cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Four-bar and geared five-bar linkage analysis programs for the apple computer

Abstract The increasing availability and decreasing cost of the personal microcomputer to the student and practicing engineer has revolutionized the approach to mechanism design. Many quite sophisticated linkage design and analysis programs have been available for many years, such as LINCAGES[1], KINSYN[2], DRAM, ADAMS[3] and IMP[2]. These typically require a medium-to-large computer with expensive graphics terminals. MICRO-KINSYN has recently been adapted for a modified Apple computer, but it uses a coprocessor and additional memory which adds to its cost over the standard Apple computer. Other kinematics programs for personal computers are becoming available, such as Barker's[4] for the IBM PC. Kot and Bendickson[5] have adapted Erdman's ‘Linkages’ techniques to the Apple computer. The programs described here (called FOURBAR and FIVEBAR) were written to serve as analysis tools rather than for synthesis. They presume that the user has selected a potential four-bar (FB) or geared five-bar (GFB) linkage design by some means and wishes to analyze its behavior. The programs are designed to operate in a standard Apple IIe or 64K II + machine with no memory enhancements other than the standard language card. The programs also make extensive use of the computer's graphics capabilities to depict the linkage and its coupler curve in all positions calculated as well as to plot positions, velocities and accelerations of selected points on the linkage. Thus the user can quickly test his potential design for viability based on velocity and acceleration considerations. Design by successive analysis is thus expedited. The geared five-bar linkage (GFB) offers the designer greater flexibility in output path configuration than the four bar due to the fact that it has three additional design parameters: namely, gear ratio, phase angle and an additional link[6]. The coupler curves for this linkage are of higher order than those of the four bar, when the gear ratio is not unity.
Analysis of in situ images of Bose-Einstein condensates of lithium

The initial evidence for Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$ consisted of image distortions that suddenly appeared as the gas was evaporatively cooled to near the transition temperature. We present results of a model of the imaging system used to produce these images. The model confirms that the distortions are a sensitive indicator of BEC, but shows that they make quantitative analysis difficult. We find that the distortions resulted from light scattered by the condensate, in conjunction with aberrations in the imaging lens.
Evidence for metastable equilibrium between hydrocarbons under hydrothermal conditions

THERMAL maturation of organic matter in sedimentary basins results in the generation of numerous organic alteration products. These products influence the chemical and physical alteration processes of sediments1–3, and in some instances their accumulation results in the formation of oil and natural-gas deposits4,5. Much uncertainty exists about the factors that control the relative abundances of individual organic species during maturation. Although it is clear that kinetic barriers allow thermodynamically unstable species to persist in a metastable state for geologically significant periods of time, local equilibrium between more-reactive species may substantially influence their abundance. Here I report the results of redox-buffered hydrothermal experiments designed to investigate reactions that may occur in geological environments between ethane, ethene, water and inorganic redox-sensitive minerals. I find that reversible metastable thermodynamic equilibrium is attained between these species. Because water participates directly in this equilibrium, it may represent a reactive and abundant source of hydrogen for hydrocarbon generation in sedimentary basins. This demonstration that metastable equilibrium is attained implies that some organic geochemical reactions can be thermodynamically modelled and predicted despite the absence of total chermodynamic equilibrium.
Types of spiritual well-being among persons with chronic illness: their relation to various forms of quality of life

Abstract Objectives: Derive a spiritual well-being classification and thereby enhance understanding of the relation between spiritual well-being, quality of life (QOL), and health among persons with chronic illness or disability. Design: Cluster analyses were performed to develop a spiritual well-being classification. Analysis of variance was used to compare cluster groups on various dimensions of QOL. Setting: Part of a larger QOL study conducted at a midwestern medical center. Patients: A convenience sample of 216 inpatients: amputation ( n = 74), postpolio ( n = 37), spinal cord injury ( n = 34), breast cancer ( n = 36), and prostate cancer ( n = 35). Minors were excluded from the study. Main Outcome Measures: Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT), Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC), Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), Medical Outcome Survey-Short Form (SF-36), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Results: Three types of spiritual well-being were identified: religious ( n = 146), existential ( n = 37), and nonspiritual ( n = 30). Significant cluster differences ( p p Conclusions: Three types of spiritual well-being were empirically identified in this sample. Subtypes differed significantly with respect to various aspects of QOL. Further research is needed to validate this classification and to determine if type of spiritual well-being has a causal effect on treatment outcome or on the recovery process.
Attenuated total reflectance FTIR detection and quantification of low concentrations of aqueous polyatomic anions.

Development of a new quantitative method for determining low concentrations of aqueous polyatomic anions using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) FTIR spectroscopy is described. Evaporated thin-film coatings of anion-selective tetraalkylated ferrocenium salts were applied to the surface of ATR crystals, which enabled anion detection limits to be lowered up to 23 000-fold below those achieved using the commercially available spectrometer with identical uncoated ATR crystals. Linear calibration curves based on d(absorbance)/dt, which is related to the rate of anion exchange in the thin film, were established in the 0.04−30 μM range. Limits of detection (10-min analyses) for perchlorate, chlorate, trifluoromethanesulfonate, perfluoro-n-butanesulfonate, perfluoro-n-octanesulfonate, tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, and pinacolylmethylphosphonate in aqueous solution were 0.03, 0.2, 0.05, 0.07, 0.06, 0.06, 0.6, and 0.7 μM, respectively, using the thin-film coatings. This simple detection/quantification me...
Invited review: Heat stress effects during late gestation on dry cows and their calves

In dairy cattle, late gestation is a critical period for fetal growth and physiological transition into the next lactation. Environmental factors, such as temperature and light, exert dramatic effects on the production, health, and well-being of animals during this period and after parturition. The aim of this review was to introduce effects of heat stress during late gestation on dairy cattle, and discuss the biological mechanisms that underlie the observed production and health responses in the dam and her fetus. Relative to cooled cows, cows that are heat stressed during late gestation have impaired mammary growth before parturition and decreased milk production in the subsequent lactation. In response to higher milk yield, cows cooled prepartum undergo a series of homeorhetic adaptations in early lactation to meet higher demand for milk synthesis compared with heat-stressed cows, but no direct effect of environmental heat stress on metabolism exists during the dry period. Prepartum cooling improves immune status of transition cows and evidence suggests that altered prolactin signaling in immune cells mediates the effects of heat stress on immune function. Late-gestation heat stress compromises placental development, which results in fetal hypoxia, malnutrition, and eventually fetal growth retardation. Maternal heat stress may also have carryover effects on the postnatal growth of offspring, but direct evidence is still lacking. Emerging evidence suggests that offspring from prepartum heat-stressed cows have compromised passive immunity and impaired cell-mediated immune function compared with those from cooled cows.
A single oval of Cassini for the zeros of a polynomial

We derive two ovals of Cassini, each containing all the zeros of a polynomial. The computational cost to obtain these ovals is similar to that of the Brauer set for the companion matrix of a polynomial, although they are frequently smaller. Their derivation is based on the Gershgorin set for an appropriate polynomial of the companion matrix.
Echovirus 11-Epidemie bei frühgeborenen auf einer neonatal-intensiv-station

Summary During a period of 3 weeks, 17 premature neonates 4 of them weighing less than 1000 g at birth became infected with echovirus 11 in a neonatal intensive-care unit. Beside 3 inapparent infections, severe ‘septicaemic’ illness was observed among 5 premature neonates combined with meningitis and apnoeic attacks. 4 neonates presented meningitis as the predominant clinical feature and 3 showed gastrointestinal symptoms without neurological involvement. 2 children experienced a febrile illness with apnoea and bradycardia. All babies recovered. Echovirus 11 could be isolated in 51 of 74 (68,9 %) specimens, mainly from stool samples. The source of this epidemic outbreak has remained unclear. Virus isolations and serological examinations of antibodies of the IgM class showed that one mother and her eldest child and 3 staff members of the unit had been infected during this epidemic outbreak. The agent was identified as an antigenic variant of echovirus 11 resembling other echoviruses of this type which were isolated in other children hospitals in Bremen during this outbreak.
Reds: Propaganda, docudrama, and Hollywood

(1983). Reds: Propaganda, docudrama, and Hollywood. Labor History: Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 125-130.
Characterization of a new melanosomal structural component—the vesicula globular body—by conventional transmission, high-voltage, and scanning electron microscopy

A new structural subunit, i.e., vesiculoglobular body, of the melanosome was found in fine structure studies of melanosomes in various tissues using conventional transmission (50–80 kV), high-voltage transmission (800 kV), and scanning (25 kV) electron microscopes. The high-voltage electron microscope was used for 5 μm-thick sections to study the entire inner and outer structures of the melanosome. The scanning electron microscope was used to observe the three-dimensional structure of leached melanosomes that were treated with the bleaching agents, thioglycolic acid, and phenol, and a prolonged boiling at 130°C for 24 hours. The vesiculoglobular body, 400 A in diameter, appears to be the structural element that is incorporated in the organization and melanization of the inner matrices of the melanosome. These bodies were found to be (a) present in all stages of melanosomal development, (b) increased in number during developmental stages, (c) attached to the surface of the lamellae of the inner matrices, (d) covered by osmiophilic fine grains of melanin moieties after melanization of the melanosome, (e) not melanized within themselves during an entire course of melanosomal development, (f) unchanged in size even though the melanosome changed in size, (g) not degraded, once they have been incorporated into the inner matrices, by phenol and thioglycolic acid and prolonged boiling at 130°C for 24 hours, and (h) uninvolved in the lysosomal degradation of melanosomes in the keratinocytes.
Isolation of fungal flora from the hair coats of shelter cats in the Pacific coastal USA.

Two-hundred shelter cats from the Pacific western coastal USA were sampled in four different geographical regions to determine the fungal organisms most commonly found on the hair coat and the prevalence of these organisms. Data on the cats' health, age, hair coat length, gender, and geographical location were collected and analysed. The overall prevalence of dermatophytosis was 5.5% (11 of 200 cats), with Microsporum canis isolated in 90.9% (10 of 11) of the samples from positive cats. This was a lower isolation rate or prevalence of dermatophytes than previous studies conducted on shelter cats in other regions of the USA. Ten of 11 of the cats were lesion free (either subclinical infection or mechanical carriage). Cats in the Los Angeles, California area (P = 0.001) and neutered male cats (P = 0.047) had a higher prevalence of a positive dermatophyte culture. The numbers and types of saprophytes isolated from cats in this study were found to be consistent with previous feline reports in the USA and with an equine study previously conducted in this area.
Brain damage and the overlearning reversal effect

Rats were either trained to criterion or given 100% overtraining on a tactile discrimination before receiving sham operations or frontal, somatic, or occipital cortex lesions. With preoperative training to criterion, the rats with frontal and somatic cortex lesions showed marked postoperative impairments when tested for reversal learning with the same tactile stimuli previously encountered, whereas animals with occipital cortex ablations did not differ significantly from sham-operated subjects. Preoperative overtraining failed to improve postoperative reversal learning among the sham-operated animals, and it did not attenuate the ablation effects displayed by rats with frontal or somatic cortex lesions. These data show that the overlearning reversal effect (ORE), which has been reported with visual and spatial stimuli, may be more difficult to demonstrate with tactile discriminanda. The findings further suggest that early reports of preoperative overtraining lessening postoperative lesion effects may have less generality than previously recognized.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 preconditioning accentuates intrinsic survival mechanism in stem cells to resist ischemic injury by orchestrating protein kinase Cα-Erk1/2 activation

Abstract Aims: To test our hypothesis that the intrinsic molecular mechanism in stem cells for adaptation to ischemia is accentuated by preconditioning with insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). Results: Bone marrow Sca-1+ cells were exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) for up to 12 h. Erk1/2 was activated in Sca-1+ cells under OGD which was blocked by MEK inhibitor (PD98059) and resulted in accelerated cell death. Moreover, elevated intracellular calcium with concomitant activation of protein kinase C (PKC) was observed under OGD. Pretreatment with nifedipine or dantrolene reduced cellular calcium, abrogated PKC and Erk1/2 activation, and increased cytotoxicity. Treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 30 min (short-term) activated Erk1/2, whereas 12 h (long-term) PMA treatment abrogated PKCα, reduced Erk1/2 activation and significantly increased cell death under OGD. These results were confirmed by loss-of-function studies using PKCα and Erk1/2 specific small interfering RNA. Ga...
The value of serial personal photographs in timing the onset of unilateral cataracts in children

Purpose To determine the value of serial personal photographs in timing the onset of unilateral cataracts in children over 6 months of age. Methods Personal photographs from children with unilateral cataracts who underwent cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation when ≥6 months of age were reviewed. Photographs were evaluated for changes in the red reflex, which might indicate the presence of a cataract. Results Twelve children underwent cataract surgery at a mean age of 37 months. They were followed for a mean of 32 months. Ten children were diagnosed as having an acquired cataract by photographic review documenting a previously normal red reflex. The visual acuity in the affected eye of 4 of these children improved to ≥20/60. Cataracts were visible on photographs prior to clinical diagnosis in 6 patients, from 0.5 to 22 months prior to clinical diagnosis. Visual outcomes did not relate closely to the photographically documented duration of the cataract prior to treatment. Photographs were not helpful in timing the onset of cataract in 2 children due to the poor quality of the images. Conclusions Serial personal photographs are sometimes helpful in determining whether cataracts are acquired. However, the usefulness of personal photographs alone in predicting the visual outcome after cataract surgery was limited in this small, retrospective study.
A method of positive pressure anesthesia for the rat.

SummaryA method of positive pressure anesthesia for the rat using a mask and an abdominal binder is described. It is applicable to the use of ether, intraperitoneal barbiturates or both as anesthetic agents. A closed system for the administration of the oxygen-ether mixture is also illustrated.
Partitivirus Structure Reveals a 120-Subunit, Helix-Rich Capsid with Distinctive Surface Arches Formed by Quasisymmetric Coat-Protein Dimers

Two distinct partitiviruses, Penicillium stoloniferum viruses S and F, can be isolated from the fungus Penicillium stoloniferum. The bisegmented dsRNA genomes of these viruses are separately packaged in icosahedral capsids containing 120 coat-protein subunits. We used transmission electron cryomicroscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction to determine the structure of Penicillium stoloniferum virus S at 7.3 A resolution. The capsid, approximately 350 A in outer diameter, contains 12 pentons, each of which is topped by five arched protrusions. Each of these protrusions is, in turn, formed by a quasisymmetric dimer of coat protein, for a total of 60 such dimers per particle. The density map shows numerous tubular features, characteristic of alpha helices and consistent with secondary structure predictions for the coat protein. This three-dimensional structure of a virus from the family Partitiviridae exhibits both similarities to and differences from the so-called "T = 2" capsids of other dsRNA viruses.
Direct interaction of Alzheimer's disease-related presenilin 1 with armadillo protein p0071.

Alzheimer's disease-related presenilins are thought to be involved in Notch signaling during embryonic development and/or cellular differentiation. Proteins mediating the cellular functions of the presenilins are still unknown. We utilized the yeast two-hybrid system to identify an interacting armadillo protein, termed p0071, that binds specifically to the hydrophilic loop of presenilin 1.In vivo, the presenilins constitutively undergo proteolytic processing, forming two stable fragments. Here, we show that the C-terminal fragment of presenilin 1 directly binds to p0071. Nine out of 10 armadillo repeats in p0071 are essential for mediating this interaction. Since armadillo proteins, like β-catenin and APC, are known to participate in cellular signaling, p0071 may function as a mediator of presenilin 1 in signaling events.
How to Transition to Digital Mammography

To date, the transition to digital mammography has been cumbersome and difficult. In part, this is because digital mammography equipment could not be easily integrated into preexisting picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). Until the results of the ACR Imaging Network Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial showed that digital mammography is more accurate than screen-film mammography for some patients, users have been reticent to switch. To make the transition as seamless as possible, several considerations should be made. First, an evaluation of a facility's current screen-film situation, including the condition of the analog units, work flow, patient capacity, staffing, and existing PACS components helps in understanding current status more clearly. After that, the facility's goals for a digital department should be determined. Next, the components of the digital imaging chain, the network infrastructure, and the PACS, as well as what clinical aspects each part of the chain affects, must be understood to avoid unexpected frustrations after the conversion is made. Then, education is required on the different acquisition options, display options, printing options, and archival options to facilitate the choice of equipment that will meet the digital goals set forth previously. Finally, a pace of conversion that is best suited to the facility should be determined.
Nonlinear hybrid energy harvesting utilizing a Piezo-magneto-elastic spring

A novel hybrid energy harvester has been proposed which utilizes the presence of nonlinearity and multiple harvesting mechanisms to maximize the power output and the frequency bandwidth. The linear energy harvesters are frequency selective meaning they only generate power if they are excited accurately at their natural frequency. Nonlinear effects can make the harvester more broadband i.e. increase the efficient range of excitations frequency. We incorporate two magnets into the design, to have a nonlinear repulsive force acting on the beam. The piezoelectric patches and the electromagnetic coils convert the mechanical energy of the vibrations of the beam to electrical energy. The proposed energy harvester is therefore a hybrid energy harvester. The method of multiple scales is used to solve the nonlinear energy harvesting system. The electromechanical couplings have been considered in the nonlinear analysis. As a test the special case of linear piezoelectric harvesting has been revisited and the proposed solution precisely matches the exact solution in the literature. The paper concludes by predicting the performance of a fabricated harvester which shows the effectiveness of both nonlinear and hybrid harvesting.
“Don't Get Weak in Your Compassion”: Bereaved Next of Kin's Suggestions for Improving End‐of‐Life Care in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

Objectives: To analyze bereaved next of kin's suggestions for improving end-of-life (EOL) care in Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers (VAMCs). Design: Qualitative. Setting: This study was part of a larger study testing the effectiveness of a multimodal intervention strategy to improve processes of EOL care in six southeast U.S. VAMCs (Best Practices for End-of-Life Care for Our Nation's Veterans�BEACON Trial). Participants: Bereaved next of kin (n = 78) of veterans who died between 2005 and 2010. Measurements: Data addressing praise, criticism, and recommendations for enhancing EOL care were abstracted from semistructured interviews of next of kin and aggregated into a code labeled �Suggestions.� Content analysis proceeded iteratively through data review, comparison, and negotiation of emergent themes and integration of all coauthors' insights and interpretations into the evolving interpretive scheme. Results: Next of kin provided examples that resonated with their conceptions of quality EOL care. They also described distressing situations and perceptions of deficits in care. Major themes derived were compassionate care, good communication, support for family visits and privacy, and the need for death preparation and postdeath guidance. The fifth theme, unique to this study, was the salience of the relationship between the veterans and their families and the VA and the expectations this engendered in terms of dignity and honor. Conclusion: Interventions that support staff's ability to convey compassion, communicate information to families and other staff, listen to patients and families, prepare families for the individual's death, and provide consistent, coordinated information regarding after-death activities may optimize EOL hospital care for veterans.
What causes turnover among women on top management teams

Abstract Women have made major inroads in the upper echelons in recent years, and not surprisingly, this trend has caught the attention of researchers in the management discipline. Recent empirical evidence reveals that greater the representation of women on top management teams, higher is the performance of the organization. Representation on the team needs to be investigated in the context of managerial turnover since turnover can have an adverse impact on organizational performance. Most turnover studies have focused on the determinants and consequences of turnover among managers on the top management teams without specifically isolating the effects for men and women. This can partly be attributed to the minimal to negligible presence of women on the teams. However, as women have ascended the top ranks of organizations in large numbers in recent years, it is important to examine what causes them to turnover at twice the rate of male managers as anecdotal evidence reveals. In this study, I examine the factors that cause turnover among women of Fortune 1000 companies. Also, following turnover, I examine the paths of the women managers who left their organizations.
Glucose tolerance in pregnancy: ethnic variation and influence of body habitus.

Little is known about ethnic differences in glucose tolerance during pregnancy. In this study we examined 3366 Hispanic, Chinese, black, and non-Hispanic white women in a universal screening program for gestational diabetes mellitus. After maternal age and body mass index were controlled, Chinese women had a significantly higher serum glucose level 1 hour after 50 gm of oral glucose (134.8 ± 1.2, mean ± SE) than any of the remaining three groups. Black women had a significantly lower value (113.3 ± 1.3, mean ± SE) than either Chinese or Hispanic women (124.4 ± 0.9, mean ± SE). Results for Hispanic women and non-Hispanic white women (121.4 ± 1.6, mean ± SE) were not different. The screening glucose levels of Chinese women were substantially higher than other ethnic groups even when women with gestational diabetes were removed from the analysis, indicating that the observed differences were not solely due to a higher frequency of gestational diabetes among the Chinese. The incidence of gestational diabetes was significantly greater for Chinese (7.3%) and Hispanic (4.2%) women than for black (1.7%) and non-Hispanic white (1.6%) women. Among women who had a 3-hour glucose tolerance test, the area under the glucose curve was significantly associated with maternal age and body mass index. The demonstrated heterogeneity of glucose tolerance between ethnic groups may be of importance in determining the threshold for diabetic fetopathy, and it is possible that ethnicity-specific standards will need to be developed.
Piezo- and pyroelectric properties of polyvinylidene fluoride

Abstract The piezoelectric coefficient of commercial polyvinylidene fluoride piezoelectric film was found to decrease with increasing preload due to a stress-dependent modulus; preload had no effect on the pyroelectric coefficient, in keeping with current theory. Both coefficients demonstrated an irreversible rise on heating due to amorphous phase depolarization at the T g, near 80°C in this highly oriented material, following which these values were temperature-independent in the range 20–100°C.
Guest Editor's Introduction: Evolving Methods for Detecting and Handling Reliability Defects

Guest editor Phil Nigh introduces the Special Issue on Latent-Defect Screening as he explores the difficulties of current methods and calls for new solutions.
Hepatitis C: implications for the general physician.

Approximately 4 million people in the United States are affected with chronic hepatitis C—20%–25% of whom will develop cirrhosis. Determination of the stage of disease and extent of cirrhosis requires liver biopsy. In cirrhotic patients, regular screening for hepatocellular carcinoma is indicated.
Historical Origins of a Welfare-State Regime: Unemployment Protection in Japan, 1919–1949

Although Japan since the 1920s witnessed unemployment, no system of unemployment insurance existed in Japan until after the end of World War II. Historians of welfare and labor have taken this to mean that the prewar Japanese government deviated from international standards of welfare policy, an argument that ties into notions of Japan as a liberal welfare state in the literature on varieties of capitalism and welfare-state regimes. The present paper confronts this type of argument from two angles. First, the type of unemployment that Japanese society faced in the 1920s was substantially different from that the advanced industrialized countries in Europe, North America, and Oceania had to deal with, as can be shown by analyses of the structure of the work force. Second, the main problem actually posed by unemployment in Japan, i.e. the situation of day laborers, was addressed, albeit not by the central state, but by municipal governments who installed local relief associations. If one acknowledges the potential of historical studies to contribute to social science typologies, the results of the present paper show that the claim that Japan is a liberal welfare state regime is difficult to sustain.
Chelating agents in the treatment of poisoning by polymerizable radioelements.

THE rate of reaction between a chelating agent and a hydrolysable polyvalent metal ion such as thorium (IV) is dependent on the degree of polymerization of the metal ion. It would be anticipated, therefore, that the degree to which a chelating agent might enhance the excretion rate of certain radioelements from the body would be variable even though factors such as dose and route of administration were kept constant. Accordingly, we investigated the effect of a strong chelating agent on the excretion of thorium-234 which was injected intravenously into rats in two different forms—a monomeric, diffusible form and a polymeric or colloidal form. The chelating agent used was diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, which forms an exceptionally strong chelate with thorium1 (the 1 : 1 chelate has a log K = >27).
Application of a stochastic model to the breakage of flocs in stirred tanks

A stochastic model is employed to account for the dynamic behaviour of floc breakage. More specifically, the evolution of the particle-size distribution over time is presented. The model is compared to experimental data obtained by exposing kaolin—iron(III) flocs to hydrodynamic stress generated by a turbine impeller. The agreement between the model and experimental data appears to be satisfactory.
An RNA Stem-Loop within the Bovine Coronavirus nsp1 Coding Region Is a cis-Acting Element in Defective Interfering RNA Replication

Higher-order cis-acting RNA replication structures have been identified in the 3'- and 5'-terminal untranslated regions (UTRs) of a bovine coronavirus (BCoV) defective interfering (DI) RNA. The UTRs are identical to those in the viral genome, since the 2.2-kb DI RNA is composed of only the two ends of the genome fused between an internal site within the 738-nucleotide (nt) 5'-most coding region (the nsp1, or p28, coding region) and a site just 4 nt upstream of the 3'-most open reading frame (ORF) (the N gene). The joined ends of the viral genome in the DI RNA create a single continuous 1,635-nt ORF, 288 nt of which come from the 738-nt nsp1 coding region. Here, we have analyzed features of the 5'-terminal 288-nt portion of the nsp1 coding region within the continuous ORF that are required for DI RNA replication. We observed that (i) the 5'-terminal 186 nt of the nsp1 coding region are necessary and sufficient for DI RNA replication, (ii) two Mfold-predicted stem-loops within the 186-nt sequence, named SLV (nt 239 to 310) and SLVI (nt 311 to 340), are supported by RNase structure probing and by nucleotide covariation among closely related group 2 coronaviruses, and (iii) SLVI is a required higher-order structure for DI RNA replication based on mutation analyses. The function of SLV has not been evaluated. We conclude that SLVI within the BCoV nsp1 coding region is a higher-order cis-replication element for DI RNA and postulate that it functions similarly in the viral genome.
Mechanical, cellular, and molecular factors interact to modulate circulating endothelial cell progenitors.

It appears that there are two classes of human circulating endothelial cell (EC) progenitors, CD34+ and CD34–CD14+ cells. Attention has focused on CD34+ cells, yet CD34–CD14+ monocytic cells are fa...
Estrogen receptor transcription and transactivation: Estrogen receptor knockout mice - what their phenotypes reveal about mechanisms of estrogen action

Natural, synthetic and environmental estrogens have numerous effects on the development and physiology of mammals. Estrogen is primarily known for its role in the development and functioning of the female reproductive system. However, roles for estrogen in male fertility, bone, the circulatory system and immune system have been established by clinical observations regarding sex differences in pathologies, as well as observations following menopause or castration. The primary mechanism of estrogen action is via binding and modulation of activity of the estrogen receptors (ERs), which are ligand-dependent nuclear transcription factors. ERs are found in highest levels in female tissues critical to reproduction, including the ovaries, uterus, cervix, mammary glands and pituitary gland. Since other affected tissues have extremely low levels of ER, indirect effects of estrogen, for example induction of pituitary hormones that affect the bone, have been proposed. The development of transgenic mouse models that lack either estrogen or ER have proven to be valuable tools in defining the mechanisms by which estrogen exerts its effects in various systems. The aim of this article is to review the mouse models with disrupted estrogen signaling and describe the associated phenotypes.
Multi-Agent systems hardware development and deployment for smart grid control applications

A Multi-Agent System (MAS) for Smart Grid control is developed as part of the West Virginia Super Circuit (WVSC) Smart Grid Demonstration project. Both software and hardware deployment of the technology is being carried out on an Analog Power Simulator upgraded and automated to meet the Smart Grid requirements. The Multi-Agent System which is developed is based on mimicking the Human Immune System Cells behavior to intelligently perform feeder fault location, isolation, reconfiguration and restoration for a specific layout of the existing Allegheny Power West Run circuit.
Speed Up Queries in Unstructured Peer-to-Peer Networks

Unstructured peer-to-peer networks have gained a lot of popularity due to their resilience to network dynamics. The core operation in such networks is to efficiently locate resources. However, existing query schemes, e.g., flooding, random walks and interest-based shortcut, suffer various problems in reducing communication overhead, and shortening response time. In this paper, we study the problems in prior works, and propose a new query scheme by mixing inter-cluster queries, and intra-cluster queries. Specifically, the proposed scheme works by efficiently locating the clusters sharing similar interests with inter-cluster queries, and then exhaustively searching the nodes in the found clusters with intra-cluster queries. To facilitate the scheme, we propose a clustering algorithm to cluster nodes that share similar interests, and a labeling algorithm to explicitly capture the clusters's borders. As demonstrated by extensive simulations, our new query scheme can improve the system performance significantly by delivering a better tradeoff between communication overhead and response time.
Laparoscopic excision of a giant splenic vascular tumor

The splenic vascular tumor referred to as a hemangioma is rare and typically presents as a small asymptomatic lesion. We report a case of a giant splenic cyst in a 13-year-old boy with abdominal distension. He underwent laparoscopic excision of the splenic cyst without complication. Pathology revealed a vascular tumor. At 15 months of follow-up, he continued to be asymptomatic, and abdominal ultrasound showed no recurrence of his disease. Laparoscopic excision of giant splenic cysts is a viable option in children, allowing for preservation of normal splenic tissue.
A Factor Analysis of the University Residence Environmental Scale: Recommendations and Modifications.

A factor analysis was performed on data collected from 472 male and female undergraduates who completed the University Residence Environmental Scale (URES). Although ten meaningful factors corresponding to the original ten URES scales were derived from the factor analysis, only 50 of the original items were retained as marker items. Seven of these marker items loaded in a manner contrary to the original URES assignment of items to scales. Only 36% of the total variance was accounted for by the ten factors. Further, 16% of the total variance was accounted for by the "involvement" factor. Implications were made concerning the possible replacement of nonloading items and subsequent analyses on new data, the development of a short form based on the current research, and further research to test the factor structure of the 50 marker items obtained in the current study.
Non-linear image enhancement for digital TV applications using Gabor filters

We propose a non-linear image enhancement method based on Gabor filters, which allows selective enhancement based on the contrast sensitivity function of the human visual system. We also propose an evaluation method for measuring the performance of the algorithm and for comparing it with existing approaches. The selective enhancement of the proposed approach is especially suitable for digital television applications to improve the perceived visual quality of the images when the source image contains less satisfactory amount of high frequencies due to various reasons, including interpolation that is used to convert standard definition sources into high-definition images.
A potential role for xylem-phloem interactions in the hydraulic architecture of trees: effects of phloem girdling on xylem hydraulic conductance.

Summary We investigated phloem–xylem interactions in Acer rubrum L. and Acer saccharum Marsh. Our experimental method allowed us to determine xylem conductance of an intact branch by measuring the flow rate of water supplied at two delivery pressures to the cut end of a small side branch. We found that removal of bark tissue (phloem girdling) upstream of the point at which deionized water was delivered to the branch resulted in a decrease (24% for A. rubrum and 15% for A. saccharum) in branch xylem hydraulic conductance. Declines in hydraulic conductance with girdling were accompanied by a decrease in the osmotic concentration of xylem sap. The decrease in xylem sap concentration following phloem girdling suggests that ion redistribution from the phloem was responsible for the observed decline in hydraulic conductance. When the same measurements were made on branches perfused with KCl solution (~140 mOsm kg –1 ), phloem girdling had no effect on xylem hydraulic conductance. These results suggest a functional link between phloem and xylem hydraulic systems that is mediated by changes in the ionic content of the cell sap.
Functional analysis of the zinc finger and activation domains of Glis3 and mutant Glis3(NDH1)

The Kruppel-like zinc finger protein Gli-similar 3 (Glis3) plays a critical role in pancreatic development and has been implicated in a syndrome with neonatal diabetes and hypothyroidism (NDH). In this study, we examine three steps critical in the mechanism of the transcriptional regulation by Glis3: its translocation to the nucleus, DNA binding and transcriptional activity. We demonstrate that the putative bipartite nuclear localization signal is not required, but the tetrahedral configuration of the fourth zinc finger is essential for the nuclear localization of Glis3. We identify (G/C)TGGGGGGT(A/C) as the consensus sequence of the optimal, high-affinity Glis3 DNA-binding site (Glis-BS). All five zinc finger motifs are critical for efficient binding of Glis3 to Glis-BS. We show that Glis3 functions as a potent inducer of (Glis-BS)-dependent transcription and contains a transactivation function at its C-terminus. A mutation in Glis3 observed in NDH1 patients results in a frameshift mutation and a C-terminal truncated Glis3. We demonstrate that this truncation does not effect the nuclear localization but results in the loss of Glis3 transactivating activity. The loss in Glis3 transactivating function may be responsible for the abnormalities observed in NDH1.
Frequency Offset Estimation for MB-OFDM-based UWB Systems

We address low-complexity, highly-accurate frequency offset estimation for MB-OFDM-based UWB systems. We discuss unique characteristics of the MB-OFDM systems, namely, different carrier frequency offsets, different channel responses, different channel energies, and different preamble structures in different frequency bands. Utilizing them, we develop frequency offset estimators based on the best linear unbiased estimation principle. If compared to the conventional estimators using correlation and averaging, our proposed methods achieve better estimation performance for all preamble patterns and the improvement is more significant for the preamble patterns 3 and 4 of the MB-OFDM system in [2].
Successful Oral Ciprofloxacin Therapy of Neisseria elongata Endocarditis

Objective: To report successful oral ciprofloxacin therapy for Neisseria elongata endocarditis. Case Summary: A patient with N elongata endocarditis refused parenteral therapy, but his infection completely resolved with 7 weeks of oral ciprofloxacin. Discussion: This patient’s refusal of parenteral therapy prompted the use of oral ciprofloxacin because it is well absorbed and was expected to be very active against his organism. His infection resolved and did not relapse. Although successful oral therapy has been reported for endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, primarily in injection drug users, completely oral therapy for other organisms has not been previously described. Conclusions: When parenteral therapy is not possible, oral administration of highly active, well-absorbed antibiotics may be effective for selected cases of endocarditis caused by susceptible organisms.
Tax and Regulatory Motivations for Issuing Non‐voting, Non‐convertible Preferred Stock

This paper extends prior studies that attempt to explain the existence of unique securities, particularly Engel, Erickson, and Maydew [1999], by investigating why firms issue non-voting, non-convertible preferred stock (PS) instead of other securities. We find that the choice of PS is influenced by tax and regulatory changes imposed by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA86) and the 1989 Basle Banking Accord as well as various firm specific incentives. We find that industrials issue PS to preserve tax attributes by avoiding an ownership change and to maximize foreign tax credit utilization. In addition, we find that the regulatory requirements of the Basle Accord influence the choice by banks to issue PS. Finally, we show that although firms could have issued alternative securities that would have allowed them to achieve the same tax or regulatory goals, firm specific factors limit their ability to do so. For example, firms can also avoid triggering an ownership change by issuing straight debt, however, financial distress considerations may constrain their ability to issue additional debt. Therefore, we demonstrate that the final choice of PS is influenced by a combination of tax, regulatory, and firm specific incentives.
An aeronautical-mobile satellite experiment

The authors describe the results of a recently completed joint US NASA/US FAA/International Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) satellite experiment using a land-mobile satellite communication terminal developed by the Jet Propulsion Lab. The experiment was performed in two parts during 1989. The first segment of the experiment consisted of establishing a full duplex 4800-b/s digital data and voice communication link through the INMARSAT Marecs B2 satellite between Atlantic City, NJ, and Southway, CT. The second segment consisted of establishing the same communication link between Southbury and an aircraft flying along the East Coast of the US. During both segments, a series of tests was performed to characterize the terminal performance over the links. The experimental setup and the results of the speech and data experiments are presented. Any differences in performance between theory/simulation laboratory, and field operation are emphasized and analyzed. >
Effects of Leading-Edge Lateral Blowing on Delta Wing Aerodynamics

An experimental and computational study was carried out to investigate the effects of lateral blowing on a delta wing at low to moderate angles of attack. Motivation for the present study is to use lateral blowing to increase lift and to provide roll control for a high-speed configuration during takeoff and landing approaches. For this purpose, lateral blowing was applied through blowing slots along the leading edge of a delta wing symmetrically to increase lift and asymmetrically to induce rolling moments. Computed solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations were obtained for the same wing geometry. Computations successfully captured the qualitative trends observed in the experiments. The physics of the blowing scheme, the underlying mechanisms of the control reversal phenomenon, and the higher efficiency of partial slot blowing compared with full slot blowing were determined by both examining the experimental and computational results.
Down the Block and Around the Corner The Impact of Radio Propagation on Inter-vehicle Wireless Communication

Vehicular networks are emerging as a new distributed system environment with myriad possible applications. Most studies on vehicular networks are carried out via simulation, given the logistical and economical problems with large-scale deployments. This paper investigates the impact of realistic radio propagation settings on the evaluation of VANET-based systems. Using a set of instrumented cars, we collected IEEE 802.11b signal propagation measurements between vehicles in a variety of urban and suburban environments. We found that signal propagation between vehicles varies in different settings, especially between line-of-sight ("down the block") and non line-of-sight ("around the corner") communication in the same setting. Using a probabilistic shadowing model, we evaluate the impact of different parameter settings on the performance of an epidemic data dissemination protocol and discuss the implications of our findings. We also suggest a variation of a basic signal propagation model that incorporates additional realism without sacrificing scalability by taking advantage of environmental information, including node locations and street information.
Substitution or Symbiosis? Assessing the Relationship between Religious and Secular Giving

Research on philanthropy has not sufficiently examined whether charitable giving to religious causes impinges on giving to secular causes. Examining three waves of national panel data, we find that the relationship between religious and secular giving is generally not of a zero-sum nature; families that increase their religious giving also increase their secular giving. We argue that this finding is best accounted for by a practice theory of social action which emphasizes how religious congregations foster skills and practices related to charitable giving. We also argue that denominational variation in the influence of religious giving is best accounted for by the financial structuring of the denomination. We conclude with the implications for studies of religious causal influence more generally.