cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HAS U. S. CAPITAL DIFFERENTIATED BETWEEN EEC AND EFTA

SUMMARY The article considers the hypothesis that the timing and distinctive provisions of the EEC and EFTA disturbed relative earning rates, P, and thus influenced the location of U. S. direct investments. Statistically significant results are obtained with Pt-1, P, and Pt+1 for investment in both unions, suggesting that adequate levels of return were associated with the structural transatlantic relocation of capital. However, the evidence contradicts the claims that investors were motivated by profit differentials in a short-run sense, or that relative earnings pre-destined the investment location. An additional test finds great similarities in the time pattern of U. S. investment in the EEC and EFTA. Moreover, the outcry about the American investment invasion overlooked an actual reversal of the preferential view of Europe relative to the rest of the world around 1960. Thus, artificial trade distortions introduced by the EEC and EFTA apparently have been insignificant in global business strategies that regard Europe as a homogeneous technological-industrial complex and a unified market.
Modern fire regime resembles historical fire regime in a ponderosa pine forest on Native American lands

Forests on tribal lands in the western United States have seen the return of low-intensity surface fires for several decades longer than forests on non-tribal lands. We examined the surface fire regime in a ponderosa pine-dominated (Pinus ponderosa) forest on the Hualapai tribal lands in the south-western United States. Using fire-scarred trees, we inferred temporal (frequency and seasonality) and spatial (synchrony) attributes and regulators of the fire regime over three land-use periods (historical, suppression, modern) between 1702 and 2007. Patterns of fire frequency and synchrony were similar, but fire seasonality was dissimilar, between the historical and modern periods. Logistic regression and generalised linear mixed models identified a suite of variables representing fuels, climate and human land uses that were associated with the probability of a site burning. Combined, these results allow for valuable insights regarding past fire spread and variability in fire frequency throughout our study area. In some respects, the current distinct fire regime in our study area, which predominately consists of prescribed fires implemented since the 1960s, resembles the past frequent surface fire regime that occurred here and in similar forest types on non-tribal lands in the south-western United States. Our results will be useful for informing adaptive management throughout the region as climate warms.
Elemental Abundances in Giants in NGC 3201, a Globular Cluster with a Retrograde Orbit

We report the results of an analysis of high-quality spectroscopic and photometric observations of 18 giants in NGC 3201. We have included α Boo and the cool metal-poor field star HDE 232078 as comparison objects. We find evidence of a significant extinction gradient across the cluster with a range in E(B-V) of about 0.1 mag, which has not been taken into account in previous studies. The mean value of [Fe/H] for the cluster is -1.42 ± 0.03 (σ = 0.14). The Na and Al abundances correlate with each other and anticorrelate with the O abundances in a pattern similar to that reported recently for other globular clusters. The [O/H], [Na/H], and [Al/H] values range from -1.5 to -0.8, -0.7 to -1.5, and -0.5 to -1.5, respectively. The α-elements (even-even nuclei from Mg to Ti) show the usual excess relative to iron for metal-poor stars. The heavy-element abundance patterns are dominated by contributions from an r-process reservoir. The relative s-process contribution to the NGC 3201 giants is less than or equal to that in α Boo, and it is significantly less than in the Sun. In contrast, the relative s-process contribution to the halo star HDE 232078 is nearly as large as in the Sun. There is a hint that the relative r- and s-process contributions correlate with the O abundance (in the sense that the low-O stars have a larger relative s-process component). Lee 1312, the star for which our analysis is most complete, has a very similar distribution of s-process species, as does α Boo. Although NGC 3201 has an unusual Galactic orbit, we find no new evidence from our analysis that it is a captured cluster.
Epistemic boundedness and the universality of thought

Fodor argues that our minds must have epistemic limitations because there must be endogenous constraints on the class of concepts we can acquire. However, his argument for the existence of these endogenous constraints is falsified by the phenomenon of the deferential acquisition of concepts. If we allow for the acquisition of concepts through deferring to experts and scientific instruments, then our conceptual capacity will be without endogenous constraints, and there will be no reason to think that our minds are epistemically bounded.
Chemoreceptors, Baroreceptors, and Autonomic Deregulation in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent sleep disorder of breathing in both adults and children that is fraught with substantial cardiovascular morbidities, the latter being attributable to a complex interplay between intermittent hypoxia (IH), episodic hypercapnia, recurrent large intra-thoracic pressure swings, and sleep disruption. Alterations in autonomic nervous system function could underlie the perturbations in cardiovascular, neurocognitive, immune, endocrine and metabolic functions that affect many of the patients suffering from OSA. Although these issues have received substantial attention in adults, the same has thus far failed to occur in children, creating a quasi misperception that children are protected. Here, we provide a critical overview of the evidence supporting the presence of autonomic nervous system (ANS) perturbations in children with OSA, draw some parallel assessments to known mechanisms in rodents and adult humans, particularly, peripheral and central chemoreceptor and baroreceptor pathways, and suggest future research directions.
An optimisation technique for a class of discrete allocation problems

Abstract It is shown that a certain class of multistage allocation problems can be solved in a simple way using a stage-wise recursive procedure. The method is easy to formulate and does not require a large computer. It is compared with the maximum principle for the case of cross-current extraction.
The Effect of an Ordinary Meal on the Electrocardiogram. Normal Standards in Middle-Aged Men and Women

In previous studies on young men it was found that definite changes in the electrocardiogram are produced by an ordinary meal. This work has been extended with a larger series of older men and women. In general, the results confirm the previous studies but an age trend was found in some items. The combined material allowed an analysis of the correlations between the changes in the various items of measurement and more detailed consideration of the physiologic mechanisms involved. Normal fiducial limits for the changes induced by a meal were calculated to provide a basis of discrimination between normal and abnormal responses.
CitySongs: primary prevention in the field.

This case study describes CitySongs, a primary prevention, out-of-school program in the inner city that promotes social justice through integrated activities aimed at healthy youth development, arts achievement, and community vitality through diversity. Key ideas from social science and human service disciplines that inform the design and implementation of the program are summarized. The authors describe elements of the program’s structure and process, as these elements enact primary prevention and promote social justice. Finally, program impact is discussed as reflected in ongoing staff case notes and in de-identified reflective comments from participants, parents, and audience members.
Is 2-oxabicyclobutane formed during the reaction of peroxyacids with cyclopropene? A high-level ab initio study

High-level quantum chemical studies have been carried out to explain the unusual course of the reaction of peroxyacids with cyclopropene. The results of calculations at the CASSCF and UQCISD levels of theory suggest that 2-oxabicyclobutane is not formed during this reaction. An unsymmetrical transition state is formed during this reaction and is followed by the formation of a biradical intermediate which finally yields acroleine after the fast proton transfer step.
The Arabidopsis synaptotagmin SYTA regulates the cell-to-cell movement of diverse plant viruses

Synaptotagmins are a large gene family in animals that have been extensively characterized due to their role as calcium sensors to regulate synaptic vesicle exocytosis and endocytosis in neurons, and dense core vesicle exocytosis for hormone secretion from neuroendocrine cells. Thought to be exclusive to animals, synaptotagmins have recently been characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana, in which they comprise a five gene family. Using infectivity and leaf-based functional assays, we have shown that Arabidopsis SYTA regulates endocytosis and marks an endosomal vesicle recycling pathway to regulate movement protein-mediated trafficking of the Begomovirus Cabbage leaf curl virus (CaLCuV) and the Tobamovirus Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) through plasmodesmata (Lewis and Lazarowitz, 2010). To determine whether SYTA has a central role in regulating the cell-to-cell trafficking of a wider range of diverse plant viruses, we extended our studies here to examine the role of SYTA in the cell-to-cell movement of additional plant viruses that employ different modes of movement, namely the Potyvirus Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), the Caulimovirus Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) and the Tobamovirus Turnip vein clearing virus (TVCV), which in contrast to TMV does efficiently infect Arabidopsis. We found that both TuMV and TVCV systemic infection, and the cell-to-cell trafficking of the their movement proteins, were delayed in the Arabidopsis Col-0 syta-1 knockdown mutant. In contrast, CaMV systemic infection was not inhibited in syta-1. Our studies show that SYTA is a key regulator of plant virus intercellular movement, being necessary for the ability of diverse cell-to-cell movement proteins encoded by Begomoviruses (CaLCuV MP), Tobamoviruses (TVCV and TMV 30K protein) and Potyviruses (TuMV P3N-PIPO) to alter PD and thereby mediate virus cell-to-cell spread.
Simulation and modeling of nucleic acid structure, dynamics and interactions.

Abstract In moving towards the simulation of larger nucleic acid assemblies over longer timescales that include more accurate representations of the environment, we are nearing the end of an era characterized by single nanosecond molecular dynamics simulation of nucleic acids. We are excited by the promise and predictability of the modeling methods, yet remain prudently cautious of sampling and force field limitations. Highlights include the accurate representation of subtle drug–DNA interactions, the detailed study of modified and unusual nucleic acid structures, insight into the influence of dynamics on the structure of DNA, and exploration of the interaction of solvent and ions with nucleic acids.
Impact of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography among patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis.

In this study, we sought to define the impact of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (IOTEE) among patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis. We reviewed the clinical data and preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative echocardiograms of all adults who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis and had IOTEE between January 1993 and December 1996. There were 383 patients (223 men, 160 women; mean age, 69 years). Fifty-four (14%) of the 383 patients had mitral valve surgery at the time of aortic valve replacement. In 6 patients, mitral valve surgery was not planned but was added because of findings on IOTEE. In 25 patients, mitral valve surgery was canceled on the basis of the IOTEE. Additional information was found by IOTEE in 25 patients before and after bypass, altering the surgical plan in 18 of these 25 patients. Overall, IOTEE altered the planned operation in 49 (13%) of the 383 patients. These data support the routine use of IOTEE among patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2001;14:863-6.)
THE FUNDAMENTAL DETERMINANTS OF FETAL CARDIAC OUTPUT

It has been suggested recently that the Frank-Starling mechanism may be of no importance in altering fetal cardiac output when compared to changes in heart rate (HR), The relative importance of these output determinants was evaluated in 7 chronically instrumented fetal lambs (128-136 days gestation) in whom continuous determinations were obtained of LV internal dimensions and pressures. Heart rate changes were induced by atrial pacing while resting fibre length was altered by caval occlusion and LA infusion of fetal blood. A highly significant relation was found to exist between stroke volume and LV extent of shortening (Δ D) (r = +0.99, p<0.001). A progressive decline was noted in LV output (maximum 22%) with increasing frequency of contraction from a HR of 150 ± 15 to 300 ± 5/min. despite a prominent, frequency-induced, positive inotropic effect. In contrast, when LV end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) was altered minimally at any HR, a significant augmentation was noted in Δ D at low LV end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (3.5 mm Hg), and a 30% increase in Δ D at higher LVEDP (6 mm Hg). It is quite clear that the Frank-Starling mechanism is operative in the intact, undisturbed fetus at normal levels of filling pressure. Moreover, since frequent beat-to-beat variations were observed in Δ D, these data suggest that changing myocardial fibre length is of fundamental importance in fetal cardiovascular homeostasis.
Nuclear Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals and Patients

D. Prakash New York, NY: Springer, 2014, 154 pages, $59.99 During the modern era of radionuclide imaging and therapy, many nuclear medicine textbooks have been published in an attempt to educate not only practitioners of nuclear medicine but also referring physicians and medical students. Nuclear
In situ non-perturbative temperature measurement in a Cs alkali laser

The two-dimensional (2D) temperature profiles of an active-gain medium in a Cs + methane diode pumped alkali laser (DPAL) have been experimentally measured. This nonperturbative technique uses a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, which is longitudinally coupled into the cavity of an operating alkali laser to probe the distortion of the optical path length in the gain medium due to heating. The resulting interferograms are analyzed using the commercial program QuickFringe to quickly and accurately measure the distortion through which the temperature profile can be determined. For a 9 W Cs + methane DPAL being pumped with 20 W of resonant D2 light, a maximum temperature rise of 58°C is observed.
Obsessive-compulsive characteristics in women who have recovered from bulimia nervosa

Objective: The goal of this study was to follow up on reports that obsessive-compulsive characteristics, which are commonly elevated in bulimia nervosa (BN), may also be elevated in individuals who have recovered from BN (BN-R). Method: Self-ratings on the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), the Restraint Scale (a measure of dieting behavior related to weight concerns), and questionnaires reflecting eating disorder-related symptoms were evaluated for women who met criteria for BN (n = 25) or BN-R (n = 21) and were free of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and for healthy female controls (n = 28). Results: MOCI scores for the BN-R group (5.5 ± 5.4) were similar to those for the BN group (5.4 ± 4.4) and were significantly elevated (p < 0.05, p < 0.02, respectively) in comparison to controls (2.5 ± 1.9). Of note, MOCI scores for the BN-R group were significantly correlated with scores on the Restraint Scale (r = 0.60, p < 0.02). Conclusion: Further studies are needed to assess the relationship between elevated obsessive-compulsive characteristics and eating patterns in individuals recovered from BN. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2007
Cervical esophageal perforation during EUS: A national survey☆☆☆

Abstract Background: EUS is considered to be as safe a procedure as EGD. However, the longer, rigid tip of the echoendoscopes raises concern about cervical esophageal perforation during intubation. Our aim was to determine the rate of this complication. Methods: Members of the American Endosonography Club were surveyed by questionnaire to determine the number of EUS examinations performed and the number of cervical esophageal perforations encountered up to June 1999. Each questionnaire was coded to avoid duplicate reporting. Results: Questionnaires were mailed to 203 members; 86 (42.4%) responded. Cervical esophageal perforation occurred in 16 of 43,852 reported upper EUS procedures at a frequency of 0.03%. Fifteen (94%) patients were elderly. A history of difficult intubation with prior endoscopic procedures was present in 7 (44%) patients. Three patients had large cervical osteophytes. In 9 (56%) patients, the procedure was done by an endosonographer with less than 1 year of experience. Two patients required surgery. One patient died as a result of the perforation and the other 13 (81%) patients were managed successfully with conservative treatment. Conclusions: The incidence of cervical perforation during upper EUS may be higher than during EGD. Advanced patient age, difficult intubation during prior upper endoscopy, operator inexperience, and the presence of large cervical osteophytes may contribute to cervical perforation during upper EUS examination. (Gastrointest Endosc 2001;53:599-602.)
A note on environmental risk and the rate of discount: Comment

Abstract The sign of the adjustment to the riskless discount rate for environmental risk depends on whether the price of avoiding the consequences of the externality is seen as reducing expected net benefits or increasing expected costs. The conclusion is that the risk adjustment is positive when the externality is defined as reducing expected net benefits.
Estimating import demand in the presence of seasonal trade and unobserved prices

Estimating import demand is particularly difficult when trade is seasonal because prices do not exist for observations with no recorded transaction. Fresh apple imports in the United Kingdom provide a perfect case of this particular problem due to periodic trade. In this study, the differenced version of the almost ideal demand system is employed for estimating import demand by source and an iterative procedure is developed for deriving choke prices (prices at which imports are zero) and import demand estimates. The appeal of this procedure is that the final estimates and choke prices are not sensitive to the starting values used for the initial estimation. When comparing the results of the choke price procedure to a more traditional approach of eliminating zeros by aggregating across countries, significant differences emerge. Results clearly show that the aggregate estimates do not adequately reflect the pattern of UK imports from seasonal suppliers.
Plasma diffusion across a magnetic field

Abstract Using a simple model of a slowly diffusing plasma across a strong magnetic field, it is demonstrated that plasma mass and energy evolves from an initially given density and temperature distribution into isothermal state with a self-similar diffusion profile that depends only on its initial mass and energy.
Comparing the impact of different supporting ligands on copper(I)–ethylene interactions

Abstract The nature of copper(I)–ethylene bonding in a series of [Cu(L)(C 2 H 2 )] n + complexes (where L = 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane, 2,2′-bipyridine, N , N , N ′, N ′-tetramethylethylenediamine, 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, hydrotris(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)borate, the bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-substituted s-diketiminate, and the iminophosphanamide (tBu) 2 P(NSiMe 3 ) 2 ) has been studied using density functional theory methods. The B3LYP, M06-L, and BP86 functionals performed similarly in reproducing important geometric parameters from experimental structures. Bonding interactions between the [Cu(L)] n + and ethylene fragments were investigated using energy decomposition analysis (ALMO–EDA), molecular orbital and fragment orbital interaction analysis, and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. NBO and EDA calculations both predict an increase in [Cu(L)] n + → ethylene(π ∗ ) charge donation and stabilization with an increase in the qualitatively-predicted electron donating ability of the supporting ligand, and a lesser amount of ethylene(π) → Cu charge donation, the magnitude of which is not strongly correlated to ligand donor ability. Molecular orbital analysis reveals an increased mixing of the empty ethylene π ∗ -orbital with filled orbitals as the qualitative ligand donating ability increases, consistent with enhanced Cu → ethylene(π ∗ ) π-backbonding and the NBO and EDA results.
Impact of Diagnosis-Related Groups' Prospective Payment on Utilization of Medical Intensive Care

We examined the financial impact of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) payment for Medicare patients receiving medical intensive care and looked for any change in the type of patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) after one year's experience with DRGs. During 1984, payment for 267 Medicare patients receiving medical intensive care at a large, multispecialty referral hospital was calculated to be $2.6 million below cost, representing an average loss per discharge of $9,794. For those who died (42 percent), the average payment per case was $11,418 below the average per discharge cost. In 1985, 241 Medicare patients treated in the MICU showed an average loss per discharge of $14,113, which rose to $20,271 for those who expired (39.4 percent). There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups and in type of patients per DRG assignment (p = 0.56 and p = 0.88, respectively) by Chi-squared test. Despite the 1984 DRG experience, there was no change in admission practices or utilization of MICU beds during 1985. Appropriate management responses are needed from both the Federal government and the medical profession for better utilization of MICU resources.
Quantification of stratum corneum removal by adhesive tape stripping by total protein assay in 96-well microplates.

Background/aims: Examination of stratum corneum (SC) content with tape stripping and a colorimetric method is increasingly used. We examined the possible use of microplates in tandem with a colorimetric method to examine SC removed with tape stripping. As a corollary to this examination, the homogeneity of tape strips was examined. Method: The commonly used Lowry assay was adapted for 96-well plates. Tapes were divided into four regions and sample disks of 5 mm diameter were taken from each and analyzed for SC mass using the adapted Lowry assay. Results: Homogeneity of SC removal over different areas across a tape strip is limited. Conclusion: Quantification of SC by means of a 96-well microplate-based colorimetric method is feasible and shortens the time of analysis. However, when using D-Squame® tape disks, SC removal on a limited area of the tape is not predictive for SC removal on the entire tape as removal is inhomogenous. Therefore, SC protein extraction should be performed on a large enough area, eventually on the entire tape when quantifying SC mass removed by tape stripping.
The Sexual Objectification of Women in Advertising: A Contemporary Cultural Perspective

This study measures attitudes of young women to sexually objectified advertising. A survey combining elements of two previous studies (Ford, LaTour, and Lundstrom, 1991; Mittal and Lassar, 2000) was administered to 94 female undergraduates. Results show significant (p < 0.001) changes in attitudes of young, educated women. Respondents agreed females were portrayed as sex objects in advertisements, but were less offended by these portrayals than female respondents in 1991. Results also show females' attitudes toward the advertisement have little effect on purchase intention, a highly significant change from attitudes of women in 1991. SINCE THE REBIRTH of the women's movement in the 1960s, critics consistently have raged against the way advertising treats women. Scantily clad, suggestively portrayed women sell every different type of product on television, in magazines, and now on personal computer screens, in increasing numbers, since the 1980s. In the past, young, educated women were the strongest critics of advertisements. Many of the changes in the advertising industry occurred because these women raised their voices in protest. This study examines how today's generation of young, educated females feels about the portrayal of women in advertisements and the consequences of those attitudes. For women born in the early 1980s, sex in the media has been a constant companion. Sex is everywhere, on prime time television programs, movies, and music videos. It is rare to view an hour of television and not see a suggestively dressed or undressed female, whether in a program or a commercial. Sexual imagery appears in magazine articles and advertisements. A recent issue of Cosmopolitan might contain hundreds of half-naked women, stories of sexual mishaps, and even instructions for the ancient art of Kama Sutra. The Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit national health organization, found that sexual con
Flow effects on benthic grazing on phytoplankton by a Caribbean reef

We present measurements of flows and fluxes of phytoplankton to Conch Reef, Florida, a Caribbean reef dominated by sponges and soft corals, located in 15 m of water offshore of Key Largo. Vertical profiles of chlorophyll a, a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, showed a near-bed depletion, indicating the existence of concentration boundary layers. Along with simultaneous measurements of velocity profiles, near-bed turbulence, and temperature stratification, these profiles were used to compute a, the mass transfer velocity of phytoplankton to the bed (i.e., the flux to the bed normalized by near-bed concentration). The a value ranged from 240 to +130 m d 21 , with a significant linear positive relationship with shear velocity. The median value of a 5 48 6 20 m d 21 is larger than would be expected, given the observed population of filter-feeding sponges. Nonetheless, these large values of a are consistent with values found recently for another coral reef as well as for a soft bottom estuarine community. Taken as a whole, these measurements indicate that reefs with large roughness and/or energetic currents should be able to support higher biomasses of benthic organisms than would low relief reefs or reefs in sluggish waters.
RWJ-241947 (MCC-555), A Unique Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Ligand with Antitumor Activity against Human Prostate Cancer in Vitro and in Beige/Nude/ X-Linked Immunodeficient Mice and Enhancement of Apoptosis in Myeloma Cells Induced by Arsenic Trioxide

Purpose: RWJ-241947 (MCC-555) is a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ ligand of the thiazolidinedione class that was recently developed as an antidiabetic drug with unique properties. Some thiazolidinediones have anticancer activity against solid and hematological malignancies; the anticancer potency of RWJ-241947 has not been examined. We, therefore, investigated these effects in vitro and in vivo either alone or in combination with other compounds. Experimental Design: Tumor growth was examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, soft agar colony assay in vitro , and xenografts in nude mice. Its effects on cell cycle, differentiation, and apoptosis were examined. Results: In vitro studies using various solid and hematological tumor cell lines showed that RWJ-241947 had antiproliferative activity against prostate cancer cells, with the strongest effect against the androgen-independent PC-3 prostate cancer cells. It increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 WAF1 , deceased cyclin E, and induced apoptosis in PC-3 cells. It increased E-cadherin and lowered protein expression of prostate-specific antigen without down-regulating the androgen receptor in androgen-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Reporter gene assays showed that this peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ ligand inhibited androgen activation of the androgen receptor response elements of the prostate-specific antigen gene. Remarkably, in vivo treatment of male beige/nude/X-linked immunodeficient (BNX) mice with RWJ-241947 profoundly suppressed growth of PC-3 prostate cancer xenografts with prominent apoptosis, as well as fibrosis, including inflammatory and giant cell reaction in the remaining tumor tissue. Notably, the experimented mice had a significantly decreased cholesterol. In addition, we studied the combination of arsenic trioxide (As2O3), which is used in the treatment of multiple myeloma, and RWJ-241947; these two reagents together prominently inhibited proliferation and caused apoptosis of multiple myeloma cells. Conclusions: RWJ-241947 has surprisingly potent antiproliferative effects against prostate cancer cells in vivo , and it enhances the antitumor activity of As2O3 against myeloma cells. Small, well-defined clinical studies using RWJ-241947 are in order for these cancers.
Gender and families : Feminist perspectives and family research

This review provides a selective overview of scholarship on gender and families over the past decade. First, we discuss four characteristics of feminist perspectives to theoretical and methodological issues in social science. Then we describe briefly how feminist sensibility has been reflected in family scholarship over the past decade. We conclude with brief observations on the disjuncture between academic work on gender and the feminist backlash apparent in the contemporary culture.
Identifying Functional Relations in Web Text

Determining whether a textual phrase denotes a functional relation (i.e., a relation that maps each domain element to a unique range element) is useful for numerous NLP tasks such as synonym resolution and contradiction detection. Previous work on this problem has relied on either counting methods or lexico-syntactic patterns. However, determining whether a relation is functional, by analyzing mentions of the relation in a corpus, is challenging due to ambiguity, synonymy, anaphora, and other linguistic phenomena. We present the Leibniz system that overcomes these challenges by exploiting the synergy between the Web corpus and freely-available knowledge resources such as Free-base. It first computes multiple typed functionality scores, representing functionality of the relation phrase when its arguments are constrained to specific types. It then aggregates these scores to predict the global functionality for the phrase. Leibniz outperforms previous work, increasing area under the precision-recall curve from 0.61 to 0.88. We utilize Leibniz to generate the first public repository of automatically-identified functional relations.
Molecular Cloning and Expression of the CRISP Family of Proteins in the Boar

The family of mammalian cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISP) have been well characterized in the rat, mouse, and human. Here we report the molecular cloning and expression analysis of CRISP1, CRISP2, and CRISP3 in the boar. A partial sequence published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database was used to derive the full-length sequences for CRISP1 and CRISP2 using rapid amplification of cDNA ends. RT-PCR confirmed the expression of these mRNAs in the boar reproductive tract, and real time RT-PCR showed CRISP1 to be highly expressed throughout the epididymis, with CRISP2 highly expressed in the testis. A search of the porcine genomic sequence in the NCBI database identified a BAC (CH242-199E6) encoding the CRISP1 gene. This BAC is derived from porcine Chromosome 7 and is syntenic with the regions of the mouse, rat, and human genomes encoding the CRISP gene family. This BAC was found to encode a third CRISP protein with a predicted amino acid sequence of high similarity to human CRISP3. Using RT-PCR we show that CRISP3 expression in the boar reproductive tract is confined to the prostate. Recombinant porcine (rp) CRISP2 protein was produced and purified. When incubated with capacitated boar sperm, rpCRISP2 induced an acrosome reaction, consistent with its demonstrated ability to alter the activity of calcium channels.
Toward improved tumor targeting for image guided neurosurgery with intra-operative parametric search using distributed and grid computing

We describe a high-performance distributed software environment for real-time nonrigid registration during Image- Guided Neurosurgery (IGNS). The implementation allows to perform volumetric non-rigid registration of MRI data within two minutes of computation time, and can enable large-scale parametric studies of the registration algorithm. We explore some of the parameters of the non-rigid registration, and evaluate their impact on registration accuracy using ground truth. The results of the evaluation motivate running the registration process within the Grid environment, particularly when searching for optimal parameters of intraoperative registration. Based on the results of our evaluation, distributed parametric searching of optimal registration settings can significantly improve the registration accuracy in some regions of the brain, as compared to the accuracy achieved using the default parameters.
Circular dichroism of the “random” polypeptide chain

The circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of an unordered polypeptide chain does not correspond, as has been assumed heretofore, to that of a charged chain such as poly-L-glutamic acid or poly-L-lysine. The latter have been shown to have locally ordered structures with characteristic CD spectra. We have now obtained CD spectra of the unordered forms of the above synthetic, polypeptides, as well as of two fibrous proteins (collagen and feather keratin) and a globular protein (myoglobin). These spectra are all similar to that of unordered polyproline, having a negative band in the vicinity of 2000 mμ and no additional bands at longer wavelengths. The lack of structural uniqueness of the unordered polypeptide chain is emphasized by these studies.
Light-chain-restricted plasmacellular infiltrates in necrobiosis lipoidica -- a clue to an underlying monoclonal gammopathy.

Background: Necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) is a member of the palisading granulomatous dermatitides that is associated, in most cases, with diabetes mellitus. However, there are an increasing number of cases of NL associated with other forms of systemic disease. We describe a novel case of NL associated with a light-chain-restricted plasmacellular infiltrate; subsequent investigations established an underlying monoclonal gammopathy. Methods: Skin biopsy material was obtained and was processed in the usual fashion for hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) examination. Immunohistochemical staining was performed by utilizing kappa and lambda monoclonal antibodies (Dako Corporation, Carpentiera, CA, USA). Kappa and lambda in situ hybridization was also performed (Ventana Medical Systems, Tucson, AZ, USA). Results: A 55-year-old woman with a 5-year history of bilateral thigh subcutaneous nodules underwent a skin biopsy, showing typical changes of NL; there was a concomitant prominent perivascular plasmacellular infiltrate. Kappa light chain restriction was observed amid the plasmacellular infiltrate. Bone marrow biopsy and immunophenotyping studies revealed a clonal plasmacytosis with kappa light chain restriction. Conclusions: Granulomatous inflammation, including NL, may be a cutaneous paraneoplastic expression of low-grade B-cell lymphoproliferative disease in the context of an underlying plasma cell dyscrasia.
Gerhard Lenski, Some False Oppositions, and The Religious Factor

Dans cet article, l'A se penche sur les ecrits de G. Lenski et discute de l'impact actuel de son ouvrage, The Religious Factor. L'A analyse ici les fondements theoriques de l'engagement religieux decrit par Lenski afin de permettre une lecture contemporaine du phenomoene religieux aux Etats-Unis
Role of Reduced Ionic Strength and Low pH in Gelation of Chicken Breast Muscle Protein

: Elastic gels with a high moisture content of 88% were prepared at an acidic pH and low ionic strength. The relationship among pH, ionic strength, water-holding capacity, and fold score of gels was investigated. A decrease of pH from 4.1 to 3.7 or below increased gel elasticity and significantly decreased water loss under pressure (P < 0.05). In the presence of sodium chloride, gels made at pH 3.5 to 3.7 had decreased elasticity and increased water loss under pressure. Prior freezing increased the water loss of gels under pressure. Gels made with phosphoric acid and hydrochloric acid lost less water under pressure than those made with citric acid. The percentage loss of water from cylindrical gels was inversely related to the height of the cylinders, suggesting that surface effects were involved. These results suggest that net positive charges on the protein molecules at low pH produced electrostatic repulsion, which was a major driving force for water uptake in the low-salt gels.
Development of a histone deacetylase 6 inhibitor and its biological effects

Development of isoform-selective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors is important in elucidating the function of individual HDAC enzymes and their potential as therapeutic agents. Among the eleven zinc-dependent HDACs in humans, HDAC6 is structurally and functionally unique. Here, we show that a hydroxamic acid-based small-molecule N-hydroxy-4-(2-[(2-hydroxyethyl)(phenyl)amino]-2-oxoethyl)benzamide (HPOB) selectively inhibits HDAC6 catalytic activity in vivo and in vitro. HPOB causes growth inhibition of normal and transformed cells but does not induce cell death. HPOB enhances the effectiveness of DNA-damaging anticancer drugs in transformed cells but not normal cells. HPOB does not block the ubiquitin-binding activity of HDAC6. The HDAC6-selective inhibitor HPOB has therapeutic potential in combination therapy to enhance the potency of anticancer drugs.
Chompy: An infestation of MITE-like repetitive elements in the crocodilian genome

Interspersed repeats are a major component of most eukaryotic genomes and have an impact on genome size and stability, but the repetitive element landscape of crocodilian genomes has not yet been fully investigated. In this report, we provide the first detailed characterization of an interspersed repeat element in any crocodilian genome. Chompy is a putative miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE) family initially recovered from the genome of Alligator mississippiensis (American alligator) but also present in the genomes of Crocodylus moreletii (Morelet’s crocodile) and Gavialis gangeticus (Indian gharial). The element has all of the hallmarks of MITEs including terminal inverted repeats, possible target site duplications, and a tendency to form secondary structures. We estimate the copy number in the alligator genome to be ¨46,000 copies. As a result of their size and unique properties, Chompy elements may provide a useful source of genomic variation for crocodilian comparative genomics. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
School finance reform, the distribution of school spending, and the distribution of student test scores

This paper studies the effect of school finance reforms on the distribution of school spending across richer and poorer districts, and the consequences of spending equalization for the relative test performance of students from different family backgrounds. We find that states where the school finance system was declared unconstitutional in the 1980s increased the relative funding of low-income districts. Increases in the amount of state aid available to poorer districts led to increases in the spending of these districts, narrowing the spending gap between richer and poorer districts. Using micro samples of SAT scores from this same period, we then test whether changes in spending inequality affect the gap in achievement between different family background groups. We find evidence that equalization of spending leads to a narrowing of test score outcomes across family background groups. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Bounds on (Deterministic) Correlation Functions with Application to Registration

The auto/cross correlation of L2 functions are constrained by certain bounds which may often be used to advantage. These bounds apply to all the common cross correlation functions used for registration purposes (called ``deterministic'' correlation functions in this paper, as opposed to stochastic correlation based on non-L2 functions). It is shown that the envelopes of deterministic autocorrelations have essentially a cosine-like behavior but with jump discontinuities at points where the normalized relative displacement is the reciprocal of an integer. Several inequalities extending these results are given. It is shown how these can be applied toward obtaining improved registration algorithms.
Thin Glomerular Basement Membrane Nephropathy: Incidence in 3471 Consecutive Renal Biopsies Examined by Electron Microscopy

Abstract Context.—Thin glomerular basement membrane (GBM) nephropathy is often equated with benign familial hematuria, although it may occur sporadically and may not always be benign. Thin GBM nephropathy is reported to occur in at least 1% of the population, although its reported incidence varies considerably in different studies because there are presently no uniform criteria for its diagnosis by electron microscopy (EM). Objective.—To determine the incidence of thin GBM nephropathy in a large sample of renal biopsies using a basic methodology that can easily be applied in any diagnostic EM laboratory. Design.—Direct measurements of GBM thickness were made from electron micrographs at 3 specified points along each of 10 randomly selected glomerular capillaries to determine an average GBM thickness for each of 50 males and 50 females, ages 9 to 80 years, with minimal-change nephropathy or acute interstitial nephritis, without hematuria. The means of the average GBM thickness values were 330 ± 50 (SD) nm ...
Game design for bioinformatics and cyberinfrastructure learning: a parallel computing case study

As a growing number of serious games have been developed for biology and computer science learning, few address the communication and technical challenges that arise in cyberinfrastructure CI intensive projects, where multiple-domain scientists collaborate. This paper describes empirical data collected during a year-long human-centered game design process, in which design ideas generated by high-school students were bridged with bioinformatics and parallel computing learning concepts. Our research shows that 'fun' and engaging game elements are actually well suited for addressing the sociotechnical aspects of CI projects. We provide a human-centered game design methodology, as well as a case study, in which this methodology is applied to the design of parallel computing-focused mini-games. This research has implications for integrating large-scale computing concepts such as shared resources and services into gaming experiences. It also has implications for supporting learning through enjoyable and fun experiences as part of a larger CI collaborative environment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is pre-pregnancy weight a risk factor for intellectual disability?

Over the past 30 years, the growing prevalence of obesity has become a major problem in the USA. The most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from the year 2009–2010 states...
Drosophila Wnt-1 Undergoes a Hydrophobic Modification and Is Targeted to Lipid Rafts, a Process That Requires Porcupine

Wnt signaling pathways regulate many developmental responses; however, little is known about how Wnt ligands function on a biochemical level. Recent studies have shown that Wnt-3a is palmitoylated before secretion. Here we report that Drosophila Wnt-1 (Wingless) also undergoes a lipid modification. Lipidation occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum and is dependent on Porcupine, a putative O-acyltransferase. After modification, DWnt-1 partitions as a membrane-anchored protein and is sorted into lipid raft detergent-insoluble microdomains. Lipidation, raft targeting, and secretion can be blocked by the addition of 2-bromopalmitate, a competitive inhibitor of O-acyltransferase activity. Based on these results we propose a model whereby lipidation targets Wnt-1 to secretory vesicles that deliver the ligand to specialized microdomains at the cell surface where it can be packaged for secretion.
Predicting the phase behavior of fatty acid methyl esters and their mixtures using the GC-SAFT-VR approach

Abstract Biodiesel fuels, which consist of a blend of long chain fatty acid methyl esters, have attracted increased interest in recent years as possible alternates to fuels derived from petroleum. An understanding of the thermophysical properties and phase behavior of these molecules are therefore important to the investigation and design of biodiesel processes; however, such data is limited, making the development of molecular based modeling approaches that can accurately and reliably determine the thermophysical properties of fatty acid methyl esters an important research area. Here we apply the group contribution based statistical associating fluid theory for potential of variable range (GC-SAFT-VR) equation of state to the study of long chain fatty acid methyl esters that comprise biodiesel fuels. With minimal reliance on experimental data, the GC-SAFT-VR equation of state offers a predictive approach that allows for the description of hetero-segmented chains that can correlate and predict the phase behavior of pure associating and non-associating fluids and their mixtures. Model parameters for the C O, CH3, CH2, CH CH2, OCH2, and OCH3 functional groups and their cross interactions were taken from earlier work and used here in a transferable fashion to predict the thermophysical properties and phase behavior of pure fatty acid methyl esters and their mixtures with other fatty acid methyl esters, alcohols, and carbon dioxide. It is shown that the GC-SAFT-VR approach can be used as a purely predictive tool without fitting any new model parameters) to accurately predict the phase behavior of the fatty acid methyl ester fluids and their mixtures studied.
Histological description of tarnished plant bug (Heteroptera: Miridae) feeding on small cotton floral buds.

Microscopic features of small cotton floral buds abscised due to Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) feeding and non-insect factors were identified and contrasted with healthy buds. Feeding damage appeared to be most common on staminal columns, developing anthers, and corollas. These tissues exhibited gross enlargement and varying degrees of cellular degradation. Fragmented cell walls were thinner and stained lighter than those that were intact. Desiccation of buds abscised due to Lygus feeding was irregular. Tissues of buds abscised due to non-insect factors stained uniformly and all cells were intact. Uniform basipetal desiccation throughout the bud occurred in non-insect damaged buds, especially in anthers, staminal columns, and carpels. Tissues and cells of healthy buds stained uniformly and consistently and were without structural abnormalities. The biochemical composition of male reproductive tissue of cotton floral buds appears to play an important role in the nutritional physiology of L. lineol...