cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro fertilization and potential reproductive strategies for rare animals

This review presents ways that in vitro fertilization (IVF) methodology might be employed in future animal-breeding practices. The utility of IVF in promotion of reproduction in endangered animals hinges on the production of viable embryos that can survive to, in turn, procreate. Progress has evolved through rabbit and cow experimentation and parallels between potential practical applications in cattle breeding and those to enhance propagation of rare animals are becoming apparent.
Isokinetic Leg Flexion and Extension Strength of Elite Adolescent Female Track and Field Athletes.

Abstract Sixty-two elite adolescent (age: 16.39 ± 1.62 yrs) female track and field athletes volunteered to be measured isokinetically for peak torque of the leg flexors and extensors. The sample included 16 throwers, 11 jumpers, 12 middle-distance runners (> 400 m), and 23 sprinters. A Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer was used to measure dominant leg strength at 180°/sec. One-way ANOVA revealed significant between group differences for absolute flexion and extension (Nm), extension/body weight (Nm/Kg), and extension/lean body weight (Nm/Kg). Scheffe post-hoc comparisons showed that, for absolute leg extension strength, throwers were stronger than middle-distance runners (by 54.4%), sprinters (35.6%), and jumpers (23.6%). For absolute leg flexion movements, throwers were stronger than middle distance runners (37.4%) and sprinters (32.1%). Jumpers had greater extension peak torque values than middle-distance runners relative to body weight (14.0%), and throwers were stronger than middle-distance runners for ...
SYMBIOTIC INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE COLONIC MICROFLORA AND THE PROTEIN TURNOVER IN INFANTS

Top of pageAbstract The utilization of 15H-nitrogen from 15N labeled Saccharomyces oerevisiae cells and 15N labeled Bifidobacteria for whole body protein synthesis was studied in a total of 9 infants by means of oral or colonic pulse labelings. The microbes were harvested from synthetic culture mediums containing 15N ammonium chlorid as the only source of nitrogen. 15N enrichment of the cells amounted to 95 %. A tracer dose of 3 mg 15N/kg was chosen. The pulse labeling was followed by a 48 hours collection of urine and feces. Following oral single pulse labeling of the native and heat-treated yeast cells 77 % on an average of the heavy nitrogen mas retained in the protein pool. Comparatively high utilization rates of microbial 15N were found after instillation of 15N labeled Bifidobacteria into colonic segments in 3 infants with colostomies. The retention was confirmed by elevated 15N concentrations of the plasma proteins. The results show that microbial nitrogen is intensively used for whole body protein synthesis in infants. The colonic microflora contributes to improvement of non essential endogenous and exogenous nitrogen.
Analytic plastic potential for porous aggregates with matrix exhibiting tension-compression asymmetry

Abstract This paper is devoted to modeling the effects of the tension–compression asymmetry of the matrix on yielding of the void–matrix aggregate. The matrix plastic behavior is described by the Cazacu et al. [2006. Orthotropic yield criterion for hexagonal closed packed metals. Int. J. Plasticity 22, 1171–1194] isotropic yield criterion, which captures strength differential effects. Using an upper-bound approach, a new analytic isotropic plastic potential for a random distribution of spherical voids is obtained. The derived analytic potential is sensitive to the third invariant of the stress deviator and displays tension–compression asymmetry. In the case when the matrix material has the same yield in tension and compression, it reduces to Gurson's [1977. Continuum theory of ductile rupture by void nucleation and growth: Part I: Yield criteria and flow rules for porous ductile media. J. Eng. Mater. Technol. Trans. ASME Ser. H 99, 2–15.] criterion. Furthermore, the proposed criterion predicts the exact solution of a hollow sphere loaded in hydrostatic tension or compression. The accuracy of the proposed analytical criterion is assessed through comparisons with finite-element cell calculations.
Additional Observations of Probable Stimulated Emission of a Terbium Ion Chelate in a Vinylic Resin Matrix

THE experimental results presented here were to have been included as an addition to my first communication1. However, the results were not submitted in time to be included in it. I should like at this time to present these additional results, as they provide a more definite indication of probable stimulated emission of terbium thenoyltrifluoroacetonate Tb(TTA) in a polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) matrix than the results presented in the previous communication1.
Buffering children from marital conflict and dissolution

Examined several protective mechanisms that may reduce deleterious correlates of marital conflict and marital dissolution in young children. One set of potential buffers focused on parent-child interaction: parental warmth, parental scaffolding/praise, and inhibition of parental rejection. As a second set of potential buffers, each parent was interviewed about their "meta-emotion philosophy"--that is, their feelings about their own emotions, and their attitudes and responses to their children's anger and sadness. The third set of potential buffers concerned intraindividual characteristics of the child, including the child's intelligence and regulatory physiology (basal vagal tone and vagal suppression). Fifty-six families with a preschool child were studied at two time points: when the children were 5 years old (Time 1) and again when the children were 8 years old (Time 2). At Time 1, naturalistic observations of marital and parent-child interaction were conducted and assessment of child regulatory physiology was obtained through measures of basal vagal tone and suppression of vagal tone. Parents were also interviewed individually about their feelings about their own and their children's emotions, and children's intelligence was assessed. At Time 2, assessment of child outcomes were obtained, including observations of peer interaction, mother ratings of behavior problems and mother and teacher ratings of peer aggression, mother ratings of child physical illness, and measures of achievement. Results indicated that all Time 1 buffering factors protected children in face of marital conflict and dissolution. Language: en
Optimal base station placement in wireless sensor networks

Base station location has a significant impact on network lifetime performance for a sensor network. For a multihop sensor network, this problem is particularly challenging due to its coupling with data routing. This article presents an approximation algorithm that can guarantee (1 − e)-optimal network lifetime performance for base station placement problem with any desired error bound e > 0. The proposed (1 − e)-optimal approximation algorithm is based on several novel techniques that makes it possible to reduce an infinite search space to a finite-element search space for base station location. The first technique used in this reduction is to discretize cost parameter (associated with energy consumption) with performance guarantee. Subsequently, the continuous search space can be broken up into a finite number of subareas. The second technique is to exploit the cost property of each subarea and represent it by a novel notion called fictitious cost point, each with guaranteed cost bounds. We give a proof that the proposed base station placement algorithm is (1− e)-optimal. This approximation algorithm is simpler and faster than a state-of-the-art algorithm and represents the best known result to the base station placement problem.
Documenting Hidden Disabilities in Higher Education Analysis of Recent Guidance From the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)

Once students with disabilities leave high school, they must take proactive steps to document their disabilities to educational institutions or employers when requesting accommodations. The Associa...
Differences in the intrinsic membrane characteristics of parabrachial nucleus neurons processing gustatory and visceral information

Whole-cell current-clamp recordings were made from neurons in the rat parabrachial nucleus (PBN) in three rostro-caudal brain slices. During recording the neurons were located in one of four quadrants of the PBN. Successful recordings were obtained from neurons in three of these quadrants termed the dorsolateral (DL), dorsomedial (DM) and ventromedial (VM) quadrants. Recordings were made of the intrinsic membrane properties and repetitive discharge characteristics of 58 neurons in the DL, 60 neurons in the DM, and 54 neurons in the VM-quadrants. The input resistance of the neurons in the DL quadrant was significantly lower and the membrane time constant significantly shorter than that of the neurons in the DM- and VM-quadrants. The mean action potential duration of the VM-quadrant neurons was significantly longer than that of both DL- and DM-quadrant neurons. The discharge frequency in response to a 1500 ms 100 pA current pulse of the DL quadrant neurons was significantly lower than that of the neurons in the other two quadrants. The latency of action potential initiation following a 100 pA depolarizing current pulse was significantly longer for DL quadrant neurons compared to neurons in the other two quadrants. Neurons were divided into groups based on their response to a long depolarizing current pulse immediately preceded by a hyperpolarizing current pulse. In all three rostro-caudal slices of the PBN, the largest populations of neurons were in Group II and Group III. The results demonstrate that neurons in different locations in the PBN have different membrane and repetitive discharge properties. These different PBN locations receive inputs from the visceral and gustatory regions of the NST. It is possible therefore that the differences in properties of the PBN neurons may relate to the type of sensory information that they process.
Abstract LB-70:In vitroanti-cancer activity of PF-04691502, a potent dual inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in a panel of human breast cancer cell lines

Introduction: Activating mutations in the PIK3CA gene (encoding for the P110 catalytic subunit of PI3K) are found in more than 25% of human breast cancers [Saal LH Cancer Res 2005]. PF-04691502 is a potent orally-available ATP-competitive and reversible dual inhibitor of PI3K and mTOR. This study evaluates the anti-proliferative and cytotoxic activity of PF-04691502 across a large panel of breast cancer cell lines that recapitulate the clinical spectrum of the disease. Methods: Over 40 human breast cancer cell lines were exposed in vitro to PF-0469102 over 9 concentrations to generate dose-response curves. These assays were performed over a 6-day incubation period using direct cell counts. The ability of PF-04691502 to inhibit proliferation and induce cell death was calculated using IC 50 and LD 50 values, respectively. PI3K mutation status was available from public databases. In addition, baseline gene expression profiles were generated using the Agilent platform. A subset of breast cancer cell lines with varying levels of sensitivity to the compound were incubated with PF-04691502 concentrations ranging from 10 to 1000 nM, and processed for Western blotting. Results: Twenty-two cell lines had IC 50 values 50 Conclusions: PF-04691502 has anti-cancer activity across a spectrum of breast cancer cell lines, and demonstrates lethality against a subset of cell lines. A first-in-human phase I trial of PF-04691502 is ongoing. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-70.
Relationship between cigarette smoking and childhood symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in alcohol-dependent adults without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Background: Symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/ impulsivity that fall below the DSM-IV diagnostic threshold for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be associated with the high prevalence of smoking among individuals with alcohol dependence, yet no studies to date have examined the relationship between subthreshold ADHD symptoms and cigarette smoking in this group. We hypothesized that increasing levels of ADHD symptoms would be associated with increasing risk of lifetime smoking and nicotine dependence, concentration problems secondary to nicotine withdrawal, and maintenance of smoking. Methods: Participants were alcohol-dependent adults (n = 242) who did not meet criteria for ADHD or a current Axis I disorder other than alcohol and nicotine dependence. All participants were involved in treatment for alcohol dependence but not smoking cessation. The Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism was administered to collect demographic and smoking history data and to assess symptoms of ADHD and other psychiatric disorders. Results: A higher number of self-reported ADHD symptoms were associated with increased likelihood of ever smoking (p = .026), nicotine dependence (p = .017), and impaired concentration as a symptom of nicotine withdrawal (p =.046). There was no relationship between the number of ADHD symptoms and classification as a former versus current smoker (p = .333). Conclusions: Childhood symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity are related to cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence among alcohol-dependent individuals at levels below the ADHD diagnostic threshold. Conceptualization of ADHD symptoms as occurring on a continuum may aid identification of and early intervention for individuals who are at highest risk for initiating smoking and developing nicotine dependence.
Stratigraphic, sedimentologic, and petrologic record of late Miocene subsidence of the central Oregon High Cascades

Pliocene to Holocene volcanics of the central Oregon High Cascades, largely confined to an intra-arc graben, bury older volcanic centers. Early High Cascade volcanism is recorded by late Miocene volcanics and sediments of the Deschutes formation that accumulated in a fluvial basin east of the Cascades. Aggradation in the adjacent fluvial basin occurred episodically when pyroclastic debris choked streams. Deschutes basin aggradation commenced near 7.4 Ma and was synchronous with extension-influenced Cascade magmatism dominated by basalts and basaltic andesites. Initial subsidence of the Cascades occurred at about 5.4 Ma in response to plate-margin processes. Structural isolation of the basin from ignimbrites and volcanism-induced sedimentation resulted in widespread development of superimposed paleosols in the basin. Subsequent mafic lavas erupted near the eastern margin of the initial depression were truncated by east-stepping, down-to-the-west faults at about 5.3 Ma.
In Situ Soil Response to Vibratory Loading and Its Relationship to Roller-Measured Soil Stiffness

An investigation was conducted to characterize and relate in situ soil stress-strain behavior to roller-measured soil stiffness. Continuous assessment of soil stiffness via roller vibration monitoring has the potential to significantly advance performance based quality assurance of earthwork. One vertically homogeneous and two layered test beds were carefully constructed with embedded sensors for the field testing program. Total normal stress and strain measurements at multiple depths reveal complex triaxial soil behavior during vibratory roller loading. Measured cyclic strain amplitudes were 15–25% of those measured during static roller passes due to viscoelasticity and curved drum/soil interaction. Low amplitude vibratory roller loading induces nonlinear in situ modulus behavior. Roller-measured stiffness and its dependence on excitation force is influenced by the stress-dependent modulus function of each soil, the varying drum/soil contact area, and by layer characteristics (modulus ratio, thickness) when layering is present. On vertically homogeneous clayey sand, roller-measured stiffness decreased with increasing excitation force, a behavior attributed to stress-dependent modulus reduction observed in situ. On the crushed rock over silt test bed, roller-measured stiffness increased with increasing excitation force despite the mild stress-dependent modulus reduction observed in the crushed rock. In this case, the stiffer crushed rock takes on a greater portion of the load, resulting in the increase in roller-measured stiffness.
A “Second Life” for gross anatomy: Applications for multiuser virtual environments in teaching the anatomical sciences

This article describes the emerging role of educational multiuser virtual environments, specifically Second Life™, in anatomical sciences education. Virtual worlds promote inquiry-based learning and conceptual understanding, potentially making them applicable for teaching and learning gross anatomy. A short introduction to Second Life as an anatomical educational tool is provided, along with description of existing anatomy applications and future directions for this innovative teaching modality. Anat Sci Educ. © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.
Antioxidants prevent elevation in [Ca2+]i induced by low extracellular magnesium in cultured canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells: possible relationship to Mg2+ deficiency-induced vasospasm and stroke

Abstract Low serum concentrations of Mg 2+ ions have been reported, recently, in patients with coronary disease, atherosclerosis and stroke as well as in patients with cerebral hemorrhage. The aim of the present study was to determine whether potent antioxidants [α-tocopherol and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC)] can prevent or ameliorate intracellular Ca 2+ ([Ca 2+ ] i ) overload associated with cerebral vascular injury induced by low extracellular free Mg 2+ ([Mg 2+ ] o ). Exposure of cultured canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells to low [Mg 2+ ] o (0.15–0.6 mM) vs. normal [Mg 2+ ] o (1.2 mM) for either 10 min or 2 h induced concentration-dependent rises in [Ca 2+ ] i . Treatment of the cultured cells with either PDTC (0.1 μM) or α-tocopherol (15 μM) for 24 h, alone, failed to interfere with basal [Ca 2+ ] i levels. However, preincubation of the cells with either α-tocopherol or PDTC for 24 h completely inhibited the elevation of [Ca 2+ ] i induced by exposure to low [Mg 2+ ] o , not only for 10 min, but also for 2 h. These results indicate that α-tocopherol and PDTC prevent rises in [Ca 2+ ] i produced by low [Mg 2+ ] o , which probably result from low [Mg 2+ ] o -induced lipid peroxidation of cerebral vascular smooth muscle cell membranes. Moreover, these new results suggest that such protective effects of α-tocopherol and PDTC on cerebral vascular cells might be useful therapeutic tools in cerebral vascular injury associated with low [Mg 2+ ] o and accumulation of [Ca 2+ ] i .
Surface relaxation energies in core level spectroscopies of adsorbed atoms and molecules

Abstract Core level holes which are created in electron emission spectroscopies of atoms and molecules adsorbed or condensed onto metal surfaces induce a screening charge at the surface. The Coulomb interaction between the induced and the hole charge, called the extra-atomic relaxation energy, shifts the apparent binding energy of the ejected electron from the value inferred from an orbital energy. In this paper, linear response screening shifts are calculated for a number of different response functions which also allow for the polarizability of the adsorbed layers. The relation between classical image potential shifts and those obtained here is quantitatively compared. As an example, the X-ray photoelectron spectrum of SF 6 physisorbed on Ru surfaces is interpreted in terms of the present theory.
Mapping sequence specific DNA-protein interactions: a versatile, quantitative method and its application to transcription factor XF1

We have developed a method for the quantitative, exhaustive sequence specificity determination of DNA-binding proteins. The QuESSD method overcomes the limitations inherent in other published in vitro selection methods, not only defining the consensus sequence, but also quantifying the effect on DNA-protein affinity of replacing each base in the recognition domain with every other base. The features distinguishing this method from other in vitro selection approaches are: (1) instead of synthesizing one target oligonucleotide population containing a long randomized domain, we synthesize several oligonucleotide populations, each randomized at two positions. (2) Instead of carrying out several cycles of selection and amplification, we carry out a single cycle. (3) We have developed data collection and analysis procedures that eliminate artifacts and allow generation of quantitative results. The QuESSD method yields accurate measures of: (a) the selectivity of the protein for each base at each position within the recognition domain (normalized relative selectivity), (b) the contributions of individual sites within the recognition domain to the binding affinity (selectivity variance), (c) the relative binding affinity of any given sequence (global selectivity). We confirmed results by (1) tabulating directly the frequency of appearance of individual species in the pool of protein-bound oligonucleotides by cloning and sequencing individual oligonucleotides, and (2) competition EMSA analysis of oligonucleotides designed on the basis of QuESSD data. We have used this method to map the sequence specificity of the nuclear protein XF1 and to distinguish the sequence specificities of XF1 and the AH receptor complex, both of which bind to XRE1, a xenobiotic responsive element (XRE) located upstream of the CYP1A1 gene. Using data obtained by the QuESSD method, we designed oligonucleotides specific for XF1 or for the AH receptor, and prepared CAT reporter gene constructs carrying these oligonucleotides, or wild-type XRE1, upstream of a minimal promoter. Transfection studies using these constructs indicated that XF1 can function as a weak activator of basal transcription, and can, under some circumstances, compete with the AH receptor for binding to XRE1.
Safety of ambulatory surgery

Abstract Elective surgical procedures are moving from hospital-affiliated and freestanding ambulatory centers to the physician office. Anesthetic risk has decreased dramatically during the past decade; however, perioperative safety is ill defined when the surgical procedure is performed in the physician office. Perioperative risk may vary depending on the surgical location (hospital, freestanding unit, or physician office). Regulation of office-based surgery is now being addressed by specialty organizations and Departments of Health or Boards of Medical Examiners. A comprehensive study of perioperative risk for patients receiving office-based surgical care is needed. © 2001 by American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses.
A general definition of axial, equatorial and related terms for substituents on rings of any size

Abstract A general definition is proposed for substituent positions at a tetracoordinated atom in a ring of any size. The definition is based on the local environment only of that atom and is consistent with current usage. It is simpler and more chemically significant than Cremer's nomenclature, which is based on the entire ring.
An approximate solution for interlaminar stresses in composite laminates

An efficient approximate solution for interlaminar stresses in finite width, symmetric and unsymmetric laminated composites subjected to axial and/or bending loads is presented. The solution is based upon statically admissible stress fields which take into consideration local property mismatch effects and global equilibrium requirements. Unknown constants in the assumed stress states are determined through minimization of the laminate complementary energy. Typical results are presented for through-thickness and interlaminar stress distributions for angle-ply and cross-ply laminates subjected to axial loading. It is shown that the present formulation represents an improved, efficient approximate solution for interlaminar stresses.
High power lithium ion microbatteries with lithographically defined 3-D porous electrodes

High performance miniature power sources could enable new microelectronic systems. We report lithium ion microbatteries having power densities up to 7.4 mW/cm2 μm, which equals or exceeds that of the best supercapacitors, and which is 2,000 times higher than that of other microbatteries. The battery microarchitecture optimizes ion and electron transport for high power density while maintaining a high volume of active material for high energy density. The architecture consists of three-dimensional bicontinuous interdigitated microelectrodes and can be scaled to larger sizes without sacrificing power and energy density.
A genetic component to division of labour within honey bee colonies

Division of labour among nestmate workers is central to the colonial organization and ecological success of the eusocial Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps)1. Workers characteristically divide labour through (1) ontogenetic changes in individual behaviour2,3 and (2) inter-individual variation in behavioural repertoire3,4. On the basis of current evidence, optimization models of colony demography3,5,6 assume that variation among nestmates in behavioural repertoire arises solely through variation in environmental conditions, such as larval nutrition (inducing size-mediated behavioural differences in many ants)3,4,7 and adult experience (effecting behavioural differences among morphologically similar nestmates)8. A possible genetic component to division of labour, however, has received little study9. Yet, the degree of genetic heterogeneity among workers within Hymenopteran colonies is often extremely high10, a consequence of multiple mating by the queen (polyandry11,12) and/or the presence of multiple laying t (J B ) queens (polygyny13). Here we report evidence of genetically based variation in task performance among nestmate workers in the polyandrous honey bee Apis mellifera L. Such variation may be an important component to division of labour within genetically heterogeneous colonies.
Recent advances towards a robust, automated hurricane damage assessment from high- resolution images

Techniques in post-disaster assessment from remote sensing imagery have been studied by different research communities in the past decade. Such an assessment benefits everybody from government organizations and insurance agencies to individual home owners. The key objects of interest in such images are buildings, as their destruction directly impacts lives. This work attempts at building a system capable of fine-grained damage analysis by comparing before and after storm images. While much of the assessment is still done manually, we present an automated system for Hurricane damage analysis. We propose and evaluate techniques for image registration, color balancing, building extraction, and damage classification; each of which requires little or no manual supervision.
Creative Movement and Transformation to Choreography: A Mode of Research Presentation

Creative movement is an expressive technique that can be used to generate knowledge from a unitary perspective. This column will present its use on research based on Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness and the development of choreography based on participants'creative movements to present research findings.
Transition Matrix Estimation in High Dimensional Time Series

In this paper, we propose a new method in estimating transition matrices of high dimensional vector autoregressive (VAR) models. Here the data are assumed to come from a stationary Gaussian VAR time series. By formulating the problem as a linear program, we provide a new approach to conduct inference on such models. In theory, under a doubly asymptotic framework in which both the sample size T and dimensionality d of the time series can increase (with possibly d ≫ T), we provide explicit rates of convergence between the estimator and the population transition matrix under different matrix norms. Our results show that the spectral norm of the transition matrix plays a pivotal role in determining the final rates of convergence. This is the first work analyzing the estimation of transition matrices under a high dimensional doubly asymptotic framework. Experiments are conducted on both synthetic and real-world stock data to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method compared with the existing methods. The results of this paper have broad impact on different applications, including finance, genomics, and brain imaging.
A novel front-end radio frequency pressure transducer based on a dual-band resonator for wireless sensing

A highly sensitive and compact radio frequency transducer is designed for differential pressure sensing that utilizes a stacked-patch resonator. This device, the first of its kind to be reported, functions as both a pressure sensing agent and a wireless communicating front-end, thus allowing miniaturization and easy integration. The resonator consists of a stacked-patch based on LTCC multilayer packaging technology, having an air cavity embedded by a silicon (Si) diaphragm that deflects due to pressure change. In one implementation, this transducer is designed to provide a communications link at 32 GHz and a pressure sensing between 47–55 GHz. The pressure inside the air cavity can be calibrated to detect differential pressure anywhere from zero to several bars. In this paper, the authors present measurement results of the sensor prototype scaled to operate between approximately 5–8 GHz as a proof-of-concept.
Pathologic tooth deformities in modern and fossil chondrichthians: a consequence of feeding‐related injury

Deformed teeth are found as rare components of the dentitions of both modern and fossil chondrichthians. Tooth deformities occur as bent or twisted tooth crowns, missing or misshaped cusps, atypical protuberances, perforations, and abnormal root structures. Deformed tooth files consisting of unusually overlapped or small teeth, or teeth misaligned in the jaw also occur in modern forms, but deformed tooth files generally are not recognizable in fossils due to post-mortem dissociation of teeth and jaws. A survey of 200 modern lamniform and carcharhiniform sharks as well as literature sources indicate that such deformities are produced by feeding-related injury to the tooth-forming tissue of the jaws, particularly by impaction of chondrichthian and teleost fin and tail spines. Tooth counts for several late Cretaceous genera, based on material recovered from coastal plain sites from New Jersey to Alabama, suggest that the frequency of occurrence of deformed teeth in a species varies from about 0.015% in Squalicorax kaupi to about 0.36% in Paranomotodon sp. Tooth counts for modern lamniform and carcharhiniform sharks yield a comparable range in frequency of tooth deformities. Variation in frequency of tooth deformity may reflect interspecific differences in feeding behavior and dietary preferences. There is no suggestion in our data of any strong patterns of temporal variation in tooth deformity frequency, or of patterns ­reflecting chondrichthian phylogenetic history and evolution. Skeletal components of the probable prey of the Cretaceous species are preserved in the same horizons as the deformed teeth, and also are found within co-occurring chondrichthian coprolites.
Stochastic power control for CDMA over Rayleigh fading channels

We propose a decentralized stochastic power control algorithm which exhibits superior performance over Rayleigh fading channels as compared to the existing methods. The algorithm is obtained by a modification of the original stochastic-power control (SPC) algorithm proposed in S. Ulukus et al. (1998), and it takes the time variations of the channel into account, while updating the transmit powers. We illustrate the performance enhancement provided by several practical examples. Furthermore, we combine the new algorithm and SPC with bit estimation developed in P. Akula et al. (2002) and study its performance.
MRI for the assessment of the malformed fetus.

Ultrafast MRI sequences have changed the use of MRI for evaluating fetal abnormalities. Currently, the best application is the demonstration of normal fetal brain development and the further definition of suspected brain abnormalities found on ultrasound. MRI differentiates well the various types of fetal ventriculomegaly. Superior posterior fossa visualization allows differentiation of Dandy Walker malformation from a large cisterna magna. Anomalies of the corpus callosum and some disorders of neuronal migration can be seen. MRI is also valuable in the evaluation of fetal giant neck masses for planning delivery of the baby and surgery for life threatening airway obstruction. In the chest, MRI differentiates masses such as diaphragmatic hernia, cystic adenomatoid malformation and sequestration, and aids in planning fetal surgery because MRI directly visualizes the position of the lung, liver and bowel. MRI defines abnormalities of the urinary tract by demonstrating dysplastic pathology in the renal cortex and dilation of the collecting systems. Oligohydramnios does not effect MRI.
History of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and Bladder Cancer: An Immunotherapy Success Story

Purpose We review how the bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine evolved to become standard therapy for superficial bladder cancer. Materials and Methods We reviewed the historical literature describing the origin of the bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine as an anticancer agent and its singular success as the most effective immunotherapy used against a human neoplasm. Results The association between tuberculosis and cancer, and the demonstration that bacillus Calmette-Guerin invoked immunological reactivity, inhibiting tumor growth in experimental animal models, led to clinical trials showing that intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin eradicated and prevented recurrence of superficial bladder tumors. Conclusions For the last 3 decades bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy has remained the most effective local therapy for superficial bladder cancer, an outstanding example of successful translational medicine in urology.
Shadow-zone diffraction patterns for triangular obstacles

A simplified ray-optics (scalar) theory is presented which can be used to calculate interference patterns in the shadow of a diffracting obstacle whose transverse profile consists of two or more straight line segments. The theory is applicable when the pathlength-to-wavelength ratio is large and the diffraction angle is small, conditions typical of terrestrial microwave diffraction links over conical mountain peaks. Scale-model test results show that the theory quite accurately predicts the pattern structure.
Leadership: Finding Your Inner Throgmartin

Abstract This article suggests we all have leadership potential within us (our inner Throgmartin). Unlocking and cultivating that potential requires acquiring leadership knowledge, perfecting leade...
Factors influencing dispersal of larval Coleomegilla maculata from the weed Acalypha ostryaefolia to sweet corn

The polyphagous predator, Coleomegilla maculata (DeGeer) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), commonly oviposits on the native weed, Acalypha ostryaefolia Riddell (Euphorbiaceae), in and around Kentucky sweet corn fields. Cannibalism of eggs by C. maculata adults and larvae is drastically lower on A. ostryaefolia than on nearby sweet corn plants. We examined ovipositional preference of C. maculata for A. ostryaefolia plants or sweet corn plants, dispersal of larvae from A. ostryaefolia plants, capability for dispersal of larvae across bare soil (e.g., to nearby plants), ability of larvae to climb from ground level up A. ostryaefolia plants or sweet corn plants, and effect of A. ostryaefolia borders adjacent to sweet corn plots on C. maculata population density in sweet corn. The ovipositional preference study revealed that C. maculata laid more eggs on A. ostryaefolia than on corn. First-instar C. maculata that hatched from egg clusters on A. ostryaefolia dispersed predominantly by falling, rather than crawling, to the ground. Glandular trichomes on A. ostryaefolia petioles and stems apparently inhibited intraplant movement of first instars, resulting in those larvae falling directly from leaves to the ground. Some first instars were capable of moving at least 8 m across bare soil in 24 h. From the ground, significantly more first instars climbed sweet corn plants than climbed A. ostryaefolia plants. Significantly more larvae were present in sweet corn plots bordered by A. ostryaefolia plants than in sweet corn plots without an A. ostryaefolia border. These findings show that physical attributes of companion plants can significantly influence natural enemy populations on crop plants by affecting interplant dispersal of natural enemies.
Sensitivity analysis using type-based constraints

Function sensitivity --- how much the result of a function can change with respect to linear changes in the input --- is a key concept in many research areas. For instance, in differential privacy, one of the most common mechanisms for turning a (possibly privacy-leaking) query into a differentially private one involves establishing a boundon its sensitivity.One approach to sensitivity analysis is to use a type-based approach, extending the Hindley-Milner type system with functional types capturing statically the sensitivity of a functional expression. This approach --- based on affine logic --- has been used in Fuzz, a language for differentially private queries.We describe an automatic typed-based analysis that infers and checks the sensitivity annotations for simple functional programs. We have implemented a prototype in Fuzz's compiler. The first component of the analysis extends the typechecker to generate nonlinear constraints over the positive real numbers extended with infinity, which are then checked by the Z3 SMT solver; a solution for them will provide an upper bound on the sensitivity annotations and ensure the correctness of the annotations. We also present a simple sensitivity minimization procedure and demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach by analyzing several examples.
CLENCH: a program for calculating Cluster ENriCHment using the Gene Ontology

Summary: Analysis of microarray data most often produces lists of genes with similar expression patterns, which are then subdivided into functional categories for biological interpretation. Such functional categorization is most commonly accomplished using Gene Ontology (GO) categories. Although there are several programs that identify and analyze functional categories for human, mouse and yeast genes, none of them accept Arabidopsis thaliana data. In order to address this need for A.thaliana community, we have developed a program that retrieves GO annotations for A.thaliana genes and performs functional category analysis for lists of genes selected by the user. Availability: http://www.personal.psu.edu/nhs109/Clench
Ubiquitin receptors and protein quality control

Protein quality control (PQC) is essential to intracellular proteostasis and is carried out by sophisticated collaboration between molecular chaperones and targeted protein degradation. The latter is performed by proteasome-mediated degradation, chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), and selective macroautophagy, and collectively serves as the final line of defense of PQC. Ubiquitination and subsequently ubiquitin (Ub) receptor proteins (e.g., p62 and ubiquilins) are important common factors for targeting misfolded proteins to multiple quality control destinies, including the proteasome, lysosomes, and perhaps aggresomes, as well as for triggering mitophagy to remove defective mitochondria. PQC inadequacy, particularly proteasome functional insufficiency, has been shown to participate in cardiac pathogenesis. Tremendous advances have been made in unveiling the changes of PQC in cardiac diseases. However, the investigation into the molecular pathways regulating PQC in cardiac (patho)physiology, including the function of most ubiquitin receptor proteins in the heart, has only recently been initiated. A better understanding of molecular mechanisms governing PQC in cardiac physiology and pathology will undoubtedly provide new insights into cardiac pathogenesis and promote the search for novel therapeutic strategies to more effectively battle heart disease.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Focus on Cardiac Metabolism".
Pregnancy outcomes with weight gain above or below the 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate pregnancy outcomes according to 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) gestational weight gain guidelines.METHODS:This study is a secondary analysis of a preeclampsia prevention trial among nulliparas carrying singletons. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (adjusted for materna
A Late Mitotic Regulatory Network Controlling Cyclin Destruction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Exit from mitosis requires the inactivation of mitotic cyclin-dependent kinase‐ cyclin complexes, primarily by ubiquitin-dependent cyclin proteolysis. Cyclin destruction is regulated by a ubiquitin ligase known as the anaphase-promoting complex (APC). In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, members of a large class of late mitotic mutants, including cdc15, cdc5, cdc14, dbf2, and tem1, arrest in anaphase with a phenotype similar to that of cells expressing nondegradable forms of mitotic cyclins. We addressed the possibility that the products of these genes are components of a regulatory network that governs cyclin proteolysis. We identified a complex array of genetic interactions among these mutants and found that the growth defect in most of the mutants is suppressed by overexpression of SPO12, YAK1, and SIC1 and is exacerbated by overproduction of the mitotic cyclin Clb2. When arrested in late mitosis, the mutants exhibit a defect in cyclin-specific APC activity that is accompanied by high Clb2 levels and low levels of the anaphase inhibitor Pds1. Mutant cells arrested in G1 contain normal APC activity. We conclude that Cdc15, Cdc5, Cdc14, Dbf2, and Tem1 cooperate in the activation of the APC in late mitosis but are not required for maintenance of that activity in G1.
Retinal arterial but not venous tortuosity correlates with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy severity.

Background Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal-dominant disease beginning with facial and shoulder girdle weakness with variable progression. Exudative retinal detachment, retinal vessel irregularities on fluorescein angiography, and retinal vessel tortuosity have been found in association with FSHD. Methods In this retrospective study, muscle affectedness severity was rated as mild, moderate, or severe by a neurologist masked to the retinal images. Three ophthalmologists masked to disease severity graded the degree of arterial and venous tortuosity on a scale of 1 to 4. An automated method estimated an index of tortuosity for arteries and veins from color fundus photographs. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were used to describe the relationship between retinal vessel tortuosity and disease severity. Results Seven patients with an average age of 13 years (range, 7-36 years) were selected. Correlation between the subjective tortuosity for arteries, and the severity of FSHD was 0.78 ( p = 0.039). The correlation coefficient for venous tortuosity was −0.06 and was not significant ( p = 0.882). The correlation coefficient between the average algorithmic computer-generated tortuosity indices for arteries and FSHD severity was high (0.85, p = 0.016), but for veins it was low and not significant (0.19, p = 0.662). Conclusions The authors of previous reports have shown retinal vascular abnormalities did not correlate to FSHD disease severity. Our results suggest a correlation between the tortuosity of arteries and the severity of disease in FSHD patients. These results suggest the tortuosity of arteries can serve as a biomarker of severity of disease in these FSHD patients, either as determined by human experts or by an automated method.
H∞ estimation for fuzzy membership function optimization

Given a fuzzy logic system, how can we determine the membership functions that will result in the best performance? If we constrain the membership functions to a specific shape (e.g., triangles or trapezoids) then each membership function can be parameterized by a few variables and the membership optimization problem can be reduced to a parameter optimization problem. The parameter optimization problem can then be formulated as a nonlinear filtering problem. In this paper we solve the nonlinear filtering problem using H"~ state estimation theory. However, the membership functions that result from this approach are not (in general) sum normal. That is, the membership function values do not add up to one at each point in the domain. We therefore modify the H"~ filter with the addition of state constraints so that the resulting membership functions are sum normal. Sum normality may be desirable not only for its intuitive appeal but also for computational reasons in the real time implementation of fuzzy logic systems. The methods proposed in this paper are illustrated on a fuzzy automotive cruise controller and compared to Kalman filtering based optimization.
Accuracies of ancestral amino acid sequences inferred by the parsimony, likelihood, and distance methods

Information about protein sequences of ancestral organisms is important for identifying critical amino acid substitutions that have caused the functional change of proteins in evolution. Using computer simulation, we studied the accuracy of ancestral amino acids inferred by two currently available methods (maximum-parsimony [MP] and maximum-likelihood [ML] methods) in addition to a distance method, which was newly developed in this paper. All three methods give reliable inference when the divergence of amino acid sequences is low. When the extent of sequence divergence is high, however, the ML and distance methods give more accurate results than the MP method, particularly when the phylogenetic tree includes long branches. The accuracy of inferred ancestral amino acids does not change very much when a few present-day sequences are added or eliminated. When an incorrect model of amino acid substitution is used for the ML and distance methods, the accuracy decreases, but it is still higher than that for the MP method. When the tree topology used is partially incorrect, the accuracy in the correct part of the tree is virtually unaffected. The posterior probability of inferred ancestral amino acids computed by the ML and distance methods is an unbiased estimate of the true probability when a correct substitution model is used but may become an overestimate when a simpler model is used.
Children's awareness of their own certainty and understanding of deduction and guessing

We conducted three studies that investigated first through third grade children's ability to identify and remember deductive inference or guessing as the source of a belief, to detect and retain the certainty of a belief generated through inference or guessing and to evaluate another observer's inferences and guesses. Immediately following a deductive inference or guess, first and third grade children rated inferences as more certain than guessing, but following a brief delay, only third grade children rated inferences as more certain than guessing. Children generally were accurate at identifying inference or guessing as the source of their belief, either immediately or after a delay. Rating another observer's deductions as more certain than guesses increased between first and third grade, and among second grade children, was correlated with retention of children's own certainty. Implications of the results for the development of meta-cognitive knowledge are discussed.