cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prolactin receptor gene expression in the forebrain of pregnant and lactating rats

Prolactin plays a large role in the onset of maternal behavior at parturition. Knowledge of the change in expression of the prolactin receptor in the brain across pregnancy and lactation, however, is limited. Prolactin receptor gene expression was determined by in situ hybridization histochemistry during pregnancy and lactation in rats. Expression of the mRNA for the longform of the prolactin receptor (PRL-R-L) was measured in various forebrain structures in primigravid rats at different stages of pregnancy, in primiparous rats during early, mid-, and late lactation, and in age-matched, nulliparous females in diestrus. Hybridizations were performed using a [33P]-labeled riboprobe specific for the long form of the prolactin receptor mRNA complimentary to 290 bp of the prolactin receptor gene. The following areas of the forebrain were examined: medial preoptic area (MPOA), median preoptic nucleus both dorsal (MePOd) and ventral (MePOv) to the anterior commissure, ventral lateral septum (LSv), and the ventral and principal parts of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BnSTv and BnSTpr, respectively). Overall, the number of cells expressing PRL-R-L mRNA was significantly higher at 2 h postpartum compared to diestrus in all areas examined except the LSv. In addition, there were lower numbers of PRL-R-L cells during all stages of lactation compared to pregnancy. The number of grains per cell in the MPOA and LSv did not change as dramatically as the number of cells expressing PRL-R-L mRNA in those brain regions. These data contribute to the growing body of evidence that the neural lactogenic system changes as a function of female reproductive state. Changes in PRL-R-L mRNA in terms of behavior and endocrine functions are discussed.
Production and metrology of 5 μm x‐ray apertures for 100 keV diffraction studies in the diamond anvil cell

Microminiaturization of the diamond anvil tip is necessary in order to obtain multimegabar pressures. Because of this and the steep pressure gradients present tiny x‐ray beams are required. This paper describes the production and metrology of 5 μm x‐ray apertures for x‐ray diffraction studies to 100 keV in the diamond anvil cell. It is expected that this design will serve as the basis for 2 μm apertures.
On the limit of field‐aligned current intensity in the polar magnetosphere

Field-aligned current (FAC) is here defined by 4 pi j = alpha B, where alpha is constant along a magnetic field line. The upper limit value of alpha in the polar magnetosphere, possible source regions of the strongest FAC and the relationship of them to some auroral and ionospheric irregularity cross-field scale sizes are discussed. Cross-field dimensions of the strongest FAC are related to the gyroradii of source particles (O(+), He(2+), He(+), H(+), e) in the current-generating region. It is suggested that experimental determination, and mapping of the values of alpha, may assist with the search for the generators of such currents in near-earth space including in the nearby solar wind. The upper limit of alpha is associated with the breakup of FAC systems.
R&D Activity and Acquisitions in High Technology Industries: Evidence from the U. S. Electronic and Electrical Equipment Industries

Theory suggests R&D intensity and acquisition activity may be either directly or inversely related. However, we know relatively little about which firms are responsible for acquisition activity in high-technology industries, which are not only R&D-intensive, but also have substantial acquisition activity in the United States. Using a panel of 217 US electronic and electrical equipment firms from 1985–93 and limited dependent variable estimation techniques, we find a substantial negative correlation between R&D-intensity and a firm’s propensity to acquire. This result is surprisingly robust to numerous sensitivity tests and is significant in both the ‘within’ and ‘between’ dimensions of our data.
Buddhists and Buddhism in the United States: The Scope of Influence

Researchers have speculated about the growing influence of Buddhists and Buddhism in the United States, but little has been done to estimate the scope of this influence or to consider alternative ways of understanding it. We present data collected from a large, nationally representative survey completed in 2003. The data show that one American in seven claims to have had a fair amount of contact with Buddhists and that one person in eight believes Buddhist teachings or practices have had an important influence on his or her religion or spirituality. We describe three perspectives from which variations in exposure to Buddhists and being influenced by Buddhism may be understood: two versions of the “strictness hypothesis” from the religious economies literature and a broader argument about institutional embeddedness. We find empirical support for each of the three perspectives.
The development and comparison of bio-thermoset plastics from epoxidized plant oils

This study investigates the development of thermoset plastics from plant-based oils (e.g., linseed, soybean, cottonseed, oilseed radish, and peanut oils) using an optimal process of solvent-free epoxidation. The epoxidation of plant oils can be accomplished economically by reacting the double bonds of fatty-acids with hydrogen peroxide. During the solvent-free process catalyzed by the ion-exchange resin, we observed that the influence of several variables was important: the molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide to unsaturation, acetic acid to unsaturation, and temperature. The epoxidation of plant oils was determined from the liquid mixture and the composite matrix by thermal and spectroscopic analyses. Compounds with a higher double-bond (iodine) value showed higher oxirane oxygen percent and selectivity, and a higher hydroxyl value because of a greater possibility of attack by solutions causing side reactions. Lower iodine values indicated fewer epoxy groups and selectivity, and a lower hydroxyl value. Benzyl pyrazinium hexafluoroantimonate (BPH) yielded good thermal curing properties; as little as 1% added to the plastics produced light-weight composites. Epoxidized linseed oil promises the highest modulus and impact resistance due to the largest number of double bonds to contribute more epoxy groups and the large proportion of linolenic acids to produce epoxy groups rapidly.
Electron-enhanced CO2 adsorption and stabilization on aluminum films

Abstract The rate of carbon dioxide adsorption and surface oxidation on aluminum films is significantly enhanced by an electron beam. Though oxygen accumulates in the beam-exposed area, carbon does not significantly accumulate on the surface; apparently the electron beam dissociates CO2 to oxygen and carbon monoxide, which desorbs. The surface concentrations of oxygen and aluminum oxide are measured by Auger spectroscopy at locations that were exposed and not exposed to the electron beam during adsorption. These measurements show that an oxide can be formed with a sharp concentration gradient on the surface. The oxide formed by electron beam enhancement is not stable and can apparently diffuse into the bulk. However, this oxide can be stabilized by additional electron beam exposure in the absence of gas-phase carbon dioxide.
Israeli Perspectives on Elder Abuse

ABSTRACT Despite the prevailing agreement among researchers that the increasing rate of elder abuse in Israel is relatively understudied, not sufficiently identified, and not appropriately addressed, literature on elderly abuse in the Israeli society remains limited. The common discourse on aging, eldercare, and elder abuse and neglect, mainly revolves around the immigration status of the elderly as well as the circumstantial predicaments that typically accompany immigrants living in a multicultural, transitory society. This pilot study examined attitudes towards elderly maltreatment as commonly perceived by the two dominant ethnicities currently constituting Israeli society—the Ashkenazi and the Sephardic. Psychological neglect, neglect/abandonment, and physical aggression were considered to be most prominent exemplars of elder abuse within the Israeli sample and across gender and ethnicities. Although there were no significant group differences in the exemplars given of extreme elder abuse, the Ashkenaz...
Cystometry V. Bladder sensation

Bladder sensation is an important variable in cystometry. Sensory complaints are a valuable portion of the history which may be further defined and documented by the cystometric examination.
Resource bound certification

Various code certification systems allow the certification and static verification of important safety properties such as memory and control-flow safety. These systems are valuable tools for verifying that untrusted and potentially malicious code is safe before execution. However, one important safety property that is not usually included is that programs adhere to specific bounds on resource consumption, such as running time.We present a decidable type system capable of specifying and certifying bounds on resource consumption. Our system makes two advances over previous resource bound certification systems, both of which are necessary for a practical system: We allow the execution time of programs and their subroutines to vary, depending on their arguments, and we provide a fully automatic compiler generating certified executables from source-level programs. The principal device in our approach is a strategy for simulating dependent types using sum and inductive kinds.
Dynamic visual fields of one-eyed observers.

Background The horizontal binocular visual field can extend to more than 200°, while a monocular field is limited to 160°. Additionally, the nose and other facial structures may block the monocular field further during certain eye movements. The purpose of this study was to compare the monocular against the binocular visual field and determine if head and eye movements can functionally overcome any measured deficit. Methods In Experiment 1, visual fields were measured monocularly with a bowl perimeter using 5 fixation positions. Binocular visual fields were calculated by combining the monocular visual field with its mirror image. In Experiment 2, subjects were allowed to make head, eye, and body movements to search for flashing lights 360° around them, spaced every 45°. The numbers of lights identified were compared for the subjects performing monocularly versus binocularly. Results The size of the overall monocular visual field was found to vary between 48% and 76% of the binocular visual field, depending on eye position. For the flashing light experiment, head and eye movements could not overcome the entire visual-field deficit with monocular viewing. Monocular performance remained 11.4% less than binocular performance. Conclusions The visual-field deficit seen with monocular viewing is greatest with nasal fixation, and head and eye movements cannot totally compensate for this deficit when viewing time is limited. Vision standards that require full visual fields in each eye are more appropriate for occupations in which peripheral visual targets must be identified and visual search time is limited.
Structure and properties of GeGaP sulfide glasses

Abstract GeGaP sulfide glasses containing 60–90 mol% GeS 2 , 0–30 mol% Ga 2 S 3 and 0–33.3 mol% P 2 S 5 have been investigated to determine the compositional dependence of physical properties and network structure. The glass transition temperature ( T g ) and absorption edge ( λ 0 ) decrease and blueshift, respectively, with addition of Ga until Ga ⩾ P, at which point these properties level off. Replacement of P with Ga in these glasses also changes the P speciation, as determined by 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. For glasses with P > Ga, the P polyhedra consist mostly of asymmetric S = PS 3/2 tetrahedra and trigonal PS 3/2 groups. Above the Ga:P ratio of 1:1, P is found almost entirely in symmetric PS 4/2 tetrahedra. The trend in P speciation parallels that of the physical properties of these glasses, providing a structural explanation for compositional variations in T g and λ 0 .
The Biosynthesis of the Purines

Of the many problems which confront the biologist in his understanding of the operations of the cell, the synthesis of biologically important substances is now the most amenable to solution. It has been the domain of the biochemist to probe into the integrated cellular system by dissembling its enzymatic machinery as a means of studying the complex reaction sequences which are involved in the many biological or physiological processes of the living organism.
Comparison of internal escape channels with die spacing and occlusal venting.

Abstract The effectiveness of the following procedures in improving the seating of full cast crowns were compared: (1) internal escape channels, (2) die spacing, (3) occlusal venting, and (4) a combination of die spacing with an escape channel. All techniques were shown to be similar in effectiveness. Die spacing produced the least consistent results. An internal escape channel, occlusal venting, die spacing, or a combination of an escape channel and die spacing did not influence the retention of full cast crowns.
Two-dimensional multishot echo-planar coronary MR angiography

This work presents a two-dimensional (2D) multishot echo-planar imaging (EPI) technique for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of individual coronary arteries in a 17-heartbeat breath-hold. Conventional 2D and 3D segmented gradient-echo (GRE) coronary MRA requires repetitive excitation of the same slice or slab within each cardiac cycle, which can result in reduced blood signal and in motion artifacts. Two-dimensional multishot EPI can address these limitations by eliminating multiple excitations per cardiac cycle, using large flip-angle excitations, markedly reducing the data acquisition window, and performing oblique multislice 2D imaging. The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility of breath-hold 2D multishot EPI for multislice coronary MRA and to demonstrate its reliability by consistently acquiring high-quality images of the coronary arteries in a series of 16 volunteers.
Endogenous opioids and nonsuicidal self-injury: A mechanism of affect regulation

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), or the purposeful destruction of body tissue occurring without suicidal intent, is a perplexing behavior as it goes against the natural instinct to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. One possible reason that people engage in NSSI is to regulate affect. However, the exact mechanisms that cause NSSI to lead to reduced feelings of negative affect remain unclear. Due to its involvement in the regulation of pain and emotion, the endogenous opioid system has been proposed to mediate the affect regulation effects of NSSI. The authors review evidence from multiple literatures to support this claim. Based on the current research, it is proposed that (1) individuals who engage in NSSI have lower baseline levels of endogenous opioids, (2) NSSI releases endogenous opioids, and (3) opioids released during NSSI regulate affect. These predictions are discussed in terms of previous models and other functions of NSSI.
Quantitative analysis of a vulnerable subset of pyramidal neurons in Alzheimer's disease: II. Primary and secondary visual cortex

In this study we investigated the primary and secondary visual areas of normal and Alzheimer's disease brains by using the SMI32 antibody. It is known that in Alzheimer's disease primary sensory areas are usually less devastated than association cortices, although visual symptomatology has been documented early in the course of the disease. In area 17, the SMI32 antibody primarily labeled the perikarya and dentritic tree of the large Meynert cells and cells in layer IVB. Smaller neurons in layers III, V, and VI were also immunoreactive (ir). In area 18, very large SMI32-ir pyramidal neurons in layers III and V were observed. In both areas, staining intensity was correlated with cell size, the largest neurons being the most intensely stained. Only a few changes were observed in the Alzheimer's disease cases. The only statistically significant differences in SMI32-ir neuron counts between control and Alzheimer's disease brains occurred in layer IVB cells and Meynert cells in area 17, and in layer III cells in area 18. In contrast with association cortices, there were no changes in staining intensity in the visual areas. There were fewer neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques in these areas than in prefrontal and inferior temporal cortex, and a correlation between neurofibrillary tangle counts and SMI32-ir neuron loss was only observed in layer III of area 18. These observations show that in the primary and secondary visual cortex, SMI32 also labeled a distinct subset of pyramidal cells that are known from data obtained in the monkey brain to furnish long corticocortical as well as subcortical projections. Interestingly, although there is much less cell and/or neurofibrillary tangle formation in these occipital regions than in prefrontal and temporal association areas, there is significant loss within key subsets of pyramidal cells. The selective loss of this particular subpopulation of pyramidal neurons will disrupt association pathways linking primary visual cortex with areas involved in higher level visual processing. The partial disconnection of such pathways may be relevant to the visual symptomatology frequently observed in Alzheimer's disease patients. These data further support the hypothesis that subtypes of pyramidal neurons with specific anatomical and molecular profiles may display a differential vulnerability in Alzheimer's disease.
Youth employment: Its relationship to academic and family variables

Abstract Survey data from 4587 Washington State high school students were used to investigate relationships among students' employment status and family structure, socioeconomic position, and adolescent academic success. Employed students were more likely to have higher GPAs, be from higher socioeconomic families, or have a mother or father employed in a higher-status occupation; no relationship was found between mother's or father's education and employment of the student. The unemployed student was more likely to be from a lower socioeconomic family than was the employed student, to have a lower GPA, and to have a father and mother working in a lower status occupation. When hours of employment for the student were categorized into the unemployed, those employed 20 h a week or less, and those employed over 20 h a week, hours of employment were found to have a statistically significant curvilinear relationship to adolescents' GPA.
Propagation dynamics of individual domain walls in Ga1–xMnxAs microdevices

We investigated the transport dynamics of individual magnetic domain walls by employing electrical measurements in multiterminal Ga1–xMnxAs microdevices. Domain wall propagation velocities were deduced from time-of-flight planar Hall measurements between multiple electrical probes of our samples. Domain wall motion induced by both magnetic field and electric currents was systematically investigated. Dependent on the strength of applied in-plane magnetic field, two regimes of domain wall motion, involving thermally assisted flow for low fields and viscous flow for high fields, have been identified. However our data shows no evidence of spin-current induced domain wall motion.
Neutron depolarization study of a high-Tc epitaxial thin film

Abstract Neutron depolarization measurements on an epitaxial thin film of YBaCuO superconducting material are reported and interpreted on the basis of formation of an Abrikosov flux lattice by field cooling. The temperature and field dependences of this effect have been measured and suggest that the technique may be useful in obtaining information on flux lattice stability and pinning forces.
Effects of exercise training amount and intensity on peak oxygen consumption in middle-age men and women at risk for cardiovascular disease.

Study objectives Although increasing aerobic fitness by exercise training is advocated as part of a healthy lifestyle, studies examining the different effects of intensity and amount on peak consumption ( V ˙ o2) remain sparse. Design This randomized controlled trial compared the effects of three different exercise regimens differing in amount and intensity on fitness improvements. Participants Overweight men and women with mild-to-moderate dyslipidemia were recruited. Interventions The exercise groups were as follows: (1) low amount/moderate intensity (LAMI, n=25), the caloric equivalent of walking 19 kilometers (km)/wk at 40 to 55% of peak V ˙ o2; (2) low amount/high intensity (LAHI, n=36), the equivalent of jogging 19 km/wk at 65 to 80% of peak V ˙ o2; (3) high amount/high intensity (HAHI, n=35), the equivalent of jogging 32 km/wk at 65 to 80% of peak V ˙ o2; and (4) a control group (n = 37). Measurements and results Peak V ˙ o2 and time to exhaustion (TTE) were tested before and after 7 to 9 months of training. All exercise groups increased peak V ˙ o2 and TTE compared to baseline (p ≤ 0.001). Improvements in peak V ˙ o2 were greater in the LAHI and HAHI groups compared to the control group (p Conclusions Exercising at a level of 19 km/wk at 40 to 55% of peak V ˙ o2 is sufficient to increase aerobic fitness levels, and increasing either exercise intensity or the amount beyond these parameters will yield additional separate and combined effects on markers of aerobic fitness. Therefore, it is appropriate to recommend mild exercise to improve fitness and reduce cardiovascular risk yet encourage higher intensities and amounts for additional benefit.
Co-opting biology to deliver drugs.

The goal of drug delivery is to improve the safety and therapeutic efficacy of drugs. This review focuses on delivery platforms that are either derived from endogenous pathways, long-circulating biomolecules and cells or that piggyback onto long-circulating biomolecules and cells. The first class of such platforms is protein-based delivery systems—albumin, transferrin, and fusion to the Fc domain of antibodies—that have a long-circulation half-life and are designed to transport different molecules. The second class is lipid-based delivery systems—lipoproteins and exosomes—that are naturally occurring circulating lipid particles. The third class is cell-based delivery systems—erythrocytes, macrophages, and platelets—that have evolved, for reasons central to their function, to exhibit a long life-time in the body. The last class is small molecule-based delivery systems that include folic acid. This article reviews the biology of these systems, their application in drug delivery, and the promises and limitations of these endogenous systems for drug delivery. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 1699–1716. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Circuit architecture for low-power race-free programmable logic arrays

The design of programmable logic arrays using NAND-NOR gates for the AND and OR logic planes, respectively, instead of the conventional NOR-NOR planes is described. The circuit architecture uses a hierarchical tree of four input domino NAND gates to implement the AND plane. The OR plane is split in two for increased speed and robustness. The circuits as well as timing and power advantages are described. Simulations on a foundry 130 nm process show nearly 50% power savings at less than 10% delay cost, primarily due to lower AND plane activity factor and reduced clock loading.
The Behavior of Copper (II) Chelates of Aliphatic Aminocarboxylic Acids in Aqueous Solutions

AbstractThe effective overall stability constants (log Ke values) and molar combining ratios for nine aliphatic aminocarboxylic acids (C2 to c6) with copper (II) ion were calculated from spectrophotometric and potentiometric data at pH 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 and 25°C. In addition, calculated overall stability constants (log Kn values), using Bjerrum's method of analyzing potentiometric data, showed that chelates of alpha- and beta-aminocarboxylic acids with copper (II) were more stable than those of gamma-and epsilon-aminocarboxylic acids. Using Job's method of continuous variations for analyzing absorbance data, it was observed that while the alpha- and beta-aminocarboxylic acids formed both bicoordinated (1:1) and tetracoordinated (2:1) chelates with copper (II) ion at pH 4:O and 5:O and the alpha-aminocarboxylic acids formed only a (1:1) chelate at pH 3.0, the gamma and epsilon-aminocarboxylic acids showed only bicoordinated (1:1) chelate formation at pH 5.0.The complexation of epsilon-aminocarboxylic acid l...
Errors in diagnosis in Wilms' tumor.

Abstract A course of Actinomycin D started preoperatively may discourage the seeding of tumor emboli released from an embryoma during operative removal. Generalized cytotoxic effects of this drug make its empirical administration undersirable. Preoperative diagnosis of Wilms' tumor on clinical and radiologic grounds has proved unreliable in a small number of cases. There may be value in extended radiologic examination and/or ultrasound scanning to increase the reliability of preoperative diagnosis.
Kernel regression methods for the prediction of wood properties of Pinus taeda using near infrared spectroscopy

Near infrared diffuse reflectance spectra collected in 10-mm sections were used for the estimation of air-dry density (AD), microfibril angle (MFA), stiffness (MOE), tracheid coarseness (COARS), and tracheid wall thickness (WTHICK) in wood radial strip samples obtained at breast height (1.4 m) from 60 Pinus taeda trees. Calibration models were developed using traditional partial least squares (PLS) and kernel regression. The kernel methods included radial basis functions-partial least squares (RBF-PLS) and least-squares support vector machines (LS-SVM). RBF-PLS and LS-SVM models outperformed PLS-CV calibrations in terms of fit statistics. MFA and MOE, two properties that exhibited nonlinearity, showed the most significant improvements compared to PLS. In terms of predictive ability RBF-PLS performed better than PLS for the prediction of MFA, MOE, and COARS. LS-SVM showed better prediction statistics in all cases, except for WTHICK that gave similar statistics compared to PLS and was superior to RBF-PLS. By adding statistically significant factors to the PLS regressions, it was possible to capture some of the nonlinear features of the data and improve the predictive ability of the PLS models.
Further Examination of the Work Autonomy Scales: Three Studies

Recently, Breaugh (1985) developed an instrument that measures three facets, i.e., method, scheduling, and criteria, of work autonomy. This paper presents the results of three studies designed to evaluate both the construct validity and the perceived usefulness of Breaugh's Work Autonomy Scales. In the first study, confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the underlying factor structure of the three work autonomy facet measures. Each of several methods for assessing the fit of a theoretical model confirmed that a three-facet model clearly fit the sample data. In Study 2, an experimental design was used to examine the degree to which individuals'self-reports of autonomy actually reflected objective conditions. A close correspondence between the experimental manipulations and subjective ratings of autonomy was found. In Study 3, the perceived usefulness of the information provided by the three autonomy scales was examined. In both an absolute and a comparative sense, i.e., in comparison to measuring ...
Responding to the needs of others: The caregiving behavioral system in intimate relationships

The caregiving behavioral system has been identified as a vital component of adult attachment bonds, but until recently it has received relatively little attention in the adult attachment literature. In this article, we review recent theoretical and empirical developments on caregiving dynamics in adult intimate relationships, focusing on normative processes and individual differences. In doing so, we discuss the factors that facilitate or impede responsiveness in couples, and the importance of responsiveness for the development and maintenance of secure relationships. We conclude by discussing some key directions for future research.
The Effects of Muscle Fatigue on Shoulder Joint Position Sense

Proprioception, or joint position sense, probably plays an important role in shoulder joint function. In this study, we assessed the effect of muscle fatigue on shoulder proprioception in 20 volunteers with no shoulder abnormalities. Shoulder proprioception was measured as the threshold to first detection of humeral rotation with the joint at 90 degrees of abduction and 90 degrees of external rotation. Subjects were tested while rested, exercised on a isokinetic testing machine until fatigued, and then retested in an identical fashion. Both shoulders were tested, and the order of dominant and nondominant shoulder was randomized. Shoulder proprioception was analyzed for its dependence on arm dominance, direction of rotation, and muscle fatigue. Subjects detected external rotation after significantly less movement than they did internal rotation. Overall, before exercise, motion was detected after a mean of 0.92 degrees of rotation. After exercise, this threshold to detection of movement increased to 1.59 degrees, an increase of 73%. This significant increase occurred with both internal and external rotation. The decrease in proprioceptive sense with muscle fatigue may play a role in decreasing athletic performance and in fatigue-related shoulder dysfunction. It remains to be determined if training can lessen this loss in position sense.
Recent Trends in the Inheritance of Poverty and Family Structure

This study investigates trends in the interdependence of poverty and family structure from one generation to the next, focusing specifically on mothers and daughters. This aspect of the mobility process has not been explored, despite widespread concern about the life chances of children in poor single-parent families and dramatic changes in the distributions of poverty and family structure in recent decades. We examine origin-by-destination status along the two dimensions of poverty and family structure, using rich panel data and loglinear models to parse out the associations between poverty and family structure within and across generations. Our results show that the intergenerational associations between poverty and family structure are strong, but operate through largely independent pathways. Net of the correlation between poverty and family structure within a generation, the intergenerational transmission of poverty is significantly stronger than the intergenerational transmission of family structure, and neither childhood poverty nor family structure affects the other in adulthood. Finally, despite important changes in the distributions of poverty and family structure, we find no evidence of change in the processes of intergenerational inheritance over time.
Preservation of β-Cell Function in Autoantibody-Positive Youth With Diabetes

OBJECTIVE To determine the extent of β-cell function in youth with diabetes and GAD65 and/or IA2 autoantibodies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Fasting C-peptide levels from 2,789 GAD65- and/or IA2 autoantibody-positive youth aged 1–23 years from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study were used. Preserved β-cell function was defined on the basis of cut points derived from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) (fasting C-peptide ≥0.23 ng/ml) and from the U.S. adolescent population of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 5th percentile for fasting C-peptide (≥1.0 ng/ml). We compared the clinical characteristics between those with and without preserved β-cell function. RESULTS Within the first year of diagnosis, 82.9% of youth had a fasting C-peptide ≥0.23 ng/ml and 31.2% had values ≥1.0 ng/ml. Among those with ≥5 years of diabetes duration, 10.7% had preserved β-cell function based on the DCCT cutoff and 1.0% were above the 5th percentile of the NHANES population. CONCLUSIONS Within the 1st year of diagnosis, four of five youth with autoantibody-positive diabetes have clinically significant amounts of residual β-cell function and about one-third have fasting C-peptide levels above the 5th percentile of a healthy adolescent population. Even 5 years after diagnosis, 1 of 10 has fasting C-peptide above a clinically significant threshold. These findings have implications for clinical classification of youth with diabetes as well as clinical trials aimed to preserve β-cell function after diabetes onset.
Computer-Aided Modeling and Manufacturing of Spherical Mechanisms via a Novel Web Tool

In this paper, we present a novel web-based computer-aided modeling and manufacturing software tool for spherical mechanisms. Our purpose is to facilitate the analysis, dynamic simulation, and manufacture of one degree of freedom spherical four-bar mechanisms. First, a brief review of some of the current computer-aided design software for spherical four-bar mechanisms is presented. These software packages provide the three-dimensional visualization and computational capabilities necessary to synthesize and analyze spherical four-bar mechanisms. However, to date, no readily available and effective tools exist to aid in the modeling and manufacture of spherical mechanisms. Next, the kinematics of spherical four-bar mechanisms are reviewed as they pertain to their geometric modeling and manufacture. Finally, we present our web-based implementation of a computer-aided modeling, simulation, and manufacturing methodology for spherical four-bar mechanisms called SFBDESIGNER (for spherical four-bar designer). SFBDESIGNER facilitates the design, dynamic simulation, prototyping, and manufacture of spherical four-bar mechanisms.
Antitumor Activity and Murine Pharmacokinetics of Parenteral Acronycine

The lipophilic antitumor alkaloid acronycine (ACRO) was solubilized in the cosolvent system used for etoposide. ACRO in this etoposide diluent (VPD) was found to be cytotoxic (less than or equal to 50% colony formation in soft agar) in fresh human tumors from patients with renal cell cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and metastatic tumors of unknown primary. In P-glycoprotein-positive, multidrug-resistant (MDR) cell lines, ACRO in VPD was active in MDR Chinese hamster ovary cells but not against MDR L1210 murine leukemia cells, 8226 human myeloma cells, or human CCRF-CEM lymphoblasts. In mice, ACRO in VPD was active in two solid tumor models and an i.p. MOPC-315 plasmacytoma model. ACRO i.p. in 10% VPD (v/v%) produced significant tumor growth delays in (a) nude mice bearing human MCF-7 breast cancer xenografts and (b) C57BL mice bearing colon 38 tumor. In MOPC-315-bearing mice, a single i.p. ACRO dose of 25 mg/kg was as effective as melphalan (15 mg/kg) at prolonging life span. Finally, ACRO pharmacokinetics was evaluated in mice given single 25-mg/kg doses i.p. or p.o. The oral bioavailability of an ACRO solution in VPD was only 50% but both i.p. and p.o. regimens achieved plasma levels greater than 1.0 micrograms/ml. The plasma half-life was just under 2 h. These results show that parenteral ACRO in VPD comprises a cytotoxic antitumor agent with improved bioavailability over p.o. administration. ACRO is active in vitro against several human solid tumors but is cross-resistant in 3 of 4 MDR tumor cell lines. The prior clinical activity of p.o. ACRO in myeloma and the new results in MOPC-315 plasmacytomas in mice suggest that ACRO in VPD could have activity against human multiple myeloma.
Effective and less toxic reversal of low-molecular weight heparin anticoagulation by a designer variant of protamine.

Purpose: This investigation assessed protamine reversal of heparin anticoagulation by formation of a protamine-heparin alpha-helix by use of a new designer-variant protamine [+18BE] that was made from an existing protamine variant [+18B] whose non-alpha-helix-forming amino acid proline (P) was replaced by an alpha-helix-forming glutamic acid (E). The rate of administration of the new [+18BE] variant protamine on efficacy and toxicity in comparison to that of [+21] standard protamine and [+18B] was also studied. Methods: Acetyl-EAA(K 2 A 2 K 2 A) 4 K 2 -Amide [+18BE] was administered intravenously in a 1:1 dose to low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH)-anticoagulated (intravenous 150 IU antifactor Xa/kg) dogs over 10 seconds or 3 minutes ( n=7 , each group). Reversal efficacy was documented by measuring activated clotting time, thrombin clotting time, antifactor Xa, and antifactor IIa. Toxicity was defined by measuring systemic blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, pulmonary artery pressure, and oxygen consumption. Measurements were made at baseline, after administration of LMWH, before its reversal, and for 30 minutes thereafter. Results were compared with those after LMWH reversal with [+21] standard protamine and the [+18B] variant. A total toxicity score (TTS) was calculated for each compound from maximal declines in blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and oxygen consumption. Results: LMWH anticoagulation reversal was significantly ( p p Conclusions: This investigation documents that a new designer variant of protamine [+18BE] has superior efficacy compared with [+21] standard protamine for reversal of LMWH anticoagulation and that this occurs with a highly favorable toxicity profile.
Demonstration of music plus one: a real-time system for automatic orchestral accompaniment

We demonstrate a system that creates a real-time accompaniment for a live musician performing a nonimprovisatory piece of music. The system listens to the live player by performing a hidden Markov model analysis of the player’s acoustic signal. A belief network uses this information, a musical score, and past rehearsals, to create a sequence of evolving predictions for future note-onsets in the soloist and accompaniment. These predictions are used to guide the timestretched resynthesis of prerecorded orchestral audio using a phase vocoder. Past work on musical accompaniment systems (Dannenberg 1984), (Dannenberg & Mukaino 1988), (Grubb & Dannenberg 1997), (Vercoe & Puckette 1985), (Baird, Blevins, & Zahler 1993), (Raphael 2001), (Raphael 2002), has focused mostly on generating MIDI or other sparselyparameterized accompaniments for live musicians. MIDI is is particularly well-suited to piano and percussion music since, in these cases, the MIDI representationcapturesmuch of the interpretative quality of the performance. Most other acoustic instruments are considerably less deterministic and their MIDI equivalents are currently much less convincing. We present here a system that generates a complete orchestral accompanimentthat follows a live player and learns and assimilates the player’s interpretation through a series of rehearsals. Unlike our previous efforts, this system creates the accompaniment by synthesizing, in real time, an orchestral accompaniment using an actual audio recording. Our system contains three separate modules called “Listen,” “Predict” and “Synthesize” which perform tasks analogous to the human’s hearing of the soloist, anticipating the future trajectory, and actual playing of the accompaniment. Listen is based on a hidden Markov model that tracks the soloist’s progress through the musical score. Each note in the scoreis modeledasa series ofstates, whilethe notemodels are chained together in left-to-right fashion to form the hiddenprocess. Listen can be used “off-line,”to estimate the onset timesof each note in the score giventhe entireacoustic data file, or “on-line,” by delivering real-time onset time estimates. In the on-line version these estimates are delivered
Income Tax Preferences for the Elderly

This research investigates the evolution of federal and state income tax preferences for the elderly during the past twenty-five years. Documenting how various types of income tax preferences have ...
Measurement of the rate of myelination using a fluorescent analogue of ceramide.

Fluorescence digital imaging microscopy was used to investigate the process of myelin formation by Schwann cells in neuronal cocultures. The uptake of the fluorescent ceramide analogue N-[5-(5,7-dimethyl BODIPY™)- 1-pentanoyl]D-erythro-sphingosine (C5-DMB-ceramide) and its return to the plasma membrane as the corresponding fluorescent sphingomyelin and galactocerebroside analogues were measured. Through observation of this process it was possible to determine the rate of lipid synthesis in myelin internodes. The highest rate of synthesis of fluorescent sphingomyelin and galactocerebroside analogues was observed between days 3 and 7 after induction of myelination. This rate was approximately 5-fold greater than the steady-state rate of synthesis in fully myelinated internodes and 10-fold higher than the rate observed prior to myelination. The internode diameter increased during the first 3 days of myelination, but this was followed by a reduction in diameter and then an increase until the myelin sheath formation was completed. Internodes were found to be heterogeneous in terms of lipid distribution, with fluorescence intensities ranging 5-fold in myelinating cultures. Additionally, the rate of lipid transport along the internode was slow since there was a quicker increase in fluorescence intensity near the cell body of the Schwann cell than near the nodes of Ranvier. The results show that fluorescence digital imaging microscopy can be used to study the process of myelin formation and to determine the rate of formation, lipid transport, and heterogeneity of the myelin membrane. J. Neurosci. Res. 49:497–507, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Determination of L1 retrotransposition kinetics in cultured cells

L1 retrotransposons are autonomous retroelements that are active in the human and mouse genomes. Previously, we developed a cultured cell assay that uses a neomycin phosphotransferase ( neo ) retrotransposition cassette to determine relative retrotransposition frequencies among various L1 elements. Here, we describe a new retrotransposition assay that uses an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) retrotransposition cassette to determine retrotransposition kinetics in cultured cells. We show that retrotransposition is not detected in cultured cells during the first 48 h post-transfection, but then proceeds at a continuous high rate for at least 16 days. We also determine the relative retrotransposition rates of two similar human L1 retrotransposons, L1(RP)and L1.3. L1(RP)retrotransposed in the EGFP assay at a rate of approximately 0.5% of transfected cells/day, approximately 3-fold higher than the rate measured for L1.3. We conclude that the new assay detects near real time retrotransposition in a single cell and is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate retrotransposition rates among similar L1 elements. The EGFP assay exhibits improved speed and accuracy compared to the previous assay when used to determine relative retrotransposition frequencies. Furthermore, the EGFP cassette has an expanded range of experimental applications.
Relationship Between Anti-Viral Antibodies and Rheumatoid Factor in Pregnant Women

Theinfluence ofviral infections ontheincidence ofrheumatoid factor inanormalpopulation was notedbyDresner andTrombly(1959). Fiveper cent. of140normalsubjects gavepositive latexfixation tests forrheumatoid factor, andallseven individuals hadordeveloped mildacute viral infections oftheupperrespiratory tract. Inallseven subjects, tests forrheumatoid factor (RF)became negative 6daysto6weeksafter thephysical manifestations oftheir infection subsided. Itwasalso notedthat83percent. of35patients withspecific acuteviral infections gavepositive tests. Inthe cases followed serially, theRFactivity wasfoundto
Health related quality of life in children with constipation-associated fecal incontinence.

Objectives With a disease-specific questionnaire, this study aimed to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with constipation in association with clinical characteristics. Study design Children with constipation-associated fecal incontinence (n = 114), 8 to 18 years, filled out the Defecation Disorder List at a Dutch tertiary hospital. Correlations and linear regression analysis between clinical characteristics and scores on emotional and social functioning were calculated. Specific concerns of children were described by individual item scores of these domains. Results Higher frequency of fecal incontinence episodes was associated with lower emotional and social functioning. Linear regression analysis showed a significant association between social functioning and fecal incontinence, but the variance of the model was low (adjusted R2= 0.08). Between 70% to 80% of children were concerned about experiencing fecal incontinence unnoticeably and the attendant social consequences. Children did not report having fewer friends and participated well in social events. Conclusion Lower HRQoL regarding disease-specific emotional and social functioning was reported in children with frequent episodes of constipation-associated fecal incontinence. However, other nonspecified factors may also influence HRQoL of these children. Most children reported relatively more emotional concerns than social consequences.
Stream flow in Minnesota : Indicator of climate change

Summary Stream flow records (up to the year 2002) from 36 USGS gauging stations in five major river basins of Minnesota were studied. Seven annual stream flow statistics were extracted and analyzed: mean annual flow, 7-day low flow in winter, 7-day low flow in summer, peak flow due to snow melt runoff, peak flow due to rainfall as well as high and extreme flow days (number of days with flow rates greater than the mean plus one or two standard deviations, respectively). The Mann–Kendal non-parametric test was used to detect significant trends over time windows from 90 to 10 years in combination with the Trend Free Pre-Whitening (TFPW) method for correcting time series data for serial correlation. Streamflows in the state of Minnesota have varied over the period of record. Trends differed significantly from one river basin to another, and became more accentuated for shorter time windows. Periodicity was detected in the trends for the Red River of the North, the Mississippi River, and the Minnesota River basins for six of the statistics studied. Periods were on the order of 13–15 and 25 years, and the amplitudes were particularly strong after 1980. Peak flow due to snowmelt, typically the highest flow in each year, appears to be the only streamflow statistic that has not changed at a significant rate. Peak flows due to rainfall events in the summer are increasing, as well as the number of days with higher flows (high flow days). Increases in low flow (base flow) in summer and in winter have been significant. Wetter summers and more frequent snow melt events due to warmer winters are the likely cause. Stream flows in Minnesota reflect observed changes in precipitation with increases in mean annual precipitation, a larger number of intense rainfall events, more days with precipitation and earlier and more frequent snowmelt events. For water resources management the results suggest that the threat of snowmelt flooding has not increased, but floods due to rainfall events are more likely. Higher summer and winter base flows may benefit water quality.