as it may pertain to the development of auto-immune diseases or lymphoma.
Tell me you love me: bootstrapping, externalism, and no-lose epistemology

Recent discussion of Vogel-style “bootstrapping” scenarios suggests that they provide counterexamples to a wide variety of epistemological theories. Yet it remains unclear why it’s bad for a theory to permit bootstrapping, or even exactly what counts as a bootstrapping case. Going back to Vogel's original bootstrapping example, I note that an agent who could gain justification through the method Vogel describes would have available a “no-lose investigation”: an investigation that can justify a proposition but has no possibility of undermining it. The main suggestion of this article is that an epistemological theory should not permit no-lose investigations. I identify necessary and sufficient conditions for such investigations, then explore epistemological theories that rule them out. If we want to avoid both skepticism and no-lose investigations, we must eschew either Closure or epistemic externalism.
Transition on the spot: Historicity, social structure, and institutional change

Why do some countries in transition perform quite well while others still struggle with institutional reform, experiencing economic hardship and political disintegration? This paper suggests that this question can only be answered if the processes behind institutional change are well understood. Within the framework of a micro-macro model, it will be argued that historic experience shapes both mental models and the effectiveness of social learning. The historicity of economic development is behind differing development paths. Moreover, it will be shown that understanding the forces that bring about institutional change allows the political advisor to suggest strategies better adapted to the specific needs of different countries than the strategies currently employed. These findings will be applied to the problem of institutional change in rural Russia where the failure of existing reform strategies is eminent.
N-polar AlN thin layers grown on Si(111) by plasma-assisted MBE

The influence of RF power on the growth of N-polar AlN thin layers on Si(111) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy was systematically studied. The surface reconstruction of AlN was 1 × 1 for samples grown at RF power of 350–450 W, while samples grown at lower power of 150–300 W had 3 × 6 reconstruction. All samples demonstrate smooth surface with root mean square roughness less than 1 nm. The 45 nm thick AlN sample grown at RF power of 150 W has the best structural quality. The screw and edge dislocation densities estimated for this sample were 1.4 × 109 and 5.9 × 109 cm−2, respectively.
Schumpeter and Talcott Parsons

This article looks at the relationship between Joseph Schumpeter and sociologist Talcott Parsons. The two met in the late 1920s at Harvard University, where both were teaching. At the time Parsons was a young instructor, while Schumpeter was an established economist; and as a result Schumpeter influenced Parsons much more than the other way around. Parsons especially appreciated Schumpeter’s view of economic theory. Their relationship continued in this way, with Schumpeter mainly influencing Parsons even if he also could keep an eye on what was happening in sociologythrough Parsons.
Organizational Predictors and Use of Evidence-Based Practices in Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment

ABSTRACTBackground: Adolescent substance abuse remains a significant problem in the United States, yet treatment centers do not always admit adolescent clients. In this paper, we first determine the extent to which treatment is available for adolescents in general and whether or not adolescent-specific (segregated) tracks are offered. Second, we examine the organizational characteristics associated with adolescent treatment. Third, we illuminate how the adolescent caseload in a treatment center is related to offering evidence-based practices (EBPs). Methods: Drawing upon a nationally representative sample of US treatment programs, we use logistic regression to assess how organizational characteristics are associated with the provision of adolescent treatment. Using ordinal logistic regression, we analyze how the treatment center's adolescent caseload and organizational characteristics affect the extent to which a treatment center offers medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and psychosocial treatment. Resul...
Angular dependence of the pinning and the flow of vortices in thin superconducting films

Abstract The pinning force and the flow regime of vortices in thin superconducting films are shown to depend essentialy on the perpendicular component of the magnetic field with respect to the plane of the films.
Modeling of residence time in the East Scott Creek Estuary, South Carolina, USA

Abstract A numerical modeling study was carried out to compute average residence time in a tide-dominated East Scott Creek Estuary, South Carolina. The East Scott Creek estuary is a long system of meandering tidal creeks and salt marsh between Edisto Island and the Edisto Beach barrier island, in South Carolina. A coupled hydrodynamic and solute transport model was developed. The flow and solute transport models were based on depth-integrated conservation equations. The equations were discretized by using the total variation diminishing (TVD) finite-volume method. The numerical model predictions were verified against a set of field-measured hydrodynamic data, with the model-predicted water elevations and velocities in good agreement with the field measurements. A remnant function method has been used to quantify the transport mechanism for a dissolved substance in a spatially varying situation with multiple sources, using a high-resolution mass-preserving hydrodynamic and mass-transport model. The spatially varying average residence times for a tide-dominated environment were investigated through a series of numerical experiments using a passive dissolved and conservative tracer as a surrogate. The result indicated that the average residence time varies with the tidal amplitude. The average residence time for the whole estuary for spring-tide condition was found to be about 22 h. The corresponding average residence time for a tracer placed at the head of the estuary was about 170 h. These findings provide useful information for understanding the transport process in the East Scott Creek Estuary that can be used to assess the impact of coastal development in and around the estuary.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Toward an Understanding of Severity

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder with symptoms that range in severity from mild and intermittent to severe and continuous. Although severity is a guiding factor in clinical decision making related to diagnosis and treatment, current guidelines related to IBS do not address the issue of severity. Recent data suggest that severity as a multidimensional concept, not fully explained by intensity of symptoms, has important clinical implications including health care utilization and health-related quality of life. Components of IBS severity include symptom intensity, time of assessment, whether the patient or physician makes the severity determination, the type of scale used to measure severity, and the degree of disability or impairment. Currently no consensus definition of IBS severity exists, although 2 validated scales of IBS severity have recently been published. Review of the literature suggests that the prevalence of severe or very severe IBS is higher than previously estimated with a range from 3%–69%. Individual IBS symptoms are important but are not sufficient to explain severity. Rather, severity has multiple components including health-related quality of life, psychosocial factors, health care utilization behaviors, and burden of illness. However, studies have not been adequately designed to determine the relative values of these factors in IBS severity.
EXCLUSIVE OR processing (binary image subtraction) using thick Fourier holograms.

Theoretical and experimental results are presented for parallel EXCLUSIVE OR processing using thick Fourier holograms. The data pages used contained 1024 bits in a 32 × 32 format. A holographically stored data page is reconstructed together with an input data page that is imaged through the system. The amplitudes of the two wave fronts are adjusted to be equal, and their relative phase is adjusted to be 180°, thus producing the bit-by-bit EXCLUSIVE OR operation between the pages. Using an expanded reference beam for the geometrical configuration treated, it is calculated that the average dynamic range between a 0 and a 1 in the output power would be 17.4 dB. Experimentally, it is shown that excellent EXCLUSIVE OR results are obtainable. Photographs of these results are presented. An average dynamic range of 7.7 dB was measured, the decrease from the calculated value being primarily due to noise in the video method of detection used in the measurements. The probabilities of miss and false alarm and the total probability of error were also measured. The use of a small diameter reference beam, necessary in some applications, causes a large mismatch in the shapes of the two wave fronts, thus degrading the EXCLUSIVE OR results. It is shown theoretically and experimentally that using an aperture at the recording material produces partial compensation of the wave fronts, thus improving the EXCLUSIVE OR results.
Reinvestigation and application of olivine-quartz-orthopyroxene barometry

Abstract Experiments in a piston-cylinder apparatus have been carried out at 700–1050°C, 10–16 kbar to determine the stability of ferrosilite (FeSiO3) relative to fayalite + quartz. Reaction reversals within 0.1-kbar intervals locate the equilibrium at 10.5, 11.0, 11.5, 12.0, 12.6, 13.3, 14.1 and 14.8 kbar at 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, and 1050°C, respectively, reflecting the intercept with the α-β quartz transition at about 880°C. The tight reversals severely constrain the reaction slope, providing a basis for limited extrapolation and calculations. However, the lack of accurate activity and cation-distribution data for orthopyroxene and olivine generates substantial uncertainties when considering the effects of large proportions of additional components such as MgO. Experiments and calculations indicate that additional components dramatically extend the pyroxene stability field and that pressures that have been inferred from ferrosilite-rich pyroxenes in natural assemblages are 1–3 kbar too high.
The role of porosity in thermal inertia variations on basaltic lavas

Thermal inertia, defined as the square root of the product of thermal conductivity, density, and specific heat, has been noted to vary in inverse proportion to porosity in Hawaiian basalts. It is presently suggested that porosities of the order of more than 80 percent are required if the low thermal inertias observed in Martian shield volcanoes are the result of pristine lava flow surface properties. An aeolian origin is held to be most likely in view of thermal measurements on Mars; the volcanic surfaces in question are anticipated to have a short lifetime in their environment.
Pulmonary Manifestations of Extrathoracic Malignant Lesions

Two of the most common thoracic manifestations of extrapulmonary malignant tumors are thoracic metastatic lesions and pulmonary thromboembolism. Recognition of the broad array of patterns of pulmonary metastatic involvement is essential for optimal management of oncology patients. In addition to the "typical" pattern of multiple bilateral nodules, patients may have solitary nodules, reticulonodular infiltrates, hilar and mediastinal adenopathy, endobronchial obstruction, pleural disease, or even normal roentgenographic findings. An awareness of the association between cancer and pulmonary thromboembolism is also valuable. The mechanisms potentially responsible for the thrombotic events associated with malignant disease are discussed, and diagnostic issues are reviewed.
Improving Research Participant Ethics: The Utility of an Online Educational Module

The undergraduate psychology curriculum often does not address guidelines for acceptable participant behavior. This two-part study tested the efficacy of a recently developed online learning module on ethical perceptions, knowledge, and behavior. In the preliminary quasi-experiment, students who viewed the module did not have higher end-of-semester ethical perceptions than a control group, although the experimental group demonstrated increased ethical knowledge and behavior than the control group. Study 2 replicated these findings with a pretest–posttest experimental design at another university. These findings lend support for the module increasing ethical knowledge and behavior, although not necessarily perceptions. However, exploratory analyses suggested that ethical perceptions appear to increase across all research participants through experience.
Royal Tern (Sterna maxima) Chick Diet at Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia

Abstract Royal Tern (Sterna maxima) chick diet at Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia, was investigated in 2003 and 2004. Primary objectives were to document common prey species, annual and seasonal variation in prey selection, and seasonal variation in prey size based on average bill length in this species. Over 2200 Royal Terns bred on this island each year of the study. Single items of prey species carried in the bill by adult terns feeding their chicks were identified using 8 × 42 binoculars. A total of 11,566 and 33,646 prey items were identified during 44 and 87.5 h of systematic observations in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Terns foraged largely on anchovy (Anchoa spp.) early in the season, then switched to herrings (Clupeidae); average prey size also increased seasonally each year. Prey switching was similar to that of Royal Terns in North Carolina (but with drum as well as herring), indicating regional adaptations to forage fish availability by this species along the mid-Atlantic s...
Enhancement of Opsin Activity by all-trans-retinal

The rod cell photoreceptor apoprotein, opsin, activates the G-protein, transducin, although at a much reduced level than light-activated rhodopsin. The ability of all-trans-retinal to enhance opsin apoprotein activity was investigated using a guanyl nucleotide exchange assay on transducin. All-trans-retinal enhanced opsin activity in a concentration-dependent manner. At high concentrations of all-trans-retinal, the activity of the all-trans-retinal-opsin complex was comparable to that from an equimolar amount of metarhodopsin(II). However, in contrast to metarhodopsin(II), the active all-trans-retinalopsin complex did not require a stable Schiff base linkage between opsin and all-trans-retinal. The lack of a stable Schiff base and differences in activity at high pH imply that opsin and all-trans-retinal form a complex that is distinct from metarhodopsin(II). The ability of all-trans-retinal to stimulate the transduction cascade may be a source of post-bleach noise in photoreceptors.
Carotid stenosis in a multiethnic population.

Background: Carotid stenosis is an important, treatable cause of stroke. Several population-based studies have shown ethnic differences in the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis. This study was performed at a large multiethnic hospital to clarify these differences. Methods: One thousand six carotid artery ultrasounds performed by the Department of Radiology at Los Angeles County General Hospital over a 4-year period were reviewed. Patients were classified as Caucasian (n=151), Hispanic (n=515), Black (n=173), or Asian (n=167) by self-declaration and birthplace. Carotid stenosis was defined as mild (1% to 39%), moderate (40% to 59%), severe (60% to 79%), critical (80% to 99%), or total (100%). Results: Twenty and one-half percent of Caucasian patients had greater than 59% stenosis compared with 10.1% of Hispanics, 8.7% of Blacks, and 10.7% of Asians ( P P Conclusions: These results indicate that significant differences in the degree of carotid stenosis exist among ethnic groups. Caucasian patients in our series showed a statistically higher likelihood of having a severe or critical level of stenosis. These findings may have implications for the allocation of health care resources as ethnic minorities compose a greater proportion of the population
Dementia and low-pressure hydrocephalus in a patient with pituitary adenoma.

Abstract A patient is presented in whom global dementia was the initial clinical manifestation of pituitary adenoma in the absence of visual or endocrine symptoms or signs of increased intracranial pressure. The tumor had partially obstructed the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) resulting in low-pressure hydrocephalus, manifesting as dementia, urinary incontinence and a characteristic motor disorder found on clinical examination. This is the first reported instance, to our knowledge, of pituitary adenoma causing low-pressure hydrocephalus. It is postulated that transventricular absorption of CSF accounted for the normalization of the patient's intraventricular pressure. Clinical and experimental evidence in support of this contention is briefly reviewed.
Variation of semiconductor band gaps with lattice temperature and with carrier temperature when these are not equal

Under conditions of intense optical pumping or electrical injection it is possible to establish a temperature of excited carriers, ${T}_{e}$, larger than the temperature of the lattice, ${T}_{L}$, for periods of time sufficient for many effects to be observed. It is well known that semiconductor band gaps are a function of temperature, but the variation with the two temperatures, ${T}_{e}$ and ${T}_{L}$, when these are different seems not to have been discussed previously. Simple thermodynamic arguments may be applied when it is recognized that a band gap is a chemical potential. The simple formula, ${\ensuremath{\Delta}E}_{\mathrm{cv}}({T}_{e},{T}_{L})={\ensuremath{\Delta}H}_{\mathrm{cv}}({T}_{L})\ensuremath{-}{T}_{e}{\ensuremath{\Delta}S}_{\mathrm{cv}}({T}_{L})$, is deduced. Physically this formula states that the vibronic degeneracy of the electronic states (valence and conduction band or bonding and antibonding) among which the carriers are distributed with characteristic temperature ${T}_{e}$ is determined by the lattice temperature, ${T}_{L}$. Thus when ${T}_{e}gg{T}_{L}$, anamalously large variations in the gap will occur. It is found that under certain conditions loss of energy from the carrier system to the lattice will cause the density of excited carriers to increase, rather than decrease.
Social capital as the catalyst for school participation

This article investigates the association between social capital and education in Jhabua, a tribal dominated district of central India. The case study analysis showed a disconnection between social capital and education in the majority of the villages. However, two of the fourteen villages showed that empowerment of the civil society made formal social organizations like PTAs effective, and also that informal networks play a key role in accountability. This article presents the case that although institutional structures are in place to promote the role of social capital in education, social capital effectiveness depends on a community-based catalyst.
Race and Performance of Student as Determinants of Teacher Nonverbal Behavior.

Abstract This study tested the hypotheses that the nonverbal behavior of teachers is affected by the race and performance of their students. Fifty-six white college-age subjects, acting as teachers, were led to praise successful or unsuccessful students. The students were either white or black. Stimulus teachers' nonverbal behavior was recorded, and silent samples of their behavior were shown to naive judges who rated how pleased they appeared to be with their student. Results showed that stimulus teachers were more pleased with successful than unsuccessful students, and more pleased with white than black students.
Kierkegaardian misreadings of Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer:

In 1974, Walker Percy interpreted his own novel, The Moviegoer, as both an illustration and a test of Kierkegaard’s existentialist theology. As part of this reading, Percy confessed reservations ab...
A Nonlinear Code Tracking Filter for GPS-Based Navigation

Current Global Positioning System (GPS)-based navigation systems are highly susceptible to unintentional and intentional jamming due to relatively low signal power at the receiver antenna and, in part, due to suboptimal code tracking loop designs that do not account for measurement nonlinearities near loss-of-lock. A nonlinear code tracking filter is developed whose architecture is based on a rigorous minimum-variance solution of the navigation problem, rather than using prespecified tracking loop architectures. The filter implementation can be viewed in terms of the classical notions of error detector functions, which depend on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and root mean square (rms) code tracking error. Detector functions are defined for both code tracking error and code tracking error variance. The filter responds more rapidly than current designs to rapidly varying jammer power due to a measurement-dependent term in the covariance calculations. Extended-range tracking is utilized, yielding linear state vector error detector functions (i.e., the filter is essentially optimum) out to the maximum allowed by the correlator range, and reducing the need for reacquisition. Significant antijam improvements relative to current designs are predicted from high-fidelity simulation and hardware demonstrations. Computational requirements are comparable to extended Kalman filter/vector tracking loop techniques.
Minimal residual disease in acute myeloid leukemia: coming of age

The achievement of complete hematologic remission (CR) is a prerequisite for cure in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The conventional definition of CR, based on the morphologic recognition of ≤ 5% of leukemic blasts in the BM, does not provide sufficient insight into the quality of the response. Despite CR rates of 50%-80% (depending on age), the majority of patients with AML relapse within 3-5 years from diagnosis. Therefore, there is great need of more sensitive prognostic factors that can predict relapse. Minimal residual disease (MRD), defined as any measurable disease or leukemia detectable above a certain threshold (defined by the methodology applied), predicts failure to maintain a morphologic CR and affects survival negatively. AML is lagging behind acute lymphoblastic leukemia with respect to the implementation of MRD criteria for guidance during therapy. AML is particularly disadvantaged compared with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in that approximately half of AML patients lack a molecular target suitable for MRD monitoring. The detection of altered antigen (Ag) expression by leukemic myeloblasts is a valid alternative to DNA- or RNA-based MRD assays. Although associated with presenting prognostic factors (eg, cytogenetics and genotype), MRD represents the collective end result of all of the cellular mechanisms that determine a patient's response to a given therapy. Therefore, MRD has 2 potential roles in AML treatment: (1) as a posttherapy prognosticator used to assign patients to optimal postinduction/consolidation therapy, and (2) as an early surrogate end point for the evaluation of therapy efficacy.