cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discontinuous inverse eigenvalue problems

On considere des problemes de Sturm-Liouville inverses dans lesquels les fonctions propres ont une discontinuite dans un point interieur. On montre que si le potentiel est connu sur la moitie de l'intervalle et si une condition limite est donnee, alors le potentiel et l'autre condition limite sont determines de facon unique par les valeurs propres
Evidence for Yellow Perch Predation on Bythotrephes Cederstroemi in Southern Lake Michigan

Zooplankton and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were collected on 7 August 1990 in Lake Michigan at sites near Michigan City, Indiana, to determine abundance of Bythotrephes cederstroemi and to attempt to document possible predation by yellow perch. Zooplankton analysis revealed the concentration of Bythotrephes was highest in shallow near-shore water at 5 m (15/m3) but dropped sharply at 10 m (2/m3) and 15 m (1/m3) sample sites. Stomach analyses of 48 yellow perch ranging in length from 80 to 179 mm revealed four fish had empty stomachs, four had nearly empty stomachs, 17 had half-full stomachs, and 23 had full stomachs. Bythotrephes was the dominant prey item, occurring in 95% of the stomachs which contained food. Numbers of Bythotrephes ranged from 0–323 per stomach with a mean of 48 (SD = 59). Diptera larvae and pupae were also important food items during this time occurring in 77% of the stomachs containing food. Diptera and other zooplankton were relatively more important than Bythotrephes to yellow perch < 100 mm maximum total length but Bythotrephes was eaten by all of the fish ≥ 100 mm and tended to be the major food item consumed by the larger fish. These data reveal Bythotrephes is an easily captured food source for yellow perch in extreme southern Lake Michigan.
Early signs of organicity in art work

Na differential diagnosis in psychiatry is complete without evaluating the patient for signs of organic brain syndrome (OBS). For the purposes of this paper OBS is defined as: “a general der~gement of cerebral metabolism which produces a diffuse dysfunction or lowering of the function of brain tissue” (Engel & Romano, 1959). In its most obvious form symptoms may include disorientation, memory loss, labile affect, lowering of intellectual ability, hallucinations, and deterioration to more primitive activity. Much attention has been focused recently upon the function of psychiatry within the medical environment (Moore, 1978), including consideration of psychiatry as a primary care specialty (Fink & Oken, 1976). A significant contribution, psychiatry offers the medical disciplines its expertise in diagnosis of OBS. Specifically, early detection of organicity increases the chance of arresting the progression or perhaps even reversing the syndrome.
Tissue factor production by cultured rat mesangial cells. Stimulation by TNFα and lipopolysaccharide

Tissue factor production by cultured rat mesangial cells. Stimulation by TNFα and lipopolysaccharide. Fibrin formation plays an important role in glomerular injury. We therefore examined the procoagulant signal produced by cultured rat mesangial cells. Actively growing mesangial cells produced procoagulant activity (PCA) that was present in intact cells (surface-associated), was inhibitable by cyclohexamide and which, by clotting assay, had the characteristics of tissue factor. This PCA decreased with incubation of cells in serum-deprived medium. Incubation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) induced increased detectable tissue factor by mesangial cells within two hours which was maximal by four hours. We conclude that quiescent mesangial cells produce a small amount of tissue factor-like procoagulant activity, and that this PCA can be stimulated by incubation with TNFα, LPS or when cells are actively growing in high serum medium. Therefore mesangial cells have the capability of contributing to fibrin formation during inflammatory glomerular injury or sepsis.
Delineation of Robertsonian translocations in man by means of chromosome banding.

Robertsonian translocations from thirteen unrelated individuals were studied by G, Q and C banding, and by autoradiography. Each of three D-D translocations involved chromosomes 13 and 14, all four D-G translocations involved chromosomes 14 and 21, and five of six G-G translocations involved two chromosomes 21 while the sixth involved 21 and 22. Two centromeres were noted in a single 21-21 translocation chromosome by C banding. Autoradiography was much less useful in identifying the chromosomes involved in the thirteen translocations. G and Q banding were consistently accurate.
Spontaneous coherent pulsations in standing-wave laser oscillators

Spontaneous pulsation phenomena in xenon lasers are now well known, and related effects have been observed with other laser types. Most theoretical analyses of such pulsations are formulated for unidirectional ring lasers, whereas most experiments involve standing-wave resonator geometries. Described here are rigorous semiclassical models governing the spontaneous pulsation instability in standing-wave laser oscillators. The standing-wave results are more complex and closer to experimental observations than the ring results for operation in the Lambdip region near line center.
Elucidation of the disulfide bond positions of the β-subunit of human follicle-stimulating hormone

Abstract From a proteolytic digest of human follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), three of the five disulfide bonds in the α-subunit of human FSH, namely, those between half-cystine residues at positions 7–10, 28–87 and 82–84, and three of the six disulfide bonds in the β-subunit of human FSH, namely, those between half-cystine residues at positions 3–28, 17–51 and 32–104, have been previously identified. The remaining fractions of the proteolytic digest containing the rest of the cystine peptides of human FSH were pooled, and fractionated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 (superfine) and by high-pressure liquid chromatography. One high molecular weight fragment containing half-cystine residues was recovered. The fragment was resistant to a sequential digestion with specific proteolytic enzymes, such as thermolysin and l -(1-tosylamido-2-phenyl)ethyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK)-treated trypsin. This fragment, on the basis of amino acid analysis, N- and C-terminal and limited amino acid sequence analysis, was identified as a single peptide containing the remaining six half-cystine residues or three disulfide bonds of the human FSH β-subunit. Hence, the fragment was digested with a mixture of proteases such as pronase, papain, subtilisin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin and TPCK-treated trypsin, in order to achieve a random cleavage of the peptide. From this enzyme digest, two cystine-containing peptides were isolated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50, and high-voltage paper electrophoresis at pH 2 and pH 3.5. The peptides were identified by amino acid, N- and C-terminal and sequence analyses as containing disulfide bonds between βCys-66-βCys-94 and βCys-20-βCys-82. The single remaining bond was assigned between βCys-84-βCys-87 by elimination, thus completing the identification of all six disulfide bonds of the β-subunit of human FSH.
Non-steady-state diffusion currents in large electric fields for discrete lattices

Abstract The transient response is derived for a model non-metallic solid based on microscopic hopping of charged carriers over discrete energy barriers in the presence of a concentration gradient and a homogeneous electric field of arbitrary magnitude.
Purification and properties of S-protein (hemoprotein 559) from human erythrocytes.

1. 1. A procedure employing mild conditions has been developed for purifying S-protein (hemoprotein 559, erythrocyte), a protein present in the stromal fraction of human red blood cells. S-protein, solubilized by extracting the stroma of red blood cells with pH 8.2 buffer, was purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Bio-Gel P-60. 2. 2. The oxidized and reduced forms of this protein show visible absorption spectra typical of b-type cytochromes. The oxidized form of the protein shows absorbance maxima at 412, 533, and 565 mμ, and the dithionite-reduced spectrum shows maxima at 426, 530, and 559 mμ. The prosthetic group has been isolated and identified as protoheme IX by spectral and chromatographic techniques. The spectral properties of this protein differ from those of cytochrome b5. 3. 3. The reduced form of the protein binds CO, and the resulting complex shows absorbance maxima at 421, 540, and 568 mμ. This spectrum, the CO-reduced minus reduced difference spectrum, and the spectra of the oxidized and reduced forms of the free protein are all indistinguishable from the corresponding spectra of hemoprotein P-420, the altered form of the microsomal hydroxylase, hemoprotein P-450. The spectral properties, together with other physical properties, suggest that S-protein is P-420 from erythrocytes.
Malaria complicating pregnancy: report of two cases and review of management

Diseases considered rare in the United States are now being seen with increasing frequency in urban area hospitals as a result of increased travel between continents. Obstetrician/Gynecologists, in their role as primary care providers, should be conversant with medical and surgical illnesses seen in their patients. Malaria complicating pregnancy is a serious illness when it occurs in a nonimmune individual. Delay in diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment can result in significant maternal and fetal morbidity. A working knowledge of antimalarial drugs and safety of their use in pregnancy is essential for providing optimal treatment and for advising prophylactic measures to pregnant women considering foreign travel. This article describes two cases of falciparum malaria complicating pregnancy seen in a teaching hospital in New York City and reviews the salient features of malaria relevant to pregnancy.
Going It Alone: Belarus as the Non-European European State

In the second paper of a symposium devoted to the contemporary status of Belarus, a noted American specialist on the electoral geography of the states of the former Soviet Union challenges assertions in the preceding article (Ioffe and Yarashevich, 2011) that only Russia and Ukraine are valid comparators against which to gauge the success of the Lukashenka model. Expanding the scope of comparison to include the three other countries neighboring Belarus (Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland), he demonstrates that a broader range of policy changes can be considered by its leadership in efforts to limit damage from the economic crisis in Belarus and position the country for renewed growth within a global economic frame-work. Examination of a wide range of social and economic indicators and government policies reveals, however, that in many ways an unreformed Belarus is poorly positioned for competition in an increasingly interconnected world, in which the elements for successful development are quite different from...
Spatial and Temporal Recruitment of Androgen Receptor and Its Coactivators Involves Chromosomal Looping and Polymerase Tracking

Androgen receptor (AR) plays a critical role in the development and progression of prostate cancer, where it is a key therapeutic target. Here we report that, in contrast to estrogen receptor transcription complexes which form within minutes and recycle hourly, the levels of regulatory regions bound by AR complexes rise over a 16 hr period and then slowly decline. AR regulation of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) gene involves both a promoter-proximal sequence as well as an enhancer approximately 4 kb upstream. Recruitment of AR and its essential coactivators at both sites creates a chromosomal loop that allows RNA polymerase II (pol II) to track from the enhancer to the promoter. Phosphorylation of the pol II C-terminal domain is required for pol II tracking but not chromosomal looping. Development of improved hormonal therapies for prostate cancer must take in account the specific spatial and temporal modes of AR-mediated gene regulation.
Effects of a high protein, “carbohydrate-free” diet on liver and kidney constituents and kidney function in chicks

Abstract 1. 1. Chicks fed a high protein, “carbohydrate-free” diet (HP-diet) during an 8-day adaptation period exhibited a marked kidney hypertrophy and increased kidney protein, uric acid and xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) activity as compared with control levels. 2. 2. The liver hypertrophy and increased liver uric acid observed initially appeared transitory, as these constituents did not differ significantly from control levels by day 8 of the adaptation period. Liver XDH activity was increased over fourfold in chicks fed the HP-diet. 3. 3. The observed tissue hypertrophy was not accompanied by significant changes in liver or kidney moisture content. 4. 4. Kidney function tests performed with birds fed the HP-diet for 12 weeks revealed an increased uric acid clearance as compared with control birds and an apparent adaptation at the tubular level for increased uric acid secretion. 5. 5. Increased urinary uric acid levels were accompanied by increased urinary potassium levels.
The effect of somatostatin on the hepatic extraction of insulin and glucagon in the anesthetized dog.

Effects of somatostatin (250 ng/kg·min) or saline infusion on hepatic extraction of endogenous and exogenous insulin and glucagon were investigated in anesthetized dogs. After a 20-min control period, somatostatin or saline was infused into the superior mesenteric vein for 100 min. During the final 50 min of the somatostatin or saline infusion, insulin (1.7 mU/kg·min) and glucagon (20 ng/kg·min) were also infused. These infusions were then replaced with a saline infusion for an additional 30 min. Somatostatin rapidly and significantly decreased portal vein insulin and glucagon concentrations. Hepatic extraction of endogenous insulin decreased from the control value of 61 ± 5% to 29 ± 10% during the final 20 min of somatostatin infusion before exogenous insulin and glucagon were added to the infusion. The decrease in hepatic extraction of endogenous insulin is based on the mean of the individual values of the eight dogs in the group and may be spurious because of the very low concentrations of insulin whic...
A 3 × 3 quasioptical power combining array using FET active notch antennas

Active antenna elements consisting of FET oscillators integrated with notch antennas have been used to create a 3 × 3 quasioptical power combining array. The array has a good power combining efficiency and a well-defined main beam. The design of the FET active notch antenna element and the performance of the 3 × 3 array are discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Field-deployable diode-laser-based differential absorption lidar (DIAL) for profiling water vapor

Abstract. A field-deployable water vapor profiling instrument that builds on the foundation of the preceding generations of diode-laser-based differential absorption lidar (DIAL) laboratory prototypes was constructed and tested. Significant advances are discussed, including a unique shared telescope design that allows expansion of the outgoing beam for eye-safe operation with optomechanical and thermal stability; multistage optical filtering enabling measurement during daytime bright-cloud conditions; rapid spectral switching between the online and offline wavelengths enabling measurements during changing atmospheric conditions; and enhanced performance at lower ranges by the introduction of a new filter design and the addition of a wide field-of-view channel. Performance modeling, testing, and intercomparisons are performed and discussed. In general, the instrument has a 150 m range resolution with a 10 min temporal resolution; 1 min temporal resolution in the lowest 2 km of the atmosphere is demonstrated. The instrument is shown capable of autonomous long-term field operation – 50 days with a > 95% uptime – under a broad set of atmospheric conditions and potentially forms the basis for a ground-based network of eye-safe autonomous instruments needed for the atmospheric sciences research and forecasting communities.
Renewal of surface activity

Surfactant Systems: Their Chemistry, Pharmacy and Biology. By D. Attwood and A.T. Florence. Chapman & Hall/Methuen: 1983. Pp.794. £45, $99.
Progress Toward Large-Eddy Simulations for Prediction of Realistic Nozzle Systems

This paper reviews the current state of large-eddy simulation (LES) for nozzle flows and discusses the issues which currently limit its application to simulating realistic noise reducing nozzle systems. LES has been used extensively to compute the flowfield of turbulent jets. It has shown the potential to significantly impact the design and analysis of future noise suppressing nozzle systems through improved accuracy and physical insight. There are many issues that must be resolved before an accurate prediction can be made for a complex nozzle system. Foremost, the high-order schemes used in LES must be adapted to be used in flexible gridding systems which can handle complex geometries. Hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes/LES schemes with appropriate interfaces must be developed to model the region near the nozzle exit and initial shear layer. Also, improved accuracy without reliance on empirical adjustments of simulation parameters must be demonstrated.
Kitt Peak National Observatory fiber actuator device

A robot for positioning fiber optics in the focal plane of the Mayall 4-meter telescope has been constructed at Kin Peak National Observatory (KPNO). This fiber actuator device (FAD) will position up to 100 fibers for multi-object spectroscopy over a 45 arc-minute field. The positioner is based upon the AUTOFIB concept which uses magnets to hold the fibers in place. We have incorporated a unique gripping mechanism which allows a TV camera to view both the fiber and sky simultaneously.
Biobehavioral Intervention for Older Adults Coping with Essential Tremor

Four questions were addressed: (a) does biobehavioral intervention result in within-session reduction of tremor severity; (b) do relaxation and electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training produce differential effects; (c) do within-session treatment effects generalize to daily performance; and (d) are reductions in tremor severity maintained at follow-up assessment? Three adults, ages 51, 77, and 83, each with a diagnosis of essential tremor (ET), and a long standing history of tremor of the hands uncontrolled by medication, took part. A repeated pre–post-training single-case experimental design embedded within a sequential A–B–C–D design was used; in addition, 1 participant received a return to the B phase. Outcome measures included within-session clinical and self-ratings of tremor severity, surface electromyography (sEMG) of forearm muscles, and daily self-ratings of tremor at home. Tremor was measured while participants engaged in eating or drinking tasks. The Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS) served as a process measure to assess relaxation proficiency. Clinical ratings of tremor and the BRS had high interobserver agreement. Visual inspection and statistical tests of single-case data were used to evaluate outcomes. Each participant showed significant within-session improvements on various measures of tremor and improvement during intervention as compared to baseline phases. There were no clear-cut differences between relaxation and biofeedback phases. Improvements declined somewhat at a 12-week follow-up. Relationships among measures of tremor are discussed. Biobehavioral interventions hold promise for older adults coping with ET. Further research is needed using an array of biobehavioral measures to assess intervention outcome.
Technology as a catalyst for change: the role of professional development

This paper presents an analysis of results from an evaluation of The Centers for Quality Teaching and Learning, a professional development program placing technology in the context of student-centered instructional practices. This analysis focuses on the relationship between the professional development and teachers’ use of technology in their classroom and their general instructional practices. The results from this study indicate teachers increased their use of technology in ways viewed as more constructivist, regardless of their broader instructional practices. One possible explanation may be the instructional context of the professional development that teachers experience.
A modified two-incision technique for primary total hip arthroplasty.

Background: Minimally invasive surgery can be technically demanding but minimizes surgical trauma, pain and recovery. Two-incision minimally invasive surgery allows only intermittent visualization and may require fluoroscopy for implant positioning. We describe a modified technique for primary total hip arthroplasty, using two small incisions with a stepwise approach and adequate visualization to reliably and reproducibly perform the surgery without fluoroscopy. Materials and Methods: One hundred and two patients with an average age of 60 years underwent modified two-incision minimally invasive technique for primary THA without fluoroscopy. The M/L taper femoral stem (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) and Trilogy (Zimmer) hemispherical titanium shell, with a highly cross-linked polyethylene liner, was used. Operative time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, radiographic outcomes and complications were recorded. Results: The mean operating time was 77 min. The mean blood loss was 335 cc. The mean hospital stay was 2.4 days. Mean cup abduction angle was 43.8°. Mean leg length discrepancy was 1.7 mm. Thirteen patients had lateral thigh numbness and two patients had wound complications that resolved without any treatment. Conclusion: A modified two-incision technique without fluoroscopy for primary total hip arthroplasty has the advantage of preserving muscles and tendons, shorter recovery and return to function with minimal complications. Provided that the surgeon has received appropriate training, primary total hip arthroplasty can be performed safely with the modified two-incision technique.
Resistance to extinction in humans: Analysis of the generalized partial reinforcement effect

Abstract The effects of various probabilities of reinforcement on the persistence of learned behaviors were examined to investigate the generalization of persistence effects and other aspects of extinction behaviors observed in humans. Subjects were required to perform two tasks concurrently. Both tasks required the subject to make one of four responses for reinforcement. Performance for each task was reinforced using one of three schedules of reinforcement: 100, 60, or 40% probability of contingent reinforcement. Three of the groups received the same schedule of reinforcement for both tasks, (groups 100 100 , 60 60 , and 40 40 ). The other six groups experienced a combination of two different schedules (groups 100 60 , 60 100 , 100 40 , 40 100 , 60 40 , and 40 60 ). Both acquisition and extinction data suggest that there is a generalization of persistence across tasks. The data also confirm the presence of different extinction phases for tasks of this type, a short-term and a long-term phase. The short-term phase is characterized by a decrease in responding that is inversely related to reinforcement schedules. During the long-term phase, the rate of responding remained above chance levels, and a reemergence of the formerly reinforced response was observed as extinction continued. The duration of these phases appears to be related to the average of reinforcement schedules experienced in acquisition.
Mapping Partners Master Drug Dictionary to RxNorm using an NLP-based approach

Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted Highlights? We mapped Partners Master Drug Dictionary (MDD) to RxNorm. ? 74.7% of MDD terms had an exact semantic match to RxNorm. ? Natural language processing tool achieved a precision of 99.8% and a recall of 73.9%. ? Multiple challenges and gaps in mapping were identified. ? NLP tool followed by manual review is efficient for drug terminology mapping. ObjectiveTo develop an automated method based on natural language processing (NLP) to facilitate the creation and maintenance of a mapping between RxNorm and a local medication terminology for interoperability and meaningful use purposes. MethodsWe mapped 5961 terms from Partners Master Drug Dictionary (MDD) and 99 of the top prescribed medications to RxNorm. The mapping was conducted at both term and concept levels using an NLP tool, called MTERMS, followed by a manual review conducted by domain experts who created a gold standard mapping. The gold standard was used to assess the overall mapping between MDD and RxNorm and evaluate the performance of MTERMS. ResultsOverall, 74.7% of MDD terms and 82.8% of the top 99 terms had an exact semantic match to RxNorm. Compared to the gold standard, MTERMS achieved a precision of 99.8% and a recall of 73.9% when mapping all MDD terms, and a precision of 100% and a recall of 72.6% when mapping the top prescribed medications. ConclusionThe challenges and gaps in mapping MDD to RxNorm are mainly due to unique user or application requirements for representing drug concepts and the different modeling approaches inherent in the two terminologies. An automated approach based on NLP followed by human expert review is an efficient and feasible way for conducting dynamic mapping.
Time-reversal symmetry in molecular rovibronic states and in second-order processes

A unified treatment of time-reversal symmetry is given for molecular systems. The treatment allows for interconversion of electronic, rotational, and vibrational angular momenta on equal footing because of a coherent phase choice. It also allows for correlation from a continuous group (of spherical or cylindrical symmetry) to lower point groups (such as C3, C4, C6, S4, Sg, T, etc.). General, many-electron molecular states that form time-reversal degenerate components are constructed. Attention is called to the Kramers' doublets as the special odd-electron case of such double degeneracy. Specific examples of a spiropentane and a 5-azoniaspiro(4.4) nonane with S4 symmetry and possible time-reversal degeneracy are given. The optical rotation due to a time-odd polarizability tensor in one of the two time-degenerate components is shown to be of an opposite sign to that in the other component. The above result is from a second-order matrix element (over the polarizability tensor) and is proved to be independent of even- or odd-number of electron spins. It is shown to hold also for Kramers' doubly degenerate components. This result is contrasted with that of a first-order Jahn-Teller effect which depends on the number of electron spins.
Error detection with latency in sequential circuits

An approach is proposed to encoding states of sequential circuits that takes advantage of the concept of error detection with latency, and which is applicable to a much broader class of sequential machines. An encoding methodology is introduced that uses tree codes for online detection of sequencing errors with latency in sequential circuits. This approach has the potential to yield designs with less complexity and greater error coverage than schemes based on block codes. The potential benefits this approach are demonstrated, including increased error coverage with simultaneous reductions in circuit complexity. >
Arachidonic acid downregulates acyl-CoA synthetase 4 expression by promoting its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation

ACSL4 is a member of the long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase (ACSL) family with a marked preference for arachidonic acid (AA) as its substrate. Although an association between elevated levels of ACSL4 and hepatosteatosis has been reported, the function of ACSL4 in hepatic FA metabolism and the regulation of its functional expression in the liver remain poorly defined. Here we provide evidence that AA selectively downregulates ACSL4 protein expression in hepatic cells. AA treatment decreased the half-life of ACSL4 protein in HepG2 cells by approximately 4-fold (from 17.3 ± 1.8 h to 4.2 ± 0.4 h) without causing apoptosis. The inhibitory action of AA on ACSL4 protein stability could not be prevented by rosiglitazone or inhibitors that interfere with the cellular pathways involved in AA metabolism to biologically active compounds. In contrast, treatment of cells with inhibitors specific for the proteasomal degradation pathway largely prevented the AA-induced ACSL4 degradation. We further show that ACSL4 is intrinsically ubiquitinated and that AA treatment can enhance its ubiquitination. Collectively, our studies have identified a novel substrate-induced posttranslational regulatory mechanism by which AA downregulates ACSL4 protein expression in hepatic cells.
Efficiency Estimates and Rankings Employing Data Envelopment and Stochastic Frontier Analyses: Evaluating the Management of U.S. Public Colleges

This paper estimates and compares operating efficiencies of publicly owned associate degree granting colleges in the United States using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Comparisons are based on panel data for 698 colleges over four academic years, 2005-09. Included are both constant and variable returns to scale DEA estimates along with half and truncated normal inefficiency SFA estimates. The values 0.56 vs. 0.45 represent the largest mean DEA-SFA efficiency differential. DEA results indicate that 13% of colleges are fully (100%) efficient while SFA puts that percentage at only 1.7%. Comparisons of rankings based on efficiency performance generated a weak 0.65 correlation. Encouragingly, despite the financial turmoil initiated by the global crisis, the findings indicate that colleges have managed large efficiency gains over the four-year period. By 2008-09, DEA estimated efficiency increased to approximately 60%. Given continuing reductions in higher education public funding and increasing interest in public management reforms, the results should be of both managerial and public policy interest.
Particle deposition onto solid surfaces with microscopic charge heterogeneity: the "bump effect"

"Summary form only given". A stagnation point flow (SPF) setup was used to directly observe the deposition kinetics of colloidal particles onto micropatterned glass surfaces with well-defined surface charge heterogeneity features. The SPF system consists of a microscope focused on a small collector surface area, with an automated computer controlled image-capturing device comprising a CCD camera. Surface charge heterogeneity was microfabricated onto glass surfaces by chemically modifying well-controlled fractions of the glass surface with aminosilane using a soft lithographic technique. Particle deposition was observed for a wide range of flow rates (Peclet numbers) and solution ionic strengths. The observed experimental particle deposition rates at the various physicochemical conditions were compared to predictions based on a patchwise charge-heterogeneity model. Comparisons revealed that (1) deviation from the patch model occurs at high flow rates (or Peclet numbers), (2) the patch model approximates the deposition rate at lower Peclet numbers, and (3) deviation from the patch model predictions occurs at a lower flow velocity for the lower ionic strength runs. The particle deposition behavior and the breakdown of the patch model are attributed to the coupling between hydrodynamic and electrostatic double layer interactions. A mechanistic model which we term "the bump effect" is used to describe the deposition behavior on the micropatterned glass surfaces.
Analysis of type II secretion of recombinant pneumococcal PspA and PspC in a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine with regulated delayed antigen synthesis.

Recombinant attenuated Salmonella vaccines (RASVs) have been used extensively to express and deliver heterologous antigens to host mucosal tissues. Immune responses can be enhanced greatly when the antigen is secreted to the periplasm or extracellular compartment. The most common method for accomplishing this is by fusion of the antigen to a secretion signal sequence. Finding an optimal signal sequence is typically done empirically. To facilitate this process, we constructed a series of plasmid expression vectors, each containing a different type II signal sequence. We evaluated the utilities of these vectors by fusing two different antigens, the α-helix domains of pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) and pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC), to the signal sequences of β-lactamase (bla SS), ompA, and phoA and the signal sequence and C-terminal peptide of β-lactamase (bla SS+CT) on Asd+ plasmids under the control of the Ptrc promoter. Strains were characterized for level of expression, subcellular antigen location, and the capacity to elicit antigen-specific immune responses and protection against challenge with Streptococcus pneumoniae in mice. The immune responses to each protein differed depending on the signal sequence used. Strains carrying the bla SS-pspA and bla SS+CT-pspC fusions yielded the largest amounts of secreted PspA and PspC, respectively, and induced the highest serum IgG titers, although all fusion proteins tested induced some level of antigen-specific IgG response. Consistent with the serum antibody responses, RASVs expressing the bla SS-pspA and bla SS+CT-pspC fusions induced the greatest protection against S. pneumoniae challenge.
Identification and characterization of Armillaria tabescens from the southeastern United States

In the southeastern USA, Armillaria root rot disease on peach (Prunus persica) is caused by Armillaria tabescens, and to a lesser degree by A. mellea. Recent attempts to genetically characterize A. tabescens isolates using rDNA indicated the existence of heterozygosity in diploid isolates. In order to clarify this heterozygosity, DNA from stipe and single spore cultures of A. tabescens isolate SC.MF-1.01 was characterized using RFLP and sequence analysis. Direct sequencing of rDNA amplicons from diploid stipe tissue indicated heterozygosity in the IGS1 and ITS2 regions. IGS1 copies A and B, and ITS copies A and B segregated in a 1:1 ratio in single spore progeny, whereby IGS1 copy A always segregated with ITS copy A and IGS1 copy B always segregated with ITS copy B. The results indicate the existence of divergent haplotypes in the two nuclei of SC.MF-1.01 diploid mycelium and a single locus for rDNA tandem repeats. Additional IGS1 copies, designated IGS1 copy C, D, and E, with variable AluI restriction sites were cloned from SC.MF-1.01 diploid mycelium indicating polymorphism within ribosomal tandem repeats in A. tabescens. IGS1 copies C, D, and E were found once each in 100 clones analyzed, and therefore seemed to be rare compared to copies A (44 clones) and B (53 clones). RFLP and sequence analysis of the ribosomal IGS1 and ITS1 regions in North American A. tabescens isolates indicated that heterozygosity is common in A. tabescens diploid mycelium. A PCR-based molecular technique was developed to distinguish A. tabescens from many other North American Armillaria species, including A. mellea.
SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS IN TISSUE NITROGEN FOR FIVE SPECIES OF PERENNIAL MACROALGAE IN RHODE ISLAND SOUND1

Tissue nitrogen was assessed monthly for 16 months in five species of perennial macroalgae representing three phyla at one location in Rhode Island Sound. The species showed a remarkable similarity in their pattern of seasonal fluctuation in both nitrate and total nitrogen. The period of greatest accumulation (January through March) coincided with the period of highest concentration of inorganic nitrogen in the water, and for most of these algae it was also the time of-least growth. Conversely, the period of lowest tissue nitrogen (50% of the winter value, May through July) coincided with the period of lowest inorganic nitrogen in the water and highest algal growth. The greatest accumulation of nitrate was found in Laminaria saccharina (L.) Lamour. (80 μmol·g dry wt.−1), four times as much as that measured simultaneously in the other species and 560 times the ambient concentration. By April the concentration of internal nitrate had dropped to nearly undetectable levels, but in August it began to accumulate again—a pattern that was repeated in Chondrus crispus Stackh. In Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jolis, Fucus vesiculosus L. and Codium fragile subsp. tomentosoides (Van Goor) Silva, the period of negligible internal nitrate level extended from March to December. The greatest concentration of total tissue nitrogen was measured in C. crispus (4.8% dry wt.), double the maximum in L. saccharina (2.3% dry wt.).
Implementation of Concussion Legislation and Extent of Concussion Education for Athletes, Parents, and Coaches in Washington State

Background:Most states in the United States have passed laws regarding concussions, but little is known regarding the implementation of these laws.Hypothesis/Purpose:The purpose of this study was to survey high school coaches 3 years after the passage of a concussion law to evaluate the variation in concussion education and knowledge in the context of this law as well as measure the effects of sport (football vs soccer) and urban versus rural locations. The hypothesis was that concussion education and knowledge would be more extensive in football compared with soccer and in urban locations compared with rural locations.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:A mixed-methods (paper and online) survey was conducted in 2012 to 2013 on a random sample of public high school football, girls’ soccer, and boys’ soccer coaches in Washington State, stratified by urban and rural locality. The survey covered the extent of concussion education for coaches, athletes, and parents as well as coaches’ concussi...
Pattern and predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among pediatric patients with epilepsy.

Abstract Parents of pediatric patients with chronic conditions such as epilepsy increasingly opt for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, data on the pattern and reasons of CAM use in childhood epilepsy are scarce. The objectives of this study were as follows: first, to characterize CAM use among pediatric patients with epilepsy by assessing its spectrum, prevalence, costs, and frequency of use; second, to evaluate the influence of CAM use on compliance and satisfaction with conventional care as well as to explore parent–child neurologist communication concerning CAM; and third, to investigate predictors of CAM use. A postal survey was administered to all parents of pediatric outpatients with epilepsy aged 6 to 12, who have received treatment at the neuropediatric outpatient clinic of the University Children's Hospital Heidelberg between 2007 and 2009. One hundred thirty-two of the 297 distributed questionnaires were suitable for inclusion in statistical analysis (44.7%). Forty-nine participants indicated that their children used CAM during the previous year (37.1%). Thirty different types of CAM were used, with homeopathy (55.1%), osteopathy (24.5%), and kinesiology (16.3%) being the most commonly named. A mean of 86€ (0€–500€) and 3 h (1 h–30 h) per month was committed to CAM treatment. Only 53% of the users informed their child neurologist of the additional CAM treatment, while 85.6% of all parents wished to discuss CAM options with their child neurologist. Seventy-five percent of users considered the CAM treatment effective. Among the participants most likely to seek CAM treatment are parents whose children show a long duration of epileptic symptoms, parents who make use of CAM treatment themselves, and parents who value a holistic and natural treatment approach. A substantial portion of pediatric patients with epilepsy receive CAM treatment. The high prevalence of use and significant level of financial and time resources spent on CAM indicate the high importance of these treatment options for parents. On the other hand, communication concerning CAM with the child neurologist is largely insufficient despite the wish to speak about CAM. Complementary and alternative medicine users' high compliance with conventional treatment and high perceived effectiveness of CAM support an integrative approach to CAM for pediatric patients with epilepsy. Our study implies that in addition to open parent–child neurologist communication, active inquiry on CAM treatments is necessary to enable informed decision making by parents and to establish the suitability of CAM treatment for the patient. Reliable predictors for CAM use, which allow for improved identification of patients with a high likelihood to receive CAM treatment, are the duration of the illness, use of CAM by the parents themselves, and the desire of the parents to receive a holistic and natural treatment for their child.
Distance‐Independent DNA Charge Transport across an Adenine Tract

Charging along: DNA-mediated charge transport across adenine tracts is monitored by using a probe interior to the bridge (N^6-cyclopropyladenine (^(CP)A), shown in red). This trap was incorporated serially across the bridge and could be oxidized by a distal rhodium photooxidant without significant attenuation in yield over a distance of 5 nm. These results are consistent with complete delocalization of charge across the DNA bridge.
Correlation of two nonradioactive immunoassays to a radioimmunoassay technique for thyroxine measurement in equine serum.

The purpose of this study was to compare 2 different nonradioactive assay methods with a conventional radioimmunoassay (RIA) measuring the concentration of serum thyroxine (T4) in horses. Serum was obtained from 85 adult standardbred horses. The T4 concentration of each sample was analyzed by RIA, chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CEI), and homogeneous enzyme immunoassay (HEI). The correlation between the HEI method and RIA method was significantly greater ( 5 0.89) than the correlation between the CEI and the reference method (r 5 0.53). In addition, the precision of the HEI method was significantly greater than the CEI method; within-run percentage coefficients of variation were 4.5% and 15.9%, respectively, at mean T4 concentrations of 19-20 nmol/liter. On the basis of these findings, the HEI method was evaluated further. Both between-run precision and linearity were deemed adequate upon dilution by the HEI method. In addition, recovery of L-thyroxine added to equine serum was linear over 6 concentrations tested and averaged 79.6% with a manufacturer recommended data correction factor. An in-house correction factor was calculated by linear regression analysis of the RIA and HEI results from the original equine serum samples. Use of this correction factor improved the average recovery to 94.2% while maintaining excellent linearity (r 2 5 0.9978). Although both nonradioactive methods of T4 analysis could likely substitute for the RIA reference method, the HEI method had the highest correlation and precision. The HEI technique also yielded adequately accurate results after correction of the data with an appropriate correction factor. Individually derived in-house correction factors may improve the accuracy of the HEI method to a greater extent than manufacturer suggested correction factors.
Growth at the edge of the niche: an experimental study of the harmful alga Prymnesium parvum.

The haptophyte Prymnesium parvum forms harmful blooms toxic to fish in coastal and inland waters. Its growth in relation to niche factors is poorly characterized for the low salinities found in the inland waters in which P. parvum blooms have occurred. The specific growth rate of P. parvum as a function of temperature and salinity was determined in nutrient-sufficient cultures with low salinity. Additionally, phosphorus-limited growth was determined at low salinity and temperatures at or below 20uC. In nutrient-sufficient cultures, decreasing salinity from 4 g L21 to 0.5 g L21 reduced the growth rate of P. parvum. The estimated optimal temperature for growth decreased with decreasing salinity from about 27uC at salinities above 10 g L21, to about 24u Ca t 4gL 21 ,t o about 22uC at 0.5 g L21. In phosphorus-limited experiments, the half-saturation concentration for growth was less than 0.02 mmol L21 under most conditions. The phosphorus-saturated growth rate was 0.84 d21 at 4gL 21 salinity and 20uC, and it was reduced at lower salinities and temperatures. The salinity–temperature interaction found here weakens the negative effect of low temperature on growth at low salinity and might partially explain why blooms of P. parvum occur in the winter months in inland waters of the southwestern United States. However, the relatively slow growth of P. parvum at low temperature and salinity suggests that additional factors should be examined, such as reduced effects of competitors, pathogens, and grazers during winter.
The Abstinence Phobias: Links between Substance Abuse and Anxiety

This paper presents a new model to explain the observed relationship between anxiety and substance abuse. Specifically, the concept of “abstinence phobias,” common across psychoactive substances, is developed. The evidence needed to support this concept is outlined, and relevant data from studies of opiate, alcohol, and tobacco dependences are reviewed. Parallel data obtained from the treatment of obesity are discussed. It is concluded that the abstinence phobia merits further study; clinical implications are also considered.
A Hoogsteen base pair embedded in undistorted B-DNA

Hoogsteen base pairs within duplex DNA typically are only observed in regions containing significant distortion or near sites of drug intercalation. We report here the observation of a Hoogsteen base pair embedded within undistorted, unmodified B-DNA. The Hoogsteen base pair, consisting of a syn adenine base paired with an anti thymine base, is found in the 2.1 Aresolution structure of the MATa2 homeodomain bound to DNA in a region where a specifically and a non-specifically bound homeodomain contact overlapping sites. NMR studies of the free DNA show no evidence of Hoogsteen base pair formation, suggesting that protein binding favors the transition from a Watson-Crick to a Hoogsteen base pair. Molecular dynamics simulations of the homeodomain-DNA complex support a role for the non-specifically bound protein in favoring Hoogsteen base pair formation. The presence of a Hoogsteen base pair in the crystal structure of a protein-DNA complex raises the possibility that Hoogsteen base pairs could occur within duplex DNA and play a hitherto unrecognized role in transcription, replication and other cellular processes.
Fast computation of general Fourier Transforms on GPUS

We present an implementation of general FFTs for graphics processing units (GPUs). Unlike most existing GPU FFT implementations, we handle both complex and real data of any size that can fit in a texture. The basic building block for our algorithms is a radix-2 Stockham formulation of the FFT for power-of-two data sizes that avoids expensive bit reversals and exploits the high GPU memory band-width efficiently. We implemented our algorithms using the DirectX9 API, which enables our routines to be used on many of the existing GPUs today. We have performed comparisons against optimized CPU-based and GPU-based FFT libraries (Intel Math Kernel Library and NVIDIA CUFFT, respectively). Our results on a NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX GPU indicate a significant performance improvement over the existing libraries for many input cases.