cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integratible process for fabrication of fluidic microduct networks on a single wafer

We present a microelectronics fabrication compatible process that comprises photolithography and a key room temperature SiON thin film plasma deposition to define and seal a fluidic microduct network. Our single wafer process is independent of thermo-mechanical material properties, particulate cleaning, global flatness, assembly alignment, and glue medium application, which are crucial for wafer fusion bonding or sealing techniques using a glue medium. From our preliminary experiments, we have identified a processing window to fabricate channels on silicon, glass and quartz substrates. Channels with a radius of curvature between 8 and 50 {micro}m, are uniform along channel lengths of several inches and repeatable across the wafer surfaces. To further develop this technology, we have begun characterizing the SiON film properties such as elastic modulus using nanoindentation, and chemical bonding compatibility with other microelectronic materials.
Neuromodulation of enteropathogen internalization in Peyer's patches from porcine jejunum.

Jejunal Peyer's patches (JPP) are innervated sites of immune induction and enteropathogen infection. We investigated the role of enteric nerves in modulating pathogen entry into porcine JPP. Presumptive norepinephrine (NE)-containing nerve fibers were localized in JPP domes and follicle-associated villi by secondary immunofluorescence histochemistry. NE or the neuronal conduction blocker saxitoxin increased intracellular internalization of pathogenic Salmonella choleraesuis and Escherichia coli O157:H7, but not nonpathogenic E. coli, into isolated JPP mucosa. NE action was prevented by the α-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine. Withdrawal of enteric neural activity or NE administration appears to modulate JPP interactions with pathogenic bacteria.
Determinants of Catalytic Power and Ligand Binding in Glutamate Racemase

Glutamate racemases (EC 5.1.1.3) catalyze the cofactor-independent stereoinversion of D- and L-glutamate and are important for viability in several gram-negative and -positive bacteria. As the only enzyme involved in the stereoinversion of L- to D-glutamate for peptidoglycan biosynthesis, glutamate racemase is an attractive target for the design of antibacterial agents. However, the development of competitive tight-binding inhibitors has been problematic and highly species specific. Despite a number of recent crystal structures of cofactor-independent epimerases and racemases, cocrystallized with substrates or substrate analogues, the source of these enzymes' catalytic power and their ability to acidify the C alpha of amino acids remains unknown. The present integrated computational and experimental study focuses on the glutamate racemase from Bacillus subtilis (RacE). A particular focus is placed on the interaction of the glutamate carbanion intermediate with RacE. Results suggest that the reactive form of the RacE-glutamate carbanion complex, vis-a-vis proton abstraction from C alpha, is significantly different than the RacE-D-glutamate complex on the basis of the crystal structure and possesses dramatically stronger enzyme-ligand interaction energy. In silico and experimental site-directed mutagenesis indicates that the strength of the RacE-glutamate carbanion interaction energy is highly distributed among numerous electrostatic interactions in the active site, rather than being dominated by strong hydrogen bonds. Results from this study are important for laying the groundwork for discovery and design of high-affinity ligands to this class of cofactor-independent racemases.
The Conditioning Effects Of Neighborhood Ecology On Burglary Victimization

The systemic theory of social disorganization maintains that opportunities for victimization are conditioned by neighborhood social order. Systemic social control emanates from the strengths of a neighborhood’s private, public, and parochial social orders. Using neighborhood-level data from eight Chicago neighborhoods, this study tested a theoretically derived hypothesis that burglary victimization would vary across neighborhoods with different social orders. Neighborhoods were classified into three groups according to ecological measures of social orders and then analyzed for different levels of residential burglary risk. The results mainly supported the framework, although certain findings suggested some refinements to the model were in order. These and other implications are discussed.
Monitoring mammal populations with line transect techniques in African forests

Summary 1. Line transect survey techniques have been used to estimate population density for a variety of mammal species in tropical forests. In many cases indirect methods, surveying signs of animals such as counts of dung or nests, have been used because of the poor visibility in these forests. The estimates of the production and decomposition rates of these signs each have their associated errors; however, for the majority of published studies these errors have not been incorporated into the estimate of the standard errors or confidence limits of the density estimate. An equation is given showing how this should be done. 2. An equation is also given relating the resolution (R) of a density estimate to the coefficient of variation (CV) of the estimate. This shows that to detect a 10% change in a population the CV must be 3·6% (with a power of 50%) or 2·4% (with 80% power). Using this equation and data from studies in Africa, it is shown that differences of less than 10–30% change in the population are unlikely to be detected between two surveys where visual sightings of animals are made. When indirect methods of estimating the population are used, it is unlikely that less than a 30–50% change in the population could be detected. 3. Some studies have surveyed primate groups using estimates of an average group spread. Data from primate groups in Budongo Forest, Uganda, show that group spread is highly variable and varies at different times of day and between months. This survey technique is not recommended. 4. If line transects are used for monitoring populations, conversion factors should be minimized as each contributes to an increase in the CV and a reduction in the ability to detect small changes in population density. 5. Monitoring trends in abundance over several survey periods can improve the detection of change, although this is costly and requires several surveys before any conclusions can be reached. Re-using transects in subsequent surveys can also reduce the variation around the estimate and will improve the resolution. Focusing survey efforts in areas of high density is an alternative strategy, but one that could lead to other errors as high-density areas may be the safest and hence the last to show change. Using biased survey methods is also a promising technique that can increase the precision of surveys. It is concluded that a combination of different survey methods will ensure that changes in abundance are identified.
Nadph oxidation by microsomal preparations of gypsy moth larval tissues

Abstract NADPH oxidation by microsomal preparations from several tissues of fifth-instar larvae of gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar Linn. was studied. The distribution of this activity was as follows: 53.9, 27.8, 9.6, 4.4, and 4.3 per cent in midgut, fat body, hindgut, Malpighian tubules, and foregut respectively. Relatively specific activities of these microsomal preparations were 100, 81, 77, 61, and 55 for hindgut, Malpighian tubules, midgut, foregut, and fat body. NADPH oxidation was rapid for the first 20 minutes of the reaction and exhibited a Km of 1.75 × 10−5M NADPH. Cytochrome C greatly enhanced NADPH oxidation without affecting the Km. Carbon monoxide inhibited microsomal oxidation of NADPH and the inhibition was partially reversed by cytochrome C. This suggested the possibility of the presence of cytochrome P450. SKF 525-A inhibited NADPH oxidation and the locus of inhibition appeared to be cytochrome P450. Sulphhydryl inhibitors, p-chloromercuri-benzoate, p-chloromercuriphenyl sulphonate and Cu2+, inhibited NADPH oxidation and the inhibition was not reversed by cytochrome C. This indicated the involvement of NADPH-cytochrome C-reductase in the electron transport chain in gypsy moth.
Multidimensional analysis of ligand binding data: application to opioid receptors.

Abstract The existence of distinct mu and delta opioid receptors is now well accepted. Most investigators favor the hypothesis that these receptors are physically distinct and that the enkephalins are only 2–10 fold selective for the delta receptor. Rothman and Westfall (Mol. Pharmacol. 21 : 548–557) recently challenged this hypothesis, proposing that at least some population of mu and delta receptors coexist in an opioid receptor complex and that the enkephalins are at least 100 fold selective for the delta receptor. In this paper we describe a generally applicable method we have used to design and analyze ligand binding experiments which distinguish between the two different models.
Ground-based thermal IR images of comet tempel 2

The 10.8-micron images of Comet Tempel 2 obtained on the four days from September 21 to 24, 1988, indicate that the dust coma contributed about half of the nuclear pixel brightness. The nuclear condensation brightness exhibited a temporal variability slightly larger than observational uncertainty. The structure of the observed extended dust emission is interpretable as (1) a large grain tail primarily generated by cm-scaled particles, (2) the result of an outburst near 2.5-3.0 AU perihelion, and (3) a sunward emission of dust in a fanlike pattern.
A comparative study in bone and kidney of nucleotide and RNA synthesis

Abstract 1. 1. The synthesis in vivo of precursor AMP and RNA were compared in rat metaphyseal bone and kidney. 2. 2. A simple method is described which permitted the isolation and purification from bone homogenates of native 5′-AMP which would otherwise have been extensively degraded. 3. 3. The kinetics of incorporation of 32 P into acid-soluble AMP and into RNA followed a pulse-chase pattern which was qualitatively similar in both organs, and resembled the pattern of RNA labeling in metaphyseal bone in vitro . AMP was labeled to a peak 4 h after injection, while RNA labeling, initially rapid, continued for up to 24 h. 4. 4. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation revealed that rapidly labeled polydisperse RNA, of highest specific activity in the 4–18-S region, approached a maximum by 4 h of labeling; the labeling of 28-S and 18-S RNA, initially of lower specific activity, continued gradually, so that specific activity became relatively uniform by 24 h. 5. 5. Within each organ, [ 32 P]RNA nucleotides were of approximately equal specific activity. Also, the distribution of 32 P among the mononucleotides was essentially similar in bone and kidney, and did not alter appreciably with time. The radioactive base ratios have therefore been considered a good approximation of the true base ratios. There were consistent quantitative organ differences in the extent of labeling of both AMP and RNA. Renal AMP was uniformly of higher specific activity, especially in the early phase of labeling, than bone AMP. However, despite this precursor relationship, specific activities of bone RNA, component sedimentable species and individual mononucleotides were consistently 2-fold the respective kidney values. These data have been discussed in relation to the relative pool sizes of RNA in bone and kidney.
A collaborative approach to teaching genetics information sources

Abstract Rapid advancement and new information sources in many academic fields offer expanded opportunities for collaborative teaching Campus-wide programs, such as UWired, are effective in stimulating collaborative teaching, but efforts of individual faculty members and librarians can also produce effective courses This article describes how bioinformatics sources were introduced to students in a human genetics course taught by a professor and a librarian at the University of Tennessee Course content, learning objectives, and student assignments are covered, as well as roles of the professor and librarian m teaching the course The librarian attended each class session, which proved effective in integrating him into the course and expanded his knowledge of how genetics information is used by researchers
The Third Intracellular Domain of the Platelet-activating Factor Receptor Is a Critical Determinant in Receptor Coupling to Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C-activating G Proteins STUDIES USING INTRACELLULAR DOMAIN MINIGENES AND RECEPTOR CHIMERAS

Platelet activating factor (PAF) is a potent phospholipid mediator which elicits a diverse array of biological actions by interacting with G protein-coupled PAF receptors (PAFR). Binding of PAF to PAFRs leads to activation of G protein(s) that stimulate phosphoinositide phospholipase C and subsequent intracellular signaling responses. To identify the potential role of intracellular domains of the rat PAFR (rPAFR) in signaling, we examined effects of transfecting minigenes encompassing rPAFR intracellular domains 1 (1i), 2 (2i), and 3 (3i) on inositol phosphate (IP) production mediated by the co-transfected rPAFR cDNA. Although transfection of the rPAFR1i and rPAFR2i minigenes had no effects on PAF-stimulated signaling, transfection of the rPAFR3i minigene inhibited PAF-stimulated IP production by approximately 50% compared to controls. The rPAFR3i domain did not inhibit IP production mediated by the multifunctional rat pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide receptor (rPACAPR), demonstrating the specificity of the competition by the rPAFR3i domain. In further experiments, the rPAFR3i domain was engineered onto the homologous domain of a monofunctional transmembrane variant of the rPACAPR (rPACAPR2) that activates only adenylyl cyclase. The rPACAPR2/rPAFR3i chimera responded to PACAP with increases in IP production which were attenuated nearly completely in cells cotransfected with the rPAFR3i domain. In contrast, PACAP had no effects on IP production in a receptor chimera expressing a mutated form of the rPAFR3i domain (rPACAPR2/rPAFR3imut). These results demonstrate the ability of the rPAFR3i domain to confer a phospholipase C-signaling phenotype to a receptor deficient in this activity and show that this activity is specific for the engineered rPAFR3i domain. These results suggest that the third intracellular loop of the rPAFR is a primary determinant in its coupling to phosphoinositide phospholipase C-activating G proteins, providing the first insight into the molecular basis of interaction of PAFRs with signal-transducing G proteins.
Plan to Restore the Vote: Ron Paul and the Third-Party Voting Dilemma

Texas Congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has been a figure in American politics for more than 40 years. While Paul has commanded a dedicated support base composed of both liberals and conservatives, he remains well behind in the 2012 Republican primary race. This article examines the hypothetical case of a Ron Paul third-party presidential run, and the dilemma that voters face between voting conscientiously for Paul and voting strategically for the most electable and ideologically similar candidate.
γδT cells do not play a major role in controlling infection in experimental cysticercosis

Protective immunity against larval Taenia crassiceps has been shown to rely on T cells; however, the roles of the specific subsets of T cells during infection are not known. To investigate a possible role for gamma delta T cells, this study investigated larval infection in delta-chain knock-out C57BL/6 (deltaKO) and wild-type C57BL/6 mice. It was found that deltaKO mice and C57BL/6 mice were equally susceptible to infection suggesting gamma delta T cells do not play a major role in protective immunity. Cytokine production by concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated spleen cells from infected deltaKO mice and C57BL/6 mice were determined. All infected mice demonstrated an increased IL-10 production suggesting a Th1-inhibitory function. Cells from infected deltaKO mice and C57BL/6 mice did not show increases in IL-4 production. Heavily-infected C57BL/6 mice showed a decrease in IFN-gamma production compared to deltaKO mice. These observations suggest that an increase in IL-10 production best correlates with a non-protective immune response. To make comparisons between in vitro cytokine production and systemic immune responses, cytokine levels in serum were determined. C57BL/6 mice and deltaKO mice showed increases in serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-gamma at 52 days post-infection. The systemic immune response of these mice, therefore, is a mixed Th1/Th2-type response and gamma delta T cells are apparently not responsible for the systemic increases in these cytokines.
TESTING AND ESTIMATING RATIOS OF SCALE PARAMETERS

Abstract Let X 1, …, Xm and Y 1, …, Yn be independent random samples from populations having continuous d.f.'s Ψ((x-μ)/σ) and Ψ ((y-v)/τ) respectively. The classical F-test of a hypothesis concerning λ = τ/σ is known to be non-robust. This paper examines several robust alternative procedures and compares them on the basis of Pitman a.r.e. and Monte Carlo studies of power functions. An approximate permutation test [13] and a “jackknife” procedure [9] are found to be most satisfactory; while a class of “rank-like” tests [10] are found to be “useful inefficient statistics”
Stability Analysis of Nonlinear Connected Vehicle Systems

In this paper, we investigate the nonlinear dynamics of connected vehicle systems. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication is exploited when controlling the longitudinal motion of a few vehicles in the traffic flow. In order to achieve the desired systemlevel behavior, the plant stability and the head-to-tail string stability are characterized at the nonlinear level using Lyapunov functions. A motif-based approach is utilized that allows modular design for large-scale vehicle networks. Stability analysis of motifs are summarized using stability diagrams, which are validated by numerical simulations.
Implicit arguments in situation semantics

.Most theories of grammar draw a fundamental distinction between arguments and adjuncts. The former are phrases selected by some predicate; the latter are phrases which are unselected, and which functions as "modifiers". Although the adjunct-argument distinction is a sharp one conceptually, it is well-known that certain classes of phrases do not pattern clearly with respect to it. This is so for phrases of source, path and goal, like those in (1), and for phrases of instrumentality and agency, like those in (2) and (3): (1)a. b. 12. (2)a. b. (3)a. b. John ran (from the house) (to the store) (along the river) Every boy (from Impanema) A trip (from the house) (to the store) (along the river) John cut the salami (with a knife) The destruction of the city (with rockets) John was seen (by Felix) The letter (by Felix) Such expressions appear to share properties of adjuncts and arguments alike, and have been referred to in the literature as optional or "implicit" arguments (Roeper (1983)). In this paper I present an analysis of implicit arguments within the framework of Situation Semantics (Barwise and Perry (1981a,b; 1983)) according to which these elements are neither arguments nor adjuncts in the usual sense. Rather they are phrases licensed by a form of extragrammatical "inference" involving knowledge about events and the relationships holding among them. In Situation Semantics, sentences or, more properly, utterances U- are taken to describe events e:
Promoting Motivation and Learning.

Few words are bandied about in college teaching more frequently or glibly than motivation. Faculty members sometimes complain about the strength or direction of students' motivation: "My students (or today's students) just aren't very motivated," or "They only care about making money (or having a good time)." Stu dents may mirror these attitudes when they complain about the impact of some teaching on their desire to learn: "Prof. So-and-so's classes are so con fusing and boring they kill my motiva tion to study the material," or "His ex ams are so tricky and unpredictable they make it very hard for me to keep trying to do my best." There is surely truth in each of these perspectives: Students do differ in the amount and kind of motivation they bring to classrooms, and teachers can enhance or reduce it. This article re views research on teaching and student motivation in the college classroom, es pecially recent studies of the effect of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motiva tion and of specific ways instructors can encourage intrinsic motivation.
Recasting German federalism? The politics of fiscal decentralization in post-unification Germany

Why did the ideas of fiscal decentralization gain such political currency in Germany in the late 1990s but meet such a relatively dismal political fate by the Summer of 2001? In answering this question, I propose a framework centered around the interaction of ideas and state institutions to study the politics of fiscal decentralization in advanced democratic nation-states. First, I show that the new set of politically-charged ideas of fiscal decentralization which gained political weight in Germany in the late 1990s were driven by economic problems associated with German unification, the increasing popularity of “fiscal federalism” in German policy circles, and a centerperiphery conflict within German political parties. Second, my analysis explains the political failure of these ideas despite their apparent popularity among political and policy elites. Here, I focus on the role of the upper house of the German parliament in order to explain why these ideas have had such little policy success. After demonstrating that the long-standing tradition of “cooperative” federalism has largely survived German unification, the paper concludes by discussing the potential impact of the European Union’s 1997 Growth and Stability Pact on German federalism.
Characterization of ruthenium red as an inhibitor of neurogenic inflammation in the rat trachea

Abstract 1. 1. We investigated the ability of ruthenium red, an inorganic dye with capsaicin antagonist properties, to inhibit capsaicin-induced plasma extravasation in the rat trachea. 2. 2. The amount of plasma extravasation produced by intravenous capsaicin was reduced dose-dependently by i.v. ruthenium red. Complete inhibition was achieved with a dose of 5 μmol/kg. 3. 3. The inhibitory effect of ruthenium red persisted for at least 16 hr after its administration, but was not present 24 hr later. 4. 4. Ruthenium red did not reduce the amount of plasma extravasation produced by electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve, nor the amount produced by intravenous substance P or platelet-activating factor. 5. 5. Prior exposure to a high dose of capsaicin reduced the amount of plasma extravasation produced by a second capsaicin exposure 48 hr later. However, giving ruthenium red 30 min before the initial capsaicin exposure largely prevented this loss of sensory nerve function. 6. 6. We conclude that systemic administration of ruthenium red produces long-lasting, selective, and reversible inhibition of capsaicin-induced plasma extravasation in the rat trachea. Moreover, ruthenium red attenuates the long-term, desensitizing effect of capsaicin on sensory nerves.
Rapakivi Texture in Rhyolite

RAPAKIVI texture has rarely been reported in volcanic rocks1. A notable example of a volcanic body with rapakivi texture is a Miocene rhyolite2 that has an exposure area of about 1/16 square mile near California State Highway 178 on the east flank of Rhodes Hill 1/4 mile west of the eastern boundary of Death Valley National Monument. The body is covered by fan deposits to the south and south-east of the exposure, is in fault contact with Pre-Cambrian metamorphic rocks at its south and south-west boundary and is separated by an igneous breccia from Cambrian and Pre-Cambrian marine rocks along its north and north-west margin2.
Public policy governing organ and tissue procurement in the United States. Results from the National Organ and Tissue Procurement Study.

. Objective : To determine why Required Request policies, which mandate that hospitals request donation from donor-eligible families, have not resulted in increased organ procurement. . Setting : Stratified sample of 23 acute-care general hospitals in two metropolitan areas. . Design : Chart review identified all eligible donors in study hospitals during a 20-month period. Health care professionals who spoke with the families of eligible donors after death were interviewed to determine families' and health care providers' behaviors after patients' deaths with reference to the donation process. . Participants : All patient deaths (n = 10 681) were reviewed, and 841 donor-eligible cases were chosen for in-depth study ; 1809 health care professionals who provided care to these patients were interviewed. . Measurements : The ability of health care providers to identify donor-eligible patients, approach families about donation, and obtain families' consent to donation. . Results : 83% of health care professionals correctly identified donor-eligible patients. The families of donor-eligible patients were approached about donation in 73.0% of the cases. Families were more likely to be approached about organ (86.6%) donation than either tissue (69.5%) or cornea (67.3%) donation (P < 0.001). The families of organ-eligible patients were less likely to be approached if the patient was female, was on a general medical or surgical floor, or was being cared for by intemists. Only 46.5% of families of eligible donors agreed to donate organs, 34.5% agreed to donate tissues, and 23.5% agreed to donate corneas. . Conclusions : Although health care professionals do request that families donate, families consent to donation less frequently than was previously assumed. Empirically based education campaigns are needed so that health care professionals can improve their communication skills and so that discussion about this important issue can be stimulated among family members.
Photoparoxysmal response in late infantile neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis

A patient presented with rapid developmental regression whose MRI findings suggested a leukodystrophy, but nerve, muscle, skin, and bone marrow biopsies were unrevealing. A characteristic photoparoxysmal response on electroencephalogram provided an important clue for the correct diagnosis of late infantile neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis, which was confirmed later with electron microscope examination of a brain biopsy. In patients with rapid neurologic deterioration, diagnosis of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis should be considered and an electroencephalogram should be performed using photic stimulation to look for characteristic findings.
The daytime glucose profile as a standardized model for metabolic management of diabetes mellitus in pregnancy.

Abstract On the basis of normative data from non-diabetic gravidae, the daytime glucose profile (DGP) is introduced as a model for insulin management of diabetes mellitus in pregnancy. The DGP employs four preprandial (target level = 70 mg/dl) and three 1-h post-prandial glucose determinations (target level = 140 mg/dl). Insulin changes are based on a simple equation applied to individual glucose value difference between the patient (P) and target (T) levels (P − T/20). With the aid of this model, the average (± SD) of the daytime mean plasma glucose (DMG) levels of 22 pregnant women requiring insulin treatment (183 ± 36 mg/dl) approached normalization (114 ± 15 mg/dl) after 2–7 profile determinations (median = 3.5).
Development of an interactive multimedia module on antenna theory and design

The growing capabilities of computers and multimedia technology provide an exciting opportunity for boosting technology-based education in schools, universities, and corporate training. Multimedia modules provide the advantage of visualization of highly mathematical subjects and abstract concepts, intuitive learning and conceptual understanding, and the ability to participate in “what-if” scenarios. Graphics, animation, video clips, virtual labs, and guided use of simulation software introduce students to a challenging new world with all the advantages of learn-by-doing possibilities. The CAEME Center at the University of Utah was established to focus on the development of highly interactive multimedia lessons in science and engineering education. This article provides an overview of the Center's products and describes a new multimedia lesson on antenna theory and design. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 8: 11–17, 2000
Intravenous administration of mesenchymal stem cells genetically modified with extracellular superoxide dismutase improves survival in irradiated mice

To the editor: Formation of superoxide anion (O2−) after ionizing radiation is a major determinant of the lethality of whole-body radiation exposure.[1][1],[2][2] Irradiated tissues release O2− for days to months after radiation exposure.[3][3] Extracellular superoxide dismutase (ECSOD) is a
Is the flow in the giraffe's jugular vein a “free” fall?

There is controversy as to whether or not the heart works against gravity in the arteries to the head in the upright position. One view is that the gravitational effects in the neck arteries are counterbalanced by the gravitational effects in the veins of the neck and the heart does not do extra pressure work. This concept has been challenged by others who claim that the heart works against gravity based on the notion that the jugular vein is collapsed and gravitational effects on jugular blood are inoperative, similar to the "free" fall of liquids. The present study supports the view that blood flow in the collapsible jugular vein of the giraffe is not a "free" fall and that the heart does not spend extra energy to raise the blood to the head.
Ion-Dependent Dynamics of DNA Ejections for Bacteriophage λ

We studied the control parameters that govern the dynamics of in vitro DNA ejection in bacteriophage λ. Previous work demonstrated that bacteriophage DNA is highly pressurized, and this pressure has been hypothesized to help drive DNA ejection. Ions influence this process by screening charges on DNA; however, a systematic variation of salt concentrations to explore these effects has not been undertaken. To study the nature of the forces driving DNA ejection, we performed in vitro measurements of DNA ejection in bulk and at the single-phage level. We present measurements on the dynamics of ejection and on the self-repulsion force driving ejection. We examine the role of ion concentration and identity in both measurements, and show that the charge of counterions is an important control parameter. These measurements show that the mobility of ejecting DNA is independent of ionic concentrations for a given amount of DNA in the capsid. We also present evidence that phage DNA forms loops during ejection, and confirm that this effect occurs using optical tweezers.
Effect of power ultrasound on solidification of aluminum A356 alloy

The present investigation attempted to evaluate the effect of ultrasonic vibration on the nucleation and growth of aluminum alloy A356 melt. A356 melt was treated at various solid fractions isothermally with ultrasonic vibrations by dipping the acoustic radiator into the melt. Experimental result confirmed that globular grains could be effectively obtained when the melt was ultrasonically treated at the temperature close to its liquidus and subsequently cooled quickly. It further illustrated the difficulty to form globular grains when the specimens were treated at isothermal temperatures in the mushy zone. It may imply that in the given experiments cavitations-induced heterogeneous nucleation plays a more important role than dendrite fragmentation in the formation of globular grains.
Non-freezing water in protein solutions

Differential scanning calorimetric studies of protein solution provided the freezable water content as a function of concentration. Total water content was obtained by vacuum dehydration. The difference between the two gave the non-freezing water content in protein solutions. The values obtained by these techniques were 2–3 times larger than those obtained on the basis of NMR measurements on the same solutions.
Sedentary and Physical Activity Habits of Obese Adolescents

Background: The independent association between sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) is such that, regardless of accumulated PA, high amounts of SB are detrimental to health, even in adolescents. Purpose: Our aim was to profile activity patterns in free-living environments and to measure levels of SB and light (LT) and moderate (MOD) PA in obese adolescents via accelerometry. Methods: Participants wore Actical accelerometers on the right hip for at least 5 days, from 07:00 am to 11:00 pm. The number of minutes per hour of sedentary, LT, MOD, and vigorous (VIG) activity was calculated using established cut-points. Sixteen subjects (5 males, 11 females;14.8 ± 1.5 years) recorded at least 3 weekdays and 2 weekend days of accelerometry data. Results: Subjects spent a majority of time with SB (727.6 ± 101.2 min/d), followed by LT (212.4 ± 91.6 min/d) and MOD PA (20.5 ± 23.1 min/d). Subjects spent 75.6% of their waking day with SB. Discussion: In addition to low levels of PA, obese adolescents acc...
Apolipoprotein (apo) E4 enhances HIV-1 cell entry in vitro, and the APOE ε4/ε4 genotype accelerates HIV disease progression

Abstract Originally recognized for their role in lipoprotein metabolism and cardiovascular disease, apolipoprotein (apo) E isoforms (apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4) have also been implicated to play a key role in several biological processes not directly related to their lipid transport function. For example, apoE4 contributes significantly to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. However, the role of apoE in infectious diseases is less well defined. Here, by examining a large cohort of HIV+ European and African American subjects, we found that the APOE e4/e4 genotype is associated with an accelerated disease course and especially progression to death compared with the APOE e3/e3 genotype. However, an association between the e4/e4 genotype and HIV-associated dementia (HAD), a neurological condition with clinicopathological features similar to Alzheimer's disease, was not detected. Consistent with the genotype–phenotype relationships observed, compared with recombinant apoE3, apoE4 enhanced HIV fusion/cell entry of both R5 and X4 HIV strains in vitro. These findings establish apoE as a determinant of HIV-AIDS pathogenesis and raise the possibility that current efforts to convert apoE4 to an “apoE3-like” molecule to treat Alzheimer's disease might also have clinical applicability in HIV disease. HIV/AIDS fusion/cell entry infectious diseases apoE
Absence of mitotic reduction in regenerating rat livers exposed to ultrasound

The frequency of mitotic cells in surgically stimulated rat livers in vivo was not affected by one- and five-minute exposures to 2.2 MHz ultrasound at intensities ranging from 60 to 16,000 mW/cm/sup 2/. These results do not confirm Kremkau and Witcofski's report on mitotic reduction in rat liver similarly exposed to ultrasound.
Policing Diverse Communities: Do Gender and Minority Status Make a Difference?

Using data from the Impact of Community Policing Training and Program Implementation on Police Personnel in Arizona, 1995–1998 (N = 1,449), this study looks at gender and ethnicity differences in orientations toward nontraditional policing styles and self-assessment of ability to police diverse communities. We hypothesized that minority and female officers would be more open to nontraditional (community-oriented policing and problem-solving policing) policing styles and rate themselves as better able to police diverse communities. Preliminary data suggest that minority males are most likely to adapt to community policing and best able to interact with diverse cultural groups. However, White female officers appear best able to assess the policing needs of diverse communities. Programming and training implications are also addressed.
Effects of the earth orbit environment on thin-wall bubbles

The use of thin-wall bubbles and erectable films has been proposed for a variety of applications in Earth orbit. These structures would be blown or erected from curable liquids. In this paper, the effects of the space environment on such structures are analyzed. Effects due to thermal loads, high vacuum, ram pressure, and atomic oxygen ablation are considered. The low thermal mass and large area of the structures lead to a strong coupling with the thermal environment. Large temperature gradients and swings (-100 K) can be expected. Although potentially detrimental, these properties could be advantageous to satellite thermal control systems. For liquid structures, the relatively low vacuum leads to very long mechanical damping times (hours). A finite liquid vapor pressure can also render closed structures unstable to bursting. The proposed structures have a very small mass per surface area giving a large ballistic coefficient. Atmospheric drag is therefore significant. Liquid structures can deform or collapse. The orbital lifetime of a free bubble can be very short (fractions of an orbit) and sensitive to the ambient density. This sensitivity could prove to be a useful tool to study atmospheric density at orbital altitudes. Associated with the drag process is the problem of atomic oxygen ablation at orbital velocities. The thin nature of the structures can lead to short disintegration times (hours) by ablation.
Transient Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism Caused by Critical Illness

The effects of acute severe illness on pituitarygonadal function were determined in 35 men and 19 women, including 12 who were postmenopausal. Seventeen men and 5 women had traumatic brain injury which resulted in coma. Twelve postmenopausal and 2 premenopausal women had intracranial vascular accidents. Eleven men had myocardial infarctions, while 7 men underwent elective surgery. Serial plasma samples were examined for testosterone (men), percentage of ultrafiltrable testosterone (men), estradiol (women), sex hormone-binding globulin, LH, and FSH. In men, mean testosterone levels fell by 271 ± 72 (±SE), 202 ± 63 and 195 ± 75 ng/dl within 24 h of brain injury, myocardial infarction, or elective surgery, representing decreases of 55%, 43%, and 58%. Further declines occurred in the first and third groups to mean nadirs of 93 ± 16 and 117 ± 5 ng/dl, respectively. During recovery of neurological function there was no correlation between the testosterone level and the degree of neurological impairment; testost...
Mom-and-Pops or Big Box Stores: Some Evidence of WalMart Impact on Retail Trade

This article explores WalMart’s impact on the retail sector in the counties in which it is located, as well as in surrounding counties, by examining the number and size of retail outlets, by retail category. Using statewide data as well as a case study incorporating econometric modes, we find that the main impact of the entrance of a WalMart primarily falls on competitive big box stores. Furthermore, we find that the long-run adjustment to the entrance of a WalMart takes between 18 and 36 months.
beta-dystrobrevin, a new member of the dystrophin family. Identification, cloning, and protein associations.

Dystrophin, the protein disrupted in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is one of several related proteins that are key components of the submembrane cytoskeleton. Three dystrophin-related proteins (utrophin, dystrophin-related protein-2 (DRP2), and dystrobrevin) have been described. Here, we identify a human gene on chromosome 2p22–23 that encodes a novel protein, β-dystrobrevin, with significant homology to the other known dystrobrevin (now termed α-dystrobrevin). Sequence alignments including this second dystrobrevin strongly support the concept that two distinct subfamilies exist within the dystrophin family, one composed of dystrophin, utrophin, and DRP2 and the other composed of α- and β-dystrobrevin. The possibility that members of each subfamily form distinct protein complexes was examined by immunopurifying dystrobrevins and dystrophin. A β-dystrobrevin antibody recognized a protein of the predicted size (71 kDa) that copurified with the dystrophin short form, Dp71. Thus, like α-dystrobrevin, β-dystrobrevin is likely to associate directly with dystrophin. α- and β-dystrobrevins failed to copurify with each other, however. These results suggest that members of the dystrobrevin subfamily form heterotypic associations with dystrophin and raise the possibility that pairing of a particular dystrobrevin with dystrophin may be regulated, thereby providing a mechanism for assembly of distinct submembrane protein complexes.
Long‐term overweight and weight gain in early adulthood in association with risk of endometrial cancer

Long-term overweight and substantial weight gain over adulthood are known risk factors of endometrial cancer, but the timing of weight gain in relation to risk and the effect of weight change on age at diagnosis remain unclear. A population-based case-control study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effect of body weight on endometrial cancer risk. The study enrolled 668 incident cases and 674 population controls. Anthropometric features in each decade of adult life were ascertained through in-person interview and analyzed for their associations with endometrial cancer using unconditional logistic regression. As expected, high body mass index (BMI) was significantly associated with increased risk. Women who were overweight or obese at the time of interview had adjusted odds ratios of 1.54 (95%CI 1.13-2.10) and 4.76 (95%CI 3.50-6.49), respectively, compared to women of normal weight. Similar associations were observed for BMI assessed at each decade of adult life. More importantly, women who were overweight (BMI ≥ 25) in their 20s or 30s and maintained the overweight throughout life had significantly higher risk than those who became overweight at ages 40s or 50s. Women with substantial weight gain (≥35%) in early adulthood (age 20s) developed the disease 10 years earlier than those without such weight change in early life. These observations further confirm the critical link between body weight and development of endometrial cancer.
Spatiotemporal trends and drivers of population dynamics in a declining Sonoran Desert predator

Abstract Information on population trends, population structure, and factors that drive them is useful for assessing extinction risks and for guiding conservation. In arid environments, weather often has large effects on population dynamics and climate change may be driving pervasive population declines. I used time-series data and two approaches that make different assumptions about observation error and process noise to evaluate population trends and population structure of ferruginous pygmy-owls ( Glaucidium brasilianum ) in the Sonoran Desert of northwest Mexico, and assessed how temporal variation in weather and spatial variation in vegetation and land use affected dynamics. Abundance declined over 12 years based on both approaches, but estimates from multivariate state-space models that explicitly considered observation error and process noise, were steeper (−2.8%/yr) with lower precision (SE = 3.6%) than those from mixed-effects models (−1.9%/yr, SE = 0.8%) that assumed no process noise. Annual precipitation at a two-year lag had positive effects and brooding-season temperature at a one-year lag had negative effects on abundance, and together explained 75% of variation in population dynamics that were largely synchronous across space, suggesting climate forcing. Abundance was persistently higher and varied less in areas with more nest cavities, more riparian vegetation, and lower land-use intensity, suggesting these factors are important drivers of habitat quality and good targets for managers. These results have important implications in arid regions of western North America where drought and extreme temperatures linked to climate change have prevailed over much of the last decade and where monitoring and conservation measures are needed to address these threats.
High-order finite volume WENO schemes for the shallow water equations with dry states

The shallow water equations are used to model flows in rivers and coastal areas, and have wide applications in ocean, hydraulic engineering, and atmospheric modeling. These equations have still water steady state solutions in which the flux gradients are balanced by the source term. It is desirable to develop numerical methods which preserve exactly these steady state solutions. Another main difficulty usually arising from the simulation of dam breaks and flood waves flows is the appearance of dry areas where no water is present. If no special attention is paid, standard numerical methods may fail near dry/wet front and produce non-physical negative water height. A high-order accurate finite volume weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme is proposed in this paper to address these difficulties and to provide an efficient and robust method for solving the shallow water equations. A simple, easy-to-implement positivity-preserving limiter is introduced. One- and two-dimensional numerical examples are provided to verify the positivity-preserving property, well-balanced property, high-order accuracy, and good resolution for smooth and discontinuous solutions.
A multi-level, bipolar view of the urban residential environment: Local community vs. mass societal forces

A multidisciplinary review of the urban literature reveals that theory can be ranged along two bipolar continua—individual vs. aggregate levels of analysis and equilibrium vs. conflict models of behavior. Research employed such bipolar conceptualizations to examine the persistence or deterioration of local community structure in a contemporary urban environment. A two-year ethnographic community study was conducted in Syracuse, New York and Onondaga County. Also examined were program processes of an experimental program designed to enhance neighborhood organization and social networks of 157 families living in ten randomly selected neighborhoods. Data collection methods included participant observation supplemented by archival research and in-depth interviews with community leaders. It was found that both bipolar models were necessary to illuminate processes at work within a city experiencing a sharp decline in population and in economic activity. Three coping strategies employed by city institutions to counter this decline were distinguished, but it was observed that often such strategies led to disruption of residential neighborhoods. We concluded that while local community structure remains in some neighborhoods, conflict between residential and nonresidential interests poses an ever more serious threat.
Reversible biochemical changes in the developing rat central nervous system following ultrasound exposure

Abstract Rat embryos in utero at 10 days of gestation (gd) were exposed to the intensity of 2.5 W/cm2 (SATA) of 1 MHz continuous-wave ultrasound for 5 min. The right uterine horn was exteriorized, exposed to the ultrasound beam, and then reinserted into the abdominal cavity. Embryos from the unexposed left uterine horn served as controls. The cerebral hemispheres of each fetus were removed and analyzed for enzymatic activity at four different stages of development. There was an increase in the temperature at the surface of the intact uterus during the ultrasound exposure. No gross anatomical malformations were observed in the exposed embryos. There were no diffrences in brain weight or protein content between exposed and control fetuses. However, the ultrasound exposure caused a transient decrease in acetylcholine esterase and 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase activities of the insonated fetal brains compared to the control brains. Because of the relatively high temporal-average intensity, the relatively large volume of tissue exposed, and the minimal sound path through tissue, the biochemical changes observed in this experiment would be unlikely to occur in clinical examinations.