cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular mechanisms of regulation of fast-inactivating voltage-dependent transient outward K+ current in mouse heart by cell volume changes

The Kv4.2/4.3 channels are the primary subunits that contribute to the fast-inactivating, voltage-dependent transient outward K+ current (Ito,fast) in the heart. Ito,fast is the critical determinant of the early repolarization of the cardiac action potential and plays an important role in the adaptive remodelling of cardiac myocytes, which usually causes cell volume changes, during myocardial ischaemia, hypertrophy and heart failure. It is not known, however, whether Ito,fast is regulated by cell volume changes. In this study we investigated the molecular mechanism for cell volume regulation of Ito,fast in native mouse left ventricular myocytes. Hyposmotic cell swelling caused a marked increase in densities of the peak Ito,fast and a significant shortening in phase 1 repolarization of the action potential duration. The voltage-dependent gating properties of Ito,fast were, however, not altered by changes in cell volume. In the presence of either protein kinase C (PKC) activator (12,13-dibutyrate) or phosphatase inhibitors (calyculin A and okadaic acid), hyposmotic cell swelling failed to further up-regulate Ito,fast. When expressed in NIH/3T3 cells, both Kv4.2 and Kv4.3 channels were also strongly regulated by cell volume in the same voltage-independent but PKC- and phosphatase-dependent manner as seen in Ito,fast in the native cardiac myocytes. We conclude that Kv4.2/4.3 channels in the heart are regulated by cell volume through a phosphorylation/dephosphorylation pathway mediated by PKC and serine/threonine phosphatase(s). These findings suggest a novel role of Kv4.2/4.3 channels in the adaptive electrical and structural remodelling of cardiac myocytes in response to myocardial hypertrophy, ischaemia and reperfusion.
A Model for Collaborative Relationships Between Instructional Technology and Teacher Education Programs

Public and government agencies in the United States are calling for increased accountability in all aspects of K-12 education and teacher preparation, demanding standards of performance and allocating funding to assist students and teachers to meet these standards. With the current influx of federally funded grants such as the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers To Use Technology, many in instructional technology (IT) departments who serve teacher education programs wrestle once again with working outside the initial teacher certification areas. In light of new standards, not only in technology but also in all content areas, how can IT departments work with teacher education faculty and programs to ensure that novice teachers will be able to meet these standards? We propose that developing purposeful relationships of a cooperative nature between these two programs is a critical step toward preparing preservice educators to integrate technology.
Spatial Coherence in Periodic Systems

The van Cittert–Zernike theorem states that quasimonochromatic light from a spatially incoherent source, propagating in free space, will increase in spatial coherence. Wolf has shown that quasimonochromatic light, which is initially only partially space coherent or even incoherent, may become coherent upon propagating through a periodic system of apertures. In this paper we employ the mode theory of optical resonators and transmission systems to obtain the results of the van Cittert–Zernike theorem and to study the rapidity with which coherence builds up in periodic systems of apertures and confocal lenses. A perturbation calculation for modes in circular geometries with small Fresnel numbers is included.
Cardiorespiratory responses of young overweight women to ergometry following modest weight reduction.

In a 15-week weight reduction study, 19 overweight young (aged 18 to 22) women adhered to volitional dieting (group D), exercise (group E), or volitional dieting plus exercise (group DE). Body weight and fat losses were modest yet significant but were not different among groups. Bicycle and treadmill progressive work tests were administered before and after weight reduction. On the bicycle, maximum oxygen consumption ([vdot]o2 max), heart rate (HR), and work rate (WR) were unchanged in group D. Groups E and DE increased [vdot]o2 max and WR. During treadmill exercise, [vdot]o2 max for group D remained unchanged, whereas groups E and DE had higher [vdot]o2 max and WR; max HR was lower in groups D and E. Conditioning increased [vdot]o2 max and reduced HR at submaximal work loads, particularly during treadmill work.
Supplier Selection and Order Quantity Allocation: A Comprehensive Model

SUMMARY In today's competitive environment, it is extremely difficult to successfully produce high quality, low cost products without considering a satisfactory set of suppliers. A useful approach to ensure the reliability of a manufacturer's supply stream is to follow a multiple sourcing policy. Mathematical programming techniques lend themselves nicely by providing optimal solutions to several instances of the problem. However, a recent review of supply selection methods (Weber et al. 1991) identified very few articles that have proposed mathematical programming techniques to analyze supplier selection decisions. Given the economic importance and inherent complexity associated with the supplier selection problem, this article proposes a mixed integer programming approach to solve the supplier selection program. The modelSUPPSEL (Supplier Selection) simultaneously decides the set of suppliers and order quantity allocations among them.
Comparative epidemiology of initial drug opportunities and transitions to first use: marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens and heroin

The earliest stages of involvement with illicit drugs have been understudied. In a recent report, we examined initial opportunities to try marijuana and transitions from first opportunity to first use of that drug. This report extends that work by investigating early involvement with cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogens as well. We examine sex and race ethnicity differences in estimates of having a drug opportunity, and in the probability of progressing from having an opportunity to try a drug to actually using the drug. Self-report interview data collected for the National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) from 1979 to 1994 were analyzed. Results showed that an estimated 51% of US residents have had an opportunity to try marijuana; comparative estimates for cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin are 23, 14, and 5%, respectively. Among those who eventually used each drug, the vast majority made the transition from first opportunity to first use within 1 year. Males were more likely than females to have opportunities to try these drugs, but were not more likely than females to progress to actual use once an opportunity occurred. Time trends indicate recent increases from 1990 to 1994 in the estimated probability of using an illicit drug once an opportunity occurs, particularly for hallucinogens. Exploratory analyses on race ethnicity yielded some interesting leads for future research. This study sheds light on the epidemiology of the earliest stages of drug involvement in the USA. Implications for prevention efforts and for our understanding of sex differences in drug involvement are discussed.
Exercise training improves mean arterial pressure in breast cancer survivors

Currently, many breast cancer survivors worldwide live with treatment-related side effects, including cardiovascular health problems. This study examined effects of a 5-month exercise intervention on non-invasive markers of cardiovascular health in breast cancer survivors. Relationships between these markers and commonly used markers of overall health were also explored. Fifty-two survivors completed the exercise training at a rehabilitation center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between 2008-2011. A combined aerobic and resistance exercise intervention (3 times/week for 1h) at intensities progressing from low (40%) to moderate (65-70% of VO2max) for aerobic and 8-12 repetitions max for the resistance exercise were implemented. Significant reduction in mean arterial pressure (MAP) was observed from baseline to final assessment. A significant correlation was found between MAP and Body Mass Index (BMI). In conclusion, 5-months combined aerobic and resistance exercise intervention positively improved MAP which was, in part, attributed to changes in BMI.
A graphical technique for determining major components in a mixed aerosol. I. Descriptive aspects

Abstract A persistent problem in aerosol science is how best to determine the compositions of the major components in mixed samples. This paper presents a graphical technique for extracting the elemental compositions of the crustal, marine, and general pollution components in large suites of samples from single sites. Log-log scatter diagrams are constructed, with the vertical axis being the X/Al ratios of the samples (where X is an element of interest and Al is the crustal reference element) and the horizontal axis being either Na/Al or Se/Al (where Na and Se are marine and pollution reference elements, respectively). If the crustal component is sufficiently enriched in enough samples, a horizontal “compositional tail” of X/Al will appear at the left-hand end of the plots, with an asymptotic value equal to the ratio in the pure crustal aerosol. If the second component is sufficiently enriched in enough samples, its compositional tail will appear as a 45° zone at the right-hand end of the plots. Depending on the choice of component, the asymptotic value of this tail will be the X/Se ratio in the pollution component or the X/Na ratio in the marine component. When the sample set is large enough, compositions of components can frequently be determined to uncertainties of 10% or less. Results for elements in a large suite of aerosol samples from Narragansett, RI, measured by neutron-activation analysis, reveal well-defined compositional tails for most elements and a smooth progression of elements from purely crustal to purely pollution derived. This graphical technique can also be applied to precipitation, provided only that it has been sampled and analyzed in ways that make its data directly analogous to those of aerosol.
A hall dynamo effect driven by two-fluid tearing instability

A quasi-linear prediction of the two-fluid dynamo effect is analyzed with the use of tearing eigenfunctions obtained for force-free equilibrium. In the range of parameters of practical interest, the basic shear Alfven mode is decoupled from fast compressional Alfven and slow magneto-acoustic modes. Kinetic Alfven modification of the shear Alfven wave drives an instability with a growth rate ∝δ1/3ρs2/3, where δ is the electron skin depth and ρs is the ion-sound gyroradius. A net dynamo effect parallel to the magnetic field is calculated at ρs≫δ for large values of the stability factor \(\Delta '\rho _s^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 3}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 3}} \delta ^{{1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 3}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 3}} \gg 1\). The dynamo effect caused by the j×B Hall term dominates the contribution from the v×B term (the alpha effect) by a factor ∝(ρs/δ)2 in the narrow electron layer, while in the broader ion layer these contributions are comparable. The results are compared with the case of a strong guiding field where ρs≪δ and the tearing instability is described by resistive MHD.
The Clouds distributed operating system: functional description, implementation details and related work

A description is given of Clouds, an operating system designed to run on a set of general-purpose computers that are connected via a medium-to-high-speed local area network. The structure of Clouds promotes transparency, support for advanced programming paradigms, and integration of resource management, as well as a fair degree of autonomy at each site. The system structuring paradigm chosen for Clouds is an object/thread model. All instances of services, programs, and data in Clouds are encapsulated in objects. The concept of persistent objects does away with the need for file systems, replacing it with a more powerful concept, namely, the object system. The facilities in Clouds include integration of resources by location transparency; support for various types of atomic operations, including conventional transactions; advanced support for achieving fault tolerance; and provisions for dynamic reconfiguration. >
Nitronate monooxygenase, a model for anionic flavin semiquinone intermediates in oxidative catalysis☆

Nitronate monooxygenase (NMO), formerly referred to as 2-nitropropane dioxygenase, is an FMN-dependent enzyme that uses molecular oxygen to oxidize (anionic) alkyl nitronates and, in the case of the enzyme from Neurospora crassa, (neutral) nitroalkanes to the corresponding carbonyl compounds and nitrite. Over the past 5 years, a resurgence of interest on the enzymology of NMO has driven several studies aimed at the elucidation of the mechanistic and structural properties of the enzyme. This review article summarizes the knowledge gained from these studies on NMO, which has been emerging as a model system for the investigation of anionic flavosemiquinone intermediates in the oxidative catalysis of organic molecules, and for the effect that branching of reaction intermediates has on both the kinetic parameters and isotope effects associated with enzymatic reactions. A comparison of the catalytic mechanism of NMO with other flavin-dependent enzymes that oxidize nitroalkane and nitronates is also presented.
The Lown Symposium: The Field of DNA Minor Groove Binders Celebrates the Career of Professor J. William Lown.

Abstract A symposium co-organized by Professor William H. Gmeiner of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Professor Moses Lee of Furman University was held March 30 and 31, 2001 on the campus of Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The Symposium was attended by many distinguished colleagues, friends and co-workers of Professor Lown who share his enthusiasm and passion for targeting DNA for treatment of human disease. The Symposium honored the formal "retirement" of Professor Lown who continues his active pursuit of scholarly activities and advancement of knowledge in a wide variety of intellectual interests.
Are hormonal contraceptive users more likely to misreport unprotected sex? Evidence from a biomarker validation study in Zimbabwe

We analyzed biomarker validation data of unprotected sex from women in Zimbabwe to determine whether condom and sexual behavior misreporting differs between users of different contraceptive methods. Self-reported sexual behavior was compared with the presence of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in vaginal fluid, a biomarker of semen exposure. Of the 195 women who were PSA positive, 94 (48 %) reported no sex or only condom-protected sex. Hormonal contraceptive users misreported sexual behavior less than women using non-hormonal methods (45 vs. 67 %, P = 0.03). This misclassification pattern could have implications on the elevated risk of HIV infection associated with hormonal contraception in some studies.
Legendre polynomial kernel estimation of a density function with censored observations and an application to clinical trials

Let f(x), x ∈ ℝM, M ≥ 1, be a density function on ℝM, and X1, …., Xn a sample of independent random vectors with this common density. For a rectangle B in ℝM, suppose that the X's are censored outside B, that is, the value Xk is observed only if Xk ∈ B. The restriction of f(x) to x ∈ B is clearly estimable by established methods on the basis of the censored observations. The purpose of this paper is to show how to extrapolate a particular estimator, based on the censored sample, from the rectangle B to a specified rectangle C containing B. The results are stated explicitly for M = 1, 2, and are directly extendible to M ≥ 3. For M = 2, the extrapolation from the rectangle B to the rectangle C is extended to the case where B and C are triangles. This is done by means of an elementary mapping of the positive quarter-plane onto the strip {(u, v): 0 ≤ u ≤ 1, v > 0}. This particular extrapolation is applied to the estimation of the survival distribution based on censored observations in clinical trials. It represents a generalization of a method proposed in 2001 by the author [2]. The extrapolator has the following form: For m ≥ 1 and n ≥ 1, let Km, n(x) be the classical kernel estimator of f(x), x ∈ B, based on the orthonormal Legendre polynomial kernel of degree m and a sample of n observed vectors censored outside B. The main result, stated in the cases M = 1, 2, is an explicit bound for E|Km, n(x) − f(x)| for x ∈ C, which represents the expected absolute error of extrapolation to C. It is shown that the extrapolator is a consistent estimator of f(x), x ∈ C, if f is sufficiently smooth and if m and n both tend to ∞ in a way that n increases sufficiently rapidly relative to m. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Glass Cockpit

In modern air craft, the cockpit is often referred to as a glass cockpit because of the replacement of traditional banks of mechanical dials with computer monitors. Behind these modern displays is a variety of interconnected computers, sensors, and actuators that constitute the avionics system. Avionics systems are technological wonders that increase our safety while flying, improve the efficiency of aircraft, and assist the flight crew.
Automated measurements of antilisterial activities of lactate and diacetate in ready-to-eat meat

Standard procedures to enumerate Listeria organisms rely on plating food samples on selective agar media. The procedures are labor-intensive, and because of the limited sensitivity, pre-enrichment step is required for the detection of low numbers of the pathogen. In the present study, an automated rapid optic procedure and the standard procedure were used to determine the behavior of the pathogen in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and to test the effect of antilisterial agents. Listeria monocytogenes strain Scott A or a six-strain mixture of Listeria was studied using lactate (2.5%), diacetate (0.2%) and their combination in beef bologna and in sterile beef emulsion. Samples stored for up to 60 days at 5 and 10 °C were tested at time intervals during storage. Using the plate count method, each of the salts caused a delay in growth of the pathogen, and the salt combination was most effective causing listeriostatic effects and decline in growth of the pathogen at 5 °C. High negative correlation (r), ranging from 0.92 to 0.99, was obtained between the detection time (DT) recorded by the optic procedure (BioSys instrument) and cell numbers determined by the plate count procedure. The rapid (<24 h) optic procedure was reliable in assessing the efficacy of antimicrobials and in rapid detection of low levels of listeriae that are undetectable by direct plating procedure.
Coexistence of ordered magnetism and superconductivity in Pd 2 YbSn

The magnetic and superconducting properties of the Heusler alloy ${\mathrm{Pd}}_{2}$YbSn have been investigated with heat-capacity, resistivity, and magnetic-susceptibility measurements. The material undergoes a superconducting transition at 2.46 K and a magnetic transition at 0.23 K. The absence of reentrant behavior shows that the magnetically ordered state is coexistent with the superconductivity. A combined analysis of all the data gives the cubic crystalline electric-field parameters W=-12 K and x=-0.65, implying that the ground state of the ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ ion in ${\mathrm{Pd}}_{2}$YbSn is a ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{7}$ magnetic doublet.
Clinical and hemodynamic correlates of sympathetic nerve activity in normal humans and patients with heart failure: Evidence from direct micronenrographic recordings

To characterize the neural excitatory state of heart failure, simultaneous measurements of efferent sympathetic nerve activity to muscle (by microneurography) and rest hemodynamics were obtained in 10 normal subjects (age 25 +/- 2 years, mean +/- SEM) and 29 patients with heart failure (age 49 +/- 2 years; New York Heart Association functional class II to IV; left ventricular ejection fraction 21 +/- 1%; cardiac index = 2.16 +/- 0.13 liters/min per m2; pulmonary capillary wedge pressure 23 +/- 2 mm Hg). Sympathetic nerve activity was significantly higher in the patients with heart failure (54.7 +/- 4.5 bursts/min) than in normal subjects (16.7 +/- 2.2 bursts/min, p less than 0.001). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that sympathetic activity in these human subjects was most strongly and inversely correlated with left ventricular stroke work index (r = -0.86, p less than 0.0001) and stroke volume index (r = -0.85, p less than 0.0001). There was a strong positive correlation between sympathetic nerve activity and pulmonary artery diastolic (r = 0.82, p less than 0.0001) and mean (r = 0.81, p less than 0.0001) pressures. Similar correlations were seen when patients with heart failure were analyzed separately. There was no significant correlation between sympathetic nerve activity and mean arterial pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction (by radionuclide ventriculography), cardiac chamber size (by echocardiography) or arterial oxygen tension in the patients with heart failure. Direct measurements of sympathetic nerve activity correlated closely with plasma norepinephrine (r = 0.72, p less than 0.0001) in patients with heart failure. Thus, sympathetic nerve activity at rest parallels impairment of cardiac performance in patients with heart failure.
Effects of apomorphine and haloperidol on the acoustic startle response in rats.

A series of 3 experiments tested the effects of 0.01, 0.04, 0.19, 0.75, 3.00, and 6.00 mg/kg apomorphine and 0.13, 0.25, and 0.50 haloperidol on the acoustic startle response in rats. Apomorphine markedly facilitated startle amplitude for about 40 min after injection and then depressed startle over the next 40 min. Both the early facilitory and later inhibitory effects were directly related to the dose. Haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg — given 30 min before) completely blocked both the early facilitory and the later depressant effect of apomorphine (3 mg/kg). Haloperidol alone had only a slight depressant effect on startle. The data support the conclusion that DA receptor stimulation enhances acoustic startle amplitude and indicate that a previous report failed to find an effect of apomorphine on startle because startle was only measured 40 min after injection.
High-dose, post-transplantation cyclophosphamide to promote graft-host tolerance after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Graft-versus-host disease, or GVHD, is a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Here, we describe a novel method for preventing GVHD after alloHSCT using high-dose, post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (Cy). Post-transplantation Cy promotes tolerance in alloreactive host and donor T cells, leading to suppression of both graft rejection and GVHD after alloHSCT. High-dose, post-transplantation Cy facilitates partially HLA-mismatched HSCT without severe GVHD and is effective as sole prophylaxis of GVHD after HLA-matched alloHSCT. By reducing the morbidity and mortality of alloHSCT, post-transplantation Cy may expand the applications of this therapy to the treatment of autoimmune diseases and non-malignant hematologic disorders such as sickle cell disease.
Optimal Disclosure Limitation Strategy in Statistical Databases: Deterring Tracker Attacks through Additive Noise

Abstract Disclosure limitation methods transform statistical databases to protect confidentiality, a practical concern of statistical agencies. A statistical database responds to queries with aggregate statistics. The database administrator should maximize legitimate data access while keeping the risk of disclosure below an acceptable level. Legitimate users seek statistical information, generally in aggregate form; malicious users—the data snoopers—attempt to infer confidential information about an individual data subject. Tracker attacks are of special concern for databases accessed online. This article derives optimal disclosure limitation strategies under tracker attacks for the important case of data masking through additive noise. Operational measures of the utility of data access and of disclosure risk are developed. The utility of data access is expressed so that trade-offs can be made between the quantity and the quality of data to be released. Application is made to Ohio data from the 1990 censu...
Response to Letter by Atanassova

Response: We were interested to read Dr Atanassova’s comments regarding our article. In the design of our study, we excluded patients with a history of myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure (CHF) in order to focus on the pathogenesis of acute cardiac injury and dysfunction. Though subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients have …
Understanding the nature of wealth and its effects on human fitness.

Studying fitness consequences of variable behavioural, physiological and cognitive traits in contemporary populations constitutes the specific contribution of human behavioural ecology to the study of human diversity. Yet, despite 30 years of evolutionary anthropological interest in the determinants of fitness, there exist few principled investigations of the diverse sources of wealth that might reveal selective forces during recent human history. To develop a more holistic understanding of how selection shapes human phenotypic traits, be these transmitted by genetic or cultural means, we expand the conventional focus on associations between socioeconomic status and fitness to three distinct types of wealth—embodied, material and relational. Using a model selection approach to the study of women's success in raising offspring in an African horticultural population (the Tanzanian Pimbwe), we find that the top performing models consistently include relational and material wealth, with embodied wealth as a less reliable predictor. Specifically, child mortality risk is increased with few household assets, parent nonresidency, child legitimacy, and one or more parents having been accused of witchcraft. The use of multiple models to test various hypotheses greatly facilitates systematic comparative analyses of human behavioural diversity in wealth accrual and investment across different kinds of societies.
Conformal acoustic waveguide sensor development

This paper describes the detailed design of an acoustic emission-based micromachined sensor for smart structures applications to assess in-flight structural integrity. This unique sensor approach combines silicon sensor micromachining, conformal optical waveguide technology, and high-speed optical interconnects to measure acoustic emission event data related to structural failure. A micron-level dual-element micromachined cantilever beam architecture design is described which incorporates conformal on-chip polyimide optical waveguide interconnects to optically sense structural integrity acoustic parameters and route optical power to the sensor assembly. High-speed optical interconnects are used to transfer sensor data to avionic interfaces for debrief and detailed analysis. A detailed design of the optical waveguide sensor design and the significant payoffs and benefits of these sensors are discussed.
Phenotypic Deviants in the Ebony Genotype in the Boll Weevil

Three pheno-deviations of the ebony genotype isolated from a reproducing field population of ebony boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were described. Studies of the F1, F2, and backcrossprogenies indicated that these deviations are not genetically controlled but rather the result of variable expressivity of the ebony genotype.
Elutriation of solid particles from a dense‐phase fluidized bed

The elutriation of fines from fluidized beds of two- and multiparticle systems is investigated. Materials used are glass beads and coal powder with air and helium as the elutriating gases. A specific elutriation rate constant which takes into consideration the particle stratification and thus is nearly independent of the bed dimensions is employed in the correlation of the elutriation of fines. The proposed generalized correlation applicable to a system of two particle sizes and to more complex ones is presented. Recorrelation of pertinent literature data by the dimensionless equation indicates good agreement in spite of a diversity of bed geometries. The effect of fluidized-bed parameters on the rate of elutriation is examined, and applications and limitations of the correlation are shown.
Clinical experience with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in prostate cancer.

Abstract Purpose : To compare acute and late toxicities of high-dose radiation for prostate cancer delivered by either conventional three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) or intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Materials and methods : Between September 1992 and February 1998, 61 patients with clinical stage T1c- T3 prostate cancer were treated with 3D-CRT and 171 with IMRT to a prescribed dose of 81 Gy. To quantitatively evaluate the differences between conventional 3D-CRT and IMRT, 20 randomly selected patients were planned concomitantly by both techniques and the resulting treatment plans were compared. Acute and late radiation-induced morbidity was evaluated in all patients and graded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity scale. Results : Compared with conventional 3D-CRT, IMRT improved the coverage of the clinical target volume (CTV) by the prescription dose and reduced the volumes of the rectal and bladder walls carried to high dose levels ( P P Conclusions : The data demonstrate the feasibility and safety of high-dose IMRT for patients with localized prostate cancer and provide a proof-of-principle that this method improves dose conformality relative to tumor coverage and exposure to normal tissues.
IMPACT OF CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM TESTING ON DOWNSTREAM IMAGING, INTERVENTIONS AND ADVERSE ISCHEMIC EVENTS

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans are increasingly used in asymptomatic populations for detecting subclinical coronary disease. CAC scans lead to reclassification of risk for some subgroups of patients but the impact of CAC scans on subsequent imaging, therapeutic interventions and adverse
Thymosin fraction 5: effects on T cell functions in mice immunosuppressed by severe dietary protein deficiency.

Abstract The present studies were performed to determine the effects of severe protein deficiency and subsequent injection of thymosin fraction 5 (TF5) on T and B cell functions. BALB/c mice, 4 weeks old, were fed a normal protein (21%), a low protein (4%) or a protein free (0%) diet and then injected with TF5 or buffer (PBS). A significant increase was observed in the PHA (phytohemagglutinin) and LPS (lipopolysaccharide) induced mitogenesis with increasing age of the well-nourished, PBS injected animals. The severely protein malnourished mice, PBS injected and the well nourished mice, injected with TF5 had smaller increases in both B and T cell mitogenesis with increasing age. TF5 injection of the malnourished mice increased PHA and LPS mitogenesis nearly to the levels of the well-nourished mice. The protein malnourished mice consistently had higher serum corticosteroid levels than controls. No changes in serum corticosteroids were observed with TF5 injection of controls, but there was a significant decrease in the corticosteroid levels of the severely malnourished with TF5 injection. Cytoxicity assays of T cell function, antibody dependent cellular cytoxicity and cytoxicity to mouse thymona tumor cells, in mice fed moderately protein deficient diets showed suppression compared to controls fed 20% protein. TF5 injection partially and temporarily increased these functions in the malnourished mice.
WebGALAXY: beyond point and click—a conversational interface to a browser

Abstract This paper presents WebGALAXY, a flexible multi-modal user interface system that allows wide access to selected information on the World Wide Web (WWW) by integrating spoken and typed natural language queries and hypertext navigation. WebALAXY extends our GALAXY spoken language system, a distributed client-server system for retrieving information from online sources through speech and natural language. WebGALAXY supports a spoken user interface via a standard telephone line as well as a graphical user interface via a standard Web browser using either Java/JavaScript or a cgi-bin/forms front end. Natural language understanding is performed by the system and information servers retrieve the requested information from various online resources including WWW servers, Gopher servers and CompuServe. Currently, queries about three domains are supported: weather, air travel, and points of interest around Boston.
Genic diversity, genetic structure, and biogeography of Pinus sabiniana Dougl.

Summary Pinus sabiniana Dougl. (grey pine) forms savanna forests in the foothills surrounding California's Great Central Valley. However, its fossil record, which dates from the late Miocene through the Pliocene and Pleistocene, is found exclusively in southern California, south of the species’ present range. A total of twenty-nine isozyme loci, representing eighteen enzyme systems, was assayed to analyse the genetic structure in eight populations of grey pine and attempt to track its migration history from southern to northern California. Expected heterozygosity in the two southernmost samples was 0.128 and 0.150, and heterozygosity tended to decrease with increasing latitude, suggesting the loss of diversity as grey pine dispersed northward. However, genetic distances between populations were very small, even on opposite sides of the treeless Great Central Valley; and estimated time since divergence was 900 to 9000 years at a maximum. Wright's FST, the proportion of total genetic diversity among populations, was only 0.057, which is similar to values found in many conifers with continuous distributions. Nm, the number of migrants among populations per generation, was 4.1 to 6.7, depending on estimator, and indicates that gene flow is extensive, or was so in the recent past. In every population, observed heterozygosity was less than expected heterozygosity, and the fixation index, FIS, for the progeny was 0.128, which indicates a fairly high rate of inbreeding. The genetic similarity of disjunct populations, in combination with paleogeographic and paleoclimatic evidence, suggests that grey pine formed a continuous population throughout the Great Central Valley, perhaps between 12,000 and 8000 yrs BP. Its range became fragmented during the Xerothermic, when it ascended into the foothills. Gaps in its range correlate with late Pleistocene–early Holocene lakes in adjacent basins and with the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta.
Novel modifications to the farnesyl moiety of the a-factor lipopeptide pheromone from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a role for isoprene modifications in ligand presentation.

The a-factor of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a dodecapeptide pheromone [YIIKGVFWDPAC(farnesyl)-OCH3] in which posttranslational modification with a farnesyl isoprenoid and carboxymethyl group is required for full biological activity. Utilizing novel synthetic techniques and a well-characterized array of biological assays, we prepared original modifications to the farnesyl moiety of the pheromone in order to assess the importance of this part of the lipopeptide for biological activity. Specifically, the 3-methyl group was replaced to create analogs containing the ethyl, vinyl, tert-butyl, and phenyl moieties at the 3-position of the farnesyl chain. Subsequent biological analyses demonstrated that all of these modifications render an active pheromone, with the vinyl and ethyl analogs exhibiting higher activity than the native a-factor. However, the level of activity varied with the modification; the bulkier and more hydrophobic groups (tert-butyl and phenyl) exhibited lower biological activity than the small...
A Modification of the Cornwell and Evans Maximum Entropy Algorithm

A modified version of the Cornwell and Evans (1985) maximum entropy deconvolution algorithm is presented. In terms of implementation, the Cornwell/Evans and modified algorithms are very similar. They differ only in the determination of some control parameters. The difference in floating point operations per iteration is insignificant. Nevertheless, the modification couples better the adjustment of the Lagrangian multipliers into the optimization process and results in faster convergence. 5 refs.
The medical expert witness: legal and ethical issues.

Medical negligence (malpractice) litigation continues to be a factor, directly or indirectly, in the overall costs for health care. Therefore, a just and fair resolution of such a lawsuit in a timely and expeditious manner would be an aid in decreasing some costs for delivery of health care. Most, if not all, dermatologists may at one time in their career be asked to offer an opinion related to medical malpractice litigation or to become a medical expert witness, or both. To accept such a position necessitates knowledge of the legal and ethical responsibilities of a medical expert witness. Because there are few, if any, formal courses to educate such potential witnesses, this essay offers some educational guidelines to educate physicians in their responsibilities and duties for their role as a potential medical expert witness.
Surface Characteristics of Fractured Poly(methyl methacrylate)

A STUDY of fracture phenomena in poly (methyl methacrylate) has been undertaken, which involves the breaking, in tension, of strip samples, each containing a preformed crack which lies in a plane normal to the long axis (Fig. 1). The samples are extended at fixed rates of elongation until rupture ensues, invariably at the site of the initial crack. It appears by visual inspection that the fracture process occurs in two distinct stages. The crack starts to grow fairly slowly at a velocity which is of the order of 0.1 cm./sec., until a critical stage is reached when the velocity suddenly increases to a value of at least 104 cm./sec. It is not yet known what factor is critical in producing the transition. The final high velocity is possibly the theoretical maximum, limited by the velocity of a longitudinal wave in the medium1, but no accurate measurements have yet been made. A sharp characteristic audible effect is associated with the rapid stage of crack growth.
Adolescent Asystolic Syncope

When the etiology of syncope is considered, age is a major parameter. Breath-holding spells are thought of as an entity of early childhood, whereas neurogenic syncope is limited to older children and adults. Both entities, however, involve a similar derangement of the autonomic nervous system. We report an adolescent with a history of breath-holding spells presenting to our institution with neurogenic syncope. Her response to vagal stimulation is consistent with that seen by other investigators in both entities. We propose that pallid breath-holding spells and neurogenic syncope are the same entity.
Employment discrimination and Muslims in the USA

Fears of terrorism and radical extremists have engendered increased discrimination and harassment in the US workplace against Muslim employees. The principal purpose of this paper is to examine civil rights law in the USA as applied to the religious discrimination and harassment of Muslim and Arab-American employees. The paper provides an overview of the US discrimination laws and discusses the nature and role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in implementing and enforcing discrimination law. Detailed recommendations are supplied to managers on how to deal with civil rights laws generally and the prohibitions against religious harassment and discrimination specifically. Recommendations are also provided on how to deal with and to defend discrimination lawsuits.
Improvements in monoblock performance using external reflector

During the past few years the Monoblock laser has become the laser-of-choice for Army laser range-finders. It is eyesafe with emission at 1570 nm, high pulse energy, simple construction, and high efficiency when pumped by a laserdiode stack, providing advantages that are not available with other laser types. Although the divergence of the Monoblock output beam is relatively large, it can be reduced to <1 mR using a telescope with a large magnification. This solution, however, is not acceptable for applications where the laser and telescope size must be kept to a minimum. In this paper we present a simple and compact technique for achieving significant reduction in the Monoblock beam divergence using a partial reflector that is placed a short distance from the optical parametric oscillator (OPO). Using an ultra-compact 38 mm Monoblock with a 10 mm long KTP OPO, we achieved a beam divergence of <4 mR, corresponding to a >2.5 X reduction from the unmodified laser. Performance using this technique with various feedback and etalon spacings will be presented. Laser diode array and VCSEL pumping were both investigated with similar results.
A hybridized displacement discontinuity and indirect boundary element method to model fracture propagation

In mechanical modelling of fracture propagation, complications arise from the stress concentrations at the fracture tips and nonlinear responses caused by opening/closing of fractures, by nonlinear constitutive relations of fracture surfaces sliding on each other, and by fracture propagation. The hybridized Displacement Discontinuity and Indirect Boundary Element Method described in this paper avoids problems associated with other numerical methods when analyzing fracture propagation. The method, which includes analytical influence functions and thus makes numerical integration unnecessary, is described in the first part of this paper. In the second part a number of examples are given in which a variety of fracture propagation problems in two dimensions are modelled with the hybridized method. These examples include classical problems in which tension is applied to cracked plates but also others where shearing is applied. Comparisons with solutions obtained by other authors are shown to be satisfactory.
Social psychophysiological compliance in a four-person research team

A continuous, non-invasive and objective measure of teamwork effectiveness could be very useful to the human factors design community. Social psychophysiological compliance (SPC), estimated by scoring the extent that heart rate variation was synchronous across team members, was explored as a predictor of teamwork effectiveness during 20 real planning meetings over a 6-month period. Speech activity and heart rate variability of all four (2 male, 2 female) team members were continuously monitored. Exploratory analyses tested if team member ratings of various aspects of teamwork effectiveness were predicted by SPC scored (1) over whole meetings, (2) during one team member's speech, (3) during periods in which two team members spoke in sequence or (4) over 30-s periods and averaging highest values. SPC during periods of sequential speech negatively predicted team members' ratings of Team productivity, Quality of communication, and Ability to work together. SPC shows potential as an objective, non-invasive means to monitor teamwork effectiveness but this relationship warrants further investigation and replication before use in ergonomics applications.
A systematic approach to exosome-based translational nanomedicine

Exosomes are a type of cell-derived extracellular nanovesicle. They relay information between cells. Some known exosome functions include immune modulation, promotion of angiogenesis, and tumor metastasis. To date, clinical use of exosomes has focused predominantly on evaluating their efficacy as cancer vaccines or diagnostically as biomarker containers. However, few investigations have explored their potential to serve as a platform for the development of semi-synthetic nanovesicles. Given their nanoscale size, potential to express targeting ligands in native conformations and deformable structure, exosomes offer a logical biological vesicle platform for adapting and producing semi-synthetic vesicles with excellent potential for nanomedicine applications. However, there are obstacles associated with realizing this potential that must be addressed. Thus, a systematic approach to isolating, modifying, and testing exosomes is presented to facilitate the introduction of exosome-based translational nanomedicine.
Design and synthesis of a multi-detachable benzhydrylamine-resin for solid phase peptide synthesis

Abstract Peptides with C-terminal α-carboxamides were synthesized from a multi-detachable benzhydrylamine-resin containing a Boc-(4-acetoxy)benzhydryl-amine handle of unambiguous origin. The peptides bound to the new resin are stable to trifluoroacetic acid, but are cleavable by hydrogen fluoride, base and nucleophiles to give unprotected or protected peptide fragments.
A hybrid expert system combining AI techniques with a neural-net

This paper proposes an architecture for hybrid expert systems that combines AI techniques with a neural-net. These interactive hybrid expert systems are more powerful than existing systems because they can have a premise the veracity of which depends on the recognition of an object/curve/pattern.The operation of a hybrid expert system using a neural-net is described. This expert system is intended to be a diagnostic tool in a nuclear energy generation application. The architecture of a special neural-net designed for curve/object recognition is discussed.
Accelerated monotone iterative methods for finite difference equations of reaction-diffusion

This paper is concerned with numerical methods for a finite difference system of reaction-diffusion-convection equation under nonlinear boundary condition. Various monotone iterative methods are presented, and each of these methods leads to an existence-comparison theorem as well as a computational algorithm for numerical solutions. The monotone property of the iterations gives improved upper and lower bounds of the solution in each iteration, and the rate of convergence of the iterations is either quadratic or nearly quadratic depending on the property of the nonlinear function. Application is given to a model problem from chemical engineering, and some numerical results, including a test problem with known analytical solution, are presented to illustrate the various rates of convergence of the iterations.
Influence of HIV Status and Age on Cognitive Representations of Others

In 2 studies the postulate that the perception of time left in life influences the ways that people conceptualize social relationships was explored. It was hypothesized that when time is limited, emotional aspects of relationships are highly salient. In Study 1, a card-sort paradigm involving similarity judgments demonstrated, for a sample of persons 18 to 88 years old, that the prominence of affect in the mental representations of prospective social partners is positively associated with age. In Study 2, the same experimental approach was applied to a sample of young gay men similar to one another in age, but notably different in their health status (that is, HIV negative; HIV positive, asymptomatic; and HIV positive, symptomatic). It was found that, with age held constant, increasing closeness to the end of life is also associated with an increasing prominence of affect in the mental representations of social partners. The results suggest that the perception of limited time, rather than chronological age, is the critical variable influencing mental representations of social partners.