cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of a captive insurance company's formation on a firm's value after the carnation case

Abstract One of the primary reasons previously cited for forming a captive insurance company is tax advantages based on premium deductibility. The IRS ruling in the Carnation Company case was the first time that investors experienced a decisive legal action signaling the possibility that premiums paid to captives might not be tax deductible to the parent company. The purpose of this paper is to determine if the investor's perceived lack of tax deductibility of premiums, based upon the Carnation case, has an impact upon the parent firm's value at time of captive formation. The results indicate that the market placed a high value on the ability of the parent company to deduct for tax purposes the insurance premium paid to its captive. Before the Carnation case there was a positive reaction by the market to captive formation whereas after the Carnation case, there was a negative reaction.
On the Job Training of Social Workers the Case for the Continuing Seminars

The increase in the need for social services and the decrease in available resources may intensify the conflict between professional and organizational loyalties of social workers. Unless this conflict is resolved social workers will remain frustrated and uncooperative. The paper suggests the continuing seminar as a framework for action research and training. It suggests that such an approach may reduce the conflict of loyalties and provide social workers with a meaningful opportunity for professional growth.
Photopolymerization of 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate: The effect of functionalized amines

Abstract It is clearly demonstrated that amine-functionalized methacrylates are quite effective in accelerating the photopolymerization of air-saturated 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDODA). For each amine investigated, the extent of rate enhancement is dependent both on the type and degree of alkyl substitution as well as the amine concentration. Dimethyl substituted amines are more effective than diethyl substituted amines in sustaining the rapid oxygen-scavenging process responsible for the polymerization rate increase. At higher amine concentrations, an inhibition process dominates the polymerization and the oxygen-scavenging process is rendered relatively ineffective. The general effect of the functionalized methacrylates is confirmed by investigation of alkyl substituted diaminoethylene compounds.
Bioinformatic analysis of the human μ opioid receptor (OPRM1) splice and polymorphic variants

Mu opioid receptor (OPRM1), a member of the G-protein coupled receptor superfamily, mediates the analgesic and euphoric effects of opioid drugs. The sequences of OPRM1 cDNA and reported splice variants were used to search the public and Celera genomic databases. The matched sequences were analyzed to assemble an OPRM1 genomic contig. Human OPRM1 gene was estimated to span at least 90 kb in the chromosome 6q24–25 region. Four coding exons are separated by 3 introns. While intron 2 has only 773 bp, these databases for the first time provide the precise length of and other information about long introns 1 and 3, containing 50 and 27 kb, respectively. When a consensus exon/intron splice junction at the end of the coding exon 3 was not utilized, it may have resulted in continuous translation of the exon to yield the splice variant OPRM1A. The study did not identify human orthologs of other OPRM1 variants that had been reported for mouse OPRM1, although several proposed exons were found to be included in mouse genomic clones. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the OPRM1 gene were also analyzed and summarized, which could provide potential polymorphic markers for molecular genetic studies.
Microcomplement fixation studies of human plasma prothrombin and purified prothrombin preparations

Abstract Using the technique of microcomplement fixation (CF), we have compared human prothrombin prepared by a variety of techniques with prothrombin in plasma. For these studies we have developed a method for decomplementing human plasma with aggregated γ-globulin, in the presence of Ca ++ and Mg ++ , without substantial losses of coagulation factor activities. The specific antiserum to human prothrombin employed was directed largely to determinants in the N-terminal half of the zymogen; reactivity was altered only a little by total desialation. Plasma from coumadin-treated individuals, whose prothrombin lacks the normally present γ-carboxyglutamic acid residues in its N-terminal portion, gave grossly altered CF reactions. Heat-denatured prothrombin showed gross alterations in CF. Five of six methods for preparing normal human prothrombin gave products with CF characteristics identical to those of plasma prothrombin, while one resulted in a preparation showing a small but reproducible decrease in maximal CF. It is concluded that the various procedures employed for purifying human prothrombin do not alter significantly the tertiary structure of the N-terminal portion of the molecule. This approach appears promising as an aid in delineation of structural defects in abnormal prothrombins, as well as for comparative studies of the purification of other plasma proteins.
Modeling Proton Mobility in Acidic Zeolite Clusters. 3. A Sudden Approximation via Semiclassical Rate Theory

We have developed and applied an angular sudden approximation for modeling proton transfer in zeolites, using Miller’s semiclassical transition state theory. We have parametrized the rate theory by performing B3LYP/ 6-311G(d,p) density functional theory calculations for paths with fixed O-Al-O angle in a cluster model of H-Y zeolite. We find that both the barrier height and barrier curvature increase with O -Al-O angle. We also find that the classical barrier height increases with angle more rapidly than does the curvature, forcing the tunneling probability to decrease strongly with angle. The range of important angles for proton transfer, the so-called dynamical distribution, involves angles far from the saddle point angle at low temperatures (i.e., large curvature paths), and broadens significantly at higher temperatures, encompassing the saddle point region. The final temperature dependence of the proton jump rate within the sudden approximation shows surprisingly good agreement with that from conventional semiclassical transition state theory, which is based on the minimum energy path. We attribute this in part to a coincidence that occurs in the temperature regime of interest, namely 200-1000 K, a coincidence that we do not expect will occur in other systems.
Circularly polarized luminescence induced by terbium-nucleoside interactions in aqueous solution

Abstract Coordination of nucleosides to trivalent terbium (Tb 3+ ) in aqueous solution is studied using circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectroscopy and near-UV excitation spectra. Six ribonucleosides and three 2′-deoxyribonucleosides were included in the study. Among these nine nucleosides, only three were effective in inducing circular polarization in the terbium luminescence. Unique to the three CPL-active systems (uridine, cytidine and inosine) is the capability of terdentate chelation to the Tb 3+ ion via two adjacent hydroxyl donor groups (from the ribosyl moiety) plus a carbonyl donor group (from the base moiety). Implication of Tb 3+ -base coordination in these systems is supported by the near-UV excitation spectra of terbium luminuscence. For these systems, the excitation spectra show a strong maximum around 298 nm which is absent in the excitation spectrum of aqueous TbCl 3 (without nucleoside present). This suggests that when the base is bound, excitation at 298 nm sensitizes terbium luminescence via the pathway: base absorption (excitation) followed by base-to-Tb 3+ energy transfer. No CPL was observed in solutions with pH 3 precipitation at pH ∼7.5–8.0). The observed luminescence dissymmetry factors (∼10 −3 ) indicate relatively weak Tb 3+ -nucleoside coordination.
Effect of sex steroids and coital experience on ferrets' preference for the smell, sight and sound of conspecifics

Abstract Previous research showed that ferrets of both sexes recognize potential opposite-sex mates on the basis of volatile body odors. We compared the ability of estrogen and androgen treatments to activate a preference in gonadectomized male and female ferrets for distal cues (volatile body odors alone or volatile odors+sight+sounds) from male versus female stimulus ferrets using an airtight Y-maze and a ‘stimulus proximity’ or a ‘discrete trials’ testing paradigm. Sexually naive, gonadectomized male and female ferrets that received either testosterone propionate (TP) or estradiol benzoate (EB) spent equal time in proximity to goal boxes that provided either volatile odors alone or odors+sight+sounds of male and female stimulus animals. After they received coital experience, male and female subjects (treated with either EB or TP) showed a significant preference for both types of opposite-sex stimuli. When discrete trials tests were given to these ferrets prior to receiving coital experience, EB-treated females preferred to approach odor only cues, as well as odors+sight+sounds of stimulus males, and this preference was further strengthened after coital experience. Sexually naive, TP-treated males preferred to approach volatile odor cues from stimulus females; however, these animals showed an equal preference for odors+sight+sounds of stimulus females and males. Again, after coital experience, males' preference for both sets of cues from stimulus females was significantly enhanced. Thus, in sexually naive ferrets, discrete trials, but not stimulus proximity tests, revealed a preference for distal cues (body odors with or without concurrent sight and sounds) from opposite-sex conspecifics in subjects of both sexes. Coital experience significantly enhanced these preferences for heterosexual distal cues under both testing paradigms.
Umbilical vein pressure in congestive heart failure in the newborn infant.

Summary Information is presented on 10 infants on whom the diagnosis of cardiac failure was suspected clinically. Measurement of umbilical vein pressure was made in each case, and proved to be of diagnostic value.
Hydrodynamic Dispersive and Advective Processes in Watershed Responses

A model for estimating the watershed response is presented and used for assessing how the watershed size and spatial variability of the hydrodynamic parameters (i.e., wave celerity and dispersion coefficient) affect the comparative importance of advective processes with respect to hydrodynamic dispersive processes. A parameter Ω was defined to quantify this comparative importance. This parameter represents the fraction of the watershed response variance that is explained by advection. A series of simulations were performed for basins of different sizes and different spatial distributions of their hydrologic parameters. It was found that, for spatially uniform hydrodynamic parameters, the effect of hydrodynamic dispersion decreases compared to that of advection as the watershed size increases, and vice versa; and that, for nonuniform hydrodynamic parameters, the spatial distribution of the parameter values over the watershed, in conjunction with the watershed size, determines which process—advection or hyd...
De-escalation: A survey of clinical staff in a secure mental health inpatient service

De-escalation is an important tool for preventing aggression in inpatient settings but definitions vary and there is no clear practice guideline. We aimed to identify how clinical staff define and conceptualize de-escalation, which de-escalation interventions they would use in aggressive scenarios, and their beliefs about the efficacy of de-escalation interventions. A questionnaire survey (n = 72) was conducted using open and closed questions; additionally, clinical vignettes describing conflict events were presented for participants to describe their likely clinical response. Qualitative data were subject to thematic analysis. The major themes that de-escalation encompassed were communication, tactics, de-escalator qualities, assessment and risk, getting help, and containment measures. Different types of aggression were met with different interventions. Half of participants erroneously identified p.r.n. medication as a de-escalation intervention, and 15% wrongly stated that seclusion, restraint, and emergency i.m. medication could be de-escalation interventions. Those interventions seen as most effective were the most commonly used. Clinical staff's views about de-escalation, and their de-escalation practice, may differ from optimal practice. Use of containment measures and p.r.n. medication where de-escalation is more appropriate could have a negative impact; work is needed to promote understanding and use of appropriate de-escalation interventions based on a clear guideline.
The Healing Garden Waiting Area, a Comprehensive Visitation Program for Patients and Their Families During the Phase 1 Level of Care

Background Information: A perioperative customer service team was developed to create a visitation system for the Adult PACU that executed the ASPAN position statement. Objectives: Develop a program which provides the patient’s families with updates during the all phases of postoperative care. Implement a comprehensive and structured visitation system for patient’s families. Process of Implementation: A team including an RN and Hospitality liaison was developed to coordinate communication between the patient’s families and health care providers while providing visits to the Adult PACU. Statement of Successful Practice: Patient and family satisfaction scores have increased to the 90 percentile in regards to postoperative visitation. Implications for Nursing Practice Advancement: Educating staff to ASPAN position on visitation, providing emotional support and education for the patient and their families and enhancing communication between surgeons, ASCU, OR and PACU nurses.
Effect of alae nasi activation on maximal nasal inspiratory airflow in humans

The upper airway is a complicated structure that is usually widely patent during inspiration. However, on inspiration during certain physiological and pathophysiological states, the nares, pharynx, and larynx may collapse. Collapse at these locations occurs when the transmural pressure (Ptm) at a flow-limiting site (FLS) falls below a critical level (Ptm'). On airway collapse, inspiratory airflow is limited to a maximal level (VImax) determined by (-Ptm')/Rus, where Rus is the resistance upstream to the FLS. The airflow dynamics of the upper airway are affected by the activity of its associated muscles. In this study, we examine the modulation of VImax by muscle activity in the nasal airway under conditions of inspiratory airflow limitation. Each of six subjects performed sniffs through one patent nostril (pretreated with an alpha agonist) while flaring the nostril at varying levels of dilator muscle (alae nasi) EMG activity (EMGan). For each sniff, we located the nasal FLS with an airway catheter and determined VImax, Ptm', and Rus. Activation of the alae nasi from the lowest to the highest values of EMGan increased VImax from 422 +/- 156 to 753 +/- 291 ml/s (P < 0.01) and decreased Ptm' from -3.6 +/- 3.0 to -6.0 +/- 4.7 cmH2O (P < 0.05). Activation of the alae nasi had no consistent effect on Rus. VImax was positively correlated with EMGan, and Ptm' was negatively correlated with EMGan in all subjects. Our findings demonstrate that alae nasi activation increases VImax through the nasal airway by decreasing airway collapsibility.
Fluorescent hybridization probes for nucleic acid detection

Due to their high sensitivity and selectivity, minimum interference with living biological systems, and ease of design and synthesis, fluorescent hybridization probes have been widely used to detect nucleic acids both in vivo and in vitro. Molecular beacons (MBs) and binary probes (BPs) are two very important hybridization probes that are designed based on well-established photophysical principles. These probes have shown particular applicability in a variety of studies, such as mRNA tracking, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) monitoring, and microorganism identification. Molecular beacons are hairpin oligonucleotide probes that present distinctive fluorescent signatures in the presence and absence of their target. Binary probes consist of two fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide strands that can hybridize to adjacent regions of their target and generate distinctive fluorescence signals. These probes have been extensively studied and modified for different applications by modulating their structures or using various combinations of fluorophores, excimer-forming molecules, and metal complexes. This review describes the applicability and advantages of various hybridization probes that utilize novel and creative design to enhance their target detection sensitivity and specificity.
Turbulence-aberration correction with high-speed high-gain optical phase conjugation in sodium vapor.

Optical aberrations that are due to high-speed turbulence in the aero-optical regime are corrected with optical phase conjugation based on coherent population trapping in sodium vapor. Experimental measurements of an unheated, forced helium jet in air have demonstrated aberration correction by a factor of 7.8 at a forcing frequency of 18 kHz with an optical power gain of 32.
Altered eyeblink reflex conditioning in restless legs syndrome patients

Abstract Background Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by abnormal leg sensations and an uncontrollable urge to move the lower extremities during rest periods. Evidence suggests that reflex tasks that involve sensory–motor integration may be altered in RLS patients. This led us to determine if RLS patients show alterations in a sensory–motor reflex conditioning task called differential eyeblink conditioning. Methods RLS subjects were washed out of treatment medication for 7 days prior to testing. Subjects (20 RLS and 19 Control) received 120 discrimination conditioning trials consisting of 60 CS+ trials (i.e., an auditory stimulus paired with the airpuff-US separated by a silent 900 ms trace interval) and 60 CS− trials (i.e., a different auditory stimulus that was NOT paired with the US). Results Control subjects showed normal differential responding to the CS+ and CS−, but the RLS patients showed little or no differential responding. A post-test questionnaire provides evidence that symptomatic interference was not responsible for the eyeblink conditioning deficits in the RLS subjects, and further suggests that neurophysiological factors were responsible for these deficits. Conclusions Together these results suggest that deficits in eyeblink conditioning are related to the pathophysiology of RLS. The eyeblink conditioning test may also be useful for supporting a clinical diagnosis or treatment strategy for RLS.
Molecular characterization of the zerknüllt region of the Antennapedia gene complex in Drosophila.

zerkniillt (zen) is unique among the 18 known homeo box genes in Drosophila since it is required for the differentiation of the dorsal-ventral pattern, and does not appear to be involved in the process of segmentation. Here we show that the zen region of the Antennapedia complex (ANT-C) consists of two closely linked homeo box genes, designated zl and z2. The zl and z2 transcription units show essentially identical patterns of expression during early development, which are consistent with the timing and sites of zen + gene activity. The putative proteins encoded by zl and z2 are highly divergent and are related only by virtue of homeo box homology. We have used P-element-mediated germ line transformation to show that zl alone can provide zen + gene function, suggesting that the z2 gene might be dispensable. The occurrence of closely linked homeo box genes that display similar patterns of expression is not unique to the zen locus. Such gene duplications might provide important clues to the evolution of the homeo box gene family in Drosophila and other organisms.
On the effect for long-rod penetrators

Abstract A common measure of penetration efficiency is given by the depth of penetration P into a semi-infinite target normalized by the original length of the projectile L. It has been known for over 30 years that P L depends upon the aspect ratio L D for projectiles with relatively small aspect ratios, e.g. 1 ⩽ L D ⩽ 10 . This influence of L D on penetration is referred to as the L D effect. Although observed, the L D effect for large aspect ratio rods is not as well documented. Further, published penetration equations have not included the L D effect for high aspect ratio rods. We have compiled a large quantity of experimental data that permits the quantification of the L D effect for projectiles with aspect ratios of 10 ⩽ L/D ⩽ 30. Numerical simulations reproduce the observed experimental behavior; thus, no new physics is required to explain the phenomenon. The numerical simulations allow investigation of the fundamental mechanics leading to a decrease in penetration efficiency with increasing aspect ratio.
Two Decades of River Restoration in California: What Can We Learn?

As part of the National River Restoration Science Synthesis (NRRSS), we developed a summary database of 4,023 stream restoration projects built in California since 1980, from which we randomly selected 44 records for in-depth interviews with project managers. Despite substantial difficulties in gathering the data, we were able to draw conclusions about current design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation practices used in California projects and compare them with national trends. Although more than half of the projects for which we conducted interviews were located in watersheds for which a management or assessment plan had been prepared, these plans had a limited impact on site selection. We also found that the state lacks a consistent framework for design, monitoring, and reporting restoration projects, and that although monitoring is far more widespread than the information in the NRRSS summary database would suggest, there are still problems with the type, duration, and reporting of monitoring. The general lack of systematic, objective assessment of completed projects hinders the advance of restoration science.
PRO-GRADE: GIS toolkits for ground water recharge and discharge estimation.

PRO-GRADE is an ESRI ArcGIS 9.2 plug-in package that consists of two separate toolkits: (1) the pattern recognition organizer for geographic information system (PRO-GIS) and (2) the ground water recharge and discharge estimator for GIS (GRADE-GIS). PRO-GIS is a collection of several existing image-processing algorithms into one user interface to offer the flexibility to extract spatial patterns according to the user’s needs. GRADE-GIS is a ground water recharge and discharge estimation interface using a mass balance method that requires only hydraulic conductivity, water table, and bedrock elevation data for simulating two-dimensional steady-state unconfined aquifers. PRO-GRADE was developed to assist ongoing assessments of the water resources in Illinois and Wisconsin, and is being used to assist several ground water resource studies in several locations in the United States. The advantage of using PRO-GRADE is to enable fast production of initial recharge and discharge maps that can be further enhanced by using a follow-up ground water flow model with parameter estimation codes. PRO-GRADE leverages ArcGIS to provide a computer-assisted framework to support expert judgment in order to efficiently select alternative recharge and discharge maps that can be used as (1) guidelines for field study planning and decision making; (2) initial conditions for numerical simulation; and (3) screening for alternative model selection and prediction/parameter uncertainty evaluation. In addition, PRO-GRADE allows for more easy and rapid correlation of those maps with other hydrologically relevant geospatial data.
Cold climates and the evolution of viviparity in reptiles: cold incubation temperatures produce poor-quality offspring in the lizard,Sceloporus virgatus

Abstract Evolutionary origins of viviparity among the squamate reptiles are strongly associated with cold climates, and cold environmental temperatures are thought to be an important selective force behind the transition from egg-laying to live-bearing. In particular, the low nest temperatures associated with cold climate habitats are thought to be detrimental to the developing embryos or hatchlings of oviparous squamates, providing a selective advantage for the retention of developing eggs in utero , where the mother can provide warmer incubation temperatures for her eggs (by actively thermoregulating) than they would experience in a nest. However, it is not entirely clear what detrimental effects cold incubation temperatures may have on eggs and hatchlings, and what role these effects may play in favouring the evolution of viviparity. Previous workers have suggested that viviparity may be favoured in cold climates because cold incubation temperatures slow embryogenesis and delay hatching of the eggs, or because cold nest temperatures are lethal to developing eggs and reduce hatching success. However, incubation temperature has also been shown to have other, potentially long-term, effects on hatchling phenotypes, suggesting that cold climates may favour viviparity because cold incubation temperatures produce offspring of poor quality or low fitness. We experimentally incubated eggs of the oviparous phrynosomatid lizard, Sceloporus virgatus , at temperatures simulating nests in a warm (low elevation) habitat, as is typical for this species, and nests in a colder (high elevation) habitat, to determine the effects of cold incubation temperatures on embryonic development and hatchling phenotypes. Incubation at cold nest temperatures slowed embryonic development and reduced hatching success, but also affected many aspects of the hatchlings» phenotypes. Overall, the directions of these plastic responses indicated that cold-incubated hatchlings did indeed exhibit poorer quality phenotypes; they were smaller at hatching (in body length) and at 20 days of age (in length and mass), grew more slowly (in length and mass), had lower survival rates, and showed greater fluctuating asymmetry than their conspecifics that were incubated at warmer temperatures. Our findings suggest that cold nest temperatures are detrimental to S. virgatus , by delaying hatching of their eggs, reducing their hatching success, and by producing poorer quality offspring. These negative effects would likely provide a selective advantage for any mechanism through which these lizards could maintain warmer incubation temperatures in cold climates, including the evolution of prolonged egg retention and viviparity.
Monte Carlo-Alternative Probabilistic Simulations for Analog Systems

Probabilistic system simulations for analog circuits have traditionally been handled with Monte Carlo analysis. For a manufacturable design, fast and accurate simulations are necessary for time-to-market, design for manufacturability and yield concerns. In this paper, a fast and accurate probabilistic simulation alternative is proposed targeting the simulation of analog systems. The proposed method shows high accuracy for performance estimation combined with a 100- fold reduction in run-time with respect to a 1000-sample Monte Carlo analysis.
A K-Main Routes Approach to Spatial Network Activity Summarization: A Summary of Results

Given a spatial network and a collection of activity events (e.g., emergency requests, crime reports, accident reports, etc.), spatial network activity summarization (SNAS) finds a set of k shortest paths based on the activity events. SNAS is important for critical societal applications such as disaster response and crime analysis. SNAS is computationally challenging because of the potentially exponential search space wherein there are an exponential number of k subsets of all possible shortest paths in a spatial network. Previous work on SNAS has focused on either geometry or sub-graph based (e.g., only one path), and cannot summarize multiple routes in a spatial network. We propose a novel approach, called K-Main Routes (KMR), that discovers a set of k shortest paths to summarize activities. KMR can be considered a generalization of the well known K-means technique for network space. KMR uses inactive node pruning to reduce the number of shortest paths calculated by accounting only for active nodes. Experimental evaluation of KMR using a real-world data set demonstrates that KMR with inactive node pruning leads to substantial computational savings without reducing the coverage of the resulting summary paths. A case study that compares network based with geometry based summarization on a real-world data set is also presented.
Caring and Expressions of Spirituality by Urban Caregivers of People with Stroke in African American Families

Expressions of spirituality by urban caregivers in African American families are the focus of the study discussed in this article. Data presented here were collected as part of a larger study that examined these caregivers' experience and meaning of caring as they influenced their capacity to care for people with stroke within their family systems. This study was executed within and supported the framework of systemic organization by Friedemann, according to which families as open systems strive for well-being. Spirituality, a component of well-being, is based on values concerning commitment, love, and affection. Eight themes concerning spirituality for all caregivers emerged from the data. Through spirituality, the caregivers felt well-being and were connected and comforted in difficult times related to caring.
Parameter estimation, multiscale representation and algorithms for energy-minimizing segmentations

The author analyzes basic problems of image segmentation-edge detection, elimination of weak boundaries and small segments, and multiscale representation-in the context of all energy-minimizing model. He discusses two general frameworks for finding approximate solutions, the split-and-merge algorithm based on energy criteria, and nonlinear diffusion. The difficulty with the split-and-merge algorithm considered is that unless further approximations are introduced, it does not have an easy parallel implementation. The idea of the alternative approach, based on nonlinear diffusion, is to produce first only a blurred version of the discontinuities of f (the smoothed image which need not be continuous across the segmenting curve) in the hope of controlling the extent of the smoothing of small domains and then to refine the approximate solution by the method of steepest descent. Thus, the method sets thresholds only indirectly. >
Vascular Access for Hemodialysis in Older Adults: A “Patient First” Approach

In their landmark 1996 paper in JAMA, Hirth and colleagues reported that most patients in the United States with permanent vascular access were undergoing dialysis via a prosthetic graft rather than an autogenous fistula, despite known higher rates of infection and thrombosis associated with grafts.1 These authors also reported large regional differences in rates of graft use—ranging from 23% of patients with a permanent access in New England to 85% in the East South Central census region—that were not explained by variation in patient characteristics.
Normal Adaptation of Candida albicans to the Murine Gastrointestinal Tract Requires Efg1p-Dependent Regulation of Metabolic and Host Defense Genes

ABSTRACT Although gastrointestinal colonization by the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is generally benign, severe systemic infections are thought to arise due to escape of commensal C. albicans from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The C. albicans transcription factor Efg1p is a major regulator of GI colonization, hyphal morphogenesis, and virulence. The goals of this study were to identify the Efg1p regulon during GI tract colonization and to compare C. albicans gene expression during colonization of different organs of the GI tract. Our results identified significant differences in gene expression between cells colonizing the cecum and ileum. During colonization, efg1− null mutant cells expressed higher levels of genes involved in lipid catabolism, carnitine biosynthesis, and carnitine utilization than did colonizing wild-type (WT) cells. In addition, during laboratory growth, efg1− null mutant cells grew to a higher density than WT cells. The efg1− null mutant grew in depleted medium, while WT cells could grow only if the depleted medium was supplemented with carnitine, a compound that promotes the metabolism of fatty acids. Altered gene expression and altered growth capability support the ability of efg1− cells to hypercolonize naive mice. Also, Efg1p was shown to be important for transcriptional responses to the stresses present in the cecum environment. For example, during colonization, SOD5, encoding a superoxide dismutase, was highly upregulated in an Efg1p-dependent manner. Ectopic expression of SOD5 in an efg1− null mutant increased the fitness of the efg1− null mutant cells during colonization. These data show that EFG1 is an important regulator of GI colonization.
The operator-early promoter regions of Shiga-toxin bearing phage H-19B.

Summary Genes (stx ) encoding Shiga toxins (Stx), major virulence factors in some pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (STEC), are located in prophages of the l family. Agents that induce prophages lead to high levels of Stx, suggesting a role for the prophage in stx expression. Activation of the phage regulatory cascade has been shown to contribute to Stx production and release. Therefore, repressor‐operator interactions that maintain prophage repression appear important in regulating expression of a major bacterial virulence factor. To determine if the operators of an stx-bearing phage have distinctive features, we characterized the operator regions of H-19B, a lambdoid phage carrying stx1 genes. H-19B mutants that grow in the presence of repressor (classically called virulent mutants) were selected and the mutations definitively identified the operators. The H-19B operators, as those in other lambdoid phages, comprise variations of an inverted repeat. Four repeats were identified in OR rather than the three found in each of the operators of other lambdoid phages. Primer extensions identified the transcription start sites of PR and PRM, the two promoters in OR regulated by repressor.
Appearing Smart: The Impression Management of Intelligence, Person Perception Accuracy, and Behavior in Social Interaction

Intelligence is an important trait that affects everyday social interaction. The present research utilized the ecological perspective of social perception to investigate the impression management of intelligence and strangers' evaluations of targets' intelligence levels. The ability to effectively portray an impression of intelligence to outside judges as well as interaction partners was appraised and the effect of impression management on the accurate judgment of intelligence was assessed. In addition, targets' behavior was studied in relation to impression management, perceived intelligence, and actual measured intelligence. Impression-managing targets appeared more intelligent to video judges but not to their interaction partner as compared to controls. The intelligence quotient (IQ) of impression-managing targets was more accurately judged than controls' IQ. Impression-managing targets displayed distinct nonverbal behavioral patterns that differed from controls. Looking while speaking was a key behavior: It significantly correlated with IQ, was successfully manipulated by impression-managing targets, and contributed to higher perceived intelligence ratings.
Distant processing of pancreas islets for autotransplantation following total pancreatectomy.

Abstract background: Small duct chronic pancreatitis is associated with intractable pain and failure to thrive, usually unresponsive to conventional management approaches. Total pancreatectomy is considered after failure of medical intervention. The major morbidity following total pancreatectomy is diabetes mellitus with its associated complications. This adverse outcome can be mitigated through autotransplantation of islets recovered from the pancreatectomy specimen. This approach has been limited historically owing to the absence of an on-site islet processing facility. We present the results from 5 pancreatectomized patients whose islets were prepared 1,500 miles away. methods: Five patients (4 women, 1 man, average age 42 years) who failed medical therapy and were not candidates for longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy underwent total/completion pancreatectomy (4 total, 1 completion) for intractable symptoms from idiopathic small duct chronic pancreatitis. The resected pancreata were preserved in ViaSpan solution and were transferred to an islet processing laboratory by commercial airliner and returned. The dispersed pancreatic islet tissue was infused into a portal vein tributary through an operatively placed catheter after systemic heparinization. results: All 5 patients experienced complete relief from pancreatic pain; 2 had significant residual discomfort from underlying Crohn’s disease. Three of the 5 patients had minimal or no insulin requirement after autotransplantation (median follow-up of 23 months); 1 patient continued with glycemic control difficulties related to Crohn’s disease. One patient died 17 months following autotransplantation from an unrelated pneumonia. conclusion: Total pancreatectomy with autologous islet transplantation can offer patients with idiopathic small duct chronic pancreatitis pain relief without the sequelae of diabetes mellitus and can be performed without an on-site islet processing facility. All patients undergoing total/completion pancreatectomy should be considered candidates for this procedure.
Mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid deletions in oocytes and reproductive aging in women

Objective To determine whether oocytes from women harbor deletions in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and whether deleted mtDNA is more common in oocytes from older women than oocytes from younger women. Design A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based strategy, which depends on deletions approximating otherwise widely separated primers to demonstrate mtDNA deletions in individual oocytes, was used. Setting Yale In Vitro Fertilization Clinic and Laboratory at Yale University School of Medicine. Main Outcome Measures Primers flanked a region of the mitochondrial genome in which long direct repeated sequence predispose to deletions. The primers identified the 0.5-kb "common" deletion. Deleted mtDNA was represented by a 0.5-kb band when primers separated by 5kb were used. Control reactions used primers that amplify mtDNA outside the deletion hotspot. Positive controls included brain and/or muscle from aged individuals, and negative controls included fetal tissue and DNA-free blanks. Nested primers confirmed the specificity of the deleted product. Results Unfertilized oocytes, muscle, and brain tissue contained PCR products consistent with deleted mtDNA. Fetal tissue lacked the mtDNA deletion product. Deleted mtDNA was detected in single oocytes. Oocytes from older women were more likely to contain deleted mtDNA then oocytes from younger women. Conclusion Deleted mtDNA in unfertilized oocytes may serve as a marker of oocyte senescence.
Noise and Information Capacity in Silicon Nanophotonics

Modern computing and data storage systems increasingly rely on parallel architectures. The necessity for high-bandwidth data links has made optical communication a critical constituent of modern information systems and silicon the leading platform for creating the necessary optical components. While silicon is arguably the most extensively studied material in history, one of its most important attributes, i.e., an analysis of its capacity to carry optical information, has not been reported. The calculation of the information capacity of silicon is complicated by nonlinear losses, which are phenomena that emerge in optical nanowires as a result of the concentration of optical power in a small geometry. While nonlinear loss in silicon is well known, noise and fluctuations that arise from it have never been considered. Here, we report fluctuations that arise from two-photon absorption, plasma effect, cross-phase modulation, and four-wave mixing and investigate their role in limiting the information capacity of silicon. We show that these fluctuations become significant and limit the capacity well before nonlinear processes affect optical transmission. We present closed-form analytical expressions that quantify the capacity and provide an intuitive understanding of the underlying physics.
Microcomputer-Controlled Seven-Axis Drill Point Grinder

The problems of accurate and precise drill point grinding are closely related to the performance of the drills. Over a long period of time, the drill grinding machines available today have evolved based on empirical knowledge and by trial and error. The lack of a precise way of describing the drill point is even evidenced in national and international standards where only the conventional quantities like the chisel edge angle, point angle, clearance angle, and web thickness are used to describe the point geometry. It is not difficult to show that this system is not unique, that is, many different point geometries can be described by an identical set of the above-mentioned parameters. On the other hand, it is common knowledge that even minor variations in point geometry may lead to dramatic changes in drill performance.
Moral Propensity, Setting, and Choice: A Partial Test of Situational Action Theory

ABSTRACTWikstrom’s Situational Action Theory (2004) proposes that deviant acts are the product of a series of interactions between individual- and situational-level causal factors: (1) individuals’ moral propensity interacts with situational temptations/provocations to determine which action alternatives are available, (2) individuals’ self-control and situational deterrence interact to influence the choice of action taken. The present study uses self-report data on the frequency of academic dishonesty to test these interactions. The results provide mixed support for the theory.
Preclinical Models of Multiple Sclerosis: Advantages and Limitations Towards Better Therapies

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with an unknown etiology. MS complex pathophysiology-characterized by CNS inflammation, demyelination and axonal injury-has made its modeling in experimental systems particularly problematic. Moreover, the evidence that MS does not naturally occur in other species has further complicated MS preclinical studies. Through the years, several MS in vivo models have been developed. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) represents the most widely used MS experimental model and relies upon the autoimmune paradigm to explore MS neuropathology. Although EAE has been instrumental in understanding the molecular events which take place upon neuroinflammation, not all MS hallmarks can be efficiently shaped within this conceptual frameshift. Thus, alternative models of CNS demyelination have been characterized, either based on viral infection or neurotoxin administration. However imperfect, these models have greatly improved our knowledge of the immune system's function in health and disease. On the other side, their intrinsic distance from MS has often led to misinterpreting and overestimating the data gleaned from these experimental systems. In this review, each model will be discussed in the light of its potentiality to mimic MS and translate the most promising therapies to patients. In addition, we will address how new genomic technologies can help improve the existing models.
Computer Applications in an Aviation Training Environment

Computers have been gradually integrated into an aviation curriculum in both pilot and maintenance training. Applications cover a wide range from Computer-Managed Instruction through simulation, pa...
Acceptance of home blood pressure monitoring by patients with hypertension: results from the Heart Healthy Lenoir study

Cow-milk fermentation induced by Lactobacillus helveticus produces peptides with sustained ACE inhibitory activity, mainly dues to 2 tripeptides (valyl-prolyl-proline and isoleucil-prolyl-proline) that have shown to lower blood pressure (BP) in experimental animals and in humans. Grana Padano DOCG, an Italian semi-fat hard cheese, has shown a potent in-vitro ACE-inhibitory effect due its high concentration of such tripeptides. In a previous randomized, open-label, controlled study, the daily dietary integration with Grana Padano cheese was accompanied by significant decrease in systolic and diastolic BP in hypertensive patient (Crippa et al, J Clin Hypertens, 2013). Present data refers to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study in which 30 mild-moderate hypertensive individuals, presenting with BP values not on target (>140 and /or >90 mmHg) after their usual and stable (3 months at least) treatment. All patients received, in random fashion, a dietary integration with Grana Padano Cheese (30 g per day) and placebo (obtained with flavored bread mixed with fats and salts in concentrations equal to those of the cheese). BP was evaluated at baseline and at the end of the active and placebo treatment (2 months each) by: -Office BP (OBP) -Automated Office BP -Ambulatory BP (ABP) monitoring. Automated Office BP was measured by using the BpTRU, (VSM MedTech Ltd, Vancouver, Canada), an automated oscillometric device that provides multiple blood pressure measurements in an office setting in the absence of a healthcare professional. It allows 6 consecutive readings at 1 minute intervals and provides the average of the last 5 measurements. Results: Dietary integration with Grana Padano cheese resulted in a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic Office and Automated Office BP (BpTRU) mean values (Student’s t test: p< 0.05 and p < 0.025). No changes in BMI, total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, serum sodium and potassium levels were found after the dietary integration both with respect to baseline and placebo.
Abstract B52: Identification of genes involved in early stage bladder cancer progression.

Abstracts: Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research 2008 B52 Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (TCC) ranks 4th in incidence of all cancers in the developed world, yet the mechanisms of its origin and progression remain poorly understood. There are also few useful diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers for this disease. We have combined a transgenic mouse model for invasive bladder cancer (UPII-SV40T mice) with DNA microarray technology, in order to determine molecular mechanisms involved in early TCC development and to identify new biomarkers for detection, diagnosis and prognosis of TCC. We have identified genes that are differentially expressed between the bladders of UPII-SV40T mice and their age-matched wild type (WT) littermates at 3, 6, 20 and 30 weeks of age. These are times which correspond to premalignant, carcinoma in-situ, and early and later stage papillary TCC, respectively. There were approximately 1,900 unique genes differentially expressed (≥ 3-fold difference at one or more time points) between WT and UPII-SV40T urothelium during the time course of tumor development. Among these, there were a high proportion of cell cycle regulatory genes and cytokinesis genes that are more strongly expressed in the UPII-SV40T bladder urothelium. We have tested several of the genes upregulated in UPII-SV40T urothelium, including autocrine motility factor (AMFR), Caspase 3, Cox-2, PCNA and others as biomarkers for premalignancy in urine samples from a completed chemoprevention trial. These results will be discussed in the context of the UPII-SV40T model. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):B52.