cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autotransplantation for relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL): Long-term follow-up and analysis of prognostic factors

One hundred and thirty-six patients autografted for relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were evaluated to assess long-term event-free survival and to identify important prognostic factors. High-dose therapy consisted primarily of carmustine (BCNU), etoposide, cytarabine, and cyclophosphamide (BEAC) followed by unpurged autologous stem cell rescue. The 5-year Kaplan-Meier event-free survival (EFS) for the entire cohort was 34% (95% confidence interval: 24-44%) with a median follow-up of approximately 3 years (range 0-7.5 years). For patients entering with minimal disease (defined as all areas < or = 2 cm), the 5-year EFS was 40 vs 26% for those entering with bulky disease (P = 0.0004). In the multivariate analysis, minimal disease on entry and administration of involved-field XRT post-transplant were significantly associated with improved EFS; the latter association was observed mainly in the cohort of patients with bulky disease. The overall 100-day treatment-related mortality rate was 4.4% (3% for the last 71 patients). New strategies are needed to reduce the high rate of relapse (50-60%) following auto-transplantation for relapsed or refractory NHL.
Is there a consensus among financial forecasters

Abstract This paper examines the interest rate forecasts of a cross-section of financial forecasters to determine whether these analysts make predictions which have the characteristics of a consensus. The forecasts are published semi-annually in The Wall Street Journal. The techniques for determining whether a consensus exists are developed and are applied to the predictions of the interest rates of the 90-day T-bill and the 30-year Treasury bond. The methodology provides bounds on the number of distributions which may be classified as consensus and the results indicate that central moments should not be used as consensus predictions.
N-terminal proteolytic processing of porcine chromogranin A in parathyroid tissue

Chromogranin A (CgA) is a glycoprotein stored in secretory granules of many endocrine and neuroendocrine cells. CgA undergoes tissue specific processing to release regulatory peptides. In the parathyroid, although processing is limited and variable, several CgA-derived peptides have been characterized including parastatin and betagranin. An early stage of CgA processing is the generation of a 64-kDa fragment (CgA64). In this study, we have purified CgA64 from porcine parathyroid glands by chromatographic separations. Edman degradation of this CgA64 yielded the N-terminal sequence NDQAELKEGTEEASSKEAAEKRGDXAVEKND corresponding to pCgA(94-125). Amino acid composition suggests that CgA64 corresponds to CgA(94-430) (i.e. the entire CgA molecule, less the N-terminal residues 1-93). To determine the origin of CgA64, we fractionated parathyroid membrane vesicles by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Intact CgA is predominantly located in dense sucrose fractions (secretory granules), whereas CgA64 is located near the top of the gradient (soluble protein fraction). In vitro incubation of these fractions revealed that the conversion of CgA did not occur in intact granules. These results indicate that CgA64 is not present in intact granules suggesting that it is not a naturally occurring secretory product in parathyroid cells.
The biology of metastatic breast cancer

Early detection and surgical removal of breast cancer are most effective in managing a disease that may affect up to one in ten women in North America and Western Europe. However, one of the most important prognostic indicators for breast cancer is the presence of neoplastic cells in the axillary lymph nodes. The dissemination of cells from a primary lesion, resulting in the progressive growth of metastatic carcinoma in distant sites (including bone, lungs, liver, and brain) is the most common cause of death in breast cancer patients. Experimental studies on the biology of metastatic breast cancer have used rodent tumor systems, and, in recent years, the transplantation of human breast carcinoma cells into athymic mice. The results of such studies, combined with clinical observations, suggest that metastasis is not a random event. The formation of secondary lesions is the result of a sequence of selective events. A better understanding of the metastatic phenotype from cellular and molecular analyses will provide a basis for rational approaches to preventing and treating this most lethal aspect of breast cancer. Cancer 66:13130-1320, 1990.
Sub-10 nm monodisperse PbS cubes by post-synthesis shape engineering

Sub-10 nm monodisperse PbS cubes are synthesized by reacting quasi-spherical PbS nanocrystals with (NH4)2S. This reaction shapes the quasi-spheres into cubes via preferential growth of the (111) facets. A four-band envelope function calculation of the energy levels accounts well for the measured absorption spectra. Initial studies show that PbS cubes can organize into simple square superlattices with short ligands.
Risk Factors and Medical Management of Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Vasospasm is a major cause of morbidity and mortality following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. This article reviews the risk factors for vasospasm; the various methods for diagnosing vasospasm including the conventional 4-vessel angiography, computed tomographic angiography, and computed tomographic perfusion; the methods to detect vasospasm before clinical onset (including transcranial Doppler ultrasonography); and the recent emergence of multimodality monitoring. A discussion of medical treatment options in the setting of vasospasm is also included; the prophylactic use of "neuroprotectants" such as nimodipine, statins, and magnesium and the role of hemodynamic augmentation in vasospasm amelioration, including the use of inotropic support in addition to traditional triple-H therapy, are discussed.
Incorporating aerodynamic and laryngealcomponents into task dynamics

Abstract Aerodynamic and laryngeal components were added to the task-dynamic model to make it a more complete model of speech production. New tract variables included were subglottal pressure, transglottal pressure, and a quantity giving fundamental frequency in sonorant conditions. New articulators included total force on the lungs, generalized laryngeal tension, and supralaryngeal volume. Simulations of /VCV/ sequences, where C was either a voiced or a voiceless aspirated stop, demonstrated the usefulness of these additions.
Anomalies for electrons moving on antiferromagnetic surfaces

Abstract With a complex arrangement of magnetic fields and magnetic couplings, electrons governed by a standard tight-binding Hamiltonian on a square lattice can be made to obey a Dirac equation with an unequal number of positive and negative masses. This induces a spontaneous quantized Hall conductance.
Mechanical properties of biological gels

Abstract The rheological properties of biological gels are illustrated by reviewing measurements made on samples containing polymer networks reconstituted from cytoskeletal constitutents. Although these networks are crosslinked by non-covalent interactions which may lead to transient gel behavior, the early-time (rapid) mechanical response of the gels can be characterized by the instantaneous shear modulus. A theory for the latter is described, and used to examine the relationship between the cortical f-actin content and the stiffening of activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
Effectiveness of peer-led eating disorders prevention: A replication trial.

The aim of this study was to replicate and extend results of a previous trial that investigated the effectiveness of 2 peer-led eating disorders prevention interventions in reducing eating disorder risk factors in undergraduate women (C. B. Becker, L. M. Smith, & A. C. Ciao, 2006). To extend findings from the previous study by allowing for investigation of differential response, the authors randomly assigned a larger sample of both higher and lower risk sorority members (N = 188; age M = 18.64 years, range = 18-21; 20% minority) to either a cognitive dissonance (CD) or a media advocacy (MA) intervention under naturalistic conditions. Interventions were delivered by trained sorority peer leaders and consisted of two 2-hr group sessions. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed eating disorder risk factors at pretreatment, posttreatment, 7-week follow-up, and 8-month follow-up. Results indicate that both interventions reduced thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, and bulimic pathology at 8 months, although higher and lower risk participants responded somewhat differently. Both CD and MA generally appeared effective for higher risk participants; only CD, however, appeared to benefit lower risk participants. Results further support the viability of using peer leaders in dissonance-based prevention.
Industry-Academia Computer Aided Engineering Undergraduate Research Projects

Florida’s First Coast Manufacturing Innovation Partnership (MIP), sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), promotes collaboration between academia and local industry members by providing a shared resource center. The local industry provides the university with research opportunities for its undergraduate students in areas of mechanical engineering design, manufacturing, and analysis and the university provides the local industry with technical resources. This paper outlines how this collaborative effort is structured, what types of projects are undertaken, and what the benefits are to academia, industry, and society in general. In particular, the paper describes three computer aided engineering (CAE) projects, addresses how these industry-academia projects help achieve the goals of the MIP program, and how these projects help improve the CAE skills of the future workforce.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Aging study of neoprene FB uncured rubber in support of an obsolescence issue for EPDM rubber insulation used in the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor of the Space Shuttle

Abstract Thiokol/Wasatch (TC/W) in Utah is the manufacturer of the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) for the Space Shuttle, and filled EPDM and NBR rubber insulators are used on RSRM for erosion resistance. Since DuPont/Dow is closing production lines for Neoprene FB and two Nordel EPDM polymers used in three EPDM insulators for RSRM, TC/W will stockpile 6–7 years of Neoprene FB and Nordel to support RSRM production until reformulated EPDMs can be developed and recertified. NASA/MSFC used several thermal analysis techniques to study the effect of aging on a lot of uncured Neoprene FB kept in cold storage at 40°F (4.4°C) for more than 11 years (‘old’). A lot of uncured Neoprene FB kept in cold storage for 8 months (‘new’) was used for comparison in the study. In processing of uncured calendered sheets by the Shuttle vendor that are later cured near 150°C as RSRM insulation by TC/W, Neoprene FB is mixed into the EPDM formulation at 105°C. Uncured Neoprene FB is a solid at room temperature with a texture similar to that of cheese, but was shown by DSC to have a peak melting endotherm at 50°C, becoming a low viscosity liquid until it begins to cross-link at higher temperatures. From a DMA study on the uncured ‘old’ and ‘new’ lots of Neoprene FB at cure temperatures of 95, 105 and 115°C, a linear Arrhenius relationship of the logarithm of the time to gelation versus reciprocal absolute temperature yielded activation energies for the two lots of rubber. When this linear relationship was extrapolated down to the cold storage temperature of 4.4°C, gel times of the ‘old’ and ‘new’ rubber lots were predicted to be 12.7 and 72.6 years, respectively. This data shows that the ‘old’ lot of Neoprene FB still has a considerably useful shelf life in cold storage.
Data mining of mRNA-Seq and small RNA-Seq data to find microRNA targets

The computational identification of miRNA target sites in an mRNA transcript is a challenging problem. In this paper, we describe an integrative approach to efficiently predict the miRNA:mRNA interactions by data-mining of massive parallel sequencing based data, such as mRNA-Seq and small RNA-Seq, and transcript isoform specific miRNA binding scores of miRanda algorithm.
Chemical composition, intake by sheep, and in situ disappearance in cannulated cows of bermudagrass hayed at two moisture concentrations and treated with a non-viable Lactobacillus-lactic acid preservative

a b s t r a c t Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) is commonly used for grazing and haying in the southern USA, but hay curing can be challenging due to frequent rainfall events dur- ing spring and early summer. An existing stand of 'Greenfield' bermudagrass was divided into 12 plots using a randomized complete block design with a 2×2 factorial treatment arrangement to evaluate the influence of a non-viable Lactobacillus-lactic acid preservative and moisture concentration at baling on chemical composition, intake by sheep, and in situ disappearance in cattle. At time of mowing, half of the plots in each block were either spray-treated (T) or not treated (U) with 81 mL/t forage dry matter (DM) of the preser- vative solution. Hay was then baled at target moisture concentrations of either 174 g/kg DM (L) or 267 g/kg DM (H). Maximum temperature and heating degree days were greater (P 0.10). Post-storage nutritive value was largely influenced by moisture treatments only. Intake and digestibility, and in situ DM dis- appearance of these same hays were determined using 16 wether lambs (43 ± 3.7 kg initial BW), or six ruminally cannulated cows (617 ± 3.5 kg initial BW), respectively. Dry matter intake by sheep was not affected by either treatment factor (P>0.05), but DM digestibil- ity and digestible DM intake were greater (P<0.05) from U compared with T. The in situ immediately soluble DM portion was greater from (P<0.05) L compared with H, but the reverse was true for the potentially degradable DM fraction. The lag time tended (P<0.10) to be greater from H compared with L. Treating bermudagrass with a non-viable Lacto- bacillus acidophilus-lactic acid spray product at time of baling may not offset the negative effects on forage quality and digestibility of baling bermudagrass hay at excessive moisture concentrations.
The impact of chelation therapy on survival in transfusional iron overload: a meta-analysis of myelodysplastic syndrome.

Elevated iron has been linked to increased morbidity and mortality in the general population (Mainous et al, 2004). In addition, iron overload can occur as an iatrogenic consequence of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. Transfusional iron overload is not an uncommon consequence in patients who are chronically transfused to treat severe anaemia (de Ville de Goyet et al, 2013), as can occur in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Transfusion-dependent patients have increased mortality (de Ville de Goyet et al, 2013). Iron chelation therapy (ICT) is a strategy to address transfusional iron overload in MDS and utilizes drugs that remove iron as the drug is excreted.
Activation energy of tantalum–tungsten oxide thermite reactions

Abstract The activation energy of a sol–gel (SG) derived tantalum–tungsten oxide thermite composite was determined using the Kissinger isoconversion method. The SG derived powder was consolidated using the high-pressure spark plasma sintering (HPSPS) technique at 300 and 400 °C. The ignition temperatures were investigated under high heating rates (500–2000 °C min−1). Such heating rates were required in order to ignite the thermite composite. Samples consolidated at 300 °C exhibit an abrupt change in temperature response prior to the main ignition temperature. This change in temperature response is attributed to the crystallization of the amorphous WO3 in the SG derived Ta–WO3 thermite composite and not to a pre-ignition reaction between the constituents. Ignition temperatures for the Ta–WO3 thermite ranged from approximately 465 to 670 °C. The activation energies of the SG derived Ta–WO3 thermite composite consolidated at 300 and 400 °C were determined to be 38 ± 2 kJ mol−1 and 57 ± 2 kJ mol−1, respectively.
System architecture for a long range over the water target acquisition and tracking system

Design optimization of airborne IR target acquisition and tracking systems is a complex process involving tradeoffs between program goals, systems performance, cost, physical characteristics, reliability, growth adaptability and numerous other factors. The key performance goals are usually detection range, search area, search time and false alarm rate. Constraints on the design are available physical volume and the state of the art of IR detectors, inertial sensors, optics, signal processors, and recorders. Funding constraints often restrict the design to use off the shelf hardware. Design objectives for an airborne sea surface target IR tracking system are defined. The system design process is described and several passes through this process are discussed. An optimized custom design resulting from the first pass through design process with relaxed constraints on the problem and an 'off the shelf' design to meet the design objectives are defined and discussed.
Show the Truth and Let the Audience Decide: A Web-Based Survey Showing Support among Viewers of Al-Jazeera for Use of Graphic Imagery

This survey examines how viewers of Al-Jazeera perceive the network's presentation of graphic and war-related visuals and whether the viewers perceive that the TV channel provides visual information they cannot find in national Arab media, CNN, and other Western media. Nearly 9 in 10 respondents supported the use of graphic imagery saying watching those visuals was a good decision for them and that the network provides a unique source of visual information. Further, attitudes toward press freedom and media reliance correlated with support for graphic visuals after controlling for demographic variables.
Pesticide Drift IV. On-Target Deposits from Aerial Application of Insecticides

With the increasing public concern of air pollution, which occasionally incriminates insecticides, the question is asked: what percentage of the insecticide from an aerial application actually reaches the target crop?
Understanding allergic rhinitis: differential diagnosis and management.

Chronic rhinitis is a common condition responsible for a substantial morbidity. Allergic rhinitis is the most frequent reason for chronic rhinitis in children. The physician must begin any evaluation with a thorough history and physical examination. Specific questions concerning the environment will be important if allergy is a possible diagnosis. The microscopic examination of nasal secretions may be helpful in corroborating evidence. Treatment of allergic rhinitis should include a serious attempt to avoid exacerbating factors that have been identified from the history. Pharmacologic intervention with antihistamines, decongestants, and topical use of cromolyn or corticosteroids may be highly successful. If such therapy must be constant to achieve an adequate therapeutic response or if the response is suboptimal, an evaluation for specific allergies, including skin testing to identify pertinent allergens, should be considered.
Syntrophus aciditrophicus sp. nov., a new anaerobic bacterium that degrades fatty acids and benzoate in syntrophic association with hydrogen-using microorganisms

Strain SBT is a new, strictly anaerobic, gram-negative, nonmotile, non-sporeforming, rod-shaped bacterium that degrades benzoate and certain fatty acids in syntrophic association with hydrogen/formate-using microorganisms. Strain SBT produced approximately 3 mol of acetate and 0.6 mol of methane per mol of benzoate in coculture with Methanospirillum hungatei strain JF1. Saturated fatty acids, some unsaturated fatty acids, and methyl esters of butyrate and hexanoate also supported growth of strain SBT in coculture with Desulfovibrio strain G11. Strain SBT grew in pure culture with crotonate, producing acetate, butyrate, caproate, and hydrogen. The molar growth yield was 17 +/- 1 g cell dry mass per mol of crotonate. Strain SBT did not grow with fumarate, iron(III), polysulfide, or oxyanions of sulfur or nitrogen as electron acceptors with benzoate as the electron donor. The DNA base composition of strain SBT was 43.1 mol% G+C. Analysis of the 16 S rRNA gene sequence placed strain SBT in the delta-subdivision of the Proteobacteria, with sulfate-reducing bacteria. Strain SBT was most closely related to members of the genus Syntrophus. The clear phenotypic and genotypic differences between strain SBT and the two described species in the genus Syntrophus justify the formation of a new species, Syntrophus aciditrophicus.
Dry deposition velocities of atmospheric aerosols as inferred by applying a particle dry deposition parameterization to a general circulation model

A particle dry deposition parameterization is applied to a general circulation model to carry out a diagnostic study of global scale dry deposition velocities of ambient aerosols. Bulk deposition velocities are calculated for observed nuclei, accumulation, and coarse modes using two models, one with a more complete description of surface processes. Seasonal as well as diurnal effects are analyzed. The spatial and temporal variability of deposition velocities depends in a complex fashion on both microphysical (particle size and characteristics of the surface elements) and meteorological (surface wind speed and atmospheric stability near the surface) variables. For individual snapshots, mass-average dry deposition velocities are found to lie in the range of 0.01-0.2 cm/s for the nuclei mode. 0.001-0.05 cm/s for the accumulation mode, and 1.25-5 cm/s for the coarse mode. When averaged over long-term simulations, the corresponding values are 0.015-O. I5 cm/s, 0.0024.03 cm/s, and 1.25-3.5 cm/s, respectively. Averaged deposition velocities are larger over vegetated areas than over snow, bare ground, and ocean surfaces by a factor of about 1.5-3 and seem also to be sensitive to different vegetation types. Over oceans, the deposition rates tend to mainly correlate with the surface wind speed patterns. Over land areas, however, the effect of the surface thermal response to insolation on convective mixing in the boundary layer becomes important, especially in conditions of small mean solar zenith angle. In this case, the deposition velocity shows a marked diurnal trend, being larger during daytime than during nighttime by a factor of 1.5- 2.5. The seasonal variation of surface wind speed and insolation, thus, affects the deposition patterns. Diffusiophoresis related to water evaporation over ocean surfaces is shown to possibly play an important rde in inhibiting deposition of accumulation-mode particles. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1988.tb00210.x
Using RNA interference to determine the role of varisin in the innate immune system of the hard tick Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae)

Defensins are an important component of the innate immune system of ticks. These small peptides are produced by various genera of ticks, and expressed in various tissues. In this study we used RNA interference to silence the expression of the defensin varisin produced by the hemocytes of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. Ticks were injected with double stranded varisin RNA prior to being placed on a rabbit. After feeding, the ticks were removed, bled, and the hemolymph plasma and hemocytes separated. Hemocytes were screened for the presence (or absence) of both varisin transcript and peptide. Varisin peptide was below detectable levels and the transcript showed a greater than 99% knockdown. The antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph plasma was reduced 2-4 fold compared to that of control injected ticks indicating varisin accounts for a large portion of the antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph.
Vertical movement of the littoral fringe periwinkle Nodilittorina exigua in relation to wave height

The relationship between daily vertical distribution of the littoral fringe periwinkle Nodilittorina exigua and daily wave height was investigated at Shirahama, Japan (33°42′N; 135°21′E) daily, from May 1981 to August 1982. The positions of the snails on a cliff shore were high when the wave-reach was high, and ascended with increasing height of the wave-reach. The snails moved a long distance upwards in late summer, when typhoon swells occurred, and moved gradually downwards again in autumn, parallel to decreasing wave-reach. They displayed more active vertical movement in warmer seasons of the year and this activity was not positively correlated with the frequency of wetting. Downward migration in autumn ensured frequent and constant immersion. Taken in conjunction with results in the literature, the present study emphasizes the adaptive significance of vertical movement by N. exigua in the littoral-fringe environment.
Kinematics of the elbow during wheelchair propulsion: A comparison of two wheelchairs and two stroking techniques

Abstract Objective: The kinematics of the elbow joint were studied for two types of wheelchairs and during two types of propulsive strokes. Participants: Ten serially selected healthy volunteers propelled a standard and a lightweight wheelchair on a roller system with both circular and pumping strokes. Design: Kinematic data for the wheelchair and the upper extremity were collected by an optical tracking system. These kinematic descriptors were subsequently time-normalized with a spline algorithm to provide a graphic description of the wheelchair strokes. Main Outcome Measures: Thirteen discrete variables were compared for the two chairs and the two propulsive strokes. Results: Total elbow motion ranged from 60.9° of flexion to 5.2° of extension. Maximal elbow flexion velocity ranged from 515.4° to 572.8° per second. Kinematic differences between the two wheelchairs were minimal, with a trend for 8.3° to 5.2° more elbow flexion in the lightweight wheelchair ( p p Conclusion: No major differences regarding elbow kinematics were seen between the two types of wheelchairs. The pumping-stroke technique resulted in a shortened handrim contact arc.
Brief encounters: Impact of gender, sex-role attitudes, and partner's gender on interaction and cognition

Research on sex differences in dyadic interactions has largely neglected the effects of sex-role attitudes and has focused on overt behavior to the relative omission of information-gathering and affective responses. In addition to behavioral observations, individuals in same- or opposite-sex pairs completed questionnaires on recall and descriptions of the partners, as well as ratings of liking. It was hypothesized that sex-role attitudes of the participant, his/her gender, and the partner's gender would affect responses. As anticipated, the sex-role-traditional individuals displayed behaviors most consistent with previous research, while sex-role-liberal students exhibited different patterns. Recall and description of the partner were also affected in complex fashion by participant gender, partner gender, and participant sex-role attitudes. Methodological issues were raised, including the possible reactivity of measures of sex-role attitude.
Electrophysiological characteristics of amygdaloid central nucleus neurons in the awake rabbit

Considerable evidence suggests that the amygdaloid central nucleus (ACE) may contribute importantly to autonomic regulation, possibly via direct ACE projections to the brainstem. Lacking, however, have been comprehensive data concerning the electrophysiological characteristics of ACE neurons. The present experiment was therefore undertaken in order to characterize the spontaneous activity and sensory-evoked responses of ACE neurons in the conscious rabbit. Particular attention was given to the identification, via antidromic activation, and characterization of those ACE neurons which project to the lower brainstem. Single-unit recordings were obtained from 100 histologically verified ACE neurons. Most of these, including all brainstem projection neurons, discharged at very low spontaneous rates and were unresponsive to the presentation of auditory, visual and somatic stimuli. Based upon spontaneous activity and sensory-evoked responses, the activity of other ACE neurons appeared to conform to one of several profiles. These included neurons showing increased activity to the presentation of all sensory stimuli, and neurons showing activity that was spontaneously entrained with the respiratory cycle. These data indicate the heterogeneous nature of ACE neuronal activity, and provide a basis for the comparison of additional experiments which concern the electrophysiological characteristics of the ACE.
Military otolaryngology resident case numbers and board passing rates during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

ObjectiveDuring the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US military has continued to train medical residents despite concern that postgraduate medical education at military training facilities has suffered. This study compares the experience of otolaryngology residents at military programs with the experience of their civilian counterparts.Study DesignRetrospective review.SettingAcademic military medical centers.Subjects and MethodsResident caseload data and board examination passing rates were requested from each of the 6 Department of Defense otolaryngology residency programs for 2001 to 2010. The American Board of Otolaryngology and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education provided the national averages for resident caseload. National board passing rates from 2004 to 2010 were also obtained. Two-sample t tests were used to compare the pooled caseloads from the military programs with the national averages. Board passing rates were compared with a test of proportions.ResultsData were availa...
Penalty function formulations for incompressible nonlinear elastostatics

Abstract The analysis of incompressible nonlinear elastic solids is considered by a penalty function approach. In particular the necessary compatibility conditions for developing penalty forms for isotropic nonlinear elasticity are addressed, and the commonly used form of strain energy functional leading to a penalty formulation of the incompressibility constraint extended. The Mooney-Rivlin model is used to show how previous developments can lead to physically meaningless situations. For a certain class of incompressible materials, which includes the important Mooney-Rivlin model, a new and particularly simple formulation is proposed.
A differential developmental pattern of spinal interneuron apoptosis during synaptogenesis: insights from genetic analyses of the protocadherin-γ gene cluster

Although the role of developmental apoptosis in shaping the complement and connectivity of sensory and motoneurons is well documented, the extent to which cell death affects the 13 cardinal classes of spinal interneurons is unclear. Using a series of genetic manipulations in vivo, we demonstrate for the first time a differential pattern of developmental apoptosis in molecularly identified spinal interneuron populations, and implicate the adhesion molecule family encoded by the 22-member protocadherin-γ ( Pcdh -γ) gene cluster in its control. In constitutive Pcdh -γ null mouse embryos, many interneuron populations undergo increased apoptosis, but to differing extents: for example, over 80% of En1-positive V1 neurons are lost, whereas only 30% of Chx10-positive V2a neurons are lost and there is no reduction in the number of V1-derived Renshaw cells. We show that this represents an exacerbation of a normal, underlying developmental pattern: the extent of each population9s decrease in Pcdh -γ mutants is precisely commensurate both with the extent of its loss during normal embryogenesis and with the extent of its increase in Bax -/- mice, in which apoptosis is genetically blocked. Interneuron apoptosis begins during the first wave of synaptogenesisis in the spinal cord, occurring first among ventral populations (primarily between E14 and E17), and only later among dorsal populations (primarily after P0). Utilizing a new, conditional Pcdh -γ mutant allele, we show that the γ-Pcdhs can promote survival non-cell-autonomously: mutant neurons can survive if they are surrounded by normal neurons, and normal neurons can undergo apoptosis if they are surrounded by mutant neurons.
Functional and Physical Interactions between Mammalian Achaete-Scute Homolog 1 and Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2A

The mammalian achaete-scute homolog 1 (MASH1) protein is required for the early development of the nervous system. However, the molecular and biochemical mechanism by which MASH1 acts to determine neurogenesis are still unknown. The myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A) is a MADS transcription factor that is essential for the specification and differentiation of the muscle lineage. Here we show that MEF2A and MASH1 are coordinately induced during the differentiation of the teratocarcinoma cell line P19 along a neuronal lineage and that in transient transfection assays, MEF2A and MASH1 cooperatively activate gene expression. This cooperativity appears to be due to a specific physical interaction between MEF2A and MASH1. Taken together, these findings suggest that MASH1 via a cooperative interaction with MEF2A may regulate the expression of specific genes that are critical for neuronal differentiation.
Stem Cell Gene Therapy for the β‐Chain Hemoglobinopathies: Problems and Progressa

Virus vectors hold great promise for the stem cell gene therapy of beta-chain hemoglobinopathies. However, conventional vectors suffer from low gene transfer rates, low expression levels, and inconsistent or short-lived expression in vivo. In this review we summarize the current status of vector systems for the transduction of hematopoietic stem cells, including the development of novel vector systems and methods for selection of transduced stem cells in vivo. We also summarize efforts to achieve therapeutic expression levels of transferred globin genes with retrovirus vectors, including the manipulation of transcription cassettes, the use of globin gene enhancers, and advances in the use of chromatin insulators for improving the frequency of gene expression following hematopoietic stem cell transduction.
Moment analysis for evaluation of flow-injection manifolds

Abstract The applicability of the exponentially modified Gaussian (EMG) peak-shape model to a variety of flow-injection manifolds is explored. Using previously derived equations and manual calculations, the second moment (variance) is employed as the fundamental descriptor of flow-injection response curves. The applicability of the EMG model is verified over a wide range of flow rates (0.2–1.7 ml min−1 for coiled, knitted and Serpentine II manifolds, single-bead string reactors (SBSR) and a coiled reactor with a single confluence point. The Serpentine II reactor exhibits decreased dispersion at higher flow-rates. The determination of the variance of flow-injection response curves reveals that for the examined SBSR and Serpentine II manifolds, reagent consumpsion is decreased as the flow-rate is increased from intermediate (1.0 ml min−1 to high flow rates (1.7 ml min−1. Determination of peak variance is shown to yield unique information in the time domain which assists in the optimum design and evaluation of performance in flow manifolds.
Academic Efforts and Study Habits Among Students in a Principles of Macroeconomics Course

Abstract The concept of the production function is a powerful pedagogical tool applicable to a wide range of areas. This article applies this concept to college students in several macroeconomics classes. The conceptual model for the statistical analysis used educational outcome as the dependent variable, and GPA, academic efficacy, accumulated credit hours, study hours, and other habit variables serve as the explanatory variables (educational inputs). Results show that the academic efficacy and habit variables were significant in explaining academic achievement in the macroeconomics classroom for all students. The amount of time spent studying macroeconomics had no significant impact. SAT scores and accumulated credit hours were significant in explaining achievement among the above-average students, but insignificant for below-average students.
Rosiglitazone, thiazolidinediones and atherosclerosis.

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are extensively used in the treatent of type 2 diabetes since this condition is characterized by nsulin resistance and they sensitize patients to the action of nsulin largely through the suppression of hepatic glucose prouction and the suppression of lipolysis at the adipose tissue evel [1]. Soon after they were licensed for use as anti-diabetic rugs, they were shown to have a reactive oxygen species (ROS) uppressive, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects [2]. Thus, roglitazone, the first drug in this class, suppressed ROS generaion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells and the expression of 47phox, an essential subunit of the enzyme nicotinamide adenine inucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, which generates the O2 adical [2]. In addition, it suppressed the intranuclear nuclear factor appa B (NF B) binding activity, increased inhibitor of B (I B)xpression and also suppressed the plasma concentrations of the ro-inflammatory chemokine, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, he adhesion molecule, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, Ceactive protein and the anti-fibrinolytic, plasminogen activator ihibitor-1 [3]. These actions were evident within a week of startng the drug at a medium dose of 400mg per day. Rosiglitazone t a medium dose of 4mg per day also demonstrated similar early nd potent anti-inflammatory effects at 3 days after the initiation f treatment [4]. A larger dose of rosiglitazone of 8mg per day nduces a reduction in CRP within 24h while even a small dose 2mg per day) exerts an anti-inflammatory effect within 1 week 5,6]. Pioglitazone has also been shown to exert a powerful antinflammatory effect [7]. Recently, pioglitazone has been shown o suppress Toll like receptors 2 and 4 in, in vitro, studies [8]. In
Prophet inequalities for cost of observation stopping problems

Abstract Comparisons are made between the expected gain of a prophet (an observer with complete foresight) and the maximal expected gain of a gambler (using only non-anticipating stopping times) observing a sequence of independent, uniformly bounded random variables where a non-negative fixed cost is charged for each observation. Sharp universal bounds are obtained under various restrictions on the cost and the length of the sequence. For example, it is shown for X1, X2, … independent, [0, 1]-valued random variables that for all c ≥ 0 and all n ≥ 1 that E( max 1 ≤ j ≤ n (X j − jc)) − sup t ∈ T n E(X t − tc) ≤ 1 e , where Tn is the collection of all stopping times t which are less than or equal to n almost surely.
Application of virtual microscopy in clinical cytopathology.

Virtual microscopy (VM) refers to the use of an automated microscope and digital imaging technology to scan, store, and view glass slides. VM systems allow the user to view a scanned image of the entire slide at multiple magnifications on a computer screen. We tested VM to evaluate its possible utility in diagnostic cytopathology. Ten cervical-vaginal monolayered preparations (AutoCyte™ preparation) were scanned using a BLISS™ (Bacus Laboratories Inc. Slide Scanner) system. Approximately 20–30% of the cellular area of each slide was imaged. The cases were randomly chosen to include examples ranging from benign cellular changes (BCC) to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). The computer performed image tiling and fusing of multiple JPEG images to create a high-quality VM slide. Six examiners (two each of cytopathologists, senior residents, and cytotechnologists) blindly evaluated the VM slides using an image server program (WebSlide Browser™ thin client software). The cytopathologic diagnoses made on the VM slide were then compared to the original glass slide diagnoses. BLISS™ took 36–100 min (avg. 58.4 min) to scan the selected fields in a glass slide with file sizes ranging from 23.1–83.6 MB. Time taken by the examiners to render a diagnosis ranged from 1–15 min (avg. 4.1 min) per case. The combined diagnostic accuracy was 98.3%. Only one case of LSIL was missed by one examiner. VM is a promising new tool, which gives a user the feel and simulated experience of an actual microscopic examination and provides a useful alternative to a glass slide in diagnostic cytopathology. Possible applications include: 1) second opinion consultation without transporting the glass slide, 2) education, 3) VM proficiency tests / board exams, and 4) telepathology. Shortcomings include 1) expensive initial setup, 2) inability to maintain an adequate focus in a thick smear with multiple levels, 3) large storage size of the VM slide, and 4) relatively long time needed to scan a slide. Diagn. Cytopathol. 25:389–396, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anaphase structure in mitotic cells typified by spindle elongation

Cells that are typified by anaphase spindle elongation have been chosen from five species and examined by electron microscopy. Filament morphology including diameter of individual filaments is constant throughout metaphase and anaphase within the limitations of the method employed. Filaments have been observed in the interzone in numerous anaphase mitotic figures, although the number of filaments there is less than on the poleward sides of the chromosome plates. During late anaphase in these cells, filaments disappear poleward first and then progressively toward the cleavage plane, and a disarrangement of filaments may be observed near their ends. Filaments are seen characteristically in parallel arrays, but definite perpendicular orientations have been observed in several cases. Golgi bodies and mitochondria may persist with largely unaltered morphology throughout division.
The performative dimension of surveillance: Jacob Riis’ how the other half lives

In Discipline and Punish Michel Foucault suggests that by the end of the nineteenth century the techniques of surveillance were deployed in all facets of life in order to discipline and thereby control the body as a site of opposition. Nowhere were the operations of surveillance more acute than in American cities where diverse immigrant cultures needed to be normalized in order to promote the capitalist social order. Tenement reform literature, particularly when illustrated by documentary photographs, employed surveillance techniques that discursively produced and controlled Otherness in terms of manageable categories of race, gender, and class. A critical analysis of Jacob A. Riis’ How the Other Half Lives reveals that the activities of observing produced a rhetoric of the image that derived its ideological power from its complex affiliations with hegemonic cultural discourses. In Riis’ text, self and Other are configured as functions of discourse where the forbidden zones of the dangerous classes are ma...
The Effects of Religious Fundamentalism and Religiosity on Preference for Traditional Family Norms

This study examines the effects of religion on preference for a patriarchal family, one in which the husband makes decisions while the wife is subservient to him. The effects of both religious fundamentalism and personal religiosity are considered using a survey of adults in a Southwestern city. The analysis reveals a strong positive direct effect of adherence to a fundamentalist doctrine on support for the patriarchal family, but no direct effect of personal religiosity. An interaction effect of these two variables, reported in some other studies of the effect of religion on other family issues, is not found. The effect of religious fundamentalism is equal in magnitude to the effect of age, and greater than the effects of education, gender, family income, head of household occupational prestige, subjective class identification, race and rural background. With the exceptions of age and gender, religious fundamentalism serves as a crucial intervening variable in the relationships between these variables and endorsement of patriarchal norms in the husband-wife relationship.
Effects of Early Maturation, Layer Protein Level, and Methionine Concentration on Production Performance of Brown-Egg-Type Pullets

Abstract Three hundred and sixty 17-week-old Harco Sex Link pullets were transferred to laying cages and received 13 hr of light daily for the first week followed by 15 hr the second and subsequent weeks. A second group of 360 pullets remained in the growing facility on 8 hr of light until 19 weeks of age when the light was increased to 13 hr. At 20 weeks these birds were transferred to the laying facility where they received 15 hr of light daily for the duration of the experiment. A 15% protein grower ration was fed until daily production of each group reached 2%, at which time the diets were changed to either a 17 or 19% protein layer ration, each supplemented with DL-methionine so as to contain .3 or .4% total methionine. Early housed pullets averaged 140.4 days at first egg whereas late housed reached sexual maturity at 149 days. The initial increase in egg production by the early housed pullets was followed by a more rapid decline and overall, from housing to 66 weeks, equivalent egg numbers were produced. The early housed pullets were less efficient than the late housed birds due in part to their larger body mass. The greater percentage of small and medium-sized eggs produced by the early housed birds was not influenced by increasing the concentration of protein or methionine in the layer ration.
637 A FUNCTIONAL MEASURE OF VITAMIN E VALIDATED

A sensitive, standardized method of measuring a biological function of vitamin E(E) is needed to define a protective E level. We therefore evaluated the release of thiobarbituric acid reacting substances(TBARS) from red blood cell(RBC) membranes after paired incubations in buffered H2O2, pH 7.4, alone and with azide to promote maximal release. TBARS was quantitated spectro-photometrically. Values were expressed as the ratio of TBARS release without azide/maximal release × 100 (%TBARS). Individual fasting plasma lipid levels were added to give total lipids(TL). Three groups were compared: A) E sufficient noncholestatic children (N=14); B) E sufficient noncholestatic adults (N=6); C) E deficient cholestatic children (N=11). Results show a strong negative correlation in all subjects between %TBARS and E levels, E/TL, E/cholesterol (r=-.84, -.89, -.89, p<.001). Significant differences in E and E/TL in groups A or B vs C are reflected by marked differences in %TBARS release (p<.001). Groups A+B had higher maximal TBARS release vs C (p<.05). Values listed below are mean ±SD. We conclude that %TBARS release provides a sensitive measure of E level and biologic function that could be utilized in clinical assessment of E-sufficiency.
A novel exopolysaccharide can function in place of the Calcofluor-binding exopolysaccharide in nodulation of alfalfa by Rhizobium meliloti

We have found that R. meliloti strain Rm1021, which is known to synthesize a Calcofluor-binding exopolysaccharide (EPS I), also has a cryptic capacity to synthesize a second exopolysaccharide (EPS II). Structural analysis of EPS II has shown that it differs in many respects from EPS I. Genetic analysis indicates that EPS II synthesis requires the products of at least seven loci on the second symbiotic megaplasmid of R. meliloti, and is induced by a mutation, expR101, which causes increased transcription of these genes. Synthesis of EPS II suppresses the symbiotic defects of EPS I-deficient strains on Medicago sativa (alfalfa), but not on four other plants that are normally hosts for Rm1021. These observations suggest that structural features of bacterial exopolysaccharides are involved in the determination of host range. The implications of these results for models of exopolysaccharide function, such as serving as signals to the plant or shielding the bacteria from plant defense responses, are discussed.