cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure and regulation of the ALS gene

The mouse ALS gene spans at least 6 kb. It contains 2 exons which encode a protein highly homologous to human and rat ALS. It was localized to mouse chromosome 17 by flourescent in situ hybridization. The 5' flanking region lacks a TATA box but contains GC boxes that may be recognised by transcription factors such as Spl. Hepatic ALS mRNA is decreased in rats following hypophysectomy, and restored by stimulated ALS promoter activity in a rat hepatoma cell line, but not in 3T3-F442A mouse preadipocyte fibroblasts, suggesting that utilisation of the ALS promoter is cell-type specific. The rat hepatoma system is a promising system to study the regulation of ALS gene expression, and the signalling pathways of CH regulation.
Short-term effects of smoking on the pharmacokinetic profiles of micronized estradiol in postmenopausal women

Because smoking is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis, yet a decreased risk of endometrial carcinoma, a state of relative hypoestrogenism induced by smoking has been suggested. However, because previous data are unclear and do not reflect current trends in smoking intensity and estrogen prescriptions, we examined the estrogen profiles of postmenopausal women, by smoking status, both before and after oral micronized estradiol. Baseline levels of estrone, estradiol, estrone sulfate, and estrone glucuronide were similar in nonsmokers and smokers, but unbound (non-sex-hormone-binding-globulin--bound) estradiol was significantly lower in smoking women (p less than 0.05) and sex-hormone-binding-globulin--binding capacity was higher (p less than 0.001). After 1 or 2 mg of micronized estradiol, estrone and estradiol serum profiles were similar but unbound estradiol was significantly lower in women who were smokers (p less than 0.05). Serum estrone glucuronide rose with treatment but was indistinguishable in nonsmokers and smokers. However, maximum changes in serum estrone sulfate were greater in smokers after administration of estrogen, suggesting a hepatic effect. Urinary estrone glucuronide levels increased after 8 hours of oral estrogen but were similar in nonsmokers and smokers with the two doses. It appears that even moderate smoking, as studied here, induces significant changes in hepatic estrogen metabolism and is best reflected by alterations in serum estrone sulfate and sex-hormone-binding-globulin--binding capacity that result in decreased serum unbound estradiol. However, these changes do not appear to require increasing the estrogen dosage to achieve physiologic levels of estrogen in postmenopausal smokers.
An analysis of co-circulating serotypes for bluetongue-17 virulence markers

Abstract We have recently identified two markers associated with virulent strains of bluetongue virus serotype 17. 1 These differences are an altered antigenic structure of the outer capsid protein VP2 and an increased electrophoretic mobility of the RNA segment 3 that codes for an inner core protein. We did not observe these markers in confirmed avirulent strains of bluetongue virus serotype 17. We hypothesized that these virulence-associated markers may have been acquired by bluetongue-17 through genetic interaction with other circulating serotypes of the virus. To test this hypothesis, we studied all isolates of other BLU serotypes obtained from the same sentinel cattle herds in Central America and the Caribbean on the same days as BLU-17 isolates. We looked for evidence of common epitopes on VP2 or an RNA segment 3 of identical mobility to that of the virulent strains of BLU-17. We found no evidence to indicate that genetic interaction with other co-circulating serotypes gave rise to these two specific virulence-associated markers of BLU-17.
Spatial Detection of Areas of Abrupt Change by Robotic Networks

This paper studies robotic sensor networks performing spatial detection of areas of rapid change in physical phenomena. We encode the task by means of an objective function, called wombliness, which measures the change of the spatial field along the open polygonal curve defined by the positions of the robotic sensors. This curve can become self-intersecting when evolving along the gradient flow of the wombliness. Borrowing tools from discontinuous dynamics and hybrid systems, we design an algorithm that allows for network re-positioning, splitting, and merging, while guaranteeing the monotonic evolution of the wombliness. We analyze its convergence properties and illustrate our approach in simulations.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Evaluation of the data of simple cells by electrorotation using square-topped fields

Abstract In electrorotation digital generators of rotating electric fields producing various pulse shapes are used widely. The available theory however, allows only for monochromatic fields. It is shown how to recalculate experimental data in order to apply the theory of electrorotation. As an example, square-topped fields are analyzed. The result is that in square-topped fields the electrorotation spectrum is shifted as a function of the key ratio. Furthermore, in order to eliminate the uncertainty of not knowing precisely hydrodynamic friction of the particle under consideration, a special numerical procedure was introduced. It compared the slope of the experimental curve near the zero point of rotation with the heights of the rotation peaks.
LASER INCISION OF URETEROCELE IN THE PEDIATRIC PATIENT

Purpose: We evaluated the effectiveness of initial laser transurethral incision of ureterocele for relieving obstruction, prevention of infection and need for subsequent surgery.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records and imaging studies of 30 children with ureterocele treated between 1995 and 2000. Of 30 children 14 underwent initial transurethral laser incision of the ureterocele. Records and images were evaluated for mode of presentation, ureterocele location, thickness, and decompression, and relief of obstruction. The incidence of urinary tract infection, new onset vesicoureteral reflux, upper segment renal function and need for subsequent surgery after incision was investigated.Results: There were 5 boys and 9 girls in our series. Mean patient age at presentation was 17.5 months. There were 12 patients who had ectopic and 2 orthotopic ureteroceles. Ureterocele was defined as thick if ultrasound measurement was 4 mm. or greater. Thick ureterocele was present in 4 (28%) patients. All pa...
Epidermal Growth Factor-like Repeats of Thrombospondins Activate Phospholipase Cγ and Increase Epithelial Cell Migration through Indirect Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Activation

Thrombospondin (TSP) 1 is a trimeric multidomain protein that contains motifs that recognize distinct host cell receptors coupled to multiple signaling pathways. Selected TSP1-induced cellular responses are tyrosine kinase-dependent, and TSP1 contains epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeats. Specific receptor interactions or functions for the EGF-like repeats have not been identified. We asked whether one or more biological responses to TSP1 might be explained through EGF receptor (EGFR) activation. In A431 cells, TSP1 increased autophosphorylation of Tyr-1068 of EGFR in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The ability of TSP1 to activate EGFR was replicated by the tandem EGF-like repeats as a recombinant protein. The three EGF-like repeats alone produced a high level of Tyr-1068 phosphorylation. EGF-like repeats from TSP2 and TSP4 also activated EGFR. Tyr-1068 phosphorylation was less when individual EGF-like repeats were tested or flanking sequences were added to the three EGF-like repeats. TSP1 and its EGF-like repeats also increased phosphorylation of EGFR Tyr-845, Tyr-992, Tyr-1045, Tyr-1086, and Tyr-1173, activated phospholipase Cγ, and increased cell migration. No evidence was found for binding of the EGF-like repeats to EGFR. Instead, EGFR activation in response to TSP1 or its EGF-like repeats required matrix metalloprotease activity, including activity of matrix metalloprotease 9. Access to the ligand-binding portion of the EGFR ectodomain was also required. These findings suggest release of an endogenous EGFR ligand in response to ligation of a second unknown receptor by the TSPs.
Modified diffusion models for steady-state broadband reflectance with a needle-like optic probe

Theoretical models available for optical reflectance with small source-detector separations are limited. In this study we reported two modified diffusion models for steady-state, broadband (500 - 590 nm) reflectance with source-detector separations of 0.125 - 0.25 mm and 0.25 - 1.0 mm. For the former case, the major modifications are D equals 1/3(mu) s, and z0 equals 1/(mu) s'; for the latter case, an additional modification is to multiply the separation by a factor of 2. Monte Carlo simulations were used to confirm the modified models at three different hemoglobin concentrations with relative errors of 12% or smaller. These models provide the possibility to extract local optical and physiological parameters of blood-perfused tissues from reflectance data measured with a needle-like probe.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Intercity variations in the police use of lethal response

Abstract This paper develops and empirically tests a model of the intercity variation in the rate of lethal response (civilians killed by police in the line of duty). The empirically derived two stage least square regression models generally confirm the relationship between crime seriousness and police use of force found by Robert J. Friedrich. The empirical expressions in the present study explain nearly fifty percent of the intercity variation in the rate of lethal response and enjoy a high degree of statistical significance. Specifically, the statistical tests indicate that the rate of lethal response is significantly and positively related to the seriousness of the crime, the probability of arrest and conviction and the age distribution of the city's population. Furthermore, there appears to be no systematic relationship between the rate of lethal response and the rates of police killed by civilians and police per violent offense.
Surrogate genetics: the use of bacterial hybrids as a genetic tool.

Experimental dissection of bacterial genomes requires a well-developed set of genetic tools, but many bacteria lack the essential tools required for genetic analysis. Recombination of a region of chromosomal DNA from poorly characterized donor bacteria with the chromosome of a suitable surrogate host creates a genetically malleable hybrid, providing a short-cut for the detailed genetic analysis of the substituted genes. However, recombination between closely related but nonidentical DNA sequences (“homeologous recombination”) is strongly inhibited, posing a powerful barrier to gene exchange between bacteria and a major impediment to the construction of genetic hybrids. By taking advantage of mutS and recD mutant recipients, it is possible to effectively overcome the recombination barrier, allowing construction of genetic hybrids in a related surrogate host. Once stably recombined into the recipient chromosome, the donor DNA can be studied with all the genetic tools available in the surrogate host. In addition to facilitating standard genetic analysis, use of a surrogate host can provide novel approaches to study the physiological roles of unique genes from poorly characterized bacteria.
Binary volume phase masks in photo-thermo-refractive glass

Permanent binary phase masks with planar surfaces and high tolerance to laser radiation are recorded in the volume of photo-thermo-refractive glass using the contact copying technique and binary amplitude master masks. Conversion of a Gaussian beam to higher order modes is shown.
Correlation of Human CD56+ Cell Cytotoxicity and IFN-γ Production

The use of an IFN-γ ELISPOT assay to evaluate cellular immune responses has gained increasing popularity, especially as a surrogate measure for cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses. We have compared the IFN-γ ELISPOT assay and the traditional51Cr release assay for detection of human natural killer (NK) cell activity. The cell populations used for evaluation of these assays included freshly isolated and IL-2-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). CD56-positive cells were demonstrated to be the primary source of the IFN-γ signal when PBMC were evaluated with NK-sensitive targets in the IFN-γ ELISPOT assay. IFN-γ ELISPOT and51Cr release assays showed excellent correlation suggesting that NK activity can be reliably evaluated with methods other than the traditional51Cr release assays.
Building Test Suites for UIMA Components

We summarize our experiences building a comprehensive suite of tests for a statistical natural language processing toolkit, ClearTK. We describe some of the challenges we encountered, introduce a software project that emerged from these efforts, summarize our resulting test suite, and discuss some of the lessons learned.
Block copolymer-mediated formation of superparamagnetic nanocomposites

Well-defined diblock copolymers of bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carboxylic acid oxiranylmethyl ester, having both anchoring and steric stabilizing blocks in a 1:1 ratio, have been prepared by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The epoxy-containing block copolymer stabilized in situ generated iron oxide (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles. The epoxy ester group provided strong chelation between the iron-oxide nanoparticle and the polymeric siderophores, producing a stable magnetic nanocomposite. The polymers were characterized by 1H NMR, GPC, TGA, and DSC. The morphology and crystalline structure of the maghemite−block copolymer nanocomposites were evaluated with TEM and XRD, revealing highly crystalline, monodisperse γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with an average size of 3−5 nm. Interactions between the maghemite nanoparticles and the polymer were observed by FTIR. SQUID magnetometric analysis of the nanocomposites demonstrated superparamagnetism at room temperature with high saturation magnetization.
Automatic feathering of split fields for step-and-shoot intensity modulated radiation therapy

Due to leaf travel range limitations of the Varian Dynamic Multileaf Collimator (DMLC) system, an IMRT field width exceeding 14.5 cm is split into two or more adjacent abutting sub-fields. The abutting sub-fields are then delivered as separate treatment fields. The accuracy of the delivery is very sensitive to multileaf positioning accuracy. The uncertainties in leaf and carriage positions cause errors in the delivered dose (e.g., hot or cold spots) along the match line of abutting sub-fields. The dose errors are proportional to the penumbra slope at the edge of each sub-field. To alleviate this problem, we developed techniques that feather the split line of IMRT fields. Feathering of the split line was achieved by dividing IMRT fields into several sub-groups with different split line positions. A Varian 21EX accelerator with an 80-leaf DLMC was used for IMRT delivery. Cylindrical targets with varying widths (>14.5 cm) were created to study the split line positions. Seven coplanar 6 MV fields were selected for planning using the NOMOS-CORVUS™ system. The isocentre of the fields was positioned at the centre of the target volume. Verification was done in a 30 × 30 × 30 cm3 polystyrene phantom using film dosimetry. We investigated two techniques to move the split line from its original position or cause feathering of them: (1) varying the isocentre position along the target width and (2) introduction of a 'pseudo target' outside of the patient (phantom). The position of the 'pseudo target' was determined by analysing the divergence of IMRT fields. For target widths of 14–28 cm, IMRT fields were automatically split into two sub-fields, and the split line was positioned along the centre of the target by CORVUS. Measured dose distributions demonstrated that the dose to the critical structure was 10% higher than planned when the split line crossed through the centre of the target. Both methods of modifying the split line positions resulted in maximum shifts of ~1 cm from the original. Therefore, it was concluded that the feathering of the split line may be used for reducing the magnitude of hot/cold spots. This method was tested for an oesophageal cancer case. For a six-field arrangement, it was possible to create three field sub-groups with different split lines. The feathering technique developed in this work does not require any modifications of the radiation fields during the course of treatment because only one treatment plan is used to deliver the entire course of radiation treatments. In addition, this method may be more biologically effective because the split line feathering is achieved for every fraction of radiation.
An Alumni-based Evaluation of Graduate Training in Health Communication: Results of a Survey on Careers, Salaries, Competencies, and Emerging Trends

ABSTRACT Published information about career options and the core competencies necessary for health communication professionals (HCPs) is limited. Although the number of graduate programs in health communication continues to grow, no formal assessment of the success of this type of training has been conducted. The current study presents the results of an evaluation of the Master's Program in Health Communication offered collaboratively by Emerson College and the Tufts University School of Medicine. The program was one of the first of its kind and has graduated more health communication students than any other in the United States. To conduct the assessment of the program, the two schools collaborated on the development of an on-line survey for the alumni. Of the 131 graduates eligible to participate, 106 completed the survey. The survey yielded detailed information on the following: (1) career options for individuals with master's degrees in health communication; (2) value of graduate coursework for develo...
Review of Pharmacological Treatment in Mood Disorders and Future Directions for Drug Development

After a series of serendipitous discoveries of pharmacological treatments for mania and depression several decades ago, relatively little progress has been made for novel hypothesis-driven drug development in mood disorders. Multifactorial etiologies of, and lack of a full understanding of, the core neurobiology of these conditions clearly have contributed to these development challenges. There are, however, relatively novel targets that have raised opportunities for progress in the field, such as glutamate and cholinergic receptor modulators, circadian regulators, and enzyme inhibitors, for alternative treatment. This review will discuss these promising new treatments in mood disorders, the underlying mechanisms of action, and critical issues of their clinical application. For these new treatments to be successful in clinical practice, it is also important to design innovative clinical trials that identify the specific actions of new drugs, and, ideally, to develop biomarkers for monitoring individualized treatment response. It is predicted that future drug development will identify new agents targeting the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders.
Dimeric Eg5 Maintains Processivity through Alternating-site Catalysis with Rate-limiting ATP Hydrolysis

Eg5/KSP is a homotetrameric, Kinesin-5 family member whose ability to cross-link microtubules has associated it with mitotic spindle assembly and dynamics for chromosome segregation. Transient-state kinetic methodologies have been used to dissect the mechanochemical cycle of a dimeric motor, Eg5-513, to better understand the cooperative interactions that modulate processive stepping. Microtubule association, ADP release, and ATP binding are all fast steps in the pathway. However, the acid-quench analysis of the kinetics of ATP hydrolysis with substrate in excess of motor was unable to resolve a burst of product formation during the first turnover event. In addition, the kinetics of Pi release and ATP-promoted microtubule-Eg5 dissociation were observed to be no faster than the rate of ATP hydrolysis. In combination the data suggest that dimeric Eg5 is the first kinesin motor identified to have a rate-limiting ATP hydrolysis step. Furthermore, several lines of evidence implicate alternating-site catalysis as the molecular mechanism underlying dimeric Eg5 processivity. Both mantATP binding and mantADP release transients are biphasic. Analysis of ATP hydrolysis through single turnover assays indicates a surprising substrate concentration dependence, where the observed rate is reduced by half when substrate concentration is sufficiently high to require both motor domains of the dimer to participate in the reaction.
Inhibition of in vitro lymphocyte function by a soluble AKR leukemic suppressor factor

A soluble suppressor factor(s) found in the serum of AKR mice bearing lymphocytic leukemia (AKR-LSF) has previously been shown to inhibit PHA-induced spleen cell proliferation. In this study we have further characterized the biological activity of the leukemic mouse serum (LMS) in vitro. The LMS inhibits spleen cell proliferation in an MLC as well as generation of functional CTL. The inhibition of CTL generation was not specific since CTL activity resulting from responder and stimulator combinations of various H-2 haplotypes was inhibited. LMS did not inhibit CTL- or NK-mediated cytolytic activity. These results suggested that LMS inhibits lymphocyte proliferative responses but has no effect on cytolytic function. Furthermore, responder cells which had been inhibited by LMS in a primary MLC, washed, and restimulated were able to express CTL activity indicating that the suppression by LMS is reversible. The suppressive effect of LMS is occurring at an early stage of CTL generation since LMS was inhibitory when added on Day 0 or Day 1 but not on Days 2, 3, or 4 of the MLC. Addition of IL-2 did not remove the inhibition by LMS as measured in a PHA proliferative assay. These results suggested that the suppression is not due to a lack of IL-2 but to an inability of the cells to either bind or utilize IL-2.
The electronic spectra of the group IV tetraphenyls

Abstract The absorption and emission spectra of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, and lead tetraphenyl are reported in their entirety. The two electronic transitions observed in absorption are shown to be analogous to those of benzene and benzene derivatives. Vibrational structure is analyzed and correlated for all five tetraphenyls. Two electronic transitions are observed in emission. The emitting levels are the lowest members of the singlet and triplet systems. The effect of atomic number of the central atom on the rate of intersystem crossing is a corollary of the usual atomic number effect on the radiative lifetime of the triplet state.
Entropic interactions in suspensions of semiflexible rods: Short-range effects of flexibility

We compute the entropic interactions between two colloidal spheres immersed in a dilute suspension of semiflexible rods. Our model treats the semiflexible rod as a bent rod at fixed angle, set by the rod contour and persistence lengths. The entropic forces arising from this additional rotational degree of freedom are captured quantitatively by the model, and account for observations at short range in a recent experiment. Global fits to the interaction potential data suggest the persistence length of the fd virus is about two to three times smaller than the commonly used value of $2.2\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}.$
An Orthodontic Retainer Preventing Remission in Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a gluten enteropathy that is treated with dietary elimination of gluten. Exposure to nondietary sources of gluten, which are used in the manufacture of products such as plastics, dental equipment, and cosmetics, can also trigger or exacerbate disease. We report the case of a 9-year-old child who presented with nonspecific abdominal discomfort with abnormal serology for celiac disease. She underwent duodenal biopsies that revealed Marsh 3B histopathology. Despite strict dietary elimination of gluten, she continued to be symptomatic and demonstrate positive serum markers for active disease. It was then discovered that the child was exposed to gluten from her orthodontic retainer that contained a plasticized methacrylate polymer. Gluten is a common additive in plastics. She discontinued its use and demonstrated symptom resolution and complete normalization of serology. All possible sources of gluten, including nondietary, must be considered when managing a child with celiac disease.
The SA in the Radical Imagination of the Long Weimar Republic

Hitler's storm battalions, the SA—their creation, organization, and worldview—have been the object of extensive scholarly study. A key factor in the victory of National Socialism, the SA has been understood above all as an exemplar of the political violence that helped to destabilize Germany's first parliamentary democracy. Attention to the role of the storm troopers in the Nazi seizure of power—a narrative in which the SA is centrally embedded, and in which it has been largely confined in the scholarship—has tended to foreclose other lines of analysis. Indeed, the metanymic linkage of the SA to the “failure of Weimar” has prevented scholars from considering the complex ideological and social field in which the storm troopers operated as the site of contingency that it was for contemporaries. Alongside a marching, singing, monolithic SA, policing the streets against National Socialism's enemies—an SA appropriate to the long-dominant scholarly focus on the reasons for Weimar's failure and Nazism's rise—another SA exists, one that had to be spoken for, indoctrinated, won over, infiltrated, and surveilled; an SA around which moral persuasion and ideological discussion played at least as prominent a role as the political violence that has so dominated the analytic concerns of historians and social scientists; an SA that attracted the attention of self-styled revolutionaries of every stripe in the seething chaos of Weimar politics, revolutionaries who sensed in the not-quite-closed ambit of the SA's political commitments—and in classed and gendered cultural assumptions with which these commitments were bound up—the utopian horizons of the possible, both before and after January 30, 1933.
Effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone hypogonadism on insulin action as assessed by hyperglycemic clamp studies in men.

Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of decreasing androgen levels on insulin action, in view of the relationship between hyperandrogenism and impaired insulin action in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Design Prospective, clinical study. Setting University hospital. Patient(s) Ten normal healthy men. Intervention(s) Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, 3.75 mg, administered monthly for 3 months. Main outcome measure(s) Insulin action (M/I ratio). Result(s) The M/I ratio decreased from 0.24 ± 0.04 to 0.17 ± 0.04 after GnRH agonist therapy. Conclusion(s) In normal men, administration of a GnRH analogue was associated with a decrease in both testosterone levels and insulin action.
Minimizing energy consumption in large-scale sensor networks through distributed data compression and hierarchical aggregation

In this paper, we study how to reduce energy consumption in large-scale sensor networks, which systematically sample a spatio-temporal field. We begin by formulating a distributed compression problem subject to aggregation (energy) costs to a single sink. We show that the optimal solution is greedy and based on ordering sensors according to their aggregation costs-typically related to proximity-and, perhaps surprisingly, it is independent of the distribution of data sources. Next, we consider a simplified hierarchical model for a sensor network including multiple sinks, compressors/aggregation nodes, and sensors. Using a reasonable metric for energy cost, we show that the optimal organization of devices is associated with a Johnson-Mehl tessellation induced by their locations. Drawing on techniques from stochastic geometry, we analyze the energy savings that optimal hierarchies provide relative to previously proposed organizations based on proximity, i.e., associated Voronoi tessellations. Our analysis and simulations show that an optimal organization of aggregation/compression can yield 8%-28% energy savings depending on the compression ratio.
Dynamic Panel Data Model for Predicting Performance of Asphalt Concrete Overlay

In order to identify the improvement needs on transportation facilities and the associated budget, the transportation agencies need to have a reasonable estimate of the facilities’ future condition. Using asphalt concrete overlay over fractured portland cement concrete pavement as an example, this paper shows how to use the existing pavement condition and other recorded information in a pavement management system to predict the future condition of pavements. A comprehensive pavement performance indicator, condition points, was used as the response variable of the prediction model. A dynamic panel data prediction method was employed to make the prediction model reflect the influence of the existing pavement condition, exogenous variables, and the heterogeneity of different pavement sections. The predicted condition points were compared with the actual values and the results indicated that the prediction accuracy was reasonable.
Special Considerations for the Pediatric Population Relating to a Swallow Screen Versus Clinical Swallow or Instrumental Evaluation

Careful consideration should be taken to determine how a swallow screen could be implemented in the pediatric population. A variety of factors to be considered include: age, developmental level, fe...
An optical deflectometer for the quantitative analysis of turbulent structures

The optical deflectometer is proposed to make turbulence measurements. The instrument, which is based on the schlieren principle, is nonintrusive and has a practically unlimited frequency response. Its novelty also lies in the fact that it produces a real image of the flowfield under study, in which optical probes may be positioned precisely. This instrument has been successfully applied in studying the turbulent mixing layers of both a low-speed CO/sub 2/ jet and highly compressible Mach 3 airjet. The results are shown to be consistent over a broad range of knife-edge cutoff settings, and are comparable to turbulence data obtained by other more standard turbulence instruments. The major limitation of the optical deflectometer, in its present embodiment, is the fact that it integrates fluctuations across the flow. >
Methodological Consensus in Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements: Workshop Contributions Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements in Psychopathology

Reports of disrupted pursuit eye movements in schizophrenic patients are traced historically. Most of these reports emphasize the specificity for schizophrenia, although such specificity has yet to be demonstrated. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that, in the absence of neurological disease, the stable appearance of tracking dysfunctions is genetically transmitted, although their precise relationship to schizophrenia has yet to be decided. The study of this phenomenon can help elucidate several murky areas of psychopathology, including problems of heterogeneity, the central nervous system processes possibly involved, the study of risk populations, and the nonmotivational aspects of schizophrenia.
National Trends in Health Insurance Coverage of Pregnant and Reproductive-Age Women, 2000 to 2009

Purpose: Health insurance facilitates financial access to health services, including prenatal and preconception care. This study characterized changes in health insurance coverage among reproductive-age women in the United States from 2000 to 2009. Methods: Data from female respondents (ages 18–49) to the National Health Interview Surveys, 2000 to 2009 (n ¼ 207,968), including those pregnant when surveyed (n ¼ 3,204), were used in a repeated cross-sectional design. Changes over time were estimated using longitudinal regression models. Main Findings: Of the reproductive-age women in this study, 25% were uninsured at some point in the prior year. Ten percent of pregnant women reported currently being uninsured, and 27% and 58% reported Medicaid coverage or private health insurance, respectively. Among women who were not pregnant, 19% were currently uninsured, 8% had Medicaid, and 68% had private coverage. From 2000 to 2009, an increasing percentage of reproductive-age women reported having gone without health insurance in the past year. Controlling for sociodemographic and health variables, the chances that a reproductive-age woman had been uninsured increased by approximately 1.5% annually (p < .001), and did not differ between pregnant women and those who were not pregnant. The odds that an insured pregnant woman had Medicaid coverage increased 7% per year over the study period (p < .001), whereas the odds of private coverage decreased. Conclusion: Reproductive-age women are increasingly at risk of being uninsured, which raises concerns about access to prenatal and preconception care. Among pregnant women, access to private health insurance has decreased, and state Medicaid programs have covered a growing percentage of women. Health reform will likely impact future trends. Copyright 2012 by the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health. Published by Elsevier Inc.
A Drastic Influence of Point Defects on Phase Stability in MnO2

Despite its importance as a cathode material in primary alkaline batteries, the structure of γ-MnO2 is still not well determined. Different authors have suggested that a number of different polymorphs, as well as highly disordered phases, may be present in γ-MnO2. The origin of this structural complexity remains largely unexplained. In this paper we use first principles methods to explore the energetics of the MnO2 system. We find a number of low-energy polymorphs with similar energies, suggesting that relatively small changes in the energetics might influence the stable phases. Using nonzero-temperature models we demonstrate that thermal disorder is not the cause of structural disorder in these materials. However, we then show that point (Ruetschi) defects, even in surprisingly low concentrations, have a dramatic effect on the phase stability. We propose that Ruetschi defects may be the key to some of the structural complexity in γ-MnO2, and that any realistic structural study must take them into account.
Identification of candidate mRNAs associated with gonadotropin-induced maturation of murine cumulus oocyte complexes using serial analysis of gene expression

In cultured cumulus oocyte complexes (COC), FSH induces gene transcription required for germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Experiments were performed to determine the critical period when gene tran...
Fast, accurate and simulation-free stochastic mapping

Mapping evolutionary trajectories of discrete traits onto phylogenies receives considerable attention in evolutionary biology. Given the trait observations at the tips of a phylogenetic tree, researchers are often interested where on the tree the trait changes its state and whether some changes are preferential in certain parts of the tree. In a model-based phylogenetic framework, such questions translate into characterizing probabilistic properties of evolutionary trajectories. Current methods of assessing these properties rely on computationally expensive simulations. In this paper, we present an efficient, simulation-free algorithm for computing two important and ubiquitous evolutionary trajectory properties. The first is the mean number of trait changes, where changes can be divided into classes of interest (e.g. synonymous/non-synonymous mutations). The mean evolutionary reward, accrued proportionally to the time a trait occupies each of its states, is the second property. To illustrate the usefulness of our results, we first employ our simulation-free stochastic mapping to execute a posterior predictive test of correlation between two evolutionary traits. We conclude by mapping synonymous and non-synonymous mutations onto branches of an HIV intrahost phylogenetic tree and comparing selection pressure on terminal and internal tree branches.
Chronically occluded inferior venae cavae: endovascular treatment.

PURPOSE: To report the results of endoluminal recanalization and stent placement in patients with chronic occlusions of the inferior vena cava (IVC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen consecutive patients (12 male, five female patients; mean age, 40.6 years; age range, 15–77 years) with chronic IVC occlusions were treated during a 6-year period. The mean duration of symptoms was 32 months. Underlying active malignancy was the cause of occlusion in four patients. Five patients with superimposed acute thrombus underwent catheter-directed thrombolysis prior to IVC recanalization. Clinical patency was defined as absence or improvement of symptoms. Clinical follow-up was supplemented with ultrasonography, vena cavography, or both in 10 patients. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in 15 (88%) patients. Additional thrombolytic therapy and stent placement was needed in two patients to maintain patency at 4 and 6 months after the procedure. Twelve patients had IVCs that remained patent after a mean follow-up o...
Pathological Consequences of Artificial Cold Acclimatization

IN cold climates, enhanced fur insulation gives larger mammals sufficient cold resistance1 to lower the temperature tolerance limits by approximately 35° C (ref. 2). In smaller mammals such as mice, lemming, red squirrel, muskrat and hare, winter changes in pelage are much smaller3, and it has been concluded that “unless these species entirely escaped exposure to winter cold, they must largely rely on their ability to change heat production”3. An increased ability to survive in the cold as a result of an enhanced capability for producing heat has in fact been demonstrated in deer mice4 and wild rats5.
Essential degrees of freedom in time and frequency selective MIMO channels

A key to reliable communication is a fundamental understanding of the interaction between the signal space and the channel. In time- and frequency-selective MIMO channels this interaction happens in time, frequency and space. We propose a four-dimensional Karhunen-Loeve-like Fourier series representation for space-time channels that captures the essence of such interaction and exposes the intrinsic degrees of freedom in the channel. The four dimensions are: time, frequency and the two spatial dimensions at the transmitter and receiver. The key signal space parameters are the signaling duration, bandwidth and the two array apertures. The corresponding channel parameters are the delay, Doppler and the two angular spreads associated with the scattering environment. The representation induces a virtual partitioning of propagation paths in time, frequency and space that reveals their contribution to channel capacity and diversity. It also exposes fundamental dependencies between time, frequency and space thereby revealing the essential independent degrees of freedom in the channel.
Jean Sammet: Programming Language Contributor and Historian, and ACM President

Jean E. Sammet was born on 23 March 1928, in New York City. Her parents, Harry and Ruth Sammet, were both lawyers. Harry’s legal practice included wills and estates; Ruth stopped working when she married. Jean and her younger sister, Helen, attended public elementary schools in Manhattan. Jean’s interest in mathematics surfaced at a very young age but she could not attend the Bronx High School of Science because it didn’t accept girls. Instead, Jean went to Julia Richman High School, an all-girls’ public school, where she took every available math course. After examining a number of college catalogs from women’s colleges, Jean chose Mount Holyoke on the strength of its mathematics program. Jean majored in mathematics and took enough education courses to be certified to teach high school mathematics in New York; she minored in political science. After graduation, Jean pursued graduate studies at the University of Illinois, receiving her MA in 1949. She was a teaching assistant in the Mathematics department from 1948 to 1951 while taking courses toward a PhD. In 1951, Jean began looking for a teaching position. New York City was not hiring new high school teachers [3B2-8] man2009010076.3d 12/2/09 14:3 Page 76
Prior blood transfusion as a potential risk factor for Alzheimer's disease

We performed a population-based, case-control study to evaluate prior blood transfusion as a potential risk factor for Alzheimer9s disease (AD). All cases were incident cases of AD from 1975 to 1984 with residence for 40 years or more in Olmsted County, Minnesota, prior to their onset of dementia (N = 252). There was one age- and gender-matched control for each case. We ascertained the number of blood transfusions prior to the age of onset of dementia and the corresponding year in each control. Sixty-five cases and 55 controls had at least one prior blood transfusion. We did not find a significantly increased risk of AD for the events of at least one, three, or six blood transfusions.
Is There a Place for Teaching Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring in the Predoctoral Dental Curriculum

The widespread prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea and apneic snoring is both alarming and well documented. Sleep disorders affect one out of five Americans. Yet, during an attempt to study the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring among patients at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry, a search through the entire school's database for the terms "sleep apnea" and "snoring" found only ninety-two patients who admitted to snoring. Currently, the condition "sleep apnea" is not even on the school's list of health/medical questions. These figures not only are inconsistent with national statistics, but confirm that more needs to be done to make dental students aware of these disorders, include them in patient medical histories, and ultimately educate patients about therapies that can help. Considering the health concerns related to this sleep disorder, the economic impact of insomnia and daytime sleepiness, as well as the fact that the dentist is well poised to reduce symptoms and increase the quality of life among sufferers, mandibular advancement devices should become an educa- tional standard in the predoctoral clinical curriculum of dental schools. Predoctoral clinical curricula need to reflect this current health trend and train dentists to care for these patients comprehensively.
Canine Feces as a Reservoir of Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli

To test the canine reservoir hypothesis of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC), 63 environmental canine fecal deposits were evaluated for the presence of ExPEC by a combination of selective culturing, extended virulence genotyping, hemagglutination testing, O serotyping, and PCR-based phylotyping. Overall, 30% of canine fecal samples (56% of those that yielded viable E. coli) contained papG-positive E. coli, usually as the predominant E. coli strain and always possessing papG allele III (which encodes variant III of the P-fimbrial adhesin molecule PapG). Multiple other virulence-associated genes typical of human ExPEC were prevalent among the canine fecal isolates. According to serotyping, virulence genotyping, and random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis, over 50% of papG-positive fecal E. coli could be directly correlated with specific human clinical isolates from patients with cystitis, pyelonephritis, bacteremia, or meningitis, including archetypal human ExPEC strains 536, CP9, and RS218. Five canine fecal isolates and (clonally related) archetypal human pyelonephritis isolate 536 were found to share a novel allele of papA (which encodes the P-fimbrial structural subunit PapA). These data confirm that ExPEC representing known virulent clones are highly prevalent in canine feces, which consequently may provide a reservoir of ExPEC for acquisition by humans.
Podocyte-associated gene mutation screening in a heterogeneous cohort of patients with sporadic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

Background. The utility of genetic testing in sporadic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is unclear. We sought to determine the frequency of podocyte-related gene mutations in a heterogeneous population of adults and children with biopsy-proven FSGS. Methods. The prevalence of pathogenic mutations in five genes (NPHS2, TRPC6, ACTN4, INF2 and PLCE1 )a nd ofAPOL1 risk alleles (G1 and G2) was ascertained in children and adults diagnosed between 1984 and 2011 with FSGS by renal biopsy. Clinical data were extracted from medical records. Results. A total of 65 patients (28 children, 37 adults) with sporadic FSGS were identified (34 females, 31 males), with a mean age of 25 ± 16 years (range from 3 to 62 years). The majority of patients were African American (39 African American, 21 White and 2 Hispanic). We identified biallelic pathogenic NPHS2 mutations in 2 of 28 (7.1%) children, both of whom were of non-Hispanic Caucasian background. A homozygous NPHS2 p.R138Q/p.R138Q mutation was detected in a 5-year-old Caucasian female. Two compound heterozygous NPHS2 mutations p.R138Q/p.R229Q were identified in a 7-year-old Caucasian male patient. One novel, potentially pathogenic non-synonymous variant in INF2 was identified in an African American patient. The proportion of African Americans with two APOL1 risk alleles was 69.2%. Conclusions. This study delineates a role for genetic testing for NPHS2 in children with biopsy-proven sporadic FSGS. Further studies which specify clinical and pathological details of patients will help further define whether there are specific populations that warrant systematic testing of other podocyterelated genes in sporadic FSGS.
Design of diffractive singlets for monochromatic imaging

The Seidel aberrations of a rotationally-symmetric diffractive lens with an arbitrary phase profile are presented. It is shown that by a proper choice of phase function and aperture stop position, third-order coma and astigmatism can be eliminated for any chosen conjugate ratio. Since a diffractive lens has an inherent zero value for the Petzval sum, the image plane is flat in both tangential and sagittal meridians. The substrate curvature of the lens may be chosen to introduce a prescribed amount of distortion to allow for use as a Fourier transform lens or a laser scan lens. Examples are given of lens performance in finite conjugate imaging and laser scanning, where the f − θ condition is satisfied.
Selective vasopressin inhibition in rats with heart failure decreases afterload and results in venodilatation.

The hemodynamic effects of selective inhibition of arginine vasopressin (AVP) with a V1 antagonist, (CH2)5yreAVPa CL-1-4A, were studied in normal rats (n = 17) and in rats 4 weeks after coronary artery ligation with large myocardial infarctions and elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressures (n = 22). In normal rats AVP inhibition with a 35-micrograms/kg bolus of AVP V1 antagonist did not change heart rate, right atrial, left ventricular systolic, left ventricular end-diastolic or aortic pressures. There were also no changes in mean circulatory filling pressure, unstressed vascular volume, blood volume or venous compliance. In rats with infarction and elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressures, AVP inhibition did not change heart rate, right atrial pressure, mean circulatory filling pressure or blood volume, but mean aortic pressure decreased from 103 +/- 3 to 88 +/- 2 mm Hg (P less than .001), venous compliance increased (P less than .001) from 2.17 +/- 0.07 to 3.04 +/- 0.11 ml/mm Hg/kg and unstressed vascular volume decreased from 42.3 +/- 3.1 to 34.7 +/- 2.6 ml/kg (P less than .05). We conclude that inhibition of AVP with a specific V1 antagonist had no effect on the venous or arterial circulations in normal rats, but in rats with left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure after chronic myocardial infarction, AVP inhibition decreased arterial pressure and caused venodilatation.