cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lingual tonsil hypertrophy causing severe dysphagia: Treatment with plasma-mediated radiofrequency-based ablation (Coblation)

Lingual tonsil hypertrophy is an uncommon cause of upper aerodigestive tract pathology. We present the case of a 17-year-old boy who developed severe dysphagia and subsequent weight loss as a result of lingual tonsil hypertrophy. He was successfully treated with plasma-mediated radiofrequency-based ablation (Coblation). In the past, traditional surgical procedures for lingual tonsil hypertrophy were difficult to perform and recovery was difficult, but the introduction of Coblation has made lingual tonsillectomy much easier.
Transient macular edema after intracameral injection of a moderately elevated dose of cefuroxime during phacoemulsification surgery.

Importance Intracameral injection of cefuroxime sodium (1 mg/0.1 mL) has been reported to reduce the risk of endophthalmitis following cataract surgery. In the United States it must be compounded, which is subject to dilution error. We describe a series of 13 eyes that received intracameral injection of cefuroxime sodium, 9 mg/0.1 mL, intraoperatively. Observations On postoperative day 1, 6 of 13 eyes (46%; 95% CI, 19%-75%) had visual acuity of 20/70 or worse and macular edema. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of 2 eyes revealed central subfield thicknesses of 909 and 873 µm. On postoperative day 4, the mean (SD) central subfield thickness was 309 (78) µm in the 6 eyes with diagnosed macular edema, 279 (23) µm in the fellow eyes, and 271 (38) µm in the 7 exposed eyes without macular edema. The mean (SD) time to resolution of macular edema was 5.2 (1.3) days; the final central subfield thickness ranged from 193 to 293 µm. All eyes, except 2 with preexisting ocular comorbidity, had a best-corrected final visual acuity at 1 month of 20/30 or better. Significant corneal edema was not observed. Conclusions and Relevance Intracameral injection of cefuroxime sodium at a dose of 9 mg/0.1 mL was associated with transient macular edema and diminished visual acuity in 6 of 13 exposed eyes (46%), resolving largely within 1 week.
Comparison of an optical potential with its separable representations Fully off-shell behavior

Abstract The fully off-shell t -matrix elements of a local neutron optical potential are compared with those of separable representations for this potential. Two separable forms, each of which include the effects of three t -matrix poles per channel, are used; a single-term energy-dependent form and a rank-3 energy-independent form. Although these two representations give fairly equivalent fits to the on-shell and half-off-shell t -matrix elements, they have very different fully off-shell extrapolations. This difference is shown to result from the single term nature of the first representation. No conclusion can be made, however, as to which extrapolation is physically more realistic.
Feedback Inhibition of an Allosteric Triphosphopyridine Nucleotide-specific Isocitrate Dehydrogenase

Abstract Evidence is presented for the concerted inhibition of a TPN+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase from Crithidia fasciculata by two biosynthetic intermediates, oxalacetate and glyoxylate. This inhibition is competitive with substrate, and the presence of either inhibitory compound greatly increases the affinity of the enzyme for the second. This inhibition has been shown not to be due to the formation of oxalomalate, the nonenzymatic condensation product. Structural analogues of the substrate are not inhibitory, so that steric configurational analogy is apparently not the mechanism of inhibition. In view of this, it is believed that an alteration in the protein must be induced by the combination of the two inhibitors, as has been demonstrated previously with this enzyme for ATP. This work confirms the allosteric nature of the ATP inhibition and substantiates the requirement for 2 moles of ATP per mole of enzyme. Since isocitrate can either enter the glyoxylate cycle or be metabolized via the tricarboxylic acid cycle, it is believed that the inhibition of this enzyme by oxalacetate and glyoxylate has biological significance.
Weak molecular interactions—I

Abstract The effect of aromatic solvents upon the PMR spectra of t-butyl and l-adamanthyl halides has been studied in an attempt to discover the mechanism by which the changes in chemical shift are produced. If the formation of 1:1-complexes in these solutions is assumed, the temperature dependence of the chemical shifts can be used to derive thermodynamic parameters. These parameters do not seem to respond significantly to changes in the structure of the solute or solvent. In addition freezing point diagrams give no evidence of compound formation. To explain the geometrically specific shifts which are nonetheless observed, it is suggested that the solute dipole causes a weak ordering of the solvent, which is geometrically, but not thermodynamically, equivalent to a complex.
Solar Flare Protection for Manned Lunar Missions: Analysis of the October 1989 Proton Flare Event

Several large solar proton events occurred in the latter half of 1989. For a moderately shielded spacecraft in free space, the potential exposure would have been greatest for the flare which occurred between October 19 to 27, 1989. The temporal variations of the proton energy spectra at approximately 1 AU were monitored by the GOES-7 satellite. These data, recorded and processed at the NOAA-Boulder Space Environment Laboratory, provide the opportunity to analyze dose rates and cumulative doses which might be incurred by astronaus in transit to, or on, the moon. Of particular importance in such an event is the time development of exposure in the early phases of the flare, for which dose rates may range over many orders of magnitude in the first few hours. The cumulative dose as a function of time for the entire event is also predicted. In addition to basic shield calculations, dose rate contours are constructed for flare shelters in free-space and on the lunar surface.
Regulation of Bim by TCR signals in CD4/CD8 double-positive thymocytes.

Bim, a BH3-only Bcl-2 family member, is required for apoptosis of thymocytes in response to negative selection signals. Regulation of the apoptotic activity of Bim during negative selection is not understood. In this study we demonstrate that in murine thymocytes undergoing apoptosis in response to anti-CD3e injection, levels of Bim protein expression do not change. In immature thymocytes, Bim is associated with mitochondria before stimulation and is not regulated by a change in subcellular localization during apoptosis. We also show that BimEL is rapidly phosphorylated in thymocytes in response to CD3e cross-linking both in vivo and in vitro, and that phosphorylation is sustained for at least 24 h. Analysis of MHC-deficient mice shows that phosphorylation of Bim occurs in CD4/CD8 double-positive thymocytes and does not depend on activation of mature T cells. We also find that TCR cross-linking on thymocytes induces an increase in the proportion of Bcl-xL bound to Bim at late time points. Our results favor a model in which strong TCR signals regulate the apoptotic activity of Bim by phosphorylation and subsequent changes in binding to Bcl-xL in immature thymocytes.
Clinical Sport Psychology

Part I: Theoretical and Scientific Foundations Chapter 1. Introduction to Clinical Sport Psychology Chapter 2. Integrating Clinical and Sport Science Part II: Assessment and Classification Chapter 3. Multi-Level Classification System for Sport Psychology Chapter 4. Assessment in Sport Psychology Part III: Interventions in Clinical Sport Psychology Chapter 5. Evaluating Traditional Performance Enhancement Interventions Chapter 6. Mindful-Acceptance-Commitment Model Chapter 7. Performance Dysfunction Chapter 8. Performance Impairment I Chapter 9. Performance Impairment II Chapter 10. Performance Termination Chapter 11. Case Formulation in Clinical Sport Psychology Part IV: Special Considerations Chapter 12. Ethics in Clinical Sport Psychology Chapter 13. Professional Development and Supervision in Clinical Sport Psychology Chapter 14. Future Directions.
Ulrike Brisson and Bernard Schweizer, eds. Not So Innocent Abroad: The Politics of Travel and Travel Writing

Edited by Ulrike Brisson and Bernard Schweizer, Not So Innocent Abroad is an insightful essay collection which explores how spaces of travel are complicated by a travel writer's politics, perspecti...
Intelligent assistants for handicapped people's independence: case study

This paper presents the first stage of the development of two intelligent assistants for handicapped people's independence. The first intelligent assistant, called Tyflos, will help a blind user to be independent and able to walk and work alone in a 3-D dynamic environment. The system captures images from the surrounding 3-D environment, either by the user's command or in a continued mode, and converts the visual description of each image into a verbal (low or high level) descriptions. With other words the system plays the role of human assistant, who describes to the user the 3-D visual environment. The second assistant, called Koufos, will help a deaf person to be more independent in the living environment by making him/her to visually hear sounds and spoken natural language and assisting him/her to visually learn to speak as well.
Pore‐scale and multiscale numerical simulation of flow and transport in a laboratory‐scale column

Pore-scale models are useful for studying relationships between fundamental processes and phenomena at larger (i.e., Darcy) scales. However, the size of domains that can be simulated with explicit pore-scale resolution is limited by computational and observational constraints. Direct numerical simulation of pore-scale flow and transport is typically performed on millimeter-scale volumes at which X-ray computed tomography (XCT), often used to characterize pore geometry, can achieve micrometer resolution. In contrast, laboratory experiments that measure continuum properties are typically performed on decimeter-scale columns. At this scale, XCT resolution is coarse (tens to hundreds of micrometers) and prohibits characterization of small pores and grains. We performed simulations of pore-scale processes over a decimeter-scale volume of natural porous media with a wide range of grain sizes, and compared to results of column experiments using the same sample. Simulations were conducted using high-performance codes executed on a supercomputer. Two approaches to XCT image segmentation were evaluated, a binary (pores and solids) segmentation and a ternary segmentation that resolved a third category (porous solids with pores smaller than the imaged resolution). We used a multiscale Stokes-Darcy simulation method to simulate the combination of Stokes flow in large open pores and Darcy-like flow in porous solid regions. Flow and transport simulations based on the binary segmentation were inconsistent with experimental observations because of overestimation of large connected pores. Simulations based on the ternary segmentation provided results that were consistent with experimental observations, demonstrating our ability to successfully model pore-scale flow over a column-scale domain.
Structure and stability of X.G.C mismatches in the third strand of intramolecular triplexes

Intramolecular DNA triplexes that contain eight base triplets formed from the folding of a single DNA strand tolerate a single X.G.C mismatch in the third strand at acidic pH. The structure and relative stability of all four triplets that are possible involving a G.C Watson-Crick base pair were determined with one- and two-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Triplexes containing A.G.C, G.G.C, or T.G.C triplets were less stable than the corresponding parent molecule containing a C.G.C triplet. However, all mismatched bases formed specific hydrogen bonds in the major groove of the double helix. The relative effect of these mismatches on the stability of the triplex differs from the effect assayed (under different conditions) by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and DNA cleavage with oligonucleotide EDTA.Fe(II).
The effect of short-term cyclophosphamide on estrogen therapy in metastatic breast cancer.

Stimulation of tumor growth and induced hypercalcemia both may occur during the initiation of estrogen therapy in breast cancer. This study was conducted to determine whether cyclophosphamide (CTX) as an adjuvant to estrogen therapy might (1) prevent induced hypercalcemia or (2) achieve a higher tumoricidal effect during the phase of tumor stimulation. Fifty postmenopausal women with inoperable or recurrent disseminated breast carcinoma were divided into two random groups. Results could be evaluated in 44 patients; 21 received diethylstilbestrol (DES), and 23 received DES plus a 4-week course of cyclophosphamide (DES + CTX). The response rate was 5/21 (24%) in the DES group and 8/23 (35%) in the DES + CTX group (p > 0.05). The median duration of response for both groups was 9 months. The survival rate at 24 months was 52% in the DES group and 25% in the DES + CTX group (p = 0.05). Induced hypercalcemia occurred in 3 patients treated with DES + CTX. Short-term cyclophosphamide adjuvant to estrogen therapy did not prevent induced hypercalcemia nor prolong the duration of response or survival.
Sucrose preference and LiCl illness-induced aversion as a function of drug dose and phase of the illumination cycle☆

Abstract To assess the influence of circadian rhythmicity on conditioned taste aversion in rats, two vivaria (with the illumination cycle in one vivarium phase shifted 12 hours with respect to the other) were used to permit dissociation of rhythmic environmental (laboratory) activity from the influence of the illumination cycle. Also included were controls for change in baseline taste preference across phases of the illumination cycle. Across both vivaria: (1) Sucrose preference was significantly higher for Dark Phase than Light Phase animals. (2) Strength of the illness-induced taste aversion was greater during the Light than Dark Phase of the illumination cycle. These findings were discussed in terms of circadian alterations in metabolism that may modulate both sucrose preference and sensitivity to the consequences of LiCl. It was further demonstrated that inclusion of a circadian rhythmic factor in a conditioning model enables one to predict more accurately the magnitude of an acquired taste aversion.
Boundary value problems for functional difference equations

Abstract Solutions are obtained for the functional difference equation, Δ 2 x ( t − 1) = f ( t , x t −1 , Δx ( t − 1)), 1 ≤ t ≤ T + 1, satisfying the initial condition, x ( s ) = φ ( s ), − N ≤ s ≤ 0, and the boundary condition, x ( T + 2) = A . The methods involve the Leray-Schauder Alternative.
Personalized Medicine for Glioblastoma: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities

The failure to control glioblastoma progression is a major challenge for neuro-oncologists. Emerging data indicate that genetic and epigenetic heterogeneities within tumor cells play a dominant role in the development of resistant disease. These heterogeneities develop because driver mutations enable the proliferation of certain clones of transformed cells within the tumor microenvironment while pre-existing passenger or secondary mutations emerge from the clonal selection process during treatment. In addition, epigenetic changes provide another means of modifying the existing heterogeneous genetic background of tumor cells. These cumulative changes create challenges for the detection, characterization and treatment of glioblastomas, but new opportunities allow the development of advanced diagnostic modalities and individualized therapies. Furthermore, mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) alter binding capability to targeted agents like erlotinib, rendering it inactive to block EGFR signaling. Receptor class switching and tyrosine kinase decoupling from cell cycle machineries are also mechanisms that can render tumor cells resistant to EGFR blockade. Therefore, effective therapy most likely requires the combination of personalized medicine treatment offered by targeted drugs and less specific therapies that aim at other processes within the tumor microenvironment. The goal is to take advantage of the specificity offered by targeted drugs to block proliferation of tumor cells harboring driver mutations while less specific treatments can be used against cells with passenger mutations.
Maple sap as a rich medium to grow probiotic lactobacilli and to produce lactic acid.

Aims: To demonstrate the feasibility of growing lactobacilli and producing lactic acid using maple sap as a sugar source and to show the importance of oligosaccharides in the processes. Methods and Results: Two maple sap samples (Cetta and Pinnacle) and purified sucrose were used as carbon sources in the preparation of three culture media. Compared with the sucrose-based medium, both maple sap-based media produced increased viable counts in two strains out of five by a factor of four to seven. Maple sap-based media also enhanced lactic acid production in three strains. Cetta sap was found to be more efficient than Pinnacle sap in stimulating lactic acid production and, was also found to be richer in various oligosaccharides. The amendment of the Pinnacle-based medium with trisaccharides significantly stimulated Lactobacillus acidophilus AC-10 to grow and produce lactic acid. Conclusions: Maple sap, particularly if rich in oligosaccharides, represents a good carbon source for the growth of lactobacilli and the production of lactic acid. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study provides a proof-of-concept, using maple sap as a substrate for lactic acid production and for the development of a nondairy probiotic drink.
Initial Experience with HARMONIC FOCUS® Inguinal Exposure in Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Background An inguinal exposure provides adequate access to the femoral vessels, but with it comes risk of wound complications. Ultrasonic shears and blades have been shown to decrease complications in other anatomic dissections. There remains a paucity of literature on the usage of ultrasonic harmonic dissection techniques in the vascular surgery realm. This study depicts the initial experience using HARMONIC FOCUS® (HF) for inguinal exposure in both endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) and thoracic endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (TEVAR) operations. Methods Patients who underwent an EVAR or a TEVAR operation with an open inguinal exposure during an 11-month period were included. Results Over the study period, 30 patients underwent an endovascular aortic aneurysm repair with open inguinal exposure; 25 patients had an EVAR and 5 patients underwent a TEVAR. Conventional electrocautery was used in 32 inguinal exposures and HF was used in 28. Six inguinal wounds developed postoperative complications in the study (10%). These occurred in 5 patients over a 4-month follow-up period. Conventional electrocautery dissection was used in 5 of the wounds (15.6%) and ultrasonic harmonic scalpel was used in 1 (3.6%). The complications consisted of 3 lymphocutaneous fistulas, 1 wound infection and 2 lymphoceles without fistula formation. Conclusions We present the initial experience of HF dissection in inguinal exposure in a small population of patients who underwent EVAR and TEVAR. In this study, we demonstrate this technique may be associated with a lower incidence of postoperative wound complications when compared with conventional electrocautery inguinal exposure.
Micron-pore-sized metallic filter tube membranes for filtration of particulates and water purification ☆

Robust filtering techniques capable of efficiently removing particulates and biological agents from water or air suffer from plugging, poor rejuvenation, low permeance, and high backpressure. Operational characteristics of pressure-driven separations are in part controlled by the membrane pore size, charge of particulates, transmembrane pressure and the requirement for sufficient water flux to overcome fouling. With long term use filters decline in permeance due to filter-cake plugging of pores, fouling, or filter deterioration. Though metallic filter tube development at ORNL has focused almost exclusively on gas separations, a small study examined the applicability of these membranes for tangential filtering of aqueous suspensions of bacterial-sized particles. A mixture of fluorescent polystyrene microspheres ranging in size from 0.5 to 6 microm in diameter simulated microorganisms in filtration studies. Compared to a commercial filter, the ORNL 0.6 microm filter averaged approximately 10-fold greater filtration efficiency of the small particles, several-fold greater permeance after considerable use and it returned to approximately 85% of the initial flow upon backflushing versus 30% for the commercial filter. After filtering several liters of the particle-containing suspension, the ORNL composite filter still exhibited greater than 50% of its initial permeance while the commercial filter had decreased to less than 20%. When considering a greater filtration efficiency, greater permeance per unit mass, greater percentage of rejuvenation upon backflushing (up to 3-fold), and likely greater performance with extended use, the ORNL 0.6 microm filters can potentially outperform the commercial filter by factors of 100-1,000 fold.
Model-Based Design of Growth-Attenuated Viruses

Live-virus vaccines activate both humoral and cell-mediated immunity, require only a single boosting, and generally provide longer immune protection than killed or subunit vaccines. However, growth of live-virus vaccines must be attenuated to minimize their potential pathogenic effects, and mechanisms of attenuation by conventional serial-transfer viral adaptation are not well-understood. New methods of attenuation based on rational engineering of viral genomes may offer a potentially greater control if one can link defined genetic modifications to changes in virus growth. To begin to establish such links between genotype and growth phenotype, we developed a computer model for the intracellular growth of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a well-studied, nonsegmented, negative-stranded RNA virus. Our model incorporated established regulatory mechanisms of VSV while integrating key wild-type infection steps: hijacking of host resources, transcription, translation, and replication, followed by assembly and release of progeny VSV particles. Generalization of the wild-type model to allow for genome rearrangements matched the experimentally observed attenuation ranking for recombinant VSV strains that altered the genome position of their nucleocapsid gene. Finally, our simulations captured previously reported experimental results showing how altering the positions of other VSV genes has the potential to attenuate the VSV growth while overexpressing the immunogenic VSV surface glycoprotein. Such models will facilitate the engineering of new live-virus vaccines by linking genomic manipulations to controlled changes in virus gene-expression and growth.
The impact of plant and flower age on mating patterns.

Background Over a season, plant condition, amount of ongoing reproduction and biotic and abiotic environmental factors vary. As flowers age, flower condition and amount of pollen donated and received also vary. These internal and external changes are significant for fitness if they result in changes in reproduction and mating.
A privacy preserving system for friend locator applications

One interesting application of online social networks is the friend locator, in which the application server informs users through mobile devices if their listed friends are nearby in terms of geographical locations. However, in such services, it is challenging to protect the privacy of an individual user. Previous privacy protection solutions for friend locators do not guarantee a high level of privacy and maintain efficiency. In this paper, we propose a privacy preserving system to guarantee both strong privacy and efficiency. Additionally, we use the polygon decomposition method to achieve both accuracy and flexibility especially for irregular areas of interest. Finally, through numerical analysis and simulation, we show that the proposed system and algorithm can achieve high privacy, efficiency, accuracy and flexibility.
Interpersonal discrimination against Hmong Americans : Parallels and variation in microlevel racial inequality

Different racial and ethnic minorities are commonly compared across various measures of macrolevel inequality but have thus far not been compared with respect to microlevel inequality. Using data f...
Load Transients of Nanostructured Thin Film Electrodes in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Transient responses of conventional carbon-supported Pt nanoparticle (Pt/C) and 3M's nano structured thin film (NSTF) oxygen reduction electrodes are reported. The ultrathin 0.3 μm thick NSTF electrode exhibits less-than-zero voltage, i.e. a failed up-transient, when current is increased instantaneously from 0.02 to 1.0 A/cm 2 at 80°C and the channel RH is greater than 80%. In contrast, under the same conditions, a 10 μm thick Pt/C electrode exhibits robust transient response. A transient model, coupled with experiments, is deployed to delineate the water transport dynamics and ensuing voltage response. It is found that thin electrodes, due to their low water storage capacities, flood with liquid water rendering negative cell voltages during transients. Effects of operating conditions and material properties such as membrane and electrode thickness on the transient response are investigated.
ApicoAMP: The first computational model for identifying apicoplast-targeted transmembrane proteins in Apicomplexa

Abstract Background Computational identification of apicoplast-targeted proteins is important in drug target determination for diseases such as malaria. While there are established methods for identifying proteins with a bipartite signal in multiple species of Apicomplexa, not all apicoplast-targeted proteins possess this bipartite signature. The publication of recent experimental findings of apicoplast membrane proteins, called transmembrane proteins, that do not possess a bipartite signal has made it feasible to devise a machine learning approach for identifying this new class of apicoplast-targeted proteins computationally. Methodology/principal findings In this work, we develop a method for predicting apicoplast-targeted transmembrane proteins for multiple species of Apicomplexa, whereby several classifiers trained on different feature sets and based on different algorithms are evaluated and combined in an ensemble classification model to obtain the best expected performance. The feature sets considered are the hydrophobicity and composition characteristics of amino acids over transmembrane domains, the existence of short sequence motifs over cytosolically disposed regions, and Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with given proteins. Our model, ApicoAMP, is an ensemble classification model that combines decisions of classifiers following the majority vote principle. ApicoAMP is trained on a set of proteins from 11 apicomplexan species and achieves 91% overall expected accuracy. Conclusions/significance ApicoAMP is the first computational model capable of identifying apicoplast-targeted transmembrane proteins in Apicomplexa. The ApicoAMP prediction software is available at http://code.google.com/p/apicoamp/ and http://bcb.eecs.wsu.edu .
Demographic profile of offenders in long-term disciplinary segregation

This paper seeks to identify inmate demographic characteristics which may help to classify troublemaking offenders. Data were obtained from the Georgia Department of Offender Rehabilitation for all adult male inmates completing the diagnostic process between 1971–1978 (n=19,363). For purposes of analysis, this population was then dichotomized into those inmates who had required longterm disciplinary segregation and those who had not. Analysis of these data revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups on numerous demographic variables including sentence length, crime type, selfreported education, and prior living arrangement.
Stress distributions along a short fibre in fibre reinforced plastics

This paper develops an analysis for predicting the normal stress and interfacial shearing stress distribution along a single reinforcing fibre of a randomly oriented chopped-fibre composite, such as sheet moulding compound (SMC), from a knowledge of the constituent properties and the length-to-diameter ratio of the fibres. The analysis is useful in analysing the tensile strength of SMC, and as a guide to increasing the tensile strength by altering the elastic characteristics. The model is based on a generalized shear-lag analysis. Numerical values of the normal stress and interfacial shearing stress are presented as functions of various parameters. It is observed that the maximum normal stress occurs at the middle of the fibre and the maximum shear stress occurs at the end. The analysis is restricted to loading which does not result in buckling of the fibre; i.e., axial loads on the fibre can be at most only slightly compressive.
Tracheal tube leak test — is there inter-observer agreement?

Although the leak test is recommended as a method of assessing the appropriate size of uncujfed endotracheal tubes for use in children, the reproducibility of this test has not been validated. Patients from newborn to ten years of age requiring tracheal intubation for elective surgery were studied. The endotracheal tube size was calculated using the formula: (age + 16) + 4 for patients ≤ two years of age and at the discretion of the attending anaesthetist for patients < two years of age. After the induction of anaesthesia and administration of a nondepolarizing muscle relaxant, the patient’s trachea was intubated and mid-tracheal placement was confirmed. Two of the three staff anaesthetists participating in the study assessed the leak pressure consecutively. Each participant performed a single leak determination. The leak pressure was determined as follows: the patient was supine with the head in a neutral position, fresh gas flowed into the breathing circuit at 5 L· min−1, a stethoscope was placed on the skin over the larynx and the pressure relief valve was completely closed. Pressure slowly increased in the breathing circuit until an audible leak occurred around the tracheal tube. The inter-observer difference was calculated in 212 patients. The absolute value of the difference between that of two observers increased as the mean leak pressure increased. However, the variation between observers expressed as a percent of the absolute measurement remained constant. An average variance in measurement of 38% was found at both low and high leak pressures. In conclusion, we found considerable variation between two experienced observers in assessing leak pressures. As the leak pressures increase, the difference between these observations also increases. Therefore, we believe it is unreasonable to set an upper limit of leak pressure for changing all endotracheal tubes.
The diagnostic role of signals in the context of perceived risks in online shopping: Do signals matter more on the Web?

Four experimental studies examine the differential effects of three signals—retailer reputation, perceived advertising expenses, and warranties—on consumer risk perceptions, across two (online and in-store) shopping conditions. The results of three studies suggest that for products with high non-digital attributes (e.g., shirts and jeans), consumers perceive higher risks in online than in in-store settings. Also, for these types of products, mainly due to the non-availability of other significant cues, consumers tend to rely more on signals as diagnostic cues in online shopping conditions. Effectively, the results of these three studies imply that signals are stronger risk reducers in online than in in-store shopping conditions for products high in non-digital attributes. The fourth study tests the boundary condition whereby the diagnostic effects of signals are diminished for products with high digital attributes (e.g., music CDs).
NEW FEDERALISM, OLD REMEDIES, AND CORRECTIONS POLICYMAKING

Corrections litigation is changing, but new case law does not authorize a wholesale cutback of prisoner constitutional rights. Supreme Court cases urge a return to traditional compensatory damages as the remedy for unconstitutional acts and conditions. Monitoring of state correctional performance by federal courts is disfavored. The author believes that basic rights of prisoners will remain protected, but that systematic planning and exemplary programs will erode. Under the money damages model, legal reform should thus urge waiver of the state sovereign immunity provided by the Eleventh Amendment.
Small polarons and the electronic properties of Mo 2 S 3

We investigate the small-polaron mechanism as a possible explanation of electrical-conduction and electrical-noise properties of the linear chain material ${\mathrm{Mo}}_{2}$${\mathrm{S}}_{3}$. Experimental conductivity and noise data obtained in earlier papers [Phys. Rev. B 38, 3973 (1988); Phys. Rev. B 39, 5139 (1989)] are analyzed in terms of a small-polaron mechanism and a double-well potential model. We interpret the observed electronic properties in terms of kinetic equations describing the interaction of free carriers with fluctuations of density of the lattice. Appropriate kinetics equations to describe this interaction, which leads to small-polaron formation, are derived. These equations are found to explain quantitatively both the nonequilibrium electronic properties and electrical noise in ${\mathrm{Mo}}_{2}$${\mathrm{S}}_{3}$.
Sequence Determinants of a Protein Folding Pathway

Local hydrophobic collapse of the polypeptide chain and transient long-range interactions in unfolded states of apomyoglobin appear to occur in regions of the amino acid sequence which, upon folding, bury an above-average area of hydrophobic surface. To explore the role of these interactions in protein folding, we prepared and characterized apomyoglobins with compensating point mutations designed to change the average buried surface area in local regions of the sequence, while conserving as much as possible the constitution of the hydrophobic core. The behavior of the mutants in quench-flow experiments to determine the folding pathway was exactly as predicted by the changes in the buried surface area parameter calculated from the amino acid sequence. In addition, spin label experiments with acid-unfolded mutant apomyoglobin showed that the transient long-range contacts that occur in the wild-type protein are abolished in the mutant, while new contacts are observed between areas that now have above-average buried surface area. We conclude that specific groupings of amino acid side-chains, which can be predicted from the sequence, are responsible for early hydrophobic interactions in the first phase of folding in apomyoglobin, and that these early interactions determine the subsequent course of the folding process.
Religion and anxiety: A critical review of the literature

Religion's effects on mental health have been debated for years, yet only in the last half century have these theories been empirically tested. While a number of mental health constructs have been linked to religion, one of the most prevalent and debilitating mental health indices, anxiety, has been largely ignored. This paper categorizes and critically reviews the current literature on religion and general indices of anxiety in terms of findings linking decreased anxiety to religiosity, increased anxiety to religiosity, and those finding no relation between anxiety and religiosity. Results from 17 studies are described and synthesized. Conceptual and methodological weaknesses that potentially threaten the validity and generalizability of the findings are discussed. Finally, conclusions and directions for future research are provided.
1184 SERUM ANTIBODY (Ab) KINETICS FOLLOWING H. INFLUENZAE TYPE B POLYRIBOSEPHOSPHATE (PRP)-DIPHTHERIA TOXOID CONJUGATE (PRP-D) VACCINE GIVEN TO INFANTS: 1 YR FOLLOW-UP AND BOOSTER DOSE RESPONSE

We have previously reported a 90% (28/31) anti-PRP Ab response following administration of 3 doses of PRP-D to 3 mo. old infants. The resulting group geometric mean (GM) Ab cone was 0.99 μg/ml (1.4 μg/ml in responders). Sera has been obtained from 25 subjects at 6 mos., and 8 subjects at 12 mos. postvaccine. As expected, anti-PRP cone had dropped in 24/25 at the 6 mo. followup, but was still ≥0.15 μg/ml in 60% (12/20) of those who had previously achieved a titer of ≥0.15 yg one month after dose 3. The 6 mos. GM Ab conc for these 25 subjects decreased from 0.883 μg/ml to 0.163 μg/ml (p<0.01). At 12 mos. post-vaccination, 5/7 children had a further drop (one 6 mos. sera not obtained), but 62% (5/8) had an anti-PRP conc. ≥0.15 μg/ml (group GMT - 0.163 μg/ml). All 8 subjects received a 4th dose of PRP-D at 18 mos. of age (12 month follow-up) without adverse reactions. Excellent anti-PRP responses have developed in the 3 subjects studied to date, a 23 to 137-fold increase over their previous peak Ab cone (2.7 μg/ml, 5.6 μg/ml and 31.3 μg/ml). In summary, anti-PRP Ab cone ≥0.15 μg/ml was present in 60% of subjects vaccinated at age 3 mos. when evaluated at 6 and 12 mos. postvaccine. A 4th booster dose at 18 mos. did not result in any adverse reaction and induced excellent anti-PRP responses. The remaining subjects are being revaccinated and Ab evaluated.
Integrated modeling and experimental approach for determining transcription factor profiles from fluorescent reporter data

The development of quantitative models of signal transduction, as well as parameter estimation to improve existing models, depends on the ability to obtain quantitative information about various proteins that are part of the signaling pathway. However, commonly-used measurement techniques such as Western blots and mobility shift assays provide only qualitative or semi-quantitative data which cannot be used for estimating parameters. Thus there is a clear need for techniques that enable quantitative determination of signal transduction intermediates. This paper presents an integrated modeling and experimental approach for quantitatively determining transcription factor profiles from green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter data. The technique consists of three steps: (1) creating data sets for green fluorescent reporter systems upon stimulation, (2) analyzing the fluorescence images to determine fluorescence intensity profiles using principal component analysis (PCA) and K-means clustering, and (3) computing the transcription factor concentration from the fluorescence intensity profiles by inverting a model describing transcription, translation, and activation of green fluorescent proteins. We have used this technique to quantitatively characterize activation of the transcription factor NF-κB by the cytokine TNF-α. In addition, we have applied the quantitative NF-κB profiles obtained from our technique to develop a model for TNF-α signal transduction where the parameters were estimated from the obtained data. The technique presented here for computing transcription factor profiles from fluorescence microscopy images of reporter cells generated quantitative data on the magnitude and dynamics of NF-κB activation by TNF-α. The obtained results are in good agreement with qualitative descriptions of NF-κB activation as well as semi-quantitative experimental data from the literature. The profiles computed from the experimental data have been used to re-estimate parameters for a NF-κB model and the results of additional experiments are predicted very well by the model with the new parameter values. While the presented approach has been applied to NF-κB and TNF-α signaling, it can be used to determine the profile of any transcription factor as long as GFP reporter fluorescent profiles are available.
Testing a Global Multivariate Statistical Objective Analysis Scheme with Observed Data

Abstract A multivariate statistical analysis procedure has been developed for estimating geopotential height h and wind (u, v) on a global latitude-longitude grid. Estimates are obtained by modifying the “first guess” from a prediction model by a linear combination of forecast errors deduced from observed data. Because the scheme is multivariate, the regression coefficients (weights) are matrices, which depend upon covariance among forecast errors in h, u and v. These covariances are modeled mathematically with geostrophic constraints. In the tropics, however, only the wind field is analyzed, covariances are modeled under the constraint of nondivergence, and heights are obtained from a balance equation. At high latitudes, analyses are performed in polar stereographic coordinates. The objective analysis scheme fits observed data as well as the “Cressman scheme” that was used operationally at the National Meteorological Center until recently and also as well as a skilled analyst. In data-rich areas, the ana...
Catalytic-dependent and -independent roles of SHP-2 tyrosine phosphatase in interleukin-3 signaling.

SHP-2 tyrosine phosphatase is highly expressed in hematopoietic cells, however, the function of SHP-2 in hematopoietic cell signaling is not well understood. Here we focus on the role of SHP-2 phosphatase in the signal transduction of interleukin (IL)-3, a cytokine involved in hematopoietic cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. We established immortalized SHP-2−/− hematopoietic cell pools and showed that IL-3-induced proliferative response was diminished in SHP-2−/− cells. Moreover, inhibition of the catalytic activity of SHP-2 in wild-type (WT) bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells and Ba/F3 cells by overexpression of catalytically inactive SHP-2 mutant suppressed their differentiative and proliferative responses to IL-3, demonstrating an important positive role for SHP-2 in IL-3 signal transduction. Further biochemical analyses revealed that IL-3-induced Jak/Stat, Erk, and PI3 kinase pathways in SHP-2−/− cells were impaired and reintroduction of WT SHP-2 into mutant cells partially restored IL-3 signaling. Interestingly, in catalytically inactive SHP-2-overexpressing Ba/F3 cells, although IL-3-induced activation of Jak2 and Erk kinases was reduced and shortened, PI3 kinase activation remained unaltered. Taken together, these results suggest that SHP-2 tyrosine phosphatase plays multiple roles in IL-3 signal transduction, functioning in both catalytic-dependent and -independent manners in the Jak/Stat, Erk, and PI3 kinase pathways.
Accelerated testing of HT-9 with zirconia coatings containing gallium using Raman Spectroscopy and XPS

Laser Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to study the evolution of composition of oxide films in the presence of zirconia coatings on miniature HT-9 alloy specimens subjected to elevated temperature in air. The experiments expanded on previous efforts to develop a quick-screening technique for candidate alloys for cladding materials (HT-9) and actinide-based mixed oxide fuel mixtures (represented by the zirconia coating) by investigating the effect of both coating composition and annealing conditions on the high temperature reactions. In particular, the presence of the element Ga (a potential impurity in mixed oxide fuel) in the initial zirconia coating was found to accelerate the rate of oxide growth relative to that of yttria-stabilized zirconia studied previously. In addition, HT-9 samples that were subjected to different annealing conditions gave different results. The results suggest that the presence of Ga in a mixed oxide fuel will enhance the oxidation of HT-9 cladding under the conditions of this study, although the extent of enhancement is influenced by the type of annealing previously applied to the cladding material. Due to the multi-component layered structure of the oxidation products discovered in this fuel-cladding combination, it appears unlikely that Raman spectroscopy would be applicable as a stand-alone technique for the intended quick-screening approach to all but the simplest systems. Other techniques with better depth resolution, such as photoelectron spectroscopy, are required to follow the changes in composition of individual layers as they evolve during the oxidation process.
Positive feedback favors invasion by a submersed freshwater plant.

The submersed macrophyte Utricularia inflata has invaded lakes in northern New York State, thereby threatening native isoetids such as Eriocaulon aquaticum. Isoetids often dominate and modify softwater lakes due to their capacity to oxidize sediment and thus influence solute mobilization. Greenhouse experiments tested the hypotheses that U. inflata invasion could result in higher porewater iron (Fe) concentrations and greater ammonium (NH4+) and Fe release from the sediment into the water column, and that this mobilization would stimulate further U. inflata growth. In the first experiment, three levels of U. inflata impact on E. aquaticum were imposed using sediment cores overlain by lake water: E. aquaticum alone, E. aquaticum with a cover of U. inflata, and bare sediment—the latter to simulate local extirpation of the isoetid by the invasive. After 16 weeks, sediment porewater NH4+ and total dissolved Fe concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.05) for the U. inflata and bare sediment treatments. Water column concentrations of these solutes were five-fold higher (P < 0.05) for the bare sediment treatment than E. aquaticum alone, indicating that isoetid extirpation by U. inflata can compromise water quality. A second experiment demonstrated that U. inflata grew faster over bare sediment than over sediment with E. aquaticum (P < 0.05), likely due to greater solute mobilization in the absence of E. aquaticum. Where U. inflata causes a decline of native isoetids in Adirondack Mountain lakes, changes to lake sediment and water chemistry can create a positive feedback loop further escalating the impact of this invasive species.
A nuclear magnetic resonance study of cobalt II alcohol dehydrogenase: substrate analog-metal interactions.

Abstract Two models for the active site of liver alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) have been proposed. Results of X-ray diffraction studies ( B.V. Plapp, H. Eklund, and C.-I. Branden, 1978 , J. Mol. Biol.122, 23–32) on the native enzyme indicate that substrates are directly coordinated to the active site zinc ion, while NMR studies (D. L. Sloan, J. M. Young, and A. S. Mildvan, Biochemistry14, 1998–2008) on the Co II enzyme indicate that substrates are not bound directly to the metal. It was unclear whether the basis for this difference was structural or technical. Therefore, this NMR study has been done with wellcharacterized zinc and cobalt enzymes, and to facilitate comparison with X-ray diffraction data, the substrate analogs chosen were dimethyl sulfoxide and trifluoroethanol. Binding of either analog to the zinc enzyme in the presence of the appropriate cofactor produced unique changes in the T1 and T2 relaxation rates of the 1 H and 19 F nuclei. Similar results were obtained when cobalt enzyme was used for T1 measurements, but relaxation was more rapid due to the presence of the paramagnetic ion. From these data, the distances between the analog nuclei and the catalytic site cobalt ion were calculated to be 8.9 ± 0.9 and 10.5 ± 1.2 A for the cobalt enzyme-NADH-dimethyl sulfoxide and the cobalt enzyme-NAD+-F3CCH2OH complexes, respectively. The distances are comparable and the magnitudes indicate that the functional groups are not directly coordinated to the active site cobalt ion. These values are in good agreement with those previously reported by Sloan et al. (1975) for the cobalt enzyme-NADH-isobutyramide complex, and are consistent with their model in which a metal water ligand forms a bridge between the substrate and the metal. Therefore, there must be a structural basis for the differences observed in magnetic resonance versus X-ray diffraction studies.