cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Explorations into the biochemistry of sensation seeking

Abstract This investigation sought to determine to what extent, if any, the personality trait of sensation seeking is related to blood plasma levels of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH). The experimental group consisted to 19 ski instructors/petrolmen (8 females and 11 males) aged 18–19 yr. The control group was made up of 21 New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) students (11 females and 10 males) also aged 18–39 yr. The experiment was divided into morning and afternoon sessions. During the morning session the Ss completed the Sensation Seeking Form V, the Sensation of blood by venipuncture. A second blood sample was taken during the afternnon session. The skier group scored significantly higher on those personality measures designed to identify the sensation seeking personality, and the skiers also had significantly higher DBH levels than the nonskiers [F(1, 36)=16.62, P=0.0002]. A possible explanation for the high DBH levels among skiers is that at the time of the blood sampling, the skiers were in a more stressful situation and they had also engaged in vigorous physical exercise.
Stacks and splits of partially ordered sets

The dimension of a partially ordered set (X, P) is the smallest positive integer t for which there exists a function @? which assigns to each [email protected]?X a sequence {@?(x)(i): 1==2, a partially ordered set (poset) is said to be t-irreducible (resp. t-interval irreducible) if it has dimension t (resp. interval dimension t), and every proper subposet has dimension (resp. interval dimension) less than t. The only 2-irreducible poset is a two element anti-chain, and the only 2-interval irreducible poset is the free sum of two chains each having two points. In sharp contrast, the collection R of all 3-irreducible posets consists of 9 infinite families and 18 odd examples, and the collection R"I of all 3-interval irreducible posets is sufficiently complex to have avoided complete determination as of this date. Trotter and Moore determined R from Gallai's forbidden subgraph characterization of comparability graphs. David Kelly independently determined R by a lattice theoretic argument combined with the characterization of planar lattices Kelly and Ivan Rival had previously obtained. In this paper, we introduce a new operation called a stack which we will apply to posets of height one. In some ways the stack operation is an inverse of the split operation on posets previously defined by Kimble. These operations behave predictably with respect to dimension and interval dimension. In particular, the stack of a poset of height one plays a role in interval dimension theory which is analogous to the role played by the completion by cuts in dimension theory. As a consequence, we can exploit the similarities to Kelly's approach to the determination of R to produce a relatively compact argument to determine the collection R(I, 1) of all 3-interval irreducible posets of height one. This characterization problem has immediate combinatorial connections with a wide range of well-known forbidden subgraph problems including interval graphs, rectangle graphs, and circular arc graphs.
Marital therapy with elderly couples

Elderly persons living in Middletown (Muncie, Indiana) represent a unique treatment group because so much is known of their early history and because of the representativeness of their cohort. The most common marital problems are those occasioned by the illness of a spouse, by the need for one member to grow and develop while the other is somewhat stifled, and by the unique features of late-life marriage. Descriptions of these difficulties, as well as suggestions for treatment, are offered.
Clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes in patients with ruptured posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysms: a comparative analysis

OBJECT Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from ruptured posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysms is uncommon, and long-term outcome data for patients who have suffered such hemorrhages is lacking. This study investigated in-hospital and long-term clinical data from a prospective cohort of patients with SAH from ruptured PICA aneurysms enrolled in a randomized trial; their outcomes were compared with those of SAH patients who were treated for other types of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. The authors hypothesize that PICA patients fare worse than those with aneurysms in other locations and this difference is related to the high rate of lower cranial nerve dysfunction in PICA patients. METHODS The authors analyzed data for 472 patients enrolled in the Barrow Ruptured Aneurysm Trial (BRAT) and retrospectively reviewed vasospasm data not collected prospectively. In the initial cohort, 57 patients were considered angiographically negative for aneurysmal SAH source and did not receive treatment for ane...
Selective isocoumarin serine protease inhibitors block RNK-16 lymphocyte granule-mediated cytolysis

Abstract Granules that are potently cytolytic in vitro can be obtained from cytotoxic lymphocytes that kill virally infected cells and tumor cells. These granules contain pore-forming proteins and several serine proteases. Here we indicate that at least two different proteases participate in the lysis mediated by granule proteins from RNK-16 rat leukemia cells. We report twelve different mechanism-based or “suicide” isocoumarin serine protease inhibitors which have different 3- and 7-substituents that confer selectivity and reactivity towards either the chymotrypsin- (“chymase”) or trypsin-like (“tryptase”) protease activities of RNK-16 cells. Second order inhibition rates of inactivation (k obsd /[I]) for the RNK-16 granule proteases ranged between 164 and 22,640 M −1 s −1 . These new, specific and highly reactive isocoumarin serine protease inhibitors also abrogated the cytolysis mediated by lymphocyte granule proteins. The eight inhibitors with large hydrophobic or basic substituents that conferred chymase or tryptase specificities were more effective at inactivating lytic function than the four elastase-directed inhibitors with smaller substituents. All twelve new isocoumarin inhibitors blocked cytolysis at lower concentrations than 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin, a potent general mechanism-based serine protease inhibitor that also blocks RNK-16 granule protease activities and lysis.
The Dark Side: representing science fiction in drum ‘n’ bass

The genre of drum ’n’ bass emerged in early 1990s England, as part of a burgeoning yet underground electronic dance music scene. The musical characteristics of drum ’n’ bass reflected the dire socioeconomic conditions of inner city London, as well as the social and cultural dislocation experienced by its producers. Ideologies of Afrofuturism, as well as sound clips, affects and themes from science fiction film served as a means of expression in drum ’n’ bass, and producers drew upon the genres of funk, hip-hop, techno and ambient, utilizing sounds and techniques pioneered by dub reggae producers. In this paper, I will uncover the sonic history of science fiction in drum ’n’ bass, and examine sci-fi's musical manifestations within drum ’n’ bass. Ultimately, I will focus on how the incorporation of science fiction creates emotional complexity and narrative in drum ’n’ bass.
Glufosinate Application Timing and Rate Affect Peanut Yield

ABSTRACT Field studies were conducted at 13 locations across the US peanut belt during 2010–2012 to evaluate peanut response to postemergence applications of glufosinate. Glufosinate was applied at...
Longitudinal associations between case management and supportive services use among black and Latina HIV-positive women in New York City.

Abstract Background: The literature analyzing the relationship between case management and supportive service use longitudinally among African American and Latina HIV-positive women is limited. Methods: This retrospective analysis of participant case management, supportive service, and medical charts sought to examine both descriptive and relational data on use of case management and supportive services over a 2-year period from 2002 to 2005 and to analyze moderating person- level or institution-level factors. Results: The analyzed case management, supportive service, and medical charts revealed that participants interacted with their case manager four times and received 3.6 supportive services per month. Transportation, primary healthcare/medical specialists, and support groups were the services most used, with rates ranging from 70% to 80%. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), the unconditional growth models showed that case management and supportive service use patterns remained constant over the ...
Fish oil thermosetting polymers: creep and recovery behavior

Abstract We report creep and recovery behavior of novel polymers prepared by the cationic copolymerization of fish oil (FO) and conjugated fish oil (CFO) with a number of comonomers using boron trifluoride diethyl etherate as the initiator. The experimental results are compared with classical models of linear viscoelasticity and structural effects on the creep behavior are examined. The models successfully predict the creep behavior in the static loading range of 0.03–0.07 MPa, together with a retardation time distribution function, suggesting that the materials are linearly viscoelastic under the test conditions. Deviations between experimental results and theoretical predictions are explained in terms of structural effects being controlled by the nature and conjugation of the double bonds in the fish oils, as well as the interactions of the unreacted oils with the crosslinked network structure of the polymers. At high temperatures, the CFO and divinylbenzene copolymers show better creep resistance and higher strain recovery than that of the FO polymers. These results together with those obtained from dynamic mechanical analysis indicate that the polymers may be useful in applications where commercial viscous fish oil systems are not usable.
Novel FOXF1 Deep Intronic Deletion Causes Lethal Lung Developmental Disorder, Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia with Misalignment of Pulmonary Veins

Haploinsufficiency of FOXF1 causes an autosomal dominant neonatally lethal lung disorder, alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV). We identified novel 0.8-kb deletion within the 1.4-kb intron of FOXF1 in a deceased newborn diagnosed with ACDMPV. The deletion arose de novo on the maternal copy of the chromosome 16, and did not affect FOXF1 minigene splicing tested in lung fibroblasts. However, FOXF1 transcript level in the ACDMPV peripheral lung tissue was reduced by almost 40%. We found that, in an in vitro reporter assay, the FOXF1 intron exhibited moderate transcriptional enhancer activity, correlating with the presence of binding sites for expression regulators CTCF and CEBPB, whereas its truncated copy, which lost major CTCF and CEBPB-binding sites, inhibited the FOXF1 promoter. Our data further emphasize the importance of testing the non-protein coding regions of the genome currently not covered by diagnostic chromosomal microarray analyses or whole-exome sequencing.
The effect of changing enrichments on core performance

Abstract The information presented in this paper has been developed as a follow on to two previous papers published using the same low leakage core configuration with the addition in this paper of evaluating fuel costs. The two previous publications studied the characteristics of this low leakage core with two different enrichment sets, where each enrichment set represents the three batches in the core. The purpose of the two previous papers proved the effectiveness of using the Haling Power Depletion (HPD) method as a guide. The first purpose of this paper is to extend this study to higher enrichment sets to finally attain a core having close to the highest possible cycle length. Three additional similar enrichment sets are studied increasing the number of enrichment sets to five. The ratio between the enrichment sets was maintained constant except for the highest enrichment set. This was done to increase the cycle length to approximately the longest possible cycle length of 800 days for a 1000 MWe reactor limited to a maximum 5% enrichment. The core reactor physics characteristics of these five cores are presented in this paper together with the evaluating of the fuel costs. These core characteristics include radial power fractions (RPF), Haling Power Depletion, RPF distributions, maximum pin peak powers (PPP MAX ), and other important data. The HPD RPFs of all 5 cores were similar and used to help develop the burnable poison placement designs for each core. The longest two cycles required an improved technique using more information than the HPD results to develop successful BP placement designs. Also, it was very difficult to find the correct soluble boron ppmB in the HPD input to have the Studvik HPD calculation converge. There is an error in this algorithm. The fuel costs for the five cores were calculated and the results prove that the fuel costs are lower with the cores having the longest cycle lengths. The details observed in this study are presented in this paper.
A Theoretical Analysis of the Operation of Flying Spot and Camera Tube Microscopes in the Ultraviolet

The minimum specimen exposure at television scanning rates required to yield pictures with acceptable signal-to-noise ratio and the best resolution optically attainable is computed for flying-spot, image-orthicon, and vidicon television microscopes for the ultraviolet. This exposure is found to be slightly less for the flying-spot microscope than for the image-orthicon microscope. For microscopes employing experimental ultraviolet-sensitive vidicons with optimal quantum efficiency, the exposure is greater than for the image-orthicon microscope by a factor of 2, and it may be greater by a factor up to 10 for vidicon microscopes with less favorable characteristics. Picture lag is absent in flying-spot microscopes and is not a serious consideration in image-orthicon microscopes, but may limit the permissible motion in the field of an ultraviolet vidicon microscope. On the other hand, the attainable radiance of flying-spot tube screens limits the usefulness of the flying-spot microscope in high-resolution studies, particularly when examination with sharply defined spectral bands is desired. No similar limitation exists for the image-orthicon and vidicon microscopes.
Regularities and irregularities in periodical cicada evolution

Periodical cicadas are one of those creatures that everyone in eastern North America knows, if only periodically. The seemingly magical invasion every 17 or 13 y of millions upon millions of black, red-eyed, vaguely demonic-looking insects that fill the air with their incessant droning is, indeed, not something that one can easily ignore. These insects even inspired Bob Dylan, in his song “Day of the Locusts,” to proclaim that the cicadas were singing just for him, which seems at odds with current evolutionary theory. In PNAS, Sota et al. (1) make a much more meaningful contribution to our understanding of the evolution of the genus Magicicada.
MEMS flow sensors for nano-fluidic applications

This paper presents micromachined thermal sensors for measuring liquid flow rates in the nanoliter-per-minute range. The sensors use a boron-doped polysilicon thin-film heater that is embedded in the silicon nitride wall of a microchannel. The boron doping is chosen to increase the heater's temperature coefficient of resistance within tolerable noise limits. And the microchannel is suspended from the substrate to improve thermal isolation. The sensors have demonstrated a flow rate resolution below 10 nL/min, as well as the capability for detecting micro bubbles in the liquid. Heat transfer simulation has also been performed to explain the sensor operation and yielded good agreement with experimental data.
Bridging Diverse Institutions, Multiple Engineering Departments, and Industry: A Case Study in Assessment Planning

As ABET and regional accreditation agencies focus their attention on student learning, effective planning processes and practices become critical to the departments and colleges that must initiate them. The lessons learned from the Synthesis Coalition's experience can be applied at the departmental level to meet the requirements of these agencies. The planning strategy focused on a collaborative process that involved all stakeholders: faculty, administrators, students, and industry representatives. The stakeholders validated and prioritized the Coalition's original goals and identified a specific set of abilities, criteria, and activities associated with them. (The goals included, to facilitate: communication, teamwork, hands-on facility with hardware, awareness of the social implications of engineering, modern industry practices, multi-disciplinary design, and open-ended problem solving.) The Coalition's industrial board provided written scenarios of “day in the life” challenges engineers face to help ensure that the values and goals the Coalition planned to assess matched those that industry felt were important. Next, course documents were analyzed to identify a set of assignments to use for developing authentic, performance-based assessment tools. This approach assured that by participating in the Synthesis Coalition assessment project, each campus prepared a core group of faculty to assess (and train other faculty to assess) student learning and ultimately document evidence of student learning for ABET accreditation.
ALPHA-REGULAR STICK UNKNOTS

Suppose Pn is a regular n-gon in ℝ2. An embedding f : Pn ↪ ℝ3 is called an α-regular stick knot provided the image of each side of Pn under f is a line segment of length 1 and any two consecutive line segments meet at an angle of α. The main result of this paper proves the existence of α-regular stick unknots for odd n ≥ 7 with α in the range . All knots constructed will have trivial knot type, and we will show that any non-trivial α-regular stick knot must have .
Kinetic, transport, and deactivation rate interactions on steady-state and transient responses in heterogeneous catalysis

Experiments with benzene hydrogenation over a nickel kieselguhr catalyst poisoned by thiophene, showed that the time required for development of steady-state profiles on startup decreases only moderately as the catalyst is poisoned to approx. 20% of initial activity, but the magnitudes of inter- and intraphase thermal gradients were strongly affected. For severely deactivated catalysts, the approximation that all thermal gradients reside in the boundary layer was not justified. Simulation results from a full distributed parameter model were excellent for steady-state modeling and for transient response of the fresh catalyst; however, they deteriorate somewhat for experiments with highly deactivated catalysts. Even though poisoning is rapid and irreversible under the conditions used, a shell-progressive model may not be adequate for simulating in full detail activity and thermal gradients in both steady and unsteady states. On the other hand, such an approach appears entirely adequate if only information on the over-all time-activity history is required. Tables, graphs, photograph, and 25 references.
Trends in overweight from 1980 through 2001 among preschool-aged children enrolled in a health maintenance organization.

Objective: To examine overweight trends over a 22-year period among preschool-aged children from primarily middle-income families enrolled in a health maintenance organization. Research Methods and Procedures: From well-child care visits to a Massachusetts health maintenance organization, we randomly selected one visit per child per calendar year, yielding a study sample of 120,680 children seen at 366,109 visits from 1980 through 2001. Using multivariate logistic regression models accounting for repeated observations of individual children across years, we estimated trends in prevalence of overweight (weight-for-length/height ≥ 95th percentile) and at-risk-for-overweight (85th to 95th percentile). Results: Over the 22-year study period, the observed prevalence of overweight increased from 6.3% to 10.0% and at-risk-for-overweight increased from 11.1% to 14.4%. These increases were evident among all groups of children including infants < 6 months of age. Overall, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.21 per decade (95% confidence interval, 1.17 to 1.25) for overweight and 1.06 per decade (95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.08) for at-risk-for-overweight. Discussion: Rates of overweight are increasing in very young children, even infants, from primarily middle-class families.
Taguchi techniques for quality engineering

(1989). Taguchi Techniques for Quality Engineering. Technometrics: Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 253-255.
Immunostimulatory CpG‐modified plasmid DNA enhances IL‐12, TNF‐α, and NO production by bovine macrophages

The immunogenicity of DNA vaccines is partially attributable to the adjuvant properties of bacterial plasmid DNA (pDNA) for B lympho- cytes and professional antigen-presenting cells. In mice, modification of immunostimulatory se- quences (ISSs), including CpG motifs, in pDNA vectors or oligodeoxynucleotides can increase or decrease their adjuvant properties. ISSs that stim- ulate optimal responses reportedly differ for mu- rine and human leukocytes. We have previously characterized the mitogenic properties of oligode- oxynucleotides containing one AACGTT motif for bovine B lymphocytes. We now define cytokine responses by macrophages stimulated with pDNA engineered to contain an ISS comprising two AACGTT motifs. Macrophages activated with CpG- modified pDNA secreted significantly more inter- leukin-12, tumor necrosis factor-a, and nitric ox- ide than macrophages stimulated with unmodified pDNA or modified pDNA that contained nucleo- tides scrambled to remove CpG motifs. Engineered CpG-pDNA or CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides should be useful as vaccines or adjuvants to promote the enhanced type 1 responses important for protec- tion against intracellular pathogens. J. Leukoc. Biol. 70: 103-112; 2001.
Self-Fulfilling Misperceptions of Public Polarization

Mass media convey deep divisions among citizens despite scant evidence for such ideological polarization. Do ordinary citizens perceive themselves to be more extreme and divided than they actually are? If so, what are the ramifications of such misperception? A representative sample from California provides evidence that voters from both sides of the state’s political divide perceive both their liberal and conservative peers’ positions as more extreme than they actually are, implying inaccurate beliefs about polarization. A second study again demonstrates this finding with an online sample and presents evidence that misperception of mass-level extremity can affect individuals’ own policy opinions. Experimental participants randomly assigned to learn the actual average policy-related predispositions of liberal and conservative Americans later report opinions that are 8–13% more moderate, on average. Thus, citizens appear to consider peers’ positions within public debate when forming their own opinions and a...
Instructions to "put the phone down" do not improve the quality of bystander initiated dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Summary Objective The quality of early bystander CPR appears important in maximizing survival. This trial tests whether explicit instructions to "put the phone down" improve the quality of bystander initiated dispatch-assisted CPR. Methods In a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial, subjects were randomized to a modified version of the Medical Priority Dispatch System ® (MPDS) version 11.2 protocol or a simplified protocol, each with or without instruction to "put the phone down" during CPR. Data were recorded from a Laerdal ® Resusci ® Anne Skillreporter™ manikin. A simulated emergency medical dispatcher, contacted by cell phone, delivered standardized instructions. Primary outcome measures included chest compression rate, depth, and the proportion of compressions without error, with correct hand position, adequate depth, and total release. Time was measured in two distinct ways: time required for initiation of CPR and total amount of time hands were off the chest during CPR. Proportions were analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum tests and time variables with ANOVA. All tests used a two-sided α-level of 0.05. Results Two hundred and fifteen subjects were randomized—107 in the "put the phone down" instruction group and 108 in the group without "put the phone down" instructions. The groups were comparable across demographic and experiential variables. The additional instruction to "put the phone down" had no effect on the proportion of compressions administered without error, with the correct depth, and with the correct hand position. Likewise, "put the phone down" did not affect the average compression depth, the average compression rate, the total hands-off-chest time, or the time to initiate chest compressions. A statistically significant, yet trivial, effect was found in the proportion of compressions with total release of the chest wall. Conclusions Instructions to "put the phone down" had no effect on the quality of bystander initiated dispatcher-assisted CPR in this trial.
Timing Yield-Aware Color Reassignment and Detailed Placement Perturbation for Bimodal CD Distribution in Double Patterning Lithography

Double patterning lithography (DPL) is in current production for memory products, and is widely viewed as inevitable for logic products at the 32 nm node. DPL decomposes and prints the shapes of a critical-layer layout in two exposures. In traditional single-exposure lithography, adjacent identical layout features will have identical mean critical dimension (CD), and spatially correlated CD variations. However, with DPL, adjacent features can have distinct mean CDs, and uncorrelated CD variations. This introduces a new set of “bimodal” challenges for timing analysis and optimization. We assess the potential impact of bimodal CD distribution on timing analysis and guardbanding, and find that the traditional “unimodal” characterization and analysis framework may not be viable for DPL. We propose new bimodal-aware timing analysis and optimization methods to improve timing yield of standard-cell based designs that are manufactured using DPL. Our first contribution is a DPL-aware approach to timing modeling, based on detailed analysis of cell layouts. Our second contribution is an integer linear programming-based maximization of “alternate” mask coloring of instances in timing-critical paths, to minimize harmful covariance and performance variation. Third, we propose a dynamic programming-based detailed placement algorithm that solves mask coloring conflicts and can be used to ensure “double patterning correctness” after placement or even after detailed routing, while minimizing the displacement of timing-critical cells with manageable engineering change order (ECO) impact. With a 45 nm library and open-source design testcases, our timing-aware recoloring and placement optimization together achieve up to 271 ps (respectively, 55.75 ns) reduction in worst (respectively, total) negative slack, and 70% (respectively, 72%) reduction in worst (respectively, total) negative slack variation, respectively.
Middle-Class Vandalism and Age-Status Conflict.

Despite public concern about vandalism, relatively little social science research has been done on the topic. Most information about the activity comes from informal descriptions of property damage, and most explanations are based on popular stereotypes emphasizing its aggressive or wanton appearance. The academic literature concentrates on the allegedly "expressive" character of vandalism and relies on models of individual or social pathology to explain the behavior. In this study the utility of these explanations is contrasted with that of one focusing on the role that age inequality and status conflict may play in the vandalism reported by middle-class adolescents. Theoretical Perspectives on Vandalism Few major delinquency theories have been specifically applied to the study of juvenile vandalism.' Instead, the vandalism literature consists of informal discussions of the problems it presents and speculation about their causes. This means that any analysis of juvenile vandalism must constantly separate theories of vandalism per se from more general delinquency perspectives applicable to property damage. Vandalism is often thought to be a pathological adaptation to a variety of stresses and strains occurring at both individual and aggregate levels. Its apparently cathartic and aggressive character fits well with causal theories emphasizing individual maladjustment. Also popular are frustration-agression theories seeing vandalism as an expression of destructive drives or a symptom of underlying illness: Vandalism, like other types of pathological behavior, represents an outlet for aggression and feelings that have not been solved in a healthy or acceptable manner. It is usually an expression of deep unrest and a need to react with destruction of property or a creation of unhappiness in order to lessen the feelings of unrest (Lippman, 1952:5-6).
Mismatch oligonucleotides in human and yeast: guidelines for probe design on tiling microarrays

Background Mismatched oligonucleotides are widely used on microarrays to differentiate specific from nonspecific hybridization. While many experiments rely on such oligos, the hybridization behavior of various degrees of mismatch (MM) structure has not been extensively studied. Here, we present the results of two large-scale microarray experiments on S. cerevisiae and H. sapiens genomic DNA, to explore MM oligonucleotide behavior with real sample mixtures under tiling-array conditions.
Implementation of headway compensation on autonomous vehicle convoys with command shaping

This paper documents the application of the use of headway on autonomous convoys using front and back spacing information. The control method is based only on distance measurements between vehicles in the platoon. The lead vehicle's longitudinal control is developed to follow a given velocity. The follower vehicles maintain the desired spacing using distance measurements to the preceding and following vehicles. Headway proportionally varies the desired spacing between the vehicles based on the vehicle's speed. This approach leads to more physically realizable controller efforts for the follower vehicles and helps maintain and improve string stability.
Pervasiveness and magnitude of context effects: Evidence for the relativity of absolute magnitude estimation

To test the assertion that absolute magnitude estimation serves to minimize context effects, two experiments were conducted in which area stimuli were judged under differing conditions. In Experiment 1, four groups of subjects made magnitude estimations of triangles ranging in area from 1.5 to 3,072 cm2. No standard or modulus was used, and instructions were similar to those used in absolute magnitude estimation experiments. Each group first judged a different subrange of the stimuli (1.5–24; 48–768; 6–96; or 192-3,072 cm2). before making judgments of the remaining stimuli. In Experiment 2, two groups of subjects made magnitude estimations of triangles ranging in area from 1.5 to 12,288 cm2, with each group first judging a different subrange of stimuli (1.5–24 cm2 or 768-12,288 cm2). The design and instructions were virtually identical to those used in absolute magnitude estimation experiments. Our results indicate that the wording of the instructions is not crucial and that judgments are influenced in two ways that are not predicted by proponents of absolute magnitude estimation. First, the power functions fit to the initially presented subranges (e.g., 1.5–24 cm2), which were judged without contextual effects produced by previously presented stimuli, were inconsistent with one another. Second, judgments of the remaining stimuli were influenced by the subrange of stimuli judged initially. The prevalence of context effects in both experiments, in spite of instructional differences, suggests that although one should avoid using a standard and modulus, there is little else to be gained by adopting the absolute magnitude estimation procedure.
Atrial Fibrillation and SCN5A Variants

Although atrial fibrillation (AF) is clinically and genetically a highly heterogeneous disease, recent studies suggest that the arrhythmia may arise because of interactions between genetic and acquired risk factors - the so called "double-hit" hypothesis. Genome-wide association studies have identified common AF susceptibility loci, and linkage analysis and candidate gene approaches have identified mutations in genes that encode for cardiac ion channels and signaling proteins; however, most of the heritability of AF still remains unexplained. The voltage-dependent cardiac sodium channel, encoded by SCN5A, conducts the main cardiac inward sodium current (INa) and is responsible for the upstroke of the atrial action potential. Mutations in SCN5A, which encodes the α-subunit of the NaV1.5 channel, have been linked with increased susceptibility to not only AF but also ventricular arrhythmias (long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome), progressive cardiac conduction disease, and overlap syndromes with mixed arrhythmia phenotypes. Over the last decade, functional characterization of SCN5A mutations by expressing the channel in heterologous expression systems and applying cellular electrophysiological techniques has not only advanced our understanding of molecular mechanisms of AF but also potentially identified a mechanism-based approach to treating this common and morbid condition.
Cold Adaptation of Microtubule Assembly and Dynamics STRUCTURAL INTERPRETATION OF PRIMARY SEQUENCE CHANGES PRESENT IN THE α- AND β-TUBULINS OF ANTARCTIC FISHES

Abstract The microtubules of Antarctic fishes, unlike those of homeotherms, assemble at very low temperatures (−1.8 °C). The adaptations that enhance assembly of these microtubules are intrinsic to the tubulin dimer and reduce its critical concentration for polymerization at 0 °C to ∼0.9 mg/ml (Williams, R. C., Jr., Correia, J. J., and DeVries, A. L. (1985)Biochemistry 24, 2790–2798). Here we demonstrate that microtubules formed by pure brain tubulins of Antarctic fishes exhibit slow dynamics at both low (5 °C) and high (25 °C) temperatures; the rates of polymer growth and shortening and the frequencies of interconversion between these states are small relative to those observed for mammalian microtubules (37 °C). To investigate the contribution of tubulin primary sequence variation to the functional properties of the microtubules of Antarctic fishes, we have sequenced brain cDNAs that encode 9 α-tubulins and 4 β-tubulins from the yellowbelly rockcod Notothenia coriiceps and 4 α-tubulins and 2 β-tubulins from the ocellated icefish Chionodraco rastrospinosus. The tubulins of these fishes were found to contain small sets of unique or rare residue substitutions that mapped to the lateral, interprotofilament surfaces or to the interiors of the α- and β-polypeptides; longitudinal interaction surfaces are not altered in the fish tubulins. Four changes (A278T and S287T in α; S280G and A285S in β) were present in the S7-H9 interprotofilament “M” loops of some monomers and would be expected to increase the flexibility of these regions. A fifth lateral substitution specific to the α-chain (M302L or M302F) may increase the hydrophobicity of the interprotofilament interaction. Two hydrophobic substitutions (α:S187A in helix H5 and β:Y202F in sheet S6) may act to stabilize the monomers in conformations favorable to polymerization. We propose that cold adaptation of microtubule assembly in Antarctic fishes has occurred in part by evolutionary restructuring of the lateral surfaces and the cores of the tubulin monomers.
Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma in a patient with level I renal vein tumor thrombus.

To the Editor. In this article we reported what we believed to be the first case of planned laparoscopic excision of a preoperatively staged level I renal vein thrombus. Laparoscopic management of a preoperatively documented gross level I renal vein thrombus entails more complex intraoperative technical maneuvers compared to a radiologically undetectable renal vein thrombus that is diagnosed incidentally on postoperative microscopic examination. Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for level I renal vein thrombus has been performed previously. However, our review of the literature failed to reveal any documented case of preoperatively staged renal vein thrombus excised laparoscopically. Subsequent to our publication, we learned through personal communication that a level I renal vein thrombus in a series of McDougal et al was diagnosed preoperatively. Although our review of the literature is consistent with our earlier claim, we wish to acknowledge that the first case of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for preoperatively stage level I renal vein thrombus was, indeed, performed by McDougall et al.
Zone drawing and mechanical relaxation of poly(vinylidene fluoride)

Poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVF2, has been zone drawn to extensions up to 7 times. Well oriented β phase tapes are produced when the draw neck moved out of the hot zone, at extensions over six times and zone temperatures =<155°C. Other conditions give α phase tapes. The dynamic mechanical spectra of highly drawn PVF2 is exactly the same for both phases, with Tg at −25°C and a sharp rise in tan δ at 50°C. Isotropic α and β phase sheets gave different mechanical spectra, but with similar features at different strengths. As the isotropic sheets were prepared in very different ways, no specific features of the spectra could be assigned to the different phases.
Genetic and exposure risks for chronic beryllium disease

Exposure to beryllium results in beryllium sensitization, or development of a beryllium-specific, cell-mediated immune response, in 2% to 19% of exposed individuals. Sensitization usually precedes the development of the scarring lung disease, chronic beryllium disease. The development of granulomatous inflammation in patients with CBD is associated with the production of numerous inflammatory cytokines, including IFN-gamma, IL-2, and TNF-alpha (see Fig. 1). In some individuals this can result in increased granulomatous inflammation and a more severe form of the disease. Although the exposure response relationship in sensitization and disease is nonlinear, in some studies, higher exposures were associated with higher rates of sensitization and CBD. Machinists usually have higher levels of beryllium exposure and increased risk of developing sensitization and disease. The impact of the physicochemical properties of beryllium, such as form, solubility, and particle size, on the risk of sensitization and disease are less well understood. It is clear from numerous studies that genetic susceptibility affects risk of beryllium-related health effects. The role of HLA-DPB1 Glu69 in the proliferative response to beryllium and risk of sensitization has been the most well-studied. Some genes, such as Glu69, are important in the development of an antigen-specific, cell-mediated immune response to beryllium or sensitization, whereas others may be important in the development of beryllium-specific granulomatous inflammation or CBD (see Fig. 1). Two copies of the Glu69 gene may be a disease-specific genetic risk factor. The TNF-alpha -308 A variant is associated with beryllium-stimulated TNF-alpha production, which, in turn, is associated with more severe CBD. Whether the TNF-alpha -308 A is a genetic risk factor in CBD, sensitization, or more severe disease still needs to be determined. It is likely that sensitization and CBD are multigenetic processes, and that these genes interact with exposure to determine risk of disease. Current genetic markers are not ready for clinical use as a screening test for beryllium-related health effects because of the low specificity of the markers and the low prevalence of BeS and CBD.
Separation of oligonucleotides by reversed-phase chromatography.

Abstract Oligonucleotides from enzymatic digests of 0.05- to 5-mg samples of individual transfer RNAs are separable by reversed-phase chromatography on columns of polychlorotrifluoroethylene coated with methyltrialkyl (C8-C10) ammonium chloride in 3 to 5 h with ammonium acetate eluents. Chromatograms of RNA fragments from enzymatic digests of several tRNAs are presented.
Imaging Tumor Sensitivity to a Bioreductive Prodrug: Two for the Price of One!

Hypoxia is an important characteristic of many solid tumors and has a major negative effect on treatment response. A way to combat this effect is with drugs called "bioreductive prodrugs" or "hypoxic cytotoxins," which are metabolized under hypoxia to toxic species. However, the patients with hypoxic tumors need to be identified.
A verification of the expected utility calibration theorem

Abstract We investigate whether a single utility function can fit data from both small- and large-scale risks. Utility functions consistent with the wage–fatality risk tradeoff are less risk averse than those consistent with portfolio choice data, as predicted by the expected utility calibration theorem.
Plasmonic Optical Nanoantennas

Abstract Plasmonic nanoantennas allow the efficient conversion of impinging optical radiation from the far-field into confined, strongly enhanced fields at the nanoscale or, by reciprocity, the coupling of localized optical sources to far-field radiation. Recent advances in nanofabrication, near-field measurement techniques and characterization, as well as in theoretical modeling, have led to a rapid growth of interest in these nanodevices for a wide range of applications, including biological and chemical sensing and detection, efficient light emitters, optical imaging, communications within nanophotonic chips, nanoscale nonlinear optics, energy harvesting and thermotherapy. In particular, nonlinear optical activity and quantum interaction with light, which are typically weak over small volumes, can be dramatically enhanced owing to the resonant interaction of light in subwavelength nanoantennas, based on the strong field enhancement sustained by plasmonic effects. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the recent design, fabrication, and characterization efforts on plasmonic antennas. We show that it is possible to apply familiar radio-frequency concepts to model and design optical nanoantennas, and we use these powerful design tools to predict the linear and nonlinear response of plasmonic nanoantennas and model nanodevice designs for all-optical communications and signal processing.
The Cytology of Syzygospora Alba

The application of Heidenhain's Hematoxylin and KOH-Phloxine staining technics for the cytological study of Syzygospora alba suggests the following conclusions: 1. Syzygospora-type “basidia” and th...
Effects of anterior pituitary preparations on mammary gland growth in mouse.

SummaryMammogenic potencies of a number of crude and purified anterior pituitary fractions were determined by estimation of mammary gland desoxyribosenucleic acid (DNA) in treated ovariectomized mice. Crude bovine AP, initial residue (IR) obtained by depleting AP of known hormones, a newly developed mammogen extracted from IR (mammogen “C”) and lactogenic preparation produced lobule-alveolar development. Extracted mammogen “C” was white, crystalline, apparently salt-free and water soluble. Crude and purified FSH and growth hormone exhibited little or no mammogenic effects when injected with a synergizing dose of estradiol benzoate in ovariectomized mouse.
Vitamin B12 and transmethylation in the baby pig.

SummaryThe effect of a Bi2 deficiency on transmethylation from methionine to choline has been studied. The deficiency did not influence the level of choline in the liver nor the excretion of urinary choline. Histological examination of livers and kidneys did not reveal the fatty infiltration or renal damage characteristic of a choline deficiency. From this study it appears that vit. Bi2 is not involved in this direct transmethylation.
An Islanding Cutset Searching Approach Based on Dispatching Area

Based on dispatching area and coherency grouping,the buses of a large scale power system are classified into a set of subareas.The generator buses are the core of the subareas and nongenerator buses belong to the outer layer buses.If the generators in some subareas are out-of-step,the subareas are defined as out-of-step area(OOSA)and the other part of the system is the remaining area(RA).In the OOSA,when power balance requirements are met,only the tie lines between the outer layer buses of OOSA boundary and RA need to be searched to find the islanding cutset.There is no need to search all the branches of the system.The proposed method can significantly reduce computational cost with fast calculation speed,and therefore meets the online application requirements.Simulation results on Shandong power system demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Investigation on Construction of Simulator and Test Platform for UAV Data-link

Because of the features that were long experience period,poor repeatability,extracting data difficulty and high cost of experimentation by adopting flight test and "pull distance" in the field,the method of building a hardware in the loop simulation platform for testing UAV date-link in the darkroom was put forwarded.The models of free-space attenuation,atmospheric environment and the airplane flight attitude were analyzed and constructed,which influenced the signal’s sending and receiving.To eliminate the error caused by simulation condition and experiment environment,a method of calibrate-link was utilized.The result shows that the curve of theory calculating power and actual receiving power is consistent,and the platform’s effective is validated.
Evaluation of pouches and stomas

Abstract Patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease often undergo surgical procedures for medically refractory disease or colitis-associated neoplasia. Ileal pouch surgery has become the surgical treatment of choice for patients with ulcerative colitis who require colectomy, while ileostomy is still a valid option for the treatment of patients with refractory Crohn's disease or with pouch failure. Endoscopic evaluation of the ileal pouch and stoma is often needed to assess disease recurrence, disease activity, and dysplasia surveillance and to deliver of therapy. It is important to be familiar with the anatomy and landmarks of the surgically altered bowel structure.