cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abnormal Eye Findings in a 3-month-old Infant.

A male infant born at 32 weeks’ gestational age had abnormal eye examination findings at 3 months of age, as shown in the Video. The most likely clinical finding in this infant is: 1. Exophthalmos 2. Nystagmus 3. Opsoclonus 4. Spasmus nutans 5. Sunset phenomenon The male infant depicted in this Video was born at 32 weeks’ gestation to a woman with chronic hypertension and severe preeclampsia with multiple prenatal ultrasound scans showing abnormal Doppler flow studies and severe intrauterine growth restriction. The infant’s birthweight was at the 13th percentile and the head circumference at 1st percentile for gestational age. Screening head ultrasonography, performed on postnatal day 2 because of the small head circumference and clinical instability requiring intubation, showed bilateral severe intraventricular hemorrhages. Serial head ultrasonography showed rapid development of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus within the first 2 to 3 weeks of age (Fig). There was also evidence of elevated intracranial pressure with the development of a bulging anterior fontanelle, increasing separation of the cranial sutures and an increasing number of apnea and bradycardia events. A ventricular access device was placed on postnatal day 25 to facilitate cerebrospinal fluid removal and provide temporary relief. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VP) was …
Perspectives on the Application of Optical Matrix Processors

Researchers have proposed a great number of optical matrix processing architectures and devices, each having significant advantages and disadvantages. However, no general metrics have been established to compare processors, and there has been little work to implement optical matrix processors for specific applications. In this article, we examine the range of proposed optical matrix processors both to determine the most promising classes of applications and, by establishing performance criteria, to select the best architectures and algorithms for these applications. This examination concludes that the greatest current potential is for analog optical matrix-vector processors to analyze slowly varying or invariant systems with high data throughput rates.
Congenital Malaria: A Rare Cause of Splenomegaly and Anemia in an American Infant

A 38-day-old infant had fever, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, and a hemolytic anemia. A peripheral blood smear demonstrated intraerythrocytic malarial parasites identified as Plasmodium vivax. Maternal and infant sera contained antibodies to this species. A directed history revealed the mother had suffered several febrile illnesses in Mexico during her pregnancy. Malaria had not been diagnosed nor was it considered at the time of her delivery at this hospital. Review of this and six other cases of congenital malaria reported in this country since 1950 indicates clinical manifestations seldom appear before 3 weeks of age. Although these signs are more frequently associated with other transplacental infections, their occurrence in an infant whose mother is from or who has traveled in an endemic area should prompt consideration of the diagnosis of congenital malaria.
Introduction: Organizing Romanticism

Although we have become justifiably wary of keys to all the mythologies, “Romantic organizations” is a powerful tool for thinking about Romanticism and its legacies. To wit, the Romantic period org...
Algebraic Integral Geometry

Recent work of S. Alesker has catalyzed a flurry of progress in Blaschkean integral geometry and opened the prospect of further advances. By this term we understand the circle of ideas surrounding the kinematic formulas (Theorem 2.1.6 below), which express related fundamental integrals relating to the intersections of two subspaces K, L ⊂ ℝ n in general position in terms of certain “total curvatures” of K and L separately.
The search continues--an ideal marker of GFR.

The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is generally considered the best measure of renal function despite the fact that the kidney performs an array of duties, including salt and water balance, erythropoiesis, bone metabolism, electrolyte homeostasis, and blood pressure control. GFR is traditionally measured as the renal clearance of a particular substance from plasma and is expressed as the volume of plasma that can be completely cleared of that substance in a unit of time. The ideal marker for GFR determinations would appear endogenously in the plasma at a constant rate, be freely filtered at the glomerulus, be neither reabsorbed nor secreted by the renal tubule, and undergo no extrarenal elimination. Although the ideal marker for measuring GFR has yet to be found, these characteristics can be useful benchmarks for comparing the advantages and disadvantages of new methods for GFR quantification. Measurement of urea marked the beginning of efforts to quantify renal function with its isolation by Rouelle in 1773 (1). Subsequently, Strauss introduced blood urea as a diagnostic test for renal disease in 1903. The concept of clearance as a measure of renal function followed in 1929 (2) and was subsequently extended to creatinine in the early 1930s (1). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration is generally recognized to …
Theoretical Studies of Time Dependent/Independent Radiative Transfer Including Inelastic Scattering for Both Active and Passive Sources

Abstract : We wish to develop the theoretical and computational groundwork for a new and innovative program for the remote detection and characterization of both organic and inorganic aerosols using both active (lidar) and passive techniques. This aerosol study should be very beneficial to the Navy in the areas of communications, high power laser transmission, air-sea interactions, and standoff biological detection methods. We also want to continue our collaborative program in polarimetry with the group in Minsk headed by Dr. Eleonora Zege.
An integrated inductor and capacitor with co-located electric and magnetic fields

Passive components such as inductors and capacitors are fundamental components of nearly all power electronic conversion systems. This paper presents an innovative approach to highly integrated inductor (L) and capacitor (C) design by storing magnetic and electric field energy in a common volume, constituting a dual energy core (DEC). This is dissimilar from other integrated designs that primarily exploit a distributed parasitic capacitance between planar inductor windings, ultimately parsing electric and magnetic fields into separate locations unnecessarily. The DEC enables a four terminal integrated LC device that may be applied in nearly any circuit configuration (AC or DC) since its terminal characteristics appear as decoupled lumped elements. The fields in the core geometry are analytically modeled and the effects and tradeoffs of selecting different core parameters/dimensions are explored. Proof of concept prototypes of toroidal form factor demonstrate techniques for fabricating DEC integrated devices, and experimental measurements correlate with the analytical models used in the design process. Finally, a boost converter is constructed and tested with a prototype device to demonstrate decoupled operation of the fields in the core on a large signal basis.
Indications of spatial relations among structures recognizing amino acids and Na+ at a transport receptor site.

Abstract The orientation of the hydroxyl group on carbons 3 or 4 of proline, whether cis or trans , is decisive to the interaction between the amino acid and Na + for a Na + -linked transport system of the pigeon erythrocyte and the rabbit reticulocyte. Consideration of this response in relation to other strong effects of the position of the hydroxyl group in two transport systems suggests that at the transport receptor site under study, the two substrates bind in juxtaposition, Na + trans to the carboxyl group of the amino acid.
A gas-sampling glow discharge coupled to hydride generation for the atomic spectrometric determination of arsenic

Abstract A gas-sampling glow discharge (GSGD) has been coupled with a continuous-flow hydride generator and optimized for the determination of As. The discharge characteristics of the source, operated at constant voltage, and its sampling capabilities have been studied for helium, neon and argon used as discharge gases. The evolved arsine, the accompanying hydrogen and the noble support gas were drawn into the discharge with an efficiency as high as 78%. Spatially resolved maps were obtained of the As I 228.8 nm line, the spectral background and the fill-gas lines, all as a function of the discharge pressure, in order to identify optimal working conditions. Under these conditions, noise amplitude spectra of analytical signals are completely white. Detection limits for As with helium (operated at 6.5 torr (1 torr = 133.332 Pa) and 650 V), with neon (operated at 2.5 torr and 750 V) and with argon (operated at 1.5 torr and 550 V) are 54 ng ml , 30 ng ml and 20 ng ml , respectively. The linear portions of calibration curves extended to 10 μg ml in the argon discharge and to 2 μg ml for neon and helium.
Optimal multivariate classification by linear thresholding

The purpose of this paper is two-fold: 1. We pose the problem of linear thresholding, a classification scheme that uses a threshold variable on multivariate measurements. We begin with formalizing the problem for dichotomy (i.e., with two options, such as true or false), then further generalize the problem for trichotomy (i.e., with three options, such as true, false, or unknown). We present necessary conditions for optimality along with numerical examples. 2. We pose the problem of linear mixed-initiative nested thresholding, a classification architecture that exploits a primary, workload-independent, trichotomous classifier and a secondary, workload-dependent, dichotomous classifier in a nested structure with multivariate measurements. We provide necessary conditions for optimality and proof-of-concept numerical examples.
MO-G-12A-01: Quantitative Imaging Metrology: What Should Be Assessed and How?

The first two symposia in the Quantitative Imaging Track focused on 1) the introduction of quantitative imaging (QI) challenges and opportunities, and QI efforts of agencies and organizations such as the RSNA, NCI, FDA, and NIST, and 2) the techniques, applications, and challenges of QI, with specific examples from CT, PET/CT, and MR. This third symposium in the QI Track will focus on metrology and its importance in successfully advancing the QI field. While the specific focus will be on QI, many of the concepts presented are more broadly applicable to many areas of medical physics research and applications. As such, the topics discussed should be of interest to medical physicists involved in imaging as well as therapy. The first talk of the session will focus on the introduction to metrology and why it is critically important in QI. The second talk will focus on appropriate methods for technical performance assessment. The third talk will address statistically valid methods for algorithm comparison, a common problem not only in QI but also in other areas of medical physics. The final talk in the session will address strategies for publication of results that will allow statistically valid meta-analyses, which is critical for combining results of individual studies with typically small sample sizes in a manner that can best inform decisions and advance the field. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the importance of metrology in the QI efforts. 2. Understand appropriate methods for technical performance assessment. 3. Understand methods for comparing algorithms with or without reference data (i.e., “ground truth”). 4. Understand the challenges and importance of reporting results in a manner that allows for statistically valid meta-analyses.
ACCULTURATION AS A DETERMINANT OF GREEK-AMERICAN FAMILY VALUES '

Sutnm~~.-A Greek Family Values questionnaire along with the Greek-American Acculturation Scale was administered to 338 Greek-American subjects. Based on responses to the Greek-American Acculturation Scale, subjects were placed into Traditional and Acculturated groups. The 64 items of the Family Values Scale were factor analyzed and a scree analysis produced four interpretable Factors. Subjects in both the Traditional and the Acculturated groups tended to agree with items comprising the factors' Traditional Values and Family Honor. The groups tended to differ on most items comprising the H~erarchical Family Values factor and on some items comprising the Parental Conrrol factor. The Acculrurated subjects tended to rejecr the constructs rooted in Greek family values more than the traditional subjects, while women tended to be more rejecting of the values than were men. Evidence presented here also suggests that the Greek-American Acculturation Scale has sufficient validity and reliabiliry to be used by researchers as an accurate measure of Greek-American acculturation. A number of questions have yet to be answered in relation to GreekAmerican acculturation and what constitutes ethnicity arnong Greeks in the United States. For example, studies show that among Greek-Americans, there has been a pervasive tendency to resist acculturation, especially among newly arrived, first, and second generation families (Cunning, 1976; Flouris, 1980; Kourvetaris, 1971; Scourby, 1980). Such resistance to acculturation among the Greek-American population can be seen in the establishment of a Greek school system in many U.S. cities where large numbers of GreekAmericans reside. For example, Scourby (1980) found that 90% of the second generation and 70% of the third generation Greek subjects in her sample had attended Greek school. Such information indicates a strong tendency for Greek-Americans, especially immigrants and first generation, to remain immersed in their own culture. This process is what Mendoza and Martinez (1981) have referred to as active cultural resistance whereby the acquisition of alternative cultural norms are rejected in favor of native customs. Furthermore, Greek culture can be viewed in terms of its position and on "inv Rosenthal & Bornholt, 1988). Individualistic cultures are assumed to promote self-realization for their members. Collectivist cultures, in contrast, require that individ
Vapor–liquid equilibria for binary solutions of polyisobutylene in C 6 through C 9 n -alkanes

Abstract Vapor–liquid equilibria for binary solutions of polyisobutylene in C6 through C9n-alkanes were obtained at 65°C. Using a classic gravimetric-sorption method, the amount of solvent absorbed by polyisobutylene was measured as a function of solvent vapor pressure. The data were interpreted by the Flory–Huggins theory and the Prigogine–Flory–Patterson theory.
Strategies for Increasing Adolescent Immunizations in Diverse Ethnic Communities

Abstract Purpose We sought to identify attitudes and knowledge of adolescent vaccination recommendations for tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap); quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate (MCV4); and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines among Hispanic, Somali, and Ethiopian/Eritrean communities in King County, Washington. Methods In-person surveys of Hispanic, Somali, and Ethiopian/Eritrean adolescents (n = 45) and parents of adolescents (n = 157), and three focus groups with mothers of 11- to 18-year-olds were conducted to assess knowledge, attitudes, and barriers related to recommended adolescent vaccines. Bivariate analyses of parent survey responses were performed to evaluate possible differences between ethnic groups (chi-square test and Fisher exact test where possible). Findings were used to develop (1) culture-specific written brochures for community members, which addressed misperceptions about adolescent immunizations and related diseases, and (2) a presentation highlighting specific messages for health care providers (HCPs) in the target communities. HCPs were surveyed after delivery of the presentation (n = 20). Results We identified barriers to adolescent immunization including: parents' and adolescents' limited awareness of, and misperceptions regarding, recommended adolescent vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases; lack of HCP recommendations for vaccination; and inability to access health information in native languages. Awareness of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis, quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate, and human papillomavirus vaccines varied by vaccine and ethnic group. Lack of knowledge of adolescent vaccination recommendations was the main reason given by parents that their adolescents had not been vaccinated. Most parents in the focus groups identified doctors as a trusted source of health information and reported that they would vaccinate their teens if their doctor recommended it. All the surveyed HCPs routinely recommend adolescent vaccines at well-child visits, 55% at acute visits, and 35% at injury visits. Eighty percent reported that they would be more likely to recommend HPV vaccine after our on-site presentation. Conclusions A strong recommendation from the physician is a critical factor influencing parents' decision to vaccinate, even when hesitancy exists. Other factors (such as personal experiences with these diseases and religious and cultural beliefs) also influence parents' decisions regarding vaccination. Knowledge of beliefs, misperceptions, and concerns can help inform strategies to improve adolescent vaccine uptake among specific ethnic populations, including the availability of culturally tailored, translated information. Additionally, HCPs may benefit from guidance on communicating with ethnic populations to support meaningful dialogue with families about the risks and benefits of adolescent vaccines.
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE METABOLIC EFFECTS OF TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE IN NORMAL MEN AND WOMEN AND IN EUNUCHOIDISM1,2

LAST YEAR, in conjunction with A. H. Bryan, we described our experiences with the metabolic effects of daily injections of testosterone propionate in 4 eunuchoids, one of whom had pituitary damage from a suprasellar cyst (1,2). There appeared a uniform decline in urinary nitrogen reflected in the urea fraction and unaccompanied by increase in the plasma protein, non-protein nitrogen, urea or hemoglobin concentrations in the blood; a decline in urinary sodium associated, except in one instance, with a somewhat smaller decline in urinary chloride; a slight decline in urinary potassium in 2 experiments, of which one was fragmentary; a reduction in urine volume and a gain in weight due chiefly to water held with the retained electrolytes and nitrogen. Urinary creatinine remained unaffected while creatine declined in the 2 experiments in which spontaneous creatinuria was sufficiently intense and sustained to permit satisfactory study.
Complex defects in the oxidation of uranium

We are reporting EPR results obtained with uranium powder samples fully oxidized in dry air, water vapor, and air/water vapor mixtures. The results reported previously are confirmed and additional paramagnetic centers, associated with chemisorbed species, have been identified. The temperature dependence of the g-value for these centers from room temperature to 10K is also reported.
Colonization, succession, and nutrition of macrobenthic assemblages in a restored wetland at Tijuana Estuary, California

Abstract Modes of colonization, the successional trajectory, and trophic recovery of a macrofaunal community were analyzed over 19 months in the Friendship marsh, a 20-acre restored wetland in Tijuana Estuary, California. Traditional techniques for quantifying macrofaunal communities were combined with emerging stable isotopic approaches for evaluation of trophic recovery, making comparisons with a nearby natural Spartina foliosa habitat. Life history-based predictions successfully identified major colonization modes, although most taxa employed a variety of tactics for colonizing the restored marsh. The presence of S. foliosa did not seem to affect macrofaunal colonization or succession at the scale of this study. However, soil organic matter content in the restored marsh was positively correlated with insect densities, and high initial salinities may have limited the success of early colonists. Total macrofaunal densities recovered to natural marsh levels after 14 months and diversity, measured as species richness and the Shannon index ( H ′), was comparable to the natural marsh by 19 months. Some compositional disparities between the natural and created communities persisted after 19 months, including lower percentages of surface-feeding polychaetes ( Polydora spp.) and higher percentages of dipteran insects and turbellarians in the Friendship marsh. As surficial structural similarity of infaunal communities between the Friendship and natural habitat was achieved, isotopic analyses revealed a simultaneous trajectory towards recovery of trophic structure. Enriched δ 13 C signatures of benthic microalgae and infauna, observed in the restored marsh shortly after establishment compared to natural Spartina habitat, recovered after 19 months. However, the depletion in δ 15 N signatures of macrofauna in the Friendship marsh indicated consumption of microalgae, particularly nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, while macroalgae and Spartina made a larger contribution to macrofaunal diets in the natural habitat. Future successional studies must continue to develop and employ novel combinations of techniques for evaluating structural and functional recovery of disturbed and created habitats.
Woody cover does not promote activity of nest predators in residential yards

Urban development often affects resource availability in ways that can influence not only community structure, but key species interactions that shape population dynamics. Although some resources are unintentionally altered, others are deliberately changed to improve habitat for urban wildlife, particularly songbirds. We hypothesized that management strategies that encourage planting trees and shrubs (i.e. increasing woody cover) would inadvertently attract predators of bird nests, which are generally abundant within cities. To test this, we examined the relationship between percent woody cover, pooled across trees and shrubs, and diurnal activity patterns of nest predators in residential yards. We surveyed predator activity and characterized habitat using aerial imagery of seven suburban neighborhoods in Franklin County, Ohio during April–August 2011 and 2012. Predator activity varied widely among individual yards, but contrary to our hypothesis, the availability of woody cover at either yard or neighborhood scales was not a strong predictor of diurnal activity in yards for five common species of nest predators (Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis; common grackle, Quiscalus quiscala; brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater; blue jay, Cyanocitta cristata; and domestic cat, Felis catus). Thus, our study suggests that wildlife habitat management or gardening programs that recommend increasing woody cover do not necessarily attract some common predators of songbird nests in Midwestern landscapes. Additional research that identifies which habitat features beyond woody cover best predict nest predator activity will facilitate the creation of management recommendations that increase the conservation value of urban environments for songbirds.
The effect of aldose reductase and its inhibition on sugar cataract formation.

Abstract Cataracts associated with diabetes and galactosemia are characterized by their rapid onset and bilateral appearance. These cataracts display similar morphology and histology and have common biochemical mechanisms initiating the cataractous processes. An understanding of these biochemical mechanisms has been aided both by the ability to reproduce these cataracts in various animal models and by the development of potent inhibitors of aldose reductase. This is a US government work. There are no restrictions on its use.
Neuroprotective effects of reactive oxygen species mediated by BDNF-independent activation of TrkB.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have diverse biological consequences in the mammalian CNS, but the molecular targets mediating these pleiotropic effects are incompletely understood. Like ROS, the neurotrophin receptor, TrkB receptor tyrosine kinase, has diverse effects in the developing and mature mammalian brain. Our discovery that zinc can transactivate TrkB, together with the finding that ROS can trigger zinc release from cytosolic zinc binding proteins, led us to hypothesize that ROS can transactivate TrkB in CNS neurons by a zinc-dependent mechanism. We found that both exogenous H2O2 and endogenous ROS activate TrkB signaling by a Src family kinase-dependent but brain-derived neurotrophic factor-independent mechanism in cultured rat cortical neurons. Exogenous H2O2 enhances cytosolic zinc content in a metallothionein-3 (MT-3)-requiring manner. Both exogenous H2O2 and endogenous ROS mediated transactivation of TrkB requires intracellular zinc and MT-3. The ROS-triggered transactivation of TrkB exerts neuroprotective effects, because inhibition of TrkB kinase activity or uncoupling Shc signaling from TrkB exacerbates neuronal cell death induced by H2O2. Thus, we propose a molecular signaling event whereby ROS induce release of zinc from cytosolic MT-3, the increased cytosolic zinc transactivates TrkB, and the enhanced Shc signaling downstream from TrkB promotes prosurvival effects. We suggest that such neuroprotective effects mediated by ROS are operative in diverse acute and chronic neurological disorders.
The Hæmoglobin Distribution on Surfaces of Erythrocytes

FROM time to time the point is brought home that factors should be discarded only when exact calculation proves them to be negligible. A case in point is the recent paper by Dr. K. Burker (Pfluger's Archiv fur die gesamte Physiologie, vol. 195, p. 516). In this interesting paper it is shown that in mammals the weight of haemoglobin per square micron of surface of the erythrocytes is apparently a constant equal to 31.7 × 1014 gm. Dr. Burker has, however, assumed that the surface area of the cells is equivalent to twice the area of a circle having for its diameter the large diameter of the cell. The general opinion is that in mammals (the camel excepted) the shape of the cells is a bi-concave disc, having a circle for its horizontal projection, and a flat bi-concave ellipse for the vertical projection of which the minor axis is about one-third of the major axis (E. Ponder, Proc. Roy. Soc. 94B, p. 102). The surface area of such an erythrocyte would then be equal to that of an ellipsoid of revolution around the minor axis. It can be shown by the integral calculus that the area of such an ellipsoid (if the minor axis is equal to one-third the major) is 1.09 times as great as that of two circles with the major axis for diameter. Dr. Burker's constant is therefore equal to 31.7/1.09 or 29 × 1014 gm. haemoglobin per square micron of surface of erythrocyte instead of 31.7 × 1014 gm.
Convergence of finite chain approximation for linear and non-linear polarizabilities of polyacetylene

Abstract Static longitudinal polarizabilities, α zz , and hyperpolarizabilities, γ zzzz , are determined at the INDO level of approximation for finite polyene chain models of polyacetylene (C 2 N H 2 N +2 ) containing up to 62 carbon atoms. Where comparison is possible the agreement with ab initio calculations is excellent. The convergence with chain length of α zz / N and, particularly, γ zzzz / N is slow. At 62 carbons the deviation from the limiting infinite N value is estimated to be 14% for the polarizability and 39% for the hyperpolarizability. In the case of the hyperpolarizability there is a factor of 4–6 difference between our values and PPP results on the smaller chains.
Phosphorylation of HEXIM1 at Tyr271 and Tyr274 Promotes Release of P-TEFb from the 7SK snRNP Complex and Enhances Proviral HIV Gene Expression

Efficient HIV transcription requires P-TEFb, an essential co-factor for Tat. In actively replicating cells, P-TEFb is incorporated into the 7SK snRNP complex together with the repressor protein HEXIM1. Using an affinity purification-tandem mass spectrometry approach to identify modification sites on HEXIM1 that regulate the sequestration of P-TEFb by 7SK snRNP, we found that HEXIM1 can be phosphorylated on adjacent residues in a region immediately upstream of the coiled-coil dimerization domain (Ser268, Thr270, Tyr271, and Tyr274). Phosphomimetic mutations of Tyr271 and Tyr274 disrupted the assembly of P-TEFb and HEXIM1 into the 7SK snRNP complex. Although Y271E/Y274E did not adversely affect the nuclear localization pattern of HEXIM1, it induced the redistribution of the CDK9 subunit of P-TEFb into the cytoplasm. By contrast, the Y271F/Y274F HEXIM1 mutant assembled normally with P-TEFb within the 7SK snRNP complex but severely reduced proviral gene expression in T cells in response to activation signals and caused a severe growth defect of Jurkat T cells. Thus, Y271F/Y274F, which cannot be phosphorylated on these residues, appears to block the exchange of active P-TEFb from the 7SK complex, thereby limiting the level of P-TEFb below the threshold required to support transcription elongation of the HIV provirus and cellular genes.
A CHO-cell strain having hypersensitivity to mutagens, a defect in DNA strand-break repair, and an extraordinary baseline frequency of sister-chromatid exchange

A mutant of CHO cells (strain EM9) previously isolated on the basis of hypersensitivity to killing by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is approx. 10-fold more sensitive than the parental line, AA8, to killing by both EMS and MMS. It is also hypersensitive to killing by other alkylating agents (ethyl nitrosourea and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine), X-rays, and ultraviolet radiation. The production and repair of DNA single-strand breaks (SSB) were studied using the technique of alkaline elution of DNA from filters. After exposure to 4 Gy of X-rays at 0 degrees C and subsequent incubation at 25 degrees C, SSB were repaired within 12 min in AA8, but little repair occurred in EM9. Similarly, with doses of EMS or MMS that produced comparable numbers of SSB in AA8 and EM9 at the end of a 10-min exposure, repair of SSB occurred more rapidly in AA8 than in EM9, suggesting that individual SSB are longer lived in EM9. EM9 was found to be hypersensitive also to the induction of mutations and sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) by EMS; per unit dose the mutant had twice as many mutations to thioguanine resistance, 3 times as many mutations to azaadenine resistance, and a 7-fold enhancement in SCE, compared to AA8. Moreover, the baseline frequency of SCE in the mutant was extraordinarily high, i.e., 8.6 +/- 0.6 vs. 107 +/- 5 SCE/cell for AA8 and EM9, respectively, with 10 microM BrdUrd in the medium. The high SCE frequency in EM9 did not vary significantly with BrdUrd concentration over the range examined from 2.5 to 20 microM, and the percentage of 5-bromouracil substitution in the DNA was the same in EM9 and AA8 under these conditions. These data, however, do not rule out the possibility that the high SCE frequency in EM9 is a consequence of an altered sensitivity to incorporated BrdUrd. Thus, EM9 may carry a pleiotropic mutation affecting some function in DNA replication and/or DNA repair and causing the variety of phenotypic properties described in this study.
Petrogenetic models for magmatism on the eucrite parent body: Evidence from orthopyroxene in diogenites

Diogenites are recognized as a major constituent of the howardite, eucrite and diogenite (HED) meteorite group. Recently, several papers (Mittlefehldt, 1994; Fowler et al., 1994, 1995) have identified trace- element systematics in diogenites that appeared to mimic simple magmatic processes that involved large degrees of crystallization (up to 95% orthopyroxene) of basalt with extremely high normative hypersthene. Such a crystallization scenario linking all the diogenites is highly unlikely. The purpose of this study is to explore other possible models relating the diogenites. Computational major-element melting models of a variety of different potential bulk compositions for the eucrite parent body (EPB) mantle indicate that these compositions show a similar sequence in residuum min- eral assemblage with increasing degrees of partial melting. Numerous bulk compositions would produce melts with Mg# appropriate for diogenitic parent magmas at low to moderate degrees of partial melting (1 5% to 30%). These calculations also show that melts with similar Mg# and variable incompatible element con- centrations may be produced during small to moderate degrees of EPB mantle melting. The trace-element characteristic of the orthopyroxene in diogenites does not support a model for large amounts of fractional crystallization of a single "hypersthene normative" basaltic magma following either small-scale or large-scale EPB mantle melting. Small degrees of fractional crystallization of a series of dis- tinct basaltic magmas are much more likely. Only two melting models that we considered hold any promise for producing different batches of "diogenitic magmas." The first model involves the fractional melting of a homogeneous source that produces parental magmas to diogenites with an extensive range of incompatible elements and limited variations in Mg#. There are several requirements for this model to work. The first requirement of this model is that the DorthoPYroxene/melt must change during melting or crystallization to compress the range of incompatible elements in the calculated diogenitic magmas. The second prerequisite is that either some of the calculated diogenitic magmas are parental to eucrites or the Mg# in diogenitic magmas are influenced by slight changes in oxygen fugacity during partial melting. The second model in- volves batch melting of a source that reflects accretional heterogeneities capable of generating diogenitic magmas with the calculated Mg# and incompatible element contents. Both of these models require small to moderate degrees of partial melting that may limit the efficiency of core separation.
Building a Competency-Based Curriculum Architecture to Educate 21st-Century Business Practitioners

Competency-based instruction can be applied to a military setting, an academic program, or a corporate environment with a focus on producing performance-based learning outcomes. In this article, the authors provide theoretical and practical information about underlying characteristics of competencies and explain how the Department of Instructional & Performance Technology at Boise State University developed a set of competencies and has been modifying its curriculum on the basis of these competencies. The department's curriculum architecture flowchart illustrates the process of developing and applying competencies to curriculum design for producing performance-based learning outcomes. Detailed steps taken in developing a competency-based course are described.
The Efficiency of a Lottery as a Source of Public Revenue

The authors use a stochastic general-equilibrium model to study the efficiency of introducing and taxing lotteries. They calculate the efficiency gains from introducing an untaxed lottery, the efficiency gains from introducing a taxed lottery of the type observed in a typical state, and the efficiency costs of raising marginal public revenue using a tax on lotteries. Under plausible assumptions, the introduction of untaxed and taxed lotteries raises welfare, but taxes on lotteries are less efficient sources of marginal public revenue than are taxes on labor income.
Comparison of the Bowen ratio-energy balance and stability-corrected aerodynamic methods for measurement of evapotranspiration

The Bowen ratio-energy balance (BREB) and the stability-corrected aerodynamic method were used to estimate turbulent fluxes of sensible and latent heat at an irrigated alfalfa site in a semi-arid valley in northern Utah, U.S.A., during August and September of 1991. Despite inclusion of a generalized stability factor, the aerodynamic method underestimated the daytime (sunrise-sunset) sensible and latent heat fluxes by approximately 30% in comparison with the BREB method. The sum of the aerodynamic estimates of sensible and latent heat seldom balanced the energy avaiable from net radiation and change in storage. Wind speed was low during the experiment (averaging 1.6 m s−1), and so a second analysis was run for data from daytime, non-rainy, turbulent conditions (wind > 1.5 m s−1). This showed that sensible and latent heat were still underestimated by approximately 30% in comparison with the BREB approach. This suggests that underestimation of sensible and latent heat fluxes by the aerodynamic method was not related to the wind speed conditions during the experiment. These results show that the stability-corrected aerodynamic model did not agree with the Bowen ratio method in this experiment. It appears unlikely that the discrepancies resulted from measurement errors. Perhaps the theoretical foundation of the similarity parameters (stability functions) in the aerodynamic model are not sufficiently generalized. The discrepancies found here confirm the necessity of calibration checks on the validity of aerodynamic estimates of the turbulent fluxes.
Multi-center clinical evaluation of a chairside method for detecting certain periodontopathic bacteria in periodontal disease.

The association of bacteroides gingivalis, Bacteroides forsythus, Treponema denticola, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans among others with periodontal disease offers the opportunity for the development of diagnostic tests that are based upon the detection and/or quantification of one or more of these organisms or their by-products in the plaque. Three of the putative periodontal pathogens namely, T. denticola, B. gingivalis, and B. forsythus, can hydrolyze the synthetic trypsin substrate, N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-2-naphthylamide (BANA) forming a color reaction. The present investigation evaluated a commercially developed solid state assay for BANA hydrolysis that can be read after 15 minutes incubation at chairside. A total of 702 subgingival plaque samples were collected from 117 patients seen at four university dental clinics and placed on reagent cards. The color development on the cards was compared to the presence of T. denticola and B. gingivalis in the plaque, and with the clinical appearance o...
Racial Differences in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Rates in the United States: A Longitudinal Analysis of a Managed Care Network

Purpose To compare the incidence, prevalence, and hazard of nonexudative and exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among different races throughout the United States. Design Retrospective longitudinal cohort study. Methods Billing records of all encounters for 2 259 061 beneficiaries aged ≥40 enrolled in a large, national US managed care network from 2001 through 2007 were reviewed and the incidence and prevalence of nonexudative and exudative AMD were determined and stratified by race. Cox regression analyses determined the hazard of nonexudative and exudative AMD for each race, with adjustment for confounders. Results During the study, 113 234 individuals (5.0%) were diagnosed with nonexudative and 17 181 (0.76%) with exudative AMD. After adjustment for confounders, blacks had a significantly reduced hazard of nonexudative (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71–0.79) and exudative AMD (HR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.59–0.83) at age 60 and a reduced hazard of nonexudative (HR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.52–0.60) and exudative AMD (HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.37–0.54) at age 80 relative to whites. Similar comparisons for Latinos demonstrated an 18% reduced hazard for nonexudative AMD at age 80 (HR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.76-0.88) relative to whites. Asian Americans showed a 28% increased hazard for nonexudative AMD at age 60 (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.20–1.36) but a 46% decreased hazard for exudative AMD at age 80 (HR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.40–0.73). Conclusions Racial minorities, including Latinos and Asian Americans, do not appear to have similar risks of developing nonexudative and exudative AMD as whites. Additional studies using other sources should be conducted to determine the generalizability of this study's findings to other groups.
Beta-Catenin Accelerates Human Papilloma Virus Type-16 Mediated Cervical Carcinogenesis in Transgenic Mice

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the principal etiological agent of cervical cancer in women, and its DNA is present in virtually all of these tumors. However, exposure to the high-risk HPV types alone is insufficient for tumor development. Identifying specific collaborating factors that will lead to cervical cancer remains an unanswered question, especially because millions of women are exposed to HPV. Our earlier work using an in vitro model indicated that activation of the canonical Wnt pathway in HPV-positive epithelial cells was sufficient to induce anchorage independent growth. We therefore hypothesized that constitutive activation of this pathway might function as the “second hit.” To address this possibility, we developed two double-transgenic (DT) mouse models, K14-E7/ΔN87βcat and K14-HPV16/ΔN87βcat that express either the proteins encoded by the E7 oncogene or the HPV16 early region along with constitutively active β-catenin, which was expressed by linking it to the keratin-14 (K14) promoter. We initiated tumor formation by treating all groups with estrogen for six months. Invasive cervical cancer was observed in 11% of the K14-ΔN87βcat mice, expressing activated β-catenin and in 50% of the animals expressing the HPV16 E7 oncogene. In double-transgenic mice, coexpression of β-catenin and HPV16 E7 induced invasive cervical cancer at about 7 months in 94% of the cases. We did not observe cervical cancer in any group unless the mice were treated with estrogen. In the second model, K14-HPV16 mice suffered cervical dysplasias, but this phenotype was not augmented in HPV16/ΔN87βcat mice. In summary, the phenotypes of the K14-E7/ΔN87βcat mice support the hypothesis that activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HPV-associated premalignant lesions plays a functional role in accelerating cervical carcinogenesis.
Mount St. Augustine Volcano fumarole wall rock alteration: mineralogy, zoning, composition and numerical models of its formation process

Abstract Intensely altered wall rock was collected from high-temperature (640 °C) and low-temperature (375 °C) vents at Augustine volcano in July 1989. The high-temperature altered rock exhibits distinct mineral zoning differentiated by color bands. In order of decreasing temperature, the color bands and their mineral assemblages are: (a) white to grey (tridymite-anhydrite); (b) pink to red (tridymite-hematite-Fe hydroxide-molysite (FeCl 3 ) with minor amounts of anhydrite and halite); and (c) dark green to green (anhydrite-halite-sylvite-tridymite with minor amounts of molysite, soda and potash alum, and other sodium and potassium sulfates). The alteration products around the low-temperature vents are dominantly cristobalite and amorphous silica with minor potash and soda alum, aphthitalite, alunogen and anhydrite. Compared to fresh 1986 Augustine lava, the altered rocks exhibit enrichments in silica, base metals, halogens and sulfur and show very strong depletions in Al in all alteration zones and in iron, alkali and alkaline earth elements in some of the alteration zones. To help understand the origins of the mineral assemblages in altered Augustine rocks, we applied the thermochemical modeling program, GASWORKS, in calculations of: (a) reaction of the 1987 and 1989 gases with wall rock at 640 and 375 °C; (b) cooling of the 1987 gas from 870 to 100 °C with and without mineral fractionation; (c) cooling of the 1989 gas from 757 to 100 °C with and without mineral fractionation; and (d) mixing of the 1987 and 1989 gases with air. The 640 °C gas-rock reaction produces an assemblage consisting of silicates (tridymite, albite, diopside, sanidine and andalusite), oxides (magnetite and hercynite) and sulfides (bornite, chalcocite, molybdenite and sphalerite). The 375 °C gas-rock reaction produces dominantly silicates (quartz, albite, andalusite, microcline, cordierite, anorthite and tremolite) and subordinate amounts of sulfides (pyrite, chalcocite and wurtzite), oxides (magnetite), sulfates (anhydrite) and halides (halite). The cooling calculations produce: (a) anhydrite, halite, sylvite; (b) Cu, Mo, Fe and Zn sulfides; (c) Mg fluoride at high temperature (> 370 °C); (d) chlorides, fluorides and sulfates of Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu and Al at intermediate temperature (170–370 °C); and (e) hydrated sulfates, liquid sulfur, crystalline sulfur, hydrated sulfuric acid and water at low temperature
Microstructures and mechanical properties of NiMgO composites formed by displacement and partial reduction reactions

Metal-ceramic microstructures were produced by two different approaches: a displacement reaction between Mg and NiO and a partial reduction reaction starting with a solid solution of (Mg,Ni)O. In both cases Ni-rich particles were embedded in a Mg-rich (Mg,Ni)O ceramic phase. For the displacement reaction, the two phase structure is produced during hot pressing. For the partial reduction reaction, individual ceramic grains are first reduced to a two phase mixture and then hot pressed to form a monolithic solid. The resultant microstructures contain different distributions of Ni in the MgO matrix. The fracture toughness measured by the chevron notch technique was related to the morphologies of the different microstructures. The presence of chromium ions as a dopant in the partial reduction reaction was found to have a significant beneficial effect on the bend strength and fracture toughness of the composites produced by this method.
Effects of corticosterone on activity and home-range size of free-ranging male lizards.

Abstract The purpose of our study was to examine whether corticosterone (B) affects the spacing behavior of free-ranging male side-blotched lizards ( Uta stansburiana ). Furthermore, we wanted to determine if the density, reflected in seasonal changes in population size, or behavior, as a result of hormonal manipulations, of "neighboring" males influences these effects. Field studies were conducted on four naturally isolated "neighborhoods" of lizards. Half of the males on three of the sites were randomly implanted with either saline or B, while on the fourth site all males were implanted with B. Pre- and postimplant home-ranges and activity levels were determined. Home-range size and activity level were significantly reduced by corticosterone if normally aggressive saline-implanted males were also present in the neighborhood. However, B had no effect on home-range if all males in the neighborhood were implanted with B. Space lost by B-implanted males was incorporated into the home-ranges of saline-implanted males so that the sum of all the male home-ranges in a neighborhood remained unchanged after implantation. These results suggest that elevated B levels put male lizards at a competitive disadvantage and, therefore, force these lizards to reduce their home-range.