cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An intervention to reduce psychosocial and biological indicators of stress in African American lupus patients: The balancing lupus experiences with stress strategies study

Objective: Very little is known about the impact of psychosocial stress on African American lupus patients. Due to the exposure of African Americans to a unique trajectory of stressors throughout life, it may be critical to understand the relationship between psychosocial stress and underlying biological mechanisms that influence disease activity and pathology in this high risk group. Methods: The Balancing Lupus Experiences with Stress Strategies (BLESS) study piloted the validated “Better Choices, Better Health” Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) in 30 African-American lupus patients participating in the SLE Clinic Database Project at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Measures of psychosocial and biological indicators of stress were collected in all of the patients in each of the study conditions before and after intervention activities, as well as four months’ post-intervention, to assess the effectiveness of the program in reducing perceived and biological indicators of stress. Results: Participation in the workshops had large effects upon depression (d = 1.63 and d = 1.68), social/role activities limitations (d =1.15), health distress (d = 1.13 and d = 0.78), fatigue (d = 1.03), pain (d = 0.96), and lupus self-efficacy (d = 0.85). Neither the differences in cortisol or DHEA levels pre- and post-intervention were found to be significantly different between intervention participants and controls. Conclusion: The intervention workshops acted to reduce perceived stress and improve quality of life. Our findings imply that comparable, if not more significant gains in relevant health indicators are possible in African American patients when provided the opportunity to participate in CDSMP’s.
Demonstration of the elusive concentration-gradient paramagnetic force.

Using classical electrochemistry, it is demonstrated that the concentration-gradient paramagnetic force, F∇C, is a body force proportional to |B|2 acting parallel to the concentration gradient of electrogenerated radicals. F∇C can balance gravity, holding volumes of solution wherein mass transfer continues to take place by diffusion. In contrast to usual levitation forces, F∇C does not depend on field gradients and may be present even in homogeneous magnetic fields. Understanding the properties of F∇C is relevant to magnetic confinement and levitation and is speculated even to propulsion with objects having permanent susceptibility gradients.
Placenta Growth Factor (PlGF), a Novel Inducer of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by a prothrombotic state. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is known to modulate fibrinolysis, lung injury/fibrosis, and angiogenesis. However, its role in SCD is less understood, and the molecular mechanisms underlying increased PAI-1 are unknown. Herein, we show a novel link between PAI-1 and sickle erythropoiesis. Plasma PAI-1 levels were high in SCD patients at steady state and in two humanized sickle mouse models, with increased PAI-1 immunolabeling in sickle mouse lung, bronchial epithelial cells, alveolar macrophages, and pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. Placenta growth factor (PlGF), released at high levels by sickle erythroblasts, induced PAI-1 expression in primary human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells and monocytes through activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), NADPH oxidase, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Analysis of the human PAI-1 promoter revealed this induction was mediated by hypoxia-response element (HRE)-1, HRE-2, and distal activator protein (AP-1) sites. We also identify the involvement of c-Jun, c-Jun/c-Fos, and JunD, but not JunB, in binding with AP-1 sites of the PAI-1 promoter upon PlGF induction. Consistent with these findings, levels of PAI-1 were low in PlGF knock-out mice and sickle-PlGF knock-out mice; overexpression of PlGF in normal mice increased circulating PAI-1. In conclusion, we identify a novel mechanism of PAI-1 elevation in SCD.
Simple pen interaction performance of young and older adults using handheld computers

Several experiments have documented how older adults have greater difficulty using input devices than young adults. None of these experiments, however, have provided information on the challenges faced by older adults when using pens to interact with handheld computers. To address this need, we conducted a study comparing the performance of twenty 18-22year olds, twenty 50-64year olds, and twenty 65-84year olds conducting selection and steering tasks. We found that for the most part, older adults were able to complete tasks accurately and efficiently. An exception occurred with the low accuracy rates achieved by 65-84year old participants when tapping on targets of the same size as the standard radio buttons on the PocketPC. An alternative selection technique we refer to as ''touch'' enabled 65-84year olds to select targets significantly more accurately. If tapping to select, making standard-sized targets 50% larger provided 65-84year olds with similar advantages to switching to ''touch'' interactions.
Using fire history models to estimate proportions of old growth forest in northwest Montana, USA

Abstract Mature and post-mature stands may be under-represented in many modern forest landscapes as a result of preferential harvest of these age classes. It is important for land managers concerned with protecting biological diversity to know the approximate proportion of old growth in forest landscapes prior to European interference. Negative exponential models, based on mean stand-replacing fire intervals taken from fire history studies, were used to estimate presettlement stand-age distributions for three areas in northwest Montana. Results were compared with empirical distributions calculated from stand maps prepared in 1937–1938, prior to significant timber harvest and effective fire suppression. The models predicted the observed proportion of 1937–1938 old growth (≥200 years) within 10% but were poor at predicting proportions in 20-year age classes. These results suggest that negative exponential models based on empirically determined estimates of fire interval can be used to obtain approximate estimates of presettlement old growth if local fire history studies have been done. Results of this study and numerous fire-history studies suggest that old growth occupied 20–50% of many presettlement forest ecosystems in the Northern Rockies.
Community Ergonomics: Past Approaches and Future Prospects towards America's Urban Crisis

The purpose of this paper is to examine past and current urban programs and to propose a new human engineering approach to solve entrenched problems. The application of a systematic engineering philosophy is central to a process that is focused around the concepts of work. As such, a new application of industrial engineering and human factors is proposed. The creation of stable, worthwhile jobs is crucial, but only in relation to an entire system which includes (among many others) existing governmental programs, educational systems, law enforcement, financial institutions, and especially, people's desires and needs towards bettering their lives. This approach is neither entirely governmental nor privatized. Private industry will be created and encouraged to utilize a non-traditional workforce. Benefits from governmental programs will be utilized to promote an entrepreneurial spirit that can succeed outside of the “underground economy”. In addition, efforts will be coordinated to help people become increas...
Mercury minimization measures to meet total maximum daily load requirements

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that bioaccumulates due to its tendency to associate with organic matter. Thus methylmercury, the organic (and most toxic) mercury form, will bioaccumulate up the food chain, with the largest aquatic concentrations found in predatory fish. Five segments of the lower Savannah River were listed on the state of Georgia's 2000 Section 303(d) list of impaired waters because mercury in certain species of fish tissue exceeded fish consumption (the primary human route of exposure) guidelines. Consequently, EPA developed a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for total mercury for the middle/lower Savannah River. An Army installation, located in the affected watershed and identified as a significant mercury contributor, was allowed a 7.43E-06 kg/yr wasteload allocation (WLA) of discharged mercury. In lieu of end-of-pipe sampling, the installation chose development and implementation of a mercury minimization plan (MMP) for TMDL compliance. This article describes the methodology used for MMP development and summarizes the policies, procedures, and guidelines used to reduce and/or eliminate mercury-containing discharges into the wastewater collection system. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Combinatorial Rheology of Branched Polymer Melts

An algorithm is presented for predicting the linear viscoelasticity of polydisperse polymers containing long side branches with arbitrary distributions of branch length and branch location along a backbone. The algorithm gives semiquantitative predictions of literature data for a wide range of polybutadiene melts, including monodisperse linear, star, mixed linear and star, pom-pom, and comb polymers. Huge differences (several orders of magnitude) are predicted in zero-shear viscosities for samples that have the same weight-average molecular weight (200 000) and the same branching fraction but have different branching structures. It is shown that information on branching structure can be inferred by combinatorially measuring rheological properties on series of blends of the branched polymer with a linear, or well-defined branched, polymer.
Magnetic ordering temperature of [(CH3)3ND] CoCl3·2D2O

Deuteration of the readily-exchangeable protons in [(CH3)3NH]-CoCl3·2H2O causes little or no change in the long-range magnetic ordering temperature. This is consistent with the strong two-dimensional anisotropy of exchange interactions in this chained compound.
Relationship between TG/HDL-C ratio and metabolic syndrome risk factors with chronic kidney disease in healthy adult population.

Summary Background & aims The triglycerides-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio has been identified as a biomarker of insulin resistance and a predictor for atherosclerosis. The objectives of this study were to investigate which the TG/HDL-C ratio is useful to detect metabolic syndrome (MS) risk factors and subclinical chronic kidney disease (CKD) in general population without known CKD or renal impairment and to compare predictive accuracy of MS risk factors. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. A total 46,255 subjects aged ≥18 years undergoing health examination during 2010–2011 in Taiwan. The independent associations between TG/HDL-C ratio quartiles, waist circumstance (WC) waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), mean atrial pressure (MAP), and CKD prevalence was analyzed by using logistic regression models. Analyses of the areas under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were performed to determine the accuracy of MS risk factors in predicting CKD. Results A dose-response manner was observed for the prevalence of CKD and measurements of MS risk factors, showing increases from the lowest to the highest quartile of the TG/HDL-C ratio. Males and females in the highest TG/HDL-C ratio quartile (>2.76) had a 1.4-fold and 1.74-fold greater risk of CKD than those in the lowest quartile (≤1.04), independent of confounding factors. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) had the highest AUC for predicting CKD among MS risk factors. The TG/HDL-C ratio was an independent risk factor for CKD, but it showed no superiority over MAP in predicting CKD. A TG/HDL-C ratio ≥2.76 may be useful in clinical practice to detect subjects with worsened cardiometabolic profile who need monitoring to prevent CKD. Conclusions TG/HDL-C ratio is an independent risk factor for CKD in adults aged 18–50 years. MAP was the most powerful predictor over other MS risk factors in predicting CKD. However, longitudinal and comparative studies are required to demonstrate the predictive value of TG/HDL-C on the onset and progression of CKD over time.
Anal Squamous Cell Cancer in African Americans With and Without HIV: A Comparative Study

1.1 Background: The incidence of anal carcinoma has increased over the last few decades especially in African Americans (AA) despite the use of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). Here, we retrospectively review oncologic outcomes of AA patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with and without HIV to further examine the cause of this trend. Materials and Methods: All adult AA patients diagnosed with anal SCC from 2000 to 2007 who met inclusion were examined. All patients were staged according to the American Joint Committee on Carcinoma (AJCC) sixth edition staging classification. Patients were divided into two cohorts: HIV (-) and HIV (+). Demographics, comorbidities, and oncologic outcomes were analyzed. Results: Twenty-two AA patients with anal SCC were analyzed. Fifteen (68.%) were HIV (+) and seven (32%) were negative. Seventy-four percent of HIV (+) patients were on HAART therapy at the time of diagnosis. The HIV (+) cohort was significantly younger, mostly male, and had more comorbidities compared to the negative cohort. There was no difference in tumor, nodal or metastasis (TNM) stage for both cohorts. HIV (+) patients were more likely to receive non-operative therapy. The 5-year survival rate for HIV negative and positive patients was 57% and 58%, respectively. AJCC stage was the only factor predictive of survival after performing Cox hazard proportional regression analysis, HR: 1.96 (95% CI, 0.987 to 3.881). Conclusions: In the HAART era, HIV (+) AA patients are at high risk of developing anal SCC. However, the prognosis of HIV (+) AA with anal SSC is similar to that of their HIV (-) counterparts. Carcinoma stage is the only factor predictive of survival.
Recruitment and participation in clinical trials: socio-demographic, rural/urban, and health care access predictors.

Abstract Background: Recruitment and participation in clinical trials by minorities, particularly African Americans and rural underserved populations, are low. This report examines predictors of clinical trial recruitment and participation for adult Marylanders. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to survey 5154 adults (18 years and older) residing in 13 of the 24 jurisdictions in Maryland, including urban Baltimore City, and the rural regions of Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore. The survey, conducted between December 2001 and March 2003, used Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing and random-digit dialing procedures. Primary dependent variables included "ever asked to participate" (i.e., recruited) and "participated" in clinical trials. Results: 11.1% of the respondents had been recruited to clinical trials. In addition, 59.4% of the respondents recruited to clinical trials actually participated in a clinical trial. Among respondents recruited to clinical trials, black and middle income respondents were significantly less likely to actually participate in clinical trials; whereas, respondents who received information about clinical trials from their health care provider, who were knowledgeable about clinical trials, and those who had the time commitment were significantly more likely to participate in clinical trials. Conclusions: These results suggest serious gaps in efforts to recruit racial/ethnic minorities and residents of rural regions into clinical trials. The findings provide the basis for the development and implementation of community-based educational programs for both the general public and health care professionals, and to enhance availability of community-based clinical trials, especially in the rural areas of the state.
Momentum dependences of charmonium properties from lattice QCD

Abstract Charmonia produced in initial hard parton scatterings during heavy ion collisions move with respect to the medium rather than flow with the medium. Lattice studies suggest that charmonium bound states at the rest are dissociated at T ≳ 1.5 T c . We present results on momentum dependences of charmonium properties in a hot medium from lattice QCD Monte Carlo simulations. The dispersion relation of the screening mass and the change of correlation and spectral functions at various temperatures and momenta are discussed.
Differentiation and decrement in the Mueller-Lyer illusion

Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that decrement of the Mueller-Lyer illusion with inspection is due to learning to differentiate the test element from the accessory lines. In one experiment, the test element is predifferentiated for the observer by means of configurational variations and in the other by restriction of attention. Although the initial magnitude of the illusion is found to be inversely proportional to the amount of predifferentiation, the slopes of the decrement curves are not affected.
A Visual Model for the Variance and Standard Deviation

Summary This paper shows how the variance and standard deviation can be represented graphically by looking at each squared deviation as a graphical object – in particular, as a square. A series of displays show how the standard deviation is the size of the average square.
Multiple uses of liquepipets in Southern, Northern, and Western blots

Individually wrapped, sterile disposable transfer pipets can be used in the isolation of ds-DNA and ds-RNA fragments from gels as well as in the screening of multiple samples in Southern, Northern, and Western blots without potential contamination by exogenous nucleases and proteases. The sensitivity and results obtained by this method are comparable to those obtained by conventional methods. All the prehybridization, blocking, hybridization, and detection processes can be performed within the transfer pipet. The isotopically labeled probes used in hybridization can easily be recovered, stored for reuse, or disposed of as waste with no potential contamination of personnel or laboratory equipment. Strip blots are stable in appropriate buffers within the liquepipets which can be shipped easily worldwide for comparative analyses by collaborative investigators. This method is simple, time saving, and inexpensive and is particularly suitable for multiple sample screening. Other potential applications of this procedure are discussed.
Slow secondary relaxation in a free-energy landscape model for relaxation in glass-forming liquids

Within the framework of a free-energy landscape model for the relaxation in supercooled liquids the primary (\ensuremath{\alpha}) relaxation is modeled by transitions among different free-energy minima. The secondary (\ensuremath{\beta}) relaxation then corresponds to intraminima relaxation. We consider a simple model for the reorientational motions of the molecules associated with both processes and calculate the dielectric susceptibility as well as the spin-lattice relaxation times. The parameters of the model can be chosen in a way that both quantities show a behavior similar to that observed in experimental studies on supercooled liquids. In particular we find that it is not possible to obtain a crossing of the time scales associated with \ensuremath{\alpha} and \ensuremath{\beta} relaxation. In our model these processes always merge at high temperatures and the \ensuremath{\alpha} process remains above the merging temperature. The relation to other models is discussed.
Variability in herbivory in subtropical seagrass ecosystems and implications for seagrass transplanting

Abstract Herbivory structures ecosystems in multiple and complex ways and is capable of affecting the success of ecological restoration projects that involve reestablishing plant communities. Direct herbivory on experimental planting units assembled from leaves of the seagrasses Thalassia testudinum , Syringodium filiforme , and Halodule wrightii was assayed in 2009–2010 in south Florida, USA. Seagrass biomass loss to herbivory was compared with elemental composition of donor and ambient seagrass leaves as well as with fish communities at the assay sites. Seagrass herbivores were capable of removing substantial biomass from our experimental planting units, and this varied across seagrass species, location, and time. Seagrass biomass loss to herbivory ranged from 0% to 82%. More biomass was lost during the spring assays than in fall and winter assays. Biomass loss was greatest in S. filiforme and H. wrightii , and negligent in T. testudinum . The assay site closest to tidal cuts leading to the coral reef tract experienced the highest average levels of herbivory. C:N ratios and salinity were predictors of seagrass biomass loss, but not C:P ratios, temperature, or herbivorous fish abundance. Leaf loss to seagrass herbivores appears to be a spatially variable but critically important determinant of seagrass transplanting success. We recommend that local knowledge of herbivory pressure be considered during restoration planning. In our system, a conservative approach to seagrass transplanting, limiting projects to winter months, and refraining from seagrass transplanting all together in areas proximal to coral reefs, are likely to maximize the potential for success.
New therapeutic approaches and challenges for the treatment of dry eye disease

Innumerable individuals suffer from tear film dysfunctions, which are collectively diagnosed as dry eye disease (DED). In the United States alone DED afflicts tens of millions of people, especially women, and is one of the most frequent causes of patient visits to eye care practitioners. DED is characterized by a vicious cycle of tear film hyperosmolarity and instability and ocular surface stress, leading to increased friction, inflammation and damage to the eye. DED is caused primarily by meibomian gland dysfunction, and is associated with significant pain, decreased vitality and poorer general health. Because of diminished worker productivity, the burden of DED for the United States is estimated to be over $55.4 billion. There is no safe and effective global treatment for DED, and its therapy remains a profound unmet need throughout the world. A virtual kaleidoscope of new therapeutic approaches have been proposed to treat the mucin, aqueous and/or lipid tear film deficiencies, as well as the ocular surface damage, associated with DED. My presentation will highlight these approaches, and also address the significant clinical endpoint challenges that serve as barriers to the successful development of potential treatments for DED. Commercial interest
Uniform Nanoliter-Sized Droplet Deposition using Fluid Motion in Ratcheted Micro-Channels

This paper reports on a new and simple way of uniform nanoliter droplet deposition by moving a microliter droplet through a vibrating ratcheted channel. Nanoliter droplets were deposited on Si and SU8 substrates/channels. A uniform array of 514 plusmn 62pL droplets was deposited on a SU8 channel by vibrating the substrate at a frequency and amplitude of 50 Hz and 3.5 mm (droplet speed ~ 60mm/s).
Fixed exchange rates and sticky prices in emerging markets

In the wake of financial crises in emerging markets, firmly fixed exchange rates and even dollarization have been advocated as a means to decrease vulnerability. There are many important new issues related to fixing the exchange rate and financial vulnerability, but one long-time vital concern for a fixed currency regime persists: the flexibility of domestic prices and wages. In the presence of high nominal rigidities, fixed rates can lead to large output costs in the aftermath of negative macroeconomic shocks. Employing a method previously applied to the gold standard fixed rate regime, we find generally flat aggregate supply curves in a sample of five emerging markets. This indicates substantial inflexibility of prices, and large losses in terms of income and employment in a fixed exchange rate regime subsequent to negative shocks. © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Why would men use finasteride in 2005

In the late 1800s, reports of treatment for obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by bilateral castration in humans were published. Subsequent observations that BPH regressed following castration in male dogs (beagles) generated additional interest in androgen manipulation to treat BPH in humans. Estrogens, aromatase inhibitors, and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogs were tested, but were minimally efficacious or caused significant side effects such as sexual dysfunction or cardiovascular events. With the observation that testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone and that the dihydrotest-osterone is the more active hormone in prostatic epithelial cell proliferation and maintenance, the concept of 5α-reductase inhibition was developed and clinically tested. Finasteride is a type-2 5-reductase inhibitor and dutasteride is a blocker of type-1 and type-2 reductase. Both are now clinically available.
Evaluating the applicability of current models of workload to peer-based human-robot teams

Human-Robot peer-based teams are evolving from a far-off possibility into a reality. Human Performance Moderator Functions (HPMFs) can be used to predict human behavior by incorporating the effects of internal and external influences such as fatigue and workload. The applicability of HPMFs to human-robot teams is not proven. The presented research focuses on determining the applicability of workload HPMFs in team tasks for first response mass casualty triage incidents between a Human-Human and a Human-Robot team. A model representing workload for each team was developed using IMPRINT Pro. The results from an empirical evaluation were compared to the model results. While significant differences between the two conditions were not found in all data, there was a general trend that workload in the human-robot condition was slightly lower than the workload experienced in the human-human condition. This trend was predicted by the IMPRINT Pro models. These results are the first to indicate that existing HPMFs can be applied to human-robot peer-based teams.
Searches for Composition-Independent Effects

As we discussed in Chapters 1 and 2, composition-dependent effects are those (apparently) gravitational effects which depend on the chemical composition of the test masses. A simple example would be a difference in the accelerations of two dissimilar objects dropped from the same height, an experiment Galileo is reputed to have carried out. We noted in Chapter 1 that any such difference could be ascribed to the presence of a new force rather than to gravity, but for most experimental purposes we can describe the relevant experiments without reference to any specific theoretical picture. (Theory is important, however, when comparing the sensitivities of different experiments, since such comparisons necessarily involve assumptions about the relative sizes and charges of different sources and detectors. This, in turn, introduces model-dependent assumptions about the form on the non-Newtonian force.) Interest in such experiments has greatly increased in recent years, and a number of imaginative techniques have been developed to search for such composition-dependent effects. In anticipation of the ensuing discussion, we summarize some of the main conclusions that have emerged to date.
Auditory assessment of cleft palate adults.

The study was designed to obtain data relative to hearing level and discrimination in cleft palate adults. The results indicated that the subjects as a group have hearing levels within normal limits and that their auditory discrimination is normal. Furthermore over 50% of the subjects showed evidence of previous middle ear infection. However, there were only two cases of active middle ear pathology. The findings suggests that middle ear infection in cleft palates runs its course before adolescence.
Label-free electronic detection of the antigen-specific T-cell immune response.

Detection of antigen-specific T-cells is critical for diagnostic assessment and design of therapeutic strategies for many disease states. Effective monitoring of these cells requires technologies that assess their numbers as well as functional response. Current detection of antigenspecific T-cells involves flow cytometry and functional assays and requires fluorescently labeled, soluble forms of peptide-loaded major histocompatability complexes (MHC). We demonstrate that nanoscale solid-state complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology can be employed to allow direct, label-free electronic detection of antigen-specific T-cell responses within seconds after stimulation. Our approach relies on detection of extracellular acidification arising from a small number of T-cells (as few as ∼200), whose activation is induced by triggering the T-cell antigen receptor. We show that T-cell triggering by a nonspecific anti-CD3 stimulus can be detected within 10 s after exposure to the stimulus. In contrast, antigen-specific T-cell responses are slower with response times greater than 40 s after exposure to peptide/MHC agonists. The speed and sensitivity of this technique has the potential to elucidate new understandings of the kinetics of activationinduced T-cell responses. This combined with its ease of integration into conventional electronics potentially enable rapid clinical testing and high-throughput epitope and drug screening.
An exponential example for a partial digest mapping algorithm

The partial digest problem for small-scale DNA physical mapping is known is known in computer science as the turnpike reconstruction problem. Although no polynomial algorithm for this problem is known, a simple backtracking algorithm of Skiena et al. works well in practice. Weiss raises the question whether an exponential example exists for this algorithm. This paper presents such an exponential example for this backtracking algorithm.
On optimal asymptotic tests of composite hypotheses with several constraints

A locally asymptotically most powerful test for composite hypotheses with t independent linear constraints on the parameters has been developed for the case where the observed random variables {X nk , k=1,2,...,n} are independently but not necessarily identically distributed. However, their distributions depend on two vector parameters, one ξ = (ξ 1, ξ 2, ..., ξ t) being under test, and the other θ = (θ 1, θ 2, ..., θ s) being the nuisance parameter.
On track with Online Education

Abstract Many dietetics educators are interested in developing and teaching courses via the Internet. There is a steep learning curve involved in planning, developing, and implementing such a course. The author will share experience in successfully launching an Internet course. Participants will gain knowledge in what an online course ‘looks like' from the instructor's and the students' vantage. Faculty work load will be addressed, considering time required to develop a course and time required weekly while the course is online. Tied closely to faculty load is the issue of support; recommendations will be given regarding requests for technological and support staff. Planning an effective budget is extremely important, and a variety of technologies will be demonstrated which enhance an online course, including the use of scanned images, digital cameras and movie clips. Without the frequent face-to-face contact from a traditional classroom setting, effective communication and lesson planning becomes critical to the success of the learners. Specific examples for planning learning outcomes to meet foundation knowledge and skills will be provided.
Comparative genomics: The next generation

Abstract Recent advances in human gene mapping technologies have led to increased emphasis in developing representative genetic maps for several species, particularly domestic plants and animals. These maps are being compiled with two distinct goals: to provide a resource for genetic analysis, and to help dissect the evolution of genome organization by comparing linkage relationships of homologous genes. We recently proposed a list of reference anchor loci suitable for comparative gene mapping in mammals and other vertebrate classes. The comparative anchors, which are Type I (coding gene) loci, provide a comparative framework, but the addition of Type II (microsatellite) loci is also necessary for mapping phenotypes in animal gene maps. Strategies for combining the advantages of Type I and Type II locus markers are presented with emphasis on application of these concepts to the construction of a gene map of the domestic cat.
Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging Studies of Protein-Carbohydrate Interactions

Carbohydrate arrays fabricated on gold films were used to study carbohydrate-protein interactions with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging. An immobilization scheme consisting of the formation of a surface disulfide bond was used to attach thiol-modified carbohydrates onto gold films and to fabricate carbohydrate arrays. The carbohydrate attachment steps were characterized using polarization modulation Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy; and poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchannels were used to immobilize probe compounds at discrete locations on a gold film. The binding of the carbohydrate-binding proteins concanavalin A (ConA) and jacalin to arrays composed of the monosaccharides mannose and galactose was monitored with SPR imaging. SPR imaging measurements were employed to accomplish the following: (i) construct adsorption isotherms for the interactions of ConA and jacalin to the carbohydrate surfaces, (ii) monitor protein binding to surfaces presenting different compositions of the immobilized carbohydrates, and (iii) measure the solution equilibrium dissociation constants for ConA and jacalin toward mannose and galactose, respectively. Adsorption coefficients (K(ADS)) of 2.2 +/- 0.8 x 10(7) M(-)(1) and 5.6 +/- 1.7 x 10(6) M(-)(1) were obtained for jacalin adsorbing to a galactose surface and ConA adsorbing to a mannose surface, respectively. The solution equilibrium dissociation (K(D)) constant for the interaction of jacalin and galactose was found to be 16 +/- 5 microM, and for ConA and mannose was found to be 200 +/- 50 microM.
Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition promotes mobilization in mice: potential impact to rescue low stem cell yields.

The mechanisms mediating hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) mobilization by G-CSF are complex. We have found previously that G-CSF–enforced mobilization is controlled by peripheral sympathetic nerves via norepinephrine (NE) signaling. In the present study, we show that G-CSF likely alters sympathetic tone directly and that methods to increase adrenergic activity in the BM microenvironment enhance progenitor mobilization. Peripheral sympathetic nerve neurons express the G-CSF receptor and ex vivo stimulation of peripheral sympathetic nerve neurons with G-CSF reduced NE reuptake significantly, suggesting that G-CSF potentiates the sympathetic tone by increasing NE availability. Based on these data, we investigated the NE reuptake inhibitor desipramine in HSPC mobilization. Whereas desipramine did not by itself elicit circulating HSPCs, it increased G-CSF–triggered mobilization efficiency significantly and rescued mobilization in a model mimicking “poor mobilizers.” Therefore, these data suggest that blockade of NE reuptake may be a novel therapeutic target to increase stem cell yield in patients.
Micro-mechanics parameters controlling the strength of braided composites

This study examines parameters which are believed to control the strength of triaxially braided carbon/epoxy composites under planar biaxial loading. Past studies have shown that the stiffness of these materials is readily determined and that consideration of a maximum fiber-direction strain has great utility in correlating failure. While the maximum fiber-direction strain is relatively constant over a wide range of biaxial stress states for these materials, it is lower than that found for similar laminated specimens. Many mechanisms, including textile processes and yarn undulation, undoubtedly contribute to the degraded properties. Their effects alone, however, do not adequately explain the low fiber-direction ultimate strains. Large planar variations in strain have experimentally been shown to exist. Local extreme fiber-direction failure strains may then be much closer to that found for laminates than was previously believed. One- and two-dimensional analytical models are used to study this behavior based on compliance changes resulting from discrete yarn bundles. It is hoped that an increased understanding of the complex strain response of braided composites will allow better failure prediction and an increased understanding of failure mechanisms.
HIV-associated Nephropathy : Role of AT2R

AT(1)R has been reported to play an important role in the progression of HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN); however, the effect of AT(2)R has not been studied. Age and sex matched control (FVB/N) and Tg26 mice aged 4, 8, and 16weeks were studied for renal tissue expression of AT(1)R and AT(2)R (Protocol A). Renal tissue mRNA expression of AT(2)R was lower in Tg26 mice when compared with control mice. In Protocol B, Tg26 mice were treated with either saline, telmisartan (TEL, AT(1) blocker), PD123319 (PD, AT(2)R blocker), or TEL+PD for two weeks. TEL-receiving Tg26 (TRTg) displayed less advanced glomerular and tubular lesions when compared with saline-receiving Tg26 (SRTg). TRTgs displayed enhanced renal tissue AT(2)R expression when compared to SRTgs. Diminution of renal tissue AT(2)R expression was associated with advanced renal lesions in SRTgs; whereas, upregulation of AT(2)R expression in TRTgs was associated with attenuated renal lesions. PD-receiving Tg26 mice (PDRTg) did not show any alteration in the course of HIVAN; whereas, PD+TEL-receiving Tg26 (PD-TRTg) showed worsening of renal lesions when compared to TRTgs. Interestingly, plasma as well as renal tissues of Tg26 mice displayed several fold higher concentration of Ang III, a ligand of AT(2)R.
DNA methylation and hepatocarcinogenesis in rats fed a choline-devoid diet

Groups of male Fischer-344 rats were fed either a choline-supplemented or a choline-devoid (CD) diet, for up to 14 months. In rats fed the CD diet, hepatic lesions developed and progressed through two distinct stages, the first characterized by severe steatosis and an increase in cell turnover and the second by gradual clearance of the deposited fat, fibrosis and parenchymal nodularity. Large hepatocellular carcinomas were found in rats killed at 14 months. DNA was purified from the livers of all groups of rats and from the tumors, and its level of methylation was analyzed using the restriction endonucleases HpaII and MspI. DNA undermethylation was detected only in the livers of rats fed the CD diet for 14 months, whether bearing tumors or not, and in three of four hepatocellular carcinomas. Undermethylation of liver total DNA is therefore a late effect of dietary choline deficiency in the rat.
Low Dark Count Rate and High Single-Photon Detection Efficiency Avalanche Photodiode in Geiger-Mode Operation

An In0.53Ga0.47As-InP avalanche photodiode with very low dark current (0.15 pA at 95% breakdown voltage, 200 K) has been characterized in gated mode for single-photon detection. The temperature dependence of dark current and dark count yields activation energy of ~0.4 eV from 240 K to 297 K. High single-photon detection efficiency (SPDE) at telecom wavelengths with very low dark count rate (DCR) (e.g., DCR =12 kHz at SPDE =45% at 1.31 mum and 200 K) was achieved
Evaluating Intervention Programs Targeting Parents to Manage Childhood Overweight and Obesity: A Systematic Review Using the RE-AIM Framework

Intervention programs targeting parents to manage childhood overweight and obesity have emerged based on parents influence on the health behaviors of their children. The purpose of this review was to systematically evaluate intervention programs targeting parents to manage childhood overweight and obesity using the Reach, Efficacy, Adopt, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. There was a moderate risk of bias across all studies. The overall proportion of studies (n=7) reporting on each dimension of the RE-AIM framework ranged from 78.6% (reach) to 23.8% (maintenance). The majority of intervention programs demonstrated improvement in child BMI. However intervention programs did not reach families of diverse race/ethnicity, were provided by highly trained professionals, and demonstrated high attrition, thus limiting generalizability.
Personality Traits of Centenarians’ Offspring

Research on siblings and offspring of centenarians has documented that exceptional longevity runs strongly in families.1–4 Studies of the offspring of centenarians have shown that their mortality is lower that that of other members of their birth cohort5 and that they have lower prevalence1,6 and delayed onset of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.7 Thus, they are regarded as a model of healthy aging. Because personality traits have been shown to have substantial heritable components, 8 it was hypothesized that certain personality features may be important to the healthy aging observed in the offspring of centenarians. Several studies have assessed the effect of personality traits on survival using the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of Personality. Studies have used the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, a 240-item measure of the five broad factors and the 30 narrower facet scales or the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), a 60-item self-report questionnaire that measures only the five personality factors: neuroticism (emotional reactivity and distress), extraversion (tendency to be outgoing, active), openness (flexibility and openness to new ideas), agreeableness (cooperation and empathy), and conscientiousness (social responsibility and self-discipline).9 Findings from longitudinal studies have, to some extent, been consistent, indicating that high conscientiousness, low neuroticism, and perhaps high extraversion are predictive of lower mortality and longevity in aging populations.10–13 Prior research suggests that offspring of centenarians are a model of healthy aging and that certain personality traits are associated with mortality and longevity. Thus, this study aimed to test the hypothesis that above-average levels of health-promoting traits (e.g., conscientiousness and extraversion) and below-average levels of health-damaging traits (e.g., neuroticism) characterize offspring of centenarians. Using the NEO-FFI from the FFM, this study set out to measure the personality characteristics of offspring of centenarians and to compare NEO-FFI scores of centenarians’ offspring with normative scores.
Minimal family unification

It is proposed that there exists, within a new SU(2)', a gauged discrete group ${\mathit{Q}}_{6}$ (the order 12 double dihedral group) acting as a family symmetry. This non-Abelian finite group can explain hierarchical features of families, using an assignment for quarks and leptons dictated by the requirements of anomaly cancellation and of no additional quarks.
Irreversible thermodynamic analysis of electrophoretic light scattering experiments

Synopsis A fluctuation theory for electrolyte solutions is developed based on the coupling between the equations of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and the Poisson equation. The resulting fluctuation theory is applied to the analysis of electrophoretic light scattering. It is shown that in a binary electrolyte solution (two ionic species), the Doppler shift is not determined by the electrical mobility of either ion, but depends instead on the rate of change of transference number with salt concentration. In addition the ionic relaxation time is shown to be proportional to the conductivity of the solution.
A PATHOLOGIST'S ODYSSEY

I am honored to write the prefatory chapter for the inaugural volume of the Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease. This publishing venture signals that pathology takes its rightful place alongside the other biomedical sciences. I thought it may be of interest to some to delineate how a circuitous path led me into a career in experimental pathology and to give some of the flavor of a past era in experimental approaches. Thus, my title.
Phase Equilibria and Distribution Coefficients of δ‐Lactones in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

A static method was used to measure the solubilities and distribution coefficients of δ-lactones (pure), inherent (natural levels) δ-lactones of anhydrous milk fat (AMF) and fortified (added) δ-lactones in AMF in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) at 40°C with pressures of 5–30 MPa. At 40°C distribution coefficients of δ-lactones increased with pressure and exhibited molecular weight-dependency. Using experimental data, a mathematical model based on thermodynamic equilibria and material balance was developed and used to predict the distribution of inherent δ-lactones of AMF in a continuous SC-CO2 extraction system. At 24.1 MPa/40°C column conditions, AMF was separated into a raffinate and 5 fractions. Predicted δ-lactones distribution coefficients in the raffinate and extract were in good agreement with experimental data.
A reassessment of fission-track annealing behavior in apatite

Abstract A reassessment of the time scales of heating responsible for fission-track annealing of apatites from deep drill cores suggests that these estimates may be as much as an order of magnitude too high. As these earlier results form the basis for interpreting the thermal significance of apatite fission-track ages from geological settings, a reinterpretation of the heating durations requires that the annealing kinetics also be revised. Support for this new model is obtained from a recent reanalysis of laboratory annealing data.
Combining theorem proving and trajectory evaluation in an industrial environment

We describe the verification of the IM: a large, complex (12000 gates and 1100 latches) circuit that detects and marks the boundaries between Intel architecture (IA-32) instructions. We verified a gate-level model of the IM against an implementation-independent specification of IA-32 instruction lengths. We used theorem proving to to derive 56 model-checking runs and to verify that the model-checking runs imply that the IM meets the specification for all possible sequences of IA-32 instructions. Our verification discovered eight previously unknown bugs.
Emerging model systems in eco-evo-devo: the environmentally responsive spadefoot toad

SUMMARY Spadefoot toads have emerged as a model system for addressing fundamental questions in ecological and evolutionary developmental biology (eco-evo-devo). Their tadpoles produce a wide range of adaptive phenotypes in direct response to diverse environmental stimuli. Such phenotypic plasticity offers an excellent opportunity to examine how an organism’s ecology affects its development as well as how an organism’s development influences its ecology and evolution. By characterizing and understanding the interconnectedness between an organism’s environment, its development responses, and its ecological interactions in natural populations, such research promises to clarify further the role of the environment in not only selecting among diverse phenotypes, but also creating such phenotypes in the first place.