cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Right-left asymmetrics in the brain

Structural asymmetries between the hemispheres are found in the human brain. Asymmetries in the auditory regions and in the Sylvian fissures are present even in the fetus. The Sylvian asymmetries may have existed in Neanderthal man and are found consistently in some apes. They may relate to right-left differences infunction. Thus, the striking auditory asymmetries could underlie language lateralization. The asymmetries in the frontal and occipital lobes and the lateral ventricles are correlated with hand preference. Anatomical asymmetries may help to explain the range of human talents, recovery from acquired disorders of language function, certain childhood learning disabilities, some dementing illnesses of middle life, and the evidence for behavioral lateralization in nonhuman primates.
Strategies and rationales for the de novo design of a helical hairpin peptide

The de novo design of alpha t alpha, a helical hairpin peptide, is described, alpha t alpha (alpha-helix/turn/alpha-helix) was developed to provide a model system for protein folding at the level of secondary structure association and stabilization. According to the prevailing models of protein folding, the second step in the folding process is the association and stabilization of secondary structural elements or microdomains. A brief description of the design, along with CD and NMR evidence confirming the conformation of the peptide in solution, has been published (Fezoui Y, Weaver DL, Osterhout JJ, 1994, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 91:3675-3679). The present work includes a full description of the design process, including the trade-offs that were made during the development of the peptide, a discussion of recent experimental results that were not available at the time of the original design, indications of areas where, in retrospect, the design might have been done differently, and a discussion of how the present work fits into the field of de novo protein design.
Hysterectomy-Induced Alterations in Prolactin Secretion of Lactating Rats*

The contribution of the uterus to the regulation of PRL secretion in lactating dams and cycling female rats was investigated. Lactating animals were hysterectomized or sham operated 2 days after parturition, and the number of pups was adjusted to eight. Blood samples for PRL RIA were obtained through intra-atrial cannulae implanted 2 days before experimentation. In order to study the PRL secretory profile in undisturbed freely lactating rats, blood samples were taken every 2 h for 24 h starting at 1400 h. During early lactation (days 7–8), hysterectomy did not alter the PRL secretory profile compared to that of sham-operated controls. On days 14–15 post partum, PRL secretion followed a characteristic bimodal pattern showing two PRL surges at 1800 h and 0600 h. After hysterectomy, the early morning PRL surge disappeared and PRL secretion showed an unimodal daily rhythm reaching its peak at 1800 h. The possible effect of the absence of the uterus on sucklinginduced PRL release at various stages of lactation...
Electrophilic substitution of furo[3,2‐c] pyridine

Furo[3,2-c] pyridine (I) was nitrated to give 2-nitrofuro[3,2-c]pyridine (II). Bromination and chlorination of I gave, respectively, 2,3-dibromo-2,3-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]pyridine (III) and 2,3-dichloro-2,3-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]pyridine (IV). Oxidation of I with hydrogen peroxide afforded furo[3,2-c]pyridine 5-oxide (V) which was converted to I by phosphorus trichloride and to 4-chlorofuro[3,2-c]pyridine (VI) by phosphorus oxychloride.
A string pattern matching extension to Pascal and some comparisons with SNOBOL4

This paper presents an extension of Pascal with string pattern matching. Pattern definitions are built using six basic operations: alternation, concatenation, immediate value assignment, intersection, difference and complement. The last three have not been previously implemented and they increase the expressive power beyond context-free languages. The pattern matching actions are augmented with three options: trace, prefix and suffix. Comparisons with a SNOBOL4 implementation are also presented. This experiment demonstrates that Pascal with pattern matching is a useful tool for string processing applications.
The Intergovernmental Regime and Public Policy in Hartford, Connecticut

Regime theorists have not included state government as a member of urban governing coalitions even though governors and state legislatures have the constitutional authority and fiscal resources tha...
Effects of acute ethanol administration and chronic stress exposure on social investigation and 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in adolescent and adult male Sprague–Dawley rats

Adolescents drink largely in social situations, likely in an attempt to facilitate social interactions. This study sought to examine alterations in the incentive salience of a social stimulus following repeated stress exposure and acute ethanol administration in adolescent and adult male Sprague–Dawley rats. Subjects were either exposed to 5 days of restraint stress, chronic variable stress (CVS), which consisted of a different stressor every day, or non-stressed. On test day, the animals were injected with 0, 0.25, 0.5, or 0.75 g/kg ethanol and placed in a social approach test in which they could see, hear, and smell a social conspecific, but could not physically interact with it. All the animals showed an interest in the social stimulus, with adolescents engaging in more social investigation than adults. Restraint stressed adults showed ethanol-induced increases in social investigation, while ethanol effects were not seen in any other group. An ethanol-associated increase in 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalization (USV) production was only evident in restraint stressed adolescents following 0.75 g/kg ethanol. 50 kHz USVs were not correlated with time spent investigating the social stimulus in any test condition. These results show that age differences in the facilitatory effects of ethanol on incentive salience of social stimuli are moderated by stress, with the facilitation of social approach by ethanol only evident in restraint stressed adults.
Isolation, Loading and Estimating the Poroelastic Properties of a Single Osteon

Determining the poroelastic properties of osteons is critical to better understand the role of fluid flow in the nutrition, mechanotransduction, remodeling, homeostasis and loss of bone. The permeability of single osteons is among the key properties that may influence these phenomena. The measurement of permeability of a single osteon remains one of the most demanding tasks in bone mechanics to be developed. Two associated challenges are the size of the osteon and the absence of appropriate tools and methods to perform such measurement. In this communication, we present the development of a new procedure to isolate osteons, the design of a mechanism for loading an osteon and the comparison of the stress relaxation test in unconfined compression experiment with the analytical results for a compressible transverse isotropy model that we previously reported in Gailani and Cowin [1]. These experimentally determined values of permeability and mechanical properties have shown reasonable agreement with the previously reported experimentally and theoretically estimated values.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP) Structural Layout Tool

A development version of the structural analysis module in Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP) has been applied to the conceptual design of a representative transport aircraft wing with an intermediate objective of providing structural user feedback for VSP development purposes. The end objective of the project, however, is to develop finite element method (FEM) based mass property estimation methodologies that should permit higher-fidelity mass estimates than are currently possible with current mass estimation techniques. The paper summarizes results of a NASA supported evaluation of VSP structural layout tools for rapid development of conceptual-level FEM models. The target FEM program is CalculiX, an open source 3-D FEM program from the Free Software Foundation. Application, however, is not limited to CalculiX; solutions have also been obtained using Abaqus, a commercially available FEM program.
COMPARISON OF PIONEER 10, VOYAGER 1, AND VOYAGER 2 ULTRAVIOLET OBSERVATIONS WITH ANTI-SOLAR LYMAN-ALPHA BACKSCATTER SIMULATIONS

Observations made by ultraviolet (UV) detectors on board Pioneer 10, Voyager 1, and Voyager 2 can be used to analyze the distribution of neutral hydrogen throughout the heliosphere, including the interaction regions of the solar wind and local interstellar medium. Previous studies of the long-term trend of decreasing intensity with increasing heliocentric distance established the need for more sophisticated heliospheric models. Here we use state-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) neutral models to simulate Lyman-alpha backscatter as would be seen by the three spacecrafts, exploiting a new 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code under solar minimum conditions. Both observations and simulations of the UV backscatter intensity are normalized for each spacecraft flight path at {approx}15 AU, and we focus on the slope of decreasing intensity over an increasing heliocentric distance. Comparisons of simulations with Voyager 1 Lyman-alpha data results in a very close match, while the Pioneer 10 comparison is similar due to normalization, but not considered to be in agreement. The deviations may be influenced by a low resolution of photoionization in the 3D MHD-neutral model, a lack of solar cycle activity in our simulations, and possibly issues with instrumental sensitivity. Comparing the slope of Voyager 2 and the simulatedmore » intensities yields an almost identical match. Our results predict a large increase in the Lyman-alpha intensity as the hydrogen wall is approached, which would signal an imminent crossing of the heliopause.« less
Improving Advising through the Use of Cognitive Style.

In recent years there has been an increased interest in cognitive style as a way in which learning might be more individualized. Cognitive style, which has its roots in the work of Tolman, MacFarlane, Witkin and other cognitive psychologists, also relies heavily upon some of the concepts of the Gestaltists like Lewin and typologists like Jung. The genesis of cognitive style cannot be adequately presented in this brief paper, it can be said however, cognitive style refers to the different ways in which individuals collect and organize information into useful knowledge.
A Model for Neuronal Competition During Development

We report that developmental competition between sympathetic neurons for survival is critically dependent on a sensitization process initiated by target innervation and mediated by a series of feedback loops. Target-derived nerve growth factor (NGF) promoted expression of its own receptor TrkA in mouse and rat neurons and prolonged TrkA-mediated signals. NGF also controlled expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-4, which, through the receptor p75, can kill neighboring neurons with low retrograde NGF-TrkA signaling whereas neurons with high NGF-TrkA signaling are protected. Perturbation of any of these feedback loops disrupts the dynamics of competition. We suggest that three target-initiated events are essential for rapid and robust competition between neurons: sensitization, paracrine apoptotic signaling, and protection from such effects.
A randomized controlled trial of a regular diet as the first meal in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing intraabdominal surgery.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of a regular diet as the first meal after intraabdominal surgery in gynecologic oncology patients. METHODS: During a 20-month period, 254 gynecologic oncology patients undergoing intraabdominal surgery were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a clear liquid diet compared with a regular diet as the first postoperative meal. All patients received their first meal on the first postoperative day in the absence of nausea, vomiting, or symptomatic abdominal distension. Standard criteria for discharge were used for all study patients. RESULTS: The clear liquid and the regular diet groups were similar in age, disease, surgical procedure distribution, surgery length, and estimated blood loss. The incidence of nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention, frequency and duration of nasogastric tube use, passage of flatus before discharge, and percentage of patients who tolerated their diets on the first attempt were comparable for both groups. For those patients who were intolerant of the first attempt at either a clear liquid or regular diet, the time to tolerance was comparable for both groups. The time to development of bowel sounds, passage of flatus, and hospital stay were comparable for both groups. Febrile morbidity, pneumonia, wound complications, and atelectasis occurred equally in both groups. There were no known anastamotic complications or aspirations in either group. Postoperative changes in hematologic indices and electrolytes were comparable in both groups. CONCLUSION: A regular diet as the first meal after intraabdominal surgery in gynecologic oncology patients is safe and efficacious.
Microbiology and Management of Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a clinical syndrome of ischemic necrosis of the bowel of multiple etiological factors that include the presence of intestinal ischemia, abnormal bacterial flora, and intestinal mucosal immaturity. Numerous reports have implied that the fecal microflora may contribute to the pathogenesis of NEC. A broad range of organisms generally found in the distal gastrointestinal tract have been recovered from the peritoneal cavity and blood of infants with NEC. The predominant organisms include Enterobacteriaceae (i.e., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) , Clostridium spp., enteric pathogens (salmonellae, Coxsackie B2 virus, coronavirus, rotavirus), and potential pathogens (Bacteroides fragilis). The goals of the initial management is preventing ongoing damage, restoring hemostasis, and minimizing complications. Medical management includes withholding oral feeding, placement of nasogastric tube, abdominal decompression, paracentesis, vigorous intravenous hydration containing electrolytes and calories, support of the circulation, administration of antibiotics, and surveillance for deterioration or complications that require surgical intervention. Indications for surgery include clinical deterioration, perforation, peritonitis, obstruction, and abdominal mass. Prevention remains crucial to decrease the incidence of NEC. Preventive methods include cautious feeding regimens, the use of maternal breast milk, and the use of probiotics.
Soybean Growth Response to Plant Density: Relationships among Canopy Photosynthesis, Leaf Area, and Light Interception

Plant spacing greatly affects leaf area, light interception, and canopy apparent photosynthesis (CAP) in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. This study examined relationships among these variables in four population-density and row-width treatment combinations for two seasons. Wide-row (0.96 m) treatments were 3, 11, and 18 plants m -2 in 1988 and 3, 15, and 24 in 1989 ; narrow-row (0.43 m) treatments tended to have greater CAP rates during early growth in 1988, but not 1989, when rates lagged behind the wide-row, high population. The reduction in CAP by the narrow-row treatment in 1989 corresponded to its reduced light interception as measured parallel to the row base (...)
Low mitochondrial DNA variation among American alligators and a novel non-coding region in crocodilians.

We analyzed 1317-1823 base pairs (bp) of mitochondrial DNA sequence beginning in the 5' end of cytochrome b (cyt b) and ending in the central domain of the control region for 25 American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) and compared these to a homologous sequence from a Chinese alligator (A. sinensis). Both species share a non-coding spacer between cyt b and tRNA(Thr). Chinese alligator cyt b differs from that of the American alligator by 17.5% at the nucleotide level and 13.8% for inferred amino acids, which is consistent with their presumed ancient divergence. Only two cyt b haplotypes were detected among the 25 American alligators (693-1199 bp surveyed), with one haplotype shared among 24 individuals. One alligator from Mississippi differed from all other alligators by a single silent substitution. The control region contained only slightly more variation among the 25 American alligators, with two variable positions (624 bp surveyed), yielding three haplotypes with 22, two, and one individuals in each of these groups. Previous genetic studies examining allozymes and the proportion of variable microsatellite DNA loci also found low levels of genetic diversity in American alligators. However, in contrast with allozymes, microsatellites, and morphology, the mtDNA data shows no evidence of differentiation among populations from the extremes of the species range. These results suggest that American alligators underwent a severe population bottleneck in the late Pleistocene, resulting in nearly homogenous mtDNA among all American alligators today.
High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Analysis of Neutral Lipids in the Feces of BALB/c Mice Infected with Echinostoma caproni

Abstract High performance thin layer chromatography was used to determine neutral lipid profiles in the feces of BALB/c mice infected with adults of Echinostoma caproni (Trematoda). An approximate 25 worm burden per host induced changes in the neutral lipid profile of the mice at 1 to 5 weeks post infection (PI) relative to the uninfected controls. Infection caused a significant decrease (Student's t‐test, P<0.05) in the triacylglycerol fraction at 3 weeks PI and a significant increase (Student's t‐test, P<0.05) in the free sterol fraction at 2 weeks PI relative to the uninfected controls. Neutral lipid profiles of feces may serve as an indicator of infection by intestinal trematodes in animals and humans.
Influence of overloads and block loading sequences on Mode III fatigue crack propagation in A469 rotor steel

Abstract A study has been made of the influence of variable amplitude loading on Mode III (anti-plane shear) fatigue crack propagation in circumferentially-notched cylindrical specimens of ASTM A469 rotor steel (yield strength 621 MN/m 2 ), subjected to cyclic torsional loading. Specifically, transient crack growth behavior has been examined following spike and fully-reversed single overloads and for low-high and high-low block loading sequences, and the results compared to equivalent tests for Mode I (tensile opening) fatigue crack growth. It is found that the transient growth rate response following such loading histories is markedly different for the Mode III and Mode I cracks. Whereas Mode I cracks show a pronounced transient retardation following single overloads (in excess of 50% of the baseline stress intensity), Mode III cracks show a corresponding acceleration . Furthermore, following high-low block loading sequences, the transient velocity of Mode I cracks is found to be less than the steady-state velocity corresponding to the lower (current) load level, whereas for Mode III cracks this transient velocity is higher . Such differences are attributed to the fact that during variable amplitude loading histories. Mode III cracks are not subjected to mechanisms such as crack tip blunting/branching and fatigue crack closure, which markedly influence the behavior of Mode I cracks. The effect of arbitrary loading sequences on anti-plane shear crack extension can thus be analyzed simply in terms of the damage accumulated within the reversed plastic zones for each individual load reversal. Based on a micro-mechanical model for cyclic Mode III crack advance, where the crack is considered to propagate via a mechanism of Mode II shear (along the main crack front) of voids initiated at inclusion close to the crack tip, models relying on Coffin-Manson damage accumulation are developed which permit estimation of the cumulative damage, and hence the crack growth rates, for arbitrary loading histories. Such models are found to closely predict the experimental post-overload behavior of Mode III cracks, provided that the damage is confined to the immediate vicinity of the crack tip, a notion which is consistent with fractographic analysis of Mode III fracture surfaces.
Diffusional kurtosis imaging in the lung using hyperpolarized 3He

Diseases of the small airspaces represent an increasingly important health problem. Asthma is primarily a disease of airway dysfunction, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with abnormalities in both the small airways and the alveoli. Conventional diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of hyperpolarized noble gases, because of the short T(2)* of the gas, is only capable of monitoring diffusion over short times and hence only short distances. Diffusion imaging is therefore only sensitive to changes in small structures of the lung (primarily the alveoli), and will not adequately interrogate diffusion along the longitudinal axes of bronchi and bronchioles. In this communication we present a new method, termed diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI), that is particularly sensitive to diffusion over longer distances. DKI may therefore be more sensitive to abnormalities in the bronchioles and bronchi than conventional diffusion imaging. Preliminary DKI measurements on healthy human subjects and one patient with symptoms suggestive of small airway disease are presented. Although the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the patient was similar to that in the normal controls, diffusional kurtosis was markedly reduced. This suggests that DKI measurements may be useful for assessing diseases of the small airways.
Fixed Poles in Virtual Compton Amplitudes

It is suggested that the leading fixed-pole terms in virtual Compton amplitudes are polynomial functions of the photon mass variable ${q}^{2}$.. Several arguments are given in support of this conjecture. Implications of this behavior in the calculation of the electromagnetic mass differences and in the ${q}^{2}$ dependence of the $e\ensuremath{-}p$ inelastic-scattering structure functions are discussed.
Improving Business Ethics with the Sapir-Whorf-Korzybski Hypothesis in Business Communication Classes

Abstract There has been an apparently notable decline of ethics in the business world and, accompanying that decline, an increase in the acceptability of words that connote violence. These words are those commonly associated with corporate warfare terminology and military metaphors. Though such words may not directly cause violent behavior, the antisocial climate thus created can readily stimulate unethical behavior in the business community. Furthermore, evidence will be presented that suggests that the use of specific language can influence the way people think. In this article, I propose that business communication instructors give greater attention to discouraging words that connote violence and include general semantics training to sensitize students to the importance of appropriate and precise wording. Additionally, research should be conducted to determine if that attention and training will improve business ethics.
An analog computer study of the transient behavior and stability characteristics of serial-type digital data systems

The most significant change that has taken place in the field of control in recent years has been the appearance of the digital component. The ability of the digital computer to handle and process data quickly and accurately has been the main reason for incorporating digital devices into modern high-performance control systems. The exceptional requirements demanded from today's control systems in the defense area have prompted the development of a large variety of digital components for use in closed loop control systems for defense applications.
Are Schools the Great Equalizer? Cognitive Inequality during the Summer Months and the School Year:

How does schooling affect inequality in cognitive skills? Reproductionist theorists have argued that schooling plays an important role in reproducing and even exacerbating existing disparities. But...
Passive Teleoperation of a Multi Degree of Freedom Hydraulic Backhoe Using Dynamic Passive Valve

Passive systems possess the beneficial properties of ease of human control, and stable interaction with arbitrary passive systems. Motivated by these properties, our research has been directed towards developing passive hydraulic systems. A novel hydraulic element called the apssive valve was first developed. The passive valve was used in single degree of freedm passive bilateral teleoperation of a hydraulic actuator. The teleoperation control ensured a) passive 2-port behavior of the teleoperator and b) bilateral between the human and the work environment with a power scaling vactor. Although passivity, coordination between the master and slave systems was ensured only when the teleoperator (and hence the passive valve) was manipulated at sufficiently low frequency. In this paper, we extend the previously proposed teleoperation control to multi-degree of freedom control of a hydraulic backhoe, and rectifies the previously imposed bandwidth limitation by accounting for the dynamics of the passive valve. The passivitiy property of the hydraulic backhoe ensures interaction stability with any human opperator and the work environment that could be modelled passive. The intrinically passive control ensures two-port, rigid coordinated behavior of the passive valve driven teleoperated backhoe.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Impacts of the Technological Revolution on Health Care

The last three decades have seen extraordinary advances in biomedical research and in patient care. The prevalence in disease pattern has changed from infectious to chronic diseases; and many of the conservative treatments of the past have given way to aggressive and often heroic procedures in the operating room, in a multitude of intensive care units, and in specialized treatment centers. At the same time, health care expenditures have risen from 13 billion or 4.5 percent of the gross national product (GNP) in 1950, to 322 billion or 10.5 percent of the GNP in 1982. Since the burden of these expenditures has increasingly shifted from individual patients and philanthropic sources to society as a whole, both government and the private sector have become actively involved in attempts to stop or at least slow down the rapid escalation of health care costs. In this paper, I am going to discuss the role which biomedical technology has played in this transition of the health care system.
Renal Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Paraneoplastic Hallucinations and Cognitive Decline from Limbic Encephalitis

We present a 66-year-old woman with 2 months of visual hallucinations, unintentional weight loss, and short-term memory decline, whose clinical presentation and EEG supported a diagnosis of limbic encephalitis. Subsequent evaluation for a paraneoplastic etiology revealed a renal mass, which was resected and identified as clear cell renal carcinoma. The patient’s clinical condition improved after resection of the mass. When patients present with incongruous subacute neuropsychiatric symptoms, clinicians should be mindful of paraneoplastic neurological disorders, as early diagnosis and treatment of malignancy may lead to symptomatic improvement.
Spherical uniformity and some characterizations of the Cauchy distribution

Abstract Given a fixed line L (in Rn) and a uniform distribution of points (c) on the unit sphere, L(tc), the point of intersection of L and the hyperplane P · c = 0, leads to a mapping Xn : Rn → R, which is shown to have a Cauchy distribution.
Numerical Simulation of Thermoplastics in a Short Pulsed Laser Welding Process

A numerical simulation code is developed and used to investigate the differences in thermal behavior and the size of the heat affected zone (HAZ) in a short pulsed transmission laser welding process (>0.5 ps (1/e2 )). The numerical model uses both a Fourier and Hyperbolic thermal model. The welding process involves the lap welding of two thin layers of thermoplastic films. The investigated welding conditions are transparent material over a semi-transparent or opaque material. The results provide temperature profiles that illustrate the differences between the predicted temperatures of the two thermal models as well as the effects of laser intensity and material thermo-physical properties.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Development and evaluation of the Combined Ion and Neutron Spectrometer (CINS)

The Combined Ion and Neutron Spectrometer, CINS, is designed to measure the charged and neutral particles that contribute to the radiation dose and dose equivalent received by humans in spaceflight. As the depth of shielding increases, either onboard a spacecraft or in a surface habitat, the relative contribution of neutrons increases significantly, so that obtaining accurate neutron spectra becomes a critical part of any dosimetric measurements. The spectrometer system consists of high- and medium-energy neutron detectors along with a charged-particle detector telescope based on a standard silicon stack concept. The present version of the design is intended for ground-based use at particle accelerators; future iterations of the design can easily be streamlined to reduce volume, mass, and power consumption to create an instrument package suitable for spaceflight. The detector components have been tested separately using high-energy heavy ion beams at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and neutron beams at the Radiological Research Accelerator Facility operated by Columbia University. Here, we review the progress made in fabricating the hardware, report the results of several test runs, and discuss the remaining steps necessary to combine the separate components into an integrated system. A custom data acquisition system built for CINS is described in an accompanying article.
SV40 T-antigen-binding sites within the 5'-flanking regions of human U1 and U2 genes.

Abstract The 5′ flanking regions of the genes (U1 and U2) encoding the human U1 and U2 small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) each contain sequences that bind specifically to the simian virus (SV40) large tumor antigen (T·Ag). Substitution of these sites with sequences that lack T·Ag-binding sites did not block accumulation of U1 or U2 snRNA in a variety of cell types, but deletion of these regions resulted in the total loss of expression. Thus, these sequences may serve only a spacing function, and the T·Ag-binding sites appear not to be necessary for expression. However, coexpression of T·Ag markedly reduced expression of a U1 gene containing a high-affinity T·Ag-binding site (from the SV40 genome) in place of the U1 T·Ag-binding site. In contrast, coexpression of T·Ag enhanced synthesis of U2, but not U1, snRNA, independent of the presence of the T·Ag-binding sites. Thus, while the consensus T·Ag-binding sites within the U1 and U2 promoter regions do not appear to influence expression, the binding of SV40 T·Ag to a high-affinity site can lead to significant repression of a strong snRNA promoter, and T·Ag can enhance expression of another in the absence of a known binding site.
PARENT AUTONOMY-ENHANCEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-EFFICACY

Perceptions of parents' autonomy-enhancing behaviors and their children's self-efficacy for problem-solving were explored with 386 college students who were asked their perceptions of parental autonomy-enhancing or controlling behaviors and administered the Problem-solving Self-efficacy Scale. Subjects, describing their fathers to be autonomy-enhancing rather than controlling, reported higher self-efficacy in problem-solving. No differences were observed among subjects with regard to similar perceptions of mothers. No interactions between mother and father were noted.
Characterization of active components in food-grade proteinase inhibitors for surimi manufacture

Commonly used food-grade inhibitors, beef plasma protein (BPP), egg white, and potato powder, were characterized for their inhibitory activity toward proteinases. BPP and egg white had the highest rate of cysteine and serine proteinase inhibition, respectively. Egg white, containing specific serine proteinase inhibitors, reduced trypsin activity by as much as 99%. Active inhibitory components in the proteinase inhibitors were detected by inhibitory activity staining on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-substrate gels. Egg white and potato powder contained more serine proteinase inhibitor bands than cysteine proteinase inhibitor bands. No specific cysteine proteinase inhibitory component was found in BPP. Serum albumin was detected on both papain and trypsin inhibitory activity-stained gels of BPP but was not inhibitory to the proteinases. A high molecular weight protein band (HMP) of BPP was also detected on both inhibitory activity-stained gels, but the protein was postulated to be polymerized plasma componen...
La evaluación del malestar emocional percibido: la faceta desatendida de la atención del cáncer

The purpose of this research was to present the latest development of the The Perceived Emotional Distress Inventory (PEDI) as a brief 15-item self-report measure intended to be used for the assessment of psychological distress in cancer patients. Factor Analyses of Principal Components with promax rotations were performed with a combined male and female sample of 481 cancer patients at St. Joseph’s hospital Cancer Institute in Tampa, Florida, to provide further evidence of construct validity. The factor structure, internal consistency, and Pearson correlation coefficients of the PEDI are presented in this report. The factor analysis identified three factors comparable to those found in previous samples in USA: The first factor, anxiety/depression; second factor, hopelessness; and third factor, anger expression. Global alpha coefficient of 0.92 for the inventory indicates strong internal consistency. Pearson correlations between the subscales of the instrument is impressive for such a brief measure. This study emphasizes the need for a brief, self-report instrument to assess anger expression, anxiety, depression and hopelessness as components of perceived emotional distress in cancer patients, while explicitly excluding the potentially confounding effects of somatic symptoms commonly associated with cancer treatments. Further research will be needed to provide information Resumen El proposito de este estudio fue evaluar la estructura factorial del Inventario de Malestar Emocional Percibido (IDEP), un instrumento de medicion del malestar emocional de 15 items, en una muestra de 481 pacientes con cancer que iniciaron sus tratamientos con radioterapia y/o quimioterapia en el Instituto de cancer del hospital St. Joseph’s en la ciudad de Tampa, Florida, USA. Se llevo a cabo un analisis factorial de componentes principales y metodo de rotacion promax con autovalores superiores a 1. El primer factor contiene seven items correspondientes a
Oriented Lead Zirconate Titanate thin Films: Characterization of Film Crystallization

Film processing temperature and time was varied to characterize the pyrochlore-to-perovskite crystallization of solution-derived PZT 20/80 thin films. 3000 {Angstrom} thick films were prepared by spin deposition using single crystal MgO as substrate. By controlled rapid thermal processing, films at different stages in the perovskite crystallization process were prepared with the tetragonal PZT 20/80 phase being / oriented relative to the MgO surface. An activation energy for the conversion process of 326 kJ/mole was determined by use of an Arrhenius expression using rate constants found by application of the method of Avrami. Activation energy for formation of the PZT 20/80 perovskite phase of the solution-derived films compared favorably with that calculated from data by Kwok and Desu for sputter-deposited 3500 {Angstrom} thick PZT 55/45 films. Similarity in activation energies indicates that the energetics of the conversion process are not strongly dependent on the method used for film deposition.
Clinical and echocardiographic correlates of health status in patients with acute chest pain.

Objective To assess the ability of echocardiographic data to predict important functional status outcomes in patients with chest pain.
Further statistical analysis of circle fitting

This study is devoted to comparing the most popular circle fits (the geometric fit, Pratt’s, Taubin’s, Kasa’s) and the most recently developed algebraic circle fits: hyperaccurate fit and HyperLS fit. Even though hyperaccurate fit has zero essential bias and HyperLS fit is unbiased up to order $\sigma^{4}$, the geometric fit still outperforms them in some circumstances. Since the first-order leading term of the MSE for all fits are equal, we go one step further and derive all terms of order $\sigma^{4}$, which come from essential bias, as well as all terms of order $\sigma^{4}/n$, which come from two sources: the variance and the outer product of the essential bias and the nonessential bias. Our analysis shows that when data are distributed along a short circular arc, the covariance part is the dominant part of the second-order term in the MSE. Accordingly, the geometric fit outperforms all existing methods. However, for a long circular arc, the bias becomes the most dominant part of the second-order term, and as such, hyperaccurate fit and HyperLS fit outperform the geometric fit. We finally propose a ‘bias correction’ version of the geometric fit, which in turn, outperforms all existing methods. The new method has two features. Its variance is the smallest and has zero bias up to order $\sigma^{4}$. Our numerical tests confirm the superiority of the proposed fit over the existing fits.
Transfer of persistence from fixed-ratio barpress training to runway extinction.

Two experiments were performed to investigate transfer of persistence across different situations and response topographies. Experiment I demonstrated that FR 100 barpress training increased resistance to runway extinction as compared with a control. In Experiment II, resistance to extinction in the runway was systematically and positively related to terminal ratio requirements of prior barpress training.
Competition between solution and cell surface receptors for ligand. Dissociation of hapten bound to surface antibody in the presence of solution antibody.

We present a joint theoretical and experimental study on the effects of competition for ligand between receptors in solution and receptors on cell surfaces. We focus on the following experiment. After ligand and cell surface receptors equilibrate, solution receptors are introduced, and the dissociation of surface bound ligand is monitored. We derive theoretical expressions for the dissociation rate and compare with experiment. In a standard dissociation experiment (no solution receptors present) dissociation may be slowed by rebinding, i.e., at high receptor densities a ligand that dissociates from one receptor may rebind to other receptors before separating from the cell. Our theory predicts that rebinding will be prevented when S much greater than N2Kon/(16 pi 2D a4), where S is the free receptor site concentration in solution, N the number of free surface receptor sites per cell, Kon the forward rate constant for ligand-receptor binding in solution, D the diffusion coefficient of the ligand, and a the cell radius. The predicted concentration of solution receptors needed to prevent rebinding is proportional to the square of the cell surface receptor density. The experimental system used in these studies consists of a monovalent ligand, 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP)-aminocaproyl-L-tyrosine (DCT), that reversibly binds to a monoclonal anti-DNP immunoglobulin E (IgE). This IgE is both a solution receptor and, when anchored to its high affinity Fc epsilon receptor on rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells, a surface receptor. For RBL cells with 6 x 10(5) binding sites per cell, our theory predicts that to prevent DCT rebinding to cell surface IgE during dissociation requires S much greater than 2,400 nM. We show that for S = 200-1,700 nM, the dissociation rate of DCT from surface IgE is substantially slower than from solution IgE where no rebinding occurs. Other predictions are also tested and shown to be consistent with experiment.
Fully coupled vs. partially coupled fluid-structure interaction methods for patient-specific abdominal aortic aneurysm biomechanics

Primary among the mechanical factors linked with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture is peak wall stress, frequently quantified as either the maximum principal or Von Mises stress exerted along the diseased arterial wall. Intraluminal pressure, as an impinging normal force on the wall, has been hypothesized as the dominant influence on this stress and thus the majority of numerical modeling studies of AAA mechanics have focused on static computational solid stress (CSS) predictions [1,2]. Unfortunately, retrospective studies comparing the magnitude of wall stress with the failure strength of the aneurysmal wall have yet to consistently predict the outcome for patient-specific AAAs [3,4]. Previous studies have shown that hemodynamics also plays a significant role in both the biological and mechanical factors that exist within AAAs. In the present investigation, partially and fully coupled fluid-structure interaction (p-FSI and f-FSI, respectively) computations of patient-specific AAA models are presented and compared to identify the effect of fluid flow in the biomechanical environment of these aneurysms.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Impact of warm versus cold ischemia on renal function following partial nephrectomy

We evaluated renal function following partial nephrectomy with cold ischemia (CI) versus warm ischemia (WI). Data were collected from 1,396 patients at six institutions who underwent partial nephrectomy for a renal mass with normal contralateral kidney to evaluate percent change in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at 3–18 months. A multivariate linear regression model tested the association of percent change GFR with clinical, operative, and pathologic factors. A total of 874 patients (63 %) underwent PN with CI and 522 (37 %) with WI. All patients undergoing laparoscopic and robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (n = 443) had WI, whereas 92 % of open partial nephrectomy patients (n = 953) had CI. The CI group had a lower mean baseline GFR (72 vs. 80 ml/min/1.73 m2), longer median ischemia time (33 vs. 29 min), and larger mean tumor size (3.2 vs. 2.9 cm) with more advanced pathologic stage (T1b-T3: 25 vs. 16 %) (all p values 30 min, baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate 4 cm did not significantly alter the findings. Increasing age, female gender, and larger tumor size independently predict a decrease in renal function following partial nephrectomy with a normal contralateral kidney. Within the limitations of a non-randomized comparison, including lack of parenchymal preservation percentage, neither surgical approach (open or laparoscopic) nor presence of hypothermia appears to be associated with long-term renal function.
A test for linear trend in constant hazards and its application to a problem in occupational health.

A score test is derived for testing a linear trend in constant hazards. The test is applied to prove the attenuation of healthy worker effects in the analysis of occupational mortality. Language: en
Host Suitability and Its Effects on Parasitoid Biology in Coccygomimus turionellae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

The progeny of Coccygomimus turionellae (L.) varied significantly in size and development time when reared on five host species. Regression analysis revealed that factors other than host weight affected parasitoid development. Within a particular host species, parasitoid size and development time were highly correlated to host weight. The age of the host also influenced its suitability; larval instars did not permit parasitoid development, whereas the late prepupae were 50% as effective as the pupae. There was a significant negative linear relationship between host age and parasitoid size within the pupal stadium. However, the relationship between the parasitoid's developmental period and its size broke down when host age increased. This indicated a relative increase in development period per unit weight with increased host age.
Advisors' Attitudes Regarding Transfer Students

This study allowed us to determine differences in advisors' attitudes toward students who matriculate at their 4-year institutions (native students), students who transfer from community colleges, and those that come from other 4-year institutions. Results show that advisors view transfer students to be less prepared, less motivated, less knowledgeable about requirements and procedures, and less able to adjust to the upper-division academic environment. Potential consequences of advisors' attitudes are discussed along with suggested avenues for addressing them.
What Objects Know: Circulation, Omniscience and the Comedy of Dispossession in Victorian It-Narratives

Modern self-possessing subjects must learn how to alienate parts of themselves economically – their labour, ideas, recorded voices, photographed faces – without alienating themselves psychologically. Victorian it-narratives provide object lessons for such subjects: they tell the stories of their owners, suggesting that inalienability need only be imagined – in the shape of talking umbrellas, feathers, and needles – to be effective. Object narrators also enact a form of omniscience unavailable to human narrators. Rather than traversing the consciousness of characters, they more ‘realistically’ simply over-hear the innermost thoughts of their owners. They circulate among a much wider range of subjects than do the narrators of mainstream fiction. Royals, gypsies, aristocrats, thieves, actors, and shopkeepers are witnessed intimately and accurately by their possessions. Their circulation is comic: they knit the social world together in collecting the stories of their disparate owners. They suggest that the su...
Bucillamine: a potent thiol donor with multiple clinical applications.

Bucillamine has potential to attenuate or prevent damage during myocardial infarction, cardiac surgery and organ transplantation. Bucillamine, a cysteine derivative that contains two donatable thiol groups, is capable of replenishing the thiol group in glutathione, thereby reactivating this endogenous defense against oxidant injury. Bucillamine rapidly enters cells by the same mechanism that normally transports the amino acid cysteine. Bucillamine is a more potent thiol donor than other cysteine derivatives: approximately 16-fold more potent than N-acetylcysteine (Mucomyst(R)) in vivo. In addition bucillamine appears to have additional anti-inflammatory effects unrelated to its antioxidant effect. Oral bucillamine is used clinically in Asia for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. There is a strong preclinical evidence that parenteral infusion of this agent is efficacious in acute settings characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress. In an investigator-blinded, rigorous intact dog model, consisting of 90 min of coronary artery occlusion and 48 h of reperfusion, bucillamine, given i.v. during the first 3 h of reperfusion, substantially reduced myocardial infarct size. Livers exposed to 24 h of cold ischemia were markedly protected by bucillamine in several transplantation models. In Phase I human studies in normal volunteers, bucillamine at doses up to 25 mg/kg/h i.v. for 3 h elicited no serious toxicity. On the basis of pharmacokinetic analyses of blood levels during these studies it was concluded that bucillamine, infused at i.v. doses > or =10 mg/kg/h for 3 h to humans could be expected to be therapeutically effective in myocardial infarction, organ transplantation and other acute inflammatory syndromes.