cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methylome Profiling Reveals Distinct Alterations in Phenotypic and Mutational Subgroups of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Even though mutations in epigenetic regulators frequently occur in myeloproliferative neoplasms, their effects on the epigenome have not been well studied. Furthermore, even though primary myelofibrosis (PMF) has a markedly worse prognosis than essential thrombocytosis or polycythemia vera, the molecular distinctions between these subgroups are not well elucidated. We conducted the HELP (HpaII tiny fragment enriched by LM-PCR) assay to study genome-wide methylation in polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytosis, and PMF samples compared with healthy controls. We determined that polycythemia vera and essential thrombocytosis are characterized by aberrant promoter hypermethylation, whereas PMF is an epigenetically distinct subgroup characterized by both aberrant hyper- and hypomethylation. Aberrant hypomethylation in PMF was seen to occur in non-CpG island loci, showing further qualitative differences between the disease subgroups. The differentially methylated genes in polycythemia vera and essential thrombocytosis were involved predominantly in cell signaling pathways and were enriched for binding sites of GATA1 and other transcription factors. In contrast, aberrantly methylated genes in PMF were involved in inflammatory pathways and were enriched for NF1, LEF1, and other transcription factors. Within the PMF subgroup, cases with ASXL1 disruptions formed an epigenetically distinct subgroup with relatively increased methylation. Cases of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) with TET2 mutations showed decreased levels of hydroxymethylation and distinct set of hypermethylated genes. In contrast, the JAK2V617F mutation did not drive epigenetic clustering within MPNs. Finally, the significance of aberrant methylation was shown by sensitivity of MPN-derived cell lines to decitabine. These results show epigenetic differences between PMF and polycythemia vera/essential thrombocytosis and reveal methylomic signatures of ASXL1 and TET2 mutations.
New generation carry look twice-ahead adder CL2A and carry look thrice-ahead adder CL3A

Proposed innovation gives a faster, lower depth, lower power and lower area solution for addition. The paper describes two novel static gates developed for 4-bit Majority Carry Generate (MCG) and Majority Carry Propagate (MCP) operation in a single gate depth. Derivation of a novel 72-bit CL2A within 6 gate-depth, using MCG, MCP and a novel sparse5 (5×2n) algorithm with a variable sparse is described. Implementation of a novel 64-bit CL3A within 5 gate-depth, by extending CL2A with progressive sparse 1+30 + 31 + 32 +...3n algorithm is described. Silicon evaluation of an 8-bit application for the CL2A is presented in 32nm. Post-layout results of 64-bit CL2A and 64-bit CL3A against Ling-Carry-select adder are presented in 14nm along with the advantages and limitations.
Religion, spirituality and aging for "The Aging" themselves.

Abstract This article explores some likely characteristics of the particular and specific experiences of the relationship between religion and spirituality for cohorts born before 1935 by attending to three main points: (1) the word “spirituality” came into common usage in the 1960s, well after people born before 1935; (2) for some in cohorts born before 1935, “spirituality” had negative connotations; (3) a definition of “spirituality” is possible that can express the experience of older adults and, at the same time, sharpen our current understanding of the term to include cognitive, experiential, and volitional elements.
CH-46 rotor head acoustic fault detection analysis

Reductions in Navy maintenance budgets and available personnel have dictated the need to transition from time-based to 'condition-based' maintenance. Achieving this requires new enabling diagnostic technologies. Stress-wave acoustic emission technology has shown promise for the early detection of helicopter rotor head dynamic component faults. In September 1997, Honeywell Technology Center (HTC) successfully completed a three-week flight test of its rotor acoustic monitoring system (RAMS) at Patuxent River Flight Test Center. This flight test was the culmination of an ambitious 38-month, proof-of-concept effort directed at demonstrating the feasibility of detecting crack propagation in helicopter rotor components. Honeywell is presently developing a time- frequency-based real-time processing algorithm under internal research efforts to automate the fault-detection process. The focus of this paper is to overview the CH-46 flight test and system configuration and present preliminary results of the time-frequency analysis of the flight-test dataset.
Steric effects in the metalation of some aromatic substrates with alkyllithium reagents

Abstract Metalation experiments have been designed involving anisole, resorcinol dimethyl ether, and phenyl tert-butyl ether with n-butyl- and tert-butyllithium to probe for steric effects in the reaction. The process is strikingly free of steric response, which suggests a multistep mechanism in which the orientation-determining step and the rate-determining removal of ring hydrogen are in separate steps. Metalation of anisole-2- d occurs with an isotope effect of magnitude comparable to thiophene metalation. A new mechanism involving radical anions and free radicals is proposed for the reaction.
Proton transport by halorhodopsin

In halorhodopsin from Natronobacterium pharaonis, a light-driven chloride pump, the chloride binding site also binds azide. When azide is bound at this location the retinal Schiff base transiently ...
Art, Death, and Transfiguration

As a work in progress, this paper raises questions about art therapists' own artmaking and the meaning of the artist identity for us. Prompted by Maxine Junge's interviews of artists in her book Creative Realities(1998), these reflections attempt to explore the benefits and even the necessity of art expression through my own artmaking experience. From there, I attempt to look at the larger issues of the relationship of art therapists to the art world. This paper is about "art" as I practice it, "death" as I have dealt with it in my own art, and "transfiguration" as art's healing potential.
Simultaneous detection of liquid level and refractive index with a long-period fiber grating based sensor device

In this study, a long-period fiber grating (LPFG)-based optical fiber sensor device is proposed for simultaneous detection of liquid level and refractive index (RI). When part of the grating was submerged in an unknown liquid, the resonant wavelength of each cladding mode of the LPFG sensor varied linearly with the submerged length and nonlinearly with the RI of the liquid. By retaining the first-order (sensitivity) and second-order (cross sensitivity) terms of a Taylor expansion of the nonlinear relation, the changes in submerged length (or liquid level) and RI can be simultaneously evaluated from the changes in resonant wavelength of two cladding modes. The sensitivity coefficients to liquid level, RI, their cross effect and environmental effects were studied both analytically and experimentally. The maximum prediction error by the proposed evaluation algorithm was found to be 1 mm for liquid level and 0.005 for RI.
Acute stimulation of trifluoroethene defluorination and cytochrome P450 inactivation in the rat by exposure to isoflurane.

Abstract The effect of isoflurane on trifluoroethene (TFE) defluorination and cytochrome P450 inactivation was examined in rats to determine the influence of this anesthetic on in vivo fluoroethene metabolism. Exposure of rats to TFE (0.5%, v v ) or a mixture of TFE and isoflurane (0.5% each) in oxygen for 60 min resulted in plasma fluoride increased over that in nonexposed or isoflurane (0.5%)-exposed animals. In untreated rats plasma fluoride levels following TFE and TFE-isoflurane exposures were approximately equal. In rats treated with phenobarbital, however, isoflurane increased plasma fluoride over two times that in rats exposed to TFE alone. Likewise cytochrome P450 levels declined 24% in TFE-exposed animals and 64% in rats exposed to TFE-isoflurane. The ability of microsomes from fluorocarbon-exposed animals to metabolize (R)- and (S)-warfarin indicates that TFE exposure inactivated the phenobarbital-inducible isozymes P450IIB1, P450IIC6, and P450IIIA to approximately equal degrees (21–35%). TFE-isoflurane exposure further inhibited P450IIB1 and PB450IIC6 to 50–70%, but had only a minor effect on P450IIIA activity. These data demonstrate that the defluorination of TFE in vivo by the phenobarbital-inducible cytochrome P450 isozymes is increased by isoflurane, and that isoflurane enhances the ability of TFE to inactivate cytochromes P450 in an isozyme-selective manner.
Hollow glass waveguides with CVD-deposited metal and dielectric coatings

Hollow glass waveguides have been fabricated for the delivery of infrared radiation by chemical vapor deposition methods. A molybdenum film is first deposited inside 700- micrometer and 530-micrometer bore silica tubing by the hydrogen reduction of molybdenum chloride. Then, Al2O3, or TiO2 film is deposited onto the molybdenum layer. These dielectric films enhance the reflectivity, and we observe a reduction in loss for the thin- film combination compared with the molybdenum film alone. The thickness uniformity of the dielectric films is estimated to be less than 5% of the desired thickness in a length of 50 cm. A loss spectrum of the Al2O3/Mo-coated waveguides shows that the losses for the Al2O3 guide in the 3 - 6 micrometer wavelength region are lower than the loss for the AgI-coated guide fabricated by liquid-phase deposition technique. The chemical vapor deposition techniques can be extended to the fabrication of hollow waveguides with multiple dielectric layers that have much lower losses than current single-layer designs.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An approach to undergraduate student investigations in clinical settings.

Undergraduate nursing students in one university conduct quality assurance studies in the clinical setting as part of the requirements for a formal research course. The joint guidance of student projects by the nursing practice quality assurance coordinator and the research course instructor constitutes a type of collegial relationship that unifies practice and educational goals. There are mutual advantages to the nursing quality assurance program and to nursing students.
Managing the Transition to College: Family Functioning, Emotion Coping, and Adjustment in Emerging Adulthood

Using a self-reported assessment of 320 first-time college students, we tested the hypothesis that one's ability to manage emotion moderates the relationship between family environment and college adjustment. Results add to growing evidence that the way one views one's whole family environment during the emerging adulthood years is linked to one's adjustment during normative transition points, such as the college transition. Emotion coping variables also predicted college adjustment over and above the variance accounted for by family factors. The relationship between family expressiveness and social adjustment to college varies depending on emerging adults' emotion coping style. Participants from less expressive families who tend to avoid their emotions reported significantly more difficulty adjusting to college than their peers from more expressive family environments.
Two-Level Image Segmentation Based on Region and Edge Integration

This paper introduces a two-level approach for image seg- mentation based on region and edge integration. Edges are first detected in the original image using a combination of operators for intensity gra- dient and texture discontinuities. To preserve the spatial coherence of the edges and their surrounding image regions, the detected edges are vectorized into connected line segments which serve as the basis for a constrained Delaunay triangulation. Segmentation is first performed on the triangulation using graph cuts. Our method favors segmentations that pass through more vectorized line segments. Finally, the obtained segmentation on the triangulation is projected onto the original image and region boundaries are refined to achieve pixel accuracy. Experimen- tal results show that the two-level approach can achieve accurate edge localization, better spatial coherence and improved efficiency.
Pharmacokinetics and adverse effects of oral meloxicam tablets in healthy adult horses

The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetic profile and determine whether any adverse effects would occur in seven healthy adult horses following oral meloxicam tablet administration once daily for 14 days at a dose of 0.6 mg/kg·bwt. Horses were evaluated for health using physical examination, complete blood count, serum chemistry, urinalysis, and gastroscopy at the beginning and end of the study. Blood was collected for the quantification of meloxicam concentrations with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The mean terminal half-life was 4.99 ± 1.11 h. There was no significant difference between the mean Cmax , 1.58 ± 0.71 ng/mL at Tmax 3.48 ± 3.30 h on day 1, 2.07 ± 0.94 ng/mL at Tmax 1.24 ± 1.24 h on day 7, and 1.81 ± 0.76 ng/mL at 1.93 ± 1.30 h on day 14 (P = 0.30). There was a statistically significant difference between the Tmax on the sample days (P = 0.04). No statistically significant increase in gastric ulcer score or laboratory analytes was noted. Oral meloxicam tablets were absorbed in adult horses, and adverse effects were not statistically significant in this study. Further studies should evaluate the adverse effects and efficacy of meloxicam tablets in a larger population of horses before routine use can be recommended.
Combustion of micron-sized aluminum particle, liquid water, and hydrogen peroxide mixtures

Abstract The combustion of aluminum particle, liquid water, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) mixtures is studied theoretically for a pressure range of 1–20 MPa and particle sizes between 3 and 70 μm. The oxidizer-to-fuel (O/F) weight ratio is varied in the range of 1.00–1.67, and four different H2O2 concentrations of 0%, 30%, 60%, and 90% are considered. A multi-zone flame model is developed to determine the burning behaviors and combustion-wave structures by solving the energy equation in each zone and enforcing the temperature and heat-flux continuities at the interfacial boundaries. The entrainment of particles is taken into account. Key parameters that dictate the burning properties of mixtures are found to be the thermal diffusivity, flame temperature, particle burning time, ignition temperature, and entrainment index of particles. When the pressure increases from 1 to 20 MPa, the flame thickness decreases by a factor of two. The ensuing enhancement of conductive heat flux to the unburned mixture thus increases the burning rate, which exhibits a pressure dependence of the form rb = apm. The exponent, m, depends on reaction kinetics and convective motion of particles. Transition from diffusion to kinetically-controlled conditions causes the pressure exponent to increase from 0.35 at 70 μm to 1.04 at 3 μm. The addition of hydrogen peroxide has a positive effect on the burning properties. The burning rate is nearly doubled when the concentration of hydrogen peroxide increases from 0 to 90%. For the conditions encountered in this study, the following correlation for the burning rate is developed: r b [ cm / s ] = 4.97 ( p [ MPa ] ) 0.37 ( d p [ μ m ] ) - 0.85 ( O / F ) - 0.54 exp ( 0.0066 C H 2 O 2 ) .
Hybrid statistical/electromagnetic optimization and performance capability modeling of an LTCC compact soft/hard surface structure

A compact softhard surface (SHS) structure is designed to improve the radiation pattern of a patch antenna. The compact SHS structure is realized on a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology. The structure is first optimized using statistical tools such as DOE (design of experiments), then SPC (statistical process control), and MC (Monte Carlo) simulation to account for the performance capability modeling of the system. The method gives the possibility to predict the system performance based on the variability in the geometrical parameters of the structure without the need to build any test structure.
Ratiometric imaging of calcium during ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated mouse hearts using Fura-2

We present an easily implementable method for measuring Fura-2 fluorescence from isolated mouse hearts using a commercially available switching light source and CCD camera. After calibration, it provides a good estimate of intracellular [Ca2+] with both high spatial and temporal resolutions, permitting study of changes in dispersion of diastolic [Ca2+], Ca2+ transient dynamics, and conduction velocities in mouse hearts. In a proof-of-principle study, we imaged isolated Langendorff-perfused mouse hearts with reversible regional myocardial infarctions. Isolated mouse hearts were perfused in the Landendorff-mode and loaded with Fura-2. Hearts were then paced rapidly and subjected to 15 minutes of regional ischemia by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, following which the ligation was removed to allow reperfusion for 15 minutes. Fura-2 fluorescence was recorded at regular intervals using a high-speed CCD camera. The two wavelengths of excitation light were interleaved at a rate of 1 KHz with a computer controlled switching light source to illuminate the heart. Fura-2 produced consistent Ca2+ transients from different hearts. Ligating the coronary artery rapidly generated a well defined region with a dramatic rise in diastolic Ca2+ without a significant change in transient amplitude; Ca2+ handling normalized during reperfusion. Conduction velocity was reduced by around 50% during ischemia, and did not recover significantly when monitored for 15 minutes following reperfusion. Our method of imaging Fura-2 from isolated whole hearts is capable of detecting pathological changes in intracellular Ca2+ levels in cardiac tissue. The persistent change in the conduction velocities indicates that changes to tissue connectivity rather than altered intracellular Ca2+ handling may be underlying the electrical instabilities commonly seen in patients following a myocardial infarction.
Mechanical Properties of Polycrystalline Lithium Orthosilicate

Room-temperature mechanical properties and high-temperature creep deformation of lithium orthosilicate (Li4SiO4) were studied. Elastic constants, flexural strength, and fracture toughness were determined for specimens with densities between 68% and 98% of theoretical. Critical quenching temperature and thermal-shock resistance parameters for 90% dense specimens were also measured. High-temperature creep deformation was investigated by a constant-strain-rate test in an argon atmosphere at temperatures between 750° and 1025°C and strain rates ranging from about 10−6 to 10−3 s−1. At 950°C and above, the stress exponent, n, was determined to be 3.6, with a creep activation energy of 715 kJ/mol. Selected results obtained for Li4SiO4 are compared with results obtained for other Li-containing ceramics that are under consideration as candidates for fusion reactor breeder blankets.
Acute Dysautonomia and Polyneuropathy

• A patient experienced an acute dysautonomia manifested by an inability to eat without vomiting, severe constipation, dry mouth, and orthostatic hypotension. One month later, a severe polyneuropathy supervened. The patient subsequently experienced an atonic bladder. Biopsy specimens obtained from the bowel wall disclosed an inflammatory infiltrate within the autonomic nerves consisting of lymphocytes and plasma cells. To our knowledge, this is the first time that inflammatory infiltrates have been demonstrated within the autonomic nerves in a patient with an acute dysautonomia, suggesting a relationship between this illness and the inflammatory polyneuropathies. The patient subsequently had a severe polyneuropathy, lending support to this conclusion.
Triz and axiomatic design: a review of case-studies and a proposed synergistic use

With increasing competition in the market, expediting the problem solving process has become crucial in the industry. As such, a number of problem solving techniques have been devised to efficiently tackle problems of varying natures. Two such techniques, Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) and Axiomatic Design (AD), have been widely applied in a variety of industries and services, recently. This paper reviews practical applications of TRIZ and AD in solving industrial problems related to manufacturing and designing. In addition, compatibility issues of TRIZ and AD are discussed. Based on our review, we propose a new approach of applying these two techniques concurrently to solve a problem to attain efficiency and quality in the problem solving process. The approach has been demonstrated through a real life case-study of productivity enhancement in a manufacturing industry.
Distribution of interseismic slip rates and the potential for significant earthquakes on the Calaveras fault, central California

[1] The Calaveras fault is a major component of the San Andreas fault system in the San Francisco Bay area, that generated 13 earthquakes of ML > 5 since 1850. In most recent ML > 5 events, premain shock and postmain shock microseismicity is sparse in the region of coseismic slip. These aseismic areas are believed to represent locked patches of the fault that are accumulating strain to be released in ML > 5 events. We analyze geodetic data to better characterize the spatial distribution of interseismic slip rates on the Calaveras fault, modeling the slip distribution in the seismogenic zone by inversion of over 25 years of surface deformation data. We use a regional fault model with the seismogenic zone of the Calaveras fault discretized into ∼6 km × 3 km elements, employing a weighted least squares approach with smoothing and positivity constraints. Our discretized fault slip model consistently identifies regions of slip deficit in the seismogenic zone of the Calaveras fault that generally correspond to regions of decreased microseismicity and ruptures of previous moderate earthquakes. In particular, we find correspondence with the 1979 Coyote Lake and 1984 Morgan Hill events, as well as regions where historical earthquakes on the Coyote and the Sunol-San Ramon segments have occurred. Moment magnitude calculations based on the estimated slip deficit, fault area, and recurrence intervals agree with measured magnitudes of modern events and interpreted historical magnitudes. The results suggest that a combination of geodetically derived fault slip models and microseismicity distribution can be used to characterize seismic hazard.
Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma of the thymus.

Abstract Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma is a rare pediatric neoplasm that presents most commonly in the soft tissues. We report the case of a 1-month-old infant who presented with stridor and was found to have a diffusely infiltrating tumor in the thymus that extended into the pericardium and up the carotid sheaths. Histologic examination revealed a vascular tumor infiltrating among the lobules of the lymphocyte-depleted thymus. The lesion had features of both a capillary hemangioma and Kaposi sarcoma. Immunoperoxidase studies on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue demonstrated the neoplastic endothelial cells to be positive for vascular markers CD31 and CD34. Antibody to factor VIII-related antigen labeled feeding vessels, but failed to stain the lobules of tumor. Although these tumors have been treated in a fashion similar to capillary hemangiomas in the past, it may be important to differentiate Kaposiform hemangioendotheliomas because of their association with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome and recen...
Gate Matrix Layout Synthesis with Two-Dimensional Folding

We have developed a gate matrix layout synthesis tool which utilizes folding technique on both rows and columns. The conventional interval graph model and the recently proposed dynamic net-list representation can not fully depict circuit schematics such as inter-net connections. The incomplete representations may mislead the search process for an optimal solution during the layout partitioning and the gate ordering phases. We propose a new graph-based model called hierarchical dynamic net-list to improve the schematic representation. Based on the new model, the folded layout area in the partitioning phase can be more accurately estimated. The new gate ordering algorithm proposed by us also takes the advantages of the hierarchical dynamic net-list model to handle the gate placement in the folded layouts. The experimental results show 12% to 15% improvement in layout area for small circuits and 30% improvement for a large circuit.
Receptors of atrial natriuretic factor.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is a polypeptide hormone that is secreted mainly by the heart atria in response to increases in atrial pressure or atrial stretch. ANF has multiple actions in the kidney that lead to increases in glomerular filtration rate and excretion of fluid and electrolytes, modulation of renal vascular resistance, decreases in inner medullary hypertonicity and sodium reabsorption by tubular epithelial cells, and stimulation of sodium secretion in inner medullary collecting duct cells. ANF also modulates systemic vascular resistance, inhibits the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone sys­ tem, and decreases arterial blood pressure, cardiac output and plasma volume (for a general review on the functional properties of ANF see Reference 11). Not surprisingly, after the initial reports in 1984 that showed the presence of high affinity specific binding sites of ANF in kidney cortex, aorta, and adrenal glomerulosa (30, 71), and the finding that ANF increases cGMP by activation of a membrane bound (particulate) guanylate cyclase (70, 107, 110), workers performed intensive and extensive studies on the distribution and the biochemical and functional properties of ANF receptors. These studies brought many novel concepts on receptor structure and function, whose full implication is still not understood. In this chapter, the main findings of these studies on ANF receptors and second messengers are considered in a brief and non-inclusive manner.
Isolation of Candicine Chloride, Laurifoline Chloride, and Xanthoxyletin from the Bark of Zanthoxylum Elephantiasis

A study of the quaternary alkaloids of the bark of Zanthoxylum elephantiasis was made. Utilizing a silicic acid and diatomaceous earth (4:1) chromatographic column, the quaternary alkaloids laurifoline chloride and candicine chloride were separated and identified. In addition, xanthoxyletin was isolated from a petroleum ether extract of the bark. Its identification was made by physical and chemical data.
Initial cultivation of a temperate‐region soil immediately accelerates aggregate turnover and CO2 and N2O fluxes

The immediate effects of tillage on protected soil C and N pools and on trace gas emissions from soils at precultivation levels of native C remain largely unknown. We measured the response to cultivation of CO2 and N2O emissions and associated environmental factors in a previously uncultivated U.S. Midwest Alfisol with C concentrations that were indistinguishable from those in adjacent late successional forests on the same soil type (3.2%). Within 2 days of initial cultivation in 2002, tillage significantly (P=0.001, n=4) increased CO2 fluxes from 91 to 196 mg CO2-C m−2 h−1 and within the first 30 days higher fluxes because of cultivation were responsible for losses of 85 g CO2-C m−2. Additional daily C losses were sustained during a second and third year of cultivation of the same plots at rates of 1.9 and 1.0 g C m−2 day−1, respectively. Associated with the CO2 responses were increased soil temperature, substantially reduced soil aggregate size (mean weight diameter decreased 35% within 60 days), and a reduction in the proportion of intraaggregate, physically protected light fraction organic matter. Nitrous oxide fluxes in cultivated plots increased 7.7-fold in 2002, 3.1-fold in 2003, and 6.7-fold in 2004 and were associated with increased soil NO3− concentrations, which approached 15 μg N g−1. Decreased plant N uptake immediately after tillage, plus increased mineralization rates and fivefold greater nitrifier enzyme activity, likely contributed to increased NO3− concentrations. Our results demonstrate that initial cultivation of a soil at precultivation levels of native soil C immediately destabilizes physical and microbial processes related to C and N retention in soils and accelerates trace gas fluxes. Policies designed to promote long-term C sequestration may thus need to protect soils from even occasional cultivation in order to preserve sequestered C.
Role of C‐reactive protein, reticulocyte haemoglobin content and inflammatory markers in iron and erythropoietin administration in dialysis patients

SUMMARY: Aim: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant protein, which becomes elevated in response to inflammation, infections or malignancies. These conditions are well known causes of bone marrow hyporesponsiveness and erythropoietin resistance in dialysis patients. The role of iron-deficiency as a cause of hyporesponsiveness under these conditions is not clear. Reticulocyte haemoglobin content (CHr) is one of several iron indices used to determine iron deficiency in dialysis patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of CRP and CHr in iron administration and anaemia management in dialysis patients Methods: In 47 haemodialysis patients with ferritin levels of > 500 ng/mL, CRP, CHr, transferrin saturation (TSAT), other markers and erythropoietin dose were evaluated. Patients with CRP 5 mg/L (Group B). Results: Ferritin levels in the two groups were not different. Weekly erythropoietin was significantly different between the two groups. Group B required an average of 121% more erythropoietin than Group A to maintain similar haemoglobin levels of 11‐12 g/dL 36% of Group B had CHr < 29 pg versus 7% of patients in Group A. 39% of patients in Group B also had TSAT < 20% versus 0% in Group A. Group A also had more arteriovenous (AV) fistulae as dialysis access than group B. Conclusion: Data indicate that low CHr, similar to low TSAT, could be associated with inflammatory process and erythropoietin resistance, but not necessarily with iron-deficiency. High CRP association with low CHr and low TSAT levels can explain the lack of response to further IV iron therapy. AV grafts, contrary to AV fistulae, are associated with high inflammatory markers and also with a higher erythropoietin requirement.
Convexification of the range-only station keeping problem

Using concepts from switched adaptive control theory plus a special parameterization of the class of 2 times 2 nonsingular matrices, a tractable and provably correct solution is given to the three landmark station keeping problem in the plane in which range measurements are the only sensed signals upon which station keeping is to be based. The performance of the overall system degrades gracefully in the face of increasing measurement and miss-alignment errors, provided the measurement errors are not too large.
Direct and indirect roles of CcpA in regulation of Bacillus subtilis Krebs cycle genes.

Summary Carbon catabolite repression of the Bacillus subtilis citrate synthase (citZ) and aconitase (citB) genes, previously known to be regulated by CcpC, was shown to depend on CcpA as well. Transcription of the citZ gene was partially derepressed in ccpA and ccpC single mutants and fully derepressed in a ccpA ccpC double mutant. DNase I footprinting studies showed that CcpA binds to a catabolite-responsive element (cre) site located at positions +80 to +97 with respect to the transcription start site, whereas CcpC binds at positions −14 to +6 and +16 to +36. Mutations in the citZ cre site greatly altered CcpA binding and repression. A ccpA null mutation also caused partial derepression of citB. Disruption of citrate synthase activity, however, suppressed the effect of the ccpA mutation, suggesting that increased citrate accumulation in a ccpA mutant partially inactivates CcpC and causes partial derepression of citB. Therefore, CcpA controls expression of Krebs cycle genes directly by regulating transcription of citZ and in-directly by regulating availability of citrate, the inducer for CcpC.
RESEARCH ON OCCUPATIONAL STRESS: AN UNFINISHED ENTERPRISE

Job stress (and more generally, employee health) has been a relatively neglected area of research among industrial-organizational psychologists. The empirical research that has been done is reviewed within the context of six facets (i.e., environmental, personal, process, human consequences, organizational consequences, and time) of a seven facet conceptualization of the job stress–employee health research domain. (The seventh facet, adaptive responses, is reviewed in the forthcoming second article of this series.) A general and a sequential model are proposed for tying the facets together. It is concluded that some of the major problems of the research in this area are: confusion in the use of terminology regarding the elements of job stress, relatively weak methodology within specific studies, the lack of systematic approaches in the research, the lack of interdisciplinary approaches, and the lack of attention to many elements of the specific facets.
Self-Assembling Microspheres from Charged Functional Polyelectrolytes and Small-Molecule Counterions

Micrometer-sized spheres have been found to assemble from homopolymer electrolytes and small, multivalent counterions in water. In contrast to previous efforts, these vesicles do not use preformed templates, do not require block copolymers, and do not necessarily employ nanoparticles. We have investigated the requirements for vesicle formation with regards to both components of the assembly. Self-assembly occurs with a variety of poly-amino acids and counterions, all of which require a minimum number of charged groups to promote non-covalent crosslinking. We show how the assembly process is controlled by pH and how, in consequence, the pKa's of the reactants can be used to reliably predict sphere formation. By varying the nature of the small counterions, we have determined the requirements for assemblies. The assemblies have been further investigated using confocal microscopy and fluorescent labeling of the different components.
DIFFERENTIAL VIRUS REPLICATION, CYTOKINE PRODUCTION AND ANTIGEN-PRESENTING FUNCTION BY MICROGLIA FROM SUSCEPTIBLE AND RESISTANT MICE INFECTED WITH THEILER'S VIRUS

Infection with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) in the central nervous system (CNS) causes an immune system-mediated demyelinating disease similar to human multiple sclerosis in susceptible but not resistant strains of mice. To understand the underlying mechanisms of differential susceptibility, we analyzed viral replication, cytokine production, and costimulatory molecule expression levels in microglia and macrophages in the CNS of virus-infected resistant C57BL/6 (B6) and susceptible SJL/J (SJL) mice. Our results indicated that message levels of TMEV, tumor necrosis factor alpha, beta interferon, and interleukin-6 were consistently higher in microglia from virus-infected SJL mice than in those from B6 mice. However, the levels of costimulatory molecule expression, as well as the ability to stimulate allogeneic T cells, were significantly lower in TMEV-infected SJL mice than in B6 mice. In addition, microglia from uninfected naive mice displayed differential viral replication, T-cell stimulation, and cytokine production, similar to those of microglia from infected mice. These results strongly suggest that different levels of intrinsic susceptibility to TMEV infection, cytokine production, and T-cell activation ability by microglia contribute to the levels of viral persistence and antiviral T-cell responses in the CNS, which are critical for the differential susceptibility to TMEV-induced demyelinating disease between SJL and B6 mice.
Cultures of difference. The aftermath of Portuguese and British colonial policies in southern Africa

L'A. discute de la signification symbolique que revet l'entree du Mozambique dans le Commonwealth britannique. Il compare les differentes cultures coloniales britannique et portugaise pour mettre a jour la tension qui existe entre doctrines assimilationnistes et segregationnistes. Cette tension se diffuse jusque dans la situation post-coloniale du Mozambique produisant pendant la periode socialiste une politique d'assimilation tout a fait explicite en meme temps qu'une aspiration croissante a s'associer etroitement aux valeurs occidentales tout en celebrant les traditions locales. En analysant la place de plus en plus determinante qu'occupent aujourd'hui dans le pays les notions anglo-americaines du multiculturalisme et de la difference ethnique, l'A. tente de montrer qu'elles representent a bien des egards les sequelles logiques contemporaines de l'ancienne segregation.
Spatial Tests of the Pesticide Drift, Habitat Destruction, UV‐B, and Climate‐Change Hypotheses for California Amphibian Declines

Wind-borne pesticides have long been suggested as a cause of amphibian declines in areas without obvious habitat destruction. In California, the transport and deposition of pesticides from the agriculturally in- tensive Central Valley to the adjacent Sierra Nevada is well documented, and pesticides have been found in the bodies of Sierra frogs. Pesticides are therefore a plausible cause of declines, but to date no direct links have been found between pesticides and actual amphibian population declines. Using a geographic information system, we constructed maps of the spatial pattern of declines for eight declining California amphibian taxa, and com- pared the observed patterns of decline to those predicted by hypotheses of wind-borne pesticides, habitat destruc- tion, ultraviolet radiation, and climate change. In four species, we found a strong positive association between declines and the amount of upwind agricultural land use, suggesting that wind-borne pesticides may be an im- portant factor in declines. For two other species, declines were strongly associated with local urban and agricul- tural land use, consistent with the habitat-destruction hypothesis. The patterns of decline were not consistent with either the ultraviolet radiation or climate-change hypotheses for any of the species we examined.
Effect of Temperature on Development, Fecundity, and Life Table Parameters of Encarsia citrina Craw (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a Parasitoid of Euonymus Scale, Unaspis euonymi (Comstock), and Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock) (Homoptera: Diaspididae)

Abstract The development, reproduction, and life history of Encarsia citrina Craw were studied in the laboratory on San Jose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock), at constant temperatures of 15, 17.5, 20, 25, 27.5, and 30°C at 60–70% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. Larval development did not occur at 15 and 30°C. Total developmental time varied from 22.7 d at 27.5°C to 47.4 d at 17.5°C. The lower development thresholds for larval, pupal, and egg to adult periods were 10.4, 6.3, and 9.0°C, respectively. The number of degree-days required to complete development was 434.8. The average longevity of adults ranged from 34.3 d at 15°C to 8.0 d at 30°C. The average fecundity of females ranged from 96.3 eggs at 20°C to 40 eggs at 17.5°C. Life table parameters were also determined at four constant temperatures (17.5–27.5°C). The intrinsic rate of increase, rm, values for E. citrina ranged from 0.074 at 17.5°C to 0.176 at 27.5°C. The highest net reproductive rate, R0, of 93.7 female offspring/female...
Altered Immune Functions in Hypercholesterolemic Monkeys

Humoral and cellular immune responses to several antigens were compared in control and hypercholesterolemic groups of monkeys. Chronic hypercholesterolemia, with concomitant hyperphospholipidemia and hypotriglyceridemia, was produced experimentally by feeding monkeys a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. When studied prior to infection, hypercholesterolemic monkeys exhibited impaired development of precipitating antibodies against ovalbumin, enhanced sensitivity to tuberculin antigen (stimulated apparently by mycobacterial components in complete Freund adjuvant), and an increased rate of clearance of colloidal carbon from blood. During pneumococcal infection the ability of neutrophiles from hypercholesterolemic monkeys to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium dye showed an increase greater than that of control monkeys; both groups exhibited increased but comparable final clearance rates of colloidal carbon, although the increment of increase was smaller in hypercholesterolemic monkeys.
Anomalous Scattering in Macromolecular Structure Analysis

Anomalous scattering is a phenomenon in fundamental physics that proves to have a special role in macromolecular crystallography. When x-rays impact matter they are scattered from the electrons of atoms. Conventional diffraction analysis takes the scattering as being directly proportional to electron density. Thus this “normal” scattering is insensitive to atom type. However, such a description is only adequate for the lightest of elements (e.g. carbon and nitrogen). In general, resonance between electronic vibrations induced by the incident x-ray wave and the characteristic frequencies of bound atomic electrons modifies the scattering. This change, the “anomalous” scattering, has two especially pertinent features: the magnitude of effect varies with x-ray wavelength and each type of atom gives a distinctive response. Anomalous scattering is particularly pronounced at absorption edges; that is, when the x-ray energy approaches the characteristic energy levels of atomic orbitals.
Tungsten measurement on Alcator C-Mod and EBIT for future fusion reactors11This article is part of a Special Issue on the 10th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas.

Tungsten will be an important element in nearly all future fusion reactors because of its presence in plasma facing components. This makes tungsten a good candidate for a diagnostic element for ion...
The last mental hospital.

The public mental hospital system was created in part because many mentally ill people were being held in prisons and jails. Support for those hospitals waned over time, however, and by the time they had degenerated into “snake pits” a consensus was reached to close them down. Unfortunately, they were not replaced with adequate community mental health resources, so as the hospitals have emptied, the prisons and jails have filled, partly with the mentally ill. That is the destructive reason for the growth of prison psychiatry in this country: the prison has become the last mental hospital. The constructive one has been a new emphasis on bringing psychiatric treatment to a previously neglected population: people who have committed serious violence, whether because of Axis I mental illnesses or Axis II character disorders. Unfortunately, four inter-related, mutually reinforcing nationwide trends threaten to reinforce that destructive development and vitiate the constructive one.
Nerve-dependent accumulation of myosin light chain 3 in developing limb musculature.

Myosin alkali light chain accumulation in developing quail limb musculature has been analysed on immunoblots using a monoclonal antibody which recognizes an epitope common to fast myosin light chain 1 (MLC1f) and fast myosin light chain 3 (MLC3f). The limb muscle of early embryos (i.e. up to day 10 in ovo) has a MLC profile similar to that observed in myotubes cultured in vitro; although MLC1f is abundant, MLC3f cannot be detected. MLC3f is first detected in 11-day embryos. To determine whether this alteration in MLC3f accumulation is nerve or hormone dependent, limb buds with and without neural tube were cultured as grafts on the chorioallantoic membrane of chick hosts. Although differentiated muscle develops in both aneural and innervated grafts, innervated grafts contain approximately three times as much myosin as aneural grafts. More significantly, although aneural grafts reproducibly accumulate normal levels of MLC1f, they fail to accumulate detectable levels of MLC3f. In contrast, innervated grafts accumulate both MLC1f and MLC3f, suggesting that the presence of neural tube in the graft promotes the maturation, as well as the growth, of muscle tissue. This is the first positive demonstration that innervation is necessary for the accumulation of MLC3f that occurs during normal limb development in vivo.
Approaches to Solution-Processed Multilayer Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Cross-Linking†

The fabrication of multilayer organic light-emitting diodes through solution processing presents challenges, especially regarding dissolution of the first layer during deposition of a second layer. One possible approach to this problem is to insolubilize the first layer using cross-linking. Cross-linking has also been used to control the morphological stability and aggregation phenomena of the active organic materials. In this short review, we discuss the alternative chemically, thermally, and photochemically promoted cross-linking chemistries that have been examined in the context of organic light-emitting diodes including: the hydrolysis of silicon compounds to form siloxanes; the polymerization of styrene, acrylate, and oxetane groups; and the dimerization of trifluorovinyl ethers, benzocyclobutenes, and cinnamates.
Carbon Star Dust Features: the 21 and 30μm Features

Some characteristics of the 21 and 30 μm features observed in carbon star dust shells are briefly discussed.
UNDERGRADUATE MINOR AND GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS IN RECLAMATION AND RESTORATION ECOLOGY

Reclamation and Restoration Ecology undergraduate minor and graduate certificate programs are now available at the University of Wyoming, which is one of only a few institutions in the U.S. that provides training in these fields of study. Students completing a Reclamation and Restoration Ecology minor or certificate are more marketable for jobs requiring training in applications of ecosystem reclamation, rehabilitation, and/or restoration. Because mining, rehabilitation of disturbed lands, and restoration for production and wildland uses are major economic activities throughout the U.S., graduates with Reclamation and Restoration Ecology education are needed to meet the job market demands for these skills. The Reclamation and Restoration Ecology undergraduate minor and graduate certificate at the University of Wyoming has broad appeal and considerable relevance to students, state and federal agencies, and private industry. These programs are available to students throughout the country that are interested in Reclamation and Restoration Ecology education. The Reclamation and Restoration Ecology programs were designed to build upon strengths that exist across the University of Wyoming campus; the Renewable Resources department has actually been offering education and training in Reclamation and Restoration Ecology for several decades. The Reclamation and Restoration Ecology undergraduate minor and graduate certificate reinforces the identity and enhances professional opportunities of students completing the programs Additional
Development and Application of Low Voltage Meter Reading Carrier Communication Test System

This paper studied communication performance test method which can be used for the power line carrier communication technology of the smart grid,presented the sensitivity range squeeze algorithm based on fixed communication frequency,developed a test system for testing communication performance of carrier communication unit,and developed automatic test software used in the test system according to the characteristics of low voltage meter reading carrier communication channel.The system can change channel parameters of the power line carrier communication to test the receiving sensitivity of the carrier communication technology solutions to three different kinds of center frequency.The test results show that the test system can accurately measure the working parameters of data collection terminal and carrier meter so as to meet the system design requirements.