cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temporal reasoning for procedural programs

While temporal verification of programs is a topic with a long history, its traditional basis—semantics based on word languages—is ill-suited for modular reasoning about procedural programs. We address this issue by defining the semantics of procedural (potentially recursive) programs using languages of nested words and developing a framework for temporal reasoning around it. This generalization has two benefits. First, this style of reasoning naturally unifies Manna-Pnueli-style temporal reasoning with Hoare-style reasoning about structured programs. Second, it allows verification of “non-regular” properties of specific procedural contexts—e.g., “If a lock is acquired in a context, then it is released in the same context.” We present proof rules for a variety of properties such as local safety, local response, and staircase reactivity; our rules are sufficient to prove all temporal properties over nested words. We show that our rules are sound and relatively complete.
Studies of the immunological capacity of germ-free mouse radiation chimeras: IV. Cell-mediated immunity

Abstract The cell-mediated immune (CMI) response of germ-free mouse radiation chimeras was compared with that of conventional mice. Spleen or thymus cells from chimeric or normal mice were injected intravenously into lethally irradiated, allogeneic hosts. Spleens of the irradiated hosts were assayed for effector cells using the 51 Cr release assay. Spleen cells from syngeneic and allogeneic chimeras and normal mice were equally active in giving rise to effector cells. However, thymus cells from allogeneic chimeras were completely inactive within 9 months post-bone marrow transplant while thymus cells from syngeneic chimeras and normal mice still remained functional. Although allogeneic chimeras contain cells potentially reactive toward host antigens, cells cytotoxic to host antigens were not detectable. In addition, these studies indicate the helper cell and effector cell, both associated with T-derived lymphocytes, represent two different populations.
Computer Applications in Applied Genetic Engineering

Publisher Summary It is obvious that the computer is a vital tool for scientists, including the genetic engineer. This chapter describes the major aspects of the design and application of complete computational support systems for genetic engineering. For this purpose the discussion provides an example of the components of one such system which has proven its utility for support of genetic engineering in the Eli Lilly and Company DNA Computing Environment (DNACE). Every computational system must be custom-designed to meet the needs of a specific user community. Not all user communities demand the same computational support. Not all user communities have the same list of projects and priorities. Therefore, no one system will likely be regarded as a complete system outside of its user community. Each computational system will be designed for particular hardware environments. The heterogeneous supply of hardware will ensure the heterogeneous development of software. The programming languages used for molecular biology software will also continue to be heterogeneous, and not necessarily portable. The chapter illustrates that there will be a development of programming conventions in molecular biology computing. The implementation of BIONET, the national network for molecular biology computing, may establish a community which can formulate such conventions.
Detection of Clustered Microcalcifications with SUSAN Edge Detector, Adaptive Contrast Thresholding and Spatial Filters

Clustered microcalcifications (MCs) are detected in digital mammograms using SUSAN edge detector and adaptive contrast thresholding technique. MC clusters are found using spatial filters. Based on that a computer aided diagnostic prompting system is developed which achieves 97.4 % of true positive clusters at very low false positive rates according to the trial of 100 patches with the signs of both benign and malignant nature taken from the DDSM database mammograms
Nuclear magnetization in solid silane: A search for conversion among nuclear spin states

Abstract In an attempt tp observe the existence of nuclear spin states in solid SiH 4 , the proton magnetization was measured from 30°K to 4.2°K. The magnetization is consistent with the Curie law, indicating within experimental error no conversion among nuclear spin states.
Deposit- and suspension-feeding sea cucumbers (Echinodermata) ingest plastic fragments

Weathering of plastic bottles, bags, fishing line, and other products discarded in the ocean causes tiny fragments to break off. These plastic fragments may accumulate biofilms, sink, and become mixed with sediment, where benthic invertebrates may encounter and ingest them. Here we show that four species of deposit-feeding and suspension-feeding sea cucumbers (Echinodermata, Holothuroidea) not only ingest small (0.25 mm < maximum dimension < 15 mm) nylon and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fragments along with sediment, but also ingest significantly more plastic fragments than predicted given the ratio of plastic to sand grains in the sediment. During four-hour feeding trials, holothurians ingested between 2- and 20-fold more plastic per individual than expected for PVC fragments, and between 2- and 138-fold more for nylon line. In addition, two species ingested 4 mm diameter PVC pellets. The ecological relevance of plastic ingestion was assessed in the laboratory by counting and characterizing small plastic particles discovered in sediment samples from the same field sites where our holothurians were collected. Substantial numbers of plastic fragments (105 to 214 fragments per liter of sediment) were found in samples from three different locations along the east coast of the U.S.A. In addition, plastic collected from the sediment from two of our field sites was analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Plastic from one site tested positive for Aroclor 1254 at a concentration of 0.0106 μg g-1. While the negative effects of macroscopic marine plastic debris on a host of organisms are well documented, ingestion of small plastic debris by a wide range of benthic organisms, including both primary and secondary consumers, has received little attention. Given that plastics readily adsorb PCBs and other organic pollutants in marine environments, ingestion of plastic from sediment may provide a heretofore-undescribed pathway of exposure for benthic marine invertebrates.
A new cofactor in a prokaryotic enzyme: tryptophan tryptophylquinone as the redox prosthetic group in methylamine dehydrogenase

Methylamine dehydrogenase (MADH), an alpha 2 beta 2 enzyme from numerous methylotrophic soil bacteria, contains a novel quinonoid redox prosthetic group that is covalently bound to its small beta subunit through two amino acyl residues. A comparison of the amino acid sequence deduced from the gene sequence of the small subunit for the enzyme from Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 with the published amino acid sequence obtained by the Edman degradation method, allowed the identification of the amino acyl constituents of the cofactor as two tryptophyl residues. This information was crucial for interpreting 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectral data collected for the semicarbazide- and carboxymethyl-derivatized bis(tripeptidyl)-cofactor of MADH from bacterium W3A1. The cofactor is composed of two cross-linked tryptophyl residues. Although there are many possible isomers, only one is consistent with all the data: The first tryptophyl residue in the peptide sequence exists as an indole-6,7-dione, and is attached at its 4 position to the 2 position of the second, otherwise unmodified, indole side group. Contrary to earlier reports, the cofactor of MADH is not 2,7,9-tricarboxypyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a derivative thereof, or pro-PQQ. This appears to be the only example of two cross-linked, modified amino acyl residues having a functional role in the active site of an enzyme, in the absence of other cofactors or metal ions.
Evaluation of the longitudinal stability and control characteristics of a mixed-flow remote-lift STOVL aircraft in transition and hover

An evaluation of the longitudinal stability and control characteristics of a mixed-flow remote-lift (MFRL) STOVL aircraft in the powered-lift portion of the flight envelope is presented. A stabilization and command augmentation system was implemented on the MFRL aircraft to meet the requirements for satisfactory flying qualities. The pitch portion of this control system uses a state-rate feedback implicit model following controller to achieve the desired flying qualities and to suppress the effects of external variations and disturbances in the aircrafts characteristics over the low speed envelope.
Criminal justice computer literacy: Implications for the twenty-first century

This article discusses the need to provide criminal justice graduates with the computer skills that will be required of criminal justice practitioners and researchers in the twenty-first century. The discussion describes the need for integrating computerization with criminal justice curricula, the importance of computer literacy in criminal justice education, and the use of computer hardware and software in the criminal justice field. Computer knowledge used by both the practitioner and the researcher are described. Recommendations are made regarding future curriculum revisions, innovative teaching approaches, and new expected outcomes for criminal justice graduates.
PEST domain mutations in Notch receptors comprise an oncogenic driver segment in triple-negative breast cancer sensitive to a γ-secretase inhibitor.

Purpose: To identify and characterize novel, activating mutations in Notch receptors in breast cancer and to determine response to the gamma secretase inhibitor (GSI) PF-03084014. Experimental Design: We used several computational approaches, including novel algorithms, to analyze next-generation sequencing data and related omic datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) breast cancer cohort. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were sequenced, and Notch-mutant models were treated with PF-03084014. Gene-expression and functional analyses were performed to study the mechanism of activation through mutation and inhibition by PF-03084014. Results: We identified mutations within and upstream of the PEST domains of NOTCH1, NOTCH2, and NOTCH3 in the TCGA dataset. Mutations occurred via several genetic mechanisms and compromised the function of the PEST domain, a negative regulatory domain commonly mutated in other cancers. Focal amplifications of NOTCH2 and NOTCH3 were also observed, as were heterodimerization or extracellular domain mutations at lower incidence. Mutations and amplifications often activated the Notch pathway as evidenced by increased expression of canonical Notch target genes, and functional mutations were significantly enriched in the triple-negative breast cancer subtype (TNBC). PDX models were also identified that harbored PEST domain mutations, and these models were highly sensitive to PF-03084014. Conclusions: This work suggests that Notch-altered breast cancer constitutes a bona fide oncogenic driver segment with the most common alteration being PEST domain mutations present in multiple Notch receptors. Importantly, functional studies suggest that this newly identified class can be targeted with Notch inhibitors, including GSIs. Clin Cancer Res; 21(6); 1487–96. ©2015 AACR .
Developmental aspects of the renal kallikrein-like activity in fetal and newborn lambs

Developmental aspects of the renal kallikrein-like activity in fetal and newborn lambs. The ontogeny of the renal kallikrein-like activity and the interrelationships between this enzyme and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and prostaglandin systems were studied in 43 chronically catheterized sheep fetuses between 104 and 142 days of gestation (term, 145 days) and in 8 chronically catheterized newborn lambs between 5 and 23 days of age. Urinary kallikrein (U Kall ) excretion rate expressed in absolute values (mEU/hr) or corrected for kidney weight (mEU · hr −1 · gKW −1 ) or glomerular filtration (mEU · hr −1 · ml GFR −1 ) increased significantly during fetal maturation and after birth. The rise in U Kall during fetal and newborn life was not dependent on an increase in urinary flow rate (r = -0.06). The increase in fetal U Kall (mEU · hr −1 · gKW −1 ) correlated closely with the rise in plasma aldosterone concentration for values above 35 pg/ml (r = 0.72, P Kall (mEU · hr −1 · gKW −1 ) and log of individual urinary sodium excretion values (r = -0.78, P Kall and urinary prostaglandins (PGE, PGF 2α ) excretion during fetal and newborn life, but U Kall correlated closely with the rise in renal blood flow during maturation (r = 0.87, P Kall release early during development. It is also suggested that conceptional age is an important factor which may modulate the renal sensitivity to aldosterone-stimulated U Kall excretion. Aspects ontogeniques de l'activite renale kallikreine-like chez des agneaux foetaux et nouveaux nes. L'ontogenese de l'activite renale de type kallikreine et les inter-relations entre cette enzyme et le systeme renine angiotensine-aldosterone et les prostaglandines ont ete etudiees chez 43 foetus de mouton en preparation chronique, entre 104 et 142 jours de gestation (terme: 145 jours) et chez 8 agneaux nouveaux-nes en preparation chronique entre 5 et 23 jours de vie. Le debit d'excretion de kallikreine urinaire (U Kall ) exprime en valeur absolue (mEU/hr) ou corrige pour le poids de rein (mEU · hr −1 · gKW −1 ) ou pour la filtration glomerulaire (mEU · hr −1 · ml GFR −1 ) s'est eleve significativement pendant la maturation foetale et apres la naissance. L'augmentation de U Kall pendant la vie foetale et a la naissance n'etait pas dependante d'une augmentation du debit urinaire (r = -0,06). L'augmentation de U Kall foetale (mEU · hr −1 · gKW −1 ) etait etroitement correlee avec l'augmentation de la concentration d'aldosterone plasmatique pour des valeurs au-dessus de 35 pg/ml (r = 0,72, P Kall (mEU · Hr −1 · gKW −1 ) et le logarithme de l'excretion sodee urinaire individuelle (r = -0,78, P Kall et l'excretion de prostaglandines urinaires (PGE, PGF 2α ) pendant la vie foetale et a lanaissance, mais U Kall etait etroitement correle avec l'augmentation du debit sanguin renal pendant la maturation (r = 0,87, P Kall pendant le developpement precoce. Il est egalement suggere que l'âge de conception est un important facteur qui pourrait moduler la sensibilite renale de l'excretion de U Kall stimulee par l'aldosterone.
Design and Biophysical Characterization of Novel Polycationic ϵ-Peptides for DNA Compaction and Delivery

Design and solid-phase synthesis of novel and chemically defined linear and branched ϵ-oligo(l-lysines) (denoted ϵ-Kn, where n is the number of lysine residues) and their α-substituted homologues (ϵ-(R)K10, ϵ-(Y)K10, ϵ-(L)K10, ϵ-(YR)K10, and ϵ-(LYR)K10) for DNA compaction and delivery are reported. The ability to condense viral (T2 and T4) and plasmid DNA as well as the size of ϵ-peptide DNA complexes under different conditions was investigated with static and dynamic light scattering, isothermal titration calorimetry, and fluorescence microscopy. Nanoparticle diameters varied from 100 to 150 and 375 to 550 nm for plasmid and T4 DNA peptide complexes, respectively. Smaller sizes were observed for oligo(l-lysines) compared to α-poly(l-lysine). The linear ϵ-oligo-lysines are less toxic and ϵ-(LYR)K10 showed higher transfection efficiency in HeLa cells than corresponding controls. The results also demonstrate that with a branched design having pendent groups of short α-oligopeptides, improved transfection ca...
Cultural plunge: a critical approach for multicultural development in teacher education

This report utilizes a qualitative methodology to investigate an educational approach designed to promote critical consciousness and multicultural understanding among undergraduate and graduate students in teacher education. The approach, referred to as a ‘cultural plunge’, involves intense exposure to social and cultural settings in which the students' norms are clearly in the minority. Initial encounters were followed by personal reflection and subsequent small‐group and whole‐class analyses. The findings revealed courage in the face of fear, social criticism and critical reflection, and identification with and empathy for others. The evidence suggests that the approach may indeed provide opportunities for critical growth and multicultural development. However, there are also potential liabilities related to use of the cultural plunge as an educational approach, including the possibility of reducing the ‘other’. Strengths and limitations are examined in detail, and implications are discussed for theory ...
Some implications of the emergence and diffusion of medical expert systems

This paper has two sections. The first introduces the area of medical decision making and the use of artificial intelligence techniques for developing medical expert systems. It also briefly discusses how a physician and an expert system interact, using the INTERNIST-I system as an example. An elaboration of several technical problems which expert systems must overcome for them to be accepted and used by physicians ends this discussion. The second section considers the implications medical expert systems for physicians and patient care. It suggests that medical expert systems regulate and routinize physicians' work. Moreover, the encoding of expert knowledge in a computer program will likely “demystify” the practice of medicine, nullifying much of the “art” of medicine. Alternatively, medical expert systems may improve the physician's decision making, extend the practitioner's capabilities, and hence increase the physician's prestige. Moreover, computer aided decision making could speed diagnosis, especially for difficult cases, thus providing the doctor with time for other pursuits. However, medical expert systems will be a mixed blessing for patient care. On the one hand, they could provide expert advice in medically underserved areas, decrease the number of referrals patients and physicians must contend with, while offering expert advice to a greater number of patients. On the other hand, expert systems could further alienate patients from practitioners and from the health system in general. Even more than other medical technologies, computers in the doctor's office could increase the separation between the doctor and patient, while lowering the physician's confidence in her or his own decision making. The conclusion discusses the importance of control over work in determining the use of technology and the influence of the changing medical power structure on the use of expert systems.
Genetic control of alcohol dehydrogenase levels in Drosophila.

Among the progeny of Drosophila flies heterozygous for two noncomplementing Adh-negative alleles, two individuals were found that had recovered appreciable alcohol dehydrogenase activity, thereby surviving the ethanol medium used as a screen. The most likely explanation is that these Adh-positive flies are the product of intracistronic recombination within the Adh locus. Judging by the distribution of outside markers, one of the crossovers would have been a conventional reciprocal exchange while the other appears to have been an instance of nonreciprocal recombination. The enzymes produced in strains derived from the original survivors can be easily distinguished from wild-type enzymes ADH-S and ADH-F on the basis of their sensitivity to denaturing agents. None of various physical and catalytic properties tested revealed differences between the enzymes of the survivor strains except that in one of them the level of activity is 55–65% of the other. Quantitative immunological determinations of ADH gave estimates of enzyme protein which are proportional to the measured activity levels. These results are interpreted to indicate that different amounts of ADH protein are being accumulated in the two strains.
Tertiary Volcanic Rocks, Mogollon-Datil Province, New Mexico, and Surrounding Region: K-Ar Dates, Patterns of Eruption, and Periods of Mineralization

K-Ar dates and field relations show that mid-Tertiary volcanic rocks usually assigned to the Datil Formation or Group in southwestern New Mexico can be interpreted as consisting of three major, slightly overlapping, volcanic cycles, which erupted about 28 to 38 + m.y., 23 to 28 m.y., and 20 to 23 m.y. B.P., respectively. Each cycle consists of lava flows, ranging in composition from andesite to rhyolite, and of voluminous silicic ash-flow tuff (ignimbrite) deposits, and is terminated by basaltic andesite and associated calc-alkalic rocks. Mid-Tertiary volcanism ceased at about 20 m.y. B.P., coincident with the beginning of Basin and Range faulting. Tholeiite and alkali basalt became the most common types of volcanic rocks after 20 m.y. B.P., although some felsic volcanism persisted. The timing of mid-Tertiary events imposes constraints on plate-tectonic or other interpretations of volcanism and tectonism in western North America. Models designed to explain volcanism in the Great Basin could be expected to fit conditions in southwestern New Mexico also; the time of inception, type, variation trends, and volume of volcanism are essentially the same. The ∼20 m.y. date for the beginning of Basin and Range faulting is consistent with the constant-rate model of Atwater (1970). There is no evidence in New Mexico for progressive outward spreading of volcanism as described from the Great Basin by Armstrong and others (1969). As in the Great Basin, the mid-Tertiary rocks of southwestern New Mexico become progressively enriched in alkalis and depleted in calcium with time. This can be most clearly demonstrated by comparing rocks of pre-28 m.y. and post-28 m.y. age. In documenting a plate-tectonic model, Christiansen and Lipman (1972) and Lipman and others (1972) recognized a petrologic transition at about 28 m.y. They correlated it with the start of Basin and Range faulting, in conflict with the ∼20 m.y. date given here. Porphyry-type mineralization is shown to be partly older than mid-Tertiary volcanism and partly contemporaneous with it.
Two new species of carex (Cyperaceae) from austral South America and additional taxonomic and phytogeographical notes on the genus

Two new species ofCarex (Cyperaceae) are described from southern South America.Carex transandina occurs in naturally-deposited rock talus and scree in southwestern Chile andC. austroamericana occurs in the Patagonian steppe in Chile and Argentina. In the past, specimens ofC. austroamericana have been erroneously referred toC. andina var.subabscondita Kuk., and it is shown here that the latter entity is conspecific withC. nelmesiana Barros. The taxonomy ofC. nelmesiana is presented and its relationship to other members ofCarex sect.Junciformes (Boeckl.) Kuk. is discussed.
Long-term impacts of disturbance on nitrogen-cycling bacteria in a New England salt marsh.

Recent studies on the impacts of disturbance on microbial communities indicate communities show differential responses to disturbance, yet our understanding of how different microbial communities may respond to and recover from disturbance is still rudimentary. We investigated impacts of tidal restriction followed by tidal restoration on abundance and diversity of denitrifying bacteria, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in New England salt marshes by analyzing nirS and bacterial and archael amoA genes. TRFLP analysis of nirS and betaproteobacterial amoA genes revealed significant differences between restored and undisturbed marshes, with the greatest differences detected in deeper sediments. Additionally, community patterns indicated a potential recovery trajectory for denitrifiers. Analysis of archaeal amoA genes, however, revealed no differences in community composition between restored and undisturbed marshes, but we detected significantly higher gene abundance in deeper sediment at restored sites. Abundances of nirS and betaproteobacterial amoA genes were also significantly greater in deeper sediments at restored sites. Porewater ammonium was significantly higher at depth in restored sediments compared to undisturbed sediments, suggesting a possible mechanism driving some of the community differences. Our results suggest that impacts of disturbance on denitrifying and ammonia-oxidizing communities remain nearly 30 years after restoration, potentially impacting nitrogen-cycling processes in the marsh. We also present data suggesting that sampling deeper in sediments may be critical for detecting disturbance effects in coastal sediments.
Arachidonic acid and free fatty acids as second messengers and the role of protein kinase C

In addition to serving as the precursor to a plethora of eicosanoids and other bioactive molecules, arachidonate may function as a bona fide second messenger. A number of studies have documented the ability of arachidonate to regulate the function of multiple targets in vitro systems. This has been particularly well established and studied with the activation of protein kinase C by arachidonate in a mechanism distinct from activation by diacylglycerol. In cells, arachidonate induces a number of activities, many of which may be independent of further metabolism to eicosanoids; suggesting possible direct action of arachidonate. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the possible second messenger function of arachidonate with specific emphasis on the regulation of protein kinase C.
Nerve excitability testing: technical pitfalls and threshold norms using absolute values.

Percutaneous stimulation of the facial nerve is used widely in tests to judge the severity and prognosis of facial paralysis. Several test paradigms are used including nerve excitability threshold (NET), the maximum stimulation test (MST), and electroneuronography (EnoG). Consistent technique and careful control of variables are essential to achieve accurate test results. The sources of variability examined in this study were age, gender, body weight, and the use of electrode paste; the NET was used as the test method. The facial NET in 120 adults without a history of facial paralysis increased linearly with age (P = .0004) and with body weight (P or = 1.25 mA in the upper division or an absolute NET > or = 2.0 mA in the lower division of the human facial nerve is statistically abnormal. These norms are not applicable to grossly obese patients or patients with facial edema or inflammation. Statistical norms allow the NET results to be reported on a continuous scale rather than the dichotomous scale used in the past. The predictive power of the NET will be greatly enhanced by basing test interpretation on both statistical and clinical significance.
Substrate sites of the (Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase

Abstract Kinetic studies on a rat brain (Na + + K + )-dependent ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) preparation demonstrated high-affinity sites for ATP, with a K m near 1 μm, and low affinity sites for ATP, with a K m near 0.5 mM. In addition, the dissociation constant for ATP at the low affinity sites was approached through the ability of ATP to modify the rate of photo-oxidation of the enzyme in the presence of methylene blue; a value of 0.4 mM was obtained. The temperature dependence of the K m values in these two concentration ranges also differed markedly, and the estimated entropy of binding was +27 cal/degree per mol at the high affinity sites, whereas it was −20 cal/degree per mol at the low-affinity sites. Moreover, the relative affinities of various congeners of ATP as competitive inhibitors at these sites were distinctly different. Substrate kinetics of the K + -dependent phosphatase reaction of the enzyme indicated an interaction at the low-affinity sites for ATP: ATP, ADP, CTP, and the [β-γ]-imido analog of ATP all competed with K i values near those for the ATPase reaction at the low affinity sites. Conversely, the K m for nitrophenyl phosphate as a substrate for the phosphatase reaction was near its K i as a competitor at the low-affinity sites of the ATPase reaction. These observations are incorporated into a reaction scheme with two classes of substrate sites on a dimeric enzyme, manifesting diverse enzymatic and transport characteristics.
Virtual Net: an efficient simulation for parallel computation

In this paper we introduce Virtual Net, a simulation software that sits between the abstract parallel structure and the physical network. It maps the structure of a client-distributed program into the topology of the underlying network. Virtual Net provides flexibility to programmers and improves code reusability. It has three major components: daemon, library, and simulation modules. Several testing programs were developed to measure the performance versus Parallel Virtual Machine.
Optical transmitter for fiber-optic interconnects

An optical transmitter for fiber optic interconnects that consists of an off-chip centralized laser in conjunction with on-chip multiple quantum well electroabsorption modulators is proposed and demonstrated, and its performance is discussed.
Are there special effects of personalistic self-disclosure?

Abstract Subjects met with a parteer who either did or did not disclose stigmatizing information about himself. Prior to meeting the partner, subjects saw and heard the partner describe himself to two others. These previous descriptions either did or did not include the stigma disclosure. The personalistic discloser was the partner who disclosed only to the subject. He was better liked than the uniform nondiscloser. Surprisingly, the partner who disclosed to others but not to the subject was as well liked as the personalistic discloser. Subjects were also asked to describe themselves to their partner. Subject self-disclosure tended to be least when the partner omitted mention of the stigma. The tendency to reciprocate in the other conditions was revealed by the quantity of disclosure rather than the depth of its intimacy.
A profile for molecular biology databases and information resources

This paper examines the requirements for building database management systems and multi-database information resources to support molecular biology research. The paper profiles the most important features of 16 integrated resources and 102 databases related to molecular biology research. The aspects surveyed in this paper include the nature of information in these databases, their sizes, update properties, cross-references, database management system heterogeneity, geographical distribution, data quality, use of temporal information and level of interpretation. The paper also comments on the access patterns to these databases. Since not all these aspects were available for all databases, specific comparisons sometimes compare fewer than the full 102 databases. Consequently, the same set of databases is not necessarily always being compared with respect to every aspect. The paper is organized primarily according to these comparison aspects and ends with some concluding remarks.
Developmental Aspects of Adolescent Sexuality as Reflected in Reactions to Sexually Explicit Humor

Summary.-Male and female appreciation of sexual humor was assessed at the stages of early, middle, and late adolescence. 30 males and 30 females from Catholic schools served in each age group. Age, sex of subject, and sexual content explicitness of humor material were significant factors affecting enjoyment of sexual humor. Convergence in the appreciation of sexual humor between males and females occurred in middle adolescence, but dissimilar patterns of appreciation divergence appeared in early and late adolescence. The differential patterns of appreciation evidenced by the males and females of different ages was discussed in terms of the current patterns of sexrole restraints on the expression of sexuality during adolescent years and how these restraints have changed from those in preceding generations. Adherence to expectations within the traditional female/male sex-roles produced a distinct divergence in the pattern of sexual and sexually related behavior among males and females. The findings of Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, and Gebhard ( 1953) illustrated this behavioral divergence as females assumed a more passive, less libidinal approach to sexual activiry than males. The female sex-role traditionally dictated thac females act with less sexual initiative, demonstrate fewer signs of sexual frustration during periods of sexual abstinence, and engage in fewer sexual activities. Males were allowed a greater range of sexual behavior at an earlier age than were females. In addition to sexual activity, Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, and Gebhard (1953) found that females' responsivity to sexual stimuli, narrative and pictorial, was significantly less than that of males. In the appreciation of sexual humor, the customary divergence between the sexes was consistently found. Males followed dictates of their sex-role and displayed greater appreciation of sexual humor than females. Groch ( 1974) showed that young adult females preferred non-sexual forms of humor and responded with greatest appreciation to neutral absurd humor. Results reported by Landis and Ross (1933) and Malpass and Fitzpatrick (1959) demonstrated the divergent pattern of humor appreciation by males and females for sexual humor. Wilson (1975) concluded thac females applied greater censorship in their judgment of humor and restricted enjoyment when sexual connotations were present. Gollob and Lwine (1967) found diminished humor appreciation when sexual impulses were inhibited by social restraints. The restraints inherent in female sex-roles curbing overt expression of sexual impulses inhibited the en
Corrigendum to: The establishment of Central American migratory corridors and the biogeographic origins of seasonally dry tropical forests in Mexico

In the original article, the title of the article in the Supplementary Material was wrong. The correct Supplementary Material appears below. This mistake does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The author apologizes for this error.
Induction of stalk and spore cell differentiation by cyclic AMP in slugs of Dictyostelium discoideum

Multicellular masses of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum, under conditions which ordinarily suppress cell differentiation, develop clusters of stalk cells and spore cells when implanted with Sephadex particles that had been soaked in 5 X 10(-3)M cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP). A possible relation exists between oxygen gradients, cyclic AMP gradients, and the pattern of morphogenesis and cell differentiation during fruiting.
RACIAL DISPARITY IN RISK FACTORS AND OUTCOMES IN YOUNG ADULTS WITH ST ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the US. The objective of our study was to compare the current short-term outcome and risk factor profile of white and black patients presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), part
Stable Cl isotopes in subduction-zone pore waters: Implications for fluid-rock reactions and the cycling of chlorine

Stable Cl isotope ratios, measured in marine pore waters associated with the Barbados and Nankai subduction zones, extend significantly (to ∼−8‰) the range of δ 37 Cl values reported for natural waters. These relatively large negative values, together with geologic and chemical evidence from Barbados and Nankai and recent laboratory data showing that hydrous silicate minerals (i.e., those with structural OH sites) are enriched up to 7.5‰ in 37 Cl relative to seawater, strongly suggest that the isotopic composition of Cl in pore waters from subduction zones reflects diagenetic and metamorphic dehydration and transformation reactions. These reactions involve clays and/or other hydrous silicate phases at depth in the fluid source regions. Chlorine therefore cannot be considered geochemically conservative in these systems. The uptake of Cl by hydrous phases provides a mechanism by which Cl can be cycled into the mantle through subduction zones. Thus, stable Cl isotopes should help in determining the extent to which Cl and companion excess volatiles like H 2 O and CO 2 cycle between the crust and mantle.
Multidimensional IR Spectroscopy of Site-Specific Hairpin Folding

2D IR spectroscopy is used to probe the thermal unfolding of trpzip2 and PG-12, two β-hairpin peptides. The transient thermal unfolding of PG-12 is investigated with dispersed vibrational echo spectroscopy following a nanosecond temperature jump.
Cleavage of Conjugated Alkenes by Cationic Osmium Nitrides: Scope of the Reaction and Dynamics of the Azaallenium Products

The cationic osmium(VI) nitride complex cis-[(terpy)OsNCl2]PF6 (1; terpy = 2,2‘:6‘,2‘ ‘-terpyridine) reacts with a variety of aryl-substituted alkenes and acyclic and cyclic dienes to form the η2-azaallenium complexes cis-[(terpy)OsCl2(RR‘CNCHR‘ ‘)]PF6 (2) by net nitrogen atom insertion into a CC double bond. More electron-rich alkenes are more reactive, and electron-poor alkenes such as cinnamate esters do not react. Isomeric trans-[(terpy)OsNCl2]PF6 (3), as well as the tris(pyrazolyl)methane complex [(Tpm)OsNCl2]PF6 (4), give analogous products, although the scope of the reaction is restricted to dienes with these nitrides. The aryl-substituted azaallenium complexes cis-[(terpy)OsCl2(η2(C,N)-R[Ar]CNCHR‘ ‘)]PF6 display hindered rotation about the C−Cipso bond, because π-stacking interactions favor a close approach of the aryl group to the terpyridine ligand. The osmium migrates slowly between the two CN bonds of the azaallenium ligands, leading to both regio- and stereoisomerizations. These two processes...
Unraveling the biosynthesis of the sporolide cyclohexenone building block.

Sporolides A and B (1) are polycyclic macrolides from the marine actinomycete Salinispora tropica with a previously undescribed molecular architecture. Sequencing of the 5 183 331 bp S. tropica CNB-440 genome has shed light into sporolide biosynthesis, which is highlighted by an enediyne polyketide synthase and an unexpected tyrosine degradation pathway. In this paper, we describe the in vitro characterization of the biosynthetic gene spoT1, which is involved in the initial biochemical reaction to the highly functionalized cyclohexenone unit of 1.
Further examination of female preference for vertical bars in swordtails: preference for ‘no bars’ in a species without bars

Xiphophorus pygmaeus males do not have a vertical bar pigment pattern and so female preference for the bars was determined by giving females a choice between pairs of X. multilineatus males without bars (all bars removed by freeze-branding) and with bars (freeze-branded between the bars). Female X. pygmaeus had a significant preference for male X. multilineatus without bars over males with bars, and this preference was significantly different from the preference for bars detected in X. nigrensis and X. multilineatus. The implications of the results are discussed in regard to models for the evolution of female preference.
Laminins in the adult and aged brain

Only recently have we become aware of the diversity of laminins in adult brain. In vascular basement membranes, the expression of at least five laminin chains has been demonstrated, suggesting the presence of several laminin variants. Recent ultrastructural evidence for heterogeneity of laminin expression in vascular basement membranes is an exciting finding, and points to structural and functional diversity of the basement membranes around cerebral blood vessels. Neuronal laminin-like immunoreactivity in the adult brain is a consistent observation, but does not fit well in the current understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the heterotrimeric laminins. Nevertheless, the unique localization of putative neuronal laminins warrants their further characterization. The structure and function of laminins produced by reactive astrocytes in the lesioned adult brain and that seen in the brains of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients are not yet resolved. The possibility that these laminins play an important role in the CNS response to injury and pathophysiology of AD is expected to be a fruitful investigation. The next decade should see very significant advances in the characterization of brain laminins and, hopefully, in the elucidation of functional correlates to the structural diversity of laminins in brain.
Two-dimensional Minkowski sum optimization of ganged stamping blank layouts for use on pre-cut sheet metal for convex and concave parts

Abstract With the increasing number of parts that manufacturers need to place on a piece of material such as sheet metal, the need increases for more sophisticated algorithms for part orientation and spacing. With greater part shape complexity, the ability of a skilled worker is challenged to minimize waste. Building on the previous work of Nye, this paper presents a Minkowski sum method for maximizing the number of parts within gangs on a rectangular sheet of material. The example provided uses a simply shaped part to illustrate the presented method, yielding a packing efficiency of 62% that is identical to the efficiency that a skilled worker would produce without the algorithm. The paper also provides results for laying out a more complex part in ganged sections, demonstrating a result that would be difficult for a human to reproduce. This work extends that of Nye by adding practical constraints such as the number of parts that can be blanked at once as well as the amount of horizontal and vertical spacing between ganged blanking sets. Additionally, the paper adds an algorithm for laying out polygons with concave geometries by separating the part into a set of convex polygons. Two examples for optimization, one of a chevron-shaped part and one of a complex shape previously used by Nye [Nye TJ. Stamping strip layout for optimal raw material utilization. Journal of Manufacturing Systems 2000;19(4):239–46] and Choi et al. [Choi JC, Kim BM, Cho HY, Kim C. A compact and practical CAD system for blanking or piercing of irregular-shaped sheet metal products and stator and rotor parts. International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture 1998;38:931–63], are provided, demonstrating the existence of a local maximum number of parts that may be stamped within a single ganged blank. The algorithm is extendable to a program that may provide stamping manufacturers with a tool that can maximize the total number of parts stamped on stock sheet metal, or for other tiling problems.
Adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: Effects on cerebral white matter seen in diffusion tensor imaging

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on normal-appearing white matter in women with breast cancer. Patients and Methods: Ten patients with early-stage breast cancer who were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and 9 age-, education-, and IQ-matched healthy controls were studied with magnetic resonance imaging. Diffusion tensor imaging was used to calculate fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of white matter integrity. Measurements were made in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum. Participants also completed measures of processing speed, depression, and anxiety. Results: Relative to controls, patients had slower processing speed and lower FA in the genu. Processing speed was positively correlated with FA in the genu. Conclusion: The results of this pilot study suggest that adjuvant chemotherapy affects normal-appearing white matter in the genu of the corpus callosum and that this is related to the cognitive deficits experienced by patients.
TERC and TERT gene mutations in patients with bone marrow failure and the significance of telomere length measurements

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare inherited form of bone marrow failure (BMF) caused by mutations in telomere maintaining genes including TERC and TERT. Here we studied the prevalence of TERC and TERT gene mutations and of telomere shortening in an unselected population of patients with BMF at our medical center and in a selected group of patients referred from outside institutions. Less than 5% of patients with BMF had pathogenic mutations in TERC or TERT. In patients with BMF, pathogenic TERC or TERT gene mutations were invariably associated with marked telomere shortening (≪ 1st percentile) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In asymptomatic family members, however, telomere length was not a reliable predictor for the presence or absence of a TERC or TERT gene mutation. Telomere shortening was not pathognomonic of DC, as approximately 30% of patients with BMF due to other causes had PBMC telomere lengths at the 1st percentile or lower. We conclude that in the setting of BMF, measurement of telomere length is a sensitive but nonspecific screening method for DC. In the absence of BMF, telomere length measurements should be interpreted with caution.
Determination of optimum minimum flow from a dam by using energy analysis

The proposed restoration of an abandoned hydroelectric dam on the Quinebaug River, Connecticut, is studied using energy analysis. The analysis considers the effects of alternative minimum flow releases, ranging from 0 to 34 cubic meters per second (cms), on the total energy flow of the affected system. The principal system components affected by differing minimum flows are hydroelectric power generation, aquatic habitat, and gross aquatic ecosystem productivity.
Antarctic iron-mercury abundance ratios: Evidence for mercury depletion in an active volcanic zone

Antarctic sediments, clays and rock fines collected on Ross Island and in the Wright Valley (L. Vanda, Don Juan Pond) are depleted in Hg relative to Fe. Average Fe/Hg values ofca 9 to 48 × 106 were found. These abundance ratios compare with general terrestrial values of 0.03 to 2.32 × 106 for sedimentary and residual materials andca 3 × 106 for igneous surfaces. Lowest ratios were found in New Zealand clays and mud and in volcanic soils. Algal mats from the Wright and Taylor Valleys averagedca 5 × 106 in Fe/Hg value whereas those from Hawaii and Iceland were < 0.2 × 106. Algal abundance ratios may reflect both exceptionally high Fe content and bio-volatilization of Hg, but sediments, fines and soils with more or less normal Fe content may have lost Hg by leaching as well as evaporation.
Two-Choice Selection

Abstract In many practical applications we wish to select one product (commodity, plant variety, technique, etc.) from a set of alternative products. When there are only two products to be considered, this will be called the two-choice selection problem. Several alternative rules are derived for determining sample sizes, i.e., the amount of data on which the selection is to be based.
Exploring the feasibility of dose escalation positron emission tomography-positive disease with intensity-modulated radiation therapy and the effects on normal tissue structures for thoracic malignancies

The pattern of failure is one of the major causes of mortality among thoracic patients. Studies have shown a correlation between local control and dose. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has resulted in conformal dose distributions while limiting dose to normal tissue. However, thoracic malignancies treated with IMRT to highly conformal doses up to 70 Gy still have been found to fail. Thus, the need for dose escalation through simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) may prove effective in minimizing reoccurrences. For our study, 28 thoracic IMRT plans were reoptimized via dose escalation to the gross tumor volume (GTV) and planning target volume (PTV) of 79.2 Gy and 68.4 Gy, respectively. Reoccurrences in surrounding regions of microscopic disease are rare therefore, dose-escalating regional nodes (outside GTV) were not included. Hence, the need to edit GTV margins was acceptable for our retrospective study. A median dose escalation of approximately 15 Gy (64.8-79.2 Gy) via IMRT using SIB was deemed achievable with minimal percent differences received by critical structures compared with the original treatment plan. The target's mean doses were significantly increased based on p-value analysis, while the normal tissue structures were not significantly changed.