cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel Approach to Diagnostics of Thrombocytosis: mRNA and miRNA Profiling of Blood Platelets

Preclinical Research Thrombocytosis is a condition characterized by excessive numbers of platelets in blood. Chronic myeloproliferative diseases—including essential thrombocythemia—are among potential causes of high platelet count. Thrombosis of large arteries, stroke, and heart attack are among the major causes of mortality associated with essential thrombocythemia. Currently there is no direct diagnostic test for this disease leading to diagnosis by exclusion. Recent studies demonstrate that messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) profiling of human blood platelets can be used to discriminate patients with essential thrombocythemia from healthy control subjects and from patients with reactive thrombocytosis. This paper provides a brief overview of mRNA and miRNA biomarkers for thrombocytosis and discusses the development of a minimally invasive diagnostic assay for essential thrombocythemia. Advances in mRNA and miRNA profiling technology and progress in data analysis have made possible the generation of such an assay, which would significantly benefit patients with essential thrombocythemia and clinical hematologists.
Mössbauer diffraction and interference studies of polycrystalline metals and alloys

After a review of previous work on Mossbauer diffraction and interference phenomena, the principles of the kinematical theory of Mossbauer diffraction are presented. The emphasis is on how the spectroscopic capabilities of the Mossbauer effect can be used to advantage in diffraction studies on materials and condensed matter. Experimental results from Mossbauer powder diffractometry experiments are presented. These results identify the difficulties of Mossbauer powder diffraction experiments, but also demonstrate that a unique chemical environment selectivity is possible for Mossbauer diffraction. Future experiments with Mossbauer powder diffraction require the development of efficient detectors, and some possibilities are suggested.
C# as a first language: a comparison with C++

This paper will compare a student's perspective of C++ and C# as the first teaching languages based on historical reasons of choice of a language, and on my own experiences as a computer science student.
High-voltage mercury-arc switch for heavy-current pulse duty

High-power mercury-arc switches for use in thermonuclear experiments have been developed capable of withstanding voltages of up to 75kV and of conducting current pulses of time constant 1 ms and peak amplitude 100kA. The best performance has been obtained with a single-gap switch having a metal anode and a water-cooled mercury cathode, and voltage hold-off of up to 100kV seems to be feasible with this basic design. A simple trigger electrode system is used to initiate conduction. This type of switch can also be used for special duties, such as the protection of capacitors or for short-circuiting the power supply in equipment using expensive valves.
Dynamic trend monitoring of cerebral blood flow velocity in newborn infants

A method for obtaining reporducible Doppler cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) measurements over several hours, ultillizing a probe fixation technique and an on-line system for making beat-to-beat area under the curve (AUC) measurements, is described. Thirty heartbeat samples were collected at three time intervals over 3 hours in a group of 22 healthy preterm infants. The stability of the AUC measurements despite changes in behavioral state was demonstrated by randomized block ANOVA. The sampling error was ±6.92%, with 95% confidence intervals of ±13.1%. By facillitating reproducible serial measurements of CBFV, this trend monitoing technique encourages a dynamic view of cerebrovascular control, and may be used to probe central nervous system autoregulatory pathophysiology and to evaluate the effects of therapeutic interventions.
19 DIAGNOSIS OF MALIGNANCIES BY IMMUNOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES

Immunologic tests for the specific detection of tumor antigens would provide a method for the early detection of malignancy. Using immunodiffusion and immunofluorescent techniques, it is possible to measure antigenic markers. Carcinoembryonic antigen and alpha1 fetoprotein are helpful in following treatment and prognosis of a patient. A new method for detecting prostate cancer employs counter-immunoelectrophoresis. Complement fixation studies have revealed antibodies to sarcoma specific antigens. The study of leukemia associated antigens with their surface receptors and enzyme markers form a basis for future immunotherapy with this disease. Using radiolabelled antibodies to CEA, the detection of diverse cancers has been made by external photoscanning. Precipitation tests and immunofluorescent tests have been used to detect melanoma, brain tumors and ovarian malignancies. Skin tests and other tests (T E Rosette, PILA lymphocyte transformation test, macrophage inhibition test) for cellular immunity help to measure the immune competence of the cancer patient.
Equality of participation and influence in groups: the effects of communication medium and sex composition

We tested the claim that computer-mediated communication (CMC) is more egalitarian than face-to-face (FTF) communication by studying patterns of reported participation and influence in 30 FTF and 30 synchronous CMC groups over seven weeks. Twenty-two of these groups were composed of a majority of males or females; these were used to test effects of communication medium and sex composition on relative levels of participation and influence among group members. Competing predictions were derived from three theories: proportional theory, social role theory, and expectation states theory. Results indicated that CMC participation was perceived as more centralized than was FTF participation in groups' first meetings, but as similar for the remaining six meetings. Results revealed no or weak support for any of the competing theories of sex composition. Influence was perceived as most centralized in CMC majority-male groups and in FTF majority-female groups. In CMC groups, males in majority-female groups were perceived as having more influence than their female group members, whereas males in majority-male groups were perceived as having less influence than their female group members. In FTF groups, the ratio of male-to-female influence in majority-male and majority-female groups did not differ significantly. Implications of these findings and the need for additional longitudinal research are discussed.
Confronting the Privatization and Commercialization of Academic Research: An Analysis of Social Implications at the Local, National, and Global Levels

In the current era of capitalist hegemony, the term “globalization” has become synonymous with the global dominance of private market economies. Though concepts of “internationalism” have long been associated with the political Left, the possibilities of a progressive vision of globalization are currently overshadowed by the deepening of private market policies in existing capitalist economies and the expansion of capitalism to former socialist countries and to developing countries throughout the world. This phenomenon has affected all societal institutions through governmental implementation of privatization policies and deregulation; through the power of global financial institutions—such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund—to impose loan conditions that require governments to adopt policies that promote private markets; and through multilateral trade agreements that favor transnational corporations (TNCs) in their pursuit of increased capital mobility and market expansion. This article addresses the impact of privatization on universities in the United States, focusing, in particular, on the effects on the university mission and academic research in the life sciences. Both public and private nonprofit universities have been affected by public policies of privatization, leading to
The Heredity of Microscopic Hair Characters in Peromyscus.

thermore, from the old observations of Heidenhain,2 that there may be something in the secretory process comparable to the casting off of the Golgi apparatus subsequent to acrosome formation, the secretory granule then transforming into the definitive secretion product. If these comparisons have any weight they may serve to call attention to the possibility of a direct relation of the Golgi apparatus to processes of chemical synthesis, and in particular those of enzyme formation.
Conservation photography as environmental education: focus on the pedagogues

This research examines the genre of conservation photography as a legitimate and highly relevant pedagogical enterprise well poised amid the proliferation of digital media and environmental crises. This small-scale qualitative study closely follows the work of four professional photojournalists. This research asserts that the professional conservation photographers are highly qualified educators and among the most progressive of our environmental pedagogues. The study orients to the educational potential of photographs, recommends visual literacy training for teachers and suggests strategies for the discursive use of photographs in environmental education. Conservation photographers offer models for increased eco-visual-scientific literacy, superb resources for student engagement and new paths for community-based ecological education and research. The paper concludes with a working definition of the conservation photographer as educator.
The NUSAT I project-government, industry and academia learning together (aerospace education)

In April 1985, the first satellite to be ejected from a Get Away Special (GAS) canister was launched from the shuttle Challenger. This satellite was named NUSAT for Northern Utah SATellite, and due to subsequent projects is now called NUSAT I. The conception, design, construction, and operation of the satellite and ground station was completed with all volunteer labor and very little cost through the unique cooperation of several government agencies, several universities and colleges and many corporations and individuals. A major purpose of NUSAT I was education. The purpose of this paper is to present the educational goals and achievements of this project from the perspective of each of the participants, with the hope it will encourage readers to initiate similar projects. >
In vivo genotoxicity of sodium ortho-phenylphenol: phenylbenzoquinone is one of the DNA-binding metabolite(s) of sodium ortho-phenylphenol

Abstract We have previously demonstrated microsomal cytochromes P450-dependent redox cycling of o-phenylphenol and in vitro genotoxicity of o-phenylphenol. In the present work, we have investigated in vivo covalent modification in skin DNA by Na-o-phenylphenol using the 32P-postlabeling method in an attempt to understand the biochemical mechanism of promotion of chemical-induced skin carcinogenesis by Na-o-phenylphenol. Topical application of Na-o-phenylhydroquinone, a hydroxylated metabolite of o-phenylphenol, to female CD-1 mice skin produced 4 distinct major and several minor adducts in skin DNA. The total covalent bindings in skin DNA produced by treatment of mice with 10 mg and 20 mg Na-o-phenylphenol (doses shown to be effective for tumor promotion) were 0.31 fmoles/μg DNA and 0.62 fmoles/μg DNA, respectively. The adducts were not observed in untreated animal skin DNA. Pretreatment of mice with α-naphthylisothiocyanate, an inhibitor of cytochromes P450, or indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthase, resulted in lower levels of DNA adducts produced by Na-OPP. The in vitro incubation of DNA with o-phenylphenol or phenylhydroquinone in the presence of cytochromes P450 activation or prostaglandin synthase activation system produced 4 major adducts. The adduct pattern observed in the presence of in vitro enzymatic activation systems appears to be similar in chromatographic mobility to the in vivo adduct pattern. The chemical reaction of DNA or deoxyguanosine monophosphate with pure phenylbenzoquinone, an electrophilic metabolite of o-phenylphenol, also produced 4 major and several minor adducts. The 4 major adducts obtained in chemical reaction of phenylbenzoquinone with deoxyguanosine monophosphate are identical in chromatographic mobility to those of in vivo or in vitro DNA adducts. The results of this study demonstrated that o-phenylphenol or phenylhydroquinone, a hydroxylated metabolite of o-phenylphenol, is able to covalently bind to DNA. DNA binding can be inhibited by the inhibitor of cytochromes, P450 α-naphthylisothiocyanate or prostaglandin synthase, indomethacin. One of the DNA-binding metabolite(s) of o-phenylphenol both in vivo and in vitro may be phenylbenzoquinone. We conclude that Na-OPP is genotoxic. Genotoxicity caused by Na-o-phenylphenol treatment in CD-1 mice may play a role in the promotion of dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced skin neoplasm.
Frances Wright: The other woman of early American feminism

This paper focuses on Frances Wright, the first woman to lecture publicly in the U.S. to “promiscuous” audiences, those audiences composed of both sexes united in a public place. Despite her achievement, Wright has been ignored in historical analyses of nineteenth‐century feminist rhetoric, I argue that historians have avoided Wright because she differs radically from those feminists who directly succeed her. As the Other Woman of the women's movement, Wright practiced a rhetoric imbued with the ideals of the Enlightenment and Owenite socialism. She publicly interrogated the cult of domesticity and demanded equal rights for women at a time when gender anxiety was Intense. Wright caused a furor and provided a negative example for later nineteenth‐century feminists, most of whom developed “womanly” strategies of accommodation. I conclude that it is precisely because of her otherness that Wright is important, historically significant because she was marginalized and silenced within the feminist movement.
Short-term effects of grade retention on the growth rate of Woodcock–Johnson III broad math and reading scores

We investigated the effects of grade retention in first grade on the growth of the Woodcock-Johnson broad mathematics and reading scores over three years using linear growth curve modeling on an academically at-risk sample. A large sample (n=784) of first grade children who were at risk for retention was initially identified based on low literacy scores. Scores representing propensity for retention were constructed based on 72 variables collected in comprehensive baseline testing in first grade. We closely matched 97 pairs of retained and promoted children based on their propensity scores using optimal matching procedures. This procedure adjusted for baseline differences between the retained and promoted children. We found that grade retention decreased the growth rate of mathematical skills but had no significant effect on reading skills. In addition, several potential moderators of the effect of retention on growth of mathematical and reading skills were identified including limited English language proficiency and children's conduct problems.
Anti-Stress Action of an Orally-Given Combination of Resveratrol, β-Glucan, and Vitamin C

Stress has repeatedly been found to reduce the abilities of the immune system to fight against individual attacks. The current dissatisfaction with classical medications has led to more attention being focused on natural molecules. As recent studies have suggested that some bioactive molecules can have synergistic effects in stimulation of immune system and reduction of stress, we have evaluated the stress-reducing effects of the resveratrol-β-glucan-vitamin C combination. We found that compared to its individual components, this combination was the strongest reducer of stress-related symptoms, including corticosterone levels and IL-6, IL-12 and IFN-γ production.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the bone and the liver without lymphadenopathy revealed on FDG-PET/CT

Primary extranodal lymphomas are much less frequent than nodal lymphomas. Osseous and hepatic lymphomas commonly present with additional nodal lesions. Primary lymphoma of the bone or of the liver without nodal disease is uncommon. We describe a case of extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with numerous osseous and hepatic lesions without any lymph node involvement on FDG-PET/CT images. This is the first report of the coexistence of both osseous and hepatic lymphoma in the same patient without any lymph node involvement.
Tactile, maternal, and pharmacologic factors involved in the “transport response” in rat pups

A series of eight experiments was run to characterize the potentiation of the transport response reported with tactile stimulation. Experiments 1A–C were designed to investigate the types of tactile stimulation that could potentiate an initially weak transport response. Experiments 2A–C were designed to assess the effect of maternal/littermate deprivation on responsiveness to external stimuli in 9- and 16-day-old rat pups. Experiments 3A and 3B were designed to investigate, pharmacologically, underlying mechanisms for the transport response potentiation effect. It was found that if the initial stimulus in producing a strong transport response is inadequate, additional tactile stimulation can potentiate the response. The additional stimuli work best if they are diffuse, if discrete inputs can summate over areas, or if they encompass the snout area. It also was found that isolation could lead to increased responsiveness to stimuli normally eliciting or potentiating the response in 9- and 16-day-old rats. Finally, results indicate that both dopaminergic and beta-noradrenergic systems are important in the response potentiation seen with maternal/littermate deprivation.
Mechanism of the double aldol reaction: the first spectroscopic characterization of a carbon-bound boron enolate derived from carboxylic esters.

The novel doubly borylated enolate is identified as an intermediate of the double aldol reaction of acetate esters. As a precursor to the formation of the doubly borylated enolate, carbon-bound boron enolates of carboxylic esters are spectroscopically characterized for the first time. When 2,6-diisopropylphenyl acetate (10d) is treated with c-Hex2BOTf (1.3 equiv) and triethylamine (1.5 equiv) in CDCl3, the corresponding mono-enolate is formed as a mixture of oxygen- (11d) and carbon-bound (12d) forms in 71% and 20% yields, respectively. The structures of these enolates have been unambiguously determined by NMR spectroscopy. Investigation of the enolization of a series of substituted aryl acetates shows that the steric factor of the acetate affects the degree of the mono-enolate (as a mixture of oxygen- and carbon-bound enolates) and the doubly borylated enolate formation. Studies also revealed that oxygen- and carbon-bound boron enolates exist as equilibrium mixtures and that a proton transfer process occ...
A variation of the Davis‐Smith method for in‐flight determination of spacecraft magnetic fields

A variation of a procedure developed by Davis and Smith (1968) is presented for the in-flight determination of spacecraft magnetic fields. Both methods take statistical advantage of the observation that fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field over short periods of time are primarily changes in direction rather than in magnitude. During typical solar wind conditions between 0.8 and 1.0 AU, a statistical analysis of 2-3 days of continuous interplanetary field measurements yields an estimate of a constant spacecraft field with an uncertainty of plus or minus 0.25 gamma in the direction radial to the sun and plus or minus 15 gammas in the directions transverse to the radial. The method is also of use in estimating variable spacecraft fields with gradients of the order of 0.1 gamma/day and less and in other special circumstances.
Isotopic composition of argon in modern surface volcanic rocks

Abstract A study of the 40 Ar 36 Ar and 38 Ar 36 Ar ratios in argon extracted from 27 modern surface volcanic rocks shows that fractionation, along with contamination by non-atmospheric argon inherited from the parent magma, is an important cause of anomalous 40 Ar 36 Ar ratios in these rocks.
Surface patterning with fluorescent molecules using click chemistry directed by scanning electrochemical microscopy.

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM)-based surface patterning can be achieved to form useful μm size structures for various kinds of applications. Here we report a novel SECM-based surface patterning of fluorescent molecules onto a solid substrate by forming covalent bonds through a click chemistry reaction. Patterned images can be observed by their fluorescence and we observed the formation of Liesegang rings in the diffusion−reaction system.
Catheter-related bloodstream infectio

Central venous catheters are associated with the vast majority of nosocomial, catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI). Despite identification of multiple effective methods for preventing CR-BSI, it remains an important clinical problem. Catheters coated with anti-infective substances, such as chlorhexidine and silver sulfadiazine or rifampin and minocycline, have shown promising results in recent clinical trials, but confirmatory studies by different investigators are still needed. Concern has also been raised about widespread use of clinically important antibiotics on catheter surfaces, which may promote the development of antibiotic resistance. More accurate and cost-effective methods of diagnosing CR-BSI are desirable. Recent studies have evaluated endoluminal brush sampling and differential blood culture growth rates, which may provide acceptable accuracy without requiring removal of long-dwelling catheters, but the accuracy of these techniques needs to be confirmed in other studies.
Birth outcomes of intended pregnancies among women who used assisted reproductive technology, ovulation stimulation, or no treatment

Objective: To study birth outcomes among live born infants conceived by women who used infertility treatment. Design: Population-based surveillance of women who recently delivered a live infant. Setting: The birth outcomes among infants whose mothers used assisted reproductive technology (ART) or ovulation stimulation medications alone were compared with the outcomes of infants conceived without treatment. Patient(s): Stratified random sample of women who were attempting conception and gave birth to a live infant in six US states (n ¼ 16,748). Intervention(s): Assisted reproductive technology and ovulation stimulation. Main Outcome Measure(s): Adjusted odds ratios for perinatal outcomes. Result(s): The prevalence of infertility treatment use overall among women attempting conception was 10.9% (5.4% ART procedures, 5.5% ovulation stimulation medications). Singletons of mothers who received ART procedures were more likely to be born with low birthweight, preterm, and small for gestational age (SGA) than singleton infants conceived without treatment. Singleton infants of mothers who used ovulation stimulation medications alone were more likely to be SGA than singleton infants conceived without treatment. No differences were found between ART and no treatment twin infants. Conclusion(s): Among singleton infants, ART is associated with decreased fetal growth, decreased gestational length, and SGA; ovulation stimulation alone is associated with SGA. (Fertil Steril� 2011;96:314‐20. � 2011
Limb and polar brightening of Uranus at 8870 A.

Photographs of Uranus in the 8870 A band of methane exhibit limb brightening and brightening at the south pole. The polar brightening is explained by an upper atmospheric haze in addition to Rayleigh scattering by the upper atmosphere. An estimate of the geometric albedo at this wavelength yields a value near 0.01.
An Investigation of Cladding Effects on Shallow-Flaw Fracture Toughness of Reactor Pressure Vessel Steel Under Prototypic Biaxial Loading

Potential structural-integrity benefits or liabilities of the stainless steel cladding on the inner surface of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) are important considerations in the effort to refine or improve safety assessment procedures applied to RPVs. Clad-beam tests were carried out to investigate and quantify effects of the clad structure on fracture initiation toughness of through-clad shallow surface flaws in RPV material. A cruciform beam specimen was developed at ORNL to introduce a prototypic, far-field, out-of-plane biaxial stress component that provides a linear approximation of the nonlinear stress distribution generated by thermo-mechanical loading transients in an RPV. The cruciform specimens (102-mm-thick test section) were fabricated from RPV shell segments available from a canceled pressurized-water reactor plant. The specimens were tested under biaxial load ratios ranging from 0.0 (uniaxial) to 1.0 (full biaxial), the ratio being defined as the total load applied to the transverse beam arms divided by that applied to the longitudinal arms. The test results imply that biaxial loading is effective in reducing the shallow-flaw fracture toughness of the clad/heat-affected zone/structural-weld region of the RPV shell below that determined from uniaxial loading conditions. The lowest toughness value from the clad cruciform specimens tested under biaxial loading is onlymore » slightly above the ASME Section XI K{sub lc} curve. For all biaxiality ratios, the test results imply that shallow-flaw fracture toughness data from the RPV structural weld material are significantly lower than that obtained from a high-yield strength plate material.« less
Leaky wave radiation from planar anisotropic metamaterial slabs

We describe an optical leaky waveguide, which is achieved with uniaxially anisotropic metamaterials and can support both forward and backward leaky waves. The radiation behavior is analyzed with a transverse resonance approach, and supported by finite-element simulation results. The remarkable backward leaky nature can be exploited to develop a subdiffraction limit imaging system.
Cry Acoustics and Maternal Reactivity to Cries: Contributors to Mother-Infant Interaction † 57

Cry Acoustics and Maternal Reactivity to Cries: Contributors to Mother-Infant Interaction † 57
Synthesis of intracellular iodophilic polysaccharide by Streptococcus mitis.

Abstract The synthesis of iodine-staining polysaccharide from glucose has been studied using a strain of Streptococcus mitis . Polysaccharide was shown to be intra-cellular, and to be a polymer composed solely of glucose linked in part by alpha 1, 4 glucosidic bonds. During exponential growth, the organism was found to synthesize polysaccharide at a rate proportional to the biosynthesis of bacterial nitrogen. When cultures entered the stationary growth phase, synthesis of microbial nitrogen decreased whereas polysaccharide synthesis continued for some time. This metabolic imbalance produced cells rich in intracellular polysaccharide. Comparable results were obtained when protein synthesis was inhibited with chloramphenicol. A glucose concentration of 0.1 per cent was found to permit polysaccharide synthesis to occur at a maximum rate. In the absence of exogenous carbohydrate, S. mitis catabolizes polysaccharide, and it is quantitatively converted to lactic acid. The acid formed was sufficient to lower the pH of packed cells of S. mitis to below pH 6, and to maintain it at this level for several hours in the presence of continuously flowing buffer of pH 7.0. In the absence of flowing buffer, the pH dropped below pH 5. The significance of these findings to acid production by dental plaque is discussed.
Mineralization of polycyclic and N‐heterocyclic aromatic compounds in hydrocarbon‐contaminated soils

The comparative mineralization of eight polycyclic aromatic compounds in five soils collected from an abandoned coal tar refinery in eastern Ohio was determined. The soils showed differences only in total extractable hydrocarbon content of the soil chemical characteristics measured. The compounds studied included five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene, and carcinogenic benz[a]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene) and three N-heterocyclic aromatics (9H-carbazole, and carcinogenic 7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazole and dibenz[a,j]acridine). Mineralization was measured by serum bottle radiorespirometry. Only phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and carbazole were mineralized in the soils after 64 d. Two of the soils with eight to 15 times the hexane-extractable hydrocarbon content consistently showed more rapid initial rates and higher overall extents of mineralization compared to the other three soils. Overall extents of mineralization ranged from 38 to 55% for phenanthrene, 10 to 60% for anthracene, 25 to 70% for pyrene, background to 40% for benz[a]anthracene, and 25 to 50% for carbazole after 64 d. Extents of mineralization by indigenous soil microbiota appear to be more dependent on the chemical characteristics of the soil and not soil total biomass and activity. Cultures capable of degrading phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene were obtained following enrichment techniques. A Mycobacterium sp. capable of degrading these three compounds was isolated and reintroduced into two of the soils, resulting in mineralization enhanced above that of the indigenous soil microbial population. These data indicate that the future success of bioremediation methods relies on the characterization of environmental parameters affecting microbial degradation as well as the isolation of microbial populations that can reduce toxicity in the environment.
Prenatal Care Utilization and Persistence Patterns in a Developing Nation

Utilization of prenatal care services is an important public health issue, in that lack of utilization is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, particularly among socially and economically high-risk women. This investigation explored factors associated with utilization of prenatal care services in a sample of 185 urban Jamaican women. Data were collected at an initial prenatal care clinic visit, follow-up interviews with those who failed to persist, and from medical records. Findings indicated that the two most important factors in late initiation of prenatal care, and in failure to persist, were cost of service and susceptibility to poor pregnancy outcome.
Drosophila myosin VIIA is a high duty ratio motor with a unique kinetic mechanism

Abstract Mutations of myosin VIIA cause deafness in various species from human and mice to Zebrafish and Drosophila. We analyzed the kinetic mechanism of the ATPase cycle of Drosophila myosin VIIA by using a single-headed construct with the entire neck domain. The steady-state ATPase activity (0.06 s–1) was markedly activated by actin to yield Vmax and KATPase of 1.72 s–1 and 3.2 μm, respectively. The most intriguing finding is that the ATP hydrolysis predominantly takes place in the actin-bound form (actin-attached hydrolysis) for the actomyosin VIIA ATPase reaction. The ATP hydrolysis rate was much faster for the actin-attached form than the dissociated form, in contrast to other myosins reported so far. Both the ATP hydrolysis step and the phosphate release step were significantly faster than the entire ATPase cycle rate, thus not rate-determining. The rate of ADP dissociation from actomyosin VIIA was 1.86 s–1, which was comparable with the overall ATPase cycle rate, thus assigned to be a rate-determining step. The results suggest that Drosophila myosin VIIA spends the majority of the ATPase cycle in an actomyosin·ADP form, a strong actin binding state. The duty ratio calculated from our kinetic model was ∼0.9. Therefore, myosin VIIA is classified to be a high duty ratio motor. The present results suggested that myosin VIIA can be a processive motor to serve cargo trafficking in cells once it forms a dimer structure.
A role for exon sequences and splice-site proximity in splice-site selection

Abstract Analysis of the in vitro splicing products of RNA precursors containing tandem duplications of the 5′ or 3′ splice sites of human β-globin IVS 1 revealed that exon sequences play an important role in the relative use of the duplicated sites. These studies also show that the proximity of the 5′ and 3′ splice sites is an important determinant in the selection of splice-sites. Deletion, substitution, or even subtle changes of exon sequences can alter the pattern of splice-site selection, and in many cases the splice site adjacent to the altered exon is not used. The relative use of the duplicated splice sites can also be altered by diluting the splicing extract, suggesting that factors involved in splice-site selection are limiting.
The odd chern character in cyclic homology and spectral flow

If A is a Banach ∗-algebra, an odd theta-summable Fredholm module over A consists of the following data: a Hilbert space H, a continuous ∗-representation ρ of A on H, and a self-adjoint operator D on H such that (1) there is a constant C such that ‖[D, ρ(a)]‖ ≤ C‖a‖ for all a ∈ A, and (2) if t > 0, then the operator e−tD 2 is trace class. Such a Fredholm module determines a class [D] in the group K−1(A), which might be thought of as an odd-dimensional chain on the non-commutative space with function algebra A. Dually, unitary matrices g ∈ UN (A) with entries in A represent elements of the group K1(A). If A0 and A1 are self-adjoint operators on H with the same spectrum (including multiplicities), the spectral flow sf(A0, A1), introduced by Atiyah-Patodi-Singer [1], is the integer which counts the number of eigenvalues crossing zero from below minus the number crossing zero from above, as we travel along the family Au = (1− u)A0 + uA1 in the direction of increasing u. If D is an odd theta-summable Fredholm module over D and g ∈ UN (A) is a unitary matrix with entries in A, the spectral flow defines a pairing
Convergent perturbation expansion for the anharmonic oscillator

Abstract We study the ground state as well as the first three excited states of the anharmonic oscillator with anharmonicity λx4 for a range of λ = (0, 10) with the first-order logarithmic perturbation iteration method (FOLPIM). This leads to convergent results. The initial choice of the wave function seems only to affect the rate of convergence in the case of the ground state but may critically affect the convergence for the excited states. For large values of λ, convergence is best obtained by choosing the asymptotic solution as the initial “unperturbed” wave function.
Some observations regarding single-particle potentials for $sup 208$Pb and calculations of form factors for single-nucleon transfer reactions

Details are given discussing the calcualtional ambiguities in deriving a neutron distribution from sub-Coulomb transfer-reaction data. This is done in the context of a recent experimental result on neutron pickup from /sup 208/Pb and the extraction of a neutron-excess radius from these data. (auth)
Potassium regulates angiotensin II-induced aldosterone biosynthesis in acutely nephrectomized rats.

The studies described herein were designed to determine whether serum potassium modulates the aldosterone secretory response to angiotensin II (Arig II) after nephrectomy. We used isolated adrenal glomerulosa cells harvested from rats maintained with either normal (5.2 meq/liter) or high (6.8 meq/liter) serum potassium for 48 h after bilateral nephrectomy for determining Ang II-aldosterone dose-response relationships. Kayexalate, which exchanges sodium for potassium in the gastrointestinal tract, was used to achieve the desired level of serum potassium. Both groups of cells were responsive to low concentrations of Ang II (10–100 pm). Cells from rats with lower serum potassium levels had lower basal and maximum Ang II-stimulated aldosterone and ED50 values. The importance of variables as contributors to differences between the groups were ranked from most to least important by two group discriminant function analysis and revealed: serum potassium > maximum Ang IIstimulated aldosterone > ED50 > basal aldost...
Selection and use of materials in adult basic education literacy instruction

“He who imagines all fruits ripen at the same time as the strawberries, knows nothing about grapes” (Paradsus, 1493 –- 2541).
Environmental causes of breast cancer and radiation from medical imaging: findings from the Institute of Medicine report

Susan G. Komen for the Cure asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to perform a comprehensive review of environmental causes and risk factors for breast cancer. Interestingly, none of the consumer products (ie, bisphenol A, phthalates), industrial chemicals (ie, benzene, ethylene oxide), or pesticides (ie, DDT/DDE) considered could be conclusively linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, although the IOM acknowledged that the available evidence was insufficient to draw firm conclusions for many of these exposures, calling for more research in these areas. The IOM found sufficient evidence to conclude that the 2 environmental factors most strongly associated with breast cancer were exposure to ionizing radiation and to combined postmenopausal hormone therapy. The IOM's conclusion of a causal relation between radiation exposure and cancer is consistent with a large and varied literature showing that exposure to radiation in the same range as used for computed tomography will increase the risk of cancer. It is the responsibility of individual health care providers who order medical imaging to understand and weigh the risk of any medical procedures against the expected benefit.
Citizen surveys: Insuring for representativeness of minorities

Abstract It is noted that surveys are increasingly being used to: (1) complement census data in the allocation of federal and state monies to local governments for long- and short-term program commitments; (2) assist in articulating need assessments for Request for Proposals (RFPs) in these program areas; (3) as tools in the evaluation of such programs; and (4) in the planning and evaluation of municipal services. It is also noted that surveys are generally more inaccurate for ethnic minorities than they are for the majority. As a consequence, minorities are less likely to receive the benefits, or voice, to which they are entitled by law. Guidelines for improving the accuracy of surveys which include minorities are provided.
A Field Study of Traditional and Nontraditional Children's Baseball

Abstract Nine- to 10-year-old children have difficulty playing baseball using adult rules because pitchers lack the ability to throw the ball over the plate with consistency and batters lack ability to hit erratically thrown balls. Thus a natural field experiment investigated a modification of adult baseball for 9- to 10-year-old children. Instead of one of the players on the opposing team pitching, the coach of the offensive team pitched to the batters. Teams in a league who played baseball by adult rules (traditional league) were compared with teams in a league who played the modified game (nontraditional league), and both these leagues were compared with 11- to 12-year-old teams (older league). Various offensive and defensive activities were recorded by two observers and satisfaction scores were obtained from the players after the games. More offensive and defensive activity occurred in the nontraditional league games than in the traditional and older league games.
Scene matching using F-histogram-based features with possibilistic C-means optimization

This paper outlines further advances from initial findings previously reported in [O. Sjahputera, J.M. Keller, Possibilistic C-means in scene matching, Fourth Internat. Conf. of the European Society for Fuzzy Logic and Technology (EUSFLAT), 2005, pp. 669-675]. We propose a scene matching approach based on spatial relationships among objects in the images to determine if two images acquired under different viewing conditions capture the same scene. This is a difficult problem in computer vision. Our approach produces a mapping of objects from one view to the other, and recovers the viewing transformation parameters. The core of the system relies on capturing spatial relationship information through Force Histograms as affine-invariant image descriptors. Object mapping across images is performed by finding the best correspondence map (FMAP) between force histograms in the two images. The major problem is that the number of potential FMAPs is large, even for modest numbers of scene objects. Hence, search optimization is required. The correct FMAP contains histogram correspondences represented by similar feature vectors. Therefore, dense regions in the feature space are suspected to contain these vectors. Possibilistic C-means (PCM) clustering is used to find these dense regions. The centroids of these dense regions are used to generate the FMAPs. Previously, the FMAP was generated using a nearest-neighbor like approach. In this study, we propose an improved version of this method by incorporating fuzzy memberships into the FMAP building process. Here, the fitness of FMAP candidates are assessed with respect to all histogram correspondences already in FMAP, not just from an initial seed point alone. The best FMAP is selected and translated into a mapping scheme that connects the objects in the two images.
Robust and Energy Efficient Multimedia Systems via Likelihood Processing

This paper presents likelihood processing (LP) for designing robust and energy-efficient multimedia systems in the presence of nanoscale non-idealities. LP exploits error statistics of the underlying hardware to compute the probability of a particular bit being a one or a zero. Multiple output observations are generated via either: 1) modular redundancy (MR), 2) estimation, or 3) exploiting spatio-temporal correlation. Energy efficiency and robustness of a 2D discrete-cosine transform (DCT) image codec employing LP is studied. Simulations in a commercial 45-nm CMOS process show that LP can tolerate up to 100×, and 5× greater component error probability as compared to conventional and triple-MR (TMR)-based systems, respectively, while achieving a peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of 30 dB at a pre-correction error rate of 20%. Furthermore, LP is able to achieve energy savings of 71% over TMR at a PSNR of 28 dB, while tolerating a pre-correction error rate of 4%.
Application and Performance Analysis of Dynamic-planning-based Flexible Time Triggered Controller Area Network

To meet the requirement of automotive intelligentizing,the next step in the direction of automotive bus is to support both time-and event-triggered communication services and to attain more flexible of design and scheduling.But controller area network (CAN) protocol is inefficient for time-triggered messages,while time-triggered controller area network (TTCAN) can efficiently fulfill joint support for both event- and time-triggered traffic but lacks flexibility in message scheduling.To these questions,a new dynamic planning-based protocol that is flexible in time-triggered controller area network (FTTCAN) is analyzed.And the elemen- tary cycle comprising of two phases and real-time analysis method for communications of messages in the two phases are explained. Then an FTTCAN-bus system of electric vehicle based on FTTCAN protocol is designed,and the scheduling strategy of signals based on dynamic planning is adopted.And performance analysis of the new system is carried out by comparing with CAN system. Finally,operation test of FTTCAN protocol is carried out on CAN bus development system.The comparison and test results verify that FTrCAN is a good way to design automotive bus system,which can meet the requirements of supporting both time-and event-triggered communication services and being flexible in design and scheduling.
Characterization of l5178y leukemic cells which rapidly develop and lose implantation ability.

Two populations of L5178Y murine leukemic cells, maintained by different methods, were studied for their implantation ability in BDF/sub 1/ mice. Implantation ability was measured by number of tumor nodules formed, liver weight, and day of death of the animal. (1) Cells from a population grown for 10 years in vitro had no implantation ability; i.e., no tumor nodules were formed when injected into the tail vein. After 30 days of growth in the peritoneal cavity of BDF/sub 1/ mice, these same cells were injected into the tail vein and 10 days later had produced over 200 liver tumor nodules. When cells taken from these tumors were recultured for 60 days in vitro, they lost the acquired implantation ability, but regained it after another single peritoneal passage. (2) L5178Y murine leukemic cells grown for six years in ascites tumor cells were extremely tumorigenic; over 200 tumor nodules appeared in the liver after tail vein injection. These cells were not rendered less tumorigenic and did not lose their implantation ability by in vitro culturing for 60 days. The results suggest that implantation ability is a property of the cell's growth environment; furthermore, they have strong implications for the in vivo andmore » in vitro manipulation of this property.« less
Analysis: The Defining Phase of Systematic Training:

The problem and solution. The analysis phase of analysis, design, develop, implement, evaluate (ADDIE) was originally based on the understanding that training was needed and that analyzing the content was the starting point. Over time the analysis phase has become the defining phase as it moved up from job-task analysis for identifying the content of a training program to (a) analyzing a worker performance problem that can be addressed by training, (b) to identifying and analyzing a worker-work system performance problem that can be addressed by a combination management and training intervention, and (c) on to an analysis process for diagnosing performance in an organization that may or may not involve training as part of a performance improvement intervention. The contemporary analysis process is designed to help decision makers gain a clear understanding of the “gaps” between the desired and current performance and the factors or variables impinging on them.
Symmetric Probabilistic Alignment

We recently decided to develop a new alignment algorithm for the purpose of improving our Example-Based Machine Translation (EBMT) system's performance, since subsentential alignment is critical in locating the correct translation for a matched fragment of the input. Unlike most algorithms in the literature, this new Symmetric Probabilistic Alignment (SPA) algorithm treats the source and target languages in a symmetric fashion. In this short paper, we outline our basic algorithm and some extensions for using context and positional information, and compare its alignment accuracy on the Romanian-English data for the shared task with IBM Model 4 and the reported results from the prior workshop.
FloTrac® Monitoring System: What Are Its Uses in Critically III Medical Patients?

The FloTrac®/Vigileo device uses arterial pressure waveform analysis to calculate stroke volume and cardiac output; it does not require calibration against an independent measurement of cardiac output. Consequently, it provides a method to determine hemodynamic status, changes in the clinical course and responses to therapeutic interventions in patients who have arterial catheters in place. These devices perform relatively well in stable patients undergoing surgery and having an acceptable percentage error in differences between the FloTrac® device and invasive monitoring using pulmonary catheters. However, in patients with septic shock and other clinical states associated with low systemic vascular resistances, such as cirrhosis, the FloTrac® does not provided acceptable correlation with independent measurements with pulmonary artery catheters. FloTrac® measurements often underestimate the cardiac output and have unacceptably high percent error, which ranges from 30% to 60%. There is a moderate correlation with changes in cardiac output after fluid administration, but a poor correlation with changes in cardiac output after increases or decreases in norepinephrine administration. The bias between measurements increases as the systemic vascular resistance decreases. Consequently, cardiac output measurements using the FloTrac® device are not accurate enough for use in patients with septic shock, advanced liver disease and other medical conditions associated with decreased vascular tone.