cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asthma in childhood

Asthma is defined as an obstructive disease of the pulmonary airways resulting from spasm of airway muscle, increased mucus secretion, and inflammation. The airways of asthmatic individuals are hyperresponsive to a variety of stimuli including cold air, atmospheric irritants, pharmacologically active chemicals, various drugs, and hyperventilation. The fundamental abnormality underlying the hyperresponsiveness appears to be genetically determined; two theories explaining the abnormality have received the most attention. One theory suggests that asthma is due to abnormal beta-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase function with decreased adrenergic responsiveness. An alternate theory proposes that increased cholinergic activity in the airway is the fundamental defect in the disease. The true prevalence of asthma has been difficult to determine owing to uncertainties regarding the definition of the disease. Prevalence in various populations of children ranged from 1.37% to 11.4% or higher. Most studies report a preponderance of asthma in boys over girls, with ratios varying from 1.3:1 to 3.3:1. Risk factors for the disease include a history of atopy, acute lower respiratory tract disease, parental cigarette smoking, and bronchiolitis or croup. The spectrum of asthma is that of an illness beginning early in life and persisting, in some cases, through adulthood. Signs of the disease may be apparent in the first 2 yr of life and are often associated with viral respiratory infections. Disproportionate narrowing of peripheral airways and decreased static elastic recoil properties of the lung predispose infants and young children to asthma. During midchildhood there is a tendency toward improvement, with continued improvement during adolescence. The goal of management of the child with asthma is to reduce symptoms sufficiently so that the child can regularly attend school, engage in play activities, and sleep through the night uninterrupted, while avoiding unacceptable levels of adverse drug effects. Nonpharmacologic management includes both avoidance of environmental irritants and behavioral approaches to overcome emotional precipitants that lead to attacks. Pharmacologic treatment includes the use of four classes of drugs: (1) adrenergics, (2) theophylline, (3) cromolyn, and (4) corticosteroids. The prognosis of asthma in childhood is good. Although airway activity may remain abnormal for indefinite periods of time, most children reach a state where they are virtually free of symptoms.
Hyperspectral remote sensing technology (HRST) program and the Naval EarthMap Observer (NEMO) satellite

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) are currently in the design phase of a program called the Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Technology (HRST) program. HRST will demonstrate the utility of a hyperspectral earth-imaging system to support Naval needs for characterization of the littoral regions of the world. One key component of the HRST program is the development of the Naval EarthMap Observer (NEMO) satellite system to provide a large hyperspectral data base. NEMO will carry the Coastal Ocean Imaging Spectrometer (COIS) which will provide images of littoral regions with 210 spectral channels over a bandpass of 0.4 to 2.5 micrometer. Since ocean environments have reflectances typically less than 5%, this system requires a very high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). COIS will sample over a 30 km swath width with a 60 m Ground Sample Distance (GSD) with the ability to go to a 30 m GSD by utilizing the systems attitude control system to 'nod' (i.e., use ground motion compensation to slow down the ground track of the field of view). Also included in the payload is a co-registered 5m Panchromatic Imager (PIC) to provide simultaneous high spatial resolution imagery. A sun-synchronous circular orbit of 605 km allows continuous repeat coverage of the whole earth. One unique aspect of NEMO is an on board processing system, a feature extraction and data compression software package developed by NRL called the Optical Real-Time Spectral Identification System (ORASIS). ORASIS employs a parallel, adaptive hyperspectral method for real time scene characterization, data reduction, background suppression, and target recognition. The use of ORASIS is essential for management of the massive amounts of data expected from the NEMO HSI system, and for developing Naval products under HRST. The combined HSI and panchromatic images will provide critical phenomenology to aid in the operation of Naval systems in the littoral environment. The imagery can also satisfy a number of commercial and science community requirements for moderate spatial and high spectral resolution remote sensing data over land and water. Specific areas of interest for the Navy include bathymetry, water clarity, bottom type, atmospheric visibility, bioluminescence potential, beach characterization, underwater hazards, total column atmospheric water vapor, and detection and mapping of subvisible cirrus. These data support requirements for Joint Strike and Joint Littoral warfare, particularly for environmental characterization of the littoral ocean. Demonstrations of timely downlinks of near real-time data to the warfighter are also being formulated. The NEMO satellite is planned to launch in mid-2000 followed by an operational period of 3 to 5 years.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Stellar Content of Henize 2-10 from Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph Ultraviolet Spectroscopy

We use new Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph long-slit ultraviolet spectroscopy of region A in the nearby starbursting galaxy He 2-10 to examine properties of both compact individual super-star clusters and diffuse intracluster regions. The four most luminous clusters in our slit formed coevally 4-5 Myr ago and have lower mass estimates of several × 104 to a few × 105 M☉. A fifth cluster is located ~200 pc away, and appears to be several megayears older. Extracted spectra of the diffuse light appear to be remarkably similar to those of the young clusters, showing P Cygni profiles from massive stars, and are very well fitted by instantaneous burst models of 4-5 Myr. Various mechanisms are considered to determine the nature of the underlying diffuse light in He 2-10. We rule out scattering of cluster light as the dominant source of the observed field. A scenario including the formation of a large number of lower mass, undetectable but coeval (compact) clusters can explain the field spectra, assuming that the clusters in the center of region A follow a power-law luminosity distribution, L-α, with α = -2.0. This is somewhat steeper than the power-law slope of -1.7 measured by Johnson et al. for clusters in a larger portion of He 2-10 and implies very high projected (compact) cluster densities within region A. Rather, we favor a scenario where the dominant contribution to the field stellar population comes from more diffuse "scaled OB associations," which are not lacking in the most massive stars. Our observations establish that the far-UV field light in He 2-10 originates in a different stellar population than found for NGC 5253 and other nearby starbursts, where older, dissolving clusters appear to be the main mechanism responsible for creating the diffuse UV light.
Determination of oxygen in alkali halide salts by proton activation and radiochemical separation

A lanthanum fluoride precipitation method for the separation of18F produced from the18O(p,n)18F reaction in alkali halide salts is described. This radiochemical separation method minimizes interferences from other positron emitters produced by proton bombardment and makes the accurate determination of ppm-level18O in complex alkali halide systems feasible. The interference from the19F(p,d)18F reaction is eliminated by keeping the proton energy less than 8.2 MeV. Applications of this technique to studies of dissolved oxide species in molten alkali halide salts are discussed.
N. L. Bowen and Crystallization-Differentation: The Evolution of a Theory

Virtually every student of geology has heard of petrologist N. L. Bowen, either as originator of the famous reaction series or as proponent of fractional crystallization as the dominant mechanism for magmatic differentiation. In contrast, relatively few geoscientists are familiar with the complete story of how Bowen's ideas developed and of the numerous controversies that surrounded them. N. L. Bowen and Crystallization-Differentiation: the Evolution of a Theory is an engaging and insightful book. Author Davis A. Young presents a historical examination of Bowen's scientific life, his debates with great petrologists of the time like Daly, Fenner,Wager, and Read, and the combined influence of these and other scientists on the course of petrologic thought in the early 20th century.
Misdemeanor sentencing decisions: The cost of being native American

Criminal sentencing research has traditionally focused on felony sentencing disparities between Whites and Blacks, and more recently, between Whites and Latinos. This study examines over 8,000 misdemeanor cases registered in 1992 from three Nebraska non-metropolitan counties to further determine the nature and scope of racial/ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system. In comparison to Whites and Latinos, Native Americans have significantly higher proportions of individuals charged with more serious misdemeanor offenses, and are charged with a significantly higher mean total number of offenses. Even though legal variables accounted for a great deal of the variance in multivariate OLS and logistic sentencing models, Native Americans received significantly harsher punishment for the conviction of misdemeanor crimes when compared to Whites and Latinos. Results clearly indicate the need for more criminal sentencing research that better takes into account the social context of law enforcement and senten...
Midtrimester abortion induced by a single intra-amniotic instillation of two dose schedules of 15(S)-15-methyl-prostaglandin F2α

Midtrimester abortion was successfully induced in a series of 20 patient by intra-amniotic instillation of 15(S)-15-methyl-prostaglandin F2α with a mean abortion time of 17.78 hours. The patients in this study were divided into two groups, Groups I received on initial dose of 2.5 mg 15-ME-PGF2α and aborted in a mean time of 16.26 hours. The patients in Group II received 3.0 mg 15-ME-PGF2α and aborted in a mean time of 18.94 hours. There was no significant difference in the abortion time, occurrence of side effects or the initiation of uterine activity between Group I and Group II. Parous patients aborted somewhat faster than nulliparous patients but this difference was not significant. In this study 80% of the patients aborted in 24 hours or less, and the intra-amniotic instillation of 15-ME-PGF2α was an effective abortifacient technique from the 15th to the 23rd week of gestation. The uterine response to intra-amniotic instillation of 15-ME-PGF2α was characterized by the gradual appearance of low amplitude, high frequency contractions accompanied by a rise in baseline intrauterine tonus. Uterine activity developed gradually and peaked at 1:50 hours after intra-amniotic instillation of 15-ME-PGF2α. In this small series 15-ME-PGF2α administered via intra-amniotic instillation did not appear to have a distinct advantage over the naturally occurring PGF2α administered by the same method for the induction of midtrimester abortion; a larger series is indicated to define the advantages of either technique.
A depressive symptoms responsiveness model for differentiating fatigue from depression in the postpartum period

Fatigue is both a symptom and a predictor of depression in women after childbirth. At the same time, postpartum fatigue is experienced by most non-depressed women. Health care providers experientially know that not all women who experience postpartum fatigue will manifest depression. However, while researchers agree that fatigue and depression are distinct concepts, they have not yet identified a means for describing or measuring this distinctness. A new model proposing how fatigue may be differentiated from depression after childbirth is presented. The Depressive Symptoms Responsiveness Model proposes that depression-related postpartum fatigue may potentially be differentiated from non-depression-related postpartum fatigue on the basis of whether depressive symptoms abate when fatigue is relieved. The ability to differentiate between fatigue and depression in postpartum women has the potential to improve women's health through improvements in practice and resource utilization. Furthermore, differentiation may lead to a better understanding of the role of fatigue in postpartum depression.
Reorganization of retinotectal projection following surgical operations on the optic tectum in goldfish.

Abstract The pattern of neural reconnection between the retina and surgically operated tectum was studied in juvenile goldfish (8–11 cm long) with electrophysiological methods. The results confirm that the remaining rostral half-tectum reacquires a complete visual projection from the whole retina about 90 days after excision of the caudal half. The same reorganization of visual projection from the whole retina onto the rostral half-tectum was found to occur in the presence of the caudal half of the tectum, if the two halves were separated by a transverse surgical incision down to the level of the optic ventricle regardless of whether the contralateral optic nerve was left intact or crushed to regenerate. The reorganization of retinotectal projection was also found to occur biaxially along the mediolateral as well as the rostrocaudal axis of the tectum following excision of a caudomedial sector of the tectum. It is suggested that the reorganization of retinotectal projection is due to synaptic respecifications of individual tectal neurons in correct retinotopic order, and that the cellular discontinuity between the rostral and the caudal parts of the tectum is sufficient to induce the orderly synaptic respecifications in juvenile goldfish.
Therapeutic Factors Contributing to Change in Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy for Older Persons with Schizophrenia

The contributions of homework, therapy participation, cognitive insight, and skills acquisition to treatment outcomes in group CBT for schizophrenia were examined. Increased cognitive insight was associated with reduced positive, negative and total symptoms, but not improved psychosocial functioning. Greater participation was associated with increased cognitive insight, reduction in total and negative symptoms, and a trend was found for positive symptoms. Greater homework adherence was associated with greater skill acquisition, but skill acquisition was not significantly associated with change in any outcome. The therapeutic factors contributing to change in CBT for schizophrenia appear different for symptom and psychosocial functioning outcomes.
Weather-Layer Dynamics of Baroclinic Eddies and Multiple Jets in an Idealized General Circulation Model

The general circulation and the behavior of multiple jets and baroclinic eddies are described for an atmosphere in which meridional potential temperature gradients and eddies are confined to a weather layer. The weather layer is separated from the frictional lower boundary by a statically stable barotropic layer with significant mass. Closure of the zonal momentum budget in the resulting circulation is achieved through ageostrophic meridional cells that extend to the lower boundary, at which momentum is dissipated. In a series of simulations with a multilevel primitive equation model, dynamic changes in the static stability of the weather layer are found to be critical in determining the scaling of the baroclinic eddies, an effect not captured in quasigeostrophic models. For simulations with a single jet in each hemisphere, the static stability of the weather layer adjusts so that a significant inverse energy cascade to scales larger than the Rossby deformation radius does not occur. The eddy length is found to scale with both the Rossby deformation radius and the Rhines scale. Simulations with larger planetary radii and low pole-to-equator temperature gradients exhibit multiple jets in each hemisphere. Eddy lengths and energies for the jet nearest the equator in each hemisphere have the same scaling as those in the single-jet simulations. Similar scalings are found for jets farther poleward but with different constants of proportionality that are consistent with more supercritical eddies. The local eddy length is found to have only a weak variation with latitude, and the local meridional jet spacing is found to scale with the local eddy length in all cases. Insights from the weather-layer simulations may be relevant to circulations in gas giant planets and the ocean.
Adaptive memory load management in cloud data centers

We consider a cloud data center in which a set of application servers is hosted. Each server runs in a virtual machine in the cloud, subjected to a session-oriented workload, whereby session data of one server is replicated on other servers for purposes of high availability. In such an environment, we are concerned with the memory resource usage due to the application servers. In particular, our goal is to prevent memory overload by managing the session load admitted to each of the application servers. Little interest has been given to load management in the cloud based on memory usage, although memory is a crucial and valuable resource. We introduce a dynamic memory overload protection solution that is based on adaptive feedback controller techniques. In particular, we have designed and implemented a self-configurable memory controller, which is automatically tuned based on an analytical model of the system under control. Our proposed solution consists of a set of independent controllers and, hence, is a scalable architecture. Challenged by actual correlation among application servers due to session replication, we validate our solution on commercially available servers in the cloud environment. Our experimental results illustrate good performance in the presence of load fluctuations and session replication.
Expression of Fer testis (FerT) tyrosine kinase transcript variants and distribution sites of FerT during the development of the acrosome-acroplaxome-manchette complex in rat spermatids.

We report the association of testicular Fer, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, with acrosome development and remodeling of the acrosome-associated acroplaxome plate during spermatid head shaping. A single gene expresses two forms of Fer tyrosine kinases in testis: a somatic form (FerS) and a truncated testis-type form (FerT). FerT transcript variants are seen in spermatocytes and spermatids. FerS transcripts are not detected in round spermatids but are moderately transcribed in spermatocytes. FerT protein is associated with the spermatid medial/trans-Golgi region, proacrosomal vesicles, the cytosolic side of the outer acrosome membrane and adjacent to the inner acrosome membrane facing the acroplaxome. FerT coexist in the acroplaxome with phosphorylated cortactin, a regulator of F-actin dynamics. We propose that FerT participates in acrosome development and that phosphorylated cortactin may contribute to structural changes in F-actin in the acroplaxome during spermatid head shaping. Developmental Dynamics 237:3882–3891, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Transverse Gradient Electrophoresis: Protein Homogeneity Test and Subfractionation Technique

Electrophoresis of protein (including enzyme) was conducted in a gel medium across which, transverse to the direction of protein migration, a continuous pH gradient extends. Any splitting of a resultant trace for the change of protein mobility with pH suggests both protein heterogeneity and the pH conditions under which further purification and subfractionation may best be pursued.
Prescribing topological defects for the coupled Einstein and Abelian Higgs equations

We construct multi-string solutions of the coupled Einstein and Abelian Higgs equations so that the spacetime is uniform along the time axis and a vertical direction and nontrivial geometry is coded on a Riemann surfaceM. We concentrate on the critical Bogomol'nyi phase. WhenM is compact, the Abelian Higgs model is defined by a complex line bundleL overM. We prove that, due to the coupling of the Einstein equations, the Euler characteristic ofM and the first Chern number of the line bundleL identified as the total string number impose an exact obstruction to the existence of a string solution. Such an obstruction leads to some interesting implications. We then study the existence of multi-string solutions which can realize a prescribed string distribution. We show that there are such solutions when the local string winding numbers do not exceed half of the total string number. WhenM is noncompact and globally conformal to a plane, we show that the energy scale of symmetry breaking plays a crucial role and there are finite-energy radially symmetric string solutions realizing a given string number if and only if the symmetry breaking scale is sufficiently small but nonvanishing. Finally, we obtain finite-energy multistring solutions with an arbitrary string distribution and associated local winding numbers. These solutions are not radially symmetric and are regular everywhere and topologically nontrivial so that both the energy of the matter-gauge sector and the energy of the gravitational sector viewed as the total Gauss curvature ofM are quantized.
Grand Challenge Commentary: Chemical transdifferentiation and regenerative medicine

The ability to alter cell identity with small molecules represents a powerful approach to restore biological function lost because of cellular deficiency. Developing this capability through advances in chemical biology could have an enormous impact on human health.
Analysis of the mRNA Targetome of MicroRNAs Expressed by Marek’s Disease Virus

ABSTRACT Marek’s disease virus 1 (MDV-1), an oncogenic α-herpesvirus that induces T-cell lymphomas in chickens, serves as model system to study transformation by lymphotropic herpesviruses. Like the oncogenic human γ-herpesviruses Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), MDV-1 encodes several viral microRNAs (miRNAs). One MDV-1 miRNA, miR-M4, shares the same “seed” targeting sequence with both a KSHV miRNA, miR-K11, and cellular miR-155. Importantly, miR-M4 plays a critical role in T-cell transformation by MDV-1, while miR-K11 and cellular miR-155 are thought to play key roles in B-cell transformation by KSHV and EBV, respectively. Here, we present an analysis of the mRNAs targeted by viral miRNAs expressed in the chicken T-cell line MSB1, which is naturally coinfected with MDV-1 and the related nonpathogenic virus MDV-2. Our analysis identified >1,000 endogenous mRNAs targeted by miRNAs encoded by each virus, many of which are targeted by both MDV-1 and MDV-2 miRNAs. We present a functional analysis of an MDV-1 gene, RLORF8, targeted by four MDV-1 miRNAs and a cellular gene, encoding interleukin-18 (IL-18) and targeted by both MDV-1 and MDV-2 miRNAs, and show that ectopic expression of either protein in a form resistant to miRNA inhibition results in inhibition of cell proliferation. Finally, we present a restricted list of 9 genes targeted by not only MDV-1 miR-M4 but also KSHV miR-K11 and human miR-155. Given the critical role played by miR-155 seed family members in lymphomagenesis in humans and chickens, these mRNA targets may contain genes whose inhibition plays a conserved role in herpesvirus transformation. IMPORTANCE Herpesviruses cause lymphomas in both humans and chickens, and in both cases, evidence indicates that virally encoded miRNAs, or virally subverted cellular miRNAs, belonging to the miR-155 seed family, play a critical role in this process. However, because each miRNA regulates numerous cellular mRNAs species, it has been difficult to elucidate which miRNA targets are important. Given the evolutionary distance between chickens and humans and the observation that miR-155 is nevertheless highly conserved in both species, we reasoned that the identification of shared miR-155 targets might shed light on this process. Here, we present an analysis of the mRNAs targeted by miRNAs encoded by the oncogenic avian herpesvirus MDV-1 in transformed chicken T cells, including a short list of mRNAs that are also targeted by miR-155 seed family miRNAs in EBV- or KSHV-transformed human B cells, and present an initial functional analysis of some of these miRNA targets.
Gravity induced over a smooth soliton

I consider gravity induced over a smooth (finite thickness) soliton. Graviton kinetic term is coupled to bulk scalar that develops solitonic vacuum expectation value. Couplings of Kaluza-Klein modes to soliton-localized matter are suppressed, giving rise to crossover distance $r_c=M_{P}^2/M_{*}^3$ between 4D and 5D behavior. This system can be viewed as a finite thickness brane regularization of the model of Dvali, Gabadadze and Porrati.
Identification of 3-hydroxypalmitic acid methyl ester as a novel autoregulator controlling virulence in Ralstonia solanacearum

Expression of virulence genes in Ralstonia solanacearum, a phytopathogenic bacterium, is controlled by a complex regulatory network that integrates multiple signal inputs. Production of several virulence determinants is coordinately reduced by inactivation of phcB, but is restored by growth in the presence of a volatile extracellular factor (VEF) produced by wild-type strains of R. solanacearum. The VEF was purified from spent culture broth by distillation, solvent extraction, and liquid chromatography. Gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy identified 3-hydroxypalmitic acid methyl ester (3-OH PAME) as the major component in the single peak of VEF activity. Authentic 3-OH PAME and the purified VEF were active at < or =1 nM, and had nearly equivalent specific activities for stimulating the expression of eps (the biosynthetic locus for extracellular polysaccharide) in a phcB mutant. Authentic 3-OH PAME also increased the production of three virulence factors by a phcB mutant over 20-fold to wild-type levels, restored normal cell density-associated expression of eps and increased expression of eps when delivered via the vapour phase. Reanalysis of the PhcB amino acid sequence suggested that it is a small-molecule S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase, which might catalyse synthesis of 3-OH PAME from a naturally occurring fatty acid. Biologically active concentrations of extracellular 3-OH PAME were detected before the onset of eps expression, suggesting that it is an intercellular signal that autoregulates virulence gene expression in wild-type R. solanacearum. Other than acyl-homoserine lactones, 3-OH PAME is the only endogenous fatty acid derivative shown to be an autoregulator and may be the first example of a new family of compounds that can mediate long-distance intercellular communication.
The asymptotic information in censored survival data

Various procedures are considered for fitting a regression model to censored survival data in continuous time with time-dependent covariate functions. These include maximum likelihood with the underlying hazard function known completely and known up to a multiplicative constant, and the maximization of Cox's partial likelihood. Explicit formulae for the asymptotic variances of the estimators are derived informally and compared. It is shown how sample second derivatives may be used to estimate the amount of information lost through lack of knowledge of the underlying hazard function. Corresponding results for a more general parameterization which includes the Weibull hazard function are indicated.
The ultrasensitivity of living polymers.

Synthetic and biological living polymers are self-assembling chains whose chain length distributions (CLDs) are dynamic. We show these dynamics are ultrasensitive: Even a small perturbation (e.g., temperature jump) nonlinearly distorts the CLD, eliminating or massively augmenting short chains. The origin is fast relaxation of mass variables (mean chain length, monomer concentration) which perturbs CLD shape variables before these can relax via slow chain growth rate fluctuations. Viscosity relaxation predictions agree with experiments on the best-studied synthetic system, alpha-methylstyrene.
The structure of chlorobis-(2,2′,N,N′-bipyridyl)copper(II)(1,1,2,3,3-pentacyanopropenide)

Abstract The crystal and molecular structure of chlorobis(2,2′,N,N′-bipyridyl)copper(II)(1,1,2,3,3-pentacyanopropenide) was determined by three dimensional X-ray analysis. The lattice parameters are a = 12.278(3), b = 15.769(4), c = 7.331(2) A , α = 97.73(2), β = 100.01(2), and γ = 106.53(2)°. The space group is P 1 . The structure was solved by conventional Patterson and Fourier techniques and refined by full matrix least squares methods to final residuals of R = 0.090 and R w = 0.102 for a total of 2388 unique data (F o ⩾3σ F ). The copper atom is five coordinate and the donor atoms are disposed about the copper atom in a distorted trigonal bipyramidal arrangement with the chloride occupying one of the equatorial sites. The pentacyanopropenyl anion is present as a counterion and does not participate in the coordination to the metal atom.
An alternative construction of Green's functions for the two-dimensional heat equation

Abstract An alternative approach is developed for obtaining Green's functions for two-dimensional heat conduction problems that are formulated on thin plates of simple configuration (infinite strip, semi-strip, and rectangle). It is assumed that the plates are made of isotropic homogeneous conductive materials and Newton's law of cooling specifies the heat exchange through the plates’ facial surfaces. An extension is also suggested to make this approach suitable for some compound plates. Various combinations of the classical boundary conditions are imposed on plates’ edges.
N-Z distributions of secondary fragments and the evaporation attractor line

The process of light particle evaporation moves the position of an excited fragment in the chart of nuclides towards a line which will be called the evaporation attractor line. The predicted location of this line is parametrized and the conditions necessary for the secondary fragment distributions to reach this line are discussed.
The Relationship Among Maternal–Infant Bonding, Spirituality, and Maternal Perception of the Childbirth Experience

THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG MATERNAL INFANT BONDING, SPIRITUALITY, AND MATERNAL PERCEPTION OF CHILDBIRTH EXPERIENCE by Linda K. Bennington A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010 Major Director: Inez Tuck, RN, MBA, Ph.D., M.Div., Professor, Nursing The beginning of life is an intense experience for both mother and baby and sets the foundation for future interactions. Researchers have theorized that maternal infant bonding begins prenatally and continues on through the postnatal period. Mṻller (1996) examined that process to determine if prenatal bonding was related to postnatal bonding and discovered that there was only a modest correlation between the two. This led to speculation as to what variables, besides prenatal bonding, could influence postnatal bonding. Klaus & Kennell (1976) noted the detrimental effects of a lack of bonding in terms of abuse and attachment disorders and emphasized the urgency of understanding the process. Thus, an examination of factors that influence the initial attachment after birth is important in order to facilitate the experience for optimal outcomes. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1. Examine the relationship between a woman‘s perceived birth experience and maternal infant bonding; 2. Examine the
A C. elegans Sperm TRP Protein Required for Sperm-Egg Interactions during Fertilization

Fertilization, a critical step in animal reproduction, is triggered by a series of specialized sperm-egg interactions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying fertilization are not well understood. Here, we identify a sperm-enriched C. elegans TRPC homolog, TRP-3. Mutations in trp-3 lead to sterility in both hermaphrodites and males due to a defect in their sperm. trp-3 mutant sperm are motile, but fail to fertilize oocytes after gamete contact. TRP-3 is initially localized in intracellular vesicles, and then translocates to the plasma membrane during sperm activation. This translocation coincides with a marked increase in store-operated calcium entry, providing an in vivo mechanism for the regulation of TRP-3 activity. As C. elegans oocytes lack egg coats, our data suggest that some TRPC family channels might function to mediate calcium influx during sperm-egg plasma membrane interactions leading to fertilization.
Suppression of bone marrow stromal cell function by benzene and hydroquinone is ameliorated by indomethacin.

Abstract Administration of benzene to mice will inhibit bone marrow stromal cell-supported hemopoiesis in cultre. Hydroquinone, a major metabolite of benzene, will cause a similar inhibition of stromal cell function in vitro . Stromal cells produce both an inducer (colonystimulating factor) and an inhibitor (prostaglandin E 2 ; PGE 2 ) of hemopoiesis. This research was conducted to determine if prostaglandin synthesis is involved in the suppression of stromal cell function by benzene and hydroquinone. Male B6C3F1 mice were administered benzene (100 mg/kg), indomethacin (1 mg/kg), or benzene plus indomethacin twice a day for 4 consecutive days. On Day 5 bone marrow cells were removed to determine the effect of treatment. In a second series of experiments mouse bone marrow stromal cells in culture were treated with hydroquinone (10 −7 to 10 −4 m ), indomethacin (10 −6 m ), or a combination of hydroquinone plus indomethacin. Stromal cell function was based on the ability of the treated stromal cells to support granulocyte/monocyte colony development in coculture. The results demonstrated that preadministration of indomethacin in vivo ameliorated benzene-induced inhibition of bone marrow stromal cell function. In vitro , indomethacin ameliorated hydroquinone toxicity to stromal cell function. Benzene administration in vivo induced elevated PGE 2 in bone marrow samples which were prevented by preadministration of indomethacin. However, hydroquinone in vitro did not induce a consistent increase in PGE 2 levels. These results suggested that toxicity to stromal cells was not due solely to increased prostaglandin synthetase activity.
Finding Community: Developing and Maintaining Effective Intergenerational Service-Learning Partnerships

As intergenerational service-learning becomes an increasingly popular means for providing gerontology and health professional students with “real-life” experience, it is essential to consider the importance of strong community partnerships. Drawing upon a range of intergenerational service-learning experiences from two programs at different universities in the Midwest, this article examines the role of community partners in intergenerational service-learning and offers strategies for developing and maintaining effective community partnerships.
DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING IN CANINE PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA

The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is challenging due to the variable presentations of patients affected with this neoplasm. This report describes four dogs with pheochromocytoma in which radiography, ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) were key diagnostic tools. Computed tomography was the most useful imaging modality for assessment of size, shape and margination of the tumor. CT findings for the pheochromocytoma included a large, irregularly shaped mass in the dorsal midabdomen with multiple foci of low attenuation dispersed in hyperdense, highly vascular tissue. This neoplasm often invades the caudal vena cava and other surrounding organs therefore, although a pheochromocytoma may be identified in the absence of clinical signs, it should not be considered an incidental lesion. The unpredictable growth rate and potential for invasion of major vessels warrants serious consideration. Follow-up ultrasound and CT examinations are recommended for patients with adrenal masses that do not undergo surgical excision.
Birds that ‘cry wolf’

Reports of animals using alarm calls deceptively are rare (refs 1–3 and R. Cheney and D. Seyfarth, personal communication in rf. 4). Here I have studied two species of flycatching birds in Amazonia, Lanio versicolor and Thamnomanes schistogynus, which lead flocks of mixed species in the canopy and understorey of the forest, respectively, and act as sentinels, giving alarm calls at the approach of bird-eating hawks. These two species feed to a large extent on the insects flushed out by the foraging of the rest of the flock. My observations suggest that L. versicolor and T. schistogynus use the predator alarm call deceptively to distract other birds, thereby increasing their own chances of capturing arthropods. This result suggests that deception among animals may be more widespread than is generally assumed.
Catalytic Life of Activated Factor XIII in Thrombi Implications for Fibrinolytic Resistance and Thrombus Aging

Background—Because the increased fibrinolytic resistance of older thrombi may be caused by the continuous cross-linking action of fibrin-bound activated factor XIII (FXIIIa), we examined the persistence of FXIIIa catalytic activity in clots of various ages. Methods and Results—The time-related changes in FXIIIa activity in clots was measured with (1) α2-antiplasmin (α2AP), a physiological glutamine substrate; (2) α2AP13–24, a peptide; and (3) pentylamine, a nonspecific lysine substrate. The cross-linking of α2AP, α2AP13–24, and pentylamine into fibrin by clot-bound FXIIIa declined rapidly with half-lives of 19, 21, and 26 minutes, respectively. Mutational studies showed that glutamine 14 (but not glutamine 3 or 16) and valine 17 of α2AP13–24 were required for efficient cross-linking to fibrin. The loss of activity was not due primarily to FXIIIa proteolysis and was partially restored by reducing agents, suggesting that oxidation contributes to the loss of the enzyme’s activity in clots. In vivo, the abili...
Estimating Use-Dependent Synaptic Gain in Autonomic Ganglia by Computational Simulation and Dynamic-Clamp Analysis

Biological gain mechanisms regulate the sensitivity and dynamics of signaling pathways at the systemic, cellular, and molecular levels. In the sympathetic nervous system, gain in sensory-motor feed...
Extracellular arginine rapidly dilates in vivo intestinal arteries and arterioles through a nitric oxide mechanism

Objective: Arginine used for nitric oxide formation can be from intracellular stores or transported into cells. The study evaluated the rapidity, and primary site of NO and vascular resistance responses to arginine at near physiological concentrations (100–400 μ M). Methods: Arginine was applied to a single arteriole through a micropipette to determine the fastest possible responses. For vascular blood flow and [NO] responses, arginine was added to the bathing media. Results: Dilation of single arterioles to arginine began in 10–15 seconds and application over the entire vasculature increased [NO] in ∼ 60–90 seconds, and flow increased within 120–300 seconds. Resting periarteriolar [NO] for arterioles was 493.6 ± 30.5 nM and increased to 696.1 ± 68.2 and 820.1 ± 110.5 nM at 200 and 400 μ M L-arginine. The blood flow increased 50% at 400–1200 μ M L-arginine. The reduced arterial resistance during topical arginine was significantly greater than microvascular resistance at 100 and 200 μ M arginine. All respo...
Artificial carbohydrate antigens: the synthesis of a tetrasaccharide hapten, a Shigella flexneri O-antigen repeating unit.

Abstract The 8-methoxycarbonyloctyl glycoside of the tetrasaccharide hapten, O -α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)- O -α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)- O -α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→ 3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranoside and the trisaccharide glycoside 8-methoxycarbonyloctyl O -α- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)- O -α- l -rhamnopyr-anosyl-(1→3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β- d -glucopyranoside were synthesized by sequential Koenigs-Knorr reactions from monosaccharide units. The tetrasaccharide represents the complete skeletal repeating unit of Shigella flexneri serogroup Y lipopolysaccharide. Both oligosaccharide haptens are functionalized for covalent attachment to proteins, cell surfaces, and solid supports. 1 H-N.m.r. evidence for the conformations of these oligosaccharides in solution is presented and shown to be consistent with predictions based on the exo -anomeric effect
Mass spectrometry in structural and stereochemical problems. CXXII.

Double McLafferty transfer process in mass spectra of two cyclic ketones and substituted malonic ester
Dual agarose magnetic (DAM) ChIP

Background Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) has become a very popular technique to study epigenetic regulation because it can be used to identify proteins and protein modifications present at specific locations in chromatin. While techniques have been developed to investigate epigenetic modifications present in chromatin during a specific biological function such as transcription, they depend upon the ability of the ChIP to analyze two epitopes on the same chromatin and are generally time consuming, difficult to perform, and not very sensitive. The Dual Agarose Magnetic (DAM) ChIP procedure described here is designed to address these shortcomings.
MB-22CHECKPOINT KINASE 1 EXPRESSION IS AN ADVERSE PROGNOSTIC MARKER AND THERAPEUTIC TARGET IN MYC-DRIVEN MEDULLOBLASTOMA.

BACKGROUND: Medulloblastoma is the most common childhood malignant intracranial tumor that carries significant therapy-related morbidity. Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is an integral component of the cell cycle as well as the DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathway, Previous work has demonstrated the effectiveness of inhibiting CHK1 with small-molecule inhibitors, such as AZD-7762, in epithelial tumors, but research is scarce in terms of targeting the DDR for treatment in CNS malignancies. METHODS: Low-dose administration of AZD-7762 and cisplatin, the standard chemotherapy agent for medulloblastoma, were used both separately and together to assess the effect of CHK1 inhibition on c-Myc amplified medulloblastoma cell lines. Clonogenic assays were performed to assess the effect of AZD-7762, with and without cisplatin, on cell survival. Flow cytometric cell cycle and γH2AX analyses were utilized to investigate the impact of AZD-7762 on cell status and active apoptosis, respectively. RESULTS: Genetic analysis revealed a significant increase in expression of CHK1 in medulloblastoma which correlated with previously established data sets. Increased CHK1 mRNA and protein expression in medulloblastoma cell lines versus normal cerebellum was confirmed via qPCR and western blot assays. Targeting CHK1 with low-dose AZD-7762 resulted in a decrease in cell viability and cell survival as well as an increase in actively apoptotic cells. Finally, combined treatment of low-dose AZD-7762 (20 nM) with low-dose cisplatin (175 nM) was synergistic towards reducing cell survival. CONCLUSION: Overall, results demonstrate that small-molecule inhibition of CHK1 alongside the ubiquitous chemotherapeutic, cisplatin, is more advantageous than either treatment alone, especially for Group 3 medulloblastoma, and therefore this combined therapeutic approach serves as an avenue for further investigation.
A characterization of graphs that ensure the existence of stable matchings

Abstract In this note we characterize sets of mutually acceptable pairs of incividuals in the stable matching problem for which a stable matching exists under all preference profiles. In particular, our characterization asserts that the corresponding acceptability graph is bipartite.
Photodissociation and nongeminate recombination of bromine in liquids initiated by 532 nm radiation

Abstract Evidence of nongeminate recombination of photodissociated bromine atoms in carbon tetrachloride initiated by 532 nm radiation is observed, for the first time, using photothermal grating spectroscopy. This results is contrary to a previous suggestion that bromine atoms predissociated by 532 nm radiation do not have enough kinetic energy to escape the solvent cage. From the relative amplitudes of diffraction transients, the photodissociation yield, φ d , is determined to be 0.12±0.01. The estimated rate constant of nongeminate recombination of bromine atom, k r =(1.5±0.2)x10 10 M −1 s −1 , is slightly larger than a previously reported value.
Engendering trust through institutional policies and practices

Transforming the department into a team of people who support and trust each other not only revitalizes faculty members as their value is affirmed but also increases their contributions to the department and institution.
Integration issues elucidated in large-scale information systems development

This article explores some basic issues in system integration by examining the integration process with information systems. The article begins with a discussion of the domain of interest. Terms are defined, the software process is reviewed, and two system categories are established. It is shown that software is materially different from hardware. Moreover, these differences present opportunities for reducing the integration effort. Several methods that take advantage of software's special characteristics are identified, and a case study of one environment provides some empirical evidence that reveal the benefits that may follow. The article concludes with some observations regarding the transfer of the lessons learned with information systems to other application domains-both hardware and software.
Turbulent wall pressure reduction using suction control

A study of the fluctuating wall pressure beneath a 2-d turbulent boundary layer was conducted in a water tunnel with Reynolds numbers, based on momentum thickness, ranging between 2,100 and 4,300. The boundary layer was perturbed with steady mild suction to assess the effect of upstream suction on the fluctuating wall pressure measured downstream of the suction slit. Wall pressure signatures were captured using a custom-fabricated piezo-ceramic array with d+ values ranging between 64 and 107. Likewise, the velocity field was measured with a laser Doppler velocimeter with l+ values ranging between 4.0 and 6.7 for the lowest and highest Reθ investigated. Estimates of the wall pressure spectra revealed a noticeable hydrodynamic peak that scaled reasonably well with outer variables and with an average convective speed of 75 % of the free stream velocity (based on unconditionally sampled pressure time series). Two boundary layer suction control cases were studied corresponding to suction rates of less then 30 % of the boundary layer momentum. The findings reveal how only modest amounts of suction are needed to reduce upwards 50–60 % of the hydrodynamic ridge.
Multisensory Speech Perception in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study examined unisensory and multisensory speech perception in 8–17 year old children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and typically developing controls matched on chronological age, sex, and IQ. Consonant–vowel syllables were presented in visual only, auditory only, matched audiovisual, and mismatched audiovisual (“McGurk”) conditions. Participants with ASD displayed deficits in visual only and matched audiovisual speech perception. Additionally, children with ASD reported a visual influence on heard speech in response to mismatched audiovisual syllables over a wider window of time relative to controls. Correlational analyses revealed associations between multisensory speech perception, communicative characteristics, and responses to sensory stimuli in ASD. Results suggest atypical speech perception is linked to broader behavioral characteristics of ASD.