cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Helium isotopic variations in the mantle beneath the central North Atlantic Ocean

We have determined the helium concentrations and helium isotopic ratios for a set of 35 basaltic glass samples dredged from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between 28° and 53°N latitude. Total helium concentrations vary between< 1 × 10−8cm3STP/g and1.4 × 10−5cm3STP/g. Most of this variation can be accounted for by gas loss on the sea floor via vesiculation, since the samples with the lowest concentrations have extremely high vesicularities. Analysis of the plagioclase phenocrysts from one of the samples suggests that helium behaves as an incompatible element (KD ≪ 0.01). Results of in vacuo crushing and melting experiments confirm that there is no helium isotopic fractionation during melt-vesicle or melt-phenocryst partitioning. The variations in3He/4He ratio along the ridge therefore must be interpreted to be a result of heterogeneity within the oceanic mantle. The3He/4He ratios for this set of samples range from 6.5 to 11.1 times the atmospheric ratio. These data, coupled with strontium isotopic analyses performed on the same samples by White and Schilling (1978), show the existence of two distinct geochemical provinces: the regions between 50–52.5°N and 27–33°N, which are characterized by a trend toward high3He/4He ratios and high87Sr/86Sr ratios, and the region between 33° and 50°N, characterized by a trend toward low3He/4He ratios and high87Sr/86Sr ratios. Since primitive mantle should retain more primordial3He, the low3He/4He trend requires the presence of a mantle reservoir with lower3He/(Th + U) and higher Rb/Sr. The generation of this component requires separation between He and Th + U, either by selective loss of He (degassing), or the addition of Th + U. We believe that the most reasonable source for this component is subducted oceanic crust that is recycled back into the mantle.
Gaussian beam transformation with cylindrical lenses

We develop formulas for Gaussian beam transformation with fixed total distance between beamwaists, and consider the use of cylindrical lenses or mirrors to produce beams which are not symmetric about the axis of propagation. For antenna feeds, it is necessary that the beam waists for both planes perpendicular to the axis of propagation be coincident. This requirement is analyzed, and appropriate transformation formulas obtained. The far-field patterns of a scalar feed born cylindrical lens combination operating at a frequency of 94 GHz have been measured and found to be in quite good agreement with the elliptical patterns predicted by the transformation formulas.
Hyperthermia and Cancer Treatment

Hyperthermia has been used as one of the therapies for cancer treatment since the early 1970s. This condition is reached when temperature of a cell (or larger mass) is elevated to 43°C, about 6 degrees above body temperature, causing the destruction of the mass. With fewer complications than chemotherapy and radiation this thermotherapy has been used as an assisting therapy in conjunction with chemo or radiation therapies. Because of nanotechnology and its medical applications, there have been many recent developments in making hyperthermia more effective in treatment of many forms of cancers.
Survivorship and longevity of adult Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski, 1915 (Diptera: Chironomidae) at controlled, sub-freezing temperatures

Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski, 1915 is a winter-active species common in groundwater-buffered streams of Minnesota and Wisconsin. This species is capable of surviving under snow cover for at least 28 days. Field collections of adult D. mendotae were used to determine survivorship under long-term exposure to controlled sub-freezing conditions. Specimens were placed into a controlled temperature chamber at −5 °C, batches removed at weekly intervals, and subsequently held at 6 °C to determine survivorship and longevity. Our results indicate that overall survivorship is negatively related to treatment duration of sub-freezing treatment, individuals can survive sub-freezing temperatures for at least 70 days, with total longevity of 92 days. Additionally, males had a significantly higher rate of survivorship than females within treatments. Total longevity increased with treatment time, suggesting adult D. mendotae may survive long periods of below-freezing temperatures under natural conditions before mating, whic...
AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF CHEMICAL WAVE PROPAGATION

Abstract A study was made of chemical waves which were propagated through the coupling of diffusion and reaction in an isothermal multicomponent system. The waves traveled down small-bore tubing the end of which was attached to a stirred tank reactor in which an oscillating reaction was occurring. The stirred tank thus functioned as a wave source whose frequency could be controlled. Frequency and speed were measured in the tube. At a fixed position the wavelength (the quotient of speed by frequency) decreased with increasing frequency while the speed increased slightly. Neither frequency, speed, nor wavelength changed greatly as a wave propagated down the tube.
Everyday Spirits and Medical Interventions: Ethnographic and Historical Notes on Therapeutic Conventions in Zanzibar Town

Everyday Spirits and Medical Interventions: Ethnographic and Historical Notes on Therapeutic Conventions in Zanzibar Town. Tapio Nisula. Saarijarvi: Transactions of the Finnish Anthropological Society, 1999. 321 pp., appendix, bibliography, glossary.
Where's the bias? A reassessment of the Chilean electoral system

This paper presents exploratory data analysis of Chilean electoral results from 1989 to 2001 to show that contrary to the conventional wisdom, the ‘binominal’ electoral system does not benefit the second largest coalition. Rather, it benefits the two largest coalitions at the expense of the smaller lists, as is the case in almost all electoral systems. Previous analyses have erred by extrapolating predictions that are correct at the district level into the aggregate multidistrict setting without accounting for the fact that there is considerable variation on how well lists perform across different districts. Using simulations I show that the variation of vote shares across districts is, in fact, the driving force behind this result. 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Development and Evaluation of a Geriatric Emergency Medicine Curriculum

Objective: To summarize the processes used to develop a curriculum and model of care for the emergency medical treatment of elder patients and to assess the efficacy of the teaching material in a pilot course. Methods: A survey of emergency medicine (EM) residency directors and geriatric fellowship directors was used to identify key topics for inclusion in the didactic material. An interdisciplinary consensus process was used to develop didactic as well as teaching material in geriatric EM. Pretests and posttests were administered to 46 participants in the initial course to assess knowledge gain. Subjective course evaluations were also done. Results: Test scores significantly increased from 54% correct on the pretest to 77% correct on the posttest (p < 0.001). Significant improvement in knowledge as judged by pretest and posttest results occurred in 6 of the 7 teaching modules. Subjective evaluations demonstrated good to excellent ratings for each module as well as the overall workshop. Conclusions: The process of developing a curriculum for geriatric EM is described. The initial training of instructors was effective in improving participants' knowledge of geriatric issues in EM. Participants considered the training to be effective. The effect of the training on the emergency care of elder persons remains to be determined.
The Protein Network Surrounding the Human Telomere Repeat Binding Factors TRF1, TRF2, and POT1

Telomere integrity (including telomere length and capping) is critical in overall genomic stability. Telomere repeat binding factors and their associated proteins play vital roles in telomere length regulation and end protection. In this study, we explore the protein network surrounding telomere repeat binding factors, TRF1, TRF2, and POT1 using dual-tag affinity purification in combination with multidimensional protein identification technology liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (MudPIT LC-MS/MS). After control subtraction and data filtering, we found that TRF2 and POT1 co-purified all six members of the telomere protein complex, while TRF1 identified five of six components at frequencies that lend evidence towards the currently accepted telomere architecture. Many of the known TRF1 or TRF2 interacting proteins were also identified. Moreover, putative associating partners identified for each of the three core components fell into functional categories such as DNA damage repair, ubiquitination, chromosome cohesion, chromatin modification/remodeling, DNA replication, cell cycle and transcription regulation, nucleotide metabolism, RNA processing, and nuclear transport. These putative protein-protein associations may participate in different biological processes at telomeres or, intriguingly, outside telomeres.
Comparisons of prevention programs for homeless youth

There are six HIV prevention programs for homeless youth whose efficacy has been or is currently being evaluated: STRIVE, the Community Reinforcement Approach, Strengths-Based Case Management, Ecologically-Based Family Therapy, Street Smart, and AESOP (street outreach access to resources). Programs vary in their underlying framework and theoretical models for understanding homelessness. All programs presume that the youths’ families lack the ability to support their adolescent child. Some programs deemphasize family involvement while others focus on rebuilding connections among family members. The programs either normalize current family conflicts or, alternatively, provide education about the importance of parental monitoring. All programs aim to reduce HIV-related sexual and drug use acts. A coping skills approach is common across programs: Problem-solving skills are specifically addressed in four of the six programs; alternatively, parents in other programs are encouraged to contingently reward their children. Each program also engineers ongoing social support for the families and the youth, either by providing access to needed resources or by substituting a new, supportive relationship for the existing family caretaker. All of the interventions provide access to health and mental health services as basic program resources. A comparison of HIV prevention programs for homeless youth identifies the robust components of each and suggests which programs providers may choose to replicate.
Cellular Pharmacology of Protein Kinase Mζ (PKMζ) Contrasts with Its in Vitro Profile IMPLICATIONS FOR PKMζ AS A MEDIATOR OF MEMORY

A number of recent studies have used pharmacological inhibitors to establish a role for protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) in synaptic plasticity and memory. These studies use zeta inhibitory peptide (ZIP) and chelerythrine as inhibitors of PKMζ to block long term potentiation and memory; staurosporine is used as a negative control to show that a nonspecific kinase inhibitor does not block long term potentiation and memory. Here, we show that neither ZIP nor chelerythrine inhibits PKMζ in cultured cells or brain slices. In contrast, staurosporine does block PKMζ activity in cells and brain slices by inhibiting its upstream phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1. These studies demonstrate that the effectiveness of drugs against purified PKMζ may not be indicative of their specificity in the more complex environment of the cell and suggest that PKMζ is unlikely to be the mediator of synaptic plasticity or memory.
Smooth bark surfaces can defend trees against insect attack: resurrecting a ‘slippery’ hypothesis

Summary 1. Smooth bark on trees and shrubs was historically hypothesized to be an anatomical defence against epiphytic vegetation and phytophagous insects. This hypothesis has fallen from favour, yet no clear tests of bark texture as a defence against insects have been published. 2. We tested the smooth bark defence hypothesis using bark beetles specialized in attacking pine trees as model insects, and Pinus flexilis (limber pine) – a widespread tree that can have both smooth and rough bark surfaces on the same stem – as the model tree. We investigated the effects of bark texture on the locations of bark beetle attacks on trees with a combination of field surveys and experiments in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA. 3. Bark beetle attacks were overwhelmingly located on rough bark surfaces and virtually absent from smooth bark. Increasing proportional coverage by smooth bark was negatively related to bark beetle attacks per square metre of bark surface. Experimental tests of bark beetles’ ability to grip smooth versus rough bark revealed that bark beetles have difficulty gripping and quickly fell from smooth bark but not from rough bark. 4. Smooth bark was negatively related to increasing tree size, but our models indicated that even partial coverage by smooth bark on a tree’s trunk can significantly reduce total bark beetle attacks – this reduction likely improves tree fitness as bark beetles must aggregate to overcome tree defences. 5. Synthesis. Our results indicate that smooth bark on trees can act as an anatomical defence against insects by reducing their ability to grip a tree’s surface – even for insects specialized in attacking tree stems. Similar to other forms of anti-insect defence (i.e. secondary chemistry, leaf toughness), smooth bark appears to be influenced by plant ontogeny whereby younger trees have greater defences than older trees. Understanding the adaptive significance of bark texture will require continued field and genetic study. Nevertheless, our results revealed that smooth bark texture increases tree resistance to phytophagous insects calling for the resurrection and vetting of the smooth bark defence hypothesis.
Product operators, coherence pathways, and phase cycling. Part III: phase cycling

The coherence pathway approach allows the systematic design of phase cycles to eliminate unwanted coherence pathway signals in multipulse NMR sequences. Some quadrature receiver imperfections are shown to be equivalent to detection of magnetization in coherence level p = + 1 in addition to the normally observable p = −1. Other receiver artifacts do not correspond to p = +1 but also can be removed by phase cycling. Selection of signals in one-, two-, and three-pulse sequences is described for uncoupled and coupled spins.
Large-eddy simulation of flow over wavy surfaces

Large-eddy simulation is used to investigate fully developed turbulent flow in a neutral channel wherein the lower wall is sinusoidal. The numerical results are compared with experimental observations for wave slopes ranging from 0 to 0.628. Particular emphasis is placed on the separated flow induced by a large-amplitude wave. A detailed comparison with the data of Buckles, Hanratty & Adrian (1984) shows generally good agreement. Large-eddy simulation surface pressures are integrated to calculate form drag as a function of wave slope. Drag is found to increase quadratically with slope for small-amplitude waves, with a somewhat slower increase for larger amplitudes. However, comparison with experimental measurements is confounded by uncertainties with the values reported in the literature. An interesting feature characteristic of all wavy-surface simulations is an increase in transverse velocity fluctuations on the wave upslope. Although the precise mechanism responsible is not known, analysis shows it to be associated with temporally persistent vortex-like structures localized near the surface. The magnitude of the fluctuation increase appears to scale quadratically with slope for small-amplitude waves, in contrast to the streamwise fluctuations, which increase linearly.
Through-thickness texture gradient in an annealed Al-Mg alloy sheet

Through-thickness crystallographic texture of a rolled and subsequently annealed Al-Mg continuous cast (CC) alloy was examined. Results showed that the annealed sheet developed a through-thickness texture gradient with the form of a stronger cube texture at the surface when compared to the center layers and varied R orientations through the thickness. While the through-thickness texture gradient was not attributed to the shear related texture, it was still related to the extent of deformation within the sheet.
Erythropoietin stimulates growth and STAT5 phosphorylation in human prostate epithelial and prostate cancer cells

BACKGROUND Erythropoietin (Epo), the principal regulator of erythroid progenitor survival, growth, and differentiation, initiates its action by binding to its cognate cell surface receptor (EpoR). EpoR have been identified on a variety of non-hematopoietic cells, both normal and malignant, however, little is known about the function of EpoR on malignant cells. METHODS RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to demonstrate that prostate cancer cells express EpoR at both the gene and protein level. Cell proliferation assays and STAT5 phosphorylation were used to demonstrate Epo's mitogenic action and intracellular signaling, respectively. RESULTS We have demonstrated that transformed prostate epithelial and prostate cancer cell lines, as well as primary prostate tissue, express the EpoR. Importantly, the EpoR on prostate cells are functional, as demonstrated by the observation that each of the cell lines exhibited a dose-dependent proliferative response to Epo, and that Epo triggered STAT5b phosphorylation in the cells. CONCLUSION Human prostatic epithelial cells and prostate cancer cells express functional EpoR, and Epo serves as a growth factor for these cells. These results have implications for our understanding of normal prostatic growth and development and of the pathobiology of human prostate cancer. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Discovering early molecular determinants of leukemogenesis

Truncating mutations of the G-CSF receptor are found during disease course in nearly half of all patients with severe congenital neutropenia. In this issue of the JCI, Liu et al. demonstrate that these mutations confer a competitive clonal advantage upon HSCs in mice and that the advantage is conditional because it is observed only in the presence of the ligand G-CSF (see the related article beginning on page 946). Once activated, the mutant receptor requires the function of Stat5 in order to effect clonal expansion of this stem cell population. The results support the notion that early molecular steps in this and other neoplastic processes represent adaptations in which, through somatic mutations, “unfit” stem cells gain a measure of fitness by altering their relationships with their microenvironment.
Presidential Debates Through Media Eyes

Presidential debates traditionally attract millions of viewers and heavy press coverage. There is much evidence that the media interpretation of these events is influential even for people who have...
Transient respiratory responses to step-changes in airflow resistance in anesthetized cats☆

Abstract Breath by breath responses to on and off step-changes in inspiratory airflow resistance were investigated in intact anesthetized cats to differentiate the neural and chemical components of the response. Examination of the changes in alveolar ventilation, inspiratory duration, inspiratory work, diaphragm electromyogram, and blood gases established the characteristics of the transient responses. The neural component reflected in the first loaded breath is a prolongation of the inspiratory phase. This prolongation of the inspiratory phase resulted in an increase in work without changes in rate of work or rate of diaphragm activity. The secondary chemical component, manifested in subsequent breaths, consisted of gradual increases in rates of inspiratory work and diaphragm activity supplementing the increase in work accomplished by the neural component alone. The neural component and the chemical component combine to minimize the effect of mechanical loading on ventilation.
Weather‐driven dynamics in a dual‐migrant system: moths and bats

Summary1. Animal migrations generate large spatial and temporal ﬂuctuations in biomass that providea resource base for many predator–prey interactions. These interactions are often driven bycontinent-scale weather patterns and are difﬁcult to study. Few studies have included migra-tory animals on more than a single trophic level or for periods spanning multiple entire sea-sons.2. We tracked migrations of three species of agricultural pest noctuid moths over the 2010–2012 autumn seasons as the moths travelled past a large colony of migratory Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) in Texas.3. Increases in moth abundance, mass of bats and duration of bat activity outside of the cavewere correlated with passage of cold fronts over the study area and related increases in north-erly wind. Moth responses to weather patterns varied among species and seasons, but overallmoth abundances were low in late summer and spiked after one or more cold front passagesin September and October.4. Changes in bat mass and behaviour appear to be consequences of bat migration, as caveuse transitioned from summer maternity roost to autumn migratory stopover sites.5. Weather-driven migration is at considerable risk from climate change, and bat and mothresponses to that change may have marked impacts on agricultural systems and bat ecosystemservices.Key-words: Chiroptera: Molossidae, community-level impacts, ecosystem services, generalistpredators, Helicoverpa zea, Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Spodoptera frugiperda, synoptic weather,Trichoplusia niIntroduction
Defining burnout as a dichotomous variable.

To the Editor:—In the July 2008 issue, Legassie et al.1 define burnout as having a high score in all three burnout domains of the Maslach burnout inventory (MBI): emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Although the MBI is the gold standard tool for measuring burnout, there is considerable variability in how researchers studying physicians and medical students have defined burnout. For example, others have considered those with either high emotional exhaustion or high depersonalization as experiencing burnout.2 The effect of these differing definitions is significant. Legassie et al. report an overall burnout rate of 12.5%. This grossly underestimates the burnout rate under alternative definitions, since at least 29% of participants experienced high levels of either emotional exhaustion or depersonalization in the Legassie study. Ultimately, burnout is a complex, continuous, and heterogeneous construct3 that manifests itself differently in different individuals. Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and inefficacy are symptoms of the syndrome. These symptoms can manifest in differing degrees resulting in burnout being best considered a continuum rather than a dichotomous variable. As advocated by Maslach,3 when evaluating the relationship between symptoms of burnout and other outcomes the ideal approach is to use the individual domain scores as continuous data. The second best option is to report categorized results separately using established definitions of low, average, and high cut-off scores3 for each domain. Using an overall burnout assessment (i.e. a dichotomous variable) is practical in research studies but problematic as there is no accepted standard definition. High scores on either the emotional exhaustion or depersonalization scales but not a low score on the personal accomplishment scale can distinguish the clinically burned out from the non-burned out,4 supporting the high emotional exhaustion and/or high depersonalization definition cited above.2 Another approach, supported by Maslach, is that an individual may be considered clinically burned out when a high emotional exhaustion score is present in combination with either a high depersonalization score or a low personal accomplishment score (Maslach, personal communication, September 24, 2008). Either approach is associated with trade-offs with respect to sensitivity and specificity. We note, however, that requiring high scores in all three domains is unsubstantiated by existing literature on the MBI. We applaud Legassie et al.’s efforts to better understand physician well-being. Future research should incorporate consistent approaches for defining burnout using the MBI, rather than use variable definitions of burnout that prevent comparison across studies and slow efforts to identify, understand, and reduce burnout.
Excess costs from gastrointestinal disease associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify medical care costs for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders attributable to use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) other than aspirin in elderly persons.
Resetting of brain dynamics: epileptic versus psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

We investigated the possibility of differential diagnosis of patients with epileptic seizures (ES) and patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) through an advanced analysis of the dynamics of the patients' scalp EEGs. The underlying principle was the presence of resetting of brain's preictal spatiotemporal entrainment following onset of ES and the absence of resetting following PNES. Long-term (days) scalp EEGs recorded from five patients with ES and six patients with PNES were analyzed. It was found that: (1) Preictal entrainment of brain sites was reset at ES (P 0.1) in any of the six patients with PNES. These preliminary results in patients with ES are in agreement with our previous findings from intracranial EEG recordings on resetting of brain dynamics by ES and are expected to constitute the basis for the development of a reliable and supporting tool in the differential diagnosis between ES and PNES. Finally, we believe that these results shed light on the electrophysiology of PNES by showing that occurrence of PNES does not assist patients in overcoming a pathological entrainment of brain dynamics. This article is part of a Supplemental Special Issue entitled The Future of Automated Seizure Detection and Prediction.
A calculus of trust and its application to PKI and identity management

We introduce a formal semantics based calculus of trust that explicitly represents trust and quantifies the risk associated with trust in public key infrastructure (PKI) and identity management (IdM). We then show by example how to formally represent trust relationships and quantitatively evaluate the risk associated with trust in public key certificate chains. In the context of choosing a certificate chain, our research shows that the shortest chain need not be the most trustworthy, and that it may make sense to compare the trustworthiness of a potential chain against a threshold to govern acceptance, changing the problem to finding a chain with sufficiently high trustworthiness. Our calculus also shows how quantified trust relationships among CAs can be combined to achieve an overall trust assessment of an offered certificate.
Identification of a chemotaxis gene region from Pseudomonas putida

Pseudomonas putida is chemotactic to a range of organic compounds, including several aromatic compounds. Genes involved in this behavioral response were identified by Tn5 mutagenesis of P. putida PRS2000, resulting in a strain that was nonchemotactic to all chemoattractants tested. Cloning and sequencing of the DNA at the Tn5 insertion site revealed a 13-kb region that contained 12 open reading frames, 9 of which are homologous to chemotaxis, flagellar and motility genes in other bacterial species. This indicates that the basic chemotaxis machinery of P. putida is similar to that of other bacterial systems, even though some of the compounds that are sensed as attractants are different.
Hands-on Learning: The EcoMOD Project

ecoMOD is a research and design/build/evaluate project at the University of Virginia that aims to create a series of ecological, modular and affordable housing units. The project is a partnership of the UVA School of Architecture and the UVA School of Engineering and Applied Science. The goal of the project is to provide a valuable educational experience, while demonstrating the environmental and economic potential of prefabrication – challenging the housing industry in the U.S. to explore this potential. It is a hands-on educational initiative for students and faculty to work together to address the issues of environmental sustainability and social justice. When addressing these increasingly important topics, the case for a ‘real world’ project, compared with traditional classroom learning, is clear: the next generation of building industry professionals are best served by projects that involve ‘real buildings’ with ‘real budgets’ because these are the situations they will face as professionals. By offering advanced students an opportunity to test drive their design ideas, and collaborate with other emerging professionals, these students can benefit from the supportive feedback loop of academia, and more carefully hone their critical thinking skills.
Improving diagnostic accuracy of the exercise test by combining R-wave changes with duration of ST segment depression in a simplified index.

Abstract To enhance the reliability of the exercise test in diagnosing both overall coronary artery disease and multivessel coronary artery disease, a discriminant function was obtained by means of stepwise linear discriminant analysis. Both electrocardiographic and nonelectrocardiographic factors were used to derive the discriminant function in a retrospective group of 231 patients, 168 of whom had angiographically defined coronary artery disease. The discriminant function converted into a simple exercise index or score was then applied to a prospective group of 120 patients, 98 of whom had coronary artery disease. This index, combining R-wave changes with duration of ST segment depression and patient's sex, proved highly accurate in diagnosing coronary artery disease in male patients and in diagnosing the absence of coronary artery disease in female patients. When compared to standard ST segment criteria, the sensitivity and predictive value of the exercise index was significantly higher.
Ethacrynic acid disrupts steady state microtubules in vitro.

PurposeEthacrynic acid (ECA) has been shown to increase facility of aqueous outflow in whole eyes and perfused anterior segments, to open up spaces between cells in the trabecular meshwork and inner wall of Schlemm's canal, and to cause separation and retraction of trabecular meshwork and endothelial cells in culture. One mechanism by which ECA has been proposed to act in cells is via disruption of microtubules, leading to cell retraction. Although it is known that ECA can inhibit de novo assembly of microtubules from tubulin subunits in vitro, we wanted to determine, as a better correlate to the proposed effect of ECA in cells, whether ECA could disrupt microtubule polymers that had reached steady state. We also wanted to deter-mine whether calcium ion could enhance this process.MethodsWe therefore assembled purified and crude porcine brain tubulin to steady state at 37°C and then added ECA and/or calcium. Reaction kinetics were followed spectrophotometrically.ResultsWe found that ECA effectively disrupt...
Chronic Daily Headache

Chronic daily headache (CDH) is a challenging condition to treat. CDH is often accompanied by significant comorbidities, such as chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia, which further complicate treatment. Unrealistic expectations of treatment goals can lead to patient frustration, and, as a result, decrease treatment adherence. Patients often desire headache-free status, but this outcome is not realistic for many patients with CDH. By contrast, an effective treatment goal starts with establishing the correct diagnosis and creating a multimodal treatment plan to improve function and well-being. With proper comprehensive treatment, the condition improves in most patients.
Two-Dimensional Voronoi Diagrams in the Lp-Metric

ABSTRACT The Voronoi diagram, also known as the Thiessen diagram, for a set of N points in the Cartesian plane in which the L,-metnc is the distance measure, where p is a real number between 1 and 0o inclusive, is defined, and an algorithm for constructing the dmgram m O(NlogN) tune is presented This algonthm uses the divide-and-conquer technique. Many proximity problems revolving a set of points, such as finding the nearest neighbor of a given point, finding the minimum spamung tree, findmg the smallest circle (m the Lp-metric) enclosing the point set, etc., can be solved very efficiently via the diagram The running time of the algorithm presented is also shown to be optimal to within a constant factor. KEY WORDS AND PHRASES Voronoi diagram, L,-metric, computational geometry, computational complexity, analysis of algorithm, divide-and-conquer CR CATEGORIES 4 49, 5 25, 5 32 1. Introduction
No Custody, No Justice: The Ability of the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal to Prosecute Gross Violators of Human Rights in the Former Yugoslavia

Recently, the United Nations Security Council established an International Tribunal1 to prosecute violators of international human rights standards in the former Yugoslavia.2 While this is a positi...
Properties and roles of an intramembranous charge mobilized at high voltages in frog skeletal muscle.

1. Membrane Ca2+ currents (ICa), intramembranous charge movement currents and changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentrations were recorded in voltage clamped cut skeletal muscle fibres of the frog. Intra- and extracellular solutions, designed to prevent ionic current, and use of the saponin-permeabilization procedure made possible the measurement of transfer of intramembranous charge up to high positive potentials. 2. Substantial charge moved at positive potentials. This charge was shown to be intramembranous in four tests of charge conservation, demonstrating that the total displacement of charge depended only on the initial and final voltages, and not on the history or pathway of intermediate voltages. 3. On average, in twenty-three cells, the charge moved at 50 mV was 31 +/- 1.9 nC microF-1 (mean +/- S.E.M.), and at 0 mV was 25 +/- 1.5 nC microF-1. Approximately one-fifth of the total charge moved above 0 mV. 4. The charge that moved at high voltage could be fitted, in most cases, with a Boltzmann distribution function. In twenty of twenty-three cells, the total charge distribution could be fitted as the sum of two Boltzmann terms; the high voltage term was centred at 11 +/- 3.9 mV, with a steepness factor of 12 +/- 1.6 mV and a magnitude of 8.6 +/- 1.1 nC microF-1. The low voltage term was centered at -43 +/- 2.1 mV, with a steepness factor of 7.7 +/- 0.6 mV and a magnitude of 22 +/- 1.8 nC microF-1. Thus, the high voltage component comprised about one-quarter of the mobile charge. In four cells it was possible to fit the sum of three Boltzmann terms to the distribution of mobile charge; the parameters of the high voltage term then were similar to those found by fitting the sum of two Boltzmann terms to the same data. 5. The voltage dependence of activation of ICa was determined in a buffered 2 mM Ca2+ external solution, from the tails of ionic current at -30 mV, after activating pulses to various voltages, the duration of which was sufficient to reach the peak of inward current. The voltage dependence was described by a Boltzmann function centred at 2.6 +/- 6.9 mV (n = 6), with a steepness factor of 20 +/- 1.4 mV. The voltages at which the high voltage charge moved were roughly the same as those at which ICa was activated. 6. Calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum was determined from the Ca2+ transients. Calcium release continued to increase at potentials above 0 mV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Methyl gallate, methyl-3,4,5-trihydroxy-benzoate, is a potent and highly specific inhibitor of herpes simplex virus in vitro. I. Purification and characterization of methyl gallate from Sapium sebiferum

A potent anti-herpetic compound was identified and purified to homogeneity from the leaves ofSapium sebiferum by plaque reduction assay using herpes simplex virus type 2. The chemical structure of the purified compound was determined by mass spectroscopy and proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance as methyl gallate, methyl-3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate. This is the first demonstration that methyl gallate is a potent anti-herpetic compoundin vitro, present in high concentration in the leaves ofS. sebiferum, a Chinese folk medicine for shingles.
School Formative Feedback Systems

Data-driven instructional improvement relies on developing coherent systems that allow school staff to generate, interpret, and act upon quality formative information on students and school programs. This article offers a formative feedback system model that captures how school leaders and teachers structure artifacts and practices to create formative information flows across interventions, assessments, and actuation spaces. A formative feedback system model describes the organizational capacity upon which innovations such as comprehensive school reforms, benchmark assessment systems, and student behavior management systems draw to improve teaching and learning in schools.
Mechanisms limiting the coherence time of spontaneous magnetic oscillations driven by dc spin-polarized currents

The spin-transfer torque from a dc spin-polarized current can generate highly coherent magnetic precession in nanoscale magnetic-multilayer devices. By measuring linewidths of spectra from the resulting resistance oscillations, we argue that the coherence time can be limited at low temperature by thermal deflections about the equilibrium magnetic trajectory and at high temperature by thermally activated transitions between dynamical modes. Surprisingly, the coherence time can be longer than predicted by simple macrospin simulations.
Echocardiographic Diagnosis of Idiopathic Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy without Outflow Obstruction

The echocardiographic findings of eight patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy without outflow obstruction (HMC) and of 15 normal (Norm) individuals are presented. The characteristic features in HMC were: (1) interventricular septal width much greater than normal (HMC = 2.5 ± 0.3 cm, Norm = 1.0 ± 0.2 cm, P < 0.005); (2) normal or only slightly increased posterior left ventricular wall thickness; (3) the ratio of interventricular septal to posterior wall thickness ≧2.0; (4) ejection fraction greater than normal (HMC = 0.76 ± 0.08, Norm = 0.68 ± 0.06, P < 0.025); (5) reduced velocity of the early diastolic closing motion of the anterior mitral leaflet (HMC = 60 ± 23 mm/sec, Norm = 124 ± 29 mm/sec, P < 0.005); (6) absence of abnormal systolic movement of the anterior mitral valve, as seen in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. The diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be made with echocardiography, even when outflow tract obstruction of the left ventricle is absent.
ALTERED TYPE VI COLLAGEN SYNTHESIS BY KERATOCONUS KERATOCYTES IN VITRO

Type VI collagen and gelatinase A are synthesized by human keratocytes in vitro. Keratoconus is a corneal disease that has increased gelatinase A activity. Normal keratocyte culture media analyzed by Western blotting with polyclonal antibody to type VI collagen showed a single 140 kDa band that increased in intensity after phorbol ester treatment. The same 140 kDa band was absent in media collected from keratoconus keratocytes cultured with or without phorbol ester. We speculate that in keratoconus keratocyte cultures, type VI collagen may be degraded or modified by the increased gelatinase A activity so as not to be recognized by the type VI antibody.
Overexpression of the 32-kilodalton dopamine and cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-regulated phosphoprotein in common adenocarcinomas

BACKGROUND The 32-kilodalton dopamine and cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32) is the only known protein that can act as a protein phosphatase-1 inhibitor or a protein kinase inhibitor. It is known as a neurogenic protein that plays a major role in dopamine regulation in the central nervous system. Recently, DARPP-32 and a truncated isoform, t-DARPP, have been cloned in gastric carcinoma. The extent of DARPP-32 and t-DARPP expression in human epithelial tissues and carcinomas remained unknown. METHODS Using tissue microarrays and an antibody to DARPP-32, the authors evaluated the immunohistochemical findings in 43 different normal epithelium human tissue samples and in 187 samples of common carcinomas of breast, prostate, colon, and stomach. RESULTS DARPP-32 proteins were expressed at varying levels in several types of normal epithelial tissues outside of the central nervous system. Using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis, the authors demonstrated that both DARPP-32 and t-DARPP mRNAs frequently were overexpressed in carcinomas of the breast, prostate, colon, and stomach compared with normal tissue samples. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays that contained 187 carcinoma samples confirmed the strong expression of DARPP-32 proteins in these tumor types. CONCLUSIONS The current study provides the first evidence that DARPP-32 expression is not limited to dopamine signaling in normal cells of the central nervous system. The pattern of expression of DARPP-32 proteins in normal epithelial tissues suggests that these proteins play an important role in epithelial signaling that may be tissue specific. Moreover, the observation that DARPP-32 and t-DARPP frequently are overexpressed in common subtypes of human adenocarcinomas suggest that these proteins may be important in tumorigenesis. Cancer 2003;98:1547–51. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11654
Complications in the simplest cellular enzyme assay: Lysis of Escherichia coli for the assay of β-galactosidase

Abstract A procedure for the lysis of bacterial cells for the subsequent measurement of β-galactosidase is presented. It is more reliable, reproducible, and yields higher values of enzymatic activity than do some of the techniques espoused in the literature. It is a simple technique based on detergent breakage of the cell envelope, and many samples may conveniently be processed simultaneously. Potential enzymatic inhibition by components of the lysing mixture is prevented by sufficient dilution of the lysate. A correction curve is presented for those cases where sufficient dilution cannot be made.
Packet distributed on a ring

Abstract The balanced packet distribution problem on a ring of n processors requires that randomly arriving packets be stored at nodes as evenly as possible by passing packets (and other messages) around the ring. We give a protocol to achieve balanced distribution with an average message complexity of √n per packet and to show that the protocol is optimal, up to lower order terms, for unidirectional rings.
Molecular and Atomic Hydrogen Interactions with Au−Ir Near-Surface Alloys

Using a combination of density functional theory and experimental electrochemical methods, we have investigated Au−Ir near-surface alloys and their ability to take up hydrogen (H). Despite the relative instability of H in the subsurface of pure Au(111) and Ir(111), H in the subsurface of a near-surface alloy made of a monolayer of Au over Ir(111) (Au*/Ir) is stabilized compared to surface H. While dissociative adsorption of H2 is activated on this alloy surface, the presence of subsurface H stabilizes the transition state for further H2 dissociation. This is explained by the upshift in the d-band center of the surface Au atoms induced by the presence of subsurface H in Au*/Ir. Submonolayers of Au on Ir(111) stabilize H at the Au−Ir interface while allowing for nonactivated H2 dissociation at the exposed Ir atoms. Synthesis of submonolayer alloys of Au on Ir(111) shows that Au does not block hydrogen adsorption on the Ir surface, despite the inability of pure Au to take up hydrogen under these conditions. ...
Solution of the transfer equation in a moving medium

The integral transfer equation for resonance radiation in a semi-infinite medium expanding with a constant velocity gradient is considered. A method for the numerical-analytical solution of this problem is presented, together with an estimation of the associated errors. This method is based on a discretization in optical depth and the application of non-linear equation factorization equations.
The proton affinity of HOBr

Abstract The proton affinity (PA) of HOBr is determined to be 161.5 ± 1.0 kcal/mol (298.15 K). The single and double coupled-cluster method that includes a perturbational estimate of the effects of connected triple excitations, denoted CCSD(T), was used in conjunction with large spdfg atomic natural orbital basis sets to arrive at this value. The PA of HOBr is 7.0 kcal/mol larger than a recent prediction for HOCl. The most stable form of protonated HOBr is H 2 OBr + with HOBrH + determined to be 17.4 ± 1.0 kcal/mol (298.15 K) higher in energy.
Stabbing isothetic boxes and rectangles in O( n log n ) time

An algorithm is presented for determining in O(n log n) time whether there exists a line that stabs each of n polygons whose edges are from three sets of parallel lines. Using this algorithm, one can determine in O(n log n) time whether there exists a line that stabs each of n isothetic boxes or rectangles. If any stabbing line exists, the algorithm computes and returns one such stabbing line.
Ultrasonic flaw detection in refractory products

Ultrasonic flaw detection can be used to identify in green brick and fired products craters and cracks exposed in dimensions exceeding 0.01 mm. The greatest sensitivity and validity using automatic ultrasonic flaw detection of refractories is ensured by detecting defects with respect to the change in the time of dissemination of ultrasonic oscillations during straight-through sound transmission (time shadow method). With a probability of false rejection of 2.3% in refractories using the time shadow method we can identify surface defects (thermal and other cracks) with a depth of more than 7.5–15 mm, and exposed defects (excess pressing cracks, etc.) whose minimum size exceeds 0.3–0.5 of the thickness of the article.
Carrier Dynamics of Films of Zinc Phthalocyanine and C60 Measured By Terahertz Time Domain Spectroscopy

We studied photocarrier dynamics in organic photovoltaics by terahertz time domain spectroscopy. Transient THz absorption decays in C60 and zinc phthalocyanine span a wide range of timescales and reveal how to optimize photocarrier yields.
Incorporating Social Informatics into the Curriculum for Library and Information Science Professionals

Schools of library and information science are currently faced with the dual challenges of meeting the needs of a growing non-traditional student body and training students for a profession that is rapidly changing. A new pilot program for distance education of library and information science master's students has been created to address the first challenge, which is described here briefly. The second challenge is more difficult. A new distance course in systems analysis and design was created in order to incorporate three lessons from social informatics (the study of the social and organisational aspects of the introduction and use of information systems) into the curriculum. These three lessons are: the importance of apprenticeship learning; the interaction between organisational form and information systems; and the role of stories in organisational learning. Each of these social informatics lessons is discussed, and the creation of case study course materials is described in detail. By creating a hyperlinked case study of real-life library processes as the basis for a new course and incorporating these three social informatics lessons, the authors expect to better prepare students for the rapidly changing information science field.