cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alzheimer's disease and peripheral infections: The possible contribution from periodontal infections, model and hypothesis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects approximately 4.5 million people in the U.S. and this number will increase as the population ages and the life-span increases. Therefore, of paramount importance is identifying mechanisms and factors that affect the risk of developing AD. The etiology and pathogenic mechanisms for AD have not been defined, although inflammation within the brain is thought to play a role. Consistent with this hypothesis, studies suggest that peripheral infections contribute to the inflammatory state of the central nervous system. Periodontitis is a prevalent, persistent peripheral infection associated with gram negative, anaerobic bacteria that are capable of exhibiting localized and systemic infections in the host. This review offers a hypothetical link between periodontitis and AD and will present possible mechanistic links between periodontitis related inflammation and AD. It will review the pathogenesis of periodontitis and the mechanisms by which periodontal infections may affect the onset and progression of AD. Since periodontitis is a treatable condition, it may be a readily modifiable risk factor for AD.
Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation Program in Criminal Rehabilitation and Substance Abuse Recovery

Abstract This article reviews research on the Transcendental Meditation (TM)1 program relevant to the treatment and prevention of criminal behavior and substance abuse. Over the past 30 years, 39 studies have been conducted on the rehabilitative effects of the TM program. These studies have involved various populations, including at-risk youths, participants in treatment programs, and incarcerated offenders. A few studies examined the effects of the TM program in the general population on use of alcohol, cigarettes, and non-prescribed drugs. Longitudinal, random-assignment studies with objective measures confirm the results of retrospective studies and other earlier research. Incarcerated offenders show rapid positive changes in risk factors associated with criminal behavior, including anxiety, aggression, hostility, moral judgment, in-prison rule infractions, and substance abuse. The substance abuse studies, taken together, indicate that the TM program reduces substance use as well as a number of the ris...
The mechanism of the gamma‐ray polymerization of vinyl chloride in bulk. I. Dependence of the degree of polymerization on temperature and conversion

The radiation-induced polymerization kinetics of vinyl chloride in heterogeneous conditions (bulk) has been extensively studied and compared with the chemically-initiated reaction in bulk and in solution. The main role of monomer chain transfer on the degree of polymerization has been confirmed and the rate constant values CM for homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions have been compared. It has been proved that the heterogeneity of the polymerizing system does not affect the value of CM. In the very last stages of polymerization the polymer formed presents lower molecular weights, higher long-chain branching, and larger poly-dispersity. An interpretation of these results has been proposed. Die Kinetik der strahleninduzierten Polymerisation von Vinylchlorid unter heterogenen Bedingungen (in Substanz) wurde ausfuhrlich untersucht und mit der chemisch gestarteten Reaktion in Substanz und in Losung verglichen. Die Ergebnisse bestatigen den dominierenden Einflus, den die Monomerubertragung auf den Polymerisationsgrad ausubt. Ein Vergleich der unter heterogenen Bedingungen erhaltenen Ubertragungskonstanten des Monomeren CM mit den entsprechenden Daten der homogenen Polymerisation ergab, das die Heterogenitat des Systems keinen Einflus auf die Grose von CM besitzt. Die im ausersten Endstadium der Polymerisation gebildeten Produkte besitzen ein niedrigeres Molekulargewicht, einen hoheren Grad an Langkettenverzweigungen und eine grosere Polydispersitat. Fur diese Befunde wird eine Erklarung vorgeschlagen.
Paramutation in Plants

Paramutation describes a directed, meiotically heritable alteration of gene regulation influenced by allelic interactions. Keywords: gene silencing; epigenetics; transgenes; transcription; chromatin
P01-387 - Innovative practice. applying academic psychosmatic medicine in rural California

Background Imperial County is designated as medically underserved and one of the poorest counties in CA. Our practice started in 1994 and serves the gap between the County Mental Health Services (CMHS) that treats the severely and chronically ill and the general medical community that faces the unmet need of specialty care for “less” severe patients. Methods A plan was started to provide both psychiatric care and liaison activities. The community has 2 community general hospitals. Contracts were established with CMHS and private insurers to assure coverage of services. The plan was extended to dialysis units and long term facilities. Systematic collection of consult data was started in 1998. An electronic medical record was established with specific fields designated for research purposes. Working in association with UCSD, we established a number of IRB approved protocols. In addition, we contracted with a number of pharmaceutical companies to become a research site for mult-center trials. Results Over 300 consultations were performed yearly. The most common consultations involved assessments of: elderly agitated patients, conservatorship evaluations and suicide attempts. Conclusion PM strategies added value in the provision of psychiatric services and contract negotiation in this rural community. Applying an academic model decreased the gap between CMHS and the medical community. Patients appeared satisfied to see the same psychiatrists at different treatment settings (i.e. general hospital, dialysis unit, NSF). All interventions were covered by the diverse payment sources.
Density-matrix electronic-structure method with linear system-size scaling.

We introduce a method for the solution of the electronic-structure problem in the independent-electron approximation. The method is based upon a variational solution for the density matrix, which is truncated to zero beyond a real-space radius ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{c}}$, and becomes exact as ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}. Most importantly, the computer time scales only linearly with system size. The method is tested in the context of tight-binding models in one and three dimensions.
Revocation of board certification for legally permitted activities.

From the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. I n 1917, the American Board of Ophthalmic Examinations (precursor to the American Board of Ophthalmology) was founded. It was followed by the founding of the American Board of Otolaryngology in 1924 and the America Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) in 1930. The number of medical specialty boards increased rapidly during the 1930s and 1940s, and currently there are 24 boards offering certification in more than 140 specialties and subspecialties. Medical specialty boards developed in part to justify and define a specialty. Boards sought to ensure clinical expertise by certifying that their diplomates had a defined body of knowledge and skill. Board certification also helped make specialty practice economically viable by limiting entry into the specialty and minimizing competition from nonspecialty physicians. To protect the quality and reputation of their imprimatur, their diplomates, and their specialty, boards also developed professionalism requirements for obtaining and maintaining board certification. The purpose of medical specialty boards is to serve the public. Boards that are now responsible for certifying physicians typically emphasize professional, ethical, and moral standards in reserving the right to revoke board certification. Standard reasons include falsely obtaining board certification, having a medical license limited or revoked, or committing a felony. Several of the boards permit revocation for misdemeanor convictions of moral turpitude, convictions that have a “material relationship to the practice of medicine,” or unauthorized disclosure of examination content. In 2010, following publicity about the practice of lethal injection, the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) incorporated the American Medical Association’s opinion regarding physician participation in capital punishment into its reasons for revocation of board certification:
Gradient Window Method: A Simple Way to Separate Regional From Local Horizontal Gradients In Gridded Potential-field Data

This paper introduces a practical modification to the horizontal-gradient method that separates superposed regional and local gradients without prior filtering of the data. Best-fit planes are found within a moving window across a grid. The horizontal-gradient magnitude (HGM) of the best-fit plane in each window isolates regional gradients, and the HGM of the residual after removal of the plane within the window isolates local gradients.
Abstract 2741: NF-κB activation by IL-1α and p62 feedforward loops is required for Kras-induced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States with a less than six month mean survival period and less than five percent of an overall five-year survival rate. Despite developments in the management of pancreatic cancer, the survival rate has remained unchanged in the past 50 years. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanism of pancreatic cancer inception and development is the key to identifying prevention strategies and therapeutic targets for increasing patient survival rates, which is one of the greatest challenges in pancreatic cancer research. The mutational activation of Kras is an early event in PDAC development and has been detected in 90% of PDAC and 50% of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN). The genetic mutation of oncogenic Kras in the pancreas induces chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. However, the key signaling pathway of the downstream Kras remains unidentified. Here, we report that pancreas-specific targeted IKK2/β inactivation inhibited NF-κB activation and PDAC development in KrasG12D and KrasG12D; Ink4a/ArfF/F mice, demonstrating a mechanistic link between IKK2/β/NF-kB signaling pathway and KrasG12D signaling pathways in PDAC inception. Our findings reveal that KrasG12D-activated AP-1 induces IL-1α, which, in turn, activates NF-κB and its target genes IL-1α and p62, to initiate IL-1α/p62 feedforward loops for inducing and sustaining NF-κB activity. Furthermore, IL-1α overexpression correlates with Kras mutation, NF-κB activity, and poor survival in PDAC patients. Knock-down of IL-1α in mouse PDAC cell lines and lung adenocarcinoma cell lines significantly reduces tumorigenesis in orthotopic xenograft mouse and subcutaneous xenograft mouse models. Therefore, our findings demonstrate the new mechanism by which IKK2/β/NF-κB is activated by KrasG12D through dual feedforward loops of IL-1α/p62 to promote development of PDAC. This suggests that the interruption of the dual feedforward loops of IL-1α/p62 could be the therapeutic targets for inhibiting oncogenic Kras signaling in PDAC. Citation Format: Jianhua Ling, Ya'an Kang, Paul Chiao. NF-κB activation by IL-1α and p62 feedforward loops is required for Kras-induced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2741. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2741
Tracheal hamartoma: Report of a child with a neck mass

Tracheal hamartoma represents an oddity in children. Only one case was found in the English literature as a distal tracheal intraluminal lesion causing obstructive symptoms. All other reported cases were in older patients, who were presumed to have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The authors report on a 21-month-old girl who presented with an anterior neck mass fixed to the trachea. Imaging studies showed a lesion (2.5 x 2.3 x 1.7 cm) anterior to the right lobe of the thyroid, extending to the trachea posteriorly and down to the thoracic inlet inferiorly. The mass had a mixture of soft tissue densities with a focus of calcification. Results of thyroid studies were normal, and there was no adenopathy. Neck exploration showed a white, firm, lobulated mass fixed to the trachea, which was resected completely. The postoperative course was unremarkable. Histological studies showed a mixture of mature cartilage, fat, fibroconnective tissue, and spindle cells with myxoid degeneration, consistent with tracheal hamartoma. Based on a literature search, this is the first reported case of extraluminal tracheal hamartoma presenting as a neck mass in a pediatric patient.
Cys577 Is a Conformationally Mobile Residue in the ATP-binding Domain of the Na,K-ATPase α-Subunit

2-[4'-Maleimidylanilino]naphthalene 6-sulfonic acid (MIANS) irreversibly inactivates Na,K-ATPase in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Inactivation is prevented by 3 mM ATP or low K(+) (<1 mM); the protective effect K(+) is reversed at higher concentrations. This biphasic effect was also observed with K(+) congeners. In contrast, Na(+) ions did not protect. MIANS inactivation disrupted high affinity ATP binding. Tryptic fragments of MIANS-labeled protein were analyzed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. ATP clearly protected one major labeled peptide peak. This observation was confirmed by separation of tryptic peptides in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealing a single fluorescently-labeled peptide of approximately 5 kDa. N-terminal amino acid sequencing identified the peptide (V(545)LGFCH...). This hydrophobic peptide contains only two Cys residues in all sodium pump alpha-subunit sequences and is found in the major cytoplasmic loop between M4 and M5, a region previously associated with ATP binding. Subsequent digestion of the tryptic peptide with V8 protease and N-terminal amino acid sequencing identified the modified residue as Cys(577). The cation-dependent change in reactivity of Cys(577) implies structural alterations in the ATP-binding domain following cation binding and occlusion in the intramembrane domain of Na,K-ATPase and expands our knowledge of the extent to which cation binding and occlusion are sensed in the ATP hydrolysis domain.
Effects of initial condition on circular and elliptic jet noise

Noise produced by cold elliptic jets was studied experimentally using a 4 cm air jet in an anechoic chamber by varying the aspect ratio, nozzle exit boundary layer, and Mach number. Elliptic geometry is found to accentuate the sound produced by pairing of the shear layer vortices in the laminar boundary jet. Calculation of the pressure field produced by the pairing of elliptic vortex rings shows that the ratio of sound intensities produced by the pairing of inviscid elliptic vortex filament rings should be equal to their aspect ratio, the minor axis producing greater sound. Tripping the nozzle boundary layer changes the instability of the shear layer and removes the laminar vortices. If the sound produced by pairing and/or breakdown is considered to be the difference between laminar and turbulent jet noise, the pairing mechanism is seen to be very significant in laminar boundary layer jets.
Love, intimacy, and passion: Shapers of family and kinship

Reviews in Anthropology, Vol. 21, pp. 85-93 Reprints available directly from the publisher Photocopying permitted by license only ©1992 Gordon and Breach Science Publishers S.A. Printed in the United States of America Love, Intimacy, and Passion: Shapers of Family and Kinship Karen Leonard Hewlett, Barry S. Intimate Fathers: The Nature and Context of Aka Pygmy Paternal Infant Care. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1991. viii + 201 pp. including references and index. $27.95 cloth. 'frawick, Margaret. Notes on Love in a Tamil Family. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990. xx + 299 pp. including notes, references, and index. $40.00 cloth. Weston, Kath. Families We Choose: Lesbians, Gays, Kinship. New York: Columbia University Press, 1991. xi + 261 pp. including notes, refer- ences, and index. $35.00 cloth. United by a concern with feelings and the role they play in structuring families and kinship, these three books stretch the mind, both empirically and theoretically. The reader moves from Kath Weston's delineation of gay and lesbian constructions of family and kinship in San Francisco to Margaret 1.i'awick's exploration of love in a Tamil-speaking South Indian family to Barry Hewlett's documentation of the intimacy between central African Aka fathers and their infants. All three are ambitious works which combine fieldwork with thoughtful and provocative chal- lenges to existing theory. Weston contends that gay and lesbian discourse about chosen families can transform contemporary discourse about family and kinship in the United States. Trawick argues for a person-centered account of the Dravidian kinship system in India, one that places love at its center. Hewlett speculates about what the parent-child and marital relationships in Aka Pygmy society can tell us about fathers' roles in human evolution and sexual equality in and across cultures. All three are comparative works, although to different degrees. Weston compares constructions of family and kinship within the United States; Trawick compares her own Western notions of love to Tamil and other Indian notions of love and kinship; and Hewlett compares paternal infant care among Aka Pygmies to infant care among hunter-gatherers and others for whom there ]s comparable data. Two of the KAREN LEONARD is Professur of Anthropology at the University of California, Irvine. Her research centers on caste and ethnicity, and family and life histury. Recent publications include Making Ethnic Choices: California's Punjabi-Mexican-Americans (Temple 1992) and •Ethnic Identity and Gender: South Asians in the United States (In Ethnicity, Identity, and Migration, M. Israel and N. K. Wagle (Eds.), University of Toronto, 1991).
A comparison of tail probability estimators for flood frequency analysis

Abstract Selected techniques for estimating exceedance frequencies of annual maximum flood events at a gaged site are compared in this paper. Four tail probability estimators proposed by Hill (PT1), Hosking and Wallis (PT2) and by Breiman and Stone (ET and QT), and a variable kernel distribution function estimator (VK-C-AC) were compared for three situations — Gaussian data, skewed data (three-parameter gamma) and Gaussian mixture data. The performance of these estimators was compared with method of moment estimates of tail probabilities, using the Gaussian, Pearson Type III, and extreme value distributions. Since the results of the tail probability estimators (PT1, PT2, ET, QT) varied according to the situation, it is not easy to say which tail probability estimator is the best. However, the performance of the variable kernel estimator was relatively consistent across the estimation situations considered in terms of bias and r.m.s.e.
Observations of Changes in Rate Dependent Flow of SnAgCu Solder Alloys Due to Aging

Aging affects both microstructure and behavior [1, 2]. Microstructural changes are driven by dislocation motion and diffusion processes. Together they affect the flow behavior in solder alloys. We address four aspects of solder microstructure and behavior as affected by aging (a) EDS studies on Ag dispersion in Sn matrix (b) a procedure for modeling intermetallic particle growth (c) a model for estimating effective viscosity of solder alloy (d) both primary and secondary creep models to predict aging effects on behavior. Solder samples were aged for different aging times (15, 30, 60, 90 days aging) and at different aging temperatures (25 C, 75 C, 125 C) prior to running creep tests. Another set of solder samples were similarly aged to characterize the microstructure. The creep data for the experiments are from a series of sixty four experiments performed using a micromechanical tester that is specially fitted with a sensitive capacitance gauge (with a resolution of 0.1 microns) to accurately measure viscoplastic responses of solder to applied loads.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
HPLC determination of phenolic acids in the water-soluble extract of Zostera marina L. (eelgrass)

Six phenolic acids were quantitatively assessed in the water-soluble extract of Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) from Puget Sound, Washington, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Ferulic (4-hydroxy, 3-methoxycinnamic), vanillic (4-hydroxy, 3-methoxybenzoic), p-hydroxybenzoic (4-hydroxybenzoic), caffeic (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic), gallic (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic) and protocatechuic (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic) acids were in suceedingly lower quantities. Gentisic (2,5-dihydroxybenzoic) acid was also found to be present in the extract. However, its quantification was not possible using this method.
The roles of innate oxygen and adsorbed oxygen in the chemistry of soot oxidation by oxygen atoms at 298 K

We have previously reported work examining the oxidation of soot by oxygen atoms at 298 K. We found that this oxidation produced CO 2 and CO gasification products, but that the chemistry was dominated by large net oxygen atom adsorption on the soot. In the present work we have used O 16 and O 18 in various sequential oxygen atom exposure experiments to study the roles of oxygen which is part of the as-prepared soot (hereafter referred to as innate oxygen) and adsorbed oxygen in the chemistry of this soot oxidation. We find that oxygen innate in the soot appears exclusively in the CO 2 gasification products. Adsorbed oxygen appears in both CO 2 and CO gasification products. A significant fraction of gasification product molecules contain exclusively oxygen atoms which had been adsorbed previously on the soot. That is, the oxygen atom responsible for the evolution of a gasification product molecule may not appear in this product molecule. We interpret these results to mean that the kinetically limiting reaction step in this soot gasification is product desorption; heat liberated by adsorption of an oxygen atom on the soot produces sufficient local surface energy to allow the activated desorption of CO 2 and CO.
Deep velocity structure of rifted continental crust, U.S. Mid-Atlantic Margin, from wide-angle reflection/refraction data

We present new ocean-bottom, wide-angle seismic data, collected during the 1990 EDGE Mid-Atlantic multichannel seismic experiment, which provide a measurement of the deep velocity structure of rifted Appalachian continental crust beneath the U.S. East Coast continental margin. Reflections from the entire crust and Moho are visible from offsets of zero to 100 km. One-dimensional inverse traveltime modeling reveals a 34-km-thick crust consisting of four layers beneath the post-rift sediments, with velocities of 5.9, 6.3, 6.4, and 6.85 km/s. This velocity structure is indistinguishable from that found beneath several Appalachian terranes in the northern Appalachians of New England. The average velocity of 6.85 km/s in the lower crust limits the landward extent of the high-velocity (7.2-7.4 km/s) lower crust found farther seaward, and supports the interpretation of that layer as the result of rift-related magmatic underplating, rather than as thinned, pre-existing lower continental crust.
Reduction of fourth order ordinary differential equations to second and third order Lie linearizable forms

Abstract Meleshko presented a new method for reducing third order autonomous ordinary differential equations (ODEs) to Lie linearizable second order ODEs. We extended his work by reducing fourth order autonomous ODEs to second and third order linearizable ODEs and then applying the Ibragimov and Meleshko linearization test for the obtained ODEs. The application of the algorithm to several ODEs is also presented.
Fate of the Coulomb singularity in nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann theory: The point charge as an electrically invisible object

An absolute upper bound of Debye-H\"uckel form, $U({r}_{s})\frac{{e}^{\ensuremath{-}r}}{r}$, is derived for solutions to the nonlinear, spherical, radial Poisson-Boltzmann equation for the problem of an isolated charged sphere, dimensionless radius ${r}_{s}$, in an infinite volume of electrolyte. For ${r}_{s}\ensuremath{\ll}1$, $U({r}_{s})\ensuremath{\propto}{r}_{s}\mathrm{ln}(\frac{1}{{r}_{s}})$. Thus, as ${r}_{s}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$, $U({r}_{s})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ and the shielding cloud around a point charge shrinks to zero radius. From any finite distance away, however small, the point charge is electrically invisible.
Reliability Analysis of Group-Contribution Methods in Predicting Critical Temperatures of Organic Compounds

This article examines four group-contribution methods (Joback−Reid, Constantinou−Gani, Wilson−Jasperson, and Marrero−Pardillo) with respect to their abilities for calculating critical temperatures (Tc) of organic compounds on the basis of the parameters published in the original papers. To have a reliable data set for this examination, all experimental data of Tc collected in the SOURCE data system at the Thermodynamics Research Center (TRC) were evaluated. This data system contains more than 1900 Tc data points for about 630 organic compounds from which we compiled a selected Tc data set involving 510 compounds with uncertainty less than or equal to 5 K. Upon reviewing the normal boiling point (NBP) values for the same 510 compounds, we selected a NBP data set including 448 compounds with uncertainty less than or equal to 3 K for use in the Tc calculations. We then compared the selected Tc values with the values calculated by the four group-contribution methods on the basis of either selected or estimate...
Pleurodesis Using Talc Slurry

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of talc slurry for pleurodesis. Design: Retrospective. Participants: All patients who received talc slurry via tube thoracostomy at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from March 1991 to April 1992. Results: Fifty-eight patients received talc slurry in 75 procedures; five patients had 2 unilateral procedures and 12 had bilateral procedures. Fifty-two patients had malignant pleural effusions with the most common cell types being breast (23 of 52, 44 percent), lung (4 of 52, 8 percent), ovarian (4 of 52, 8 percent), and endometrial (3 of 52, 6 percent). Four patients had benign conditions. The mean duration of follow-up was 171 days (range, 2 to 450 days). Success, defined as the absence of pleural fluid reaccumulation, was evaluable in 47 of 73 (64 percent) procedures. Pleurodesis was successful in 38 of 47 (81 percent). Adverse effects associated with pleurodesis included fever (46 of 73, 63 percent), empyema (4 of 73, 5 percent), atrial arrhythmia (3 of 73, 4 percent), hypotension (3 of 73, 4 percent), and hypoxemic respiratory failure (3 of 73, 4 percent). There were no deaths attributable to the procedure. Conclusions: Talc slurry instilled through a chest tube is an effective bedside method of pleurodesis. Fever occurs frequently. Respiratory failure is a rare but potentially serious complication that deserves further investigation.
Regulation of Gene Expression by Small RNAs

From the standpoint of discovery, the field of small RNAs (sRNAs) is perhaps still in its infancy. However, because of the fascinating concept that they represent, posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression, these tiny sequences and their complex world have already attracted an enormous amount of well-deserved attention in the research community. They have an even shorter history in human genetics, but sRNAs have become a topic of intense interest in understanding the underlying mechanism of human diseases.
A multisubunit complex of outer and inner mitochondrial membrane protein translocases stabilized in vivo by translocation intermediates.

Abstract Translocation of nuclear encoded preproteins into the mitochondrial matrix requires the coordinated action of two translocases: one (Tom) located in the outer mitochondrial membrane and the other (Tim) located in the inner membrane. These translocases reversibly cooperate during protein import. We have previously constructed a chimeric precursor (pPGPrA) consisting of an authentic mitochondrial precursor at the N terminus (Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase, pPut) linked, through glutathione S-transferase, to protein A. When pPGPrA is expressed in yeast, it becomes irreversibly arrested during translocation across the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes. Consequently, the two membranes of mitochondria become progressively “zippered” together, forming long stretches in which they are in close contact (Schulke, N., Sepuri, N. B. V., and Pain, D. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.94, 7314–7319). We now demonstrate that trapped PGPrA intermediates hold the import channels stably together and inhibit mitochondrial protein import and cell growth. Using IgG-Sepharose affinity chromatography of solubilized zippered membranes, we have isolated a multisubunit complex that contains all Tom and Tim components known to be essential for import of matrix-targeted proteins, namely Tom40, Tom22, Tim17, Tim23, Tim44, and matrix-localized Hsp70. Further characterization of this complex may shed light on structural features of the complete mitochondrial import machinery.
A table of analytical discrete Fourier transforms

Abstract While most people rely on numerical methods (most notably the fast Fourier transform) for computing discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs), there it is still an occasional need to have analytical DFTs close at hand. Such a table of analytical DFTs is provided in this paper, along with comments and observations, in the belief that it will serve as a useful resource or teaching aid for Fourier practitioners.
Density-Based Distributed Elliptical Anomaly Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks

Data measured and collected by WSNs is often unreliable and a big amount of anomaly data exist. Detecting these anomaly in energy-constrained situations is an important challenge in managing these types of networks. To detect anomalies induced by the decrease of battery power, we use HyCARCE algorithm but it has the problem of low detection rate and high false positive rate when the input space consists of a mixture of dense and sparse regions which make the anomalies form clusters. The paper presents a density-based algorithm to separate the normal cluster from all clusters. The performance of this algorithm is tested on a subset of the data gathered from a real sensor network deployed at the Intel Berkeley Research Laboratory in the USA and this density-based method has a better detection performance than HyCARCE algorithm.
Arithmetic coding algorithm with embedded channel coding

A joint lossless-source and channel coding approach that incorporates error detection and correction capabilities in arithmetic coding is exploited. The encoded binary data representation allows the source decoder to recover the source symbols, even with channel errors. The self-synchronisation property of arithmetic coding, the knowledge of the source statistics, and some added redundancy are used for error detection and correction.
Differential use of distance and location information for spatial localization

Five experiments are reported in which subjects judged the movement or spatial location of a visible object that underwent a combination of real and induced (illusory) motion. When subjects attempted to reproduce the distance that the object moved by moving their unseen hands, they were more affected by the illusion than when they pointed to the object’s perceived final location. Furthermore, pointing to the final location was more affected by the illusion when the hand movement began from the same position as that at which the object initially appeared, as compared with responses that began from other positions. The results suggest that people may separately encode two distinct types of spatial information: (1) information about the distance moved by an object and (2) information about the absolute spatial location of the object. Information about distance is more susceptible to the influence of an induced motion illusion, and people appear to rely differentially on the different types of spatial information,depending on features of the pointing response. The results have important implications for the mechanisms that underlie spatially oriented behavior in general.
Academic Achievement in BYOD Classrooms

Abstract A product of the new STEM democracy is the development of indigenous high-technology capabilities.We maintain when effective mobile learning is incorporated into a receptive learning environment studentachievement will increase. Also, the ubiquitousness of mobile devices prepares students for the STEM focusedglobalized economy because the devices are consistently used for the communication and informational needs ofstudents and teachers inside and outside of learning environments. Mobile learning devices (MLDs) are relativelyaffordable and accessible, and often reinforce difficult learning concepts and a mechanism for collaboration outsideregular school hours. Mobile learning technology levels the learning field, due to the relatively low cost,accessibility in most households, including those that lack laptop or desktop computers and connection to theinternet. Under Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, this study centers on assessing the effectiveness of MLDson the academic achievement of students in 8th and 10th grades. We were interested to understand the effectivenessof BYOD integration in the classroom based on student achievement and student response to determine the extent ofvariance, if any, between those classrooms that use BYOD technology extensively in comparison to those that donot. The study uses previously collected school system data (removing all individual identifiers by the schoolsystem’s curriculum coordinator). This research is significant, since there is a paucity of large scale research toassess the level of student achievement, as expressed through standardized assessments, related to the BYOD policy.
The Impact of Gonadal Steroid Hormone Action on Growth Hormone Secretion During Childhood and Adolescence

I. Introduction PHYSIOLOGIC regulation of GH secretion has been an active subject of investigation recently. In particular, the interaction with, and independent functions of, the sex steroid hormones and GH have been the subjects of a large number of studies, both in the basic sciences and in the clinical arena. Based on the results of multiple clinical studies, it has been observed that GH secretion is amplified in the presence of gonadal steroid hormones. During the course of male and female puberty, either normal, precocious, or pharmacologically induced, spontaneously circulating GH levels increase via an amplitude- modulated phenomenon. Using recently available mathematical modeling techniques, it has been possible to demonstrate that the mechanism of this increase is via sex steroid hormone-induced amplification of endogenous GH production rate, without demonstrable alterations of the frequency of secretory episodes or of hormone half-life. We intend to review what is understood about this relation...
Evaluation and Selection of Biases in Machine Learning

In this introduction, we define the term bias as it is used in machine learning systems. We motivate the importance of automated methods for evaluating and selecting biases using a framework of bias selection as search in bias and meta-bias spaces. Recent research in the field of machine learning bias is summarized.
Effect of P precursor on surface structure and ordering in GaInP

Abstract Surface photo absorption (SPA) is one of the only techniques for characterization of the surface structure during organometallic vapor-phase epitaxial (OMVPE) growth. Since the ordering process leading to the formation of the CuPt structure in III/V alloys occurs completely at the surface during growth, SPA gives valuable information about the ordering process. In this study SPA was used to characterize the surface during OMVPE growth of GaInP at 670°C using several partial pressures of the phosphorus precursor. Results for the two precursors tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) and phosphine were compared in detail. The SPA signal difference at 400 nm, attributed to the [ 1 1 0] P dimers characteristic of the (2×4) reconstructed surface, was found to increase with increasing partial pressure with equal magnitudes, to within experimental error, for PH3 and TBP. The degree of order in the resulting epitaxial layers was also found to increase with increasing partial pressure of the P precursor and to be virtually identical for the two precursors. A surprising difference between the two P precursors relates to the transient in the 400 nm SPA reflectivity when the flow of the P precursor is terminated. For TBP at both 620 and 670°C, the SPA reflectivity transient is rapid. For PH3, the SPA reflectivity transient is delayed for approximately 1 min at 670°C. At 620°C the SPA response is extremely sluggish, with a time constant of approximately 6.5 min. The step structure, measured using atomic force microscopy, is also found to be different for the two P precursors. For PH3 the steps are mainly monolayers and for TBP they are mainly bilayers. Both differences are tentatively attributed to the difference in H coverage of the surface for the two precursors.
Impact of the Clinical Syntax Score on 5-year clinical outcomes after sirolimus-eluting stents implantation

The SYNTAX score stratifies risk among drug-eluting stent-treated patients and is based on lesion characteristics alone. The Clinical SYNTAX Score (CSS) combines the SYNTAX score with age, ejection fraction, and creatinine clearance. We assessed its ability to stratify long-term outcomes in sirolimus-eluting stents (SES)-treated patients. Between August 2004 and March 2005, 249 patients were treated with SES. Clinical follow-up was evaluated at more than 5 years. The CSS was available for 206 patients. More than 5-year clinical follow-up data (mean 2114 ± 107 days) and CSS (range 1–322, mean 35.3 ± 49.9, median 17.5) were available for 201 patients. We divided these scores into tertiles: CSS-LOW ≤ 9.5, 9.5 28. CSS-HIGH was associated with a higher death rate (CSS-LOW 9.0 %, CSS-MID 11.9 %, CSS-HIGH 41.8 %; log-rank p < 0.001) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (CSS-LOW 29.8 %, CSS-MID 35.8 %, CSS-HIGH 61.2 %; log-rank p = 0.004). Independent predictors for death were hemodialysis [hazard ratio (HR) 3.82; p < 0.001], age (HR 1.67; p = 0.003), ejection fraction (HR 0.98, p = 0.012) and CSS (HR 1.73, p = 0.028), and those for MACE were hemodialysis (HR 2.53, p = 0.002) and CSS (HR 1.40, p = 0.028). Areas under the curve for the SYNTAX score and CSS for death were 0.60 and 0.78 (p < 0.001), whereas those for MACE were 0.58 and 0.68 (p < 0.001), respectively. The CSS predicts long-term outcomes among SES-treated patients better than the SYNTAX score.
Establishing a molecular diagnostic laboratory

The most specific marker for all living organisms is the sequence of bases comprising the nucleic acid of their genomes. Development of sensitive methods for distinguishing between nucleic acids with different sequences gave rise first to molecular biology and now to molecular diagnostics. One such method, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), increases the sensitivity of clinical tests used in genetics, oncology and infectious disease from 100 to 100000 times while still maintaining very high specificity [1]. It has enabled physicians to easily identify mutations in the cystic fibrosis (CF) gene and should permit improved diagnosis and management of CF [2]. Presently there is little information concerning establishment of laboratories to perform nucleic acid testing on clinical samples. Figure 1 shows the organizational plan of a university based molecular diagnostics laboratory operated by the author for four years which provides testing in infectious disease and oncology. It illustrates the principle that, for the present, a molecular diagnostics laboratory needs both a clinical component and a research component.
Microchannel Plate Streak Camera

R. LEIPELT * *, S. W. THOMAS, AND J. D. WIEDWALDFUSION EXPERIMENTS PROGRAM, LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY,P.O. Box 5508, L -473, LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA 94550ABSTRACTTHE DEVELOPMENT OF A STREAK CAMERA USING MICROCHANNEL PLATE ELECTRON MULTIPLIER AS THECATHODE IS PRESENTED. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS TO y-RAYS, LOW ENERGY X -RAYS AND CHARGEDPARTICLES ARE DESCRIBED. PRELIMINARY TEST SHOWS THAT 150 PS RESOLUTION CAN BE OBTAINED.INTRODUCTIONWE REPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STREAK CAMERA (SC) USING MICROCHANNEL PLATE ELECTRONMULTIPLIER (MCP) AS THE CATHODE. FIGURE 1 ILLUSTRATES THE CONFIGURATION OF SUCH A
An α-synuclein gene (SNCA) polymorphism moderates the association of PTSD symptomatology with hazardous alcohol use, but not with aggression-related measures.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often precedes comorbid substance use disorder and has been associated with aggression. Prior research has evidenced that alcohol use and other externalizing behaviors share genetic factors with PTSD; however, few studies have examined if specific genes are associated with externalizing behaviors in PTSD. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether an α-synuclein gene polymorphism (SNCA rs356195) moderates the association of PTSD symptomatology with externalizing behaviors. We examined the separate and combined effects of PTSD symptomatology and SNCA rs356195 on alcohol- and aggression-related measures in nonclinical participants (N=138 European Americans; 15 diagnosed with probable PTSD). Probable PTSD status and SNCA were both associated with externalizing measures. SNCA also moderated the association of PTSD symptomatology with hazardous alcohol use, but not with aggression-related measures. Current findings suggest that variations in SNCA may increase the likelihood that PTSD symptomatology results in excessive alcohol use. Language: en
Leaf ultrastructure, carbohydrates and protein of soybeans grown under CO2 enrichment

Abstract Soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv Bragg) grown under 800 μl CO2 per liter showed increases of 37, 205, 108, 33, 22 and 31% in specific leaf weight, starch, sucrose, reducing sugars, chlorophyll and soluble protein, respectively, over control plants at 330 μl CO2 per liter. CO2 enrichment caused an increase in leaf thickness, due to an increased number of palisade cells, but no major alteration in chloroplast ultrastructure. The extra starch formed under CO2 enrichment was distributed as slightly larger starch grains among more and larger chloroplasts and more mesophyll cells, rather than as more starch grains per chloroplast. The Km(CO2) of ribulose biphosphate carboxylase was unchanged by growth at high CO2, similarly there was little effect on the activity of this enzyme. The increase in starch storage sites, together with the maintenance of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase activity, enable soybeans to continue to exhibit high photosynthetic rates throughout the growth period under high CO2 levels.
Modeling of transient and steady-state demixing of oxide solid solutions in an oxygen chemical potential gradient

A numerical technique for predicting the kinetics of demixing of oxide solid solutions in an oxygen chemical potential gradient is presented. The unique advantage of this technique is that it permits handling of transient state conditions, variable diffusion coefficients, and variable boundary conditions. Solutions obtained by this technique agree very well with the steady-state kinetics predicted by analytical methods.
MIMO equalization for helicopter-to-ground communications

Multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) channel models derived from channel sounding experiments conducted at Cairns Army Airfield, Ft. Rucker, AL are used to assess MIMO equalizers based on time-reversal space-time block codes (TR-STBC). For the channels used in this case study, 2 × 1 MIMO equalizer offers an improvement of 0.75 dB to 1.5 dB relative to the ideal informed transmitter using transmit selection diversity. The data also demonstrate that the “best” transmitter-to-receiver antenna combination changes. Consequently, without channel information, the uninformed transmitter has no choice but to use a TR-STBC.
Spliced leader RNA sequences can substitute for the essential 5′ end of U1 RNA during splicing in a mammalian in vitro system

Abstract L. collosoma or C. elegans SL RNA sequences joined to an adenovirus intron and 3′ exon are spliced highly efficiently and accurately in HeLa nuclear extract. After inactivation of U1 snRNPs using RNAase H and a deoxyollgonucleotide complementary to the first 12 nucleotides of U1, splicing of SL RNA-containing constructs continues undiminished, whereas control substrates no longer splice. Since neither binding of U1 snRNPs nor inhibition of splicing is detected using anti-(U1)RNP antibodies, splicing of SL RNA-containing constructs may be entirely U1 snRNP independent. Analyses of altered L. collosoma constructs revealed that the sequence surrounding the 5′ splice site is not sufficient to confer U1-independent splicing; the smallest U1-independent region identified so far retains only the first stem-loop of the SL RNA. That sequences responsible for recognition of the 5′ splice site can be relocated within the splicing substrate itself reinforces the similarity between group II self-splicing and spliceosome-mediated pre-mRNA splicing.
The Dynamic Nature of Cultural Identity Throughout Cultural Transitions: Why Home Is Not So Sweet

This article describes the social psychological process that underlies the cultural transition of sojourners. Herein the empirical and theoretical literature on cultural transitions (and in particular cultural repatriation and the relevant literature on self-concept and identity) is analyzed, critiqued, and synthesized in an attempt to understand the near ubiquitous distress experienced during repatriation. The relation among self-concept, cultural identity, and cultural transitions is explored, and in light of the paucity of comprehensive repatriation models, a new predictive model is proposed that explicates these relations. Shifts in cultural identity are classified as subtractive, additive, affirmative, or intercultural, and research directions are suggested.
Electrical anharmonicity in vibrating systems containing mechanical anharmonicity due to the relaxation of the molecular electronic charge distribution

Abstract The contributions of the relaxation of the molecular electronic charge distribution on vibration to the first and second molecular dipole moment derivatives with respect to a vibration coordinate are calculated.