cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Headless Henipaviral Receptor Binding Glycoproteins Reveal Fusion Modulation by the Head/Stalk Interface and Post-receptor Binding Contributions of the Head Domain.

Cedar virus (CedV) is a nonpathogenic member of the Henipavirus (HNV) genus of emerging viruses, which includes the deadly Nipah (NiV) and Hendra (HeV) viruses. CedV forms syncytia, a hallmark of henipaviral and paramyxoviral infections and pathogenicity. However, the intrinsic fusogenic capacity of CedV relative to NiV or HeV remains unquantified. HNV entry is mediated by concerted interactions between the attachment (G) and fusion (F) glycoproteins. Upon receptor binding by the HNV G head domain, a fusion-activating G stalk region is exposed and triggers F to undergo a conformational cascade that leads to viral entry or cell-cell fusion. Here, we first demonstrated quantitatively that CedV is inherently significantly less fusogenic than NiV at equivalent G and F cell surface expression levels. We then generated and tested six headless CedV G mutants of distinct stalk C-terminal lengths, surprisingly revealing highly hyperfusogenic cell-cell fusion phenotypes 3 to 4-fold greater than wild-type CedV levels. Additionally, similarly to NiV, a headless HeV G mutant yielded a less pronounced hyperfusogenic phenotype compared to wild-type HeV. Further, coimmunoprecipitation and cell-cell fusion assays revealed heterotypic NiV/CedV functional G/F bidentate interactions, as well as evidence of HNV G head domain involvement beyond receptor binding or G stalk exposure. All evidence points to the G head/stalk junction being key to modulating HNV fusogenicity, supporting the notion that head domains play several distinct and central roles in modulating stalk domain fusion promotion. Further, this study exemplifies how CedV may help elucidate important mechanistic underpinnings of HNV entry and pathogenicity. IMPORTANCE The Henipavirus genus in the Paramyxoviridae family includes the zoonotic Nipah (NiV) and Hendra (HeV) viruses. NiV and HeV infections often cause fatal encephalitis and pneumonia, but no vaccines or therapeutics are currently approved for human use. Upon viral entry, Henipavirus infections yield the formation of multinucleated cells (syncytia). Viral entry and cell-cell fusion are mediated by the attachment (G) and fusion (F) glycoproteins. Cedar virus (CedV), a nonpathogenic henipavirus, may be a useful tool to gain knowledge on henipaviral pathogenicity. Here, using homotypic and heterotypic full-length and headless CedV, NiV, and HeV G/F combinations, we discovered that CedV G/F are significantly less fusogenic than NiV or HeV G/F, and that the G head/stalk junction is key to modulating cell-cell fusion, refining the mechanism of henipaviral membrane fusion events. Our study exemplifies how CedV may be a useful tool to elucidate broader mechanistic understanding for the important henipaviruses.
Macular Rod Function in Retinitis Pigmentosa Measured With Scotopic Microperimetry.

Purpose To investigate the validity and reliability of macular rod photoreceptor function measurement with a microperimeter. Methods Macular sensitivity in dark-adapted retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients (22 eyes; 9-67 years of age) and controls (five eyes; 22-55 years of age) was assessed with a modified Humphrey field analyzer (mHFA), as well as a scotopic microperimeter (Nidek MP-1S). Sensitivity loss (SL) was estimated at rod-mediated locations. All RP eyes were re-evaluated at a second visit 6 months later. The dynamic range of the MP-1S was expanded with a range of neutral-density filters (NDFs). Results In controls, a 4 NDF was used at all macular locations tested. In patients with RP, 0 to 3 NDFs were used, depending on the local disease severity. At rod-mediated locations (n = 281), SL estimates obtained with the MP-1S were highly correlated (r = 0.80) with those of the mHFA. The inter-perimeter difference of SL averaged less than 3 decibels (dB) with all NDFs, except those with most severe locations evaluated with a 0 NDF, where the difference averaged more than 6 dB. The results were similar on the second visit. Conclusions The MP-1S estimates of SL are highly correlated with those of the mHFA over a wide range of disease severity replicated at two visits; however, there was an unexplained bias in the magnitude of SL estimated by the MP-1S especially at loci with severe disease. Translational relevance MP-1S scotopic microperimetry can be used to evaluate changes to macular rod function, but evaluation of treatment potential by quantitative comparison of SL to retinal structure will be more challenging.
Effect of feed-to-inoculum ratio on anaerobic digestibility of high-fat content animal rendering wastewater

Abstract Anaerobic treatment of high-fat content wastewater could produce significant methane yields, making anaerobic treatment a promising alternative to energy-consuming aerobic treatment. However, accumulated intermediate LCFA may inhibit the conversions of both SCFA to acetate and of acetate further to methane. The effect of feed-to-inoculum ratio was evaluated in biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests for anaerobic digestibility of animal rendering wastewater (RW). Results showed that more than 90% of RW COD was converted during BMP tests with volumetric feed-to-inoculum ratio of 1. Higher feed-to-inoculum ratios led to RW COD conversion efficiencies below 64% and caused lag periods of >6 days in methane production. Degradation of acetate at different time points in relation to conversion of LCFA suggested that LCFA accumulation partially hindered acetate utilization. The methanogenic community shifted from hydrogenotrophic to acetoclastic methanogenesis in moderately-loaded BMPs. At highest feed-to-inoculum ratio of 9, acetoclastic methanogens were severely inhibited. The bacterial genus Syntrophomonas was present in increasing relative abundance with increasing feed-to-inoculum ratio. Increased relative abundance of the genus Desulfovibrio with increasing feed-to-inoculum ratio was likely a response to the high sulfate concentration in RW.
Mapping spatial patterns of stream power and channel change along a gravel-bed river in northern Yellowstone

Abstract Stream power represents the rate of energy expenditure along a river and can be calculated using topographic data acquired via remote sensing or field surveys. This study sought to quantitatively relate temporal changes in the form of Soda Butte Creek, a gravel-bed river in northeastern Yellowstone National Park, to stream power gradients along an 8-km reach. Aerial photographs from 1994 to 2012 and ground-based surveys were used to develop a locational probability map and morphologic sediment budget to assess lateral channel mobility and changes in net sediment flux. A drainage area-to-discharge relationship and DEM developed from LiDAR data were used to obtain the discharge and slope values needed to calculate stream power. Local and lagged relationships between mean stream power gradient at median peak discharge and volumes of erosion, deposition, and net sediment flux were quantified via spatial cross-correlation analyses. Similarly, autocorrelations of locational probabilities and sediment fluxes were used to examine spatial patterns of sediment sources and sinks. Energy expended above critical stream power was calculated for each time period to relate the magnitude and duration of peak flows to the total volumetric change in each time increment. Collectively, we refer to these methods as the stream power gradient (SPG) framework. The results of this study were compromised by methodological limitations of the SPG framework and revealed some complications likely to arise when applying this framework to small, wandering, gravel-bed rivers. Correlations between stream power gradients and sediment flux were generally weak, highlighting the inability of relatively simple statistical approaches to link sub-budget cell-scale sediment dynamics to larger-scale driving forces such as stream power gradients. Improving the moderate spatial resolution techniques used in this study and acquiring very-high resolution data from recently developed methods in fluvial remote sensing could help improve understanding of the spatial organization of stream power, sediment transport, and channel change in dynamic natural rivers.
The EMPOWER (Enhancing, Managing, and Promoting Well-being and Resiliency) Program Within The Jaffe Food Allergy Institute – A person-centered care initiative

The EMPOWER program was launched to provide patient and family-centered care, which includes emotional support and consultation to children who suffer from food allergy and their parents. It resides within the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute in the Department of Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai inNew York,USA. Patients’ perspectives are central to program development. Patient and family feedback has been incorporated into all operational and developmental aspects of the emerging program. This approach is frequently recommended but rarely practiced. [1,2] This manuscript presents the original aims of the program, the way those aims were approached, and the progress to date. Research results, as well as information about programmatic processes, are presented, with the intent of providing useful information to readers who might be interested in creating similar patient-centered programs.
Progress in Lanthanides as Luminescent Probes

Using luminescent lanthanides, instead of conventional fluorophores, as donor molecules in resonance energy transfer measurements offers many technical advantages and opens up a wide-range of new applications. Advantages include farther measurable distances (∼ 100 A) with greater accuracy, and insensitivity to incomplete labeling. We have also generated new luminescent lanthanide compounds with various advantages over more conventional probes. Applications highlighted include the study of ion channels in living cells and measuring in vitro conformation changes within smooth muscle myosin
A multifunctional hybrid hip joint for improved adaptability in miniature climbing robots

The subject of this paper is a hybrid hip biped climbing robot. The hybrid hip provides both prismatic and revolute motion, discretely, to the robot, using a single actuator. This is intended to improve its adaptability in confined environments and its capability to maneuver over and around obstacles. Optimization of the hybrid hip relative to the robot size, weight, and actuation limits is considered while maximizing range of motion. The mechanical structure of the robot is discussed, as well as forward and inverse kinematics for motion planning. Workplace analysis indicates the hip provides an appreciable improvement in foot placement capability when compared to a purely prismatic or revolute hip movement.
Two-fiber optical channel shared protection ring with 4/spl times/4 thermal-optic switches

A two-fiber optical channel shared protection ring including node architecture, signaling protocol, control hardware and software is designed and implemented experimentally. A total protection switching time of 12 ms is demonstrated, along with a revert-to-normal switching time of 3 ms.
Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Are We Making Progress?

Pancreatic cancer, as the 4 th leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., remains a challenging disease for all oncologists. Less than 20% of all cases could be potentially cured by surgical resection, while the majority of cases are deemed either unresectable or metastatic upon diagnosis. In this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, several studies were presented with novel approaches towards treating locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The LAP-07 study, a large phase III study with two separate randomizations, updated their accrual status, but with no interim data yet reported (Abstract #e14619). A single institutional review study reported its promising results on the incorporation of interferon to chemoradiation, but the toxicities could be concerning (Abstract #e14648). Abstract #e14607 demonstrated promising survival data from a tri-modality approach incorporating local and systemic chemotherapy concurrent with external beam radiation as well as radiofrequency ablation. The tolerability of sorafenib in locally advanced pancreatic cancer was shown in a small phase I study (Abstract #e14525). CyberKnife ® stereotactic body radiation therapy was investigated as a modality for local palliation (Abstract #e14506). More effective therapeutic agents and approaches are still needed in this difficult disease. This highlight article will focus on the management of locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Image: VA Connecticut Healthcare System. West Haven, CT, USA
Beamlines without midplane symmetry for neutron and proton cancer therapy

Abstract With the emergence of neutron and proton irradiation facilities for cancer therapy, substantial interest has developed in compact gantry beamlines which can be rotated around the patient and guide the beam from the rotation axis to the perpendicular irradiation axis. We propose a new type of beamline which differs from other approaches by giving up midplane symmetry but requiring only three bending magnets. Compared to other designs, this layout increases the amount of room for patient and instrumentation while maintaining rather compact exterior dimensions. The lack of midplane symmetry conceptually complicates the design in several aspects. However, using solenoids for linear decoupling and focusing, the system can be made linearly achromatic in both planes. In order to achieve the required beam spot size in the transport, careful higher-order correction is necessary, in particular because of the coupling aberrations that arise from lack of midplane symmetry. In the proposed system, the relevant second- and third-order aberrations have been corrected.
Cranial subdural hematoma following lumbar myelography

A case of cranial subdural hematoma after lumbar myelography is reported. The literature of this unusual complication of lumbar myelography is reviewed and the possible mechanism is discussed briefly.
Studies of ribosomal proteins of yeast species and their hybrids: gel electrophoresis and immunochemical cross-reactions.

The cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins (r-proteins) of seventeen yeast species of the genera Saccharomyces and Kluyveromyces were analyzed by one-dimensional gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. The electrophoretic patterns of cytoplasmic r-proteins from different species display extensive differences in both the 40S and the 60S subunit. Relatedness of species suggested by r-protein patterns correlates well with that based on DNA/DNA homology (Bicknell and Douglas 1970). Immunochemical cross-reactions and antibiotic susceptibility tests were also used to compare different species. Analyses of r-proteins from two different interspecific hybrids showed that their ribosomes were hybrid, containing r-proteins from both parents. These findings are discussed in relation to the evolution of yeast species and the regulation of expression of r-proteins in cucaryotes.
Effect of contrast level and temporal order on the Ebbinghaus circles illusion

Forty-eight undergraduates between 17 and 24 years of age judged the size of the central circle in Ebbinghaus figures presented under either simultaneous or successive viewing conditions. Successive presentation diminished the magnitude of illusion produced by the underestimated Ebbinghaus figure and totally eliminated the illusion normally produced by the overestimated figure. Variations in lightness contrast of the central and surrounding circles significantly altered the magnitude of illusion produced by both simultaneous Ebbinghaus figures as well as that produced by the successive underestimated figure. These data suggest the presence of a contour interaction process in both simultaneous Ebbinghaus illusions.
Olfactory discrimination of lithium chloride by the coyote (Canis latrans).

Following illness from 100 g dog food containing 6 g lithium chloride, coyotes (Canis latrans) were presented with a series of simultaneous olfactory discrimination tests. In the first test the coyotes avoided dog food laced with 6 g lithium chloride, choosing plain dog food on all trials. In the second test the coyotes avoided dog food laced with 6 g sodium chloride, again choosing plain dog food on all trials. When tested with dog foods containing 6 g lithium chloride vs 6 g sodium chloride, the lithium chloride-laced food was avoided on 83% of the trials. Then, in a series of tests with decreasing quantities of lithium chloride in laced dog food vs plain dog food, the coyotes' performance was found to be a linear function of the logarithm of the quantity of lithium chloride in the food. Errorless performance occurred at 1 g lithium chloride and above, 75% correct responding occurred at 50 mg lithium chloride, and chance performance occurred at 3 mg lithium chloride and below. These results indicate that coyotes can form an olfactory aversion to lithium chloride in food, and although they can discriminate lithium chloride from sodium chloride by olfaction, the aversion will generalize to sodium chloride. The results are discussed regarding the aversive conditioning of nongustatory cues by taste mediation and the use of proper dosages of lithium chloride in the control of coyote predation on domestic livestock.
Rheology of dispersant-free aqueous slurries of carbon black

The rheological characteristics of dispersant-free aqueous slurries of carbon blacks have been studied over a range of concentrations of 4 to 18%. Single pass measurements were carried out with a falling plunger viscometer in order to determine as nearly as possible, the properties of the undisturbed slurries. The slurries exhibit plastic or pseudoplastic flow behavior but are extremely sensitive to conditions of preparation. Slurries can be thickened by the application of high shear and thinned by the application of low shear. These changes are not spontaneously reversible on standing. The rheology of slurries of different carbon blacks depends on their particle size, “structure”, and surface chemistry. These results are interpreted in terms of a model involving small anisometric aggregates which can associate to form either a network or else a system of large, spherical flocs.
Dimensional analysis in surface irrigation

The surface-irrigation design process requires multiple analyses of surface irrigations to test tentative values of design parameters in the search for an optimum. Preparation of general design charts can aid the design process if the users' test cases fall within the scope of the charts. The large number of independent variables in surface irrigation preclude the generation of charts covering the practical range of all independent variables, when these are in dimensioned form. Dimensionless formulations allow significant reductions in the amount of data generated and presented, without loss of generality. Relationships pertinent to surface-irrigation analyses and design are reviewed in dimensionless terms. Dimensionless forms are developed primarily from an examination of the equations governing surface-irrigation phenomena. Additionally, dimensionless forms are derived from a study of the dimensions of the pertinent variables, without recourse to the governing equations. The Buckingham Pi Theorem is derived in the context of surface irrigation. Different choices for reference variables, leading to different meanings for the resulting dimensionless parameters, have advantages and disadvantages for analysis and design of surface irrigation systems. The different systems developed in the past for border irrigation are reviewed and their consequences noted; new systems with potential for future studies are suggested. Particular attention is devoted to those dimensionless representations useful in design.
Multiple shoot regeneration of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) from a shoot apex culture system

In this research, a medium was developed that would stimulate multiple shoot initiation from shoot apex explants of Hibiscus cannabinus L. (kenaf). Adventitious shoot formation on a shoot induction media supplemented with combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) (0, 0.5, 2.3 μmol·l–1) and thidiazuron (N-phenyl-N′-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea; TDZ) (0, 1, 5, 20 μmol·l–1) was evaluated. Multiple shoot induction medium with 1 μmol·TDZ l–1 resulted in the highest number of regenerated shoots per explant for all three kenaf cultivars tested (Tainung 1, Tainung 2, and Everglades 71). The 2,4-D did not enhance multiple shoot formation. Additionally, kenaf cultivars 7N and SF459 also produced multiple shoots on the induction medium with 1 μmol·TDZ l–1. Multiple shoot clumps formed after 2 weeks in culture without callus formation. Shoots elongated and rooted within 2 weeks after subculture on a plant growth regulator-free medium. A histological study demonstrated the de novo regeneration of shoots from the shoot apex.
Optimal spectrum management in two-user symmetric interference channels

In this paper, we solve for the optimal spectrum management of the sum-rate maximization problem in two-user symmetric interference channels. A sum-power constraint, or equivalently, equal power constraints are assumed. First, by solving a closed form equation, we explicitly obtain the optimal spectrum management in flat channels as an optimal combination of flat FDMA and flat frequency sharing, exploiting the fact that all spectrum management schemes are built with these two basic co-existence strategies. Based on this result, we show that the non-convex optimization over the spectrum and power allocation in frequency selective channels can be equivalently transformed into a convex optimization in the primal domain.
The New Alcohol Warning Labels: How Noticeable are They?

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of various existing warning design factors on the noticeability of warnings on alcoholic beverage containers. One-hundred containers, 50 with warnings and 50 without, were used as stimuli and the time required to determine whether or not a warning was present was recorded. The results indicate that warnings on the front label were found more quickly than warnings appearing in any other location. Also, warnings printed horizontally were found more quickly than warning printed vertically. A regression analysis found that features of the signal word/phrase (“Government Warning”), as well as the amount of “noise” or clutter on the surrounding label, significantly influenced warning detection times. Thus, some of the design features currently used were shown to have an effect on noticeability of warning information. It is suggested that proper manipulation of these features could make the mandated warning more noticeable.
In vivo and in vitro CYP1B mRNA expression in channel catfish

Our goal was to study the induction of CYP1B mRNA expression in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). CYP1B belongs to the cytochrome P450 superfamily of genes, is involved in the oxidation of endogenous and exogenous compounds, and could potentially be a useful biomarker in fish for exposure to AhR ligands. The full-length catfish CYP1B cDNA is 2417 nt to the polyA tail and encodes a putative protein of 536 amino acids. It has 67% amino acid similarity to carp and zebrafish CYP1B and 68% similarity to carp CYP1B2. Male channel catfish were collected from three Mississippi Delta sites: Lake Roebuck, Itta Bena; Bee Lake, Thornton; and Sunflower River, Indianola. Total RNA was isolated from wild-caught catfish gill, blood, gonad and liver tissues. Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR was used to determine relative induction of CYP1B in wild catfish compared to laboratory control and BaP-exposed catfish (20mg/kg i.p. after 4 days). BaP exposure significantly induced CYP1B message in blood, gonad, and liver of laboratory catfish. In these same tissues of wild catfish from sites with relatively low sediment contaminants, CYP1B message was not statistically increased relative to laboratory control catfish. CYP1B transcript abundance was higher in gills compared to other tissues in both laboratory and wild catfish. When primary cultured gill cells were treated with increasing concentrations of BaP, TCDD, and PCBs 77, 126 and 169, CYP1B mRNA was induced more than 10-fold while PCB153 and 4,4'DDT did not cause significant CYP1B induction. Our results suggest that catfish CYP1B is induced by the classic AhR ligands.
Reflections on measurement of residual stress in rock

Consideration of the behaviour of elastic bodies shows that it is not possible for a set of overcoring measurements that are made within isolated blocks to show residual strains or stresses that have a non-zero average, unless the size of the equilibrium volume over which the residual stresses balance is both considerably larger than the volume of the overcore and smaller than the size of the isolated block. Since some results have been reported that do not match these constraints, non-elastic behaviour must have occurred during overcoring. A possible explanation is that oriented microcracks are somehow opened by the overcoring. In some cases, stress fields induced by microcracking near the overcoring cut may explain measured strain changes far from the cut. Consideration of various reported measurements in terms of relative sizes of overcoring and equilibrium volumes shows that care is necessary when interpreting residual stress measurements.
PARTY PROMISES AND PRESIDENTIAL PERFORMANCE: SOCIAL POLICIES OF THE MODERN PRESIDENTS, FDR-CLINTON

This study focuses on the relationship between party platforms and presidential performance in making public policies. The research of Gerald Pomper among others indicates that in a majority of cases, presidents fulfill party promises made in the platforms presented at the national conventions. The study reported here builds upon this previous work and investigates one aspect of the party platform/presidential action relationship—namely, the extent to which presidents carry out the promises made by their party about social issues.
The Political Context of School Desegregation Equity, School Improvement, and Accountability

Cet article presente une analyse et un bilan de l'impact de la desegregation sur l'equite, l'amelioration du systeme scolaire et la prise de responsabilite des acteurs de ces transformations. L'auteur explore les orientations futures de la desegregation relatives aux questions portant sur l'equite au nouveau millenaire et presente l'ebauche d'une nouvelle politique elaboree a la lumiere des realites du quotidiens des ecoles en milieu urbain et des initiatives a la base des reformes actuelles.
Pennsylvania salient of the Appalachians: A two-azimuth transport model based on new compilations of Piedmont data

New compilations of geometry and tectonic transport in the Pennsylvania salient suggest that these features continue uninterrupted from the Piedmont through the Valley and Ridge provinces. These data are the basis for a new two-azimuth transport model for origin of the curvature. Edge geometry of an Eocambrian craton and a thickened stratigraphy acted as templates for Alleghanian regional decollement, first as Reading Prong ∼N35°W motion, followed by ∼N68°W Blue Ridge motion. Both displacements involved some drag rotation and overprinting in a central zone. This model avoids the problem of minimal tangential stretching, explains the anthracite basins as trailing-edge graben and basin structures against the autochthonous Pocono Plateau, and produces the Nittany-Juniata culmination as an overprinted pileup of duplexes in the central zone. The model of detachment followed by changing azimuth of motion of a megadecollement sheet may apply to other salients throughout the world.
The SLAC monochromatic photon beam

Abstract A multi-GeV monochromatic photon beam is operational at SLAC. The energy spectrum consists of a monochromatic part, derived from the in-flight annihilation of positrons, superimposed on the usual thin target bremsstrahlung. The beam has been successfully utilized in the study of photoproduction processes by both bubble chamber and spark chamber techniques.
The fractured world of the temporary worker : Power, participation, and fragmentation in the contemporary workplace

Prevailing explanations of power, class fragmentation, participation, and resistance in the contemporary workplace have not explicitly incorporated three factors: the decentered work systems increasingly typical in blue- and white-collar occupations; the terms of the employment contract; and exogenous variables, such as previous labor market experiences, that strengthen or weaken workers' commitments to their jobs. This paper demonstrates the significance of these three factors by investigating the empirical case of temporary workers. Using interview and observational field data, I demonstrate how a system of temporary employment in a participative workplace both exploited and shaped entry-level workers' aspirations and occupational goals. I conclude by suggesting that capacities for collective action, or a social movement that might pose a critique of the current transformation of employment relations into a system increasingly characterized by nonstandard jobs, is limited by structural features and by individual embeddedness in stratified occupational systems.
Scientific talent, training, and performance: Intellect, personality, and genetic endowment.

Despite over a century of research, psychologists have still not established scientific talent as an empirically demonstrable phenomenon. To help solve this problem, a talent definition was first p...
The selected use of ultrasound mammography to improve diagnostic accuracy in carcinoma of the breast.

Our initial experience with diagnostic ultrasound mammography (UM) showed it to be of high diagnostic accuracy and improved specificity when compared with x-ray mammography (XRM) in certain categories of patients. To evaluate this modality further, we reviewed our experience with 600 consecutive patients who underwent ultrasound mammography as part of their initial evaluation for breast disease. Five categories of patients were reviewed: I: age 35 or less—129; II: DY or P-2 pattern on XRM—174; III: negative XRM but symptoms requiring additional evaluation—81; IV: high risk remaining breast in patients previously having mastectomy—48; V: refusal of repeat XRM because of pregnancy, lactation, or fear of radiation exposure—168. Fifty-five solid lesions were diagnosed, including 36 carcinomas. Seventeen of these were not diagnosed on x-ray mammography, giving an improved pick-up of carcinoma in this overall group of 2.83%. Of particular interest was that, of the 27 carcinomas that were found in the group having XRM, 8 or 29.6% were missed on that modality alone. Five of these (62.5%) were patients having a DY pattern. All patients have been followed carefully and re-examined at 3-month intervals, with no evidence of a false negative examination. Overall, we feel diagnostic ultrasound mammography is a valuable adjunct to x-ray mammography and recommend its continued use in selected groups of patients where it has a superior diagnostic accuracy over x-ray mammography alone.
Strength asperities along oceanic transform faults: a model for the origin of extensional earthquakes on the Eltanin transform system

Abstract We use finite element simulations of the state of stress in the vicinity of the Eltanin transform system to investigate the possible origin of earthquakes occurring on, or in the immediate vicinity of, transform segments, and featuring normal faulting mechanisms with tension axes oriented approximately 45° away from the azimuth of plate motion, in principle unexpected along transform faults. In addition to solutions previously described in the literature, we report on seven new such mechanisms, including a large event with magnitude >6 in 2001. We model the transform segments as either weak, i.e., featuring the same elastic properties as the ridge, or strong, i.e., featuring the same properties as the surrounding cooled oceanic lithosphere. In addition, we allow irregularities in the geometry of the transform contact, in the form of either bends in the plate boundary (‘jogs’) or asperities, i.e., strong elements in an otherwise weak transform system. We also consider the effect of oblique ridge push on the Pacific plate. We conclude that the seismic properties of the Eltanin transform system are best described by the model of a weak transform, in which a few strong asperities are embedded. We speculate that their origin may be linked to the complex and recent history of readjustments in rates and directions of spreading, notably to the south of the Eltanin system.
Erratum: “The Accident Externality from Driving”

The estimates reported in specification 5 of table 5 -- Yearly External Accident Cost of Marginal Driver for Select States, 1966 -- in our article “The Accident Externality from Driving” published in this Journal (vol. 114 [October 2006]: 931–55) are incorrect. The correct estimates and an explanation of what led to the error are provided.
Pursuit around a hole

The solution of isaacs1 problem of optimal pursuit in a plane with a circular disk removed, given constant speeds, zero turning radius, and perfect visibility for both players is presented herein. The hole has three effects: the trivial effect that shortest paths are not straight, the trapping effect to turn the evader from running into the hole, and the screening effect causing an evader retreating behind the hole not to retreat across a line through its center.
Frequency of allergy to ticlopidine among patients allergic to clopidogrel (and vice versa)

Background: The two currently available thienopyridines, clopidogrel and ticlopidine, are structurally very similar, differing only by a carboxymethyl side group. In patients allergic to one thienopyridine, the likelihood that an allergy will also develop to the other is unknown. Methods: We analyzed the electronic health record and performed a retrospective chart review of all patients with allergic or hematologic adverse reactions to clopidogrel or ticlopidine who were ever prescribed the other thienopyridine. Details of the allergy or adverse reaction and the subsequent clinical course were carefully reviewed. Dermatologic or hematologic side effects, angioedema, or anaphylaxis, which developed when the thienopyridine was initiated and resolved with its discontinuation, were included in this study. No patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura were challenged with the other thienopyridine. Gastrointestinal intolerance was not included in this study. Results: We identified 76 patients with an allergy or hematologic adverse reaction to either clopidogrel (n=52) or ticlopidine (n=38) who also received the other thienopyridine. Their mean agewas 69 years; 30%were female. The allergic or adverse reactions were dermatologic in 89%, angioedema in 5%, thrombocytopenia in 4%, and neutropenia in 3%; no patient developed anaphylaxis. Thirty-eight (73%) of the clopidogrel-allergic patients and 24 (63%) of the ticlopidine-allergic patients tolerated the other thienopyridine well. Fourteen (18%) patients had allergic or hematologic adverse reactions to both drugs. Therefore, among patients with allergic or hematologic adverse reactions to clopidogrel, 27% also had similar reactions to ticlopidine. None developed a life-threatening reaction requiring emergency therapy. Conclusions: In patients with allergic or hematologic adverse reactions to a thienopyridine, there appears to be an increased frequency of such reactions to the other thienopyridine. In patients who develop what is believed to be an allergy (mostly rash) to clopidogrel, life-threatening reactions were not seen in patients subsequently treated with ticlopidine.
EXPRESSION OF BIKUNIN mRNA IN RENAL EPITHELIAL CELLS AFTER OXALATE EXPOSURE

ABSTRACTPurpose: To determine the changes in expression of bikunin in renal epithelial cells on exposure to oxalate and calcium oxalate crystals.Materials and Methods: This study used reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to examine bikunin mRNA expression levels in MDCK cells exposed to oxalate or calcium oxalate crystals. Poly(A)+ RNA was isolated directly from renal epithelial cells, then converted to cDNA with random primers and reverse transcriptase. To quantify the expression level of bikunin mRNA, we developed a competitive DNA template for competitive PCR analysis. The PCR products were resolved by electrophoresis on 1.3% agarose gel and visualized with ethidium bromide. In this system, we could quantify the exact number of bikunin mRNA transcripts. Bikunin mRNA from rat liver was expressed as a positive control.Results: Bikunin mRNAs and competitive templates from renal epithelial cells were expressed in all samples as 434 bp and 312 bp bands, respectively. Bikunin expression w...
Standards for the EAP Profession: Isn't It Time We All Start Speaking the Same Language?

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are expected to provide efficient and effective services to their customers. Practice standards, including evidence-based interventions and standardized outcomes, have not been established. This article reports findings from an online survey focused on EAP outcomes from 23 EAP owners, who cover 1,500 work organizations and more than 900,000 employees. Results suggest work-related stress and cost of health care are of paramount concern to EAPs and their customers, and standardized outcomes and reporting formulas would be welcomed. Implications for future research to advance the EAP field and better demonstrate value are discussed.
The Dye Dilution Method for Describing the Central Circulation An Analysis of Factors Shaping the Time-Concentration Curves

In addition to providing accurate measurement of circulation times and cardiac output, the dye dilution curves may reveal the size and location of the volumes of blood with which the dye is mixed in the central circulatory system. A trivalent approach to the analysis of these curves is presented by a combination of theoretic analysis, mechanical system experimentation and clinical observation.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Exchange-Enhanced Metals: Rh 103 Knight Shifts and Relaxation Rates in Palladium-Rhodium and Nickel-Rhodium Alloys

Low-temperature ($T\ensuremath{\approx}1\ensuremath{-}4$\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K) measurements of the resonance shift $K$, spin-lattice relaxation time ${T}_{1}$, and inhomogeneous linewidth $W$ of $^{103}\mathrm{Rh}$ in the two alloy systems ${\mathrm{Pd}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Rh}}_{x} (0.02\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}1)$ and ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Rh}}_{x} (0.38\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}1)$ have been carried out using transient NMR techniques. In ${\mathrm{Pd}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Rh}}_{x}$ both ${T}_{1}T$ and $K$ vary monotonically with $K$ decreasing from +0.43 to -15%, and ${T}_{1}T$ from 9.2 to 0.7 sec \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Similar results are found in ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Rh}}_{x}$, with $K$ decreasing from +0.43 to -8.1%, and ${T}_{1}T$ from 9.2 to 1.2 sec \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The $^{103}\mathrm{Rh}$ NMR in both alloy systems is characterized by severe inhomogeneous broadening, with $W$ approaching $K$ in magnitude in some cases. This result demonstrates that the local susceptibility is very sensitive to statistical variations in the near-neighbor alloy composition. The minimum $K$ value in Pd-Rh agrees with the infinite-dilution value $K=\ensuremath{-}14.7%$ obtained by Rao, Matthias, and Shirley using perturbed-angular-correlation techniques, and indicates that $K$ is essentially independent of $x$ for Rh concentrations up to \ensuremath{\sim} 5 at.%. A comparison of this result with the $^{105}\mathrm{Pd}$ Knight shift in palladium metal shows that the local susceptibility at the rhodium sites is approximately three times greater than the palladium host susceptibility. This deviation from rigid-band behavior develops gradully with decreasing rhodium concentration for $xl0.4$. In contrast, the Ni-Rh NMR data suggest that the rhodium susceptibility is significantly smaller than the nickel susceptibility at all rhodium concentrations. An analysis of the $^{103}\mathrm{Rh}$ shift and relaxation data for Pd-Rh and Ni-Rh demonstrates that both quantities are dominated by an exchange-enhanced $d$-spin (core-polarization) hyperfine mechanism for sufficiently low rhodium concentrations. Moreover, the observed relationship between $K$ and ${T}_{1}T$ is shown to be more characteristic of a uniform-enhancement model than a localized spin-fluctuation model even in dilute $\mathrm{Pd}\mathrm{Rh}$ alloys. On the basis of this behavior, it is argued that a local-moment description of dilute rhodium impurities in palladium is inappropriate.
Remittance Receipt and Business Ownership in the Dominican Republic

Using household-level data from the Dominican communities in the Latin American Migration Project (LAMP-DR7), we examine the links between remittance receipt and business ownership. We find that while the existence of a family business attracts remittance inflows, these monetary funds are associated with a reduced likelihood of business entrepreneurship. These results are consistent with various hypotheses regarding remittances and business investments. First, remittances may be motivated by the availability of investment opportunities in the home community. Second, remittances may respond to a bequest motive on the part of the emigrant, who may wish to lay claim on family assets when returning home. Lastly, remittances may cause an income effect that reduces family labour force participation and, correspondingly, the likelihood of family-run business investments.
Social relations and self‐esteem of children with learning disabilities

Abstract This paper reviews research on the self‐esteem and social relations of children with learning disabilites (LD). The following issues concerning social relations are dealt with: (1) peer and adult perception of children with learning disabilities, (2) the friendship choices of these children, and (3) the factors underlying their prevailing social status. Three issues are discussed in regard to self‐esteem: (1) whether the self‐esteem of LD children differs from that of their normal learning peers, (2) whether self‐esteem and achievement level are correlated in those labeled as LD, and (3) whether educational remediation is accompanied by changes in self‐esteem in this population. General theoretical and methodological issues are also discussed. Directions for future research are suggested, and some implications of the data for clinical and educational practices are presented.
Chemical linkage of carcinogenic 3,4-benzpyrene to DNA in aqueous solution induced by peroxide and iodine.

THE origin of the biological specificity of polycyclic hydrocarbons has long confronted investigators interested in carcinogenesis. The affinity and the extent of physical binding of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons (for example, 3,4-benzpyrene against 1,2-benzpyrene or 1,2,5,6-dibenzanthracene against 1,2,3,4-dibenzanthracene) to DNA cannot be correlated with carcinogenicity1. Chemical complexes of polycyclic carcinogens with DNA have been found in biological systems2,3, and the available data indicate that the extent of complex formation may be correlated with the carcinogenic potency of these compounds3. Ts'o and Lu4 have reported the formation of a covalent linkage between 3,4-benzpyrene (3,4-BP) and DNA in aqueous solution, induced by photoirradiation. Preliminary experiments with carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic hydrocarbons have shown no selective activation of carcinogenic compounds by photoirradiation. Rapaport and Ts'o5 have achieved a covalent linkage between 3,4-BP and DNA by X-irradiation which suggests that polycyclic hydrocarbons may be activated by hydroxyl radicals. Rochlitz6 reported that a covalent linkage between 3,4-BP and pyridine had been induced by iodine vapour in a pyridine–solid phase system. Here we wish to report the formation of a 3,4-BP–DNA covalent linkage in an aqueous, neutral solution, at 0°–50° C, induced by peroxide and iodine. Little or no 1,2-BP–DNA chemical complex formation was found in identical conditions. Thus the chemical reactivity of this pair of isomers with DNA in the present aqueous system can be correlated with their carcinogenicity.
Effects of selected therapeutic agents on urolithiasis induced by terephthalic acid in the male weanling Fischer 344 rat.

Abstract Exposure of male weanling Fischer 344 rats to 4.0% terephthalic acid (TPA) in the diet (positive controls) for two weeks (postnatal days 28–42) resulted in a 50% incidence of bladder calculi, aciduria, elevated urinary excretion of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), and slightly elevated serum levels of Ca and Mg relative to negative controls. Possible mechanisms of TPA-induced urolithiasis were examined by daily oral administration of allopurinol, chlorothiazide, or neutral phosphates, at their recommended therapeutic doses during exposure to dietary 4.0% TPA. An additional group was fed 4.0% TPA and 4.0% sodium bicarbonate in the diet for two weeks. Chlorothiazide or dietary bicarbonate abolished TPA-induced urolithiasis, but allopurinol and neutral phosphates had no effect. Bicarbonate increased water intake above that of positive controls and ameliorated the TPA-induced aciduria. It also increased urinary Mg and TPA above positive control values. Chlorothiazide reduced urinary Ca and TPA levels below those of positive controls. Treatment with chlorothiazide, neutral phosphates or bicarbonate slightly reduced serum Ca below the levels in either positive or negative controls. Drug treatment did not alter TPA-induced elevated serum Mg levels, but bicarbonate reduced serum Mg levels to negative control values. In conclusion, TPA-induced urolithiasis in male weanling rats was abolished by therapeutic agents which reduced urinary Ca and TPA excretion (chlorothiazide), or which enhanced water intake, urinary Mg and TPA excretion, and ameliorated TPA-induced aciduria (dietary bicarbonate). These factors appear to be critical for TPA-induced urolithiasis.
Liquid-phase combinatorial synthesis: In search of small-molecule enzyme mimics

The applications, advantages and recent advances in liquid-phase combinatorial chemistry using poly-(ethyleneglycol) as a soluble polymer support are reviewed. Our recent efforts towards the synthesis of peptide-based catalysts on polyethyleneglycol are reported. The screening of libraries of peptides for catalysis is discussed.
The League of Nations Experiment in International Protection

Concerns beyond borders was not a new idea in 1919 when the League of Nations became the institutional guardian of such concerns. The freedom of action implied in the concept of sovereignty had always been subject, at least in theory, to the restraint of judgment by some external standard such as divine or natural law. In the system of international protection administered by the League, a number of standards external to the sovereign state were given explicit formulation and put on a contract basis in treaties and in the League Covenant itself. The standards were not universal in application. They were to be applied only in mandated territories and in states bound by specific minority treaties. Within those geographic limits the standards were detailed and non-negotiable. They concerned civil and political rights, equal protection before the law, religious freedom, economic development, and protection from exploitation. How well did this system of protection function? What was the League of Nations able to do in the twenty years between two world wars when it was responsible for the maintenance of these international norms?