cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleobase Orientation and Ordering in Films of Single-Stranded DNA on Gold

We demonstrate how the orientation and ordering of DNA bases in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) and ambient environments can be determined using complementary spectroscopic methods. Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) with fluorescence detection, X-ray photoelectron (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies are used to quantify the coverage, chemical composition, orientation, and ordering of thymine bases in model self-assembled monolayers of thymine homo-oligonucleotides [oligo(dT)] on gold. We find that, in monolayers of thiol-modified oligo(dT), thymine bases tend to orient parallel to the Au substrate, and this preferential orientation is significantly more pronounced in monolayers of thiolated 5-mers compared to 25-mers. We interpret this preferential orientation as a signature of significant correlations (local ordering) between individual nuleobases, which offers a way to quantify and compare nucleobase interactions in films under both ambient and UHV conditions.
Whipple's disease: neurological relapse presenting as headache for two years.

Whipple’s disease is a rare, chronic, multi-systemic infectious disorder caused by the bacterium, Tropheryma whipplei. Relapses are commonly associated with neurological symptoms. We report a case of a 55-year-old man who presented with symptoms of progressive headache, 13 years after apparent complete recovery from intestinal Whipple’s disease. Studies showed hydrocephalus with obstruction of the aqueduct and cerebrospinal fluid findings consistent with chronic meningitis. Diagnosis of central nervous system Whipple’s disease was confirmed by analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid using polymerase chain reaction. After one year of antibiotic therapy, symptoms resolved and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis had improved. This case illustrates that Whipple’s disease should be included in the differential diagnosis of central nervous system disorders as it is a potentially treatable cause of chronic meningitis. Failure to recognize this presentation can lead to misdiagnosis or a significant delay in diagnosis and treatment.
"An awful visitation of providence": the Irish Famine of 1845-49.

This essay examines the condition of Ireland before, during and after the famine which began in 1845 when the potato crop began to fail. A series of topics is presented: the quality of life, families, government aid, philanthropy, population changes, literacy, emigration, and public policy. The essay draws on the author's research quantifying the quality of life in Ireland, and on research analysing the heights of a sample of Irish army recruits in the famine era.
I can see what you see.

Previous studies have attempted to decode functional imaging data to infer the perceptual state of an observer, but the level of detail has been limited. A new decoding study reconstructs accurate pictures of what an observer has seen.
Organization and neurochemistry of vagal preganglionic neurons innervating the lower esophageal sphincter in ferrets

The motor control of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is critical for normal swallowing and emesis, as well as for the prevention of gastroesophageal reflux. However, there are surprisingly few data on the central organization and neurochemistry of LES-projecting preganglionic neurons. There are no such data in ferrets, which are increasingly being used to study LES relaxation. Therefore, we determined the location of preganglionic neurons innervating the ferret LES, with special attention to their relationship with gastric fundus-projecting neurons. The neurochemistry of LES-projecting neurons was also investigated using two markers of "nontraditional" neurotransmitters in vagal preganglionic neurons, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and dopamine (tyrosine hydroxylase: TH). Injection of cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into the muscular wall of the LES-labeled profiles throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMN) The relative numbers of profiles in three regions of the DMN from caudal to rostral are, 43 +/- 5, 67 +/- 11, and 113 +/- 30). A similar rostrocaudal distribution occurred after injection into the gastric fundus. When CTB conjugated with different fluorescent tags was injected into the LES and fundus both labels were noted in 56 +/- 3% of LES-labeled profiles overall. This finding suggests an extensive coinnervation of both regions by vagal motor neurons. There were significantly fewer LES-labeled profiles that innervated the antrum (16 +/- 9%). In the rostral DMN, 15 +/- 4% of LES-projecting neurons also contained NADPH-diaphorase activity; however, TH immunoreactivity was never identified in LES-projecting neurons. This finding suggests that NO, but not catecholamine (probably dopamine), is synthesized by a population of LES-projecting neurons. We conclude that there are striking similarities between LES- and fundic-projecting preganglionic neurons in terms of their organization in the DMN, presence of NOS activity and absence of TH immunoreactivity. Coinnervation of the LES and gastric fundus is logical, because the LES has similar functions to the fundus, which relaxes to accommodate food during ingestion and preceding emesis, but has quite different functions from the antrum, which provides mixing and propulsion of contents for gastric emptying. The presence of NOS in some LES-projecting neurons may contribute to LES relaxation, as it does in the case of fundic relaxation. The neurologic linkage of vagal fundic and LES relaxation may have clinical relevance, because it helps explain why motor disorders of the LES and fundus frequently occur together.
Systematics and distribution of cottid fishes of the genus Triglops Reinhardt (Teleostei: Scorpaeniformes)

Abstract The cottid genus Triglops Reinhardt, including Prionistius Bean, Elanura Gilbert and Sternias Jordan & Evermann as junior synonyms, contains 19 nominal species and subspecies, of which nine are recognized here: T. xenostethus Gilbert, T. macellus (Bean), T. jordani (Schmidt), T. forficata (Gilbert), T. scepticus Gilbert, T. nybelini Jensen, T. metopias Gilbert & Burke, T. murrayi Gunther, and T. pingeli Reinhardt. All are marine, continental shelf- or slope-living forms, distributed throughout northern seas in shallow to moderately deep water (generally between 20-600 m), where they feed primarily on small benthic invertebrates. Seven species are restricted geographically to the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea: T. xenostethus, T. macellus, T. jordani, T. forficata, T. scepticus and T. metopias; T. nybelini occurs in the North Atlantic and is nearly circumpolar in the Arctic but absent from the North Pacific and Bering Sea; T. murrayi occurs solely in the North Atlantic, and Atlantic sector of the Arctic Ocean; T. pingeli is present in both the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans as well as widespread throughout coastal waters of the Arctic. Synonymies, diagnoses and descriptions are given for all taxa, geographic distributions are plotted, and a key to the species of the genus is provided.
Proof of a Conjecture on Finite Modular Lattices

Since the middle 1930’s when the work of Birkhoff and Ore stimulated the modern development of lattice theory, it has been conjectured that in a finite modular lattice the number of meet irreducibles is equal to the number of join irreducibles.1 I shall prove here the following general combinatorial theorem on finite modular lattices which includes a proof of this conjecture as a special case.
University Fisheries Programs in the United States: Structure and Needs

Abstract A survey of fisheries programs in the United States was undertaken to determine faculty participation, curriculum requirements and their relationship to AFS certification, student enrollment, and graduate research activities. Of 138 programs surveyed, 45 useable questionnaires from programs offering a named fisheries degree (FD) and 35 from programs not offering a named degree (NON-FD) were returned. The predominance of FD programs offering curricula at all degree levels appeared to reflect an overall institutional commitment to fisheries education and research. In contrast, NON-FD fisheries programs usually were specialized areas within biology, zoology, or natural resources departments. Accordingly, the average number of fisheries specialists in NON-FD was lower, and probably resulted in increased emphasis on teaching (at schools with only undergraduate programs) or research (at schools with only graduate programs). Both types of programs emphasized undergraduate courses in biology, chemistry, ...
Gay, Lesbian, and Heterosexual Adoptive Parents: Couple and Relationship Issues

This study explored some dynamics of couples’ relationships in 106 adoptive families headed by 29 gay, 27 lesbian, and 50 heterosexual couples with young children. Regardless of sexual orientation, most couples reported long-term relationships, secure attachments, and high relationship satisfaction. Parental sexual orientation was related to how often couples reported having sex. Lesbian couples reported having sex the least often, while gay couples reported having sex the most often. Sexual relationship satisfaction did not, however, differ as a function of parental sexual orientation. Overall relationship satisfaction was significantly correlated with sexual satisfaction, frequency of sexual relations, and greater attachment security. We discuss these results in context of earlier research on sexual orientation, parenting, and couple relationships.
Responses of Melaleuca quinquenervia seedlings to flooding

Studies were conducted on effects of flooding for 15, 30, 60, and 90 days on morphological changes, stomatal aperture, water potential, and growth of seedlings of Melaleuca quinquenervia, a species often planted for reclamation of swamps. Flooding rapidly induced formation of many hair-like adventitious roots as well as a few thick adventitious roots that originated on the original root system. Some adventitious roots also formed on submerged portions of the stem. Melaleuca seedlings were very tolerant of flooding as shown by only slight reduction in dry weight increment of shoots after 30 days of flooding in stagnant water. Although flooding for 60 or 90 days significantly reduced dry weight increment of leaves, dry weight increment of roots was not inhibited by any flooding treatment, reflecting both degeneration of some of the original roots and compensatory growth of adventitious roots. On certain days flooding induced stomatal closure on both adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces. Extensive production of adventitious roots and some stomatal reopening after a critical period of flooding appeared to be important factors in the flooding tolerance of Melaleuca and are consistent with its aggressiveness and vigorous growth on wet sites.
1031 RISK OF RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME AND MATERNAL INFECTION AFTER PRENATAL DEXAMETHASONE TREATMENT

A prospective randomized double blind trial was carried out to test whether prenatal glucocorticoids could reduce risk of RDS in prematurely born infants. Mothers ( < 33 weeks gestation) with premature labor or with premature rupture of membranes, were treated with dexamethasone-PO4 (4mg IM Q8H × 6) or saline (lml IM Q8H × 6). Risk factors for RDS or infection were not different in steroid and placebo groups. Prophylactic antibiotics were not used. In this study the duration of rupture of membranes and the duration of the interval from entry into study to delivery did not affect risk of RDS. We conclude that glucocorticoids 1) are effective in lowering incidence and severity of RDS, and 2) may be associated with increased risk of infection (usually endometritis).
Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for cancer with level I renal vein involvement

ABSTRACTPurpose: Venous involvement develops in 5% to 10% of patients with renal cell carcinoma and is generally considered a relative contraindication to laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. To our knowledge we report the initial clinical series of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma associated with level I renal vein thrombus.Materials and Methods: At our 2 institutions 8 patients each underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for level I microscopic renal vein thrombus (group 1) and level I gross thrombus (group 2). In all 8 group 2 patients the level I thrombus was preoperatively diagnosed by computerized tomography. Mean renal tumor size in groups 1 and 2 was 7.8 and 12.4 cm., respectively. After controlling the renal artery the renal vein was secured by firing an endoscopic gastrointestinal anastomosis stapler on its collapsed, uninvolved proximal part adjacent to the vena cava. Intraoperative, postoperative and pathological parameters were assessed in the 2 groups.Results: In gr...
Ethacrynic acid as a lead structure for the development of potent urease inhibitors

Abstract Ethacrynic acid and a series of its analogues were synthesized and subsequently evaluated for their inhibitory effect on jack bean urease. Ethacrynic acid showed, even at low concentrations, very potent inhibitory activity against the enzyme. For ethacrynic acid, the inhibition potential increased with increasing preincubation time of ethacrynic acid and enzyme, whereas for some other compounds a higher preincubation time lead to a significant reduction of their activity. We could demonstrate that the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl unit of our compounds is mandatory to inhibit the enzyme, possibly due to its ability to bind to cysteine residues in the active site of the jack bean urease.
TRANSFER HYDROGENATION OF KETONES CATALYZED BY RUTHENIUM COMPLEXES

Catalytic hydrogen transfer in the acetophenone/propan-2-ol system by complexes formedin situ of RuCl3 and the ligands ofo-phenylene diamine (PDA);o-aminophenol (APO);o-aminobenzoic acid (ABA); 2,2′-dipyridyl (BIPY), has been studied. The effect of APO/Ru ratio indicates the homogeneous nature of the catalytic process, proved by the absence of the inhibiting effect of added mercury (Hg). The experimental results show that RuCl3/APO exhibits fairly high catalytic activity even if under the air.
Twenty million energy product samarium-cobalt magnet

Considerable interest has been centered around rare-earth-cobalt magnets during recent years. For the last two years we have been carrying out a research program in the general area of rare-earth-cobalt magnets. At this time, we have successfully developed a rare-earth-cobalt magnet with close to the attainable limit of magnetic properties. Our best magnets show the following properties: B^{H}c , 8000-9000 Oe; M^{H}c , 25 000 Oe; B r , 8000-9000 G; (BH)_{\max}, 16-20 \times 10^{6} G - Oe. The magnet is based on the rare-earth-cobalt compound RCo 5 , where R is samarium. Processing includes induction heat or arc melting, pulverizing to roughly domain size, compacting in hydraulic press in magnetic field to suitable shape and size, sintering, finishing, magnetizing, and stabilizing. Most of our laboratory production thus far has been ring magnets for PPM stacks of traveling wave tubes. These magnets have outperformed the best available platinum-cobalt magnets from both magnetic and thermal stability points of view in actual tube qualification tests.
El Niño on the Devil's Staircase: Annual Subharmonic Steps to Chaos

The source of irregularity in El Nino, the large interannual climate variation of the Pacific ocean-atmosphere system, has remained elusive. Results from an El Nino model exhibit transition to chaos through a series of frequency-locked steps created by nonlinear resonance with the Earth's annual cycle. The overlapping of these resonances leads to the chaotic behavior. This transition scenario explains a number of climate model results and produces spectral characteristics consistent with currently available data.
Systems Theory from an Operations Research Point of View

Operations Research's interest in systems is confined to normative aspects of systems which are at least partially self-controllable. A mathematical scheme is developed for representing the structure and behavior of such systems. By use of this scheme it is possible to isolate and measure inefficiencies caused by structure, communications, decision making, and by any combination of these. The effect of structure on inefficiency due to communications and decision making is also subject to analysis. Finally, two methods of centralized control of "less-than-optimally" structured systems are described: adjustment of parameters and the use of constraints.
Priestess, Mother, Sacred Sister: Religions Dominated by Women

Priestess, Mother, Sacred Sister: Religions Dominated by Women. SUSAN STARR SERED. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994. 330 pp., photographs, notes, references, index.
The crystal structure of N-sodiohexamethyldisilazane, Na[N{Si(CH3)3}2]

Abstract The crystal structure of Na[N{Si(CH3)3}2] has been determined from single-crystal x-ray diffraction data collected by counter methods. N-sodiohexamethyldisilazane crystallizes in the mono-clinic space group p21/n with unit cell parameters a = 9.426(3), b = 6.921(3), c = 17.974(5)A, β = 93.83(2)°, and ϱcalc = 1.04 g cm−3 for z = 4 formula units. Least-squares refinement gave a final conventional R value of 0.034 for 1244 independent observed reflections. In the solid state the compound exists in a polymeric arrangement with an average Na-N distance of 2.355(4)A. The methyl group are configured such that the angle of rotation of the trimethylsilyl moiety about the Si-N bond is 30° from the eclipsed position. The Si-N bond length is 1.690(5)A, and the Si-N-Si bond angle is 125.6(1)°.
High-resistivity and high-TCR vanadium oxide thin films for infrared imaging prepared by bias target ion-beam deposition

Vanadium oxide (VOx) thin films have been intensively studied as an imaging material for uncooled microbolometers due to their low resistivity, high temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR), and low 1/f noise. Our group has studied pulsed DC reactive sputtered VOx thin films while reactive ion beam sputtering has been exclusively used to fabricate the VOx thin films for commercial thermal imaging cameras. The typical resistivity of imaging-grade VOx thin films is in the range of 0.1 to 10 ohm-cm with a TCR from -2%/K to -3%/K. In this work, we report for the first time the use of a new biased target ion beam deposition tool to prepare vanadium oxide thin films. In this BTIBD system, ions with energy lower than 25ev are generated remotely and vanadium targets are negatively biased independently for sputtering. High TCR (<-4.5%/K) VOx thin films have been reproducibly prepared in the resistivity range of 103-104 ohm-cm by controlling the oxygen partial pressure using real-time control with a residual gas analyzer. These high resistivity films may be useful in next generation uncooled focal plane arrays for through film rather than lateral thermal resistors. This will improve the sensitivity through the higher TCR without increasing noise accompanied by higher resistance. We report on the processing parameters necessary to produce these films as well as details on how this novel deposition tool operates. We also report on controlled addition of alloy materials and their effects on VOx thin films’ electrical properties.
Hydroxyalkylsulfonate formation: Its role as a S(IV) reservoir in atmospheric water droplets

Kinetic and thermodynamic data obtained for the addition of S(IV) species with several aldehydes, including benzaldehyde, glyoxal, methylglyoxal, acetaldehyde, hydroxyacetaldehyde and glyoxylic acid, were used to predict their effectiveness as reservoirs for S(IV) in atmospheric water droplets. A linear free energy relationship between hydroxyalkylsulfonate stabilities and carbonyl hydration constants is presented which can be used to estimate the stability constants of other unknown carbonyl-bisulfite adducts. Formation rates of at least four of the adducts studied were greater than or comparable to the formation rate of α-hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS). Under most fog- and cloudwater conditions, we have shown that these rates are slower than gas transfer processes. Equilibrium calculations in an open atmosphere indicate that hydroxyacetaldehyde, glyoxal, glyoxylic acid, and to a smaller extent, methylglyoxal, lead to potentially significant enrichment of S(IV) in the liquid phase, although HMS is an even better reservoir for S(IV). Scavenging of SO_2 from the gas-phase due to hydroxyalkylsulfonate formation becomes important at high liquid water contents, pH⩾5, and when an excess partial pressure of the aldehyde is present. The overall dissolution of RCHO and SO_2 into a droplet and the subsequent formation of the hydroxyalkylsulfonate also results in a net increase in acidity, which in a weakly buffered solution can be more than a unit drop in pH.
Disruption of intrinsic motions as a mechanism for enzyme inhibition.

Clostridium difficile (C. diff) is one of the most common and most severe hospital-acquired infections; its consequences range from lengthened hospital stay to outright lethality. C. diff causes cellular damage through the action of two large toxins TcdA and TcdB. Recently, there has been increased effort toward developing antitoxin therapies, rather than antibacterial treatments, in hopes of mitigating the acquisition of drug resistance. To date, no analysis of the recognition mechanism of TcdA or TcdB has been attempted. Here, we use small molecule flexible docking followed by unbiased molecular dynamics to obtain a more detailed perspective on how inhibitory peptides, exemplified by two species HQSPWHH and EGWHAHT function. Using principal component analysis and generalized masked Delaunay analysis, an examination of the conformational space of TcdB in its apo form as well as forms bound to the peptides and UDP-Glucose was performed. Although both species inhibit by binding in the active site, they do so in two very different ways. The simulations show that the conformational space occupied by TcdB bound to the two peptides are quite different and provide valuable insight for the future design of toxin inhibitors and other enzymes that interact with their substrates through conformational capture mechanisms and thus work by the disruption of the protein’s intrinsic motions.
Antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic order in Co/Ru multilayers

Abstract The magnetic order of several polycrystalline cobalt-ruthenium multilayers was determined by polarized neutron reflectometry. Measurements were made on four samples comprised of nominally 30 A thick Co layers separated by Ru layers nominally 6.6, 11, 17.6 and 22 A thick respectively. These studies confirm that adjacent cobalt layers, in themselves ferromagnetic, couple alternatively antiferro- and ferromagnetically when the ruthenium thickness is increased. In addition, neutron scattering at grazing incidence reveals that the lateral extension of the antiferromagnetic domains is limited, and does not exceed a few thousand angstroms. In the predominantly ferromagnetically coupled multilayers evidence for a tiny portion of AF coupled regions is found.
Kinetic Mechanism of DNA Translocation by the RSC Molecular Motor

Abstract ATP-dependent nucleosome repositioning by chromatin remodeling enzymes requires the translocation of these enzymes along the nucleosomal DNA. Using a fluorescence stopped-flow assay we monitored DNA translocation by a minimal RSC motor and through global analysis of these time courses we have determined that this motor has a macroscopic translocation rate of 2.9 bp/s with a step size of 1.24 bp. From the complementary quantitative analysis of the associated time courses of ATP consumption during DNA translocation we have determined that this motor has an efficiency of 3.0 ATP/bp, which is slightly less that the efficiency observed for several genetically related DNA helicases and which likely results from random pausing by the motor during translocation. Nevertheless, this motor is able to exert enough force during translocation to displace streptavidin from biotinylated DNA. Taken together these results are the necessary first step for quantifying both the role of DNA translocation in nucleosome repositioning by RSC and the efficiency at which RSC couples ATP binding and hydrolysis to nucleosome repositioning.
Attitudes of counselors regarding ethical situations encountered by in-home counselors.

In recent decades, in-home counseling has gained popularity as a cost-effective method of treating individuals and families who would otherwise not have access to counseling services. Unfortunately...
Molecular cloning and chromosomal localization of a human skeletal muscle PP-1 gamma 1 cDNA.

Type-1-protein phosphatase (PP-1) activity is reduced in skeletal muscle from human subjects with insulin resistance (Kida et al. 1990). This reduced phosphatase activity probably leads to the abnormal insulin action for glucose storage observed in insulin-resistant subjects. In the present study, a human homolog of rat liver PP-1γ1 cDNA was isolated from human skeletal muscle. The nucleotide sequence contains a 957-nucleotide open reading frame encoding an amino acid sequence identical to that encoded by rat liver PP-1γ1 cDNA. Northern blot analysis shows PP-1γ1-specific mRNA is expressed in human heart, brain, placenta, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, and pancreas. PP-1γ1 was localized to human Chromosome 12.
Performance of the US Office of Management and Budget's revised race and ethnicity categories in Asian populations

Abstract The US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines for collecting and reporting race and ethnicity information recently divided the “Asian or Pacific Islander” category into “Asian” and “Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.” The OMB's decision to disaggregate the “Asian or Pacific Islander” category was the first step toward providing these communities with information to better serve their needs. However, whether individuals who formerly made up the combined group categorize themselves as the new guidelines intend is a question analyzed in this report. A subset of adults participating in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study completed both the OMB-minimum and the expanded race and ethnicity measure used in the National Health Interview Survey. We compared responses on the expanded measure contained within the OMB “Asian” definition (Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Asian Indian, Chinese, and/or Other Asian) to “Asian” responses on the OMB-minimum measure. Mixed heritage Asians less often marked “Asian.” Among mixed heritage Japanese, Chinese, and Filipinos, 27%, 49%, and 52% did not mark “Asian” on the OMB measure, respectively. Eleven percent of single-heritage Filipinos did not mark “Asian.” Many individuals formerly making up the combined “Asian or Pacific Islander” group do not categorize themselves as the revised OMB guidelines intend. This is particularly evident among Filipinos and among Asians of mixed heritage. This research illuminates the reliability and utility of the broad “Asian” category and points to possible consequences of collapsing groups into a single category, i.e., missed information and/or erroneous generalization.
Abstract B62: Epigenetic DNA methylation changes may underlie racial differences and susceptibility to prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common malignancy and a leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the United States. African American (AA) men have both a higher incidence and significantly higher mortality rates than Caucasian (Cau) men. Abundant evidence has accumulated to suggest that epigenetic DNA methylation changes may appear earlier during PCa development than genetic changes, as well as more commonly and consistently. Most studies have emphasized DNA hypermethylation as an important mechanism for inactivation of key regulatory genes in prostate cancers. Thus methylated genes can serve as biomarkers for the detection of cancer from clinical specimens such as tissue biopsies or body fluids. We used pyrosequencing to quantitatively measure methylation status of GSTP1, AR, RAR 2, SPARC, TIMP3 and NKX2-5 in prostate tissue specimen from AA and Cau men. Statistical analysis showed significantly higher methylation in the prostate cancer tissue samples in comparison with matched normal samples. Overall, we observed significant differences (p Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):B62.
Changes Resembling Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Following Surgery and Immobilization

The study of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in humans is complicated by inho- mogeneities in available study cohorts. We hoped to characterize early CRPS-like features in patients undergoing hand surgery. Forty-three patients were recruited from a hand surgery clinic that had elective surgeries followed by cast immobilization. On the day of cast removal, patients were as- sessed for vasomotor, sudomotor, and trophic changes, and edema and pain sensitization using quantitative sensory testing. Pain intensity was assessed at the time of cast removal and after 1 ad- ditional month, as was the nature of the pain using the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS). Skin biopsies were harvested for the analysis of expression of inflammatory me- diators. We identified vascular and trophic changes in the surgical hands of most patients. Increased sensitivity to punctate, pressure, and cold stimuli were observed commonly as well. Moreover, levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and the mast cell marker tryptase were elevated in the skin of hands ipsilateral to surgery. Moderate-to-severe pain persisted in the surgical hands for up to 1 month after cast removal. Exploratory analyses suggested interrelationships between the physical, quantitative sensory test- ing, and gene expression changes and pain-related outcomes. Perspective: This study has identified CPRS-like features in the limbs of patients undergoing sur- gery followed by immobilization. Further studies using this population may be useful in refining our understanding of CRPS mechanisms and treatments for this condition.
Current mechanistic approaches to the chemoprevention of cancer.

st century. We have made much progress in this new emerging field, but so much remains to be accomplished before widespread use and practice become common place. Cancer chemoprevention encompasses the concepts of inhibition, reversal, and retardation of the cancer process. This process, called carcinogenesis, requires 20-40 years to reach the endpoint called invasive cancer. It typically follows multiple, diverse and complex pathways in a stochastic process of clonal evolution. These pathways appear amenable to inhibition, reversal or retardation at various points. We must therefore identify key pathways in the evolution of the cancer cell that can be exploited to prevent this carcinogenesis process. Basic research is identifying many genetic lesions and epigenetic processes associated with the progression of precancer to invasive disease. Many of these early precancerous lesions favor cell division over quiescence and protect cells against apoptosis when signals are present. Many oncogenes are active during early development and are reactivated in adulthood by aberrant gene promoting errors. Normal regulatory genes are mutated, making them insensitive to normal regulatory signals. Tumor suppressor genes are deleted or mutated rendering them inactive. Thus there is a wide range of defects in cellular machinery which can lead to evolution of the cancer phenotype. Mistakes may not have to appear in a certain order for cells to progress along the cancer pathway. To conquer this diverse disease, we must attack multiple key pathways at once for a predetermined period of time. Thus, agent combination prevention strategies are essential to decrease cancer morbidity. Furthermore, each cancer type may require custom combination of prevention strategies to be successful.
COMMUNICATION EFFICIENCY OF MIDDLE‐ AND LOWER‐SES DYADS

This study investigated the efficiency of communication between children from different social-class backgrounds. Eight same-sex pairs of fifth graders—half boys and half girls—were formed into dyadic groupings by combining lower- and middle-SES children into the four possible speaker-listener combinations. Task success depended on the efficiency of the verbal communication between the pair. The listener was allowed to give feedback in one condition and not allowed to speak in the other condition. Significant SES-combination effects in communication efficiency were typically not found. Unexpected sex main effects showed general superiority of the girls in both conditions. The results suggest that lower-SES children's relative ability to communicate is highly dependent on the nature of the task.
Enzymatic Activity of CaMKII Is Not Required for Its Interaction with the Glutamate Receptor Subunit GluN2B

Binding of the Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) to the NMDA-type glutamate receptor subunit GluN2B is an important control mechanism for the regulation of synaptic strength. CaMKII binding to GluN2B and CaMKII translocation to synapses are induced by an initial Ca2+/CaM stimulus, which also activates the kinase. Indeed, several mechanistically different CaMKII inhibitors [tatCN21 and KN-93 (N-[2-[[[3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-propen​yl]methylamino]methyl]phenyl]-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4​-methoxybenzenesulphonamide)] and inactivating mutations (K42M, A302R, and T305/T306D) impair this interaction, suggesting that it requires CaMKII enzymatic activity. However, this study shows that two general kinase inhibitors, H7 [1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine] and staurosporine (Sta), which inhibit CaMKII activity by yet another mechanism, did not interfere with GluN2B binding in vitro or within cells. In contrast to a previous report, we found that Sta, like H7, inhibited CaMKII in an ATP-competitive manner. Nucleotide binding significantly enhances CaMKII/GluN2B binding in vitro, but the nucleotide competition by H7 or Sta did not prevent this effect and instead even mimicked it. H7 (700 µM) and Sta (2 µM) efficiently blocked enzymatic activity of CaMKII, both in vitro and within cells. However, neither H7 nor Sta prevented Ca2+-induced translocation of CaMKII to GluN2B in heterologous cells or to synapses in hippocampal neurons. Thus, activity of CaMKII (or of any other kinase inhibited by H7 or Sta) is not required for stimulation-induced GluN2B-binding or synaptic translocation of CaMKII, despite previous indication to the contrary. This shows that results with inhibitors and inhibiting mutants can be caused by structural effects independent from catalytic activity, and that detailed understanding of the mechanisms is required for their interpretation.
Rapid formation of dielectric surface flashover due to pulsed high power microwave excitation

High power microwave (HPM) dielectric surface flashover can be rapidly induced by providing breakdown initiating electrons in the high field region. An experimental setup utilizing a 2.85 GHz HPM source to produce a 4.5 MW, 3 μs pulse is used for studying HPM surface flashover in various atmospheric conditions. If flashover is to occur rapidly in an HPM system, it is desirable to provide a readily available source of electrons while keeping insertion loss at a minimum. The experimental results presented in this paper utilize a continuous UV source (up to 0.3 mW/cm2) to provide photo-emitted seed electrons from the dielectric surface. Similarly, electrons were provided through the process of field emission by using metallic points deposited on the surface. Initial experiments utilizing 0.2 mm2 aluminum points with a spatial density of 25/cm2 have increased the apparent effective electric field by a factor of ~1.5 while keeping the insertion loss low (<;0.01 dB). The field enhancements have sharply reduced the delay time for surface flashover. For an environment consisting of air at 2.07×104 Pa (155 Torr), for instance, the delay time is reduced from 455 ns to 101 ns. Two radioactive sources were also used in an attempt to provide seed electrons in the high field regions. Presented in this paper is a comparison of various field-enhancing geometries and how they relate to flashover development along with an analysis of time resolved imaging and an explanation of experimental results with radioactive materials.
The impact of parse quality on syntactically-informed statistical machine translation

We investigate the impact of parse quality on a syntactically-informed statistical machine translation system applied to technical text. We vary parse quality by varying the amount of data used to train the parser. As the amount of data increases, parse quality improves, leading to improvements in machine translation output and results that significantly outperform a state-of-the-art phrasal baseline.
Oral platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists: the present challenge is safety.

An indisputable body of angiographic,1 2 angioscopic,3 pathological,4 and biochemical5 evidence supports the role of thrombus in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and percutaneous coronary intervention.6 Compelling data from large-scale trials and analyses have established the role of platelet inhibitors in reducing coronary events in patients with the acute coronary syndromes and in maintaining patency of vascular grafts in the long term.7 8 Persistent reports of high clinical event rates in the modern era of acute coronary syndromes despite aggressive medical therapy have spurred the development of more effective antiplatelet agents. Despite its efficacy, aspirin is a relatively weak antiplatelet agent, inhibiting only thromboxane A2–mediated platelet aggregation. The final common pathway of platelet aggregation involves activation of the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GP IIb/IIIa) receptor to allow fibrinogen binding.9 Studies involving a number of intravenous inhibitors of GP IIb/IIIa receptors have demonstrated efficacy in reducing ischemic complications after percutaneous angioplasty10 11 12 and in the acute coronary syndromes.13 14 15 16 In patients who have survived an episode of unstable angina or myocardial infarction, activation of the hemostatic system may persist for several months after the acute event.5 Studies with GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors12 16 and with specific antithrombins17 have demonstrated efficacy of these agents during the short-term period coinciding with intravenous administration, with subsequent decay in clinical benefit after cessation of parenteral treatment so that no demonstrable clinical benefit is evident at late (1 month) follow-up. Hence, there exists a compelling rationale for long-term antiplatelet treatment, including …
Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Linkage and Interference from Tetrad Data

Maximum likelihood equations have been derived for estimation of map distance and interference from two-point and ranked tetrad data. The estimators have been applied to data from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. S. cerevisiae consistently shows quite strong interference over the mapped genome. In striking contrast, S. pombe consistently shows much weaker interference and many crosses exhibit negative interference. In neither species was there a conspicuous tendency for intervals spanning a centromere to show less interference than those that did not. Since the amount of recombination per microgram of DNA in the two species is similar, the difference in interference characteristics seems to be a reflection of some fundamental difference in the recombination process of the two species.
The 4 Percent Rule is Not Safe in a Low-Yield World

The safety of a 4% initial withdrawal strategy depends on asset return assumptions. Using historical averages to guide simulations for failure rates for retirees spending an inflation-adjusted 4% of retirement date assets over 30 years results in an estimated failure rate of about 6%. This modest projected failure rate rises sharply if real returns decline. As of January 2013, intermediate-term real interest rates are about 4% less than their historical average. Calibrating bond returns to the January 2013 real yields offered on 5-year TIPS, while maintaining the historical equity premium, causes the projected failure rate for retirement account withdrawals to jump to 57%. The 4% rule cannot be treated as a safe initial withdrawal rate in today’s low interest rate environment. Some planners may wish to assume that today’s low interest rates are an aberration and that higher real interest rates will return in the medium-term horizon. Although there is little evidence to support this assumption, we estimate how a reversion to historical real yields will impact failure rates. Because of sequence of returns risk, portfolio withdrawals can cause the events in early retirement to have a disproportionate effect on the sustainability of an income strategy. We simulate failure rates if today's bond rates return to their historical average after either 5 or 10 years and find that failure rates are much higher (18% and 32%, respectively for a 50% stock allocation) than many retirees may be willing to accept. The success of the 4% rule in the U.S. may be an historical anomaly, and clients may wish to consider their retirement income strategies more broadly than relying solely on systematic withdrawals from a volatile portfolio.
Role of Sphenopalatine Ganglion Neuroablation in the Management of Cluster Headache

Cluster headache is a primary neurovascular headache. It is a strictly unilateral head pain that is associated with cranial autonomic symptoms and usually follows circadian and circannual patterns. Chronic cluster headache, which accounts for about 10% to 15% of patients with cluster headache, lacks the circadian pattern and is often resistant to pharmacological management. The sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG), located in the pterygopalatine fossa, is involved in the pathophysiology of cluster headache and has been a target for blocks and other surgical approaches. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of the SPG was shown to have encouraging results in those patients with intractable cluster headaches.
Effect of EDTA and pH on Properties of Freeze‐dried Pork Muscle II. Effect of Injection of EDTA and NaOH Before Drying

SUMMARY The effects of ethylenediamiuetetraacetate (EDTA), pyrophosphate, and elevated pH on rehydratiou capacity and texture of freeze-dried meat were studied. Samples of pork loin were injected with solutions of EDTA and pyrophosphate in a cont. of approx. 10mM per 1000 g meat. After injection, the samples were frozen and freeze-dried. The treated samples had improved rehydratiou capacities and texture as measured with a Warner-Bratzler shear press. The main effect of EDTA appeared to he better penetration of water into the dried meat structure, whereas the effect of pyrophosphate appeared to he mainly swelling of the already wetted areas. These observations were substantiated by an experiment in which samples were frozen but not dehydrated. In this case, only pyrophosphate improved water-binding capacity. Application of EDTA in the rehydratiug solution did not improve the rehydration capacity of the freeze-dried samples. The average pH of the meat was raised approx. 1 unit through injection of NaOH solution before drying. This treatment did not appreciably improve hydration capacity or texture. Aging the meat before treatment with EDTA and NaOH did not improve the results. EDTA exhibited the same effects on beef as on pork.
Redistribution of labile plasma zinc during mild surgical stress in the rat.

Zinc is an essential trace element and cofactor for many cellular processes. Uptake of ionized divalent zinc (Zn 2+ ) in peripheral tissues depends on its total content in the circulation and on mechanisms facilitating delivery to tissues in its labile form. Understanding mechanisms of Zn 2+ delivery has been hindered by the absence of techniques to detect labile Zn 2+ in the circulation. In this study, we report the use of the fluorescent zinc-binding dye (ZnAF-2) to detect changes in labile Zn 2+ in the circulating plasma of the rat under standardized conditions, including exogenous infusions to increase plasma Zn 2+ and an infusion of the chelator, citrate, to decrease labile Zn 2+ in the plasma without altering total Zn 2+ content. In a model of mild surgical stress (unilateral femoral arterial ligation), plasma levels of total and labile Zn 2+ decreased significantly 24 h after the operation. Ultrafiltration of plasma into high- and low-molecular weight macromolecule fractionations indicated that binding capacity of zinc in the high-molecular weight fraction is impaired for the entire 24-h interval after induction of mild surgical stress. Affinity of the filtrate fraction was rapidly and reversibly responsive to anesthesia alone, decreasing significantly at 4 h and recovering at 24 h; in animals subjected to moderate surgical stress, this responsiveness was lost. These findings are the first reported measurements of labile Zn 2+ in the circulation in any form of mild systemic stress. Zinc undergoes substantial redistribution in the plasma as a response to surgical stress, leading to increased availability in lower molecular weight fractions and in its labile form.
Energy management of standby-sparing systems for fixed-priority real-time workloads

Energy management and reliability are two important design objectives for real-time embedded systems. Recently, the standby-sparing scheme that uses a primary processor and a spare processor has been exploited to provide fault tolerance while keeping the energy consumption under control through DVS and DPMtechniques. In this paper, we consider the standby-sparing technique for fixed-priority periodic real-time tasks. We propose a dual-queue mechanism through which the execution of backup tasks are maximally delayed, as well as online algorithms to manage energy consumption. Our experimental results show that the proposed scheme provides energy savings over time-redundancy based techniques while offering reliability improvements.
Learning style and factors contributing to success in an introductory computer science course

An introductory course in computer science (CSI) is required of virtually all engineering majors at the University of Minnesota Duluth. From 2001-present an extensive battery of visualization software was developed for this course. Students consistently ranked the visualization software as more important to their learning than any other element of the course. However, these rankings were not highly correlated with actual outcomes. This study of learning style determined that reflective and verbal learners outperformed active and visual ones. Student opinions of the value of programming projects and lectures rank highest and seem to cut across learning style preference. Background familiarity with computers and software was not a strong correlate, although involvement in computer and video gaming was found to be negatively correlated with course success.
Analysis of long-term soxhlet tests

Abstract Cyclic leaching patterns were exhibited by simulated waste glass and ceramic titanate (10 wt.% zeolite) materials during long-term elevated temperature soxhlet leaching studies. In the vitreous waste form, these patterns appear to be due to the formation and subsequent spallation of multilayered alteration products which were characterized using electron microprobe analysis. Electron microprobe studies of the leached titanate sample illustrated a more subdued attack of the surface with no alteration layer formation. During fabrication, cesium was concentrated in zeolite pockets which were leached, presumably by a process similar to that for glasses. One difficulty in leaching studies is the large sample volume required when very low concentrations of elements are to be determined. Studies presently in progress indicate that laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry is applicable to determining less than picogram quantities of cesium in 50-μL sample volumes.