cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinase increases apoE expression in vitro and in vivo

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a ligand for the low-density lipoprotein receptor family, has been implicated in modulating glial inflammatory responses and the risk of neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease. Glial cells activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) have decreased apoE levels and we recently showed that apoE itself can modulate the inflammatory response by reducing c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation. Reduced JNK phosphorylation is vital to overcome the LPS-induced decrease in apoE expression, suggesting that JNK inhibition may be an effective way to increase apoE protein and protract its anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigates the impact of JNK inhibition on apoE production using two JNK inhibitors. Our work in primary glia and in vivo in mice injected with JNK inhibitor demonstrates that inhibition of JNK may be an effective way to increase apoE expression.
Influence of large wood on channel morphology and sediment storage in headwater mountain streams, Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado

Abstract Large fallen wood can have a significant impact on channel form and process in forested mountain streams. In this study, four small channels on the Fraser Experimental Forest near Fraser, Colorado, USA, were surveyed for channel geometries and large wood loading, including the size, source, and characteristics of individual pieces. The study is part of a larger effort to understand the impact of mountain pine beetle infestation on a suite of watershed properties. Here, we present baseline data collected at the onset of widespread tree mortality. Channels range from 1.5 to 2 m in width, with slopes ranging from 3 to > 10%. Median ( D 50 ) streambed particle sizes range from gravel to very coarse gravel. Channels are characterized as cascade, step-pool, and plane bed over varying scales. Large wood loads ranged from about 0.4 to 1.0 piece per meter length of channel, which is comparable to values reported for other Colorado sites. Much of the wood showed indications of being in place for long periods of time (decayed/rotten, broken into ramps, and partially buried in beds and banks). Nearly all surveyed reaches contained steps formed from small boulders and/or logs. Significant portions of the elevation drop in some of the reaches were made up by log steps, though the percentages varied (0 to 60%). Individual log steps trap a portion of the coarse sediment moved as bedload, forming wedge-shaped accumulations upstream of the logs. The particle size distributions for measured bedload and step accumulations largely overlapped, but more so for the coarse ends of the distributions, suggesting a trapping inefficiency for the finer component of bedload. Estimates of the total volume of sediment stored behind log steps were approximately an order of magnitude greater than the mean sediment volume exported on an annual basis, as determined from measured accumulations in weir ponds. The particle size distribution of sediment in the ponds – ranging from sand to medium gravel – is considerably finer than sediment stored in steps. The series of comparisons between storage volumes, particle size distributions, and sediment export suggests that log steps effectively trap coarse sediment moved in these small streams and act as a series of check dams that inhibit channel erosion, but may be less effective at trapping finer sediment (sand and small gravel).
Laryngeal mask airway facilitated fibreoptic bronchoscopy in infants

To assess the efficacy of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) for fibreoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in infants. Observations were made in 19 consecutive infants undergoing FOB under general anaesthesia (GA) plus topical local anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was induced with N2O, O2, and halothane or sevoflurane except in two patients who received propofol and one who received thiopentone. Anaesthesia was maintained with oxygen and either sevoflurane, halothane, desflurane, or propofol infusion. No neuromuscular blockers were used. Size #1 or #2 LMAs were used through which a 3.5 mm fibreoptic bronchoscope was introduced. ECG, noninvasive blood pressure, pulse oximetry and, PETCO2 were measured. Intra-and post-procedural complications were recorded. Mean age was 6 months; mean weight was 6.6 kg. Chronic wheezing was the indication for FOB in eight patients. Minor complications occurred in five patients: difficult LMA placement in one patient required changing size from #2 to #1; two patients had laryngospasm and bronchospasm that resolved with deepened anaesthesia and nebulised bronchodilator; one patient had transient arterial O2 desaturation responding to increased FIO2, and one patient required tracheal intubation because ventilation via LMA became inadequate. The minor complications observed were similar to other series and did not result in morbidity or mortality. We feel that GA via LMA facilitates safe FOB in infants. It affords excellent airway management, a quiet patient, and passage of a larger fibreoptic bronchoscope for better imaging and suction channel required for BAL.
Safety and efficacy of intraoperative angiography in craniotomies for cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations: a review of 1093 consecutive cases.

Background In an era of indocyanine angiography, the routine use of intraoperative angiography (IOA) in the surgical treatment of aneurysms and vascular malformations is controversial. Objective To retrospectively assess the safety and efficacy of IOA and to determine predictors of surgical revision. Methods Between 2003 and 2011, IOA was performed during surgical treatment of 976 aneurysms, 101 arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and 16 arteriovenous fistulas. Results In 80 of 976 aneurysms (8.2%), IOA prompted clip repositioning. The reason for readjustment was residual aneurysm in 54.7%, parent vessel occlusion in 42.9%, and both in 2.4% of cases. In multivariate analysis, increasing aneurysm size (P, .001), ruptured aneurysm (P, .001), and increasing number of vessels injected (P, .001) were strong predictors of clip readjustment. There was a strong trend for posterior circulation aneurysm location to predict clip repositioning (P = .06). IOA revealed residual nidus/ fistula requiring further intervention in 9 of 101 AVMs (8.9%) and 3 of 16 arteriovenous fistulas (18.8%). Of 9 AVMs requiring a surgical revision, 2 (22.2%) were Spetzler-Martin grade II, 5 (55.6%) were grade III, and 2 (22.2%) were grade IV. Mean Spetzler-Martin grade was 3.0 in AVMs requiring surgical revision compared with 2.3 in those not requiring revision (P = .05). IOA-related complications were all transient or minor and occurred in 0.99% of patients; none resulted in permanent morbidity. Conclusion IOA remains a valuable tool in the surgical treatment of brain vascular abnormalities, guiding surgical re-exploration in .8% of cases. Easy access to an angiographer and routine use of IOA are important factors contributing to procedural safety and efficacy.
Deposition of high-Tc superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films at low temperatures using a plasma-enhanced organometallic chemical vapor deposition approach

A plasma-enhanced organometallic chemical vapor deposition process is reported for the preparation of YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films using two differing rf plasma coupling configurations. For films grown under a direct plasma glow, the YBa2Cu3O7-x phase is not produced in the asdeposited state. However, when plasma-activated nitrous oxide is used as the reactant gas in a downstream reactor configuration, superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-x films are formed in situ at a substrate temperature of 610°C. Such films have a low carbon content and a mirror-like surface which is free of voids. These preliminary results indicate that the low temperature fabrication of high-Tc superconducting oxide films by plasma-enhanced organometallic chemical vapor deposition is feasible.
Fungal peritonitis and malignancy: report of two patients and review of the literature.

Two patients developed isolated Candida albicans peritonitis in association with intraabdominal malignancy. Although additional factors predisposing to the development of fungal peritonitis were present, we postulate that tumor-related local factors permitted fungi to cross the gut wall and to enter the peritoneum, where the host immune status determined whether the infection spread. These two cases are the sixth and seventh reported cancer patients who developed fungal peritonitis, but the first two who had the fungal infection localized to the peritoneum; and this is the first report known to us specifically associating intraabdominal malignancy and fungal peritonitis. Patients who develop fungal peritonitis may have a primary or metastatic intraadbdominal malignancy, and fungi should be considered as a cause of peritonitis in cancer patients.
When Does Repeated Search in Scenes Involve Memory? Looking at versus Looking for Objects in Scenes

One might assume that familiarity with a scene or previous encounters with objects embedded in a scene would benefit subsequent search for those items. However, in a series of experiments we show that this is not the case: When participants were asked to subsequently search for multiple objects in the same scene, search performance remained essentially unchanged over the course of searches despite increasing scene familiarity. Similarly, looking at target objects during previews, which included letter search, 30 seconds of free viewing, or even 30 seconds of memorizing a scene, also did not benefit search for the same objects later on. However, when the same object was searched for again memory for the previous search was capable of producing very substantial speeding of search despite many different intervening searches. This was especially the case when the previous search engagement had been active rather than supported by a cue. While these search benefits speak to the strength of memory-guided search when the same search target is repeated, the lack of memory guidance during initial object searches – despite previous encounters with the target objects - demonstrates the dominance of guidance by generic scene knowledge in real-world search.
Titian's women

Richly illustrated with paintings by Titian, this book examines the artist's enduring fascination with the theme of the beautiful woman. Well-known Renaissance scholar Rona Goffen offers a new interpretation of Titian's secular paintings of women, setting them in the context of life in sixteenth-century Venice. Without denying the erotic appeal of Titian's women, Goffen argues that this narrow view diminishes both the artist's achievement and an appreciation of his art and empathy for women. To characterize Titian's paintings of women as pornographic, as many have, is to confuse the modern response with the historical realities of Venetian Renaissance culture, including beliefs about sex and sexuality. Goffen shows how female images relate to Titian's professional self-image and to his concern with larger themes: matrimonial images are linked to the means by which women attained and relinquished visibility in Italian Renaissance society, devotional images introduce the paradox of subject matter with a sexual component that both stimulates and inhibits, and mythological images are connected to the artist's use of the female body to demonstrate "divine" craftsmanship. Titian portrays his female subjects as fully conceived individuals whose psychological attributes are as important as their bodily charms. Through his paintings Titian invites the male beholder to respond to female emotions, Goffen contends (male, because in the act of viewing such erotic images, the viewer becomes male). And more than this, Titian's women imply his own absorption of female identity as a figure of artistic creativity.
Poker-faced morality: Concealing emotions leads to utilitarian decision making

Abstract This paper examines how making deliberate efforts to regulate aversive affective responses influences people’s decisions in moral dilemmas. We hypothesize that emotion regulation—mainly suppression and reappraisal—will encourage utilitarian choices in emotionally charged contexts and that this effect will be mediated by the decision maker’s decreased deontological inclinations. In Study 1, we find that individuals who endorsed the utilitarian option (vs. the deontological option) were more likely to suppress their emotional expressions. In Studies 2a, 2b, and 3, we instruct participants to either regulate their emotions, using one of two different strategies (reappraisal vs. suppression), or not to regulate, and we collect data through the concurrent monitoring of psycho-physiological measures. We find that participants are more likely to make utilitarian decisions when asked to suppress their emotions rather than when they do not regulate their affect. In Study 4, we show that one’s reduced deontological inclinations mediate the relationship between emotion regulation and utilitarian decision making.
Perinatal HIV Infection

To the Editor. —The article by Dr Fiscus and colleagues 1 on perinatal zidovudine treatment in North Carolina provides encouraging data regarding effective strategies for prevention of perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Unfortunately, their geographic comparisons did not use standard definitions, leaving some question regarding the validity and interpretation of the urban and rural differences they report. Two geographic classification systems most often used in health-related research are those of the US Bureau of the Census (Census) and the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 2,3 The Census characterizes all cities and places with 2500 or more people as "urban" and the remainder as "rural." In contrast, OMB classifies US counties as metro politan or nonmetropolitan, based on whether they are located within a metropolitan statistical area (MSA). Metropolitan statistical areas are counties, groups of counties, or, in New England, towns, representing economic areas with a central city
Facility for interferometric measurement of linear displacement in actuators and calibration of sensors at cryogenic temperatures between 4.2 K and 77 K

Recent advances in material science have lead to the development of new, very low temperature actuators of Terbium and Dysoprosium with hitherto unavailable stroke, energy efficiency and force. The test instrument described here was developed to investigate the performance characteristics of these new materials and the devices based upon them. The instrument, referred to as a cryogenic dilatometer, is designed for measuring linear displacements, at accuracies of 0.1 micron, in a material, actuator or sensor operating at low temperatures including that of liquid helium. The instrument, just completed, maintains the sample at a known temperature between 4.2 and 77 K, subjects the actuator material to a known and variable magnetic field of up to 1,500 gauss, places a specific and variable preload of 750 N maximum against the actuator or sample, and measures the resulting actuator displacement. A secondary capability is to provide a reference measurement for calibrating commercial capacitance, eddy current, linear variable differential transformers and other displacement gages at low temperatures. The primary linear displacement measurement tool is a fringe counting interferometer. A liquid helium cooled probe provides the sample test environment.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An empirical isotherm for multilayer physisorption

An empirical isotherm is presented for the physisorption of multilayers in the pressure range from the saturated vapor pressure to the pressure corresponding to monolayer coverage. The isotherm equ...
Requirements for bypass of UV-induced lesions in single-stranded DNA of bacteriophage phi X174 in Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract According to the current model for mutagenic bypass of UV-induced lesions, efficient bypass requires three proteins: activated RecA (RecA*) and either activated UmuD (UmuD') and UmuC or their plasmid-encoded analogues, MucA' and MucB. RecA* aids synthesis of UmuD' and UmuC (and MucA'/MucB) at two levels: by inactivation of the LexA transcriptional repressor of these genes and by cleavage of UmuD (and MucA) to produce the active fragments, UmuD' (MucA'). A third role for RecA is revealed when these two roles are otherwise satisfied in a suitably engineered strain. An often-suggested possible role for RecA in bypass is inhibition of editing by the epsilon subunit of DNA polymerase III. Here, by demonstrating that elimination of epsilon by deletion of its gene, dnaQ, does not relieve the requirement for the third function of RecA, we show that RecA must perform some function other than, or in addition to, inhibition of epsilon. We also show that elimination of epsilon does not relieve the requirement for either Muc protein. Moreover, we observed reactivation of irradiated phi X174 in unirradiated cells expressing MucA' and MucB. This finding makes it unlikely that the additional role of recA involves derepression of an unidentified gene or cleavage of an unidentified protein and makes it more likely that RecA participates directly in bypass.
Carboxylesterases: dual roles in lipid and pesticide metabolism

Carboxylesterases (CES, EC 3.1.1.1) are members of a superfamily of serine hydrolases that hydrolyze ester, amide, and carbamate bonds. Several different CES genes exist in mammalian species with evidence of multiple gene duplication events occurring throughout evolutionary history. There are five CES genes reported in the Human Genome Organization database, although CES1 and CES2 are the two best characterized human genes. An emerging picture of the CES family suggests that these enzymes have dual roles in the metabolism of xenobiotic and endobiotic compounds. Pesticides, such as the pyrethroids, are important xenobiotic substrates that are metabolized by CES, whereas cholesteryl esters, triacylglycerols, and 2-arachidonoylglycerol are examples of endobiotics known to be substrates for CES. Functional studies using selective chemical inhibitors, siRNA, and gene knockout models are providing valuable insights into the physiological functions of CES, and suggest that CES may be a novel target for the treatment of diseases such as diabetes and atherosclerosis. This review will examine the known physiological functions of CES, the interactions between xenobiotics (primarily pesticides) and lipids that occur with CES enzymes, and where possible the implications that these findings may have in terms of health and disease.
Computational study of the electronic structure of substituted phenylcarbene in the gas phase

Gas-phase calculations for ortho-, meta-, and para-substituted phenylcarbenes demonstrate that aromatic ring substituents can have a large effect on the singlet−triplet splitting in these molecules. For example, p-aminophenylcarbene is predicted to have a singlet−triplet splitting (ΔEST) of 0.7 kcal/mol, which is 4.7 kcal/mol smaller than that of the parent phenylcarbene. However, when the mesomeric effect of π-donation is removed, as in the meta-substituted molecules, this affect is greatly attenuated. m-Amino substitution lowers the ΔEST to 5.2 kcal/mol, a change of only 0.2 kcal/mol from the parent phenylcarbene. The sensitivity of phenylcarbene to substitution is judged by the slope of the line correlating the singlet−triplet gaps to linear free energy (LFE) parameters. In this study, the best linear correlation for ΔEST in the para-substituted phenycarbenes is observed when plotted against σp+. The resultant slope (ρ) is 5.0. The origin of this effect is preferential interaction of aryl substituents ...
Medical management adherence as an outcome of genetic counseling in a pediatric setting

We sought to determine whether the inclusion of a genetic counselor in an initial pediatric genetics visit had an impact on patient adherence to management recommendations, as compared with initial visits in which only genetics physicians were involved. This chart review included 198 pediatric patients seen for their initial visit to the general genetics clinic at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 2008. Ninety-eight patients were seen by one or more genetics physicians (the non–genetic counselor group), and 100 patients were seen by a geneticist and a genetic counselor (the genetic counselor group). Medical management recommendations and evidence of adherence to recommendations were abstracted from the medical record; adherence rates were compared between the genetic counselor and non–genetic counselor groups. Adherence was significantly associated with the inclusion of a genetic counselor (P = 0.009). Although type of management recommendation had a large impact on adherence, involvement of a genetic counselor significantly improved adherence in all three management recommendation categories. Involvement of a genetic counselor during an initial pediatric genetics visit may be associated with increased patient adherence. Further research is needed to determine whether this association applies in other genetic counseling settings and whether enhanced adherence results in improved medical outcomes. Genet Med 16 2, 157–163.
Arctic Sea Ice Variability in the Context of Recent Atmospheric Circulation Trends

Abstract Forty years (1958–97) of reanalysis products and corresponding sea ice concentration data are used to document Arctic sea ice variability and its association with surface air temperature (SAT) and sea level pressure (SLP) throughout the Northern Hemisphere extratropics. The dominant mode of winter (January–March) sea ice variability exhibits out-of-phase fluctuations between the western and eastern North Atlantic, together with a weaker dipole in the North Pacific. The time series of this mode has a high winter-to-winter autocorrelation (0.69) and is dominated by decadal-scale variations and a longer-term trend of diminishing ice cover east of Greenland and increasing ice cover west of Greenland. Associated with the dominant pattern of winter sea ice variability are large-scale changes in SAT and SLP that closely resemble the North Atlantic oscillation. The associated SAT and surface sensible and latent heat flux anomalies are largest over the portions of the marginal sea ice zone in which the tr...
Lower and upper bounds to energies of radial lithium

Abstract A new method for calculating lower bounds to energies of atoms and ions is shown to be effective by an application to radial Li. The crucial step, displacement of the continuous spectrum, is accomplished. Upper bounds are calculated for comparison.
Comparative sedimentology of the principal volcanic sequences of Archean greenstone belts in South Africa, Western Australia and Canada: Implications for crustal evolution

Abstract Significantly different assemblages of sedimentary rocks are present in the volcanic sequences of Archean greenstone belts in the Barberton Mountain Land, Pilbara block and Canadian shield. Thin sedimentary layers in the 3.55-3.3 Ga-old Onverwacht and Warrawoona Groups in the Barberton Mountain Land and eastern Pilbara, respectively, are made up of silicified volcaniclastic sediments, banded cherts, carbonaceous cherts, silicified evaporites, and locally, stromatolites deposited under shallow-water, anorogenic conditions. The volcanic sequences in these belts essentially lack terrigenous debris derived by weathering and erosion, Algoma-type iron formation, volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, hyaloclastic breccias, and evidence for the existence during their accumulation of older sialic basement. Sedimentary rocks in the volcanic sequences of the 2.8-2.6 Ga-old Superior and Slave Provinces, Canada, and perhaps in other late Archean belts in the Rhodesian craton and Yilgarn block, include generally unsilicified volcaniclastic units, mafic hyaloclastic breccias, terrigenous clastic layers, abundant Algoma-type iron formation, and massive sulfide deposits. Sedimentation took place under relatively deep-water conditions. Local tectonic activity was widespread, and older sialic basement was present. These younger volcanic sequences contain few shallow-water deposits such as carbonaceous cherts, evaporites, and stromatolites. The volcanic sequences of both generations of greenstone belts seem to have formed platforms that stood topographically above the surrounding sea floor. Differences between older and younger greenstone-belt volcanic sequences appear to reflect the increasing abundance and influence of sialic crust from early to late Archean time and an accompanying increase in ocean-water depth over the volcanic platforms. Evolution of the sialic crust can be traced through at least five Archean and early Proterozoic stages: 1. (1) an early period of ensimatic, shallow-water greenstone belt formation 3.55-3.3 Ga ago; 2. (2) an early episode of intrusive and metamorphic activity from ca. 3.3-2.9 Ga ago during which some of the older greenstone belts were cratonized; 3. (3) a late period of greenstone belt formation, 2.8-2.6 Ga ago, during which volcanism occurred under relatively deep-water conditions upon and/or adjacent to areas of older sialic basement; 4. (4) a late Archean interval of continental crust formation during which the younger greenstone belts were cratonized, 2.7-2.5 Ga ago; 5. (5) a latest Archean and early Proterozoic period dominated by stable cratons and relatively minor greenstone belt activity.
Analyzing Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials for Effective User Response Detection for Brain-Computer Interfaces

This article evaluates an M-order Adaptive Kalman filter analysis on Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEPs). This model is based on finding the original brain source signals from their combined observed EEG signals. At each time step, observed brain signals are filtered according to their ideal reference signals measured from 10, 11, 12 and 13 Hz LED stimuli. SSVEP response detection is based on maximum Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of the brain source signals. In each test, the average system accuracy is calculated with and without overlapped time-windows along with system Information Transfer Rate (ITR). The overall system accuracy and ITR are showing promising level of SSVEP detection for future online BCI systems.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
The cave breccias of Berg Aukas, Namibia: a clustering approach to mine dump paleontology

La microfaune provenant de blocs mineraux extraits du site de Berg Aukas en Namibie est analysee. Les resultats permettent de classer les especes en 4 groupes paleontologiques datant du Miocene moyen au Miocene superieur
Cruveilhier on meningiomas (1829–1842)

The early contribution of various authors to the pathologic anatomy and clinical symptoms of meningiomas is presented with special regard to the work of Jean Cruveilhier.
A decision-tree-based approach to smoke spike detection in a heavy-duty diesel engine

Smoke spikes occurring during transient engine operation have detrimental health effects and increase fuel consumption by requiring more frequent regeneration of the diesel particulate filter. This paper proposes a decision tree approach to real-time detection of smoke spikes for control and on-board diagnostics purposes. A contemporary, electronically controlled heavy-duty diesel engine was used to investigate the deficiencies of smoke control based on the fuel-to-oxygen-ratio limit. With the aid of transient and steady state data analysis and empirical as well as dimensional modeling, it was shown that the fuel-to-oxygen ratio was not estimated correctly during the turbocharger lag period. This inaccuracy was attributed to the large manifold pressure ratios and low exhaust gas recirculation flows recorded during the turbocharger lag period, which meant that engine control module correlations for the exhaust gas recirculation flow and the volumetric efficiency had to be extrapolated. The engine control module correlations were based on steady state data and it was shown that, unless the turbocharger efficiency is artificially reduced, the large manifold pressure ratios observed during the turbocharger lag period cannot be achieved at steady state. Additionally, the cylinder-to-cylinder variation during this period were shown to be sufficiently significant to make the average fuel-to-oxygen ratio a poor predictor of the transient smoke emissions. The steady state data also showed higher smoke emissions with higher exhaust gas recirculation fractions at constant fuel-to-oxygen-ratio levels. This suggests that, even if the fuel-to-oxygen ratios were to be estimated accurately for each cylinder, they would still be ineffective as smoke limiters. A decision tree trained on snap throttle data and pruned with engineering knowledge was able to use the inaccurate engine control module estimates of the fuel-to-oxygen ratio together with information on the engine control module estimate of the exhaust gas recirculation fraction, the engine speed, and the manifold pressure ratio to predict 94% of all spikes occurring over the Federal Test Procedure cycle. The advantages of this non-parametric approach over other commonly used parametric empirical methods such as regression were described. An application of accurate smoke spike detection in which the injection pressure is increased at points with a high opacity to reduce the cumulative particulate matter emissions substantially with a minimum increase in the cumulative nitrogen oxide emissions was illustrated with dimensional and empirical modeling.
A mobile gait monitoring system as an assistive tool for rehabilitation: design and experimentation

Conventionally, rehabilitation treatments for gait disorders are performed by physical therapists in a clinical setting. Although an array of equipment, such as motion capture devices and multi-directional force plates, has been devised to provide the physical therapists with more objective diagnostic data, restriction of the time and space limits the effective use of such devices. To overcome this limitation various wearable sensors for patients to directly monitor their health conditions anywhere at anytime have been studied in recent years. In this paper, a mobile gait monitoring system (MGMS) is introduced, which integrates Smart Shoes and the monitoring algorithms in a mobile microprocessor with a touch screen display. The mobility of the MGMS allows patients to take advantage of the gait monitoring device in their daily lives. The monitoring algorithms embedded in the MGMS observe various physical quantities useful for objective gait diagnoses, such as the ground contact forces (GCFs) and the center of ground contact forces (CoGCF). Also it calculates the gait abnormality which shows how far the GCFs are from the normal GCF patterns. By the visual feedback information displayed on the MGMS, the patients can self correct their walking patterns. The preliminary results of clinical verification are also given.
Animal Evolution: Looking for the First Nervous System

The human brain is easily the most baffling bit of biology on the planet. How did the nervous system evolve? What came first: neurons or synaptic proteins? A new paper studying the pancake-shaped Trichoplax suggests it was not the neurons.
Antiretroviral Therapy in AIDS

Objective: To review recent developments of antiretroviral therapy for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and related disorders. Data Sources, Study Selection, and Data Extraction: An ed...
On the Construction of a Continuous Concentration−Reactivity Function for the Continuum Lumping Approach

Kinetic modeling based on continuum lumping is a powerful methodology for working with complex petroleum mixtures. The concentration of the lumped species in the reaction mixture, characterized by reactivity, is expressed as a continuous function. The continuous concentration-reactivity function can be constructed from the experimental data, which involves inverting an integral equation. A simple methodology based on a piecewise linear interpolation formulates the inversion problem as a constrained optimization problem. The proposed method is applied to two different vacuum gas oil feedstocks, and the weight fraction values calculated from the continuous concentration-reactivity function are compared with the actual weight fraction values from the true boiling point (TBP) curve.
Efficient Mapping of Plant Height Quantitative Trait Loci in a Sorghum Association Population With Introgressed Dwarfing Genes

Of the four major dwarfing genes described in sorghum, only Dw3 has been cloned. We used association mapping to characterize the phenotypic effects of the dw3 mutation and to fine map a second, epistatic dwarfing QTL on sorghum chromosome 9 (Sb-HT9.1). Our panel of 378 sorghum inbreds includes 230 sorghum conversion (SC) lines, which are exotic lines that have been introgressed with dwarfing quantitative trait loci (QTL) from a common parent. The causal mutation in dw3 associates with reduced lower internode length and an elongation of the apex, consistent with its role as an auxin efflux carrier. Lines carrying the dw3 mutation display high haplotype homozygosity over several megabases in the Dw3 region, but most markers linked to Dw3 do not associate significantly with plant height due to allele sharing between Dw3 and dw3 individuals. Using markers with a high mutation rate and the dw3 mutation as an interaction term, significant trait associations were detected across a 7-Mb region around Sb-HT9.1, largely due to higher detection power in the SC lines. Conversely, the likely QTL interval for Sb-HT9.1 was reduced to ∼100 kb, demonstrating that the unique structure of this association panel provides both power and resolution for a genomewide scan.
Fish predation on meiobenthos : field experiments with juvenile spot Leiostomus xanthurus Lacépède

While it is now accepted that meiofauna are an important food source for numerous juvenile fish, the impact of predation on field populations of meiofauna remains controversial. We conducted a field-caging experiment to determine the role of predation in structuring meiobenthic communities in situ. Cages excluding predators and cages enclosing low and high densities of juvenile spot Leiostomus xanthurus Lacepede, a common estuarine fish from the southeastern U.S.A., were placed on a mudflat in a randomized complete block design to determine the in situ effects of juvenile spot predation on meiobenthos. Juvenile spot predation was only significant for those prey taxa or species with a high proportion of their population in the top few millimeters of sediment. Copepods and their nauplii, specifically the epibenthic species, were most affected by juvenile spot predation.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU: A THEORY OF STRATEGIC GROUP IDENTITY

This paper develops a theory of strategic group identity that explains how strategic groups emerge in an industry and how they can affect firm behaviors and outcomes. In so doing, it provides a theoretical basis for the existence of strategic groups. We argue that managers cognitively partition their industry environment to reduce uncertainty and to cope with bounded rationality. Social learning theory and social identification theory are used to describe how cognitive groups coalesce into meaningful substructures and how a group-level identity emerges. We describe the ways in which macro level factors condition the development of groups and their identities. We introduce the notion of a strong identity, which characterizes any group sufficiently recognized and attended to by members to affect individual action. Groups with ‘weak identities’ are no more than transient agglomerations of firms and do not exist in any meaningful sense. These ideas are developed into propositions that describe the conditions under which groups with strong identities are likely to emerge. A second set of propositions describes their transformation over time. Identity strength is linked to both positive and negative outcomes in a final set of propositions. We show how strategic groups with strong identities can affect firm performance, resolving a longstanding problem which has plagued strategic groups research and conclude by suggesting some approaches for measurement and future research. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Eccentric Visual Acuity in Patients with Macular Disease

A series of cards each containing a two dimensional array of identical Snellen "E's" was used to determine best eccentric visual acuity in patients with macular disease having Snellen visual acuity of 20/70 or worse. Each "full field E" card simultaneously presents the same letter to foveal and parafoveal areas. This test can therefore determine quickly if potentially useful vision is present in any area of the central visual field. In our study of 37 eyes, 70% demonstrated potential visual acuity at least two times better than visual acuity measured by conventional methods, and 20% demonstrated at least a fourfold improvement. This suggests that most patients with macular disease do not spontaneously employ their best remaining area of retina for fixation.
The effects of hydrogen on the plasma polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene

A study was made of the effects of hydrogen containing additives on the polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene in a radiofrequency low pressure plasma. The addition of ethylene and molecular hydrogen were found, under certain circumstances, to significantly increase the rate of polymer deposition. This effect is ascribed to the release of hydrogen atoms from the additive, which enhance the formation of fluorocarbon-free radicals and scavenges fluorine atoms. ESCA (electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis) spectra of the deposited films show that upon addition of hydrogen to the monomer, the F/C ratio of the film decreases and the H/C ratio rises. Hydrogen addition also influences the extent of crosslinking—a decrease being observed at low discharge power and an increase being observed at high discharge power.
Brittle crack growth modeled as the forced separation of chemical bonds within a K-field

Abstract The focus here is the growth of a planar crack in a brittle material under two dimensional plane strain conditions. The stress field surrounding the crack edge is presumed to be an elastic stress intensity factor field, or K -field, as is characteristic of such systems. However, as the observation point within the K -field approaches the crack edge, that field gradually gives way to a zone of material separation that is coplanar with the crack and that is characterized as a region of chemical bond breaking. The separation zone is spanned by a large number of identical atomic or molecular bonds resisting the influence of the surrounding stress field. The trailing edge of that zone coincides with the physical crack edge. By describing the collective response of these bonds in terms of the behavior of a generic bond and the statistical concept of survival probability, the process of material separation is followed to its end with no further requirement of a material failure condition. In this way, the physical process of material separation is related directly to the commonly measured fracture parameters for brittle materials.
Effect of copolymer compatibilizer sequence on the dynamics of phase separation of immiscible binary homopolymer blends

We present the results of kinetic Monte Carlo simulations aimed at exploring the effect of copolymer sequence distribution on the dynamics of phase separation of an immiscible A/B binary homopolymer blend. Diblock, protein-like copolymers (PLCs), simple linear gradient, random, and alternating copolymers having equal number of A and B segments, identical chemical composition, and chain length are considered as compatibilizers. All copolymers, irrespective of their sequence, retard the phase separation process by migrating to the biphasic interface between the A/B interface, thereby minimizing the interfacial energy and promoting adhesion between the homopolymer-rich phases. As expected, diblock copolymers perform the best and each block of the diblock copolymer penetrates the energetically favorable homopolymer-rich phase. Alternating copolymers lie at the interface and PLCs, simple linear gradient, and random copolymers weave back and forth across the interface. The weaving and penetration is more pronounced for PLCs than for simple linear gradient and random copolymers. Judging by the contact analysis, extension and conformation of the copolymers at the interface, and structure factor calculations, it is evident that for the chain lengths considered in our simulations, PLCs are better compatibilizers than alternating and random copolymers, while being on a par with simple linear gradient copolymers, but not as good as diblocks.
Use of non-benzodiazepine sedative hypnotics and risk of falls in older men.

Background: To ascertain whether use of non-benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics is associated with risk of falls and compare this to risk of falls associated with use of benzodiazepines. Methods: Among 4450 community-dwelling men, aged 71 years and older, enrolled in the population-based prospective cohort study, Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS), use of non-benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics and benzodiazepines was assessed by interview and verified from medication containers at the third annual visit of the MrOS study. Falls in the subsequent one-year period were ascertained by tri-annual questionnaires and a computerized dictionary used to categorize type of medication. Results: In age-adjusted models, non-benzodiazepine sedative hypnotic use was associated with an increased risk of any falls (one or more falls) (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.15, 1.81) and recurrent falls (2 or more falls) (RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.07, 2.14). Use of benzodiazepines was associated with a similar increase in age-adjusted risk of falling. Depressive symptoms, inability to stand from a chair, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) impairment modestly attenuated these associations. The association between non-benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic use and falls was most pronounced among men without a history of falls in the previous year: in a multivariable model controlling for multiple potential confounders, the RR of any falls was 1.74 (95% CI 1.13, 2.68) in this subgroup. Conclusions: Use of non-benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics is associated with an increased risk of falls. Nonpharmacologic approaches to sleep disturbances may represent the safest approach to sleep difficulties in older adults.
Atomic Force Microscopy Study of the Interaction of DNA and Nanostructured β-Gallia Rutile

The ability to attach DNA molecules to solid planar substrates is desired for imaging the molecule and for building DNA-mediated nanostructures. The deposition of DNA on [001] rutile and β-gallia rutile (BGR) substrates from buffer solutions containing various divalent cations was studied using tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). β-Gallia rutile intergrowths were prepared by spin-coating gallium isopropoxide onto [001]-oriented TiO2 single-crystal slabs and heating above 1350 °C for >24 h, resulting in the formation of intergrowth lines along the {210} planes in the parent rutile structure. Rutile and BGR intergrowth substrates were exposed to various buffered solutions containing DNA and the following divalent cations: Ca(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Fe(II), Mg(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II). Among all the cations examined, only Ni(II) resulted in the attachment of DNA on the rutile surfaces. DNA attachment to BGR surfaces was strong enough to allow AFM imaging when the deposition buffer contained one ...
Nitrogen allocation for L-Canavanine synthesis and its relationship to chemical defense of the seed

Abstract The proportion of total and free amino acid nitrogen of 7 canavanine-synthesizing leguminous seeds has been determined. These analyses reveal a disproportional allocation of total seed nitrogen into canavanine. A possible rationale for the diversion of so much total seed nitrogen into a single metabolite is offered.
Induction in database systems: A bibliography

The integration of a conventional database system with the inductive inference mechanism has created a new type of system called an inductive database which has high potentials in many application areas. This paper provides an overview of several specific topics related to inductive databases and presents a bibliography for further reading in this area of research.
The welfare impact of the exchange rate adjustment in Seychelles and possible mitigation mechanisms

Abstract This paper analyzes the likely welfare impact of devaluation in Seychelles. The presented analysis uses the analytical framework that allows for estimating the potential welfare impacts of devaluation ex ante , i.e. before the policy change has taken place. To analyze the impact of devaluation on the incidence of poverty and inequality, the estimated devaluation-induced changes in prices and wages are applied to the unit record household survey data. We also investigate the effectiveness of various mitigation policies. Our analysis indicates that the poverty headcount would likely increase immediately after the devaluation. In terms of per capita expenditure, the relative loss will be larger for the richer population, thus causing a slight decrease in inequality. To mitigate the transitory adverse effects on the most vulnerable people, the policy of strengthening the social safety nets through increased transfers to poor households is found to be most effective (per money spent). However, the ultimate poverty reduction impact is estimated to come through the resumption of economic growth following devaluation.
PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG PEDIATRIC CANCER SURVIVORS

SUMMARY A significant number of children who survive pediatric cancer experience residual psychosocial sequelae. The most noteworthy of these include residual depression, anxiety, and poor self-esteem. As a group, those patients who have the most difficulty in psychosocial adjustment also have less effective socialization and self-help skills and less effective intellectual functioning than do those patients who have “Good Adjustment”. The developmental disruptions engendered by cancer treatment seem more marked and persistent when occurring in middle childhood or adolescence as opposed to during infancy. As one gets further in time from the onset of the illness, one is less likely to suffer psychosocial adjustment problems (assuming that a disease-free remission state exists and that active treatment is no longer in progress). A number of important factors remain to be explored, including psychosocial adjustment as a function of residual physical disfigurement, mobility handicaps, and similar potential blows to a patient's sell-esteem.
Testing the Iron Hypothesis in a Mouse Model of Atherosclerosis

Hepcidin, the iron-regulatory hormone and acute phase reactant, is proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by promoting iron accumulation in plaque macrophages, leading to increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the plaque (the "iron hypothesis"). Hepcidin and iron may thus represent modifiable risk factors in atherosclerosis. We measured hepcidin expression in Apoe(-/-) mice with varying diets and ages. To assess the role of macrophage iron in atherosclerosis, we generated Apoe(-/-) mice with macrophage-specific iron accumulation by introducing the ferroportin ffe mutation. Macrophage iron loading was also enhanced by intravenous iron injection. Contrary to the iron hypothesis, we found that hepatic hepcidin expression was not increased at any stage of the atherosclerosis progression in Apoe(-/-) or Apoe/ffe mice and that the atherosclerotic plaque size was not increased in mice with elevated macrophage iron. Our results strongly argue against any significant role of macrophage iron in atherosclerosis progression in mice.