cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two Conceptual Models of the Senior Center

Two models of the senior center are examined: (1) the social agency model, which views senior centers as programs designed to meet the needs of the elderly and postulates that the poor and the disengaged are the most likely candidates for participation in senior centers; (2) the voluntary organization model, which hypothesizes that the elderly who are more active in voluntary organizations and who manifest strong attachments to the community are also the ones who make use of senior centers. Personal interviews were conducted with a random sample (920 respondents) of 40 elderly men and women in each of 23 New York State communities. The findings support the voluntary organization model: (1) a high score on the Chapin Social Participation Scale is associated with membership in a senior center; (2) a high score on the Community Attachment Scale is associated with membership in a senior center; (3) there is no association between social class and participation in senior centers; and (4) senior center members do not differ from nonmembers in age identification or in a preference for organizations exclusively for the elderly.
Local Regularization of the Restricted Elliptic Three-Body Problem in Rotating Coordinates

The singular differential equations of motion of the restricted elliptic three-body problem in the sun-Earth L 1 -centered rotating system are regularized to remove the singularity near the Earth center, thereby allowing the use of unconstrained optimization software in solving, through an iterative scheme, general transfer problems, including, for example, the transfer problem from a low circular parking orbit to any location in the vicinity of L 1 . The trajectory is integrated backward from an arbitrarily selected point in space, and the maneuver velocity change components are searched to achieve certain target parameters at the closest approach to the Earth. Unlike the restricted circular problem, where use is made of the Jacobi constant to reduce the order of the differential system, the present restricted elliptic problem requires the addition of a differential equation for the energy variable, resulting in a system often first-order equations cast in terms of the well-known Levi-Civita-Kustaanheimo-Stiefel regularized u variables. As an example of a transfer from the Earth to a halo orbit around L 1 , it is shown that the transfer solution obtained with the circular assumption fails to reach the desired halo-insertion location near L 1 when the trajectory is calculated within the framework of the more accurate elliptic model, thereby justifying the use of this latter model for higher-fidelity trajectory generation.
Effects of Intraperitoneal Transmitters on the Social Interaction of Rainbow Trout

Abstract Recent reductions in the size of intraperitoneal transmitters have allowed detailed research of the movement and habitat use of small (<300-mm) salmonids. Because these aspects of behavior are, in part, socially determined, study methods that influence dominance contests or agonism may bias results. We studied the effect of transmitters on social interaction of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Dominant fish with dummy transmitters retained their rank and showed no significant differences from control fish in amounts of agonism and interaction time with subdominant fish.
A comparison of self‐directed learning readiness in U.S. and Hong Kong samples and the implications for job performance

A comparative study was made between 753 employees in a U.S. telecommunications company and 655 employees of a Hong Kong telecommunications utility in order to determine whether similarities and differences exist between learning style and job performance. The study revealed a positive relationship between readiness for self-directed learning as measured by the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) and job performance in both samples. In general, U.S. respondents scored higher than Hong Kong respondents on the scale.
Research on Flatness Error Measurement of Revolving Body End-Face

According to problems of flatness error measurement of revolving body end-face, sampling method and evaluation method are studied in this paper. First, spiral sampling method is presented, in order to meet the needs of flatness error measurement sampling of revolving body end-face. Second, combined with least squares method, mathematical model applied to flatness error measurement evaluation of revolving body end-face is proposed. Finally, through the simulation, the mathematical model is proved to be correct.
Is predator-prey coevolutlon an arms race?

Biologists have often used simple analogies to help them think about complex processes in evolution. The mutual evolution of predator and prey has often been conceived of as an arms race. An increase in the armaments of one contestant in the race simply causes the other contestant to increase armaments in response. This analogy implies that the evolution in the predator population of improved abilities to capture prey should result in an evolutionary response in the prey that improves its abilities to avoid capture. Conversely, the evolution of improved escape abilities should result in increased capture abilities. The general applicability of this arms race analogy has not been supported by mathematical models of predatorprey interactions.
Density fluctuations of a hard-core Bose gas in a one-dimensional lattice near the Mott insulating phase

The characteristic oscillations of the density-density correlation function and the resulting structure factor are studied for a hard-core Bose gas in a one-dimensional lattice. Their wavelength diverges as the system undergoes a continuous transition from an incommensurate to a Mott insulating phase. The transition is associated with a unit static structure factor and a vanishing sound velocity. The qualitative picture is unchanged when a weak confining potential is applied to the system.
Effect of S on Pt(111) and Pt3Ni(111) Surfaces : A First Principles Study

Density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the poisoning effect of S on the electronic and chemical properties of Pt(111) and Pt3Ni(111) surfaces. We analyze the bonding mechanisms and energetics of S, OH, and H species separately and together to determine the effects of coadsorption and elucidate the long range and short-range sulfur poisoning effects. Although both catalysts consist entirely of Pt atoms on the surface layer, they have different potential energy surfaces due to the inhomogeneity of sublayer atoms in the alloy system. On the Pt3Ni(111) surface, the adsorption sites that allow interaction with mainly Pt sublayer atoms are more energetically favorable than those adsorption sites which are closer to Ni sublayer atoms. We find that OH bonding to the metal surfaces is electrostatic and ionic in nature, hydrogen bonding is predominantly ionic, and S bonds covalently. For both surfaces, we find that the adsorption energy decreases as follows: S > H > OH with all specie...
In-vivo pulse wave imaging for arterial stiffness measurement under normal and pathological conditions

Numerous studies have identified arterial stiffening as a strong indicator of cardiovascular pathologies such as hypertension and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Pulse Wave Imaging (PWI) is a novel, noninvasive ultrasound-based method to quantify regional arterial stiffness by measuring the velocity of the pulse wave that propagates along arterial walls after each left ventricular contraction. The PWI method employs 1D cross-correlation speckle tracking to compute axial incremental displacements, then tracks the position of the displacement wave in the anterior wall of the vessel to estimate pulse wave velocity (PWV). PWI has been validated on straight tube aortic phantoms and aortas of healthy humans as well as normal and AAA murine models. This paper presents and compares preliminary PWI results from normal, hypertensive, and AAA human subjects. PWV was computed in select cases from each subject category. The measured PWV values in hypertensive (N = 5) and AAA (N = 2) subjects were found to be significantly higher than in normal subjects (N = 8). In all subjects, the spatio-temporal profile and waveform morphologies of the pulse wave were generated from the displacement data for visualization and qualitative evaluation of the pulse wave propagation. While the waveforms were found to maintain roughly the same shape in normal subjects, those in the AAA and most hypertensive cases changed drastically along the imaged aortic segment, suggesting non-uniform wall mechanical properties.
Neurotoxicity of general anesthetics: an update.

Abstract Though general anesthetics have now been used clinically for well over a century, both their mechanisms of action as well as the nature of any potentially neurotoxic side effects remain elusive. With roughly 234 million people undergoing surgery each year worldwide, it remains imperative that any potentially deleterious effects of anesthetics be investigated and addressed. The issue of anesthetic- induced neurotoxicity in certain subsets of patients has continued to garner attention over the past decade, as more pre-clinical and clinical studies released are suggesting that inhalational and intravenous anesthetics may both cause and mitigate existing significant neuropathology. Pre-clinically, both cell-culture and animal studies suggest that anesthetics may cause neuroapoptosis, caspase activation, neurodegeneration, β-amyloid protein (Aβ) accumulation and oligomerization, and ultimately, deficits in neurocognition. Interestingly, however, newer data suggest that certain volatile anesthetics, such as desflurane, may have a less harmful neurotoxic profile compared to others in the pre-clinical and clinical settings. Continued pre-clinical investigation may have significant impact on clinical practice in the near future. Clinically, recent studies have raised awareness that exposure to general anesthetics during childhood may be associated with an increased risk for subsequent deficits in learning, memory, and cognition. Furthermore, retrospective studies continue to allude to the potential effects of surgery and anesthesia on cognitive trajectory, and more specifically, post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in the elderly. Studies to date regarding both of these clinical topics, however, are fraught with confounders, and many are underpowered statistically. The aim of this review is to examine the current data (both pre-clinical and clinical) on anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity and argue that further data are needed to either support or refute the potential connection between anesthetics and neurotoxicity.
Primary and secondary electron transfer in hexane-solubilized proteolipid complexes of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides R-26.

Primary electron transfer in hexane-solubilized reaction center proteolipid complexes is similar to that in detergent-solubilized reaction centers or chromatophores when diaminodurene is electron donor. Approximate values for the extinction coefficients of ubisemiquinone and the diaminodurene cation can be calculated. The primary and secondary quinone sites are dissimilar and results in only the transient formation of a semiquinone anion pair after two photochemical turnovers. One of the semiquinone anions decays rapidly, the remaining one and the diaminodurene cation have long lifetimes. Disproportionation between the semiquinone anions does not occur.
Ab Initio Investigation of the 3-Aza-Cope Reaction

The energies of reaction and activation for three archetypal aliphatic 3-aza-Cope reactions have been investigated by MP4/6-31G*//MP2/6-31G* calculations. The activation energies of these rearrangements (3-aza-1,5-hexadiene (1 to 2, eq 1), ΔE‡ = 34.6 kcal/mol; 3-azonia-1,5-hexadiene (3 to 4, eq 2), ΔE‡=21.4 kcal/mol; 3-aza-1,2,5-hexatriene (5 to 6, eq 3), ΔE‡ = 17.7 kcal/mol) were found to be consistent with the reported relative facility of substituted versions of these processes. Inclusion of electron correlation in the theoretical model was necessary to reproduce the experimentally observed ordering and relative magnitudes of the activation energies. Comparisons of the transition-structure bond orders for these three reactions show that the N-allyl ketenimine rearrangement features the least amount of bond breaking and bond making of any of these processes. Finally, a comparison of the atomic charges on nitrogen (as calculated by the methods of Mulliken, NBO analysis, and CHELPG methods using the MP2 d...
Hemodialysis followed by continuous hemofiltration for treatment of lithium intoxication in children

Hemodialysis is the usual recommended treatment for severe lithium intoxication; however, rebound of lithium levels may require repeated hemodialysis treatments. We proposed that the addition of continuous hemofiltration after hemodialysis would prevent rebound by providing ongoing clearance of lithium. We report two pediatric patients with lithium intoxication treated by hemodialysis followed by continuous venovenous hemofiltration with dialysis (CVVHD). Both patients were symptomatic at presentation and had initial lithium levels more than three times the usual therapeutic range. Hemodialysis followed by CVVHD resulted in rapid resolution of symptoms, followed by continuous clearance of lithium without requiring repeated hemodialysis sessions. Both patients had return of normal mental status during CVVHD treatment, and neither patient experienced complications of hemodialysis or CVVHD. Total duration of treatment with hemodialysis followed by CVVHD was 34.5 hours for the first patient and 26 hours for the second patient. We conclude that hemodialysis followed by CVVHD is a safe and effective approach to the management of lithium intoxication in children.
AMBER Force Field Parameters for the Naturally Occurring Modified Nucleosides in RNA

Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are useful for characterizing the structure and dynamics of biological macromolecules, ultimately, resulting in elucidation of biological function. The AMBER force field is widely used and has well-defined bond length, bond angle, partial charge, and van der Waals parameters for all the common amino acids and nucleotides, but it lacks parameters for many of the modifications found in nucleic acids and proteins. Presently there are 107 known naturally occurring modifications that play important roles in RNA stability, folding, and other functions. Modified nucleotides are found in almost all transfer RNAs, ribosomal RNAs of both the small and large subunits, and in many other functional RNAs. We developed force field parameters for the 107 modified nucleotides currently known to be present in RNA. The methodology used for deriving the modified nucleotide parameters is consistent with the methods used to develop the Cornell et al. force field. These parameters will improve the functionality of AMBER so that simulations can now be readily performed on diverse RNAs having post-transcriptional modifications.
Geomorphic Systems of North America

In the first chapter of this book, editor William L. Graf states that the volume's most important purpose is to provide the scientific community with a review of selected research problems from each of the major geomorphic provinces of North America and to delineate recent efforts to solve them. What makes this book exciting and different is its emphasis on geomorphic process and analysis of landforms. After an introductory chapter, the book appropriately begins with a chapter concerning the Appalachian Mountains and plateaus where many basic ideas concerning North American geomorphology were developed. Of particular importance here are models of landform evolution, quantitative relations between landforms, rock type, and structure, and consideration of fluvial systems.
Special populations with hepatitis B virus infection

Treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who have advanced disease or comorbidities can be challenging, and recommendations may differ from standard guidelines. Among the special populations that merit specific consideration are patients with compensated or decompensated cirrhosis, organ transplantation, acute hepatitis B, pregnancy, coinfection with hepatitis C and/or D virus, chronic renal failure, and children. Major advances have been made in management of many of these special populations because of recent increasing availability of oral nucleosides, which are generally well tolerated and highly effective despite presence of other morbidities or viral infections. Also important have been changes in the management of hepatitis B during the peri-liver transplantation period that allows for prevention of reinfection in the majority of cases. However, much remains to be done to determine which patients should be treated and which should be monitored on no specific therapy. Outcomes of chronic HBV infection in persons with coinfection and in children have varied from different areas of the world, but it is not clear whether these differences are due to host and racial differences or to viral genotypic differences. Further studies are particularly needed in assessing the safety and efficacy of therapy in pregnant women, in children, and in patients with hepatitis D and C virus coinfection.
Renal secretion of organic cations: a multistep process

Abstract A wide variety of positively charged drugs and drug metabolites are very effectively excreted from the body via the renal organic cation transport system. Organic cation transport is a multistep process taking place in the proximal tubule, particularly in its initial, or S1, segment. Transport from the blood into the tubular cell occurs by facilitated diffusion, driven by the electrochemical gradient for organic cations across the basolateral membrane. Upon entry, a substantial fraction of the cation ( 1 3 − 2 3 ) is actively transported into endosomal vesicles in exchange for intravesicular protons. A steep proton gradient is maintained between the vesicle's interior and the cytoplasm by a potent proton-ATPase. Sequestration may protect the cells by reducing the cytoplasmic content of potentially toxic agents during their excretion. Preliminary evidence also suggests that microtubule-dependent vesicular trafficking plays a direct role in transcellular flux of cationic drugs. At the luminal membrane, cationic drugs are transported into the tubular lumen via proton/organic cation antiport. In addition, larger, more lipophilic cations may be actively extruded via ATP-driven transport mediated by the multidrug resistance transporter. Together, the multiple steps of organic cation secretion control the excretory rate for cationic drugs and, thus, influence both residence time within the body and concentrations in plasma and at specific target sites.
Life processes in ammonia: Anomalous germination behavior of onion seed in ammonia and amines

The vital nature of onion germination in 15M aqueous ammonia was re-examined in view of the unusual character of the medium and the even higher rates of germination in 90% formic acid. Although germination in both media is temperature sensitive, they are clearly distinguishable. The effect of metabolic poisons on germination in ammonia was indifferent at 23–25°C, but became more and more pronounced as ambient temperature fell (as low as −24°C). In formic acid, the apparent germination process did not respond to the inhibitors at any temperature, hence could be considered almost certainly non-living in contrast to the situation in ammonia.
Molecular basis of the mixed lineage leukemia-menin interaction: implications for targeting mixed lineage leukemias

Chromosomal translocations targeting the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene result in MLL fusion proteins that are found in aggressive human acute leukemias. Disruption of MLL by such translocations leads to overexpression of Hox genes, resulting in a blockage of hematopoietic differentiation that ultimately leads to leukemia. Menin, which directly binds MLL, has been identified as an essential oncogenic co-factor required for the leukemogenic activity of MLL fusion proteins. Here, we characterize the molecular basis of the MLL-menin interaction. Using 13C-detected NMR experiments, we have mapped the residues within the intrinsically unstructured fragment of MLL that are required for binding to menin. Interestingly, we found that MLL interacts with menin with a nanomolar affinity (Kd ∼ 10 nm) through two motifs, MBM1 and MBM2 (menin binding motifs 1 and 2). These motifs are located within the N-terminal 43-amino acid fragment of MLL, and the MBM1 represents a high affinity binding motif. Using alanine scanning mutagenesis of MBM1, we found that the hydrophobic residues Phe9, Pro10, and Pro13 are most critical for binding. Furthermore, based on exchange-transferred nuclear Overhauser effect measurements, we established that MBM1 binds to menin in an extended conformation. In a series of competition experiments we showed that a peptide corresponding to MBM1 efficiently dissociates the menin-MLL complex. Altogether, our work establishes the molecular basis of the menin interaction with MLL and MLL fusion proteins and provides the necessary foundation for development of small molecule inhibitors targeting this interaction in leukemias with MLL translocations.
Radiosensitivity and repair time: the repair time of chromosome breaks produced during the different stages of the cell cycle.

Abstract The repair times of X-ray-induced chromosomal breaks produced at different stages of the cell cycle were studied. Human peripheral lymphocyte cultures were used because of their “relative” synchronous character. The repair time in G 1 and S was observed to be 90 min. In late S and G 2 the repair time was 60 min. The 30-min decrease in repair time in G 2 was thought to be due to a change in the repair system itself rather than the cell's commitment to division. The possibility that repair efficiency may well be dictated by factors preceeding the repair act is discussed.
Antineurofilament antibody evaluation in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus

We used Western blot analysis to examine the occurrence and titer of antibody to cytoskeletal neurofilament protein antigens in patients with neuropsychiatric manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and in controls. Twenty-two patients with neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) had an increased incidence of antineurofilament antibody (ANFA) compared with 34 patients with SLE without neuropsychiatric symptoms, 78 patients with other disease processes, and 22 healthy controls. ANFA were found to be directed against the 205,000- and 160,000-dalton proteins of the neurofilament triplet. Patients with a diffuse NPSLE clinical presentation had the greatest frequency of serum ANFA (7 of 12, 58%) compared with all other groups examined. Magnetic resonance imaging and serum anticardiolipin antibody testing were also performed in selected patients with NPSLE. Patients with a focal clinical presentation of NPSLE, positive magnetic resonance imaging findings, and negative serum ANFA had significantly elevated levels of anticardiolipin antibody.
Protein versus energy supplementation of high alfalfa silage diets for early lactation cows

Abstract An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that cows in early lactation are more likely to be limited by protein than by energy when fed diets containing high proportions of alfalfa silage. After a 2-wk covariate period, 26 multiparous cows were assigned to one of four treatments from wk 3 to 14 of lactation. Treatments were a positive control diet with equal amounts of forage and grain (DM basis), an all forage diet serving as negative control, and two test diets with 75% forage and 25% of either high moisture ear corn or expeller soybean meal. The latter two diets were equal in energy content but differed in the amount of protein made available for absorption in the small intestine. Alfalfa silage was the only forage in all diets. Milk yield with the four diets averaged 36.3, 25.5, 32.1, and 35.5 kg/d, and milk protein content was 2.93, 2.63, 2.77, and 2.75%. The negative control diet severely depressed milk protein content, which was not restored totally by either test diet. We concluded that absorbable protein supply to the intestine is first-limiting when high alfalfa silage diets are fed to cows in early lactation.
Cleavage of Factor VIII Light Chain Is Required for Maximal Generation of Factor VIIIa Activity

Thrombin-catalyzed activation of heterodimeric factor VIII occurs by limited proteolysis, yielding subunits A1 and A2 derived from the heavy chain (HC) and A3-C1-C2 derived from the light chain (LC). The roles of these cleavages in the function of procoagulant activity are poorly understood. To determine whether LC cleavage contributes to the potentiation of factor VIII activity, factor VIII heterodimers were reconstituted from native HC and either thrombin-cleaved LC (A3-C1-C2) or intact LC and purified by Mono S chromatography. The reconstituted factor VIII form containing the A3-C1-C2 subunit had a specific activity (2 units/μg) that was ∼3-fold greater than that of the reconstituted factor VIII form containing native LC (0.6 units/μg). Factor Xa generation assays using the hybrid heterodimer showed an initial rate that was unaffected by the presence of von Willebrand factor and a reduced lag time when compared with the native heterodimer. The A1/A3-C1-C2 dimer was dissociated by chelation, and the purified A1 subunit was reacted with either the A3-C1-C2 subunit or the LC in the presence of Mn2+ to reconstitute the dimer. Factor VIIIa heterotrimers were reconstituted from either A1/A3-C1-C2 or A1/LC plus the A2 subunit. The authentic factor VIIIa heterotrimer (A1/A3-C1-C2/A2) had 3-fold greater activity than the form containing the LC. However, upon reaction with thrombin, the activity of the latter form was increased to that of the factor VIIIa form containing native subunits. The incremental increase in fluorescence anisotropy of fluorescein-Phe-Phe-Arg chloromethyl ketone-modified factor IXa was markedly greater in the presence of HC/A3-C1-C2 (Δ r = 0.037) compared with HC/LC (Δ r = 0.011) and approached the value obtained with factor VIIIa (Δ r = 0.051). These results suggest that cleavage of factor VIII LC directly contributes to the potentiation of coagulant activity by modulating the conformation of the factor IXa active site.
VEGF-induced relaxation of pulmonary arteries is mediated by endothelial cytochrome P-450 hydroxylase

The cytochrome P-450 metabolite 20-HETE induces calcium-, endothelial-, and nitric oxide (NO)-dependent relaxation of bovine pulmonary arteries (PA). VEGF is an NO-dependent dilator of systemic arteries and plays a key role in maintaining the integrity of the pulmonary vasculature. We tested the effect of VEGF on PA diameter and tone and the contribution of cytochrome P-450 family 4 (CYP4) to vasoactive effects of VEGF. Bovine PA rings (1 mm in diameter) relaxed with VEGF (0.1-10 nM) in an endothelial- and eNOS-dependent manner. This response was blunted by pretreatment with the CYP4 inhibitor dibromododecynyl methyl sulfonamide (DDMS) as well as a mechanistically different CYP4 inhibitor N-hydroxy-N'-(4-butyl-2-methylphenyl)formamidine. PAs also increased in diameter by 6-12% in the presence of VEGF (10 nM), and this increase was attenuated by DDMS. In contrast to that shown in PAs, 20-HETE constricted bovine renal arteries and did not increase intracellular Ca(2+) in renal artery endothelial cells as observed in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAECs). VEGF-evoked increases in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in BPAECs were blunted by treatment with DDMS. Both VEGF (10 nM) and 20-HETE (1-5 microM) stimulated NO release from cultured BPAECs, and once again VEGF-induced increases were attenuated by pretreating the cells with DDMS. We conclude that CYP4/20-HETE contributes to VEGF-stimulated NO release and vasodilation in bovine PAs. Given the unique expression of 20-HETE-forming CYP4 in BPAECs vs. systemic arterial endothelial cells, CYP4 may be an important mediator of endothelial-dependent vasoreactivity in PAs.
Ca2+ signaling in the Chlamydomonas flagellar regeneration system: cellular and molecular responses

In response to certain extracellular stimuli, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells excise their flagella, induce expression of more than 200 different flagellar mRNAs, and assemble a new flagellar pair. Normally, flagellar excision, gene induction and outgrowth are tightly coupled temporally. Our previous studies showed that uncoupling the cellular response of flagellar excision from flagellar outgrowth resulted in submaximal flagellar gene induction, and led us to propose that normal flagellar gene induction is a composite response. The present study extends these observations by measuring flagellar gene induction in Chlamydomonas cells stimulated under conditions where both flagellar excision and flagellar outgrowth are blocked. We find that the flagellar genes are induced in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner in response to stimulation in the absence of flagellar excision and outgrowth. Flagellar gene induction is therefore independent of flagellar excision and outgrowth but sensitive to extracellular Ca2+ levels. Thus, flagellar excision, flagellar outgrowth and flagellar gene induction are three responses to a common stimulus that are related by their requirement for extracellular Ca2+.
A new type of water channel with density stratification

The novel idea is to use a disk pump to drive each fluid layer independently round a closed-return density-stratified water channel. A small-scale model was built and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of the idea. A hydrogen-bubble technique was used for both flow visualization and velocity measurement. Density measurements were made with an electrical conductivity probe developed by the authors. The tests have demonstrated the usefulness of such a facility, especially for long steady-state experiments in density-stratified flows.
Dispersion and insertion polymorphism in two small subfamilies of recently amplified human Alu repeats.

includes approximately 125 to 600 members. Individual members of these P.O. Box 808, Livermore Alu subfamilies share distinguishing sets of diagnostic mutations, are well-conserved relative to each other, and have expanded in the human CA 94551, U.S.A. lineage. At least one member from each subfamily is known to be 2
Low distortion speech denoising using an adaptive parametric Wiener filter

This paper describes a parametric Wiener filter designed for noise removal with low distortion of the speech signal. The classic Wiener filter is augmented with a proportional variable for noise estimation, and a floating floor variable for the transfer function. These two variables are adaptive to the estimated noise energy in parametric relations, determined experimentally for the corresponding noise estimator. The optimization of those parameters can enable the filter to achieve low distortion noise removal. Experiments using some office and home appliance noises have shown superior performance in comparison to the common Wiener filter and the spectral subtraction approaches. The proposed method has comparable quality but less computational demands than the psychoacoustically motivated Gustafsson filter. Because of low distortions, the filter may also be used in cascade with others to achieve better total performance.
Body pain area and pain-related negative affect predict clinical pain intensity in patients with fibromyalgia.

Abstract Patients with fibromyalgia (FM) report widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain. Palpation of 9 paired tender points (TPs) is commonly used for the diagnosis of FM according to criteria specified by the American College of Rheumatology. Although TP palpation can be used to assess deep tissue hypersensitivity, it has failed as a reliable indicator of clinical pain intensity in FM. The sum of local areas of pain (SLAP) obtained from a body pain diagram represents a relevant measure of the spatial extent of clinical pain, a feature most likely important for FM pain. Because spatial summation of pain can be an important determinant of clinical pain intensity, we hypothesized that this measure would predict clinical pain intensity in FM patients. Because pain is strongly associated with negative emotions, we evaluated the relationship of pain-related negative affect (PRNA) with clinical pain intensity in FM. The independent contributions of SLAP, PRNA, and TP count to the variance of clinical pain intensity were assessed in 280 FM patients. Clinical pain intensity of 280 FM patients was measured by using a visual analogue scale. FM patients shaded all painful body areas on body pain diagrams. Dolorimetry was used for TP evaluations. PRNA was assessed with the Medical College of Virginia Pain Questionnaire. Hierarchical linear regression was used to test the association of SLAP, TPs, and PRNA with clinical pain intensity. FM patients' mean visual analogue scale rating (0 to 100) of usual clinical pain was 50.1. Mean SLAP, TP count, and PRNA were 11.4, 16.0, and 44.3, respectively. Hierarchical linear regression analysis identified SLAP, TP count, and PRNA as independent predictors of clinical pain that accounted for 45% of the variance in clinical pain intensity ratings in FM patients. Consistent with the literature, TP count predicted only a small part (4%) of this variance. Our statistical model of body pain areas and negative affect predicts a large portion of the variance of pain intensity in FM. This result suggests that the extent of pain areas and negative emotions are uniquely associated with clinical pain intensity in FM. Perspective The number of painful body areas obtained by body pain diagrams is a better predictor of clinical pain intensity than TPs in FM patients. The combination of painful body areas, TP counts, and PRNA predicts 45% of the clinical pain intensity of FM patients. This finding might be useful for clinical evaluations of FM patients.
Multi-target detection using noise-like signals

Both the generalization to space-time adaptive processing (STAP) and to an arbitrary number of targets, of a multiple beamforming technique and its adaptation to noise-like signals are presented in this paper. A hybridization of both the joint domain localized (JDL) and the direct data domain (D3) STAP methods is used to prove the feasibility of multi-target detection in the presence of either homogeneous or nonhomogeneous interferences. This technique is applied to digital video broadcasting-terrestrial (DVB-T) signals in order to prove the feasibility of a passive DVB-T-based multi-target bistatic radar.
Choline metabolism in glycinebetaine accumulating and non-accumulating near-isogenic lines of Zea mays and Sorghum bicolor.

Abstract Glycinebetaine (GB) is a compatible solute that is accumulated by some plant species, especially under conditions leading to tissue osmotic stress. Genetic modification for accumulation of GB in an attempt to produce more stress tolerant plants has been a focus for several groups in recent years. However, attempts to increase tissue GB concentrations have been unsuccessful, with many transgenic lines accumulating far lower concentrations than naturally-occurring GB accumulators. A better understanding of the metabolic regulation of GB synthesis is necessary for successful molecular breeding and biotechnology. We utilized previously developed near-isogenic lines for GB accumulation to characterize the biochemical basis for GB deficiency in maize and sorghum. Salinity resulted in increased accumulation of choline in both accumulating and non-accumulating lines. When grown in the presence of NaCl, GB-non-accumulating lines had increased concentrations of choline and phosphocholine, but not GB. Decreased GB synthesis can be explained from the increased concentrations of phosphocholine in planta and the strong inhibition of N-phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase by phosphocholine observed in vitro . The lack of GB accumulation in GB−/− homozygous NILs was not due to the lack of the putative choline monooxygenase (the enzyme responsible for choline oxidation to betaine aldehyde) gene or protein that we describe. The previously identified bet1 locus does not appear to be choline monooxygenase. However, the lack of GB synthesis does affect the synthesis and turnover of choline moieties in GB non-accumulating lines, which may lead to alterations in overall 1-carbon metabolism in plants.
A model system for investigating lineshape/structure correlations in RNA site-directed spin labeling

In RNA site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) studies, structural and dynamic information at the individual RNA nucleotide level is derived from the observed electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of a covalently attached nitroxide. A systematic approach for RNA SDSL is to establish a library that categorizes observed spectral lineshapes based on known RNA structures, thus enabling lineshape-based structure identification at any RNA site. To establish the first RNA SDSL library, selective secondary structure elements have been systematically engineered into a model RNA. Nitroxide lineshapes reporting features specific to each element were obtained utilizing a new avidin-tethering scheme for suppressing spectral effects due to uniform RNA tumbling. The data demonstrated two key features required for a SDSL library with a predicting power: (i) spectral divergence—distinctive lineshape for different elements; and (ii) spectral convergence—similar lineshape for the same element in different contexts. This sets the foundation for further RNA SDSL library development.
Analysis of portable impactor performance for enumeration of viable bioaerosols.

Portable impactors are increasingly being used to estimate concentration of bioaerosols in residential and occupational environments; however, little data are available about their performance. This study investigated the overall performances of the SMA MicroPortable, BioCulture, Microflow, Microbiological Air Sampler (MAS-100), Millipore Air Tester, SAS Super 180, and RCS High Flow portable microbial samplers when collecting bacteria and fungi both indoors and outdoors. The performance of these samplers was compared with that of the BioStage impactor. The Button Aerosol Sampler equipped with gelatin filter was also included in the study. Results showed that the sampling environment can have a statistically significant effect on sampler performance, most likely due to the differences in airborne microorganism composition and/or their size distribution. Data analysis using analysis of variance showed that the relative performance of all samplers (except the RCS High Flow and MAS-100) was statistically diff...
A Structured Approach to Parallel Programming: Methodology and Models

Parallel programming continues to be difficult, despite substantial and ongoing research aimed at making it tractable. Especially dismaying is the gulf between theory and the practical programming. We propose a structured approach to developing parallel programs for problems whose specifications are like those of sequential programs, such that much of the work of development, reasoning, and testing and debugging can be done using familiar sequential techniques and tools. The approach takes the form of a simple model of parallel programming, a methodology for transforming programs in this model into programs for parallel machines based on the ideas of semantics-preserving transformations and programming archetypes (patterns), and an underlying operational model providing a unified framework for reasoning about those transformations that are difficult or impossible to reason about using sequential techniques. This combination of a relatively accessible programming methodology and a sound theoretical framework to some extent bridges the gulf between theory and practical programming. This paper sketches our methodology and presents our programming model and its supporting framework in some detail.
THE QUANTITATIVE RETENTION OF CHOLESTEROL IN MOUSE LIVER PREPARED FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPY BY FIXATION IN A DIGITONIN-CONTAINING ALDEHYDE SOLUTION

A major methodological problem in the intracellular localization of cholesterol is the nearly complete extraction of sterols during routine dehydration and embedding procedures for electron microscopy. Cholesterol digitonide (a sterol complex with digitonin), however, is qualitatively insoluble in these solvents. Mouse liver has been prepared as follows: (a) Flickinger's aldehyde fixative, 20 hr; (b) Flickinger's fixative containing 0.2% digitonin, 24 hr; (c) cacodylate wash, 24 hr; (d) 1% OsO(4), 2 hr; (e) acetone dehydration; and (f) Epon 812 infiltration under vacuum, 28 hr. After the last step, an analysis of the tissue for sterol content under optimal analytical conditions demonstrates a retention of 99% of the unesterified cholesterol present in unfixed mouse liver. Liver prepared in an identical manner except for omission of digitonin is essentially devoid of sterols. Cholesterol isolated chromatographically from liver processed as outlined above has been identified unequivocally by mass spectrometry. Liver from step (f) also has been polymerized, thin-sectioned, and examined in the electron microscope. A remarkable quality of fine-structural preservation is obtained. The major alteration encountered is the presence of small cylindrical "spicules," often occurring as tightly packed concentric lamellae, at membrane surfaces.
Evaluation of target search efficiency for neurons during developmental growth

Spinal cord injury can lead to permanent damage of the ascending and descending neural pathways, which can in turn induce a loss of sensory feeling and motor control in the limbs, respectively. The growth of neuron can potentially result in experimental therapies, but the issue of targeting the exact regions remains problematic. While mathematical and computational research has traditionally focused on faithful characterization of the morphological properties of the neurons, less emphasis has been placed on understanding how the growth rules of the neurons translate in effective targeting of desired neural regions. To quantitatively analyze and optimize targeting strategies, we have developed side-by-side in silico and in vitro experimental studies of neuron growth, branching and pruning using chicken DRG neurons as a prototypical model system [1]. In this work we investigated how branching and pruning influence the probability of successfully connecting to neurons located at different locations away from the initiation point, under the assumption that the neuron has finite growth resources. We find out that balanced branching and pruning, and the distance to target are essential in determining the optimal growth parameters. For example, fast branching neurites that do not prune will exhaust their resources quickly, while neurites that seldom branch and prune can reach far away distances. We consider here two extensions of this model. Since under some conditions, branching and searching for targets may not initiate until advancing axons reach an appropriate domain, we investigate neural grown models in which pruning depends on distance from the origin (a), length (b) or order of branches (g) [2]. We find that for the first two cases (g, b), trimming branches nearer the origin or short-length branches can significantly improve targeting of points further away, while orderdependent pruning (g) has the opposite effect, although to a much weaker extent. Furthermore, previous research has not investigated how the size of the targets impacts the targeting efficiency. We explore this issue in a computational model that uses a balanced way of growing the neurons. This is done by restricting the branching angles to be equal, while the neurons evolve at constant branching rates. We use optimization to compute the ideal parameters that allow a tree to have maximal success in finding targets of specified size at a set distance from the initiation point. For this idealized neural tree, this allows us to determine the how the targeting efficiencies change with parameters and to compare these results to numerical simulation where neurons can obtain more complex morphologies.
The CEDPS troubleshooting architecture and deployment on the open science grid

Tracking failures and poor performance across a widely distributed system of resources has proven challenging for many ongoing DOE applications. An example is the Open Science Grid (OSG) project, which currently experiences a roughly 15% job failure rate. This can be an issue not only for Grid computing but for anyone performing large-scale data transfers to remote machines because of the large number of interconnected components and services. As part of the Center for Enabling Distributed Petascale Science (CEDPS) project we have been building an infrastructure to work with current middleware and existing system tools to more easily track failures and discover anomalous behavior. This consists of a common logging format, the extension of syslog-ng for centralized collection of data, a data summarizer to more easily manage the volume of logging, and an anomaly detection system that can connect to a warning system when unexpected behaviors occur. We are currently working with OSG to deploy a prototype of the full system. The initial logs gathered will be used to extend the analysis tools and to increase the reliability of the services for the SciDAC end user community.
A longitudinal study of dental experience during the first four years of military experience.

ABSTRACT This longitudinal study examined changes in oral health and emergency rates of Army, Air Force, and Navy recruits during the 4 years immediately following entry on active duty. In 1998, 1,331 dental records of recruit participants in the 1994 Tri-Service Comprehensive Oral Health Survey were located, and dental readiness classification and emergency data were analyzed. All services were successful in achieving and maintaining operational readiness among 1994 recruits who spent >93% of their first 4 years of military service in a deployable oral health status (Dental Readiness Classification 1 or 2). However, among recruits with initial Dental Readiness Classification 3, only 57.4% achieved class 1 (oral health) at any point during the 4-year study period. An annual dental emergency rate of 749 per 1,000 was found among class 3 personnel, 192 per 1,000 among class 2, and 85 per 1,000 among class 1.
Monitoring Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in Pilot-Scale Warehouses Treated with Residual Applications of (S)-Hydroprene and Cyfluthrin

Pilot-scale warehouses, artificially infested with all life stages of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), were used to evaluate the efficacy of two contact insecticides, (S)-hydroprene and cyfluthrin, and to determine the effect of insecticide treatments on insect captures in food- and pheromone-baited pitfall traps. Two application strategies were compared; insecticides were applied at the labeled rate either around the inside perimeter of the warehouse or in a band around the base of shelf units containing discrete food patches (10 g of wheat flour) infested with T. castaneum. Insect populations were assessed weekly for 6 wk by recording number of dead adults on the warehouse floor; number of larvae and adults captured in pitfall traps; and number of larvae, pupae, and adults recovered from food patch samples. There were significantly more dead adults in warehouses treated with cyfluthrin than with (S)-hydroprene or water (control treatment). However, food patch samples showed no detectable differences in quantity of larvae, pupae, or adults among any treatments. Pitfall traps detected fewer larvae starting the fourth week of the study in the warehouses treated with cyfluthrin around the shelf perimeter. Rate of larval capture in traps increased overall with increasing larval populations, but it was more pronounced in traps located closer to the food patches. Number of adults captured in pitfall traps reflected adult mortality in cyfluthrin-treated warehouses. Capture of larvae and adults was greater near the source of the infestation than elsewhere in the warehouse, suggesting that trapping data should be considered when precision targeting insecticide applications in the field.