cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pacing-induced changes in stroke volume in the evaluation of myocardial function.

For characterization of left ventricular function using changes in heart rate, we performed right atrial pacing in 16 patients during right and left heart catheterizations. Hemodynamic data was obtained before pacing (B), during pacing (D), and immediately after (A) the sudden interruption of pacing, for assessment of the consequences of rapid changes in stroke volume. In 10 patients with normal left ventricular function, as heart rate (HR) changed from 81 ± 4 sem (B) to 125 ± 6 (D) to 77 ± 5 beats/min (A), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), from 8 ± 1 (B) to 3 ± 1 (D) to 9 ± 0.5 mm Hg (A), and stroke volume, from 74 ± 9 (B) to 46 ± 4 (D) to 77 ± 9 ml/beat (A), changed linearly. No change occurred in cardiac output (5.7 ± 0.5 liters/min) or in arterial pressure. In six patients with myocardial disease, HR changed similarly (from 86 ± 5 (B) to 126 ± 8 (D) to 90 ± 3 beats/min (A)), but LVEDP, cardiac output (CO), and stroke volume (SV) values were significantly different in comparison to the c...
Bax degradation by the ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent pathway: Involvement in tumor survival and progression

Previously we reported that proteasome inhibitors were able to overcome Bcl-2-mediated protection from apoptosis. Here we show that inhibition of the proteasome activity in Bcl-2-overexpressing cells accumulates the proapoptotic Bax protein to mitochondria/cytoplasm, where it interacts to Bcl-2 protein. This event was followed by release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into the cytosol and activation of caspase-mediated apoptosis. In contrast, proteasome inhibition did not induce any apparent changes in Bcl-2 protein levels. In addition, treatment with a proteasome inhibitor increased levels of ubiquitinated forms of Bax protein, without any effects on Bax mRNA expression. We also established a cell-free Bax degradation assay in which an in vitro-translated, 35S-labeled Bax protein can be degraded by a tumor cell protein extract, inhibitable by addition of a proteasome inhibitor or depletion of the proteasome or ATP. The Bax degradation activity can be reconstituted in the proteasome-depleted supernatant by addition of a purified 20S proteasome or proteasome-enriched fraction. Finally, by using tissue samples of human prostate adenocarcinoma, we demonstrated that increased levels of Bax degradation correlated well with decreased levels of Bax protein and increased Gleason scores of prostate cancer. Our studies strongly suggest that ubiquitin/proteasome-mediated Bax degradation is a novel survival mechanism in human cancer cells and that selective targeting of this pathway should provide a unique approach for treatment of human cancers, especially those overexpressing Bcl-2.
The biphasic effect of phenothiazines and reserpine on the release of epinephrine from adrenomedullary granules and its dependence on pH

Abstract The effects of trifluoperazine, triflupromazine, chlorpromazine, and reserpine on the release of epinephrine from adrenomedullary granules in vitro were investigated at various pH values ranging from 5.6 to 8.4. In acid medium the drugs, at concentrations of 10−5 to 10−4 M, delayed the rate of spontaneous release, whereas in alkaline medium the same concentrations intensified release. The phenothiazine drugs did not inhibit release in alkaline medium at any concentration, whereas 10−6 M reserpine, at pH 8.0, did. At a pH of 6 or below and of 8 or above, the effects were similar whether granules were suspended in a sucrose or an electrolyte medium. However, at pH 7.2, phenothiazines enhanced release in an electrolyte medium and delayed it in a sucrose medium. A possible mechanism of the effects is proposed.
Successful Dissolution of Massive Left Atrial Thrombus After the Use of Warfarin—A Case Report

A case of rheumatic heart disease, mitral stenosis, large left atrium, and chronic atrial fibrillation is reported and discussed. This patient was shown, by means of two-dimensional echocardiography, to have a massive left atrial thrombus, and after the initiation of anticoagulation with warfarin, complete resolution of the clot was seen in less than two months. The use of two-dimen sional echocardiography was valuable in the follow-up of this patient, and it is suggested that further prospective studies are necessary for better understand ing the natural history of left atrial thrombus.
Persistence and extinction of local populations of the garden snail Helix aspersa in unfavorable environments

In southern California, previously disturbed but currently uncultivated habitats are unfavorable environments for the introduced snail Helix aspersa. In these habitats, snails were often distributed in small, local populations only a few meters apart. Migration between neighboring populations was minimal because the snails have strong homing tendencies. Local micro-environmental differences produced differences in the demographic properties of 4 adjacent populations during studies spanning 5 years.The major unfavorable feature of these habitats was 6-8 months annual drought which caused slow and intermittent population growth. Snails nested successfully only 3 times in 5 years, but juveniles from only 2 of these cohorts reached sexual maturity. Most growth was restricted to the spring and snails were up to 4 years old when they matured, except for one population where additional water during dry weather enabled snails to mature in 6-8 months.At least 74% of deaths were caused by small mammals, and one population went extinct when adverse physical conditions prevented recruitment during a period of heavy mortality. Adverse physical conditions alone did not lead to population declines or extinctions.
Air-water exchange and mass balance of toxaphene in the Great Lakes

This study determined the importance of air−water exchange of toxaphene in the Great Lakes by comparing this flux to other inputs and outputs in a mass balance model. Our overall goal was to test the hypothesis that the current water concentrations of toxaphene in Lake Superior are due to physical limnological differences between it and the lower Great Lakes and secondarily to evaluate whether nonatmospheric inputs of toxaphene have had an impact on current toxaphene burdens in lakes Superior and Michigan. A series of water samples from the Great Lakes were analyzed for toxaphene. A static mass budget is presented for lakes Superior, Michigan, and Ontario. A dynamic model of toxaphene behavior in lakes Superior and Michigan from 1950 to 1995 is then presented. The results of this model support our hypothesis that the colder temperatures and lower sedimentation rates in Lake Superior are responsible for its high water concentrations of toxaphene and that there is no evidence of nonatmospheric sources of to...
Variability in parvovirus B19 IgG levels in intravenous immunoglobulin samples.

Parvovirus B19 infection is an important cause of chronic anemia in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Chronic infection is related to impaired humoral immunity (Kurtzman et al. 1987) and can be treated successfully with intravenous gamma globulin infusion (Kurtzman et al. 1989a). Treatment failures have been described clinically and, assuming that parvovirus viremia is the cause of the anemia, then failure may be attributable to failure to clear the virus or to subsequent relapse. Early treatment failures could be the result of immunoglobulin preparations that contain insufficient antiparvovirus activity. Gamma globulin preparations are manufactured using pooled serum. Marked variability in the levels of antibody to various infectious agents, such as cytomegalovirus (Roy and Grundy 1992) and hepatitis B virus (Hoofnagle et al. 1975), in these preparations have been reported. We analyzed the antibody concentration to human parvovirus B19 in a number of gamma globulin preparations in an attempt to define the range of B19 IgG antibody levels.
HMM-based musical query retrieval

We have created a system for music search and retrieval. A user sings a theme from the desired piece of music. Pieces in the database are represented as hidden Markov models (HMMs). The query is treated as an observation sequence and a piece is judged similar to the query if its HMM has a high likelihood of generating the query. The top pieces are returned to the user in rank-order. This paper reports the basic approach for the construction of the target database of themes, encoding and transcription of user queries, and the results of initial experimentation with a small set of sung queries.
Numerical Experiments on a Domain Decomposition Algorithm for Nonlinear Elliptic Boundary Value Problems

In this note we present numerical experiments on a domain decomposition algorithm for nonlinear elliptic boundary value problems in planar domains. There has recently been much progress in the development of such algorithms for linear elliptic problems ([1],[2],[3],[4]). These have focused on variational characterizations of the problem and on the preconditioning of the Schur complement associated with the decomposition. Although these could be used as part of a global Newton-type iterative scheme to solve a nonlinear problem, we choose the alternate path of first decomposing the problem and then applying an iterative method. Our motivation for this is two-fold; first, we expect it will lead to algorithms which will require less communication between subproblems, an attractive property for implementations on parallel processors; second, this approach has even been found to be more efficient for serial computations in some cases [6]. The essential step in this method is the solution of what we call the basic equations, a nonlinear analogue of the Schur complement problem. We are particularly concerned with the choice of boundary conditions at boundaries where subdomains intersect and their effect on the basic equations. Note that the methods we propose may also be applied to linear problems and seem to be novel in that context. We restrict ourselves here to the study of a decomposition into two domains:
Screening of seized emerging drugs by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array ultraviolet and mass spectrometric detection

The use of psychoactive "designer drugs" has increased rapidly due to their varying and sometimes ambiguous legal status and their ready access via the Internet and at local "headshops." A quick screening method for samples containing these substances, using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array UV and mass spectrometric detection (UHPLC-PDA/UV-MS), is presented. The method enables the screening of a variety of samples containing emerging/reemerging drugs, including β-keto phenethylamines (cathinone derivatives), synthetic cannabinoids/cannabimimetics, and phenethylamine derivatives. The use of dual detectors not only provides molecular weight information but also differentiates the drugs by their categories and in some cases even their sub-categories. Moreover, ring positional isomers of cathinone and phenethylamine derivatives can be easily differentiated by their retention times and UV spectra.
The effect of swainsonine on the association of Trypanosoma cruzi with host cells

The role of glycoprotein processing in Trypanosoma cruzi association with mammalian host cells (i.e., surface binding and internalization) was studied by using swainsonine — an inhibitor of glycoprotein processing. The presence of swainsonine in co-cultures of blood forms of T. cruzi with either mouse peritoneal macrophages or rat heart myoblasts markedly reduced parasite-host cell association as evidenced by significant decreases in both the percentage of cells associating with the organisms and the number of parasites per cell. This inhibition appeared to result from effects on both the parasite and the host cells since pretreatment of either one reduced its association with the untreated counterpart. The inhibitory effect of swainsonine on the host cells was demonstrable with trypomastigote forms derived from either infected mouse blood or the feces of infected insect vectors, and also with amastigotes. Conversely, treatment of the parasites with swainsonine inhibited their association with the host cells. Studies with blood trypomastigotes revealed that the swainsonine effect was reversible within 3 h. Two observations suggested that swainsonine had induced the parasite to produce defective oligosaccharides rich in mannose. First, swainsonine-treated organisms displayed a greater capacity to bind concanavalin A than medium-treated organisms. Second, presence of α-methyl mannoside reduced such increased concanavalin A binding. Taken together, the present results suggest important roles for glycoprotein processing and oligosaccharide structures on the surface of both T. cruzi and its host cells in the initial stages of host cell infection.
Cost-effectiveness analysis in diagnosis of cardiac disease: Overview of its rationale and method

This article reviews selected literature that can be useful for analysis of cost-effectiveness (CE) of diagnostic procedures in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. First, a clinical example illustrates some of the issues involved. Four questions are used to organize the material: (1) What is CE analysis? (2) Why should we use CE analysis? (3) Who should perform CE analysis? and (4) How should CE analysis be performed? (1) What is CE analysis? CE analysis differs from cost-reduction or cost-benefit analysis but may encompass cost-utility analysis. Marginal CE emphasizes differences in CE between different strategies. (2) Why should we use CE analysis? Nuclear cardiology depends on the fruits of medical technology, and many policy makers blame technology for escalating costs of health care. This situation requires us to reduce the absolute cost or the increment in cost, as well as to assess the true value of the technology we use. (3) Who should perform CE analysis? A team approach is the best answer to combine the expertise from clinicians and economists. A team approach and detailed definitions of assumptions can help minimize potential bias. (4) How should CE analysis be performed? CE analysis requires formulating important questions, designing alternative scenarios or strategies, selecting values for the numeric variables and including the probability that an event will occur, calculating cost per outcome, and sensitivity analysis of the model. The appropriate goal of CE analysis of the clinical use of cardiac imaging procedures is, first, to help improve patient outcome and, second, to limit costs.
Xq28 and lupus: IRAK1 or MECP2?

IRAK1 and MECP2 are in the same haplotype block on chromosome Xq28, and we previously reported the association between this genetic locus and lupus (1). Due to high linkage disequilibrium (LD) in this locus, both IRAK1 and MECP2 should be considered candidate associations, as a polymorphism in either IRAK1 or MECP2 could explain the genetic effect observed by Jacob et al. (2). We disagree that abrogation of lupus manifestations in an IRAK1-deficient lupus mouse model localizes the lupus susceptibility gene in the Xq28 locus to IRAK1. Thorough implementation of “reverse genetics” in this setting requires a study on the effect of the disease-causing polymorphism in human disease by using an animal model. Jacob et al. (2) did not identify the disease-causing polymorphism in Xq28, whether it is in IRAK1 or MECP2, whether it affects IRAK1 or MECP2 function or expression or both, or whether it is a gain-of-function or a loss-of-function polymorphism. Their studies (2) in an IRAK1-deficient mouse revealed that IRAK1 is involved in autoimmunity. However, this gives no indication that the lupus-associated genetic effect in Xq28 in human disease is in IRAK1, as the authors propose. Indeed, IRAK1 expression is regulated by MECP2 (3, 4). We caution against applying the term “reverse genetics” within the context of the paper published (2). Until resequencing of this locus identifies the lupus-causing polymorphism in Xq28, or proper functional studies of the disease-associated haplotype in humans demonstrate dysfunction of IRAK1 or MECP2, either of the 2 genes or possibly both remain candidates.
L. L. Bernard and the original American sociologist

The original version of The American Sociologist (TAS) has been overlooked by contemporary sociologists. L. L. Bernard edited the publication from 1938 to 1947. This article describes the contents of this publication and places these materials in historical context. While there were profound differences between Bernard’s publication and the later TAS, both publications dealt with issues in the sociology of sociology.
A long term restraint device for primates.

Abstract A restraining device for large rhesus monkeys was described. This equipment allowed the animal to self-feed, yet it could not touch its intracranial cannulae. It also reduced tissue necrosis and allowed the animal to stand or sit as it willed, thereby maintaining good leg muscle tonus.
The great work dilemma: Education, employment, and wages in the new global economy

Abstract Advanced industrial economies in the 1990s face a work crisis in creating wage employment in a changing job market without greatly increased wage inequality. But this crisis is political as well as economic, and the highly popular policy focus on more and better education as a solution to the crisis cannot be conceptually separated from the larger politics which surrounds it. The paper suggests that there is a fundamental conflict between a deregulatory philosophy of labor markets and policies that hope to use educational expansion as a means to increasing employment with higher productivity and wages. Rather than focusing on labor market deregulation, the paper argues, it is education and training that should be made more flexible.
Managing outpatient asthma exacerbations.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that renders individuals vulnerable to acute exacerbations. A wide variety of allergic and nonallergic triggers can incite an asthma exacerbation. The goals of managing an asthma exacerbation are prompt recognition, rapid reversal of airflow obstruction, avoidance of relapses, and prevention of future episodes. A written asthma home management plan is essential to minimize the severity of exacerbations. Short-acting β-agonists, oxygen, and corticosteroids remain fundamental to early intervention in acute asthma exacerbations. Anticholinergics and magnesium sulfate can help nonresponders. Combination inhalers of the long-acting β-agonist formoterol and inhaled steroid budesonide have been effective in flexible dosing in treating early acute exacerbations and as a daily controller medication outside the United States. Initiation or intensification of long-term controller therapy, treatment of comorbid conditions, trigger avoidance, and prompt follow-up can help prevent relapses. Listening to patient preferences and concerns enhances adherence, and regular follow-up care can help prevent future episodes.
Abuses of the MacAndrew MMPI alcoholism scale: A critical review

Abstract The MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale was derived from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory in 1965. Abuses in its use in both research and applied (personnel selection) settings arise from the assumption that the scale has sufficient construct and predictive validities. We critically examine this assumption, informed by a review of the 74 papers published between 1976 and 1987 containing empirical data. After examining the origins of the scale, we evaluate its construct and predictive validities by attending to sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power (PPP), and negative predictive power (NPP) with adult males and females, adolescent males and females, various ethnic groups, and with alcoholics, psychiatric patients, and normals, and with various cutting scores. The PPP with a cutting score of 24 in the general population is only 15%; thus, only 15% of individuals identified by the scale as alcoholics are correctly classified, while 85% of those called “alcoholic” are actually not affected. The data are so clear that we call for a suspension of the use of the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale outside of research settings. Future efforts to derive such scales must take into account the demonstrated genetic and cultural etiologual heterogeneities of alcohol abuse.
Observing Responses: Maintained by Good News Only?

Observing responses are those that produce stimuli correlated with the availability (S+) or non-availability (S-) of reinforcement but that has no influence on the actual delivery or timing of reinforcement. Prior research has shown that observing is maintained by the occasional production of the S+ ("good news") and not by production of the equally informative S- ("bad news"). However, for both humans and rats the S- maintains observing when it is at least implicitly correlated with good news. In the present study, pigeons could obtain both good and bad news by responding during the appropriate key color. In one condition, the bad news was actually more informative about reinforcement than was the good news. Nevertheless, a preponderance of the birds' responses was made on the nominally good-news option. The present results offer further support for the central role of good news in maintaining observing responses and are entirely consistent with the traditional conditioned-reinforcement (or classical conditioning) interpretation of observing.
Effects of cavity dimensions in split-post dielectric resonator technique for complex permittivity measurements

The effects of cavity dimensions on the resonance frequency and resonance strength of the TE 01δ mode in split post-dielectric resonator (SPDR) technique are investigated by using full-wave simulations. The results of simulations provide guidance for adjusting the dimensions of the SPDR fixture so that a strong TE01d resonance mode can be excited to correctly determine the complex permittivity of dielectric materials.
Blasticidin S inhibits translation by trapping deformed tRNA on the ribosome

The antibiotic blasticidin S (BlaS) is a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis in bacteria and eukaryotes. We have determined a 3.4-A crystal structure of BlaS bound to a 70S⋅tRNA ribosome complex and performed biochemical and single-molecule FRET experiments to determine the mechanism of action of the antibiotic. We find that BlaS enhances tRNA binding to the P site of the large ribosomal subunit and slows down spontaneous intersubunit rotation in pretranslocation ribosomes. However, the antibiotic has negligible effect on elongation factor G catalyzed translocation of tRNA and mRNA. The crystal structure of the antibiotic-ribosome complex reveals that BlaS impedes protein synthesis through a unique mechanism by bending the 3' terminus of the P-site tRNA toward the A site of the large ribosomal subunit. Biochemical experiments demonstrate that stabilization of the deformed conformation of the P-site tRNA by BlaS strongly inhibits peptidyl-tRNA hydrolysis by release factors and, to a lesser extent, peptide bond formation.
Interchanging CAD-CAM data bases

Abstract Fundamental incompatibilities among entity representations greatly complicate data base interchange between computer-assisted design-computer-assisted manufacture (CAD-CAM) systems. Even simple geometric entities, such as circular arcs, are represented by incompatible forms in many systems. To preserve the original intent of a CAD-CAM data base, the treatment of these incompatible representations in initial graphics exchange specification (IGES) processors must be carefully specified and verified. The challenge of IGES processor design is to meet these specifications within the framework of current IGES and CAD-CAM system architecture.
The Era of Suleyman the Magnificent: Crisis of Orientation

When the Prophet Muhammad died on 7 June 632, the larger part of Arabia had already accepted Islam. In fact, Islam had created a solid Arab community that dominated Arabia and was ready to begin its amazing expansive movement in world history. The Arab conquests put an end to the Sassanid Empire and deprived the Byzantine Empire of its Asiatic dominions up to the Taurus and all its African possessions. Muslim troops crossed Gibraltar and subdued almost all the Iberian peninsula. In brief: with their conquests in the seventh and eighth centuries (634–751) the Arabs became the neighbors of the Franks and Byzantines on the other side of the Mediterranean. In Asia the subjection of Persia brought them into northern India and the Turkish vassal states of China in Central Asia.
A cognitive scheme for gateway protection in wireless sensor network

In wireless sensor networks, sensor readings are gathered at a gateway for processing and forwarding to a remote command center. The potential closeness of the gateway to dangerous events, e.g. fires, exposes it to damage and thus risks making the network dysfunctional. Therefore, protecting the gateway by repositioning it away from safety-hazardous spots is critical for the operation of the network. However, moving the gateway too far from the sensors that report on active events would have negative effect on the network performance, e.g. throughput and energy consumption. Therefore, balancing the gateway safety and network performance goals will be necessary. In this paper, we present GRISP, a novel Gateway Relocation algorithm for Improved Safety and Performance. GRISP employs an evolutionary neural network model to assess the safety of the gateway at the various locations. The model is then used to direct the search in an area of interest for a safer position that would enhance or at least maintain an acceptable level of network performance. In addition, GRISP guides the gateway during the move by finding safe paths leading to the new location. Our experimental validation results demonstrate the effectiveness of GRISP.
COMPETITION BETWEEN NETWORK CARRIERS AND LOW-COST CARRIERS - RETREAT BATTLE OR BREAKTHROUGH TO A NEW LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY?

Abstract The severe crisis of the global aviation industry has primarily struck the “classical” Network Carriers (NCs) with their complex hub&spoke operation platforms. The crisis was deepened, but by no means caused, by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The root cause was the end of a temporary revenue “bubble” after the first Iraq war, leading to historically high airline profits and major capacity expansions. After the end of the “golden” 90 s, an economic downturn and a fear of terrorism resulted in massive overcapacities, with yields showing a return to continued long-term decline. Surprisingly at first glance, low-cost carriers (LCCs) were not only spared, but boosted by this massive downturn. Their lean business model offered a compelling alternative at a time when passengers began looking for ways to avoid paying the high prices NCs demanded in order to maintain their complex hub&spoke systems. On continental travel routes, LCCs are able to deliver 80% of the service quality at less than 50% of the cost of NCs. Consequently, LCCs can—at least in theory—tackle more than 70% of continental O&Ds (in the US as well as in Europe), taking them far from their origins as niche businesses. However, for most intercontinental routes (as well as some continental ones) bundling demand in a hub remains an indispensable requirement. The challenge for NCs is now to reinvent their own business model. If they succeed in providing almost the same service level at drastically reduced cost, they would not only stabilize their position, but also lead the industry as a whole to the next level of efficiency. This article analyzes the key drivers of the current transition phase and outlines the vision of advanced airline business models that potentially lead to a new era of equilibrium.
The Minimum Meniscus Radius and Capillary Heat Transport Limit in Micro Heat Pipes

Based on the momentum conservation and Laplace-Young equations, an analytical expression for the minimum meniscus radius was derived and an expression for the maximum capillary heat transport limit in micro/small heat pipes was obtained. These expressions incorporated the shear stresses at the liquid/solid and liquid/ vapor interfaces, contact angle effects, vapor pressure drop, tilt angle, groove dimensions, and channel angle effects. In order to verify the expressions derived herein, comparisons with experimental data from triangular grooves and micro heat pipes were made; they demonstrated that these equations can be used to predict the maximum capillary heat transport in the micro/small triangular grooves or micro heat pipes with a higher degree of accuracy, and they can explain the behavior better than previously developed models.
Autosomal-dominant Leber Congenital Amaurosis Caused by a Heterozygous CRX Mutation in a Father and Son.

AbstractBackground: Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is most often an autosomal recessive disorder. We report a father and son with autosomal dominant LCA due to a mutation in the CRX gene.Materials and Methods: DNA screening using an allele specific assay of 90 of the most common LCA-causing variations in the coding sequences of AIPL1, CEP290, CRB1, CRX, GUCY2D, RDH12 and RPE65 was performed on the father. Automated DNA sequencing of his son examining exon 3 of the CRX gene was subsequently performed.Results: Both father and son have a heterozygous single base pair deletion of an adenine at codon 153 in the coding sequence of the CRX gene resulting in a frameshift mutation.Conclusion: Mutations involving the CRX gene may demonstrate an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern for LCA.
Syntheses and structures of four antimony complexes with planar tridentate pyridine ligands

Abstract The syntheses and structures of four antimony chloride complexes with tridentate N,N,O Schiff base ligands are reported. The tridentate ligands derived from 2-acetylpyridine and various acid hydrazides all lost a proton upon coordination. The ligand was either negative or zwitterionic depending on the acid hydrazide. The complexes are water soluble although a hydrolysis reaction can occur. The appearance of the μ-dichloro-μ-oxo-tetrachlorodiantimonate(III) anion in one of the complexes was unexpected but appears to be related to the temperatures used in the synthesis. The variation in the distances in the various complexes and the anion are discussed using bond valence sum calculations.
Barrios and hyper barrios: how Latino neighborhoods changed the urban built environment

This paper examines the trends in Latino neighborhoods located in a metropolitan statistical area. We focused on Latino neighborhoods because they are important features of the urban built environment. The change in this urban space from non-Latino to Latino identity has significant implications. The analysis focused on four research questions: (1) how many Latino neighborhoods exist in the US? (2) which metropolitan regions had Latino neighborhoods? (3) what was the spatial relationship of Latino neighborhoods within each region? and (4) what factors were associated with Latino neighborhoods? We provide empirical evidence to answer these questions. First, Latino neighborhoods have increased by 232% from 1980 to 2010. Second, there were 13 metropolitan regions that had more than 100 Latino neighborhoods in 2010. Third, the majority of the Latino neighborhoods in each region were highly clustered in space with each other. Fourth, the proportion of Latino immigrations, Latino poverty, and Latinos who speak ...
Expression of unselected adenovirus genes in human cells co-transformed with the HSV-1 tk gene and adenovirus 2 DNA.

Abstract We have introduced adenovirus 2 genes into high molecular weight DNA of permissive human cells by co-transformation of tk − human 143 cells with Ad2 restriction enzyme fragments and a cloned Bam HI fragment that carries the HSV-1 thymidine kinase gene. Tk + cells were isolated after selection and maintenance in HAT medium. Several co-transformed lines are able to complement the growth of Ad5 dl312 (Δ 1.2–3.7) and Ad5 dl434 (Δ 2.6–8.7), deletion mutants that lack sequences from the left end of the viral genome. The amount and arrangement of viral sequences in the co-transformed cell lines have been analyzed by restriction endonuclease digestion and filter hybridization. Most of the cell lines contain a single insertion of the HSV-1 tk fragment and a single insert of adenoviral DNA. However, one line (B1) contains at least four different insertions, two of which are present in multiple copies. The adenoviral DNA in all cell lines is composed of sequences from the left end of the genome and extends for varying lengths in different lines. Two cell lines that complement deletion mutants efficiently synthesize both early region 1a and 1b mRNAs. The B1 line synthesizes low levels of 1a mRNA, higher levels of 1b mRNA and a unique mRNA that maps to the right of the 1b gene family. When grown continuously in HAT medium, some cell lines are quite stable while others are fairly unstable. Some tk + subclones support the growth of viral mutants as well as the parental line while others give reduced levels of complementation. For all tk + subclones examined, the alteration or reduction in viral gene expression is independent of changes in the pattern of integration of viral DNA.
Growth-Climate Relationships of Pinus strobus In the Floodway Versus Terrace Forest Along the Banks of the Red Cedar River, Michigan

We examined the effects of climate (i.e. temperature, precipitation, moisture index, river discharge) on the radial growth of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) in two contrasting microhabitats (floodway versus terrace) in relation to an elevational and moisture gradient along the banks of the Red Cedar River, Michigan. We hypothesized that trees growing on the terrace sites would have a greater sensitivity to climatic factors than trees growing in the floodway. Increment cores were sampled and crossdated from dominant and co-dominant trees in the floodway and terrace sites and standardized growth chronologies were developed. Mean sensitivity, standard deviation, percentage of absent rings, and intertree correlation were generally greater for eastern white pine on the terrace compared to the floodway forests. Dendroclimatic relationships were examined with bootstrapped correlation analysis, which indicated that radial growth of eastern white pine in both floodway and terrace sites was negatively associated with summer temperature (i.e. June and July) of the current growing season. Radial growth in both floodway and terrace sites were positively related to current May precipitation, moisture index, and river discharge. Dendroclimatic response of eastern white pine in floodway and terrace sites differed in that the effect of summer moisture stress was more persistent in the terrace sites into later summer (i.e. current July ) whereas floodway sites showed a negative response to prior-year May precipitation and moisture index. Although precipitation and hydrological conditions of the river were generally favorable during the summer months, which appeared to have promoted soil moisture recharge, flooding in early winter (i.e. prior November) had a negative impact on growth in both microhabitats. The effect of winter river discharge was significantly negative in January (t) in the floodway sites compared to the terrace sites.
Female waist-to-hip and male waist-to-shoulder ratios as determinants of romantic partner desirability:

This study examines the effects of body shape (women's waist-to-hip ratio and men's waist-to-shoulder ratio) on desirability of a potential romantic partner. In judging desirability, we expected male participants to place more emphasis on female body shape, whereas females would focus more on personality characteristics. Further, we expected that relationship type would moderate the extent to which physical characteristics were valued over personality. Specifically, physical characteristics were expected to be most valued in short-term sexual encounters when compared with long-term relationships. Two hundred and thirty-nine participants (134 females, 105 males; 86% Caucasian) rated the desirability of an opposite-sex target for a date, a one-time sexual encounter, and a serious relationship. All key hypotheses were supported by the data.
Windows of opportunity: white-tailed deer and the dynamics of northern hardwood forests of the northeastern US

Herbivory, lighting regimes, and site conditions are among the most important determinants of forest regeneration success, but these are affected by a host of other factors such as weather, predation, human exploitation, pathogens, wind and fire. We draw together >50 years of research on the Huntington Wildlife Forest in the central Adirondack Mountains of New York to explore regeneration of northern hardwo0ds.A series of studies each of which focused on a single factor failed to identify the cause of regeneration failure. However, integration of these studies led to broader understanding of the process of forest stand development and identified at least three interacting factors: lighting regime, competing vegetation and selective browsing by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).The diverse 100-200 year-old hardwood stands present today probably reflect regeneration during periods of low deer density (<2.0 deer/km2) and significant forest disturbance. If this hypothesis is correct, forest managers can mimic these "natural windows of opportunity" through manipulation of a few sensitive variables in the system. Further, these manipulations can be conducted on a relatively small geographic scale. Control of deer densities on a scale of 500 ha and understory American beech (Fagusgrandifo1ia)on a scale of < 100 ha in conjunction with an even-aged regeneration system consistently resulted in successful establishment of desirable hardwood regeneration.
Do Female Students Feel Differently Than Male Students About Using Software Tutors

Do female students feel differently than male students about using software tutors? One recent study suggests that women are concerned about the passivity of their interactions with the computer as a (learning) tool. Another study suggests that women who have taken online courses are enthusiastic about computer-based learning. In order to answer this question ourselves, we conducted two studies in fall 2004 and spring 2005 using the software tutors we have developed for introductory programming topics. We analyzed the data filled out by students in the feedback form administered after using each tutor. We found that there was no statistically significant difference between female and male students on their assessment of the usability, ability to learn from and the usefulness of software tutors. This result is reassuring to both developers and users of software tutors for learning.
How light and motion bathe the silver screen.

Popular movies are spatiotemporal arrays of light and motion, but almost nothing is known about their distributions across whole films. Psychological research shows that the center of the screen is the most important region, but is light and motion most prominent there? I confirm that they are while exploring a sample of 160 movies released from 1935 to 2010. Concerning how light bathes the screen, I found that newer movies have greater luminance contrast than older movies; that luminance falloff can be used to estimate the average lens lengths of many movies; that screen centers are brighter than predicted by luminance falloff; and that American films noir are not actually darker than other movies of their era, but their surrounds are much darker. Concerning motion, I found that more recent movies have more motion (or change) contrast than older ones; that despite what might be predicted by camera motions, the center of the screen has the most motion; and that this is particularly striking for animated movies, which have more visual change than any other movie genre. In sum, content aside, filmmakers have crafted a viewing space for our attention and given us good reasons to look at the center of the screen.
Anode spot plasma torch

With acetone as a catalyst in an argon discharge plasma, it is observed that localized high-density anode spots can be formed at sharp edges in the plasma. By placing the sharp edge on top of a small permanent magnet, the current which is attracted to the spot can locally burn a piece of metal beneath the sharp edge. It is believed that the practical significance of these results may have wide implications for plasma processing or plasma burning applications. >
Ethical Challenges: To Participate or Not to Participate?

This issue's scenario, “To Participate or Not to Participate,” describes an evaluator's shift in method from nonparticipant to participant observation. Although evaluation theorists differ on the e...
Multibody dynamics of floating wind turbines with large-amplitude motion

Abstract A new approach to multibody dynamics is investigated by treating floating wind turbines as multibody systems. The system is considered as three rigid bodies: the tower, nacelle and rotor. Three large-amplitude rotational degrees of freedom (DOFs) of the tower are described by 1-2-3 sequence Euler angles. Translation of the entire system is described by Newton’s second Law applied to the center of mass (CM) of the system and transferred to 3 translational DOFs of the tower. Additionally, two prescribed DOFs governed by mechanical control, nacelle yaw and rotor spin, are combined with the 6 DOFs of the tower to formulate the 8-DOF equations of motion (EOMs) of the system. The CM of the system is generally time-varying and not constrained to any rigid body due to the arbitrary location of the CM of each body and relative mechanical motions among the bodies. The location of the CM being independent of any body is considered in both the solution to 3 translational DOFs and the calculation of angular momentum of each body for 3 rotational DOFs. The theorem of conservation of momentum is applied to the entire multibody system directly to solve 6 unknown DOFs. Motions computed using the six nonlinear EOMs are transformed to each body in a global coordinate system at every time-step for use in the computation of hydrodynamics, aerodynamics and restoring forcing, which preserves the nonlinearity between external excitation and structural dynamics. The new method is demonstrated by simulation of the motion of a highly compliant floating wind turbine. Results are verified by critical comparison with those of the popular wind turbine dynamics software FAST.
Design and implementation of a scalable parallel system for multidimensional analysis and OLAP

Multidimensional Analysis and On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) uses summary information that requires aggregate operations along one or more dimensions of numerical data values. Query processing for these applications require different views of data for decision support. The Data Cube operator provides multi-dimensional aggregates, used to calculate and store summary information on a number of dimensions. The multi-dimensionality of the underlying problem can be represented both in relational and multi-dimensional databases, the latter being a better fit when query performance is the criteria for judgment. Relational databases are scalable in size and efforts are on to make their performance acceptable. On the other hand multi-dimensional databases perform well for such queries, although they are nor very scalable. Parallel computing is necessary to address the scalability and performance issues for these data sets. In this paper we present a parallel and scalable infrastructure for OLAP and multidimensional analysis. We use chunking to store data either as a dense block using multidimensional arrays (md-arrays) or a sparse set using a Bit encoded sparse structure (BESS). Chunks provide a multidimensional index structure for efficient dimension oriented data accesses much the same as md-arrays do. Operations within chunks and between chunks are a combination of relational and multi-dimensional operations depending on whether the chunk is sparse or dense. We present performance results for data sets with 3, 5 and 10 dimensions for our implementation on the IBM SP-2 which show good speedup and scalability.
Asset pricing in production economies

Abstract This paper studies asset returns in different versions of the one-sector real business cycle model. We show that a model with habit formation preferences and capital adjustment costs can explain the historical equity premium and the average risk-free return while replicating the salient business cycle properties. The paper also applies a solution technique that combines loglinear methods with lognormal asset pricing formulae.
Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Blocks Hemorrhagic Brain Edema After 4-Hour Delay in Rats

Background and Purpose Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and arginine vasopressin regulate brain water and electrolytes. Treatment with ANP at the onset of a hemorrhagic injury reduces edema. Clinically, however, hemorrhagic masses form too rapidly for preventive treatment. Therefore, we measured the effect of ANP on brain edema after the hemorrhagic mass was formed. Methods Adult rats had hemorrhagic lesions produced by the intracerebral injection of 0.4 U bacterial collagenase. Four hours later, an infusion of ANP (120 or 700 ng/kg per 20 hours) was begun into the peritoneum using an implanted miniosmotic pump. Twenty-four hours after the injury, brain water and electrolyte values were measured. The mechanism of ANP action was explored in other groups of rats that either had osmolality increased with mannitol or were injected with the cyclic GMP analogue, 8-bromo-cGMP. Results Atrial natriuretic peptide given after a 4-hour delay significantly reduced brain water and sodium 24 hours after the injury (P<....
Predicting Impacts of Tropical Cyclones and Sea-Level Rise on Beach Mouse Habitat

ABSTRACT Chen, Q.; Wang, H.; Wang, L.; Tawes, R., and Rollman D., 2014. Predicting the impacts of tropical cyclones and sea-level rise on beach mouse habitat. Alabama beach mouse (ABM) (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates) is an important component of the coastal dune ecosystem along the Gulf of Mexico. Due to habitat loss and degradation, ABM is federally listed as an endangered species. In this study, we examined the impacts of storm surge and wind waves, which are induced by hurricanes and sea-level rise (SLR), on the ABM habitat on Fort Morgan Peninsula, Alabama, using advanced storm surge and wind wave models and spatial analysis tools in geographic information systems (GIS). Statistical analyses of the long-term historical data enabled us to predict the extreme values of winds, wind waves, and water levels in the study area at different return periods. We developed a series of nested domains for both wave and surge modeling and validated the models using field observations of surge hydrographs and high ...
It’s all in the crystals…

Macromolecular crystallography relies on the availability and quality of single crystals; these are typically obtained through extensive screening, which has a very low intrinsic success rate. Crystallization is not a completely stochastic process and many proteins do not succumb to crystallization because of specific microscopic features of their molecular surfaces. It follows that rational surface engineering through site-directed mutagenesis should allow a systematic and significant improvement in crystallization success rates. Here, one such established strategy, surface-entropy reduction (SER), is discussed, including its successes, limitations and possible future developments.
Caste and Occupational Structure in Central India

Interview data lend little support to the view that the caste system obstructs occupational change in India. Intergenierational mobility is frequent amonlg rural and urban castes but it is generally confined to occupations of similar rank. Hence, mobility has a negligible effect upon the traditional association between positionls in the caste and occupational hierarchies. This association is attributable to differences among castes in educational attainmenit.