cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist and GnRH agonist flare protocols for poor responders undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Objective To compare stimulation profiles, pregnancy, and live birth rates in poor responders during in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles using either a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist (cetrorelix) or a GnRH agonist flare protocol (leuprolide). Design Retrospective chart review. Setting A university-affiliated IVF program. Patient(s) Women designated as poor responders based on a prior stimulation cycle or baseline follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level of >10 mIU/mL, who needed at least 375 IU of starting daily gonadotropins in the study cycle. Intervention(s) Administration of GnRH agonist flare or GnRH antagonist protocol. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical pregnancy rate, live birth rate. Result(s) For 68 GnRH antagonist and 45 GnRH agonist flare cycles, the groups were similar with respect to age (38.8 versus 38.6 years) and basal FSH concentration (8.33 versus 8.65 mIU/mL). No statistically significant differences between the protocol types were noted in peak estradiol levels, amount of gonadotropins used, number of oocytes obtained, or embryos transferred. The pregnancy rates (40% versus 45.2%) and live birth rates (27.7% versus 31.7%) in the GnRH antagonist and flare groups, respectively, were similar. Conclusion(s) We achieved excellent and comparable pregnancy and live birth rates in poor responders of advanced reproductive age with the use of either GnRH antagonist or flare protocol.
Cadmium acclimation and limb regeneration in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator: Sex differences

Abstract After multiple autotomy in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator, cadmium retards limb regeneration and ecdysis. To study the effects of pre-exposure to lower levels of cadmium, groups were pre-exposed to 0·1, 0·5 or 1·0 mg liter−1 for a week prior to autotomy. Crabs were then placed in 1·0 mg liter−1 for regeneration. Pre-exposed groups were compared with groups of crabs which had not been pre-exposed to Cd. It was found that males pre-exposed to 0·5 mg liter−1 regenerated more rapidly in 1·0 mg liter−1 than those not pre-exposed. This phenomenon was not observed in females, in which none of the three pre-exposure concentrations were able to accelerate regeneration in 1·0 mg liter−1 relative to those not pre-exposed. In the pre-exposed males in which regeneration was accelerated and was comparable to control levels, no accompanying decrease of time until molting was observed. Therefore, the protective effect of pre-exposure would seem to be on the regeneration processes themselves and is not dependent on the neuroendocrine system which controls the molt cycle.
Evaluation of a predictive in vitro Leydig cell assay for anti-androgenicity of phthalate esters in the rat

An in vitro assay using the rat Leydig cell line R2C was evaluated for its ability to quantitatively predict inhibition of testosterone synthesis. Results obtained for endocrine active phthalates (MEHP, MBP), and inactive phthalates (MMP and MEP) were highly consistent with in vivo results based on tissue and media concentrations. Statistically significant inhibition of testosterone synthesis (p > 100 μM). Concentrations causing 50% inhibition of testosterone synthesis for MBP and MEHP (3 and 6 μM respectively), were similar to in vivo values (3 and 7 μM). The R2C assay was used to determine the relative potency of 14 structurally diverse monoesters and oxidative metabolites of MEHP. Monoesters with alkyl chains 4-5 carbons in length had the highest potency for testosterone inhibition, while 0-2 carbon alkyl chains were least potent. Phase I metabolism did not completely inactivate MEHP, underscoring the need for metabolism data when interpreting in vitro pharmacodynamic data. This steroid inhibition assay provides a predictive in vitro alternative to expensive and timeconsuming developmental rat studies for phthalate-induced antiandrogenicity.
Electrophysiology of mammalian thalamic neurones in vitro

Although much is known about the morphology and physiology of thalamic neurones1, no information is available regarding the ionic basis for the electrical excitability of these cells. Furthermore, possible differences in the electrical properties of the principal nerve cells in the various thalamic groups have not been studied in sufficient detail to determine whether the thalamus is, electrophysiologically, a uniform set of neuronal elements. Here we present evidence that thalamic neurones have voltage-sensitive ionic conductances capable of generating two distinct functional states—a repetitive and a burst-firing mode. The neurones are switched from one state to the other by membrane potential changes, each state being dominated by different voltage-dependent ionic conductances. At membrane potentials more positive than −60 mV, the neurones respond to a depolarization with repetitive firing via Na+dependent action potentials, whereas at potentials more negative than −65 mV, depolarization of the cell results in short bursts of action potentials via an inactivating all-or-none Ca2+-dependent spike. This property, present in all the neurones comprising the different thalamic nuclei, serves as the basis for their oscillatory properties. Particularly, the inactivating Ca2+ conductance represents the ionic basis for the post-anodal exaltation, the mechanism most probably responsible for the alpha rhythm.
The Quentin Martin Award

A new Society Award has been proposed to honor the memory of the late Dr. Quentin Martin, an innovative and successful water resource planner, previous editor of this journal, and a frequent contributor to ASCE water resource planning and management committees, conferences, and publications. Upon approval, the Quentin Martin Award will be presented annually to the authors of the outstanding practice-oriented paper in the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management (JWRPM). The publication may cover any relevant topic in the field of water resource planning, management, or operations, but it must clearly demonstrate the application of advanced or advancing methods to the solution of a real-world water resource problem. Naming the award for the best practice-oriented paper after Quentin is particularly appropriate, we think, because it will remind us of the importance of Quentin’s work as a gap bridger. He sought and delighted in finding ways to bridge gaps—not only those between theory and practice but also those between stakeholders who disagreed about how best to manage too much, too little, or poor-quality water. Naming the award after Quentin is also appropriate because he won this award for his paper, “Drought Management Plan for Lower Colorado River in Texas,” which was published in 1991. He later served as associate editor and then editor of JWPRM. In 2001, he received the ASCE Julian Hinds Award for his distinguished service and contributions advancing the field of planning, development, and management of water resources. At his death on May 11, 2003, Quentin was chief water resources planner of the Lower Colorado River Authority LCRA in Texas. Quentin had joined LCRA 18 years previously as manager of water policy and programs. At LCRA, he led the development of the first water management plan in Texas in 1989, followed by the first drought management plan in 1991. In the late 1990s, Quentin was instrumental in developing a regional long-term water plan under a statewide water resource planning process required by the Texas legislature. In this work, he guided and supported a planning group whose members represented water supply interests throughout the Colorado River basin. With Martin’s gap-bridging assistance, the group proposed an innova-
Antiinflammatory C-glucosyl chromone from Aloe barbadensis.

A new antiinflammatory agent identified as 8-[C-β-d-[2-O-(E)-cinnamoyl]glucopyranosyl]-2-[(R)-2-hydroxypropyl]-7-methoxy-5-methylchromone (1) has been isolated from Aloe barbadensis Miller. At a dose of 200 μg/mouse ear, 1 exhibited topical antiinflammatory activity equivlaent to 200 μg/ear of hydrocortisone. There was no reduction in thymus weight caused by treatment with 1 for any of the doses tested, while 200 μg/ear of hydrocortisone resulted in a 50% decrease in thymus weight.
An empirical expression for the determination of the effects of rain on the AC flashover voltage of high voltage insulators

Abstract This paper describes the development of an empirical expression that relates the AC flashover voltage of post-type insulators to the rate of rainfall, the conductivity of the rainwater, and the angle of the rainfall with respect to the insulator position. A unique and novel method is used to develop the empirical relationship. The resulting empirical expression shows good agreement with experimental AC flashover voltage values obtained from laboratory tests.
Composition of metal in Type III carbonaceous chondrites and its relevance to the source-assignment of lunar metal

Abstract The metal in seven Type III carbonaceous chondrites has been measured for concentrations of Ni, Co and Cr. Cobalt in kamacite is 3.2 to 5.5 times greater than in taenite on composite grains containing both phases. No correlation was found between the metal compositions and sub-type classification. Ni and Co contents of kamacite from several of the Type III's studied fall outside of the range for these elements in bulk meteoritic metal and are relevant to the assignment of a meteoritic vs a non-meteoritic origin for lunar metal particles in the fines and breccias.
The performance of precursor-based estimators for rare event frequencies

Abstract Data on accident ‘precursors’ or ‘near misses’ can help in obtaining accurate estimators of accident frequencies when actual accident data is sparse. A variety of precursor-based estimators have been proposed in the literature. This paper presents results of a simulation study to assess the statistical performance of several such estimators, to help in determining which are the most suitable for use in practice.
Hans Spemann and the organizer concept.

In his autobiography2 (p. 171), Spemann says: ‘My strongest inclination and talents are a combination of inquiry into general problems (allgemeine Fragestellung) and technical invention.’ He achieved what he did by bringing these inclinations and talents to their fullest development. Those who are not familiar with the ‘metier’ of the experimental scientist can hardly realize how much attention to minute details and mere drudgery go into experimental work. Spemann had his full share, but no matter how painstaking the labors, the findings were never more than a few steps away from the problem. And it is true that he derived an extraordinary enjoyment and gratification from his very considerable manual skill. He could spend hours playing with glass tubing and rods over the Bunsen — or microburner, preparing instruments for his microsurgery. After his retirement, he writes in a letter to me (8 July 1937): ‘At the moment my passion for playing (with instruments) celebrates orgies, and I feel transferred back to the times when I invented the glass needle technique; the same oblivion of time; the same curiosity and tension and “herzklopfende Seligkeit”.’
Strategies for Obtaining Probability Samples of Homeless Youth

Studies of homeless individuals typically sample subjects from few types of sites or regions within a metropolitan area. This article focuses on the biases that can result from such a practice. We obtained a probability sample of 419 homeless youth from 41 sites (shelters, drop-in centers, and streets) in four regions of Los Angeles County (LAC). We found that restricting the frame to only certain types of sites or geographic regions biased the sample in terms of demographic and background characteristics as well as rates of risky behaviors. For example, homeless youth who can be found in shelters (vs. those who do not use shelters) and Hollywood (vs. other regions of LAC) tend to be younger, minorities, and engage less in risky behaviors. Recommendations are provided for evaluating the trade-offs between bias and cost in selecting a sampling strategy for studies of homeless individuals.
Pseudorandom number generator for massively parallel molecular-dynamics simulations

A class of uniform pseudorandom number generators is proposed for modeling and simulations on massively parallel computers. The algorithm is simple, nonrecursive, and is easily transported to serial or vector computers. We have tested the procedure for uniformity, independence, and correlations by several methods. Related, less complex sequences passed some of these tests well enough; however, inadequacies were revealed by tests for correlations and in an interesting application, namely, annealing from an initial lattice that is mechanically unstable. In the latter case, initial velocities chosen by a random number generator that is not sufficiently random lead quickly to unphysical regularity in grain structure. The new class of generators passes this dynamical diagnostic for unwanted correlations.
Absolute orientation of molecules of amphiphilic alcohols in crystalline monolayers at the air-water interface

The absolute orientations of the amphiphilic molecules α-hydroxy ω-bromo alcohols BrCnH2n OH, n = 21, 22, and the alkyl hydroxy esters CmH2m+1COO(CH2)nOH, m = 14, 15, n = 10, in crystalline monolayer forms on water have been determined, the former by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) and the latter by sum frequency generation (SFG). The assignment was made for the alkyl hydroxy esters by establishing the polar angle between the terminal CH3−C bond and the normal to the plane of the monolayer; for the bromo alcohols the assignment was made by a determination of the two-dimensional crystal structure via X-ray structure factor calculations. The SFG results are in agreement with reported GIXD and lattice energy analyses of the alkyl hydroxy esters m = 19, n = 9, 10. These studies have further revealed the absolute orientation of the alcohol C−OH bonds at the water surface, which in turn can be correlated with the ice-nucleating behavior of the monolayers on supercooled water drops in terms of the odd...
DH Ratios and late-stage dehydration of shales during burial

DH Ratios of OH hydrogen in clay minerals of three sequences of deeply buried Gulf Coast shales were measured 1. (1) to investigate the relationship between these ratios and particle size and mode of formation of clay minerals 2. (2) to search for evidence of isotopic fractionation between residual pore water and expelled pore waters, and 3. (3) to test the hypothesis that montmorillonite → illite conversion is the most important mechanism of the late-stage dehydration of these shales. Samples were taken from subsurface to depths of 18.000 ft. δD Values range from −33 to −73% The range in δD values among different size fractions of a shale is about 15–20%. in the upper sections of the wells; the range decreases with depth of burial. The large range is mostly due to the variation in proportion of clays of different origins. Differences in δD among different size fractions indicate isotopic disequilibrium between clays of different sizes. In CWRU Well No. 6, which penetrated to about 18,000 ft below surface, the < 0.1-μm clays from depths down to 8300 ft are depleted by about 20%. relative to deeper levels, suggesting parallel difference in δD between their co-existing pore waters. I conclude that: 1. (i) significant D-H fractionation occurred between residual and expelled pore water in these shales, and 2. (ii) the conversion of montmorillonite to illite during burial diagenesis of shales is the most important mechanism of late-stage dehydration. The isotope fractionation factor (α) between the OH hydrogen in clay minerals and water was estimated to decrease by about 0.00016 ± 0.00003 per °C increase in temperature (in the range 29–120°C). Assuming that αmontmorillonite-water is 0.96 ± 0.02 at 25°C, the following equation may be obtained: 1000 In αmontmorillonite-waterhydrogen = −19.6 103T + 25
Thoracic gunshot wounds in children under 17 years of age

Abstract Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in the incidence of gunshot wounds (GSW) among Americans under 19 years of age. Despite the increase, pediatric GSW have received little attention in the literature, and no study has focused on pediatric victims of thoracic GSW. In the present study, the authors performed a retrospective review of the records of 51 patients under 17 years of age who were treated for thoracic GSW at adjoining level I pediatric and adult trauma centers between July 1987 and June 1995. The primary catchment area for these institutions is a lower socioeconomic, urban tenancy. The study population was 80.4% male and 86.3% black; the mean age was 12.4 years. The mean injury severity score and trauma score were 13.6 and 13.4, respectively. Although statistically significant differences could not be demonstrated with this population size, trends were evident when the group was subdivided by age group (≤12 years and >12 years of age). The younger group was more likely to require a thoracic operation after injury (35.3% v 23.5%), to have unstable vital signs (41.2% v 26.5%), to have a higher total abbreviated injury score (AIS) for the chest (4.8 v 4.0); however, their total extrathoracic AIS was lower (2.1 v 3.1). The younger group spent more time in the hospital and in the intensive care unit (7.6 v 4.6 days and 2.0 v 0.9 days, respectively). The younger children were more likely to have sustained injury by unintentional crossfire (35.3% v 14.7%) and were never injured by intentional assault (0% v 47.2%). Overall, 50% of the patients required surgery, including 93.8% of the patients who had unstable vital signs at the time of arrival. All six deaths (11.8%) owing to the thoracic injury occurred in patients who had mediastinal injury that required an emergency-department thoracotomy (EDT). The authors conclude that among this predominantly black male population, there are different trends with respect to treatment, circumstances, and pattern of injury between the younger and older subpopulations.
Molecular cloning and expression of a cDNA encoding the membrane-associated rat intestinal alkaline phosphatase

Abstract Rat intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) has been purified and proteolytic fragments sequenced. A cDNA library was constructed from duodenal poly(A)+ RNA and screened for IAP positive clones by a full-length cDNA clone-encoding human IAP. A full length rat IAP clone (2237 bp) was isolated and sequenced, revealing a predicted primary sequence of 519 amino acids (61.974 kDa) with an additional signal peptide of 20 amino acids. 80% of amino acids from residues 1–474 were identical when compared with the human IAP, but there was only 31% identity in the COOH-terminal 45 amino acids. The homology diverges just before the putative binding site for the phosphatidylinositol-glycan (PI-glycan) anchor. The resulting peptide in rat AP contains five hydrophilic amino acids not present in the primary structure of human IAP. Binding of a synthetic 48-mer encoding a portion of this unique and divergent region (residues 476–491) was compared with that of the full-length clone on Northern blots of rat intestinal RNA. Two mRNAs, 3.0 and 2.7 kb, were detected by both probes, confirming earlier results, but the 48-mer bound preferentially to the 3.0 kb mRNA. The protein product of the full-length cDNA in a cell-free system was 62 kDa, corresponding with the smaller of the two IAP proteins produced by rat duodenal RNA. The cDNA transfected into COS-1 cells produced a membrane-bound IAP that was released by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase (PI-PLC). These data provide definitive evidence that IAP is anchored by PI-glycan and conclusively demonstrate that the unique COOH-terminal structure encoded by this rat mRNA supports the addition of a PI-glycan anchor.
Smoking habits and attitudes of oral and maxillofacial surgeons

A survey was done on the smoking behavior and attitudes of 1349 fellows and members of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. It was found that only 8% of this group currently smoke, 40% were former smokers, and 52% had never smoked; the nonsmokers were significantly younger than the smokers. The respondents generally did not permit smoking in the waiting room, and were active in advising patients against smoking and in follow-up on their use of tobacco. It was concluded that although there is still room for improvement, oral and maxillofacial surgeons are currently quite effective in controlling their own smoking habits and in helping their patients to do likewise.
A Distributed Transfer Function Method for Heat Conduction Problems in Multilayer Composites

A new analytical solution method is developed for problems of conduction heat transfer in one-dimensional multilayer composite bodies. In this method, the original governing equations are first cast in a spatial state form in the Laplace transform domain; the solution of the state equation is then obtained in terms of distributed transfer functions. With a new residue formula, inverse Laplace transform of the s-domain solution yields exact transient temperature and heat flux. Exact steady-state solutions are also obtained with the transfer function formulation. The proposed method is numerically efficient as it only requires simple operations of two-by-two matrices.
Plunger Failure on a Second Stage Cylinder of a Hyper Compressor

In February 2006 a tungsten carbide plunger of the second stage cilinder of a hyper compressor fractured. The failure occurred on the part of the plunger that is running in the high pressure packing. After the incident a failure and unknown cause analysis (UCA) was conducted. It was concluded that the main cause for the failure were heat cracks that initiated a fatigue crack over 60% of the cross section of the plunger prior to final fracture. It appeared that the use of a more wear resistant sealing ring material and poor lubrication conditions during high leak gas caused the initiation of the heat cracks. The more wear resistant ring material was used in all of our compressors. An operation, monitoring and replacement strategy was developed to assure a safe operation. In this way a scheduled replacement of the rings by a non sensitive ring material was possible and production loss was minimized. In the paper all aspects of this case will be discussed.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study to investigate the role of existing dislocations on the incipient plasticity under nanoindentation

Abstract Incipient plasticity is realized in the nanoindentation load-depth response as a load-drop under a displacement controlled loading condition or as a displacement-burst under a load controlled loading condition. Experimental results indicate that the characteristics of load-drop or displacement-burst such as the critical indentation load, critical indentation depth, magnitude of load-drop, or magnitude of displacement-burst, can vary substantially, depending on the microstructural conditions of the deformation volume. In this article, a molecular dynamic (MD) simulation study to investigate the role of existing dislocations, particularly the role of mutual interaction of individual dislocations, on incipient plasticity under nanoindentation is reported. Dislocations are introduced into the perfect lattice structure of a copper sample by removing two adjacent layers of atoms. Subsequent stabilization of the this system results in extended edge dislocations (EEDs) consisting of two partial dislocations and a stacking fault. The nanoindentation is simulated with three different tip radii on these samples consisting of various number of EEDs. Results show that, a substantial cross-slipping of atoms at constriction points formed by the motion of partial dislocations toward each other, driven by the indenter stress field, is a potential deformation mechanism that yield load-drop (or displacement-burst). The effect of partial dislocations on critical indentation load, critical indentation depth, and magnitude of load-drop (or displacement-burst) is studied. The mutual interaction of the local stress fields of neighboring partials have significant influence on the deformation kinematics, and consequently, on the various characteristics of incipient plasticity.
Fiber-image Analysis Part II: Measurement of General Geometric Properties of Fibers

As the second part of the series, this paper describes image-analysis algorithms specially designed for measuring the general geometric properties of fibers, such as diameter, length, crimp, and cross-sectional shape. Fibers are imaged longitudinally or transversely through a CCD camera and/or a scanner. Fiber diameters of longitudinal segments in an image are measured by using a scanning algorithm or a shrinking algorithm. Both algorithms can work for an image in which fiber segments cross over each other, and efforts for sample preparation can therefore be eased and more samples can be contained in one image frame. The structures of staples or single fibers are simplified by their skeletons, which can facilitate the measurement of fiber length and crimp. A polynomial-fitting technique is utilized to estimate the natural lengths of fibers that are crimped and curled. The paper also describes new procedures for measuring crimp descriptors and reviews the methods for fiber cross-sectional measurements base...
Molecular mimicry of hepatitis B surface antigen by an anti-idiotype-derived synthetic peptide

Abstract Monoclonal antibody 2F10 is an "internal-image" anti-idiotype (anti-id) antibody capable of mimicking the group-specific "a" determinant of human hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). By mRNA sequencing and computer-assisted molecular modeling of monoclonal antibody 2F10, we identified a 15-amino acid region of the heavy-chain hypervariable region that has partial residue homology with sequences of the "a" determinant epitopes of HBsAg. We have established that a linear 15-mer peptide from a contiguous region on the anti-id antibody can (i) generate anti-HBsAg-specific antibodies when injected into mice, (ii) prime murine lymph node cells for in vitro HBsAg-specific T-cell proliferative responses, and (iii) stimulate in vitro human CD4+ T cells that were primed in vivo to HBsAg by natural infection with hepatitis B virus or vaccination with a commercially available HBsAg vaccine. Significantly, this peptide could also stimulate CD4+ T cells of human hepatitis B virus carriers. We conclude that a 15-mer peptide derived from the anti-id sequence can duplicate the B- and T-cell stimulatory activity of the intact anti-id antibody and the antigen that is mimicked, HBsAg.
Angular distributions in the photoelectron spectroscopy of carbon monoxide

Abstract The angular distributions of the photoelectron intensity for CO have been investigated using a photoelectron spectrometer that has a rotatable detector and an HeI light source. The asymmetry parameter β was carefully measured for 24 vibrational transitions spanning three ionization bands. Its variation with final-state vibrational quantum number was found to have an unusual behavior. It is concluded that an autoionizing state of CO should exist at 584 A in order to account for this behavior, and that the value of β is very sensitive to the presence of such a state.
The Śāradātilakatantra on yoga: A new edition and translation of chapter 25

This article provides a new edition and translation of chapter 25 of the Śāradātilaka(tantra), a compendium on mantraśāstra composed, probably in the twelfth century, by Lakṣmaṇadeśika. The chapter itself presents a type of yoga that combines elements we normally associate with different yoga systems. In particular, we find elements associated with systems usually labelled as haṭhayoga, and elements of mantra practice as well. The chapter also contains references to the methodical knowledge of the rise or predominance of the gross elements (bhūtodaya, also known as svarodaya) and its connection with the six rites of magic. The significance of chapter 25 lies in the fact that it provides us insight into the teachings on yoga in a comparatively early text.
Credit Default Swap Clearinghouses and Systemic Risk: Why Centralized Counterparties Must Have Access to Central Bank Liquidity

Credit default swaps ("CDSs") were widely blamed as a primary cause of the recent financial crisis; CDSs fomented panic as the price of credit protection spiked and contributed to the Federal Reserve's decision to bail out American International Group. To reduce the likelihood that credit derivatives will lead to future financial distress, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act mandates that many CDSs be traded through a centralized counterparty, a clearinghouse that acts as a seller to every buyer and a buyer to every seller. Proponents of central clearing argue that this reform minimizes risks to the financial system by reducing interconnections and dispersing losses. While the systemic benefits of central clearing are manifest, the downsides are less obvious; clearinghouses concentrate risk and pose enormous threats to financial stability should they fail. Ignoring such drawbacks, several members of Congress involved in the Dodd-Frank negotiations, disturbed by the Federal Reserve's unprecedented market interventions, sought to revoke the central bank's authority to lend to clearinghouses. This Article argues that these imprudent efforts, though ultimately unsuccessful, could have prevented the Federal Reserve from staving off a catastrophic clearinghouse collapse. This Article asserts that clearinghouse access to central bank credit is crucial, particularly when central clearing of volatile CDSs is required.
Intracellular cholesterol transporter StarD4 binds free cholesterol and increases cholesteryl ester formation.

StarD4 protein is a member of the StarD4 subfamily of steroidogenic acute regulatory-related lipid transfer (START) domain proteins that includes StarD5 and StarD6, proteins whose functions remain poorly defined. The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize StarD4's sterol binding and to determine in a hepatocyte culture model its sterol transport capabilities. Utilizing purified full-length StarD4, in vitro binding assays demonstrated a concentration-dependent binding of [14C]cholesterol by StarD4 similar to that of the cholesterol binding START domain proteins StarD1 and StarD5. Other tested sterols showed no detectable binding to StarD4, except for 7α-hydroxycholesterol, for which StarD4 demonstrated weak binding on lipid protein overlay assays. Subsequently, an isolated mouse hepatocyte model was used to study the ability of StarD4 to bind/mobilize/distribute cellular cholesterol. Increased expression of StarD4 in primary mouse hepatocytes led to a marked increase in the intracellular cholesteryl ester concentration and in the rates of bile acid synthesis. The ability and specificity of StarD4 to bind cholesterol and, as a function of its level of expression, to direct endogenous cellular cholesterol suggest that StarD4 plays an important role as a directional cholesterol transporter in the maintenance of cellular cholesterol homeostasis.
Inactivation of Viable Ascaris Eggs by Reagents during Enumeration

Various reagents commonly used to enumerate viable helminth eggs from wastewater and sludge were evaluated for their potential to inactivate Ascaris eggs under typical laboratory conditions. Two methods were used to enumerate indigenous Ascaris eggs from sludge samples. All steps in the methods were the same except that in method I a phase extraction step with acid-alcohol (35% ethanol in 0.1 N H2SO4) and diethyl ether was used whereas in method II the extraction step was avoided by pouring the sample through a 38-μm-mesh stainless steel sieve that retained the eggs. The concentration of eggs and their viability were lower in the samples processed by method I than in the samples processed by method II by an average of 48 and 70%, respectively. A second set of experiments was performed using pure solutions of Ascaris suum eggs to elucidate the effect of the individual reagents and relevant combination of reagents on the eggs. The percentages of viable eggs in samples treated with acid-alcohol alone and in combination with diethyl ether or ethyl acetate were 52, 27, and 4%, respectively, whereas in the rest of the samples the viability was about 80%. Neither the acid nor the diethyl ether alone caused any decrease in egg viability. Thus, the observed inactivation was attributed primarily to the 35% ethanol content of the acid-alcohol solution. Inactivation of the eggs was prevented by limiting the direct exposure to the extraction reagents to 30 min and diluting the residual concentration of acid-alcohol in the sample by a factor of 100 before incubation. Also, the viability of the eggs was maintained if the acid-alcohol solution was replaced with an acetoacetic buffer. None of the reagents used for the flotation step of the sample cleaning procedure (ZnSO4, MgSO4, and NaCl) or during incubation (0.1 N H2SO4 and 0.5% formalin) inactivated the Ascaris eggs under the conditions studied.
Microsatellite DNA analysis shows that greater sage grouse leks are not kin groups

The spectacular social courtship displays of lekking birds are thought to evolve via sexual selection, but this view does not easily explain the participation of many males that apparently fail to mate. One of several proposed solutions to this ‘lek skew paradox’ is that kin selection favors low-ranking males joining leks to increase the fitness of closely related breeders. We investigated the potential for kin selection to operate in leks of the greater sage grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus, by estimating relatedness between lekking males using microsatellite DNA markers. We also calibrated these estimates using data from known families. Mean relatedness within leks was statistically indistinguishable from zero. We also found no evidence for local clustering of kin during lek display, although males tended to range closer to kin when off the lek. These results make kin selection an unlikely solution to the lek skew paradox in sage grouse. Together with other recent studies, they also raise the question of why kin selection apparently promotes social courtship in some lekking species, but not in others.
A multipass approach to joint data and channel estimation in long-code CDMA systems

The problem of joint data detection and channel estimation for a code division multiple access system adopting aperiodic spreading codes is considered. Assuming that each transmitted data frame contains a short preamble of known symbols, a detection strategy is proposed that relies on an iterative exchange of information between the data detector and the channel estimator. This strategy, which is termed "multipass," is shown to be capable of alleviating, at the price of some attendant increase in the computational complexity (or, equivalently, in the detection delay), the performance degradation induced by the lack of prior knowledge about the channel state and the users' timing offsets. Both the mobile-to-base (uplink) and base-to-mobile (downlink) communication hauls are considered, and algorithms suited for each of these scenarios are proposed. Analytical findings and extensive computer simulations confirm that the proposed strategy achieves excellent results.
Purification, crystallization and initial X-ray analysis of the head–tail connector of bacteriophage φ29

The head–tail connector of bacteriophage φ29, an oligomer of gene product 10 (gp10), was crystallized into various forms. The most useful of these were an orthorhombic P22121 form (unit-cell parameters a = 143.0, b = 157.0, c = 245.2 A), a monoclinic C2 form (a = 160.7, b = 143.6, c = 221.0 A, β = 97.8°) and another monoclinic C2 form (a = 177.0, b = 169.1, c = 185.2 A, β = 114.1°). Frozen crystals diffracted to about 3.2 A resolution. There is one connector per crystallographic asymmetric unit in each case. Rotation functions show the connector to be a dodecamer. Translation functions readily determined the position of the 12-fold axis in each unit cell. The structure is being determined by 12-fold electron-density averaging within each crystal and by averaging between the various crystal forms.
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

The Institute of Food Technologists has issued this Scientific Status Summary to update our knowledge of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and provide an authoritative perspective on the surrounding regulatory and trade landscape.
Structure and tectonics of the Hudson Valley fold-thrust belt, eastern New York State

Analysis of structural features displayed in Silurian and Devonian strata of the Hudson Valley region indicate that these rocks form the western edge of a now largely eroded, west-verging, fold-thrust belt (the Hudson Valley fold-thrust belt, or “HVB”). West of the Hudson River, remnants of this fold-thrust belt define a miniature valley and ridge province. Faults of the HVB die out to the west as blind thrusts in the basal units of the Catskill clastic wedge. Structural geometries displayed in the HVB vary rapidly along strike and are locally complicated by internal deformation of thrust sheets and by movement on out-of-the-syncline faults. It is proposed that exposed faults of the HVB west of the river arise from a basal detachment, here called the “Rondout detachment,” that lies above the Taconic unconformity. The Rondout detachment and the overlying thrust system have been bent into large-amplitude folds; Ordovician units beneath the Rondout detachment must have shortened during development of these folds. Area balancing of cross-sectional models suggests that the shortening affecting Ordovician units could be restricted to rock above a lower blind detachment (the “Austin Glen detachment”) positioned within Ordovician strata at a depth of ∼400 m below ground surface. The age of deformation and the tectonic setting of the HVB is enigmatic; its spatial relation to the Catskill clastic wedge and to Acadian metamorphic terranes suggests that the belt represents foreland shortening developed during the Acadian Orogeny.
Multiplication-stimulating activity for chicken embryo fibroblasts from rat liver cell conditioned medium: a family of small polypeptides.

A partially purified multiplication-stimulating activity for chicken embryo fibroblasts in cell culture was isolated from rat liver cell conditioned medium (see preceding paper, Dulak and Temin, 1973). It has been analyzed by isoelectric focusing and by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Multiplication-stimulating activity resided in a family of at least four polypeptides which were similar in apparent molecular size, but different in electrical charge. These polypeptides have a specific activity of about 50,000 with respect to serum. One of them has been purified on a small scale to apparent homogeneity in a sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel.
Mind styles and the hypnotic induction profile: measure and match to enhance medical treatment.

Modern medical technology and economic impositions tend to dehumanize the medical patient. This paper describes a targeted use of the hypnotic modality for relationship building, symptom management, and restoring a sense of self to the patient. To humanize medical care one patient at a time, examples are given for the use of the Hypnotic Induction Profile, the Eye Roll sign and AOD (Apollonian – Odyssean – Dionysian) Mind-Style Questionnaire as a basis for choosing biopsycho-social treatment strategies. This trio of assessments can be used together, in approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or separately, if treatment decisions need to be made in a few minutes or less. The hypothesis presented is that matching treatment strategies, with or without formal hypnosis, to hypnotic capacity and mind style can increase respectful care and efficacy of treatment outcome. Clinical examples will illustrate this approach to enhance recovery, morale, and maximize patients’ ability to become active partners on their own behalf.
The role of sources of income and investment opportunities in rural savings

An investigation of the effect that sources of income and investment opportunities have on savings behavior of farm households in rural India was designed to use panel data from agricultural years 1968-1969, 1969-1970, and 1970-1971 to identify permanent and transitory components of a household's income. The propensity to save out of nonagricultural income was higher than the propensity to save out of agricultural income. This result is unexpected if one presumes that agricultural incomes reflect entrepreneurial income, investment opportunities, and control over assets. However, the permanent income hypothesis offers an alternative explanation for the observed result. Specifically, marginal propensity to save (MPS) out of nonagricultural income is higher because this income has a larger transitory element. Analysis of the theoretical relationship between savings and investment opportunities indicates that savings rates could either increase or decrease with an increase in these opportunities. Statistical data are included. 29 references.
Differences in Intrinsic Functional Organization Between Dorsolateral Prefrontal and Posterior Parietal Cortex

The dorsolateral prefrontal and posterior parietal cortex are 2 components of the cortical network controlling attention, working memory, and executive function. Little is known about how the anatomical organization of the 2 areas accounts for their functional specialization. In order to address this question, we examined the strength of intrinsic functional connectivity between neurons sampled in each area by means of cross-correlation analyses of simultaneous recordings from monkeys trained to perform working memory tasks. In both areas, effective connectivity declined as a function of distance between neurons. However, the strength of effective connectivity was higher overall and more localized over short distances in the posterior parietal than the prefrontal cortex. The difference in connectivity strength between the 2 areas could not be explained by differences in firing rate or selectivity for the stimuli and task events, it was present when the fixation period alone was analyzed, and according to simulation results, was consistent with a systematic difference either in the strength or in the relative numbers of shared inputs between neurons. Our results indicate that the 2 areas are characterized by unique intrinsic functional organization, consistent with known differences in their response patterns during working memory.
A SHORT-TIMESCALE CHANNEL OF DISSIPATION OF THE STRONG SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE

Hybrid numerical simulations of a turbulent cascade nearly perpendicular to the background magnetic field are carried out at the proton kinetic scales. It is shown that the cascade produces exponentially growing current sheets previously observed in fluid simulations. In the kinetic limit, the sheets are developing on a timescale as fast as the proton gyration. The rapid variations of the electric field associated with the sheets can demagnetize the protons and increase their thermal energy preferentially across the mean magnetic field. The relevance of this mechanism to the solar wind heating is discussed.
Evaluation of a School-Based, Universal Violence Prevention Program: Low-, Medium-, and High-Risk Children

The current investigation examined the differential effectiveness of Peace Builders, a large-scale, universal violence prevention program, on male and female youth identified as low, medium, or high risk for future violence. It included eight urban schools randomly assigned to intensive intervention and wait-list control conditions. The current sample included N = 2,380 predominantly minority children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Results indicated differential effectiveness of the intervention, by level of risk; high-risk children reported more decreases in aggression and more increases in social competence in comparison to children at medium and low levels of risk. Findings add to a growing number of promising science-based prevention efforts that seek to reduce aggression and increase social competence; they provide encouraging evidence that relatively low-cost, schoolwide efforts have the potential to save society millions in victim, adjudication, and incarceration costs.
Gangs and public policy

Research Summary Attention to gang issues has dramatically increased in the last several decades, both in the scholarly literature and in law enforcement. Despite widespread attention to the gang problem, researchers, police officers, and lawmakers have yet to agree on definitions used to characterize and understand the problem. This article summarizes the existing literature concerning the importance of accurately defining and classifying gang members, documents and analyzes state and federal gang legislation in the United States, and provides a detailed analysis of one state's system that might serve as a useful model for other states. Policy Implications Serious risks to public safety and civil liberties are associated with Type 1 and Type 2 classification errors regarding gang membership. The wide variation in state statutory definitions of “gang member” and in the construction and administration of gang databases presents major challenges for policymakers and academic researchers. This article addresses these challenges and argues that a more rigorous and unified system, based on one state's existing model, might be possible and could offer significant advantages in our efforts to address the delinquent and criminal behavior of gangs throughout the United States.
Improving SNR for DSM Linear Systems Using Probabilistic Error Correction and State Restoration: A Comparative Study

Smaller feature sizes and lower supply voltages make DSM devices more susceptible to soft errors generated by alpha particles and neutrons as well as other sources of environmental noise. In this scenario, soft-error/noise tolerant techniques are necessary for maintaining the SNR of critical DSP applications. This paper studies linear DSP circuits and discusses two low cost techniques for improving the SNR of DSP filters. Both techniques use a single checksum variable for error detection. This gives a distance two code that is traditionally good for error detection but not correction. In this paper, such a code is used to improve SNR rather than perfectly remove the error. The first technique, checksum-based probabilistic error correction, uses the value indicated by the checksum variable to probabilistically correct the error and achieves up to 5 dB improvement in the SNR value. The second technique, state restoration, works well when the length of burst errors is small and the error magnitude is large. A general error statistics has been defined as a random process and the distribution of SNR is compared for the two proposed techniques.