cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On Identifying and Analyzing Significant Nodes in Protein-Protein Interaction Networks

Network theory has been used for modeling biological data as well as social networks, transportation logistics, business transcripts, and many other types of data sets. Identifying important features/parts of these networks for a multitude of applications is becoming increasingly significant as the need for big data analysis techniques grows. When analyzing a network of protein-protein interactions (PPIs), identifying nodes of significant importance can direct the user toward biologically relevant network features. In this work, we propose that a node of structural importance in a network model can correspond to a biologically vital or significant property. This relationship between topological and biological importance can be seen in/between structurally defined nodes, such as hub nodes and driver nodes, within a network and within clusters. This work proposes data mining approaches for identification and examination of relationships between hub and driver nodes within human, yeast, rat, and mouse PPI networks. Relationships with other types of significant nodes, with direct neighbors, and with the rest of the network were analyzed to determine if the model can be characterized biologically by its structural makeup. We performed numerous tests on structure with a data-driven mentality, looking for properties that were potentially significant on a network level and then comparing those properties to biological significance. Our results showed that identifying and cross-referencing different types of topologically significant nodes can exemplify properties such as transcription factor enrichment, lethality, clustering, and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment. Mining the biological networks, we discovered a key relationship between network properties and how sparse/dense a network is-a property we described as "sparseness". Overall, structurally important nodes were found to have significant biological relevance.
A SURVEY OF ACADEMIC DEMANDS RELATED TO LISTENING SKILLS

A literature review was conducted in order to identify various parameters underlying listening comprehension. The results of this review were used as a basis for a survey of faculty in six graduate fields as well as undergraduate English faculty. The purpose of the survey was to (a) obtain faculty perceptions of the importance to academic success of various listening skills and activities, (b) assess the degree to which both native and nonnative speakers experience difficulties with these skills or activities, and (c) determine faculty views of alternative means of evaluating these skills. Faculty perceived some listening skills as more important than others for academic success. These included nine skills in particular that were related primarily to various aspects of lecture content (e.g., identifying major ideas and relationships among them). As might be expected, faculty perceived that nonnative students experience more difficulty than native students with all listening activities, and that nonnative students have disproportionately greater difficulty with some activities, such as following lectures given at different speeds and comprehending or deducing the meaning of important vocabulary. With respect to measuring listening comprehension, some general approaches and specific item types were judged to be more appropriate than others. These included tasks that entail answering questions involving the recall of details as well as those involving inference or deductions. The results of the survey are used to suggest further research on the construct validity of the Listening Comprehension section of the TOEFL® test.
Stimulation of protein synthesis in isolated pancreatic acini from chronically ethanol-fed rats is due to alterations in post-transcriptional regulation

In an earlier study, we reported that isolation of acini from the pancreas of rats fed ethanol chronically, led to a 2- to 3-fold increase in the rate of protein synthesis compared to acini from rats fed the control diet. In the present study, we wanted to investigate whether the enhanced rate of protein synthesis was due to an increased rate of degranulation, reflecting a stimulation of cellular signal transduction processes, and/or to changes at the level of transcription/translation. The rate of degranulation was monitored by initially prelabelling the secretory proteins in vivo with [3H]leucine followed by determination of their fate in the intact tissue as well as in the subsequently isolated acini. The recovery of the label in isolated acini as a fraction of that incorporated into the tissue was similar for control and ethanol-fed groups, suggesting that ethanol feeding had no effect on the rate of degranulation during the isolation of acini. The rate of incorporation of [3H]uridine into total RNA was about 70% higher in acini from the ethanol-fed group as compared to the control group, suggesting a higher rate of transcription. However, the steady-state level of mRNA for trypsinogen, a representative digestive enzyme mRNA, showed only a moderate increase of 20% in acini from the ethanol-fed group compared to those from the intact tissue. These results suggest that the increased rate of protein synthesis in isolated acini from ethanol-fed rat pancreas is primarily due to post-transcriptional modifications.
A structural model of the E. coli PhoB dimer in the transcription initiation complex.

Background There exist > 78,000 proteins and/or nucleic acids structures that were determined experimentally. Only a small portion of these structures corresponds to those of protein complexes. While homology modeling is able to exploit knowledge-based potentials of side-chain rotomers and backbone motifs to infer structures for new proteins, no such general method exists to extend our understanding of protein interaction motifs to novel protein complexes.
The Effects of Childhood Exposure to Marital Violence on Adolescent Gender-Role Beliefs and Dating Violence:

Children exposed to marital violence in childhood are at risk for engaging in dating violence as adolescents or young adults. Using a longitudinal prospective design, mother–child pairs from violent and nonviolent homes (N= 208) were interviewed about exposure to marital violence twice over a 7–9 year time span. Responses to questions about adolescent gender-typed beliefs, the acceptance of dating violence, and experiences with dating violence were collected during follow-up interviews. Results indicated that adolescents exposed to marital violence during childhood were more likely to justify the use of violence in dating relationships. Possessing traditional attitudes of male–female relationships and justifying relationship violence were associated with higher levels of dating violence perpetration regardless of marital violence exposure. How adolescents thought about dating relationships was more important than whether they witnessed marital violence in childhood. Results have implications for social-cognitive and norm-based interventions.
The role of various antithrombotic agents in microvascular surgery

The ultimate goal in microvascular surgery is to achieve improved patency rates while reducing complications of systemic antithrombotic agents. Using a described model of microarterial thrombosis, the antithrombotic effects of oral aspirin (ASA) were assessed in rats. ASA-treated animals (30 mg/kg orally) exhibited significantly prolonged mean bleeding times 1 h and 24 h after dosing when compared to controls (p < 0.01). Platelet aggregation profiles also displayed an inhibition of platelet aggregation in the ASA group relative to controls. In the thrombosis model, however, patency rates were significantly improved at 20 min, but all vessels were thrombosed at 24 h.
Acceleration of heavy ions at the bevatron.

Substantial beams of deuterons, α-particles, and nitrogen ions have been accelerated to high energies (nitrogen to 36 billion electron volts) in the bevatron. Beams of various energies were successfully extracted for experimental use. Modifications of the ion source, the injector, and the main acceleration system made the production of highenergy heavy ions possible. Our computer control system played an important part.
Current and Future Power Generation Technologies: Pathways to Reducing the Cost of Carbon Capture for Coal-fueled Power Plants

Abstract As part of the United States Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) implements research, development and demonstration (RD&D) that is focused on maximizing system efficiency and performance while minimizing the costs of coal-based power production with carbon capture and storage. In order to evaluate the benefits and market competitiveness of ongoing RD&D, NETL conducts engineering studies to evaluate the cost and performance of plants integrating multiple advanced technologies currently under development. This paper evaluates two different coal conversion pathways – combustion and gasification – and their potential to provide low-cost, low-carbon power from coal.
Constraining the state's ability to employ force: the standing army debates, 1697–99

Britain's Glorious Revolution of 1688 is one of the most widely studied cases of institutional change. Recent institutional analyses of the Glorious Revolution, however, have failed to address one of the central issues in political science: control of the state's comparative advantage in violence. This paper examines this issue through analysis of the standing army debates of the late 1690s. Participants in the debates disputed whether a standing army or a militia would be the most effective institutional arrangement to guard against threats from abroad and tyranny at home. Both sides of the debate analyzed the effects of a standing army in terms of the incentives that it created for soldiers, citizens, the monarch, and foreign governments.
Normal radial anatomy by endoscopic ultrasound

Radial scanning echoendoscopes are the most commonly used instruments for performing diagnostic endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Thorough understanding of the normal anatomy detected with EUS is necessary before using EUS to evaluate pathological conditions. This article outlines the basic approach to the normal anatomy detected with a radial echoendoscope.
Periclase refractories for steelcasting

The most durable batcher inserts for casting low-carbon rimming steels are those produced from periclase processed from powders containing a minimum of impurities, i.e., 3% or less. A small proportion of monticellite (up to 2.5%) in the periclase product does not affect durability adversely to an appreciable extent. A combination of monticellite with other impurity phases (magnesioferrite, forsterite) to an aggregate proportion of 8–9% greatly reduces the durability of the insert in steelcasting. It was established that dicalcium silicate also has an adverse effect.
Is the Demand for Health Care Generosity Equal for All Recipients? A Longitudinal Analysis of State Medicaid Spending, 1977-2004

This article estimates an economic model of the determinants of state government spending on health care benefits provided through the Medicaid program for the old, disabled, and young populations, respectively. Spending on the mutually exclusive recipient groups, rather than the aggregate, is examined to ascertain the extent to which one population’s costs supplant spending on the alternative populations. Endogeneity bias arising from the incentive effects of health care benefit guarantees on program take-up is addressed using an identification strategy that relies on measures of time-varying state resident participation in federally administered welfare programs to control for unobservable economic and noneconomic opportunities simultaneously determining Medicaid recipiency. It finds that state demand for health care generosity for each population is interrelated with the specific costs of the alternative populations. Simulations of eligibility expansions targeting each of the recipient populations illu...
Daily sleep reports and circadian rest-activity cycles of elderly community residents with insomnia.

Abstract Sleep patterns were investigated in 29 insomniacs and 22 controls selected from a large sample of elderly residents of an urban community. According to sleep logs kept for a mean of 14.7 days, insomniacs took longer to fall asleep and stayed awake longer when they woke at night. In 14 insomniacs and 8 controls, wrist movements were monitored with a portable instrument. A circadian rhythm of motor activity was found in both groups, with some notable differences. Insomniacs were more active during periods of bedrest, and their mean daily rest-activity pattern—representing mean activity at equivalent times of day—was flatter. The mean level of activity over the entire experiment was similar in both groups. Insomnia in many elderly persons is thus associated with diffusion of activity over the 24-hr day, leaving bedrest periods only partially filled by rest or sleep.
Surface behavior of the fully frustrated two-dimensional Ising model.

We consider the fully frustrated Villain or ``odd'' Ising model on a semi-infinite square lattice with surface couplings ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{S}}$ and bulk couplings \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}J. The zero-temperature properties of this model have an interpretation in terms of dimers. From previous work it is known that at T=0 there is no bulk long-range order and the bulk spin-spin correlation function decays algebraically with critical exponent \ensuremath{\eta}=1/2. We analyze the surface behavior in the T=0 transition. For ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{S}}$\ensuremath{\ne}1/2J the surface spins do order at T=0, and the connected pair-correlation function decays as ${\mathit{r}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$ parallel to the surface. For ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{S}}$=1/2J there is no long-range surface order at T=0, and the pair-correlation function of the surface spins decays as ${\mathit{r}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ and ${\mathit{r}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$ for r even and odd, respectively. We also calculate the free energy, the correlation length, and the profile of the energy density in strips of finite width and compare the results with predictions of conformal invariance for ordinary critical systems.
Balancing the Need to Develop Coastal Areas with the Desire for an Ecologically Functioning Coastal Environment: Is Net Ecosystem Improvement Possible?

The global human population is growing exponentially, a majority lives and works near the coast, and coastal commerce and development are critical to the economies of many nations. Hence, coastal areas will continue to be a major focus of development and economic activity. People want and need the economics provided by coastal development but they also want and need the fisheries and social commodities supported by estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Because of these facts, we view the challenge of balancing coastal development with enhancing nearshore marine and estuarine ecosystems (i.e., net ecosystem improvement) as the top priority for coastal researchers in this century. Our restoration research in Pacific Northwest estuaries and participation in the design and mitigation of nearshore structures has largely dealt with these competing goals. To this end, we have applied conceptual models, comprehensive assessment methods, and principles of restoration ecology, conservation biology and adaptive management to incorporate science into decisions about use of estuarine systems. Case studies of Bainbridge Island and the Columbia River demonstrate the use of objective, defensible methods to prioritize estuarine areas for preservation, conservation and restoration. Case studies of Clinton, WA and Port Townsend, WA demonstrate the incorporation of an ecological perspective andmore » technological solutions into design projects that affect the nearshore. Adaptive management has allowed coastal development and restoration uncertainties to be better evaluated, with the information used to improve management decisions. Although unproven on a large scale, we think that these kinds of methods can contribute to the net improvement of already degraded ecosystems. The challenges include applied science to understand the issues, education, incentives, empirical data (not rehashing of reviews), cumulative impact analysis, and an effective adaptive management program. Because the option of net ecosystem improvement is often more costly than other alternatives, commitment by the local or regional community to this approach is essential.« less
Geospatial association between adverse birth outcomes and arsenic in groundwater in New Hampshire, USA

There is increasing evidence of the role of arsenic in the etiology of adverse human reproductive outcomes. Because drinking water can be a major source of arsenic to pregnant women, the effect of arsenic exposure through drinking water on human birth may be revealed by a geospatial association between arsenic concentration in groundwater and birth problems, particularly in a region where private wells substantially account for water supply, like New Hampshire, USA. We calculated town-level rates of preterm birth and term low birth weight (term LBW) for New Hampshire, by using data for 1997–2009 stratified by maternal age. We smoothed the rates by using a locally weighted averaging method to increase the statistical stability. The town-level groundwater arsenic probability values are from three GIS data layers generated by the US Geological Survey: probability of local groundwater arsenic concentration >1 µg/L, probability >5 µg/L, and probability >10 µg/L. We calculated Pearson’s correlation coefficients (r) between the reproductive outcomes (preterm birth and term LBW) and the arsenic probability values, at both state and county levels. For preterm birth, younger mothers (maternal age 10 µg/L; for older mothers, r = 0.19 when the smoothing threshold = 3,500; a majority of county level r values are positive based on the arsenic data of probability >10 µg/L. For term LBW, younger mothers (maternal age 1 µg/L; for older mothers, r = 0.14 when the rates are smoothed with a threshold = 1,000 births and also adjusted by town median household income in 1999, and the arsenic values are the town minimum based on probability >10 µg/L. At the county level for younger mothers, positive r values prevail, but for older mothers, it is a mix. For both birth problems, the several most populous counties—with 60–80 % of the state’s population and clustering at the southwest corner of the state—are largely consistent in having a positive r across different smoothing thresholds. We found evident spatial associations between the two adverse human reproductive outcomes and groundwater arsenic in New Hampshire, USA. However, the degree of associations and their sensitivity to different representations of arsenic level are variable. Generally, preterm birth has a stronger spatial association with groundwater arsenic than term LBW, suggesting an inconsistency in the impact of arsenic on the two reproductive outcomes. For both outcomes, younger maternal age has stronger spatial associations with groundwater arsenic.
New insight from old bones: stable isotope analysis of fossil mammals

Stable isotope analysis of fossil materials has become an increasingly important method for gathering dietary and environmental information from extinct species in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The benefits of these analyses stem from the geochemical fingerprint that an animal’s environment leaves in its bones, teeth, and tissues. Ongoing study of living mammals has found the stable isotopic composition of several light (hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur) and even a few heavy (calcium and strontium) elements to be useful tracers of ecological and physiological information; many of these can be similarly applied to the study of fossil mammals. For instance, the carbon isotopic composition of an animal’s tissues tracks that of the food it eats, whereas the oxygen isotopic compositions of the carbonate and phosphate in an animal’s bones and teeth are primarily controlled by that of the surface water it drinks or the water in the food it ingests. These stable isotope proxies for diet and habitat information are independent of inferences based on morphological characters and thus provide a means of testing ecological interpretations drawn from the fossil record. As such, when well-preserved specimens are available, any dietary study of fossil species should seriously consider including this approach. To illustrate the potential benefits associated with applying these methods to paleontological research, a review of current work on the ecological and evolutionary history of fossil mammals through geochemical analysis is presented. After a brief introduction to issues associated with the preservation of stable isotopic information in soft and mineralized tissues, a series of case studies involving the application of stable isotope analysis to fossil mammal research is discussed. These studies were selected to highlight the versatility of this analytical method to paleontological research and are complemented by a discussion of new techniques and instrumentation in stable isotope analysis (e.g., laser ablation and compound-specific isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and calcium and clumped isotopes), which represent the latest advances in the extension of these geochemical tools to the paleontology of fossil mammals.
Low energy collisions between ground-state oxygen atoms

Abstract Elastic scattering cross sections have been calculated for the O(3P)+O(3P) collision at energies E=1–10 eV using exact quantum calculations and the semiclassical Jeffries–Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin approximation with the full set of 18 states of O2 which separate to this system. These cross sections are required for calculating escape probability from planetary atmospheres. In addition, an average potential has been calculated and compared to popularly used potential energy forms. The average potential has also been used to generate the cross sections in this energy range. Escape depths for E=1 and 10 eV have been calculated to be 1.0×1015 and 2.5×1014/cm2, respectively.
Short-Term Planetary-Scale Interactions over the Tropics and Midlatitudes during Northern Winter. Part I: Contrasts between Active and Inactive Periods

Objectively analyzed 200 mb winds of four winters are used to study the short-term (several days) teleconnections between planetary-scale circulation components over the monsoon region. The composited structures suggest that during very actively northeasterly monsoon (surge) periods, the midlatitude and tropical circulation components vary in a coherent way. The jet streak and local Hadley circulation over East Asia, the divergent flow over the maritime continent, and the equatorial Walker circulations over the Pacific and Indian Oceans all strengthen steadily, while the secondary jet streak over West Asia weakens. During inactive (break) periods the midlatitude circulation components all exhibit reversed changes, while the variations in the tropics are less coherent, although still showing reversed tendencies. The results basically verify the short-term teleconnection model proposed by Chang and Lau (1980), but more complex processes in the acceleration of the midlatitude jet streaks are indicated. In addition, the contrast between the very active and break monsoon periods suggests the relative importance of tropical versus midlatitudinal forcings in different regions of the monsoon circulation.
Importance of seasonal variability and coastal processes on estuarine manganese and barium cycling in a Pacific Northwest estuary

Abstract Dissolved and particulate manganese (Mn) and barium (Ba) within the Tillamook Bay estuary are examined over seasonal cycles under a range of river discharge conditions from January to December 1999. Based on estuarine distributions and box model calculations, Mn and Ba behavior within the estuary is best quantified by considering two dominant factors: interaction with suspended particulate material (adsorption/desorption reactions) and input from benthic sources. Seasonal differences in elemental concentration patterns are dominated by variations in the relative importance of these two variables. While Mn exhibits estuarine behavior typical for this element, Ba shows an uncharacteristic lower estuary source. We hypothesize that this source results from the benthic dissolution of ocean-derived particulate Ba. The fluxes of dissolved Mn and Ba from the river to the coastal ocean are related to river discharge rates with the high fluxes observed under winter conditions. These winter flux maxima occur despite estuarine removal processes that also occur under winter conditions. During all other seasons, box model calculations indicate that the total (dissolved plus particulate) river fluxes of Mn and Ba to the coastal ocean are enhanced by internal estuarine processes—i.e., by transport across the sediment–water interface. On an annual basis, dissolved Mn and Ba fluxes to the coastal ocean are enriched by 390% and 170%, respectively, over what is expected from riverine inputs alone. The results of this research underscore the importance of estuarine processes in modifying the riverine flux of these elements to the ocean and the necessity of temporal sampling in evaluating processes controlling elemental distributions and delivery to the coastal ocean. Measurements of both the dissolved and particulate phases are also essential for describing and modeling these elemental budgets.
Particle Size Control of Cryptomelane Nanomaterials by Use of H2O2 in Acidic Conditions

A new soft-step chemistry method has been developed to prepare pure cryptomelane-type manganese oxide materials (OMS-2) with the smallest particle sizes ever reported. The synthetic procedure is based on the reduction of KMnO4 by H2O2 under acidic conditions followed by reflux. An acetate-containing buffer solution and HNO3 are used to control the pH of the reaction mixture. The formation process, particle size, crystallite size, crystal structure, and properties of these nanomaterials have been investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), potentiometric titration, thermogravimetric analysis, and N2 sorption analyses. Both the concentration of H2O2 and the nature of the acid used affect the crystalline phase formation, microstructure, thermal stability, and the composition of the final product. HRTEM images reveal that the OMS-2 nanofibers are not oriented preferentially and present significant twinning, along with discontinuity...
T2 relaxation measurement with solvent suppression and implications to solvent suppression in general.

A number of suppression pulse sequences including Excitation Sculpting and WATERGATE were incorporated into the standard Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) program for T2 measurement and experimentally evaluated. The chosen suppression schemes were of varying complexity encompassing pulse program elements, such as presaturation, gradients, and selective pulses, which are typically utilized for solvent suppression. The quality of the spectral data and the accuracy of T2 measurements of the investigated suppression schemes were evaluated using three aqueous samples with increasing proton content in the water solvent, i.e. by volume 100% D2O, 80/20% D2O/H2O, and 20/80% D2O/H2O. For signals removed from the water signal, the T2 values were generally very consistent between all pulse sequences tested. T2 measurements can be unreliable for signals too close to the water signal such that they are significantly suppressed as well. Their intensity may actually grow initially through cross relaxation that transfers magnetization back to the solute signal. In turn, this relaxation phenomenon can be exploited to improve the spectral quality of conventional solvent suppression schemes. In favorable cases, even signals that are completely masked by the water signal can be recovered by adding a carefully chosen number of spin echoes with optimized evolution time to conventional water suppression pulse programs, such as Excitation Sculpting or WATERGATE. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A departure from equilibrium

Non-equilibrium processes, such as heat conduction in a bar of metal, remain poorly characterized at the microscopic level. Detailed analysis of simple models can introduce a new degree of understanding.
Land use and management of soils with relict duripans, southwestern oregon (U.S.A.)

Abstract Paleosolic features are important to land use and management of soils on fan terraces in southwestern Oregon. Soil-geomorphology studies identified relict duripans and established the distribution of associated Durochrepts, Duraquolls and Argixerolls. These soils represent two late Pleistocene geomorphic surfaces, each with distinct kinds of periglacial patterned ground. Soil behavior is discussed in terms of soil characteristics and qualities and compared for cropland, grazing, construction, and waste disposal.
Reconciling homo economicus and John Dewey's ethics

This paper attempts to incorporate the ethics of John Dewey into the neoclassical model of rational choice. I show that while it may be possible to modify the preference-satisfaction model of homo economicus in order to include many aspects of Dewey's ethics, there are some issues, such as his concepts of the continuity of action, time horizons, and the social nature of the individual, that prove much more difficult to combine with the economic model of human behavior.
Elevations of intracellular cAMP result in a change in cell shape that resembles dome formation in cultured rat glomerular epithelial cells

Cultured glomerular epithelial cells form a continuous monolayer of polyhedral-shaped cells. PGE2 (1 μg/ml) in the presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (MIX) markedly raises intracellular and medium cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels at 20 min (intracellular: MIX alone, 112 ± 6.6 pmol cAMP/mg protein, MIX plus PGE2, 2252±63 pmol cAMP/mg protein; medium: MIX, 20.6±2.1 pmol cAMP/mg protein; MIX plus PGE2, 117±3.8 pmol cAMP/mg protein). By 2 h, when cellular and medium cAMP levels were still elevated, the cells underwent a change in shape that was similar to dome formation (15 to 20% of the monolayer changing shape). Derivatives of cAMP [i. e. dibutyryl and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP], when added to the incubation medium also caused shape change in glomerular epithelial cells at 2 h; cAMP itself did not. The formation of domes has been used as a morphological indicator of the vertorial transport of salt and water in other cultured epithelial cells.
Sampling strategies for the analysis of glass fragments by LA-ICP-MS: Part II: Sample size and sample shape considerations

Abstract Glass fragments recovered from crime scenes are usually very small and therefore the amount of sample available to conduct forensic analyses is limited. Elemental analysis using conventional digestion methods consumes at least 2–3 mg of glass per replicate. LA-ICP-MS requires 10,000 times less glass consumption per analysis (∼280 ng), and therefore the sample remains practically unaltered. Typically, the recovered fragments (unknowns) are 0.1–1 mm in length, while the “known” samples are usually larger, i.e. a broken fragment from a windshield (>3 mm). For bulk digestion analysis, the difference in fragment size does not present a problem for elemental comparisons – other than requiring at least 6 mg for triplicate analysis – because the sample is crushed and homogenized before weighing. Laser ablation sampling results in the creation of small craters (∼50 μm diameter and 80 μm deep) drilled into the sample due to the interaction of the laser with the glass target. This study aims to evaluate whether the quantitative elemental analysis using the LA sampling method is affected by the size of the glass fragment due to differences in heat dissipation and surface–laser interaction. The analytical method employed for the analysis of glass by LA-ICP-MS had previously shown to possess the same or better performance than dissolution ICP-MS methods in terms of accuracy, precision, limits of detection and discrimination power. A 266 nm Nd:YAG laser with a flat top beam profile was used in single point mode sampling a 50 μm spot size for 50 s at 10 Hz. Standard glass reference materials SRM 612 and SRM 610 were selected to conduct this work in order to account for different concentration ranges and different opacities of the samples. The set under study was comprised of seven fragments originating from each standard at different sizes and shapes ranging from 6 to 0.2 mm length. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Tukey's honestly significant different test (HSD) was used for data analysis. The results show that there is no significant difference in the elemental composition of different sized fragments. The conclusions, however, cannot be generalized for fragments measuring less than 0.2 mm × 0.1 mm.
l-Asparaginases from Citrobacter freundii

Abstract Three enzymes which catalyze the hydrolysis of l -asparagine have been identified in extracts of Citrobacter freundii. One of these (asparaginaseglutaminase (EC 3.5.1.1) also shows substantial glutaminase activity. This enzyme is extremely labile, is sensitive to inactivation by p- chloromercuribenzoate , and is not protected by dithiothreitol. A second enzyme (asparaginase B) is also sensitive to mercurials but is protected from inactivation by dithiothreitol. This enzyme has a relatively low affinity for l -asparagine ( K m = 1.7 · 10 −3 M ). The third enzyme (asparaginase A) is insensitive to inactivation by mercurials, is stable upon long term storage and has a relatively high affinity for l -asparagine ( K m = 2.9 · 10 −5 M ). This enzyme has been purified to homogeneity and has a molecular weight of approx. 140 000; the subunit weight being approx. 33 000. The C. freundii asparaginase A produced significant increases in the survival time of C3H/HE mice carrying the 6C3HED lymphoma tumor.
Substance dependence low-density whole genome association study in two distinct American populations

Cocaine and opioid dependence are common, complex disorders with high heritability that commonly co-occur with other substance dependence disorders. Improved insight into the genetic basis of substance dependence would help elucidate its etiology and could inform its prevention and treatment. To generate new hypotheses about the genetics of substance dependence, we genotyped 5633 tagging single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in 1699 subjects from 339 African American (AA) families and 334 European American (EA) families ascertained through a sib pair meeting DSM-IV criteria for either cocaine or opioid dependence. The associations between genetic markers and five substance dependence traits (cocaine dependence, opioid dependence, cocaine-induced paranoia, alcohol dependence, and nicotine dependence) were assessed by family based association tests (FBAT). Results were ranked according to several criteria including statistical significance, concordance of results across population samples, and potential biological relevance of the implicated gene. The top-ranked result was an association of SNP rs1133503 in the MANEA gene with cocaine-induced paranoia (CIP). Our study provides an initial substance dependence trait-specific blueprint of associated regions for future candidate gene studies.
EXOPHYTIC NONINVASIVE GROWTH PATTERN OF RENAL ANGIOMYOLIPOMAS: : IMPLICATIONS FOR NEPHRON SPARING SURGERY

Angiomyolipomas are rare, benign lesions of the kidney composed of mature adipose tissue, thick walled blood vessels and smooth muscle. The successful use of nephron sparing surgery for these lesions has been well documented. 1‐3 Angiomyolipomas as large as 26 cm. have been reported, and yet even such large tumors are amenable to a nephron sparing approach. 1 This possibility is due to the benign nature of the disease and a noninvasive, exophytic growth pattern unique to these renal tumors. CASE REPORTS Case 1. R. F., a 49-year-old woman, was diagnosed elsewhere 10 years earlier with multiple, bilateral angiomyolipomas. At the time of referral serum creatinine was 0.7 mg./dl. (normal less than 1.5). Computerized tomography (CT) demonstrated a 7.1 cm. tumor on the right side, a 9.4 cm. tumor on the left side and bilateral, satellite lesions (fig. 1), all of which were radiographically consistent with angiomyolipomas. The patient underwent staged partial nephrectomies on the right side first and the left side 8 months later. In both instances the largest angiomyolipoma demonstrated exuberant exophytic but noninvasive growth with a small parenchymal base/origination point. As a result an avascular plane could be developed sharply before clamping the renal vessels between the tumor and renal parenchyma, narrowing the area of parenchymal involvement to 1 small focus, which allowed almost 90% of the renal parenchyma to be spared on both sides (fig. 2). Followup studies demonstrated excellent renal function bilaterally and creatinine at last followup was 0.7 mg./dl. Case 2. K. K. a 38-year-old woman, had flank pain on the right side diagnosed as multiple bilateral angiomyolipomas. CT demonstrated 2 large (6.3 and 8.5 cm.) and multiple smaller lesions in the right kidney and 7 small lesions in the left kidney. The patient underwent right partial nephrectomy and both large lesions demonstrated an exophytic, noninvasive growth pattern such that an avascular plane could be developed sharply between the tumor and renal parenchyma before clamping the renal vessels. This approach allowed more than 75% of the renal parenchyma to be spared.
Exploding Cities: Housing the Masses in Paris, Chicago, and Mexico City, 1850—2000

In The Mystery of Capitalism , the darling of neoliberalism, Hernando de Soto posits that secure property titles explain “why capitalism triumphs in the West and fails everywhere else.” While social scientists have taken him to task for an oversimplification of the causes and remedies of poverty, historians have contributed little to this important policy debate. Applying comparative methods across time and space, such a retrospective analysis exposes serious flaws in de Soto’s thesis. Case studies of Paris, Chicago, and Mexico City covering successive, fifty-year periods support his contention that property law was the single most important factor in determining the fate of rural migrants trying to find a place to live in these exploding cities. But in each case, residential property played a far more complex role in creating the social and physical geography of the city than its simple exchange value. This article illuminates some of these alternative economic uses and embedded cultural meanings of identities of place. It also shows how urban growth machines create capital value in property for some by creating environmental injustice of substandard conditions of everyday life for others.
Sac excision is essential to adequate laparoscopic repair of paraesophageal hernia

Background: We compared the incidence of early hernia recurrence in nonrandomized but consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic repair of paraesophageal hernia (LRPH) without and with excision of the hernia sac. Methods: LRPH was completed in 55 of 58 patients. In the first 25 patients, the sac was not excised. Total sac excision was performed in the subsequent 30 patients. All patients had crural repair with or without fundoplication, or gastropexy. Results: Mean age of patients was 68 years (range, 34–95). There were three conversions; one patient died postoperatively. Mean operative time was 225 min in the first group and 190 min in the sac excision group. Median length of stay was 2 days (range, 1–15) for both groups. Conclusions: A precise method of total sac excision simplified dissection. It also ensured complete reduction of the hernia and availability of adequate esophageal length. Operative time was not increased, and no subsequent early recurrences were observed (p < 0.05).
The mechanical and magnetic alignment of liquid crystalline epoxy thermosets

The processing of a new series of liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy networks was evaluated. Above the glass transition temperature, the low crosslink density networks could be mechanically aligned. The mechanically oriented networks readily lost orientation upon heating. Highly anisotropic liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy networks were also prepared by aligning the mesophase of the prepolymer during the curing process under the influence of a magnetic field. Orientation parameters (f) of 0.13 to 0.57 were achieved by these processes as determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. The ability of the magnetically aligned networks to retain their orientation above the glass transition temperature was determined by time-resolved x-ray diffraction. The stability of the alignment of these networks was found to depend on crosslink density. The effect of the anisotropy of these networks was investigated by measuring the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). In the aligned networks, there was a substantial reduction in CTE parallel to the direction of the applied field compared to the randomly oriented networks. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Changes in the Relative Status Level of Workers in the United States, 1950–60

Analysis of socioeconomic scores of persons classified by detailed occupation in 1950 and 1960 shows general stability of occupational status over the decade but significantly-changing status for a minority of occupations. The latter are examined in terms of changing numbers of occupants and changing median age, as well as relative increases or decreases in average education and income of occupants. Slight declines in scores for persons in a high proportion of occupations is interpreted as a function of the shifting occupational distribution which makes positions in higher status occupations more common and those in lower status occupations even less privileged as time goes on. Students of Amierican society view occupation as a basic component in a definition of the social stratification system.1 This essential place of occupation in the stratification structure is reflected in both the high clegree of association between occupational status ancd other objective measures of status (such as education, incoue, and quality of housing) and the high correlation between the occupational status of individuals and the subjective evaluations made of them by others with whom they interact.2 Thus, occupation may be viewed as having both socioeconomic and prestige di-
Determinants of Preferential Binding of Apo Calmodulin to the IQ Motif of Neuronal Sodium Channel NaV1.2

The neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV1.2) is regulated by calmodulin (CaM), a highly conserved, ubiquitous eukaryotic protein that mediates many calcium-triggered signaling events. Fast inactivation of the channel depends on CaM-mediated feedback transduction of calcium flux during the repolarization phase of an action potential. CaM binds to an intracellular loop (the III-IV linker) and an IQ motif [IQRAYRRYLLK] in the cytosolic C-terminal tail of the channel. The NaV1.2 IQ motif binds only to the C-domain of CaM with high affinity to both its calcium-free (apo) and calcium-saturated states. However, the IQ motif binds more favorably to apo CaM than to calcium-saturated CaM. To determine the molecular basis for this calcium-dependent difference in association, mutational perturbations of residues in the NaV1.2 IQ motif were designed to disrupt close contacts observed in our solution (NMR) structure of the semi-open C-domain of apo-CaM bound to the IQ motif (2KXW.pdb). The contributions of these residues to binding energetics were determined by monitoring CaM-induced disruption of FRET in biosensors containing wild-type or mutant sequences of the IQ motif bracketed by auto-fluorescent proteins YFP and CFP. All mutations lowered affinity for calcium-saturated CaM, but they had uniformly more deleterious effects on the binding of apo CaM. Furthermore, the decrease in affinity for apo CaM caused by loss of the Ile-Gln pair was 30-fold greater than that observed for loss of the Tyr-Tyr pair. Thus, the energy of interaction between the NaV1.2 IQ motif and semi-open apo CaM is not accounted for primarily by the classical “aromatic anchors” that dominate interactions of calcium-saturated CaM with its target sequences in kinases, receptors and other channels. Support: NIH R01 GM57001, Carver Charitable Trust Grant 01-224.
Are Religious Beliefs Relevant to Mental Health Among Jews

Although considerable evidence has linked religious beliefs to mental health among Protestant Christians, previous theory and research has emphasized that practices play a more important role than beliefs for Jews. Beliefs about God’s benevolence may be salient for Orthodox Jews, however, as such beliefs are central to traditional Jewish doctrine. Two studies were conducted to compare the extent to which religious beliefs predicted depression and anxiety for Orthodox Jews, non-Orthodox Jews, and Protestants. Results indicated that beliefs were salient for Orthodox Jews and Protestants, and less relevant for non-Orthodox Jews. Among Orthodox Jews, religious beliefs remained a significant predictor of anxiety and depression after controlling for religious practices. Implications for clinical treatment of Jewish individuals are explored.
Empathy, Rationality, and Explanation

This paper describes the historical background to contemporary discussions of empathy and rationality. It looks at the philosophy of mind and its implications for action explanation and the philosophy of history. In the nineteenth century, the concept of empathy became prominent within philosophical aesthetics, from where it was extended to describe the way we grasp other minds. This idea of empathy as a way of understanding others echoed through later accounts of historical understanding as involving re-enactment, noticeably that of R. G. Collingwood. For much of the late twentieth century, philosophers of history generally neglected questions about action explanation. In the philosophy of mind, however, Donald Davidson inspired widespread discussions of the role of folk psychology and rationality in mental causation and the explanation of actions, and some philosophers of history drew on his ideas to reconsider issues related to empathy. Today, philosophers inspired by the discovery of mirror neurons and the theory of mind debate between theory theorists and simulation theorists are again making the concept of empathy central to philosophical analyses of action explanation and to historical understanding.
Comparison of Self-report and Clinician-rated Measures of Psychiatric Symptoms and Functioning in Predicting 1-year Hospital Readmission

This study compared the self-report Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-32) and clinician-rated Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) in their ability to predict a measure of psychiatric outcome, 1-year psychiatric hospital readmission. BASIS-32 and GAF were completed at admission for 1034 patients in an inpatient psychiatric facility. Multiple informants analysis was used to determine the difference between the two in predicting readmission within 1 year. We also examined sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value positive of the two measures, and whether self-report added information above clinician rating in predicting outcome. While the odds of 1-year readmission decreased with increasing BASIS-32 score, there was no association between change in GAF score and 1-year readmission. Although neither measure used alone demonstrated high predictive value, using both scores improved predictive ability over using clinician rating alone. In this setting, self-report was better than clinician rating in predicting psychiatric outcome. Differences between the two in relation to other outcomes need to be examined.