cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional variant in the DRD2 receptor promoter region and subtypes of alcoholism.

Dopaminergic pathway genes are considered as candidate genes for several neuropsychiatric diseases including severe alcoholism. Since 1990, there have been numerous reports of conflicting association studies of the Taq I A allele of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene and alcoholism. Functional and structural variations in candidate genes offer more direct evaluation of their role in the development of a disorder. To determine the role of such variations in the DRD2 gene in the development of alcoholism subtypes, we screened a sample of 173 alcoholics and 88 normal controls with the A-241G and −141C Ins/Del variations in the promoter region and C311G variation in exon 7 of the DRD2 gene. Comparison of alcoholics with normal controls for allele frequency differences of these three variations was negative. Allele frequency differences of the two variations in the promoter region between type II alcoholics, alcoholics with medical complications, and normal controls were not significant. There was linkage disequilibrium only between −141 Ins/Del and Taq I D polymorphisms. We conclude that the functional and structural variations in DRD2 gene do not play a major role in the development of alcoholism subtypes in our sample. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 96:407–411, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Contractile Versus Microvascular Reserve for the Determination of the Extent of Myocardial Salvage After Reperfusion The Effect of Residual Coronary Stenosis

Background We hypothesized that microvascular reserve is a better indicator of the extent of viable myocardium postinfarction than contractile reserve, especially in the presence of a residual stenosis of the infarct-related artery. Methods and Results Fifteen dogs with various infarct sizes were studied after reperfusion. Contractile reserve, studied by use of dobutamine echocardiography, and microvascular reserve, studied by use of myocardial contrast echocardiography, were measured both before and after creation of a stenosis. In the absence of a stenosis, the relation between infarct size, expressed as percent of risk area, and wall thickening improved with increasing doses of dobutamine (r=.41, .71, and .90 for 5, 10, and 15 μg·kg−1·min−1, respectively; P<.01 for dobutamine 15 μg·kg−1·min−1). In the presence of a stenosis, however, the relation was poor for all doses of dobutamine (r=.22, .57, and .32 for 5, 10, and 15 μg·kg−1·min−1, respectively; P<.01 for 15 μg·kg−1·min−1 dobutamine in the absence ...
In Situ Formation of Pyridyl-Functionalized Poly(3-hexylthiophene)s via Quenching of the Grignard Metathesis Polymerization: Toward Ligands for Semiconductor Quantum Dots

The synthesis of well-defined, end-functional poly(3-hexylthiophene)s (P3HTs) by in situ quenching of the Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization is complicated by the extreme tendency to favor difunctional products in all but a few cases. A facile one-pot method for preparing 2-pyridyl and 3-pyridyl P3HTs with high abundance of monofunctional products is established via an examination of the kinetics of the end-functionalization quenching reaction with lithium chloride complexes of 2- and 3-pyridyl Grignard reagents. Density functional theory calculations guide the selection of pyridine as the end group, which provides the capacity to ligate cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanocrystals and arrests aggregation upon thermal annealing when dispersed in a P3HT matrix. The relative abundances of various end-functional products, as ascertained by high-resolution matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, can be altered through the use of 1-pentene as an additive: GRIM polymerizatio...
Product Safety, Information, and Behavior

The primary objective of this article is to promote a reevaluation of the adequacy of information-based solutions to product safety problems. The perspective that is introduced serves to redirect the current conceptual and empirical approach to the issue of consumer safety. Thus far, most of the attention has been placed on the resolution of consumer problems via labels and warnings. However, these are not a complete solution to the problem. Labels are often ignored or unavailable at the time of usage, and the representation of hazard information in memory is often inadequate. To achieve a more complete understanding of product safety, the extent to which consumers actively control their actions must be examined. Solutions to the safety problem still in evidence require far greater attention to the reasons for and the dimensions of product consumption. These issues are discussed, and the significance of this expanded view is addressed both in terms of policy initiatives and basic consumer research.
Is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Overused

Purpose: We determined whether the use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in couples who previously underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles elsewhere could be decreased without compromising the pregnancy rate.Materials and Methods: At our university in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer center we retrospectively analyzed the records of 149 fresh, in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycles in patients who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection elsewhere and subsequent fertilization by insemination only (all insemination group) or half insemination and half intracytoplasmic sperm injection at our center. We compared fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates.Results: The fertilization rate was 74% and 73% for the all insemination and the half intracytoplasmic sperm injection groups, respectively. In the latter group 69% of inseminated and 78% of intracytoplasmic sperm injected oocytes were fertilized. No cycle showed complete fertilization failure. No statistical...
Book, Film, and Video Reviews

Laboring Women: Reproduction and Gender in New World Slavery by Jennifer L. Morgan. Early American Studies Series. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004.
Motility of Plasmodium berghei ookinetes in vitro.

Abstract Motility of Plasmodium berghei ookinetes, which developed in primary and established cell line cultures obtained from Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, was studied by using still photomicrographs and normal speed cinephotomicrography. At 18–72 hr after inoculation of P. berghei infected blood from hamsters or mice, motile ookinetes were seen in both mosquito cell cultures; the most active specimens were observed at 24–30 hr. Ookinetes underwent a sporadic forward gliding movement, during which a variable degree of rotation of the body upon its longitudinal axis usually occurred. Some specimens rotated repeatedly upon their axes without any forward progression. The direction of the gliding movement always coincided with the curvature of the ookinete body. In those specimens in which no rotation of the body occurred, a circular course resulted. Ookinetes covered a distance of as much as 50 μm during a single gliding movement. A few ookinetes undergoing locomotion appeared to leave a path or trail on the substrate. Occasionally, an ookinete penetrated a red cell with its slender anterior projection, resulting in lysis of the cell. After red cells had been penetrated by ookinetes, the parasites already within these cells fused with each other to form larger spheroidal bodies. Penetration of cultured cells was not observed.
Experiments on the stability of viscous flow between rotating cylinders. - V. The theory of the ion technique

The theory underlying the ion technique described in part IV of this series is developed: the equations are written down and solved under certain simplifying assumptions which appear physically reasonable. The results explain observations made in part IV by showing, in particular, that the current changes are linearly proportional to the radial component of the perturbations on the flow.
The strength of a low-barrier hydrogen bond in water

Abstract There are large differences between the acidity of the enol of the acyclic diketone, 2,4-pentanedione and those of two cyclic diketones, 1,3-cyclopentanedione and 1,3-cyclohexanedione. Computational studies have demonstrated that these differences are largely due to the strength of the internal low-barrier hydrogen bond (LBHB) in the enol of 2,4-pentanedione. It is thus estimated that the lower limit of the additional free energy of formation in water for this LBHB over that of a conventional hydrogen bond is 4.1–5.3 kcal mol −1 .
Prediction of Macadamia Nut Spoilage for Harvest Decision Making

Macadamia nuts are harvested from the orchard floor either manually or by using mechanical sweepers. Nuts on the orchard floor gradually turn mouldy and rancid after a period of exposure to the orchard environment. Annual loss of this nature is significant and varies spatially as well as temporally. Increasing harvesting frequency decreases this loss but increases the cost of harvesting. It is desirable to balance these costs optimally. A way of predicting this loss is essential to reach an optimal trade-off between nut loss and harvesting cost. This paper discusses a model for predicting this loss as a function of the soil moisture content of the orchard floor and the time for which the nuts lie on the orchard floor. The model was interfaced to a geographical information system for showing the environmental or the orchard site impact on nut spoilage. This impact information is useful in the selection of harvesting equipment of appropriate size, harvest scheduling and the selection of suitable orchard sites for nut production.
Ontogeny in the fossil record: diversification of body plans and the evolution of “aberrant” symmetry in Paleozoic echinoderms

Echinoderms have long been characterized by the presence of ambulacra that exhibit pentaradiate symmetry and define five primary body axes. In reality, truly pentaradial ambulacral symmetry is a condition derived only once in the evolutionary history of echinoderms and is restricted to eleutherozoans, the clade that contains most living echinoderm species. In contrast, early echinoderms have a bilaterally symmetrical 2–1–2 arrangement, with three ambulacra radiating from the mouth. Branching of the two side ambulacra during ontogeny produces the five adult rays. During the Cambrian Explosion and Ordovician Radiation, some 30 clades of echinoderms evolved, many of which have aberrant ambulacral systems with one to four rays. Unfortunately, no underlying model has emerged that explains ambulacral homologies among disparate forms. Here we show that most Paleozoic echinoderms are characterized by uniquely identifiable ambulacra that develop in three distinct postlarval stages. Nearly all “aberrant” echinoderm morphologies can be explained by the paedomorphic ambulacra reduction (PAR) model through the loss of some combination of these growth stages during ontogeny. Superficially similar patterns of ambulacral reduction in distantly related clades have resulted from the parallel loss of homologous ambulacra during ontogeny. Pseudo-fivefold symmetry seen in Blastoidea and the true fivefold symmetry seen in Eleutherozoa result from great reduction and total loss, respectively, of the 2– 1–2 symmetry early in ontogeny. These ambulacral variations suggest that both developmental and ecological constraints affect the evolution of novel echinoderm body plans.
16-bit DSP servo control with the MC68HC16Z1

Abstract This application note discusses digital filter implementation of proportional, integral, differential (PID) control algorithms. The implementation takes advantage of the control-oriented digital signal processing capabilities of the Motorola M68HC16 family of modular microcontrollers.
PHA-L analysis of projections from the supramammillary nucleus in the rat.

The projections of the supramammillary nucleus (SUM) were examined in the rat by the anterograde anatomical tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L). The majority of labeled fibers from SUM ascended through the forebrain within the medial forebrain bundle. SUM fibers were found to terminate heavily in the hippocampal formation, specifically within the granule cell layer and immediately adjoining molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. In addition, SUM fibers were shown to distribute densely to several structures with strong connections with the hippocampus, namely, the nucleus reuniens of the thalamus, the medial and lateral septum, the entorhinal cortex, and the endopiriform nucleus. SUM fibers were also shown to project significantly to several additional subcortical and cortical sites. The subcortical sites were the dorsal raphe nucleus, the midbrain central gray, the fields of Forel/zona incerta, the dorsomedial hypothalamic area, midline/intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus (posterior paraventricular, rhomboid, central medial, intermediodorsal, and mediodorsal), the medial and lateral preoptic areas, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the substantia innominata, the vertical limb of the diagonal band nucleus, and the claustrum. The cortical sites were the occipital, temporal, parietal, and frontal cortices. Some notable differences were observed in projections from the lateral as compared to the medial SUM. For example, fibers originating from the lateral SUM distributed heavily to the hippocampal formation and parts of the cortex, whereas those from the medial SUM projected sparsely to these two regions. The SUM projections to the hippocampal formation and associated structures may serve as the substrate for a SUM involvement in the generation of the theta rhythm of the hippocampus and the gating of information flow through the hippocampal formation. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dry taps and what to do about them: A pictorial essay on failed arthrocentesis of the knee

Purpose To determine and illustrate the causes of unproductive arthrocentesis of the knee. Patients and methods Consecutive patients were studied who had inflammatory (rheumatoid or psoriatic) arthritis affecting the knees and experienced unproductive arthrocentesis during a randomized, controlled trial. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used, supplemented first by intravenous gadolinium contrast and subsequently by manual mixing of the diffused contrast to outline the furthest possible penetration of contrast within the joint cavity. Results In 4 out of 5 patients studied, failed arthrocentesis was due to combinations of inspirated joint fluid too viscous to be withdrawn or to mix with contrast, adipose tissue, and lipoma arborescens (thickened synovium with fat replacement). One MRI exam was normal. More free synovial fluid was imaged on the lateral side. Conclusions Failure to aspirate synovial fluid from the knee is explicable in anatomic terms; in particular, fluid viscosity and lipoma arborescens play a role in chronic effusions. Although surface anatomic landmarks for knee arthrocentesis may be more visible medially, the lateral approach is more likely to yield fluid for synovial analysis in difficult cases. Internal medicine trainees should be taught the lateral approach.
Estimation of limited dependent variable models by ordinary least squares and the method of moments

Abstract Under certain conditions, a broad class of qualitative and limited dependent variable models can be consistently estimated by the method of moments using a non-iterative correction to the ordinary least squares estimator, with only a small loss of efficiency compared to maximum likelihood estimation. The class of models is that obtained from a classical multinormal regression by any type of censoring or truncation and includes the tobit, probit, two-limit probit, truncated regression, and some variants of the sample selection models. The paper derives the estimators and their asymptotic covariance matrices.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I–Forkhead Box O Transcription Factor 3a Counteracts High Glucose/Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Mediated Neuronal Damage: Implications for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Encephalitis

In HIV patients, antiretroviral medications trigger metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance. In addition, the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), which is elevated in human immunodeficiency virus encephalitis (HIVE), also induces insulin resistance and inflicts neuronal damage in vitro. In differentiated PC12 cells and rat cortical neurons, high glucose (HG; 25 mM) triggers reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, contributing to the retraction of neuronal processes, with only a minimal involvement of neuronal apoptosis. In the presence of TNFα, HG-treated neurons undergo massive apoptosis. Because mammalian homolog of the Forkhead family of transcription factors, Forkhead box O transcription factor 3a (FOXO3a), controls ROS metabolism, we asked whether FOXO3a could affect the fate of differentiated neurons in the paradigm of HIVE. We observed FOXO3a nuclear translocation in HG-treated neuronal cultures, accompanied by partial loss of mitochondrial potential and gradual retraction of neuronal processes. Addition of TNFα to HG-treated neurons increased expression of the FOXO-dependent proapoptotic gene Bim, which resulted in extensive apoptotic death. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) significantly lowered intracellular ROS, which was accompanied by IGF-I-mediated FOXO3a nuclear export and decrease in its transcriptional activity. The clinical relevance of these findings is supported by detection of nuclear FOXO3a in TUNEL-positive cortical neurons from HIVE, especially in brain areas characterized by elevated TNFα.
Outcome after Stereotactic Thalamotomy for Dystonia and Hemiballismus

The outcome after single or staged stereotactic thalamotomies in 17 patients with dystonia and 2 patients with hemiballismus is reviewed. All patients were severely disabled by their movement disorders despite optimal pharmacological therapies. Eight of the patients with dystonia (47%) showed moderate improvement immediately after the procedures. Six of these eight patients maintained their improvement, and two other patients with dystonia improved significantly, during the follow-up period (mean, 37.6 mo). The long-term outcome was better in patients with secondary dystonia (50% moderately or markedly improved at a mean of 41.0 mo) than in patients with primary dystonia (43% moderately or markedly improved at a mean of 32.9 mo). Excellent control was achieved in both of the patients who underwent thalamotomies for hemiballismus.
Properties of Concrete Containing Vitreous Calcium Aluminosilicate Pozzolan

A laboratory study was done on the influence of vitreous calcium aluminosilicate (VCAS), a new pozzolanic mineral admixture, on the properties of fresh and hardened portland cement concrete. A relative comparison was done of the performance of concrete containing VCAS with that of concrete containing silica fume (SF), one of the widely used mineral admixtures. The addition of VCAS pozzolan increased the slump (improved consistency) of the mixtures, while the addition of SF decreased it. The VCAS pozzolan was found not to have significant influence on the plastic shrinkage cracking potential of the mixtures while SF increased it. The compressive strength development of both the VCAS and SF mixtures was found to be higher than that of the control mixture. The experimental results showed that both VCAS and SF increased the free shrinkage of concrete. The rapid chloride permeability (RCP) values for mixtures with VCAS and SF specimens were significantly lower than those of the control concrete. At equal repla...
Gestures convey substantive information about a child’s thoughts to ordinary listeners

The gestures that spontaneously occur in communicative contexts have been shown to offer insight into a child’s thoughts. The information gesture conveys about what is on a child’s mind will, of course, only be accessible to a communication partner if that partner can interpret gesture. Adults were asked to observe a series of children who participated ‘live’ in a set of conservation tasks and gestured spontaneously while performing the tasks. Adults were able to glean substantive information from the children’s gestures, information that was not found anywhere in their speech. ‘Gesture-reading’ did, however, have a cost – if gesture conveyed different information from speech, it hindered the listener’s ability to identify the message in speech. Thus, ordinary listeners can and do extract information from a child’s gestures, even gestures that are unedited and fleeting.
Raphe lesions modify ethanol's effects on plasma corticosterone and nefa

Male rats received dorsal or median raphe electrolytic lesions or sham operations. Ten days later subjects received 3.0 g/kg ethanol or saline and were decapitated 30 minutes later. Both dorsal and median raphe lesions significantly increased corticosterone and non-esterified fatty acid levels. Ethanol significantly increased corticosterone and non-esterified fatty acid levels in rats with dorsal or median raphe lesions. Dorsal raphe lesions significantly attenuated the elevating effect of ethanol on corticosterone. These results confirm, in part, previous pharmacological studies and suggest the effects of ethanol on corticosterone, but not non-esterified fatty acid, involve serotonergic neurons.
Carrier-specific induction of hapten-specific suppression

Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, 94305, USA Two functionally opposing, regulatory T cell popula- tions are found in carrier-primed mice. Both popula- tions are raised by essentially the same immunization protocol, both control antibody production to deter- minants on typical carrier proteins, both are 'carrier- specific' in that they control responses to haptens added to the initial priming (carrier), and both are commonly studied as regulators of such anti-hapten responses in adoptive or in-vitro assays. However, one population helps the antibody response while the other substantially suppresses it. These two populations have captured the limelight as regulators of heterogeneous antibody responses to T-dependent antigens. The helper T cells, because they are required for a successful response to these antigens, are generally thought to stimulate and thereby to directly control the expression of anti- hapten memory B cells. In contrast, the suppressor cells are thought to regulate B-cell expression indirectly by reducing the size or activity of the avail- able helper population. In addition, helper cells are thought to regulate suppressor activity through homeostatic 'feedback loops' that can prevent exces- sive suppression. Thus, over the last few years, a complex but fairly consistent picture of response regulation has evolved which places carrier-specific regulation at the center of the immunological uni- verse 1. Nevertheless, as we shall show, this picture is based on data which can (and probably should) be interpreted quite differently. Our recent studies 2 on the regulation of it~-situ responses to hapten-carrier conjugates reveal assumptions that mar previous con- clusions about the role of the carrier-specific suppressor population and suggest a novel alternative for the contribution these cells make towards regulat- ing antibody production. Furthermore, the charac- teristics of response regulation revealed by our studies suggest that mechanisms akin to idiotype-specific and allotype-specific regulation may be central to "the
Female peers in small work groups enhance women's motivation, verbal participation, and career aspirations in engineering

For years, public discourse in science education, technology, and policy-making has focused on the “leaky pipeline” problem: the observation that fewer women than men enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields and more women than men leave. Less attention has focused on experimentally testing solutions to this problem. We report an experiment investigating one solution: we created “microenvironments” (small groups) in engineering with varying proportions of women to identify which environment increases motivation and participation, and whether outcomes depend on students’ academic stage. Female engineering students were randomly assigned to one of three engineering groups of varying sex composition: 75% women, 50% women, or 25% women. For first-years, group composition had a large effect: women in female-majority and sex-parity groups felt less anxious than women in female-minority groups. However, among advanced students, sex composition had no effect on anxiety. Importantly, group composition significantly affected verbal participation, regardless of women’s academic seniority: women participated more in female-majority groups than sex-parity or female-minority groups. Additionally, when assigned to female-minority groups, women who harbored implicit masculine stereotypes about engineering reported less confidence and engineering career aspirations. However, in sex-parity and female-majority groups, confidence and career aspirations remained high regardless of implicit stereotypes. These data suggest that creating small groups with high proportions of women in otherwise male-dominated fields is one way to keep women engaged and aspiring toward engineering careers. Although sex parity works sometimes, it is insufficient to boost women’s verbal participation in group work, which often affects learning and mastery.
Recognition of printed chinese characters by automatic pattern analysis

An approach to pattern recognition by computer, using analysis of pattern structure, isexplored. The approach is programmed and tested on a set of Chinese characters. The input to the program is a black-white matrix of points depicting a single character. The program produces a description of the character on two levels: (i) the internal structure of each connected part of the character, and (ii) the arrangement in two dimensions of the connected parts. The description is achieved by producing a structural representation of the character. The structure corresponding to level (i) is a graph, the edges of which correspond to parts of strokes. The structure corresponding to level (ii) is a tree, whose terminal elements correspond to connected parts of the character and whose nodes correspond to geometric relations. A method has been devised for producing a numeric code for each character. The codeis generated from the structural representation of a character, and is used for recognition.
Epstein-Barr virus positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the elderly

Epstein-Barr virus positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (EBV+ DLBCL) of the elderly is a rare B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder (B-LPD) that occurs in patients > 50 years with no known history of immunodeficiency or lymphoma. Patients present with moderate to severe clinical B-symptoms. These lesions show complete effacement of normal tissue/nodal architecture by large atypical lymphoid cells/immunoblasts and Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg-like giant cells with variable amounts of inflammatory cells in the background. The ratio of neoplastic to inflammatory cells, degree of mitoses and necrosis can be quite variable; hence EBV+ DLBCL of the elderly was historically divided into low grade polymorphic and high grade monomorphic types. Further studies have shown both types to be different points in the spectrum of disease, and are all high grade lymphomas. The neoplastic large lymphoid cells show expression of CD20/CD79a and PAX-5, with variable expression of CD30, LMP-1 and EBNA-2, but CD15, CD10 and BCL6 are generally negative. Neoplastic cells show EBER positivity and high Ki-67 expression. Differential diagnoses include EBV+ B-LPD, classical Hodgkin lymphoma and EBV-DLBCL. EBV+ DLBCL of the elderly is highly aggressive with a median survival of 2 years. These patients are less responsive to standard chemotherapy compared with other B-LPD.
Cryogenic Interferometric Alignment (CIA) of the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) engineering unit for the Cassini mission to Saturn

The composite infrared spectrometer (CIRS) of the Cassini mission to Saturn has two interferometers covering the far- IR (FIR) and mid-IR (MIR) wavelength region. The instrument is aligned at ambient temperature, but operates at 170 Kelvin and has challenging interferometric alignment tolerances. Interferometric alignment sensitivity tests of the CIRS FIR breadboard indicated that he instrument was sensitive to alignment perturbations in the few arc second regime. Early cryogenic testing indicated that the instrument structure was not stable during cryogenic cycling; therefore, remote alignment of the FIR channel beamsplitter was implemented to recover modulation efficiency. The hardware developed to facilitate the in situ alignment at cryogenic temperatures is described, as are the results of several thermal cycles.
Beam normal spin asymmetries: Theory

The beam normal spin asymmetry in elastic electron-nucleon scattering is discussed. This beam normal spin asymmetry depends on the imaginary part of two-photon exchange processes between electron and nucleon, and measures the non-forward structure functions of the nucleon. After briefly reviewing the theoretical formalism, we discuss calculations in the threshold region, in the resonance region, as well as in the diffractive region, corresponding with high energy and forward angles.
Effects of amphetamine and illumination on activity following frontal ablation.

Abstract Hyperactivity in the rat resulting from the removal of the frontal lobe, including the head of the caudate-putamen nucleus, in combination with d-amphetamine administration was studied in the light and dark over a 30 day postsurgical recovery period. Both d-amphetamine administration and frontal ablation increased activity level. In addition, d-amphetamine administration reversed the normal relationship of illumination with activity level. The postoperative hyperactivity following frontal ablation was dependent on the illumination level during testing. Potentiation of frontal induced hyperactivity by d-amphetamine was observed but the potentiation was not independent of the ambient illumination.
Biologic Functions of the G12 Subfamily of Heterotrimeric G Proteins: Growth, Migration, and Metastasis†

The G12 subfamily of heterotrimeric G proteins has been the subject of intense scientific interest for more than 15 years. During this period, studies have revealed more than 20 potential G12-interacting proteins and numerous signaling axes emanating from the G12 proteins, Galpha12 and Galpha13. In addition, more recent studies have begun to illuminate the various and sundry functions that the G12 subfamily plays in biology. In this review, we summarize the diverse range of proteins that have been identified as Galpha12 and/or Galpha13 interactors and describe ongoing studies designed to dissect the biological roles of specific Galpha-effector protein interactions. Further, we describe and discuss the expanding role of G12 proteins in the biology of cells, focusing on the distinct properties of this subfamily in regulating cell proliferation, cell migration, and metastatic invasion.
Hydraulic Conductivity of a Fine‐Grained Till, Cattaraugus County, New York

Hydraulic conductivity of a fine-grained till was evaluated by field and laboratory techniques as part of a study of the movement of radionuclides at a nuclear-waste landfill in western New York. In general, both methods produced similar results. Hydraulic conductivity values determined from (a) slug tests of piezometers, (b) several types of laboratory tests on cores, and (c) calculation from mercury porosimeter tests, agreed within a factor of 25. Slug tests were analyzed by two methods: one assumed horizontal flow to the piezometer screen; the other assumed spherical, isotropic flow. Average horizontal hydraulic conductivity from slug tests of 12 piezometers was 6 × 10−8 cm/s (2 × 10−9 ft/s) by the first method and 2 × 10−8cm/s (7 × 10−10ft/s) by the second. Laboratory tests of core samples were designed to determine the extent to which anisotropy and increased pressures with depth may affect hydraulic conductivity. Consolidation tests were done on four core samples to determine changes in hydraulic conductivity with pressure. Vertical hydraulic conductivity of the samples decreased by 40 percent as pressure increased from near atmospheric to the 7 kg/cm2 (100 psi), a pressure that would prevail at a depth of 30 m (98 ft). This indicates that hydraulic conductivity of the till decreases with depth in response to overburden pressure. Despite evidence of higher horizontal than vertical permeability in one set of laboratory tests of till samples, other laboratory and field tests as well as analyses of ground-water flow by a computer model indicate that the till is nearly isotropic. Hydraulic conductivity of the till was estimated with reasonable accuracy from mercury-porosimeter tests. However, estimating hydraulic conductivity of fine-grained samples from some regions by this method may be inappropriate because the method uses dry samples, which could severely affect the results if swelling clays are present.
Carbon isotope fractionation in plants

Abstract Plants with the C 3 , C 4 , and crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthetic pathways show characteristically different discriminations against 13 C during photosynthesis. For each photosynthetic type, no more than slight variations are observed within or among species. CAM plants show large variations in isotope fractionation with temperature, but other plants do not. Different plant organs, subcellular fractions and metabolises can show widely varying isotopic compositions. The isotopic composition of respired carbon is often different from that of plant carbon, but it is not currently possible to describe this effect in detail. The principal components which will affect the overall isotope discrimination during photosynthesis are diffusion of CO 2 , interconversion of CO 2 and HCO − 3 , incorporation of CO 2 by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase or ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase, and respiration. Theisotope fractionations associated with these processes are summarized. Mathematical models are presented which permit prediction of the overall isotope discrimination in terms of these components. These models also permit a correlation of isotope fractionations with internal CO 2 concentrations. Analysis of existing data in terms of these models reveals that CO 2 incorporation in C 3 plants is limited principally by ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase, but CO 2 diffusion also contributes. In C 4 plants, carbon fixation is principally limited by the rate of CO 2 diffusion into the leaf. There is probably a small fractionation in C 4 plants due to ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase.
Biomedical Imaging Research Opportunities Workshop III: A White Paper

The third Biomedical Imaging Research Opportunities Workshop (BIROW III) was held on March 11–12, 2005, in Bethesda, MD. The workshop addressed four areas of imaging that present opportunities for research and development: Multimodality Image-Guided Therapy, Imaging Informatics, Imaging Cell Trafficking, and Technology Improvement and Commercialization. The first three areas were individually addressed in their own plenary sessions, followed by audience discussions that explored research opportunities and challenges. This paper synthesizes these discussions into a strategy for future research directions in biomedical imaging.
A Two-Way Analysis of Covariance Model for Classification of Stability Data†

This paper proposes a procedure for testing and classifying data with multiple factors. A two-way analysis of covariance is used to classify the differences among the batches as well as another factor such as package type and/or product strength. In the test procedure, slopes and intercepts of the main effects are tested using a combination of simultaneous and sequential F-tests. Based on the test procedure results, the data are classified into one of four different groups. For each group, shelf life can be calculated accordingly. We examine if the procedure produces satisfactory control of the probability of a Type I error and the power of detecting the difference of degradation rates and intercepts for different nominal levels. The method is evaluated with a Monte Carlo simulation study. The proposed procedure is compared with the current FDA procedure using real data.
The Impact of Adult Degree Programs on the Private College or University.

A member of the graduate faculty at Indiana Wesleyan University reviews the history of adult education among private institutions. Her overview notes the effects of adult programs on students, faculty, curriculum development, institutional mission, and organizational behavior.
Enthusiasm and support: alternative sentiment classification for social movements on social media

We present a novel sentiment classifier particularly designed for modeling and analyzing social movements; capturing levels of support (supportive versus non-supportive) and degrees of enthusiasm (enthusiastic versus passive). The resulting computational solution can help organizations involved with social causes to disseminate messages in a more informed and effective fashion; potentially leading to greater impact. Our findings suggest that enthusiastic and supportive tweets are more prevalent in tweets about social causes than other types of tweets on Twitter.
Structural elements of the young normal human pulp.

Abstract The structural elements of the young normal dental pulp are fibrocytes and numerous small blood vessels. Structural organization of this organ is evident as the teeth reach functional occlusion. Larger-diameter vessels appear more centrally located, and fine capillaries appear among the odontoblasts. Fibroblasts then appear, and associated collagen fibers are evident throughout the pulp. Gradually the peripheral zone of the pulp organizes into cell-free, cell-rich zones, and a parietal layer of nerves is evident. Ultrastructural evidence of myelinated and nonmyelinated nerves is seen in the pulp, and neural terminations are noted in the tubules of predentine.
The relationship between schizotypal and obsessive-compulsive features in university students

Comorbid schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) is relatively common in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some have argued, however, that the severity of the primary disorder results in inflated estimates of personality disorder. The present investigation explored the possibility that schizotypal features are also significantly related to obsessive-compulsive features in a nonclinical sample. One-hundred and ninety-two student volunteers completed the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), the latter being a self-report inventory designed to tap all nine features of DSM-III-R SPD. Correlations between schizotypal and obsessive-compulsive features were strongest for compulsive checking as opposed to compulsive washing, slowness or doubting. Regression analyses revealed that only the MOCI checking subscale was a significant independent predictor of the total SPQ schizotypal score. Findings indicate that schizotypal features are also found in association with nonclinical levels of obsessive-compulsive features, particularly checking behaviors. The influence of gender on these findings are discussed.
Surgical management of Cushing's disease.

Background Transsphenoidal selective adenomectomy is the first-line treatment for Cushing’s disease. At experienced centers, early remission rates after transsphenoidal surgery range from 65 to 98 %, however disease relapse frequently occurs with rates ranging from 2 to 35 % at long-term follow up.
Work-conserving distributed schedulers for Terabit routers

Buffered multistage interconnection networks offer one of the most scalable and cost-effective approaches to building high capacity routers. Unfortunately, the performance of such systems has been difficult to predict in the presence of the extreme traffic conditions that can arise in the Internet. Recent work introduced distributed scheduling, to regulate the flow of traffic in such systems. This work demonstrated, using simulation and experimental measurements, that distributed scheduling can deliver robust performance for extreme traffic. Here, we show that distributed schedulers can be provably work-conserving for speedups of 2 or more. Two of the three schedulers we describe were inspired by previously published crossbar schedulers. The third has no direct counterpart in crossbar scheduling. In our analysis, we show that distributed schedulers based on blocking flows in small-depth acyclic flow graphs can be work-conserving, just as certain crossbar schedulers based on maximal bipartite matchings have been shown to be work-conserving. We also study the performance of practical variants of these schedulers when the speedup is less than 2, using simulation.
Fast efficient simulation of write-buffer configurations

Write-buffers have a significant impact on performance, especially in wide-issue superscalar systems with write-through caching. We develop fast efficient simulation methods for evaluating multiple write-buffer configurations together in a single-pass. Our results are also applicable for the simulation of other buffer structures. We first consider simulating non-coalescing write-buffers. We show that a particular buffer stalls only when smaller buffers do, and develop an algorithm where only the smallest buffer is explicitly simulated, and the stales of others are updated only as smaller buffers stall. Empirical performance comparisons show a speedup of up to 7.4 over simpler methods. We then extend this algorithm to simulate multiple coalescing write buffers, where we demonstrate up to a factor of 3.5 speedup. Finally, we demonstrate the impact that write-buffers have on CPI by presenting write-buffer simulation results on four SPEC benchmarks. >
Use of a Multiantigen Detection Algorithm for Diagnosis of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Infection

The ability to readily and accurately diagnose Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV, or human herpesvirus 8) infection in individuals remains a demanding task. Among the available diagnostic methods, sensitivities and specificities range widely, and many are inadequate for large-scale screening studies. We examined a serological algorithm for detecting KSHV in human sera having high sensitivity and specificity. This method uses previously described open reading frame (ORF) K8.1 and ORF65 peptide-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and a novel purified recombinant full-length LANA1 protein. We generated two multiantigen algorithms: one that maximized sensitivity and one that maximized specificity. These serological algorithms were then used to evaluate seroprevalence rates among populations of clinical and epidemiological importance. The serological algorithms yielded sensitivities of 96% and 93% and specificities of 94% and 98% for the more sensitive and specific algorithms, respectively. Among kidney donors, seroprevalence was low, 4.0% (2/50), and similar to that of blood donors (P = 0.46; odds ratio [OR], 1.4; confidence interval [CI], 0.14 to 7.9) using the highly specific algorithm. Using the sensitive algorithm, 8.0% (4/50) were infected compared to 6.4% (16/250) observed among blood donors (OR, 1.3; CI, 0.41 to 4.0; P = 0.43). Among subjects requiring bone marrow transplantation, seroprevalence rates were not elevated compared to those of blood donors (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 0.10 to 122.9; P = 0.50). Because the need for high-quality KSHV detection methods are warranted and because questions remain about the optimal methods for assessing KSHV infection in individuals, we propose a systematic approach to standardize and optimize the assessment of KSHV infection rates using a combination of established and novel serological assays and methods.
Immunohistochemical panel to differentiate endometrial stromal sarcoma, uterine leiomyosarcoma and leiomyoma: something old and something new

Aims To evaluate an immunohistochemical panel differentiating endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) from uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULMS) and leiomyoma (LM). Methods 94 cases (28 ESS, 41 ULMS, 25 LM) were retrieved and arrayed. 10 immunomarkers (estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), CD10, smooth muscle actin, desmin, h-caldesmon, transgelin, GEM, ASC1, stathmin1) were used. A predictive model was constructed and examined by receiver operating characteristics curve analysis to determine area under the curve (AUC). Results The combination of ER + /PR + /CD10 + /GEM − /h-caldesmon − /transgelin − can predict ESS versus ULMS with AUC predictive value of 0.872 (95% CI 0.784 to 0.961, p + /PR + /CD10 + /h-caldesmon − /transgelin − can predict low grade (LG) ESS from ‘LG’ ULMS with AUC predictive value of 0.914 (95% CI 0.832 to 0.995, p + than LM. Conclusions Due to the different clinical course and management, adding novel antibodies (GEM, transgelin) to the well established immunohistochemistry panel seemed to be useful in distinguishing ESS from ULMS and LG ESS from ‘LG’ ULMS. Finally, stathmin1 expression could be of value in differentiating LM from uterine sarcomas.
Slowing the Progression of Vascular Calcification in Hemodialysis

Hyperphosphatemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism are common complications of ESRD (chronic kidney disease stage 5) that, when untreated, may result in increased morbidity and mortality. Hyperphosphatemia and hypercalcemia have been associated with increased coronary artery calcification. Achieving control of serum phosphorus without increasing serum calcium is an important goal for patients with ESRD. Although calcium-based phosphate binders effectively reduce serum phosphorus and parathyroid hormone concentrations, these agents can lead to hypercalcemia and have been associated with increased vascular calcification. The phosphorus binder sevelamer was developed to overcome the limitations associated with the usual management of hyperphosphatemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism (i.e., mineral salts). Sevelamer, a nonabsorbable hydrogel, is as efficacious as calcium-based phosphate binders for reducing serum phosphorus but does not cause hypercalcemia or other adverse metabolic effects. Sevelamer also exhibits beneficial effects on lipids, consistently and significantly decreasing LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol in most studies. In a head-to-head randomized clinical trial, sevelamer and calcium-based binders achieved similarly excellent phosphorus control, but the use of calcium-based binders led to significantly higher serum calcium concentrations and an increased incidence of hypercalcemia and unintended suppression of parathyroid hormone. Treatment with calcium-based binders also led to the progression of coronary artery and aortic calcification, whereas sevelamer attenuated or arrested progression. Strategies that use oral calcium and vitamin D in patients with ESRD should be reexamined, and the potential advantages of sevelamer should be considered when selecting a primary agent to reduce serum phosphorus in hemodialysis patients.
Inequality in the Creative City: Is There Still a Place for “Old-Fashioned” Institutions?:

Creative class theory, now a mainstay of local economic development policy, has a dark side: Cities that have a larger creative talent pool are also likely to have greater income inequality. Richard Florida, in acknowledging this disturbing trend, has assigned a new role to the creative class—helping low-wage service sector employees harness and express their creative energy and talent. In this article, the authors explore the complex relationship between creative workers and earnings inequality in the context of the broader urban economy. Drawing on this analysis and an expansive body of literature on urban income inequality, the authors propose an alternative set of policy actions aimed at mediating creativity and inequality through a deepening of traditional labor market institutions and legislative supports. In contrast to claims that these are obsolete solutions in the new economy, the authors argue they are necessary for the long-term sustainability of the creative economy.