cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A two-step approach to qPCR experimental design and software for data analysis.

Materials and methods For screening, a single biological sample is used for each control and treatment group. If screening shows interesting findings, confirmation follows with more biological replicates and a definitive statistical analysis using pooled data from the screening and confirmation steps. This experimental design for qPCR reduces reagent cost and labor without sacrificing sensitivity. To quantitate gene expression, we selected the comparative Ct method due to its simplicity, intuitiveness, and popularity. For statistical analysis, however, this two-step approach raised an interesting question; which parameter should be used for statistical analysis of the data from the screening step. With a single biological sample, the statistical analysis relies on the technical replicates of qPCR. Even though it is natural to assume a normal distribution of the relative gene expression levels of biological replicates based on the central limit theorem, it is unknown for technical replicates because the Ct values of the technical replicates have been non-linearly transformed to obtain relative gene expression levels. Hence, we studied the distribution of delta-Ct and relative gene expression levels from our qPCR data and found that the distribution of delta-Ct is symmetrical and approximately normal while the distribution of relative gene expression levels is skewed. Therefore, we chose deltaCt as our parameter for statistical analysis of the technical replicates from the screening step. To automate the data analysis of the screening step, we developed REALPLOT. A text file is used to enter Ct values and gene/ group information into REALPLOT that calculates relative gene expression, performs statistical analysis, and graphically displays the screening step data. To automate the data analysis after the confirmation step, we developed REALPOOL that pools the data from both the screening and confirmation steps, performs the final statistical analysis, and generates a publishable graphical representation. REALPLOT and REALPOOL were developed using the open-source statistical R environment. They are compatible with all major computer operating systems.
Interaction of Nectarin 4 with a fungal protein triggers a microbial surveillance and defense mechanism in nectar

Understanding the biochemical mechanisms by which plants respond to microbial infection is a fundamental goal of plant science. Extracellular dermal glycoproteins (EDGPs) are widely expressed in plant tissues and have been implicated in plant defense responses. Although EDGPs are known to interact with fungal proteins, the downstream effects of these interactions are poorly understood. To gain insight into these phenomena, we used tobacco floral nectar as a model system to identify a mechanism by which the EDGP known as Nectarin IV (NEC4) functions as pathogen surveillance molecule. Our data demonstrates that the interaction of NEC4 with a fungal endoglucanase (XEG) promotes the catalytic activity of Nectarin V (NEC5), which catalyzes the conversion of glucose and molecular oxygen to gluconic acid and H2O2. Significantly enhanced NEC5 activity was observed when XEG was added to nectar or nectarin solutions that contain NEC4. This response was also observed when the purified NEC4:XEG complex was added to NEC4-depleted nectarin solutions, which did not respond to XEG alone. These results indicate that formation of the NEC4:XEG complex is a key step leading to induction of NEC5 activity in floral nectar, resulting in an increase in concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are known to inhibit microbial growth directly and activate signal transduction pathways that induce innate immunity responses in the plant.
Current topic: Transport mechanisms in preimplantation mammalian embryos

The main theme of this brief review article is that the study of membrane transport from a developmental point of view can be equated with the study of regulation. Although the blastocyst develops primarily under the control of the genetic information it inherits, it may also need maternal signals at critical stages. The study of blastocyst physiology is thus relevant to understanding the events leading up to implantation and to future research on the mechanisms of exchange between the mother and embryo during the initial stages of placentation. This information may be of considerable importance to understanding some of the causes of embryonic loss, which is particularly high around the time of implantation, and to understand some of the basic physiology of the embryo to fill gaps in our knowledge of in vitro fertilization processes. We feel that the mammalian blastocyst provides a unique model for the study of the development of vectorial transport systems in epithelia and, in the future, of patterns of genes that regulate this development.
Keeping in Touch with the Past.

This article makes a plea for a systematic preserving of historical materials that concern speech communication. Included is a bibliography of theses and dissertations that discuss prominent speech educators and departmental histories.
Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy for Pheochromocytoma

Although initial reports demonstrated the safety and feasibility of robotic adrenalectomy (RA), there are scant data on the use of this approach for pheochromocytoma. The aim of this study is to compare perioperative outcomes and efficacy of RA versus laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) for pheochromocytoma. Within 3 years, 25 patients underwent 26 RA procedures for pheochromocytoma. These patients were compared with 40 patients who underwent 42 LA procedures before the start of the robotic program. Data were retrospectively reviewed from a prospectively maintained, IRB-approved adrenal database. Demographic and clinical parameters at presentation were similar between the groups, except for a larger tumor size in the robotic group. In both groups, skin-to-skin operative time, estimated blood loss less, and intraoperative hemodynamic parameters were similar. The conversion to open rate was 3.9 % in the robotic and 7.5 % in the laparoscopic group (p = .532). There was no morbidity or mortality in the robotic group; morbidity was 10 % (p = .041) and mortality 2.5 % in the laparoscopic group. The pain score on postoperative day 1 was lower, and the length of hospital stay shorter in the robotic group (1.2 ± .1 vs. 1.7 ± .1 days, p = .036). To our knowledge, this is the first study comparing robotic versus laparoscopic resection of pheochromocytoma. Our results show that the robotic approach is similar to the laparoscopic regarding safety and efficacy. The lower morbidity, less immediate postoperative pain, and shorter hospital stay observed in the robotic approach warrant further investigation in future larger studies.
Sam68 Is Required for Both NF-κB Activation and Apoptosis Signaling by the TNF Receptor

The RNA-binding protein Sam68 is implicated in various cellular processes including RNA metabolism, apoptosis, and signal transduction. Here we identify a role of Sam68 in TNF-induced NF-κB activation and apoptosis. We found that Sam68 is recruited to the TNF receptor, and its deficiency dramatically reduces RIP recruitment and ubiquitylation. It also impairs cIAP1 recruitment and maintenance of recruited TRAF2 at the TNF receptor. In its absence, activation of the TAK1-IKK kinase complex is defective, greatly reducing signal transduction. Sam68 is also found as a part of the TNF-induced cytoplasmic caspase-8-FADD complex. RIP is not recruited to this complex in Sam68 knockout cells, and caspase activation is virtually absent. These findings delineate previously unknown functions for Sam68 in the TNF signaling pathway, where it acts as a signaling adaptor both in the membrane-associated complex I and in the cytoplasmic complex II, regulating both NF-κB activation and apoptosis.
Identification anatomique des principaux vaisseaux rétropéritonéaux par ultrasonographie endoscopique

Les relations anatomiques des vaisseaux et organes retroperitoneaux peuvent etre clairement observees a partir de l'estomac et du duodenum avec des echoendoscopes a balayages radial et lineaire. Sont revues les methodes pour placer et manoeuvrer l'echoendoscope dans six positions standard faciles a reconnaitre ainsi que dans la position « cale en retrait». A partir de ces positions, la plupart des vaisseaux retroperitoneaux peuvent etre investigues. Le retroperitoine est difficile a imager avec precision, quel que soit le test utilise mais il peut l'etre avec l'ultrasonographie endoscopique (USE). L'USE retroperitoneale devrait fournir l'impact le plus important sur la conduite clinique car l'USE est plus precise que tout autre test pour evaluer cette region.
Inhibitory CA1-CA3-hilar region feedback in the hippocampus

The organization of the hippocampus is generally thought of as a series of cell groups that form a unidirectionally excited chain, regulated by localized inhibitory circuits. With the use of in vivo intracellular labeling, histochemical, and extracellular tracing methods, a longitudinally widespread, inhibitory feedback in rat brain from the CA1 area to the CA3 and hilar regions was observed. This long-range, cross-regional inhibition may allow precise synchronization of population activity by timing the occurrence of action potentials in the principal cells and may contribute to the coordinated induction of synaptic plasticity in distributed networks.
A Comparison of spectral transfer characteristics and tuning curves for monkey glabrous skin mechanoreceptors

Spectral transfer characteristics were determined for Slowly Adapting (SA, Merkel Cell), Rapidly Adapting (RA, Meissner) and Pacinian Corpuscle (PC) mechanoreceptors found in the glabrous skin of monkeys. Transfer function estimates were averaged and compared to the more traditional threshold and entrainment tuning curves for these receptors.
Recognition of Comorbid Psychopathology by Staff of a Drug Detoxification Unit

The authors assessed the ability of the clinical staff of a 22-bed drug detoxification unit to recognize comorbid general psycbopathology by comparing the results of a psychiatric evaluation with a consecutive series (n = 131) of patients referred for consultation with a random sample (n = 91) of admissions not referred. Eighty-four percent of the referred patients met DSM-III-R criteria for comorbid Axis I or Axis II condition as compared with 21% of the random sample. However, given that only 20% of all admissions are referred for psychiatric consultation, these findings suggest that a substantial proportion of admissions with comorbid psychiatric conditions go unrecognized in this setting, and they underscore the need for staff education in the recognition of comorbidity in the face of managed-care initiatives.
Mining Frequent Boolean Expressions: Application to Gene Expression and Regulatory Modeling

Regulatory network analysis and other bioinformatics tasks require the ability to induce and represent arbitrary boolean expressions from data sources. In this paper, the authors introduce a novel framework called BLOSOM for mining (frequent) boolean expressions over binary-valued datasets. Boolean expressions can be grouped into four categories: pure conjunctions, pure disjunctions, conjunction of disjunctions, and disjunction of conjunctions. The authorsâ€™ main focus is on mining the simplest expressions (the minimal generators), but also to propose closure operators that yield closed (or unique maximal) boolean expressions. BLOSOM efficiently mines frequent boolean expressions by utilizing a number of methodical pruning techniques. Experiments showcase the behavior of BLOSOM for different input settings and parameter thresholds. Application studies on gene expression and gene regulation patterns showcase the effectiveness of this approach.
Persistent chlordane concentrations in Long Island Sound sediment: implications from chlordane, 210Pb, and 137Cs profiles.

Concentrations of chlordane, a banned termiticide and pesticide, were examined in recently collected surficial sediment (10 sites) and sediment cores (4 sites) in Long Island Sound (LIS).The highest chlordane concentrations were observed in western LIS, near highly urbanized areas. Chlordane concentrations did not decrease significantly in the past decade when compared to the data collected in 1996, consistent with the observation of near-constant chlordane levels in blue mussel tissues collected during the same time period. Chlordane concentrations in many of the sites exceeded levels above which harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms are expected to frequently occur. Chlordane concentrations in two of the four sediment cores showed a peak below the sediment surface, suggesting reduced chlordane inputs in recent years. The lack of a chlordane concentration maximum below the sediment surface in the other two cores, coupled with the lack of a well-defined 137 Cs peak, indicated significant sediment mixing. Simulations of 137 Cs and 210 Pb profiles in sediment cores with a simple sediment-mixing model were used to constrain both the deposition rate and the bioturbation rate of the sediment. Simulations of the chlordane profiles indicated continued chlordane input to LIS long after chlordane was phased out in the U.S. Continued chlordane input and significant sediment mixing may have contributed to the persistent chlordane concentrations in surficial sediment, which poses long-term threats to benthic organisms in LIS.
Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Regulates Cdk5 Activity in Primary Sensory Neurons

In addition to many important roles for Cdk5 in brain development and synaptic function, we reported previously that Cdk5 regulates inflammatory pain signaling, partly through phosphorylation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), an important Na+/Ca2+ channel expressed in primary nociceptive afferent nerves. Because TGF-β regulates inflammatory processes and its receptor is expressed in TRPV1-positive afferents, we studied the cross-talk between these two pathways in sensory neurons during experimental peripheral inflammation. We demonstrate that TGF-β1 increases transcription and protein levels of the Cdk5 co-activator p35 through ERK1/2, resulting in an increase in Cdk5 activity in rat B104 neuroblastoma cells. Additionally, TGF-β1 enhances the capsaicin-induced Ca2+ influx in cultured primary neurons from dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Importantly, Cdk5 activity was reduced in the trigeminal ganglia and DRG of 14-day-old TGF-β1 knock-out mice, resulting in reduced Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation of TRPV1. The decreased Cdk5 activity is associated with attenuated thermal hyperalgesia in TGF-β1 receptor conditional knock-out mice, where TGF-β signaling is significantly reduced in trigeminal ganglia and DRG. Collectively, our results indicate that active cross-talk between the TGF-β and Cdk5 pathways contributes to inflammatory pain signaling.
The spoken web: a web for the underprivileged

Spoken Web proposes to build an alternate web for the underprivileged population that is yet untouched by the enormous benefits of Internet and World Wide Web. Just over 22% of World's population today has access to Internet [Stats 2008]. The remaining 78% either cannot afford computers or high end mobiles, or are textually illiterate or simply reside in areas where basic infrastructure (such as electricity) is not available.
Relational memory and hippocampal function in psychotic bipolar disorder

Recent cognitive, genetic, and histological studies have highlighted significant overlap between psychotic bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Specifically, both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are characterized by interneuron dysfunction within the hippocampus, an essential structure for relational memory. Relational memory impairments are a common feature of schizophrenia, but have yet to be investigated in psychotic bipolar disorder. Here, we tested the hypothesis that psychotic bipolar disorder is characterized by relational memory deficits. We used a transitive inference (TI) paradigm, previously employed to quantify relational memory deficits in schizophrenia, to assess relational memory performance in 17 patients with psychotic bipolar disorder and 22 demographically matched control participants. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine hippocampal activity during recognition memory in patients and controls. Hippocampal volumes were assessed by manual segmentation. In contrast to our hypothesis, we found similar TI performance, hippocampal volume, and hippocampal recruitment during recognition memory in both groups. Both psychotic bipolar disorder patients and controls exhibited a positive correlation between hippocampal volume and relational memory performance. These data indicate that relational memory impairments are not a shared feature of non-affective and affective psychosis.
Exogenous, but not endogenous, cyclic GMP reduces hepatic pyruvate kinase activity

We investigated the effects of exogenous cyclic GMP and stimulants of endogenous cyclic GMP accumulation on L-form (hepatic) pyruvate kinase (ATP: pyruvate 2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) activity in isolated rat hepatocytes. Exogenous cyclic GMP (200 μM) reduced pyruvate kinase activity, but was less potent than exogenous cyclic AMP (50 μM) (Ki ⋍ 120 μM vs. 30 μM, respectively), had a slower onset of action (1.0 vs. 0.3 min, respectively) and a less rapid maximal effect (5.0 vs. 1.0 min, respectively). Similar results were noted with dibutyryl cyclic GMP or dibutyryl cyclic AMP. 1.0 μM acetylcholine increased cyclic GMP concentrations in isolated hepatocytes from 233 ± 16 to 447 ± 3 pmol/g cell protein (P < 0.001), but did not alter pyruvate kinase activity. Similar results were noted with carbamylcholine, NaN3 or acetylcholine plus eserine sulfate. The results suggest a differential effect of exogenous vs. endogenous cyclic GMP on L-form pyruvate kinase activity, and question the physiological relevance of observations with exogenous cyclic GMP in this system.
Analysis of apatite deposits on substrates

Calcium phosphate coatings, important for medical implant applications can occur in several different phases. Because of differences in properties of these phases it is imperative to be able to identify their presence in a substrate's coating. In this study we characterized hydroxy apatite (HA) surfaces applied by four different coating procedures. Included were plasma sprayed, sputtered, a composite, and a composite overlayed with plasma sprayed. It was found that a combination of reflectance infrared and Raman spectroscopy could be utilized to make an in situ characterization of the calcium phosphate phases. It was shown that plasma sprayed and sputtered coatings of HA lost OH and thus decreased in crystallinity, while composite coatings remained unchanged from the original HA powder. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The C-glycosylflavones of Archangiopteris henryi

Abstract The flavonoid profile of Archangiopteris henryi appears to consist of the C -glycosylflavones, shaftoside and isoshaftoside, other monoflavonoids were not observed. The accumulation of C -glycosylflavones gives biochemical support to the morphological based relationship of Archangiopteris with Angiopteris .
Possible Role of CREB in the Stimulation of Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cell Proliferation by Neurotrophin‐3

We have previously shown that the transcription factor CREB (cyclic AMP-response element binding protein) could be a mediator of neuronal signals that, coupled to different signal transduction pathways, may play different regulatory roles at specific stages of oligodendrocyte (OLG) development. We have found before that in committed OLGs, CREB activation by phosphorylation can be triggered by beta-adrenergic stimulation and appears to play a role in the induction of OLG differentiation by cyclic AMP. In contrast, in OLG precursor cells, CREB phosphorylation is stimulated by neuroligands that increase calcium levels by a process that involves a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. This observation suggested that at this early developmental stage, CREB could play a role in regulating cell proliferation. In support of this hypothesis, we have now found that a rapid and dramatic stimulation of CREB phosphorylation is one of the earliest events that precedes the increase in cell proliferation that is observed when OLG precursors are treated with neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). Experiments in which CREB phosphorylation was investigated in the presence of different kinase inhibitors indicated that the activation of this transcription factor in the presence of NT-3 is mediated by the concerted action of MAPK- and PKC-dependent signal transduction pathways. Moreover, our present results also showed that down-regulation of CREB expression in the OLG precursors abolished the increase in DNA synthesis that is observed when the cultures are treated with NT-3. Thus, these results support the idea that in immature OLG precursors, CREB plays an important role in transducing signals which, like NT-3, may regulate cell proliferation.
A novel spliceosome containing U11, U12, and U5 snRNPs excises a minor class (AT-AC) intron in vitro.

Abstract A minor class of introns with noncanonical splice (AT–AC) and branch site sequences exists in metazoan protein coding genes. We have established a HeLa cell in vitro system that accurately splices a pre-mRNA substrate containing such an intron from the human P120 gene. Splicing occurs via a lariat intermediate whose branch site A residue is predicted to bulge from a duplex formed with the low abundance U12 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP), which we confirm by psoralen cross-linking. Native gel electrophoresis reveals that U11, U12, and U5 snRNPs assemble onto the P120 pre-mRNA to form splicing complexes. Inhibition of P120 splicing by 2′-O-methyl oligonucleotides complementary to U12 or U5 demonstrates that U12 and U5 snRNPs perform essential roles in the AT–AC spliceosome.
Identification and cloning of human mitochondrial translational release factor 1 and the ribosome recycling factor

Abstract The complete sequence of the cDNA for the coding region of human mitochondrial translational release factor 1 has been obtained from human EST clones and 5′RACE. This sequence has been analyzed to provide insights into the relationship between release factors from bacteria and from mammalian mitochondria. The complete cDNA for the human mitochondrial ribosome recycling factor has been assembled using EST clones. This factor has been expressed in Escherichia coli and purified as a His-tagged protein.
Assessing the marital environment of agoraphobics

Abstract The responses of two groups of patients and their spouses on the Family Environment Scale (FES) were compared. One group consisted of 19 patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia, the second group of ten patients with the disorder diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. The agoraphobic couples reported significantly less family conflict and saw themselves as more cohesive than our comparison group. The agoraphobic couples reported even lower scores on the conflict subscale of the FES than a national non-distressed (“normal”) sample. The agoraphobics and their spouses also reported less joint family activity, but reported significantly higher scores in family organization. Implications for the comprehensive evaluation and treatment of agoraphobics and their families are discussed.
Enhancement of Performance in Multiple Learning Tasks by Corticotropin-Releasing Factor-Binding Protein Ligand Inhibitors

Evidence favors a role for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in learning and memory processes. A binding protein (CRF-BP) with the ability to inactivate CRF provides a novel target to modulate endogenous levels of CRF. The present studies employed three measures of information processing in rats in order to examine the impact of CRF system activation resulting from administration of CRF-BP ligand inhibitors, which increase levels of "free CRF." Acquisition of a visual discrimination paradigm and retention of a inhibitory avoidance task were dose dependently facilitated by central administration of a CRF-BP ligand inhibitor. CRF-BP ligand inhibitor treatment also improved performance in an active avoidance paradigm in aged animals. No nonspecific anorexic effects of the active dose of CRF-BP ligand inhibitor were detected in a food intake test. Moreover, the magnitude of in vivo efficacy of the CRF-BP ligand inhibitor peptide in producing a mild increase in motor activity was dissociated from that of a postsynaptic CRF receptor agonist that exerted robust and long-lasting activity increases. Thus, CRF-BP ligand inhibitors appear to elicit generalized learning enhancement effects without mimicking the robust nonspecific behavioral actions of a CRF receptor agonist.
Effect of feedback delays on nonlinear vibrations of cantilever beams

The authors present a comprehensive investigation of the effect of feedback delays on the nonlinear vibrations of piezoelectrically-actuated cantilever beams. More specifically, in the first part of this work, we examine the free response of a cantilever beam subjected to delayed-acceleration feedback. We characterize the stability of the trivial solutions and determine the normal form of the bifurcation at the stability boundary. We show that the trivial solutions lose stability via a Hopf bifurcation leading to limit-cycle oscillations (LCO). We assess the stability of the resulting LCO close to the stability boundary by determining the nature of the Hopf bifurcation (sub-or supercritical). We show that the bifurcation type depends only on the frequency of the delayed-response at the bifurcation point and the coefficients of the beam geometric and inertia nonlinearities. To analyze the stability of the LCO in the postbifurcation region, we utilize the Method of Harmonic Balance and the Floquet Theory. We observe that, increasing the gain magnitude for certain feedback delays may culminate in a chaotic response. In the second part of this study, we analyze the effect of feedback delays on a cantilever beam subjected to primary base excitations. We find that the nature of the forced response is largely determined by the stability of the trivial solutions of the unforced response. For stable trivial solutions (i.e., inside the stability boundaries of the linear system), the free response emanating from delayed feedback diminishes leaving only the particular solution resulting from the external excitation. In that case, delayed feedback acts as a vibration absorber. On the other hand, for unstable trivial solutions, the response contains two coexisting frequencies. Therefore, depending on the excitation amplitude and the closeness of the frequency of the delayed response to the excitation frequency, the response is either periodic or quasiperiodic. Finally, we study the effect of higher vibration modes on the beam response. We show that the validity of a single-mode analysis is dependent on the gain-delay combination utilized for feedback as well as the position and size of the piezoelectric patch.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Morphologies of AB Diblock Copolymer Melts Confined in Nanocylindrical Tubes

Monte Carlo simulations have been employed to identify the morphologies of symmetrical AB diblock copolymer melts under the confinement of nanocylindrical tubes. The effects of (i) the incommensurability between the diameter of the tube and the lamellae period in the bulk and (ii) the preference of the tube surface for one of the segments have been investigated. Lamellae normal to the tube axis and circular lamellae have been observed under the conditions investigated, in agreement with experiment and density functional calculations. Furthermore, porous lamellar (mesh) morphologies, lamellae parallel to the tube axis as well as single and double helixes have been identified.
Geology of the Thaumasia region, Mars: plateau development, valley origins, and magmatic evolution

Abstract We have constructed the complex geologic history of the Thaumasia region of Mars on the basis of detailed geologic mapping and relative-age dating of rock units and structure. The Thaumasia plateau dominates the region and consists of high lava plains partly surrounded by rugged highlands, mostly of Noachian and Hesperian age. Long-lived faulting centered near Syria Planum and at lesser sites produced radiating narrow grabens during the Noachian through Early Amazonian and concentric wrinkle ridges during the Late Noachian and Early Hesperian. Fault activity peaked during the Noachian and waned substantially during Late Hesperian and Amazonian time. Volcanism on the Thaumasia plateau was particularly active in comparison with other martian cratered highlands, resulting in fourteen volcanoes and numerous outcrops of smooth, ridged, and lobate plains materials. A particularly extensive set of overlapping lava-flow units was emplaced sequentially from Thaumasia Planum to Syria Planum, spanning from the Late Noachian to the Late Hesperian; lobate flows succeeded smooth flow at the beginning of the Late Hesperian. Deep crustal intrusion and a thickened, buoyant crust may have caused the uplift of the plateau during the Noachian and Early Hesperian, resulting in outward-verging fold-and-thrust plateau margins. This structural style appears similar to that of the young ranges of the Rocky Mountains in the western U.S. Within the plateau, several sites of volcanotectonic activity and valley erosion may be underlain by large and perhaps long-lived magmatic intrusions. One such site occurs at the headland of Warrego Valles. Here, at least two episodes of valley dissection from the Noachian to Early Hesperian occurred during the formation of two nearby rift systems. The site also is a locus of intersection for regional narrow grabens during the Late Noachian and Early Hesperian. However, at the site, such faults diverge or terminate, which suggests that a resistant body of rock occurs there. The overall volcanotectonic history at Thaumasia fits into a model for Tharsis as a whole in which long-lived Syria Planum-centered activity is ringed by a few significant, shorter-lived centers of activity like the Thaumasia plateau. Valley formation, like tectonism in the region, peaked during the Noachian and declined substantially during the Hesperian and Amazonian. Temporal and spatial associations of single erosional valleys and valley networks with volcanoes, rift systems, and large impact craters suggest that the majority of valleys formed by hydrothermal, deformational, and seismic-induced processes. The origin of scattered, mainly Noachian valleys is more conjectural; possible explanations include local precipitation, seismic disturbance of aquifers, or unrecognized intrusions.
Détente, East-West Trade, and the Future of Economic Integration in Eastern Europe

The paper attempts to examine the impact of East-West trade on the process of economic integration in Eastern Europe, carried out under the aegis of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA). The discussion is focused on the proposition that, other things being equal, the continued growth of East-West trade is at the present time incompatible with the increase in the level of economic integration in that part of Europe.The problem is analyzed in the context of several factors: the process of regional economic integration; the attitude of the Soviet Union and of the East European political and economic elites toward both integration and East-West trade before and after detente; the influence of economic reforms in Eastern Europe; and the impact of the energy crisis and of the developing global shortage of raw materials.The conclusion emerges that, on balance, the chances of economic cooperation if not integration in the region are today better than in the past, albeit at the expense of closer economic relations between Eastern Europe and the West.
INSTRUCTIONAL ARTIFACTS ON PERSONALITY INVENTORIES

Summary.-38 subjects were administered the Omnibus Personality Inventory and 91 subjects the Personal Orientation Inventory under instructions to respond to each item with one, both, or neither response alternative. Under these instructions the keyed and nonkeyed scores for some scales are not highly correlated. This finding is contrary to the forced high negative correlations resulting from the typical instructions to answer all items with only one alternative. Implications were drawn for interpreting scores and for the assessment of change. Respondents to paper-and-pencil personality invencories are typically instructed to answer all items by selecting only ane of the response alternatives. There is reason to believe that these instructions impose artificial constraints on the respondent and consequently artificial structure on his scores. For example, if on a scale of 10 items, Subjecc 1 answers 8 items in the keyed direction, then two are answered in the nonkeyed direction; if Subject 2 answers 3 items in the keyed direction, then 7 are answered in the nonkeyed way; etc. Assuming 1 and 0 scoring weights, the correiation between the keyed and nonkeyed scores across subjects will be perfect and negative, the result of complying with the above instructions. However, is it necessarily the case that keyed and nonkeyed scores are perfectly correlated when these artifact producing instructions are removed? To be sure there are advantages to using the typical instructions. With complete redundancy of keyed and nonkeyed results, it is apparent that by focusing on the keyed responses, the nonkeyed can be ignored without loss of information. Another advantage is that from a statistical point of view high and low scores can be interpreted as reverse positions on a scale even though from a psychological point of view such an interpretation may not be justified. Another advantage is that, in the context of factor analysis, it is nonproblematic and commonplace to reflect a factor by changing the signs of its loadings and then interpreting the meaning of the factor accordingly. Furthermore, in the measurement of a change within a pretest-posttest design, it is statistically defensible to assume that subjects are changing on one dimension. Even though there are statistical justifications and advantages to using the typical instructions, it is important to assess the extent to which these instructions influence the obtained scores because of the implications for their psychological meaning. The purpose of the present paper, therefore, was to explore some of the consequences of varying rhe typical jnsrrucrions for rwo widely used personality invencories.
Relative reactivities for monofunctional nitrogen mustard alkylation of nucleic acid components.

Abstract Quantitative studies of alkylation of nucleic acid bases have led to values for relative nucleophilicities of their reactive centers toward the diethylethylenimonium ion. The alkylation of native, double-helix DNA by diethylethylenimonium ion for 2 h at 40° and pH 7, followed by hydrolysis, dialysis and chromatography, showed only 7-alkylated guanine. After 48 h, considerable N 6 -alkylated adenine was also obtained. Since complete denaturation and extensive degradation of DNA occurred under the latter conditions, initially denatured DNA was alkylated for 2 h and found to give about equal amounts of both compounds. The alkylation of guanine in native DNA proceeded at a rate 50-fold greater and in denatured DNA at a rate 7-fold greater than in monomeric guanine ribosides and ribotides. While adenine units in native DNA are unreactive, in denatured DNA they react at a rate 5 times those in poly A.
Combinatorial screening of thin film electrocatalysts for a direct methanol fuel cell anode

Abstract The Pt-Ru-W and Pt-Ru-Co ternary alloy systems were investigated for use as anode catalysts in direct methanol fuel cells. Plasma sputtering through shadow masks was used to deposit discrete composition combinatorial libraries. Post-deposition annealing promoted multilayer homogenization, with interdiffusion of the layers confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The short term methanol oxidation activities of the different compositions were compared in parallel by cyclic voltammetry with a multichannel electrochemical cell. It was found that the optimum composition changed from initial to final tests. Initially Pt25Ru0W75 and Pt17Ru17Co66 outperformed the best binary Pt-Ru catalyst by 3× and 20×, respectively. Cycling the potential at 60 °C was found to change the performance of some compositions. The performance of Pt-Ru binary catalysts were improved by this conditioning and the optimum ternary compositions shifted to Pt44Ru12W44 and Pt12Ru50Co38. The optimum Pt-Ru-W composition had a peak methanol oxidation current density that was 1.5× more than the best Pt-Ru binary composition. The peak methanol oxidation current density of the best Pt-Ru-Co composition was 2.5× more than the best Pt/Ru binary composition and had a substantially lower onset potential.
Nonlinear resonances and colliding spherical ion-acoustic solitons

Abstract We find that the recent experimental results by Ze, Hershkowitz, Chan and Lonngren on colliding spherical ion-acoustic solitons can be explained in terms of a nonlinear resonance, wherein the two colliding solitons at a resonance point generate and create a third soliton of larger amplitude. However, estimates show that the resonance width is less than the required growth length, therefore full growth is not achieved, in agreement with the experimental results.
Computer-assisted optimization of aminophylline therapy in the emergency department

The emergency department (ED) is a unique setting for pharmacokinetic-guided drug administration because of the need to rapidly optimize therapy. We compared outcomes in patients receiving intravenous aminophylline according to population-based ED guidelines (group 1) or Bayesian-derived pharmacokinetic estimates (group 2), we determined predictors for admission or discharge in our study group, and we assessed the ability of a Bayesian pharmacokinetic model to estimate theophylline requirements in the ED. The study population was composed of 82 patients (42 males, 40 females) with a mean age of 43 +/- 15.5 years. Fifteen patients were excluded because of protocol violations. Of the 67 cases studied, 30 were assigned to group 1, and 37 were assigned to group 2. Patient demographics, baseline theophylline concentration, and theophylline loading dose did not differ significantly between treatment groups. The aminophylline maintenance infusion was significantly (P less than .001) lower in group 1 (0.4 +/- 0.2 mg/kg/h) than in group 2 (0.6 +/- 0.2 mg/kg/h). Serum theophylline concentrations at one hour post-loading-dose did not differ significantly between treatment groups; however, significant differences were observed at two hours post-load (P less than .002) and four hours post-load (P less than .001). Baseline peak flow rate (PFR) was significantly (P less than .03) higher in group 1 (170 +/- 85 L/min) than in group 2 (132 +/- 62 L/min), but did not differ significantly at any other times throughout the study. The PFR one hour post-load (PFR-1) was the strongest (P less than .003) predictor of outcome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Experience in Interfacing to the IBM Personal Computer

As part of a larger FASTBUS related design effort, we have completed three IBM PC projects. An analog to digital converter board demonstrated the suitability of the IBM PC as a hardware development tool. Subsequent design of an Intel 186 microprocessor board interfaced to the IBM PC through a dual port memory and an Ethernet controller board interfaced through FIFO buffers has taken place. This paper describes our experience with the IBM PC from both a hardware and software standpoint.
Caffeine Tolerance is Incomplete: Persistent Blood Pressure Responses in the Ambulatory Setting

Caffeine is by far the most widely used, socially accepted psychoactive substance worldwide. Among US adults, 54% drank coffee daily and 25% drank coffee occasionally in a year 2000 survey (National Coffee Association). The popularity of caffeine stems from its stimulant and positive mood effects.1 Caffeine's stimulatory action extends to the cardiovascular and neuroendocrine systems.2 Blood pressure (BP) increases in the range of 5–10 mm Hg following caffeine consumption are well-documented.3–7 Caffeine exerts its effect on BP through its blockade of vascular adenosine receptors.8,9 Epidemiological studies document linear relationships between BP levels and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A 5-mm Hg difference in diastolic BP is associated with an increase of 34% in the incidence of stroke and a 21% increase in the incidence of coronary heart disease. Such relationships persist even for BP within the normal range.10 Thus, caffeine's pressor effect should be considered in relation to BP elevations in regular consumers. Concern regarding caffeine's effect on BP is dampened by the belief that tolerance occurs with daily ingestion.11 Systematic study of tolerance to caffeine with regular consumption suggests that tolerance may not be complete. In a prior report we examined caffeine's acute BP effect in the laboratory to repeated morning and midday doses after different amounts of daily intake.12 This study and others showed that daily caffeine intake produces only a partial tolerance leaving a persistent BP response to repeated daily dosing.12–14 In addition, it has been suggested that caffeine's acute BP effect in the lab is not readily demonstrable across the day and during a range of activities.13 The extent of tolerance formation tested by acute response to caffeine in the lab has been published previously.12 In this paper, we examine tolerance effects on the BP response to caffeine across the day in the ambulatory setting. Tolerance formation was tested in relation to daily maintenance doses chosen to mimic the range of consumption commonly found in the U.S. diet,15 ranging from none (0 mg/day) to moderate (300 mg/day) to high (600 mg/day) levels in a within-subject, crossover design. Testing then determined the effect of these background intake levels on 18-hour ambulatory BP. Tolerance was defined as a reduction in the acute BP response to a fixed challenge dose (250 mg × 3/day) occurring with increasing dietary intake (0, 300, and 600 mg/day), all referenced to BP levels during a no-caffeine control week (0 mg/day dietary intake and a 0 mg × 3/day challenge doses).
Criminal justice, sociology, and academia

orientation neglected a thorough analysis of power and institutionalized malice such as poverty, racism and war. The transition from social problems to devi ance enabled sociology to shed one bias and move to another. Now, twenty years later, the apparent humanism of the sociology of deviance has been replaced with the occupation orientation of criminal justice. The tran sition from social problems to deviance to criminal justice has had profound effects on the form and content of the study of deviant behavior. The rise of criminal justice has also had an enormous effect on enrollments in sociology and eventually on the discipline of sociology itself. The study of social problems we argue has been replaced by a commodified, career-oriented approach, which ultimately undermines theoretical diversity and any humanism in the sociologi cal treatment of crime and deviance.
Mechanism of canine cyclic hematopoiesis: The role of prostaglandin E in feedback regulation

Prostaglandin E inhibits granulocyte-macrophage colony formation in vitro in man and mouse, suggesting that it plays a role in feedback regulation of granulocyte production in vivo. Therefore, we examined the role of PGE in normal canine hematopoiesis and its potential role in the pathogenesis of cyclic hematopoiesis in grey collie dogs. The prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors indomethacin and ibuprofen (10(-5) M) increased CFU-C growth to 194 and 160% of control, respectively, while PGE2 addition caused a dose-dependent inhibition of bone marrow CFU-C growth in both normal and grey collie dogs. These concentrations of indomethacin and ibuprofen decreased bone marrow cell elaboration of PGE measured by radioimmunoassay to less than 5% of control values. The levels of PGE in leukocyte conditioned medium prepared from grey collies correlated with the number of monocytes in the conditioning cell suspension (r = 0.78, n = 10, p less than 0.05) so that PGE production per monocyte was no different in normal and grey collie dogs. The effect of PGE2 upon CFU-C was to inhibit formation of macrophage, but not neutrophil colony subtypes. These findings make aberrant PGE-mediated inhibition of precursor cells an unlikely mechanism to cause cyclic hematopoiesis, and show that PGE produced by monocytes acts as a feedback inhibitor for precursor cells destined to produce monocytes but not for those destined to form neutrophils.
Compiler and runtime support for efficient software transactional memory

Programmers have traditionally used locks to synchronize concurrent access to shared data. Lock-based synchronization, however, has well-known pitfalls: using locks for fine-grain synchronization and composing code that already uses locks are both difficult and prone to deadlock. Transactional memory provides an alternate concurrency control mechanism that avoids these pitfalls and significantly eases concurrent programming. Transactional memory language constructs have recently been proposed as extensions to existing languages or included in new concurrent language specifications, opening the door for new compiler optimizations that target the overheads of transactional memory.This paper presents compiler and runtime optimizations for transactional memory language constructs. We present a high-performance software transactional memory system (STM) integrated into a managed runtime environment. Our system efficiently implements nested transactions that support both composition of transactions and partial roll back. Our JIT compiler is the first to optimize the overheads of STM, and we show novel techniques for enabling JIT optimizations on STM operations. We measure the performance of our optimizations on a 16-way SMP running multi-threaded transactional workloads. Our results show that these techniques enable transactional memory's performance to compete with that of well-tuned synchronization.
Luminescence properties of chert and some archaeological applications

We have examined the cathodoluminescence (CL) and induced thermoluminescence (TL) properties of chert collected from the Ozark Mountains area of the central United States. The cherts showed predominately orange CL with occasional blue CL. X-ray diffraction indicates that the amount of orange CL correlates closely with the abundance of carbonates within the chert. Previous studies have shown that macroquartz characteristically gives off a weak and transient blue CL. Thermoluminescence studies concentrated on the shape of the radiation induced TL glow curve. The results seem to indicate all of the cherts sampled fall into one of four glow curve categories. The TL categories correspond to quartz crystallinity as measured by X-ray diffraction, which is probably a reflection of quartz grain size. Application of these techniques is somewhat new to chert studies, but may provide a useful criterion in establishing the number of chert varieties or sourcing chert provenience locations for artefacts collected from archaeological sites. Calcite and dolomite are expected to leach from chert surfaces upon exposure to weathering agents, thus making CL a helpful tool for the detection of fake stone artefacts with fresh fracture surfaces. Quartz crystallinity is an important factor in determining chert cleavage characteristics and TL appears to be a useful measure of this property.