cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Item analysis of the NHANES ADL instrument in a sample of patients reporting frequent severe headaches

Background and Purpose. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) activity of daily living (ADL) instrument is a 16-item questionnaire designed to represent the internal latent construct of activities of daily living. The purpose of the present study was to measure selected psychometric properties (dimensionality, internal consistency and individual item response) of the NHANES ADL instrument on a population of patients who reported frequent severe headaches. Method. The study group consisted of 672 attendees of a traditional medical appointment with a report of severe headaches. Data analyses included exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency measures and graded item response theory. Results. The NHANES ADL instrument is a uni-dimensional and internally consistent measure of activities of daily living. Graded item response theory analyses indicated that all 16 single items were sensitive measures of the latent construct of activities and daily living. Selected items demonstrated high discrimination while others demonstrated moderate discrimination among responses. Conclusion. Individual use of selected items of the NHANES ADL instrument may further improve the capacity of the healthcare provider in measuring and recording dysfunction associated with headaches. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ecocriticism, Joyce, and the politics of trees in the ‘Cyclops’ episode of Ulysses

This article explores the ecological and ideological context of a passage in which two nationalists lament Ireland's treeless state. Although Joyce satirises these professed tree-lovers and the cause of reforestation, the passage alludes to a lively, serious topic in fin de siecle discourse. While Catholic nationalists blamed the loss of the island's once-vast, oak-dominated forests on British colonialism, a history elided by unionists, they shared a belief in the economic benefits of reforestation. Like Joyce, both sides knew little of Ireland's post-Ice Age natural history and did not appreciate the cultural importance of forest ecosystems to ancient Celtic peoples. Today, the Republic's profit-based plantations of conifers enact the materialist ideology of c.1904 reforestation advocates while overlooking the environmental and cultural benefits of restoring the biodiversity of native deciduous forests.
Programming with objects

The primary question about object programming is "How is it better than traditional programming methods?" The following answers are typically given: increased productivity, more code reuse, better management of complexity, and encouragement of a healthy programming style. However these advantages may not be evident until one understands the philosophy behind an object. Furthermore, when trying to learn an object based language, the first obstacles appear to be terminology and language syntax. This is deceiving since the real obstacle is learning to think of a program in terms of objects rather than data and subroutines. The distinction is as subtle as it is powerful. The present authors present some terms and ideas about programming with objects without emphasizing any specific programming language. >
EEG feedback training of epileptic patients: Clinical and electroencephalographic analysis

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and mechanisms underlying EEG feedback training of epileptic patients, 5 adult patients with poorly controlled seizures were studied for 4--10 months during which quantitative analysis of seizures, the EEG, and serum anticonvulsant levels was conducted. Sustained seizure reduction did not occur during the first 4--5 weeks in which feedback signals were presented randomly in relation to the EEG. When feedback was then made contingent upon central 9--14 c/sec activity, seizures declined by 60% in 3 patients. Power spectral analysis showed upward shifts in EEG frequency, decreases in abnormal slow activity, and enhancement of alpha rhythm activity as a function of contingent training, but no specific EEG change was associated with seizure reduction in all patients. No evidence was obtained for the hypothesized involvement of a 'sensorimotor rhythm' or motor inhibition in the training effects. The lack of effect in two patients could not be attributed to insufficient training, lack of motivation, or to differences in seizure classification. A second phase of research showed that continued laboratory training was both sufficient and necessary for maintaining clinical and EEG effects. Results indicate that: (1) significant seizure reductions can occur with EEG feedback training which are not related to placebo effects, non-specific factors or to changes in medication; (2) EEG changes associated with such training can best be described as 'normalization'; (3) continued clinical investigation of EEG feedback training as a non-pharmacological adjunct to conventional therapy appears justified.
Seismic mitigation of structures by using viscoelastic dampers

In this paper, the characteristics of energy-absorbing capacities of the viscoelastic damper and its applications to the seismic mitigation of structures during earthquakes are studied. An innovative analytical model for the viscoelastic damper accounting for the earthquake-like and wind-like loadings and temperature effects, in good agreement with experimental results, and finite element formulations for the viscoelastic damper are presented. The applications of proposed methodology to a structure incorporating viscoelastic dampers is examined while subjected to horizontal and vertical earthquake ground motions. Numerical results show that the responses of the structure equipped with added dampers to earthquake loadings are significantly reduced. The same concept can also be applied to many types of structures for vibration reductions.
Does online editing promote trespassing

The author discusses the ethical and practical implications of online editing. He contends that the author, as owner of a document, has sole right and responsibility for any changes that are made, but that online editing transfers this authority to the editor. Suggestions are given for retaining online editing while returning authority over a document to the author.
Use of a modified food frequency questionnaire during pregnancy.

The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of the self-administered modified Willett food frequency questionnaire (mWFFQ) relative to duplicate 24-hour recall interviews as a dietary assessment tool during pregnancy. Fifty healthy pregnant women living in the upper Midwest were recruited for the study. At gestational weeks 16 and 21 (second trimester) and 30 and 35 (third trimester) the women were interviewed at home; they provided oral responses concerning their food and beverage consumption during the previous 24 hours. At weeks 21 and 35, immediately following the interviews, the women were asked to complete an optically scannable food frequency questionnaire, modified to evaluate daily food consumption during a 2-month time period (mWFFQ). Kilocalories and seven nutrients were computed from all dietary data, based on USDA Handbooks 8 and 456. Regression analyses were performed between nutrient intake from the 24-hour recall averages and the nutrient data generated by the mWFFQ, with the t...
Harpacticoid Copepods of the Genera Porcellidium and Paraidya Associated With Hermit Crabs in Madagascar and Mauritius

[Redescription de la femelle et premiere description du mâle de Porcellidium brevicaudatum Thompson & A. Scott, 1903, et description de Paraidya occulta n. sp., copepodes harpacticoides associes aux pagures du genre Dardanus (D. megistos, D. guttatus et D. lagopodes) a Madagascar et a l'Ile Maurice., Redescription de la femelle et premiere description du mâle de Porcellidium brevicaudatum Thompson & A. Scott, 1903, et description de Paraidya occulta n. sp., copepodes harpacticoides associes aux pagures du genre Dardanus (D. megistos, D. guttatus et D. lagopodes) a Madagascar et a l'Ile Maurice.]
Visceral adiposity and subclinical coronary artery disease in elderly adults: Rancho Bernardo Study.

Objective: Despite growing attention to central obesity as a predictor of clinical coronary heart disease (CHD), there are few reports about the association between directly measured visceral obesity and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in elderly adults. We examined this association in elderly, community-dwelling adults without clinically recognized CHD. Methods and Procedures: Elderly adults (190 men, BMI 27.2 ± 3.6 kg/m2; 220 women, BMI 25.8 ± 4.6) aged 55–88 years (median 69 years) with no history of CHD or coronary revascularization had an electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) to measure coronary artery calcification score (CACS), an estimate of coronary plaque burden. Visceral and subcutaneous adiposity were assessed by a triple-slice EBCT scan at the lumbar 4–5 disc level and height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences were measured. Results: In sex-specific ordinal logistic regression analyses, no measure of obesity or body fat distribution, including BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, waist girth, and visceral and subcutaneous fat by EBCT, was significantly associated with CACS before or after adjusting for multiple covariates of CACS (age, smoking, alcohol intake, exercise, pulse pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)/high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol ratio, and fasting plasma glucose). Discussion: In elderly adults without clinically recognized CHD, body weight and fat distribution do not predict coronary artery plaque burden. These results raise questions about the value of weight reduction diets for preventing heart disease in elderly survivors without clinical heart disease.
Spontaneous symmetry breaking and neutral stability in the noncanonical Hamiltonian formalism.

The noncanonical Hamiltonian formalism is based upon a generalization of the Poisson bracket, a particular form of which is possessed by continuous media fields. Associated with this generalization are special constants of motion called Casimir invariants. These are constants that can be viewed as being built into the phase space, for they are invariant for all Hamiltonians. Casimir invariants are important because when added to the Hamiltonian they yield an effective Hamiltonian that produces equilibrium states upon variation. The stability of these states can be ascertained by a second variation. Goldstone's theorem, in its usual context, determines zero eigenvalues of the mass matrix for a given vacuum state, the equilibrium with minimum energy. Here, since for fluids and plasmas the vacuum state is uninteresting, we examine symmetry breaking for general equilibria. Broken symmetries imply directions of neutral stability. Two examples are presented: the nonlinear Alfven wave of plasma physics and the Korteweg-de Vries soliton.
PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SCIENTIST: LXVI. THE IDIOT SAVANTS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE PSYCHOLOGY LABS! OR WHY IN SCIENCE USING THE REJECTION OF THE NULL HYPOTHESIS AS THE BASIS FOR AFFIRMING THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS IS UNWARRANTED

The fable of a group of idiot savants, who conduct methodologically flawless research to test senseless research hypotheses and are able to affirm some of them on the basis of the rejection of the null hypothesis, is used to dramatise the argument that the rejection of the null hypothesis, by itself, is not sufficient grounds for affirming the research hypothesis. Reasons and examples are given to argue that affirmation of a scientific hypothesis must be based primarrly on substantive evidence that is independent of an hypothesis test
Spin Accommodation and Reactivity of Aluminum Based Clusters with O2

It is shown that spin accommodation plays a determining role in the reactivity of aluminum based anion clusters with oxygen. Experimental reactivity studies on aluminum and aluminum−hydrogen clusters show variable reactivity in even electron systems and rapid etching in odd electron systems. The reactivity of even electron clusters is governed by a spin transfer to the singlet cluster through filling of the spin down antibonding orbitals on triplet oxygen. Theoretical investigations show that when the spin transfer cannot occur, the species is unreactive. When spin accommodation is possible, more subtle effects appear, such as the required spin excitation energy, which raises the total energy of the system, and the filling of the antibonding levels of the O2 molecule, which is stabilized by becoming an aluminum oxygen π bond. This explanation is consistent with observed behavior in oxygen etching reactions with a variety of clusters including AlnHm-, Aln-, AlnIm-, and AlnC-. The proposed reaction mechanis...
Nonequilibrium Chemical and Radiation Coupling, Part 11: Results for AOTV Flowfields

A flowfield model for the stagnation region of high altitude entry vehicles which includes nonequilibrium chemistry, multitemperature, viscous, conduction, diffusion, coupled nongray nonequilibrium radiative transfer for atoms, and molecules, and local thermodynamic nonequilibrium phenomena has been applied to two Aeroassisted Flight Experiment (AFE) trajectory points, a high-speed return from Mars, a series of points at 80 km for 12-16 km/s, and three altitudes at 16 km/s. Based on these results shock slip is significant, radiation cooling/coupling is minor at AFE conditions but important by 14 km/s and dominant at 16 km/s, radiation for the AFE is small but important and primarily molecular, above 12 km/s atomic radiation is a significant or dominant portion of the total heating, and local thermodynamic nonequilibrium is important and should be included in all cases. Nomenclature cfp = frozen specific heat at constant pressure, Eq. (4) cpr = specific heat at constant pressure of species r Q) = binary diffusion coefficient H = total enthalpy HREF = reference (freestream) total enthalpy h = enthalpy n = surface normal coordinate axis p = pressure
Reported maltreatment among clinic-referred children: implications for presenting problems, treatment attrition, and long-term outcomes.

ABSTRACT Objective To examine the treatment implications of a reported history of maltreatment in a sample of 343 children referred to Los Angeles area mental health clinics for emotional and behavioral problems. Method Child Protective Service records identified 161 of the 343 families as having a documented history of maltreatment. Parent reports of child behavior problems were obtained following clinic intake and at 2-year follow-up, and attrition was assessed via medical records. The authors examined the associations between a history of maltreatment and severity of child presenting problems, treatment attrition, and long-term mental health outcomes. Results Compared to other clinic-referred children, youngsters with a history of maltreatment entered treatment with more externalizing behavior problems, were more likely to exit treatment early and without therapist consent, and continued to show greater externalizing problems 2 years later. Conclusions Maltreated children have significant mental health needs that may not be well addressed currently in community mental health clinics.
Intrahospital relocation of psychiatric patients and effects on aggression.

Abstract Aggression is a recurring problem with psychiatric patients and can pose special problems on inpatient units. The purposes of this study were to identify changes in patient aggression as a consequence of routine individual relocation and to identify the relationship of certain variables with patterns of aggression. Using an adaptation of the Overt Aggression Scale (Yudofsky, Silver, Jackson, Endicott, & Williams, 1986), data were collected from the patient records of 201 individuals who had been admitted to a state hospital and subsequently transferred to another ward in the same hospital. There was a phase by day interaction with the day-to-day pattern of aggression in the pretransfer phase differing significantly from that in the posttransfer phase. The highest mean aggression for a single day was the day following transfer; the second highest was the day before transfer. There were main effects for age and number of hospital admissions.
Far-infrared photometry of Comet Halley from NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory

Results of 40-160 micron broadband photometry of Comet Halley with apertures of 30-50 arcsecond diameter are reported. Measurements of the spatial distribution of the far-infrared radiation at several wavelengths are also discussed. A preliminary analysis of the data shows the following conclusions: the brightness of the comet varied by nearly a factor of two on two successive days in March 1986, during which the visible brightness also changed substantially and in the same sense. The far-infrared energy distribution varied significantly in this period in the sense that the decrease in flux with increasing wavelengths was significantly shallower on the day when the comet was fainter. The spectral slope on both days is considerably shallower than would be expected from an ensemble of grains most of which were much smaller than the observed wavelengths.
SQL multimedia and application packages (SQL/MM)

Regular readers of this column will have become familiar with database language SQL -- indeed, most readers are already familiar with it. We have also discussed the fact that the SQL standard is being published in multiple parts and have even discussed one of those parts in some detail[l].Another standard, based on SQL and its structured user-defined types[2], has been developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This standard, like SQL, is divided into multiple parts (more independent than the parts of SQL, in fact). Some parts of this other standard, known as SQL/MM, have already been published and are currently in revision, while others are still in preparation for initial publication.In this issue, we introduce SQL/MM and review each of its parts, necessarily at a high level.
Endpoint quantitative PCR assays for Bacteroides forsythus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

Background: Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for periodontal pathogens are so sensitive that they detect infections of no clinical significance. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) may provide a solution to this problem. However, most qPCR systems require expensive real-time thermal cyclers. Objective: Our goal was to develop qPCR assays which would allow endpoint quantification. Materials and methods: 16S rRNA primers for Bacteroides forsythus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans were adapted to the Amplifluor™ qPCR system, which incorporates fluorescein into the PCR product so that endpoint fluorescence is proportional to the original amount of template. DNA dilutions representing known numbers of cells were used as standard curves. Pooled subgingival plaques from the four deepest pockets of 21 severe adult periodontitis patients were assayed. Buccal molar supragingival plaque from 35 dental students provided healthy controls. Endpoint fluorescence was measured with a microplate reader. Results: Optimized standard curves were linear in log–log or semilog fits over a range of 100–106 cells. Countable B. forsythus was present in all patients, with counts (as logs) from 2.4 to 7.3 (mean = 5.0), and 11 controls with counts from 2.1 to 4.5 (mean = 3.0). P. gingivalis was present in 11 patients and no controls, with counts from 2.2 to 4.7 (mean = 3.2). A. actinomycetemcomitans was present in two patients, with counts of 1.5 and 3.5. Conclusions: Amplifluor™ qPCR assays discriminated between plaque samples differing by one log or more, allowing major infections to be distinguished from minor ones. This approach allows high-throughput qPCR of plaque samples, using equipment available to many laboratories.
(E)Racing Jennifer Harris: Sexuality and Race, Law and Discourse in Harris v. Portland

In 2007 Penn State basketball coach Rene Portland retired shortly after a confidential settlement ended a discrimination lawsuit brought by former player Jennifer Harris against Portland and PSU. Because of Portland's infamous policy of not allowing lesbians on her team, her departure was celebrated as a victory against homophobia in sports. Yet while Harris's claims of sexual orientation discrimination were validated in the media, her allegations of racial discrimination were ignored or dismissed as implausible. In this Article, we examine the omission of race from the discourse surrounding this case and suggest that both legal and cultural factors contribute to society's tendency to ignore the intersecting discrimination in sport and the multiplicity of identity.
Spinal cord stimulation: Current applications for treatment of chronic pain

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is thought to relieve chronic intractable pain by stimulating nerve fibers in the spinal cord. The resulting impulses in the fibers may inhibit the conduction of pain signals to the brain, according to the pain gate theory proposed by Melzack and Wall in 1965 and the sensation of pain is thus blocked. Although SCS may reduce pain, it will not eliminate it. After a period of concern about safety and efficacy, SCS is now regaining popularity among pain specialists for the treatment of chronic pain. The sympatholytic effect of SCS is one of its most interesting therapeutic properties. This effect is considered responsible for the effectiveness of SCS in peripheral ischemia, and at least some cases of complex regional pain syndrome. The sympatholytic effect has also been considered part of the management of other chronic pain states such as failed back surgery syndrome, phantom pain, diabetic neuropathy, and postherpetic neuralgia. In general, SCS is part of an overall treatment strategy and is used only after the more conservative treatments have failed. The concept of SCS has evolved rapidly following the technological advances that have produced leads with multiple contact electrodes and battery systems. The current prevalence of patients with chronic pain requiring treatment other than conventional medical management has significantly increased and so has been the need for SCS. With the cost benefit analysis showing significant support for SCS, it may be appropriate to offer this as an effective alternative treatment for these patients.
Static recovery in titanium alloys at lower temperatures

Abstract A significant and well-documented limitation in the application of titanium alloys containing a large volume fraction of the hexagonal-close-packed a phase is that they suffer time-dependent deformation at lower temperatures. During the course of our recent investigations into the creep behavior of these alloys, several new phenomena, which must be considered to insure the safe implementation of these alloys, have been uncovered. The most important of these phenomena, a dramatic recovery of strain hardening when pre-crept samples are naturally aged for long times, has been observed in both the single-phase α-alloy Ti–6 wt.% Al and the two-phase α/β alloy Ti-6242. This paper summarizes observations of the variation in recovery response with respect to time spent in the unloaded state, exposure temperature, accumulated plastic strain, and microstructure. It is proposed that intense a-type dislocation pile-ups at grain/phase boundaries resulting from the planar nature of slip in these alloys provide the driving force for a dislocation level recovery mechanism that is shown to be thermally activated.
Basic Concepts in Molecular Cytogenetics of Soft Tissue Tumors for the Clinician.

Over the past several years, cytogenetic and molecular analyses have played a growing adjunct role in the clinicopathological evaluation of soft tissue tumors. Recent technological advances, especially in fluorescence in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction, have enabled the analysis of frozen and paraffin-embedded tissue as well as fresh tumor samples. Many characteristic genetic abnormalities have been identified that are of diagnostic utility in the analysis of soft tissue tumors. Additionally, certain genetic aberrations have been found to be of potential prognostic value. With the abundance of useful tools that are available, molecular cytogenetic analyses are likely to become an integral part of the analysis of soft tissue tumors. These analyses can be performed readily using small amounts of tumor (e.g., from sonographically or computed tomographic guided percutaneous biopsy specimens).
Electrical Stimulation Therapy and Wound Healing: Where Are We Now?

Background: Healing chronic wounds is an ongoing challenge for clinicians and poses a serious public health burden. Electrical stimulation (ES), broadly defined as the application of electrical current via electrodes placed on the skin adjacent to or directly within the wound, has been proposed as a therapeutic modality over a century ago, and recent advances in understanding the biology of electrical phenomena in the skin have rekindled an interest in this modality. The Problem: Despite evidence that has shown ES to be effective for wound healing, it has been slow to gain acceptance in the United States. Also, there has been no consensus in terms of standardization of parameters to devise a systematic protocol for implementation of this technology. Basic/Clinical Science Advances: The epidermis maintains a “skin battery” that generates an endogenous electric field and current flow when wounded. Experimental models have demonstrated that most of the cell types within the wound can sense an electric field ...
Allosteric activation of apicomplexan calcium-dependent protein kinases.

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) comprise the major group of Ca2+-regulated kinases in plants and protists. It has long been assumed that CDPKs are activated, like other Ca2+-regulated kinases, by derepression of the kinase domain (KD). However, we found that removal of the autoinhibitory domain from Toxoplasma gondii CDPK1 is not sufficient for kinase activation. From a library of heavy chain-only antibody fragments (VHHs), we isolated an antibody (1B7) that binds TgCDPK1 in a conformation-dependent manner and potently inhibits it. We uncovered the molecular basis for this inhibition by solving the crystal structure of the complex and simulating, through molecular dynamics, the effects of 1B7–kinase interactions. In contrast to other Ca2+-regulated kinases, the regulatory domain of TgCDPK1 plays a dual role, inhibiting or activating the kinase in response to changes in Ca2+ concentrations. We propose that the regulatory domain of TgCDPK1 acts as a molecular splint to stabilize the otherwise inactive KD. This dependence on allosteric stabilization reveals a novel susceptibility in this important class of parasite enzymes.
Microbeam Irradiation of the C. elegans Nematode

The understanding of complex radiation responses in biological systems, such as non-targeted effects as represented by the bystander response, can be enhanced by the use of genetically amenable model organisms. Almost all bystander studies to date have been carried out by using conventional single-cell in vitro systems, which are useful tools to characterize basic cellular and molecular responses. A few studies have been reported in monolayer explants and bystander responses have been also investigated in a three-dimensional normal human tissue system. However, despite the well-know usefulness of in vitro models, they cannot capture the complexity of radiation responses of living systems such as animal models. To carry out in vivo studies on the bystander effect we have developed a new technique to expose living organisms using proton microbeams. We report the use of a nematode C. elegans strain with a Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) reporter for the hsp-4 heat-shock gene as an in vivo model for radiation studies. Exposing animals to heat and chemicals stressors leads to whole body increases in the hsp-4 protein reflected by enhanced fluorescence. We report here that γ-rays also can induce stress response in a dose dependent manner. However, whole body exposure to stress agents does not allow for evaluation of distance dependent response in non targeted tissues: the so-called bystander effect. We used the RARAF microbeam to site specifically deliver 3 MeV protons to a site in the tail of young worms. GFP expression was enhanced after 24 hours in a number dependent manner at distances > 100 μm from the site of irradiation.
Corrosion and polarization behavior of sensitized high-nitrogen stainless steels

Abstract Corrosion of a sensitized high-nitrogen stainless steel (SS, nominally Fe-19% Cr-5% Ni-5% Mn-3% Mo-0.024% C-0.69% N) was studied by examining potentiodynamic polarization curves. Corrosion behavior was compared to previously reported sensitization values. The SS was heat treated at temperatures of 600°C to 1,000°C for times up to 1,000 h. Potentiodynamic polarization curves were generated in deaerated 1 N sulfuric acid (H2SO4) + 0.01 M potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) at 30°C at a scan rate of 100 mV/min. Corrosion currents measured at the corrosion potential did not change in the same manner with increasing aging time as values for the degree of sensitization (DOS). This was believed to be caused by greater sensitivity to chromium depletion during potentiodynamic polarization testing compared to sensitization measured by electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (EPR) testing (i.e., the minimum chromium level in the depletion zone required to cause sensitization, ≈14 wt%, was lower than that requ...
Parvovirus LuIII transducing vectors packaged by LuIII versus FPV capsid proteins: the VP1 N-terminal region is not a major determinant of human cell permissiveness.

Human cell lines are permissive for LuIII, a member of the rodent group of autonomous parvoviruses. However, LuIII vectors pseudotyped with feline panleukopaenia virus (FPV) capsid proteins can transduce feline cells but not human cells. Feline transferrin receptor (FelTfR) functions as a receptor for FPV. Transfection of Rh18A, a human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line, with FelTfR enabled transduction by vector with FPV capsid. This was not true of other human lines, suggesting restriction at some additional, post-entry, level(s) in human cells other than Rh18A. It seemed a reasonable hypothesis that a second blockage might be in nuclear delivery mediated by the N-terminal region of the minor capsid protein, VP1. We therefore generated virions containing an LuIII–luciferase genome, packaged using chimaeric VP1 molecules (N-terminal region of LuIII VP1, fused with body of FPV, and vice versa) together with the major capsid protein, VP2, of FPV or LuIII. The virions were tested for ability to transduce feline and human cells. Our hypothesis predicted that the N-terminal region of LuIII VP1 should allow transduction of human cells expressing FelTfR, while the FPV N-terminal region should not allow transduction of human cells (except for Rh18A). The experimental results did not bear out either of these predictions. Therefore, the VP1 N-terminal region appears not to be a major determinant of permissiveness for LuIII, versus FPV, capsid in human cells.
Cryptic speciation between Juniperus deltoides and Juniperus oxycedrus (Cupressaceae) in the Mediterranean

Analyses of individuals classically treated as Juniperus oxycedrus L. var. oxycedrus from Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, using DNA sequencing of nrDNA (ITS 1, 5.8S, ITS 2) plus RAPDs, leaf terpenoids and morphology revealed that two cryptic, genetically distinct but morphologically almost identical species are present. These species, J. oxycedrus L. var. oxycedrus and Juniperus deltoides R.P. Adams, are about as different from each other as Juniperus navicularis and Juniperus macrocarpa are from J. oxycedrus var. oxycedrus. Examination of herbarium specimens revealed that the two species are largely allopatric with J. deltoides occurring from Italy eastward through Turkey into the Caucasus Mts. and Iran. J. oxycedrus var. oxycedrus appears to be largely concentrated west of Italy (France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco). Cryptic speciation is discussed.
Compact Model of Carbon Nanotube Transistor and Interconnect

A noniterative physics-based compact model is developed for carbon nanotube (CNT) transistor and interconnect in order to support early stage design exploration. Based on the derivation of surface potential, the new model accurately predicts both I-V and C-V characteristics. It is scalable to key process and design parameters, such as the diameter, chirality, contact materials, gate dielectrics, and bias voltages. Without any iteration in model computation, the proposed model significantly enhances the simulation efficiency for large-scale design research. By benchmarking circuit performance, the optimal space of the CNT process is further localized. It is observed that for a Schottky-barrier CNT transistor with the diameter range of 1-1.5 nm, the circuit can be more than 8t faster than that of 22-nm CMOS, with the tolerance to the variation in contact materials.
An alternative flow cytometry strategy for peripheral blood dendritic cell enumeration in the setting of repetitive GM-CSF dosing

Background: Enumeration of circulating peripheral blood dendritic cells (DCs) is complicated by the absence of a unique cell surface marker expressed on all DC subsets and by the use of various biological adjuvants to modulate the DC compartment, including granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Common methods employ a cocktail of antibodies, typically including anti-CD14, to define a lineage negative, MHC class II positive, putative DC population. Reported flow cytometry protocols include highly variable gating strategies and DC identification criteria. Increasing appreciation of DC pleiomorphism, GM-CSF biology, and recognition of CD14 expression in some DC subsets led us to consider an alternative lineage cocktail to improve identification of the circulating DC pool. Methods: Standard whole blood staining with appropriate fluorochrome conjugated antibodies to MHC class II and either standard CD14 containing, or an alternate CD66acde containing, lineage cocktail was performed on samples obtained from normal donors and breast cancer patients before and after administration of dose-dense, cytotoxic chemotherapy with daily GM-CSF hematopoetic growth factor support. Putative DCs were enumerated by standard flow cytometry. Data set differences were evaluated using two tailed Mann-Whitney or Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Cellular morphology was examined in cellsorted populations from post GM-CSF samples. Results: Use of either antibody cocktail defined comparably sized lineage negative, MHC class II positive populations in normal donors and at baseline in cancer patients. However, selection of lineage negative subsets with increasing MHC class II expression levels yielded larger putative DC populations identified with the alternate cocktail. Both cocktails yielded highly reproducible data. Use of the alternate cocktail: 1) yielded a putative DC population, post GM-CSF that was more homogenous and consistent with DCs, 2) resulted in less data variation across gating strategies, and 3) resulted in more uniform and concordant longitudinal data, consistent with established GM-CSF biological activity. Conclusion: An alternative lineage negative cocktail substituting anti-CD66 antibody for anti-CD14 is a viable option for enumerating the circulating DC population, potentially more accurately defining the circulating DC pool by including CD14 positive immature DCs, and thus, may give more reliable data, particularly in the setting of sustained GM-CSF administration.
Voriconazole inhibition of the metabolism of tacrolimus in a liver transplant recipient and in human liver microsomes.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of voriconazole on the blood tacrolimus concentration in a liver transplant recipient and to examine the interaction between voriconazole and tacrolimus by using human liver microsomes. Two subjects were enrolled in the clinical study: one received voriconazole, and the other received a placebo. Tacrolimus metabolism was evaluated in human liver microsomes at various concentrations in the absence and presence of various concentrations of voriconazole. Coadministration of voriconazole and tacrolimus resulted in elevated (nearly 10-fold-higher) trough tacrolimus blood concentrations in the liver transplant patient. In the in vitro study, voriconazole at a concentration of 10.4 ± 4.3 μg/ml inhibited the metabolism of tacrolimus by 50%. Clinically relevant concentrations of voriconazole inhibited the metabolism of tacrolimus in human liver microsomes. Close monitoring of the blood concentration and adjustment in the dose of tacrolimus are warranted in transplant recipients treated with voriconazole.
Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and risk of autism spectrum disorders.

Objective. To investigate the association between neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Methods. We conducted a large case-control study nested within the cohort of singleton term infants born between 1995 and 1998 at a northern California Kaiser Permanente hospital. Case subjects ( n = 338) were children with an ASD diagnosis recorded in Kaiser Permanente outpatient databases; control subjects ( n = 1817) were children without an ASD diagnosis, who were randomly sampled and frequency-matched to case subjects according to gender, birth year, and birth hospital. Results. Approximately 28% of case and control subjects received ≥1 bilirubin test in the first 30 days of life. No case-control differences were observed for maximal bilirubin levels of ≥15 mg/dL (10.1% vs 12.1%), ≥20 mg/dL (2.1% vs 2.5%), or ≥25 mg/dL (0.3% vs 0.2%). Compared with children whose maximal neonatal bilirubin levels were Conclusion. These data suggest that neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is not a risk factor for ASD.
Advances in proteome analysis by mass spectrometry

Proteome characterization using mass spectrometry is essential for the systematic investigation of biological systems and for the study of gene function. Recent advances in this multifaceted field have occurred in four general areas: protein and peptide separation methodologies; selective labeling chemistries for quantitative measurement of peptide and protein abundances; characterization of post-translational protein modifications; and instrumentation.
The eBay graph: How do online auction users interact?

Online auctions have revolutionized the ability of people to buy and sell items without middlemen, and sales reaching more than $57 billion every year on eBay alone. The user interactions at online auctions form a network of interactions akin to a social network. Unlike other online social networks, online auction networks have not been studied so far. In this paper, we model and characterize the structure and evolution of the network of user interactions on eBay. Specifically, we use over 54 million eBay transaction feedback that users leave for each other. A distinguishing feature of the graph is the rich meaning that nodes and edges can have (for example, an edge could be positive or negative, posted by a buyer or a seller) in contrast to other graphs such as the topology of the Internet. First, we provide the vital statistics of the emerging graph, which we call eBay graph. We observe that the graph exhibits both significant differences and similarities to commonly studied graphs. Second, we study the feedback behavior of users: feedback is not always reciprocal, and negative feedback is scarce (less than 1%), but few negative feedbacks could discourage new users. Finally, we develop an intuitive model that captures key properties of the graph in a visual and memorable way. Our work can be seen as a first step in understanding online auction graphs, which could enable us to detect trends, abnormalities and ultimately fraudulent behavior.
Gender differences in AIDS-relevant condom attitudes and condom use.

2 studies were conducted 1 year apart exploring gender differences in AIDS-relevant condom attitudes condom use behaviors and relationships among attitudes and condom use behaviors. 248 self-reported heterosexual undergraduates were studied in the 1st study. Participants were 65% female 96% self-reported heterosexuals 87% white and of average age 22.77 years. 71% reported having sexual intercourse at least once in the preceding 2 years and 64% reported using a condom at least once during sex in the preceding 2 years. The 2nd group of 528 individuals sampled in the 2nd study had characteristics which were highly similar to those of the 1st study except that 74% of the participant were female. Females generally had more favorable attitudes than men about condoms but were more inhibited than men about buying and possessing them. Men carried and kept condoms at home far more often than did women. This behavior predicted past and intended condom use more consistently for men than for women. Generally similar relationships were found for both sexes between condom attitudes and condom use behaviors; poorer self-control explained the most variance in past and intended condom use. The results suggest that while females may indirectly influence condom use decisions providing condoms is the expected role of males. Interventions with the objective of increasing the use of condoms during sexual intercourse should be designed accordingly.
The protein resistance of silicones prepared with a PEO-silane amphiphile

Silicone coatings with improved resistance to plasma proteins were prepared by incorporating a PEO-silane amphiphile: α-(EtO)3Si-(CH2)2-oligodimethylsiloxane13-block-poly(ethylene oxide)8-OCH3. The oligodimethylsiloxane tether imparts amphiphilicity and molecular mobility to the chain thereby enhancing protein resistance. Using a medical grade, silica-filled acetoxy-cure silicone, the PEO-silane amphiphile was introduced at varying levels (0, 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt%) and films prepared via solvent-casting. Increased PEO-silane amphiphile content led to increased surface hydrophilicity and improved resistance to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human fibrinogen (HF). When maintained in air, the surfaces of the coatings did not display hydrophobic recovery.
The College Student Market Segment: A Comparative Study of Travel Behaviors of International and Domestic Students at a Southeastern University

This study examines the college market segment by comparing recess vacation travel of Clemson foreign students to that of Clemson domestic students. Findings indicate substantial differences and some surprising similarities between habits and preferences of these groups and their use of travel services. Important conclusions for destination locations, travel agents, package sellers, and cruise lines are suggested.
Contraction of the Northern Hemisphere, Lower-Tropospheric, Wintertime Cold Pool over the Past 66 Years

AbstractEmploying reanalysis datasets, several threshold temperatures at 850 hPa are used to measure the wintertime [December–February (DJF)] areal extent of the lower-tropospheric, Northern Hemisphere, cold-air pool over the past 66 cold seasons. The analysis indicates a systematic contraction of the cold pool at each of the threshold temperatures. Special emphasis is placed on analysis of the trends in the extent of the −5°C air.Composite differences in lower-tropospheric temperature, midtropospheric geopotential height, and tropopause level jet anomalies between the five coldest and five warmest years are considered. Cold years are characterized by an equatorward expansion of the jet in the Pacific and Atlantic sectors of the hemisphere and by invigorated cold-air production in high-latitude Eurasia and North America. Systematic poleward encroachment of the −5°C isotherm in the exit regions of the storm tracks accounts for nearly 50% of the observed contraction of the hemispheric wintertime cold pool s...
Choosing corners of rectangles for mapped meshing

Consider mapping a regular i x j quadrilateral mesh of a rectangle onto a surface. The quality of the mapped mesh of the surface depends heavily on which vertices of the surface correspond to corners of the rectangle. The authors problem is, given an n-sided surface, chose as corners four vertices such that the surface resembles a rectangle with corners at those vertices. Note that n could be quite large, and the length and width of the rectangle, i and j, are not prespecified. In general, there is either a goal number or a prescribed number of mesh edges for each bounding curve of the surface. The goals affect the quality of the mesh, and the prescribed edges may make finding a feasible set of corners difficult. The algorithm need only work for surfaces that are roughly rectangular, particular those without large reflex angles, as otherwise an unstructured meshing algorithm is used instead. The authors report on the theory and implementation of algorithms for this problem. They also given an overview of a solution to a related problem called interval assignment: given a complex of surfaces sharing curves, globally assign the number of mesh edges or intervals for each curve such that it is possible to mesh each surface according to its prescribed quadrilateral meshing algorithm, and assigned and user-prescribed boundary mesh edges and corners. They also note a practical, constructive technique that relies on interval assignment that can generate a quadrilateral mesh of a complex of surfaces such that a compatible hexahedral mesh of the enclosed volume exists.
Developmental changes in the coherence of essentialist beliefs about psychological characteristics.

Essentialism is the belief that certain characteristics (of individuals or categories) may be relatively stable, unchanging, likely to be present at birth, and biologically based. The current studies examined how different essentialist beliefs interrelate. For example, does thinking that a property is innate imply that the property cannot be changed? Four studies were conducted, examining how children (N=195, grades 1–7; ages 7–13) and adults (N=187) reason about familiar and novel social characteristics. By 3rd grade (9 years), children showed some coherence of essentialist beliefs. In contrast, younger children expected less interrelatedness among dimensions than older children or adults. These findings suggest that essentialist attributions at first consist of separate strands that children eventually link together into a more coherent understanding.