cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE ECONOMIC DIMENSION TO THE PRODUCTION OF FISH LAKE QARUN IN FAYOUM GOVERNORATE

lake Qarun is considered as the third largest lake in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and it is the main reservoir of agriculture drainage water in the province of Fayoum. The salinity increased in the lake Qarun from 32.45% in 2015 to about 34.3% in 2016, which caused declining production of fish, and the disappearance of some fish species with deterioration of the productivity of other species. The fish production by the lake decreased from 41.0% in 1995 to about 20.2% in 2014 of the total production of fish in Fayoum governorate. The study aims to identify the fish production at the lake applying the standard functions of production and costs, estimate the maximum sustainable yield (MSY), maximum rate of fishing efforts, and identify the most important marketing problems facing fishermen. Also, the study searching the marketing problems of fish at Qarun lake.The study results showed that white shrimp represents about 86.7% of total production at the lake, and its relative importance decreased compared with other fish species such as tilapia, mullet and Sole by about 9.54%, 1.91%, 1.82%, respectively .The average total costs were 243.98 Egyptian Pounds / Effort, and the average total revenue was586.36 Egyptian Pounds / Effort. The average net return was 342.37 Egyptian Pounds / Effort, which means that every Egyptian Pound invested in fishing at Lake Qarun had 0.403 Egyptian Pounds.The value of production elasticity, showed that increasing total input used at the Lake Qarun by 1% will increase production by 1.403%. To get the maximum sustainable yield at Lake Qarun, each effort need to produce 331.5 kg / Effort, and the average production of 262.8 kg / Effort.Compare actual and optimal production per effort, last result required to increase production by 68.7 kg / Effort. The production level which maximize profits was 508.0 kg / Effort. The maximum sustainable production (MSY) at the lake was 4303.4 tons per year, an increase of 39.6% from the average study of about 3082.3 tons, period, and that the actual fishing effort and estimated at 542 compound has exceeded the maximum fishing effort to the production estimated at 356 compound, an increase of approximately 52.3%.The most important marketing problem was the lack of market equipment’s by 85.2%, and the most important fishing problem was the disappearance of many species of fish species by 100%, and the most important sources of Lake Qarun water pollution were agricultural, industrial and sewage pollution by 98.4.%, 93.4 %, and 91.8%. respectively
Circadian clock synchrony and chronotherapy opportunities in cancer treatment

Cell-autonomous, tissue-specific circadian rhythms in gene expression and cellular processes have been observed throughout the human body. Disruption of daily rhythms by mistimed exposure to light, food intake, or genetic mutation has been linked to cancer development. Some medications are also more effective at certain times of day. However, a limited number of clinical studies have examined daily rhythms in the patient or drug timing as treatment strategies. This review highlights advances and challenges in cancer biology as a function of time of day. Recent evidence for daily rhythms and their entrainment in tumors indicate that personalized medicine should include understanding and accounting for daily rhythms in cancer patients.
A Field Guide to Whole Number Representations in Children’s Books

Trade books are a common resource used to teach children mathematical ideas. Yet, detailed analyses of the mathematics content of such books to determine potential impacts on learning are needed. This study investigated how trade books represent whole numbers. A two-pronged approach was used a) one team documented every way 197 books represented numerical ideas and b) another team used standards to identify ideal representations. A third team validated the traits on 67 books. Greater variation than expected was documented (103 traits identified) and organized into a field guide for researchers to consult to design studies about how particular traits influence number learning. Studies could investigate how a particular trait supports learning or experimentally compare a selected combination of the 45 pictorial, 45 written symbol, 10 tactile, 2 kinesthetic, and 1 auditory trait. Implications for practice include recognizing what representations are present or missing from books used in classrooms. The study also serves as an example of how the field of mathematics education would benefit from adopting structures from disciplinary science, such as field guides, to inform how we organize phenomena of mathematics learning.
Nonhuman Primate Models of Zika Virus Infection and Disease during Pregnancy.

Since the explosive outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil and South/Central America in 2015–2016, the frequency of infections has subsided, but Zika virus remains present in this region as well as other tropical and sub-tropical areas of the globe. The most alarming aspect of Zika virus infection is its association with severe birth defects when infection occurs in pregnant women. Understanding the mechanism of Zika virus pathogenesis, which comprises features unique to Zika virus as well as shared with other teratogenic pathogens, is key to future prophylactic or therapeutic interventions. Nonhuman primate-based research has played a significant role in advancing our knowledge of Zika virus pathogenesis, especially with regard to fetal infection. This review summarizes what we have learned from these models and potential future research directions.
Modulation of EGFR and MAPK pathways by HB-EGF in response to chemotherapy is induced by NF-κB activation

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 1270 We have shown that one principle survival mechanism of chemotherapy resistance involves the activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. However, the specific NF-κB-regulated genes that are involved in the survival mechanism following chemotherapy exposure have not been elucidated. In order to investigate potential NF-κB target gene(s) involved in chemotherapy resistance, we utilized expression array analysis and identified Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) as markedly up regulated by chemotherapy treatments. We have found that HB-EGF induction is an early response of cancer cells following chemotherapy and the up-regulation of HB-EGF is NF-κB dependent. Blocking NF-κB activity by PS1145 (a selective IKKβ inhibitor) or RNA interference attenuates HB-EGF induction in response to chemotherapy. We also show here that HB-EGF significantly activates EGFR signaling transduction via inducing EGFR phosphorylation. Meanwhile, chemotherapy treatments dramatically increase EGFR activation and this activation is augmented in the presence of HB-EGF. Inhibition of HB-EGF by its specific inhibitor, CRM197, suppresses EGFR activation and its downstream ERK MAPK activation in response to chemotherapy. Furthermore, we have also demonstrated that expression of HB-EGF protects cells from chemotherapy-induced apoptosis, and more interestingly, simultaneous inhibition of EGFR and HB-EGF markedly increases SN38-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that HB-EGF is a promising new target in chemotherapy resistance that warrants further mechanistic studies.
Neural Control of Teleost Sound Production

Until recently relatively little was known concerning the neural mechanisms controlling sound production in fishes. This is not surprising considering that prior to World War II there were few experimental studies on even peripheral sonic mechanisms (see papers in Tavolga 1977). Tavolga (1964, 1971) has reviewed the early work of peripheral innervation patterns in the sonic mechanisms of a variety of teleosts and therefore this will not be covered in detail in this review. Some of the information discussed in an earlier review on central mechanisms of sound production in teleosts (Demski, Gerald, and Popper 1973) has been incorporated into this chapter and updated with the results of recent studies including some experiments on electrically evoked croaking in Micropogon undulatus (Demski, Williams, and Dulka unpublished observations). Neural mechanisms of sound production are considered under the following functional categories: neuromuscular systems, central motor mechanisms, and higher integrative or control systems. Information in all of these categories is then combined into a model that summarizes many of the most significant results. Although there are a great variety of sonic mechanisms in teleosts, only those systems that use skeletal muscles to vibrate the swimbladder have been considered in this chapter.
Mitochondrial, but not peroxisomal, beta-oxidation of fatty acids is conserved in coenzyme A-deficient rat liver

Hepatic coenzyme A (CoA) plays an important role in cellular lipid metabolism. Because mitochondria and peroxisomes represent the two major subcellular sites of lipid metabolism, the present study was designed to investigate the specific impact of hepatic CoA deficiency on peroxisomal as well as mitochondrial beta-oxidation of fatty acids. CoA deficiency (47% decrease in free CoA and 23% decrease in total CoA) was produced by maintaining weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats on a semipurified diet deficient in pantothenic acid (the precursor of CoA) for 5 weeks. Hepatic mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation of short-chain and long-chain fatty acids were not significantly different between control and CoA-deficient rats. Conversely, peroxisomal beta-oxidation was significantly diminished (38% inhibition) in livers of CoA-deficient rats compared to control animals. Peroxisomal beta-oxidation was restored to normal levels when hepatic CoA was replenished. It is postulated that since the role of hepatic mitochondrial beta-oxidation is energy production while peroxisomal beta-oxidation acts mainly as a detoxification system, the mitochondrial pathway of beta-oxidation is spared at the expense of the peroxisomal pathway when liver CoA plummets. The present study may offer an animal model to investigate mechanisms involved in peroxisomal diseases.
IgE production in human helminth infection: Reciprocal interrelationship between IL-4 and IFN-γ

To determine whether there is a reciprocal relationship between IL-4 and IFN-gamma production in persons with parasite-induced elevations in serum IgE, PBMC were obtained from helminth-infected individuals with a broad range of serum IgE levels that fell into two distinct groups--extremely elevated (HI; n = 9; range, 4,129 to 18,400 ng/ml) or elevated (EL; n = 6; range, 403 to 1,018 ng/ml), relative to control subjects (NL; n = 7; range, 4 to 159 ng/ml). PBMC were stimulated in vitro, with Ag or mitogens, and IL-4 and IFN-gamma were measured by ELISA in culture supernatants. Helminth Ag- (but not tetanus toxoid) stimulated IL-4 production in eight of nine HI (range, 49 to 150 pg/ml) but was undetectable in either EL or NL (p < 0.01). In contrast, PBMC from EL produced significant levels of IFN-gamma to helminth Ag (GM = 358 pg/ml) compared with HI (GM = 89 pg/ml; p = 0.02) and NL (GM = 9 pg/ml; p < 0.001). Tetanus toxoid induced comparable levels of IFN-gamma among the three groups. Mitogen-driven IL-4 production was ninefold greater in HI [geometric mean (GM) = 913 pg/ml] versus EL (GM = 111 pg/ml; p < 0.01) and NL (GM = 193 pg/ml; p < 0.001) and correlated with serum IgE levels (r = 0.8; p < 0.01). Mitogen-driven IFN-gamma synthesis was equivalent among the groups. Although parasite Ag-driven IL-4 secreting CD4+ cells were detected (by ELISPOT) among infected subjects with both high and low serum IgE levels, the number of IL-4 exceeded that of IFN-gamma-secreting cells among individuals with elevated serum IgE levels, whereas the opposite relationship existed among subjects with normal serum IgE. In a subpopulation of infected individuals (n = 4), parasite-Ag added to PBMC cultures induced polyclonal IgE that was directly associated with the parasite-Ag-driven IL-4 production and inversely related to IFN-gamma synthesis in PBMC supernatants from parallel cultures. Furthermore, neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma antibody augmented both parasite-driven IL-4 synthesis and IgE production in vitro (n = 4). The data indicate that helminth-induced serum IgE levels are directly related to an increased capacity by PBMC to produce IL-4 and inversely associated to IFN-gamma production. It further supports the concept that IL-4 and IFN-gamma reciprocally regulate IgE in vivo.
The Trustee and the Remainderman: The Trustee's Duty to Inform

Much has been written recently of high-profile financiers and lowly con men taking advantage of lay investors. Part of the reason these scandals go undetected for so long is the lack of transparency inherent in some of the investment vehicles and the lack of curiosity or sophistication of the investors. Trusts generally are thought to be immune from such scandal because of the fiduciary duty required of a trustee. A fiduciary duty, after all, is the highest level of care that can be imposed on a caretaker of assets. But what is to stop a trustee from looting a trust or abusing its powers? The primary roadblock is the trustee’s duty to inform. A beneficiary can monitor a trustee’s actions - including investments, disbursements, and expenses - because the trustee must make its actions transparent to the beneficiary. If a trustee’s actions are suspect, in theory a beneficiary can catch the trustee’s indiscretion before much damage is done to the trust’s assets. But to which beneficiaries does the trustee truly owe this duty? Is this a duty the trustee must perform affirmatively, or can the trustee rely on beneficiaries to request this information on their own? This Article first explores the history of a trustee’s duty to inform and describes the types of beneficiaries found in common law, the Uniform Trust Code (UTC), and the Restatement (Third) of Trusts (Restatement). The Article defines the trustee’s duty to inform as described in the UTC and the Restatement, and analyzes the policy reasons behind it, as well as the pitfalls associated with neglecting this duty. The Article explores the balancing act that a trustee must perform, weighing both practicality and fiduciary duty concerns, and concludes that a trustee owes to vested beneficiaries (current and remaindermen) an affirmative duty to provide information regarding the day-to-day administration of the trust. The trustee owes a non-affirmative duty to contingent beneficiaries and must provide information upon request.
Census for Proteome Quantification

Quantitative analysis has become increasingly important in the proteomics field; however, the large amount of mass spectrometric data and the different types of quantitative strategies make data analysis ever challenging. Here we describe a quantitative software tool called Census to analyze high-throughput mass spectrometry data from shotgun proteomics experiments in an efficient way. Census is capable of analyzing various stable isotope labeling experiments (using, e.g., 15N, 18O, SILAC, iTRAQ, TMT) in addition to labeling-free experiments. With high-resolution data, Census increases the quantitative accuracy by minimizing the contributions of interfering peaks and chemical noise with a small accuracy tolerance for each isotope peak. Census provides various scoring algorithms including least-squares correlation, weight average, singleton peptide detection with discriminant analysis, and probability score for each peptide. Furthermore, Census has built-in multiple statistical filters to maintain robust quality control on quantitative results. Curr. Protoc. Bioinform. 29:13.12.1-13.12.11. © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: Census; mass spectrometry data; proteomics data; stable isotope label; label-free analysis
Bamboozled? Anatomy of a Bankruptcy: Baystate v. Bowers and its Aftermath

This manuscript contains a detailed account of the Baystate v. Bowers intellectual property litigation that concluded with a Federal Circuit decision that a party could, in a EULA, use contract law to broaden the rights that could be obtained in intellectual property under copyright law and the ensuing bankruptcy of Baystate and its acquisition by Kubotek. It is intended as an illustrative teaching tool for those that want to see what is involved in long term bet-the-company litigation and resulting chapter 11 (and 7) practice. (One reviewer opined that it is "Anatomy of a Lawsuit" on steroids). A version with live links to the documents cited in the footnotes is available upon request to the author.
Reduced ectonucleotidase expression on TGF-β independent Th17 improves tumor control (VAC11P.1006)

Amongst various effector CD4+ T cells, T helper (Th)-17 subsets hold promise in adoptive T cell transfer therapy for cancer. However, ex vivo programming of Th17 cells in presence of TGF-β increases cell surface expression of ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73, that in turn increases susceptibility to immunosuppression and reduced effector phenotype. Our data shows that ATP mediated suppression of IFN-γ production by Th17 cells can be overcome either by genetic ablation of CD73 or generating TGF-β independent Th17 in presence of IL-1β. An in vivo comparison of anti-tumor potential between TGF-β dependent and independent Th17 showed that Th17 cells generated in presence of IL-1β are more efficacious than TGF-β dependent Th17 cells in controlling B16 melanoma. IL-1β dependent Th17 cells are also highly polyfunctional and express high level of pathogenic genes, such as T-bet and granzyme B that results in increased cytotoxic potential. It is likely that effector property of IL-1β dependent Th17 is due to their high glycolytic capacity, since generating IL-1β dependent Th17 cells in pyruvate containing media impaired glycolysis and its anti-tumor potential. Thus, our data suggests that owing to TGF-β induced ectonucleotidase expression, ex vivo culture conditions for generating Th17 cells need to be reconsidered in favour of TGF-β independence for exploiting their full potential in adoptive T cell therapy.
Design of reduced complexity feedback precoding for MIMO-OFDM

Beamforming technique is applied to significantly increase the performance of a MIMO system, if the channel information CI of the communication system is available at the transmitter. For the transmitter to obtain the entire CI, however, a considerable reverse-link bandwidth is required. To save the bandwidth, a limited-rate closed-loop system, therefore, uses a predetermined codebook which is derived from the CI. The codebook consists of a finite number of precoders out of which the index of the best one is transmitted from the receiver to the transmitter using only a few bits saving substantial bandwidth. However, the amount of bits that need to be fed back can still be significantly large for MIMO-OFDM systems when the precoding matrix index PMI for each subcarrier should be transmitted. Such per-subcarrier precoding scheme has high feedback overhead and also incurs huge computational cost to determine the best PMI for each subcarrier. We, therefore, propose a per-band precoding scheme that precodes a band group of subcarriers by only one precoder. More importantly, we develop, for the proposed per-band scheme, reduced-complexity precoding selection methods that lead to the design of efficient receivers. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is investigated through computer simulations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quality of presence data determines species distribution model performance: a novel index to evaluate data quality

Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used to estimate species’ potential distribution at landscape to regional scales. However, the quality of occurrence data is often compromised by sampling bias, which could raise serious concerns on model accuracy. We propose a model-independent composite measure—representativeness and completeness (RAC) index—to evaluate the quality of species occurrence data. We demonstrate (1) the impact of spatial data quality as measured by RAC on model performance and (2) the feasibility of applying RAC in actual modeling process. By using a set of computational experiments on a virtual species, we calculated RAC values for a set of occurrence data representing different degrees of sampling biases. We evaluated model performance (reliability and accuracy) and associated model performance with RAC values. Two case studies were also conducted to demonstrate the association between RAC and model performance. Model reliability stabilizes when RAC reaches a threshold of 0.4. Model accuracy stabilizes when RAC reaches 0.4 or 0.5 for models with or without complete predictors, respectively. Model performance is more sensitive to data completeness than representativeness. Our case studies further demonstrated that RAC value is closely related to model performance. Performance of SDMs is closely related to the quality of species occurrence data, which can be measured by our RAC index. We recommend a minimum RAC value of 0.4 for reliable and accurate SDM predictions. To improve prediction accuracy, sampling with multiple centers in a systematic fashion across the environmental space is desired.
Prophylactic chemoantibiotic therapy and low cervical cesarean section in potential and actual infections.

W HEN a low cervical cesarean section can be safely performed despite the presence of unfavorable conditions t,hat invariably cause postoperative sepsis, obstetricians will have attained a long-sought goal. Studies of maternal mortalities’ in the past twenty years have revealed that sepsis was the most frequent cause of death and, likewise, a factor in almost f i f ty per cent of the fatalities that followed the performance of cesarean sections. Changes in cesarean section techniques were frequently made during the past twenty-five years in order to reduce the high mortality from sepsis. The low cervical type to a large extent replaced the classical operation. However, postoperative sepsis continued to complicate the recovery of the patient, particularly when it. was preceded b> prolonged labor, many hours of ruptured membranes, many vaginal examinations, and previous manipulative attempts to deliver the fetus. With these conditions present, the transperitoneal cesarean was considered too risky, and some institutions preferred the cesarean hysterectomy. The latter had the disadvantage of sacrificing the uterus in a young woman. A revival of the extraperitoneal cesarean followed, but was not univcrsal1.v adopted. Many found it necessary to practice and perfect the technique on elective ceases. To reach thtl uterus and extract the fetus, a most unnatural anat,ornie route must be taken. The peritoneal cavity frequently is inadvertently openecl and the bladder, it not, perforated or damaged during the operation, appears raw. denuded, and traumatized (Ricei,” Waters,3 Keet,el and Randall” 1. As the newer extraperitoneal cesarean techniques were being introduced, sulfonamide and antibiotic drugs appeared as potent ba.cteriostatic agents. As t)hese drugs became ava.ilable, morbidity and mortality from general and postoperative sepsis dropped considerably. Consequently. those employing either the transperitoneal or extraperitoneal techniques are now using chemoantibiotics when sepsis t,hreatens recovery. If chemoantil)iotics can prevent and con1ba.t sepsis, the operative procedure, when needed, should be the one t,hat is lrast traumatic to the mother, and offers no t,echniral dificulty. Thus, when sepsis is potentially or actually present and an abdominal delivery is deemed necessary, one may employ tile low cervical section, and the use of chemoantibiotics
"There’s Got to be a Review Democracy": Communicative Capitalism, Neoliberal Citizenship and the Politics of Participation on the Consumer Evaluation Website Yelp.com

Celebrated for its capacity to decentralize the processes of knowledge and reputation management, Yelp.com is the subject of this case study, which analyzes the politics of participation on the user-driven consumer evaluation website. A comparative discourse analysis of Yelp’s promotional campaign and virtual geography demonstrates how the website structures the practice of consumer reviewing within a neoliberal political rationality that interpellates users as consumer-citizens. Theorized within the framework of communicative capitalism, this research argues that Yelp reproduces and stabilizes traditional power relations. Situating Yelp within the political economy of consumer evaluation sites, consumer reviewing is analyzed as a form of post-politics that reconfigures democratic participation in economic terms and effectively contributes to the depoliticization of contemporary citizenship.
[1‐(Ethoxycarbonyl)cyclopropyl]triphenylphosphonium Tetrafluoroborate

[52186-89-7] C24H24BF4O2P (MW 462.24) InChI = 1S/C24H24O2P.BF4/c1-2-26-23(25)24(18-19-24)27(20-12-6-3-7-13-20,21-14-8-4-9-15-21)22-16-10-5-11-17-22;2-1(3,4)5/h3-17H,2,18-19H2,1H3;/q+1;-1 InChIKey = RGJYRMUGSAFITK-UHFFFAOYSA-N (used in annulation reactions with nucleophile–carbonyl pairs such as anions derived from β-dicarbonyls and imides) Physical Data: mp 179–181 °C. Solubility: sol chloroform; slightly sol DMSO, DMF, HMPT; insol diethyl ether. Form Supplied in: white, nonhygroscopic crystalline solid. Preparative Method: prepared in 80% yield by treating commercially available Cyclopropyltriphenylphosphonium Bromide sequentially with Lithium Diisopropylamide and Ethyl Chloroformate, followed by counterion exchange using sodium fluoroborate.1 Purification: recrystallization from chloroform–ether.
Transcription attenuation-mediated control of leu operon expression: influence of the number of Leu control codons.

Four adjacent Leu codons within the leu leader RNA are critically important in transcription attenuation-mediated control of leu operon expression in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli (P. W. Carter, D. L. Weiss, H. L. Weith, and J. M. Calvo, J. Bacteriol. 162:943-949, 1985). The leader region from S. typhimurium was altered by site-directed mutagenesis to produce constructs having between one and seven adjacent Leu codons, all CUA. leu operon expression was measured in strains containing six of these constructs, each integrated into the chromosome in a single copy. Operon expression was sufficiently high that all strains grew in minimal medium unsupplemented by leucine. Expression of the operon was measured in strains cultured in such a way that their growth was limited by the intracellular concentration of either leucine or of leucyl-tRNA. In general, the leu operon for each construct responded similarly to the parent construct in terms of the degree of expression as a function of the degree of limitation. However, a strain containing (CUA)1 and, to a certain extent, a strain having (CUA)2 responded somewhat more sluggishly and strains containing (CUA)6 and (CUA)7 responded more sensitively to limitations than did the parent construct. In addition, DNA fragments containing the leu promoter and leader region were used as templates in in vitro transcription reactions employing purified RNA polymerase. With nucleoside triphosphate concentrations of 200 microM, RNA polymerase paused during transcription of the leu leader region at a site about 95 bp downstream from the site of transcription initiation. The halftimes of the pause were 1 min at 37 degrees C and 3 min at 22 degrees C. The pause was lengthened substantially when the GTP concentration was lowered to 20 micromoles. Our results are interpreted most easily in terms of an all-or-none model. Given two Leu control codons, the operon responds with nearly maximum output over a wide range of leucine limitation, and that outcome does not change much with increasing numbers of control codons. Images
Content-based image retrieval methods

Creation of a content-based image retrieval system implies solving a number of difficult problems, including analysis of low-level image features and construction of feature vectors, multidimensional indexing, design of user interface, and data visualization. Quality of a retrieval system depends, first of all, on the feature vectors used, which describe image content. The paper presents a survey of common feature extraction and representation techniques and metrics of the corresponding feature spaces. Color, texture, and shape features are considered. A detailed classification of the currently known features' representations is given. Experimental results on efficiency comparison of various methods for representing and comparing image content as applied to the retrieval and classification tasks are presented.
Sleep duration, snoring habits, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in an ethnically diverse population.

BACKGROUND Lack of sleep has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. Prior research has often been conducted in select populations and has not consistently adjusted for confounders, especially psychosocial factors. OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to assess the association between sleep habits and established risk factors for CVD and to evaluate potential interactions by race and gender. METHODS Participants were part of a CVD screening and educational outreach program in New York City. Free-living men older than 40 years and women older than 50 years (n = 371, mean age = 60 years, 57% women, 60% racial/ethnic minorities) were systematically assessed for CVD risk (including traditional, lifestyle, and psychosocial risk factors) and completed a standardized questionnaire regarding sleep habits (including sleep duration and snoring). Lipids were analyzed by validated finger-stick technology. Stress at work and at home was assessed using a validated screening tool from the INTERHEART study. Associations between participants' sleep habits and CVD risk factors/demographic factors were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS The proportion of participants who reported sleeping less than 6 hours per night on average was 28%, and 52% of participants reported snoring. Sleeping less than 6 hours per night was significantly (P < .05) associated with female gender, being single, increased stress at home, increased financial stress, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level. Gender modified the association between sleep duration and LDL-C level (P = .04): Sleeping less than 6 hours per night was significantly associated with reduced LDL-C level among women and increased LDL-C level among men. Snoring was significantly associated with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level (<40 mg/dL for men/<50 mg/dL for women), being married, increased stress at work and at home, less than 30 minutes of exercise per day, less than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and being overweight/obese (body mass index ≥25 kg/m). The association between snoring and low HDL-C level remained significant in logistic regression models adjusted for demographic confounders (odds ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-3.19) but not after adjustment for body mass index greater than 25 kg/m. CONCLUSIONS Sleeping less than 6 hours per night was associated with several traditional and psychosocial CVD risk factors, and snoring was associated with low HDL-C level, likely mediated through overweight/obesity. These data may have significance for health care providers to identify individuals who may be at increased CVD risk based on sleep habits.
Motion and stability of a spinning spring-mass system in orbit.

Equations of motion of elastic dumbbell satellite and two-mass spring-connected satellite in orbit, using energy and Floquet theory to investigate spinning motion stability
Impact of weight on long-term survival among patients without known coronary artery disease and a normal stress SPECT MPI

While obesity has been shown to be associated with a worse mortality, an “obesity paradox”—lower mortality in obese patients—has been noted among many patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The extent to which an obesity paradox operates among patients with only suspected CAD, is not well determined. A total of 3,673 patients (60 ± 13 years, 36% males) with no history of heart disease and a normal stress SPECT were included in this study. Normal weight was defined as BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg · m2; overweight 25-29.9 kg · m2, obese >30 kg · m2. The baseline clinical risk factors were recorded for each patient. The end point of the study was all-cause mortality. Of patients 942 (26%) were normal weight, 1,261 (34%) were overweight, and 1,470 (40%) were obese. Mean patient follow-up was 7.5 ± 3 years. When compared to normal weight patients (event rate 3.2%/year), there was a lower incidence of death in the overweight (event rate 1.5%/year, P < .0001) and the obese (event rate 1.2%/year, P < .0001) groups. After controlling for baseline risk factors, using a reference HR = 1 for normal weight patients, there was a lower risk of death in the overweight (HR = .54, 95% CI .43-.7) and the obese groups (HR = .49, 95% CI .38-.63). In patients without known cardiac disease and a normal stress SPECT, overweight and obese patients had a lower rate of all-cause mortality compared to normal weight patients over long-term follow-up. This study substantially extends the spectrum of patients in whom the obesity paradox is present.
Criteria for the use of omics-based predictors in clinical trials

The US National Cancer Institute (NCI), in collaboration with scientists representing multiple areas of expertise relevant to 'omics'-based test development, has developed a checklist of criteria that can be used to determine the readiness of omics-based tests for guiding patient care in clinical trials. The checklist criteria cover issues relating to specimens, assays, mathematical modelling, clinical trial design, and ethical, legal and regulatory aspects. Funding bodies and journals are encouraged to consider the checklist, which they may find useful for assessing study quality and evidence strength. The checklist will be used to evaluate proposals for NCI-sponsored clinical trials in which omics tests will be used to guide therapy.
Contractile properties and protein isoforms of single fibres from the chicken pectoralis red strip muscle.

1. The contractile properties of single muscle fibres of the red strip region of adult chicken pectoralis major (PM) muscle, some of which are known to express an embryonic isoform of myosin heavy chain (MHC), were determined and compared with the properties of the fast white fibres of the PM and the slow tonic fibres of the anterior latissimus dorsi (ALD) muscle. 2. The red strip fibres could be classified into two groups, fast and slow. The mean velocity of unloaded shortening (Vmax) in fast red strip fibres was approximately half the Vmax of fast white fibres. Vmax of slow red strip fibres was less than 20% of the value for fast red strip fibres and was not different from Vmax of ALD fibres. 3. The tension-generating ability, i.e. the maximal isometric tension/fibre cross-sectional area (P0/CSA), was the same in fast red strip fibres and fast white fibres. P0/CSA was approximately 30% lower in slow red strip fibres compared with fast red strip fibres but was 70% greater in slow red strip fibres compared with ALD fibres. 4. The tension-pCa relation of fast red strip fibres was shifted to lower pCa values, indicating a lower calcium sensitivity compared with fast white fibres, and this difference was associated with a difference in troponin T isoform composition. The tension-pCa relation of slow red strip fibres was not different from that in ALD fibres. 5. The difference in Vmax between fast red strip fibres and fast white fibres was associated with different MHC compositions of these fibres. 6. The myofibrillar protein isoform composition of slow red strip fibres was identical to that of the slow tonic fibres of ALD muscle and these two groups of fibres had very similar contractile properties.
Stacking faults in magnesium

The energetics of various low-energy intrinsic, extrinsic, and twinlike stacking fault configurations in hexagonal-close-packed magnesium are determined from first-principles calculations. To zeroth-order, the ordering of the energies can be understood in terms of the number of fcc-like planes in the sequence of close-packed planes. However, such a simple model fails to quantitatively reproduce the calculated energies of the faults. We propose a model based on a local bond orientation scheme which reproduces the calculated results and is able to accurately predict the energies of arbitrary stacking sequences. This model has only two independent parameters, the energy of the intrinsic ${I}_{1}$ stacking fault and the energy difference between hcp and fcc Mg. Both energy and entropy considerations suggest that isolated ${I}_{1}$ stacking faults should predominate.
Prediction of safe duration of hypothermic circulatory arrest by near-infrared spectroscopy.

Objective: Hypothermic circulatory arrest is widely used for adults with aortic arch disease as well as for children with congenital heart disease. At present, no method exists for monitoring safe duration of circulatory arrest. Near-infrared spectroscopy is a new technique for noninvasive monitoring of cerebral oxygenation and energy state. In the current study, the relationship between near-infrared spectroscopy data and neurologic outcome was evaluated in a survival piglet model with hypothermic circulatory arrest. Methods: Thirty-six piglets (9.36 ± 0.16 kg) underwent circulatory arrest under varying conditions with continuous monitoring by near-infrared spectroscopy (temperature 15°C or 25°C, hematocrit value 20% or 30%, circulatory arrest time 60, 80, or 100 minutes). Each setting included 3 animals. Neurologic recovery was evaluated daily by neurologic deficit score and overall performance category. Brain was fixed in situ on postoperative day 4 and examined by histologic score. Results: Oxygenated hemoglobin signal declined to a plateau (nadir) during circulatory arrest. Time to nadir was significantly shorter with lower hematocrit value (P <.001) and higher temperature (P <.01). Duration from reaching nadir until reperfusion (“oxygenated hemoglobin signal nadir time”) was significantly related to histologic score (rs = 0.826), neurologic deficit score (rs = 0.717 on postoperative day 1; 0.716 on postoperative day 4), and overall performance category (rs = 0.642 on postoperative day 1; 0.702 on postoperative day 4) (P <.001). All animals in which oxygenated hemoglobin signal nadir time was less than 25 minutes were free of behavioral or histologic evidence of brain injury. Conclusion: Oxygenated hemoglobin signal nadir time determined by near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring is a useful predictor of safe duration of circulatory arrest. Safe duration of hypothermic circulatory arrest is strongly influenced by perfusate hematocrit value and temperature during circulatory arrest. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;122:339-50
The Influence of Various Irradiances of Artificial Light, Twilight, and Moonlight on the Suppression of Pineal Melatonin Content in the Syrian Hamster

The purpose of the present studies using artificial light was to determine how the timing and duration of exposure influence the light-induced suppression of pineal melatonin levels in hamsters. An 8-min exposure to 0.186 microW/cm2 of cool white fluorescent light caused a continued depression of pineal melatonin even when animals were returned to darkness. In addition, the pineal gland does not appear to change its sensitivity to light throughout the night. A 20-min exposure to 0.019 microW/cm2 of cool white fluorescent light did not significantly suppress pineal melatonin during any time of the melatonin peak, whereas a 20-min exposure to 0.186 microW/cm2 was capable of always suppressing melatonin. Furthermore, increasing the duration of 0.019-microW/cm2 exposure to 30, 60, 120, or 180 min does not increase the capacity of this irradiance to depress melatonin. Similar to artifical light, natural light has a variable capacity for suppressing nocturnal levels of pineal melatonin. Twilight irradiances of 0.138 microW/cm2 or less did not suppress nocturnal melatonin whereas twilight irradiances of 3.0 microW/cm2 or greater did suppress pineal melatonin. A few animals did have lower melatonin after a 40-min exposure to full moonlight during July (0.045 microW/cm2) or January (0.240 microW/cm2). However, pineal melatonin levels remained high in the majority of animals exposed to full moonlight.
Local Social Ties in a Community and Crime Model: Questioning the Systemic Nature of Informal Social Control

Recent theoretical and empirical developments within social disorganization theory rely heavily on a systemic model of community attachment. It has been argued that poverty, heterogeneity, and mobility undermine neighborhood networks and social ties, contributing to a breakdown in informal social control that, in turn, allows for increasing crime rates. Tests of the systemic nature of informal social control within a community crime model have been rare, however, and the empirical results mixed. In addition some recent research raises the question whether social ties have consistent meaning in terms of social control across neighborhoods. We test the role of local social ties both as a mediator between structural conditions and crime rates and as conditional upon neighborhood characteristics using data on 100 Seattle census tracts. We find that local social ties decrease the assault rate significantly, but have little mediating effects between community structure and crime rates. The effect of social ties on burglary, however, is contrary to social disorganization hypotheses. More importantly, we find that local social ties have differing effects in different types of neighborhoods. Specifically, social ties significantly and negatively affect assault rates in predominantly white neighborhoods, while they have no significant effect in predominantly minority or racially mixed neighborhoods. These latter findings have particular significance for the development and refinement of community and crime models.
Fabrication of graphite masks for deep and ultradeep x-ray lithography

Masks made from graphite stock material have been demonstrated as a cost-effective and reliable method of fabricating X-ray masks for deep and ultra-deep x-ray lithography (DXRL and UDXRL, respectively). The focus on this research effort was to fabricate masks that were compatible with the requirements for deep and ultra deep X-ray lithography by using UV optical lithography and gold electroforming. The major focus was on the uniform application of a thick resist on a porous graphite substrate. After patterning the resist, gold deposition was performed to build up the absorber structures using pulsed- electroplating. In this paper we will report on the current status of the mask fabrication process and present some preliminary exposure results.
Eötvös force on the lithosphere

Abstract The Eotvos “pole-fleeing” force on a floating continent was considered by Wegener in his theory of continental drift. Here, we treat the Eotvos force that acts on the lithosphere due to nonequilibrium conditions. For an oblate spheroidal model of the earth, we show that the dominant term in the effective Eotvos tangential basal stress on the lithosphere is poleward (equatorward) if the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary is overflattened (underflattened) from its equilibrium shape, that this stress has a probable magnitude of 0.5 bar at mid-latitudes, and that this magnitude, while significant, is generally smaller than that of the other tangential stresses that act on lithospheric plates.
NK cell receptors in antiviral immunity.

Abstract An array of inhibitory and activating receptors initially identified on NK cells are also expressed by conventional CD8+ αβ T cells. New evidence strongly implicates these ‘NK cell receptors’ in modulating NK cell and virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses against a variety of viral infections. Precise regulation of NK cell and T cell responses by these receptors optimizes antiviral immunity while preventing immunological bystander pathology and autoimmunity.
Minimizing ciclosporin in renal transplant recipients on daclizumab, mycophenolate and steroids

Minimizing ciclosporin in renal transplant recipients on daclizumab, mycophenolate and steroids
Trace metals in carbonate and organic rich sediments

Abstract A great variety of man's activities on the coast result in metal contamination of the sea. Investigations at three sites, two in Florida and one in Bermuda reveal trace metals in sediments. In all three cases these accumulations can be ascribed to local human activities, though their nature varies widely from one site to another.
Characterizing proton relaxation times for metallic and magnetic layer-by-layer-coated, DNA-templated nanoparticle chains

Metallic and superparamagnetic DNA-templated nanoparticle (NP) chains are examined as potential imaging agents. Proton relaxation times (T1 and T2) are measured for DNA nanostructures using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The layer-by-layer (LBL) method was used to encapsulate the DNA-templated NP chains and demonstrated a change in proton relaxation times. Results from this study suggest that LBL-coated, DNA-templated nanostructures can serve as effective imaging agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications.
The vibrational predissociation spectroscopy of hydrogen cluster ions

Although molecular ion spectroscopy has progressed rapidly[1], there has been very little spectroscopy done of weakly bound ionic clusters[2,3]. These clusters play an important role in atmospheric chemistry and have been studied extensively in thereto-chemical and kinetic experiments over the past decade[4]. Much of our understanding of the dynamics and structure of cluster ions to date has relied on the results of ab initio quantum calculations. Stimulated by the theoretical work, we have begun experiments on the infrared spectroscopy of cluster ions, and have recently made the first spectroscopic observation of the protonated hydrogen clusters H n + (n=5,7,9,11,13 and 15).
Small mammal abundance and habitat relationships on deciduous forested sites with different susceptibility to gypsy moth defoliation

Small mammals are important predators of gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar L.), which are major defoliators of deciduous forests in the northeastern United States. Abundance and habitat relationships of small mammals were studied during summers 1984 and 1985 on forested sites at Moshannon and Rothrock state forests in two physiographic regions of Pennsylvania (Allegheny High Plateaus Province and Valley and Ridge Province, respectively) that varied in potential susceptibility to defoliation. The white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), which is a major vertebrate predator of gypsy moths, was the most common small mammal on all sites. Of the four common species, northern short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda), southern red-backed voles (Clethrionomys gapperi), and white-footed mice were more abundant at Moshannon compared to Rothrock State Forest, but masked shrews (Sorex cinereus) were more abundant at Rothrock. Elevation was a major factor affecting abundance and distribution of small mammals. Because of the greater abundance of small mammals and more suitable physiographic features at Moshannon compared to Rothrock State Forest, small mammals may be more effective as predators on gypsy moths in the Allegheny High Plateaus than the Valley and Ridge Province of Pennsylvania.