cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Summary Background Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) has multiple functions throughout mitosis. Plk1 levels are high in a number of cancers and haematological malignancies while being low in most differentiated tissues. Objectives To assess the immunoreactivity of Plk1 in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) as a potential therapeutic target, to differentiate Plk1 levels among lesion types and to compare the detection level of Plk1 in fresh frozen (f) vs. paraffin-embedded (p) tissue. Methods Immunohistochemical staining of CTCL skin lesions with anti-Plk1 antibody was performed in a total of 65 biopsies from 49 patients with CTCL. Both f and p tissue was available for comparison in 46 biopsies. Results Tumour-stage CTCL lesions displayed significantly more Plk1 (mean f 7·7%, p 8·8%) than patch (mean f 0·7%, p 2·0%) and plaque-stage lesions (mean f 1·1%, p 2·0%) (P < 0·05). Plk1 ranged from 0% to 18% in f and 0% to 24% in p samples. p tissue revealed a higher mean Plk1 detection rate of 4·4% compared with 2·9% in f tissue with no statistical significance. Conclusions Our results indicate that in CTCL, Plk1 is increased mainly in advanced lesions. Several Plk1 inhibitors have already shown promising results in preclinical and clinical phase I and II trials for different types of cancers with low adverse effects. Immunohistochemical detection of high Plk1 levels in patients with CTCL could help select individuals who might benefit from treatment with small molecule Plk1 inhibitors.
The Spectroscopic Search for Water on Mars: A History

The discovery of water on Mars is a lot like the discovery of America. Both were done many times by many different people. In both cases many of the ‘discoveries’ were either fictitious or difficult to verify. Regarding the discovery of America, a grammar school teacher of mine once pointed out that Columbus was the effective discoverer of America. After he did it, people believed it was so. More importantly, people began to act on the basis of his discovery.
Criteria for designation of clinical substage in canine lymphoma: a survey of veterinary oncologists

Clinical substage is frequently reported to be prognostic in dogs with lymphoma, yet formal criteria for defining this parameter are lacking. The World Health Organization TNM Classification of Tumors of Domestic Animals simply defines substage as the absence or presence of systemic signs (substages a and b, respectively). We designed a survey to query veterinary oncologists on the criteria they use to determine clinical substage in practice. Gastrointestinal, constitutional and respiratory signs were the most commonly identified clinical factors, with greater than 90% respondents indicating that inappetence, vomiting, diarrhoea, changes in attitude, weakness and dyspnea were integral in assigning clinical substage. Nevertheless, more than three-quarters of respondents also considered metabolic, neurologic and nutritional parameters when making this determination. For most factors, respondents reported mild-to-moderate severity of clinical signs was sufficient for substage b designation.
Cell division in Aspergillus.

Amenable to sophisticated genetic and molecular analysis, the simple filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans has provided some novel insights into the mechanisms and regulation of cell division. Mutational analysis has identified over fifty genes necessary for nuclear division, nuclear movement and cytokinesis. Molecular and cellular analysis of these mutants has led to the discovery of novel components of the cytoskeleton as well as to clarifying the role of established cytoskeletal proteins. Mutations leading to defects in the kinases (i.e. p34cdc2) and phosphatases (i.e. cdc25 and PP1), which are known to regulate mitosis in other eukaryotes, have been identified in Aspergillus. Additional, as yet novel, mitotic regulatory molecules, encoded by the nimA and bimE genes, have also been discovered in Aspergillus.
Three-Dimensional Modeling of Plasma Arc in Arc Welding

Most previous three-dimensional modeling work in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and gas metal arc welding (GMAW) focuses on the weld pool. Almost all three-dimensional weld pool models are based on the two-dimensional axisymmetric Gaussian assumption of plasma arc pressure and heat flux. In this paper the three-dimensional plasma arc is modeled and results are presented. The velocity, pressure, temperature, current density, and magnetic field of the plasma arc are computed by solving the conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy, as well as part of Maxwell's equations. This three-dimensional model allows one to study the non-axisymmetric plasma arc caused by external perturbations such as the external magnetic field. It also provides more accurate boundary conditions when modeling the welding pool. The future work is to unify it with the weld pool model and accomplish a complete three-dimensional model of GTAW and GMAW.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Surface flux measurement and modeling at a semi-arid Sonoran Desert site

Continuous measurements of standard meteorological variables using an automatic weather station and intermittent measurements of the surface energy balance, carbon dioxide flux, and momentum flux using Bowen ratio, eddy covariance, and sigma-T instrumentation were made for 13 months at a semi-arid Sonoran Desert site just west of Tucson, AZ. Weather observations demonstrate typical semi-arid Sonoran desert conditions, with frequent clear skies, high radiation, a large seasonal and diurnal temperature range, low relative humidity, and intermittent precipitation mainly of convective origin during a summer monsoon season. The substantial observational problems associated with surface flux measurements in this environment are reported. Comparisons between measured fluxes made simultaneously with different instrumental systems show acceptable agreement. Most of the incoming radiant energy leaves as sensible heat, and latent heat fluxes are always low, but transpiration is enhanced for about 10 days after rain. To investigate the influence of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism plants on carbon dioxide flux, measurements were sustained through the night. Carbon dioxide uptake is low, typically with peak daytime uptake in the order 0.25–1.0 μmol m−2 s−1 for the period for which data are available, and some carbon uptake persists even at night. The observations were used to validate and calibrate the surface energy balance simulated by the Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme. Using the default ‘semi-desert’ soil and vegetation parameters specified in the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate Model Version 2 resulted in a poor simulation of observations. However, using a set of site-specific parameters, including on-site observations to specify more realistic soil and vegetation characteristics, and optimized minimum surface resistance and plant wilting parameters, resulted in a substantial improvement in model performance. The site-specific parameters reflect the fact that the vegetation fraction is greater than assumed in the default parameter set, that leaf area index and minimum stomatal resistance are less, soils at the study site contain more clay, but that the plants' wilting point is lower than this clay fraction would imply. The modified, site-specific parameters more accurately describe the conservative character of the semi-desert vegetation and the moderate nature of its response to the seasonal water cycle.
Nucleotide Sequences within the U5 Region of the Viral RNA Genome Are the Major Determinants for an Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 to Maintain a Primer Binding Site Complementary to tRNAHis

Abstract The initiation of reverse transcription of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genome requires cellular tRNA Lys,3 as a primer and occurs at a site in the viral RNA genome, designated as the primer binding site (PBS), which is complementary to the 3′-terminal 18 nucleotides of tRNA Lys,3 . We previously described an HIV-1 virus [designated as HXB2(His-AC)], which contained a sequence within the U5 region complementary to the anticodon region of tRNA His in addition to a PBS complementary to the 3′-terminal 18 nucleotides of the tRNA His . That virus maintained a PBS complementary to tRNA His after extended in vitro culture (Wakefield et al., J. Virol. 70, 966–975, 1996). In the present study, we report that subcloning a 200-base-pair DNA fragment encompassing the U5 and PBS regions from an integrated provirus of HXB2(His-AC) back into the wild-type genome (pHXB2) resulted in an infectious virus, designated as HXB2(His-AC-gac), which again stably maintained a PBS complementary to tRNA His . DNA sequence analysis of the 200-base-pair region revealed only three nucleotide changes from HXB2(His-AC): a T-to-G change at nucleotide 174, a G-to-A change at nucleotide 181, and a T-to-C change at nucleotide 200. The new mutant virus replicated in CD4 + Sup T1 cells similarly to the wild-type virus. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of nucleocapsid gene of the wild-type and HXB2 (His-AC-gac) virus revealed no differences. Although we found numerous mutations in the reverse transcriptase gene in proviral clones derived from HXB2 (His-AC-gac), no common mutations were found among the 13 clones examined. Comparison of the virion-associated tRNAs of HXB2(His-AC-gac) with those of the wild type revealed that both viruses incorporated a similar subset of cellular tRNAs, with tRNA Lys,3 being the predominant tRNA found within virions. There was no selective enrichment for tRNA His within virions of HXB2(His-AC-gac) virus which selectively use tRNA His to initiate reverse transcription. The results of these studies suggest that the U5 and PBS regions in the viral RNA genome are important determinants for HXB2(His-AC) viruses in the selective use of tRNA His to initiate reverse transcription.
Using Human Factors And Systems Engineering To Improve Care Coordination

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) describes care coordination as one of the six dimensions of health care to overcome barriers and accomplish improvements in the quality of care (IOM, 2001). Care coo...
Pressure broadening of the Li 2s-3d transition by Ne and Ar

We report measurements of the foreign gas line broadening rate for the 2s–3d transition in 6Li and 7Li with the rare gas perturbers neon and argon. We compare our measurements with calculations made in the impact approximation using both ab initio diatomic potentials and long-range coefficients. Agreement is in all cases better than 30%. As in our previous study of Li 2s–3s broadening, we find that the available potentials do not agree well at intermediate range. Improved agreement will likely require improved potentials as well as a more sophisticated model.
Knowledge of quality performance measures associated with endoscopy among gastroenterology trainees and the impact of a web-based intervention

Background Knowledge of quality measures in endoscopy among trainees is unknown. Objective To assess knowledge of endoscopy-related quality indicators among U.S. trainees and determine whether it improves with a Web-based intervention. Design Randomized, controlled study. Setting Multicenter. Participants This study involved trainees identified from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy membership database. Intervention Participants were invited to complete an 18-question online test. Respondents were randomized to receive a Web-based tutorial (intervention) or not. The test was readministered 6 weeks after randomization to determine the intervention's impact. Main Outcome Measurements Baseline knowledge of endoscopy-related quality indicators and impact of the tutorial. Results A total of 347 of 1220 trainees (28%) completed the test; the mean percentage of correct responses was 55%. For screening colonoscopy, 44% knew the adenoma detection rate benchmark, 42% identified the cecal intubation rate goal, and 74% knew the recommended minimum withdrawal time. A total of 208 of 347 trainees (59%) completed the second test; baseline scores were similar for the tutorial (n = 106) and no tutorial (n = 102) groups (56.4% vs 56.9%, respectively). Scores improved after intervention for the tutorial group (65%, P = .003) but remained unchanged in the no tutorial group. On multivariate analysis, each additional year in training (odds ratio [OR] 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-3.4), training at an academic institution (OR 2.6; 95% CI, 1.1-6.3), and receiving the tutorial (OR 3.2; 95% CI, 1.7-5.9) were associated with scores in the upper tertile. Limitations Low response rate. Conclusion Knowledge of endoscopy-related quality performance measures is low among trainees but can improve with a Web-based tutorial. Gastroenterology training programs may need to incorporate a formal didactic curriculum to supplement practice-based learning of quality standards in endoscopy.
Characteristic temperatures in a FAPES source

Abstract A number of state distribution temperatures were measured in an effort to characterize a 100 W 13.56 MHz rf He plasma established in a FAPES (Furnace Atomization Plasma Emission Spectrometry) source. Excitation temperatures derived from a Boltzmann plot of He I and Fe I lines were in reasonable agreement, i.e. 3300 ± 180 and 2920 ± 180 K, respectively. An excitation temperature measured with Fe II lines was substantially larger than the above values, being 7610 ± 450 K. A kinetic or Doppler temperature based on measurement of the width of the Be I 234.861 nm line profile was 7030 ± 1150 K whereas the He ionization temperature derived from the measured electron number density was 10920 ± 1900 K. It is clear that complete LTE does not exist in this source
Discussion of “The financial reporting of fair value based on managerial inputs versus market inputs: evidence from mortgage servicing rights”

Contrary to the guidance provided by regulators and industry associations suggesting that mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) be recorded as Level 3 assets, Altamuro and Zhang identify that 25 % of banks classify them as Level 2 assets. This variation in the asset classification of a single asset type provides a unique setting to examine the role of inputs in the fair value measurement process. Altamuro and Zhang find that the fair value of MSRs based on managerial inputs (Level 3) better reflects the economics of the underlying assets than the fair value of MSRs based on market inputs (Level 2). This discussion examines the institutional features of the MSR market, particularly the market concentration and the illiquidity of the market, that are important when considering this result. The discussion also raises a number of questions about the inputs used in the fair value process and calls for further research on this topic.
Nest box orientation affects internal temperature and nest site selection by Tree Swallows

Orientation of nests can influence nest microclimate, particularly temperature. However, few investigators have examined orientation preference and microclimate simultaneously. We examined the possible correlation between entrance orientation of artificial nest boxes used by Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and the internal temperature of boxes. Tree Swallows showed a preference for east- and south-facing boxes, but only during the first half of the breeding season (before 1 June). During the second half of the breeding season (after 1 June), Swallows selected boxes based on availability. We found that east- and south-facing boxes were warmer than north- and west-facing boxes, but only during the first half of the breeding season when those boxes were preferred. Entrance orientation and box temperature were only correlated during the morning (06:00-12:00); the temperature of all boxes was similar during the afternoon. Our results suggest that Tree Swallows show a preference for nest boxes with a certain entrance orientation only when orientation influences microclimate, suggesting that warmer nest temperatures may provide fitness benefits. SINOPSIS. El orientaci´ on de cajas de anidamiento afecta su temperatura interna y la selectividad por parte de Tachycineta bicolor La orientaci´ on de nidos puede influir el microclima de estos, particularmente su temperatura. Sin embargo, son muy pocos los trabajos de investigaci´ on que han examinado preferencias de orientacion y aspectos microclim´ aticos en el mismo estudio. Examinamos la posible correlacientre preferencias en la orientacion del hueco de entrada y la temperatura interna de las cajas en la golondrina Tachicineta bicolor. Las aves mostraron preferencias por cajas orientadas hacia el este y hacia el sur, antes del 1 de junio. Posterior a dicha fecha, las golondrinas seleccionaron las cajas a base de la disponibilidad de estas. Encontramos que las cajas orientadas hacia el este y hacia el sur eran m´ as calidas que las que estaban orientadas al norte y al oeste, aunque fueron utilizadas con preferencia hasta el 1 de junio. La orientacide la entrada a la caja y la temperatura se correlacionaron durante la ma˜
The shifting sands of self: a framework for the experience of self in addiction

The self is a common yet unclear theme in addiction studies. William James's model of self provides a framework to explore the experience of self. His model details the subjective and objective constituents, the sense of self-continuity through time, and the ephemeral and plural nature of the changing self. This exploration yields insights into the self that can be usefully applied to subjective experiences with psychoactive drugs of addiction. Results of this application add depth to the common understanding of self in addiction, acknowledge the importance of feelings and choice in the sense of self created in addiction experiences, and affirm the values salient to these interior experiences in addiction. These results suggest meaning derived from those values, and provide important background knowledge for the nurse interacting with these clients.
Fibroblast growth factor-23 in obese, normotensive adolescents is associated with adverse cardiac structure.

Objectives Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) is a biomarker for cardiovascular disease. Obesity may promote FGF23 production in the absence of chronic kidney disease. We sought to determine among normotensive African American adolescents whether FGF23 levels are greater in obese compared with normal-weight adolescents and to determine the relationship of FGF23 with markers of cardiac structure and insulin resistance. Study design Cross-sectional data were obtained from a cohort of 130 normotensive, African American adolescents ages 13-18 years without chronic kidney disease; 74 were obese; 56 were normal weight. Plasma C-terminal FGF23, fasting glucose and insulin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were measured; participants underwent M-mode echocardiography. Results FGF23 was skewed and approximately normally distributed after natural log transformation (logFGF23). FGF23 levels were greater in obese vs normal-weight participants (geometric mean 43 vs 23 RU/mL, P P P P P = .02). Conclusions In this sample of obese African American adolescents, FGF23 blood levels were associated with abnormal cardiac structure. We postulate that FGF23 may be an early marker of cardiac injury in obese but otherwise-healthy African American adolescents.
PHENOMENOLOGICAL LAGRANGIAN FOR FIELD ALGEBRA, HARD PIONS, AND RADIATIVE CORRECTIONS.

The phenomenological Lagrangian approach to the current-field algebra, and its advantages and defects, are discussed. The computational rules are stated, and justification is offered. Based on the phenomenological field-algebra Lagrangian, we consider the electromagnetic effects on the pion mass (for finite pion mass), the $\ensuremath{\rho}$-meson mass, and the pion $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay.
The Group Analysis Scenario in Italy: Forty Years of Growth and Development

The author describes the history of group analysis in Italy and the institution of the Confederazione Organizzazioni Italiane di Ricerca Analitica sui Gruppi as a confederation of nine Group-analytic societies. He gives a short outline of the programmes of the various societies, dealing in greater detail with the Societai Italiana Psicoterapia Analitica Gruppi.
Residualization is not the answer: Rethinking how to address multicollinearity

Here I show that a commonly used procedure to address problems stemming from collinearity and multicollinearity among independent variables in regression analysis, "residualization", leads to biased coefficient and standard error estimates and does not address the fundamental problem of collinearity, which is a lack of information. I demonstrate this using visual representations of collinearity, hypothetical experimental designs, and analyses of both artificial and real world data. I conclude by noting the importance of examining methodological practices to ensure that their validity can be established based on rational criteria.
Molecular weight fractionation in tubular flow-induced crystallization of polyethylene

Effet du fractionnement associe a ce mode de croissance pour un polyethylene de masse moleculaire ultra haute
Reovirus cytotoxicity: some properties of the UV-irradiated reovirus and its capsid proteins.

Ultraviolet light (UV) inactivation of infectious reovirus type 2 for 2 to 10 minutes resulted in the acquisition of cytotoxic (CT) property by the virus. The CT property was maximum after 10 mins irradiation and could not be associated with any detectable changes in the physical, chemical and biological properties of the irradiated virus. In contrast, prolonged irradiation (60 minutes) resulted in a loss of CT property which was associated with severe alterations in a number of viral properties. Furthermore, the loss of CT-induction was apparently not due to a lack of adsorption of the irradiated particles to the cell. Experiments with reovirus “empties” and urea-degraded virus indicated that the protein components of the outer capsid structure were in a manner yet to be defined involved with the CT phenomenon. The UV-irradiated reovirus exhibited transcriptase activity without prior activation by either brief heating or chymotrypsin treatments.
Compression of the ulnar nerve at the wrist secondary to a rheumatoid synovial cyst: Case report and review of the literature

Compression of the ulnar nerve within or near the canal of Guyon has been ascribed to numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The anatomy of the region is discussed, and a review of the reported causes of ulnar nerve compression is presented. A case of ulnar nerve compression at the wrist secondary to a rheumatoid synovial cyst is reported. Prompt decompression resulted in clinical and electromyographic recovery of sensory and motor function.
Yeast glycosylation mutants are sensitive to aminoglycosides.

Abstract Aminoglycosides are a therapeutically important class of antibiotics that inhibit bacterial protein synthesis and a number of viral and eukaryotic functions by blocking RNA-protein interactions. Vanadate-resistant Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants with defects in Golgi-specific glycosylation processes exhibit growth sensitivity to hygromycin B, an aminoglycoside [Ballou, L., Hitzeman, R. A., Lewis, M. S. & Ballou, C. E. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 3209-3212]. Here, evidence is presented that glycosylation is, in and of itself, a key factor mediating aminoglycoside sensitivity in yeast. Examination of mutants with a wide range of glycosylation abnormalities reveals that all are sensitive to aminoglycosides. This effect is specific to aminoglycosides and not merely a consequence of increased permeability of the yeast mutants to drugs. Furthermore, inhibition of glycosylation in wild-type cells leads to a marked increase in their sensitivity to aminoglycosides. These results establish that a defect in glycosylation is sufficient to render yeast cells susceptible to these clinically important drugs. Further, they suggest that a molecule which prevents the uptake or mediates removal of aminoglycosides requires glycosylation for its activity. Perhaps more importantly, this finding on drug sensitivity provides the most powerful screen to date to identify mutants and thereby to isolate genes involved in all aspects of N-linked glycosylation.
Spontaneous FAD Dynamics Reveal Functional Connectivity Patterns In Mice

Autofluorescing mitochondrial FAD provides direct measures of neural activity compared to hemodynamic signals. Murine spontaneous FAD activity was imaged and used to construct functional connectivity maps revealing bilateral functional connections.
Effects of electrolyzed oxidizing water and ice treatments on reducing histamine-producing bacteria on fish skin and food contact surface

Abstract This study investigated efficacy of electrolyzed oxidizing water (EO water) and ice (EO ice) treatments in reducing histamine-producing bacteria ( Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganella morganii and Proteus hauseri ) on food contact surfaces (ceramic tile and stainless steel) and fish skin (Atlantic salmon and yellowfin tuna). Soaking ceramic tile and stainless steel in EO water (50 ppm chlorine) for 5 min inactivated inoculated bacteria on the surface (>0.92 to >5.4 log CFU/cm 2 reductions). E. cloacae, K. pneumoniae and P. hauseri did not survive well on fish skin. Soaking salmon skin in EO water (100 ppm chlorine) for 120 min resulted in 1.3 and 2.2 log CFU/cm 2 reductions of E. aerogenes and M. morganii , respectively. A treatment of EO ice (100 ppm chlorine) for 24 h was capable of reducing E. aerogenes and M. morganii on tuna skin by 2.4 and 3.5 log CFU/cm 2 , respectively. EO water and EO ice can be used as post-harvest treatments for reducing histamine-producing bacteria on food contact surfaces and fish skin.
Transformation groups for weakly non-linear periodic systems†

The method of infinitesimal transformations is applied to weakly non-linear periodic systems described by n first-order coupled differential equations. The transformation groups, which leave the equations invariant, are determined by a perturbation method, Those transformations roduce the systems to non-linear autonomous form. The equivalence of the results of the method, within the first-order approximation, to other averaging and perturbation techniques is illustrated by an example of a second-order system.
Tubers and tumors: rapamycin therapy for benign and malignant tumors

Rapamycin and its derivatives represent a unique set of pharmaceutical agents being employed across a broad range of therapeutic indications including organ transplantation, cardiovascular disease, the treatment of harmartomas, and cancer. In cancer this family of drugs is unique as it exploits tumor-associated changes in cell metabolism. mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), a protein kinase complex, is the major target of rapamycin, and is a key element of evolutionarily conserved pathways that regulate cellular metabolism in response to environmental nutrients and intracellular energy status. Upstream mTOR regulatory proteins -- the TSC tumor suppressor, the Rheb proto-oncogene, the hVps34 phophatidylinositol kinase, and the Rag GTPases -- determine tumor growth, metabolism, and apoptosis susceptibility. Novel compounds that target mTOR and PI3K enzymes may further enhance the efficacy in inhibiting this pathway in a number of human pathologies, particularly cancer.
Posterolateral approaches to the craniovertebral junction.

Objective The indications and operative technique for a number of posterolateral approaches to the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) are reviewed. Methods The literature addressing posterolateral approaches to the CVJ is reviewed, and illustrative cases are presented. Results The far lateral approach and its variants, including the transcondylar, supracondylar, and paracondylar approaches, are an effective means of addressing intradural anterior and anterolateral CVJ lesions. These approaches provide exposure of the lower third of the clivus, the foramen magnum, and the upper cervical spine; do not cross contaminated regions; and enable a watertight dural closure to be performed. They are associated with minimal morbidity and usually do not significantly decrease the stability of the CVJ. Conclusion All surgeons treating lesions of the CVJ should be familiar with the posterolateral approach and its modifications.
Authoritarianism and the Criminal Justice Student: A Test of the Predispositional Model:

Advocates of the "pre-dispositional" model of authoritarianism suggest that professions such as law enforcement attract a disproportionate number of persons with authoritarian personalities. As a t...
γ-Diketone neuropathy: axon atrophy and the role of cytoskeletal protein adduction

Multifocal giant neurofilamentous axonal swellings and secondary distal degeneration have been historically considered the hallmark features of gamma-diketone neuropathy. Accordingly, research conducted over the past 25 years has been directed toward discerning mechanisms of axonal swelling. However, this neuropathological convention has been challenged by recent observations that swollen axons were an exclusive product of long-term 2.5-hexanedione (HD) intoxication at lower daily dose-rates (e.g., 175 mg/kg/day); that is, higher HD dose-rates (e.g., 400 mg/kg/day) produced neurological deficits in the absence of axonal swellings. The observation that neurological toxicity can be expressed without axonal swelling suggests that this lesion is not an important pathophysiological event. Instead, several research groups have now shown that axon atrophy is prevalent in nervous tissues of laboratory animals intoxicated over a wide range of HD dose-rates. The well-documented nerve conduction defects associated with axon atrophy, in conjunction with the temporal correspondence between this lesion and the onset of neurological deficits, strongly suggest that atrophy has pathophysiological significance. In this commentary, we present evidence that supports a pathognomonic role for axon atrophy in gamma-diketone neuropathy and suggests that the functional consequences of this lesion mediate the corresponding neurological toxicity. Previous research has demonstrated that HD interacts with proteins via formation of pyrrole adducts. We therefore discuss the possibility that this chemical process is essential to the mechanism of atrophy. Evidence presented in this review suggests that "distal axonopathy" is an inaccurate classification and future nosological schemes should be based on the apparent primacy of axon atrophy.
Viscoelastic effects in the coalescence of polymer particles

Abstract A study was made of the coalescence of linear acrylic resins over a much greater dynamic range than previously investigated. The rate of neck growth between a sphere and a flat slab of the same material was measured in situ by optical microscopy and found to exhibit a number of features typical of polymer viscoelastic response. Results are compared with independent measurements of the melt rheology (torsional creep compliance). An analytic approximation is proposed which allows the neck-growth kinetics to be predicted from the recoverable creep compliance and viscosity of the melt. It predicts qualitative trends consistent with the limited data on molecular weight, structure, and particle size variations. This analysis helps resolve some apparent contradictions among earlier studies and implies a qualitative difference in the coalescence mechanisms for large particles (5 μm) and colloids (
Culling the cousins: Kingship, kinship, and competition in mid-millennial England

Kin selection, an aspect of evolutionary theory, argues that, all else equal, individuals should give preferential treatment to relatives, based on the degree of relatedness [Hamilton, W. D. (1964). The genetical evolution of social behaviour I, II. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 7, 1–52.]. However, one may observe instances where competition for scarce or unique resources is stronger between family members than between unrelated individuals. Such a situation existed between 1377 and 1603 with intense competition for the throne of England among descendents of Edward III. During this period, monarchs were executed by relatives to gain or maintain the throne for him or herself or descendents. Despite the widespread destruction of kindred, we show that executioners never sacrificed lineal relatives nor executed collateral relatives in excess of their own legitimate nuclear relatedness, and the number of executed relatives was positively correlated to the age and legitimate reproductive success of the executioner. Moreover, when resources are scarce, have an intrinsically high value, and are inherited, it may be in your Darwinian reproductive interest not to maximize but to minimize the number of legitimate children in order to reduce competition among family members.
Sedimentology of the Rocktown Channel Sandstone, Upper Part of the Dakota Formation (Cretaceous), Central Kansas

ABSTRACT Recent investigation of sedimentary facies within the upper part of the Dakota Formation in central Kansas indicates that the controversial Rocktown channel sandstone, well exposed in the east-west trending Saline River valley in Russell County, is the dominate lithofacies within a transgressive, marginal-marine deltaic complex. The sandstone body can be divided into two major subfacies, grading within 50 km from a highly sinuous, distributary channel into estuarine and delta-front sandstones. In overall geometry the lower-cross-bedded sandstone subfacies (18-22 m thick and 300-600 m wide) is more or less confined to a sinuous, elongate, broad V-shaped trough, whereas the upper flat-bedded sandstone subfacies (6-9 m thick and 900-1,500 m wide) forms an elongate, tabular-shaped unit which "caps" and appears to "spill over" the edges of the trough below. Both subfacies consist of very well- to well-sorted (0.30 to 0.40 phi-units), loosely-cemented quartz arenite; however, the lower, cross-bedded subfacies consists of fine-grained (2.50; 0.177 mm), relatively high porosity sandstone, and the upper, flat-bedded s bfacies of very fine-grained (3.31; 0.102 mm), relatively low porosity sandstone. Paleocurrents indicated by high-angle cross-bedding of the lower subfacies show a unidirectional pattern parallel to sandstone-body trend, whereas ripple-bedding and low-angle cross-bedding in the upper subfacies show bimodal and polymodal patterns not parallel to sandstone-body trend. Overall variance of paleocurrent measurements around the vector resultants falls well within the range of values typical of fluvial-deltaic sands. And, whereas the lower sandstone subfacies contains only leaf impressions and carbonaceous debris, the upper sandstone subfacies contains locally abundant brackish-water mollusks and abundant, well-defined trace fossils. Paleoenvironmental interpretations of the Rocktown channel sandstone are best made using sandstone-body geometry, lateral lithofacies relationships, sedimentary structures, paleocurrents, and macroinvertebrate and trace fossil paleoecology determinations. Grain-size distribution parameters are the least reliable; however, the use of cumulative log-normal probability plots according to the technique developed by Visher (1969) appears to be superior to the use of discriminating plots as discussed by Friedman (1967) and Moiola and Weiser (1968) or to the use of CM diagrams of Passega (1957, 1964).
An investigation of the construct validity of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale through the use of a verbalization task.

Abstract Objective The construct validity of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was examined through a verbalization task requiring participants to discuss a past distressing event. Methods Verbalizations were transcribed and coded for the frequency and number of different negative and positive emotion words used. Relationships between the TAS-20 and these variables were examined. Results Controlling for negative affect (NA), the difficulty identifying feelings (DIF) subscale was positively associated with the frequency of negative emotion words used and negatively associated with the frequency and number of different positive emotion words used during the verbalization task. High, compared with low, scoring TAS-20 participants used a lower frequency of and fewer different positive emotion words. Conclusion The TAS-20 may be measuring negative emotional expressivity separate from negative affectivity, as well as a reduced capacity to access and elaborate upon positive emotion. Findings are discussed in regard to improving the conceptualization and measurement of emotional deficits in alexithymia.
Recurrence in pairs

We introduce and study the notion of weak product recurrence. Two sufficient conditions for this type of recurrence are established. We deduce that any point with a dense orbit in either the full one-sided shift on a finite number of symbols or a mixing subshift of finite type is weakly product recurrent. This observation implies that distality does not follow from weak product recurrence. We have therefore answered, in the negative, a question posed by Auslander and Furstenberg.
The Changing Strength of Socioeconomic Factors affecting home Ownership in the United States: 1960–1990

This paper investigates the changing ease with which Americans can access home ownership in the post-war era. In the 1960s, the simple act of entering one's mid-30s was enough to generate an 80-90 percent probability of ownership for a demographically traditional, middle class household. Changing prices of given house qualities, new trends in key demographics such as marriage and child-bearing propensities, and increasing returns to skill in the labor market have combined to ensure that no longer is the case. Falling real wages and increased constant quality prices of lower quality homes have made home ownership more difficult for younger and lower skill households. There is no sense in which access to ownership is more difficult for older and higher skill households. Copyright 1998 by Scottish Economic Society.
Program Boosting: Program Synthesis via Crowd-Sourcing

In this paper, we investigate an approach to program synthesis that is based on crowd-sourcing. With the help of crowd-sourcing, we aim to capture the "wisdom of the crowds" to find good if not perfect solutions to inherently tricky programming tasks, which elude even expert developers and lack an easy-to-formalize specification. We propose an approach we call program boosting, which involves crowd-sourcing imperfect solutions to a difficult programming problem from developers and then blending these programs together in a way that improves their correctness. We implement this approach in a system called CROWDBOOST and show in our experiments that interesting and highly non-trivial tasks such as writing regular expressions for URLs or email addresses can be effectively crowd-sourced. We demonstrate that carefully blending the crowd-sourced results together consistently produces a boost, yielding results that are better than any of the starting programs. Our experiments on 465 program pairs show consistent boosts in accuracy and demonstrate that program boosting can be performed at a relatively modest monetary cost.
Mineral Composition at the Tendon-to-Bone Insertion and Its Role in Stress Transfer

Musculoskeletal injuries are a common cause of pain and disability, and result in significant health care costs. Rotator cuff injuries, which make up the majority of soft tissue injuries to the upper extremity, commonly require surgical repair to the humeral head. At the rotator cuff, for example, the recurrence of tears to surgically repaired tendons has been reported to be as high as 94% [1]. The most dramatic feature of the failed tendon-to-bone healing scenarios is the lack of a transition zone between the tendon and bone that existed before the injury [2].Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Heavy-ion induced transfer reactions with spherical and deformed nuclei☆

Abstract Cross sections for the quasielastic channels have been measured at energies slightly above the Coulomb barrier using 58 Ni and 112,116 Sn projectiles on targets of 117,118 Sn and 161,162,163,164 Dy. The deexcitation γ-rays were detected in a 4π NaI array (the Spin Spectrometer of Oak Ridge National Laboratory) in kinematic coincidence with both target-like and projectile-like particles; thus providing a measure of the total energy and multiplicity of the entry state. The reaction channels were identified by characteristic γ-deexcitation transitions measured with Ge detectors substituted for array elements in the Spin Spectrometer. The angular distribution for inelastic scattering is well described by both semiclassical and quantal calculations. Two general features for few-neutron transfer channels are observed; (i) the dependence of the total cross section on the ground-state Q -value, (ii) the “coldness” of the reaction mechanism indicated by the measured entry states. For one-neutron transfer the distorted-wave Born approximation seems to give a correct overall qualitative description of the reaction mechanism for spherical nuclei, and reproduces the cross sections within a factor of two. The ground-to-ground two-neutron transfer probability for the reaction between Sn isotopes was deduced and found to be strongly enhanced ( F ≈ 760), which is consistent with the expectation of strong pairing correlations. Two-neutron transfer to the ground-state band in Dy was partially resolved from transfer to other intrinsic states by using the Spin Spectrometer. The oscillating radial dependence of the probability for populating the ground-state band was found to be related to the nuclear deformation. This leads to an explanation of the “slope anomaly” where the measured radial dependence of the total two-neutron transfer probability has too flat a slope compared to the prediction based on a simple binding energy argument. The probability for two-neutron transfer to the ground-state band is found to be similar to the probability for ground-to-ground transfer in the Sn+Sn system, suggesting a comparable strength for pairing correlations in the two systems.
Taxonomy, life cycle, reproduction and detection of Acremonium endophytes.

Abstract Endophytes referable to the deuteromycete genus Acremonium section Albo-lanosa have been found to be widespread in the subfamily Pooideae of the Poaceae. Methods used to survey grasses for endophytes are described and a list of hosts infected with endophytes is presented and discussed. Endophytic mycelium is present intercellularly in leaf sheaths, stems, and seeds and of grasses. Populations of Acremonium endophytes are classifiable into one of three categories (types) based on the degree to which stromata form in the grass population. It is proposed that the ability of endophytes to form stromata is determined by the capacity of endophyte strains to grow rapidly on sugars available in plants during culm elongation when stromata form on grasses. The mechanism of seed transmission of endophytes is described and evaluated. The mating system of Epichloe and involvement of the symbiotic fly Phorbia phrenione in vectoring conidia is also discussed. Several commonly encountered Acremonium species are described and discussed.
Slow magnetic relaxation in the tetrahedral cobalt(II) complexes [Co(EPh)4]2− (EO, S, Se)

Abstract Salts of the homoleptic cobalt(II) complexes [Co(EPh)4]2− (E = O, S, Se) were isolated as (Ph4P)2[Co(OPh)4]·(CH3CN) (1), K(Ph4P)[Co(OPh)4] (2), (Ph4P)2[Co(SPh)4] (3), and (Ph4P)2[Co(SePh)4] (4) from reactions of CoCl2 or CoI2 with excess amounts of K(EPh) and (Ph4P)Br in acetonitrile. Single-crystal X-ray structural studies show all four compounds to contain mononuclear [Co(EPh)4]2− complexes with structures conforming to or approaching D2d symmetry. Magnetic susceptibility data for 1–4 indicate anisotropic S = 3/2 spin ground states, with axial zero-field splitting parameters ranging from D = −11.1(3) cm−1 in 1 to −83(1) cm−1 in 4. Ac susceptibility measurements reveal slow magnetic relaxation at zero dc field for 2–4, while a bias dc field is required to see this effect in 1. Arrhenius plots of the data indicate spin reversal barriers of Ueff = 21(1), 21(1), and 19(1) cm−1 for 1, 3, and 4, respectively, while the plot for 2 shows substantial curvature, indicative of strong intermolecular interactions. For 2, dilution with [Zn(OPh)4]2− was necessary to observe thermally-activated magnetic relaxation, with Ueff = 34.0(5) cm−1. The trend in Ueff for 1–4 does not follow the trend in D values, possibly indicating that magnetic relaxation in 2–4 is not fully thermally activated under the conditions probed. Solid-state diffuse-reflectance spectra display d–d excitations that follow the general trend of D values. An analysis of 1–4 within the framework of ligand field theory shows that the increase in |D| occurs in concert with an decrease in the Racah B parameter, highlighting the importance of soft donor ligands in the pursuit of systems with a large magnetic anisotropy.
The Use of Adobe in the Mormon Cultural Region

The distinctiveness of the Mormon culture region has been described by several authors. One of the items which contributes to this distinctiveness was the widespread use of adobe (sun-dried brick) in relic buildings in the region. The process of adobe making was diffused from Spanish settlements in the American Southwest, and highly modifed by the Mormon builders in the Great Basin. Adobe was initially used in almost all forms of construction because of limited timber for construction and fuel to kiln-dry bricks. Advent of the railroad prompted construction of lines to open coal mines providing a cheap fuel for brickmaking. With low-cost kiln-dried brick, adobe was rapidly replaced as a building material. Thousands of the original adobe structures still remain, however, and constitute an important element in the landscape of the region. Existing adobe structures are normally plastered over, but the distinctive architectural styles associated with the period when most were constructed make them easily reco...
RNA degradation precedes DNA cleavage in autoreactive CD4 T cells suppressed by calicheamicin γ1

Calicheamicin gamma1 (Cal gamma1) is a hydrophobic enediyne antibiotic known to cleave the DNA and lead to apoptosis in a variety of cells. Herein, we show that Cal gamma1 exhibits a 1000-times stronger suppressogenic effect on antigen-specific (diabetogenic), and naive CD4 T cells than Doxorubicin (Dox), another strong apoptotic drug. The thymic precursors and mature T cells incubated with Cal gamma1 for only 30 min showed a drastic decrease or loss of cytokine production and proliferation following stimulation with the immunogenic peptide, or with CD3 and CD28 antibodies. The suppressogenicity of Cal gamma1 correlated with a rapid and non-selective degradation of RNA, whereas the DNA cleavage occurred at a later time point and at higher doses. Cal gamma1 may represent a potential therapeutic agent to eliminate self-reactive T cells in autoimmune diseases, providing that is delivered by antigen-specific T-cell ligands. Targeting of highly suppressogenic drugs such as Cal gamma1 to autoreactive T cells may reduce considerable the therapeutic dose and the drug-related side effects.
Facial Feature Assessment of Popular U.S. Country Music Singers Across Social and Economic Conditions

The facial features of the artists of the top Country Billboard song for each year from 1946 to 2010 were investigated across changes in U.S. socioeconomic conditions. When conditions were relatively poor, country music artists with more mature facial features of smaller eyes and larger chins were popular, and when conditions were more prosperous, country music artists with more baby-faced features of larger eyes and smaller chins were popular. Results extend previous findings with pop singers, movie actresses, and Playboy Playmates, and suggest the social and economic environment influences preferences for country singers across time.