cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acetyl transferase-mediated metabolic activation of N-hydroxy-4-aminobiphenyl by human uroepithelial cells

Metabolism and nucleic acid binding of N-hydroxy-4-aminobiphenyl (N-OH-ABP), a proximate carcinogenic metabolite of the human bladder carcinogen 4-aminobiphenyl (ABP), was investigated using cultured normal human uroepithelial cells (HUC). HPLC and TLC of the ethyl acetate extract of the media from cultured HUC after 4 h exposure to N-OH-ABP revealed the formation of two major metabolites, ABP and 4-acetylaminobiphenyl (AABP), suggesting the presence of N-acetyl transferase(s) in HUC. This was further confirmed by the formation of AABP, during the incubation of ABP with acetyl coenzyme A (AcCoA) and HUC cytosol. To test whether these enzymes also catalyze the AcCoA-dependent O-acetylation, we examined the metabolic activation of N-OH-ABP using cytosolic preparations. Cytosol from HUC catalyzed AcCoA-dependent binding of [3H]N-OH-ABP to RNA; the amount of binding was 757 pmol/mg RNA/mg protein. Binding with DNA was quantitatively similar to RNA. HPLC and TLC analyses of the enzymatic hydrolysate of [3H]N-OH-ABP-bound DNA revealed the major adduct to be N-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl, based on mobility of the radioactivity in comparison with the authentic synthetic standard. 32P-Post-labeling analysis of the DNA from the cytosol-mediated binding of N-OH-ABP revealed four radioactive spots. In contrast, post-labeling analysis of the DNA from intact HUC exposed to N-OH-ABP showed five adducts, including two of the adducts observed with HUC cytosols, suggesting the possible involvement of additional activation pathway(s) in intact HUC. These results suggest that bioactivation of N-OH-ABP could occur within the HUC, the target organ for ABP, and that cytosolic acetyl transferase(s) may play a critical role in susceptibility to arylamine-induced bladder carcinogenesis.
Thermodynamic Analysis of Phase Diagrams of Binary Carbonates Based on a Regular Solution Model

A regular solution model was used to describe the Gibbs free energies of mixing for the solid and the liquid of a binary solvent, from which the compositions of the equilibrium phases were calculated on the principle of equal chemical potentials of the components and a phase diagram was thereby constructed by plotting these compositions at different temperatures. The phase diagrams so calculated with the model parameters set to different values well described the experimental findings from the phase diagrams of binary carbonates previously measured. The modeling results showed that the carbonates were essentially insoluble in the solid state and miscible in the liquid state, the intermolecular forces between any pair of linear carbonates were nearly constant, and the attraction between a linear and a cyclic molecule was considerably weaker than the average of the linear-linear and cyclic-cyclic attractions. They also showed that a greater difference in the melting points of the components caused the eutectic point to be closer to the melting point of the low-melting component, a weaker intermolecular attraction between the component molecules caused the solubility curves to be more convex up, and these two effects were independent of each other. It was further suggested that the compatibility between two carbonate liquids was to a large extent determined by the difference in the number of molecular conformations allowed for by the rotatable single bonds in their molecules, which would also account for the changes in other properties of the carbonates.
Electrogenerated chemiluminescence. XIV. Effect of supporting electrolyte concentration and magnetic field effects in the 9,10-dimethylanthracene-tri-p-tolylamine system in the tetrahydrofuran

Abstract A comparison of the efficiency of photon production in the chemiluminescence studies of Weller and Zachariasse and in ECL for the system involving reaction of 9,10-dimethylanthracene (DMA) radical union and tri- p -tolylamine (TPTA) radical cation in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solutions was undertaken. The luminescence intensity increased and the magnitude of the magnetic field effect decreased when the supporting electrolyte (TBAP) concentration was decreased from 0.2 M to 10 mM. The ECL efficiency, extrapolated to low TBAP concentrations, was in good agreement with that of the chemiluminescence studies.
Isolation of a natural isomer of linoleic acid from a seed oil

trans-10-trans-12-Octadecadienoic acid was found to be a component of the glyceride oil of the seeds ofChilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet. It was isolated by fractional crystallization of the acids at low temperatures. Identification was made by absorption spectra, by the adduct with maleci anhydride, and by identification of degralative products.
Action enhances auditory but not visual temporal sensitivity

People naturally dance to music, and research has shown that rhythmic auditory stimuli facilitate production of precisely timed body movements. If motor mechanisms are closely linked to auditory temporal processing, just as auditory temporal processing facilitates movement production, producing action might reciprocally enhance auditory temporal sensitivity. We tested this novel hypothesis with a standard temporal-bisection paradigm, in which the slope of the temporal-bisection function provides a measure of temporal sensitivity. The bisection slope for auditory time perception was steeper when participants initiated each auditory stimulus sequence via a keypress than when they passively heard each sequence, demonstrating that initiating action enhances auditory temporal sensitivity. This enhancement is specific to the auditory modality, because voluntarily initiating each sequence did not enhance visual temporal sensitivity. A control experiment ruled out the possibility that tactile sensation associated with a keypress increased auditory temporal sensitivity. Taken together, these results demonstrate a unique reciprocal relationship between auditory time perception and motor mechanisms. As auditory perception facilitates precisely timed movements, generating action enhances auditory temporal sensitivity.
Some observations on heavy fermion superconductivity in UBe13

Recently it has been discovered that very slight substitution of Cu for Be in UBe13 depresses superconductivity below 0.050 K. We have measured the low-temperature specific heat of UBe12.94 Cu0.06(Tc<0.050 K) and found that the heavy fermion, condensed phase present in UBe13 appearsunaltered in the copper-substituted material. Therefore, the presence of high-mass electrons is not directly correlated with superconductivity in UBe13.
Staging studies have limited utility for newly diagnosed stage I–II breast cancer

Abstract Background For stage I–II breast cancer, routine radiologic staging in the absence of symptoms suggesting distant metastasis is not recommended. This study aims to determine the yield of these studies at a National Comprehensive Cancer Network member institution. Methods Patients presenting with clinical stage I–II breast cancer between 1998 and 2012 were identified in a prospective database. Charts were reviewed to document staging studies (computed tomography, bone scan, and positron emission tomography) performed within 6 mo of diagnosis. Results and additional diagnostic procedures were recorded. Appropriate statistical tests were used for the analysis. Results A total of 3291 patients were included (2044 stage I and 1247 stage II). Eight hundred eighty-two patients (27%) received computed tomography, bone scan, or positron emission tomography within 6 mo of diagnosis. Three hundred twelve patients were stage I (15% of the stage I cohort) and 570 patients were stage II (46% of the stage II cohort). Patients receiving staging studies were more often younger and had estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-negative or HER2 /neu-positive tumors. Of the 882 patients, 194 (22%) required additional imaging and/or biopsies to further evaluate abnormalities. Only 11 of those (5%) were confirmed to have metastasis (1.2% of the imaged patients, 0.3% of the total cohort). Of these, 1 was stage I at presentation and 10 were stage II. Conclusions Identification of distant metastasis among stage I–II patients was rare. Even among patients judged appropriate for staging, only 1.2% were diagnosed with metastatic disease. These findings suggest that even at a National Comprehensive Cancer Network member institution staging studies are overused and lead to additional testing in over 20% of patients.
Effect of ocular enucleation and altered lighting regimens at various ages on adrenal and gonadal weight and mean plasma corticosteroid levels in the rat.

Adrenal, ovarian and body weight, and mean plasma corticosteroid levels were determined in 30 and 80 day old rats which had either been enucleated at various ages (1, 14 or 30 days) or raised under varying conditions of exposure to constant light (CL) or constant dark (CD). CL or CD was maintained, (a) from birth until time of sacrifice, (b) from birth until 14 or 30 days of age with transfer to normal light-dark until sacrifice, (c) from 14, 30 or 60 days of age (prior rearing in normal light-dark) until sacrifice. Effects of such experimental conditions varied with sex and the age at which altered lighting was begun and terminated. A given lighting regimen could be associated with opposite directions of change in adrenal and gonadal weight.1. Gonadal weight: Male animals reared in CD had decreased gonadal weight at 30 d. of age, but increased gonadal weight at 80 days. Female gonadal weight was unaffected by CD. 80 d. female animals who had been exposed to periods of CL somewhere between 14 and 30 d. of...
Charge generation during oxidation of thin Hf metal films on silicon

Oxidation of Hf metal films on Si appears to follow different charge generation rules than the traditional oxidation of Si described in detail by Deal et al. [B.E. Deal, M. Sklar, A.S. Grove, E.H. Snow, J. Electrochem. Soc. 114 (1967) 226]. Oxidation of thin Hf metal films on silicon in oxygen rich environments to form Hf-silicate results in rapid growth of silicon oxide interfacial layers and generation of significant charge concentration in the films. Oxidation of Hf in oxygen-deficient environment leads to improved control of the interface with much thinner interfacial layers and substantial reduction in the charge present in the films. Results from capacitance vs. voltage and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements are compared to correlate charge with chemical structure evolution during oxidation and dielectric layer formation. It is demonstrated that processing conditions may influence the quality of the Hf dielectric film significantly by generating positive charge that is not intrinsic to the material.
Mercury in soils of the Long Valley, California, geothermal system

Abstract An evaluation of the Hg distribution in soils of the Long Valley, California, geothermal area, was made. A 1 -horizon soil samples were collected utilizing a grid system from the resurgent dome area and the Long Valley area. In addition, samples were collected in five traverses across three fault systems and four traverses across east-west-oriented gullies to measure the importance of aspect. Additional samples were collected in an analysis of variance design to evaluate natural variability in soil composition with sampling interval distance. The primary objectives of this study were to further evaluate the applicability of anomalously high Hg concentration in soils to exploration for geothermal systems and the importance of secondary controls on Hg concentration in soils above geothermal systems. Statistical analysis indicates that there are two populations of Hg concentrations in soils; one affected by geothermal activity and the other unaffected. Samples from the resurgent dome are shown to be statistically different from the samples collected in Long Valley proper with respect to Hg, organic carbon, and pH. This suggests that secondary influences may be important in controlling Hg distribution in soils. Organic carbon in soils is shown by stepwise multiple regression to be the most important secondary parameter controlling Hg concentration. For the most part, the secondary controls of Hg are overwhelmed in an area of prominent geothermal activity. Some faults exhibit prominent anomalies in total Hg concentration and others do not, indicating the possibility of low levels of hydrothermal activity or effective sealing of faults to gas leakage. The analysis of variance results indicate that there is a regional trend in Hg concentration across the resurgent dome. Soils can be sampled for Hg by utilizing a grid of about 0.4 km spacing. However, some local irregularities appear in this pattern and anomalous areas should be prospected at intervals of 100 m or less.
Social Struggle Against the U.S. Navy in Vieques, Puerto Rico: Two Movements in History

The grassroots struggle against the U.S. Navy in Vieques transcended highly divisive colonial politics to build unprecedented political solidarity in Puerto Rico. The success of the recent Vieques ...
Ethnic Differences in Health Behaviors Among College Students

Ethnic minority groups in the U.S. show significant health disparities, likely arising in part from psychosocial influences on health behaviors. This study explores how ethnicity and acculturation relate to health behaviors among 521 college students. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing eating habits (eating vegetables, fruits, and salads vs. French fries and hamburgers), preventative health behaviors (physical exams, dental visits, exercise), and health-harming behaviors (smoking, drinking), as well as a modified acculturation scale (Marin et al., 1987). Results showed that ethnicity and acculturation likely have both positive and negative effects on health behaviors. Despite equality of education, conceptually meaningful group differences in health behaviors were revealed, pointing toward future research on modifying the psychosocial aspects of ethnic health disparities.
Rational design of a macrocycle-based chemosensor for anions

A macrocycle-based fluorescence chemosensor has been designed and synthesized from the reaction of dansyl chloride and a hexaaminomacrocycle containing four secondary and two tertiary amines. The new chemosensor has been examined for its binding ability towards phosphate, sulfate, nitrate, iodide, bromide, chloride, and fluoride by fluorescence spectroscopy in DMSO. The results indicate that the compound binds each of the anions with a 1:1 stoichiometry, showing high affinity for oxoanions, chloride, and iodide with binding constants up to four orders of magnitude. Ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) suggest that the ligand is deformed in order to encapsulate an anion, and each anion, except fluoride, is bonded to the macrocycle through two NH⋯X− and four CH⋯X− interactions.
Deference as a normative power

Much of the literature on practical authority concerns the authority of the state over its subjects—authority to which we are, as G. E. M. Anscombe says, subject “willy nilly”. Yet many of our “willy” (or voluntary) relationships also seem to involve the exercise of practical authority, and this species of authority is in some ways even more puzzling than authority willy nilly. In this paper I argue that voluntary authority relies on a form of voluntary obligation that is akin (in some respects) to the kind of obligation one undertakes in making a promise. Voluntary authority depends, that is, on the possibility of taking on certain obligations more or less at will. It is generated through an interpersonal transaction that involves a directed act of deference, on one side, paired with appropriate uptake of that deference, on the other. Deference, in the relevant sense, should be understood as a normative power that is exercised when agents transfer deliberative discretion to others, undertaking directed obligations to treat others’ directives as content-independent and peremptory reasons. Voluntary authority, thus understood, is both grounded in and constrained by the equal moral authority or autonomy of the participants, since only autonomous agents have the standing to defer in a normatively significant way.
Fatty acid composition of muscle tissue from closely or completely trimmed beef steaks and roasts

Abstract Fifteen beef carcasses (representing U.S. Choice and U.S. Select) were chosen to study the fatty acid composition of beef retail cuts. Fourteen cuts (in sets of three) were fabricated and assigned to one of three treatments: (1) 0.64 cm external fat remaining, raw; (2) 0.64 cm external fat remaining, cooked; and (3) 0.0 cm external fat remaining, cooked. All cuts were dissected and fatty acid composition was determined on the separable lean only. For raw samples, differences between grades were found least often for the brisket, bottom round, tenderloin, and eye of round and most often for cuts from the rib roast, arm pot roast, round tip and top round. For cooked Choice samples, 37 of the 112 combinations of fatty acids × retail cuts differed significantly with cuts cooked without external fat (primarily from the rib, loin, and round) having lower amounts of individual fatty acids than those cooked with external fat. Only 7 out of 112 comparisons for Select cuts were significantly different between fat trim treatments. Fatty acid composition was most influenced by the presence or absence of external fat when single-muscled retail cuts were compared to multiple-muscled cuts.
Clinical and genomic characterization of distal duplications and deletions of chromosome 4q: Study of two cases and review of the literature

Variable clinical presentations of patients with chromosomally detected deletions in the distal long arm (q) of chromosome 4 have been reported. The lack of molecular characterization of the deletion sizes and deleted genes hinders further genotype-phenotype correlation. Using a validated oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (oaCGH) analysis, we examined two patient with apparent chromosomal deletions in the distal 4q region. In the first, oaCGH identified a 2.441 megabase (Mb) duplication and a 12.651 Mb deletion at 4q34.1 in a pregnant female who transmitted this aberration to her son. This mother has only learning disabilities while her son had both renal and cardiac anomalies in the newborn period. Unrecognized paternal genetic factors may contribute to the variable expression. The second patient is a 17-year-old female with a history of Pierre Robin sequence, cardiac abnormalities and learning disabilities. She was diagnosed prenatally with a de novo 4q deletion, and oaCGH defined a 16.435 Mb deletion of 4q34.1 to 4q35.2. Phenotypic comparison and subtractive genomic mapping between these two cases suggested a 4 Mb region possibly harboring a candidate gene for Pierre Robin sequence. Our cases and review of reported cases with genomic findings indicated the presence of familial variants with variable expressivity as well as de novo or inherited pathogenic simple deletion, duplication and complex deletion and duplication in the distal 4q region.
Impaired long-range synchronization of gamma oscillations in the neocortex of a mouse lacking Kv3.2 potassium channels.

Inhibitory interneurons play a critical role in the generation of gamma (20–50 Hz) oscillations, either by forming mutually inhibitory networks or as part of recurrent networks with pyramidal cells. A key property of fast spiking interneurons is their ability to generate brief spikes and high-frequency spike trains with little accommodation. However, the role of their firing properties in network oscillations has not been tested in vivo. Studies in hippocampus in vitro have shown that high-frequency spike doublets in interneurons play a key role in the long-range synchronization of gamma oscillations with little phase lag despite long axonal conduction delays. We generated a knockout (KO) mouse lacking Kv3.2 potassium channel subunits, where infragranular inhibitory interneurons lose the ability both to sustain high-frequency firing and reliably generate high-frequency spike doublets. We recorded cortical local field potentials in anesthetized and awake, restrained mice. Spontaneous activity of the KO and the wild-type (WT) showed similar content of gamma and slow (0.1–15 Hz) frequencies, but the KO showed a significantly larger decay of synchronization of gamma oscillations with distance. Coronal cuts in the cortex of WT mice decreased synchronization to values similar to the intact KO. The synchronization of the slow oscillation showed little decay with distance in both mice and was largely reduced after coronal cuts. Our results show that the firing properties of inhibitory interneurons are critical for long-range synchronization of gamma oscillations, and emphasize that intrinsic electrophysiological properties of single cells may play a key role in the spatiotemporal characteristics of network activity.
Suppression of constant-light-induced blindness but not retinal degeneration by inhibition of the rhodopsin degradation pathway.

Abstract Background: Continuous exposure to light, even at relatively low intensities, leads to retinal damage and blindness in wild-type animals. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying constant-light-induced blindness are poorly understood. It has been presumed that the visual impairment resulting from long-term, continuous exposure to ambient light is a secondary consequence of the effects of light on retinal morphology, but this has not been addressed. Results: To characterize the mechanism underlying light-induced blindness, we applied a molecular genetic approach using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster . We found that the temporal loss of the photoresponse was paralleled by a gradual decline in the concentration of rhodopsin. The decline in rhodopsin and the visual response were suppressed by a C-terminal truncation of rhodopsin, by mutations in arrestin , and by elimination of a lysosomal protein, Sunglasses. Conversely, the visual impairment was greatly enhanced by mutation of the rhodopsin phosphatase, rdgC . Surprisingly, the mutations that suppressed light-induced blindness did not reduce the severity of the retinal degeneration resulting from constant light. Moreover, mutations known to suppress retinal degeneration did not ameliorate the light-induced blindness. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that the constant light-induced blindness and retinal degeneration result from defects in distinct molecular pathways. Our results support a model in which visual impairment caused by continuous illumination occurs through an arrestin-dependent pathway that promotes degradation of rhodopsin.
Application of tumor measurement-based metrics in the real world.

■■■ TO THE EDITOR: Claret et al 1 present a model-based approach to predict overall survival from tumor measurement‐ based metrics and apply it to clinical trials data. Based on our experience with real-world clinical trials data, we recognize both the importance of improved metrics to evaluate new agents and the inherent challenges to identifying alternative tumor measurement‐based metrics. So we congratulate the authors on their work. We, however, have several questions about the authors’ approach that require clarification. First, the definition of time to tumor growth (TTG) is not clear for all patients. For example, for patients whose tumors plateau at the nadir, a value for TTG can be calculated, but it does not accurately reflect time to tumor growth. Furthermore, forpatientswhosetumorskeepshrinkingforthedurationofthe trial follow-up, TTG is censored at the last follow-up and it is unclear what value to assign TTG for these patients. One could define the TTG as the time on-study, but this may introduce bias. Second, were the Cox models time-dependent or landmarked? Or did the authors adopt a fixed-point analysis with time starting at baseline? In that case, the tumor-size response metrics are treated as baseline variables but are not in fact baseline. Third (and possibly related to our second question), how did the authors handle missing lesions or multiple measurements in the analysis (both of which are very common in practice)? Finally, how were patients who experienced clinical progression, went off-study because of toxicity, or developed new lesions handled in the analysis? In our experience, the number of patients going off-therapy for these reasons exceeds the number going off-treatment with Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors‐based progression (growth) of existing lesions. 2 Clarification of these issues will aid in the necessary validations of this promising approach in larger datasets, for patients withadditionaltumortypes,andfortherapieswithothermechanisms of action. We also caution that, in many diseases, the ability for any metric associated with first-line therapy to predict subsequent survival will be likely compromised as time from progression on first-line therapy until death is delayed by the availability of multiple effective therapies. 3
Reducing Wear in an Electromagnetic Clutch

An analytical model of an electromagnetically operated friction-disk clutch is constructed in order to determine the wear on the clutch face. The face consists of two materials—metal rings and friction material. The pertinent differential equations, derived in the Appendexes, are solved numerically. The effects of varying such parameters as hardness, residual magnetism, and elastic constants are studied.
Complementation of direct-injection high-performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the analysis of thiabendazole in fruit juices and concentrates.

Abstract The fungicide thiabendazole was quantified in fruit juices and their concentrates (bulk and store bought) without clean-up by simply injecting 50 μl of dissolved sample into an HPLC. This novel method used a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-methanol-water-ethanolamine (37:11:52:0.02) and was passed through a C18 column at 1 ml/min. Detection was accomplished by fluorescence at 305 nm excitation and 345 nm emission. Using peak height thiabendazole was linear from 0.032 to 2.05 ng injected. The limit of quantitation was 5 ppb for juices and store concentrates (2.0 ppb for the limit of detection), 10 ppb for bulk apple concentrates and 25 ppb for other bulk concentrates (5 and 10 ppb, respectively for the limit of detection). Intra- and interassay percent relative standard deviations for standards and samples were mostly below 7% with none above 9%. Eighty-four juices and concentrates out of 200 analyzed were found to contain thiabendazole (2–2560 ppb) by HPLC and all were shown to be thiabendazole positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The HPLC vs. ELISA correlation coefficient was 0.984.
The absence of an effect of L-tryptophan on the C-fiber reflex in the chronic spinal cat.

Abstract L-tryptophan (150 mg/kg) had no effect on the C-fiber reflex in the acute decerebrate chronic spinal cat. L-tryptophan had been previously shown to facilitate this reflex in the acute decerebrate acute spinal cat. This finding supports the hypothesis that tryptaminergic neurons in the brain have axons which descend the spinal cord to produce modulation of some spinal reflexes.
Sterility in some species related to the sweet potato.

The kinds and sites of sterility and inviability were noted in induced tetraploids of threeIpomoea species, and of hybrids ofIpomoea lacunosa withI. trichocarpa. Tetraploids were somewhat less fertile than diploids, but seeds were normal appearing and ususally viable. Hybrids were much less fertile. Hybrid sterility occurred as pollen abortion, pollen germination failure, and in failure of pollen tube growth. Small and underdeveloped seeds failed to germinate. The sterility of hybrids (but not of tetraploids) is thus very similar to that of the hexaploid sweet potato. Sterility suggests developmental inbalance, which is probably due to genic and perhaps minor chromosomal differences among the parent species of the sweet potato. Hybrid sterility of the sweet potato may have been fixed by polyploidy, and thus may be impossible to eliminate.
Race/ethnicity and the factor structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale: a meta-analysis.

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the factor structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The total number of participants (N) in the assessed studies (k) varied according to whether the original study had used either Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA; N 19,206, k 13) or Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA; N 65,554, k 16). The factor structures of the CES-D were compared across five racial/ethnic groups: African Americans, American Indians, Asians, Whites, and Hispanics. Meta-analysis results suggest that the structure of the CES-D observed in EFAs varied substantially between racial/ethnic groups, whereas the CFA-assessed structure of the CES-D was mostly consistent between racial/ethnic groups. The meta-analysis of EFA studies did not consistently replicate the original four-factor structure reported by Radloff (1977), but the meta-analysis of CFA studies replicated the original four-factor structure in four of the five racial/ethnic groups. Overall, the present meta-analysis found strong evidence that the original four-factor structure may not be the best fit for all racial/ethnic groups. Thus, in clinical settings where the CES-D is used as a tool to screen for depression, clinicians and researchers should recognize the risk that symptoms of depression may be presented differently by members of different racial/ethnic groups.
HF Stimulated Electromagnetic Emissions and radar observations of ionospheric heating from HAARP

High power radio waves excite electrostatic waves in the ionosphere. Electrostatic waves can be detected either by mode conversion into Stimulated Electromagnetic Emission (SEE) or scatter of radar signals. We present the results of SEE observations conducted through high-power HF heating experiments at the High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program. Multiple receiving instruments have been used to observe many low frequency electrostatic modes from a high power electromagnetic pump. These modes are not well characterized. Our ionospheric heating experiments are attempts to understand the process by which an electromagnetic pump wave is converted into high and low-frequency modes.
Power variation from second order differences for pure jump semimartingales

Abstract We introduce power variation constructed from powers of the second-order differences of a discretely observed pure-jump semimartingale processes. We derive the asymptotic behavior of the statistic in the setting of high-frequency observations of the underlying process with a fixed time span. Unlike the standard power variation (formed from the first-order differences of the process), the limit of our proposed statistic is determined solely by the jump component of the process regardless of the activity of the latter. We further show that an associated Central Limit Theorem holds for a wider range of activity of the jump process than for the standard power variation. We apply these results for estimation of the jump activity as well as the integrated stochastic scale.
The long-term, range-wide decline of a once common carnivore: the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius)

The eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) was once common throughout the midwestern and southeastern United States, with consistent annual range-wide harvests of � 100 000 animals. In the 1940s, however, populations seemingly crashed and the species is currently listed by various state agencies as endangered, threatened, or ‘of concern’ across much of its range. We examined long-term harvest records from 10 states to better understand the 20th century population dynamics of eastern spotted skunks, to discern whether the putative decline was biologically real or an artifact of altered harvest pressures and to identify the timing of the decline. Analyses reveal unequivocally that the species was indeed once common in the Great Plains. Beginning in about 1940, harvests dramatically declined, although the onset of declines differed between states. By the early 1950s total harvests in all states were < 10% of pre-crash harvest. Thereafter, rates of decline slowed, but nevertheless continued, such that by the 1980s harvests were < 1% of those during pre-decline years. Analyses show that these declines are real and not an artifact of harvest effort. Although the causes of the decline remain unclear, the analyses suggest a need for immediate attention to address the long-term persistence of this species.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR INVOLVEMENT IN FRIEDREICH'S ATAXIA.

Abstract The case of a young man with Friedrich's ataxia who died of intractable atrial arrhythmias and cardiac failure is presented. At necropsy there was widespread involvement of the small arteries of the myocardium (including the cardiac conduction system) and lungs. After critical review of previous necropsy studies in this disease, it is suggested that the most likely explanation for the cardiopathy of Friedreich's ataxia is obliteration of the small coronary arteries. Potential significance of the pulmonary arteriopathy is briefly discussed.
Preventing establishment of exotic shrubs (Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link. and Cytisus striatus (Hill)) with soil active herbicides (hexazinone, sulfometuron, and metsulfuron)

A greenhouse study was conducted evaluating the potential for commonly used forestry herbicides to control germination success of Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link.) and Portuguese broom (Cytisus striatus (Hill). Three herbicides, hexazinone, sulfometuron and metsulfuron, were evaluated at six rates encompassing normal rates used for herbaceous weed control. The data suggest that these herbicides applied prior to establishment can strongly affect seedling establishment of these species even though they are ineffective on mature individuals. Hexazinone strongly affected both the final weight of surviving seedlings and the probability of seedlings from broom species to survive to week nine. Sulfometuron had no effect on survival probability of either species but reduced final dry weight and delayed true leaf development at increased rates. Metsulfuron reduced the survivorship potential of Scotch broom but not Portugese broom. Final dry weight decreased and development of true leaves was delayed for both species treated with metsulfuron. These results suggest that preemergence treatments with hexazinone may provide an effective method of preventing broom establishment. Sulfometuron and metsulfuron were not as effective at preventing successful establishment as hexazinone.
Homography from Coplanar Ellipses with Application to Forensic Blood Splatter Reconstruction

Reconstruction of the point source of blood splatter in a crime scene is an important and difficult problem in forensic science. We study the problem of automatically reconstructing the 3-D location of the victim of a shooting from photographs of planar surfaces with blood splattered on them. We analyze this problem in terms of the multiple-view geometry of planar conic sections. Using projective invariants associated with pairs of conic sections, we match images of multiple conic sections taken from widely separated viewpoints. We further recover the homography between two views using the common tangents of pairs of conic sections. The location of the point source is then retrieved from the reconstructed scene geometry. We suggest how to extend these results to scenes containing multiple planar surfaces, and verify the proposed method with experiments on both synthetic and real images.
The surface properties of Shewanella putrefaciens 200 and S. oneidensis MR-1: the effect of pH and terminal electron acceptors

We investigated the surface characteristics of two strains of Shewanella sp., S. oneidensis MR-1 and S. putrefaciens 200, that were grown under aerobic conditions as well as under anaerobic conditions with trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) as the electron acceptor. The investigation focused on the experimental determination of electrophoretic mobility (EPM) under a range of pH and ionic strength, as well as by subsequent modeling in which Shewanella cells were considered to be soft particles with water- and ion-permeable outermost layers. The soft layer of p200 is significantly more highly charged (i.e., more negative) than that of MR-1. The effect of electron acceptor on the soft particle characteristics of Shewanella sp. is complex. The fixed charge density, which is a measure of the deionized and deprotonated functional groups in the soft layer polymers, is slightly greater (i.e., more negative) for aerobically grown p200 than for p200 grown with TMAO. On the other hand, the fixed charge density of aerobically grown MR1 is slightly less than that of p200 grown with TMAO. The effect of pH on the soft particle characteristics is also complex, and does not exhibit a clear pH-dependent trend. The Shewanella surface characteristics were attributed to the nature of the outermost soft layer, the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in case of p200 and lypopolysaccharides (LPS) in case of MR1 which generally lacks EPS. The growth conditions (i.e., aerobic vs. anaerobic TMAO) have an influence on the soft layer characteristics of Shewanella sp. cells. Meanwhile, the clear pH dependency of the mechanical and morphological characteristics of EPS and LPS layers, observed in previous studies through atomic force microscopy, adhesion tests and spectroscopies, cannot be corroborated by the electrohydrodynamics-based soft particle characteristics which does not exhibited a clear pH dependency in this study. While the electrohydrodynamics-based soft-particle model is a useful tool in understanding bacteria’s surface properties, it needs to be supplemented with other characterization methods and models (e.g., chemical and micromechanical) in order to comprehensively address all of the surface-related characteristics important in environmental and other aqueous processes.
Growth mechanism of catalyst- and template-free InN nanorods

A feasible mechanism for catalyst- and template-free InN nanorod growth was proposed, consisting of the random nanoparticle nucleation from stable gas phase oligomers and the subsequent directional growth along the c-axis. A combined study of equilibrium analysis and computational thermochemistry was used to determine the optimal growth conditions – growth temperature and Cl/In ratio – for InN nano-rod growth based on the proposed mechanism, and the computationally determined values showed a good agreement with reported experimental results. The involvement of InCl3 as a key species in the proposed mechanism required the Cl/In ratio to be ∼ 3 by stoichiometry. The growth zone of InN nanorods by HVPE was demonstrated to lie in the vicinity of the growth-etch transition. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Neuroscience of Swallowing: Strategies in Rehabilitation

Abstract The development of strategies to rehabilitate patients with dysphagia depends on an understanding of both the underlying neuroscientific principles that control normal swallowing and how a...
The Male Biological Clock

Do men have biological clocks that affect their hormone levels, fertility, and the genetic quality of their sperm? Women can no longer be viewed as solely responsible for age-related fertility and genetic problems. The effects of andropause and advanced paternal age on fertility and offspring are still under investigation. Further research is needed to fully characterize the associated risks and to treat the underlying abnormalities. A better understanding of the cellular and biochemical mechanisms of "gonadal" aging is important in order to determine safe, effective ways to delay this process and "rewind" the male biological clock. The benefits may include decreasing the potential for adverse genetic consequences in offspring, improvement in the sexual and reproductive health of aging males, and increase a woman's chance of having healthy children by correcting defects in the male reproductive system.
Stereotype Threat Paradigm in Search of a Phenomenon: A Comment on Kellow and Jones’s (2008) Study

In a recent study, Kellow and Jones apply the stereotype threat paradigm to a sample of African American students attending an urban high school. The purpose of this commentary is to provide a conceptual and methodological critique of Kellow and Jones’s study. Implications for the role of Black psychologists in evaluating research on African American populations are discussed.
Parental Issues in Selection of Antimicrobial Agents for Infants and Children

The traditional American family has changed during the past several decades with increases in the number of single-parent households and working mothers. These changes have led to increased stress in the family when children become ill. Infectious diseases are the most common reasons parents seek care for ill children, and parents want effective and convenient treatment regimens so the child can recover quickly and return to day care or school. Issues that affect parental compliance and satisfaction with antimicrobial treatment regimens include efficacy, safety, cost, convenience, and previous experience. Parents are more involved in medical decision making than ever before and often want to be included in the selection of an antibiotic for their child. Physicians should be aware of the many issues impacting on parents' opinions about antibiotic therapy.
Preventing alcohol and drug exposed births in Washington State : Intervention findings from three parent-child assistance program sites

Home visitation interventions show promise for helping at-risk mothers, yet few programs have been developed and evaluated specifically for alcohol and drug-abusing pregnant women. This study examines outcomes among 216 women enrolled in the Washington State Parent-Child Assistance Program, a three-year intervention program for women who abuse alcohol and drugs during an index pregnancy. Pretest-posttest comparison was made across three sites: the original demonstration (1991-1995), and the Seattle and Tacoma replications (1996-2003). In the original demonstration, the client group performed significantly better than controls. Compared to the original demonstration, outcomes at replication sites were maintained (for regular use of contraception and use of reliable method; and number of subsequent deliveries), or improved (for alcohol/drug treatment completed; alcohol/ drug abstinence; subsequent delivery unexposed to alcohol/drugs). Improved outcomes at replication sites are not attributable to enrolling lower-risk women. Public policies and programs initiated over the study period may have had a positive effect on outcomes. Study findings suggest that this community-based intervention model is effective over time and across venues.
Is High-Flux Dialysis Cost-Effective?

High-flux dialysis is a new method for providing routine-maintenance hemodialysis to patients with end-stage renal disease. It promises to shorten the duration of the dialysis session, but poses potential clinical risks to patients and financial risks to dialysis centers because of the high unit cost of purchasing new dialysis equipment. We retrospectively evaluated the cost-effectiveness of high-flux dialysis compared to conventional dialysis in a hospital-based center. The center provided only conventional dialysis until March 1989, when it initiated high-flux dialysis. The estimated annual costs of treatment were US $31,249 (high-flux) and $32,562 (conventional). The rate of hospital admissions was almost identical in both groups (conventional, 1.29 admissions per year; high-flux, 1.24 admissions per year; p = 0.23). Predicted prolongation of life expectancy with high-flux dialysis was significantly higher after statistical adjustment for observable patient characteristics (1.8 to 4.5 years; p < 0.01). The cost-effectiveness ratio was $28,188 per life-year saved for high-flux compared to conventional dialysis. These findings suggest that the added capital expense of purchasing high-flux equipment can be justified from the perspective of its societal cost-effectiveness.
A Field-Extrema Hysteresis Loss Model for High-Frequency Ferrimagnetic Materials

We present a new field-extrema hysteresis loss model (FHM) for high-frequency ferrimagnetic materials, along with a parameter identification procedure. The model does not involve solving an ordinary differential equation (ODE) and is asymmetric in that it works well under dc bias conditions. In the proposed model, the loss calculations are based on the extrema values of the fields. The model includes the effects of magnetic saturation as well as frequency effects. The model is comparable in accuracy to the ODE-based Jiles-Atherton model, but retains the convenience and computational efficiency of an empirical model. We demonstrate a procedure to characterize the model parameters using the Jiles-Atherton model. We compare magnetic hysteresis loss calculated by our new model with a full time-domain solution, as well as an empirical model, for a sample high-frequency ferrite. We demonstrate the use of the model, and validate the model, by calculating magnetic loss in an EI core inductor operating as the filter inductor in a buck converter. The model and identification procedure are being endorsed as a useful framework for computing magnetic loss in the context of automated magnetic device design.
Using principles of learning to inform language therapy design for children with specific language impairment

Background: Language treatment for children with specific language impairment (SLI) often takes months to achieve moderate results. Interventions often do not incorporate the principles that are known to affect learning in unimpaired learners. Aims: To outline some key findings about learning in typical populations and to suggest a model of how they might be applied to language treatment design as a catalyst for further research and discussion. Methods & Procedures: Three main principles of implicit learning are reviewed: variability, complexity and sleep-dependent consolidation. After explaining these principles, evidence is provided as to how they influence learning tasks in unimpaired learners. Information is reviewed on principles of learning as they apply to impaired populations, current treatment designs are also reviewed that conform to the principles, and ways in which principles of learning might be incorporated into language treatment design are demonstrated. Main Contribution: This paper provides an outline for how theoretical knowledge might be applied to clinical practice in an effort to promote discussion. Conclusions & Implications: Although the authors look forward to more specific details on how the principles of learning relate to impaired populations, there is ample evidence to suggest that these principles should be considered during treatment design.
Biomedical Applications of Hand-Held Force Gauges: A Bibliography

Hand-held force gauges have been used increasingly in recent years to measure sensory and motor performance. In an effort to identify comprehensively journal articles in which the biomedical use of hand-held force gauges is described, five bibliographic data bases were searched, reference lists of relevant articles were examined, and current journals were scanned. The multifaceted process resulted in a bibliography of 158 articles describing the use of the instruments to measure muscle performance, resistant to joint movement, and force or pressure sensitivity.