cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
UV light abuse and high-risk tanning behavior among undergraduate college students

Background The failure of skin cancer prevention efforts to alter tanning behaviors may be a result of the addictive nature of UV light. Objective This study attempts to determine the prevalence of UV light substance-related disorder (SRD). Methods A survey was administered to undergraduate college students. The cut down, annoyed, guilty, eye-opener questionnaire was used to determine existence of SRD. Results Of 385 respondents, 12% scored positively on the cut down, annoyed, guilty, eye-opener indicating SRD. Women, indoor tanners, students with tanning family and friends, and frequent tanners were significantly more likely than their peers to score positively. Limitations The small size is a limitation of this study as results may not be generalizable to larger populations. There also may be self-report bias. Conclusions A significant proportion of college students demonstrate evidence of SRD with respect to UV light.
Robotic reactions: Delay-induced patterns in autonomous vehicle systems

Fundamental design principles are presented for vehicle systems governed by autonomous cruise control devices. By analyzing the corresponding delay differential equations, it is shown that for any car-following model short-wavelength oscillations can appear due to robotic reaction times, and that there are tradeoffs between the time delay and the control gains. The analytical findings are demonstrated on an optimal velocity model using numerical continuation and numerical simulation.
Examination of surface location error due to phasing of cutter vibrations

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relative importance of spindle speed, system dynamics, and cutting conditions on the accuracy of surface location in computer numerical-control (CNC) finish machining operations. The relationship between the spindle speed, the most flexible modes of the machine/cutting tool system and the final part dimensions is rather complex. The underlying theory, based on the situation of forced vibrations, is outlined. It is shown that the critical factor is the ratio of the tooth passing frequency to the system most flexible mode and corresponding natural frequency. Simple analytical calculations are carried out to illustrate the overcut/undercut surface error phenomenon. A simple simulation for end milling operations is also described which calculates the force on the cutter, the resulting cutter deflection, and the final error of surface. A comparison between the simulated and experimental results is presented. From experimental data, it shown that a change in surface location (and part dimension) of up to 50 μm is seen for a set of given conditions (i.e., cutter, material, chip load) simply by changing spindle speeds. Furthermore, it is seen that certain spindle speeds produce surfaces with no error introduced by the machining process.
Deficits in Bone Mineral Content in Children and Adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis Are Related to Height Deficits

Abstract Despite reports of decreased bone density, children with mild to moderate cystic fibrosis (CF)–associated pulmonary disease do not have increased fracture rates. Short stature and delayed puberty complicate interpretations of bone mineral status in many children with chronic diseases. This study sought to characterize bone mineral content (BMC) in children with CF and determine its relationship to growth, body composition, and disease severity. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements of whole body BMC (WB-BMC), spine BMC (Sp-BMC), and lean body mass (LBM) were converted to Z-scores in 82 CF and 322 healthy children. Effects of growth, body composition, and CF-disease characteristics on BMC were determined using linear regression. Children with CF had lower weight, height (HT), BMI, and LBM-Z. Females with CF had lower ( p p
A Turbine Airfoil Aerodynamic Design Process

A turbine airfoil aerodynamic design process, similar to the current industry practice, is used to design turbine airfoil sections. The airfoil generator code employs Bezier polynomial curves to produce smooth airfoil shapes.For the calculations of the airfoil pressure distributions a discrete vortex method is used after the airfoil is designed and the novel Navier-Stokes (N-S) solver is developed for further examination of the airfoil performance. The vortex method can provide a fast way to calculate the airfoil pressure distributions. The N-S code is used to obtain the blade-to-blade quasi-three-dimensional, turbulent, and viscous flow characteristics. The time-dependent N-S equations are discretized and integrated in a coupled manner based on a finite-volume formulation as well as a flux-difference splitting. The flux-difference splitting method enables us to compute with a rapid convergence.After the flow solver is validated with experimental data, this new code is further used to obtain an optimal airfoil design by analyzing the cascade flows. The present N-S code can handle computations of both subsonic and supersonic flows and can be connected to an external optimizer code with the airfoil generator.Copyright © 2001 by ASME
Nonaromatic diazonium ions

Nonbenzenoid diazonium ions comprise a class of reactive intermediates of increasing significance. They can be generated under stable ion conditions, observed spectroscopically, and studied chemically. Synthetic applications have been extended from aliphatic to a variety of heterosubstituted diazonium ions. Even the parent diazonium ion, HN+2 (protonated dinitrogen), can now be studied in solution.
Chemical Synthesis and Purification of Phosphorothioate Antisense Oligonucleotides

Over a dozen antisense oligonucleotide drugs are undergoing human clinical trials for the treatment of viral infections, cancers, and a range of inflammatory disorders (Table 1). One of these was recently the first antisense oligonucleotide to demonstrate clinical safety and efficacy in pivotal Phase III clinical trials, in this case for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis (Sanghvi et al., 1998). A dozen more antisense oligonucleotides have demonstrated pre-clinical efficacy (Crooke, 1998) and are under consideration for clinical development. In addition, use of antisense gene expression modulation to produce well-defined pharmacological effects is now a routine procedure (Akhtar et al., 1997). Automation of synthesis and ready access to required raw materials are two key reasons for the tumultuous growth in this area of research and development. Methods that allow preparation of a large number of pure oligonucleotides at reasonable cost expedite not only antisense drug discovery, but also open the door to manufacture of these drugs for market and the ultimate goal of delivery to patients. This chapter focuses on advances made in oligonucleotide process chemistry, the introduction and use of new reagents, and purification and analysis of antisense oligonucleotides.
Purification from human pregnancy serum of a low molecular weight mitogen similar to placental lactogen and growth hormone.

AbstractRecently, we isolated from the serum of pregnant women a factor that induced rapid proliferation of a lactogen-dependent rat lymphoma cell line (Nb2). This mitogenic factor is reasonably specific to pregnancy, since it was present in serum samples from second trimester as well as term-pregnant women, but not in those of adult men or cycling females. It is unlikely that this mitogenic activity (referred to as pregnancy mitogen [PM]) is due to contamination by classical lactogens, since acetone fractionation of serum yielded a preparation devoid of placental lactogen and prolactin, as determined by radioimmunoassays. Further purification of acetone precipitates from term-pregnant serum by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration yielded a mitogenic activity with a relative mol wt of approximately 10,000. PM activity in the NB2 cell bioassay was not affected by the presence of prolactin antiserum. However, its activity was immuno-neutralized by coincubation with anti-placental lactogen serum an...
Epidemiologic features of infantile spasms in Slovenia.

Summary: Purpose: To determine the epidemiologic features of infantile spasms (ISs) in Slovenia. Methods: Medical records of all children with ISs in Slovenia in the period from 1985 to 1995, based on community pediatrician referrals to four hospitals, including all pediatric EEG laboratories, were retrospectively studied. The outcome was assessed by a follow-up study in 1998. Results: Forty-seven children with ISs were identified over an 11-year interval. The cumulative incidence was 2.06 per 10,000 live births. Among 29 (61.7%) children with symptomatic etiology, 14 cases had prenatal etiology [tuberous sclerosis (TS), seven; vascular insult, three; cerebral malformations, three; Down syndrome, one child], 14 perinatal and one postnatal cause: anoxic brain damage after cardiac surgery. Cryptogenic and idiopathic etiology were diagnosed in 13 (27.6%) and five (10.6%) of 47 cases, respectively. The age of onset of ISs ranged from 2 to 10 months. As initial treatment, steroids were used in 19 children (remission in 10); vigabatrin in seven (remission in four), and other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in 20 children (remission in six). According to the follow-up study, 18 (38.3%) children were seizure free, and 14 of them had normal mental development. Among 29 mentally retarded children (14 severely), 26 belonged to the symptomatic group. Four children died. Conclusions: The incidence of ISs in Slovenia is similar to that in some parts of the United States, but lower than that in Finland or Sweden. The outcome depends mainly on etiology. Additional neuroimaging studies are needed for evaluation of cryptogenic cases.
Optically pumped GaAs waveguide lasers with a fundamental 0.11 μ corrugation feedback

Abstract Surface corrugations with a period of 0.115 μ were ion-milled on GaAs dielectric waveguides. Laser action was observed under optical pumping. Single mode as well as multimode oscillation was obtained under different pumping conditions.
The mechanism of single-step liftoff with chlorobenzene in a diazo-type resist

The mechanism of the chlorobenzene single-step liftoff process is defined. The chlorobenzene penetrates to some depth into the resist film during the soaking cycle, extracting residual casting solvent and low-molecular-weight resin species. The chlorobenzene is subsequently removed by a rinse cycle. The penetrated layer of resist develops at a slower rate than the underlying bulk resist, producing the liftoff structure.
Prevalence and risk factors for insomnia among breast cancer patients on aromatase inhibitors

Purpose Insomnia is increasingly recognized as a major symptom outcome in breast cancer; however, little is known about its prevalence and risk factors among women receiving aromatase inhibitors (AIs), a standard treatment to increase disease-free survival among breast cancer patients.
The Kronecker indices of affine-nonlinear control systems

Kronecker indices of smooth affine-nonlinear control systems (x)= ?0(x) + u1?1(x) +...+ um?m(x) x ? Rn are defined. It is shown they determine the collection of controllable linear systems which can be obtained from the system using local feedback equivalences and state-space reductions.
Immunogenicity of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and the effect of adjuvants in mice.

Abstract Intraperitoneal inoculation of CF1 mice with 100 μg, 200 μg, or 300 μg whole cell (WC) or 250 μg, 500 μg, or 1000 μg cell wall (CW) of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis induced varying degrees of protection after intravenous challenge of immunity with 7·2 × 104 CFU of C. pseudotuberculosis. Generally, the degree of protection increased with the dose of WC or CW. However, intraperitoneal inoculation of mice with 100 μg, 200 μg, or 300 μg heat-killed Mycobacterium bovis BCG; 50 μg, 150 μg, or 300 μg of either muramyl dipeptide (MDP) or trehalose dimycolate (TDM); or 350 μg, 700 μg or 1400 μg Corynebacterium parvum did not induce resistance to intravenous inoculation of 7·4 × 104 CFU of C. pseudotuberculosis. The protection induced by 500 μg CW was enhanced by adding 100 μg BCG, 150 μg MDP, or 350 μg C. parvum but protection induced in mice by 300 μg of WC was not enhanced by adding any adjuvants.
Comment on ab initio ground state potential energy surfaces for anions of polar molecules

Abstract Within the context of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation all molecules with dipole moments greater than 1.625 D have stable anions. The applicability of the Hartree-Fock approximation to describe the stability of such anions is discussed. It is concluded that correlation effects are relatively more important for molecules such as HF and HCN than the more polar alkali halides.
Structural design optimization for latitude by nonlinear goal programming

Abstract A means of including uncertainty in the optimal design of structures is introduced. A nonlinear goal programming formulation is generated which allows for multiple design objectives as well as hard and soft constraints. An example concerning the design of a three-bar truss is presented. Uncertainty in both load magnitude and direction are considered. A topological change in the design is achieved by making use of design sensitivity information.
Hot-cold classification: theoretical and practical implications of a Mexican study.

Abstract Hot-cold food and medicinal categories from one Mexican community (Mitla, Oaxaca) are examined to describe general principles of classification, dimensions of use, and potentials for change. Intracultural variation in hot-cold knowledge and related dietary and medicinal practices are discussed to demonstrate how within one culture general structural principles of hot-cold balance can be shared, while content varies; also how knowledge is communicated so that use of hot-cold is retained in spite of differences in judgment and usage among population members. Findings from this community are then compared with those from other Latin American communities and with data on hot-cold usage in the Near East, Far East and other Old World communities. While Mitla differs from many other Latin American communities in that hot-cold reasoning does not interfere with delivery of health care or acceptance of nutrition information, it is similar to them in that hot-cold is not an all pervasive cultural idiom, but is the major idiom in which the qualities of foods and their beneficial or harmful effects on the body are discussed. By contrast, in Asian medical systems, hot-cold is the major idiom for discussing moral, social, and ritual states, in addition to the qualities of foods and medicines; but it is only one of a number of concepts for discussing health, humors, and foods. Implications of between and within cultural variation for reporting illness beliefs and formulating health policy are discussed.
Effect of salinity and alcohol partitioning on phase behavior and oil displacement efficiency in surfactant-polymer flooding

The equivalent alkane carbon number (EACN) of a crude oil, namely Ankleshwar crude, is successfully modeled by a mixture of pure alkanes. The EACN of the crude oil is found to be 9.3, and an appropriate mixture of nonane and decane exhibited phase behavior similar to that of the crude oil. A surfactant system for a water flooded reservoir at 80 C and having a salinity in the range of 2% to 3% NaCl is formulated by blending a phosphated ester with a petroleum sulfonate in the weight ratio of 2/5. The addition of phosphate ester not only increases the salt tolerance of the petroleum sulfonate system, it also broadens the IFT minimum. The oil displacement tests at 80 C in sandpacks and Berea cores showed that the surfactant formulation containing tertiary amyl alcohol (TAA) displaced 92% oil in sandpacks and 79% crude oil in Berea cores. The oil recovery efficiency was poor when formulations contained other alcohols. From the effluent surfactant concentration, it is shown that there is a correlation between the tertiary oil recovery, surfactant breakthrough and surfactant retention in porous media. It is proposed that, because alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA), isobutyl alcohol (IBA) and secondary butyl alcohol (SBA) partition significantly in the equilibrated excess brine phase, the alcohol-depleted surfactant slug forms stable emulsions resulting in faster breakthrough of surfactant in the effluent and lower oil displacement efficiency. In the case of TAA-containing formulation, there is a partitioning of TAA in the oil phase. Therefore, there is a mass transfer of alcohol from surfactant slug to the oil ganglia in porous media. This produces a transient ultralow IFT between residual oil and the surfactant solution which mobilizes oil, resulting in higher oil displacement efficiency.
Geo-referenced Time-Series Summarization Using k-Full Trees: A Summary of Results

Given a set of regions with activity counts at each time instant (e.g., a listing of countries with number of mass protests or disease cases over time) and a spatial neighbor relation, geo-referenced time-series summarization (GTS) finds k-full trees that maximize activity coverage. GTS has important potential societal applications such as understanding the spread of political unrest, disease, crimes, fires, pollutants, etc. However, GTS is computationally challenging because (1) there are a large number of subsets of k-full trees due to the potential overlap of trees and (2) a region with no activity may be a part of a larger region with maximum activity coverage, making apriori-based pruning inapplicable. Previous approaches for spatio-temporal data mining detect anomalous or unusual areas and do not summarize activities. We propose a k-full tree (kFT) approach for GTS which features an algorithmic refinement for partitioning regions that leads to computational savings without affecting result quality. Experimental results show that our algorithmic refinement substantially reduces the computational cost. We also present a case study that shows the output of our approach on Arab Spring data.
Amphiphobic Nanofibrous Silica Mats with Flexible and High-Heat-Resistant Properties

In this study, for the first time, we fabricated flexible, high-heat-resistant, and amphiphobic mats by (fluoroalkyl)silane (FAS) modification of electrospun pure silica nanofibrous mats. The inorganic silica nanofibrous mats were obtained via electrospinning the blend solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and silica gel, followed by calcination to remove the organic component. The PVA/silica and silica fibers were found to be randomly oriented as nonwoven mats with fiber diameters in the range of 150−500 nm. After the FAS modification, the surface wettability of the silica mats was converted from amphiphilic to amphiphobic. The fluorinated mat with the bead-on-string structure showed the highest water contact angle (WCA) of 154° and oil contact angle (OCA) of 144°. Additionally, the fluorinated inorganic fibrous mats exhibited a high heat resistance; they kept their hydrophobicity (WCA of 138°) and oleophobicity (OCA of 132°) even after the annealing treatment at 450 °C for 30 min. Potential application...
Integration to What? Marginalization from What?: Keynote Address at 19th Nordiske Sociologkongres, 13–15 June 1997, Copenhagen: “Integration and Marginalization.”

The modern world-system has created considerable confusion about what we can mean by integration and marginalization into our societies/states. One of the principles of most sovereign states in the last two centuries is that they are composed of “citizens.” Once there were citizens, there were non-citizens as well. Citizenship became something very valuable, and consequently not something one was very willing to share with others. Despite the fact that citizenship is a cherished good, which gives rise to “protectionist” sentiment, migration is a constantly recurring phenomenon in the modern world, which leads to the issue of national integration. The world revolution of 1968 put into question, for the first time since the French Revolution, the concept of citizenship. What was different about me world revolution of 1968 was that it was an expression of disillusionment in the possibilities of state-level reformism. The post-1968 movements added something new. They insisted that racism and sexism were not merely matters of individual prejudice and discrimination but that they took on “institutional” forms as well. What these movements seemed to be talking about was not overt juridical discrimination but the covert forms that were hidden within the concept of “citizen” The concept of citizenship is, in its essence, always simultaneously inclusionary and exclusionary. We should begin to conceive whether we can go beyond or dispense with the concept of citizen, and if so, to replace it with what?
Extraction and Quantitative Analysis of Iodine in Solid and Solution Matrixes

129I is a contaminant of interest in the vadose zone and groundwater at numerous federal and privately owned facilities. Several techniques have been utilized to extract iodine from solid matrixes; however, all of them rely on two fundamental approaches: liquid extraction or chemical/heat-facilitated volatilization. While these methods are typically chosen for their ease of implementation, they do not totally dissolve the solid. We defined a method that produces complete solid dissolution and conducted laboratory tests to assess its efficacy to extract iodine from solid matrixes. Testing consisted of potassium nitrate/potassium hydroxide fusion of the sample, followed by sample dissolution in a mixture of sulfuric acid and sodium bisulfite. The fusion extraction method resulted in complete sample dissolution of all solid matrixes tested. Quantitative analysis of 127I and 129I via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry showed better than ±10% accuracy for certified reference standards, with the line...
The heme activator protein Hap1 represses transcription by a heme-independent mechanism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The yeast heme activator protein Hap1 binds to DNA and activates transcription of genes encoding functions required for respiration and for controlling oxidative damage, in response to heme. Hap1 contains a DNA-binding domain with a C6 zinc cluster motif, a coiled-coil dimerization element, typical of the members of the yeast Gal4 family, and an acidic activation domain. The regulation of Hap1 transcription-activating activity is controlled by two classes of Hap1 elements, repression modules (RPM1–3) and heme-responsive motifs (HRM1–7). Previous indirect evidence indicates that Hap1 may repress transcription directly. Here we show, by promoter analysis, by chromatin immunoprecipitation, and by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, that Hap1 binds directly to DNA and represses transcription of its own gene by at least 20-fold. We found that Hap1 repression of the HAP1 gene occurs independently of heme concentrations. While DNA binding is required for transcriptional repression by Hap1, deletion of Hap1 activation domain and heme-regulatory elements has varying effects on repression. Further, we found that repression by Hap1 requires the function of Hsp70 (Ssa), but not Hsp90. These results show that Hap1 binds to its own promoter and represses transcription in a heme-independent but Hsp70-dependent manner.
On the propagation of RF into a building constructed of cinder block over the frequency range 200 MHz to 3 GHz

A study of the RF propagation into a building having a cinder block wall construction is performed by illuminating a two-story structure and recording the levels of the penetrant field over the frequency range 200 MHz to 3 GHz. Internal measurements are acquired at four points on the first floor of the building. Since the building had no windows, the penetration into the building interior occurred primarily as a result of propagation through the walls. The measured internal magnetic field of the illuminated building exhibited a 13-22 dB attenuation for the most part over the frequency range of the study. Multiple reflections from the ground, walls, floor, ceiling, etc., produce notable maxima and minima in the attenuation data as well as several deep nulls in the swept frequency responses.
On Triangular versus Edge Representations --- Towards Scalable Modeling of Networks

In this paper, we argue for representing networks as a bag of triangular motifs, particularly for important network problems that current model-based approaches handle poorly due to computational bottlenecks incurred by using edge representations. Such approaches require both 1-edges and 0-edges (missing edges) to be provided as input, and as a consequence, approximate inference algorithms for these models usually require Ω(N2) time per iteration, precluding their application to larger real-world networks. In contrast, triangular modeling requires less computation, while providing equivalent or better inference quality. A triangular motif is a vertex triple containing 2 or 3 edges, and the number of such motifs is Θ(∑i D2i) (where Di is the degree of vertex i), which is much smaller than N2 for low-maximum-degree networks. Using this representation, we develop a novel mixed-membership network model and approximate inference algorithm suitable for large networks with low max-degree. For networks with high maximum degree, the triangular motifs can be naturally subsampled in a node-centric fashion, allowing for much faster inference at a small cost in accuracy. Empirically, we demonstrate that our approach, when compared to that of an edge-based model, has faster runtime and improved accuracy for mixed-membership community detection. We conclude with a large-scale demonstration on an N ≈ 280,000-node network, which is infeasible for network models with Ω(N2) inference cost.
Cultural Intersections: A Qualitative Inquiry into the Experience of Asian Indian-White Interracial Couples

The purpose of this study was to examine the "lived experience" of Asian Indian (AI)-White couples in interracial marriages. Ten highly educated AI-White professional couples were individually interviewed about their subjective experience of being in an interracial marriage, the challenges and strengths of this marriage, and the potential role of culture in their marriages. Data were analyzed using the Consensual Qualitative Research methodology. Results indicated that the couples' marital experiences were influenced by a complex intersection of ecosystemic factors with significant psychological impacts. These findings highlight shortcomings in drawing simplistic conclusions regarding the success or failure of an interracial marriage and have important implications for theory, research, and clinical practice.
Structural and Mechanistic Revelations on an Iron Conversion Reaction from Pair Distribution Function Analysis

Not simply small particles: pair distribution function analysis yields comprehensive insights into the electrochemical reaction of α-Fe(2)O(3) with lithium. The metallic Fe formed in this reaction was found to be defect-rich nanoparticles that restructure continuously without growing-an unusual characteristic likely linked to its highly reversible capacity.
Incidental recall on WAIS-R digit symbol discriminates Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

The purpose of this study was to examine how Alzheimer's (n = 37) and Parkinson's (n = 21) patients perform on the incidental recall adaptation to the Digit Symbol of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) and how such performance is related to established cognitive efficiency and memory measures. This adaptation requires the examinee to complete the entire subtest and then, without warning, to immediately recall the symbols associated with each number. Groups did not differ significantly on standard Digit Symbol administration (90 seconds), but on recall Parkinson's patients recalled significantly more symbols and symbol-number pairs than Alzheimer's patients. Using only the number of symbols recalled, discriminate function analysis correctly classified 76% of these patients. Correlations between age-corrected scaled score, symbols incidentally recalled, and established measures of cognitive efficiency and memory provided evidence of convergent and divergent validity. Age-corrected scaled scores were more consistently and strongly related to cognitive efficiency, whereas symbols recalled were more consistently and strongly related to memory measures. These findings suggest that the Digit Symbol recall adaptation is actually assessing memory and that it can be another useful way to detect memory impairment.
A neural-fuzzy system for forecasting

This study introduces a neural-fuzzy system for financial modeling and forecasting. The new system combines a neural network with fuzzy logic, in which fuzzy rules replace the traditional crisp logic in the reasoning. The system is used to exploit financial market inefficiencies and extract nonlinear patterns. When used in forecasting S&P 500 index, the model's performance is compared with a random walk model, an ARIMA model and other more sophisticated econometric models, (e.g. ARCH model). The power and predictive ability of the models are evaluated on the basis of mean absolute error, root mean squared error, turning point prediction, pattern recognition, and the conditional efficiency in the sense of (Granger and Newbold, 1973) and (Fair and Shiller, 1990). The study showed a promising result for the neural-fuzzy system.
Germ-line transformation of the South American malaria vector, Anopheles albimanus, with a piggyBac/EGFP transposon vector is routine and highly efficient.

Stable and efficient germ-line transformation was achieved in the South American malaria vector, Anopheles albimanus, using a piggyBac vector marked with an enhanced green fluorescent protein gene regulated by the Drosophila melanogaster polyubiquitin promoter. Transgenic mosquitoes were identified from four independent experiments at frequencies ranging from 20 to 43% per fertile G0 . Fluorescence was observable throughout the body of larvae and pupae, and abdominal segments of adults. Transgenic lines analysed by Southern hybridization had one to six germ-line integrations, with most lines having three or more integrations. Hybridized transposon vector fragments and insertion site sequences were consistent with precise piggyBac-mediated integrations, although this was not verified for all lines. The piggyBac/PUbnlsEGFP vector appears to be a robust transformation system for this anopheline species, in contrast to the use of a piggyBac vector in An. gambiae. Further tests are needed to determine if differences in anopheline transformation efficiency are due to the marker systems or to organismal or cellular factors specific to the species.
Drug-associated antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody–positive vasculitis: Prevalence among patients with high titers of antimyeloperoxidase antibodies

Objective The triggers that induce antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–positive vasculitis (APV) are largely unknown. However, there have been reports suggesting that hydralazine, propylthiouracil, and several other drugs may cause some cases of APV, and the majority of these cases have been associated with antimyeloperoxidase (anti-MPO) ANCA. Our experience led us to hypothesize that cases of high titers of anti-MPO antibodies are often drug-associated. Methods In this study, we determined the prevalence of exposure to hydralazine, propylthiouracil, and other drugs previously implicated in APV among 30 patients with vasculitis and the highest titers of anti-MPO antibodies newly detected in our laboratory between 1994 and 1998. The clinical, histologic, and other serologic features of these 30 patients were also examined. Results The 30 study patients accounted for 12% of the 250 new patients with APV and anti-MPO who were tested during the study period. All 30 study subjects had anti-MPO titers that were more than 12 times the median titer of the 250 patients. Ten (33%) of the 30 patients had been exposed to hydralazine and 3 (10%) had been exposed to propylthiouracil. An additional 5 patients (17%) had been exposed to 1 of the other previously reported candidate drugs: 2 to penicillamine, 2 to allopurinol, and 1 to sulfasalazine. One of the patients exposed to hydralazine had also been exposed to allopurinol. In all cases, the clinical and histologic findings were typical of APV. There was a strong association between the presence of antielastase and/ or antilactoferrin antibodies and exposure to candidate drugs. Conclusion These data suggest that a sizable proportion of cases of APV with high titers of anti-MPO antibodies are drug-associated, especially following exposure to hydralazine or propylthiouracil. We recommend that the use of these drugs should be sought in cases of anti-MPO–positive vasculitis, particularly among patients with high titers of these antibodies.
ALTRUISM, EGOISM, AND THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN THE PRIVATE PROVISION OF PUBLIC GOODS*

The economic approach to understanding human behavior has encountered serious difficulties when attempting to explain the private provision of public goods, such as voting and charitable contributions to large organizations. To gain insights into these important issues, this study takes an interdisciplinary approach. The individual is modeled formally in terms of dual egoistic/altruistic utilities, and the recursive relation between altruism and the existence and production of social capital is developed. The model is analyzed as a non-cooperative game between the egoistic and altruistic selves. The socialized rational actor that results from the combination of social capital, dual utilities, and non-cooperative behavior resolves a number of public goods paradoxes. Comparative statics and the dynamics of social capital formation are explored.
A cylindrically orthotropic elastic thick ring.

Abstract : A Fourier series analysis is presented for the static problem of a plane elastic, cylindrically orthotropic, thick ring subjected to two equal and opposite forces applied to its outer surface at opposite ends of a diameter. Using this solution, it is possible to compute the response in regions not near the points of application of the loads. It is shown that technical beam theory becomes very inaccurate as the material becomes more and more orthotropic. (Author)
Parcel size related to household behaviors affecting carbon storage in exurban residential landscapes

Abstract We investigated whether exurban parcel size might be related to homeowners’ behaviors that could affect carbon balance in residential landscapes. Based on data drawn from in-depth interviews and field surveys in 26 southeast Michigan exurban households, we conclude that an approximately 1-acre (0.45 ha) size may be a critical threshold for certain behaviors, such as leaving a portion of an exurban parcel in forest or old field or retaining leaf litter on the property. Tree planting is a relevant behavior that may increase when parcels are larger than 0.5 acres (0.20 ha). Yard style of adjacent properties also appears to be related to homeowners’ landscape management behaviors: conventional turf-dominated yards prevail adjacent to parcels smaller than one-acre. We used our analysis of these data to develop an exurban homeowner typology to be employed in agent based models in which homeowners’ behaviors that may affect carbon balance are linked to parcel size.
The Development of Railway Concessions in West and Central Africa

This article provides an overview of the railway restructuring and concessions in the binational Abidjan/Ouagadougou Railway (1992–1995), the Cameroon Railway (1996–2000), and the Gabon rail concession (1998–2000). While the concessions were developed independently, their comparison suggests that–at least in some dimensions–each transaction was able to identify issues, problems, and successes in the previous deals and to design processes and institutions to develop better concessions. Moreover, this comparative approach serves to identify common issues and provides ideas as to how transactions might be further improved. The three concession experiences highlight: the changing sources and nature of financing; improvements in the design of bidding and award processes for concessions; contract design and renegotiation issues; roles of governments, multilateral institutions, and private parties; and the ability of project parties to learn lessons from prior deals and adapt processes to the specific country context.
Chemistries and colors of bioluminescent reactions: a review

Abstract Many different organisms, ranging from bacteria and fungi to fireflies and fish, are endowed with the ability to emit light, but the bioluminescent systems are not evolutionarily conserved: genes coding for the luciferase proteins (Lase) are not homologous, and the luciferins are also different, falling into many unrelated chemical classes. Biochemically, all known Lase are oxygenases that utilize molecular oxygen to oxidize a substrate (a luciferin; literally the ‘light-bearing’ molecule), with formation of a product molecule in an electronically excited state. The color of the light may differ, even though the same luciferin/Lase system underlies the reaction. Filters or differences in Lase structure are responsible in some cases; in others a secondary emitter associated with a second protein is involved. In the coelenterates a green fluorescent protein, whose chromophore is derived from the primary amino-acid sequence, results in a red shift of the emission. In the bacteria accessory proteins causing either blue- or red-shifts have been isolated from different species; the chromophores are noncovalently bound. Although radiationless energy transfer has been implicated in the excitation of such accessory emitters, this may not be so in all cases.
Middle School Mathematics Teachers Learning to Teach with Calculators and Computers

This paper reports the results of a project in which experienced middle grades mathematics teachers immersed themselves in calculator and computer use for both doing and teaching mathematics and prepared themselves as leaders for communicating their knowledge to colleagues. Project evaluation included interviews with participants at the beginning and end of the project and evaluation forms completed at the end of the project. Pre-interviews indicated that virtually all of the participants had no experience using technology to teach mathematics. Many felt that technology was not likely to be as effective in helping students learn mathematics as other teaching techniques. Post-interviews indicated that all teachers were confident of their abilities to use some technologies in teaching mathematics. They acknowledged that technology was useful in developing conceptual understanding and that their role was to guide this conceptual development. The differences in participants' perceptions about how the project affected them yielded suggestions for future inservice efforts about technology.
Consequences of copper accumulation in the livers of the Atp7b-/- (Wilson disease gene) knockout mice.

Wilson disease is a severe genetic disorder associated with intracellular copper overload. The affected gene, ATP7B, has been identified, but the molecular events leading to Wilson disease remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that genetically engineered Atp7b−/− mice represent a valuable model for dissecting the disease mechanisms. These mice, like Wilson disease patients, have intracellular copper accumulation, low-serum oxidase activity, and increased copper excretion in urine. Their liver pathology developed in stages and was determined by the time of exposure to elevated copper rather than copper concentration per se. The disease progressed from mild necrosis and inflammation to extreme hepatocellular injury, nodular regeneration, and bile duct proliferation. Remarkably, all animals older than 9 months showed regeneration of large portions of the liver accompanied by the localized occurrence of cholangiocarcinoma arising from the proliferating bile ducts. The biochemical characterization of Atp7b−/− livers revealed copper accumulation in several cell compartments, particularly in the cytosol and nuclei. The increase in nuclear copper is accompanied by marked enlargement of the nuclei and enhanced DNA synthesis, with these changes occurring before pathology development. Our results suggest that the early effects of copper on cell genetic material contribute significantly to pathology associated with Atp7b inactivation.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Microbiologic Characteristics, Antimicrobial Susceptibilities, and Assessment of Virulence of an Epidemic Strain

An epidemic strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from patients at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville (MRSA-Va) was characterized, and virulence properties were compared with those of three clinically significant strains of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus. Unlike most known strains of MRSA, MRSA-Va was sensitive to tetracycline and streptomycin and exhibited high-level homogeneous methicillin resistance (minimal inhibitory concentration, greater than 128 microgram/ml). The expression of resistance was not influenced by incubation temperature. MRSA-Va contained significantly more catalase (P less than 0.05) than methicillin-sensitive strains but about the same amount of protein A. Phagocytosis and killing of MRSA-Va by normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes were not significantly different from that of the Wood-46 strain of S. aureus. In mouse virulence studies using both intraperitoneal and intravenous modes of infection, 50% lethal doses for MRSA-Va were comparable with those of the three methicillin-sensitive strains. This epidemic strain of MRSA appears to be fully virulent.
Monte Carlo calculation of Fisher information and Cramer-Rao Bounds

The families of Cramer-Rao bounds (CRB) are useful for comparing performance of different medical imaging systems. They relate the inverse of the fisher information matrix (FIM) to lower bounds on the covariance matrix of - possibly regularized - reconstructions. However, it is often difficult to apply in applications with a high dimensional measurement space, since the inversion and multiplication of large matrices requires large computer memory and lengthy computation. Monte Carlo integration (MCI) and local shift-invariance properties, for the FFT can be used to simplify the inversion, are possible solutions to estimating the FIM and modified uniform Cramer-Rao bound (M-UCRB), respectively. Inevitably, the fidelity of the approximation to the M-UCRB is determined by errors in the calculated FIM, which are introduced by the finite number of samples used for MCI, and in the accuracy of the local spatial invariance assumption. This research examines the issue of error propagation due to the limited number of samples by studying the performance of simulated medical imaging system.
High-throughput screening of chemopreventive compounds targeting Nrf2

Cancer is an aging-related disease promoted by accumulation of cellular damage under stressful environment. Many natural products, known as chemopreventive compounds, can lower the risk of cancer by enhancing cellular capacity of handling stress. Studies of molecular targets of these compounds have led to the identification of a novel transcription factor Nrf2 that is a master regulator of a major cellular antioxidant response. The critical role of Nrf2 in chemoprevention has been recently established. Using small molecule Nrf2 activators for chemoprevention represents an innovative strategy for fighting against cancer. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of high-throughput screening of Nrf2 activators using a luciferase reporter gene assay as a primary screen. Hit confirmation was performed in a secondary screen based on immunodetection of the Nrf2 protein. For bioefficacy study, compound-induced upregulation of hemeoxygenase I (HO-1) and NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), two well studied Nrf2 target genes involved in the cellular antioxidant response, was detected using real time RT-PCR analysis. NQOl enzymatic activity and intracellular glutathione level were assessed as the downstream effects of Nrf2 activation by these compounds. Although several Nrf2 activators have been identified using these approaches, it is time consuming and labor intensive. Development of sensitive devices for rapid, reliable, and high-throughput identification of Nrf2 activators will greatly speed up the identification of new drugs for chemoprevention.
Video Streaming in Online Learning

The use of video in teaching and learning is a common practice in education today. As learning online becomes more of a common practice in education, streaming video and audio will play a bigger role in delivering course materials to online learners. This form of technology brings courses alive by allowing online learners to use their visual and auditory senses to learn complex concepts and difficult procedures. This article offers an overview of using streaming video in the online educational environment and discusses the various formats of streaming media. The various hardware and software programs used to create streaming video are also examined along with the advantages and drawbacks of using streaming video in online instruction. Finally, a discussion of how streaming video can be used in online instruction and its curricular applications are addressed.
A Stable Vision-Based Control Scheme for Nonholonomic Vehicles to Keep a Landmark in the Field of View

Control of wheeled vehicles is a difficult problem due to nonholonomic constraints. This problem is compounded by sensor limitations. A previously developed control scheme for a wheeled robot, which keeps a target in the view of a mounted camera, is one solution to the problem. In this paper, we prove the controllability and stability of the control scheme. We present an implementation of the controller, as well as present the results of simulations and physical experiments.
An Activity-Based Costing Model For Dental Schools: Is ABC A Feasible Costing Alternative?

Few studies related to activity-based costing (ABC) and health-care settings have investigated useful models for the health-care intellectual environment. This focus study targets one area within a dental school, the Restorative Department. The objective of the research is to determine the appropriateness of an activity-based costing system for costing departmental teaching , research and service activities by designing a comprehensive model that describes procedures associated with implementation. The results of the study indicate that there are potential benefits associated with the successful implementation of an ABC system within a health-care intellectual environment. Some of the benefits include cost savings opportunities, enhanced budgetary processes and improved assessment of the efficiency of faculty performances.
Once More into the Lion’s Mouth: Another Look at Van Der Leeuw’s Phenomenology of Religion

It is unusual that a communication is delivered in this forum on the subject of religious studies; but it is hoped that a way can be shown to link the concerns of the study of religion and those of the other human sciences in their common search for “foundations.” First, though, a word about the title of this paper. It is a weak pun, combining a line from Shakespeare’s version of Henry V’s encogement to his troops to go “once more into the breach” of the wall at Azincourt, and a reference to the name of the subject of the paper, Van Der Leeuw. Gerardus Van Der Leeuw’s work is the object of attention here. Van Der Leeuw was a Dutchman, and “leeuw” is the Dutch word for “lion.” It is possibly useful for people to know these things, since not everyone reads Dutch for pleasure and profit. Perhaps that is a loss for us, since an enormous amount of writing in the phenomenology of religion has been produced in more than a century just past; but since Dutch is a minority language in Europe, only a Dutch scholar’s most important works are — even today — written in an international language (usually German), and we are, for the most part, cut off from them. Furthermore, since the best known of Van Der Leeuw’s work available in English, Religion in Essence and Manifestation, 1 is now out of print, we may be saying “open wide” for the last time.