cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactions of molecules with nucleic acids. IV. Binding energies and conformations of acridine and phenanthridine compounds in the two principal and in several unconstrained dimer‐duplex intercalation sites

The binding positions and relative minimum binding energies are calculated for complexes of 9-aminoacridine, proflavine, N-methylphenanthridinium, and ethidium in theoretically determined intercalation sites in B-DNA (sites I and II) and in unconstrained dimer-duplex sites. The selection of site I in B-DNA by these compounds agrees with the theoretical interpretation of studies of unwinding angles in closed circular DNA in all cases but ethidium, which is predicted to select site II. The most stable binding positions of the acridines and ethidium in unconstrained dimer-duplex units agree with experimental results of intercalation complexes of dinucleoside monophosphate units. Base-pair specificity for Watson-Crick pairing is examined. The energy of an intercalation complex is partitioned into ΔE23, the energy required to open base pairs BP2 and BP3 in B-DNA to a site, and ΔEIn, the energy change when a free molecular intercalates. ΔE23 depends strongly on the base-pair sequence, whereas ΔEIn for the four molecules studied does not. The three most stable sequences contain (pyrimidine)p(purine) units, and this provides a rationale for the exclusive formation of crystals of intercalation complexes with these units. In spite of this selectivity, the distribution of GṁC and AṁT base pairs is equal for these three units and persists as the more unstable sequences are included. Therefore, specificity arises from the interaction between the base pairs and the 2′-deoxyribose 5′-monophosphate backbone for the opening of B-DNA to an intercalation site and not from the interaction between the chromophore and the DNA.
Might All Normativity be Queer

Here I discuss the conceptual structure and core semantic commitments of reason-involving thought and discourse needed to underwrite the claim that ethical normativity is not uniquely queer. This deflates a primary source of ethical scepticism and it vindicates so-called partner in crime arguments. When it comes to queerness objections, all reason-implicating normative claims—including those concerning Humean reasons to pursue one's ends, and epistemic reasons to form true beliefs—stand or fall together.
The transcription factor c-Maf controls the production of interleukin-4 but not other Th2 cytokines

IL-4 promotes the differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells into IL-4-producing T helper 2 (Th2) cells. Previous work provided suggestive but not conclusive evidence that the transcription factor c-Maf directed the tissue-specific expression of IL-4. It was not known whether c-Maf controlled the transcription of other Th2 cytokine genes. To elucidate the role of c-Maf in vivo, we examined cytokine production in mice lacking c-Maf (c-maf(-/-)). CD4+ T cells and NK T cells from c-maf(-/-) mice were markedly deficient in IL-4 production. However, the mice produced normal levels of IL-13 and IgE, and, when differentiated in the presence of exogenous IL-4, c-maf(-/-) T cells produced approximately normal levels of other Th2 cytokines. We conclude that c-Maf has a critical and selective function in IL-4 gene transcription in vivo.
On Diffusive Population Models with Toxicants and Time Delays

In this article we study the global stability in reaction-diffusion models for single-species population growth under environmental toxicants with or without time delays. The existence and uniqueness of a positive steady-state solution are established in those models. It is shown that as long as the magnitude of the instantaneous self-limitation and toxicant effects is larger than that of the time-delay effects in the model with delays, the solution of both reaction-diffusion systems has the same asymptotic behavior (extinction or converging to the positive steady-state solution, depending on the growth rate of the species). Numerical simulations for both cases (with or without time delays) are demonstrated for the purpose of comparison.
Models for spectral line shapes from ions in strongly coupled plasmas

Abstract Two models for calculating spectral line shapes from ions in strongly coupled plasmas are proposed. It is assumed that the dominant radiator-plasma coupling is due to monopole and dipole interactions, so that the plasma environment can be characterized by its microscopic electric field at the radiator. A primary objective here is to describe the effects of ion motion (for both radiator and perturbers) near the line center. The first model is formulated in terms of ion field dynamics with electron collisional broadening. The second model is a symmetric formulation of ion and electron field dynamics.
Managing nurses with health concerns.

Healthcare reform requires that hospitals take more accountability for providing the highest quality, most cost-effective care. It's accepted that nurses are critical in determining the quality of care in hospitals and nurse managers have the responsibility of ensuring that their staff members are capable of providing quality care. Although many factors can influence nurses' productivity and ability to provide care, one area that's often overlooked is the health of the nurses themselves. Research has documented that poor health in healthcare workers can impact their work productivity, job performance, and quality of patient care.1–4Most nursing units are likely to have nurses working with health problems that are impacting their job performance. Fear of litigation and lack of knowledge about how to address health issues may prevent managers from properly handling these concerns.5
Gametic Selection at Fatty Acid and Allozyme Marker Loci and Meiosis within Cuphea viscosissima × Cuphea lanceolata Populations

The seed oils of many of the 260 species of Cuphea (Lythraceae) are rich natural sources of medium-chain fatty acids. Among them are C. viscosissima Jacq. (2n = 2x = 12) and C. lanceolate Ait. (2n = 2x = 12). These species show promise as oilseed crops and, as a consequence, are being domesticated. Hybrids were made between C. viscosissima (VS) and C. lanceolata f. silenoides (LNS) and between C. viscosissima and C. lanceolata f. typica (LNT) to assess their usefulness for breeding Cuphea. Microsporocytes of VS, LNS, LNT, and their hybrids were observed at metaphase I and anaphase I. Allozyme and fatty acid synthesis (FAS) marker loci were assayed within VS × LNS F₂ and backcross populations to test for gamete and heterozygote selection. The cross VS × LNS was female- and male-fertile, whereas VS × LNT was female- and male-sterile. Bivalent pairing and regular chromosome segregation was observed for 94.0 and 0.0% of the microsporocytes from VS × LNS and VS × LNT, respectively. Mean chiasma frequencies within VS × LNS and VS × LNT were 0.53 and 0.26, respectively. Genome and arm affinity index estimates for VS × LNS were 0.98 and 0.65, respectively. Genome and arm affinity index estimates for VS × LNT were 0.52 and 0.34, respectively. Wildtype caprylic and capric acid percentage differences of VS and LNS were explained by an incompletely dominant natural mutation at the cap-1 locus—two and three nonoverlapping phenotypic distributions were observed for caprylic acid percentage within backcross or F₂ populations, respectively. Thirteen of 20 marker segregation ratios and 12 of 18 allele frequency ratios were distorted—LNS alleles were overabundant more often than VS alleles. The was an overall excess of LNS alleles of 7.9%. The VS × LNS populations are useful for breeding—they undergo bivalent pairing and normal chromosome segregation—while meiosis is abnormal within VS × LNT populations. Oregon Agrcultural Experiment Station Technical Paper no. 10,279.
The play of approved method and authorized value in the administration of public issues

The goal of this piece is to construct a model for policy analysis that provides analysts with conceptual tools for studying policy as a discursive practice. Policy formulation is viewed as a generative process, as social relations set in the play of larger social formations. Fiction and non-fiction examples are used to develop a mode of analysis using Bourdieu's notion of discursive economies. These include The Milagro Beanjield War and an illustrative case study of the administration of CDBG's in a mid-sized city. The argument is made that this approach leads to a highly politicized view of the administration of public issues as the play between approved method and authorized value. Finally, the approach is connected to current policy-making tactics at the federal level.
Chemotherapy of Leukemia. IV. Effect of Folic Acid Derivatives on Transplanted Mouse Leukemia.

Summary1. Ninety compounds related to pteroylglutamic acid have been tested for chemo therapeutic effect against transmitted leukemia Ak 4 in mice.2. Eighty-two of these compounds showed no chemo therapeutic effect by this particular technic.3. Four showed slight to moderate effect.4. Four compounds, 4-amino-N10-methyl-pteroylglutamic acid, 4-amino-9-methyl-pte-roylglutamic acid, 4-amino-9710-dimethyl-pteroylglutamic acid, and 2,6-diaminopurine have definite chemotherapeutic activity as demonstrated by approximately doubling the average survival time of the mice treated with these compounds.5. The occurrence of an amino substitution in the second and fourth positions of the pyrimidine ring in all these active compounds has been noted.
Approximation results in parallel machines stochastic scheduling

We consider scheduling a batch of jobs with stochastic processing times on parallel machines. We derive various new formulae for the expected flowtime and weighted flowtime under general scheduling rules. Smith's Rule, which orders job starts by decreasing ratio of weight to expected processing time provides a natural heuristic for this problem. We obtain a bound on the worst case difference between the expected weighted flow time under Smith's Rule and under an optimal policy. For a wide class of processing time distributions, this bound is of oderO(1) and does not increase with the number of jobs.
Risk score for predicting in-hospital/30-day mortality for patients undergoing valve and valve/coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background Risk scores are simplified linear formulas for predicting mortality or other adverse outcomes at the bedside without personal digital assistants or calculators. Although risk scores are available for valve surgery, they do not predict short-term mortality (within 30 days of surgery) after hospital discharge. Methods New York's Cardiac Surgery Reporting System 2007 to 2009 data were matched to vital statistics data to identify valve surgery with and without concomitant coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery deaths occurring in the index admission or within 30 days after the procedure in any location. Risk scores were created to easily predict these outcomes by modifying more complicated logistic regression models. Results There were 13,455 isolated valve surgery patients and 8,373 valve/CABG surgery patients in the study. The respective in-hospital/30-day mortality rates were 4.03% and 6.60%. There are 11 risk factors comprising the isolated valve surgery score, with risk factor scores ranging from 1 to 8, and the highest observed total score is 28. There are 14 risk factors comprising the valve/CABG surgery score, with risk factor scores ranging from 1 to 6, and the highest observed total score is 19. The scores accurately predicted mortality in 2007 to 2009 as well as in 2004 to 2006, and were strongly correlated with complications and length of stay. Conclusions The risk scores that were developed provide quick and accurate estimates of patients' chances of short-term mortality after cardiac valve surgery.
Pectic enzymes of Erwinia carotovora.

Abstract A culture of Erwinia carotovora isolated from rotted Mexican bell pepper liberated methanol practically quantitatively from pectin when growing in a pectin medium. This phenomenon is considered to be positive evidence of pectinesterase activity. Polygalacturonase could not be demonstrated directly in the culture medium containing actively growing cells because the subsequent rapid utilization of galacturonic acid made positive identification of the enzyme uncertain. Because polygalacturonase is insensitive to both fluoride and azide, and the galacturonic acid degrading system is inhibited by these substances, it was possible to demonstrate and study the polygalacturonase in the presence of these metabolic inhibitors. E. carotovora polygalacturonase is active over a wide pH range, the optimum being around 5.8. Its production or secretion into the medium is greatly increased by the addition of pectic substances to the growth medium.
Computational biology for biotechnology: Part I: The role of the computational infrastructure

Abstract Today, researchers rely increasingly on ever-more powerful desktop computers and workstations. For many, these are indispensable tools for research productivity. However, maximizing this productivity needs a complex computational infrastructure, including user-friendly high-speed computer networks, a complex collection of databases accessible through networks, powerful computational engines for complex simulations and data analysis, and devices for visualizing the computational results. As the infrastructure continues to develop, bringing increased computational power to the desktop, the workstation will become even more essential in biotechnology.
Thrombolysis in Acute Myocardial Infarction: Current Status

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is still a major public health problem in the modern world. Therapeutic options have changed much over the last 20 years, with a shift in favor of mechanical reperfusion over pharmacologic reperfusion. Thrombolytic therapy still has much to offer in the management of STEMI, however, because many patients do not have timely access to a facility with the required expertise for establishing mechanical reperfusion. This review highlights the history of thrombolytic therapy, adjunctive therapies, the relationship with mechanical reperfusion, and potential roles for thrombolysis in the future.
Bombesin-stimulated acetylcholine release from myenteric plexus neurons.

Abstract The ability of bombesin to stimulate acetylcholine release from guinea pig myenteric plexus neurons was studied using a primary neuronal culture system. Bombesin caused dose-dependent increases in [ 3 H]acetylcholine (ACh) release from guinea pig myenteric plexus neurons. ACh release in response to 0.5 m M bombesin (160 ± 12% of control) was blocked by exposure to a calcium-free medium (116 ± 13%) by nifedipine (101 ± 11%) and by omega conotoxin (107 ± 10%). Bombesin-stimulated ACh release was inhibited the protein kinase C inhibitor, H7, but was not affected by inhibitors of the cAMP signaling pathway. Interactions with inhibitory neuropeptides was implied by sensitivity of bombesin-stimulated ACh release to neuropeptide Y and galanin. The findings suggest that bombesin activation of protein kinase C in myenteric neurons resuits in increased acetylcholine release.
Improving El Niño prediction using a space-time integration of Indo-Pacific winds and equatorial Pacific upper ocean heat content

[1] Equatorial westerly (easterly) wind anomalies, phase-locked to the seasonal cycle, typically ‘propagate’ from the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and into the western Pacific immediately before an El Nino (La Nina). A space-time integration of this Indo-Pacific signal yields an index τ that, for 11 out of 12 months of the calendar year, leads the El Nino index NINO3.4 with a correlation of 0.5 or greater for at least some lead in the range 10–15 months. Cross-validated hindcasts suggest that a linear combination of this atmospheric index and the ocean indices NINO3.4 and (t), the anomalous equatorial Pacific upper ocean heat content, is an excellent predictor of El Nino. It can predict across the nearest spring persistence barrier, but not the one after that. The present El Nino should die over the spring, leaving near neutral conditions for the rest of 2003.
Beam splitting mirrors for miniature Fourier transform soft x-ray(FTXR) interferometer

The development of Fourier Transform (FT) spectral techniques in the soft X-ray spectral region has been advocated in the past as a possible route to constructing a bench-top size spectral imager with high spatial and spectral resolution. The crux of the imager is a soft X-ray interferometer. Auxiliary subsystems include a wide-band soft X-ray source, focusing optics and detection systems. When tuned over a sufficiently large range of path delays, the interferometer will sinusoidally modulate the source spectrum centered at the core wavelength of interest, the spectrum illuminates a target, the reflected signal is imaged onto a CCD, and data acquired for different frames is converted to spectra in software by using FT methods similar to those used in IR spectrometry producing spectral image per each pixel. The use of shorter wavelengths results in dramatic increase in imaging resolution, the modulation across the beam width results in highly efficient use of the beam spectral content, facilitating construction of a bench-top instrument. With the predicted <0.1eV spectral and <100 nm spatial resolution, the imager would be able to map core-level shift spectra for elements such as Carbon, which can be used as a chemical compound fingerprint and imaging intracellular structures. We report on our progress in the development of a Fourier Transform X-ray (FTXR) interferometer. The enabling technology is X-ray beam splitting mirrors. The mirrors are not available commercially; multi layers of quarter-wave films (used in IR and visible) are not suitable, and several efforts by other researchers who used parallel slits met only a very limited success. In contrast, our beam splitters use thin (about 200 nm) SiN membranes perforated with a large number of very small holes prepared in our micro-fabrication laboratory at JPL. Precise control of surface roughness and high planarity are needed to achieve the requisite wave coherency. The beam splitters prepared-to-date had surface RMS and planarity better that <0.3 nm over a 0.45 mm x 1.4 mm area, meeting requirements for spectral imaging at 100eV. Efforts to improve the mirror flatness to a level required for core-level shifts of Carbon are under way.
Chemical Treatment for Odor Abatement Measured Organoleptically in Liquid Dairy Manure

Abstract Lime, paraformaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium permanganate were evaluated for their efficacy in controlling odor produced from decomposed liquid manure (5.6% dry matter). Paraformaldehyde reduced total aerobic microbial numbers and ammonia in treated manure, indicating a reduction in decomposition. In odor evaluation, allowing panelists to rate each treatment for degree of offensiveness olfactory fatigue was a significant problem for large numbers of treatments. In a second experiment to alleviate this problem, each panelist was allowed to evaluate only three jars at one time. The three jars, one always a control, were ranked by their relative offensiveness. Hydrogen peroxide at 100 and 500ppm consistently reduced offensiveness rankings from .5 to 1.5h after addition, but reduction was nil at day 9. On the other hand, 500ppm potassium permanganate was consistently effective longer (8 and 9 days). This technique of odor evaluation reduced olfactory fatigue and allowed detection of subtle differences between treatments.
Left ventricular diastolic function: Physiology, methods of assessment, and clinical significance

Diastole, that portion of the cardiac cycle that begins with isovolumic relaxation and ends with mitral valve closure, results in ventricular filling and involves both active (energy-dependent) and passive processes. The interactions between active processes (myocardial relaxation) that primarily influence early ventricular filling and passive processes, such as loading conditions, myocardial compliance, and valvular disease, are complex. Clinical methods to assess ventricular filling include cardiac catheterization, radionuclide angiography, and echocardiography. Any measurements of diastolic function must be made with an understanding of the determinants of ventricular filling and the limitations of the diagnostic test. Many cardiac disorders are characterized by elevated pulmonary venous pressures in the face of normal systolic ventricular function, which suggests a primary abnormality of diastolic function. Abnormalities in diastolic function have been observed in coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure (with and without systolic dysfunction), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and in healthy elderly subjects. Identification of these abnormalities may be useful clinically, particularly in patients with symptoms of heart failure and normal systolic function. Data are not available to determine the optimal therapy for such patients, although evidence suggests that calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, and agents that reverse myocardial hypertrophy may be useful. This review briefly summarizes the physiology of diastole, the methods of clinical assessment of diastolic function, and the role of diastolic function in cardiovascular disease.
THE USE OF TRI-CYCLIC ANTI-DEPRESSANTS (TCA) IN METHADONE MAINTAINED (MM) PREGNANT WOMEN AND INFANT OUTCOME

THE USE OF TRI-CYCLIC ANTI-DEPRESSANTS (TCA) IN METHADONE MAINTAINED (MM) PREGNANT WOMEN AND INFANT OUTCOME
Latest Guadalupian (Middle Permian) conodonts and foraminifers from West Texas

Clarkina, which characterizes Upper Permian (Lopingian Series) strata, evolved from Jinogondolella altudaensis in the Delaware basin of West Texas as demonstrated by transitional continuity. The West Texas section is significantly more complete in the uppermost Guadalupian interval than that of the probable GSSP reference section in South China, and clarifies the phylogenetic relation- ships among other conodont taxa as well. Jinogondolella granti clearly evolved into J. artafrons new species, both characterized by Pa elements with a distinctive fused carina. Representatives of Jinogondolella crofti are limited to the uppermost part of the altudaensis zone, and are interpreted as terminal paedomorphs. The associated foraminifer (non-fusulinid) fauna has some species in common with Zechstein faunas, possibly presaging the evaporitic basin that would develop following this latest Guadalupian marine deposition in West Texas.
Blind identification algorithms for co-channel systems using higher-order statistics

In this work, we describe a method for the blind identification of co-channel systems. More specifically, two independent communication signals propagate through multipath channels, and their sum is picked up by the receiver. This type of a problem occurs in communication systems which employ frequency reusage. In some cases, there is no training signal available to aid the receiver for channel estimation, hence the multipath channel transfer functions have to be estimated blindly. The algorithm described in this work uses second- and fourth-order cumulants of the received signal. First, the magnitude responses of the channels are estimated, then using these, the phase responses are estimated. >
Ecosystem Thinking in the Northern Forest—and Beyond

Regionally based, collaborative efforts from diverse stakeholders are critical to identify and address diverse and complicated environmental challenges. We present here an example from the Northern Forest Ecoregion of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, which currently is being degraded by a variety of simultaneous environmental impacts, including acid rain, fragmentation of landscapes, mercury and salt pollution of water resources, invasive alien species and diseases, and climate change. We propose five sustained, multigenerational actions to protect and restore the vital ecosystem functions of the Northern Forest Ecoregion.
Screening derivatized peptide libraries for tight binding inhibitors to carbonic anhydrase II by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

This paper describes the use of electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to screen two libraries of soluble compounds to search for tight binding inhibitors for carbonic anhydrase II (EC 4.2.1.1). The two libraries, H2NO2SC6H4C(O)NH-AA1-AA2-C(O)NHCH2CH2CO2H (1), where AA1 and AA2 are l-amino acids (library size: 289 compounds) or d-amino acids (256 compounds), were constructed by attaching tripeptides to the carboxyl group of 4-carboxybenzenesulfonamide. Screening of both libraries yielded, as the tightest binding inhibitor, compound 1 (AA1 = AA2 = l-Leu; binding constant Kb = 1.4 × 108 M-1). The ability of ESI-MS to estimate simultaneously the relative binding affinities of a protein to soluble ligands in a library, if general, should be useful in drug development.
Remote Navigation Guided Ablation of Incessant Atrial Tachycardia in a Patient with Restricted Venous Access

We report a case of a 45-year-old man with incessant supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in the setting of intrahepatic inferior vena cava thrombus and a left upper extremity arteriovenous fistula. A diagnostic electrophysiology study (EPS) was performed via the right internal jugular and right subclavian veins. After confirming the mechanism of SVT was atrial tachycardia (AT), mapping, and successful ablation was performed using remote catheter navigation. This case demonstrates that remote navigation can facilitate the therapy of complex arrhythmias in challenging clinical situations.
Guest‐Release Control in Enzyme‐Sensitive, Amphiphilic‐Dendrimer‐Based Nanoparticles through Photochemical Crosslinking

Stimuli sensitive, facially amphiphilic dendrimers have been synthesized and their enzyme-responsive nature has been determined with dual fluorescence responses of both covalently conjugated and non-covalently bound reporter units. These dual responses are correlated to ascertain the effect of enzymatic action on micellar aggregates and the consequential guest release. The release of the guest molecule is conveniently tuned by stabilizing the micellar aggregates through photochemical crosslinking of hydrophobic coumarin units. This photo-crosslinking is also utilized as a tool to investigate the mode of enzyme-substrate interaction in the context of aggregate-monomer equilibrium.
On Some Contributions to Multiple Decision Theory.

Abstract : In the paper the authors discuss the multiple decision (selection and ranking) rules in a general decision theoretic framework. More specifically, the paper describes the subset selection problem. The earlier part of the paper describes the general framework and gives some known results for sake of completeness; in the latter part of the paper the authors give some new results dealing with the subset selection problem for a class of discrete distributions (Section 2). Some relevant tables for these procedures are included. The derivation of rules with some desirable property is made in Section 3 using the likelihood ratio cirterion. (Author)
Interactions of macromolecules with salt ions: an electrostatic theory for the Hofmeister effect.

Salting-out of proteins was discov- ered in the nineteenth century and is widely used for protein separation and crystallization. It is gen- erally believed that salting-out occurs because at high concentrations salts and the protein compete for solvation water. Debye and Kirkwood suggested ideas for explaining salting-out (Debeye and Mac- Aulay, Physik Z; 1925;131:22-29; Kirkwood, In: Pro- teins, amino acids and peptides as ions and dipolar ions. New York: Reinhold; 1943. p 586 - 622). How- ever, a quantitative theory has not been developed, and such a theory is presented here. It is built on Kirkwood's idea that a salt ion has a repulsive interaction with an image charge inside a low dielec- tric cavity. Explicit treatment is given for the effect of other salt ions on the interaction between a salt ion and its image charge. When combined with the Debye-Huckel effect of salts on the solvation energy of protein charges (i.e., salting-in), the characteris- tic curve of protein solubility versus salt concentra- tion is obtained. The theory yields a direct link between the salting-out effect and surface tension and is able to provide rationalizations for the effects of salt on the folding stability of several proteins.
Molecular Laboratory Diagnosis of Infection

1 Background 2 Assay Performance 3 Specimen Suitability 4 Specimen Preparation 5 Probe Hybridization 6 Polymerase Chain Reaction 7 Contamination and Contamination Control 8 Rapid Real-Time PCR 9 Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification and Transcription-Mediated Amplification 10 Strand-Displacement Amplification 11 Hybrid Capture Assay 12 Ligase Chain Reaction 13 Branched DNA Assay 14 Cycling Probe Technology 15 Nucleic Acid Sequencing 16 Molecular Epidemiology 17 Microarrays 18 Conclusions 19 Acknowledgments Keywords: molecular laboratory diagnosis of infection; molecular diagnostic tests-classically, more expensive (‘boutique’ tests); assay performance; specimen suitability; specimen preparation techniques-component of clinical molecular microbiologic diagnostics; probe hybridization-nucleic acid probes, short segments of single-stranded DNA or RNA; PCR technology and rapid PCR development with simultaneous probe detection; dual hybridization (fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes
Urban trails and physical activity: a natural experiment.

Background The built environment in which a person lives and works is thought to have a strong influence on his or her level of physical activity. However, this belief is largely based on cross-sectional studies underlining the need for prospective studies using natural experiments. Design This study adopted a quasi-experimental research design with multiple control neighborhoods and was conducted between 2005 and 2007. Data were analyzed in 2008. Setting/participants The subjects were children, adolescents, and adults in free-living conditions within one experimental and two control neighborhoods. Intervention An urban greenway/trail was retrofitted in a neighborhood that lacked connectivity of the residential pedestrian infrastructure to nonresidential destinations. Main outcome measures The main outcomes were 2-hour counts of directly observed physical activity in the general neighborhood and, at the school level, active transport to school. Results At the neighborhood level, the 2-hour counts of physical activity significantly increased between 2005 and 2007 (p=0.000) in the intervention neighborhood, with a median increase of 8.0 counts. The control neighborhoods had a significant decrease in counts (p=0.000). The pre- and post-intervention changes between experimental and control neighborhoods were significantly different for total physical activity (p=0.001); walking (p=0.001); and cycling (p=0.038). There was no noted change over time for active transport to school in either the intervention or control neighborhoods. Conclusions Changes to the pedestrian connectivity of the built environment infrastructure may lead to greater levels of physical activity. However, this positive effect was limited to physical activity at the neighborhood level and not to active transport to school.
Analysis for Signal and Power Integrity Using the Multilayered Finite Difference Method

We present a method for fast analysis of signal and power integrity based on a recently developed multilayered finite difference method (M-FDM). In order to accurately model multilayered planar structures, which are three dimensional, M-FDM combines two-dimensional models for power/ground planes using a multilayered unit cell approach. In this way, noise coupling can be considered not only in the transversal direction between two planes, but also vertically from one plane pair to another through the apertures and via holes. For a cosimulation of signal and power integrity, transmission line models also need to be included. The interaction between the signal transmission and power distribution modes is taken into account using a modal decomposition technique. An equivalent circuit model becomes available based on this finite difference approximation as well. Based on this network representation, second order effects such as fringe and gap fields can be included in M-FDM using equivalent circuit models for these fields. This results in a very accurate method that can be used for fast analysis of signal and power integrity in arbitrary package and board designs having any stack-up configuration and number of layers.
MIL-SPEC & MIL-STD Reform

The prudent allocation of funds is always an issue with any government agency. This is especially true in the Department of Defense (DoD) due to its magnitude and heightened level of public scrutiny. Acquisition reform is an ongoing federal/commercial effort designed to save both government and industry money by permanently altering the manner in which the DoD solicits civilian contracts and products. A necessary first step in this reform is to revise outdated and obsolete military specifications and standards. This paper will examine federal policy regarding government specification reform and explore the implications of the policy to date. It will also speculate on the future of reform and address the bigger issue behind standards reform, civil-military integration.
In memoriam: Gabriel Ward Lasker (April 29, 1912-August 27, 2002).

Gabriel W. Lasker died on August 27, 2002 from complications of kidney disease. He was 90 years old. Lasker was one of the leading figures in anthropology after World War II. He helped create the population approach in biological anthropology, which rejected concepts of fixed racial typology in favor of variation and plasticity in adaptation. He developed the methodology of using family surnames in studies of human genetics and migration. Lasker served the profession as the editor of major journals and books and as an officer in its societies. Born in England, Lasker came to the United States with his family in 1916. His early education was in various progressive private schools. After attending the University of Wisconsin Experimental College for 2 years, he transferred to the University of Michigan, where he graduated with a B.A. in 1934, but without any major or any coursework in anthropology. He did some research with his mother (Margaret Naomi Ward Lasker, a biochemist) and published his first paper with her in Human Biology in 1936. Because of the Depression, he was unable to find regular employment. He did find a job in China, where he lived for 2 years (1934–1936), teaching English to Chinese railroad workers at Chian T’ung University in Peking (now Beijing) and studying the Chinese language. In an autobiographical note published in a special issue of Human Biology in 1982, Lasker explains that his father led him to China. Bruno Lasker (a prominent social scientist with expertise in Asia) advised his son that “anyone who knew Chinese could always have a job.” While in China, several contacts with faculty at the American Medical College of Peking led the younger Lasker to an interest in physical anthropology. With support of those faculty, Lasker applied to Harvard and was accepted into the graduate program. Lasker wrote that since he “never had a course in anthropology I had no bad record in the subject and Ernest Hooton was willing to take me on. . .” Lasker received his M.A. in 1940 and a Ph.D. in 1945. The title of his dissertation was Physical Characteristics of Chinese: A Study of Physical Differences and Developments Among Chinese at Home and Abroad. Hooton’s approach to physical anthropology represented the then dominant view of human physical “types” and identifiable “races.” While writing his thesis, Lasker consulted with Franz Boas and H.L. Shapiro, who advocated the view that human biology and anatomy were plastic. Lasker tried to incorporate both perspectives of human biology in his dissertation, which led Hooton to proclaim that it was “the biggest damn thesis I have ever seen; really two theses (haw, haw, haw); the one I wanted and the one you wanted to write yourself (haw, haw!).”
C-H Bond Dissociation of Acetylene: Local Density Functional Calculations

The C-H bond dissociation energy of acetylene was computed by both ab initio approaches and density functional theory in a local density approximation (DFT-LDA). Structures and energies for acetylene and its dissociation products (the ethynyl and hydrogen radicals) are presented and compared. Using directly computed HCCH and HCC. energies and the exact H. value, the DFTLDA calculations are found to yield C-H dissociation energies ranging from 129 to 131 kcal/mol, in good agreement with recent experimental and the highest level theoretical results. The DFTLDA results show little dependence upon the computational procedure used to obtain geometries.
British Parties in the Balance: A Time-Series Analysis of Long-Term Trends in Labour and Conservative Support

The electoral domination of the Conservative party during the past decade has been interpreted by many as evidence of a long-term shift in the balance of public support from Labour to the Conservatives. This article argues that such a shift has not occurred. Rather, the stability apparent in recent election results disguises considerable underlying volatility. The balance of public support between the major parties continues to be highly unstable and subject to large and precipitous fluctuations in response to relatively small economic changes and ordinary political events. Recent Conservative victories appear to be the results more of good timing and luck than of any fundamental, long-term dynamic in British politics.
Neurogenin1 effectively reprograms cultured chick retinal pigment epithelial cells to differentiate toward photoreceptors

Photoreceptors are highly specialized sensory neurons in the retina, and their degeneration results in blindness. Replacement with developing photoreceptor cells promises to be an effective therapy, but it requires a supply of new photoreceptors, because the neural retina in human eyes lacks regeneration capability. We report efficient generation of differentiating, photoreceptor-like neurons from chick retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells propagated in culture through reprogramming with neurogenin1 (ngn1). In reprogrammed culture, a large number of the cells (85.0% +/- 5.9%) began to differentiate toward photoreceptors. Reprogrammed cells expressed transcription factors that set in motion photoreceptor differentiation, including Crx, Nr2E3, NeuroD, and RXRgamma, and phototransduction pathway components, including transducin, cGMP-gated channel, and red opsin of cone photoreceptors (equivalent to rhodopsin of rod photoreceptors). They developed inner segments rich in mitochondria. Furthermore, they responded to light by decreasing their cellular free calcium (Ca(2+)) levels and responded to 9-cis-retinal by increasing their Ca(2+) levels after photobleaching, hallmarks of photoreceptor physiology. The high efficiency and the advanced photoreceptor differentiation indicate ngn1 as a gene of choice to reprogram RPE progeny cells to differentiate into photoreceptor neurons in future cell replacement studies.
Distributed Real-Time Implementation of Interference Alignment with Analog Feedback

Interference alignment (IA) is a precoding technique that aligns interfering signals at receivers. It is known that IA achieves the maximum degrees of freedom over an interference channel under ideal assumptions. The real-world performance of IA depends on a range of practical issues, such as imperfect synchronization, channel estimation, and feedback. Practical issues have been studied in simulations and prototypes, but fully distributed operation of IA network nodes has not been considered. In this paper, we present the first investigation of real-time IA performance on a fully distributed 2 $\times$ 2 multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) prototype system with three physically independent user pairs. Over-the-air algorithms for time and frequency synchronization, as well as analog feedback, are studied and implemented. Sum rates are illustrated as a function of complexity and accuracy of different alignment, synchronization, and feedback algorithms. Corresponding tradeoffs are evaluated using an iterative IA method, the injection of residual frequency offset into synchronization, and analog versus quantization-based limited feedback approaches. We demonstrate that, while considering all possible error sources in estimation, synchronization, and feedback, the theoretical multiplexing gain of IA can be reached in practical systems with a constant sum rate loss that remains within 5 bits/Hz/s compared with an ideal simulation.
Infiltrating Regulatory B Cells Control Neuroinflammation following Viral Brain Infection

Previous studies have demonstrated the existence of a subset of B lymphocytes, regulatory B cells (Bregs), which modulate immune function. In this study, in vivo and in vitro experiments were undertaken to elucidate the role of these Bregs in controlling neuroinflammation following viral brain infection. We used multicolor flow cytometry to phenotype lymphocyte subpopulations infiltrating the brain, along with in vitro cocultures to assess their anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory roles. This distinctive subset of CD19+CD1dhiCD5+ B cells was found to infiltrate the brains of chronically infected animals, reaching highest levels at the latest time point tested (30 d postinfection). B cell–deficient Jh−/− mice were found to develop exacerbated neuroimmune responses as measured by enhanced accumulation and/or retention of CD8+ T cells within the brain, as well as increased levels of microglial activation (MHC class II). Conversely, levels of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells were found to be significantly lower in Jh−/− mice when compared with wild-type (Wt) animals. Further experiments showed that in vitro–generated IL-10–secreting Bregs (B10) were able to inhibit cytokine responses from microglia following stimulation with viral Ags. These in vitro–generated B10 cells were also found to promote proliferation of regulatory T cells in coculture studies. Finally, gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that reconstitution of Wt B cells into Jh−/− mice restored neuroimmune responses to levels exhibited by infected Wt mice. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Bregs modulate T lymphocyte as well as microglial cell responses within the infected brain and promote CD4+Foxp3+ T cell proliferation in vitro.
Money and Morality: Income Security and Personal Social Services

■ A crucial aspect of most income maintenance proposals is the issue of whether behavioral conditions should be attached to the receipt of state-provided maintenance. This paper examines the American experience of combining aid and services in public assistance, the parallel British experience, and some aspects of professional practice in order to highlight the implications of the money and morality issue for social welfare policy and social work practice. ■
The Habitable Zone: Basic Concepts

The detection of exoplanets has undergone extraordinary growth over the past couple of decades since substellar companions were detected around HD 114762 (Latham et al., 9 1992, and 51 Peg (Mayor and Queloz, 1995. From there, the field rapidly expanded from the exclusivity of exoplanet detection to include exoplanet characterization. This has been largely facilitated by the discovery of transiting planets which allows unique opportunities to study the transmission and absorption properties of their atmospheres during primary transit (Agol et al., 2010; Knutson et al., 2007 and secondary eclipse (Charbonneau et al., 2005; Richardson et al., 2007. In addition, studies of phase curves allow insight into the thermal and albedo atmospheric properties (Kane and Gelino, 2010, 2011. These studies are being applied to smaller planets as our detection sensitivity pushes down into the super-Earth regime (Bean et al., 2011; Croll et al., 2011.
Cardiac toxicity in the elderly and the role of cardio oncology

Abstract The world population is aging and 60% of all cancer diagnoses and 70% of all cancer mortality occur in patients greater than 65years of age. The elderly have multiple medical and non-medical comorbidities that accompany changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and poly-pharmacy that all impact their treatment. The elderly derive benefit from cancer treatment but are often denied chemotherapy or are undertreated based on age. Treatment decision should be based on physiologic rather than chronological age and there is a need for inclusion of more elderly patients in cancer clinical trials.
Neonatal small left colon syndrome.

A female baby, second of a monochorionic diamniotic pregnancy was born at 34 weeks of gestation via vaginal delivery. Birth weight was 2400 g. During the antenatal period mother had gestational diabetes requiring insulin therapy. The baby was admitted to neonatal unit for continuous positive airway pressure support for respiratory distress, which had improved within 4 h. At around 24 h of life she was noted to have large amount of non-bilious gastric aspirates and abdominal distension. An …
Electrophoretic Behavior of Serum Amylase in Various Mammalian Species .

SummaryThe electrophoretic distribution of amylase has been examined in sera collected from 11 mammalian species including man. Monomorphic patterns were noted in human, sheep, rabbit, guinea pig, cat and horse serum, whereas amylase behaved polymorphically in specimens from the rat, pig, cow, dog and goat. These findings suggest that, in the latter species, amylase circulates in molecular forms that are distinguishable by electrophoresis on paper. The possible relationships between the paper electrophoretic behavior of serum amylase and tissue derivations are discussed.
318 LONG-TERM BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF ERYTHROPOIETIN GIVEN AFTER NEONATAL STROKE IN POSTNATAL DAY-7 RATS

Background We and others have shown that erythropoietin (Epo) attenuates neonatal brain injury caused by hypoxia-ischemia and neonatal stroke; however, little is known about the long-term effects of Epo on injury to the developing brain. Objective To investigate the long-term effects of Epo on brain injury caused by focal cerebral ischemia (FCI) in postnatal day-7 (P7) rat pups. Methods FCI was induced by using a modified intraluminal catheter technique causing middle cerebral artery occlusion in P7 rats, as previously described. The experimental groups included sham-operated (n = 15), FCI plus vehicle (n = 17) and FCI plus recombinant human Epo (n = 18). In Epo-treated group, pups received a single intraperitoneal injection of 1000 U/kg at 15 minutes after FCI, which was repeated at 1 and 2 days after FCI. At 6 and 12 weeks after surgery, animals were sacrificed, and body weight and brain weight were determined, and then their brains were cut into 2 mm coronal slices. The infarct area and volume were measured using Windows Image J. Statistical comparisons were conducted by using the two-tailed Mann-Whitney U-test. Results In the vehicle-treated FCI group, focal cerebral insult caused a marked reduction in brain weight (6 weeks: 1.23 ± 0.1 g; 12 weeks: 1.50 ± 0.1 g; p = .0017), but there was no significant difference in body weight (6 weeks: 104.4 ± 13.7 g; 12 weeks: 352.0 ± 77.5 g), compared to the sham-operated group. Mean brain weight in the Epo-treated FCI group was significantly increased at 6 weeks (1.39 ± 0.1 g; p = .0015) and at 12 weeks (1.75 ± 0.14 g; p = .001) after FCI compared to the vehicle-treated group. Moreover, Epo treatment after FCI produced significant reductions in the mean infarct area and volume in comparison to vehicle-treated group at 6 weeks (infarct area: 38.2 ± 33.6 mm vs 188.5 ± 46.9 mm>, p = .002) and at 12 weeks (infarct area: 67.4 ± 45.0 mm vs 253.3 ± 44.2 mm>). Conclusion Epo administration after focal cerebral insult produces a significant neuroprotective benefit over a prolonged period in the developing rat brain with neonatal stroke. These findings indicate that Epo may indeed be of clinical use as a potential neuroprotective agent in neonatal ischemic injury.