cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PREVALENCE OF ACTIVATED PROTEIN C RESISTANCE AND THE FACTOR V ARG506GLN MUTATION IN CHILDREN WITH THROMBOSIS. ▴ 959

A mutation in the factor V coagulant molecule resulting in a failure of inactivation of activated factor V by activated protein C (APC) has been recently described in 20% of adults with venous thrombosis and 40% of adults with thrombosis and a positive family history. Prevalence of the mutation in the general population in northern Europe is 2-8%. To date, there is no data regarding the prevalence of the factor V Arg506Gln mutation in children with thrombosis. We prospectively evaluated 35 children with thrombosis (20 venous, 12 non-hemorrhagic stroke, 2 purpura fulminans and 1 arterial) for activated protein C resistance (APCR). The functional assay was based on the prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) by APC as described by Dahlback (Proc. Natl. Acad.Sci. 1994;91:1396-1400). Molecular diagnosis was performed on all children with APCR using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by restriction enzyme digestion with Mnl 1. Functional APCR was found in 20% (7/35) of all the children and in 35% (7/20) of the children with venous thrombosis. Five of seven (71%) children with functional deficiencies had the factor V Arg506Gln mutation. One of the children with APCR and without the factor V mutation had a lupus anticoagulant which has been described to cause APCR. The other child had acute leukemia but a lupus anticoagulant was not found. Thirty one percent(11/35) of all children had a positive family history for thrombosis. Forty five percent (5/11) of the children with a positive family history had the factor V Arg506Gln mutation. All children with the factor V Arg506Gln mutation had venous involvement, positive family history and other risk factors for thrombosis including: hyperlipidemia (2), protein S deficiency, anatomic abnormality, central venous line, lupus anticoagulant and leukemia (one each). Only one child with stroke had APCR; none had the factor V Arg506Gln mutation Our study suggests that children with thrombosis and a positive family history of thrombosis have a high likelihood of having the factor V Arg506Gln mutation and should be screened for APCR.
The isolation of microquantities of myosin from Amoeba proteus and Chaos carolinensis.

Myosin has been isolated from the large carnivorous amoebae Chaos carolinensis and Amoeba proteus to 90% purity with the aid of microtechniques. These techniques for electrophoresis, dialysis, colorimetric protein, and ATPase assays and centrifugation permitted the isolation, purification, and characterization of microgram quantities of myosin from less than 1 ml of packed cells. The purification utilized sucrose extraction of the actomyosin, low ionic strength precipitation, and final separation of the actin and myosin by gel filtration in the presence of KI. The properties of carnivorous amoeba myosin are similar to those of several other cytoplasmic myosins. Its heavy chain molecular weight is greater than that of the heavy chain of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin. The ATPase activities of myosin from C. carolinensis and A. proteus were almost identical and demonstrated inhibition by EDTA and Mg++ and activation by Ca++ in the presence of 0.6 m KCl and the absence of actin. Actin activated the Mg++ ATPase activity by an average factor of 6. No cofactor protein was required for this activity. These properties are similar to those of myosin isolated from Starfish eggs, Physarum, and Dictyostelium. Carnivorous amoeba myosin bound rabbit muscle F actin in the absence but not in the presence of Mg++ and ATP.
An electron microscope study of the lamellar structure of chloroplasts

Abstract 1. 1. Thin sections and sonic fragmentation of OsO4 fixed Spirogyra and Mougeotia chloroplasts examined with the electron microscope confirm the lamellar structure of these cell constituents. 2. 2. The thickness of the lamellae, observed in preparations treated with sonic vibrations, was calculated from the shadow length to be about 70 A. 3. 3. Aspidistra elatior chloroplasts seem especially suitable for the demonstration of the lamellar structure of the grana.
Temperature-dependent production of pseudoinfectious dengue reporter virus particles by complementation.

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus responsible for 50 to 100 million human infections each year, highlighting the need for a safe and effective vaccine. In this study, we describe the production of pseudoinfectious DENV reporter virus particles (RVPs) using two different genetic complementation approaches, including the creation of cell lines that release reporter viruses in an inducible fashion. In contrast to studies with West Nile virus (WNV), production of infectious DENV RVPs was temperature-dependent; the yield of infectious DENV RVPs at 37 °C is significantly reduced in comparison to experiments conducted at lower temperatures or with WNV. This reflects both a significant reduction in the rate of infectious DENV RVP release over time, and the more rapid decay of infectious DENV RVPs at 37 °C. Optimized production approaches allow the production of DENV RVPs with titers suitable for the study of DENV entry, assembly, and the analysis of the humoral immune response of infected and vaccinated individuals.
Random tilings with quasicrystal order: transfer-matrix approach

The random tiling of the plane by a set of objects (e.g., rhombi), related by rotational (e.g. tenfold) symmetries, is a paradigm for the formation of quasiperiodic order due to entropy. Such tilings are mapped to a higher-dimensional space where they form hypersurfaces analogous to the interfaces in a solid-on-solid model. The author argues that the fluctuations of the hypersurface should be described by a gradient-squared free energy of entropic origin; this implies quasi-long-range order in d=2. He shows how the random tiling can be decomposed into layers, defines a transfer matrix, and give prescriptions for using this method to determine numerically the stiffness of the gradient free energy.
Observations on axonemes and membranes of olfactory and respiratory cilia in frogs and rats using tannic acid-supplemented fixation and photographic rotation

With tannic acid-supplemented fixation and a photographic rotation technique, ultrastructural features of axonemes of frog olfactory cilia resemble those of respiratory cilia in virtually all respects. Different types of ciliary axonemes corresponding to motile and immotile olfactory cilia are not discernible. In rats, however, axonemes of olfactory cilia are quite different from those of respiratory cilia and always lack microtubule-attached structures in proximal parts. Their distal parts usually have only two microtubules which terminate in a cap-like structure. In either species, tannic acid-supplemented fixation reveals that outer leaflets of membranes of olfactory cilia are thicker than inner leaflets. This is not the case for the respiratory cilia, and the overall thickness of ciliary membranes is smaller in respiratory cilia. From our observations and literature data on vertebrates and invertebrates, it is inferred that the ultrastructure of axonemes of olfactory cilia is not evolutionarily stable. This implies that this structure does not play any specific role in the olfactory transduction process. However, the motility associated with microtubule-attached arms of those cilia which have complete axonemes may be involved in the efficacy of the olfactory process. The consistent differences between membranes of olfactory and respiratory cilia suggest that membranes of olfactory cilia may have specific properties important to the initial events of the olfactory transduction process.
Phosphorylation of serine-15 of maize leaf sucrose synthase. Occurrence in vivo and possible regulatory significance.

Experiments were conducted to determine whether sucrose synthase (SuSy) was phosphorylated in the elongation zone of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves. The approximately 90-kD subunit of SuSy was 32P-labeled on seryl residue(s) when excised shoots were fed [32P]orthophosphate. Both isoforms of SuSy (the SS1 and SS2 proteins) were phosphorylated in vivo, and tryptic peptide-mapping analysis suggested a single, similar phosphorylation site in both proteins. A combination of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and automated Edman sequencing analysis unequivocally identified the phosphorylation site in the maize SS2 protein as serine-15. This site was phosphorylated in vitro by endogenous protein kinase(s) in a strictly Ca2+-dependent manner. A synthetic peptide, based on the phosphorylation site sequence, was used to identify and partially purify an endogenous Ca2+-dependent protein kinase(s) from the maize leaf elongation zone and expanding spinach leaves. Phosphorylation of SuSy in vitro selectively activates the cleavage reaction by increasing the apparent affinity of the enzyme for sucrose and UDP, suggesting that phosphorylation may be of regulatory significance. Conservation of the phosphorylation site, and the sequences surrounding it, among plant species suggests that phosphorylation of SuSy may be widespread, if not universal, in plants.
Behavior of Building Occupants in Earthquakes

Abstract To be truly effective, earthquake hazard reduction measures must be based on a realistic appraisal of occupants' capabilities and actions during earthquakes. Studies suggest that many overly general beliefs about appropriate response can endanger rather than protect building occupants. We need to analyze occupant actions with respect to hazards posed by the seismic performance of specific building types. This paper will review the findings of recent U.S. studies, discuss the applicability of research from abroad, and summarize requirements for continued progress in this vital research area.
Effect of Hydroxyzine∗ on Urine Flow in the Dog.†

SummaryIntravenous administration of hydroxyzine to unanesthetized dogs in doses of 5 mg/kg produced a decrease in urine flow following cessation of the drug in absence of any hemodynamic changes. In contrast to response in normal dogs there was no change in urine flow in diabetes insipidus animals. These results indicate hydroxyzine stimulated release of the antidiuretic hormone under conditions described here.
Effects of SO2 and SO3 on the Na2SO4 induced corrosion of nickel

The effects of SO2 and SO3 in the environment on the hot-corrosion behavior of Ni in the temperature range 750-950 C has been studied. Below the melting point of Na2SO4 (884 C), rapid corrosion takes place by formation of a Na2SO4-NiSO4 melt which can penetrate the porous oxide scale and give rise to sulfide information by coming in contact with the metal. The distribution of the sulfides depends on the SO2 level in the ambient gas. Continued corrosion occurs by a sulfidation-oxidation mechanism. At temperatures above the melting point of Na2SO4, accelerated degradation occurs via dissolution of the surface scale, followed by reprecipitation of the oxide in a nonprotective form.
Studies on the mechanism of activation of C(7) ethylenediamine substituted mitomycins. Relevance to the proposed mode of action of BMY-25067 and KW-2149

Abstract Select C(7) ethylenediamine-substituted mitomycins were prepared, and their reactivity toward nonreductive, nucleophilic aziridine ring opening transformations assessed.
Method for large scale isolation, culture and cryopreservation of human monocytes suitable for chemotaxis, cellular adhesion assays, macrophage and dendritic cell differentiation

This paper presents an improved method of isolating, culturing and cryopreserving human monocytes in large quantity with high purity using standard laboratory centrifuges. Monocytes were isolated from 300 to 360 ml of heparinized human blood using a Double Density technique employing Ficoll Isopaque and 46% iso-osmotic Percoll. Yields of monocytes ranged from 75 to 205 million (from 300 to 360 ml of blood) with an average purity of 90.6%. The ability of fresh or frozen monocytes to adhere to endothelial cells in the presence of oxidized L-α-1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonosyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (oxPAPC) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) did not differ and no significant difference in response to the chemotactic stimulant N-formyl-l-methionyl-l-leucyl-l-phenylalanine (FMLP) was observed. We define a useful method for the culture and differentiation of fresh or frozen monocytes isolated by this method, into macrophages as judged by morphology, expression of the macrophage marker SRA-1 and induction of inflammatory genes TNF-α, IL-6 and COX-2. Also, fresh or frozen Double Density isolated cells can be successfully differentiated into dendritic cells in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4 as judged by the expression of the hallmark surface proteins CD1a and DC-sign and the absence of CD14. This method also yields a pure population of lymphocytes.
MRSI and DTI: a multimodal approach for improved detection of white matter abnormalities in alcohol and nicotine dependence.

Our previous proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H MRSI) studies showed that the frontal lobe white matter (WM) in smoking recovering alcoholics (sRA) had lower concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a marker for neuron viability, compared to both nonsmoking recovering alcoholics (nsRA) and a control group of nonsmoking light drinkers (nsLD). Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in a similar population, we found lower fractional anistropy (FA), a microstructural measure of WM fiber integrity, in regions of specific fiber bundles within frontal WM of recovering alcoholics compared to light drinkers. In this study, we hypothesized that in these regions of lower FA, NAA concentrations in the alcoholic groups are lower than in non-alcoholic controls. We hypothesized further that sRA have lower regional NAA concentrations than nsRA. We retrospectively analyzed existing 1H MRSI data by quantitating metabolite concentrations from voxels that corresponded to previously identified WM regions of lower FA, and from a control region of normal FA in alcoholics. We found significant NAA concentration differences between groups in regions of abnormal FA. In particular, sRA had significantly lower NAA concentration than nsLD, but in no region was NAA significantly lower in nsRA than nsLD. Furthermore, no NAA group differences were detected in a frontal WM region of normal FA. These results indicate regionally localized NAA loss within the frontal WM, and specifically NAA loss in regions of low FA. Compared to our previous lobar analyses, DTI-guided MRSI analysis allows the selective evaluation of small WM regions with microstructural injury, thereby increasing statistical power to detect relevant pathology and group differences. DTI-guided MRSI analyses promise to contribute to a better understanding of brain injury in alcohol and nicotine dependence and, by extension, perhaps in other neurodegenerative diseases as well.
Perfluorinated copolymer coatings for high-power laser applications

Results including 351-nm laser damage threshold data are presented from a study of a perfluorinated copolymer being considered for use in high peak-power lasers. The objective of this work is the hermetic sealing of hygroscopic, optical, nonlinear-conversion crystals by this material with a simultaneous decrease in Fresnel losses at the crystal surfaces. Dramatic effects on short-pulse (0.8 ns) damage thresholds by solvents and/or polymer functional moieties will be shown.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Phosphorescence spectrum and mechanisms of benzaldehyde in methyl-cyclohexane at 4.2°K

Abstract The Shpolskii-type quasi-linear phosphorescence emission spectrum of benzaldehyde in methyl cyclohexane has been observed and analyzed under high resolution in mixed crystals at 4.2°K. Most of the intensity of the emission is accounted for by a direct spin-orbit interaction. The ratio of the intensity appearing in bands involving the CO stretching vibration to those involving the in-plane (symmetric) ring modes is 4:1, indicating that the excitation involves primarily the CO electronic system. This, together with the emission lifetime and the similarity of the spectrum to the emission of other simple carbonyls having their high-lying T π,π ∗ states, strongly suggests that the emission is of the 3 A″ (n, π ∗ ) → 1 A′ type. The Herzberg-Teller-type emission (due to vibronic coupling with nontotally symmetric vibrations) accounts for only 7% of the total intensity. The importance of spin-vibronic interactions leading to the aldehyde ketone phosphorescence is pointed out. Comparison of the benzaldehyde ( n, π ∗ ) phosphorescence with the benzaldehyde ( n, π ∗ ) fluorescence and the ( π, π ∗ ) phosphorescence of toluene suggests that the π ∗ - orbital of the ( n, π ∗ ) benzaldehyde triplet resembles the toluene π-system more than does the π ∗ - orbital of the ( n, π ∗ ) singlet. The relative importance of the different out-of-plane vibrations in this coupling is found to be in serious disagreement with recently published predictions.
Structure, Functioning, and Assembly of the ATP Synthase in Cells from Patients with the T8993G Mitochondrial DNA Mutation: COMPARISON WITH THE ENZYME IN Rho0 CELLS COMPLETELY LACKING mtDNA *

The structure and functioning of the ATP synthase of human fibroblast cell lines with 91 and 100%, respectively, of the T8993G mutation have been studied, with MRC5 human fibroblasts and Rho(0) cells derived from this cell line as controls. ATP hydrolysis was normal but ATP synthesis was reduced by 60% in the 100% mutants. Both activities were highly oligomycin-sensitive. The levels of F(1)F(0) were close to normal, and the enzyme was stable. It is concluded that the loss of ATP synthesis is because of disruption of the proton translocation step within the F(0) part. This is supported by membrane potential measurements using the dye JC-1. Cells with a 91% mutation load grew well and showed only a 25% loss in ATP synthesis. This much reduced effect for only a 9% difference in mutation load mirrors the reduced pathogenicity in patients. F(1)F(0) has been purified for the first time from human cell lines. A partial complex was obtained from Rho(0) cells containing the F(1) subunits associated with several stalk, as well as F(0) subunits, including oligomycin sensitivity conferring protein, b, and c subunits. This partial complex no longer binds inhibitor protein.
Coordinating visualizations of polysemous action: values added for grounding proportion

We contribute to research on visualization as an epistemic learning tool by inquiring into the didactical potential of having students visualize one phenomenon in accord with two different partial meanings of the same concept. 22 Grade 4-6 students participated in a design study that investigated the emergence of proportional- equivalence notions from mediated perceptuomotor sche- mas. Working as individuals or pairs in tutorial clinical interviews, students solved non-symbolic interaction problems that utilized remote-sensing technology. Next, they used symbolic artifacts interpolated into the problem space as semiotic means to objectify in mathematical register a variety of both additive and multiplicative solu- tion strategies. Finally, they reflected on tensions between these competing visualizations of the space. Micro-ethno- graphic analyses of episodes from three paradigmatic case studies suggest that students reconciled semiotic conflicts by generating heuristic logico-mathematical inferences that integrated competing meanings into cohesive conceptual networks. These inferences hinged on revisualizing addi- tive elements multiplicatively. Implications are drawn for rethinking didactical design for proportions. I didn't pay enough attention to change of perspec- tive. …. The subject deserves a more systematic treatment, which I do not dare undertake. …. Learning processes are marked by a succession of changes in perspective which should be provoked and reinforced by those who are expected to guide them. (Freudenthal, 1991, as cited in Streefland, 1993, pp. 132-133)
Sources of interference when testing for students' learning from sentences

Abstract The present study helps to clarify and extend earlier findings concerning multiple-choice assessment of students' learning from sentences. Interference arising from intersentence similarity was found here to be a function of both the kind of learning strategies students were instructed to employ and the kind of strategies they reported having employed spontaneously. Two major new conclusions follow from the present data: (a) Instructors and test constructors need worry only about certain types of potentially interfering information that is embedded in a set of learning materials: (b) Even when the conditions are right for substantial interference to occur, such interference can be eliminated if students are induced to employ beneficial sentence-processing strategies.
Nutrient densities, carbon: nitrogen ratios, and midday differential canopy temperature impact grain yield of stressed oat.

Nutrient densities, carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio, and midday differential canopy temperature (dT), were assessed in oat plants subjected to biotic stresses during two years. Large portions of variation in nutrient densities and C:N ratio of leaves at the boot stage and of kernels and groats at harvest were negatively impacted by the 2- and 3-way interactions of leaves, kernels, and groats with the biotic stress treatments and years. The C:N ratios, but not nutrient densities, were always smaller in groats than in kernels, and during the stress than the no-stress year. Temporal variation accounted for a small variance associated with nutrients in leaves; whereas, stress treatments accounted for the largest variances associated with nutrients in kernels and groats. These indirect relationships among plant architecture components, dT, nutrient densities and C:N ratios, illustrate the complex interactions of biotic and abiotic stresses and their impact on grain yield and its components in oat.
Guest Editorial: The INDEPTH WHO-SAGE multicentre study on ageing, health and well-being among people aged 50 years and over in eight countries in Africa and Asia.

This supplement to Global Health Action presents the first results from the INDEPTH WHO-SAGE multicentre study, comprising background information, site-specific results (2-9) and an overall multicentre analysis. Reporting on one of the first cross-national studies of ageing in Africa and Asia, this supplement might be termed historic, especially when coupled with the demographic circumstances of population ageing, and the simultaneous public release of the microdata from the eight sites. According to a UN projection, the world is only a few years away from a historic watershed - when for the first time in human history those aged 65 and over will outnumber those under age 5. (Published: 27 September 2010) Citation: Global Health Action Supplement 2, 2010. DOI: 10.3402/gha.v3i0.5480
Nasal vaccine innovation

The current vaccine market is gaining momentum in the development of alternative administration routes namely intranasal, oral, topical, pulmonary, vaginal, and rectal; the nasal route offers the most promising opportunity for vaccine administration. It can enhance convenience, safety, elicit both local and systemic immune responses; thus potentially provide protection from pathogens at the site of entry. Nasal vaccine innovation comes with both opportunities and challenges. The innovative strategies used by industry and researchers to overcome the hurdles are discussed in this article: these include live-attenuated vaccines, adjuvants, mucoadhesives, particulate delivery systems, virus-like particles, vaccine manufacture, challenges of regulatory authorities, and the nasal vaccine impact on market potential. Critical issues for effective nasal vaccination are the antigen-retention period that enables its interaction with the lymphatic system and choice of an adjuvant that is nontoxic and induces the required immune response. Co-adjuvanting by means of a mucoadhesive technology addresses some of these issues. ChiSys(®), a natural bioadhesive with proven intranasal safety profile, has already demonstrated efficacy for several nasally delivered vaccines including norovirus. With the looming threat of a pandemic, alternatives such as intranasal vaccination will ultimately facilitate greater public compliance and rapid mass global vaccination.
Random Monte Carlo simulation analysis and risk assessment for ammonia concentrations in wastewater effluent disposal

High concentrations of ammonia in a river can cause fish kills and harms to other aquatic organisms. A simple water quality model is needed to predict the probability of ammonia concentration violations as compared to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s ammonia criteria. A spreadsheet with Random Monte Carlo (RMC) simulations to model ammonia concentrations at the mixing point (between a river and the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant) was developed with the use of Microsoft Excel and Crystal Ball add-in software. The model uses effluent and river ammonia, alkalinity, and total carbonate data to determine the probability density functions (PDFs) for the Monte Carlo simulations. Normal, lognormal, exponential and uniform probability distributions were tested using the Chi-square method and p-value associated with it to choose the best fit to the random data selected from the East Burlington wastewater treatment plant in North Carolina and the Clinch River in Tennessee. It is suggested that different options be tested with a minimum of three classes and a maximum of n/5 classes (n = number of data points) and the highest probability (p-value) for the PDF being tested be chosen. The results indicted that six violations to the EPA criterion for maximum concentration (CMC) were predicted when using 2000 RMC simulations and PDFs fitted to the available data, which violate the current criterion of no more than one violation over 3 years. All violations occur when the pH of the blend ranges from 8.0 to 9.0. No violations were found to the criteria of chronic concentration (CCC) using RMC.
SU‐E‐T‐237: Patient Safety Improvement with a Software Tool to Prevent Isocenter Errors

Purpose: Based on one year of departmental experience with near‐miss incident learning, issues with isocenter placement were identified as a significant potential risk. Motivated by this, we initiated a patient safety improvement intervention which employs modern concepts in human factors engineering, error prevention, and software design. Methods: In February 2012 a departmental electronic incident learning system was launched that is unique in three respects: the high volume of near‐miss/no‐harm reports (20 per week or ∼1 per patient), the ability to tag each event by category type, and ranking of events by potential severity (0‐to‐4 point scale). Data over ten months (774 reports) indicate that near‐miss events related to isocenter placement have a significantly higher potential severity compared to other events: 3.0+−1.3 vs. 1.5+−1.0 (p<0.001). We therefore developed a custom software interface to manage the placement of isocenters through the clinical workflow. The approach draws from concepts in the psychology of human factors design and usability, including forcing functions and automatic error checking. Results: The custom software interface is designed to accommodate all common workflow scenarios for isocenter placement. The user is presented with a single screen containing all relevant information and is guided with a color‐coded status scheme. The software checks for common error pathways (e.g. isocenter point inadvertently moved during planning) and changes the interface status accordingly. Further evaluation is ongoing, after which wider distribution may be possible. Conclusion: Incident learning is a valuable method for objectively identifying areas for safety improvement. The critical safety issue identified here, isocenter placement, was addressed with a custom software interface that utilizes approaches not commonly employed by the vendor community such as user‐centered design. The design bridges the gap of execution and evaluation which lies at the root of most errors.
Testing the 4-M model: An introduction:

The goal of this special issue is to report on new directions in our research that began with codeswitching, but increasingly includes other types of language contact phenomena. The issue consists of articles by the junior members of our research team and reports on their analyses and explanations for a variety of outcomes in bilingual production. Their approaches rely on the principles laid down in Duelling Languages (Myers-Scotton, 1993 [1997]). That is, their research looks for answers at an abstract level. Just like monolingual speech, bilingual speech is not best explainable only in terms of surface configurations. Duelling Languages presents an innovative model of structural constraints on codeswitching to explain the differential contributions of the participating languages in codeswitching. These constraints refer to the Matrix Language (ML) versus Embedded Language (EL) opposition and the content versus system morpheme opposition. Using these two oppositions, the model accounts for the bilingual structures observed in codeswitching data produced by proficient bilinguals. In addition to explicating the data in Duelling Languages, the Matrix Language Frame (MLF) model also accounts for the bilingual constituents from such diverse language pairs such as Turkish/Dutch (Backus, 1996), Chinese/English (Wei, 1999), Hungarian/English (Bolonyai, 1998), Arabic/English (Jake & Myers-Scotton, 1997), Spanish/English and Italian/Swiss German (Myers-Scotton & Jake, 1998b), and Mandinka, Wolof/English (Haust, 1995). The MLF model was based largely on what Myers-Scotton and Jake have since termed “classic codeswitching,” that is, codeswitching by speakers proficient enough in all participating varieties that they could engage in monolingual discourse in any of them. In Section 2 below, we offer readers
Analysis of Steroid Hormones in a Typical Dairy Waste Disposal System

The environmental loading of steroid hormones contained in dairy wastes may cause an adverse effect on aquatic species. To better assess the potential risks of hormone contamination resulting from land application of dairy wastes, various steroid hormones were determined in a typical dairy waste disposal system. Quantitative methods using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were developed to monitor low levels of steroid hormones in complex solid and liquid samples contaminated with dairy manure. The preparation method for wastewater analysis consisted of solid-phase extraction and purification steps, which minimized interference from the sample matrices and achieved low detection limits for the studied hormones. In the dairy wastewater and lagoon water, three endogenous hormones−17α-estradiol, 17β-estradiol, and estrone−were detected. The concentration of 17α-estradiol in fresh milk parlor effluent rapidly decreased along the wastewater disposal route, whereas the concentration of estrone increa...
Geometric spline curves

G. Nielson [1974] gave a piecewise polynomial alternative to splines under tension, the so-called v-splines. The v-splines are the solution of a minimal norm problem and they have curvature continuity. In this paper the v-splines are generalized to geometric spline curves and the computational equations of quintic splines curves with curvature and torsion continuity are given. These curves will be referred to as @t-splines.
The use of an electronic integrator to control the magnetic field in a beta spectrometer

Abstract A field control system is described for a high-resolution betaray spectrometer. The system is based upon the detection of imbalance between a standard coil field and the spectrometer field itself, with electronic integration of the error signal to provide a reference voltage for the spectrometer power supply. Performance of the system is presented along with a discussion of application to ion-beam handling systems.
The mesodermal relations of the pars buccalis of the hypophysis in the duck

This paper describes the cellular relations between the prechordal mesoderm and the hypophyseal analage in duck embryos from the first to the eighth day of incubation. At nineteen somites the ectoderm destined to form hypophysis is seen as a plate of cells lying under the mesodermal mass anterior to the notochord. It extends anteriorly in intimate contact with the base of the forebrain, and posteriorly for about the same distance to the oral membrane. Following the lateral growth of the prechordal mesoderm and the rapid overgrowth of the forebrain, Rathke's pouch is definitely outlined. The upward expansion of the pouch, concomitant with the lagging of some of the prechordal mesoderm in the midline, effects a very close relation between these cells and those at the tip of the pouch. With the lateral expansion of the premandibular head cavities, some of the mesoderm adheres to walls of Rathke's pouch in the form of rods or knobs. As development proceeds the inherent growth tendencies of ectoderm and mesoderm express themselves differently and the rods or knobs become constricted off from the pouch, forming in its vicinity vesicles which exhibit a definite lumen. The question of an entodermal contribution to the hypophysis in this form is briefly considered.
Further results on the Bellman equation for optimal control problems with exit times and nonnegative Lagrangians

Abstract In a series of papers, we proved theorems characterizing the value function in exit time optimal control as the unique viscosity solution of the corresponding Bellman equation that satisfies appropriate side conditions. The results applied to problems which satisfy a positivity condition on the integral of the Lagrangian. This positive integral condition assigned a positive cost for remaining outside the target on any interval of positive length. In this note, we prove a new theorem which characterizes the exit time value function as the unique bounded-from-below viscosity solution of the Bellman equation that vanishes on the target. The theorem applies to problems satisfying an asymptotic condition on the trajectories, including cases where the positive integral condition is not satisfied. Our results are based on an extended version of “Barbalat's lemma”. We apply the theorem to variants of the Fuller problem and other examples where the Lagrangian is degenerate.
The genus Thermotoga: recent developments.

The genus Thermotoga comprises extremely thermophilic (Topt ≥ 70 °C) and hyperthermophilic (Topt ≥ 80 °C) bacteria, which have been extensively studied for insights into the basis for life at elevated temperatures and for biotechnological opportunities (e.g. biohydrogen production, biocatalysis). Over the past decade, genome sequences have become available for a number of Thermotoga species, leading to functional genomics efforts to understand growth physiology as well as genomics‐based identification and characterization of novel high‐temperature biocatalysts. Discussed here are recent developments along these lines for this group of microorganisms.
A goal programming model for human resource accounting in a CPA firm

Abstract Goal programming is a vital technique in reconciling conflicting objectives of job productivity, human resource development, and individual satisfaction. This paper uses a non-monetary approach to human resource valuation by exploring a goal programming model for planning the utilization of interacting human resources. A simulated illustration of the model for a hypothetical CPA firm is described, and the planning alternatives open to the partner-in-charge-of-personnel are shown graphically. The paper concludes with a discussion of extensions of the model.
Do natural kind beliefs about social groups contribute to prejudice? Distinguishing bio-somatic essentialism from bio-behavioral essentialism, and both of these from entitativity

Do essentialist conceptions of racial groups foster prejudice and negative attitudes? Existing literature provides mixed results. We propose that relations between essentialism and negative attitud...
Copy Number Variations in 6q14.1 and 5q13.2 are Associated with Alcohol Dependence

Background: Excessive alcohol use is the third leading cause of preventable death and is highly correlated with alcohol dependence, a heritable phenotype. Many genetic factors for alcohol dependence have been found, but many remain unknown. In search of additional genetic factors, we examined the association between Diagnostic and StatisticalManual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) alcohol dependence and all common copy number variations (CNVs) with good reliability in the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment (SAGE). Methods: All participants in SAGE were interviewed using the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism, as a part of 3 contributing studies. A total of 2,610 non-Hispanic European American samples were genotyped on the Illumina Human 1M array. We performed CNV calling by CNVPartition, PennCNV, and QuantiSNP, and only CNVs identified by all 3 software programs were examined. Association was conducted with the CNV (as a deletion/duplication) as well as with probes in the CNV region. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to validate the CNVs in the laboratory. Results: CNVs in 6q14.1 (p = 1.04 9 10 ! 6 ) and 5q13.2 (p = 3.37 9 10 ! 4 ) were significantly associated with alcohol dependence after adjusting multiple tests. On chromosome 5q13.2, there were multiple candidate genes previously associated with various neurological disorders. The region on chromosome 6q14.1 is a gene desert that has been associated with mental retardation and language delay. The CNV in 5q13.2 was validated, whereas only a component of the CNV on 6q14.1 was validated by qPCR. Thus, the CNV on 6q14.1 should be viewed with caution. Conclusions: This is the first study to show an association between DSM-IV alcohol dependence and CNVs. CNVs in regions previously associated with neurological disorders may be associated with alcohol dependence.
Use of MRI in the Assessment of Patients with Stroke

Multimodal neuroimaging is assuming an increasingly important role in the initial evaluation and management of acute stroke patients in parallel with the expansion of therapeutic options. Multimodal MRI can identify the type of stroke (ischemia or hemorrhage), severity and location of the lesion, the patency of the intracranial vessels, the degree of cerebral perfusion, and the presence and size of the ischemic penumbra. This information can be used to guide both acute and long-term treatment decisions for stroke patients.
Molecular and functional imaging of cancer

Because of the remarkable ability of cancer cells to adapt and survive, finding effective treatments against cancer depends upon identifying and attacking targets and pathways critically important for the cancer cell. The tumor physiological microenvironment, interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells such as endothelial cells, fibroblasts and macrophages, the extracellular matrix, and a multitude of secreted factors and cytokines influence progression, aggressiveness and response of the disease to treatment. Multi-modality and multi-parametric molecular and functional imaging provide unprecedented opportunities for understanding cancer. Some of our recent advances in molecular and functional imaging of cancer are discussed.
Three-Level Prediction of Protein Function by Combining Profile-Sequence Search, Profile-Profile Search, and Domain Co-Occurrence Networks

Predicting protein function from sequence is useful for biochemical experiment design, mutagenesis analysis, protein engineering, protein design, biological pathway analysis, drug design, disease diagnosis, and genome annotation as a vast number of protein sequences with unknown function are routinely being generated by DNA, RNA and protein sequencing in the genomic era. However, despite significant progresses in the last several years, the accuracy of protein function prediction still needs to be improved in order to be used effectively in practice, particularly when little or no homology exists between a target protein and proteins with annotated function. Here, we developed a method that integrated profile-sequence alignment, profile-profile alignment, and Domain Co-Occurrence Networks (DCN) to predict protein function at different levels of complexity, ranging from obvious homology, to remote homology, to no homology. We tested the method blindingly in the 2011 Critical Assessment of Function Annotation (CAFA). Our experiments demonstrated that our three-level prediction method effectively increased the recall of function prediction while maintaining a reasonable precision. Particularly, our method can predict function terms defined by the Gene Ontology more accurately than three standard baseline methods in most situations, handle multi-domain proteins naturally, and make ab initio function prediction when no homology exists. These results show that our approach can combine complementary strengths of most widely used BLAST-based function prediction methods, rarely used in function prediction but more sensitive profile-profile comparison-based homology detection methods, and non-homology-based domain co-occurrence networks, to effectively extend the power of function prediction from high homology, to low homology, to no homology (ab initio cases).
Interrelationship of Business Enterprise and Political Development

Merely by existing, the United States and the Western world as a whole bring to bear … a constant cultural pressure. But even though the idea of industrialization, expanded consumption, and political egalitarianism may pour forth equally for all … countries, what is absorbed varies widely from one to another. How and why and toward what ends each nation moves is conditioned by its own traditions and appreciations as well as by the historical course of its particular set of involvements with the industrially advanced nations.
Circulating currents and CM EMI reduction for interleaved three-phase VSC

This paper presents a method to reduce the circulating current and common-mode electromagnetic interference (CM EMI) in interleaved three-phase voltage-source converters (VSC). Use of coupled three-phase inductors is shown to generate large CM circulating currents among the parallel modules. To reduce this CM circulating current, a CM chokes is placed at the dc input of each module. A new method to reduce system CM filtering requirements is also presented. The proposed method uses CM capacitors connected between the ac and dc terminals to provide attenuation for conducted CM current emission at both the dc and the ac terminals. The method is particularly attractive for applications where both input and output EMI has to be controlled, and can be applied to individual VSC as well as multiple VSCs operating in parallel.
Cut-Load: Application-Unaware Content Partitioning for Web-based Information Access in Wireless Data Networks

Web-based information access suffers tremendously in low-bandwidth wireless data networks due to the non-correlation between the content transferred across the wireless links and the actual data that is used to serve the user requests. As a result, the current web-access mechanisms face such problems as unnecessary bandwidth consumption, large response times, no service for partial disconnections, and low system utilization in wireless networks. In order to solve these problems with web-transfer in wireless networks, we present a new middleware for wireless web-access called Cut-Load, which performs application unaware content-partitioning in the graphical domain residing at both the mobile client and the proxy server that the mobile client communicates with. Cut-Load uses dynamic mode selection, opportunistic hoarding, transparent mode transfer, and display caching for efficient wireless web-access. Through simulations, we compare the performance of Cut-Load with that of the current web-access mechanisms and show that the proposed middleware brings significant performance benefits both in terms of bandwidth consumption and user-perceived response times.
Evaluation of Transportation Practices in the California Cut Flower Industry

In the past two decades, California’s share of the national cut flower market has decreased from 64 percent to 20 percent. California growers’ largest competitors are South American growers; Colombia controls 75 percent of the US market. South American growers have several competitive advantages, including the favorable trucking rates they enjoy by consolidating all shipments in Miami, Florida, prior to US distribution. This paper evaluates the California cut flower industry’s current transportation practices and investigates the feasibility and cost of establishing a shipping consolidation center in Oxnard, California. Applying a simple inventory management policy, we estimate a 35 percent system-wide transportation cost decrease of $20 million per year if all California cut flower growers participate in the consolidation center. The California Cut Flower Commission incorporated our findings into an application for federal funds from the US Department of Transportation to construct a new flower transportation and logistics center in California. The state’s flower growers are also searching for alternative ways to cooperatively fund a consolidation center.
Protein Recovery Using Fibrous Materials

Tighter environmental regulations challenge industry to improve processes to minimize waste and conserve energy (Metzner, 1988). Traditionally, solid wastes resulting from effluent treatment systems have been disposed by incineration or by sending to landfills (Swinehart, 1990). These approaches are no longer appropriate, since incineration may lead to toxic gaseous emissions and air pollution, and landfills could result in contamination of water supplies.
Palaeofibulus gen. nov., a clamp-bearing fungus from the triassic of Antarctica

(1989). Palaeofibulus Gen. Nov., a Clamp-Bearing Fungus from the Triassic of Antarctica. Mycologia: Vol. 81, No. 4, pp. 622-626.
How representative are local measurements of the surface shear stress for regional values

Abstract Local values of surface shear stress measured by eddy correlation devices were compared to regional ones generated by Monin–Obukhov similarity (MOS) theory in the atmospheric surface layer over the cooperative atmosphere–surface exchange study (CASES) area in eastern Kansas. For this comparison, minisodar average wind speed profiles were used to implement MOS. The local surface shear stress values were found to be representative of the regional ones only under free convective conditions. For weak to strongly neutral atmospheric conditions, regional values of the surface shear stress were underpredicted by a factor of two by the locally measured ones. Empirical interpolation equations are proposed to describe the relationship in the intermediate range. The surface roughness values of 0.12 and 0.40 m, respectively, were determined for the two locations of the minisodar sounders by regional analysis of their mean wind speed measurements under neutral atmospheric conditions. The roughness values found in this present study compared well to past investigations conducted in this region. Minisodar roughness values were found in this present study to be a good alternative to radiosonde determined ones.