cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A81: Physical activity and survival in long-term Hispanic and non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors

Introduction: Previous studies have reported that physical activity is associated with improved survival after a breast cancer diagnosis. There are few data, however, for the association of physical activity with survival in Hispanic women. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of increased physical activity in the year prior to breast cancer diagnosis with all-cause and breast cancer mortality in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women using data from the New Mexico Women9s Health Study (NMWHS). Study Population and Methods: The NMWHS was a population-based case-control study that included women diagnosed in New Mexico with invasive or in-situ breast cancers in 1992–1994. A total of 722 cases (339 Hispanic and 383 non-Hispanic white) participated in the study. Vital status and specific causes of death were ascertained through December 2008 via linkage with the New Mexico Tumor Registry (NMTR) and the National Death Index (NDI). Usual physical activity was assessed using a standardized questionnaire for the year prior to interview. After excluding women with a previous history of breast cancer or missing covariate data, 641 cases remained for analyses. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox Proportional Hazards models, with time since interview as the underlying time metric, for quartiles of physical activity (MET-h/wk), adjusting for age, breast cancer treatment, menopausal status at time of diagnosis, stage of disease, number of years of supplementary estrogen use, body-mass index (BMI) at time of diagnosis, and energy intake levels in the year preceding diagnosis. Results: During an average 12.0 years of follow-up, 216 deaths were ascertained (123 due to breast cancer). In Hispanic women, compared to 0–25.00 Metabolic Equivalent hours per week (MET-h/wk), the RRs (95% CI) were 0.75(0.42, 1.33) for 25.00–40.15 MET-h/wk, 0.46(0.24, 0.87) for 40.15–62.85 MET-h/wk and 0.41(0.22, 0.76) for >=62.85 MET-h/wk, with a p-trend value of 0.002 for all-cause mortality, and 0.70(0.32, 1.52), 0.47(0.18, 1.19) and 0.42(0.19, 0.93) with a p-trend value of 0.028 for breast cancer mortality. In non-Hispanic white women, the corresponding RRs (95% CI) were 0.60(0.33, 1.10), 1.09(0.63, 1.87) and 0.90(0.51, 1.61) with a p-trend value of 0.763 for all-cause mortality, and 0.65(0.28, 1.53), 0.97(0.44, 2.12) and 0.70(0.31, 1.60) with a p-trend value of 0.609 for breast cancer mortality. Stratified analysis suggests an added benefit for Hispanic women with BMI>=25 when their MET-hr/wk exceeds the median. The RR (95% CI) is 0.44(0.25, 0.78). The same benefit is not seen with non-Hispanic white women or in Hispanic women with BMI These results suggest that the effects of physical activity level prior to breast cancer diagnosis decrease the risk of all-cause and breast-cancer mortality in Hispanic women but not non-Hispanic women. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):A81.
Radiation response of human normal and leukemic hemopoietic cells assayed by in vitro colony formation

The effect of ionizing radiation on the survival of bone marrow cells from patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia or from hematologically normal controls was studied using colony formation as an endpoint. A modified agar culture method which incorporated daily feeding with new medium was used to allow the growth of leukemic cell colonies. Analysis of radiation-dose survival curves revealed that normal bone marrow cell populations exhibited a relatively steep slope, with values of D0 ranging from 0.5-1.3 Gy (mean = 0.82 +/- 0.22 Gy). There was essentially no shoulder to the survival curves, with Dq values ranging from less than 0 to 0.3 Gy. The leukemic cells tested displayed survival curves that did not differ qualitatively from those obtained with normal cells, i.e., steep slopes and neglible shoulders. However, the average value of the D0 (0.62 +/- 0.15 Gy) was statistically different (p less than 0.025) than that obtained for the normal cells. The results of these studies may have implications both for the use of radiation therapy for the treatment of malignant hemopoietic diseases, and for total body irradiation prior to bone marrow transplantation.
Variability in Size Traits of Sunshine Bass Larvae from Different Male Striped Bass

AbstractWe examined the amount of variability in size at hatch and size at yolk absorption among sunshine bass (female White Bass Morone chrysops × male Striped Bass M. saxatilis) due to sire effects. Eggs from a female White Bass were separated into four aliquots. Each aliquot was fertilized by sperm from a different male Striped Bass. Single fertilized eggs were place in 6-mL vials and incubated at 18°C. Eggs were examined every 6 h until the first eggs hatched and every 3 h thereafter. Approximately 50–100 yolk sac larvae were removed from the vials at hatching, photographed, and returned live to the vials when possible. At 5 d posthatch (dph), the remaining larvae were photographed and enumerated. Standard lengths of larvae at hatch and at 5 dph were estimated from photographs. Growth (i.e., increase in length) during the endogenous larval stage was calculated for a subset of individuals photographed at both times. This process was repeated in two subsequent trials. There were significant sire effects...
Messages of Hope: Health Communication Strategies That Address Barriers Preventing Black Women From Screening for Breast Cancer

Despite the fact that mammography is a valuable tool for early detection of breast cancer, research shows that most Black women do not undergo mammography. To better understand why Black women do n...
Estimating competition coefficients from census data

Department of Zoology, University of Tennessee, Knoxvflle,TN 37996, USA Rosenzweig et al. (1985), in discussing statistical methods for estimating competitive effects, have four conclusions: (1) Statistical methods provide only an equivocal means of separating the confounding effects of habitat and compe- tition as they modify a species' abundance. Six different methods of estimating habitat effects gave different compe- tition coefficients. (2) The association between the estimates of per capita competitive ability and habitat specialization is a statistical artifact. (3) An experiment on bees, reported in detail elsewhere, shows the statistical method is inaccurate. (4) The' search for a shortcut method to measure popu- lation interactions is (a) quest for the Holy Grail'. They are right in thinking that I disagree with every one of their conclusions. In my judgement, many of their estimates
Glutamate decarboxylase65-immunoreactive terminals in cingulate and prefrontal cortices of schizophrenic and bipolar brain

Recent postmortem studies have been suggesting that a defect of GABAergic neurotransmission might occur in the corticolimbic system of subjects with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. To explore this possibility, a method for immunolocalizing the 65 kdalton isoform of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD(65)) has been developed and applied to the anterior cingulate (ACCx) and prefrontal (PFCx) cortices of 12 normal controls (CONs), 12 schizophrenics (SZs) and 5 manic depressive (MDs) subjects. A computer-assisted technique was employed under strictly blind conditions to determine the density of GAD(65)-IR terminals in apposition with pyramidal (PNs) and nonpyramidal (NPs) neurons and in neuropil (NPL) of layers II, III, V and VI of each cortical region. For SZs, no difference in the numerical density of GAD(65)-IR terminals in contact with either PNs or NPs or in NPL of layers II-VI in ACCx or PFCx was detected. There were also no differences in the size of either PNs and NPs that could have influenced the nature of these findings. Using a pixel count analysis, the size of IR terminals was, however, found to be increased in layers II (10.3%) and III (15.8%) of SZs, but only in subjects treated with neuroleptic drugs. For MDs, the density of GAD(65)-IR terminals was significantly reduced in all four layers of ACCx, but these differences were most significant in layers II (27.8%) and III (37.2%), whether or not the subjected were treated with neuroleptics. In PFCx, the MDs showed similar differences in terminal density for PNs and NPs but not neuropil in the four laminae examined. The MD group showed no differences in either the size of cell bodies or IR terminals. Age and PMI did not account for any of the differences between the CONs vs SZs and MDs. Overall, the results of this study, though preliminary, suggest that there may be complex changes in GABAergic terminals in SZ and MD, ones that may vary with respect to primary diagnosis and neuroleptic exposure.
Psychiatric Aspects of Parathyroid Disease

Parathyroid diseases can present with psychiatric symptoms and can be recognized through determinations of serum electrolytes, especially the calcium level. Psychiatric evaluations should include a serum calcium concentration test, which is also essential in reassessment of patients poorly responsive to mental illness treatment. A magnesium and a phosphate assay may also be diagnostically helpful. Abnormality of divalent cation levels may provide evidence for consideration of, or ruling out, parathyroid disorders. Determinations of parathyroid hormone are performed if clinically indicated, and if abnormal divalent cation quantifications are confirmed. If parathyroid disease is identified, corrective endocrine therapies may diminish or even cure psychiatric aspects of parathyroid pathology. Failure to recognize a parathyroid disorder leaves an endocrine-induced mental dysfunction without proper treatment.
The failed antireflux procedure: Analysis of risk factors and morbidity

Between 1976 and 1988 an antireflux procedure (ARP) was performed in 364 infants and children (Nissen, 358; Thal, 6). Recurrent gastroesophageal reflux (GER) necessitating reoperation occurred in 21 patients, a failure rate of 6%. Recurrent GER developed within 28 months of primary ARP in 18 (86%) children. The symptoms of GER became apparent following an episode of forceful emesis in 29% of patients, half of whom had a malpositioned gastrostomy tube. Recurrent GER developed in 28% of children with corrected esophageal atresia. A definitive etiology of ARP failure was identified in 18 (86%) cases: "slipped" fundoplication (15), no fundoplication visualized (2), and paraesophageal hernia (1). Perioperative morbidity, intraoperative blood loss, and length of surgery were significantly increased for secondary ARP. Mortality following reoperation was zero, but three late deaths occurred. Long-term control of GER has been achieved in 78% of children following the second operation.
Reactive oxygen species play a central role in the activity of cationic liposome based cancer vaccine

Recently, we developed a simple and potent therapeutic liposome cancer vaccine consisting of a peptide antigen and a cationic lipid. The molecular mechanism of the adjuvanticity of cationic liposome was studied and described in the current report. First, cationic DOTAP liposome, but not the neutral liposome DOPC, was shown to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC). ROS generation by DOTAP was required for ERK and p38 activation and downstream chemokine/cytokine induction. Furthermore, ROS were shown to be involved in the expression of the co-stimulatory molecules CD86/CD80 induced by DOTAP. However, as the DOTAP concentration increased from 50 to 800 microM, the apoptotic marker Annexin V and ROS double positive cells increased, suggesting that high dose of DOTAP-generated ROS causes cell apoptosis. In vivo, optimal amount of ROS in the draining lymph nodes (DLN) and anti-tumor (HPV positive TC-1 tumor) activity induced by E7 peptide (antigen derived from E7 oncoprotein of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16) formulated in 100 nmol DOTAP were attenuated by incorporating DOPC in the formulation, suggesting that ROS are essential for the vaccine induced anti-tumor activity. Moreover, 600 nmol DOTAP/E7 generated huge amount of ROS in the DLN and showed no activity of tumor regression. Interestingly, 600 nmol DOTAP/E7-induced ROS were tuned down to the same level induced by 100 nmol DOTAP/E7 by adding DOPC in the formulation and this formulation showed tumor regression activity. In conclusion, DOTAP is an active DC stimulator resulting in the activation of ERK and p38 and induction of chemokines, cytokines and co-stimulatory molecules mediated by appropriate amount of ROS. Our data elucidated an important mechanism of adjuvant activity of cationic liposome and could facilitate rational design of synthetic lipid based adjuvants and vaccine formulation.
Demonstration of 4H-SiC power bipolar junction transistors

The first demonstration of 4H-SiC power bipolar junction transistors is reported. The detailed device structure along with the multi-step junction termination extension design dimensions is described. The DC I-V characteristics at room temperature and 250/spl deg/C of the fabricated bipolar junction transistors are measured and reported.
Orientation of platelets in multilayered nanocomposite polymer films

The orientation of platelets in micro-meter-thick polymer- clay nanocom- posite films was investigated with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The films with various clay contents (15- 60% by mass fraction) were prepared by a layer-by-layer approach from polymer- clay solutions that led to the formation of a high degree of orientation in both polymer and clay platelets. Shear-induced orientation of polymer- clay solutions is compared with the orientation of polymer- clay films. SANS, SAXS, and WAXD, with beam configurations in and perpendicular to the spread direction of the film, were used to determine the structure and orientation of platelets. In all films, the clay platelets oriented preferentially in the plane of the film. The observed differ- ences in semidilute solutions, with clay surface normal parallel to the vorticity direction, versus bulk films and with clay surface normal parallel to the shear gradient direction at clay mass fractions of 40 and 60%, were attributed to the collapses of clay platelet during the drying process. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 3237-3248,
Technological Advances In Cancer And Future Spending By The Elderly

ABSTRACT: This paper forecasts the consequences of scientific progress in cancer for total Medicare spending between 2005 and 2030. Because technological advance is uncertain, widely varying scenar...
Intraoperative smile in a multiple sclerosis patient with medication-refractory tremor

Deep brain stimulation has been utilized to improve disease symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease, dystonia, essential tremor, and other neuropsychiatric syndromes such as depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. Deep brain stimulation has also been observed to improve tremor for select patients with multiple sclerosis. During intraoperative stimulation in these multiple sclerosis patients, researchers have observed a wide spectrum of motor and sensory phenomena, but no stimulation-induced emotional responses have been reported. We detailed intraoperative smiling associated with stimulation of the ventralis oralis anterior/ventralis oralis posterior border region of the left thalamus. A single patient with medication-resistant multiple sclerosis tremor experienced smiling, laughing, and subjective euphoria during intraoperative stimulation of the left thalamus. Specifically, during intraoperative stimulation of the left thalamic ventralis oralis anterior border, the patient developed a contralateral smile which progressed to a bilateral smile and was accompanied by a feeling of subjective happiness. The smile habituated in approximately 60 seconds and it was reproducible on a repeat stimulation. The patient could subjectively feel the facial movement, and, at higher voltages, the movement was described as a pulling sensation. Stimulation of the anterior ventralis oralis anterior border of the left thalamus in an multiple sclerosis patient produced a unilateral smile that rapidly developed into a bilateral smile accompanied by euphoria. There were presumed capsular side effects at higher voltages. The exact mechanism by which stimulation of the thalamus produced a smile and mood elevation is unknown, but we speculate that the smile could be induced by stimulation of corticobulbar fibers arising from the caudal cingulate motor area connecting the contralateral facial nerve nucleus.
The pharmacokinetics of pentazocine and tripelennamine.

The pharmacokinetics of single and combined doses of pentazocine HCl (40 and 80 mg) and tripelennamine HCl (50 and 100 mg) were studied in six healthy drug abusers. After intramuscular administration of 40 or 80 mg pentazocine alone, mean peak plasma concentrations at 15 minutes were 102 and 227 ng/ml, respectively, and mean plasma t½values were 4.6 and 5.3 hours, respectively. After intramuscular administration of 50 or 100 mg tripelennamine, mean plasma concentrations at 30 minutes were 105 and 194 ng/ml, respectively, and mean plasma t½values were 2.9 and 4.4 hours, respectively. After concurrent administration of pentazocine with tripelennamine, plasma pentazocine and tripelennamine concentrations at all time points were not significantly different from those when pentazocine or tripelennamine was administered alone. Coadministration of pentazocine and tripelennamine had no effect on the distribution, elimination, and clearance of either pentazocine or tripelennamine. In conclusion, there did not appear to be a clinically significant metabolic interaction between pentazocine and tripelennamine. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1986) 39, 669–676; doi:10.1038/clpt.1986.117
Why opening a door is as easy as eating an apple: A reply to Thompson-Schill and Botvinick (2006)

Martin and Cheng (2006) present evidence suggesting that difficulty in verb generation is related to the strength of associative links between nouns and verbs and not to competition from alternative verb responses. Specifically, they show that latencies for verb generation are related to the associative strength of the most frequently produced verb and not to the ratio of the strength of the first to the second most frequently produced verb. Thompson-Schill and Botvinick (2006) have provided modeling results indicating how the findings of Martin and Cheng might be accommodated in a competitive model. Here we discuss how two noncompetitive models account for the findings and why such models should be preferred.
Reading Goffman's framing as provocation of a discipline *

This book is about the organization of experience something that an individual actor can take into his mind and not the organization of society. I make no claim whatsoever to be talking about the core matters of sociology social organization and social structure. Those matters have been and can continue to be quite nicely studied without reference to frame at all. I am not addressing the structure of social life but the structure of experience individuals have at any moment of their social lives. I personally hold society to be first in every way and any in? dividual's current involvements to be second; this report deals only with matters that are second. This book will have weaknesses enough in the areas it claims to deal with; there is no need to find limitations in regard to what it does not set about to cover. Of course, it can be argued that to focus on the nature of personal experiencing with the implication this can have for giving equally serious consideration to all matters that might momentarily concern the individual is itself a standpoint with marked political implications, and that these are conservative ones. The analysis developed does not catch at the differences between the advan? taged and disadvantaged classes and can be said to direct attention away from such matters. I think that is true. I can only suggest that he who would combat false consciousness and awaken people to their true interests has much to do, because the sleep is very deep. And I do not intend here to provide a lullaby but merely to sneak in and watch the way the people snore.
Optimizing single-projection linear tomographic optical breast imaging

Optimization of the systems and reconstruction techniques is important for good optical breast imaging. Quantitative and objective assessments of the quality of the reconstructed image and the detection sensitivity are required to optimize single projection optical imaging. In this paper, the detection sensitivity was estimated by the contrast to noise ratio, and the quality of an image is evaluated using resolution, image noise, positional error, and quantitative accuracy. The expressions of these evaluating parameters were set up and analyzed by simulation. Using the quantitative assessment parameters we developed, we present a sensitivity and accuracy analysis of the Truncated Singular Value Decomposition (TSVD) method applied to optical breast imaging in transmission mode. The results indicate that the higher spatial resolution and improved quantitative accuracy obtained by decreasing the TSVD regularization parameter (i.e. the number of singular values used in the matrix inversion) must be balanced against the concomitant increase in image noise. Other parameters needs to be optimized including probe geometry, voxel size were also analyzed.
CAROTID ARTERY DISTENSIBILITY AND HORMONE THERAPY DURING MENOPAUSE: THE LOS ANGELES ATHEROSCLEROSIS STUDY (LAAS)

Cross-sectional studies suggest that arterial distensibility decreases during menopause; however, relation to hormone therapy (HT) is controversial. We prospectively studied distensibility and HT during menopause. 161 women aged 42 – 61 yr without cardiovascular disease had carotid artery
Coulomb gauge QCD, confinement, and the constituent representation

Quark confinement and the genesis of the constituent quark model are examined in nonperturbative QCD in Coulomb gauge. We employ a self-consistent method to construct a quasiparticle basis and to determine the quasiparticle interaction. The results agree remarkably well with lattice computations. They also illustrate the mechanism by which confinement and constituent quarks emerge, provide support for the Gribov-Zwanziger confinement scenario, clarify several perplexing issues in the constituent quark model, and permit the construction of an improved model of low energy QCD.
Analysis of Multiple Herbicides in Soybeans Using Pressurized Liquid Extraction and Capillary Electrophoresis

Several herbicides commonly used on soybeans are often difficult to extract, isolate, and quantify from the complex soybean matrix at low concentrations. Typical analytical methods for herbicide residues in soybeans are single analyte procedures using HPLC or GC after chemical derivatization. In this study, method development for the analysis of six polar herbicides in soybeans was performed using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), which is also known by the trade name, Accelerated Solvent Extraction, and capillary electrophoresis (CE). In CE, a 50 mM ammonium acetate running buffer, pH 4.75, was able to separate imazaquin (Scepter), chlorimuron-ethyl (Classic), thifensulfuron-methyl (Harmony), acifluorfen (Blazer), bentazon (Basagran), and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in a 75 μm i.d., 83 cm capillary (65 cm to detector) within 30 min at 17 kV applied voltage. Chlorsulfuron (Glean) was used as an internal standard in the analysis, and detection was by UV absorbance at 240 nm in a high-sensitivity optical cell. PLE extracts required extensive cleanup prior to CE/UV analysis. Several cleanup techniques were investigated and compared, including liquid-liquid partitioning, gel-permeation chromatography, semipreparative HPLC, and solid-phase extraction with a variety of stationary and mobile phase combinations. A combination of techniques that provided the most efficient cleanup was selected in the final method. Four of the six herbicides could be determined by the method in samples fortified at tolerance levels with average recoveries of 71% and relative standard deviation (RSD) of 11%. At a higher spiking level, all of the herbicide recoveries were >70% with %RSDs < 10%, except for acifluorfen which gave more variable recoveries.
Maximum dispersion problem in dense graphs

In this note, we present a polynomial-time approximation scheme for a ''dense case'' of dispersion problem in weighted graphs, where weights on edges are integers from {1,...,K} for some fixed integer K. The algorithm is based on the algorithmic version the regularity lemma.
Specificity in contrast effects: Judgments of psychopathology☆

Three experiments were conducted to explore the specificity of the contrast effect in judgments of psychopathology. In the first two studies, respondents initially attempted to infer whether each item in a series of behavior samples (vocabulary definitions in one study, handwriting samples in the second) came from a schizophrenic or a nonschizophrenic patient. Some respondents were presented with highly pathological samples in this induction series, while others were presented with relatively nonpathological samples. These divergent experiences led to marked contrast effects in evaluating test stimuli from the Same behavioral domain (e.g., additional vocabulary definitions), but had significantly less impact on the respondents’ reactions to stimuli from a different domain (e.g., handwriting samples). A third experiment yielded similar results, using a paired-comparison methodology. In this study subjects first judged a series of high- vs low-pathology definitions. They were then presented with a series of matched stimulus pairs, each including one vocabulary definition and one handwriting sample. Respondents were to indicate the member of each pair that seemed more indicative of schizophrenia. People assigned to the high-pathology induction group typically chose the handwriting samples as being more indicative of schizophrenia, compared with respondents who were assigned to the lowpathology conditions. These results were interpreted as supporting a representational (perceptual) theory of contrast.
The effect of lid suture upon the growth of cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of kittens.

It has been shown previously that unilateral suture of the eyelids of young kittens produces a reduced growth of cells in the visually deprived geniculate laminae (Wiesel and Hubel, '63). However, this effect is seen only in the parts of the lateral geniculate nucleus in which a binocular competition is possible. That is, where geniculate cells that receive from the deprived eye are aligned with cells that receive from the normal eye, the growth is affected. Where the geniculate cells that receive from the deprived eye are not aligned with any normally innervated cells, either because the deprived cells would normally receive from the monocular crescent of the visual field or because they lie opposite a part of the nucleus that has suffered degenerative changes, the cell growth is not affected (Guillery and Stelzner, '70; Guillery, '72). The above observations suggest that bilateral lid suture may have relatively little effect upon geniculate cell growth. Eight kittens have been raised with both eyelids sutured and the size of the geniculate cells in layers A and A1 measured. Comparison with measurements obtained from seven normal cats of the same age, shows that binocular lid suture has little, if any, effect upon geniculate cell growth.
The effects of chlordiazepoxide (Librium) on the intensity and habituation of agonistic behavior in male Siamese fighting fish.

The effects of chlordiazepoxide (Librium) on the intensity and habituation of the threat display in male Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) was evaluated by exposing each subject to a male conspecific eliciting stimulus. In an independent groups design, the subjects were tested in either plain tap water, or a drug solution of 15 Μg/ml or 30 Μg/ml. Chlordiazepoxide attenuated threat behavior and facilitated habituation of the display without inducing noticeable sedation. The results were evaluated in term of a sdual-process theory of habituation involving independent hypothetical processes of sensitization and habituation which produce the net observed habituation.
A Systems Theory Approach: Meso-level Strategic Action Fields Changing Healthcare Workforce Models

This conceptual study examines changes in the healthcare workforce from a systems theory point of view. We introduce an approach to analyzing large-scale change in the healthcare system to develop ...
A complete amino acid sequence for the basic subunit of crotoxin

The complete amino acid sequence of the basic subunit of crotoxin from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus has been determined. Fragmentation of the protein was achieved by using cyanogen bromide and arginine- and lysine-specific endoproteases. Sixteen Glx and Asx residues reported by Fraenkel-Conrat et al. (1980) in Natural Toxins (D. Eaker and T. Wadstrom, eds.), pp. 561–567, Pergamon, Oxford.) have been resolved as Glu or Gln and Asp or Asn residues, respectively. Most of the remaining sequence is identical to that reported by the foregoing authors although several significant differences were evident in our protein. Tyr-61 was not present; thus the correct sequence is Lys-60, Trp-61. The latter sequence aligns with sequences of all other known viperid and crotalid phospholipases A2 (S. D. Aird, I. I. Kaiser, R. V. Lewis, and W. G. Kruggel (1985) Biochemistry24, 7054–7058). Other differences include Asx-99, which is Ser, and Asx-105, which is Tyr. Some positions display allelic variation. In some lots of venom Glx-33 is Gln, while in others it is Arg. Positions 37 and 69 occur as mixtures of both Lys and Arg. Amino acid sequence comparisons between the basic and acidic subunits of crotoxin and between the basic subunit and other phospholipase A2 molecules indicate that the basic subunit is structurally most similar to the monomers of nontoxic, dimeric phospholipases A2 from the venoms of Crotalus adamanteus, Crotalus atrox, and Trimeresurus okinavensis, and to the toxic monomeric phospholipase A2 from the venom of Bitis caudalis.
There and back again

Vacating industry and joining the academic ranks means leaving the world of order for the satisfying chaos of research.
Rotating and vibrating Skyrmions

The stability of rotating solitons is analyzed. It is found that both the linear σ-model and the chiral Skyrme Lagrangian (Skyrmion) yield unstable solutions with respect to pion emission. Introducing a symmetry breaking pion mass term stable solutions for the nucleon and the ▵(1232) are obtained in the Skyrme model. Furthermore with spherical symmetry, no parameter set is found which yields stable rotating solutions for both the nucleon and the delta, with correct masses. When parameters from earlier literature are used, the nucleon is stable but not the delta. To describe baryon excited states small amplitude fluctuations around the rotating solution are considered. The calculated P11 phase shift to the “breathing mode” excitation of the nucleon is compared to earlier results neglecting rotations and it is found that rotation-vibration coupling leads to sizable changes.
Aircraft response in an airfield arrestor system during an overrun

Air transportation has an overall outstanding safety record. However, accidents do occur. If an aircraft is unable to stop within the runway length, the incident is described as an overrun. To provide passenger safety during an overrun, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires airports to have a 305 m (1000 ft) runway safety area. At airports that are unable to satisfy this requirement, because of either natural or man-made barriers, the FAA allows the use of a shorter runway safety area with a properly designed arrestor bed. A sensitivity analysis is presented in this paper to investigate critical parameters in the design of an engineered-materials arrestor system (EMAS). A single arrestor-bed configuration is used as a base case for considering a low-density concrete EMAS material. Five aircraft types are considered, ranging from 51,700 kg (114,000 lbs) to 322,100 kg (710,000 lbs) maximum-certificated takeoff weight. These aircraft types include aircraft with various landing-gear configuration...
The Flavonoid Quercetin Inhibits Proinflammatory Cytokine (Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha) Gene Expression in Normal Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells via Modulation of the NF-κβ System

The flavonoids comprise a large class of low-molecular-weight plant metabolites ubiquitously distributed in food plants. These dietary antioxidants exert significant antitumor, antiallergic, and anti-inflammatory effects. The molecular mechanisms of their biological effects remain to be clearly understood. We investigated the anti-inflammatory potentials of a safe, common dietary flavonoid component, quercetin, for its ability to modulate the production and gene expression of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Our results showed that quercetin significantly inhibited TNF-α production and gene expression in a dose-dependent manner. Our results provide direct evidence of the anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin by PBMC, which are mediated by the inhibition of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α via modulation of NF-κβ1 and Iκβ.
Note: How to play the one-lie Rényi-Ulam game

The one-lie Renyi-Ulam liar game is a two-player perfect information zero-sum game, lasting q rounds, on the set [n]@?{1,...,n}. In each round Paul chooses a subset [email protected]?[n] and Carole either assigns one lie to each element of A or to each element of [n]@?A. Paul wins the original (resp. pathological) game if after q rounds there is at most one (resp. at least one) element with one or fewer lies. We exhibit a simple, unified, optimal strategy for Paul to follow in both games, and use this to determine which player can win for all q,n and for both games.
Novel Mechanism of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Activation Mediated by Caveolae Internalization in Endothelial Cells

Caveolin-1, the caveolae scaffolding protein, binds to and negatively regulates eNOS activity. As caveolin-1 also regulates caveolae-mediated endocytosis after activation of the 60-kDa albumin-binding glycoprotein gp60 in endothelial cells, we addressed the possibility that endothelial NO synthase (eNOS)-dependent NO production was functionally coupled to caveolae internalization. We observed that gp60-induced activation of endocytosis increased NO production within 2 minutes and up to 20 minutes. NOS inhibitor N G -nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA) prevented the NO production. To determine the role of caveolae internalization in the mechanism of NO production, we expressed dominant-negative dynamin-2 mutant (K44A) or treated cells with methyl-β-cyclodextrin. Both interventions inhibited caveolae-mediated endocytosis and NO generation induced by gp60. We determined the role of signaling via Src kinase in the observed coupling of endocytosis to eNOS activation. Src activation induced the phosphorylation of caveolin-1, Akt and eNOS, and promoted dissociation of eNOS from caveolin-1. Inhibitors of Src kinase and Akt also prevented NO production. In isolated perfused mouse lungs, gp60 activation induced NO-dependent vasodilation, whereas the response was attenuated in eNOS −/− or caveolin-1 −/− lungs. Together, these results demonstrate a critical role of caveolae-mediated endocytosis in regulating eNOS activation in endothelial cells and thereby the NO-dependent vasomotor tone.
Cryptography on a Speck of Dust

As tiny wireless sensors and RFID tags become ubiquitous, they impact privacy, trust, and control. Protecting data on these devices requires new algorithms suitable for ultralow-power implementations. This paper presents a survey of cryptographic algorithms. It also discusses the design recommendations for new algorithms
Estimation of the frequency dependence of Q from ScP and ScS phases

Summary. A measurement of the relative frequency content of ScP and ScS phases from deep earthquakes provides a simple indication of the average value for Q in the mantle. When the ScP converts to the compressional mode at the core-mantle boundary it begins to attenuate at a slower rate than the ScS. Assuming that the core reflections are frequency-independent, the spectral ratio of the two phases provides a measure of the spectral ratio of the P and S attenuation operators. The average value of mantle Q can be inferred from this information if it is assumed that negligible losses occur in pure compression. Both rays travel downward through the anomalous source region as S. Q is measured on the upward leg of the raypath well away from the subduction zone. The two raypaths diverge somewhat in the lower mantle, so they sample different portions of the core-mantle boundary. They converge closely again in the upper mantle, however, where most attenuation takes place. Clear ScP-ScS observations have been collected from the short period records at 25 WWSSN stations in a variety of tectonic regimes. The relative waveshapes have been analysed in terms of a standard linear solid Q operator. The low-frequency level of Q was set to be consistent with Q measurements from multiple ScS phases. The parameter controlling the increase of Q at high frequency, r,, has been determined by minimizing a quantitative measure of fit between ScP waveforms filtered with standard linear solid Q operators and observed ScS waveforms. The frequency band of the observations is from about 0.5 to 1.5 Hz. The observations constrain T, to be between 0.0 and 0.2s. This implies that the rapid increase of Q with frequency does not occur until frequency exceeds 1 Hz. Good quality ScP-ScS pairs appear to be much more common in the WWSSN record library than good quality ScS-ScS, pairs. As more ScP-ScS data are analysed, we should, therefore, be able to constrain the average mantle Q better in the ScP-ScS frequency band than in the multiple ScS band. No clear correlation exists between the ScP-ScS Q measurements and the tectonic regime of the recording sites. ScS phases are not more strongly attenuated with respect to ScP at oceanic island sites than at stable continent
On the reduced-complexity of LDPC decoders for beyond 400 Gb/s serial optical transmission

Two reduced-complexity (RC) LDPC decoders, which can be used in combination with large-girth LDPC codes to enable beyond 400 Gb/s serial optical transmission, are proposed. We show that optimally attenuated RC min-sum sum algorithm performs only 0.45 dB worse than conventional sum-product algorithm, while having lower storage memory requirements and much lower latency.
Turbulence structure behind the shock in canonical shock-vortical turbulence interaction

The interaction between vortical isotropic turbulence (IT) and a normal shock wave is studied using direct numerical simulation (DNS) and linear interaction analysis (LIA). In previous studies, agreement between the simulation results and the LIA predictions has been limited and, thus, the significance of LIA has been underestimated. In this paper, we present high-resolution simulations which accurately solve all flow scales (including the shock-wave structure) and extensively cover the parameter space (the shock Mach number, , ranges from 1.1 to 2.2 and the Taylor Reynolds number, , ranges from 10 to 45). The results show, for the first time, that the turbulence quantities from DNS converge to the LIA solutions as the turbulent Mach number, , becomes small, even at low upstream Reynolds numbers. The classical LIA formulae are extended to compute the complete post-shock flow fields using an IT database. The solutions, consistent with the DNS results, show that the shock wave significantly changes the topology of the turbulent structures, with a symmetrization of the third invariant of the velocity gradient tensor and ( -mediated) of the probability density function (PDF) of the longitudinal velocity derivatives, and an -dependent increase in the correlation between strain and rotation.
Radioisotope Generators for Nuclear Medicine Based on Fajans Adsorption on Glass Microspheres

Several radioisotope generator systems exist in which the carrier-free daughter product would precipitate if present in macro amounts at pH levels at which the parent is soluble. Included among these are the {sup 68}Ge/{sup 68}Ga, {sup 90}Sr/{sup 90}Y, and {sup 47}Ca/{sup 47}Sc pairs. This paper reveals that in these systems, chemical separation can be achieved by Fajans adsorption of the radiocolloidal daughter products onto surfaces such as activated glass microspheres at an appropriate pH. This is followed by washing to remove the parent solution and desorption of the daughter crop by acid washes. Investigation of the Ge/Ga and Sr/Y systems demonstrated that this solid-phase extraction method is erratic, but can give daughter yields as high at 89% with separation factors up to {approximately} 10,000 form parent isotope. This method has the potential for producing daughter isotopes with a minimum of metal and organic impurities for labeling cells, receptor binding ligands, and antibodies for diagnostic and radiotherapeutic purposes.
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction Monitoring of BCR-ABL during Therapy with Imatinib Mesylate (STI571; Gleevec) in Chronic-Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Purpose: The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the response and minimal residual disease by quantitative competitive PCR (QC-PCR) studies in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treated with imatinib mesylate. Experimental Design: One hundred eighty patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive chronic-phase CML after IFN-α failure, treated with imatinib mesylate, had 543 simultaneous cytogenetic and QC-PCR analyses at different times during their therapy. Results: The median QC-PCR values [ratio-percentage of (BCR-ABL/ABL transcripts) × 100] for cytogenetic response categories were: no response (Ph, >90%), 36%; minor response (Ph, 35–90%), 22%; partial response (Ph, 1–34%), 7.3%; complete response (Ph, 0%), 0.89%. There was good correlation between cytogenetic and QC-PCR studies ( P r = 0.92) and good concordance between QC-PCR values (>10%, 2–10%, and 10%, and 53% had QC-PCR values of r = 0.965; P Conclusion: QC-PCR studies provide a useful tool to monitor patients with CML on imatinib mesylate therapy.
Classical and neoclassical approaches to the genetic analysis of alcohol-related phenotypes.

Theoretical descriptions are given for two breeding methods in animal genetics that might be of use in alcohol research. These methods are marker-based selection and marker-based development of congenic strains, both using DNA markers such as polymerase chain reaction-detectable polymorphisms as the criteria for breeding. Such designs would utilize these markers as indicators of adjacent Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) that are influential on alcohol-related phenotypes. Issues in the logic and implementation of these methods, such as proximity of the markers and the QTL allele, are explored. A third method, development of congenic strains with phenotypic screening, is also described. This method is currently being used to create two sets of congenic lines on a C57BL/6 inbred mouse background. The criterion phenotype is locomotor activation to 1.5 g/kg (ip) ethanol. Data are reported on the success of transferring the activation phenotype from two strains, DBA/2Abg and MOLD/Rk-Abg, onto the nonactivated C57BL/6Abg background. The value of these methods in alcohol research is outlined with regard to both identification of relevant genes and for their use as tools in basic research on mechanism of alcohol action.
Interest Rates, Government Purchases, and Budget Deficits: a Forward-Looking Model

This article describes aforward-looking modelfor long-term interest rates. It shows that movements in expected deficits relative to movements in actual deficits are a statistically significant determtnant of changes in long-term interest rates. Other determinants include changes in actual government purchases, movements in the expected unemployment rate relative to changes in the actual unemployment rate, the expected rate of growth in the money supply, and inflation uncertainty.
Project ACTS: An Intervention to Increase Organ and Tissue Donation Intentions Among African Americans

This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of Project ACTS: About Choices in Transplantation and Sharing, which was developed to increase readiness for organ and tissue donation among African American adults. Nine churches (N = 425 participants) were randomly assigned to receive donation education materials currently available to consumers (control group) or Project ACTS educational materials (intervention group). The primary outcomes assessed at 1-year follow-up were readiness to express donation intentions via one's driver's license, donor card, and discussion with family. Results indicate a significant interaction between condition and time on readiness to talk to family such that participants in the intervention group were 1.64 times more likely to be in action or maintenance at follow-up than were participants in the control group (p = .04). There were no significant effects of condition or condition by time on readiness to be identified as a donor on one's driver's license and by carrying a donor card. Project ACTS may be an effective tool for stimulating family discussion of donation intentions among African Americans although additional research is needed to explore how to more effectively affect written intentions.
Accountability amplifies the status quo effect when change creates victims

This study assesses the impact of accountability, the status quo, and anticipated costs and benefits on judgement of the acceptability of a drug in the US pharmaceuticals market. Several effects are documented: (1) subjects were more accepting of a drug, the lower the anticipated risks of side effects and the greater the anticipated benefits; (2) subjects were especially unwilling to accept risk when the drug was not yet on the market and when they felt accountable for their decisions; (3) accountable subjects confronted by an off-the-market drug that posed moderate or high risk were also especially likely to procrastinate, to buckpass, and to think in integratively complex ways about the problem, notwithstanding the fact that many more lives would be saved than lost. We explain these results by positing that perceptual-cognitive processes (loss aversion) and political processes (blame avoidance) mutually reinforce each other when decision makers are accountable for choices that raise the possibility of changing the status quo in ways that impose losses on identifiable constituencies. We conclude by commenting on the complex normative issues that arise in labelling response tendencies as biases. Choices that look irrational within one ethical or political framework sometimes appear quite reasonable with another.
Securely implementing open geospatial consortium web service interface standards in oracle spatial

In this paper, we briefly describe the implementation of various Open Geospatial Consortium Web Service Interface Standards in Oracle Spatial 11g. We highlight how we utilize Oracle's implementation of OASIS Web Services Security (WSS) to provide a robust security framework for these OGC Web Services. We also discuss our future direction in supporting OGC Web Service Interface Standards.