cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MORPH: Probabilistic Alignment Combined with Hidden Markov Models of cis-Regulatory Modules

The discovery and analysis of cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) in metazoan genomes is crucial for understanding the transcriptional control of development and many other biological processes. Cross-species sequence comparison holds much promise for improving computational prediction of CRMs, for elucidating their binding site composition, and for understanding how they evolve. Current methods for analyzing orthologous CRMs from multiple species rely upon sequence alignments produced by off-the-shelf alignment algorithms, which do not exploit the presence of binding sites in the sequences. We present here a unified probabilistic framework, called MORPH, that integrates the alignment task with binding site predictions, allowing more robust CRM analysis in two species. The framework sums over all possible alignments of two sequences, thus accounting for alignment ambiguities in a natural way. We perform extensive tests on orthologous CRMs from two moderately diverged species Drosophila melanogaster and D. mojavensis, to demonstrate the advantages of the new approach. We show that it can overcome certain computational artifacts of traditional alignment tools and provide a different, likely more accurate, picture of cis-regulatory evolution than that obtained from existing methods. The burgeoning field of cis-regulatory evolution, which is amply supported by the availability of many related genomes, is currently thwarted by the lack of accurate alignments of regulatory regions. Our work will fill in this void and enable more reliable analysis of CRM evolution.
Calorie restriction modulates Th-1 and Th-2 cytokine-induced immunoglobulin secretion in young and old C57BL/6 cultured submandibular glands.

Immunoglobulin production by the salivary gland plays an important role in oral and upper respiratory tract immunity. Age and/or disease may compromise salivary gland function. In order to gain insight into the role of calorie restriction (CR) on immunoglobulin (Ig) production, we determined the effect of ad libitum (AL) feeding and CR in young (3 months) and old (18-24 months) C57BL/6 mouse submandibular glands (SM). The SM tissues were fragmented and cultured in the absence (control) or presence of either Th-1 cytokines, such as interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), or Th-2 cytokines, e.g. IL-4 and IL-5, for seven days. Culture supernatants were then analyzed for immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgM, and IgG2a levels by ELISA. Aging increased basal (control) IgA and IgM production by 3.1-and 3.7-fold, respectively, in AL mice. CR prevented the age-dependent rise of both IgA and IgM, maintaining levels equal to those of young AL mice. Interestingly, age resulted in a decrease of Th-1 cytokine-induced IgA and IgM, and increased IgG2a secretion in AL mice, while Th-2 cytokines did not appear to have an age effect. In general, CR suppressed Ig production induced by both Th-1 and Th-2 cytokines in young mice. In contrast, CR in old mice resulted in enhanced IgA and IgM production to levels similar to those in their young counterparts, while IgG2a was predominantly suppressed by Th-1 and not Th-2 cytokines. The data presented herein show, for the first time, the ability of CR to offset age-induced changes in submandibular gland Ig production, which may play a role in maintaining mucosal immune function, including proper oral health.
Biased immunoglobulin variable region gene expression by Ly-1 B cells due to clonal selection.

Most, if not all, autoantibodies specific for bromelain-treated mouse erythrocytes recognize the common membrane phospholipid, phosphatidyl choline (PtC). Anti-PtC antibodies are produced by 5%-15% of CD5+ Ly-1 B cells of normal unimmunized mice, but not by detectable numbers of conventional CD5- B cells. At 1 week of age PtC-specific B cells are undetectable but then increase dramatically over the next 3 to 4 weeks to reach adult numbers. We report here that PtC-specific Ly-1 B cells in B10.H-2aH-4bp/Wts mice predominantly express either of two heavy and kappa chain variable (V) region gene combinations. In addition, the sequence and length of DH genes are conserved among cells expressing the same V gene combination, and the V kappa-J kappa junctions of one group involve unusual splice sites. Preferential V gene rearrangement models are insufficient to explain the DH and V kappa-J kappa junctional sequences or the delayed appearance of this specificity, and so they cannot solely account for the high frequency of PtC-specific cells. These characteristics are more consistent with antigen selection. We therefore attribute the frequent use of the two V region gene combinations to selection for cells that express them and conclude that the expressed V gene repertoire of Ly-1 B cells in adult mice is influenced by antigen selection. Apparently, there is no selection for mutant anti-PtC antibodies of higher affinity during the formation of the Ly-1 B repertoire because the V region genes expressed by PtC-specific cells are unmutated. Our findings are consistent with an important, germ line-encoded function for the immunoglobulin products of these gene combinations.
Human Factors Implications of OSHA's Impact on Small Manufacturers

Small manufacturers often lack the necessary expertise to solve their occupational safety and health problems. A recent study examined the impact of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration upon small manufacturers. The findings of that study are reported here regarding their human factors implications. Recommendations to improve occupational safety and health performance are made.
Military System Reliability: Some Department of the Air Force Contributions

This report discusses the evolution, since the formation of the Department of the Air Force in 1947, of the Air Force's administrative policy concerning the reliability of complex military electronic equipment and systems. It describes developments in defining and regulating the contractor reliability effort and the monitoring and advisory activity of the Air Force procuring agencies. By reference to numerous policy statements made by the Air Force, the report demonstrates that, within only a few years after its first stated concern regarding reliability, the Air Force has succeeded in developing a reliability program which is sufficiently detailed and integrated to provide substantial assurance of reliable equipment.
Effect of Loading Method on Compression Testing of Composite Materials

Compression testing methods for composite materials usually employ either shear loading or end loading to apply the compressive load to the specimen. The effect of both loading methods on compressi...
Enhanced amphetamine-mediated dopamine release develops in PC12 cells after repeated amphetamine treatment.

Abstract We previously demonstrated that rats treated with repeated, intermittent amphetamine displayed enhanced amphetamine-mediated dopamine release in the striatum. In this study, we examined whether amphetamine pretreatment would elicit enhanced amphetamine-mediated dopamine release in a cultured cell line in the absence of intact synaptic connections. PC12 cells pretreated with 1 μM amphetamine produced over twofold increase in amphetamine-mediated dopamine release upon challenge with 1 μM amphetamine as compared with vehicle-treated cells. No change in norepinephrine transporter density or [3H]dopamine uptake was detected. A withdrawal time of 6 days was required to observe the enhanced amphetamine-mediated dopamine release. Differentiation of the cells with nerve growth factor did not alter the amphetamine-mediated dopamine release in control cells or the development of enhanced release in amphetamine-treated cells. Our results demonstrate that repeated, intermittent amphetamine leads to a neuroadaptation resulting in enhanced amphetamine-induced dopamine release in catecholaminergic cells without the need of an intact neuroanatomy.
Search for the Anisotropy of Inertia Using the Mössbauer Effect in Fe 57

The width of the central resonance absorption line in the Mossbauer effect in Fe/sup 57/ being wider than the natural linewidth suggests that an external perturbation exists which affects the nuclear levels. Accordingly, experiments were carried out to detect whether anisotropy in inertia (due to nonuniform distribution of matter in the galaxy) may be responsible for the line broadening. The linewidth was measured for a Fe/sup 57/ source and a Fe absorber with (1) no magnetic field present and (2) both source and absorber parallel to magnetic fields of about 10/sup 3/ gauss; no difference was found. Next, the amplitudes of the center of the line and of four Doppler-shifted points on the side of the line were measured with 600-gauss magnetic fields oriented at +45 deg and --45 deg in the vertical (north-south) plane at different times so that the galactic center exerts its maximum and minimum effects on the level shift, The amplitudes were found to be constant within the statistical limits, which give a result of DELTA M/M (fraction of inertia change) of (5 x 10/sup -16/ (D.L.C.)
Creep at low stresses: An evaluation of diffusion creep and Harper-Dorn creep as viable creep mechanisms

High-temperature creep experiments often reveal a transition at very low stresses to a region where the stress exponent is reduced to a value lying typically in the range of ∼1 to 2. This region is generally associated with the occurrence of a new creep mechanism, such as grain-boundary sliding, diffusion creep, and/or Harper-Dorn creep. Several recent reports have suggested that diffusion creep and Harper-Dorn creep may not be viable creep mechanisms. This article examines these two processes and demonstrates that there is good evidence supporting the occurrence of both creep mechanisms under at least some experimental conditions.
Analysis of surgical motions in minimally invasive surgery using complexity theory

Traditional Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) training paradigm in which interns and junior residents perform operations under the supervision of faculty surgeons lacks objective means of assessing surgical skills. This paper studies novel real–time measures that can dynamically quantify surgical motions. In this study, the proposed measures were tested through two phases of experimental study. In the first phase, ten volunteered subjects who have no prior experience of MIS completed three trials of a surgical exercise using a laparoscopic instrument on which a motion sensor was attached. In the second phase, an MIS surgeon performed three standard surgical exercises with five replications. Then, time–delay and Hurst exponent analysis were used to measure the degree of synchronisation in surgical motions. As the results, improvement in surgical motions was observed such that the range and thickness of time–delay plots are reduced while Hurst exponents increase, as the subjects gain experience.
Molecular mechanics (MM3) parameterization for oxocarbenium ions

The physical properties of a diverse group of 12 oxocarbenium ions have been studied with ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-31+G* level of theory. Based on theoretically derived properties such as molecular equilibrium geometry, dipole moment, and vibrational frequencies, a molecular mechanics (MM3) force field has been developed with the assistance of the programs TORSMART and MPMSR, components of our artificial parameter development and refinement method. The MM3 force field is now able to reproduce bond lengths, bond angles, moments of inertia, dipole moments, torsional energy profiles, and vibrational frequencies of oxocarbenium ions, which will allow further studies of glycoside hydrolysis and their rates of reaction. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 21: 329–339, 2000
Ethnic differences and influence of perceived future certainty on adolescent and young adult sexual knowledge and attitudes

This study examined the effects of future certainty (the perceptions an individual has about how positive and certain their future is) on adolescents' and young adults' sexual knowledge and sexual attitudes. This longitudinal study measured sexual knowledge and attitudes one year after an initial measure of future certainty. Ethnic differences among these relationships were also examined for Hispanic, African American and white adolescents in an attempt to explain some of the variability in sexual risk for these ethnic groups. A total of 2900 male and 3081 female youth were drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), and were measured on four aspects of future certainty: life certainty (e.g., life expectancy), health certainty (i.e., sexually transmitted infection risk), marriage certainty, and college certainty. Results using analysis of variance showed that white youth were less at-risk of perceiving negative and uncertain futures than their peers. Hierarchical multiple...
The impact of lactic acid concentration and sodium chloride on pH, water-holding capacity, and cooked color of injection-enhanced dark-cutting beef

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of enhancement with 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, or 2.0% lactic acid (LA), with or without 0.5% salt (NaCl), on pH, water-holding capacity, and resultant cooked color of dark-cutting (DC) beef. The pH of DC sections treated with LA decreased (P 0.05) among DC steaks treated with 0.5% and 1.0% LA and normal pH (NDC) steaks, likely caused by an increase (P<0.05) in myoglobin denaturation in LA-enhanced DC steaks. These results indicate that the use of LA can reduce postmortem muscle pH and alter the cooked color of DC beef, ultimately resulting in a deletion of the persistent pinking condition.
Results of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for the correction of myopia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: 1993

This report summarizes the authors' 3-year experience with excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) on 240 eyes of 161 patients. With constant laser emission parameters, nitrogen (N2) flow across the cornea was used on 79 eyes while 161 eyes had no N2 flow. 74 eyes were operated on without fixation with a suction ring. Postoperative pain management included patching and oral analgesics in 77 eyes and the use of topical Diclofenac or Ketorolac, and a therapeutic soft contact lens in 163 eyes. Follow up ranged from 1 month (206 eyes) to 36 months (10 eyes).© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
In vivo detection of microscopic anisotropy using quadruple pulsed-field gradient (qPFG) diffusion MRI on a clinical scanner.

Abstract We report our design and implementation of a quadruple pulsed-field gradient (qPFG) diffusion MRI pulse sequence on a whole-body clinical scanner and demonstrate its ability to non-invasively detect restriction-induced microscopic anisotropy in human brain tissue. The microstructural information measured using qPFG diffusion MRI in white matter complements that provided by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and exclusively characterizes diffusion of water trapped in microscopic compartments with unique measures of average cell geometry. We describe the effect of white matter fiber orientation on the expected MR signal and highlight the importance of incorporating such information in the axon diameter measurement using a suitable mathematical framework. Integration of qPFG diffusion-weighted images (DWI) with fiber orientations measured using high-resolution DTI allows the estimation of average axon diameters in the corpus callosum of healthy human volunteers. Maps of inter-hemispheric average axon diameters reveal an anterior–posterior variation in good topographical agreement with anatomical measurements reported in previous post-mortem studies. With further technical refinements and additional clinical validation, qPFG diffusion MRI could provide a quantitative whole-brain histological assessment of white and gray matter, enabling a wide range of neuroimaging applications for improved diagnosis of neurodegenerative pathologies, monitoring neurodevelopmental processes, and mapping brain connectivity.
Missing from Action: Where Are the Black Female School Superintendents?.

Although women are obtaining and maintaining powerful positions in education and other entities, African American women represent a serious minority. This article examines the lack of literature on...
Biology and phylogenetic relationships of Neophonus bruchi, an anomalous south Andean staphylinid (Coleoptera)

. The virtually unknown monotypic genus Neophonus Fauvel has been collected in several localities in south-central Chile; it was previously known only from the type locality in Argentina. Field observations of the adults on forest foliage and study of their gut contents suggest that they are mycophagous and eat primarily foliicolous fungi, a habit previously unknown in Staphylinidae. Their mouthparts and tarsi show morphological specializations apparently correlated with these habits. Larvae remain unknown. The phylogenetic relationships of the genus within the omaliine-group of Staphylinidae sensu lato are discussed.
Objective Quantification Method for Measuring in Vivo Accumulated Dental Plaque

Dental plaque was collected, dried, and weighed on a gold insert that fit into the buccal aspect of a posterior crown. The plaque weight was determined by calculating the difference between the postcollection insert weight and the precollection insert weight. This system for measurement of the dry weight of in vivo accumulated dental plaque was found to be a practical means of plaque quantification.
Isolation and partial characterization of a protease from Cucurbita ficifolia

A protease from the pulp of Cucurbita ficifolia was purified. Its molecular mass was estimated to be about 60 kDa. Its maximum activity is in the alkaline region against azocollagen as substrate. The enzyme is inhibited by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride but not by EDTA and iodoacetic acid.
Predictive value of random sample urine bile acids corrected by creatinine in liver disease

Bile acids, in a random sample of urine, discriminated normal controls from liver disease, with a probability similar to fasting plasma bile acids (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, depending on the analytical technique). A high degree of correlation between urinary and plasma bile acids (up to r = 0.93) was achieved only when the urine flow was corrected by using a urinary bile acids/creatinine ratio but not with urinary bile acids as simple volume concentration. These findings originated from 10 patients with severe liver disease and 10 with mild liver disease, all biopsy-confirmed, compared with controls. In 24 normal controls and 24 histologically confirmed compensated liver disease, the predictive value of urinary bile acids/creatinine equaled or exceeded fasting plasma bile acids and routine liver tests. In a patient recovering from subacute hepatic necrosis, the urinary bile acids/creatinine closely resembled changes in plasma bile acids and in the routine liver tests. When sulfated urinary bile acids were included, the discrimination between liver disease and controls did not improve. Gallbladder contraction induced by parenteral analogs of cholecystokinin did not change urinary bile acids/creatinine, despite a significant increase in the plasma bile acids. Collection of fasting urine is thus not necessary. Urinary bile acids/creatinine in 12 subjects with renal insufficiency and moderate impairment of creatinine clearance was not different from controls. The weight/height index did not affect this urinary test: there was no significant correlation between the two. Available radioimmunoassays for plasma bile acids can be easily adapted for urine. Enzymatic-spectrophotometric assay of bile acids is also useful. Urinary bile acids/creatinine from a random sample of urine provides valuable information not only on the presence of liver disease but also about its extent, making it useful for screening and for a follow-up of liver disease.
ROLE OF THE FATHER IN NORMAL PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

One of the more important functions that the father fulfills in the family is to promote appropriate sex-typing in his children. The father who is either physically or psychologically absent from the home can have a detrimental effect on the psychosexual development of his children. On the other hand, the father who is nurturant, dominant, and actively involved in child care is most likely to have masculine sons and feminine daughters.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroglobulin levels decrease with chronological age in children and adolescents.

thyroglobulin (Tg), and the free T4 index were determined and related to chronological age in 24 normal boys (aged 7.6–17.6 yr; mean, 12.6 ± 1.5 yr) and 20 normal girls (aged 7.8–17.0 yr; mean, 12.2 ± 1.4 yr). There was no significant (P > 0.1) difference in mean serum TSH (3.06 ± 2.07 vs. 2.97 ± 2.07 µU/ml) and Tg levels (25.3 ± 10.0 vs. 28.0 ± 14.8 ng/ml) or free T4 index (9.6 ± 1.6 vs. 9.4 ± 1.3 µg/dl) between boys and girls. Serum TSH levels correlated negatively with chronological age (rs= –0.518; r = –0.562; P < 0.01), as did serum Tg levels (rs = –0.618; r = –0.545; P < 0.01). On the other hand, a positive correlation was found between serum TSH and Tg levels (rs = 0.455; r = 0.421; P < 0.01). FreeT4 index levels did not correlate with chronological age, TSH levels, or Tg levels. We conclude that both serum TSH and Tg levels vary inversely with chronological age in children and adolescents. Also, a direct correlation was noted between serum TSH and Tg levels. These data as well as those from earlie...
Tumor necrosis factor impairs insulin action on peripheral glucose disposal and hepatic glucose output.

The present study examined whether a prolonged infusion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) into rats could sustain the increased rate of whole body glucose metabolism observed with short term exposure, and whether TNF produced hepatic or peripheral insulin resistance. Basal glucose metabolism was determined with the use of [3-3H]glucose 18 h after initiating a constant infusion of recombinant human TNF (1 microgram/kg.h). Thereafter, a two-step euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp was performed to determine whether TNF impaired insulin action. The overnight infusion of TNF minimally elevated plasma glucose concentrations (17%), but produced large increases in the whole body rate of glucose production and utilization (133%). Under hyperinsulinemic conditions, the glucose infusion rate necessary to maintain euglycemia was 30% lower in TNF-treated rats, indicating an insulin-resistant condition. This resulted from an impaired ability of insulin to both suppress hepatic glucose production and stimulate peripheral gl...
Ubiquitination-deubiquitination balance dictates ligand-stimulated PTHR sorting

Parathyroid hormone receptors (PTHR) are promptly internalized upon stimulation by activating (PTH[1-84], PTH[1-34]) and non-activating (PTH[7-84], PTH[7-34]) ligands. Here, we characterized the mechanism regulating the sorting of internalized receptors between recycling and degradative pathways. PTHR recycles faster after challenge with PTH(1-34) than with PTH(7-34). PTHR recycling is complete by 2 h after PTH(1-34) stimulation, but incomplete at this time in cells treated with PTH(7-34). The slower and incomplete recycling induced by PTH(7-34) is due to proteasomal degradation. Both PTH(1-34) and PTH(7-34) induced PTHR polyubiquitination. Ubiquitination by PTH(1-34) was transient, whereas receptor ubiquitination after PTH(7-34) was sustained. PTH(1-34), but not PTH(7-34), induced expression of the PTHR-specific deubiquitinating enzyme USP2. Overexpression of USP2 prevented PTH(7-34)-induced PTHR degradation. We conclude that PTH(1-34) promotes coupled PTHR ubiquitination and deubiquitination, whereas PTH(7-34) activates only ubiquitination, thereby leading to PTHR downregulation. These findings may explain PTH resistance in diseases associated with elevated PTH(7-84) levels.
Significance of cardiac troponin T release after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Abstract In conclusion, this study demonstrates a very high diagnostic sensitivity of troponin T versus CK in the detection of minor myocardial injury after PTCA.
On the validity of the reduced bending stiffness method for laminated composite plate analysis

Abstract The ‘reduced bending stiffness’ (RBS) method has been used on occasions in the past as a means of simplifying the analysis of the flexural behavior of unsymmetrically laminated composite plates. However, the validity of the method has never been established. This paper makes direct comparisons between relatively simple, exact solutions for the static deflections, buckling loads and vibration frequencies of simply-supported plates and those arising from the RBS method. Extensive calculations are made for wide ranges of the physical parameters involved (aspect ratio, moduli ratio, lamination orientation angle, numbers of plies). The RBS method is found to yield sufficient accuracy for cross-ply plates, but errors up to 29% are obtained for angle-ply plates constructed with materials currently under development.
NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS FROM ROSEMARY AND SAGE

The presence of antioxidants in spices, specifically Rosemary and sage, is well known. However, the extracts of such spices usually have a strong odor and bitter taste and therefore cannot be used in most food products. This paper reports a patented process for the extraction of Rosemary and sage followed by a vacuum steam distillation of the extract in an edible oil or fat to obtain a bland natural antioxidant. Fractionation and characterization of the active antioxidant ingredient in the extract of Rosemary and sage is also reported.
Authorship in the Popular "Problemata Aristotelis"

This article examines the complex fortuna of the "Problemata Aristotelis" which circulated widely in early modern Europe in a textual tradition independent of the better-known ancient problems attributed to Aristotle. A study of the editions of this text (designated "Omnes homines") and its various add-ons, spanning four languages (Latin, German, French and English) and four centuries (late 15th-19th centuries), brings to light the otherwise obscure editorial practices that fueled its remarkable success. The authority of the text rests at first on its presentation of a collective wisdom, then on bolder claims for the authenticity of its alleged Aristotelian authorship.
Racial differences in the effects of job contacts: Conflicting evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal data

Abstract Recent research has argued that using job contacts to find work restricts the opportunities of Black workers. Although this makes sense in light of literature on urban poverty that contends that inner-city Blacks are isolated from effective job networks, this paper argues that there are two reasons why these findings may be misleading. First, the existence of discrimination in the labor market means that contacts may be an efficient method of job search for Black workers. Second, because the use of contacts may be an endogenous variable, we need to look at longitudinal data. In the analysis, I compare cross-sectional and longitudinal results on the relationship between contacts and wages. While the cross-sectional data indicate a negative relationship between contacts and wages, the longitudinal data suggest this merely reflects lower levels of opportunity among workers who use contacts rather than the effect of contacts per se.
Studies on chloroplast membrane structure. I. Association of pigments with chloroplast lamellar protein.

Abstract 1. 1. Lamellar protein was prepared by extraction of sonicated lamellae with acetone. Although homogeneous in the ultracentrifuge, the preparation contained several electrophoretically distinct components. Large quantities of this protein are readily obtained and are suitable for reassociation studies. The physical properties of this protein mixture resemble those of more purified preparations. 2. 2. Extraction of all pigments from chloroplast lamellae except β-carotene yields a red, carotene-protein complex with unique absorption maxima at 538 nm, 498 nm, 460 nm, and 418 nm. A complex with these absorption properties is not present in intact lamellae. Extraction of β-carotene removes all absorption except that at 418 nm which is caused by cytochromes. Using a double dialysis system, β-carotene can be reassociated with lamellar protein to produce a complex with absorption maxima similar to those of the isolated carotene-protein complex. 3. 3. Spectral studies and selective extractions of chloroplast lamellae with organic solvents were used to examine the interactions of lamellar components. Apparently β-carotene in lamellae absorbs light maximally at 468 nm and 493 nm. Results suggest that this spectrum depends on the polarizing effects of the lamellar protein and the solvating effects of the phytol portion of chlorophyll. 4. 4. The data appear more consistent with a lipoprotein monolayer model for membrane structure, than with the simple lipid bilayer model.
A comparative study of computed tomography and ERCP in pancreaticobiliary disease

Abstract Fifty-seven patients with suspected pancreaticobiliary pathology constituting a clinical subset in whom the diagnosis was problematic or nonspecific were evaluated with computed tomography and ERCP. The relative sensitivities, specificities, and accuracies of the two tests were compared. Computed tomography was successful in obtaining a diagnostic examination in 100% and ERCP was technically successful in 75%. Both tests were equally accurate in detecting an abnormality (computed tomography 95.7%; ERCP 95.3%) and offering a correct diagnosis (computed tomography 72%; ERCP 70%). Sensitivity and specificity of the two tests for detection of an abnormality was computed tomography 100% and 91.3#/,; ERCP 91.7% and 100%. Sensitivity and specificity for the correct diagnosis was computed tomography 59% and 91.3%; ERCP 46% and 100%. Computed tomography was also superior to ERCP in making a correct diagnosis in pancreatic carcinoma (80% versus 63%) and pancreatitis (75% versus 50%,). Based on these results we conclude that computed tomography utilizing high doses of intravenous contrast material and thin collimation is the preferred screening examination for pancreaticobiliary disease. ERCP should be reserved for those cases where the pancreaticobiliary disease. ERCP should be reserved for those cases where the diagnosis on computed tomography is obscure or uncertain and/or the pancreatic or biliary ductal anatomy requires direct contrast imaging.
Increment threshold and detection latency in the rod and cone systems.

Abstract It was reported previously that increment-threshold functions obtained in the dark-adapted rod and cone systems have two distinct branches, and that these functions are predicted by a simple model similar to those developed to describe vertebrate receptor responses. The model also makes several unusual predictions concerning the latency for detection of the increment field at threshold. These predictions were tested by measuring simple reaction time for detection of the increment field as function of background intensity, for background durations of 50 and 500 msec. The predictions were found to hold with reasonable accuracy for both the rod and cone systems.
Scheduling and bandwidth allocation for integrated services over DOCSIS cable networks

A novel scheduling mechanism and a new bandwidth allocation scheme are proposed in this work to support multimedia traffic over DOCSIS (Data Over Cable System Interface Specification)-compliant cable networks. The primary goal of our research is to improve the transmission of real-time variable bit rate (VBR) traffic in terms of throughput and delay under the current DOCSIS specifications. To support integrated services, we also consider the transmission of constant bit rate (CBR) traffic and non-real-time traffic in simulation. To demonstrate the performance, we compare the result of the proposed scheme with that of a simple multiple priority scheme. It is shown via simulation that the proposed method provides a significant amount of improvement over existing DOCSIS QoS scheduling services.
Variation in spectral-shape discrimination weighting functions at different stimulus levels and signal strengths

This study evaluated whether weights for spectral-shape discrimination depend on overall stimulus level and signal strength (the degree of spectral-shape change between two stimuli). Five listeners discriminated between standard stimuli that were the sum of six equal-amplitude tones and signal stimuli created by decreasing the amplitudes of three low-frequency components and increasing the amplitudes of three high-frequency components. Weighting functions were influenced by stimulus level in that the relative contribution of the low-frequency (decremented) components to the high-frequency (incremented) components decreased with increasing stimulus level. Although individual variability was present, a follow-up experiment suggested that the level dependence was due to greater reliance on high-frequency components rather than incremented components. Excitation-pattern analyses indicated that the level dependence is primarily, but not solely, driven by cochlear factors. In general, different signal strengths had no effect on the weighting functions (when normalized), but two of the five listeners showed variability in the shape of the weighting function across signal strengths. Results suggest that the effects of stimulus level on weighting functions and individual variability in the shapes of the weighting functions should be considered when comparing weighting functions across conditions and groups that might require different stimulus levels and signal strengths.
Application of flow cytometry to determine the cytotoxicity of urethane dimethacrylate in human cells

The effects of an oligomer, urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA), on two human cell lines were studied using flow cytometry (FCM). Untreated and treated cultures of propidium iodine-stained KB (epidermal oral carcinoma cells) and human foreskin fibroblas (HFF) cells were analyzed for cellular DNA content. Concentrations of 10 and 25 μM of UDMA slightly perturbed the KB cell cycle progression at 24 and 48 h of incubation. However, the effect of 50 μ M was more pronounced at the latter incubation time period. In cell growth experiments, the sublethal concentrations (10 and 25 μM) produced inhibition of KB cell growth rate at a moderate level, which resulted in the prolongation of cell population doubling time. Significant inhibition of cell growth occurred when 50 μM (lethal concentration) was used. Data obtained from the cell cycle perturbation analysis, evidenced by FCM, correlated with the extent of inhibition in KB cell growth rates. The effects of sublethal concentrations were reversible during a 24 h period of oligomer withdrawal from culture medium. In contrast, the effects of 50 μM were not reversible. In HFF cells the depletion of S phase in the cell cycle was the major effect of 50 μM of UDMA. It was concluded that FCM technology is an ideal and practical approach for studying the cytotoxicity of components of dental composites. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Professor Pike on Part III of Hume's Dialogues

'Be a philosopher, but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man. From Hume's Introduction to the first Enquiry.' My attention in this paper will be focused almost exclusively on the interpre tation of Part III of Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion suggested by Professor Nelson Pike at the very close of his excellent recent commentary on that enduring classic.' As I will show briefly in Section II below, Pike's interpretation of Part III emerges from the wider context of his quarrel with Kemp Smith in regard to the final outcome of these Dialogues. I find much in Pike's commentary to applaud and to agree with, especially in its earlier sections, but on this whole question of Hume's final position in the Dialogues, I find his views less than convincing. But in this paper I will confine myself to showing what I think is wrong with his reading of Part III, and no more.2 In particular, I will make no effort to challenge Pike's disagreement with Kemp Smith in regard to the final dialogue. Though Pike himself regards Part III as crucial, I am well aware that to make anything like a successful case against the kind of interpretation he favours of the upshot of the Dia logues, much more would have to be done than I attempt in this paper. I submit this attempt, then, in partial fulfillment of a larger task to be com pleted at some future time.
SODA: a service-on-demand architecture for application service hosting utility platforms

The grid is realizing the vision of providing computation as utility: computational jobs can be scheduled on-demand at grid hosts based on available computational capacity. In this project, we study another emerging usage of grid utility: the hosting of application services. Different from a computational job, an application service such as an e-Laboratory or an on-line business has longer lifetime, and performs multiple jobs requested by its clients. A service hosting utility platform (HUP) is formed by a set of hosts in the grid, and multiple application services will be hosted on the HUP. SODA is a service-on-demand architecture that enables on-demand creation of application services on a HUP. With SODA, an application service will be created in the form of a set of virtual service nodes; each node is a virtual machine which is physically a 'slice' of a real host in the HUP. SODA involves both OS and middleware techniques, and has the following salient capabilities: (1) on-demand service priming: the image of an application service as well as the OS on which it runs will be created on-demand and bootstrapped automatically; (2) better service isolation: services sharing the same HUP host are isolated with respect to administration, faults, intrusion, and resources; (3) integrated service load management: for each service, a service switch will be created to direct client requests to appropriate virtual service nodes. Moreover, the application service provider can replace the default request switching policy with a service-specific policy.
SPINDLY and GIGANTEA interact and act in Arabidopsis thaliana pathways involved in light responses, flowering, and rhythms in cotyledon movements.

SPINDLY (SPY) is a negative regulator of gibberellin signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana that also functions in previously undefined pathways. The N terminus of SPY contains a protein–protein interaction domain consisting of 10 tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs). GIGANTEA (GI) was recovered from a yeast two-hybrid screen for proteins that interact with the TPR domain. GI and SPY also interacted in Escherichia coli and in vitro pull-down assays. The phenotypes of spy and spy-4 gi-2 plants support the hypothesis that SPY functions with GI in pathways controlling flowering, circadian cotyledon movements, and hypocotyl elongation. GI acts in the long-day flowering pathway upstream of CONSTANS (CO) and FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT). Loss of GI function causes late flowering and reduces CO and FT RNA levels. Consistent with SPY functioning in the long-day flowering pathway upstream of CO, spy-4 partially suppressed the reduced abundance of CO and FT RNA and the late flowering of gi-2 plants. Like gi, spy affects the free-running period of cotyledon movements. The free-running period was lengthened in spy-4 mutants and shortened in plants that overexpress SPY under the control of the 35S promoter of Cauliflower mosaic virus. When grown under red light, gi-2 plants have a long hypocotyl. This hypocotyl phenotype was suppressed in spy-4 gi-2 double mutants. Additionally, dark-grown and far-red-light–grown spy-4 seedlings were found to have short and long hypocotyls, respectively. The different hypocotyl length phenotypes of spy-4 seedlings grown under different light conditions are consistent with SPY acting in the GA pathway to inhibit hypocotyl elongation and also acting as a light-regulated promoter of elongation.
Optical Model Potentials for Deuterons, Tritons and Helions

The recent developments of two new polarized ion sources have completely changed the scope of future reports on the elastic scattering of composite particles. Precise measurements with polarized tritons and hellions* can now be used to test current models and future proposals devised to describe differential cross section and polarization values. Polarized beams of helions have been accelerated to 33 MeV at Birmingham as will be discussed by Powell at this symposium, and polarized beams of tritons have been accelerated to 15 MeV at Los Alamos as will be discussed by Hardekopf at this symposium. These data are too new and preliminary to have received extensive studies at this time. However, the systematic measurements of cross section and polarization data for intermediate and heavy weight nuclei that are undoubtedly forthcoming from these laboratories will be of considerable value.
Short-Run Macro Models

When depression struck as had predicted, [Keynes] proposed that nations “spend their way back to prosperity,” and made an early convert of Franklin D. Roosevelt…. [H]e drew the famous Keynesian corollaries: deficit financing to put money in the hands of the unemployed, managed currency, reconstruction of the social system….1
Exploiting RMS time-frequency structure for data compression in emitter location systems

An effective way to locate RF transmitters is to measure the time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) and the frequency-difference-of-arrival (FDOA) between pairs of signals received at geographically separated sites, but this requires that samples of one of the signals be sent over a data link. Often the available data link rate is insufficient to accomplish the transfer in a timely manner unless some form of lossy data compression is employed. A common approach in data compression is to pursue a rate-distortion criterion, where distortion is the mean-square error (MSE) due to compression. This paper shows that this MSE-only approach is inappropriate for TDOA/FDOA estimation and defines a more appropriate, non-MSE distortion measure. This measure is based on the fact that in addition to the inverse dependence on SNR, the TDOA accuracy also depends inversely on the signal's RMS (or Gabor) bandwidth and the FDOA accuracy also depends inversely on the signal's RMS (or Gabor) duration. The paper discusses how the wavelet transform can be used to exploit this measure.
Community and Campus Crime A Geospatial Examination of the Clery Act

Despite the provisions of the Clery Act, which requires institutional reporting of crime on college campuses, patterns of campus crime have received surprisingly little research attention to date. Furthermore, few studies have described the extent to which college students engage in criminal behaviors. This study examines the criminality of students and nonstudents on the campus of a large southeastern university. To assess the effectiveness of the Clery Act, the data were mapped to identify geospatial patterns of offending on and off campus. Results illustrate important patterns of crime both on and off campus, involving both students and nonstudents. Also, multivariate analyses suggest that several factors are consistently predictive of on-campus and student arrests. Policy implications and suggestions for future research based on these findings are discussed.
Forces Driving Maquiladoras Along The Border Of Mexico And The United States: A Short Communication

Mexico’s maquiladora industry is as important to the national economy as oil production and tourism for direct foreign investment and is a force that Mexico and partners need to understand and cultivate. Many internal and external factors affect the performance of maquiladora plants and they are heavily influenced by the U.S. economy. Long histories and blending of cultures have created a border region that is interrelated and dependent in both directions across the border. A review of the literature suggests many approaches to make maquiladoras competitive in global commerce. Getting the most out of maquiladoras may go beyond systems and processes because the best results may come from understanding and cultivating the rich culture the region holds as the critical resource in building teams and relationships. World class manufacturing takes systems and processes but does not forget the culture. A combination of nurturing people and nurturing a proximity strategy may be the most effective approach to sustainability.
The Hemosteoblast: Friend or Foe?

See related article, pages 1112–1121 Ectopic calcification arises in soft tissues in a variety of diseases. When it occurs in cardiovascular tissues, such as the aorta, cardiac valve leaflets, and coronary and renal arteries, it produces debilitating and sometimes fatal conditions, including coronary insufficiency, heart failure, calcific aortic stenosis, systolic hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy. Although calcific vasculopathy was long considered a passive process of aging, studies from the last 2 decades have revealed an active mechanism in which transcription factors drive osteochondrogenic differentiation of vascular cells. In the right context, a number of extraskeletal cells display osteochondrogenic potential, including (1) microvascular pericytes,1 (2) adventitial myofibroblasts,2 (3) calcifying vascular cells,4 now known to be multipotent vascular stem cells,5 (4) medial smooth muscle cells,3 (5) valvular interstitial cells,5b and (6) mesoangioblasts.6 Because these cells are all …
Nasal carriage of inducible dormant and community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an ambulatory population of predominantly university students.

Abstract Background We studied risk factors for nasal colonization with inducible dormant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ID-MRSA) and community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) in a cohort of predominantly university students. Methods Nasal surveillance cultures were performed in student health and ambulatory clinics. Molecular features were identified and risk factors for CA-MRSA and ID-MRSA colonization were determined by logistic regression. Results Of the 1000 participants, 89% ( n = 890) were university students. Sixty-four percent were female, 59% Caucasian. The mean age was 23.5 years; 1.6% ( n = 16) were CA-MRSA and 1.4% ( n = 14) were ID-MRSA colonized. Fifteen (94%) of the CA-MRSA strains were PFGE type IV. pvl (Panton–Valentine leukocidin gene) positivity was 75% in CA-MRSA and 57% in ID-MRSA. ID-MRSA isolates were pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) type I, 7%; type II, 14%; type V, 7%; and type IV, 71%. CA-MRSA SCC mec classification was 94% type IV and 6% type V. Risk factors for carriage of CA-MRSA were older age (OR 1.046, p =0.040) and dog ownership (OR 1.450, p =0.019). Single family home (OR 0.040, p =0.007) was a protective factor. There were no significant variables of association found for ID-MRSA colonization. Conclusions ID-MRSA/CA-MRSA colonization was low. Most isolates were PFGE types IV and II, pvl -positive and susceptible to several antibiotics. Older age and dog ownership were risk factors for CA-MRSA. Future studies are needed to assess the impact of ID-MRSA carriage.
Selected Essays on Science, Rangelands, and Roles of the Society for Range Management

Selected essays on science, rangelands, and roles of the society for range management. DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v27i6_havstad