cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing plasmon polarization-mediated photoluminescence enhancement on metal–semiconductor hybrid optical nanostructures

Abstract The emission properties of CdSe quantum dots coupled to silver nanotriangles (AgNT) plasmon modes are reported. In the presence nanoparticles, the quantum dots exhibit 14-fold luminescence enhancements at an excitation wavelength of 442 nm which overlap with both AgNT dipole and quadrupole plasmon resonance frequencies. The distance-dependent transition between enhancements and quenching and the polarization dependence of plasmon-mediated CdSe emission are also investigated. The modifications on CdSe emission are explained in terms of electromagnetic coupling with the surface plasmon modes of nanoparticles and an increase in the excitation efficiency due to the enhanced local incident field intensity at the excitation wavelength.
Endoscopic Endonasal Cavernous Sinus Surgery: An Anatomic Study

Objective The endoscopic surgical anatomy of the cavernous sinus was studied to establish an anatomic basis for endoscopic endonasal cavernous sinus surgery. Methods Five adult cadaveric heads were studied with 0-, 30-, and 70-degree 4-mm rod-lens endoscopes. The posterior wall of the sphenoidal sinus was approached via a paraseptal, middle turbinectomy, or middle meatal approach. Results The posterior bony wall of the sphenoidal sinus is subdivided into five vertical compartments: midline, bilateral paramedian, and bilateral lateral. The midline vertical compartment consists of the planum sphenoidale, tuberculum sellae, sella, and clival indentation. The paramedian vertical compartment is composed of the medial third of the optic canal and the carotid artery protuberance. The lateral vertical compartment contains four bony protuberances (optic, cavernous sinus apex, maxillary, and mandibular) and three depressions (carotico-optic, ophthalmomaxillary [V1-V2], and maxillomandibular [V2-V3]). The three depressions form anatomic triangles at the lateral vertical compartment: the optic strut triangle, which is bordered by the optic nerve, carotid artery, and oculomotor nerve (IIIrd cranial nerve); the V1-V2 triangle; and the V2-V3 triangle. The internal carotid artery at the posterior wall of the sphenoidal sinus can be subdivided into two main segments: the parasellar and the paraclival. The vidian canal is a landmark that leads to the foramen lacerum, the mandibular nerve, and the pterygopalatine fossa. Conclusion Endoscopic anatomy of the cavernous sinus has been studied via an endonasal route in cadaveric specimens to provide an anatomic basis for endoscopic endonasal cavernous sinus surgery.
Artifactual literacies: every object tells a story

Artifactual literacies: every object tells a story, by Kate Pahl and Jennifer Rowsell, New York, Teachers College Press, 2010, 176 pp., US$35.47 (paperback), ISBN 0807751332 In their book, Artifact...
Homocysteine levels in preterm infants: is there an association with intraventricular hemorrhage? a prospective cohort study

The purpose of this study was to characterize total homocysteine (tHcy) levels at birth in preterm and term infants and identify associations with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and other neonatal outcomes such as mortality, sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and thrombocytopenia. 123 infants < 32 weeks gestation admitted to our Level III nursery were enrolled. A group of 25 term infants were enrolled for comparison. Two blood spots collected on filter paper with admission blood drawing were analyzed by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Statistical analysis included ANOVA, Spearman's Rank Order Correlation and Mann-Whitney U test. The median tHcy was 2.75 μmol/L with an interquartile range of 1.34 – 4.96 μmol/L. There was no difference between preterm and term tHcy (median 2.76, IQR 1.25 – 4.8 μmol/L vs median 2.54, IQR 1.55 – 7.85 μmol/L, p = 0.07). There was no statistically significant difference in tHcy in 31 preterm infants with IVH compared to infants without IVH (median 1.96, IQR 1.09 – 4.35 μmol/L vs median 2.96, IQR 1.51 – 4.84 μmol/L, p = 0.43). There was also no statistically significant difference in tHcy in 7 infants with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) compared to infants without PVL (median 1.55, IQR 0.25 – 3.45 μmol/L vs median 2.85, IQR 1.34 – 4.82 μmol/L, p = 0.07). Male infants had lower tHcy compared to female; prenatal steroids were associated with a higher tHcy. In our population of preterm infants, there is no association between IVH and tHcy. Male gender, prenatal steroids and preeclampsia were associated with differences in tHcy levels.
Comment on Ashley Montagu's “Sociogenic Brain Damage”

Beteille, A. 1965 Caste, Class and Power. Berkeley: University of California Press. Bloch, M. 1971 The Implications of Marriage Rules and Descent: Categories for Merina Social Structure. American Anthropologist 73:164-177. Boserup, E. 1970 Women's Role in Economic Development. London: Allen and Unwin. Brown, J. K. 1970 A Note on the Division of Labor by Sex. American Anthropologist 72:1073-1078.
Thin-walled compliant plastic structures for mesoscale fluidic systems

Thin-walled, compliant plastic structures for meso-scale fluidic systems were fabricated, tested and used to demonstrate valving, pumping, metering and mixing. These structures permit the isolation of actuators and sensors from the working fluid, thereby reducing chemical compatibility issues. The thin-walled, compliant plastic structures can be used in either a permanent, reusable system or as an inexpensive disposable for single-use assay systems. The implementation of valving, pumping, mixing and metering operations involve only an elastic change in the mechanical shape of various portions of the structure. Advantages provided by the thin-walled plastic structures include reduced dead volume and rapid mixing. Five different methods for fabricating the thin-walled plastic structures discussed including laser welding, molding, vacuum forming, thermal heat staking and photolithographic patterning techniques.
The New U.S. Human Rights Policy: A Radical Departure

The United States, as the most powerful state and as the self-appointed champion of human rights, has a profound impact on the way human rights norms are interpreted and applied throughout the world. The human rights foreign policy of President George W. Bush can be distinguished from the policies of other administrations in three crucial respects: (1) In identifying the values that Americans can and should promote abroad, it avoids human rights terminology and scorns multilateral institutions, and instead looks to divine inspiration; (2) in place of well-recognized human rights norms, it uses a concept of “dignity” that is narrow and self-serving; and (3) it engages in “exceptional exceptionalism,” continually holding others to standards that it does not apply to itself. This essay contends that the new U.S. human rights foreign policy drains human rights of its core meaning and limits its potential impact. Moreover, the United States lacks moral authority to act on human rights grounds as long as it fails to prioritize human rights explicitly and to uphold the same standards to which it holds other nations accountable.
Bottom-Up Attention Orienting in Young Children with Autism

We examined the impact of simultaneous bottom-up visual influences and meaningful social stimuli on attention orienting in young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Relative to typically-developing age and sex matched participants, children with ASDs were more influenced by bottom-up visual scene information regardless of whether social stimuli and bottom-up scene properties were congruent or competing. This initial reliance on bottom-up strategies correlated with severity of social impairment as well as receptive language impairments. These data provide support for the idea that there is enhanced reliance on bottom-up attention strategies in ASDs, and that this may have a negative impact on social and language development.
PEDIATRIC ULCER DISEASE: NEW PERSPECTIVES

We retrospectively studied 70 children with endoscopically proven ulcers (age 1day-18yrs) to determine whether gastric ulcers (GUD) were different from duodenal ulcers (DUD) with respect to epidemiology, aspirin (ASA) use and clinical presentation. GUD occurred in 64% and DUD in 36% of patients. GUD occurred in all age groups but DUD was rare in the young child. GUD was present in 51% of children under 6 yrs of age, compared to 8% of DUD. GUD showed a strong seasonal influence with 80% occurring between November and April, the period of increased viral illnesses and presumed increased ASA use. DUD showed no such seasonal predilection. Of the 36 patients with GUD during these months, 67% were acute (symptoms <1 mo), 36% had a prodromal illness and 47% were exposed to ASA. Of the remaining 9 GUD patients who presented in the summer months, 78% were acute in onset but only 18% had a prior illness or were exposed to ASA. In contrast, of the 25 DUD patients, 52% presented with chronic symptoms, 16% had an antecedent illness and only 28% had ASA. Symptomatically, pediatric DUD presents similarly to adult DUD, with epigastric pain (76%) as the primary symptom and GI bleeding in only 16%. GUD more commonly presents with vomiting (53%) and GI bleeding (49%) with pain in only 44%. In conclusion, it appears that pediatric GUD is a unique problem, distinctively different from DUD. GUD usually occurs in the winter months and commonly follows a viral illness. More importantly, GUD is seen after the use of ASA which may in part account for the high frequency of acute gastrointestinal bleeding found in these children.
Hemodynamic and metabolic changes during stimulation of ileal motility

Hemodynamic and metabolic responses of the mesenteric circulation were studied during infusion of agents known to stimulate intestinal motility. Agents were infused intraarterially in graded doses and included acetylcholine, angiotensin II, prostaglandin D2, prostaglandin F2-alpha, methionine-enkephalin, and morphine. Measurements were made of blood flow to the ileal portion of the small intestine, arteriovenous oxygen content difference, fractional distribution of radiolabeled microspheres to the muscularis, and intraluminal pressure. The clearance of86Rb was determined in some experiments. From these measurements we calculated oxygen consumption, fractional blood flow to the muscularis, permeability and surface area product (PS-product), and the mean motility index. All agents increased mean motility index to varying degrees. At comparable levels of increased mean motility index with each drug, there were variable degrees of increase or decrease or no change in the other parameters between drugs. Mesenteric hemodynamic and metabolic responses to these dissimilar stimuli of motor activity reflected mainly the vasoactive properties of each agent. This suggests that increased motor activity has little influence on the mesenteric circulation.
Polar phase hydroformylation: the dramatic effect of water on mono- and dirhodium catalysts.

The addition of 30% water (by volume) to acetone creates a remarkably effective polar phase solvent system for a dicationic dirhodium tetraphosphine hydroformylation catalyst. The initial turnover frequency (TOF) increases by 265% (to 73 min-1) for the hydroformylation of 1-hexene relative to the initial TOF in pure acetone (20 min-1). The aldehyde linear to branched (L:B) ratio increases to 33:1, and alkene isomerization and hydrogenation side reactions are essentially eliminated. Comparisons with monometallic rhodium catalysts based on PPh3, Bisbi, Naphos, and Xantphos ligands demonstrate that this polar-phase bimetallic catalyst is one of the fastest and most selective hydroformylation systems known under these mild conditions (90 °C, 6.2 bar H2/CO). The monometallic catalysts also show rate enhancements (although considerably smaller) in water−acetone, but Rh-Xantphos does show a large increase of 115%, with considerably reduced alkene isomerization side reactions. The dramatic effect of water on the ...
Numerical Experiments Pertaining to Warm-Fog CLEARING1

Abstract An attempt has been made quantitatively to assess the prospects for modifying warm fogs by seeding them with condensation nuclei. This has been done by calculating the time-dependent changes in the sizes and concentrations of fog droplets that are predicted by the ordinary equations of diffusion of water vapor to and from the surface of droplets. Their size, molality, and ambient water-vapor density are taken into account. Initial conditions consist of a homogeneous volume of air of specified height and aerosol content. An external cooling rate and seed dosage are specified. The effects of various combinations of cloud height and seed properties (such as size, mass density, and rate of injection) on the metamorphosis of the fog-droplet population are examined. Usually, the cloud-forming process (in which temperature decreases with time) was allowed to continue after the completion of seeding. It is tentatively concluded that the optimum-size seeding material is a function of the fog thickness; ma...
TGF-β and Insulin Signaling Regulate Reproductive Aging via Oocyte and Germline Quality Maintenance

Reproductive cessation is perhaps the earliest aging phenotype that humans experience. Similarly, reproduction of Caenorhabditis elegans ceases in mid-adulthood. Although somatic aging has been studied in both worms and humans, mechanisms regulating reproductive aging are not yet understood. Here, we show that TGF-β Sma/Mab and Insulin/IGF-1 signaling regulate C. elegans reproductive aging by modulating multiple aspects of the reproductive process, including embryo integrity, oocyte fertilizability, chromosome segregation fidelity, DNA damage resistance, and oocyte and germline morphology. TGF-β activity regulates reproductive span and germline/oocyte quality noncell-autonomously and is temporally and transcriptionally separable from its regulation of growth. Chromosome segregation, cell cycle, and DNA damage response genes are upregulated in TGF-β mutant oocytes, decline in aged mammalian oocytes, and are critical for oocyte quality maintenance. Our data suggest that C. elegans and humans share many aspects of reproductive aging, including the correlation between reproductive aging and declining oocyte quality and mechanisms determining oocyte quality.
Teenage Pregnancy in Adolescents With an Incarcerated Household Member

This study examines the association between the incarceration of a household member and adolescent pregnancy, and evaluates whether this association extends beyond that of other variables associated with sexual health. We used data from 12 waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth: Child and Young Adult. After eliminating males and individuals who did not respond to key questions, a sample of 1,229 girls (ages 14-19) was analyzed. Girls who experienced the incarceration of a household member faced more demographic and family environment risk factors than those who did not. Regression analyses demonstrated that the addition of a household incarceration variable afforded superior prediction of teenage pregnancy relative to the prediction based on demographic and family features alone. Programs that are directed toward reducing teen pregnancy will benefit from attention to the home situation of the at-risk girl, particularly the experience of household member incarceration and related family dynamics.
Rb-Sr redistribution during amphibolite-grade mylonitization: An example from the Hope Valley Shear Zone, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

The Sr and Pb isotopic systematics of minerals and whole rock slabs cut from three large samples of the Ponaganset Gneiss near the Hope Valley Shear Zone (HVSZ) in south-central Massachussets indicate that isotopic redistribution along a Late Paleozoic mylonitic zone in the gneiss occurred in two distinct episodes, via two discrete mechanisms. The Rb-Sr data also provide additional geochronologic evidence for high-grade Alleghanian metamorphism in SE New England. At the sample locality, the Ponaganset Gneiss was sheared at the contact between two lithologically distinct gneiss units. A narrow (<10 cm) band of mylonitic mafic schist also occurs intermittently at the contact. A whole rock age from thin slabs of the mylonitized gray gneiss (274 ± 14) agrees well with a mineral age from the mylonitic gray gneiss (268 ± 5), and with other published age data on Alleghanian metamorphism in southeastern New England. The mafic schist Rb-Sr mineral age (306 ± 4) is significantly older, and may represent the age of the initial episode of deformation and recrystallization. The age-corrected Sr and Pb isotopic signatures of the mylonitized gray gneiss are consistently more radiogenic than those of the adjacent units. Therefore, it is possible that the isotopic alteration of the mylonitic zone involved Sr and Pb from an outside source. Closer examination of the mylonitic gneiss-mafic schist contact also revealed a zone of less radiogenic Sr within 2–3 cm of the contact. The shapes of Rb-Sr isotopic profiles across the contact are indicative of diffusive redistribution which occurred during, or after, the foliation-parallel alteration of Sr and Pb isotopic signatures in the mylonitized gray gneiss. Nonlinear least-squares fits of the data to a diffusion equation yield Dt of approx. 8 × 105 m2 (D = effective diffusivity of Sr in m2/s, t = time in s). Attempts to use this result to estimate the duration of Rb-Sr diffusion produced results that are not consistent with geochronological data, which indicate that these rocks experienced high temperatures for up to 107 yr.
PREVAIL: electron projection technology approach for next-generation lithography

This paper is an overview of work in the IBM Microelectronics Division to extend electron-beam lithography technology to the projection level for use in next-generation lithography. The approach being explored--Projection Reduction Exposure with Variable Axis Immersion Lenses (PREVAIL)--combines the high exposure efficiency of massively parallel pixel projection with scanning-probe-forming systems to dynamically correct for aberrations. In contrast to optical lithography systems, electron-beam lithography systems are not diffraction-limited, and their ultimate attainable resolution is, for practical purposes, unlimited. However, their throughput has been--and continues to be--the major challenge in electron-beam lithography. The work described here, currently continuing, has been undertaken to address that challenge. Novel electron optical methods have been used and their feasibility ascertained by means of a Proof-Of-Concept (POC) system containing a Curvilinear Variable Axis Lens (CVAL) for achieving large-distance (>20 mm at a reticle) beam scanning at a resolution of <100 nm, and a high-emittance electron source for achieving uniform illumination of a 1-mm2 section of the reticle. A production-level prototype PREVAIL system, an "alpha" system, for the 100-nm node has been under development jointly with the Nikon Corporation. At the writing of this paper, its electron-optics subsystem had been brought up to basic operation and was being prepared for integration with its mechanical and vacuum subsystem, under development at Nikon facilities.
On the Travelling Salesperson Problem in Many Dimensions

Consider d ⩾ 2, and m points X1, …, Xm that are independent uniformly distributed in [0, 1]d. It is well known that the length Tm of the shortest tour through X1, …, Xm satisfies limm∞ E(Tm)/m1−1/d = β(d) for a certain number β(d). We show that for some numerical constant K, .
Preface: Special Issue on Emotion, Mood, and Temperament

The articles in this special issue of the journal are the result of two meetings, both held at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey, of the Group for New Directions in Pastoral Theology. These meetings took place in May 2013 and October 2013. Presenters at the conference were invited to write on the topic of Emotion, Mood, and Temperament—the theme for this special issue. Previous papers frommeetings of the Group for New Directions in Pastoral Theology also have been published in the journal (see the December 2010, June 2011, August 2012, and October 2013 issues). We are grateful to Lewis Rambo, Editor of Pastoral Psychology, for his ongoing commitment to this group. It is worth pointing out that over the years the conference format of the Group for New Directions in Pastoral Theology has followed a consistent pattern, which participants have found to be meaningful and helpful. Participants are asked to submit their papers one month before the conference begins so that papers can be read ahead of time. At the conference, which is held over a three-day period, 50 minutes are allotted to the discussion of each paper. For the first 10 minutes of this block, the presenter himself or herself provides a brief overview of the paper. Because all participants have read the paper ahead of time, there is not time set aside for the presenter to read the paper to the group. Then, for a second 10-minute block of time, one designated respondent offers his or her reflections on the paper. In the remaining 30 minutes, the conversation opens to the entire group and then, at the end, the presenter comments on the discussion. Participants have noted, time and again, that they appreciate this structure because it is rare to have sustained discussion about one’s own work with colleagues. This kind of public intellectual engagement just does not happen at most other meetings. It also is worth pointing out that, although most conference participants make an effort to write on the theme, some use this opportunity to present work on a topic that is of current interest to them and for which they seek the feedback of others. Such departures from the theme are welcome because they often stimulate the group’s thinking about the next year's theme. Thus, some of the articles presented here are more closely related to the theme than others are, but they all reflect the fact that our conferences provide a wonderful venue for us to learn from one another. As noted in previous editions of special issues of Pastoral Psychology dedicated to the Group for New Directions in Pastoral Theology, at the end of each conference some time is Pastoral Psychol (2014) 63:523–524 DOI 10.1007/s11089-014-0609-1
Low-temperature--irradiation study of flux-line pinning in type-II superconductors

Annealed wires of Nb and Nb--20 at. % Ta were irradiated at liquid-helium temperature in two different modes. In one mode thermal neutrons produced 75% of the damage, while in the other mode fast neutrons produced 85% of the damage. The increase in critical current with fluence was measured in order to determine its dependence on pin type and density and material purity. Damage due to the fast-neutron component of the flux dominated the flux pinning in both modes. The observations were consistent with the collective statistical summation theory and inconsistent with the conventional single-particle theory. The elementary pinning interaction deduced from the data by using the collective statistical theory agreed well with a recent theoretical calculation of the interaction due to the electron scattering mechanism.
Alleviating symptoms of withdrawal from an opioid.

Introduction Patients who are discharged following surgery on an oral opioid, and who have taken the drug for 2 or more weeks often experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to discontinue the drug.
Theory change in immunology. Part II: The clonal selection theory.

This two-part article examines the competition between the clonal selection theory and the instructive theory of the immune response from 1957–1967. In Part I the concept of a temporally ‘extended theory’ is introduced, which requires attention to the hitherto largely ignored issue of theory individuation. Factors which influence the acceptability of such an extended theory at different temporal points are also embedded in a Bayesian framework, which is shown to provide a rational account of belief change in science. In Part II these factors, as elaborated in the Bayesian framework, are applied to the case of the success of the clonal selection theory and the failure of the instructive theory.
Effect of immunosuppressants on OKT3 associated T cell activation: Clinical implications

Effect of immunosuppressants on OKT3 associated T cell activation: Clinical implications. The monoclonal antibody directed at the T cell differentiation antigen T3 (CD3, T.gp 20–25) appears to be superior to conventional high-dose steriods in the treatment of rejection in cadaveric renal graft recipients. Re-rejection episodes and other adverse reactions, probably secondary to T cell activating potential of anti-T3, continue to be clinical problems with anti-T3 therapy. We therefore examined the relative efficacy of cyclosporin A (CSA), methylprednisolone (MP), or 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), at concentrations that are readily accomplished in clinical practice, on the activation of T cells by anti-T3. CSA or MP mediated marked and 6-MP mediated modest inhibition of anti-T3 induced proliferation of alloimmune memory T cells. CSA- or MP-inhibited anti-T3 elicited specific secondary cytolytic activity and natural killer (NK) cell activity, and 6-MP failed to prevent the augmentation of NK cell activity mediated by anti-T3. The immunosuppressants also exhibited differential effects on anti-T3-associated lymphokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Interleukin 2 production was completely inhibited by CSA, modestly inhibited by MP and not inhibited by 6-MP. Interferon gamma production was completely inhibited by CSA or MP and not inhibited by 6-MP. Our findings, in addition to providing a plausible immunological basis for some of the complications of anti-T3 therapy, provide experimental support for therapeutic strategies that include the use of CSA and/or MP along with anti-T3.
Physical modeling of Mastigias papua feeding structures and simulation of their effect on bell stress and kinematics

This study reports the progress made towards understanding of the low energy propulsion mechanism of medusae (jellyfish) for developing energy efficient unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV). The focus of this investigation is on identifying the techniques required for prolonged sustainability of UUVs. Inspiration is taken from the constant feeding and energy generation achieved by Rhizostomeae. Rhizostomeae, in particular, utilize oral structures comprised of internal channels that capture zooplankton entrained in flow surrounding and in the wake of jellyfish on distal capture surfaces. A passive model was generated for the capture surfaces utilizing the physical dimensions based upon the morphology of Mastigias papua with a bell diameter of 17.2 cm. Geometry and structure of the oral components were derived from literature, live samples, and digitization of video. Based upon this data, a mold was created using silicone and assembled to achieve jellyfish inspired architecture. Geometries used to create the passive model were input into a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulation along with the experimental material properties of jellyfish mesoglea to ascertain the affect that the oral structure has on the kinematics and bell stresses. A forcing function was derived to achieve a close approximation of the jellyfish kinematics for the case of a jellyfish bell with oral structure attached. The same forcing function was applied to the singular bell and an increase in the bending was observed. With the escalation in bending came an increased level of principle stress within the bell closer to the margin. From this the stiffness elements that must be compensated with increased actuation force applied to the bell achieving proper swimming kinematics can be identified.
Statistical and spectral properties of tracer concentration in round buoyant jets

Abstract Spatial growth, temperature decay, and turbulence structure have been studied experimentally in axially-symmetric buoyant jets in transition to plumes and in fully developed plume flows. Temperature records obtained with fast response thermistors located in these flows form the basis for the study. The results obtained support previous asymptotic arguments pertaining to the rate of decay of mean temperature and r.m.s. temperature fluctuations. Spectral energy distributions in jets and plumes show that the evolution from buoyant jets to plumes is characterized by a significant shift in the wave number distribution of temperature variance density.
Virus- and cell-encoded tyrosine protein kinases inactivate DNA topoisomerases in vitro.

Tyrosine protein kinase activity is associated with at least eight different retrovirus-encoded onc gene products1 and with cell receptors for epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, tumour growth factor and insulin2–5. Both the onc kinases and the growth factor receptors are membrane proteins whose enzymatic activity has been implicated in stimulation of growth. However, the mechanism by which a signal passes from the plasma membrane to the nucleus to initiate growth remains unknown. As DNA topoisomerases catalyse the interconversion of topological isomers of DNA and hence affect DNA replication, transcription and recombination6–8, they may be involved also in stimulation of growth. Several DNA topoisomerases have been shown to form a covalent complex with DNA via a phosphotyrosine linkage9,10. The DNA–protein complex is postulated to be an intermediate in breaking and rejoining of DNA. The aim of the present study was to determine whether tyrosine protein kinases modulate the activity of topoisomerases by phosphorylating the tyrosine residue involved in DNA binding. We report that incubation of Escherichia coli and calf thymus type I DNA topoisomerases with the Rous sarcoma virus transforming gene product, pp60src, and TPK75, a tyrosine protein kinase purified from normal rat liver11,12, results in a 10-fold loss of topoisomerase activity.
The paradox of voting: probability calculations.

In this paper an expression for determining the frequency of the “voting paradox” as a function of the number of voters, the number of alternatives to be voted upon, and cultural characteristics of the voters, is derived. In the analysis a voter's ranking of the given alternatives is represented by a skewsymmetric matrix whose elements also satisfy a certain transitivity condition. The collective ranking of the alternatives is obtained under simple majority rule by summation of the actual individual rankings and consequently can likewise be represented by a skewsymmetric matrix. It is then shown that the existence of the paradox corresponds to the nonexistence of a row in the matrix denoting the collective ranking whose entries are all nonnegative. Cultural effects are incorporated by assigning to each possible individual ranking of alternatives a probability. It is then shown that when all possible rankings of three alternatives are equally likely and the number of voters becomes very large, the probability of the paradox approaches a definite limit, vig .087. Exact values for the probability of the paradox for several cases in which the number of alternatives exceeds three are also presented.
Parasomnias: An Updated Review

Parasomnias are abnormal behaviors emanating from or associated with sleep. Sleepwalking and related disorders result from an incomplete dissociation of wakefulness from nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Conditions that provoke repeated cortical arousals, or promote sleep inertia lead to NREM parasomnias by impairing normal arousal mechanisms. Changes in the cyclic alternating pattern, a biomarker of arousal instability in NREM sleep, are noted in sleepwalking disorders. Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is characterized by a disruption of the nocturnal fast with episodes of feeding after an arousal from sleep. SRED is often associated with the use of sedative-hypnotic medications; in particular, the widely prescribed benzodiazepine receptor agonists. Recently, compelling evidence suggests that nocturnal eating may in some cases be a nonmotor manifestation of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). rapid eye movement (REM) Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is characterized by a loss of REM paralysis leading to potentially injurious dream enactment. The loss of atonia in RBD often predates the development of Parkinson's disease and other disorders of synuclein pathology. Parasomnia behaviors are related to an activation (in NREM parasomnias) or a disinhibition (in RBD) of central pattern generators (CPGs). Initial management should focus on decreasing the potential for sleep-related injury followed by treating comorbid sleep disorders. Clonazepam and melatonin appear to be effective therapies in RBD, whereas paroxetine has been reported effective in some cases of sleep terrors. At this point, pharmacotherapy for other parasomnias is less certain, and further investigations are necessary.
The global fund for epilepsy: a proposal.

There are an estimated 50 million people living with epilepsy (PLWE) worldwide.1 In the United States and other high-income countries, PLWE are offered a wide range of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic services. In stark contrast, the vast majority of PLWE in poorer regions of the world receive no care and treatment. Epilepsy is the most common neurologic disorder seen in primary care in developing regions of the world and accounts for 0.7% of the total burden of disease measured in disability-adjusted life years lost.2,3 The prevalence of epilepsy is highest in low- and lower middle-income countries according to the World Health Organization.1 Symptomatic epilepsy may be more common due to greater incidence rates of obstetrical complications, perinatal conditions, neurocysticercosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and traumatic brain injuries. In sub-Saharan Africa, many countries have a treatment gap approaching 100%, indicating an absence of health investments, both domestic and external (nongovernmental and official development assistance), to support epilepsy diagnosis, care, and treatment.4,5
Stream power influence on southern Californian riparian vegetation

Abstract. Mechanical damage by floodwaters is frequently invoked to explain the distribution of riparian plant species, but data have been lacking to relate vegetation to specific estimates of flood damage potential. This research uses detailed estimates of unit stream power (an appropriate measure of the potential for mechanical damage) in conjunction with vegetation cover data to test this relationship at 37 valley-bottom sites in the Transverse Ranges of Southern California. A computer program, HEC-2, was used to model the slope and the variation in flow depth and velocity of the 20-yr flood across the sites. Regression models tested the influence of stream power (and of height above the water table) on the woody species composition of 393 4-m cross-section segments of the valley-bottom sites. Results indicate that unit stream power does have a significant effect on the riparian vegetation, but that the amount of that influence and its importance relative to the influence of height above the water table varies between watersheds. Some species are found primarily in locations of high stream power, while others are limited to portions of the valley bottom that experience only low stream power.
Toxicity of clay flocculation of the toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, to estuarine invertebrates and fish

Abstract The environmental effects of clay flocculation used to remove red tide dinoflagellate blooms from the water column are relatively unknown on benthic organisms. The primary objective of this study was to determine the laboratory-derived toxicities of clay flocculation of the toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, for four common estuarine test species. Phosphatic clay mixed with a coagulant (polyaluminum hydroxy chloride (PAC)) was not acutely or chronically toxic in most cases to infaunal amphipods (Leptocheirus plumulosus and Ampelisca abdita), grass shrimp embryos (Palaemonetes pugio) and larval sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus). K. brevis alone (density range = 3880–5060 cells ml−1; brevetoxin (Btx) range = 19.8–140.7 μg l−1) was very toxic to C. variegatus and, to a lesser extent, L. plumulosus. The addition of clay–coagulant did not usually reduce this toxicity. The combination of clay, coagulant and K. brevis cells when settled over a natural sediment were usually as toxic to the benthic test species as K. brevis alone. This result suggests that clay flocculation of K. brevis blooms will neither increase, nor decrease toxicity to benthic organisms relative to that attributable to an untreated bloom. Validation of this conclusion, however, is required since it is based on laboratory-derived, single species toxicity data using media collected from a simulated red tide event. The determination of environmental effects on indigenous benthic biota in near-coastal areas during a natural red tide event, prior to and after treatment with clay flocculation, would provide the perspective needed for a more realistic hazard assessment of this possible control procedure.
The loss of phytochrome photoreversibility in vitro : II. Properties of killer and its reaction with phytochrome.

“Killer”, a substance extracted from stem tissue of etiolated pea seedlings (Pisum sativum L. v. Alaska), interacts specifically with the far-red-absorbing form of phytochrome (Pfr) in vitro in a temperature-independent, rapid, stoichiometric fashion to cause a loss of phytochrome photoreversibility. The chromatographic, solubility, and spectral properties of partially purified fractions indicate that Killer is a cyclic, unsaturated molecule containing ionizible hydroxyl groups; its molecular weight is unknown, although probably low. Possible mechanisms by which the Killer-phytochrome interaction results in the loss of photoreversibility are discussed.
First term probation: models for identifying high risk students

EC 2000 has heightened awareness among engineering faculty about the importance of student retention, especially the retention of first-year students. Previous research found that students placed on academic probation after their first term have a high probability of leaving engineering prior to graduation. Using five years of data, we examine the influence of the student's initial preparedness, attitude toward his/her chosen career, and self-assessed confidence in areas such as study habits and communication skills, on first term probation and retention. Logistic regression approaches were used to develop models that have enabled us to determine the factors that most influence first term probation and to better identify students who require early interventions if they are going to successfully complete the engineering curriculum.
Slow development of ALS-like spinal cord pathology in mutant valosin-containing protein gene knock-in mice

Pathological features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) include, in addition to selective motor neuron (MN) degeneration, the occurrence of protein aggregates, mitochondrial dysfunction and astrogliosis. SOD1 mutations cause rare familial forms of ALS and have provided the most widely studied animal models. Relatively recent studies implicating another protein, TDP-43, in familial and sporadic forms of ALS have led to the development of new animal models. More recently, mutations in the valosin-containing protein (VCP) gene linked to the human genetic disease, Inclusion Body Myopathy associated with Paget's disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD), were found also to be associated with ALS in some patients. A heterozygous knock-in VCP mouse model of IBMPFD (VCP(R155H/+)) exhibited muscle, bone and brain pathology characteristic of the human disease. We have undertaken studies of spinal cord pathology in VCP(R155H/+) mice and find age-dependent degeneration of ventral horn MNs, TDP-43-positive cytosolic inclusions, mitochondrial aggregation and progressive astrogliosis. Aged animals (~24-27 months) show electromyography evidence of denervation consistent with the observed MN loss. Although these animals do not develop rapidly progressive fatal ALS-like disease during their lifespans, they recapitulate key pathological features of both human disease and other animal models of ALS, and may provide a valuable new model for studying events preceding onset of catastrophic disease.
Differentiating intervention strategies for primary and secondary trauma in post-traumatic stress disorder: The example of Vietnam veterans

A model of treatment of PTSD is presented. Two central psychological issues are addressed: (1) the conflict between ego forces oriented toward recalling and assimilating the traumatic material (thereby achieving ego integration) versus ego forces oriented toward repressing and avoiding the reexperience of the trauma (thereby defending against ego disintegration); and (2) the loss of self-cohesion which results from the breakdown between the trauma survivor's self and his social milieu. Clinicians are advised to use two different theoretical orientations (ego psychological and self psychological) in treating these two basic issues. The concepts of primary and secondary trauma refer to the initial traumatic experience and the subsequent breakdown in the relationship between the survivor and his social environment and are offered as tools for distinguishing which issue is uppermost in the patient's material at any given time.
The development of a real-time port information system

A port information system was developed for Tampa Bay, FL, that provides data in real time. Current, water level, and weather systems measure various parameters from around the bay and report at 6-min intervals via a packet-modern-controlled telemetry system. A central receiving station and data acquisition system process the data and make it available in various formats. A voice data response system provides immediate access to the data via touchtone telephone. A voice processor is used to compose phrases that provide a user with environmental information based on the selection made from the voice menu. The design and development of all aspects of the system are described. This system has proven to be a valuable asset to the local and regional marine community, providing information for safe navigation, oil spills, search and rescue, fishing, and existing weather conditions. >
Involvement of sphingomyelinase in insulin-induced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation.

SPECIFIC AIMThismanuscript aims to elucidate the mechanism by which insulin activates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3 kinase), especially the role of sphingomyelinase (SMase) in insulin-induced PI-3 kinase activation.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS1. Induction of PI-3 kinase activation by insulin, C2-ceramide, or PCho in mouse epidermal JB6 cellsTo determine the possible role of SMase and its products in PI-3 kinase activation, we exposed JB6 cells to either C2-ceramide or PCho. Both C2-ceramide and PCho induced strong activation of PI-3 kinase in JB6 cells. The induction of PI-3 kinase activity by C2-ceramide or PCho was blocked by either pretreatment of cells with wortmannin or by overexpression of the dominant negative mutant of PI-3 kinase (ΔP85).2. Insulin induces PI-3 kinase activation in normal JY lymphoblasts, but not in SMase-deficient MS1418 lymphoblastsTo investigate the role of SMase in insulin-induced PI-3 kinase activation, we exposed both EBV-transformed normal lymphoblasts (JY) and SMase-deficient ...
A stochastic weighted MMSE approach to sum rate maximization for a MIMO interference channel

Consider a multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) interference channel with partial channel state information (CSI) whereby the CSI is known only for some (or none) of the links, while the statistical knowledge is known for the remaining links. In this work, we consider the linear transceiver design problem for such an interference channel with partial CSI by maximizing the average long term sum-rate of the system. We propose an efficient stochastic sum-rate maximization algorithm based on the iterative optimization of the ensemble average of the sum rate utility function. The proposed algorithm can use the statistical knowledge of the links whenever the actual CSI is not available and is guaranteed to converge to the set of stationary points of the stochastic sum-rate maximization problem almost surely. The effectiveness and the efficiency of the proposed algorithm are validated via numerical experiments.
Depression in autistic disorder

Depressive illness in a patient with Down's syndrome and autism responded to fluoxetine. The importance of diagnosing superimposed depression in people with developmental disorders is emphasised.
Trends in treated ventricular fibrillation out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a 17-year population-based study.

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to describe the trends of ventricular fibrillation (VF) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Rochester, Minnesota, since 1985 and to determine coexistent trends in implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) placement and termination of potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias that might explain, at least in part, a declining incidence trend. Background The incidence of VF out-of-hospital cardiac arrest treated by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel has declined over the past decade. Because VF out-of-hospital cardiac arrest occurs primarily in the setting of severe coronary artery disease, primary and secondary prevention strategies may account in part for the decline. In particular, ICD use in large primary and secondary prevention clinical trials in patients at high risk of sudden death has demonstrated that these devices improve survival. Methods All residents of the City of Rochester, Minnesota, who presented with a VF out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from 1985 to 2002, identified and treated by EMS, were included in the study. In addition, residents of the City of Rochester who received their first ICD implant from 1989 to 2002 were identified. From the ICD records, general demographics, etiology of heart disease, comorbid medical disease, and indication for ICD placement were abstracted. Follow-up data obtained from this population included ICD shocks, the underlying rhythm disturbance, and death. Results The overall incidence of EMS-treated VF out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Rochester during the study period was 17.1 per 100,000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 15.1–19.4]. The incidence has decreased significantly (P Conclusions The incidence of VF out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is declining. In contrast, the rates of ICD placement and ICD termination of ventricular tachycardia or VF are markedly increasing. Sudden death preventive strategies are multifactorial. These observations suggest that ICD termination of potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias may contribute to the lower incidence of VF out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.