cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparation Method and Final Internal Temperature Influences on Boneless Pork Loin Roast Quality Characteristics

Abstract Nationally pork is selected as a meat choice approximately 25% of the time. Characterizing yield and quality attributes may enhance consumption of lean pork cuts. Yield and quality evaluation of 1.4 kg boneless pork loins (NAMP No. 414) roasted in a 162.8°C conventional oven was completed using a strip split plot experimental design, a two {two internal temperatures (71, 82°C)} × three {three cooking methods {roast, braise, cook in bag}} factorial treatment design and four replications. Dependent variable measurements included yield, color, expressible moisture and objective tenderness (LEE Kramer Shear). Sensory tenderness, juiciness and pork flavor intensity were evaluated using a 15 cm anchored line (1 = less tender, dry and lack of flavor; 15=tender, moist and abundance of flavor). Yield and sensory characteristics were not different for roasts cooked to 71 or 82°C (P
Bosnian and Soviet Refugees' Experiences with Health Care:

Studies of refugees in the United States rarely address health the first few years following resettlement in part because the refugees become subsumed under the foreign-born or immigrant category. A national study reaffirmed the so-called healthy immigrant effect, but fewer sick days and less physician use may actually reflect access problems, economic concerns, and health beliefs or practices that clash with American health care. Because statistics may mask differences in health and why people seek professional care, it is important to combine qualitative and quantitative approaches. This study examined health, illness, and health care use patterns of refugees in Northern California using a database analysis, a medical record review, and an ethnographic study of the Bosnian and former Soviet Union refugee communities. This article describes some ethnographic findings from participant observation, semistructured interviews, and focus groups, with an emphasis on people's experiences with health care, health risk behaviors, and self-care.
Clinical pharmacokinetics of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (zidovudine) and catabolites with formation of a toxic catabolite, 3'-amino-3'-deoxythymidine.

This study investigated pharmacokinetics and metabolism of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (zidovudine) in patients after a 1-hour intravenous infusion of 2.5 mg/kg zidovudine with a radiolabeled tracer amount of [5-3H] -zidovudine. In addition to unchanged drug and its 5′-O-glucuronide (zidovudine glucuronide), two novel catabolites of zidovudine were detected as 3′-amino-3′-deoxythymidine (AMT), and its 5′-O-glucuronide (GAMT). The AMT apparent plasma elimination half-life (2.70 ± 0.7 hours) was longer than that of zidovudine (1.20 ± 0.30 hours) and zidovudine glucuronide (1.60 ± 0.5 hours). The zidovudine/AMT plasma peak concentration and area under the concentration-time curve ratios were approximately 8 and 5, respectively. Urinary recovery of radioactivity was essentially complete within 24 hours. AMT glucuronide was not detected in urine or plasma, and only low levels of this catabolite were detected in bile. In contrast, AMT was not detected in bile. The substantial levels of AMT in the plasma of patients after zidovudine administration suggests that this catabolite may affect the pharmacodynamic properties of zidovudine in relation to its activity against human immunodeficiency virus replication and cytotoxicity to host cells. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1992) 51, 668–676; doi:10.1038/clpt.1992.79
Evaluation of the effectiveness of griseofulvin, tolnaftate, and placebo in the topical therapy of superficial dermatophytoses.

The efficacy of a topical formulation containing 2% micronized griseofulvin applied 3 times daily for 3 weeks was evaluated in patients with superficial dermatophytoses. A double-blind parallel study was designed to compare the formulation to a standard therapy (tolnaftate 1% cream) and a placebo ointment. One of the 3 preparations was assigned at random to a total of 52 subjects. Thirteen of 15 subjects treated with placebo ointment were judged to be treatment failures. Nine of 18 subjects treated with griseofulvin, and 9 of 19 subjects treated with tolnaftate, responded to treatment. Clinical response appeared to be related to the severity of the infection rather than to the anatomical location of the lesions. The results suggest that griseofulvin may be effective following topical application and demonstrate the usefulness of positive and negative controls when evaluating topical antifungal agents.
Susceptibility of Loblolly and Slash Pines to Rhyacionia spp. Oviposition, Injury, and Damage

Oviposition and initial larval feeding (injury) by the Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), and the pitch-pine tip moth, R. rigidana (Fernald), were found on neighboring loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L.; shortleaf pine, P. echinata Mill.; longleaf pine, P. palustris Mill.; and slash pine, P. elliottii Engelm. Shoot and bud killing (damage) occurred mostly on shortleaf and loblolly pines. Studies on loblolly and slash pine showed that differential larval survival following oviposition and initial shoot feeding was responsible for differences in shoot and bud killing.
Differential expression of α2-adrenoceptor vs. imidazoline binding sites in postmortem orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala of depressed subjects

Clonidine is a well established antihypertensive agent that is also used effectively to treat a variety of psychiatric disorders. Clonidine is a prototypic imidazoline compound that acts as an alpha(2)-adrenergic agonist but possesses nearly equivalent affinity for non-adrenergic imidazoline binding sites (I-sites). Receptor autoradiography of [(3)H]-clonidine binding presented herein compares densities of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors and I-sites (under a noradrenergic-mask) in Brodmann's area 47 of the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and in six amygdaloid nuclei of subjects with major depression (n=12) vs. controls with no psychiatric history (n=11). Postmortem diagnoses were made from psychiatric interviews with next-of-kin. [(3)H]-Clonidine binding to alpha(2)-adrenoceptors in each of six OFC layers was lower, although not reaching statistical significance in any one layer by multivariate analysis, in depressives vs. control subjects. Binding to I-sites was conversely higher in depressives compared to control OFC layers, but did not reach statistical significance alone. However, the ratios of alpha(2)-adrenoceptor : I-sites in all six layers of OFC of depressed subjects were nearly half that of control subjects (P<0.008). In amygdalas from a different group of depressed patients there were no changes in alpha(2)-adrenoceptors or I-sites, or their ratios, compared with controls. The results support previous western blot data indicating a cortex-selective shift away from alpha(2)AR towards I-site preponderance in depressed patients.
Responses of neurons in rostral and caudal trigeminal nuclei to tooth pulp stimulation

Abstract Using immobilized, lightly anesthetized cats, the responses of neurons in the nucleus principalis-subnucleus oralis and subnucleus caudalis regions of the sensory trigeminal complex were studied following electrical stimulation of the canine tooth pulp. Recording loci were verified histologically. Pulpal stimulation activated 122 cells in the rostral nuclei and 44 in the caudal one. Neurons in the two, spatially segregated, regions exhibited different, though overlapping distributions of response and receptive field properties. More specifically, the rostral region cells tended to have lower thresholds and to reach peak firing rates at lower stimulus intensities. Their peripheral fields were generally more restricted and more frequently homolateral. Following supra-maximal stimulation, they ordinarily had briefer initial spike latencies and their response bursts typically contained a greater number of spikes. These findings are consistent with the view that each of the regions operates in a different manner in the mediation of oro-facial pain.
Antenna profile of a solar array

Solar Arrays make up a large portion of the surface area for many satellites. This research is the first of a two stage effort in investigating how standardized unaltered cells interact with the RF spectrum from 1 GHz-10 GHz. This publication will also investigate how strings of cells that make up an array perform and address coupling effects. Results from this multi-staged effort in investigating the RF characteristics of solar arrays will help developers to enhance the antenna properties of solar arrays.
Discrimination of methylcytosine from hydroxymethylcytosine in DNA molecules.

Modified DNA bases are widespread in biology. 5-Methylcytosine (mC) is a predominant epigenetic marker in higher eukaryotes involved in gene regulation, development, aging, cancer, and disease. Recently, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (hmC) was identified in mammalian brain tissue and stem cells. However, most of the currently available assays cannot distinguish mC from hmC in DNA fragments. We investigate here the physical properties of DNA with modified cytosines, in efforts to develop a physical tool that distinguishes mC from hmC in DNA fragments. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that polar cytosine modifications affect internal base pair dynamics, while experimental evidence suggest a correlation between the modified cytosine’s polarity, DNA flexibility, and duplex stability. On the basis of these physical differences, solid-state nanopores can rapidly discriminate among DNA fragments with mC or hmC modification by sampling a few hundred molecules in the solution. Further, the relative proportion of hm...
Mobility Patterns of Migrant Farmworkers in North Carolina: Implications for Occupational Health Research and Policy

Occupational health research often relies on longitudinal data to link exposures and health outcomes. Studies of migrant and seasonal farmworker health face special challenges. Farmworkers are difficult to track, and many occupational health outcomes require considerable time to develop. Using data from two longitudinal studies of farmworker health in North Carolina, we: 1) describe migration during one summer (amount, reasons, destinations); and 2) discuss the implications of these patterns for conducting different types of environmental and occupational health research. Approximately 30 percent of farmworkers migrated over the course of the summer. Analysis of specific work sites revealed both in- and out-migration. Work availability and work-related illness were major causes of out-migration. These data suggest that failing to document reasons for migration may result in underestimation of the occupational illnesses and injuries under study. If research on migrant farmworkers is to be used to establish worksite health and safety policies, traditional research designs and data analysis techniques must be adapted to the realities of worker migration.
Transcript analysis of the Halothiobacillus neapolitanus cso operon

Carboxysomes are polyhedral microcompartments that sequester the CO(2)-fixing enzyme ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase in many autotrophic bacteria. Their protein constituents are encoded by a set of tightly clustered genes that are thought to form an operon (the cso operon). This study is the first to systematically address transcriptional regulation of carboxysome protein expression. Quantification of transcript levels derived from the cso operon of Halothiobacillus neapolitanus, the sulfur oxidizer that has emerged as the model organism for carboxysome structural and functional studies, indicated that all cso genes are transcribed, albeit at different levels. Combined with comparative genomic evidence, this study supports the premise that the cso gene cluster constitutes an operon. Characterization of transcript 5'- and 3'-ends and examination of likely regulatory sequences and secondary structure elements within the operon suggested potential strategies by which the vastly different levels of individual carboxysome proteins in the microcompartment could have arisen.
Living God or Cosmic Therapist? Implications of the National Survey of Youth and Religion for Christian Religious Education

Abstract This article responds to sociologist Christian Smith's claim that many teenagers today have lost traditional religious faith and instead espouse a new and erroneous faith in God the “Cosmic Therapist.” The author challenges this claim by comparing two of Smith's chief complaints vis-a-vis teen faith to established portraits of adolescent faith. The comparison reveals that despite differences significant continuities exist between adolescent faith “then” and “now,” a finding that underscores the inherently (but not exclusively) developmental nature of religious faith. The article concludes by affirming Christian Religious Education as a dynamic process of bringing “life to faith and faith to life” with humility, compassion, and hope.
Molecular dynamics simulation of thermal ignition in a reacting hard sphere fluid

Abstract Thermal ignition behavior of a fluid of hard disk particles capable of collision-induced exothermic reactions has been studied by means of molecular dynamics simulation. Critical values of the Frank-Kamenetskii parameter δ have been determined and compared with numerical solutions to the classical model of thermal explosion. Other properties that have been obtained from the simulation are temperature profile and ignition times. Present results show that a discrete system of several hundred particles can show behavior predicted by macroscopic equation; moreover, the simulation approach can provide information on fluctuations which is not contained in the continuum theories.
A taxonomy for lay risk perceptions of dentistry

Objectives: This paper aims to develop and organize a set of variables that can be used to: (1) test the widely held but unproven assumption that lay risk perceptions can adversely affect dental care, (2) investigate the possible influence of lay risk perceptions on dental care, and (3) permit the evaluation of risk communication strategies in dentistry. Methods: We reviewed the literature regarding risk perception and risk communication in health care and technology. We then selected a set of variables that could be measured in a study of the general public and organized these in a taxonomy to suggest likely relationships among the variables. Results: The central relationship of the proposed taxonomy is between a lay person's perception of dental risk and a set of measurable outcomes that could affect that person's dental care. The taxonomy lists three possible influences on the lay person's risk perception: attributes of the individual, attributes of the dental procedure or technology perceived as risky, and attributes of the dental practice. Conclusion: Systematic testing of the proposed variables should demonstrate whether lay risk perceptions substantially influence dental care, and if so, which factors most strongly influence risk perceptions. A model of lay risk perceptions of dentistry then could be developed and strategies could be devised to minimize the detriment, if any, to dental care from risk perception.
Irritable bowel syndrome: Does gender matter?

In industrialized parts of the world, women seek health care services for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) more frequently than men. The role of gender in IBS is likely multifactorial involving inherent physiological differences in gonadal hormones, stress reactivity, and inflammatory responses, as well as sociocultural differences in response to pain and/or bowel pattern changes. This mini-review in particular addresses gender differences in visceral sensitivity, motility, and autonomic nervous system balance as potential factors contributing to gender differences in IBS presentation.
New insights on the function of SCF ubiquitin E3 ligases in the lung

Recent developments in pulmonary cell biology have shown that the maintenance of protein concentrations, proteostasis, is an integral process of all biologic systems. The balance of available protein is the sum total of three key elements of cell metabolism: production by transcription and translation, compartmentalization through processing and sorting, and proteolytic degradation of proteins at any stage of their life-span. Considerable advances are constantly made in each of these three essential fields, and our appreciation for the diversity of mechanisms of protein degradation has expanded greatly in the last decade. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) has emerged as the predominant protein degradation pathway in eukaryotes, with the large cullin-RING family of E3 ligases responsible for ubiquitination of a broad array of proteins to be degraded. The Skip-Cullin-F-box (SCF) ubiquitin E3 ligase superfamily is the largest family of cullin-RING ligases, with interchangeable F-box proteins orchestrating the trafficking proteins for ubiquitination and degradation. We will discuss the best characterized and most recent developments in the role of this intriguing family of proteins in normal physiology and disorders of the lungs.
On the role of shear mixing during transient coastal upwelling

Abstract A two-dimensional two-layer model for wind-driven transient coastal upwelling is formulated. The momentum equations include the turbulent dynamics and the time-dependent and nonlinear terms in both the cross- and along-shore directions. The continuity and heat equations allow mass and heat turbulent transfer between both layers. The integral form of the momentum, continuity and heat equations are closed using a two-regime parameterization for the entrainment velocity. In the first regime, corresponding to the early stages of upwelling, the interface quickly raises due to flux divergence near the coast. The entrainment velocity is small (0.1-1 m day −1 , largely produced through K raus and T urner's [(1967) Tellus , 19 , 98–106] slow erosion of the thermocline, and it is estimated using N iiler and K raus ' [(1977) In: Modelling and prediction of the upper layers of the ocean , Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp. 143–172] parameterization. When the bulk Richardson number ( Ri ) becomes close to its critical value then we switch to the second regime, during which we calculate the entrainment velocity from the continuity equation under the condition that Ri remains near-critical, i.e. the equivalent of P ollard et al. [(1973) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics , 4 , 381–404] stability criterion for the upper ocean. The entrainment velocity quickly becomes large (several m h −1 ), the interface deepens and stratification is eroded. The existence of this regime is supported by observations of persistent near-critical gradient Richardson numbers ( Ri g ) during coastal upwelling [J ohnson (1981) In: Coastal upwelling , American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC., pp. 79–86; J ohnson et al. (1976) Journal of Physical Oceanography , 6 , 556–574; K undu and B eardsley , (1991) Journal of Geophysical Research , 96 , 4855–4868]. Our model is applied to several initial temperature differences between the surface and bottom layers, with the upper layer depth and forcing parameters realistically chosen. The dynamically important mixing regime corresponds to the second regime, with effective shear-induced mixing being produced through a strong baroclinic coastal jet. A realistic front, formed between the well-mixed water near the coast and lighter offshore surface water, propagates away from the coast. The offshore waters are characterized by the presence of inertial oscillations, overlying the Ekman flow. The inertial oscillations are too weak to produce any significant mixing, but a comparison with de S zoeke and R ichman's [(1984) Journal of Physical Oceanography , 14 , 364–377] semigeostrophic model (modified to include the shear-mixing regime) shows that they are important enough to exert some control on the horizontal volume flux divergence near the coast. A relatively fast internal Poincare wave, propagating from the coast, has the effect of slowly dampening the inertial oscillations. The results are in good qualitative agreement with early observations by J ohnson et al. (1976).
Modeling and design of antennas for RF wireless systems

Antennas are an important subcomponent for radio frequency (RF) wireless systems-oftentimes, performance improvements in the several dB range can be achieved by optimizing antenna design and position, which are very difficult to achieve with modifications to a radio. Antennas for RF wireless systems include portable RF remote antennas, for example for cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, and local-area network (LAN), wide-area network (WAN), and personal-area network (PAN) adapters for laptop computers, and base station antennas for these applications. Antennas for systems such as these have stringent cost, performance, and form factor specifications. This paper discusses the modeling and design of antennas for these applications, specifically a method of moments modeling tool which has been developed, special concerns in antenna design for portable RF remotes, and design of base station antennas.
Linking commercial success of tour operators and agencies to conservation and community benefits in Costa Rica.

Throughout the world tourism is a tool for economic growth, conservation and improved quality of life for local residents, yet negative environmental impacts and economic leakages are common. Since the impacts of tourism are variable, it is important to understand which businesses are providing conservation and community benefits. Commercial success is often cited as an important determinant of sustainable behaviour, however, little research examines relationships between commercial success and provision of conservation and community benefits. Tour operators (businesses that organize and run tours) and agencies (businesses that sell tours operated by others) offering nature-based tours and travel services in Costa Rica were surveyed to answer the following questions: is commercial success in tourism ventures associated with conservation behaviour and the provision of benefits to local communities? If so, what factors are most associated with commercial success? Commercially successful entrepreneurs provided environmental education to visitors, supported conservation groups or initiatives, reduced, reused and/or recycled waste, used environmentally friendly equipment, and built formal partnerships with community members. Typically, these entrepreneurs had larger businesses, greater perceived success (relative to other similar businesses), and more growth (both in terms of visitors and employees). However, the extent to which entrepreneurs educated and employed local people, purchased supplies locally, and patronized local hotels and lodges was not related to commercial success. Overall, a relationship existed between an entrepreneur's level of commercial success and the provision of conservation benefits, but there was little evidence supporting a relationship between commercial success and community benefits. Nevertheless, most tourism businesses reported that they do provide benefits to local communities regardless of their level of commercial success. Therefore, in a country like Costa Rica, with a long history of using tourism as a conservation and community development tool, this study showed that tourism can benefit the environment and local people.
The C. elegans F-box/WD-repeat protein LIN-23 functions to limit cell division during development

In multicellular eukaryotes, a complex program of developmental signals regulates cell growth and division by controlling the synthesis, activation and degradation of G(1) cell cycle regulators. Here we describe the lin-23 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans, which is required to restrain cell proliferation in response to developmental cues. In lin-23 null mutants, all postembryonic blast cells undergo extra divisions, creating supernumerary cells that can differentiate and function normally. In contrast to the inability to regulate the extent of blast cell division in lin-23 mutants, the timing of initial cell cycle entry of blast cells is not affected. lin-23 encodes an F-box/WD-repeat protein that is orthologous to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene MET30, the Drosophila melanogaster gene slmb and the human gene betaTRCP, all of which function as components of SCF ubiquitin-ligase complexes. Loss of function of the Drosophila slmb gene causes the growth of ectopic appendages in a non-cell autonomous manner. In contrast, lin-23 functions cell autonomously to negatively regulate cell cycle progression, thereby allowing cell cycle exit in response to developmental signals.
Circuit reliability: from physics to architectures

In the period of extreme CMOS scaling, reliability issues are becoming a critical problem. These problems include issues related to device reliability, in the form of bias temperature instability, hot carrier injection, time-dependent dielectric breakdown of gate oxides, as well as interconnect reliability concerns such as electromigration and TSV stress in 3D integrated circuits. This tutorial surveys these effects, and discusses methods for mitigating them at all levels of design.
Modeling MESFETs for intermodulation analysis of resistive FET mixers

This paper describes a new method for calculating intermodulation distortion in resistive FET mixers. By utilizing an expression for the I/V characteristics of the MESFET device whose parameters are fitted to the static I/V and its derivatives, this model accurately predicts distortion and is the first of its kind to be shown valid for resistive FET mixers. >
Chemoselective Immobilization of Proteins by Microcontact Printing and Bio-orthogonal Click Reactions

Herein, a combination of microcontact printing of functionalized alkanethiols and site-specific modification of proteins is utilized to chemoselectively immobilize proteins onto gold surfaces, either by oxime- or copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide click chemistry. Two molecules capable of click reactions were synthesized, an aminooxy-functionalized alkanethiol and an azide-functionalized alkanethiol, and self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation on gold was confirmed by IR spectroscopy. The alkanethiols were then individually patterned onto gold surfaces by microcontact printing. Site-specifically modified proteins-horse heart myoglobin (HHMb) containing an N-terminal α-oxoamide and a red fluorescent protein (mCherry-CVIA) with a C-terminal alkyne-were immobilized by incubation onto respective stamped functionalized alkanethiol patterns. Pattern formation was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy.
5‐Hydroxytryptamine1B/1D and 5‐hydroxytryptamine1F receptors inhibit capsaicin‐induced c‐fos immunoreactivity within mouse trigeminal nucleus caudalis

In order to investigate the c-fos response within the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (Sp5C) after noxious meningeal stimulation, capsaicin (0.25, 0.5, 1 and 5 nmol) was administered intracisternally in urethane (1 g/kg) and α-chloralose (20 mg/kg) anaesthetized male mice. Capsaicin induced a robust and dose-dependent c-fos-like immunoreactivity (c-fos LI) within Sp5C. C-fos LI was observed within laminae I and II of the entire brain stem from the area postrema to C2 level, being maximum at the decussatio pyramidum level. The area postrema, solitary tract, medullary and lateral reticular nuclei were also labelled. The 5-hydroxytryptamine1B/1D/1F receptor agonist sumatriptan (0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg), administered intraperitoneally 15 min before capsaicin stimulation (1 nmol), decreased the c-fos response within Sp5C, but not within solitary tract. The novel specific 5-hydroxytryptamine1F agonist LY 344864 (0.1 and 1 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly decreased the c-fos LI within the Sp5C as well. These findings su...
Involving stakeholders in determining professional development center attendance policies

Professional development opportunities are an important aspect of teacher development and should be embraced by both teachers and school leaders in a collaborative effort. Unfortunately, certain professional development events are plagued with high absenteeism rates. At a regional inservice center in the South (USA), high absenteeism was targeted as requiring immediate administrative attention. Thus, the members of the governing board and the director of the center engaged in an action research plan to combat the problem. Over the course of a summer program, the no‐show rate (average number of participants who registered for a workshop yet did not attend) was tracked in 62 independent workshops. Considerations such as time of day, location, workshop topic, and teaching level of teacher were analyzed, yielding nonsignificant results and no discernible patterns. Instead, a pattern of chronic absenteeism for some individuals, in certain school systems, was noted. Using this data, an action plan was devised. Suggestions included increased marketing, communication with individual no‐show offenders, and communication with school leaders from targeted systems.
Management of metastatic ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor with sporadic multinodular goiter: a case report and literature review.

Information regarding treatment for patients with metastatic ovarian Sertoli–Leydig cell tumor (SLCT) has been extremely limited. We report a young woman whose stage IA, poorly differentiated SLCT was initially managed surgically 9 months earlier, and who presented with extensively metastatic SLCT. She had a dramatic response to the combination of bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin followed by stem cell transplantation and surgery, and has shown no evidence of disease recurrence for 8 months postoperatively. The patient was also found to have sporadic non-toxic multinodular goiter, which has not changed over the treatment course as mentioned. A review of the literature concerning the management of metastatic ovarian SLCT, along with its coexistence with multinodular goiter, is presented.
The nature and consequences of fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome, the leading known inherited cause of mental retardation and developmental disabilities, is caused by a trinucleotide repeat expansion in the 5′ untranslated region of the FMR1 gene in Xq27.3 Research during the pat five years has documented the genetic abnormalities that cause this syndrome and described the impairments, disabilities, and disadvantages asslociated with it. Future research is needed to foucs on genetics and neurobiology, screening and early identification, biomedical treatments, psychoeducational interventions, and family adaptation and support. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Longitudinal Biomarker for the Extent of Skin Disease in Patients With Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis

Objective To define a pharmacodynamic biomarker based on gene expression in skin that would provide a biologic measure of the extent of disease in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) and could be used to monitor skin disease longitudinally. Methods Skin biopsy specimens obtained from a cohort of patients with dcSSc (including longitudinal specimens) were analyzed by microarray. Expression of genes correlating with the modified Rodnan skin thickness score (MRSS) were examined for change over time using a NanoString platform, and a generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to define and validate longitudinally measured pharmacodynamic biomarkers composed of multiple genes. Results Microarray analysis of genes parsed to include only those correlating with the MRSS revealed prominent clusters of profibrotic/transforming growth factor β–regulated, interferon-regulated/proteasome, macrophage, and vascular marker genes. Using genes changing longitudinally with the MRSS, we defined 2 multigene pharmacodynamic biomarkers. The first was defined mathematically by applying a GEE to longitudinal samples. This modeling method selected cross-sectional THBS1 and longitudinal THBS1 and MS4A4A. The second model was based on a weighted selection of genes, including additional genes that changed statistically significantly over time: CTGF, CD163, CCL2, and WIF1. In an independent validation data set, biomarker levels calculated using both models correlated highly with the MRSS. Conclusion Skin gene expression can be used effectively to monitor changes in SSc skin disease over time. We implemented 2 relatively simple models on a NanoString platform permitting highly reproducible assays that can be applied directly to samples from patients or collected as part of clinical trials.
Police Sexual Misconduct: Arrested Officers and Their Victims

AbstractPolice sexual misconduct encompasses a range of acts from less serious noncriminal behaviors to more egregious criminal behaviors including police sexual violence. Victims of sex crimes are often reluctant to report sexual abuse when the offender is a police officer. The study provides empirical data on 771 sex-related arrest cases from 2005 to 2008 of 555 sworn officers at 449 nonfederal law enforcement agencies across the United States. The study identifies and describes incidents where officers were arrested for sex crimes through a quantitative content analysis of published newspaper articles and court records. Findings focus on arrested officers and their victims.
Prediction of the tertiary structure of the α‐subunit of tryptophan synthase

The tertiary structure of the α-subunit of tryptophan synthase was proposed using a combination of experimental data and computational methods. The vacuum-ultraviolet circular dichroism spectrum was used to assign the protein to the α/β-class of supersecondary structures. The two-domain structure of the α-subunit (Miles et al.: Biochemistry 21:2586, 1982; Beasty and Matthews: Biochemistry 24:3547, 1985) eliminated consideration of a barrel structure and focused attention on a β-sheet structure. An algorithm (Cohen et al.: Biochemistry 22:4894, 1983) was used to generate a secondary structure prediction that was consistent with the sequence data of the α-subunit from five species. Three potential secondary structures were then packed into tertiary structures using other algorithms. The assumption of nearest neighbors from second-site revertant data eliminated 97% of the possible tertiary structures; consideration of conserved hydrophobic packing regions on the β-sheet eliminated all but one structure. The native structure is predicted to have a parallel β-sheet flanked on both sides by α-helices, and is consistent with the available data on chemical cross-linking, chemical modification, and limited proteolysis. In addition, an active site region containing appropriate residues could be identified as well as an interface for β2-subunit association. The ability of experimental data to facilitate the prediction of protein structure is discussed.
Secondary organic aerosol production from modern diesel engine emissions

Abstract. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) production was observed at significant levels in a series of modern diesel exhaust (DE) aging experiments conducted at the European Outdoor Photoreactor/Simulation Chamber (EUPHORE). The greatest production occurred in DE with toluene addition experiments (>40%), followed by DE with HCHO (for OH radical generation) experiments. A small amount of SOA (3%) was observed for DE in dark with N2O5 (for NO3 radical production) experiments. The analysis for a limited number (54) of polar organic compounds (POC) was conducted to assess the composition of modern DE and the formation of photochemical transformation products. Distinct POC formation in light versus dark experiments suggests the role of OH initiated reactions in these chamber atmospheres. A trend of increasing concentrations of dicarboxylic acids in light versus dark experiments was observed when evaluated on a compound group basis. The four toluene addition experiments in this study were performed at different [tol]o/[NOx]o ratios and displayed an average SOA %yield (in relation to toluene) of 5.3±1.6%, which is compared to past chamber studies that evaluated the impact of [tol]o/[NOx]o on SOA production in more simplified mixtures.
Changes in Retail Prices of Prescription Dermatologic Drugs From 2009 to 2015

Importance Physicians from many specialties as well as primary care prescribe dermatologic medications; as insurance formularies become increasingly restrictive and more patients are covered with high-deductible insurance plans, many patients are forced to pay high retail prices to obtain their medications. Objectives To determine the changes in the prices of commonly prescribed dermatologic medications since 2009 and to identify trends in price increases for different classes of drugs. Design, Setting, and Participants Four national chain pharmacies received surveys requesting price data on commonly prescribed dermatologic drugs in 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2015. The initial survey requested information on 72 brand-name drugs. Subsequent surveys increased to eventually include 120 additional brand-name drugs and their generic alternatives when available. Owing to the frequency of prescription, diseases treated, or unusual price increases, 19 brand-name drugs surveyed in all 4 years were selected for final price trend analysis, which was conducted from August 1 to 15, 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures Retail prices of topical and systemic drugs for the treatment of various dermatologic conditions. Results Prices of surveyed brand-name drugs increased rapidly between 2009 and 2015. Of the 19 brand-name drugs analyzed, the retail prices of 7 drugs more than quadrupled during the study period. Among these 19 drugs, the mean price increase was 401% during the 6-year survey period, with the majority of the price increases occurring after 2011. Prices of topical antineoplastic drugs had the greatest mean absolute and percentage increase ($10 926.58 [1240%]). Prices of drugs in the antiinfective class had the smallest mean absolute increase ($333.99); prices of psoriasis medications had the smallest mean percentage increase (180%). Prices of acne and rosacea medications increased a mean of 195%, and prices of topical corticosteroids increased a mean of 290% during the study period. Selected generic drugs surveyed in 2011 and 2014 also increased a mean of 279% during the 3-year period. Conclusions and Relevance The price of prescription dermatologic drugs rose considerably from 2009 to 2015, with the vast majority of price increases occurring after 2011. Percent increases for multiple, frequently prescribed medications greatly outpaced inflation, national health expenditure growth, and increases in reimbursements for physician services.
Regional Blackness: Regional Differences in African American Views on Racial Progress and Government Assistance

Since the end of the Civil Rights Movement, survey data has shown African Americans have become increasingly disillusioned with racial progress while also declining in their support for government assistance. Leading explanations for these changes in black public opinion include increasing intra-group socio-economic inequality, a generational gap, and declining radical black leadership. I posit that disaggregating black public opinion data by region may reveal starker intra-group differences than what is discovered with use of a typical South/Non-South dummy variable. Regional differences in African American political, social, and economic development, may affect how blacks view racial progress and social policies. Using American National Election Survey (ANES) data from 1967 to 2008, with a sample of 2,000 black respondents, I evaluate the extent to which one’s region of residence impacts their perceptions of racial progress and government assistance. The results indicate that the salience of individual level socio-demographic factors such as income and education varies by region for African Americans. I also find that African Americans in the midwestern region are more likely to be disillusioned about racial progress and more likely to support government assistance than blacks living in other regions. African Americans living in the southern region of the country are the most resistant to government assistance. In closing I discuss the implications of regional differences in black public opinion for the future development of a national black agenda, local African American mobilization strategies, and use of the traditional South/Non-South dichotomy.
A Stocktaking and Plan for a Fed-less Future

The essays contained in this volume have portrayed the Federal Reserve in a less than favorable light. In particular, they have pointed to both deficiencies in the theory guiding the Fed’s operations and the venerated institution’s historical record.
Domestic Food Pricing Policy, Food Aid and the Food Crisis in Africa

Multiple regression techniques are employed to examine the impacts of domestic food pricing policy, food aid, and food imports on domestic food production in sub-Saharan Africa. It is found that agricultural input factors: fertilizers, arable lands devoted to domestic cereal production and the general productivity of the land under cultivation, exert the most significant impacts on domestic food production. On the other hand, the policy variables of interest: price control, food aid and food importation, were found to exert insignificant impacts. A major implication of these findings is that, in the short run, African governments may do well to concentrate their efforts in improving, enriching and expanding the arable lands devoted to domestic food production, other things being equal. Over the long term, innovative manpower development programs, especially those relating to women, and less dependence on the vagaries of climatic conditions, on food aid and food imports may become essential. In addition, A...
Polymer Directed Self-Assembly of pH-Responsive Antioxidant Nanoparticles

We have developed pH-responsive, multifunctional nanoparticles based on encapsulation of an antioxidant, tannic acid (TA), using flash nanoprecipitation, a polymer directed self-assembly method. Formation of insoluble coordination complexes of tannic acid and iron during mixing drives nanoparticle assembly. Tuning the core material to polymer ratio, the size of the nanoparticles can be readily tuned between 50 and 265 nm. The resulting nanoparticle is pH-responsive, i.e., stable at pH 7.4 and soluble under acidic conditions due to the nature of the coordination complex. Further, the coordination complex can be coprecipitated with other hydrophobic materials such as therapeutics or imaging agents. For example, coprecipitation with a hydrophobic fluorescent dye creates fluorescent nanoparticles. In vitro, the nanoparticles have low cytotoxicity and show antioxidant activity. Therefore, these particles may facilitate intracellular delivery of antioxidants.
TOXMAP: a GIS-based gateway to environmental health resources.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has an extensive collection of environmental health information, including bibliographic and technical data on hazardous chemical substances, in its TOXNET databases. TOXNET also provides access to the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA)'s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data, which covers release of specific chemicals via air, water, and land, and by underground injection, as reported by industrial facilities around the United States. NLM has developed a Web-based geographic information system (GIS), TOXMAP , which allows users to create dynamic maps that show where TRI chemicals are released and that provides direct links to information about the chemicals in TOXNET. By extracting the associated regional geographic text terms from the displayed map (e.g., rivers, towns, county, state), TOXMAP also provides customized chemical and/or region-specific searches of NLM's bibliographic biomedical resources. This paper focuses on TOXMAP's features, data accuracy issues, challenges, user feedback techniques, and future directions.
An indexed set of density bounds on lattice packings

It has long been known that the admissibility of a lattice Г with respect to a symmetric convex bodyB is equivalent to Г being a packing lattice for 1/2B. This fact is the basis of the interplay between the classical theory of the arithmetic minima of positive definite quadratic forms, on the one hand, and the dense lattice packing of spheres inR n , on the other.
Fiscal Transfers, State Building, and Regime Resilience: Poverty Alleviation and Development in Xinjiang

How does government goods provision contribute to political survival? While much of the literature has mostly suggested that distributive allocations maintain or alter recipients' political preferences to the advantage of the incumbent, I argue that selective delivery of infrastructure-oriented resources may also bolster the incumbent's power by extending central state's control in peripheral areas. Using a unique county-level dataset of poverty-reduction transfers in Xinjiang between 1994 and 2000, I find that, while the central government in Beijing concentrated subsidies in poor counties, these transfers only increased the size of government and altered the ethnic composition to reduce the demographic dominance of the Uyghurs. Contrary to Beijing's claim, these subsidies appeared to fail to improve the economic well-being in Xinjiang. Furthermore, there is also evidence that shows entrenched central control over the allocation of poverty aid in Xinjiang. Together, the findings corroborate the notion of "buying capacity" of distributive politics.
Novel adaptive semi-blind multiuser detection algorithm based on LMS

From the foundation of the investigation on the least mean square(LMS) blind multiuser detection,an adaptive semi-blind multiuser detection algorithm based on the subspace constrained LMS is proposed for multicarrier CDMA(MC-CDMA) uplink.A semi-blind multiuser detector based on the minimum output energy(MOE) principle is designed,and a subspace constrained LMS algorithm is proposed to obtain the MOE weight vector adaptively.To reduce the computational complexity,an improved projection approximation subspace tracking with deflation(PASTd) algorithm is adopted for adaptive signal subspace estimation.This proposed algorithm suppresses the interferers by exploiting the spreading sequences of all known users and mitigates the noise by constraining the weight vector in the signal subspace.As a result,the performance of the output signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio(SINR) and the bit error rate(BER) is improved.Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Pathways from neighborhood to neglect: The mediating effects of social support and parenting stress

Neighborhood social cohesion relates to common bonds and feelings of trust between neighbors. The everyday demands of caregiving can take a toll on parents and increase their levels of stress and in some cases can lead to maltreatment. The current study seeks to understand how the support networks of parents relate to child maltreatment. Specifically, using structural equation modeling path analysis and a sample of 1045 families from Franklin County, Ohio, we examine the direct relationship between neighborhood social cohesion and child neglect as well as the indirect relationship between the two, mediated by social support and parenting stress. We find no significant direct association between neighborhood social cohesion and neglect. However, we find important indirect effects. Specifically, parents who reported higher levels of neighborhood social cohesion had higher levels of social support, lower levels of parenting stress, and consequently, lower levels of neglect.