cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plant Endogenous Retroviruses? A Case of Mysterious ORFs

Endogenous retroviruses have traditionally been defined as descendants of extinct retroviruses that infected and integrated into the chromosomes of host germ-line cells and were thereafter transmitted vertically as part of host genomes. Most retain at least the vestiges of genes once required for infectious horizontal transfer, namely envelope genes. In contrast, the long evolutionary histories of retrotransposons are presumed not to have included infectious ancestors. With the characterization of the Gypsy retrotransposon in Drosophila melanogaster as an infectious, endogenous retrovirus, these distinctions have blurred. A number of plant LTR retroelements possess coding regions whose conceptual translations produce hypothetical proteins with predicted structural elements found in viral envelope proteins, and the term endogenous retrovirus began to be applied to these elements. The question of whether any of the many plant retroelement genes now annotated as “env-like” generate proteins that have or had envelope functions remains unanswered. This review reevaluates the available data.
A micromechanics-based processing model for predicting residual stress in fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites

Abstract An experimentally validated, multi-physics and multi-scale processing model was developed to predict the residual stress buildup in a polymer matrix composite during manufacturing. At the macroscale, the composite was modeled as discrete layers of homogeneous, transversely isotropic laminae, while micromechanics was implemented at the subscale to compute the effective lamina responses based on the fiber and matrix properties through an Extended Concentric Cylinder Assemblage (ECCA) model. The composite temperature and Degree of Cure (DOC) distributions were solved by incorporating resin cure kinetics into heat transfer analysis , which were used in the subsequent stress analysis to determine the cure-dependent composite responses, including cure-dependent modulus, thermal strain , and chemical shrinkage . This integrated processing model was applied to predict the cure-induced warpage of a non-symmetric laminate . The proposed model, which incorporates resin cure kinetics, cure-dependent constitutive law, and tool-part interaction, demonstrates good agreement with the experiment on the prediction of the warpage curvatures.
Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Committee: Chicago, IL, April 27, 2012

The first meeting of the 2012 Executive Committee was called to order at 10:01 a.m. on April 27, 2012 in the Writer Room of the Renaissance O’Hare Hotel, Chicago, IL. Members present were: Orley Ashenfelter, Alan Auerbach, Janet Currie, Pinelopi Goldberg, Claudia Goldin, Jonathan Gruber, Robert Hall, Anil Kashyap, Rosa Matzkin, Christina Paxson, Monika Piazzesi, Andrew Postlewaite, Valerie Ramey, Nancy Rose, John Siegfried, Christopher Sims, and Michael Woodford. Executive Committee members David Autor and Esther Duflo participated in parts of the meeting by phone. Caroline Hoxby participated in part of the meeting and Abhijit Banerjee and Vincent Crawford participated by phone as members of the Honors and Awards Committee. Angus Deaton participated in part of the meeting as chair of the Nominating Committee. Associate Secretary-Treasurer Peter Rousseau also attended. Sims welcomed the newly elected members of the 2012 Executive Committee: Claudia Goldin, President-elect; Christina Paxson and Nancy Rose, Vice-presidents; and Anil Kashyap and Rosa Matzkin, and recognized the Secretary at the last meeting of his 16-year tenure. The Minutes of the January 5, 2012 meeting of the Executive Committee were approved as written. Report of the Secretary (Siegfried). Siegfried reviewed the schedule for sites and dates of future meetings: San Diego, January 4–6, 2013 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday); Philadelphia, January 3–5, 2014 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday); Boston, January 3–5, 2015 (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday); San Francisco, January 3–5, 2016 (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday); Chicago, January 6–8, 2017 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday); Atlanta, January 5–7, 2018 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday); Philadelphia, January 4–6, 2019 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday); and San Diego, January 3–5, 2020 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). The Executive Committee meets the day prior to the Annual Meeting each year. Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Committee Chicago, IL April 27, 2012
Access to Judicial Review in Non-Deficiency Tax Cases

In the case of Flora v. United States the Supreme Court determined that the jurisdictional statute governing tax refund suits did not make clear whether a taxpayer must fully pay the tax before filing suit to obtain a refund. Despite the lack of clarity in the statute, a split in the circuits and no strong reasons for its decision, a 5-4 majority of the Court decided in its second try at the case that a taxpayer who received a statutory notice of deficiency and failed to petition the Tax Court could not pay a partial amount of the tax and sue for refund. Seventeen years later in the case of Laing v. United States, the Solicitor General argued that Flora was limited to situations in which the taxpayer had received a notice of deficiency and failed to petition the Tax Court and did not create a bar to partial payment in other situations. Despite its weak foundation and its narrow scope, the Flora decision now stands as a broad bar to taxpayers seeking a refund who do not fully pay the tax before bring the suit. The IRS and the Department of Justice have completely reversed course from the argument made by the Solicitor General in Laing. The result of the current interpretation of Flora by the lower courts is that for taxpayers who never have the opportunity to petition the Tax Court prior to assessment or who missed the opportunity to go to Tax Court but can never scape together enough money to fully pay the tax the opportunity for judicial review of the actions of the IRS may be lost. The recent case of Larson v. United States brings this home in stark fashion. Mr. Stark promoted tax shelters. The IRS assessed against him, and others, a tax shelter promotion penalty of approximately $160 million. Because the penalty was an assessable penalty which did not exist when Flora was decided and because he does not have $160 million with which to satisfy the assessment, Mr. Larson is barred from judicially contesting this assessment. This paper analyzes how we reached the situation that certain taxpayers have no opportunity for judicial review of the actions of the IRS and suggests a path that would allow ever taxpayer the opportunity for judicial review of their tax assessment. It appeared that Congress attempted to provide an opportunity for judicial review when it passed the Collection Due Process provisions in 1998; however, the regulations written by the IRS have the effect of cutting off judicial review in situations in which the taxpayer has the opportunity for administrative review. The paper suggests that relatively small changes to the Collection Due Process provisions could provide the opportunity for judicial review of tax assessments to everyone. It also explores other avenues that could provide this opportunity.
Third party assessment of resection margin status in head and neck cancer.

e17011 Background: Definitive status of primary site margin following resection of head and neck cancer is necessary for prognostication, treatment determination and qualification for clinical tria...
A comparison of frailty indices in predicting length of inpatient stay and discharge destination following angiogram-negative subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose: While patients with angiogram-negative subarachnoid hemorrhages (ANSAH) have better prognoses than those with aneurysmal SAH, frailty’s impact on outcomes in ANSAH is unclea...
Hemoglobin S/Hemoglobin Quebec-Chori Presenting as Sickle Cell Disease: A Case Report.

Background Sickle cell disease is a homozygous hemoglobinopathy with vaso-occlusive complications secondary to abnormal sickling of red blood cells under stressful conditions such as hypoxia. Children with sickle cell trait have a heterozygous genetic state, typically without symptoms. Observation An 8-year-old boy diagnosed with sickle cell trait was found to have multiple complications consistent with sickle cell disease, including pain crises, osteomyelitis, and priapism. Over a 6-year period, he underwent routine laboratory evaluations without a definitive diagnosis. The diagnosis of a compound heterozygous state of hemoglobin S/hemoglobin Quebec-Chori was eventually made on the basis of mass spectrometry and confirmed with hemoglobin subunit beta gene sequencing. Conclusion Expanding diagnostic evaluation in patients with abnormal clinical presentations is vital to making the correct diagnosis and hence earlier institution of appropriate management of rare hemoglobinopathies.
WOW Summer Day Camp: Extension of an AAP Stage 3 Weight Management Program Emphasizing Cooking Skills, Enjoyable Activity, and Self-esteem.

Background: Pediatric overweight and obesity pose a serious health risk, affecting approximately 32% of US youth aged 2-19 years. Potential contributing factors include unhealthy weight gain in summer due to less structured activity and a decline in cooking skills potentially leading to poor food choices. To address these potential needs, as well as concerns around food insecurity, we initiated a pilot study that added a 5 day summer day camp to our AAP Stage 3 weight management program on the college campus that hosts our clinic. Methods: 13 children, enrolled …
Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Reveals New Metal-Binding Sites in Atomically Dispersed Pt1/TiO2 Catalysts

We present a molecular dynamics modeling study of atomically dispersed Pt on the (110) surface of rutile TiO2. Using density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD), we prob...
Monadic classes of quantum B-algebras

The aim of this paper is to define the monadic quantum B-algebras and to investigate their properties. If the monadic operators are isotone, we show that they form a residuated pair. Special properties are studied for the particular case of monadic quantum B-algebras with pseudo-product, and a representation theorem for monadic quantum B-algebras with pseudo-product is proved. The monadic filters of monadic quantum B-algebras are defined, and their properties are studied. We prove that there is an isomorphism between the lattice of all filters of a monadic quantum B-algebra and the lattice of all filters of its subalgebra of fixed elements. Monadic operators on unital quantales are introduced, and the functional monadic quantale is constructed.
Polypharmacy and Frailty among Hemodialysis Patients.

Background Both polypharmacy and frailty are highly prevalent among the patients on hemodialysis and associated with adverse outcomes; however, little is known about the association between them. Methods We examined 337 patients enrolled in the ACTIVE/ADIPOSE dialysis cohort study between 2009 and 2011. The number of prescribed medications and frailty were assessed at baseline, 12, and 24 months. Frailty was defined based upon the Fried's frailty phenotype. We used logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to model the association of the number of medications and frailty at baseline and over time. A competing-risk regression analysis was also used to assess the association between the number of medications and incidence of frailty. Results The mean number of medications was 10 ± 5, and 94 patients (28%) were frail at baseline. Patients taking >11 medications showed higher odds for frailty than the patients taking fewer than 8 medications (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.05-2.26). During the 2-year of follow-up, 87 patients developed frailty among those who were nonfrail at baseline. Compared with the patients taking fewer than 8 medications, the incidence of frailty was approximately 2-fold in those taking >11 medications (sub-distribution hazard ratio 2.15, 95% CI 1.32-3.48). Conclusions Using a higher number of medications was associated with frailty and the incidence of frailty among hemodialysis patients. Minimizing polypharmacy may reduce the incidence and prevalence of frailty among dialysis patients.
Evaluation of High Altitude Interstitial Pulmonary Edema in Healthy Participants Using Rapid 4-View Lung Ultrasound Protocol During Staged Ascent to Everest Base Camp.

Introduction Prior research identified possible interstitial pulmonary fluid, concerning for early high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), in a large percentage of trekkers above 3000 m using a comprehensive 28-view pulmonary ultrasound protocol. These trekkers had no clinical symptoms of HAPE despite these ultrasound findings. The more common 4-view lung ultrasound protocol (LUP) is accurate in rapidly detecting interstitial edema during resource-rich care. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the 4-view LUP detects interstitial fluid in trekkers ascending to Everest Base Camp. Methods Serial 4-view LUP was performed on 15 healthy trekkers during a 9-d ascent from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp. Ascent protocols complied with Wilderness Medical Society guidelines for staged ascent. A 4-view LUP was performed in accordance with the published 2012 international consensus protocols on lung ultrasound. Symptom assessment and 4-view LUP were obtained at 6 waypoints along the staged ascent. A 4-view LUP was positive for interstitial edema if ≥3 B-lines were detected in 2 ultrasound windows. Results A single participant had evidence of interstitial lung fluid at 5380 m as defined by the 4-view LUP. There was no evidence of interstitial fluid in any participant below 5380 m. One participant was evacuated for acute altitude sickness at 4000 m but showed no preceding sonographic evidence of interstitial fluid. Conclusions In this small study, sonographic detection of interstitial fluid, suggestive of early HAPE, was not identified by the 4-view LUP protocol.
Cytoprotective Effect of Vitamin D on Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiac Toxicity in Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Background: Doxorubicin (Dox) is a first-line treatment for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), but its use may be limited by its cardiotoxicity mediated by the production of reactive oxygen species. We evaluated whether vitamin D may prevent Dox-induced cardiotoxicity in a mouse TNBC model. Methods: Female Balb/c mice received rodent chow with vitamin D3 (1500 IU/kg; vehicle) or chow supplemented with additional vitamin D3 (total, 11,500 IU/kg). the mice were inoculated with TNBC tumors and treated with intraperitoneal Dox (6 or 10 mg/kg). Cardiac function was evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography. The cardiac tissue was evaluated with immunohistochemistry and immunoblot for levels of 4-hydroxynonenal, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), C-MYC, and dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) phosphorylation. Results: At 15 to 18 days, the mean ejection fraction, stroke volume, and fractional shortening were similar between the mice treated with vitamin D + Dox (10 mg/kg) vs. vehicle but significantly greater in mice treated with vitamin D + Dox (10 mg/kg) vs. Dox (10 mg/kg). Dox (10 mg/kg) increased the cardiac tissue levels of 4-hydroxynonenal, NQO1, C-MYC, and DRP1 phosphorylation at serine 616, but these increases were not observed with vitamin D + Dox (10 mg/kg). A decreased tumor volume was observed with Dox (10 mg/kg) and vitamin D + Dox (10 mg/kg). Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation decreased Dox-induced cardiotoxicity by decreasing the reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial damage, and did not decrease the anticancer efficacy of Dox against TNBC.
Endoscopic Cyclophotocoagulation in Boston Keratoprosthesis Type II.

ABSTRACT This retrospective review of 7 cases demonstrates that endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation via eyelid incision and enlargement of pars plana vitrectomy entry sites can lower intraocular pressure in eyes with history of Boston keratoprosthesis Type II surgery.
The Altruism-Empathy-Perspective Connection: A Case Study of Human-Wildlife Interactions at Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Corvallis, Oregon

Approved: _______________________________________________________ Jeffrey A. Hale In the realms of psychology and sociology two new theoretical models have arisen to describe the forces influencing altruistic human behavior. The first is the Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis (EAH), by C.D. Batson. The second is the Conceptual Continuum of Altruism (CCA), by K.R. Monroe. Both models have proven to be highly useful in the study of altruistic behavior between human beings. However, to date, no investigations of altruistic human behavior towards other species have been conducted using these methodologies. Using a synthesis of both the EAH and CCA models, in conjunction with the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scaled questionnaire, the CWRC study evaluated the prediction that positive correlations would exist between the level of altruistic behavior exhibited by wildlife rescuers, the degree of empathy they demonstrated towards the wildlife they rescued, and their association with a worldview supportive of this empathic response. The CWRC study generated a unique demographic data set for wildlife rescuers (n=407), as well as interview transcripts (n=40). Quantitative and qualitative data revealed unique positive correlations existed between the level of altruistic behavior display by wildlife rescuers, the degree of empathic response they exhibited, and the strength of their association with a worldview supportive of this empathic response.
Amblyomma americanum tick saliva serine protease inhibitor 6 is a cross‐class inhibitor of serine proteases and papain‐like cysteine proteases that delays plasma clotting and inhibits platelet aggregation

We previously demonstrated that Amblyomma americanum tick serine protease inhibitor 6 (AamS6) was secreted into the host during tick feeding and that both its mRNA and protein were ubiquitously and highly expressed during the first 3 days of tick feeding. This study demonstrates that AamS6 is a cross-class inhibitor of both serine- and papain-like cysteine proteases that has apparent antihaemostatic functions. Consistent with the typical inhibitory serpin characteristics, enzyme kinetics analyses revealed that Pichia pastoris-expressed recombinant (r) AamS6 reduced initial velocities of substrate hydrolysis (V₀) and/or maximum enzyme velocity (V(max)) of trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, chymase, and papain in a dose-response manner. We speculate that rAamS6 inhibited plasmin in a temporary fashion in that while rAamS6 reduced V₀ of plasmin by up to ∼53%, it had no effect on V(max). Our data also suggest that rAmS6 has minimal or no apparent effect on V₀ or V(max) of thrombin, factor Xa, and kallikrein. We speculate that AamS6 is apparently involved in facilitating blood meal feeding in that various amounts of rAamS6 reduced platelet aggregation by up to ∼47% and delayed plasma clotting time in the recalcification time assay by up to ∼210 s. AamS6 is most likely not involved with the tick's evasion of the host's complement defense mechanism, in that rAamS6 did not interfere with the complement activation pathway. Findings in this study are discussed in the context of expanding our understanding of tick proteins that control bloodmeal feeding and hence tick-borne disease transmission by ticks.
Roses Of Picardy

Date de composition (texte et musique) : 1916. - 1re ed. : Chappell, 4 decembre 1916. - 1re diffusion en France (adaptation francaise de Pierre d'Amor) : 1918
Generalized glycogenosis and associated endocardial fibroelastosis. Report of 3 cases with biochemical studies.

Absence of lysosomal alpha-glucosidase was shown in 2 patients with type II glycogenosis. Preliminary observation revealed that measurement of alpha-glucosidase in the cord and the placenta of newborn infants at risk for this disease is a useful method for determining the presence of the disease before it is clinically manifest. Two siblings had concomitant endocardial fibroelastosis. A review of the literature, together with our observation, has led us to the conclusion that the endocardial fibroelastosis in generalized glycogenosis is a secondary phenomenon and probably occurs more frequently than was previously suspected.
Risk Aversion and Reaction to News About Long-Term Economic Growth Rates

Under power utility, a high risk premium implies that the risk-free rate is volatile and that price-dividend ratios fall on good news about future economic growth rates. I show how a simple modification of standard power utility can solve these problems. In the model, individuals evaluate consumption relative to expected consumption. This specification separates risk aversion from reaction to news, since the benchmark moves endogenously with new information about future consumption. I derive exact closed-form solutions for the case of log-linear growth rates. The model is able to match the empirical risk premium and the level and volatility of the risk-free rate.
Activity of Liver Glutamine Transaminase toward l-γ-Glutamyl Hydrazones of α-Keto Acids

Abstract Rat liver glutamine transaminase acts on γ-glutamyl hydrazones of α-keto acids to yield the corresponding l-amino acids and 3-hydroxy-tetrahydro-6-pyridazinone-3-carboxylic acid; the latter compound undergoes nonenzymatic dehydration in acid to yield 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-6-pyridazinone-3-carboxylic acid. l-Amino acid oxidase (snake venom) also catalyzes the formation of 3-hydroxy-tetrahydro-6-pyridazinone-3-carboxylic acid (and ammonia) from γ-glutamyl hydrazide. In the transaminase-catalyzed reaction in which glycine is formed from the γ-glutamyl hydrazone of glyoxylate, no evidence was obtained for the formation of free glyoxylate during the reaction, nor did added free glyoxylate equilibrate with γ-glutamyl hydrazone-bound glyoxylate. The relative rates of reaction observed with a series of γ-glutamyl α-keto acid hydrazones were similar to those of the corresponding glutamine-α-keto acid transamination reactions; in general, the rates with the γ-glutamyl α-keto acid hydrazones were greater than those of the corresponding glutamine-α-keto acid transamination reactions. Possible reaction pathways for the enzymatic transformation of the γ-glutamyl α-keto acid hydrazones have been deduced. Albizziin (l-α-amino-β-ureidoproprionic) acid was found to effectively replace glutamine in the glutamine-α-keto acid transamination reaction; the high ultraviolet absorbance of the dehydrated product of the α-keto acid analog of albizziin was used as the basis for a highly sensitive assay for liver glutamine transaminase activity. Studies of the albizziinglyoxylate transamination reaction indicated that the enzyme exhibits ping-pong kinetics. The data suggest that the enzyme has binding sites for glutamine and α-keto acids which overlap. The action of the enzyme on γ-glutamyl-α-keto acid hydrazones appears to involve initial binding of the glutamyl moiety at the glutamine site of the enzyme followed by transformations which are associated with movement of the attached α-keto acid moiety into the active site. The preparation and properties of the l-γ-glutamyl hydrazones of a number of α-keto acids are described.
The physiology of heat regulation

Heat regulation is presented as the physiological method of handling metabolic heat, instead of temperature regulation. Experimental evidence of heat regulation from the literature is reviewed, including more than 20 years of calorimetric studies by the author. Changes in heat production are followed by slow exponential changes in heat loss, which produce changes in body heat storage. Heat balance occurs at many levels of heat production throughout the day and night, and at each level there is a related level of rectal temperature. Heat flow can be sensed by the transcutaneous temperature gradient. The controller for heat loss appears to operate like a servomechanism, with feedback from heat loss and possibly feedforward from heat production. Physiological responses defend the body heat content, but heat content varies over a range that is related to heat load. Changes in body heat content drive deep body temperatures.
Percutaneous left main coronary artery stent for acute myocardial ischemia after repaired ALCAPA

Percutaneous coronary artery stent angioplasty is rare in the pediatric population but can be a life-saving by rapidly reestablishing flow to an obstructed coronary artery. It is a technically challenging and high-risk procedure in infants and further limited by the need for future surgical intervention. We report of an infant with anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery who underwent acutely successful surgical reimplantation of the left coronary artery onto the ascending aorta. One month later, she developed acute myocardial ischemia and emergent catheterization diagnosed near-total occlusion of the left coronary artery. We implanted a 2.5 mm coronary stent in the left main coronary artery with reestablishment of flow. The patient's left ventricular systolic function recovered within 4 weeks and repeat angiography 3 months later showed complete normalization of the entire left coronary artery system. The patient weighed 3 kg and was < 6 weeks of age at the time of stent implantation which to our knowledge is the smallest and youngest reported patient to undergo coronary stent angioplasty. This case supports the feasibility of this procedure in infants as a temporizing solution to hemodynamic instability from myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery stenosis. The left ventricular systolic function remained normal at 7 months after stent placement and the patient was clinically well from a cardiac perspective. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Family Care Treatment for dispersed populations of children with behavioral challenges: The design, implementation, and initial outcomes of an evidence-informed treatment

Abstract Children and adolescents in rural settings have behavioral needs similar to those living in urban areas, but often have less access to services. The nature of a dispersed population makes factors such as transportation and the availability of trained personnel barriers to the needed services. Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) is an especially effective example of an evidence-based, community-integrated service delivery option that advances positive child outcomes. Although aspects of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care are not functional for many rural settings the principles of MTFC such as, consistently applied contingencies and parent-as-interventionist are applicable. This manuscript describes the principles-based application of MTFC in a rural area and discusses how principles-based treatment can produce outcomes predicted by more systematic replications. These outcomes include enhancing the stability of residential placement for children and youths, increasing pro-social child behavior and use of the least restrictive strategies and settings.
A Major Conformational Change in p97 AAA ATPase upon ATP Binding

AAA ATPases play central roles in cellular activities. The ATPase p97, a prototype of this superfamily, participates in organelle membrane fusion. Cryoelectron microscopy and single-particle analysis revealed that a major conformational change of p97 during the ATPase cycle occurred upon nucleotide binding and not during hydrolysis as previously hypothesized. Furthermore, our study indicates that six p47 adaptor molecules bind to the periphery of the ring-shaped p97 hexamer. Taken together, these results provide a revised model of how this and possibly other AAA ATPases can translate nucleotide binding into conformational changes of associated binding partners.
Grammar-based geodesics in semantic networks

A geodesic is the shortest path between two vertices in a connected network. The geodesic is the kernel of various network metrics including radius, diameter, eccentricity, closeness, and betweenness. These metrics are the foundation of much network research and thus, have been studied extensively in the domain of single-relational networks (both in their directed and undirected forms). However, geodesics for single-relational networks do not translate directly to multi-relational, or semantic networks, where vertices are connected to one another by any number of edge labels. Here, a more sophisticated method for calculating a geodesic is necessary. This article presents a technique for calculating geodesics in semantic networks with a focus on semantic networks represented according to the Resource Description Framework (RDF). In this framework, a discrete ''walker'' utilizes an abstract path description called a grammar to determine which paths to include in its geodesic calculation. The grammar-based model forms a general framework for studying geodesic metrics in semantic networks.
SU‐FF‐J‐40: Independent Measurement of CyberKnife Synchrony Accuracy Using Optical Tracking

Purpose: Synchrony provides respiratory motion compensation for CyberKnife by monitoring skin motion and dynamically steering the beam to follow the moving tumor. This study is designed to measure the accuracy and precision of the beam steering by recording the motions of both the linac and a ball‐cube target using an independent optical tracker. Method and Materials: The target is a ball‐cube phantom, which was CT scanned and planned for a 3000 cGy at 100% isodose line treatment using dynamic SRS (Synchrony). Respiratory motion was generated using a computer‐controlled 3D motion simulator. We simulated regular respiratory motion as three sinusoids with the following extents: 10 mm SI, 10 mm AP, and 5 mm LR. The respiratory period was 5 seconds. All three axes were in phase. We used the Optotrak Certus (Northern Digital, Waterloo, Canada) optical tracking system for measurements in this study. Active LEDs were attached to the linac and the motion simulator to provide constant measurement of their position. Measurements were recorded at 30 Hz. We measured the tracking accuracy by computing the distance between the linac and the target. When Synchrony is active, the linac should follow the motion of the target exactly, so this distance should remain constant. We used the standard deviation of the linac‐to‐target distance during each beam as a measure of the beam steering accuracy. Results: We were able to track 61 of the 98 beams used during treatment. Other beams were not trackable because the linac or robot blocked the view of the Optotrak. Based on these beams, the standard deviation of the linac‐to‐target distance was 0.82 ±/− 0.27 mm. Conclusion: These measurements provide independent, high‐precision measurement of the tracking accuracy of CyberKnife with Synchrony. They demonstrate the system's capabilities for respiratory motion compensation.
Cancer without disease.

Do inhibitors of blood-vessel growth found naturally in our bodies defend most of us against progression of cancer to a lethal stage?
5′-Hydroxyl RNA kinase from mouse L cells

A 5'-hydroxyl RNA kinase from mouse L cells has been partially purified and characterized. The enzyme transfers the gamma-phosphorus from ATP to 5'-hydroxyl termini of RNA much more efficiently than DNA substrates, and is virtually inactive on 3'-CMP. The molecular mass of the predominant kinase activity is estimated to be 93-96 kDa from denaturing and non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel analyses. A minor band of lower molecular mass has been also observed. The enzyme activity requires Mg2+ and is inhibited by both Mn2+ and Zn2+. Antibodies to small nuclear ribonucleoproteins have no effect on this activity.
Sensitivity to ketamine, alone or in combination with ethanol, is altered in mice selectively bred for sensitivity to ethanol's locomotor effects.

Background: Sensitivity to erthanol's locomotor activating and reinforcing effects may be influenced by some common neural mechanisms. Mice selectively bred in replicate for increased (FAST-1 and FAST-2) and decreased (SLOW-1 and SLOW-2) sensitivity to ethanol's locomotor stimulant effects are useful for investigating the neural substrates of ethanol's effects. Previous studies have suggested that differences in N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors may underlie differences in ethanol-induced locomotion in these mice. This study examined the responses of FAST and SLOW mice to ketamine, a fast-acting NMDA antagonist. In addition, reverse-selected lines (r-FAST-1, r-FAST-2, r-SLOW-1, and r-SLOW-2) were tested as a means of verifying correlations detected in the forward-selected lines. Two initial studies characterized ketamine-induced locomotion in DBA/2J (D2) mice, an inbred strain chosen for its high sensitivity to ethanol-induced locomotion. Methods: After a 2- to 3-day period of habituation to test procedures, mice were given intraperitoneal injections of ketamine alone (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 mg/kg) or in combination with 1 or 2 g/kg ethanol. Locomotor activity was measured for 20 to 30 min in automated activity monitors. Results: When administered alone, ketamine dose-dependently stimulated the locomotor activity of D2 mice and also reduced the amount of ethanol-induced stimulation. Ketamine stimulated locomotion more in FAST mice than in SLOW mice. Reverse selection abolished these differences, because r-FAST and r-SLOW mice did not differ in their responses to ketamine. Ketamine potentiated ethanol's locomotor effects within FAST mice and potentiated ethanol's locomotor depressant effect within one replicate of SLOW mice. Conclusions: We propose that sensitivities to ethanol- and ketamine-induced locomotion are genetically correlated and that the combined effects of ethanol and ketamine in FAST mice reflect a leftward shift in ethanol's biphasic dose-response curve.
Confidence intervals on ratios of linear combinations for non-disjoint sets of expected mean squares

Abstract A method for constructing confidence intervals on the ratio of expected mean squares p ∑ i=1 P c i θ i − ∑ j=P+1 Q d j θ j ∑ k=1 Q e k θ k , c i , d j , e k ⩾ 0 is proposed. This form of ϱ is different from other ratios for which confidence intervals have been developed because it contains the same expected mean squares in the numerator and denominator. Additionally, it allows negative coefficients in the numerator. Computer simulation is used to examine the confidence coefficients associated with the proposed intervals.
Photoemissive Determination of Barrier Shape in Tunnel Junctions

Tunnel junctions have been characterized in terms of three parameters, the barrier heights φ_1, and φ_2, and the width S, which generally are determined by a fit of experimental current-voltage characteristic curves with theory. In metal-semiconductor systems barrier heights have been determined independently of other parameters from measurement of the spectral dependence of photoresponse. We wish to report the first results of the application of this technique to the measurement of the barrier heights in Al-Al_2O_3-A1 and Al-A1_20_3—Au tunnel junctions where the Al_2O_3 thickness is in the range of 20 to 40 A .
Sensitivity to Text Structure in Reading and Writing: A Comparison Between Learning Disabled and Non-Learning Disabled Students

Text structures are considered important organizational schemes underlying effective comprehension and production of expository discourse. The present study examined the differential text structure skills in reading and writing of learning disabled students and two groups of regular class students. The results revealed significant differences between learning disabled students and their regular class peers in the use of text structure in both reading and writing expository discourse. The data support the notion that knowledge of discourse types underlies effective comprehension and production and that learning disabled students' conceptual understanding of these structures is limited.
Prism Reflections Aiding Index Measurements

The important features of two achromatic slit images, which appear near minimum deviation for an isosceles prism, are described and applied for refractive index determinations. Either of these images can be utilized in a prism orientation technique equally suited for visible and non-visible wavelengths. This technique has been tested by determining the refractive index curves (0.4 to 2μ) of isosceles prisms prepared from six Eastman Kodak glasses. Another tested technique is presented whereby the angular separation of these two images is used to determine the angles of an equilateral prism with a negligible uncertainty.
On the efficiency of Bertrand and Cournot equilibria with product differentation

In a differentiated products setting with n varieties it is shown, under certain regularity conditions, that if the demand structure is symmetric and Bertrand and Cournot equilibria are unique then prices and profits are larger and quantities smaller in Cournot than in Bertrand competition and, as n grows, both equilibria converge to the efficient outcome at a rate of at least 1n. If Bertrand reaction functions slope upwards and are continuous then, even with an asymmetric demand structure, given any Cournot equilibrium price vector one can find a Bertrand equilibrium with lower prices. In particular, if the Bertrand equilibrium is unique then it has lower prices than any Cournot equilibrium.
Development of Asia's emerging capital market: What lies ahead

Abstract Two major factors—(i) economic dynamism under successful macroeconomic management in the regional economies, and (ii) economic events in the world market resulting in an influx of foreign funds into the region have contributed to the exceptional growth of Asia's emerging capital markets. Management of volatility is a serious challenge. Lack of maturity and depth of the regional markets are real constraints. In addition, it is to be noted that few capital markets in Asia have well-organized debt markets.
Obligation and motivation

claim is made about some one case of the relation, an inspection which would reveal the character of the relation. Yet the examination of the precise definition of transitivity makes plain that to say a relation is transitive is to claim that there is no case where it holds between a first and a second element, and the second and a third, but fails to hold between the first and third. Suppose we think of three simultaneously given lines, where the lefthand one is perceived as equal to the middle one, the middle one perceived as equal to the one on the right. Then the facts which make "x,Ly1" and "y1Lz1" true do also show "x,Lz1" to be true. So it might seem that the first two statements guarantee the third. Yet plainly it is not the first two statements but the events that make them true that are the evidence for the third. It is one and the same sound of which we say, "That is middle C" and "That is faint." One might argue that the relation is transitive in this case, and if the relation remains the same relation, it will be transitive in every case. This is, however, to take transitivity as something more than the property that was defined in terms of logical properties without the use of any descriptive properties. "x,Ly, * yjLz1 * D * x,Lz1" is necessary, only in that it follows necessarily from "x,LyyjLz1 . x,Lzl," which observation has in the given instances shown to be true. The observation of one instance is then only inductive evidence for (x,y,z) xLy * yLz * v * xLz. Of course, the difficulty is further obscured because the transitive relations discussed by Russell are for the most part defined relations, defined solely in logical terms, and not descriptive of the world as is perceived equality of length. There is no reason then to suppose that "trans(L)" is necessarily true, though it very well may be in fact true. Careful statement and scrutiny of the other nonanalytic necessary propositions may yield similar disillusionment.
Serum Lipids, Serum Uric Acid and Glucose Tolerance in Coronary Heart Disease*

In 100 patients (mean age, 51) with angina pectoris due to coronary heart disease (documented), determinations were made of the serum cholesterol, triglyceride and uric acid levels on two separate days at least two weeks apart; also (in the absence of fasting hyperglycemia) glucose tolerance tests were performed after oral administration of 100 gm of glucose. In 95 per cent of the 100 patients, the serum cholesterol level was above 200 mg/100 ml. In 51 per cent there was hypertriglyceridemia. In no patient was there hypertriglyceridemia in association with a serum cholesterol level below 200 mg/100 ml. Thirty-five per cent of the 100 patients showed abnormal glucose tolerance. Eleven per cent of the 100 patients had hyperuricemia. An elevated concentration of serum cholesterol was the most common metabolic abnormality associated with angina pectoris due to coronary artery disease.
Experience with a bone bank operation and allograft bone infection in recipients at a medical centre in southern Taiwan.

To assess the contamination rate of allograft bones at retrieval and the infection rate of the implanted allograft bone, we audited a bone bank retrospectively and reviewed the medical charts of allograft bone recipients between June 1999 and June 2000 at a medical centre in southern Taiwan. The bone bank did its utmost to minimize allograft contamination with hospital-acquired pathogens by adopting purposefully designed criteria for selection of donors. This protocol included sterilization with soaking of the retrieved allograft in a solution of a first-generation cephalosporin before storage and prophylaxis in recipients with first-generation cephalosporin. The contamination rates at allograft retrieval from living and cadaveric donors were 2.7% and 12.4%, respectively (P<0.001). Culture of 262 specimens taken at allograft implant revealed 12 (4.6%) positive for culture. Of the 12 patients implanted with allograft bones positive for culture, nine (75.0%) had allograft bone infection, while three (25.0%) did not. Among the 250 recipients with sterile allograft bones, four (1.6%) were found to have allograft infection. None of the cases of infection required removal of the allograft bones, and all cases were successfully treated with tailored antimicrobial therapy based on susceptibility tests on isolated bacteria. The overall infection rate was 5.0%, which compared favourably with those in other series. A prospective cohort study is needed to determine which of the varied sterilization methodologies gives the best and/or most cost-effective outcome.
Determinación de los hábitos de An. pseudopunctipennis y An. calderoni en dos localidades del valle de Chao. La Libertad, Perú

Objectives: To determine the habits of malaria vectors in two communities in Chao valley (San Carlos and Santa Rita Bajo), la Libertad, Peru. Materials and methods: During june 2001 to march 2002, a cross-sectional study was performed in order to know, using quantitative and qualitative methods the habits of the main malaria vectors, considering the following parameters: Anopheles density, parity index, feeding and resting habits. Results: A. calderoni and A. pseudopunctipennis species were colected, and it is worth mentioning that no A. albimanus were found. Parity index exceeded 60% for both species, and it reached its maximum value in San Carlos. Anthropophilia was a variable that was confounded by the presence of animal refuges near human houses, and maximum hematophagic activity was between 22.00 and 24.00 for both species. In both areas studied, A. pseudopunctipennis had a higher endophilia degree, which, together with its parity index, increased its importance for transmission. Preferred resting places for mosquitoes within households were walls and ceilings, and in the peridomiciliary areas were walls and animal refuges. Conclusion: The study allowed us to know the behavior of the main malaria vector in Chao valley, and it is necessary to propose new research with the objective of designing instruments for selecting best vector control measures or malaria prevention in this area.
DEFORMATION IN THE SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL FROM GPS MEASUREMENTS 1987-1991

An analysis of GPS data over the period 1987-91 confirms geologic and seismic evidence that the Santa Barbara Channel is a complicated actively deforming region. The data indicate north-south compression in the eastern channel, with little deformation in the west. Rotation may also be an important deformation mechanism. An analysis of strain rate variation over periods of 4.5, 17, and 100 yr suggests that deformation is nonuniform.
Utilization of sweet potatoes in controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS)

A number of studies have selected the sweet potato as a potentially important crop for CELSS. Most hydroponic studies of sweet potatoes have been short term (<80 days). Full term (90 to 150 days) studies of sweet potatoes in hydroponic systems were needed to understand the physiology of storage root enlargement and to evaluate sweet potato production potential for CELSS. Early and late maturing sweet potato varieties were crown in hydroponic systems of different types--static with periodic replacement, flowing with and without recirculation, aggregate, and non-aggregate. In a flowing system with recirculation designed at Tuskegee University using the nutrient film technique (NFT), storage root yields as high as 1790 g were produced with an edible growth rate of up to 66 g m-2 d-1 and a harvest index as high as 89% under greenhouse conditions. Preliminary experiments indicated high yields can be obtained in controlled environmental chambers. Significant cultivar differences were found in all systems studied. Nutritive composition of storage roots and foliage were similar to field-grown plants. The results indicate great potential for sweet potato in CELSS.
Regression sampling in statistical auditing: a practical survey and evaluation

Several confidence intervals for the regression estimator are surveyed. A Monte Carlo experiment, based on the NETER and LOEBBECKE (1975) populations, gives estimated coverages and lengths of the different confidence intervals. One interval is exact under the assumption of multivariate normal distributions; it gives longer intervals (hence better coverages) than the interval based on a popular variance estimator. An interval due to ROBERTS (1970) is much too long. Jackknifing gives robust intervals. Rules of thumb for practitioners are given.
Expression of smooth muscle actin in connective tissue cells participating in fracture healing in a murine model

The role of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-expressing fibroblasts in the contraction of skin wounds has been known for three decades. Recent studies have demonstrated that osteoblasts can also express the gene for this contractile muscle actin isoform and can contract a collagen-glycosaminoglycan analog of extracellular matrix in vitro. These findings provided rationale for the hypothesis that SMA-expressing cells contribute to fracture healing by drawing the bone ends together. To begin to test this hypothesis, immunohistochemistry was employed to evaluate the distribution of connective tissue cells expressing SMA in a mouse model of successful fracture healing. The results demonstrated that the majority of the cells comprising the mesenchymal tissue interposed between the fracture ends contained SMA after 7 and 21 days, supporting the working hypothesis. Most of the osteoblasts lining the surfaces of newly forming bone and the chondrocytes comprising the cartilaginous callus also expressed this contractile actin isoform. The maximal SMA expression extended from 7 to 21 days postfracture. The finding of high levels of SMA expression in connective tissue cells participating in fracture healing suggests that SMA-enabled contraction may be playing a role in the healing process. These results warrant further study of the specific SMA-dependent cell behavior.