cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complex traveling waves on periodic arrays of electrically small lossless or lossy dipole scatterers

A comprehensive investigation of traveling waves with complex propagation constants on 1D, 2D, and 3D infinite periodic arrays of electrically small lossless and lossy magnetodi-electric spheres is summarized. The focus is on obtaining and solving the dispersion equations for the propagation constants.
Nitro analogs of substrates for argininosuccinate synthetase and argininosuccinate lyase

Abstract The nitro analogs of aspartate and argininosuccinate were synthesized and tested as substrates and inhibitors of argininosuccinate synthetase and argininosuccinate lyase, respectively. The Vmax for 3-nitro-2-aminopropionic acid was found to be 60% of the maximal rate of aspartate utilization in the reaction catalyzed by argininosuccinate synthetase. Only the nitronate form of this substrate, in which the C-3 hydrogen is ionized, was substrate active, indicating a requirement for a negatively charged group at the β carbon. The V K of the nitro analog of aspartate was 85% of the value of aspartate after correcting for the percentage of the active nitronate species. The nitro analog of argininosuccinate, N3-( l -1-carboxy-2-nitroethyl)- l -arginine, was a strong competitive inhibitor of argininosuccinate lyase but was not a substrate. The pH dependence of the observed pKi was consistent with the ionized carbon acid (pK = 8.2) in the nitronate configuration as the inhibitory material. The pH-independent pKi of 2.7 μ m is 20 times smaller than the Km of argininosuccinate at pH 7.5. These results suggest that the tighter binding of the nitro analog relative to the substrate is due to the similarity in structure to a carbanionic intermediate in the reaction pathway.
Massive blood loss during tonsillectomy in a child with congenital venous malformation

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy have become frequently performed outpatient procedures and are generally considered to have a low morbidity profile. Postoperative haemorrhage remains a rare but important complication, while intraoperative uncontrollable bleeding is extremely uncommon. A child with congenital vascular malformation of the lip and oropharynx undergoing tonsillectomy experienced massive blood loss, subsequent resuscitation and significant perioperative morbidity including a prolonged intensive care unit stay. Preoperative/preanaesthetic nasopharyngoscopic exam and magnetic resonance imaging did not reveal vascular prominence of the tonsils. Preoperative consideration of angiography or magnetic resonance angiography may be prudent to avoid this potentially fatal complication.
Shewanella spp. Use acetate as an electron donor for denitrification but not ferric iron or fumarate reduction.

ABSTRACT Lactate but not acetate oxidation was reported to support electron acceptor reduction by Shewanella spp. under anoxic conditions. We demonstrate that the denitrifiers Shewanella loihica strain PV-4 and Shewanella denitrificans OS217 utilize acetate as an electron donor for denitrification but not for fumarate or ferric iron reduction.
Mutagenesis of histidine 26 demonstrates the importance of loop‐loop and loop‐protein interactions for the function of iso‐1‐cytochrome c

In yeast iso-1-cytochrome c, the side chain of histidine 26 (His26) attaches omega loop A to the main body of the protein by forming a hydrogen bond to the backbone atom carbonyl of glutamic acid 44. The His26 side chain also forms a stabilizing intra-loop interaction through a hydrogen bond to the backbone amide of asparagine 31. To investigate the importance of loop-protein attachment and intra-loop interactions to the structure and function of this protein, a series of site-directed and random-directed mutations were produced at His26. Yeast strains expressing these variant proteins were analyzed for their ability to grow on non-fermentable carbon sources and for their intracellular production of cytochrome c. While the data show that mutations at His26 lead to slightly decreased intracellular amounts of cytochrome c, the level of cytochrome c function is decreased more. The data suggest that cytochrome c reductase binding is affected more than cytochrome c oxidase or lactate dehydrogenase binding. We propose that mutations at this residue increase loop mobility, which, in turn, decreases the protein's ability to bind redox partners.
Gender‐Role Attitudes, Job Competition and Alcohol Consumption among Women and Men

Attempting to account for greater alcohol consumption among women, social scientists have argued that traditional gender roles and gender-role attitudes concerning the division of labor in the family have provided women with a moral or cultural protection against heavier drinking but that the "breakdown" of this protection has allowed for greater alcohol use. This paper assesses the breakdown argument using data from two representative samples: a sample of 12,069 young adults in the United States and a sample of 1,367 employed men and women in metropolitan Detroit. Our analysis indicates that among young women the nontraditional role of employment and nontraditional gender-role attitudes concerning responsibilities for household labor and child care are associated with greater alcohol consumption. However, among the employed, our analysis indicates that it is not nontraditional women and traditional men but rather traditional women and nontraditional men who have greater alcohol use--it is the women and men who believe that they have substantial obligations at home and who have intense competition at the workplace that consume a greater quantity of alcohol.
Enhanced linear polarization for tagged photon beams

Abstract The Illinois photon tagging facility has been modified to provide beams with a high degree of linear polarization. The method allows the polarization of an off-axis tagged photon beam to be greatly enhanced by means of a kinematic selection of the post-bremsstrahlung residual electrons that are used for tagging. As an initial test of the system, photon scattering was observed from the strong 1+ levels in magnesium and silicon.
High colonoscopic prevalence of proximal colon serrated polyps in average-risk men and women.

Background Proximal colon serrated polyps likely contribute to the decreased protection of colonoscopy against right-sided colorectal cancer. Objective To estimate the prevalence and extrapolated detection rate of proximal serrated polyps at screening colonoscopy. Design Retrospective study. Patients The study involved secondary analyses that used two databases. The first includes screening colonoscopies performed by 15 attending gastroenterologists at two academic endoscopy units between 2000 and 2009. The second includes average-risk patients who had previously participated in a randomized trial comparing high-definition chromocolonoscopy and white-light colonoscopy. Main Outcome Measurements Prevalence of proximal serrated polyps found by the highest-level detectors and proximal serrated polyp detection rates corresponding to adenoma detection rates of 25% in men and 15% in women, respectively. Results We analyzed 6681 procedures from the first database. Mean (± standard deviation) detection rates for adenomas and proximal serrated polyps were 38% ± 7.8% (range 17%-47%) and 13% ± 4.8% (1%-18%), respectively. There was a significant correlation between detection rates for adenomas and proximal serrated polyps for men ( R = 0.71; P = .003) and women ( R = 0.73; P = .002). Adenoma detection rates of 25% for men and 15% for women both corresponded to a detection rate of 4.5% for proximal serrated polyps. The prevalence of proximal serrated polyps found by the highest-level detector was 18%. The corresponding rate derived from the high-definition screening colonoscopy database was 20%. Limitations Retrospective study. Conclusion The prevalence of proximal colon serrated polyps in average-risk patients undergoing screening colonoscopy is higher than previously reported. An extrapolated proximal serrated polyp detection rate of 5% is suggested for average-risk men and women.
Natural resources and taxation in computable general equilibrium models of developing countries

Abstract This paper surveys the application of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models to questions of natural resources and taxation in developing countries. The applications to natural resource questions fall into three categories: (1) energy management models that highlight the role of natural resources as inputs into the production process: (2) “Dutch disease” models that capture the effects of the windfall that accrues to exporters when the price of oil rises; and (3) optimal depletion models that take into account the exhaustibility of the resource and the link between optimal extraction and investment decisions. Insights are gleaned from each of these classes of models that could not have been obtained from partial equilibrium models. The application of CGE models to taxation can be divided into: positive analyses, which shed light on the link between fiscal and trade policies and the impact of a tax change on prices and incomes; and normative analyses, which compute “optimal” taxes in revenue-constrained economies. These are found to be at variance with proposals for tax reform that are based on rules-of-thumb.
Effect of orthophosphate on versicolorin synthesis by a mutant strain ofAspergillus parasiticus

Abstract Biosynthesis of the polyketide versicolorin A by mycelia of Aspergillus parasiticus ATCC 36537 is stimulated fourfold by raising the initial phosphate concentration of the culture medium from 0.4 to 0.8 m M . Under these conditions the total phosphate content of the mycelium remains constant at 110 μmol/g, dry weight. Increasing the phosphate concentration of the medium above 5 m M results in accumulation of phosphate by the mycelia, without further stimulation of versicolorin synthesis. In order to be efficacious in stimulating versicolorin synthesis, phosphate must be added not later than 30 h after conidial inoculation.
Collective Action and Adaptive Socioecological Cycles in Premodern States

Resiliency theorists propose that ecological transformations result when ecosystems collapse and then are reorganized through a process they call adaptive cycles. This article investigates the degree to which the dynamic properties of adaptive cycles reflect, in part, the influence of political factors associated with collective action in state formation. The author evaluates this possibility using historical and archaeological data coded as part of a comparative study of 30 premodern states. From these data, the author investigates the socionatural consequences of various regime-building strategies, and the author concludes that collective action political process will be an important factor to consider in future studies of socioecological resilience and transformation.
Pharmacokinetics of Continuous-Infusion Meropenem in a Pediatric Patient Receiving Extracorporeal Life Support

Meropenem, a broad-spectrum carbapenem, is commonly used for empirical and definitive therapy in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU). Pharmacokinetic data to guide dosing in children, however, are limited to healthy volunteers or patients who are not in the ICU. Adult data demonstrate that pharmacokinetic parameters such as the volume of distribution and clearance can be significantly altered in individuals receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Alterations in the volume of distribution and clearance of antimicrobials in patients with sepsis and septic shock have also been documented, and these patients have demonstrated lower than expected antimicrobial serum concentrations based on standard dosing regimens. Therefore, an understanding of the pharmacokinetic changes in critically ill children receiving ECMO is crucial to determining the most appropriate dose and dosing interval selection for any antimicrobial therapy. In this case report, we describe the pharmacokinetics of a continuous infusion of meropenem in a pediatric cardiac ICU patient who was receiving concurrent extracorporeal life support. The patient was an 8-month-old male infant who underwent a Glenn procedure and pulmonary artery reconstruction. Postoperatively, he required ECMO with a total run of 21 days. On day 11 of ECMO, a bronchoalveolar lavage was performed, and blood cultures from days 11 and 12 of ECMO grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with a meropenem minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.5 μg/ml. On ECMO day 13, meropenem was initiated with a loading dose of 40 mg/kg and infused over 30 minutes, followed by a continuous infusion of 200 mg/kg/day. A meropenem serum concentration measured 8 hours after the start of the infusion was 46 μg/ml. Repeat levels were measured on days 3 and 9 of meropenem therapy and were 39 and 42 μg/ml, respectively. Repeat blood and respiratory cultures remained negative. This meropenem regimen (40-mg/kg bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 200 mg/kg/day) was successful in providing a target attainment of 100% for serum and lung concentrations above the MIC for at least 40% of the dosing interval and was associated with a successful clinical outcome.
Validation of a weight history questionnaire to identify adolescent obesity.

Past body weight may be a more informative factor than current weight for risk of chronic disease development. Often, investigators must rely on subject recall to gauge past body weights. The Cincinnati Weight History Questionnaire (CWHQ) was developed to aid in the retrospective identification of adults who were obese during adolescence. To assess validity, the CWHQ was administered to a subset of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Growth and Health Study (NGHS) participants, a group of young adult females for whom historical measured anthropometrics were available. One hundred ninety-eight NGHS participants were contacted, of whom 191 (97 %) responded (age 26–29). Participants were asked to recall height and weight from ages 13 and 18, which were compared to previously measured values. Multiple indices of validity (Bland–Altman plots, sensitivity, and specificity) were calculated. The CWHQ was moderately sensitive (range, 19–66 %), but highly specific (range, 89–100 %). Recalled height and weight values used to determine body mass index (BMI) underestimated BMI based on recorded height and weight at ages 13 and 18. Differences in calculated BMI based on recalled and measured height and weight were found to increase with BMI calculated using measured values. The CWHQ proved to be a moderately sensitive, but highly specific instrument for detecting adolescent obesity in a cohort of young adult females. Epidemiologic research seeking to discriminate between adults with adult-onset vs. adolescent-onset obesity may find the CWHQ useful.
Comparison of phase boundaries between kagomé and honeycomb superconducting wire networks

We measure resistively the mean-field superconducting-normal phase boundaries of both kagom\'e and honeycomb wire networks immersed in a transverse magnetic field. In addition to their agreement with theory about the overall shapes of phase diagrams, they show striking one-to-one correspondence between the cusps in the honeycomb phase boundary and those in the kagom\'e curve. This correspondence is due to their geometric arrangements and agrees with Lin and Nori's recent calculation. We also find that for the frustrated honeycomb network at $f=1/2,$ the current patterns in the superconducting phase differ between the low-temperature London regime and the higher-temperature Ginzburg-Landau regime near ${T}_{c}.$
Selective oxidation of bromide in wastewater brines from hydraulic fracturing.

Brines generated from oil and natural gas production, including flowback water and produced water from hydraulic fracturing of shale gas, may contain elevated concentrations of bromide (w1 g/L). Bromide is a broad concern due to the potential for forming brominated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during drinking water treatment. Conventional treatment processes for bromide removal is costly and not specific. Selective bromide removal is technically challenging due to the presence of other ions in the brine, especially chloride as high as 30e200 g/L. This study evaluates the ability of solid graphite electrodes to selectively oxidize bromide to bromine in flowback water and produced water from a shale gas operation in Southwestern PA. The bromine can then be outgassed from the solution and recovered, as a process well understood in the bromine industry. This study revealed that bromide may be selectively and rapidly removed from oil and gas brines (w10 h � 1 m � 2 for produced water and w60 h � 1 m � 2 for flowback water). The electrolysis occurs with a current efficiency between 60 and 90%, and the estimated energy cost is w6 kJ/g Br. These data are similar to those for the chlor-alkali process that is commonly used for chlorine gas and sodium hydroxide production. The results demonstrate that bromide may be selectively removed from oil and gas brines to create an opportunity for environmental protection and resource recovery.
Nicotinic Receptor Alpha7 Expression during Mouse Adrenal Gland Development

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 7 (α7) is a ligand-activated ion channel that contributes to a diversity of cellular processes involved in development, neurotransmission and inflammation. In this report the expression of α7 was examined in the mouse developing and adult adrenal gland that expresses a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter as a bi-cistronic extension of the endogenous α7 transcript (α7G). At embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5) α7G expression was associated with the suprarenal ganglion and precursor cells of the adrenal gland. The α7G cells are catecholaminergic chromaffin cells as reflected by their progressive increase in the co-expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) that is complete by E18.5. In the adult, α7G expression is limited to a subset of chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla that cluster near the border with the adrenal cortex. These chromaffin cells co-express α7G, TH and DBH, but they lack phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) consistent with only norepinephrine (NE) synthesis. These cell groups appear to be preferentially innervated by pre-ganglionic afferents identified by the neurotrophin receptor p75. No afferents identified by beta-III tubulin, neurofilament proteins or p75 co-expressed α7G. Occasional α7G cells in the pre-E14.5 embryos express neuronal markers consistent with intrinsic ganglion cells and in the adult some α7G cells co-express glutamic acid decarboxylase. The transient expression of α7 during adrenal gland development and its prominent co-expression by a subset of NE chromaffin cells in the adult suggests that the α7 receptor contributes to multiple aspects of adrenal gland development and function that persist into adulthood.
CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF ACID-SOLUBLE PROTEINS OBTAINED FROM THE NUCLEAR SAP AND DEOXYRIBONUCLEOPROTEINS.

Deoxyribonucleoproteins were separated from proteins of the nuclear sap of a variety of tissues of tumor-bearing rats by virtue of their insolubility in 0.15 M Nacl. The animals were sacrificed one hour after intraperitoneal injection of 10 μcuries l-lysine-U-14C. The acid-soluble proteins of the nuclear sap and the deoxyribonucleoproteins were extracted with 0.25 N HCl and then were chromatographed on carboxymethylcellulose employing gradient elution with 1 N formic acid followed by 8 N formic acid; in each case, two major peaks of radioactivity and protein were found. The proteins with the highest specific activities were those bound to DNA in the tumors. Values for other tissues were significantly lower. In the tumors, the “chromosomal” proteins with the highest specific activities were present in the first peak, eluted with 1 N formic acid. Because a similar peak was found in the spleen, preliminary attempts were made to determine the amino acid composition, NH2-terminal amino acids and electrophoretic characteristics of the proteins of the peak. Although quantitative differences were found for these analyses between the values for the Walker tumor and the spleen, the need for further analyses of purer subfractions has become apparent. The acid-soluble proteins of the nuclear sap were found to constitute the greater portion of the acid-soluble nuclear proteins in the tumors and other tissues. The potential importance of this group of nuclear proteins was discussed.
Comparison of Three Short Term Wind Power Forecasting Methods

An accurate forecasting method for wind power generation of the wind energy conversion system (WECS) is urgent needed under the relevant issues associated with the high penetration of wind power in the electricity system. This paper presents a comparison of three forecasting approaches on short term wind power generation of WECS. Three forecasting methods, namely, persistence method, back propagation neural network method, and radial basis function (RBF) neural network method, are investigated. To demonstrate the performance of three methods, the methods are tested on the practical information of wind power generation of a WECS. The performance is evaluated based on two indexes, namely, maximum absolute error and mean absolute error.
Reversal by acetylsalicylic acid of pain induced functional impairment

Abstract Recovery from motor functional impairment induced in the hind limb of the dog by the intraarticular injection of formalin was accelerated by the oral administration of acetylsalicylic acid. The effect presents close analogy to the analgesic action obtained when the compound is administered to man in the treatment of certain painful conditions. It is suggested that the procedure described represents a new method for demonstrating the analgesic action of non-narcotic drugs and lends itself to quantitation of analgesic potency for compounds of this type.
Nondestructive Residual Stress Measurements in Railroad Wheels Using the Low-Field Magnetoacoustic Test Method

Residual tensile stresses in the rims of railroad wheels created by repeated applications of brakes have been known to contribute to catastrophic wheel failures. About 235,000 potentially dangerous railroad wheels are being removed anually in the US to prevent the wheel-related accidents [1]. The current industrial standard determining the removal of a particular wheel from service is the federal regulation of a visual inspection method. In this method one determines the width of a discolored band in the rim of a wheel radially, and if the width exceeds 10 cm (4 in.) the wheel is considered potentially dangerous. Destructive test methods, e.g., hole-drilling and saw-cutting techniques, however, have shown that the visual inspection method is unreliable. Some wheels considered dangerous had no appreciable residual tensile stresses, while some considered safe (not discolored) had dangerous level of residual tensile stresses in the rim when saw-cut or hole-drilled. To improve the level of safety in railroad transportation and reduce waste, reliable NDE methods have been in great demand.
What’s Normal? Specific Language Impairment in an Individual Differences Perspective

In this paper, the issue of language impairment is set in a broader perspective of individual differences. Two aspects of language development are identified in which the discrepancies between doma...
Wirbelsysteme in Schaufelgittern und Turbomaschinen

When a fluid is flowing past rows of deviating blades, such as used in turbo machines, different vortex systems will arise. These vortex systems are largely uninvestigated and so far there has not even existed any survey of the phenomena to be expected. An attempt is made to give such a survey.
A deterministic steady-state error model for the floated inertial gyroscope

The increasing accuracy of floated inertial gyros has resulted in additional sources of error becoming apparent, and the mathematical model of the gyro must be expanded to account for these effects. Two particular categories of error are discussed in detail: 1) float displacement, either lateral or rotational with respect to the case; and 2) variations in the temperature distribution. Suitable methods of parameterizing these disturbances, and some of the known physical error mechanisms which result from them, in particular those due to float relative velocities and to temperature differentials, are described. Finally, an error model suitable for use in the testing or compensation of inertial gyros is given.
A CLINICAL TRIAL COMBINING DONOR BONE MARROW INFUSION AND HEART TRANSPLANTATION: INTERMEDIATE-TERM RESULTS

Abstract Background: Donor chimerism (the presence of donor cells of bone marrow origin) is present for years after transplantation in recipients of solid organs. In lung recipients, chimerism is associated with a lower incidence of chronic rejection. To augment donor chimerism with the aim to enhance graft acceptance and to reduce immunosuppression, we initiated a trial combining infusion of donor bone marrow with heart transplantation. Reported herein are the intermediate-term results of this ongoing trial. Methods: Between September 1993 and August 1998, 28 patients received concurrent heart transplantation and infusion of donor bone marrow at 3.0 × 10 8 cells/kg (study group). Twenty-four contemporaneous heart recipients who did not receive bone marrow served as controls. All patients received an immunosuppressive regimen consisting of tacrolimus and steroids. Results: Patient survival was similar between the study and control groups (86% and 87% at 3 years, respectively). However, the proportion of patients free from grade 3A rejection was higher in the study group (64% at 6 months) than in the control group (40%; P = .03). The prevalence of coronary artery disease was similar between the two groups (freedom from disease at 3 years was 78% in study patients and 69% in controls). Similar proportions of study (18%) and control (15%) patients exhibited in vitro evidence of donor-specific hyporesponsiveness. Conclusions: The infusion of donor bone marrow reduces the rate of acute rejection in heart recipients. Donor bone marrow may play an important role in strategies aiming to enhance the graft acceptance. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;119:673-81)
Role of individual basal ganglia nuclei in force amplitude generation

The basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loop is an important neural circuit that regulates motor control. A key parameter that the nervous system regulates is the level of force to exert against an object during tasks such as grasping. Previous studies indicate that the basal ganglia do not exhibit increased activity with increasing amplitude of force, although these conclusions are based mainly on the putamen. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate which regions in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and motor cortex display increased activity when producing pinch-grip contractions of increasing force amplitude. We found that the internal portion of the globus pallidus (GPi) and subthalamic nucleus (STN) had a positive increase in percent signal change with increasing force, whereas the external portion of the globus pallidus, anterior putamen, posterior putamen, and caudate did not. In the thalamus we found that the ventral thalamic regions increase in percent signal change and activation volume with increasing force amplitude. The contralateral and ipsilateral primary motor/somatosensory (M1/S1) cortices had a positive increase in percent signal change and activation volume with increasing force amplitude, and the contralateral M1/S1 had a greater increase in percent signal change and activation volume than the ipsilateral side. We also found that deactivation did not change across force in the motor cortex and basal ganglia, but that the ipsilateral M1/S1 had greater deactivation than the contralateral M1/S1. Our findings provide direct evidence that GPi and STN regulate the amplitude of force output. These findings emphasize the heterogeneous role of individual nuclei of the basal ganglia in regulating specific parameters of motor output.
Explanation of some unusual intensity distributions along sequences in the p-benzoquinone visible spectrum

Abstract In the visible spectrum of p-benzoquinone-h4 and -d4, two unusual types of intensity distribution along sequence bands have been previously recorded experimentally. Both types have in common an intensity maximum which is not a the first band of the sequence. In one case the maximum is due to the fact that the sequence-forming vibration is involved in Herzberg-Teller intensity stealing and that the parent band of the sequence is a 1 ← 0 or 0 ← 1 band in the sequence-forming vibration. It is the unusually low frequency of the sequence-forming vibration (106 cm−1 in the ground state) which enables us to observe the maximum easily in this case. In the other case, the intensity maximum is caused by the overlapping of v + 2 ← v sequence bands with v ← v sequence bands. The unusually large increase in the sequence-forming vibration in the electronic excited state (it is 140 cm−1 in the excited state) is responsible for the appreciable intensity of the v + 2 ← v bands. A theoretical interpretation of these two cases is given here and it becomes apparent that the unusual sequence intensity distributions will indeed be uncommon: it is fortunate that conditions in the p-benzoquinone spectrum are such that two unusual cases have been observed both, we believe, for the first time.
Decreased Mdm2 Expression Inhibits Tumor Development and Extends Survival Independent of Arf and Dependent on p53

Inactivation of the Arf-Mdm2-p53 tumor suppressor pathway is a necessary event for tumorigenesis. Arf controls Mdm2, which in turn regulates p53, but Arf and Mdm2 also have p53-independent functions that affect tumor development. Moreover, inhibition of oncogene-induced tumorigenesis relies on Arf and p53, but the requirements of Arf and p53 in tumor development initiated in the absence of overt oncogene overexpression and the role of Mdm2 in this process remain unclear. In a series of genetic experiments in mice with defined deficiencies in Arf, Mdm2 and/or p53, we show Mdm2 haploinsufficiency significantly delayed tumorigenesis in mice deficient in Arf and p53. Mdm2 heterozygosity significantly inhibited tumor development in the absence of Arf, and in contrast to Myc oncogene-driven cancer, this delay in tumorigenesis could not be rescued with the presence of one allele of Arf. Notably, Mdm2 haploinsufficieny blocked the accelerated tumor development in Arf deficient mice caused by p53 heterozygosity. However, tumorigenesis was not inhibited in Mdm2 heterozygous mice lacking both alleles of p53 regardless of Arf status. Surprisingly, loss of Arf accelerated tumor development in p53-null mice. Tumor spectrum was largely dictated by Arf and p53 status with Mdm2 haploinsufficiency only modestly altering the tumor type in some of the genotypes and not the number of primary tumors that arose. Therefore, the significant effects of Mdm2 haploinsufficiency on tumor latency were independent of Arf and required at least one allele of p53, and an Mdm2 deficiency had minor effects on the types of tumors that developed. These data also demonstrate that decreased levels of Mdm2 are protective in the presence of multiple genetic events in Arf and p53 genes that normally accelerate tumorigenesis.
Abdominal and urogenital diseases can often be the cause of lower back pain and sciatic-like symptoms

SUMMARY The treatment of lower back pain and sciatic-type symptoms are often not related to spinal cord infringement, but are due to other factors such as urogenital irritation and piriformis syndrome. Other factors can exist and it behooves the physician to make a definitive diagnosis in order to prevent treating with medicines and treatments that often do not work. Medicines in high doses can lead to dependence or addiction. A normal MRI test is often a flag to the physician that something other than spinal problems may be the cause. A complete workup must be performed including imaging procedures, diagnostic testing and specialized physical examinations if initial diagnosis and treatments do not produce an amelioration of symptoms. There are many causes of chronic lower back pain and sciatica-type symptoms and if the problems and symptoms persist, they should be investigated.
Photoenhancement of the electron spin resonance signal from melanins.

Abstract Photoenhancement of the electron spin resonance signals from pigmented human skin, black hair, and synthetic DOPA-melanin preparations has been studied both at room temperature and at cryogenic temperatures (77 °–100 °K). The equilibrium freespin content of unirradiated dry samples was always higher than that for wet samples, and the spin-lattice relaxation times ( T 1 ) were somewhat shorter. Irradiation reduced T 1 , and the result was an apparent photoenhancement of the ESR signal at high rf power levels for both wet and dry samples. In addition, both ultraviolet and visible radiation produced a genuine reversible increase in free-spin content of samples containing some water, but dry samples demonstrated very little increase. The induced spins have life-times of a few seconds at room temperature but greater than 24 hours at 77 °K.
Comparison of Reaction Energetics and Leaving Group Interactions during the Enzyme-Catalyzed and Uncatalyzed Displacement of Chloride from Haloalkanes

The SN2 displacement of chloride from haloalkanes methyl chloride and 1,2-dichloroethane by a series of carboxylate nucleophiles is characterized using ab initio calculations. Comparison of reactivities of methyl chloride and 1,2-dichloroethane in the gas phase and aqueous solution reveals that relative reactivities of these two haloalkanes depend on the reaction environment. 1,2-Dichloroethane is more reactive in the gas phase than methyl chloride, but the order of reactivities is reversed in water. The origin of this effect is analyzed. The activation free energy barrier for the reaction between acetate and 1,2-dichloroethane is 25 kcal/mol (104.6 kJ/mol) in the aqueous environment. A similar reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme haloalkane dehalogenase with activation barrier of 15.3 kcal/mol (64.0 kJ/mol). The origin of this 10 kcal/mol (41.8 kJ/mol) catalytic effect is investigated by calculating how activation free energies depend on the dielectric constant of medium. Comparison of results obtained fo...
Screening for Breast Cancer

ContextBreast cancer screening in community practices may be different from that in randomized controlled trials. New screening modalities are becoming available.ObjectivesTo review breast cancer screening, especially in the community and to examine evidence about new screening modalities.Data Sources and Study SelectionEnglish-language articles of randomized controlled trials assessing effectiveness of breast cancer screening were reviewed, as well as meta-analyses, systematic reviews, studies of breast cancer screening in the community, and guidelines. Also, studies of newer screening modalities were assessed.Data SynthesisAll major US medical organizations recommend screening mammography for women aged 40 years and older. Screening mammography reduces breast cancer mortality by about 20% to 35% in women aged 50 to 69 years and slightly less in women aged 40 to 49 years at 14 years of follow-up. Approximately 95% of women with abnormalities on screening mammograms do not have breast cancer with variability based on such factors as age of the woman and assessment category assigned by the radiologist. Studies comparing full-field digital mammography to screen film have not shown statistically significant differences in cancer detection while the impact on recall rates (percentage of screening mammograms considered to have positive results) was unclear. One study suggested that computer-aided detection increases cancer detection rates and recall rates while a second larger study did not find any significant differences. Screening clinical breast examination detects some cancers missed by mammography, but the sensitivity reported in the community is lower (28% to 36%) than in randomized trials (about 54%). Breast self-examination has not been shown to be effective in reducing breast cancer mortality, but it does increase the number of breast biopsies performed because of false-positives. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound are being studied for screening women at high risk for breast cancer but are not recommended for screening the general population. Sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging in high-risk women has been found to be much higher than that of mammography but specificity is generally lower. Effect of the magnetic resonance imaging on breast cancer mortality is not known. A balanced discussion of possible benefits and harms of screening should be undertaken with each woman.ConclusionsIn the community, mammography remains the main screening tool while the effectiveness of clinical breast examination and self-examination are less. New screening modalities are unlikely to replace mammography in the near future for screening the general population.
Speculative Parallel Pattern Matching

Intrusion prevention systems (IPSs) determine whether incoming traffic matches a database of signatures, where each signature is a regular expression and represents an attack or a vulnerability. IPSs need to keep up with ever-increasing line speeds, which has lead to the use of custom hardware. A major bottleneck that IPSs face is that they scan incoming packets one byte at a time, which limits their throughput and latency. In this paper, we present a method to search for arbitrary regular expressions by scanning multiple bytes in parallel using speculation. We break the packet in several chunks, opportunistically scan them in parallel, and if the speculation is wrong, correct it later. We present algorithms that apply speculation in single-threaded software running on commodity processors as well as algorithms for parallel hardware. Experimental results show that speculation leads to improvements in latency and throughput in both cases.
Status of high polarization DC high voltage Gallium Arsenide photoelectron guns

Users receive very high beam polarization from reliable GaAs photoelectron guns at facilities worldwide. Satisfaction with beam quality (and a number of lab closures) has reduced the level of polarized source R&D from the heyday of 1990s. However, new experiments and new accelerators proposals including high current unpolarized machines, require GaAs photoguns with capabilities that exceed today's state of the art. This submission describes the capabilities of today's high- polarization DC high voltage GaAs photoguns and discusses issues that must be addressed to meet new demands.
A quenched oscillator network for pattern formation in gene expression

Biologists have long searched for reaction networks that can spontaneously generate spatial patterns in the presence of diffusion. The studies so far closely follow Alan Turing's “activator-inhibitor” model, where diffusion destabilizes a spatially homogeneous steady state. In this paper, we propose a new type of Turing system based on an oscillator that destabilizes a spatially homogeneous steady state towards a spatio-temporal pattern. We develop a model based on current experimentally-viable systems and study its benefits and limitations.
Properties of Novel Thermoelectrics from First Principles Calculations

The use of first principles methods based on density functional theory to investigate novel thermoelectric materials is illustrated for several empty and filled skutterudite compounds, including CoSb3, COP3, La(Fe,Co)4 Sb12 and La(Fe,Co)P12. Band structures and their relationship to transport properties especially as regards optimization of thermoelectric properties is discussed. Phonon models constructed from calculations and existing experimental data for CoSb3 are presented. These have been extended to the filled skutterudites, particularly LaFe4 Sb12 using additional first principles calculations to fix the La related parameters in the model. This model allows an interpretation of neutron scattering data as well as an understanding of the low frequency phonon modes that transport heat in these compounds.
Allergic lung inflammation alters neither susceptibility to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection nor inducibility of innate resistance in mice

Protective host responses to respiratory pathogens are typically characterized by inflammation. However, lung inflammation is not always protective and it may even become deleterious to the host. We have recently reported substantial protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal) pneumonia by induction of a robust inflammatory innate immune response to an inhaled bacterial lysate. Conversely, the allergic inflammation associated with asthma has been proposed to promote susceptibility to pneumococcal disease. This study sought to determine whether preexisting allergic lung inflammation influences the progression of pneumococcal pneumonia or reduces the inducibilty of protective innate immunity against bacteria. To compare the effect of different inflammatory and secretory stimuli on defense against pneumonia, intraperitoneally ovalbumin-sensitized mice were challenged with inhaled pneumococci following exposure to various inhaled combinations of ovalbumin, ATP, and/or a bacterial lysate. Thus, allergic inflammation, mucin degranulation and/or stimulated innate resistance were induced prior to the infectious challenge. Pathogen killing was evaluated by assessing bacterial CFUs of lung homogenates immediately after infection, the inflammatory response to the different conditions was evaluated by measurement of cell counts of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid 18 hours after challenge, and mouse survival was assessed after seven days. We found no differences in survival of mice with and without allergic inflammation, nor did the induction of mucin degranulation alter survival. As we have found previously, mice treated with the bacterial lysate demonstrated substantially increased survival at seven days, and this was not altered by the presence of allergic inflammation or mucin degranulation. Allergic inflammation was associated with predominantly eosinophilic infiltration, whereas the lysate-induced response was primarily neutrophilic. The presence of allergic inflammation did not significantly alter the neutrophilic response to the lysate, and did not affect the induced bacterial killing within the lungs. These results suggest that allergic airway inflammation neither promotes nor inhibits progression of pneumococcal lung infection in mice, nor does it influence the successful induction of stimulated innate resistance to bacteria.
Analysis of Contact Mechanics for a Circular Filamentary Brush/Workpart System

This paper addresses the contact problem associated with the filament/workpart interaction that arises during brushing processes. A discretized model of a filament within the brushing tool is developed by employing Lagrange's equations in conjunction with special constraint equations that are appropriate for the impact and impending large displacement of a flexible fiber whose tip traverses a flat, rigid surface. This formulation leads to the identification of five nondimensional parameters which fully characterize the filament/workpart contact problem. A dampin g mechanism is also included which can be used for modeling complex filament interactions that arise during the actual brushing operation. Special consideration is given to examining the initial filament/workpart impact and the subsequent forces that are generated along the contact region. Initial velocity of the filament is determined by employing an inelastic impact mechanics analysis Time-varying transient response of the filament is then obtained by employing a predictor-corrector technique in conjunction with a finite difference method. Overall brush force is computed by a superposition of filament contact forces exerted onto the workpart surface. Numerical results are reported and compared with experimentally obtained data for an actual brush/work-part system.
Inducible DNA breaks in Ig S regions are dependent on AID and UNG

Class switch recombination (CSR) occurs by an intrachromosomal deletion whereby the IgM constant region gene (Cμ) is replaced by a downstream constant region gene. This unique recombination event involves formation of double-strand breaks (DSBs) in immunoglobulin switch (S) regions, and requires activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which converts cytosines to uracils. Repair of the uracils is proposed to lead to DNA breaks required for recombination. Uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG) is required for most CSR activity although its role is disputed. Here we use ligation-mediated PCR to detect DSBs in S regions in splenic B cells undergoing CSR. We find that the kinetics of DSB induction corresponds with AID expression, and that DSBs are AID- and UNG-dependent and occur preferentially at G:C basepairs in WRC/GYW AID hotspots. Our results indicate that AID attacks cytosines on both DNA strands, and staggered breaks are processed to blunt DSBs at the initiating ss break sites. We propose a model to explain the types of end-processing events observed.
The Social-Emotional Processing Stream: Five Core Constructs and Their Translational Potential for Schizophrenia and Beyond

Background Cognitive neuroscience approaches to translational research have made great strides toward understanding basic mechanisms of dysfunction and their relation to cognitive deficits, such as thought disorder in schizophrenia. The recent emergence of Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience has paved the way for similar progress to be made in explaining the mechanisms underlying the social and emotional dysfunctions (i.e., negative symptoms) of schizophrenia and that characterize virtually all DSM Axis I and II disorders more broadly. Methods This article aims to provide a roadmap for this work by distilling from the emerging literature on the neural bases of social and emotional abilities a set of key constructs that can be used to generate questions about the mechanisms of clinical dysfunction in general and schizophrenia in particular. Results To achieve these aims, the first part of this article sketches a framework of five constructs that comprise a social-emotional processing stream. The second part considers how future basic research might flesh out this framework and translational work might relate it to schizophrenia and other clinical populations. Conclusions Although the review suggests there is more basic research needed for each construct, two in particular—one involving the bottom-up recognition of social and emotional cues, the second involving the use of top-down processes to draw mental state inferences—are most ready for translational work.
Neutron Fluence and Atomic Displacement Rates for Graphite Irradiations

A brief review of the theoretical and practical bases for the correlation of graphite irradiation data obtained in different experimental facilities has been used in the derivation of relationships...
The correspondence of fundamental and combination bands in the infrared spectra of liquid H2O and D2O

Abstract The frequencies of the fundamental v 1 , v 2 and v 3 bands for unbonded liquid H 2 O and D 2 O have been calculated from the frequencies observed for the combination bands in the near infrared region. The positions of the centers of the broad bands due to the hydrogen bonded species have also been estimated. All calculated values have been compared with the observed spectra of liquid H 2 O and D 2 O. It is concluded that the v 2 bands observed at 1645 cm −1 for H 2 O and 1210–1215 cm −1 for D 2 O are due to the ‘monomeric’ species. This is confirmed by the temperature dependence of these bands.
Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring

1. The common use of continuous fetal heart rate monitoring requires that providers be aware of the interpretation of variations in fetal heart tracings. 2. Normal fetal heart rate is 120–160 beats per minute (bpm) with evidence of short-and long-term variability. 3. Fetal heart rate acceleration must be distinguished from fetal tachycardia and is generally considered a favorable finding. 4. Abnormalities of fetal heart tracings may be related to either rate or deceleration.