cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
X-ray evidence of increased asbestos exposure in the US population from NHANES I and NHANES II, 1973-1978

Objectives: Jobs involving heavy asbestos exposure increase risk for lung cancer and mesothelioma substantially, and low-level exposures may carry some risk. At least one indicator of asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, has been increasing in the US for decades. We investigated the prevalence of another indicator, pleural thickening on x-ray, in a defined sample of the US population.
Filming a Tarahumara Festival

I AM FILMING A MAGPIE and an eagle has just landed on my head. It always seems to happen that way. This time I am deep in the canyons of the Sierra Madre Occidental, and I am seeing so much that I will never get on film. I must shoot and shoot, while the time and the film run out. What is really happening is not within this narrow frame. Though the magpie of my intention waits now in the chemistry of my emulsion, the eagle of another vision is circling, soaring and gone. For two weeks Jane and I have been film-documenting a festival of Mex ico's nomadic Tarahumara Indians, probably the most remote and in accessible native people on this continent. We cannot stay longer, the fes tival is ending, and within a day the Tarahumara people will be disappear ing into the very walls of a canyon which is so large that it dips and rises from the tropical latitudes to the temperate zone, where we are now, at 9000 feet. Within this labyrinth of barrancas several thousand Tarahu mara families follow the cycle of seasons roaming from cave to cave and rock hut to rock hut, herding goats along the way, and planting and har vesting corn within the pulse of two growing seasons a year. But ask a Tarahumaran about the depths of these canyons and you may be told that only the birds know. In these last hours of filming I am empty with the awareness that "in tention" is too much the director of every film I have made, that beyond the swing of my camera there is here, among the Tarahumara people, a mysterious v?rit? which does not answer to intention. I look down at sky, in the water below.
Enabling the reuse of World Wide Web documents in tutorials

The World Wide Web is a rich source of material that could be used for educational purposes. Advantages of reusing these existing materials are avoiding the duplicated effort of creating new versions of material that is already in existence, using up-to-date information, and letting the student see the original source materials. This thesis identifies and describes some of the problems that arise when reusing existing materials in tutorials. The thesis then describes Wtutor (Web Tutor), a prototype system for exploring solutions to these problems. Wtutor allows a tutorial author to create a tutorial as a set of paths through the network of documents on the Web and to include assessment points along the trail. Wtutor monitors the student's progress through the tutorial and provides navigational guidance to the student as well as feedback regarding the student's performance on the assessment points. Because the retrieval of Web documents can be slow and unreliable, Wtutor implements a variation of just-in-time prefetching, which allows Wtutor to retrieve most Web documents within tutorials before the student is ready to begin the documents, so student-experienced delays are greatly reduced and frequently completely eliminated. Reusing documents that are owned by authors other than the tutorial author means that the tutorial author does not have control over the content of the included documents. The owners of the documents may make changes to those documents that may or may not affect the appropriateness of the documents for inclusion in the tutorial. In Wtutor, document signatures have been designed and used to confirm that documents have not changed in ways that make them no longer appropriate for inclusion in the tutorials. Wtutor provides an environment for both authoring and taking World Wide Web-based tutorials. Future work in this area will focus on providing an enhanced authoring interface and on developing a more portable implementation of the functionality that Wtutor provides.
Factors affecting food chain transfer of mercury in the vicinity of the Nyanza Site, Sudbury River, Massachusetts

The influence of the Nyanza Chemical Waste Dump Superfund Site on the Sudbury River, Massachusetts, was assessed by analysis of sediment, fish prey organisms, and predator fish from four locations in the river system. Whitehall Reservoir is an impoundment upstream of the site, and Reservoir #2 is an impoundment downstream of the site. Cedar Street is a flowing reach upstream of the site, and Sherman Bridge is a flowing reach downstream of the site. Collections of material for analysis were made three times, in May, July, and October. Sediment was analyzed for acid-volatile sulfide (AVS), simultaneously-extracted (SEM) metals (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Sb, Zn), and total recoverable Hg. The dominant predatory fish species collected at all sites, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), was analyzed for the same suite of metals as sediment. Analysis of stomach contents of bass identified small fish (yellow perch Perca flavescens, bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, and pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus), crayfish, and dragonfly larvae as the dominant prey organisms. Samples of the prey were collected from the same locations and at the same times as predator fish, and were analyzed for total and methyl mercury. Results of AVS and SEM analyses indicated that sediments were not toxic to aquatic invertebrates at any site. The SEM concentrations of As, Cd, and Cr were significantly higher at Reservoir #2 than at the reference sites, and SEM As and Cd were significantly higher at Sherman Bridge than at Cedar St. Sediment total Hg was elevated only at Reservoir #2. Hg was higher at site-influenced locations in all fish species except brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus). Cd was higher in bluegill, black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), and brown bullhead, and Cr was higher in largemouth bass fillet samples but not in whole-body samples. There were no seasonal differences in sediment or prey organism metals, but some metals in some fish species did vary over time in an inconsistent manner. Predator fish Hg concentration was significantly linearly related to weighted prey organism methyl Hg concentration. Largemouth bass Hg was significantly lower at Reservoir #2 in our study than in previous investigations in 1989 and 1990. High concentrations of inorganic Hg remain in river sediment as a result of operation of the Nyanza site, and fish Hg concentrations in river reaches downstream of the site are elevated compared to upstream reference sites. However, the differences are relatively small and Hg concentrations in largemouth bass from the site-influenced locations are no higher than those from some other, nearby uncontaminated sites. We hypothesize that this results from burial of contaminated sediment with cleaner material, which reduces bioavailability of contaminants and possibly reduces methylation of mercury.
Partisanship and Policy Priorities in the Distribution of Economic Stimulus Funds

Money from the recent economic stimulus package is disproportionately going to Democratic House districts, leading to a debate over the cause of this trend. Stimulus critics contend that President Obama and majority Democrats are maneuvering, post-passage, to steer stimulus funds to Democratic House districts; defenders claim that the money is being distributed fairly, according to the substantive criteria of the stimulus package. We contend that both sides of the debate miss an important component of the distribution of federal funds: congressional majority parties routinely shape legislation to distribute federal funds according to their own policy priorities, and to politically benefit their own members. The Democrats of the 111th Congress are no different. Thus while partisanship is influencing the distribution of stimulus funds, the key locus of this partisanship was in the writing of a bill which advances Democratic policy goals such as clean energy, health care, education, and research, not in any post-passage activity. We examine the amount of stimulus funding going to each district. Controlling for districts’ substantive claims to stimulus funds according to the criteria identified by President Obama and in the bill, party is no longer a significant predictor of a district’s level of funding.
Trade and Threat Perception

Liberal theorists have long held that the value of trade lost due to military conflict will lead states to avoid such conflict with their trading partners. Previous research has found support for this line of argument, but has focused on state behavior rather than the attitudes of those actually engaged in trade. At the individual level, however, it is not obvious that trade actually influences attitudes on security issues in the way liberals argue. Economic interests are rarely considered in research on assessments of political-military threats. Moreover, because trade creates domestic losers as well as winners, it might actually increase threat perception among those whom it negatively affects. This paper tests these arguments in the case of American trade with China using data from both a survey of the general public and roll-call voting in the House of Representatives. As liberals expect, we find evidence that trade indeed influences American attitudes toward China. However, there are substantial differences among individual survey respondents based on whether their income can be expected to rise or fall as the trading relationship grows. The winners have more positive attitudes toward China and express less support for aggressive foreign policies toward the country than do the losers. Aggregate differences along these same dimensions among their constituents also influence roll-call voting in the House of Representatives.
A Trigger Residue for Transmembrane Signaling in the Escherichia coli Serine Chemoreceptor

ABSTRACT The transmembrane Tsr protein of Escherichia coli mediates chemotactic responses to environmental serine gradients. Serine binds to the periplasmic domain of the homodimeric Tsr molecule, promoting a small inward displacement of one transmembrane helix (TM2). TM2 piston displacements, in turn, modulate the structural stability of the Tsr-HAMP domain on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane to control the autophosphorylation activity of the signaling CheA kinase bound to the membrane-distal cytoplasmic tip of Tsr. A five-residue control cable segment connects TM2 to the AS1 helix of HAMP and transmits stimulus and sensory adaptation signals between them. To explore the possible role of control cable helicity in transmembrane signaling by Tsr, we characterized the signaling properties of mutant receptors with various control cable alterations. An all-alanine control cable shifted Tsr output toward the kinase-on state, whereas an all-glycine control cable prevented Tsr from reaching either a fully on or fully off output state. Restoration of the native isoleucine (I214) in these synthetic control cables largely alleviated their signaling defects. Single amino acid replacements at Tsr-I214 shifted output toward the kinase-off (L, N, H, and R) or kinase-on (A and G) states, whereas other control cable residues tolerated most amino acid replacements with little change in signaling behavior. These findings indicate that changes in control cable helicity might mediate transitions between the kinase-on and kinase-off states during transmembrane signaling by chemoreceptors. Moreover, the Tsr-I214 side chain plays a key role, possibly through interaction with the membrane interfacial environment, in triggering signaling changes in response to TM2 piston displacements. IMPORTANCE The Tsr protein of E. coli mediates chemotactic responses to environmental serine gradients. Stimulus signals from the Tsr periplasmic sensing domain reach its cytoplasmic kinase control domain through piston displacements of a membrane-spanning helix and an adjoining five-residue control cable segment. We characterized the signaling properties of Tsr variants to elucidate the transmembrane signaling role of the control cable, an element present in many microbial sensory proteins. Both the kinase-on and kinase-off output states of Tsr depended on control cable helicity, but only one residue, I214, was critical for triggering responses to attractant inputs. These findings suggest that signal transmission in Tsr involves modulation of control cable helicity through interaction of the I214 side chain with the cytoplasmic membrane.
Preparing students for family practice

This paper highlights the content of a course designed to prepare students for family practice, with emphasis on mothers as primary caregivers. A model is presented of relatively healthy family interactions characterized by co-parenting and equitable division of labor in the home. The strengths perspective is applied to family practice with mother-headed families where noncustodial fathers share responsibilities for childrearing. Challenges inherent in carrying out dual roles of wage labor and family caregiving are linked to social support and differences among women based on class, race, and ethnicity.
Human Capital Formation and School Expansion in Asia

Human capital formation through the expansion of formal schooling has long been cited as a fundamental part of the "Asia-Pacific Rim economic miracle." Development scholars often assume that there is a distinctly Asian model of state-sponsored school expansion because of both the cultural and institutional uniqueness of the region. This assumption is questioned here and tested with panel data (1960 to 1990) for secondary school enrollments and other indicators. A cross-regional comparison of the expansion of secondary school enrollments finds little evidence for a sustained unique Asian approach to education expansion, in that: 1) Asia is not leading the developing world in educational expansion, and 2) there is extensive variation in educational development within the region. This is followed by a short case study that compares contrasting national educational policies and expansion outcomes in two developing Asian countries. We conclude that human capital formation through school expansion is best thought of as an unevenly applied world-wide process, with little importance attached to regional cultural uniqueness.
Parametric polymorphism through run-time sealing or, theorems for low, low prices!

We show how to extend System F's parametricity guarantee to a Matthews-Findler-style multi-language system that combines System F with an untyped language by use of dynamic sealing. While the use of sealing for this purpose has been suggested before, it has never been proven to preserve parametricity. In this paper we prove that it does using step-indexed logical relations. Using this result we show a scheme for implementing parametric higher-order contracts in an untyped setting which corresponds to a translation given by Sumii and Pierce. These contracts satisfy rich enough guarantees that we can extract analogues to Wadler's free theorems that rely on run-time enforcement of dynamic seals.
Palliative Care in Heart Failure

The number of patients with heart failure is growing; the associated morbidity and mortality remains dismal. Advance care planning, end-of-life conversations, and palliative care referrals are appropriate, but do not occur regularly. Palliative care focuses on patients and families from diagnosis, to hospice, death, and bereavement. It is delivered as basic palliative care by all providers and by specialty-certified palliative care specialists. Nurses are well-positioned to provide basic. Nurses are also instrumental in initiating referrals to the specialized palliative care team as the patient's needs become too complex or the disease progresses and the patient approaches the end of life.
Distributed Algorithms for Tree Pattern Matching

We present efficient distributed algorithms for the Tree Pattern Matching problem. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first distributed algorithms of this nature. Tree pattern matching is a fundamental operation in many programming task such as code optimization and automated theorem proving, and has a number of applications in distributed systems. We present both a top-down and bottom-up algorithm for linear tree pattern matching (where any variable occurs at most once in the pattern) for the case in which the subject tree is completely distributed as a node per processor. The pattern is assumed to reside within the local memory of each processor. Let the subject tree have n nodes and height h s , and the pattern m nodes and height h p . The top-down algorithm has bit complexity O(n log m h p ) and time complexity O(h s ), while the bottom-up algorithm has bit complexity O(n h p ) and time complexity O(h p ). However, the bottom-up algorithm requires preprocessing of the subject and pattern trees. An efficient extension of these distributed algorithms to the case of multiple patterns is also given.
Resilient Routing for Sensor Networks Using Hyperbolic Embedding of Universal Covering Space

We study how to characterize the families of paths between any two nodes $s, t$ in a sensor network with holes. Two paths that can be deformed to one another through local changes are called \emph{homotopy equivalent}. Two paths that pass around holes in different ways have different \emph{homotopy types}. With a distributed algorithm we compute an embedding of the network in hyperbolic space by using Ricci flow such that paths of different homotopy types are mapped naturally to paths connecting $s$ with different images of $t$. Greedy routing to a particular image is guaranteed with success to find a path with a given homotopy type. This leads to simple greedy routing algorithms that are resilient to both local link dynamics and large scale jamming attacks and improve load balancing over previous greedy routing algorithms.
Normal Limits of Nilpotent Operators in von Neumann Algebras

We will investigate the intersection of the normal operators with the norm closure of the nilpotent operators in von Neumann algebras. A complete description of said intersection will be given for type I and type III von Neumann algebras with separable predual whereas difficulties and restrictions in the type II setting will be discussed. In addition, the closure of the span of the nilpotent operators and the distance from a projection to the nilpotent operators will be examined in the context of von Neumann algebras.
Interaction of Constitutive Photomorphogenesis 1 Protein with Protein-Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Suppresses Protein-Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Activity and Enhances Insulin Signaling

Recent studies reveal that COP1 suppresses the expression of gluconeogenetic genes and prohibits hepatic glucose production. To get more insight into COP1 in hepatic cells, we examined the impact of COP1 on insulin-responsive genes and insulin signaling. We found that COP1 increased the responsiveness of insulin-modulated genes to insulin in that it promoted the expression of insulin-induced genes and inhibited that of insulin-suppressed genes and that COP1 enhanced insulin signaling as it promoted phosphorylation of Akt and ERK as well as tyrosine phosphorylation of IRβ induced by insulin. To delineate the mechanism under which COP1 modulates insulin signaling, we examined the possibility that COP1 modulates the activity of PTP1B, the major insulin receptor tyrosine phosphatase. The results indicated that COP1 physically interacted with PTP1B and suppressed PTP1B phosphatase activity as well as the association of PTP1B with IRβ. We suggest that COP1 is a positive regulator of hepatic insulin signaling.
Trajectories Toward Peace: Mediator Sequencing Strategies in Intractable Communal Conflicts

The author identifies three distinct mediation sequencing strategies used in intractable communal conflicts: the gradualism model; a “boulder-in-the-road” approach; and the “committee” strategy. Using case examples of contemporary mediation efforts, he describes the three approaches and their advantages and disadvantages. A wider-angle approach to the differences in how mediators and conflicting parties achieve peace in these destructive conflicts is useful for both scholarly inquiry and practice.
Osteotomy of the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine as an Adjunct to Improve Access and Visualization Through the Lateral Window

The lateral "window" has previously been described as part of the ilioinguinal and anterior intrapelvic approaches for gaining access to the anterior aspect of the sacroiliac joint, the internal iliac fossa, and upper portion of the anterior column for reduction and placement of fixation. Surgical exposure of this window typically involves release of the external oblique muscle from the iliac crest and elevation of the iliacus muscle from the internal iliac fossa. This exposure is limited by the residual attachment of the external oblique muscle and inguinal ligament to the anterior superior iliac spine, particularly in patients with a large abdomen or in fractures that involve the anterior wall of the acetabulum and pubic root region. Herein, we describe the addition of an osteotomy of the anterior superior iliac spine for improved medial mobilization of the abdominal wall musculature to allow better visualization and access to the internal iliac fossa and anterior aspect of the sacroiliac joint.
The diffusion of development-through-sport: analysing the history and practice of the Olympic Movement's grassroots outreach to Africa

The idea of sport as a tool for development has a long and ambitious history, up to and including a recent proliferation of international sport programmemes targeting grassroots development. The popularity of these programmes, however, raises interesting questions about the influence of sport across diverse contexts: how do ambitious claims about the universal value of sport diffuse into actual practices in distinct cultural communities? This essay uses the case of the Olympic Movement's grassroots outreach to Africa to document a historical pattern of grand and problematic ambitions for the role of sport in development consistently diffusing into modest, diverse and generally neutral practices. To analyse this pattern, the essay begins by drawing on concepts from existing scholarship related to the cultural diffusion of sport, and then considers examples in two parts: first, analysing the historical record of Olympic Movement outreach to Africa and second, analysing ethnographic examples from fieldwork i...
Culturally Speaking: Culture, Communication, and Politeness Theory 2nd ed. edited by SPENCER–OATEY, HELEN

The article reviews the book "Culturally Speaking: Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory," 2nd ed., edited by Helen Spencer-Oatey.
Quadratic Stark Effect in the P 3 2 2 States of the Alkali Atoms

The method of pure electric field level-crossing spectroscopy has been used to measure the tensor polarizability of the $5^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ state of potassium. Our result is ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{2}=\ensuremath{-}0.263(40)$ MHz/ ${(\mathrm{k}\mathrm{V}/\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m})}^{2}$. Numerical values of the scalar and tensor polarizabilities of the first, second, and third $^{2}P_{\frac{3}{2}}$ states of Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs have been calculated using the Bates-Damgaard technique to evaluate the necessary radial integrals. The polarizabilities show remarkable systematic trends among the various states of the atoms. Our present and previously reported results are compared with previous theoretical and experimental work. The agreement between theoretical and experimental values ranges from fair to excellent.
A Porphyrin Embedded in DNA

Oligodeoxynucleotides containing an alkylporphyrin linked to the phosphate groups of DNA via oxypropyl chains have been synthesized. To our knowledge, these are the first porphyrin−nucleic acid conjugates bearing the porphyrin embedded in the backbone of DNA. Chain assembly was achieved by automated solid-phase synthesis using a dimethoxytrityl-protected porphyrin phosphoramidite and standard DNA building blocks. The thermal stability of duplexes involving the octadecamer 5‘-CGCGCCTTC-P-CATTGCGG-3‘, where -P- denotes the porphyrin, was found to depend on the sequence of the complementary strand. A duplex where a thymidine residue in the complementary strand faces the porphyrin gives a higher melting point than duplexes bearing an abasic site or a dT3 loop at this position. Duplex formation is accompanied by 180% hypochromicity at 501 nm, and other spectral changes unprecedented in porphyrinoids interacting with nucleic acids. Footprinting with nuclease S1, together with CD spectropolarimetry, indicates th...
Exchange Market Pressure and Monetary PolicyAsia and Latin America in the 1990s

Exchange market pressure (EMP), the sum of exchange rate depreciation and reserve outflows (scaled by base money), summarizes the flow excess supply of money in a managed exchange rate regime. Examining Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, and Thailand, this paper finds that monetary policy affects EMP as generally expected: contractionary monetary policy helps reduce EMP. The monetary policy stance is best measured by domestic credit growth (since interest rates contain both policy- and market-determined elements). In response to higher EMP, monetary authorities boosted domestic credit growth both in Mexico (confirming previous research) and in the Asian countries.
Early Eocene Bat from Wyoming

A fossil skeleton of an early Eocene bat, the oldest known flying mammal, was found in southwest Wyoming. The bat is assigned to the new species Icaronycteris index of the suborder Microchiroptera. It was apparently of a young male whose body was buried in varved marls of the Green River Formation, on the bottom of Fossil Lake, about 50 million years ago. The bones, some as slender as a human hair, show a few "primitive" characteristics such as a clawed index finger and a complete phalangeal formula, but the bat was fully developed -an anatomically precocious contemporary of the dog-sized polydactylous horse.
Determinants of Place of Death for Terminal Cancer Patients

Approximately two-third of cancer patients, when asked about the preferred place of death, wish to die in their own homes. However, the majority of deaths from cancers in most western countries occur in a hospital. When a person dies from other than sudden or traumatic causes, the death appears to be a function of a complex interplay of personal and cultural values and physical and medical factors, as well as various health care systems forces. This article reviews the determinants of place of death for terminal cancer patients from published studies in hopes of shedding light on the difficulties of dying patients to realize their preferences for place of death. These insights may contribute to modification of hospice care systems so health professionals will be more responsive to the needs of their dying patients to retain control and die with dignity and help health professionals achieve the proposed outcome of hospice care.
Effect of nano-encapsulated (-) epigallocatechin gallate on triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Background Obesity is considered the major risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardio-vascular diseases like hypertension and atherosclerosis [1]. Catechins are the major source of flavonols and they are comprised of various types of catechins such as epigallo catechin 3 gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) [2]. Numbers of in vivo studies have reported weight loss after drinking green tea for several months. To support these in vivo findings, many in vitro studies demonstrated effect of pure EGCG which is an important biologically active green tea catechin in reducing triglyceride accumulation in adipocytes [3]. However, these antiadipogenic properties of EGCG are greatly dependent on bio-availability which is very low in animals as well as in humans. One study showed that, peak plasma concentrations in humans were 1.3 μM for EGCG after a single dose of 1.5 mmol through oral administration [4]. Nanoencapsulated EGCG (Nano-EGCG) may help to increase bioavailability and to exert maximum anti-adipogenic effects.
A new approach for solving the three-dimensional steady Euler equations. II. Application to secondary flows in a turning channel☆

The solution procedure developed in Part I (S.-C. Chang and J. J. Adamczyj, J. Comput. Phys. 59 (1985), 000-000) is discretized and used to obtain inviscid solutions for subsonic flows in a 180° turning channel. It is shown that the current algorithm can accurately predict the behavior of weak secondary flows and is capable of generating solutions for strong secondary flows. Moreover, it is shown that acceptable flow solutions may be contained after only 10–20 outer looop interactions.
Analysis of laminated beams with a layer-wise constant shear theory

Abstract Based on generalized laminate plate theory, the formulation of a one-dimensional beam finite element with layer-wise constant shear (BLCS) is presented. The linear layer-wise representation of in-plane displacements permit accurate computation of normal stresses and transverse shear stresses on each layer for laminated beams with dissimilar ply stiffnesses. The BLCS formulation is equivalent to a first-order shear deformation beam theory (Timoshenko beam theory) on each layer. For the accurate computation of interlaminar shear stresses, the layer-wise constant shear stresses obtained from constitutive relations are transformed into parabolic shear stress distributions in a post-processing operation described in detail. The accuracy of the BLCS element is demonstrated by solving several numerical examples reported in the literature. While retaining the simplicity of a laminated beam theory, the element predicts results as accurate as much more complex elasticity analyses, and it is suitable to model frame-type structures.
Nonsyndromic hearing loss DFNA10 and a novel mutation of EYA4: evidence for correlation of normal cardiac phenotype with truncating mutations of the Eya domain.

Dominant, truncating mutations of eyes absent 4 (EYA4) on chromosome 6q23 can cause either nonsyndromic hearing loss DFNA10 or hearing loss with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). It has been proposed that truncations of the C-terminal Eya domain cause DFNA10 whereas upstream truncations of the N-terminal variable region cause hearing loss with DCM. Here we report an extended family co-segregating autosomal dominant, postlingual-onset, progressive, sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with a novel frameshift mutation, 1490insAA, of EYA4. The 1490insAA allele is predicted to encode a truncated protein with an intact N-terminal variable region, but lacking the entire C-terminal Eya domain. Clinical studies including electrocardiography, echocardiography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart in nine affected family members revealed no DCM or associated abnormalities and confirmed their nonsyndromic phenotype. These are the first definitive cardiac evaluations of DFNA10 hearing loss to support a correlation of EYA4 mutation position with the presence or absence of DCM. These results will facilitate the counseling of patients with these phenotypes and EYA4 mutations. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Practical aspects of reflectivity modeling

This paper is intended to help those not familiar with the “lore” of layered earth modeling to avoid some common problems. In the computation of the reflectivity function, an easily incorporated phase‐integral approximation is used away from turning points when the velocity gradient is smaller than the frequency. Hanning windows, or segments thereof, work well for both the slowness integral and the frequency integral. For the quadrature of the slowness integral the Filon method of Frazer is easily coded and vectorizes well; Levin’s Filon method and the Clenshaw‐Curtis‐Filon method of Xu and Mal are more difficult to vectorize, but more powerful because they require fewer evaluations of the reflectivity function. A modification of Strick’s power law is a convenient way to calculate complex frequency‐dependent seismic velocities. The complex frequency technique for avoiding time aliasing is explained by use of the Poisson sum formula. In writing code for vector computers, such as the CRAY, if frequency‐inde...
Peptide sequence information derived by pronase digestion and ammonium sulfate in-source decay matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

We present the use of Pronase digestion and in-source decay in the presence of ammonium sulfate as complementary techniques to confirm the amino acid sequence of a peptide. Pronase, a commercial preparation from Steptomyces griseus, is a combination of proteolytic enzymes. It produces carboxypeptidase and aminopeptidase ladders using a single Pronase digestion and represents an inexpensive, nonspecific, and fast supplement to traditional sequencing enzymes. However, N-terminal peptidase activity appears dependent on the terminal amino acid residue. We also introduce the use of saturated ammonium sulfate as an “on-slide” sample additive to promote in-source fragmentation of peptides. Use of saturated ammonium sulfate resulted in a simple way to increase peptide backbone fragmentation and essentially produced either a cn or ym ion series. Together these techniques provide useful supplements to existing methods for peptide sequence information.
Multifocal demyelinating neuropathy with persistent conduction block

We describe five patients with a chronic asymmetric sensorimotor neuropathy most pronounced in the upper extremities with focal involvement of individual nerves. Diagnosis was established by electrophysiologic evidence of persistent multifocal conduction block. Sural nerve biopsy in three patients showed primarily demyelinating-remyelinating changes with varying degrees of fiber loss. Two patients had acute optic neuritis, indicating that the disorder was not always restricted to the peripheral nervous system. Two patients treated with corticosteroids improved, whereas three untreated patients had static deficits or steady progression of symptoms. Chronic multifocal demyelinating neuropathy with persistent conduction block seems to be a variant of chronic acquired demyelinating polyneuropathy and may be immunologically mediated.
General equilibrium analysis of the CAP using the GTAP model

Abstract Although partial equilibrium analysis dominates agricultural policy modelling, there are instances where a broader economy‐wide approach is more appropriate. Accordingly, this paper uses a global general equilibrium framework, provided by the GTAP model, to assess the domestic and international implications of the Common Agricultural Policy. In character with this type of model, the shuffling of global resources induced by the CAP is shown to lead to significant structural changes in the economies of all regions, particularly with respect to trade flows. Net welfare impacts, arising from efficiency and terms of trade effects, are smaller in comparison, with the European Union worse off by 0.8% and the world by 0.4%. It is argued that applied general equilibrium modelling is deserving of greater attention.
A Novel Self-Assembled, Self-Healing, Ordered Biomaterial

Geometrically-ordered biomaterials are beneficial to tissue engineering and to studies of cell mechanics. In addition, techniques to produce microscale and nanoscale ordered objects can be applied to solve engineering problems in industrial settings. We present a magnetically self-assembled two-dimensional crystal of thrombin-coated superparamagnetic microbeads formed on a liquid-air interface. The thrombin-coated beads catalyzed the cleavage of fibrinogen in solution to form fibrin fibers that self-assembled into a nanometer-scale fibrin network whose fibers have been shown to follow the ordering of the scaffolding bead crystal (Alsberg, et al. (2006) Tissue Engineering. 12, 3247.). Computer simulations and analysis of confocal fluorescence microscopic images reveal the mechanism by which the system self-assembles to its geometrically-ordered form. We demonstrate that the process of self-assembly is dependent on the lattice geometry, but not on the details of fibrin biology. We formulate a set of rules that are required for ordering: (i) The monomers must be adherent to the scaffold beads, (ii) The monomers must be able to polymerize into a linear polymer in solution, (iii) Growing polymer fibers must be able to diffuse about a pivot at their point of attachment to the beads and (iv) Interactions between the monomers, polymers, and fibers, other than polymerization must be minimal. We demonstrate a microrheological system for measuring the time-dependent dynamics of formation of the fibrin network. The crystalline order of the magnetic microbeads allows us to sample the forming network's viscoelastic properties at regularly spaced intervals. Using the magnetic interactions between the beads as a force transducer, we demonstrate the effects of mechanically perturbing the forming gel, showing that broken connections in the network are repaired. Taken together, the results suggest that the process is generalizable, and that the resulting system is self-healing during the formation of the lattice.
Cardiac tissue regeneration: From protein engineering, gene therapy to human embryonic stem cells

Since heart cells normally lack the ability to regenerate, their malfunction or significant loss due to aging or diseases can lead to lethal consequences (e.g. heart failure and various forms of arrhythmias); myocardial repair is hampered by a severe shortage of donor cells and organs. Self-renewable, pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can provide an unlimited cell source for transplantation. Using a range of cell- and gene-based approaches for driven maturation and bioengineering, we have demonstrated in both small and large animal models that biological alternatives are superior to such conventional treatments as pharmacological and devicebased therapies. In this presentation, common hurdles in using hESCs for cardiac regeneration, their potential solutions and our latest progresses will be discussed.
Fatigue crack growth under variable-amplitude loading: Part I – Model formulation in state-space setting

Abstract This two-part paper presents formulation and validation of a non-linear dynamical model of fatigue crack growth in ductile alloys under variable-amplitude loading including single-cycle overloads, irregular sequences, and random loads. The model is formulated in the state-space setting based on the crack closure concept and captures the effects of stress overload and reverse plastic flow. The state variables of the model are crack length and crack opening stress. This paper, which is the first part, presents formulation of the state-space model that can be restructured as an autoregressive moving average (ARMA) model for real-time applications such as health monitoring and life extending control. The second part is the companion paper that is dedicated to model validation with fatigue test data under different types of variable-amplitude and spectrum loading.
A new treatment to avoid severe ovarian hyperstimulation utilizing insights from in vitro maturation therapy.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) can be a serious complication of gonadotropin ovulation induction for IVF. These are a number of therapies (Table 1) designed to mitigate or avoid severe OHSS, but all of these generally either require pre-planning or alter the normal flow of an IVF-ET cycle. In vitro maturation with IVF (IVM) is an established approach for avoiding any degree of OHSS in patients requiring advanced reproductive technology treatment since oocytes are harvested from medium to large antral follicles before in vivo follicle selection begins [1, 2]. With IVM, immature oocytes complete meiosis II over the next 48 h and are then fertilized once they become mature. Some IVM practitioners have advocated “rescue IVM” as a way of preventing severe OHSS in the setting of conventional IVF [3]. “Rescue IVM” means that the physician has concluded that a conventional IVF cycle can not safely proceed and the physician changes the treatment direction by immediately applying that program’s IVM protocol to the cycle. If aspiration occurred before follicle selection takes place, then the risk of OHSS was eliminated. Table 1 Treatments to manage high risk of severe OHSS We utilized “rescue IVM” for five patient cycles and found that the procedure provided a reasonable chance for patients to achieve pregnancy and appeared to prevent OHSS, but importantly did not directly require any component of our expertise with IVM. Our plan to undertake rescue IVM enabled us to justify intervention in cycles that were moving toward a high probability of severe OHSS and aspirate oocytes before dominant follicle selection had taken place. The number of medium and large antral follicles was adequate for enough mature oocytes (MII) to be obtained so that sufficient embryos were available for transfer on day three. This approach to preventing severe OHSS was simpler for both the patient and the IVF program than most other approaches, because it shortened the treatment process and did not add any new features to patient management.
The Mixed-Valence Double-Cubanoid Cluster [Fe8S12(ButNC)12]: Synthesis, Structure, and Exchange Coupling of a New Structural Array of Four Fe(III) Sites

Reaction of the cubane cluster [Fe4S4(SEt)2(ButNC)6] (7) and PhCH2SSSCH2Ph in benzene solution affords the cluster [Fe8S12(ButNC)12] (6) in 60−74% yield. The structure of this cluster as [6]·5C6H6 and that of [Fe4S4(SEt)2(ButNC)6] (8, closely related to 7) were determined by X-ray diffraction. Cluster 6 contains two cubanoid units Fe4S5 = Fe4(μ3-S)3(μ3:η2η1-S2) bridged by two μ2-S ions and related by an inversion center. Certain features of the structure of 7 as revealed by 8 are retained in 6, including in each cubanoid unit two low-spin distorted octahedral FeIIS3(ButNC)3 and two distorted tetrahedral FeIII(μ3-S)3(μ2-S) sites and certain dimensional similarities. The formal insertion of an S(0) atom into a cubane to form a cubanoid unit disrupts one Fe−(μ3-S) bond and leads to dimensional changes such as to poise one iron atom in a stereochemistry and position favorable for the formation of an Fe−(μ2-S)−Fe bridge. The structures of iron−sulfur polycubanes are summarized; doubly sulfido-bridged double cu...
INCREASED SERUM PROLACTIN AFTER ADMINISTRATION OF SYNTHETIC THYROTROPIN RELEASING HORMONE (TRH) IN MAN

ABSTRACT Tea normal volunteers received 100 to 800 ug of TRH intravenously. Serum prolactin was measured by a specific radioimmunoassay before and at intervals after TRH administration. Serum prolactin began to rise within 5 minutes and was maximal after 15 to 20 minutes. The mean peak response at 15 minutes was 11 times the fasting level. Serum prolactin had returned to the baseline by 180 minutes. It is concluded that TRH may be closely related to prolactin releasing factors in crude hypothalamic extracts.
Model Calculations of Radiation-Induced Damage in Thymine Derivatives

When the thymine base is oxidized, the resulting cation may deprotonate reversibly at N3, or irreversibly at >C5-CH3. In all thymine derivatives studied so far in the solid state, there is always a significant concentration of a radical formed by net H-abstraction from the >C5-CH3. DFT calculations on this allyl-like radical are in good agreement with the experimental results for both the isotropic and anisotropic hyperfine couplings. There is a tendency for the thymine cation to deprotonate at N3 in solution. Calculations on the N3 deprotonated thymine cation yield two structures, one planar radical with an unusually large N1-C2 bond length, and one nonplanar radical with the N3 more than 25° out of the molecular plane. Calculations show that the structure with the lowest energy is the allyl-like radical.
Glycerolipid biosynthesis in rat adipose tissue. Influence of age and cell size on substrate utilization.

The conversion of [14C]-labeled compounds such as acetate, glucose, pyruvate and palmitate into CO2, glyceride-glycerol, glyceride fatty acids and total lipids was monitored in the average and matching adipocyte (with respect to size) preparations from young (6–9 wk) and old (age 56–60 wk) male Sprague-Dawley rats. The average cell size populations from young and old rats were 46±3 and 83±11 μm in diameter, respectively. The incorporation of [14C]acetate, pyruvate and glucose into fatty acids was significantly reduced in the adipocytes from older rats, irrespective of their sizes. The production of CO2 and glyceride-glycerol did not change significantly as a function of either cell size or animal age. Palmitate incorporation into lipids was similar in the average cell population derived from old and young rats, but it was considerably lower in the smaller adipocytes (46–50 μm diameter) from old animals. Irrespective of the cell size, triacylglycerol formation fromsn-glycerol-3-phosphate was also significantly diminished in the adipocytes from older animals compared to younger ones as evidenced by decreases in activities of several enzymes, includingsn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, Mg2+-dependent phosphatidate phosphohydrolase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase. However, triacylglycerol formation from monoacylglycerol did not change as a function of either cell size or age. These measurements of the metabolic and enzymic activities provide evidence that the synthesis of fatty acids from various precursors and triacylglycerol formation fromsn-glycerol-3-phosphate are significantly reduced in adipocytes from older animals and that such changes occur independently of adipocyte size.
When children face death in a family.

Abstract Death affects all family members, including children. Nurse practitioners can help children deal with death by working through their parents. Parents need an understanding of children's concepts of death; these concepts vary with age and are closely related to developmental concepts, such as object permanence, egocentrism, syncretism, and causality. Practical suggestions of value to the practitioner include (a) formulating a family genealogic chart that includes the deceased person; (b) use of a structured interview guide to gather information about the child and death; (c) special tagging of charts as a reminder, keeping a file of deceased persons, and sending cards to the family on anniversary occasions; (d) scheduling follow-up visits about a year after the relative's death to review the grief process; and (e) making referrals to community support groups and individuals as needed.
Synthesis of zirconium polyesters

Abstract Zirconium polyesters were prepared from the polycondensation of Cp 2 ZrCl 2 with various diacid salts utilizing the solution and interfacial methods. The polymers contain the following repeating structure: The reactive species in the solution systems is believed to be the Cp 2 Zr 2+ cations.
The "sport model": extracorporeal membrane oxygenation using the subclavian artery

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is used for patients with refractory cardiopulmonary failure. Arterial cannulation by means of femoral arteries is fraught with potential complications. We present a technique for subclavian artery cannulation to provide a safe and durable means of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.