cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characteristic Classes and Connections

Apart from the previous chapter, the theory of fibre bundles in this book is a theory over an arbitrary space. Even the relation to manifolds in Chapter 18 is treated from a topological point of view, but in the context of smooth manifolds and vector bundles we can approach Chern classes using constructions from analysis. This idea, which goes back to a letter from A. Weil (see A. Weil Collected papers, Volume III, pages 422–36 and 571–574), involves choosing a connection or covariant derivative on the complex vector bundle, defining the curvature 2-form of the connection, and representing the characteristic class as closed 2q-form which is a polynomial in the curvature form. This proceedure is outlined in this chapter.
The helical conformation of poly(3‐methyl butene‐1)

The crystal structure of poly(3-methyl butene-1) has been investigated by X-ray methods. The unit cell is tetragonal with a = b = 34.32 A., c = 6.84 A., α = β = γ = 90°, and the space group was found to be I41cd. The experimental density, 0.91 g./ccm., agrees well with the calculated value 0.92 g./ccm., on the assumption of 64 monomeric units. The monomeric units are arranged in 16 different helices, which are of the 41 type, and which pack together in groups of four around each four-fold screw axis of the unit cell, leading to four four-helixclusters. The crystal structure proposed for poly(3-methyl butene-1) can be described as a four four-helical cluster which exhibits a high degree of “openness”. This „openness” of the structure is a consequence of the way in which the four clusters of four helices each pack together. Each cluster, however, behaves by itself very much as a distinct unit. The high melting point observed is probably a consequence of the mode of packing of the helices within this unit cell. Die Kristallstruktur von Poly(3-methyl-buten-1) wurde mit Rontgenstrahlen-Diffraktionsmethoden untersucht. Die Elementarzelle ist tetragonal: a = b = 34,32 A, c = 6,84 A, α = β = γ = 90° und die Raumgruppe ist I41cd. Die experimentell ermittelte Dichte von 0,91 g/ccm stimmt mit dem berechneten Wert von 0,92 uberein, wenn man 64 Monomereinheiten voraussetzt. Die Monomereinheiten sind in 16 Spiralen angeordnet; sie sind vom Typus 41 und in Gruppen zu je vier um jede vierfaltige Schraubenachse der Elementarzelle gepackt, was also zu vier Gruppen von je vier Spiralen fuhrt. Die fur Poly(3-methyl-buten-1) vorgeschlagene Kristallstruktur kann als eine Anordnung von vier Gruppen zu je vier Spiralen angegeben werden, die eine hochgradige „Offenheit” aufweist. Diese Strukturoffenheit ergibt sich aus der Art und Weise, wie die vier Spiralgruppen gepackt sind. Jede Gruppe verhalt sich aber als eine deutliche Einheit. Der beobachtete hohe Schmelzpunkt ergibt sich wahrscheinlich aus der Packungsweise der Spiralen innerhalb der Elementarzelle.
Capital efficiency, its measurements and its role in regulatory reviews of utility industries: Lessons from developed and developing countries

Abstract Designing regulatory regimes that incentivise the delivery of agreed capex at as low a cost as possible has proven relatively straight-forward when it is possible to establish credible forecasts of the necessary capex and its associated cost. Greater problems arise when there is uncertainty about what capex is needed, when it may be needed and how much it will cost. Yet it is still possible to establish incentive based systems for regulating capex with some or all the characteristics that create uncertainty. This paper explores some of the issues related to incentive based regulation of capex and how flexible approaches can be developed to handle the uncertainty inherent in certain types of capex. Examples of incentive based systems are also provided.
Teachers' Self-Efficacy for Writing.

Resumen en: Introduction: While ?teaching self-efficacy? has been supported as an important construct related to teacher competence (eg. Goddard, Hoy & Hoy, 2000), l...
Polyclonal activation of human peripheral blood B lymphocytes by formaldehyde-fixed Salmonella paratyphi B. II. Heterogeneity of B lymphocytes.

B-cell ‘activation’ in cultures stimulated with pokeweed mitogen (PWM), Staphylococcus aureus strain Cowan I, or formaldehyde-fixed Salmonella paratyphi B (SPB) was evaluated by enumeration of cells secreting immunoglobulin (Ig) and by quantitation of Ig released into culture supernatants. A dissociation between these two values was found after day 6 in cultures activated with PWM or SPB, suggesting that Ig-secreting cells (ISC) are heterogeneous in terms of Ig secretion rate. Generation of ISC in cultures activated with PWM or SPB was partially inhibited by hydroxyurea, but [g levels in culture supernatants were not affected. These results indicate that there are at least two subpopulations of ISC in stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures, one sensitive to, and the other resistant to, hydroxyurea. The hydroxyurea-resistant subpopulation appeared to be more mature and to release almost all of the Ig detected in culture supernatants. Furthermore, time-course studies of ISC numbers and Ig levels showed that each ISC in SPB-stimulted cultures (but not in PWM-stimulated cultures) was more active in Ig synthesis and secretion after day 8 than before day 6, indicating that after day 8 most of the ISC in cultures activated with SPB were hydroxyurea-resistant. These studies suggest that SPB is another useful polyclonal B-cell ‘activator’ for studies of human B-cell differentiation and function, and that SPB defines two distinct subsets of B cells.
Heegaard Diagrams and Holomorphic Disks

A three-manifold equipped with a Heegaard diagram can be used to set up a Floer homology theory whose differential counts pseudo-holomorphic disks in the $g$-fold symmetric product of the Heegaard surface. This leads to a topological invariant for three-manifolds, Heegaard Floer homology, which is functorial under cobordisms. In this survey article, we sketch this construction and describe some of its topological applications.
Effect of pregnancy on gallbladder contractility in the guinea pig

Abstract The effect of pregnancy on the in vitro contractility of the guinea pig gallbladder was examined by stimulating tissues from pregnant and nonpregnant guinea pigs with acetylcholine, cholecystokinin-octapeptide, and elevated extracellular potassium. Pregnancy was characterized by significant decreases in the magnitude of the contractile responses to acetylcholine and cholecystokinin-octapeptide at each point along their respective dose-response curves. The decrease in tension development was not associated with any change in the sensitivity of the gallbladder to either of the agonists. The contractile response to increased extracellular potassium was unaffected by pregnancy. This latter point suggests that pregnancy is not characterized by a generalized decrease in gallbladder smooth muscle contractility, but rather that it may affect a step in the excitation-contraction coupling process common to acetylcholine and cholecystokinin-octapeptide stimulation. The data suggest that the sluggish behavior of the gallbladder in vivo during pregnancy may be due to a decrease in the magnitude of the contractile responses to cholinergic and hormonal stimulation.
Global innovation network for entrepreneurship and technology: The SPEED business plan boot camp and competition

The Global Innovation Network for Entrepreneurship and Technology is a global network that links Academia, Industry, Research & Development centers, Governments, Investors, Mentors, Multilateral Organizations, Visionaries and Entrepreneurs with the goal of moving innovative ideas from ideas through laboratories and experimentation to markets and customers through strategic alliances of international partners. One of the endeavors to support this is to encourage student teams to submit their business plans to qualify for a boot camp at WEEF 2015 and to present these plans to judges at the conference.
From "Incurable" Schizophrenic to Person in Recovery: A Not So Uncommon Story

In this commentary on Bertram Karon’s (2008) case study of Mr. X, I present my perspective from today’s clinical, empirical, political, and sociological perspectives, 40 years after Karon began seeing Mr. X. Within this context, I agree with Karon that he most likely “saved” Mr. X’s life, keeping him from quite probably destructive electro-convulsive treatment (ECT) and possible suicide, and facilitating Mr. X’s return to a full and gratifying social and professional life. In my analysis of Karon’s case study, I identify those elements in his treatment that, from today’s clinical and empirical evidence, seem to have been effective. A number of these can be seen as consistent with today’s model of “assertive community treatment” (ACT), including Karon’s daily engagement with Mr. X in natural, “in vivo” settings (like a diner and Mr. X’s work setting); Karon’s attention to Mr. X’s basic needs (like food and employment); and Karon’s continuing to supportively spend time with Mr. X over quite a while, even when Mr. X did not immediately appear responsive to this. All of these effective ingredients of the treatment do not require psychoanalytic theory for their explanation. Overall, I am led to conclude that Karon’s theoretical, psychoanalytic account of the successful treatment of Mr. X goes beyond the available data, at least the data available to the reader. Much of what Karon describes as effective would also be considered helpful by people with psychotic disorders who have neither been offered nor benefited from psychodynamic insights, and can be accounted for by alternative conceptual frameworks which make fewer theoretical assumptions. I end my commentary with a plea for humility in our attempts to understand the daunting challenge of helping a person “create a livable world” in the face of a condition as complex, dynamic, and seemingly mysterious as schizophrenia.
Identifying drivers of general arrangements through the use of network measures of centrality and hierarchy

Developing three-dimensional space and system arrangements is a challenging and time-consuming task because ship layouts include hundreds or thousands of elements with multiple interconnections and dependencies governed by functional characteristics. Existing automated arrangements tools aimed at early-stage design are capable of generating feasible layouts, but remain a bit of a “black box,” lacking methods to elucidate the mechanisms that drive or limit the quality of those layouts. By knowing which items drive or constrain an arrangement, designers can more judiciously decide when and where to position objects. Methods that provide this information are particularly valuable for novel ship types, designs containing emerging technologies, or densely outfitted vessels such as naval combatants and submersibles. The use of networks to represent the interconnections allows designers to focus on the underlying relationships input into the system rather than just the resultant layouts. The authors use the complex network measures of centrality and hierarchy to identify layout drivers based solely on the relationships among the spaces to be arranged. Moreover, the methods are shown to permit identification of drivers without ever creating geometric arrangements.
Conversion of 5α-pregnanolone to uzarigenin by Strophanthus kombé

Abstract Radioactive uzarigenin (II) was isolated from a Strophanthus kombe plant which had been treated with 5α-pregnane-3β-ol-20-one-4- 14 C (I). This 5α-cardenolide was not previously known to occur in that species.
Strabismus surgery on the nonamblyopic eye

To date most surgeons operate only on the nonamblyopic eye in patients with strabismus and amblyopia with unpredictable, initial, surgical results. We present a series of 13 patients with amblyopia and strabismus plus anomalous head positions who underwent surgery on their nonamblyopic eye. The good, initial, surgical results in 77% of these patients suggest that operating on the good eye is important to dictate the final surgical results in correcting the deviation and normalizing the head position.
A new method of diaphragm apex motion detection from 2D projection images of mega-voltage cone beam CT.

To present a new method of estimating 3D positions of the ipsi-lateral hemi-diaphragm apex (IHDA) from 2D projection images of mega-voltage cone beam CT (MVCBCT). The detection framework reconstructs a 3D volume from all the 2D projection images. An initial estimated 3D IHDA position is determined in this volume based on an imaging processing pipeline, including Otsu thresholding, connected component labeling and template matching. This initial position is then projected onto each 2D projection image to create a region of interest (ROI). To accurately detect the IHDA position in 2D projection space, two methods, dynamic Hough transform (DHT) and a tracking approach based on a joint probability density function (PDF) are developed. Both methods utilize a double-parabola model to fit the 2D diaphragm boundary. The 3D?IHDA motion in the superior?inferior (SI) direction is estimated from the initial static 3D position and the detected 2D positions in projection space. The two Hough-based detection methods are tested on 35 MVCBCT scans from 15 patients. The detection is compared to manually identified IHDA positions in 2D projection space by three clinicians. An average and standard deviation of 4.252 ? 3.354 and 2.485 ? 1.750?mm was achieved for DHT and tracking-based approaches respectively, compared with the inter-expert variance among three experts of 1.822 ? 1.106?mm. Based on the results of the scans, the PDF tracking-based approach appears more robust than the DHT. The combination of the automatic ROI localization and the tracking-based approach is a quicker and more accurate method of extracting 3D IHDA motion from 2D projection images.
Modeling on directional solidification of solar cell grade multicrystalline silicon ingot casting

Solar energy is considered as one of the best alternative energy in the future. Multicrystalline silicon ingot casting is the main production process for major supply of solar cell. However, the casting process cannot be understood clearly because of some difficulties, such as enclosed furnace, long cycle time of production and so on. In this paper, an integrated model, including casting process analysis, quality prediction and production parameters optimization, is proposed and the preliminary results are acquired. The framework of the proposed model is introduced and the numerical simulation results on the temperature field and grain growth process are also given out and discussed.
Management of recurrent ventricular tachycardia with ventricular assist device placement

Life-threatening, recurrent ventricular tachycardia developed in a 54-year-old heart transplant candidate with ischemic cardiomyopathy. The episodes of ventricular tachycardia were refractory to aggressive medical management and implantable cardiac defibrillator placement. A Heartmate left ventricular assist device was implanted, in combination with isolated right coronary artery bypass grafting, which abolished any further episode of ventricular tachycardia. The patient successfully underwent cardiac transplantation 79 days later.
SQUID magnetometry applied as a non-invasive electroanalytic chemical technique

A SQUID magnetometer, used as a highly sensitive ammeter, has been used to perform standard electroanalytic chemical measurements noninvasively. Specifically, the magnetic fields generated by the net ionic movement in the solution of a driven electrochemical system are detected by the gradiometer coils. The SQUID signal can then be compared to conventional current measurements. One such standard measurement investigated is cyclic voltammetry (CV) which determines the I-V characteristics of an electrochemical system yielding critical kinetic parameters. This investigation shows nearly identical results of measurements by the SQUID to those obtained by conventional techniques. A particularly attractive advantage of SQUID magnetometry is that noninvasive magnetic detection of ionic currents in solution may permit spatial resolution of ionic currents, unattainable by conventional techniques.
Accurate control of Josephson phase qubits

A quantum bit is a closed two-dimensional Hilbert space, but often experimental systems have three or more energy levels. In a Josephson phase qubit the energy differences between successive levels differ by only a few percent, and hence care must be taken to isolate the two desired levels from the remaining Hilbert space. Here we show via numerical simulations how to restrict operations to the qubit subspace of a three-level Josephson junction system requiring shorter time duration and suffering less error compared with traditional methods. This is achieved by employing amplitude modulated pulses as well as carefully designed sequences of square wave pulses. We also show that tunneling out of higher lying energy levels represents a significant source of decoherence that can be reduced by tuning the system to contain four or more energy levels.
A study of engaging high-school students as multimedia designers in a cognitive apprenticeship-style learning environment

Abstract Educational theory and research have indicated vast potentials of engaging learners as designers. Yet we have much to learn about how to design such a learning environment effectively. This paper reports on a year-long study of investigating how a cognitive apprenticeship-based learner-as-multimedia-designer environment could enhance high-school students' motivation and learning of design knowledge. The study showed that, after participating in such an environment, students became intrinsically more motivated and had more self-confidence. They acquired better understanding of several important design skills. The results indicated that working with a client and designing for a real audience helped to bring about bigger changes in the students' motivation and design knowledge. The study also highlighted the challenges and factors important for designing such a learning environment.
Effect of systemic ethanol on basal and stimulated glutamate releases in the nucleus accumbens of freely moving Sprague–Dawley rats: a microdialysis study

Abstract This study was conducted to assess the impact of systemic ethanol (EOH) on the glutamatergic transmission in the nucleus accumbens (NACC). Extracellular concentrations of glutamate (GLU) in the NACC of freely moving Sprague–Dawley rats were monitored by intracerebral microdialysis. Intraperitoneal injection of EOH at a dose of 2 g/kg significantly decreased basal extracellular GLU by 21%. In addition, administration of the same dose of EOH significantly attenuated 150 mM K + -stimulated GLU release from the NACC by more than 50%. Since K + -stimulated GLU release has been demonstrated to derive largely from nerve terminal depolarization, reductions of K + -evoked GLU release may reflect in part the effect of EOH on the neurotransmitter pool. The present results suggest that EOH may suppress glutamatergic transmission in the NACC by lowering presynaptic GLU release.
Longitudinal morphometric analysis of epiretinal membrane in patients with uveitis.

Purpose: To evaluate temporal changes of epiretinal membrane (ERM) in uveitis.Methods: Six consecutive eyes with uveitis and ERM documented by spectral-domain – optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in 6 ± 1-month intervals during a 2-year follow-up (FU) period were included. Clinical information and SD-OCT data were noted at all FU visits. ERM thickness maps were created. The main outcome measures were BCVA, central subfield thickness (CST) and ERM thickness at baseline and FU visits. The correlation between ERM thickness and BCVA was analyzed.Results: Intraocular inflammation was inactive during the study period. Mean ERM thickness at the fovea increased 2.3 µm at 12-month and 2.4 µm at 24-month FU (p < .05). The increase in foveal ERM thickness was associated with foveal structural changes (p = .03). Visual acuity did not change during the FU.Conclusion: In well-controlled intraocular inflammation, increase in the ERM thickness does not lead to loss of vision in a 2-year FU period.
Hyper IgE syndrome: review and future directions

Hyper IgE syndrome, or Job’s syndrome, is an immunodeficiency syndrome characterized by eczema, recurrent infections and elevated serum immunoglobulin E levels. Individuals tend to have frequent staphylococcal abscesses and pneumonias early in life, often developing pneumatocoeles that predispose them to later fungal and Gram-negative bacterial infections. In addition to the immunologic abnormalities, hyper IgE syndrome is now recognized as a multisystem disorder with skeletal and morphologic features such as characteristic facies, osteopenia, scoliosis, fractures and retention of the primary teeth. Therapy of hyper IgE syndrome involves careful skin care, antimicrobial prophylaxis and aggressive treatment of infections, as well as treatment of some of the complicating abnormalities, such as scoliosis. The genetic etiology of hyper IgE syndrome remains unknown, however, it continues to be investigated. Identification of the genetic etiology or etiologies of this syndrome will allow for targeted therapies ...
TRANSFER OF TRAINING IN MONITORING: SIGNAL AMPLITUDE.

Recently Wiener (1963) demonstrated that levels of knowledge of results not only produced differences in visual monitoring performance, but affected performance in a later session when Ss monitored without knowledge of results. A similar success has been reported by Adams and Humes (1963). The present experiment was an attempt to repeat this transfer of rraining in monitoring using a variable which would be highly likely to produce differences in the initial session: signal amplitude. The task was the detection of an abnormally large deflection of a voltmeter needle which made 50 20" rightward deflections per minute. The signals were deflections of 27, 30, or 34". 13 Ss were assigned to each signal amplitude group. They monitored for 64 min., during which 32 signals appeared at random intervals, R signals appearing in each 16-min. time period. Seven days later Ss returned for a second session in which the experimental conditions arere identical, bur the signal deflection was 30" for a11 Ss. The analysis was a partially hierarchal analysis of variance, with Ss nested in signal amplitude groups, but common to the four time periods. A separate analysis was made for each session. In Session 1, mean detection rates for the 27, 30, and 34' signal amplitudes were .50, .72, and .78, respectively. Signal amplitude and time periods were statistically significant (p < .01), but their interaction was not. In the transfer session, only time periods produced significant differences (p < .01). These resulrs indicate that, although the amplirude of the signal produced different performance rates during training, the training did not transfer. At this writing, knowledge of results appears co be the most promising aid to training for vigilance.
John Lennon and the advisory function of eulogies

This essay uses Burke's concept of guilt, resulting from hierarchy and perfection inherent in language, to explore the symbolic dimensions of the shooting of John Lennon and its public coverage. Implications of this study for a genre of assassination rhetoric are suggested.
EVOLUTION OF CONTROLLING DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: Changing Trends in the Management of Diabetic Macular Edema at a Single Institution Over the Past Decade.

Purpose:To report the evolution of treatment in managing diabetic macular edema (DME) in a “real world” clinical setting.Methods:Retrospective observational case series of 1,862 patients treated for DME over the last decade. Change in selection of treatment modalities used for controlling DME, visua
A morphometric analysis of human muscle fibers with relation to fiber types and adaptations to exercise

Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of 14 male subjects: 3 long distance runners, 2 world class power lifters and 9 active, although not highly trained, individuals used as controls. The fibers were investigated by electron microscopy and the mitochondrial volume percent, lipid volume percent and Z-line width were analyzed morphometrically. With the combined data a direct correlation was found between mitochondrial volume percent and lipid volume percent, lipid volume percent and Z-line width and mitochondrial volume percent and Z-line width. The muscle fibers were classified as slow-twitch oxidative (SO), fast-twitch-oxidative-glycolytic (FOG) and fast-twitch-glycolytic (FG) based on relationships found in the data and well established properties of muscle fiber types. Although no distinct patterns emerged, a good approximation of fiber type characteristics was obtained, and values for volume percent of central mitochondria, volume percent lipid and Z-line width are reported. The fibers classified as SO were characterized by having wide Z-lines, a high mitochondrial volume percent and high lipid volume percent. The fast-twitch fibers (fibers with narrow Z-lines) were separated into 2 groups, those with high mitochondrial volume percent (FOG) and those with low mitochondrial volume percent (FG). No distinction could be made between the fast-twitch subgroups with regard to Z-line width. The fibers from distance runners differed from those from controls by exhibiting a greater capacity for aerobic activity as evidenced by the increased volume percent of mitochondria and lipid in both slow- and fast-twitch fibers. The high strength, anaerobic activity of the world class power lifters was reflected by the low mitochondrial volume percent of many fast-twitch fibers (FG) and the decreased lipid stores in all fibers.
Mediating Social Anxiety and Disordered Eating: The Role of Expressive Suppression.

Social anxiety and disordered eating frequently overlap, and evidence suggests that emotional suppression may be an important mediating factor. The present study examines the relationships among social anxiety, emotional suppression, and disordered eating in a non-clinical sample of 160 undergraduate women. Participants completed self-report measures for social anxiety, disordered eating, expressive suppression, depression, and negative affect. Results from mediation analyses indicate that the relationship between social anxiety and disordered eating is fully mediated by expressive suppression. Findings are consistent with a displacement theory in which unexpressed negative affect is shifted towards the body, thereby promoting symptoms of disordered eating.
Somatostatin stimulates clearance and hepatic uptake of colloidal carbon in the rat

Somatostatin exerts hormonal and neuroendocrine effects. Since it prevents several organ injuries and systemic intoxications, we tested the hypothesis that activation of Kupffer cells might be one mechanism of the beneficial actions of this peptide. The data presented here demonstrate that somatostatin given i.v. in rats dose- and time-dependently accelerated the clearance of colloidal carbon from the blood and enhanced the uptake of carbon in the liver. On a weight basis, somatostatin was more potent than the RES stimulant zymosan or RES blocker gadolinium chloride. Thus, somatostatin might modulate Kupffer cells and possibly other macrophages, and these effects may have a role in the physiologic or pharmacologic actions of this peptide.
The three dimensional incompressible laminar boundary layer on a spinning cone

The motion of an incompressible viscous fluid induced by a spinning cone is analytically studied and similar solutions of the relevant steady state boundary equations are obtained. Some of the numerical results are shown to be obtainable from the Karman-Cochran solution for the infinite disc.
A penalty-based finite element interface technology

Abstract An effective and robust interface element technology able to connect independently modeled finite element subdomains is presented. This method has been developed using the penalty constraints and allows coupling of finite element models whose nodes do not coincide along their common interface. Additionally, the present formulation leads to a computational approach that is very efficient and completely compatible with existing commercial software. A significant effort has been directed toward identifying those model characteristics (element geometric properties, material properties and loads) that most strongly affect the required penalty parameter, and subsequently to developing simple “formulae” for automatically calculating the proper penalty parameter for each interface constraint. This task is especially critical in composite materials and structures, where adjacent subregions may be composed of significantly different materials or laminates. This approach has been validated by investigating a variety of two-dimensional problems, including composite laminates.
How regular is regular ? Statistical assessments of binary metallic solutions

The regular solution model originally proposed by Hildebrand for expressing the thermodynamic properties of homogeneous solutions has become a popular formalism for assessment of the experimental results in a variety of systems, both organic and inorganic. While some doubt exists as to whether the behavior of any metallic solution strictly fits this model, several different binary systems are listed in various metallurgical texts as good examples of a «regular» solution, often without any statement of the criteria by which the judgement was made. In this paper, an attempt is made to assess the «regularity» of these solutions through a statistical analysis of reported experimental data, using both the original model and the quasiregular and subregular solution models which have been derived from it
Handling unexpected distress on the telephone: the development of interdisciplinary training

St Nicholas's Hospice recognized that its non-clinical staff needed support and guidance regarding the management of particularly difficult telephone conversations. It is understandable that patients and family members who are experiencing extreme uncertainty, fear and worry might express anger and despair, however, non-clinical staff were troubled by having to handle such raw emotions on the telephone. Despite palliative care excelling at counselling skills and training in breaking bad news, no material or courses exist to help these staff handle unanticipated distress on the telephone. A training session was established and, unexpectedly, many clinical staff enrolled. Although a formal in-depth evaluation did not take place, participant feedback suggested it was equally beneficial to non-clinical and clinical staff. A key element of the apparent success was the interprofessional, interagency, interpersonal sharing and exchange of ideas.
Separately expressed T cell receptor α and β chain transgenes exert opposite effects on T cell differentiation and neoplastic transformation

Two aspects of T cell differentiation in T cell receptor (TCR)-transgenic mice, the generation of an unusual population of CD4-CD8-TCR+ thymocytes and the absence of gamma delta cells, have been the focus of extensive investigation. To examine the basis for these phenomena, we investigated the effects of separate expression of a transgenic TCR alpha chain and a transgenic TCR beta chain on thymocyte differentiation. Our data indicate that expression of a transgenic TCR alpha chain causes thymocytes to differentiate into a CD4-CD8-TCR+ lineage at an early developmental stage, depleting the number of thymocytes that differentiate into the alpha beta lineage. Surprisingly, expression of the TCR alpha chain transgene is also associated with the development of T cell lymphosarcoma. In contrast, expression of the transgenic TCR beta chain causes immature T cells to accelerate differentiation into the alpha beta lineage and thus inhibits the generation of gamma delta cells. Our observations provide a model for understanding T cell differentiation in TCR-transgenic mice.
Postcranial evidence of cold adaptation in European Neandertals

The low brachial and crural indices of the European Neandertals have long been considered indicative of cold adaptation. Recent work has documented lower limb/trunk ratios and deeper chests (anterior-posterior diameter) in European Neandertals than among their successors. The present study uses variables reflective of limb length, body mass and trunk height, and compares European Neandertals to 15 globally diverse recent human samples (1 “Eskimo,” 3 North African, 4 sub-Saharan African and 7 European). Bivariate plots, as well as principal components analysis plots of log shape-transformed data, indicate that European Neandertals had an overall body shape that falls at the extreme end of modern higher latitude groups' range of variation. Cluster analysis (minimum spanning tree on a principal coordinates plot) indicates that the Neandertals are closest in body shape to modern “Eskimos,” but even in this dendrogram, they are joined to the “Eskimo” via a long branch. In fact, it appears that European Neandertals were “hyperpolar” in body shape, likely due to two factors: 1) the extremely cold temperatures of glacial Europe and 2) less effective cultural buffering against cold stress. Am J Phys Anthropol 104:245–258, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Assembly and protection of the radical enzyme, methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, by its chaperone.

MeaB is a recently described P-loop GTPase that plays an auxiliary role in the reaction catalyzed by the radical B12 enzyme, methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. Defects in the human homologue of MeaB result in methylmalonic aciduria, but the role of this protein in coenzyme B12 assimilation and/or utilization is not known. Methylmalonyl-CoA mutase catalyzes the isomerization of methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA that uses reactive radical intermediates that are susceptible to oxidative inactivation. In this study, we have examined the influence of MeaB on the kinetics of the reaction catalyzed by methylmalonyl-CoA mutase and on the thermodynamics of cofactor binding. MeaB alone has a modest effect on the affinity of the mutase for the 5‘-deoxyadenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) cofactor, increasing it 2-fold from 404 ± 71 to 210 ± 22 nM. However, in the presence of GDP, the affinity for the cofactor decreases 5-fold to 1.89 ± 0.33 μM, while in the presence of guanosine 5‘(β−γ imino)triphosphate, a nonhydrolyzable analogue of...
Modulation of PLAGL2 transactivation by positive cofactor 2 (PC2), a component of the ARC/Mediator complex

The pleomorphic adenoma gene (PLAG) family of transcription factors regulates a wide range of physiological processes, including cell proliferation, tissue-specific gene regulation, and embryonic development, although little is known regarding the mechanisms that regulate PLAG protein activity. In this study, a yeast two-hybrid screen identified PC2, a component of the Mediator complex, as a PLAGL2-binding protein. We show that PC2 cooperates with PLAGL2 and PU.1 to enhance the activity of a known PLAGL2 target promoter (NCF2). The PLAGL2-binding element in the NCF2 promoter consisted of the core sequence of the bipartite PLAG1 consensus site, but lacked the G-cluster motif, and was recognized by PLAGL2 zinc fingers 5 and 6. Promoter and PLAGL2 mutants showed that PLAGL2 and PU.1 were required to bind to their respective sites in the promoter, and PC2 knockdown demonstrated that PC2 was essential for enhanced promoter activity. Co-immunoprecipitation and promoter-reporter studies reveal that the effect of PC2 on PLAGL2 target promoter activity was conferred via the C-terminus of PLAGL2, the region that is required for PC2 binding and contains the PLAGL2 activation domain. Importantly, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis and PC2 knockdown studies confirmed that endogenous PC2 protein associated with the NCF2 promoter in MM1 cells in the region occupied by PLAGL2, and was required for PLAGL2 target promoter activity in TNF-α-treated MM1 cells, respectively. Lastly, the expression of another known PLAGL2 target gene, insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II), was greatly diminished in the presence of PC2 siRNA. Together, the data identify PC2 as a novel PLAGL2-binding protein and important mediator of PLAGL2 transactivation.
Losartan Blocks Diazepam and Ethanol Effects on Air Righting

We had previously discovered that both diazepam (DZ) and ethanol inhibited long-term potentiation (LTP) in medial perforant path-dentate granule cell synapses and the inhibition was mediated by angiotensin II (Ang II) because it could be blocked by pretreatment with losartan, an Ang II AT1 receptor antagonist. In addition, we had shown that ethanol intoxicating effects on air righting can be significantly reduced by losartan. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of DZ, 1 and 2 mg/kg i.p., on air righting and also the effectiveness of losartan, 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg i.p., in blocking the impairment. Also, we examined the effects of losartan pretreatment on the intoxicating effects of 1 g/kg ethanol PO, a dose we had not studied previously. Low doses of ethanol, 1 g/kg, and DZ, 1 mg/kg, appear to be equivalent in the impairment of air righting; and the effects of both drugs were blocked by losartan, in a dose-dependent way. The impairment of air righting due to the larger dose of DZ, 2 mg/kg, was also blocked in a dose-dependent way by losartan; however, even combined large doses of both losartan, 20 mg/kg, and PD 123,319, 20 mg/kg, an Ang II AT2 receptor antagonist, were unable to completely block the initial impairment following the first 15 min after administration. Results can be interpreted in terms of low-dose anxiolytic effects of both drugs and a mild sedation due to the high dose of DZ. The role of the hippocampus in air righting is still not clear and further explanation will depend upon future research.
Bulk-coupled normal field interfacial instability

Abstract A model is developed to describe bulk-coupled instability at the interface between miscible fluids with identical mechanical properties but disparate electrical conductivities, stressed by an equilibrium normal electric field. With a layer of diffusive conductivity distribution coupled to uniform bounding half-spaces, numerical integration of linearized electromechanical equations leads to a set of growing eigenfrequencies with corresponding eigenmodes, pure real for small wavenumber and complex (propagating) for large wavenumber. Fastest growth rate is characterized as a function of conductivity ratio and time constant ratio reflecting importance of inertial and viscous effects. In the viscous-dominated limit, the description agrees with the surface-coupled theory. Observations of fluid motions in a corresponding experimental configuration permit measurement of an instability wavenumber and growth rate. The model is evaluated for parameters corresponding to experimental observations.
Enveloping of Charged Proteins by Lipid Bilayers

The ability of a mixed lipid bilayer composed of neutral and charged lipids to encapsulate an oppositely charged protein is studied with use of a simple theoretical model. The free energy of the bi...
Diminished reaction to a novel stimulus during amphetamine withdrawal in rats.

Abstract This experiment determined whether reaction to a novel stimulus was diminished in a dose-dependent fashion following 8 consecutive days of d-amphetamine administration. Thirty-two male rats were injected with saline, 0.5, 2.5, or 5.0 mg/kg of d-amphetamine (each N = 8). On the ninth day, all animals received saline injections and were tested (a) in the presence of a novel stimulus, or (b) in the absence of a novel stimulus. Reaction to the novel stimulus varied inversely with the dose of d-amphetamine which had been received during the drug administration period. This reduction in reaction to the novel stimulus did not seem to depend on (a) the level of amphetamine-induced stereotypy at the end of the drug administration period (b) general reduction of activity, or (c) interference by drug-conditioned responses.
Cysteine Reactivity Distinguishes Redox Sensing by the Heat-Inducible and Constitutive Forms of Heat Shock Protein 70

The heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) family of molecular chaperones has important functions in maintaining proteostasis under stress conditions. Several Hsp70 isoforms, especially Hsp72 (HSPA1A), are dramatically upregulated in response to stress; however, it is unclear whether these family members have biochemical properties that are specifically adapted to these scenarios. The redox-active compound, methylene blue (MB), has been shown to inhibit the ATPase activity of Hsp72 in vitro, and it promotes degradation of the Hsp72 substrate, tau, in cellular and animal models. Here, we report that MB irreversibly inactivates Hsp72 but not the nearly identical, constitutively expressed isoform, heat shock cognate 70 (Hsc70; HSPA8). Mass spectrometry results show that MB oxidizes Cys306, which is not conserved in Hsc70. Molecular models suggested that oxidation of Cys306 exposes Cys267 to modification and that both events contribute to loss of ATP binding in response to MB. Consistent with this model, mutating Cys267 and Cys306 to serine made Hsp72 largely resistant to MB in vitro, and overexpression of the C306S mutant blocked MB-mediated loss of tau in a cellular model. Furthermore, mutating Cys267 and Cys306 to the pseudo-oxidation mimic, aspartic acid, mirrored MB treatment: the C267D and C306D mutants had reduced ATPase activity in vitro, and overexpression of the C267/306D double mutant significantly reduced tau levels in cells. Together, these results suggest that redox sensing by specific cysteine residues in Hsp72, but not Hsc70, may be an important component of the chaperone response to oxidative stress.
Law and the fireside inductions (with postscript): Some reflections of a clinical psychologist

Legislators and judges have relied upon the “fireside inductions” (common sense, anecdotal, introspective, and culturally transmitted beliefs about human behavior) in making and enforcing law as a mode of social control. The behavior sciences conflict at times with the fireside inductions. While the sources of error in “common knowledge” about behavior are considerable, the behavior sciences are plagued with methodological problems that often render their generalized conclusions equally dubious. Legal applications of generalizations from experimental research on humans and animals in laboratory contexts often involve risky parametric and population extrapolations. Statistical analysis of file data suffers from inherent interpretative ambiguities as to causal inference from correlations. Quasi-experiments in the “real-life” setting may often be the methodologically optimal data-source. A postscript updates the original text and addresses seven additional topics: (1) abuse of significance tests, (2) failure to report overlap, (3) causal inference from correlation, (4) immediate transitions from group differences on psychological tests to “unfairness,” (5) double standard of proof of generalizability, (6) social science in legal education, and (7) incompetent testimony by psychologists.
Incidence and characteristics of hospitalized patients with pressure ulcers: State of Washington, 1987 to 2000.

Background: Pressure ulcers complicate the hospital course of critically injured or ill patients. Guidelines have been promulgated to prevent pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients. The purpose of this study was to determine whether these guidelines have, in fact, reduced the incidence of pressure sores. Methods: The authors examined census data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Washington State Department of Health for the 14-year period 1987 through 2000 and identified patients with a pressure ulcer listed as the primary diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 707.0) and patients admitted for other diagnoses with pressure ulcer as a secondary diagnosis. The authors reasoned that patients who were admitted for treatment of pressure ulcers would have the diagnosis listed as primary, whereas those who were admitted for other reasons and developed pressure ulcers during the admission would have pressure ulcer listed as a secondary diagnosis. Other available data included patient age, sex, procedures for pressure ulcers (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 15920 through 15999), length of stay, and hospital charges for care. Results: The incidence of pressure ulcers as a primary diagnosis varied from 7.0 to 8.3 per 100,000 population but did not change over the 14-year study period. The rate of operation for these ulcers also did not change. The incidence of pressure ulcers as either a primary or secondary diagnosis doubled from 34.5 to 71.6 per 100,000 (p < 0.001), whereas the incidence of operative procedures for these ulcers did not change. Conclusion: The authors found no evidence that the guidelines for the prevention of pressure ulcers have been effective in decreasing pressure ulcer formation, but it may be that pressure ulcers are now being reported in a more thorough manner.
Proper Orthogonal Decomposition of Flexible Clap and Fling Elastic Motions via High-Speed Deformation Measurements

Many complex unsteady mechanisms are thought to facilitate the high efficiency and agility commonly observed in small biological flyers. One of these, the flexible clap and fling maneuver, has not been extensively studied; an experimental characterization is the focus of this work. The clap–fling mechanism is approximated with a single flexible membrane flapping wing, replacing the symmetry plane between two wings with a splitter plate simulating the pair wing. This produces a complex vibro-impact aeroelastic problem, the deformation resulting from which is measured with a high-speed visual image correlation system. A low-dimensional representation of the ensuing large data set is obtained with proper orthogonal decomposition. The POD modes, and the relative importance of each, can help elucidate crucial mechanisms and relationships within the flapping system, and are computed for various membrane wing structures and flapping frequencies, with or without the presence of the splitter plate.
Stigma, AIDS, and HIV Prevention in Africa: Reports from Community Organizations Providing Prevention Services

ABSTRACT The AIDS epidemic in Africa remains a serious health crisis. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Africa play a critical role in the delivery of HIV prevention services. An important barrier to their HIV prevention efforts is stigma directed at persons living with HIV/AIDS. In order to understand how stigma affects HIV prevention programming, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with NGO directors in 29 African countries. Qualitative analytic approaches were used to identify key themes. Substantial discrimination and stigmatization of HIV-positive persons was reported. HIV-positive women were particularly likely to suffer negative social and economic consequences. The stigma associated with HIV interfered with disclosure of HIV status, risk-reduction behaviors, and HIV testing, creating significant barriers to HIV prevention efforts. Interventions to reduce AIDS-related stigma in Africa are urgently needed. Reducing the burden of stigma is critical to fighting the epidemic in Africa an...