cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogen receptor‐β ligand treatment modulates dendritic cells in the target organ during autoimmune demyelinating disease

Estrogens act upon nuclear estrogen receptors (ER) to ameliorate cell-mediated autoimmune disease. As most immunomodulatory effects of estrogens in EAE have been attributed to the function of ER-α, we previously demonstrated that ER-β ligand treatment reduced disease severity without affecting peripheral cytokine production or levels of CNS inflammation, suggesting a direct neuroprotective effect; however, the effect of ER-β treatment on the function of immune cells within the target organ remained unknown. Here, we used adoptive transfer studies to show that ER-β ligand treatment was protective in the effector, but not the induction phase of EAE, as shown by decreased clinical disease severity with the preservation of axons and myelin in spinal cords. The analysis of the immune cell infiltrates in the CNS revealed that while ER-β ligand treatment did not reduce overall levels of CNS inflammation, there was a decrease in the DC percentage, and these CNS DC had decreased TNF-α production. Finally, experiments using DC deficient in ER-β revealed that the expression of ER-β on DC was essential for protective effects of ER-β ligand treatment in EAE. Our results demonstrate for the first time an effect of ER-β ligand treatment in vivo on DC in the target organ of a prototypic cell-mediated autoimmune disease.
Evaluative meaning and temporal coding

Previous research has demonstrated that evaluative meaning is related to recall accuracy; pleasant items are recalled more accurately than less pleasant items. The present experiment was conducted to determine whether evaluative meaning was also related to temporal coding accuracy. Subjects saw three separate homogeneous lists, one pleasant, one neutral, and one unpleasant. The results demonstrated that: (1) pleasant words were recalled more accurately than neutral or unpleasant words, (2) evaluative meaning had no influence on the accuracy of temporal position judgments, and (3) evaluative meaning had no influence on subjects’ confidence in their temporal position judgments.
UWB SAR calibration of mine imagery

The Army Research Laboratory has been investigating the potential of low-frequency, ultra-wideband radar to provide part of the solution to the very difficult mine detection problem One of the issues associated with using this type of radar is that it spans a very wide frequency range and angular space, making it difficult to use `normal' calibration techniques. Thus, ARL has been investigating techniques to calibrate the ARL ultra-wideband BoomSAR data to gain a better understanding of the signal response from clutter, mines, and other targets of interest. In this paper, we present results from data collected in Yuma Proving Ground on various types of mines. In particular, we compare the radar cross-section of the mines, predicted using method of moments models versus the measured response from the mines, as indicated by the calibrated ultra- wideband radar imagery.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Increased mitotic rate coincident with transient telomere lengthening resulting from Pim-1 overexpression in cardiac progenitor cells

Cardiac regeneration following myocardial infarction rests with the potential of c-kit+ cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) to repopulate damaged myocardium. The ability of CPCs to reconstitute the heart is restricted by patient age and disease progression. Increasing CPC proliferation, telomere length, and survival will improve the ability of autologous CPCs to be successful in myocardial regeneration. Prior studies have demonstrated enhancement of myocardial regeneration by engineering CPCs to express Pim-1 kinase, but cellular and molecular mechanisms for Pim-1-mediated effects on CPCs remain obscure. We find CPCs rapidly expand following overexpression of cardioprotective kinase Pim-1 (CPCeP), however, increases in mitotic rate are short-lived as late passage CPCePs proliferate similar to control CPCs. Telomere elongation consistent with a young phenotype is observed following Pim-1 modification of CPCeP; in addition, telomere elongation coincides with increased telomerase expression and activity. Interestingly, telomere length and telomerase activity normalize after several rounds of passaging, consistent with the ability of Pim-1 to transiently increase mitosis without resultant oncogenic transformation. Accelerating mitosis in CPCeP without immortalization represents a novel strategy to expand the CPC population in order to improve their therapeutic efficacy. Stem Cells2012;30:2512–2522
Thiamine deficiency in rats produces cognitive and memory deficits on spatial tasks that correlate with tissue loss in diencephalon, cortex and white matter.

Abstract Exploratory activity, spontaneous alternation, learning and memory abilities were examined in the pyrithiamine-induced thiamine deficiency (PTD) rat model of Wernicke-Korsakoff's syndrome and pair-fed controls (CT). PTD and CT animals showed normal retention of a single trial of a passive avoidance task acquired prior to the acute stages of thiamine deficiency. While there were no significant group differences in spontaneous activity, PTD animals with extensive damage to internal medullary lamina (IML-lesioned) of thalamus and mammillary body nuclei demonstrated a significant decrease in spontaneous alternation and were significantly impaired in learning both the initial spatial non-matching-to-position (NMTP) task and the reverse MTP task. PTD animals without IML damage (IML-spared) were only impaired on the acquisition of NMTP. Examination of response patterns suggest that the learning impairment was related to an inability to adopt or shift to the appropriate response rule. Performance of PTD IML-lesioned animals on NMTP mixed-delay sessions (4, 30, 60, 90 s) was similar to controls and PTD IML-spared, but was significantly lower on MTP delay trials. These IML-lesioned rats also had significant reductions in thickness of frontal and parietal cortex, corpus callosum and severe neuronal loss in anterior and reticular thalamic nuclei. Four PTD IML-lesioned animals that were unable to learn the NMTP task had more extensive cortical, white matter and thalamic damage than the PTD IML-lesioned animals that did learn the task. These results demonstrate that thiamine deficiency in the rat produces behavioral changes ranging from mild cognitive deficits to severe learning and memory impairments. Pathologic damage following a bout of thiamine deficiency also varies from neuronal loss in select thalamic nuclei to tissue loss in large regions of thalamus, mammillary bodies and cortex. Learning and memory deficits are closely related to the degree of cortical and diencephalic damage.
Simulating Light Source Motion in Single Images for Enhanced Perceptual Object Detection

The SIPHER technique uses mathematically-uncomplicated processing to impart interesting effects upon a static image. Importantly, it renders certain areas of an image more perceptible than others, and draws a human observer’s attention to particular objects or portions of an image scene. By varying coefficients of the processing in a time-ordered sequence, we can create a multi-frame video wherein the frame-to-frame temporal dynamics further enhance human perception of image objects. In this article we first explain the mathematical formulations and present results from applying SIPHER to simple three-dimensional shapes. Then we explore SIPHER’s utility in enhancing visual perception of targets or objects of military interest, in imagery with some typical backgrounds. We also explore how and why these effects enhance human visual perception of the image objects.
Systemic Activation of Integrin αVβ3 in Donors with Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage is Associated with Subsequent Development of Vasculopathy in the Heart Transplant Recipient

Background Recipients of hearts from donors with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are at increased risk of allograft vasculopathy compared with trauma donors. We have recently shown that the vitronectin receptor (integrin α V β3) is upregulated in transplant vasculopathy. We hypothesized that donor ICH is associated with systemic activation of α V β3 in the donor before transplantation. Methods We evaluated mRNA expressions of α V β3 (TaqMan PCR) in endomyocardial biopsy samples at 1-week post-transplant in 20 recipients from ICH donors and 20 recipients from trauma donors. To investigate whether systemic activation of α V β3 was present in the donor before transplantation, α V β3 expression was also evaluated in the corresponding donor spleen lymphocytes. All patients underwent serial coronary intravascular ultrasound to evaluate for coronary vasculopathy. The baseline characteristics were similar except for increased donor age in the ICH Group. Results The ICH Group showed significant increased mRNA expression of α V β3 in the heart biopsy samples (3.8-fold, p = 0.012) and in the corresponding donor spleen lymphocytes (3.5-fold, p = 0.014) compared with the Trauma Group. At 1 year, the ICH Group also showed increased progression of coronary vasculopathy. Multivariate regression analysis found that donor lymphocytic α V β3 mRNA expression was independently associated with increased risk of vasculopathy (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.21–3.98, p = 0.03). Conclusions Our report demonstrates the presence of systemic activation of α V β3 in donors with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage and its association with the subsequent development of allograft vasculopathy in the recipient.
Current attitudes in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Background: In this study, we set out to examine the current attitudes among surgeons toward laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LCS). Methods: A total of 3628 questionnaires were sent to all North American members of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS); 40% of the members of each society responded (B15 respondents). Results: Currently, 85% of the respondents perform laparoscopic surgery; LCS was performed by 48% of the respondents in 21% of their patients. Although 35% of the members of SAGES have increased the number of laparoscopic colorectal operations they perform in the last 3 years, only 26% of ASCRS members did so. Our findings showed that 74% of the surgeons who perform LCS do so for diverticular disease, 68% for colonic polyps, 61% for villous adenoma, and 36% for ileal Crohn's disease. However, only 15% operate for the cure of carcinoma of any stage (16% of SAGES members and 11% of ASCRS members), whereas 8.5% and 7% operate for the cure of all upper and lower rectal carcinomas, respectively. Thirty-six percent of the surgeons who perform LCS for cancer have done between one and 10 curative resections, 8% have done 11–20 procedures, and 14% have done >20 procedures. There were 80 cases of port site recurrence reported by 4.4% of surgeons. Although 56% of the respondents would themselves undergo laparoscopic colorectal surgery for a rectal villous adenoma, only 9% would do so for a distal-third rectal carcinoma (12% of SAGES and 5% of ASCRS respondents). Conclusions: The overall percentage of respondents performing LCS has decreased over the last 3 years; moreover, surgeons are more hesitant to perform laparoscopic surgery for the cure of colonic cancer. Due to the overall low response rate, the fact that 4.4% of those surgeons who did respond have seen port site recurrences does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the prevalence of this problem.
The hidden locality in swarms

People use P2P systems such as BitTorrent to share an unprecedented variety and amount of content with others around the world. The random connection pattern used by BitTorrent has been shown to result in reduced performance for users and costly cross-ISP traffic. Although several client-side systems have been proposed to improve the locality of BitTorrent traffic, their effectiveness is limited by the availability of local peers. We show that sufficient locality is present in swarms - if one looks at the right time. We find that 50% of ISPs have at least five local peers online during the ISP's peak hour, typically in the evening, compared to only 20% of ISPs during the median hour. To better discover these local peers, we show how to increase the overall peer discovery rate by over two orders of magnitude using client-side techniques: leveraging additional trackers, requesting more peers per sample, and sampling more frequently. We propose an approach to predict future availability of local peers based on observed diurnal patterns. This approach enables peers to selectively apply these techniques to minimize undue load on trackers.
Capillary condensation in cylindrical nanopores.

Using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations, we have explored the phenomenon of capillary condensation (CC) of Ar at the triple temperature inside infinitely long, cylindrical pores. Pores of radius $R=1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$, 1.7 nm, and 2.5 nm have been investigated using a gas-surface interaction potential parametrized by the well depth $D$ of the gas on a planar surface made of the same material as that comprising the porous host. For strongly attractive situations---i.e., large $D$---one or more (depending on $R$) Ar layers adsorb successively before liquid fills the pore. For very small values of $D$, in contrast, negligible adsorption occurs at any pressure $P$ below saturated vapor pressure ${P}_{0}$; above saturation, there eventually occurs a threshold value of $P$ at which the coverage jumps from empty to full, nearly discontinuously. Hysteresis is found to occur in the simulation data whenever abrupt CC occurs---i.e., for $R\ensuremath{\geqslant}1.7\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$---and for small $D$ when $R=1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$. Then, the pore-emptying branch of the adsorption isotherm exhibits larger coverage $N$ than the pore-filling branch, as is known from many experiments and simulation studies. The relation between CC and wetting on planar surfaces is discussed in terms of a threshold value of $D$, which is about one-half of the value found for the wetting threshold on a planar surface. This finding is consistent with a simple thermodynamic model of the wetting transition developed previously.
Land-cover change in upper Barataria Basin estuary, Louisiana, 1972-1992: increases in Wetland area.

The Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA, is an ex- tensive wetland and coastal estuary system of great economic and intrinsic value. Although high rates of wetland loss along the coastal margin of the Barataria Basin have been well doc- umented, little information exists on whether freshwater wet- lands in the upper basin have changed. Our objectives were to quantify land-cover change in the upper basin over 20 years from 1972-1992 and to determine land-cover transition rates among land-cover types. Using 80-m resolution Landsat MSS data from the North American Landscape Characteriza- tion (NALC) data archive, we classified images from three time steps (1972, 1985, 1992) into six land-cover types: agricul- ture, urban, bottomland hardwood forest, swamp forest, freshwater marsh, and open water. Significant changes in land cover occurred within the upper Barataria Basin over the study period. Urban land increased from 8% to 17% of the total upper basin area, primarily due to conversions from agri- cultural land, and to a lesser degree, bottomland forest. Swamp forest increased from 30% to 41%, associated with conversions from bottomland hardwood forest and freshwater marsh. Overall, bottomland forest decreased 38% and total wetland area increased 21%. Within the upper Barataria, in- creases in total wetland area may be due to land subsidence. Based on our results, if present trends in the reduction of bot- tomland forest land cover were to continue, the upper Bara- taria Basin may have no bottomland hardwood forests left by the year 2025, as it is subjected to multiple stressors both in the higher elevations (from urbanization) and lower elevations (most likely from land subsidence). These results suggest that changes in the upper freshwater portions of coastal estuaries can be large and quite different from patterns observed in the more saline coastal margins.
DNA synthesis in hepatotoxic liver injury

Abstract An autoradiographic technique employing tritiated thymidine was used to study hepatic DNA synthesis in rats intoxicated with single or repeated doses of CCl 4 . Results indicate the regenerative response which follows hepatotoxic injury can be correlated with histological activity of the liver lesion and is influenced by a circulating humoral factor. DNA synthesis was related to the degree of necrosis and inflammation, persisting with activity in acute lesions and returning to normal in inactive cirrhosis. In cirrhosis the regenerative response was noted in both parenchymal and connective tissue cells. It was of the same magnitude after reinjury as in normal animals receiving their first insult with CCl 4 . Subsidence of histological activity and restoration of a normal DNA synthesis pattern was delayed after additional injury in cirrhosis. A thermostable substance carried in the albumin fraction of plasma and present during initiation of the regenerative response after administration of CCl 4 evoked a four-fold increase in DNA synthesis in the normal adult rat. It induced an increase in labeling during the early phase of the regenerative response but had no apparent influence on DNA synthesis during its maximum response following CCl 4 injury. Pretreatment with physiological doses of growth hormone and testosterone had no significant effect on either hepatic DNA synthesis, mitoses, necrosis, or inflammation following receipt of CCl 4 . In contrast, cortisone decreased both the inflammatory reaction and DNA synthesis following administration of this hepatotoxin.
HD desktop: An integrated platform for the analysis and visualization of H/D exchange data

Here we describe an integrated software platform titled HD Desktop designed specifically to enhance the analysis of hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) mass spectrometry data. HD Desktop integrates tools for data extraction with visualization components within a single web-based application. The interface design enables users to navigate from the peptide view to the sample and experiment levels, tracking all manipulations while updating the aggregate graphs in real time. HD Desktop is integrated with a relational database designed to provide performance enhancements, as well as a robust model for data storage and retrieval. Additional features of the software include retention time determination, which is achieved with the use of theoretical isotope fitting; here, we assume that the best theoretical fit will occur at the correct retention time for any given peptide. Peptide data consolidation for the rendering of data in 2D was realized by automating known and novel approaches. Designed to address broad needs of the HDX community, the platform presented here provides an efficient and manageable workflow for HDX data analysis and is freely available as a web tool at the project home page http://hdx.florida.scripps.edu.
A circadian clock regulates the pH of the fish retina

Although it is generally accepted that the acid/base ratio of tissue, as represented by the pH, is strictly regulated to maintain normal function, recent studies in the nervous system have shown that neuronal activity can result in significant shifts in pH. In the vertebrate retina, many cellular phenomena, including neuronal activity, are regulated by a circadian clock. We thus investigated whether a circadian clock regulates the pH of the retina. pH-sensitive microelectrodes were used to measure the extracellular pH of the in vitro goldfish retina superfused with a bicarbonate-based Ringer solution in the subjective day and night; that is, under conditions of constant darkness. These measurements demonstrated that a circadian clock regulates the pH of the vertebrate retina so that the pH is lower at night compared to the day. This day-night difference in retinal pH was observed at two different values of Ringer solution pH, indicating that the circadian phenomenon is independent of the superfusion conditions. The circadian-induced shift in pH was several times greater than light-induced pH changes and large enough to influence synaptic transmission between retinal neurons. These findings indicate that a circadian clock regulates the pH of the vertebrate retina. Thus, an intrinsic oscillator in neural tissue may modulate metabolic activity and pH as part of normal daily function.
The preparation of cesium lanthanide hexafluoroacetylacetonates by cation exchange

Abstract CsEu( hfa ) 4 and CsLa( hfa ) 4 ·H 2 O, where hfa is the hexafluoroacetylacetone anion, have been prepared in > 80% yield by cation exchange column procedures. The rare earth was fixed on Dowex 50 in either the cesium or hydrogen form; in the latter case the excess acid form resin was converted to the cesium form before the rare earth was eluted with 0·4 M Cs hfa in 50% ethanol. The earth can be loaded with insignificant loss onto the resin even from solutions ∼ 1 M in HCl. This presents an advantage when starting with the rare earth oxide since it precludes the formation of the oxychloride.
Analysis of the galactosyltransferase reaction by positional isotope exchange and secondary deuterium isotope effects

The mechanism of the galactosyltransferase-catalyzed reaction was probed using positional isotope exchange, alpha-secondary deuterium isotope effects, and inhibition studies with potential transition state analogs. Incubation of [beta-18O2, alpha beta-18O]UDP-galactose and alpha-lactalbumin with galactosyltransferase from bovine milk did not result in any positional isotope exchange. The addition of 4-deoxy-4-fluoroglucose as a dead-end inhibitor did not induce any detectable positional isotope exchange. alpha-Secondary deuterium isotope effects of 1.21 +/- 0.04 on Vmax and 1.05 +/- 0.04 on Vmax/KM were observed for [1-2H]-UDP-galactose. D-Glucono-1,5-lactone, D-galactono-1,4-lactone, D-galactono-1,5-lactone, nojirimycin, and deoxynojirimycin, did not inhibit the galactosyl transfer reaction at concentrations less than 1.0 mM. The magnitude of the secondary deuterium isotope effect supports a mechanism in which the anomeric carbon of the galactosyl moiety has substantial sp2 character in the transition state. Therefore, the cleavage of the bond between the galactose and UDP moieties in the transition state has proceeded to a much greater extent than the formation of the bond between the galactose and the incoming glucose. The lack of a positional isotope exchange reaction indicates that the beta-phosphoryl group of the UDP is not free to rotate in the absence of an acceptor substrate.
Preoperative angiography with embolization and radiofrequency ablation as novel adjuncts to safe surgical resection of a large, vascular sacrococcygeal teratoma

Sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs) can present a challenging problem and can be associated with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. A female child was born at 36 weeks’ gestation with a large, vascular Type 1 SCT originally identified by prenatal ultrasound. A CT scan showed two large feeding vessels arising from both internal iliac arteries that were successfully embolized during angiography. A radiofrequency probe was then used to ablate a zone between normal tissue and the tumor. The SCT was subsequently surgically excised with minimal blood loss. This case is presented to illustrate two useful and previously unreported postnatal adjuncts to the surgical treatment of massive, hypervascular sacrococcygeal tumors.
Dynamic polarization effects and tunneling time

Abstract The contribution of the image potential to the transmission through a potential barrier is examined. Results of measurements of semiconductor tunnel barriers are presented which provide evidence for a transition to a dynamic regime (and a reduced contribution of the image) as the tunneling time through the barrier becomes shorter. These results are related to the work of Buttiker and Landauer on the tunneling time, and to the Persson-Baratoff theory of the dynamic image potential. Possible implications of these concepts for the dynamics of the Coulomb blockade are briefly mentioned.
Periodized radial basis functions, part I: Theory

Abstract We extend the theory of periodized RBFs. We show that the imbricate series that define the Periodic Gaussian (PGA) and Sech (PSech) basis functions are Jacobian theta functions and elliptic functions “dn”, respectively. The naive periodization fails for the Multiquadric and Inverse Multiquadric RBFs, but we are able to define periodic generalizations of these, too, by proving and exploiting a generalization of the Poisson Summation Theorem. Although applications of periodic RBFs are mostly left for another day, we do illustrate the flaws and potential by solving the Mathieu eigenproblem on both uniform and highly-adapted grids. The terms of a Fourier basis can be grouped into four classes, depending upon parity with respect to both the origin and x = π / 2 , and so, too, the Mathieu eigenfunctions. We show how to construct symmetrized periodic RBFs and illustrate these by solving the Mathieu problem using only the periodic RBFs of the same symmetry class as the targeted eigenfunctions. We also discuss the relationship between periodic RBFs and trigonometric polynomials with the aid of an explicit formula for the nonpolynomial part of the Periodic Inverse Quadratic (PIQ) basis functions. We prove that the rate of convergence for periodic RBFs is geometric, that is, the error can be bounded by exp ⁡ ( − N μ ) for some positive constant μ. Lastly, we prove a new theorem that gives the periodic RBF interpolation error in Fourier coefficient space. This is applied to the “spectral-plus” question. We find that periodic RBFs are indeed sometimes orders of magnitude more accurate than trigonometric interpolation even though it has long been known that RBFs (periodic or not) reduce to the corresponding classical spectral method as the RBF shape parameter goes to 0. However, periodic RBFs are “spectral-plus” only when the shape parameter α is adaptively tuned to the particular f ( x ) being approximated and even then, only when f ( x ) satisfies a symmetry condition.
Probing Tat peptide-TAR RNA interactions by psoralen photo-cross-linking.

Replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) requires specific interactions of Tat protein with the trans-activation responsive region (TAR) RNA, a 59-base stem−loop structure located at the 5‘-end of all HIV mRNAs. We have used a site-specific cross-linking method based on psoralen photochemistry to determine the effect of core residues from the Tat sequence on the protein orientation in the Tat−TAR complex and on the specificity of Tat−TAR binding. We synthesized two Tat fragments, Tat(42−72) and Tat(37−72), and incorporated a psoralen-modified amino acid at position 41 during solid-phase assembly of the peptides. We used these psoralen−Tat conjugates to form specific complexes with TAR RNA. Upon near-ultraviolet irradiation (360 nm), psoralen−Asp41−Tat(37−72) cross-linked to a single site in the TAR RNA sequence. The RNA−protein complex was purified and the cross-link site on TAR RNA was determined by primer extension analysis, which revealed that Asp41 of Tat is close to U42 of the lower...
The occurrence of velopharyngeal insufficiency in Pierre Robin Sequence patients.

Abstract Objective Children born with Pierre-Robin Sequence (PRS) have cleft palate, micrognathia, and macroglossia. After the repair of the cleft palate, velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) can occur in a subset of patients. We hypothesize that the need for the surgical correction of VPI in PRS children is no different than cleft palate only (CPO) patients. Methods A retrospective study of 21 children with non-syndromic PRS who were matched to 42 non-syndromic, CPO controls for age and sex. We reviewed incidence of VPI, the need for secondary speech surgery, and speech outcomes post-operatively. Results Secondary surgery to correct VPI was necessary in 3 of 21 (14.29%) PRS patients (2 Pharyngeal Flaps, 1 Z-plasty), vs. 10 of 42 (23.81%) CPO (9 Pharyngeal Flaps, 1 Z-plasty) controls. Mean age for VPI surgery for PRS vs. controls: 5.33 vs. 6.41 years, respectively. For final speech outcomes, 73.68% of PRS vs. 71.88% of controls showed no evidence of hypernasality, 89.47% of PRS patients vs. 93.75% of controls showed no evidence of hyponasality, and 76.47% of PRS patients vs. 78.13% of controls had normal velopharyngeal competence ( p > 0.90 for all three measures). Conclusion Our findings suggest that children born with a Pierre-Robin Sequence do not have a higher rate of post-operative VPI after cleft palate repair and are no more likely to require additional surgical intervention.
Home-Going as a Strategy for Success Among Haudenosaunee College and University Students

Native American students find sources of strength in their families, communities, and culture. This article reviews the experiences of 26 Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) college graduates who lived in residence halls while enrolled in college. These students obtained college educations while remaining culturally centered by going home often, some said “every single weekend,” until they could transfer to an institution close to home and commute. The importance of place is discussed in relation to home-going behavior.
Isospin and the Bohr Independence Hypothesis

The influence of isospin on statistical nuclear decay at approximately 20 MeV is investigated for two composite systems $^{66}\mathrm{Zn}$ and $^{64}\mathrm{Zn}$ by measurement of the cross sections and the energy spectra of protons and \ensuremath{\alpha} particles emitted from the two composite systems. The composite system $^{66}\mathrm{Zn}$ was formed at an excitation energy of 19.7 MeV in the $^{65}\mathrm{Cu}+p$ and $^{62}\mathrm{Ni}+\ensuremath{\alpha}$ reactions, while the composite system $^{64}\mathrm{Zn}$ was formed at an excitation energy of 19.5 MeV in the $^{63}\mathrm{Cu}+p$ and $^{60}\mathrm{Ni}+\ensuremath{\alpha}$ reactions. In both systems the experimental cross-section ratio $\frac{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha},{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}})\ensuremath{\sigma}(p,{p}^{\ensuremath{'}})}{\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\alpha},p)\ensuremath{\sigma}(p,\ensuremath{\alpha})}$ exceeded the value of approximately unity predicted by the Bohr independence hypothesis and the statistical theory of compound-nuclear decay including angular momentum. The cross-section ratios were 2.2 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.2 and 1.3 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.1 for the $^{66}\mathrm{Zn}$ and $^{64}\mathrm{Zn}$ composite systems, respectively. The major part of the deviation of these ratios from unity in both the composite systems is ascribed to an isospin selection rule acting in the ${T}_{g}$ states of both composite systems which causes these states to decay preferentially by proton emission. Other factors which might enhance these ratios, such as direct reactions and reduced moments of inertia, are considered and are found to change the above ratios by a relatively small amount.
Caching constrained mobile data

As mobile devices get ubiquitous and grow in computational power, their management of interdependent data also becomes increasingly important. The mobile environment exhibits all the characteristics of a distributed database plus the feature of whimsical connectivity. Consequently, transactions respecting data consistency can suffer unbounded and unpredictable delays at both mobile and stationary nodes. The currently popular multi-tier model, in which mobile devices are in one end and always-connected stationary servers in the other, has certain practical advantages. However, it assumes that all integrity constraints are evaluated at the servers and hence relies on the semantics of operations for any autonomy enhancement of the mobile devices. In this paper, we examine the idea of constraint localization in cases where two mobile nodes each own data that share a constraint. It relies on reformulation of a constraint into more flexible local constraints that give more autonomy to the mobile nodes. The scheme also involves dynamic changes of these local constraints through negotiation, which we call re-localization. To overcome the problem of simultaneous requests for such re-localization, we give algorithms along with experimental results indicating their effectiveness.
Mechanisms of Head Injury During High-Rate Blast and Blunt Impact Events

Blasts and blunt impacts are clearly large-scale phenomena, yet traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs at a cellular or sub-cellular level. A number of hypotheses have been offered as the root causes of TBI including mechanical insults due to reverberations inside the skull following the primary blast wave, secondary and tertiary blast injury due to impact from projectiles and individuals thrown by the blast wave, vascular pressure resulting from a blast wave to the body extremities and electromagnetic radiation [1,2]. There is anecdotal information that supports, as well as contradicts, each of these hypotheses. In this work, a simulation-based framework is developed to help elucidate the mechanisms of traumatic brain injury.
Cardiac morphology and blood pressure in the adult zebrafish.

Zebrafish has become a popular model for the study of cardiovascular development. We performed morphologic analysis on 3 months postfertilization zebrafish hearts (n ≥ 20) with scanning electron microscopy, hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining, and morphometric analysis on cell organelles with transmission electron photomicrographs. We measured atrial, ventricular, ventral, and dorsal aortic blood pressures (n ≥ 5) with a servonull system. The atrioventricular orifice was positioned on the dorsomedial side of the anterior ventricle, surmounted by the single-chambered atrium. The atrioventricular valve was free of tension apparati but supported by papillary bands to prevent retrograde flow. The ventricle was spanned with fine trabeculae perpendicular to the compact layer and perforated with a subepicardial network of coronary arteries, which originated from the efferent branchial arteries by means of the main coronary vessel. Ventricular myocytes were larger than those in the atrium (P < 0.05) with abundant mitochondria close to the sarcolemmal. Sarcoplasmic reticulum was sparse in zebrafish ventricle. Bulbus arteriosus was located anterior to the ventricle, and functioned as an elastic reservoir to absorb the rapid rise of pressure during ventricular contraction. The dense matrix of collagen interspersed across the entire bulbus arteriosus exemplified the characteristics of vasculature smooth muscle. There were pressure gradients from atrium to ventricle, and from ventral to dorsal aorta, indicating that the valves and the branchial arteries, respectively, were points of resistance to blood flow. These data serve as a framework for structure-function investigations of the zebrafish cardiovascular system. Anat Rec 264:1–12, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Series Solutions for Nonrelativistic Quantum-Mechanical Three-Body Problems

A method for obtaining series solutions to nonrelativistic three-body problems is investigated; a calculation of the $1^{1}S$ ground state of the helium atom is performed as a test, and results are compared with previous work.
Asymptotic analyses of the buckling of imperfect columns on nonlinear elastic foundations

Asymptotic buckling analyses of imperfect columns on nonlinear elastic foundations by perturbation expansions, equivalent linearization and truncated hierarchy approximations
In Memoriam: Steven Alan Pullman (1947–2009)

It was a hot August day, about twenty years ago. Steve and I were sitting in the sparse shade of a little tree on a steep talus slope on the side of Thompson Peak, in northeastern California. We ha...
High-temperature elastomers: Glass transition–structure correlations for two systematic series of linear poly(carborane–siloxane)s. II. Incompatibility

Previously reported results related glass transition temperature to structure in two systematic series of poly(carborane–siloxane)s using a well-known copolymer composition–glass transition relationship 1/Tg = W1/Tg1 + W2/Tg2. The relationship was originally proposed to apply not only to copolymers, but also to diluent systems. Accordingly, mixtures of polymers within each series were prepared and the thermomechanical spectra were determined by the technique of torsional braid analysis. The binary mixtures included poly(dimethylsiloxane) with polymers in both series and a mixture of two CB10H10C siloxane polymers. In all cases, the thermomechanical spectra revealed only those transition regions characteristic of the individual components. This type of behavior is indicative of phase separation of incompatible polymeric species.
Endonucleolytic cleavage of RNA at 5' endogenous stem structures by human flap endonuclease 1.

Structure-specific nucleases called 5' flap endonucleases cleave unannealed 5' arms of template-primer DNA model substrates at the start of the duplex and are involved in Okazaki fragment processing during DNA synthesis. To determine the possible use of the enzymes in RNA structure analysis, the cleavage of synthetic and native RNAs was examined using flap endonuclease 1 (Fen1) of HeLa cells. RNAs are cleaved at about 20% of the rate of DNA model substrates, and most of the cleavage sites are within 200 nucleotides of the 5' end. Hydrolysis of MFA2 mRNA of yeast shows that the cleavages are at the start of five possible stem structures of a folded secondary structure predicted on the basis of both chemical and enzymatic structure probing. 16S ribosomal RNA of Escherichia coli is cleaved at several 5' stem structures of its phylogenetically predicted folded structure. This type of RNA cleavage specificity may be very useful in secondary structure analysis in the future and also may be used by cells for specific 5' end-geared RNA cleavages.
Pulse oximetry for preoperative vascular assessment in a thumb near-amputation

Pulse oximetry, or photoplethysmography, is widely available in emergency departments and intuitively seems well suited to the evaluation of vascular compromise in digital trauma. In a review of the medical literature, no cases were found in which pulse oximetry was used in preoperative assessment of a traumatized digit. We report the case of a patient with a near-amputation of his thumb in whom pulse oximetry proved to be a valuable tool in his evaluation and treatment because it was a rapid, noninvasive, sensitive means of assessment of digital vascular viability. Evaluation and management of this patient is discussed, and the pertinent literature concerning the use of pulse oximetry and vascular injuries of the hand is reviewed.
A frequency reconfigurable monopole antenna based on complementary split-ring resonators

A frequency-reconfigurable microstrip monopole antenna for WLAN applications is presented. Based on a complementary split-ring resonator as the primary radiator, the antenna exhibits single or dual frequency operation that is tunable using an integrated switch. The antenna is electrically small, thanks to the split-ring structure, and exhibits similar radiation patterns for both frequency bands. Simulation results demonstrate tunable single-band and dual-band characteristics of the proposed design.
Kinetics of the Gas-Phase Reactions of Dibenzothiophene with OH Radicals, NO3 Radicals, and O3

Abstract The kinetics of the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals, NO3 radicals and O3 with dibenzothiophene have been studied at 297 ± 2 K and atmospheric pressure of air. An upper limit to the rate constant for the O3 reaction of >6 × 10−19 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 was obtained, and using a relative rate method a rate constant for the OH radical reaction of (8.1 ± 2.6) × 10−12 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 was measured. The measured rate constant for the NO3 radical reaction increased with increasing NO2 concentration, with a rate constant at low NO2 concentrations representative of the ambient atmosphere of > 7 × 10−14 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 being measured. Nitrodibenzothiophenes were observed as minor products of the OH radical and NO3 radical reactions in the presence of NO2.
Managing a Federal Agency: The Hidden Stimulus

The article reviews the book “Managing a Federal Agency: The Hidden Stimulus,” by Louis K. Bragaw.
Acetate catabolism in the dissimilatory iron-reducing isolate GS-15.

Acetate-grown GS-15 whole-cell suspensions were disrupted with detergent and assayed for enzymes associated with acetate catabolism. Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase were not observed in GS-15. Catabolic levels of acetokinase and phosphotransacetylase were observed. Enzyme activities of the citric acid cycle, i.e., isocitrate dehydrogenase, 2-oxoglutarate sythase, succinate dehydrogenase, fumarase, and malate dehydrogenase, were observed.
Second order cascading effects in LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguides with tailored wavevector mismatch

Summary form only given. Second harmonic generation (SHG) was the first nonlinear optical process investigated. In this study, we demonstrate how to get arbitrary nonlinear phase shifts, also with minimal loss to the harmonic, by tailoring (with temperature) and verify the results by measuring the wavevector mismatch along LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguides. This extends the utility of cascading to effects such as the phase-induced transitions in soliton collision behavior.
Argatroban, a direct thrombin inhibitor for heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia: present and future perspectives.

Heparin remains the most commonly used anticoagulant in the treatment of patients with acute vascular syndromes, including myocardial infarction, unstable angina and ischaemic stroke. However, heparin therapy is not always associated with a significant improvement of clinical outcomes, is linked with enhanced bleeding risk and can occasionally provoke the development of heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia, the most devastating complication of conventional therapy with unfractioned heparin. Understanding the key role of thrombin in clot formation and platelet activation has stimulated the development of a new class of drugs – direct thrombin inhibitors. The direct thrombin inhibitor argatroban has been known for decades. Similar to the unfractioned heparin, argatroban requires intravenous administration and activated partial prothrombin time-dependent dose adjustment; however, this pharmacological agent has a relatively short half-life that broadens its safety margins, as well as its low antigenic potential ...
For Mothers, Peace and Family: International (Non)-Cooperation among Italian Catholic and Communist Women's Organisations during the Early Cold War

In July 1955, women from around the globe gathered in Lausanne, Switzerland for the World Congress of Mothers organised by the social-communist Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF). On the third day of four days of proceedings, an Italian housewife named Clotilde Cassigoli delivered an impassioned speech calling on women to unite across the divides of the Cold War, and cooperate to ensure that their children and grandchildren would not have to know the horrors of war she had witnessed in Florence at the end of the Second World War. Her plea ultimately went unheeded. This article analyses the national and international activities of Catholic and communist women's organisations between 1945 and 1956 to expand understandings of women's political involvement during the Cold War. My examination of the Italian case will show that during this era cooperation between the politically opposed women's groups was only possible in a limited framework. By interpreting the associations’ discourse of motherhood and peace through a Cold War lens, I show that the Italian women's leaders were successful at advancing their own objectives and making inroads into the homes of more Italian women while they simultaneously constructed a divisive Cold War international women's movement.
Can the Earned Income Tax Credit Increase the Number of Unmarried Black Parent Families

Since the 1960s an increasing number of Black children are reared by poor unmarried parents on welfare. To reduce poverty, minimize welfare dependence, and provide a monetary incentive for low-income, unmarried parents to wed, the government established the earned income tax credit (EITC). Since its establishment in 1975, however, scholars know very little about whether this credit can increase Black marriage among low-income couples with children. To address this paucity, I support and extend Mayhew's (1980, 1981) micro-sociological and macro-sociological perspectives by highlighting the individual, interpersonal, and sociological factors that encourage or discourage Black marriage. I examined the qualitative responses of 17 Blacks between the ages of 23 and 61 years regarding whether they believed an increased child dependent tax credit (limited to married parents) would increase the number of married parent Black families. Qualitative analyses of the data revealed that although some participants were h...
The CMU Mobile Computers and Their Application for Maintenance

This paper describes the use of CMU’s VuMan wearable computers for maintenance of military vehicles and their communication mechanisms with the outside world. The key concepts involve: portable, hands-off access to information; mobility of users and uploading information yielding increased productivity of maintenance operation. VuMan is used as a Referential System, replacing large volumes of printed materials such as maintenance manuals. The main tasks are Limited Technical Inspections (LTI) and Trouble Shooting Flow Charts for an Amphibious Motor Vehicle. This effort included the development of the VuMan Hypertext Language (VHTL), using a forms-based hypertext paradigm that provides quick access to manuals. The VHTL considerably simplifies the task of creating document systems that integrate forms, references (hyperlinks), images and complex control structures (such as nested menus). The User Interface has been designed to provide access to the information in an intuitive and natural manner. Both the User Interface and the document structure are centered around the concept of fields. When selected by the user, these fields invoke some action, such as bringing up a menu, following a reference or toggling a check mark. The User Interface can accommodate two types of input devices: a three-button mouse and a multiposition rotary dial. Our estimate is that the time required to perform some typical Marine Maintenance procedures using VuMan will be cut in half.