cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing How Level of Segregation Affects Social Determinants of Health of African Americans in U.S. 500 Cities

This study assessed racial disparities in associations between four levels of residential segregation and five social determinants of health (SDH). The data for this study was drawn from 500-City Health Dashboard that aggregated a variety of health indicators in 2018. Those 500 cities were ranked according to their levels of segregation. Next, the associations between four segregation gradients and five different community indicators were tested including (1) absenteeism, (2) children in poverty, (3) high school graduation, (4) limited access healthy foods, and (5) unemployment. All analyses were stratified by race. The total population of this data is 103,020,800, which accounts for one-third of the total U.S. populations. Among nine regions, 69% of cities in the East South-Central region have a high white/black segregation. On the other hand, the Pacific region has the lowest level of segregation. Consistent with literature, African Americans are still at a higher risk than white people to experience school absenteeism (6.1% higher), poverty (28.8% higher), educational attainment (4.9% lower), and unemployment (8.4% higher). However, unlike the literature, the study did not find any statistically significant disparities in access to healthy foods associated with level of segregation. The study concludes with suggestions to mitigate these adverse effects due to segregation policy against African Americans. The findings also encourage local departments to use 500-City Health Dashboard and our analytic methods to facilitate decision making and implement citywide, cross-sector initiatives.
Patient Barriers to Care

Cleft surgical care must be available, affordable, and acceptable in order for patients to receive it. There are many supply and demand-side barriers to obtaining cleft care in the developing world, including those related to infrastructure, workforce, safety, financial risk protection, and patient and community perceptions, as well as social and cultural factors. Progress has been made in recent years to scale up surgical care delivery in lower and middle-income countries.
Reforming the Office of Legal Counsel

First, this Article situates the Office of Legal Counsel (“OLC”) within the context of a political system in which the executive has grown in power far beyond anything that the founders could have foreseen. As the chief legal advisor to the executive branch, OLC performs a critically important function in protecting our constitutional system and ensuring adherence to the rule of law, but OLC makes no final determinations on behalf of the United States and is subject to the supervision of the Attorney General. Second, the Article reviews the recent recommendations of the American Constitution Society concerning possible reforms of OLC. Among other things, those recommendations include a systematic review of existing opinions and greater transparency going forward. This Article generally concurs in those recommendations but also suggests the possibility of additional reforms such as a reduction in the number of political appointees in OLC and a focus on recruiting more experienced lawyers to fill its ranks. Third, and most important, the Article reviews the relevant case law and evaluates the possibility of a more fundamental reform, namely, giving a greater degree of independence to OLC by providing the Assistant Attorney General for OLC with a fixed term coterminous with that of the President. The Article concludes that such a reform is legally possible and worthy of serious consideration, whether as a matter of legislative enactment or administrative regulation.
Setting the Agenda: Black Families Matter

Despite decades of research and multiple calls to diversify family communication scholarship, scant attention has been devoted to exploring communication in Black families. Recent events of civil u...
Potentiometric Titration of Sulfate Using A Lead-Mercury Amalgam Indicator Electrode

Potentiometric Titration of Sulfate Using A LeadMercury Amalgam Indicator Electrode by Charles W. Robbins, Masters of Science Utah State Unive rsity, 1972 Major Professor: Dr. David L. Carter Department : Soils and Biometeorology A l ead sensitive indicator elec trode was constructed with a 70 percent lead and 30 percent mercury amalgam billet . Sulfate concentrations in pure solutions, natural waters, and soil saturation extracts were determined potentiometrically using the lead-mercury amalgam indicator electrode and a standard calomel reference electrode. Su l fate concen t rations over the range 0 . 4 to 20 milliequ ivalents sulfate per liter were determined with an automatic titrator and compared to a turbidimetric method for accuracy and precision. The values obtained by the two methods from twelve saturation extracts and three subsurface drainage waters were not significant l y different and the potentiometric method was generally more precise. The automatic sul f ate titration method has the advantages of increased sensitivity and speed.
Old-school bureaucrats and technocrats in Malawi: Civil service reform in practice

This chapter argues that the implementation of the Good Governance agenda has failed to address the underlying dynamics of postcolonial bureaucracies in sub-Saharan Africa. The policies promoted by the international financial institutions (IFIs) are based on a technocratic conception of the state as homogenous and unified actor that needs to be repaired with a set of instruments or 'tools' provided by World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) experts. The chapter situates the civil service reform programme in the context of the Good Governance agenda promoted by the IFIs. It presents an account of the implementation of the retrenchment exercise, which shows that the framing of the object of civil service reform, i.e. the Malawian nation-state, by the IFIs failed to address the historical trajectory of the civil service in Malawi and, therefore, exacerbated already existing internal divisions. Keywords: civil service reform programme; international financial institutions (IFIs); International Monetary Fund (IMF); Malawi; sub-Saharan Africa
Artifical Neural Network for Multiprocessor Tasks Scheduling

The paper deals with scheduling problems where tasks have to be processed on more than one processor at a time. The discussed optimization problems belong, in general, to NP-hard class and it is very likely that no polynomial-time exact algorithm solving them could ever be found. Hence, a dedicated artificial neural network has been proposed as a tool for solving multiprocessor tasks scheduling problems. The paper presents the proposed neural network structure and algorithms used to train it. Efficiency of the approach has been evaluated experimentally. Examples and computational experiment results are also shown.
High-Dispersion Spectroscopic Observations of Mars. IV. The Latitude Distribution of Atmospheric Water Vapor

Spectra of Mars, centered on the 8200-A band of H2O, have been obtained using the coude spectrograph of the 107-inch telescope at McDonald Observatory with reciprocal dispersion of 1.9 A/mm. The plate scale (4.4 arc sec/mm) and angular resolution (3”–6”) were sufficient to measure the strength of the Doppler-shifted H2O lines at five points across the disk. The spectra were obtained in March and April 1969, when the apparent diameter of Mars was 10” to 16” during midsummer of the northern hemisphere; the Doppler shift at at 8200 A varied from −0.42 to −0.028 A. On the first plate, obtained on 1969 March 27, the abundance reached a maximum of about 48 microns precipitable H2O at 30° to 40° north latitude and decreased to about 20 microns at 30° south latitude. The second plate, taken on 1969 April 28, showed the same north-south decrease in abundance but the total amounts were about 23 of the March abundances.
Kinetic and structural analysis of the group I catalytic ribozyme utilizing fluorescent probes (743.2)

Group I introns are catalytic RNAs capable of performing a range of phospho-transesterification reactions including self-splicing and RNA cleavage. This study focuses on the Tetrahymena and Anabaen...
Probabilistic Assessment of Structural Seismic Damage for Buildings in Mid‐America

This paper provides an approach to conduct a probabilistic assessment of structural damage due to seismic events with an application to typical building structures in Mid‐America. The developed methodology includes modified damage state classifications based on the ATC‐13 and ATC‐38 damage states and the ATC‐38 database of building damage. Damage factors are assigned to each damage state to quantify structural damage as a percentage of structural replacement cost. To account for the inherent uncertainties, these factors are expressed as random variables with a Beta distribution. A set of fragility curves, quantifying the structural vulnerability of a building, is mapped onto the developed methodology to determine the expected structural damage. The total structural damage factor for a given seismic intensity is then calculated using a probabilistic approach. Prediction and confidence bands are also constructed to account for the prevailing uncertainties. The expected seismic structural damage is assessed for a typical building structure in the Mid‐America region using the developed methodology. The developed methodology provides a transparent procedure, where the structural damage factors can be updated as additional seismic damage data becomes available.
Judicial Justice for Special Economic Zone Land Resistance

AbstractThe context for land resistance in liberalising India is dynamic. As the state promotes capital investment, lines between public and private are blurred. Land is central to these efforts, as new industries, mines, large-scale agricultural projects and infrastructure initiatives all require vast amounts of land. The introduction of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in the Indian state of Goa highlight land deal tensions. Following protests rallying thousands and widespread public mistrust of land and regional planning processes, the state’s chief minister halted the zones. This action mollified public unrest and temporarily appeased anti-SEZ social movements. However, scepticism arose as the chief minister failed to legally de-register the zones and return SEZ lands to original owners or collectives. Amidst state inaction, movement members sought judicial justice. Protest and corruption theories are integrated with political interpretations of liminality in this article to frame how social movements shi...
The role of the turbulent Prandtl number in turbine blade heat transfer prediction

Improvement of the prediction of external (gas-to-blade) heat transfer coefficients in gas turbine engines was undertaken. The effects of improved eddy diffusivity of heat modeling in the turbulence model was specifically investigated. A two-dimensional boundary STAN5, was selected and modified by incorporating several different turbulent Prandtl number models. Results indicated that slight effects were attributable to the modified turbulence model. Boundary layer character appeared to be much more significant.
Structural divergence is more extensive than sequence divergence for a family of intrinsically disordered proteins.

The p53 transactivation domain (p53TAD) is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) domain that undergoes coupled folding and binding when interacting with partner proteins like the E3 ligase, MDM2, and the 70 kDa subunit of replication protein A, RPA70. The secondary structure and dynamics of six closely related mammalian homologues of p53TAD were investigated using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Differences in both transient secondary structure and backbone dynamics were observed for the homologues. Many of these differences were localized to the binding sites for MDM2 and RPA70. The amount of transient helical secondary structure observed for the MDM2 binding site was lower for the dog and mouse homologues, compared with human, and the amount of transient helical secondary structure observed for the RPA70 binding site was higher for guinea pig and rabbit, compared with human. Differences in the amount of transient helical secondary structure observed for the MDM2 binding site were directly related to amino acid substitutions occurring on the solvent exposed side of the amphipathic helix that forms during the p53TAD/MDM2 interaction. Differences in the amount of transient helical secondary structure were not as easily explained for the RPA70 binding site because of its extensive sequence divergence. Clustering analysis shows that the divergence in the transient secondary structure of the p53TAD homologues exceeds the amino acid sequence divergence. In contrast, strong correlations were observed between the backbone dynamics of the homologues and the sequence identity matrix, suggesting that the dynamic behavior of IDPs is a conserved evolutionary feature. Proteins 2013; 81:1686–1698. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular fluorescence spectroscopy of phosphorus monoxide in flames studied by a SIT-OMA system

Abstract Molecular fluorescence of PO produced in flames and excited by an Eimac xenon arc continuum source has been investigated. An SIT image detector combined with an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) was used as the detector. Molecular fluorescence of PO could be observed near 246 nm in the air—acetylene, air—hydrogen, oxygen/argon—hydrogen, and the corresponding argon-separated flames, while PO fluorescence enhanced by molecular emission was observed in the nitrous oxide—acetylene flame and in the argon-separated nitrous oxide—acetylene flame. The fluorescence spectrum of PO near 246 nm is identical to the emission and absorption spectra of PO and is ascribed to the γ system, which is caused by the electronic transition A 2 Σ- X 2 Π. PO emission observed near 324 nm, a result of the transition D 2 Σ X 2 Π, was very weak in the present experiment and was not accompanied by measurable quantities of fluorescence. The fluorescence intensity of PO depends primarily upon the flame temperature, and so the quenching effect of nitrogen on the fluorescence intensity could not be observed. The best detection limit for phosphorus was obtained in the argon separated air—hydrogen flame, which generated the least amount of flame background noise, and was about 80 μg P/ml. Finally, because phosphine (PH 3 ) is an impurity in commercial acetylene, PO fluorescence bands in the 230–270 nm region may obscure the atomic fluorescence signals in this region excited via continuum sources and thus deleteriously affect atomic fluorescence signals in certain analyses.
Analysis and Characterization of Some Cane Sugar Impurities

Soluble high molecular weight (M.W.) and insoluble impurities impure and refined cane sugar were isolated by membrane and ultrafiltration. The utrafiitration retentates were mostly insoluble. Soluble high M.W. materials were composed largely of polysaccharides, with a trace to a few percent of proteins and phenolics. Analysis of acid hydrolyzed retentates from refined sugar by high-pressure-liquid chromatography showed only glucose. In raw and washed mill sugars, arabinose, xylose, galactose, ribose and fructose were also identified. Isolated acid beverage floes were found to contain mainly polysaccharides.
Pharmacokinetics of single-dose levonorgestrel in adolescents.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare the pharmacokinetics of levonorgestrel, a drug used for emergency contraception between female adolescents and adults. Methods Twenty-two female subjects, aged 13���16 years, received a single 0.75-mg dose of the drug. Serial blood samples were collected for 72 h and used to measure plasma levonorgestrel concentrations. Previously published data from 16 adults, aged 18���45 years, served as comparison. Results There was a statistically significant higher total plasma clearance divided by the bioavailability ( CL / F ) of levonorgestrel in adolescents compared to adults, resulting in lower maximum and average total plasma concentrations. There was a trend for a larger volume of distribution divided by bioavailability ( V / F ), but there was no significant difference in the half-life of levonorgestrel in adolescents relative to adults (p=.098). Conclusion The differences between adolescents and adults are unlikely to be clinically significant because specific changes in total concentrations suggest that unbound concentrations are probably not affected. Furthermore, empirically high doses of levonorgestrel are given for emergency contraception.
Human BIN3 Complements the F-actin Localization Defects Caused by Loss of Hob3p, the Fission Yeast Homolog of Rvs161p

Abstract The BAR adaptor proteins encoded by theRVS167 and RVS161 genes fromSaccharomyces cerevisiae form a complex that regulates actin, endocytosis, and viability following starvation or osmotic stress. In this study, we identified a human homolog ofRVS161, termed BIN3 (bridgingintegrator-3), and a Schizosaccharomyces pombehomolog of RVS161, termed hob3+ (homolog of Bin3). In human tissues, the BIN3 gene was expressed ubiquitously except for brain. S. pombe cells lacking Hob3p were often multinucleate and characterized by increased amounts of calcofluor-stained material and mislocalized F-actin. For example, while wild-type cells localized F-actin to cell ends during interphase,hob3Δ mutants had F-actin patches distributed randomly around the cell. In addition, medial F-actin rings were rarely found inhob3Δ mutants. Notably, in contrast to S. cerevisiae rvs161Δ mutants, hob3Δ mutants showed no measurable defects in endocytosis or response to osmotic stress, yethob3+ complemented the osmosensitivity of arvs161Δ mutant. BIN3 failed to rescue the osmosensitivity of rvs161Δ, but the actin localization defects of hob3Δ mutants were completely rescued byBIN3 and partially rescued by RVS161. These findings suggest that hob3+ and BIN3 regulate F-actin localization, like RVS161, but that other roles for this gene have diverged somewhat during evolution.
Nanoscale Organization of GaSe Quantum Dots on a Gold Surface

Precise spatial organization and electronic coupling between quantum dots are pivotal for many potential applications. Typical spherical quantum dots in assemblies are separated by organic ligands and hence weakly coupled. GaSe nanoparticles are disk-like particles that are four atoms thick with tunable lateral dimensions. Previous spectroscopic investigations indicate the formation of nanoscale aggregates in which the quantum dots are strongly coupled. In this report, we show that the anisotropic properties of these particles may be exploited to assemble surface-stabilized superstructures with well-defined distances between the quantum dots. By changing the ligands adsorbed on the nanoparticle edges, three distinct aggregate morphologies can be produced. The surface chemistry of GaSe orients the nanoparticles on a gold surface and induces stacking in the surface normal direction. The discrete heights of such stacked aggregates suggest that the layers are held together by van der Waals interactions with a...
Thermosensitive genetic dwarfs of apple

The role of environment on the dwarfing (short internode) phenomenon of apple (Malus domestisca Borkh.) was investi gated and defined in controlled environmental chambers. Orchard-grown very dwarf, dwarf and semi-dwarf trees obtained by natural sibcrossing of spur-type cv. Golden Delicious and cv. Delicious, as well as standard cv. Golden Delicious, were propagated via in vitro techniques. Growth was rapid and none of the 4 types exhibited dwarf-like characteristics when grown at constant 27°C with 12, 14 or 16 h daylengths. Standard and very dwarf plants grew at nearly the same rate at constant 30°C, whereas growth nearly ceased on both types at constant 35°C after 7 days. Dwarf and very dwarf plants responded differently from standard and semi-dwarf plants when grown under alternating (ramped) night/day temperatures (15 or 20°C night ramped up to a daytime maximum over 8 h of 23, 28, 33 or 38°C, held for 2 h and then ramped down over 5 h to the night temperature). As the night/maximum day temperature differentia) increased from 0 to 23° under the ramping environments, growth of dwarf plants decreased markedly as compared to standard plants. When the same night/maximum day temperature differential occurred, the effect on decreasing shoot length was greater at the higher (20°C) night temperature. Increasing maximum day temperatures under the ramped environment also reduced leaf area plant−1 but did not markedly affect leaf number, resulting in short internodes. When a period of constant temperature was followed by ramped temperatures or vice versa, the sequence of constant vs ramped environments made little difference in the final growth of the 4 plant types. The data point to high temperature as the major factor for causing dwarfing of the sensitive plant types. Increasing the differential between night and maximum day temperature resulted in short internode. dwarf plants with small leaves similar to orchard-grown dwarf trees.
Unhealthy behaviors and psychosocial difficulties among overweight adolescents: the potential impact of familial factors

Abstract Purpose: To compare overweight and non-overweight youth on a selection of self-reported eating, physical activity, dieting, educational, and emotional variables and identify familial factors that serve as protective forces against unhealthy behaviors and psychosocial difficulties among overweight adolescents. Methods: Data were taken from a 1996 cross-sectional school-based survey of 9957 adolescents in grades 7, 9, and 11. Based on self-reported heights and weights, respondents were categorized as "overweight" (body mass index) ≥85th percentile or "non-overweight." Student's t -tests were used to compare the non-overweight and overweight sample on the self-reported health-related behaviors and psychosocial variables. Logistic and linear regressions were used to identify familial factors associated with a reduced risk of engaging in unhealthy behaviors and experiencing psychosocial distress. Results: Overweight adolescents reported engaging in significantly more unhealthy behaviors and experiencing more psychosocial distress than their non-overweight peers. Among the overweight youth, higher levels of reported family connectedness and parental expectations and moderate levels of parental monitoring were associated with the lowest levels of unhealthy behaviors and psychosocial distress. Conclusions: Satisfying and developmentally appropriate parent-adolescent relationships are associated with reduced behavioral and psychosocial risk factors associated with overweight during adolescence.
The Enforcement of Pollution Control Laws: Inspections, Violations, and Self-Reporting

Targeting is the practice of inspecting firms most likely to violate a regulation. This paper provides empirical evidence on the role of targeting in regulatory compliance. I propose that self-reporting by a firm is used to demonstrate that firms are willing to cooperate. The results indicate that there is a one-quarter penalty period following a violation. Inspections are also determined by the economic situation of the surrounding community, demonstrating that targeting opens the door to interest-group influence. Inspections that detect violations encourage self-reporting, showing that firms demonstrate their desire to cooperate with regulators by disclosing violations.
Vesicular glutamate transporter expression in supraoptic neurones suggests a glutamatergic phenotype.

Magnocellular neuroendocrine cells of the supraoptic nucleus (SON) release the peptides oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) from their dendrites and terminals. In addition to peptide-containing large dense-core vesicles, axon terminals from these cells contain clear microvesicles that have been shown to contain glutamate. Using multilabelling confocal microscopy, we investigated the presence of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs) in astrocytes as well as VP and OT neurones of the SON. Simultaneous probing of the SON with antibodies against VGLUT isoforms 1–3, OT, VP and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) revealed the presence of VGLUT-2 in somata and dendrites of SON neurones. Immunoreactivity (-ir) for VGLUT-3 was also detected in both OT and VP neurones as well as in GFAP-ir astrocytes and other cells of the ventral glial lamina. Colocalisation of VGLUT-2 and VGLUT-3 in individual SON neurones was also examined and VGLUT-ir with both antibodies could be detected in both types of SON neurones. Although VGLUT-1-ir was strong lateral to the SON, only sparse labelling was apparent within the nucleus, and no colocalisation with either SON neurones or astrocytes was observed. The SON or the SON plus its surrounding perinuclear zone was probed using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and the presence of mRNA for all three VGLUT isoforms was detected. These results suggest that similar arrangements of transmitters exist in SON neuronal dendrites and their neurohypophysial terminals and that magnocellular neuroendocrine somata and dendrites may be capable of glutamatergic transmission.
N-Terminal Domain of Borna Disease Virus G (p56) Protein Is Sufficient for Virus Receptor Recognition and Cell Entry

Borna disease virus (BDV) surface glycoprotein (GP) (p56) has a predicted molecular mass of 56 kDa. Due to extensive posttranslational glycosylation the protein migrates as a polypeptide of 84 kDa (gp84). The processing of gp84 by the cellular protease furin generates gp43, which corresponds to the C-terminal part of gp84. Both gp84 and gp43 have been implicated in viral entry involving receptor-mediated endocytosis and pH-dependent fusion. We have investigated the domains of BDV p56 involved in virus entry. For this, we used a pseudotype approach based on a recently developed recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in which the gene for green fluorescent protein was substituted for the VSV G protein gene (VSVΔG*). Complementation of VSVΔG* with BDV p56 resulted in infectious VSVΔG* pseudotypes that contained both BDV gp84 and gp43. BDV-VSV chimeric GPs that contained the N-terminal 244 amino acids of BDV p56 and amino acids 421 to 511 of VSV G protein were efficiently incorporated into VSVΔG* particles, and the resulting pseudotype virions were neutralized by BDV-specific antiserum. These findings indicate that the N-terminal part of BDV p56 is sufficient for receptor recognition and virus entry.
Wave-enhanced interfacial transfer

Wave-enhanced interfacial transport by small-amplitude waves at low flow rates has been previously explained as distortion of the diffusion boundary layer by the normal disturbance velocity. We improve these earlier small wave theories by including a time-oscillatory Taylor dispersion mechanism due to coupling between tangential diffusion and normal convection. The combined mechanism produces a small (<10%) enhancement for falling film absorption processes which scales as (1+9/16h 2 α 2 (1+R 2 /200)) 1/2 where α is the wavenumber, h is the interfacial disturbance height and R is the Reynolds number. For higher laminar flows at the most practical flow rates (10<R<300), the enhanced interfacial transport is shown to be due to sustained diffusion boundary layers under the crests of large stationary solitary waves with large-amplitude recirculations. The corresponding enhancement is now large (several factors) and scales as (clog(Pe)/λ) 1/2 where Pe=h N c'/D, h N is the Nusselt film thickness, c is the wave speed c' scaled by the Nusselt velocity U N , D is the diffusivity, and λ is the equilibrium wavelength between successive solitary waves normalized with respect to h N . Data for both types of waves are available from an earlier statistical theory for wave dynamics. These new scalings allow to correlate literature data on interfacial transport and explain the existence of an optimal flow rate at R∼40 (for water) for maximum flux, beyond which the enhancement decays as R -1/2 .
“You're Either In or You're Out” School Violence, Peer Discipline, and the (Re)Production of Hegemonic Masculinity

School violence has not been studied widely across schools and communities. This article examines hegemonic masculinity and its relationship to violence through the peer disciplining (hazing, teasing, bullying) that occurs among students who attend an elite suburban boys'school. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the analysis suggests that violence is embedded in the social fabric of the school and implicated in power relations between both peers and their institution. Emotionally ambiguous, “you're either in or you're out” distinctions made by peer disciplining can produce shame, fear, and hurt alongside friendship, intimacy, and bonding. The normalcy with which hegemonic values are practiced makes it difficult, though not impossible, to contest. If we are to find viable alternatives to dominant masculinities, which are restrictive for most, it will be important to ask which boys and under what conditions are they able to resist its mandates.
Identification of Calcium Release-triggering and Blocking Regions of the II-III Loop of the Skeletal Muscle Dihydropyridine Receptor

Abstract In an attempt to identify and characterize functional domains of the rabbit skeletal muscle dihydropyridine receptor α subunit II-III loop, we synthetized several peptides corresponding to different regions of the loop: peptides A, B, C, C1, C2, D (cf. Fig. 1). Peptide A (Thr-Leu) activated ryanodine binding to, and induced Ca release from, rabbit skeletal muscle triads, but none of the other peptides had such effects. Peptide A-induced Ca release and activation of ryanodine binding were partially suppressed by an equimolar concentration of peptide C (Glu-Pro) but were not affected by the other peptides. These results suggest that the short stretch in the II-III loop, Thr-Leu, is responsible for triggering SR Ca release, while the other region, Glu-Pro, functions as a blocker of the release trigger. A hypothesis is proposed to account for how these subdomains interact with the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca release channel protein during excitation-contraction coupling.
Evidence that nerve cell bodies in the zona incerta influence ingestive behavior.

Abstract Iontophoretic applications of the neurotoxin kainic acid to the rostromedial zona incerta depleted this region (but not neighboring areas of the diencephalon) of nerve cell bodies. These injections reproduced many of the regulatory deficits typical of rats with large electrolytic lesions of the area (transient hypophagia and hypodipsia, persisting impairments in drinking responses to acute cellular dehydration and feeding responses to cellular glucoprivation). Since kainic acid appears to spare fibers of passage these results indicate that cellular components of the zona incerta contribute significantly to the regulation of food and water intake.
Modulation of sex steroid receptors by neurotransmitters: Relevant techniques

Abstract Convergent results from studies using a wide variety of techniques implicate the catecholamines in the regulation of estrogen and progestin receptors in the brain. These techniques include traditional,in vivo radiolabeled steroid uptake,in vitro binding assays with and without microdissection, and radiolabeled steroid autoradiography. In addition, the recent advent of light microscopic and electron microscopic immunocytochemical techniques for steroid receptors,in situ hybridization techniques for steroid receptors, and molecular biological techniques has enabled the pursuit of a new set of questions of anatomical relationships and cellular mechanisms. Each technique that has been applied to the problem of neurotransmitter regulation of sex steroid hormone receptors is discussed, and the advantages and disadvantages are summarized. Although much work has focused specifically on the relationships between the catecholamines and the sex steroid hormone receptors, discussion of these techniques should be regarded as illustrative of general approaches to the larger problem of interneuronal regulation of steroid receptors.
Severity of esophageal injury predicts time to healing after radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

Background The delivery of radiofrequency (RF) energy to the posterior left atrium creates a risk of injury to the adjacent esophagus. Esophageal endoscopy (EGD) is used to screen patients at risk for esophageal thermal injury after RF ablation. Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze the macroscopic features of the severity of esophageal injuries induced by RF ablation to the left atrium as seen by EGD and evaluate the association of these descriptions with the time elapsed until complete healing. Methods This study analyzed 219 patients undergoing RF ablation for atrial fibrillation. Esophageal temperature probes were used during each ablation, and EGD was performed in cases with intraesophageal temperature ≥39°C. Repeat EGD was obtained at 10 days to evaluate for healing in all cases demonstrating esophageal injury. Serial endoscopies were repeated every 2 weeks until complete healing was documented. Lesions were classified according to severity as superficial or deep ulceration; size and shape were also noted. Results We found 37.4% of patients (82 of 219) with esophageal intraluminal temperatures ≥39°C. Of these, 22 patients (27%) were identified with esophageal injury, with 68% being superficial ulcerations and 32% deep. On repeat EGD at 10 days, only 29% of deep ulcerations were healed, as compared with 87% of the superficial injuries (P = .0136). No difference in healing was found when analyzed for size or shape. Conclusions The macroscopic severity of esophageal lesions detected on endoscopy the day after RF ablation can predict the time to resolution, with severe, deep ulcerations requiring a longer time to heal.
Genetic variation in human aquaporins and effects on phenotypes of water homeostasis.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are critical for the transport of water and small solutes. The 13 known human AQPs are divided into those that transport only water molecules, the “orthodox” AQPs, and those that transport glycerol and small solutes in addition to water, the aquaglyceroporins. In humans, genetic variation in AQPs can cause phenotypes of abnormal water homeostasis. Cellular and human studies of naturally-occurring and synthetic mutations have provided insight into the biology and phenotypes of these variants. Many AQPs have not been well-characterized in terms of the effect of genetic variation on protein function and clinical phenotype. In this review, we discuss functional features in human AQPs and summarize previous studies of naturally-occurring variants. We focus on nonsynonymous mutations since they typically have the greatest effect on function. We develop a map of AQP variation and functional features and examine uncharacterized variants by sequence and structure analysis. We find that variation has been studied relative to the AQP pore, terminal domains, and sites critical to posttranslational modifications. Finally, we propose possible variant-based phenotypes for further research. Other open questions relate to the discovery of novel AQP gene variants as well as their functions and phenotypes. Hum Mutat 0, 1–10, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Diagnosability of star graphs under the comparison diagnosis model

In this paper, the diagnosability of n-dimensional star graph Sn under the comparison diagnosis model has been studied. It is proved that Sn is (n - 1)-diagnosable under the comparison diagnosis model when n ≥ 4.
Single Degree-of-Freedom Morphing Wing (Design and Synthesis)

Recent research in morphing wing technology has focused on complex multiple-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) mechanisms and smart structures to provide a specified shape change; single degree-of-freedom actuation concepts have generally been ignored or overlooked. In this research, the authors propose a novel design for a single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) mechanism for mission morphing of aircraft wings. A general design methodology has been developed, and this has been applied to a Hyper-Elliptic Cambered Span (HECS) wing developed by engineers at NASA Langley Research Center. The design tools developed include a synthesis procedure for determining the dimensions of the single-degree-of-freedom morphing mechanism, and a sensitivity analysis to determine the effects of manufacturing errors.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Finishing Tubular Diamond Turned Optics

Single Point Diamond Turning can produce adequate accuracy in figure and roundness for most x-ray grazing incidence optics. It cannot produce adequate smoothness, necessitating the subsequent polishing operation discussed here.
Surface chemistry and size influence the release of model therapeutic nanoparticles from poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels

Nanoparticles have emerged as promising therapeutic and diagnostic tools, due to their unique physicochemical properties. The specific core and surface chemistries, as well as nanoparticle size, play critical roles in particle transport and interaction with biological tissue. Localized delivery of therapeutics from hydrogels is well established, but these systems generally release molecules with hydrodynamic radii less than ~5 nm. Here, model nanoparticles with biologically relevant surface chemistries and diameters between 10 and 35 nm are analyzed for their release from well-characterized hydrogels. Functionalized gold nanoparticles or quantum dots were encapsulated in three-dimensional poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels with varying mesh size. Nanoparticle size, surface chemistry, and hydrogel mesh size all influenced the release of particles from the hydrogel matrix. Size influenced nanoparticle release as expected, with larger particles releasing at a slower rate. However, citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles were not released from hydrogels. Negatively charged carboxyl or positively charged amine-functionalized quantum dots were released from hydrogels at slower rates than neutrally charged PEGylated nanoparticles of similar size. Transmission electron microscopy images of gold nanoparticles embedded within hydrogel sections demonstrated uniform particle distribution and negligible aggregation, independent of surface chemistry. The nanoparticle-hydrogel interactions observed in this work will aid in the development of localized nanoparticle delivery systems.
Characterization of the Ca2+ Binding Affinity and Coordination Site of the LIN-12/Notch-Repeat

Notch receptors are transmembrane glycoproteins of a highly conserved signaling pathway that regulate cell growth, differentiation, and death in multicellular organisms. Notch activation requires two successive ligand-induced proteolytic cleavages that enable the intracellular Notch to translocate to the nucleus and regulate gene transcription. Notch proteins exhibit a highly conserved modular architecture, which includes three tandem LIN-12/Notch-Repeats (LNRs) responsible for maintaining the receptor in its resting conformation prior to ligand binding. These highly conserved modules contain a characteristic arrangement of three disulfide bonds and a group of aspartate/asparagine residues that coordinate a Ca2+ ion, essential for the correct folding of an LNR. Outside of the Notch family of proteins, LNR modules also exist in proteins such as the PAPP-A and the stealth proteins. In our previous work, we had recombinantly expressed, purified, and refolded the first repeat of human Notch1 and used it as a model system to characterize the binding specificity and affinity of different metals to an LNR via isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). In this work, we used a combination of computer modeling and experimental approaches to characterize and compare the Ca2+ binding affinities and coordination geometries of various LNR sequences from different proteins. We expect this work to elucidate the basis for Ca2+ ion selectivity by the LNRs that is integral for their structural integrity and is required for the proper regulation of the Notch signaling pathway.
A noniterative method of joint correspondence analysis

Correspondence analysis leads to a graphical representation of the associations between categories of the row and column variables of a contingency table. Greenacre's (1988) formulation of joint correspondence analysis is a multivariate extension which finds the optimal joint display of contingency tables between all pairs of variables in a set. Greenacre presented a discrepancy function and an alternating least squares algorithm for its minimization. Boik (1996) presented an alternative algorithm, also of the alternating least squares type, for minimizing the same discrepancy function. In this paper, a noniterative procedure, not based on the minimization of any discrepancy function, is described.
Discrimination of butorphanol and nalbuphine in opioid-dependent humans☆

Abstract The purpose of the study was to evaluate the agonist and antagonist stimulus properties of the mixed opioid agonist antagonists butorphanol and nalbuphine in opioid-dependent subjects. Opioid-dependent volunteers (methadone 30 mg/day, PO) were trained in a three-choice drug discrimination procedure to disctriminate between the effects of saline (2 ml), hydromorphone (10 mg/70 kg) and naloxone (0.15 mg/70 kg) administered IM. Subjects earned monetary reinforcement for correctly identifying the training drugs by letter code. Other subjective, behavioral and physiological measures were also collected. Hydromorphone and naloxone increased drug-appropriate responses and other characteristic subjective effects measures. Butorphanol and nalbuphine produced increases in naloxone-appropriate discrimination responding and in those subjective effect measures increased by naloxone. Butorphanol produced greater than 80% naloxone-appropriate responding at 1.05 mg/70 kg; nalbuphine produced 100% naloxone-appropriate responding at 2.1 mg/70 kg. Neither butorphanol nor nalbuphine showed opioid agonist-like effects in these subjects maintained at moderate levels of physical dependence. In opioid-dependent subjects, the stimulus effects of butorphanol and nalbuphine are antagonist-like.
Numerical Methodologies for Solving Partial Differential Equations

The numerical methods for solving systems of partial differential equations can be analyzed by decoupling the space and time discretizations and analyzing them independently. First a method is selected to discretize the differential equation in space and incorporate the boundary conditions. The spectrum of this discrete operator is then used as a guide to choose an appropriate method to integrate the equations through time. The dissipative effects of a numerical method are crucial to constructing reliable methods for conservation laws. This is particularly true when the solution is discontinuous as in a shock wave or contact discontinuity. Choosing an accurate method to accomplish each of these tasks, space and time discretization and incorporating artificial dissipation in the numerical solution, determines the success of the calculation. We will describe the methodologies used in each of these choices to construct reliable, accurate and efficient methods.
Old Masters and Young Geniuses: The Two Life Cycles of Human Creativity

There are two fundamentally different approaches to innovation, and each is associated with a distinct pattern of discovery over the life cycle. Experimental innovators work by trial and error, and arrive at their major contributions gradually, late in life. Conceptual innovators make sudden breakthroughs, usually at an early age. Both types of innovators have made important contributions to art and science. JEL classification codes: J01, J24, O30
The Value of Water Supply Reliability in Urban Water Systems

Abstract Reliability is an important dimension of urban water supply. While out-of-pocket losses appear small, water customers place high values on reliability. This demand for reliability can be measured by contingent valuation methods, while the costs of providing various levels of reliability can be estimated through hydrologic simulation. A framework for optimizing reliability is presented and the contingent valuation survey is described. Results from three Colorado towns are presented.
Groups of dimension two and three over o-minimal structures

Abstract Let G be a group definable in an o-minimal structure M . In this paper we show: Theorem . If G is a two-dimensional definably connected nonabelian group, then G is centerless and G is isomorphic to R + ⋊ R ∗ > 0 , for some real closed field R . Theorem . If G is a three-dimensional nonsolvable, centerless, definably connected group, then either G ≅ SO 3 ( R ) or G ≅ PSL 2 ( R ), for some real closed field R .
"The Future Isn't What It Used to Be" - Yogi Berra [President's Column]

T he world around us certainly continues to change. From an IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) perspective, some of the key changes are the increased interest in open access publishing, the desire for high-quality, easily accessible online information, the emergence of new technical fields, and the rapid growth of microwave communities around the globe. A key focus of the MTT-S this year has been to continuously look at the way the world is changing and take action to improve our Society to keep up with these changes. In this month?s column, I will discuss some of these new initiatives and improvements.
Inverse correlation of serum inflammatory markers with metabolic parameters in healthy, Black and White prepubertal youth.

Inverse correlation of serum inflammatory markers with metabolic parameters in healthy, Black and White prepubertal youth
Detection of amblyopia in the preschool child

Summary The use of an enlargement of the Henry F. Allen preschool vision chart is suggested to facilitate the employment of this test in determining the presence of amblyopia during routine physical examinations.
The importance of generalized bodily habits for a future world of ubiquitous computing

In a future world of ubiquitous computing, in which humans interact with computerized technologies even more frequently and in even more situations than today, interface design will have increased importance. One feature of interface that I argue will be especially relevant is what I call abstract relational strategies. This refers to an approach (in both a bodily and conceptual sense) toward the use of a technology, an approach that is general enough to be applied in many different concrete scenarios. Such an abstract manner of approach is relevant, for example, when an interface design for a device to which users are already accustomed is applied to an entirely different device (such as a device used for a completely different purpose). To articulate this idea, I explore the history of keyboards, and consider how the habits of interface with one kind (e.g., piano keyboards) have historically enabled some users to approach other technologies fitted with similar keyboard interface (e.g., typewriters, electronic instrumentation). I conclude by brainstorming ways that abstract relational strategies, applicable to a variety of different devices, will have increased importance in a future world in which computing is even more ubiquitous than today.