cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Equilibria and dynamics of selection at a diallelic autosomal locus in the Nagylaki-Crow continuous model of a monoecious population

Let birth rates and death rates be constant, birth rates positive, fertilities additive, and each birth rate not larger than twice any other birth rate. Global convergence to equilibria is proved for the model in the title. There is at most one polymorphic equilibrium or there are a continuum of equilibria. The phase portraits are given. If there is a polymorphic equilibrium, then the largest negatively invariant set in the state space is a continuous curve connecting the two fixation equilibria. This curve coincides with the Hardy-Weinberg manifold exactly when the death rate is additive. Disregarding extinction, the polymorphic equilibria are the same for the continuous model as for the corresponding discrete model exactly when the death rate is additive.
The in vivo performance of 250 internal fixation devices: a follow-up study.

Abstract The in vivo performance of 250 retrieved internal fixation plates was evaluated. The corrosion characteristics and metallurgical properties of each implant were assessed and correlated with respective clinical performance. Screw-plate interface corrosion and screw surface corrosion were graded; Rockwell hardness, grain size, thin inclusion content, and heavy inclusion content measurements were made. The devices studied included 169 bone plates, 59 Richards type hip screw-plates and 22 Jewett type hip nail-plates. The devices remained in situ for an average of 26.3 mnth, with in situ periods ranging from 1 to 192 mnth. The majority of the plates (50.4%) were removed due to cause-related reasons, while the remaining devices (49.6%) were removed on a routine asymptomatic basis. The primary symptomatic removal reasons consisted of implant related pain, nonunion or malunion, infection, loosening and implant breakage. Upon stereomicroscopic examination, 89% of all plates exhibited some degree of interface crevice corrosion, and 88% of all screws exhibited some degree of surface corrosion. Statistical analysis of corrosion gradings and metallurigical data revealed significant correlations between the two. As was suggested in our previous study of a limited number of implants, this study demonstrates that stricter manufacturing standards for metallurgical properties would serve to enhance corrosion resistance and improve the in vivo performance of stainless steel internal fixation devices. It is also suggested that the routine removal of all internal fixation plates after fracture healing has been achieved would reduce the occurrence of symptomatic complications, such as implant breakage, implant loosening and implant related pain.
Assignment of the GLG1 gene for MG-160, a fibroblast growth factor and E-selectin binding membrane sialoglycoprotein of the Golgi apparatus, to chromosome 16q22-q23 by fluorescence in situ hybridization

MG-160, originally isolated from rat brain, is a conserved membrane sialoglycoprotein residing in the medial cisternae of the Golgi apparatus of virtually all cells. MG-160 appears in the developing chicken embryo as early as 12 h and persists in most cells throughout embryonic development and in the adult animal. The early appearance and ubiquitous presence of MG-160 suggest that the protein plays an important role in the biogenesis and function of the Golgi apparatus. The rat cDNA of MG-160 encodes a polypeptide of 1171 amino acids (AA) with a short cytoplasmic carboxy-terminus of 13 aa, a single transmembrane domain, and a large cysteine-rich intraluminal domain. MG-160 binds basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and displays 90% identity of amino acids with CFR, a cystein-rich receptor for several fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), that was isolated form chicken embryos. However, unlike the fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) involved in signal transduction, MG-160 and its chicken homologue CFR do not display the extracellular IG-like repeats and the intracytoplasmic tyrosin kinase domains. In addition to CFR, MG-160 is highly homologous to ESL-1, a ligand for E-selectin. 16 refs., 1 fig.
Colorectal Cancer After Start of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Use

Abstract Purpose Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, have been consistently shown to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in non-experimental studies, but little is known of the factors associated with starting and continuing regular NSAID use and their effect on the NSAID and CRC association. Subjects and methods We performed a prospective cohort study of 22,071 healthy male physicians aged 40 to 84 years without indications or contraindications to regular NSAID use at baseline. Annual questionnaires assessed quantity of NSAID use, occurrence of cancer, and risk factors for CRC. Propensity for regular NSAID use (>60 days/year) was estimated using generalized estimating equations. We used a time-varying Cox proportional hazards model to estimate the association between duration since initiation of regular NSAID use and risk for CRC. Results Regular non-aspirin and any NSAID use increased from 0% to 12% and 1% to 56% over time, respectively and was predicted by age, body mass index, alcohol consumption, medication use, coronary artery disease, gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis, hypertension, and headaches. Over a median follow-up of 18 years, 495 physicians were diagnosed with CRC. There was no trend of CRC risk with increased duration of regular NSAID use. Five or more years of regular use of any NSAID were associated with a relative risk for CRC of 1.0 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-1.5), after adjustment for predictors of regular NSAID use. Conclusion Regular NSAID use was not associated with a substantial risk reduction of CRC after controlling for time-varying predictors of both NSAID use and CRC.
Is Animal Behaviour Chaotic? Evidence from the Activity of Ants

Chaotic dynamics have been implicated in several biological phenomena including epidemics (Olsen & Schaffer 1990), population dynamics (Schaffer & Kot 1985; Sugihara & May 1990), electro-encephalograms (Mayer-Kress & Layne 1987) and certain physiological rhythms (Glass & Mackey 1988). In this paper I show that animal behaviour may also be chaotic. The attractor of the movement activity of single, isolated Leptothorax allardycei ants has a small, non-inter dimension characteristic of low-dimensional chaos. The activity of entire colonies of ants yields an integer dimension that is consistent with periodicity in activity. First-return maps of the activity of single ants are highly non-random suggesting that the interpretation of determinism in these activity patterns is realistic. By contrast the first-return maps of whole-colony activity records show no pattern, a fact consistent with the interpretation of noisy periodicity in colony activity rhythms.
How Structural Variables Constrain the Parole Officer's Use of Discretionary Powers

Participant observation and interview methods were used to study parole officers ( PO s) employed by the Cook County (Chicago) Adult Field Services branch of the Illinois Department of Corrections. The data show that case decisions are often determined by organizational demands not necessarily related to the rehabilitation of parolees or to the protection of society. The situation, as defined by the organization, the PO's own perception of a parolee, and the PO's professional reputation all determine the degree of freedom a PO will have in making a case decision. Situations and perceptions are relatively constant but reputations can and do change. POs maximize their freedom within the organization by manipulating their reputations. This structural dynamic has definite short-term benefits for the organization and for some POs. Its long-range effect is to corrupt the goals of the organization, however. This finding raises serious questions about the construct validity of parole outcome studies.
Disorder breathes life into a DEAD motor.

SecA is an essential eubacterial protein in which the ATPase motor from DEAD-box RNA helicases has adapted to function as a processive polypeptide pump. A new report suggests that a disorder-order transition in the DEAD-box motor is responsible for distinctive thermodynamic features of SecA's conformationally coupled ATPase cycle.
Postconditioning CS-alone exposure as a source of interference in a taste aversion paradigm

Two studies were conducted to study the effects of unpaired sucrose (CS) experiences on the acquisition, retention, and reacquisition of a sucrose aversion. In Experiment 1, rats received 0, 1, or 3 preconditioning CS exposures and/or 0, 1, or 3 postconditioning CS exposures. Sucrose exposures prior to conditioning interfered with the acquisition of a sucrose aversion, while sucrose-only experience following a single taste-illness pairing retroactively interfered with retention of the sucrose aversion and proactively interfered with the reacquisition of the sucrose aversion. In Experiment 2, two unpaired sucrose experiences following each sucrose-illness pairing (33% PRF group) resulted in little apparent sucrose aversion after six sucrose-illness pairings, while a single unpaired sucrose experience after each conditioning trial (50% PRF group) produced a moderate level of interference compared to the rapid acquisition in rats receiving only sucrose-illness pairings (CRF group). It is suggested that CS familiarization and extinction may represent a single process where the rat learns that a taste cue predicts no illness, and that this expectancy can interfere with the development of an aversion or impair the ability of the animal to reacquire a previously acquired taste aversion.
Updating estimates of male-female salary differentials in the academic labor market

Abstract I estimate the male-female salary gap and salary discrimination for faculty between the years 1968 and 1989. Estimates of both these quantities fell substantially in the 1970's with no further improvement in 1984 and 1989.
Effect of transforming growth factor beta on proliferation of L6 and embryonic porcine myogenic cells.

We have examined the effect of Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) beta on proliferation of L6 and embryonic porcine myogenic cells. Proliferation of L6 cells was suppressed by both TGF beta-1 and TGF beta-2 in a dose-dependent manner. Half-maximal suppression of proliferation occurred at .036 ng TGF beta-1/ml and .06 ng TGF beta-2/ml. Maximal inhibition (60% suppression of proliferation for TGF beta-1 and 52% for TGF beta-2) occurred between .1 and .3 ng/ml for each growth factor. Suppression of proliferation was completely abolished in the presence of an anti-TGF beta antibody that inhibited the biological activity of TGF beta-1 and TGF beta-2. When we evaluated the effect of TGF beta-1 on proliferation of embryonic porcine myogenic cells we obtained results which were very similar to those obtained for L6 cells. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I stimulated proliferation of L6 cells in a dose-dependent manner in serum-free, defined medium. However as little as .02 ng TGF beta-1/ml detectably suppressed this stimulation and .3 ng TGF beta-1/ml caused a 60% reduction in cell number in cultures treated with 30 ng IGF-l/ml. Thus TGF beta-1 significantly suppressed IGF-I-stimulated proliferation of L6 cells.
Ab initio study of the structure of guanine-cytosine base pair conformers in gas phase and polar solvents

The structure and energetics of the base pairing and proton transfer in the Watson-Crick type of guanine-cytosine base pair are studied by the HF/MINI-1 method within the full gradient optimization and self-consistent reaction field techniques. Two minima and the transition state on the connecting minimum energy path were located on the potential energy surface (PES) of this complex. The minima involved the canonical amino-keto base pair (GC) and the 4-iminocytosine-6-hydroxyguanine base pair (G*C*), which the latter being formed from GC by a simultaneous transfer of two protons in neighbouring hydrogen bonds. A polar environment was found to stabilize the canonical structure by 1·3 kcal mol-1 with respect to the rare tautomer G*C*. The GC pair represents the global minimum on the HF/MINI-1 PES in both gas phase and polar environment. The polar environment was also found to decrease the interaction enthalpy of the GC base pair and to influence significantly the geometry of the hydrogen bonds. The tautomer...
Motion parallax in depth and movement perception

This experiment was designed to study the influence of motion parallax on depth and movement perception. Employing a model visual field with splotched backdrop, two planes of static gray balls and an intermediate moving red stimulus ball were presented while subjects were also under various conditions of lateral movement. Three hypotheses were advanced: (1) Viewed by a moving subject, a middle-ground object moving in synchrony with static objects in either a foreground or background plane will be judged as static and at the depth of the synchronous plane. (2) Viewed by a moving subject, a middle-ground object that is being shifted from synchrony with one plane to synchrony with the other plane will be judged as moving away from the original plane toward the other plane. (3) When moving out of synchrony with a given plane, a stimulus object will be seen as moving laterally (as well as shifting in depth) until it achieves synchrony with the other plane, at which time it will be perceived as static. The first two hypotheses were confirmed and qualitative data were obtained supporting the third.
ZnO on Si integrated acoustic sensor

Abstract Recent technology advances in thin film deposition and in etching of Si microstructures have made possible the fabrication of a new class of integrated sensors having electronics and sensing element on the same chip. The present paper describes a fully integrated acoustic sensor that combines high sensitivity, wide frequency range and low cost of batch processed miniature silicon components. A sputtered piezoelectric ZnO layer transforms the mechanical deflection of a thin etched Si diaphragm into a piezoelectric charge. This signal is directly connected to the gate of an MOS buffer amplifier through buried contacts. A unique annular electrode design provides cancellation of the temperature-induced parasitic signal due to the pyroelectric effect in ZnO. It also enables connections to be made at the Si/ZnO interface, avoiding step coverage problems and increases the sensitivity by a factor of two over a simple circular electrode design. Integrated devices were fabricated and tested. Measured performances for a 3 mm diameter, 30 μm thick diaphragm were: sensitivity of 25 μV/μbar, a signal-to-noise ratio of 5:1 at 2 μbar, a frequency response of 0.1 Hz to 10 kHz with a 1010 Ω shunt resistor and a power consumption below 40 microwatts.
Detection of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity by automated flow cytometry. Comparison to a chromium release assay and characterization of the effector cell subpopulation

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against chick red blood cells (CRBC) can be detected by flow cytometric (FCM) analysis of cellular DNA content. When compared to a standard chromium release assay FCM analysis shows several advantages: (1) equivalent cytotoxicity can be detected after 1 h compared to 4 h for 51Cr; (2) equivalent cytotoxicity can be seen at a 5-fold lower effector-to-target ratio; and (3) no radiolabeling is needed. When mouse spleen cells were fractionated based on adherence to the plastic, adherent cells showed the highest ADCC by both FCM and 51Cr release.
Molecular orbital dissociation energies for small hydrocarbons

Abstract Dissociation energies for the C 1 and C 2 hydrocarbons are calculated within the LCAO SCF framework using a minimal basis set of slater-type atomic orbitals. With the exception of the diatomic dissociation energies of c 1 and CH calculated values are in good agreement with experiment.
The NEPP and NEPAG Programs: Providing Parts Assurance for Space Systems Success

The NASA Electronic Parts & Packaging (NEPP) Program and the NASA EEE Parts Assurance Group (NEPAG) Program provide a broad spectrum of support to NASA missions for assuring and qualifying microelectronic and photonic parts, packages and subsystems. Thus, these Programs facilitate the insertion of advanced technologies into NASA systems with minimum risk. In this paper, examples will be given of recent NEPAG/NEPP Program work that is intended to achieve this objective, and thus provide support to NASA flight projects in their selection, build and operation of successful flight systems. Finally, we will discuss future directions of the NEPAG/NEPP Programs and how they support the NASA vision.
Violence, partisanship and transitional justice in Zimbabwe

What determines people's willingness to consider punishment for human rights abusers? This article investigates this question in the context of Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the country's violent presidential election campaign of June 2008. Based on a national probability sample survey, the paper shows that exposure to violence was reportedly widespread and that attitudes to transitional justice are mixed. In considering how to handle abuses, Zimbabweans weigh the pros and cons carefully and, recognising that peace and justice are difficult to obtain simultaneously, generally prefer the former. The article analyses the various factors that together predict a citizen's proclivity to claim transitional justice in its most demanding retributive form. Reflecting power relations, the results indicate that political partisanship is almost as important as individuals’ personal experience of actual and threatened acts of violence.
SERUM LIPID ABNORMALITIES AFTER SUCCESSFUL RENAL TRANSPLANTATION (TX)

Hyperlipidemia (HL) with increase in triglycerides (TG) is frequently seen in uremic patients before TX. In order to assess the lipid abnormalities following renal TX, 22 patient (15 females) x age 17 years (range 5-21), with a functioning renal allograft (serum creatinine x 1.13 mg/dl, range 0.7-2.6) were studied at x 26 months (range 2-55) after renal TX. Serum total cholesterol (TC), TG, and lipoproteins VLDL, LDL and HDL were determined and compared to normal age and sex matched controls. Results (x mg/dl ± SD) are shown in table (†p 95 percentile in 68% and 32% of the patients respectively. A significant correlation between HL and daily Prednisolone dose was found (r=0.55; p <0.01). These results demonstrate: 1) HL is commonly present following renal TX;2)HL is mainly due to increased TC, but with a significant elevation of HDL and maintenance of normal HDL/LDL ratios. Based on the findings of normal HDL/LDL ratios, the presence of HL following successful renal TX in children may not increase their risk of premature atherosclerosis.
The association of emotional well-being and marital status with treatment adherence among patients with hypertension

We were interested in examining the relationship between psychosocial factors and hypertension-related behaviors. We hypothesized that lower emotional well-being and unmarried status would be related to higher BP, poorer medication adherence, greater difficulty adhering to diet and exercise, and current smoking. In a cross-sectional design, 636 hypertensive patients completed the Mental Component Summary (MCS) Scale of the SF-12 and rated their difficulty with adherence to diet, exercise, and medication-taking. In logistic regression analyses, lower MCS scores were associated with difficulty adhering to diet (OR = 0.97, p < .05) and exercise (OR = 0.97, p < .01), and current smoking status (OR = 0.98, p < .05). Being married was associated with higher probability of medication adherence (OR = 1.66, p < .01) and a lower probability of being a current smoker (OR = 0.34, p < .0001). Neither MCS scores nor being married were related to BP levels in adjusted analyses. Results emphasize the importance of assessing psychosocial factors to optimize hypertension treatment.
WE-C-224A-01: Peter Wootton: A Personal and Professional Remembrance

Peter Wootton was a legendary figure in the field of medical physics. He is known for early work on the foundations of dosimetry, for pioneering neutron therapy, for establishing regional medical physics services in the Pacific Northwest, and for many years leading the medical physics training program at the University of Washington. The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) was incorporated in 1965, with Peter as a member of the initial Board of Directors, and signer of the organization's articles of incorporation. He also served a term as AAPM President in 1978. Under his leadership, in the early 1980's the University of Washington acquired, installed and operated what was then the most sophisticated neutron therapy facility in the entire world. This facility, still in service over 20 years later, continues to be state of the art. Peter was a superb teacher, and left a legacy of many M.S., Ph.D. and postdoctoral trainees, of which the author is one. His kind and wise spirit is greatly missed and remembered with awe and appreciation. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the role of Peter Wootton in the development of the field of medical physics.
An Eulerian transport/transformation/removal model for SO2 and sulfate—I. Model development

Abstract A combined transport/chemistry model which simulates the regional distribution of SO2 and sulfate within the lower troposphere is described. The mathematical analysis is based on the coupled three-dimensional advection-diffusion equations for SO2 and sulfate, and incorporates chemical transformations as well as the physical phenomena of dry deposition at the surface. The analysis also considers spatial variations in topography and spatial and temporal variations in both the mixing layer heights and the wind field. Based on the results from a series of numerical experiments, the dynamic model employs a Galerkin method for the numerical solution of the partial differential equations. A SO2 photochemical oxidation mechanism is incorporated into the transport model. The SO2 photochemical oxidation rate is based on a set of 27 reactions used to estimate the hydroxyl and peroxyl radical concentrations. The kinetic mechanism has been tested in simulations of smog chamber studies and yields realistic concentrations and conversion rates in model simulations of both urban and natural tropospheres. Other major facets treated in the formulation of the model include the interpretation and use of data available on dry deposition and the development of procedures to calculate meteorological model inputs (e.g., eddy diffusivities, dry deposition velocities, the three components of wind velocity, etc.) from routinely measured meteorological data. Simulations using the analysis are presented in a companion paper.
A clinical trial of megestrol acetate in advanced breast cancer

A clinical trial of megestrol acetate (MEGACE) in 30 women with progressive disseminated breast cancer was made. The drug is a potent oral progestin with antiestrogenic activity. It was given orally 40 mg after each meal and at bedtime for 160 mg daily. No toxic reaction was observed. The drug was discontinued if no improvement was seen after 6 weeks (criteria of the Cooperative Breast Cancer Group). 7 patients showed improvement and had average objective remissions of 5.5 months. 2 continue in remission. Most of the 7 responders had prior trials with a sex hormone and with 1 or more cytotoxic compounds. 3 had had a modified Coopers 5-drug combination. Megestrol treatment following cytotoxic drugs permitted an adequate recovery of the depleted bone marrow which was often present. Megestrol acetate appears to be a useful addition to the treatment of advanced breast cancer. Results of present studies warrant extension of investigation by others.
Bacterial community structure in the drinking water microbiome is governed by filtration processes

The bacterial community structure of a drinking water microbiome was characterized over three seasons using 16S rRNA gene based pyrosequencing of samples obtained from source water (a mix of a groundwater and a surface water), different points in a drinking water plant operated to treat this source water, and in the associated drinking water distribution system. Even though the source water was shown to seed the drinking water microbiome, treatment process operations limit the source water's influence on the distribution system bacterial community. Rather, in this plant, filtration by dual media rapid sand filters played a primary role in shaping the distribution system bacterial community over seasonal time scales as the filters harbored a stable bacterial community that seeded the water treatment processes past filtration. Bacterial taxa that colonized the filter and sloughed off in the filter effluent were able to persist in the distribution system despite disinfection of finished water by chloramination and filter backwashing with chloraminated backwash water. Thus, filter colonization presents a possible ecological survival strategy for bacterial communities in drinking water systems, which presents an opportunity to control the drinking water microbiome by manipulating the filter microbial community. Grouping bacterial taxa based on their association with the filter helped to elucidate relationships between the abundance of bacterial groups and water quality parameters and showed that pH was the strongest regulator of the bacterial community in the sampled drinking water system.
Low-cost hardware acceleration for volume visualization

Volume visualization is a popular method for viewing simulated or experimental 3D data sets from applications such as medical imaging, computational fluid dynamics, and climate modeling. However, most software and low-cost hardware implementations of visualization algorithms do not have sufficient performance for inter-active viewing. This paper discusses a method for low-cost, parallel hardware acceleration of volume rendering using a PC-hosted FPGA board. Our method uses a parallel distributed memory approach for compositing and tranformation of volume data, and it provides insight into efficient use of low-cost memory systems.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Equity benefits of smaller wine regions and lifestyle segmentation

Historically, the wine industry has considered product quality to be the driver for increasing competitiveness, with wine quality the rule rather than the exception. The result is that consumers alternate between wines that communicate only on quality, exposing producers to intense price competition. Little has been done to determine the value that consumers place on wine regions, but research does suggest that the value consumers place on specific origins go deeper than merely quality and price, reflecting other dimensions such as emotional or social associations. This study examines dimensions of wine region brand equity, measured through benefits sought by consumers. A survey was conducted in the United States to identify drivers of preferences and to determine relationships that may exist between those drivers, origin preferences and consumer lifestyles. The findings suggest that brand equity of small wine regions stems from five consumer motivational factors and these factors are strong determinants of consumer preferences. Thus, connecting these factors to consumer lifestyle, demographic and geographic profiles facilitates more focused marketing strategies.
Analysis of DNA sequence variation in single cells

DNA sequences in single cells can be analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction. Detailed methods for the isolation, lysis, amplification, and detection of alleles in single cell samples are given, with an emphasis on protocols for individual sperm. The rationale used in primer design to maximize amplification efficiency and to enhance specificity and methods to control sample contamination are also discussed.
Twenty Years of Forest Service Land Management Litigation

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of USDA Forest Service litigation from 1989 to 2008. Using a census and improved analyses, we document the final outcome of the 1,125 land management cases filed in federal court. The Forest Service won 53.8% of these cases, lost 23.3%, and settled 22.9%. It won 64.0% of the 669 cases decided by a judge based on cases’ merits. The agency was more likely to lose and settle cases during the last 6 years; the number of cases initiated during this time varied greatly. The Pacific Northwest region along with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had the most frequent occurrence of cases. Litigants generally challenged vegetative management (e.g., logging) projects, most often by alleging violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Forest Management Act. The results document the continued influence of the legal system on national forest management and describe the complexity of this litigation.
Release of lipoprotein lipase from rat adipose tissue cells grown in culture

Abstract Fibroblast-like stromal cells obtained from rat epididymal fat pads were grown in culture. It has been shown that these cells release lipoprotein lipase into the culture medium for approximately 10 hr upon exposure of the cells to heparin. Continued incubation of such heparin treated cells in the absence of heparin results in the replenishment of releasable lipase pools over a three day period. The released enzyme is inhibited by NaCl and protamine sulfate.
549 VISUALIZATION OF HUMAN GLOBIN GENES BY RESTRICTION ENDONUCLEASE MAPPING: A NEW APPROACH TO THE PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS OF GLOBIN GENE DELETION

Analysis of the physical arrangement of globin genes in cellular DNA is now feasible. High molecular weight DNA is digested with site-specific restriction endonucleases, fractionated in agarose gels, and hybridized with radioactive complementary globin cDNA either in situ or after transfer to nitrocellulose filters. This technique permits direct, autoradiographic visualization of DNA fragments containing globin gene sequences in DNA isolated from normal individuals and those with hemoglobinopathies. Comparison of the hybridization patterns of different DNAs provides a convenient, sensitive system for the detection of globin gene deletions or rearrangements. Study of homozygous α-thalassemia (hydrops fetalis) DNA revealed complete absence of specific DNA fragments containing a globin sequences. The sensitivity and clarity of the visualization of this deletion indicate that this new approach will be especially useful in the prenatal detection of globin gene deletions or rearrangements in amniotic cell DNA of fetuses at risk for severe thalassemia syndromes.
Development of an Electrochemical Sensing System for 6-Chloro-N,N-Diethyl-1,3,5-Triazine-2,4-Diamine (CAT) Utilizing an Amalgamated Gold Electrode and Artificial Sensor Receptor

CAT is a triazine moiety that has been used as one of the most popular herbicides, and is reported to be an endocrine disrupting chemical. To detect aqueous CAT specifically at low concentrations regulated regally, an electrochemical sensing system for CAT was developed by coupling a molecularly imprinted polymer for CAT (CAT-MIP) packed column and an electrochemical analyzer. We have already reported the preparation of CAT-MIP as an artificial sensor receptor. In order to establish the electrochemical sensing system of CAT, we fabricated an amalgamated gold electrode which was alloyed with mercury. The amalgamated gold electrode could detect the largest reductive current of CAT at pH 3.0 in 0.1 M KCl, up to 30 µM. The detection procedure of this sensing system is composed of a solid phase extraction with the CAT-MIP column and electrochemical determination of CAT in the eluent from the column. With the sensing system, CAT was detected specifically in aqueous samples by washing non-specific adsorption to the CAT-MIP column with dichloromethane. Fifteen nM of CAT, as legally regulated in Japan, was detected with the system.
Slowing cardiovascular disease progression in African-American patients: diabetes management.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has grown to epidemic proportions in the United States and is disproportionately higher in certain ethnic groups. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans have an approximately two-fold higher rate of type 2 diabetes than whites. The increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes mirrors the growing rates of overweight and obese persons in the United States. While the highest rate of diabetes occurs at age 60 years and older, the fastest growing segment of the population with type 2 diabetes is younger than age 39 years. Because most diabetes-related deaths are due to cardiovascular disease, an aggressive management strategy for type 2 diabetes must address both coronary heart disease risk factor reduction and glycemic control. Both the microvascular and macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or slowed with aggressive therapy. Glycemic dysfunction can be moderated by aggressive combination therapy that focuses on the pathophysiology of diabetes in an individual patient and combines two or three oral agents, such as an insulin sensitizer with an insulin secretagogue or two insulin sensitizers with different loci of action. The goal of glycemic control is reduction of glycated hemoglobin to 40 mg/dL for men and >50 mg/dL for women, and decrease triglyceride levels to <150 mg/dL. Optimal therapy for persons with diabetes should include diet and exercise with medical nutrition therapy, lowering glycated hemoglobin with intensive glycemic control, and correcting high blood pressure and dyslipidemia with early, intensive, multidrug pharmacologic therapy.
Calculation of penetration resistance of brittle materials using spherical cavity expansion analysis

Abstract In this paper, we show that the ‘target resistance’ of brittle materials can be calculated accurately using spherical cavity expansion analysis and a conventional brittle material model. The stress field ahead of the tip of the penetrator is assumed to have spherical symmetry. The brittle material is modeled as an elastic material which cracks under tension. The cracked material is considered to be pulverized when it fails in compression, which is then characterized as a Mohr-Coulomb material with pressure dependent shear strength. The target resistance value found from this analysis compares well with the reported experimental values for AD995 alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) and aluminum nitride (A1N).
Ventrolateral spinal cord afferents to the brain stem in the domestic pig.

The distribution and termination within the brain stem of nerve fiber systems which comprise the ventrolateral funiculus of the spinal cord were studied in the domestic pig. Guillery et al. ('61) modification of the Nauta-Gygax technique for silver impregnation of degenerating nerve fibers was utilized in this study. It is concluded that a spinothalamic tract does exist in the domestic pig, but that it is secondary in prominence to a large spinoreticular fiber system. The distribution and terminations of fibers within the brain stem of the pig resemble the pattern described by Anderson and Berry ('59) for the cat.
Re-Examining the Overjustification Effect

The purpose of the present investigation was to extend the research related to the possible negative side effects of extrinsic reinforcement on children's compliant behavior, particularly the overjustification effect. Specifically, this study examined the effects of a token reinforcement procedure in a naturalistic environment (third grade classroom) on children's compliance with classroom rules. Three students exhibiting high compliance with classroom rules were selected. Results indicated that the introduction of a token reinforcement program contingent on the occurrence of rule compliance had no detrimental effect on their rule compliant behavior following the withdrawal of the token procedure (i.e., comparison of Baseline I and Baseline II). Thus, the overjustification effect was not supported.
Adenosine in the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis.

Abstract The effectiveness of adenosine 5′-monophosphate was tested in thirty-six patients with recurrent herpes labialis. The compound displayed an immediate effect upon the healing of the recurrent lesions. Furthermore, twenty-three patients were free of recurrences for varying intervals extending over 2 years. In the remainder of the treated patients, a single recurrent episode was observed.
Stochastic aspects of bridge deck aeroelasticity under turbulent flow

Returning to an earlier frequency-domain analysis of the problem of long-span bridge response to ambient winds, the paper emphasizes the indispensable experimental information necessary to bring results into conformity with full-scale prototype action. Focus is placed upon the use of a sectional wind tunnel model under simulated turbulent flow as the prime source of this information, which consists principally of the flutter derivatives and the spectra of the wind forces, both obtained under turbulent flow. The effect of three-dimensional turbulence upon the flutter derivatives is observed to influence structural stability in a manner consistent with that observed in full-bridge wind tunnel models.
Acquiring, Promoting, and Analyzing Nursing E-Books: One Academic Library's Experiences

This article describes one academic library's experiences with nursing electronic books (e-books). The majority of nursing e-books at the Michigan State University (MSU) Libraries have been acquired through four e-book platforms: ebrary, Rittenhouse's R2 Library, Wiley, and Wolters Kluwer/Ovid. The MSU nursing librarian has actively promoted these nursing e-books in a variety of ways. Usage statistics from 184 nursing e-books across these four platforms from 2009 and 2010 were examined and compared to determine e-book use and help the nursing librarian better meet the collection development needs of nursing users. Future plans and considerations are also discussed.
i-LAND: an interactive landscape for creativity and innovation

We describe the i-LAND environment which constitutes an example of our vision of the workspaces of the future, in this case supporting cooperative work of dynamic teams with changing needs. i-LAND requires and provides new forms of human-computer interaction and new forms of computer-supported cooperative work. Its design is based on an integration of information and architectural spaces, implications of new work practices and an empirical requirements study informing our design. i-LAND consists of several roomware components, i.e. computer-aug- mented objects integrating room elements with information technology. We present the current realization of i-LAND in terms of an interactive electronic wall, an interactive table, two computer-enhanced chairs, and two bridges for the Passage-mechanism. This is complemented by the description of the creativity support application and the technological infrastructure. The paper is accompanied by a video figure in the CHI99 video program.
Photolysis of pyruvic acid in ice: Possible relevance to CO and CO2 ice core record anomalies

The abnormal spikes detected in some CO and CO_2 polar ice core records indicate persistent chemical activity in glacial ice. Since CO and CO_2 spikes are correlated, and their amplitudes scale with reported CO/CO_2 yields for the photolysis of dissolved natural organic matter, a common photochemical source is implicated. Given that sufficient actinic radiation is constantly generated throughout ice by cosmic muons (Colussi and Hoffmann, 2003), it remains to be shown that the photolyses of typical organic contaminants proceed by similar mechanisms in water and ice. Here we report that the photodecarboxylation of pyruvic acid (PA, an ubiquitous ice contaminant) indeed leads to the same products nearly as efficiently in both media. CO_2 is promptly released from frozen PA/H_2O films upon illumination and continues to evolve after photolysis. By analogy with our studies in water (Guzman et al., 2006b), we infer that ^3PA* reacts with PA in ice producing CH_3C(O)C(O)O· and (CH_3C•(OH)C(O)OH) radicals. The barrierless decarboxylation, CH3C(O)C(O)O· → CH_3C(O)· + CO_2, accounts for prompt CO_2 emissions down to ∼140 K. Bimolecular radical reactions subsequently ensue in fluid molecular environments, both in water and ice, leading to metastable intermediates that decarboxylate immediately in water, but protractedly in ice. The overall quantum yield of CO_2 production in the λ ~313 nm photolysis of PA in ice at 250 K is ∼60% of that in water at 293 K. The in situ photolysis of natural organic matter is, therefore, a plausible explanation of CO and CO_2 ice core record anomalies.
DNA segregation by the bacterial actin AlfA during Bacillus subtilis growth and development.

We here identify a protein (AlfA; actin like filament) that defines a new family of actins that are only distantly related to MreB and ParM. AlfA is required for segregation of Bacillus subtilis plasmid pBET131 (a mini pLS32-derivative) during growth and sporulation. A 3-kb DNA fragment encoding alfA and a downstream gene (alfB) is necessary and sufficient for plasmid stability. AlfA-GFP assembles dynamic cytoskeletal filaments that rapidly turn over (t1/2<∼45 s) in fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments. A point mutation (alfA D168A) that completely inhibits AlfA subunit exchange in vivo is strongly defective for plasmid segregation, demonstrating that dynamic polymerization of AlfA is necessary for function. During sporulation, plasmid segregation occurs before septation and independently of the DNA translocase SpoIIIE and the chromosomal Par proteins Soj and Spo0J. The absence of the RacA chromosome anchoring protein reduces the efficiency of plasmid segregation (by about two-fold), suggesting that it might contribute to anchoring the plasmid at the pole during sporulation. Our results suggest that the dynamic polymerization of AlfA mediates plasmid separation during both growth and sporulation.
Performance Analysis of Digital Flight Control Systems With Rollback Error Recovery Subject to Simulated Neutron-Induced Upsets

This paper introduces a class of stochastic hybrid models for the analysis of closed-loop control systems implemented with NASA's Recoverable Computer System (RCS). Such systems have been proposed to ensure reliable control performance in harsh environments. The stochastic hybrid model consists of a stochastic finite-state automaton driven by a Markov input process, which in turn drives a switched linear discrete-time dynamical system. Stability and output tracking performance are analyzed using an extension of the existing theory for Markov jump-linear systems. The theory is then applied to predict the tracking error performance of a Boeing 737 at cruising altitude and in closed-loop with an RCS subject to neutron-induced single-event upsets. The results are validated using experimental data obtained from a simulated neutron environment in NASA's SAFETI Laboratory.
Psychological status of in vitro fertilization patients during pregnancy: a longitudinal study.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether women who get pregnant as a result of IVF differ psychologically from pregnant women who conceived naturally. Design: Prospective, longitudinal study. Setting: Healthy volunteers from outpatient infertility and obstetrics practices. Patient(s): Seventy-four women who became pregnant via IVF and 40 women conceiving without medical intervention. Intervention(s): Subjects completed self-report questionnaires about demographic and reproductive history, rewards and concerns of pregnancy, self-esteem, marital adjustment, depressive symptoms, and anxiety at 12 and 28 weeks' gestational age. Main Outcome Measure(s): Self-esteem, depression, and anxiety scores. Result(s): There were no significant differences between groups on any of the outcome measures assessing psychological status at the two assessment times. Differences were found on specific items assessing the rewards and concerns of pregnancy. Within-group changes over time indicated that IVF women, not controls, showed an increase in self-esteem and a decrease in anxiety during pregnancy. Conclusion(s): Pregnant IVF women are similar psychologically to women who become pregnant naturally on dimensions of self-esteem, depression, and anxiety at 12 and 28 weeks' gestational age. The IVF group, not controls, reported improved self-esteem and decreased anxiety as the pregnancy progressed.
Increasing an AAC User's Classroom Community Membership Through Peer Social Networks: An Ecological Intervention

Abstract Increasingly, disability is being conceptualized through a social-ecological framework that emphasizes the match or mismatch between the person and their environment (Wehmeyer et al., 2008...
Protein kinase A regulates the degradation rate of Rs acetylcholine receptors

Acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction of innervated vertebrate muscle (called Rs AChRs) have a stable degradation rate (t1/2 approximately 8-12 days) which accelerates after denervation to a half-life of approximately 3 days, but can be restabilized by reinnervation or by cAMP. We examined the mechanism by which cAMP regulates the Rs degradation rate. When dibutyryl cAMP (DB-cAMP) was applied to denervated mouse diaphragms in organ culture, it stabilized the accelerated degradation rate of the Rs. We found that this stabilization is reversible upon removal of the DB-cAMP, is cAMP specific and is mediated by intracellular cAMP. A major observation of this study is that the cAMP-induced stabilization of Rs AChRs is via protein kinase A (PKA), since H89, a PKA inhibitor, blocked the DB-cAMP induced stabilization of Rs, and H85, an analog of H89, which does not inhibit PKA but does inhibit other kinases as efficiently as H89, did not prevent the DB-cAMP-induced stabilization of Rs degradation. These results suggest that the cAMP messenger system via a PKA-dependent pathway could be among the mechanisms whereby the nerve regulates AChR degradation.
Simultaneous short-path and long-path timing optimization for FPGAs

This work presents the routing cost valleys (RCV) algorithm - the first published algorithm that simultaneously optimizes all short- and long-path timing constraints in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). RCV is comprised of a new slack allocation algorithm that produces both minimum and maximum delay budgets for each circuit connection, and a new router that strives to meet and, if possible, surpass these connection delay constraints. RCV achieves excellent results. On a set of 100 large circuits, RCV improves both long-path and short-path timing slack significantly vs. an earlier computer-aided design (CAD) system that focuses solely on long-path timing. Even with no short-path timing constraints, RCV improves the clock speed of circuits by 3.9% on average. Finally, RCV is able to meet timing on all 72 peripheral component interconnect (PCI) cores tested, while an earlier algorithm fails to achieve timing on all 72 cores.