cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new measurement of sequence conservation

Understanding sequence conservation is important for the study of sequence evolution and for the identification of functional regions of the genome. Current studies often measure sequence conservation based on every position in contiguous regions. Therefore, a large number of functional regions that contain conserved segments separated by relatively long divergent segments are ignored. Our goal in this paper is to define a new measurement of sequence conservation such that both contiguously conserved regions and discontiguously conserved regions can be detected based on this new measurement. Here and in the following, conserved regions are those regions that share similarity higher than a pre-specified similarity threshold with their homologous regions in other species. That is, conserved regions are good candidates of functional regions and may not be always functional. Moreover, conserved regions may contain long and divergent segments. To identify both discontiguously and contiguously conserved regions, we proposed a new measurement of sequence conservation, which measures sequence similarity based only on the conserved segments within the regions. By defining conserved segments using the local alignment tool CHAOS, under the new measurement, we analyzed the conservation of 1642 experimentally verified human functional non-coding regions in the mouse genome. We found that the conservation in at least 11% of these functional regions could be missed by the current conservation analysis methods. We also found that 72% of the mouse homologous regions identified based on the new measurement are more similar to the human functional sequences than the aligned mouse sequences from the UCSC genome browser. We further compared BLAST and discontiguous MegaBLAST with our method. We found that our method picks up many more conserved segments than BLAST and discontiguous MegaBLAST in these regions. It is critical to have a new measurement of sequence conservation that is based only on the conserved segments in one region. Such a new measurement can aid the identification of better local "orthologous" regions. It will also shed light on the identification of new types of conserved functional regions in vertebrate genomes [1].
Speaking Truth to Power

City planners including e-planners have at times sought to "speak truth to power," as when the interests of poor neighborhoods' needs to preserve jobs and housing confront real estate developers promoting urban renewal schemes to replace existing homes and factories with upscale appartments and shopping malls. The planners have tools-writing, speaking, and the array of ICT devices they can employ. But they face powerful forces-not only developers, but builders, investors, professionals, city officials and media. This article-set in 1980s and 1990s Chicago --presents the story of an alternative approach-an organizer who built a coalition of neighborhoods and employers that prevailed over a period of years. It may be a metaphor for more contemporary times. Can e-planners learn from such an example?
Is the relative abundance of nonnative species an integrated measure of anthropogenic disturbance

The hypothesis that the percentage of nonnative plant species inhabiting a landscape might be used as an integrated measure of anthropogenic disturbance was explored in 26 diverse landscape parcels in Rhode Island. Nine correlates of anthropogenic disturbance within, and immediately adjacent to the refuges were compared to two refuge-specific indices of relative nonnative vascular plant species abundance. The percentage of the total vascular flora of each refuge that was nonnative was the Nonnative Index for each refuge. The percentage of all nonnative species in the 26 refuges combined that occurred in a given refuge was the Regional Nonnative Index for each refuge (nonnative species in each refuge divided by the nonnative species in all 26 refuges, times 100). The latter index measured how successful species from the finite pool of nonnative species present in the region were at invading and colonizing a refuge. Of the 869 vascular plant species in all 26 refuges, 28% were nonnative. The percentage of the vascular flora that was nonnative in each refuge varied from 2 to 50%. Few comparisons between correlates of anthropogenic disturbance and Nonnative Indices were statistically significant, yet two of the nine correlates of anthropogenic disturbance were highly related to Regional Nonnative Indices. Collectively, the correlates of anthropogenic disturbance accounted for 39% of the variance in the Regional Nonnative Index for all species combined, and 56% of the variance in the Regional Nonnative Index for tree species alone. The Regional Nonnative Index was also highly related to the richness of native plant species. The hypothesis that the nonnative vascular plant diversity of a landscape can be used as a surrogate for the integrated effects of anthropogenic disturbance was generally rejected by the analysis of our Nonnative Index, and supported by the analysis of our Regional Nonnative Index.
Equivalence of vibrational sudden and vibrational adiabatic classical transition state theory

Abstract The equivalence of classical microcanonical vibrational sudden and adiabatic transition state theory is established. An optimal coordinate system for the sudden theory is defined by periodic orbit dividing surfaces.
Occurrence of complex mitochondrial DNA in normal tissues.

Mitochondrial DNA isolated from several mammalian organs contains from 6 to 9 per cent catenated dimers and 0.5 to 2 per cent catenated higher oligomers. Multiple length circular molecules, such as occur in leukaemic leucocytes, were not detected.
Multiple primary malignancy as a model for the study of cancer occurrence in rheumatoid arthritis

Research approaches to the study of multiple primary malignancy can be helpful in the study of cancer occurrence in rheumatoid arthritis. Research on multiple primary malignancy suggests that an observed increased risk of cancer in rheumatoid arthritis could be due to shared host susceptibility to both diseases, shared risk factors, rheumatoid arthritis-caused changes predisposing to cancer, biased research, chance, or the therapy used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. All of these factors should be considered before concluding that treatment was the cause. Multiple primary malignancy research suggests that sophisticated analyses are needed in order to evaluate cancer risks following therapy. There may be long latency periods between therapy and cancer onset. Drugs may have been given in various dosages, sequences, and combinations and for different durations. Persons with chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis are often difficult to follow over time; hence, there may be variable follow-up intervals for subjects. All of these problems must be taken into account in analyses of cancer risk.
Subduction and Accretion in Trenches

Although the reality of subduction has been greatly strengthened by recent investigations, there is little information dealing with the mechanisms by which material is subducted or accreted to the upper plate. An attempt to determine the gross evolution of subduction zones has been made, assuming that geographic variations in morphologic and geophysical characteristics of trenches can be transformed into temporal trends. Deformation associated with subduction extends across the lower trench slope, from the trench axis to the trench-slope break. This region is a rising tectonic element, but the upper slope is a subsiding region of sediment accumulation. An upper slope discontinuity separates this zone of subsidence from the rising frontal-arc block. Examination of very young trenches indicates that the upper-slope discontinuity marks the upper section of the continental or insular slope that existed before a subduction pulse began. As material is fed to the subduction zone, the distance between the upper slope discontinuity and the trench increases, and an accretionary prism develops, but its shape depends on the relative rates of sediment feed from the arc and from the offshore basin. The lower boundary of the accretionary prism is the upper section of the seismic zone, which apparently widens and flattens as one or more accretionary prisms accumulate. The sediment cover on the downgoing plate and some of the igneous crust appears to be stripped off the plate before it reaches a point beneath the volcanic chain. Turbiditic sediments deposited in the trench axis are preferentially sheared off the underlying pelagic sediments and are accreted to the lower trench wall. The pelagic sediments and crustal material are probably accreted at deeper structural levels. Where turbidites overlie pelagic sediments in the trench axis, the turbidites are stripped off in fold packets with axial surfaces having very low dips. These dewatered and rigidified structural units move up the lower slope, as subsequent packets are accreted. In trenches that subduct lithosphere carrying very thin pelagic sediment covers, accretion and uplift of crustal slabs seem to occur as topographic irregularities enter the trench.
VO2max trainability and high intensity interval training in humans: a meta-analysis.

Endurance exercise training studies frequently show modest changes in VO2max with training and very limited responses in some subjects. By contrast, studies using interval training (IT) or combined IT and continuous training (CT) have reported mean increases in VO2max of up to ∼1.0 L · min−1. This raises questions about the role of exercise intensity and the trainability of VO2max. To address this topic we analyzed IT and IT/CT studies published in English from 1965–2012. Inclusion criteria were: 1)≥3 healthy sedentary/recreationally active humans <45 yrs old, 2) training duration 6–13 weeks, 3) ≥3 days/week, 4) ≥10 minutes of high intensity work, 5) ≥1∶1 work/rest ratio, and 6) results reported as mean ± SD or SE, ranges of change, or individual data. Due to heterogeneity (I2 value of 70), statistical synthesis of the data used a random effects model. The summary statistic of interest was the change in VO2max. A total of 334 subjects (120 women) from 37 studies were identified. Participants were grouped into 40 distinct training groups, so the unit of analysis was 40 rather than 37. An increase in VO2max of 0.51 L ·min−1 (95% CI: 0.43 to 0.60 L · min−1) was observed. A subset of 9 studies, with 72 subjects, that featured longer intervals showed even larger (∼0.8–0.9 L · min−1) changes in VO2max with evidence of a marked response in all subjects. These results suggest that ideas about trainability and VO2max should be further evaluated with standardized IT or IT/CT training programs.
The impact of security on travelers across the Canada–US border

Since September 11, 2001 numerous security measures have been implemented along the Canada–US border, including the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Concerns have been raised about the impact of these security measures on the movement of people across the border. This paper examines the impact of security on the number of travelers crossing the border by employing a multivariate regression analysis utilizing monthly data from January 1991 to December 2007. In addition, the impact of the WHTI is specifically examined by employing a similar multivariate regression analysis with monthly data from October 2001 to December 2011. Controlling for the effects of a number of factors, such as exchange rates and gas prices, results showed that security measures, including the WHTI, have negatively impacted the number of Canadian visitors to the US and American visitors to Canada traveling by automobile. The findings of this study will be of interest to researchers, policy makers, and a variety of stakeholders in the tourism industry in both countries.
Impurity elements study of carbon nanotubes fabricated by chemical vapor deposition

Abstract It is widely known that materials properties are very sensitive to the presence of impurity elements. In this study we performed Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis of impurity elements in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) fabricated by chemical vapor deposition. Impurities such as O, Si, P, S, Cl, Ar, Ti, Cr and Fe were found. The O was uniformly distributed and the most abundant impurity in CNTs. Sources of contamination were investigated and it was suggested that the presence of Si, S, Cl, Ti and Cr can be eliminated.
Role of Amines in the Isomerization Reaction of Polycondensed Maleic Anhydride and Diethylene Glycol

Abstract Aniline and N-ethylaniline were used as model compounds to study the effect of aromatic primary and secondary amines on maleate-fumarate isomerization. Amines were added to the copolymerization reaction of maleic anhydride and diethylene glycol at different degrees of conversion (P). The effect of amines on the relative amount of isomerization was followed with proton NMR. The efficiency of fumarate production decreases in the order P = 0.62 > 0.76 > 0.35 > 0. Mechanisms to account for the effect of aniline and N-ethylaniline on the maleate-fumarate isomerization are outlined.
Numerical experiments on single quantized vortices

Abstract The computational approach to superfluid dynamics is outlined, and its usefulness is illustrated by application to three problems involving single quantized vortices. We consider the vortex mill in 4 He channel flow, the unwinding of a vortex from a wire in 3 He-B, and the phase-slip behavior of a vortex filament in a microscopic orifice.
Alcoholic hepatitis—A clinical and pathological study of 142 cases☆

Abstract One hundred forty two cases of alcoholic hepatitis admitted to the Boston City Hospital over a 5 yr period were analyzed. The data showed that clinical signs, symptoms and laboratory features are not specific for alcoholic hepatitis and a correct diagnosis can only be made histologically. Furthermore, there was poor correlation between histology and various biochemical parameters. Of these patients 43% were not jaundiced indicating that hyperbilirubinemia is neither necessary nor sufficient for the diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis. In patients who had a combination of serum bilirubin > 2.0 mg/dl, serum albumin 5 sec, the mortality rate was 75%.
Pump power distribution in multistage optical amplifiers

Abstract We consider the problem of distributing a finite pump power among the multiple stages of a typical ultrashort pulse optical amplifier in order to maximize the total amplifier system gain. We find, in the absence of saturation, that the transmission of the beamsplitters should follow, in reverse order, the sequence, 0/1, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4…( N - 1)/ N . This sequence guarantees that an equal amount of pump power reaches each stage. If saturation becomes significant, then the system gain is optimized with an unequal power distribution; the end stages should be pumped significantly harder than the beginning stages.
Modeling and control of complex interactive networks [Guest Editorial]

E nergy, telecommunications, transportation, and financial infrastructures are becoming increasingly interconnected, thus posing new challenges for their secure, reliable, and efficient operation. All of these infrastructures are themselves complex networks, geographically dispersed, nonlinear, and interacting both among themselves and with their human owners, operators, and users. No single entity has complete control of these multiscale, distributed, highly interactive networks, nor does any such entity have the ability to evaluate, monitor, and manage them in real time. In fact, the conventional mathematical methodologies that underpin today’s modeling, simulation, and control paradigms are unable to handle the complexity and interconnectedness of these critical infrastructures. Virtually every crucial economic and social function depends on the secure, reliable operation of infrastructures. Indeed, they have provided much of the good life that the more developed countries enjoy. With increased benefits, however, come increased risks. As these infrastructures have grown more complex to handle a variety of demands, they have become more interdependent. The Internet, computer networks, and our digital economy have increased the demand for reliable and disturbance-free electricity; banking and finance systems depend on the robustness of electric power, cable, and wireless telecommunications. Transportation systems, including military and commercial aircraft and land and sea vessels, depend on communication and energy networks. Links between the power grid and telecommunications and between electrical power and oil, water, and gas pipelines continue to be a lynchpin of energy
New electron donors related to BEDT-TTF

Abstract Recent results on the synthetic aspects of new electron donors related to BEDT-TTF are presented.
Pallidal projections to the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) in the cat

The entopeduncular nucleus (EN) in the cat, the homologue of the primate internal globus pallidus and main output of the basal ganglia, is known to project to the mesencephalic tegmentum. We have been able to elicit antidromic responses in single EN neurons from a site in the posterior mesencephalon, then transect the brainstem (precollicular-postmamillary) and elicit locomotion and rhythmic movements of the limbs by stimulation of the same site in the same animal. These studies demostrate the existence of a direct projection from the EN to the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). However, this is not a particularly large pathway since fewer than 5% of the EN cells appear to project to the MLR. In a parallel series of anatomical experiments, injections of fluorescent dyes into the area of the MLR induced retrograde labeling of cell bodies in the EN and motor cortex. Injections of tritiated amino acids into the motor cortex resulted in labeling in the area anterior to the MLR. We assume that these connections may be involved, in part, in the sequencing and ordering of series of voluntary movements in which locomotion is involved.
The return to education: Street vendors in Mexico

Abstract A simple accounting identity model estimated using data collected from a 1994 survey of street vendors revealed a rate of return on capital approaching 20%. Participation in vendor associations significantly increased the return by approximately 2.5%. Since educational attainment and capital investment were positively correlated in the sample data, omitting the return to capital in an earnings equation, as many researchers have done, will overstate returns to education. Controlling for differences in capital, each additional year of education increased earnings an average of US $.06 per hour, an increase significant at the 0.0001 level.
Clinical variants among applicants for sex reassignment

Loose usage of the term “transsexualism” and limitations of the diagnostic categories “transsexualism,” “transvestism,” and “homosexuality” as applied to applicants for sex reassignment have created difficulties in evaluation, disposition, and follow-up. Patients falling into the gray areas between diagnostic categories are more common than those fitting existing typologies. A description of some patients from one series and a broader diagnostic scheme for their classification are offered.
Incontinence and rectal prolapse: A prospective manometric study

A prospective, manometric study has been performed on 23 female patients with rectal prolapse and varying degrees of incontinence. Seven of the 14 incontinent patients regained continence after surgery, and a further two patients improved. Improvement in internal and external sphincter function follows correction of rectal prolapse. Preoperative resting anal pressure was significantly higher in continent patients than in incontinent patients (P< 0.05), as was the maximum voluntary contraction pressure (P< 0.027). Postoperatively there was a significant increase in the resting anal pressure (P< 0.0001) and maximum voluntary contraction pressure (P< 0.003)in the whole group. The preoperative resting anorectal angle was significantly more acute (P< 0.028) in continent patients than in incontinent patients. There was no significant change in the resting anorectal angle following prolapse repair. Patients who remained incontinent had a significantly lower preoperative resting anal pressure (P< 0.01) than patients who improved or regained continence. Similarly, maximum voluntary contraction pressure was lower preoperatively in these patients (P< 0.02). Preoperative resting anal pressure below 10 mm Hg and maximum voluntary contraction pressure below 50 mm Hg are associated with persisting incontinence after surgery.
Different phosphate binding modes of Streptomyces griseus aminopeptidase between crystal and solution states and the status of zinc-bound water

Phosphate shows a non-competitive inhibition toward a Streptomyces aminopeptidase (sAP) between pH 5.85 (Ki = 0.48 mM) and 9.0 (110 mM), with a pKa of 7.1 likely due to ionization of H2PO 3 . This non-competitive inhibition pattern indicates that phosphate binding to sAP in solution is different from that in the crystal structure, where phosphate is bound to the active site Zn(II) ions. Fluoride uncompetitively inhibits sAP from pH 5.5 (Ki = 3.72 mM) to 9.0 (43.6 mM), with ap Ka of V6.2 likely due to a coordinated water. The different inhibition natures and pKa values indicate that the two inhibitors bind at different locations. z 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
Finite Element Simulations of Acetylcholine Diffusion in Neuromuscular Junctions

A robust infrastructure for solving time-dependent diffusion using the finite element package FEtk has been developed to simulate synaptic transmission in a neuromuscular junction with realistic postsynaptic folds. Simplified rectilinear synapse models serve as benchmarks in initial numerical studies of how variations in geometry and kinetics relate to endplate currents associated with fast-twitch, slow-twitch, and dystrophic muscles. The flexibility and scalability of FEtk affords increasingly realistic and complex models that can be formed in concert with expanding experimental understanding from electron microscopy. Ultimately, such models may provide useful insight on the functional implications of controlled changes in processes, suggesting therapies for neuromuscular diseases.
Age/size effects on juvenile green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, oxygen consumption, growth, and osmoregulation in saline environments

The green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, is an anadromous species that migrates from freshwater (FW) to seawater (SW) relatively early in its life history, although the ages and sizes of juveniles at SW entry are not known. Developmental constraints of osmoregulatory organs may either prohibit (i.e., due to salinity tolerance limits) or minimize (i.e., due to substantial osmoregulatory or ionoregulatory energetic costs) SW entry in small fish. Interestingly, larger green sturgeon are often encountered in brackish water (BW) estuaries, perhaps due to an energetic advantage in occupying these near-isosmotic environments. To test hypotheses concerning fish-size effects on the energetic costs of occupying habitats of different salinities, we measured oxygen consumption rates in green sturgeon representing three age groups (100, 170, and 533 days post hatch; dph), which were acclimated for 5 weeks to one of three salinities (FW, <3‰; BW, 10‰; or SW, 33‰). Also, after 7 weeks, final wet masses were compared and blood and muscle tissue samples were taken to assess osmoregulatory abilities. There were no differences in body-mass-adjusted oxygen consumption rates between any salinities or ages, indicating that the energetic costs were not prohibitively high to occupy any of these salinities. The only mortalities occurred in the 100 dph SW group, where 23% of the fish died, from apparent starvation. Final wet masses were comparable between FW and BW for each age group and with the 533 dph SW group, but were lower in SW groups at 100 and 170 dph. Similarly, osmoregulatory abilities, in terms of plasma osmolality, Na+, K+, lactate, and protein concentrations, and muscle water content, were comparable in FW and BW groups at all ages, and with the SW group at 533 dph. These results indicated an age/body size effect in hyperosmotic adaptability, and that juvenile green sturgeon may be found in FW or BW at any age, but only have the ability to enter SW by 1.5 years (75 cm, 1.5 kg) of age.
Negative ions of sputtered cathode species in a glow discharge

Abstract A glow discharge ion source has been examined for negative ion formation using both inert and reactive discharge gases. Ions arising from the sputtered cathode were of primary interest. Cathodes sampled included Ag, Pt, Au, Cu and stainless steel. For sputtered materials, only Au − was observed in an argon discharge. An oxygen discharge produced polyoxide species for several of the elements. Some comparison is drawn to species produced by ion beam bombardment.
The inter-relationship of water quantity and quality as a determinant of water management policy

Abstract Comprehensive water resources management includes a variety of factors, among which are water quantity and quality, institutional and legal aspects, and economics. Even though water quality has begun to attain some prominence, its relation to water quantity and to water system operation has been largely overlooked. The Colorado River system in the United States is a case in point. The river basin encompasses an area which is one-twelfth the size of the continental United States. The water is utilized mainly for irrigation of semi-arid areas in the southwestern part of the United States and in northwestern Mexico. Despite its importance, the river system operates under laws and regulations that are not condusive to efficiency. Consequently water is used wastefully and a progressive deterioration in the quality of the river water is evident. Changes in water management are recommended. The pricing of supplied water according to its quality as well as charges for pollution are suggested.
For Where Two or Three (Thousand) Are Gathered in My Name! A Cultural History and Ethical Analysis of African American Megachurches

African American megachurches are part of a larger trend in American Protestantism reflecting the ecclesial shifts that have taken place in America during the final quarter of the previous century. There are, however, historical and religious distinctions that differentiate African American congregations from this broader, largely evangelical phenomenon. The purpose of this article, then, is to introduce and analyze African American megachurches in such a way that they are historically situated, racially located, and ecclesiastically differentiated. This article addresses the precipitous rise of black megachurch congregations in the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries and ethically examines shared institutional and ideational values. And it argues that the professional identity, mass culture compatibility, and theological creativity that broadly define black megachurches represent creative fusions and internal tensions that pose ethical challenges to their congregational missions.
Enactment, Sensemaking and Decision Making: Redesign Processes in the 1976 Reorganization of US Intelligence

Weick’s theories of organizing and sensemaking help enrich the assumptions in the organization design school. This study builds on Weick’s theories of sensemaking to illustrate how three fundamental organization design assumptions — dominant variables, causal laws and executive dictates — were found to be restrictive in the explanation of redesign processes in the 1976 reorganization of the US intelligence community. The assumption of dominant variables was challenged by the appearance of a multitude of events, or enactments, which were selected by organization members for further attention. The assumption of causal laws was challenged by the appearance of individual-level cause maps which were filtered, through sensemaking processes, into organization-level workable realities. The assumption of executive dictates was challenged by the appearance of attempts to punctuate redesign processes as organizational decisions. The study suggests value in moving from simple organization design assumptions to more reliable findings drawn from detailed observations of redesign processes.
Where Do I Stand?: An Exploration of the Rules That Regulate Victim Participation in the Criminal Justice System

Abstract The victims' rights movement has helped promote opportunities for victim participation within the criminal justice system. One such opportunity, the creation and delivery of a victim impact statement, has generated significant empirical attention. Most of this research explores the effects of participation on specific outcomes (e.g., sentencing, victim satisfaction). Yet relatively little is known about the implementation of victim participation in the courtroom by criminal justice workers. Using trial transcripts, courtroom observations, and interviews with criminal justice officials and victims, the current study examines the rules that regulate victim participation, revealing how victims are incorporated into the justice process.
Education and training for child care workers

The following exchange grew from a letter to the editor written by Wayne Ouderkirk in response to a CCQ editorial on child care trainers and was recommended for publication by two members of the Editorial Board. It is being published both to illuminate a key, current issue in the field and to encourage correspondence from other readers with alternative views on material that appears in the journal.
Evaluation of sedative/analgesic combination for postoperative pain.

Abstract Current pain concepts suggest a dual role in pain perception. Both motivational, effective, and somatosensory components are noted. Pain affects the patient's psyche and, conversely, the patient's state of mind modifies pain perception. Consequently, it might be expected that a sedative/analgesic combination might be more effective than either the sedative or the analgesic alone in controlling pain. A clinical study was carried out to compare a promethazine-A.P.C. combination with promethazine and A.P.C. alone. One hundred forty-nine patients undergoing third molar removal were studied, with each patient serving as his own control. The results indicated a significant difference between the promethazine-A.P.C. combination and promethazine alone or Phenergan alone. No significant difference was noted between the promethazine-A.P.C. comination and A.P.C. alone.
Signaling between chloroplasts and the nucleus: can a systems biology approach bring clarity to a complex and highly regulated pathway?

Plastids are organelles found in photosynthetic eukaryotes and are best known as sites of photosynthesis. In addition to this role, plastids manufacture and store a myriad of biomolecules, including carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids, plant hormones, and nucleotides ([Buchanan and Gruissem,
Groα-mediated recruitment of neutrophils is required for elicitation of contact hypersensitivity

The factors mediating recruitment of immune T cells to challenge sites during contact hypersensitivity (CHS) responses remain unclear. To investigate the role of chemokines during elicitation of CHS, the temporal expression of chemokine genes in hapten-challenged ears was tested. KC (the murine homologoue of Groalpha) was expressed 30 min following hapten challenge in naive and hapten-sensitized mice. A rabbit KC-specific antiserum inhibited elicitation of CHS when administered to sensitized mice prior to hapten challenge. Injecting either neutrophils or immune CD8(+) T cells into the ear tissue of immune animals before hapten challenge circumvented the KC antiserum-mediated inhibition of CHS. Neutrophil depletion also inhibited CHS and was circumvented by injecting either neutrophils or hapten-primed CD8(+) T cells into ears of sensitized mice followed by specific hapten challenge. These results indicate that KC-directed neutrophil infiltration of hapten challenge sites is required for elicitation of CHS and suggest that neutrophils mediate recruitment of the hapten-specific CD8(+) T cells that subsequently produce cytokines mediating the hypersensitivity response.
Saturation Technique Does Not Decrease Cancer Detection During Followup After Initial Prostate Biopsy

Purpose: It has been reported that the prostate cancer detection rate in men with prostate specific antigen 2.5 ng/ml or greater undergoing saturation (20 cores or greater) prostate biopsy as an initial strategy is not higher than that in men who undergo 10 to 12 core prostate biopsy. At a median followup of 3.2 years we report the cancer detection rate on subsequent prostate biopsy in men who underwent initial saturation prostate biopsy.Materials and Methods: Saturation prostate biopsy was used as an initial biopsy strategy in 257 men between January 2002 and April 2006. Cancer was initially detected in 43% of the patients who underwent saturation prostate biopsy. In the 147 men with negative initial saturation prostate biopsy followup including digital rectal examination and repeat prostate specific antigen measurement was recommended at least annually. Persistently increased prostate specific antigen or an increase in prostate specific antigen was seen as an indication for repeat saturation prostate bi...
A plant process-economic model for wild oats management decisions in irrigated barley

Abstract Development of integrated weed management systems requires the integration of different weed control methods: chemical, mechanical, cultural, genetic, and biological. Mathematical models provide an adequate tool for attaining this objective. An explanatory economic model was built to analyze the ecophysiological aspects of wild oats ( Avena fatua L.) and barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) competitive ability, and to determine the impact of cultural and genetic control on chemical control of wild oats in irrigated barley. The competitive ability of both species was highly dependent on light interception during early growth rather than photosynthesis. Integration of genetic, cultural, and chemical control, accomplished by simulation, showed a good possibility for reducing herbicide use by using more competitive barley cultivars and planting them at higher seeding rates.
Summary of the two cryogenic techniques workshops at SYQFAS-95

Two workshops on cryogenic techniques were held as part of SYQFAS-95, one dealing with dilution refrigeration and SQUIDS, the other focused on closed-cycle cooling systems. Each consisted of several presentations by companies working in the field, one or two contributions by individuals, and some useful discussion and comment from the audience. This report is a brief summary of the material discussed in these two sessions.
Ferrous iron mediated oxidation of arachidonic acid: studies employing nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT)

The oxidation of arachidonic acid by ferrous sulfate provides a useful model to study the role of iron in lipid oxidation reactions. We have employed nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) in the present investigation to evaluate the mechanism of this reaction. In the presence of arachidonic acid, Fe +++, and O2, the yellow dye NBT was rapidly reduced to the blue form, NBTH2. The molar ratio of arachidonic acid to Fe++ in this rapid reaction was 1:1, showing an interaction of one fatty acid molecule per iron molecule. Approximately one molecule of NBT was reduced per four molecules of arachidonic acid and Fe++. Reduction of NBT was accompanied by oxidation of Fe++ to Fe+++, suggesting the transfer of four electrons from the Fe++ to NBT to reduce the dye. Arachidonic acid was found to be unchanged when extracted at the end of the reaction, indicating formation of a complex that could dissociate leaving intact arachidonic acid. Evidence for the presence of such a complex which slowly dissociates during the reaction was obtained after longer incubations with small amounts of arachidonic acid. NBT reduction was not inhibited by agents which hydrolyze superoxide, by catalase or by agents which trap hydroxy radicals. We, therefore, propose a model in which NBT traps a radical generated on the arachidonic acid molecule. The proposed model suggests mechanisms for other fatty acid oxidation reactions such as prostaglandin and hydroperoxy fatty acid synthesis.
Dynamic Characteristics of a Free Piston Compressor

The design and dynamic characterization of a free piston compressor is presented in this paper. The free piston compressor is a proposed device that utilizes combustion to compress air into a high-pressure supply tank. The device is configured such that the transduction from thermal energy to stored energy, in the form of compressed gas, is efficient relative to other small-scale portable power supply systems. This efficiency is achieved by matching the dynamic load of the compressor to the ideal adiabatic expansion of the hot gas combustion products. It is shown that a load that is dominantly inertial provides a nearly ideally matched load for achieving high thermodynamic efficiency in a heat engine. The device proposed exploits this fact by converting thermal energy first into kinetic energy of the free piston, and then compressing air during a separate compressor phase. The proposed technology is intended to provide a compact pneumatic power supply source appropriate for human-scale robots. The combined factors of a high-energy density fuel, the efficiency of the device, the compactness and low weight of the device, and the use of the device to drive lightweight linear pneumatic actuators (lightweight as compared with power comparable electric motors) is projected to provide at least an order of magnitude greater total system energy density (power supply and actuation) than state of the art power supply (batteries) and actuators (electric motors) appropriate for human-scale power output. A thermodynamic analysis reveals relationships between key design variables with regard to efficiency. A dynamic model of the proposed device is developed and simulation results are discussed. This model shows the potential of the proposed device.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Assessing a solids-biased density-gradient functional for actinide metals

Recent developments of new electron exchange and correlation functionals within density-functional theory include a solids-biased modification of the popular Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) functional and is referred to as PBEsol. The latter is claimed to remove a bias toward free-atom energies in the former and is therefore better suited for equilibrium properties of densely packed solids and surfaces. We show that PBEsol drastically worsens the equilibrium properties of the actinide metals compared to PBE and produces results closer to that of the local density approximation. The PBEsol atomic volume of $\ensuremath{\delta}\text{-Pu}$ is 12% and 14% smaller than PBE and experimental values, respectively. Also, iron is predicted to have the incorrect ground-state phase within PBEsol. These results illustrate the difficulties and limitations in improving the gradient approximations of the electron exchange and correlation functional in a general fashion even when the application is restricted to solids. We comment on the possibility of formulating a unique functional without these limitations that is applicable to solids as well as to finite-sized systems such as atoms and molecules.
The xanthones of macrocarpaea glabra

Abstract Extracts of both roots and stem of Macrocarpaea glabra (L.f.) Gilg (Gentianaceae) have been shown to yield 1-hydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyxanthone (I) and 8-hydroxy-1,2,6-trimethoxyxanthone (IIb).
A Catechetical Address on the Nicene Creed

The anonymous “Incipit fides Nicaena” is a unique, though much ignored, Latin text from the later fourth century. Its only critical edition, from a sole ninth century codex, was first prepared in 1913 by Cuthbert H. Turner, under the title of Commentarius in Symbolum Nicaeanum.1 Turner's version was reprinted in the first volume of the Patrologiae Latinae Supplementum (1958).2 There has been almost no further scholarly work done on this text since Turner's edition, nor has it been translated into any European language.3 As a result, no questions have been asked about the bearing of this work on post-Nicene doctrinal history as our understanding of the Nicene-“Arian” conflicts has been reformulated over the last two decades. In this essay, I want to address this gap in our understanding, although it must be said that there are more questions than answers raised by the existence of this small document. Specifically, we will see how this unique text sheds light on the theological influence that the Nicene Creed began to have in western churches in the second half of the fourth century. An attempt will also be made to demonstrate how this primitive explanation of the Creed offers an indication of its own approximate date and context.
Technical Note-Comment on an Integer Maximization Problem

This note outlines three efficient solution procedures for the following problem: Maximize âi-1i-nVimi with respect to m1, ', mn, subject to the conditions that the mi are nonnegative integers and âi-1i-nmi = M an integer, and that each Vi is a nonnegative, concave, increasing function.
Temperature dependence of the sound velocity in liquid4He

We have measured the temperature dependence of the sound velocity in liquid 4 He from 0.07 to 0.7 K for frequencies from 12 to 105 MHz. While the data show an approximateT 4 temperature dependence, the frequency ordering of the curves is observed to undergo an inversion at about 0.2 K. Above this temperature we confirm that the velocity shift decreases with frequency, while below this temperature we now find that the velocity shift increases with frequency as predicted by theory.
Past oral contraceptive use and angiographic coronary artery disease in postmenopausal women : data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation

Objective To evaluate past oral contraceptive use and angiographic coronary artery disease in women. Setting Academic medical centers. Patient(s) Six hundred seventy-two postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) with coronary risk factors undergoing coronary angiography for suspected myocardial ischemia. Intervention(s) Past oral contraceptive use, assessed by reproductive questionnaire. Main Outcome Measure(s) Quantitative coronary artery disease, assessed by a core angiography laboratory. Result(s) Past oral contraceptive use was associated with a lower mean coronary artery disease severity index score (mean ± SD: 11.8 ± 10.3 vs. 18.7 ± 17.3) compared with non–prior users, despite age adjustment. Past oral contraceptive use remained a significant independent negative predictor of coronary artery disease severity when adjusting for coronary risk factors, including age, diabetes mellitus, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking, aspirin use, and lipid-lowering medication (model R 2 = 0.19). The modeling indicated that past oral contraceptive use was associated with a 2.44 lower coronary artery disease severity score index. There was no apparent relationship between duration of past oral contraceptive use and the coronary artery disease severity index score. Conclusion(s) Past oral contraceptive use is associated with less coronary artery disease, measured by quantitative coronary angiography, among postmenopausal women with suspected myocardial ischemia. These findings suggest that a prospective study should address the hypothesis that past oral contraceptive use during the premenopausal years might offer women protection from atherosclerotic coronary disease later in life.
“I Didn’t Want To Put Them Through That”: The Influence Of Children on Victim Decision-making in Intimate Partner Violence Cases

For mothers, intimate partner violence (IPV) presents a concern not only for their own well-being but also for that of their children who are exposed to the violence and its aftermath. In focus groups with adult women (N = 39) across three jurisdictions who had experienced legal system intervention for IPV victimization, mothers raised unsolicited concerns about the negative effects of IPV exposure on their children. These comments were not prompted by the facilitator but were raised by women in all seven of the focus groups during discussions about motivations and barriers to participation in prosecution of their abusive partners. The overall message was that victims with children felt very conflicted. Children both facilitate and inhibit leaving the abusive relationship. Mothers wanted to spare their children from harmful effects of violence but also wanted to keep their families together and protect their children from potential agitation and instability caused by legal system involvement. Participants described how fears and threats of involvement from child protective services inhibited help-seeking while simultaneously voicing a desire for services that would help their children. More research is needed to help service providers understand the quagmire mothers who are victims of IPV encounter regarding their children’s wellbeing.
A practicallaboratory method for cell electrophoresis in an agarose sol

The method presented in this article was developed specifically to be used for the electrophoretic separation of biological cells. This method uses low cost materials and ordinary clinical laboratory electrophoresis equipment. Results are reasonably fast; time of migration was 20 min using a constant current setting of 6 mA for a single 3 × 4 inch gel tray. The use of SeaPlaque agarose sol at 40 °C allows the cells to migrate freely, while the solidification of the agarose at the end of the migration period fixes the cells in place on the plate. Samples can be taken from any position on the plate while the sol is still liquid. With this method, differences in rate of migration of erythrocytes from selected species of mammals were demonstrated. The method was developed using erythorcytes for samples and without staining of gels or prestaining of samples. Sample sizes of 2000 to 4000 cells gave easily visible bands. Band of cells from some species migrated as much as 40 mm. Separations were done in polystryrene gel tryays. This technique will be tested in the near future for the separation of the various types of blood cells and for separating other cell mixtures, e. g., bacteria.
Particle Display: A Quantitative Screening Method for Generating High-Affinity Aptamers†

We report an aptamer discovery technology that reproducibly yields higher affinity aptamers in fewer rounds compared to conventional selection. Our method (termed particle display) transforms libraries of solution-phase aptamers into "aptamer particles", each displaying many copies of a single sequence on its surface. We then use fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to individually measure the relative affinities of >10(8) aptamer particles and sort them in a high-throughput manner. Through mathematical analysis, we identified experimental parameters that enable optimal screening, and demonstrate enrichment performance that exceeds the theoretical maximum achievable with conventional selection by many orders of magnitude. We used particle display to obtain high-affinity DNA aptamers for four different protein targets in three rounds, including proteins for which previous DNA aptamer selection efforts have been unsuccessful. We believe particle display offers an extraordinarily efficient mechanism for generating high-quality aptamers in a rapid and economic manner, towards accelerated exploration of the human proteome.