cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Iron speciation in coastal rainwater: concentration and deposition to seawater

Abstract More than half of the dissolved iron in rain collected in Wilmington, NC, USA, occurred as Fe(II)(aq). More than 80% of the dissolved iron in marine rain from several marine storms in both North Carolina and New Zealand was Fe(II)(aq). In almost all rain events Fe(II)(aq) was in excess of Fe(III)(aq). Rainwater is a significant source of iron to surface seawater and contributes approximately 1010 mol year−1 of dissolved plus particulate iron to surface seawater on a global scale, which is more than 30 times the amount of iron resident in the surface 10 m of seawater. The length of time atmospherically deposited dissolved iron remains in surface seawater is critical to its role as a phytoplankton nutrient because it is predominately the soluble form of Fe that is bioavailable. Earlier studies have demonstrated that Fe(II)(aq) oxidizes rapidly in seawater. Our experiments utilizing authentic rainwater with ambient concentrations and speciation of iron clearly demonstrate, however, that rainwater Fe(II)(aq) is stabilized against oxidation for more than 4 h in seawater and rainwater Fe(III)(aq) is protected against rapid precipitation when added to coastal or oligotrophic seawater. These results are significant because they show rainwater deposited Fe does not behave as previously thought based on earlier kinetic work on non-rainwater Fe(II) oxidation in seawater. Rainwater, therefore, is an important source of soluble, stable Fe(II)(aq) to surface seawater.
Comparison of the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children--revised in rural Native American and white children.

The Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised (WISC--R) were administered to 46 Native American and white students who were suspected by their classroom teachers of having learning handicaps. Pearson correlations between these sets of IQs ranged from .42 (TONI and WISC--R Performance) to .89 (WISC--R Verbal and Full Scale).
Exploring the Energy Landscape through Ancestral Proteins

How does a protein's energy landscape change over an evolutionary time scale, and could a study of ancestral sequences reveal novel features of the landscape? Although there has been significant advances protein structure prediction from its primary sequence, extracting features of the entire energy landscape remains a challenge. There is limited understanding on how variations in the sequence that take place over the course of an evolutionary time scale change the landscape to yield novel properties and function. Past research on the landscape has focused on extant proteins, which represent only a small portion of proteins that have existed since the origin of life. Examining the ancestors of current proteins should provide additional insight into the properties of proteins and the process of protein evolution, and ultimately, further our understanding of the depth of information encoded within an amino acid sequence.We conducted an ancestral sequence reconstruction of ribonuclease H1, a biophysically well-characterized protein. A total of seven ancestral proteins along the mesophilic and thermophilic lineages were constructed and studied. This study reports on the characterization of the folding pathway and stability of the last common ancestral protein between E. coli and T. thermophilus ribonucleases H.
THE NONOXIDATIVE DECARBOXYLATION OF HYDROXYPYRUVATE IN MAMMALIAN SYSTEMS.

Abstract A mammalian enzyme that catalyzes the nonoxidative decarboxylation of hydroxypyruvate has been described. Glycolaldehyde has been identified as the product of the reaction. The enzyme is specific for hydroxypyruvate and requires the presence of a divalent metal ion. A marked stimulation of enzyme activity in the presence of primary amines has been demonstrated.
Racially Mixed People, DDC Table 5 Ethnic and National Groups, and MARC 21 Bibliographic Format Field 083

This article explores ways that notation in Table 5 Ethnic and National Groups of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system can be used to extend subject access to works about racially mixed people beyond that provided by the rules for constructing standard DDC numbers. The proposed approach makes use of the new 083 field (Additional Dewey Decimal Classification Number) in the MARC Bibliographic Format and techniques developed for DeweyBrowser beta v2.0 by OCLC Research, especially tag clouds.
Contribution of maternal effect QTL to genetic architecture of early growth in mice

Existing approaches to characterizing quantitative trait loci (QTL) utilize a paradigm explicitly focused on the direct effects of genes, where phenotypic variation among individuals is mapped onto genetic variation of those individuals. For many characters, however, the genotype of the mother via its maternal effect accounts for a considerable portion of the genetically based variation in progeny phenotypes. Thus the focus on direct effect QTL may result in an insufficient or misleading characterization of genetic architecture due to the omission of the potentially important source of genetic variance contributed by maternal effects. We analyze the relative contribution of direct and maternal effect (ME) QTL to early growth in mice using a three-generation intercross of the Small (SM/J) and Large (LG/J) inbred mouse lineages. Using interval mapping and composite interval mapping, direct effect (DE) QTL for early growth (change in body mass during the interval from week 1 to 2) were detected in the F(2) generation of the intercross (n = 510), where no maternal genetic effect variance is present (all individuals are progeny of genetically identical F(1) mothers). ME QTL were detected by treating the phenotypes of cross-fostered F(3) pups as a characteristic of their nurse-dam (n = 168 dams with cross-fostered progeny). Five DE QTL, significant at a chromosome wide level (alpha = 0.05), were detected, with two significant at a genome wide level. FourME QTL significant at the chromosome wide level were detected, with three significant at the genome wide level. A model containing only DE QTL accounted for 11.8% of phenotypic variance, while a model containing only ME QTL accounted for 31.5% of the among litter variance in growth. There was no evidence for pleiotropy of DE and ME loci since there was no overlap between loci detected in these two analyses. Epistasis between all pairs of loci was analyzed for both DEs and MEs. Ten pairs of loci showed significant epistasis for MEs (alpha = 0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons) while four pairs showed significant epistasis for DEs on early growth.
The initiation of mating in naive female cats

Abstract Naive female cats were observed to resist the mating response of the male until the first intromission occurred. On successive tests after the initial intromission there was a progressive increase in the receptivity of the female as indicated by reduced neck grip and intromission latencies and by increased intromission frequency. After six mating tests and approximately 20 intromissions the females readily and completely accepted strange males. The data indicated that the final organization of the stereoptyped mating pattern in this species is a function of sexual experience, as well as of hormonal state. This consummatory response learning is thought to be determined by the reinforcement properties of the intromission response.
Toward a Common Therapeutic Framework in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Model for Urologic Oncology and Medical Oncology Interaction

Abstract Background The rapid evolution of palliative therapeutic choices in the last few years for patients with advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has resulted in a dilemma currently troubling a few other epithelial malignancies: which systemic agent to choose and at what time? In addition, which specialty specifically directs the delivery of such care—Urology or Medical Oncology—has not been clearly established. Approach Recognizing the lack of consensus, we propose a framework for Urology and Medical Oncology interactions that is founded on models that have succeeded in the past. Conclusion This approach aims to focus the care on the patient with CRPC rather than on his physicians and promises to improve patient outcomes in this disease state.
Long-term correction of glycogen storage disease type II with a hybrid Ad-AAV vector

Abstract We administered an adenovirus-adeno-associated virus (Ad-AAV) vector encoding human acid α-glucosidase (hGAA) to acid α-glucosidase-knockout (GAA-KO) mice on day 3 of life by gastrocnemius injection. In contrast to previous results for muscle-targeted Ad vector in adult GAA-KO mice, the muscles of the hindlimb showed reduced glycogen content and persistent hGAA for as long as 6 months after neonatal Ad-AAV vector administration. Not only the injected gastrocnemius muscles, but also the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles produced therapeutic levels of hGAA as a result of widespread transduction with the Ad-AAV vector; moreover, hGAA activity was 50-fold elevated as compared to normal mice. Vector RNA was detected in the hindlimb muscles, the hearts, and the livers by northern blot analysis and/or by RT-PCR for as long as 6 months. The low levels of hGAA detected in the heart were attributable to transduction with the Ad-AAV vector, not to secretion of hGAA by the injected muscle and uptake by the heart. Finally, although an antibody response to hGAA was present, it did not prevent the correction of glycogen storage in the skeletal muscle of GAA-KO mice.
Educational Purpose and the New Curricula: A View from The Theoretical Perspective:

A survey of curricular history reveals alternate preoccupation with academic and student-centered educational goals. Student-centered and academic goals are insufficient indepen dently and an integration of the two would strengthen and affirm each, says this author, who uses the ideas of John Dewey to provide a methodology and rationale for the inte gration of the two areas.
Semiclassical theory of diffraction in elastic scattering

It is shown that diffraction from a purely repulsive potential can be described by a simple extension of the Ford and Wheeler semiclassical analysis. The diffraction arises from interference between a ‘classically allowed’ and a ‘classically forbidden’ contribution to the scattering amplitude. A numerical example is presented to show that the semiclassical description is quite quantitative.
Responses of the reticuloendothelial system of the rabbit to intraocular injections of foreign protein.

Abstract New Zealand white rabbits were injected intravitreally with 1.5 mg BGG in the right eye only and were killed at specified intervals after injection. Cell suspensions prepared from right and left uveal tracts, right and left cervical lymph nodes, and spleens were assayed for plaque-forming cells (PFC) by a modified hemolysis-in-gel technique. The serum and the aqueous and vitreous humors were tested for hemolytic antibody. Immunodiffusion tests were used to demonstrate precipitating antibody in vitreous humor and to detect residual antigen in the vitreous humor of the injected eyes. Antibody-producing cells were detected in the cervical lymph nodes on postinjection day 6 and in the uveal tract on postinjection day 7. The concentration of PFC was significantly greater in the uveal tracts than in the lymph nodes. PFC were detected in uveal tract cell suspensions for 49 days after injection. Residual BGG was detected in the vitreous humor for the first 14 postinjection days. Antibody appeared in the serum and in the aqueous humor on postinjection day 7 but was not detected in the vitreous humor until day 14. Hemolytic antibody titers in the ocular fluids remained high for the duration of the experiments. It is postulated that antibody found in the aqueous and vitreous humors during the latter half of the antibody response is produced by uveal tract cells. The contribution of the cervical lymph nodes is probably confied to the first several days. The results confirm those obtained by other investigators and demonstrate that the cervical lymph nodes are very probably one source of the immunocompetent cells that reach the eye.
Laminar premixed flames in mixed-convection thermal plumes

Abstract A theoretical investigation of laminar premixed flames stabilized downstream of a line heat source for mixed-convection conditions is described. The analysis involves solution of the nonsimilar boundary layer equations for an ideal gas with a one-step reaction while neglecting radiation. A deflagration wave is always stabilized at some point downstream of the source for these assumptions, but its position often shifts rapidly from near to far from the source over a limited range of reaction parameters. Conditions at this shift can provide a practical estimate of necessary conditions for ignition (a wake/plume-ignition criterion) if it is assumed that flames far from the source are not observed due to transition to turbulence and quenching by surfaces. Increased free stream velocities have the following effects on the limit: the magnitude of flame position shifts is reduced, source strengths are increased, the flame moves closer to the source, and the rate of lateral spread of the flame is increased. Similar to other ignition and flame stability processes, large shifts, which are representative of well-defined limits, tend to disappear as the activation enery of reaction is reduced.
Robotics projects for the undergraduate electrical engineering design lab.

We describe recent robotics projects carried out by Electrical Engineering undergraduates at Texas Tech University. Design Lab projects employing mobile robots proved to be an excellent choice, as the animation and instant feedback provided by the robots instilled great enthusiasm, and taught important principles in areas such as micro controllers, motor control, sensors and artificial intelligence. Several autonomous robotic vehicles, employing a variety of sensors, were successfully designed and demonstrated. We also discuss ongoing design projects to build RF telemetry links, an RF navigation system, and other mobile platforms such as the `TT-U-Boat'.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Workers' skills and receptiveness to operate under the tier II construction management strategy

Several diverse factors have contributed to the construction industry’s shortages of skilled workers; these factors include decreased real wages, transient nature of work, poor industry image, lack of training, and lack of a worker-oriented career path. The consequent impact of this problem on project performance has been reported with increasing frequency over the last few years. Various studies to address individual issues have resulted in limited successes. However, none of these approaches has comprehensively addressed all the issues within a single framework. A work force management strategy, referred to as Tier II, has been proposed as a comprehensive approach to address the problem. Projects executed under the Tier II strategy would utilize fewer, better-educated and skilled workers who perform craft functions and some lower-management functions and receive higher compensation, while delivering improved or comparable project results. With the participation of industry leaders, labor organizations a...
Device and circuit interactive design and optimization beyond the conventional scaling era

Miniaturization of device feature size has improved both device density and device performance in the conventional scaling era. However, degradation of electrostatic gate control, increasing contribution of parasitics, and increasing power consumption have limited scalability. The slow-down of L g scaling has been compensated for by technology features such as strain engineering, high-κ dielectric, and novel channel materials and device structures. Looking forward, new trends for device design are expected. Particularly, considerable amount of attention is needed in 1) parasitics, and 2) understanding device design and its impact on the circuit-level environment. For advanced technologies and emerging devices, technology development and device design has to be revisited, as conventional methods of performance benchmarking (e.g. C gc V/I on at fixed I off and V dd ) are unable to capture the system-level power-constrained circuit design tradeoffs [1]. In this paper, several issues on technology development are further addressed based on the study of device and circuit interactive design and optimization.
Two Linguistic Topics in Quintilian

( Proposed text ) Atque etiam in ipsis uocalibus grammatici est uidere an ahquas pro consonantibus usus acceperit, quia ‘iam’ sicut ‘tarn’ scribitur et ‘uos’ ut ‘cos’, at quae ut uocales iunguntur aut unam longam faciunt, ut ueteres scri-pserunt, qui geminatione earum uelut apice utebantur, aut duas,—nisi quis putat etiam ex tribus uocalibus syllabam fieri, si non aliquae officio consonantium fungantur. quaeret hoc etiam, quo modo duabus demum uocalibus in se coeundi natura sit, cum consonantium nulla nisi alteram frangat. atqui littera i sibi insidit— ‘conicit’ enim est ab illo ‘iacit’—et u, quo modo nunc scribitur ‘uulgus’ et ‘seruus’. sciat etiam Ciceroni placuisse ‘aiio Maiiamque’ geminata ‘i’ scribere: quod si est, etiam ‘i’ iungetur ut consonans.
Drug Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in the Managed Care Era

There are many reasons why one might wish to suppress atrial fibrillation (AFib) and attempt to maintain sinus rhythm. This article assumes that the clinical decision to maintain sinus rhythm has been made. That being the case, antiarrhythmic drug therapy is generally the first line of treatment of AFib. Currently in the United States, there are 8 available antiarrhythmic drugs that have demonstrated efficacy for preventing AFib. The drugs are quinidine, procainamide, disopyramide, flecainide, propafenone, moricizine, sotalol, and amiodarone. Because AFib tends to recur regardless of the drug selected, recurring in at least one-half of the patients being treated, no drug is clearly better than any other for suppression of AFib. Furthermore, because AFib is rarely life-threatening, occasional recurrence should be anticipated and should not be considered failure per se. The measure of drug efficacy is the frequency of recurrence. Before initiating drug therapy, the presence or absence of structural heart disease must be determined, because in the absence of structural heart disease, antiarrhythmic drugs generally can be given rather safely, but in the presence of structural heart disease, especially when associated with ventricular dysfunction, there is an important risk of developing ventricular proarrhythmia. Considerations for specific drug selection are discussed and an algorithm for therapy is suggested.
Deuterium Content of Snow as an Index to Winter Climate in the Sierra Nevada Area

The winter of 1968-69 produced two to three times the amount of precipitation in the Sierra Nevada area, California and Nevada, as the winter of 1969-70. The deuterium content in snow cores collected at the end of each winter at the same sites, which represents the total snowfall of each interval, shows a depletion in 1968-69 of approximately 20 per mil. The higher snowfall in 1968-69 and the depletion of deuterium can be explained by an uncommonly strong westward flow of cold air over and down the western slopes of the Sierras, which interacted with an eastward flow of moist Pacific air that overrode and mixed with the cold air; this resulted in precipitation that occurred in greater than normal amounts and at a lower than normal temperature. Pluvial periods of the Pleistocene may have had the same shift in air-mass trajectory as the wet 1968-69 year. Snow cores collected in the norrmal 1970-71 winter have deuterium concentrations that resemble those of the normal 1969-70 winter. Small and nonsystematic differences in samples from these two normal winters are due to variations in climatic character as well as to factors inherent in the sampling sites.
Aspen language specifications

ASPEN is a "toy" language that has been designed for use in the teaching of compiler construction and is therefore a curious amalgam of highly refined language features that manage to barely cover the full spectrum of algorithmic languages. One selection statement is made to do the work of IF-THEN-ELSE and CASE, but with certain severe restrictions on the conditions that may be written. on the other hand, iterations must be written as a primitive infinite loop with explicit conditional exits.Only floating point (REAL) arithmetic is supported, and although strings are present, their only practical use is restricted to the labeling of output. Both array and record aggregates are defined, but both are reduced to n-tuples of fixed-length words that are referenced through pointers: each word contains either a REAL value or a pointer to another n-tuple or string. All pointers are strongly typed.The user is permitted to define his own types, but no coercions between types are predefined. Type definitions are implemented in the same manner as functions and procedures with all parameter passing being done by value. The uniformity of data structuring permits efficient implementation of simple parametric types and polymorphic procedures.Using two stacks at runtime, instead of one, a degree of dynamic storage allocation is possible, but without the need for a heap and garbage collection. The "dangling reference" problem is not avoided, however. Finally, an encapsulation mechanism that allows controlled permeation of names through a program is provided to support data abstraction and information hiding, although separate compilation is not supported.
Technology transfer by foreign firms and the utilization of competencies within Indian industry

This article evaluates whether the changing presence of foreign firms in India has had an impact on the performance of India’s industrial sector by impacting on the utilization of intangible capabilities within firms. Foreign firms bring in technological skills and capabilities and these are transferred by a spillover process to all of Indian industry. The results show a strong relationship between the growing presence of foreign firms in India and measures capturing the utilization of varieties of competencies in Indian industry. Thus, the notion that foreign firms’ capabilities can spillover to other sectors of industry finds support in the data.
An Economic Evaluation of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the New York State Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program using economic methodology. Design Data were collected by nutrition educators in a pretest, posttest design with an epidemiological modeling approach to assess costs and estimate potential health benefits of the state program. Setting Cooperative Extension, 35 counties. Participants 5730 low-income participants. Intervention Series of 6 or more food and nutrition lessons. Main outcome measures Cost (program and participant); health benefits in quality adjusted life years (QALYs); and monetized benefits: society's willingness to pay for QALYs, and benefits of avoiding or delaying health care costs and loss of productivity. Analysis Cost-effectiveness estimated from behavior change and QALY weights. Cost–benefit ratios estimated from costs and monetized benefits. Sensitivity analyses provided ranges where lack of agreement exists around parameters' values. Results Cost was $892/graduate. Cost-effectiveness was 245 QALYs saved, at $20 863/QALY (sensitivity 42-935 QALYs, $5467-$130 311 per QALY). Societal willingness to pay benefit-to-cost ratio was $9.58:$1.00 (sensitivity $1.44-$41.92:$1:00); narrow governmental benefit-to-cost ratio was $0.82:$1.00 (sensitivity $0.08-$4.33:$1:00). Conclusions and implications Outcome data indicate that food and nutrition behavior changes resulting from the Program are likely to improve future health and reduce health care costs. Cost-effectiveness is estimated to be as great as for many current health interventions.
Comparative Fertility of Diluted Bull Semen Treated with Calcium Chloride Complex Streptomycin or Dihydro Streptomycin Sulfate

Summary Five hundred and eighty cows were inseminated with diluted semen containing 500 units of dihydro streptomycin sulfate per milliliter and 586 cows with split portions of the same semen containing 500 units of streptomycin calcium chloride complex. No statistical significance was associated with the 3.2 per cent non-returns increase for the dihydro streptomycin sulfate-treated group. Streptomycin calcium chloride complex was found to be incompatible with phosphate buffers.
Transitional justice and human rights in Afghanistan

Like other societies emerging from protracted conflict, Afghanistan confronts a legacy of past crimes and violence. Communist rulers, Soviet occupiers, rural resistance fighters, Islamist parties, the Taleban movement, Pakistani volunteers, al-Qaeda members, power-seeking warlords, and the anti-Taliban coalition all contributed more or less to the litany of abuses since 1978. Almost no one in the society has been untouched, and almost no one with any power has clean hands. For these very reasons, caution and care are necessary. Demobilizing and reintegrating tens of thousands of irregular militia, as well as creating new security forces are the necessary conditions for the rest of the peace-building agenda, and, as shown by the author's first-hand experience in the Bonn negotiations over the post-Taleban succession, raising the issue of past crimes prematurely may lead fighters to revert to previous modes of behaviour. He argues for a careful start that emphasizes documenting the scale of the abuses with an emphasis on the suffering of the victims rather than the guilt of the perpetrators, in order gradually to support an Afghan debate on how to reconcile the society with its history.
Organization of mental health care in HMOs

This article examines the relationship between the basic structure of a health maintenance organization's delivery system and its organization of mental health services. The conclusion is that the organization of mental health services is strongly influenced by whether the HMO is organized as a group-based delivery system or as a contractually-linked set of independent providers. In addition, larger HMOs of all types are more likely to contract for mental health services, as are HMOs in more competitive markets.
CMOS optoelectronic database filter: implementation and analysis

A challenging task facing the designers for the next generation of archival storage system is to provide storage capacities several orders of magnitude larger than existing systems while maintaining current data access times. To meet this challenge, a CMOS optoelectronic database filter suitable for large capacity relational database systems that use page-oriented optical storage devices has been developed. Based on a smart-pixel strategy, the filter performs optical-to-electrical data conversion, processes database query operations and only passes the data matching a query to the host computer. The photonic VLSI chip monolithically integrates a smart-pixel array that incorporates page-oriented optical reading, data manipulation logic, data buffering, and filter control circuitry for interfacing the filter chip with an electronic host computer. The database filter can offset the bandwidth mismatch without loss of valid data or significant delay in data access. A software simulator is developed to simulate the behavior of the database filter. The implementation and performance analysis of a 32 x 32-bit database filter fabricated through a 0.35-micron CMOS process is reported.
Metabolism and functions of highly unsaturated fatty acids: an update.

This review briefly examines the recent progress in knowledge about the synthesis and degradation of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) and their functions. Following the cloning of mammalian Δ6-desaturase (D6D), the D6D mRNA was found in many tissues, including adult brain, maternal organs, and fetal tissue, suggesting an active synthesis of HUFA in these tissues. The cloning also confirmed the long-postulated hypothesis that the same pathway is followed in n−6 and n−3 HUFA synthesis. Dietary n−6 and n−3 HUFA both induce fatty acid oxidation enzymes in peroxisomes when compared to their respective precursor polyunsaturated fatty acids. This suggests that peroxisomes may be the primary site of HUFA degradation when HUFA are supplied in excess from the diet. Peroxisome proliferators strongly induce the enzymes for the HUFA synthesis. The mechanism of this induction is currently unknown. Recent studies revealed new HUFA functions that are not mediated by eicosanoids. These functions include endocytosis/exocytosis, ionchannel modulation, DNA polymerase inhibition, and regulation of gene expression. These new discoveries will enable us to reexamine the underlying mechanisms for the classical symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency as well as vitamin E deficiency. Progress has also been made in understanding the mechanism by which dietary HUFA reduce body fat deposition. One mechanism is induction of genes for fatty acid oxidation, which is mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α. Another likely mechanism is that HUFA suppress genes for fatty acid synthesis by reducing both mRNA and protein maturation of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1.
Host Response to Implanted Dacron Grafts: A Comparison Between Mesh and Velour

• Segments of open Dacron mesh grafts were subcutaneously implanted in rats and harvested for a period of up to 12 weeks after operation at serial intervals. The gross and histologic events of the host response to the external surface were compared to that of segments of low-porosity Dacron velour implanted in a similar fashion. Mature collagen, generously vascularized with new capillaries, was noted throughout the mesh within three to four weeks, while a tightly bonded inner fibrous layer had formed from the surrounding tissues. Major segments of velour floated in amorphous caseous material for up to five weeks. These pools of debris with their concomitant inflammatory response slowly resolved during a ten-week period. This prolonged healing may contribute to eventual graft closure by progressive fibrosis and extrinsic contracture. (Arch Surg 110:1469-1472, 1975)
The dopamine D2 receptor gene : a genetic risk factor in substance abuse

Drug abuse has grown to epidemic proportions. Dopaminergic reward pathways have frequently been implicated in the etiology of drug addiction. To examine the possible role of genetic variants of the dopamine D2 (DRD2) gene in susceptibility to drug abuse we determined the prevalence of the TaqI A1 variant of the DRD2 gene in 200 white patients hospitalized in the Addiction Treatment Unit of a Veterans Administration Hospital. While the prevalence of the D2A1 allele was not significantly increased over controls, it did increase from 21% in subjects with alcohol abuse only to 32% in subjects with alcohol dependence only, consistent with other studies showing an association with the severity of alcoholism. By contrast, of 104 subjects with a discharge diagnosis of drug and alcohol abuse/dependence, 42.3% carried the D2A1 allele versus 29.0% of the 763 white controls (representing all white controls published to date) (P = 0.006). Of those who spent more than $25/week on two or more substances, 56.9% carried the D2A1 allele versus 28.2% of those abusing a single substance (P < 0.0005). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a highly significant association between multiple substance abuse based on money spent and the presence of the D2A1 allele (P = 0.0003) and age of onset of abuse (P < 0.0001). D2A1 carriers exceeded D2A2A2 subjects for a history of being expelled from school for fighting (P = 0.001), and of those ever jailed for violent crimes, 53.1% carried the D2A1 allele versus 28.8% of those jailed for non-violent crimes (P = 0.011).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sequential and superexchange electron-transfer reactions in a three-component system

Abstract A theory for sequential and superexchange electron-transfer reactions at high temperature is presented for a three-component system consisting of a donor, a distant acceptor, and a bridging intermediate. Analytical expressions for these electron-transfer rate constants are derived using the stochastic Liouville equation of Zusman for a Debye solvent. Two extremes are considered: (1) the nondegenerate case where the direct vertical energy gap between the donor and the intermediate is large and three energy-level crossing points are far apart; (2) the degenerate case where the direct vertical energy gap vanishes.
Depth resolved wide field illumination for biomedical imaging and fabrication

Nonlinear microscopic imaging is relatively slow due to the sequential nature of raster scanning. Recently, this limitation was overcome by developing a 3D-resolved wide-field two-photon microscope based on the concept of temporal focusing. The existing temporal focusing systems have poor optical sectioning capability and, due to a shortage of illumination power, low actual frame rate. In this presentation, a comprehensive mathematical model for temporal focusing two-photon microscope will be presented. By optimizing instrument design and the use of high two-photon cross section quantum dots, we demonstrate single quantum dot imaging with submicron resolution at video rate and applied it to study transport processes in cells. Further, we realize that the depth resolved wide field illumination can be used for microfabrication. A prototype three-dimensional lithographic microfabrication system was developed and micropatterning capability based on photobleaching process is demonstrated.
Extension of GPM dual-frequency iterative retrieval method with DSD-profile constraint

A new Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) will be included on the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core satellite which will succeed the highly successful Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite launched in 1997. New dual-frequency drop-size distribution (DSD) and rain-rate estimation algorithms are being developed to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities of the DPR. It has been shown previously that a backward-iteration algorithm can be embedded within a single-loop feedback model to retrieve the rain rate. However, the single-loop model is unable to correctly estimate DSD profiles for a significant portion of global median-volume-diameter, D/sub o/, and normalized DSD intercept parameter, N/sub w/, combinations in rain because of a multiple-value solution space. For the remaining D/sub o/,N/sub w/ pairs, another retrieval method is necessary. This paper proposes a dual-loop model, in which the intercept parameter, N/sub w/, of the DSD is constrained in its vertical profile, to guide the algorithm to correct convergence. This allows an additional constraint on the DSD values estimated by the iterative algorithm and helps to retrieve correct DSD values in the regions where the iterative approach alone fails. To demonstrate feasibility of the proposed method, three test cases representative of many DSD and profile combinations are discussed. The first case is a constant vertical profile of the DSD parameters. The second case examines linear variation of the DSD parameters, and the third case examines how measurement error affects the retrieval process. In each case, the proposed constraint on the intercept parameter is implemented, and the results are discussed. Using the constraint, the dual-loop algorithm is able to retrieve reasonable values for the DSDs and rain-rate profiles and extend the convergence region of the algorithm.
Factors influencing selection of road culverts as winter roost sites by Western Burrowing Owls

ABSTRACT. The conversion of coastal prairie to farmland in southern Texas has drastically reduced the number of available animal burrows, thereby forcing western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) wintering in southern Texas to use nontraditional roost sites such as roadside culverts. We studied factors influencing the selection of road culverts as roost sites by Burrowing Owls by comparing characteristics of 34 occupied and 100 unoccupied culverts. All occupied culverts were in agricultural habitat. Culverts with small diameters (≤16 cm) and those with an east—west orientation were occupied by Burrowing Owls in greater proportions than were culverts with larger diameters or different orientations. Occupied culverts were also associated with absence of grass, absence of woody vegetation, and presence of crop stubble. Our results provide guidelines for making drainage culverts more attractive to Burrowing Owls, but use of roadside culverts by Burrowing Owls may expose the owls to an increased ris...
Backhaul network based on WiMAX with relays - system level performance analysis

In this paper we present the system level performance analysis of the backhaul network based on WiMAX (IEEE 802.16-2004, 2004) with relays. The considered wireless communication system has hexagonal cellular structure, each cell containing a central base station (BS), one or more associated relay stations (RS), all serving the plurality of subscriber stations (SS). The base stations and the relay stations may share the same time-frequency resources when serving subscribers in accordance with various relaying modes having different reuse factor and leading to different level of interference in the deployment. The performance analysis of different relaying modes is presented in this paper. The methodology of individual mode assignment for each subscriber and frame composition is presented along with the analysis of geographical distributions of subscriberspsila preferable relaying modes. Finally, the total cell throughput is evaluated for the case of optimal subscriberspsila assignment to different relaying modes. We show that suggested adaptive relaying technique gives significant increase in the total cell throughput and spectral efficiency.
Dysphagia in patients with inclusion body myositis

Objectives: Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is an inflammatory myopathy with a 40% reported incidence of dysphagia. A protracted course, refractory to medical therapy, frequently leads to consultation with an otolaryngologist for dysphagia management. We studied the incidence, symptoms, and mechanisms of dysphagia in patients with IBM. Study Design: Retrospective study of medical records and self-reported follow-up survey; dysphagia is defined as difficulty in swallowing. Materials: Twenty-two patients with biopsy-proven IBM. Results: The rate of dysphagia was more than 80% (16 of 19), twice as high as previously reported. Progressive dysphagia was associated with a significantly worse functional class. Relevant management guidelines are established, including the timing for appropriate surgical intervention. Conclusion: Progressive dysphagia may signify more aggressive IBM or an episodic worsening in status. Recognition of the disease manifestations will afford proper patient management. Informed otolaryngologists can have a favorable impact on the dysphagia associated with IBM.
Linear control analysis of the autocatalytic glycolysis system

Autocatalysis is necessary and ubiquitous in both engineered and biological systems but can aggravate control performance and cause instability. We analyze the properties of autocatalysis in the universal and well studied glycolytic pathway. A simple two-state model incorporating ATP autocatalysis and inhibitory feedback control captures the essential dynamics, including limit cycle oscillations, observed experimentally. System performance is limited by the inherent autocatalytic stoichiometry and higher levels of autocatalysis exacerbate stability and performance. We show that glycolytic oscillations are not merely a “frozen accident” but a result of the intrinsic stability tradeoffs emerging from the autocatalytic mechanism. This model has pedagogical value as well as appearing to be the simplest and most complete illustration yet of Bode's integral formula.
Sleep Apnea and Cognitive Function in Heart Failure

Background. Prior research indicates that heart failure (HF) patients exhibit significant cognitive deficits on neuropsychological testing. Sleep apnea is associated with both HF and reduced cognitive function, but the combined impact of these conditions on cognitive function is unknown. Methods. In the current study, 172 older adults with a dual diagnosis of HF and sleep apnea or HF alone completed a battery of cognitive tests measuring attention, executive functioning, and memory. Results. Relative to patients with HF alone, persons with both HF and sleep apnea performed worse on measures of attention after adjusting for demographic and medical variables. Conclusions. The current findings suggest that HF patients with comorbid sleep apnea may be at greater risk for cognitive impairment relative to HF patient without such history. Further work is needed to clarify mechanisms for these findings and to determine whether the interactive effects on cognitive function lead to poorer patient outcomes.
MDA5 and LGP2: Accomplices and Antagonists of Antiviral Signal Transduction

ABSTRACT Mammalian cells have the ability to recognize virus infection and mount a powerful antiviral transcriptional response that provides an initial barrier to replication and impacts both innate and adaptive immune responses. Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptor (RLR) proteins mediate intracellular virus recognition and are activated by viral RNA ligands to induce antiviral signal transduction. While the mechanisms of RIG-I regulation are already well understood, less is known about the more enigmatic melanoma differentiation-associated 5 (MDA5) and laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2). Emerging evidence suggests that these two RLRs are intimately associated as both accomplices and antagonists of antiviral signal transduction.
Delayed juvenile dispersal benefits both mother and offspring in the cooperative spider Anelosimus studiosus (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Anelosimus studiosus juveniles usually remain in their natal webs with their mothers until maturity, forming temporary colonies in which individuals cooperate in web maintenance and prey capture. In a semi-natural environment, we experimentally removed juveniles from their natal webs at mid-development. In the control group, the juveniles were immediately replaced in their natal webs; in the experimental removal group, the juveniles were not replaced and a sample of them were allowed to build individual webs. Colonies and solitary juveniles were exposed to natural prey densities and censused regularly for numbers and stages of spiders, and for prey capture. On average, juveniles in colonies survived longer, developed faster, and had more resources per individual than did solitary juveniles. However, some of the solitary juveniles obtained more resources than individual juveniles in colonies. Mothers in the control group survived longer and produced second broods earlier than mothers in the experimental removal group. Within the control group, older and larger colonies captured more and larger prey. Larger colonies had a lower coefficient of variation in prey captured per juvenile. Overall, delayed juvenile dispersal benefits both juveniles and mothers. Copyright 2002.
Development of a Universally Applicable Household Food Insecurity Measurement Tool: Process, Current Status, and Outstanding Issues

The United States Public Law 480 Title II food aid program is the largest U.S. government program directed at reducing hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity in the developing world. USAID and Title II implementing partners face challenges in measuring the success of Title II programs in reducing household food insecurity because of the technical difficulty and cost of collecting and analyzing data on traditional food security indicators, such as per capita income and caloric adequacy. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) holds promise as an easier and more user-friendly approach for measuring the access component of household food security. To support the consistent and comparable collection of the HFIAS, efforts are under way to develop a guide with a standardized questionnaire and data collection and analysis instructions. A set of domains have been identified that is deemed to capture the universal experience of the access component of household food insecurity across countries and cultures. Based on these domains, a set of questions has been developed with wording that is deemed to be universally appropriate, with minor adaptation to local contexts. These underlying suppositions, based on research in multiple countries, are being verified by potential users of the guide. The key remaining issue relates to the process for creating a categorical indicator of food insecurity status from the HFIAS.
Teaching distributed and parallel computing with Java and CSP

We discuss the advantages of using Java with a CSP library (JCSP) for teaching concurrent and parallel computing. We describe an extension to JCSP that allows channels to be extended across a network using TCP/IP sockets. Three examples of concurrent programs using JCSP are presented to show how different concepts of concurrent and parallel computing can be presented with these tools.
Effect of alendronate on bone mineral density in male idiopathic osteoporosis.

Idiopathic osteoporosis in men is an increasingly recognized disorder accounting for up to 200,000 hip fractures worldwide each year. Although there is no widely accepted or proven efficacious treatment for men with idiopathic osteoporosis, we attempted to examine the effectiveness of alendronate in this disorder. We retrospectively compared the clinical records of male patients with osteopenia (hip or spine T scores less than -1.0, with or without low-trauma fractures) treated either with alendronate 10 mg orally/day and calcium and vitamin D replacement versus conservative treatment with calcium and vitamin D alone. Review included analysis of laboratory studies and bone turnover markers in a subset of patients. We documented bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and repeated BMD after an average follow-up of 1.9 and 2.7 years in the alendronate-treated and conservative treatment groups, respectively. At baseline, conservatively-treated and alendronate-treated patients had similar BMD at the lumbar spine and hip. Over the period of observation, the conservatively-treated patients exhibited insignificant changes in BMD at all measured sites. In contrast, alendronate treatment resulted in a significant increase in BMD of the spine (+4.6%, P =.002), trochanter (+6.4%, P =.002), and total hip (+4.7%, P =.002). Indeed, compared with conservative treatment, alendronate-treated patients sustained a significant annualized percent increment of the BMD in the spine (2.7 +/- 0.6 v 1.1 +/- 0.3, P =.025), trochanter (4.7 +/- 1.7 v 0.7 +/- 0.6, P =.025), and total hip BMD (3.3 +/- 0.9 v 0.1 +/- 0.4, P =.0009). These data are among the first that illustrate the potential efficacy of alendronate in the management of idiopathic osteoporosis in men.
Financial development and economic growth : an overview

In recent years there has been substantial theoretical and empirical work on the role that financial markets play in fostering economic growth and development. This paper provides a selective review of the literature, as well as new empirical evidence on the relationship between financial development and economic growth for a large cross-section sample of countries. While the results indicate that the effect of financial development on growth is positive, the size of the effect varies with different indicators of financial development, estimation method, data frequency, and the functional form of the relationship.
Therapists and Psychotherapy

The Grit and Grist of Psychotherapy: The Inspirations of John Warkentin.Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy, 1981, 17.