cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrolysis of digoxin by acid.

Predictable hydrolysis of [3H]digoxin-12α occurred in vitro with incubation in HCl or gastric juice. Hydrolysis varied with pH, time, temperature and agitation. Digoxin, the bis- and mono-digitoxosides of digoxigenin and digoxigenin were separated by silica gel thin-layer chromatography using chloroform-ethyl acetate-glacial acetic acid (25:25:1 v/v) and were quantitated by liquid scintillation spectrometry. Hydrolysis with incubation at 37° and pH 3 for 90 min was minimal, but increased with increasing acidity until >70% was hydrolysed at pH 1·2 after 30 min and >96% after 90 min incubation. At pH 0·9, 87% was hydrolysed after 30 min. In vitro hydrolysis in gastric fluid was slightly less than in HCl at the same pH. A volunteer was given 150 μCi[3H]digoxin-12α by nasogastric tube during a pentagastrin infusion when gastric pH was 0·94. He remained on his left side and samples were aspirated at intervals and immediately neutralized. Ethanol-chloroform 50:50 (v/v) extracts of the gastric fluid aspirated after 90 min and of all the urine specimens collected for 5 days were applied to a DEAE Sephadex LH-20 column. The radioactivity appeared in a single peak as digoxigenin in the 90 min gastric aspirate and in all urine specimens. Extensive intragastric hydrolysis of digoxin may occur under conditions of maximum acid output.
Electrode assembly design for transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: A FEM modeling study

Despite accelerating progress in transcranial Direct Current Stimulation clinical and cognitive research, there remains remarkably little consistency in the control of electrode design and preparation. Electrode assembly design determines skin sensation and failure at the electrode can lead to skin burns. Though tDCS is generally well tolerated, the desire for rigor in electrode design is motivated by applications in increasingly diverse environments and populations. Generally the tDCS electrode assembly consists of a flat rubber or metal electrode and a saline/water saturated sponge. Here we show using FEM simulations, that each of these factors should be controlled to regulate current flow density across the skin: 1) sponge thickness 2) solution salinity 3) electrode size, 4) electrode placement in the sponge (including surface or pocket configuration) 5) control of excess fluid at the skin surface 6) use of rivets. Two general patterns of current distribution emerge as a result of integrated design: edge concentration or center concentration. Poor control over any of these electrode assembly parameters will result in unpredictable current density at the skin during tDCS.
The relation between physical properties and penetration of solutes into the cockroach cuticle

Abstract Studies on the in vivo penetration of a series of six radioactive solutes into the pronotum of Periplaneta americana from the waxy layer have shown that penetration follows first-order kinetics. The rate of penetration increases with polarity. The role of the epicuticular grease in regulating penetration is small when the solutes are topically applied in a small volume of a volatile organic solvent. Two functional layers are present in the epicuticular grease.
Performance characterization of a model-based SAR target recognition system using invariants

The performance of a model-based automatic target recognition (ATR) engine with articulated and occluded objects in SAR imagery is characterized based on invariant properties of the objects. Using SAR scattering center locations as features, the invariance with articulation is shown as a function of object azimuth. The basic elements of our model-based recognition engine are described and performance results are given for various design parameters. The articulation invariant properties of the objects are used to characterize recognition engine performance, in terms of probability of correct identification as a function of percent invariance with articulation. Similar results are presented for object occlusion in the presence of noise, with percent unoccluded as the invariant measure. Finally, performance is characterized for occluded articulated objects as a function of number of features that are used. Results are presented using 4320 chips generated by XPATCH for 5 targets.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Use of joint two-view information for computerized lesion detection on mammograms: improvement of microcalcification detection accuracy

We are developing new techniques to improve the accuracy of computerized microcalcification detection by using the joint two-view information on craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral-oblique (MLO) views. After cluster candidates were detected using a single-view detection technique, candidates on CC and MLO views were paired using their radial distances from the nipple. Object pairs were classified with a joint two-view classifier that used the similarity of objects in a pair. Each cluster candidate was also classified as a true microcalcification cluster or a false-positive (FP) using its single-view features. The outputs of these two classifiers were fused. A data set of 38 pairs of mammograms from our database was used to train the new detection technique. The independent test set consisted of 77 pairs of mammograms from the University of South Florida public database. At a per-film sensitivity of 70%, the FP rates were 0.17 and 0.27 with the fusion and single-view detection methods, respectively. Our results indicate that correspondence of cluster candidates on two different views provides valuable additional information for distinguishing false from true microcalcification clusters.
Robust gain-scheduled control

This paper addresses the gain-scheduling of separately designed controllers to form a robust linear parameter varying (LPV) controller for an LPV plant. Fast parameter variation or switching often leads to loss of stability or performance due to an inadequate gain-scheduled controller design. This paper extends a controller interpolation framework to the gain-scheduled control design problem in order to optimize the dynamic transition among controllers with respect to the quadratic H ∞ performance metric. Subsequently, necessary and sufficient conditions are stated in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). In addition, the framework is also amenable to optimizing gain-scheduled control design with respect to other objectives expressible as LMIs.
Addressing the P2P Bootstrap Problem for Small Overlay Networks

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) overlays provide a framework for building distributed applications consisting of few to many resources with features including self-configuration, scalability, and resilience to node failures. Such systems have been successfully adopted in large-scale Internet services for content delivery networks, file sharing, and data storage. In small-scale systems, they can be useful to address privacy concerns as well as support for network applications that lack dedicated servers. The bootstrap problem, finding an existing peer in the overlay, remains a challenge to enabling these services for small-scale P2P systems. In large networks, the solution to the bootstrap problem has been the use of dedicated services, though creating and maintaining these systems requires expertise and resources, which constrain their usefulness and make them unappealing for small-scale systems. This paper surveys and summarizes requirements that allow peers potentially constrained by network connectivity to bootstrap small-scale overlays through the use of existing public overlays. In order to support bootstrapping, a public overlay must support the following requirements: a method for reflection in order to obtain publicly reachable addresses, so peers behind network address translators and firewalls can receive incoming connection requests; communication relaying to share public addresses and communicate when direct communication is not feasible; and rendezvous for discovering remote peers, when the overlay lacks stable membership. After presenting a survey of various public overlays, we identify two overlays that match the requirements: XMPP overlays, such as Google Talk and Live Journal Talk, and Brunet, a structured overlay based upon Symphony. We present qualitative experiences with prototypes that demonstrate the ability to bootstrap small-scale private structured overlays from public Brunet or XMPP infrastructures.
GONADAL STEROID HORMONE REGULATION OF PROOPIOMELANOCORTIN GENE EXPRESSION IN ARCUATE NEURONS THAT INNERVATE THE MEDIAL PREOPTIC AREA OF THE RAT

The density of beta-endorphin (beta-endo)-like immunoreactive (IR) fibers in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) has been shown to vary across the estrous cycle and is gonadal steroid hormone-dependent. These beta-endo-containing fibers are presumably projections of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons which are located in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). POMC mRNA level varies across the estrous cycle in the ARC and its expression is differentially altered by gonadal steroid hormones. However, it is unclear how gonadal steroids regulate POMC gene expression in ARC neurons that innervate the MPOA. Therefore, combined fluorogold (FG) retrograde neuronal labeling and in situ hybridization histochemistry were used to investigate the effects of gonadal steroid hormone treatment on POMC gene expression in ARC neurons supplying the MPOA of ovariectomized (OVX) female rats. POMC-expressing cells were located in the ARC and median eminence (ME), wherein such neurons were significantly larger than unlabeled cells that surround them. A relatively greater number of ARC POMC neurons were observed to innervate the medial portion of the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) than the lateral portion of the MPN. Estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) treatment before FG injection did not affect the number of FG and POMC double-labeled neurons in the ARC, which suggests that hormone treatment did not alter the number of POMC-expressing neurons projecting to the MPN. In OVX animals, ARC POMC mRNA labeling was relatively low, and increased significantly in neurons of the most rostral ARC region 48 h after E2 treatment. P administration enhanced and prolonged the effect of E2 in this group of ARC neurons. E2P treatment significantly increased POMC mRNA expression beginning 13 h after P injection in all but the most caudal ARC POMC neurons. Thereafter, E2P treatment gradually increased POMC mRNA expression for at least 1 additional day. Gonadal steroid hormone treatment apparently affects POMC mRNA expression uniformly in neurons of the same ARC subdivision without regard to their efferent targets. Diurnal variation of POMC mRNA expression is present only in the most rostral ARC region, which contains a population of E2-sensitive POMC neurons. The results suggest that the relatively greater beta-endo-like IR fiber density in the medial MPN is due to a greater number of POMC neurons innervating this region. The pattern of innervation of the MPN by POMC neurons is unaffected by gonadal steroid hormone treatment, which appears to induce POMC expression in ARC neurons, and eventually to stimulate the synthesis and transport of beta-endo in POMC neuronal axons which project to the MPOA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Goatsucker: Toward a Spatial Theory of State Secrecy

While the question of state secrecy has become a topic of much political debate, relatively little attention has been paid to the topic in academic literature. Most of the literature adopts one of several frameworks. In the legal literature, state secrecy has been examined as a historical and constitutional question. Social scientists have tended to follow Weber in examining secrecy as a question of regulation and bureaucracy or have focused on the cultural play of visibility and invisibility that is often characteristic of state secrecy. This paper, by way of contrast, uses the development of the F-117A ‘stealth fighter’ as a case study to give a spatial account of secrecy. I show how state secrecy gives rise to numerous spatial, political, juridical, and even ecological contradictions and propose that a spatial understanding of state secrecy foregrounding these contradictions provides a fruitful basis for a deeper understanding of state secrecy.
Notch and Melanocytes: Diverse Outcomes from a Single Signal

Notch signaling is an evolutionally conserved pathway that serves as a critical regulator of cell fate. From a series of studies, including a report in this issue, researchers have begun to elucidate the critical functions of Notch signaling in the regulation of melanocyte lineage development. With evidence of a recently identified role for Notch signaling in melanomagenesis, characterization of downstream molecular events may offer potential avenues for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
General Health-Related Quality of Life in Preschool Children with Strabismus or Amblyopia

Objective To explore the associations of general health-related quality of life (GHRQOL) with strabismus or amblyopia in preschool children. Design Population-based study. Participants Sample of children aged 25 to 72 months in the Multi-ethnic Pediatric Eye Disease Study (MEPEDS). Methods The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), a measure of GHRQOL, was administered to the parents of the children. Main Outcome Measures The PedsQL consists of 4 subscales (physical, emotional, social, and school functioning) and 3 composite scores (physical summary, psychosocial summary, and total). Regression models were used to evaluate the associations of GHRQOL with strabismus (in children 25–72 months) or amblyopia (in children 30–72 months). Results Of the 4218 children aged ≥25 months, 121 (2.9%) were diagnosed with strabismus. Significant differences were found in all 3 composite scores between children with and without strabismus, before and after controlling for gender, age, race, family income, systemic health conditions, and prior knowledge of strabismus diagnosis ( P P >0.05). Conclusions Strabismus was associated with significantly worse GHRQOL in preschool children. Although we did not find any detectable association between amblyopia and GHRQOL, further study using vision-specific instruments is required to explore the impact of both strabismus and amblyopia on pediatric quality of life. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Trypan Blue Dye is an Effective and Inexpensive Way to Determine the Viability of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Zoospores

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been implicated in hundreds of amphibian declines and is the focus of a vast amount of research. Despite this, there is no reported efficient way to assess Bd viability. Discriminating between live and dead Bd would help determine the dose of live Bd zoospores and whether factors have lethal or sublethal effects on Bd. We tested whether trypan blue, a common stain to discriminate live and dead cells, could be used to assess Bd viability. We show that the proportion of live zoospores (zoospores that excluded the trypan blue dye) matched the proportion of known live zoospores added to cultures. In contrast, all of the zoosporangia stages of Bd stained blue. These results demonstrate that trypan blue can be used to determine the viability of Bd zoospores but not zoosporangia. We recommend using trypan blue to report the number of live zoospores to which hosts are exposed.
Estimating attitude and wind velocity using biomimetic sensors on a microrobotic bee

This paper discusses recent developments in sensors for the Harvard RoboBee. The RoboBee is a sub-100 mg flapping-wing micro-aerial vehicle that is able to lift its own weight under external power, but, like flying insects, is unstable in flight without active feedback. We discuss design and characterization of two low-latency insect-inspired sensors for flight control: an antenna to sense airspeed and light-sensing ocelli to estimate attitude angle relative to a luminous sky. We demonstrate accurate wind velocity estimation in a wind tunnel despite the effect of nearby flapping wings.We also demonstrate pitch angle control using the ocelli on a wire-mounted RoboBee that is free to rotate about its pitch axis. These flight-weight sensors are essential first steps toward autonomous upright stability and controlled forward motions.
Agent-based model approach to optimal foraging in heterogeneous landscapes: effects of patch clumpiness

E. Nonaka, Dept of Biology, Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. P. Holme (pholme@kth.se), Dept of ComputerScience, Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA, (present address: Computational Biology, School of Computer Scienceand Communication, Royal Inst. of Technology, SE-100 44, Stockholm, Sweden).Optimal foraging theory concerns animal behavior in landscapes where food is concentrated in patches.The efficiency of foraging is an effect of both the animal behavior and the geometry of the landscape;furthermore, the landscape is itself affected by the foraging of animals. We investigated the effect of landscapeheterogeneity on the efficiency of an optimal forager. The particular aspect of heterogeneity we considered was‘‘clumpiness’’ the degree to which food resource patches are clustered together. The starting point for ourstudy was the framework of the Mean Value Theorem (MVT) by Charnov. Since MVT is not spatially explicit,and thus not apt to investigate effects of clumpiness, we built an agent-based (or individual-based) model foranimal movement in discrete landscapes extending the MVT. We also constructed a model for generatinglandscapes where the clumpiness of patches can be easily controlled, or ‘‘tuned’’, by an input parameter. Weevaluated the agent based model by comparing the results with what the MTV would give, i.e. if the spatialeffects were removed. The MVT matched the simulations best on landscapes with random patch configurationand high food recovery rates. As for our main question about the effects of clumpiness, we found that, whenlandscapes were highly productive (rapid food replenishment), foraging efficiency was greatest in clumpedlandscapes. In less productive landscapes, however, foraging efficiency was lowest in landscapes with a clumpedpatch distribution.
Distribution of zinc-tolerant bacteria in stream sediments

The distribution of zinc-tolerant bacteria in sediments from three stream sites containing high (3125 μg g−1), medium (291 μg g−1), and low (109 μg g−1) concentrations of Zn was determined. Zinc tolerance was estimated by the ability of bacteria to grow on media amended with Zn concentrations ranging from 4 to 512 mg 1−1. The presence of Zn-tolerant bacteria was correlated with the degree of heavy metal contamination; this correlation was more closely associated with readily extractable heavy metal concentrations than with the more rigorously extracted heavy metals. Low concentrations of Zn in media (4 to 16 mg 1−1) were stimulatory to growth of bacteria from contaminated sites while concentrations as low as 4 mg 1−1 were inhibitory to bacteria from the control site.
Neurotrophin activation of catecholamine storage vesicle protein gene expression: signaling to chromogranin A biosynthesis

Abstract Nerve growth factor differentiates precursor cells into sympathetic neurons. Does acquisition of a “neuronal” phenotype after nerve growth factor involve biosynthesis of chromogranin A, the major soluble protein in chromaffin granule cores? Nerve growth factor activated chromogranin A gene expression 7.6-fold in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells, and similarly activated PC12-transfected mouse, rat, or human chromogranin A promoter/reporter constructs. Chromogranin A promoter 5′-deletions narrowed the nerve growth factor response element to a region from −77 to −61 bp upstream of the cap site, a region containing the chromogranin A cyclic AMP response element (TGACGTAA). Three different site-directed mutations of the cyclic AMP response element each reduced the nerve growth factor effect by >90%. Transfer of the cyclic AMP response element to a heterologous (thymidine kinase) promoter activated that promoter ∼5-fold after nerve growth factor, while transfer of a cyclic AMP response element point-gap mutant (TGA-GTAA) to a heterologous promoter abolished the nerve growth factor effect. These findings indicate that the cyclic AMP response element in cis is, at least in part, both necessary and sufficient to activate the chromogranin A gene. Chemical blockade of the nerve growth factor receptor TrkA or the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway component MEK substantially diminished nerve growth factor-induced expression of chromogranin A. By contrast, the response of chromogranin A to nerve growth factor was not impaired after blockade of phospholipase C- γ or phosphoinositide-3 kinase. Chemical blockade of TrkA, Ras, MEK, or mitogen-activated protein kinase similarly inhibited nerve growth factor activation of chromogranin A. Expression of constitutively activated Ras, Raf or MEK mutants increased chromogranin A promoter activity. Expression of dominant negative (inhibitory) mutants of Sos, Ha-Ras, Raf1, mitogen-activated protein kinase, ribosomal protein S6 serine kinase II (CREB kinase), or CREB (KCREB) each inhibited the nerve growth factor-induced increase in chromogranin A promoter activity. Thus, each component of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway is crucially involved in relaying the nerve growth factor signal in trans to the chromogranin A gene, in the following proposed sequence: nerve growth factor → TrkA → Shc/Grb2/Sos → Ras → Raf → MEK → mitogen-activated protein kinase → ribosomal protein S6 serine kinase II → CREB → cyclic AMP response element.
Molecular analysis of the candidate tumor suppressor gene ING1 in human head and neck tumors with 13q deletions.

The candidate tumor-suppressor gene ING1 encodes p33ING1, a nuclear protein which physically interacts with TP53. It has been shown that p33ING1 acts in the same biochemical pathway as TP53, leading to cell growth inhibition. Interestingly, a rearrangement of the ING1 gene was found in a neuroblastoma cell line, supporting its involvement in tumor development. Because ING1 resides on the long arm of chromosome 13 (13q34) (a region frequently deleted in many tumor types), we sought to characterize its role in head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We first analyzed 44 primary tumors for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 13q, using four widely spaced microsatellite markers (13q14, 13q14.3–q22, 13q22, and 13q34). Twenty (48%) of the tumor samples showed LOH in all of the informative markers tested, including D13S1315 at 13q34. Two of the tumors displayed partial losses restricted to one marker (D13S118 at 13q14 in tumor 1164, and D13S135 at 13q14.3–q22 in tumor 1398). We then determined the genomic structure of the ING1 gene and sequenced the entire coding region in 20 primary tumors showing 13q LOH and in five head and neck cancer cell lines. A single germline polymorphism was detected in 10 of the tumors analyzed (T to C change) located 110 nucleotides upstream of the starting methionine. No somatic mutations were found in any of the samples, suggesting that ING1 is not a tumor suppressor gene target in head and neck cancer. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 27:319–322, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Consistency of HLA associations between two independent measles vaccine cohorts: a replication study.

Associations between HLA genotypes and measles vaccine humoral and cellular immune responses were examined to better understand immunogenetic drivers of vaccine response. Two independent study cohorts of healthy schoolchildren were examined: cohort one, 346 children between 12–18 years of age; and cohort two, 388 children between 11–19 years of age. All received two age-appropriate doses of measles-containing vaccine. The purpose of this study was to identify and replicate associations between HLA genes and immune responses following measles vaccination found in our first cohort. Associations of comparable magnitudes and with similar p-values were observed between B*3503 (1st cohort p=0.01; 2nd cohort p=0.07), DQA1*0201 (1st cohort p=0.03; 2nd cohort p=0.03), DQB1*0303 (1st cohort p=0.10; 2nd cohort p=0.02), DQB1*0602 (1st cohort p=0.07; 2nd cohort p=0.10), and DRB1*0701 (1st cohort p=0.03; 2nd cohort p=0.07) alleles and measles-specific antibody levels. Suggestive, yet consistent, associations were observed between the B7(1 st cohort p=0.01; 2nd cohort p=0.08) supertype and higher measles antibody levels in both cohorts. Also, in both cohorts, the B*0801 and DRB1*0301 alleles, C*0802 and DPA1*0202 alleles, and DRB1*1303 alleles displayed consistent associations with variations in IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-10 secretion, respectively. This study emphasizes the importance of replicating HLA associations with measles vaccine-induced humoral and cellular immune responses and increases confidence in the results. These data will inform strategies for functional studies and novel vaccine development, including epitope-based measles vaccines. This is the first HLA association replication study with measles vaccine-specific immune responses to date.
Molecular spectra, Fermi resonances, and classical motion: Example of CO2

The effective Hamiltonian is quantized and the Frank–Condon spectra calculated for CO2. (AIP)
Chemical defense secretions of the termite soldiers ofAcorhinotermes andRhinotermes (Isoptera, Rhinotermitinae) : Ketones, vinyl ketones, and β-ketoaldehydes derived from fatty acids.

The defense secretions of advanced “nasutoid” rhinotermitine soldiers from the New World contain enolic β-ketoaldehydes as the major components. The secretions of minor soldiers ofRhinotermes hispidus (Emerson) andR. marginalis (Emerson) consist primarily of 3-keto-13-tetradecenal and 3-ketotetradecanal, but possess in addition C13, C14, C15, and C17 saturated and unsaturated ketones. Major soldiers lacked these compounds and in fact had virtually no frontal gland secretion. The defense secretion of the monomorphic soldiers ofAcorhinotermes subfusciceps (Emerson) contains mostly 3-keto-(Z)-9-hexadecenal and (Z)-8-pentadecen-2-one. Biosynthetic origins and interrelationships are postulated for these compounds, and the concomitant evolution of chemical weaponry and the modified labral brush is discussed.
Effect of sodium intake on fasting and postprandial levels of atrial natriuretic factor in humans.

Abstract The effect of chronic dietary sodium intake on fasting and postprandial plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) levels was examined in 2 studies of normal humans. In Study I, 3 separate groups of normals (n=8 for each) reeieved diets of either low (L), normal (N) or high (H) daily sodium intake for 7 days. Twenty-four h urines for sodium were obtained on days 6 and 7. Urine sodium excretion for each group was (L) 13.1±3.7, (N) 150.1±19.4 and (H) 271.3±33.6 mEq/day. On the completion of day 7, fasting plasma ANF showed no change with alteration in sodium intake. In contrast, when blood samples were obtained postprandially, significant increased in plasma ANF were observed in the group maintained on high sodium diet. In Study II, a continuous group of normals (n=8) received the 3 sodium controlled diets for 7 days sequentially (L/N/H). No significant changes in fasting levels of ANF were detected between L/N/H sodium diets. In conclusion, these studies show that the maintenance of sodium balance during chronic changes in sodium intake can occur despite no significant increase in plasma ANF under normal steady state conditions. However, plasma ANF is significantly elevated during chronic high sodium intake, when measured postprandially.
Channeling dips for Si K and L X-ray yield

Abstract The minimum yield of axial channeling and its half angular width in , and cut Si wafers were investigated by the simultaneous observation of ion induced X-rays and backscattered ions. Helium ions at 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 MeV were used to cover a range of velocities and impact parameters in order to study the K and L shell X-ray production. Both minimum yield and half angle for Si K X-ray production are very similar to those for backscattering. The minimum yield for the Si L X-ray is considerably higher and the half angle is considerably narrower than those of backscattered ions.
A small stem loop element directs internal initiation of the URE2 internal ribosome entry site in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Internal initiation of translation is the process of beginning protein synthesis independent of the m7G cap structure at the 5′-end of an mRNA molecule. We have previously shown that the URE2 mRNA in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) whose activity is suppressed by eukaryotic initiation factor 2A (eIF2A; YGR054W). In this study, the minimal sequence required to efficiently direct internal initiation was determined using a system that abrogates cap-dependent scanning of the 40 S ribosomal subunit in both wild-type and eIF2A knock-out cells. Subsequently, secondary structural elements within the minimal sequence were determined by probing with RNases T1 and V1 and the small molecule diethylpyrocarbonate. It was found that the URE2 minimal IRES comprises a 104 nucleotide A-rich stem loop element encompassing the internal AUG codon. Interestingly, the internal AUG seems to be involved in base-pairing interactions that would theoretically hamper its ability to interact with incoming initiator tRNA molecules. Furthermore, none of the truncations used to identify the minimal IRES element were capable of abrogating the suppressive effect of eIF2A. Our data provide the first insight into the RNA structural requirements of the yeast translational machinery for cap-independent initiation of protein synthesis.
GUEST EDITORIAL: TRANSFORMING SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION

(2005). GUEST EDITORIAL: TRANSFORMING SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION. Journal of Social Work Education: Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 371-377.
Education: Teaching OpenGL shaders: Hands-on, interactive, and immediate feedback

This paper describes the teaching of OpenGL shaders with hands-on a program called glman. Hands-on education is at its best when the students' experimental feedback loop is very fast. glman allows students to create a shader scene description file which not only creates the 3D scene, but creates an interactive user interface to adjust parameters. Our experience in an experimental class taught in Spring 2006 is that glman is flexible enough to demonstrate and experiment with many shader concepts and creates a fast learning curve for the students.
SEQUENCE AND TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS OF MACRONUCLEAR HISTONE H2B GENES FROM EUPLOTES CRASSUS

Abstract Two 1.5-kb macronuclear chromosomes bearing histone H2B genes from the ciliated protozoan Euplotes crassus were cloned and sequenced. Although the noncoding sequences on these macronuclear chromosomes are very different, the genes encode an identical 113-aa histone H2B protein that has a shortened N-terminus and a highly conserved C-terminus relative to histone H2B proteins in other organisms. Primer extension was used to determine the transcription start points. Northern analysis shows that the abundance of H2B mRNA changes relative to DNA replication periods during the sexual phase of the life cycle. Analysis of 3′ RACE products indicates that the H2B genes are coexpressed.
P02-380 - The social climate of a women's forensic pathway of care according to level of security, diagnosis and therapeutic alliance

Introduction The social climate of a unit is an important feature in treatment outcomes (Moos 1974). The Essen Climate Evaluation Schema (EssenCES; Schalast et al 2008) has been developed specifically for forensic settings but research in secure settings for women has been limited. Objectives To compare staff and patient perception of social climate and it's relationship to therapeutic alliance, motivation to change and level of disturbance across levels of security within a women's secure care pathway. Aims To assess the implications for therapeutic milieu and service development. Method Questionnaire survey of staff and patients in 2 medium and 2 low secure units using; EssenCES (Shalast et al 2008); California Psychotherapy Alliance Scale (Mormar et al 1986); and Patient Motivation Inventory (PMI; Gudjonsson et al 2007). Comparisons are made across levels of security, treatment programme, therapeutic alliance, patient motivation and disturbed behaviour. Results Social climate varied between levels of security and was also found to co vary with perceived therapeutic alliance and patient motivation to change. Differences between staff and patient ratings along with treatment implications are discussed. Conclusion Measuring the social climate in a secure women's service is an important part of a wider assessment of the therapeutic milieu that has practical implications for the ongoing development of therapy services.
Steam reforming of sulfur-containing dodecane on a Rh-Pt catalyst: Influence of process parameters on catalyst stability and coke structure

Abstract The present work offers a practical solution to the steam reforming (SR) of sulfur-containing liquid fuels, with dodecane as model compound for diesel fuel. The SR reaction is catalyzed by a Rh–Pt catalyst supported on a sulfur tolerant carrier (SiO 2 –ZrO 2 ). The study highlights the influences of various process parameters such as steam to carbon (S/C) ratio, sulfur concentration, time on stream (TOS), and preemptive air regeneration on the catalytic performance and the nature of the deposited coke. Stable catalytic performance of sulfur-free dodecane was achieved with S/C ratio >1.8. Catalyst deactivation was accelerated by the addition of increased amount of sulfur from 29 to 74 ppm. The formation of graphitic carbonaceous species was observed on the spent catalyst for higher sulfur concentrations and/or longer TOS. Preemptive air regeneration allowed more sustained catalytic activity under less severe conditions than conventional air regeneration. Moreover, the frequency of air regeneration had a profound effect on the nature of the coke formed. The study provides a possible economic and energy efficient solution to the industrial production of H 2 from sulfur-containing fuels.
Forced transitions: The impact of natural disasters and other events on college students

This chapter presents a hypothetical situation related to students who are displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It focuses on transition issues for the students as they are relocated to a new college for an undetermined length of time.
Lipid Composition of Chick Embryo and Yolk as Affected by Stage of Incubation and Maternal Diet

Abstract ISAACKS et al. (1964) presented evidence indicating that the chick embryo preferentially utilized unsaturated fatty acids from yolk triglycerides and phospholipids. Donaldson (1964) found that the gross fatty acid composition of chick embryos changed as development progressed and suggested that these changes might be a reflection of changes in the uptake of different lipid classes during development. In addition to the inherent changes in fatty acid composition as the embryo develops, the maternal diet may also affect the composition of the embryo by altering the fatty acid composition of the yolk (Cruickshank, 1934; Feigenbaum and Fisher, 1959). The experiment reported here was designed to gain further insight into the lipid changes of the developing embryo by examining the relative uptake of yolk lipids by the embryo and the effect of the maternal diet on this uptake. PROCEDURE Fifty Single Comb White Leghorn hens were fed corn-soya diets from hatching to …
Stratigraphic Variations in Sandstone Petrology, Great Valley Sequence, Central California Coast

West of the Sur-Nacimiento fault zone in the Southern Coast Ranges of California, strata of the Great Valley sequence are exposed in thrust plates resting tectonically on the underlying Franciscan assemblage as is the case east of the San Andreas fault. Detrital modes of sandstones from different horizons in the local sequence show the same systematic variations with Stratigraphic position as do correlative late Mesozoic strata in the main outcrop belt along the west side of the Great Valley. The similar tectonic setting and sandstone petrology suggest the rocks in the two areas are parts of a single extensive terrane separated by fault offset in the Cenozoic.
Potential medicinal plants for CNS disorders: an overview

Although very few drugs are currently approved by regulatory authorities for treating multi-factorial ailments and disorders of cognition such as Alzheimer's disease, certain plant-derived agents, including, for example, galantamine and rivastigmine (a semi-synthetic derivative of physostigmine) are finding an application in modern medicine. However, in Ayurveda, the Indian traditional system of medicine which is more than 5000 years old, selected plants have long been classified as 'medhya rasayanas', from the Sanskrit words 'medhya', meaning intellect or cognition, and 'rasayana', meaning 'rejuvenation'. These plants are used both in herbal and conventional medicine and offer benefits that pharmaceutical drugs lack. In the present article, an attempt has been made to review the most important medicinal plants, including Ginkgo biloba, St John's wort, Kava-kava, Valerian, Bacopa monniera and Convolvulus pluricaulis, which are widely used for their reputed effectiveness in CNS disorders.
INFILTRATING CARCINOMA OF THE BLADDER: A NEW METHOD OF URETERO-INTESTINAL ANASTOMOSIS EMPLOYED IN 29 CASES; INDICATIONS FOR TOTAL CYSTECTOMY*

Summary A method of uretero-intestinal implantation of the intact ureters in two stages, combined with total cystectomy at the second stage, has been described. When properly done it usually is followed by no permanent obstruction to the upper urinary tract. In my series of 29 cases in which both stages of the ureteral transplantation have been completed, there were only 3 patients who died as the specific result of the uretero-intestinal anastomosis. The causes in 2 of these cases have been determined and subsequently eliminated by improvement in the surgical technique. In 4 other elderly patients with advanced carcinoma there were 2 deaths from coronary occlusion, 1 from pulmonary embolus, and 1 from volvulus. Radical surgery no.w is limited to patients who are good surgical risks, and in whom there is a reasonable chance of cure. To be suitable for radical cure by total cystectomy, metastases must be absent, and the tumor must be completely confined to the bladder wall and freely movable. This latter condition is best determined pre-operatively by recto-abdominal palpation under anaesthesia. The opposition to total cystectomy for cancer of the bladder which is otherwise incurable has been based on two principal considerations: (1) The results of the rerouting of the urinary stream have been too uncertain, and (2) a surgical procedure which contemplates two laparotomies has seemed too formidable. These objections should be largely eliminated by the results obtained in this series of 29 cases. Certain authors have also objected to cystectomy because the incidence of radical cures of the cancer has not been impressive. I believe the principal reason for this is that ureteral transplantation previously has been so hazardous that this operation and cystectomy usually have been postponed until the cancer has become advanced and the patient's condition desperate. When this stage is reached the opportunity for obtaining a radical cure has been missed. The restriction of total cystectomy to cases without metastases in which the primary tumor is completely confined to the bladder wall and freely movable should increase the incidence of radical cures.
Source Coding with Distortion through Graph Coloring

We consider the following rate distortion problem: given a source X and correlated, decoder side information Y, find the minimum encoding rate for X required to compute f(X,Y) at the decoder within distortion D. This is a generalization of the classical Wyner-Ziv setup and was resolved by Yamamoto (1982). However, this result involved an auxiliary random variable that lacks explicit meaning. To provide a more direct link between this variable and the function f, Orlitsky and Roche (2001) established the minimal rate required in the zero-distortion case as an extension of Korner's graph entropy. Recently, we (with Jaggi) showed that the zero-distortion rate can be achieved by minimum entropy graph coloring of an appropriate product graph. This leads to a modular architecture for functional source coding with a preprocessing "functional coding" scheme operating on top of a classical Slepian-Wolf source coding scheme. In this paper, we give a characterization of Yamamoto's rate distortion function in terms of a reconstruction function. This (non-single-letter) characterization is an extension of our previous results as well as Orlitsky and Roche's results. We obtain a modular scheme operating with Slepian-Wolf's scheme for the problem of functional rate distortion. Further, we give an achievable rate (with single-letter characterization) utilizing this scheme that intuitively extends our previous results.
Temperature-dependent saturation fluence in InGaAs quantum dots based on direct absorption measurements

Direct measurement of the absorption of an ensemble of InGaAs quantum dots using a heterodyne multibounce technique reveals that the saturation fluence decreases dramatically with decreasing temperature. The dependence is attributed to homogeneous linewidth narrowing.
Hyperopic thermokeratoplasty: Clinical evaluation

Abstract A new procedure, hyperopic thermokeratoplasty (HTK), developed in the Soviet Union for the correction of hyperopia, uses controlled thermal burns of the corneal stroma with a retractable probe tip preset to penetrate the cornea at 95% depth. The coagulations are applied in a radial pattern for spherical hyperopia. Only the peripheral cornea is treated and the effect is titrated by varying the optical zone and number of rays. The thermal effect flattens the peripheral cornea and steepens the central cornea. In this report, we prospectively evaluated the refractive results of a group of 61 HTK patients. Mean preoperative spherical equivalent was 3.9 diopters (D). Mean follow-up to date is 5.2 months, with 44% of cases evaluated at six months and 31% at one year. The initial effect of surgery (at one day) was a mean decrease in hyperopia of 6.0 D (standard error of the mean [S.E.] = 0.3 D), resulting in a mean spherical equivalent of −2.1 D (S.E. = 0.2 D). There was a steep regression of effect between one clay and two months at which point average refraction was close to emmetropia. After two months, there was a gradual but continuing regression of effect, leveling off after six months. At five to six months, 63% of cases were undercorrected by at least a diopter; at 9 to 12 months, 83% of cases were undercorrected. The overall change in spherical equivalent at each time increased as optical zone size decreased. Adjustments to the surgical prediction software (developed in the Soviet Union) to render it more suitable for U.S. eyes are underway; smaller optical zones and/or more rays will be used to obtain final stable refractive results closer to emmetropia.
Relative time and frequency alignment between two low earth orbiters, grace

The two GRACE (gravity recovery and climate experiment) spacecraft were launched into a near polar circular orbit around the earth in March of 2002. The two spacecraft serve as test masses to measure the earth's gravitational field. Both spacecraft carry ultra-stable oscillators (USO) with an Allan deviation of a few parts in 10/sup -13/ for Tau=1 to 1000 s. The USO's drive both the microwave links and GPS receivers. To cancel out long term errors on the USO's a linear combination of the 1-way microwave links is used (dual-one-way). In order to form the dual-one-way measurement and cancel our long term USO error, time must be synchronized between the two spacecraft to about 150 picoseconds. This synchronization is accomplished using the GPS data. For each spacecraft, the GPS data are used to solve for the orbital positions and the difference between the on-board clocks and a ground reference clock every 5 minutes. The relative clock is determined by the difference of these two solutions. Validation of the relative clock accuracy includes the solutions from overlapping data arcs which are typically less than the 150 picosecond goal and unique combination of the one-way microwave links that allows independent comparison of the GPS determine relative frequency of the USO's to a measurement made by the microwave link.
Pitfalls in the surgical treatment of insulinoma.

Abstract Background. In the 75 years since an insulinoma was first described, the challenge for the surgeon has been one of localization. The combination of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) or intraoperative ultrasound and operative palpation has led to nearly 100% success rate at primary operation in experienced institutions. However, 13% of patients at referral centers undergo reexploration, which has an increased morbidity. With more successful localization modalities, the operative failures have become more challenging than ever. Methods. During the past 35 years, we have treated 118 cases of sporadic insulinoma. Technical advances in EUS have led to preoperative identification of more than 90% of insulinomas. Despite this success we have become increasingly aware of the limitations of EUS in the surgical treatment of insulinoma. We present the pitfalls of 6 recent cases. Results. The limitations of EUS include the assessment of malignancy, the identification of pedunculated or adjacent lesions, the evaluation of distal pancreatic lesions, and the differentiation of larger homogeneous tumors from surrounding parenchyma. Conclusions. The surgical challenge in the treatment of insulinomas has transformed from one of localization to one of recognizing the limitations of our current localization modalities. By sharing our experience with recent difficult cases, we guide the surgeon to greater success and the patient to decreased morbidity. (Surgery 2002;132:1040-9.)
Body image and exercise in people with and without acquired mobility disability.

Purpose : This study was conducted to determine whether differences existed in self-perceived body image between adults with and without Acquired Mobility Disability (AMD), and whether a relationship existed between exercise and self-perceived body image in adults with AMD. Method : Thirty adults with AMD were paired with 30 able-bodied controls and matched on gender, age, ethnicity and exercise level. Both groups completed the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) which measures body image on 10 subscales related to appearance, fitness, health/illness, body-areas satisfaction and weight-related attitude. Results : A 2 &#50 2 two-way ANOVA, with disability (AMD vs able-bodied) and exercise (active vs non-active) serving as the main factors, was used to examine group differences of each on the 10 subscales of the MBSRQ separately. Results indicated that there was a significant interaction between disability and exercise on Health Orientation [F(1, 56)=22.46, p=0.000]. Post-hoc analysis...
System identification using chirp signals and time-variant filters in the joint time-frequency domain

We propose a novel method to identify an unknown linear time invariant (LTI) system in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) environment. The method is based on transmitting chirp signals for the transmitter and using linear time-variant filters in the joint time-frequency (TF) domain for the receiver to reduce noise before identification. Due to the TF localization property of chirp signals, a large amount of additive white noise can be reduced, and therefore, the SNR before identification can be significantly increased. This, however, cannot be achieved in the conventional methods, where pseudo-random signals are used, and therefore, noise reduction techniques do not apply. Our simulation results indicate that the method proposed outperforms the conventional methods significantly in a low SNR environment. This paper provides a good application of time-frequency analysis and synthesis.