cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Cancer-predisposing Mutation C61G Disrupts Homodimer Formation in the NH2-terminal BRCA1 RING Finger Domain

The breast and ovarian cancer tumor suppressor gene, BRCA1, encodes for a Zn2+-binding RING finger motif located near the protein NH2 terminus. The RING finger motif is characterized by eight conserved Cys and His residues which form two Zn2+-binding sites termed Site I and Site II. We used limited proteolysis in conjunction with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy to investigate the metal binding properties and to probe the solution structures of wild-type and mutant BRCA1 constructs that include the RING finger. Our results show that the RING finger motif is part of a larger proteolysis-resistant structural domain which encompasses the first 110 residues of BRCA1. Analytical gel-filtration chromatography and chemical cross-linking experiments demonstrate that the BRCA1 NH2-terminal domain readily homodimerizes in solution. The cancer-predisposing C61G mutation, which alters a conserved Zn2+-binding residue, abolishes metal binding to Site II of the RING finger motif, while Site I remains intact and functional. The C61G mutation also results in increased proteolytic susceptibility of the COOH-terminal portion of the NH2-terminal domain and perturbs the oligomerization properties of BRCA1.
Sequence preference of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-syn-diol epoxide- DNA binding in the mouse H-ras gene detected by UvrABC nucleases

We have found that 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-syn-diol epoxide (syn-DMBADE)-modified DNA fragments are sensitive to UvrABC incision. The incisions occur mainly seven bases 5' and four bases 3' of a syn-DMBADE-modified adenine or guanine residue. The kinetics of UvrABC incision at different sequences in a DNA fragment are the same, and the extent of UvrABC incision is proportional to the syn-DMBADE concentration. On the basis of these results, we have concluded that UvrABC incision on syn-DMBADE-DNA adducts is independent of DNA sequence and is quantitative. Using the UvrABC incision method, we have analyzed the syn-DMBADE-DNA binding spectrum in several defined DNA fragments, including the first two exons of the mouse H-ras gene. We have found that both guanine and adenine residues in codons 12, 13, and 61 of the H-ras gene are strong syn-DMBADE binding sites. These results suggest that the initial binding of DMBADE may greatly contribute to the frequency of H-ras mutations. Results from dinucleotide binding analysis indicate that the 5'-nearest neighbor displays a greater effect on syn-DMBADE-DNA binding than the 3'-nearest neighbor.
Traffic speeds associated with implementation of 80 mph speed limits on West Texas rural interstates

PROBLEM: In 2006 Texas raised the daytime speed limit for passenger vehicles on segments of I-10 and I-20 from 75 to 80 mph. Methods: Traffic speeds were measured before and 3, 12, and 16 months after the limit was changed. Results: During the 16-month period following the speed limit increase, mean speeds of passenger vehicles on I-20 increased by 9 mph relative to the comparison road, where no speed limit change occurred and traffic speeds declined. On I-10 mean speeds increased by 4 mph relative to the comparison road. Limiting the analysis to the month before the speed limit change and 1 year later, the proportion of drivers exceeding 80 mph was 18 times higher on I-20 and 2 times higher on I-10. Discussion: The smaller speed increases on I-10 may be related to its proximity to the U.S. border with Mexico. Highly visible border patrol activity coincided with posting of the higher speed limit. Long-term monitoring in other states suggests that traffic speeds in Texas are likely to continue to increase. Impact on Industry: The present study adds to the wealth of evidence that increased speed limits lead to increased travel speeds. The primary countermeasures to reduce the risk of speed-related crashes include highly visible police traffic enforcement and the use of speed cameras accompanied by publicity. Language: en
A small population of vasculitogenic T cells expands and has skewed T cell receptor usage after culture with syngeneic smooth muscle cells.

Abstract Adoptive transfer of lymphocytes co-cultured with syngeneic smooth muscle (SM) cells to healthy recipient mice results in vasculitic lesions predominantly in post-capillary venules. The present study focuses on the mechanisms by which the disease-inducing CD4 + T cells are generated in co-culture of lymphocytes with SM cells. Microvascular SM cells provide survival signals to both CD4 + and CD8 + naive syngeneic T cells and can activate only a limited range of CD4 + T lymphocytes in culture. Additionally, approximately 0.4% of the original CD4 + T cells divide at least twice in co-culture with SM cells. Survival of CD4 + T cells in co-culture is dependent on a TCR mediated process, since transgenic CD4 + cells with a unique specificity for a non-murine peptide do not survive in culture with SM. Analysis of TCR Vβ shows no superantigen activation of T cells following co-culture with SM cells. Spectratype analysis of TCR Vβ Jβ segment usage reveals a skewage in the TCR repertoire of T cells co-cultured with SM, and also of T cells from vasculitic lung. These results are consistent with a specific immune response of pathogenic T cells against one or more activating antigenic determinants of the microvascular SM cells, in contrast to non-specific cytokine activation.
THERMAL STRESS AND ANOMALOUS DEVELOPMENT OF MOSQUITOES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE). V. EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON EMBRYOGENY OF AEDES STIMULANS.

Primordia of organs of the male reproductive system develop abnormally in response to near lethal temperatures when thermal pressure is applied at a time of cellular differentiation during embryogeny and postembryogeny. This paper is concerned primarily with the thermally induced imaginal deformities effected during embryogeny. All parts of the masculine system may be affected except the gonads. Part or all of the tract and accessory glands may be deleted by regulating the time and duration of exposure to critical temperatures. The critical period for the inhibition of development of the reproductive tract in the embryo occurs primarily during the fourth and fifth days of ontogeny. Morphogenesis of imaginal female organs was unaffected by excessive embryogenic temperatures in either genetic females or genetic males. Certain primordia of larval parts developed abnormally when embryos were subjected to temperatures somewhat above those permitting survival beyond the first larval instar.
Systems-Based Approach to Preparedness for, Response to, and Recovery from Natural and Human-Made Disasters

AbstractThis article posits that the complex technical, organizational, and communication process associated with preparedness for, response to, and recovery from natural and human-made disasters is harmonious and synonymous with the process of risk assessment, management, and communication. Modelers of these processes must recognize that the states of the system, whether of the affected infrastructures or of the communities, constitute essential building blocks of the constructed models. The physical states of all infrastructures and the states of well-being of all communities are functions of time; thus, the time frame in modeling, as well as in preparedness and in risk analysis, is of paramount importance. Furthermore, the vulnerability and resilience of a system (physical or natural) to a specific threat (initiating event) are manifestations of the states of the system. This implies that the risk to a targeted system from a specific threat is a function of the states, the vulnerability, the resilience...
The case for BUFFERS in SNOBOL4

Two articles have appeared recently in SIGPLAN Notices describing the "Great Big Substitution Problem" of SNOBOL4 pattern matching [BLAT80, SCHI81]. Although the proposals in these papers are different, they both suggest the addition of new operators to the language to solve the problem. The purpose of this paper is to show that the Great Big Substitution Problem is embedded in a problem of a more pervasive nature, and to suggest a correspondingly more general solution.
The origin of skeleton forming cells in the sea urchin embryo.

In embryos of the “modern” sea urchin species, subclass Euechinoidea, primary mesenchyme cells are derived from the progeny of micromeres formed at the sixteen cell stage of embryogenesis. The micromeres reside within the vegetal plate epithelium and later ingress into the blastocoel as primary mesenchyme cells which form the larval skeleton. Embryos of Eucidaris tribuloides, a member of the “primitive” subclass Perischoechinoidea, exhibit several noteworthy differences from euechinoid primary mesenchyme cell lineage including variable numbers and sizes of micromeres, the absence of mesenchyme ingression, and the lack of any detectable primary mesenchyme although a larval skeleton forms. In the present study, the cell lineage of the spiculogenic mesenchyme has been studied in Eucidaris tribuloides and in the euechinoid Lytechinus pictus by microinjecting the fluorescent tracer, Lucifer Yellow, into individual blastomeres of the embryo. In addition, wheat germ agglutinin, a lectin which binds only to primary mesenchyme cells of the early euechinoid embryo, was injected into the blastocoel of embryos of both species in order to examine the distribution of cells which possess primary mesenchyme-specific cell surface markers. The results of these experiments demonstrate that the spiculogenic mesenchyme of both Lytechinus and Eucidaris arise from descendants of micromeres formed at the sixteen cell stage, although the temporal and spatial distribution of these mesenchyme cells varies considerably between species. Furthermore, the evidence obtained suggests that the information necessary for spicule formation is already segregated to the vegetal pole by the eight cell stage. The results also suggest that there are no gap junctions present between the blastomeres of the early sea urchin embryo.
Functionalized Tricarbocyanine Dyes as Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes for Biomolecules

The syntheses of three novel functionalized tricarbocyanine dyes are described. These dyes containing isothiocyanate and succinimidyl ester functional groups are reactive toward primary amines and can be used as fluorescent probes for biologically pertinent compounds such as amino acids and functionalized dideoxynucleotides. The absorption and fluorescence maxima occur in the near-IR region of the spectrum (770−810 nm). The succinimidyl ester proved to be very sensitive to hydrolysis and was generated in situ to label amino acids. The isothiocyanates were less susceptible to hydrolysis and were conjugated using organic modified [40% (v/v) acetonitrile] buffers to amino acids. A dye with an alkyl isothiocyanate moiety showed conjugation to amino-functionalized dideoxynucleotide triphosphates.
Increased cage size does not alter heart rate or behavior in female rhesus monkeys

Newly proposed federal regulations will mandate that singly caged non-human primates be kept in cages larger than the current minimum standard, or be given 4 hours in an exercise cage per week. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of increasing cage size in improving well-being, the behavioral and heart rate responses of 10 female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) to three different cage sizes were measured. With the exception of vocalizations, no significant differences in behavior were obtained. Grunts increased in the largest cage, following the birth of an infant in a cage within view of the test cages. No differences with respect to cage size were found in heart rate or activity level, although there were significant variations at different times of day. We conclude that modest increases in cage size are less likely to enrich the environment of singly caged laboratory primates than are changes in social opportunities or increases in environmental complexity.
N2 Hydrogenation Promoted by a Side-On Bound Hafnocene Dinitrogen Complex

Reduction of the hafnocene diiodide (η5-C5Me4H)2HfI2 with excess sodium amalgam under 1 atm of dinitrogen yielded the hafnocene dinitrogen complex [(η5-C5Me4H)2Hf]2(μ2,η2:η2-N2). X-ray diffraction has established a strongly activated, side-on bound, bridging N2 ligand with an N−N bond length of 1.423(11) A. Exposure of the dinitrogen compound to 1 atm of dihydrogen at 23 °C resulted in rapid hydrogenation of the N2 ligand, affording the hydrido hafnocene diazenido complex [(η5-C5Me4H)2HfH]2(μ2,η2:η2-N2H2). Confirmation of N2 hydrogenation has been provided by NMR and IR spectroscopic studies and X-ray diffraction. Pseudo-first-order observed rate constants for H2 addition have been measured by monitoring the disappearance of a principally LMCT band centered at 886 nm [(η5-C5Me4H)2Hf]2(μ2,η2:η2-N2) as a function of time. The hafnocene complex hydrogenates dinitrogen approximately 4 times faster than the corresponding zirconocene compound. Divergent chemistry from zirconium is observed upon thermolysis of [...
Family-Based SNP Association Study on 8q24 in Bipolar Disorder

Previous linkage studies have identified chromosome 8q24 as a promising positional candidate region to search for bipolar disorder (BP) susceptibility genes. We, therefore, sought to identify BP susceptibility genes on chromosome 8q24 using a family-based association study of a dense panel of SNPs selected to tag the known common variation across the region of interest. A total of 1,458 SNPs across 16 Mb of 8q24 were examined in 3,512 subjects, 1,954 of whom were affected with BP, from 737 multiplex families. Single-locus tests were carried out with FBAT and Geno-PDT, and multi-locus test were carried out with HBAT and multi-locus Geno-PDT. None of the SNPs were associated with BP in the single-locus tests at a level that exceeded our threshold for study-wide significance (P < 3.00 × 10−5). However, there was consistent evidence at our threshold for the suggestive level (P < 7.00 × 10−4) from both the single locus and multi-locus tests of associations with SNPs in the genes ADCY8, ST3GAL1, and NSE2. Multi-locus analyses suggested joint effects between ADCY8 and ST3GAL1 (P = 3.00 × 10−4), with at least one copy of the “high risk” allele required at both genes for association with BP, consistent with a jointly dominant–dominant model of action. These findings with ADCY8 and ST3GAL1 warrant further investigation in order to confirm the observed associations and their functional significance for BP susceptibility. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Mode-locked oscillator arrays

The output characteristics of a linear array of oscillators are discussed. By arranging the output frequencies of each oscillator to give a spectrum of equally spaced components, a mode-locked system results, thereby producing short, high-power RF pulses. Promising results from a linear array of up to five elements are presented, with good theoretical agreement. The results presented suggest that it may be possible to generate high-power RF pulses with high-pulse repetition frequencies using planar arrays of devices. This quasi-optical array architecture is expected to scale up to the Terahertz frequency range using suitable devices. >
Basic Modern Philosophy of Religion

Prologue Part 1: Meanings and Methods 1. What is Philosophy of Religion? 2. How Shall We Define Religion? 3. What is Religion? 4. How Shall We Examine Religion? Part 2: Modern Philosophy and Belief in God 5. Classical Arguments for God's Existence 6. A Classical Case of Scepticism 7. Kant: The Limits of Theoretical Reason 8. Kant: The Turn Toward Practical Reason 9. The Roots of Existentialism 10. The Roots of Positivism and Pragmatism Part 3: Contemporary Issues of Metareligious Thought 11. The Scientific Stalemate 12. The Linguistic Key 13. The Cognitive Possibilities of Theistic Language 14. The Current Quest for Responsible Christian Theism. Epilogue
Trace metals in Hong Kong waters

Abstract Hong Kong has a population of between four and five million and is becoming increasingly industrialized. Already there are some 19,000 factories concentrated in a few densely populated areas and most of the effluent and sewage is discharged untreated into the sea. Elevated heavy metal concentrations have been recorded in the receiving waters. Lead has 160 times and cadmium 180 times the concentration found in the open ocean.
Zone theory, multiplexing model, and psychophysical data

With the development of electrophysiology in this century, many predictions made by visual psychophysics, like trichromacy, have been linked to data on visual cells, but the proposed links with respect to chromatic and achromatic visual processes are not clearly consistent beyond photoabsorption, and the interactions of photoreceptor signals at the higher visual stages are still under very active study and discussion. This paper reviews the problems involved in trying to relate an important postulate of psychophysical zone theories of color vision--the post-receptor chromatic-achromatic independence to neurophysiological data and visual multiplexing.
Does Mandated Treatment Benefit Youth? A Prospective Investigation of Adolescent Justice System Involvement, Treatment Motivation, and Substance Use Outcomes

The majority of adolescents treated for substance use disorder in the United States are now referred by the criminal justice system. Little is known, however, regarding how justice-system involvement relates to adolescent community treatment outcomes. Controversy exists, also, over the extent to which justice system involvement reflects a lack of intrinsic motivation for treatment. This study examined the relation between justice system referral and reported reason for treatment entry and tested the extent to which each predicted treatment response and outcome. Adolescent outpatients (N = 127; M age = 16.7, 24% female) with varying levels of justice-system involvement (i.e., no justice system involvement [No-JSI, n = 63], justice-system involved [JSI, n = 40], justice system involved-mandated [JSI-M, n = 24]) and motivation levels (i.e., self-motivated, n = 40, externally-motivated, n = 87) were compared at treatment intake. Multilevel mixed models tested these groups' effects on percent days abstinent (P...
A thermogravimetric investigation of the Fe-Ni-S system from 700 to 900°C

A thermogravimetric method employing H2-H2S-Ar gas mixtures was used to measure the thermodynamic properties and phase equilibria of the Fe-Ni-S system. The equilibrium sulfur pressures in the ternary monosulfide phase and an adjacent two-phase region were measured between 700 to 900°C. Isothermal sections at 700, 750, 800, and 850°C are constructed as well as stability diagrams for the same temperatures.
The Persistence of Vocational Preference in Successful Individuals

(1950). The Persistence of Vocational Preference in Successful Individuals. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 77-80.
Conchostracans: Living and Fossil from Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico

In August 1963, living conchostracans (branchipod Crustacea) of the genera Leptestheria and Eulimnadia were collected at three stations in Chihuahua. One Sonoran locality yielded Triassic fossils of the family Cyzicidae, a widespread North American group. The geographic rangeof the geologically younger families Leptestheriidae and Limnadidae (particularly the genus Eulimnadia) thus extended to Chihuahua during post-Mesozoic time.
Clinical evaluation and rehabilitation prescription for knee motion loss

Abstract Introduction Range-of-motion (ROM) loss of the knee is commonly treated in rehabilitation settings. Variables that contribute to ROM loss include trauma to the knee joint, surrounding soft tissue, or surgery. The skilled clinician identifies how abnormalities in specific anatomic structures contribute to motion loss and then formulates a logical treatment plan to target these structures. A thorough understanding of the arthrokinematic characteristics of the knee is necessary in order to treat knee ROM loss by guiding effective mobilization techniques. Methods described An evaluative algorithm is described for the clinical management of knee ROM loss. Methods to identify specific anatomical structures contributing to motion loss leading to the formulation of a logical and effective treatment plan that targets these structures are outlined. The rehabilitation prescription which specifies paramaters of treatment, such as frequency, duration, order, and total volume of interventions should be designed within the context of providing optimal mechanical signal to the healing tissue for remodeling and repair. Purpose This paper describes evaluative strategies to identify how soft tissue structures contribute to ROM. Formulation of an optimal rehabilitation prescription is discussed.
Pharmacological treatment of acromegaly: its place in the overall therapeutic approach.

Acromegaly is a chronic disease that in the great majority of cases is caused by Growth Hormone (GH) producing pituitary tumors and is characterized by high risk of mortality and a variety of morbidities. Goals of treatment of acromegaly include elimination of the mass effect of the tumor, which ideally would result in a complete disappearance of tumor tissue on sensitive MRI, normalization of GH and IGF-1 levels and preservation of pituitary function whenever possible. The fulfillment of these criteria is expected to reverse or mitigate the increased mortality and morbidity risks. Understandably, normalization of biochemical markers of increased GH secretion is of primary importance for therapeutic and prognostic decisions.
FRONTIERS OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH: New Vaccines, New Prophylactic Regimens, and Management of the HIV–Infected Worker

The field of occupational health has expanded greatly in recent years in terms of new or recurrent diseases that have become important employee health issues and in terms of new prophylactic or treatment options for a variety of these infectious diseases. New vaccines have been licensed in the United States for primary prevention of several infectious diseases for which only secondary prophylaxis was previously available. New medications or regimens are now being advocated for a series of bacterial or mycobacterial diseases that infect or colonize health care workers. Finally, management of the immunocompromised health care worker has continued to evolve as the HIV epidemic spreads.
A User's Approach to the Design of Custom Monolithic Integrated Circuits

This paper describes a design technique which may be taken by a potential user of linear integrated circuits who wishes, for technical and proprietary reasons, to develop custom silicon monolithic integrated circuits. Essentially this approach provides a set of IC'components interconnected to furnish building blocks which contain the singular active and passive device characteristics available in monolithic integrated circuits. The steps are detailed by which the integrated circuit device requirements, monolithic processing sequence and device geometries were established. The performance characteristics of the resultant IC components are also described. Finally, circuit examples are shown which illustrate how the use of these building blocks is necessary for an optimum linear integrated circuit design.
The Biotechnology of Wine Yeast

Abstract The production of wine from grapes is one of the world's oldest biotechnological processes. The alcoholic fermentation, the conversion of grape sugars to ethanol, is conducted by yeast of the genus Saccharomyces. In addition to wide-ranging roles in beverage and food processing, Saccharomyces is also a premier research model system because of its genetic tractability. Its genome has been sequenced, and an extensive array of molecular technologies has been developed for the genetic manipulation of this organism. In spite of the availability of these molecular tools, genetically engineered yeast strains are not yet in use in the commercial wine industry. Anxiety over consumer acceptance is one reason genetically modified strains are not employed, but there are other concerns as well. Wine production is unique in many respects. The wine production process is not conducted under sterile conditions, and any modified organism has the potential to become an enduring resident of the winery flora. Further...
The autoxidative behavior of vegetable and animal fats

The kinetics of the oxidation of tocopherol (vitamin E) during the induction period of animal and vegetable fats were studied by photometric methods. The concentration of tocopherol and the nature and origin of the substrate fat markedly influence the course of the oxidation.
Programmable microwave transversal filter using acousto-optic tunable filtering

Electronically programmable, broadband analog Radio Frequency (RF) transversal filter architecture is proposed and implemented using an Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter and a Chirped Fiber Bragg Grating. Proof-of-concept filter two-tap notch filters are demonstrated with a tunable range of 2-8 GHz and notch depth of 35 dB.
Di-phasic structure of switching and memory device ‘glasses’

Abstract An X-ray, electron and scanning electron microscopic study of some chalcogenide materials has shown the diphasic (or even more complicated) structure of these materials. Some are mainly crystalline, many contain well dispersed small crystals, but even those which are really glasses, consist of two non-crystalline phases . Since our compositions correspond to various ‘glasses’ used as the source material for electrical devices studied for their ‘switching’ or ‘memory’ properties, the observed finely dispersed two (glass)- phase character of these materials is important for any theoretical consideration of their physical models.
Neural control of behavioral responses in the nudibranch mollusc Phestilla sibogae

The tropical aeoliacean nudibranch Phestilla sibogae, has a number of large and reidentifiable neurons in its centrally located cerebral-pedal-pleural ganglion complex. In studies involving nearly intact animal preparations, neurons were identified which control specific movements of the dorsal cerata, the oral veil tentacles, and the margins of the foot. Responses of neurons to mechanical vibrations in the environment, and responses to light not mediated by the eyes are described. Finally, a pair of large cerebral neurons are identified that are superficially similar in structure, location, and function to the metacerebral giants found in several other opisthobranchs. These neurons are electrically coupled and control stereotyped movements of the mouth. These anatomical and neurophysiological features, when coupled with the fact that the generation time of Phestilla (30 days) is comparable to that of Drosophila suggests that this nudibranch may prove useful in combined studies of neurophysiology, behavior and genetics.
Even in virtual environments women shop and men build: A social role perspective on Second Life

The present study examined whether traditional gender role expectations (Eagly, 1987) influence behaviors in non-traditional contexts such as online virtual environments. Participants were 352 Second Life users who reported their activities and experiences in Second Life. Results indicated that men and women differed in the types of activities they engaged in a manner predicted by social role theory. Specifically, as compared to women, men were more likely to report building things (e.g. objects), to own and work on their own virtual property, and were less likely to change their avatar's appearance. Women, as compared to men, were more likely to meet people, shop, regularly change their avatar's appearance, and buy clothes/objects for their avatar. The present study adds to our understanding of how traditional gender role expectations may carry over to online virtual worlds and influence online behavior.
“Simplicissimus” and the Rise of National Socialism

(1978). “Simplicissimus” and the Rise of National Socialism. The Historian: Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 441-462.
Hepatic amyloidosis: Morphologic differences between systemic AL and AA types

The liver is almost universally involved in systemic amyloidosis. Patterns of topographic distribution of amyloid within the liver lobule have been recognized, but the reliability of using these for classification of amyloid type is in question. We examined 286 livers from cases of systemic amyloidosis obtained from autopsies at Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center, classifying them as AL or AA type by means of the potassium permanganate Congo red-staining method along with a specific anti-AA antiserum. Prior publications have asserted that deposition of secondary (AA) amyloidosis is limited to the vessels in the portal tract, constituting a "vascular" pattern, and that in primary (AL) amyloidosis the deposits exhibit a "sinusoidal" pattern in that they are seen along hepatic sinusoids as well as in portal vessels. We confirmed that AL amyloid involves the portal vessels as frequently as AA amyloid and that deposition occurred significantly more frequently in the portal stroma, the central vein, and the "sinusoidal" areas. However, we also found a "sinusoidal" pattern in 29 of 78 cases of secondary (AA) amyloidosis; in 14 of these, more than half of the sinusoidal spaces were replaced by amyloid deposits. We also noted that in 23 of the 29 AA amyloidosis cases with "sinusoidal" involvement, a "sago" pattern of distribution of amyloid in the spleen was present. No consistent association of a specific chronic inflammatory disease with "sago" spleen and "sinusoidal" deposits could be documented. We conclude that topographic distribution of amyloid within the liver lobule is not a reliable method of distinguishing AA from AL amyloidosis and that specific staining methods must be used if the physician is to be able to attempt modern therapeutic modalities.
Corporate social responsibility performance and information asymmetry

Abstract Using Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance scores from KLD STAT, we investigate whether CSR performance affects information asymmetry. We find that both positive and negative CSR performance reduce information asymmetry. Moreover, we find that the influence of negative CSR performance is much stronger than that of positive CSR performance in reducing information asymmetry. We also investigate the effect of informed investors on the CSR performance-asymmetry relation. We find that the negative association between CSR performance and bid-ask spread decreases for firms with a high level of institutional investors compared to those with a low level of institutional investors. This finding suggests that informed investors may exploit their CSR information advantage. Overall, our results suggest that CSR performance plays a positive role for investors by reducing information asymmetry and that regulatory action may be appropriate to mitigate the adverse selection problem faced by less-informed investors.
A robust 3D eye gaze tracking system using noise reduction

This paper describes a novel real-time 3D gaze estimation system. The system consists of two cameras and two IR light sources. There are three novelties in this method. First, in our system, two IR lights are mounted near the centers of the stereo cameras, respectively. Based on this specific configuration, the 3D position of the corneal center can be simply derived by the 3D reconstruction technique. Then, after extracting the 3D position of the "virtual pupil" correctly, the optical axis of the eye can be obtained directly by connecting the "virtual pupil" with the corneal center. Second, we systematically analyze the noise in our 3D gaze estimation algorithm and propose an effective constraint to reduce this noise. Third, to estimate the user-dependent parameters (i.e. the constraint parameters and the eye parameters), a simple calibration method is proposed by gazing at four positions on the screen. Experimental results show that our system can accurately estimate and track eye gaze under natural head movement.
Low-income Housing Policy and Socioeconomic Inequalities in Women's Health: The Importance of Nursing Inquiry and Intervention

Decent, affordable housing is the building block of healthy neighborhoods. Housing characteristics not only shape the quality of life in communities but also affect individual and family health. The structural and social aspects of housing have a significant impact on the health of individuals and populations. Early public health nursing pioneers such as Lillian Wald and Jane E. Hitchcock understood the adverse impact of substandard housing on population health and incorporated advocacy for housing and other social policy reforms as an integral aspect of their nursing interventions. Contemporary nursing literature, however, is lacking in its critical examination of relationships between housing and health. This article presents historical and current issues in low-income housing policy, discusses how low-income housing policy has contributed to social inequalities in health, and advocates for the importance and inherent value of nursing inquiry and intervention in this area.
Meshfree, probabilistic determination of point sets and support regions for meshless computing

New algorithms are presented for the determination of point sets and associated support regions that can then be used in meshless computing methods. The algorithms are probabilistic in nature so that they are totally meshfree, i.e., they do not require, at any stage, the use of any coarse or fine boundary conforming or superimposed meshes. Computational examples are provided that show, for both uniform and non-uniform point distributions, that the algorithms result in high-quality point sets and high-quality support regions. Furthermore, the algorithms lend themselves well to parallelization.
Contact line instability in spontaneous spreading of a drop on a solid surface

The wetting kinetics of a drop on a solid surface is measured by observing the movement of the contact line, which is often seen to be unstable, showing a scalloped profile. Many factors have been cited, which, although they can cause instability, can also be eliminated from the experiments, but still the instabilities appear. The basic shape of a spreading drop has a large curvature localized in the vicinity of the contact line as determined by microscopy. It is shown here using linear stability analysis that this curvature can destabilize the contact line region. When the drop profile is disturbed from a basic thickness of h to h + h ′, there are two contributions from h ′ in the form of added Laplace pressure. One of these is commonly accounted for in the stability analyses. The other is not, and occurs only if the basic shape has a curvature, and the drop has a large curvature near the apparent dynamic contact line, but only for a wetting liquid. This is why instability is not reported in the case of spreading of drops of non-wetting liquids. It also explains why instability gives rise to the changed spreading kinetics of drops that are sometimes reported in the literature, and suggests that as larger curvatures are expected in forced spreading those cases are probably accompanied quite frequently by unstable contact lines.
Sleep associated gas exchange abnormalities in children and adolescents with habitual snoring.

Study objectives The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of polysomnographically diagnosed OSAS and to describe the severity of sleep associated gas exchange abnormalities (SAGEA) in habitually snoring children. We hypothesized that there would be a high prevalence of OSAS in obese children with habitual snoring and that the most overweight children would have the most significant SAGEA. Design Retrospective chart review. Measurements and results Nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) data from 114 children and adolescents referred for habitual snoring were examined. 74 of the subjects were male (65%), average age of 9.78 +/- 4.19 years, average AHI 13.51 +/- 20.25, mean BMI z-score 1.79 +/- 1.18. BMI z-scores correlated positively with severity of OSAS (P Conclusions OSAS is highly prevalent in children referred to a pediatric sleep center with complaints of habitual snoring across a wide spectrum of weight categories. SAGEA increases with progressive obesity even when controlling for the severity of OSAS suggesting that obesity is an independent risk factor for SAGEA. Furthermore, because obese children frequently have SAGEA, capnography should be obtained during NPSG when possible.
Solvation of nitrophenol isomers: consequences for solute electronic structure and alkane/water partitioning.

Solute partitioning across a variety of alkane/aqueous interfaces was examined as a function of solute and alkane solvent structure. Solutes include p-nitrophenol (PNP), 3,5-dimethyl-p-nitrophenol ...
The Effects of Devaluation on Aggregate Output: Empirical Evidence from Africa

Abstract This paper tests the contractionary devaluation hypothesis in the context of select African countries. The output effect of devaluation is examined within an empirical model that controls, among others, for the parallel currency premium, the rate of net capital inflow, the degree of capacity utilization and political instability. The model is estimated on pooled data drawn from 20 African countries, employing alternative indicators of devaluation and pooling procedures. The results indicate that the contemporaneous output effect of nominal devaluation is negative, providing statistical support for the hypothesis that devaluation is contractionary in the short run. On the other hand, the coefficient of the lagged rate of devaluation is found to be positive, implying that the contractionary problem is temporary. The magnitude of the observed contractionary effect appears to depend on the rate of net capital inflow and the degree of capacity utilization. Devaluations accompanied by augmented net cap...
Gender in the service of Bourgeois Ideology

Special magistrate Richard Chamberlaine was a native born Afro-Jamaican, but he spoke like a doyen of classical liberal economics when he addressed the freed people of St. Thomas-in-the-East. They were gathered, on 1 August 1838, to celebrate their emancipation and the ending of apprenticeship, the legally manda ted gradual transition from slavery. Chamberlaine wanted them to understand the brave new world they were about to enter, especially the "duties and respon sibilities of a rational and unfettered freedom." Given the international scrutiny they were receiving, the fate of black slaves elsewhere in the Americas might well depend on their conduct. They were obliged to prove "that black men are as susceptible of the value and responsibility of freedom as any other race of human beings." In order to meet this responsibility they must remain on the plantations, working diligently for their former masters. But they would do this not because of slavish deference, nor simply because the survival of the sugar estates required it. Rather Chamberlaine was confident that their labor would be motivated by refinements in their tastes and expansions in their desires for material goods. No longer content with the crude subsistence of the slave, "a pot of coco soup and herring tail," they would acquire new needs and desires, discovering in the process the iron law that bound the social world to the economic, and the market in goods to the market in labor. "Your wives and your daughters will require their fine clothes for their chapels, churches, and holidays. You will visit your friends with your coat and your shoes, and you will require your dinners prepared for you with some respect to comfort and cleanliness; your soup will be seasoned with beef and pork; and in order to obtain these, the comforts and necessaries of civilized life, you will have to labour industriously?for the more work you do, the more money you must obtain, and the better will you be enabled to increase and extend your comforts." But labor beyond that necessary to acquire subsistence required other than material incentives; it was not at all clear that one could appeal to autonomous individuals for ever-expanding labor solely on the basis of their ostensibly innate desires for self-aggrandizement. At the heart of Chamberlaine's message, therefore, was a veritable word picture of an ideal bourgeois domestic scene: "Your wives, hitherto accustomed to be partakers in your daily toils, running to the fields with you in the morning, and returning with you down-spirited and dejected at sun set day by day, bringing no alleviations, will be enabled to remain at home, to look after your clothes, and your children's clothes?your household affairs?your stock?your comfortable dinner, so that whilst you are at work at the field, as the day advances,
Purification and characterization of the amylase of B. subtilis NRRL B3411

The amylase of Bacillus subtilis NRRL B3411 has been purified and partially characterized. The specific activity can be increased from 300,000 units/g to 6,000,000 units/g with a 60% recovery of total units. The purified material consists of one major and one trace anodic component as determined by disc gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight was 48,000 as determined by bio-gel filtration; the molecular weight was 44,900 ± 2400 as determined by sedimentation equilibrium methods. This purified enzyme is stable at, 70°C in the presence of 0.01 M Ca++ and 0.1 M NaCl over a broad pH range from 5.5–9.5. The pH activity profile indicates optimum activity at pH 6.0. This amylase exhibits maximum activity at 60°C. The enzyme is a liquefying α-amylase as determined by analysis of hydrolysis products and immunological studies.
The Contour of the Juxtapapillary Nerve Fiber Layer in Glaucoma

Reliable structural markers for early glaucomatous optic nerve damage would facilitate the diagnosis of glaucoma at an early stage, possibly before visual field loss occurs. Computerized image analyses were used to develop and analyze new structural parameters for glaucomatous optic nerve damage. Multiple measurements of relative juxtapapillary nerve fiber layer height were made in glaucoma patients (n = 112), patients suspected of having glaucoma (n = 87), and in age-matched normal control subjects (n = 53). The average relative nerve fiber layer (NFL) height differed in glaucoma patients and normal subjects by 70 microns, but differences exceeded 100 microns at the superior and inferior poles of the disc. Mean values for "glaucoma suspects" were intermediate between those for the normal subjects and glaucoma groups. The ability of summary statistics of relative NFL height measurements to discriminate between normal and glaucomatous eyes was superior to that of the standard disc parameters cup-disc ratio, disc rim area, and cup volume. Measurements of relative NFL height correlated with indices of visual field loss; the strongest correlations occurred for measurements at the superior and inferior poles. Measurements of juxtapapillary NFL height may prove useful to detect glaucomatous optic nerve damage at an early stage and to accurately recognize progressive nerve damage over time.
Changes in Hip Bone Mineral Density and Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Middle-Aged Women: A 6-Year Prospective Study

Abstract Purpose. This study was conducted to determine if physical activity volume (PAv) and intensity (PAi) at baseline influence the likelihood of gaining hip bone mineral density (BMD) over 6 years. Design and Sample. In a prospective study, the sample was limited to 244 female nonsmokers, ages 35 to 45 years, and was approximately 90% white. Setting and Measures. PAv and PAi were measured in daily living conditions using accelerometers at baseline. BMD, measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, and several confounding factors were measured in the lab. Analysis. On the basis of BMD change scores, participants were divided into three categories: BMD loss, minimal change, and BMD gain. Risk ratios were used to show the likelihood of BMD gains over time across different levels of PAv and PAi at baseline. Results. Women with higher PAv were more likely to show improvements in hip BMD from baseline to follow-up than their counterparts, as indicated by the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square (χ2mh = 6.1, p = ...
Purification of juvenile hormone esterase and molecular cloning of the cDNA from Manduca sexta

Juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) is a highly specific enzyme important for regulating the onset of metamorphosis in lepidopteran insects. After affinity chromatography of the hemolymph proteins of Manduca sexta, the pure JHE protein was digested with LysC and the resultant peptides were purified by microbore HPLC. Two peptides were selected for sequencing. Based upon these amino acid sequences, degenerate RT-PCR was performed in order to amplify a partial cDNA sequence from mRNA from the fat body of M. sexta. A 1512 bp partial cDNA was generated and found to be highly homologous to the JHE from Heliothis virescens. 5 and 3 RACE were performed to obtain the full length cDNA sequence. The cDNA has a total length of 2220 bp, with a 1749 bp coding region. The deduced protein sequence contains 573 amino acids.  2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Evolving Models of Supplier Involvement in Design: The Deterioration of the Japanese Model in U.S. Auto

The U.S. auto industry in the 1990s was in a state of transition, driven by a rapidly changing environment and attempts to adopt best practices from other automakers. The Japanese supplier management system is regarded as extremely effective in delivering high-quality component systems integrated into the vehicle with short design lead times. American automakers dedicated themselves to reengineering their product development systems, benchmarking the Japanese model, and outsourcing increasing levels of vehicle content and design responsibility. This paper analyzes how these attempts at institutional imitation evolved new approaches to supplier involvement in design in the U.S. auto industry based on interviews conducted during 1998-2001. Although once copying the Japanese model, the United States has chosen a modified approach and developed models distinctively different from the original. The authors identify two dominant supplier management models emerging during this time and a newly emerging hybrid original equipment manufacturer/supplier relationship style. Concepts from organizational design and behavioral economic theories are used to explain observations across industries overtime. Evidence suggests that American automaker practices have not evolved to support the great responsibility being outsourced to suppliers. There are still barriers that create adversarial relationships when a partnership model is required for true integration of design efforts.
Design of β-Amyloid Aggregation Inhibitors from a Predicted Structural Motif

Drug design studies targeting one of the primary toxic agents in Alzheimer’s disease, soluble oligomers of amyloid β-protein (Aβ), have been complicated by the rapid, heterogeneous aggregation of Aβ and the resulting difficulty to structurally characterize the peptide. To address this, we have developed [Nle35, d-Pro37]Aβ42, a substituted peptide inspired from molecular dynamics simulations which forms structures stable enough to be analyzed by NMR. We report herein that [Nle35, d-Pro37]Aβ42 stabilizes the trimer and prevents mature fibril and β-sheet formation. Further, [Nle35, d-Pro37]Aβ42 interacts with WT Aβ42 and reduces aggregation levels and fibril formation in mixtures. Using ligand-based drug design based on [Nle35, d-Pro37]Aβ42, a lead compound was identified with effects on inhibition similar to the peptide. The ability of [Nle35, d-Pro37]Aβ42 and the compound to inhibit the aggregation of Aβ42 provides a novel tool to study the structure of Aβ oligomers. More broadly, our data demonstrate how ...