cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polymorphism at the 3′-UTR of the thymidylate synthase gene: A potential predictor for outcomes in Caucasian patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with preoperative chemoradiation

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that TS3′UTR polymorphisms predict outcomes in 146 Caucasian patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with preoperative 5-fluorouracil-based chemoradiation. Methods and Materials: DNA was extracted from hematoxylin-and-eosin stained histologic slides of normal esophageal or gastric mucosa sections from paraffin blocks of esophagectomy specimens. Genotypes of the TS3′UTR polymorphism were determined by polymerase chain reaction for a 6-bp insertion. The genotype groups (0bp/0bp, 6bp/0bp, and 6bp/6bp) were compared for clinical features and overall survival, recurrence-free-survival, locoregional control (LRC), and distant metastasis control. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to find independent predictors for the stated outcomes. Results: There was a trend of association between 6bp/6bp genotype and a decreased risk of local regional recurrence (hazards ratio=0.211, 95% confidence interval=0.041–1.095, p = 0.06) compared with other genotypes. There was a trend that patients with 6bp/6bp genotype had a higher 3-year probability of LRC compared with patients with the other two genotypes combined ( p = 0.07); however, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The null hypotheses were not rejected in this study, probably owing to small sample size or the single gene examined. Prospective studies with adequate statistical power analyzing a family of genes involved in the 5-fluorouracil metabolism are needed to assess genetic determinants of treatment-related outcomes in esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A Realistic International Economics

To formulate valid and useful ideas for young students of economics presents a challenge in the area of international trade that differs from those presented in other areas of economics. The problem is not so much dealing with the shifting, fashion-ridden, and factional economic doctrines of recent decades as it is correcting errors and confusion that go back to Adam Smith. Curiously enough, Adam Smith's free-trade doctrine seems to be one of the matters on which economists now are most in agreement. Yet, on considering afresh basic economic current doctrines on international trade as presented in college textbooks in the United States, one must be struck that this subject is handled in an unusual way. How is it that U.S. economists have so committed themselves to a "party line" of laissez-faire economic doctrine, asserting that so-called free trade is automatically beneficial, and the only other course, a negatively stereotyped "protectionism," is unquestionably harmful? How can economists thus unreservedly propose unregulated international trade with virtually no reference to actual experience with different arrangements for international trade-relying on inferences from a hypothetical example that, on the face of things, is not at all realistic? Other questions arise. How can a policy of laissez faire that has, at best, a mixed performance within the national economy work so perfectly in the unpromising context of trade across national boundaries? How can economists assert the desirability of free trade, with no reference to its revolutionary political implications, that is, in undermining the independence and capabilities of the nation as man's major political organization and providing nothing to put in its place? How can economics continue to deny that differences in national wage levels cause one-sided trade that shifts industries and jobs to low-wage nations, when anyone who reads the newspapers encounters a flood of evidence to the contrary? In the face of such anomalies, it seems that the subject is in need of independent and realistic reconsideration. In this paper, I propose an interpretation of international trade that I believe is valid and useful for the beginner in economics. This view provides a basis for understanding the great changes in patterns of international trade that are occurring, their implications, and the kind of policies required to guide international trade in a constructive direction. My goal, thus, is to explain what the world and events are doing, not what economists are doing. Coverage of the conventional descriptive material on the nation's
Control of SXT Integration and Excision

The Vibrio cholerae SXT element is a conjugative self-transmissible chromosomally integrating element that encodes resistance to multiple antibiotics. SXT integrates in a site-specific fashion at prfC and excises from the chromosome to form a circular but nonreplicative extrachromosomal form. Both chromosomal integration and excision depend on an SXT-encoded recombinase, Int. Here we found that Int is necessary and sufficient for SXT integration and that int expression in recipient cells requires the SXT activators SetC and SetD. Although no xis-like gene was annotated in the SXT genome, Int was not sufficient to mediate efficient SXT chromosomal excision. We identified a novel SXT Xis that seems to function as a recombination directionality factor (RDF), facilitating SXT excision and inhibiting SXT integration. Although unrelated to any previously characterized RDF, Xis is similar to five hypothetical proteins that together may constitute a new family of RDFs. Using real-time quantitative PCR assays to study SXT excision from the chromosome, we determined that while SXT excision is required for SXT transfer, the percentage of cells containing an excised circular SXT does not appear to be a major factor limiting SXT transfer; i.e., we found that most cells harboring an excised circular SXT molecule do not act as SXT donors. In the absence of prfC, SXT integrated into several secondary attachment sites but preferentially into the 5′ end of pntB. SXT excision and transfer from a donor containing pntB::SXT were reduced, suggesting that the SXT integration site may also influence the element's transmissibility.
Présentations de cas en direct : Attitudes et implications éthiques pour la pratique

Objectifs Les presentations de cas en direct (PCD) sont maintenant repandues dans les reunions de formation medicale malgre les soucis ethiques dont le risque d'exposer les patients a un risque anormal. Cependant, il y a peu de donnees concernant beaucoup d'aspects des PCD pour aider a informer des politiques et des recommandations les concernant. Methodes Nous avons mene une revue basee sur Internet des cliniciens qui sont intervenus comme faculte ou ont assiste aux 2009 et 2010 reunions professionnelles agrees par VIVA (Vascular Interventional Advances). Resultats Il y avait 106 repondants pour VIVA 2009 et 165 repondants pour VIVA 2010. Assister a une PCD etait plus valable que le visionnement d'une video preenregistree pour la plupart (70% en 2009 ; 82% en 2010) des repondants. Environ un tiers des repondants pensait que les patients faisant l'objet d'une PCD sont exposes a plus de risques que les patients non concernes. Les repondants qui avaient ete des operateurs convenaient que les patients des PCD etaient exposes a plus de risques (p = 0,001 de 2009 ; p = 0,022 de 2010). Approximativement un tiers des repondants en 2009 et la moitie en 2010 pensaient que les patients tiraient un avantage medical direct des PCD. La majorite (71% en 2009 ; 76% en 2010) indiquaient qu'ils recommanderaient a un membre de leur famille ou a un ami d'accepter une PCD, peu (44% en 2009 ; 58% en 2010) indiquaient qu'ils accepteraient personnellement d'etre un patient PCD. Conclusions Cet apercu fournit de nouvelles perspectives sur l'interet et le risque des PCD. L'obtention de la perception des patients serait contributive pour aider a s'assurer que les aspects ethiques des PCD sont abordes correctement et completement.
Usefulness of ambulatory monitoring of blood pressure in assessing antihypertensive therapy.

oninvasive automatic ambulatory blood presN sure (BP) monitoring is still not commonly used in the evahiation and treatment of patients with systemic hypertension. The basis for its use in conjunction with or in place of conventional office BP measurements is that numerous recordings of BP over the day and night are diagnostically superior to 1, 2 or 3 readings in the office and should be more representative of the continuous BP of an individual. A circadian profile exists within 24 hours of BP measurement in essential hypertension and this time interval has become the standard period of observation,lm3 along with awake and sleep periods. Blood pressure measured while awake (especially working hours) is usually similar to the casual BPe3 Blood pressure may be a great deal lower than the office readings when patients are relaxing, less physically or mentally active or sleeping (Table I). Variations in the level of the BP during the different periods of the day alter the frame of reference of the normalcy of BP for out-of-office BP when compared with clinic or office readings. For example, casual, office BP is genefally accepted as normal when it is 140/90 mm Hg in the clinic may have as many as 50% of their awake readings <140/90 mm Hg. Thus, BP defined in a clinical trial by 3 casual measurements at the fourth week of placebo therapy and then again after 8 or 12 weeks of active drug therapy may be inadequate for properly assessing the degree of antihypertensive activity and the duration of effect. A more complete method of analysis of a potential antihypertensive drug effect is required. Reliability of ambulatory blood pressure monitors: There are a number of ambulatory BP monitors available. New recorders are small (<0.5 kg), have less noise associated with cuff inflation than the older units and have versatile software applications. The recorders give
Multifunctionality of indocyanine green-loaded biodegradable nanoparticles for enhanced optical imaging and hyperthermia intervention of cancer

The aim of this study was to develop and characterize multifunctional biodegradable and biocompatible poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with indocyanine green (ICG) as an optical-imaging con- trast agent for cancer imaging and as a photothermal therapy agent for cancer treatment. PLGA-ICG nanoparticles (PIN) were synthesized with a particle diameter of 246 � 11 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.10 � 0.03, and ICG loading efficiency of 48.75 � 5.48%. PIN were optically characterized with peak excitation and emission at 765 and 810 � 5 nm, a fluorescence lifetime of 0.30 � 0.01 ns, and peak absorbance at 780 nm. The cytocompatibility study of PIN showed 85% cell viability till 1-mg∕ml concentration of PIN. Successful cellular uptake of ligand conjugated PIN by prostate cancer cells (PC3) was also obtained. Both phantom-based and in vitro cell culture results demonstrated that PIN (1) have the great potential to induce local hyperthermia (i.e., temperature increase of 8 to 10°C) in tissue within 5 mm both in radius and in depth; (2) result in improved optical stability, excellent biocompatibility with healthy cells, and a great targeting capability; (3) have the ability to serve as an image contrast agent for deep-tissue imaging in diffuse optical tomography. © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). (DOI:
Comparison of the ejection time-heart rate relationships in normal and ischemic subjects.

The relationship of ejection time to heart rate was examined in 19 ath-letes, 21 sedentary normal subjects and 19 patients with anginal ischemic heart disease.Exercise tests were performed using the step test, the bicycle ergometer and the treadmill. Regression analysis was applied to the data by regressing ET on HR and delta ET on delta HR.No significant differences were demonstrated between these groups even though the coronary insufficient patients manifested ischemic S-T segment changes and angina. Slight differences existed between the normal and is-chemic groups when the delta ET-delta HR relationship was examined, but the variance of the data challenged the significance.The data indicated that at any level of heart rate induced by exercise, the measurement of ejection time will not distinguish between trained athletes, normal sedentary subjects or coronary insufficient patients.
Kinesin spindle protein (KSP) inhibitors. Part V: discovery of 2-propylamino-2,4-diaryl-2,5-dihydropyrroles as potent, water-soluble KSP inhibitors, and modulation of their basicity by beta-fluorination to overcome cellular efflux by P-glycoprotein.

Installation of a C2-aminopropyl side chain to the 2,4-diaryl-2,5-dihydropyrrole series of kinesin spindle protein (KSP) inhibitors results in potent, water soluble compounds, but the aminopropyl group induces susceptibility to cellular efflux by P-glycoprotein (Pgp). We show that by carefully modulating the basicity of the amino group by β-fluorination, this series of inhibitors maintains potency against KSP and has greatly improved efficacy in a Pgp-overexpressing cell line. The discovery that cellular efflux by Pgp can be overcome by carefully modulating the basicity of an amine may be of general use to medicinal chemists attempting to transform leading compounds into cancer cell- or CNS-penetrant drugs.
Normal and abnormal biosynthesis of gangliosides.

Abstract The carbohydrate portion of gangliosides, the sialylglycolipids associated with neural tissues, are synthesized in an ordered step-wise process by a group of glycosyltransferases that appear to exist as a multi-enzyme complex in the Golgi apparatus. The composition of gangliosides in various tissues and cultured cells reflects the presence or absence of specific glycosyltransferase activities. Ganglioside biosynthesis appears to be regulated and may be induced during development and differentiation. Gangliosides in turn can function as specific cell surface receptors and may be involved in morphological changes. Absence of specific glycosyltransferase activities is associated with an abnormal pathology. Altered ganglioside biosynthesis is common in cultured cells transformed by a variety of oncogenic agents as well as in neoplasias. In addition, a patient with a deficient aminosugar transferase recently has been identified and may represent a new class of metabolic diseases, the anabolic sphingolipidoses.
Power factor correction using a series active filter

This work presents a low-cost approach to power factor correction (PFC) of single-phase diode rectifiers using a series active filter. Comparing with the traditional PFC, the proposed PFC has lower requirements of power device ratings, which leads to lower cost, higher efficiency, and lower electromagnetic interference. It also can eliminate the bulky inductor needed in the traditional PFC. The topology, operation principle, and application issues of the proposed PFC are analyzed in this paper. The control strategy is discussed in detail and simulation results are provided. A 1-kW prototype is built up and the experimental results are presented to verify the analysis.
A two-phase model for studying the role of microporous layer and catalyst layer interface on polymer electrolyte fuel cell performance

Abstract In this work, a two-phase, two-dimensional model is developed to investigate the role of interfacial voids at the microporous layer (MPL) and catalyst layer (CL) interface on the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) performance. The model incorporates the MPL|CL interfacial region as a separate domain and simulates two-phase transport within the interfacial voids. Different case studies, including the experimentally-measured MPL|CL interface and a perfect contact interface, are conducted. Model simulations indicate that the MPL|CL interfacial morphology has a significant effect on performance, particularly in the high current density region (>1.0 A/cm2). The interfacial voids at the MPL|CL interface are found to retain liquid water during operation and induce mass transport resistance, resulting in nearly a 20% reduction in the limiting current density when compared to perfect interfacial contact. The liquid water saturation retained at the interface and the magnitude of the mass and charge transport resistance induced by the interface are found to be highly dependent upon the geometry and size of the interfacial voids. Finally, simulations indicate that the morphology of the MPL|CL interface affects the location where reactions tend to occur in the CL, and also has a direct impact on the temperature distribution within the cathode.
The rule of normal neighbors: a hypothesis for morphogenetic pattern regulation.

Abstract The rule of normal neighbors, a generalization of the polar coordinate model of V. French, P. J. Bryant, and S. V. Bryant (1976, Science 193, 969–981), can predict topological features of epimorphic regeneration without ascribing a particular coordinate system of positional values to cells. The rule correctly predicts the types and symmetries of structures which regenerate after grafting operations on the distal segments of crayfish legs. The rule of normal neighbors should be valid for any regenerating system in which short-range interactions between cells near the site of wound healing suffice to restore normal structures. Two criteria for defining “minimal regeneration” are proposed: (1) a “shortest-path rule” which generalizes the corresponding rule in the polar coordinate model; and (2) a “minimal free energy” hypothesis.
Influence of metal-support effects on acetophenone hydrogenation over platinum

The vapor-phase acetophenone (AcPh) hydrognation reaction was studied over Pt/SiO2, Pt/η- Al2O3, Pt/SiO2 · Al2O3 and Pt/TiO2 catalysts to determine if the intramolecular selectivity to phenyl-ethanol (PhEt) could be enhanced by metal-support interactions (MSI). At low conversions ( 70%) the selectivity remained above 80% over Pt/TiO2 after a HTR pretreatment. Very high yields of ethylbenzene (90–95%) were obtained with Pt/SiO2 · Al2O3 which are attributed to a bifunctional reaction involving PhEt dehydration to styrene on the acidic support followed by a hydrogenation step on the platinum. Activation energies for AcPh hydrogenation were typically between 5 and 10 kcal / mol, and turnover frequencies at 358 K did not vary markedly as they ranged from 0.028 to 0.058 s− at an AcPh pressure of 3 Torr. Significant deactivation was observed with platinum powder and Pt/SiO2, especially at a higher AcPh pressure of 10 Torr, but it was much less severe with the other catalysts. Turnover frequencies for the formation of phenylethanol, acetylcyclohexane, cyclohexylethanol, ethylbenzene, and ethylcyclohexane were also determined for these catalysts. This ability to increase intramolecular selectivity by favoring hydrogenation of a carbonyl bond is forwarded as additional evidence to support our MSI model invoking special sites at the metal-support interface which interact with the oxygen end of the carbonyl bond to activate it.
NATURAL INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDIZATION IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICAN CLAYTONIA

The eastern North American spring ephemeral Claytonia virginica (Portulacaceae) is well known for its great variation in chromosome number. The origin and significance of this cytological diversity has been a source of some controversy over the last two decades; in particular it has been suggested that one major source of variation could have arisen by allopolyploidy following hybridization between C. virginica and the second eastern North American representative of the genus, C. caroliniana. However, there has been no rigorous demonstration of natural hybridization between these taxa, and attempts to document hybridity have been hampered by a paucity of distinguishing morphological characters. Nuclear ribosomal gene markers are, however, able to distinguish between the two species and provide a means of identifying hybrid plants. We have found a locality in central New York state where the two species cooccur; in this population, hybrid individuals with additive ribosomal gene patterns are found in a zone of overlap between the two parental species. These hybrids are morphologically intermediate and have reduced pollen stainabilities, and appear to be F, individuals.
Engineering the crystalline lens with a biodegradable or non-degradable scaffold ☆

Both a biodegradable hyaluronic acid (HA) and a nondegradable polymeric gel were evaluated as scaffolds for tissue engineering the lens in Dutch Belt pigmented and New Zealand white rabbits. Following removal of the crystalline lens through a 2 mm capsulorhexis, a collagen patch or a silicone plug was placed in the capsule bag to seal the capsulotomy. In Part I, a cross-linked HA or cohesive solution of HA was injected into the capsule bag. In Part II, a synthetic polymer (SP) was injected into the capsular bag of one eye and HA followed by SP (HA/SP) was injected into the capsule bag of the opposite eye. At 3 months focal Nd:YAG laser photocoagulation was performed in an attempt to remove some retained HA gel in one eye. Overall the regenerated lenses of the HA gel groups were spherical with excellent cortical structure and clarity and a spherical nucleus of condensed HA gel. In the one eye treated with focal photocoagulation, partial clearing of the retained HA gel was noted. In the SP and HA/SP eyes, lens regrowth around the polymer was generally clear in the anterior and peripheral capsule bag and more opacified posterior to the polymeric scaffold. In summary, naturally regenerating lens tissue was directed to grow in a more normal, regular pattern by providing a biodegradable hyaluronic acid scaffold or a nondegradable polymeric optical scaffold.
Selection in Ephemeral Networks

A model of "ephemeral" population structure is presented that applies not only to biological systems in which discrete groups form but also to networks without group boundaries. The evolution of altruistic behaviors is discussed. Nonrandom interaction and nonlinear fitness structures are modeled; together, these factors can produce stable polymorphisms of altruistic and selfish types, as well as bistability. Empirical applications of the model may be found in microbes, marine invertebrates, annual plants, and other organisms.
Application of the LDM algorithm to identify small lung nodules on low-dose MSCT scans

In this work, we present a computer-aided detection (CAD) algorithm for small lung nodules on low-dose MSCT images. With this technique, identification of potential lung nodules is carried out with a local density maximum (LDM) algorithm, followed by reduction of false positives from the nodule candidates using task-specific 2-D/3-D features along with a knowledge-based nodule inclusion/exclusion strategy. Twenty-eight MSCT scans (40/80mAs, 120kVp, 5mm collimation/2.5mm reconstruction) from our lung cancer screening program that included at least one lung nodule were selected for this study. Two radiologists independently interpreted these cases. Subsequently, a consensus reading by both radiologists and CAD was generated to define a “gold standard”. In total, 165 nodules were considered as the “gold standard” (average: 5.9 nodules/case; range: 1-22 nodules/case). The two radiologists detected 146 nodules (88.5%) and CAD detected 100 nodules (60.6%) with 8.7 false-positives/case. CAD detected an additional 19 nodules (6 nodules > 3mm and 13 nodules < 3mm) that had been missed by both radiologists. Preliminary results show that the CAD is capable of detecting small lung nodules with acceptable number of false-positives on low-dose MSCT scans and it can detect nodules that are otherwise missed by radiologists, though a majority are small nodules (< 3mm).
Meaningfulness of objects and trigrams as paired-associate stimulus and response.

Words and objects of high and low familiarity were compared as stimulus and response in a paired-associate experiment to show that word as stimulus in word-object pairs would produce greater learning than object as stimulus in object-word pairs. Words were CVC trigrams and objects were triglyphs made up of geometric shapes in a triplet construction comparable to the production of trigrams.
Molecular data on Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine and antifolate resistance: a public health tool

The authors are grateful to Pascal Ringwald for critically reading the manuscript and for his contributions.
System and Market Analysis of Methanol Production Using Compact Engine Reformers

New energy plants coming online must be both economical and efficiently balanced to satisfy demanding requirements in the future. A balance of plant analysis was performed to determine the techno-economic feasibility of a 100 barrel oil equivalent (boe) per day, compact Gas to Liquid (GTL) methanol plant. Methanol itself is emerging as a possible alternative to gasoline; but it is also the precursor to dimethyl ether (DME), which has recently received a lot of attention as a low emitter of particulate matter and nitrous oxides, which can replace diesel in trucking applications and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in domestic applications. Production of synthesis gas (syngas) from methane gas was modeled via partial oxidation of fuel-rich mixtures in engine cylinders using GT-ISE. Two ignition modes were studied: spark ignition (SI) and homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI). The use of the engine as a compressor was also studied in order to reduce net compression requirements and therefore capital and operating costs. The low brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) allowed in HCCI operation substantially limits both the throughput and capability to produce high-pressure syngas. The use of mechanical power generated by the engine reformer to power other components such as compressors and the air separation unit (ASU) have been studied. The waste heat produced from the engine and methanol synthesis reactors was also considered in the analysis. Integration of all components in the system was performed in Aspen Plus.To inform plant design, a survey was performed of vendors with small-scale methanol synthesis technologies that could integrate an engine reformer. Aspen Process Economic Analyzer (APEA) was also used to generate estimates of plant component costs. A study of the profitability and payback period of the technology was performed to determine the cost to produce methanol based on the balance of plant analysis. The results of this analysis were used to gauge the technology’s feasibility and therefore provided constructive feedback to guide future plant design.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Microbiology of Cheddar cheese made with different fat contents using a Lactococcus lactis single-strain starter

Flavor development in low-fat Cheddar cheese is typified by delayed or muted evolution of desirable flavor and aroma, and a propensity to acquire undesirable meaty-brothy or burnt-brothy off-flavor notes early in ripening. The biochemical basis for these flavor deficiencies is unclear, but flavor production in bacterial-ripened cheese is known to rely on microorganisms and enzymes present in the cheese matrix. Lipid removal fundamentally alters cheese composition, which can modify the cheese microenvironment in ways that may affect growth and enzymatic activity of starter or nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB). Additionally, manufacture of low-fat cheeses often involves changes to processing protocols that may substantially alter cheese redox potential, salt-in-moisture content, acid content, water activity, or pH. However, the consequences of these changes on microbial ecology and metabolism remain obscure. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of fat content on population dynamics of starter bacteria and NSLAB over 9 mo of aging. Duplicate vats of full fat, 50% reduced-fat, and low-fat (containing <6% fat) Cheddar cheeses were manufactured at 3 different locations with a single-strain Lactococcus lactis starter culture using standardized procedures. Cheeses were ripened at 8°C and sampled periodically for microbiological attributes. Microbiological counts indicated that initial populations of nonstarter bacteria were much lower in full-fat compared with low-fat cheeses made at all 3 sites, and starter viability also declined at a more rapid rate during ripening in full-fat compared with 50% reduced-fat and low-fat cheeses. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of cheese bacteria showed that the NSLAB fraction of all cheeses was dominated by Lactobacillus curvatus, but a few other species of bacteria were sporadically detected. Thus, changes in fat level were correlated with populations of different bacteria, but did not appear to alter the predominant types of bacteria in the cheese.
Why the TVA Remains Unique: Interest Groups and the Defeat of New Deal River Planning

Although scholars cite the Tennessee Valley Authority as one of President Franklin Roosevelt's major reform programs, the valley authority model did not replace the limited-purpose water programs of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers. State-centered theorists hold that reformers are most likely to succeed during periods such as the New Deal era, when they are supported by a democratized polity and when they dominate Congress and the administration. This paper shows that in river policy, the strength of opposing interest groups also mattered. The TVA bill was passed in 1933 because reformers skillfully coordinated action at potential choke points and weakened the already disorganized opposing lobbyists. In 1936, however, after regrouping, opposing river lobbyists and legislators took advantage of the New Dealers' spending mood by expanding the Corps' flood control program. They also helped defeat further valley authorities, the most promising of the New Deal water policy reforms.
Characteristics of Adult Protective Services Social Workers

Profiles of victims and perpetrators of elder abuse appear in the literature, but no profile of adult protective service (APS) workers has previously been developed. This paper compares data on demographics (age, race, gender), employment history, professional preparation, continuing educational needs, and sources of stress on the job gathered from a survey of 580 public service social workers in North Carolina, 218 of whom reported primary or secondary responsibility for APS and 232 of whom reported incidental or no responsibility for APS.
There Goes the Grading Curve: The Development of the Attitudes toward Non-Traditional Students Scale.

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument allowing the assessment of attitudes toward non-traditional students. A non-traditional student is defined as a person for whom going to school is not his or her full-time job. One hundred forty-eight undergraduates completed a 75 item survey assessing their attitudes toward non-traditional students. The data were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis that revealed the presence of two factors. The first factor consisted of primarily positive statements and accounted for 14.9% of the variance. The second factor consisted of negative statements and accounted for 8.97% of the variance. Implications for colleges and universities are discussed.
Genomes from Metagenomics

Evaluation of the functional capacities of microorganisms long relied on laboratory cultivation of individual species. About a decade ago, recovery of draft genomes for a few uncultivated bacteria and archaea from natural communities opened the way for physiological prediction of their environmental roles. Further development of the metagenomics methods used in those early studies now allows the rapid delivery of accurately reconstructed microbial genomes from diverse environmental samples. The resulting knowledge has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the topology of the tree of life and the metabolic capacities distributed across it. Advances in bioinformatics promise a new era in which comprehensive genetic characterization is sufficiently rapid to find application in diagnostics for medicine, agriculture, forensic science, and biotechnology.
40.4: Optimization of Light-Valve Mirrors

A mirror structure for reflective Si based light valves was fabricated using chemical mechanical polishing and a thin 150 nm Al(Cu)/Ti mirror to minimize hillock formation. The use of chemical-mechanical polishing planarization resulted in only a 1% loss in reflectivity from topography under the mirrors. The reflectivity for pixel sizes from 7.5–40 μm and 0.7 or 0.5 μm gaps were measured and the performance of TN LC pixels with different sizes and inversion methods are reported.
Calculation of the total atomic binding energy with recently proposed kinetic-, exchange-, and correlation-energy functionals

The functionals adopted in the present work are those of DePristo and Kress [Phys. Rev. A35, 438 (1987)] for the kinetic energy, of Cedillo et al. [Phys. Rev. A38, 1697 (1988)] for the exchange energy, and of Wilson and Levy [Phys. Rev. B41, 12930 (1990)] for the correlation energy. In addition to the kinetic-, exchange-, and correlation-energy functionals, the total-energy functional used in the present calculations contains also the functional describing the interaction of the electrons with the atomic nucleus, and the functional describing the classical or direct part of the interaction among the electrons. Using these functionals, a two-parameter and a three-parameter variational density-functional calculation of the total atomic binding energy of the Ne atom is carried out. The electron (number) density of the Ne atom is modeled by using hydrogenlike one-electron radial wavefunctions (with the 2s radial function orthogonalized to the 1s radial function) containing two/three variational parameters. It is found that the calculated correlation energies are in reasonable agreement with the correlation energy value obtained from the Wilson and Levy expression with a Hartree-Fock electron density.
Rainfall Characteristics and Convective Properties of Mei-Yu Precipitation Systems over South China, Taiwan, and the South China Sea. Part I: TRMM Observations

Abstract Rainfall characteristics and mesoscale properties of precipitation systems in mei-yu seasons over South China, Taiwan, and the South China Sea (SCS) during 1998–2007 are investigated in this study. Mei-yu rainbands are defined using the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 3B42 rainfall product and then applied to divide the mei-yu season into the mei-yu and break periods. In the 10-yr “climatology,” on average, the mei-yu rainbands have a lifetime of 4–5 days and most frequently occur near the South China coast. During the mei-yu periods, rainfall maxima are found over the Pearl River Delta, the foothills of the Yun-Gui Plateau, and Wuyi Mountain, with the first two maxima corresponding to especially heavy rainfall. Intraseasonal variations on the convective structures, especially over land, are distinct among the mei-yu, break, pre-mei-yu, and post-mei-yu, based on analysis of convection intensity proxies and vertical radar reflectivity profiles of precipitation features. Lightning flash rates a...
Partial characterization of acid phosphatases of the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis

Abstract Acid phosphatases from boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis have a pH optimum of 4.6 and a temperature optimum of 37°C in 0.09 M citrate buffer. Enzyme activity is inhibited by 0.02 M fluoride (80%), arsenate (67%), and azide (24%), while activation by calcium and magnesium (5%) was considered nonsignificant. Activity of whole body homogenates is greater for females (31.8 μm/hr/mg protein) than for males (28.3 μm/hr/mg) and varies with adult age. Activity in supernatant and pellet fractions of ovaries was 53.4 and 50.0 μm/hr/mg, respectively, while corresponding activity for testes was 68.0 and 60.6 μm/hr/mg.
Fluctuations and Light Scattering in Cholesteric Liquid Crystals

The normal modes of an incompressible cholesteric liquid crystal are determined from the hydrodynamical equations. There are two important modes which should be readily observable by light scattering. The first mode is a twisting and untwisting of the helical structure. The second mode is a combination viscous-splay mode. Both modes are overdamped. These modes scatter light most strongly for momentum transfers exactly equal to and exactly one-half of those leading to Bragg scattering, respectively. Thus the modes should be easily separated experimentally. The normal modes are also evaluated in the presence of a transverse magnetic field, and the damping constants turn out to be quite sensitive functions of the magnetic field.
Heterostructure-based high-speed/high-frequency electronic circuit applications

Abstract With the growth of wireless and lightwave technologies, heterostructure electronic devices are commodity items in the commercial marketplace [Browne J. Power-amplifier MMICs drive commercial circuits. Microwaves & RF, 1998. p. 116–24.]. In particular, HBTs are an attractive device for handset power amplifiers at 900 MHz and 1.9 GHz for CDMA applications [Lum E. GaAs technology rides the wireless wave. Proceedings of the 1997 GaAs IC Symposium, 1997. p. 11–13; “Rockwell Ramps Up”. Compound Semiconductor, May/June 1997.]. At higher frequencies, both HBTs and p-HEMTs are expected to dominate the marketplace. For high-speed lightwave circuit applications, heterostructure based products on the market for OC-48 (2.5 Gb/s) and OC-192 (10 Gb/s) are emerging [http://www.nb.rockwell.com/platforms/network_access/nahome.html#5.; http://www.nortel.com/technology/opto/receivers/ptav2.html.]. Chips that operate at 40 Gb/ have been demonstrated in a number of research laboratories [Zampardi PJ, Pierson RL, Runge K, Yu R, Beccue SM, Yu J, Wang KC. hybrid digital/microwave HBTs for >30 Gb/s optical communications. IEDM Technical Digest, 1995. p. 803–6; Swahn T, Lewin T, Mokhtari M, Tenhunen H, Walden R, Stanchina W. 40 Gb/s 3 Volt InP HBT ICs for a fiber optic demonstrator system. Proceedings of the 1996 GaAs IC Symposium, 1996. p. 125–8; Suzuki H, Watanabe K, Ishikawa K, Masuda H, Ouchi K, Tanoue T, Takeyari R. InP/InGaAs HBT ICs for 40 Gbit/s optical transmission systems. Proceedings of the 1997 GaAs IC Symposium, 1997. p. 215–8]. In addition to these two markets, another area where heterostructure devices are having significant impact is for data conversion [Walden RH. Analog-to digital convertor technology comparison. Proceedings of the 1994 GaAs IC Symposium, 1994. p. 217–9; Poulton K, Knudsen K, Corcoran J, Wang KC, Nubling RB, Chang M-CF, Asbeck PM, Huang RT. A 6-b, 4 GSa/s GaAs HBT ADC. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits 1995;30:1109–18; Nary K, Nubling R, Beccue S, Colleran W, Penney J, Wang KC. An 8-bit, 2 gigasample per second analog to digital converter. Proceedings of the 1995 GaAs IC Symposium, 1995. p. 303–6.]. In this paper, we will discuss the present and future trends of heterostructure device applications to these areas.
Improving Library Relations with the Faculty and University Administrators: The Role of the Faculty Outreach Librarian

An academic library’s most powerful constituents are faculty and administrators. In an attempt to satisfy the needs of individual departments and faculty members, many libraries employ subject specialists. To the degree that a subject specialist is proactive, or the department is heavily dependent on the library’s services, those needs will be met. However, few libraries have developed systematic programs to reach all faculty members or to begin targeting university administrators as a special user group. The rationale for doing so is twofold: to educate them on the growing role of information technology in research and teaching, and to enhance their support for new electronic resources. At George Washington University, the position of faculty outreach librarian was created to fill such a need. This article discusses how that position evolved, the projects initiated, and the outcomes that have led to revised marketing strategies.
Acceleration of Greenland ice mass loss in spring 2004

In 2001 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projected the contribution to sea level rise from the Greenland ice sheet to be between -0.02 and +0.09 m from 1990 to 2100 (ref. 1). However, recent work has suggested that the ice sheet responds more quickly to climate perturbations than previously thought, particularly near the coast. Here we use a satellite gravity survey by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) conducted from April 2002 to April 2006 to provide an independent estimate of the contribution of Greenland ice mass loss to sea level change. We detect an ice mass loss of 248 +/- 36 km3 yr(-1), equivalent to a global sea level rise of 0.5 +/- 0.1 mm yr(-1). The rate of ice loss increased by 250 per cent between the periods April 2002 to April 2004 and May 2004 to April 2006, almost entirely due to accelerated rates of ice loss in southern Greenland; the rate of mass loss in north Greenland was almost constant. Continued monitoring will be needed to identify any future changes in the rate of ice loss in Greenland.
Hall effect in amorphous Gd alloy films

Abstract Amorphous films of 0.5 to 0.75 atomic fraction Gd with 3d metals Ti, V, Cr and also with Mg, Nb, Ge, Si and Au are found to be ferromagnetic. The electrical resistivity of most samples is 150 to 200 μΩcm typical of amorphous alloys, however, for GdSi values as high as ϱ ≈ 1200 μΩcm are found. The spontaneous Hall effect expressed as the tangent of the Hall angle is found to increase with the paramagnetic θ and thus it is a function of the exchange energy.
Calculating the probability of multitaxon evolutionary trees: bootstrappers Gambit.

Abstract The reconstruction of multitaxon trees from molecular sequences is confounded by the variety of algorithms and criteria used to evaluate trees, making it difficult to compare the results of different analyses. A global method of multitaxon phylogenetic reconstruction described here, Bootstrappers Gambit, can be used with any four-taxon algorithm, including distance, maximum likelihood, and parsimony methods. It incorporates a Bayesian-Jeffreys'-bootstrap analysis to provide a uniform probability-based criterion for comparing the results from diverse algorithms. To examine the usefulness of the method, the origin of the eukaryotes has been investigated by the analysis of ribosomal small subunit RNA sequences. Three common algorithms (paralinear distances, Jukes-Cantor distances, and Kimura distances) support the eocyte topology, whereas one (maximum parsimony) supports the archaebacterial topology, suggesting that the eocyte prokaryotes are the closest prokaryotic relatives of the eukaryotes.
Developing and Validating AFFINITY: A New Scale to Measure Consumer Affinity toward Foreign Countries

ABSTRACT Consumers do not look at attitudinal objects (products, nations) in terms of black and white. Because conflicting attitudes exist, it is important to understand how these translate into consumer buying behavior. Our objective is to build a parsimonious affinity scale (AFFINITY) by collecting data from Thai consumers concerning their affinity and animosity toward the U.S. and Singapore. We find that affinity and animosity form different constructs and relate to different stages in the purchase decision process.
Geographic Variation of Flavonoids in Phlox carolina

Non-anthocyanin flavonoid expression was determined among 64 continuous range and nine disjunct range populations of Phlox carolina. The species contains four flavone nuclei and a total of 25 derivatives, most of which are C-glycosides. Nearly all populations express unique flavone patterns. Using a qualitative similarity index of minimum biosynthetic step distance (MBSD), the average population contains only ca. 50% of the overall substitutional diversity. The separate ranges are distinctive in the % occurrence of most compounds but only weakly divergent in comparative mean MBSD. Proximity and MBSD are significantly correlated overall but local variability is extensive and no discrete racism is apparent. Within the continuous range 18 compounds are distributed in independent but overlapping gradients and 13 of these extend consistently through the disjunct range. The patch-work continuum of flavone variation is the apparent consequence of dissection and contraction of a historically more widespread distribution. Other general aspects of the variation patterns are discussed.
Effect of myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) overexpression on hippocampus-dependent learning and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in MARCKS transgenic mice.

The myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) is a primary substrate of protein kinase C (PKC) thought to regulate membrane-filamentous actin cytoskeletal plasticity in response to PKC activity in the regulation of synaptic efficacy. We have recently reported that MARCKS expression is significantly elevated (45%) in the hippocampus of DBA/2J mice, which exhibit impaired hippocampus-dependent learning and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), compared with C57BL/6J mice. The latter finding led us to hypothesize that elevations in MARCKS expression are detrimental to hippocampal plasticity and function. To assess this more directly, we examined hippocampal (CA1) paired-pulse facilitation and LTP, and hippocampus-dependent learning in mice overexpressing MARCKS through the expression of a human MARCKS transgene (Tg+). The human MARCKS protein was confirmed to be expressed in the hippocampus of Tg+ mice but not in Tg− mice. Schaffer collateral paired-pulse facilitation, input-output responses, and LTP did not differ between Tg+ and Tg− mice, indicating that neurotransmitter release, short-term, and long-term synaptic plasticity are not impaired by MARCKS overexpression. In the Morris water maze, Tg+ mice exhibited a mild but significant spatial learning impairment during initial acquisition, and a more severe impairment during reversal training. Tg+ did not exhibit impaired swim speed or visible platform performance relative to Tg− mice, indicating the absence of gross sensorimotor deficits. Fear conditioning to either context or cue was not impaired in Tg+ mice. Behavioral deficits could not be attributed to differences in hippocampal PKC isozyme (α βII, γ, ϵ, ζ) or calmodulin expression, or alterations in hippocampal cytoarchitecture or infrapyramidal mossy fiber limb length. Collectively, these results indicate that elevations in MARCKS expression are detrimental to specific aspects of hippocampal function. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Defining topological similarities among ion transport proteins with anti-amiloride antibodies

Defining topological similarities among ion transport proteins with anti-amiloride antibodies. The structural features of amiloride binding sites on amiloride-sensitive transport proteins have received limited characterization. An antibody that recognizes limited regions of amiloride and can mimic, in binding specificity, certain amiloride-sensitive transport proteins was used as a model to elucidate potential amino acid residue relationships that might define putative amiloride contact sites. Analysis of the structure of this antibody has allowed us to identify sequence relationships among several Na + selective transport proteins. A structure-based relational database was employed to re-examine sequence homologies among these ion transport proteins. A search of the protein sequence databank identified representative amino acid tracts among amiloride sensitive proteins involving planar residues that might be involved in interacting with amiloride. Computer models of sites within transmembrane domains of NHE1 and NHE2 isoforms of the Na + /H + exchanger reflective of these planar tracts indicate that amiloride probably spans two helices for interaction with the Na + /H + exchanger. Structural analysis of this monoclonal anti-amiloride antibody appears to mimic some of the salient features of amiloride binding sites on these proteins.