cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE VAGINAL SMEAR—BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE TECHNIC AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE STUDY OF FUNCTIONAL STERILITY IN WOMEN1

THE MENSTRUAL FLOW is the most striking and obvious of the periodically recurring events during the child bearing years of a woman's life. Its occurrence -1L is the result of changes in the uterus, detailed descriptions of which may be found in the literature cited at the end of this paper (I). The flow itself marks the end of a cycle of changes in the uterus. The uterine cycle is not the only one to reflect the fluctuations of gonad function. The vaginal mucosa undergoes comparable cyclical changes which are readily amen able to study by the vaginal smear technic. The cycle of gonadal function is also re fleeted in the metabolic rate and basal body temperatures (a), the changes in the breasts (3, 4), in weight (5, 6, 7) and in bioelectric potentials (8, 9).
An approximate formula for a partial sum of the divergent p-series

We have applied the upper truncated Pareto distribution to modeling the probability distribution of the terms of the p-series. The lower and upper bounds of their partial sum have been found and used for approximating its exact value. A relative error contributed by the proposed approximation has been evaluated.
Causes of Peace: Democracy, Interdependence, and International Organizations, 1885–1992

Previous studies provide strong evidence for the Kantian theory of peace, but a satisfactory evaluation requires establishing the causal influence of the variables. Here we focus on the reciprocal relations between economic interdependence and interstate conflict, 1885–1992. Using distributed-lags analyses, we find that economically important trade does have a substantively important effect in reducing dyadic militarized disputes, even with extensive controls for the influence of past conflict. The benefit of interdependence is particularly great in the case of conflict involving military fatalities. Militarized disputes also cause a reduction in trade, as liberal theory predicts. Democracy and joint membership in intergovernmental organizations, too, have important pacific benefits; but we find only limited support for the role of costly signals in establishing the liberal peace. We find no evidence that democratization increases the incidence of interstate disputes; and contrary to realists' expectations, allies are not less conflict prone than states that are not allied. Democracies and states that share membership in many international organizations have higher levels of trade, but allies do not when these influences are held constant.
Aspects of sporinite chemistry

Abstract With the recent advent of the ability to separate coal into maceral concentrates of high purity, the individual constituents of coal can now be analyzed separately, without their mutual interference, giving a much better understanding of the macromolecular structure of coal. The sporinites from two Pennsylvanian age coal samples (Illinois Basin, U.S.A.) were studied, one from a vitrinite-rich high-volatile bituminous coal, the other from a liptinite-rich high-volatile butuminous coal of slightly higher rank. Sporinites were isolated from each coal by density gradient centrifugation. The sporinite of the vitrinite-rich coal was compared chemically and petrographically with the parent coal and with the sporinite of the liptinite-rich coal. The fluorescence spectrum of the sporinite from the liptinite-rich coal is shifted to the red end of the spectrum, which may be accounted for by the somewhat higher rank of the sample and/or by differences in the original assemblage of spores. The lack of chemical differences between the extracts of the sporinite and its whole coal reinforce the concept of bitumen as an homogeneous mobile phase pervading the coal. Thus, extract chemistry seems an unsuitable technique for distinguishing between macerals from the same coal. Hopane and sterane distributions in the sporinite and parent coal pyrolyzates are very similar, but the two materials can be readily distinguished by the distribution of tetracyclic diterpanes of the phyllocladane type, which are biological marker compounds derived from higher plant material. Overall, the sporinite is considerably more paraffinic in character and has a greater preponderance of straight-chain alkane moieties than the coal as a whole. In the case of the vitrinite-rich coal, the whole-coal structure appears significantly more polyaromatic than the sporinite. The distributions of thiophenic compounds differ in the pyrolyzates of the two materials. The sporinite from the liptinite-rich coal is even less polycondensed than the sporinite from the vitrinite-rich sample. The chemical and petrographic differences of the two sporinites probably reflect the different assemblages of spores in the original peats and their different diagenetic histories.
The performance of music-based DOA in white noise with missing data

The Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm is popular choice for estimating the direction of arrival (DOA) of signals impinging on a sensor array. In this paper, we analyze the mean-squared error (MSE) performance of MUSIC algorithm in the white noise setting with partially observed, or missing, data. Using recent results from random matrix theory, we obtain an analytic expression for the MSE of the DOA estimate in the asymptotic regime and validate the theoretical predictions with simulations.
Ion activation of the Na,K-ATPase in alternating currents

Abstract The frequency dependent accumulation of cations by erythrocytes in alternating currents (ac) involves the membrane Na,K-ATPase. We have suggested that frequency dependent ion concentration changes could account for the effect of ac on the ion-activated Na,K-ATPase. Support for this idea has come from studies of ATP splitting by the enzyme when ac (over a range of amplitudes and frequencies) flows through Na,K-ATPase suspensions via platinum electrodes/salt-impregnated agar gels. Ac signals decrease ATP splitting by the normal enzyme, with the maximum effect at 100 Hz, and increase the enzyme activity, when the activity is lowered in different ways, including introduction of ouabain. The quantitative dependence of the enzyme activity in the ouabain experiments suggests that ac antagonizes the inhibition in a way that is consistent with ion competition at a binding site. Inhibition and activation by ac as well as ion competition and frequency dependence can be explained by variations in ion activation. Such a mechanism could account for the effects of electromagnetic fields on biological systems, since the threshold field estimated by extrapolation of our measurements is 20 μV/cm, within the range of reported biological effects.
Larval Dispersal and Species Longevity in Lower Tertiary Gastropods

Species longevity in Lower Tertiary volutids (Gastropoda) is primarily controlled by a combination of developmental type and environmental tolerance. Larval dispersal may be an important factor in molluskan evolutionary rates.
Measurement of Transients by the Lichtenberg Figures

The paper gives the results of a comprehensive study of the effect of transients on the size and appearance of Lichten berg figures. Sixteen different rates of voltage rise were used, varying from about 20 minutes to 0.1 microsecond to reach a crest value of 25 kv. Results were obtained with transients the crest voltages of which ranged from 5 to 25 kv. The steeper wave fronts were checked with the Dufour cathode-ray oscillograph. Calibration curves are given, showing that the positive figures are not much affected by changes in wave front, while the negative figures vary considerably with changes in wave front, especially at the lower voltages. The positive figures are divided into three types according to their appearance which is found to depend on the rate of voltage rise. It is concluded that for most conditions the size of the positive figures will give a determination of the crest voltage of the applied transient to within approximately 25 per cent.
The bioinorganic chemistry of the ancient ocean: the co-evolution of cyanobacterial metal requirements and biogeochemical cycles at the Archean–Proterozoic boundary?

Abstract Recent evidence from the sulfur isotopic record indicates a transition ∼2.5 billion years ago from an ocean chemistry first dominated by iron and then by sulfide. It has been hypothesized that the selection of metal centers in metalloenzymes has been influenced by the availability of metals through geological time, in particular as a result of large differences in the solubility of metals-sulfides. In this study, we examine the trace metal requirements and sensitivities of marine cyanobacteria and use recent stability constants to model the abundance and chemical speciation of metals across this chemical transition ∼2.5 billion years ago. Two major results are reported here: (1) the marine cyanobacterial species studied thus far show trace metal preferences and sensitivities that are consistent with their evolution in a sulfidic marine environment, and (2) in an ancient ocean dominated by high fluxes and concentrations of iron, the relative availability of trace metals would have been similar to that of a sulfidic system—Fe>Mn, Ni, Co≫Cd, Zn, Cu—as a result of the formation of dissolved sulfide complexes. Thus, the formation of strong aqueous metal-sulfide complexes was likely as important as the precipitation of minerals in influencing the selection of metals in biology. These results suggest that marine biogeochemical cycles and marine bioinorganic chemistry have co-evolved, and that the evidence for this co-evolution has been preserved in the physiology and genomes of modern descendants of the early cyanobacteria.
The electrical basis for enhanced potassium secretion in rat distal colon during dietary potassium loading

Previous studies in rat distal colon provide evidence for an active absorptive process for potassium under basal conditions, and for active potassium secretion during chronic dietary potassium loading. The present studies were performed with conventional and potassium-selective microelectrodes to determine the electrical basis for the increase in transcellular (active) potassium secretion observed during potassium loading. Compared to control tissues, potassium loading resulted in a 5-fold increase in transepithelial voltage (V T) and a 52% decrease in total resistance (R T) in the distal colon. The rise inV T was due to a decrease in apical membrane resistance and an increase in basolateral membrane voltage from −45±2 mV (cell interior negative) in control to −56±2 mV (P<0.001) in potassium loaded tissues. This difference in basolateral membrane voltage reflected in increase in intracellular potassium activity from 86±4 mM to 153±12 mM (P<0.001). In control tissues, the sequential mucosal addition of the sodium channel blocker amiloride (0.1 mM) and the potassium channel blocker tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA: 30 mM) produced no effect on the electrical measurements. However, in potassium loaded tissues, amiloride and TEA produced transepithelial changes consistent with inhibition of apical membrane conductances for sodium and potassium, respectively, reflected by increases in the resistance ratio, α (ratio of apical to basolateral membrane resistances). These data indicate that the decrease in apical membrane resistance during potassium loading was caused by an increase in apical membrane conductance for both potassium and sodium.
Compiling PCRE to FPGA for accelerating SNORT IDS

Deep Payload Inspection systems like SNORT and BRO utilize regular expression for their rules due to their high expressibility and compactness. The SNORT IDS system uses the PCRE Engine for regular expression matching on the payload. The software based PCRE Engine utilizes an NFA engine based on certain opcodes which are determined by the regular expression operators in a rule. Each rule in the SNORT ruleset is translated by PCRE compiler into an unique regular expression engine. Since the software based PCRE engine can match the payload with a single regular expression at a time, and needs to do so for multiple rules in the ruleset, the throughput of the SNORT IDS system dwindles as each packet is processed through a multitude of regular expressions.In this paper we detail our implementation of hardware based regular expression engines for the SNORT IDS by transforming the PCRE opcodes generated by the PCRE compiler from SNORT regular expression rules. Our compiler generates VHDL code corresponding to the opcodes generated for the SNORT regular expression rules. We have tuned our hardware implementation to utilize an NFA based regular expression engine, using greedy quantifiers, in much the same way as the software based PCRE engine. Our system implements a regular expression only once for each new rule in the SNORT ruleset, thus resulting in a fast system that scales well with new updates. We implement two hundred PCRE engines based on a plethora of SNORT IDS rules, and use a Virtex-4 LX200 FPGA, on the SGI RASC RC 100 Blade connected to the SGI ALTIX 4700 supercomputing system as a testbed. We obtain an interface through-put of (12.9 GBits/s) and also a maximum speedup of 353X over software based PCRE execution.
Use of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Borderline Personality Disorder: A View From Residency

Objective The authors describe the use of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in treating borderline personality disorder during psychiatry residency, and assess the status of DBT education within psychiatry residencies in the United States.
Cytogenetic findings in a malignant melanoma and its derived cell line

Abstract A cell line, MEL #26, was established from a metastatic solid tumor specimen obtained from a patient with malignant melanoma. Cytogenetic analyses were performed on both the fresh biopsy specimen (using short-term culture; 2 days) and an established cell line at three different passages. The chromosome number of the fresh biopsy specimen was in the neartriploid range and the chromosome number of the cell line was tetraploid. Three stable marker chromosomes involving #1, #6, and #7 were observed both in the original tumor and cell line. The marker chromosomes involving #1 and #7 were consistently present in all passages of this line, whereas, i(6p) was not present in every metaphase; a 15p+ marker completely disappeared after passage 20. Based on the results of the present study, we conclude that exclusive of one marker chromosome, the nonrandom chromosome changes seen in the original tumor were retained by the cell line and no particular additional clonal changes occurred during in vitro growth and establishment of this cell line. These considerations are of importance in the interpretation of results of various other studies that have been (or could be) performed with this cell line.
A new gene of bacteriophage T4 determining immunity against superinfecting ghosts and phage in T4-infecfed Escherichia coli

Abstract Bacteriophage T4 can form progeny in Escherichia coli cells infected with ghosts if the phage infection precedes that of the ghosts by a few minutes. In an accompanying article (Vallee et al., 1972) we report that a mutant of T4, amE142(39), is unique as compared to 21 other gene 39 mutants in that it fails to protect host cells against ghosts. S. Mufti (personal communication) has shown that this same mutant was not able to exclude superinfecting phage. Evidence is now presented that amE142(39) contains a second mutation probably located between genes 42 and 43 on the T4 genome. This second mutation, defining a new gene (imm) has been separated from the amber mutation of the parent strain amE142(39) and shown to be responsible for the failure to protect T4-infected cells against superinfecting T4 ghosts or phage. The failure to establish immunity appears to be the only demonstrable phenotype of the imm− mutant. The immunity function seems to be dispensable to the phage.
Thermal Degradation of Anthocyanins from Purple Potato (Cv. Purple Majesty) and Impact on Antioxidant Capacity

Degradation parameters of purified anthocyanins from purple-fleshed potato (cv. Purple Majesty) heated at high temperatures (100–150 °C) were determined. Purified anthocyanins, prepared by removing salts, sugars, and colorless nonanthocyanin phenolics from the crude extract, were monitored and quantified using HPLC and spectrophotometry for heat-induced degradation products. Separation of colorless phenolics from the anthocyanins was confirmed using HPLC at two wavelengths, 280 and 520 nm. The degradation kinetics of purified anthocyanins followed a first-order reaction with reaction rate constants (k values) of 0.0262–0.2855 min–1, an activation energy of 72.89 kJ/mol, thermal death times (D values) of 8.06–8789 min, and a z value of 47.84 °C over the temperature range of 100–150 °C. The enthalpy and entropy of activation were 59.97 kJ/mol and −116.46 J/mol·K, respectively. The antioxidant capacity in the purified anthocyanins, measured by DPPH and ABTS assays, was increased after the thermal treatment, ...
Drug therapy in the heart transplant recipient part I: Cardiac rejection and immunosuppressive drugs

Survival after heart transplantation has improved considerably over the past 20 years. Half of all patients now live >9 years, and ≈25% live ≥17 years.1 Currently, ≈20 000 heart transplant recipients live in the United States.2 Improved longevity means prolonged immunosuppression and the concomitant use of drugs to prevent or treat the long-term complications of immunosuppressive agents, such as infection, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, renal insufficiency, diabetes, osteoporosis, gout, and malignancies. In 1989, heart transplant recipients surviving 1 year were reported to be taking 16±6 drug doses per day (prescription and nonprescription).3 In 2001, heart transplant recipients surviving an average of 76 months were taking 7 prescription drugs (range, 2 to 14), along with a number of nonprescription drugs.4 Thus, despite prolonged survival, heart transplant recipients continue to take multiple medications. With the large number of heart transplant recipients in the community and the increasing number of immunosuppressive and nonimmunosuppressive drugs used by these patients, it is important that the general cardiologist understand these drugs, their side effects, and the very real potential for drug–drug interactions. These interactions may result in adverse events caused by supratherapeutic and subtherapeutic drug concentrations. In this series, we review mechanisms and types of rejection, immunosuppressive drugs commonly used in the heart transplant recipient, common medical problems after transplantation, and clinically significant drug–drug interactions. A brief review of known immunologic mechanisms leading to graft rejection highlights the action of individual immunosuppressive drugs, as well as the rationale for combination therapy5–8 (Figure). The rejection of a transplanted organ is primarily a T-lymphocyte (T-cell)–mediated event, although humoral (B-cell) responses also contribute. The exception is hyperacute rejection, which occurs when preformed antibodies to human leukocyte antigens (HLA) result in an immediate and catastrophic rejection. Immune recognition of donor antigens that differ from those of …
Inhaled asbestos exacerbates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice via CD4+ T cells.

BackgroundAssociations between air pollution and morbidity/mortality from cardiovascular disease are recognized in epidemiologic and clinical studies, but the mechanisms by which inhaled fibers or ...
Cardiac vulnerability to electric shocks during phase 1A of acute global ischemia

Objectives The purpose of this study is to characterize the changes in vulnerability to electric shocks during phase 1A of global ischemia in the rabbit ventricles and to determine the mechanisms responsible for these changes. Background Mechanisms responsible for the changes in cardiac vulnerability over the course of ischemia phase 1A remain poorly understood. The lack of understanding results from the rapid ischemic change in cardiac electrophysiologic properties, which renders experimental evaluation of vulnerability difficult. Methods To examine dynamic changes in vulnerability to electric shocks over the course of acute global ischemia phase 1A, this study used a three-dimensional anatomically accurate bidomain model of ischemic rabbit ventricles. Monophasic shocks are applied at various coupling intervals to construct vulnerability grids in normoxia and at various stages of ischemia phase 1A. Results Our simulations demonstrate that 2 to 3 minutes after the onset of ischemia, the upper limit of vulnerability remains at its normoxic value (12.75 V/cm); however, arrhythmias are induced at shorter coupling intervals. As ischemia progresses, the upper limit of vulnerability decreases, reaching 6.4 V/cm in the advanced stage of ischemia phase 1A, and the vulnerable window shifts towards longer coupling intervals. Conclusions Changes in the upper limit of vulnerability result from an increase in the spatial extent of the shock-end excitation wavefronts and the slower recovery from shock-induced positive polarization. Shifts in the vulnerable window stem from decreases in local repolarization times and the occurrence of postshock conduction failure caused by prolonged postrepolarization refractoriness.
Modal analysis for BGA shock test board and fixture design

This work serves to evaluate solder joint shock reliability for Intel's desktop motherboard and OEM desktop systems. A component level dynamic test system was developed to represent motherboard system behavior and modal analysis was introduced to evaluate and calibrate the test board fundamental frequency. By mounting a mass to the test board, the test system was adjusted to simulate the BGA solder joint dynamic behavior at the motherboard and desktop system level. Modal testing was performed with various mounting masses on the test board, which represents designed heatsink masses on the motherboard. The resonance frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes of the test boards were measured. Finite element modal analysis was performed for the test board/fixture. Numerical results showed excellent agreement with the modal testing data. The testing/modeling data provides the ground work for the component level shock test and the solder joint dynamic failure strength evaluation.
BREEDING BIRD DENSITY IN WOODLOTS: EFFECTS OF DEPTH AND BUILDINGS AT THE EDGES

A model is presented that describes the breeding bird density of a species in a woodlot, given that this density may change from edge to interior. The primary variable is a measure of depth in the woodlot that depends on distances to four woodlot edges. The model applies to forest-interior species and to edge species, and it also accounts for different degrees of threat or attraction at different edges. During 1993-1996, we collected bird abundance data using point counts at 387 sample plots in 176 woodlots, including two big woods (>5000 ha), in eastern Pennsylvania, USA. Models were developed for 36 species by using nonlinear regression guided by tests of residuals against other variables measured at each sample plot. Densities of 20 of the 36 species were affected by the depth in the woodlot. The density of one forest-interior species, Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus), de- creased farther away from the big woods, which can be explained qualitatively by dispersal dynamics. Densities of 21 of the 36 species were affected by buildings near the woodlots: 10 species increased, and 11 decreased. One preliminary conservation conclusion is that it is important to preserve big woods (>5000 ha) because at least one common forest species (Ovenbird) might disappear from nearby woodlots if the big woods were to become fragmented. A second conservation conclusion is that certain species can persist only in the absence of nearby buildings. Perhaps these species would persist near buildings if the negative biotic interactions associated with buildings were removed, but more information is needed before this possibility can be evaluated. Our model-building procedure and sta- tistical approach might be useful for modeling a number of variables concerning birds or other animals in various habitats where edge effects are important.
Family Experience and the Motives for Drinking

Family socialization experience as reported by 128 students was posited to be related (both linearly and curvilinearly) to the seriousness of the reasons or motives for drinking. A correlational analysis, following orthogonalization of the independent variables, indicated that the frequency of intoxication by the mother was linearly and positively related to the number of reasons checked by students for drinking. Extreme closeness and extreme distance between the parents was related to drinking for personal effects (i.e., to improve self-esteem), while neutral or ambiguous attitudes toward drinking by the father were related principally to moderately serious personal and interpersonal reasons for drinking. The findings suggest that college students are at risk of becoming problem drinkers to the extent their family socialization experience included maternal deviant drinking, weak or fuzzy paternal norms about drinking, and extreme closeness or distance between parents. Family conditions that lead to poor ...
Semi-allogeneic vaccine for T-cell lymphoma.

Background Experimental results from studies with inbred mice and their syngeneic tumors indicated that the inoculation of semi-allogeneic cell hybrids (derived from the fusion between syngeneic tumor cells and an allogeneic cell line) protects the animal host from a subsequent lethal challenge with unmodified syngeneic tumor cells.
Hypocotyl expression and light downregulation of the soybean tubulin gene, tubB1

The tubB1 beta-tubulin gene of Glycine max (previously named s beta 1) is highly expressed only in rapidly elongating regions of etiolated seedling hypocotyls and this expression is strongly downregulated when the seedlings are exposed to light. Primer extension demonstrated that the gene was transcribed in these tissues and contained two sites of transcriptional initiation. To determine the mechanism regulating tubB1 expression, a chimeric reporter gene was constructed by fusing 5' upstream regions of tubB1 to a promoterless beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene and these constructs were introduced into protoplasts by electroporation. Strong transient expression of the reporter gene was obtained after electroporation of chimeric constructs containing 1 kb of tubB1 5' upstream sequence into tobacco protoplasts. Deletion of the distal most 300 bp from the 5' sequence of tubB1 enhanced expression, suggesting the possibility of a negative transcriptional regulator in this region. Additional deletions of the 5' sequence reduced expression substantially. Constructs containing a tubB1 3' terminus were expressed at much lower levels than those containing a nopaline synthase (NOS) 3' terminus. The tubB1-GUS chimeric gene also was introduced into tobacco by Agrobacterium-mediated Ti plasmid transformation and the organ-specific expression pattern of the chimeric gene was determined in seedlings of the transgenic plants. Hypocotyls exhibited strong GUS activity when the seedlings were germinated in darkness, but lacked the GUS enzyme when the seedlings were germinated in the light.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Interaction-induced dipole moment of the Ar-H2 dimer: dependence on the H2 bond length.

We present ab initio calculations of the interaction-induced dipole moment of the Ar–H2 van der Waals dimer. The primary focus of our calculations is on the H2 bond length dependence of the dipole moment, which determines the intensities of both the collision-induced H2 υ=1←0 fundamental band in gaseous Ar–H2 mixtures and the dopant-induced H2 υ=1←0 absorption feature in Ar-doped solid H2 matrices. Our calculations employ large atom-centered basis sets, diffuse bond functions positioned between the two monomers, and a coupled cluster treatment of valence electron correlation; core-valence correlation effects appear to make negligible contributions to the interaction-induced dipole moment for the Ar–H2 configurations considered here.
The Juggling Act of the College Counseling Center A Point of View

College and university counseling centers have dual loyalties to both individuals and institutions that can create difficult conflicts of interest. Skillful juggling of conflicting loyalties is one of the variables that define college counseling as a mental health specialty. Conflicts typically involve pressures either to breach confidentiality or, more problematically, to involve the agency in administrative functions and decisions. The professional literature and the professional association ethical codes offer little guidance on how to respond to these pressures. A number of variables such as institutional size and stability, administrative location, agency history, degree of external pressure, degree of consensus on the counseling center s role, philosophy of psychological services, and the current ethical and legal climate influence how difficult the juggling act may be. The International Association of Counseling Services recommendation of "administrative neutrality" provides a conceptual tool usefu...
Tectonic evolution of the southern Laurentian Grenville orogenic belt

The Grenville orogenic belt along the southern margin of Laurentia records more than 300 m.y. of orogenic activity culminating in arc-continent and continent-continent collision ca. 1150–1120 Ma. Exposures in Texas provide a unique profile across the Grenville orogen from the orogen core to the cratonal margin. In the Llano uplift of central Texas, ca. 1360–1232 Ma upper amphibolite–lower granulite facies, polydeformed supracrustal and plutonic rocks represent the core of the collisional orogen. This exposure contains a suture between a 1326–1275 Ma exotic island-arc terrane and probable Laurentian crust and records A-type subduction. In west Texas, 1380–1327 Ma amphibolite to greenschist facies, polydeformed supracrustal rocks are thrust over ca. 1250 Ma carbonate and volcanic rocks along the cratonal margin. The carbonate and volcanic rocks form a narrow thrust belt with post–1123 Ma synorogenic sedimentary rocks, which grade into undeformed sedimentary rocks northward on the Laurentian craton. The Texas basement reveals a consistent but evolving tectonic setting for the southern margin of Laurentia during Mesoproterozoic time. This paper summarizes recent advances in our knowledge of the Texas basement and proposes plate models to explain the tectonic evolution of this margin during Mesoproterozoic time. The orogenic history is strikingly similar to that of the Canadian Grenville orogen and requires a colliding continent off the southern Laurentian margin during the assembly of Rodinia.
Gamma Synuclein Forms Tertramers that can be Disrupted by Phospholipase C

Gamma synuclein (GS) is a neuronal protein that is expressed at high levels in several cancers and disease states. Like its family member alpha-synuclein, GS is considered to be a natively unfolded protein that can form helical oligomers. Also like alpha-synuclein, the cellular function of GS has yet to be determined. Here, we have characterized the oligomerization of GS using fluorescence homotransfer, photon-counting histogram (PCH) analysis and native gel electrophoresis. We find that purified GS is monomeric on chromatographs under denaturing conditions, but under native conditions it exists as oligomers of varying sizes, with the tetrameric form being the most prevalent. We followed the monomer to tetramer oligomerization by labeling the protein with FITC and following the concentration-dependent loss in fluorescence anisotropy due to homotransfer. PCH analysis, fluorescence correlation measurements and native gel electrophoresis show that placement of the probe and the physical properties of the probe affect the distribution of oligomers. Addition of the enzyme phospholipase Cβ2, a strong GS binding partner whose cellular expression is correlated with GS, results in disruption of GS tetramers and changes in the ability of the enzyme to be activated by G proteins. We propose that one function of GS is to modulate PLCβ2 activity.
Monopole dissociation in the early Universe

It has recently been shown that topological excitations of metastable phases such as non-Abelian monopoles can dissociate and decay through the radial expansion of the excitation core. In this paper it is indicated that, according to some grand unified field theories, the monopole dissociation process might occur in the early Universe. In particular, the case of an SU(5)-symmetric grand unified field theory which breaks spontaneously to SU(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) symmetry and then to SU(3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}SU(2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) symmetry is studied, and it is demonstrated that monopoles that are created in the transition from SU(5) symmetry to SU(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) symmetry generally dissociate after the SU(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) phase becomes metastable with respect to the SU(3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}SU(2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) phase but before there is any significant spontaneous production of bubbles associated with barrier penetration from the SU(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) phase to the SU(3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}SU(2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) phase. Thus, the monopole dissociation process does indeed occur in such models and the monopoles may act as seeds for the inhomogeneous phase transition from SU(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) symmetry to SU(3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}SU(2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1) symmetry. If the transition occurs inhomogeneously, the transition temperature is higher and less latent heat is released in the transition.
Sequelae and complications related to dental extractions in patients with hematologic malignancies and the impact on medical outcome.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate sequelae and complications after dental extractions and to analyze their impact on medical treatment in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, acute and chronic leukemia, and multiple myeloma during a 3-year period. Study Design: The study population included 388 patients with hematologic malignancies. All medical and dental charts were reviewed in a retrospective fashion to identify patients who received dental extractions. Preexisting dental disease and intervention (extraction) were evaluated, and parameters such as days of hospitalization and survival rate were compared with those of the remainder population who did not receive dental extractions. Results: Of the 388 patients, 69 underwent dental extractions and 9 had sequelae and complications after the intervention. The resulting complication rate of 13% was reported. Although some patients did experience delay of chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant (BMT), or both, no significant difference was found in the number of days in the hospital for BMT and the survival rate for the patients with sequelae and complications (n = 9) and for the remainder population (n = 319) ( >.05). Conclusion: Dental extraction intervention provided in the prechemotherapy and pre-BMT time frame did not have a negative bearing on medical outcome. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2001;92:4955)
Characteristics of the ATLAS and CMS detectors

The goal for the detection of new physics processes in particle collisions at Large Hadron Collider energies, combined with the broad spectrum of possibilities for how the physics might be manifest, leads to detectors of unprecedented scope and size for particle physics experiments at colliders. The resulting two detectors, ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) and CMS (compact muon spectrometer), must search for the new physics processes within very complex events arising from the very high-energy collisions. The two experiments share many basic design features-in particular, the need for very selective triggering to weed out the bulk of the uninteresting events; the order in which detector types are arrayed in order to provide maximum information about each event; and the very large angular coverage required to constrain the energy carried by any non-interacting particles. However, within these basic constraints, the detectors are quite different given the different emphases placed on issues such as resolution and background rejection. Both common features and the distinct differences will be presented.
Hardware platforms for teaching C, to engineering technology students

The authors examine how the C language can be taught using the different hardware platforms that are presently available in current technology programs. It is noted that it is easy to recognize the need for a new language, but it is often difficult to implement a new language if current hardware does not support the language. The cost of new equipment should not be a factor in adding C language to an engineering technology program. Since C is a highly portable language, it is generally possible to adapt current hardware to teaching C with only a few limitations. >
Integrated approaches to non-rigid registration in medical images

This paper describes two new atlas-based methods of 2D single modality non-rigid registration using the combined power of physical and statistical shape models. The transformations are constrained to be consistent with the physical properties of deformable elastic solids in the first method and those of viscous fluids in the second to maintain smoothness and continuity. A Bayesian formulation, based on each physical model, on an intensity similarity measure, and on statistical shape information embedded in corresponding boundary points, is employed to derive more accurate and robust approaches to non-rigid registration. A dense set of forces arises from the intensity similarity measure to accommodate complex anatomical details. A sparse set of forces constrains consistency with statistical shape models derived from a training set. A number of experiments were performed on both synthetic and real medical images of the brain and heart to evaluate the approaches. It is shown that statistical boundary shape information significantly augments and improves physical model based non-rigid registration and the two methods we present each have advantages under different conditions.
An Empirical Study of the Relationship of Four Classes of Body Habitus to Responses on the MMPI

The purpose of this research was to determine if there were any reliable differences in responses to items of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory between two groups of adult males who had been rated in accordance with the somatotyping system described by Sheldon (7). One of the difficulties in previous work in this area has stemmed from the fact that observations relevant to the behavioral characteristics of Ss have not been independent of their physical appearance. Sheldon and Stevens have stated quite emphatically, "It is impossible altogether to exclude this danger in the assignment of temperamental ratings, for the investigator cannot make the ratings without seeing the subject, and if the investigator is well trained in constitutional methods of analysis he cannot look at the subject without somatotyping him, approximately at least. To ask a constitutional psychologist to look at a jiggly 6-2-2, or a stalwart 2-6-2 without 'realizing' what they are, is like asking an ornithologist to observe geese and crows without being aware of which is which" (6, p. 392). Sheldon goes on to state that such a "halo" effect may well be "self-correcting" but many psychologists would disagree with him. The primary value of the present investigation lies in the assured independence between the two sets of observations. Ss' responses to the objective questions of the MMPI were evaluated with the assurance that their corresponding body ratings had no biasing effect on the analysis. In the present study two "dimensions" of physical habitus were considered. Other dimensions could not be dealt with as the source population proved a limiting factor with respect to the incidence of certain body ratings. The dimensions finally considered were those relating to ectomorphy vs. mesomorphy and cerebropenia vs. visceropenia. These groups are represented in Fig. 1. Ectomorphy and mesomorphy are both reasonably familiar concepts. The ectomorph is the individual who is rated highest in the last component of Sheldon's system and is characterized physically by ". . . fragility, linearity, flatness of the chest, and delicacy throughout the body. There is relatively slight development of both visceral and somatic structures. The ectomorph has bony, slender, poorly muscled extremities with delicate pipestem bones, and he has, relative to his mass, the greatest surface area and hence the greatest sensory exposure to the outside world. . ." (4, p. 540). When mesomorphy predomi
Ventromedial frontal cortex mediates affective shifting in humans: evidence from a reversal learning paradigm

Summary How do the frontal lobes support behavioural flexibility? One key element is the ability to adjust responses when the reinforcement value of stimuli change. In monkeys, this ability—a form of affective shifting known as reversal learning—depends on orbitofrontal cortex. The present study examines the anatomical bases of reversal learning in humans. Subjects with lesions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex were compared with a group with dorsolateral frontal lobe damage, as well as with normal controls on a simple reversal learning task. Neither form of frontal damage affected initial stimulus‐reinforcement learning; ventromedial frontal damage selectively impaired reversal learning.
In vitro genetic reconstruction of bacterial transcription initiation by coupled synthesis and detection of RNA polymerase holoenzyme

In vitro reconstitution of a biological complex or process normally involves assembly of multiple individually purified protein components. Here we present a strategy that couples expression and assembly of multiple gene products with functional detection in an in vitro reconstituted protein synthesis system. The strategy potentially allows experimental reconstruction of a multi-component biological complex or process using only DNA templates instead of purified proteins. We applied this strategy to bacterial transcription initiation by co-expressing genes encoding Escherichia coli RNA polymerase subunits and sigma factors in the reconstituted protein synthesis system and by coupling the synthesis and assembly of a functional RNA polymerase holoenzyme with the expression of a reporter gene. Using such a system, we demonstrated sigma-factor-dependent, promoter-specific transcription initiation. Since protein synthesis, complex formation and enzyme catalysis occur in the same in vitro reaction mixture, this reconstruction process resembles natural biosynthetic pathways and avoids time-consuming expression and purification of individual proteins. The strategy can significantly reduce the time normally required by conventional reconstitution methods, allow rapid generation and detection of genetic mutations, and provide an open and designable platform for in vitro study and intervention of complex biological processes.
Phenotype of a patient with contiguous deletion of TBX5 and TBX3: Expanding the disease spectrum

The important roles that T-box genes play in the morphogenesis of the heart and its conduction system has long been established, and a number of disorders are linked to mutations in these T-box genes. Holt-Oram syndrome (HOS), the classic heart and hand syndrome, is clinically typified by radial ray upper limb abnormalities and cardiac malformations, and is caused by mutations involving TBX5. Another member of the T-box gene family, TBX3, is found in close proximity to TBX5 on chromosome 12q24. Mutations in TBX3 cause ulnar-mammary syndrome (UMS), which is distinguished by upper limb malformations affecting the ulnar ray, apocrine, and mammary gland hypoplasia, and genital defects. While disorders involving isolated mutations of TBX5 and TBX3 have been well described, contiguous deletions of these T-box genes remain exceptional. We report on a patient with features of both HOS and UMS consisting of bilateral symmetric limb malformations, congenital cardiac defects, and rapidly progressive cardiac conduction disease.
Response to RE: Gordon R, Fitzgerald S, and Millette J. Asbestos in commercial cosmetic talcum powder as a cause of mesothelioma in women. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2014;20(4):318-332

Dear Editor:Thank you for the opportunity to reply to the letter you received from by Dr. Lee and Mr. Van Orden.1 It is clear that Dr. Lee and Mr. Van Orden have no idea of what constitutes a true ...
Classical capacity of free-space optical communication

The classical-information capacity of lossy bosonic channels is studied, with emphasis on the far-field free space channel.
The Pig Uterus Secretes a Progesterone-Induced Inhibitor of Plasminogen Activator

Pigs undergo central implantation in which embryonic development occurs entirely within the lumen of the uterus. The trophoblast does not invade into the stroma, and the epithelium remains intact throughout pregnancy. If, however, the embryo is transplanted to some ectopic site, such as the kidney capsule or into the stroma of the uterus, it becomes highly invasive (Samuel, 1971; Samuel and Perry, 1972). In animals that undergo true implantation, proteolytic enzymes have been detected in the uterus during the invasive period (Kirchner, 1972; Denker, 1974; Pinsker et al., 1974). The most noteworthy of these uterine proteases is plasminogen activator (PA), an enzyme that is defined operationally by its ability to convert the zymogen plasminogen to plasmin. Such an enzyme is produced by mouse trophoblast cells and has been suggested as being the agent responsible for allowing the trophoblast to penetrate the uterine epithelium and invade the underlying stroma (Strickland et al., 1976). Because the pig trophoblast is not invasive within the uterus, we were led to question whether the trophoblast produced PA or, alternatively, whether the uterus might secrete an inhibitor of this enzyme.
Case Report: Penicillin Sensitive Nutritionally Variant Streptococcal Endocarditis: Relapse After Penicillin Therapy

Abstract Studies to date have indicated that nutritionally-variant streptococci (NVS) causing bacterial endocarditis are frequently inhibited but not killed by low concentrations of penicillin. We report a patient with endocarditis due to a NVS strain which was killed in vitro by penicillin at a concentration of 0.09 μ g/ml. Despite therapy with intravenous penicillin for four weeks, the infection relapsed and was then cured by combined penicillin-gentamicin in therapy. In vitro studies demonstrated a synergistic effect of these two antibiotics. This experience suggests that combination therapy with penicillin and an aminoglycoside may be required for cure of all cases of nutritionally-variant streptococcal endocarditis regardless of in vitro susceptibility to penicillin.