cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Masculine and Feminine Stereotypes and Adjustment: A Reanalysis.

Deutsch and Gilbert (1976) used Bern's balance model in a study of self-perceptions of stereotypic masculine and feminine attributes, Rogeriantype conflict, and personal adjustment. Because important conceptual and computational changes have occurred in the measures of psychological masculinity and femininity, a reanalysis of these data was undertaken using Spence and Helmreich's absolute model. The reanalyses demonstrate the advantage of distinguishing between Androgynous and Undifferentiated individuals rather than grouping them together into a single “balanced” category. The new results also differ from those reported earlier in making apparent the influences of both Rogerian-type conflict and one's Real Self-description of masculinity and femininity on personal adjustment.
Faculty Impact on Students of Color

AbstractThis article explores the ways faculty and student affairs professionals can impact the student experience, particularly for Students of Color. Experiences at two institutions illustrate how developing deeper relationships and broader perspectives make a significant difference not only for students, but also for those who teach and support them. Characteristics of faculty who are most successful with Students of Color are shared, and the role of student affairs professionals is examined. In both instances, faculty who made the most impact on Students of Color shared the following characteristics: maintaining transparency with students, holding students to the highest standard, being open and sharing data, and building strong relationships with students. Faculty’s willingness to acknowledge difficult issues-and engage with each other, students, and student affairs professionals- was critical for change to occur. By developing deeper, more meaningful relationships, faculty, students, and student aff...
Conservatism revisited: Base rates, prior probabilities, and averaging strategies

Consistent with Koehler's position, we propose a generalization of the base rate fallacy and earlier conservatism literatures. In studies using both traditional tasks and new tasks based on ecologically valid base rates, our subjects typically underweight individuating information at least as much as they underweight base rates. The implications of cue consistency for averaging heuristics are discussed.
Homonuclear J-couplings and rotationally induced sideband enhancements in NMR spectra of rotating solids

Abstract We demonstrate direct detection of 13C-13C J-couplings in magic angle sample spinning NMR spectra despite the presence of the much larger homogeneous broadening caused by the homonuclear dipolar couplings. Carbon-carbon J-couplings were observed in doubly 13C-enriched samples of sodium acetate, glycine and glucose. The resolved J-coupling permits carbon-carbon connectivities to be established with standard two-dimensional techniques. Interesting spectral features are observed when the rotational sidebands of the coupled spins overlap: when a sideband from a dipolar-coupled pair approaches the centerband of its partner, a significant enhancement in sideband intensity is observed as well as small shifts in the resonance frequency.
Health-related quality of life 'well-being' in HIV distal neuropathic pain is more strongly associated with depression severity than with pain intensity.

Background Despite modern antiretroviral treatment, HIV-associated distal neuropathic pain (DNP) remains one of the most prevalent and debilitating complications of HIV disease. Neuropathic pain is often accompanied by depressed mood, and both pain and depression have been associated with decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL) well-being. The relative contribution of depression and pain to worse life quality has not been addressed, however, even though a better understanding might sharpen intervention strategies. Methods We used the Medical Outcomes Study HIV (MOS-HIV) Health Survey and the Beck Depression Inventory-II and linear regression models to investigate HRQOL well-being in HIV-infected patients with DNP (n = 397) participating in an observational cohort study at six US sites (CNS HIV Antiretroviral Treatment Effects Research Study, CHARTER). Results For this sample of patients with HIV DNP, severity of depressed mood was more highly correlated with HRQOL well-being than was pain intensity. Conclusions These results suggest that interventions to improve HRQOL well-being in individuals with HIV-associated DNP may need to address not only pain intensity but mood state as well.
The effect of occupant characteristics on crawling speed in evacuation

The movement of occupants is a key element in the development of evacuation models, which estimate the required evacuation time to reach an exit. The deterioration of environmental conditions influences occupants to adopt new responses. This study investigates crawling movement as a physical response to environmental conditions during a fire. The study investigates occupant crawling speed compared with walking speed, and the effect of occupant characteristics; gender and body composition (BMI), on crawling during an evacuation. Eighteen subjects (nine males and nine females) within the 19–29 age stratum participated in the study (normal, overweight, and obese body composition). The findings indicate a statistical significance between normal walking and crawling speeds. Further, the study statistically demonstrates that both gender and body composition significantly impact individual crawling speed as they are unique individual characteristics. More research is needed to better understand the effect of age group, mobility capabilities, and fatigue on crawling speed. The study concludes that the development of crawling data and its representation in evacuation models will enhance the accuracy of evacuation models, and better evaluate the safety of evacuees. Keywords: Evacuation models; Crawling speed; Occupant characteristics; Body mass index; Gender
The Madden–Julian Oscillation Observed during the TOGA COARE IOP: Global View

Abstract During the TOGA COARE Intensive Observing Period (November 1992–February 1993), two pronounced Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) events associated with super cloud clusters and westerly wind bursts were observed. This paper presents a global view of the MJOs including the origin of the super clusters in the Indian Ocean, their migration into the Maritime Continent and the TOGA COARE large-scale soundings array (LSA) in the western equatorial Pacific, and their rapid decay over cold water of the eastern Pacific. The structure and evolution of the MJO are examined with emphasis on the coupling between large-scale motion and convection. Because of differences in propagation speeds, the positions of maximum zonal wind perturbations relative to deep convection undergo systematic changes during the travel of the MJO. However, the centers of deep convection always coincide with those of large-scale ascent. The super cloud cluster accompanies a wide area of warm air in the upper troposphere. Over the warm ...
Themes, Thematic Progressions, and Some Implications for Understanding Discourse

This article explores some of the confusion and sources of that confusion in the research relating parts of clauses to the communicative roles that they play. It proposes that M.A.K. Halliday's sys...
Survivorship Bias and Mutual Fund Performance

Mutual fund attrition can create problems for a researcher, because funds that disappear tend to do so due to poor performance. In this paper we estimate the size of the bias by tracking all funds that existed at the end of 1976. When a fund merges we calculate the return, taking into account the merger terms. This allows a precise estimate of survivorship bias. In addition, we examine characteristics of both mutual funds that merge and their partner funds. Estimates of survivorship bias over different horizons and using different models to evaluate performance are provided.
Order by distortion and string modes in pyrochlore antiferromagnets.

We study the effects of magnetoelastic couplings on pyrochlore antiferromagnets. We employ Landau theory, extending an investigation begun by Yamashita and Ueda for the case of S = 1, and classical analyses to argue that such couplings generate bond order via a spin-Peierls transition. This is followed by, or concurrent with, a transition into one of several possible low-temperature Neel phases, with most simply collinear, but also coplanar or mixed spin patterns. In a collinear Neel phase, a dispersionless stringlike magnon mode dominates the resulting excitation spectrum, providing a distinctive signature of the parent geometrically frustrated state. We comment on the experimental situation.
Theory of trace element detection from a static thermal induction plasma

Abstract Emission spectroscopy of small samples sealed into high-pressure electrodeless lamps greatly reduces the complexity of conditions commonly encountered in open excitation sources and facilitates theoretical treatment. In this paper, analytical curves and detection limits are calculated for such a closed system. A radio frequency (rf) induction discharge maintained in argon at atmospheric pressure in a cylindrical quartz vessel is considered as the excitation source. It is assumed that the plasma has a known temperature distribution, is in local thermal equilibrium (LTE) and will undergo complete mixing with the vapors of trace elements. Charts and relationships are presented for convenient determination of the maximum number of atoms of an analyte element that the plasma can hold for a given container volume, minimum temperature at the plasma-wall interface and a suitably defined average plasma temperature. Local concentrations of electrons, atoms and ions are calculated for additions of magnesium, antimony or mercury to the discharge plasma in amounts of 10 −6 , 10 −9 and 10 −12 g each from Saha equilibrium, charge neutrality and space charge conservation. Detailed results are given for the magnesium—argon system which, in the considered temperature and concentration ranges, passes through a transition from metal-dominated to fill-gas dominated ionization. This transition causes the singularities in the emission coefficients of Mg atomic lines known as norm temperature effects. Measurement of the norm temperature at the location of an aureole in a contained plasma provides a means for determining the total amount of an element. Plots of line intensities against mass for Mg and the other elements show only insignificant deviations from linearity. They indicate that, with a typical spectrometric arrangement, an element is easily detectable without causing a noticeable disturbance in the plasma energy balance and that, from a practical standpoint, linear relationships ranging over several orders of magnitude can be expected. Less than 10 −15 g Mg are needed for the Mg(II) 279.6nm line to cause a signal power of 10 −15 W at the detector. This power is taken as equal to the shot noise level of the photodetector. The noise level of the source, due to fluctuations in continuum emissions, is still lower by an order of magnitude. The practical detection limit may be set by impurities released from the hot wall or by its permeability to analyte materials.
Patricia tries again revisited

The Patricia trie is a simple modification of a regular trie. By eliminating unary branching nodes, the Patricia achieves better performance than regular tries. However, the question is: how much on the average is the Patricia better? This paper offers a thorough answer to this question by considering some statistics of the number of nodes examined in a successful search and an unsuccessful search in the Patricia tries. It is shown that for the Patricia containing n records the average of the successful search length Sn asymptotically becomes 1/h1 · ln n + O(1), and the variance of Sn is either var Sn = c · ln n + 0(1) for an asymmetric Patricia or var Sn = 0(1) for a symmetric Patricia, where h1 is the entropy of the alphabet over which the Patricia is built and c is an explicit constant. Higher moments of Sn are also assessed. The number of nodes examined in an unsuccessful search Un is studied only for binary symmetric Patricia tries. We prove that the mth moment of the unsuccessful search length EUmn satisfies limn→∞EUmn/logm2n = 1, and the variance of Un is var Un = 0.87907. These results suggest that Patricia tries are very well balanced trees in the sense that a random shape of Patriciatries resembles the shape of complete trees that are ultimately balanced trees.
The electroencephalogram in phenylpyruvic oligophrenia.

Abstract Electroencephalographic studies in the waking and sleeping state of 19 patients with phenylpyruvic amentia reveals that waking activity in these patients is usually abnormal; it is of high voltage, slightly fast, slightly slow, or a mixture of fast and slow; seizure discharges of the petit mal type are common. Eleven patients showed seizure activity in the waking state and 18 had seizure activity during sleep. Thus the electroencephalogram confirms the clinical observation that epileptic disorder is a common complication in phenylpyruvic amentia. The occurence of 3/sec. spike and wave discharges of the petit mal type in more than one-third of the present group of patients with phenylpyruvic amentia is noteworthy because this pattern is rare in other types of symptomatic epilepsy. It suggests that there is some causal relation between the metabolic disorder which is present in phenylpyruvic amentia and the wave and spike pattern. The most consitent abnormality was a lack of well formed sleep patterns. Biparietal humps and spindles were either absent or poorly developed. Sleep activity was profoundly disorganized. In two cases mitten patterns were present. These findings suggested a pathological process with a strong epileptic component, causing a profound disturbance of both cortical and thalamic function.
Newborn urimary cyclic. AMP and developmental renal responsiveness to parathyroid hormone

Since the renal action of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is known to be mediated via 3′, 5′-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP), urinary cyclic AMP studies were used to determine proximal tubular maturation. Ten formula fed full-term male infants showed a 30 to 60 fold increase in phosphate clearance and excretion with a 3–4 fold increase in urinary cyclic AMP comparing their first and third day 24-hour urines. This 3–4 fold increase in cyclic AMP could reflect increasing pTH renal responsiveness and/or increasing secretion of PTH. One and 3 day old infants and adults were given a one hour PTH infusion (5 μ/kg/hr) measuring urinary cyclic AMP in time periods before and after the infusions. Peak increases in responses from baseline of cyclic AMP were 1.64 ± 0.34, 7.15 ± 1.15 and 36.30 ± 0.73 μmoles/gm creatinine mean ± range on first day, third day and adults respectively with similar relationships of increasing phosphate excretion and decreasing % TRP. Thus, the development of newborn renal responsiveness to parathyroid hormone is on the cellular cyclic AMP level suggesting increasing maturation of the enzyme adenyl cyclase which forms cyclic AMP from ATP.
The dipole expansion method for plasma simulation

Abstract The dipole expansion technique for determining the grid charge density and the electrostatic forces due to a system of extended charges is presented. In this scheme a charge (monopole) and a dipole moment, both extended, are assigned to the nearest grid point. The corresponding calculations of the force require the determination of the electric field and its gradient. The approach aims to minimize the number of operations per particle at the expense of more operations per grid point. The technique is appealing on physical grounds, since it helps one to relate numerical approximations to physical concepts. We also present a modified version, the subtracted dipole scheme (SUDS). In this version the field calculations do not take significantly longer than in nearest-grid-point calculations. This is particularly important in two- and three-dimensional simulations. We also discuss an optimization of the coding, particularly for the operations that must be done for each particle (computing its contribution to the charge density and updating its position and velocity). For example, this optimization has given a one-dimensional, nearest-grid-point code (lowest order in the multipole expansion scheme) that takes ∼1.8 μsec/particle on the IBM 360/91. We assess the value of the dipole correction by comparing dipole and nearest-grid-point simulations. Finally the relation between the dipole expansion (or SUDS) and charge sharing is discussed.
An experimental study of some stochastic models for wagers

In this paper we report the results of an experiment designed to test the appropriateness of certain models for choices among wagers. These models and the test procedure to be used have previously been described in this journal in some detail (Becker et al, 1963), but for convenience we will briefly restate them here. The reader should, however, refer to Becker et al. (1963) for precise statements of the basic concepts of rewards, wagers, offered sets, and stochastic models for wagers, and for proofs of theorems.
Comorbidity in Atopic Dermatitis

The negative impact of atopic dermatitis (AD) often extends beyond the skin. Children with AD experience increased rates of infectious, mental health, and allergic diseases compared to their non-atopic peers. The mechanisms underlying these associations remain elusive. New insights from genetic and epidermal research pinpoint the skin barrier as a primary initiator of AD. Epicutaneous sensitization represents an intriguing new model which links a disrupted skin barrier to the later development of IgE-mediated diseases in patients with AD. Recent epidemiological studies have identified new comorbidities linked to AD as well, including several mental health disorders and obesity. This manuscript reviews the recent literature regarding both classic and newly described AD comorbidities.
Development of an Optical Polarimeter for in vivo Glucose Monitoring

In our investigation, we present both multi-spectral in vitro and preliminary single wavelength in vivo results supporting the use of optical polarimetry as a potential non-invasive method for glucose sensing. The site utilized for our in vivo measurements is the anterior chamber of the eye in a rabbit model. The anterior chamber of the eye contains a relatively clear and minimal scattering fluid known as the aqueous humor. The glucose levels of the aqueous humor are correlated to those of blood, therefore providing a mechanism to indirectly estimate blood glucose levels. A device to effectively couple light through the anterior chamber is also presented. As for the in vitro experiments, a multi-spectral approach is demonstrated as a method to minimize prediction error when glucose is not the only optically active component that varies in concentration.
Minireview: Tissue-Specific Versus Generalized Gene Targeting of the igf1 and igf1r Genes and Their Roles in Insulin-Like Growth Factor Physiology

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) and the IGF-I receptor are critically important for normal growth and development of the organism. Gene-deletion of these elements has demonstrated that IGF-I is important for both prenatal and postnatal development, whereas IGF-II is important during prenatal stages only. The IGF-I receptor gene-deleted mouse dies at birth apparently as a result of poor muscular development. Utilizing the conditional gene-deletion approach, we have demonstrated that mice lacking the liver IGF-I gene have an approximately 80% reduction in circulating total IGF-I levels. Despite this marked reduction, postnatal growth and development was normal, suggesting that liver IGF-I is not essential for this function. Local tissue IGF-I production was unaffected and may compensate for the lack of the liver IGF-I. Further studies are ongoing to establish the role of the endocrine vs. the autocrine/paracrine IGF-I.
Inhibitors of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozymes block renal tubular cell proliferation induced by folic acid

Abstract In previous studies we observed that inhibition of cyclic 3′,5′-nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) isozymes, namely isozyme PDE3, suppresses proliferation of rat renal glomerular mesangial cells in vitro and in vivo. To determine whether activation of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway coupled to specific PDE isozymes modulates accelerated proliferation of renal epithelial cells, we investigated the effect of selective PDE isozyme inhibition on renal epithelial cell proliferation induced in rats by injection of folic acid (FA). In extracts from suspensions of renal cortical tubules, cAMP was metabolized predominantly by isozyme PDE4; activity of PDE3 was about three times lower. The increase in proliferative activity of renal cortical tissue from FA-injected rats, evaluated by immunostaining with Mib-1 antibody, was limited to tubular epithelial cells. Administration of the PDE3 inhibitors cilostazol or cilostamide together with the PDE4 inhibitor rolipram blocked mitogenic synthesis of DNA, as determined by ( 3 H)-thymidine incorporation into renal cortical DNA, in FA-treated rats. FA injection caused an increase of more than 10-fold in proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in renal cortical tissue; administration of the potent PDE3 inhibitor lixazinone or, to a lesser degree, cilostazol suppressed these high PCNA levels, whereas rolipram alone had no effect. The results indicate that FA-stimulated in vivo proliferation of renal tubular epithelial cells is down-regulated by activation of a cAMPPKA signaling pathway linked to PDE3 isozymes. These observations are consistent with the notion that negative crosstalk between cAMP signaling and mitogenstimulated signaling pathways regulates mitogenesis of renal cells of different terminal differentiation, including tubular epithelial cells.
Water management, disease development, and potato production

The increased use of high frequency, sprinkler irrigation programs, particularly those with early season requirements for maintenace of high soil moisture levels, can mean increased tuber yields and quality, and reduced incidences of common scab. However, such programs may lead to increased incidences of brown center (and hollow heart) and powdery scab. More importantly, with respect to most of the currently important diseases of potato in the United States (i.e., late blight, early blight, white mold, bacterial stem rot, early dying, bacterial ring rot), growers using such programs face serious and complicated disease management problems because of the effects of more favorable canopy and soil moisture and temperature regimes on pathogen infection, growth, reproduction, dispersal, and survival.
Effect of Y2 Receptor Deletion on Whole Bone Structural Behavior in Mice

Recent evidence has shown that mice deficient in the NPY Y2 receptor have an increase in trabecular bone volume as well as cortical bone mass due to increased osteoblast activity. However, the mechanical phenotype of Y2 -/- bone has not yet been assessed. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the effect of Y2 deletion on murine cortical bone structural behavior, as well as to assess the material and geometric contributions to that behavior. The results of this study indicate that Y2 -/- mice on a 129 SV x Balb/c background strain are smaller in body mass and have smaller bones than wild-type controls. As expected based on smaller bone cross-sectional properties, cortical bone structural strength was lower in -/- animals. Surprisingly, the structural stiffness of -/- bones was comparable to that of +/+ bones despite their smaller cross-sectional geometry. Comparable structural stiffness appeared to be achieved by means of an elevated effective shear modulus, which was associated with a small, but statistically significant, higher ash content in Y2 -/- bones. These data represent the first comprehensive characterization of the effect of Y2 deletion on cortical bone structural and material behavior to date.
Storage and mobilization of extracellular matrix proteins during sea urchin development.

Abstract After fertilization, sea urchin embryos surround themselves with an extracellular matrix, or hyaline layer, to which cells adhere during early development. Hyalin, the major protein component of the hyaline layer has been isolated and partially characterized in several laboratories. Although other proteins are present in the hyaline layer, little is known about their origin, distribution, or functions. The present report characterizes a set of hyaline layer proteins that are secreted after fertilization from a class of vesicles that are distinct from cortical granules. The group of proteins in these vesicles were identified by a monoclonal antibody (8d11) which recognizes a carbohydrate epitope common to each of these molecules. 8d11 polypeptides range in molecular weight from 105 to 225 kDa. Oogonia and oocytes in early stages of vitellogenesis do not express the antigen. The proteins are first observed by immunofluorescence during oogenesis as a peripheral band in mid-vitellogenic oocytes. Following germinal vesicle breakdown 8d11 moves to be distributed evenly throughout the cytoplasm. The proteins are transported to the egg surface by a cytochalasin-sensitive mechanism after fertilization, and secreted predominately within the first 30 min of development. 8d11 proteins are depleted in areas of cell contact during early embryogenesis, and become concentrated on the apical surface of ectoderm cells where they are assembled into high-molecular-weight aggregates. Three of the molecules in this group may be proteins previously described as “apical lamina” proteins. These observations provide evidence of a third pathway (cortical granules and basal lamina granules being the other two) for synthesis, storage, and exocytosis of matrix proteins that are released after fertilization.
A retrospective study of endophtalmitis rates comparing quinolone antibiotics

Purpose To compare endophthalmitis rates between topical quinolone antibiotics over a four-year period in a university setting. Design Retrospective, cross-sectional (prevalence) study. Methods study population : Nine thousand seventy-nine patients who underwent a phacoemulsification procedure at a University Eye Center. INTERVENTIONS : The following interventions were conducted: use of a nosocomial infectious reporting database retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data to establish endophthalmitis rates; prevalence analysis of postoperative quinolone antibiotics; analysis of endophthalmitis rate vs postoperative quinolone prescribed. main outcome measures : Occurrence of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery. Results During a four-year period involving 9079 phacoemulsification procedures, 26 cases of bacterial postoperative endophthalmitis were reported (rate = 0.286%). Eight of the 26 cases were considered complicated; 18 cases were uncomplicated. Among cases performed during this period, postoperative prescription volumes for ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan, Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fortworth, Texas) and ofloxacin (Ocuflox, Allergan, Inc., Irvine, California) antibiotic drops were nearly identical, with 4538 patients receiving ciprofloxacin (49.98%) and 4541 patients receiving ofloxacin (50.02%). There were 22 endophthalmitis patients (85%) who had used topical ciprofloxacin and 4 patients (15%) who had used topical ofloxacin postoperatively. The difference in infectious rates between antibiotics was highly significant (P Conclusions Differences in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties exist among quinolone antibiotics, which may affect endophthalmitis incidence following cataract surgery.
CLEFT PALATE: A MOLECULAR MECHANISM LINKED TO THE H-2 LOCUS

Genetically different inbred strains of mice have markedly varying susceptibilities to the production of cleft palate by a standard dosage regimen of corticoids at the critical period of palatal organogenesis. This susceptibility to corticoid-induced cleft palate has recently been shown to be regulated by genes in or near the H-2 locus. In order to determine whether susceptibility to cortisone-induced cleft palate may be mediated by genetic differences in a cytosolic corticoid receptor protein, fetal palatal anlagen were obtained by microdissection of the upper and lower fetal jaws on day 11 of gestation 1 hour after maternal injection of 5 μCi (1, 2, 6, 7- 3H)-cortisol. Cytosols of maternal palates and fetal jaws of five inbred strains and of the congenic strains B10, and B10-A a which has the genetic background of B10, but the H-2a allele of the most sensitive strain, A/J, were prepared. The total level of cytosolic protein binders of 3H-cortisol in maternal and fetal palates on day 11 of gestation correlates with susceptibility to cleft palate and the H-2 genotype. After microelectrofocusing, only one maternal and fetal palatal cytosol binder for 3H-cortisol (pI 6.9-7.0) is found to correlate with susceptibility to cleft palate and the H-2 genotype. Thus, a gene product in or near the H-2 locus appears to be the glucocorticoid receptor whose level must be elevated for a cleft palate to occur. This is the only malformation that has been associated so far with the H-2 locus. This mechanism may be applicable to other teratogens as well.
Short-term oral contraceptive use and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer

Oral contraceptive (OC) use has been consistently linked to a reduction in ovarian cancer in a dose-dependent fashion. Whether short-term OC use is protective remains controversial. In 1994–1998 in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania the authors examined the association between short-term OC use and ovarian cancer in a populationbased case-control study comparing 608 incident epithelial ovarian cancer cases with 926 community controls. Using unconditional logistic regression and adjusting for known confounders they found a significant reduction in ovarian cancer risk for women who had used OCs for = 6 months (odds ratio = 0.73 95% confidence interval: 0.54 0.99). This protective effect was observed in only that group who had used OCs for > 6 months and stopped because of side effects (odds ratio = 0.59 95% confidence interval: 0.40 0.87 for side effects and odds ratio = 0.91 95% confidence interval: 0.60 1.37 for non-side-effects). Women who used OCs for > 6 months were at a reduced risk independent of their reason for stopping. Results were similar when stratifying by parity and hormone therapy use. Thus OC use for as little as 6 months provides significant protection against ovarian cancer risk protection that appears limited to those women who stop using OCs because of side effects. Mediating factors may reflect endogenous hormone levels OC metabolism or OC bioactivity. (authors)
MOOCs R Us

While MOOCs have much to offer to higher education, Dan W. Butin argues that they can only take us so far. Ultimately, MOOCs provide an apprenticeship into Wikipedia; faculty provide an apprenticeship into democracy.
Histological findings in chronic hepatitis C with autoimmune features

To evaluate the histological findings in patients with chronic hepatitis C and autoimmune features, liver tissue specimens from 60 patients were graded under code for individual features and composite patterns that denoted autoimmune, viral, combined autoimmune and viral, and nondiscriminative changes. Portal, interface, and acinar hepatitis in any combination with plasma cell infiltration connoted an autoimmune pattern that was associated with higher serum levels of γ-globulin (2.4 ± 0.2 g/dL vs. 1.7 ± 0.1 g/dL; P = .0003) and immunoglobulin G (2,211 ± 227 mg/dL vs. 1,508 ± 83 mg/dL; P = .001) than patients with other patterns. Patients with the autoimmune pattern also had a greater frequency of cirrhosis (43% vs. 8%; P = .003), higher mean Knodell score (13.2 ± 0.9 vs. 6.8 ± 0.9; P < .0001), and a greater occurrence of high-titer smooth muscle antibodies (SMA) (13% vs. 0%; P = .05) than patients with other histological findings. HLA DR3 also occurred more frequently in these individuals than in other patients (48% vs. 15%; P = .01) and normal subjects (43% vs. 16%; P = .01). Patients with nondiscriminative patterns and interface hepatitis had clinical findings similar to those with autoimmune patterns, except for a lower mean serum level of γ-globulin. We conclude that the composite histological pattern that resembles autoimmune hepatitis is associated with greater immunoreactivity, inflammatory activity, and disease severity than other patterns. Interface hepatitis may be the most important histological finding associated with these clinical manifestations.
Ethics and Entrepreneurship

An important criticism of public entrepreneurship has been that Us precepts and practices are not consonant with democratic values. This paper examines the meaning of entrepreneurship as defined in bath the public and private sectors, suggesting that some attributes of entrepreneurs that commonly are deemed undesirable–egotism, selfishness, waywardness, domination, and opportunism–actually are functional for entrepreneurial activity. This is because entrepreneurship plays an essential role in addressing a particular type of policy problems (here called “anarchic”)–those where goals are ambiguous or conflicting and where the means to achieve them are unknown or uncertain. Finally, methods are suggested for encouraging ethical entrepreneurship, whether undertaken in an anarchic setting or within an organizational matrix that is communitarian or bureaucratic.
The significance of atmospheric measurements for interior models of the major planets

We present a discussion of proposed models for interior processes in Jupiter and Saturn, and discuss how these models can be tested by atmospheric measurements by space vehicles. The importance of measurements at Uranus and Neptune is also discussed.
Stereoselective formation of bis(α-aminoacyl) esters of 5′-AMP suggests a primitive peptide synthesizing system with a preference for l-amino acids

Abstract In the biosynthesis of proteins, each amino acid passes from the aminoacyl adenylate to become an amino acid ester and finally a 2′ (3′) peptidyl ester of the AMP residue at the end of a tRNA. Consequently, the chemistry of protein synthesis is the chemistry of aminoacyl and peptidyl AMP. Our data has revealed properties of 5′-AMP and its esters which should allow the preferential catalytic synthesis of l -amino acid peptides via a bis(2′, 3′-aminoacyl) ester intermediate. Results in this paper concern one step in the proposed process and show that preexisting Ac- l -Phe monoester reacts about 2.5-times faster to form diester than preexisting Ac- d -Phe monoester.
Zinc and Manduca sexta hemocyte functions

Two metalloproteases have recently been linked to the immune response in Lepidoptera. In addition, zinc is highly important in many mammalian immune-related functions. Because of these, we investigated the effect of zinc and two zinc-protease inhibitors on Manduca sexta hemocyte behavior in vitro. Plasmatocytes were significantly more elongated in Grace's medium supplemented with 100 micro m zinc chloride than in the absence of zinc. To test whether zinc-dependent proteases were responsible for the increased length seen in the presence of zinc, we tested two zinc-protease inhibitors, phosphoramidon and bestatin. Each resulted in decreased plasmatocyte length compared to the control, but the distributions of lengths differed with each inhibitor. Each inhibitor also affected plasmatocyte network formation in vitro. This work suggests (1) that at least two different zinc proteases are involved in the cellular defense response of M. sexta, and (2) that zinc should be included in media used for in vitro studies of the immune response.
The extraterrestrial Earth: Antarctica as analogue for space exploration

Abstract The polar regions have often been suggested as surrogates for the exploration and colonization of space. In particular, Antarctica's greater isolation makes it a useful analogue. Its features—abiotic, acultural, alien to human habitation—all echo the regions of interest to contemporary exploration, notably the solar system and the deep oceans. But more than a century of Antarctic experience also suggests that exploration will likely resemble the Renaissance's Great Voyages and their outposts rather than become portals for wholesale colonization. These sites will traffic mostly in information—the spices and luxury goods of interest to their sustaining societies.
Chronic anterior cruciate ligament deficiency is associated with increased anterior translation of the tibia during the transition from non-weightbearing to weightbearing

Translation of the tibia relative to the femur was measured while a group of subjects with normal knees and group with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears underwent transition from non-weightbearing to weightbearing stance. Subjects were positioned in the Vermont knee laxity device (VKLD) with muscles relaxed and the limb segment and compressive joint load offset (non-weightbearing). A lateral radiograph of the knee, with the posterior aspects of the femoral condyles superimposed, was obtained to document the position of the tibia relative to the femur. Immediately after, a compressive load equal to 40% of bodyweight was applied to each foot, and a second radiograph was obtained to document the change in position of the tibia relative to the femur. The transition from non-weightbearing to weightbearing produced a significant increase of anterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur (mean; 3.4 mm) for the subjects with ACL tears compared with the contralateral normal knees (0.8 mm). Similarly, there was a significant increase in anterior translation of the tibia for the subjects with ACL tears compared to the group of subjects with normal knees (1.2 mm). The fourfold increase in anterior translation of the tibia for the knees with ACL tears compared to the contralateral side is a concern because it is substantially greater than the 95% confidence limits of the side-to-side differences in anterior-posterior knee laxity measured from subjects with normal knees. This observation could explain, at least in part, one of the mechanisms that initiates damage to the meniscus and articular cartilage in subjects that have suffered an ACL tear.
Phage T4 DNA [N]-adenine6Methyltransferase. OVEREXPRESSION, PURIFICATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION

The bacteriophage T4 dam gene, encoding the Dam DNA [N6-adenine]methyltransferase (MTase), has been subcloned into the plasmid expression vector, pJW2. In this construct, designated pINT4dam, transcription is from the regulatable phage lambda pR and pL promoters, arranged in tandem. A two-step purification scheme using DEAE-cellulose and phosphocellulose columns in series, followed by hydroxyapatite chromatography, was developed to purify the enzyme to near homogeneity. The yield of purified protein was 2 mg/g of cell paste. The MTase has an s20,w of 3.0 S and a Stokes radius of 23 A and exists in solution as a monomer. The Km for the methyl donor, S-adenosylmethionine, is 0.1 x 10(-6) M, and the Km for substrate nonglucosylated, unmethylated T4 gt- dam DNA is 1.1 x 10(-12) M. The products of DNA methylation, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine and methylated DNA, are competitive inhibitors of the reaction; Ki values of 2.4 x 10(-6) M and 4.6 x 10(-12) M, respectively, were observed. T4 Dam methylates the palindromic tetranucleotide, GATC, designated the canonical sequence. However, at high MTase:DNA ratios, T4 Dam can methylate some noncanonical sequences belonging to GAY (where Y represents cytosine or thymine).
The Role of the S1 State of Carotenoids in Photosynthetic Energy Transfer: The Light-Harvesting Complex II of Purple Bacteria

Using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), we obtained the excitation energy transfer coupling (Coulombic coupling) between the S1 state of rhodopin glucoside (RG) and the Qy state of bacteriochlorophylls (BChl) in the light-harvesting complex II (LH2) of purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas (Rps.) acidophila. Our results suggest that the small mixing of S2 character arising from symmetry-breaking of the carotenoid plays an important role in the Coulombic coupling. As a result the carotenoid (car) S1 couplings to chlorophylls are similar to a set of scaled down Car(S2)−BChl(Qy) couplings. We also report results for 6,10,15,19-tetramethyl-2-cis-4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20-all trans-22-cis-tetracosaundecaene, the polyene backbone of RG with six methyl groups attached, in two different structures: an optimized planar structure and the crystal structure of RG with hydrogen atoms replacing the two end groups, which is distorted from its planar structure. The mixing of S2 configuration is ...
Female reproductive aging is marked by decreased secretion of dimeric inhibin

The increase in serum FSH that accompanies female reproductive aging occurs before changes in estradiol (E2). A decrease in negative feedback from inhibin A (a product of the dominant follicle and corpus luteum) and/or inhibin B (secreted by developing follicles) may explain the rise in FSH with age. To test the hypothesis that decreases in inhibin A or inhibin B occur at an age at which the first increase in follicular phase FSH is evident, daily blood samples were obtained across the menstrual cycle from younger (<35 yr; n = 23) and older (35-46 yr; n = 21) cycling women. These cross-sectional studies were complemented by longitudinal data in 3 women studied at a 10-yr interval. In the early follicular phase, mean inhibin B was lower in older cycling women (88 +/- 7 vs. 112 +/- 10 pg/mL; P < 0.05) and FSH was higher (13.0 +/- 0.5 vs. 11.2 +/- 0.7 IU/L in older vs. younger, respectively; P < 0.04). In the mid- and late follicular phases, inhibin B was also lower in the older women (117 +/- 9 vs. 146 +/- 10 and 85 +/- 8 vs. 117 +/- 11 pg/mL; P < 0.04), whereas E2 was higher (105 +/- 14 vs. 68 +/- 5 and 240 +/- 27 vs. 163 +/- 9 pg/mL; P < 0.02), and no differences in FSH were observed in the two groups at these times. In women studied longitudinally, FSH and inhibin B varied inversely in the follicular phase. In the early luteal phase, mean inhibin B was lower in the older group (64 +/- 6 vs. 94 +/- 12 pg/mL; P < 0.03), and FSH was higher (12.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 9.7 +/- 0.6 IU/L; P < 0.03). In the mid- and late luteal phases, inhibin B was also lower in older subjects (21 +/- 2 vs. 33 +/- 5 and 22 +/- 2 vs. 36 +/- 6 pg/mL; P < 0.02). No difference in inhibin A, E2, or progesterone was observed across the luteal phase, between the two groups. However, in all subjects studied longitudinally, increased age was associated with a decrease in inhibin A, inhibin B, and progesterone in the absence of changes in E2. Our conclusions were: 1) reproductive aging is accompanied by decreases in both inhibin B and inhibin A; 2) the decrease in inhibin B precedes the decrease in inhibin A and occurs in concert with an increase in E2, suggesting that inhibin B negative feedback is the most important factor controlling the earliest increase in FSH with aging; 3) these studies suggest that the decrease in inhibin B is the earliest marker of the decline in follicle number across reproductive aging.
Branched-Chain-Enriched Amino Acid Solutions in Patients with Liver Failure: An Early Example of Nutritional Pharmacology

The use of BCAA in the treatment of hepatic failure has been controversial. Even in retrospect, it is difficult to know why this controversy existed and why it has been so emotional, except for the fact that such a treatment modality has flown in the face of conventional therapy of hepatic encephalopathy, and also, probably more importantly, directly attacked some of the cherished notions of the nature of hepatic encephalopathy. Time and distance have allowed some of the controversy to die down, and as time has elapsed it has become clear that at least in the area of nutritional support of patients with hepatic failure, BCAA are the preferred alternative to treat patients who are otherwise protein intolerant. A recent unbiased review using the techniques of meta-analysis has concluded that the BCAA are efficacious for the treatment of patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Since this manuscript was completed another study has been reported. In this study, it was notable that those patients treated with oral BCAA became neurologically normal, a finding which the authors found very striking.
Differential effects of σ factor, ionic strength, and ribonucleoside triphosphate concentration on the transcription of phage T4 DNA with the ribonucleic acid polymerase of Escherichia coli

The effects of concentration of the σ subunit of Escherichia coli B RNA polymerase (nucleoside triphosphate:RNA nucleotidyltransferase, DNA-dependent, EC 2.7.7.6) on the transcription of phage T4 DNA have been examined under high and low salt and substrate concentrations. The following conclusions were reached: 1. 1. At normal substrate level, KCl stimulates the polymerase reaction with T4 DNA template largely by promoting σ activity, even when the quantity of σ factor present is very small (in the case of calf thymus DNA template, where σ had little stimulatory effect, KCl had no enhancement effect.) 2. 2. σ factor stimulates the initiation of chains beginning with ATP rather than with GTP. This is evident both from substrate-dependence studies and incorporation studies using [γ-32P]ATP and [γ-32P]GTP. 3. 3. The σ-dependent ATP initiations were further promoted by KCl. 4. 4. At extremely low substrate levels an inhibitory effect of KCl is predominant although σ remains stimulatory. This inhibition possibly occurs at the level of chain initiation.
Acute abdominal pain as the presenting symptom of isolated iliac vein thrombosis in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND:The incidence of iliac vein thrombosis in pregnancy is quite low; however when it does occur, delay in diagnosis can have significant sequelae. We report a pregnant woman who presented with severe acute abdominal pain secondary to isolated iliac vein thrombosis.CASE:A primigravida present
Point Estimation of the Central Orientation of Random Rotations

Data as three-dimensional rotations have application in computer science, kinematics, and materials sciences, among other areas. Estimating the central orientation from a sample of such data is an important problem, which is complicated by the fact that several different approaches exist for this, motivated by various geometrical and decision-theoretical considerations. However, little is known about how such estimators compare, especially on common distributions for location models with random rotations. We examine four location estimators, three of which are commonly found in different literatures and the fourth estimator (a projected median) is newly introduced. Our study unifies existing literature and provides a detailed numerical investigation of location estimators for three commonly used rotation distributions in statistics and materials science. While the data-generating model influences the best choice of an estimator, the proposed projected median emerges as an overall good performer, which can...