cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data Base Management, Feedback Control and the Regenstrief Medical Record.

Because of the differences in informational needs among medical practices, medical record systems should be fiexible. The use of data base management and use-oriented command languages helps to achieve flexibility. The Regenstrief Medical Record System is based upon a data base management system and two user-oriented command languages (the RDB Command Language and CARE). Most batch reports, file maintenance procedures, and ad hoc retrievals can be specified by the user by means of these two languages. This means that the user can specify which reports he wants and how they should look. Daily on-line activities are performed by application programs. The data base system also provides flexibility to these programs since the content and format of many of the display screens are defined by statements that are similar to the command language statements and are stored within a text file. The Regenstrief Medical Record System now carries records for 60,000 patients.
Calcium transport by pigeon erythrocyte membrane vesicles.

Abstract Membrane vesicles from pigeon erythrocytes show a rapid, ATP-dependent accumulation of 45 Ca 2+ . Ca 2+ accumulation ratios greater than or approximately equal to 10 4 are readily attained. For ATP-dependent Ca 2+ uptake, V is 1.5 mmol · 1 −1 · min −1 at 27°C (approx. 0.9 nmol · mg −1 protein · min −1 ), [Ca 2+ ] 1 2 is 0.18 μM, [ATP] 1 2 is 30–60 μM, the Ca 2+ uptake rate depends on [Ca 2+ ] 2 and the dependence of uptake rate on ATP concentration implies strong ATP-ATP cooperativity. The Arrhenius activation energy is 19.1 ± 1.4 kcal/mol and the pH optimum is approx. 6.9.
Biologicals acting against interleukin 1 may reduce corticosteroid dependence in systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Children suffering from systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (soJIA) are often receiving high doses of corticosteroids (CS) for a long time duration and therefore are suffering from many CS associated side effects. The therapy of soJIA includes non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, CS and methotrexate +/- azathioprine. Other drugs like cyclosporin A, thalidomide and biologicals like tumor necrosis factor alpha-inhibitors or -antibodies have not been very successfully applied in many children. During the last years the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist anakinra and antibodies against interleukin 1s have been developed and clinical experiences are showing promising antiinflammatory activity. We present six patients with soJIA. The age at diagnosis was 2, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 15 years. During kineret therapy CS could be finished in five of them and is given in a very low dosage of 5 mg prednisolone daily in the sixth patient. The dose of kineret had to be individualized. In 5 patients the dose of kineret varied between 1,3 mg/kg and 4 mg/kg per day. Sometimes it had to be applied in two daily doses. In five patients kineret has been applied for 5, 8, 24, 29 and 45 months. In the sixth patient kineret has been applied for 15 months, and then the ILs antibody canakinumab has been applied for another 11 months in monthly intervals. In May 2011 5/6 patients do not need any CS for 4,9,29,35 and 45 months, respectively. The sixth patient suffering from a very severe chronic inflammatory disease is receiving low doses of 5 mg prednisolone per day. Three of six patients are receiving additional low doses of weekly methotrexate, three patients do not need any immunosuppressive therapy at all. Therapeutic drugs acting against interleukin 1 are promising therapeutic alternatives for patients suffering from soJIA. The subcutaneous applicability is another advantage. The duration of CS dependence may be reduced in many patients suffering from soJIA.
On equationally defining extended cycle systems

Abstract It has been previously shown by Bryant and Lindner that the only values of m for which 2-perfect m -cycle systems can be equationally defined are m ∈ {3, 5, 7}. In this paper more general graph decompositions of an m -cycle system are defined, namely extended cycle systems, and it is shown that if m is odd then extended m -cycle systems can be equationally defined if and only if m ∈ {3, 5, 7}. The equations used to define the extended cycle systems are the same as those for cycle systems except that the idempotent law no longer applies.
MicroPIV measurements of turbulent flow in square microchannels with hydraulic diameters from 200 μm to 640 μm

Abstract Microscopic particle image velocimetry (microPIV) experiments were performed on square polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels with hydraulic diameters ranging from 200 μm to 640 μm and for Reynolds numbers ranging from 200 through 3971. Deionized water mixed with fluorescent seed particles was used as the working fluid. There was no evidence of early transition to turbulence, with transition observed at Reynolds numbers between 1718 and 1885 for the different sized microchannels. The 200 μm microchannel structurally failed before fully turbulent flow was reached, but for the other microchannel geometries studied, the flow was found to become fully turbulent at Reynolds numbers ranging from 2600 to 2900. The measured fully turbulent 〈 u ′〉/ u max velocity fluctuations agreed well with results for turbulent duct flow for the 320 μm, 480 μm and 640 μm microchannels. The measured fully turbulent 〈 v ′〉/ u max fluctuations agreed well with turbulent duct flow results for the 480 μm and 640 μm microchannels, but were 20–40% lower than turbulent duct flow results for the 320 μm microchannel. Similar results were observed in the measured Reynolds shear stresses. Spatial correlations of velocity fluctuations were also measured in the transverse direction, and in the R u ′ u ′ spatial correlation results, the 480 μm and 640 μm microchannel results agreed very well with turbulent pipe flow results, but the 320 μm results showed significant differences. The R v ′ v ′ correlations were very similar for all three microchannels, with the R v ′ v ′ correlations decaying more slowly than the R u ′ u ′ correlations.
Characterization of the antiphagocytic activity of equine fibrinogen for Streptococcus equi subsp. equi

The antiphagocytic property of equine fibrinogen for Streptococcus equi subsp. equi strain CF32 was examined in vitro. The results of bactericidal assays demonstrated that the presence of fibrinogen enhanced the ability of overnight and early log-phase cultures of strain CF32 to resist killing by equine neutrophils by 12-fold and seven-fold, respectively (p > 0.01). In addition, fibrinogen-coated bacteria treated with fibrinogen specific F(ab')2 fragments were 32% more susceptible to killing by equine neutrophils after opsonization in serum (p > 0.05), indicating that specific epitopes on fibrinogen may be important for its antiphagocytic effect. Since complement deposition is inhibited on subsp. equi (Boschwitz JS, Timoney JF, Infect Immun 1994; 42, 3515-20, we examined the effect of fibrinogen on complement deposition by using colloidal gold labeling of surface-bound C3. No significant differences were detected in the quantity of C3 deposited on the cell surface after opsonization with serum, serum plus fibrinogen, or plasma. These results suggest that the antiphagocytic property of fibrinogen is not related to the inhibition of complement deposition on the bacterial surface. Pretreatment of CF32 with M protein specific antibody inhibited fibrinogen binding by 72%, and a strain of subsp. equi expressing low levels of M protein bound 64% less fibrinogen than CF32, suggesting that the some of the fibrinogen deposited on the surface of subsp. equi is bound to M protein.
Disturbing the Solar System and The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Meteorites

Whether we study igneous rocks, oceans, or magnetospheres, all geoscientists are inherently planetary scientists. Earth and planetary sciences are inextricably linked, as the Earth is but one of a set of planets orbiting a common star. Our solar system evolved from a single cloud of gas and dust that spawned the Sun, planets, comets, and asteroids. The scientific bond among these objects is obvious to those of us who study the other planets, in large part because we typically began studying terrestrial geology and only later delved into planetary science. In contrast, most terrestrial geoscientists have had little formal training in planetary science. Too often, they have only a vague appreciation of why they should even bother to study our nearest neighbors.
Salinity effects on arm regeneration in Luidia clathrata (Echinodermata: Asteroidea)

The effect of salinity (20, 25, and 30 psu) on regeneration of two arms of adult starfish Luidia clathrata (n = 8 per salinity treatment group collected from Pensacola Bay, Florida, USA 30° 20′ N, 87° 13′ W) was examined in a laboratory experiment (November 2009 to March 2010) to test the hypothesis that L. clathrata is adapted to euryhaline conditions found in bays with regards to arm regeneration. Regenerating arm condition (lengths and weights) relative to treatment was 20-psu treatment < 25-psu treatment < 30-psu treatment, and non-regenerating arm condition was 20-psu treatment < 25-psu treatment = 30-psu treatment. Luidia clathrata is not adapted to lower salinity conditions found in bays with regard to arm regeneration, despite the common occurrence of the species in bays. Lower salinity in bays should reduce the ability of L. clathrata to recover from damage sustained during, or just prior to, low-salinity periods.
Beyond the Spirit of Capitalism

Weber (1902; 1978) coined the term, the spirit of capitalism referring to the logic or rationality that underlies the market-capitalist system as a whole. Since then, a rational view of spirit has ...
THE FUTURE OF RADIOIODINES

As early as 1934 FERMI 1 produced 128I using a radium-beryllium source. Soon longer-lived isotopes of iodine, 13~ and 131I, became availbale. The latter was discovered in t983 by LIVINGOOD and SEABORG who were specifically looking for a medically useful radioisotope of this element, and it became the most widely used isotope of iodine. HERTZ 2 and HAMILTON 3 undertook therapy of hyperthyroidism at about the same time. The understanding of radioiodine in thyroid cancer came shortly after the first clinical studies in other diseases. 4 In 1946 SEIDLIN s reported the first thyroid cancer patient successfully trated with radioiodine. More recently the advantages o f other radioisotopes of iodine, such as 1211, 123I, and 125I, have been explored. MYERS, 6 along with other investigators, has contributed significantly to the exploration and application of these isotopes. The short half-life and good gamma energy of 1231 motivated MYERS 6 to advocate its use long ago. Inasmuch as iodine chemistry is relatively well understood, and radiochemists have a longstanding experience in labeling methods with the radioiodine racionuclides 131I and, more recently, 125 I, it has been relatively simple to extend to 123I all the procedures used for the other radionuclidesofiodine. Surprisingly, however the list of 1231-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in actual practice has been limited due in part to the substantial cost difference between 123I and other radionuclides of iodine, such as 131 I. One problem that remains is the relatively avoidable contamination of t23I with the longer-lived 124I and 12sI. Most methods of direct production result in 124I contamination, whereas 123i produced by 123Xe decay is usually contaminated with 1251 at the time of delivery. When first appraised of The International Symposium, on Radioiodines I was intrigued with the prospect in view of several earlier, excellent radioiodine conferences. As reflected by these proceedings, Published on Volume 65, No 1-2 of the Joural of the Radioanalytical Chemistry, Drs. NOUJAIM and WlEBE have shown great wisdom in assembling a symposium of such breadth and quality. I have been asked to address the future of radioiodines, and in deing so must consider their
Simultaneous Releases of U.S. and Foreign GAAP Earnings

Prior studies examine the incremental information content of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) reconciliation of U.S. listed foreign firms and find mixed results. One of the main methodological issues in prior studies is the uncertainty concerning the dates of the reconciliation releases. This study examines the information content of U.S.GAAP reconciliation for a sample of U.S. listed foreign firms that released both U.S. and foreign GAAP earnings information simultaneously. The findings show that there is no incremental information content for the U.S. GAAP reconciliation over foreign GAAP earnings. When added to other empirical evidence from prior studies, this studies' results of no incremental information content further support the recent SEC announcement to work towards eliminating the reconciliation by 2009 for firms using IFRS.
Lijkenmet radioactieve tanden

Het vaststellen van de ouderdom van tanden die duizenden jaren oud zijn door analyse van radioactieve koolstof, is makkelijk. Maar van tanden van niet te identificeren lijken in onze tijd? Dat dat nu ook kan, hebben we te danken aan de beginfase van de Koude Oorlog (omstreeks 1948-1991).
The risks of large organizations in developing complex systems

The risks to the large organization of being able to complete the development of large software intensive systems on time and in budget include not just the defining and maintaining of proper requirements and work processes, but also in the defining and maintaining of the proper organizational work structures. Bureaucratic structures prevalent in large organizations can be inefficient and irrational especially in regards to unplanned surprises, exigencies, contingencies, and the emergent properties that are the normal part of the development and integration of first-of and one-of-a-kind large systems. All large software intensive systems, at their true core, are experiments, and experimentation and bureaucracy have proved to be, over time, destructively antithetical in basic values. Conway's law, first stated in 1968, has by the lights of 2005 provided only a superficial explanation of the antipathy of bureaucracy towards the unknown and risk. The belief that "[o]rganizations which design systems...are constrained to produce designs which are copies of the communication structures of these organizations", can be easily refuted by noting that hierarchical organizations have been quite successful in designing and implementing networked systems subsequent to the invention of Ethernet and TCP/IP. The example provided by Conway was not sufficient by itself to draw the conclusion was made, a common fallacy of cause and effect, but he was certainly on an interesting path of investigation. Large system development failures cannot be prevented soley through improved planning, requirements, processes and software. Improvement must also come from the recognition of the limits of organization, planning and process; the recognition of the basic antipathy between bureaucracy and risk; the recognition of the need for organizational structures that scale yet remain responsive; the recognition of the need for better attitudes towards faults and failures, and the recognition that in order to reduce the risks that are inherent when the technical becomes political, that one must reduce the risks of speaking truth to power. The short article that follows is intended to raise more questions than provide answers, and the references are intended to provide a starting point for further research.
Mechanistic insights into hydride transfer for catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 with cobalt complexes

The catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to formate by Co(dmpe)2H can proceed via direct hydride transfer or via CO2 coordination to Co followed by reductive elimination of formate. The different nature of the rate-determining step in the two mechanisms may provide new insights into designing catalysts with improved performance.
To be Human

Who are we? The question of human nature seems to haunt all disciplines. That may tell us how very "human" the question is. Answers vary widely. Yet scientists – anthropologists, geneticists, ethologists, and developmental and evolutionary biologists – rely on observations and empirical data. Their conclusions thus seem more objective. Biologically, humans are primates. Linnaeus perceived that, even before Darwin. We share our anatomies and physiologies with apes and chimps. But Darwin gave this relationship special meaning. He transformed abstract taxonomy into material genealogy. Ever since, we have characterized our species by its ancestry. Identity and history have merged. "Who we are" is now also the story of human origins: where we came from, how and why. Each new finding in human evolution seems to fascinate us. The sequencing of the human and chimpanzee genomes was big news (Culotta, 2005), appearing on the cover of Time magazine (Lemonick & Dorfman, 2006). Then came the Neanderthal genome (Gibbons, 2010). Ardi ( Ardipithecus ramidus ) created a sensation by replacing Lucy as the earliest known complete hominid skeleton, displayed dramatically on the cover of Science (2 October 2009). Then the human-like ape Australopithecus sediba sparked new controversy ( Science , 9 April 2010). Every new discovery generates public sensation. Add to this buzz new exhibit halls on human origins at both the American Museum of Natural History (Tattersall & DeSalle, 2007) and the Smithsonian (Potts & Sloan, 2010b). And at least seven major books in the last five years, which range from surveying new fossils, vestigial traits and genomes, to profiling the uniqueness of our brains, bones, genome, and behavior (Walter, 2006; Zimmer, 2007; DeSalle & Tattersall, 2008; Gazzaniga, 2008; Roska-Hardy & Neumann-Held, 2008; Shubin, 2008; Taylor, 2009; Potts & Sloan, 2010a). And television specials (Rubin, 2008; …
Upper limb motor function in hemiparesis: concurrent validity of the Arm Motor Ability test.

Chae J, Labatia I, Yang G: Upper limb motor function in hemiparesis: Concurrent validity of the arm motor ability test. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2003;82:1-8. Objective: To evaluate the concurrent validity of the Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT) using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) as the criterion measure of poststroke upper limb motor impairment. Design: Upper limb motor impairment and arm ability of 30 chronic stroke survivors were assessed with the FMA and AMAT, respectively. Spearman's correlation coefficients were generated relating the components of FMA and AMAT. Scatterplots were generated to provide qualitative assessments of the relationship between FMA and AMAT. Bar graphs of FMA and AMAT normalized to their maximum scores were generated to compare the levels of motor status measured by each instrument. Results: All components of AMAT correlated highly with FMA total (r = 0.92-0.94; P < 0.001). AMAT functional ability and AMAT quality of movement were linearly related with FMA total. However, AMAT time of performance exhibited significant ceiling and floor effects with respect to FMA. Normalized AMAT scores were generally lower than normalized FMA scores (P < 0.001), with the greatest difference in scores observed in subjects with more severe motor impairments. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a high degree of concurrent criterion validity of the AMAT. However, AMAT tends to underestimate the arm motor status of those with more severe motor impairments.
Prostate cancer in African-American men and polymorphism in the calcium-sensing receptor.

Background: Prospective epidemiologic studies indicate that the risk for advanced prostate cancer is increased among men with high levels of serum calcium. Because serum calcium levels are influenced by the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), we examined prostate cancer in African American men in relation to three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CaSR gene, A986S, R990G, and Q1011E. This is the first study of CaSR polymorphisms and risk of prostate cancerMethods: We genotyped three CaSR SNPs for 458 African American prostate cancer cases and 248 controls from a population-based case-control study, the California Collaborative Prostate Cancer Study.Results: The CaSR genotypes were not associated with prostate cancer overall. However, we observed significant heterogeneity by disease stage for the Q1011E polymorphism (p=0.02). Advanced cases were significantly less likely than controls or localized cases to be homozygous for the minor allele of the Q1011E polymorphism (1% vs. 5%). Cases with ad...
A dynamic nonlinear constrained optimal replacement model

A stochastically constrained optimal replacement model for capital equipment is constructed. Each piece of capital equipment, or machine, is characterized by its age and “utility” or “readiness” class. The readiness of a machine at any age is a stochastic function of its initial utility class and its age. The total discounted replacement cost of several replacement streams, each commencing with an initial machine, is minimized with respect to the replacement age and initial utility class of each machine, subject to a readiness constraint stating the lower bound on the expected number of machines in each utility class at any time. A general solution procedure is outlined and a specific case is solved in detail.
Challenges in using siliceous subfossils as a tool for inferring past water level and hydroperiod in Everglades marshes

Successfully rehabilitating drained wetlands through hydrologic restoration is dependent on defining restoration targets, a process that is informed by pre-drainage conditions, as well as understanding linkages between hydrology and ecosystem structure. Paleoecological records can inform restoration goals by revealing long-term patterns of change, but are dependent on preservation of biomarkers that provide meaningful interpretations of environmental change. In the Florida Everglades, paleohydrological hind-casting could improve restoration forecasting, but frequent drying of marsh soils leads to poor preservation of many biomarkers. To determine the effectiveness of employing siliceous subfossils in paleohydrological reconstructions, we examined diatoms, plant and sponge silico-sclerids from three soil cores in the central Everglades marshes. Subfossil quality varied among cores, but the abundance of recognizable specimens was sufficient to infer 1,000–3,000 years of hydrologic change at decadal to centennial resolution. Phytolith morphotypes were linked to key marsh plant species to indirectly measure fluctuations in water depth. A modern dataset was used to derive diatom-based inferences of water depth and hydroperiod (R2 = 0.63, 0.47; RMSE = 14 cm, 120 days, respectively). Changes in subfossil quality and abundances at centennial time-scales were associated with mid-Holocene climate events including the Little Ice Age and Medieval Warm Period, while decadal-scale fluctuations in assemblage structure during the twentieth century suggested co-regulation of hydrology by cyclical climate drivers (particularly the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation) and water management changes. The successful reconstructions based on siliceous subfossils shown here at a coarse temporal scale (i.e., decadal to centennial) advocate for their application in more highly resolved (i.e., subdecadal) records, which should improve the ability of water managers to target the quantity and variability of water flows appropriate for hydrologic restoration.
Microbes and Colorectal Cancer: Is There a Relationship?

The human colon plays host to as many as 15,000–36,000 bacterial species, amounting to more than 100 trillion bacteria 1,2. The microbiota and their associated prokaryotic genome is an integral part of the host and uniquely contributes to various biologic processes such as maturation and development of the mucosal immune system, metabolic capacity, and intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation 3. An international effort is currently underway to catalogue the repertoire of microorganisms present in the intestines of healthy humans and of those with pathologic conditions. The human microbiome project—for which the U.S. National Institutes of Health has contributed more than $110 million—is aiming to determine the structure of the microbial community associated with the human body and the functions thereby served in health and disease 3,4. Arguably, mapping and comparing the composition of the microbial community harboured by healthy and disease-affected humans represents the next frontier in microbiology and medicine. Although this field of research is still in its infancy, the link between the microbiota and development of inflammatory bowel diseases (ibds) has been established in animal models and human patients alike. Countless studies have established that an improper innate or adaptive host response to microbial constituents leads to unrestricted activation of immune cells—including T-lymphocyte effector cells—and development of chronic inflammation 5. One of the greatest risks assumed by individuals with ibd is a heightened susceptibility to colorectal cancer (crc). Epidemiology studies indicate that the duration and severity of chronic colitis are important risk factors for crc 6–8. Because the microbiota play an essential role in the development of ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease (the two main manifestations of ibd), a close look at the relationship between bacteria and crc is a must.
Dyson's lemma with moving parts

In its original form [D], Dyson’s Lemma bounds the order of vanishing of a polynomial in two variables at a finite set of points and was used in studying rational approximations to a fixed algebraic irrational number. Bombieri [B] revived interest in Dyson’s Lemma and subsequently Esnault and Viehweg [EV] and Vojta [V1] vastly extended the scope of the result, to polynomials in several variables and to a section of a line bundle on a product of two algebraic curves respectively. The theorems of Vojta and of Esnault and Viehweg are highly refined geometric results which are used to prove the Mordell Conjecture and Roth’s Theorem respectively. The Main Theorems of both [EV] and, up to a factor of two, [V1] were recovered in [N] as special cases of a more general result. Before [N] had been written, Vojta [V3] formulated a result which would vastly improve the main result of [N]. The goal of this note is to prove Vojta’s statement on a product of an arbitrary number of projective lines and to give a counterexample on a product of three or more curves of genus ≥ 1. In order to state our main result, we need to fix some notation. Let
Identification in Detailed Wage Decompositions

The standard wage decomposition methodology produces arbitrary results when attempting to estimate the separate contributions of sets of dummy variables to the unexplained portion of the wage decomposition: the estimates are not invariant with respect to the choice of reference groups. However, the estimated separate contributions of sets of dummy variables to the explained portion and the overall decomposition are shown not to be dependent upon the choice of left-out reference groups. A similar identification problem applies to continuous variables, although this may not be as likely to cause problems in practice.
Development of Management Programs for White Grubs in California Blueberries

During the past few years, white grubs have become recognized as a pest of southern highbush blueberries in California. White grubs feed on plant roots causing the plant to be stunted. In some case...
The teratogenic Veratrum alkaloid cyclopamine inhibits sonic hedgehog signal transduction

The steroidal alkaloid cyclopamine produces cyclopia and holoprosencephaly when administered to gastrulationstage amniote embryos. Cyclopamine-induced malformations in chick embryos are associated with interruption of Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-mediated dorsoventral patterning of the neural tube and somites. Cell types normally induced in the ventral neural tube by Shh are either absent or appear aberrantly at the ventral midline after cyclopamine treatment, while dorsal cell types normally repressed by Shh appear ventrally. Somites in cyclopamine-treated embryos show Pax7 expression throughout, indicating failure of sclerotome induction. Cyclopamine at concentrations of 20-100 nM blocks the response of neural plate explants to recombinant Shh-N in a dose-dependent manner. Similar concentrations have no effect on the post-translational modification of Shh by cholesterol in transfected COS-1 cells. Comparison of the effects of cyclopamine to those of the holoprosencephalyinducing cholesterol synthesis inhibitor AY-9944 shows that cyclopamine does not induce malformations by interfering with cholesterol metabolism. Although AY-9944 does not interrupt Shh signaling in ovo, it blocks the response to Shh-N in explants cultured without an exogenous cholesterol source. As predicted by current models of the regulation of cholesterol metabolism, the response to ShhN in AY-9944-treated explants is restored by providing exogenous cholesterol. However, exogenous cholesterol does not restore Shh signaling in cyclopamine-treated explants. These findings suggest that cyclopamine-induced teratogenesis is due to a more direct antagonism of Shh signal transduction. SUMMARY
Definable Tree Decompositions

We introduce a notion of definable tree decompositions of graphs. Actually, a definable tree decomposition of a graph is not just a tree decomposition, but a more complicated structure that represents many different tree decompositions of the graph. It is definable in the graph by a tuple of formulas of some logic. In this paper, only study tree decomposition definable in fixed-point logic. We say that a definable tree decomposition is over a class of graphs if the pieces of the decomposition are in this class. We prove two general theorems lifting definability results from the pieces of a tree decomposition of a graph to the whole graph. Besides unifying earlier work on fixed-point definability and descriptive complexity theory on planar graphs and graphs of bounded tree width, these general results can be used to prove that the class of all graphs without a K5-minor is definable infixed-point logic and that fixed-point logic with counting captures polynomial time on this class.
Implementing Rule-Based Monitors within a Framework for Continuous Requirements Monitoring

With the increasing complexity of information systems, it is becoming increasingly unclear as to how information system behaviors relate to stated requirements. Although requirements documents and Business Activity Monitoring can provide static and dynamic evidence for requirements compliance, neither provides a formal, real-time presentation of requirements satisfaction. The REQMON research project is constructing and validating methods and tools for requirements specification and real-time monitoring. The challenge is to simplify monitoring system construction while ensuring the fidelity and expressiveness of its feedback. To address this challenge, our integrative approach leverages a formal monitoring abstraction layer, dynamically configurable distributed monitors, and commercial software to define a theory for specifying, developing, and analyzing requirements monitoring systems. This article presents an implementation of rule-based monitors, which are derived from system requirements. Such an implementation can simplify the specification of temporal requirements monitors and can be efficient, as our analysis shows.
Isolation and analysis of the proteins of plant nuclei from two stages of differentiation of Phaseolus vulgaris

Abstract The proteins of plant nuclei from Phaseolus vulgaris were separated and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and amino acid analysis. Comparative studies of some protein fractions revealed quantitative and qualitative differences between the undifferentiated hook and the more differentiated lower hypocotyl of bean. While the histone fractions displayed similar electrophoretic patterns, the acidic protein fractions varied accordingly to the stage of development. Various protein fractions from the same tissue differed markedly in amino acid composition; there was little variation in similar fractions from the two stages of differentiation.
Principles of genetics and cancer

Objectives: To discuss basic principles of inheritance as they relate to cancer genetics. Data sources: Current research and professional literature that are necessary to understand genetics and cancer. Conclusions: Studies of the human genome are identifying the location and sequence of genes that influence how cells grow and function, and relationships between genetic information and cancer development. Implications for nursing practice: Understanding basic genetic information is an essential foundation of current and future oncology nursing practice.
Open-Framework Copper Titanosilicates

Four open-framework copper titanosilicates have been synthesized by hydrothermal techniques. The crystal structure of Phase 1 determined from single crystal X-ray data is closely similar to that reported for the titanosilicate ETS-4 with ca. one third TiO5 pyramids randomly replaced by CuO4 squares. Phase 2 also has the ETS-4 structure but all the TiO5 pyramids are replaced by CuO4 squares which are not randomly disordered. Phase 3 with the composition Na8CuTi3Si16O43 has the same structure as the mineral narsarsukite, a titanosilicate closely related to the microporous titanosilicate ETS-10. Narsarsukite and ETS-10 have the same straight single chains of TiO6 octahedra which are partially substituted by CuO4 squares in 3. Phase 4 with the composition K4CuTiSi8O21 contains CuO4 squares and TiO5 tetragonal pyramids that crosslink a new type of silicate double layer to form an open framework.
The BAD protein integrates survival signaling by EGFR/MAPK and PI3K/Akt kinase pathways in PTEN-deficient tumor cells

Tumor cells with mutated PTEN proliferate in an EGFR-independent manner. Induction of PTEN sensitizes cells to EGFR inhibition, and the combination causes synergistic apoptosis. Synergy is due to inhibition of two parallel pathways that phosphorylate the proapoptotic protein BAD at distinct sites. Serine 112 phosphorylation is EGFR/MEK/MAPK dependent, whereas serine 136 phosphorylation is PI3K/Akt dependent. Either phosphorylation is sufficient to sequester BAD to 14-3-3. BAD is released and apoptosis is induced only if both serines are dephosphorylated in response to inhibition of both pathways. Reduction of BAD expression by RNA interference prevents apoptosis in response to pathway inhibition. Thus, BAD integrates the antiapoptotic effects of both pathways. Combined inhibition of EGFR and PI3K signaling may be a useful therapeutic strategy.
An adaptive covariance inflation error correction algorithm for ensemble filters

Ensemble filter methods for combining model prior estimates with observations of a system to produce improved posterior estimates of the system state are now being applied to a wide range of problems both in and out of the geophysics community. Basic implementations of ensemble filters are simple to develop even without any data assimilation expertise. However, obtaining good performance using small ensembles and/or models with significant amounts of error can be more challenging. A number of adjunct algorithms have been developed to ameliorate errors in ensemble filters. The most common are covariance inflation and localization which have been used in many applications of ensemble filters. Inflation algorithms modify the prior ensemble estimates of the state variance to reduce filter error and avoid filter divergence. These adjunct algorithms can require considerable tuning for good performance, which can entail significant expense. A hierarchical Bayesian approach is used to develop an adaptive covariance inflation algorithm for use with ensemble filters. This adaptive error correction algorithm uses the same observations that are used to adjust the ensemble filter estimate of the state to estimate appropriate values of covariance inflation. Results are shown for several low-order model examples and the algorithm produces results that are comparable with the best tuned inflation values, even for small ensembles in the presence of very large model error.
Scleromyxedema with systemic involvement mimics rheumatic diseases

Scleromyxedema is an infiltrative skin disease produced by hyaluronic acid deposition in the dermis. A benign monoclonal gammopathy is usually present. We report 2 patients with scleromyxedema and systemic illnesses. Both patients had muscle weakness, dysphagia, and weight loss in addition to the skin changes. One also had sclerodactyly, telangiectasias, and Raynaud's phenomenon. Scleromyxedema with systemic involvement may mimic rheumatic diseases.
Central retinal artery occlusion and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy associated with an overlap syndrome: a case report

Introduction An "overlap syndrome" is defined as the sequential appearance over time of two or more risk factors for glaucomatous damage. The appearance of a new risk factor can alter the course and prognosis of previously stable disease. Exfoliation syndrome is a leading cause of glaucoma and is associated with vascular disease. We report a case of central retinal artery occlusion and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in a patient with overlap syndrome.
A bounded uncertainty approach to cooperative localization using relative bearing constraints

This paper describes an approach to cooperative localization which finds its roots in robust estimation, employing an unknown-but-bounded error model for sensor measurements. In this framework, range and bearing measurements obtained by the robots are viewed as constraints which implicitly define a set of feasible solutions in the joint configuration space of the robot team. The scheme produces bounded uncertainty estimates for the relative configuration of the team by using convex optimization techniques to approximate the projection of this feasible set onto various subspaces of the configuration space. The scheme can also be used to localize distributed sensor nodes. An important advantage of the proposed approach is that it is able to produce bounded uncertainty estimates for the relative configuration of the robots even in the case where the relative orientations of the robots are completely unknown. This is an important practical advance since errors in relative orientation are often a major contributor to positioning uncertainty in multi-robot localization schemes.
Preservice elementary teachers' views of their students' prior knowledge of science

Pre-service teachers face many challenges as they learn to teach in ways that are different from their own educational experiences. Pre-service teachers often enter teacher education courses with pre-conceptions about teaching and learning that may or may not be consistent with contemporary learning theory. To build on preservice teachers' prior knowledge, we need to identify the types of views they have when entering teacher education courses and the views they develop throughout these courses. The study reported here focuses specifically on preservice teachers' views of their own students' prior knowledge and the implications these views have on their understanding of the formative assessment process. Sixty-one preservice teachers were studied from three sections of a science methods course. Results indicate that preservice teachers exhibited a limited number of views about students' prior knowledge. These views tended to privilege either academic or experience-based concepts for different aspects of formative assessment, in contrast to contemporary perspectives on teaching for understanding. Rather than considering these views as misconceptions, it is argued that it is more useful to consider them as resources for further development of a more flexible concept of formative assessment. Four common views are discussed in detail and applied to science teacher preparation. 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 497-523, 2008
Plasma Synthesis of Tungsten Carbide Nanopowder from Ammonium Paratungstate

A thermal plasma process has been applied to the synthesis of nanosized tungsten carbide powder with ammonium paratungstate (APT) as the precursor. The reduction and carburization of vaporized APT produced nanosized tungsten carbide (WC1−x) powder, which sometimes contained a small amount of W2C phase. The effects of reactant gas composition, plasma torch power, the flow rate of plasma gas, and the addition of secondary plasma gas (H2) on the product composition and particle size were investigated. The produced tungsten carbide (WC1−x) powder was <20 nm in particle size. The synthesized powders were also subjected to a hydrogen heat treatment to fully carburize the WC1−x and W2C phases to the WC phase as well as to remove excess carbon. Finally, WC powder of particle size <100 nm was obtained.
Of dung and dynein arms: understanding COPD in nonsmokers.

A frequent conundrum to a pulmonologist is understanding and therefore properly diagnosing COPD in a nonsmoker or minimal smoker (after confirming that this is indeed the case). The questions then become: The article by Koksal et al in this issue of respiratory care provides useful information on
Parent-of-origin effects on mRNA expression in Drosophila melanogaster not caused by genomic imprinting

Parent-of-origin effects create differences in gene expression among genetically identical individuals. Using measurements of allele-specific expression, we demonstrate that previously reported parent-of-origin effects on standing mRNA levels in Drosophila melanogaster are not attributable to genomic imprinting. Offspring from reciprocal crosses exhibit differences in total expression without differences in allelic expression, indicating that other types of maternal and/or paternal effects alter expression.
Inhibition by Lead of Production and Secretion of Transthyretin in the Choroid Plexus: Its Relation to Thyroxine Transport at Blood–CSF Barrier

Long-term, low-dose Pb exposure in rats is associated with a significant decrease in transthyretin (TTR) concentrations in the CSF. Since CSF TTR, a primary carrier of thyroxine in brain, is produced and secreted by the choroid plexus, in vitro studies were conducted to test whether Pb exposure interferes with TTR production and/or secretion by the choroid plexus, leading to an impaired thyroxine transport at the blood-CSF barrier. Newly synthesized TTR molecules in the cultured choroidal epithelial cells were pulse-labeled with [35S]methionine. [35S]TTR in the cell lysates and culture media was immunoprecipitated and separated by SDS-PAGE, and quantitated by autoradiography and liquid scintillation counting. Pb treatment did not significantly alter the protein concentrations in the culture, but inhibited the synthesis of total [35S]TTR (cells + media), particularly during the later chase phase. Two-way ANOVA of the chase phase revealed that Pb exposure (30 microM) significantly suppressed the rate of secretion of [35S]TTR compared to the controls (p < 0.05). Accordingly, Pb treatment caused a retention of [35S]TTR by the cells. In a two-chamber transport system with a monolayer of epithelial barrier, Pb exposure (30 microM) reduced the initial release rate constant (kr) of [125I]T4 from the cell monolayer to the culture media and impeded the transepithelial transport of [125I]T4 from the basal to apical side of epithelial cells by 27%. Taken together, these in vitro data suggest that sequestration of Pb in the choroid plexus hinders the production and secretion of TTR by this tissue. Consequently, this may alter the transport of thyroxine across this blood-CSF barrier.
How necessary is the unconscious as a predictive, explanatory, or prescriptive construct?

We elucidate the epistemological futility of using concepts such as unconscious thinking in research. Focusing on Newell & Shanks' (NS research on self-insight did not emerge to explore the unconscious; the accuracy of judgments does not necessitate the unconscious; and the prescriptive claim of UTT is unfounded.
Anthrax vaccine: short-term safety experience in humans

Bacillus anthracis is the major terrorist and biological warfare agent of concern to civilian and military medical planners. The licensed anthrax vaccine, adsorbed (AVA) is believed to be an effective prophylactic medical countermeasure against this threat. Our objective in this report was to expand the safety database for this vaccine by assessing data on self-reported, short-term safety of AVA during more than 25 years of use, measured by local and systemic adverse events temporally associated with the administration of AVA. A minority of AVA recipients reported systemic and injection site reactions. Females reported a higher incidence of injection site and systemic adverse events than males. Data show a difference in incidence of local reactions between lots. A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study to actively examine reactogenicity is needed to more completely define the extent and nature of reactions associated with receipt of AVA in humans as well as to confirm the gender lot differences in local reaction rates.
Co-expression and co-purification of archaeal and eukaryal box C/D RNPs.

Box C/D ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs) are 2′-O-methylation enzymes required for maturation of ribosomal and small nuclear RNA. Previous biochemical and structural studies of the box C/D RNPs were limited by the unavailability of purified intact RNPs. We developed a bacterial co-expression strategy based on the combined use of a multi-gene expression system and a tRNA-scaffold construct that allowed the expression and purification of homogeneous archaeal and human box C/D RNPs. While the co-expressed and co-purified archaeal box C/D RNP was found to be fully active in a 2′-O-methylation assay, the intact human U14 box C/D RNP showed no detectable catalytic activity, consistent with the earlier findings that assembly of eukaryotic box C/D RNPs is nonspontaneous and requires additional protein factors. Our systems provide a means for further biochemical and structural characterization of box C/D RNPs and their assembly factors.
The association of polycythemia with occlusion of the inferior vena cava

Abstract 1. A case is reported of polycythemia associated with partial occlusion of the inferior vena cava. 2. The suggestion is made that in this case the venous obstruction is responsible for the blood picture. 3. It is suggested that in the future any cases of inferior vena cava ligation receive careful hematologic studies including blood volume determination.
Common Law Environmental Protection

Today there is widespread dissatisfaction with many aspects of federal environmental law. The apparent success of early environmental regulations notwithstanding, many analysts and academics have begun to reexamine the potential of common law causes of action to supplement, if not supplant, portions of the existing regulatory regime. Yet whatever the failings of the environmental regulatory state, the common law has failings of its own, including the failure to protect many ecological resources in the period before the enactment of federal environmental law. This essay is the introduction to a paper-only symposium on Common Law Environmental Protection, forthcoming in the Case Western Reserve Law Review. The purpose of this symposium is to further the critical analysis and examination of the potential for common law remedies to address environmental concerns. There is now a foundation in the legal and economic literature on the role of the common law in addressing environmental issues, including some critical commentary on common law solutions. The literature is far from comprehensive, however. This symposium is intended to help fill this gap by identifying the potential promise and pitfalls of relying more upon common law approaches to environmental protection and identifying how common law environmental protection may be achieved.
Comment on "Observation of a push force on the end face of a nanometer silica filament exerted by outgoing light".

A Comment on the Letter by Weilong She, Jianhui Yu, and Raohui Feng, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 243601 (2008).