cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactions Between Adiponectin-Pathway Polymorphisms and Obesity on Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk Among African American Women: The WHI SHARe Study

Author(s): Nam, Gina E; Zhang, Zuo-Feng; Rao, Jianyu; Zhou, Hua; Jung, Su Yon | Abstract: BackgroundA decreased level of serum adiponectin is associated with obesity and an increased risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal women. Yet, the interplay between genetic variants associated with adiponectin phenotype, obesity, and breast cancer risk is unclear in African American (AA) women.MethodsWe examined 32 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously identified in genome-wide association and replication studies of serum adiponectin levels using data from 7,991 AA postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative SNP Health Association Resource.ResultsStratifying by obesity status, we identified 18 adiponectin-related SNPs that were associated with breast cancer risk. Among women with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, the minor TT genotype of FER rs10447248 had an elevated breast cancer risk. Interaction was observed between obesity and the CT genotype of ADIPOQ rs6773957 on the additive scale for breast cancer risk (relative excess risk due to interaction, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.32-0.92). The joint effect of BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and the TC genotype of OR8S1 rs11168618 was larger than the sum of the independent effects on breast cancer risk.ConclusionsWe demonstrated that obesity plays a significant role as an effect modifier in an increased effect of the SNPs on breast cancer risk using one of the most extensive data on postmenopausal AA women.ImpactThe results suggest the potential use of adiponectin genetic variants as obesity-associated biomarkers for informing AA women who are at greater risk for breast cancer and also for promoting behavioral interventions, such as weight control, to those with risk genotypes.
Structural locus of transmucosal albumin efflux in canine ileum. A fluorescent study.

This study demonstrates the effects of elevated intestinal venous pressure on the intestinal tissue spaces and the histological locus of the transmucosal albumin flux under such conditions. The authors were able to localize albumin in the tissues using an Evans blue-albumin fluorescence technique. This technique makes use of the fluorescence properties and albumin affinity of Evans blue dye (T-1824). Evans blue dye has a high affinity for albumin and emits a red-orange fluorescence at a wavelength of 720 nm. Evans blue was mixed with a solution of bovine serum albumin at concentrations that yield negligible amounts of free dye. Control ileal samples were obtained in order to visualize the natural tissue morphology and fluorescence. The Evans blue-albumin solution was injected and tissue samples were obtained 15 and 60 min postinjection, then venous outflow was occluded and after 15 and 60 min the tissues were sampled. Each sample was immediately frozen, freeze dried, embedded in paraffin, and 7-δ sections were made. The Evans blue-albumin was demonstrated histologically with a fluorescence microscope. No leakage sites were apparent at normal venous pressures. However, after elevation of venous pressure, Evans blue-albumin was observed in the interepithelial and/or intraepithelial spaces of villus tips, but no Evans blue-albumin was observed either between or within the epithelial cells of the crypts, or within the tubular crypt lumina. These results indicate that at elevated venous pressures, the transmucosal albumin flux occurs exclusively at the villus tip region, suggesting a great vulnerability of the cells found in this region to elevations in tissue pressure as compared to the crypt epithelial cells.
Political Institutions and Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries: Does the Sector Matter?

This paper examines the effect of regime type on FDI flows to developing countries. Existing research has been inconclusive, with some studies finding a positive effect of democracy, others finding a negative effect, and still others finding no clear relationship between regime type and FDI. This paper argues that the link between regime type and FDI operates on the industry level and that existing studies have reached conflicting results because they do not distinguish between different types of FDI. Statistical analysis of industry-level FDI flows to 44 developing countries between 1993 and 2003 shows that democracy has a positive effect on FDI seeking new markets or lower cost, but no effect on resource-seeking FDI. Democracy has negative effect on resource-seeking FDI in the research design used by existing studies, which may attenuate, offset, or outweigh the positive effect of democracy on market- and efficiency-seeking FDI. This suggests that the conflicting findings in the literature are due to differences in the time and country coverage of existing studies as the share of resource-seeking FDI in total FDI flows has varied both over time and across regions.
Hereditary nephritis: A poorly known entity

Abstract Hereditary nephritis (Alport's disease) has been a recognized entity since the turn of the century, but it is rarely seen in the urologic literature. Illustrative case material with renal biopsy is presented, and genetic transmission, clinical features, histopathologic aspects, and associated findings are discussed.
Hand steadiness: effects of sex, menstrual phase, oral contraceptives, practice, and handgun weight.

This study examines sex differences in the performance of men and women as reflected in hand steadiness. In the 1st experiment 58 men, 19 women taking oral contraceptives, and 48 normally cycling women, aged 18-32, were tested over a period of 8 weeks for their ability to hold a stylus in a series of holes decreasing from 12.5 to 2.5 mm without touching the side of the hole. The normally cycling women proved steadier than the men, but the use of oral contraceptives had a significant detrimental effect on hand steadiness in women. The normally cycling women, however, showed significant performance changes associated with cycle phases. All subjects performed better with their preferred hand. In a 2nd experiment 12 men, 5 women taking oral contraceptives, and 7 normally cycling women were tested with weighted pistols simulating a .45 pistol and a .38 revolver. The 4 weights used were 660, 860, 1060, and 1260 gm. Each weighted handgun was tested in 2 firing positions, supported and unsupported. The hole sizes were 12.5, 6.5, 4.5, 3.5, and 2.5 mm. The normally cycling women made the fewest errors, and the women on oral contraceptives made the most. However, the normally cycling women did significantly worse during the week prior to menses. Contrary to expectations, the steadiness advantage of the normally cycling women did not disappear at heavier pistol weights. Language: en
CREWS-SAVRE: Scenarios for Acquiring and Validating Requirements

This paper reports research into semi-automatic generation of scenarios for validating software-intensive system requirements. The research was undertaken as part of the ESPRIT IV 21903 ‘CREWS’ long-term research project. The paper presents the underlying theoretical models of domain knowledge, computational mechanisms and user-driven dialogues needed for scenario generation. It describes how CREWS draws on theoretical results from the ESPRIT III 6353 ‘NATURE’ basic research action, that is object system models which are abstractions of the fundamental features of different categories of problem domain. CREWS uses these models to generate normal course scenarios, then draws on theoretical and empirical research from cognitive science, human-computer interaction, collaborative systems and software engineering to generate alternative courses for these scenarios. The paper describes a computational mechanism for deriving use cases from object system models, simple rules to link actions in a use case, taxonomies of classes of exceptions which give rise to alternative courses in scenarios, and a computational mechanism for generation of multiple scenarios from a use case specification.
The beginning of the sit‐down era: The reminiscences of rex murray

(1974). The beginning of the sit‐down era: The reminiscences of rex murray. Labor History: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 89-97.
Problem Solving: Complexity, History, Sustainability

Sustainability or collapse follow from the success or failure of problem-solving institutions. The factors that lead to long-term success or failure in problem solving have received little attention, so that this fundamental activity is poorly understood. The capacity of institutions to solve problems changes over time, suggesting that a science of problem solving, and thus a science of sustainability, must be historical. Complexity is a primary problem-solving strategy, which is often successful in the short-term, but cumulatively may become detrimental to sustainability. Historical case studies illustrate different outcomes to long-term development of complexity in problem solving. These cases clarify future options for contemporary societies: collapse, simplification, or increasing complexity based on increasing energy subsidies.
Conversations about Art: A Disruptive Model of Interpretation

This article explores the concept that an understanding of positioning within discursive practices1 can lead to an understanding of the social construction of self and difference. With this underst...
GMDP: a novel unified neuron model for multilayer feedforward neural networks

A variety of neural models, especially higher-order networks, are known to be computationally powerful for complex applications. While they have advantages over traditional multilayer perceptrons, the nonuniformity in their network structures and learning algorithms creates practical problems. Thus there is a need for a framework that unifies these various models. This paper presents a novel neuron model, called generalized multi-dendrite product (GMDP) unit. Multilayer feedforward neural networks with GMDP units are shown to be capable of realizing higher-order neural networks. The standard backpropagation learning rule is extended to this neural network. Simulation results show that single layer GMDP networks provide an efficient model for solving general problems on function approximation and pattern classification. >
Mechanical and Thermal Hyperalgesia and Ectopic Neuronal Discharge After Chronic Compression of Dorsal Root Ganglia

Chronic compression of the dorsal root ganglion (CCD) was produced in adult rats by implanting a stainless steel rod unilaterally into the intervertebral foramen, one rod at L4 and another at L5. T...
Metagame analysis of competitive strategy

The need for effective competitive strategy planning for a firm's survival and growth has long been recognized to be important. The identification and selection of good, or robust, market strategies must be based on the anticipation of the likely strategies of significant competitors, who should ideally be visualized as undergoing a similar process of assessing their own and other's goals and probable strategies. This paper reviews and evaluates the traditional economic and game theoretic approaches to competitive strategy analysis and presents an application of metagame analysis—an approach which has not previously been used in the strategic business environment. This approach, which appears to have some significant advantages over both economic and game theoretic approaches has been utilized and evaluated in a business firm (Dutta and King, forthcoming). An illustration of its use, which is based on a real-world application, is discussed.
Biogenic Fraction of Ambient VOC: Comparison of Radiocarbon, Chromatographic, and Emissions Inventory Estimates for Atlanta, Georgia

Previously reported volatile organic compounds (VOC) radiocarbon (14C) measurements for 1992 summertime Atlanta, GA, have been compared with chromatographic data and emissions inventory predictions. The chromatographic approach that was used provided a more comprehensive VOC characterization than typically achieved, and the emissions inventory was research-grade level (date-, site-, and time-specific). The comparisons are in general agreement that biogenic emissions contribute only modestly (<10%) to the VOC content of the particular ambient samples that were collected and measured. The choices of sampling site (near city-center) and times (early morning and late evening) are major influences on the results, which consequently should not be regarded as representing the average VOC biogenic impact for the Atlanta area.
Factor IX variants improve gene therapy efficacy for hemophilia B

Intramuscular injection of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector to skeletal muscle of humans with hemophilia B is safe, but higher doses are required to achieve therapeutic factor IX (F.IX) levels. The efficacy of this approach is hampered by the retention of F.IX in muscle extracellular spaces and by the limiting capacity of muscle to synthesize fully active F.IX at high expression rates. To overcome these limitations, we constructed AAV vectors encoding F.IX variants for muscle- or liver-directed expression in hemophilia B mice. Circulating F.IX levels following intramuscular injection of AAV-F.IX-K5A/V10K, a variant with low-affinity to extracellular matrix, were 2-5 fold higher compared with wild-type (WT) F.IX, while the protein-specific activities remained similar. Expression of F.IX-R338A generated a protein with 2- or 6-fold higher specific activity than F.IX-WT following vector delivery to skeletal muscle or liver, respectively. F.IX-WT and variant forms provide effective hemostasis in vivo upon challenge by tail-clipping assay. Importantly, intramuscular injection of AAV-F.IX variants did not trigger antibody formation to F.IX in mice tolerant to F.IX-WT. These studies demonstrate that F.IX variants provide a promising strategy to improve the efficacy for a variety of gene-based therapies for hemophilia B.
Managing the forest for more than the trees: effects of experimental timber harvest on forest Lepidoptera

Studies of the effects of timber harvest on forest insect communities have rarely considered how disturbance from a range of harvest levels interacts with temporal variation in species diversity to affect community resistance to change. Here I report the results of a landscape-scale, before-and-after, treatment-control experiment designed to test how communities of forest Lepidoptera experience (1) changes in species richness and composition and (2) shifts in species dominance one year after logging. I sampled Lepidoptera from 20 forest stands allocated to three harvest treatments (control, even-aged shelterwood or clearcuts, and uneven-aged group selection cuts) within three watersheds at Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Indiana, USA. Moths were sampled from all forest stands one year prior to harvest in 2007 and immediately post-harvest in 2009. Species composition was most significantly affected by temporal variation between years, although uneven-aged management also caused significant changes in lepidopteran community structure. Furthermore, species richness of Lepidoptera was higher in 2007 compared to 2009 across all watersheds and forest stands. The decrease in species richness between years, however, was much larger in even-aged and uneven-aged management units compared to the control. Furthermore, matrix stands within the even-aged management unit demonstrated the highest resistance to species loss within any management unit. Species dominance was highly resistant to effects of timber harvest, with pre- and post-harvest values for Simpson diversity nearly invariant. Counter to prediction, however, the suite of dominant taxa differed dramatically among the three management units post-harvest. My results suggest that temporal variation may have strong interactions with timber harvest, precipitating loss of nearly 50% species richness from managed stands regardless of harvest level. Even-aged management, however, appeared to leave the smallest "footprint" on moth communities. Timber harvest also created greater heterogeneity in species dominance among management units, suggesting that forest watersheds may diverge in post-harvest recovery transients relative to unlogged watersheds in Morgan-Monroe State Forest. Because moth communities appear to be highly sensitive to group-selection cuts, shelterwood cuts, and clearcuts, it will be important to retain unlogged concessions within management units to resist landscape-level loss of Lepidoptera.
High-Speed Application Protocol Parsing and Extraction for Deep Flow Inspection

In this paper, we propose FlowSifter, a framework for automated online application protocol field extraction. FlowSifter is based on a new grammar model called Counting Regular Grammars (CRG) and a corresponding automata model called Counting Automata (CA). The CRG and CA models add counters with update functions and transition guards to regular grammars and finite state automata. These additions give CRGs and CAs the ability to parse and extract fields from context sensitive application protocols. These additions also facilitate fast and stackless approximate parsing of recursive structures. These new grammar models enable FlowSifter to generate optimized Layer 7 field extractors from simple extraction specifications. We compare FlowSifter against both BinPAC and UltraPAC, which represent the state-of-the-art field extractors. Our experiments show that when compared to BinPAC parsers, FlowSifter runs more than 21 times faster and uses 49 times less memory. When compared to UltraPAC parsers, FlowSifter extractors run 12 times faster and use 24 times less memory.
Observations of Atmospheric Structure During Summer in a Coastal Mountain Basin in Northwest Oregon

Abstract During 53 days in the summer of 1966 continuous hygrothermograph records were obtained at 6 points along a north-south transect of the 11-km wide Valsetz Basin in the Oregon Coast Range. The 6 records sampled both north and south aspects and nearly the full range of elevations between 300 and 900 m above msl in the basin. Hourly values of temperature and relative humidity were tabulated from the charts, converted to values of potential temperature and mixing ratio, and put on punched cards. The period of record was divided into three relatively dissimilar types of day, and hourly mean cross-sections of potential temperature and mixing ratio were drawn for each type. Only comparatively minor variations superimposed on a basic nocturnal pattern and a basic daytime pattern of cross-section distinguish the three types of day. .Principal causes of the variations are nocturnal accumulation of cold air on the basin floor, nocturnal heating at ridge top levels associated with subsidence inversion, anti h...
Effects of central serotonin on autonomic control of heart rate in intact and baroreceptor deficient rats.

The intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of serotonin (5-HT) increases blood pressure and decreases heart rate (HR) in conscious rats by activation of 5-HT2/1C receptors. Since the bradycardia is eliminated by pretreatment with a ganglionic or V1-vasopressin antagonist, we proposed that the decrease in HR results from an effect on cardiac autonomic activity which is potentiated by vasopressin. The present study aimed first, to further characterize mechanisms by which the i.c.v. injection of 5-HT (2.5 micrograms) decreases HR in conscious rats, and second to determine the cardiovascular responses to 5-HT (2.5 micrograms, i.c.v.) in rats with chronic sinoaortic deafferentation (SAD). In intact rats, the bradycardia elicited by 5-HT was eliminated by a combination of the muscarinic antagonist atropine and the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist sotalol; neither antagonist was effective alone. In rats with SAD, 5-HT produced a larger increase in blood pressure and a marked tachycardia, both of which were eliminated by the 5-HT2/1C antagonist LY 53857. Furthermore, in rats with SAD the 5-HT-induced increase in HR was blocked by sotalol alone. In conclusion, 5-HT (2.5 micrograms, i.c.v.) acts on central 5-HT2/1C receptors to increase arterial pressure. In intact rats this decreases HR by vasopressin-potentiated activation of baroreceptor reflexes and subsequent increase in vagal tone and decrease in cardiac sympathetic tone. In the absence of baroreflexes, a direct central effect of 5-HT to produce a beta-adrenoceptor-mediated cardioacceleration is unmasked.
HPLC Separation of Selected Cardiovascular Agents on Underivatized Silica Using an Aqueous Organic Mobile Phase

Abstract High performance chromatographic separations of selected cardiovascular agents (propranolol, atenolol, metoprolol, verapamil, diltiazem, nifedipine, clonidine and prazosin) on underivatized silica using aqueous phosphate buffer—acetonitrile mobile phases were studied. Mobile phases differing in organic modifier concentration, ionic strength and buffer pH were prepared and tested for chromatographic separation of selected mixtures of the analytes grouped according to pharmacological activity. The best separations of all analytes were obtained using a mobile phase of 60:40 v/v aqueous pH 3 phosphate buffer—acetonitrile at a 1.0 mL/min flow rate. Substitution of methanol for acetonitrile gave increased retention of the analytes with some reduction in column efficiency measured as plate counts. Although ion-pairing appears to be the primary interactive force between the silica column and the analytes, other forces such as hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions are also involved in the separation.
New vibrational self‐consistent field program for large molecules

A recently developed, general computer program that performs vibrational self-consistent field (VSCF) calculations for large molecules is described. The program, which we refer to as VSCF―95, requires as its only input a force field in mass-scaled normal coordinates. Currently, it is limited to a maximum of 200 normal modes, and the force field is limited to coupling terms involving a maximum of six normal modes, with a maximum order of six in any normal mode. As output the program returns VSCF energies for specified quantum states. We illustrate the code with two new applications. The first is to HCO, for which we use a full sixth-order force field. The second is to a model of the fullerene, C60, for which we have calculated a 75,731-term force field, which includes all anharmonic terms up to fifth order, and all two-mode coupling terms up to fourth order. © 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Identification and molecular localization of a pH-sensing domain for the inward rectifier potassium channel HIR.

Abstract Inward rectifier potassium channels are found in the heart and CNS, where they are critical for the modulation and maintenance of cellular excitability. We present evidience that the inward rectifier potassium channel HIR is modulated by extracellular pH in the physiological rante. We show that proton-induced changes in HIR single-channel conductance underline the HIR pH sensitivity seen on the macroscopic level. We used chimeric and mutant channels to localize the molecular determinant of HIR pH sensitivity to a single residue, H117, in the M1-to-H5 linker region. This residue provides a molecular context that allows a titratable group to influence pore proterties. We present evidence that this titratable group is one of two cysteines located in the M1-to-H5 and H5-to-M2 linkers.
Should edentulous patients be constrained to removable complete dentures? The use of dental implants to improve the quality of life for edentulous patients.

doi:10.1111/j.1741-2358.2009.00294.x Should edentulous patients be constrained to removable complete dentures? The use of dental implants to improve the quality of life for edentulous patients Background: Nowadays, there is some speculation among dental educators that the need for complete dentures will significantly decrease in the future and that training in their provision should be removed from the dental curriculum. Objective: To sensitise the reader to the functional shortcomings of complete denture therapy in the edentulous patient and present restorative options including implants to improve edentulous quality of life in these patients. Methods: Information retrieval followed a systematic approach using PubMed. English articles published from 1964 to 2008, in which the masticatory performance of patients with implant-supported dentures was assessed by objective methods and compared with performance with conventional dentures, were included. Results: National epidemiological survey data suggested that the adult population in need of one or two complete dentures will increase from 35.4 million adults in 2000 to 37.9 million adults in 2020. Clinical studies have showed that the ratings of general satisfaction were significantly better in the patients treated with implant overdentures post-delivery compared with the complete denture users. In addition, the implant group gave significantly higher ratings on comfort, stability and ability to chew. Furthermore, patients who received mandibular implant overdentures had significantly fewer oral health-related quality of life problems than did the conventional group. Conclusion: Implant-supported dentures including either complete overdentures or a hybrid prosthesis significantly improve the quality of life for edentulous patients compared with conventional removable complete dentures. Therefore, the contemporary dental practitioner should consider other options as well as conventional removable complete dentures to restore edentulous patients.
Review: Pregabalin and other drugs reduce pain in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy

Source Citation Bril V, England J, Franklin GM, et al. Evidence-based guideline: treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy: report of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Association of N...
High second harmonic generation signal from muscles and fascia pig's muscles using the two-photon laser scanning microscope.

Summary I have provided update to our two photon laser scanning microscope by adding new technique which enables us to simultaneously measured the second harmonic generation signals in the forward and backward directions; in the meantime, one can measure the two photon excitations fluorescence if the materials produce fluorescence. In the present work, the fascia muscles, muscles of pig and pig's skin were used. I found that these materials produced high second harmonic generation signal in both directions. These measurements show that the second harmonic generation strongly depends on the state of the polarization of the laser light and the orientation of the dipole moment in the molecules that interact with the laser light. It is therefore advantageous to control the laser's state of polarization, to maximize second harmonic generation. The novelty of this work is to establish new multi-functional technique by combing three platforms of laser scanning microscopy – the fluorescence microscopy, harmonic generation microscopy and polarizing microscopy in which one can use the second harmonic imaging to investigate the true architecture of the sensitive samples and the samples which do not produce auto-fluorescence. Moreover investigation of the new sample needs to look at all details of the true architecture of the sample. Thereby the sample will be exposed to the laser radiation more than the well-known sample, and that will cause photo-bleaching and photo-damage. Since the second harmonic generation does not undergo from photo-bleaching and photo-damage it will be the promising technique for investigating the sensitive and new samples. Then one can move to acquire fluorescence images after good investigation of the true architecture of the sample by the SH imaging.
SU-E-T-532: Comparison of Dose Distributions Calculated Using Different Planning Systems with Radiochromic Film Measurements in an Inhomogeneous Phantom

Purpose: Accurate modeling of the dose distribution in a lungtumor is challenging for traditional dose calculation algorithms. We compare the dose distributions of four commercial dose calculation Methods: Raysearch (Raysearch Laboratories) and Pinnacle (Philips Healthcare) collapsed cone, and Eclipse AAA and Eclipse Acuros,(Varian Medical Systems) with measurements using radiochromic film in a lungtumor phantomMethods: A simple lungtumor phantom was constructed using a thermoplastic cylinder 29 mm diameter and 40mm in length (density 1.3 gm/cc) imbedded in cork phantom 25 × 25 × 20 cm of density 0.32 gm/cc. Nine film layers normal to the axis of the cylinder where placed between layers of cork, above, below and through the cylindrical inhomogeneity. The phantom was irradiated with a single asymmetric 10×10 cm 6 MV field with the central axis collinear with the cylinder axis. Thirteen film exposures at 5 cm depth taken with doses 0–10 Gy were used to calibrate the film. The phantom was CT scanned and the DICOM study loaded into each of the treatment planning systems to calculate the dose distribution in the phantom. Results: Away from cork‐poly interfaces, agreement between the four algorithms was within 3% of the film measurements. For Acuros, the dose at the edge of the cylinder was found to be up to 2% lower than that at the center of the cylinder possibly because of the loss of lateral electron equilibrium. Conclusions: All four algorithms achieved remarkable agreement with the radiochromic film measurement. The Acuros algorithm appeared to more accurately model the peripheral dose deficit in the tumor, although a more detailed study is required for confirmation.
Question answering from natural language medical data bases

This paper describes a system for automatically answering questions about a collection of natural language medical records. The particular records used for an initial experiment were a set of 206 radiology reports. The implementation involves two major steps: manual determination of a suitable tabular structure (information format) for representing the information contained in the medical records, and automatic conversion of the natural language input (for either record or question) into a form corresponding to the data base. For the medical records the conversion into a data base is done by first performing a syntactic and transformational analysis of the sentences, followed by application of formatting transformations. The question-answering procedure has analogous initial steps but undergoes additional steps of processing to translate the question into a retrieval operation on the data base. Samples of the data base and of the question-answering procedure are shown.
Classical self-force

The self-force for the classical dynamics of finite size particles is obtained. It is to replace the one of von Laue type obtained for point particles. Such particles are beyond the validity domain of classical mechanics, and their self-force leads to pathological solutions. Both electromagnetic and gravitational self-interactions are considered. The approximation made neglects nonlinear terms in the derivatives of the acceleration. A by-product is the fact that the new self-force destroys the time-reversal invariance of the equations of motion.
Polariton local states in periodic Bragg multiple-quantum-well structures: errata.

We study analytically the optical properties of several types of defect in Bragg multiple-quantum-well structures. We show that a single defect leads to two local polariton modes in the photonic bandgap. These modes lead to peculiarities in reflection and transmission spectra. Detailed recommendations for experimental observation of the effects studied here are given.
Self‐limited empowerment: Democracy, economic development and rural India

This study deals with two questions: (i) what accounts for the rise of the countryside in India's polity? and (ii) how has rural power in the polity affected economic policy and economic outcomes for the peasantry? The rural sector is typically weak in the early stages of development. A powerful countryside, therefore, is a counter‐historical occurrence. Universal franchise and a competitive democracy in a primarily agrarian India have led to the empowerment of the countryside. The power of the rural sector is, however, not unconstrained. The first principal constraint is, ironically, the size of the agricultural sector itself. Beyond a point, subsidising a large rural sector is fiscally difficult. The size of the rural population thus cuts both ways: it makes the countryside powerful in a democratic political system but checks this power economically. The second principal constraint on rural power stems from the cross‐cutting nature of rural identities and interests. Farmers are also members of caste, et...
Sexual violence and weight control techniques among adolescent girls.

OBJECTIVE: Research has linked childhood sexual abuse and eating disturbances among adult females. Less is known about whether sexual abuse in the form of dating violence has implications for deviant weight control techniques among adolescent girls. This study assesses the association between sexual violence and weight control practices among girls. We also attempt to untangle the effects of family environment from this association and to determine if weak impulse control mediates the association. METHOD: Survey data were gathered from 2,629 girls in Grades 9-12 to assess health risks. Girls responded to questions regarding dating violence, unwanted sexual contact, purging, and diet pill consumption. Logistic regression was used to assess the unique contribution of sexual violence on weight control techniques. RESULTS: Dating violence and unwanted sexual contact elevated the probability that girls would report practicing weight control techniques by 6-13%. Controls for family environment did not eliminate these associations. Weak impulse control did not significantly mediate these associations. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that sexual violence has immediate implications as a risk factor for weight control techniques in adolescence. Language: en
Ab initio calculations of rigid-body displacements at the Σ5 (210) tilt grain boundary in TiO 2

Through extensive ab initio total energy calculations of the {sigma}5 (210) grain boundary in TiO{sub 2} (rutile), the remarkably large rigid-body contractions found by high resolution electron microscopy and Z-contrast imaging are explored. Unlike previous calculations, this work emphasizes the importance of the displacements of the two halves of the bicrystal towards one another. Previous experimental work suggests that the stochiometry and ionic charges at the boundary are preserved at their bulk values and therefore vacancies and impurities within the grain boundary core were not considered. The calculations predict no significant rigid-body contraction or expansion. The implications of this result for both computational and experimental studies of rigid-body displacements at grain boundaries are discussed. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Energy-efficient computing for HPC workloads on heterogeneous manycore chips

Power and energy efficiency is one of the major challenges to achieve exascale computing in the next several years. While chips operating at low voltages have been studied to be highly energy-efficient, low voltage operations lead to heterogeneity across cores within the microprocessor chip. In this work, we study chips with low voltage operation and discuss programming systems, and performance modeling in the presence of heterogeneity. We propose an integer linear programming based approach for selecting optimal configuration of a chip that minimizes its energy consumption. We obtain an average of 26% and 10.7% savings in energy consumption of the chip for two HPC mini-applications - miniMD and Jacobi, respectively. We also evaluate the energy savings with execution time constraints, using the proposed approach. These energy savings are significantly more than the savings by sub-optimal configurations obtained from heuristics.
Observation of real-time interactions of Bcl-2 family members during apoptosis

Apoptosis is a physiological process of cell death resulting from an intricate cascade of sequential protein-protein interactions. Using donor and acceptor mutant GFP fusion constructs, we have monitored the interaction between specific pro- and anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family with each other as well as proteins located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, as current hypotheses regarding apoptosis suggest that interaction of Bcl-2 family members with each other, or with other mitochondrial membrane proteins, regulates apoptosis. Our data indicate that specific interactions between pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members do occur in situ in the mitochondrial membrane, are altered during apoptosis and regulate cellular sensitivity to apoptosis. These findings are the first to demonstrate real time protein-protein interactions in situ at the level of individual mitochondria.
Analytical applications of guided neutron beams

Guided beams of thermal and cold neutrons have become available to analysts at several reactors during the past decade. The very pure beams from these guides have led to lower backgrounds and higher sensitivities for prompt-γ activation analysis (PGAA), and thus to new applications for this technique. For analytical accuracy, the details of neutron scattering within the sample need to be taken into account; this consideration is especially important for most materials of biological origin.
Effects of Hindered Internal Rotation on Packing and Conductance of Self-Assembled Monolayers

Self-assembled monolayers of 4-thiobiphenyl and 2-thiophenanthrene molecules on Au{111} were probed using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to investigate their assembled order, to measure the conductance through them, and to determine what molecular features are necessary for molecules to exhibit conductance switching. The 4-thiobiphenyl molecules assemble into two distinct packing structures, whereas no order is observed for 2-thiophenanthrene. Both molecules show rectifying behavior, but although 4-thiobiphenyl is more conductive at positive sample biases, 2-thiophenanthrene is more conductive at negative sample bias. Individual molecules of each type were also inserted into alkanethiol SAMs and tracked over several hours to investigate the conductance states of each molecule. Both molecules exhibit two conductance states, indicating that internal ring rotation is not required for conductance switching.
The activity of the nucleolus organising region and the origin of cytoplasmic nucleoloids in meiocytes of Lilium

The origin of the nucleolus-like bodies (“nucleoloids”) released into the cytoplasm during the meiotic divisions in pollen mother cells ofLilium has been traced. Chains of accessory nucleoli are formed at the nucleolus organising regions (NOR) of the nucleolar chromosomes during pachytene and diplotene while the parent-cell nucleolus is undergoing dissolution. Autoradiography using3H-uridine as a tracer shows that this involves the resumption of RNA synthesis at the NOR, although no new synthesis is associated with the parent-cell nucleolus. The accessory nucleoli are released from the NOR to become distributed throughout the nucleus in late prophase; there is no evidence that they contain DNA. In division phases, their material is probably held at the chromosome surfaces as part of the metaphase sheath. After the divisions, globuli are re-formed, and these eventually appear as the nucleoloids after detachment into the cytoplasm. It seems improbable that a gene amplification phase is associated with accessory nucleolus or nucleoloid formation. Evidence from a wide range of species suggests that the production of cytoplasmic nucleoloids during microsporogenesis is a general phenomenon among angiosperms, probably linked with the rapid build-up of ribosome numbers which follows upon the period of elimination in the meiotic prophase.
β-Lactam antibiotics, β-lactamases and bacterial resistance

β-Lactams are the most prescribed antibacterials for the treatment of bacterial infections. Bacteria have developed mechanisms to resist the action of β-lactam drugs, of which the catalytic function of β-lactamase is the most important. These enzymes catalyse hydrolysis of β-lactam antibiotics, whereby the drug is destroyed. This review offers a perspective on the function of these enzymes and their clinical implications.
Dom34:Hbs1 Promotes Subunit Dissociation and Peptidyl-tRNA Drop-Off to Initiate No-Go Decay

No-go decay (NGD) is one of several messenger RNA (mRNA) surveillance systems dedicated to the removal of defective mRNAs from the available pool. Two interacting factors, Dom34 and Hbs1, are genetically implicated in NGD in yeast. Using a reconstituted yeast translation system, we show that Dom34:Hbs1 interacts with the ribosome to promote subunit dissociation and peptidyl-tRNA drop-off. Our data further indicate that these recycling activities are shared by the homologous translation termination factor complex eRF1:eRF3, suggesting a common ancestral function. Because Dom34:Hbs1 activity exhibits no dependence on either peptide length or A-site codon identity, we propose that this quality-control system functions broadly to recycle ribosomes throughout the translation cycle whenever stalls occur.
Stream processing performance for Blue Gene/P supercomputer

Stream processing systems are designed to support applications that use real time data. Examples of streaming applications include security agencies processing data from communications media, battlefield management systems for military operations, consumer fraud detection based on online transactions, and automated trading based on financial market data. Many stream processing applications are faced with the challenge of increasingly large volumes of data and the requirement to deliver low-latency responses predicated by analysis of that data. In this paper, we assess the applicability of the Blue Gene architecture for stream computing applications. This work is part of a larger effort to demonstrate the efficacy of using a Blue Gene for streaming applications. Blue Gene supercomputers provide a high-bandwidth low-latency network connecting a set of I/O and compute nodes. We examine Blue Genepsilas suitability for stream computing applications by assessing its messaging capability for typical stream computing messaging workloads. In particular, this paper presents results from micro-benchmarks we used to evaluate the raw performance of Blue Gene/P (Blue Gene/P) supercomputer under loads produced by high volumes of streaming data. We measure the performance of data streams that originate outside the supercomputer, are directed through the I/O nodes to the compute nodes and then terminate outside. Our performance experiments demonstrate that the Blue Gene/P hardware delivers low-latency and high-throughput capability in a manner usable by streaming applications.
Morals, Models, and Motives in a Different Light: A Rumination on Alan P. Fiske's Structures of Social Life

At one point in the evolution his thinking, Durkheim reasoned that the moral force of social rules felt by the individual as an external force could not spring from so feeble, so inconsistent, and so interior a source as the individual conscience itself but must be, as it is felt to be, an external pressure, the only logical source for which is 'society'. Durkheim's 'society' was not the aggregate of individuals that compose it, but that greater entity emergent from their collective association. This was the source of the force, so to speak, that greater entity as apprehended by the individual via the system of collective representations into which he was born. In cultural anthropology, this version of Durkheim's vision survives to the
Lead Release from Smelter and Mine Waste Impacted Materials under Simulated Gastric Conditions and Relation to Speciation

Under acidic conditions in the stomach of humans, the nature of phases in contaminated solids significantly influence lead (Pb) release and bioaccessibility. This study focused on Pb solid-phase speciation and release kinetics and the relationship between the two. Contaminated soil and waste materials from a Pb mining and processing site contained 279−7770 and 495−83400 mg/kg total lead (Pbt), of which 47−76% and 38−55%, respectively, were extractable (MgCl2 + NaOH + EDTA). Release rates were measured with a stirred-flow reactor under simulated gastric conditions at a pH of 1−3 and at temperatures of 278−328 K. During the first 10 min, Pb release rates at 297 K and pH 1 were high (53 and 31 mg (g of Pbt)-1 min-1, soil and waste, respectively), and most samples released >50% of Pbt within the first 10 min. Between 10 and 60 min, Pb was generally released at lower rates (11 and 3 mg (g of Pbt)-1 min-1, soil and waste, respectively). Lead release kinetics and solid-phase speciation indicate that Pb is presen...
Evaluating soil moisture and yield of winter wheat in the Great Plains using Landsat data

Locating areas where soil moisture is limiting to crop growth is important for estimating winter-wheat yields on a regional basis. In the 1975-76 growing season, we evaluated soil-moisture conditions and winter-wheat yields for a five-state region of the Great Plains using Landsat estimates of leaf area index (LAI) and an evapotranspiration (ET) model described by Kanemasu et al (1977). Because LAI was used as an input, the ET model responded to changes in crop growth. Estimated soil-water depletions were high for the Nebraska Panhandle, southwestern Kansas, southeastern Colorado, and the Texas Panhandle. Estimated yields in five-state region ranged from 1.0 to 2.9 metric ton/ha.
Structure of ferricrocin

Abstract The cyclic hexapeptide moiety of ferricrocin, an iron transport compound (siderochrome) produced byAspergillus fumigatus and other fungi, was subjected to partial acid hydrolysis, both before and after performic acid oxidation, and the peptides so obtained were analyzed by paper electrophoresis and column chromatography. The cyclic hexapeptide was shown to consist of a tripeptide of glycylserylglycine and a tripeptide of δ-N-acetyl-δ-N-hydroxy- l -ornithine. The structure of ferricrocin can hence be represented as: Download : Download full-size image
Editorial Board Thoughts: A Considerable Technology Asset that Has Little to Do with Technology.

Editorial Board Thoughts: A Considerable Technology Asset that Has Little to Do with Technology.
Torsion of a micropolar elastic prism of square cross-section

Abstract An analytical solution is presented for the problem of torsion of a prismatical bar of square cross-section of a micropolar (Cosserat) elastic solid. Warp of the cross-sections is found to differ from the warp in a classically elastic solid. Contrary to the classical case, a non-zero shear strain is predicted to occur at the edge of the bar. Novel experimental modalities are suggested on the basis of this analytical solution.