cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microinjection of morphine in the A7 catecholamine cell group produces opposing effects on nociception that are mediated by α1- and α2-adrenoceptors

Abstract Stimulation of neurons in the ventromedial medulla produces antinociception in part by inhibiting nociceptive dorsal horn neurons. This antinociceptive effect is mediated in part by spinally projecting noradrenergic neurons located in the A7 catecholamine cell group. Methionine-enkephalin-immunoreactive neurons in the ventromedial medulla project to an area that includes the A7 cell group, and these enkephalin neurons may mediate part of the antinociception produced by stimulation of sites in the ventromedial medulla. This possibility was tested by determining the effects of microinjecting morphine near the A7 cell group on nociceptive foot and tail responses. Microinjection of a 3.75 nmol dose of morphine in the A7 region did not alter nociceptive responses, but a higher dose of 7.5 nmol facilitated these responses. In contrast, a higher dose of 15 nmol of morphine did not alter nociceptive responses. Selective α-adrenoceptor antagonists were injected intrathecally to determine whether the hyperalgesia produced by morphine is mediated by spinally projecting noradrenergic A7 neurons. Intrathecal injection of the α 2 -adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine did not alter the hyperalgesic effect produced by the 7.5 nmol dose of morphine, but the α 1 antagonist WB4101 reversed the hyperalgesia and produced antinociception that lasted for nearly 30 min. Although the 15 nmol dose of morphine did not alter nociceptive responses, intrathecal injection of yohimbine after the microinjection of morphine produced a significant facilitation of nociception, and intrathecal injection of WB401 produced a significant antinociceptive effect. Intrathecal injection of the antagonists alone did not consistently alter nociception. These findings, and those of published reports, suggest that morphine indirectly activates two populations of spinally projecting A7 noradrenergic neurons that have opposing effects on nociception. One of these populations facilitates nociception by an action mediated by α 1 -adrenoceptors in the spinal cord dorsal horn and the other population inhibits nociception by an action mediated by α 2 -adrenoceptors. These results suggest that some of the methionine-enkephalin neurons located in the ventromedial medulla that project to the A7 cell group can exert bidirectional control of nociceptive responses.
Effects of plants on net mineralization of nitrogen in forest soil microcosms

The effects of plant roots on net N mineralization were examined by comparing soil microcosms with and without plants. Additionally, inorganic N amendments were used to test for competition for N between plants and microorganisms. Daily watering and the application of suction to microcosms eliminated the effects of transpiration on soil moisture content. Monthly litter collections reduced the influence of the aboveground portions of plants. Plants decreased net N mineralization by 23% during days 0–114 and then increased net mineralization by the same amount during days 144–124. Root-free soil collected from with-plant microcosms on day 244 evolved 24% more CO2 in laboratory incubations than soil from without-plant microcosms. This indicates that plants had increased substrate availability to soil microorganisms. Inorganic N amendments had no significant effects on the microcosms or on laboratory soil incubations. Evidence is most consistent with the hypothesis that plant roots increased microbial activity due to the increased substrate availability. Different net N mineralization rates probably resulted from changes in the substrate C : N ratio.
EFFECT OF PARTICLE SIZE AND INDEX OF REFRACTION ON REFLECTANCE

The effect of particle size on the reflectance of thin semitransparent layers, such as enamels, was studied by using mixtures containing opacifying particles of definite sizes in an oil of known index of refraction. The mixtures were applied on a black glass plate, and the reflectance was measured. The coefficient of scatter per unit surface of the particles was calculated and was found to decrease slowly as the particle size decreased. On the other hand, for the range of sizes studied, the reflectance of the semitransparent layer increased rapidly as the particle size decreased.
The DISCON Algorithm, an Accurate and Robust Alternative to an Eigenvalue Solution for Extracting Experimental Distances from NOESY Data

Abstract The DISCON algorithm is a novel, computationally direct, iterative solution for cross-relaxation rates that can be applied to a single NOESY data set without prior knowledge of the applicable motional regime or a structural model. Tests with simulated NOESY data demonstrate that it is less subject to error propagation from incorrect autopeak values than an eigenvalue solution. The resulting cross rates are fully corrected for secondary NOE contributions. The algorithm has been incorporated into a software suite that provides distance estimates and their experimental precision from raw NOESY data. Missing values in the data matrix are approximated as class averages of existing data rather than calculated values based on a starting conformational model; thus, more accurate initial distance estimates for modeling can be derived without a starting model bias. The accuracy of the program is demonstrated using NOESY data for a rigid steroid, Its application for conformational analysis is illustrated with a flexible prostaglandin analog.
Matching for Physical Attractiveness in Married Couples

Two samples of married couples, one from the mainland United States and one from Hawaii, show matching for physical attractiveness. The samples include young and recently married, middle-aged, and older couples. When age effects on attractiveness are partialled out, the spouse correlations are .30 and .25 for mainland and Hawaiian couples, respectively. These data suggest that the matching phenomenon is stable within and across generations.
My Brother’s Keeper: A Contemporary Examination of Reported Sibling Violence Using National Level Data, 2000–2005

Identified as a social problem in 1980, sibling violence has been labeled the most common and least researched form of family violence in the United States (Eriksen and Jensen 2006, 2008). Extant research has limitations including definitional inconsistencies, overreliance on small retrospective clinical samples, and limited use of officially reported national level data for profiles of victims and offenders. Although often trivialized as a “normal” part of growing up, sibling violence has links to an array of complications manifesting later in life including physical and emotional disorders, school bullying, substance abuse, and domestic violence. This work draws on 6 years of National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data (2000–2005) (n = 33,066) to provide the most comprehensive source of baseline information on this understudied form of intrafamilial violence. The research explores demographic and incident characteristics extending the knowledge beyond typical victim descriptives to incorporate offender profiles and incident level information including the type of violence/victimization, substance use, weapon use, and degree of injury sustained. Findings, in part, suggest several gender based victim and offender differences with female siblings involved in more serious injury incidents than their male sibling counterparts.
Quantifying the Reproducibility of Heart Position During Treatment and Corresponding Delivered Heart Dose in Voluntary Deep Inhalation Breath Hold for Left Breast Cancer Patients Treated With External Beam Radiotherapy

Purpose: Voluntary deep inhalation breath hold (VDIBH) reduces heart dose during left breast irradiation. We present results of the first study performed to quantify reproducibility of breath hold using bony anatomy, heart position, and heart dose for VDIBH patients at treatment table. Methods and Materials: Data from 10 left breast cancer patients undergoing VDIBH whole-breast irradiation were analyzed.Two computed tomography(CT)scans, free breathing(FB) and VDIBH, were acquiredto compare dose to critical structures. Pretreatment weekly kV orthogonal images and tangential ports were acquired. The displacement difference from spinal cord to sternum across the isocenter between coregistered planning Digitally Reconstructed Radiographs (DRRs) and kV imaging of bony thorax is a measure of breath hold reproducibility. The difference between bony coregistration and heart coregistration was the measured heart shift if the patient is aligned to bony anatomy. Results: Percentage of dose reductions from FB to VDIBH: mean heart dose (48%, SD 19%, p = 0.002), mean LAD dose (43%, SD 19%, p = 0.008), and maximum left anterior descending (LAD) dose (60%, SD 22%, p = 0.008). Average breath hold reproducibility using bony anatomy across the isocenter along the anteroposterior (AP) plane from planning to treatment is 1 (range, 0‐3;SD, 1) mm. Average heart shifts with respect to bony anatomy between different breath holds are2 ± 3 mm inferior, 1 ± 2 mm right, and 1 ± 3 mm posterior. Percentage dose changes from planning to delivery: mean heart dose (7%, SD 6%); mean LAD dose, ((9%, SD 7%)S, and maximum LAD dose, (11%, SD 11%) SD 11%, p = 0.008). Conclusion: We observed excellent three-dimensional bony registration between planning and pretreatment imaging. Reduced delivered dose to heart and LAD is maintained throughout VDIBH treatment. 2011 Elsevier Inc. Breast cancer, Breath hold reproducibility, Voluntary DIBH.
Reparameterized and Marginalized Posterior and Predictive Sampling for Complex Bayesian Geostatistical Models

This article proposes a four-pronged approach to efficient Bayesian estimation and prediction for complex Bayesian hierarchical Gaussian models for spatial and spatiotemporal data. The method involves reparameterizing the covariance structure of the model, reformulating the means structure, marginalizing the joint posterior distribution, and applying a simplex-based slice sampling algorithm. The approach permits fusion of point-source data and areal data measured at different resolutions and accommodates nonspatial correlation and variance heterogeneity as well as spatial and/or temporal correlation. The method produces Markov chain Monte Carlo samplers with low autocorrelation in the output, so that fewer iterations are needed for Bayesian inference than would be the case with other sampling algorithms. Supplemental materials are available online.
Movements of anemones symbiotic with hermit crabs: Effects of light, gravity, flow and conspecifics

Anemones, Calliactis tricolor (Le Sueur, 1817), are common symbionts associated with several genera of hermit crabs on the South East and Gulf Coasts of the United States. Anemones are reported to ...
Physical, mechanical, and antibacterial properties of chitosan/PEO blend films.

Films formed by blending of two polymers usually have modified physical and mechanical properties compared to films made of the individual components. Our preliminary studies indicated that incorporation of chitosan in polyethylene oxide (PEO) films may provide additional functionality to the PEO films and may decrease their tendency to spherulitic crystallization. The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between chitosan/PEO weight ratio and the physical, mechanical, and antibacterial properties of corresponding films. Films with chitosan/PEO weight ratios from 100/0 to 50/50 in 10% increments were characterized by measuring thickness, puncture strength (PS), tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (%E), water vapor permeability (WVP), and water solubility (WS). Additionally, the films were examined by polarized microscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and their antibacterial properties were tested against Escherichia coli...
Lecithin influence on hyperlipemia in rhesus monkeys.

Previous studies in humans have shown that the ingestion of lecithin can alter plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations by mechanism(s) that remain to be elucidated. To further explore this response to lecithin, hyperlipemic rhesus monkeys were selected from a group of animals fed a semipurified diet containing corn oil, casein, sucrose and cholesterol (120 mg/100 Kcal) for 10 years. Soybean lecithin (92% phosphatidylcholine) was supplemented in the diet (0.5 g/100 Kcal) of these monkeys. Measurements of plasma cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipid were made prior to, during and following 7 wk of lecithin supplementation. In addition, determinations of triglyceride secretion rates following administration of Triton WR1339, triglyceride clearance after intravenous infusion of Intralipid® and plasma lecithin:cholesterol acyl transferase enzyme (LCAT) activity were assessed at the same time intervals. As in other studies, manipulation of lecithin intake elicited a highly variable response, but significant changes were observed in plasma cholesterol and triglycerides as a consequence of supplementing or removing lecithin from the diet. Lecithin had no influence on the absolute plasma phospholipid level or LCAT activity. However, lecithin significantly reduced total lipids, increased the relative concentration of phospholipid and tended to increase the phospholipid/free cholesterol (PL/FC) concentration. While lecithin did not significantly affect triglyceride secretion rates, all animals were able to clear Intralipid® (triglyceride) more efficiently while fed lecithin. These data are interpreted to mean that the reduction in plasma lipids associated with lecithin ingestion may have been mediated via enhanced clearance of lipids transported in lipoproteins of lower density, whereas the rebound following lecithin removal reflected reduced clearance of these lipids.
Teacher Progress Monitoring of Instructional and Behavioral Management Practices: An Evidence-Based Approach to Improving Classroom Practices

In the era of teacher evaluation and effectiveness, assessment tools that identify and monitor educators' instruction and behavioral management practices are in high demand. The Classroom Strategies Scale (CSS) Observer Form is a multidimensional teacher progress monitoring tool designed to assess teachers' usage of instructional and behavioral management strategies in elementary school. The present article briefly describes the CSS methodology and psychometric properties. The CSS consists of a three-part assessment: (a) direct classroom observation, (b) Strategy Rating Scales of instruction and behavioral management, and (c) a classroom checklist. A teacher case example is presented to illustrate the CSS's clinical utility in schools. Implications for school psychological practice are outlined.
Biosynthesis and release of neurointermediate lobe peptides in the aquatic toad, Xenopus laevis, adapted to a black background

Abstract 1. Analysis of protein biosynthesis in neurointermediate lobes of black-adapted Xenopus laevis , using pulse and pulse-chase labeling techniques with [ 3 H]lysine, gave clear evidence for precursor-product modes of biosynthesis. 2. Five of the chase-peptides were released spontaneously into the incubation medium; this release was completely inhibited by dopamine with a consequent build-up of release products in the lobes. 3. Dibutyryl-cyclic-AMP had no effect on release, which suggests that lobes from black-adapted animals were releasing products at a maximum rate. 4. Alpha-MSH was a minor component in the biosynthetic process in fully black-adapted Xenopus . It is suggested that one of the other chase-peptides functions as the melanotropic product maintaining black-adapted animals in the darkened state.
Autobiographical memory in two older adults over a twenty-year retention interval

This article reports on a study of autobiographical memory in two older adults, wife and husband, over a retention interval of 20 years. The female participant kept a 20-year log of daily events. A sampling of events that varied in distinctiveness, from unique, one-of-a-kind events to routine, almost daily events, was used to examine cued recall using an incremental scoring system. Each event recalled was also rated on phenomenological scales of remembering versus knowing, rehearsal, and importance. The strongest effect on recall was the order of the cues, with an initial what cue, containing the content of the event, proving superior to cues containing who or where elements. When was the most effective second cue. The results demonstrate regularity in retention over time and highlighted the utility of this approach for understanding the factors that influence autobiographical memory performance.
Breast cancer screening: science, society and common sense.

In the current healthcare reform debate in the United States, few issues have generated more opinions and greater confusion than the value of cancer screening. A recent commentary in the Journal of...
Not Sheltered, Not Homeless: RVs as Makeshifts

Since its recognition as a social problem in the 1980s, homelessness has not abated. A signature feature of contemporary homelessness is a life in public. Sociological research on the relationship between “sheltered” and “street” homeless populations emphasize their overlapping nature. Yet many homeless people who create “makeshift” housing solutions actively resist shelterization and contest the view that they are in fact homeless. Examining the resources and risks associated with makeshift housing suggests that it provides increased social and structural opportunities yet comes with risks that threaten community longevity. Vehicles are a type of makeshift housing that offer the potential for privacy, ownership, and mobility, unique resources among makeshifts. Using the case of otherwise homeless people living in their vehicles in Santa Barbara, California, this article examines how they acquire and maintain their vehicles and explores the conditions that provide for or threaten their status as a semiper...
Vigor and variation expressed by anther-derived doubled haploids of burley tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). I: Comparison of sexual and doubled-haploid populations

The genetic consequences of anther culture and chromosome-doubling techniques on burley tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were examined in this study. Three diploid populations, obtained from a burley tobacco inbred by conventional and anther-culture techniques, were compared. The first population consisted of 50 conventionally-selfed lines; the second population was made up of 35 doubled-haploid lines obtained from individual haploid plants by in vitro techniques (IVDH); and the third population consisted of 20 doubled-haploid lines whose chromosome complements had been doubled with colchicine (CDH). Comparisons of doubled-haploid lines with sexually-derived lines revealed significant differences for yield, maturity, leaf length, and alkaloid content. Yield reductions in the doubled-haploid populations averaged 8.5%. Significant differences observed between the IVDH and CDH populations indicate that the reported deleterious effects of colchicine contributed to the vigor reduction of doubled haploids. The anther derived lines in this study exhibited greater variation than did the sexual materials. This variation could provide useful variation for a breeding program. Variation exhibited by the sexual progeny of the highly inbred line, ‘Kentucky 16’, suggests that the differences among anther-derived materials are at least partially due to natural phenomena.
Effect of nesiritide on length of hospital stay in patients with decompensated heart failure.

We examined the effect of nesiritide, administered as initial therapy, on length of hospital stay (LOS) and renal function through a retrospective analysis of 129 consecutive admissions to the coro...
Bioluminescence-based high-throughput screen identifies pharmacological agents that target neurotransmitter signaling in small cell lung carcinoma.

Background Frontline treatment of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) relies heavily on chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy. Though SCLC patients respond well to initial cycles of chemotherapy, they eventually develop resistance. Identification of novel therapies against SCLC is therefore imperative.
Estimates of excess deaths associated with body mass index and other anthropometric variables

Background: Estimates of excess mortality associated with body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) have been calculated for the US population. Objective: The objective of this article is to compare the excess mortality associated with BMI levels to the excess mortality associated with other anthropometric variables. Design: For the 1988–1994 Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, estimates of excess deaths were calculated for standard BMI levels and for comparable levels of percentage body fat, waist circumference, hip and arm circumferences, waist-hip ratio, the sum of 4 skinfold thicknesses, and waist-stature ratio. The outcome measure is the percentage of deaths in the full sample in excess of those predicted for the reference category. Results: For the level equivalent to BMI <18.5, estimates of excess deaths ranged from 0.3% for waist-hip ratio to 2.4% for percentage body fat. All except waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, and waist-stature ratio were significantly greater than zero (P < 0.05). For the level equivalent to BMI 25 to <30, the percentage of excess deaths was 0.1% for percentage body fat and negative for all other variables; estimates were significantly below zero only for circumferences and waist-stature ratio. For the level equivalent to BMI ≥30, estimates ranged from −1.7% for waist circumference to 1.5% for percentage of fat; none were significantly different from zero. Estimates for all-cause mortality, obesity-related causes of death, and other causes of death showed no statistically significant or systematic differences between BMI and other variables. Conclusion: In this population-based study, attributable fractions of deaths were similar across measures.
A RESEARCH NOTE: USE OF A SIGNAL DETECTION RANKING ANALYSIS TO MEASURE PREFERENCE FOR COMMERCIAL AND ‘HEALTH MODIFIED’ CAKES

Consumer preference for a common ‘yellow cake’ prepared from a commercially available cake mix and for three ‘health modified'cakes was measured using signal detection ranking procedures. Consumers found the ranking protocol simple to use, making it a viable alternative to hedonic scaling. Measures of likelihood to choose to eat, after provision of nutritional information about the cakes, showed the same trend as measures of preference taken before. Yet, the dominance of preference for yellow cake over the ‘health modified’ cakes was reduced.
Characterization of water-soluble exopolysaccharides from Gluconacetobacter xylinus and their impacts on bacterial cellulose crystallization and ribbon assembly

Gluconacetobacterxylinus has the ability to produce different types of water soluble exopolysaccharides (EPS). Those EPS have different levels of association to bacterial cellulose (BC). At least a portion of the EPS can be released from the BC by 0.1 to 4 M NaOH solution treatments. Hard to extract EPS (HE-EPS) released by 4 M NaOH solutions have been characterized and contain approximately 75 % mannose and 25 % glucose. To study the effect of the EPS on BC synthesis, purified EPS were added to the medium at the start of cultivation and the BC produced was characterized. Results showed that the presence of HE-EPS in the culture medium interfered with the alignment of the BC crystals, but did not reduce crystal size. This is in contrast to similar studies performed using xyloglucan, xylan and glucomannan. The width of the average ribbon increased by 60 % when HE-EPS levels increased in the medium, which indicated that the HE-EPS could also modulate the bundling of cellulose ribbons. Based on the data we propose a mechanism for how HE-EPS alters cellulose formation and assembly. The addition of HE-EPS disturbs the preferential crystal orientation and increases the spacing of cellulose microfibrils without affecting crystallization by associating with ordered cellulose prior to physical aggregation or bundling.
IRPD Spectroscopy and Ensemble Measurements: Effects of Different Data Acquisition and Analysis Methods

Three different commonly used infrared photodissociation (IRPD) spectroscopy acquisition and analysis methods are described, and results from these methods are compared using the same dataset for an extensively hydrated metal cation, La3+(H2O)36. Using the first-order laser-induced photodissociation rate constant as an IRPD intensity has several advantages over photodissociation yield and depletion/appearance methods in that intensities can be more directly compared with calculated infrared absorption spectra, and the intensities can be readily corrected for changes in laser power or irradiation times used for optimum data acquisition at each frequency. Extending IRPD spectroscopy to large clusters can be complicated when blackbody infrared radiative dissociation competes strongly with laser-induced photodissociation. A new method to obtain IRPD spectra of single precursor ions or ensembles of precursor ions that is nearly equivalent to the photodissociation rate constant method for single precursor ions is demonstrated. The ensemble IRPD spectra represent the “average” structure of clusters of a given size range, and this method has the advantage that spectra with improved signal-to-noise ratios can be obtained with no increase in data acquisition time. Results using this new method for a precursor ensemble consisting of La3+(H2O)35–37 are compared with results for La3+(H2O)36.
An empirical approach to studying software evolution

With the approach of the new millennium, a primary focus in software engineering involves issues relating to upgrading, migrating, and evolving existing software systems. In this environment, the role of careful empirical studies as the basis for improving software maintenance processes, methods, and tools is highlighted. One of the most important processes that merits empirical evaluation is software evolution. Software evolution refers to the dynamic behaviour of software systems as they are maintained and enhanced over their lifetimes. Software evolution is particularly important as systems in organizations become longer-lived. However, evolution is challenging to study due to the longitudinal nature of the phenomenon in addition to the usual difficulties in collecting empirical data. We describe a set of methods and techniques that we have developed and adapted to empirically study software evolution. Our longitudinal empirical study involves collecting, coding, and analyzing more than 25000 change events to 23 commercial software systems over a 20-year period. Using data from two of the systems, we illustrate the efficacy of flexible phase mapping and gamma sequence analytic methods, originally developed in social psychology to examine group problem solving processes. We have adapted these techniques in the context of our study to identify and understand the phases through which a software system travels as it evolves over time. We contrast this approach with time series analysis. Our work demonstrates the advantages of applying methods and techniques from other domains to software engineering and illustrates how, despite difficulties, software evolution can be empirically studied.
Depth resolved detection of lipid using spectroscopic optical coherence tomography

Optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) can identify key components related to plaque vulnerability but can suffer from artifacts that could prevent accurate identification of lipid rich regions. In this paper, we present a model of depth resolved spectral analysis of OFDI data for improved detection of lipid. A quadratic Discriminant analysis model was developed based on phantom compositions known chemical mixtures and applied to a tissue phantom of a lipid-rich plaque. We demonstrate that a combined spectral and attenuation model can be used to predict the presence of lipid in OFDI images.
Comparative evaluation of the performance of the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay for measurement of HIV-1 plasma viral load on genetically diverse samples from Greece

Background HIV-1 is characterized by increased genetic heterogeneity which tends to hinder the reliability of detection and accuracy of HIV-1 RNA quantitation assays.
A β-Tubulin Mutation Selectively Uncouples Nuclear Division and Cytokinesis in Tetrahymena thermophila

The ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila contains two distinct nuclei within a single cell—the mitotic micronucleus and the amitotic macronucleus. Although microtubules are required for proper division of both nuclei, macronuclear chromosomes lack centromeres and the role of microtubules in macronuclear division has not been established. Here we describe nuclear division defects in cells expressing a mutant β-tubulin allele that confers hypersensitivity to the microtubule-stabilizing drug paclitaxel. Macronuclear division is profoundly affected by the btu1-1 (K350M) mutation, producing cells with widely variable DNA contents, including cells that lack macronuclei entirely. Protein expressed by the btu1-1 allele is dominant over wild-type protein expressed by the BTU2 locus. Normal macronuclear division is restored when the btu1-1 allele is inactivated by targeted disruption or expressed as a truncated protein. Immunofluorescence studies reveal elongated microtubular structures that surround macronuclei that fail to migrate to the cleavage furrows. In contrast, other cytoplasmic microtubule-dependent processes, such as cytokinesis, cortical patterning, and oral apparatus assembly, appear to be unaffected in the mutant. Micronuclear division is also perturbed in the K350M mutant, producing nuclei with elongated early-anaphase spindle configurations that persist well after the initiation of cytokinesis. The K350M mutation affects tubulin dynamics, as the macronuclear division defect is exacerbated by three treatments that promote microtubule polymerization: (i) elevated temperatures, (ii) sublethal concentrations of paclitaxel, and (iii) high concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) with 3-methyladenine or wortmannin also induces amacronucleate cell formation in a btu1-1-dependent manner. Conversely, the myosin light chain kinase inhibitor ML-7 has no effect on nuclear division in the btu1-1 mutant strain. These findings provide new insights into microtubule dynamics and link the evolutionarily conserved PI 3-kinase signaling pathway to nuclear migration and/or division in Tetrahymena.
Shifting practices of recovery under community mental health reform: A street-level organizational ethnography

This article is part of a larger ethnographic study that seeks to understand how community mental health practice has changed over time in response to shifts in Medicaid management and financing. In this article, I examine the struggle that took place on the ground in one emblematic community mental health agency as frontline workers strived to realize their ‘recovery’ vision under emerging managerial arrangements of fee-for-service billing. This study finds that managerial reforms conflict with locally forged practices that emphasize self-determination and program responsiveness. By analyzing how street-level workers respond to formal policy in a real-time, situated context, this article gives greater transparency to policies that are otherwise uncertain, providing a fuller picture of how policy is produced in everyday life.
The effects of ocean sounds on sleep after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Objective To investigate the influence of ocean sounds (white noise) on the night sleep pattern of postoperative coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients after transfer from an intensive care unit. Design A before and after trial with an experimental and a control group was used in this intervention study. Setting A large public hospital with primary, secondary, and tertiary care facilities. Patients A consecutive sample of 60 first-time CABG patients was systematically assigned to the experimental or the control group. Intervention For the experimental group, the sounds were played on the Marsona Sound Conditioner (Marpac Corporation, Wilmington, NC) for three consecutive nights posttransfer from the ICU. No control of environment, except for the elimination of white noise, was done for the control group. Main outcome measures The Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire, a visual analog scale, provided self-reported sleep scores on six variables. Analysis of covariance was used to test the difference between the posttest scores of the groups, with the pretest used as the covariate. Results There were significant differences in sleep depth, awakening, return to sleep, quality of sleep, and total sleep scores; the group receiving ocean sounds reported higher scores, indicating better sleep. There was no difference in the falling asleep scores. Conclusion The use of ocean sounds is a viable intervention to foster optimal sleep patterns in postoperative CABG patients after transfer from the ICU.
Computer-access security systems using keystroke dynamics

An approach to securing access to computer systems is described. By performing real-time measurements of the time durations between the keystrokes when a password is entered and using pattern-recognition algorithms, three online recognition systems were devised and tested. Two types of passwords were considered: phrases and individual names. A fixed phrase was used in the identification system. Individual names were used as a password in the verification system and in the overall recognition system. All three systems were tested and evaluated. The identification system used 10 volunteers and gave an indecision error of 1.2%. The verification system used 26 volunteers and gave an error of 8.1% in rejecting valid users and an error of 2.8% in accepting invalid users. The overall recognition system used 32 volunteers and gave an error of 3.1% in rejecting valid users and an error of 0.5% in accepting invalid users. >
Substitutes and stability for matching with contracts

We consider the matching problem with contracts of Hatfield and Milgrom (2005), and we introduce new concepts of bilateral and unilateral substitutes. We show that bilateral substitutes is a sucient condition for the existence of a stable allocation in this framework. However, the set of stable allocations does not form a lattice under this condition, and there does not necessarily exist a doctor-optimal stable allocation. Under a slightly stronger condition, unilateral substitutes, the set of stable allocations still does not necessarily form a lattice with respect to doctors’ preferences, but there does exist a doctor-optimal stable allocation, and other key results such as incentive compatibility and the rural hospitals theorem are recovered.
Sensitivity shaping with degree constraint via convex optimization

We present an approach for shaping closed-loop operators while keeping their Mcmillan degree bounded by the sum of unstable plant-poles and non-minimum phase plant-zeros. We make use of recent developments in analytic interpolation with degree constraint and we focus on the paradigm of sensitivity minimization. The sensitivity function can be obtained as the minimizer of a convex weighted-entropy functional. It is the choice of this weight that we formulate as a convex optimization problem in this paper.
Characteristics and course of major depression in older primary care patients.

Objective: Identify the morbidity patterns displayed by older primary care patients experiencing depressive symptomatology who do and do not meet criteria for a major depression. Method: Patients ages sixty and older presenting at two ambulatory internal medicine centers were administered the CES-D. Among those scoring ≥ 11, 104 completed a comprehensive assessment of their psychiatric symptomatology, medical illness, and functional abilities. The assessment battery was again administered six months later. Results: The point prevalence of major depression in older primary care patients is estimated at 9 percent based on SCID interviews. Patients meeting criteria for this diagnosis compared to those who are symptomatic but not experiencing a major depression described ore extensive psychopathology but also significantly more limitations in performing social and functional roles. At six-month follow-up, only 11.5 percent of those initially diagnosed with a major depression were considered fully recovered. Conclusions: Major depression is a prevalent disorder in older primary care patients which affects their ability to perform expected social and physical roles. Mechanisms for delivering efficacious treatments in routine medical practice are of a high priority.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, multiple-organ system inflammatory disorder associated with immune system dysfunction. Autoantibodies are produced that react with self-antigens in cell membranes and nuclear and cytoplasmic constituents to produce tissue damage. Commonly observed clinical manifestations include arthritis, myalgia, fever, cutaneous lesions, cytopenia, and renal, CNS, and cardiopulmonary involvement. Minor manifestations can be managed with relatively nontoxic agents such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, topical corticosteroids, and antimalarials. Severe disease involving the kidneys, CNS, and cardiopulmonary systems requires the aggressive use of more toxic agents such as high-dose corticosteroids, azathioprine, and cyclophosphamide. Other supportive and ancillary therapies are also required to manage the complications frequently associated with SLE.
Asset Price Bubbles

This article reviews the theoretical literature on asset price bubbles, with an emphasis on the martingale theory of bubbles. The key questions studied are as follows: First, under what conditions can asset price bubbles exist in an economy? Second, if bubbles exist, what are the implications for the pricing of derivatives on the bubble-laden asset? Third, if bubbles can exist, how can they be empirically determined? Answers are provided for three frictionless and competitive economies with increasingly restrictive structures. The least restrictive economy just assumes no arbitrage. The next satisfies no arbitrage and no dominance. The third assumes the existence of an equilibrium.
The Chloroplast b Cytochromes: Crosslinks, Topography, and Functions

Heme cross-linking of membrane cytochromes as a structural principle: cytochrome b-559, b 6 , and cytochrome oxidase. After the Mr 9,000 protein of cyt b–559 was purified and its NH2-terminus sequenced (1), its psbE gene and the downstream psbF gene located and sequenced on the spinach chloroplast genome (2), an intermolecular heme cross-linked dimeric structure of cytochrome b–559 was proven by the findings that (a) each polypeptide contains only one histidine (2), (b) the psbE and psbF gene products are present in the purified protein in a 1:1 stoichiometry (3), and (c) the heme coordination is bis-histidine (Fig. la; ref. 4). Thus, a dimer would be required to provide two His residues for heme coordination. There are several reasons, including the 1:1 stoichiometry, for believing that the heme-binding unit is an α-β heterodimer (5), but this has not been rigorously proven.
Theoretical Study of Zeolite-Catalyzed Dimethoxymethane Carbonylation to Methyl Methoxyacetate

The gas-phase carbonylation of dimethoxymethane (DMM) to form methyl methoxyacetate (MMAc) can be catalyzed by acid zeolites. This reaction is a critical step in the synthesis of monoethylene glycol (MEG), a widely used chemical, from synthesis gas. The mechanism of DMM carbonylation occurring on H−MFI and H−FAU zeolites has been investigated using density functional theory. We find that the reaction involves three steps: initiation via reaction of zeolite protons with DMM to form methoxymethoxy species, carbonylation of the resulting species, and subsequent methoxylation of the resulting acyl species. Both the carbonylation and methoxylation processes proceed via carbocationic transition states that are stabilized by the framework O atoms of the zeolite. The activation barriers for carbonylation are similar in both zeolites, but the barriers for methoxylation differ significantly. Energy decomposition analysis indicates that a combination of the pore size and of the flexibility of the reactive species gi...
Identity Politics Revisited: Secular and ‘Dissonant’ Islam in Colonial South Asia

This paper analyzes the political project of secular Islam as outlined by the Indian political and religious leader, Muhammad Shah—also known as Aga Khan III (1877–1957). As first president of the All India Muslim League, Muhammad Shah facilitated the installation of separate electorates for Muslims as well as the call for Partition. The reformist notion of Islam he invoked for this separatist programme was informed by the secular and modernizing projects of the colonial public sphere. Simultaneously, however, Muhammad Shah claimed a divine role as Imam of the Ismaili Muslim community—a position validated by Ismaili beliefs and teachings of messianic Islam. The paper engages Muhammad Shah's writings and the devotional texts of the Ismailis to illustrate how the heterogeneous forms of practices peculiar to the vernacular history of Islam in early modern South Asia were displaced by the discourse of religious identity in the colonial period.
Bile constituents of the opossum Didelphys marsupialis virginiana.

SummarySeveral components of opossum bile were analyzed. Cholesterol content is comparable to that of other laboratory animals. Chenodeoxycholic acid was identified as another major bile acid besides cholic acid. Opossum bile contains taurine conjugated bile acids. No free and glycine conjugates were found.
Control of Limit Cycle Oscillation Amplitudes in Nonlinear Aerelastic Systems using Nonlinear Normal Modes

The paper focuses on the design and analysis of state feedback controllers to control the amplitude of limit cycle oscillations (LCOs) for a nonlinear aeroelastic system. A nonlinear feedback control function without any linear terms is used to represent the closed loop system dynamics. Nonlinear normal modes are computed for the closed loop system using asymptotic method followed by application of harmonic balance method to estimate the amplitude and frequency of LCOs. The equations from harmonic balance are further differentiated with respect to control parameters to obtain sensitivities of LCO amplitude to the control parameters. The computed sensitivities are used in a nonlinear optimization framework to generate control parameters suitable to minimize the limit cycle amplitudes.
Investigation on Food Poisoning Induced by Drinking Water Contamination by Industrial Sodium Nitrite

[Objective] To identify the direct cause of the food poisoning incident through investigation.[Methods]Hygiene investigation and epidemiological analysis were applied for survey.The remaining suspect food and vomit were collected for test.The results were comprehensively analyzed.[Results]The average level of nitrite in vomit was 9.8 mg/kg,the nitrite content in rise was 1.4×105 mg/kg,which indicated that the food poisoning was due to industrial sodium nitrite.[Conclusion]According to " General Principles of Diagnostic Criteria and Technical Management of Food Poisoning"(GB 14938-94),and "Diagnostic Criteria and Principles of Management of Dietary Acute Nitrite Poisoning"(WS/T 86-1996),this incident was identified as chemical food poisoning with main clinical symptoms of headache,nausea,vomiting,cyanosis lips on 23 individuals,caused by eating rice with sodium nitrite contamination from workshop to canteen through siphoning descaling water with sodium nitrite when the water supply was cut off temporarily.
Introduction to Elasticity Theory for Crystal Defects: Interactions between defects and stress

Introduction To formulate interactions between defects and stress it is useful to classify the various types of defect and stress that will be of concern to us. Of the defects considered in this book, inclusions, point defects, dislocations, and various interfaces containing discrete intrinsic dislocations are sources of stress, and they therefore interact elastically with imposed stress , which may be internal stress due, for example, to the presence of other defects, or applied stress , due to forces applied to the body. On the other hand, when a defect source of stress lies in a finite region bounded by interfaces, an image stress is generated, as described in Section 3.8, which then interacts with the defect. Thus, the interface acts, in a sense, as the source of a stress that interacts with the defect. In addition, an inhomogeneity, which by itself is not a source of stress, causes a perturbation of an imposed stress field, which, in turn, interacts with the imposed stress. An inhomogeneity may therefore be regarded as the indirect source of a stress that interacts with an imposed stress.
On the Death Rate of Abortively Infected Cells: Estimation from Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

ABSTRACT Progressive T cell depletion during chronic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) infection is a key mechanism that leads to the development of AIDS. Recent studies have suggested that most T cells in the tissue die through pyroptosis triggered by abortive infection, i.e., infection of resting T cells in which HIV failed to complete reverse transcription. However, the contribution of abortive infection to T cell loss and how quickly abortively infected cells die in vivo, key parameters for a quantitative understanding of T cell population dynamics, are not clear. Here, we infected rhesus macaques with simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIV) and followed the dynamics of both plasma SHIV RNA and total cell-associated SHIV DNA. Fitting mathematical models to the data, we estimate that upon infection a majority of CD4+ T cells (approximately 65%, on average) become abortively infected and die at a relatively high rate of 0.27 day−1 (half-life, 2.6 days). This confirms the importance of abortive infection in driving T cell depletion. Further, we find evidence suggesting that an immune response may be restricting viral infection 1 to 3 weeks after infection. Our study serves as a step forward toward a quantitative understanding of the mechanisms driving T cell depletion during HIV infection. IMPORTANCE In HIV-infected patients, progressive CD4+ T cell loss ultimately leads to the development of AIDS. The mechanisms underlying this T cell loss are not clear. Recent experimental data suggest that the majority of CD4+ T cells in tissue die through abortive infection, where the accumulation of incomplete HIV transcripts triggers cell death. To investigate the role of abortive infection in driving CD4+ T cell loss in vivo, we infected macaques with simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIV) and followed the viral kinetics of both plasma RNA and cell-associated DNA during infection. Fitting mathematical models, we estimated that a large fraction of infected cells dies through abortive infection and has a half-life of approximately 2.6 days. Our results provide the first in vivo quantitative estimates of parameters characterizing abortive infection and support the notion that abortive infection represents an important mechanism underlying progressive CD4+ T cell depletion in vivo.