cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of strain on human keratinocytes in vitro

Tissue expansion, a technique to enlarge the skin surface area with an expandable balloon, has been widely used in reconstructive surgery. Although the effect of tissue expansion on in vivo skin physiology and histology has been well documented, it remains unclear whether keratinocytes or other cell types are responsible for these changes. Therefore, we investigated the in vitro effect of cyclic (10 cycles/min, 150 mmHg) or constant (continuous, 150 mmHg) strain on human keratinocyte phenotype and relevant mechanosignaling pathways. Our results demonstrate that keratinocytes subjected to cyclic strain exhibit a significant (P < 0.05) increase in cell proliferation (49.2+/-15.8%), DNA synthesis (37.7+/-4.5%), elongation (20.3+/-2.7%), and protein synthesis (17.9+/-6.6% increase) as compared with stationary controls. In contrast, keratinocytes subjected to constant strain were unaffected aside from a modest transitory increase in the proliferative rate. Keratinocytes subjected to cyclic strain aligned perpendicular to the force vector (24.2+/-1.6 degrees) as compared with stationary controls (40.4+/-2.2 degrees; the smaller degree indicates better alignment). We also report strain-induced reduction in the levels of cyclic adenosine mono phosphate (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as compared with stationary controls (cAMP, 30+/-7.5%; PKA, 45+/-17%; PGE2, 58+/-4.3%; percent decrease vs. that of control). We conclude that direct application of cyclic strain on human keratinocytes modulates cell phenotype and cAMP-mediated signaling pathways in an inverse manner. Moreover, keratinocytes may play an important role in previously observed alterations in skin properties associated with tissue expansion and other strain-induced responses.
Pressing on: The 125th anniversary of the Johns Hopkins University Press

En 2003, la John Hopkins University Press a celebre 125 annees d'edition ininterrompue. Fondee en 1878, elle est l'un des editeurs scientifiques les plus respectes dans le monde et, face a la crise de la communication scientifique, elle s'avere plus resistante que jamais.
Electrostatic endothelial cell transplantation within smalldiameter (<6 mm) vascular prostheses: A prototype apparatus and procedure

This article presents a novel, clinically relevant electrostatic endothelial cell transplantation (seeding/sodding) device (U.S. & Foreign Patent Protections Pending) for small-diameter (<6 mm) vascular prostheses. The prototype apparatus was designed and built to tissue engineer 4.0 mm, I.D. GORE-TEX (W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.) standard wall graft segments varying in length from 4 to 12 cm. The prototype electrostatic endothelial cell transplantation apparatus is composed of an external and internal conductor, aluminum base, end supports, pillow blocks, filling apparatus, electric motor drive system, and a voltage source. The cylindrical capacitor arrangement of the device along with an electrical potential applied across the internal and external conductors creates the unique feature of this endothelial cell transplantation technique, an electric field within the cylindrical capacitor (within the graft lumen) which in turn induces a temporary positive surface charge on the graft (dielectric material) luminal surface. Multiple studies have shown that a positively charged substrate is more conducive to endothelial cell adhesion and morphological maturation (flattening) (1,2, 7,8,10,13-15). This induced positive surface charge dissipates immediately upon removal from the electrostatic endothelial cell transplantation device. Thus, after endothelial cell adhesion the graft luminal surface reverts back to its natural (nonthrombogenic) negative surface charge.
“CLOUD-TRANSCENDING CROSSING” (“LINGYUN DU”) OR “THE GREAT REVENGE OF BLUE SNAKE” (“QINGSHE DA BAOCHOU”), THE SECOND AND FINAL INSTALLMENT OF A CHENGDU SHADOW PLAY SCRIPT, THUNDER PEAK PAGODA (LEIFENG TA)

Translated below is the second of two installments (ben 本) of a most unusual version of the White Snake (Baishe 白蛇) legend that comes from the shadow theater (piying xi 皮影戲) tradition of Chengdu, S...
Primary sequence information from intact proteins by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry has been used to obtain information related to portions of the primary sequence for an intact protein, bovine ribonuclease A. Multiply charged molecular ions, generated by electrospray ionization, were collisionally dissociated at low energies in a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer to yield singly and multiply charged fragment ions that can be assigned to the known sequence of the protein. Dissociation of the highly charged molecular ions resulted in pairs of complementary product ions. The higher order (gas-phase) protein structure affects the dissociation processes, as observed in comparisons of tandem mass spectra of the native and disulfide-reduced forms of ribonuclease A.
Doing better to do good: the impact of strategic adaptation on nursing home performance.

The performance of nursing homes, particularly with respect to the quality of care, has been the subject of public policy concern for some time (Institute of Medicine 1986, 2001). Increased regulatory scrutiny was imposed by the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act and subsequently reinforced by the quality initiatives that began in the 1990s. More recently, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began publicly reporting quality measures for individual facilities to assist consumers in selecting a nursing home (CMS 2005). However, the vicissitudes associated with heavy reliance on public program (Medicaid and Medicare) financing has raised awareness of the importance of monitoring, in addition to quality, indicators reflecting effective economic performance (Weech-Maldonado et al. 2003). Indeed, given the increased frequency of facility closures and bankruptcies in recent years, the old adage “to do good, you have to do well” has never been more relevant for the nursing home industry (Angelelli et al. 2003; Mor et al. 2004). The role of strategic adaptation, defined as the alignment of organizational strategy and structure, in accounting for differences in organizational performance has long generated considerable theoretical and managerial interest (Lawrence and Lorsch 1967; Child 1972; Miles and Snow 1978; Schendel and Hofer 1979; Porter 1980; Ghemawat 2001). While an ongoing process, strategic adaptation can be greatly accelerated by a relatively dramatic and visible change or set of changes in the environment. Organizations which do not adapt their strategies and restructure accordingly in anticipation or in response to these changes may jeopardize performance (Schendel and Hofer 1979; Meyer 1982; Walston and Bogue 1999). There have been a number of studies of the determinants of strategic adaptation in health care, including nursing home care, that confirm an environmental motivation (Zajac and Shortell 1989; Shortell and Zajac 1990; Meyer, Goes, and Brooks 1993; Banaszak-Holl, Zinn, and Mor 1996; Walston and Bogue 1999; Kumar, Subramanian, and Strandholm, 2002; Luke, Walston, and Plummer 2003; Luke 2004). Some have specifically investigated the impact of strategy implementation on the performance of health care organizations (Clement 1987; Clement et al. 1997; Flood et al. 1998). However, while a topic of considerable managerial interest and policy relevance, few have considered the performance impact of strategy implementation in nursing homes (Rosko et al. 1995; Davis, Brannon, and Zinn 2001; Castle 2003). Thus, the objective of this study is to determine whether, and to what extent, strategic adaptation, exemplified here by the implementation of a subacute/rehabilitative care services strategy in response to market demands, affects nursing home performance.
Form perception and attention in pigeons

This report selectively reviews the authors’ research on stimulus control by visual forms. Most studies employed visual search of computer-generated displays, and the main behavioral measure was search reaction time. Pigeons classify simple line forms much as do humans, and there was some evidence for feature extraction, though a search asymmetry probe failed to identify several putative features. Dimensional analysis revealed a new quantitative relation between similarity and the probability of detecting a target. It also identified candidates for integral and separable stimulus dimensions. Similarity and set-size variables influenced the extent to which attention was engaged. Further studies addressed the manner in which attention is focused, revealing relationships between priming and search images. In these cases, attention to a selected form is probably driven by a top-down assessment of predictability.
Durability simulation of FRP bridge decks subject to weathering

Abstract Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite panels are particularly attractive as bridge decks due to their high strength, low density, and durability, which are of importance in the bridge industry. Although the short term performance of FRP decks is satisfactory, the long-term performance under weather conditions still awaits future testimony and remains a major concern in their use as primary load bearing members. Since the load capacity and structural stiffness of FRP decks deteriorate over time at different rates, it is necessary to develop robust mechanics models to simulate the long-term performance of FRP deck structures subject to the combined effects of mechanical and environmental loading. To this end, a comprehensive mechanics framework has been developed, taking into account the critical deterioration rates of the FRP constituents. Such deterioration relationships were obtained by calibrating the accelerated laboratory durability test data with the in-service field measurements. Simulation results agree well with the 4-year performance data of a FRP-deck road bridge. Long-term validation data is, however, still needed.
Imperviousness Change Analysis Tool (I-CAT) for simulating pixel-level urban growth

Abstract Most contemporary urban growth and land cover change models use a binary classification system (e.g. urban/non-urban) to describe urbanized areas. While some models do incorporate continuous urban development indices, they do not specifically provide quantitative information describing the amount of impervious surface within each prediction unit (e.g. pixel or parcel). Such information is essential when characterizing different urban growth patterns, such as high- or low-density development. Here, we present the Imperviousness Change Analysis Tool (I-CAT), which simulates urban growth in terms of pixel-based imperviousness. I-CAT uses common drivers of urban growth (e.g. elevation, slope, distance to water, road networks, and urban centers), along with historic impervious surface area growth trends, to predict the future extent of impervious surface area. A multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) approach is used to determine the respective influence (i.e. weight) of each driver of urban growth. In this study, I-CAT was applied to Jackson County, Missouri. Prediction accuracy, which was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve method, ranged from 72 to 74 area under curve (AUC). The results demonstrated that I-CAT is an effective tool for providing quantitative estimates of future impervious surface growth.
Polynomial Trendline function flaws in Microsoft Excel

Numerous statistical and graphical problems have been reported for different versions of Microsoft Excel, including the newest version (Excel 2007). We report newly discovered problems with Excel 2007 when generating polynomial trend line equations, having a user-specified (forced) intercept, from graphed data. We also remind users of Excel's Trendline function of problems with Excel 2003 that have not been corrected in Excel 2007. Excel will ''fit'' nonsense trend lines to data presented on column and line charts, and can report an inadequate number of significant digits for polynomial trend lines. We provide suggestions for avoiding these continuing problems, but are unable to identify an Excel 2007 workaround solution for the forced-intercept polynomial trend line errors.
Insertion-Deletion Polymorphism of the ACE Gene Modulates Reversibility of Endothelial Dysfunction With ACE Inhibition

Background—The aim of this study was to examine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition improves coronary endothelial dysfunction in patients with atherosclerosis and its risk factor...
Daily “predawn” peak of locomotion in fish

Abstract Bluegill and largemouth bass held under alternating, 12-hour periods of light and “darkness” (very dim light) and fed daily at the onset of light show a predawn peak of locomotion. The peak appeared between the tenth and twentieth days when the fish became active daily during the last 1 to 3 hours of the “dark” period. When the onset of light and feeding were shifted 6 hours to a later time of day, the predawn peak delayed a small amount a day for 4 to 6 days to restore its original relation to the onset of light. When the onset of light and feeding time were advanced 6 hours to an earlier time of day, the predawn peak reappeared in 2 to 3 days. Six-hour shifts in the onset of “darkness” or in feeding time failed to cause corresponding shifts in the predawn peak. When the onset of light and “darkness” were both shifted 6 hours, the predawn peak shifted as though the onset of light alone had been altered. A peak of locomotion corresponding to the predawn peak persisted in constant “darkness” without feeding for 2 days, then disappeared and reappeared in 1 to 2 days when the periodicities of illumination and feeding were resumed. The conclusion is discussed that the predawn peak is regulated from within the fish by an internal rhythm which itself is co-ordinated by the daily change from “dark” to light.
A simple model of the hydrologic cycle and climate: 1. Model construct and sensitivity to the land surface boundary

Abstract In current General Circulation models (GCMs) and their proposed improvements, the fluxes of heat and moisture from soil storage and plant canopies are represented by a large number of parameters. Sensitivity testing of the candidate parametrizations is thus an important step in model development. Repeated simulations with the full GCM is burdened by both cost and the burial of sensitivity information in large volumes of generated data. Here we propose the use of a simple climate model with a full hydrologic cycle to perform some of the basic sensitivity experiments and thereby reduce the number of experiments for the three-dimensional GCM. The simple climate model is thus used to screen the multitude of possible parameter-sensitivity experiments. This model is derived from the column model of Koster and Eagleson ( J. Climate , 3 (6) (1990) 593–606) and it contains the important one-dimensional physical processes of GCMs. The large-scale convergence of heat and moisture for the atmosphere is parametrized; atmospheric dynamics are therefore neglected in that momentum equations are not solved in this simple climate model. In a series of sensitivity experiments, the influence of some land boundary parameters on the partitioning of the atmospheric precipitation and radiative forcing at the land surface are determined. The role of soil texture, soil column discretization and percolation boundary condition at the bottom of the soil column on surface water and energy balance components are investigated using the simple climate model.
Grounding principles and practice I — Fundamental considerations on ground currents

This article is the first of five based on a series of lectures which was sponsored by the power and industrial group of the AIEE New York Section during the 1943–44 season. The behavior of currents flowing in the earth, as influenced by the resistivity of the soil, frequency of the current, and size and shape of electrodes, is analyzed here.
Macroscopic polymer analogues

Disordered fiber mats made of glass microfibers (GMF) were studied using small-angle light scattering (SALS), ultrasmall-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS), SEM, and optical microscopy. The morphological scaling of these materials in the micron scale was very similar to that of polymers in the nanometer scale. In some fiber mats, such as GMF, the structure is randomized at the time of formation, leading to a statistical analogy with the thermal randomization that occurs in nanometer-scale, high poly- mers. Analogues for the coil radius-of-gyration, persistence unit, and scaling regimes exist in such fiber mats and may be a useful feature both for modeling thermally equilibrated polymeric systems, as well as furthering the understanding of the physical properties of fiber mats through analogy with the theoretical understanding of ther- mally equilibrated polymeric systems. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 3147-3154, 1998
Intravascular transfusion in utero: The percutaneous approach

A severely Rh-isoimmunized pregnancy is described in which an intrauterine transfusion of blood was given by the intravascular route directly into an umbilical vessel. Fetoscopy was not used, and the procedure was performed percutaneously under direct ultrasound visualization.
Epigenetic regulation of polyomavirus JC involves acetylation of specific lysine residues in NF-κB p65

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a fatal demyelinating disease caused by neurotropic polyomavirus, JC virus (JCV), a virus that causes lytic infection of CNS glial cells. After primary infection, JCV is controlled by the immune system but virus persists asymptomatically. Rarely, when immune function is impaired, it can reemerge to cause PML. The mechanisms of JCV persistence and reactivation are not well understood but our earlier work implicated epigenetic control by protein acetylation since histone deacetylase inhibitors such as trichostatin A (TSA) strongly stimulate JCV transcription. Since both TNF-α and TSA activate JCV transcription via the same unique NF-κB site in the JCV control region, we investigated a role for acetylation of NF-κB in JCV regulation. A site-directed mutagenesis strategy was employed targeting the known lysine acetylation sites of NF-κB p65: K218, K221, and K310. We individually mutated each lysine to arginine, which cannot be acetylated and retains a positive charge like lysine. K218R and K221R impaired transactivation of JCV early promoter transcription either alone or combined with TSA treatment or coexpression of acetyltransferase transcriptional coactivator p300 but K310R was largely without effect. Mutation of lysine to glutamine gives mutants with a negative charge like acetyllysine. However, K218Q and K221Q showed impaired activity and only K310Q showed enhanced transactivation. NF-κB acetylation can regulate several aspects of the process of activation including complex formation with IκB, translocation to the nucleus, and DNA binding and transcriptional activation. Cell fractionation studies revealed that the mutants had no defect in translocation to the nucleus whereas gel shift studies revealed reduced binding to the JCV NF-κB site. Thus, acetylation regulates NF-κB p65 activity toward JCV at the level of p65 binding to the JCV control region and activation of JCV transcription.
The President's Globe

Abstract In 1942 the United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Map Division compiled the map for a 50‐inch globe that was to be given to President Roosevelt by Colonel William J. Donovan, the OSS Director. Instead, acting on a suggestion by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, General George C. Marshall arranged to have one of the large globes presented to Prime Minister Winston Churchill and another to President Roosevelt as 1942 Christmas gifts from the Army. Ultimately, the Weber Costello Company of Chicago Heights, Illinois, produced some twelve or fifteen copies of the President's Globe between 1942 and 1955 when the company ceased operation. Churchill's globe is now at Chartwell and Roosevelt's is at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. The story of these globes is based on the recollection of the author, who was involved in the map making.
Characterization of ternary substrate materials using triple axis X-ray diffraction

We have developed triple axis X-ray diffraction to simultaneously determine the lattice parameter and crystalline perfection of ternary Cd 1-y Zn y Te and Ga 1-x In x As boules. The lattice parameter is obtained with an accuracy of better than a few parts per 10 5 , and the alloy composition is determined ( ± 0.001 in mole fraction) through a combination of symmetric and asymmetric reflections and use of Vegard's law. Crystalline perfection is assessed by the full width at half maximum values from triple axis rocking curve measurements. Maps of both composition and crystalline quality as a function of position were also generated to demonstrate alloy segregation and the relationship between crystalline perfection and segregation. The usefulness of this nondestructive characterization technique is illustrated for the case of Cd 1-y Zn y Te radiation detectors where it is shown that the triple axis rocking curve full width at half maximum values correlate strongly with detector performance but there is little influence of variations in alloy composition on detector performance.
Visual cues elicit courtship signals in a nocturnal anuran

In lekking species, the allocation of effort into mate attraction signals is not uniform over time, and signalers may expend the greatest effort when potential mates are nearby. Close-range courtship interactions are critical determinants of male fitness and the study of these interactions can therefore answer important questions in sexual selection. In anurans, attention has largely focused on long-range mate attraction mediated by acoustic signaling. However, many species also engage in courtship behaviors at close range, and the cues that elicit these behaviors are unknown but likely to be non-acoustic. I performed an experiment in which I assessed the role of female visual cues in eliciting courtship calls by males of the nocturnal treefrog Hyla versicolor. Males that could see an approaching female were more likely to give courtship calls than those that could not. These results provide some of the first evidence for an effect of vision on calling behavior in a nocturnal anuran and demonstrate that multiple sensory modalities are involved in the final stages of mate attraction.
Superconductivity in the ternary borides CeOs3B2 and CeRu3B2: Magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements

Abstract The compounds CeOs3B2 and CeRu3B2 show superconductivity with Tc's of 3.5 and 1.1 K respectively. The magnetic susceptibility of both these compounds may be described as the sum of a Curie-Weiss term dominating at low temperature and a large temperature independent term. The heat capacity measurements yield the value of electronic specific heat coefficient γ of 40.1 and 15.6 mJ/mol K2 for Os and Ru compounds, respectively. These compounds appear to be conventional bulk superconductors in which Ce is in a strongly mixed valent state.
Analysis of secretory processes in Dipteran salivary glands

This study indictes the complexity of cell function in one tissue. Cells of the larval salivary gland produce their secretion both by synthesis of some proteins and extraction of different proteins from the hemolymph by selective uptake and concentration. Uptake and transport are not dependent on de novo protein synthesis, at least for several hours and, as would be expected, are also not immediately dependent on new RNA synthesis. De novo synthesis of secretory proteins by the gland is almost completely inhibited by puromycin but occurs on RNA templates which are stable for at least 12 hr. Both the large cells forming most of the gland and the smaller cells forming the duct and the base of the duct are capable of taking up hemal, proteins, but synthesis of secretory proteins probably occurs only in the large cells.
Microprocessor-based ambulatory activity monitoring in stroke patients.

PURPOSE Recovery of ambulatory function after stroke is routinely assessed using standardized subject- or observer-rated instruments that do not directly measure ambulatory activities in the home-community setting. Accuracy of conventional pedometers in stroke patients is not established, limiting their application in mobility outcomes monitoring. This study investigates the accuracy and reliability of a mechanical pedometer versus microprocessor-based step activity monitoring (SAM) in gait-impaired hemiparetic stroke patients. METHODS Accuracy and test-retest reliability of ankle-worn SAM and belt-worn pedometer were tested directly against hand tallied stride counts and cadence during a battery of timed walks in 16 chronic hemiparetic stroke patients. Patients performed replicate 1-min floor walks at self-selected and fastest comfortable paces, and two 6-min walks on separate days. RESULTS SAM cadence and total stride counts are more accurate than pedometers during 1-min walks at self-selected (99 +/- 1 vs 87 +/- 11.3%, mean +/- SD, P < 0.01); fast pace (98 +/- 2.3% vs 85 +/- 15%, P < 0.01); and repeated 6-min walks performed on separate days (99 +/- 1% vs 89 +/- 12%, P < 0.01). Although SAM is highly reliable (r = 0.97, P < 0.0001) and accurate in all patients under every walking condition tested, the mechanical pedometer demonstrates this high level of accuracy in only half of stroke patients and has poor test-retest reliability (r = 0.64, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION SAM, but not the conventional pedometer, provides accurate and reliable measures of cadence and total stride counts in hemiparetic stroke patients. Portable microprocessor-based gait monitoring offers potential to quantitatively measure home-community-based ambulatory activity levels in this population.
Role of potassium channels in coronary vasodilation

K+ channels in coronary arterial smooth muscle cells (CASMC) determine the resting membrane potential (Em) and serve as targets of endogenous and therapeutic vasodilators. Em in CASMC is in the voltage range for activation of L-type Ca2+ channels; therefore, when K+ channel activity changes, Ca2+ influx and arterial tone change. This is why both Ca2+ channel blockers and K+ channel openers have such profound effects on coronary blood flow; the former directly inhibits Ca2+ influx through L-type Ca2+ channels, while the latter indirectly inhibits Ca2+ influx by hyperpolarizing Em and reducing Ca2+ channel activity. K+ channels in CASMC play important roles in vasodilation to endothelial, ischemic and metabolic stimuli. The purpose of this article is to review the types of K+ channels expressed in CASMC, discuss the regulation of their activity by physiological mechanisms and examine impairments related to cardiovascular disease.
Molybdenum valencies in barium-rare earth-molybdenum perovskites☆

Abstract The magnetic susceptibilities of compounds Ba 2 LnMoO 6 , Ln  Nd , Gd, Tb, Y, were investigated in the “as prepared” state and when fully oxidized. The paramagnetic moments show that Mo is present as a mixture of tri- and hexavalent ions. The concentration of Mo(III) in the initially prepared materials varied from 5 at.% in Ba 2 TbMoO 6 to almost 40 at.% in Ba 2 GdMoO 6 .
Opportunities and limitations of genetic analysis of hypertensive rat strains

Genetic influences contribute upto 30–50% to blood pressure variability in human essential hypertension [1]. Intense efforts have been dedicated to unraveling the role of genes in this disease, following two parallel and interacting tracks. Studies on human populations have mostly focused on the candidate gene linkage approach, associating single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers with the hypertensive phenotype. In spite of some promising observations [2], most attempts to replicate association studies have not been encouraging [3]. There are calls for application of stricter quality criteria for genetic studies, including better definition of phenotype characteristics, increased attention to environmental factors, sharing and combining data resources and more emphasis on whole genome-linkage scans in the context of collaborative multidisciplinary approaches [4–17]. Recently, however, there has been impressive progress in designing studies, understanding the mechanisms of disease and genotyping technology [17]. The second parallel track is the development and study of rodent experimental models of disease. Genetically hypertensive rat strains have been developed over the past 60 years. The models were obtained from initial random rat populations by brother—sister mating selecting for a high blood pressure phenotype. The better characterized genetically hypertensive strains are the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) [18], stroke-prone SHR (SPSHR) [19], Dahl saltsensitive [20], Milan hypertensive (MHS) [21], New Zealand genetically hypertensive [22], Sabra hypertensive (SBH) [23] and the Lyon hypertensive rats [24]. Comparisons are generally made with inbred normotensive strains derived from the original rat population and sharing most of the genetic background with the corresponding hypertensive strain. The most common normotensive strains are the Dahl salt-resistant, Wistar—Kyoto (WKY), Milan normotensive (MNS), genetically normotensive, Sabra normotensive (SBN) and Lyon normotensive and Lyon low blood pressure rats [18–24]. Physiological and pharmacological approaches to the study of these models have enhanced our understanding of many systems for blood pressure control. During the 1990s, technological advances allowed the use of quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping to identify chromosomal regions with possible genetic variants affecting blood pressure. Many candidate genes for a role in human hypertension were identified as a consequence of findings in rodent animal models [25–30].
The effect of parental alcohol dependence on perceived children's behavior

The effect of past-year parental alcohol dependence on perceived children's behavioral problems was assessed using data from a general population sample of 3,409 father-child pairs and 5,892 mother-child pairs. Eight percent of the children living in households containing fathers had an alcoholic father; 2% of those living with mothers had an alcoholic mother. Behavioral problems in the 3 months preceding the interview were assessed using a list of 32 indicators and were evaluated by an adult household member, usually the child's mother. The unadjusted odds of a child's being in the top 10th percentile of the behavioral problem distribution were increased by a factor of 1.7 for paternal alcoholism and 2.2 for maternal alcoholism. After adjustment for social and demographic characteristics of the child and family, the odds ratio for alcohol dependence in the mother dropped to 1.6; the odds ratio for paternal alcohol dependence remained at 1.7. Parental alcohol dependence did not interact with social and demographic factors in its association with children's behavioral problems.
Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in the Hispanic/Latino Population: Lessons From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of mortality among Hispanics/Latinos residing in the United States (US), yet despite the rapid growth of this diverse population, there has been a dearth of objective, comprehensive data on prevalence of risk factors for CVD and other chronic diseases. The Hispanic Community Health Study/SOL) is the largest and most comprehensive cohort study to date/SOL) was initiated to address this gap in knowledge. This article reviews existing research on CVD risk factors among Hispanic/Latino adults of diverse background residing in the US, compares findings from HCHS/SOL with other representative samples on prevalence of major CVD risk factors in this population, and discusses the lessons learned thus far from HCHS/SOL. Baseline findings from this study demonstrate that sizeable burdens in CVD risk exist among all major Hispanic/Latino background groups in the US. At the same time, there are marked variations in rates of individual risk factors by Hispanic/Latino background groups. Comprehensive public health policies to lower CVD risk among those who have adverse levels of one or more risk factors, and to prevent development of CVD risk factors in the small proportion free of CVD risk are urgently needed to lower the future burden of CVD among the US Hispanic/Latino population.
Growth hormone response to desmethylimipramine in depressed and suicidal adolescents.

Abstract Desipramine 75 mg i.m. was given in the morning to 20 adolescents with major depressive disorder and 23 normal controls. Depressed adolescents secreted significantly less growth hormone (GH) over the next 2 h than did normal adolescents, although a substantial proportion of the differences were accounted for by the depressed adolescents who had a specific suicidal plan or attempt during the episode. Severity of depression or the presence of other depressive symptoms did not predict GH secretion within the depressed group. Age, sex and maturational factors in the control of GH are discussed. It is concluded that these differences in GH secretion probably reflect differences in CNS β-adrenergic and/or serotonergic function. Suicidality and depression may have different psychobiological correlates in adolescents.
Biophysical studies of ion channels

Ionic channels, the integral membrane proteins responsible for the brain9s electrical activity, have long been studied with standard electrophysiological and biochemical methods. Recently, however, newly developed electrical and molecular biological methods have been brought to bear on long-standing questions in neurobiology. Goals of current channel research include elucidating the primary amino acid sequence and three-dimensional structure of channel species; the mechanisms of synthesis, sorting, membrane insertion, and degradation; and aspects of function such as gating, ion permeation and selectivity, and regulation. The latest research combines the new biochemical and electrophysiological techniques to reveal relations between molecular structure and function.
Exposing and exploring state-wide community leadership training programs

According to the National Association for Community Leadership, there are 650 to 750 community leadership programs in the United States. Furthermore, these leadership programs are growing from the efforts of smaller towns and cities rather than from the state-wide or national levels. Therefore, this study's purpose was: (a) to examine current literature regarding leadership development and training programs and (b) to review state-wide community leadership training program literature. This paper includes the elements of an ideal community leadership training programs while also providing the means for practitioners to educate themselves and to develop assessment tools for similar leadership education activities.
The m-chi decomposition of hybrid dual-polarimetric radar data

The Mini-RF and Mini-SAR instruments are the first compact polarimetric space-based imaging radars. Their architecture is hybrid-polarimetric, transmitting (quasi-) circular polarization, and receiving orthogonal linear polarizations and their relative phase. The four Stokes parameters that are necessary and sufficient to fully characterize the observed backscattered EM field are calculated from the received linearly polarized data. The Stokes parameters can be used to formulate an m-chi decomposition of the scene, which is a new technique. This method facilitates unambiguous interpretation of surface features according to single (odd) or double (even) bounce signatures in the polarized portion of the reflections, and characterization of the randomly polarized constituents. The m-chi decomposition has proven to be robust in the event that the transmitted field is not perfectly circularly polarized. Analysis of lunar data suggests that an m-chi-psi three-component decomposition strategy should provide additional backscatter classification finesse. These methods are directly applicable to data anticipated from Earth-observing compact-polarimetric radars.
Why there is No Evidence for the Intrinsic Value of Non-Humans

Human beings lack any evidence for the position that non-human entities have intrinsic value as a mind-independent property. For any possible world alleged to have such intrinsic value, it is possible to conceive another world that is identical in terms of observable properties but that lacks intrinsic value. Accordingly, inferring the intrinsic value of a non-human from some set of observable properties is unjustified, since the same set of observable properties could exist in an otherwise identical world that lacks intrinsic value. Assuming that humans do not have a faculty of intuition that would allow them to perceive unobservable properties like intrinsic value directly, humans have no evidence for the existence of intrinsic value in non-humans. Hence, the position that some non-humans have intrinsic value is unjustified.
On the role of timing masking in reliable logic circuit design

Soft errors, once only of concern in memories, are beginning to affect logic as well. Determining the soft error rate (SER) of a combinational circuit involves three main masking mechanisms: logic, timing and electrical. Most previous papers focus on logic and electrical masking. Here, we develop static and statistical analysis techniques to estimate timing masking through the error-latching window of each gate. Our SER analysis algorithms incorporating timing masking are 10 - 100x faster than comparable evaluators and can be used in synthesis and layout. We show that 62% of gates identified as error-critical using timing masking would not be identifiable by considering only logic masking. Furthermore, hardening the top 10% of error-critical gates leads to a 43% reduction in the SER. We also propose to decrease the error-latching window of each gate by relocating it such that path lengths to primary outputs are equalized. Our results show that this technique yields 14% improvement in SER with no area overhead.
White Matter Changes Compromise Prefrontal Cortex Function in Healthy Elderly Individuals

Changes in memory function in elderly individuals are often attributed to dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). One mechanism for this dysfunction may be disruption of white matter tracts that connect the PFC with its anatomical targets. Here, we tested the hypothesis that white matter degeneration is associated with reduced prefrontal activation. We used white matter hyperintensities (WMH), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) finding associated with cerebrovascular disease in elderly individuals, as a marker for white matter degeneration. Specifically, we used structural MRI to quantify the extent of WMH in a group of cognitively normal elderly individuals and tested whether these measures were predictive of the magnitude of prefrontal activity (fMRI) observed during performance of an episodic retrieval task and a verbal working memory task. We also examined the effects of WMH located in the dorsolateral frontal regions with the hypothesis that dorsal PFC WMH would be strongly associated with not only PFC function, but also with areas that are anatomically and functionally linked to the PFC in a task-dependent manner. Results showed that increases in both global and regional dorsal PFC WMH volume were associated with decreases in PFC activity. In addition, dorsal PFC WMH volume was associated with decreased activity in medial temporal and anterior cingulate regions during episodic retrieval and decreased activity in the posterior parietal and anterior cingulate cortex during working memory performance. These results suggest that disruption of white matter tracts, especially within the PFC, may be a mechanism for age-related changes in memory functioning.
Reputation and Respectability: How Competing Cultural Systems Affect Students' Performance in School.

The paper analyzes the complex interrelation of ethnicity, sex role, peer group, and social class, and the effect of these variables on school performance. Both micro- and macroethnographic techniques are employed. Drawing upon fieldwork in St. Croix, the paper examines the value of a cultural compatibility-incompatibility framework for explaining school success. It treats intraethnic difference, as well as interethnic variation. SCHOOL ETHNOGRAPHY, CULTURAL DISCONTINUITIES, ETHNICITY AND EDUCATION, SEX ROLE CULTURE, PEER GROUP AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE.
POLICY AND ORGANIZATIONAL TERMINATION

The goal of this symposium is to encourage the exploration of the topic of policy and organizational termination. This introductory article reviews the most recent published literature in this field and summarizes the articles included in this symposium. Four original, commissioned, research articles are included in this symposium. Although the topic of policy and organizational termination continues to be underattended, this symposium is the latest of a number of recent publications that have contributed to greater understanding of the phenomenon of termination.
A revival of the B cell paradigm for rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis

Dominant paradigms for the understanding of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis have changed over the years. A predominant role of B lymphocytes, and perhaps of the rheumatoid factor they produced, was initially invoked. In more recent years, recognition of antigens in the joint by T cells sparking an inflammatory cascade has been a more favored interpretation. Here, we re-examine some of the arguments that underpin this proposed role of joint T cells, in light of recent results from transgenic mice in which a self-reactive T-cell receptor provokes disease, but from outside the joint and indirectly via B lymphocytes and immunoglobulins.
Pediatric patient with systemic lupus erythematosus & congenital acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: An unusual case and a review of the literature

The coexistence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients with congenital human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is rare. This is a case report of a child diagnosed with SLE at nine years of age. She initially did well on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, hydroxychloroquine, and steroids. She then discontinued her anti-lupus medications and was lost to follow-up. At 13 years of age, her lupus symptoms had resolved and she presented with intermittent fevers, cachexia, myalgias, arthralgias, and respiratory symptoms. Through subsequent investigations, the patient was ultimately diagnosed with congenitally acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Pluralism in the sciences is not easily dismissed.

The unification scheme proposed by Henriques in his article “Psychology Defined” (this issue) holds promise as a coherent and comprehensive approach to psychology and as a helpful way to think about the relation of psychology to other sciences. There is, nevertheless, room for concern that there is no concept of unification to date that does not neglect important dimensions of human experience. It is argued that the disunities in psychology need not result in a sense of disciplinary inferiority. In fact, many leading scholars now challenge the belief that other sciences are models of integration and unity. It is also argued that there are not true type identities between levels of organization (e.g., experience and underlying neurological processes). Accordingly, there are serious questions about the kind of unity that can be achieved. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.
Reducing Smartphone Application Delay through Read/Write Isolation

The smartphone has become an important part of our daily lives. However, the user experience is still far from being optimal. In particular, despite the rapid hardware upgrades, current smartphones often suffer various unpredictable delays during operation, e.g., when launching an app, leading to poor user experience. In this paper, we investigate the behavior of reads and writes in smartphones. We conduct the first large-scale measurement study on the Android I/O delay using the data collected from our Android application running on 2611 devices within nine months. Among other factors, we observe that reads experience up to 626% slowdown when blocked by concurrent writes for certain workloads. Additionally, we show the asymmetry of the slowdown of one I/O type due to another, and elaborate the speedup of concurrent I/Os over serial ones. We use this obtained knowledge to design and implement a system prototype called SmartIO that reduces the application delay by prioritizing reads over writes, and grouping them based on assigned priorities. SmartIO issues I/Os with optimized concurrency parameters. The system is implemented on the Android platform and evaluated extensively on several groups of popular applications. The results show that our system reduces launch delays by up to 37.8%, and run-time delays by up to 29.6%.
When Accountability Strategies Collide: Do Policy Changes That Raise Accountability Standards Also Erode Public Satisfaction?

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires that two accountability strategies—raising standards and public pressure through publicizing performance data—be implemented simultaneously. However, when coupled, they may produce an inappropriate consequence for public opinion. The public may misunderstand the drop in achievement that occurs when the bar is raised and become dissatisfied with school performance. To examine this potential negative consequence, the authors analyze data from New York City. The authors find parent satisfaction declined when school performance grades dropped after the implementation of higher standards. This article contributes to our understanding of how the public responds to school accountability data. Because public support for sustained and successful reforms is key, understanding how accountability policies may erode support is critical.
African American Othermothering in the Urban Elementary School

Othermothering and community othermothering can be defined as African American women's maternal assistance offered to the children of blood mothers within the African American community. Originally traced to slavery, othermothering was a survival mechanism that served as a vehicle for educational and cultural transmission. Currently, an othermothering tradition exists within the urban elementary-school context, and African American female educators play an integral role in fulfilling the pyschoeducational needs of the urban child. By employing a qualitative methodology, this article presents two biographical portraits that examine othermothering by a young elementary-school principal and community othermothering by a fifth-grade elementary-school teacher with 25 years of experience in the urban classroom.
The Adolescent and His Dangers Key Areas of Adolescent Rebellion Often Become the Pediatrician's Problem

The rapidly increasing social temptations and arenas for honest but occasionally misguided rebellion have created a treacherous path between childhood and adult maturity for today's adolescents. The moral dilemmas, possible solutions, and potential dangers to person ality faced today by America's teenage population are discussed.