cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Virulence of Xanthomonas translucens pv. poae Isolated from Poa annua

Bacterial wilt is a vascular wilt disease caused by Xanthomonas translucens pv. poae that infects Poa annua, a grass that is commonly found on golf course greens throughout the world. Bacterial wilt causes symptoms of etiolation, wilting, and foliar necrosis. The damage is most prevalent during the summer and the pathogen can kill turf under conditions optimal for disease development. Fifteen isolates of X. translucens pv. poae were collected from northern regions in the United States and tested for virulence against P. annua. All 15 isolates were pathogenic on P. annua, but demonstrated variable levels of virulence when inoculated onto P. annua under greenhouse conditions. The isolates were divided into two virulence groups. The first group containing four isolates generally resulted in less than 40% mortality following inoculation. The second group, containing the other eleven isolates, produced between 90 and 100% mortality following inoculation. These results suggest that differences in the virulence of bacterial populations present on a golf course may result in more or less severe amounts of observed disease.
PARAMETRIC INSTABILITIES AND ANOMALOUS HEATING OF PLASMAS NEAR THE LOWER HYBRID FREQUENCY.

It is shown both by theory and by computer experiments that a plasma subjected to a long-wavelength electric field oscillating near the lower hybrid frequency causes parametric instabilities which lead to an anomalous heating of both ions and electrons. Because the instability threshold is much lower than that for the corresponding electron plasma-wave problem, the saturation of the electric field can be much higher.
A morphogenic role for transiently expressed acetylcholinesterase in developing thalamocortical systems

Experiments in infant rats have revealed patterns of intense acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in primary sensory thalamic nuclei and thalamocortical recipient zones of primary sensory areas of cerebral cortex. The distribution and appearance of AChE staining indicates that the transient AChE in these areas is characteristic of thalamocortical neurons. The patterns of AChE are detectable during the first postnatal week of life, reach peak intensity during the second postnatal week, and decline to normal adult levels by the end of the third postnatal week. These temporal parameters correlate well with the time of thalamocortical axon growth into the cerebral cortex. These data suggest that the transient AChE may be playing a morphogenic role in the development of thalamocortical connections.
SU-E-T-115: Collimator Scatter Factor (Sc) Measurements for IRIS in CyberKnife Using Build-Up Caps

Purpose: To investigate the impact of custom‐made build‐up caps for two different diode detectors in robotic radiosurgery radiation fields with variable collimator (IRIS) for collimator scatter factor (Sc) measurement. Methods: Two acrylic caps were custom‐made to fit our SFD or PFD (IBA Dosimetry, Germany) diode detectors. The two caps have thicknesses of 1.5 and 5 cm, corresponding to the dmax of the 6 MV CyberKnife and a depth beyond electron contamination, respectively. A watertank (Blue Phantom, IBA Dosimetry) was used to position the detector at 80 cm source‐to‐detector distance. Measurements were performed with the SFD and PFD, with and without the build‐up caps, for all 12 clinical IRIS settings ranging from 5 to 60 mm. Result: As expected, the biggest discrepancy was found in the smallest (5mm) IRIS field size. The Sc factor with 5 cm build‐up cap was 6.6% lower than that without build‐up using the SFD detector while the PFD differed by 13%. However, when the 1.5 cm build‐up cap was used, the largest difference (4%) was found using the 10 mm IRIS field size using the SFD while the maximum discrepancy using the PFD was still using the 5 mm IRIS field size (7.6%). For IRIS field sizes larger than 10 mm, maximum discrepancies were less than 1.3% and 3.7% for SFD and PFD, respectively. Conclusion: Sc measurement data are critical components in advanced algorithms for treatment planning, such as Monte Carlo, in order to calculate the dose accurately. After incorporating build‐up caps, we discovered differences of up to 6.6% and 13% in Sc factors in the SFD and PFD detectors, respectively, when compared against in‐air measurements without build‐up caps. These are significant differences and were obtained with IRIS settings routinely used for clinical treatment.
Influence of shear on polymer adsorption kinetics.

Kinetics of poly(methylmethacrylate) adsorption onto a single surface from dilute carbon tetrachloride solution is reported. From stagnant solution the well-known steady-state plateau level of mass adsorbed is approached at long times. However, the mass adsorbed resumes its rise when moderate shear flow is initiated. For adsorption onto an initially bare surface, at a shear rate of 3 ${\mathrm{sec}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, there is no sign of plateau on the logarithmic time scale.
Benign cystic pineal lesions by magnetic resonance imaging

In the course of examining 1,000 patients with various neurological complaints, 17 were found to have abnormalities in the region of the pineal gland. Fourteen had no hydrocephalus or symptoms referable to the region of the midbrain but a well-defined region of the high signal on T2 weighted images was demonstrated on magnetic resonance imaging. The other three patients proved to have pineal tumors. All patients had computed tomography examinations prior to magnetic resonance imaging. We believe that the pineal lesion in the 14 asymptomatic patients is a benign cyst not previously reported prior to the advent of magnetic resonance imaging. These benign lesions should be kept in mind in evaluating masses of the pineal region.
Between Market and State: Directions in Social Science Research on Disaster

Governing after Crisis: The Politics of Investigation, Accountability, and Learning. Edited by Arjen Boin, Allan McConnell, and Paul 'T Hart. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008. 336p. 29.95 paper.Developed and developing nations alike face low-probability but high-consequence exogenous shocks, including ice storms, chemical spills, terrorist attacks, and regional blackouts. Recently, “natural” disasters have dominated the airwaves; mega-catastrophes that claim more than 1,000 lives have become an almost yearly occurrence. In 2010, the Haiti and Chile earthquakes killed more than 200,000 people between them and felt all too familiar to many observers in the West. Before them were Cyclone Nargis in Burma, which took 130,000 lives in 2008; Hurricane Katrina, which killed more than 1,500 New Orleans residents and left 80% of the city flooded in 2005; and the Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed roughly a quarter of a million lives in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand in 2004.
Constrained Nonlinear Estimation for Industrial Process Fouling

Industrial process monitoring tools require robust and efficient estimation techniques that maintain a high service factor by remaining online during abnormal operating conditions, such as during loss of measurements, changes in control status, or maintenance. Constraints incorporate additional process knowledge into estimation by bounding estimated disturbances within feasibility limits thereby providing robustness to faulty measurements or conditions that violate process models. Moving horizon estimation (MHE) and unscented Kalman filtering (UKF) are two estimation techniques that permit incorporation of constraints prior to evaluating the a priori estimate. This paper evaluates both constrained nonlinear estimators versus the extended Kalman filter (EKF) using industrial process data provided by ExxonMobil Chemical Company. Results provide short-term insight into the fouling process, and parameter estimates produced by UKF and MHE are shown to be more accurate than EKF.
Jovian atmospheric dynamics: An update after Galileo and Cassini

The Galileo and Cassini spacecrafts have greatly enhanced the observational record of Jupiter's tropospheric dynamics, particularly through returning high spatial resolution, multi-spectral and global imaging data with episodic coverage over periods of months to years. These data, along with those from Earth-based telescopes, have revealed the stability of Jupiter's zonal jets, captured the evolution of vortices and equatorial waves, and mapped the distributions of lightning and moist convection. Because no observations of Jupiter's interior exist, a forward modelling approach has been used to relate observations at cloud level to models of shallow or deep jet structure, shallow or deep jet forcing and energy transfer between turbulence, vortices and jets. A range of observed phenomena can be reproduced in shallow models, though the Galileo probe winds and jet stability arguments hint at the presence of deep jets. Many deep models, however, fail to reproduce Jupiter-like non-zonal features (e.g. vortices). Jupiter's dynamics likely include both deep and shallow processes, requiring an integrated approach to future modelling—an important goal for the post-Galileo and Cassini era.
Degradation of perchloroethylene in cosolvent solutions by zero-valent iron.

Abstract Remediation of sites contaminated by chlorinated organic compounds is a significant priority in the environmental field. Subsequently, the addition of cosolvent solutions for in situ flushing of contaminated source zones has been successfully field tested. However, the treatment of effluent fluids in such cleanup efforts is an often overlooked component of this technology implementation. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of zero-valent iron (Fe 0 ) in treating perchloroethylene (PCE) in an aqueous solution, and how the presence of a cosolvent (ethanol) and modification of the iron surface altered dechlorination. The modified iron surfaces included in this study were nickel-plated iron, acid-treated iron, and untreated iron surfaces. PCE dechlorination in the presence of each of the iron surfaces displayed pseudo first-order kinetics. The highest degradation rate of PCE occurred on the nickel-plated iron surface, 5.83×10 −3 h −1 , followed by the acid-treated iron, 4.92×10 −3 h −1 , and the untreated iron, 3.34×10 −3 h −1 . Dechlorination on each of the surfaces decreased with increasing cosolvent fractions. It was shown that as cosolvent fractions increased, PCE adsorption decreased and resulted in a concomitant decrease in PCE degradation rates.
Gait analysis and spinal rotation

This study correlates spinal rotation with the forces on the feet and knees while jogging. Force sensors, a spinal rotation device, and video software were used to study four test subjects. The runners were observed during jogs with normal form, with exaggerated spinal rotation, and restricted spinal rotation. Acquired data were applied to a two-dimensional musculoskeletal model to solve for muscle and bone forces in the ankle and knee. Spinal rotation was not directly correlated to the ground reaction force (GRF) in the foot during landing. However, more spinal rotation resulted in longer stride length. Muscle and bone forces were calculated and compared to previous studies and EMG activity. Trends suggest that increased rotation gave rise to decreased compressive joint forces in the knee.
Degradation of pyrene by Mycobacterium flavescens

A strain of Mycobacterium flavescens was isolated from polluted sediments. It was capable of utilizing pyrene as a sole source of carbon and energy. When pyrene was supplied as a suspension at 50 μg/ml, the generation time was 9.6 h and the rate of pyrene utilization was 0.56 μg ml-1 day-1. In addition to pyrene, the strain could mineralize phenanthrene (17.7%) and fluoranthene (17.9%), but failed to mineralize naphthalene, chrysene, anthracene, fluorene, acenaphthene and benzo[a]pyrene, as determined by recovery of radiolabeled CO2 in incubations conducted for 2 weeks under growth conditions. Metabolites produced during growth on pyrene were detected and characterized by HPLC and GC-MS. The product of initial ring oxidation, 4,5-dihydroxy-4,5-dihydropyrene was identified, as well as ring-fission products including 4-phenanthroic acid, phthalic acid, and 4,5-phenanthrenedioic acid.
Calculation of total cross sections of multiple-sphere clusters

A method for calculating the extinction, absorption, and scattering cross sections of clusters of neighboring spheres for both fixed and random orientations is developed. The analysis employs the superposition formulation for radiative interactions among spheres, in which the total field from the cluster is expressed as a superposition of vector spherical harmonic expansions about each of the spheres in the cluster. Through the use of addition theorems a matrix equation for the expansion coefficients is obtained. Further application of addition theorems on the inverse of the coefficient matrix is shown to yield analytical expressions for the orientation-averaged total cross sections of the sphere cluster. Calculations of the cross sections of pairs of spheres and fractal aggregates of several spheres are presented. It is found that a dipole representation of the field in each sphere does not adequately predict the absorption cross section of clusters of small-size-parameter spheres when the spheres are highly conducting. For this situation several multipole orders are required for an accurate calculation of the absorption cross section. In addition, the predicted absorption of sphere clusters can be significantly greater than that estimated from the sum of the isolated-sphere cross sections.
Effects of Early Adult X-Irradiation upon Emotional Display in the Aged Female Beagle: A Negative Finding:

250 adult female beagles were tested for emotional display late in adult life after having been exposed or sham exposed to X-irradiation at 10 to 12 mo. of age. The control dogs were interspersed in pens among experimentals. Emotional display was stimulated by the presentation of a person relatively strange to the kennel area. The dogs' responses were classified as “friendly,” “wary,” “aggressive” or “staying.” No significant differences were obtained in the comparison of experimental and control groups in regard to frequency of dogs falling within each of the behavioral categories.
Inconsistent report of pre-pregnancy-recognition alcohol use by Latinas.

Objective This study compared pregnant Latinas’ report of alcohol use for the 3-month period before pregnancy recognition with two different methods of data collection, in an attempt to identify opportunities for improved screening. Methods Data were collected for 53 pregnant Latinas who have ever drunk alcohol and who were receiving services at Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics in San Diego, California. This study compared alcohol use reported during in-depth research interviews conducted in homes, to responses to an alcohol screening question administered by WIC staff. Results Latinas were more likely to report alcohol use for the 3-month period before pregnancy recognition at the in-depth home interview than their reported date of last drink to the WIC clinic would indicate (70% vs. 15%, respectively). Of importance, 57% of home interview reports that were positive for pre-pregnancy-recognition alcohol use would not have been identified by their reported date of last drink to the WIC screening question. Younger age, higher income, and earlier recognition of pregnancy were associated with under-reporting of pre-pregnancy-recognition alcohol use. Conclusions Reporting of pre-pregnancy-recognition alcohol use may be influenced by the circumstances and scope of the screening questions employed, and varies by respondent’s characteristics. Asking about pre-pregnancy-recognition alcohol use, i.e., alcohol consumed before pregnancy is recognized, may improve identification of low-income pregnant Latinas who may benefit from targeted intervention services.
Effect of dementia on the use of drugs for secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease.

Background. Dementia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are frequently comorbid. The presence of dementia may have an effect on how CVD is treated. Objective. To examine the effect of dementia on the use of four medications recommended for secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease (IHD): angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, lipid-lowering medications, and antiplatelet medications. Design. Retrospective analysis of data from the Cardiovascular Health Study: Cognition Study. Setting and Subjects. 1,087 older adults in four US states who had or developed IHD between 1989 and 1998. Methods. Generalized estimating equations to explore the association between dementia and the use of guideline-recommended medications for the secondary prevention of IHD. Results. The length of follow-up for the cohort was 8.7 years and 265 (24%) had or developed dementia during the study. Use of medications for the secondary prevention of IHD for patients with and without dementia increased during the study period. In models, subjects with dementia were not less likely to use any one particular class of medication but were less likely to use two or more classes of medications as a group (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.36–0.99). Conclusions. Subjects with dementia used fewer guideline-recommended medications for the secondary prevention of IHD than those without dementia.
Long-Run Purchasing Power Parity and the Dollar-Sterling Exchange Rate in the 1920s

This paper replies to Ahking`s (1990) re-examination of Taylor and McMahon`s (1988) analysis of long-run purchasing power parity in the 1920s. We demonstrate that Ahking`s conclusions are only partially correct and reestablish our conclusion that a form of long-run purchasing-power parity did in fact hold for dollar-sterling during this period. The new results are also employed to gauge the degree of overvaluation of sterling relative to the imposed prewar parity of $4.86 upon its return to gold and for 12 months afterwards.
Protozomics: trypanosomatid parasite genetics comes of age

Trypanosomatid protozoans cause important diseases of humans and their domestic livestock. Various molecular genetic tools are now allowing rapid progress in understanding many of the unique aspects of the molecular and cell biology of these organisms. Diploidy and the lack or difficulty of sexual crossing has been a challenge for forward genetics, but powerful selections and functional complementation have helped to overcome it in Leishmania. RNA interference has been adapted for forward genetics in trypanosomes, in which it is also a powerful tool for reverse genetics. Interestingly, the efficacy of different genetic tools has steered research into different aspects of the biology of these parasites.
Locating tax facilities: a graphics based microcomputer optimization model

This paper presents a mathematical model that selects locations for Internal Revenue Service Posts-of-Duty. The system is microcomputer-based and uses menus and graphically displayed zip code maps of IRS districts for interactive inputs and solution outputs. The mathematical model used for this problem is the uncapacitated, fixed charge, location-allocation model which minimizes travel and facility costs, given a specified level of activity. A greedy-interchange heuristic is used to obtain "good" solutions to the problem and is coupled with a lagrangian-relaxation technique providing a measure of how far from optimality the current solution can be. An example with Florida data illustrates the use of the model.
A Note on the Effects of the Ionosphere on Satellite Orbital Corrections in Near-Real Time

The influence of ionospheric irregularities,e.g., sudden increase of electron content, onthe accurate determination of the position ofa satellite is being investigated. In this note amethod is presented whereby these effects areeasily accounted for in near-real time withoutthe need to know their detail structure.
Molecular target of the antischistosomal drug praziquantel

Evaluation of: Pica-Mattoccia L, Valle C, Basso A et al.: Cytochalasin D abolishes the schistosomicidal activity of praziquantel. Exp. Parasitol. 115(4), 344–351 (2007). Parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma are the causative agents of schistosomiasis, a widespread tropical disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The current drug of choice against schistosomiasis is praziquantel. For some time, it has been known that praziquantel disrupts calcium homeostasis within the parasite. However, in the three decades since its introduction, the precise mode of praziquantel action has remained undefined. In this report, Pica-Mattoccia and colleagues use pharmacological agents to help further dissect the molecular target of this drug.
Influence of calmodulin antagonist (stelazine) on agonist-induced calcium mobilization and platelet activation.

Abstract Phenothiazines at high concentrations inhibit platelet aggregation and the secretion of granule contents. In this study we have evaluated the influence of stelazine on platelet function at low concentrations. Stelazine alone had no influence on resting calcium levels in platelets but facilitated agonist-induced elevation of cytosolic calcium. Platelets combined with low concentrations of stelazine (10 μM) and stimulated with subthreshold concentrations of thrombin (0.05 μ/ml) aggregated irreversibly and released significant quantitites of ATP. Results of these studies suggest a new role for the calmodulin antagonist stelazine in platelet activation.
Differentiation-linked human papillomavirus types 6 and 11 transcription in genital condylomata revealed by in situ hybridization with message-specific RNA probes

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) infect specific human epithelial tissues. Because viral propagation in cultured cells has not been achieved, studies of HPV genetic activities have been difficult and rely largely on analyses of patient specimens by conventional biochemical methods. HPV type 6 and type 11 infections often result in genital warts (condylomata acuminata). Structural mapping of RNAs from such warts reveals that they use alternative promoters, splice sites, and polyadenylation sites to produce complex families of overlapping mRNAs that span multiple open reading frames. Based on the mRNA structures, we have developed message-specific subgenomic clones of HPV-6 and HPV-11 in pGEM vectors. Tritium-labeled, single-stranded RNA probes were synthesized in vitro and applied to serial thin sections of patient specimens for in situ hybridization. Our results reveal the qualitative and quantitative transcription patterns of different viral messages in relationship to one another, to viral DNA replication, and to cellular differentiation. The viral "E region" is transcribed before the onset of vegetative DNA replication and continues to be expressed in increasing amounts in the maturing epithelium. Even in mature epithelia, E region messengers are far more abundant than "L region" mRNAs. The L region messages encoding capsid proteins are truly late in that they appear concomitant with or after the onset of vegetative viral DNA replication and are only present in the superficial strata of the epithelium, which contain the oldest and most differentiated keratinocytes. Abundant intron material derived from processing E region transcripts accumulates in the nuclei. Strictly nuclear signals from the L region transcripts in the midepithelium suggest that regulation of their expression is at the level of transcription elongation.
Counterion condensation theory of attraction between like charges in the absence of multivalent counterions

There is abundant experimental evidence suggesting the existence of attractive interactions among identically charged polyelectrolytes in ordinary salt solutions. The presence of multivalent counterions is not required. We review the relevant literature in detail and conclude that it merits more attention than it has received. We discuss also some recent observations of a low ionic strength attraction of negatively charged DNA to the region of a negatively charged glass nanoslit where the floor of the nanoslit meets the walls, again in the absence of multivalent ions. On the theoretical side, it has become clear that purely electrostatic interactions require the presence of multivalent counterions if they are to generate like-charge attraction. Any theory of like-charge attraction in the absence of multivalent counterions must therefore contain a non-electrostatic component. We point out that counterion condensation theory, which has predicted like-charge polyelectrolyte attraction in an intermediate range of distances in ordinary 1:1 salt conditions, contains both electrostatic and non-electrostatic elements. The non-electrostatic component of the theory is the modeling constraint that the counterions fall into two explicit populations, condensed and uncondensed. As reviewed in the paper, this physically motivated constraint is supported by strong experimental evidence. We proceed to offer an explanation of the nanoslit observations by showing in an idealized model that the line of intersection of two intersecting planes is a virtual polyelectrolyte. Since we have previously developed a counterion condensation theory of attraction of two like-charged polyelectrolytes, our suggestion is that the DNA is attracted to the virtual polyelectrolytes that may be located in the nanoslit where floor meets walls. We present the detailed calculations needed to document this suggestion: an extension of previous theory to the case of polyelectrolytes with like but not identical charges; the demonstration of counterion condensation on a plane with bare charge density greater than an explicitly exhibited critical value; a calculation of the free energy of the plane; a calculation of the interaction of a line charge polyelectrolyte with a like-charged plane; and the detailed demonstration that the line of intersection of two planes is a virtual polyelectrolyte.
Influence of dynamic factors on the lumbar spine moment in lifting.

Flexion-extension moments occurring at the L5-S1 level of the spine were calculated when subjects lifted a 150N box at slow, normal and fast speeds. Three methods of lifting were used: leg-lifting, back-lifting and free-style lifting. The peak moment increased linearly with increasing lifting speed. The increase was greatest for back lifts, but occurred with the other two lifting techniques as well. Inertial forces should be considered when analysing lifting tasks biomechanically. Excessive speed of lifting, including jerking, should be avoided.
Abundance and Seasonality of Meiofauna, Including Harpacticoid Copepod Species, Associated with Stems of the Salt-Marsh Cord Grass, Spartina alterniflora

Ten Spartina alterniflora plants were sampled monthly in a Louisiana estuary to determine the abundance and species composition of stem-dwelling meiofauna and small macrofauna. Most organisms were associated with epiphytic algae found relatively high on standing stems; one harpacticoid copepod, Leptocaris brevicornis, was associated with vascular tissue. Only 15% of the stem fauna was found within 6 cm of the sediment surface. Highest abundance of total meiofauna (>8,000 individuals per 100 cm2 stem surface) occurred in July. The overall seasonal average was 1,563 individuals per 100 cm2 (about 800 per stem). Nematodes (24% of the total) and harpacticoids (adults and copepodites 19%, and nauplii 15%), were abundant and omnipresent taxa. Rotifers (30%) were limited to the summer months, but were extremely abundant when present, 5,037 individuals per 100 cm2 in July. Mites were common (10%) while several groups, for example, amphipods, isopods, polychaetes, and insect larvae, were rare. The stem harpacticoid assemblage was not diverse; four sediment-dwelling and three species reported only from stems were recorded. Overall, abundance was low from December to May, and high from June through November. Winter and spring minima may have resulted from several factors. Estuarine water levels in the Gulf of Mexico are lowered by as much as 25 cm in the winter, and stems likely were desiccated. Highest rhizomatic growth occurs in the spring, and the resulting reduced epiphyte populations may have influenced meiofauna. The density of stem meiofauna above the sediment surface averaged about 225 individuals per 10 cm2 sediment surface, but frequently exceeded that in the surrounding sediments.
Spectral analysis of high resolution direct-derivative melting curves of DNA for instantaneous and total base composition.

Abstract Derivative melting profiles of DNA have been obtained directly by recording the difference in absorbance between two identical solutions maintained at a small constant temperature differential. This ΔA is monitored continuously with increasing temperature in a ratio recording spectrophotometer. Resolution of complex hyperfine structure in the profiles of small homogeneous viral DNAs appears to be significantly better than has been produced by various numerical methods of differentiation. In addition, a spectral method has been modified that permits easy analysis for DNA base composition from the ratio of derivative melting curves obtained at 282 and 260 nm. Eight bacterial and three vertebrate DNAs have been analyzed for total base composition from the product of the instantaneous base composition at small temperature intervals (0.05°C) throughout the entire melting region and the integrated area of the 282 nm profile. The results are in excellent agreement with values determined by traditional methods.
Severe restriction in jaw movement after routine injection of local anesthetic in patients who have fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.

Objective. To determine the relationship of dental procedures to immediate ossification and ankylosis of the jaw inpatients who have fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. Study design. A mail survey was conducted of the 60 patient-members of the International Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Association. All 41 patients (18 males, 23 females) who responded were examined. Instantaneous exact hazard rates for ossification of the jaw were calculated by the Weibull model. Results. Thirty-six patients had dental procedures performed. Twenty-one (58%) patients had received an injection of local anesthetic. Five (24%) patients had an immediate flare-up of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva with ossification and permanent ankylosis of the jaw (expected occurrence, 0.031; p Conclusion. Injections of local anesthetic during dental procedures pose serious and immediate risk for inciting heterotopic ossification and ankylosis of the jaw in patients who have fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva and should be assiduously avoided.
Empire of the Young: The Legacies of State Agricultural Policy on Local Capitalism and Social Support Networks in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire

While most American academics and policymakers are familiar with the problems facing the growing elderly population in the United States, many are surprised to learn of the troubles confronting the aged in Africa. In stark contrast to the mythic image of the tightly-knit extended family, where grandparents are lovingly cared for as a respected and integral part of the family unit, is the unforgiving reality of hunger, ill health, and loneliness that is the daily existence for many elderly Africans. It is critical that the problems of the aged in Africa and other parts of the developing world be examined, but we must recognize that these problems do not signify a simple convergence toward a common social ill across the globe. Rather, the nature of inter-generational solidarity varies, sometimes dramatically, over time and across contexts. This study employs a comparative analysis to reveal important differences in the nature of inter-generational solidarity over time between two similar sub-regions in neighboring Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa, and asks what explains those differences.
Evidence that sequence homologous region in LRAT-like proteins possesses anti-proliferative activity and DNA binding properties: translational implications and mechanism of action

LRAT (lecithin:retinol acyltransferase), an enzyme whose levels are modulated during malignant conversion, has been reported as the founder member of a new LRAT-like family that includes tumor suppressors TIG.3 1-164 and Ha.Rev107 1-162 . The mechanisms that link these three proteins to carcinogenesis as well as the significance of a reported shared sequence homologous region remain unclear. This begs the question if the tumor suppressors possess enzyme properties and/or if the LRAT enzyme possesses tumor suppressor properties. We use the reported homologous region as a first approach to address the question from the perspective that all three proteins can possess tumor suppressor properties. We postulated that the homologous sequence harbors an anti-proliferation domain within the full-length proteins and that dodecapeptides of this sequence possess anti-proliferative activity. We report that H.TIG.3 111-123 , H-Ha.Rev107-1 111-123 and H.LRAT 160-171:C168L exhibited in vitro growth inhibitory activity in a human cutaneous melanoma (HCM) model and affected tumor growth in a nude mouse model. Further, in peptide-sensitive HCM cells, these peptides crossed the plasma membrane and localized to the nucleus, where they could bind and activate promoters of transcription factors involved in G1→S transition. Moreover, peptide-induced abrogation of cyclin dependent kinase-2 expression was concomitant with subcellular re-distribution of cyclins E and A. Indeed, the sequence homologous region within each full-length wild-type protein as well as the growth inhibitory peptides can form alpha helices, a likely configuration for binding to DNA. This is the first report that this sequence homologous region (AA 111-123 ) within these LRAT-like proteins harbors an anti-proliferative domain with DNA binding properties. Sequences from this sequence homologous region can be used as templates for anti-tumor drug design and as probes to investigate disease-related mechanisms and structure-activity relationships of the full-length proteins, TIG.3 1-164 , Ha.Rev107 1-162 and LRAT 160-171 .
Records of the Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster) in Western Iowa

In Iowa, the northern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster) previously was known only from the northwestern part of the state. Herein, we report records of O. leucogaster from the 1970s and 1980s that extend its dis- tribution into west-central and southwestern Iowa. These records may represent dispersal movements into these parts of Iowa by southward movements from populations in northwestern Iowa or they may represent eastward movements of individuals from Nebraska prior to channelization of the Missouri River.
A graph cut algorithm for generalized image deconvolution

The goal of deconvolution is to recover an image x from its convolution with a known blurring function. This is equivalent to inverting the linear system y = Hx. In this paper, we consider the generalized problem where the system matrix H is an arbitrary nonnegative matrix. Linear inverse problems can be solved by adding a regularization term to impose spatial smoothness. To avoid oversmoothing, the regularization term must preserve discontinuities; this results in a particularly challenging energy minimization problem. Where H is diagonal, as occurs in image denoising, the energy function can be solved by techniques such as graph cuts, which have proven to be very effective for problems in early vision. When H is nondiagonal, however, the data cost for a pixel to have a intensity depends on the hypothesized intensities of nearby pixels, so existing graph cut methods cannot be applied. This paper shows how to use graph cuts to obtain a discontinuity preserving solution to a linear inverse system with an arbitrary non-negative system matrix. We use a dynamically chosen approximation to the energy which can he minimized by graph cuts; minimizing this approximation also decreases the original energy. Experimental results are shown for MRI reconstruction from Fourier data
Vortex wave stability in homogeneous excitable media: simulations on a randomized discrete lattice

The authors studied the stability of vortex waves in 2D homogeneous excitable media using a cellular automaton model on a randomized square lattice. The authors performed two different sets of simulations using both square and circular regions for the interaction neighborhood. In both cases, the spontaneous breaking of the vortex waves was eliminated by randomizing the positions of the lattice nodes beyond a minimum length scale /spl lambda//sub c/. This scale was substantially smaller for the circular interaction region.
Experience with Cable Median Barriers in the United States: Design Standards, Policies, and Performance

A review of the experience of 23 states on the use and effectiveness of cable median barriers is presented. As of 2007, 23 states have installed more than 4,183 km (2,600 mi) of cable median barriers. Experiences of the pioneering states, such as New York, Missouri, Washington, Oregon, North Carolina and Arizona that initiated the utilization of cable median barrier in the United States are included in this paper. Results of the review show that the use of cable median barriers in depressed medians with moderate slopes had a significant effect on the reduction of cross-median crashes in many states. While these results are encouraging, occasional fatal crossover crashes penetrating the cable barrier still demand attention and improved techniques or procedures for selecting or locating cable median barrier will continue to evolve.
MRI findings of crossed cerebellar diaschisis in a case of Rasmussen's encephalitis.

We report the case of an 11-year-old girl with a medical history significant for Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE), manifesting with intractable complex partial seizures, who developed severe brain hemiatrophy and MRI evidence of contralateral cerebellar atrophy due to crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD). The patient was born full term and had a normal childhood until seizures started at the age of six. Neurological examination disclosed only a slight right hemiparesis. Clinically, seizures lasted between 1 and 3 min and were accompanied by focal twitches of the right arm and foot. EEG revealed intermittent electroclinical seizures with left temporal onset spreading throughout the left hemisphere, followed by rhythmic sharp and slow waves over the right hemisphere. Brain MRI showed high T2-signal intensity in patchy areas of the cortex of the left hemisphere (Fig. 1a–c). Brain biopsy disclosed findings compatible with Rasmussen’s encephalitis (Fig. 2). Several therapeutic treatments, including seizure medicines (valproic acid, phenytoin carbamazepine, lorazepam), immunotherapy with IVIg, and vagus nerve stimulation, were unsuccessful in managing the progression of the disease or controlling seizures. There was no change in seizure frequency despite all therapies. Follow-up brain MRI at the age of 11 (Fig. 1d–f) demonstrated interval increase of atrophy of the left sylvian region, the left temporal lobe and the left occipital lobe. Striking interval atrophy of the right cerebellum, consistent with CCD, was also evident. The patient subsequently underwent left functional hemispherectomy achieving mild reduction of seizures. Rasmussen’s encephalitis is a rare hemispheric inflammatory disease of the brain generally manifesting with intractable seizures, cognitive decline and progressive neurological deficits. Normally this disorder affects children while an adult onset of the disease is less frequent and associated with a less aggressive course [1, 2]. Crossed cerebellar diaschisis is a condition in which cerebellar hypometabolism is noted in association with injuries to the contralateral cerebral hemisphere. It is ascribed to functional cerebellar disconnection from the cerebral cortex of the contralateral hemisphere. Interruption of the cerebro-pontine-cerebellar pathway is thought to be the most likely mechanism of this remote transneuronal metabolic depression [3]. CCD is frequent in patients with hemispheric strokes, and it is usually shown with nuclear medicine techniques while it is more rarely demonstrated on MRI [4, 5]. SPECT findings of CCD have been described in patients with RE whereas its correlate on MRI has been seldom reported [6–10]. A. Cianfoni M. L. Bradshaw Neuroradiology Section, Radiology Department, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston, SC, USA
Molecular Evolution of Adrenarche: Structural and Functional Analysis of P450c17 from Four Primate Species

Adrenarche is the prepubertal onset of increased adrenal secretion of 19-carbon steroids, especially dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). However, while human beings and chimpanzees exhibit adrenarche, other primates such as the baboon and rhesus monkey do not, and the adrenals of most other mammals produce little or no DHEA. Thus, the acquisition of adrenarche is a very recent evolutionary event. DHEA is produced from pregnenolone by the successive 17-hydroxylase and 17,20 lyase activities of a single enzyme, P450c17. To ascertain whether sequence differences in P450c17 contribute to adrenarche, we cloned the rhesus monkey cDNA from adrenal tissue and cloned the chimpanzee and baboon cDNAs from genomic DNA using an exon-trapping strategy. Using microsomes from yeast transformed with rhesus, baboon, chimp, or human P450c17, we measured the Michaelis constant and maximum velocity for the 17-hydroxylase and 17,20 lyase activities. The human and chimp enzymes differ at only two amino acids and baboon and rhesus P450c17 only at a single residue; the human/chimp enzyme differed from the baboon/rhesus enzyme by 25–27 residues (95% identity). Surprisingly, the greatest difference in enzymatic activities was a marked increase in 17-hydroxylase activity of P450c17 in the baboon, which differs from rhesus only at residue 255 [arginine (Arg) in baboon, histine (His) in rhesus]. Residue 255 is also Arg in human and chimp. Wild-type human P450c17 and its Arg255His mutant had similar 17-hydroxylase activities, but the Arg255Ala mutant had decreased 17-hydroxylase activity. These data establish that Arg255 is important for 17hydroxylase activity and show that the evolution of adrenarche in higher primates is not determined by variations in the sequence of P450c17. (Endocrinology 143: 4665– 4672, 2002)
Preference Fluency in Choice

Abstract The authors propose that consumer choices are often systematically influenced by preference fluency (i.e., the subjective feeling that forming a preference for a specific option is easy or difficult). Four studies manipulate the fluency of preference formation by presenting descriptions in an easy- or difficult-to-read font (Study 1) or by asking participants to think of few versus many reasons for their choice (Studies 2–4). As the authors predict, subjective experiences of difficulty increase choice deferral (Studies 1 and 2) and the selection of a compromise option (Studies 3 and 4), unless consumers are induced to attribute the experience to an unrelated cause. Unlike studies of decision conflict, these effects are obtained without changing the attributes of the alternatives, the composition of the choice sets, or the reference points. The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the results.
Approaches To The Statistical Analysis Of Family Data

Family scholars are now becoming more and more concerned about the extent to which data collected from only one family member can accurately describe what is happening in the family. Little systematic guidance, however, has been available to researchers on how to analyze data collected from more than one family member. This paper presents several alternatives for the statistical analysis of family data. In general, it appears that multivariate multiple regression, typo logical analysis, and repeated measures designs are among the more useful tech niques for studying family data.
MicroRNAs - A New Generation Molecular Targets for Treating Cellular Diseases

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a unique class of non-coding, small RNAs, similar to mRNAs, transcribed by cells, but for entirely different reasons. While mRNAs are transcribed to code for proteins, miRNAs are produced to regulate the production of proteins from mRNAs. miRNAs are central components that tightly and temporally regulating gene expression in cells. Dysregulation of miRNAs expressions in cellular pathogenesis, including cancer, has been reported, and it clearly supports the importance of miRNAs as therapeutic targets in almost every cellular disease. This special issue compiles manuscripts from different authors in order to highlight the importance of microRNAs in cancer and other cellular diseases and how to explore them as therapeutic targets to treat patients with these genetic and metabolic disorders. This issue also covers manuscripts that highlight the obstacles associated with the delivery of therapeutic microRNAs in cells and in vivo in living animals and how to improve and noninvasively monitor the delivery in living animals through molecular imaging, including potential clinical perspectives.
Risks associated with melamine and related triazine contamination of food

Recent adulteration of milk products with melamine (ME) in several countries caused adverse health effects and even deaths in infants. Earlier, in 2007, contamination of pet food with ME and its related contaminants was associated with many clinical cases of canine and feline nephrotoxicity, and in some cases mortality. ME is a triazine compound that is often detected with other triazine analogs such as cyanuric acid. As is the custom in some livestock operations, the contaminated pet food was mixed with feed intended for the swine and poultry industry. This practice has raised several questions as to whether ME and its related triazines would adversely affect the health of these food animals, and whether meat products derived from swine and poultry could contain high-enough levels of these contaminants to warrant public health concern. Data for this review article were obtained from recent research efforts in our laboratory, peer-reviewed publications cited in PubMed, and information available at USDA, US FDA, and WHO websites. The primary issues discussed are related to (1) the chemistry and interactions between ME and its triazine analogs; (2) reported animal and human exposures with possible pathways through which ME can enter the human food chain; (3) mammalian toxicology; (4) comparative pharmacokinetics (PK) and modeling strategies used to predict residue levels; and (5) emerging issues and management strategies.
Higher Education and Wealth Equity: Calibrating the Moral Compass Empathy, Ethics, and the Trained Will

This paper will argue the importance of the creation of a moral compass, driven by empathy and a rigorously trained will in higher education leadership to develop a tighter relationship between higher education and wealth equity. We will explore the foundational documents that first discussed these issues within a global context. Further, We explore how these goals, enhanced by insights promulgated by the United Nations, can be achieved by teaching empathy, developing a moral compass and training the will.
Probability density function analysis for optimization of underwater optical communications systems

Underwater optical systems have real potential in the domain of wireless underwater communications. However, beam propagation through water is not well understood. While success has been achieved modeling the underwater channel using Monte Carlo methods, underwater beam propagation has, to our knowledge, yet to be fit to a true probabilistic model. This paper investigates the utility of the Lognormal, Weibull, and exponentiated Weibull probability density functions in modeling the underwater channel, using parameters developed for the free space domain. Beam propagation is tested under various salinity, temperature and turbidity conditions, and compared with brackish water from the Severn River.