cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isotretinoin for low-grade cervical dysplasia in human immunodeficiency virus-infected women.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To estimate the efficacy of isotretinoin for prevention of progression of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) of the cervix to high-grade lesions or invasive cervical cancer; to estimate the regression rate of low-grade SIL with isotretinoin and the toxicity of isotretinoin in this setting; and to correlate serum CD4 levels with progression of low-grade SIL. METHODS: A randomized, phase III, observation-controlled, multicenter trial was performed in which 117 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive women with low-grade SIL of the cervix received either oral isotretinoin at 0.5 mg/kg per day for 6 months or observation. Papanicolaou smears and colposcopy/biopsy were done at regular intervals during follow-up. The primary endpoint was progression to high-grade SIL or cervical cancer. RESULTS: Twenty-one of 102 women (20.6%) completing follow-up experienced progression to high-grade SIL, 13 in the observation group and eight in the isotretinoin group. This difference was not significant (P = .29). No cases of invasive cancer were seen. Baseline CD4 levels were lower than anticipated (median 329 cells/mm3), but not associated with time to progression (P = .36). Most subjects (63 of 102, 61.7%) used highly active antiretroviral therapy. Subjects under age 30 were more likely to progress than those older than 30 (P = .046). CONCLUSION: Isotretinoin was not associated with longer time to progression of low-grade SIL. This appears to be a chronic condition in HIV-positive women, with a low risk of progression and significant rate of resolution. As in the general population, observation without excisional therapy may be appropriate for HIV-positive women with low-grade SIL.
Full abstraction and recursion

The question of extending semantic models for a programming language without recursion to a larger language supporting recursion is of fundamental importance if one wants to develop a modular approach to building models. In our previous work [14] we showed how to extend models for a language without recursion to models for a language in which unnested recursion was supported via simultaneous systems of recursive equations. In that setting, we proved that modest assumptions about the models enabled us to lift adequacy and full abstraction for the models of the base language to analogous results for the models of the extended language. In this paper, we tackle similar problems for languages with explicit recursion operators. Starting with a base language L, we define what it means for an ordered denotational model for L to be order adequate and strongly order fully abstract with respect to an ordered operational model for L. By freely adding identifiers x ∈ X and recursion operators μx for each x ∈ X, we obtain an extended language L{X}, in which we single out the sublanguage L c of closed terms. We then give general conditions which ensure that an ordered operational model O : L → O and a related order adequate and strongly order fully abstract denotational model D : L → D can be extended to an ordered operational model O c : L c → O and a related ordered denotational model D c : L c → D which also is order adequate and strongly order fully abstract.
Librarians as Authors, Editors, and Self-Publishers: The Information Culture of the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Scrapbooks (1936-1943)

The Kentucky Pack Horse Libraries project was a government-funded Works Progress Administration programme that paid librarians, mostly women, to deliver reading material on the backs of horses and mules to rural Appalachian mountaineers in eastern Kentucky from 1936 to 1943. As part of their work, the librarians would create original scrapbooks for their collections using fragments of discarded books, magazines, reader-contributed stories and drawings, and other printed ephemera. In creating these scrapbooks, librarians expanded their traditional roles as collectors and distributors of information by becoming authors, editors, self-publishers, and archivists of local memory and culture. This study examines a representative collection of these scrapbooks and discusses the librarians’ roles in their creation and distribution.
Nova Performance At Ultra High Fluence Levels

Nova is a ten beam high power Nd:glass laser used for interial confinement fusion research. It was operated in the high power high energy regime following the completion of construction in December 1984. During this period several interesting nonlinear optical phenomena were observed. These phenomena are discussed in the text. 11 refs., 5 figs.
A Longitudinal Study of Coping Strategies and Substance Use in Adolescent Boys

ABSTRACT The authors examined the extent to which religious coping predicted subsequent drug use in adolescent boys. Three hundred and twenty-six adolescent boys completed the Wills Coping Questionnaire (Wills, 1985) as well as a number of drug use inventories. Results showed that religious coping, measured at 12–14 years of age, predicted a significant reduction in number of drugs used, frequency of drug use, and problems associated with drug use measured at 15–16 years of age. These results were maintained even when controlling for age and other key coping variables. These findings may have implications for treatment and prevention efforts, specifically for populations who are amenable to “spiritual” interventions.
On the front lines of managed care: Professional changes and communicative dilemmas of hospital nurses

This article explores how the role of the hospital nurse has been transformed by managed care, with a concentration on changes relevant to communicative relationships and processes. Two brief case analyses are considered to examine how hospital nurses have felt the impact of being on the "front lines" of managed care. Findings illustrate the utility of a communication perspective in understanding changes in nursing at individual, organizational, and system levels.
A Simulation Model for Studying Possible Modification of Surface Temperature

Abstract A simulation model is presented which hopefully is consistent with known physical and statistical properties of atmospheric events, and consistent with criteria that might be applied in the management of actual experiments in the atmosphere. The process being simulated is the possible modification of daytime surface temperatures during the summer in central Missoui through the generation of contrail cirrus clouds. Monte Carlo techniques are used in the model to allow for the likelihood of failure of the experiment on any particular day, and to allow for variations in the degree of success on days when the experiment is considered to not be a failure. The model is applied to an observed time series (1946-1965) of surface and upper air observations from Columbia, Mo. Estimates of the results are based on analysis of the relationship between temperatures on the cirrus and cirrus-free days. If it can be assumed that it is possible to create enough contrial cirrus to reduce the per cent of possible su...
Magnesium: The missing element in molecular views of cell proliferation control.

The quantitative study of regulation of cell growth and proliferation began with the development of the technique for monolayer culture of vertebrate cells in the late 1960s. The basic parameters were defined in the early physiological studies, which continued through the next decade. These included specific and non-specific growth factors and the requirement for continuous exposure to such factors through most of the G1 period for progression to S. In the course of this work, the diversity of biochemical responses and the critical role of increased protein synthesis and accumulation for the onset of DNA synthesis were elucidated. In particular, a central role of free cytosolic Mg2+ in direct regulation of protein synthesis and in ancillary processes as a response to membrane perturbation was established. Eventually, the physiological era was superseded by the molecular era beginning in the 1980s. This work focussed on specific receptors for growth factors that entrained a protein kinase cascade, which terminated in a higher frequency of initiation of protein synthesis. However, the molecular studies virtually ignored the key results of the physiological era. Recent studies of the penultimate molecular steps in the regulatory pathway of protein synthesis, however, have supported a model of growth regulation involving membrane perturbation and MgATP2− concentration, results that integrate the findings of the physiological and molecular eras. The resulting relatively simple “membrane, magnesium mitosis” (MMM) model of proliferation control can explain the seeming paradox of the variety of specific and non-specific growth-enhancing treatments that are mediated by the plasma membrane and which bring about a shared, complex but coordinated growth response that drives cell proliferation. BioEssays 27:311–320, 2005. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Radiative neutrino decays, SN 1987A, and the submillimeter background.

Limits to the radiative decays of massive neutrinos from $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray observations of SN 1987A are discussed for the neutrino mass range 100 eV to few MeV. It is shown that balloon-borne spectrometer observations limit the radiative decays of 30 keV-few MeV neutrinos\char22{}${m}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}1.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{12}{B}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ keV sec, where ${B}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$ is the radiative branching ratio of the decay\char22{}but that these limits are necessarily \ensuremath{\sim}800 times less stringent than those obtained from the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) data. Models which invoke the radiative decays of relic neutrinos to generate the submillimeter background are shown to be constrained by the SMM SN 1987A limits.
Icosahedral quasicrystal Al 71 Pd 21 Mn 08 and its ξ ′ approximant: Linear expansivity, specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and elastic constants

Linear thermal expansivity (\ensuremath{\alpha}, 1--300 K), heat capacity ${(C}_{p},$ 1--108 K), magnetic susceptibility (\ensuremath{\chi}, 1--300 K), and electrical resistivity (\ensuremath{\rho}, 1--300 K) measurements are reported for a single-grain $i\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{Al}}_{71}{\mathrm{Pd}}_{21}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{08}$ quasicrystal and its ${\mathrm{Al}}_{72}{\mathrm{Pd}}_{25}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{03}$ approximant, and 300 K elastic constants for the quasicrystal. The approximant $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ $({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{Ap}})$ and ${C}_{p}$ ${(C}_{\mathrm{pAp}})$ data show ``metallic'' behavior, while the previously reported onset of a transition to a spin-glass state ${(T}_{f}l1.8\mathrm{K})$ dominates ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{Q}$ and ${C}_{\mathrm{pQ}}$ below 11 K. ${C}_{\mathrm{pAp}}$ and ${C}_{\mathrm{pQ}}$ superimpose above 16 K when plotted vs $T/{\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{0}$ using the experimental ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{0Ap}=455(3)\mathrm{K}$ and an adjusted ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{0ApQ}=480(4)\mathrm{K}.$ The 300 K elastic constants extrapolated to $T=0$ give ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{0Q}^{\mathrm{el}}=505(1)\mathrm{K},$ suggesting that the normalization is valid only above 16 K. The lattice contribution to ${C}_{\mathrm{pAp}}$ (and, indirectly, ${C}_{\mathrm{pQ}})$ shows strong (unique) deviations from Debye-like behavior (+3% at 0.84 K for the ${C}_{\mathrm{pAp}}$ data fit). The various Gr\"uneisen parameters (\ensuremath{\Gamma}) that are calculated from these data all are positive and normal in magnitude except for a large limiting approximant lattice value, ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{0Ap}^{\mathrm{lat}}=11.3$, which may be related to the large dispersion effects in ${C}_{p}.$ For the approximant, the combination of anisotropic and large resistivities, a small diamagnetic susceptibility, and a ``large'' linear (electronic) contribution to ${C}_{\mathrm{pAp}}$ $({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{Ap}}=0.794\mathrm{mJ}/{\mathrm{mol}\mathrm{}\mathrm{K}}^{2})$ suggests the existence of a pseudogap in the electronic density of states. The unusually large, highly volume dependent, dispersion at low temperatures for the quasicrystal and its approximant are not consistent with inelastic neutron scattering and other data, and raise questions about the role of phonons in quasicrystals. The present 300 K resistivities can be used with a published correlation to estimate ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{Q}\ensuremath{\approx}0.25\mathrm{mJ}/{\mathrm{mol}\mathrm{}\mathrm{K}}^{2}.$
Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate: mutagenicity of a widely used flame retardant

Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate, a widely used flame-retardant additive for textiles, is mutagenic to histidine-requiring strains of Salmonella typhimurium. Extracts of fabrics treated with this compound are also capable of inducing mutations in these bacterial strains.
A Standardized Technique to Back-Calculate Length at Age from Unsectioned Walleye Spines

Abstract The primary assumption of using back-calculated length-at-age (BCL) methods to estimate fish growth is that the body length and hard-part radius relationship is linear. Therefore, standardized techniques are required for BCL methods to be comparable over time. Recent studies have found that unsectioned dorsal spines of Sander spp. improve efficiency and provide accurate age estimates. We evaluated a simple, standardized method of using unsectioned Walleye S. vitreus (N = 162) dorsal spines to estimate age and BCL (direct-proportion and Fraser–Lee methods) by comparing these estimates with those of a sectioned spine technique. We validated the technique by comparing observed growth (measured via a mark–recapture study) with BCL growth estimated via sectioned and unsectioned techniques. The time required to process, prepare, view and perform BCL for each of the two techniques was also compared. Both reader age estimates and exact reader agreement rates were significantly better using the sectioned ...
A multimedia environmental model of chemical distribution : Fate, transport, and uncertainty analysis

This paper presented a framework for analysis of chemical concentration in the environment and evaluation of variance propagation within the model. This framework was illustrated through a case study of selected organic compounds of benzo[alpha]pyrene (BAP) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in the Great Lakes region. A multimedia environmental fate model was applied to perform stochastic simulations of chemical concentrations in various media. Both uncertainty in chemical properties and variability in hydrometeorological parameters were included in the Monte Carlo simulation, resulting in a distribution of concentrations in each medium. Parameters of compartmental dimensions, densities, emissions, and background concentrations were assumed to be constant in this study. The predicted concentrations in air, surface water and sediment were compared to reported data for validation purpose. Based on rank correlations, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the influence of individual input parameters on the output variance for concentration in each environmental medium and for the basin-wide total mass inventory. Results of model validation indicated that the model predictions were in reasonable agreement with spatial distribution patterns, among the five lake basins, of reported data in the literature. For the chemical and environmental parameters given in this study, parameters associated to air-ground partitioning (such as moisture in surface soil, vapor pressure, and deposition velocity) and chemical distribution in soil solid (such as organic carbon partition coefficient and organic carbon content in root-zone soil) were targeted to reduce the uncertainty in basin-wide mass inventory. This results of sensitivity analysis in this study also indicated that the model sensitivity to an input parameter might be affected by the magnitudes of input parameters defined by the parameter settings in the simulation scenario. Therefore, uncertainty and sensitivity analyses for environmental fate models was suggested to be conducted after the model output was validated based on an appropriate input parameter settings.
Apical localization of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter, rBSC1, on rat thick ascending limbs.

Apical localization of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter, rBSC1, on rat thick ascending limbs. A bumetanide-sensitive Na-K-Cl cotransporter (rBSC1) was recently cloned from a rat renal outer medulla (OM) cDNA library and shown to be expressed predominantly in the kidney [1]. The purpose of the present study was to examine the nephron distribution of cotransporter transcripts and protein in rat kidney. In situ hybridization showed an intense signal only in the outer medulla and extending along cortical medullary rays consistent with expression of rBSC1 transcripts in medullary (MTAL) and cortical (CTAL) thick ascending limbs. Polyclonal antibodies raised in rabbits against a unique 67 amino acid segment from the carboxyl terminus of rBSC1 identified a broad major band of 130 to 160 (midpoint of 150) kDa and at least two minor bands of 50 to 70 kD on Western blotting of homogenates from cortex (C) and outer medulla (OM), but not inner medulla (IM), of rat kidney. Thus the Na-K-Cl cotransporter protein detected by the polyclonal rBSC1 antibody in rat kidney was similar in size to the major ∼150 kD bumetanide binding protein detected by others in mouse and dog kidneys. Immunofluorescence studies using the anti-rBSC1 polyclonal antibody on rat kidney sections showed an intense signal limited to apical surfaces of MTAL and CTAL segments. Colocalization with anti-Tamm-Horsfall antibody which is present in all TAL cells except macula densa cells confirmed the absence of anti-rBSC1 fluorescence in the macula densa cells. These results are consistent with rBSC1 encoding the, or the major isoform of the, apical Na-K-Cl cotransporter in the thick ascending limb. The Na-K-Cl cotransporter functionally detected in macula densa cells may be encoded by a different BSC isoform.
Effects of lip revision surgery on long-term orosensory function in patients with cleft lip/palate.

Objective: To determine whether secondary lip revision surgery impacts sensitivity of the upper lip. Design: A three-group, parallel, prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial. Setting: University of North Carolina School of Dentistry. Patients, Participants: Three groups: (1) patients with repaired cleft lip/palate who were scheduled for lip revision (revision; N = 20); (2) patients with repaired cleft lip/palate who did not receive a lip revision (non-revision; N = 13); and (3) non-cleft control subjects (non-cleft; N = 22). Interventions: Lip revision surgery. Main Outcome Measures: Measures of (1) two-point perception threshold (two-point), (2) warmth detection threshold (warm), and (3) cool detection threshold (cool) were obtained from two sites on the upper lip vermilion. The revision participants were tested approximately 1 week before surgery and then approximately 3 and 12 months after surgery. The non-revision and non-cleft participants were tested at similar times. Results: There were no signif...
New two-fluid superconduction model applied to penetration depth and microwave surface resistance

A two-fluid theory of superconductivity derived from an analysis of covalent interactions in the polaronic high-T/sub c/ cuprates is used to predict the penetration depth of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ as a function of temperature. In a related study, the model is applied to the temperature dependence of microwave surface resistance measurements on both YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ and Nb films. The results suggest that polaronic cuprates can be superconducting with a much smaller fraction of available carriers than metals. It therefore follows that superconduction would survive to higher temperatures than in metals. If supercarrier populations are governed by Boltzmann tails as proposed in this model, however, the lower carrier densities in high-T/sub c/ materials would become even smaller as temperatures approach the critical limit. >
A Draft Genome Sequence Reveals the Helminthosporium solani Arsenal for Cell Wall Degradation

Helminthosporium solani is a slow-growing fungal pathogen belonging to the family Massarinaceae. It causes blemishes on potato tubers, affecting processing and fresh market trade. Despite its worldwide distribution, little is known about the biology of H. solani. Here we report the generation of a draft genome sequence of H. solani with an estimated genome size of ~35 megabases, for use in phylogenetic and pathogenicity studies of this fungal pathogen. This sequence is also the first reference genome within the family Massarinaceae. We identified a large suite of genes in the H. solani genome that encode putative cell wall degrading enzymes. Based on comparison with other genomes, we speculate that H. solani is a hemibiotroph or necrotroph. The presence of a large number of genes in the glycoside hydrolase (GH) 10 and 43 families, which aid in the hydrolysis of glucoronoarabinoxylan, also suggests that H. solani may be able to survive on grass hosts and indicates the need to re-examine the life cycle and host range of this pathogen.
Copper- and Zinc-containing Superoxide Dismutase Can Act as a Superoxide Reductase and a Superoxide Oxidase

The copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase can catalyze the oxidation of ferrocyanide by O⨪2 as well as the reduction of ferricyanide by O⨪2. Thus, it can act as a superoxide dismutase (SOD), a superoxide reductase (SOR), and a superoxide oxidase (SOO). The human manganese-containing SOD does not exert SOR or SOO activities with ferrocyanide or ferricyanide as the redox partners. It is possible that some biological reductants can take the place of ferrocyanide and can also interact with human manganese-containing superoxide dismutase, thus making the SOR activity a reality for both SODs. The consequences of this possibility vis a visH2O2 production, the overproduction of SODs, and the role of copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase mutations in causing familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are discussed, as well as the likelihood that the biologically effective SOD mimics, as described to date, actually function as SORs.
Abstract C63: Structure of the Skp1‐Fbx4 complex reveals a new class of the SCF ubiquitin ligase

Ubiquitin‐mediated proteolysis governs the levels of many cellular proteins via a triple‐enzyme cascade, involving ubiquitin‐activating (E1), conjugating (E2) and ligating (E3) activities. The E3 ligases recruit both E2 and specific substrates and catalyze the final step in ubiquitination reaction. SCF complexes are the largest family of E3 ubiquitin‐protein ligases that consist of Cul1, Rbx1, Skp1 and a member of the F‐box protein family. F‐box proteins are the substrate‐recognition components of SCF; they interact with Skp1 through the N‐terminal ∼40‐residue F box motif, to recruit substrates through their variable C‐terminal protein‐protein interaction domains, including WD40 repeats (Fbxw subfamily), leucine‐rich repeats (LRRs; Fbxl subfamily) and other different or unknown domains (Fbxo subfamily). Fbx4, which is the F‐box protein responsible for the recognition of cell‐cycle regulator cyclin D1 and telomeric DNA‐binding protein Pin2, belongs to the Fbxo family that lack recognizable protein‐protein interaction motif in their C‐terminus. Reduced Fbx4 expression appears to be responsible, at least in part, for overexpression of cyclin D1 in human cancers. On the other hand, overexpression of Fbx4 in human cells promotes degradation of endogenous Pin2 and results in progressive telomere elongation. In order to define the fundamental structural properties of Fbx4, we have determined the crystal structure of the human Fbx4 protein in complex with Skp1 by single‐wavelength anomalous dispersion method. The structure of the binary complex reveals that Skp1 and the F‐box domain of Fbx4 retain the same overall fold as in other Fbxl and Fbxw structures determined, and that binding of the F box to Skp1 is very similar to that in other Skp1‐F box complexes. Interestingly, the C‐terminal domain of Fbx4 is projected away from Skp1 and F box, to adopt an α/β fold with a seven‐stranded β sheet surrounded by seven α helices, which is distinct from LRR (in Fbxl) and WD40 (in Fbxw), reinforcing the notion that Fbx4 represents a new family of substrate‐recognition subunits in SCF E3s. Moreover, mutagenesis experiments have revealed a potential substrate‐binding site in Fbx4 C‐terminal domain. Taken together, our structural and biochemical data provide a framework for understanding the molecular mechanism of substrate recognition by the SCFFbx4 ubiquitin ligase. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):C63.
Environmental Management of Soil Phosphorus

The mapping of soil P concentration is necessary to assess the risk of P loss in runoff. We modeled the distribution of Mehlich-3 extractable soil P (M3P) in an east-central Pennsylvania 39.5-ha watershed (FD-36) with an average field size of 1.0 ha. Three interpolation models were used: (i) the field classification model-simple field means, (ii) the global model-ordinary kriging across the watershed, and (iii) the within-field model-ordinary kriging within fields with a pooled within-stratum variogram. Soils were sampled on a 30-m grid, resulting in an average of 14 samples per field. Multiple validation runs were used to compare the models. Overall, the mean absolute errors (MAEs) of the models were 76, 71, and 66 mg kg -1 M3P for the field classification, global, and within-field models, respectively. The field classification model performed substantially worse than did the kriging models in five fields; these fields exhibited strong spatial autocorrelation. The within-field model performed substantially better than did the global model in three fields where autocorrelation was confined by the field boundary. However, no differences in P index classification were observed between the three prediction surfaces. The field classification model is simpler and less expensive to implement than the kriging models and should be adequate for applications that are not sensitive to small errors in soil P concentration estimates.
Minding the gaps: metabolomics mends functional genomics

Many have come to regard metabolism as a well‐understood housekeeping activity of all cells, functionally compartmentalized away from other biological processes. However, growing reports of unexpected links between a diverse range of disease states and specific metabolic enzymes or pathways have begun to challenge this view. In doing so, such discoveries have exposed more glaring, and neglected, deficiencies in our understanding of cellular metabolism, triggering a broad resurgence of interest in metabolism. > “Metabolomics […] offers a global window into the biochemical state of a cell or organism…” Metabolomics is the newest of the systems‐level disciplines and seeks to reveal the physiological state of a given cell or organism through the global and unbiased study of its small‐molecule metabolites [1]. Metabolites are the final products of enzymes and enzyme networks, the substrates and products of which often cannot be deduced from genetic information and the levels of which reflect the integrated product of the genome, proteome and environment [2]. Metabolomics thus offers a global window into the biochemical state of a cell or organism, made experimentally possible by the unprecedented discriminatory power and sensitivity of modern mass‐spectrometry‐based technologies (Fig 1). Two recent reports from the Carvalho and Neyrolles groups, published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA and Nature Chemical Biology [3,4 …
Associations between behavioural ontogeny and habitat change in clupeoid larvae

The ontogeny of evasive behaviours was examined in Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus, Clupeidae) and bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli, Engraulidae), with supplemental data for scaled sardine (Harengula jaguana, Clupeidae). Predicted relationships between ecology and behavioural ontogeny were tested using the different patterns of inshore vs offshore habitat utilization displayed by these species. In two of the species, menhaden and anchovy, the roles of vision, mechanoreception, and audition in evasive behaviours were examined ontogenetically and compared to the morphological development of these sensory systems. Anchovy early larvae were more responsive to a predatory stimulus than were menhaden; sardine early larvae were intermediate in responsiveness. By the end of the larval period most individuals tested in all three species responded. These results matched the pattern predicted by larval habitat. Ontogenetic trends in reactive distance did not match predictions based on habitat for these species but instead appeared to be more dependent upon changes in sensory morphology. In menhaden, ontogenetic changes in responsiveness were more dependent upon neuromast proliferation and cephalic lateral-line canal formation, while in anchovy these behavioural changes were more dependent upon ontogeny of the retina. Auditory stimuli were not implicated for either menhaden or anchovy in responding to the stimulus used.
Temporal changes in SSR allelic diversity of major rice cultivars in China

Abstract Forty simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were used to assess the changes of diversity in 310 major Chinese rice cultivars grown during the 1950s–1990s. Of the 40 SSR loci, 39 were polymorphic. A total of 221 alleles were detected with an average of 5.7 alleles per locus (Na). The Nei's genetic diversity index (He) varied drastically among the loci (0.207 to 0.874, mean 0.625). Comparing the temporal changes in Na and He, the cultivars from the 1950s had more alleles and higher He scores than the cultivars from the other four decades. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that the genetic differentiation among the five decades was not significant in the whole set, but significant within indica and japonica. More changes among the decades were revealed in indica cultivars than in japonica cultivars. Some alleles had been lost in current rice cultivars in the 1990s, occurring more frequently in indica. These results suggest that more elite alien genetic resources should be explored to widen the genetic backgrounds of rice cultivars currently grown in China.
Joint Confidence Region for the Parameters of Pareto Distribution

The Pareto distribution is commonly used by economists as a model for the distribution of incomes. Separate confidence intervals or approximate confidence intervals for the parameters of Pareto distribution were discussed by some authors. This paper discusses exact joint confidence region for the parameters of Pareto distribution. The method can be used for both complete samples and type II censored samples.
On the site of action of naloxone-stimulated cortisol secretion in gilts

The increase in serum cortisol concentrations following naloxone administration to female pigs was abolished by hypophysial stalk-transection, even though CRH and ACTH stimulated cortisol release in these animals. We suggest that the opioid antagonist enhances cortisol secretion primarily by a central action in pigs.
Characterization of zirconium nitride coatings deposited by cathodic arc sputtering

Abstract Polycrystalline ZrN coatings with a composition of 58.41 at.% Zr and 41.59 at.% N were deposited by cathodic arc evaporation on to Incoloy 825, Hastelloy C22 and Titanium Grade 12 metal substrates. Analyses of the coatings by scanning electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy revealed the presence of 1–8-μm-diameter macroparticles composed of Zr metal. Compressive stresses of 4.06, 3.88 and 2.69 GPa were measured via X-ray diffraction in the coatings deposited on Inc., Hast. and Ti. substrates, respectively. Values for Young's modulus and hardness of 458 and 27.65 GPa, respectively, were obtained via nanoindentation. Studies of the interfacial chemistry via Auger electron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed chemically abrupt interfaces and good compositional uniformity throughout the thickness of the zirconium nitride coatings.
Graded Channel Reservation with Path Switching in Ultra High Capacity Networks

We introduce a new algorithmic framework for advanced channel reservation in ultra high speed networks, called Graded Channel Reservation (GCR). GCR allows users to specify minimum bandwidth and duration requirements for their connections. GCR returns the highest graded path, selected according to a general, multi-criteria optimization objective. In particular, if the optimization criterion is delay, we prove that GCR returns the earliest time available to establish the connection. The computational complexity is polynomial in the size of the graph and the number of pending requests. We introduce a number of variants to GCR, including one that that provides the capability to switch between different paths during a connection. We present practical methods for minimizing or limiting the number of path switches. Through extensive simulations, we evaluate the performance of GCR and its variants under various topological settings and applications workload. Our results show that, for certain traffic parameters, optimized path selection combined with path switching can reduce the average delay of requests by an order of magnitude and increase the saturation throughput by as much as 50%. I.
Food, shelter and safety needs motivating homeless persons' visits to an urban emergency department.

Study objectives We determine whether homeless persons present to the emergency department (ED) for food, shelter, and safety and whether the availability of alternative sites for provision of these needs might decrease their ED presentations. Methods In July to August 2006 and February to March 2007, adult homeless and control (not homeless) patients, who self-presented (nonambulance) to an urban county ED, were interviewed with a structured instrument. Results One hundred ninety-one homeless and 63 control subjects were enrolled. Homeless persons spent a mean (standard deviation [SD]) of 3.5 (3.0) nights/week sleeping without shelter and ate a mean (SD) of 2.1 (1.1) meals per day; 51% stated they had been assaulted on the street. On an analog scale, in which 0=no problem and 10=worst possible problem in their daily lives, the mean (SD) homeless subject responses for hunger, lack of shelter, and safety were 4.8 (3.7), 6.1 (4.2), and 5.1 (4.0), respectively. More homeless (29% [55/189]) than not homeless (10% [6/63]) persons replied that hunger, safety concerns, and lack of shelter were reasons they came to the ED (Δ=20%; 95% confidence interval 10% to 29%). If offered a place that would provide food, shelter, and safety at all times, 24% of homeless subjects stated they would not have come to the ED. Conclusion Homeless persons commonly come to the ED for food, shelter, and safety. Provision of these subsistence needs at all times at another site may decrease their ED presentations.
Investigating Spatial Downscaling of Satellite Rainfall Data for Streamflow Simulation in a Medium-Sized Basin

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate spatial downscaling of satellite rainfall data for streamflow prediction in a medium-sized (970 km2) river basin prone to flooding. The spatial downscaling scheme used in the study was based on the principle of scale invariance. It reproduced the rainfall variability at finer scales while being conditioned on the large-scale rainfall. Two Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)-based real-time global satellite rainfall products were analyzed: 1) the infrared (IR)-based 3B41RT product available at 1 hourly and 0.25° scales and 2) the combined passive microwave (PMW) and IR-based 3B42RT product available at 3 hourly and 0.25° scales. The conceptual Hydrologic Engineering Center-Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) was used for the simulation of streamflow. It was found that propagation of spatially downscaled satellite rainfall in the hydrologic model increased simulation uncertainty in streamflow as rainfall grid scales became smaller than 0.25°. T...
Teachers' Standards and Teacher Improvement

The state certification codes must be directed by the colleges. Codes prescribe a minor which colleges must not cheapen. Colleges control minor definition, hence the quality and quantity of teachers. Code hour-requirements must be raised to meet the minors. Should languages be classified as “special” subjects, demanding certain skills?
Gangliosides Inhibit Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator (uPA)-Dependent Squamous Carcinoma Cell Migration by Preventing uPA Receptor/α5β1 Integrin/Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Interactions

The interaction of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) receptor (uPAR) with integrins plays a critical role in the regulation of cell adhesion and migration. However, the molecular events underlying the modulation of the interaction of uPAR and integrin are poorly understood. Gangliosides are thought to regulate epithelial cell adhesion and migration by inhibiting α 5 β 1 integrin and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. We report here that increases in the expression of ganglioside NeuAcα2→3Galβ1→3GalNAcβ1→4(NeuAcα2→8NeuAcα2→3)Galβ1→4Glcβ1-Cer (GT1b) or NeuAcα2→3Galβ1→4Glcβ1-Cer (GM3) inhibit uPA-dependent cell migration by preventing the association of uPAR with α 5 β 1 integrin or uPAR/α 5 β 1 integrin with the EGFR, respectively. As a result, uPA-dependent focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and integrin-mediated EGFR signaling are suppressed. Both gangliosides inhibit uPAR signaling-stimulated migration; however, GM3 inhibits uPA-induced EGFR phosphorylation by blocking the crosstalk between integrin and EGFR, whereas GT1b suppresses both uPA-induced FAK and EGFR activation by preventing the activation of integrin α 5 β 1 .
The potential for crop insurance reform

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the growth and rising costs association with the Federal Crop Insurance program in the USA, justifications for public support, and recent reforms that have been implemented or proposed to reduce program costs. It also analyzes a specific policy to reduce premium assistance spending. Design/methodology/approach – Data from the Risk Management Agency are used to illustrate historical trends in crop insurance program costs and to analyze the impacts of imposing a per acre cap on premium assistance. Findings – Imposing a per acre cap on premium assistance could achieve significant savings. A $20 per acre cap is estimated to reduce premium subsidy expenditures by more than 40 percent. However, the impact of such a policy would be most severe on crops currently receiving the largest subsidies per acre, which happen to be some of the largest program crops in the USA. Originality/value – This paper adds to the literature analyzing potential reform in crop insuranc...
An algorithm to solve the generalized linear complementarity problem with a vertical block z-matrix

Chandrasekaran's algorithm for solving the linear complementarity problem with a Z-matrix is extended to solve the Generalized Linear Complementarity Problem (GLCP) when the is a vertical block Z-matrix of type (m 1,…,m n). The extended scheme solves the GLCP in at most n cycles by either finding a solution or declaring that none exists. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm
Demonstrating the Anchoring-Adjustment Heuristic and the Power of the Situation

This article presents a technique used to elucidate the anchoring-adjustment heuristic and to integrate the concept with social psychological principles. After drawing a high or low number out of a hat, students estimated the number of yearly stroke-related deaths that occur in the United States. The interaction between type of anchor and familiarity with the heuristic predicted stroke estimates. Class discussion highlighted the power of situational forces, implications of cognitive biases, and methodological issues. Students' pre- and postdemonstration definitions of the anchoring-adjustment heuristic indicated that the demonstration helped them to understand the concept. Students described the demonstration and discussion as informative and enjoyable.
Dissecting the "Digital Divide": A Case Study in Egypt

For the last decade, the concept of a “digital divide” has framed people’s understanding of technology’s relationship to equity and development. This article critiques theoretically the digital divide concept and supports this critique by examining a case study of technology and education in Egypt. The study illustrates the social embeddedness of technology and the intertwining of computer access with broader issues of political power, thus refuting simplistic notions of divides to be overcome through provision of equipment.
Short Total Synthesis of (±)-Sceptrin

Gifted with novel chemical features and extraordinary biological activity, sceptrin has remained a prominent unanswered synthetic challenge since its characterization in 1981 by Faulkner and Clardy. A concise and practical solution to the myriad of chemical challenges posed by sceptrin is reported in this Communication. Thus, through a sequence involving rearrangement of an oxaquadricyclane, a new method for chemo- and regioselective halogenation, a mild sequence for 2-aminoimidazole formation, and careful synthetic choreography, (+/-)-sceptrin is obtained in a minimum of steps and in 24% overall yield from dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate without a single use of chromatography.
Writing for audiovisual media.

(1981). Writing for audiovisual media. Journal of Audiovisual Media in Medicine: Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 94-94.
PSO-Based Trust QoS Routing Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

The existing routing algorithm of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) pays more attention to the energy efficient. However, Quality of Service (QoS) supported and the validity of packet transmission unveil additional challenges. Based on the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), this paper presents a trust QoS routing algorithm for WSNs. Hierarchical structure is adopted and the trust value of the node is constructed with the direct trust value and the indirect trust value. In addition, delivery delay and packet loss are considered as main QoS metrics. Finally, under the optimization ability of PSO, the proposed algorithm tries to find the route with maximum residual energy and reliability in order to maximize network utilization as well as meets QoS constraints. Compared to typical routing algorithms in sensor networks, this new algorithm has better performance.
Selection and Dosing of Medications for Management of Diabetes in Patients with Advanced Kidney Disease

Diabetes mellitus is a leading cause of kidney disease worldwide. A large and expanding array of treatments for diabetes is available to improve glycemic control, including newer classes of drugs, such as thiazolidinediones and incretin-based therapies. The presence of impaired kidney function with reduced glomerular filtration rate should influence choices, dosing, and monitoring of hypoglycemic agents, as some agents require a dosing adjustment in patients with kidney disease and some are entirely contraindicated. This article reviews the clinical use of insulin and other antidiabetic therapies, focusing on pharmacokinetic properties and dosing in patients with advanced kidney disease.
Carboplatin with weekly docetaxel and ifosfamide in advanced head and neck cancers: a phase I Brown University Oncology Group dose escalation study (HN-93).

A phase I study was performed to determine the maximally tolerated dose of carboplatin, ifosfamide, and docetaxel in advanced head and neck cancers. Carboplatin (week 1) was administered with weekly docetaxel and ifosfamide for 3 weeks in an every 4-week cycle. Restaging was done after two cycles, while dose level escalation was done in cohorts of three patients. Fifteen patients (recurrent/metastatic disease, n = 8; bulky locally advanced disease, n = 7) were enrolled. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Toxicities included grade 3 neutropenia and anemia (n = 2, each), and grade 2 thrombocytopenia (n = 3). The final level of carboplatin AUC = 6 (week 1) with docetaxel 30 mg/m2 per week and ifosfamide 1,000 mg/m2 per week was chosen for further evaluation. This novel regimen of carboplatin with weekly docetaxel and ifosfamide has a favorable toxicity profile and is active in this setting. Phase II study results are awaited.
EmVC: Managing Changes and Configurations in Designs of Complex, Embedded Computing Systems

Nowadays, the development of complex computing devices involves a substantial and growing part of software development. A great challenge for engineers is to manage the evolution of a system with several components in the face of mounting complexity due to concurrent hardware and software development. The key limitations of existing change management tools used for the design process of complex computing systems include their inadequacy in representing semantics of design models and inability to manage changes to both hardware designs and associated software components in a cohesive manner. Thus, it is difficult to track the logical interdependencies between the changes to hardware and software components in an embedded computing system over time. This paper presents EmVC, a configuration management system for a hardware software co-design process. EmVC is an illustration of our application of a well-known software engineering approach to the management of embedded systems design artifacts. Our novel component-based change management mechanism is capable of capturing and versioning the underlying logical contents of components in system design models and their associated software artifacts in a cohesive manner.
NASA Advanced Turboprop Research and Concept Validation Program

NASA has determined by experimental and analytical effort that use of advanced turboprop propulsion instead of the conventional turbofans in the older narrow-body airline fleet could reduce fuel consumption for this type of aircraft by up to 50 percent. In cooperation with industry, NASA has defined and implemented an Advanced Turboprop (ATP) program to develop and validate the technology required for these new high-speed, multibladed, thin, swept propeller concepts. This paper presents an overview of the analysis, model-scale test, and large-scale flight test elements of the program together with preliminary test results, as available.
Enrich: software for analysis of protein function by enrichment and depletion of variants

Summary: Measuring the consequences of mutation in proteins is critical to understanding their function. These measurements are essential in such applications as protein engineering, drug development, protein design and genome sequence analysis. Recently, high-throughput sequencing has been coupled to assays of protein activity, enabling the analysis of large numbers of mutations in parallel. We present Enrich, a tool for analyzing such deep mutational scanning data. Enrich identifies all unique variants (mutants) of a protein in high-throughput sequencing data sets and can correct for sequencing errors using overlapping paired-end reads. Enrich uses the frequency of each variant before and after selection to calculate an enrichment ratio, which is used to estimate fitness. Enrich provides an interactive interface to guide users. It generates useraccessible output for downstream analyses as well as several visualizations of the effects of mutation on function, thereby allowing the user to rapidly quantify and comprehend sequence–function relationships.
History of the USA Branch of the World's Poultry Science Association, 1965–2000

Two World Poultry Congresses have beeb held in the United States, in 1939 and 1974. The USA Branch of the World's Poultry Science Association was not formed until after the first of those. In order to recognise the contributors of the many who have been active, this review of the history of the USA Branch was prepared. It gives the objective of the organisation, the officers during the 35 years and a list of some of the more important activities.