cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Form and pattern in ciliated protozoa: analysis of a genic mutant with altered cell shape in Tetrahymena pyriformis, Syngen 1.

A single cell isolated from the sexual progeny of mutagenized parents gave rise to a clone of cells with an abnormal, conical shape. Breeding analysis revealed that this shape results from the action of a single recessive gene, co (conical). Homozygous mutant cells are shorter and wider than wild type cells, and have their widest point at a more posterior position. Nonetheless, cortical parameters such as number of ciliary rows, number of ciliary units within these rows, and positions of contractile vacuole pores remain essentially unchanged in conical cells, suggesting a considerable degree of mutual independence of pattern and form. Shape changes prior to cell division bring about some convergence in form of dividing conical and wild type cells. However, in conical cells the new oral apparatus and fission line form well posterior to the cell equator, so the opisthes are invariably smaller than proters. Macronuclei nonetheless undergo constriction at the normal central location, and the characteristic inequality in the DNA content of the two macronuclear division products is not increased by the conical condition. Generation times are, on the average, nearly the same in the two wild type daughter cells and in conical proters, while the small conical opisthes have generation times averaging one-third longer. This prolongation explains why population doubling times are always somewhat longer in cultures of conical cells than in parallel cultures of wild type cells. The unusually long generation times of conical opisthes allows for the compensation of initial size differences. Observations on shape changes in conjugating cells of various genotypic combinations suggest that the wild type gene product is not freely exchangeable across the conjugation bridge. The implications of the conical phenotype for problems of cellular patterning and positioning of organelle systems are considered in the DISCUSSION.
Interband scattering in a slow light photonic crystal waveguide under electro-optic tuning

Spectral evolution of a photonic crystal waveguide under electro-optic tuning revealed interband scattering signature from the TM-like mode to the odd TE-like mode in active devices. The impact on novel optical isolators is discussed.
A REGIOSELECTIVE RETRO-ALKYNYLATION PROCESS: PART OF AN EFFICIENT ROUTE FOR THE CONVERSION OF β-IONONE TO CANTHAXANTHIN AND OTHER OXYGENATED CAROTENOIDS[1]

β-Ionone (1) has been converted to oxygenated carotenoid synthon 3 in three straightforward chemical operations, the key step of which involved the base-catalyzed regioselective retro-alkynylation of diyne-diol 4.
Biomarkers and Risk Models in Cardiac Surgery

Early risk models in cardiac surgery focused exclusively on coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG), using preprocedural variables to estimate the likelihood of in-hospital or 30-day mortality. These models were initially developed to assess provider performance, but they have subsequently been used for patient counseling, shared decision-making, and a variety of other applications. For provider profiling, the expected outcomes for all patients of a given hospital or surgeon, estimated from regional or national benchmarks, are aggregated to calculate the expected outcomes for their overall practice. These expected rates are compared with the observed outcomes to calculate standardized mortality ratios or rates. Article see p 948 Cardiothoracic risk models have evolved to include procedures other than isolated CABG and outcomes other than postoperative death, such as complications (eg, reoperation, renal failure, stroke), readmissions, reinterventions, functional recovery (patient reported outcomes), costs, and long-term survival. These risk models may be helpful in identifying patients at higher than average risk of early and late adverse postoperative outcomes, some of which may be potentially prevented or at least mitigated with treatment modifications and enhanced follow-up. These might include more extensive evaluation before discharge, postdischarge phone calls or home visits by a nurse or PA, frequent communication between the patient’s primary care physician and the hospital team, and early postoperative follow-up appointments. As the science of cardiothoracic surgery has evolved, risk models have kept pace, refining clinical predictor variables or adding new ones, allowing increasingly accurate risk estimation. For example, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (STS ACSD) added both a qualitative variable for the presence of liver disease and a quantitative measure of liver dysfunction, the MELD score, in its version 2.73 update. A frailty score was also added, which substantially increases estimated risk when abnormal.1 An even more recent trend …
Handgrip Strength and Mortality in Older Mexican Americans

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between handgrip strength and mortality in older Mexican American men and women. DESIGN: A 5-year prospective cohort study. SETTING: Five southwestern states: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and California. PARTICIPANTS: A population-based sample of 2,488 noninstitutionalized Mexican-American men and women aged 65 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Maximal handgrip strength, timed walk, and body mass index were assessed at baseline during 1993/94. Self-reports of functional disability, various medical conditions, and status at follow-up were obtained. RESULTS: Of the baseline sample with complete data, 507 persons were confirmed deceased 5 years later. Average handgrip strength ± standard deviation was significantly higher in men (28.4 kg ± 9.5) than in women (18.2 kg ± 6.5). Of men who had a handgrip strength less than 22.01 kg and women who had a handgrip strength less than 14 kg, 38.2% and 41.5%, respectively, were dead 5 years later. In men in the lowest handgrip strength quartile, the hazard ratio of death was 2.10 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.31–3.38) compared with those in the highest handgrip strength quartile, after controlling for sociodemographic variables, functional disability, timed walk, medical conditions, body mass index, and smoking status at baseline. In women in the lowest handgrip strength quartile, the hazard ratio of death was 1.76 (95% CI = 1.05–2.93) compared with those in the highest handgrip strength quartile. Poorer performance in the timed walk and the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cancer were also significant predictors of mortality 5 years later. CONCLUSION: Handgrip strength is a strong predictor of mortality in older Mexican Americans, after controlling for relevant risk factors.
Evolutionary history of Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera): the molecular phylogeny of a diverse family of flies.

Abstract Stratiomyidae is a cosmopolitan family of Brachycera (Diptera) that contains over 2800 species. This study focused on the relationships of members of the subfamily Clitellariinae, which has had a complicated taxonomic history. To investigate the monophyly of the Clitellariinae, the relationships of its genera, and the ages of Stratiomyidae lineages, representatives for all 12 subfamilies of Stratiomyidae, totaling 68 taxa, were included in a phylogenetic reconstruction. A Xylomyidae representative, Solva sp., was used as an outgroup. Sequences of EF-1α and 28S rRNA genes were analyzed under maximum parsimony with bootstrapping, and Bayesian methods to recover the best estimate of phylogeny. A chronogram with estimated dates for all nodes in the phylogeny was generated with the program, r8s, and divergence dates and confidence intervals were further explored with the program, multidivtime. All subfamilies of Stratiomyidae with more than one representative were found to be monophyletic, except for Stratiomyinae and Clitellariinae. Clitellariinae were distributed among five separate clades in the phylogeny, and Raphiocerinae were nested within Stratiomyinae. Dating analysis suggested an early Cretaceous origin for the common ancestor of extant Stratiomyidae, and a radiation of several major Stratiomyidae lineages in the Late Cretaceous.
Dynamic heterodimer-functionalized surfaces for endothelial cell adhesion

Abstract The functionalization of hydrogels for receptor-mediated cell adhesion is one approach for targeted cell and tissue engineering applications. In this study, polyacrylamide gel surfaces were functionalized with specific cell adhesion ligands via the self-assembly of a peptide-based heterodimer. The system was comprised of a cysteine-terminated monomer, A (MW ∼ 5400), grafted to the polyacrylamide gels and a complementary ligand presenting monomer, BX (MW ∼ 5800) that was designed to heterodimerize with A. Two ligand presenting monomers were synthesized: one presenting the RGDS ligand, BD, for receptor-mediated cell adhesion, and the other, a control monomer presenting the nonadhesive RGES ligand, BE. Assembly of the peptide pair A–BX by association of the monomers into a coiled coil was verified by circular dichroism in solution. Binding studies were conducted to determine the dissociation constant of the pair A–BX, which was found to be K D ∼ 1 0 - 8 m . Polyacrylamide gels functionalized with A–BX heterodimers were evaluated for cell adhesion using bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). Endothelial cells cultured on the A–BD functionalized surfaces demonstrated typical cell morphologies and expected spreading behavior as a function of the density of RGDS ligand, calculated as the amount of BD associated with grafted A on the surface of the gels. In contrast, A–BE linked surfaces supported no cell adhesion. The adhesion of the substrate was dynamically altered through the reassembly of A–BX dimers as BD molecules in the solution replaced BE molecules at the substrate. The molecular constructs described here demonstrate the potential to design a broad family of switchable peptides that impart the dynamic control of biofunctionality at an interface, which would be useful for precise manipulation of cell physiology.
Retrieval-based illusory recollections: why study-test contextual changes impair source memory.

Illusory source recollections can be manufactured purely by the conditions at retrieval. At encoding, individuals listened to words spoken by a male or a female voice and later, at retrieval, determined who initially had spoken the test word or whether it was a new word. In Experiment 1, individuals were instructed during the memory test to make a response ofmale orfemale only if they clearly recollected the speaker presenting the item during encoding and to responddon’t remember otherwise. Presenting test words with the same voice (match condition) as the one that had presented the word at encoding, a different voice (mismatch condition), or no test voice had no effect on the rate of respondingdon’t remember. Instead, matching and mismatching test voices created illusory recollections that were consistent with the test voice. Experiment 2 yielded similar results with a remember/know source test. In this article, a theory is proposed that explains the illusory recollection effects, and a multinomial model and procedure are used to separate and measure the contributions of source discrimination and illusory recollections to performance.
Two Origins for the Gene Encoding α-Isopropylmalate Synthase in Fungi

Background: The biosynthesis of leucine is a biochemical pathway common to prokaryotes, plants and fungi, but absent from humans and animals. The pathway is a proposed target for antimicrobial therapy. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we identified the leuA gene encoding a-isopropylmalate synthase in the zygomycete fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus using a genetic mapping approach with crosses between wild type and leucine auxotrophic strains. To confirm the function of the gene, Phycomyces leuA was used to complement the auxotrophic phenotype exhibited by mutation of the leu3 + gene of the ascomycete fungus Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the leuA gene in Phycomyces, other zygomycetes, and the chytrids is more closely related to homologs in plants and photosynthetic bacteria than ascomycetes or basidiomycetes, and suggests that the Dikarya have acquired the gene more recently. Conclusions/Significance: The identification of leuA in Phycomyces adds to the growing body of evidence that some primary metabolic pathways or parts of them have arisen multiple times during the evolution of fungi, probably through horizontal gene transfer events.
Moral psychology is relationship regulation: Moral motives for unity, hierarchy, equality, and proportionality

Genuine moral disagreement exists and is widespread. To understand such disagreement, we must examine the basic kinds of social relationships people construct across cultures and the distinct moral obligations and prohibitions these relationships entail. We extend relational models theory (Fiske, 1991) to identify 4 fundamental and distinct moral motives. Unity is the motive to care for and support the integrity of in-groups by avoiding or eliminating threats of contamination and providing aid and protection based on need or empathic compassion. Hierarchy is the motive to respect rank in social groups where superiors are entitled to deference and respect but must also lead, guide, direct, and protect subordinates. Equality is the motive for balanced, in-kind reciprocity, equal treatment, equal say, and equal opportunity. Proportionality is the motive for rewards and punishments to be proportionate to merit, benefits to be calibrated to contributions, and judgments to be based on a utilitarian calculus of costs and benefits. The 4 moral motives are universal, but cultures, ideologies, and individuals differ in where they activate these motives and how they implement them. Unlike existing theories (Haidt, 2007; Hauser, 2006; Turiel, 1983), relationship regulation theory predicts that any action, including violence, unequal treatment, and "impure" acts, may be perceived as morally correct depending on the moral motive employed and how the relevant social relationship is construed. This approach facilitates clearer understanding of moral perspectives we disagree with and provides a template for how to influence moral motives and practices in the world.
Toward Deciphering the Khipu

Gary Urton argues that the khipu employed a seven-bit system of binary coding based upon seven inherently binary characteristics. In most cases, he provides little if any ethnographic or historical evidence for the significance of individual binary features, and his justification for the larger binary code as following from Andean concepts of dualism is theoretically unfounded. Furthermore, the theory of binary coding suffers from numerous logical inconsistencies and contradictions.
Two-Dimensional Tomography from Noisy Projections Taken at Unknown Random Directions.

Computerized tomography is a standard method for obtaining internal structure of objects from their projection images. While CT reconstruction requires the knowledge of the imaging directions, there are some situations in which the imaging directions are unknown, for example, when imaging a moving object. It is therefore desirable to design a reconstruction method from projection images taken at unknown directions. Another difficulty arises from the fact that the projections are often contaminated by noise, practically limiting all current methods, including the recently proposed diffusion map approach. In this paper, we introduce two denoising steps that allow reconstructions at much lower signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) when combined with the diffusion map framework. In the first denoising step we use principal component analysis (PCA) together with classical Wiener filtering to derive an asymptotically optimal linear filter. In the second step, we denoise the graph of similarities between the filtered projections using a network analysis measure such as the Jaccard index. Using this combination of PCA, Wiener filtering, graph denoising, and diffusion maps, we are able to reconstruct the two-dimensional (2-D) Shepp–Logan phantom from simulative noisy projections at SNRs well below their currently reported threshold values. We also report the results of a numerical experiment corresponding to an abdominal CT. Although the focus of this paper is the 2-D CT reconstruction problem, we believe that the combination of PCA, Wiener filtering, graph denoising, and diffusion maps is potentially useful in other signal processing and image analysis applications.
Dual electrode liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection (LCEC) for platinum-derived cancer chemotherapy agents

Abstract Trace methods of analysis and speciation have now been developed for a number of platinum derived anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents, drugs such as: cis-dichloro diammine platinum (CDDP), cis-diammine-1,1-cyclobutane dicarboxylate platinum (CBDCA), and cis-dichloro-trans-dihydroxy diisopropylamine platinum (CHIP). It is possible to utilize parallel dual electrode operations for all three of these Pt derivatives, with overall improved analyte specificity and identification. At the same time, these approaches provide calibration plots of detector sensitivity as a function of the particular working electrode potentials in use via dual electrode LCEC. These response ratios as a function of the applied potentials then become quite unique for individual Pt compounds. By suitably selecting the operating electrode potentials in parallel operation, it is possible to alter the detectability of individual Pt analytes and to drastically vary the resultant LCEC chromatograms. The overall analyte selectivity ...
The Chemistry Of MDF Cements Produced From Polyacrylamide-Cement-Water Pastes

It is becoming more generally accepted that the role of the polymers in these MDF (macro-defect-free) cement systems is more complex than simply acting as a processing aid or a filler. The polymer interacts in some way with the cations released from the cement to form a metal cross-linked polymer gel. Studies on complex formation in polymer gels have shown that there is often an unusual specificity in the ions, resulting in the highest degree of complexation. In addition, gel formation often occurs only within a narrow pH regime. Hence, the results shown here will attempt to examine the effects of altering the cement chemistry on strength development in calcium silicate-based systems.
Effect of Amount and Source of Dietary Nitrogen on Milk Fat Depression in Early Lactation Dairy Cows

Abstract Twenty-four multiparous and 15 primiparous Holstein cows were fed a total mixed corn silage diet with one of three dietary treatments: 1) 14% crude protein, 2) 22% crude protein (all preformed), or 3) 22% crude protein (preformed plus nonprotein N). Eight multiparous and 5 primiparous cows were randomly assigned to each treatment at calving. The diet contained 23% ADF during wk 1 to 4 postpartum and was lowered to 11% ADF for wk 5 to 12 postpartum. Treatment had no effect on the magnitude of depression in milk fat percentage or milk fat yield in multiparous cows. After fiber was lowered, changes in rumen acetate to propionate ratio, blood glucose, free fatty acids, and insulin were not influenced by treatment. Depression in milk fat percentage for primiparous cows was 19.7, 9.2, and 14.9% for low protein, high protein, and high protein with nonprotein N, respectively. When changed from high fiber to low fiber, the primiparous cows increased milk fat yield 9% for high preformed protein treatment but decreased fat yield for other treatments. Depression in acetate to propionate ratio and increase in blood glucose was least for the high preformed protein group.
Myocardial “protective effect” of 5-OH tryptamine during tryptophan deficiency

Abstract It was noted in previous experiments dealing with the pathogenesis of the heart lesions of the carcinoid syndrome that mortality and the incidence of myocardial lesions in tryptophan deficient guinea pigs were significantly lessened when such animals received simultaneous intraperitoneal injections of 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT). The “protective effect” was limited, however, to the changes in the myocardium in which 5-HT prevented the development of myofibrillar degeneration, necrosis and mononuclear and fibroblastic reactions, changes which are usually seen in the myocardium of guinea pigs on a tryptophan deficient diet. Injections of 5-HT had no influence on the endocardial alterations in these animals. The experiments to be reported were undertaken to investigate, with histochemical and biochemical methods, the changes in the myocardium of guinea pigs on a tryptophan deficient diet prior to histologically recognizable alterations. Attempts were made to compare these findings with those of guinea pigs on a normal diet (several of which had also received injections of 5-HT).
Multivariable feedback design: Concepts for a classical/modern synthesis

This paper presents a practical design perspective on multivariable feedback control problems. It reviews the basic issue-feedback design in the face of uncertainties-and generalizes known single-input, single-output (SISO) statements and constraints of the design problem to multiinput, multioutput (MIMO) cases. Two major MIMO design approaches are then evaluated in the context of these results.
Biosynthesis of ribonucleic acid in rat brain slices.

— The incorporation of uridine into RNA in brain slices was studied. Optimal conditions for uridine incorporation were determined. The characteristics of the product suggest that de novo DNA-directcd synthesis of fairly high molecular weight material takes place. Incorporation into RNA of several areas of brain was studied. The incorporation was also studied as a function of the age of the animal. Finally, an apparent correlation was observed between the decrease in uridine incorporation with age and the increase of the enzyme uridine nucleosidase which hydrolyses uridine to uracil, a material which cannot be incorporated into RNA.
Theoretical and experimental studies on cross-bridge migration during cell disaggregation.

A micromanipulation method is used to determine the adhesive energy density (gamma) between pairs of cytotoxic T cells (F1) and their target cells (JY: HLA-A2-B7-DR4,W6). gamma is defined as the energy per unit area that must be supplied to reduce the region of contact between a conjugated cell pair. Our analysis of the data indicates that the force applied by the micropipette on the cell is not uniformly distributed throughout the contact region as we had previously assumed (Sung, K. L. P., L. A. Sung, M. Crimmins, S. J. Burakoff, and S. Chien. 1986. Science (Wash. DC). 234: 1405–1408), but acts only at the edges of the contact region. We show that gamma is not constant during peeling but increases with decreasing contact area of the conjugated cell pairs F1-JY, F1-F1, and JY-JY in contrast to the constancy of gamma for typical engineering adhesives. This finding supports the notion that the cross-linking protein molecules slide towards the conjugated area across the leading edge of the separation while remaining attached to both cells. Our mathematical analysis shows that the elastic energy stored in the cross-links by the membrane tensions balances the diffusive forces that act against cross-bridge migration. The binding affinity between F1-JY is found to be approximately 15–20 times larger than the corresponding affinity for F1-F1. The number of binding sites of F1 for attachment to JY is approximately the same for binding F1 to another F1 and vary between 10(5) and 10(6).
89 Morphological and molecular characterisation of four nostoc species isolated from desert soils

Four unusual strains of Nostoc species from desert soils of the western United States were chosen for morphological and molecular characterization. The morphological characteristics of the desert Nostoc were compared with the species of Nostoc described in the literature. Although our strains were similar to previously described species such as N. punctiforme, N. paludosum, N. commune, N. microscopicum and N. muscorum, they did not fit any of these taxa well when all characters (including ecological preference) were used. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strains CM1-VF10, CM1-VF14, CNP-AK1 and JT2-VF2 were aligned with published Nostoc sequences from GenBank and other desert Nostoc sequenced at John Carroll University. Pseudanabaena, Cylindrospermum sp. and Anabaena spiroides from GenBank were used as outgroups. In addition, the ITS regions of all four desert taxa, a typical Nostoc commune from European temperate soils, Nostoc punctiforme PCC73102 from cycad roots were compared by examining secondary structure. The combined analysis provided compelling evidence that CM1VF10, CM1VF14, and JT2VF2 were species new to science. While CNP-AK1 (the phycobiont of the desert soil lichen, Collema tenax) had some significant discontinuities from its closest relative, N. punctiforme, we consider the evidence currently insufficient to separate these two strains. The purported phycobiont of this lichen is N. commune, and we have demonstrated that this is incorrect. One of the desert strains (JT2-VF2) likely represents a new genus. Morphological autapomorphies, distinctive SSU rRNA gene sequence, and differences in secondary structure of the 16S-23S ITS provide congruent evidence for this conclusion.
Reversed Creep Deformation Behavior of Metals

It is shown that the creep deformation resistance of a variety of metals is reduced by repeated reversed deformation at temperatures above 0.4 Tm, where Tm is the absolute melting temperature of each metal. The reduction of creep deformation resistance due to stress reversals is most prominent at approximately 0.5 Tm where the average creep rate may increase by as much as a factor of twenty due to 50-100 stress reversals. Metallographic studies show that the observed acceleration of creep at high temperatures is in part due to the enhancement of grain boundary sliding as a result of gradual grain boundary migration toward planes of maximum shear stress during reversed creep deformation.
Repeated Bursts Puzzle Astronomers

Last week, a U.S.-Russian team announced that four space-based detectors have picked up what might be a vital clue in one of the biggest mysteries of modern astronomy. The detectors picked up signals of four gamma-ray bursts from the same patch of sky in the space of 2 days. This is the first time that gamma-ray bursts, whose origin is still a mystery, have been seen to repeat.
Native electrospray mass spectrometry reveals the nature and stoichiometry of pigments in the FMO photosynthetic antenna protein.

The nature and stoichiometry of pigments in the Fenna−Matthews−Olson (FMO) photosynthetic antenna protein complex were determined by native electrospray mass spectrometry. The FMO antenna complex was the first chlorophyll-containing protein that was crystallized. Previous results indicate that the FMO protein forms a trimer with seven bacteriochlorophyll a in each monomer. This model has long been a working basis to understand the molecular mechanism of energy transfer through pigment/pigment and pigment/protein coupling. Recent results have suggested, however, that an eighth bacteriochlorophyll is present in some subunits. In this report, a direct mass spectrometry measurement of the molecular weight of the intact FMO protein complex clearly indicates the existence of an eighth pigment, which is assigned as a bacteriochlorophyll a by mass analysis of the complex and HPLC analysis of the pigment. The eighth pigment is found to be easily lost during purification, which results in its partial occupancy in t...
Sublimation studies of plutonium trifluoride

The enthalpy of sublimation for the reaction PuF3(s) → PuF3(g) over the range 1127 to 1280 K was measured to be 413.8 ± 16.4 kJ/mol for the PuF2+PuF3 ion intensity and 412.0 ± 35.7 kJ/mol for the PuF3+PuF3 ion intensity. Combining this data with the measurements of other investigators gives ΔHso(298 K) = 429.5 ± 4.7 kJ/mol for the enthalpy of sublimation of PuF3(s).
Pigment gene expression in protan color vision defects

We screened 150 male eye donors and identified four who did not have or express L pigment genes, consistent with each of them having a congenital protan color vision defect. One donor was identified as a protanope because he had and expressed a single X-chromosome photopigment gene that encoded an M pigment. Three were categorized as protanomalous because each expressed significant levels of genes specifying two spectrally different M pigments. The first gene in each of the protanomalous arrays was expressed the most and encoded an M pigment that differed in amino acid sequence from M pigments in color normal men.
Monitor unit calculations for range-modulated spread-out Bragg peak fields

We derive, from first principles, a model to predict the output factors for spread-out Bragg peak proton fields (SOBP). The model is based on the simple observation that the output factor is the ratio of SOBP plateau dose to the dose measured in the ionization reference chamber. The latter, in turn, equates to the entrance dose of the SOBP corrected for inverse square. We use a theoretical derivation of this ratio to establish the relationship between the output factor and the distal range and modulation width of the SOBP. In addition, the theoretical derivation reduces the dependence on the distal range and modulation width into a single factor r = (R - M)/M. We compare the theoretical derivation against measurements obtained at the Northeast Proton Therapy Facility for output factors for clinical fields. The agreement between measurements and prediction is 2.9%.
Living and dying in the U.S.A.: sociodemographic determinants of death among blacks and whites.

This paper examines the demographic and social factors associated with differences in length of life by race. The results demonstrate that sociodemographic factors—age, sex, marital status, family size, and income—profoundly affect black and white mortality. Indeed, the racial gap in overall mortality could close completely with increased standards of living and improved lifestyles. Moreover, examining cause-specific mortality while adjusting for social factors shows that compared to whites, blacks have a lower mortality risk from respiratory diseases, accidents. and suicide; the same risk from circulatory diseases and cancer; and higher risks from infectious diseases, homicide, and diabetes. These results underscore the importance of examining social characteristics to understand more clearly the race differences in overall and cause-specific mortality.
G-protein alpha and beta–gamma subunits interact with conformationally distinct signaling states of rhodopsin

Abstract Light activated rhodopsin interacts with domains on all three subunits of transducin. Two of these domains, the C-terminal regions of the alpha and gamma subunits mimic the ability of transducin to stabilize the active conformation of rhodopsin, metarhodopsin II, but display different roles in transducin activation process. Whether the interactions are with the same or different complimentary sites on Meta II is unknown. We have used chemo-selective thioalkylation of rhodopsin and UV/visible spectroscopy to show that interactions with transducin C-terminal domains can be selectively disrupted. These data provide evidence that formal structural determinants on Meta II for these domains of transducin are different. In a set of complimentary experiments we examined the reactivity of Meta II species produced in the presence of the Gtα and Gtγ subunit peptides to hydroxylamine. Analysis of the rates of Meta II decay confirms that the conformational states of Meta II when bound to Gtα and Gtβγ represent distinct signaling states of rhodopsin.
Deformability of density separated red blood cells in normal newborn infants and adults.

The deformability of neonatal and adult red blood cells (RBC) was studied using both unseparated and density (i.e., age) fractionated RBC. Blood samples were obtained from 10 normal newborn infants (placental blood) and 10 adults. Deformability was measured by direct microscopic observation of RBC subjected to shear stresses of 2.5-500 dynes/cm2 using a counter-rotating Rheoscope. There was no significant difference in deformability between unseparated neonatal and adult RBC at any shear stress. The 3% least dense ("youngest") RBC showed significantly decreased hemoglobin concentrations (MCHC), increased volumes (MCV) and elevated deformability at any shear stress when compared to the 3% most dense ("oldest") cells, with the values for the unseparated RBC lying between these two extremes. The least dense neonatal RBC had a significantly lower MCHC and higher deformability than the least dense adult cells; however, the most dense neonatal RBC had lost more volume than the adult cells (33 versus 17%), had a higher MCHC, and were less deformable than the most dense adult cells. This indicates that the accelerated decrease in deformability of aging neonatal RBC is related to the more pronounced increase in MCHC, which is the principal determinant of the internal viscosity of the RBC.
Airborne FLIR Sensors for Runway Incursion Detection

Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensors are potential components in hazard monitoring systems for general aviation aircraft. FLIR sensors can provide images of the runway area when normal visibility is reduced by meteorological conditions. We are investigating short wave infrared (SWIR) and long wave infrared (LWIR) cameras. Pre-recorded video taken from an aircraft on approach to landing provides raw data for our analysis. This video includes approaches under four conditions: clear morning, cloudy afternoon, clear evening, and clear night. We used automatic object detection techniques to quantify the ability of these sensors to alert the pilot to potential runway hazards. Our analysis is divided into three stages: locating the airport, tracking the runway, and detecting vehicle sized objects. The success or failure of locating the runway provides information on the ability of the sensors to provide situational awareness. Tracking the runway position from frame to frame provides information on the visibility of runway features, such as landing lights or runway edges, in the scene. Detecting small objects quantifies clutter and provides information on the ability of these sensors to image potential hazards. In this paper, we present results from our analysis of sample approach video.
Transients and asymptotics in granular phase space

The dynamics of dissipative dynamical systems can be described by the sequential appearance of two different regimes. From a given initial condition, one first observes transient behavior characterized by a high degree of contraction of volumes in phase space. This is followed by an asymptotic regime with one or several attractors into which trajectories inject after long times. There is however, no sharp crossover between these two regimes and the identification of either one depends on the precision of measurement. In order to investigate these issues, we studied the dynamics of contracting integer maps. We found out that for the cases which in the continuum limit correspond to bifurcations, transients consists of two regimes sharply separated by a crossover point which displays universal scaling with the size of the set. Moreover, their average lengths display power law dependence on the accuracy of their measurement. This behavior persists away from bifurcation but with a different scaling law. In addition, we studied deterministic diffusion on finite sets and obtained analytic expressions for the mean square displacement in the long time limit.
TU‐G‐217A‐01: Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE‐MRI) for High‐Resolution Lung Perfusion Evaluation in Pulmonary Neoplasms Prior to Radiotherapy

Purpose: To propose using Dynamic Contrast Enhanced‐ MRI (DCE‐MRI) for a high‐resolution, pre‐treatment evaluation of lung perfusion in patients with lungcancer who will receive radiation therapy. The second goal is to benchmark the performance of DCE‐MRI against the gold standard: scintigraphy perfusion‐scan. Methods: DCE‐MRI and scintigraphy V/Q scans were acquired for 4 lungcancer patients prior to radiation therapy. DCE‐MRI relies on a single bolus injection of a paramagneticcontrast agent (Gd‐DTPA) that produces a transient signal enhancement on a T1 sensitive imagingsequence. By mapping the signal changes into contrast agent concentration curves, one can use techniques developed for indicator dilution to calculate perfusion estimates of pulmonary blood flow (PBF), blood volume, and mean transit time. The images were corrected for volumetric changes induced by respiratory motion using a non‐rigid registration technique. 3D masks of the right and left lung fields were manually contoured on the initial MRI volume using MATLAB and applied to the PBF maps. These maps were subsequently collapsed in the A‐P‐ dimension to create coronal 2D projections consistent with the scintigraphy V/Q images. Left and right lung fields were divided into 3 sections of equal height, and signal intensity computation was carried out analogous to the analyses performed on scintigraphy scans. Kendall's tau rank correlation coefficients were used to compare lung perfusion estimated using DCE‐MRI to the perfusion portion of the V/Q studies. Results: The non‐parametric Kendall's tau correlation coefficient ranged between 0.93–0.96 for PBF and scintigraphy perfusion. There is a 2X improvement in spatial resolution when compared to SPECT‐perfusion. Conclusions: There was a strong correlation between the DCE‐MRI and scintigraphy V/Q estimates of perfusion with statistically significant rank correlations. These results indicate that DCE‐MRI is a viable high‐resolution imaging modality for the evaluation of pre‐treatment lung perfusion in patients with lungcancer.
Linking environmental management to health outcomes: a case study of the emerald ash borer

Research has linked the environment to improved health outcomes; however, environmental policy continues to ignore this connection. This is particularly important with invasive species, such as the emerald ash borer (EAB), that are destroying ash trees throughout North America. This oversight has potential impacts in terms of increased mortality rates due to a loss of ash trees. To address this issue, we use a health production function to map heterogeneous environmental amenities to changes in health. We find that inclusive of health impacts, management of the EAB is qualitatively different than current practices and varies according to spatial distributions of wealth. This model has policy implications for the optimal management of environmental amenities where a link between nature and health exists.
Responsible Engineering: 'Gilbane Gold' Revisited

This paper addresses several concerns in teaching engineering ethics. First, there is the problem of finding space within already crowded engineering curricula for meaningful discussions of ethical dimensions in engineering. Some engineering programs may offer entire courses on engineering ethics; however, most do not at present and may not in the foreseeable future. A promising possibility is to weave ethics into already existing courses using case studies, but most current case studies are not well integrated with engineering technical analysis. There is a danger that case studies will be viewed by both instructors and students as departures from “business as usual”—interesting perhaps, but not essentially connected with “real” engineering. We offer a case study, inspired by the National Society of Professional Engineer’s popular video Gilbane Gold, that can be used to make the connection. It requires students to engage in technical analysis, but in a context that makes apparent the ethical responsibility of engineers. Further, the case we present marks a significant departure from more typical cases that primarily focus on wrongdoing and its prevention. We concentrate more positively on what responsible engineering requires. There is a need for more such cases, regardless of whether they are to be used in standard engineering courses or in separate courses in engineering ethics.
Non-linear heat generation and stability of the temperature distribution in conducting solids

Abstract The effect of non-linear dependence of resistance on temperature on the Joulean production of heat in electrically conducting systems is investigated. The theory is compared with well-known linear theories. In common conducting materials there exists a critical current beyond which steady solutions are unavailable. Unlike the linear theory the critical current does not imply unbounded temperatures. The linear theory always overestimates the critical current. In the non-linear theory the solutions for currents below critical are not unique. The various branches of the non-unique solutions are not all stable. A neutral solution and neighboring unstable solutions to the associated stability problem exist when the current is at the critical value.
William Wilton Douglas. 15 August 1922 – 2 July 1998

Professor William Wilton Douglas was an outstanding scientist, known particularly for his seminal work on elucidating the mechanisms underlying secretion within the endocrine system. In 1967 he became the first recipient of the John Gaddum Memorial Award from the British Pharmacological Society. The second such award was given in 1968 to J.R. (later Sir John) Vane (F.R.S. 1974) who, at the time of a memorial celebration of Douglas's life in 1998, remarked that: ‘We had a running joke about him being number one and me number two’. In 1975 Douglas received the Harry van Dyke Memorial Award from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. In 1983 he was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society. In honouring him, the Society specifically cited his seminal contributions to our knowledge of the physiology and pharmacology of the endocrine systems. He was a man of great insight and splendid humour and will be missed by all who knew him.
How PEDF prevents angiogenesis: a hypothesized pathway

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a multiple functional protein, coded by the serine proteinase inhibitor, clade F, member 1 (SERPINF1) gene, which has both anti-angiogenic activity and neurotrophic activity at the same time. Its antiangiogenic activity in the mammalian eye is the most potent known at this time. However, the mechanism(s) by which PEDF works in vivo is still uncertain. Some observations suggest that PEDF can simultaneously inhibit the migration and proliferation induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and then further inhibits angiogenesis by interacting with specific cell surface receptors, but no such receptor has been reported to date. Here we propose a hypothesis that PEDF exerts its function by binding with intergrins. Intergrin can therefore serve as the receptor of PEDF.
When Do Securitized Reverse MortgagesBecome Liabilities

Reverse mortgages expose investors to the uncertain lifetimes of the borrowers. If a borrower lives longer than originally expected, the value of the reverse mortgage will have more time to approach and eventually surpass the value of the mortgaged property. A reverse mortgage is designed to negatively amortize; the mortgage value grows as interest accrues. Additionally, the home value may rise and fall over time. The time after mortgage origination at which the value of the reverse mortgage loan and the value of the mortgaged property are equal is called the cross-over point. In this article, the authors compute this time t*, relative to changes in rate of interest on the mortgage, inflation, and the value of the amount owed relative to the property value. They map the cross-over times with respect to these variables. Their conclusions offer important insights to those responsible for managing portfolios of reverse mortgages and risks derived from these mortgages.
Medical, reproductive and psychosocial experiences of women diagnosed with von Willebrand's disease receiving care in haemophilia treatment centres: a case-control study.

Summary. Objective: To assess the medical, gynaecological and reproductive experiences of women with von Willebrand's disease (VWD) and to evaluate the impact of VWD on mental health and life activities. Methods: A total of 102 women with VWD who were registered in haemophilia treatment Centres (HTCs) in the United States and 88 controls were interviewed regarding medical, gynaecological and reproductive history, life activities and symptoms of depression. Symptoms of depression were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results: Excessive bleeding symptoms were reported in 74% of VWD cases compared with 6% of controls. Women with VWD had a higher prevalence of menorrhagia, excessive postpartum bleeding, other gynaecological conditions, arthritis and migraine headaches than did controls. More VWD cases than controls reported that menstruation had a negative impact on overall life activities. No difference in the prevalence of depression was found between cases and controls. Discussion: Women with VWD experience menorrhagia and other gynaecological conditions at a higher frequency than women without bleeding disorders. Menstruation in women with VWD has a negative impact on life activities. The prevalence of depression was not elevated in this group of women whose VWD is being managed in an HTC.
Treatment-resistant chronic mental illness : is it Asperger's syndrome ?

In some cases of treatment-resistant chronic mental illness, it may be useful to reconsider the primary diagnosis. Patients with Asperger's syndrome, a rare pervasive developmental disorder, have characteristics such as eccentricities, emotional lability, anxiety, poor social functioning, repetitive behavior, and fixed habits that can mimic symptoms of other illnesses, including schizophrenia spectrum illness, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Their disorganizing anxiety in response to stress, which may be accompanied by increased oddness of speech, can easily be misinterpreted as psychosis. The author describes features of Asperger's syndrome, discusses differential diagnosis, and presents care examples. A habilitative treatment plan that concentrates on modifying the patient's eccentricities into strengths and carefully tailors the work and living situation may be effective with some patients.
Towards a Cardiology/EHR Interaction Workflow Usability Evaluation Method

Understanding physician cognitive workflow while using Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and how the user interface interaction can support cognitive workflow is essential to premium patient care. One way to further understand the relationship between physician cognitive workflow and the user interface is through usability evaluations. The purpose of this paper is to present, test and analyze a usability evaluation method that is robust and yet flexible enough to understand the complexity and needs of a physicians' cognitive workflow when using an EHR system. Further, our usability evaluation method was designed from the perspective of the physician, rather than an information technology perspective. Important contributions of this study are that we demonstrate a way to evaluate an EHR in the actual cardiac care setting and produce results that identify actionable and realistic system improvement recommendations.