cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ecological relevance of allelopathy: some considerations related to Mediterranean, subtropical, temperate, and boreal forest shrubs

Ecological relevance, the most recalcitrant topic in chemical ecology, has hindered the acceptance of allelopathy in ecological theory. Proponents of allelopathy point to significant ecological phenomena such as bare zones around shrubs as evidence for the action of allelopathy in natural systems [1-3]. Skeptics of allelopathy in natural systems demand extensive experimental evidence on the toxic compound, its concentration in natural systems, and its pathway of delivery to target species [4]. Moreover, scientists studying allelopathy must demonstrate that resource competition is not the causative agent, while researchers who study competition are rarely held to the same standards [1, 5]. The purpose of this chapter is to probe the difficulties surrounding research on allelopathy and to present some imaginative ways scientists have investigated allelopathy in recent years. Have recent technology and scientific innovation provided enough support for allelopathy to take its place in ecological theory
Banshee: a scalable constraint-based analysis toolkit

We introduce Banshee, a toolkit for constructing constraint-based analyses. Banshee's novel features include a code generator for creating customized constraint resolution engines, incremental analysis based on backtracking, and fast persistence. These features make Banshee useful as a foundation for production program analyses.
A novel recovery approach for cluster federations

In this paper, we have addressed the complex problem of determining a recovery line for cluster federation and have proposed a fast recovery algorithm to handle failures in cluster federations. The main feature of the proposed algorithm is that it can be executed simultaneously by all clusters in the cluster federation. Besides, the number of trips to the stable storage necessary for executing the algorithm is much less compared to the same in some existing works. Also the proposed algorithm does not suffer from any message storm unlike some noted work in this area.
The Adams Operations and Representations

Every representation M of a topological group G and every principal bundle α over a space X determine a fibre bundle α[M] over X that admits the structure of a vector bundle. For a given α the function that assigns α[M] to M prolongs to a group morphism R(G) → K(X), where R(G) is the representation ring of G. We study K(X), using this morphism; in particular, properties of operations in K(X) can be derived from properties of operations in R(G).
The multiple risk factor intervention trial (MRFIT).: II. The development of the protocol

Abstract The detailed development of the MRFIT protocol is discussed, beginning with the general plan outlined by the National Heart and Lung Institute in the initial solicitation of contract proposals. The protocol is designed to test the hypothesis that lowering serum cholesterol by diet, reducing high blood pressure by diet and drugs, and cessation of cigarette smoking will result in a reduced risk of (a) death from coronary heart disease (CHD), (b) combined fatal CHD and nonfatal myocardial infarction, (c) deaths from all cardiovascular disease, and (d) death from all causes, over a period of 6 years among men aged 35–57 without initial evidence of CHD. After screening 361,662 men, from 1974 to early 1976, 12,866 from the upper end of the risk spectrum of CHD on the basis of serum cholesterol, blood pressure, and smoking habits, were randomly assigned either to a program of Special Intervention (SI) directed toward altering these risk factors or to their usual source of medical care (UC). Men in the UC group have been evaluated once each year in the clinic without direct intervention on the risk factors. Men in the SI group participated in an initial intensive series of group sessions designed to assist in modification of behavior relating to the three risk factors. The SI men have since been invited to the clinic at least three times each year to maintain and increase risk factor change. Changes in the intervention protocol have resulted mainly from difficulty in achieving the expected response in serum cholesterol. These changes have included greater emphasis on control of body weight, the recommendation of more rigorous dietary specifications for those with persistently elevated levels of serum cholesterol, and advice to increase physical activity.
Quantitative evaluation of vascular status of patients with peripheral vascular disease: Methods for storage and retrieval of clinical and laboratory data

Abstract A patient evaluation and data retrieval system for peripheral vascular disease has been designed to insure accurate, consistent, quantitative recording of information at each patient visit and to permit ready retrieval and processing of such data. Duplicating NCR forms have been prepared in such manner that data can be transferred readily to IBM cards. The cards include information on past history, present history, physical findings, surgery and therapy, digital skin temperatures, digital plethysmographic studies, digital pulse contours, calculated data, arteriographic findings, and diagnosis. When information on parameters of a disease state, or effectiveness of a drug or surgical procedure is desired, the information can be retrieved readily from the cards with the use of a card sorter, collator, and rapid print-out or on a computer with the use of an appropriate program.
Barriers to use of semen analysis in the adolescent with a varicocele: Survey of patient, parental, and practitioner attitudes

Summary Background The American Society for Reproductive Medicine Practice Committee recommends obtaining a semen analysis (SA) in pediatric patients presenting with a varicocele in the absence of significant testicular atrophy. Among infertile adults with a varicocele, surgery is indicated in the presence of abnormal semen analysis regardless of testicular atrophy. Despite these two statements, semen analysis is not widely utilized by pediatric urologists in the USA managing a patient with a varicocele. Objective We explored the attitudes of patients, parents, and practitioners toward SA to identify potential barriers to the use of SA in the evaluation of the adolescent varicocele. Study design We conducted a survey of Society for Pediatric Urology members regarding their management of adolescent varicoceles, with focus on the utilization of SA. The survey consisted of 14 multiple choice questions and two open-ended questions regarding use of SA in practice, barriers to its use, indications for varicocelectomy, and demographics. We also surveyed patients presenting for initial evaluation of a varicocele, as well as their parents, regarding their knowledge about SA and their attitude towards obtaining it. Statistical analysis was performed ( p Results The practitioner survey response rate was 53% (168). Only 13.1% routinely incorporated SA in their practice, with 48% of all responders having some degree of discomfort asking for a SA. Of practitioners who cited discomfort, 90% never order a SA for patients with varicoceles. From the 46% of physicians who ordered a SA, we noted significant practice variability (see Figure). The patient/parent survey demonstrated that this population was uncomfortable with the notion of obtaining a SA, with most patients/parents citing lack of knowledge about SA as the main barrier. Patient and parent knowledge was found to correlate. Discussion This study uniquely addresses an issue that has not been discussed in the adolescent varicocele literature to date. It can increase awareness of the option of incorporating SA data in management of the adolescent who presents with a varicocele. Conclusion Recognizing and then breaking through the barriers to obtaining a SA, would improve patient care, providing a direct assessment of the impact of a varicocele on fertility potential and thus best determining which patients require surveillance versus surgical intervention. This study suggested that the barriers to SA are surmountable.
Selective enhancement of synaptic inhibition by hypocretin (orexin) in rat vagal motor neurons: implications for autonomic regulation.

The hypocretins (orexins) are hypothalamic neuropeptides implicated in feeding, arousal, and autonomic regulation. These studies were designed to determine the actions of hypocretin peptides on synaptic transmission in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMV). Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made from DMV neurons in transverse slices of rat brainstem. Some of the neurons were identified as gastric-related by retrograde labeling after inoculation of the stomach wall with pseudorabies virus 152, a viral label that reports enhanced green fluorescent protein. Consistent with previous findings, hypocretins caused an inward current (6–68 pA) in most neurons at holding potentials near rest. In addition, the frequency of spontaneous IPSCs was increased in a concentration-related manner (up to 477%), with little change in EPSCs. This effect was preserved in the presence of tetrodotoxin, suggesting a presynaptic site of action. Hypocretins increased the amplitude of IPSCs evoked by electrical stimulation of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) but not evoked EPSCs. Hypocretin-induced increases in the frequency of IPSCs evoked by photoactivation of caged glutamate within the NTS were also observed. Identical effects of the peptides were observed in identified gastric-related and unlabeled DMV neurons. In contrast to some previous studies, which have reported primarily excitatory actions of the hypocretins in many regions of the CNS, these data support a role for hypocretin in preferentially enhancing synaptic inhibition, including inhibitory inputs arising from neurons in the NTS. These findings indicate that the hypocretins can modulate and coordinate visceral autonomic output by acting directly on central vagal circuits.
A method to estimate the somatic cell count of milk from a mastitic quarter using composite somatic cell count.

Abstract The purpose of the study was to estimate the extent to which one quarter could be inflamed relative to the other three quarters of a cow, given that knowledge only of the composite milk somatic cell count (SCC) was available. An algebraic relationship, which incorporated the parameters of composite milk SCC, production loss associated with composite milk SSC, SCC of milk from an inflamed quarter, and SCC from three non-inflamed quarters, was used to derive hypothetical estimates of the SCC in one inflamed quarter. A simple case was considered in which one quarter was mastitic, the SCC in milk of the noninflamed quarters was equal, and there was no production compensation by the noninflamed quarters. Previously published estimates were used for production loss associated with composite milk SCC. For moderate composite milk SCC (300,000-500,000 cells/mL) and low-to-moderate SCC in milk of noninflamed quarters (100,000 cells/mL), the SCC of milk from one inflamed quarter was predicted to be very high, ranging from about 1.26 million (log10 SCC = 6.1) to 6.3 million (log10 SCC = 6.8) cells/mL, and compatible with signs of clinical mastitis. These results suggest that in order to screen cows with clinical mastitis in only one quarter, composite milk SCC should be considerably lower than values presented previously by other investigators.
Cationic and Nonionic Starch Graft Polymers for Filler Retention

Graft co- and terpolymers were prepared by free radical polymerizations of vinyl monomers onto ω-irradiated starch by a prototype commercial process. Products with graft contents of up to 46%, by weight, were obtained by grafting acrylamide and quaternary amine-containing esters of methacrylic acid to starch. The graft polymers were evaluated on a pilot fourdrinier paper machine as filler retention aids and compared with several commercial flocculants. Drainage rate increased markedly with one of the starch graft terpolymers that was cationic. Since the number of starch graft polymers prepared was limited, the results reported, although excellent, are not necessarily optimal. Further studies are needed to establish the relationships of graft content and terpolymer compositions to retention and drainage.
A non-convex alternating direction method of multipliers heuristic for optimal power flow

The optimal power flow (OPF) problem is fundamental to power system planing and operation. It is a non-convex optimization problem and the semidefinite programing (SDP) relaxation has been proposed recently. However, the SDP relaxation may give an infeasible solution to the original OPF problem. In this paper, we apply the alternating direction method of multiplier method to recover a feasible solution when the solution of the SDP relaxation is infeasible to the OPF problem. Specifically, the proposed procedure iterates between a convex optimization problem, and a non-convex optimization with the rank constraint. By exploiting the special structure of the rank constraint, we obtain a closed form solution of the non-convex optimization based on the singular value decomposition. As a result, we obtain a computationally tractable heuristic for the OPF problem. Although the convergence of the algorithm is not theoretically guaranteed, our simulations show that a feasible solution can be recovered using our method.
Variational study of the vortex structure of composite fermions

We consider a one-parameter family of wave functions for composite fermions. There are explicitly two vortices bound to each electron in these wave functions, but the internal structure of the vortices, which governs the short-distance behavior of the two-particle correlation function, is continuously changed by varying the number of zeros at each electron. The kinetic and interaction energies are evaluated using Monte Carlo techniques. It is found that the wave function with equal numbers of zeros and vortices does not in general have the lowest energy, but is energetically quite competitive. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Machine for complete fabrication of 8-m class mirrors

The Large Optical Generator (LOG) was originally installed as a precision generator at the University of Arizona. It has since been relocated to the Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory, where, in addition to its tasks as generator, it can be reconfigured as a polishing machine. As such, utilizing the Mirror Lab's stressed-lap techniques, LOG has recently finished a series of three 3.5 meter mirrors to high accuracy. It is currently configured as a generator for work on the 6.5 meter MMT upgrade. LOG's operating parameters and level of performance both as generator and polisher will be discussed, along with some of the unique safety features that have been built into its operation.
Phorbol esters stimulate DNA synthesis and ornithine decarboxylase activity in mouse epidermal cell cultures

TUMOUR-PROMOTING agents have been defined by their ability to promote tumour formation on carcinogen-initiated mouse skin. The most potent of these agents are the diesters of phorbol which are the active components of croton oil, the classic promoting substance. Phorbol esters can be chemically modified in a number of positions to form molecules with a wide range of promoter potency1. Such modifications have been useful in determining structure-function relationships2. A good correlation exists between the ability of phorbol esters to promote epidermal tumours and their ability to stimulate epidermal macro-molecular synthesis in vivo3,4. In particular, all tumour promoters stimulate synthesis of epidermal DNA, although not all chemicals which induce hyperplasia are promoters1. Recently O'Brien et al.5 suggested that the degree of induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in mouse skin after application of promoting and non-promoting compounds correlates well with their promoting potency. Evidence from our laboratory indicates that brief exposure to the potent phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), stimulates DNA synthesis and ODC activity in mouse epidermal cell cultures (S.H.Y., T.B., E.P., D. Michael, K. Elgjo and H.H., to be published, and U.L. and S.H.Y., to be published). Using such a culture system, we have examined a series of phorbol esters to test the correlation of promoter potency in vivo with the stimulation of DNA synthesis and ODC activity in vitro.
Ion−Molecule Reactions for Mass Spectrometric Identification of Functional Groups in Protonated Oxygen-Containing Monofunctional Compounds

Protonated oxygen-containing monofunctional compounds react with selected methoxyborane reagents by proton transfer followed by nucleophilic substitution of methanol at the boron atom in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. The derivatized oxygen functionality can be identified by H/D exchange, collision-activated dissociation, or both. This information on the identity of the functionalities in the analyte, in conjunction with molecular formula information obtained from exact mass measurements on either the protonated or derivatized analyte, facilitates structure elucidation of unknown organic compounds in a mass spectrometer.
SOCIAL VISITING PREFERENCES BY MALE RATS IN AN OPEN FIELD

Previous research has examined sexual preferences in animals (Beach, 1970), and some have looked at such preferences in rats (Law & Gerbrandt, 1967). Beach's work with sexual preferences in the beagle (Beach, 1967, 1970) has been the most thorough and systematic to date. The srud~es of rats have tended to look less at individual preferences and more at a general preference of whether or not to engage in mating, although -French, Fitzpatrick, and Law (1967) did look at specific preferences of one rat to mate with another. Current research does not allow us to answer the rather basic question of whether a rat has any demonstrable preferences for social interaction on any level other than that of the minimally studied sexual one. The present brief report examines the feasibility of studying simple social preferences in male rats, free to move about, who are allowed to "visit," a term coined by Beach (1970), ocher rats of both sexes as well as inanimate objects. The results of a study of visiting preferences expressed by male rats in an open-field situation are also presented. The subjecrs were eight male and five female, Long-Evans rats, 120 days of age. The seven experimental males were proven copulators and were housed in groups of three to four. The stimulus male and females .were housed individually; the females were brought into estrus (verified by vaginal smear) with injections of estrogen and progesterone. The preference tests were carried out in an open-field apparatus, a painted plywood box 100 by 100 by 26 cm. The floor was divided into 50by 50-cm squares to identify the males' position in the apparatus. Each test was begun by placing the test male under an opaque plastic cylinder in the exact center of the apparatus. Stimulus objects were 2 estrous or 1 estrous and 1 diestrous females, a male, and a block of wood; these were placed in wire cages (25 by 25 by 40 cm) at the four corners of the test apparatus. When the cylinder was removed the male was released and timing to the nearest . I 0 min. was begun as soon as he had all four feet in the same quadrant. Each male was given three consecutive 10-min. rests with the location of the wire cages being randomly changed after each rest. The testing apparatus was wiped clean after each test. Males were tested on four different days. The results of this preliminary study demonstrate that this open-field test permits male rats to express a preference as to which animal/object they visited during the tests. The results suggest that the males preferred to visit, in decreasing order, females in estrus, females in diestrus, males, and wood blocks; respective means and standard deviations of minutes visited are 4.4 & 1.7, 2.7 -1 3 7 , 1.4 & .34, and 1.0 & .19. All males preferred the presence of females to that of other stimulus objects present. How-
Bovine syncytial virus isolations.

Bovine syncytial virus (BSV) was isolated from direct cell culture of tissues obtained from 2 adult cows, from buffy coat cells from a third cow which were co-seeded with bovine fetal spleen (BSp) cells, and from direct cell cultures from a 5 month old bovine fetus obtained from a slaughter house. The viral isolates were extremely cell-associated, produced very low titers in cell cultures, and were labile to chloroform, heat, and freezing. Electron microscopy of infected cells revealed intracytoplasmic foci of discrete double membrane bound viral particles approximately 135 mμ in diameter. Speculation is presented that 2 types of syncytial viruses exist in cattle—the cell associated viruses reported from the United States and Britain which as yet have not been associated with disease, and the bovine respiratory syncytial viruses isolated from respiratory outbreaks in Europe and Japan.
Autoimmunoreactive IgGs from patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

Purpose Autoantibodies are implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and cardiac arrhythmias. In this pilot study, we tested the hypothesis that autoantibodies are present in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Experimental design Seven control subjects (6 F:1 M, average age 36.1 years) and ten patients with the diagnosis of POTS (7 F: 3 M, average age 35.1 years) provided informed consent and 30 mL of venous blood. Human heart membrane proteins were resolved by 2DE and immunoblotted against purified IgGs from controls and patients. Results Eighteen protein spots immunoreactive specifically against patient IgGs were detected and they were excised from gels, trypsin-digested, and analyzed by nanoLC-electrospray MS/MS. Forty unique proteins were identified and these include proteins that are associated with cardiac hypertrophy (mimecan, myozenin), cardiac remodeling (periostin), cardiomyopathy (desmin, desmoplakin), cell survival (laminin), structural integrity (filamin), chaperone proteins (crystalline, HSP70), mitochondrial enzymes, and channel proteins. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed multiple pathways were involved including those that regulate energy metabolism, redox, fibrosis, cardiac hypertrophy, and degeneration. Conclusions and clinical relevance Autoantibodies are present in patients with POTS. These autoantibodies cross-react with a wide range of cardiac proteins and may induce alterations in cardiac function. Autoimmune pathogenetic mechanisms should be further explored in these patients.
Constructions of Leadership at the Intersection of Discourse, Power, and Culture: Jamaican Managers’ Narratives of Leading in a Postcolonial Cultural Context

This study uses discursive leadership as a framework for analyzing the sense-making narratives of managers in the Caribbean island of Jamaica. The study analyzes whether or how these Jamaican managers see themselves as acting to develop organizations that are culturally indigenous in the context of dominant national colonial and neocolonial cultural Discourses that seek to marginalize local forms of cultural expression and innovation. Data from the study suggest that asking managers to make sense of the cultural context in which they practice leadership reveals connections between culture, leadership, and communication. The study also reinforces the important role control and agency play in our understanding of leadership.
Screening for hypertension—Some statistical observations

Abstract An algorithm is presented for the screening of persons for high blood pressure. A random effects ANOVA model is proposed for a set of blood pressure measurements collected on N visits with k measurements per visit. Maximum likelihood estimators are obtained for the parameters of this model and a screening criterion is devised based on the sampling distribution of these estimators. The algorithm depends on: (1) the ‘mean’ blood pressure over several visits, (2) the within person variability of blood pressure both over several visits and within a particular visit, (3) an arbitrarily specified threshold beyond which one is designated as hypertensive, (4) the number of visits, (5) the number of measurements per visit, and (6) the error probabilities one is willing to assume in classifying a person as hypertensive or normotensive.
Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Suppresses RIG-I Initiated Innate Antiviral Responses in the Human Lung

Influenza infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is believed to play an important role in the recognition of, and response to, influenza virus and other RNA viruses. Our study focuses on the hypothesis that pandemic H1N1/09 influenza virus alters the influenza-induced proinflammatory response and suppresses host antiviral activity. We first compared the innate response to a clinical isolate of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, OK/09, a clinical isolate of seasonal H3N2 virus, OK/06, and to a laboratory adapted seasonal H1N1 virus, PR8, using a unique human lung organ culture model. Exposure of human lung tissue to either pandemic or seasonal influenza virus resulted in infection and replication in alveolar epithelial cells. Pandemic virus induces a diminished RIG-I mRNA and antiviral cytokine response than seasonal virus in human lung. The suppression of antiviral response and RIG-I mRNA expression was confirmed at the protein level by ELISA and western blot. We performed a time course of RIG-I and interferon-β (IFN-β) mRNA induction by the two viruses. RIG-I and IFN-β induction by OK/09 was of lower amplitude and shorter duration than that caused by PR8. In contrast, the pandemic virus OK/09 caused similar induction of proinflammatory cytokines, IL-8 and IL-6, at both the transcriptional and translational level as PR8 in human lung. Differential antiviral responses did not appear to be due to a difference in cellular infectivity as immunohistochemistry showed that both viruses infected alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells. These findings show that influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus suppresses anti-viral immune responses in infected human lung through inhibition of viral-mediated induction of the pattern recognition receptor, RIG-I, though proinflammatory cytokine induction was unaltered. This immunosuppression of the host antiviral response by pandemic virus may have contributed to the more serious lung infections that occurred in the H1N1 pandemic of 2009.
Probing Conformational Changes and Dynamics in eIF4A Helicase during RNA Unwinding by Single-Molecule FRET

The translation initiation factor eIF4A is the prototypical DEAD-box RNA helicase and it has a "dumbbell" structure consisting of two domains connected by a linker. Our previous studies have shown that eIF4A/eIF4H complex can bind directly to loop structures and repetitively unwind the RNA hairpin. To further illuminate the conformation change of eIF4A during RNA unwinding, we label several well chosen mutant eIF4A with donor and acceptor and encapsulate eIF4A and RNA substrate within lipid vesicles. The cotrapping of eIF4A and RNA is detected by multicolor colocalization and the interdomain and intradomain distance change of eIF4A is investigated by single-molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (sm-FRET). First we show that the linker which connects the two domain is very flexible by showing broad donor-acceptor distance distribution. Second we demonstrate that eIF4A in the presence of eIF4H can repetitively unwind the RNA hairpin substrate by undergoing the open-and-closed conformation using the energy from ATP hydrolysis. And the interdomain interaction is mainly responsible for the helicase activity. Furthermore, we studied how RNA aptamer and small molecule, hippuristanol, interact with eIF4A and change its conformation. These studies can further illuminate the molecular mechanism how they inhibit the helicase activity of eIF4A.
Denominationalism as a Basis for Ecumenicity: A Seventeenth Century Conception*

The use of the word “denomination” to describe a religious group came into vogue during the early years of the Evangelical Revival. Typical of the mood which gave currency to the new term are John Wesley's oft-quoted words; “I … refuse to be distinguished from other men by any but the common principles of Christianity I renounce and detest all other marks of distinction. But from real Christians, of whatever denomination , I earnestly desire not to be distinguished at all Dost thou love and fear God? It is enough! I give thee the right hand of fellowship.” The word “denomination” was adopted by the leaders of the Evangelical Revival, both in England and America, because it was a neutral term which carried with it no implication of a negative value judgment.
Classification Skills and Language Development in Language Impaired Children

The classification assessment procedure developed by Denney (1972) was administered to 30 subjects: 10 language impaired children, 10 normal children matched to the language impaired children on the basis of chronological age, and 10 normal children matched to the language impaired children on the basis of MLU. The results indicated that the age-matched subjects performed the task significantly belter than either the language-impaired or the MLU-matched subjects. The performance of the language impaired children was not different from that of the MLU matched children. Correlational analysis revealed that classification performance was significantly correlated with language production. These findings are discussed in terms of the various cognitive hypotheses of language development and also in terms of previous findings regarding the cognitive skills of language impaired children.
Analysis of the Lamin A/C gene as a candidate for Type II diabetes susceptibility in Pima Indians

Aims/hypothesis. Lamin A/C (LMNA) is located within a region on chromosome 1 q that has been linked with Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus in Pima Indians. Rare mutations in exon 8 of LMNA underlie Dunnigan-Type familial partial lipodystrophy, a disease characterized by regional adipocyte degeneration and frequently accompanied by insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and diabetes. A more common variant in exon 10 (3408C/T) has recently been associated with obesity in non-diabetic aboriginal Canadian subjects. Because obesity is a strongly predisposing factor for Type II diabetes, we hypothesized that the LMNA 3408C/T variant could be associated with diabetes and body mass index in Pima Indians. Methods. To determine whether the LMNA 3408C/T variant contributes to Type II diabetes susceptibility, we genotyped the polymorphism in 1338 Pimas using allelic discrimination technology. The locus was screened for additional variants in 20 diabetic Pima Indians and non-diabetic Pima Indians using denaturing high performance liquid chromatography and dideoxy sequencing. Results. We found no evidence for association of 3408C/T with diabetes, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin concentrations, or indices of insulin sensitivity and secretion. Subsequent screening of the remaining LMNA exons and flanking sequences revealed only rare variants in intron 4 and the 3'UTR, showing no frequency differences between diabetic and non-diabetic Pima Indians. We reassessed the linkage with diabetes following adjustment for the LMNA 3408C/T variant; adjustment for the effects of LMNA did not substantially modify the evidence for linkage. Conclusion/interpretation. We conclude that the LMNA 3408C/T variant probably does not play a role in susceptibility to diabetes or obesity in Pima Indians. [Diabetologia (2001) 44: 779–782]
Changes of the geometry and band structure of SiC along the orthorhombic high-pressure transition path between the zinc-blende and rocksalt structures

Using the first principles pseudopotential plane-wave method and the full-potential linearized muffin-tin orbital method, we study how the geometry and the electronic structures change along the orthorhombic transition paths of zinc blende (ZB) to rocksalt (RS) under high pressure. Two different paths, called the fixed strain (force-free) path and the fixed position (hydrostatic stress) path, pass both through the same transition state at any pressure. The actual transition point, however, depends on pressure. The force free path shows a turning point where the atoms jump to the RS positions. A stronger response to changes in either the intersublattice displacement or the strain is observed near the transition state than near the end phases. A phenomenological model helps to reveal that the transition state (TS) is the result of the long-range periodic dependence of the energy on the order parameter whereas the turning point is the result of the local dependence around RS. The band structures show that the TS is metallic although both ZB and RS are semiconductors. This explains the softening of the optical phonons under large strains and why the energy barrier for the relative movements of the sublattices is very low when the strains are kept at the TS.
Factors associated with caregiver stability in permanent placements: A classification tree approach

Objective Identify individual and environmental variables associated with caregiver stability and instability for children in diverse permanent placement types (i.e., reunification, adoption, and long-term foster care/guardianship with relatives or non-relatives), following 5 or more months in out-of-home care prior to age 4 due to substantiated maltreatment.
Descartes's critique of the atheist geometer

L'A. etudie le sens de la position fondamentale de la connaissance de Dieu dans la philosophie de Descartes. En reference aux secondes objections des «Meditations», l'A. examine l'argument du geometre athee oppose au Cogito cartesien, d'une part, et montre que l'etiologie de l'atheisme releve chez Descartes d'un argument moral, d'autre part.
A Remotely-Operated Low Background Germanium Multi-Detector Spectrometer System Logistical Aspects of the Design

A system of data acquisition, data analysis, monitoring and gain stabilization used in a long-term, low background germanium double beta decay experiment is described. This system, which is essential to the remote underground operation of the spectrometer, may provide a model for similar experiments.
Optimization of the electrodeposition parameters to improve the stoichiometry of In 2 S 3 films for solar applications using the taguchi method

Properties of electrodeposited semiconductor thin films are dependent upon the electrolyte composition, plating time, and temperature as well as the current density and the nature of the substrate. In this study, the influence of the electrodeposition parameters such as deposition voltage, deposition time, composition of solution, and deposition temperature upon the properties of In2S3 films was analyzed by the Taguchi Method. According to Taguchi analysis, the interaction between deposition voltage and deposition time was significant. Deposition voltage had the largest impact upon the stoichiometry of In2S3 films and deposition temperature had the least impact. The stoichiometric ratios between sulfur and indium (S/In: 3/2) obtained from experiments performed with optimized electrodeposition parameters were in agreement with predicted values from the Taguchi Method. The experiments were carried out according to Taguchi orthogonal array L27 (34) design of experiments (DOE). Approximately 600 nm thick In2S3 films were electrodeposited from an organic bath (ethylene glycol-based) containing indium chloride (InCl3), sodium chloride (NaCl), and sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3·5H2O), the latter used as an additional sulfur source along with elemental sulfur (S). An X-ray diffractometer (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) unit, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were, respectively, used to analyze the phases, elemental composition, and morphology of the electrodeposited In2S3 films.
A systematic review of community-based health interventions on depression for older adults with heart disease.

Purpose: This systematic review examined the effectiveness of community-based heart-health interventions on depression outcomes among homebound elderly (64 years and older) with heart disease. Design and Methods: A comprehensive literature search and meta analysis was performed to evaluate randomized controlled trials examining outpatient or home-based interventions. Methodological quality was assessed by standard criteria developed by the Cochrane Collaborative Initiative. Results: Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria and all measured depression outcomes. Studies differed in scope and methodological rigor and sample sizes varied widely. Problems in treatment fidelity and masking of group assignment were noted. Great variability was found in depression outcomes due to the differences in methodology and intervention. Five studies reported significant treatment effect on depression; three of those employed home-based interventions and two were outpatient-clinic interventions. Ten studies were included...
Laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of nonruptured tubal pregnancy

Introduction of the endoscopic techniques into gynecology enabled a change in the procedures in the case of ectopic pregnancy. This paper aims at presenting 76 cases of non-ruptured tubal pregnancies treated conservatively by the laparoscopic surgery with the application of the electrocoagulation or the Nd:YAG laser. The investigated group consisted of 76 patients. Forty-one (54%) of them were operated on using electrocoagulation and 35 (46%) using the Nd:YAG laser. Sixty-three pregnancies (83%) were localized in the ampulla. The ectopic pregnancy was confirmed histopathologically in 74 cases (97%). There were no complications noticed in the postoperative course. There were no differences in the efficacy and the postoperative general condition in cases treated conservatively by the laparoscopic surgery with the application of the electrocoagulation or the laser.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Electrostatic and steric effects in the selective complexation of cations in nonactin.

The ester carbonyl stretch frequencies of complexes of the macrotetrolide nonactin with Na + , K + , Rb + , Cs + , Tl + , NH 4 + , NH 3 OH + , and (NH 2 ) 2 CNH 2 + have been measured. For the larger alkali cations and the polyatomic cations, the ester carbonyl stretch frequency is linearly proportional to the cation-ester carbonyl electrostatic interaction energy. This constitutes direct evidence that the cation-nonactin interaction is primarily electrostatic, rather than mechanical (steric).
Homoclinic orbits for a perturbed nonlinear Schrödinger equation

In recent years, there have been extensive studies on the existence of homoclinic orbits for nearly integrable Hamiltonian PDEs, which are closely related to chaos. In this work, we consider a perturbed nonlinear Schrodinger equation for u even and periodic in x. The diffusion ieuxx is an unbounded perturbation term. When the diffusion is replaced by its bounded Fourier truncation, Li, McLaughlin, Shatah, and Wiggins [26] proved the existence of homoclinic orbits for the perturbed equation. The method was based on invariant manifolds, foliations, and Melnikov analysis. The unboundedness of the diffusion prevents the equation from being solved for t < 0 for general initial values and destroys some geometric structures, however. We overcome these difficulties and prove the existence of homoclinic orbits for the diffusively perturbed NLS. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
What Popular Films Teach Us about Values: Locked Inside with the Rage Virus

Abstract Values are general predispositions to thought or action that are generally understood to be encoded in language. But how can we understand texts that seem to be about values and yet are not exclusively linguistic? How can texts that are fantastic, such as science fiction or horror, advise people about which values to embrace? This article argues that values may be conveyed to an audience through the use of form. Using a method of homologies, developed in part from the work of rhetorical theorist Kenneth Burke, this article studies two horror films: Rec and Quarantine. Although neither film is literally about anything that has ever happened to anybody in real life, if we follow the formal structures into which each film may be placed, we understand how each conveys values to an audience. Specifically, each addresses the question of a diverse social environment as encountered in popular media, and each advises its audience to defer to authority. This study is an example of how to use the method of ...
Making optical Fourier filtering work

During the work by many scientists over the last 50 years, we have solved many of the problems that seemed to be holding the field back: System layout, lenses specialized for this purpose, suitable detector arrays, SLMs for input and for filtering, designs for filters, online evolution of filters, and so forth. Yet it is hard to find this technology in use anywhere. Something is clearly wrong, and we know one major problem that has never been solved and, in fact, is seldom acknowledged in print: Only very simple problems are linearly discriminable, so they cannot be discriminated well by a linear discriminant. But, the wonderful property of correlating all parts of the input pattern in parallel is only possible by Fourier methods. We see no way whatever for overcoming the contradictory goals of space or time invariant operations and need of implementing the most powerful nonlinear discriminants (clearly this can only be done with nonlinear discriminants). Those two contradictory goals seem to condemn Fourier filtering (electronic or optical) to being interesting but not very helpful. As this is a paper on a new kind of pattern recognition and it is not limited to Fourier optics, it is important to provide some useful concepts in Pattern Recognition. Our discussion is simple and brief. It has no proofs but it does offer the reader some of the concepts that help in understanding the new aspects of the material presented here. This work will not propose or develop improvements on any of the configurations and components. This is a study of the way Fourier filtering can have it both ways. Prior analyses are still valid, but, at a higher level, we can have it both ways. This review is aimed at allowing both the space or time invariant filtering while implementing an extremely powerful linear discriminants. Aspects of this have been published but in a regrettably short form and with very little of the background on pattern recognition. Here, we begin with a brief introduction to pattern recognition as will be needed to make this review finite. After the way to achieve powerful target discrimination and target location is shown, I describe how to apply it to optical Fourier filtering for pattern recognition. Some situations seem more likely to use Optical Fourier pattern recognition than others. We explore some of those.
Aggressive combined modality treatment of progressive sinonasal fungal infections in immunocompromised patients

Purpose Invasive fungal infections of the paranasal sinuses in immunocompromised hosts are often fatal despite therapeutic interventions. In an effort to achieve a better outcome in patients with these infections, aggressive management was combined with medical/surgical intervention. Patients and methods A series of 18 immunocompromised patients with invasive sinonasal fungal infections was retrospectively analyzed. Management consisted of a combined modality clinical approach, including aggressively sought early diagnosis; early amphotericin use; extensive surgical debridement; and liberal use of granulocyte transfusion support. Results Eight of 13 patients with eventual neutrophil recovery survived with control of all local and systemic signs of fungal infection. All patients with persisting neutropenia died of progressive infection. Conclusion We conclude that meticulous surveillance of patients in high-risk groups for fungal infection should be maintained due to the apparent value of rapid intervention with a combination of surgical resection and medical management (antifungal chemotherapy and white blood cell transfusions). Infection control and survival are ultimately dependent on recovery of marrow function and circulating neutrophils.
A semiquantitative assessment of the effects of delayed discharge from the intensive care unit of survivors of critical illness

One consequence of pressure on inpatient hospital bed numbers is a delay in the discharge of critically ill patients to the ward. Although this delay in discharge has been reported in a number of countries, the clinical and economic consequences of this delay have not been studied [1,2].
Tunnel reinforcement with rockbolts

Abstract Closed-form solutions are presented for a tunnel supported with Discretely Mechanically or Frictionally Coupled (DMFC) and with Continuously Mechanically Coupled (CMC) or Continuously Frictionally Coupled (CFC) rockbolts. The formulation is based on the following assumptions: (1) circular cross section; (2) deep tunnel; (3) K o = 1, i.e. axisymmetric problem; (4) homogeneous and isotropic ground; (5) elasto-plastic ground, with brittle failure governed by the Coulomb criterion and non-associated flow rule; (6) elastic reinforcement and (7) construction effects approximated with the β -method (reduction of internally applied stresses). The analytical solutions are compared with results obtained with a Finite Element Method. The comparisons show that the analytical solutions provide reasonable results for DMFC rockbolts and for CMC/CFC rockbolts with low to moderate spacing. For the same rock properties, tunnel geometry and construction, and reinforcement characteristics, CMC/CFC rockbolts result in slightly smaller convergence but somewhat larger rockbolt stresses than DMFC rockbolts. The behavior of DMFC rockbolts and rock response depends on “average” response of the rock between the two end points, while for CMC/CFC rockbolts the maximum stress in the rockbolt occurs at the location of maximum radial strain in the rock. In both cases the solution strongly depends on the relative stiffness between the rockbolt and the deformed rock. Practically speaking, placement of the reinforcement while the rock undergoes elastic deformations may not result in a substantial reduction of tunnel convergence. Instead, it appears that best results are obtained by placing the rockbolts while the rock undergoes plastic deformations. It has also been observed that when the distribution of rockbolts around the tunnel perimeter is linked to the far-field stresses, smaller convergence and reduced reinforcement stresses are possible.