cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ENERGY SOURCES FOR EVAPORATION ON TROPICAL ISLANDS

The sources of energy for evaporation on tropical islands were explored by studying 49 lowland sites in the Hawaiian Islands with concurrent pan evaporation and solar radiation measurements. The Priestley-Taylor (1972) method was used to quantify the contribution of solar radiation in evaporation and the residual term between estimated and measured evaporation was attributed to heat advection. Pearson correlation coefficients between monthly measured and estimated evaporation (using solar radiation data) were greater than 0.95 at 26 of the sites, 0.90 for 37 sites, and 0.80 at 46 of the 49 sites used in the study. As expected, solar radiation supplies the bulk of the energy absorbed by evaporation at low elevations in Hawaii. However, a pattern of negative advection in summer and positive advection in winter from the surrounding ocean modifies the monthly evaporation values. For the 20 sites showing the greatest oceanic influence, departures ranged, on average, from +0.84 mm/day in November to -0.71 mm/da...
Children and the law : doctrine, policy and practice

The authors have updated the popular casebook with new cases, materials and problems that capture rapid changes in child advocacy and juvenile justice. The book continues its interdisciplinary emphasis, practical approach, and in-depth coverage of lawyering, child abuse and neglect, foster care, adoption, status offenses, and delinquency. Chapters on children's rights and obligations, regulatory legislation, financial relationships, and medical decision-making permit flexible coverage. Notes following cases and article excerpts orient students and provide background for classroom discussion. A comprehensive, up-to-date teachers manual will accompany the book, and the authors will continue to share their thoughts with professors about its most effective classroom use to prepare the next generation of children's lawyers.
Particulate lipid components in plasma

The sections in this article are: 1 Fat Particles in Lymph 2 Fat Particles in Plasma 3 Other Forms of Particulate Triglyceride
Recent achievements in alcohol and drug abuse health services research.

Alcohol and drug abuse health services research (ADAHSR) encompasses a broad and varied array of issues and populations. This breadth is shown in definitions from the two federal agencies most directly involved in ADAHSR, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Both agencies are in agreement that ADAHSR is a multidisciplinary enterprise covering a broad array of questions, both macro (e.g., financing systems) and micro (e.g., personal beliefs and behaviors), and that ADAHSR addresses these questions in diverse populations and settings, including individuals, families, institutions, and communities (see Fig. 1). Both institutes seek to stimulate research to ultimately improve the quality of alcohol and drug abuse treatment and services, focusing on various dimensions including access, utilization, cost, organization, and management with the ultimate goal (either proximal or distal) of improving individual and public health. The richness of ADAHSR’s accomplishments is demonstrated by the papers in this issue of the Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research (JBHS&R), all of which stem from presentations at a national meeting on ADAHSR held in Little Rock, AR, in October, 2006. This meeting attracted more than 90 participants from all regions of the USA. The presentations
Energy balancing by fat Pik3ca

Obesity is often associated with systemic insulin resistance, and the decline of insulin sensitivity marks the progression of obesity into a disease state. We recently generated a mouse with adipose-specific ablation of the p110α phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) catalytic subunit to model insulin resistance in this organ. The phenotypes of this animal revealed novel roles of adipose PI3K signaling in regulating body weight and systemic glucose and lipid homeostasis. Loss of p110α in the brown adipose tissue resulted in reduced expression of mitochondrial-associated genes and decreased respiration in brown adipocytes. Reduced activity of the brown adipose tissue in p110α-null mice lowered their energy expenditure, which promoted obesity and systemic metabolic dysfunction with increased lipid deposition in the liver. Loss of PI3K activity did not affect adiposity until sexual maturation, suggesting that the effect of adipose PI3K on obesity might be linked to the development of puberty. Elevated leptin in t...
Dielectric window breakdown in oxygen gas: Global model and particle-in-cell approach

Dielectric window breakdown is a major issue in the transmission of high power microwave (HPM) radiation. Breakdown at the dielectric window decreases the power transmitted to a target, and if the electron density increases significantly, it can reflect a large fraction of HPM radiation to the source. Dielectric window breakdown from vacuum multipactor to collisional microwave discharge was previously investigated using the particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) model for noble gases. A global model (GM) with pressure-independent enhanced electron energy distribution function (EEDF) was also developed to study the breakdown in noble gases. In this work, the previous PIC-MCC model and GM are extended to include oxygen cross sections, and used to study microwave breakdown in oxygen. The GM with pressure-independent enhanced EEDF enables more efficient study of parameter space due to its simplicity and speed. The PIC-MCC model and GM indicate that the breakdown time for oxygen is less than that for...
nu-2 band of H2 O-16 - Line strengths and transition frequencies

High-resolution spectra of H2 O-16 were recorded with a Fourier-transform spectrometer covering transitions in the (010)-(000) band from 1066 to 2582/cm. The measured line frequencies were used along with additional data taken from studies at microwave and far-infrared frequencies in an analysis to obtain rotational energies of levels in the (000) and (010) states. Measurements of the line strengths were fitted by least squares to a model in which the dipole moment matrix elements were represented by as many as 19 expansion coefficients. The results produced computed line strength values that are in excellent agreement, on the average, with the 874 experimental transitions included in the analysis. These results provide a more accurate representation of the line positions and strengths for the (010)-(000) band than are currently available on the HITRAN absorption line parameter compilation.
Local release of highly loaded antibodies from functionalized nanoporous support for cancer immunotherapy.

We report that antibodies can be spontaneously loaded in functionalized mesoporous silica (FMS) with superhigh density (0.4−0.8 mg of antibody/mg of FMS) due to their comprehensive noncovalent interaction. The superhigh loading density and noncovalent interaction between FMS and antibodies allow long-lasting local release of the immunoregulatory molecules from FMS under physiological conditions. Preliminary data indicate that FMS-anti-CTLA4 antibody injected directly into a mouse melanoma induces much greater and extended inhibition of tumor growth than the antibody given systemically. Our findings open up a novel approach for local delivery of therapeutically active proteins to tumors and, potentially, other diseases.
Narractivity and the narrative database: Media-based wikis as interactive fan fiction

Wikis, websites designed for the communal creation of media content, have previously been theorized using the work of Levy (1997) as knowledge communities. In this conception, wikis are seen as storehouses of data that communities can use to organize and explicate their encyclopedic “communal intelligence.” In this paper, I expand on Levy’s argument to examine the narratological possibilities of wikis. Using as examples fan-created wikis for the cult television shows Lost and Heroes, I show that these media-based wikis highlight the fan community’s interactive construction of a narratological database. Using the interactivity omnipresent in wikis, fans articulate a new conception of narrative construction, a conception I term “narractivity.”
Available potential energy and mixing in density-stratified fluids

A conceptual framework for analysing the energetics of density-stratified Boussinesq fluid flows is discussed. The concept of gravitational available potential energy is used to formulate an energy budget in which the evolution of the background potential energy, i.e. the minimum potential energy attainable through adiabatic motions, can be explicitly examined. For closed systems, the background potential energy can change only due to diabatic processes. The rate of change of background potential energy is proportional to the molecular diffusivity. Changes in the background potential energy provide a direct measure of the potential energy changes due to irreversible diapycnal mixing. For open systems, background potential energy can also change due to boundary fluxes, which can be explicitly measured. The analysis is particularly appropriate for evaluation of diabatic mixing rates in numerical simulations of turbulent flows. The energetics of a shear driven mixing layer is used to illustrate the analysis.
Early prenatal attainment of adult metacarpal‐phalangeal rankings and proportions

As shown in 56 human embryos and fetuses between 15 and 104 mm in crown-rump length, "adult" metacarpal-phalangeal length rankings are attained by the seventh intrauterine week and near-adult bone-to-bone ratios or proportions by the theirteenth week. Micrometric measurements of optically-projected histological hand sections show relative elongation of the distals between the 15-29 mm and 30-44 mm crown-rump range, and relative reduction to radiogrammetrically-determined adult proportions by the 90-104 mm CRL.
SU-E-T-577: A Study of Primary Dose-To-Collision Kerma Ratio and Primary Collision Kerma Gradient

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between the magnitude of primary dose‐to‐collision kerma ratio (β) and the primary collision kerma gradients (dKcp/dx, dKcp/dy, dKcp/dz). Methods: A convolution algorithm is used to calculate the primary dose for primary kerma with various external beam conditions (single open, wedge, IMRT beams, and composite beams). EGS4 Monte‐Carlo simulation is used to generate primary point spread kernels in water for 6 and 15 MV Mohan Spectrum. The primary point‐spread kernel is normalized such that its volume integral is one. Results: For a single external photon beam, we have shown that when dKp/dz>0, then β 1. However, this relationship does not apply for composite photon beams, where β is not 1 when dKp/dz = 0 for an AP/PA parallel opposed open beam pair in the middle plane. For a 60° EDW beam, β is approximately the same as that of the corresponding open beam of the same energy and does not change with lateral gradients. For an IMRT beam with abrupt intensity modulation, then β 1 in the valley Kcp region. Conclusion: The primary dose‐to‐collision kerma ratio is primarily dependent on the longitudinal gradient (dKcp/dz) in the direction of the radiation incidence within the beam collimation. Near the edge of the beam (e.g., buildup and penumbra), β 1 in the valley Kcp regions.
My avatar and me - Gender and personality predictors of avatar-self discrepancy

This study examined the influence of gender, the Big 5 personality factors, and self-esteem on virtual self-representation in the form of avatar-self discrepancy. To examine this, participants designed characters to play in a video game, spent 20min playing the video game, and then had their actual pictures taken. Our results indicated that, consistent with predictions, men and women generally selected self-representations consistent with ideal male and female bodies. This finding was pronounced for men and women high in agreeableness. Conversely, some results contradicted the normative prescriptions often associated with self-presentation. For instance, men did not build taller avatars than did women. Men who were high in openness to new experiences were more likely to select avatars with skin tone variations. Introverts - both male and female - and women high in neuroticism were more likely to build attractive avatars. Moreover, those with low self-esteem were more likely to select lighter skin tones than those with high self-esteem. Thus, the effects of gender and personality have considerable implications for online self-presentation and self-representation.
Beating the Nyquist Limit by Means of Interleaved Alternated Delay Sampling: Extension of Lower Mass Limit in Direct-Mode Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry

According to the Nyquist theorem, the highest signal frequency which can be represented without foldover (aliasing) in a Fourier transform frequency-domain discrete spectrum is one-half of the time-domain sampling frequency. For example, since ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) frequency is inversely related to ionic mass-to-charge ratio, m/z, the highest ICR frequency (corresponding to the lowest correctly represented m/z) in direct-mode Fourier transform ICR mass spectrometry is restricted to one-half of the maximum sampling frequency, or about m/z ≥ 18 at 3.058 tesla (T) for a maximum sampling frequency of about 5.2 MHz. In this paper, we show that interleaved addition of two digitized time-domain transient signals, one of which is delayed by one-half of one sampling period (i.e., half of one cycle of the time-domain sampling frequency) with respect to the other, generates a time-domain discrete waveform which is indistinguishable from a single waveform produced by sampling at twice the original sampling rate. Thus, provided that the two transients have (or have been normalized to) the same magnitude, one can double the Nyquist-limited frequency range. If the sampling period is divided into three or more equal parts, with interleaved addition of three or more correspondingly delayed transients, the same method can further increase the upper frequency limit. The method is applied to the experimental doubling or quadrupling of FT/ICR direct-mode frequency range, as for example in the extension of the lower mass limit to below m/z = 12 at 3.058 T with a sampling rate of only 4.0 MHz.
Adler's Theory of Birth Order:

Adler's theory of birth order was investigated as a preliminary step to using this theory as a model to integrate the vast amount of empirical research on birth order. The present study employed tw...
Real-time evidence for EF-G-induced dynamics of helix 44 in 16S rRNA.

The penultimate stem–loop of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), helix 44, plays a central role in ribosome function. Using time-resolved dimethyl sulfate (DMS) probing, we have analyzed time-dependent modifications that occur at specific bases in this helix near the decoding region, resulting from the binding of elongation factor G (EF-G) in various forms. When EF-G-GTP is bound to 70S ribosomes, bases A1492 and A1493 are immediately protected, while other bases in the region show either no change or enhanced modification. When apo-EF-G is bound to 70S ribosomes and GTP is added, substantial transient time-dependent enhancement occurs at bases A1492 and A1493, with somewhat less enhancement occurring at base A1483, all in the first 45 ms. When mRNA and deacylated tRNAs are bound to the 70S ribosome and EF-G-GTP is added, bases A1492 and A1493 again show substantial and continued enhancement, while bases A1408, A1413, and A1418 all show time-dependent protection. These results provide primary, real-time evidence that EF-G induces direct or indirect structural changes in this region as EF-G is bound and as GTP is hydrolyzed.
A Zeroth-Order Modification of Coupled Mode Theory for Waveguide Gratings

This letter demonstrates the importance of selecting the correct unperturbed structure for coupled mode theory calculations of waveguide gratings. Neglecting the spatial dependence of the average value of the perturbation can cause considerable inaccuracies in the analysis of many common structures. Here, we show the improvement that can be achieved by including this zeroth-order modification and how to choose the proper unperturbed structure through several practical device examples.
Synthesis and Binding of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I by Human Glomerular Mesangial Cells*

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) has been found in the kidney, but its precise cellular localization is not known. Since there is evidence that IGF-I is an autocrine factor in many tissues and since murine mesangial cells have IGF-I receptors, we examined whether human mesangial cells produce IGF-I. Culture medium conditioned by mesangial cells was concentrated by reverse phase chromatography and applied to a Sephadex G-100 column equilibrated in a denaturing buffer. Two major species with apparent mol wt (MW) of 7,500 and 25,000 daltons were identified by IGF-I RIA. To determine whether the high MW species possessed IGF-I binding activity, appropriate fractions were desalted, incubated with [125I]Thr59-IGF-I for 2 h at 30 C, and applied to a Sephadex G-100 column equilibrated in a nondissociating buffer. The major peak of radioactivity was confined to a high MW region; there was no radioactivity in the fractions corresponding to 7,500 daltons. Further characterization of 7,500 dalton IGF-I immunoreactive species by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography showed that it coeluted with synthetic human IGF-I. Isoelectric focusing revealed it to have a pI between 8.1 and 8.5, corresponding to the pI of human IGF-I of 8.25. Northern blot analyses of poly(A)+ RNA from human mesangial cells and human liver using a cDNA probe for human IGF-I showed that a 2.0-kilobase transcript predominated in the mesangial cells, whereas the liver contained 1.1- and 2.0-kilobase species. Specific binding of IGF-I to mesangial cells was demonstrated, and competition curves indicated a rank order of potency (IGF-I greater than IGF-II greater than insulin) consistent with type I IGF receptors. We conclude that human mesangial cells 1) express IGF-I mRNA transcripts, 2) secrete IGF-I and IGF-I-binding activity, and 3) possess specific IGF-I receptors. These data suggest that IGF-I may act as an autocrine or paracrine factor that regulates glomerular cell functions.
Trapping and luminescence mechanisms in manganese-doped zinc silicate phosphorsa tunneling model

We have investigated electron trapping and luminescence (phosphorescence, thermoluminescence and photostimulated luminescence) mechanisms in Mn and Mn+As doped Zn2SiO4 phosphors. The intensities of both the phosphorescence and photostimulated luminescence are found to decay with time approximately as (time)-1. The generally accepted model of such a decay of phosphorescence, based on thermal release of electrons from a broad distribution of trap energy levels, cannot explain the observed decay of the photostimulated luminescence. In order to explain both results we have developed a new model based on radiative recombination by tunneling between holes trapped on Mn ions and electrons in shallow traps or in excited states of the deeper traps. We derive a simple expression which describes for both experiments at all times the decay of the light intensity and its dependence on experimental conditions. The agreement between theory and experiment is found to be excellent.
Lytic cycle replicative forms of bacteriophages P1 and P1dl: Concatemer forms

Abstract The permutedness of bacteriophage P1 chromosomes has implied that concatemers must be lytic cycle chromosomal forms (LCF). We have partially characterized LCF of P1 and a P1dl, employing isopycnic fractionation in CsCl-ethidium bromide gradients and alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation. The genetic identity of LCF was established by DNA filter annealings of radioactive LCF. In alkaline sucrose gradients, concatemer strands of LCF between 2 and 10 genome units long were recognized as DNA sedimenting slower than monomer supercoils and faster than single-strand monomers. Fractionation of pulse-labeled LCF showed that by 8 min after induction, most or all of the DNA synthesis proceeds by extension of concatemers. Pulse-chase experiments showed that the concatemer strands are part of persisting LCF. The P1dl plasmid of M. E. Rae and M. Stodolsky (Virology, 58, 32–54, 1974 ) was found to contain 133kb, as contrasted with 90 kb for the P1 plasmid. Concatemer strands were generated in thermally induced P1dl lysogens, and had a higher average sedimentation rate than those of P1. In the P1-infected P1dl lysogen, the sedimentation patterns of P1 and P1dl strands were distinct. This fact indicated that recombination between P1 and P1dl was not the major contributor to the formation of concatemer strands.
Presence of a hypervariable region within the hr2 domain of the host range determining sequences of the envelope protein gp85 (SU) of subgroup-A avian sarcoma-leukosis viruses

The nucleotide sequence of the gene for the envelope protein gp85 (SU) of the Schmidt-Ruppin subgroup A (NY) strain of Rous sarcoma virus [SRA(NY)] was determined, and the deduced amino acid sequence was compared with those of other avian sarcoma-leukosis viruses. Among the five host-range determinant sequences (vr1, vr2, hr1, hr2, and vr3), the host-range determinant sequence hr2 of SRA(NY) showed a significant deviation from the hr2 sequences of other subgroup A viruses, namely, RAV-1 and SRA(SF). A phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence of this region indicated that this intra-subgroup diversity was as great as or even greater than the inter-subgroup diversity found among other subgroups of ASLV. Within the hr2 region, we found a short hypervariable segment that differs in length and sequence from hr2 of other subgroup-A viruses. The difference in the hr2 amino acid sequence between SRA(NY) and SRA(SF) is reflected in the predicted protein secondary structure of this region.
Non-specific host defence stimulation and antibiotic-resistant infection

The impact of a subinhibitory dose of clindamycin combined with stimulation of host defences by muramyl dipeptide (MDP) in an animal model of surgical infection with Escherichia coli was studied. Both the percentage of bacteria recovered from the implantation site and the degree of bacteraemia were quantitated at timed intervals following the bacterial challenge. Neither of these parameters was significantly different in animals treated with clindamycin alone compared to placebo animals. A significant reduction in bacteraemia was observed in animals treated with a combination of MDP and clindamycin when compared to animals receiving either agent alone. Local bacterial recovery was paradoxically greater in this combined treatment group. The presence of subinhibitory concentrations of clindamycin in vivo appears to render E. coli more susceptible to the systemic effects of host defence stimulation by MDP.
Argon ion beam hemostasis with albumin after liver resection.

Abstract Background: Bleeding is common after liver resection and establishing hemostasis with sutures or argon beam coagulation can be difficult. In our laboratory, concentrated albumin applied to the liver surface before argon beam coagulation improves sealing of the resected surface of the liver, including closure of blood vessels and ducts not generally seen with standard argon beam coagulation. Methods: Domestic swine underwent heparinization, then laparotomy and wedge resection of the left medial segment of the liver, using finger fracture technique. Blood vessels and ducts 5 mm or greater were ligated. For achieving hemostasis, the animals were randomized to either a control group using argon beam coagulation alone (n = 15) or an albumin group using argon beam coagulation with concentrated 38% albumin (n = 13). After initial hemostasis, the resected liver surfaces were packed for 3 minutes. Repeated applications of argon beam coagulation with or without albumin were performed as needed, followed by 3 minutes of repacking, until complete hemostasis was achieved. Liver functions and blood counts were examined 4 days postoperatively. Results: The albumin group was less likely to require repeat applications of argon beam coagulation than control animals (mean 0.5 versus 1.5 times, P = 0.006). The total time of argon beam coagulation was significantly shorter in the albumin group (mean 90 versus 154 seconds, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Adding albumin to the liver surface substantially increases the durability of the repaired surface and reduces the time needed to achieve stable hemostasis when compared with standard argon beam coagulation. Further investigations using this technique are warranted.
1399 NASAL ELECTRIC POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE AND RESPONSE TO AMILORIDE SUPERFUSION IN NEONATES

Pulmonary epithelium changes after birth from Cl− secretion to Na+ absorption. To evaluate this transition, the maximal potential difference (PD) and the voltage response to superfusion with 10−5 M amiloride (Am), an inhibitor of Na+ absorption, were recorded between a Ringer perfused bridge placed on the nasal mucosa and a subcutaneous reference electrode. The PD was sequentially measured during the first 72 hrs of life across the nasal epithelium of healthy term neonates, healthy preterm neonates (29.7±0.3wks). neonates (30.2± 1.2wks) with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), and neonates (37.6± l.lwks) with Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn (TTNB). PDs (mean±SEM) and Am inhibition (%; at<24h) were: The PDs of RDS and TTNB neonates (<24h) were different (p<0.001) than healthy term and preterm neonates and term disease controls (e.g. PFC;-21.9±0.4mV;n=4). During the first 72h, only the PD of TTNB neonates changed; this change paralleled clinical improvement. PDs of healthy older children (3-36mo;-31.8±0.6mV;n=6) and adults (-31.6+0.8mV;n=90) were higher than the 72h neonatal values (p<0.001). The PD change following Am was not different between all groups. We conclude 1) nasal PD is lower in term healthy neonates than in older children and adults; 2) Na absorption contributes to the PD in the early postnatal period; 3) the PD of RDS neonates is lower than healthy term and preterm neonates; and 4) the PD of TTNB neonates is higher than healthy and disease term controls. These findings suggest that discrete dysfunctions of respiratory epithelial ion transport are patho-physiologic components of RDS and TTNB.
‘Programming the Beautiful’ Informatic Color and Aesthetic Transformations in Early Computer Art

Color has long been at home in the domains of classical art and aesthetics. However, with the introduction of computer art in Germany in the early 1960s, a new 'rational theory' of art, media and color emerged. Many believed this new 'science' of art would generate computer algorithms which would enable new media aesthetic 'principles to be formulated mathematically' - thus ending the lofty mystifications that have, for too long, been associated with Romantic notions about artwork and art-making. Although, as German computer artist Herbert Franke noted, 'Traditional aesthetic modes of expression are of little avail to the artist who works with technical systems, particularly computers', I argue herein that the shifts in aesthetic theory brought about by the introduction of computer art are more complex than a clear-cut subsumption to mathematics, information theory or cybernetics. While the 'Programming the Beautiful' project that began in Europe in the 1960s - the three-fold rationalization of the artist, the artwork and color - has been largely realized, nonetheless, today we find ourselves seeped in the neo-Romanticization of new media art, the re-glorification of the role of the artist, and new digital color - ironically, the exact opposite of what the project for rational art initially sought.
Fab fragments directed against laminin 5 induce subepidermal blisters in neonatal mice.

Patients with one form of cicatricial pemphigoid have IgG autoantibodies directed against laminin 5 (α3β3γ2), an adhesion protein in epidermal basement membrane. Anti-laminin 5 autoantibodies are not found in patients with other skin or mucosal diseases and hence serve as a specific marker for this autoimmune blistering disorder. The demonstration that experimental and patient anti-laminin 5 IgG are pathogenic in animal models indicated that such autoantibodies are central to disease pathophysiology. To investigate further the role of antibody valence and complement in triggering lesion formation in vivo, rabbit anti-laminin 5 (or normal, control) Fab fragments were passively transferred to neonatal BALB/c mice. Mice receiving anti-laminin 5 Fab fragments developed, in a dose-related fashion, circulating anti-basement membrane antibodies, deposits of immunoreactive rabbit IgG (but not murine C3) in epidermal basement membranes, and subepithelial blisters of skin and mucous membranes. Such alterations were not observed in mice treated with equivalent concentrations of normal rabbit Fab fragments. These studies demonstrated that neither complement activation nor cross-linking of laminin 5 in epidermal basement membranes was required for induction of subepidermal blister formation in this animal model of a human autoimmune bullous disease.
Marital Adjustment in Parents of Children with Disabilities: A Historical Review and Meta-Analysis:

This report uses meta-analytic methods to reexamine a body of research literature on comparative levels of divorce and marital satisfaction/discord in parents of children with and without developme...
Surgical intervention in children with vesicoureteric reflux: are we intervening too late?

Background Vesicoureteric reflux is usually managed medically. When medical management fails, the patient is referred for surgical intervention. The aim is to protect the kidneys from progressive damage. This study investigates if significant kidney damage has occurred during medical treatment prior to surgical intervention.
Oxidative charge transport through DNA in nucleosome core particles.

Eukaryotic DNA is packaged into nucleosomes, made up of 146 bp of DNA wrapped around a core of histone proteins. We used photoexcited rhodium intercalators to explore DNA charge transport within these assemblies. Although histone proteins inhibit intercalation of the rhodium complex within the core particle, they do not prevent 5′-GG-3′ oxidation, the signature of oxidative charge transport through DNA. Moreover, using rhodium intercalators tethered to the 5′ terminus of the DNA, we found that guanine bases within the nucleosome can be oxidized from a distance of 24 bp. Histone binding did not affect the pattern and extent of this oxidation. Therefore, although the structure of the nucleosome core particle generally protects DNA from damage by solution-borne molecules, packaging within the nucleosome does not protect DNA from charge transfer damage through the base pair stack.
Nucleosome occupancy reveals regulatory elements of the CFTR promoter

Access to regulatory elements of the genome can be inhibited by nucleosome core particles arranged along the DNA strand. Hence, sites that are accessible by transcription factors may be located by using nuclease digestion to identify the relative nucleosome occupancy of a genomic region. In order to define novel cis regulatory elements in the ∼2.7-kb promoter region of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, we define its nucleosome occupancy. This profile reveals the precise positions of nucleosome-free regions (NFRs), both cell-type specific and others apparently unrelated to CFTR-expression level and offer the first high-resolution map of the chromatin structure of the entire CFTR promoter in relevant cell types. Several of these NFRs are strongly bound by nuclear factors in a sequence-specific manner, and directly influence CFTR promoter activity. Sequences within the NFR1 and NFR4 elements are highly conserved in many human gene promoters. Moreover, NFR1 contributes to promoter activity of another gene, angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3), while NFR4 is constitutively nucleosome-free in promoters genome wide. Conserved motifs within NFRs of the CFTR promoter also show a high level of protection from DNase I digestion genome-wide, and likely have important roles in the positioning of nucleosome core particles more generally.
Influence of chain length on exciton migration to low-energy sites in single fluorene copolymers.

Fluorescence spectroscopy was performed on single molecules of two 9,9-dialkylfluorene–benzothiadazole (FxBT) copolymers with a 10-fold difference in average molecular weight. Molecules of both polymers exhibit red-shifted emission indicative of energy migration to low-energy sites (LES) on the polymer chains; however, “red” spectra are much more common for the longer polymer. Since singlet-exciton migration is found to occur on the molecular length scale in both cases, the increased number of red-shifted spectra observed for the longer polymer is evidence that the likelihood of LES formation increases with chain length. This relationship is discussed in terms of three possible causes of low-energy sites: local polymer conformations, chromophores with extended conjugation lengths, and random chemical defects.
Epidemiology of vocal fold paralyses after total thyroidectomy for well-differentiated thyroid cancer in a Medicare population.

ObjectivesThe population-level incidence of vocal fold paralysis after thyroidectomy for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC) is not known. This study aimed to measure longitudinal incidenc...
Symptom experiences of residents dying in assisted living.

Objectives: To identify the end-of-life symptom experiences of residents who died in assisted living, to describe family satisfaction with the end-of-life care, and to compare end-of-life symptom distress across 4 settings: assisted living, private home, nursing home, and hospital. Design: In-person interviews with family members of people aged 65 or older who had died 2 to 4 months earlier in an assisted-living facility. Symptom distress reports were compared with data from prior studies in other settings.
Children's cognitive and social competence in child-care centers and family day-care homes

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether children in child-care centers are at an advantage developmentally over their peers in family day care because of the more structured educational programs in centers, or if there were other important determinants of children's development in centers and family day-care homes. One hundred seventeen children (60 in centers and 57 in family day-care homes) between 30 and 60 months of age participated in the study. Comparable measures were obtained of the structure (ratio, caregiver training), process (caregiver nurturing attitudes and intense involvement with children), and global quality in 30 centers and 30 family day-care homes. Four measures of children's cognitive and social competence were also obtained (intellectual development, complex cognitive and social play, sociability). Results comparing characteristics of centers and family day-care homes and the development of children in those settings were consistent with Clarke-Stewart's (1987a, 1987b, 1991) findings of more structured educational programs and more complex cognitive and social play among children in centers. The results of the path analysis suggested that variations in caregivers' training and the nature of their interactions with children within and between centers and family day-care homes made a difference to children's cognitive and social competence.
EYE DETECTION USING OPTIMAL WAVELET PACKETS AND RADIAL BASIS FUNCTIONS (RBFs)

The eyes are important facial landmarks, both for image normalization due to their relatively constant interocular distance, and for post processing due to the anchoring on model-based schemes. This paper introduces a novel approach for the eye detection task using optimal wavelet packets for eye representation and Radial Basis Functions (RBFs) for subsequent classification ("labeling") of facial areas as eye versus non-eye regions. Entropy minimization is the driving force behind the derivation of optimal wavelet packets. It decreases the degree of data dispersion and it thus facilitates clustering ("prototyping") and capturing the most significant characteristics of the underlying (eye regions) data. Entropy minimization is thus functionally compatible with the first operational stage of the RBF classifier, that of clustering, and this explains the improved RBF performance on eye detection. Our experiments on the eye detection task prove the merit of this approach as they show that eye images compressed using optimal wavelet packets lead to improved and robust performance of the RBF classifier compared to the case where original raw images are used by the RBF classifier.
Insight into the rescue of oxidized soluble guanylate cyclase by the activator cinaciguat.

Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is a key receptor in the mammalian nitric oxide (NO) signaling pathway, which is involved in important physiological processes such as vasodilation, platelet aggregation, and neurotransmission.[1–5] NO directly activates sGC, leading to increased formation of the second messenger cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) from guanosine 5′-triphosphate (GTP), which goes on to mediate the diverse physiological functions noted above.[6] sGC is a heterodimeric hemoprotein; most commonly found as the α1/β1 isoform. The N-terminus of the β1 subunit contains a Heme-Nitric oxide/OXygen binding (H-NOX) domain, a conserved gas-sensing domain found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.[7–9] The C-termini of the α1 and β1 subunits together form the catalytic domain that is responsible for the Mg2+-dependent conversion of GTP to cGMP. NO activates sGC by binding to the ferrous heme in the H-NOX domain leading to the cleavage of the Fe2+-His bond.[9–11] Ferrous heme is essential for NO-mediated sGC function; NO is a poor ligand for ferric sGC and does not activate the enzyme.[12,13] sGC is highly resistant to oxidation by molecular oxygen (O2); the inability to form a ferrous-oxy complex certainly contributes to this stability. However, reactive oxygen species can oxidize sGC heme under conditions of oxidative stress, leading to a decreased sensitivity to NO in the diseased tissue.[14–16] This desensitization to NO, results in tolerance to treatments involving NO-donors.[17–19] While the extent of sGC oxidation in vivo is not known, oxidation of sGC under pathological conditions is thought to be an important contributor to the development of cardiovascular disorders and the decrease in effectiveness of treatments involving NO-donors.[17–19] Therefore, sGC has emerged as a promising pharmacological target for the treatment of cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders.[17,19, 20]
An analytic expression for central axis electron depth dose distributions

Abstract A new analytic expression is given for the central axis depth dose distribution for electron beams; its accuracy is verified by comparison with experimental data from a linear accelerator and a betatron for a variety of incident energies and field sizes. In addition, comparisons are provided with Laughlin et al 's 10 exponential model for the electron depth dose distribution.
Intervalence Transitions in the Mixed-Valence Monocations of Bis(triarylamines) Linked with Vinylene and Phenylene--Vinylene Bridges

(E)-4,4‘-Bis{bis(4-methoxyphenyl)amino}stilbene, 1, (E,E)-1,4-bis[4-{bis(4-methoxyphenyl)amino}styryl]benzene, 2, and two longer homologues, (E,E,E)-4,4‘-bis[4-{bis(4-methoxyphenyl)amino}styryl]stilbene, 3, and (E,E,E,E)-1,4-bis(4-[4-{bis(4-methoxyphenyl)amino}styryl]styryl)benzene, 4, have been oxidized to their mono- and dications using tris(4-bromophenyl)aminium hexachloroantimonate. The intervalence charge-transfer (IVCT) band of 1+ is narrow and asymmetric and exhibits only weak solvatochromism. Analysis of this band indicates that 1+ is a class-III or class-II/III borderline mixed-valence species. In contrast, a broad, strongly solvatochromic IVCT band is observed for 2+, indicating that this species is a class-II mixed-valence species. The assignment of 1+ and 2+ as symmetric class-III and unsymmetric class-II species, respectively, is also supported by AM1 calculations. Hush analysis of the IVCT bands of both 1+ and 2+ gives larger electronic couplings, V, than for their analogues in which the dou...
Influence of heat treatment on microstructure and tensile properties of GlidCopR dispersion strengthened copper alloy

Abstract Dispersion strengthened copper is a family of commercial engineering alloys comprised of fine aluminum oxide particles dispersed in a pure copper matrix. In this study, the influence of heat treatment on microstructure and tensile properties of GlidCop R dispersion strengthened copper alloy is examined. Heat treating the as-rolled alloy was found to have no appreciable influence on grain structure and intrinsic microstructural features. The strength of the material decreases with heat treatment with concomitant improvement in ductility. The material maintains a high value of yield strength retention ratio. The influence of heat treatment on tensile properties is detailed.
Impracticality and inefficiency of first trimester population screening for birth defects

Modeling the expectations of detection rate for all birth defects based on characteristics of prenatal care delivery in California, the reported detection rates and the logistics and practicalities of testing lead to the conclusion that second trimester screening is preferable. Cost per birth defect detected is lowest and detection rates are comparable with second trimester screening using multiple serum markers as compared to ultrasound with or without serum markers in the first trimester.
Humoral immune responses of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fry and fingerlings exposed toEdwardsiella ictaluri

The ability of channel catfish to develop antibody responses to Edwardsiella ictaluri was evaluated. Fish were produced and reared under specific pathogen free (SPF) conditions. At the ages of 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks and 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months post-hatch, a group of these naive fish were given a primary immersion exposure to E. ictaluri (mean doses of 6·4×104 cfu ml−1of tank water). Each group received a secondary immersion exposure 4 weeks after the primary exposure and were sampled 2 weeks after each exposure. Control groups were exposed to sterile culture medium. Specific antibody titres were first detected in fish exposed at 4 weeks post-hatch at an average weight of 85 mg. A secondary response was first demonstrated by fry that received a primary exposure at 4 weeks post-hatch and a secondary exposure at 8 weeks post-hatch. However, a true boosting effect was first demonstrated in fish that received their primary exposure at 2 months of age. Fish given a primary exposure before 4 weeks of age and a secondary exposure failed to produce a significant antibody response, even though they were the same age at secondary exposure as fish that produced strong antibody responses upon primary exposure. This phenomenon suggests that immunological tolerance was induced and indicates that channel catfish may not be capable of generating a humoral immune response before four weeks of age.
Sensitive Bioassay for Vancomycin

Abstract An accurate and sensitive assay for vancomycin in serum and body fluids has not been available. This paper reports an assay for vancomycin that can detect serum and fluid levels as low as 0.8 μg/ml. A disk diffusion technique was designed employing buffered glucose minimal salts agar and Bacillus subtilis as an indicator strain. A linear relationship was obtained between zone diameter and concentration for vancomycin standards from 0.8 to 50 μg/ml prepared in pooled human serum. Results were accurate (<10% error) and reproducible (within-sample standard deviation, 0.25 μg/ml) for concentrations of from 0.8 to 25 μg of vancomycin per ml. Zone diameters were at least 6 mm larger on minimal salts agar than on standard assay media. The increased sensitivity and accuracy of the assay make it possible to accurately measure levels in cerebrospinal fluid and dialyzate fluid as well as in serum.
Dimensions of integration in interdisciplinary explanations of the origin of evolutionary novelty

Abstract Many philosophers of biology have embraced a version of pluralism in response to the failure of theory reduction but overlook how concepts, methods, and explanatory resources are in fact coordinated, such as in interdisciplinary research where the aim is to integrate different strands into an articulated whole. This is observable for the origin of evolutionary novelty—a complex problem that requires a synthesis of intellectual resources from different fields to arrive at robust answers to multiple allied questions. It is an apt locus for exploring new dimensions of explanatory integration because it necessitates coordination among historical and experimental disciplines (e.g., geology and molecular biology). These coordination issues are widespread for the origin of novel morphologies observed in the Cambrian Explosion. Despite an explicit commitment to an integrated, interdisciplinary explanation, some potential disciplinary contributors are excluded. Notable among these exclusions is the physics of ontogeny. We argue that two different dimensions of integration—data and standards—have been insufficiently distinguished. This distinction accounts for why physics-based explanatory contributions to the origin of novelty have been resisted: they do not integrate certain types of data and differ in how they conceptualize the standard of uniformitarianism in historical, causal explanations. Our analysis of these different dimensions of integration contributes to the development of more adequate and integrated explanatory frameworks.
The pathogenesis of ethanol versus methionine and choline deficient diet-induced liver injury

The differences and similarities of the pathogenesis of alcoholic (ASH) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were examined. Mice (six/group) received one of four Lieber-Decarli liquid diets for 6 weeks: (1) paired-fed control diet; (2) control diet with ethanol (ethanol); (3) paired-fed methionine/choline deficient (MCD) diet; and (4) MCD plus ethanol (combination). Hepatotoxicity, histology, and gene expression changes were examined. Both MCD and ethanol induced macrovesicular steatosis. However, the combination diet produced massive steatosis with minor necrosis and inflammation. MCD and combination diets, but not ethanol, induced serum ALT levels by 1.6- and 10-fold, respectively. MCD diet, but not ethanol, also induced serum alkaline phosphatase levels suggesting bile duct injury. Ethanol increased liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) mRNA and protein levels. In contrast, the combination diet decreased L-FABP mRNA and protein levels and increased hepatic free fatty acid and lipid peroxide levels. Ethanol, but not MCD, reduced hepatic S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and GSH levels. Hepatic TNFalpha protein levels were increased in all treatment groups, however, IL-6, a hepatoprotective cytokine which promotes liver regeneration was increased in ethanol-fed mice (2-fold), but decreased in the combination diet-treated mice. In addition, the combination diet reduced phosphorylated STAT3 and Bcl-2 levels. While MCD diet might cause bile duct injury and cholestasis, ethanol preferentially interferes with the SAM-GSH oxidative stress pathway. The exacerbated liver injury induced by the combination diet might be explained by reduced L-FABP, increased free fatty acids, oxidative stress, and decreased IL-6 protein levels. The combination diet is an efficient model of steatohepatitis.
Effect of variable diffusivity on tubular polymerization reactor performance

Le probleme de la dependance de la diffusivite en fonction de la concentration doit etre pris en compte dans l'analyse des reacteurs tubulaires de polymerisations. Si l'on considere la diffusivite constante on peut faire des erreurs de dimensionnement