cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Poxviral/Retroviral Chimeric Vectors Allow Cytoplasmic Production of Transducing Defective Retroviral Particles

Defective vaccinia viruses were constructed that express functional Moloney murine leukemia virus-based vector genomes, giving rise to substantial titers of transduction-competent retrovirus particles after infection of a retroviral packaging cell line. For this purpose, the proviral retrovirus genome, engineered into the vaccinia virus mutant, was subjected to several modifications, including the replacement of retroviral promoter sequences by vaccinia virus sequences and the precise fusion of the transcription stop signal downstream of and the removal of such signals within the transcription unit, allowing cytoplasmic transcription of distinct full-length retroviral transcripts. Vaccinia-mediated expression of retroviral vector particles could be observed as early as 3 h postinfection and resulted in stable transduction of NIH/3T3 target cells at higher titers than the control performed by conventional plasmid transfections. Thus at least part of the vaccinia life cycle and retroviral assembly can occur concomitantly. Due to the favorable properties of vaccinia vectors, including high coding capacity, stability, and wide host range, defective vaccinia viral/retroviral chimeric vectors are promising tools for gene therapy applications.
Fine-needle aspiration of thyroid nodules: a study of 4703 patients with histologic and clinical correlations.

BACKGROUND. The Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology recently proposed 6 diagnostic categories for the classification of thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. Using these categories, the experience with FNA from 2 institutions was studied with emphasis on cytologic-histologic correlation, source of errors, and clinical management. METHODS. Patient cytology data were retrieved by a retrospective search of thyroid FNA in the institutional databases. Cytologic diagnoses were classified as unsatisfactory, benign, atypical cellular lesion (ACL), follicular neoplasm (FN), suspicious for malignancy, and positive for malignancy. Samples with a histologic discrepancy were re-evaluated, and clinical follow-up information was recorded. RESULTS. Of of 4703 FNA samples, 10.4% were classified as unsatisfactory, 64.6% were classified as benign, 3.2% were classified as ACL, 11.6% were classified as FN, 2.6% were classified as suspicious, and 7.6% were classified as malignant. Five hundred twelve patients had at least 1 repeat FNA, mainly for results in the unsatisfactory and ACL categories. One thousand fifty-two patients had surgical follow-up, including 14.9% of patients with unsatisfactory FNA results, 9.8% of patients with benign results, 40.6% of patients with ACL results, 63.1% of patients with FN results, 86.1% of patients with suspicious results, and 79.3% of patients with malignant results. The rates for histologically confirmed malignancy in these categories were 10.9%, 7.3%, 13.5%, 32.2%, 64.7%, and 98.6%, respectively. The cytologic-histologic diagnostic discrepancy rate was 15.3%. Sources of errors included diagnoses on inadequate specimens, sample errors, and overlapping cytologic features between hyperplastic nodules and follicular adenoma. The sensitivity and specificity of thyroid FNA for the diagnosis of malignancy were 94% and 98.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS. The current results indicated that FNA provides an accurate diagnosis of thyroid malignancy. The 6 diagnostic categories were beneficial for triaging patients for either clinical follow-up or surgical management. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
The chick chorioallantoic membrane as a model system for the study of tissue invasion by viral transformed cells.

Abstract The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) was used as an assay system to investigate the invasive properties of viral transformed NIH/3T3 cells. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that single Kirsten sarcoma virus (KISV)-transformed cells passed between the epithelial cells of the CAM ectoderm within 6 hr of application, while viable NIH/3T3 cells did not penetrate the ectoderm within 24 hr. The transformed cells entered the mesoderm of the CAM and formed tumors of proliferating cells. The application of 5 × 10 5 KiSV-transformed cells resulted in the formation of donor cell tumors within 5 days in 43% of the membranes. No tumors were formed when as many as 5 × 10 6 NIH/3T3 cells were applied to the membrane. NIH/3T3 cells transformed by the Abelson leukemia virus or the Moloney sarcoma virus also invaded the CAM and formed tumors of proliferating cells within the mesoderm, while cells infected with the Moloney leukemia virus did not. NIH/3T3 cells inoculated onto the CAM 8 days after infection and transformation with KiSV formed tumors with a frequency similar to that of KiSV-transformed cells that have been passaged in culture for many generations. Cells that formed invasive tumors within the mesoderm also attracted loops of host blood vessels.
The Need for a Discussion of the Media in the Basic Course.

The basic speech course is an important part of any student's education and, as such, it should be continuously adjusted and improved to keep pace with the student's needs. The author suggests that, with the ascendance of mediated messages witnessed in the last several decades, the basic course must take the media into account if it is to remain a viable part of a student's college education.
Intact and top-down characterization of biomolecules and direct analysis using infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization coupled to FT-ICR mass spectrometry.

We report the implementation of an infrared laser onto our previously reported matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (MALDESI) source with ESI post-ionization yielding multiply charged peptides and proteins. Infrared (IR)-MALDESI is demonstrated for atmospheric pressure desorption and ionization of biological molecules ranging in molecular weight from 1.2 to 17 kDa. High resolving power, high mass accuracy single-acquisition Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectra were generated from liquid- and solid-state peptide and protein samples by desorption with an infrared laser (2.94 µm) followed by ESI post-ionization. Intact and top-down analysis of equine myoglobin (17 kDa) desorbed from the solid state with ESI post-ionization demonstrates the sequencing capabilities using IR-MALDESI coupled to FT-ICR mass spectrometry. Carbohydrates and lipids were detected through direct analysis of milk and egg yolk using both UV- and IR-MALDESI with minimal sample preparation. Three of the four classes of biological macromolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids) have been ionized and detected using MALDESI with minimal sample preparation. Sequencing of O-linked glycans, cleaved from mucin using reductive β-elimination chemistry, is also demonstrated.
The role of the T3 molecular complex in antigen recognition and subsequent activation events

Monoclonal antibodies raised against human T lymphocytes have identified several cell surface structures that are intimately involved in T-cell function. Perhaps the most familiar is the structure labelled T3. First identified as an antigen five years ago, it is now known to be a complex of at least three molecular species that is found on all T lymphocytes. There seems little doubt that T3 is closely associated with the antigen receptor on these cells, but how? A new (and different) answer is proposed in each of the following articles.
Simulations, case studies, and an online text: a web-based resource for teaching statistics

The Rice Virtual Laboratory in Statistics is an integrated combination of simulations/demonstrations, case studies, statistical analysis capabilities, and an electronic textbook. The simulations and demonstrations help make abstract concepts concrete and allow students to investigate various aspects of statistical tests and distributions. Case studies demonstrate the real-world applicability of statistical methods. The electronic textbook covers basic concepts in statistics and data analysis and contains links to data analysis tools, instructional simulations/demonstrations, and other on-line texts. An experiment with undergraduate students found that learning by simulation led to better transfer of statistical principles to everyday problems. Materials are available on the World Wide Web at \(\).
Spin diffusion in two-dimensional MnX2−4 antiferromagnets with dipolar broadening☆

Abstract Comparison of the exchange-narrowed EPR linewidths Δ H of single crystals of K 2 MnF 4 and 1, 3-propanediammonium MnCl 4 , both or which are two-dimensional antiferromagnets with comparable isotropic exchange, yields direct evidence for spin diffusion due to the q = 0 secular dipolar term, with its characteristic (3 cos 2 θ −1) 2 angular dependence. A general scaling argument is developed for Δ H in isostructural systems with dipolar broadening in order to identify diffusive contributions and cut offs even when the absorption is lorentzian and the required spin correlation functions are not explicitly known.
(d,n) Reactions with 15-Mev Deuterons. II. Neutron Energy Spectra and Yields

Energy spectra of neutrons produced by bombarding several thick targets with 15-Mev deuterons were measured at various angles by observing proton recoils in photographic plates and in a triple coincidence-anticoincidence proportional counter telescope. The spectra measured in or near the forward direction strongly indicate a stripping rather than a compound nucleus interaction, while for those measured at large angles the opposite is the case. Analyses of the shapes of the spectra at low energy, and a study of the yields as a function of atomic number indicate that the stripping process is one in which the penetration of a coulomb barrier is important. This, together with an estimate of the relative cross sections for stripping and compound nucleus formation, also seems to favor a stripping process in which the proton is captured by nuclear forces rather than one in which the deuteron is broken up by electric forces.
Restless Legs Syndrome: a common disorder, but rarely diagnosed and barely treated--an Indian experience.

Abstract Objective Restless Legs Syndrome is a common problem that is under-diagnosed. This disorder has a significant socio-economic impact as it worsens quality of life. There is either no or little data available in terms of the Indian context. Methods Patients who presented with insomnia or leg pain were screened for Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in the Psychiatry and Neurology departments of a tertiary care teaching institution from June 2011 to October 2011. One hundred consecutive patients diagnosed with RLS were included. Duration of symptoms, previous medical consultation history, and treatment received were scrutinized and recorded. Severity of RLS was assessed using the IRLS Hindi version. For statistical analysis, descriptive analysis and independent sample t -test were used. Results Out of 653 subjects with insomnia or leg pain, 15.31% of the subjects had RLS. Females outnumbered males by a ratio of 2:1. Ninety-four percent of subjects had a moderate to very severe form of the illness. Only 32% of subjects reported leg symptoms to their physician on each visit. The rest of the patients sought an opinion for other symptoms like insomnia, daytime-fatigue, memory impairment, irritability, etc. Eighty percent of patients visited a general Physician or a primary care Physician. On average, five consultations were made before patients came to see us. None of the patients were diagnosed with RLS by any of their general Physicians or by specialists like neurologists, psychiatrists, etc. Common misdiagnoses (available in just 8% of cases) for legs symptoms were arthritis, calcium deficiency, worms in the stomach, depression, anxiety, stress, and vitamin deficiency. All the patients were prescribed medicines. Benzodiazepines were the most frequently prescribed drugs (97%), followed by injectable vitamin B-Complex (95% cases), calcium tablets (62% cases), selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors (30%), and tri-cyclic antidepressants (25%). Proton pump inhibitors or NSAIDs were prescribed to almost all the patients along with previously mentioned drugs. Conclusion Diagnosis of RLS was missed not only by general physicians, but also by specialists like neurologists and psychiatrists. Most of the time diagnosis could not be established, yet medicines were prescribed. Many of these medicines were either ineffective or deleterious to RLS.
Multiple paternity in loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) nests on Melbourne Beach, Florida: a microsatellite analysis

Many aspects of sea turtle biology are difficult to measure in these enigmatic migratory species, and this lack of knowledge continues to hamper conservation efforts. The first study of paternity in a sea turtle species used allozyme analysis to suggest multiple paternity in loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) clutches in Australia. Subsequent studies indicated that the frequency of multiple paternity varies from species to species and perhaps location to location. This study examined fine-scale population structure and paternal contribution to loggerhead clutches on Melbourne Beach, FL, USA using microsatellite markers. Mothers and offspring from 70 nests collected at two locations were analysed using two to four polymorphic microsatellite loci. Fine-scale population differentiation was not evident between the sampled locations, separated by 8 km. Multiple paternity was common in loggerhead nests on Melbourne Beach; 22 of 70 clutches had more than one father, and six had more than two fathers. This is the first time that more than two fathers have been detected for offspring in individual sea turtle nests. Paternal genotypes could not be assigned with confidence in clutches with more than two fathers, leaving the question of male philopatry unanswered. Given the high incidence of multiple paternity, we conclude that males are not a limiting resource for this central Florida nesting aggregate.
Torsional vibration reduction using passive nonlinear absorbers

This paper considers the dynamic performance of systems of centrifugal pendulum vibration absorbers that are used to attenuate torsional vibrations in rotating systems. These absorbers, which can be found in certain IC engines and helicopter rotors, consist of movable masses whose centers of mass are kinematically restricted to move along prescribed paths relative to the rotor of interest. The most common choice for absorber paths are simple circles that are slightly mistuned from the desired order, so that undesirable nonlinear behaviors are avoided when the absorbers undergo large amplitude motions. In this work we consider a range of different path types and tunings, with the goal of optimizing performance over a wide operating range. This analytical study relies on a mathematical model of a rotor fitted with N identical, general-path absorbers, and utilizes perturbation techniques to obtain analytical estimates for the response of the rotor and the absorbers. The results are used to select path parameters based on selected performance measures, and the results are verified via simulation studies. It is shown that slightly overtuned cycloidal paths provide excellent vibration reduction characteristics and prevent the occurrence of nonlinear instabilities and vibration localization in the response of the absorbers.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Travel Schooling: Helping Children Learn through Travel

(2001). Travel Schooling: Helping Children Learn through Travel. Childhood Education: Vol. 77, International Focus Issue 2001, pp. 345-350.
POSTER: TLS Proxies: Friend or Foe?

The use of TLS proxies to intercept encrypted traffic is controversial since the same mechanism can be used for both benevolent purposes, such as protecting against malware, and for malicious purposes, such as identity theft or warrantless government surveillance. To understand the prevalence and uses of these proxies, we build a TLS proxy measurement tool and deploy it via a Google AdWords campaign. We generate 2.9 million certificate tests and find that 1 in 250 TLS connections are proxied. The majority of these proxies appear to be benevolent, however we identify over 1,000 cases where three malware products are using this technology nefariously. We also find numerous instances of negligent and duplicitous behavior, some of which degrade security for users without their knowledge.
Electroless gold island thin films: photoluminescence and thermal transformation to nanoparticle ensembles.

Electroless gold island thin films are formed by galvanic replacement of silver reduced onto a tin-sensitized silica surface. A novel approach to create nanoparticle ensembles with tunable particle dimensions, densities, and distributions by thermal transformation of these electroless gold island thin films is presented. Deposition time is adjusted to produce monomodal ensembles of nanoparticles from 9.5 ± 4.0 to 266 ± 22 nm at densities from 2.6 × 1011 to 4.3 × 108 particles cm-2. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy reveal electroless gold island film structures as well as nanoparticle dimensions, densities, and distributions obtained by watershed analysis. Transmission UV−vis spectroscopy reveals photoluminescent features that suggest ultrathin EL films may be smoother than sputtered Au films. X-ray diffraction shows Au films have predominantly (111) orientation.
Fredrick Patton Thieme (1914–1989)

Fredrick Patton Thieme died July 12, 1989. He was 75 years old. He suffered a stroke at the family home on Vashon Island two weeks before his death, and never recovered. Fred was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1914. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1938, was employed for a time by Union Pacific and by Allied Aviation before joining the Navy in 1943. After World War II, he entered the graduate program in anthropology at Columbia University. There he studied physical anthropology under H. L. Shapiro and S. L. Washburn. As a graduate student he completed a genetic and anthropometric field study in Puerto Rico in 1949. He did a functional anatomical study of lumbar breakdown and lumbo-sacral fusion as the
Optimization of a multi-well array SERS chip

SERS-active substrates are fabricated by oblique angle deposition and patterned by a polymer-molding technique to provide a uniform array for high throughput biosensing and multiplexing. Using a conventional SERS-active molecule, 1,2-Bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE), we show that this device provides a uniform Raman signal enhancement from well to well. The patterning technique employed in this study demonstrates a flexibility allowing for patterning control and customization, and performance optimization of the substrate. Avian influenza is analyzed to demonstrate the ability of this multi-well patterned SERS substrate for biosensing.
Electron‐transfer polymers. XL. Redox polyamides

By condensing a hydroquinone bis-lactone of 1,4-dihydroxybenzene-2,5-bis(ethyl-2′-carboxylic acid) with diamines such as hexamethylene diamine, piperazine, 4-aminoethylpiperidine, or 1,3-di-(4′-piperidinyl) propane, redox polyamides can be prepared. The lactone functions protect the hydroxyl groups until the polymerization occurs at which point, due to the opening of the lactone rings, free hydroquinone hydroxyls appear. The resulting polymer is oxidizable. When the oxidized polymer is reduced the viscosity is higher than that of the original reduced polymer.
A study of paraprofessionals in mental health.

This article summarizes data gathered on 15 paraprofessional training programs sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Data on the backgrounds of trainees working as paraprofessionals are presented along with a breakdown of the kinds of tasks in which they are employed, as well as characteristics linked with ratings of success and retention in the programs. Trainees tended to be employed in a wide variety of tasks, often at rather sophisticated levels. Analysis of the tasks indicates that projects are fulfilling the NIMH New Careers goal of contributing to greater community impact in mental health. Results corroborate earlier findings that paraprofessionals have been accepted both by professionals and clients.
Inventory control with general demand and lead time distributions

This paper extends an earlier paper in this journal by Murphy (1975) by presenting practical approaches for determining the expected lost sales for a reorder level system of inventory control. First, a set of formulas are derived for computing the first four moments (f.f.m.) of the lead time demand, these formulas are applicable to any distribution forms of daily demand and lead time. By fitting the lead time demand's f.f.m. to either a beta or a Schmeiser-Deutsch distribution, this paper then demonstrates how the expected lost sales can be easily computed. The approaches presented provide accurate modelling for diversified situations and the computations can be easily performed manually.
USING A CARD TRICK TO TEACH DISCRETE MATHEMATICS

ABSTRACT We present a card trick that can be used to review or teach a variety of topics in discrete mathematics. We address many subjects, including permutations, combinations, functions, graphs, depth first search, the pigeonhole principle, greedy algorithms, and concepts from number theory. Moreover, the trick motivates the use of computers in mathematical research. The ultimate solution to the card trick makes use of Hall's Distinct Representative Theorem.
Paracrine regulation of theca androgen production by granulosa cells in the ovary

Objective To test whether and to what extent inhibin mediates Cyp17 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in theca cells (TCs) in response to FSH stimulation of granulosa cells (GCs). Design Ex vivo and in vitro experimental study. Setting University. Animal(s) Immature female Sprague Dawley rats. Intervention(s) Ovarian tissue explants and isolated theca cell preparations with or without GCs were treated with FSH, inhibin, inhibin antibody, or β-glycan antibody. Main Outcome Measure(s) As a key enzyme in androgen production, Cyp17 mRNA levels were measured by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Result(s) After 24 hours, Cyp17 mRNA expression was dose-dependently increased by FSH in ovarian tissue explants and theca cells, suggesting that paracrine factor(s) secreted from GCs in response to FSH mediates Cyp17 mRNA expression in TCs. Antibodies against inhibin and inhibin coreceptor, β-glycan, blocked the stimulatory effect of FSH on Cyp17 mRNA expression. However, inhibin alone did not increase Cyp17 mRNA level to the same extent. Conclusion(s) These findings suggest a role for inhibin in the paracrine regulation of TC Cyp17 mRNA expression by GCs influenced by FSH; however, other paracrine factors produced by GCs by virtue of FSH seem to be required.
The role of cyclooxygenase inhibitors in repair of ischaemic‐injured jejunal mucosa in the horse

Summary Cyclooxygenase inhibitors are administered to horses to prevent endotoxin-induced elaboration of prostaglandins. However, PGE2 and PGI2 stimulate repair of injured intestine. There are 2 isoforms of cyclooxygenase: COX-1, which constitutively produces prostaglandins and COX-2, which is induced by inflammation. We hypothesised that the nonspecific cyclooxygenase inhibitor flunixin meglumine would retard repair of ischaemic intestinal injury by preventing production of reparative prostaglandins, whereas the selective COX-2 inhibitor, etodolac, would permit repair as a result of continued COX-1 prostaglandin production. Segments of equine jejunum were subjected to ischaemia for 1 h, and recovered for 4 h in Ussing chambers. In ischaemic tissue, treated with the nonspecific cyclooxygenase inhibitor, flunixin meglumine (2.7 times 10−5 mol/1), production of PGE2 and PGI2 was inhibited, and there was no evidence of recovery based on measurements of transepithelial resistance. Conversely, untreated ischaemic tissues or tissues treated with the specific COX-2 inhibitor etodolac (2.7 times 10−5 mol/1) had significant elevations in PGE2 and PGI2, and significant recovery of transepithelial resistance. These studies suggest that specific COX-2 inhibitors may provide an advantageous alternative to nonspecific cyclooxygenase inhibitors in horses with colic.
Mild ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization: one perspective from the USA

Purpose To provide a perspective regarding mild ovarian stimulation, taking into account particular issues relevant in the United States
Properties of nanocrystalline zinc produced by gas condensation

Abstract The design and operation of an experimental facility to generate nanocrystalline zinc by the expansion of zinc and argon vapor in a supersonic free jet are described. The grain size of the compacted nanocrystalline zinc was found to lie between 10 and 20 nm and could be controlled by the zinc mole fraction in the stream and the back pressure in the expansion section. Measurements of physical properties show that nanocrystalline zinc is 5 to 7 times harder than polycrystalline material and the hardness decreases with increasing grain size. Some results from strain rate sensitivity and positron annihilation experiments are also reported.
Losing faith and finding religion: Religiosity over the life course and substance use and abuse

Abstract Background Religion has only come into the light of scientific inquiry as a factor influencing health and behavior in the last few decades. While religiosity is a protective factor for contemporaneous substance misuse, the relationship between longitudinal changes in religiosity and substance use outcomes is understudied. Methods Using data from the National Comorbidity Study – Replication ( N = 6203), we examined how changes in religiosity from childhood to adulthood are related to use and abuse/dependence of licit (alcohol and tobacco) and illicit drugs. Multivariable logistic regression was used to account for potential confounders including demographic characteristics, familial disruption during childhood, and comorbid major depression. Results Religiosity was inversely associated with use and misuse of both licit and illicit substances; however this relationship varied by level of childhood religiosity. Relative to stable levels of religiosity from childhood to adulthood, a 2-unit decrease in religiosity from childhood was associated with increased likelihood of illicit drug use in the past year (odds ratio (OR): 2.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39–4.25). However, a 2-unit increase in religiosity was also associated with past-year illicit drug use (OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.09–3.13). Comparable associations were found with a range of recent and lifetime measures of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. Conclusions Substantial gains or losses in religiosity from childhood to adulthood are associated with substance use and misuse. Findings support the use of a life course approach to understanding the relationship between religiosity and substance use outcomes.
Vapor-liquid equilibrium of molecular fluid mixtures by equation of state

Abstract The description and prediction of the vapor-liquid equilibrium of molecular fluid mixtures by equation of state is reviewed. Seven equations of state are compared with experimental data. Results of the comparison are reported for mixtures of non-polar and slightly polar substances over a wide image of pressure, temperature, and molecular variety. The experimental data base of the comparison includes 20 symmetric mixtures, 20 methane-containing mixtures, 17 hydrogen mixtures, 18 carbon dioxide mixtures, and 12 nitrogen mixtures. Interaction constants are determined and reported for all the mixtures studied.
Distinguishing Resource Competition and Chemical Interference: Overcoming the Methodological Impasse

Understanding allelopathy may hold the key to new weed management strategies. However, the difficulty of distinguishing chemical interference from competition has hindered studies of allelopathy in natural and cultivated plant communities. Experimental rigor has increased, but has yet to provide unambiguous proof of allelopathy. The complexities of allelopathic interactions, as illustrated by ongoing investigations in the Florida scrub, make it unlikely that clear examples will be forthcoming. While conclusive proof of chemical interference may not be attainable, the challenge of obtaining strong supportive evidence remains. Progress is needed in bioassay methods that distinguish allelopathy from other interference mechanisms. Phytotoxic effects are density-dependent in a manner inconsistent with resource competition, suggesting that allelopathy can be distinguished by characteristic growth responses across planting densities. In monoculture, greater phytotoxicity at low plant densities causes deviations from expected yield-density relationships. In mixed culture, the target-neighbor method, in which differing densities of a neighbor species are planted around a target plant, has been used to study phytotoxic effects. In the presence of an applied phytotoxin, increased growth of sensitive target plants as the density of insensitive neighbors increases is inconsistent with a hypothesis of resource competition and provides compelling, though not conclusive, evidence for chemical interference. Once evidence of allelopathy is obtained from plant growth studies, supportive analytical data must be obtained from analyses of toxin concentrations and flux rates in the soil and rhizosphere. The use of adsorbent materials originally applied to the analysis of organic pollutants should allow the measurement of allelochemical flux rates in addition to static concentrations.
Electron beam induced crystallization of amorphous Al-based alloys in the TEM

Abstract We have measured aluminum-like medium range order (MRO) in amorphous Al 92 Sm 8 using fluctuation electron microscopy (FEM). Here we show similar but not identical medium-range structure in amorphous Al 88 Y 7 Fe 5 . Both compositions begin to crystallize in less than 7 min under a 120 kV TEM electron beam. Beam-induced heating of these samples is minimal, so we suggest that crystallization is caused by beam-induced atomic displacements (knock-on) that introduces free volume or localized mixing, both of which will induce crystallization. If this is the case, the higher beam energies used for high-resolution TEM will exacerbate, not reduce, the problem. Studying these materials in the TEM therefore requires low-dose FEM. Since FEM is an inherently statistical technique, the goal of which is to characterize the entire sample structure, we can reduce the dose to any one area of the sample by spreading the total dose across more material. The only experimental limit is the noise of the electron detector, which makes FEM experiments possible even on metastable materials that suffer from beam damage.
Perspectives on monitoring resistivity changes with telluric signals at Parkfield, California: 1988–1999

Abstract An array designed to detect changes of resistivity in the upper 10 km of the crust has been in continuous operation since 1988. Long period ( T =300–7200 s) telluric signals are recorded digitally on 5–16 km long dipoles. Telluric transfer functions are computed between field dipoles and two reference dipoles and then decomposed to examine daily fluctuations of those functions. Based on analysis of these daily fluctuations, stabilities of 0.1–0.3% are achieved. No intermediate term resistivity changes are seen associated with any of the 5 M b >4.0 earthquakes that have occurred since 1989. Short term fluctuations are seen associated with most of these earthquakes, however. Minimum bounds on resistivity changes that could have caused the fluctuations in the telluric responses range from 1.7 to 13.0%. While these are within the ranges seen in other field studies, the statistical significance of these fluctuations is low because they also occur at many times that cannot be correlated to earthquakes. Comparison of the one potential resistivity change associated with a strain change results in a strain sensitivity that is unrealistically high. This possible resistivity change coincides spatially with a temporary variation in seismic travel time in May–June 1989, however. It is likely that many of the fluctuations in the telluric responses are random variations except for the one in 1989, and recording through the next M∼6 earthquake will be needed in order to detect a statistically significant resistivity change.
On the use of log‐transformation vs. nonlinear regression for analyzing biological power laws

Power-law relationships are among the most well-studied functional relationships in biology. Recently the common practice of fitting power laws using linear regression (LR) on log-transformed data has been criticized, calling into question the conclusions of hundreds of studies. It has been suggested that nonlinear regression (NLR) is preferable, but no rigorous comparison of these two methods has been conducted. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we demonstrate that the error distribution determines which method performs better, with NLR better characterizing data with additive, homoscedastic, normal error and LR better characterizing data with multiplicative, heteroscedastic, lognormal error. Analysis of 471 biological power laws shows that both forms of error occur in nature. While previous analyses based on log-transformation appear to be generally valid, future analyses should choose methods based on a combination of biological plausibility and analysis of the error distribution. We provide detailed guidelines and associated computer code for doing so, including a model averaging approach for cases where the error structure is uncertain.
88 PREDNISONE/AZATHIOPRINE IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE THERAPY FOR INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES (IDD)

Six children aged 8-16 years who had clinical IDD for less than 3 weeks, islet cell autoantibodies (ICA) and DR3 and/or DR4 alleles in their HLA phenotype were given immunotherapy, consisting of 4 alternate day I-V boluses of methylpredisolone (30 mg/kg), predisone (2 mg/kg) for 2 months and azathioprine or Imuran (2-3 mg/kg/day) for at least 1 year. Five children were matched to be non treatment controls. Diabetic control was monitored by optimal insulin requirement in U/Kg/day, plasma HbAlc values, and C-peptide responses to oral Sustacal. Immunotherapy significantly improved the parameters over that of controls. One 9 year old boy was able to discontinue insulin therapy by 4 months of immunotherapy, and has had normal HbAlc and C-peptide levels 11 months later. One 17 year old girl could be maintained in excellent control 15 months after diagnosis with only 0.2 u/kg of insulin per day. One 14 year old girl was maintained on 0.1 u/kg insulin/day at 6 months of therapy but had increasing insulin requirements beyond 9 months despite continued administration of Imuran. One 8 year old girl who showed a good initial response to therapy by 4 months, had to have Imuran discontinued because of toxicity. Two children who initially presented in diabetic ketoacidosis showed no response to immunosuppression. These results suggest that conventional steroid/azothioprine immuncsuppression may provide a less toxic alternative to Cyclosporin in the specific therapy of IDD.
Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation of Biopsy-Proven Ocular Sarcoidosis

Objectives To compare the clinical characteristics of uveitic sarcoidosis in African American and non–African American patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis and to determine which diagnostic test results were most often suggestive of sarcoidosis in patients who were ultimately diagnosed as having the disease. Method Retrospective review of consecutive patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis evaluated by the uveitis service between 1989 and 2009. Results A total of 63 patients with uveitic sarcoidosis were identified: 39 (62%) were African American ( P P P Conclusions In this series, African American patients were more likely to be diagnosed as having uveitic sarcoidosis and to present with uveitis if they were younger than 50 years. White patients were more likely to present when they were older than 50 years. A clinical picture that included granulomatous anterior segment inflammation was more common in African American patients. The use of serum markers (angiotensin-converting enzyme and lysozyme) positively identified more patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis when used in combination with appropriate chest imaging.
Material characterization of a Kelvin chain from dynamic response

The springs and dampers comprising a Kelvin chain can be determined from dynamic test data. The paper shows how to construct the parameters of the chain by using: (a) the dynamic response data to constant load, and (b) the poles and zeros of a collocated transfer function at the end of the chain. The results may be used in characterizing the material properties of a sample from laboratory experimental data.
The quest for a simple bioactive analog of paclitaxel as a potential anticancer agent.

ConspectusPaclitaxel (PTX), introduced into the clinic in 1991, has revealed itself as an effective antimicrotubule drug for treatment of a range of otherwise intractable cancers. Along with docetaxel (DTX) and in combination with other agents such as cisplatin, it has proven to be a first-line therapy. Unfortunately, PTX and DTX carry severe liabilities such as debilitating side effects, rapid onset of resistance, and rather complex molecular structures offering substantial challenges to ease of synthetic manipulation. Consequently, the past 15 years has witnessed many efforts to synthesize and test highly modified analogs based on intuitive structural similarity relationships with the PTX molecular skeleton, as well as efforts to mimic the conformational profile of the ligand observed in the macromolecular tubulin–PTX complex.Highly successful improvements in potency, up to 50-fold increases in IC50, have been achieved by constructing bridges between distal centers in PTX that imitate the conformer of t...
Self-rated health and healthy days: examining the "disability paradox"

Abstract Background There is an important need to better understand how self-evaluations of health are reached among people with and without disabilities. The purpose of the present study was to use epidemiological data to confirm differences in self-rated health and health-related quality of life among people with and without disabilities, and to demonstrate that disability status influences how one thinks about self-rated health. Methods Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) core questions were asked, including self rated health, and the Healthy Days Index. Participants consisted of 303,822 adults (18 or older) from all states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories who responded to the BRFSS in 2004. Results Adults who self-reported an activity limitation or use of adaptive equipment reported poorer self-rated health, more recent days when physical health or mental health was not good, and fewer healthy days. Within the same SRH category, people with disabilities reported significantly more recent days when physical health was not good, more days when mental health was not good, and fewer healthy days than people without disabilities. Conclusions The findings suggest that people with disabilities may construct health or the self-rating process differently than persons without disabilities. Further understanding of the underlying process of health and HRQOL self-assessment may help elucidate the meaning of self-rated health among adults with and without disabilities. This conceptual disentangling of health from disability is necessary to track the achievement of national health objectives.
THYROID HORMONE ACTION: DEMONSTRATION OF PUTATIVE NUCLEAR RECEPTORS IN HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES

ABSTRACT Lymphocytes isolated from hypothyroid patients contain high-affinity, limited-capacity, nuclear binding sites for triiodothyronine (T3). The estimated equilibrium dissociation constant was 3.08 × 10−11M. This value is virtually identical to that determined with GH1 cells, a rat pituitary tumor cell line, in culture. The maximal binding capacity was estimated to be 4 × 10−15 moles of T3 bound per 100 ug of lymphocyte DNA. This is equivalent to approximately 300 molecules of T3 bound per cell nucleus.
Nine post-translational modifications during the biosynthesis of cinnamycin

Lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified antimicrobial peptides that are characterized by the thioether cross-linked amino acids lanthionine (Lan) and methyllanthionine (MeLan). Cinnamycin is a 19 amino acid lantibiotic that contains one Lan and two MeLan. Cinnamycin also contains an unusual lysinoalanine (Lal) bridge formed from the e-amino group of lysine 19 and a serine residue at position 6, and an erythro-3-hydroxy-L-aspartic acid resulting from the hydroxylation of L-aspartate at position 15. These modifications are critical in mediating the interactions of cinnamycin with its target, phosphatidylethanolamine. Recently, the cinnamycin biosynthetic gene cluster (cin) from Streptomyces cinnamoneus cinnamoneus DSM 40005 was reported. Herein, we investigated the biosynthetic machinery using both in vitro studies and heterologous expression in Escherichia coli. CinX is an α-ketoglutarate/iron(II)-dependent hydroxylase that carries out the hydroxylation of aspartate 15 of the precursor peptide CinA. In addition, CinM catalyzes dehydration of four Ser and Thr residues and subsequent cyclization of Cys residues to form the three (Me)Lan bridges. The order of the post-translational modifications catalyzed by CinM and CinX is interchangeable in vitro. CinX did not require the leader sequence at the N-terminus of CinA for activity, but the leader peptide was necessary for CinM function. Although CinM dehydrated serine 6, it did not catalyze the formation of Lal. A small protein encoded by cinorf7 is critical for the formation of the cross-link between Lys19 and dehydroalanine 6 as shown by coexpression studies of CinA, CinM, CinX, and Cinorf7 in E. coli.
Design of an Integrated SiC JFET Power Switch and Flyback Diode

In this paper, we describe the design of a high voltage SiC VJFET monolithically integrated with a JBS diode. The integrated device that was demonstrated up to 834 V in forward blocking doesn’t add any steps to the VJFET fabrication process. While the diode and VJFET share the same surface field termination mechanism, they are partially isolated using implanted field rings. We describe TCAD based optimization of the dimensions of these field rings and outline the design of the JBS diode using a fully analytical 2-D model.
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ROLE IN SEX OFFENDER COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION: A RESEARCH NOTE

ABSTRACT Within the last decade, Federal and state legislation has been enacted requiring notification be sent to local and county jurisdictions where high-risk sex offenders will be living upon release from prison. Police and sheriffs departments, in turn, have been given primary responsibility for notifying community residents that convicted sex offenders will be residing in their midst. One method adopted by law enforcement in dealing with this difficult task has been the interagency team approach. Police, corrections, district attorneys, and victim-witness representatives collaborate in ways that benefit the notification decision making process. This case study reports the findings from a statewide survey of 312 Wisconsin police chiefs and sheriffs, who often used interagency “notification teams.” Results indicate that decisions regarding community notification and sex offender surveillance, when arrived at through interagency collaboration, served important law enforcement objectives. These results w...
A dual mode forward/flyback converter

This paper presents a single transistor dc-dc converter that combines both forward and flyback action. The resulting circuit is ohmically isolated and can operate over a wide range of input-to-output voltage ratios. An analysis of the circuit indicates that the forward and flyback portions of the circuit interact to produce three distinct regions of operation. With the design information presented, the circuit can be tailored to utilize the desirable characteristics of either converter action for a specific application. The dynamics of the dual mode circuit are modeled by means of the state-space averaging technique. An ac-dc regulator that takes advantage of the wide operating range of the dual mode circuit operating off the ac line, with only a small input filter, is described.
The Prevalence and Correlates of Lifetime Psychiatric Disorders and Trauma Exposures in Urban and Rural Settings: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R)

Introduction Distinctions between rural and urban environments produce different frequencies of traumatic exposures and psychiatric disorders. We examine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and frequency of trauma exposures by position on the rural-urban continuum. Methods The National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) was used to evaluate psychiatric disorders among a nationally-representative sample of the U.S. population. Rurality was designated using the Department of Agriculture's 2003 rural-urban continuum codes (RUCC), which differentiate counties into levels of rurality by population density and adjacency to metropolitan areas. Lifetime psychiatric disorders included post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, mood disorders, impulse-control disorders, and substance abuse. Trauma exposures were classified as war-related, accident-related, disaster-related, interpersonal or other. Weighted logistic regression models examined the odds of psychiatric disorders and trauma exposures by position on the rural-urban continuum, adjusted for relevant covariates. Results 75% of participants were metropolitan, 12.2% were suburban, and 12.8% were from rural counties. The most common disorder reported was any anxiety disorder (38.5%). Drug abuse was more common among metropolitan (8.7%, p = 0.018), compared to nonmetropolitan (5.1% suburban, 6.1% rural) participants. A one-category increase in rurality was associated with decreased odds for war-related trauma (aOR = 0.86, 95%CI 0.78–0.95). Rurality was not associated with risk for any other lifetime psychiatric disorders or trauma exposure. Discussion/Conclusions Contrary to the expectation of some rural primary care providers, the frequencies of most psychiatric disorders and trauma exposures are similar across the rural-urban continuum, reinforcing calls to improve mental healthcare access in resource-poor rural communities.
STUDIES OF THE GENERALIZED SHWARTZMAN REACTION PRODUCED BY DIET : I. PATHOLOGY

The generalized Shwartzman reaction can be produced in pregnant rats by dietary means in the absence of injection of exogenous bacterial endotoxin. The experiment consists of a period of exposure to a diet low in tocopherol followed by exposure to a diet containing oxidized lipids during the gestation period. Pregnancy near term is an essential requirement for the development of the generalized Shwartzman reaction in these experiments. Fibrin thrombi were found in the renal glomeruli in 88.5 per cent, in the lungs in 94.2 per cent, in the liver in 11.4 per cent, in the spleen in 11.4 per cent, and in the adrenal in 40 per cent of animals that died spontaneously. There were pathologic alterations in the placenta which consisted of degeneration of the trophoblast, thrombosis of maternal blood channels in the giant cell trophoblast layer and in the labyrinth, congestion of the labyrinth, hemorrhage into the uterine cavity, placental separation, intra-uterine fetal death, decidual and uterine vein thrombosis, and placentitis in 10 per cent of the cases. The mechanism by which the diet is instrumental in causing this reaction remains to be demonstrated.