cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 5161: DARPP-32 and t-DARPP promote non-small cell lung cancer growth through regulation of IKKα-dependent cell migration and Akt/Erk-mediated cell survival

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In this study, we demonstrate that elevated expression of dopamine and cyclic adenosine monophosphate-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr 32000 (DARPP-32) and its truncated splice variant t-DARPP promotes lung tumor growth, while abrogation of DARPP-32 expression in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells reduces tumor growth in orthotopic mouse models. We observe a novel physical interaction between DARPP-32 and inhibitory kappa B kinase-α (IKKα) that promotes NSCLC cell migration through non-canonical nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells 2 (NF-κB2) signaling. Bioinformatics analysis of 513 lung adenocarcinoma patients reveals elevated t-DARPP isoform expression is associated with poor overall survival. Histopathological investigation of 62 human lung adenocarcinoma tissues also showed that t-DARPP expression is elevated with increasing tumor (T) stage. Our data suggest that DARPP-32 is a negative prognostic marker associated with increasing stages of NSCLC and may represent a novel therapeutic target. Citation Format: Sk. Kayum Alam, Matteo Astone, Ping Liu, Stephanie R. Hall, Abbygail M. Coyle, Erin N. Dankert, Dane K. Hoffman, Wei Zhang, Rui Kuang, Anja C. Roden, Aaron S. Mansfield, Luke H. Hoeppner. DARPP-32 and t-DARPP promote non-small cell lung cancer growth through regulation of IKKα-dependent cell migration and Akt/Erk-mediated cell survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5161.
Fenfluramine-induced PVAT-dependent contraction depends on norepinephrine and not serotonin.

Abstract Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) modulates vascular tone and altered PVAT function is observed in vascular diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. We discovered that the PVAT surrounding rat thoracic aorta (RA) and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) contain significant amounts of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). We hypothesized that the 5-HT contained within the PVAT is functional and vasoactive. Isolated tissue baths were used for isometric contractility studies and high performance liquid chromatography was used to quantitatively measure amines in the PVAT and release studies. The 5-HT releaser fenfluramine (10 nM–100 μM) was tested for its ability to contract arteries with and without PVAT. Contraction was reported as a percentage of the initial contraction to 10 μM phenylephrine. The RA with PVAT contracted to fenfluramine to a greater maximum (98 ± 10%) than RA without PVAT (24 ± 4%), while no difference in contraction of SMA to maximum fenfluramine with (78 ± 2%) and without (75 ± 6%) PVAT was observed. Contradicting our hypothesis, the maximum contraction of RA with PVAT to fenfluramine was diminished by the alpha-1 adrenoreceptor antagonist prazosin (100 nM; vehicle: 71 ± 4%, prazosin: 24 ± 2%) and the norepinephrine transporter (NET) inhibitor nisoxetine (1 μM; vehicle: 71 ± 4%, nisoxetine: 25 ± 4%) but not the 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist ketanserin (10 nM) or serotonin specific reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine (10 μM). To test if fenfluramine caused release of 5-HT or NE from PVAT, PVAT from RA was incubated with vehicle or fenfluramine (10 μM–10 mM), and amines released into the incubating buffer were quantified. A pronounced concentration-dependent NE-release (more than 5-HT) was observed. Collectively, this research illustrates the pharmacology of fenfluramine to primarily stimulate NE release (better than 5-HT) in a NET-dependent manner, leading to vasoconstriction. This adds additional support to PVAT as being an important reservoir of amines.
Wharf: Sharing Docker Images in a Distributed File System

Container management frameworks, such as Docker, package diverse applications and their complex dependencies in self-contained images, which facilitates application deployment, distribution, and sharing. Currently, Docker employs a shared-nothing storage architecture, i.e. every Docker-enabled host requires its own copy of an image on local storage to create and run containers. This greatly inflates storage utilization, network load, and job completion times in the cluster. In this paper, we investigate the option of storing container images in and serving them from a distributed file system. By sharing images in a distributed storage layer, storage utilization can be reduced and redundant image retrievals from a Docker registry become unnecessary. We introduce Wharf, a middleware to transparently add distributed storage support to Docker. Wharf partitions Docker's runtime state into local and global parts and efficiently synchronizes accesses to the global state. By exploiting the layered structure of Docker images, Wharf minimizes the synchronization overhead. Our experiments show that compared to Docker on local storage, Wharf can speed up image retrievals by up to 12x, has more stable performance, and introduces only a minor overhead when accessing data on distributed storage.
A novel hay-derived biochar for removal of tetracyclines in water.

Abstract The biochars derived from alfalfa (AF) and bermudagrass (BG), the abundant grass hays to cows, were prepared, characterized and used for removal of tetracycline (TC) in water. The alfalfa-derived biochar (AF-BC) has exhibited outstanding TC adsorption capacity (372 mg/g), which was about 8-fold higher than that of bermudagrass-derived biochar (BG-BC). In addition, the TC adsorption capacity of AF-BC was comparable with those of the commercial activated carbons under the same conditions. The surface structure, chemistry and high ash contents of AF-BC suggested the hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions and surface complexation between AF-BC and TC. Furthermore, hydroxyapatite (HAP; Ca5(PO4)3OH) and calcite (CaCO3) on the surface of AF-BC may also contribute to adsorption of TC via surface complexation, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. The alkaline desorption-driven regeneration of TC-spent AF-BC led to effective adsorption–desorption for multiple cycles, which indicated AF-BC could be a cost-effective adsorbent for TC in water and wastewater.
Use of Behavioral Skills Training with Teachers: A Systematic Review

Public school teachers often receive training in a professional development seminar or workshop format. These formats may be ineffective for teaching specific skills intended to be used in the classroom due to lack of practice opportunities. Behavioral skills training (BST) has proved to be an effective teaching method with a wide variety of populations and skills; therefore, the use of BST with educators may be ideal for specific skills training. We conducted a systematic review of the literature regarding BST with teachers to summarize the current literature and inform future practice. Studies which included teachers who were exposed to BST were identified and summarized based on teacher characteristics, student characteristics, treatment integrity measures, and quality indicators of design based on the standards of What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). Thirteen studies were identified for the review. Results indicated that BST was used predominately with special education teachers serving students with disabilities. Additionally, most of the studies in this review did not meet WWC standards or met standards with reservations. Needs for future research are discussed.
Epidemiological Determinants of Advanced Prostate Cancer in Elderly Men in the United States

In this study, we examined the effects of individual-level and area-level characteristics on advanced prostate cancer diagnosis among Medicare eligible older men (ages 70+ years). We analyzed patie...
39. REACHING 100%: STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN GENERAL PEDIATRICS BOARD EXAMINATIONS

Residency programs are challenged to develop unique and engaging strategies for achieving academic excellence. In-training exams (ITEs) provide formative assessments throughout residents’ development in preparation for the board examination. With an 82% first-attempt board pass rate in 2011, the University of Florida Pediatric Residency program sought to develop novel interventions to reach a pass rate of 100%. Initial strategies included the use of board individualized learning plans (ILPs), designed by each resident to target areas for improvement. While the intervention's intent was to create individualized study curricula, the resultant exam pass rate showed no improvement. In July 2014, team-based learning (TBL) board study groups were formed, demonstrating positive results from 2015 onwards. In 2016, an 18-month didactic curriculum was instituted in Academic Half Day (AHD) as a weekly forum for knowledge building, simulation exercises, and team-building events. These sessions improved the culture of the residency program and provided practical knowledge in a collaborative setting. In 2017, a multimedia bundle, MedStudy, was purchased for the pediatric residents as a tool for board preparation. Following this intervention and the longitudinal AHD curriculum, the Class of 2018 achieved a 100% board examination pass rate. This increase also correlated with an increase in median board examination scores from 194 to 211 (2012 to 2018, see Figure). Overall, a significant improvement in board pass rate was seen from 2012-2018 using a Kruskal-Wallis Test (p
A Method for Creating Scanned Map Metadata for Geoportals, Library Catalogs, and Digital Repositories: Reworking Existing MARC Records of Paper Maps to Create New Records for their Scanned Counterparts

This paper describes our process for creating metadata for digitized (scanned) maps, using the Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) records of the scanned maps’ original paper counterparts as a start...
Outcomes of neonates with listeriosis supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation from 1991 to 2017.

Background Listeriosis may cause severe disease in fetuses and neonates. The outcomes of critically ill neonates with early-onset listeriosis requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) from 1975 to 1991 have been reported. Objective To update the characteristics and outcomes of neonates with listeriosis supported by ECMO. Study design Retrospective study of neonates with culture-proven listeriosis reported to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry between 1991 and 2017. Comparisons were made between this cohort and the case series from 1975-1991. Results Twenty-two neonates had culture-proven Listeria monocytogenes infection and required ECMO support. Eight-six percent survived to discharge, compared with 67% in the previous cohort (p = 0.2). The median ECMO duration was 131 h, compared with 209 h in the previous cohort (p = 0.1). Nonsurvivors had a significantly lower pre-ECMO pH (6.91 vs 7.31, p = 0.0006). Conclusion The survival of neonates with listeriosis supported with ECMO is high, supporting the use of ECMO as rescue therapy for this condition.
Associations Between the Time in Hypoglycemia and Hypoglycemia Awareness Status in Type 1 Diabetes Patients Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems

Background: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems help reduce hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). It remains unclear whether T1D patients with impaired awareness of hypoglyce...
Chapter 8 – Design of Experiments: A Key to Innovation in Nanotechnology

At the nanoscale, there are often very complex relationships among input design parameters and process or product outputs. It would be prohibitively time consuming to perform all of the combinatorially possible experiments in order to comprehend these relationships. However, statistical design of experiments (DoE) is a technique that can be used to efficiently explore the relationships and develop greater understanding. Consequently, DoE is becoming increasingly central to the advancement of nanotechnology and nanomanufacturing. In this chapter, we begin with an introduction to DoE in Section 8.1. In Section 8.2, we discuss the One Factor At A Time approach which is generally used among scientists and engineers. In Section 8.3, we consider traditional methods implemented in nanotechnology experimentation in practice. Next, in Section 8.4, we propose modern DoE methods that are appropriate for nanotechnology and nanomanufacturing. Section 8.5 provides a table of suggested DoE methods that map to particular areas within nanotechnology as well as a table of all of the articles in nanotechnology that we reviewed for this chapter that use statistical experimentation. Finally, conclusions and final remarks are given in Section 8.6.
The Ethics of Obeying Judicial Orders in Flawed Societies

Many accounts of the moral duty to obey the law either restrict the duty to ideal democracies or leave the duty’s application to non-ideal societies unclear. This article presents and defends a partial account of the moral duty to obey the law in non-ideal societies, focusing on the duty to obey judicial orders. We need public judicial authority to prevent objectionable power relationships that can result from disputes about private agreements. The moral need to prevent power imbalances in private relationships grounds a qualified moral duty to obey judicial decisions. The parties to a dispute are morally required to comply with a judicial order in their dispute if all of the following conditions obtain: (1) the parties’ dispute was in good faith, (2) the court’s resolution of the dispute is more impartial than either party’s own judgment, (3) the order does not call for violation of important natural duties or important artificial duties that the duty-bearer incurred involuntarily, and (4) the primary aim of disobeying the court order would be to advance an ordinary, non-political project, not to call public attention to an injustice. The moral duty to obey judicial decisions can survive significant departures from ideal fairness.
An expert judgment model to predict early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States

During early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, forecasts provided actionable information about disease transmission to public health decision-makers. Between February and May 2020, experts in infectious disease modeling made weekly predictions about the impact of the pandemic in the U.S. We aggregated these predictions into consensus predictions. In March and April 2020, experts predicted that the number of COVID-19 related deaths in the U.S. by the end of 2020 would be in the range of 150,000 to 250,000, with scenarios of near 1m deaths considered plausible. The wide range of possible future outcomes underscored the uncertainty surrounding the outbreak's trajectory. Experts' predictions of measurable short-term outcomes had varying levels of accuracy over the surveys but showed appropriate levels of uncertainty when aggregated. An expert consensus model can provide important insight early on in an emerging global catastrophe.
Homeland Security: What Is It and Where Are We Going?

What Is Homeland Security? Cost-Benefit Analysis Prioritizing Risks, Threats, and Dangers International Cooperation, Intelligence Gathering, and Threat Assessment Immigration/Narcoterrorism The New Face of Terrorism: Domestic Threats and Civil Liberties Terrorism Financing Business Continuity Conclusion-Going Forward Index
Parametric Study of Malignant Female Breast Tumor Size, Position and Orientation on EIM Parameters

Breast cancer has been a leading cause to women death poll all over the world for a very long time. This type of cancer is the second to lung cancer of which women are diagnosed every year. Since the detection of the development of the cancer cells at early stage can reduce the cost of diagnosis by 40% and increase of the survival rate, it is imperative to capture the progression at an early stage. Electrical Impedance Myography (EIM) is being studied in recent years in medical field since it has the upper hand of being non-invasive and painless and shown previously to detect malignant breast tissue. In this paper it has been found that EIM can be effectively used to detect breast malignant tissue regardless of size, position and orientation at 1 GHz frequency.
Characterization of Reference Materials with an Association for Molecular Pathology Pharmacogenetics Working Group Tier 2 Status: CYP2C9, CYP2C19, VKORC1, CYP2C Cluster Variant, and GGCX: A GeT-RM Collaborative Project

Pharmacogenetic testing is increasingly available from clinical and research laboratories. However, only a limited number of quality control and other reference materials are currently available for many of the variants that are tested. The Association for Molecular Pathology Pharmacogenetic Work Group has published a series of papers recommending alleles for inclusion in clinical testing. Several of the alleles were not considered for tier 1 because of a lack of reference materials. To address this need, the Division of Laboratory Systems, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–based Genetic Testing Reference Material (GeT-RM) program, in collaboration with members of the pharmacogenetic testing and research communities and the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, has characterized 18 DNA samples derived from Coriell cell lines. DNA samples were distributed to five volunteer testing laboratories for genotyping using three commercially available and laboratory developed tests. Several tier 2 variants, including CYP2C9∗13, CYP2C19∗35, the CYP2C cluster variant (rs12777823), two variants in VKORC1 (rs61742245 and rs72547529) related to warfarin resistance, and two variants in GGCX (rs12714145 and rs11676382) related to clotting factor activation, were identified among these samples. These publicly available materials complement the pharmacogenetic reference materials previously characterized by the GeT-RM program and will support the quality assurance and quality control programs of clinical laboratories that perform pharmacogenetic testing.
Cross-Velocity Behavior in Parallel Channel Flow

Exponential decay is found for cross flow velocities superimposed on steady, fully developed axial flows. Experimental data show that this type of flow may occur in the annular gap between fixed concentric cylinders. Here, a circumferential velocity, or cross flow, can exist in the presence of a steady axial flow, where a constant pressure difference is maintained between the ends of the cylinders. This flow field is investigated analytically by approximating the cylindrical surfaces by a pair of parallel walls, where the radii of the two cylinders are assumed to be much larger than the annular gap. Solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations are found for uniformly injected (axisymmetric) cross velocity profiles superimposed on parabolic axial velocity profiles. An approximate matrix method is used to formulate solutions for initially arbitrary cross velocity profiles. Results of the calculations show that the exponential decay of the cross flow becomes increasingly stronger as the axial flow rate is diminished. Experimental data obtained from the cylindrical flow model supported these predictions.
Development of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to predict tulathromycin distribution in goats

Leavens, T. L., Tell, L. A., Clothier, K. A., Griffith, R. W., Baynes, R. E., Riviere, J. E. Development of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to predict tulathromycin distribution in goats. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 35, 121–131. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models, which incorporate species- and chemical-specific parameters, could be useful tools for extrapolating withdrawal times for drugs across species and doses. The objective of this research was to develop a PBPK model for goats to simulate the pharmacokinetics of tulathromycin, a macrolide antibiotic effective for treating respiratory infections. Model compartments included plasma, lung, liver, muscle, adipose tissue, kidney, and remaining poorly and richly perfused tissues. Tulathromycin was assumed to be 50% protein bound in plasma with first-order clearance. Literature values were compiled for physiological parameters, partition coefficients were estimated from tissue:plasma ratios of AUC, and the remaining model parameters were estimated by comparison against the experimental data. Three separate model structures were compared with plasma and tissue concentrations of tulathromycin in market age goats administered 2.5 mg/kg tulathromycin subcutaneously. The best simulation was achieved with a diffusion-limited PBPK model and absorption from a two-compartment injection site, which allowed for low persistent concentrations at the injection site and slower depletion in the tissues than the plasma as observed with the experimental data. The model with age-appropriate physiological parameters also predicted plasma concentrations in juvenile goats administered tulathromycin subcutaneously. The developed model and compilation of physiological parameters for goats provide initial tools that can be used as a basis for predicting withdrawal times of drugs in this minor species.
WiP abstract: Possibility of power system blackout prediction

It is the first time that a statistical law of blackouts is derived from the modeling of blackout mechanism proposed in this letter. An approach is therefore proposed to predict the blackouts for complex systems. Prediction of blackouts for complex networks provides an important reliability index for secure and reliable operations of the networks. The density function of blackouts proposed in this letter gives the possibility of sensitivity analysis of related parameters to the occurrence of blackouts.
Molar Growth Yield of Streptococcus faecalis on Pyruvate

Y(pyruvate) was 17.3, similar to Y(arginine), for Streptococcus faecalis 6783 grown statically in a complex medium in 1 atm of air.
Intraocular Irrigating Solutions. A Clinical Study of BSS Plus ® and Dextrose Bicarbonate Fortified BSS ® as an Infusate during Pars Plana Vitrectomy.

Purpose: To compare the effect of Balanced Salt Solution Plus (BSS Plus, Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, Texas, USA) and fortified regular BSS on the cornea and lens, when used for continuous irrigation in pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) surgery. Methods: Prospective, investigator masked, randomised study. Forty patients were randomly assigned to undergo PPV using BSS Plus (n=20) or fortified BSS (n=20) [regular BSS, fortified with 10.5 cc. of dextrose in water (D5W) and 13.1cc. of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate]. Intraoperative features of the corneal epithelium, postoperative changes in the corneal endothelial cell denstiy (ECD) at 3 months, and clarity of the lens during surgery and postoperatively were evaluated. Results: Intraoperative epithelial changes were similar in both groups with 7 (35%) of the cases having the epithelium removed in the BSS Plus group and 8 (40%) in the BSS fortified group (P=0.23). The mean differences in ECD (3 months versus preoperative) in the operated eyes when adjusted for changes in the control eye showed no difference with the type of BSS (P=0.98). Intraoperative lens changes were more significant (P=0.018) in the BSS fortified group. Postoperative lens status at 3 months was similar for both groups. Though there was a trend towards worse postoperative nuclear sclerosis change in the BSS fortified group, it was not significant (P=0.160). Conclusion: Standard BSS fortified with dextrose and bicarbonate is an efficacious infusion fluid during pars plana vitrectomy. Both solutions showed comparable effects on postoperative corneal endothelial cell density and corneal epithelial changes intraoperatively. BSS fortified has more lenticular changes intraoperatively than BSS Plus although no lens had to be removed in either group. The study implications are important since BSS fortified is significantly less expensive than BSS Plus.
/spl Hscr//sub /spl infin// control of nonlinear systems via output feedback: controller parameterization

The standard state space solutions to the /spl Hscr//sub /spl infin// control problem for linear time-invariant systems are generalized to nonlinear time-invariant systems. A class of local nonlinear (output feedback) /spl Hscr//sub /spl infin//-controllers are parameterized as nonlinear fractional transformations on contractive, stable nonlinear parameters. As in the linear case, the /spl Hscr//sub /spl infin// control problem is solved by its reduction to state feedback and output estimation problems, together with a separation argument. Sufficient conditions for /spl Hscr//sub /spl infin//-control problem to be locally solved are also derived with this machinery. >
Analysis of scattering characteristics of electrically large objects using a CBFM-based procedure

Recent advances in computational electromagnetics (CEM) algorithms, including the newly developed CBFM (characteristic basis function method) (Mittra R. and Prakash, V.V.S., IEEE APS/URSI Int. Symp., 2003), have made it feasible to solve large scattering problem employing the MoM (method of moments). However, the maximum size of MoM matrix that can be handled on a PC is still limited by the maximum available RAM. A CBFM-based technique is proposed for the solution of a class of large scattering problems using a PC. We begin with a smaller problem that can be conveniently solved on a PC, and localize the problem in the subdomains by using tapered impedance terminations to construct the CBFs, to be used later for the original "large" problem. Finally, we synthesize the far field contributions of the CBFs to derive the solution to the original problem. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed simplified CBFM technique.
The Effects of Gridding Algorithms on the Statistical Moments and Their Trends of Daily Surface Air Temperature

AbstractThis paper explores the effects from averaging weather station data onto a grid on the first four statistical moments of daily minimum and maximum surface air temperature (SAT) anomalies over the entire globe. The Global Historical Climatology Network–Daily (GHCND) and the Met Office Hadley Centre GHCND (HadGHCND) datasets from 1950 to 2010 are examined. The GHCND station data exhibit large spatial patterns for each moment and statistically significant moment trends from 1950 to 2010, indicating that SAT probability density functions are non-Gaussian and have undergone characteristic changes in shape due to decadal variability and/or climate change. Comparisons with station data show that gridded averages always underestimate observed variability, particularly in the extremes, and have altered moment trends that are in some cases opposite in sign over large geographic areas. A statistical closure approach based on the quasi-normal approximation is taken to explore SAT’s higher-order moments and po...
Surface-plasmon energy and dispersion on Ag single crystals

We report here the measurements of the energy and dispersion of the surface plasmons on Ag single crystals in UHV using angle-resolved electron-energy-loss spectroscopy. The energy of small-momentum surface plasmons depends upon crystal face and, for Ag(110), upon crystal orientation. The differences in the energies of the surface plasmons, which cannot be explained by a jellium model, are discussed in terms of the contributions to the dielectric response from surface states and truncated bulk band states.
Report from the Second Pervasive Computing Education Workshop

William Griswold discusses the papers and presentations from the Pervasive Computing Education Workshop, which included topics on affordable tools, the open Ardruino platform, several smart phone platforms, and various Anoto pen platforms.
Guanidine hydrochloride-induced unfolding of the three heme coordination states of the CO-sensing transcription factor, CooA.

CooA is a heme-dependent CO-sensing transcription factor that has three observable heme coordination states. There is some evidence that each CooA heme state has a distinct protein conformation; the goal of this study was to characterize these conformations by measurement of their structural stabilities through guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl) denaturation. By studying the denaturation processes of the Fe(III) state of WT CooA and several variants, it was possible characterize independent unfolding processes for each domain of CooA. This information was used to compare the unfolding profiles of various CooA heme activation states (Fe(III), Fe(II), and Fe(II)-CO) to show that the heme coordination state changes the stability of the effector binding domain. A mechanism consistent with the data predicts that all CooA coordination states and variants undergo unfolding of the DNA-binding domain between 2 and 3 M GuHCl with a free energy of unfolding of ~17 kJ/mol, while unfolding of the heme domain is variable and dependent on the heme coordination state. The findings support a model in which changes in heme ligation alter the structural stability of the heme domain and dimer interface, but do not alter the stability of the DNA-binding domain. These studies provide evidence that the domains of transcription factors are modular, and that allosteric signaling occurs through changes in the relative positions of the protein domains without affecting the structure of the DNA-binding region.
Backward-volume-wave microwave-envelope solitons in yttrium iron garnet films.

Microwave-magnetic-envelope (MME) solitons generated from nonlinear magnetostatic-backward-volume wave packets have been observed in magnetic thin films. The MME signals were excited by 5--50-ns wide microwave pulses at 5.8 GHz in a 15-mm-long by 2.5-mm-wide, 7.2-\ensuremath{\mu}m-thick single-crystal yttrium iron garnet (YIG) film strip magnetized in plane and parallel to the long side of the strip. The wave packets were propagated parallel to the static field. The wave packets were launched and the propagating MME pulse signals were detected with planar microstrip transducers 4 mm apart. Envelope soliton behavior was evident from the time-resolved wave forms observed for various input power and pulse width combinations. At low power levels, one sees a relatively broad output pulse which scales with the width of the input pulse and a peak power which increases linearly with the input power. As the input power is increased above some threshold in the 0.5--1-W range, output pulses show a narrowing and steepening which is characteristic of microwave-magnetic-envelope solitons. Further increases in input power produce multiple-peak profiles, characteristic of multiple soliton generation. The experimental results are consistent with the various characteristic times for linear and nonlinear MME pulse propagation and soliton formation. However, numerical modeling based on the magnetic form of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with initial conditions and parameters which match the experiments yields calculated profiles which show soliton effects but do not quantitatively match the experimental results.
Preferential Treatment of the Aged In Income and Property Taxation

Our work is thus concerned with providing easily accessible factual information about the preferential tax provisions and with a series of critical analyses of them. There are many facets in a critical examination of these tax provisions, but the major consideration is the case for tax favors to the aged. The central issue is the economic circumstances of the agedviewed in the perspective of the economic circumstances of other age groups. The specific purpose is to examine the tax provisions for the aged within the context of the economic behavior of the household in terms of both individual and family life cycle of income, consumption, and savings, with a view to an examination and a reformulation of income maintenance programs for retirement. Although these are important considerations, our present task is simple yet necessary. Presented here is an inventory of existing tax provisions under both income and property taxation in a tabular form. In the nature of a progress report, this statement thus fills the information gap. No comments on the advisability and adequacy of these provisions are here attempted. Together with other information, this statement forms a basis for an analytical work to be reported later. Before presenting the tables, some general remarks may be in order. At the federal level, additional personal exemptions for the aged from the personal income tax were first provided in the Revenue Act of 1948. Another provision, the liberalized treatment of deductible medical expenses and expenses for medicine and drugs, was enacted in 1950. Still another provision, retirement income credit, was adopted in 1954. The trend to
Looking beyond history: the optics of German anthropology and the critique of humanism

Abstract Late nineteenth-century German anthropology had to compete for intellectual legitimacy with the established academic humanities ( Geisteswissenschaften ), above all history. Whereas humanists interpreted literary documents to create narratives about great civilizations, anthropologists represented and viewed objects, such as skulls or artifacts, to create what they regarded as natural scientific knowledge about so-called ‘natural peoples’—colonized societies of Africa, the Pacific, and the Americas. Anthropologists thus invoked a venerable tradition that presented looking at objects as a more certain source of knowledge than reading texts. Visual representations, especially of the colonized, not only allowed anthropologists allegedly objective insight into humanity but also put them in direct contact with popular audiences of ethnographic spectacles, exotic photography, and even pornographic images. Anthropologists thus sought to create a peculiar kind of anthropological vision that both differentiated them from humanists as ‘objective’ natural scientists but also distinguished them from the leering ‘ Schaulust ’ that they believed characterized popular consumption of exotic images. To do so they invented technologies of visual representation that eschewed the subject position figured by linear perspective. These novel optics dispensed with the leering subject posited by popular spectacles and the knowing subject posited by humanism and created an anti-humanist form of knowledge.
Case identification in psychiatric epidemiology: A review

Background: Psychiatric epidemiologic surveys since 1980 have relied heavily on a small number of survey diagnostic instruments for case ascertainment, which encode reports of respondents to highly structured interview questions delivered by interviewers without clinical training. Many validations of these survey diagnostic instruments have been carried out.Objective: This paper reviews the success of the survey diagnostic instruments, for eight diagnostic categories, in validations with a psychiatrist examination as the gold standard.Method: Public databases were searched for potentially relevant publications, of which more than 1000 were located. Tables show sensitivity, specificity, Kappa, sample source and size, survey instrument and validation method.Results: The number of validation studies relevant to the eight disorders ranged from 8 for schizophrenia to 29 for major depressive disorder. Reported sensitivities ranged from zero to 100%, and specificities from 22% to 100%.Conclusion: Results for com...
Synaptic activity in alpha motoneurons consequent to their motor unit contractions.

Abstract Single motor units of the triceps surae muscle group were caused to contract by intracellular stimulation of their alpha motoneurons. Simultaneous intracellular recording and signal averaging revealed a series of low-amplitude synaptic depolarizations in the stimulated neuron. Since the depolarizations were abolished by section of the homonymous muscle nerve, it is concluded that the depolarizations arise from activity in homonymous primary muscle spindle afferents and reflect the underlying synaptic activity responsible for autogenetic facilitation. Depolarizations during the rising phase of the twitch were seen in 16 of 27 “fast” motor units and in 3 of 13 “slow” motor units. Depolarizations during the falling phase of the twitch were produced by 37 of 40 motor units; the later depolarizations were always preceded by a cessation of depolarizing synaptic activity. Hyperpolarizing activity was seen on subtracting postnerve-cut waveforms from prenerve-cut waveforms from four motor units. Hyperpolarization was associated with the rising phase and peak of the twitch tension; however, the experimental procedure did not allow localization of the mechanisms involved. The relationship between the patterned depolarizations and the patterned discharge of primary muscle spindle afferents during a muscle twitch is discussed.
Rubidium transport and ouabain binding in normal and virally transformed mouse fibroblasts.

Possible importance of the monovalent cation transport in oncogenic cell transformation was evaluated by determining changes in the rate of cation transport and the number of translocating macromolecules in normal and virally transformed mouse fibroblasts. Ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake was measured in 3T3, SV 40-3T3 and MSV-3T3 cells to estimate the rate of cation transport. The initial rates of 86Rb+ uptake in the oncogenic virus transformed cells were several-fold greater than the normal 3T3 cells. This increased rate of accumulation of cation was due to the increase in the Vmax and not the apparent Km for Rb+ or K+. The changes in the number of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase molecules was estimated by measuring the binding of [3H]ouabain to different cell populations. There was a decrease in the binding of [3H]ouabain in the virus-transformed cells but, the apparent affinity of different cell lines for ouabain did not significantly change. These results suggest some association between the alterations of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity and oncogenic cell transformation, but an increase in the rate of monovalent cation transport does not appear to precede oncogenic cell transformation.
Biomass production of chufa (Cyperus esculentus) in a seasonally flooded wetland

Seasonal biomass production of chufa (Cyperus esculentus) was studied in a managed, seasonally flooded wetland in southeast Missouri in 1985. Shoot emergence occurred shortly after the drawdown date of 27 May. Peak stem density of 37.5 stems/m2 occurred on 6 July. Live aboveground standing crop reached a maximum (11.9 g/m2) on 6 July and most tissue senesced by 25 September. Dead aboveground standing crop increased after 25 June and peaked at 8.4 g/m2 on 28 October. Flowering occurred in only 16% of all plants. Belowground standing crop peaked (28.2 g/m2) by 11 August. Tubers represented 85% of belowground tissue weight at the end of the growing season. Managers may be able to take advantage of chufa reproductive processes to increase tuber production for wildlife food. Shallow soil disking and maintaining moist conditions can be used to increase tuber production.
The Reproducibility of Hemodynamic, Electrocardiographic, and Gas Exchange Data during Treadmill Exercise in Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris

Fourteen male patients with exercise test-induced angina and ST-segment depression underwent treadmill testing on three consecutive days to evaluate the reproducibility of certain treadmill variables. Computerized ST-segment analysis and expired gas analysis, including anaerobic threshold, were evaluated for reproducibility using an intraclass correlation coefficient analysis. Measured oxygen uptake at peak exercise displayed better reproducibility than total treadmill time, the onset of angina, and the gas exchange anaerobic threshold (ATGE). The double product, heart rate, and ST-segment displacement in lead X were found to be reproducible at peak exercise, the onset of angina, and the ATGE. The incorporation of gas exchange analysis can provide accurate physiologic determinants of exercise capacity in patients with angina pectoris. In addition, noninvasive estimates of myocardial oxygen demand and ischemia can be reproducibly determined. These findings have important implications for the design of studies evaluating the effects of an intervention on angina pectoris.
Premarital sexual attitudes of unmarried university students: 1968 vs. 1972.

Information on premarital sexual attitudes of unmarried undergraduates was obtained from random samples on the same campus in 1968 and 1972. Students in 1972, compared with those in 1968, reported (1) more permissive attitudes toward premarital sexual behavior (both men and women), (2) fewer differences in attitudes between men and women, and (3) less adherence to the “double standard.” In contrast to earlier research on premarital sexual attitudes, these differences need not be due to the markedly different populations compared, or generalizable only to sociology and psychology students, or indicative of only those who chose to volunteer for study (volunteer bias).
The effects of early stress and undernutrition on the behavior of young adult rats and the correlations between behavioral and brain parameters.

Abstract Control and chronic undernourished newborn rat pups were exposed to cold stress for 3 min daily or left undisturbed on Days 2–11. On Days 25–29 (preweaning) and at 90 days of age, stressed and non-stressed pups in each group were tested in a cross-maze and a T-maze, and their preference for novel and social stimulation and activity levels were measured. At 90 days only, another group of such pups was trained to learn an active avoidance response to electric shock. The results on maze performance show that prior to weaning, stressed controls (SC) and nonstressed undernourished (NSU) pups exhibited shorter response latencies, and a greater preference for social stimulation than the non-stressed controls (NSC). At 90 days, SC and NSU again exhibited shorter latencies, and higher activity levels, and also a greater preference for novel stimulation than the NSC animals. In these parameters, there were no significant differences between stressed undernourished (SU) and NSU animals. In original avoidance learning, undernourished animals exhibited a slower rate of acquisition learning than controls. However, in reversal learning, NSU animals made significantly more errors than the SU animals. There were no significant differences between the two control groups and the SU group. These results show that early cold stress alone can have the same behavioral effects as early undernutrition alone and that early stress can have a significant reversing effect on the learning performance of previously undernourished adult animals. Statistical correlations between behavioral parameters (X- and T-maze behavior and active avoidance learning) and crude brain parameters (weight, cell number (DNA), cell density and protein) were investigated in the above animals. It was found that, in general, behavioral parameters whose high values appear to be of advantage for the animal (e.g. number of entries or social time in mazes and percent correct moves in the original and reversal learning) had significant positive correlations with weight, cell number (DNA), and protein content, at least in cerebral cortex and cerebellum, and negative correlations with cortical cell density. Conversely, parameters whose high values are of disadvantage (latency in mazes, or total trials to criterion and total errors in learning) generally had significant negative correlations with brain weight, cell number, and protein content, and positive with cortical cell density. Age, stress or undernutrition had no effect on these results. It is concluded that, statistically, even these crude brain parameters may be significantly correlated with behavior. That is, animals tend to perform better if their cortical cells are further apart and if their brain weight, cell number (DNA), and protein content are higher.
Resonant frequency analysis of Timoshenko nanowires with surface stress for different boundary conditions

The influence of both surface and shear effects on the resonant frequency of nanowires (NWs) was studied by incorporating the Young-Laplace equation with the Timoshenko beam theory. Face-centered-cubic metal NWs were studied. A dimensional analysis of the resonant frequencies for fixed-fixed gold (100) NWs were compared to molecular dynamic simulations. Silver NWs with diameters from 10 nm–500 nm were modeled as a cantilever, simply supported and fixed-fixed system for aspect ratios from 2.5–20 to identify the shear, surface, and size effects on the resonant frequencies. The shear effect was found to have a larger significance than surface effects when the aspect ratios were small (i.e., <5) regardless of size for the diameters modeled. Finally, as the aspect ratio grows, the surface effect becomes significant for the smaller diameter NWs.
Impaired ex vivo lipopolysaccharide-stimulated whole blood tumour necrosis factor production may identify patients in the intensive care unit with ‘sepsis’ and multiple system organ failure

Background There is currently no reliable diagnostic test to identify patients with sepsis in the intensive care unit (ICU) or patients with multiple system organ failure (MSOF). It was previously found that in vitro pretreatment of monocytes with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced blunted tumour necrosis factor (TNF) release to LPS rechallenge. It was hypothesized that patients exposed to LPS or septic stimuli in vivo would produce less TNF when stimulated ex vivo with LPS. This preliminary study sought to determine whether impaired ex vivo TNF release was associated with measurable differences in clinical outcome. Methods Heparinized whole blood was obtained from 27 ICU patients and five healthy controls, and incubated immediately with or without LPS 10 ng ml−1 at 37°C for 3 h, then centrifuged to recover serum. Serum TNF levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and expressed as mean(s.e.m.). Clinical data, such as ICU length of stay (LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation, white blood cell count and positive cultures, were obtained retrospectively. Quartiles (I, 0–25 per cent; II, 26–50 per cent; III, 51–75 per cent; and IV, 76–100 per cent) were identified on the basis of the distribution of plotted LPS-stimulated whole blood TNF values. Statistical analysis was by χ2 and Student's t tests. Results A wide range of LPS-stimulated whole blood TNF production was observed in ICU patients (5·1(0·7) ng ml−1) and controls (6·6(1·0) ng ml−1). Patients identified in the lowest quartile (n = 6) of TNF producers (less than 2 ng ml−1) had significantly lower TNF production and a higher incidence of infection (83 versus 38 per cent), and longer LOS (21·8 versus 9·0 days) and duration of mechanical ventilation (18·3 versus 6·0 days) than patients in quartiles II–IV (n = 21). Patients in the lowest quartile had significantly lower TNF production (1·1(0·2) ng ml−1) than normal controls (6·6(1·0) ng ml−1) (P < 0·05) or ICU patients in any other quartile (quartile II: 2·9(0·2) ng ml−1, quartile III: 5·3(0·3) ng ml−1, quartile IV: 10·4(1·3) ng ml−1) (P < 0·05). Conclusion The lowest levels of ex vivo LPS-stimulated whole blood TNF production were associated with a prolonged ICU stay, a higher incidence of positive cultures and a prolonged need for mechanical ventilation. Impaired TNF release may be a manifestation of monocyte endotoxin tolerance and may be a marker of monocytic dysfunction. Determination of whole blood ex vivo LPS-stimulated TNF production could be useful in the diagnosis of severe sepsis and MSOF in patients in the ICU. © 2000 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd