cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pension policy in China, Singapore, and South Korea: An assessment of the potential value of the notional defined contribution model

Abstract The rate of population aging is increasing in the developing world and the trend is particularly dramatic in East Asia. One consequence is sharp increases in old-age dependency ratios which have major implications for the sustainability of current public pension schemes. These trends are pushing pension policy experts in many of these countries to search for new pension models that are more suited to the increased demographic pressures they will be facing in the decades ahead. In this article we discuss five alternative public pension models with a focus on the newest of these models, the notional defined contribution (NDC) approach. We consider three countries with very different pension systems in place, two from East Asia (China and South Korea) and one from South East Asia (Singapore). The central question we address is which (if any) of the limitations in these existing models might more adequately be addressed using a variant of the NDC model. We conclude that the NDC model has the most to offer China and the least to offer Singapore.
Bioactivation of the proximal food mutagen 2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (N-OH-PhIP) to DNA-binding species by human mammary gland enzymes

Abstract We have investigated phase II activation of the food-derived mutagen 2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenyl[4,5- b ]pyridine (N-OH-PhIP) by cytosolic acetyltransferase, sulfotransferase, and tRNA synthetase/kinase enzymes from human breast tissue. Cytosol from homogenates of mammary gland tissue obtained from breast-reduction surgery or mastectomy was incubated with and without enzyme-specific cofactors, and mutagen binding to calf thymus DNA was quantified by 32 P-postlabeling. In addition, microsomal fractions of mammary epithelial cells from some individuals were examined for prostaglandin H synthetase activation of N-OH-PhIP. Our results show that all four enzymes can participate in activating N-OH-PhIP, thus inducing PhIP-DNA adduct formation in human mammary cells. However, not all individuals exhibited all these activities; instead each individual showed a combination of one or more activation pathways. The present findings demonstrate that the human mammary gland has the capacity to metabolically activate a dietary mutagen by several enzyme systems, including acetyltransferase, sulfotransferase, tRNA synthetase/kinase, and prostaglandin hydroperoxidase catalysis.
High-Temperature Stability of Cobalt Grafted on Low-Loading Incorporated Mo―MCM-41 Catalyst for Synthesis of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Cobalt metal is a good catalyst for CO disproportionation to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) when particle size is stabilized on the nanometer scale. With reaction temperatures in the range of 973−1123 K, stabilization of nanometer Co particles against sintering requires a chemical bonding and/or occlusion of the Co particles. Catalysts with Co-grafted Mo-incorporated MCM-41 with different Mo loadings (<1 wt %) have been synthesized. Incorporation of Mo cations in the silica framework of MCM-41 provides different species as grafting sites. These grafting sites affect the strength of the metal−support interaction that controls sintering of active Co metal. The stability of Co at high temperature has been investigated by TPR and in situ/ex-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The reduced Co metal particle size, after hydrogen prereduction, is independent of Mo loading. However, the Co particle size after SWNT synthesis is greatly affected by Mo anchoring and varied with loading. The Co particle size of...
Ultrastructure of the vesicular system in rapidly frozen capillary endothelium of the rete mirabile

Abstract Capillaries in the rete mirabile of the eel swim bladder were frozen at liquid helium temperature with a metal-mirror, rapid-freezing device. These were compared to similarly frozen preparations which had been previously fixed with glutaraldehyde. The volume density of endothelial vesicles was three times greater in glutaraldehyde-fixed capillaries than in fresh-frozen capillaries. The number of caveolae per unit of surface membrane was also substantially greater in glutaraldehyde-fixed specimens. No accompanying changes in the total surface membrane or cytoplasmic volume was evident which might account for additional vesicles. Freshly frozen capillaries were characterized by a population of minivesicles (20- to 30-nm diameter) and cisternal cytoplasmic membrane systems which were absent or scarce in glutaraldehyde-fixed capillaries. It is hypothesized that fusion of minivesicles and subdivision of cisternal membrane systems in the presence of glutaraldehyde result in a spurious increase in the endothelial vesicle population. Rapid-freezing thus appears superior to glutaraldehyde fixation in preserving the distribution and form of endothelial vesicles in capillaries.
Tumorigenic Mutations in VHL Disrupt Folding In Vivo by Interfering with Chaperonin Binding.

The eukaryotic chaperonin TRiC/CCT mediates folding of an essential subset of newly synthesized proteins, including the tumor suppressor VHL. Here we show that chaperonin binding is specified by two short hydrophobic beta strands in VHL that, upon folding, become buried within the native structure. These TRiC binding determinants are disrupted by tumor-causing point mutations that interfere with chaperonin association and lead to misfolding. Strikingly, while unable to fold correctly in vivo, some of these VHL mutants can reach the native state when refolded in a chaperonin-independent manner. The specificity of TRiC/CCT for extended hydrophobic beta strands may help explain its role in folding aggregation-prone polypeptides. Our findings reveal a class of disease-causing mutations that inactivate protein function by disrupting chaperone-mediated folding in vivo.
On the intensity distribution function of blazed reflective diffraction gratings

We derive from first principles the expression for the angular/wavelength distribution of the intensity diffracted by a blazed reflective grating, according to a scalar theory of diffraction. We considered the most common case of a groove profile with rectangular apex. Our derivation correctly identifies the geometric parameters of a blazed reflective grating that determine its diffraction efficiency, and fixes an incorrect but commonly adopted expression in the literature. We compare the predictions of this scalar theory with those resulting from a rigorous vector treatment of diffraction from one-dimensional blazed reflective gratings.
Effects of obesity, social interactions, and physical environment on physical activity in preschoolers

Examined demographic, environmental, and parent-child interactional correlates of physical activity in a group of 222 preschoolers. Activity levels were assessed with a system that quantified directly observed physical activity in the natural environment. Using regression-modeling procedures, results revealed a significant relationship between (a) child's relative weight, parental weight status, and percentage of time spent outdoors (environment) and (b) children's activity levels. Parental obesity was associated with lower levels of physical activity in children, childhood relative weight was associated with slightly higher levels of physical activity, and more outdoor activity was associated with higher activity levels. Parental participation in children's activities also significantly interacted with levels of parental obesity in predicting activity levels. Those children with a 50% risk for obesity (as defined by both, one, or neither parent being overweight) had small changes in activity across levels of parent-child interaction, whereas those at higher risk for obesity responded with increased activity as parent-child interactions increased. Results are discussed, and the implications of these findings for future intervention efforts are examined.
Promoting Physical Activity during Early Childhood.

The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents from low‐income families in the USA has become a significant concern over the last 20 years. One of the major contributors to this problem is the lack of physical activity. The purpose of this paper is to describe initiatives designed to: (1) engage young children in physical activity during professional preparation of physical educators, and (2) assist classroom teachers in providing quality physical activity experiences in their daily lessons. Children from a local preschool were brought to a university campus to participate in a 60‐minute physical activity programme. Fundamental motor skills and movement concepts were the basis of the instruction in this programme. In addition, university instructors provided preschool classroom teachers from the community with the basic knowledge of the ABCs of movement skills. Classroom teachers received information about how to include physical activity in their lesson planning on a daily basis.
Introductory Human Geography Textbook Representations of Africa

This article analyzes representations of Africa found in ten introductory human geography textbooks. Recent research in communications studies cites the common tendencies of the U.S. media to represent Africa in rhetorical tropes of disaster that are ahistorical and rife with geographical abstraction and misrepresentation. The main textbooks in geography tend to avoid ahistorical and geographical simplification, yet they often repeat stereotypes and misleading media imagery concerning Africa. A broad body of works by geographers in the last decade that offers critical scholarly analysis of both African crises and African everyday life is generally underrepresented in the discipline's introductory textbooks, although some encouraging exceptions do exist to that generalization. It is suggested that geographers need to critically re-examine the ways in which African examples are utilized to teach fundamentals of human geography.
EFFECTS OF BRAND LABELING ON RATINGS OF PRODUCT QUALITY

The product quality of two status-oriented brands of carbonated bottled water and of one low-status popularly-priced brand was rated by 24 college students each in brand labeled and unlabeled conditions. The results supported the influence of product image on consumers' judgments of product quality, but it was suggested that the salience of such extrinsic cues might depend on the breadth of the consumers' evaluative frame of reference for judging particular classes of products.
Wetting of Hydrophobic Organic Surfaces and Its Implications to Organic Aerosols in the Atmosphere

The interaction between water and organic substances is of extreme importance in physical, biological, and geological chemistries. Understanding the interactions between water and organic interfaces is one of the earliest chemical quandaries. In this research, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were used as a tool to investigate the interaction between water molecules and hydrophobic surfaces. Real-time adsorption and desorption kinetics of water on hydrophobic SAM surfaces was monitored using a new type of field effect transistor (FET)-like device called MOCSER (molecular controlled semiconductor resistor) coated with SAMs. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was used as a complementary technique to give an estimate of total water mass adsorbed. It is shown that water adsorption depends on relative humidity and is reversible. The amount of adsorbed water increased with surface corrugation. The measurements suggest that adsorption takes place as small water clusters, originating on irregularities on the sur...
Base Excision Repair and Lesion-Dependent Subpathways for Repair of Oxidative DNA Damage

Nuclear and mitochondrial genomes are under continuous assault by a combination of environmentally and endogenously derived reactive oxygen species, inducing the formation and accumulation of mutagenic, toxic, and/or genome-destabilizing DNA lesions. Failure to resolve these lesions through one or more DNA-repair processes is associated with genome instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurodegeneration, inflammation, aging, and cancer, emphasizing the importance of characterizing the pathways and proteins involved in the repair of oxidative DNA damage. This review focuses on the repair of oxidative damage–induced lesions in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA mediated by the base excision repair (BER) pathway in mammalian cells. We discuss the multiple BER subpathways that are initiated by one of 11 different DNA glycosylases of three subtypes: (a) bifunctional with an associated β-lyase activity; (b) monofunctional; and (c) bifunctional with an associated β,δ-lyase activity. These three subtypes of DNA glycosylases all initiate BER but yield different chemical intermediates and hence different BER complexes to complete repair. Additionally, we briefly summarize alternate repair events mediated by BER proteins and the role of BER in the repair of mitochondrial DNA damage induced by ROS. Finally, we discuss the relation of BER and oxidative DNA damage in the onset of human disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 14, 2491–2507.
Stem Internode Elongation in the Japanese Morning Glory (Pharbitis nil Choisy) in Relation to an Inhibitor System of Auxin Destruction

Further investigations on a wild-type strain of the Japanese morning glory (Pharbitis nil Choisy) to ascertain the relationship between stem internode maturation, decreasing rate of internode elongation, and increasing auxin destruction, have established the following: There exists in young, elongating, internode tissue, substances which prevent the destruction of indoleacetic acid by enzymes normally found in stem tissue. Almost all of the protecting activity can be attributed to two substances, one of them possessing an apparent molecular weight in the 5000 to 10,000 g/mol range, the other, in the 1500–5000 g/mol range. Both are water soluble, and heat labile, at least in vitro. It is further suggested that associated with Japanese morning glory stem maturation, is the loss of these auxin-protecting substances, and as a consequence of this loss, the loss of further endogenous auxin-induced elongation.
Discrimination learning after hippocampal lesions in 1 day old rats

Hooded rat pups (N=26) received radio frequency lesions at 1 day of age. Ten were operated controls, nine received hippocampal ablations, and seven sustained lesions of the entorhinal area. The effects of the surgery were assessed using a left-right spatial discrimination test with the home cage and mother serving as reward. The results suggest that partial deefferentation of the hippocampus may facilitate performance on a spatial discrimination task.
Massless particles of high spin

The existence of a Lorentz-covariant energy-momentum tensor in a quantum field theory has certain strong implications about the matrix elements of this Lorentz tensor between one-particle states of high-spin (j≥3/2) zero-mass particles, composite or elementary. A similar result obtains for theories with a Lorentz-covariant current for zero-mass particles, composite or elementary with spin j≥1. If these results are taken together with a continuity requirement on the matrix elements of the energy-momentum tensor and the current, respectively, one ends with a contradiction which can be removed only by assuming that such particles do not exist. We reexamine this conclusion and recognize that theories of higher-spin free particles are consistent but the continuity of the matrix elements do not obtain. The reason is traced to the abrupt change in the sign of the polarization when the momentum transfer changes from spacelike to null values. In the general case with particles of j≥3/2 and j≥1, respectively, we prove that the divergence of any tensor and any vector vanish between one-particle states.
Acid phosphatase activity in Coxiella burnetii: a possible virulence factor.

High-speed supernatant fluids derived from sonicated Coxiella burnetii contained considerable acid phosphatase activity when assayed by using 4-methylumbelliferylphosphate; they also contained a factor that blocked superoxide anion production by human neutrophils stimulated with formyl-Met-Leu-Phe. The pH optimum of the enzyme was approximately 5.0. The level of phosphatase activity detected in several isolates of C. burnetii implicated in acute (Nine Mile) and chronic (S Q217, PRS Q177, K Q154) Q fever was 25 to 60 times greater than that reported in other microorganisms, including Leishmania and Legionella spp. The enzyme was found in rickettsiae grown in different hosts (L929 cells and embryonated eggs) and, in the case of L929 cells, for both short periods (less than a month) and the long term (years). Cytochemical techniques coupled with electron microscopy localized the phosphatase activity to the periplasmic gap in the parasite. Ion-exchange chromatography revealed a major species of the enzyme and showed that the enzyme of the parasite was distinct from that of the host cell (L929 fibroblasts); its apparent molecular weight was 74,000. Phosphatase inhibitors (i.e., molybdate heteropolyanions) had differential effects on the phosphatases of the parasite and host cell. C. burnetii supernatant fluid inhibited superoxide anion production by formyl-Met-Leu-Phe-stimulated human neutrophils; molybdate inhibitors reversed the inhibition. Treatment of C. burnetii-infected L929 cells with one of the molybdate compounds (complex B') significantly reduced the level of infection and did not affect the viability or growth of the host cell. These data suggest that the acid phosphatase of the parasite may be a major virulence determinant, allowing the agent to avoid being killed during uptake by phagocytes and subsequently in the phagolysosome.
Look for the Blind Spot where Structural Realism Meets Pluralistic Stagnation

The predominant traditions in international relations and comparative political economy both failed to anticipate the end of the cold war. The explanation is not that these traditions are flawed; rather it is that they developed in response to different kinds of questions. Structural realism explains the distribution of power in the international system, not the attitudes or expectations of domestic elites. Meanwhile institutionalist traditions at the domestic level focus on explaining stability, persistence or path-dependence and not sudden or sweeping change. Given their focus, these different traditions built on assumptions that were ill-suited to explain the end of communism. They are better suited, however, to explaining what happened to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe once communism fell.
Morphological Analysis in Sentence Processing: An ERP Study.

We examined the effects of syntactic (tense) violations occurring on regularly versus irregularly inflected verbs using event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Participants read sentences in which the main verb varied in terms of regularity (regular vs. irregular), frequency (high vs. low), and grammaticality (tense violation vs. no tense violation). For regular verbs, we found a reliable N400 effect for verb frequency and a reliable P600 effect for grammaticality, with no interaction between lexical frequency and grammaticality. For irregular verbs, we found interactions between lexical frequency and grammaticality, with tense violations on high-frequency forms (*will stood) eliciting a much earlier P600 response than tense violations on low-frequency forms (*will knelt). We discuss the implications of these results with respect to morphological parsing, the time course of syntactic feature analysis, and their consequent effects on temporal properties of ERP components.
Contextualizando a Chávez: el nacionalismo venezolano contemporáneo desde una perspectiva histórica

This article seeks to contex- tualize the successful rhetorical strategies of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias. It argues, against the notion that Chavez constitutes a distinct break with the Venezuelan past, that in at least this aspect of political legitimation Chavez is best understood in relation to the sort of collec- tivistic and civic nationalism that has dominated Venezuelan political discourse since the 19 th century.
Large-scale monolithically integrated photonic circuits for terabit/s data rate applications

We review our work on high density, monolithically integrated, dense wavelength division multiplexed, monolithic, InP transmitter and receiver photonic integrated circuits (DWDM PIC) capable of operating at aggregate data rates of up to 1.6 Tbit/s per chip.
Mechanical function, glycolysis, and ultrastructure of perfused working mouse hearts following thoracic aortic constriction

Background: Glycolytic flux in the mouse heart during the progression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and mechanical dysfunction has not been described. Methods: The main objectives of this study were to characterize the effects of thoracic aortic banding, of 3- and 6-week duration, on: (1) left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function of perfused working hearts quantified by analysis of pressure– volume loops; (2) glycolytic flux in working hearts expressed as the rate of conversion of 3 H-glucose to 3 H2O, and (3) ultrastructure of LV biopsies assessed by quantitative and qualitative analysis of light and electron micrographs. Results: Results revealed that (1) indexes of systolic function, including LV end-systolic pressure, cardiac output, and rate of LV pressure development and decline, were depressed to similar degrees at 3 and 6 weeks post-banding; (2) diastolic dysfunction, represented by elevated LV end-diastolic pressure and volume, was more severe at 6 than at 3 weeks, consistent with a transition to failure; (3) a progressive decline in glycolytic flux that was roughly half the control rate by 6 weeks post-banding; and (4) structural derangements, manifested by increases in interstitial collagen content and myocyte Z-band disruption, that were more marked at 3 weeks than at 6 weeks. Conclusion: The results are consistent with the view that myocyte damage, fibrosis, and suppressed glycolytic flux represent maladaptive structural and metabolic remodeling that contribute to the development of failure in high pressure load-induced LVH in the mouse. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Contrasting shade avoidance responses in two perennial grasses: a field investigation in simulated sparse and dense canopies

We designed an experiment with potted plants grown outdoors to investigate the expression of shade avoidance in simulated sparse and dense canopies by two perennial grasses known to express contrasting responses to low red:far-red ratios (R:FR). Plants were grown in canopy microenvironments designed to lower the R:FR by reflection of horizontally propagated FR from neighbors and by direct attenuation of R by filters located above plants. Two specific hypotheses were tested: (1) Paspalum dilatatum will express greater shade avoidance than Schizachyrium scoparium to low R:FR in both sparse and dense canopies, and (2) low R:FR will produce greater expressions of shade avoidance in sparse than in dense canopies in both species. P. dilatatum was more responsive to low R:FR than S. scoparium in both the sparse and dense canopies and lower ramet number plant−1 was the only common shade avoidance response between species in sparse canopies. P. dilatatum also showed significant reductions in juvenile ramet initiation, juvenile ramet mass, total shoot mass, and shoot:root ratios in sparse canopies, but only juvenile ramet initiation was reduced in dense canopies. The suppression of juvenile ramet initiation in the dense canopy was at least partially modulated by the vertically propagated R:FR because a similar reduction in PFD and horizontally propagated R:FR showed 42% greater juvenile ramet initiation in the respective control. S. scoparium only showed a significant reduction in ramet number plant−1 and a significant increase in blade length in sparse canopies, but no significant responses occurred in dense canopies. Consequently, neither hypothesis was rejected. Variable shade avoidance responses between species and canopy densities indicate that both interspecific variation and various proportions of vertically and horizontally propagated low R:FR can influence the expression of shade avoidance responses of perennial grasses in field settings.
Metal-Enhanced S1 and Alpha- S1 Fluorescence: Effects of Far-Field Excitation Irradiance on Enhanced Fluorescence

Metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) and delayed fluorescence (alpha α-S1) studies of acriflavin have been undertaken using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements on silver island films (SiFs) supporting a thin poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer film. Nearly a 3.5-fold enhancement in the far-field fluorescence intensity of acriflavin is observed coupled with a decrease in decay times and an improved fluorophore photostability. Our findings are consistent with our proposed model of the coupling and transferring of the excited state energies of fluorophores to silver surface plasmons. Further, an excitation power dependence of MEF is observed in these films, consistent with our postulate of MEF EVE (MEF excitation volumetric effect) and, ultimately, resulting in a ∼7-fold enhancement in fluorescence intensity. Our findings suggest a significant opportunity for the development of shorter-lived, brighter, high photon flux luminescent materials for multifarious applications in the life-sciences.
Dynamic Integration: Affect, Cognition, and the Self in Adulthood

Positive self- and emotional development is often measured by optimization of happiness, but a second aspect of positive development—the ability to tolerate tension and negativity in the interest of maintaining objective representations—needs to be integrated with this hedonic emphasis. The integration of these two aspects, optimization and differentiation, reflects a dynamic balance. Such integration is possible when emotional activation or arousal is moderate, but is impaired at very high levels of activation. From youth to middle adulthood, the capacity for integration increases, but later in life, limitations or poor regulation strategies foster compensatory processes that compromise integration.
Challenges in Conducting Research in Pediatric Long-Term Care Facilities

Background. Children residing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) have complex medical problems and unique care needs, yet research in this setting is rare. As part of an intervention study to improve patient safety (Keep It Clean for Kids [KICK]), we describe the challenges encountered and recommend approaches to build a successful and sustained collaborative relationship between pediatric LTCFs and the research team. Methods. We implemented a program with 5 components: leadership commitment, active staff participation by the creation of KICK teams, workflow assessments, staff training in the World Health Organization’s “5 Moments for Hand Hygiene,” and electronic monitoring and feedback to staff regarding hand hygiene practices. Results. Major challenges encountered were establishing trust, building research teams, enhancing staff participation, and engaging families and visitors. Approaches to deal with these challenges are discussed. Conclusions. Conducting research in pediatric LTCFs requires sustai...
An efficient clustering-based retrieval framework for real crime scene footwear marks

As the most common type of evidence at crime scenes, footwear marks are found more often than fingerprints, and yet left largely unused due to lack of efficient and reliable tools. While the central task is stated simply – retrieve the closest matches among a database of known outsole prints – the difficulty is the poor quality of the marks and a very large and increasing number of outsole patterns. Since grouping the database into clusters can dramatically speed-up retrieval, we propose clustering based on recurring outsole patterns. The clustered database is used to retrieve similar prints for a given crime scene mark. Geometric shapes like line segments, circles and ellipses are proposed as features for crime scene marks. Then these features are structurally represented in the form of an attributed relational graph (ARG). Robust ARG matching is achieved with the introduced footwear print distance (FPD), a similarity measure for footwear prints. Sensitivity analysis of FPD is performed to show its robustness. The proposed system is invariant to scale, translation, rotation and insensitive to noise and degradations of the prints. Experiments show that the approach outperforms other state-of-the-art footwear print retrieval systems.
Linkage mapping methods applied to the COGA data set: Presentation Group 4 of Genetic Analysis Workshop 14

Presentation Group 4 participants analyzed the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism data provided for Genetic Analysis Workshop 14. This group examined various aspects of linkage analysis and related issues. Seven papers included linkage analyses, while the eighth calculated identity-by-descent (IBD) probabilities. Six papers analyzed linkage to an alcoholism phenotype: ALDX1 (four papers), ALDX2 (one paper), or a combination both (one paper). Methods used included Bayesian variable selection coupled with Haseman-Elston regression, recursive partitioning to identify phenotype and covariate groupings that interact with evidence for linkage, nonparametric linkage regression modeling, affected sib-pair linkage analysis with discordant sib-pair controls, simulation-based homozygosity mapping in a single pedigree, and application of a propensity score to collapse covariates in a general conditional logistic model. Alcoholism linkage was found with ≥2 of these approaches on chromosomes 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 14, and 21. The remaining linkage paper compared the utility of several single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and microsatellite marker maps for Monte Carlo Markov chain combined oligogenic segregation and linkage analysis, and analyzed one of the electrophysiological endophenotypes, ttth1, on chromosome 7. Linkage was found with all marker sets. The last paper compared the multipoint IBD information content of several SNP sets and the microsatellite set, and found that while all SNP sets examined contained more information than the microsatellite set, most of the information contained in the SNP sets was captured by a subset of the SNP markers with ∼1-cM marker spacing. From these papers, we highlight three points: a 1-cM SNP map seems to capture most of the linkage information, so denser maps do not appear necessary; careful and appropriate use of covariates can aid linkage analysis; and sources of increased gene-sharing between relatives should be accounted for in analyses. Genet. Epidemiol. 29(Suppl. 1):S29–S34, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Base Modification Strategies to Modulate Immune Stimulation by an siRNA

Immune stimulation triggered by siRNAs is one of the major challenges in the development of safe RNAi-based therapeutics. Within an immunostimulatory siRNA sequence, this hurdle is commonly addressed by using ribose modifications (e.g., 2'-OMe or 2'-F), which results in decreased cytokine production. However, as immune stimulation by siRNAs is a sequence-dependent phenomenon, recognition of the nucleobases by the trigger receptor(s) is also likely. Here, we use the recently published crystal structures of Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) bound to small-molecule agonists to generate computational models for ribonucleotide binding by this immune receptor. Our modeling suggested that modification of either the Watson-Crick or Hoogsteen face of adenosine would disrupt nucleotide/TLR8 interactions. We employed chemical synthesis to alter either the Watson-Crick or Hoogsteen face of adenosine and evaluated the effect of these modifications in an siRNA guide strand by measuring the immunostimulatory and RNA interference properties. For the siRNA guide strand tested, we found that modifying the Watson-Crick face is generally more effective at blocking TNFα production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) than modification at the Hoogsteen edge. We also observed that modifications near the 5'-end were more effective at blocking cytokine production than those placed at the 3'-end. This work advances our understanding of how chemical modifications can be used to optimize siRNA performance.
Idempotent ultrafilters, multipleweak mixing and Szemerédi’s theorem for generalized polynomials

It is possible to formulate the polynomial Szemeredi theorem as follows: Let q i (x) ∈ Q[x] with q i (Z) ⊂ Z, 1 ≤ i ≤ k. If E ⊂ N has positive upper density, then there are a, n ∈ N such that $$ \{ a,a + q_1 (n) - q_1 (0),...,a + q_k (n) - q_k (0)\} \subset E. $$ Using methods of abstract ergodic theory, topological algebra in β N, and some recently obtained knowledge concerning the relationship between translations on nilmanifolds and the distribution of bounded generalized polynomials, we prove, among other results, the following extension, valid for generalized polynomials (functions obtained from regular polynomials via iterated use of the floor function). Let q i (x) be generalized polynomials, 1 ≤ i ≤ k, and let p ∈ β N be an idempotent ultrafilter all of whose members have positive upper Banach density. Then there exist constants c i , 1 ≤ i ≤ k, such that if E ⊂ Z has positive upper Banach density, then the set {n ∈ N: ∃ a ∈ Z with {a, a+q 1(n)−c 1, …, a+q k (n)−c k } ⊂ E} belongs to p. As part of the proof, we also obtain a new ultrafilter polynomial ergodic theorem characterizing weak mixing.
ENDOCRINE THEORIES OF DYSMENORRHEA1

Although it is generally appreciated that intrinsic dysmenorrhea is a symptom and not a disease, attempts are being made constantly to find a common etiologic factor applicable to the majority, if not all, of the cases. In the course of years the cause of painful menstruation has been variously attributed to obstruction of the cervical canal, hypoplasia uteri, psychogenic factors, neurogenic disturbances, and many other conditions. It was inevitable, therefore, that interest in the endocrine glands should direct attention to these organs as possible primary causes for dysmenorrhea. It has long been recognized that improvement follows the administration of thyroid substance in selected cases, and Hertzler and his school speak of a ‘goiterous dysmenorrhea’, which they attribute to an interstitial thyrotoxicosis. Certain authors also believe that a premenstrual hypoglycemia or a calcium deficiency may be concerned with the production of pain in some instances. However, the present discussion deals with theor...
Preprocessing of engineering drawings for 3D reconstruction

The necessity of a preprocessing step which should precede the application of any 3-D reconstruction algorithm from a set of views provided by any manually or automatically prepared engineering machine drawing is discussed as a task of a machine drawing understanding system (MDUS). The essence of this preprocessing step is the distinction between, and separation of, geometry and annotation entities. Since the core of annotation is dimensioning, a graph-theoretic approach to the analysis of dimensioning of a restricted class of engineering machine drawings that describe two-and-one-half-dimensional objects represented by normalons is introduced. Drafting standards require that the induced dimensioning graph of a properly dimensioned normalon be a tree, as proved by the normalon proper dimensioning theorem. The theorem provides the theoretical basis for a MDUS view-level phase that assesses the completeness of the set of dimension sets detected individually in a previous, syntax-based dimension-set-level phase. >
Technical considerations in periosteal grafting for osteochondral injuries

Periosteum has been used clinically for biologic resurfacing arthroplasty in small series of patients for almost two decades. The author's own experience with this technique in multiple joints, including the knee, has been similar to that already reported in the literature. Observations and considerations are discussed that might help avoid failure in future applications of this technique. Indications and surgical technique, including graft procurement and fixation, and postoperative treatment and possible complications are also described. The rationale for using periosteum as a chondrogenic tissue and the factors affecting its cartilage production are also outlined.
Observation of plasma wakefield acceleration in the underdense regime

Initial experiments which have explored the physics of the underdense (blowout) regime of the plasma wakefield accelerator (PWFA) at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator facility are reported. In this regime, the relativistic electron beam is denser than the plasma, causing the beam channel to completely rarefy, and leaving a high quality accelerating region which also contains a uniform ion column. This ion column in turn allows the drive and accelerating beams to be well guided over many initial beam beta-function lengths. The results of these experiments, which have taken place over several years, are reviewed. Notable achievements in the course of these studies include the creation and measurement of drive and witness beam generated in an rf photoinjector, as well as previously published studies on drive beam guiding in the underdense regime. In addition, these experiments allowed measurement of both beam energy loss and gain, at a maximum average rate of 25 MeV/m in this regime of the PWFA, which is consistent with a peak acceleration gradient of 62 MeV/m in the excited waves. Difficulties associated with this type of experiment are discussed, as are prospects for mitigating these difficulties and achieving high gradient acceleration in planned future experiments.
On Recognition, Caring, and Dementia

The onset of dementia raises troubling questions. Does the person with dementia still recognize you? If someone cannot recognize you, can they still care about you? This essay takes such questions as the entry point for a broader inquiry into recognition, its linkages to care, and how claims to social and political "recognition" are linked to, or premised on, the demonstrated capacity to "recognize" people and things. In the words and actions of her severely impaired mother, the author finds guidance toward a better, more compassionate question to ask about dementia: how can we best strive to "keep the cares together"?
Cellular Origin of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Abstract Context.—Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), also known as pacemaker cells, are cells in the gastrointestinal tract that play a role in the control of gut motility. The ICCs express the c-kit proto-oncogene encoding a type III tyrosine kinase (KIT) receptor, a ligand that is known as stem cell factor (SCF). The maturation of ICCs is dependent on SCF-KIT interaction. The cellular origin, differentiation, nomenclature, and prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are controversial. Objective.—To test the hypothesis that GISTs originate from CD34-positive stem cells and differentiate toward an ICC phenotype. Materials and Methods.—We studied 27 cases of smooth muscle differentiated GISTs collected for 14 years (1985–1999), including 8 benign (leiomyoma), 15 malignant primary (leiomyosarcoma), and 4 metastatic to the liver. Immunohistochemical studies of selected lineage-directed monoclonal antibodies of c-kit (CD117), CD34, vimentin, desmin, α-actin, S100, and MIB-1 were performed on bot...
Contraceptive efficacy of norethindrone encapsulated in injectable biodegradable poly-dl-lactide-co-glycolide microspheres: phase II clinical study*

Safety, contraceptive efficacy, and acceptability of norethindrone, encapsulated in biodegradable poly-dl-lactide-co-glycolide injectable microspheres (NET-90), was evaluated for 12 months in one hundred women. Fifty-one volunteers received 65 mg, and 49 received 100 mg of NET-90, at three month intervals, intramuscularly in the gluteal region. The mean NET levels at 3-month intervals for the 65 and 100 mg groups were, respectively, 0.32 ± 0.16 ng/ml and 0.49 ± 0.25 ng/ml. No local or systemic side-effects were observed in either group. Body weight, blood pressure, and laboratory parameters, namely hemoglobin, hematocrit, lipid profile, sequential multichannel autoanalyzer computer profiles (SMAC), as well as PAP smear, remained within normal limits throughout the study in both groups. There was no pregnancy in the 65 mg group; however, one volunteer became pregnant in the 100 mg group. In the 65 mg group, 52.9% of menstrual cycles were normal, 34.5% were amenorrheic, and 12.6% showed prolonged bleeding. In the 100 mg group, 40.6% of the cycles were normal, 52.3% were amenorrheic, and 7.1% had episodes of prolonged bleeding. A total of 40.3% and 36.6% of the cycles showed increased spotting in the 65 and 100 mg group, respectively. Our observations indicate that NET-90 microsphere injectables can provide a safe, efficacious, and acceptable method of contraception.
EVOLUTION OF STRAIN LOCALIZATION OBSERVED IN PLANE STRAIN EXPERIMENTS ON CLAY

One of the simplest forms of strain localization takes place in a biaxial or plane strain apparatus, in which a homogeneous sample gradually becomes fragmented usually into two nearly rigidly deforming bodies that are interconnected by an extensively deforming shear band. Although clayey soils are largely encountered in practice, a vast majority of experimental studies conducted in plane strain devices has been devoted to sands, whereby the grain scale processes have been successfully quantified to a large extent. The major goal of this study was to advance understanding of strain localization in clays. A special emphasis herein is placed on quantifying the strain localization at sub-macroscopic scales.
Growth of spring canola (Brassica napus) under deficit irrigation in Western Nebraska

Abstract Drought is a periodic occurrence in the High Plains of the U.S.A.; thereby low-water using crops are desired. Canola, a biofuel and food oil, has been studied in the region under rain-fed conditions for several years. The study's objective was to measure plant growth, seed yield, and oil characteristic of canola at four levels of applied water in western Nebraska. The cultivar Hyola 357 Magnum was exposed to rain-fed only (RF), and irrigated with 10 (LI), 20 (MI), and 30 (HI) cm water. Adding irrigation increased plant growth, i.e., canopy height, stem length, and canopy weight. Highest canopy height (>100 cm for MI and HI) was reached by 10 weeks after planting (WAP) with a total of 23 cm of applied water or 13 cm of irrigation. By 8 WAP, canopy fresh weight was increased by 37 to 58% by MI and HI irrigations. Pod fresh and dry weights at harvest (13 WAP) were increased >50% and >20%, respectively, by all irrigations. Seed yield were increased by each incremental increase in irrigation from 1220 kg/ha for RF to 2905 for HI, a 2.4-fold increase. Seed oil content was increased by MI and HI irrigations (4–8%). The fatty acid profile was not substantially altered by irrigation. There was a slight decrease of palmitic acid and increase in linolenic acid with HI. Canola showed that >20 cm of applied water is needed for good vine and pod growth but >40 cm was needed to achieve the highest yield. Canola could be grown successfully in western Nebraska, supplying oil for fuel and cooking.
The Hermeneutics of Government Contracting

Hermeneutics is essentially the art or science of interpreting the meaning of something. Hermeneutics comes into play when parties to a contract turn to it to try to interpret and understand the meaning of their obligations as set forth in the wording of the contract. This essay outlines how hermeneutic interpretation comes into play in virtually all the major steps in a government procurement and contracting process. It calls into question the foundations of carrying out the work of government through contracts, recognizing that the legitimacy of traditional public administration is changing as more and more nongovernmental actors are performing services for governments and for citizens.
Space-time code. IV

A successor to quantum mechanics is studied. It extends atomism from matter to physical process and unites certain quantum and relativity principles with stricter finiteness, operationality, and locality. A specific kinematics is given. In it particle processes are discrete networks of elementary quantum processes, monads, of a binary nonunitary kind with specific laws of combination. The general dynamics and several examples are given. The dynamical law is not differential but algebraic. The interpretation involves a small constant time $\ensuremath{\tau}$. Familiar space-time and field-theory concepts, the Hilbert-space metric, and the Riemannian pseudometric emerge in the approximation $\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$, and are semimicroscopic statistical objects. Microscopic Lorentz invariance survives and implies four monads mating two by two. Operationally nonlocal concepts such as energy-momentum, gauge fields, and coordinates are absent from the microscopic theory. In the simplest model all elementary processes transfer both charge and spin, the familiar neutrality of the long-range fields being an average one analogous to that of an electrolyte. $e$, $\ensuremath{\gamma}$, and $\ensuremath{\nu}$ codes with correct laws of transformation and propagation are suggested. Electromagnetic, gravitational, weak, and strong interactions are considered within this framework. A heuristic argument estimates $\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{\ensuremath{\hbar}}{40}$ GeV. The form of the theory has been determined by internal qualitative requirements and has not been subjected to external quantitative test. The developments needed for this are mentioned.
Critical roles of periostin in the process of orthodontic tooth movement

Aim: The process of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) involves multiple mechanisms of action including bone and extracellular matrix remodelling, although the role of periodontal ligament (PDL) in this process is largely unknown. Periostin, which is highly expressed in the PDL, is known to be responsible for mechanical stimulation in maintaining the integrity of periodontal tissues. We hypothesize that this protein plays an important role during OTM. Material and methods: By using spring in 4-week-old wild-type (WT) and periostin null mice, the rate of tooth movement and mineralization were evaluated. For the evaluation, double labelling, expression of sclerostin (SOST), number of TRAP-positive cells, and quality of collagen fibrils by Sirius red were analysed and compared between these two groups. Results: Our findings showed that the distance of the tooth movement and mineral deposition rates were significantly reduced in periostin null mice ( P < 0.05), with a lack of expression changes in SOST as observed in the WT group. The arrangement, digestion, and integrity of collagen fibrils were impaired in periostin null mice. The number of osteoclasts reflected by expressions of TRAP (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase) in the null mice was also significantly lower than the WT control ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: Periostin plays a stimulatory role in both SOST and TRAP responses to OTM in the compassion site, although it is not clear if this role is direct or indirect during orthodontic loading.