cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Filter bleeding time: A new in vitro test of hemostasis II. Application to the study of von willebrand disease and platelet function inhibitors

Abstract The effect of platelet function inhibitors and von Willebrand (vW) disease on hemostasis was evaluated with a new method, the Filter Bleeding Time (FBT) test which does not require a skin incision. This method is based on the progressive slowing of blood flow associated with plugging of a woven Dacron filter by platelet clumps during passage of blood through the filter. Antiplatelet agents studied were acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), prostaglandin I2 (PGI2), and a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, UK-37, 248-01 (UK). Parameters measured were FBT (time required for the drop rate interval to exceed 30 sec), bleeding volume (BV; total number of drops in FBT), initial bleeding rate (IBR; number of drops during the first minute), and percent platelet count reduction (PCR) during passage of blood through the filter. ASA (650 mg p.o. in normal human subjects) caused an increase in FBT from 4.94±2.97 ( x ±SD) to 10.28±3.27 min (p = 0.003) and BV (34±19 to 69±31 drops, p = 0.01), and a decrease in PCR (29.4±7 to 12.5±2%, p = 0.006). PGIp (0.1 uhf added to normal human blood) caused an increase in,FBT (4.76±2.33 to 14.44±3.39, p = 0.0006) and BV (41±18 to 94±35, p = 0.001) and a decrease in PCR (29.6±6.4 to 7.1±7.8, p = 0.004). IBR did not change significantly in these studies. UK (3 mg/kg p.o. in normal dogs) caused no significant change in any of these parameters despite the drug's inhibition of platelet aggregation by ADP and collagen. Values in 4 pigs with vW disease were abnormal compared to normal pigs: FBT, 23.83±20.47 vs 5.09 min, p = 0.04; BV, 168±154 vs. 30±24 drops, p = 0.04; PCR, 7.1±1.0 vs 28.5±10.7%, p = 0.002; and IBR, 29.7±7 vs. 10±6 drops/min, p = 0.002. These studies suggest that IBR is a measure of platelet adhesion, while FBT, BV and PCR reflect the totality of platelet reactions including platelet adhesion and aggregation. FBT is considered useful in the study of the mechanisms and efficacy of platelet function inhibitors, and in the investigation of platelet disorders.
The Syndrome of Paradoxical Worsening of Dural-Cavernous Sinus Arteriovenous Malformations

Three patients with dural arteriovenous malformations contiguous with the cavernous sinus had marked worsening of their neuro-ophthalmic symptoms. Such clinical deterioration has been attributed traditionally to increased blood flow through the malformations into the superior ophthalmic vein. However, arteriography in all three patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MR) in two patients demonstrated thrombosis of the entire superior ophthalmic vein. All patients subsequently underwent spontaneous, complete resolution of symptoms. This report describes a clinical syndrome of paradoxical worsening of cavernous sinus malformations and indicates that MR will aid in the management of these vascular malformations.
Performance of Four Ceramic‐Matrix Composite Divergent Flap Inserts Following Ground Testing on an F110 Turbofan Engine

Four ceramic-matrix composite flap inserts were evaluated following ground testing on a General Electric F110 turbofan engine. Three of the composites accumulated ∼117 h of engine time. The fourth composite, a NextelTM 720 material with aluminosilicate matrix, accumulated ∼40 h. Large through-thickness cracks developed along the longitudinal edges of a Nicalon™/Al2O3 insert and the Nextel 720/aluminosilicate insert. The cracks developed because of high tensile stresses caused by the steep in-plane thermal gradients induced across the flap width during afterburner lights. The Nextel 720/aluminosilicate insert also exhibited severe surface wear associated with the acoustic environment and contact with the adjacent divergent seals. Neither a Nicalon/silicon nitrocarbide insert nor a Nicalon/C insert exhibited significant signs of distress.
The schur aggregation for solving linear systems of equations

According to our previous theoretical and experimental study, additive preconditioners can be readily computed for ill conditioned matrices, but application of such preconditioners to facilitating matrix computations is not straight-forward. In the present paper we develop some nontrivial techniques for this task.They enabled us to con ne the original numerical problems to the computation of the Schur aggregates of smaller sizes. We overcome these problems by extending the Wilkinson's iterative re nement and applying some advanced semi-symbolic algorithms for multiplication and summation.In particular with these techniques we control precision throughout our computations.
A Test for a Shifting Slope Coefficient in a Linear Model

Abstract A locally most powerful test is developed for the hypothesis that a slope coefficient in a linear time series model is stable, against the alternative that the slope shifts exactly once somewhere in the series. Analysis of the procedure using artificial data indicates good power characteristics even when the ratio of the shift size to the error variance is moderate—especially if the shift does not occur very near either end of the series. Power also depends on the pattern of the independent variables and on whether the error variance is known or must be estimated using the residuals about the regression line.
Fast estimation of diameter and shortest paths (without matrix multiplication)

In the recent past, there has been considerable progress in devising algorithms for the all-pairs shortest paths problem running in time significantly smaller than the obvious time bound of O(n^3). Unfortunately, all the new algorithms are based on fast matrix multiplication algorithms that are notoriously impractical. Our work is motivated by the goal of devising purely combinatorial algorithms that match these improved running times. Our results come close to achieving this goal, in that we present algorithms with a small additive error in the length of the paths obtained. Our algorithms are easy to implement, have the desired property of being combinatorial in nature, and the hidden constants in the running time bound are fairly small. Our main result is an algorithm which solves the all-pairs shortest paths problem in unweighted, undirected graphs with an additive error of 2 in time O(n^{2.5} sqrt{log n}). This algorithm returns actual paths and not just the distances. In addition, we give more efficient algorithms with running time O(n^{1.5} sqrt{k log n} + n^2 log^2 n) for the case where we are only required to determine shortest paths between k specified pairs of vertices rather than all pairs of vertices. The starting point for all our results is an O(m sqrt{n log n}) algorithm for distinguishing between graphs of diameter 2 and 4, and this is later extended to obtaining a ratio 2/3 approximation to the diameter in time O(m sqrt{n log n} + n^2 log n). Unlike in the case of all-pairs shortest paths, our results for approximate diameter computation can be extended to the case of directed graphs with arbitrary positive real weights on the edges.
The Structural Relationship Between Two Motor Sequences Practiced Close in Time Impacts Offline Facilitation.

ABSTRACTRobust offline gains occur during explicit motor sequence learning. However practice of a motor sequence, other than the target sequence, within 4–6 hr after initial practice interferes with these gains. This work assessed if experiencing supplemental practice of spatially or motorically similar sequences influenced the extent of offline gain. A contemporary model of sequence learning assumes that exposure to a spatially but not motor-related sequence would not compromise stabilization of the memory for the target sequence, thus, would have minimal impact on the resultant offline gain and possibly amplify overnight gains. As anticipated, a reliable offline improvement was observed for the target motor sequence in the absence of practice with an alternative motor sequence. This gain was significantly reduced when the learner experienced additional practice with either a novel or motorically similar sequence. There was no evidence of heightened overnight gain for the target sequence from intervening...
Label-Free DNA Biosensors Based on Functionalized Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistors

A carbon nanotube transistor array was used to detect DNA hybridization. A new approach to ensure specific adsorption of DNA to the nanotubes was developed. The polymer poly (methylmethacrylate0.6-co-poly(ethyleneglycol)methacrylate0.15-co-N-succinimidyl methacrylate0.25) was synthesized and bonded noncovalently to the nanotube. Aminated single-strand DNA was then attached covalently to the polymer. After hybridization, statistically significant changes were observed in key transistor parameters. Hybridized DNA traps both electrons and holes, possibly caused by the charge-trapping nature of the base pairs.
Self-thinning rule : a causal interpretation from ecological field theory

The self-thinning rule relates plant mass to plant density in crowded, even-aged stands by a power-law equation with an exponent 3:2. The rule is widely accepted as an empirical generalization and quantitative rule that applies across the plant kingdom. It has been called the only law in plant ecology. But the evidence supporting it has recently come under critical scrutiny. The theoretical and empirical bases for the density‐mass boundary have been questioned. Here we use ecological field theory and statistical mechanics to show how the stochastic nature of ecological interactions among individuals, due to spatial field effects such as the availability of neighborhood resources at the microscopic level, leads to self-thinning at the macroscopic level. The self-thinning rule emerges as a natural result of our theoretical approach. Puzzling experimental data that contradict the rule are also explained. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Locally stationary vector processes and adaptive multivariate modeling

The assumption of strict stationarity is too strong for observations in many financial time series applications; however, distributional properties may be at least locally stable in time. We define multivariate measures of homogeneity to quantify local stationarity and an empirical approach for robustly estimating time varying windows of stationarity. Finally, we consider bivariate series that are believed to be cointegrated locally, assess our estimates, and discuss applications in financial asset pairs trading.
Conformational studies of hairpin sequences from the ColE1 cruciform

Abstract Inverted repeat sequences derived from the ColE1 cruciform were investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and UV spectroscopy. It was shown that 15 different sequences exist as stable hairpin structures over a range of buffer conditions and DNA concentrations. Experiments with six oligomers ( 1–6 ) containing the native stem sequence and five base loops, found that the two hairpins with the wild-type loops ( 1–2 ) served as upper and lower bounds for the thermodynamic stability of all the other sequences. NMR experiments, including rotational correlation time measurements and NOESY spectra, were then performed on 1 , the most stable hairpin sequence to begin to uncover a structural basis of its stability.
A new concept of multilevel converter motor drive with modular design and split winding machine

A new multilevel converter topology is proposed in this paper. It reduces the component quantity and overcomes several disadvantages of existing multilevel converter topologies. The proposed converter is flexible in design and the output voltage levels are easily expanded. The detailed topology, its advantages, critical techniques, simulation and experimental results are presented in this paper.
The Effect of Gender and Ethnicity on the Sexual Behaviors of Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the sexual behaviors of African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic adolescent males and females. The data utilized for this study were collec...
Specific binder for Lightning-Link® biotinylated proteins from an antibody phage library

Many applications required protein biotinylation. We routinely use biotinylated proteins to select single chain antibodies from phage and/or yeast display libraries. During phage selection the biotinylated antigens are bound to streptavidin coupled magnetic beads, while during yeast display, the biotinylated antigens are used during flow cytometry for both analysis and sorting. The Lightning-Link® Biotin kit, a rapid straightforward biotinylation kit that avoids the need for dialysis, is particularly useful when the amount of available protein is limiting. During routine screening of antibody libraries we identified a specific clone that bound a universal neo-epitope generated only when antigens are biotinylated with the commercial Lightning-Link® kit, with an affinity of ~10nM. Non-biotinylated proteins, and those biotinylated using alternative methods - the Thermo Fisher commercial kit or in vivo biotinylation using the Avitag (Ashraf et al., 2004) - were not recognized by this antibody. Using deep sequence analysis, the specific antibody was identified as being the most abundant in a number of different selections. This indicates the need for caution when using such modifying reagents, because of the possibility of selecting antibodies against the modification, rather than the target protein, and also highlights the value of deep sequencing analysis during display based selections. Furthermore, this antibody may have great utility in the analysis of proteins biotinylated using this method.
The Value of Side Information in Shortest Path Optimization

Consider an agent who seeks to traverse the shortest path in a graph having random edge weights. If the agent has no side information about the realizations of the edge weights, it should simply take the path of least average length. We consider a generalization of this framework whereby the agent has access to a limited amount of side information about the edge weights ahead of choosing a path. We define a measure for information quantity, provide bounds on the agent's performance relative to the amount of side information it receives, and present algorithms for optimizing side information. The results are based on a new graph characterization tied to shortest path optimization.
Multimodality Imaging of Pancreatic and Biliary Congenital Anomalies

A wide spectrum of anomalies of the pancreas, the pancreatic ductal system, and the biliary tree are commonly encountered at radiologic evaluation. These anomalies may simulate various neoplastic, inflammatory, and posttraumatic conditions and should be part of the differential diagnosis for a variety of abnormalities found at diagnostic imaging. Anatomic variants, developmental anomalies (eg, pancreas divisum, annular pancreas, ectopic pancreas, pancreatic agenesis and hypoplasia), and congenital diseases (congenital pancreatic cysts, von Hippel-Lindau disease, choledochal cysts), in addition to potential imaging pitfalls (uneven distribution of fat, "pseudomasses"), can all pose a diagnostic challenge for the radiologist. Familiarity with these anomalies, the imaging techniques available for their study, and their variable imaging manifestations is necessary for differentiating them from other biliary and pancreatic conditions. A basic understanding of the embryologic development and normal anatomy of the pancreas and biliary tree is also essential for identifying these anomalies.
An Algebraic Approach to Discrete Mechanics

Using basic ideas from algebraic geometry, we extend the methods of Lagrangian and symplectic mechanics to treat a large class of discrete mechanical systems, that is, systems such as cellular automata in which time proceeds in integer steps and the configuration space is discrete. In particular, we derive an analog of the Euler-Lagrange equation from a variational principle, and prove an analog of Noether's theorem. We also construct a symplectic structure on the analog of the phase space, and prove that it is preserved by time evolution.
Candidate SNPs for a universal individual identification panel

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are likely in the near future to have a fundamental role both in human identification and description. However, because allele frequencies can vary greatly among populations, a critical issue is the population genetics underlying calculation of the probabilities of unrelated individuals having identical multi-locus genotypes. Here we report on progress in identifying SNPs that show little allele frequency variation among a worldwide sample of 40 populations, i.e., have a low F(st), while remaining highly informative. Such markers have match probabilities that are nearly uniform irrespective of population and become candidates for a universally applicable individual identification panel applicable in forensics and paternity testing. They are also immediately useful for efficient sample identification/tagging in large biomedical, association, and epidemiologic studies. Using our previously described strategy for both identifying and characterizing such SNPs (Kidd et al. in Forensic Sci Int 164:20-32, 2006), we have now screened a total of 432 SNPs likely a priori to have high heterozygosity and low allele frequency variation and from these have selected the markers with the lowest F(st) in our set of 40 populations to produce a panel of 40 low F(st), high heterozygosity SNPs. Collectively these SNPs give average match probabilities of less than 10(-16) in most of the 40 populations and less than 10(-14) in all but one small isolated population; the range is 2.02 x 10(-17) to 1.29 x 10(-13). These 40 SNPs constitute excellent candidates for the global forensic community to consider for a universally applicable SNP panel for human identification. The relative ease with which these markers could be identified also provides a cautionary lesson for investigations of possible balancing selection.
Pharmacokinetics of azithromycin in pediatric patients with acute otitis media.

The objective of our study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics of azithromycin after the oral administration of multiple doses in suspension to children with acute otitis media. Thirteen children (ranging in age from 7.5 months to 5 years) received a single oral dose of 10 mg of azithromycin per kg of body weight on day 1 followed by single daily doses of 5 mg/kg on days 2 to 5. Each child fasted overnight before receiving the final dose on day 5. Multiple blood samples were collected after the last dose. Concentrations of azithromycin in serum were measured by a specific high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. The means and standard deviations for the maximum concentration of azithromycin in serum, the time to maximum concentration of azithromycin in serum, the area under the concentration-time curve (from 0 to 24 h), and the elimination half-life were 224 +/- 120 ng/ml, 1.8 +/- 0.4 h, 1,841 +/- 651 ng.h/ml, and 31.6 +/- 6.6 h, respectively. Concentrations in serum (means +/- standard deviations) at 0 h (predose) and at 24, 48, and 72 h after the final dose were 51 +/- 26, 47 +/- 21, 27 +/- 17, and 17 +/- 13 ng/ml, respectively. Thus, the once-daily administration of azithromycin resulted in sustained systemic exposure to the drug. The drug dosage regimen used in this study should lead to tissue drug concentrations exceeding the MICs for common pathogens.
Ion–Aerosol Flux Coefficients and the Steady-State Charge Distribution of Aerosols in a Bipolar Ion Environment

Fuchs’ theory, as corrected by Hoppel and Frick, is widely used to compute flux coefficients of ions to aerosol particles and the resultant charge distribution. We have identified approximations made in previous works that limit the theory’s accuracy. Hoppel and Frick used two characteristic speeds or kinetic energies to calculate the flux coefficients of ions to aerosol particles in lieu of an average of the flux coefficients over the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution of ion speeds. In the present work, we show that this approximation artificially reduces the number of multiply charged particles. Ion capture may be enhanced by three-body trapping, a process wherein an ion has a collision with a neutral gas molecule and loses sufficient kinetic energy to be captured by the particle. The gas kinetic theory approach to three-body trapping has been refined to better account for the collision between the ion and a neutral gas molecule within the potential presented by the particle. Approximations to the calculation of energy losses and the probability of ion capture have been relaxed. The possibility that an image charge may be induced on the ion as well as on the particle is allowed. While the previous work was limited to electrically conductive particles, both the ion and the particle are allowed to have any dielectric constant in the present work, and the finite size of the ions is taken into account when calculating minimum capture radii for the ion–particle interactions. The resulting ion flux coefficients differ from previous results both in the low nanometer regime and in the continuum regime. We explore the influence of key parameters on the charge distribution, including dielectric constant, temperature, and pressure, to understand how operating conditions may affect the interpretation of differential mobility analyzer measurements of particle size distributions. Finally, an empirical expression for the new charge distribution is given to facilitate rapid calculations.
Sources of dual-task interference: Evidence from human electrophysiology.

When an individual attempts to perform two tasks at the same time, the tasks often interfere with each other. This interference has been studied for several decades with the psychological refractory period paradigm, in which two targets that require independent responses are presented on each trial, separated by a variable delay period; interference typically takes the form of increased response times for the second target at short interstimulus delays. The present study used electrophysiological recordings to determine whether a specific index of perception and categorization (the P3 wave) is delayed in the same manner as response times. Although response times for the second target were found to be greatly delayed at short interstimulus intervals, the P3 wave was not substantially delayed. This finding indicates that there was minimal interference during target identification and categorization and that the prolongation of response times in this paradigm primarily reflects a delay in a relatively late p...
Engineering a Hyperthermophilic Archaeon for Temperature-Dependent Product Formation

ABSTRACT Microorganisms growing near the boiling point have enormous biotechnological potential but only recently have molecular engineering tools become available for them. We have engineered the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, which grows optimally at 100°C, to switch its end products of fermentation in a temperature-controlled fashion without the need for chemical inducers. The recombinant strain (LAC) expresses a gene ( ldh ) encoding lactate dehydrogenase from the moderately thermophilic Caldicellulosiruptor bescii (optimal growth temperature [ T opt ] of 78°C) controlled by a “cold shock” promoter that is upregulated when cells are transferred from 98°C to 72°C. At 98°C, the LAC strain fermented sugar to produce acetate and hydrogen as end products, and lactate was not detected. When the LAC strain was grown at 72°C, up to 3 mM lactate was produced instead. Expression of a gene from a moderately thermophilic bacterium in a hyperthermophilic archaeon at temperatures at which the hyperthermophile has low metabolic activity provides a new perspective to engineering microorganisms for bioproduct and biofuel formation. IMPORTANCE Extremely thermostable enzymes from microorganisms that grow near or above the boiling point of water are already used in biotechnology. However, the use of hyperthermophilic microorganisms themselves for biotechnological applications has been limited by the lack of their genetic accessibility. Recently, a genetic system for Pyrococcus furiosus, which grows optimally near 100°C, was developed in our laboratory. In this study, we present the first heterologous protein expression system for a microorganism that grows optimally at 100°C, a first step towards the potential expression of genes involved in biomass degradation or biofuel production in hyperthermophiles. Moreover, we developed the first system for specific gene induction in P. furiosus. As the cold shock promoter for protein expression used in this study is activated at suboptimal growth temperatures of P. furiosus, it is a powerful genetic tool for protein expression with minimal interference of the host’s metabolism and without the need for chemical inducers.
Physarum myosin light chain binds calcium.

Myosin from the slime mold Physarum polycephalum contains three sizes of polypeptides: a heavy chain and two light chains, LC-1 and LC-2. Using a simple qualitative test for calcium binding by comparing electrophoretic migration of the polypeptides in sodium dodecy1 sulfate (SDS) acrylamide gels in the presence and absence of calcium, we have found that Physarum myosin light chain LC-2 migrates with an apparent molecular weight of 16,900 daltons in the presence of the metal ion chelator ethylene glycol bis (B-aminoethyl ether) N,N′-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). However, if calcium chloride is added to the sample prior to electrophoresis, the apparent molecular weight decreases to 16,100. Lanthanide and cadmium ions, but not magnesium, can substitute for calcium. Because the ionic radii of Ca2+, La3+, and Cd2+ are almost identical, we conclude that Physarum myosin LC-2 possesses a very size-specific binding site for calcium. Physarum myosin LC-1 and the heavy chain give no evidence for binding calcium by this test. Since cytoplasmic streaming in the plasmodium of Physarum requires calcium, our evidence indicates that the calcium-binding property of Physarum myosin LC-2 may be important in regulating the production of force by actomyosin in the ectoplasm. Unexpectedly, the myosin light chain in Physarum capable of binding calcium, LC-2, is the essential light chain, while LC-1 is a member of the regulatory class of myosin light chains [V. T. Nachmias, personal communication]. Until now, essential myosin light chains have not been shown to have high affinity divalent cation binding sites. This means a new version of the myosin-based model for actomyosin regulation by calcium may be required to explain cytoplasmic movement in Physarum, and perhaps in other motile systems involving cytoplasmic myosins as well.
Production of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrate from sardine oil by lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis

Abstract The production of n − 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n − 3 PUFAs) concentrate from oil extracted from Pacific sardines (Sardinops sagax) was studied using lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis. Commercially available microbial lipases, from Candida Rugosa (CR), Candida cylindracea (CC), Mucor javanicus (MJ), and Aspergillus niger (AN) were used for enzymatic hydrolyses with extracted sardine oil, run at 37 °C with constant stirring for 1.5, 3, 6, and 9 h. Fatty acid composition analysis by gas chromatography showed that the refined unhydrolyzed oil contained 26.86% of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 13.62% of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (wt/wt%). CR lipase was the most effective in concentrating n − 3 PUFA. Hydrolysis with 250 U CR lipase increased EPA concentration to a relatively constant level of 33.74% after 1.5 h. DHA levels were also significantly increased from 13.62% to 29.94% with 500 U after 9 h. Compared to CR and CC lipases, MJ and AN lipases resulted in low n − 3 PUFA concentration. Triacylglycerol levels decreased significantly as reaction time progressed.
Color-frequency-orientation histogram based image retrieval

This paper proposes a multiclass image retrieval method using combined color-frequency-orientation histogram. Shape information, obtained via edge detector and Hough Transform, is also incorporated into the new feature. The feature has shown advantage in both unsupervised and supervised learning on Corel image dataset containing 10 categories of 1000 complex scenes. In unsupervised learning, comparing with histogram-based method [1], SIMPLIcity [2], FIRM [3], edge-based method [4], multi-resolution-based method [5], our approach respectively shows 25%, 14%, 10%, 7% and 2% improvement in accuracy. In supervised learning, we implement both one-against-one SVM and one-against-all SVM for multiclass classification. One-against-all SVM beats one-against-one SVM, achieving 95% accuracy with sufficient training.
The Illusion of Liberal Internationalism's Revival

Over the past two decades, political polarization has shaken the domestic foundations of U.S. grand strategy, sorely testing bipartisan support for liberal internationalism. Stephen Chaudoin, Helen Milner, and Dustin Tingley take issue with this interpretation, contending that liberal internationalism in the United States is alive and well. Their arguments, however, do not stand up to careful scrutiny. Their analysis of congressional voting and public opinion fails to demonstrate the persistence of bipartisanship on foreign policy. Indeed, the partisan gap that widened during George W. Bush’s administration has continued during the presidency of Barack Obama, confirming that a structural change has taken place in the domestic bases of U.S. foreign policy. President Obama now faces the unenviable challenge of conducting U.S. statecraft during an era when consensus will be as elusive at home as it is globally.
A mutant lectin gene is rescued from an insertion element that blocks its expression.

The soybean lectin gene Le1 encodes a prevalent seed protein and is highly regulated during the life cycle. The mutant lectin gene allele le1 is not transcribed detectably, contains a 3.5-kb Tgm1 insertion element within its coding region 0.6 kb 39 to the transcription start site, and leads to a lectinless phenotype. To determine whether the Tgm1 element or a secondary mutation was responsible for repressing le1 gene transcription, we eliminated the insertion element by constructing a chimeric lectin gene (le1/Le1) that contained the 59 half of the le1 gene and its promoter region and the 39 half of the wild-type Le1 gene. Transformed tobacco seed containing the le1/Le1 gene produced both lectin mRNA and protein, demonstrating that the mutant lectin gene control region is transcriptionally competent. By contrast, transformed seed containing the le1 gene produced no detectable lectin mRNA. We conclude that the absence of detectable transcription from the le1 gene is due to transcriptional inhibition by the Tgm1 insertion element and that this element acts at a distance to block transcription from an upstream promoter region.
Rumination and anxiety mediate the effect of loneliness on depressed mood and sleep quality in college students.

Objective: We examined the mechanisms that underlie the observed relationships between loneliness and depressed mood and poor sleep quality in college students. This study was the first to investigate whether rumination and trait anxiety are psychological mechanisms that mediate this relationship. Methods: In Study 1 (n 1,244), using factor analysis with cross-sectional data, we established that loneliness and rumination are distinct constructs. We then collected survey data in two cross-sectional samples (ns 300 and 218) and one prospective (n 334) sample to test whether rumination and anxiety were mediators of the relationship between loneliness and depressed mood and poor sleep quality. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed relationships. Participants completed self-report measures of loneliness, rumination, trait anxiety, depressed mood, and sleep quality. In addition, measures of hostility, neuroticism, negative affect, and tobacco use were also assessed and tested as mediators, while social support was assessed and tested as a moderator. Results: Consistent across the three studies, we found that rumination and trait anxiety fully mediated the associations between loneliness and depressed mood as well as poor sleep quality; these relationships held after testing all other factors. Conclusion: This study helps explain how loneliness dynamics relate to poor health and suggests specific points of departure for the development of interventions.
An Organic-Inorganic Nanohybrid Based on Lunar Soil Simulant†

One of the long term goals of sending human beings to the Moon and the Mars is to stay there, for which temporary outposts and permanent bases must be constructed. Due to the tight constraint of space transportation capacity, it is highly desirable that the outposts and bases can be built by using locally harvestable resources, such as lunar soils. For instance, it is, theoretically, possible that as lunar soils of different chemical compositions are appropriately mixed together, through complicated heating and curing procedures “lunar cements”, materials that can react with water or other liquid agents to form load-bearing components, can be obtained. However, to achieve this, massive and energy-consuming “cement plants” must be built on the Moon, before the “lunar cements” are available. Even if this could be done, the “lunar cements”, as any other ordinary cementitious materials, are of low flexure strengths. Their long-term reliability, especially in the vacuum or high/low-temperature environments, is also problematic. Moreover, the availability of water or reactive chemicals necessary for the cementing process is quite limited. In view of these issues, over the years a few alternative techniques such as direct sintering of lunar soils, water-free sulfur cements, applications of lunar/planetary lava, and in-situ fabrication of glass or metals/alloys [9,10] have been proposed. The main issues related to these techniques include the lack of systematic testing data, the relatively high energy consumption, the relatively poor material properties, and/or the limited availability of resources. Therefore, they are still far from being directly useful for space construction. Recently, in a study on high-flexure-strength infrastructural materials, Qiao et al. developed polymer intercalation/exfoliation (PIE) cements. In a PIE cement, the binder is not formed through hydration. Rather, a small amount of polymer interphase reinforced by exfoliated silicate nanolayers and intercalated silicate layer stacks is employed to hold the inorganic particles together, forming a multiscale organic-inorganic structure. Due to the barrier effect of the nanolayers, the permeability of the PIE cement is low, resulting in the superior air/water-proofness. The flexure strength can be more than 100 MPa, larger than that of many aluminum alloys. The thermal stability is also superior. It is envisioned that, if the PIE technique can be extended to lunar soils; that is, if lunar soil grains can be strongly bonded by the nanointerphase, space infrastructural materials of high strength, low permeability, and high survivability can be developed. To produce these materials at the lunar surface, only the organic nanointerphases need to be prepared on and transported from the Earth, and the inorganic components can be harvested locally. The processing procedure is water free and quite straightforward, having great potential in building large-scale structures on the Moon as well as other planets or planetary satellites.
Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy using a power detector

Summary form only given. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is nowadays commonly used to measure the absorption coefficient and refractive index of materials over a very broad spectral band (typically from 0.1 up to several THz). Usual TDS set-ups include ultra-fast emitter and receiver, like photo-conductive antennas or non-linear crystals. Indeed, their ultra fast response time allows one to generate and/or detect sub-picosecond electromagnetic waveforms, whose spectra spread up to the THz range. Nevertheless, such devices require a whole optical bench to manage a pulsed laser beam in both space and equivalent time. On the contrary, power detectors (e.g. bolometers, Golay cells, pyroelectric detectors...) are more convenient to use, allowing an easy mapping the spatial distribution of THz beams. However, the temporal resolution of these detector remains poor (millisecond at best) as they integrate the incoming THz power. Therefore the THz pulse transient evolution and thus the THz E-field phase are lost. Here we describe a THz Michelson interferometer in which the receiver is a pyroelectric detector (Gentec THz 9B-MT, 200-ms rise time). The interferometer permits us to retrieve the phase of the signal. Transient autocorrelation curves of a picosecond pulse have been recorded and are in a good agreement with analytic expectations. The modulus and phase of the THz signal is obtained by Fourier-transforming the recorded waveforms. 2D-mappings of the THz beam power, of the transient signals and of the frequency spatial distribution have been experimentally achieved. The influence of the impinging THz polarization on the measurement dynamics has also been studied. Finally, we employed the set-up to perform broadband spectroscopy of samples.
Historical Sites and the Construction Engineer

Archaeologists and paleontologists have gathered an overpowering amount of evidence to show that modern methods of construction, both in the field of highways and in that of architectural structures, have contributed in a decisive manner to the wiping out of our archaeological and paleontological past. The destruction of archaeological and paleontological sites is due in great part to ignorance and, in some cases, to greed, but can certainly be avoided through a combination of education and law enforcement. On the basis of the evidence gathered by archaeologists and paleontologists, the writer presents a case for the responsibility of the civil engineer in regard to our prehistorical past and suggests action by the members of ASCE, which will help the rapidly deteriorating situation in site preservation.
Parsing the Practice of Teaching.

Teacher education programs typically teach novices about one part of teaching at a time. We might offer courses on different topics—cultural foundations, learning theory, or classroom management—or...
Grief Experiences of 3 Caregiving Wives of Veterans With Dementia

Three wives share their experiences of caregiving for husbands with dementia. The 3 husbands, aged 51, 71, and 84, developed dementia following years of devoted military service. To present lived experiences of caregiving wives', meanings attributed to caregiving are investigated, variations in caregiving and grieving experiences are explored, and therapeutic implications are offered. Through case study approach and with issues of caregiver grief considered, we introduce life course and ambiguous loss theoretical perspectives. Emergent qualitative themes and quantitative inventory ratings indicate significant differences in caregiver grief response depend on care-recipient age. Practice implications and directions for future care recipient, age-related research are presented.
Effect of papain-induced emphysema on permeability of rat lung to drugs.

SummaryTo investigate the effect of a papain-induced emphysema-like condition on pulmonary absorption of drugs, rats were exposed to either papain aerosol or distilled water aerosol (control) intermittently for 2 wk, and rates of drug absorption from damaged and control lungs were compared. To measure absorption rates, 0.1 ml of drug solution (0.1-10 mM) was administered through a tracheal cannula to anesthetized animals, and after various times lungs were assayed for unabsorbed compound. In absorption experiments with the lipoid-insoluble compounds, mannitol, p-aminohippuric acid, and procaine amide ethobromide, all three drugs were absorbed from the lungs about twice as rapidly in papain-treated rats as in control. In contrast, procaine amide, a relatively lipoid-soluble drug, was absorbed at the same rate in both control and papain-treated animals. The results suggest that papain-induced lung damage increases the porosity of the pulmonary epithelium.The authors are indebted to Mrs. Jean C. Henderson fo...
Casual gaming as a means to raise awareness of vector borne disease risks

Vector-borne diseases cause hundreds of thousands of people around the world to suffer debilitating illnesses each year; illnesses such as Lyme Disease, Babesiosis, tick borne encephalitis, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The spread of these diseases is caused by human-biting ticks. However, in virtually every case there is a preventive strategy to stop ticks from attaching to humans and therefore preventing infection. Lack of knowledge of these prevention strategies, and awareness of ticks-diseases infection risks contribute to a steady increase in infection rates. In the recent years, there has been a growing popularity in casual gaming and interactive media in society, especially among women aged 35+ and younger children around the age of 13. Coincidentally, this demographic also represents a significant portion of the population at most at risk of tickborne disease infection. We intend to capitalize on this demographic coincidence, creating casual games and applications that will reach this audience to develop better tickborne disease awareness and make prevention fun, easy, and popular. In this paper we present several educational casual games and multimedia applications we have developed using the game engine Unity3D, Flash, and other web technologies. We also discuss our overall strategy of using New Media as a tool to educate the general public by offering educational content on different platforms and devices, from the Web to the iPhone.
A Mathematical Relation to Describe the Influence of Wind on the Initial Flight Dispersal of Scolytus multistriatus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Wind direction and velocity exerted major influences upon the initial dispersal flight of Scolytus multistriatus (Marsham) under open-field conditions. Dispersal of beetles during each study period was nonrandom with respect to wind direction. Inverse relationships were established between the mean wind velocity and the angles of beetle flight dispersal across and from the horizon. A regression plane described by the equation, X1=49.1+0.15 X2−1.28 X3, was developed from the data collected; where X1 = angle across the horizon, X2 = angle from the horizon, and X3 = mean wind velocity.
Adenosine-induced renal vasoconstriction in diabetes mellitus rats: role of prostaglandins

We investigated the role of prostaglandins in the renal vascular response to exogenous and endogenous adenosine in control and streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. Exogenous adenosine (0.01–100 nmol...
A report of 4 patients with the Drash syndrome and a review of the literature

Four patients with the Drash syndrome, represented by the triad of male pseudohermaphroditism, progressive renal insufficiency and Wilms tumor are discussed. This syndrome, which some have suggested should be expanded to include patients with nephropathy, Wilms tumor and any abnormality of gonadal differentiation, appears early in life. The first sign usually is genital ambiguity. However, proteinuria, hematuria and hypertension eventually require renal biopsy, which may reveal a variety of glomerular and interstitial changes. The nephropathy progresses rapidly, is unresponsive to steroids and eventually requires dialysis. Wilms tumor may appear as a mass on ultrasound or it may not be recognized until nephrectomy or even autopsy. Young children with gonadal dysgenesis and nephropathy are at high risk for nephroblastoma and gonadal tumors and, therefore, prophylactic nephrectomy and gonadectomy should be considered early in the course of this disease.
Distal Humerus External Rotation Osteotomy for Hand Position in Arthrogryposis

Hypothesis: In the amyoplasia type of arthrogryposis, shoulder internal rotation, in addition to limited muscle development and joint contracture, may cause a reverse pronated grasp pattern. We hyp...
Some striding – Giant – Love –

In Todd and Higginson's 1890 volume of Dickinson's poems, Book II, “Love,” comprising eighteen poems, follows directly upon “Life.” Aside from a couple of pieces in Dickinson's early floral gift-idiom and one late poem probably sent to Mabel Loomis Todd, almost all of these poems were transcribed into Dickinson's manuscript books, her present-day editors believe, between 1861 and 1865, her most concentrated period of poetic production. A few were also shared in her letters, but for many of them the fascicle copy is unique; so far as the surviving record can tell us, Dickinson did not share many of these poems with other readers during her lifetime, and no one correspondent seems to have been singled out consistently to receive those she did share. For readers who believe that something uniquely valuable about Dickinson's writings inheres in their direct, concrete address to familiar individual correspondents, these poems considered as a group provide no such hook on which to hang an account of why they matter. Yet I would wager that these poems – among them “Mine by the Right of the White Election” (Fr 411), “I cannot live with you” (Fr 706), “There came a day at summer's full (Fr 325), “I'm ceded – I've stopped being theirs” (Fr 353), “T'was a long parting, but the time / for Interview had come” (Fr 691) and “I'm Wife – I've finished that –” (Fr 225) – remain some of Dickinson's most important, across many communities of readers. And for every poem Todd and Higginson included in “Love,” readers could supply examples of many more inhabiting the same structure of feeling. It is hard to settle for calling this generative structure, which looms so large in Dickinson's oeuvre, simply “love.” Not that Dickinson herself didn't use the word, and frequently; but to compare one of her definitional or riddling poems about love, such as “While it is alive” (Fr 287) or “Struck was I nor yet by lightning” (Fr 841), with her contemporary Elizabeth Barrett Browning's celebration of “love, mere love” in Sonnets from the Portuguese is to see how far Dickinson will go not to wallow in tautology.
Conductometric Gradient Ion Exclusion Chromatography for Volatile Fatty Acids.

We describe a fatty acid vapor extractor (FAVE) as a postcolumn device for sensitive detection following ion exclusion chromatographic (ICE) separation of weak acids. The device consists of a single length of a permselective membrane tube surrounded by a jacket that consists of two isolated sections. The separation column effluent flows through the lumen. A suitable strong acid is put in the upstream, short section of the jacket and permeates in, rendering the lumenal flow strongly acidic (pH ≤ 2) that suppresses eluite weak acid dissociation. A lipophilic polysiloxane membrane is selectively permeable to volatile fatty acids (VFAs). A small fraction of the VFAs transfer to a cocurrent receptor stream of water (or a weak base, e.g., dilute hydroxylamine), flowing through the second, longer section of the jacket. Even though the transferred amount of VFAs may be very small (0.5–5%), significantly better detection limits than conventional suppressed conductometric ICE (SCICE) is possible because of the low ...