cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis and aging. Effects of muscle strength training and tumor necrosis factor α

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on whole-body protein metabolism. METHODS We examined protein metabolism and its hormonal and cytokine mediators before and 12 weeks after progressive resistance muscle strength training in 8 healthy young (mean +/- SD age 25 +/- 2 years) and 8 healthy elderly (70 +/- 5 years) men and women, and in 8 adults with RA (42 +/- 13 years). An additional 6 healthy elderly subjects (69 +/- 3 years) served as a swimming-only control group. RESULTS Subjects with RA had higher rates of protein breakdown than did young or elderly healthy subjects (79.9 +/- 17.2 versus 60.3 +/- 5.8 and 63.7 +/- 12.4 mumoles/gm total body potassium/hour, respectively, P < 0.05), while there was no effect of age per se. Patients treated with methotrexate had normal rates of protein breakdown (P < 0.01 versus RA without methotrexate; P not significant versus healthy young subjects). Increased protein catabolism in RA was no longer evident after strength training. In multiple regression analysis, levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) (r = 0.47, P = 0.01) and growth hormone (r = -0.51, P = 0.006) were associated with protein breakdown, and plasma glucagon levels were inversely correlated with protein synthesis (r = -0.45, P = 0.02). Growth hormone (r = -0.56, P = 0.002) and glucagon (r = 0.45, P = 0.04, levels were associated with protein oxidation. CONCLUSION Adults with RA have increased whole-body protein breakdown, which correlates with growth hormone, glucagon, and TNF alpha production.
The flux of iron and iron isotopes from San Pedro Basin sediments

Iron is an important nutrient in the ocean, but the different sources and sinks of iron are not well constrained. Here, we use measurements of Fe concentration and Fe stable isotope ratios to evaluate the importance of reducing continental margins as a source of Fe to the open ocean. Dissolved iron concentration ([Fe]) and iron stable isotope ratios (δ^(56)Fe) were measured in the San Pedro and Santa Barbara basins. Dissolved δ^(56)Fe ranges from −1.82‰ to 0.00‰ in the San Pedro Basin and from −3.45‰ to −0.29‰ in the Santa Barbara Basin, and in both basins the lowest δ^(56)Fe values and highest Fe concentrations are found at the bottom of the basin reflecting the input of isotopically light Fe from reducing sediment porewaters. In the San Pedro Basin, we are also able to fingerprint an advective source of Fe from shallow continental shelves next to the basin and the atmospheric deposition of Fe into surface waters. A one-dimensional model of the Fe isotope cycle has been constructed for the deep silled San Pedro Basin. By fitting model output to data, values of several important iron cycle parameters are predicted including a flux of Fe from sediment porewaters into the water column of 0.32–1.14 μmol m^(−2) d^(−1), a first-order dissolved Fe precipitation rate constant of 0.0018–0.0053 d^(−1), a flux δ56Fe of −2.4‰, and an isotope effect for Fe precipitation of Δδ^(56)Fe_(particulate-dissolved) = −0.8‰. Applying our model-predicted Fe cycle parameters to the global ocean suggests that continental margins contribute 4–12% of world ocean dissolved Fe and make the ocean’s Fe lighter by −0.08‰ to −0.26‰. The dramatically negative δ^(56)Fe signature seen in the water column of the San Pedro and Santa Barbara basins demonstrate the utility of Fe isotopes as a tracer for continental margin Fe input from reducing sediments to the oceans, while the isotopic fractionation observed during loss of Fe from the dissolved phase suggests that this signature will be modified by subsequent reactions. Our modeling provides an initial framework for testing how these signals are transmitted into the open ocean.
Differential regulation of glycosaminoglycan, fibronectin, and collagenase production in cultured human dermal fibroblasts by interferon-alpha,-beta, and-gamma

In order to determine whether interferons (IFNs) play a universal role in terminating the fibrotic response by inhibiting other fibroblast functions in addition to growth and collagen production, we investigated the effect of human recombinant (hu-r) IFN-alpha,-beta, and-gamma on the glycosaminoglycan, fibronectin, and collagenase production of cultured human dermal fibroblasts. Our results show that shortterm (48 h) treatment of confluent fibroblast cultures with hu-r-IFN-alpha2 and hu-r-IFN-beta-ser17 causes a concentration (1 to 1×105 U/ml)-dependent inhibition of glycosaminoglycan production, has no effect on fibronectin production, and markedly increases collagenase production. In contrast, hu-r-IFN-gamma not only causes a concentration-dependent increase in collagenase production but also increases both glycosaminoglycan and fibronectin production. These results demonstrate that IFNs differently regulate fibroblast functions rather than universally inhibit all functions, and show that IFN-alpha and-beta exhibit a broader antifibrotic spectrum that IFN-gamma.
Cognitive abilities, factors, and processes

Abstract It is argued that, despite certain limitations, factor analysis can aid in the identification and characterization of cognitive processes. This can be done by experimental manipulation of variables subjected to factor analysis, that is, by varying the conditions, stimulus materials, required outcomes, and measurements taken for cognitive tasks in an array of variables. Variables must be psychometrically well constructed, and often it is desirable and possible to dissect tasks into hypothesized components. Well-known factorial results are discussed from this perspective, and illustrations are given from recent studies.
Hydration/expansion and cation charge compensation modulate the Brønsted basicity of distorted clay water.

This letter addresses how iron redox cycling and the hydration properties of the exchangeable cation influence the Bronsted basicity of adsorbed water in 2:1 phyllosilicates. The probe pentachloroethane undergoes facile dehydrochlorination to tetrachloroethene, attributed to increases in the Bronsted basicity of near-surface hydrating water molecules following the reduction of structural Fe(III) to Fe(II). This dehydrochlorination process is studied in the presence of Na(+)- or K(+)-saturated Upton montmorillonite [(Na0.82 (Si7.84 Al0.16)(Al3.10 Fe(3+)0.3 Mg0.66) O20 (OH)4] or ferruginous smectite [(Na0.87 Si7.38 Al0.62)(Al1.08) Fe(3+)2.67 Fe(2+)0.01 Mg0.23) O20 (OH)4]. The effect of iron redox cycling on pentachloroethane dehydrochlorination is studied using reduced or reduced and reoxidized smectite samples saturated with Na+ (fully expanded clay) or K+ (fully collapsed clay). Variations in the clay Bronsted basicity following Na+ -for- K+ exchange are explained by cationic charge compensation or interlayer hydration/expansion imposed by the nature of the exchangeable cation. Inverse relations between K+ fixation and clay water content as well as trends in pentachloroethane transformation indicate that increases in the Bronsted basicity result from increases in the clay hydrophilicity and shifts in the local activity of distorted clay water. Potassium fixation causes partially collapsed smectites bearing low amounts of structural Fe(II) to have a similar reactivity to that of fully expanded smectites (Na+ form) bearing higher amounts of structural Fe(II). In particular, the conversion of up to 80% of the pentachloroethane to tetrachloroethane by K+ -saturated, reoxidized Upton was explained because the fixation of K+ causes nonreversible expansion and incomplete reoxidation of structural Fe(II), which contributes to the stabilization of charge density near sites bearing Fe(II). Higher pentachloroethane conversions by Upton montmorillonite over ferruginous smectite, however, suggest that charge dispersion rather than site specificity contributes predominantly to clay reactivity. Thus, clay interlayer hydration/expansion imposed by the nature of the exchangeable cation alters water dissociation and proton exchange in Fe(II)-Fe(III) phyllosilicates susceptible to iron redox cycling.
Inconsistent responding to repeated MMPI items: is its major cause really carelessness?

Previous authors have recommended using the number of inconsistent responses given to repeated MMPI items as a measure of the carelessness with which an individual has responded to the test. Such a recommendation assumes that a respondent who reads the items carefully must necessarily give an identical response to both presentations of the same item. Contrary to this assumption of a single cause, three potential causes of inconsistency—maladjustment, carelessness, and indecision—were investigated among 202 normal undergraduates who responded to the whole MMPI twice. The results suggest that indecision may be a more important cause of inconsistency than carelessness, thereby calling into question the use of inconsistencies on repeated MMPI items as a "carelessness" scale. Implications regarding the processes involved in responding to personality items are discussed.
Period and index of genus one curves over global fields

The period of a curve is the smallest positive degree of Galois-invariant divisor classes. The index is the smallest positive degree of rational divisors. We construct examples of genus one curves with prescribed period and index over a given global field, as long as the characteristic of the field does not divide the period.
Subsystems of second-order arithmetic between RCA 0 and WKL 0

We study the Lindenbaum algebra \({\fancyscript{A}}\) (WKL o, RCA o) of sentences in the language of second-order arithmetic that imply RCA o and are provable from WKL o. We explore the relationship between \({\Sigma^1_1}\) sentences in \({\fancyscript{A}}\) (WKL o, RCA o) and \({\Pi^0_1}\) classes of subsets of ω. By applying a result of Binns and Simpson (Arch. Math. Logic 43(3), 399–414, 2004) about \({\Pi^0_1}\) classes, we give a specific embedding of the free distributive lattice with countably many generators into \({\fancyscript{A}}\) (WKL o, RCA o).
Characterization of an Ethylene Free Jet

The rotational population distribution in a free molecular jet of ethylene, C2H4, is found to be thermal over a range of distances below the nozzle (z/d=0.5−13.2, nozzle diameter d=0.50 mm). Results for on-axis rotational temperature, number density and flow velocity are presented. The average number of gas-kinetic collisions experienced by any molecule in travelling some distance along the jet axis is calculated.
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE MU OPIOID AGONIST DAMGO AND SUBSTANCE P IN REGULATION OF THE VENTRAL PALLIDUM

Substance P (SP) increases, and the mu-specific opioid agonist DAMGO decreases neuronal firing within ventral pallidum (VP) of the basal forebrain. This study investigated a possibility that some VP neurons are oppositionally co-regulated by SP and DAMGO using microiontophoresis combined with the extracellular electrophysiological recordings from chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats. SP altered DAMGO's ejection current-response curve, decreasing Emax and slope, and increasing the Ecu50 (ejection current level at which 50% of the maximal response was obtained). The modulation was observed even at low ejection current levels that, when applied alone, were not sufficient to alter neuronal activity (i.e., subthreshold). Also, DAMGO altered the Emax and slope of SP's ejection current-response curve. DAMGO induced these effects even at subthreshold ejection current levels. The responses to each peptide were blocked by a receptor-specific antagonist. These findings demonstrate that SP and mu-activating opioids antagonize each other's effects on VP neuronal firing. Thus, they may interact as physiological antagonists in the regulation of VP-associated functions.
Classification and study in occupation a review and discussion of taxonomies

Abstract This paper identifies classification, or the building of taxonomies, as a fundamental step in the development of knowledge. The history and purposes of taxonomies are briefly reviewed, and extant taxonomies relevant to the study of occupation are examined. These classification systems are found in the psychological, sociological, and vocational literature, and address motivation, meaning, the structure and organization of intentional behaviour, personality, and human performance. The paper concludes that researchers studying occupation will need to become familiar with a diverse theoretical and methodological literature in the social and behavioural sciences before significant advances can be made.
Generic Quasi-convergence for Strongly Order Preserving Semiflows: A New Approach

The principal result of the theory of monotone semiflows says that for an open and dense set of initial data, the trajectory converges to the set of equilibria. We show that strong compactness assumptions on the semiflow, required for the proof, can be replaced by the assumption that limit sets have infima and suprema in the space. This assumption is automatically satisfied in nice subsets of the space of continuous functions on a compact set and in euclidean space with respect to typical orderings.
Peripheral plasma testosterone concentration and sexual behavior in young prenatally stressed boars

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of stress induced physiological changes in the gestating sow on postnatal sexual and endocrine development of male offspring. Ten boars, ranging from 160 to 185 days of age, were randomly chosen from sows which had been maintained under either stress or control conditions during mid-gestation. Blood samples were collected weekly from each boar (minimum of four weeks) at 30 min intervals over a common six-hour period via an indwelling anterior vena cava cannula. Plasma testosterone concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. In order to ascertain degree of sexual behavior, boars were exposed weekly to gilts in estrus and a subjective score assigned. No differences (P>.10) were found between prenatally stressed and control boars in overall mean testosterone concentration or libido score. A significant (P
Relapse of neuroleptic malignant syndrome with early discontinuation of amantadine therapy.

Abstract Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a potentially fatal complication of antipsychotic pharmacotherapy characterized by fever, movement disorders, and altered mentation. This article presents a case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome successfully treated with bromocriptine and amantidine where relapse followed premature discontinuation of specific treatment. Prompt recognition of NMS, stopping neuroleptics, supportive medical care, and continuation of specific pharmacotherapy for eight to 12 days following improvement in clinical status are the requirements for the successful management of this syndrome.
Evolution of multi-drug resistant hepatitis B virus during sequential therapy

Multi-drug resistant hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been reported in hepatitis B patients who received sequential antiviral therapy. In vitro studies showed that HBV constructs with mutations resistant to lamivudine and adefovir have marked reduction in sensitivity to combination of lamivudine and adefovir, whereas constructs with mutations resistant to either drug remain sensitive to the other drug. We conducted this study to determine whether mutations conferring resistance to multiple antiviral agents co-locate on the same HBV genome in vivo and to describe the evolution of these mutations. Sera from six patients who had been found to have multi-drug resistant HBV mutations to lamivudine + adefovir, lamivudine + hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG), or lamivudine + entecavir on direct sequencing were cloned after nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Analysis of 215 clones from 11 samples with multi-drug resistant mutations on direct sequencing showed that 183 (85%) clones had mutations to both therapies on the same genome; 31 clones had lamivudine-resistant mutants only. Clonal analysis of serial samples from three patients showed progressive evolution from all clones with lamivudine-resistant HBV mutations only to mixtures of clones that have multi-drug resistant mutations and clones that have lamivudine-resistant HBV mutations only, and ultimately all clones having multi-drug resistant HBV mutations. In conclusion, mutations conferring resistance to multiple antiviral agents co-locate on the same viral genome, suggesting that combination therapy directed against mutants resistant to each treatment may not be adequate in suppressing multi-drug resistant HBV. De novo combination therapy may prevent the emergence of multi-drug resistant mutants. (HEPATOLOGY 2006;44:703–712.)
The Influence of Race/Ethnicity, Social Class, and Neighborhood Context on Residents' Attitudes Toward the Police

The purpose of this study is to extend our understanding of attitudes toward the police by examining how race/ethnicity, social class, and neighborhood context interact to influence four different ...
Signal transmission during gravitropic curvature of primary roots of Zea mays

Primary roots of Zea mays cv. Ageotropic are nonresponsive to gravity and elongate approximately 0.80 mm h−1. Applying mucilage-like material (K-Y Jelly) to the terminal 1.5 cm of these roots induces graviresponsiveness and slow elongation 28% (i.e. from 0.80 to 0.58mm h−1). Applying mucilage-like material to one side of the terminal 1.5 cm of the root induces curvature toward the mucilage, irrespective of the root's orientation to gravity. Applying a 2-mm-wideband of mucilage-like material to a root's circumference 8 to 10 mm behind the root cap neither induces gravicurvature nor affects elongation significantly. Similarly, applying mucilage-like material to only the root cap does not significantly affect elongation or graviresponsiveness. Gravicurvature of mutant roots occurs only when mucilage-like material is applied to the root/root-cap junction. Reversing the caps of wild-type and mutant roots produces gravitropic responses characteristic of the root cap rather than the host root. These results are consistent with the suggestion that gravitropic effectors are growth inhibitors that move apoplastically through mucilage between the root cap and root.
Breast biopsy and race/ethnicity among women without breast cancer

Abstract Background: Breast biopsy is essential for definitive breast cancer diagnosis, but may also play a role in determining eligibility for breast cancer preventive measures or clinical trials. In addition, the prevalence of a history of negative breast biopsy can be viewed as an indicator of the adequacy or intensity of health care in a given population. We therefore analyzed the association of a history of breast biopsy with race/ethnicity and other factors in a cohort of women without a cancer diagnosis who completed a risk assessment form for participation in the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Methods: Subjects were recruited at our large, urban teaching hospital. We developed a logistic regression model with biopsy (ever/never) as the outcome and age, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and insurance coverage as the independent variables. Results: Among 805 unaffected predominantly minority subjects, white women were more than three times as likely as black and Hispanic women (OR=3.3, 95% CI 1.9–5.9), and insured women were twice as likely as uninsured women (OR=2.0, 95% CI 1.4–2.9) to have had a biopsy. Biopsy results were also associated with race/ethnicity. Discussion: We view these observations as hypothesis-generating rather than definitive. If confirmed, the associations we observed between negative biopsies and insurance status may reflect disparities in the timeliness and effectiveness of follow-up of suspicious lesions found via mammography. Our findings may also be relevant to the well-known association of breast cancer stage at diagnosis with low income and minority race/ethnicity.
Revascularization of the Ischemic Hand With Arterialization of the Venous System

Chronic ischemia in the upper extremity is a challenging condition for both patients and surgeons. When ischemia reaches a critical level, tissue loss ensues, which results in necrosis of fingers at various levels. Amputation of necrotic digits, without addressing the etiology of the necrosis, often results in wound-healing problems and more proximal amputations. The purpose of this report was to describe a surgical technique that improves vascular supply to the hand and allows for healing of the amputation sites and relief of pain through arterialization of the venous system.
Hyaluronan synthase mediates dye translocation across liposomal membranes

Background Hyaluronan (HA) is made at the plasma membrane and secreted into the extracellular medium or matrix by phospolipid-dependent hyaluronan synthase (HAS), which is active as a monomer. Since the mechanism by which HA is translocated across membranes is still unresolved, we assessed the presence of an intraprotein pore within HAS by adding purified Streptococcus equisimilis HAS (SeHAS) to liposomes preloaded with the fluorophore Cascade Blue (CB).
Empirical topology: Topologies from partially ordered sets

A generalization of point-set topology is constructed in terms of arbitrary partially ordered sets. The possible usefulness of this construction in quantum theory, and specifically quantum gravitation, is discussed.
Striped nanowires and nanorods from mixed SAMS

We investigate the use of mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) for creating nanoscale striped patterns on nanowires and nanorods. Our simulations predict that SAMs comprised of an equal composition of length-mismatched, thermodynamically incompatible surfactants adsorbed on nanowire surfaces self-organize into equilibrium stripes of alternating composition always perpendicular, rather than parallel, to the nanowire axis. We support the simulation results with preliminary experimental investigations of gold nanorods coated with binary mixtures of ligand molecules, which show stripes roughly perpendicular to the rod axis in all cases.
Learning Probabilistic Paradigms for Morphology in a Latent Class Model

This paper introduces the probabilistic paradigm, a probabilistic, declarative model of morphological structure. We describe an algorithm that recursively applies Latent Dirichlet Allocation with an orthogonality constraint to discover morphological paradigms as the latent classes within a suffix-stem matrix. We apply the algorithm to data preprocessed in several different ways, and show that when suffixes are distinguished for part of speech and allomorphs or gender/conjugational variants are merged, the model is able to correctly learn morphological paradigms for English and Spanish. We compare our system with Linguistica (Goldsmith 2001), and discuss the advantages of the probabilistic paradigm over Linguistica's signature representation.
Outcrossing and Recombination in the Lichenized Fungus Letharia

We report evidence for recombination in lichenized fungi based on sequenced nuclear DNA markers, judging from the incongruence of their gene genealogies. Recombining population structures were found in two phylogenetic species of Letharia, one species that is observed in nature to produce abundant sexual structures (ascomata) and another species that produces abundant clonal reproductive structures (soredia) and only rarely produces ascomata. To determine whether sexual reproduction was the cause of recombination in both species, we compared several variable loci in the ascomata and maternal tissue for evidence of outcrossing. All ascomata of both species were heterozygous for at least one locus, as would be expected to result from outcrossing and not from selling. Therefore, it appears that even in the sorediate species, rare sexual reproduction results in recombination.
INVESTIGATIONS FOR PYRONIN BODIES AND FLUORESCENT ANTIBODIES IN 5:5 DIPHENYLHYDANTOIN GINGIVAL HYPERPLASIA.

Abstract This study indicates that pyronin bodies are found in conjunction with plasma cells and are more discernible in the gingival tissue of patients with Dilantin hyperplasia but are not pathognomonic of Dilantin hyperplasia. Pyronin bodies are seen as readily with hematoxylin and eosin as with other staining methods. A specific antigen-antibody reaction is discredited on the basis of direct staining with fluorescein-conjugated gamma globulins. The connective tissue substance from patients with Dilantin gingival hyperplasia exhibited antigenic properties which were probably located in the reticulin or cementing substance. In the connective tissue of patients with periodontitis the degree of fluorescence was less and the morphology of the antigen site was not so definitive in nature as in Dilantin tissue.
Raman spectra of iodine derivatives of tyrosine and thyronine

The Raman spectra of iodine derivatives of tyrosine and thyronine exhibit strong peaks in the region ≲400 cm−1 and may be described by analogous vibrations of benzene as: (i) the C—I out-of-plane bendings of E1g mode from 120 cm−1 to 180 cm−1 (ii) the C—I in-plane bendings of E2g and A2g mode from 190 cm−1 to 330 cm−1 and (iii) the C—I stretchings of E2g mode from 240 cm−1 to 400 cm−1 In triiodo-derivatives, the number of both the CI in-plane bendings and CI stretchings on the inner phenyl ring approximately doubles from that of diiodo-derivatives presumably due to the modulation caused by the iodine-sensitive libration of the outer phenyl ring.
Control of specific attachment of proteins by adsorption of polymer layers.

This study concerns the design of protein-resistant polymer adsorbed layers for the control of surface binding of biospecific recognition entities. Polymer surface layers were prepared using the adsorption of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), poly(l-lysine) (PL), and branched and linear polyethyleneimine (PEI) and further modified by the covalent attachment of biotin for specific avidin attachment. The adsorption of PAH, PL, and PEI on silicon substrates was studied as a function of pH and ionic strength using ellipsometry. Average dry layer thicknesses of ∼10, ∼5, ∼9, and ∼3 A (±1 A) were obtained when polymer adsorption occurred from solutions at pH 9.5 that contained 0.5 M NaCl for PAH, PL, branched PEI, and linear PEI, respectively. These polymers showed significant differences in their efficiency to suppress nonspecific avidin adsorption. At low ionic strength, avidin adsorption occurred on all polymer-coated surfaces at basic pH values, despite the same positive electrostatic charge for protein ...
ULTRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEXINE AND INTINE IN THE POLLEN WALL OF SILENE ALBA (CARYOPHYLLACEAE)

Nexine and intine development in Silene alba (Caryophyllaceae) was investigated by electron microscopy and enzyme cytochemistry. Nexine-2 forms by deposition of sporopollenin along unit membrane lamellae closely associated with the microspore plasma membrane in the late tetrad stage. After the callose wall dissolves, electron density increases along the tangentially oriented fibers of the proximal primexine, forming nexine-l. When the exine is essentially complete, the intine begins to develop. In the nearly mature microspore, acid phosphatase activity appears in the peripheral cytoplasm just prior to its extrusion into the intine of the mature pollen grain. EXINE SCULPTURE in Silene alba is established in an intricate, precisely coordinated sequence of steps commencing in the tetrad stage with the appearance of primexine fibers and a vermiculate protectum which serves as a scaffold for the deposition of sporopollenin. It has been shown in other species that the inner layers of the exine, nexine-1 and nexine-2 (terminology of Heslop-Harrison, 1971), are applied in the late tetrad stage and develop after dissolution of the callose special wall (Dickinson and Heslop-Harrison, 1968, 1971; Homer and Pearson, 1978). In earlier work on Silene pendula (Heslop-Harrison, 1963), however, nexine development was not described. Intine material comes to occupy the space between the plasma membrane and nexine-2 after the microspores are nearly mature. The present work analyzes the development of nexine- 1 and nexine-2 and compares these processes with the elaboration of the sexine (Dickinson and Heslop-Harrison, 1968, 1971). During sexine maturation we have observed sporopollenin deposition: 1) by apparent condensation upon a previously synthesized framework, the protectum of the primexine; 2) early, in association with unit membrane lamellae predominantly at the apertural pore regions, and 3) as a product of white-line lamellae in the nearly mature pollen grain (Shoup, Overton, and Ruddat, 1980). In this
The Evolution of Very-Low-Calorie Diets: An Update and Meta-analysis

Objective: Very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs), providing <800 kcal/d, have been used since the 1970s to induce rapid weight loss. Previous reviews of the literature have disagreed concerning the relative efficacy of VLCDs vs. conventional low-calorie diets (LCDs) for achieving long-term weight loss. Research Methods and Procedures: We sought to update findings on the clinical use, safety, and efficacy of VLCDs and to perform a meta-analysis of randomized trials that compared the long-term efficacy of LCDs and VLCDs. Original research articles were retrieved by a Medline search and from prior reviews of VLCDs. Trials were included only if they were randomized comparisons of LCDs and VLCDs and included a follow-up assessment at least 1 year after maximum weight loss. Data were abstracted by both authors regarding: duration of VLCD, total length of treatment, attrition, short- and long-term weight loss, changes in weight-related comorbidities, and adverse effects. Results: Six randomized trials were found that met inclusion criteria. VLCDs, compared with LCDs, induced significantly greater short-term weight losses (16.1 ± 1.6% vs. 9.7 ± 2.4% of initial weight, respectively; p = 0.0001) but similar long-term losses (6.3 ± 3.2% vs. 5.0 ± 4.0%, respectively; p > 0.2). Attrition was similar with VLCD and LCD regimens. Discussion: VLCDs did not produce greater long-term weight losses than LCDs. In the United States, the use of liquid meal replacements as part of a 1000 to 1500 kcal/d diet may provide an effective and less expensive alternative to VLCDs. In Europe, VLCDs are used with less intensive medical supervision than in the United States, which reduces the cost of this approach.
Research Notes: Interpersonal Affect and Rating Errors

In this article the authors discuss research they conducted that examined the relationship between interpersonal affect and rating errors in employee rating measures. The authors discuss pervious r...
Correcting the adjacent pixel nonlinearity on video monitors

In raster-scan CRT display systems, the luminous flux of a given pixel is affected by the preceding pixel along the raster direction. This spatial or adjacent pixel nonlinearity can adversely affect image quality. High contrast, high spatial frequency regions of an image will have wrong luminances. A simple lookup table (standard gamma correction) can not correct this nonlinearity. We measured the spatial nonlinearity under a variety of luminance conditions in two CRT displays. A model proposed by Mulligan and Stone was used in a 5 parameter nonlinear regression to fit the data. Results show that the model fit our data very well. We employed a 2-D lookup table to compensate for the spatial nonlinearity. The new lookup table has two entries: the intended luminance of the current pixel and the actual voltage of the previous pixel. The output of the new lookup table is the adjusted voltage which compensates for the pixel interaction and gives the correct average luminance for that pixel. Psychophysical experiments show that at small pixel sizes (less than 0.8 min), the compensation results in a sharp accurate image.
Principles of runtime support for parallel processors

There exists substantial data level parallelism in scientific problems. The PARTY runtime system is an attempt to obtain efficient parallel implementations for scientific computations, particularly those where the data dependencies are manifest only at runtime. This can preclude compiler based detection of certain types of parallelism. The automated system is structured as follows: An appropriate level of granularity is first selected for the computations. A directed acyclic graph representation of the program is generated on which various aggregation techniques may be employed in order to generate efficient schedules. These schedules are then mapped onto the target machine. We describe some initial results from experiments conducted on the Intel Hypercube and the Encore Multimax that indicate the usefulness of our approach.
Dumping: Police-Initiated Transjurisdictional Transport of Troublesome Persons:

Those who write about the police have generally neglected the informal ways police officers handle situations involving troublesome persons. Troublesome persons, including homeless and mentally disturbed people, prostitutes, juveniles, and people under the influence of alcohol or drugs, are not necessarily best handled by arrest. In fact the recent move by many police agencies to handle situations with either aggressive order maintenance or community policing may encourage officers to handle troublesome persons via informal methods. This article focuses on one such informal method: police-initiated transjurisdictional transport (PITT) of troublesome persons, or dumping. This article describes PITT, explores the literature for examples of it, describes some of its possible causes, and proposes three ways to control PITT. We conclude with four research strategies for studying police dumping of troublesome persons.
Regional application of an ecosystem production model for studies of biogeochemistry in Brazilian Amazonia

The degree to which primary production, soil carbon, and trace gas fluxes in tropical forests of the Amazon are limited by moisture availability and other environmental factors was examined using an ecosystem modelling application for the country of Brazil. A regional geographical information system (GIS) serves as the data source of climate drivers, satellite images, land cover, and soil properties for input to the NASA Ames-CASA (Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach) model over a 8-km grid resolution. Simulation results lead us to hypothesize that net primary production (NPP) is limited by cloud interception of solar radiation over the humid north-western portion of the region. Peak annual rates for NPP of nearly 1.4 kg C m–2 year–1 are localized in the seasonally dry eastern Amazon in areas that we assume are primarily deep-rooted evergreen forest cover. Regional effects of forest conversion on NPP and soil carbon content are indicated in the model results, especially in seasonally dry areas. Comparison of model flux predictions along selected eco-climatic transects reveal moisture, soil, and land use controls on gradients of ecosystem production and soil trace gas emissions (CO2, N2O, and NO). These results are used to formulate a series of research hypotheses for testing in the next phase of regional modelling, which includes recalibration of the light-use efficiency term in NASA-CASA using field measurements of NPP, and refinements of vegetation index and soil property (texture and potential rooting depth) maps for the region.
Contrasting responses of seed yield to elevated carbon dioxide under field conditions within Phaseolus vulgaris

The rising concentration of carbon dioxide [CO2] in the atmosphere represents an increase in a growthlimiting resource for C3 crop species. Identification of lines or characteristics of lines which have superior yield at elevated [CO2] could aid in adaptation to this global change. While intraspecific variation in responses to elevated [CO2] has been found in several species, intraspecific differences in crop yield responses to elevated [CO2] under field conditions have seldom been documented. In this 4-year study, the responses of photosynthesis, growth, pod number, seed number and size, and seed yield to the elevation of [CO2] to 180 mmol mol 1 above the current ambient concentration were examined in four varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris in the field, using open-top chambers. There was a significant variety by [CO2] interaction for seed yield, with seed yield at elevated [CO2] ranging from 0.89 to 1.39 times that at ambient [CO2] (mean 1.17) in the different varieties, when averaged over 4 years. The highest yielding variety at elevated [CO2] was not the highest yielding variety at ambient [CO2]. The varieties with the largest and smallest yield responses both had an indeterminate growth habit. Down-regulation of photosynthesis at elevated [CO2] only occurred in the two indeterminate varieties, and there was no significant correlation between the response of single leaf photosynthetic rate and the response of seed yield to elevated [CO2] among varieties, nor between the responses of stem mass and seed yield. The change in the number of pods at elevated [CO2] was the primary determinant of the response of seed yield. These results indicate that significant variation in the response of seed yield to elevated [CO2] under field conditions does exist among varieties of P. vulgaris, and that variation in the response of pod and seed number may be more important than variation in photosynthetic response.
The role of business ethics: where next? Is there a role for academics?

In his address to the conference Norman Bowie contrasted the business ethics climate in the US with that of the UK. He highlighted the adversarial nature of US corporate cultures and the heavy emphasis on compliance-based programs, and contrasted this with the more collaborative relationships in the UK – and in Europe generally – which lead to partnerships with NGOs as a way to resolve ethical issues. However, the growing insistence that business ethics should pay is common to both business environments. Professor Bowie raised two further issues of concern. One was the increasing professionalisation of the business ethics ‘business’, and the other was the reluctance of students to opt for business ethics courses. Taking these factors together suggests that the role of academics in business ethics is shrinking fast.
Multicenter Comparison of the VITEK 2 Yeast Susceptibility Test with the CLSI Broth Microdilution Reference Method for Testing Fluconazole against Candida spp.

A fully automated commercial antifungal susceptibility test system (VITEK 2 yeast susceptibility test; bioMerieux, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.) was compared in three different laboratories with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) reference broth microdilution (BMD) method by testing two quality control strains and a total of 426 isolates of Candida spp. (103 to 135 clinical isolates in each laboratory plus 80 challenge isolates in one laboratory) against fluconazole. Reference BMD MIC endpoints were established after 24 and 48 h of incubation. VITEK 2 endpoints were determined spectrophotometrically after 10 to 26 h of incubation (mean, 13 h). Excellent essential agreement (within two dilutions) between the VITEK 2 and the 24- and 48-h BMD MICs was observed. The overall agreement values were 97.9 and 93.7%, respectively. Both intra- and interlaboratory agreement was 100%. The overall categorical agreement between VITEK 2 and BMD was 97.2% at the 24-h BMD time point and 88.3% at the 48-h BMD time point. Decreased categorical agreement at 48 h was attributed to trailing growth observed with Candida glabrata. The VITEK 2 system reliably detected fluconazole resistance among Candida spp. and demonstrated excellent quantitative and qualitative agreement with the reference BMD method.
Identification of biomarkers for breast cancer in nipple aspiration and ductal lavage fluid.

Purpose: To establish a comprehensive proteomic approach for biomarker discovery and validation in breast fluid. Experimental Design: A total of 95 specimens from three institutions were used including 10 nipple aspiration fluid (5 stage I/II cancerous breasts and 5 age-matched healthy controls), 42 ductal lavage fluid from 14 patients with unilateral stage I/II cancer (25 from 9 cancerous breasts and 17 from 7 contralateral breasts), and 42 ductal lavage fluid from 14 high-risk women (multiple ducts repeated lavage). Differentially expressed protein/peptides were discovered by proteomic analysis of training sample, using ProteinChip arrays and surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization (SELDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and validated on independently collected testing samples. After protein identification, ELISA was done to confirm the SELDI findings. Results: We were able to obtain reproducible protein profiles using minimal amount of protein (1 μg) by applying an optimized chip protocol and SELDI. We were able to select cancer-associated biomarkers despite large individual variability by applying both unsupervised and supervised cluster analysis. Furthermore, we were able to train and test candidate biomarkers on independently collected samples and identified one component of a multimarker panel as human neutrophil peptides 1 to 3. Conclusions: Breast fluid is a rich source of breast cancer biomarkers. In combination with high-throughput novel proteomic profiling technology and multicenter study design, markers that are highly specific to breast cancer can be discovered and validated. Our observations also suggest that persistent elevation of human neutrophil peptide in high-risk women may imply early onset of cancer not yet detectable by current detection method. Proof of this hypothesis requires follow-up on a larger study population.
Sorption of Hydrophobic, Negatively Charged Microspheres onto a Stagnant Air/Water Interface

Experiments to study the sorption of surfactant-free, hydrophobic, negatively charged, polystyrene latex microspheres onto a stagnant air/water interface, in the absence of convection, as a function of ionic strength of NaCl electrolyte solution (from 0 to 1.0 M) were performed. Sorption of colloidal particles onto air/water interface was irreversible, due to a net negative energy change associated with transferring particles from the bulk solution to the interface. The sorption parameters, the asymptotic surface coverage, θmx, and the characteristic time of sorption,tch, were strong functions of ionic strength. The values of θmxranged from a minimum of 1.2% monolayer at 1.0 M NaCl to a maximum of 8% monolayer at 0.05 M NaCl. Sorption of colloidal particles onto the air/water interface followed an exponential relationship with time and was fully described by θmxandtch. Below 0.05 M NaCl, θmxincreased, buttchdecreased with increasing ionic strength, reaching a maximum and a minimum, respectively, at 0.05 M NaCl. Beyond 0.05 M NaCl, θmxdecreased, buttchincreased exponentially with increasing ionic strength. The measured change of θmxandtchwith ionic strength was attributed to the accessibility of the interface to sorbing particles determined by the combined effect of the energy barrier at the interface and that between particles in the bulk solution.
Solitary Fatty Infiltration Within the Left Ventricle Detected by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Patient Presenting With Ventricular Tachycardia

A 58-year-old black woman with a past medical history of recurrent presyncope, hypertension, depression, and breast cancer with right lumpectomy was admitted with symptoms of palpitations, chest pressure accompanied by numbness, and exertional dyspnea. An admission resting ECG revealed sinus rhythm without evidence of a prior myocardial infarction associated with occasional premature ventricular beats. A telemetry surveillance rhythm strip demonstrated nonsustained ventricular tachycardia with a left bundle block pattern (Figure 1). Transthoracic echocardiography examination was performed that showed normal biventricular morphology, size, and systolic function with no regional wall motion abnormalities (Movie I in the online-only Data Supplement). To further investigate the cause of the nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and to exclude any possible structural heart disease, a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) study with gadolinium contrast was performed. The CMR confirmed the normal biventricular size and systolic function (Movie II in the online-only Data Supplement) and, interestingly, revealed a region of intramyocardial fatty …
How is aliasing used in systems software

We present a study of all sources of aliasing in over one million lines of C code, identifying in the process the common patterns of aliasing that arise in practice. We find that aliasing has a great deal of structure in real programs and that just nine programming idioms account for nearly all aliasing in our study. Our study requires an automatic alias analysis that both scales to large systems and has a low false positive rate. To this end, we also present a new context-, flow-, and partially path-sensitive alias analysis that, together with a new technique for object naming, achieves a false aliasing rate of 26.2%on our benchmarks.
The Wackamole approach to fault tolerant networks

We present Wackamole, a high availability tool for clusters of servers. Wackamole ensures that a server handles the requests that arrive on any of the service's public IP addresses. Wackamole is a completely distributed software solution based on a provably correct algorithm that negotiates the assignment of IP addresses among the available servers upon detection of faults and recoveries, and provides N-way fail-over, so that any one of a number of servers can cover for any other. Using a simple algorithm that utilizes strong group communication semantics, Wackamole demonstrates the application of group communication to address a critical availability problem at the core of the system, even in the presence of cascading network or server faults and recoveries. The same architecture is extended to provide a similar service for highly available routers.
Identification of Calcitonin Expression in the Chicken Ovary: Influence of Follicular Maturation and Ovarian Steroids

Calcitonin (CALCA), a hormone primarily known for its role in calcium homeostasis, has recently been linked to reproduction, specifically as a marker for embryo implantation in the uterus. Although CALCA expression has been documented in several tissues, there has been no report of production of CALCA in the ovary of any vertebrate species. We hypothesized that the Calca gene is expressed in the chicken ovary, and its expression will be altered by follicular maturation or gonadal steroid administration. Using RT-PCR, we detected Calca mRNA and the calcitonin receptor (Calcr) mRNA in the granulosa and theca layers of preovulatory and prehierarchial follicles. Both CALCA and Calca mRNA were localized in granulosa and thecal cells by confocal microscopy. Using quantitative PCR analysis, F1 follicle granulosa layer was found to contain significantly greater Calca mRNA and Calcr mRNA levels compared with those of any other preovulatory or prehierarchial follicle. The granulosa layer contained relatively greater Calca and Calcr mRNA levels compared with the thecal layer in both prehierarchial and preovulatory follicles. Progesterone (P 4 ) treatment of sexually immature chickens resulted in a significantly greater abundance of ovarian Calca mRNA, whereas estradiol (E 2 )o r P 4 + E 2 treatment significantly reduced ovarian Calca mRNA quantity. Treatment of prehierarchial follicular granulosa cells in vitro with CALCA significantly decreased FSH-stimulated cellular viability. Collectively, our results indicate that follicular maturation and gonadal steroids influence Calca and Calcr gene expression in the chicken ovary. We conclude that ovarian CALCA is possibly involved in regulating follicular maturation in the chicken ovary. estradiol, follicular development, granulosa cells, progesterone, theca cells