cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cobalamin level is related to self-reported and clinically rated mood and to syndromal depression in bereaved HIV-1(+) and HIV-1(-) homosexual men.

Abstract Objective: An examination of the relationship of plasma cobalamin (vitamin B 12 ) level to overall psychological distress, specific mood states, and major depressive disorder was conducted in 159 bereaved men (90 HIV-1 + and 69 HIV-1 − ). Methods: The relationship of a continuous measure of cobalamin level to psychological distress was examined, while controlling for HIV-1 serostatus, life stressors, social support, and coping styles. Results: Of this sample, 23.9% were either overtly or marginally cobalamin deficient; however, the deficiency rate was not significantly different by HIV-1 serostatus. Cobalamin level was inversely related to self-reported overall distress level and specifically to depression, anxiety, and confusion subscale scores, as well as to clinically rated depressed and anxious mood. Lower plasma cobalamin levels also were associated with the presence of symptoms consistent with major depressive disorder. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cobalamin level may be physiologically related to depressed and anxious mood level, as well as to syndromal depression.
Studies of a high frequency hysteresis phenomenon in ZnS:Mn actfel devices

Abstract A high frequency hysteresis in brightness has been discovered in all ZnS:Mn devices with suitable insulator layers regardless of Mn concentration. This phenomenon can be explained by the interface electron source model along with the relaxation process of electrons. It is estimated from the critical frequency that within the polarization field the relaxation time of trapped electrons at the I-S interface is on the order of 10-4 second.
Can Multivalency Be Expressed Kinetically? The Answer Is Yes

Inspired by the concept of multivalency and in pursuit of ever more intricate artificial molecular machines, we investigated the strict self-assembly of a triply threaded two-component superbundle, starting from a tritopic receptor in which three benzo[24]crown-8 macrorings are fused onto a triphenylene core and a trifurcated trication wherein three bipyridinium units are linked 1,3,5 to a central benzenoid core. The result of the investigation was quite unexpected and surprising. It transpired that the rapid formation of a doubly threaded two-component complex was followed by an extremely slow conversion (a week at 253 K in CD3COCD3 to reach equilibrium) of this kinetically controlled product into a thermodynamically controlled one, namely a triply threaded two-component superbundle. This intriguing observation begs the question: are there instances in nature where multivalency is expressed as a kinetically controlled process, prior to an equilibrium state being reached, and if so, what are the biologic...
Environmental Justice at School: Understanding Research, Policy, and Practice to Improve Our Children's Health

BACKGROUND: No overarching federal agencies or policies are responsible for ensuring environmental health at schools in the United States, potentially allowing many inequities for low-income and minority communities to persist. This article examines emergent research, policy, and practice-based efforts that may be used to identify and address environmental justice at school. METHODS: A brief literature review was conducted to understand (1) major mental, behavioral, and physical outcomes associated with environmental risk for school-aged children and (2) current research methods for assessing these relationships. Documents prepared by government agencies, school districts, and advocacy groups were also collected and synthesized to improve understanding of the state of planning and policies for maintaining or improving school environments. RESULTS: Environmental risk can manifest in diverse ways such as mold, poor air quality, poor community design, or contaminated playgrounds. Deeply rooted in national and state structures of school funding and planning, such risks can lead to outcomes including respiratory illness, poor performance in school, and reduced levels of physical activity. With growing attention to these concerns, methods for measuring environmental risks and underlying disparities have advanced tremendously in the last few decades, yet development of innovative research approaches may be necessary to further advance and evaluate appropriate interventions.
Skin Responses to Ultraviolet Radiation: Effects of Constitutive Pigmentation, Sex, and Ancestry

Constitutive skin pigmentation and skin responses to ultraviolet radiation were measured on a sample of volunteers (n=250) living in State College, PA, USA. The sample was composed of individuals of European American (n=190), Hispanic (n=45), and East Asian ancestry (n=15). Constitutive pigmentation was measured using the Adjusted Melanin Index (AMI), Erythemal Dose Response (EDR) was measured using the slope of a* at 24 h (Deltaa*), and Melanogenic Dose-Response (MDR) was measured using DeltaAM, the slope of AMI at 7 d. The relationships between constitutive skin pigmentation, EDR, MDR, sex, age, and ancestry were investigated. European Americans showed a lower constitutive pigmentation, had a significantly higher burn response (EDR), and had a significantly lower tanning response (MDR) than Hispanics and East Asians. No significant difference is seen between Hispanics and East Asians for either constitutive pigmentation or EDR. Constitutive pigmentation in females was slightly lower than in males in all three samples, but the difference was not significant. While no differences were observed in MDR between sexes, males had a stronger EDR than females regardless of population or constitutive pigmentation level, and this difference was significant in European Americans and Hispanics. We observed no age-related differences in any of the populations or measures investigated. We evaluated the relationship between constitutive pigmentation, EDR and MDR. There was a strong inverse correlation between constitutive pigmentation and EDR in the three samples (European Americans, R2=0.176, P < 0.001; Hispanics, R2=0.204, P=0.009; East Asians, R2=0.223, P=0.098) and a strong direct correlation between constitutive pigmentation and MDR in European Americans and Hispanics (European Americans, R2=0.094, P < 0.001; Hispanics, R2=0.164, P=0.012). In other words, persons with lower constitutive pigmentation both burn more and tan less than persons with higher pigmentation. However, after controlling for constitutive pigmentation, EDR and MDR were significantly correlated in European Americans (R2=0.041 P=0.006). Thus, the general observation that persons who burn more tan less is probable because of the common link that these two phenotypes have with constitutive skin pigmentation and, in fact, once pigmentation has been adjusted for, there is a positive correlation between tanning response and burning response in European Americans.
A novel therapeutic combination for neuroblastoma: the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor/epidermal growth factor receptor/rearranged during transfection inhibitor vandetanib with 13-cis-retinoic acid.

BACKGROUND: High-risk cases of neuroblastoma have poor survival rates, and novel therapies are needed. Vandetanib (ZD6474, Zactima) is an inhibitor of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, and rearranged during transfection (RET) tyrosine kinases, which have each been implicated in neuroblastoma pathogenesis. The authors hypothesized that vandetanib combined with 13-cis-retinoic acid (CRA), a differentiating agent used in most current neuroblastoma treatment regimens, would be effective against neuroblastoma tumor models. METHODS: The authors evaluated the effects of vandetanib with and without CRA on RET phosphorylation and on the proliferation and survival of human neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro. Using a subcutaneous mouse xenograft model of human neuroblastoma, they analyzed tumors treated with CRA, vandetanib, and the combination of vandetanib plus CRA for growth, gross and histologic appearance, vascularity, and apoptosis. RESULTS: Vandetanib treatment inhibited RET phosphorylation and resulted in induction of apoptosis in the majority of neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro, whereas CRA treatment induced morphologic differentiation and cell-cycle arrest. Treatment with vandetanib plus CRA resulted in more significant reduction in neuroblastoma cell viability than either alone. In a mouse xenograft model, the combination of vandetanib with CRA demonstrated significantly more growth inhibition than either alone, via both reduction in tumor vascularity and induction of apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: Vandetanib induces neuroblastoma tumor cell death in vitro and reduces tumor growth and vascularity in vivo. The combination of vandetanib with CRA was more effective in reducing tumor growth than either treatment alone. The antitumor effects of vandetanib plus CRA suggest a novel combination for use in neuroblastoma patients. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Selective modulation of desensitization at AMPA versus kainate receptors by cyclothiazide and concanavalin A

Abstract Potentiation by cyclothiazide of recombinant glutamate receptor responses in Xenopus oocytes showed absolute selectivity for AMPA versus kainate receptors. In contrast, concanavalin A strongly potentiated responses at kainate but not AMPA receptors. Rapid desensitization in HEK 293 cells transfected with AMPA receptors was blocked by cyclothiazide, but only weakly attenuated by concanavalin A. Desensitization at kainate receptors was blocked by concanavalin A but unaffected by cyclothiazide. Selective effects of these modulators following coexpression of subunits from different families suggest independent assembly of functional AMPA and kainate receptors. Northern blot analysis of mRNA for dorsal root ganglia revealed a predominant expression of GIuR5, indicating that modulation of desensitization by concanavalin A but not cyclothiazide in sensory neurons accurately predicts subunit expression for native glutamate receptors.
Land use and organic carbon content of some subtropical soils

The assumption that the organic matter content of tropical forest soils is oxidized to atmospheric carbon dioxide when these soils are converted to agricultural use was tested using results of soil surveys in Puerto Rico (1940's, 1960's, and 1980's). Results showed that under intensive agricultural use, soil carbon in the top 18 cm of soil was about 30–37 Mg/ha, regardless of climatic conditions. Reduced intensity of agricultural use resulted in an increase of soil carbon in the order of 0.3–0.5 Mg.ha−1. yr−1 over a 40-yr period. Rates of soil carbon accumulation were inversely related to the sand content of soils. The relation between rates of soil carbon accumulation and climate or soil texture were better defined at higher soil carbon content. Soils under pasture accumulated soil carbon and often contained similar or greater amounts than adjacent mature forest soils (60–150 Mg/ha in the top 25 or 50 cm). Soils in moist climates exhibited greater variations in soil carbon content with changes in land use (both in terms of loss and recovery) than did soils in dry climates. However, in all life zones studied, the recovery of soil carbon after abandonment of agriculture was faster than generally assumed. Low carbon-to-nitrogen ratios suggested that intensively used soils may be stable in their nutrient retention capacity. The observed resiliency of these soils suggested that their role as atmospheric carbon sources has been overestimated, while their potential role as atmospheric carbon sinks has been underestimated.
Perceived Adverse Effects of Antiretroviral Therapy

Adverse effects from antiretroviral therapy (ARV) for HIV are associated with medication nonadherence. The purposes of this study were to explore group differences in the reporting of adverse effects, identify individual adverse effects that are linked to nonadherence, and to explore the role of coping in the relationship between adverse effects and adherence. Cross-sectional interviews of 2,765 HIV-positive adults on ARV therapies in four U.S. cities were performed using a computerized assessment of self-reported adverse effects, coping self-efficacy, and adherence. There were no gender differences in the rate or severity of adverse effects reported. Latino respondents reported more adverse effects than either White or African Americans. Those taking a protease inhibitor (PI) reported a higher rate and greater severity of adverse effects. Older participants reported fewer adverse effects despite being more likely to be on a regimen containing a PI. Respondents with less than 90% adherence reported greater numbers and severity of adverse effects overall. In multivariate analyses, nausea, skin problems, vomiting, and memory adverse effects were independently related to less than 90% adherence over the prior three days. Coping moderated the relationship between nausea and adherence such that individuals who reported lower coping self-efficacy and experienced nausea were at increased risk for nonadherence, regardless of the length of time on the current ARV regimen. Women and men are similar in their overall reports of adverse effects, and Latinos report more adverse effects to ARVs than White or African American patients. Specific adverse effects (skin problems, memory problems, vomiting, and nausea) are more likely than others to be associated with missing ARV medications. Increasing adaptive coping self-efficacy among patients experiencing nausea may be a particularly effective strategy in increasing medication adherence.
Spread spectrum communication system with chaotic frequency modulation

A new spread spectrum communication system utilizing chaotic frequency modulation of sinusoidal signals is discussed. A single phase lock loop (PLL) system in the receiver is used both to synchronize the local chaotic oscillator and to recover the information signal. We study the dynamics of the synchronization process, stability of the PLL system, and evaluate the bit-error-rate performance of this chaos-based communication system.
Cell biology and its relationship to reproductive endocrinology

I feel very honored by this invitation to deliver the Joseph Price Oration and approach my task with some trepidation, since I believe that this is the most distinguished group I have addressed on this topic. Although my field is cell biology, I come from what was once an anatomy department. Thirty years ago most medical schools considered their anatomy departments to be slightly dull places, performing a necessary service function in the first year of the curriculum. However, the last decade or so has led to dramatic changes, not only in name-with cell biology included frequently in the place of honor-but also in the number of people working enthusiastically at night and on weekends, as well as in the department’s contribution to the research budget of the medical school. Suddenly these departments (or perhaps more accurately, some of them) have become lively places, where young investigators enjoy themselves in an atmosphere of excitement. What is cell biology, and perhaps more importantly, what can it or should it be doing for our academic colleagues in the clinical departments? To try to answer this, I would like you to accompany me in a brief journey first through history and then through the cell.
Dead end jobs or a path to economic well being? The consequences of non-standard work among people with disabilities.

How do non-standard jobs affect the economic well-being of workers with disabilities, and what happens when non-standard workers use disability lawsuits to challenge discrimination and improve their economic opportunities? This study uses data from the Current Population Survey, the Survey of Income and Program Participation, and a Lexis search of legal cases to help answer these questions. Temporary employment, independent contracting, and part-time employment are almost twice as likely among workers with disabilities as among those without disabilities. Non-standard workers with disabilities receive lower pay and fewer benefits due both to the types of job they hold, and disability gaps within job types, which contribute to their high poverty rates. They would continue to have high poverty rates even if these pay gaps were eliminated, however, because they work fewer hours than non-standard workers without disabilities and are concentrated in lower-paying occupations. In attempting to improve their opportunities through disability lawsuits, non-standard workers prevail in only a small minority of cases. Several policy implications of the lawsuits and survey data are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High-Resolution Video Tracking of Locomotion in Adult Drosophila Melanogaster

Flies provide an important model for studying complex behavior due to the plethora of genetic tools available to researchers in this field. Studying locomotor behavior in Drosophila melanogaster relies on the ability to be able to quantify changes in motion during or in response to a given task. For this reason, a high-resolution video tracking system, such as the one we describe in this paper, is a valuable tool for measuring locomotion in real-time. Our protocol involves the use of an initial air pulse to break the flies momentum, followed by a thirty second filming period in a square chamber. A tracking program is then used to calculate the instantaneous speed of each fly within the chamber in 10 msec increments. Analysis software then compiles this data, and outputs a variety of parameters such as average speed, max speed, time spent in motion, acceleration, etc. This protocol will discuss proper feeding and management of flies for behavioral tasks, handling flies without anesthetization or immobilization, setting up a controlled environment, and running the assay from start to finish.
Report upon the organization of the Department of Geophysics at the Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado

In 1922, geophysical methods were used for the first time in the United States as an aid to detect mineral deposits, especially oil-bearing structures, which could not be found by geological investigations alone. The first instrument employed for that purpose was the Eoetvoes torsion balance; shortly after, seismic investigations were started, and recently magnetic and electric methods have been taken up. Thus far, the mining industry has used geophysical methods comparatively little. Magnetometers have been applied sometimes in search for iron ores in our northern states; for other ore deposits the electrical methods have been employed; extensively, however, only in Canada.
Association of poor glycemic control with prolonged hospital stay in patients with diabetes admitted with exacerbation of congestive heart failure.

Objective: To establish a relationship between the control of blood glucose levels and the severity of congestive heart failure (CHF) in a retrospective review of medical records of patients with d...
Symbiosis of nurse and machine through fuzzy logic: improved specificity of a new neonatal pulse oximeter alarm

Non-invasive pulse oximeters are used by nurses to monitor oxygenation in $>$600 NICU's in the USA for $>$80% of mechanically ventilated infants. Motion causes false alarms up to 29% of the time, resulting in poor specificity. I developed a fuzzy logic computer prototype alarm system using fuzzy sets of desaturation, within limits, and artifact. The purpose of this study was to compare the new (NEW) vs. conventional (OLD) alarm systems to test the hypothesis that a neonatal pulse oximeter alarm system based on fuzzy logic will have equivalent sensitivity and improved specificity vs. the OLD alarm system. Thirty-eight infants were enrolled with a mean (range) study weight of 1495g (470-3390). Oxygen saturation signals (Nellcor N200) were collected for 1 hour per infant on a strip chart recorder and saved on a computer. Reference (REF) signals were simultaneously recorded from a second pulse oximeter and transcutaneous O$\sb2$ monitor. If an alarm persisted, each 30 second interval was considered a separate event. The NEW vs. OLD alarms were compared to the REF for 919 alarm events. There were 451 new alarm events, with a mean of 12.1 (range 1-36) new events per subject, and the others were persistent alarms. Oxygen desaturation was defined as transcutaneous $\rm PO\sb2<40$ torr and $\rm SaO\sb2$ $<$ 85% for the REF. (UNFORMATTED TABLE OR EQUATION FOLLOWS)$$\vbox{\halign{#\hfil&&\quad#\hfil\cr &&&&Oxygen&No Oxygen\cr &&&&$\underline{\rm Desaturation}$&$\underline{\rm Desaturation}$\cr&OLD&Desat Alarm&&197&508\cr &&Pulse Search&&\ \ 2&212\cr &NEW&Desat Alarm&&199&333\cr &&Within Limits&&\ \ 0&129\cr &&Artifact Alarm&&\ \ 0&258\cr &&$\underline{\rm Sensitivity}$&$\underline{\rm Specificity}$&$\underline {\rm Pos.Pred.Value}$&$\underline{\rm Neg.Pred.Value}$\cr &NEW&1.0&0.54&0.37&1.0\cr}}$$(TABLE/EQUATION ENDS) The NEW alarm system had 34% fewer false positive alarms (p $<$.001). The NEW fuzzy logic alarm system has equivalent sensitivity and improved specificity vs. the OLD alarm system. When used to monitor oxygenation in infants, this system with fewer false alarms may decrease the "Cry Wolf Syndrome", and represents a symbiosis between nurse and machine.
Cyclodextrin-enhanced in situ flushing of multiple-component immiscible organic liquid contamination at the field scale: Analysis of dissolution behavior

There is great interest in the potential use of solubility-enhancing agents for subsurface remediation of non-aqueous-phase organic liquid (NAPL) contamination. Cyclodextrin was demonstrated to be effective for NAPL removal during a recent pilot-scale field study. The study provides an opportunity to investigate the mechanisms controlling mass transfer between a multicomponent NAPL and an enhanced-flushing agent solution at the field scale. A relationship is developed to describe enhanced dissolution of a multiple-component NAPL and is used to analyze the field data. While NAPL dissolution behavior was generally complex during the cyclodextrin flush, the initial peak and final effluent concentrations for most of the target contaminants were within a factor of 2 of the equilibrium values predicted using the ideal enhanced-dissolution theory. This suggests that the dissolution of the multicomponent NAPL during the cyclodextrin flush may be approximately treated, at least for practical purposes, as an ideal,...
Age and sex effects levels of choline compounds in the anterior cingulate cortex of adolescent methamphetamine users

Abstract Background Methamphetamine can be neurotoxic to the adult brain; however, many individuals first use methamphetamine during adolescence, and the drug's impact on this period of brain development is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated young methamphetamine users for possible abnormalities in brain metabolite concentrations. Methods Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), frontal white matter (FWM), basal ganglia, and thalamus were studied with localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in 54 periadolescent (ages 13–23 years) methamphetamine users and 53 comparison subjects. The concentrations of major brain metabolites and their associations with age, sex and cognition were assessed. Results FWM total-creatine correlated with age in methamphetamine-using males and comparison females, but not comparison males or methamphetamine-using females, leading to a drug by sex by age interaction (p = 0.003) and ACC choline-containing compounds (CHO) correlated with age only in comparison males leading to a drug by sex by age interaction (p = 0.03). Higher ACC CHO was associated with faster performance on the Stroop Interference task in the control males. Male methamphetamine users had slowest performance on the Stroop Interference task and did not show age-appropriate levels of ACC CHO. Conclusions The altered age-appropriate levels of ACC CHO and poorer executive function in male methamphetamine users suggest methamphetamine abuse may interfere with brain maturation. These periadolescents did not have the abnormal neuronal markers previously reported in adult methamphetamine users, suggesting that neuronal abnormalities may be the result of long-term use or interference in normal cortical maturation, emphasizing the need for early intervention for young methamphetamine users.
Light extinction method on high-pressure diesel injection

A two dimensional optical diagnostic technique based on light extinction was improved and demonstrated in an investigation of diesel spray characteristics at high injection pressures. Traditional light extinction methods require the spray image to be perpendicular to the light path. In the improved light extinction scheme, a tilted spray image which has an angle with the light path is still capable of being processed. This technique utilizes high speed photography and digital image analysis to obtain qualitative and quantitative information of the spray characteristics. The injection system used was an electronically controlled common rail unit injector system with injection pressures up to 100 MPa. The nozzle of the injector was a mini-sac type with six holes on the nozzle tip. Two different injection angle nozzles, 125 degree(s) and 140 degree(s), producing an in-plane tilted spray and an out of plane tilted spray were investigated. The experiments were conducted on a constant volume spray chamber with the injector mounted tilted at an angle of 62.5 degree(s)$. Only one spray plume was viewed, and other sprays were free to inject to the chamber. The spray chamber was pressurized with argon and air under room temperature to match the combustion chamber density at the start of the injection. The experimental results show that the difference in the spray tip penetration length, spray angle, and overall average Sauter mean diameter is small between the in- plane tilted spray and the out of plane tilted spray. The results also show that in-plane tilted spray has a slightly larger axial cross- section Sauter mean diameter than the out of plane tilted spray.
The effect of recycling on the time-dependent behavior of polycarbonate reinforced with short glass fibers

Abstract Observations are reported on virgin, recycled and a mixture of virgin and recycled polycarbonates reinforced with various amounts of short glass fibers (1) in tensile tests with a constant strain rate and (2) in oscillatory torsion tests at room temperature. A constitutive model is developed for the viscoelastic and viscoplastic behavior of a polymer composite with a glassy matrix. The composite is treated as an equivalent ensemble of meso-regions linked with each other. With reference to the theory of cooperative relaxation, the viscoelastic response is attributed to rearrangement of meso-domains. The viscoplastic behavior reflects sliding of meso-regions with respect to each other. The rate of sliding is proportional to the rate of macro-deformation. Constitutive equations for isothermal three-dimensional deformation with small strains are derived by using the laws of thermodynamics. The stress–strain relations are determined by five adjustable parameters that are found by fitting the experimental data. The study concentrates on the effects of filler content and recycling of the host matrix on the mechanical properties of composites.
FoxO3 Transcription Factor and Sirt6 Deacetylase Regulate Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol Homeostasis via Control of the Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (Pcsk9) Gene Expression

Elevated LDL-cholesterol is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Thus, proper control of LDL-cholesterol homeostasis is critical for organismal health. Genetic analysis has identified PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) as a crucial gene in the regulation of LDL-cholesterol via control of LDL receptor degradation. Although biochemical characteristics and clinical implications of PCSK9 have been extensively investigated, epigenetic regulation of this gene is largely unknown. In this work we have discovered that Sirt6, an NAD(+)-dependent histone deacetylase, plays a critical role in the regulation of the Pcsk9 gene expression in mice. Hepatic Sirt6 deficiency leads to elevated Pcsk9 gene expression and LDL-cholesterol as well. Mechanistically, we have demonstrated that Sirt6 can be recruited by forkhead transcription factor FoxO3 to the proximal promoter region of the Pcsk9 gene and deacetylates histone H3 at lysines 9 and 56, thereby suppressing the gene expression. Also remarkably, overexpression of Sirt6 in high fat diet-fed mice lowers LDL-cholesterol. Overall, our data suggest that FoxO3 and Sirt6, two longevity genes, can reduce LDL-cholesterol levels through regulation of the Pcsk9 gene.
Developmental Stability of Broiler Embryos in Relation to Length of Egg Storage Prior to Incubation

The effects of storage of eggs for 0, 2, 8, 14, or 18 days prior to incubation, as measured by growth and developmental homeostasis of bilateral traits, were studied in broiler embryos. Data were obtained on hatchability, and for 10 embryos from eggs selected at random at 10, 14, and 18 days of incubation and at hatch from each storage period. Skeletal traits included lengths of left and right face, wing, tibia, femur, and shank as well as weights of the heart and left and right lungs. Eggs stored for 14 and 18 days had poorer hatchability than those stored for 0 and 2 days, with the 8-day storage group intermediate. There was a trend (P=0.08) for reduced lung weights of embryos from eggs stored for 18 days before incubation, whereas length of storage had no effect on heart weights. Femur and tibia lengths were affected by length of preincubation storage. Lengths of femur, tibia and shank differed among embryonic ages demonstrating that these bones grow at different rates during incubation. Polynomial equations are provided for size of traits. Developmental asymmetry of bilateral traits was influenced by length of preincubation storage and embryonic age. Relative asymmetry declined steadily from 10 days of incubation towards time of hatch.
Use of a Silicone Dual-Lumen Catheter With a Dacron Cuff as a Long-Term Vascular Access for Hemodialysis Patients

We evaluated our experience over a 4-year period with a silicone dual-lumen catheter with a Dacron cuff (SDLCDC) to determine if the catheter represents an alternative to the polytetrafluoroethylene graft for long-term vascular access for hemodialysis patients. Records of 131 patients who used 168 catheters were reviewed for catheter function, duration of use, and occurrence and response to treatment of complications. Eighty-five percent of catheters functioned adequately until their use was no longer required or the end of the study. One-year catheter survival estimate was 65% and median survival estimate was 18.5 months. Mean blood flow rate achieved was 243 mL/min and recirculation was 7.5%. Exit-site infection occurred in 21% of patients and bacteremia in 12%. There were significantly more exit-site infections in diabetics than nondiabetics (33% v 11 %, P
Decreasing trophic efficiency in cool‐water aquaculture ponds: size‐selective predation removes large prey

Maximizing young-of-year (YOY) fish production in an aquaculture setting depends on matching predatory demand with prey availability. With a size-selective YOY fish species (saugeye: Sander vitreus Mitchell females ×S. canadense Griffith & Smith males) supplied with natural zooplankton prey (Bosmina sp. Baird), selective removal of larger individuals may decrease prey fecundity. However, increased nutrient fertilization may also ameliorate the top-down effects of fish predation. We tested these interactions in outdoor earthen production ponds (ca. 4000 m2; n=12) by measuring Bosmina sp. size at first reproduction (SFR), maximum size (MAX) and neonate size (NEO) in ponds that varied in YOY saugeye densities (18–50 saugeye m−3) and also differed in phosphorus maintenance levels (either 20 or 30 μg PO4-P L−1). We found that SFR decreased by 8% [from 0.298 mm±0.007 (mean±1 SE) to 0.275 mm±0.005], MAX decreased by 11% (from 0.367 mm±0.009 to 0.328 mm±0.009) and NEO decreased by 5% (0.198 mm±0.004 to 0.189 mm±0.003) over the range of saugeye densities, and that SFR increased by 4% (from 0.279 mm±0.004 to 0.290 mm±0.003) and MAX increased by 3% (from 0.336 mm±0.004 to 0.347±0.004) with increased fertilization. Further, prey offspring lengths strongly related to mother lengths and lengths differed from early to late in the production season. These results indicate that multiple factors affect prey sizes and emphasize that the removal of large prey individuals by size-selective YOY predators may decrease trophic efficiency, ultimately decreasing fish production.
Complex allotypes of rat κ chains are encoded by structural alleles

The problem of the evolution and inheritance of gene loci polymorphic for alleles with extensively differing sequences has been raised by the finding that the rat immunoglobulin κ-chain allotypes, RI-1a and RI-1b, which segregate as co-dominant alleles1–5, differ at 11 out of 107 amino acid positions6. It has been proposed that such ‘complex allotypes’ may represent the products of duplicated genes, analogous to immunoglobulin isotypes, which are subject to allelic regulation (see ref. 7 for a review). The present study was designed to determine the number and identity of the genes for κ-chain allotypes in the genome of inbred laboratory rats; if these allotypes represent duplicated genes it should be possible to identify the RI-1a structural gene in an inbred strain which only expresses the RI-1b allotype, or vice versa. Thus a gene corresponding to the RI-1b constant region of the κ light chain (Cκ) was cloned from LOUVAIN (LOU) rat liver DNA, and then used as a hybridization probe to analyse liver DNA from LEW (RI-1b) and DA (RI-1a) strains of rat8. The results reported here indicate that the genome of each inbred strain contains a Cκ gene of only the appropriate RI-1 type. Therefore the complex RI-1 allotypes in the rat cannot be explained by duplicated genes but by an unusual evolutionary history.
A performance comparison of lithium, helium, and flibe cooled tube/header fusion blankets

The objective of this study is to provide a comparison of thermal-hydraulic and structural performance of lithium, helium, and flibe cooled fusion blankets based on a tube/header geometry in a liquid lithium breeder. Type 316 stainless steel and TZM are considered as representative near-term and long-term, high temperature blanket structural materials, respectively, to show the potentials of each coolant. The flibe-TZM system has the best characteristics, while lithium-316SS, helium-316SS, and helium-TZM are comparable but definitely more limited in operating conditions. These results suggest that molten salt-refractory metal systems deserve more attention.
Exploratory tests on fiber-reinforced plates with circular holes under tension.

Tensile tests on fiber reinforced plates with circular holes, studying fiber orientation effects
Summarization of complex software artifacts

Program understanding is necessary for most software engineering tasks. Internal and external documentation help during this process. Unfortunately, this documentation is often missing or outdated. An alternative to solve this situation is automatically summarizing software artifacts. In the case of source code, a few approaches have been proposed to generate natural language descriptions of fine-grained elements of the code. This research focuses on the automatic generation of generic natural language summaries of complex code artifacts, such as, classes and change sets. In addition, these generic summaries will be adapted to support specific maintenance tasks.
A study of heat sink performance in air and soil for use in a thermoelectric energy harvesting device

A suggested application of a thermoelectric generator is to exploit the natural temperature difference between the air and the soil to generate small amounts of electrical energy. Since the conversion efficiency of even the best thermoelectric generators available is very low, the performance of the heat sinks providing the heat flow is critical. By providing a constant heat input to various heat sinks, field tests of their thermal conductances in soil and in air were performed. A prototype device without a thermoelectric generator was constructed, buried, and monitored to experimentally measure the heat flow achievable in such a system. Theoretical considerations for design and selection of improved heat sinks are also presented. In particular, the method of shape factor analysis is used to give rough estimates and upper bounds for the thermal conductance of a passive heat sink buried in soil.
adj-Dicarbachlorin, the first free base carbaporphyrinoid system with an internal methylene unit

Base-catalyzed condensation of dicyclopentadienylmethane with a dipyrrylmethane dialdehyde gave a dicarbachlorin with an internal CH2 group. This unusual porphyrinoid retained highly diatropic characteristics and exhibited a porphyrin-like UV-vis spectrum.
A Review of: “Trischa Goodnow (Ed.). The Daily Show and Rhetoric: Arguments, Issues and Strategies.”

In his classic Communication and Social Order (Oxford, 1968), Hugh Dalziel Duncan noted that “in great comedy we glory in our reason and in our dignity as human beings” (p. 406). Comedy gives us in...
DELINQUENT PEER INFLUENCE ON OFFENDING VERSATILITY: CAN PEERS PROMOTE SPECIALIZED DELINQUENCY?

The consistent and robust relationship between peers and frequency of offending is often cited as evidence that friends play an important role in adolescent behavioral tendencies. But Warr (2002) has argued that the empirical support for peer perspectives remains equivocal in part because research has not demonstrated that individuals and their peers display similarities in the qualitative form of their delinquent behavior (i.e., the tendency to specialize in delinquent acts). By using data from the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) evaluation (N = 1,390) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (AddHealth) (N = 1,848), this study seeks to fill this void in the literature by examining whether having friends who display specialization in specific delinquent acts relative to other offense types predicts an individual's own tendency to display specializing in those same crime types. Consistent with peer influence perspectives, the results of multilevel latent-trait models (Osgood and Schreck, 2007) suggest that individuals who associate with friends who demonstrate specialization in violence, theft, and substance use are more likely to display greater levels of specialization in those offense types themselves.
Ion exchange separation of gram quantities of americium from a kilogram of lanthanum

The separation of 4.5 g. of americium from approximately a kilogram of light rare earths (primarily lanthanum) was achieved on a pilot plant scale by chromatographic displacement of the mixture from Dowex-50 resin with 0.1% ammonium citrate at pH 8 into hydrogen-form Dowex-50. The americium collected into a narrow band and was eluted free from lanthanum but contained an equal weight of cerium. A 6- and a 2-in.-diam. column were used in tandem. Use of a final column with a much smaller diameter would have permitted a cleaner separation from cerium, but this was left for a laboratory-scale separation by a different process. Precipitation, which was observed in the columns during the first runs, was later avoided entriely by use of high flow rates both initially and during the transfer between columns. No adverse effects were noted from ∼15 curies of alpha activity.
Low Density Parity Check Codes over Wireless Relay Channels

We exploit the capacity approaching capability of low density parity check (LDPC) codes to design coding schemes for relay channels. We consider the classical relay channel model, and the use of both full-duplex relays and half-duplex ones. In addition to the design of practical coding schemes and the development of the appropriate receiver structures, we also exploit the use of average mutual information to characterize the convergence behavior of the proposed systems. Using the convergence predictions and the simulation results, we demonstrate that the proposed LDPC coded relay systems, in particular, with irregular LDPC codes, have the capability to approach the ergodic/outage information rates very closely. This is true for both ergodic fading channels where the Shannon type (constrained, i.e., modulation specific) capacity is considered, and non-ergodic fading channels where the outage capacity provides the appropriate limits of reliable communication. For the (time-division) half-duplex relay schemes, we also discuss the optimization of the time-division parameters, and the bit allocation strategies to improve the system performance further.
Nylon 6,6 Fiber Tensile Properties as a Function of Morphology

Nylon 6,6 amorphous and crystalline orientation and content data are reported herein for a fiber series produced by varying the degree of stretch in conventional spinning and drawing operations. Tensile elongation and tenacity are correlated exponentially with the amorphous orientation function. Crystalline orientation values were observed to be consistently high, varying only slightly with significant tensile property changes. In addition, crystalline and amorphous contents varied by no more than 12% and did not consistently correlate with tensile properties. Extrapolation of the tensile property/amorphous orientation correlations to perfect amorphous chain orientation in the fiber direction implies that, in principle, a nylon 6,6 fiber having 20 gpd (1765 kN.m/kg) tenacity and 5.4% elongation is attainable.
Evaluation of different iron sources and their influence in biofilm formation by the dental pathogen Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, a pathogen associated with oral and extra-oral infections, requires iron to grow under limiting conditions. Although incapable of producing siderophores, this pathogen could acquire iron by direct interaction with compounds such as haemin, haemoglobin, lactoferrin and transferrin. In this work the ability of different A. actinomycetemcomitans strains to bind and use different iron sources was tested. None of the strains tested used haemoglobin, lactoferrin or transferrin as sole sources of iron. However, all of them used FeCl3 and haemin as iron sources under chelated conditions. Dot-blot binding assays showed that all strains bind lactoferrin, haemoglobin and haemin, but not transferrin. Insertion inactivation of hmsF, which encodes a predicted cell-envelope protein related to haemin-storage proteins produced by other pathogens, reduced haemin and Congo red binding drastically without affecting haemin utilization as an iron source under chelated conditions. Biofilm assays showed that all strains tested attached to and formed biofilms on plastic under iron-rich and iron-chelated conditions. However, scanning electron microscopy showed that smooth strains formed simpler biofilms than rough isolates. Furthermore, the incubation of rough cells in the presence of FeCl3 or haemin resulted in the formation of more aggregates and microcolonies compared with the fewer cell aggregates formed when cells were grown in the presence of the synthetic iron chelator dipyridyl. These cell responses to changes in extracellular iron concentrations may reflect those that this pathogen expresses under the conditions it encounters in the human oral cavity.
Rays—New representation for polygons and polyhedra

Abstract A new data structure for storing polygons and polyhedra is presented. It can handle general cases with multiple disconnected components and nested holes with islands to an arbitrary depth. The advantage of this method is that, as in constructive solid geometry, it can support Boolean operations such as union and intersection on nested hierarchical objects. However, unlike CSG, properties such as area, perimeter, and moment of inertia can also be determined exactly. They can be determined by making one sequential pass through the object (which can be on secondary storage), calculating a scalar function of each ray, and adding the numbers. It is never necessary to determine either the global connectivity or the edges themselves. For polygons, the data structure is a set of semiinfinite rays where each ray also has an associated value, either + or −. Each edge of the polygon is represented by two rays, although these two rays are nowhere tagged as belonging to the same edge, but are interspersed with all the other rays.
A circadian gene expression atlas in mammals: Implications for biology and medicine

To characterize the role of the circadian clock in mouse physiology and behavior, we used RNA-seq and DNA arrays to quantify the transcriptomes of 12 mouse organs over time. We found 43% of all protein coding genes showed circadian rhythms in transcription somewhere in the body, largely in an organ-specific manner. In most organs, we noticed the expression of many oscillating genes peaked during transcriptional “rush hours” preceding dawn and dusk. Looking at the genomic landscape of rhythmic genes, we saw that they clustered together, were longer, and had more spliceforms than nonoscillating genes. Systems-level analysis revealed intricate rhythmic orchestration of gene pathways throughout the body. We also found oscillations in the expression of more than 1,000 known and novel noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Supporting their potential role in mediating clock function, ncRNAs conserved between mouse and human showed rhythmic expression in similar proportions as protein coding genes. Importantly, we also found that the majority of best-selling drugs and World Health Organization essential medicines directly target the products of rhythmic genes. Many of these drugs have short half-lives and may benefit from timed dosage. In sum, this study highlights critical, systemic, and surprising roles of the mammalian circadian clock and provides a blueprint for advancement in chronotherapy.
Infectious Complications the Year after Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation or Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation for Treatment of Breast Cancer

Few studies have examined the specific incidence of infections after autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) or peripheral stem cell transplantation (PSCT) for treatment of breast cancer. We reviewed the medical records of 127 consecutive patients who underwent autologous BMT or PSCT for breast cancer at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center from 1 May 1991 through 31 March 1995 and through 1 year of follow-up. The mean duration of neutropenia after transplantation was 10 days. Initial infections included catheter-site cellulitis (in 20 patients [16%]), bacteremia (17 [13%]), Clostridium difficile colitis (13 [10%]), and urinary tract infection (in 10 [8%]); there was only 1 documented invasive fungal infection (1% of patients). The mortality from infection was 2%. Infections during the 1 year follow-up included upper respiratory infections (11 patients [10%]) and dermatomal zoster (9 [8%]); neither was significantly associated with death. This group of patients who underwent BMT or PSCT for breast cancer had a low rate of infectious morbidity and mortality. Viral and fungal infections were rare despite inconsistent prophylaxis.