cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
History matters: contemporary versus historic population structure of bobcats in the New England region, USA

Habitat fragmentation and genetic bottlenecks can have substantial impacts on the health and management of wildlife species by lowering diversity and subdividing populations. Population genetic comparisons across time periods can help elucidate temporal changes in populations and the processes responsible for the changes. Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are wide-ranging carnivores and are currently increasing in abundance across an expanding range. Bobcat populations in New England have fluctuated in the past century in response to changes in their prey base, harvest pressure, and landscape development. We genotyped contemporary (2010–2017) and historic (1952–1964) bobcats from New England and Quebec, Canada at a suite of microsatellite loci and tested for differences in diversity, effective population size, and gene flow. Over 20 generations separated the sampling periods, and the intervening years were marked by drastic changes in land use and species management regimes. We found a general decrease in genetic diversity and differing population genetic structure through time. Effective population size decreased at the end of the historic period, coincident with a spike in harvest, but rebounded to greater numbers in the contemporary period. Our results suggest that bobcat populations in the region are robust, but development and range dynamics may play a significant role in population structure. Our study also highlights the benefits of a historical perspective in interpreting contemporary population genetic data.
Environmental enrichment modulates inflammation during development in long-evans rats (Rattus norvegicus)

It is unknown whether increased production of pro-inflammatory mediators during the life span is caused by aging per se or via the combination of a cumulative allostatic load due to life challenges. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of stress and environmental enrichment on the inflammatory status associated with aging in rats. Animals were assigned to the following five treatment groups: chronic stress with and without environmental enrichment; acute stress with and without environmental enrichment; control animals. Enrichment was provided as an open field containing novel objects (30 min three times per week). Animals assigned to chronic stress groups were exposed to predator sound stressors (e.g., hawk sound) for 30 min daily, while animals assigned to acute stress groups were exposed once a week for 30 min. The interaction between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the immune system was investigated by measuring metabolized dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels and peripheral levels of the cytokines IL-6 and IL-10. Results suggested that inflamm-aging was more pronounced in animals with low DHEA levels, which in turn were affected by exposure to environmental enrichment and acute stress. This study showed that environmental enrichment and acute stress can significantly attenuate disruptions in DHEA production, consequently contributing to improved neuroimmune function of aging animals.
Access to Telecommunications: The Views of Blind and Visually Impaired Adults:

This national study of 107 blind and visually impaired adults found that they want new information services using the telephone and are willing to pay for such services. The respondents felt strong...
Hospital-Acquired Infections and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Hospital-acquired infections are an increasingly recognized problem within the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Within the PICU, the patient population is exposed to an environment known for invasive procedures, monitoring and potential close proximity to others with infectious processes. Additionally, the PICU patients often have factors that affect their immune status including young age, chronic immunocompromised states, chronic stress, poor nutrition and prolonged immobility. Development of catheter-associated blood stream inections, ventilator-associated pneumonias, device-associated urinary tract infections and surgical site infections is an ongoing issue. Within the PICU environment, catheter-associated blood stream infections are the most common nosocomial infection, while ventilator-associated pneumonias have the highest mortality. As PICU staff realize the impact on patient morbidity and mortality caused by hospital-acquired infections, measures that focus on infection control are becoming an increasingly important component of pediatric critical care. The best current approach for preventing PICU-acquired infections centers on strict adherence to infection control policies, early discontinuation of invasive devices, prompt recogition of developing infections, and appropriate use of antibiotic therapy. Insight into the organisms responsible for and the pathogenesis of PICU-related infections are crucial components to eradicating these potentially preventable clinical problems.
Responses to Kleinman (2021) and to Bernet, Rohner, and Reay (2021)

This is a final response to statements by Kleinman and Bernet, Rohner, and Reay critiquing a commentary (Mercer) on the discussion of parental alienation issues in a paper by Bernet, Gregory, Rohne...
Formulation and characterization of oleic acid magnetic PEG PLGA nanoparticles for targeting glioblastoma multiforme

Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant form of astrocytoma with a median survival time of 1–2 years after diagnosis. The major treatment hurdle is the limited delivery of drugs to the brain due to the insurmountable blood brain barrier (BBB). Literature review reveals that nanoparticulate delivery system, in particular, magnetic polymeric nanoparticles in the presence of an external magnetic field may have enhanced permeation across the BBB. Therefore, the objective of this study was to fabricate the core of the polymeric nanoparticles with magnetic property. This core was fabricated by a modified seed synthesis method using tris(acetylacetonate) iron (III) [Fe(acac)3] as a precursor. To prevent the oxidation of Fe(acac)3, an overcoating with oleic acid was performed. The resulting oleic acid magnetic nanoparticle (OAMNP) was successfully prepared with a yield of 187.5 ± 4.2 mg. The particle size of the core was 9 ± 0.3 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.189 ± 0.001. OAMNP was dispersed within the polymeric matrix comprising of poly(lactic acid)–methoxy poly(ethylene oxide) (PLA–PEG) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) (PEG PLGA) by single emulsion solvent evaporation technique. The resulting nanoparticle had a particle size of 201 ± 2.1 nm with a PDI of 0.197 ± 0.003. The presence of co-polymer block linkage on the surface of OAMNP was qualitatively confirmed by proton NMR and FT-IR analysis. The mean entrapment efficiency of OAMNP within the PEG PLGA matrix was 43%. The iron concentration was 60 ± 3.1 µg/ml which was below is cytotoxic concentration, and in line with published literature. Furthermore, in the presence of an external magnetic field superior efficacy of OAMNP PEG PLGA NPS in U-138 cells was observed.
Changes in dermatology practice characteristics in the United States from 2012 to 2017.

Background Dermatology practice has recently seen multiple changes. A better understanding of trends pertaining to dermatology practice setups is necessary. Objective To analyze the recent changes in dermatology practice in terms of geography, practice size, and gender distribution as well as to analyze the availability of dermatologists based on zip codes' income levels. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. We extracted data on the sex and billing addresses of dermatologists from Medicare provider utilization and payment data for 2012 and 2017. We used 2017 tax returns data to calculate the poverty level for each zip code. Results Between 2012 and 2017, the number of solo practitioners decreased, while that of dermatologists working in large groups increased. The southern region experienced the largest changes. The male-to-female ratio decreased. Dermatology practices mainly comprised mixed genders, with a higher proportion of all-male groups versus that of all-female groups, but this difference decreased over time. In the northeastern and western regions, more than one third of dermatologists were located in the wealthiest zip codes. Limitations The Medicare data may not be exhaustively representative of the dermatology workforce, and the zip codes of 489 dermatologists' billing addresses were missing in the tax return dataset. Conclusions These findings provide an understanding of the recent changes pertaining to dermatology practice setups and of the substantial health care disparities based on geographic distribution.
Durable antibody responses in staff at two long-term care facilities, during and post SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

SARS-CoV-2 has had a disproportionate impact on non-hospital healthcare settings such as long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The communal nature of these facilities, paired with the high-risk profile of residents, has resulted in thousands of infections and deaths and a high case fatality rate. To detect pre-symptomatic infections and identify infected workers, we performed weekly surveillance testing of staff at two LTCFs which revealed a large outbreak at one of the sites. We collected serum from staff members throughout the study and evaluated it for binding and neutralization to measure seroprevalence, seroconversion, and type and functionality of antibodies. At the site with very few incident infections, we detected that over 40% of the staff had preexisting SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies, suggesting prior exposure. At the outbreak site, we saw rapid seroconversion following infection. Neutralizing antibody levels were stable for many weeks following infection, suggesting a durable, long-lived response. Receptor-binding domain antibodies and neutralizing antibodies were strongly correlated. The site with high seroprevalence among staff had two unique introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into the facility through seronegative infected staff during the period of study but these did not result in workplace spread or outbreaks. Together our results reveal that high seroprevalence rate among staff can contribute to herd immunity within a workplace and protect against subsequent infection and spread within a facility.
All-Digital LoS MIMO with Low-Precision Analog-to-Digital Conversion.

Line-of-sight (LoS) multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems exhibit attractive scaling properties with increase in carrier frequency: for a fixed form factor and range, the spatial degrees of freedom increase quadratically for 2D arrays, in addition to the typically linear increase in available bandwidth. In this paper, we investigate whether modern all-digital baseband signal processing architectures can be devised for such regimes, given the difficulty of analog-to-digital conversion for large bandwidths. We propose low-precision quantizer designs and accompanying spatial demultiplexing algorithms, considering 2x2 LoS MIMO with QPSK for analytical insight, and 4x4 MIMO with QPSK and 16QAM for performance evaluation. Unlike prior work, channel state information is utilized only at the receiver (i.e., transmit precoding is not employed). We investigate quantizers with regular structure whose high-SNR mutual information approaches that of an unquantized system. We prove that amplitude-phase quantization is necessary to attain this benchmark; phase-only quantization falls short. We show that quantizers based on maximizing per-antenna output entropy perform better than standard Minimum Mean Squared Quantization Error (MMSQE) quantization. For spatial demultiplexing with severely quantized observations, we introduce the novel concept of virtual quantization which, combined with linear detection, provides reliable demodulation at significantly reduced complexity compared to maximum likelihood detection.
Generation of a Spiral Ganglion Neuron Degeneration Mouse Model.

Spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) can be injured by a wide variety of insults. However, there still is a lack of degeneration models to specifically damage the SGNs without disturbing other types of cells in the inner ear. This study aims to generate an SGN-specific damage model using the Cre-LoxP transgenic mouse strains. The Cre-inducible diphtheria toxin receptor (iDTR+/+ ) knock-in mouse strain was crossed with a mouse strain with Cre activity specific to neurons (Nefl CreER/CreER ). Expression of the Cre-recombinase activity was evaluated using the reporter mouse strain Ai9 at pre-hearing, hearing onset, and post-hearing stages. Accordingly, heterozygous Nefl CreER/+;iDTR+/- mice were treated with tamoxifen on postnatal days 1-5 (P1-5), followed by diphtheria toxin (DT) or vehicle injection on P7, P14, and P21 to evaluate the SGN loss. Robust tamoxifen-induced Cre-mediated Ai9 tdTomato fluorescence was observed in the SGN area of heterozygous Nefl CreER/+;Ai9+/- mice treated with tamoxifen, whereas vehicle-treated heterozygote mice did not show tdTomato fluorescence. Compared to vehicle-treated Nefl CreER/+;iDTR+/- mice, DT-treated Nefl CreER/+;iDTR+/- mice showed significant auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold shifts and SGN cell loss. Hair cell count and functional study did not show significant changes. These results demonstrate that the Nefl CreER/CreER mouse strain exhibits inducible SGN-specific Cre activity in the inner ear, which may serve as a valuable SGN damage model for regeneration research of the inner ear.
APPLIED STRESS MEASUREMENT IN STEEL FOR FATIGUE LOAD MONITORING

Over 40% of the nation’s bridges have been classified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, with the estimated cost of repairs running in the billions of dollars [1]. It would not be economically feasible to replace all of these structures. Therefore, quantitative assessment of bridge condition is needed to determine which structures need replacing and which are safe.
The role of family organization in family health history communication about cancer

ix Introduction 1 Review of the Literature 7 Family health history communication 8 When diversity becomes a problem: Defining family 12 Psychosocial factors influencing communication 15 Communication with specific family members 16 Significant others 16 Women 17 Socio-demographic factors 17 Race/Ethnicity 18 Generational status 21 Emotional closeness 22 Cancer Communication and Prevention: A Closer Look at Breast Cancer 22 Family Systems Theory: A Blueprint for Family Communication about Cancer Risk 29 Important Players in Family Health History and Cancer Risk Communication........ 32 Family organization 32
Comparison of lipid composition of pleuropneumonia-like and L-type organisms.

Smith, Paul F. (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia) and George H. Rothblat. Comparison of pleuropneumonia-like and L-type organisms. J. Bacteriol. 83:500–506. 1962.—The content of total lipid and nonsaponifiable lipid depended upon the type of organism; the greatest amounts were found in pleuropneumonia-like organisms that required cholesterol for growth and in L-1, the L-form of Streptobacillus moniliformis. Decreasing amounts were found in nonsterol-requiring strains of pleuropneumonia-like organisms, the stable L-form of Proteus, salt-requiring L-forms, and finally, the bacterial parents of the L-type organisms. Nonsterol-requiring pleuropneumonia-like organisms could synthesize their own nonsaponifiable lipid, but sterol-requiring strains could not. Ability or inability to synthesize nonsaponifiable lipid was often carried over to the L-type organisms from the bacterial parent. More nonsaponifiable lipid was found in the sedimentable fraction (cell membrane) than in the nonsedimentable fraction (protoplasm) of both pleuropneumonia-like and L-type organisms. None of the nonsaponifiable lipid synthesized by any organism tested appeared to be 3-β-hydroxy sterol. Differences in ability of various organisms to take up cholesterol and to be lysed by digitonin were established.
Data Acquisition and Display Systems

Data acquisition includes acquiring raw data from the process being measured and converting data into usable units. A digital-to-analog (D/A) and analog-to-digital (A/D) converter performs the actual processing required to bring analog information from or to the process. This chapter attempts to cover aspects of data acquisition and manipulation that may help the engineer better understand issues and give a foundation for using and even constructing tools. A discussion of pros and cons of different strategies helps the reader to understand the trade-offs in system selection and construction. Often the data obtained from a process are not in the form or units desired and several methods of transforming data to produce proper units, reduce storage quantity, and reduce noise have been described. The current values can be inspected and stored for inspection later, values can be trended, alarm conditions can be detected and reported, or some output back to the process can be performed. Finally, all relevant aspects regarding data analysis and data communications have been displayed comprehensively. Other data acquisition and display topics have also been covered such as data chain, web programs and interfaces, configuration versus implementation and store and forward. Keywords: compression; data loggers; digital-to-analog (D/A) converter; filtering; simple linear fit
Evolution and Development: Onthophagus Beetles and the Evolutionary Development Genetics of Innovation, Allometry and Plasticity

1. the expression of horns, exaggerated and diverse secondary sexual traits lacking obvious homology to other insect traits; 2. rich phenotypic diversity including morphological, behavioural, and physiological traits; 3. the significance of environmental factors, especially nutrition, in guiding phenotype determination; 4. the fact that Onthophagus beetles stand out as the animal kingdom’s most speciose genus.
Racial differences in retirement income: the roles of public and private income sources.

ABSTRACT Despite great overall improvement in the elderly's economic status over the past two decades, minority elders still comprise the poorest population group of all. Nonetheless, the income security of minority elders has not been given special attention in the scrutiny in recent years of the size and the future of various federal programs affecting older persons. Based on data from the 1971, 1981, and 1991 public-use data tapes of the Current Population Survey, the racial difference in income status of the elderly and the role of Social Security and Supplemental Security income versus that of income from private sources are analyzed in terms of how income inequality among races is ameliorated or escalated. The findings show that racial/ethnic differences in income status increased between 1970 and 1990. The findings also confirm that, for both elderly singles and couples, Social Security is the most important income source. Without it, poverty rates among elderly black couples, for example, would ha...
Vaccinia virus Expression System

The vaccinia virus expression system consists of genetically modified (recombinant) vaccinia viruses and vertebrate host cells; it allows transfer and expression of foreign (nonvaccinia) genes in the cytoplasm of infected cells or in animals. Keywords: vaccinia virus; gene expression; immunization; vaccination
Postcataract endophthalmitis prophylaxis using irrigation, incision hydration, and eye pressurization with vancomycin.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether switching from balanced salt solution (BSS) to vancomycin 20 g/mL BSS for incision hydration and eye pressurization reduces the rate of postcataract endophthalmitis. METHODS: This was a patient safety/quality improvement project, including all patients undergoing cataract surgery at the Kaiser Permanente Colorado Ophthalmology Department from January 2002 to December 2014. Throughout the study, patients received vancomycin 20 μg/mL in the irrigating solution. During the baseline period from 2002 to 2005, surgeons pressurized eyes and hydrated incisions with plain BSS. During the intervention period from 2006 through 2014, surgeons switched from BSS to the vancomycin/BSS irrigating solution for eye pressurization and incision hydration. RESULTS: A total of 57,263 cataract operations were performed by 24 surgeons at seven surgical centers: 12,400 in the baseline period and 44,863 in the intervention period. The rate of post-cataract endophthalmitis declined significantly from 5/12,400 (rate: 0.4/1,000) in the baseline period to 1/44,863 (rate: 0.022/1,000) during the intervention period (odds ratio [OR]: 18.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.11-154.9; χ (2)=13.5, P=0.00024). Accounting for an estimated 2.05-fold risk reduction due to confounding variables, the risk reduction attributed to the intervention remained significant: (adjusted OR: 8.78, 95% CI: 1.73-44.5; χ (2)=10.06, P=0.0015). Since 2009, we have not experienced any cases of postcataract endophthalmitis after 32,753 operations. CONCLUSION: We experienced a significant reduction in postcataract endophthalmitis when we switched from BSS to the vancomycin/BSS irrigating solution for incision hydration and eye pressurization. The pharmacokinetics profile indicates that this switch was important for effective prophylaxis.
Possible leukopenia associated with long-term use of echinacea.

Americans spend between $3.5 and $5 billion annually on herbal treatments, and nearly 50 million individuals currently report use of botanical supplements. With so many herbal products on the market, it is imperative that physicians thoroughly question patients with regard to supplement use. Physicians must understand the benefits and risks associated with medicinal herbs and counsel patients as to their safety. Echinacea is one such supplement that has gained popularity in recent years. A member of the daisy family—Asteraceae (Compositae)—Echinacea purpurea is believed to have properties that protect against upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold. In 1998, retail sales of the product worldwide totaled $69,702,144, and in Germany more than 2 million prescriptions for echinacea were filled each year. Animal studies show echinacea affects the immune system by increasing the number of circulating white blood cells, promoting phagocytosis, and stimulating the production of cytokines. Echinacea is also found to improve wound healing by inhibiting tissue and bacterial hyaluronidase; its extracts could potentially inhibit replication of some viruses directly. According to German Commission E monographs, arguably the best compilation of clinical information about herbs, chronic use (longer than 6 to 8 weeks’ duration) is generally discouraged because of reported cases of immune suppression. For this reason echinacea is contraindicated in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and other disorders in which immune suppression would be detrimental. Because echinacea is an immune stimulant when administered short term both in vivo and in vitro, it is contraindicated in patients with autoimmune disorders, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, and those on immunosuppressant therapy. We describe a case in which chronic use of echinacea resulted in an asymptomatic leukopenia. We believe this case might be the first in the English literature to confirm the German Commission E reports that chronic use indeed results in immune suppression.
Role of Hepatitis C virus core protein in viral-induced mitochondrial dysfunction

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in several changes in mitochondrial function including increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and greater sensitivity to oxidant, Ca(2+) and cytokine-induced cell death. Prior studies in protein over-expression systems have shown that this effect can be induced by the core protein, but other viral proteins and replication events may contribute as well. To evaluate the specific role of core protein in the context of viral replication and infection, we compared mitochondrial sensitivity in Huh7-derived HCV replicon bearing cells with or without core protein expression with that of cells infected with the JFH1 virus strain. JFH1 infection increased hydrogen peroxide production and sensitized cells to oxidant-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cell death. An identical phenomenon occurred in genome-length replicons-bearing cells but not in cells bearing the subgenomic replicons lacking core protein. Both cell death and mitochondrial depolarization were Ca(2+) dependent and could be prevented by Ca(2+) chelation. The difference in the mitochondrial response of the two replicon systems could be demonstrated even in isolated mitochondria derived from the two cell lines with the 'genome-length' mitochondria displaying greater sensitivity to Ca(2+) -induced cytochrome c release. In vitro incubation of 'subgenomic' mitochondria with core protein increased oxidant sensitivity to a level similar to that of mitochondria derived from cells bearing genome-length replicons. These results indicate that increased mitochondrial ROS production and a reduced threshold for Ca(2+) and ROS-induced permeability transition is a characteristic of HCV infection. This phenomenon is a direct consequence of core protein interactions with mitochondria and is present whenever core is expressed, either in infection, full-length replicon-bearing cells, or in over-expression systems.
I—Admiration and the Admirable

The category of the admirable has received little attention in the history of philosophy, even among virtue ethicists. I don't think we can understand the admirable without investigating the emotion of admiration. I have argued that admiration is an emotion in which the object is ‘seen as admirable’, and which motivates us to emulate the admired person in the relevant respect. Our judgements of admirability can be distorted by the malfunction of our disposition to admiration. We all know many ways in which admiration misfires when people admire someone who is not admirable. In this paper I focus on a different kind of mistake, one in which there is resistance to moving from admiring to emulating someone admirable. I think that Aristotle's zēlos is in between admiration and envy, and it points us to a predictable line of deviation from admiration to the path of envy, spite and ressentiment. I think these are mistakes to which people in the modern age are particularly prone.
Targeted therapies in advanced differentiated thyroid cancer

Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, and its incidence has been rising rapidly over the past 10 years. Although most patients with this disease have an excellent prognosis, a subset develops a more aggressive disease phenotype refractory to conventional therapies. Until recently, there was no effective therapy for these patients. With increasing knowledge of the molecular pathogenesis of thyroid cancer, novel targeted therapies are being developed for this group of patients. Sorafenib and lenvatinib, small-molecule multikinase inhibitors, were approved for the treatment of progressive, symptomatic, radioactive iodine refractory, advanced differentiated thyroid cancer in 2013 and 2015, respectively. This represents a major innovation in the therapy of patients with advanced thyroid cancer. However, these therapies still have many limitations and further research needs to be pursued with the ultimate goal of providing safe and effective personalized therapy for patients with advanced thyroid cancer.
Phosphorylase a activity in rat uterine homogenates loss of activity related to in vivo treatment with estrogen, progesterone, relaxin and CaEDTA

Abstract Ovariectomized or estrogen-primed rats were treated with hormones. From each rat, one uterine horn (designated as “quick-frozen”) was removed, frozen immediately and trimmed of extraneous tissue; the other (designated as “manipulated”) was removed, trimmed, rubbed with forceps and then frozen. Phosphorylase a (α-1,4-glucan: orthophosphate glucosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.1) activity was assayed at 37° in homogenates having the following composition: 0.05 M NaF, 0.014 M glucose 1-phosphate (pH 6.1), 0.5% glycogen, 10 mg tissue, wet weight, per ml. The liberation of phosphate in the synthesis of glycogen from glucose 1-phosphate was determined at intervals during each assay reaction. The assay reactions were not linear with time but followed curves that fit the general equation: P = A (1—e − kt ), A and k are constants. Calculations from the experimental data led to the following conclusions. Phosphorylase a activity was constantly decreasing during assay according to first-order kinetics. Treatment of ovariectomized rats with estrogen for 2 days or with the calcium salt of EDTA (CaEDTA) for 1 h caused a 3–5-fold increase in the half-life of phosphorylase a activity in uterine homogenates. Combination of these two treatments caused a 10-fold increase in half-life. Treatment of submaximally estrogen-primed rats with relaxin for 2 days caused a 2–3-fold increase in half-life. Addition of estrogen or CaEDTA to the relaxin treatment resulted in even greater increases in the half-life of phosphorylase a activity. When rats which had been treated with near maximal doses of estrogen for 2 days were switched to estrogen plus progesterone or progesterone alone, the half-life of phosphorylase a activity was only one-fourth of that in homogenates of uteri from controls maintained on estrogen alone. Manipulation of the uteri before freezing approximately doubled the half-life of phosphorylase a activity. This occurred irrespective of the hormonal treatment which had been given to the rats so that the effects of the various hormones were apparent in either quick-frozen or manipulated tissue.
TRUE ANEURYSM OF THE MIDDLE MENINGEAL ARTERY.

Summary A second case of aneurysm of the middle meningeal artery, apparently of developmental origin, is reported. It is suggested that Paget's disease of the skull, with softening of the bone, reduction of the normal support of the middle meningeal arteries and an increased blood flow in these vessels, and the presence of chronic systemic hypertension, are important factors in the development of such aneurysms of the middle meningeal artery. That several factors acting in association over a prolonged period are required for the production of such aneurysms may explain the extreme rarity of the condition. The differential diagnosis is discussed.
Phase-sensitive data collection in x-ray crystallography using reference-beam diffraction

We present recent theoretical and instrumentation developments in phase-sensitive x-ray crystallography using a reference- beam data collection technique. The technique is based on the principle of three-beam or multiple-beam interference, but unlike the conventional method where interference profiles are measured one at a time, the reference-beam diffraction technique integrates three-beam diffraction into the popular oscillation method of data collection, and allows parallel recording of many three-beam interference profiles on an area detector simultaneously. Complete interference profiles are measured by taking multiple oscillation exposures while stepping through the rocking curve of the reference reflection. Recent developments include a portable five-circle kappa diffractometer designed to be a part of an automated reference-beam oscillation setup, and a simplified three-beam diffraction theory using a distorted-wave approach that can be used in reference-beam data analyses to extract the reflection phases.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
X-RAY VARIABILITY OF MS 1603.6+2600

We report on the archival analysis of low-mass X-ray binary MS 1603.6+2600 observed with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. The 2.5-20 keV X-ray light curve shows a broad modulation with a period of 110.1 ? 1.0 min. The X-ray period is consistent with the optical period. The spectrum during the low-intensity phase differs from the high-intensity spectrum by an energy-independent reduction in intensity, and not due to additional absorption. Our findings concur with an earlier suggestion by Hakala et al. that the orbital intensity modulation is caused by a partial covering of an extended emission region by a thick absorber. We also estimate the distance to MS 1603.6+2600 to be <24 kpc if the X-ray-emitting region is optically thin.
Some Consideration in the Design and Application of Heat Recovery Steam Generators

The characteristics of heat recovery steam generation are compared to fully fired steam generators. Methods for stating performance are discussed. A compact forced circulation design is presented in some detail with comments on possible arrangements, construction methods, materials, and the use of supplementary firing. The importance of parallel control design to the ultimate success of the steam generator performance and operation is presented.Copyright © 1969 by ASME
Eating Attitude Test Scores in Relation to Weight, Socioeconomic Status, and Family Stability

S~tmmary.-Eating attitudes were assessed by use of the Eating Attitude Test (EAT) in a sample of 288 young adults at a community college. The sample included relatively more poor and workmg class persons than are in a typical 4-yr. college. Mean EAT scores rended to fall at the high end of the range previously reported for nonclinical samples. EAT scores were not signiEicantly related to socioeconomic variables. White women scored significantly higher than nonwhite women. Also a disproportionately high number of women from intact (as opposed to destabilized) homes scored above the EAT cut-off score. These and other findings raised questions about the validity of viewing the slimness motive as essentially pathological. The purpose was to study tendencies toward eating disorders, as measured by the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), in relation to weight, socioeconomic status, family stability, and other variables. Most previous studies of the test within nonclinical populations have employed samples of young white women from predominantly middle-class backgrounds (5, 7). The present sample, drawn from an urban community college, included both men and women, white and nonwhite persons, and was widely diverse in socioeconomic status. The results, then, were relevant to the widely held belief that tendencies toward eating disorders are especially prevalent among affluent young women.
Dimensions of spline spaces over unconstricted triangulations

One of the puzzlingly hard problems in Computer Aided Geometric Design and Approximation Theory is that of finding the dimension of the spline space of Cr piecewise degree n polynomials over a 2D triangulation Ω. We denote such spaces by Irn(Ω). In this note, we restrict Ω to have a special structure, namely to be unconstricted. This will allow for several exact dimension formulas.
Ventrifossa johnboborum, a New Grenadier from the Western Pacific (Macrouridae: Pisces)

Ventrifossa johnboborum is described from four specimens collected in the Bismarck Sea, Philippines, and the South China Sea. The new species is closely related to V. misakia Jordan and Gilbert from Japan, and the two constitute the sole members of subgenus Sokodara Iwamoto, 1979.
NATIONAL ACCOUNTS IN TRANSITION COUNTRIES: BALANCING THE BIASES?

In the past several years, efforts have been made to introduce the 1993 System of National Accounts (1993) SNA) in most of the formerly centrally planned economies. In doing so, a number of problems have emerged, some of which are particular to the situation of these countries. Some of these problems will probably cause overestimates of national accounts variables, others will cause underestimates, and it would be purely coincidental if these effects cancel out. This paper discusses the most disconcerting issues in this situation, and possible solutions.
Ion angular distribution of species desorbed from single crystal surfaces by electron impact

Abstract The measurement of the angular distribution of desorbing positive ions produced by electron impact desorption (ESDIAD) is of fundamental importance in understanding molecular structure in the chemisorbed layer. In this short review, two applications of ESDIAD to structural problems in the adsorbed layer will be described. Examples of strong chemisorption and weaker physical adsorption effects will be discussed. In addition, interactions between adsorbed species, leading to changes in bonding geometry will be described. The apparatus used for this work allows digitized acquisition of ion angular distributions in the absence of background effects due to soft X-ray emission stimulated by electron impact.
Jews, race, and capitalism in the German-Jewish context

The Shoah has effectively brought to an end attempts to define “the Jews” racially. Yet in the half century before the 1930s, for German Jewish scholars, the racial identity of the Jews was an open question. These scholars were deeply engaged in debates over Jewish collective identity and the contemporary Jewish condition, and in these debates race played a critical role. For these scholars, race and racial theories were normative, and they exploited them for their own intellectual, political, and social purposes. Of special interest is the normative nature of racial discourse as German Jewish scholars adopted it and applied it to examine the nexus of Jews and capitalism. These scholars accepted the notion of a Jewish racial disposition for capitalism, including this notion’s negative aspects, while they also used it to construct a positive Jewish identity. The history of Jewish engagement with race suggests the need for a more radically historicist approach to the Jewish past, albeit this will be a most difficult scholarly challenge.
Neural Network Modeling of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

In this work we examine the problem of best approximation of a nonlinear dynamic system by a nonlinear model. Our approach is based on a nonlinear operator inner product and corresponding norm we constructed elsewhere in these proceedings. We use these notions to provide a solution to the nonlinear modeling problem through standard inner-product space theory. Recently popular nonlinear approximation tools, such as neural networks, multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), and wavelets, are encompassed by the developed theory. New approximation methodologies are suggested as a result of our approach.
On the functional diversity of dynamical behaviour in genetic and metabolic feedback systems.

Feedback regulation plays crucial roles in the robust control and maintenance of many cellular systems. Negative feedbacks are found to underline both stable and unstable, often oscillatory, behaviours. We explore the dynamical characteristics of systems with single as well as coupled negative feedback loops using a combined approach of analytical and numerical techniques. Particularly, we emphasise how the loop's characterising factors (strength and cooperativity levels) affect system dynamics and how individual loops interact in the coupled-loop systems. We develop an analytical bifurcation analysis based on the stability and the Routh- Hurwitz theorem for a common negative feedback system and a variety of its variants. We demonstrate that different combinations of the feedback strengths of individual loops give rise to different dynamical behaviours. Moreover, incorporating more negative feedback loops always tend to enhance system stability. We show that two mechanisms, in addition to the lengthening of pathway, can lower the Hill coefficient to a biologically plausible level required for sustained oscillations. These include loops coupling and end-product utilisation. We find that the degradation rates solely affect the threshold Hill coefficient for sustained oscillation, while the synthesis rates have more significant roles in determining the threshold feedback strength. Unbalancing the degradation rates between the system species is found as a way to improve stability. The analytical methods and insights presented in this study demonstrate that reallocation of the feedback loop may or may not make the system more stable; the specific effect is determined by the degradation rates of the newly inhibited molecular species. As the loop moves closer to the end of the pathway, the minimum Hill coefficient for oscillation is reduced. Furthermore, under general (unequal) values of the degradation rates, system extension becomes more stable only when the added species degrades slower than it is being produced; otherwise the system is more prone to oscillation. The coupling of loops significantly increases the richness of dynamical bifurcation characteristics. The likelihood of having oscillatory behaviour is directly determined by the loops' strength: stronger loops always result in smaller oscillatory regions.
Involvement ofan axonal reflex in IgE-mediated inflammation in mouse skin

A neurogenic component of IgE-mediated inflammation was demonstrated in mice by footpad denervation. Footpad swelling was reduced 26% following sciatic nerve transection, but unaffected by rhizotomy or spinal nerve transection. These data provide in vivo evidence that an axonal reflex is involved in IgE-mediated inflammation and completed distal to the cell bodies of the sensory neurons located in the lumbar spinal ganglia. Furthermore, depletion of neuropeptides with capsaicin also reduced IgE-mediated swelling by 26%, indicating that unmyelinated axons are involved in the neurogenic component of IgE-mediated inflammation.
Increased NPY activity in the PVN contributes to food-restriction induced reductions in blood pressure in aortic coarctation hypertensive rats.

We hypothesized that hypothalamic NPYergic mechanisms mediate the blood pressure lowering effect of caloric restriction in hypertensive rats. Aortic coarctation-induced (AC) hypertensive rats (n=25) were assigned to either an ad libitum fed control group (AL) or food restricted group (FR; 60% of AL consumption) for 3 weeks. Rats were instrumented chronically with vascular catheters and bilateral guide cannulae directed at the paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei (PVN). Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) responses to bilateral PVN microinjection of saline (200 nl) or the putative NPY receptor antagonists [D-Trp32]NPY(1-36) (3.3 micrograms/200 nl) and [D-Tyr27,36 Thr32]NPY(27-36) (D-NPY(27-36); 3.3 micrograms/200 nl) were determined. The FR rats were then refed and cardiovascular responses to PVN injections of NPY receptor antagonists were again determined. FR rats had significantly reduced resting BP (159+/-4 vs. 129+/-4 mmHg) and HR (360+/-11 vs. 326+/-9 bpm) compared to AL controls. Refeeding restored BP and HR of FR rats to levels similar to AL (BP=153+/-4 mmHg, HR=359+/-11 bpm). PVN administration of [D-Trp32]NPY produced foraging behavior and concurrent increases in BP and HR in FR, AL and Re-fed rats. The behavioral activation suggests that [D-Trp32]NPY(1-36) produced activation of NPY receptors. In contrast, D-NPY (27-36) did not produce any behavioral response or affect BP or HR in AL or Re-fed rats. In FR rats, D-NPY (27-36) produced significant increases in BP (peak=15+/-3 mmHg) which partially reversed the effect of FR on BP. Thus, in FR rats with reduced BP, PVN administration of an NPY receptor antagonist increases BP. NPY blockade in the PVN accounted for about 50% of the BP effect of food restriction, thus other mechanisms are likely to be involved. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that NPYergic mechanisms may contribute to the reduction of BP produced by food restriction.
Mechanisms of Autoantibody Diversification to SLE-Related Autoantigens

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a prototype of systemic autoimmunity with autoantibodies (autoAbs) to ribonucleoproteins such as Ro/La, snRNP, dsDNA, and other cellular constituents. A/J mice were used to explore the mechanism of autoAb diversification with recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides. Previous studies showed that Ro60(316-335) induced Abs to Ro60, La, and snRNP proteins. Specific Abs to determinants outside Ro60(316-335) were detected. Absorption experiments showed that Abs to La and snRNP proteins were due to the induction of anti-Ro60 Abs cross-reactive with these peptides. With snRNP proteins, SmD, SmB, and A-RNP as immunogens, specific patterns of intermolecular spreading were obtained in addition to Abs to the immunogens. With SmD-immunized mice, specific Abs to A-RNP and SmB were detected. With SmB as the immunogen, specific Abs to A-RNP were detected in the majority of the mice. Only in a rare incident, specific Abs to SmD were induced. In A-RNP-immunized mice, only Abs to the 70-kD U1-RNP were seen. In all cases, Abs capable of precipitating snRNP particles were detected. Thus, the intermolecular epitope spreading is immunogen-dependent. Evidence for the presence of cross-reactive T cells to more than one autoAg was obtained. The Ag-dependent unique patterns of Ab diversification will facilitate analyses of patients' sera. These results have implications regarding the nature of the Ag-driven autoimmune process.
Observed Coupling of the Mesosphere Inversion Layer to the Thermal Tidal Structure

Rayleigh lidar observations of mesosphere temperature profiles obtained from 40 to ∼100 km from Logan, Utah (41.7, 111.8 W, altitude, 1.9 km) over 10 nights in late February, 1995, revealed an interesting development between 60 to 75 km of a winter mesosphere inversion layer with an amplitude of ∼20–30 K and a downward phase progression of ∼1 km/hr. The data also showed two altitude regions exhibiting significant cooling of 10–30 K in extent. These were located below and above the peak of the inversion layer, respectively, at altitudes of ∼50–55 km and ∼70–80 km. When these results were compared with the predictions of a global wave scale model (GSWM), the observed thermal mesosphere structure is similar to the computed composite tidal structure based upon the semi-diurnal and diurnal tides with the exception that observed amplitudes of heating and cooling are ∼10x larger than predicted GSWM values. We suggest that these events over Utah are caused through a localized mechanism involving the coupling of gravity waves to the mesopause tidal structure.
Influencing Preservice Teachers’ Attitudes About Working With Low-Income and/or Ethnic Minority Families:

There is a growing literature revealing the complexity of family–school relationships and the significant power imbalances and mismatches between the role expectations of caregivers and teachers wh...
Correlates of Homophobia and Use of Gay Affirmative Practice Among Social Workers

Research on social work practice with gay and lesbian clients has historically focused on examining social workers' attitudes towards gay and lesbian individuals, however, no studies have examined the relationship between attitudes and practice using validated measures to assess practice. The focus of this study was therefore to examine the relationship between attitudes and practice with gays and lesbians using the recently developed and validated Gay Affirmative Practice Scale (GAP). Significant relationships were found with the GAP and two measures of homophobia as well as with measures that assessed feelings about lesbians and gay men, contact with gays and lesbians, attendance at workshops that focused on gay and lesbian issues, relationship status, sexual orientation, political party, and primary area of practice. Relationships with measures of attitudes were also examined. Implications for social work practice, education, and research are discussed.