cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying interacting regions in the beta subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase

Numerous physical and genetic approaches have identified residues in the alpha, beta, beta' and sigma subunits of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase that are involved in transcriptional processes; in contrast, relatively little data exist to demonstrate interacting regions within or between the subunits themselves. As a means of identifying regions in the beta subunit that may interact, we have sought intragenic suppressor mutations of a class of elongation-defective and termination-proficient inviable rpoB alleles that affect highly conserved residues. We obtained intragenic allele-specific suppressors of GD566 (located in conserved region D) and AV676 (located in conserved region E). With one exception, these allele-specific suppressors also map to highly conserved regions of the beta subunit. Allele specific suppression is a genetic criterion for protein-protein interaction. Moreover, the functional properties of the mutants suggests that suppression is likely to result from protein-protein interaction rather than from functional compensation. Our suppression studies provide evidence for the interaction of conserved regions B and D as well as conserved regions E and H of the beta polypeptide. We suggest that these, as well as other conserved regions of the beta polypeptide, may interact with each other to provide a framework for the function of the enzyme.
Casein Kinase 2 Determines the Voltage Dependence of the Kv3.1 Channel in Auditory Neurons and Transfected Cells

The Kv3.1 potassium channel can be distinguished from most other delayed rectifier channels by its very high threshold of activation and lack of use-dependent inactivation. This allows neurons that express this channel to fire at very high frequencies. We have now found that this feature of the Kv3.1 channel is strongly influenced by its constitutive phosphorylation by the enzyme casein kinase II. Using stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing Kv3.1, we show that Kv3.1 is highly phosphorylated under basal conditions. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were used to characterize the electrophysiological consequence of dephosphorylation using alkaline phosphatase. This enzyme produced an increase in whole-cell conductance and shifted the voltage dependence of activation to more negative potentials by >20 mV. In addition, a similar shift in the voltage dependence of inactivation was observed. These findings were also confirmed in native Kv3.1 channels expressed in medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) neurons. Furthermore, inhibitors of casein kinase 2 mimicked the effect of phosphatase treatment on voltage-dependent activation and inactivation, whereas inhibitors of protein kinase C failed to alter these parameters. The combination of biochemical and electrophysiological evidence suggests that the biophysical characteristics of Kv3.1 that are important to its role in MNTB neurons, allowing them to follow high-frequency stimuli with fidelity, are largely determined by phosphorylation of the channel.
Annotating for the world: Attitudes toward sharing scholarly annotations

Annotations, in the form of markings and comments on the text, are often part of scholarly work. Digital platforms increasingly allow these annotations to be shared in group and public environments. To explore scholars' current behavior and attitudes toward shared annotations, semistructured interviews with 20 doctoral students were conducted. The findings suggest that sociocognitive processes are integral to scholars' creation and use of shared annotations. However, although scholars clearly support creating and using shared annotations, several sociocognitive hurdles have hampered adoption of scholarly shared annotation systems. This article discusses common themes emerging from the findings and relates them to research on shared annotations.
Multiobjective H/sub /spl infin// problems: linear and nonlinear control

In this note, we compare the value of nonlinear and linear control for a multiobjective H/sub /spl infin// control problem with a linear time-invariant (LTI) plant. We show that if the H/sub /spl infin// performance of a nonlinear feedback controller is measured by the maximum incremental gain, the optimal achievable performance with nonlinear, time-varying control is identical to that achievable by LTI control.
The Strategic Roots of Arab Federalism and Its Failure: Transnational Sovereign Power Issues, Military Rule, and Arab Identity

Few commentators look for the roots of serious challenges facing the modern Middle East — sluggish political and economic reform, militarism, domestic instability, Islamic insurgency—in the legacy of federalism, let alone its failure. This chapter focuses on the brief moment when pan-Arab federalism, often associated with Gamal Abd al-Nasser and Egypt, became a political desire and reality, exemplified by several short-lived unions: the United Arab Republic of Egypt and Syria (UAR) and the United Arab States (UAS) — a confederation of Egypt, Syria and North Yemen from 1958 to 1961, as well as the failed Federation of Arab Republics (1972–1977) promoted by the Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi. At the same time, this exploration contends that aspirations for political unity (although transformed) persist in unexpected ways today — most notably, in extremist forms of Islamic fundamentalism and Arab nationalisms.
Regulation of cell surface polarity in renal epithelia.

In the kidney, polarized epithelial cells play critical roles in ion, fluid and solute reabsorption from the ultrafiltrate to the blood supply. Detailed analysis of protein distributions has revealed that ion channels, transporters and pumps are restricted to distinct domains of the plasma membrane that face either the ultrafiltrate (apical membrane) or the blood supply (basal-lateral membrane). The importance of the development and maintenance of the polarized distributions of these proteins in renal epithelia for normal cell function is demonstrated by the fact that several disease states are characterized by abnormal distributions of proteins; for example in polycystic kidney disease, Na+/K+-ATPase has been detected in the apical and lateral membranes, compared with normal cells where Na+/K+-ATPase is localized in the basal-lateral membrane domain. Recent studies indicate that the development of restricted distributions of proteins at the cell surface of Madin Darby canine kidney epithelial cells is determined by direct sorting of proteins in thetrans Golgi network into vesicles that are delivered vectorially to either the apical or basal-lateral membrane. Upon arrival at the plasma membrane, some proteins, such as Na+/K+-ATPase, may be selectively retained by binding to the membrane cytoskeleton.
The State of Disparities in Opportunistic Infection Prophylaxis for Blacks with HIV/AIDS

Objectives The purpose of this review is to identify and analyze published studies that have evaluated disparities for opportunistic infection (OI) prophylaxis between Blacks and Whites with HIV/AIDS in the United States.
13C NMR spectra and long-range 13CH couplings in substituted ethylenes

Abstract Long-range 13CH coupling constants in a number of vinyl derivatives have been obtained from the analysis of high-resolution 13C spectra. The substituent effects on these couplings are discussed and correlations are presented between the geminal 13CH couplings and both the HH and directly bonded 13CH couplings in vinyl compounds.
Kinetic models for surface adsorption accompanied by bulk dissolution

Abstract Several kinetic models are examined for surface adsorption accompanied by bulk diffusion and segregation. The analysis is applied to experimental measurements of the interaction of molecular nitrogen with titanium metal at elevated temperatures. Interpretation of the experimental data in terms of the theoretical models indicates that initially the adsorption process is accompanied by rapid dissolution into the bulk so that no surface adlayer is formed. After a short transition period in which the surface approaches equilibrium with the gas phase, bulk diffusion becomes rate controlling.
Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate improves mortality in a rat model of severe hemorrhage

Abstract Background Hemorrhagic shock is a life threatening condition characterized by diminishing organ function. The aim of this study was to determine whether an effective pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) treatment protocol could be established to decrease organ dysfunction and mortality in a lethal hemorrhagic shock-resuscitation (HSR) model. Materials and methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three experimental groups; HSR alone (HSR), PDTC (100 mg/kg) administered 12 h pre-HSR (PDTC-12), and PDTC administered 1 h post-shock prior to resuscitation (PDTC+1). Hemorrhage was induced by arterial blood withdrawal to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 25 ± 5 mmHg for 1 h. Resuscitation was performed until pre-HSR MAP was attained. Blood was collected immediately prior to HSR, 1 h post-shock, and at protocol end. Measurements of base excess, lactate, arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and oxygen (PaO2), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and lipase were performed. Results In PDTC+1 animals, PDTC was ineffective in improving survival. In contrast, survival was significantly increased in the PDTC-12 animals versus PDTC+1 and HSR groups. Analysis of physiologic parameters demonstrated that elevations in base deficit and lactate levels following hemorrhage were blunted by PDTC administration in the PDTC-12 group. At time of death, creatinine, ALT, and AST levels were significantly higher in HSR versus PDTC-12 animals. Conclusions Administration of PDTC 12 h prior to HSR significantly improves survival through preservation of organ function.
The A, B, C, D, and E of viral hepatitis: spelling out the risks for healthcare workers.

Hepatitis as an occupational hazard for healthcare workers began to be appreciated in the United States a little over 40 years ago, with the granting of the first compensation award to a blood bank employee with serum-transmitted hepatitis.' At least 32 additional cases in healthcare workers were reported within the next two years, mostly, but not exclusively, as a result of the accidental inoculation of blood or serum.2,3 It has been only in the last 15 years, however, that the major viruses causing hepatitis have been differentiated, that the main modes of transmission have been delineated, and that some effective methods of prevention have been developed. All five of the primary hepatotropic viruses, A-E, remain a threat to healthcare workers, but the nosocomial transmission risk of each virus varies considerably, depending on certain characteristics of the patient population, the job description of the healthcare worker, and the degree of compliance with effective preventive measures such as handwashing, barrier and sharps injury precautions, and vaccination.
Killing of circulating forms of Trypanosoma cruzi by lymphoid cells from acutely and chronically infected mice

Abstract Mice infected with T. cruzi show severe immunological suppression during the acute but not the chronic period of the disease. In this paper we present evidence that lymphocytes from acutely infected mice are capable of destroying bloodstream forms of the parasite in the presence of specific anti- T. cruzi antibodies. Splenic lymphocytes obtained at different times during the acute phase were as cytotoxic as cells from chronically infected mice when serum from chronically or acutely infected mice was added to the reaction. No cytotoxicity was observed when normal mouse serum was used or when the antibody or the cell preparations were tested separately. These results suggest the involvement of an immunological reaction in host defense against T. cruzi infection during the acute period of the disease, i.e., when other immunological reactions are suppressed.
Infrared multidetector spectrometer for remote sensing of temperature profiles in the presence of clouds.

An infrared multidetector spectrometer with channels in the 4.3-micron and 15-micron CO2 bands for the remote sensing of temperature profiles in the presence of clouds is described. Results obtained from aircraft flights in July 1975 over ocean sites under various conditions of cloudiness demonstrate the capability of the dual frequency technique to recover surface temperatures to an accuracy of + or - 0.5 K in the presence of up to 90% cloud cover.
Discrepancy between severity of lung impairment and seniority on the lung transplantation list.

Abstract Background Organ allocation for lung transplantation, based mainly on accrued time on a waiting list, may not be an equitable system of organ allocation. To provide an objective view of the current practice concerning lung allocation, and timing for transplantation, we examined illness severity and list seniority in patients on a lung transplantation waiting list. Methods Adult patients awaiting lung transplantation underwent testing for mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPpa), maximum oxygen consumption (VO 2 max), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), forced expiratory volume in 1 second, mean partial pressure of carbon dioxide, partial pressure of oxygen/fractional concentration of inspired oxygen, and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Relationships between physiological variables and waiting list rankings were then determined. Results Thirty-four patients were tested and there was no correlation between time spent waiting on the list and mPpa (r = 0.01; P = .94), VO 2 max percentage predicted (r = 0.07; P = .71), or 6MWD (r = 0.15; P = .42). Many patients with functional impairments as indicated by low maximum VO 2 or by short 6MWD are scheduled to receive their transplant after patients with levels that indicate a lower degree of risk. When compared with a hypothetical reranking based on mean Ppa, 24 of the 34 patients (71%) on our current waiting list were found to be 5 positions higher or lower than this new risk-based ranking. Sixteen patients (47%) were 10 or more positions away from their hypothetical severity-based ranking, and 9 (26%) were at least 15 positions out of place. Sixteen of the 34 patients were ranked lower than they would be based on a severity of illness using the pulmonary artery pressure alone, 17 were ranked higher than “should be” based on pulmonary artery mean, and only 1 patient (ranked in position 15) was appropriately positioned based on seniority and severity of disease based on PA mean. Conclusion Rank order for lung transplantation has no relationship with illness severity, and the discrepancy between disease severity and seniority on the lung waiting list may compromise overall outcomes in the lung transplantation population.
Enzyme activity and fitness: Evolution in solution

Natural selection should be studied as an end in itself, and this requires rigorous experimental tests of theoretical models linking molecular phenotypes to differences in fitness. We describe the experimental verification of one such model and thereby demonstrate that the causal relations between genotype and fitness need not be as hopelessly complex as many have assumed. The model uses metabolic control theory to link enzyme activity to metabolic flux and then assumes that fitness is proportional to flux. The model was tested using the pathway for the uptake and metabolism of growth-rate-limiting concentrations of lactose in E. coli inhabiting chemostats. Many of the properties expected of natural selection are manifest in this system.
Inflammatory prompts produce isoform-specific changes in the expression of leukotriene B4 ω-hydroxylases in rat liver and kidney

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4Fs metabolize leukotriene B4 and other inflammatory mediators in the arachidonic acid cascade. Here we show that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment suppresses CYP4F4 and up-regulates CYP4F5 mRNA expression in rat liver whereas renal CYP4Fs are essentially unchanged. BaSO4 treatment, in contrast, increases both hepatic and renal CYP4F expression levels. Thus, distinct regulatory mechanisms in CYP4F expression might operate under different inflammatory prompts. To examine hepatic totipotency, primary hepatocytes were treated with varying doses of LPS resulting in decrease in all the CYP4F isoforms. Treatment of hepatocytes with 5 ng/ml of interleukin-1β mimics the in vivo effects of LPS on CYP4F expression.
Development ofLydina polidoides [Diptera: Tachinidae] in relation to its hostChrysoteuchia topiaria [Lepidoptera: Pyralidae]

Lydina polidoides (Townsend) andChrysoteuchia topiaria Zeller were studied in the laboratory. The rate of development ofC. topiaria from eclosion to the diapausing prepupae was 55 days when larvae were exposed to long daylenghts (16 hr light, 8 hr dark) and 43 days when exposed to short daylengths (12 hr light 12 hr dark.) The same insects exposed to long days emerged as adults in 124 days, whereas those exposed to short days emerged in 156 days because short days prepared the prepupae for diapause but failed to maintain the diapause. When caterpillars (prepupae) ofC. topiaria parasitized by young larvae ofL. polidoides and non-parasitized caterpillars were removed from the field in January and exposed to long days at 21°C,C. topiaria emerged as adults in an average 55 days andL. polidoides in 106 days.Lydina polidoides is therefore univoltine andC. topiaria is probably the primary host of this Tachinid parasite.
Ser-268 plays an important role in ligand binding of prostaglandin E2 receptor EP3alpha subtype.

Functional mouse prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptor EP3alpha subtype has been expressed in insect cells using the baculovirus system (C. Huang and H. H. Tai, 1995,Biochem . J. 307, 493-498). Site directed mutagenesis was carried out at Thr-221, Ser-268, and Ser-272. These hydroxy amino acid residues are highly conserved among prostaglandin receptors of many species and could potentially form hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl group or the keto group of the receptor ligand PGE2. The mutant EP3alpha receptors again were expressed in insect cells and were studied by [3h]PGE2 binding assay. The results indicated that (1) replacement of Ser-272 by alanine did not cause any significant change in PGE2-binding activity, (2) replacement of Thr-221 by alanine also did not cause any significant change in PGE2-binding activity, and (3) replacement of Ser-268 by alanine almost abolished the PGE2-binding activity, while replacement by a threonine did not cause significant change in the PGE2-binding activity but did alter subtype specificity. These results suggest that Ser-268 of EP3alpha receptor plays an important role in ligand binding.
ASSOCIATIONS OF A REGULATORY POLYMORPHISM OF MONOAMINE OXIDASE-A GENE PROMOTER (MAOA-UVNTR) WITH SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND SLEEP QUALITY

Objective To examine the relationships among the variable number of tandem repeats in the monoamine oxidase-A linked polymorphic region allelic variation (MAOA-uVNTR) and the symptoms of depression and sleep quality. The monoamine oxidase-A (MAOA) gene, which plays a vital role in degradation of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, contains a polymorphism in its promoter region (MAOA-uVNTR) that affects transcriptional efficiency. MAOA-uVNTR genotype has been associated with both psychological and physical measures.
INCLUSION OF NONADIABIATIC EFFECTS IN CALCULATIONS ON VIBRATIONAL EXCITATION OF MOLECULAR HYDROGEN BY LOW-ENERGY ELECTRON IMPACT

The nonadiabatic phase matrix method offers a unified, systematic treatment of vibrational dynamics in calculations of low-energy inelastic electron-molecule cross sections. This formalism uses fixed-nuclei R matrices to describe the region of configuration space near the target but---unlike its fully adiabatic counterpart, the energy-modified adiabatic method---includes nonadiabatic effects, which are important for resonant scattering and near a vibrational threshold. A most stringent test of this method is $e\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ scattering below 10 eV, where elastic and inelastic cross sections exhibit an enhancement around 3 eV which at the fixed-nuclei level involves a range of physical effects, from nonresonant to resonant scattering, as the internuclear separation varies from the smallest to largest relevant values. Here we describe an implementation of this method appropriate to such systems, an assessment of its accuracy for $e\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ scattering, and an appraisal of the importance of nonadiabatacity for the $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{0}1$ and $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{0}2$ vibrational excitations.
Contribution to the system tin-arsenic

Abstract The portion of the binary SnAs diagram containing 0–50 at.% arsenic has been re-investigated by thermal analysis, micrographic, and X-ray techniques. The existence of the SnAs phase is confirmed, but with a melting point of 594.8 ± o.5°C instead of 605°C as previously reported. A second, intermediate phase was found to occur at the composition Sn4AS3 instead of the accepted Sn3AS2 composition. It forms peritectically at 587.7 ± 0.5°C.
Revision of the genus Charpentiera (Amaranthaceae)

A revision of the genusCharpentiera (Amaranthaceae) is presented, based upon field and herbarium studies, with evidence from anatomical and cytological studies. Eight taxa are recognized. Populations of the genus are found on six of the main Hawaiian Islands and on the Austral Islands of Tubuai and Raivavae, representing a disjunction of about 2800 miles. Keys to the taxa, descriptions, distribution maps, and illustrations are provided. New taxa areC. australis,C. densiflora,C. tomentosa var.tomentosa,C. tomentosa var.maakuaensis,and C. ovata var.niuensis.
Application of the Lee-Wheaton conductance equation to the problems of the ionization of bisulfate ion and of HF in water

The applicability of the Lee-Wheaton conductance equation to the problem of accounting for the variation of the conductivity of moderately complex electrolyte solutions containing more than two kinds of ionic species and involving one or more ion-association equilibria is demonstrated using the chemically interesting examples of sulfuric acid, sodium bisulfate, and hydrofluoric acid, as well as naphthalene trisulfonic acid, sodium naphthalene trisulfonate, and lanthanum naphthalene trisulfonate. The question of retention of the C7 and V2 terms in the Lee-Wheaton equation is discussed.
SOLOW'S RETURN: INVENTIONS, IDEAS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE

Robert Solow's model of "exogenous" economic growth driven by the global diffusion of technology is out of fashion because it is contradicted by empirical evidence of income divergence. Today, economic growth is considered "endogenous" and institutions are seen as central to the long-term growth process. At the same time, non-income measures of quality of life do see strong patterns of global growth and convergence. This suggests that institutions may be less important to achieve progress in broader quality of life while a larger and important role concerns the factors that drive exogenous change, including the flow of technology and ideas.
Risk factors for surgical site infection complicating laminectomy.

Objective. To examine risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) following spinal surgery and to analyze the associations between a surgeon's years of operating experience and surgical specialty and patients' SSI risk. Design. Case‐control study. Setting. A tertiary care facility and a community hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Patients. Each case patient who developed an SSI complicating laminectomy was matched with 2 noninfected control patients by hospital, year of surgery, and National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System risk index score. Results. Forty‐one case patients with SSI complicating laminectomy and 82 matched control patients were analyzed. Nonwhite race, diabetes and an elevated body mass index (BMI) were more common among case patients than among control patients. Subjects with a BMI greater than 35 were more likely to undergo a prolonged procedure, compared with case patients who had a BMI of 35 or less. The SSI rate for patients operated on by neurosurgeons was 28%, compared ...
Annuloplasty in Children and Young Adolescents with Severe Rheumatic Mitral Insufficiency

Eleven patients aged 8 to 15 years underwent measured asymmetrical annuloplasty for severe mitral regurgitation in the years 1961 through 1966. They had had a total of 20 attacks of acute rheumatic fever. The intervals between the last attack of acute rheumatic fever and operation ranged from 2 to 8 years. The criteria for surgery were congestive failure and progressive cardiac enlargement. Using the hydraulic formula of Gorlin, a mitral annuloplasty was tailored to the size of each patient so that insufficiency was eliminated without producing hemodynamically significant stenosis. In this group of 11 children there has been one death. The majority of our 11 patients reacquired murmurs of mitral regurgitation. Satisfactory results, however, are not dependent on complete hemodynamic correction. All patients have improved remarkably and have sustained this improvement up to 7 years. These results suggest that mitral annuloplasty should be the operation of choice in children with severe mitral regurgitation.
Does the center of resistance depend on the direction of tooth movement

Introduction The objective of this study was to compare the locations of the centers of resistance (CRes) in the buccolingual (BL) and mesiodistal (MD) directions of the mandibular central incisors of 6 dogs. Methods Based on microcomputed tomography images of the teeth and their supporting tissues, solid models were used to build finite element models. Results The CRes locations for the 6 specimens were determined for displacements in the BL and MD directions with finite element calculations. Measured from the alveolar crest, the BL and MD locations were 43% to 51% and 31% to 43% of root length, respectively. Their average locations, 46.2% and 38.3%, were statistically different at the 95% CI. Conclusions The CRes location for BL tooth movement is significantly more apical than its MD counterpart.
The Exchange Rate and U.S. Agriculture: Comment

In a recent article Schuh states "that a very important variable has been left out in the conception of this [farm] problem and that at least since the early or mid-1950's the definition of the problem has been at least partially wrong because of this omission. The omitted variable is the exchange rate and its role in trade, in the valuation of resources within the U. S. economy, in the distribution of benefits of economic progress between consumers and producers within an economy, and in the way the benefits of technical change are shared between the domestic population and the world at large" (pp. 1-2). The suggestion that an overvalued dollar has been a "missing link" in a viable explanation of events taking place in agriculture in the past twenty years is sufficiently novel and far-reaching that it deserves greater analytical discussion than offered in Schuh's article.
Investigating the role of ankyrin-rich membrane spanning protein in human immunodeficiency virus type-1 Tat-induced microglia activation

Long-term persistence of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV) in the central nervous system (CNS) results in mild to severe neurocognitive impairment in a significant proportion of the HIV-infected population. These neurological deficits are known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Microglia are CNS-resident immune cells that are directly infected by HIV and consequently secrete proinflammatory molecules that contribute to HIV-induced neuroinflammation. Indeed, the number of activated macrophage and microglia in the brain is more highly correlated with cognitive impairment than the amount of neuronal apoptosis. Ankyrin-rich membrane spanning protein (ARMS/Kidins220) is a multidomain transmembrane protein that is involved with neurotrophin signaling in the CNS. We have previously established the role of ARMS in mediating neuronal survival via a neurotrophin-dependent mechanism. Recent reports also have suggested that ARMS is involved with cell signaling in multiple immune cell types. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of ARMS in HIV Tat-mediated microglial cell activation by employing in vitro methods. Following ARMS depletion by a lentivirus encoding ARMS-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA), we observed a marked reduction in the HIV Tat-induced proinflammatory response, associated with loss of tumor necrosis factor alpha production and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation. Furthermore, co-immunoprecipitation studies suggested that ARMS physically interacts with inhibitory kappa B kinase subunits in order to facilitate NF-κB activation. Our results establish the role of ARMS in microglial activation by HIV Tat and warrant additional studies to better understand these molecular mechanisms, which may uncover novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of HAND.
Projection, stereotyping, and the perception of chronic medical conditions.

Objectives: To test the hypotheses that people with chronic medical conditions are more likely than those without chronic medical conditions to project personal characteristics onto the population ...
Altered Book Making as a Form of Art Therapy: A Narrative Approach

Altered book making is a form of art in which people alter an existing book using a variety of materials. In narrative therapy the primary objective is to help clients find stories in their lives that allow them to gain flexibility and insight in their ability to resolve challenges. We show how altered book making can help clients explore their lives for alternative narratives. Clients who engage in the art form are to use the pages in the book to represent narratives in their lives. The exercise of reauthoring a book that already exists symbolizes the parallel possibilities that clients have to reauthor their own lives. The altered book making process also helps therapists facilitate narrative conversations that are otherwise static. Using dominant stories, externalization, and unique outcomes, the therapist may help clients penetrate stories that generate new meaning and alternative stories that clients may then use to resolve their dilemmas.
Social Interaction with the parent during infancy and later intellectual competence in children born preterm

Maternal caregiving and social interaction patterns were assessed for 55 prematurely born infants at 1, 8, and 24 months. Mothers were considered more responsive if they scored above the median on 2 of the 3 home visit observations. Gesell Developmental Schedules were given to the children at 24 months, Stanford‐Binet at age 5 and WISC‐R at age 8 years. At each age period through 8 years, children whose caregivers had been socially responsive in infancy had cognitive scores superior to those of children whose caregivers were less socially responsive in infancy. By age 8 years, being reared in a higher social class home was insufficient by itself, as was a good infant‐mother relationship, to produce high cognitive scores. Both factors were necessary to result in intellectually competent children.
Synergistic image reconstruction for hybrid ultrasound and photoacoustic computed tomography

Conventional photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) image reconstruction methods assume that the object and surrounding medium are described by a constant speed-of-sound (SOS) value. In order to accurately recover fine structures, SOS heterogeneities should be quantified and compensated for during PACT reconstruction. To address this problem, several groups have proposed hybrid systems that combine PACT with ultrasound computed tomography (USCT). In such systems, a SOS map is reconstructed first via USCT. Consequently, this SOS map is employed to inform the PACT reconstruction method. Additionally, the SOS map can provide structural information regarding tissue, which is complementary to the functional information from the PACT image. We propose a paradigm shift in the way that images are reconstructed in hybrid PACT-USCT imaging. Inspired by our observation that information about the SOS distribution is encoded in PACT measurements, we propose to jointly reconstruct the absorbed optical energy density and SOS distributions from a combined set of USCT and PACT measurements, thereby reducing the two reconstruction problems into one. This innovative approach has several advantages over conventional approaches in which PACT and USCT images are reconstructed independently: (1) Variations in the SOS will automatically be accounted for, optimizing PACT image quality; (2) The reconstructed PACT and USCT images will possess minimal systematic artifacts because errors in the imaging models will be optimally balanced during the joint reconstruction; (3) Due to the exploitation of information regarding the SOS distribution in the full-view PACT data, our approach will permit high-resolution reconstruction of the SOS distribution from sparse array data.
You can't force calm: designing and evaluating respiratory regulating interfaces for calming technology

Interactive systems are increasingly being used to explicitly support change in the user's psychophysiological state and behavior. One trend in this vein is systems that support calm breathing habits. We designed and evaluated techniques to support respiratory regulation to reduce stress and increase parasympathetic tone. Our study revealed that auditory guidance was more effective than visual at creating self-reported calm. We attribute this to the users' ability to effectively map sound to respiration, thereby reducing cognitive load and mental exertion. Interestingly, we found that visual guidance led to more respiratory change but less subjective calm. Thus, motivating users to exert physical or mental efforts may counter the calming effects of slow breathing. Designers of calming technologies must acknowledge the discrepancy between mechanical slow breathing and experiential calm in designing future systems.
Environmental surveillance modeling: A predictive respiratory alert model for the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a serious respiratory ailment that affects millions of Americans. Several studies have shown that weather conditions and pollution can increase the occurrence of respiratory distress. The goal of the work described in this paper was to determine if the relationships between environmental variables and admissions rates for COPD were strong enough to enable the development of a surveillance system that could alert the population of potentially hazardous conditions. To conduct this study we obtained data on COPD admissions in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, an area of approximately 33,705 km 2 . The data were coded at the zip code level (approximately 250 km 2 ). We obtained data for weather variables from 6 monitoring stations and used Kriging to estimate their values at the zip code level. We controlled for the effects of influenza in admission rates, although this required smoothing methods to impute missing values. We also controlled for different types of land use. To predict COPD admissions we developed three types of models: generalized linear models (GLM), multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), and random forests. All models showed that temperature or season was a significant (p <; 0.05) predictor for COPD admissions. In terms of predictive accuracy the random forest model provided the best performance measured by the receiver operations characteristic (ROC) and can provide the basis for strategic planning rather than tactical alerting.
Effect of Ambient Temperature on Stress, Deformation and Temperature of Dump Truck Tire

Abstract The influence of the ambient temperature on the stress, deformation and temperature of a dump truck tire has been predicted with the virtual tire model established in this work by employing the finite element method (FEM) and Algor software. The nonlinear stress–strain relationship of tire rubber material has been given by Mooney–Rivlin material model. The hysteresis and loss strain energy density have been related to give the heat generation rate. A two-dimensional (2D) FE model of rolling radial tire has been built in Algor environment according to the actual construction of bridgestone 24.00R35 tire adopted for Caterpillar Earth Mover 775E Model. The model consists of the tread, belt, carcass, air filled volume and tire–rim interface. The material properties of the components and boundary conditions from tire–rim contact and tire–road contact are considered. The mechanical event simulation (MES) with nonlinear material model and the steady-state heat transfer analysis have been performed. The analysis results of the tire stress, deformation and temperature are presented under the ambient temperatures ranging from −40 to 40 °C conditions at the Syncrude mine in Canada. The results show that the effect of the ambient temperature on the tire deformation is larger than on the tire stress. The increase of ambient temperature will cause the tire temperature rise. This study provides a comprehensive modeling and analysis that provide key to avoid tire temperature related failure.
Earthquake prediction and oriented microcracks in rocks

VARIATIONS in the ratio of compressional wave velocities and shear wave velocities, presage some earthquakes1. The ratio first decreases, but just before the earthquake it returns to, or rises above, the original value. An attractive model has been proposed by Nur2. Briefly, he suggested that anelastic expansion of the rock (dilatancy) reduced the velocities. With the subsequent rise of the pore pressure of water, the velocity increases again. The increased pore pressure also weakens the rock, resulting in an earthquake. All that effects the velocity of compressional waves more than the velocity of shear waves, giving the apparent variation in their ratio.
Developing an Adaptive Treatment Strategy for Peer-Related Social Skills for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

The purpose of this study was to understand the trajectories of children's response to an intervention prior to the end of the treatment in order to inform adaptive treatment models for future studies. Participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were drawn from a randomized controlled trial comparing 2 different social skills interventions at children's schools. We excluded children with ASD who entered the study with at least 80% time engaged (the average time of neurotypical children in the same classes) in order to examine only those who were engaged below the typical developing peers' average percentage of time engaged. The final sample included 92 children with ASD (82% male, average age = 8.14 years, average IQ = 89.6). We explored whether playground engagement scores measured at entry and midpoint of treatment predicted their engagement scores at end of treatment using the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) method. Using the CART approach, 4 meaningful subgroups based on children's play...
Attendre: mitigating ill effects of race conditions in openflow via queueing mechanism

According to the specification of the OpenFlow protocol, whenever a flow table entry is absent for any arriving data packet, a packet-in message is sent to the controller. This behaviour results in various types of race conditions in accord with various packet and message orderings. Increased forwarding delay of data packets, increased complexity in performing software verification, and increased load on switch and controller processors are the ill effects of these races.
Atomic motions in NaSn: an unusual molecular semiconductor

Abstract Recent investigations of the Zintl compound NaSn (1:1) show that both fast conduction of Na + ions and rapid reorientations of (Sn 4 ) 4− sub-units occur in the high-temperature solid, α-NaSn. Here 23 Na and 119 Sn NMR used to monitor motions of Na and Sn in the low-temperature solid, β-NaSn, where motions are slower, are reported. Na + motions, evident in 23 Na T 1 −1 , T 1p −1 , T 2 −1 and T 2 &−1 data, are described by a single activated time constant with E ma /k B = 9700 K and ω D (∞) = 1.7 × 10 14 s −1 . Sn motion is evident in 119 Sn T 2 −1 and stimulated-echo data, which show that the Sn motion is thermally activated with E a /k B = 13800 K and ω R (∞) = 2.3 × 10 15 s −1 . 119 Sn stimulated-echo data also demonstrate that the Sn motion is reorientation of Sn 4 tetrahedra; any Sn diffusion between different tetrahedra is much slower.
Photochemistry of K-590 in the Room-Temperature Bacteriorhodopsin Photocycle

The photochemistry of the K-590 intermediate in the room-temperature (RT) bacteriorhodopsin (BR) photocycle (i.e., K-590 back reaction) is examined with picosecond time resolution over the 50 ps to...
Moyamoya disease and cerebral hemorrhage

A case with the clinical, x-ray, and computed tomographic features characteristic of moyamoya disease and a large intracerebral hemorrhage is presented. The recent literature is reviewed, noting current concepts in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this curious disorder. Although much has been written about moyamoya disease and its treatment, it remains a very unusual disorder, particularly in a middle-aged white adult.
Serotonergic and dopaminergic effects on yawning in the cat

Abstract The serotonergic agents LSD (0.01–0.05 mg/kg) and lisuride (0.025 and 0.05 mg/kg) elicited a high frequency of limb flicking in the cat after IP doses; LSD, but not lisuride, elicited a significantly increased frequency of yawning as well. In combination, LSD plus lisuride (0.25 mg/kg each) gave additive frequencies of limb flicking, but the frequency of yawning was half that after LSD alone. The dopamine agonist apomorphine had no significant effect on either yawning or limb flicking over the dose range 0.006 to 3.2 mg/kg. Pretreatment of cats with 1.0 mg/kg of apomorphine (but not with 0.05 mg/kg) significantly reduced the frequency of yawning elicited by 0.01 or 0.025 mg/kg of LSD, but had no effect of limb flicking. The dopamine antagonist haloperidol had no effect on limb flicking at doses from 0.008 to 0.512 mg/kg, but produced a significantly increased frequency of yawning at 0.256 mg/kg, an effect antagonized by lisuride administration. Given that lisuride has more potent dopamine agonist properties than LSD, these results are consistent with serotonergic elicitation of yawning, dopaminergic inhibition of yawning, and with their concomitant interaction in the expression of drug-induced yawning in the cat. The behavioral pharmacologies of limb flicking and yawning are different in this species.
Boron-boric acid complexes in sea-water

Abstract Boron in the Gulf of Mexico, in the forms of total, inorganic and organic complexes, was evaluated using a mannitol titrometric method. Definite correlation between inorganic boron and chlorinity was observed for sea water, both vertically and horizontally, except in the oxygen minimum region. Similar, but less-defined correlation, is found to exist between the organic boron complexes and oxygen distribution. A preliminary investigation using boron-chlorinity ratios for identification of water masses and possible detection of circulatory patterns was made on the deep water of the Caribbean. Data from the Venezuela, Columbia, Cayman, and Gulf basins all showed conservative boron-chloride ratios. Analysis of the data indicates a uniformity of deep basin waters of the American Mediterranean Sea, which suggests the existence of a single source of deep water or uniform mixing between the basins.
A neuroethological theory of the operation of the inferior colliculus.

A general statement of the function of the inferior colliculus is lacking, even after more than three decades of electrophysiological investigation. A neuroethological theory is proposed that accounts
Cubic X-spline Interpolants

R. Smarzewski et A. Bujalska ont etabli des conditions suffisantes pour la convergence de plusieurs classes de X-splines. Pour 2 de ces classes, on montre que les conditions sont aussi necessaires. Pour une 3eme classe on montre une condition suffisante plus generale
Role of the Terminal Pigment Spots of the Starfish, Asterias forbesi , in Light Orientation

IT is generally stated in standard reference and text-books of zoology that, in species where such bodies are present, the terminal pigment bodies (or ‘eye spots’) are necessary for light orientation. In two early studies, Romanes1, in the “starfish”, and Preyer2, in Asterina gibbosa and Asterias glacialis, found that these spots were essential in the positive light responses of these starfish and that without these pigment bodies such responses were lacking. On the other hand, several contradictory reports have also appeared3–5 which emphatically state that positively phototropic responses persist even after the excision of all the eye spots of each ray of Echinaster crassispina, Pentaceros reticulatus and Asterias forbesi. I therefore undertook to check the role of these pigment bodies in light orientation of the common starfish of the North Atlantic coast of North America south of Maine, A. forbesi, as well as to establish a possible chemical basis for light perception.
Mixing in a Closed Room by the Action of Two Fans

The mixing induced by two constant flow rate fans, which vary periodically in direction, is studied as a function of the period of oscillation of the fans
Comparison of chronic and acute effects of morphine sulfate on cardiovascular function.

Abstract Circulatory effects of morphine sulfate on supine anesthetized dogs were investigated to define acute and chronic effects of this drug upon cardiovascular function. Right atrial injection of morphine produced a sustained fall of systemic pressure, cardiac output and heart rate without a significant change in systemic resistance. The mechanism of its efficacy in treatment of acute pulmonary edema may be due to two major factors: (1) peripheral venous pooling of blood resulting in pulmonary decongestion which appears to be a short-lasting effect, and (2) a sustained decrease in left ventricular minute work with no apparent change in myocardial contractility, as demonstrated in this study. N-allylnormorphine abolished the morphineinduced bradycardia but not the reduced cardiac output and systemic pressure.
Choice and percentage reinforcement in pigeons

Pigeons responded on a two-key concurrent chains choice procedure with the same level of percentage reinforcement on each key. During the initial links, a choice response on either key occasionally produced a conditioned reinforcer—which on one key was associated with a 15-sec, and on the other key with a 30-sec, interreinforcement interval—or an extinction stimulus. In Part 1, the initial links were equal. With successive decreases in the probability of a reinforcer, choice shifted from preference for the 15-sec terminal link toward indifference. In Part 2, the initial links were unequal and were arranged so that the shorter initial link preceded the 30-sec terminal link. At a high probability of a reinforcer, the pigeons again preferred the 15-sec terminal link. However, at a low probability, the pigeons reversed and preferred the alternate key. It was concluded that the conditioned reinforcers tended to become functionally equivalent at a low probability of a reinforcer, despite the nominally different interreinforcement intervals, with the result that choice was then modulated by the relative size of the initial links. The data are inconsistent with the view that choice and the strength of conditioned reinforcers are isomorphic with the reduction in delay to reward correlated with terminal link stimuli.