cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Household production and forest clearing: the role of farming in the development of the Amazon

Global tropical deforestation continues to be a critical environmental issue and nowhere in the world is the issue more pronounced than in Brazil. This paper examines the land-use choices of small-scale farmers in Ouro Preto do Oeste, Rondonia, Brazil and investigates how agricultural production impacts deforestation levels. The data used to explore these issues consist of a panel collected from 152 households in 1996 and 2000. Overall, the empirical models indicate that access to credit, wealth, lot size, product markets, and off-farm labor opportunities, largely influence deforestation and production decisions. Among other things, the results suggest that more sustainable production methods are unlikely to be adopted by a majority of households under current conditions because the production of milk has rapidly advanced due to its moderate labor requirements and existing market infrastructure. Households with greater levels of wealth have focused on milk while those with access to credit have focused on crops. Since the production of crops is largely influenced by access to credit, similar incentives may be proposed to support more sustainable production activities to help reduce deforestation.
Adolescent inhalant use among male patients in treatment for substance and behavior problems: two-year outcome.

Adolescent inhalant users are significantly more likely than other patients to have conduct disorder, to report abuse and neglect, and to have previously attempted suicide. Yet little has been published regarding treatment outcome for inhalant users. Methods: Eighty male adolescents admitted to a residential treatment program underwent baseline assessment during treatment, and follow-up assessment at two-years post admission. Subjects reporting any lifetime inhalant use at baseline (n = 34) were compared to the other patients (n = 46) on 4 outcome variables. Results: Adolescents reporting any lifetime inhalant use at baseline assessment reported twice as many past-year conduct disorder symptoms at two-year follow up (p = 0.03). The relationship between inhalant use and conduct disorder symptoms remained significant (p = 0.03) in analyses that controlled for age, time in jail or restricted environments in the 6-months preceding follow-up, as well as baseline-reported lifetime number of conduct disorder sym...
On the dust jet model of SS 433

The dust jet model for production of narrow gamma-ray lines from SS 433 is examined and shown to be implausible. Sputtering rates at disk temperatures are high, and self-absorption rates in the disk and jet are important; both imply that dust particles would easily be destroyed. The energy deposited in the dust jet particles by collisions with the ambient protons should be radiated in the optical and infrared in amounts greatly exceeding that observed. The dust momentum pumps ambient gas out of the beam at rates which imply that for the steady state, the ambient gas has to have an initial temperature exceeding one million K. The ambient medium is also required to have densities exceeding those postulated for the H-alpha-emitting gas jet, and the interaction within the gas jet material would result in appreciable broadening of the H-alpha emission lines. At present, there is no viable model for the steady state production of the gamma-ray line radiation.
Microstructure-fibre-based optical parametric amplifier with gain slope of ∼200 dB/W/km in the telecom range

A microstructure-fibre-based optical parametric amplifier with a gain slope of ∼200 dB/W/km in the 1550 nm range is demonstrated, for the first time to the authors' knowledge. By using only 12.5 m-long fibre, gains were obtained of >20 dB over a bandwidth of approximately 30 nm, achieving a peak net gain of 25.4 dB.
Self-Tonometry to Manage Patients With Glaucoma and Apparently Controlled Intraocular Pressure

• We tested a self-tonometer that can be used by the patient alone to monitor intraocular pressure (IOP) in a normal environment. The instrument is safely and easily used after training. Normal subjects and patients with glaucoma who had an IOP of 22 mm Hg or less at three consecutive visits were referred for diurnal monitoring. After successful training, they received a self-tonometer and instructions to obtain five measurements daily between awakening and bedtime for three to six days. More than half the patients had one or more readings above 22 mm Hg. About half of the IOP peaks occurred at times outside of normal office hours. Interestingly, more elevated IOP readings were recorded in patients with suspected or documented progression of glaucomatous damage than in patients thought to be stable or in normal subjects. In eyes that have already sustained glaucomatous damage, the progression may be explained by the presence of previously undocumented IOP peaks. Valuable additional clinical information can be gained by diurnal IOP monitoring, and the self-tonometer is a practical tool for its measurement.
THEORY AND APPLICATION OF A NONGENERIC HETEROCLINIC LOOP BIFURCATION

Homoclinic and heteroclinic bifurcations from a heteroclinic loop are considered. The system under consideration has three parameters, two of which are not suitable for generic unfoldings. Analytical criteria in terms of derivatives to Melnikov's functions are given for nongeneric parameters. Four qualitatively distinct bifurcation diagrams are obtained. The result is used to give an explanation of a numerical finding on the generation of traveling pulsing waves in a two-phase flow problem.
A molecular, phylogenetic and functional study of the dADAR mRNA truncated isoform during Drosophila embryonic development reveals an editing-independent function

Adenosine Deaminases Acting on RNA (ADARs) have been studied in many animal phyla, where they have been shown to deaminate specific adenosines into inosines in duplex mRNA regions. In Drosophila, two isoform classes are encoded, designated full-length (contains the editase domain) and truncated (lacks this domain). Much is known about the full-length isoform, which plays a major role in regulating functions of voltage-gated ion channel proteins in the adult brain. In contrast, almost nothing is known about the functional significance of the truncated isoform. In situ hybridization shows that both isoform mRNA classes are maternally derived and transcripts for both localize primarily to the developing central nervous system. Quantitative RT-PCR shows that about 35% of all dADAR mRNA transcripts belong to the truncated class in embryos. 3’-RACE results show that abundance of the truncated isoform class is developmentally regulated, with a longer transcript appearing after the mid-blastula transition.3’-UTR sequences for the truncated isoform have been determined from diverse Drosophila species and important regulatory regions including stop codons have been mapped. Western analysis shows that both mRNA isoform classes are translated into protein during embryonic development, as full-length variant levels gradually diminish. The truncated protein isoform is present in every Drosophila species studied, extending over a period spanning about 40 x 106 years, implying a conserved function. Previous work has shown that a dADAR protein isoform binds to the evolutionarily conserved rnp-4f pre-mRNA stem-loop located in the 5’-UTR to regulate splicing, while no RNA editing was observed, suggesting the hypothesis that it is the non-catalytic truncated isoform which regulates splicing. To test this hypothesis, we have utilized RNAi technology, the results of which support the hypothesis. These results demonstrate a novel, non-catalytic function for the truncated dADAR protein isoform in Drosophila embryonic development, which is very likely evolutionarily conserved.
Impact of channel wall hydrophobicity on through-plane water distribution and flooding behavior in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell

Abstract Through-plane liquid accumulation, distribution and transport inside polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) components were analyzed as a function of channel wall hydrophobicity with the use of high-resolution neutron imaging. Neutron images were taken with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coated and uncoated flow channel walls. Anode to cathode liquid distribution was analyzed for each case at low and high current conditions over 20 min of operation. The form and amount of liquid water inside the channels and diffusion media (DM) were compared for hydrophobically coated channels and hydrophilic channels, and a primary liquid transport-flooding mechanism is suggested for each case. The location and value of maximum water storage in DM at low and high current operation were analyzed and slopes of water mass versus distance curve were calculated to compare the significance of capillary liquid flow and phase-change-induced flow within the diffusion media. A significant effect of CL|MPL and MPL|DM interfaces on liquid transport and flooding is found through the analysis of micro-porous layer (MPL) water content and saturation profile along the CL|MPL and MPL|DM interface region.
Lesion in nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis: effect on the antinociception produced by micro-injection of morphine and focal electrical stimulation in the periaqueductal gray matter

Abstract The effect of bilateral electrolytic lesions in the nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis (NGC) on the antinociceptive efficacy of morphine and electrical stimulation applied in the periaqueductal central gray matter (PAG) was investigated. Antinociception, evaluated by standard hot plate and tail-flick analgesiometric tests, was reliably produced by morphine (5 μg) and focal electrical stimulation (40–200 μA) administered in the PAG of rats via chronic indwelling cannula/electrode assemblies. Subsequent to the initial antinociceptive testing, bilateral electrolytic lesions were introduced in the NGC and the antinociceptive efficacy of morphine and stimulation in the PAG was again evaluated. Lesions in the NGC prevented the expression of the antinociception produced by the microinjection of morphine in the PAG whereas the antinociception resulting from electrical stimulation in the PAG was unaffected. Further, lesions in the NGC did not alter baseline (control) nociceptive thresholds in either analgesiometric test. These results provide additional support for involvement of the NGC in morphine-induced antinociception and, in addition, suggest that the NGC is not essential to a tonically-active inhibitory system or to the antinociception produced by focal electrical stimulation in the PAG.
Neurobehavioral Performance in Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

Abstract Individuals with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) frequently report difficulties in attention/concentration, memory, and accuracy and speed of problem solving. We evaluated neurobehavioral functioning in 35 chemically exposed patients referred to our Occupational and Environmental Neurology Clinic. Of these 35 patients, 17 presented with symptoms of MCS and 16 patients reported no symptoms of MCS. In addition, we used a group of 126 healthy controls for comparison. The performance of the MCS group was not significantly different from that of the control group on tests of verbal learning and memory, executive functioning, and psychomotor functioning. The MCS group performed below the control group on a test of visual learning and memory, but this performance was similar to the group with chemical exposure and no MCS. Therefore, performance on objective neurobehavioral tests did not confirm the most frequently reported subjective complaints of patients with MCS. These results suggest that patients with symptoms of MCS do not have compromised central nervous system functioning.
Embryonic development of the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus

Extensive research into Drosophila melanogaster embryogenesis has improved our understanding of insect developmental mechanisms. However, Drosophila development is thought to be highly divergent from that of the ancestral insect and arthropod in many respects. We therefore need alternative models for arthopod development that are likely to be more representative of basally-branching clades. The cricket Gryllus bimaculatus is such a model, and currently has the most sophisticated functional genetic toolkit of any hemimetabolous insect. The existing cricket embryonic staging system is fragmentary, and it is based on morphological landmarks that are not easily visible on a live, undissected egg. To address this problem, here we present a complementary set of "egg stages" that serve as a guide for identifying the developmental progress of a cricket embryo from fertilization to hatching, based solely on the external appearance of the egg. These stages were characterized using a combination of brightfield timelapse microscopy, timed brightfield micrographs, confocal microscopy, and measurements of egg dimensions. These egg stages are particularly useful in experiments that involve egg injection (including RNA interference, targeted genome modification, and transgenesis), as injection can alter the speed of development, even in control treatments. We also use 3D reconstructions of fixed embryo preparations to provide a comprehensive description of the morphogenesis and anatomy of the cricket embryo during embryonic rudiment assembly, germ band formation, elongation, segmentation, and appendage formation. Finally, we aggregate and schematize a variety of published developmental gene expression patterns. This work will facilitate further studies on G. bimaculatus development, and serve as a useful point of reference for other studies of wild type and experimentally manipulated insect development in fields from evo-devo to disease vector and pest management.
Broadening accessibility to computer science for K-12 education

Enrollments in computer science and computer engineering have decreased dramatically since the dot-com bubble burst in 2000 even though it is projected that nearly three quarters of all science and engineering jobs in the future will be in these fields. Meeting this demand will require a substantial effort to inspire and motivate students as early as in the elementary school years. The challenge is to provide motivational access to computer science training, particularly for females and minorities in disadvantaged areas.We propose and present three approaches for broadening accessibility to software that teaches computer science fundamentals: (1) virtualization, (2) self-contained live CDs, and (3) web browser-based deployment. While the work is ongoing, initial results are quite promising. Next steps include a more formal and much wider deployment to 3rd-5th grade classes in ten elementary schools in rural Virginia.
Youths’ attributions for power-related gender differences: nature, nurture, or God?

Abstract This study examined beliefs about power-related gender traits among 73 early adolescents in middle school ( M age=12.5), 84 late adolescents in high school ( M age=16.1), and 111 young adults in college ( M age=20.9). Males believed that men had more dominant traits than female participants, and females thought that women had more submissive traits than male participants. Older participants perceived more gender differentiation for these traits than younger participants. Youths believed most strongly in social explanations for differences, followed by biological and religious explanations, although there were age and sex differences in responses. Findings suggest that religious and biological attributions decrease between early adolescence and adulthood for both males and females, but that social attributions increase for females only. Religious attributions were linked to traditional attitudes towards women, social attributions were linked to egalitarian attitudes, while biological attributions were linked to traditional attitudes for males only.
Inhibitors of Raf kinase and MEK signaling

Abstract The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway plays a central role in the regulation of many cellular processes including proliferation, survival, differentiation, apoptosis, motility and metabolism. This pathway is activated by a diverse group of extracellular signals including integrins, growth factor receptors [i.e. epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)], or cytokines. While RAS, RAF and MEK activity appear restricted to only one class of substrates, ERK activates more than 70 substrates including nuclear transcription factors. Agents targeting the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway may therefore inhibit oncogenic signaling in tumor cells. However, most pharmacological agents directed against these targets have not been successful in the clinic. The only small molecule in this class to be approved for cancer therapy is sorafenib, which is not a pure RAF kinase inhibitor. To be successful, one may have to approach this pathway from a multi-pronged approach and also tailor therapy according to which component might be the one playing a pivotal role in a particular system. Relatively selective raf kinase inhibitors are entering clinical trials, and one MEK inhibitor, AZD6244 is in phase II clinical trials.
Predicting facies architecture through sequence stratigraphy—An example from the Kaiparowits Plateau, Utah

Recognition of depositional sequences in Upper Cretaceous strata in the Kaiparowits Plateau allows examination of facies-tract geometries within coeval shoreface, alluvial, and coal-bearing strata. Changes in depositional architecture, sandstone-connectedness, sand-shale ratios, coal-bed geometry, and degree of shoreface and foreshore preservation are related to position within a depositional sequence. Base-level falls produced regionally extensive sequence boundary unconformities and a basinward shift in facies tracts. Slow rates of base-level rise resulted in amalgamated fluvial channel complexes, thin discontinuous coal beds, and progradational shoreface parasequence sets. More rapid rates of base-level rise produced vertically isolated meander-belt sandstones, thick extensive coal beds, and aggradational shoreface parasequence sets. The highest rates of base-level rise resulted in retrogradational shoreface parasequences and tidally influenced fluvial systems at least 60 km inland of coeval shoreface deposits.
Concept, word, and sentence: Interrelations in acquisition and development.

Proposes a conceptual model to account for the child's initial translation of meanings into words. The model is discussed in terms of the characteristics of word acquisition and of the relation between 1st words and 1st sentences. While concept formation theory, semantic feature theory, and Piagetian theory are each alone inadequate to account for this process, each makes a necessary contribution to an adequate solution. The resulting model rests on the assumption that the young child translates the dynamic functional relations of objects into conceptual “core” meanings to which identificational features of concept instances are attached. It differentiates between the meaning of a concept and its referents and relates these to concept generation and concept identification, respectively. Some wider implications of the model for acquiring concepts and general semantic categories and for constructing sentences are briefly considered. (51 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)
Tuning of Field-Oriented Induction Motor Controllers for High-Performance Applications

A tuning procedure for high-performance (e.g., axis feed type) applications of feedforward field-oriented controllers is developed and demonstrated. The theoretical basis of the procedure is explained via a novel form of dq vector diagram. This diagram displays both steady and transient states simultaneously. This format also provides substantial insight into the expected behavior of mistuned controllers, especially for analyzing transient torque performance. The procedure is unambiguous to implement, and it requires no additional sensors beyond those required for the feedforward controller.
PFetch: software prefetching exploiting temporal predictability of memory access streams

CPU speeds have increased faster than the rate of improvement in memory access latencies in the recent past. As a result, with programs that suffer excessive cache misses, the CPU will increasingly be stalled waiting for the memory system to provide the requested memory line. Prefetching is a latency hiding technique that tackles this problem. If the address of the memory line that misses in cache can be predicted sufficiently in advance, it can be prefetched into the cache before it is accessed, reducing the effective latency of that access.In this paper, we develop a novel software-only data prefetching scheme that works at the instruction level and exploits predictability in the access stream to prefetch memory lines accessed in the future. Working at the instruction level gives us a global view of memory access patterns across function, module and library boundaries. Conceptually, our scheme monitors the memory locations being accessed by loads and stores as well as their contents. It tries to find instances of predictability such that the address of a load miss can be pre-determined from a limited number of past accesses.We make the following contributions in this work. First, we present a novel prefetching strategy that unifies and generalizes a number of past approaches that each target a specific source of address predictability. Specifically, our scheme unifies all these past approaches: next-line prefetching, self-stride prefetching, "intraiteration" stride prefetching and same-object prefetching. In addition, it extends and generalizes the SPAID scheme for pointer and call-intensive programs. Second, we present a new threshold-based approach that addresses the issues of prefetch accuracy, prefetch timeliness and prefetch redundancy. Third, we assess our scheme both with a cache simulator and on a real machine where we evaluate it with hardware performance counters.Overall, we demonstrate that a significant reduction in L1 cache misses can be achieved for several benchmarks on a real machine with our approach.
Flavor universal dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking

The top condensate seesaw mechanism of Dobrescu and Hill allows electroweak symmetry to be broken while deferring the problem of flavor to an electroweak singlet, massive sector. We provide an extended version of the singlet sector that naturally accommodates realistic masses for all the standard model fermions, which play an equal role in breaking electroweak symmetry. The models result in a relatively light composite Higgs sector with masses typically in the range of (400{endash}700) GeV. In more complete models the dynamics will presumably be driven by a broken gauged family or flavor symmetry group. As an example of the higher scale dynamics a fully dynamical model of the quark sector with a GIM mechanism is presented, based on an earlier top condensation model of King using broken family gauge symmetry interactions (that model was itself based on a technicolor model of Georgi). The crucial extra ingredient is a reinterpretation of the condensates that form when several gauge groups become strong close to the same scale. A related technicolor model of Randall which naturally includes the leptons too may also be adapted to this scenario. We discuss the low energy constraints on the massive gauge bosons and scalars of these modelsmore » as well as their phenomenology at the TeV scale. thinsp thinsp {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}« less
Plasmonics-enhanced photoconductive terahertz emitters

We present a photoconductive terahertz emitter that incorporates nanoscale plasmonic contact electrodes to offer significantly higher radiation powers compared to conventional photoconductive terahertz emitters. Radiation enhancement is the result of reducing the average transport path of photo-generated carriers to the plasmonic contact electrodes and, thus, increasing the number of the photocarriers that can be routed to the terahertz antenna in a sub-picosecond time-scale to efficiently contribute to terahertz radiation. We experimentally demonstrate up to 50 times higher terahertz radiation powers from the presented plasmonic photoconductive terahertz emitter compared to a similar conventional photoconductive terahertz emitter without plasmonic contact electrodes.
Analysis of a Real-Time Separation Assurance System with Integrated Time-in-Trail Spacing

This paper describes the implementation and analysis of an integrated ground-based separation assurance and time-based metering prototype system into the Center-TRACON Automation System. The integration of this new capability accommodates constraints in four-dimensions: position (x-y), altitude, and meter-fix crossing time. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the integrated system and its ability to handle traffic levels up to twice that of today. Results suggest that the integrated system reduces the number and magnitude of time-in-trail spacing violations. This benefit was achieved without adversely affecting the resolution success rate of the system. Also, the data suggest that the integrated system is relatively insensitive to an increase in traffic of twice the current levels.
Medical imaging system for the recognition of brain scans

A medical image processing system for the recognition of CT brain scan images has been developed. This system was successfully tested on its ability to correctly classify the human brain scans as 'normal', 'haemmoraged', and 'lacunar infarcted'. The imaging system composed of a variation of Laplacian of the Gaussian (LoG) edge detector, a chain encoder, the Hough transform, and a backprop neural network. The edge detector output was fed into the chain coder which formed meaningful segments or groupings of some important features present in the image. These features were further processed by the Hough transform to identify any analytical shapes in these features or clusters. All this information was processed so that with minimal user input the imaging system determined the size and the shape of some feature such as the third ventricle in a brain scan. The neural network was presented with a seven vector input in the case of brain scans which resulted in a 3 bit output. This output was interpreted as a probability whether the given brain scan was 'normal', haemmoraged', or lacunar infarcted'. The backup correctly classified CT brain scans in approximately 95% of the test cases for normal images, and 85% of the cases for hemorrhaged and lacunar infarcted images.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Permeability to chloride ions of the cochlear partition in normal guinea pigs.

Abstract The endocochlear potential and Cl − activities in the endolymph and perilymph of guinea pigs were simultaneously measured with a pair of double-barreled Cl − -sensitive liquid-membrane electrodes. Under normal conditions the mean Cl − activity was 96.6 mEq/l in the endolymph and 93.5 mEq/l in the perilymph. The mean Cl − concentration determined by potentiometric titration was 132.3 mM in the endolymph and 121.8 mM in the perilymph. The permeability to Cl − of the cochlear partition was determined after active transport was abolished by permanent anoxia. The modified permeability coefficient and conductance for Cl − of the cochlear partition were computed from the rate of decrease in the Cl − concentration of the endolymph and its electrochemical potential difference between the endolymph and perilymph. The mean modified Cl − conductance and permeability coefficient of the cochlear partition were (10.7±4.25)×10 −3 Ω −1 ·cm −3 and (22.58 ± 8.95)×10 −6 s −1 respectively, when averaged from 10 to 30 min after onset of anoxia. Our results indicate that the cochlear partition is relatively permeable to Cl − , when compared to its permeability to K + . Possible coupling between Cl − and water movement across the cochlear partition is discussed.
BAD: undertaker by night, candyman by day

The BH3-only pro-apoptotic proteins are upstream sensors of cellular damage that selectively respond to specific, proximal death and survival signals. Genetic models and biochemical studies indicate that these molecules are latent killers until activated through transcriptional or post-translational mechanisms in a tissue-restricted and signal-specific manner. The large number of BH3-only proteins, their unique subcellular localization, protein-interaction network and diverse modes of activation suggest specialization of their damage-sensing function, ensuring that the core apoptotic machinery is poised to receive input from a wide range of cellular stress signals. The apoptotic response initiated by the activation of BH3-only proteins ultimately culminates in allosteric activation of pro-apoptotic BAX and BAK, the gateway proteins to the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. From activation of BH3-only proteins to oligomerization of BAX and BAK and mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization, an intricate network of interactions between the pro- and anti-apoptotic members of the BCL-2 family orchestrates the decision to undergo apoptosis. Beyond regulation of apoptosis, multiple BCL-2 proteins have recently emerged as active components of select homeostatic pathways carrying other cellular functions. This review focuses on BAD, which was the first BH3-only protein linked to proximal survival signals through phosphorylation by survival kinases. In addition to findings that delineated the physiological role of BAD in apoptosis and its dynamic regulation by phosphorylation, studies pointing to new roles for this protein in other physiological pathways, such as glucose metabolism, are highlighted. By executing its 'day' and 'night' jobs in metabolism and apoptosis, respectively, BAD helps coordinate mitochondrial fuel metabolism and the apoptotic machinery.
Efficient reduction of azides to amines with tributylstannane. High-yield syntheses of amino and diamino deoxynucleosides

Abstract Treatment of unprotected azido-deoxynucleosides with tributylstannane/AIBN in hot benzene/DMAC (or silyl-protected derivatives in benzene) resulted in formation of the corresponding amino-deoxynucleosides in high isolated yields. A radical process is indicated.
Community pharmacies and addictive products: sociodemographic predictors of accessibility from a mixed GWR perspective

Community pharmacies selling potentially harmful products may contradict their role in health promotion. From a spatial analysis perspective, this study investigated the sale of alcohol, tobacco, and lottery tickets by community pharmacies in Passaic County, New Jersey, and assessed the relationship between sociodemographic factors of community residents and their potential accessibility to those community pharmacies. A mixed geographically weighted regression analysis revealed that census block groups with higher median household income tend to have less accessibility to pharmacies that sell addictive products. Relationships between Latino population and those pharmacies are mixed. No significant relationship was found for African American population.
Construction and functional analysis of hybrid interleukin-6 variants. Characterization of the role of the C-terminus for species specificity

Abstract We have constructed several hybrid human interleukin-6 (IL-6) variants in which the carboxyl-terminus, which includes a receptor binding site of IL-6 has been replaced with the C-terminus of various proteins homologous to human IL-6, IL-6 hybrids with the C-terminus of human growth hormone and human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor maintain part of the biological activity of human IL-6. Replacing the C-terminus of human IL-6 with the C-terminus of mouse and rat IL-6 resulted in a normal or increased activity on a mouse cell line; however, this gave a low (to 200-fold less) activity on a human cell line compared to wild-type human IL-6. We therefore conclude that the C-terminus of IL-6 plays in important role in the species specificity of IL-6.
Estimating the Refractive Error in Optical Measurements of Transport Phenomena

Approximate methods for calculating the error introduced by the deflection of the light beam or refractive error in schlieren, shadowgraph, interferometric, and holographic measurements of transport phenomena are investigated. Relative error is reported for the well-known correction parabola and paraxial approximations as well as for a new first-order approximation in both a linear and nonlinear refractive index field. The first-order approximation is exact in a linear field but is in about the same error as the other approximations in the nonlinear field of a boundary layer. In many cases, actual optical data can be corrected for refractive errors by using the results presented.
Germline p53 mutation presenting as synchronous tumors.

Summary:Li-Fraumeni syndrome and the LF-like syndrome, rare heritable conditions that predispose to the development of malignancy, are associated with germline mutations of the tumor suppressor gene p53. The authors describe a 14-month-old boy who presented with synchronous rhabdomyosarcoma and adre
Immunologically induced neuromodulation of guinea pig nodose ganglion neurons.

The influence of specific antigen challenge on the excitability of C-cells in nodose ganglia isolated from actively sensitized guinea pigs was evaluated using intracellular recording techniques. Antigen (ovalbumin) caused a significant depolarization (∼ 8 mV) of the resting membrane potential. Antigen exposure had differing effects on the membrane input impedance; decreasing it in 15 neurons, increasing it in 6 neurons, and having no effect in 8 neurons. About 20% of guinea pig nodose C-cells reveal a long-lasting after-spike hyperpolarization (AHPslow). Antigen challenge reversibly blocked the AHPslow in 4 of 18 neurons studied in 18 ganglia. About 30% of the nodose ganglion neurons display a time- and voltage-dependent inward rectification at membrane potentials more negative than −75 mV. Exposing the ganglion to the sensitizing antigen consistently blocked this response in 8 of 8 neurons. Histological assessment of toluidine blue stained cells revealed that the nodose ganglion contained approximately 100 mast cells. Exposing the ganglion to ovalbumin stimulated mast cell degranulation, as measured by a decrease in number of stained cells, and evoked the release of histamine, PGD2, and immunoreactive peptidoleukotrienes from the tissue. The results support the hypothesis that endogenous inflammatory mediators released during the immediate hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions can modulate the excitability of primary C-fiber afferents. Mechanisms underlying antigen-induced neuromodulation of these neurons include depolarization of the resting membrane potential, changes in membrane resistance, blockade of a time- and voltage-dependent anomalous rectifier, and, in some cells, blockade of the AHPslow.
Overhauser Nuclear Polarization Effect and Minimum Entropy Production

This paper gives a simple set of kinetic equations which describe the Overhauser method of producing nuclear polarization by saturating the electronic spin resonance. It is shown that thermodynamically the process consists of absorption of microwave energy and its conversion into heat. In the steady state this process satisfies the principle of minimum entropy production.
Fatigue crack propagation thresholds for long and short cracks in René 95 Nickel-base superalloy

Abstract A study was made of the near-threshold fatigue crack propagation behaviour of a wrought nickel-base superalloy, Rene 95, with reference to the effect of crack size on the threshold stress intensity ΔK0 no detectable crack growth. Measured threshold ΔK0 values at low load ratios (R = 0.1) for physically short (0.01 – 0.20 mm) cracks were found to be 60% smaller than the corresponding ΔK0 values for long (about 25 mm) cracks. However, short crack threshold values at R = 0.1 were found to be similar to long crack thresholds at R = 0.8. Such behavior is rationalized in terms of fatigue crack closure, specifically involving the role of fracture surface roughness from crystallographic crack growth in nickel-base alloys. The large difference observed between the threshold values for long and physically short cracks serves to illustrate the potential problems in applying conventional (long crack) fatigue data to defect-tolerant lifetime predictions for structural components containing small flaws.
Tight Regulation of Memory CD8 T Cells Limits Their Effectiveness during Sustained High Viral Load

Summary To design successful vaccines for chronic diseases, an understanding of memory CD8 + T cell responses to persistent antigen restimulation is critical. However, most studies comparing memory and naive cell responses have been performed only in rapidly cleared acute infections. Herein, by comparing the responses of memory and naive CD8 + T cells to acute and chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, we show that memory cells dominated over naive cells and were protective when present in sufficient numbers to quickly reduce infection. In contrast, when infection was not rapidly reduced, because of high antigen load or persistence, memory cells were quickly lost, unlike naive cells. This loss of memory cells was due to a block in sustaining cell proliferation, selective regulation by the inhibitory receptor 2B4, and increased reliance on CD4 + T cell help. Thus, emphasizing the importance of designing vaccines that elicit effective CD4 + T cell help and rapidly control infection.
Pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms in Hebbian activity-dependent synapse modification.

We have used a three compartment tissue culture system that involved two separate populations of cholinergic neurons in the side compartments that converged on a common target population of myotubes in the center compartment. Activation of the axons from one population of neurons produced selective down-regulation of the synaptic inputs from the other neuronal population (when the two inputs innervated the same myotubes). The decrease in heterosynaptic inputs was mediated by protein kinase C (PKC). An activity-dependent action of protein kinase A (PKA) was associated with the stimulated input and this served to selectively stabilize this input. These changes associated with PKA and PKC activation were mediated by alterations in the number of acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction. These results suggest that neuromuscular electrical activity produces postsynaptic activation of both PKA and PKC, with the latter producing generalized synapse weakening and the former a selective synapse stabilization. Treatment of the neuronal cell body and axon to increase PKC activity by putting phorbal ester (PMA) in the side chamber did not affect synaptic transmission (with or without stimulation). By contrast, PKA blockade in the side compartment did produce an activity-dependent decrease in synaptic efficacy, which was due to a decrease in quantal release of neurotransmitter. Thus, when the synapse is activated, it appears that presynaptic PKA action is necessary to maintain transmitter output.
Adapted waveform analysis, wavelet-packets, and local cosine libraries

Adapted wave form analysis, refers to a collection of FFT like adapted transform algorithms. Given a signal or an image these methods provide a special orthonormal basis relative to which the image is well represented. The selected basis functions are chosen inside predefined libraries of oscillatory localized functions (waveforms) so as to minimize the number of parameters needed to describe our object. These algorithms are of complexity N log N opening the door for a large range of applications in signal and image processing, such as compression, feature extraction and enhancement. Our goal is to describe and relate traditional Fourier methods to wavelet, wavelet-packet based algorithms by making explicit their relative role in analysis. Starting with a recent refinement of the windowed sine and cosine transforms we will derive an adapted local sine transform, show it''s relation to wavelet and wavelet- packet analysis and describe an analysis tool-kit illustrating the merits of different adaptive and non-adaptive schemes.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nonparametric Estimation of the Moments of a General Statistic Computed from Spatial Data

Abstract A statistic s(·) is computed on spatially indexed data {X i : i ∈ D}, where D is a finite subset of the integer lattice Z2. We propose a simple nonparametric method for estimating the moments (e.g., variance, skewness) of s(D), using only the observed data at hand. The method uses “replicates” of s(·) computed on smaller subsets of D. No explicit knowledge of the underlying spatial dependence mechanism is needed, and the marginal distribution of X i may also be unknown. The shape of D can be quite irregular, and s(·) is allowed to be a general statistic. The proposed estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal (under mild conditions on s(D) and “mixing” conditions on the strength of spatial dependence). As a numerical example, the estimator is used in assessing the geographic clumping of cancer deaths in the United States.
The Stan Lee Universe. Danny Fingeroth and Roy Thomas, Editors. Raleigh, NC: Two Morrows Publishing, 2011.

The Stan Lee Universe. Danny Fingeroth and Roy Thomas, Editors. Raleigh, NC: Two Morrows Publishing, 2011.As the year 2012 brings a ninetieth birthday to Stan Lee, he continues to participate in media projects. Beginning his career with Timely Comics in 1941 at nineteen, he has entertained kids and adults longer than any other living American. He innovated in comic book production methods and in the co-creation of superhero archetypes for characters like Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, Hulk, and The Fantastic Four. Along the way he helped build a fantasy-based franchise that in several ways rivaled Disney's-a fact ratified by Disney's 2009 acquisition of Marvel Entertainment for 4.24 billion dollars.The Stan Lee Universe is a unique collection made possible by the credentials of its editors plus the fact that Lee and so many early collaborators are still alive and friendly. Danny Fingeroth was a Spider-Man writer/editor for a several years and wrote stories for The Incredible Hulk and the entire Darkhawk series. He worked with Lee as did Roy Thomas, who wrote X-Men and Avengers for Marvel, eventually serving at the helm as Lee's successor. Those relationships permit Fingeroth and Thomas to create a festschrift that focuses on production-the so-called "Marvel Method"-and creative direction that Lee gave to comic artist teams. Notable writers, pencilers, inkers, editors give testimonials and describe their work relationships with Lee. Another dimension of this book is the reproduction of materials from the University of Wyoming American Heritage Center archives of Lee. He donated ninety-one boxes of materials that include manuscripts, drafts, interviews, correspondence with comics professionals, fan mail and difficult to find substantial articles about Lee such as a 1966 "A Comeback for Comic Books" by Roger Ebert and "Finding Marvel's Voice" by Dave Kasakove on the origins of "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" and "Stan's Soap Box." One especially significant archival inclusion from 1974 is "the Saga of the Silver Surfer Graphic Novel," which reproduces amiable correspondence, Lee's outline, Kirby's drawings and dialogue, then Lee's editorial revisions. Taken in its entirety, this book is exceptional in its collection of photographs and reproductions of correspondence, comics pages, and works-in-progress.The value of the archival materials is also evident when brought to bear on some of the maddeningly vague, undocumented statements of Lee's coauthored biography Excelsior (2002). …
National Health Service Corps Staffing and the Growth of the Local Rural Non‐NHSC Primary Care Physician Workforce

ABSTRACT: Context: Beyond providing temporary staffing, National Health Service Corps (NHSC) clinicians are believed by some observers to contribute to the long-term growth of the non-NHSC physician workforce of the communities where they serve; others worry that NHSC clinicians compete with and impede the supply of other local physicians. Purpose: To assess long-term changes in the non-NHSC primary care physician workforce of rural underserved counties that have received NHSC staffing support relative to workforce changes in underserved counties without NHSC support. Methods: Using data from the American Medical Association and NHSC, we compared changes from 1981 to 2001 in non-NHSC primary care physician to population ratios in 2 subsets of rural whole-county health professional shortage areas: (1) 141 counties staffed by NHSC physicians, nurse practitioners, and/or physician assistants during the early 1980s and for many of the years since and (2) all 142 rural health professional shortage area counties that had no NHSC clinicians from 1979 through 2001. Findings: From 1981 to 2001, counties staffed by NHSC clinicians experienced a mean increase of 1.4 non-NHSC primary care physicians per 10,000 population, compared to a smaller, 0.57 mean increase in counties without NHSC clinicians. The finding of greater non-NHSC primary care physician to population mean ratio increase in NHSC-supported counties remained significant after adjusting for baseline county demographics and health care resources (P < .001). The estimated number of “extra” non-NHSC physicians in NHSC-supported counties in 2001 attributable to the NHSC was 294 additional physicians for the 141 supported counties, or 2 extra physicians, on average, for each NHSC-supported county. Over the 20 years, more NHSC-supported counties saw their non-NHSC primary care workforces grow to more than 1 physician per 3,500 persons, but no more NHSC-supported than nonsupported counties lost their health professional shortage area designations.Conclusions: These data suggest that the NHSC contributed positively to the non-NHSC primary care physician workforce in the rural underserved counties where its clinicians worked during the 1980s and 1990s.
Switching of troponin I: Ca2+ and myosin-induced activation of heart muscle

The principal task of the Ca(2+) activation of striated muscle is the release of the troponin I (TnI) inhibitory region (TnI-I) from actin. TnI-I release facilitates the repositioning of tropomyosin across the actin surface and the formation of strong, force generating, actin-myosin cross-bridges. Full activation of the Ca(2+) regulatory switch (CRS) requires two switching steps in cTnI: binding of the TnI regulatory region to hydrophobic sites in the N-domain of Ca(2+)-bound troponin C and release of the adjacent TnI-I from actin. Using Forster resonance energy transfer, we have examined the requirements for full activation of the cardiac CRS. In the presence of actin, both Ca(2+) and strong cross-bridges are required for full activation. Actin desensitizes the CRS to Ca(2+) and produces cooperativity in the Ca(2+) activation of the CRS. Strong cross-bridges eliminate cooperativity and re-sensitize the CRS to Ca(2+). We propose a kinetic scheme and a structural model to account for these findings.