cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neural Net and Discrete Event Simulations of C2 Performance in Army TOCs

This project examines command and control (C2) from a system level viewpoint to study the way Tactical Operations Centers (TOC's) operate and then translates those observations into validated computer simulations using a methodological framework. This approach provides the ability to model TOC operations in a way that not only includes the individuals, work groups and teams in it, but also all of the other hardware and software systems and subsystems and human-system interfaces that comprise it as well as the facilities and environmental conditions that surround it. Datamining procedures, including neural network simulation, are used to screen raw data from naturalistic observation of TOC operations to identify significant relationships for follow-on analysis. Discrete event simulations then utilize mathematical relationships from the neural network analysis to describe TOC operations in a way that can be used for evaluations of new and proposed TOC Systems. The intent of this project is to develop a fram...
Comments on reconstruction algorithms

Many methods have been proposed for reconstructing the electrical conductivity and permittivity inside a body from measurements made on the body's surface. We outline several of the different approaches and then describe in more detail some of the methods we have used to make images in two and three dimensions.
Inborn Errors of Development: The Molecular Basis of Clinical Disorders of Morphogenesis.

Embryology and dysmorphology have evolved from descriptive sciences to molecular genetics endeavors. This book is first in making the leap from a classic catalog of malformations, syndromes, sequences, and associations to an organized approach to molecular analysis of patterns of morphogenesis. As we discover more about the intricate pathways of development, I expect any future editions of this text to expand to two or more volumes, similar to the expansion of The Metabolic and Molecular Bases of Inherited Disease.
Young and elderly adults' perceptions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised.

Because little information exists on examinees' perceptions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), this study was designed to assess such perceptions in two groups: young adults (n = 50, age 18–25 years) and elderly adults (n = 46, age 65–96 years). Each participant completed the WAIS-R followed by an opinion questionnaire. Both groups gave positive ratings overall. However, elderly participants rated the WAIS-R more positively than young participants both globally and on six of the eleven subtests. These findings suggest that the WAIS-R is viewed favorably by most examinees, particularly elderly adults. Implications for practitioners are presented. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 56: 821–827, 2000.
NiFe-oxide electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction on Ti doped hematite photoelectrodes

Nickel iron binary oxide electrocatalysts prepared from different precursors were evaluated to facilitate the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on semiconducting metal-oxide photoelectrodes. The electrocatalysts deposited from Ni(II) and Ni(II)Fe(II) precursors had the highest activity for OER, however, their presence on the surface of the Ti doped hematite photoelectrode decreased the incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) of the photoelectrode for water splitting in an alkaline electrolyte. In contrast, the NiFe-oxide deposited from the Ni(II)-Fe(III) precursor which had a lower OER activity was found to increase the IPCE of the photoelectrode by as much as a factor of 5.
Isotopic evidence of Cr partitioning into Earth's core.

The distribution of chemical elements in primitive meteorites (chondrites), as building blocks of terrestrial planets, provides insight into the formation and early differentiation of Earth. The processes that resulted in the depletion of some elements [such as chromium (Cr)] in the bulk silicate Earth relative to chondrites, however, remain debated between leading candidate causes: volatility versus core partitioning. We show through high-precision measurements of Cr stable isotopes in a range of meteorites, which deviate by up to ~0.4 per mil from those of the bulk silicate Earth, that Cr depletion resulted from its partitioning into Earth’s core, with a preferential enrichment in light isotopes. Ab initio calculations suggest that the isotopic signature was established at mid-mantle magma ocean depth as Earth accreted planetary embryos and progressively became more oxidized.
Development and characterization of a high-throughput system for assessing cell-surface receptor-ligand engagement.

A nonfouling interfacial interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) of poly(acrylamide-co-ethylene glycol/acrylic acid) [p(AAm-co-EG/AAc)] was grafted to polystyrene for use as a novel platform for the development of high-throughput assays for screening of specific bimolecular interactions (i.e., receptor−ligand engagement). For the development of the IPN, a water-soluble hydrogen-abstracting photoinitiator was investigated: (4-benzoylbenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride. IPN-modified polystyrene surfaces were characterized using XPS, contact angle goniometry, and protein adsorption analysis. These IPN surfaces minimized fibrinogen adsorption compared to tissue culture polystyrene (>96% reduction), prevented mammalian cell adhesion, and served as nonfouling surfaces to graft biological ligands. For bimolecular interaction studies, a model peptide ligand from bone sialoprotein (Ac-CGGNGEPRGDTYRAY-NH2) was grafted to p(AAm-co-EG/AAc) via a 3400 Mw linear pEG spacer. Ligand density measurements, cell culture, and ...
Environmental Predictors of Drinking and Drinking-Related Problems in Young Adults

We examined relationships among drinking norms, peer alcohol use, alcohol availability, drinking location, alcohol consumption, and drinking-related problems among young adult drinkers. The specific objectives of our study were to assess the relative contribution of normative and physical environmental factors to drinking and drinking consequences. Subjects were 3,095 young adults, aged eighteen to twenty years old who participated in the Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol Project baseline survey. Alcohol consumption (i.e., number of drinks on the last occasion) and drinking consequences served as dependent variables. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of alcohol consumption, and logistic regression was employed to identify predictors of drinking consequences. Drinking norms and peer alcohol use were positively related to alcohol consumption and to drinking consequences. Drinking in a public setting was positively related to alcohol consumption, but not to drinking-related problems. Findings suggest that policies and programs that alter the normative and physical environment surrounding drinking may reduce alcohol consumption and subsequent problems in young adults.
ENLIST Micros: Training Science Teachers to Use Microcomputers

A National Science Foundation grant to the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) at The Colorado College supported the design and production of training materials to encourage literacy of science teachers in the use of microcomputers. ENLIST Micros is based on results of a national needs assessment that identified 22 compentencies needed by K–12 science teachers to use microcomputers for instruction. A writing team developed the 16-hour training program in the summer of 1985, and field-test coordinators tested it with 18 preservice or in-service groups during the 1985–86 academic year at 15 sites within the United States. The training materials consist of video programs, interactive computer disks for the Apple II series microcomputer, a training manual for participants, and a guide for the group leader. The experimental materials address major areas of educational computing: awareness, applications, implementation, evaluation, and resources. Each chapter contains activities developed for this program, such as viewing video segments of science teachers who are using computers effectively and running commercial science and training courseware. Role playing and small-group interaction help the teachers overcome their reluctance to use computers and plan for effective implementation of microcomputers in the school. This study examines the implementation of educational computing among 47 science teachers who completed the ENLIST Micros training at a southern university. We present results of formative evaluation for that site. Results indicate that both elementary and secondary teachers benefit from the training program and demonstrate gains in attitudes toward computer use. Participating teachers said that the program met its stated objectives and helped them obtain needed skills. Only 33 percent of these teachers, however, reported using computers one year after the training. In June 1986, the BSCS initiated a follow up to the ENLIST Micros curriculum to develop, evaluate, and disseminate a complete model of teacher enhancement for educational computing in the sciences. In that project, we use the ENLIST Micros curriculum as the first step in a training process. The project includes seminars that introduce additional skills: It contains provisions for sharing among participants, monitors use of computers in participants' classrooms, provides structured coaching of participants' use of computers in their classrooms, and offers planned observations of peers using computers in their science teaching.
A Miniature Stem Thermocouple Hygrometer

An unprotected chromel-constantan thermocouple was mounted in a cavity (4 × 2 × 1 mm) with rounded corners in a chrome-plated brass block (10 × 6 × 4 mm). When installed against a soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) xylem face, sealed with caulking gum, and insulated with polyurethane foam and aluminum foil, even rapidly changing stem water potentials could be followed accurately. Temperature gradients can be a problem.
Paleoenvironmental history of submerged ruins on the Northern Euboean gulf coastal plain, central Greece

Hewn blocks from submerged ruins associated with the name Thronion are exposed during low, low tide along the northeastern shoreline of the fan delta which separates the Gulf of Euboea from the Maliakos Gulf, central Greece. Although the date of these ruins is not known, their submergence indicates that they predate the most recent marine transgression. Late Holocene sediments of the coastal plain adjacent to the ruins were studied using 34 auger cores drilled along two 1.3 and 1.1 km shore-normal sections. Cores were described in the field and sampled for sedimentologic and microfossil analyses. These analyses show that late Holocene transgressive marine and strandline units interfinger inland with deposits of a brackish water embayment. Subsequent progradation of the shoreline is marked by overlying slightly brackish to freshwater marsh sediments. A soil horizon developed on these marsh sediments defines a period of aerial exposure and land stability. Late Roman to Byzantine sherds (ca. 4th-13th Century A.D.) within the buried soil and a high phosphate content suggest that this soil developed in association with human habitation. the buried soil may be the surface on which the now-submerged ruins were built. the deposits below the buried soil indicate that prior to the period of soil formation, most of this area was under water and the paleoshoreline was landward of its present position. the ruins were later covered by lake or marsh deposits radiocarbon dated as 1400 A.D. the depth of the dated wood samples, 2.5–3.0 meters below the surface, indicates rapid sediment accumulation (ca. 40–55 cm/100 yrs) over the past 550 years. A small exposure of the ca. 1400 A.D. marsh silt and overlying post-1950 land fill near the ruins is the result of post-1400 A.D. erosion and recession of the shoreline. the lower pre-occupational and post-1400 A.D. transgressions were caused by a combination of eustatic sea level rise, tectonic subsidence, and fluctuations of sediment supply to this portion of the Kenourion fan delta.
Yeast chitin synthases 1 and 2 consist of a non-homologous and dispensable N-terminal region and of a homologous moiety essential for function

Predicted protein sequences of fungal chitin synthases can be divided into a non-homologous N-terminal region and a C-terminal region that shows significant homology among the various synthases. We have explored the function of these domains by constructing a series of nested deletions, extending from either end, in the CHS1 and CHS2 genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In both cases, most or all of the sequences encoding the non-homologous N-terminal region (one-third of the protein for Chs1p and about one-fourth for Chs2p) could be excised, with little effect on the enzymatic activity in vitro of the corresponding synthase or on its function in vivo. However, further small deletions (20-25 amino acids) into the homologous region were deleterious to enzymatic activity and function, and often led to changes in the zymogenic character of the enzymes. Similarly, relatively small (about 75 amino acids) deletions from the C-terminus resulted in loss of enzymatic activity and function of both synthases. Thus, it appears that all the information necessary for membrane localization, enzymatic activity and function resides in the homologous regions of Chs1p and Chs2p, a situation that may also apply to other chitin synthases.
Total Synthesis of the Gene for an Alanine Transfer Ribonucleic Acid from Yeast

By exploiting the natural ability of polynucleotides to align by base pairing and using polynucleotide kinase and ligase, chemically synthesized segments have been combined into a double stranded DNA corresponding to the gene for the earliest characterized tRNA.
Binding sites for inositol trisphosphate in the bovine adrenal cortex

Binding sites for inositol trisphosphate (IP3) have been identified in bovine adrenal cortex, employing [32P]IP3 prepared from human erythrocytes radiolabeled with [32P]ATP. IP3 was bound to adrenal microsomes with high affinity (Kd = 5 nM) and low capacity (186 fmol/mg protein). During kinetic studies, half-maximal binding was reached in less than one min at 4 degrees C, and dissociation was even more rapid with t1/2 of about 10 sec. [32P]IP2 showed no binding to the microsomal sites, which represent putative receptors at which IP3 acts to elevate intracellular calcium concentration during the actions of peptide hormones such as angiotensin II.
The relationships between land use measures and travel behavior: a meta-analytic approach

Abstract From a review of the literature on residential self-selection and spatial multicollinearity, this paper identifies the relationships that travel behavior has with three factors: land use, sociodemographics, and attitudes. It then analyzes the magnitude of the land use–travel behavior relationship by testing two meta-regression models. Each model specifies: (1) residential self-selection as a sociodemographic or attitudinal confounding factor in the land use–travel behavior relationship; and (2) spatial multicollinearity as a land use confounding variable. The first model shows that the land use factor is related to travel behavior more strongly than is residential self-selection. The second model finds that, among land use variables, accessibility to regional centers is most strongly related to travel behavior. Depending on the accessibility–travel behavior relationship, other land use variables are conditionally related to travel behavior. This finding implies that accessibility represents the o...
The Docking of Primed Vacuoles Can Be Reversibly Arrested by Excess Sec17p (α-SNAP)

Homotypic vacuole fusion occurs in ordered stages of priming, docking, and fusion. Priming, which prepares vacuoles for productive association, requires Sec17p (the yeast homolog of alpha-SNAP), Sec18p (the yeast NSF, an ATP-driven chaperone), and ATP. Sec17p is initially an integral part of the cis-SNARE complex together with vacuolar SNARE proteins and Sec18p (NSF). Previous studies have shown that Sec17p is rapidly released from the vacuole membrane during priming as the cis-SNARE complex is disassembled, but the order and causal relationship of these subreactions has not been known. We now report that the addition of excess recombinant his(6)-Sec17p to primed vacuoles can block subsequent docking. This inhibition is reversible by Sec18p, but the reaction cannot proceed to the tethering and trans-SNARE pairing steps of docking while the Sec17p block is in place. Once docking has occurred, excess Sec17p does not inhibit membrane fusion per se. Incubation of cells with thermosensitive Sec17-1p at nonpermissive temperature causes SNARE complex disassembly. These data suggest that Sec17p can stabilize vacuolar cis-SNARE complexes and that the release of Sec17p by Sec18p and ATP allows disassembly of this complex and activates its components for docking.
Combined colonoscopy and endometrial biopsy cancer screening results in women with Lynch syndrome

Objective Endometrial biopsy (EMBx) and colonoscopy performed under the same sedation is termed combined screening and has been shown to be feasible and to provide a less painful and more satisfactory experience for women with Lynch syndrome (LS). However, clinical results of these screening efforts have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes and patient compliance with serial screenings over the last 10.5 years.
What is the deficit in phonological processing deficits: Auditory sensitivity, masking, or category formation?

Although children with language impairments, including those associated with reading, usually demonstrate deficits in phonological processing, there is minimal agreement as to the source of those deficits. This study examined two problems hypothesized to be possible sources: either poor auditory sensitivity to speech-relevant acoustic properties, mainly formant transitions, or enhanced masking of those properties. Adults and 8-year-olds with and without phonological processing deficits (PPD) participated. Children with PPD demonstrated weaker abilities than children with typical language development (TLD) in reading, sentence recall, and phonological awareness. Dependent measures were word recognition, discrimination of spectral glides, and phonetic judgments based on spectral and temporal cues. All tasks were conducted in quiet and in noise. Children with PPD showed neither poorer auditory sensitivity nor greater masking than adults and children with TLD, but they did demonstrate an unanticipated deficit in category formation for nonspeech sounds. These results suggest that these children may have an underlying deficit in perceptually organizing sensory information to form coherent categories.
An S/T-Q cluster domain census unveils new putative targets under Tel1/Mec1 control

The cellular response to DNA damage is immediate and highly coordinated in order to maintain genome integrity and proper cell division. During the DNA damage response (DDR), the sensor kinases Tel1 and Mec1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and ATM and ATR in human, phosphorylate multiple mediators which activate effector proteins to initiate cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair. A subset of kinase substrates are recognized by the S/T-Q cluster domain (SCD), which contains motifs of serine (S) or threonine (T) followed by a glutamine (Q). However, the full repertoire of proteins and pathways controlled by Tel1 and Mec1 is unknown. To identify all putative SCD-containing proteins, we analyzed the distribution of S/T-Q motifs within verified Tel1/Mec1 targets and arrived at a unifying SCD definition of at least 3 S/T-Q within a stretch of 50 residues. This new SCD definition was used in a custom bioinformatics pipeline to generate a census of SCD-containing proteins in both yeast and human. In yeast, 436 proteins were identified, a significantly larger number of hits than were expected by chance. These SCD-containing proteins did not distribute equally across GO-ontology terms, but were significantly enriched for those involved in processes related to the DDR. We also found a significant enrichment of proteins involved in telophase and cytokinesis, protein transport and endocytosis suggesting possible novel Tel1/Mec1 targets in these pathways. In the human proteome, a wide range of similar proteins were identified, including homologs of some SCD-containing proteins found in yeast. This list also included high concentrations of proteins in the Mediator, spindle pole body/centrosome and actin cytoskeleton complexes. Using a bioinformatic approach, we have generated a census of SCD-containing proteins that are involved not only in known DDR pathways but several other pathways under Tel1/Mec1 control suggesting new putative targets for these kinases.
Expression of extracellular matrix components is regulated by substratum

Reconstituted basement membranes and extracellular matrices have been demonstrated to affect, positively and dramatically, the production of milk proteins in cultured mammary epithelial cells. Here we show that both the expression and the deposition of extracellular matrix components themselves are regulated by substratum. The steady-state levels of the laminin, type IV collagen, and fibronectin mRNAs in mammary epithelial cells cultured on plastic dishes and on type I collagen gels have been examined, as has the ability of these cells to synthesize, secrete, and deposit laminin and other, extracellular matrix proteins. We demonstrate de novo synthesis of a basement membrane by cells cultured on type I collagen gels which have been floated into the medium. Expression of the mRNA and proteins of basement membranes, however, are quite low in these cultures. In contrast, the levels of laminin, type IV collagen, and fibronectin mRNAs are highest in cells cultured on plastic surfaces, where no basement membrane is deposited. It is suggested that the interaction between epithelial cells and both basement membrane and stromally derived matrices exerts a negative influence on the expression of mRNA for extracellular matrix components. In addition, we show that the capacity for lactational differentiation correlates with conditions that favor the deposition of a continuous basement membrane, and argue that the interaction between specialized epithelial cells and stroma enables them to create their own microenvironment for accurate signal transduction and phenotypic function.
On Shortest Paths Amidst Convex Polyhedra

We consider the problem of computing the Euclidean shortest path between two points in three-dimensional space which must avoid the interiors of k given disjoint convex polyhedral obstacles, having altogether n faces. Although this problem is hard to solve when k is arbitrarily large, it had been efficiently solved by Mount [Mo84] (cf. also Sharir and Schorr [SS84]) for k = 1, i.e. in the presence of a single convex polyhedral obstacle, in time O(n2log n). In this paper we consider the generalization of this technique to the cases k = 2 and k > 2. In the first part of this presentation we describe an algorithm which calculates shortest paths amidst two convex polyhedral obstacles in time O(n3a(n)O(a(n)7)log n), where a(n) is the functional inverse of Ackermann's function (and is thus extremely slowly growing). This result is achieved by constructing a new kind of Voronoi diagram, called peeper's Voronoi diagram, which is introduced and analyzed here. In the second part we show that shortest paths amidst k > 2 disjoint convex polyhedral obstacles can be calculated in time polynomial in the total number n of faces of these obstacles (but exponential in the number of obstacles). This is a consequence of the following result: Let K be a 3-D convex polyhedron having n vertices. Then the number of shortest-path edge sequences on K is polynomial in n (specifically O(n7)), where a shortest-path edge sequence x is a sequence of edges of K for which there exist two points X, Y on the surface S of K such that x is the sequence of edges crossed by the shortest path from X to Y along S.
On Wilson, Regionalism, and the Decline of Fieldwork in Human Geography

(1990). On Wilson, Regionalism, and the Decline of Fieldwork in Human Geography. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 221-223.
On the absolute calibration of a DT fusion neutron yield diagnostic.

Recent advances in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) have underscored the need for accurate total yield measurements of DT neutrons because yield measurements provide a measure of the predicted performance of the experiments. Future gas-puff DT experiments at Sandia National Laboratory's Z facility will also require similar measurements. For ICF DT experiments, the standard technique for measuring the neutron (14.1MeV) yield, counts the activity (counts/minute) induced in irradiated copper samples. This activity occurs by the 63 Cu(n,2n) 62 Cu reaction where 62 Cu decays by positrons ( +) with a half-life of 9.67 minutes. The calibrations discussed here employ the associated-particle method (APM), where the ( 4 He) particles from the T(d,n) 4 He reaction are measured to infer neutron fluxes on a copper sample. The flux induces 62 Cu activity, measured in a coincidence counting system. The method leads to a relationship between a DT neutron yield and copper activity known as the F-factor. The goal in future experiments is to apply this calibration to measure the yield at NIF with a combined uncertainty approaching 5%.
Dietary glycemic index and load in relation to cardiovascular disease risk factors in Cuban American population

Objective To examine whether dietary glycemic index (GI) or glycemic load (GL) had an effect on the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and whether the effects were dependent on the diabetes status in the Cuban American population.Design A case–control, single-time-point study.Methods A total of 324 middle-aged Cuban American adults had completed data on fasting blood lipids, physical activity level and usual dietary intake using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Published GI values were assigned to food items and average dietary GI and GL were calculated per participant.Results Subjects without type 2 diabetes (T2D) were 3.3 times more likely to be in the recommended, highest high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol category if they were in the second dietary GL tertile as compared with those in the first dietary GL tertile (P = 0.042, 95% confidence interval = 1.94, 10.78).Conclusions The results of the present study suggest that in this sample of Cuban Americans a high GI or GL diet do not ad...
Embryonic mouse pre‐metatarsal development in organ culture

Embryonic mouse pre-metatarsals were removed from embryos at 13 days of gestation and cultured in a defined, serum-free medium for up to 15 days. By histological analysis, we observe that the cultured pre-metatarsal tissue undergoes a similar developmental profile as pre-metatarsals growing normally in vivo. The initial mesenchyme condensation regions undergo differentiation and morphogenesis to form distinct rods made up of cartilage tissue. A marker of this differentiation step is the synthesis of type II collagen. Metabolic labelling, pepsin digestion, SDS-PAGE, and autoradiography were used to demonstrate this protein when cartilage tissue is present in the cultures. After additional culture time, terminal chondrocyte differentiation and morphogenesis take place in specific regions of the cartilage rods to form bands of hypertrophied chondrocytes. One marker of this differentiation step is the synthesis of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase. We have measured the activity of this enzyme throughout the culture period and see a substantial increase at the time of terminal chondrocyte differentiation. Another feature of hypertrophied chondrocytes is that the matrix around the cells becomes calcified. Calcified matrix in our cultured pre-metatarsals was visualized by staining with alizarin red. By supplementing the defined culture medium with ITS, we observed that terminal chondrocyte differentiation took place in a shorter culture time. Supplementation of the medium with serum results in a similar acceleration of terminal differentiation, and, with additional culture time, an osteoid-like matrix forms around the central region of the rods.
Soft tissue reconstruction for the heel and plantar foot

Soft tissue resurfacing after the ravages of injury or disease continues to be a formidable problem. A thorough understanding of the biomechanics of ambulation and the way in which weight is distributed over the sole of the foot is key to successful outcomes. Soft tissue repair has evolved from the simple filling of holes to a much more sophisticated approach. A plantar-grade foot that distributes the patient's weight in a uniform manner should be the goal. If this can be done without increasing the energy expenditure of ambulation, then surgeons certainly have done our patients an excellent service. Surgeons must not overlook the tendon imbalances and bony deformities that can accompany the effects of disease or trauma. The more complex soft tissue repair may not always be in the patient's best interests. Surgeons should use the simplest approach that can restore the limb to as close to its preinjury level of function as possible. A coordinated approach with plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, and podiatric surgery should be the standard of care for patients requiring plantar soft tissue repair.
Solution to a 300-year-old zoological mystery: the case of Thomas Bartholin's merman

In 1654 Dutch anatomist Thomas Bartholin published an illustration of a skeletal forelimb and a rib from an animal that had been caught off the coast of Brazil. Bartholin identified the specimen as a merman. Subsequent authors have hypothesized that it was a human with sirenomelia (fused legs). However, it is now acknowledged that mer-people are mythical and the drawing of the specimen does not match expected morphology for a human with sirenomelia. Until now, therefore, the correct identity of the specimen has remained unknown. Bartholin gave details on the specimen's size and added that before it was skeletonized the fingers were joined by a common membrane. We therefore compared Bartholin's illustration with the forelimb skeletons of west Atlantic marine animals of appropriate size in which the fingers are embedded in a flipper. The morphology of the specimen matches that of a manatee (Trichechus sp.) and is significantly different from that of the Caribbean monk seal (Monachus tropicalis) and from tho...
The loss of Mcl-1 expression in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes promotes apoptosis.

The regulation of polymorphonuclear leukoctye (PMN) apoptosis can influence the dura- tion of the inflammatory response. We have previ- ously shown that PMN apoptosis is delayed by ma- trix adhesion and hypoxia; however, the mecha- nisms responsible for this delay are not well understood. Mcl-1, an antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family member, is present in neutrophils; therefore, we sought to characterize its localization and function as it relates to PMN apoptosis. We found that Mcl-1 localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm and that expression levels decreased as PMN were aged in culture. Reducing available Mcl-1 through the use of antisense oligonucleotides demonstrated that Mcl-1 is necessary to delay apoptosis during nor- mal PMN aging and hypoxia but is not required for suppression of apoptosis by laminin adhesion. Our results demonstrate a distinct expression pattern of Mcl-1 and that Mcl-1 is crucial for the delay of apoptosis initiated by certain antiapoptotic factors. J. Leukoc. Biol. 68: 158-166; 2000.
Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Asthma: Effect of Atopy at Ages 5-6 yrs in an Urban Birth Cohort

L8 Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Asthma: Effect of Atopy at Ages 5-6 yrs in an Urban Birth Cohort K. Jung, S. Hsu, K. Moors, K. Bernabe, B. Yan, S. N. Chillrud, R. Whyatt, M. Perzanowski, L. Hoepner, I. Goldstein, B. Zhang, D. Camann, P. L. Kinney, F. P. Perera, R. L. Miller; Columbia University, New York, NY, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, Division of Pulmonary, New York, NY. RATIONALE: Research suggests that exposure to traffic-related air pollutants may induce or trigger asthma. However, the combined effects of prenatal and early postnatal individual exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on respiratory outcomes have not been examined. We hypothesized that exposure to PAHs, and pyrene specifically, would be differentially associated with asthma among atopic and non-atopic children. METHODS: Prenatal PAH exposure was assessed by personal air monitoring over 48-hrs and postnatal PAH exposure by two-week residential indoor monitoring between ages 5/6 in the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health birth cohort. PAH was dichotomized into +8PAHnonvolatile (MW 228-278) and pyrene. High PAH exposure group was defined as high-prenatal (upper 50%) and high-postnatal (upper 50%) exposure and compared to the rest of groups (Low-low, low-high, and high-low). Asthma was defined by validated questionnaires. Children with any indoor allergen specific IgE >_ 0.35 IU/ml were considered atopic. RESULTS: Among non-atopic children (n 5 152), a positive association between high pyrene levels and current asthma (OR 3.01, p5 0.017, 95% CI[1.2-7.5]) and emergency room visits (OR 2.50, p5 0.038, 95%CI[1.055.9]) was obtained in logistic regression analyses. Also among non-atopic children, an inverse association was found between high +8PAHnonvolatile exposure and current asthma (OR 0.31, p 5 0.033, 95%CI[0.11-0.91]) and wheeze (OR 0.24, p5 0.005, 95%CI[0.09-0.67]). Among atopic children (n 5 62), no significant associations were found between pyrene or +8PAHnonvolatile exposure and asthma-related symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Among non-atopic children, high prenatal and postnatal exposure to pyrene was associated with greater odds of asthma-related symptoms, whereas combined prenatal and postnatal S8PAHnonvolatile exposure was associated with lower odds of asthma-related symptoms.
Automatically enhancing locality for tree traversals with traversal splicing

Generally applicable techniques for improving temporal locality in irregular programs, which operate over pointer-based data structures such as trees and graphs, are scarce. Focusing on a subset of irregular programs, namely, tree traversal algorithms like Barnes-Hut and nearest neighbor, previous work has proposed point blocking, a technique analogous to loop tiling in regular programs, to improve locality. However point blocking is highly dependent on point sorting, a technique to reorder points so that consecutive points will have similar traversals. Performing this a priori sort requires an understanding of the semantics of the algorithm and hence highly application specific techniques. In this work, we propose traversal splicing, a new, general, automatic locality optimization for irregular tree traversal codes, that is less sensitive to point order, and hence can deliver substantially better performance, even in the absence of semantic information. For six benchmark algorithms, we show that traversal splicing can deliver single-thread speedups of up to 9.147 (geometric mean: 3.095) over baseline implementations, and up to 4.752 (geometric mean: 2.079) over point-blocked implementations. Further, we show that in many cases, automatically applying traversal splicing to a baseline implementation yields performance that is better than carefully hand-optimized implementations.
Feeding responses of the bivalves Crassostrea gigas and Mytilus trossulus to chemical composition of fresh and aged kelp detritus

The chemical composition of kelps (e.g. poly- phenolics) deters grazing by herbivores, but kelp detritus is potentially a source of nutrition for suspension feed- ers. The effects of kelp detritus derived from two species (Agarum fimbriatum Harvey and Costaria costata (Turner) Saunders) on feedingof oysters, Crassostrea gigas Thunberg, and mussels, Mytilus trossulus Gould, were examined in feedingexperiments. Fresh and ag ed kelp particles were sequentially presented in combina- tion with the microalga Rhodomonas lens at an initial total concentration of 5·10 -4 ml -1 . Aging of kelp parti- cles for 4 days in seawater significantly reduced the concentration of polyphenolics without changing the total carbon or nitrogen content. Clearance rates of both mussels and oysters were significantly lower in the presence of fresh versus aged kelp particles, and clear- ance rates declined overall with decliningpolyphenolic concentrations. Video endoscopy was used to examine feedingselectivity at the level of the gill in oysters in the same food treatments used in the clearance rate experi- ments. Comparison of particle composition in the water versus the pseudofeces in both oysters and mussels was also used as a measure of feedingselectivity. When presented with R. lens in combination with fresh and aged kelp particles selectivity for R. lens tended to be greater against fresh than aged particles, and there was some indication that this was stronger for A. fimbriatum than for C. costata particles. The ability to select was lower at very high polyphenolic concentrations, which may reflect poisoningof sensory bindingsites. These data suggest that bivalves distinguish among particles of varyingchemical composition and respond by chang ing their clearance rates and their selectivity.
Human Rights in Political and Economic Context: Competing Views

The Politics of Human Rights. By Andrew Vincent. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. 272 pp., $35.00 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-199-23897-2). Human Rights in the Global Political Economy: Critical Processes. By Tony Evans. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2010. 232 pp., $59.95 hardback (ISBN-13: 978-1-588-26719-1). Human Rights in the Twentieth Century. Edited by Stefan-Ludwig Hoffmann. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. 366 pp., $28.99 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-521-14257-1). The three books reviewed here nicely demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of the idea of human rights, as well as some of the competing approaches to understanding that vibrant but controversial concept. Andrew Vincent of the University of Sheffield is interested primarily in political theory, Tony Evans of the University of Southampton is interested mostly in political practice, and Stefan-Ludwig Hoffmann of the Center for Research in Contemporary History at Potsdam is interested in cultural, intellectual, and political history. In The Politics of Human Rights , Vincent attacks the notion that human rights are grounded in natural law. Rather he situates human rights in the customary behavior of the “civil state” which he says emerged from 1945 largely as a reaction to genocide. In Human Rights in the Global Political Economy: Critical Processes , Evans, consistent with his other publications, sees the predominance of human rights language since that time mostly as a cover for US hegemony or imperialism, with the emphasis on civil and political rights obscuring exploitation. Hoffmann, after reviewing various versions of the origins of human rights in argumentation and practice, organizes his edited and diffuse volume, Human Rights in the Twentieth Century , around notions of “contested hegemonies” or “political contestations” and the “historical contingency of our normative concepts.” All three agree that human rights norms have importance in international relations. All agree that human rights standards manifest problems and weaknesses. All agree that the development of human rights is fundamentally a matter of politics focused on the importance of the individual, whether viewed singly or in communities. In different ways, all three books reinforce Michael Ignatieff's (2001) pithy interpretation that human rights are a matter of politics and idolatry—a matter of human beings engaging in political struggle to emphasize or worship the value of human beings. …
Single chromosomal abnormalities in Philadelphia-negative chronic myeloproliferative disorders.

BACKGROUND In Philadelphia-negative chronic myeloproliferative disorders (CMPD), increased proliferation with effective maturation of the myeloid lineage is present, while peripheral leukocytosis, thrombocytosis or elevated red blood cell mass are found. This group of disorders includes polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF). Furthermore, cases that cannot be clearly defined are regarded as unclassified CMPD. In Philadelphia-negative CMPD, recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities occur, but no specific abnormality has been defined to date. Chromosomal abnormalities detected in a neoplastic disease as a sole anomaly are of major importance, possibly constituting primary changes implicated in the initiation or progression of the neoplastic process. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and the type of single chromosomal changes in Philadelphia-negative CMPD patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS By conventional cytogenetics, 245 Philadelphia-negative CMPD cases at diagnosis were investigated for the frequency and the type of single chromosomal aberrations. RESULTS Seventeen patients presented single chromosomal changes. These aberrations were, according to frequency, +8 (in 3 PV cases, 2 IMF and 2 unclassified myeloproliferative diseases), +13 in 3 cases (IMF, ET and unclassified myeloproliferative disease), monosomy 10 in 2 PV cases, monosomy 14 in one ET patient, +3, -4 and del(11)(q13) in 1 unclassified myeloproliferative disease each and monosomy 7 in 1 IMF case. CONCLUSION It is unclear whether these abnormalities found at the time of diagnosis play a role in CMPD. However, since an isolated chromosomal abnormality may be implicated in the initiation of the neoplastic process, the documentation of more cases of CMPD with single abnormalities at the time of diagnosis would facilitate the identification of candidate genes involved in the neoplastic process.
Jena: A Framework for Development on the Semantic Web

Part of the previous chapter has presented an overview of available development frameworks you can use. This chapter will focus on Jena as a concrete example as well as our main development environment.
Regulation of recombinant gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) and GABA(C) receptors by protein kinase C.

Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate induced a continuous decrease in the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-activated current amplitude from recombinant GABA receptors (formed by ρ1 or αβγ subunits) expressed inXenopus oocytes. This decline was due to internalization of receptors from the plasma membrane as confirmed by a decrease in surface fluorescence with green fluorescence protein-tagged receptors as well as a concomitant decrease in surface [3H]GABA binding. PMA specifically caused internalization of GABA receptors, but not neuronal acetylcholine receptors (α7 or α4β2), indicating the internalization was not a general, nonspecific phenomenon. Mutation of ρ1 PKC phosphorylation sites, identified by in vitro phosphorylation, did not prevent GABA receptor internalization, nor did coexpression of the ρ1 M3-M4 intracellular loop along with ρ1 GABA receptors. It is likely that PKC-mediated phosphorylation of other proteins, rather than ρ1 itself, was required for the internalization. Both ρ1 and αβγ receptors did not degrade after phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced internalization, but returned to the membrane surface within 24 h. These data suggest internalized receptors can exist in an intracellular compartment that can be delivered back to the plasma membrane. Thus, by regulating GABA receptor surface expression, PKC may play a key role in the regulation of GABA-mediated inhibition.
Resolution and Its Enhancements in Imaging

We present a definition and analysis of the concept of resolution and its enhancement in imaging based on statistical detection and estimation. We also present solutions to the problem of Super-resolution.
Hematological Problems of Renal Failure

Renal failure, whether acute or chronic, adversely affects a number of hematological parameters. Red cell production and destruction, granulocyte and lymphocyte function, platelet function and coagulation are affected to various degrees. These changes result in anemia, and an increased susceptibility to infection and hemorrhage. This chapter will deal primarily with the pathogenesis of the anemia of chronic renal failure, erythropoietin (Epo) metabolism, the treatment of this anemia with recombinant human Epo (epoetin), and the benefits of this therapy. Infection, immunological dysfunction and bleeding disorders are reviewed in Chapters 7B, 8 and 9.
The Perils of Liberalization: Prices, Market Access, and privatization

Restructuring economic institutions spans a broad range of reforms, with myriad combinations favoring or disfavoring various groups, triggering divergent views of its fairness. Each variation may also give the impression that the government is favoring particular groups, and induce people to view themselves or others as unified entities because of what they assume is uniform treatment. This chapter focuses on the fundamental strategies of freeing prices, opening market access, and privatizing sectors previously reserved to the state. Chapter 4 will cover the remaining “macro” aspects of economic strategies—austerity measures, interest rates, tax rates, and exchange rates—that may involve less structural change but nonetheless can have profound impacts on the distribution of benefits and the bases for conflict.
ATP-sensitive potassium transport by pancreatic secretory granule membrane

Electrolyte transport pathways in the pancreatic secretory granules may contribute to acini fluid production after fusion with the apical membrane. A component of this granule transport is a K(+)-selective pathway that has been measured indirectly by ionophore-induced lysis of the isolated secretory granules when suspended in a KCl solution. This granule membrane K+ transport was shown to be inhibited by physiological levels of ATP in a dose-dependent manner and was not reversed by ADP. The sulfonylurea tolbutamide (0.5 mM), a recognized inhibitor of ATP-sensitive K+ channels, also reduced the ionophore-dependent lysis by 46%. The ATP sensitivity of the K+ transport was influenced by pH (increased ATP sensitivity with decreasing pH) and KCl concentration (increased ATP sensitivity with increasing KCl). In addition, preincubation with phospholipase A2 (8.3 x 10(-10) g/ml) or lysophospholipids (6.7 x 10(-7) g/ml) produced a significant decrease in the granule K+ transport. However, it is not likely that this inhibition is due to a change in membrane fluidity, because fluidization with arachidonic acid or octanol did not have a comparable effect. The results then support a granule-associated K+ transport in pancreatic acinar cells and suggest that it is ATP and lysophospholipid sensitive.