cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oral hormone replacement therapy: factors that influence the estradiol concentrations achieved in a multiracial study population.

The assumption that estradiol (E2) concentrations are reliably increased to therapeutic levels in postmenopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has not been explicitly tested. Nor have factors that may modulate the E2 levels achieved been evaluated. The author examined E2 concentrations in a multiracial study population of 309 postmenopausal women treated with oral HRT and observed that 51.1% had achieved estradiol levels of at least 45 pg/ml (achievers). The odds of being an achiever were significantly elevated among non-Caucasian women by a HRT dose greater than 0.625 mg, current moderate drinking, and increasing duration of HRT use. The odds were significantly decreased by having a high school education or less and increasing time since last HRT dose. White postmenopausal women had significantly reduced odds of being an achiever, and both a dose of less than 0.625 mg and a dose equal to 0.625 mg significantly reduced the odds of being an achiever. Increasing body mass index and menopause duration were both associated with lower odds. This report demonstrates not only that women treated with HRT do not all achieve therapeutic levels of estradiol but also that factors can be identified that modulate the E2 concentration achieved in response to HRT administration.
Rapid assays for Gaucher and Hurler diseases in dried blood spots using digital microfluidics

Abstract Objective Easy tool for newborn screening of Gaucher and Hurler diseases. Methods Method comparison between fluorometric enzymatic activity assay on a digital microfluidic platform and micro-titer plate bench assay was performed on normal (n = 100), Gaucher (n = 10) and Hurler (n = 7) dried blood spot samples. Results Enzymatic activity analysis of glucocerebrosidase (Gaucher) and α- l -iduronidase (Hurler) revealed similar discrimination between normal and affected samples on both platforms. Conclusions Digital microfluidics is suitable for Gaucher and Hurler newborn screening.
Measuring solids concentration in stormwater runoff: comparison of analytical methods

Stormwater suspended solids typically are quantified using one of two methods: aliquot/subsample analysis (total suspended solids [TSS]) or whole-sample analysis (suspended solids concentration [SSC]). Interproject comparisons are difficult because of inconsistencies in the methods and in their application. To address this concern, the suspended solids content has been measured using both methodologies in many current projects, but the question remains about how to compare these values with historical water-quality data where the analytical methodology is unknown. This research was undertaken to determine the effect of analytical methodology on the relationship between these two methods of determination of the suspended solids concentration, including the effect of aliquot selection/collection method and of particle size distribution (PSD). The results showed that SSC was best able to represent the known sample concentration and that the results were independent of the sample's PSD. Correlations between the results and the known sample concentration could be established for TSS samples, but they were highly dependent on the sample's PSD and on the aliquot collection technique. These results emphasize the need to report not only the analytical method but also the particle size information on the solids in stormwater runoff.
Formulation of a sand plasticity plane-strain model for earthquake engineering applications

Abstract The formulation of a sand plasticity model for geotechnical earthquake engineering applications is presented. The model follows the basic framework of the stress-ratio controlled, critical state compatible, bounding surface plasticity model for sand presented by Dafalias and Manzari, Journal of Engineering Mechanics, ASCE, 2004;130(6): 622–634. . Modifications to the model were developed and implemented to improve its ability to approximate the stress–strain responses important to geotechnical earthquake engineering applications. These constitutive modifications included: revising the fabric formation function to depend on plastic shear rather than plastic volumetric strains; adding fabric history and cumulative fabric formation terms; modifying the plastic modulus relationship and making it dependent on fabric; modifying the dilatancy relationships to provide more distinct control of volumetric contraction versus expansion behavior; providing a constraint on the dilatancy during volumetric expansion so that it is consistent with Bolton′s Geotechnique 1986; 36(1): 65–78. dilatancy relationship; modifying the elastic modulus relationship to include dependence on stress ratio and fabric history; modifying the logic for tracking previous initial back-stress ratios (i.e., loading history effect); recasting the critical state framework to be in terms of a relative state parameter index; and simplifying the formulation by restraining it to plane strain without Lode angle dependency for the bounding and dilation surfaces. Model responses to various loading conditions, including drained and undrained monotonic and cyclic loading, are used to illustrate the efficacy of the model modifications. Calibration and implementation of the model for practice are described in a companion paper.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of the middle ear.

A diagnosis of tuberculous infection of the middle ear was made in two cases 25 years and one year after the onset of symptoms. The patients experienced purulent otorrhea without fever or otalgia and progressive deterioration in auditory acuity. The diagnosis was established by culture of the aural discharge. There was no definite evidence of tuberculosis infection in the lungs or other organ systems. Treatment was instituted with antituberculosis chemotherapy, with improvement in symptoms. It is necessary to consider this etiologic possibility in all tuberculosis patients with otorrhea as well as those patients without apparent tuberculosis with recurrent otitis media that does not respond to the usual therapy.
Dopamine regulates synaptic transmission mediated by cholinergic neurons of the rat retina

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dopamine on the function of synapses formed by cholinergic neurons derived from the rat retina. We used an experimental culture system in which rat striated muscle cells served as postsynaptic targets for cholinergic neurons of the retina. This culture system permitted the physiological monitoring of acetylcholine release at synapses formed by retinal neurons. We found that dopamine could facilitate evoked transmission at retina-muscle synapses. This facilitation by dopamine was reversible and could be blocked by haloperidol, a dopamine receptor antagonist. The adenosine 3':5'-phosphate analogue, 8-bromoadenosine 3':5'-phosphate, mimicked the facilitating effect of dopamine. In addition, dopamine elevated markedly the levels of adenosine 3':5'-phosphate in cultures of rat retinal cells. The results suggest that dopamine can regulate transmission through retinal neurons. Our findings support the hypothesis that a dopamine-induced facilitation of stimulus-evoked transmission involves the activation of dopamine receptors and the intracellular accumulation of adenosine 3':5'-phosphate.
Building the speechwriter‐principal relationship: Minority leader Robert Michel confronts his ghost

This essay is a reflexive study of congressional ghostwriting. A prominent politician, Robert Michel (R‐Ill.), and a prominent political speechwriter, William Gavin, reflect on one another's roles in the process of speech composition. Emphasis is on the interpersonal relationship between the principal and his ghost and how that relationship structures and defines the composition process.
An improved isoparametric transformation for finite element analysis

The standard isoparametric transformation for finite element analysis is shown to be only a special case of a more general transformation which allows for flexibility in locating side and interior element nodes. Side nodes positioned at the same relative distance from corner nodes in both local and global space, and interior nodes positioned such that they do not affect the Jacobian of the co-ordinate transformation, provide improved accuracy over nodes positioned locally without regard for the global configuration. This concept is demonstrated in the context of two-dimensional quadratic quadrilateral isoparametrics, but is also applicable to higher orders and dimensions. In the test cases examined, the new formulation provides a reduction in error of up to three orders of magnitude and also provides accurate solutions for nodal placements which are not allowed using the standard transformations.
Defining the plasmid-borne restriction-modification systems of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi.

The restriction-modification (R-M) systems of many bacteria present a barrier to the stable introduction of foreign DNA. The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi has two plasmid-borne putative R-M genes, bbe02 and bbq67, whose presence limits transformation by shuttle vector DNA from Escherichia coli. We show that both the bbe02 and bbq67 loci in recipient B. burgdorferi limit transformation with shuttle vector DNA from E. coli, irrespective of its dam, dcm, or hsd methylation status. However, plasmid DNA purified from B. burgdorferi transformed naive B. burgdorferi much more efficiently than plasmid DNA from E. coli, particularly when the bbe02 and bbq67 genotypes of the B. burgdorferi DNA source matched those of the recipient. We detected adenine methylation of plasmid DNA prepared from B. burgdorferi that carried bbe02 and bbq67. These results indicate that the bbe02 and bbq67 loci of B. burgdorferi encode distinct R-M enzymes that methylate endogenous DNA and cleave foreign DNA lacking the same sequence-specific modification. Our findings have basic implications for horizontal gene transfer among B. burgdorferi strains with distinct plasmid contents. Further characterization and identification of the nucleotide sequences recognized by BBE02 and BBQ67 will facilitate efficient genetic manipulation of this pathogenic spirochete.
Binary Blends of Polymer Semiconductors: Nanocrystalline Morphology Retards Energy Transfer and Facilitates Efficient White Electroluminescence

Blends of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) and poly(2-methoxy-5(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) 1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) were found to phase separate into 40-50 nm crystalline PFO domains and to exhibit efficient white electroluminescence when the composition is below 30 wt.-% MEH-PPV. The 5 wt.-% nanocrystalline blends had a luminance of 4 000 cd·m -2 , an external quantum efficiency of 3.1%, and a a current efficiency of 3.7 cd · A -1 . Transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and atomic force microscopy of blends with higher MEH-PPV content and the two homopolymers showed them to be amorphous. Only orange-red electroluminescence, characteristic of MEH-PPV, was observed from the amorphous blends due to efficient energy transfer from PFO. These results demonstrate that energy transfer processes in binary PFO:MEH-PPV blends and light-emitting devices based on them can be controlled through the morphology and composition.
Mice with mutations of TNFRSF1A may reveal insights into pathogenesis of TRAPS, a dominantly inherited autoinflammatory disease

Abstract Rationale Heterozygous mutations in the extracellular domain of the 55-kDa tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor (TNFRSF1A), a key regulator of inflammation, define a periodic fever syndrome, TRAPS (TNF receptor-associated-periodic syndrome) that is characterized by attacks of fever, sterile peritonitis, arthralgia, myalgia, skin rash and/or conjunctivitis; some patients also develop amyloidosis. The autoinflammatory phenotype has been associated with impaired downregulation of membrane TNFRSF1A and diminished shedding of potentially antagonistic soluble receptor. To facilitate additional study of the effects of these mutations on TNFRSF1A, we generated a mouse model for TRAPS. Methods Two (of the 33 reported) mutations generated by site-directed mutagenesis were utilized for the generation of knock-in mice: Cys33Tyr (C33Y) and Thr50Met (T50M). Heterozygous and homozygous animals for T50M and C33Y have been generated. Current investigations defining their phenotype include observation, mouse core body temperature studies, gene expression studies, Tnfr-1 receptor shedding assays, inflammatory cytokine profiles (IL-1, TNF alpha, IL-6) and histologic studies. Results Mice homozygous for T50M show resistance to lethal doses of lipopolysaccaride. Following low dose injection of endotoxin these mice show resistance to hyperthermia, decreased Tnfsfr1a shedding in serum, and decreased production of proinflammatory cytokines: TNFa and IL-6. Heterozygous littermates showed an intermediate phenotype for in vitro assays. Preliminary studies also indicated alterations in B and T cell ratios. Conclusions These mouse models confirm previous reports that mutations in TNFSFR1A cause diminished receptor cleavage and additionally suggest TNFSF1A signaling defects, which may help to further elucidate the autoinflammatory phenotype in TRAPS.
Online metrics for web search relevance

Information Retrieval has a long tradition of being metrics driven. Ranking algorithms are assessed with respect to some utility measure that reflects the likelihood of satisfying an information need. Traditionally these metrics are based on offline judgments. This is very flexible since judgments can be made for any desired output. However, judgments are no better than judgment guidelines and are at some distance from the actual user experience. Modern Web Search engines enjoy an additional resource; existing web search traffic and its attendant wealth of user engagement data. Primarily this signal consists of logged queries and user actions, including clicks and reformulations. I will discuss how this data can be used to derive Web Search quality metrics that have very different properties than traditional offline metrics.
Fouling and cleaning of RO membranes fouled by mixtures of organic foulants simulating wastewater effluent

Abstract The fouling and subsequent cleaning of RO membranes fouled by a mixture of organic foulants simulating wastewater effluent has been systematically investigated. The organic foulants investigated included alginate, bovine serum albumin (BSA), Suwannee River natural organic matter, and octanoic acid, representing, respectively, polysaccharides, proteins, humic substances, and fatty acids, which are ubiquitous in effluent organic matter. After establishing the fouling behavior and mechanisms with a mixture of organic foulants in the presence and absence of calcium ions, our study focused on the cleaning mechanisms of RO membranes fouled by the mixture of organic foulants. The chemical cleaning agents used included an alkaline solution (NaOH), a metal chelating agent (EDTA), an anionic surfactant (SDS), and a concentrated salt solution (NaCl). Specifically, we examined the impact of cleaning agent type, cleaning solution pH, cleaning time, and fouling layer composition on membrane cleaning efficiency. Foulant–foulant adhesion forces measured under conditions simulating chemical cleaning of a membrane fouled by a mixture of the investigated organic foulants provided insights into the chemical cleaning mechanisms. It was shown that while alkaline solution (NaOH) alone is not effective in disrupting the complexes formed by the organic foulants with calcium, a higher solution pH can lead to effective cleaning if sufficient hydrodynamic shear (provided by crossflow) prevails. Surfactant (SDS), a strong chelating agent (EDTA), and salt solution (NaCl) were effective in cleaning RO membranes fouled by a mixture of foulants, especially if applied at high pH and for longer cleaning times. The observed cleaning efficiencies with the various cleaning agents were consistent with the related measurements of foulant–foulant intermolecular forces. Furthermore, we have shown that an optimal cleaning agent concentration can be derived from a plot presenting the percent reduction in the foulant–foulant adhesion force versus cleaning agent concentration.
Electron-impact excitation of the B 1Σ+, C 1Σ+ and E 1Π states of CO at 100 eV

Abstract Electron-impact excitation of CO plays an important role in planetary atmospheres and interstellar clouds. At the present time, serious discrepancies exist among excitation cross sections reported in the literature for this molecule. We measured electron-impact excitation cross sections for B 1 Σ + ← X 1 Σ + , C 1 Σ + ← X 1 Σ + and E 1 Π ← X 1 Σ + states of CO at 100 eV impact energy using electron energy-loss spectroscopy.
New tool for spectroscopists.

Site directed isotope labelling, in combination with Fourier transform infrared-difference spectroscopy, will provide a powerful new technique for probing conformational changes in proteins
Free logic is a natural logic

'Free' logic derives its name from the fact that it is 'free' of the existence presuppositions of quantified logic with the standard (usual) quantifiers. Since individual terms need not denote and the domain of discourse can be empty in free (classical) logic, free logic provides a natural framework for describing partial functions.
Bacterial pathogens in the nasopharynx, nasal cavity, and osteomeatal complex during wellness and viral infection

BackgroundViral sinusitis can precede acute bacterial sinusitis, but the influence of viral infection on bacterial colonization is unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence ...
Time-frequency separation of multiple moving radar targets

When multiple radar targets are close to each other, the return signals form these targets are overlapped in time. Therefore, by applying conventional motion compensation algorithms designed for single target, the multiple targets cannot be resolved, and each individual target cannot be clearly imaged. However, each individual target may have its own velocity and direction different from others. These different Doppler histories can be utilized to separate target from each other. By taking time-frequency transforms, different Doppler changing rates can be estimated. Using each estimated Doppler changing rate and making phase correction, each individual target may be imaged. In this paper, we first review algorithms for radar imaging of multiple moving targets, then, analyze the performance of these algorithms, and, finally discuss the advantages and limitations of these algorithms by using simulated radar data.
Collagen-induced platelet aggregation: Involvement of an active glycopeptide fragment (α1-CB5)

It is widely held that the tertiary structure of collagen is essential for induction of platelet aggregation. However, we have found that the purified α1 chain prepared from denatured chick skin collagen aggregates platelets. This activity appears to be confined to a distinct region of the molecule representing less than 4 percent of the length of the α1 chain. Of all of the cyanogen bromide peptides of the α1 chain tested, only one (α1-CB5) was active. This glycopeptide, devoid of any ordered tertiary structure, contains only 36 amino acids and one residue of O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-O-β-D-galactopyranosyloxy-(1 → 5)-lysine (Glc-Gal-Hyl). Blocking experiments strongly suggest that the Glc-Gal-Hyl is one of the structural determinants involved in collagen-induced platelet aggregation.
Historical legacies, nationalist mobilization, and political outcomes in Russia and Serbia: A Weberian view

In the preceding analysis, I attempt to demonstrate the usefulness of some of Weber's key theoretical ideas on nations, nationalism, and imperialism by way of a comparative examination of contemporary Russian and Serbian nationalism. More specifically, I try to show how long-term historical and institutional legacies, shared memories, and defining political experiences, played themselves out in the contemporary period, influencing the different availability of mass constituencies in Russia and Serbia for nationalist mobilization under the auspices of new “empire-saving coalitions.”
The measurement and interpretation of the fluid-phase equilibria of a normal fluid in a hydrogen bonding solvent: the methanemethanol system

Abstract Fluid-phase equilibrium data are presented for a normal fluid, methane, in methanol, a hydrogen bonding fluid, along seven isotherms from 200 to 330 K at pressures to 41.37 MPa (6000 psia). The existence of two liquid phases at temperatures below the critical temperature of methane was confirmed, placing the system in an important category of fluid mixtures exhibiting supercritical extractive behavior. The methane solubility data showed a strong deviation from the Krichevsky—Kasarnovsky relationship, pointing to the need to use the Krichevsky—Kasarnovsky—Iliinskaya relationship which takes into account non-ideality in the liquid phase as well the usual pressure effects. The resulting correlation, when applied with independently obtained partial molal volumes, represented all of the solubility data to the neighborhood of the experimental accuracy of the data.
Population bottlenecks as a potential major shaping force of human genome architecture.

The modern synthetic view of human evolution proposes that the fixation of novel mutations is driven by the balance among selective advantage, selective disadvantage, and genetic drift. When considering the global architecture of the human genome, the same model can be applied to understanding the rapid acquisition and proliferation of exogenous DNA. To explore the evolutionary forces that might have morphed human genome architecture, we investigated the origin, composition, and functional potential of numts (nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes), partial copies of the mitochondrial genome found abundantly in chromosomal DNA. Our data indicate that these elements are unlikely to be advantageous, since they possess no gross positional, transcriptional, or translational features that might indicate beneficial functionality subsequent to integration. Using sequence analysis and fossil dating, we also show a probable burst of integration of numts in the primate lineage that centers on the prosimian–anthropoid split, mimics closely the temporal distribution of Alu and processed pseudogene acquisition, and coincides with the major climatic change at the Paleocene–Eocene boundary. We therefore propose a model according to which the gross architecture and repeat distribution of the human genome can be largely accounted for by a population bottleneck early in the anthropoid lineage and subsequent effectively neutral fixation of repetitive DNA, rather than positive selection or unusual insertion pressures.
Remembering the Women in Rwanda: When Humans Rely on the Old Concepts of War to Resolve Conflict

There are too many easy reasons to want to forget horrors, especially the horrors that constitute genocide. Living through a situation develops a different level of awareness and response than being distant and not personally implicated in it. This realization highlights the need to recognize that it is not because of the lack of compassion that we tend to “forget” so quickly, but rather it is the lack of right understanding about how to make a difference that is complicit in our cognitive failures. The intent of this reflection is to provide a context for remembering Rwanda and for providing a healing perspective on similar disasters. In this regard, a brief overview and historical context of the conflicts that led to the killing in Rwanda is presented, followed by a discussion of the survival issues experienced by the women of Rwanda during the 100 days of terror and death and the implications of a healing perspective.
Quantitation of cardiac dimensions from ECG-synchronized MRI studies.

The ability to measure the heart is useful for evaluation of a wide variety of conditions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a number of characteristics that make it potentially one of the best methods for obtaining cardiac measurements, in particular its ability to produce uniformly highquality images in any desired plane. It is important that techniques for measurement be standardized so that methods are reproducible from patient to patient, allowing normal standards to be established, and from examination to examination in the same patient, so that serial measurements accurately reflect change in cardiac status.
A quintuple quotient quest

Abstract This paper studies the images, under five kinds of quotient maps, of several standard types of topological spaces.
Anti-Stokes photoluminescence in GaN single crystals and heterostructures

We review some of our recent results following the investigation of anti-Stokes photoluminescence (PL). Indeed, we have observed anti-Stokes photoluminescence from n-type free-standing GaN at room temperature. Such a process is induced by phonon-assisted absorption. When the excitation photon energy is sufficiently below the donor-acceptor transition energy, however, two-photon absorption becomes the dominant mechanism for anti-Stokes photoluminescence. By measuring the dependences of the photoluminescence spectra on temperature, excitation power, and excitation photon energy, we have demonstrated that donor-acceptor pair transition plays an important role in the generation of anti-Stokes photoluminescence. Our study could result in efficient laser cooling of semiconductors.
Magnetic damping of melt motions during Bridgman crystal growth in microgravity

For a typical Bridgman semiconductor crystal-growth process in space with a 0.2 Tesla axial magnetic field, the velocity in the melt motion driven by the residual accelerations is so small that nonlinear inertial effects and convective heat transfer are negligible, and the governing equations are linear. Therefore the melt motions driven by (1) the time- averaged or steady residual acceleration, (2) the continuous, random fluctuations of acceleration or g-jitters, and (3) the isolated spikes of much larger acceleration due to thruster firings, etc., are decoupled and can be treated independently. In addition, the solution for any instantaneous orientation of the acceleration vector is given by a time-dependent superposition of two solutions for an axial acceleration and a transverse acceleration. Solutions are presented for the magnetically damped buoyant convections driven by the axial and transverse components of the steady acceleration, the g- jitters and the spikes of larger acceleration. The axial magnetic field provides much stronger damping of the transverse vorticity than of the axial vorticity, so that the melt motion may be quite different from that without magnetic damping.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Temporal reasoning for manufacturing: A hybrid representation and complexity management

Abstract Temporal considerations play a key role in the planning and operation of a manufacturing system. The development of a temporal reasoning mechanism would facilitate effective and efficient computer-aided process planning and dynamic scheduling. We feel that a temporal system that makes use of the expressive power of the integral language and the computational ease of the point language will be best suited to reasoning about time within the manufacturing system. The concept of a superinterval, or a collection of intervals, is used to augment a hybrid point-interval temporal system. We have implemented a reasoning algorithm that can be used to aid temporal decision making within the manufacturing environment. Using the quantitative results obtained by measuring our program's performance, we show how the superinterval can be used to partition large temporal systems into smaller ones to facilitate distributed processing of the smaller systems. The distributed processing of large temporal systems helps achieve real-time temporal decision-making capabilities. Such a reasoning system will facilitate automation of the planning and scheduling functions within the manufacturing environment and provide the framework for an autonomous production facility.
Petrogenesis of UHP Eclogite from the Cuaba Gneiss, Rio San Juan Complex, Dominican Republic

Ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) conditions were established for the Cuaba Gneiss terrane, northern Dominican Republic, on the basis of phase relationships in garnet-bearing ultramafic rock, a relatively minor constituent of the terrane. Evidence for much more abundant eclogite comes in the form of two types of symplectic intergrowths involving, respectively, Pl + Cpx (Sym-I) and Pl + Ep (Sym-II), interpreted as the products of the decomposition of two types of omphacite, respectively, Omp-I and Omp-II. Sym-II (hence Omp-II) forms mantles on garnet and aggregates of epidote. Otherwise, estimated P-T conditions for the mineral assemblage Grt + Pl + Cpx + Ep + Hbl + Qtz are consistent with upper amphibolite-facies (P ~1.2 GPa, T ~750°C). Thus far, the retrograded eclogite has revealed nothing diagnostic of UHP conditions—e.g., coesite, evidence for coesite (radiating micro cracks in garnet, palisade quartz, etc.), or micro inclusions of diamond. However, by inference from the P-T history of the garnet ultramafic ro...
Bayesian inference of chemical kinetic models from proposed reactions

Abstract Bayesian inference provides a natural framework for combining experimental data with prior knowledge to develop chemical kinetic models and quantify the associated uncertainties, not only in parameter values but also in model structure. Most existing applications of Bayesian model selection methods to chemical kinetics have been limited to comparisons among a small set of models, however. The significant computational cost of evaluating posterior model probabilities renders traditional Bayesian methods infeasible when the model space becomes large. We present a new framework for tractable Bayesian model inference and uncertainty quantification using a large number of systematically generated model hypotheses. The approach involves imposing point-mass mixture priors over rate constants and exploring the resulting posterior distribution using an adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The posterior samples are used to identify plausible models, to quantify rate constant uncertainties, and to extract key diagnostic information about model structure—such as the reactions and operating pathways most strongly supported by the data. We provide numerical demonstrations of the proposed framework by inferring kinetic models for catalytic steam and dry reforming of methane using available experimental data.
On the Spectra and Temperatures of the B Stars

THE application of the theory of ionisation to stellar spectra by Saha and others has led to estimates of the temperature of the reversing layers of stars. It is shown by Fowler and Milne (Mon. Not. R.A.S., 83, 7, 415) that the effective temperature at a given point in the stellar sequence may be deduced, on certain assumptions, from the knowledge that a line of known series relations there reaches its maximum intensity. For stars of type earlier than Ao the lines available for such estimates are those associated with Si+++, He, and C+. The intensities of these lines have recently been measured on a number of objective prism spectra at the Harvard College Observatory.
Delay–bandwidth product and storage density in slow-light optical buffers

The properties of slow-light optical delay lines, with low group velocity induced by electromagnetically induced transparency, population oscillations and photonic crystal filter structures, are analysed. It is shown that there are fundamental limitations on the delay–bandwidth product and the maximum storage density of data in slow-light devices.
Extent of Sequence Homology Required for Bacteriophage Lambda Site-specific Recombination

Abstract Bacteriophage lambda integration and exicision occur by reciprocal recombination within a 15-base homologous core region present in the recombining attachment ( att ) sites. Strand exchange within the core occurs at precise nucleotide positions, which define an overlap region in which the products of recombination contain DNA strands derived from different parents. In order to define the role of sequence homology during recombination we have constructed point mutations within the core and assayed their effects in vivo and in vitro on site-specific recombination. Two of the mutations are located at position −3 of the core, which is one base-pair outside of the overlap region where strand exchange occurs. These mutations do not affect integrative or excisive recombination, thereby suggesting that homology outside the overlap region is not required for recombination. Two other mutations are located at position −2 of the core, which is one base-pair within the overlap region. These mutations show severely depressed integrative and excisive recombination activities in vitro and in vivo when recombined against wild-type att sites. However, the −2 mutations show normal recombination activity when recombined against att sites containing the homologous mutation, thereby suggesting that homology-dependent DNA interactions are required within the overlap region for effective recombination. In vitro recombination between homoduplex att P sites and heteroduplex att B sites demonstrated that the DNA interactions require only one strand of the att B overlap region to be homologous to att P in order to promote recombination.
Mammalian mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) is the first committed, and presumed to be a rate-limiting, step in glycerophospholipid biosynthesis. There are two isoforms of GPAT, a mitochondrial and a microsomal form. Mitochondrial GPAT has recently been purified and its gene has been cloned and expressed in baculovirus-infected cells. The GPAT activity was reconstituted using the purified enzyme and various phospholipids. Mitochondrial GPAT prefers saturated fatty acyl-CoA as a substrate. This preference may contribute to the observed asymmetric distribution of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions of cellular glycerophospholipids. A region of homology to various acyltransferases that may be important for catalysis or fatty acyl-CoA binding is present in mitochondrial GPAT. Mitochondrial GPAT is upregulated at the transcriptional level by refeeding a high carbohydrate, fat-free diet to previously fasted mice and by insulin administration to diabetic animals, whereas microsomal GPAT activity is largely unaffected by these treatments.
Altered proton extrusion in cells adapted to growth at low extracellular pH.

Intracellular pH (pHi) homeostasis is crucial to cell survival. Cells that are chronically exposed to a low pH environment must adapt their hydrogen ion extrusion mechanisms to maintain their pHi in the physiologic range. An important component of the adaptation to growth at low pH is the upregulation of pHi relative to the extracellular pH (pHe). To test the ability of low pHe adapted cells to respond to a pHi lowering challenge, a fluorescence assay was used that directly monitors proton removal as the rate of change of pHi during recovery from cytosolic acidification. Two cell lines of Chinese hamster origin (ovarian carcinoma and ovary fibroblastoid cells) were compared, both of which showed altered proton extrusion after adaptation to growth at low pHe = 6.70. In the ovarian carcinoma (OvCa) cell line, the pattern was consistent with an upregulation by means of an increase in the number of functional proton transporters in the plasma membrane. In the ovary fibroblastoid (CHO-10B) cell line, pHi was consistently elevated in adapted cells as compared with cells grown at normal pHe = 7.30 without an increase in maximum extrusion rate. This upregulation was consistent with a shift in the activating pHi of proton transporters without an increase in the number of transporters, i.e., a change in substrate affinity of the transporter. In OvCa cells, recovery from acidification could be blocked by amiloride, an inhibitor of Na+/ H+ exchange. In contrast, a more modest effect of amiloride on CHO cells was observed but a complete inhibition was seen with the Cl-/HCO(-3)exchange inhibitor 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS). These data indicate that the two cell lines rely to different degrees on the two major pathways for pH regulation during recovery from cytosolic acidification.
The Weyl Theory for a Class of Elliptic Boundary Value Porblems on a Half‐Sapace

A Weyl theory for a class of elliptic partial differential operators on a half-space is developed, and related to the well-posedness of the boundary value problem Mf = g, where f and g are square-integrable on the half-space and f is required to satisfy certain conditions at the boundary. The operators discussed are natural generalizations of ordinary differential operators with positive coefficients. Recent developments in the Weyl theory for these ordinary differential operators are reviewed, and the ODE results are related to the PDE results.
New form factors in the dual resonance model

Abstract A new set of fields, satisfying a Mobius invariant equation, is used in a dual model of vector currents. The elastic form factor exhibits powerlaw fall off, but the inelastic νW2 structure function does not scale.
Documentary disorders: Managing medical multiplicity in Maputo, Mozambique

What do attempts at documentary standardization in a clinic in Maputo, Mozambique, reveal about transnational medical governance? By following medical and bureaucratic practices in an NGO-supported public clinic, I illustrate how documentary practices enact and complicate medical authority in Mozambique. In efforts toward standardization, medical documents are made multiple, simultaneously articulating a range of ethical, bureaucratic, and knowledge-producing activities. Concurrently, medical authority itself is multiplied, as a plurality of agencies and institutions come to intervene in and on practices of documentation, measurement, knowledge production, and care in the clinic. Anthropologists have shown how pluralities of medical care present both predicaments and opportunities for patients and healers; I extend these insights to the material life of postcolonial and transnational medical governance, suggesting that governmental and medical multiplication through the document form presents opportunities as well as challenges for the patients, local health workers, and staff of international organizations who navigate this varied documentary terrain.
Hyperactivated Sperm Motility: Are Equine Sperm Different?

Abstract A recent study has suggested a central role for hyperactivated sperm motility in successful equine in vitro fertilization, as the highest apparent fertilization rates reported yet were obtained using exogenous stimulation of hyperactivated motility in sperm that had been incubated for capacitation. Hyperactivated motility has been studied intensively in other species, but little data are available in this area in the horse. Hyperactivated motility is associated with an influx of calcium from the extracellular space, and in other species this occurs because of an increase in intracellular pH during capacitation. Influx of calcium seems to trigger changes in flagellar function through calcium–calmodulin–calmodulin kinase-related effects on dynein function, but the exact mechanisms resulting in hyperactivated motility are still unclear. We have been exploring the physiology of hyperactivated motility in stallion spermatozoa and have found many of the mechanisms present in other species to be in place in the stallion. Further research is needed to determine why stallion spermatozoa seem to fail to undergo hyperactivation in response to capacitating environments that support this activity in other species.
IGF-I Enhances Cellular Proliferation and Apoptosis in Growing Rats with Progressive Chronic Renal Failure † 1790

IGF-I Enhances Cellular Proliferation and Apoptosis in Growing Rats with Progressive Chronic Renal Failure † 1790
Foreign-born women faculty work roles and productivity at research universities in the United States

Using the data from the 2004 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF:04) survey, the study examined foreign-born women faculty members’ work roles and productivity in the areas of teaching, research, and service in comparison with their US-born counterparts at research universities in the US. The findings provided some evidence to suggest that foreign-born women faculty members’ patterns of engagement in work activities contradicted the gendered division of labor in academia. The findings indicated that foreign-born female academics were significantly more engaged in research that was evident in the number of scholarly outputs they produced compared to US-born women faculty colleagues. On the other hand, they seemed to be less involved in teaching and service functions of their work than their US-born women peers. The study could serve as a good starting point to further examine foreign-born women faculty socialization into faculty roles and their academic work culture.
Plasma corticosterone concentrations sensitively reflect levels of stimulus intensity in the rat.

Abstract In Experiment 1 plasma concentrations of both corticosterone and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in rats were found to be greater than resting levels following 10 min, but not 2.5 min of exposure to an unfamiliar environment. In Experiment 2, rats exposed to 3 increasingly unfamiliar environments for 15 min showed 3 corresponding elevations in mean plasma corticosterone level. Rats receiving handling similar to that of the experimental animals showed plasma concentrations of corticosterone which were greater than those seen in undisturbed controls, but less than those observed in rats exposed to the least unfamiliar environment. Plasma concentrations of ACTH, however, did not accurately reflect treatment differences, indicating that either the 15 min time point was not optimal for detecting differences in circulating ACTH or, that unlike corticosterone, ACTH levels did not vary systematically in response to variations in the degree of environmental change experienced by the animals. Overall these results extend previous findings and provide additional support for the use of fluctuations in corticoid levels to measure changes in emotional state.
The experience of migration: settlement and adjustment in Milan.

We examine two perspectives on the management of migration, involving the distinction between settlement and adjustment. The latter refers to urban migration that involves significant personal maladjustment, while settlement emphasizes the importance of social networks and coping strategies in moderating the consequences of migration. Using a sample representing both rural and urban origins and differential length of residence in Milan, it is shown that (contrary to assumptions involved in the “maladjustment” perspective) neither prior urban experience nor length of exposure to urban life is associated with better adjustment. Various coping strutegies are explored (e. g., pre-migration and social-network help) as potential contributors to successful settlement. Finally, the “settler” (in contrast to the “maladjuster”) is shown to be more insulated from urban-oriented change in life style and ideology.
Basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors protect spinal motor neurones in vivo after experimental spinal cord injury.

We studied the effect of a single focal injection of recombinant basic (FGF2) or acidic (FGF1) fibroblast growth factor on the survival of spinal motor neurones at 24 h after a standardized spinal cord contusion injury (SCI) in the rat. Both FGF2 and FGF1 (3 microg), microinjected into the injury site at 5 min post-injury (p.i.), protected at least two functionally important classes of spinal motor neurones, autonomic preganglionic neurones in the intermediolateral (IML) column and somatic motor neurones in the ventral horn (VH). Moreover, there was enhanced choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity in surviving VH and IML neurones, suggesting an improved functional status. Thus, neurotrophic factors such as FGF2 and FGF1 may contribute to an overall strategy to treat acute SCI and improve recovery of function.
Influence of acclimation and incubation medium on supercooling by hatchling painted turtles, Chrysemys picta

Summary 1Baby Painted Turtles, Chrysemys picta (Schneider 1783), ingest soil and fragments of eggshell as they are hatching from their eggs. The ingested soil typically contains bacterial nucleating agents that can cause water in the gut to freeze at high subzero temperatures. If ice forms in the gut, however, the crystals penetrate the wall of that organ and cause water in body compartments to freeze. Thus, newly hatched turtles freeze spontaneously at high subzero temperatures owing to the nucleation of ice by bacteria in the gut. 2Painted Turtles purge their gut of soil in the weeks after hatching, but removing particulate material from the GI tract does not, by itself, result in elimination of the bacterial nucleating agents. The purging of nucleating agents requires that hatchlings also be exposed to low (but non-freezing) temperatures. The response to low temperature is completed in little more than 1 month; a longer exposure does not elicit a demonstrable improvement in the capacity for supercooling. 3The limit of supercooling does not vary significantly among turtles hatching on different kinds of soil, despite the fact that different soils typically harbour different concentrations of nucleating agents. Thus, the risk of heterogeneous nucleation probably does not vary appreciably among turtles hatching and overwintering in different kinds of soil in the field. 4Hatchling Painted Turtles that have become acclimatized to low temperatures in the field presumably have acquired a high resistance to freezing by inoculation (as shown by prior study) and an enhanced capacity for supercooling (current study), thereby enabling many animals to withstand exposure to ice and cold during winter by remaining unfrozen and supercooled.
Incivility in Nursing: The Connection Between Academia and Clinical Settings

Summary It is good that fostering a healthywork environment has become apriority in health care in generaland nursing in specific. However, toaddress it solely from the practiceperspective is one-sided and fails toacknowledge its full complexity.Given what we now know about theimplications for the workplace andfor patients’ safety that stem frompoor communication and unhealthywork environments, it is imperativethat we address the issue of incivil-ity in nursing from matriculationinto academic programs to retirementfrom professional positions. Nursesin both the practice and academicarenas must partner to understandthis issue better and combat thisproblem adequately. CCN Financial Disclosures None reported. References 1. Ulrich BT, Lavendero R, Hart KA, WoodsD, Leggett J, Taylor D. Critical care nurses’work environments: a baseline statusreport. Crit Care Nurse. 2006;26(5):46-57.2. Johnson SL, Rea RE. Workplace bullying:concerns for nurse leaders. J Nurs Adm. 2009;39(2):84-90.3. Simons S. Workplace bullying experiencedby Massachusetts registered nurses and therelationship to intention to leave the organ-ization.
HISTOPLASMOSIS INVOLVING THE CARPAL JOINT. A CASE REPORT.

A case is reported of histoplasmosis in which focal involvement of the synovial membrane of the wrist and the os triquetrum dominated the clinical picture. One other case of bone and synovial infection was found. Histoplasmosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of focal bone and joint lesions occurring in the age groups when primary infection and endogenous reinfection with this organism occur. Excisional surgery can be utilized in these rare cases under the protection of amphotericin B.