cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic ethanol exposure produces time- and brain region-dependent changes in gene coexpression networks.

Repeated ethanol exposure and withdrawal in mice increases voluntary drinking and represents an animal model of physical dependence. We examined time- and brain region-dependent changes in gene coexpression networks in amygdala (AMY), nucleus accumbens (NAC), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and liver after four weekly cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor exposure in C57BL/6J mice. Microarrays were used to compare gene expression profiles at 0-, 8-, and 120-hours following the last ethanol exposure. Each brain region exhibited a large number of differentially expressed genes (2,000-3,000) at the 0- and 8-hour time points, but fewer changes were detected at the 120-hour time point (400-600). Within each region, there was little gene overlap across time (~20%). All brain regions were significantly enriched with differentially expressed immune-related genes at the 8-hour time point. Weighted gene correlation network analysis identified modules that were highly enriched with differentially expressed genes at the 0- and 8-hour time points with virtually no enrichment at 120 hours. Modules enriched for both ethanol-responsive and cell-specific genes were identified in each brain region. These results indicate that chronic alcohol exposure causes global ‘rewiring‘ of coexpression systems involving glial and immune signaling as well as neuronal genes.
Digestion and Assimilation of Periphytic Detrital Aggregate by Tilapia mossambica

Abstract Tilapia mossambica in Lake Valencia, Venezuela, feeds almost exclusively on periphytic detrital aggregate (PDA), a complex aggregation of detritus, algae, and bacteria. The food passes unaltered through the buccal cavity to the stomach. Gastric acid at a pH uncommonly low for fishes (pH < 1.5) decomposes large amounts of inorganic matter and liberates some protein. Intestinal digestion and assimilation of most organic matter are completed in the first half of the intestine. Assimilation efficiencies determined by a field technique were total organic matter 63%, protein 77%, and carbohydrate 63%. When compared to available literature, these results indicate that the two best known detritivorous fishes, T. mossambica and Mugil cephalus, confront similar obstacles in digestion of detrital aggregate, but have overcome these obstacles by physiologically divergent digestive processes.
Is deposit insurance inevitable? Lessons from Argentina

Abstract This paper explores the decision by the Argentine government to abolish deposit insurance, and its subsequent decision to re-establish a form of deposit insurance. Before 1991, the Argentine banking system operated under a regime of optional, explicit deposit insurance, coupled with extensive implicit deposit insurance in the form of central bank assistance to failing banks. In 1991 and 1992, Argentina reversed this policy by repealing the country's deposit insurance program and attempting to convince financial markets that it would not under any circumstances rescue a failing bank. In 1995, in the face of a forthcoming election and a severe economic crisis sparked by the Mexicon peso devaluation of December 1994, the Argentine government reinstituted a form of deposit insurance in an effort to stave off an all out bank panic. The decision to re-establish deposit insurance appears inconsistent with repeated assurances from high-level officials that the Argentine government would not under any circumstances bail out depositors in a failing bank. These events are of interest to U.S. deposit insurance reform because they allow the investigation of a real-world case in which a significant economic system repealed its program of deposit insurance. It is often said in the United States that cutbacks in the deposit insurance guarantee are politically impossible. Yet such reforms were implemented in Argentina. How those reforms came to pass is a question of some interest for the analysis of U.S. deposit insurance reform. At the same time, the government's subsequent retreat from its commitment to allow troubled banks to fail, without protecting depositors, counsels caution about the efficacy of attempts to eliminate deposit insurance. Argentina's deposit insurance reform could not withstand the political and economic pressures attending a severe crisis that threatened the viability of the overall package of economic change. To what extent can any country reliably commit not to protect bank depositors, given the possibility of a banking crisis and the extraordinary political pressures that attend it? While fundamental reform of deposit insurance does appear possible, the experience in Argentina suggests caution about the durability of such reforms, especially in economic systems characterized by historical instability in banking markets.
A Framework and Design Sythesis Tool Used to Generate, Evaluate and Optimize Compliant Mechanism Concepts for Research and Education Activities

In 2002, a Microsoft-MIT iCampus effort was initiated to generate methods and tools which accelerate the process by which students and researchers acquire perspective and skill in compliant mechanism design: (1) Experience and skill: A synthesis tool, CoMeT, was developed as a means for researchers and students to gain experience and skill in working with old (education) and new (research) compliant mechanisms. The simulator is based on compliance theory and screw theory. (2) Perspective: A framework, the 5 Fs, was developed to help designers form a holistic perspective on compliant mechanisms. A “big picture” view helps them systematically identify and link the important elements of a compliant mechanism problem. This opens to door for them to properly conceptualize, model and fabricate these mechanisms. In this paper we discuss the work of early compliant mechanism/instrument designers to gain insight into how they thought about, designed and taught others about compliant mechanisms. We explain how their work has influenced the development of our framework and simulator. We then show results obtained by using the framework and simulator at MIT in: (1) Compliant mechanism research: Generation of a compliant mechanism for an R&D 100 award winning, six-axis Nanomanipulator. (2) Compliant mechanism education: Use within student projects to design two devices: A compliant x-y Nanomanipulator with 30×30 μm range and a MEMS accelerometer. Both devices are designed, fabricated and tested in a semester-long class. The paper closes with an appendix which highlights the main steps of a CoMeT study on the screw axis characteristics of a four bar compliant mechanism. The CoMeT simulator and a CoMeT User’s Guide have been made publicly available for academic use at psdam.mit.edu.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Coherent single-detector imaging system

A hybrid opto-microelectromechanical, coherent laser light, single-detector imaging system is demonstrated that applies compressive sensing algorithms for computational imaging of wavefield intensity from a small number of projective measurements of the field. The projective measurements are implemented using spatial light modulators of the digital mi-cromirror device (DMD) family, followed by a geometrical-optics-based image casting system to capture the data using a single photodetector. The reconstruction process is based on the new field of compressive sensing which allows the imaging of the main features of the objects under illumination with much less data than a typical CCD camera. The present system expands the scope of single-detector imaging systems based on compressive sensing from the incoherent light regime, which has been the past focus, to the coherent light regime which is key in many biomedical and Homeland security applications.
“Blessed are the Poor:” American Protestantism and Attitudes Toward Poverty and Welfare

Scholars have previously documented a substantial discrepancy in American public opinion between attitudes toward “the poor” and attitudes toward “people on welfare.” Past studies, however, have generally ignored the role of religion in producing, magnifying, or mitigating this divergence. This paper explores the impact of religious affiliations on the size and nature of the gap, examining differences between three major groups of American Protestants: mainline Protestants, evangelicals, and black Protestants. Significant differences emerge among the three groups on answers to both affective and policy-oriented questions, and in both bivariate and multivariate contexts. Ultimately, it appears that religious tradition must figure in any explanation of American attitudes toward poverty and welfare.
A comparison of two boxplot methods for detecting univariate outliers which adjust for sample size and asymmetry

Abstract It is important to identify outliers since inclusion, especially when using parametric methods, can cause distortion in the analysis and lead to erroneous conclusions. One of the easiest and most useful methods is based on the boxplot. This method is particularly appealing since it does not use any outliers in computing spread. Two methods, one by Carling and another by Schwertman and de Silva, adjust the boxplot method for sample size and skewness. In this paper, the two procedures are compared both theoretically and by Monte Carlo simulations. Simulations using both a symmetric distribution and an asymmetric distribution were performed on data sets with none, one, and several outliers. Based on the simulations, the Carling approach is superior in avoiding masking outliers, that is, the Carling method is less likely to overlook an outlier while the Schwertman and de Silva procedure is much better at reducing swamping, that is, misclassifying an observation as an outlier. Carling’s method is to the Schwertman and de Silva procedure as comparisonwise versus experimentwise error rate is for multiple comparisons. The two methods, rather than being competitors, appear to complement each other. Used in tandem they provide the data analyst a more complete prospective for identifying possible outliers.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus: what is the optimal treatment regimen?

Treatment options for type 2 diabetes mellitus currently consist of insulin sensitizers, α-glucosidase inhibitors, secretagogues, and insulin. However, the emphasis on initial therapy has been shifting from secretagogues and α-glucosidase inhibitors to insulin sensitizers such as metformin and the thiazolidinediones (TZDs). This article outlines the benefits of treatment with sensitizers vis a vis α-glucosidase inhibitors and secretagogues as part of a comprehensive treatment algorithm for type 2 diabetes. Secretagogues and α-glucosidase inhibitors effectively lower plasma glucose levels only, whereas insulin sensitizers reduce several important cardiac risk factors in addition to reducing plasma glucose levels. TZDs, in particular, are also beneficial for their ability to preserve or even rejuvenate pancreatic β-cell function. The treatment algorithm has a layered approach, beginning with a combination of insulin-sensitizer therapy and incrementally progressing to triple oral therapy with the addition of secretagogues and, if necessary, the addition of subcutaneous insulin to maintain glycemic control.
Ultraviolet Observations of Triton in 1999 with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph: 2150-3180 Å Spectroscopy and Disk-integrated Photometry

We observed Triton using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on 1999 August 28, September 11, and September 13 UT. On all three occasions, we obtained images at both 271 and 374 nm, and spectra from 215 to 318 nm. We find that Triton's geometric albedo is high through the near- and mid-UV, decreasing from 0.64 ± 0.02 at 374 nm to 0.53 ± 0.05 at 223 nm. We compare these data with a previous UV data set obtained by the HST Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS), taken primarily during 1993 September 1–4. Between 250 and 320 nm, Triton was roughly 20% brighter in the STIS (1999) data set than in the FOS (1993) data set, but between 220 and 250 nm the albedos are essentially unchanged. As expected from the HST FOS and other data sets, we find that Triton had higher spatial contrast at shorter wavelengths in 1999, but it exhibited a light-curve amplitude that is as much as 33% lower than derived from Voyager 2 photometry taken in 1989. We discuss some possible causes for these observed changes.
Professionalism and the early childhood practitioner

(1995). Professionalism and the early childhood practitioner. Early Child Development and Care: Vol. 114, No. 1, pp. 65-79.
The determination of the particle size distribution of aerosols by precipitation of charged particles

Abstract Previous methods for determining the particle size distribution of aerosols have involved counting the numbers and measuring the sizes, or some effects connected with size, of individual particles. This is a tedious and time-consuming procedure. When the size distribution changes with time, the processes cannot be investigated because of the relatively long times required for such determinations. The method presented in this article is based on measuring macroscopic properties of a large number of particles. The electric current carried by a large number (∼108) of particles charged in a corona discharge and precipitated in an electric field, when measured as a function of precipitation time, is one such property. The number of charges acquired by particles is a single-valued function of particle size. From the knowledge of this function and measured values of current (or accumulated charges) versus time, the size distribution curve can be determined. The entire procedure, including the necessary calculation, takes about 20 minutes and requires relatively inexpensive equipment. All experiments were carried out with particles in the submicron range, the most difficult and at present the most important range. The size distribution of particles smaller than 0.2 μ radius could not be determined by this method, since their charging follows another law. Theoretically it is possible to overcome this difficulty, but further investigation will be needed.
A novel pathway of prostacyclin signaling-hanging out with nuclear receptors.

Prostacylin (PGI2), one of the major prostaglandins, is derived from arachidonic acid by the action of the cyclooxygenase (COX) system coupled to PGI2 synthase (PGIS). The presence of the COX-2/PGIS at the nuclear and endoplasmic reticular membrane suggests differential signaling pathways of PGI2 actions involving both cell surface and nuclear receptors. Although the signaling of PGI2 via its cell surface receptor, prostacyclin receptor (IP), is well documented in vascular biology, its action via nuclear receptors in other physiological responses is gradually being more appreciated. Peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), PPARα, PPARγ, and PPARδ, though initially cloned as a family of orphan receptors, are now known for their ligand promiscuity. The ligands range from free fatty acids and their derivatives produced by the cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase pathway to certain hypolipidemic drugs. The predisposition of PPARs to use a wide spectrum of ligands is well explained by their unusually la...
Enterprise System Development in Higher Education

â€œOne system for everyoneâ€ has been an ideal goal for information technology (IT) management in many large organizations, and the deployment of such systems has been a major trend in corporate world under the name of enterprise systems (ES) (Brown & Vessey, 2003; Davenport, 2000; Markus, Petrie, & Axline, 2000). Benefits from ES use are claimed to be significant and multidimensional, ranging from operational improvements through decision-making enhancement to support for strategic goals (Shang & Seddon, 2002). However, studies (Hanseth & Braa, 2001; Rao, 2000; Robey, Ross, & Boudreau, 2002) of the deployment of ES in private sector organizations show that the ideal is difficult to accomplish. This paper reports a case in which a major university system in the US attempted to develop an in-house enterprise system. The system is currently used by more than 4,000 individual users in almost 20 universities and state agencies. This case offers a historical analysis of the design, implementation and use of the system from its inception in the mid 1980s to the present. This case indicates that ES design and implementation in higher education are quite challenging and complex due to unique factors in the public sector â€” including state mandates/requirements, IT leadership/resources, value systems, and decentralized organizational structure among other things â€” that must be taken into account in planning, designing and implementing ES (Ernst, Katz, & Sack, 1994; Lerner, 1999; McCredie, 2000). This case highlights (1) the challenges and issues in the rationale behind â€œone system for everyoneâ€ and (2) some differences as well as similarities in IT management between the private and public sectors. It offers some unique opportunities to discuss issues, challenges and potential solutions for the deployment of ES in the public arena, particularly in higher education.
Bacterial peptidoglycans as modulators of sleep. II. Effects of muramyl peptides on the structure of rabbit sleep

Sleep-promoting substances derived from human urine and rabbit brain were identified as muramyl peptides (MPs). We report in the accompanying paper that in the molecular structure of MPs, the 1,6-anhydro muramic acid moiety of MPs is important for enhancement of slow-wave sleep (SWS) in rabbits. Here, we document more extensively the effects of one MP: 1,6-anhydro-muramyl-alanyl-glutamyl-diaminopimelyl-alanine (AMTP for anhydro-muramyl tetrapeptide) on sleep structure of rabbits. AMTP significantly increased percent of time spent in SWS but its effects on rapid eye movement (REM) sleep were dose-dependent. Brain temperatures were significantly elevated but continued to fluctuate with sleep and wake state transitions indistinguishably from control. Sleep was episodic and animals could be easily aroused. AMTP increased number of SWS episodes and decreased number of REM episodes. There was a shift in the distribution of sleep-wake episode durations: longer waking and REM episodes were decreased, thus increased the proportion of shorter episodes. Increased duration of SWS resulted from a larger number of SWS episodes longer than 8 min. We conclude that AMTP amplifies the SWS compenent of physiological sleep.
Spontaneous contraction of leukodermic patches in Waardenburg syndrome.

Waardenburg Syndrome is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder with variable penetrance (1–5). It is a rare disorder with an estimated frequency of 1:20,000 in Kenya (East Africa) and 1:40,000, in the Netherlands presenting with or without deafness. The frequency with deafness is lower, estimated at 1:50,000 to 1:212,000 (1, 2). The major characteristic features are as follows, with reported incidences in parenthesis: 1) Dystopia canthorum (99%); 2) synophrys (17%–69%); 3) broad nasal root (78%); 4) depigmentation of hair, skin, or both (17%–58% with white forelock); 5) heterochromic or hypochromic irides (greater than 20%); 6) congenital deafness (9%–38%) (1–7). Genetic heterogeneity has led to classification of affected families as type I, with dystopia canthorum, or type II, without dystopia canthorum (2, 6). Piebaldism and Woolf's Syndrome can present with pigmentary changes which are similar to Waardenburg Syndrome (2, 3, 8). Woolf's Syndrome also includes deafness (9). However, the distinguishing structural ophthomologic abnormalities of dystopia canthorum, broad nasal root, and synophrys are not found in either piebaldism or Woolf's Syndrome (2, 3, 8, 9). The congenital patterns of leukoderma in both piebaldism and Waardenburg Syndrome has been believed to be stable throughout the lifetime of the affected individuals (2, 10). We report an otherwise typical family with Waardenburg Syndrome, type I, in which 2 members atypically demonstrate spontaneous pigmentation and contraction of congenital leukodermic patches. To our knowledge, this has not been previously reported in Waardenburg Syndrome (1, 2, 6, 10).
Evaluating the Options for Water Quality Management

: The agricultural revolution occurred because the un-managed environment was not providing food in either the quantity or quality that society desired. The “environmental revolution” is developing because the unmanaged environment is clearly not capable of assimilating societal wastes without being seriously degraded. Effective environmental management will require regional and site-specific modification of general principles and practices that can be used at a national or international level. An environmental management system can be operated in the same manner as any industrial quality control system with three basic components: (a) sensors at appropriate locations, (b) rapid generation and feedback of information, and (c) a quality control group capable of taking immediate effective action when system performance is outside predetermined boundary conditions. This discussion focuses primarily on three areas: (a) management options available to regulate intrusion of societal wastes into natural systems, (b) types of methods available for predicting and validating effects on natural systems, and (c) modifications of present legislation that would permit the most flexibility in selecting from the various management options. Also considered are multispecies toxicity tests using species with cosmopolitan distribution in test systems with a high degree of environmental realism. Among the many values of such tests is the ability to exchange information from all parts of the world effectively because the test organisms are not restricted to a particular geographic region.
Buffer-gas-induced shift and broadening of hyperfine resonances in alkali-metal vapors

We review the shift and broadening of hyperfine resonance lines of alkali-metal atoms in buffer gases. We present a simple theory both for the shift and the broadening induced by He gas. The theory is parametrized by the scattering length of slow electrons on He atoms and by the measured hyperfine intervals and binding energies of the S states of alkali-metal atoms. The calculated shifts and their temperature dependence are in good agreement with the published experimental data. The calculated broadening is 1.6 times smaller than the recent measurements, and more than 20 times smaller than the earlier measurements. We attribute much of the linewidth in the earlier experiments to possible small temperature gradients and the resulting inhomogeneous line broadening from the temperature dependence of hyperfine frequency shift at constant buffer-gas pressure.
Factor Structure Investigation of the Care-Receiver Efficacy Scale–Short-Form Longitudinal Confirmatory Factor Analysis

The present study investigated the factor structure invariance of the Care-Receiver Efficacy Scale–Short Form (CRES) using confirmatory factor analysis. Response data were collected from 177 participants across three time points. The analyses of the five-subscale, 25-item CRES at the individual time points indicated that the first-order and second-order models were acceptable. However, Perceptions of Dependence was not a reliable indicator for the higher order factor defined as Overall Care-Receiver Efficacy. The revised 20-item CRES without Perceptions of Dependence had adequate model fit. A series of progressively more constrained models revealed the higher order 20-item CRES can be used as a stable measure of health care self-efficacy for older care-receivers.
Silent chromatin in yeast: an orchestrated medley featuring Sir3p

Extensive regions of chromosomes can be transcriptionally repressed through silencing mechanisms mediated by complex chromatin structures. One of the most refined molecular portraits of silenced chromatin comes from studies of the silent mating-type loci and telomeres of S. cerevisiae. In this budding yeast, the Sir3p silent information regulator emerges as a critically important silencing component that interacts with nucleosomes and other silencing proteins. Not only is it essential for silencing, but Sir3p is also capable of spreading silenced chromatin when its dosage is increased. Sir3p is a target of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade regulation and has significant similarity to the Orc1p subunit of the DNA replication origin recognition complex. Thus, in concert with other silencing proteins, Sir3p appears poised to respond to cellular signals and reprogram silencing through replication-associated assembly of repressive chromatin structures.
Financial and Quality-of-Life Burden of Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding Among Women Agreeing To Obtain Surgical Treatment

Purpose In this study, we sought to 1) describe elements of the financial and quality-of-life burden of dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) from the perspective of women who agreed to obtain surgical treatment; 2) explore associations between DUB symptom characteristics and the financial and quality-of-life burden; 3) estimate the annual dollar value of the financial burden; and 4) estimate the most that could be spent on surgery to eliminate DUB symptoms for which medical treatment has been unsuccessful that would result in a $50,000/quality-adjusted life-year incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Methods We collected baseline data on DUB symptoms and aspects of the financial and quality-of-life burden for 237 women agreeing to surgery for DUB in a randomized trial comparing hysterectomy with endometrial ablation. Measures included out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenditures, excess expenditures on pads or tampons, the value of time missed from paid work and home management activities, and health utility. We used χ 2 and t tests to assess the statistical significance of associations between DUB characteristics and the financial and quality-of-life burden. The annual financial burden was estimated. Results Pelvic pain and cramps were associated with activity limitations and tiredness was associated with a lower health utility. Excess pharmaceutical and pad and tampon costs were $333 per patient per year (95% confidence interval [CI], $263–$403). Excess paid work and home management loss costs were $2,291 per patient per year (95% CI, $1847–$2752). Effective surgical treatment costing $40,000 would be cost-effective compared with unsuccessful medical treatment. Conclusion The financial and quality-of-life effects of DUB represent a substantial burden.
Human liver alcohol dehydrogenase an enzyme essential to the metabolism of digitalis

Abstract Human liver alcohol dehydrogenase oxidizes the 3β OH group of digitoxigenin, digoxigenin and gitoxigenin, the pharmacologically active principles of the corresponding cardiac glycosides. The oxidation products were identified by high performance liquid chromatography analysis. Ethanol and digitoxigenin are competitive, and the efficiency of their oxidation is virtually the same. Thus, liver alcohol dehydrogenase is a hitherto unknown NAD(H) dependent enzyme that performs the first and major step in the inactivation of these genins of the cardiac glycosides in the human. This could bear importantly both on the pharmacology and toxicology of digitalis therapy.
Depolarization of microwave backscattering from a rough sea surface: Modeling with small-slope approximation

Scatterometric wind retrieval based on HH- or VV-pol. radar backscatter experiences saturation at high winds, whereas recent measurements demonstrated that the cross-polarized signal, VH- or HV-pol. at high winds shows a strong dependence on wind speed. Explanation of such a behavior of the cross-polarized microwave radar from a theoretical standpoint represents a challenge. A classical composite Bragg (CB) theory significantly underestimates the level of measured cross-polarized radar return for all ranges of winds. Our study based on the small-slope approximation of the second order (SSA2) improves an agreement between the theory and the experiment for intermediate range of winds. The SSA2, as contrasted with the CB, always accounts for Bragg scattering of the second order which involves intermediate waves propagating at zero grazing angles (Wood's anomaly). Explanation of the cross-polarization scatterometric data at high winds would require going beyond the SSA2. One of the possible mechanisms could be breaking waves playing a role of retro-reflectors.
Understanding Empiricism: Conclusion: naturalism and empiricism

We have seen that empiricism holds two theses: all ideas and beliefs are acquired; and all knowledge of real existence rests on experience. The first is an alternative to Descartes's innatism and the second a claim about the source of evidence about reality. The first three chapters focused on the major historical empiricists: Locke, Berkeley and Hume. We discussed Locke's defence of both theses and evaluated some of Leibniz's criticisms of his rejection of innatism. Descartes and Locke were reacting against the Aristotelian-medieval conception of science in light of the new science initiated by Galileo, Descartes himself and the English scientists, Newton and Boyle. In Chapter 2, we discussed Berkeley's claim that Locke's physical realism leads to skepticism and has to be replaced by a radically new metaphysics, idealism or what he labelled immaterialism. Much of the discussion centred on his criticisms of Locke and so was an extension of Chapter 1. The chapter on Hume sketched his attempt to elaborate Locke's theory of ideas as the foundation of a new science of human nature in his early book, A Treatise of Human Nature , but focused on his more strictly epistemological work, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding . We considered his defence of empiricism's second thesis in terms of his distinction between relations of ideas and matters of fact, his argument that induction cannot be justified non-circularly but must be assumed to be reliable and his theory of the nature of causation.
Talking back through ‘talking Black’: African American English and agency in Walter Mosley’s Devil In a Blue Dress

With the rise in the number of ethnic detective novels published yearly it is important to consider how this new genre deviates from its predecessor, hard-boiled detective fiction; language is a place where this deviation is most apparent. Authors of ethnic detective fiction use marked varieties of English to call attention to the ethnicity of protagonists but, more important to this discussion, to highlight the complex ways in which they position themselves against White male hegemony. Ethnic detective fiction highlights the struggles, complications, dangers, and joys of the Other, a character who is typically marked by sexual, racial, or ethnic marginality, as he or she moves towards autonomy. This article examines how Walter Mosley’s Devil in a Blue Dress upends stereotypical assumptions about the legitimacy and complexity of African American English (AAE) and demonstrates how the protagonist, Easy Rawlins, utilizes certain aspects of AAE, such as signifying, multiple negatives, and the invariant form ...
The nucleotide sequence of a nematode vitellogenin gene

Abstract The nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, contains a family of six genes that code for vitellogenins. Here we report the complete nucleotide sequence of one of these genes, vit-5. The gene specifies a mRNA of 4869 nucleotides, including untranslated regions of 9 bases at the 5' end and 51 bases at the 3' end. Vit-5 contains four short introns totalling 218 bp. The predicted vitellogenin, yp170A, has a molecular weight of 186,430. At its N terminus it is clearly related to the vitellogenins of vertebrates. However, the vit-5-encoded protein does not contain a serine-rich sequence related to the vertebrate vitellin, phosvitin. In fact, the amino acid composition of the nematode protein is very similar to that of the vertebrate protein without phosvitin. Vit-5 has a highly asymmetric codon choice dictionary. The favored codons are different from those favored in other organisms, but are characteristic of highly expressed C. elegans genes. The strong selection against rare codons is not as great near the 5' end of the gene; rare codons are 15 times more frequent within the first 54 bp than in the next 4.8 kb.
Improved methods of analysis for CD data applied to single-strand stacking.

CD spectra of ApA, Poly(A), CpC, and poly(C), measured as a function of tempeature, are used to demonstrate improved methods of analysis for this type of data. Each of the four sets of temperature-dependent CD spectra are decomposed using singular value deocmposition. This method demonstrates that there are only two independnet parameters in each set of data. The two basis curves in the wavelength domain for each set of data are use to average the CD curves even though they are taken at different temperatures. Each of the four sets of temperature-dependent data, smoothed in this way, is decomposed in the Taylor series to separate degenerate interactions due to stacking from the intrinsic CD of the chromophores and nondegenerate interactions. Such a decomposition allow the comparison of corresponding interactions whose relative magnitudes are not obvious in the data. The CD due to degenrate interactions fits the van't Hoff equation well in all four cases and thermodynamic parameters are determined. A simplex routine is used to search the space before performing the least-squares fit of the data of the van't Hoff equation. This guarantees a global solution rather than a local solution. The first of the two basis curves in the temperature domain derived by singular value decomposition also fits the van't Hoff equation well and gives comparable thermodynamic parameters, although the basis curves derived in this manner have no a priori physical significance. Rather than comparing room temperature CD curves, we compare CD curves of the various compounds at their melting temperature where the populations of the stacked conformation are equivalent. We use the Cantor-Tinoco equation, which relates the CD of a polymer to the CD of the corresponding dimer, to show that the secondary structure of ApA is not the same as poly(A), and the secondary structure of CpC is not the same as poly(C). However, the two dimers have similar degenerate stacking interactions as do the two polymers. A sound theoretical basis is provided for the semiempirical Cantor-Tonoco equation.
Metastatic mesothelioma to the thyroid

A 69 year-old male patient with a history of malignant mesothelioma treated with chemotherapy and surgical resection with removal of the right lung and right pleural pneumonectomy was clinically in remission for 1 ½ years. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan revealed limited uptake in the right pleural space, thought to represent post-surgical changes, and uptake in the left thyroid lobe. Thyroid ultrasound revealed a solid left lobe nodule with peripheral vascularity and absent microcalcifications. Fine needle aspiration cytology showed a microfollicular arrangement of cytologically bland cells with variable Hurthle cell changes initially interpreted as suspicious for Hurthle cell neoplasm. Review at multidisciplinary conference raised the possibility of metastatic mesothelioma, supported by immunohistochemical studies in the cell block. The patient opted for left hemithyroidectomy with isthmusectomy which confirmed malignant mesothelioma. Repeat PET scan 6 months later revealed no further uptake in the thyroid bed, with limited uptake in the right pleural space. Metastatic tumors to the thyroid are uncommon with only one previous description of metastasis to the thyroid by mesothelioma. Metastasis of cytologically low grade tumors such as mesothelioma present problems for cytology due to the potential for overlap with the variable appearances of thyroid neoplasms. The value (if any) of ancillary tests, including mutation testing, expression profiling and immunohistochemistry is discussed.
Crime Prevention Through Building Codes

Recently, throughout the crime prevention field, there has been a great deal of discussion concerning the advantages of strategies that prevent crime by reducing the opportunity for criminal occurrence. These discussions encompass Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, Community Crime Prevention Planning, Police Role in Crime Prevention, and, the topic of this paper, Security Code Implementation. This topic encompasses the advantages of establishing minimum security standards, increasing citizen awareness of security, and legitimizing crime prevention as a responsibility of the community. This paper will discuss the types of building security codes and the processes by which they are implemented and complied with. The evaluation of a code's effectiveness will be elaborated upon, and sources of resistance to code implementation outlined. Finally, recommendations are made for successful adoption of security codes in your community.
THE COMPARATIVE VALIDITY OF SELECTED LEADERSHIP SCALES RELATIVE TO SUCCESS IN PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Summary For 113 managerial personnel, a new supervisory judgment test, the Leadership Evaluation and Development Scale (LEADS) was found to be the best (r = .36) of four predictors of salary corrected for age and length of service. Other predictors were a verbal comprehension measure and the two Leadership Opinion Questionnaire scores. The R involving all four predictors was .39. LEADS was also found to be the best predictor of personnel department ratings on performance in the employee relations area. None of the predictors was significantly related to supervisors' ratings. Meaningful dimensions of supervisory performance not indicated by the other predictors appear to be measured by LEADS.
GEOLOGICAL AND CLIMATIC FORCES DRIVING SPECIATION IN THE CONTINENTALLY DISTRIBUTED TRILLING CHORUS FROGS (PSEUDACRIS)

Tertiary geological events and Quaternary climatic fluctuations have been proposed as important factors of speciation in the North American flora and fauna. Few studies, however, have rigorously tested hypotheses regarding the specific factors driving divergence of taxa. Here, we test explicit speciation hypotheses by correlating geologic events with divergence times among species in the continentally distributed trilling chorus frogs (Pseudacris). In particular, we ask whether marine inundation of the Mississippi Embayment, uplift of the Appalachian Mountains, or modification of the ancient Teays-Mahomet River system contributed to speciation. To examine the plausibility of ancient rivers causing divergence, we tested whether modern river systems inhibit gene flow. Additionally, we compared the effects of Quaternary climatic factors (glaciation and aridification) on levels of genetic variation. Divergence time estimates using penalized likelihood and coalescent approaches indicate that the major lineages of chorus frogs diversified during the Tertiary, and also exclude Quaternary climate change as a factor in speciation of chorus frogs. We show the first evidence that inundation of the Mississippi Embayment contributed to speciation. We reject the hypotheses that Cenozoic uplift of the Appalachians and that diversion of the Teays-Mahomet River contributed to speciation in this clade. We find that by reducing gene flow, rivers have the potential to cause divergence of lineages. Finally, we demonstrate that populations in areas affected by Quaternary glaciation and aridification have reduced levels of genetic variation compared to those from more equable regions, suggesting recent colonization.
mRNA stability is regulated by a coding‐region element and the unique 5′ untranslated leader sequences of the three Synechococcus psbA transcripts

Summary The psbAI and psbAIII transcripts in Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 are subject to accelerated turnover when cells are exposed to high light intensities, but psbAII message stability is unaffected. We used a psbAI ‘minigene’ which has a part of the coding sequence removed as a reporter gene in order to identify the cis-acting elements of the transcript that determine stability. While engineering the minigene to optimally mimic the native gene, we identified a stabilizer element within the open reading frame, corresponding to the coding region for the first membrane span of the D1 protein, the presence of and translation through which was essential for normal psbA mRNA stability. We propose that this stabilizer is a site for ribosome pausing, and that accumulation of ribosomes on the transcript upstream of the pause site increases stability. To identify the elements that regulate the differential responses of the psbA transcripts to high-light growth, sequences from psbAII and psbAIII were substituted in the psbAI minigene reporter. The chimeric reporter transcripts established that the psbAI and psbAIII untranslated leaders determine the faster turnover of these messages. The untranslated leader regions of the psbA transcripts may regulate mRNA stability by modulating translation and thereby stability, or by recruiting RNA-binding proteins that affect mRNA turnover more directly.
Extensional flow of a polystyrene Boger fluid through a 4 : 1 : 4 axisymmetric contraction/expansion

The creeping flow of a dilute (0.025 wt%) monodisperse polystyrene/polystyrene Boger fluid through a 4:1:4 axisymmetric contraction/expansion is experimentally observed for a wide range of Deborah numbers. Pressure drop measurements across the orifice plate show a large extra pressure drop that increases monotonically with Deborah number above the value observed for a similar Newtonian fluid at the same flow rate. This enhancement in the dimensionless pressure drop is not associated with the onset of a flow instability, yet it is not predicted by existing steady-state or transient numerical computations with simple dumbbell models. It is conjectured that this extra pressure drop is the result of an additional dissipative contribution to the polymeric stress arising from a stress-conformation hysteresis in the strong non-homogeneous extensional flow near the contraction plane. Such a hysteresis has been independently measured and computed in recent studies of homogeneous transient uniaxial stretching of PS/PS Boger fluids. Flow visualization and velocity field measurements using digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) show large upstream growth of the corner vortex with increasing Deborah number. At large Deborah numbers, the onset of an elastic instability is observed, first locally as small amplitude fluctuations in the pressure measurements, and then globally as an azimuthal precessing of the upstream corner vortex accompanied by periodic oscillations in the pressure drop across the orifice.
Review: The role of insulin resistance in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Context: Insulin resistance is an almost universal finding in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This review outlines the evidence linking insulin resistance and NAFLD, explores whether liver fat is a cause or consequence of insulin resistance, and reviews the current evidence for treatment of NAFLD. Evidence Acquisition: Evidence from epidemiological, experimental, and clinical research studies investigating NAFLD and insulin resistance was reviewed. Evidence Synthesis: Insulin resistance in NAFLD is characterized by reductions in whole-body, hepatic, and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity. The mechanisms underlying the accumulation of fat in the liver may include excess dietary fat, increased delivery of free fatty acids to the liver, inadequate fatty acid oxidation, and increased de novo lipogenesis. Insulin resistance may enhance hepatic fat accumulation by increasing free fatty acid delivery and by the effect of hyperinsulinemia to stimulate anabolic processes. The impact of weight loss, metfo...
Social support for families of children with mental retardation: Comparison between Korea and the United States

The informal and professional supports available for families of children with mental retardation in Korea and the United States were examined and the effects of culture and social support on maternal stress considered. Thirty-eight American and 40 Korean mothers participated in the home-visit interview. A pilot study identified 10 types of informal and 11 types of professional support for the two national groups. Results showed that American mothers received more informal and professional support in almost all domains of social support; Korean mothers experienced more stress. Possible explanations for these differences were explored.
The National Commission On Fiscal Responsibility And Reform: How Its Report Can Impact Marginal Tax Rates

The United States government has a serious budget problem. In 2010 President Barack Obama created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to deal with the problem by identifying policies to improve the fiscal situation. Among the Commission’s recommendations was a proposal to modify payments under Social Security. For most recipients, the modifications would decrease Social Security benefits although benefits would increase for the poorest quintile of recipients. The purpose of this paper is to construct a model for evaluating the proposed shift in Social Security payments. From the perspective of Social Security recipients, the model shows the cutbacks as the partial loss of an annuity stream, as the loss of a lump sum that is capable of generating the partial annuity stream, and as a tax increase for the remainder of the recipients’ working years as they deposit a special tax into a retirement account designed to replace the lost benefits.
Measurement of Neural Function

In an issue of the proceedings of the Bologna Academy and Institute of Sciences and Arts dated 27 March 1791, Luigi Galvani published an article that was to be a milestone in the world of physics and physiology. He began this paper, which was entitled De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari Commentarius, with the following description: I dissected and prepared a frog and placed it on a table, on which was an electrical machine, widely removed from its conductor and separated by no brief interval. When by chance one of those who were assisting me gently touched the point of a scalpel to the medial crural nerves of this frog, immediately all the muscle of the limbs seemed to be so contracted that they appeared to have fallen into violent tonic convulsions. But another of the assistants, who was on hand when I did electrical experiments, seemed to observe that the same thing occurred whenever a spark was discharged from the conductor of the machine.
Older Workers and Federal Work Programs: The Korean Senior Employment Program (KSEP).

ABSTRACTFederal older worker programs are attracting attention due to the growing number of older workers across the world. They are uniquely situated to provide out-of-market work opportunities to older job seekers, who often find their age a barrier to securing desirable jobs. In 2004, the Korean government established its own program, the Korean Senior Employment Program (KSEP); however, literature for international readers on this innovative program is lacking. Thus, this article aims to provide an in-depth description of KSEP and a brief comparison between the Senior Community Service Employment Program in the U.S. and KSEP. The unique characteristics of KSEP include having the dual program foci on supplemental income and social participation; expanding work opportunities in the private sector beyond community-based jobs; accepting participants who are financially disadvantaged as well as those with a high desire for social participation regardless of their income; and broadening work opportunities f...