cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bounding the ergodic capacity of asymmetric 2×2 dual-polarized channels

We consider asymmetric MIMO channel models in an analysis of ergodic capacity for multi-polarized MIMO systems. Using Jensen's inequality we derive an upper bound for various asymmetric channel realizations that are parameterized by the co-polarized power ratio, cross-polarization discrimination measures, and subchannel Rician K-factors. Computation of a lower bound is complicated by the inherent asymmetry in the model, which prevents use of existing random matrix theories developed for Wishart matrices and Quadratic forms of Gaussian vectors. A lower bound is derived based on Minkowski's inequality and an approximation is also proposed that is shown numerically to be close to the lower bound.
BEHAVIOR OF CALCULATED NAIL HEAD STRENGTH IN SOIL-NAILED STRUCTURES

Nail head strength is one of the parameters used in design of soil-nailed structures. It determines the stability of the nailed structure against failure involving the facing element. The nail head strength is a function of a number of factors, primarily the material strengths, vertical and horizontal nail spacing, and the nail head connection details. The variations in nail head strength as a result of changes in the vertical and horizontal soil-nail spacing and material strength properties are examined in this paper. Both temporary and permanent facing design is considered. For equal vertical to horizontal spacing, the nominal nail head strength for a temporary facing decreases continuously as the spacing is increased. The nominal nail head strength for permanent facing decreases initially and then remains nearly constant. For a fixed vertical spacing (Sv) the nail head strength for temporary facing decreases linearly as the horizontal spacing (Sh) increases. For permanent facing the nail head strength ...
Feminism and women's sense of humor

The present study empirically examined the long-standing folk belief that women, especially feminist women, have no sense of humor. Svebak's (1974) revised Sense of Humor Questionnaire [SHQ; (1974b) “Revised Questionnaire on the Sense of Humor,” Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, Vol. 15, pp. 328–331], the short version of the Attitudes Toward Women Scale [ATW; found in J. T. Spence and R. L. Helmreich (1978) Masculinity and Femininity: Their Psychological Dimensions, Correlates, and Antecedents, Austin: University of Texas Press], and S. K. Murnen and D. Byrne's Hyperfemininity Scale [HF; (1991) “Hyperfemininity: Measurement and Initial Validation of the Construct,” The Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 28, pp. 479–489] were administered to 175 college women. Self-ratings were also obtained of the women's stands on women's issues (from traditional to feminist), their own sense of humor, and how often other people typically laugh at their humor. Significant positive correlations occurred between the latter two measures and Svebak's scale. A significant negative correlation appeared between the ATW and the HF. The lack of a significant association between the women's self-rated sense of humor or the SHQ and either the ATW or HF suggests that no relationship between feminism and sense of humor was demonstrable at least with these instruments in this young adult sample.
Toward a Dialogical Self

This article outlines four broad notions of the self or human agency. They are a traditional understanding of the self as defined by a meaningful cosmic order, a modern notion of the self as highly individualized and autonomous, often termed self-contained individualism, a decentered conception of the self as developed recently by postmodern and social constructionist thought, and a dialogical understanding of self and agency elaborated by hermeneutic thinkers and Bakhtin. Much modern social science presupposes self-contained individualism as the unquestioned nature of things and thereby tends to prepetuate views and ideals that are a source of modern dilemmas in living that social science itself tries to address. It is argued that postmodern, constructionist notions of human action restore a sense of its embeddedness in culture and history but still are colored by individualistic and scientistic elements of the modern view they seek to displace. A dialogical, partly decentered, view of human agency may o...
Rationality and the Deliberative Turn

Truth and Progress: Philosophical Papers.Vol. 3. By Richard Rorty. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 368 pp. 18.95 (soft). Disclosing New Worlds: Entrepreneurship, Democratic Action, and the Cultivation of Solidarity. By Charles Spinosa, Fernando Flores, and Hubert L. Dreyfus. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1997. 24.95 (hard). Rationality and Power: Democracy in Practice. By Bent Flyvbjerg. (Steven Sampson, Trans.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. 196 pp. 45.00 (hard), 24.95 (soft). Achieving Our Country: Leftist Thought in Twentieth-Century America. By William E. Massey. Senior Lectures in History of American Civilization, 1997. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1997. 18.95 (hard).
Frequency of adverse reactions to hepatitis B vaccine in 43,618 persons.

Abstract purpose: To determine the incidence of adverse reactions to hepatitis B plasma-derived vaccine. patients: Alaska natives (43,618) who received 101,360 doses of hepatitis B vaccine. methods: All adverse reactions, excluding transient fever, myalgia, or soreness lasting less than 3 days, were reported. An intradermal skin test was developed to test purported adverse reactions. Records of the entire population were reviewed for Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). setting: A statewide hepatitis B control program for Alaska natives. results: Possible adverse reactions occurred in 39 persons. The most frequent adverse reactions were myalgia/arthralgia lasting longer than 3 days (14), followed by skin rashes (eight) and dizziness (seven). Skin tests were performed on 13 persons and were positive in five. Six of the persons with negative skin tests and eight persons who did not undergo skin testing received additional doses of vaccine without any adverse reactions. No increased incidence of GBS was found in the vaccinees. conclusion: Hepatitis B vaccine is safe and most adverse reactions are coincidental.
An "IGERT" model for interdisciplinary doctoral education in water-related science and policy

Most doctoral programs in the U.S. remain “stove-piped” in traditional single-discipline fields, while scientific progress increasingly occurs at the boundaries between multiple disciplines. In response, the U.S. National Science Foundation has been funding projects in Integrative Graduate Education, Research, and Training (IGERT) to train a new generation of interdisciplinary scientists. The IGERT Ph.D. program in “Watershed Science and Policy” at Southern Illinois University (SIU) builds each year's student class as a diverse “cadre” who work intensively together on one hot-button river basin. The structure of these projects, and other program elements, are reviewed here along with successes and challenges to date. One challenge is the seeming tradeoff between (1) the development of tightly focused expertise versus (2) the breadth that characterizes interdisciplinary research. We conclude that interdisciplinary scientists must have disciplinary depth, but so too should they be trained in collaboration and integrating their results to address the challenges that face today's complex world.
Thermodynamic and Structural Analysis of the Folding/Unfolding Transitions of the Escherichia coli Molecular Chaperone DnaK

Abstract The thermal unfolding of the Escherichia coli 70 kDa heat shock protein, DnaK, exhibits three well defined transitions. At pH 7·6, these transitions are centered at 45·2, 58·0 and 73·3°C. High sensitivity calorimetric scans as a function of pH indicate that the folding/unfolding behavior is well described by a four-state model which includes a ΔH, tm and ΔCp for each state. Calorimetric scans of a 44 kDa N-terminal proteolytic fragment show a major transition centered at 47·5°C (N1) and a minor transition at 79·4°C (N2). A calorimetric scan of a 23 kDa C-terminal proteolytic fragment exhibits a low temperature peak at 58·5°C (C1) and a high temperature peak at 70·6°C (C2). Deconvolution analysis of the low temperature peak reveals that it is actually composed of two transitions of roughly equal ΔH centered at 50·4°C (Cla) and 58·2°C (Clb). These experiments have allowed us to assign the transitions of the intact protein as follows. The low temperature transition of DnaK can be assigned to the N-terminal region on the basis of the similarity between the ΔH and tm values for the low temperature transition and those obtained for the N1 transition of the isolated N-terminal fragment. This assignment is also supported by measurements of the intrinsic fluorescence emission as a function of temperature. DnaK contains a single tryptophan localized at residue 102 in the N-terminal domain of the protein. Additionally, calorimetric scans show that the tm of the low temperature transition increases by 9·2°C in the presence of excess ADP, which is known to bind to the N-terminal domain. The middle transition can be assigned to the Cla and Clb transitions of the C-terminal fragment on the basis of the similarity of ΔH and tm. In the intact protein Cla and Clb form a single cooperative unit; however, the cooperative interactions between these folding/unfolding domains are disrupted in the isolated fragment. The high temperature transition of the intact protein is composed of contributions from both the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of the protein. These studies have allowed us to develop a quantitative model of the folding/unfolding behavior of DnaK.
A regulatory switch involving a Clp atpase

Clp ATPase chaperone proteins are found in procaryotes and eucaryotes. Recently, ClpC of Bacillus subtilis was found to be part of a regulatory switch(1). ClpC, in combination with the MecA and ComS proteins, regulates the activity of a transcription factor, ComK, which is necessary for the development of genetic competence (the ability to bind and take up exogenous DNA). The complex of ClpC:MecA:ComK renders ComK inactive. Interaction between ComS and the ternary complex releases active ComK. This regulatory switch controls ComK activity in response to cell density signals that affect production of ComS. Regulated interaction between Clp ATPase and target proteins might prove to be widespread.
The role of nitric oxide in the dysregulation of the urine concentration mechanism in diabetes mellitus

Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus results in osmotic diuresis. Diabetic patients have lowered nitric oxide (NO) which may exacerbate polyuria. We examined how lack of NO affects the transporters involved in urine concentration in diabetic animals. Diabetes was induced in rats by streptozotocin. Control and diabetic rats were given L-NAME for 3 weeks. Urine osmolality, urine output, and expression of urea and water transporters and the Na-K-2Cl cotransporter were examined. Predictably, diabetic rats presented with polyuria (increased urine volume and decreased urine osmolality). Although metabolic parameters of control rats were unaffected by L-NAME, treated diabetic rats produced 30% less urine and osmolality was restored. UT-A1 and UT-A3 were significantly increased in diabetic-rat inner medulla. While L-NAME treatment alone did not alter UT-A1 or UT-A3 abundance, absence of NO prevented the upregulation of both transporters in diabetic rats. Similarly, AQP2 and NKCC2 abundance was increased in diabetic animals however, expression of these transporters were unchanged by L-NAME treatment of diabetes. Increased expression of the concentrating transporters observed in diabetic rats provides a compensatory mechanism to decrease solute loss despite persistent glycosuria. Our studies found that although diabetic-induced glycosylation remained increased, total protein expression was decreased to control levels in diabetic rats treated with L-NAME. While the role of NO in urine concentration remains unclear, lowered NO associated with diabetes may be deleterious to the transporters’ response to the subsequent osmotic diuresis.
Carbon nanotube computer

A computer built entirely using transistors based on carbon nanotubes, which is capable of multitasking and emulating instructions from the MIPS instruction set, is enabled by methods that overcome inherent challenges with this new technology. Carbon nanotubes have long been touted as promising building blocks for computers based on carbon rather than silicon. A main motivation towards this goal is the potential for circuits using carbon nanotube transistors to achieve high energy efficiency. Various carbon nanotube electronic circuit blocks have been demonstrated previously, but Max Shulaker et al. now reach a true milestone in the fields of carbon electronics and nanoelectronics by building a simple but functional computer made entirely from carbon nanotube transistors. Composed of 178 transistors, each containing between 10 and 200 carbon nanotubes, it runs a simple operating system and is capable of multitasking: it performs four tasks (summarized as instruction fetch, data fetch, arithmetic operation and write-back) and can run two different programs concurrently. The miniaturization of electronic devices has been the principal driving force behind the semiconductor industry, and has brought about major improvements in computational power and energy efficiency. Although advances with silicon-based electronics continue to be made, alternative technologies are being explored. Digital circuits based on transistors fabricated from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have the potential to outperform silicon by improving the energy–delay product, a metric of energy efficiency, by more than an order of magnitude. Hence, CNTs are an exciting complement to existing semiconductor technologies1,2. Owing to substantial fundamental imperfections inherent in CNTs, however, only very basic circuit blocks have been demonstrated. Here we show how these imperfections can be overcome, and demonstrate the first computer built entirely using CNT-based transistors. The CNT computer runs an operating system that is capable of multitasking: as a demonstration, we perform counting and integer-sorting simultaneously. In addition, we implement 20 different instructions from the commercial MIPS instruction set to demonstrate the generality of our CNT computer. This experimental demonstration is the most complex carbon-based electronic system yet realized. It is a considerable advance because CNTs are prominent among a variety of emerging technologies that are being considered for the next generation of highly energy-efficient electronic systems3,4.
Body mass index in middle age and health-related quality of life in older age: the Chicago heart association detection project in industry study.

of body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) ascertained during middle age on subsequent quality of life among older survivors is unknown. This study evaluates whether BMI in middle age is related to healthrelated quality of life in older age. Methods:ThisprospectivecohortofadultsfromtheChicago Heart Association Detection Project in Industry included 6766 middle-aged men and women, aged 36 to 64 years, without diabetes mellitus or myocardial infarctionatbaseline(November7,1967–January8,1973),who completed a 26-year follow-up questionnaire in 1996 whentheywere65yearsandolder.Relationshipsofbaseline BMI (categories: normal weight, overweight, and obese) to mean 26-year follow-up Health Status Questionnaire 12 scores (measuring physical, mental, and social well-being) were assessed. Results: For men and women, BMI had significant inverse-graded associations with all Health Status Questionnaire 12 scores (P.01 for trend for all). Scores (adjustedforbaselinecardiovasculardiseaseriskfactorsand 1996 age) were highest (best) in normal-weight individuals (BMI, 18.5-25.0) and decreased significantly (P range, .006-.001 for trend) with higher BMI, with worstoutcomesforobesepersons(BMI,30.0).Ahigher multivariate-adjusted percentage of normal-weight personsreportedexcellentorverygoodhealthcomparedwith overweightandobesepersons:forwomen,46.8%vs37.9% and 24.3%; and for men, 53.8% vs 49.1% and 36.5% (P.001 for trend). Conclusions: A higher BMI in middle age is associated with a poorer quality of life in older age. Preventive measuresmaylessentheburdenofdiseaseandimpairedquality of life associated with excess weight. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163:2448-2455
Duration and extent of large electric fields in a thunderstorm anvil cloud after the last lightning

[1] A series of balloon electric field (E) soundings and time-correlated radar scans through the balloon locations are used to examine the evolution of charge and reflectivity inside a dissipating thunderstorm anvil. The soundings cover a 75 min period during and after the final lightning flash in distant convection. The first sounding measured large E magnitudes (maximum 65 kV m−1) and significant charge densities of both polarities (maximum +2.5 nC m−3) within and screening the anvil. Little change in the maximum E values occurred in the 30 min between the first and third soundings, although altitudes and densities of some charge regions decreased with time (maximum +0.6 nC m−3). Screening charge regions were observed in close coincidence with 12 dbZ radar reflectivity contours, and interior positive charge was found in the reflectivity maxima of both anvil decks. The fourth sounding ascended through visible but optically less dense cloud, and no enhanced E values were detected. Overall, the data indicate the interior positive charge region of the main anvil contained about 150 C and covered at least 250 km2 nearly 30 min after the last lightning flash. Potentially hazardous E values of 30–35 kV m−1 were measured at 9.9–10.2 km altitude, a common jet aircraft cruising altitude, more than 20 km away from and 32 min after the final lightning flash. About 50 min after the last flash, the main positive charge region contained an estimated 50 C, and potentially hazardous E values associated with the anvil extended over at least 220 km2.
Biological versus mechanical aortic valve replacement in children.

Abstract Background . Aortic valve replacement in children remains challenging because of constraints imposed by available prosthetic devices. Potential risks of anticoagulation with mechanical valves and degeneration of other biological substitutes have kindled interest in the Ross procedure. This study outlines the evolution of our 27-year experience with prosthetic devices. Methods . Ninety-nine patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (January 1973 through September 2000) were included in this study. Procedures included implantation of pulmonary autograft (PA) (n = 42), aortic homograft (AH) (n = 3), mechanical valves (MV) (n = 41), and xenograft tissue valves (XG) (n = 13). Results . The mean follow-up times were: 3.8 ± 1.3 years for PA, 3.5 ± 1.5 years for AH, 7.7 ± 4.7 years for MV, and 8.4 ± 4.8 years for XG. There were no significant differences in perioperative outcomes among the groups ( p ≤ 0.05) or early deaths (2 each in the MV, AH, and PA groups). The incidence of valve-related complications and reoperations was high in the MV (n = 5), XG (n = 7), and AH (n = 1) groups as compared with the PA group (n = 3, p Conclusions . Aortic valve replacement in children can be performed with acceptable mortality and good long-term results. The Ross procedure, although more complicated, has the advantage of not requiring anticoagulation therapy, can be performed in all age groups, possesses inherent growth potential, and exhibits the most normal left ventricular outflow tract hemodynamics.
Pathobiological determinants of atherosclerosis in youth risk scores are associated with early and advanced atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVES. Atherosclerosis begins in childhood and progresses during adolescence and young adulthood. The Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study previously reported risk scores to estimate the probability of advanced atherosclerotic lesions in young individuals aged 15 to 34 years using the coronary heart disease risk factors (gender, age, serum lipoprotein concentrations, smoking, hypertension, obesity, and hyperglycemia). In this study we investigated the relation of these risk scores to the early atherosclerotic lesions. METHODS. We measured atherosclerotic lesions in the left anterior descending coronary artery, right coronary artery, and abdominal aorta and the coronary heart disease risk factors in persons 15 to 34 years of age who died as a result of external causes and were autopsied in forensic laboratories. RESULTS. Risk scores computed from the modifiable risk factors were associated with prevalence of microscopically demonstrable lesions of atherosclerosis (American Heart Association grade 1) in the left anterior descending coronary artery and with the extent of the earliest detectable gross lesion (fatty streaks) in the right coronary artery and abdominal aorta. Risk scores computed from the modifiable risk factors also were associated with prevalence of lesions of higher degrees of microscopic severity (intermediate as well as advanced) in the left anterior descending coronary artery and with extent of lesions of higher degrees of severity (intermediate and raised lesions) in the right coronary artery and abdominal aorta. CONCLUSIONS. Risk scores calculated from traditional coronary heart disease risk factors to identify individual young persons with high probability of having advanced atherosclerotic lesions also are associated with earlier atherosclerotic lesions, including the earliest anatomically demonstrable atherosclerotic lesion. These results support lifestyle modification in youth to prevent development of the initial lesions and the subsequent progression to advanced lesions and, thereafter, to prevent or delay coronary heart disease.
The method of layer potentials for non-smooth domains with arbitrary topology

In this paper we discuss the solvability of boundary value problems for the Laplace operator on Lipschitz domains with arbitrary topology via boundary layers. An application to hydrodynamics is included.
Attentional control and the Simple View of reading

Attentional control was investigated as a possible third component of reading comprehension, along with decoding and language comprehension, within the Simple View of reading (Gough & Tunmer RASE: Remedial and Special Education 7:6–10, 1986; Hoover & Gough Reading and Writing 2:127–160, 1990). Attentional control is the ability to suppress irrelevant prepotent responses and activate relevant responses. This ability may help coordinate decoding and language comprehension during reading. In an unselected sample of 67 eight-year-olds, attentional control contributed significant variance to reading comprehension after controlling for decoding and language comprehension. Further, attentional control was similar to language comprehension in the amount of unique variance accounted for. Five contrast measures were examined (performance IQ, print exposure, articulation speed, phonemic awareness, and verbal short-term memory), but none was as good a candidate for a third component of reading comprehension as attentional control.
Klein paradox in a kerr geometry

Abstract The crossing of the classical positive and negative energy states E+ and E− introduced by Christodoulou-Ruffini and interpreted within the framework of a relativistic quantum field theory by Deruelle and Ruffini, leads to a Klein paradox. It has been shown by Euler and Heisenberg that when the transmission coefficient T2 through the barrier between the E+ and E− states is small it is proportional to the probability of pair creation. Numerical computations show that, in the case of a small Kerr black hole (GM/c2 ⪅ℏ/muc), the probability of pair creation of particles of mass μ is maximum when E ∼ ℏΩ , where E is the energy of the created particles and Ω and M the angular velocity and the mass of the back hole.
Analysis of a spatially regulated phosphotyrosine phosphatase identifies tyrosine phosphorylation as a key regulatory pathway in Dictyostelium.

Abstract We have cloned a Dictyostelium phosphotyrosine phosphatase ( PTP1 ) with a catalytic domain showing ∼38%–50% amino acid identity to those of other PTPs. PTP1 contains an ∼99 amino acid insert and bacterially produced PTP1 possesses PTP activity. PTP1 is expressed at a very low level in vegetative cells, induced by 4 hr, and maximally expressed at the tight aggregate stage. PTP1-lacZ studies indicate that PTP1 is spatially localized to prestalk and anterior-like cell types. PTP1 gene disruptants show accelerated development, whereas strains overexpressing PTP1 to a high level fail to aggregate. Strains overexpressing moderate levels exhibit severe morphological defects following aggregation, including multiply tipped aggregates and morphologically aberrant fruiting bodies. Western blot analysis using anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies shows specific changes in the mutant strains when compared with wild-type cells. The results indicate that reversible protein-tyrosine phosphorylation and PTP1 play important regulatory roles during Dictyostelium development.
System/360 model 85 microdiagnostics

System/360 Model 85 is a large central processing unit, (CPU), which contains a machine cycle of 80 nanoseconds and a main storage access of 1.2 microseconds. It has the capability of executing 12,500,000 add register to register type instructions per second. Its major parts are the Instruction Preparation Unit, (I Unit), Instruction Execution Unit, (E Unit), and Storage Control Unit, (SCU). In addition to these three main parts, there is also another portion of the hardware dedicated to maintenance controls. The IBM Model 85 computer has high speed buffer storage and hardware capable of initiating and executing Instruction Retry. There are two major control storage elements. Read Only Storage, (ROS), and Writeable Control Storage, (WCS). ROS consists of 2,048 decimal control words while WCS consists of 512 control words for a standard Model 85 or 1024 control words for a Model 85 with an emulator feature. Each control word is 128 bits long and consists of 33 control fields as illustrated in Figure 1---Model 85 Control Word. Approximately 450 microorders have been implemented in the Model 85 for use in microprogramming.
General surface equations for glancing incidence telescopes

A generalized set of equations are derived for two mirror glancing incidence telescopes using Fermat's principle, a differential form of the law of reflection, the generalized sine condition, and a ray propagation equation described in vector form as a theoretical basis. The resulting formulation groups the possible telescope configurations into three distinct classes which are the Wolter, Wolter-Schwarzschild, and higher-order telescopes in which the Hettrick-Bowyer types are a subset. Eight configurations are possible within each class depending on the sign and magnitude of the parameters.
Mineral Composition of Swards Containing Forage Chicory

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), a highly productive forage under midsummer conditions in the eastern USA, often has higher concentrations of minerals relative to grasses and legumes. Low concentrations of minerals in herbage could reduce production efficiency or create metabolic disorders in livestock. Information on the mineral composition of chicory is limited, but it is needed to improve our understanding of nutritive value and inputs required to sustain chicory production, especially where high rates of N are applied. We conducted field experiments for 3 yr on a Ramsey soil (Loamy, siliceous, subactive, mesic Lithic Dystrudept) in southern West Virginia to determine (i) response to increasing fertilizer N and (ii) production of chicory as a component of swards, including grass and legume as a function of clipping frequency. Mineral concentrations and uptake in available herbage generally increased as N rate increased and were influenced by the botanical composition of the sward. As chicory content decreased in the sward, so did mineral concentrations and uptake. Changes in sward composition associated with chicory influenced important mineral ratios such as N/S, Ca/P, and K/(Ca + Mg) cation equivalent ratio that have significant bearing on livestock health and production efficiency. Clipping frequency and N inputs influenced chicory persistence and ultimately the mineral composition of the sward. Active accumulation of minerals indicates the need for high nutrient input to sustain production, especially on soils with marginal fertility. Health problems associated with mineral nutrient concentrations probably would be minimal in livestock grazing swards that include chicory.
Demographic, geographic, and temporal patterns of ambulance runs for suspected opiate overdose in Rhode Island, 1997-2002

We examine ambulance runs for suspected opiate overdose from 1997 to 2002 using a Rhode Island Department of Health database. Of the 8,763 ambulance runs for overdoses, 18.6% were for suspected opiate overdoses. Most cases were males under age 54. Suspected opiate overdoses were more likely to occur in a private residence, were more frequent on Fridays and Saturdays, and peaked in incidence around 9:00 p.m. The incidence rate of suspected opiate overdose by year was similar. The study results may help identify areas for preventive intervention and demonstrate the limitation of using naloxone as a marker of opiate overdose events.
The UL12.5 Gene Product of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Exhibits Nuclease and Strand Exchange Activities but Does Not Localize to the Nucleus

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) alkaline nuclease, encoded by the UL12 gene, plays an important role in HSV-1 replication, as a null mutant of UL12 displays a severe growth defect. Although the precise in vivo role of UL12 has not yet been determined, several in vitro activities have been identified for the protein, including endo- and exonuclease activities, interaction with the HSV-1 single-stranded DNA binding protein ICP8, and an ability to promote strand exchange in conjunction with ICP8. In this study, we examined a naturally occurring N-terminally truncated version of UL12 called UL12.5. Previous studies showing that UL12.5 exhibits nuclease activity but is unable to complement a UL12 null virus posed a dilemma and suggested that UL12.5 may lack a critical activity possessed by the full-length protein, UL12. We constructed a recombinant baculovirus capable of expressing UL12.5 and purified soluble UL12.5 from infected insect cells. The purified UL12.5 exhibited both endo- and exonuclease activities but was less active than UL12. Like UL12, UL12.5 could mediate strand exchange with ICP8 and could also be coimmunoprecipitated with ICP8. The primary difference between the two proteins was in their intracellular localization, with UL12 localizing to the nucleus and UL12.5 remaining in the cytoplasm. We mapped a nuclear localization signal to the N terminus of UL12, the domain absent from UL12.5. In addition, when UL12.5 was overexpressed so that some of the enzyme leaked into the nucleus, it was able to partially complement the UL12 null mutant.
Social class and mortality in older women.

Abstract In middle-aged people, social class is one of the strongest predictors of mortality. However, to date, research prospectively evaluating the relationship between social class and mortality in the older persons has produced conflicting results. This may be due to the lack of clinical covariates in many analyses. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between social class markers—education, income, husband's work history, and personal work history—and mortality in a cohort of older women, after adjusting for clinical and behavioral factors. The participants were 737 ambulatory, community-living women, age 72 and older, followed from 1989 to 1993. In addition to education attained, present income, husband's work history, and personal work history, proportional hazard models adjusted for age, race, marital status, number of chronic conditions, number of medications used, Activities of Daily Living status, Mini-Mental State Exam score, physical activity, and alcohol use. In multivariable models personal work history was the only social class marker that remained significantly associated with mortality. Compared with managers and professionals, women who never worked outside the home had a 3.5 greater risk of death (95% CI, 1.6–7.5), while women who had worked in partly/unskilled or skilled professions were over two and a half times more likely to die; the adjusted hazard ratios were 2.7 (95% CI, 1.2–6.4) and 2.7 (95% CI, 1.3–5.7), respectively. In this population of older women, personal work history was the only social class marker predictive of mortality.
Conductivity pulses in liquid argon

The recent interest in the topic of crystal counters has prompted us to attempt a similar experiment with insulating liquids instead of crystals, in order to investigate whether, in such liquids, ionizing radiations excite electrons into conduction levels in which the electrons can move rapidly in an applied field. The purpose of this preliminary communication is to report that we have observed conductivity pulses due to polonium alpha-particles in liquid argon. No such effect was obtained in liquid nitrogen or in n-heptane at room temperature.
Light-evoked depolarizations in the retina of Strombus: role of sodium and potassium ions.

Abstract 1. 1. Light-evoked depolarizations (LED's) in retinal cells of Strombus luhuanus can exhibit an early phase of depolarization (D E ), a brief repolarizing phase (R E ), and a later depolarizing phase (D L ). 2. 2. Lowering external Na + by substitution with choline, tetramethylammonium or sucrose, reduced the amplitude of the entire LED, but D L was reduced more than D E . 3. 3. Replacement of Na + with Li + reduced D E more than D L . 4. 4. Lowering pH reduced D L more than D E , while raising it increased D L but not D E . 5. 5. K + channel blocking agents, tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine, increased R E . 6. 6. During the LED, cell membrane conductance increased in two phases, corresponding to D E and D L . 7. 7. The results suggest LED generation by two separable conductance increases to Na + , corresponding to D E and D L , and another to K + during R E .
Wittman’s transitions: Multivocality and the Play of Tripmaster Monkey

Those of us who avidly followed Wittman Ah Sing's adventures through the pages of Maxine Hong Kingston's 1989 Tripmaster Monkey had a long wait for his reemergence. When at last he appeared in 2003's The Fifth Book of Peace, he bore little resemblance to our previous neuroses-riddled protagonist. Well-adjusted and wedded, Wittman's struggles over isolation and miscommunication now seem little more than a haunting dream from a halfforgotten past. One striking similarity remains, however, in the form of an all-inclusive peace-play at the apex of Wittman's active endeavors. This lingering valorization of performance provides a link between the two novels and two Wittmans, suggesting that it is the play itself that abetted Wittman's transformation from lone monkey to full-fledged community member. Theatrically resolving Wittman's previously paralyzing conflicts between unity/identity and Chinese heritage/American nationality, Fifth Book's play enables him both to find his own voice and to incorporate the multiple voices of others. I would like to return now to Wittman's first theatrical production in Tripmaster, focusing on this section of the
An investigation of prediction errors in work trip mode choice models

Abstract This paper reports some analyses of predictive accuracy of disaggregate work trip mode choice models. The prediction error is separated into three components: model specification error, aggregation error, and transfer error. The main results are (1) the total forecasting errors can be very large, especially if the model transfers poorly; (2) poor transfer-ability was found between cities where the transit or shared ride markets are much different; (3) prediction from models having statistically different coefficients need not be much different and (4) the type of level-of-service data, i.e. manually coded or network based, used in model estimation has little influence on forecasting accuracy. These and other results are provisional for reasons discussed in the main text.
Alternative splicing model for the synthesis and secretion of the 20 kilodalton form of rat growth hormone.

Abstract The characterization of a 20 kilodalton (20 kD) variant of rat growth hormone is reported. The 20 kD variant from rat pituitary gland extracts was identified on Western immunoblots of polyacrylamide gels. It was also shown that pituitary tissue maintained in culture secretes the 20 kD form. A rat growth hormone cDNA fragment was used as a probe in S1 nuclease mapping experiments of rat pituitary poly (A) mRNA to detect the presence of two growth hormone mRNAs in the rat pituitary gland. The protected mRNAs correspond to the predicted sizes that would encode the 22 kD and 20 kD forms of growth hormone. The site of variation between the mRNAs maps to a potential alternative 3′ splice site in the 5′ end of exon 3 of the coding sequence. The results support the hypothesis that the 20 kD variant in rat is the product of an mRNA alternatively spliced in exon 3, as is the case for the human growth hormone.
Analysis of Chlordecone [Kepone®] in Biological Specimens

We have investigated the toxicity and pharmacoklnetlcs of chlordecone (CD) In chemical workers poisoned with this organochlorine pesticide Ingredient. To achieve this objective we have developed a reliable and practical assay procedure for CD applicable to a variety of biological speclmens. A gas chromatographic method using an electron capture detector is presented together with s discussion of some of the analytical problems associated with this compound.
SAXS Study of Silica Sols and Gels

Small angle X-ray scattering was used to characterize the structure of sols and gels in the TMOS-MeOH-H2O-CHONH2 system. The scattering curves were analyzed in both the Porod and Guinier regions. A fractal analysis shows that the structure evolves with time and temperature from a linear type polymer to a more highly branched polymer and then towards a “particle”. However, these structural units disappear when the temperature increases above a critical value.
CHANGES IN FISH DIETS AND FOOD WEB MERCURY BIOACCUMULATION INDUCED BY AN INVASIVE PLANKTIVOROUS FISH

The invasion, boom, collapse, and reestablishment of a population of the planktivorous threadfin shad in Clear Lake, California, USA, were documented over a 20-year period, as were the effects of changing shad populations on diet and mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation in nearshore fishes. Threadfin shad competitively displaced other planktiv- orous fish in the lake, such as inland silversides, young-of-year (YOY) largemouth bass, and YOY bluegill, by reducing zooplankton abundance. As a result, all three species shifted from a diet that was dominated by zooplankton to one that was almost entirely zoobenthos. Stable carbon isotopes corroborated this pattern with each species becoming enriched in d 13 C, which is elevated in benthic vs. pelagic organisms. Concomitant with these changes, Hg concentrations increased by ;50% in all three species. In contrast, obligate benthivores such as prickly sculpin showed no relationship between diet or d 13 C and the presence of threadfin shad, suggesting that effects of the shad were not strongly linked to the benthic fish community. There were also no changes in Hg concentrations of prickly sculpin. The temporary extirpation of threadfin shad from the lake resulted in zooplankton densities, foraging patterns, isotope ratios, and Hg concentrations in pelagic fishes returning to pre-shad values. These results indicate that even transient perturbations of the structure of freshwater food webs can result in significant alterations in the bioaccumulation of Hg and that food webs in lakes can be highly resilient.
Coarse-to-Fine Natural Language Processing

State-of-the-art natural language processing models are anything but compact. Syntactic parsers have huge grammars, machine translation systems have huge transfer tables, and so on across a range of tasks. With such complexity come two challenges. First, how can we learn highly complex models? Second, how can we efficiently infer optimal structures within them? Hierarchical coarse-to-fine methods address both questions. Coarse-to-fine approaches exploit a sequence of models which introduce complexity gradually. At the top of the sequence is a trivial model in which learning and inference are both cheap. Each subsequent model refines the previous one, until a final, full-complexity model is reached. Because each refinement introduces only limited complexity, both learning and inference can be done in an incremental fashion. In this dissertation, we describe several coarse-to-fine systems. In the domain of syntactic parsing, complexity is in the grammar. We present a latent variable approach which begins with an X-bar grammar and learns to iteratively refine grammar categories. For example, noun phrases might be split into subcategories for subjects and objects, singular and plural, and so on. This splitting process admits an efficient incremental inference scheme which reduces parsing times by orders of magnitude. Furthermore, it produces the best parsing accuracies across an array of languages, in a fully language-general fashion. In the domain of acoustic modeling for speech recognition, complexity is needed to model the rich phonetic properties of natural languages. Starting from a mono-phone model, we learn increasingly refined models that capture phone internal structures, as well as context-dependent variations in an automatic way. Our approaches reduces error rates compared to other baseline approaches, while streamlining the learning procedure. In the domain of machine translation, complexity arises because there and too many target language word types. To manage this complexity, we translate into target language clusterings of increasing vocabulary size. This approach gives dramatic speed-ups while additionally increasing final translation quality.
Peripheral artery disease is associated with severe impairment of vascular function

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have higher cardiovascular event rates than patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD) and abnormal endothelial function predicts cardiovascular risk in PAD and CAD. We investigated the hypothesis that PAD is associated with a greater degree of impairment in vascular function than CAD. We used several non-invasive tests to evaluate endothelial function in 1320 men and women with combined PAD and CAD (n = 198), PAD alone (n = 179), CAD alone (n = 466), or controls aged > 45 years without CAD or PAD (n = 477). Patients with PAD had lower brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (5.1 ± 3.9% PAD and CAD, 5.9 ± 4.4% PAD alone) compared to patients with CAD alone (7.0 ± 4.5%) and no PAD or CAD (8.1 ± 5.1%, p < 0.0001). In multivariable models adjusting for clinical covariates and the presence of CAD, PAD remained associated with lower flow-mediated dilation (p < 0.0001). PAD was associated also with lower nitroglycerin-mediated dilation and reactive hyperemia. Patients with both PAD and CAD had a lower digital pulse amplitude tonometry (PAT) ratio in unadjusted models but not in adjusted models. Flow-mediated dilation was modestly associated with PAT ratio in patients with atherosclerotic disease (r = 0.23, p < 0.0001) but not among control participants (r = 0.008, p = 0.93). Our findings indicate that patients with PAD have greater impairment of vasodilator function and are consistent with the possibility that endothelial dysfunction may contribute to adverse cardiovascular prognosis in PAD.
Georegistration of airborne hyperspectral image data

A suite of geometric sensor and platform modeling tools has been developed which have achieved consistent subpixel accuracy in orthorectification experiments. Aircraft platforms in turbulent atmospheric conditions present unique challenges and have required creative modeling approaches. The geometric relationship between an image point and a ground object has been modeled by rigorous photogrammetric methods. First and second order Gauss-Markov processes have been used to estimate the platform trajectory. These methods have been successfully applied to HYDICE and HyMap data sets. The most important contributors to the subpixel rectification accuracy have been the first order Gauss-Markov model with control linear features.
Extended Phenotypes and Extended Organisms

Phenotype, whether conventional or extended, is defined as a reflection of an underlying genotype. Adaptation and the natural selection that follows from it depends upon a progressively harmonious fit between phenotype and environment. There is in Richard Dawkins' notion of the extended phenotype a paradox that seems to undercut conventional views of adaptation, natural selection and adaptation. In a nutshell, if the phenotype includes an organism's environment, how then can the organism adapt to itself? The paradox is resolvable through a physiological, as opposed to a genetic, theory of natural selection and adaptation.
Interval estimates for the ratio and difference of two lognormal means

Health research often gives rise to data that follow lognormal distributions. In two sample situations, researchers are likely to be interested in estimating the difference or ratio of the population means. Several methods have been proposed for providing confidence intervals for these parameters. However, it is not clear which techniques are most appropriate, or how their performance might vary. Additionally, methods for the difference of means have not been adequately explored. We discuss in the present article five methods of analysis. These include two methods based on the log-likelihood ratio statistic and a generalized pivotal approach. Additionally, we provide and discuss the results of a series of computer simulations. Finally, the techniques are applied to a real example.
Effects of aspirin and Helicobacter pylori on the gastroduodenal mucosal permeability to sucrose.

BACKGROUND: A non-invasive marker is needed to identify patients with significant gastrointestinal injury due to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Gastrointestinal permeability to sucrose has been suggested as such a test. AIMS: To assess the utility of sucrose permeability as a marker of gastroduodenal mucosal injury after single and multiple doses of aspirin, to identify the site of increased sucrose permeability, to explore the relation between sucrose permeability and endoscopic findings, and to evaluate whether Helicobacter pylori infection influenced gastroduodenal sucrose permeability. METHODS: After a fasting urine was obtained, 500 ml of a solution containing 100 g of sucrose was ingested. Urine was collected for five hours and assayed for sucrose by high performance liquid chromatography. Sucrose permeability was also assessed 20 minutes after ingestion of 650 mg of aspirin and eight to 12 hours after a 72 hour course of 650 mg aspirin four times a day. The site of increased permeability was identified after pyloric occlusion with a double balloon tube. RESULTS: Thirty seven healthy volunteers participated. Sucrose permeability (mean (SEM)) increased after both single (195.2 (27) mg and multiple (196.4 (31) mg) doses of aspirin compared with baseline (53.7 (10) mg; p < 0.0005). Balloon pyloric occlusion confirmed that the site of increased sucrose permeability was the stomach. The effect of aspirin on sucrose permeability was similar in those with and without H pylori infection. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the use of sucrose permeability as a marker of aspirin induced gastroduodenal mucosal injury and identify the stomach as the major site of increased permeability. H pylori infection does not seem to change gastric mucosal sucrose permeability either at baseline or after ingestion of aspirin.