cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of mRNA translation by protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum

The process of protein secretion is intimately linked to the rate and potential of proper folding and assembly of secretory proteins. The efficiency of protein folding is communicated to the cytoplasm via several signal transduction pathways. This regulates the rate of polypeptide chain synthesis and induction of genes encoding functions that reduce protein-folding load on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This review summarizes recent insights into the mechanisms that couple protein translation with protein folding in the ER.
The erythromycin breath test predicts the clearance of midazolam

Midazolam, a commonly used sedative and amnestic medication, has recently been shown to be largely metabolized in the liver by a cytochrome P450, termed CYP3A4. There is at least a tenfold intersubject variability in the liver content and catalytic activity of CYP3A4, which may in part account for the known interpatient differences in the kinetics of midazolam. To test this hypothesis, we determined the intravenous midazolam kinetics of 20 medically stable, hospitalized patients, whose hepatic CYP3A4 activities were determined with use of the [14C-N-methyl]erythromycin breath test. During the kinetic study, we also performed psychometric testing designed to quantitate the level of sedation and amnesia. We found a significant positive correlation between the erythromycin breath test results and weight adjusted clearance (in milliliters per minute per kilogram) of both total midazolam (r = 0.52; p = 0.03) and unbound midazolam (r = 0.61; p < 0.01). The relatively low dose of midazolam used (0.0145 mg/kg) produced significant but transient sedation and memory impairment in some of the patients. We conclude that interpatient differences in liver CYP3A4 activity in part account for the variations in midazolam kinetics. Our observations account for reported drug interactions involving midazolam and suggest that patients with low CYP3A4 activity may be most susceptible to prolonged amnestic effects occasionally produced by this short-acting benzodiazepine.
Spontaneous formation of stress domains on crystal surfaces.

On suggere que les surfaces de cristaux, qui se reconstituent avec une symetrie orientationnelle brisee et qui mettent en evidence un tenseur de contrainte intrinseque anisotropique, sont instables a la formation de domaines de deformation elastique. Ainsi, l'etat fondamental d'une telle surface n'est pas uniforme, contrairement aux previsions. On discute de ceci sur le cas de la surface de Si(111)
Towards Text Search for Information Visualization Retrieval

We investigate the use of text search to retrieve information visualizations. This is important as the body of available visualizations on the web is growing. And it the meantime, they are difficult to find as they don't have an immediate textual description. Our approach is first to create a taxonomy of textual terms to describe visualizations, both in a general and in a specific way using economics visualization as application domain. Then we designed and implemented a search engine to query this vocabulary on a real website, The Atlas of Economic Complexity, using economics data. Results from an exploratory study informed us on the types of tasks to support and on the visual design of the search box, such as showing recommendations similar to Google results. Those early and promising results pave the way for a more diverse and complex vocabulary that exploits the full wealth of information that graphical elements can contain. Such a search feature has wide ranging applicability, from making visualizations more accessible for less technical users, to using other input modalities such as voice.
Modularization around a suitable abstraction

Suitable modularization is a good programming practice. It permits parallel development of modules, component testing as the pieces are completed, and simpler maintenance. Achieving these properties depends on defining clean interfaces and minimizing the dependencies between modules.
Aging of protein molecules: lens crystallins as a model system

Abstract As a result of the unique development and protein metabolism of the vertebrate lens this organ probably contains the body's longest-lived proteins. The major structural proteins of the lens, the crystallins, offer unusual advantages for studying a wide variety of age-related structural modifications to proteins.
FANCI Binds Branched DNA and Is Monoubiquitinated by UBE2T-FANCL

FANCI is integral to the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway of DNA damage repair. Upon the occurrence of DNA damage, FANCI becomes monoubiquitinated on Lys-523 and relocalizes to chromatin, where it functions with monoubiquitinated FANCD2 to facilitate DNA repair. We show that FANCI and its C-terminal fragment possess a DNA binding activity that prefers branched structures. We also demonstrate that FANCI can be ubiquitinated on Lys-523 by the UBE2T-FANCL pair in vitro. These findings should facilitate future efforts directed at elucidating molecular aspects of the FA pathway.
Neurological dysfunction in asymptomatic HIV-1 infected men : evidence from evoked potentials

Neurological function in 159 subjects infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who had no neurological symptoms or signs (129 asymptomatic, 30 with ARC/AIDS) was compared to that of 62 controls by means of pattern-reversal evoked potentials (PREPs), brain-stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs), median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (MSEPs), tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (TSEPs) and nerve conduction studies (NCSs). Central nervous system somatosensory conduction from lumbar cord to cortex was prolonged in both asymptomatic seropositive and ARC/AIDS groups, while peripheral somatosensory conduction, NCSs and PREP delays occurred only in the ARC/AIDS group. BAEPs did not show significant differences among groups. TSEPs were abnormal in 8% of asymptomatic carriers and 43% of patients with ARC/AIDS, MSEPs in 7% and 20%, PREPs in 4% and 0%, and BAEPs in 1% and 0% respectively. One or more evoked potentials were abnormal in 18 of 129 (14%) asymptomatic carriers and 13 of 30 (43%) subjects with ARC/AIDS as compared with 1 of 62 (2%) seronegative controls. We conclude that asymptomatic HIV carriers have subclinical neurological impairment of central somatosensory function and that the neurological impairment increases with disease progression to involve peripheral nerves and visual system.
Response spectra design methods for tuned equipment-structure systems

Abstract A description is given of a design method that allows response spectra to be used to estimate maximum displacements and accelerations in equipment-structure systems. The type of system considered involves light equipment tuned to a natural frequency of the structure. The solution is developed by using transform methods, residue theory and asymptotic analysis. A very simple result is obtained which should be of value to designers of equipment, equipment mountings and non-structural components in structures subject to dynamic loading. The simple nature of the result is explained by a direct physical interpretation of the response.
Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ Down-regulates Follistatin in Intestinal Epithelial Cells through SP1

Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) down-regulates the expression of follistatin mRNA in intestinal epithelial cells in vivo. The mechanism of PPARγ-mediated down-regulation of follistatin was investigated using non-transformed, rat intestinal epithelial cells (RIE-1). RIE cells expressed activin A, the activin receptors ActRI and ActRII, and the follistatin-315 mRNA. RIE-1 cells responded to endogenous activin A, and this response was antagonized by follistatin, as evidenced by changes in cell growth and regulation of an activin-responsive reporter. Using RIE-1 cells, we show that activation of PPARγ by rosiglitazone reduced follistatin mRNA levels in a dose- and concentration-dependent manner. Down-regulation of follistatin by rosiglitazone required the DNA binding domain of PPARγ and was dependent upon dimerization with the retinoid X receptor. Inhibition of follistatin expression by rosiglitazone was not associated with decreased follistatin mRNA stability, suggesting that regulation may be at the promoter level. Analysis of the follistatin promoter revealed consensus binding sites for AP-1, AP-2, and Sp1. Targeting the AP-1 pathway with SP600125, an inhibitor of JNK, and TAM67, a dominant negative c-Jun, had no effect on PPARγ-mediated down-regulation of follistatin. However, the follistatin promoter was dramatically regulated by Sp1, and this regulation was inhibited by PPARγ expression. Knockdown of Sp1 expression relieved repression of follistatin levels by rosiglitazone. Moreover, PPARγ was found to interact with Sp1 and repress its transcriptional activation function. Collectively, our data indicate that repression of Sp1 transcriptional activity by PPARγ is the underlying mechanism responsible for PPARγ-mediated regulation of follistatin expression.
A 1-D model of the photoluminescent decay of ZnS phosphors as a function of excitation conditions

Abstract We present measurements of the time-resolved photoluminescence of ZnS:Cu,Al that demonstrate how the lifetime and form of the strongly non-exponential decay depend on excitation conditions, such as pulse width and amplitude. To give some insight into the experimental observations we propose a phenomenological, correlated state model intended to describe aspects of the relaxation behavior of acceptor–donor luminescent materials. A comparison of simulation and experiment show that this simple model successfully describes many of our observations, such as a crossover from stretched exponential to power-law decay, and lifetimes that depend strongly on the excitation pulse width and amplitude. These effects are shown to be due to the development of spatial correlations between the electrons and holes. These correlations develop both during emission and continuous excitation.
Optical Properties Of Curing Epoxies And Applications To The Fiber Optic Composite Cure Sensor

An in-situ fiber optic technique for determining the endpoint of cure of a thermoset polymer has been demonstrated and described previously [1]. The technique requires no calibration and is readily used as a cure detector in epoxy-based composite materials [2]. In brief, a short sensing fiber element is prepared from the thermoset resin of interest, and brought to a fully-cured state. In order to detect the endpoint of cure of this same resin when used as a matrix in a composite panel for example, the sensing fiber element is embedded within the panel during layup. Conventional multimode silica optical fibers are joined to each end of the sensing fiber with a small amount of epoxy. The silica fibers extend beyond the panel itself. Near infrared light from an LED is transmitted through the fiber arrangement, and the intensity of the transmitted light is measured with a photodetector. The fully-cured resin sensing fiber has a larger refractive index than uncured or partially-cured resin, and therefore acts as an efficient waveguide of varying numerical aperture when it is surrounded by the progressively curing matrix. When the surrounding resin becomes fully cured, the waveguiding capabilities of the sensor fiber are lost, and the transmitted light decays to zero, independent of the cure temperature. Thus, a null sensor output indicates that the resin in the composite panel is fully cured. This occurs at any temperature, without calibration, due to the self-referencial nature of the sensor.
Simple approximations of quasi‐linear diffusion coefficients

Abstract : Quasi-linear diffusion by cyclotron-resonant plasma waves is likely a key ingredient of the behavior of electrons in the Earth's radiation belts. Multidimensional dynamical simulations are under development, which require the diffusion coefficients to be evaluated quickly as well as accurately. The recently developed parallel propagation approximation replaces the integration over wavenormal distribution to a closed form expression, and can be quite accurate. However, it can also perform badly, especially for electron energy > or = 1 MeV. Here, the accuracy, justification, and limits of the approximation are explored, and an improved version is presented. It is based on a previously developed procedure for identifying wavenormal angles compatible with imposed cutoffs on the wave frequency distribution. Because it also requires evaluation at only a small number of points, it features computational efficiency comparable to the parallel propagation version, while preserving contributions from oblique waves and all relevant harmonic numbers. Detailed comparisons are presented using an established model of nightside chorus.
Deployment of Fiber-Optic Lane Use Indication Signs Using a Distributed Control Architecture

This article reviews the basic signing technologies available to the traffic engineer for dynamically changing sign displays. An example installation of dynamic lane assignment in Houston, Texas, is reviewed and referenced as the motivation for developing a simple traffic signal cabinet interface for dynamic lane assignment signs. The failure modes of these dynamic lane assignment signs are identified so that suitable control models can be selected. Various candidate control architectures are summarized, and a distributed control model is recommended because of the simple cabinet retrofit and the inherent malfunction management capabilities. The article concludes by describing the distributed computing design comprised of the sign-control interface (SCI) residing in the cabinet and the sign-control modules (SCM) residing in each sign. Photographs of the SCI and SCM prototypes are included.
Acoustic propagation in a rigid torus

The acoustic propagation in a rigid torus is analyzed using a Green’s function method. Three types of surface elements are developed; a flat quadrilateral element used in modeling polygonal cavities, a curved conical element appropriate for surfaces with one curvature, and a toroidal element developed for such doubly curved surfaces as the torus. Curved elements are necessary since the acoustic pressure is sensitive to slope discontinuities between consecutive surface elements especially near cavity resonances. The acoustic characteristics of the torus are compared to those of a bend of square cross section for a frequency range that includes the transverse acoustic resonance. Two equivalences between the different sections are tested; the first conserves curvature and cross‐sectional dimension while the second matches transverse resonance and duct volume. The second equivalence accurately matches the acoustic characteristics of the torus up to the cutoff frequency corresponding to a mode with two circumferential waves.
A mass conserving boundary condition for the lattice Boltzmann equation method

In lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulations, the widely used wall boundary conditions (BCs) proposed by Filipova and Hanel (FH) and Mei, Luo and Shyy (MLS) result in constant mass leakage in certain circumstances. In this paper, we have analyzed the source of the leakage. Based on this analysis, we propose a second-order accurate mass conserving wall BC. In our BC, the distribution function at a wall node is decomposed into its equilibrium and non-equilibrium parts. The mass conservation is guaranteed by enforcing a mass conserving rule in the construction of the fictitious equilibrium distribution part. We have shown through several benchmark test problems involving steady and unsteady flows that our new BC not only eliminates the constant mass leakage, but also has many other advantages over the FH and MLS BCs.
Gastrointestinal complications of the leukemias.

A review of the gastrointestinal manifestations of leukemia has been presented. Particular emphasis has been placed on anorectal complications of this disease. Anorectal complications of the leukemias are characterized by thrombosis, necrosis, ulceration, sloughing, and sometimes abscess formation. These changes may or may not be accompanied by leukemic infiltration of the anorectal area.
Expected Target Damage for a Salvo of Rounds with Elliptical Normal Delivery and Damage Functions

In this paper we obtain a series expansion for the expected fraction of damage to a circular target when it is assumed that a salvo of n rounds is delivered onto the target area with a noncircular normal or gaussian distribution and the damage function for each round can be represented by a noncircular exponential square fall-off law. The results are easily extended to an elliptical-shaped target. The aim of the paper is to obtain explicit approximations for target damage.
Alterations in fossil collagen

Fossil collagens isolated from fauna excavated at Kent’s Cavern, Torquay, England, present a number of chemical and biochemical changes relative to modern collagens, including increased atomic C/N values, differential loss of some amino acids, alterations in molecular weights, altered response to diagnostic staining and increased fluorescence. In the aggregate, these changes suggest primarily chemical as opposed to microbiological impacts, and autohumification by compounds containing carbohydrate and/or nucleic acids.
In vivo depletion of CD4 T cells increases B cell sensitivity to polyclonal activation: The role of interferon-γ

Chronic in vivo depletion of CD4+ T cells results in a marked increase in serum IgM levels. When normal mice were acutely depleted of CD4+ T cells, unfractionated spleen cell cultures showed an increased sensitivity to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IgM secretion. Sensitivity to LPS-induced proliferation was similar in both control cultures and cultures from CD4-depleted donors. When exogenous recombinant murine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was added to spleen cell cultures from CD4-depleted donors, the sensitivity to LPS-induced IgM secretion was restored to the level seen in spleen cell cultures from control animals. IFN-gamma did not influence the proliferative response of purified B cells to LPS but was capable of profoundly inhibiting the LPS-induced differentiation of purified B cells. Thus the effect of IFN-gamma was anti-differentiative and was exerted directly on the B cell. Finally, the LPS-induced differentiation of normal spleen cells was enhanced in the presence of mAb directed against IFN-gamma. These findings illustrate that IFN-gamma plays a key role in regulating the B cell compartment response to LPS-induced differentiation. The hyper-IgM syndrome seen in association with CD4 T cell depletion may be due to a loss of in vivo production of IFN-gamma.
Dynamic Municipal Allocation Analysis

Distributional studies of municipal service provision which do not make allowances for population losses and relocation as well as for austerity impacts can make serious inferential errors about intended beneficiaries. In this study, the relocation of fire, police, library, and school facilities are examined in the context of New York City's rapid population change and service retrenchment in the 1960 – 1984 period. The findings demonstrate a continuing spatial disequilibrium of services. Shortages persist in some neighborhoods and underutilization in others as population shifts more rapidly than the services can relocate.
A collection and statistical analysis of skin reflectance signatures for inherent variability over the 250 nm to 2500 nm spectral range

The spectral reflectance signature of human skin provides opportunities to advance observations ranging from medical treatment to security applications. In this study 28 volunteers participated in a skin reflectance measurement of the inside of the right forearm. The reflectance measurements were made over the 250 nm to 2500 nm spectral range. The analysis included estimates of the variability attributed to the instrument, variability of the same subject, and variability among subjects. This allowed for determining measures of similarity and differences that indicate the inherent separability within the distribution. While this sample size may not fully represent a full diverse-population, it does provide a provisional reference point for modeling and simulation.
Band‐Offset Engineering for Enhanced Open‐Circuit Voltage in Polymer–Oxide Hybrid Solar Cells

The power conversion efficiency of organic and hybrid solar cells is commonly reduced by a low open-circuit voltage (VOC). In these cases, the VOC is significantly less than the energy of the lowest energy absorbed photon, divided by the elementary charge q. The low photovoltage originates from characteristically large band offsets between the electron donor and acceptor species. Here a simple method is reported to systematically tune the band offset in a π-conjugated polymer–metal oxide hybrid donor–acceptor system in order to maximize the VOC. It is demonstrated that substitution of magnesium into a zinc oxide acceptor (ZnMgO) reduces the band offset and results in a substantial increase in the VOC of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)–ZnMgO planar devices. The VOC is seen to increase from 500 mV at x = 0 up to values in excess of 900 mV for x = 0.35. A concomitant increase in overall device efficiency is seen as x is increased from 0 to 0.25, with a maximum power-conversion efficiency of 0.5 % obtained at x = 0.25, beyond which the efficiency decreases because of increased series resistance in the device. This work provides a new tool for understanding the role of the donor–acceptor band offset in hybrid photovoltaics and for maximizing the photovoltage and power-conversion efficiency in such devices.
Studying Biomolecule Localization by Engineering Bacterial Cell Wall Curvature

In this article we describe two techniques for exploring the relationship between bacterial cell shape and the intracellular organization of proteins. First, we created microchannels in a layer of agarose to reshape live bacterial cells and predictably control their mean cell wall curvature, and quantified the influence of curvature on the localization and distribution of proteins in vivo. Second, we used agarose microchambers to reshape bacteria whose cell wall had been chemically and enzymatically removed. By combining microstructures with different geometries and fluorescence microscopy, we determined the relationship between bacterial shape and the localization for two different membrane-associated proteins: i) the cell-shape related protein MreB of Escherichia coli, which is positioned along the long axis of the rod-shaped cell; and ii) the negative curvature-sensing cell division protein DivIVA of Bacillus subtilis, which is positioned primarily at cell division sites. Our studies of intracellular organization in live cells of E. coli and B. subtilis demonstrate that MreB is largely excluded from areas of high negative curvature, whereas DivIVA localizes preferentially to regions of high negative curvature. These studies highlight a unique approach for studying the relationship between cell shape and intracellular organization in intact, live bacteria.
Optical anisotropy of coals as an indicator of tectonic deformation, Broad Top Coal Field, Pennsylvania

The anisotropic “reflectance fabric” of coal is used as a finite strain marker in the structural analysis of deformed strata in the Broad Top Coal Field of central Pennsylvania. Oriented blocks of coal were collected at various field locations. The reflectances of three orthogonal surfaces were used to estimate the magnitudes and orientations of the three principal reflectance axes. Broad Top coals are shown to have three principal reflectance values, in contrast with most bituminous coals, which have only two. Reflectance values can be represented by a biaxial indicatrix that may be either prolate or oblate. The oblate indicatrices, showing flattening in the bedding plane, are associated with gently deformed strata. The prolate indicatrices, elongated parallel to the fold axes (N32°E), are associated with more intensely folded strata and show the influence of strong lateral compression superimposed upon gravitational loading. The reflectance indicatrices maintain a constant spatial orientation, regardless of the inclination of the enveloping bedding. The minimum principal reflectance axis plunges steeply toward the west, indicating that during deformation the direction of maximum compression was plunging toward the northwest. These results suggest that in the Broad Top field maximum coalification and, therefore, maximum burial were penecontemporaneous with the later stages of deformation, postdating most of the folding.
Expected frequency of use and proficiency of core surgical skills in entry-level veterinary practice: 2009 ACVS core surgical skills diplomate survey results.

Objectives ACVS Diplomates were surveyed to identify a complete list of core surgical skills, determine the expected frequency of use of these skills, and ascertain the level of skills proficiency expected of entry-level practicing veterinarians. Study Design Internet-based survey. Sample Population Randomly chosen ACVS Diplomates (n = 750). Methods Rating scale items were used to construct the main portion of the survey with 26 skills that were scored by participants based on rankings of proficiency expected of entry-level veterinarians, as well as expected frequency of use of these skills. Additional demographic questions were included to gather information regarding gender, practice type, year of veterinary school, year of ACVS membership, job description, primary surgical discipline, practice location, average number of procedures performed on a weekly basis, and number of new graduates mentored in the last 5 years. Results Of 337 Diplomates (44.9%) who responded to the survey, >60% expected entry-level graduates to have good skills with minimal supervision or complete skills for 21 of the 26 skills categories listed. More than 60% of respondents ranked 7 skills with a lower frequency score (seldom or occasionally use). Orthopedic instrument handling and fixation skills as well as electrosurgical and laser skills received some of the lowest expected proficiency and frequency rankings. No additional skills categories were identified in the open-ended survey questions. Conclusions A complete list of core surgical skills was identified. There was broad consensus between boarded surgeons irrespective of their practice type, experience, or discipline for ranked proficiency and frequency scores among the core surgical skills expected of entry-level veterinarians.
Simultaneous Determination of Aerosol and Thin Cirrus Optical Depths over Oceans from MODIS Data: Some Case Studies

The importance of separating thin cirrus and aerosols from satellite remote sensing to produce broader and more accurate fields for the determination of respective radiative forcings is highlighted. This has been accomplished through the development of a new methodology for retrieving both thin cirrus and aerosol optical depths simultaneously over oceans from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. This method employs a procedure to quantify and remove the thin cirrus contribution to the observed reflectance through a correlation of visible and 1.38-m reflectances so that the aerosol signal can be extracted. Aerosol optical depths are then retrieved through comparisons with the simulated reflectances created a priori. Using the aerosol optical depth along with the specific viewing geometry and surface reflectance as pointers to locations in a lookup table of modeled reflectances, cirrus optical depth and an effective ice crystal size can be retrieved. An iterative scheme has been created that uses the retrieved effective cirrus ice crystal size to account for the effect that the particle size distribution has on the correlation of visible and 1.38-m reflectance. Retrievals of both aerosol and thin cirrus optical depths over the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) site of Nauru performed on a limited number of cases have proven to be consistent with values determined from ground measurements. Also, comparisons with the MODIS aerosol retrievals over a broad area of ocean have highlighted the potential usefulness of this procedure in increasing the amount of potential aerosol information recovered and removing the ever-present thin cirrus contamination.
Growing Old in a New Age: National and International Evaluation of a Gerontology Telecourse

Distance education is expanding rapidly and has special relevance for gerontology with its adaptability to different settings, its learner-centered convenience, its cost-effectiveness, and its appeal to nontraditional students. We evaluated the national and international use of Growing Old in a New Age, the first telecourse and public broadcasting series on gerontology. Overall results indicate that the telecourse is an effective instructional tool across higher education, community agencies, non-profit organizations, and international broadcasting settings. We discuss the incorporation of suggestions for change from the study into the ongoing development of the telecourse and suggest ways that interactivity and emerging online technology can be integrated in distance learning to produce a more effective instructional approach. Developing a model for integrating the strengths of in-class, online, and telecourse elements may prove more useful than debating their relative merits. Future directions for resea...
Mixed methods evaluation & teaching with Guatemalan traditional midwives' regarding nursing interventions to manage postpartum hemorrhage

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot descriptive study was twofold: to explore Guatemalan traditional midwives’ knowledge, attitudes and practices about nursing interventions to manage postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), and to evaluate the effect of a culturally sensitive teaching on traditional midwives’ knowledge of nursing interventions to manage PPH. Methods: Thirteen midwives participated in a one-day teaching at a Refuge International Health Clinic in the remote town of Sarstun, Guatemala. The quasi experimental study used a one-group, pretest posttest design. Researchers relied on a PPH checklist from the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) to evaluate knowledge of PPH interventions before and after the PPH teaching. One 45-minute focus group also was conducted among the midwives. The Long Table Approach was used to develop a matrix of common themes. Results: The culturally sensitive teaching improved traditional midwives’ knowledge and skills about nursing inter- ventions to manage PPH (pretest M=1.385/8, posttest M=4.846/8). In the focus group, midwives revealed several themes that contradicted the literature. Midwives repeatedly denied managing PPH despite a combined 197 years of midwifery experience. Midwives said they trusted local health care providers, and would transfer patients to hospitals in emergencies. Midwives asked for assistance in educating villagers about the importance of prenatal care and of seeking early labor support. Conclusions: Results of this pilot project suggest a culturally sensitive oral teaching in the primary language of participants improves traditional midwives’ ability to manage PPH. Future training should follow a similar format to address the needs of illiterate participants in resource-poor settings, and should include the entire community, not just midwives.
P2L-5 Modulated Ultrasonic Radiation Pressure: Liquid Jet Response and Stimulated Breakup

Double sideband suppressed carrier excitation is utilized to achieve modulated ultrasonic radiation pressure (MURP). MURP is shown to be an effective method to stimulate low-frequency drop production rates from large laminar liquid jets. The jet deformation oscillates and drops are generated at the frequency of the MURP and when the jet deformation is small its amplitude is experimentally found to be proportional to the radiation pressure amplitude; both are manifestations of the oscillating radiation pressure effect. The method was previously demonstrated for acoustically levitated drops
Effects of a surround upon onset and offset reaction time.

Summary.-This study measured onset and offset reaction time (RT) to test stimuli presented in a surround and no-surround condition in the fovea. The differences between onset and offset RT in the surround condition were not significant. However, the differences between onset and offset RT for the nosurround case and the differences between surround and no-surround RTs were significant. RTs were faster with a surround present. A significant luminance by onset-offset interaction for the surround condition was also present. Recent studies (Pease & Sticht, 1965; Bartlett, et al., 1968) have indicated that there are differences between reaction times to onset and offset stimulation which have been interpreted as reflecting differences in foveal and peripheral functions. Reaction times to onset stimulation are faster than RTs to offset stimulation in the periphery while there is a tendency for the reverse to be true in the fovea. While the peripheral effects seem to be well established for reaction time data, the differences between onset and offset stimulation in the fovea have been more difficult to isolate. Cortical evoked potential data taken from onset and the termination of foveal stimulation also suggest thac the fovea may respond optimally to offset stimulation. These data show a greater response to offsets with a low luminance value (Bartlett & White, 1968). The faster peripheral reaction times to onset stimulation suggest that the periphery functions most efficiently as a light detection system, being more sensitive to the detection of faint stimuli and increases in illumination than decreases. The onset-offset reaction time data in the above studies were taken from the dark-adapted eye. The possibility exists that differences between onset and offset RTs reflect adaptation phenomena thac occur during the brief randomly determined foreperiod durations which ranged from 1.7 to 4.0 sec. These differences might simply reflect the adaptational changes which occur during the brief period of retinal illumination preceding the offset condition which does not occur in the onset condition. The present study minimizes the adaptation effect in the offset condition by adding a surround to the test field. S viewed a uniformly illuminated display, the center of which darkened at the termination of the foreperiod for the offset condition and was illuminated for the onset condition. In studying the effects of a surround upon reaction time, Johnson (1924)
United States Tax Reform: A Common Sense Approach

The fairness of the United States Tax system is at the center of the debate on economic growth and deficit reduction. The prevailing solutions seems centered on stimulating the economy by cutting taxes and cutting spending to minimize its impact on the federal budget deficit. The major area of disagreement lies in the fairness of the current tax system and the belief that the segment of the society most able to bear the cost of government are paying the least or not paying their fair share. The objective of this paper is to propose a tax code that is fair, a tax code that is simple enough that a taxpayer does not need a professional to help him or her to figure out their tax bill. This tax system is based on a combination of personal income tax, consumption tax and the elimination of the corporate income tax.
Enhancing Cognitive Understanding to Improve Fundamental Movement Skills

The development of fundamental movement skills in physical education is an important contributor toward children's' lifetime interest and participation in physical activity. Physical education teachers and their curricula follow national and state standards to provide learning experiences and instruction that support the acquisition of skills. Traditionally, elementary and middle school students acquire psychomotor skills, but they rarely engage in cognitive learning related to learning those skills. The tactical games approach is used by teachers to promote tactical understanding and problem solving in sports, usually at upper grade levels. This article describes how teachers can use aspects of the tactical games approach when teaching fundamental movement skills. Instead of understanding tactics in sport, students can understand the importance of the many different elements of fundamental movement skills.
On space, time, and language: for the next century, timing is (almost) everything.

With the advent of neuroimaging tools has come a surpassing concern for space and a corresponding disregard for time. The next century will see a newfound appreciation of the fact that, with respect to language, time is always of the essence. Neuroimaging tools such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), when tweaked to measure changes in blood flow over time, can be used to identify brain regions that are active during a specific cognitive task, relative to some baseline task. These tools provide (by historical standards) an impressive degree of spatial resolution and have proved helpful in revealing the neurobiology of certain cognitive functions (e.g., visual perception; Tootell et al., 1998). Less success has been achieved in elucidating the neurobiology of language. Why is this? From the perspective of the person trying to comprehend language, language is a continuous flow of information distributed over time. Somehow, the listener translates this stream of information into discrete and rapidly sequenced units of phonemes, meaning, and structure, and does so in real time. The primary question facing us is, of course, how people accomplish this. My contention is that in addressing this question, where in the brain activity is found is intimately related to when this activity is occurring, and both the where and the when of the activity must be considered to fully appreciate what is happening at that particular time and space. Let me illustrate. Numerous imaging studies have reported activation in the inferior frontal lobe of the left hemisphere (in or near Broca’s area) when words or sentences are presented as stimuli. This activity has been at
Quantifying burn severity in a heterogeneous landscape with a relative version of the delta Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR)

Multi-temporal change detection is commonly used in the detection of changes to ecosystems. Differencing single band indices derived from multispectral pre- and post-fire images is one of the most frequently used change detection algorithms. In this paper we examine a commonly used index used in mapping fire effects due to wildland fire. Subtracting a post-fire from a pre-fire image derived index produces a measure of absolute change which then can be used to estimate total carbon release, biomass loss, smoke production, etc. Measuring absolute change however, may be inappropriate when assessing ecological impacts. In a pixel with a sparse tree canopy for example, differencing a vegetation index will measure a small change due stand-replacing fire. Similarly, differencing will produce a large change value in a pixel experiencing stand-replacing fire that had a dense pre-fire tree canopy. If all stand-replacing fire is defined as severe fire, then thresholding an absolute change image derived through image differencing to produce a categorical classification of burn severity can result in misclassification of low vegetated pixels. Misclassification of low vegetated pixels also happens when classifying severity in different vegetation types within the same fire perimeter with one set of thresholds. Comparisons of classifications derived from thresholds of dNBR and relative dNBR data for individual fires may result in similar classification accuracies. However, classifications of relative dNBR data can produce higher accuracies on average for the high burn severity category than dNBR classifications derived from a universal set of thresholds applied across multiple fires. This is important when mapping historic fires where precise field based severity data may not be available to aid in classification. Implementation of a relative index will also allow a more direct comparison of severity between fires across space and time which is important for landscape level analysis. In this paper we present a relative version of dNBR based upon field data from 14 fires in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, USA. The methods presented may have application to other types of disturbance events.
In vivo measurement of lung volumes in mice.

We describe longitudinal measurements of functional residual capacity (FRC) in breathing mice using a clinical computed tomography (CT) scanner. Lungs of anesthetized mice from the A/J and C3H/HeJ ...
Collaboration-Oriented Data Recovery for Mobile Disk Arrays

Mobile disk arrays, disk arrays located in mobile data centers, are crucial for mobile applications such as disaster recovery. Due to their unusual application domains, mobile disk arrays face several new challenges including harsh operating environments, very limited power supply, and extremely small number of spare disks. Consequently, data reconstruction schemes for mobile disk arrays must be performance-driven, reliability-aware, and energy-efficient. In this paper, we develop a flash assisted data reconstruction strategy called CORE (collaboration-oriented reconstruction) on top of a hybrid disk array architecture, where hard disks and flash disks collaborate to shorten data reconstruction time, alleviate performance degradation during disk recovery. Experimental results demonstrate that CORE noticeably improves the performance and energy-efficiency over existing schemes.
Mortality Among Catholic Nuns Certified as Radiologic Technologists

Background Several studies have shown that Catholic nuns have a different mortality experience than women of similar age in the general population. We had a unique opportunity to evaluate mortality patterns of nuns identified in an occupational study of nearly 145,000 radiologic technologists (73% female). Methods A total of 1,103 women were classified as nuns based on their titles of ‘‘Sister’’ or ‘‘SR’’. Their mortality experience was compared to other female radiologic technologists and to U.S. white females. Results Five hundred eighty-three nuns (53%) were deceased as of January 1, 1995. Compared to other technologists, nuns were at significantly increased risk of dying from all causes (Standardized mortality ratio (SMR)a 1.1; 95% Confidence interval (CI)a 1.0‐1.2, stomach cancer (SMRa 2.7; 95% CIa 1.2‐5.4), diabetes (SMRa 2.2; 95% CIa 1.0‐4.1), ischemic heart disease (SMRa 1.2; 95% CIa 1.1‐1.4), all digestive diseases (SMRa 2.0; 95% CIa 1.3‐3.0), and gastric and duodenal ulcers (SMRa 8.3; 95% CIa 2.3‐21.3). In contrast, we observed a significant deficit in lung cancer (SMRa 0.5; 95% CIa 0.2‐0.9), no deaths from cervical cancer, and a breast cancer risk 10% lower than expected (SMRa 0.9; 95% CIa 0.6‐1.3). When compared to U.S. females, nuns experienced significantly reduced mortality from all causes (SMRa 0.8; 95% CIa 0.7‐0.9), cervical cancer (SMRa 0.0; 95% CIa 0.0‐0.7), all endocrine, metabolic and nutritional diseases (SMRa 0.5; 95% CIa 0.3‐0.9), all circulatory diseases (SMRa 0.7; 95% CIa 0.7‐0.8) including ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, and all respiratory diseases (SMRa 0.5; 95% CIa 0.3‐0.8), and a nearly significant deficit of diabetes (SMRa 0.6; 95% CIa 0.3‐1.0). In contrast, nuns had an almost 3-fold greater risk of tuberculosis (SMRa 2.9; 95% CIa 1.4‐5.3) and a 20% excess of breast cancer (SMRa 1.2; 95% CIa 0.8‐1.7). The breast cancer excess was concentrated among nuns first certified before 1940 (SMRa 2.0; CIa 1.3‐ 3.0), when radiation doses were possibly the highest, but the risk did not increase with increasing length of certification. Conclusions Compared with the general population, the mortality experience of nuns was favorable and reflected the ‘‘healthy worker effect’’ commonly seen in occupational studies. Patterns observed for breast and cervical cancer possibly indicate differences in reproductive and sexual activities associated with belonging to a religious order. The possibility of a radiation-related excess for breast cancer among nuns certified before 1940 cannot be completely discounted, although there was no dose-response relationship
Fluorescence Properties of Fluorescein, Tetramethylrhodamine and Texas Red Linked to a DNA Aptamer¶

We report the picosecond time-scale fluorescence dynamics of a dye-labeled DNA oligonucleotide or “aptamer” designed to bind specifically to Immunoglobulin E. Comparison of the photophysics of Texas Red (TR), fluorescein and 5′-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA)-labeled aptamers reveals surprising differences with significant implications for measurements of oligonucleotide structure and dynamics. The fluorescence decay of the TR-aptamer is a simple single exponential with a weak temperature dependence. The fluorescence decay of the fluorescein-aptamer (fl-aptamer) is pH dependent and displays a complex temperature dependence with significant changes on melting of the aptamer tertiary structure. Despite its similarities to TR, TAMRA is strongly quenched when conjugated to the aptamer and displays complex fluorescence kinetics best described by a distributed rate model. Using the maximum entropy method, we have discovered two highly temperature-dependent fluorescence lifetimes for the TAMRA-aptamer. One of these lifetimes is similar to that of free TAMRA and displays the same temperature dependence. The other lifetime is quenched and displays a temperature dependence characteristic of a charge transfer reaction. These data set TR apart as an attractive alternative to TAMRA and fluorescein for studies such as fluorescence polarization and fluorescence resonance energy transfer, where environmental sensitivity of the probe is not desired.
Effect of inoculation rate of selected strains of lactic acid bacteria on fermentation and in vitro digestibility of grass-legume forage.

Abstract Grass-legume forage was used to evaluate the effect of inoculation rate of selected strains of lactic acid bacteria on fermentation and in vitro digestibility during 57 d of ensiling. Chopped forage (DM = 28%) was ensiled in 4 to 6-kg quantities and treated as: 1) control, 10 3 epiphytic lactic acid bacteria; 2) 10 5 added lactic acid bacteria; and 3) 10 6 added lactic bacteria/g of wet forage. Samples were obtained for analyses on d 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 14, 29, and 57 of fermentation. Treated silages were observed to have: 1) greater quantities of lactic acid bacteria, 2) a greater proportion of homofermentative lactic acid bacteria, and 3) lactic acid bacteria with greater biological activity. Addition of each amount of lactic acid bacteria: 1) increased the rate of utilization of water-soluble carbohydrate and decline in pH, 2) limited the formation of NH 3 N, and 3) increased the in vitro digestibility of DM and ADF. No differences were observed in the lactic acid content of the silages after 57 d of fermentation.
A new galvanometric scanner for rapid tuning of CO/sub 2/ lasers

A device for rapidly tuning both CW (continuous-wave) and TEA (transversely excited atmospheric) CO/sub 2/ lasers is presented. This galvanometer-driven unit is of considerable importance over that previously reported in that it can attain at least 200 Hz tuning without the need for additional equipment or algorithms. Tuning a TEA laser at repetition rates of 200 Hz has been demonstrated for even the widest excursions, corresponding to tuning over the entire CO/sub 2/ spectrum. No amplitude-dependent adjustments were needed for even the weakest available transitions. CW laser tuning was also demonstrated to approximate this limit, and it was shown that this type of galvanometer is also suitable for heterodyne detection lidar tuning. >
Crosstalk: Computation as a Language for Research Conversations among Scientists and Engineers

Computation bridges analytic theory to experimentation in science. This issue reminds us that it also bridges between disciplines.