cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binding kinetics and activity of human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 on oligo-deoxyribonucleotide substrates.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a mammalian enzyme that attaches long branching chains of ADP-ribose to specific nuclear proteins, including itself. Because its activity in vitro is dependent upon interaction with broken DNA, it has been postulated that PARP-1 plays an important role in DNA strand-break repair in vivo. The exact mechanism of binding to DNA and the structural determinants of binding remain to be defined, but regions of transition from single-stranded to double-strandedness may be important recognition sites. Here we employ surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to investigate this hypothesis. Oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) substrates that mimic DNA with different degrees of single-strandedness were used for measurements of both PARP-1/DNA binding kinetics and PARP-1's enzyme activities. We found that binding correlated with activity, but was unrelated to single-strandedness of the ODN. Instead, PARP-1 binding and activity were highest on ODNs that modeled a DNA double-strand break (DSB). These results provide support for PARP-1 recognizing and binding DSBs in a manner that is independent of single-stranded features, and demonstrate the usefulness of SPR for simultaneously investigating both PARP-1 binding and PARP-1 auto-poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation activities within the same in vitro system. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Significant increase of benign endometrial cells on Papanicolaou smears in women using hormone replacement therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of benign endometrial cells on Papanicolaou smears from postmenopausal women and to compare the prevalence and histologic diagnosis in women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with those who do not. METHODS: Papanicolaou smear diagnoses from postmenopausal women and women over age 50 between April 1995 and December 1998 were retrieved and linked with follow-up smears and biopsies. Hormone status of women with benign endometrial cells smears was obtained from requisition forms or phone conversation with primary care providers. All surgical pathology material as well as Papanicolaou smears from women subsequently diagnosed with endometrial adenocarcinoma were reviewed. Relative prevalence with 95% confidence intervals was determined. RESULTS: A total of 589 of 52,662 Papanicolaou smears from postmenopausal women were diagnosed with benign endometrial cells, a prevalence of 1.1%. Also, HRT was reported in 16,073 (31%), no HRT was reported in 33,170 (63%), and hormone status was unknown in 3379 (6%). Smears from 245 HRT users, 324 nonusers, and 20 with unknown hormone status were diagnosed with benign endometrial cells. There was a significant increased prevalence of benign endometrial cells in women on HRT compared with nonusers (relative prevalence 1.56, 95% confidence interval 1.32, 1.84, P < .001). Among 436 women with known hormonal status and follow-up, 12 (2.7%) had endometrial carcinoma, three (1.5%) in HRT users and nine (3.7%) in nonusers (P = .175). In addition, HRT users had significantly less abnormal endometrial histology than non-HRT users (2.6% versus 7.4%, P = .025). CONCLUSION: We found that HRT is significantly associated with an increased prevalence of benign endometrial cells on Papanicolaou smears. Women on HRT who have benign endometrial cells on their Papanicolaou smears, however, have less abnormal endometrial histology compared with women not using HRT who have benign endometrial cells on their Papanicolaou smears.
Growth and structural characterization of yttria-stabilized zirconia–gold nanocomposite films with improved toughness

Abstract To counteract the natural brittleness of oxide ceramic films and achieve better toughness, nanocomposite films combining yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and gold were produced. A hybrid of magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser ablation was used to grow crystalline YSZ embedded in an amorphous YSZ/Au matrix at near room temperature. Results from chemical analyses, X-ray and electron diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, lateral force microscopy, nanoindentation hardness measurements and toughness estimates are discussed. At a fixed deposition temperature, the film microstructure was critically dependent on the gold content. Three distinct microstructures were produced: an amorphous YSZ/Au coating at less than 8 at.% Au; 5–10 nm YSZ crystals embedded in an amorphous YSZ/Au matrix at 10–15 at.% Au; and 20–100-nm crystallites of (101)-oriented YSZ mixed with micron-sized Au agglomerates at above 20 at.% Au. From these films, only the 5–10 nm nanocrystalline YSZ embedded in the amorphous YSZ/Au matrix provided the improvements in toughness. Coatings with this structure had hardness of 15–20 GPa, elastic modulus of approximately 250 GPa, and did not develop cracks in Vickers pyramid indentation at loads up to 1 kg, showing remarkable ductility. The improvement in toughness of this relatively hard film was explained by grain boundary sliding of YSZ nanocrystals in the YSZ/Au amorphous matrix. The new YSZ/Au nanocomposite films developed in this study may have good potential for surface protection, where a combination of thermal stability, oxidation resistance and improved film toughness are required.
Biased Technical Progress and A Neoclassical Theory of Economic Growth

I. Introduction, 129. — II. A Neoclassical growth model, 130. — III. Properties of an equilibrium growth path, 132. — IV. Stability conditions, 133.— V. Induced inventions, 135. — Appendix, 137.
Variability in the Management of Superficial Venous Thrombophlebitis across Practitioners Based in North America and the Global Community

Introduction. This study aimed to compare management patterns of patients with SVT among healthcare practitioners based in North America versus those in the global community. Methods. A 17-question, multiple choice survey with questions regarding SVT diagnosis and management strategies was provided to practitioners who attended the American Venous Forum (AVF) meeting in 2011. Results. There were 487 practitioners surveyed with 365 classified as North American (US or Canada) and 122 (56 Europe, 25 Asia, 11 South America, and 7 Africa) representing the global community. The key difference seen between the groups was in the initial imaging study used in patients presenting with SVT () and physicians in the US ordered fewer bilateral duplex ultrasounds and more unilateral duplex ultrasounds (49.6% versus 58.2%, 39.7% versus 34.4%). In the US cohort, phlebologists and vascular surgeons constituted 82% () of the specialties surveyed. In the global community, SVT was managed by phlebologists or vascular surgeons 44% () of the time. Surgical management was highly variable between groups. Conclusion. There is currently no consensus between or among practitioners in North America or globally as to the surgical management of SVT, duration of follow-up, and anticoagulation parameters.
Sport Tourism Development (Second Edition)

Sport Tourism Development (Second Edition) Tom Hinch & James Higham Bristol, Channel View Publications, 2011, 258 pp. The second edition of Sport Tourism Development by Tom Hinch and James Higham o...
Effect of compressive loading and unloading on the synthesis of total protein, proteoglycan, and fibronectin by canine cartilage explants

Full-thickness canine articular cartilage explants were subjected to compressive loads equivalent to a uniaxial stress of 0.025-1.2 MPa. A single cycle (18 h) of unconfined compression resulted in inhibition of total protein, proteoglycan, and fibronectin synthesis. The inhibition of fibronectin synthesis followed that of total protein synthesis. The magnitude of inhibition increased nonlinearly with increasing load levels. The signal that depressed synthesis remained effective for several hours after removal of load, but by 24 h proteoglycan synthesis had partially recovered and fibronectin and protein synthesis had fully recovered and sometimes exceeded the rate of synthesis in free-swelling controls. Forty-eight hours after five cycles of intermittent unconfined compression with similar loads, proteoglycan content and synthesis did not differ in loaded disks and in disks that were never loaded in vitro. Interestingly, the percentage of water in disks that had never been loaded in vitro increased significantly after 10 days in culture, relative to the percentage of water in free-swelling disks on the day of harvest. Intermittent compressive loading in the range of 0.5-1.2 MPa partially prevented this increase. Our results confirmed the previously reported inhibition of biosynthesis with static loading but also suggested that exposure to intermittent compressive loading may help to maintain the normal ratio of dry to wet weight in the explant.
Crystal structure of double-stranded DNA containing the major adduct of the anticancer drug cisplatin

The success of cisplatin in cancer chemotherapy derives from its ability to crosslink DNA and alter the structure. Most cisplatin-DNA adducts are intrastrand d(GpG) and d(ApG) crosslinks, which unwind and bend the duplex to facilitate the binding of proteins that contain one or more high-mobility group (HMG) domains. When HMG-domain proteins such as HMG1, IXR (intrastrand-crosslink recognition) protein from yeast, or human upstream-binding factor (hUBF) bind cisplatin intrastrand crosslinks, they can be diverted from their natural binding sites on the genome and shield the adducts from excision repair. These activities sensitize cells to cisplatin and contribute to its cytotoxic properties. Crystallographic information about the structure of cisplatin-DNA adducts has been limited to short single-stranded deoxyoligonucleotides such as cis-[Pt(NH3)2(d(pGpG))]. Here we describe the X-ray structure at 2.6 A resolution of a double-stranded DNA dodecamer containing this adduct. Our information provides, to our knowledge, the first crystallographic look at a platinated DNA duplex and should help the design of new platinum and other metal crosslinking antitumour drug candidates. Moreover, the structure reveals a unique fusion of A- and B-type DNA segments that could be of more general importance.
Diagnosis and Quantification of Glycerol Assimilating Denitrifying Bacteria in an Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge Reactor via 13C DNA Stable-Isotope Probing

Glycerol, a byproduct of biodiesel and oleo-chemical manufacturing operations, represents an attractive alternate to methanol as a carbon and electron donor for enhanced denitrification. However, unlike methanol, little is known about the diversity and activity of glycerol assimilating bacteria in activated sludge. In this study, the microbial ecology of glycerol assimilating denitrifying bacteria in a sequencing batch integrated fixed film activated sludge (SB-IFAS) reactor was investigated using 13C-DNA stable isotope probing (SIP). During steady state SB-IFAS reactor operation, near complete nitrate removal (92.7 ± 5.8%) was achieved. Based on 13C DNA clone libraries obtained after 360 days of SB-IFAS reactor operation, bacteria related to Comamonas spp. and Diaphorobacter spp. dominated in the suspended phase communities. 13C assimilating members in the biofilm community were phylogenetically more diverse and were related to Comamonas spp., Bradyrhizobium spp., and Tessaracoccus spp. Possibly owing to...
The effects of age categorization on estimates of overweight prevalence for children.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of methods of age grouping on estimates of overweight prevalence for children and adolescents based on reference body mass index (BMI) percentiles. METHODS: Data for children aged 6–17 y came from three nationally representative US surveys, the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994) and Cycles II and III of the National Health Examination Survey (1963–1965, 1966–1970). Month-specific BMI percentile values were taken from the revised US growth charts. Ages were grouped into categories 3, 6 or 12 months in length. Cut-off points were selected as the low or the mean percentile value within the category. Overweight prevalences for these groupings were compared with prevalences calculated using the month-specific values. RESULTS: The effects of grouping and cut-off point selection on overweight prevalence estimates were generally small; however, the combination of 12 month groupings and the low value led to an overestimation by up to 3 percentage points. Within the 12 month groupings, the first 6 months differed systematically from the second 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Although age categorization may often have little effect on prevalence estimates, prevalence may sometimes be overestimated by as much as 3 percentage points. Use of narrower age categorizations than those used to construct the reference values may result in systematic biases. It is important to understand how age was handled in the construction of the reference population and to select age categories consistent with those used for the reference population.
Phenotypic and transgenerational plasticity promote local adaptation to sun and shade environments

Adaptive plasticity is expected to be important when the grain of environmental variation is encompassed in offspring dispersal distance. We investigated patterns of local adaptation, selection and plasticity in an association of plant morphology with fine-scale habitat shifts from oak canopy understory to adjacent grassland habitat in Claytonia perfoliata. Populations from beneath the canopy of oak trees were >90 % broad leaved and large seeded, while plants from adjacent grassland habitat were >90 % linear-leaved and small seeded. In a 2-year study, we used reciprocal transplants and phenotypic selection analysis to investigate local adaptation, selection, plasticity and maternal effects in this trait-environment association. Transgenerational effects were studied by planting offspring of inbred maternal families grown in both environments across the same environments in the second year. Reciprocal transplants revealed local adaptation to habitat type: broad-leaved forms had higher fitness in oak understory and linear-leaved plants had higher fitness in open grassland habitat. Phenotypic selection analyses indicated selection for narrower leaves and lower SLA in open habitat, and selection for broad leaves and intermediate values of SLA in understory. Both plant morphs exhibited plastic responses in traits in the same direction as selection on traits (narrower leaves and lower SLA in open habitat) suggesting that plasticity is adaptive. We detected an adaptive transgenerational effect in which maternal environment influenced offspring fitness; offspring of grassland-reared plants had higher fitness than understory-reared plants when grown in grassland. We did not detect costs of plasticity, but did find a positive association between leaf shape plasticity and fitness in linear-leaved plants in grassland habitat. Together, these findings indicate that fixed differences in trait values corresponding to selection across habitat contribute to local adaptation, but that plasticity and maternal environmental effects may be favored through promotion of survival across heterogeneous environments.
The late events of fertilisation in the penaeoidean shrimp Sicyonia ingentis.

SummaryAntibodies to sea urchin β-tubulin and mammalian heavy neurofilaments were to used the late events of fertilisation in the penaeoidean shrimp Sicyonia ingentis. The neurofilament antibody fortuitously stained centrosomes in eggs, as well as the subacrosomal region and acrosomal filament in sperm. The neurofilament antibody also stained a cortial site in eggs which was associated with the positioning of the mitotic spindle. During pronuclear migration, a large maternal microtubule during syngamy, while the sperm centrosomes formed the poles of the first mitotic spindle. Colcemid treatment modulated the size of the mitotic spindle and blocked pronuclear migration.
Office Management of Chronic Systolic Heart Failure

Evidence-based management of chronic systolic heart failure includes risk factor management, therapeutic lifestyle changes, and a polypharmaceutical regimen that prolongs survival, reduces or reverses progression of myocardial dysfunction, alleviates symptoms, and limits complications. Subspecialty consultation is warranted when symptoms progress despite standard therapy; interventions are needed for refractory coronary disease, an arrhythmia device is indicated, or surgical intervention or transplantation is considered.
Evaluation of a high-performance chemically amplified resist for EUVL mask fabrication

In this paper, we report on evaluation of a high e-beam sensitive CA resist, FEP171 for EUVL mask fabrication. This resist exhibits a PEB temperature sensitivity of ~1nm/°C and 8.3 nm (3 σ) CD uniformity across an EUVL mask patterned with 200 nm dense features using a 100 keV e-beam exposure system. This resist also showed a very high resolution and excellent exposure latitude. Dense line/space features down to 60 nm have been delineated in this resist. This paper will discuss the lithographic performance of this resist and compare it with that of UV-III CA resist and ZEP 520 non-CA resist.
Estrogen replacement in ovariectomized rats results in physiologically significant levels of circulating progesterone, and co-administration of progesterone markedly reduces the circulating estrogen

Estrogen or progesterone replacement in ovariectomized rats is an often-used experimental system for determination of the specific effects of these hormones. In this study, two different delivery systems and two different dosage levels of estrogen, progesterone or a combination of the two have been used. Estrogen and progesterone in the circulation have been measured in response to each treatment. It is reported that estrogen treatment (237.2±49.2 pg/mL) results in physiologically significant levels of circulating progesterone (11.1±1.3 ng/mL). Also, co-administration of progesterone (23.7±2.0 ng/mL) with estrogen decreases the level of estrogen over that seen with estrogen alone (96.7±19.2 pg/mL with progesterone vs 237.2±49.2 pg/mL without progesterone). Thus, contrary to expectations, estrogen replacement therapy is not specific to estrogen and some of the antagonistic effects of progesterone are the result of a decrease in circulating estrogen, and not a specific effect on a target tissue. Whereas the mechanism of these effects has not been determined, obvious artifactitious phenomena have been excluded as being their cause. These results could have a major impact on the interpretation of past and future experiments of this kind.
Group Work Education Today: A Content Analysis of MSW Group Work Course Syllabi

This article presents the results of a content analysis of MSW group work course syllabi in an effort to better understand the extent to which social group work education shows consistency with guidelines articulated in the Standards for Social Work Practice with Groups. This study aims to provide a current depiction and in-depth account of the state of group work education today through the lens of course syllabi.
Copper, manganese and zinc concentrations in Gulf of Mexico waters

Abstract Neutron activation analysis techniques were used to determine the total concentration of copper, manganese and zinc in 84 samples obtained from 28 stations in the Gulf of Mexico. All samples were oxidized with peroxydisulfuric acid and extracted with diethyldithiocarbamate before activation to remove most of the interferences from the major elements. Wide ranges in concentration were found for all three elements both vertically and horizontally. Coastal values for manganese (0.18–19.0 μg/l.) were found to be about a magnitude higher than those in the open sea (0.05–0.88 μg/l.). Copper and zinc were found often to have higher concentrations in the open sea than in coastal regions. Highest values in the open Gulf were usually found at the surface and at intermediate depths. The higher metal concentrations in the intermediate water appear to have their origin outside the Gulf of Mexico and it is suggested that this enrichment results from release of trace metals by decomposing organisms. Deeper waters were found to be uniformly low in all three elements.
SEX ALLOCATION BASED ON RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE CONDITION

Traditional models predict that organisms should allocate to sex based on their condition relative to the condition of their competitors, tracking shifts in mean condition in fluctuating environments, and maintaining an equilibrium sex ratio. In contrast, when individuals are constrained to define their condition absolutely, environmental fluctuations induce fluctuating sex ratios and the evolutionary loss of condition-dependent sex allocation in short-lived organisms. Here, we present a simulation model of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in fluctuating environments that specifically examines the importance of relativity in defining individual condition. When relativity in condition is allowed to evolve, short-lived organisms evolve switchlike TSD reaction norms and define their condition relative to the annual temperature distribution, thus preventing biased cohort sex ratios in extreme years. Long-lived organisms also evolve switchlike reaction norms, but define condition less relatively and experience biased cohort sex ratios. The predictions are supported by data from painted turtles, where TSD reaction norms exhibit pivotal temperatures of sex determination that partially track mean annual temperature. Examining relativity in amniotic vertebrates provides a conceptual framework for multifactorial sex determination and suggests new ways of exploring adaptive hypotheses of sex allocation by focusing on the importance of frequency-dependent selection on sex.
Penicillin fermentation in a 200-liter tower fermentor using cells confined to microbeads.

The scale-up of the penicillin fermentation through cell confinement in a 200-L tower fermentor is described.P. chrysogenum spores were adsorbed into Celite microbeads having diameters greater than 180 Μm. Fed-batch fermentations were performed using both free and confined cells. Cell growth and penicillin concentrations were measured during the fermentation. In addition, the oxygen transfer rate, the aeration rate, and the level of dissolved oxygen were also measured. Significant improvement in the mass transfer coefficient was found when the cells were anchored onto the microbeads. This improved oxygen transfer rate was accompanied by higher production of penicillin at a lower aeration rate. Besides the improved oxygen transfer rate into the mycelial broth, a reduction of the energy input for the oxygen transfer was observed. The confinement of the cells to this microcarrier furthermore allowed the in-termittent harvesting of fermentation broth without reducing the cell mass in the fermentor.
Substrate DNA and cofactor regulate the activities of a multi-functional restriction-modification enzyme, BcgI.

The BcgI restriction-modification system consists of two subunits, A and B. It is a bifunctional protein complex which can cleave or methylate DNA. The regulation of these competing activities is determined by the DNA substrates and cofactors. BcgI is an active endonuclease and a poor methyltransferase on unmodified DNA substrates. In contrast, BcgI is an active methyltransferase and an inactive endonuclease on hemimethylated DNA substrates. The cleavage and methylation reactions share cofactors. While BcgI requires Mg2+and S -adenosyl methionine (AdoMet) for DNA cleavage, its methylation reaction requires only AdoMet and yet is significantly stimulated by Mg2+. Site-directed mutagenesis was carried out to investigate the relationship between AdoMet binding and BcgI DNA cleavage/methylation activities. Most substitutions of conserved residues forming the AdoMet binding pocket in the A subunit abolished both methylation and cleavage activities, indicating that AdoMet binding is an early common step required for both cleavage and methylation. However, one mutation (Y439A) abolished only the methylation activity, not the DNA cleavage activity. This mutant protein was purified and its methylation, cleavage and AdoMet binding activities were tested in vitro . BcgI-Y439A had no detectable methylation activity, but it retained 40% of the AdoMet binding and DNA cleavage activities.
Changes in cholecystokinin mRNA expression after amygdala kindled seizures: an in situ hybridization study

Cholecystokinin (CCK) can be a potent anticonvulsant neuropeptide in certain seizure models. Therefore, we examined whether seizures produced by electrical kindling of the amygdala or electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) would affect the expression of CCK mRNA in rat brain. Following a single kindled seizure, CCK mRNA expression was decreased about 20-58% in the amygdala. In contrast, after multiple consecutive kindled seizures, CCK mRNA expression was increased in the amygdala, cerebral cortex, CA1 pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus and dentate hilus. A single ECS produced no effect on CCK mRNA expression, but multiple ECS increased expression in the interneurons of the hippocampus 24 h after the last seizure. Since seizures produced by ECS can be anticonvulsant to further ECS or kindled seizures, the CCK increases in the hippocampus may represent a compensatory anticonvulsant adaptation observed in both models. Overall, the kindling-induced alterations in CCK expression appear to be more complex involving multiple brain regions and distinct temporal properties.
La Dislexia del Desarrollo: Gen, Cerebro y Cognición

La dislexia del desarrollo es un trastorno que se caracteriza por dificultades en el aprendizaje de la lectura. Recientemente se ha podido vincular la dislexia a cuatro distintos genes candidatos de riesgo: DYX1C1, KIAA0319, DCDC2 y ROBO1. Estos cuatro genes participan en el desarrollo cerebral, y anomalias de dicho desarrollo constituyen los elementos conocidos del cuadro biologico que subyace a la dislexia. En animales experimentales, la induccion de anomalias del desarrollo cerebral similares produce problemas en el procesamiento de ciertos sonidos. En humanos, problemas de procesamiento de sonidos semejantes se asocian a un trastorno de aprendizaje de la lectura. Por consiguiente, es posible por primera vez, trazar una trayectoria tentativa entre una caracteristica genetica, variaciones del desarrollo del cerebro, y trastornos conductuales y cognitivos asociados a la dislexia.
Fracture Relative Permeability: Linear or Non-Linear Function of Saturation

The definitive work on fracture relative permeability was performed by E.S. Romm in 1966. His research concluded that relative permeability is a linear function of saturation. Since that time very few attempts have been made to calculate relative permeability in fractures. This paper presents the results of an independent experimental investigation to test the validity of Romm`s results. The research was conducted with the same kerosene and water systems in a parallel glass plate fracture applying modern day techniques. The technique of video-imaging was used for measuring saturations in the fracture. Relative permeability ratios were computed using Welge`s interpretation of the Buckley-Levrett theory after fractional flow was obtained from the displacement. Results indicated that relative permeability is not a linear function of saturation as was shown in the past.
Atmospheric extinction between 0.55 microm and 10.6 microm due to soil-derived aerosols.

We have calculated the extinction expected for soil-derived aerosols for several laser wavelengths and have shown that these aerosols result in approximately neutral extinction between 0.55 μm and 10.6 μm. This result is valid whenever the extinction is due primarily to soil-derived aerosols, and it appears to be independent of whether the aerosols are of local origin. Comparison with visibility data shows that visibility reductions due to these aerosols are of relatively greater importance in arid or semiarid areas. Lower bounds on the frequency of occurrence of such visibility reductions may also be determined from analysis of visibility data.
From Civility to Harassment and the Great Space in Between

Civility has produced powerful results in bringing about internal healing and understanding throughout the history of the United States. The proposition that civility is far more disciplined than the behavior required by law regarding appropriate social– or work–related behavior and its practice is good preventive law is the point of this article. By various means of teaching civility, the middle area between civility and legal restriction can be noted and tolerated as part of civility. This article will illustrate different aspects of civility by discussing Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee as they showed civility with the context of social order, and as Robert E. Lee demonstrated, in the academy. The difference between civility and legal restrictions on disruptive behavior that severely interfere with the educational process will be shown by first presenting civility examples, then citing the law regarding speech and harassment.
Relevance of Resilience to Individuals with Learning Disabilities.

Research and descriptive literature are reviewed documenting qualities of resilience, emphasising those with particular relevance in individuals with learning disabilities (LD). After highlighting the importance of resilience to the development of success and self‐concept in individuals with LD, the lack of agreement in defining or describing resilience is noted. Risk factors which may bring about a lack of resilience are reported and protective factors to counter these are described. The review concludes by depicting strategies which successful, resilient individuals do use, with a challenge to develop these ingredients in programs for children and youth who have learning disabilities.
Obsolescense mitigation and management of electronics test equipment

The US Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) Engineering Support (ES) Division and the Integrated Materiel Management Center (IMMC), located on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, have undertaken an enormous task of mitigation and management of obsolescence in the Army's Integrated Family of Test Equipment (IFTE). The team of the ES Division and the co-located IMMC logistics cell provides total life-cycle engineering and logistics management and support of diagnostics, prognostics, test equipment, and systems for aviation, missile, and other Department of Defense and government agencies in support of the warfighter. The IFTE family of test equipment includes the Base Shop Test Facility (BSTF), the Commercial Equivalent Equipment (CEE), the Electro-Optics Test Facility, and the Next Generation Automatic Test System. The basic mission of the IFTE is to support the testing of electronic and electro-optic weapons devices. In 2004 an obsolescence assessment of the IFTE BSTF functional test cards revealed a very serious problem. The IFTE BSTF was found to have a large percentage of microelectronic obsolescence. In order to address this issue, an Obsolescence Working Group (OWG) was formed to identify, recommend, and initiate corrective actions. The OWG identified several options for mitigating the obsolescence issues with the IFTE BSTF. Cost comparisons were performed for each of the options. Although most of the options appeared feasible and economical, funding was not available to support any of them. The OWG initiated actions to obtain funding through Army cost savings and reliability improvement programs.
Outcomes of surgical management of severe GERD in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are at high risk for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and medical management of GERD improves pulmonary symptoms. Some patients with worsening CF and GERD symptoms undergo Nissen fundoplication, but the extent to which surgical management of GERD improves respiratory symptoms is not well studied. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Nissen fundoplication in 48 patients with CF and uncontrolled GERD. Results Patients exhibited significantly fewer pulmonary exacerbations, increased weight gain and slower decline in % predicted FEV1 at 2 years after the surgery, compared to 2 years before surgery. Mean change in % predicted FEV1 in 2 years before surgery was −13.57% and mean change in % predicted FEV1 in 2 years after the surgery was +1.5% and difference was significant P = 0.001. Better pulmonary and nutritional outcomes were noted among patients with milder lung disease compared to those with severe lung disease, and among patients who received gastrostomy tube feedings for ≥6 months compared to those with no G-tube or tube feedings for <6 months. There was no mortality associated with surgery. Conclusion In CF patients with worsening lung disease and uncontrolled GERD, Nissen fundoplication not only slows the decline in lung function but leads to significant improvement in weight, and decrease in CF exacerbations. Patients with milder disease and patients receiving G-tube feedings for ≥6 months after surgery benefited the most. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:556–562. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the Mall: Presenting Maroon Tradition‐Bearers at the 1992 Festival of American Folklife/Enigma Variations

On the Mall: Presenting Maroon Tradition-Bearers at the 1992 Festival of American Folklife. Richard and Sally Price. Bloomington: Folklore Institute, Indiana University, Special Publications, No. 4, 1994. xi. 123 pp.; 16 illus., notes, bibliography. $25.00 (cloth), $12.00 (paper). Enigma Variations, Richard and Sally Price. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995. 164 pp.; 155 illustrations, notes. $18.95 (cloth).
An Arabidopsis cell wall-associated kinase required for invertase activity and cell growth.

*Summary The wall-associated kinases (WAK), a family of five proteins that contain extracellular domains that can be linked to pectin molecules of the cell wall, span the plasma membrane and have a cytoplasmic serine/ threonine kinase domain. Previous work has shown that a reduction in WAK protein levels leads to a loss of cell expansion, indicating that these receptor-like proteins have a role in cell shape formation. Here it is shown that a single wak2 mutation exhibits a dependence on sugars and salts for seedling growth. This mutation also reduces the expression and activity of vacuolar invertase, often a key factor in turgor and expansion. WAKs may thus provide a molecular mechanism linking cell wall sensing (via pectin attachment) to regulation of solute metabolism, which in turn is known to be involved in turgor maintenance in growing cells.
Commonsense arithmetic reasoning

"Arithmetic reasoning" can range in complexity from simple integer arithmetic to powerful symbolic algebraic reasoning of the sort done by MACSYMA. We describe an arithmetic reasoning system of intermediate complexity called the Quantity Lattice. In a computationally efficient manner the Quantity Lattice integrates qualitative and quantitative reasoning, and combines inequality reasoning with reasoning about simple arithmetic expressions, such as addition or multiplication. The system has proven useful in doing simulation and analysis in several domains, including geology and semiconductor fabrication, by supporting useful forms of reasoning about time and the changes that happen when processes occur.
A mixed design approach for probabilistic structural durability

In this paper, a mixed approach for probabilistic structural durability design of mechanical systems is proposed. In this approach, a deterministic design optimization that considers structural crack initiation and crack propagation lives at critical points of the structural component as design constraints is performed first. After an optimal design is obtained, a reliability analysis is performed to ascertain if the deterministic optimal design is reliable. If the probability of the failure of the deterministic optimal design is found to be acceptable, a reliability-based design approach that employs a set of interactive design steps, such as trade-off analysis and what-if study, is used to obtain a near-optimal design that is reliable with an affordable computational cost. A 3-D tracked vehicle roadarm is employed to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Analysis of disease-associated objects at the Rat Genome Database

The Rat Genome Database (RGD) is the premier resource for genetic, genomic and phenotype data for the laboratory rat, Rattus norvegicus. In addition to organizing biological data from rats, the RGD team focuses on manual curation of gene–disease associations for rat, human and mouse. In this work, we have analyzed disease-associated strains, quantitative trait loci (QTL) and genes from rats. These disease objects form the basis for seven disease portals. Among disease portals, the cardiovascular disease and obesity/metabolic syndrome portals have the highest number of rat strains and QTL. These two portals share 398 rat QTL, and these shared QTL are highly concentrated on rat chromosomes 1 and 2. For disease-associated genes, we performed gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis across portals using RatMine enrichment widgets. Fifteen GO terms, five from each GO aspect, were selected to profile enrichment patterns of each portal. Of the selected biological process (BP) terms, ‘regulation of programmed cell death’ was the top enriched term across all disease portals except in the obesity/metabolic syndrome portal where ‘lipid metabolic process’ was the most enriched term. ‘Cytosol’ and ‘nucleus’ were common cellular component (CC) annotations for disease genes, but only the cancer portal genes were highly enriched with ‘nucleus’ annotations. Similar enrichment patterns were observed in a parallel analysis using the DAVID functional annotation tool. The relationship between the preselected 15 GO terms and disease terms was examined reciprocally by retrieving rat genes annotated with these preselected terms. The individual GO term–annotated gene list showed enrichment in physiologically related diseases. For example, the ‘regulation of blood pressure’ genes were enriched with cardiovascular disease annotations, and the ‘lipid metabolic process’ genes with obesity annotations. Furthermore, we were able to enhance enrichment of neurological diseases by combining ‘G-protein coupled receptor binding’ annotated genes with ‘protein kinase binding’ annotated genes. Database URL: http://rgd.mcw.edu
The role of angiogenesis in the pathology of multiple sclerosis

Angiogenesis, or the growth of new blood vessels from existing vasculature, is critical for the proper development of many organs. This process is inhibited and tightly regulated in adults, once endothelial cells have acquired organ-specific properties. Within the central nervous system (CNS), angiogenesis and acquisition of blood–brain barrier (BBB) properties by endothelial cells is essential for CNS function. However, the role of angiogenesis in CNS pathologies associated with impaired barrier function remains unclear. Although vessel abnormalities characterized by abnormal barrier function are well documented in multiple sclerosis (MS), a demyelinating disease of the CNS resulting from an immune cell attack on oligodendrocytes, histological analysis of human MS samples has shown that angiogenesis is prevalent in and around the demyelinating plaques. Experiments using an animal model that mimics several features of human MS, Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), have confirmed these human pathological findings and shed new light on the contribution of pre-symptomatic angiogenesis to disease progression. The CNS-infiltrating inflammatory cells that are a hallmark of both MS and EAE secrete several factors that not only contribute to exacerbating the inflammatory process but also promote and stimulate angiogenesis. Moreover, chemical or biological inhibitors that directly or indirectly block angiogenesis provide clinical benefits for disease progression. While the precise mechanism of action for these inhibitors is unknown, preventing pathological angiogenesis during EAE progression holds great promise for developing effective treatment strategies for human MS.
The bacteriology of trichomycosis axillaris.

SUMMARY. A method is described for the isolation and culture of the causative organisms of trichomycosis axillaris. Hairs from 7 cases, 6 of the yellow variety and one of the red, have been examined. Three species of Corvnebacteria were isolated from each of the 6 cases and 2 were isolated from the seventh. The species from the cases with the red granules were similar to those isolated from those with the yellow granules. It was concluded from these results that it was unjustifiable to refer to the causative agent of this disease as a single agent such as C. tenuis.
Deterministic delay bounds for VBR video in packet-switching networks: fundamental limits and practical trade-offs

Compressed digital video is one of the most important traffic types in future integrated services networks. However, a network service that supports delay-sensitive video imposes many problems since compressed video sources are variable bit rate (VBR) with a high degree of burstiness. In this paper, we consider a network service that can provide deterministic guarantees on the minimum throughput and the maximum delay of VBR video traffic. A common belief is that due to the burstiness of VBR traffic, such a service will not be efficient and will necessarily result in low network utilization. We investigate the fundamental limits and trade-offs in providing deterministic performance guarantees to video and use a set of 10 to 30 min. long MPEG-compressed video traces for evaluation. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we are able to show that, in many cases, a deterministic service can be provided to video traffic while maintaining a reasonable level of network utilization. We first consider an ideal network environment that employs the most accurate deterministic, time-invariant video traffic characterizations, the optimal earliest-deadline-first packet schedulers, and exact admission control conditions. The utilization achievable in this situation provides the fundamental limits of a deterministic service. We then investigate the utilization limits in a network environment that takes into account practical constraints, such as the need for simple and efficient policing mechanisms, packet scheduling algorithms, and admission control tests.
Trends in Admissions for Pediatric Status Asthmaticus in New Jersey Over a 15-Year Period

OBJECTIVE: Status asthmaticus accounts for a large portion of the morbidity and mortality associated with asthma, but we know little about its epidemiology. We describe here the hospitalization characteristics of children with status asthmaticus, how they changed over time, and how they differed between hospitals with and without PICUs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used administrative data from New Jersey that included all hospitalizations in the state from 1992, 1995, and 1999–2006. We identified children with status asthmaticus by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnosis codes that indicate status asthmaticus and the use of mechanical ventilation by using procedure codes. We designated hospitals with a PICU as “PICU hospitals” and those without as “adult hospitals.” RESULTS: We identified 28 309 admissions of children with status asthmaticus (22.8% of all asthma hospitalizations). From 1992 to 2006, the rate of hospital admissions decreased by half (from 1.98 in 1000 to 0.93 in 1000 children), and there was a 70% decrease in the number of children admitted to adult hospitals. The rate of ICU care in PICU hospitals more than tripled. However, the rate of mechanical ventilation remained low, and the number of deaths was small and unchanged (n = 14 total). Hospital costs climbed from $6.6 million to $9.5 million. CONCLUSIONS: Although fewer children are being admitted with status asthmaticus, the proportion of patients managed in PICUs is climbing. There has been no substantial change in rates of mechanical ventilation or death. Additional research is needed to better understand how patients and physicians decide on the appropriate site for hospital care and how that choice affects outcome.
Physical Activity, Obesity, and Diabetes in Pregnancy

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common medical complication of pregnancy. Women with GDM are at elevated for numerous maternal health complications, and their infants are at elevated risk for death and morbidity. Management of GDM has traditionally been through diet and close monitoring of glucose levels, with initiation of insulin therapy when diet alone fails to maintain euglycemia. Recently, however, it has been suggested that alternative treatment modalities, such as exercise, may overcome a peripheral resistance to insulin, thus preventing GDM or controlling hyperglycemia in women with GDM. In this study, conducted from October 1995 to July 1996, the authors used a population-based birth registry to determine whether exercise has a preventive role in the development of GDM in women living in central New York State. They used contingency tables and chi-square statistics to examine bivariate differences among maternal and demographic variables and the occurrence of GDM. When stratified by prepregnancy body mass index category, exercise was associated with reduced rates of GDM only among women with a body mass index greater than 33 (odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.2-3.1). The effect of exercise in obese women was further complicated by insurance status. When the data were stratified by insurance status, it appeared that women of higher socioeconomic status who were obese and did not exercise were at a significantly elevated risk of GDM compared with their counterparts of lower socioeconomic status. The results of this study suggest that for some women exercise may play a role in reducing the risk that they will develop GDM during pregnancy.
Reinitiation of the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation in the Tropical Indian Ocean

The characteristic features of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) during its reinitiation period are studied using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis. Based on these observations and with the aid of an anomalous atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM), a possible mechanism responsible for the BSISO reinitiation is elucidated. The western equatorial Indian Ocean along the eastern African coast tends to be a key region for the phase transition of the BSISO from an enhanced to suppressed convective phase, or vise versa. The major precursory feature associated with reinitiation of suppressed convection is found in the divergence and reduced specific humidity in the boundary layer. Numerical experiments indicate that the low-level divergence is caused by the cold horizontal temperature advection and associated adiabatic warming (descending motion) in situ. The summer mean state is found to be important for the cold horizontal temperature advection through the modulation of a Gill-type response to an intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) heating in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean. The results in this study suggest a selfsustained paradigm in the Indian Ocean for the BSISO; that is, the BSISO could be a basinwide phenomenon instead of a global circumstance system as hypothesized for the boreal winter ISO (i.e., the Madden– Julian oscillation).