cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of axial flow on viscoelastic Taylor–Couette instability

Viscoelastic flow instabilities can arise from gradients in elastic stresses in flows with curved streamlines. Circular Couette flow displays the prototypical instability of this type, when the azimuthal Weissenberg number Weθ is O(e−1/2), where e measures the streamline curvature. We consider here the effect of superimposed steady axial Couette or Poiseuille flow on this instability. For inertialess flow of an upper-convected Maxwell or Oldroyd-B fluid in the narrow gap limit (e[Lt ]1), the analysis predicts that the addition of a relatively weak steady axial Couette flow (axial Weissenberg number Wez=O(1)) can delay the onset of instability until Weθ is significantly higher than without axial flow. Weakly nonlinear analysis shows that these bifurcations are subcritical. The numerical results are consistent with a scaling analysis for Wez[Gt ]1, which shows that the critical azimuthal Weissenberg number for instability increases linearly with Wez. Non-axisymmetric disturbances are very strongly suppressed, becoming unstable only when e1/2Weθ= O(We2z). A similar, but smaller, stabilizing effect occurs if steady axial Poiseuille flow is added. In this case, however, the bifurcations are converted from subcritical to supercritical as Wez increases. The observed stabilization is due to the axial stresses introduced by the axial flow, which overshadow the destabilizing hoop stress. If only a weak (Wez[les ]1) steady axial flow is added, the flow is actually slightly destabilized. The analysis also elucidates new aspects of the stability problems for plane shear flows, including the exact structure of the modes in the continuous spectrum, and illustrates the connection between these problems and the viscoelastic circular Couette flow.
Arabidopsis thaliana cor15b , an apparent homologue of cor15a , is strongly responsive to cold and ABA, but not drought

We previously described a cold-regulated (cor) gene from Arabidopsis thaliana, cor15a (formerly cor15), that encodes a 15 kDa polypeptide that is targeted to chloroplasts (C. Lin and M. Thomashow, Plant Physiol 99 (1992): 519–525). Here we describe an apparent homologue of cor15a, cor15b. cor15b is located immediately downstream from cor15a (within 1 kb) and has the same relative 5′ to 3′ orientation as cor15a. The predicted coding regions for the two genes are 82% identical at the nucleic acid sequence level. Transcripts for cor15b, like those of cor15a, increase dramatically in response to low temperature and exogenous application of ABA. However, only cor15a transcripts accumulate to high levels in response to drought. The cor15a/cor15b gene pair is the third case in which A. thaliana cold-regulated genes have been found to exist as tandem gene pairs with the members of each pair being differentially regulated.
Soluble plasma antigen in experimental Salmonella typhimurium infection in mice

To detect and characterize Salmonella antigen in blood, outbred CF-1 female mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with S. typhimurium LT-2 and blood was assayed by ELISA for Salmonella common structural antigen. Plasma antigen was detectable early in the course of infection and increased in quantity later in the course of illness when animals showed high grade bacteremia and high counts of splenic bacteria. Antigen was associated with a cell-free plasma fraction of blood, passed through filters with cut-offs of 0.2 μ and molecular mass of 1000 kDa, and was enhanced in detectability after heating to 100°C for 15 min. Antigen was concentrated by diluting plasma 1:4 in 0.1 M EDTA, heating to 100°C, and concentrating the supernate with an ultrafiltration membrane with a molecular mass cut-off of 15 kDa. By gel filtration, antigen was associated with a peak at about molecular mass 300 kDa in heated plasma and a peak at about 380 kDa in unheated plasma. These results indicate that murine typhoid infection results in circulating soluble plasma antigen, which is heat-stable with a molecular mass of approximately 300 kDa.
Course of thrombocytopenia of chronic liver disease after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS). A retrospective analysis.

Thrombocytopenia associated with chronic liver disease presents a difficult management issue. Most reports conclude that portocaval and distal splenorenal shunts do not improve platelet counts in this setting. The response of thrombocytopenia after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement has not been studied. All platelet counts of 21 patients undergoing intrahepatic shunt placement were determined retrospectively to accumulate values at one month prior to procedure, weekly for the first month after the procedure, and monthly thereafter to six months. Comparison of pre- and postshunt platelet means showed a significant increase in counts in patients with a postshunt portal pressure gradient <12 mm Hg, with the increment evident by one week after the procedure. This response was not seen when preshunt thrombocytopenia was used as the lone variable. This study suggests that the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt may improve the thrombocytopenia associated with liver cirrhosis when these pressure gradients are attained.
The pros and cons of computing the h‐index using Web of Science

Purpose – The purpose of this paper, the fourth in a series, is to discuss the pros and cons of the h‐index in the Web of Science (WoS).Design/methodology/approach – The paper looks at the content and software advantages and disadvantages of WoS from the perspective of calculating the h‐index as a single measure of published research output and influence at the individual researcher level.Findings – The paper finds that there are notable similarities and differences between WoS and Scopus, and that any WoS edition has a unique and important feature. As opposed to other cited reference enhanced databases, WoS always includes all the cited references for every record created, irrespective of the publication year.Originality/value – The paper provides insights into the advantages and disadvantages of WoS from the perspective of calculating the h‐index.
Qualitative and Quantitative Sources of Affect: How Valence and Unexpectedness Relate Pleasantness and Preference

Optimal-level theories maintain that the quality of affect is a function of a quantitative arousal potential dimension. An alternative view is that the quantitative dimension merely modulates preexisting qualitative properties and is therefore only responsible for changes in the degree of affect. Thus, the quality of affect, whether it is positive or negative, has to be treated as a separate independent variable. In an experiment to compare these alternatives, the quantitative dimension was manipulated by varying the degree of unexpectedness of endings in stories that were overall either positive or negative. Contrary to predictions of optimal-level theory, results showed that differently valenced story endings, judged the same on an expectation scale, were rated very differently in hedonic tone and preference.
Influence of Vessel Passages on Tidal Creek Hydrodynamics at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (Texas, United States): Implications on Materials Exchange

Abstract The impact of commercial vessels on coastal hydrodynamics and sediment movement has been measured and simulated in shipping channels and rivers. However, little empirical data exist on the temporal variation in vessel-generated forces in addition to the ecological implications for natural waterways such as tidal creeks and bayous. Along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast, these ecosystems may be highly susceptible to unnatural currents created by commercial vessel traffic. We sought to characterize and quantify the impact of large vessel traffic in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) on tidal creek hydrodynamics at Aransas Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Creek water level was monitored at 1-minute intervals in three different tidal creeks at ANWR during the summer of 2004. We also conducted preliminary measurements of bedload sediment flux associated with vessel passages. Vessel-induced fluctuations in water level in at least one site were the equivalent or greater than the diurnal tidal range (about 0.1 m)...
Application layer reachability monitoring for IP multicast

The successful deployment of multicast in the Internet requires the availability of good network management solutions. One of the first management tasks for multicast is to verify its availability in the network. This task is usually referred to as reachability monitoring. Reachability ensures that sources can reach all existing and potential group members. Reachability also implies that receivers have multicast connectivity and can reach all sources. As a result, verifying reachability becomes very important to maintain availability and robustness of the multicast service between sources and receivers. In this paper, we present an application layer mechanism to monitor multicast reachability. First, we justify the need for reachability monitoring systems. Then, we present our monitoring system called sdr-monitor. Sdr-monitor leverages an existing application and provides close to real-time reachability monitoring for the multicast infrastructure. It is the first system that is developed and deployed for monitoring multicast reachability. We present the architecture of the system and then discuss its operation. Finally, we include our evaluations on a data set that we collected using this system. With this analysis, we present long term reachability characteristics of multicast infrastructure during a four year monitoring period between 1999 and 2003 and discuss potential causes for reachability problems.
THE ROLE OF OXYGEN IN NITRATE ASSIMILATION BY WHEAT ROOTS

tion of endodermis and an associated oxidase system in monocotyledonous plants. Amer. Jour. Bot. 29: 1-15. 1942b. The significance of oxidation in the endodermis. Amer. Jour. Bot. 29: 747-755. . 1943. The enzymatic and vitagen properties of unsaturated fats as they influence the difference of certain plant tissues. Amer. Jour. Bot. 30:678-685. WAGNER, N. 1939. ueber die Entwicklungsmechanik der Wurzelhaube und des Wurzelrippenmeristem. Planta 30: 21-66. ZIMMERMAN, W. 1930. Phylogenie der Pflanzen. Jena.
Acute changes in short-term plasticity at synapses with elevated levels of neuronal calcium sensor-1

Short-term synaptic plasticity is a defining feature of neuronal activity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Depression of synaptic activity might be due to limited vesicle availability, whereas facilitation is thought to result from elevated calcium levels. However, it is unclear whether the strength and direction (facilitation versus depression) of plasticity at a given synapse result from preexisting synaptic strength or whether they are regulated by separate mechanisms. Here we show, in rat hippocampal cell cultures, that increases in the calcium binding protein neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1) can switch paired-pulse depression to facilitation without altering basal synaptic transmission or initial neurotransmitter release probability. Facilitation persisted during high-frequency trains of stimulation, indicating that NCS-1 can recruit 'dormant' vesicles. Our results suggest that NCS-1 acts as a calcium sensor for short-term plasticity by facilitating neurotransmitter output independent of initial release. We conclude that separate mechanisms are responsible for determining basal synaptic strength and short-term plasticity.
Calcification of aortic versus mitral porcine bioprosthetic heart valves: A radiographic study comparing amounts of calcific deposits in valves explanted from the same patient

Calcium detected by radiography was compared in 10 pairs of aortic and mitral glutaraldehyde-treated porcine bioprosthetic heart valves explanted from 10 patients (7 men and 3 women), aged 19 to 68 years (mean 43). Both valves of 6 pairs of valves had undergone primary tissue failure (revealed by cardiac catheterization and angiography) and 1 valve of the other 4 pairs of valves had undergone primary tissue failure. These porcine valves had been implanted from 2 1/4 to 9 years (mean 5 3/4). All 20 explanted valves contained calcium. The grade of calcium was the same in 4 pairs of valves (grade 2+ or 3+), and 1 grade different in 4 pairs of valves (grade 1+ to 4+), with the greater calcium evenly divided between the 2 valve positions. There was more than 1 grade greater mitral valve calcium in 2 pairs of valves (grade 3+ and 4+ mitral vs 1+ and 2+ aortic, respectively). Thus, calcium is usually present in both aortic and mitral valve positions when bioprosthetic valves of this type in either valve position fail as a result of primary tissue failure, and radiographic calcium in porcine bioprosthetic valves is usually similar in grade in both the aortic and mitral valve positions.
Diamond-Blackfan anemia: a “cultural” diagnosis

Comment on Ohene-Abuakwa et al, page [838][1] In vitro erythroid cultures may be necessary to detect nonpenetrant Diamond-Blackfan anemia. The diagnosis of Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) was easy when it was first described in the 1930s: severe congenital anemia in a transfusion-dependent child.[
Interaction of focused ultrasound with biological materials

This work is motivated by possible medical applications of focused ultrasound in minimally invasive treatment of a variety of disorders. The mechanical and thermal effects caused by high-frequency ultrasound in different material systems are calculated using a finite element based program called PZflex. The pressure distributions generated by plane as well as focused ultrasound beams are presented. For the focused beam, the temperature distribution in the focal zone is also calculated. The results indicate that the heating efficiency of the ultrasound energy in the focal region depends on the exciting frequency and the geometry of the focal zone depends on the material being tested. At higher excitation energies, cavitation and nonlinear effects need to be included in the simulations. These effects are under current investigation.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A new finite-state vector quantizer with optimized state space and derailment-free operation

A new finite-state vector quantization (FSVQ) algorithm is developed based on state space optimization and the derailment prevention requirement. The proposed derailment-free FSVQ (DF-FSVQ) achieves good performance through (i) state space reduction, which allows a practical implementation of high-order FSVQ, and (ii) derailment free state transitions. Experimental results show that our approach outperforms other known FSVQ schemes in terms of performance, system complexity, and processing speed, especially at low bit rate image coding.
The effects of multiculturalism and mechanistic disdain for robots in human-to-robot communication scenarios

This study investigates the effects of cultural orientation and the degree of disdain for robots on the preferred conversational styles in human-to-robot interactions. 203 participants self-reported on questionnaires through a computer-based online survey. The two requesting situations were intended to simulate the participants’ interactions with humanoid social robots through an Internet video-phone medium of communication. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine the mediating role of mechanistic disdain between multicultural orientation and conversational constraints. The findings reveal that between the two dimensions of multicultural orientation, only open-mindedness inversely influences mechanistic disdain. Mechanistic disdain, in turn, negatively affects three face-related conversational constraints, thereby leading to a lesser concern for robots’ feelings, for minimizing impositions on robots, and for avoiding robots’ negative evaluations. The implications of our findings on humans’ relations with virtual robot entities and on the future development of humanoid robots are discussed.
Prevalence, Patterns, and Correlates of Voluntary Flunitrazepam Use

Objective. To determine prevalence, patterns, and correlates of voluntary flunitrazepam use in a sample of sexually active adolescent and young adult women 14 to 26 years of age. Design. Cross-sectional survey. Setting. University-based ambulatory reproductive health clinics. Patients or Other Participants. There were 904 women self-identified as white, African-American, or Mexican-American. Interventions. None. Main Outcome Measure. Lifetime, frequency, patterns, and physical effects of flunitrazepam use. Results. Lifetime use was reported by 5.9% ( n = 53) of subjects, with frequency of use ranging from 1 to 40 times. Flunitrazepam was taken most often with alcohol (74%), and 49% took this substance with other illicit drugs. Logistic regression analyses controlling for age and race/ethnicity found that users were significantly more likely than were nonusers to report lifetime use of marijuana (odds ratio [OR] = 3.6) or LSD (OR = 5.2), having a peer or partner who used flunitrazepam (OR = 21.7), pressure to use flunitrazepam when out with friends (OR = 2.7), and a mother who had at least a high school education (OR = 2.6). Finally, 10% of voluntary users reported experiencing subsequent physical or sexual victimization. Conclusions. Voluntary use of flunitrazepam is becoming a health concern to sexually active young women who reside in the southwestern United States. Young women who have used LSD or marijuana in the past or who have a peer or partner who used this drug appear to be at the greatest risk.
Assessment and Remediation of Handwriting Deficits for Children with Learning Disabilities

Handwriting is a basic skill and an essential tool in a child's response repertoire. Children with learning disabilities, however, often must struggle to master this skill. In this article recommendations for the informal assessment of handwriting are made along with suggestions for the remediation of handwriting problems. The importance of planning systematic programs complete with an evaluation base is stressed. Precision teaching techniques are applied for direct instruction of handwriting difficulties.
Post-transcriptional Regulation of Erythropoietin mRNA Stability by Erythropoietin mRNA-binding Protein

We have previously identified a sequence in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of erythropoietin (Epo) mRNA which binds a protein(s), erythropoietin mRNA-binding protein (ERBP). A mutant lacking the ERBP binding site (EpoM) was generated. Hep3B cells were stably transfected with a wild-type Epo (EpoWT) cDNA or EpoM cDNA construct located downstream of a promoter of cytomegalovirus. Following inhibition of transcription, the half-lives of EpoWT and EpoM mRNAs were 7 h and 2.5 h in normoxia, respectively. The EpoM mRNA half-life remained unchanged in hypoxia. EpoWT mRNA half-life increased approximately 40% in response to a 6-h hypoxic pre-exposure and an additional approximately 50% when pre-exposed to 12 h hypoxia. The steady-state level of EpoWT mRNA was 4-fold that of EpoM mRNA reflecting the difference in mRNA decay rates in normoxia. The Epo protein level expressed from exogenous EpoM was unchanged in both normoxia and hypoxia. In contrast, the Epo protein level expressed from exogenous EpoWT increased 50% in hypoxia when compared with normoxia. These observations were further supported by chimeric chloramphenicol acetyltransferase and Epo-3'-UTR constructs. We have demonstrated that Epo mRNA stability was modulated in normoxia and further by hypoxia, therefore, providing evidence that Epo is regulated at the post-transcriptional level through ERBP complex formation.
Fragment-based inhibitor discovery against β-lactamase

The production of β-lactamase is one of the primary resistance mechanisms used by Gram-negative bacterial pathogens to counter β-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems. There is an urgent need to develop novel β-lactamase inhibitors in response to ever evolving β-lactamases possessing an expanded spectrum of β-lactam hydrolyzing activity. Whereas traditional high-throughput screening has proven ineffective against serine β-lactamases, fragment-based approaches have been successfully employed to identify novel chemical matter, which in turn has revealed much about the specific molecular interactions possible in the active site of serine and metallo β-lactamases. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the field, particularly: the identification of novel inhibitor chemotypes through fragment-based screening; the use of fragment-protein structures to understand key features of binding hot spots and inform the design of improved leads; lessons learned and new prospects for β-lactamase inhibitor development using fragment-based approaches.
Photoluminescence study of the 1.3–1.55 eV defect band in CdTe

Abstract We report on the photoluminescence (PL) study of defect levels in bulk CdTe. The PL of CdTe was measured in the 1.3–1.55 eV spectral range and at temperatures from 9 to 300 K. The PL spectra were analyzed numerically and various parameters (peak positions, Huang–Rhys factors, etc.) determined. Numerical modeling of low-temperature spectra was performed, and it was shown that the defect band consists of three distinct transitions. Also, we performed hyper-spectral imaging of PL at 77 K and analyzed the spatial distribution of defects and calculated the level of spatial correlation between the defects.
Sequences of the raccoon poxvirus hemagglutinin protein.

Abstract Primers based on sequences flanking the vaccinia virus (VV) strain IHD hemagglutinin protein (HA) open reading frame (ORF) enabled amplification of HA DNA segments from the genome of raccoon poxvirus (RCN) and VV strain WR. The amplified segments produced unequal cross-hybridization signal intensities against each other, indicating sequence differences between the HA of RCN (in Hin dIII-G) and that of W-WR (in Hin dIII-A). About 1.5 kb of sequences in the HA region were then determined from clones pRCN/ Hin dIII-G and pVV/ Bam HI-32, a subclone of W-WR Hin dIII-A. Pairwise analyses of the RCN and VV-WR HA nucleotide sequences showed 82, 66, and 86% homology, respectively, between the putative promoter, ORF, and transcript terminator regions and 53% homology between the deduced amino acid sequences of the HA of RCN (310 residues) and those of W-WR (314 residues). The deduced HA amino acid sequences showed a putative signal peptide and transmembrane-anchor moiety of 70 and 62% homology and a rather distinct central domain (residues 146 to 254) of 32% homology. Additional hybridizations with the amplified segments described above enabled location of the HA gene in the Hin dIII-A fragment of the orthopoxviruses volepox virus (VPX) and skunk poxvirus (SKP); however, amplified DNA of either the entire HA ORF of RCN or that of VV-WR, or a portion, from the center to right end, did not hybridize with VPX or SKP, suggesting that the HA of RCN, VV, VPX, and SKP are rather diverged from each other. The VV HA was found to be closely related to that of ectromelia and variola viruses. The data are consistent with reports of hemagglutination-inhibition partial cross-reactivity between RCN, VPX, W, and other orthopoxviruses and might lead to an explanation of the basis of syncytia formation by RCN, VPX, and SKP.
Angle only tracking with particle flow filters

We show the results of numerical experiments for tracking ballistic missiles using only angle measurements. We compare the performance of an extended Kalman filter with a new nonlinear filter using particle flow to compute Bayes' rule. For certain difficult geometries, the particle flow filter is an order of magnitude more accurate than the EKF. Angle only tracking is of interest in several different sensors; for example, passive optics and radars in which range and Doppler data are spoiled by jamming.
Management of complete heart block following percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The recent report by Lawrenz et al. [1] concerning complete heart block (CHB) following percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is interesting. However, I wish to make three comments. First, the incidence of 20% of CHB following PTSMA in their 172 patients is rather high. My colleagues from China and I [2] reported in 2004 an incidence of post-procedure CHB of only 2.5% in a large series of 119 patients with HCM treated with PTSMA. Reinhard et al. [3] reported in the same year a similarly low incidence of 3% in their much smaller series of 31 patients. Second, delayed occurrence of CHB without warning has been reported [4–6]. Therefore, we routinely kept the temporary pacing wire in the right ventricle up to 7 days after PTSMA [2,4]. Third, because normal sinus rhythm has been reported to return even after 13 days of CHB [3], conservative management is recommended. Therefore, we do no advise permanent pacemaker implantation earlier than 13 days following PTSMA [4]. References
Phorbin steryl ester formation by macrozooplankton in the Sargasso Sea

Plankton sampling during a recent cruise in the Sargasso Sea provided numerous gelatinous macrozooplankton (salps) whose large gut contents afforded an opportunity to investigate the formation of phorbin steryl esters (PSEs) during zooplankton grazing. Sufficient material was obtained from about 50 salps to allow detailed determination of distributions and carbon stable isotope compositions of free sterols and PSE-sterols. Phorbin steryl esters were abundant in the gut contents of the salps but were absent from a large volume (8000 1) sample of suspended particulate matter (SPM), the presumed dietary material of the salps. Free sterols in salp gut contents and in SPM had similar isotopic ratios suggesting that indeed the sterols in SPM might be a major source of sterols in the gut contents, but PSE-sterols were enriched in 13C by 1–2‰ compared to free sterols, indicating a trophic fractionation during PSE formation. These results further strengthen the role of zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton in PSE production.
Quasi-Transfer as a Predictor of Transfer from Simulator to Airplane

Abstract Simulators have emerged as important components of flight-training programs. Nevertheless, the development of design principles that can maximize training transfer and cost-benefit trade-offs are not well established. The most significant challenge to research that would bear on simulator design principles is the difficulty and expense of flight transfer experiments. This difficulty and expense can be reduced by the use of an in-simulator transfer design, designated here as a quasi-transfer study, in which transfer is to a high-fidelity configuration of a simulator. Of primary concern for such studies is whether the implied assumption of correspondence between quasi-transfer and transfer effects is well founded. In this article, we review evidence that bears on this issue. The evidence is not entirely supportive but does indicate some correspondence between quasi-transfer and transfer.
A Reduced-Order Dynamic Model of Nonlinear Oscillating Devices

A reduced-order dynamic model is presented for nonlinear devices subjected to in-plane oscillatory motion. Comparisons between numerical and finite element results demonstrate that the nonlinear behavior of a planar resonator can be predicted accurately by the derived dynamic model with significantly less computation. Simulation results illustrate the effects of nonlinear stiffness, damping ratio, electrostatic driving force, and device dimensions on the nonlinear dynamic behavior. The analysis yields two possible stable responses, depending on the initial rotation angle and rotation rate. The present dynamic model can be easily modified to analyze the nonlinear response of various planar resonators.
Comparison between the Amorphous and Crystalline (A-15) Phases of Nb 3 Ge.

A comparative study on the superconducting and the normal-state properties of the amorphous, low-${T}_{c}$ (3.9 K) and the crystalline, high-${T}_{c}$ (2.18 K) phases of ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$Ge suggests that changes in the strength of electron-phonon interaction account, in large part, for the drastic reduction in ${T}_{c}$. This result is consistent with a dehybridization between Nb $4d$ and Ge $4p$ orbitals at ${E}_{\mathrm{F}}$ in amorphous ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$Ge as shown by recent x-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements and a microscopic theory of dielectric screening and lattice dynamics.
Parents or Pop Culture? Children's Heroes and Role Models

(2002). Parents or Pop Culture? Children's Heroes and Role Models. Childhood Education: Vol. 78, No. 3, pp. 161-168.
Calculus disease of upper urinary tract in San Francisco Chinese.

Abstract Acute calculus disease of the upper urinary tract was studied retrospectively (1974–1978) in San Francisco Chinese and Caucasians. The Chinese population of San Francisco represents approximately 10 per cent of the total population. Yet the incidence of upper tract calculus among Chinese was found to be about twice that among Caucasians (as judged by admission at three major hospitals, one of them with Chinese patients only). The stones which develop in Chinese people are predominantly of mixed calcium and uric acid (45 per cent) and pure uric acid (15 per cent). This finding suggests that the origin of recurrent calculus disease is related to high intake of purines inherent in the Chinese diet, inducing hyperuricosuria.
Quantifying the isotopic ‘continental effect’

Abstract Since the establishment of the IAEA-WMO precipitation-monitoring network in 1961, it has been observed that isotope ratios in precipitation ( δ H 2 and δ O 18 ) generally decrease from coastal to inland locations, an observation described as the ‘continental effect.’ While discussed frequently in the literature, there have been few attempts to quantify the variables controlling this effect despite the fact that isotopic gradients over continents can vary by orders of magnitude. In a number of studies, traditional Rayleigh fractionation has proven inadequate in describing the global variability of isotopic gradients due to its simplified treatment of moisture transport and its lack of moisture recycling processes. In this study, we use a one-dimensional idealized model of water vapor transport along a storm track to investigate the dominant variables controlling isotopic gradients in precipitation across terrestrial environments. We find that the sensitivity of these gradients to progressive rainout is controlled by a combination of the amount of evapotranspiration and the ratio of transport by advection to transport by eddy diffusion, with these variables becoming increasingly important with decreasing length scales of specific humidity. A comparison of modeled gradients with global precipitation isotope data indicates that these variables can account for the majority of variability in observed isotopic gradients between coastal and inland locations. Furthermore, the dependence of the ‘continental effect’ on moisture recycling allows for the quantification of evapotranspiration fluxes from measured isotopic gradients, with implications for both paleoclimate reconstructions and large-scale monitoring efforts in the context of global warming and a changing hydrologic cycle.
Personnel-Related Management Tools in Municipal Administration

For public organizations, municipalities in particular, the issue of personnel costs has taken on more significance as administrators are faced with diminishing sources of revenue and an overall loss in purchasing power. Public managers must therefore face the challenge of this new era of government and develop appropriate strategies for effectively utilizing their human resources. One such set of strategies is the use of formal management tools.
Genetic Dissection of T4 Lysis

ABSTRACT t is the holin gene for coliphage T4, encoding a 218-amino-acid (aa) protein essential for the inner membrane hole formation that initiates lysis and terminates the phage infection cycle. T is predicted to be an integral membrane protein that adopts an N in -C out topology with a single transmembrane domain (TMD). This holin topology is different from those of the well-studied holins S105 (3 TMDs; N out -C in ) of the coliphage lambda and S68 (2 TMDs; N in -C in ) of the lambdoid phage 21. Here, we used random mutagenesis to construct a library of lysis-defective alleles of t to discern residues and domains important for holin function and for the inhibition of lysis by the T4 antiholin, RI. The results show that mutations in all 3 topological domains (N-terminal cytoplasmic, TMD, and C-terminal periplasmic) can abrogate holin function. Additionally, several lysis-defective alleles in the C-terminal domain are no longer competent in binding RI. Taken together, these results shed light on the roles of the previously uncharacterized N-terminal and C-terminal domains in lysis and its real-time regulation.
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii encodes a single sigma70-like factor which likely functions in chloroplast transcription

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii EST clones encoding a protein highly similar to prokaryotic sigma factors and plant sigma-like factors (SLFs) were used to isolate a BAC clone containing the full-length gene CrRpoD. The gene is likely to be single-copy, in contrast to small gene families encoding SLFs in plants. The CrRpoD mRNA comprises 3,033 nt with an open reading frame of 2,256 nt, encoding a putative protein of 752 amino acids with a molecular mass of 80.2 kDa. The sequence contains conserved regions 2–4 typically found in sigma factors, and an unusually long amino terminal extension, which by in silico analysis has properties of a chloroplast transit peptide. Expression of CrRpoD was confirmed by immunodetection of a 85 kDa polypeptide in a preparation enriched for chloroplast proteins. To demonstrate functionality in transcription initiation, a recombinant CrRpoD–thioredoxin fusion protein was reconstituted with E. coli RNA polymerase core enzyme and tested in vitro. This chimeric holoenzyme specifically bound the spinach psbA and Chlamydomonas rrn16 promoters in gel mobility shift assays and exhibited specific transcription initiation from the same two promoters, providing evidence for the role of CrRpoD as a functional transcription factor.
Exegesis and the History of Theology: Reflections on the Adam-Christ Typology in Cyril of Alexandria

The history of exegesis as a discipline is one of the stepchildren of Church History. As such it has not only been neglected by Church historians, but even if studied, it has received inferior treatment. Surely there is something ironical about an age of theological scholarship which has so self-consciously bought the historical method to study the Bible, but which nevertheless allows scholars to be so un-historical in their approach to the history of its interpretation. Consider that much of the material in the history of exegesis has been mined by scholars whose proper business is the study of the Old and New Testaments; or that the history of interpretation is usually considered a part of biblical studies. Inevitably the question asked by biblical scholars sounds something like this: how does a man, a school, or epoch interpret such and such a passage? Frequently this question issues in monographs tracing the history of interpretations of the chosen passage. The result is usually a catena of citations classifying and cataloguing the answers given to problems in the text. Most often the perspective brought to the material is that of the contemporary exegete, who, either explicitly or implicitly thinks he knows what the passage meant—or at least what it could not mean.
Fear of Crime and Constrained Behavior Specifying and Estimating a Reciprocal Effects Model

To some extent fear of crime is thought to be a social problem because it is assumed to constrain social interaction. However, empirical support for the effects of fear on social behavior is mixed. This may reflect two problems. Extant research does not control for the negative effect of social behavior on fear while estimating the effect of fear on social behavior; and research assumes that the effect of fear on social behavior is the same for all people. Using the NCS dataset and simultaneous equation techniques, we address this issue. The analysis suggests that fear and constrained social behavior are part of a positive escalating loop (fear constrains social behavior which increases fear) and that the strength of the loop is contingent on age. Over the last 15 years fear of crime has emerged as an important research topic. Surveys (Harris, NORC, and NCS) report that a very high percentage of the U.S. population fear criminal victimization (Baumer 1978; Braungart, Braungart & Hoyer 1980; Clemente & Kleiman 1976; Garofalo 1979; Hartnagel 1979; Skogan & Maxfield 1981) and that this percentage has been increasing since the mid 1960s (Stinchcombe et al. 1980). In 1967 the Presidential Commission on Law and Enforcement decried the lack of research; and seven years later Brooks (1974) stated that the situation has not changed. Today we still know very little. Perhaps the most common and consistent findings are those on *This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging (5ROlAGO4067). Some of the data used in this paper were made available by the InterUniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research. Address correspondence to Allen E. Liska, Department of Sociology, SUNY/Albany, Albany, NY 19222. ? 1988 The University of North Carolina Press
Renal Dysfunction Potentiates Foam Cell Formation by Repressing ABCA1

Objective— Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have the highest risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Current interventions have been insufficiently effective in lessening excess incidence and mortality from CVD in CKD patients versus other high-risk groups. The mechanisms underlying the heightened risk remain obscure but may relate to differences in CKD-induced atherogenesis, including perturbation of macrophage cholesterol trafficking. Methods and Results— We examined the impact of renal dysfunction on macrophage cholesterol homeostasis in the apoE −/− mouse model of atherosclerosis. Renal impairment induced by uninephrectomy dramatically increased macrophage cholesterol content, linked to striking impairment of macrophage cholesterol efflux. This blunted efflux was associated with downregulation of the cholesterol transporter ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). Treatment with the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) losartan decreased NF-κB and restored cholesterol efflux. Conclusions— Our findings show that mild renal dysfunction perturbs macrophage lipid homeostasis by inhibiting cholesterol efflux, mediated by decreased ABCA1 transporter and activation of NF-κB, and that ARB can restore cholesterol efflux.
Selecting books: a performance-based study

Our research compares the impact of paper vs. electronic presentation of text on the book selection process. Our focus is on the stage of book selection in which users study the content of a book to decide whether it will be useful for their intended purpose. Effectiveness is operationalized as accurate determination of whether a non-fiction book contains enough discussion of a particular topic to be useful for a research paper. 24 undergraduates participated in a balanced study in which they were given a topic-book pair and asked to decide whether the book was useful for the topic. We explore the differences in performance, with specific reference to the role of the search function, table-of-contents and index.
Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for tumour in the presence of nephrolithiasis or pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction

OBJECTIVE To report on patients with a small renal mass and concomitant calculus or pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO), and to propose an algorithm for minimally invasive management when these conditions coexist, as the success of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) depends greatly on the absence after surgery of ureteric obstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifteen (3%) of 548 patients undergoing LPN (November 1999 to May 2005) had concomitant calculus/PUJO; the calculus/PUJO was treated in six, either before (one), during (three) or after (two) LPN, depending on the presence of obstruction. The remaining nine patients were monitored as they had a punctate and unobstructing stone burden. RESULTS The mean (range) tumour size was 2.7 (1.4–4) cm, the operative duration 3.8 (2–6) h, the warm ischaemia time 34.8 (22–53) min, and blood loss 237 (50–600) mL. Two patients with concomitant PUJO had a single-session dismembered Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty and LPN. Three patients with smaller stones (5–12 mm) had extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy or or ureteroscopic removal before (one) or after (two) LPN. One patient with a larger 1.6 cm obstructing renal pelvic calculus had laparoscopic flexible pyeloscopy, but the stone was not visualized. At the end of all treatments, the 6-month tumour-free and stone-free rates were 15/15 and 11/13, respectively. CONCLUSION Patients with a concomitant small renal mass and calculus/PUJO can be successfully managed in a simultaneous or staged manner using minimally invasive techniques. A management algorithm is presented.
Effects of differential reinforcement on the generalization of a replacement mand in three children with severe language delays

We investigated variables that may influence the generalization of a replacement mand in 3 young children with severe language delays. A multiple baseline design consisting of one stimulus class of manding opportunities that we arbitrarily divided into three categories (i.e., food, toys, and events) was used for each child. During baseline probes, all children manded mainly by reaching, grabbing, or leading. We then taught each child a replacement mand using a single member of the stimulus class. Acquisition of the replacement mand occurred under highly restricted conditions in a setting that was completely isolated from the generalization settings. Postacquisition probes revealed almost exclusive use of old manding forms. Subsequently, extinction of the old forms and reinforcement of the replacement mand were introduced in a sequential fashion. Two children manifested a substantial increase, and 1 child displayed a moderate increase in the occurrence of the replacement mand (i.e., generalization occurred). These results suggest that a differential reinforcement procedure can alter the probability of the occurrence of response class members across a variety of stimulus conditions.
Blue‐green Dominance in Lakes: The Role and Management Significance of pH and CO2

Field and laboratory experiments show that when nutrients (N and P) are added to a mixed population of algae, blue-greens predominate. However, if CO2 is added also, or if pH is lowered with HCl, greens predominate. The phenomenon is reproducible, and works with most lakes. Although most successful at pH 5.5, the shift to greens can be made to happen at pH values as high as 8.5. Most blue-greens appear to be susceptible to the shift, and Scenedesmus and Chlorella are the predominant greens resulting. If pH is raised, the shift is reversed. The reason for the shift is not known. It may involve competition by the algae for CO2, but other evidence suggests that the lowered pH stimulates cyanophage production and lysis of the blue-greens, with release of nutrients which then are used by the greens. Analysis of results of lake circulation data from the literature and from experiments suggests that the algal shifts resulting from circulation may involve the same phenomena. Understanding of these phenomena should lead to predictable use of circulation as a lake-management tool.
Modeling of realistic on-chip power grid using the FDTD method

In this paper, a multi-layered on-chip power distribution network has been modeled using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. This simulation consists of 0.5 million passive elements, 40000 distributed current sources and multiple C4 vias. In this method, a branch capacitor has been used, which is different from latency insertion method (LIM). The use of the branch capacitor is important for simulating multi-layered power grids. The current in the branch capacitor is extracted from Kirchhoffs current law. This provides a good model of the branch capacitor and does not require companion models during simulation. The proposed model has been verified with SPICE through a simple example. The on-chip power grid simulation, the characteristics of noise propagation and the effectiveness of on-chip decoupling capacitors have been discussed. Also the importance of the nonlinearity in the computation of the power supply noise in on- chip power grid has been addressed through the peak noise analysis using linear current source and clock distribution network.
Modulation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in rabbit colonic smooth muscle cells by c-Src and focal adhesion kinase.

There is emerging evidence indicating that smooth muscle contraction and Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ channels are regulated by tyrosine kinases; however, the specific kinases involved are largely unknown. In rabbit colonic muscularis mucosae cells, tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins of ∼60 and 125 kDa were observed in immunoblots using an anti-phosphotyrosine antibody and were identified as c-Src and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) by immunoblotting with specific antibodies. FAK co-immunoprecipitated with c-Src, and the phosphorylation of the c-Src·FAK complex was markedly enhanced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) BB. The presence of activated c-Src in unstimulated cells was identified in cell lysates by immunoblotting with an antibody recognizing the autophosphorylated site (P416Y). In whole-cell patch-clamp studies, intracellular dialysis of a Src substrate peptide and anti-c-Src and anti-FAK antibodies suppressed Ca2+ currents by 60, 62, and 43%, respectively. In contrast, intracellular dialysis of an anti-mouse IgG or anti-Kv1.5 antibody did not inhibit Ca2+ currents. Co-dialysis of anti-c-Src and anti-FAK antibodies inhibited Ca2+ currents (63%) equivalent to dialysis with the anti-c-Src antibody alone. PDGF-BB enhanced Ca2+ currents by 43%, which was abolished by the anti-c-Src and anti-FAK antibodies. Neither the MEK inhibitor PD 098059 nor an anti-Ras antibody inhibited basal Ca2+currents or PDGF-stimulated Ca2+ currents. The α1C subunit of the L-type Ca2+ channel co-immunoprecipitated with anti-c-Src and anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, indicating direct association of c-Src kinase with the Ca2+ channel. These data suggest that c-Src and FAK, but not the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, modulate basal Ca2+ channel activity and mediate the PDGF-induced enhancement of L-type Ca2+ currents in differentiated smooth muscle cells.
Profiles of self-care management versus consulting behaviors in adults with heart failure

Introduction:Patients with heart failure (HF) vary in their ability to respond to symptoms when they occur. The goal of this study was to classify common patterns of symptom response behaviors among adults with HF and identify biobehavioral determinants thereof.Methods:Consulting behaviors (i.e. contacting a provider for guidance) were measured using the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale consulting behaviors subscale, and self-care management (i.e. recognizing and engaging in self-initiated treatment of symptoms) was measured with the Self-Care of HF Index self-care management scale in a prospective cohort study. Latent class mixture modeling was used to identify distinct profiles of consulting and of self-care management behaviors.Results:The mean age (n=146) was 57±13 years, 30% were female, and 59% had class III/IV HF. Two distinct profiles of consulting behaviors (novice and expert) and three distinct profiles of self-care management (novice, inconsistent and expert) were identified. The...