cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opportunistic Ports and Spaces of Exchange in Late Roman Cyprus

Ports served not only as interfaces between land and sea, but as central gathering spaces for economic and cultural exchange. Drawing on case studies from the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, this paper situates opportunistic ports lacking built facilities within a broader socioeconomic context of diverse maritime communications, expanding rural settlement, and increased agricultural productivity during late antiquity. Though simple, these sites served as active agents in the development of new maritime networks as well as local markets throughout their hinterlands, adding flexibility and dynamism to the economic ties between city, countryside, and the wider late Roman world.
Investigating Instruction for Improving Revision of Argumentative Essays

Students are expected to come into the current college classroom already possessing certain skills including the ability to write at the appropriate academic level regardless of discipline and the ability to create well-structured arguments. Research indicates, however, that most students entering college are underprepared in both areas. One strategy that may help students write at a more academic level is teaching students to focus on spending their time on revision. In the current study, we examine two potential sources of difficulty in the revision of argumentative essays: a poorly developed argument schema and a poorly developed global revision task schema. We created and tested the effectiveness of two written tutorials designed to provide college students information to saturate their knowledge base as well as provide them with procedural tasks to complete. We found that without instruction, students focused their revisions on making local wording changes that did not qualitatively improve their ess...
An Economical Multichannel Integrated Receiver/Reconstruction System for MRI

A design is presented for a multichannel integrated receiver/reconstruction system for MRI that alleviates the concerns associated with commercial solutions regarding cost, scalability and the ability to access intermediate data. Up to 16 MR signals are sampled directly at RF, with digital down-conversion and image reconstruction performed by a single-chip field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Imaging researchers can readily access data from any point in the processing chain over a network, and the design can scale modularly in blocks of 8n or 16n channels.
Exploration of host–pathogen interactions using Listeria monocytogenes and Drosophila melanogaster

The facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is capable of replicating within a broad range of host cell types and host species. We report here the establishment of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a new model host for the exploration of L. monocytogenes pathogenesis and host response to infection. Listeria monocytogenes was capable of establishing lethal infections in adult fruit flies and larvae with extensive bacterial replication occurring before host death. Bacteria were found in the cytosol of insect phagocytic cells, and were capable of directing host cell actin polymerization. Bacterial gene products necessary for intracellular replication and cell-to-cell spread within mammalian cells were similarly found to be required within insect cells, and although previous work has suggested that L. monocytogenes virulence gene expression requires temperatures above 30 degrees C, bacteria within insect cells were found to express virulence determinants at 25 degrees C. Mutant strains of Drosophila that were compromised for innate immune responses demonstrated increased susceptibility to L. monocytogenes infection. These data indicate L. monocytogenes infection of fruit flies shares numerous features of mammalian infection, and thus that Drosophila has the potential to serve as a genetically tractable host system that will facilitate the analysis of host cellular responses to L. monocytogenes infection.
Temperature Profile Inversion from Carbon-Dioxide Spectral Intensities Through Tikhonov Regularization

In this study, an inverse calculation model based on the Levenberg–Marquardt optimization method with Tikhonov regularization to reconstruct CO2 temperature profiles and average concentrations from measured line-of-sight spectral intensity data is presented. The measured spectra were synthesized through calculations from high-temperature molecular spectroscopic database 2010, the high-temperature spectral database, for the CO2 4.3 μm and CO2 2.7 μm bands. Although it has been shown that Tikhonov regularization is suitable for ill-posed inverse problems, it is difficult to select an appropriate regularization parameter, especially for nonlinear problems. A new regularization selection method based on the combination of the L-curve criterion, and the discrepancy principle is proposed and shows good generality for different temperature profile inversions.
Th2 Lineage Commitment and Efficient IL-4 Production Involves Extended Demethylation of the IL-4 Gene

The relation of CpG methylation to gene silencing is well established, but the contribution of DNA demethylation to gene expression during cell differentiation remains unclear. We show that the IL-4 locus undergoes a complex series of methylation and demethylation steps during T helper cell differentiation. The 5' region of the IL-4 locus is hypermethylated in naive T cells and becomes specifically demethylated in Th2 cells, whereas a highly conserved DNase I-hypersensitive region at the 3' end shows the converse behavior, being hypomethylated in naive T cells and becoming methylated during Th1 differentiation. 5' demethylation is not required for chromatin remodeling or primary transcription of the IL-4 gene but is strongly associated with efficient, high-level induction of IL-4 transcripts by differentiated Th2 cells.
Lower bounds for blow-up time in parabolic problems under Dirichlet conditions

We consider an initial-boundary value problem for the semilinear heat equation whose solution may blow up in finite time. We use a differential inequality technique to determine a lower bound on blow-up time if blow-up occurs. A second method based on a comparison principle is also presented.
FACS-assisted microarray profiling implicates novel genes and pathways in zebrafish gastrointestinal tract development.

Background & Aims The zebrafish Danio rerio is an excellent model system for mammalian gastrointestinal development. To identify differentially regulated genes important in gastrointestinal organogenesis, we profiled the transcriptome of the zebrafish developing gastrointestinal tract. Methods Embryos from a transgenic zebrafish line expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the developing intestine, liver, and pancreas were dissociated at 4 developmental time points, their cells sorted based on GFP expression with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), and analyzed with microarrays. To improve our analysis, we annotated the Affymetrix Zebrafish GeneChip with human orthologs. Results Transcriptional profiling showed significant differences between GFP + and GFP − cells. Up-regulated genes and pathways were consistent with mammalian gastrointestinal development, such as hepatic nuclear factor gene networks and cancer. We implicate the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway and show that inhibition with LY294002 causes gastrointestinal defects in zebrafish. We identified novel genes, such as the microRNAs miR-217 and miR-122, the tight junction protein claudin c, the gene fam136a, and a zebrafish tetraspanin. Novel pathways include genes containing a putative transcription factor binding sequence, GGAANCGGAANY, and a nucleolar gene network. The zebrafish microarrays also identify a set of 32 genes that may mediate the effects of gain of chromosome arm 8q in human colon, liver, and pancreatic cancers. Conclusions We successfully combine FACS and microarray profiling to follow organogenesis throughout development. These experiments identify novel genes and pathways that probably play a role in mammalian gastrointestinal development and are potential targets for therapeutic intervention in the management of gastrointestinal disease and cancer.
CVD Si3N4 on single crystal SiC: Part I. Characterization and orientation relationship at the interface

Si3N4 deposited by CVD on the $$(11\bar 1)$$ surface of single crystal SiC was studied by SEM, x-ray diffraction, and TEM techniques. Characterization of the thick Si3N4 deposit was made by SEM and x-ray diffraction. The main emphasis, however, was on the analysis of the Si3N4/SiC interface and this analysis was carried out by electron diffraction studies in TEM. Both x-ray diffraction and TEM studies revealed that the CVD Si3N4 deposit has almost entirely the α-form except for occasional large β crystals. The structure of the SiC substrate in the interior was 6H but the surface structure close to the interface was always microtwinned β. Diffraction studies of the bulk Si3N4 deposit showed not only the presence of preferred growth directions but also different growth orientations near the substrate interface. TEM investigations at the interface also revealed that preferred growth orientations at the Si3N4/SiC interface are different from those in the bulk. The prominent orientation relationship at the interface is [0001]Si3N4//[101]SiC; $$(10\bar 10)$$ Si3N4// $$(11\bar 1)$$ SiC; a second one, namely $$[1\bar 210]$$ Si3N4//[101]SiC; $$(10\bar 10)$$ Si3N4// $$(11\bar 1)$$ SiC relationship was also occasionally observed. Microindentation tests at the interface indicated that the Si3N4/SiC interface bonding is strong at ambient temperatures but weakens at high temperatures.
Interpreting gas kinetics of batch cultures

In the batch culture of bacteria with growth-linked gaseous products the kinetics of growth and gas accumulation are only simply related after several generations of growth. The relation between growth and gas accumulation is made quantitative and the correct method of interpreting the gas data for earlier generations is given.
Mycobiome: Approaches to analysis of intestinal fungi

Massively parallel sequencing (MPSS) of bacterial 16S rDNA has been widely used to characterize the microbial makeup of the human and mouse gastrointestinal tract. However, techniques for fungal microbiota (mycobiota) profiling remain relatively under-developed. Compared to 16S profiling, the size and sequence context of the fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS1), the most common target for mycobiota profiling, are highly variable. Using representative gastrointestinal tract fungi to build a known "mock" library, we examine how this sequence variability affects data quality derived from Illumina Miseq and Ion Torrent PGM sequencing pipelines. Also, while analysis of bacterial 16S profiles is facilitated by the presence of high-quality well-accepted databases of bacterial 16S sequences, such an accepted database has not yet emerged to facilitate fungal ITS sequence characterization, and we observe that redundant and inconsistent ITS1 sequence representation in publically available fungal reference databases affect quantitation and annotation of species in the gut. To address this problem, we have constructed a manually curated reference database optimized for annotation of gastrointestinal fungi. This targeted host-associated fungi (THF) database contains 1817 ITS1 sequences representing sequence diversity in genera previously identified in human and mouse gut. We observe that this database consistently outperforms three common ITS database alternatives on comprehensiveness, taxonomy assignment accuracy and computational efficiency in analyzing sequencing data from the mouse gastrointestinal tract.
An improved LBP algorithm for avatar face recognition

This paper presents a novel avatar face recognition algorithm based on Discrete Wavelet Transform and LBP descriptor. The 2-D Discrete Wavelet Transform has been used to process the avatar face dataset by extracting the low frequency components and then forming the low frequency sub-images. Then the LBP operator is used to extract the characterizations of these sub-images. Finally, the Chi-Square distance is used to connect each image to its subject. Experimental results show that the proposed method can be used effectively in avatar face recognition with a single training sample per avatar. The performance of the proposed algorithm on a dataset of 581 avatar face images shows that the proposed algorithm performs better than PCA and Traditional (single scale) LBP method with respect to the recognition rate.
Examining the Disparities in Children's Healthy Eating by Parents’ Socio-Demographic Characteristics in Rural Texas

Author(s): W. Lu, X. Chen, J. Miao, E. McKyer, S. McWhinney, C. Outley; Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX, Department of Statistics, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX, Department of Health & Kinesiology, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX, Human Nutrition & Dietetics, Prairie View A&M Univ., Prairie View, TX, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX
The Ten Commandments of Job Interviews

This article outlines ten guidelines for effective self-presentation in a job interview setting. The guidelines were developed as part of an interviewing workshop and are particularly helpful for students seeking an entry-level position.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in thick malignant melanoma: A 10-year single unit experience

Between the years 2000-2010, 195 patients were diagnosed with ≥4 mm Breslow thickness malignant melanoma in our unit. Median follow-up was 36.8 months. 49% of patients were male and 51% were female. Median age was 74 years. The commonest melanoma type was nodular (55%). The commonest tumour location was on the extremity (45%). 64% of tumours were ulcerated. Median mitotic rate was 9. Median Breslow thickness was 7 mm 66 patients underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy. 44 (67%) patients had negative results and the remaining 22 (33%) patients were positive for metastatic melanoma. There was no statistically significant correlation between any of the patient or tumour variables (age, sex, melanoma type, melanoma site, Clark level, Breslow thickness, mitotic rate, ulceration) and sentinel lymph node status. Patients with Breslow thickness melanoma of 6 mm Breslow thickness melanoma (63.5% vs. 32.9%; P=0.004 and 73.9% vs. 54.7%; P=0.02 respectively). Recurrence rate was 50% in those with positive sentinel lymph node biopsy compared to 23% in those with negative results. Distant recurrence was the commonest in both groups. 5-year disease free survival was 64.1% in the SLNB -ve group and 35.4% in the SLNB +ve group (P=0.01). There was no significant difference in overall survival between the SLNB -ve and SLNB +ve groups (70.3% vs. 63.7% respectively; P=0.66). We conclude that sentinel lymph node biopsy in our unit has provided no survival benefit in those with thick melanoma over the past 10 years but is an important predictor of recurrence free survival. Breslow thickness remains an important predictor of disease free and overall survival in thick melanoma.
Size of the Chloroplast Genome in Codium fragile.

Chloroplasts isolated from the siphonous green alga Codium fragile yield circular DNA molecules averaging 27.3 micrometers in length and 56 x 10 6 daltons in molecular size. This chloroplast genome is 25 to 30 percent smaller than any reported. The small size of the Codium chloroplast genome may represent a primitive evolutionary condition in green plants .
Further observations on the primate community at Rudabánya II (late Miocene, early Vallesian age), Hungary.

It has been proposed that the pliopithecid Anapithecus hernyaki was hunted by the ape Dryopithecus brancoi based on analyses of the age and sex distribution of 25 individuals from the late Miocene site of Rudabanya, Hungary (ca. 10 Ma). In this study, the minimum number of individuals (MNI) and age distribution of the assemblage are recalculated and considered in relation to their sedimentary context. We suggest that Dryopithecus juveniles may be underrepresented in the assemblage as a consequence of taphonomic loss of deciduous teeth. Furthermore, we find that while Dryopithecus and Anapithecus were contemporaneous, there was little spatial overlap between them, as each taxon is primarily associated with a separate lithofacies. We conclude that when the revised estimates of MNI and age distribution of these primates are reconsidered in conjunction with their context of burial, the case for the Dryopithecus hunting hypothesis cannot be sustained.
Use of semi-synthetic transfer RNAs to probe molecular recognition by Escherichia coli proline-tRNA synthetase.

Abstract Background : The attachment of specific amino acids to the 3′-end of cognate transfer RNAs (tRNAs) is catalyzed by a class of enzymes known as aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS).We have previously demonstrated that Escherichia coli proline-tRNA synthetase (ProRS) can aminoacylate semi-synthetic RRNAs prepared by annealing two RNA oligonucleotides. We set out to examine the factors that are important in selective recognition of tRNA Pro by ProRS, using semi-synthetic RRNAs and full-length tRNA transcripts. Results : Deletion of nucleotides A58, A59, and U60 in the TΨC-loop of semi-synthetic RRNAs has no adverse effect on aminoacylation. Nucleotide deletions that extend into the TΨC stem, particularly beyond C61, significantly reduce the efficiency of aminoacylation, however. Site-directedmutagenesisof full-length tRNA Pro transcripts shows that, although there is no strict sequence requirement at base pair 52·62 in the TΨC stem, helix destabilizing purine-purine mismatches at this position result in decreased aminoacylation activity. Moreover, aminoacylation is severely affected when a DNA-RNA hybrid helix is incorporated into the acceptor-TTC stem domain. Conclusions : At least three nucleotides in the TΨC-loop are dispensable for aminoacylation of E. coli tRNA Pro . These results, combined with previous data, demonstrate that four out of five of the so-called ‘variable pocket' nucleotides are not important for recognition of tRNA Pro by E. coli ProRS. ProRS is also sensitive to changes that are likely to alter the helical conformation in the TΨC stem.
Exocytosis coupled to mobilization of intracellular calcium by muscarine and caffeine in rat chromaffin cells.

We used cultured rat chromaffin cells to test the hypothesis that Ca 2+ entry but not release from internal stores is utilized for exocytosis. Two protocols were used to identify internal versus extemal Ca 2+ sources : (a) Ca 2+ surrounding single cells was transiently displaced by applying agonist with or without Ca 2+ from an ejection pipette. (b) Intracellular stores of Ca 2+ were depleted by soaking cells in Ca 2+ -free plus 1 mM EGTA solution before transient exposure to agonist plus Ca 2+ . Exocytosis from individual cells was measured by microelectrochemical detection, and the intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) was measured by indo-1 fluorescence. KCI (35 mM) and nicotine (10 μM) caused an immediate increase in [Ca 2+ ] i ; and secretion in cells with or without internal Ca 2+ stores, but only when applied with Ca 2+ in the ejection pipette. Caffeine (10 mM) and muscarine (30 μM) evoked exocytosis whether or not Ca 2+ was included in the pipette, but neither produced responses in cells depleted of internal Ca 2+ stores. Pretreatment with ryanodine (0.1 μM) inhibited caffeine- but not muscarine-stimulated responses. Elevated [Ca 2+ ] i and exocytosis exhibited long latency to onset after stimulation by caffeine (2.9 ± 0.38 s) or muscarine (2.2 ± 0.25 s). However, the duration of caffeine-evoked exocytosis (7.1 ± 0.8 s) was significantly shorter than that evoked by muscarine (33.1 ± 3.5 s). The duration of caffeine-evoked exocytosis was not affected by changing the application period between 0.5 and 30 s. An ∼20-s refractory period was found between repeated caffeine-evoked exocytotic bursts even though [Ca 2+ ] i continued to be elevated. However, muscarine or nicotine could evoke exocytosis during the caffeine refractory period. We conclude that muscarine and caffeine mobilize different internal Ca 2+ stores and that both are coupled to exocytosis in rat chromaffin cells. The nicotinic component of acetylcholine action depends primarily on influx of external Ca 2+ . These results and conclusions are consistent with our original observations in the perfused adrenal gland.
Intraseasonal fluctuations in low-level meridional winds over the Indian Ocean and monsoonal convection over South Asia*

Some aspects of 30-60 day meridional wind fluctuations over the mid-latitude Indian Ocean were investigated using lag correlation maps for the 5 summers of 1979-1983. At times, the equatorial low-frequency (30-60 day) modes exhibit a systematic eastward propagation. However, they are occasionally interrupted by irregular movements or even westward propagation. This study concentrates only on those periods with a systematic eastward propagation and a well-defined tropical-extratropical atmospheric teleconnection pattern. Low-level meridional wind fluctuations in the low-frequency domain are prominent over the western Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa. The anomalous southerly flows, which are initiated around northern Madagascar move northward and, after crossing the equator, contribute to the intensification of the monsoonal westerlies over South Asia, thus, enhancing convection over the monsoon region. In comparison, 30-60 day southerlies (anomaly) over the eastern Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia tend to enhance equatorial convection over the western Pacific between about 150°E and the date line. Perturbations with periods shorter than 30 days are considered transient disturbances. Spectral analysis of transient eddy kinetic energy in the extratropical regions reveals a significant peak in the low-frequency range. This is associated with an amplitude modulation of transient disturbances. Thus, it is plausible that transient disturbances, as a group, provide energy for the enhancement of 30-60 day planetary-scale perturbations over the subtropics. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0870.1988.tb00411.x
Multicolor symbology for remotely scannable 2D barcodes

There has been much recent interest in mobile systems for augmented reality. However, existing visual tagging solutions are not robust at the low resolutions typical of current camera phones or at the low solid angles needed for "across-the-room" reality augmentation. In this paper, we propose a new 2D barcode symbology that uses multiple colors in order to address these challenges. We present preliminary results, showing the detection of example barcodes in this scheme over a range of angles.
On the Density Spectrum and Structure of Extensive Air Showers

Experiments on the particle density spectrum and structure of extensive air showers were conducted in the Arctic regions by means of a G-M counter arrangement which allowed simultaneous measurements on showers of high and low densities. The mean densities investigated ranged from about 40 to 1000 particles/${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$. The integral density spectrum of shower particles at sea level was found to be $\mathrm{N}(g\ensuremath{\rho})=562{\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{-}1.4}$ ${\mathrm{hr}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ $\ensuremath{\rho}$ in particles/${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$). With this spectrum it was possible to satisfy all the experimental data obtained with arrangements of various counter areas and multiplicities of coincidences. The decoherence curve of two counters, where extensive showers were first selected by a master coincidence, was found to be flat for small separations down to 7 cm, in disagreement with the results of other workers who did not select extensive showers. This result provides evidence against the existence of a large number of "cores" distributed throughout the extent of the shower.No latitude dependence of extensive showers was found between geomagnetic latitudes $\ensuremath{\lambda}=50\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ and $\ensuremath{\lambda}=80\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} \mathrm{to} 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$.
On the Nonlinear Dynamics of Rotor-Foil Bearing Systems: Effects of Shaft Acceleration, Mass Imbalance and Bearing Mechanical Energy Dissipation

Gas foil bearing (GFB) technology has reached great maturity as per engineered design and construction and its system integration into rotating machinery. Empirical research has gone beyond showing a few instances of acceptable mechanical performance, to demonstrate GFB multiple-cycle repeatable performance in spite of persistent large amplitude sub synchronous whirl motions. A GFB is a forgiving mechanical element whose engineered resilient underspring structure contains and ameliorates large rotor excursions. Analyses, however, fail to distinguish the hardening stiffness from the FB underspring structure, which under conditions of large force excitations due to imbalance, produces a complex rotordynamic behavior, rich in sub harmonic motions when operating at super critical speeds. This paper extends an earlier analysis of a rigid rotor-GFB system that dispenses with the gas film component to predict the effect of shaft rotation acceleration/deceleration on rotor amplitudes of motion and whirl frequency content. For operation above the system critical speed and as the rotor accelerates, large amplitude whirl motions appear with a main subsynchronous frequency tracking rotor speed, first at 50% speed and later bifurcating into at 33% whirl frequency. Rotor imbalance awakens and exacerbates the system nonlinear response. Slow rotor accelerations result in responses with more abundant subsynchronous whirl patterns, increased amplitudes of whirl, and accompanied by a pronounced mechanical hysteresis when the rotor decelerates. Large rotor imbalances produce both jump phenomenon and a stronger hysteresis during slow acceleration and deceleration cases. Material damping (dry friction) in the FB aids to reduce and delay the nonlinear response, eventually eliminating the multiple frequency behavior. The results bring to attention rotordynamic issues during start up and shut down events that can result from an inadequate FB technology or an unacceptable rotor imbalance grade condition.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Extended Model for Saturation in a Two-Level System

A model is presented, based on rate equations for a two-level system, which describes both the temporal and time-integrated dependence of the fluorescence signal due to saturation by a broad band and spatially homogeneous laser beam in an optically thin medium. In particular, we discuss the processing of the fluorescence signal by a gated integrator and relations between gate width, laser pulse length, and decay rate constant of the two-level system. It is shown that, even in the relatively simple case of a fully saturating, rectangular laser pulse, the integrated signal is still dependent on atomic and collisional parameters. On the other hand, this dependency can be used to measure these parameters. The only case in which the integrated signal becomes independent of these parameters is the case of a perfectly rectangular portion being sliced out of the time dependent fluorescence signal. An experimental method, which is expected to result in a better approximation of the saturation parameter in the case of the integrated signals, is suggested.
A nonparametric analysis of the impact of agri-environmental advisory activities on best management practice adoption: A case study of Québec

Abstract This study investigates the factors that determine producers' participation in agri-environmental advisory activities and their adoption of best management practices (BMPs) in Quebec (Canada). Data were collected from farmers via telephone interviews, and the impacts of agri-environmental extension activities were analyzed using average treatment effect and local average treatment effect, estimated with non-parametric approaches. The average effects of agri-environmental extension activities are statistically significant for the majority of BMPs. We also find a statistically significant formal diffusion effect of producers' membership in an agri-environmental advisory club. The informal diffusion effect is statistically significant for BMPs that require advanced technical knowledge.
Patients Differ in Their Ability to Self-Monitor Adherence to a Low-Sodium Diet Versus Medication

Objective: Poor adherence to a low-sodium diet (LSD) and prescribed medications increases rehospitalization risk in patients with heart failure (HF). Clinicians have difficulty assessing adherence objectively, so they depend on patients’ self-report. The degree to which self-reported adherence reflects actual adherence is unclear. We examined patients’ ability to self-monitor adherence to an LSD and medications by comparing self-reported adherence with objective evidence of adherence. Methods: A total of 133 patients with HF (male 71%; ejection fraction 35% 6 14%) completed the Medical Outcomes Study Specific Adherence Scale. Adherence to the LSD and medication were assessed objectively using 24-hour urinary sodium excretion and dose counting with an electronic monitoring device, respectively. On the basis of self-report, patients were divided into adherent and non-adherent groups and evaluated for differences according to objective adherence. Results: There were no differences in urinary sodium levels between the self-reported LSD adherent and non-adherent groups (4560 mg vs. 4333 mg; P 5 .59). Self-reported adherent and non-adherent medication groups took 92.4% and 80.4% of prescribed doses, respectively (P ! .001). Conclusion: Patients were able to accurately estimate adherence to medication, but they failed to estimate LSD adherence. This finding suggests that we need to improve our means of evaluating adherence to the LSD and of educating patients more thoroughly about following the LSD. We speculated that the inability to estimate LSD adherence may be the result of gaps in patients’ knowledge that preclude accurate self-assessment. (J Cardiac Fail 2008;14:114e120)
Predicting age at menopause

This article reviews methodologic and clinical aspects of predicting age at menopause. Lifetable methods or logistic models applied to a perimenopausal population represent the most feasible and the least biased methods for estimating the probability of menopause by age. Information is emerging about risk factors besides age which influence risk for an earlier menopause and include a variety of medical, demographic, environmental, and genetic factors. The concept of menopause as a consequence of depleted oocytes suggests that the estimated number of ovulatory cycles might also be a useful predictor. Using these variables in a logistic model yields estimated probabilities of menopause for various risk profiles. Smokers who have accumulated more than 10 pack-years, women estimated to have had more than 300 ovulatory cycles, women with a history of depression, women who have lost one ovary at an early age, and women who have a family history of early menopause have earlier menopause and the greatest shift in the cumulative probability of menopause occurs in women with multiple risk factors.
Persistence of the Steroidogenic Effect of Adenosine-3′,5′- Monophosphate in Vitro: Evidence for a Third Factor During the Steroidogenic Effect of ACTH

When added simultaneously with CAMP (adenosine-3′,5′-monophosphate), inhibitors of protein synthesis block the steroidogenic effect of CAMP in rat adrenal sections in vitro. However, after prior stimulation of adrenal sections by CAMP for 10–30 min, heightened rates of steroidogenesis persist despite removing CAMP from the medium and/or adding cycloheximide or chloramphenicol. This previously established steroidogenic effect continues undiminished for 30–40 min, and then decays with a half-life of about 25 min. Virtually identical results are obtained when ACTH is employed as the stimulator, and this is compatible with the hypothesis that CAMP is the intracellular mediator of ACTH action. Since aminoglutethimide, an inhibitor of cholesterol side chain cleavage, largely blocks the persistent steroidogenic effect of CAMP, the latter effect cannot be explained by an accumulation of steroid precursors beyond this important step in steroid biosynthesis. Thepresent findings indicate that the steroidogenic effec...
Designing polymer matrix for microchip-based double-stranded DNA capillary electrophoresis.

Abstract Polyacrylamide (PAM) was used as a model polymer to build up an empirical model that relates polymer molecular weight, polymer concentration and solution viscosity. The desired random copolymers of acrylamide (AM) and N , N -dimethylacrylamide (DMA) used as DNA separation media for different specifications were synthesized under the guidance of the empirical model. The separation performances of rationally designed copolymers were tested in a 1.2 cm long separation channel, simulating microchip-based capillary electrophoresis. pBR322/ Hae III digest was successfully separated with good separation resolution and fast speed. Validation of the sieving ability of our polymers was performed in the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. The results of the 10 bp (base pair) DNA ladder separation demonstrate the potential of our approach for the sieving matrix in microchip-based electrophoresis.
Does female circumcision affect infertility and fertility? A study of the central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, and Tanzania

This study explores the association between female circumcision and infertility and fertility, using information from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). In Cote d’Ivoire and Tanzania, circumcised women had lower childlessness, lower infertility by age, and higher total fertility rates than women who were not circumcised; the reverse pattern prevailed in the Central African Republic. In all three countries, however, circumcised women grouped by age at circumcision did not have significantly different odds of infertility nor of having a child than did uncircumcised women, when the effects of covariates were controlled. Thus we find evidence suggesting that the practice of female circumcision does not have a statistically discernible effect on women’s ability to reproduce.
ACQUISITION OF CAPITAL BY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: PATTERNS OF INITIAL AND REFINANCING CAPITALIZATION

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a nationwide study of the characteristics of initial and subsequently acquired capital of 123 (a response rate of 31.75 per cent) women-owned businesses. The issues examined included combination and sources of capital, and requirements for obtaining debt capital. The data were examined relative to type of firm and level of borrowing. The average start-up financing mix was 76.4 per cent equity and 23.6 per cent debt. Most initial equity capital was obtained from personal sources. Initial debt capital was obtained primarily from lending institutions. Shortterm borrowing was common, and almost 20 per cent of the women-owned firms refinanced both the principal and interest of the short-term loan at maturity. New long-term capital was acquired primarily from lending institutions.
Decomposition of algal cells and components and their stabilization through complexing with model humic acid-type phenolic polymers

Abstract Axenic cultures of Anacystis, Microcoleus, Plectonema and Synechococcus isolated from Greenfield sandy loam and of Anabaena flos-aquae, Nostoc muscorum and Chlorella pyrenoidosa from other sources were cultured under light and constant aeration and with [U-14C]-glucose in the nutrient medium. Whole cells, cell walls, cytoplasm and extracellular polysaccharides of selected species readily decomposed in the soil and after 22 weeks between 61 and 81% of the added C had evolved as CO2. Complexing of cell wall and cytoplasmic preparations from A. flos-aquae and N. muscorum with model humic acid-type phenolic polymers reduced decomposition of the cell walls by 40% and of the cytoplasm by 70%. Over 50% of the residual 14C activity in the soil amended with whole algal cells remained in the 0.5% NaOH-extracted soil. With exception of Microcoleus sp. more of the residual 14C from cell walls, cytoplasm and polysaccharide fractions was present in the humic acid or fulvic acid fractions.
On some extremum principles in linear elastodynamics

Abstract New extremum principles are established for linear anisotropic elastodynamics in terms of polarisation tensors. The new principles provide upper and lower bounds on the action integral and are thus suitable for the derivation of bounds on effective elastic moduli and wave velocities in heterogeneous materials. It is shown that when certain constraints are removed the present principles reduce to previous polarisation principles given by the author in [3].
Effects of pine roots on microorganisms, fauna, and nitrogen availability in two soil horizons of a coniferous forest spodosol

We investigated the effects of pitch pine seedling roots on extractable N, microbial growth rate, biomass C and N, and nematodes and microarthropods in microcosms with either organic (41% C, 1.14% N) or mineral (0.05% C, 0.01% N) horizon soils of a spondosol. Root quantity was manipulated by varying plant density (0, 1, 2, or 4 seedlings) and rhizosphere soil was separated from non-rhizosphere soil by a 1.2 μm mesh fabric. In the rhizosphere of organic soil horizons, moisture, microbial growth rate, biomass C and N, and extractable N declined as root density was increased, but there was little effect on nematodes or microarthropods. High levels of extractable N remained after 5 months, suggesting that N mineralization was stimulated during the incubation. In the rhizosphere of mineral soil horizons, microbial growth rate, and nematode and microarthropod abundances increased at higher root density, and in the absence of roots faunal abundance approached zero. Faunal activity was concentrated in the rhizosphere compared to non-rhizosphere soil. In organic soil horizons, roots may limit microbial activity by reducing soil moisture and/or N availability. However, in mineral soil horizons, where nutrient levels are very low, root inputs can stimulate microbial growth and faunal abundance by providing important substrates for microbial growth. Our results demonstrate a rhizosphere effect for soil fauna in the mineral soil, and thus extends the rhizosphere concept to components of the soil community other than microbes for forest ecosystems. Although our results need to be verified by field manipulations, we suggest that the effects of pine roots on nutrient cycling processes in coniferous forests can vary with soil nutrient content and, therefore, position in the soil profile.
Quantifying the effect of milli-molar glucose concentration on thickness of rabbit cornea with optical coherence tomography

The cornea contributes about 65% of the eye's ability to refract light. Thus, any fluctuation in corneal thickness can cause noticeable changes in vision. The presence of glucose molecules induces a driving force for water to leave the collagen fibrils in the cornea due to the concentration gradient created, thus changing its thickness. In this study, the effect of various milli-molar glucose concentrations on corneal thickness was explored using Optical Coherence Tomography. Whole rabbit eyes were placed in a specially designed dish while immersed in saline to ensure proper hydration of the eye. The cornea was imaged for 10 minutes. In 30 minute increments, a higher concentration of glucose was added, bringing the overall glucose concentration to 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mM. The thickness of the cornea was measured every 2 minutes. Ultimately, an inverse relationship was observed, indicating that the increase in glucose concentration yielded a decrease in the corneal thickness. From three separate experiments, the cornea experienced 8 ± 1, 27 ± 1, 44 ± 3, 58 ± 3, and 64 ± 3 μm decrease in thickness from its starting value while exposed to 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mM solutions of glucose, respectively. This relationship provides insight on the physiological changes of the cornea as a result of different glucose concentrations. This could potentially be useful in monitoring blood-glucose levels through the eye.
Keratoplasty for corneal endothelial disease, 2001-2009.

Purpose To determine the rates of keratoplasty for corneal endothelial disease (CED) from 2001 to 2009 in a large managed care network in the United States, factors that affect which patients undergo this procedure and surgical outcomes. Design A retrospective review of data from a longitudinal cohort study. Participants Beneficiaries with CED aged ≥40 years who were receiving eye care during 2001 to 2009. Methods Rates of keratoplasty for CED were determined at 6-month intervals from January 2001 to December 2009. The mean number of postoperative visits and rates of severe adverse events in the year after keratoplasty surgery were monitored over the course of the decade. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were performed to identify sociodemographic and other factors associated with undergoing keratoplasty for CED. Main Outcome Measures Odds of undergoing keratoplasty with 95% confidence intervals, changes in the number of postoperative visits, and rates of adverse events in the year after keratoplasty. Results Of the 38 648 enrollees who met the inclusion criteria, 2187 underwent ≥1 keratoplasty surgeries from January 2001 to December 2009. After adjustment for confounding factors, individuals with CED had 47% increased odds of undergoing keratoplasty during 2007–2009 relative to 2001–2006. The mean number of postoperative visits to eyecare providers in the year after keratoplasty declined from 12.6 in 2001–2006 to 10.5 in 2007–2008. There was no difference in the proportion of enrollees who developed adverse events after keratoplasty over time. Conclusions In this analysis of claims data, from 2001 to 2009, a period during which there was an increase in the rate of endothelial keratoplasty, we observed a trend of greater rates of keratoplasty in patients with CED and fewer visits for postoperative care in the later years of the decade compared with the earlier years, along with no change in rates of severe adverse events. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Interregional structure of the U. S. coal economy

A multiperiod spatial equilibrium model of the national coal economy is developed to evaluate future interregional shifts in coal production and the investment requirements and sequencing for exploitation of a nonrenewable, variable quality resource. The effects of alternative sulfur dioxide emission standards and demand growth projections on the location and type of coal production, the transportation industry, and capital markets are examined. The study concludes that the coal industry can expand through 1990, especially in Appalachia and the West, to meet both greatly increased demand and restrictive air quality standards at moderately increased cost.
Low thyroxine levels in female psychiatric inpatients with riboflavin deficiency: implications for folate-dependent methylation.

Intermediates in the folate-dependent methylation pathways may play a role in the etiology and treatment of such mental disorders as major depression. These pathways include a step dependent on a riboflavin (B2)-derived coenzyme, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), which is reportedly sensitive to thyroid status and to phenothiazine and tricyclic drug exposure. In a sample of 52 male and female acute psychiatric inpatients, 17% (n = 9) showed B2 deficiency (i.e., insufficient FAD activity) on a functional red blood cell enzyme assay, but only one B2-deficient individual showed deficiency in another B-complex vitamin (folate). All patients with B2 deficiency were women, who were also significantly younger than the rest of the sample. The B2-deficient women had significantly lower thyroxine levels, even when controlling for sex and covarying for age. B2-deficient patients exhibited a nonsignificant trend toward more unipolar depression (44% vs 14%), but not toward bipolar or schizophrenic disorders. As in a previous study, drug exposure did not show a relationship to riboflavin deficiency in this sample. The findings suggest that B2 (FAD) activity may serve as a sensitive marker of thyroxine status in certain female psychiatric inpatients and that B2 deficiency may play an etiological role in defects of the methylation pathways in a subset of mentally ill individuals.
Comparing performance of solid state devices and mechanical disks

In terms of performance, solid state devices promise to be superior technology to mechanical disks. This study investigates performance of several up-to-date high-end consumer and enterprise Flash solid state devices (SSDs) and relates their performance to that of mechanical disks. For the purpose of this evaluation, the IOZone benchmark is run in single-threaded mode with varying request size and access pattern on an ext3 filesystem mounted on these devices. The price of the measured devices is then used to allow for comparison of price per performance. Measurements presented in this study offer an evaluation of cost-effectiveness of a Flash based SSD storage solution over a range of workloads. In particular, for sequential access pattern the SSDs are up to 10 times faster for reads and up to 5 times faster than the disks. For random reads, the SSDs provide up to 200times performance advantage. For random writes the SSDs provide up to 135times performance advantage. After weighting these numbers against the prices of the tested devices, we can conclude that SSDs are approaching price per performance of magnetic disks for sequential access patterns workloads and are superior technology to magnetic disks for random access patterns.
Transformation by v-Src: Ras-MAPK and PI3K-mTOR Mediate Parallel Pathways

An increase in the level of active, GTP-bound Ras is not necessary for transformation of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) by v-Src. This suggests that other Ras-independent pathways contribute to transformation by v-Src. To address the possibility that activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR/FRAP), represents one of these pathways, we have examined the effect of simultaneous inhibition of the Ras-MAPK and PI3K-mTOR pathways on transformation of CEF by v-Src. Transformation was assessed by the standard parameters of morphological alteration, increased hexose uptake, loss of density inhibition, and anchorage-independent growth. Inhibition of the Ras-MAPK pathway by expression of the dominant-negative Ras mutant HRasN17 or by addition of the MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059 reduced several of these parameters but failed to block transformation. Similarly, inhibition of the PI3K-mTOR pathway by addition of the PI3K inhibitor 2-[4-morpholinyl]-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (LY294002) or the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin, although reducing several parameters of transformation, also failed to block transformation. However, simultaneous inhibition of signaling by the Ras-MAPK pathway and the PI3K-mTOR pathway essentially blocked transformation. These data indicate that transformation of CEF by v-Src is mediated by two parallel pathways, the Ras-MAPK pathway and the PI-3K-mTOR pathway, which both contribute to transformation. The possibility that simultaneous activation of other pathways is also required is not excluded.
Semiquantitative Plate Assay for Determination of Cellulase Production by Trichoderma viride

A plate clearing assay was devised to screen for high-producing cellulase mutants of Trichoderma viride. The method employs (i) the use of either rose bengal or oxgall to limit colony size and (ii) Phosfon D (tributyl-2, 4-dichloroben-zylphosphonium chloride) to enhance cellulase detection, in combination with acid-swollen cellulose on agar plates. The method was used to isolate constitutive cellulase mutants of T. viride and should prove useful for isolating high-producing mutants from a range of organisms. This technique has been also used to determine the concentration at which glucose and glycerol inhibit cellulase synthesis by catabolite repression in the wild-type strains.