cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) binding-mediated gene regulation

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are synthetic oligonucleotides with chemically modified backbones. PNAs can bind to both DNA and RNA targets in a sequence-specific manner to form PNA/DNA and PNA/RNA duplex structures. When bound to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) targets, the PNA molecule replaces one DNA strand in the duplex by strand invasion to form a PNA/DNA/PNA [or (PNA)2/DNA] triplex structure and the displaced DNA strand exists as a single-stranded D-loop. PNA has been used in many studies as research tools for gene regulation and gene targeting. The D-loops generated from the PNA binding have also been demonstrated for its potential in initiating transcription and inducing gene expression. PNA provides a powerful tool to study the mechanism of transcription and an innovative strategy to regulate target gene expression. An understanding of the PNA-mediated gene regulation will have important clinical implications in treatment of many human diseases including genetic, cancerous, and age-related diseases.
Two-photon laser spectroscopy of xenon collision pairs

A computer-controlled, frequency-doubled, pulsed dye laser has been used in conjunction with a sensitive and linear photodetection scheme to measure the two-photon absorption profiles of the ground to $6p{[\frac{1}{2}]}_{0}$, $6p{[\frac{3}{2}]}_{2}$, and $6p{[\frac{5}{2}]}_{2}$ two-photon transitions in xenon over a pressure range of a few Torr to 10 000 Torr. Absolute two-photon coefficients are reported. Line-shape measurements of the shift and width of the Lorentzian core allow the deduction of the long-range dispersion terms of the Xe-${\mathrm{Xe}}^{*}$ interaction potentials. An analysis of the line wings under the quasistatic approximation has permitted the extraction of the difference potentials for $3.75\ensuremath{\le}R\ensuremath{\le}8.0$ \AA{}. These short-and long-range difference potentials have been combined and used in an Anderson-Talman phase-shift calculation to reconstruct the absorption profiles. Measurements of the fluorescence following selective laser excitation have been taken and branching fractions for collisional excitation to other members of the $6p$ manifold at a xenon pressure of 100 Torr are reported.
EFFECTS OF TESTING EXPERIENCE ON PERFORMANCE OF TRAINED SENSORY PANELISTS

Data from an inexperienced and experienced sensory panel with similar training were compared in two experiments, the first on a product class that the experienced panel had tested extensively and the second on a product class unfamiliar to either panel. This study indicates that inexperienced panelists having the same intensive descriptive training as their experienced counterparts can be used on the same panels as experienced testers with little effect on the data. The minimal experience effect found in both experiments in this study was not the result of experience in a specific product category, but appeared to be a more general effect. We hypothesize that thorough training may be more important than experience for increased “reproducibility” in panelists.
Non-repeating nucleotide sequences in the genome of bacteriophage T4.

Abstract 32 P-labeled RNA specific for part of the rII region of bacteriophage T4 was subjected to a partial digest with ribonuclease T 1 , followed by separation of the resulting fragments according to chain length. The fractions were hybridized with r + DNA and DNA of an rII deletion mutant, which is lacking the region homologous with the rII specific RNA. Fractions of a chain length of approximately 13 nucleotides and higher were found to complex specifically with r + DNA. We suggest that most nucleotide sequences in the rII genes, which are longer than 12 nucleotides, are not recurring in the T4 genome. The hybridization of short-chain RNA fragments with complementary DNA can be used for the preparative isolation of fragments homologous to genetically defined short segments of DNA.
The Androgen Receptor in Breast Cancer: Biology and Treatment Considerations

The androgen receptor (AR) is expressed in 70–90% of invasive breast cancers. Despite the ubiquitous expression of AR in both primary and metastatic breast cancers, the clinical significance of this hormone receptor as a prognostic/predictive marker and its functional role in tumorigenesis remains poorly understood. This review summarizes the recent progress made in understanding the role of the AR as a prognostic/predictive marker in breast cancer and the underlying mechanisms by which the androgen-signaling pathway may be involved in breast cancer pathogenesis. In addition, this review examines the available clinical data for the use of androgen-blocking agents in the treatment of breast cancer and explores the ongoing development of newer AR-targeted agents in this setting.
Effect of memory time on the agitation of unstable modes in nuclear matter

The spontaneous agitation of collective modes in unstable nuclear matter is addressed with an extended Boltzmann-Langevin (BL) theory that incorporates a memory time in the stochastic force. The growth of the modes is then governed by effective diffusion coefficients which are renormalized by time-dependent factors, relative to the standard treatment. These correction factors deviate significantly from unity in the most unstable domain of the density-temperature phase plane, indicating the importance of including a memory time in numerical BL simulations of nuclear dynamics.
Monoamine neurotransmitters in the evolution of infarction in ischemic striatum: morphologic correlation

Evolution of infarction following cerebral ischemia is a delayed process, with spongiform degeneration of the neuropil occuring 6 to 8 hours after onset of ischemia. The brains of gerbils with stroke following unilateral carotid artery ligation were examined for catecholamine-derived fluorescence (CADF) by the Falck-Hillarp technique to study the relationship of catecholamine (CA) metabolism with damage to the neuropil. CADF could still be identified in the striatum for up to 16 hours after stroke and there appeared to be spongiform degeneration of the neuropil in relation to accumulations of CADF at 7 and 16 hours after stroke. Pretreatment of gerbils with a-methyl-p-tyrosine 400 mg/kg 6 hours prior to carotid ligation depleted the striatum of CADF until 16 hours after stroke and appeared to reduce the spongiform degeneration of the neuropil, though it did not affect ischemic degeneration of neuronal cell bodies. The continued presence of CADF in the striatum for up to 16 hours after stroke supports the previously reported findings that CA nerve terminals are still functional for 8 hours after stroke and that CA metabolism continues even though levels of CA are reduced immediately after onset of ischemia due to carotid artery ligation.
Weight-loss maintenance in successful weight losers: surgical vs non-surgical methods

As large weight losses are rarely achieved through any method except bariatric surgery, there have been no studies comparing individuals who initially lost large amounts of weight through bariatric surgery or non-surgical means. The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) provides a resource for making such unique comparisons. This study compared the amount of weight regain, behaviors and psychological characteristics in NWCR participants who were equally successful in losing and maintaining large amounts of weight through either bariatric surgery or non-surgical methods. Surgical participants (n=105) were matched with two non-surgical participants (n=210) on gender, entry weight, maximum weight loss and weight-maintenance duration, and compared prospectively over 1 year. Participants in the surgical and non-surgical groups reported having lost approximately 56 kg and keeping ⩾13.6 kg off for 5.5±7.1 years. Both groups gained small but significant amounts of weight from registry entry to 1 year (P=0.034), but did not significantly differ in magnitude of weight regain (1.8±7.5 and 1.7±7.0 kg for surgical and non-surgical groups, respectively; P=0.369). Surgical participants reported less physical activity, more fast food and fat consumption, less dietary restraint, and higher depression and stress at entry and 1 year. Higher levels of disinhibition at entry and increased disinhibition over 1 year were related to weight regain in both groups. Despite marked behavioral differences between the groups, significant differences in weight regain were not observed. The findings suggest that weight-loss maintenance comparable with that after bariatric surgery can be accomplished through non-surgical methods with more intensive behavioral efforts. Increased susceptibility to cues that trigger overeating may increase risk of weight regain regardless of initial weight-loss method.
A nonlinear approach to US GNP

A univariate nonlinear model is estimated for US GNP that on many criteria outperforms standard linear models. The estimated model is of the threshold autoregressive type and contains evidence of asymmetric effects of shocks over the business cycle. In particular the nonlinear model suggests that the post-1945 US economy is significantly more stable than the pre-1945 US economy.
Oil Debates: The Great Oil and Gasoline Dilemma

This economist believes that the rapid rise in oil prices since 2002 may have had more to do with frenzied financial speculation than with the ordinary profit maximization of the giant oil companies. On both fronts, we are not thinking aggressively enough about remedies. He believes that a windfall-profits tax, earmarked for long-run development of alternative fuels, is the best remedy for the present situation. For the intermediate run, a powerful device, he thinks, would be an international authority to buy and sell oil.
Genetic evidence for two distinct clades in a French Polynesian population of the coral reef three-spot damselfish Dascyllus trimaculatus

Previous studies have shown that the three-spot damselfish species complex [Dascyllus albisella Gill, D. auripinnis Randall and Randall, D. strasburgi Klausewitz, D. trimaculatus (Ruppell)] is an assemblage of five geographically distinct clades. The one exception was a single D. trimaculatus from French Polynesia, which grouped with "Pacific Rim" individuals. In the present study, an additional 252 individuals from French Polynesia collected between June 1996 and January 2002 were analyzed using PCR amplifications, restriction fragment length polymorphisms, and DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial control region. The French Polynesian D. trimaculatus belong to two distinct clades. One clade comprising 96% of the individuals includes haplotypes found only in French Polynesia. The other clade (4% of the individuals) is comprised of haplotypes that cluster with "Pacific Rim" individuals, a clade with widespread distribution from Japan to the Line Islands and from Wallis to Palau. Present data suggest that a small number of larvae from northwestern reefs (possibly Line Islands) may have occasionally reached and colonized French Polynesian reefs.
Intensive care support therapy

Patients with small-for-size syndrome (SFSS) and acute liver failure share some important clinical features that are paralleled by common approaches to their intensive care unit management. Both are characterized by a period of acute hepatic insufficiency, with clinical features reflecting the impairment of metabolic and immunologic function that results. The basic principles of management of the two conditions remain essentially the same: to support hepatic regeneration, to anticipate and prevent the development of complications, and to identify patients unlikely to survive early in their clinical course so that retransplantation may be considered. Many treatments are available in the intensive care unit to overcome biochemical and metabolic disturbances in acute liver failure. Optimal pharmacologic management of SFSS complicated by portal hypertension and variceal hemorrhage is currently uncertain. Extracorporeal liver support has several theoretical attractions in the critically ill patient with SFSS, through its ability by removal of hepatotoxins to provide an environment more conducive to hepatic regeneration and recovery, or to support and bridge the patient to transplantation. The molecular adsorbent recycling system has been proposed to remove both water-soluble and protein-bound toxins. This system is particularly attractive in the treatment of SFSS, however, despite its current clinical application, there are presently limited published data to support its use. (Liver Transpl 2003;9:S15-S17.)
The Hospital for Special Surgery Affiliates with Cornell University Medical College and New York Hospital, 1951; Philip D. Wilson Retires as Surgeon-in-Chief, 1955

When World War II ended in 1945, the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the oldest orthopedic hospital in the country, was entering its eighth decade. Only 5 years previously, its name was changed from the Hospital for the Ruptured and Crippled (R & C). In 1934, Dr. Philip D. Wilson (1886–1969) had been recruited to fill the office of the fifth Surgeon-in-Chief with a key charge to restore the hospital as the leading orthopedic institution in our country, a role it originally held for over half a century since its founding in 1863. Wilson believed that a close affiliation with a university center having a medical school and hospital, while maintaining independence, was vital to achieve this objective. In 1948, negotiations between representatives of the Board of the New York Society for the Relief of the Ruptured and Crippled and representatives of the Society of the New York Hospital and Cornell Medical Center began and a preliminary written agreement was reached in March, the next year. The affiliation called for construction of a new building to house approximately 170 inpatient beds for orthopedics and arthritis. The land on the East River between 70th and 71st Streets, owned by New York Hospital, was to be given, without monetary exchange, to the Hospital for Special Surgery for construction of its new hospital. Finally, on November 1, 1951, a new non-proximate agreement was ratified. On May 25, 1955, after 43 years at 321 East 42nd Street, the Hospital for Special Surgery moved to its new six million dollar building at 535 East 70th Street where it formally became affiliated with New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center. Two months later, on July 1, 1955, Philip D. Wilson retired as Surgeon-in-Chief to become the Hospital for Special Surgery’s new Director of Research and Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus.
Counting neutrino species in high-energy proton-antiproton collisions

The ratio of the cross sections sigma(pp-bar..-->..ZX)/sigma(pp-bar..-->..WX) is calculated in the framework of QCD. Although the absolute value of the cross section has large uncertainties, most of them are found to cancel in the ratio. Remaining uncertainties are studied in detail. An upper bound on the number of low-mass neutrinos is obtained. The effect of t-quark mass and fourth charged lepton is discussed.
Improved general expressions for the Slater-Koster integrals in the two-center approximation

A recent formula for the solid harmonics in the Cartesian form has enabled us to develop improved general expressions for the Slater-Koster integrals in the two-center approximation useful in the energy-band theory of solids.
Approximate solutions to unreachable commands in teleoperation of a robot

Abstract A method is presented for finding approximate solutions to unreachable commands for a serial link manipulator. It deals with the difficulties of joint limits and singularities in a teleoperational, task space controller. Damped least squares with dynamic weighting is used to solve the inverse Jacobian problem. Previously reported benefits of damped least squares are reviewed, and an additional benefit is demonstrated; a convergence to an approximate position when the command is outside a singularity-defined workspace boundary. The utility of damped least squares is extended by incorporating dynamic weighting matrices, allowing an approximate position to be found when the command is outside a joint-limit-defined workspace boundary. A real-time control scheme for calculating the dynamic weights and damping factor is presented. A hardware implementation, that used a six degree of freedom teleoperator, is discussed. In this implementation the approximate position solution, a new concept in dealing with workspace boundaries in teleoperation, resulted in improved operation.
Problem of secondary porosity: Frio Formation (Oligocene), Texas Gulf Coast

Secondary porosity, formed by the dissolution of both carbonate and silicate minerals, especially K-feldspars, is widely developed in sandstones of the Frio Formation (Oligocene) in the Texas Gulf Coast. CO 2 produced by decarboxylation of organic matter is commonly suggested as the acid required for dissolution. Material balance calculations indicate that CO 2 produced by decarboxylation of organic matter in Frio Formation shales can account for a regional average of only 1% or 2% secondary porosity in Frio Formation sandstones, yet point-count data indicate an average of 10% secondary porosity. Long-distance fluid transport (many kilometres) and/or other mechanisms of acid generation should, therefore, be considered. Carbon isotopic data on dissolved inorganic carbon in formation water, CO 2 in produced natural gas, and carbonate cements indicate that CO 2 produced by decarboxylation had a minor impact on these carbon reservoirs. The reaction kerogen + water → methane + carbon dioxide can explain the isotopic data, but alone it is insufficient to account for all the secondary porosity unless long-distance material transport is involved.
Navigating the Information Superhighway using spoken language interfaces

MIT's Galaxy system provides an intuitive, speech-based user interface that enables universal information access using spoken dialogue. It differs from other spoken language approaches because it is distributed and decentralized, multidomain, and extensive. >
Broadband 8 to 18 GHz phased array system for communications

This paper summarizes the development of a 8 to 18 GHz piezoelectric transducer (PET) controlled phased array system. The PET controlled phased array provides a low cost, extremely wide operating bandwidth, and easy fabrication. The proposed array system consists of a wideband 1×4 power divider, a low-loss and low-cost multiline PET controlled phase shifter, and four broadband tapered slot antennas (TSAs). The multiline PET phase shifter has a low perturbation loss of less than 2 dB and a total loss of less than 4 dB up to 40 GHz, with a maximum phase shift of more than 650 o. The PET controlled phased array operating from 8 to 18 GHz is designed and fabricated. The array's beam scanning ability is tested in anechoic antenna chamber. The measured radiation patterns of the fabricated PET controlled phased array validate the array's beam scanning performance.
Lead attenuates the antipunishment effects of ethanol.

Adult male rats were exposed to a diet containing no added chemicals, or a diet containing 500 ppm added lead (as lead acetate), for 70 days. On Day 71 (training day), after 24 h of water deprivation, all animals were placed in a test apparatus and permitted to make 220 licks for a 5.5 percent (v/v) sucrose in water solution. On Day 72 (test day), all animals received conditioned punishment training where electric shock was delivered to the tongue following every 20 licks of the sucrose and water solution. Prior to commencing punishment training on Day 72, half the animals for the control diet condition (Group Control-Diet-Saline), and half the animals for the lead diet condition (Group Lead-Diet-Saline), received IP injections of saline. Conversely, the remaining half of the animals (Groups Control-Diet-Ethanol and Lead-Diet-Ethanol) received IP injections of 1.5 g/kg ethanol. The results of the conditioned punishment test revealed that animals exposed to a control diet and administered ethanol (Group Control-Diet-Ethanol) engaged in more punished licking and received more shocks than thier lead-treated counterparts (Group Lead-Diet-Ethanol). Both of the groups exhibited more punished licking and received more shocks than either of the groups that received saline injections. The possibility that lead contamination may reduce the pharmacologic impact of ethanol is noted.
Analysis of ALS5 and ALS6 allelic variability in a geographically diverse collection of Candida albicans isolates.

Abstract The Candida albicans ALS (agglutinin-like sequence) gene family encodes eight cell-surface glycoproteins, some of which function in adhesion to host surfaces. ALS genes have a central tandem repeat-encoding domain comprised entirely of head-to-tail copies of a conserved 108-bp sequence. The number of copies of the tandemly repeated sequence varies between C. albicans strains and often between alleles within the same strain. Because ALS alleles can encode different-sized proteins that may have different functional characteristics, defining the range of allelic variability is important. Genomic DNA from C. albicans strains representing the major genetic clades was PCR amplified to determine the number of tandemly repeated sequence copies within the ALS5 and ALS6 central domain. ALS5 alleles had 2–10 tandem repeat sequence copies (mean = 4.82 copies) while ALS6 alleles had 2–8 copies (mean = 4.00 copies). Despite this variability, tandem repeat copy number was stable in C. albicans strains passaged for 3000 generations. Prevalent alleles and allelic distributions varied among the clades for ALS5 and ALS6. Overall, ALS6 exhibited less variability than ALS5. ALS5 deletions can occur naturally in C. albicans via direct repeats flanking the ALS5 locus. Deletion of both ALS5 alleles was associated particularly with clades III and SA. ALS5 exhibited allelic polymorphisms in the coding region 5′ of the tandem repeats; some alleles resembled ALS1, suggesting recombination between these contiguous loci. Natural deletion of ALS5 and the sequence variation within its coding region suggest relaxed selective pressure on this locus, and that Als5p function may be dispensable in C. albicans or redundant within the Als family.
Plastic yielding as a phase transition

A statistical mechanical theory of forest hardening is developed in which yielding arises as a phase transition. For simplicity, we consider the case of a single dislocation loop moving on a slip plane through randomly distributed forest dislocations, which we treat as point obstacles. The occurrence of slip at the sites occupied by these obstacles is assumed to require the expenditure of a certain amount of work commensurate with the strength of the obstacle. The case of obstacles of infinite strength is treated in detail. We show that the behavior of the dislocation loop as it sweeps the slip plane under the action of a resolved shear stress is identical to that of a lattice gas, or, equivalently, to that of the two-dimensional spin-1/2 Ising model. In particular, there exists a critical temperature T_c below which the system exhibits a yield point, i.e., the slip strain increases sharply when the applied resolved shear stress attains a critical value. Above the critical temperature the yield point disappears and the slip strain depends continuously on the applied stress. The critical exponents, which describe the behavior of the system near the critical temperature, coincide with those of the two-dimensional spin-1/2 Ising model.
NON-INVASIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF CHRONIC MYOCARDIAL INFARCTIONS USING T1 MAPPING BASED CARDIOVASCULAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE AT 3T WITHOUT EXOGENOUS CONTRAST AGENTS

Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE) Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) for characterizing myocardial infarctions (MIs) requires gadolinium infusion which is contraindicated in 40% of MI patients due to chronic end-stage kidney disease. In a canine model, we tested the hypothesis whether contrast-
Cruisin' and Chillin': Testing the Java-Based Distributed Ground Data System "Chill" with CruiseControl System "Chill" with CruiseControl

This paper describes the design of the development test environment for the mission data processing and control subsystem (MPCS), code-named "Chill." MPCS Chill is currently in development to support the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), scheduled for launch in 2009. Chill is a Linux-based ground data system which includes both telemetry and command functions. The development test configuration consists of five levels: unit testing, end-to-end testing, user interface testing, external interface testing, and installation/deployment testing. This paper will focus primarily on the automation of the lowest two levels, unit and end-to-end testing. MPCS Chill's continuous integration process is provided by its adaptation of CruiseControl, which is an open source framework for a continuous build process. CruiseControl is configured on the dedicated build machine, a Linux workstation, which is the target platform. Chill has configured CruiseControl into two project loops: the first fetches the latest version of software from a central repository, builds it, and performs unit tests (JUnit). The second loop runs scripted end-to-end tests, which are performed on the results of the first build. Results are reported via email notification and a web interface provides the details of the current and previous builds for each loop. The evolution of test definition is: requirements feed into design, design leads to use cases, and tests are derived from use cases, thus leading to the mapping of tests to requirements. Unit tests operate on internal components, while end-to-end tests operate at a higher level of abstraction and therefore can be traced to requirements. The evolutionary process ensures that we are testing to requirements. MPCS Chill presents a model for testing Java-based distributed ground systems in a semi-automated manner. The MPCS model is highly applicable to other projects looking to automate their testing in addition to achieving continuous integration.
Radiosensitivity and differentiation of ganglion cells within fetal mouse retinal explants in vitro

Fetal mouse retinas were explanted at 13-14 days of gestation, and exposed to gamma radiation in vitro. Not all regions of the retina were equally susceptible to radiation-induced necrosis; when exposed to 5000 rads soon after explanation, each explant had a single small radioresistant nubbin of apparently intact tissue, located near the optic nerve-head. This region of radioresistant tissue was larger when the dose of radiation was reduced and when the explants were exposed at later times in vitro, indicating the existence of a gradient of radioresistance across retinal explants which spread outward through at least the first week in vitro, the period examined. Based upon the extensive in situ literature which has correlated the emergence of radioresistance with the differentiation of retinal neurons, we conclude that the in situ central-to-peripheral sequence of cellular differentiation continues in vitro within our retinal explants. Whereas the ganglion cell axonal outgrowth from control retinas grown in isolation on collagen substrates underwent a gradual disintegration over 3 weeks in vitro, the sparse axonal outgrowth from explants exposed to 5000 rads disintegrated abruptly at 5-7 days in vitro. This did not appear to be due to direct damage from radiation, but instead reflected the fact that axons in irradiated cultures arose from central retinal regions only, while many axons in control cultures emerged from later-differentiating peripheral regions. We suggest that disintegration of individual axons in the outgrowth may occur rapidly and in a central-to-peripheral sequence. These findings should be useful in designing assays for trophic factors which may prevent ganglion cell axon disintegration in this in vitro model system.
Compensation of Horizontal Temperature and Salinity Gradients in the Ocean Mixed Layer

Establishment of the temperature-salinity relationship in the ocean has concerned oceanographers for decades because of its importance for understanding ocean circulation. High-resolution measurements in the ocean mixed layer are used to show that temperature and salinity gradients on horizontal scales of 20 meters to 10 kilometers tend to compensate in their effect on density. These observations support the notion of a horizontal mixing in the mixed layer that depends on density gradient.
Through the digital peephole: LSD and the grammar of transparency

In this article, I will argue that the use of digital capture in its myriad forms – webcams, spy-cams, CCTV etc – is crucial to Dibakar Benerjee's self-conscious bouquet film, Love, Sex aur Dhokha (Love, Sex and Deception). Use of digital technology is central to LSD's othering of itself and heightening its reality effect. In the adoption of digital cameras and digital aesthetics, the film aspires to a pristine notion of ‘truth’ that exposes the masquerade of celluloid (which the film stages as a staple of ‘Bollywood’). The deliberation on surveillance and voyeurism stages the body as the site where the effect of surveillance apparatus and its violence is most visible. Digital cameras are able to boast a physical proximity to the body that the bulky 35 mm camera cannot achieve, thus crucially altering the way the body is represented and consequently, the way the audience consumes and decodes the image. In this, the film also engages with the persistent idiom of family melodramas that has dominated the cin...
Low frequency of codon 61 Ha-ras mutations and lack of keratin 13 expression in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced hamster skin tumors

Alterations in the pattern of keratin expression are a common feature of skin-tumor development. In this study, we investigated whether the loss of epidermal keratin 1 (K1) and its replacement by mucosal keratin 13 (K13) is unique to mouse skin tumors induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), since it has been reported that human epidermal tumors do not exhibit aberrant expression of K13. With that purpose, we analyzed the keratin profiles of 16 DMBA-induced hamster skin tumors using monospecific antibodies against K1 and K13. Although all the tumors expressed K1, they also showed an overall tendency towards loss of this keratin; furthermore, none of the tumors expressed K13. Previous studies have suggested that the induction of K13 in mouse skin is related to the mutation of the Ha-ras gene by the initiating agent DMBA, a mutation consistently found in murine DMBA/TPA-induced tumors and rarely found in human skin tumors. Therefore, we also evaluated the tumors for the presence of codon-61 mutations by direct sequencing of DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Only three tumors showed an A-->T transversion in the second nucleotide of Ha-ras codon 61. However, presence of the mutation did not correlate with K1 staining. Although hamster skin tumors were induced by the same initiator as were mouse skin tumors, hamster skin tumors did not show the same keratin profile. Moreover, their immunohistochemical expression of K1 and K13 and their codon 61 sequences resembled that of their human counterparts. These results suggest that the aberrant expression of K13 may be unique to murine skin. Furthermore, although codon 61 Ha-ras mutation appears to be related to keratin alterations in the mouse model, this mutation is not sufficient to produce the same biochemical changes in other species.
HiScamp: self-organizing hierarchical membership protocol

Gossip-based or epidemic algorithms rely on a peer-to-peer model for dissemination of multicast messages, and are simple, scalable and reliable. However, traditional gossip-based protocols suffer from two major drawbacks: (i) they rely on each peer having knowledge of the global membership and (ii) they are oblivious to the underlying network and impose a high load on core router links. In this paper we present a self-organizing hierarchical membership protocol which attemps to solve these two issues. Nodes organize themselves into clusters reflecting the topology, and obtain partial views of the membership both within and outside the cluster. The size of the partial views is tuned automatically to achieve high reliability. Gossip messages are targeted mainly within clusters, thereby reducing network load.
Rates of caesarean section and neonatal mortality.

Summary: A comparison of the yearly statistics of National Maternity Hospital (Dublin) and University Hospital (Newark) was undertaken for the years 1983–1989. The findings appear to indicate that after the elimination of major confounding factors, the substantially higher rates of Caesarean section in Newark (17.5% versus 5.8%) did not bring about a measurable reduction in the rate of neonatal losses. The impact of paediatric care upon the respective neonatal outcomes could not be assessed on the ground of the reviewed data.
The Application of Molecular Techniques in Environmental Biotechnology for Monitoring Microbial Systems

Traditional methods of bacterial enumeration are often insufficient for monitoring the specific microbes critical for important biochemical reactions in complex, mixed microbial communities. Molecular methods have been developed that can detect and quantify phylogenetic groups on the basis of rDNA sequences and relevant structural genes. Many of these techniques rely on PCR for the amplification of DNA sequences that might be in low abundance in a mixed microbial community. Reverse transcriptase can be coupled to PCR for measuring gene expression on the basis of mRNA abundance. Microbial diversity and community structure can be addressed by further examination of PCR products by various separation techniques and restriction analyses. Microscopic examination of the architecture of intact microbial communities such as biofilms and flocs can be enhanced by using fluorescently labelled population-specific rRNA probes. The molecular techniques described in this review can enhance the science and practice of environmental biotechnology by providing ways of characterizing mixed microbial communities rapidly on a phylogenetic basis and in terms of specific enzymic activities.
XML and electronic business

In this article the revolutionary features of this next-generation markup language are examined through the comparison of XML and HTML. Following the discussion of the contributions and downsides of XML the authors explore the effects of XML on electronic business, specifically focusing on the relationship of XML with web browsers, enterprise integrated system applications, internet and mobile communications, electronic transactions and internet security. This article is concluded with the trend of XML in electronic business.
Gradient and dilatational stabilizations for stress‐point integration in the element‐free Galerkin method

Stabilized stress-point integration schemes based on gradient stabilization and dilatational stabilization methods are presented for linear elastostaticity problems in the framework of element-free Galerkin (EFG) method. The instability in stress fields associated with the stress-point integration is treated by the addition to the Galerkin weak form of stabilization terms which contain product of the gradient of the residual or the trace of the gradient of the residual; the latter is called dilatational stabilization. Numerical results show that the oscillations in the stress fields are successfully removed by the presented stabilization methods, and that the convergence and stability properties of direct stress-point integration are greatly improved. These stabilization methods are particularly suitable for the solution of non-linear continua with explicit time integration methods. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Poorer Is Riskier

To examine the relationship between economic well being and health status, two economic concepts were explored: the permanent-income hypothesis and the transitory-income hypothesis. A regression analysis of time-series mortality data for the period of 1950-1988 was conducted. The regression results indicated that the total mortality rate is negatively associated with permanent income and positively associated with the transitory income. Results are also reported for the 8 major causes of death in the United States. The implications for risk analysis are discussed.
Health systems agencies.

Abstract This article reviews Public Law 93-641, the National Health Planning and Resource Development Act of 1974. Particular attention is given to Health Systems Agencies—their purpose, organization, and function—and a plea voiced for nurse-midwives to get involved in health planning and legislation. An overview of Health Systems agencies is provided, including items for priority consideration under Public Law 93-641, the functions of a health systems agency, and how health systems agencies carry out their functions. The author describes her experience with the Obstetrics Component of the West Virginia Health Systems Agency, as well as her involvement in the Plan Development Committee's Task Force on Obstetrics. Suggestions are offered to assist nurses and nurse-midwives in becoming involved in health planning.
Genotypic Diversity Within a Natural Coastal Bacterioplankton Population

The genomic diversity and relative importance of distinct genotypes within natural bacterial populations have remained largely unknown. Here, we analyze the diversity and annual dynamics of a group of coastal bacterioplankton (greater than 99% 16S ribosomal RNA identity to Vibrio splendidus). We show that this group consists of at least a thousand distinct genotypes, each occurring at extremely low environmental concentrations (on average less than one cell per milliliter). Overall, the genomes show extensive allelic diversity and size variation. Individual genotypes rarely recurred in samples, and allelic distribution did not show spatial or temporal substructure. Ecological considerations suggest that much genotypic and possibly phenotypic variation within natural populations should be considered neutral.
Taking aspirin daily for at least 4 years reduces long-term risk of cancer death

Commentary on: PM Rothwell, FG Fowkes, JF Belch, et al.. Effect of daily aspirin on long-term risk of death due to cancer: analysis of individual patient data from randomised trials. Lancet2011;377:31–41.
The Effect of Respondent Characteristics on General Environmental Attitude-Behavior Correspondence

Five different environmental attitude scales were regressed on an 11-item self-reported general environmental behavior index derived from a confirmatory factor analysis. Correlations between each of the 5 attitude scales and the behavioral index were computed and a Fisher's Z-transformation was used to test for the effect of six respondent characteristics (gender, residence, education, income, age, and political orientation) on the attitude-behavior correlations. Although all of the five scales were significantly correlated with the behavioral index (p < .001), correlations for some attitude scales were highly affected by respondent characteristics. Of the 5 scales examined, the Environmental Concern (EC), New Environmental Paradigm (NEP), and Awareness of Consequences (AC) scales were associated most strongly with behavior, but the EC and NEP also were significantly affected by respondent characteristics. Implications for future studies and use of the scales are discussed.
Elucidating the bonds of workplace humor: A relational process model

A number of studies have demonstrated that humor can impact both horizontal and vertical relationships in organizations, but little is known about the interpersonal processes underlying this link. By integrating theory and research from the fields of philosophy, social psychology, communications, and leadership, it is possible to illuminate a combination of processes which, considered collectively, explain humor's ability to create, maintain, impede, or destroy relationships at work. I first review the classical theories of humor, which explain what motivates individuals to express humor and what determines humor enjoyment. However, since these frameworks focus on humor at the individual-level of analysis, they cannot speak to the social processes involved in a humor exchange. Research in the fields of social psychology, communications, and leadership provides insight regarding the remaining social mechanisms. In sum, it appears that interpersonal humor operates through four related but distinct processes...
Pharmacology, clinical efficacy and safety of olopatadine hydrochloride.

Olopatadine is a multimechanism anti-allergic agent that inhibits H1 receptor activation and stabilizes mast cell membranes, blocking the release of allergic and inflammatory mediators. Studies in human conjunctival mast cells clearly demonstrate, in the relevant tissue and species, olopatadine’s inhibition of histamine release, which was subsequently confirmed in allergen-challenged subjects. Its comfort and tolerability may be related to the absence of perturbation of cell membranes, in contrast to many anti-allergics, whose disruption of membranes lead to histamine release even at therapeutically relevant concentrations. In preclinical and clinical studies, olopatadine had greater efficacy and comfort than other anti-allergic agents available today for ophthalmic use.
Quality assurance in 3D dosimetry by optical-CT

In this paper we present a QA phantom and procedure designed for efficient evaluation of the basic imaging performance of any optical-CT scanning system. Example results are presented from two optical-CT systems, an in-house CCD based system and the OCTOPUSTM system from MGS Research.
Habitat Selection and Movement of Pond-Breeding Amphibians in Experimentally Fragmented Pine Forests

Population-level responses of amphibians to forest management regimes are partly dictated by individual behavioral responses to habitat alteration. We examined the short-term (i.e., 24-hr) habitat choices and movement patterns of 3 amphibian species—southern leopard frogs (Rana sphenocephala), marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum), and southern toads (Bufo terrestris)—released on edges between forest habitats and recent clear-cuts in the Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA. We predicted that adult frogs and salamanders would preferentially select forest using environmental cues as indicators of habitat suitability. We also predicted that movement patterns would differ in clear-cuts relative to forests, resulting in lower habitat permeability of clear-cuts for some or all of the species. Using fluorescent powder tracking, we determined that marbled salamanders selected habitat at random, southern toads preferred clear-cuts, and southern leopard frogs initially selected clear-cuts but ultimately preferred forests. Frogs exhibited long-distance, directional movement with few turns. In contrast, toads exhibited wandering behavior and salamanders moved relatively short distances before locating cover. Southern toads and southern leopard frogs moved farther in forests, and all 3 species made more turns in clear-cuts than in forests. Habitat selection by southern toads did not vary according to body size, sex, or the environmental cues we measured. However, marbled salamanders were more likely to enter clear-cuts when soil moisture was high, and southern leopard frogs were more likely to enter clear-cuts when relative humidity and air temperature were higher in the clear-cut than in adjacent forest. Although we found evidence of reduced habitat permeability of clear-cuts for southern leopard frogs and southern toads, none of the species exhibited strong behavioral avoidance of the small (4-ha) clear-cuts in our study. Further studies of long-term habitat use and the potential physiological and other costs to individuals in altered forests are needed to understand the effects of forest management on population persistence. To reduce potentially detrimental effects of clear-cutting on amphibians in the Southeast, wildlife managers should consider the vagility and behavior of species of concern, especially in relation to the size of planned harvests adjacent to breeding sites.
Quality Measurements of Chicken and Turkey Summer Sausages

Abstract Summer sausages formulated from 50% mechanically deboned chicken meat and 50% ground beef (50/50 MDCM/Beef), 50% mechanically deboned turkey meat and 50% ground beef (50/50 MDTM/Beef) and from 100% ground beef were tested for their overall quality measurements after storage at two different temperatures (20°C. and 4°C.) subsequent to mellowing for 7 days in a 4°C. cold room. Sausages were examined at 0 time and after 5 days, 10 days, and 15 days and measured for weight loss, shear value, sliceability, pH, shrink, TBA value, and color. Subjective preference taste panel scores by semi-trained members were obtained. Summer sausages were also formulated from meat samples which were in frozen storage for 3 or 6 months and tested similarly as to their acceptance. The loss in weight was higher for the treatments held at 20°C. than at 4°C. and greater during the first 5 days of storage. The overall shrinkage observed was higher in MDCM and MDTM sausages than in the 100% ground beef sausages held at 20°C.; less shrinkage was observed in sausages held at 4°C. Shear values and sliceability scores of MDCM and MDTM increased with length of storage showing an increase in firmness, but this was not observed in the 100% beef sausage treatment. Sausages were found quite acceptable when formulated from meats which had undergone 3 and 6 months of frozen storage. However, TBA numbers of the sausages made from the frozen stored meats were higher than those encountered in the sausages stored as such for 15 days.
Sink deployment in Wireless Surveillance Systems

In this paper, we investigate the Access Point (AP) deployment problem in Wireless Surveillance Systems (WSSs). Cameras in a WSS could have various demanding upload streaming rates to the AP (usually deemed as a sink or data collector) according to their surveillance requirements, e.g. object detection frequency, video resolution, or the successful ratio of object tracking. Therefore, a suitable AP location must be determined in order to satisfy each camera's demand. We first provide a mathematical formulation that defines the best location of the AP, and then propose a novel mechanism, called Spring-Cam, to exploit the concept of mass-spring systems in Physics to locate the suitable AP location with consideration of camera demands as well as transmission quality of the link between each camera and the AP. Simulation results show that Spring-Cam can use only a limited measurement overhead to find an AP location that achieves a performance comparable with exhausted searching the best location.
Characterization of a subset of bone marrow‐derived natural killer cells that regulates T cell activation in rats

We report that bone marrow-derived natural killer (BMNK) cells from DA or F344 rats inhibit PMA/ionomycin-induced T cell proliferation. These NK-regulatory cells are NKR-P1A(dim), whereas a minor subpopulation is NKR-P1A(bright). Only the NKR-P1A(dim) BMNK cells inhibit T cell proliferation. If activated with rat Con A supernatant, the NKR-P1A(dim) cells become NKR-P1A(bright) and lose the ability to inhibit T cell proliferation. In contrast to BMNK cells, all DA and F344 rat NK cells isolated from the blood, spleen, cervical, or mesenteric lymph nodes or Peyer's patches are NKR-P1A(bright) and lack the ability to inhibit T cell proliferation. Inhibition of T cell proliferation correlates with significant down-regulation of CD3, suggesting that this may be the mechanism through which the NKR-P1A(dim) cells mediate suppression. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-arginine acetate-abrogated NKR-P1A(dim) cell inhibition of T cell proliferation. We conclude that rat bone marrow NKR-P1A(dim) cells represent a unique population that may play a role in maintaining immune homeostasis by regulating the clonal expansion of activated T cells.