cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
African Americans' opinions about human-genetics research

BACKGROUND. Research on attitudes toward genetics and medicine registers skepticism among minority communities, but the reasons for this skepticism are not well known. In the past, studies linked mistrust of the medical system to historical ethics violations involving minority groups and to suspicions about ideological premise and political intent. METHODS. To assess public knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding human-genetics research, we surveyed 858 Americans onsite in four community settings or online in a geographically nonspecific manner. RESULTS. Compared to participants as a whole, African Americans were significantly more likely to believe that clinical trials might be dangerous and that the federal government knowingly conducted unethical research, including studies in which risky vaccines were administered to prison populations. However, African Americans were also significantly more likely to believe that the federal government worked to prevent environmental exposure to toxicants harmful to people with genetic vulnerabilities. CONCLUSIONS. Our data suggest that most Americans trust government to act ethically in sponsoring and conducting research, including genetics research, but that African Americans are particularly likely to see government as powerfully protective in some settings yet selectively disingenuous in others.
Optical Scanning Holography: Origin, Modern Capabilities and Beyond

I review the original idea of optical scanning holography, discuss its modern capabilities and finally mention some of the important applications that are worth pursuing in the future.
What type of empirically verifiable predictions can topological biology make

It has been shown previously (Bull. Math. Biophysics,17, 207–218, 1955) that within the framework of the general principle of biotopological mapping a number of different specific hypotheses can be made about the topological structure of the primordial organism and the transformation which lead to the description of higher organisms. Each set of such hypotheses leads to different conclusions and different predictions of specific biological relations. In the present paper it is shown that while the specific predictions depend on the specific assumptions within the framework of the general principle of biotopological mapping, the type of the predicted relation is characteristic of the general topological approach. Relations of this kind would hardly ever be considered in the usual metric approach to mathematical biology. As specific examples it is shown how topological considerations lead to the problem of the total number of possible organisms, the problem of relations between number of organs and number of cell types in an organism, the problem of the number of cell types in different organs, a possible approach to the problem of the number of different endocrine secretions in different organisms, and other similar problems. All this shows the predictive value of topological biology.
Terahertz conductivity of lithium salt-succinonitrile plastic crystals

The terahertz conductivity of succinonitrile decreases when doped with lithium salts, contrary to their DC behavior. In addition, a lattice phonon mode at 1.1 THz is observed in only the crystalline phase of the undoped succinonitrile.
Analysis of the effects of 1/f noise and choppers on the performance of DC-coupled thermal imaging systems

It has long been known that 1/f noise is the bane of staring thermal imaging systems because the detector pixels are sampled at a low data rate. In the frequency range between about one Hertz and an upper limit set by the eye integration time, 1/f noise is quite distracting and detrimental to real-world system performance to an extent greater than would be expected from its impact on NETD. For very low frequencies 1/f noise amounts to drift. Because the noise in individual pixels is uncorrelated with noise in other pixels, this appears as a time-varying spatial noise, which degrades system performance more seriously than temporal noise. This paper quantifies these effects and shows that the electrical integration time is a critical factor in the rate at which 1/f noise degrades MRT after calibration. Use of a chopper reduces or eliminates the spatial noise, but with a sensitivity penalty. These results are particularly apropos to uncooled thermal imaging.
A Risk-Benefit Evaluation of Aciclovir for the Treatment and Prophylaxis of Herpes Simplex Virus Infections

The objective of this article is to review and evaluate risks and benefits associated with the use of aciclovir in the treatment and prophylaxis of common manifestations of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Information was found through a MEDLINE search using keywords: herpes simplex virus, genital herpes, herpes labialis, aciclovir and acyclovir. Selected articles were randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trials. 30 such trials involving 3364 persons were evaluated. All articles were reviewed by the authors and the data were extracted and summarised. In both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts, aciclovir therapy demonstrated a high degree of clinical efficacy. None of the studies reported statistically significant differences between aciclovir and placebo for mild or major adverse events. This evaluation found that aciclovir is both effective and well tolerated for treatment and prophylaxis of genital, oral and mucocutaneous HSV infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Inmost clinical scenarios, the benefit of aciclovir exceeded any risks by a comfortable margin. The availability of aciclovir as a generic preparation further improves the benefit to cost ratio.
Premorbid functioning in early-onset psychotic disorders.

ABSTRACT Objective To examine the premorbid characteristics of youths with early-onset psychotic disorders. Method Subjects with early-onset psychotic disorders received an extensive diagnostic evaluation upon entry into the study, including a historic review of premorbid functioning using the Premorbid Adjustment Scale. Results Youths with schizophrenia ( n = 27), bipolar disorder ( n = 22), and psychosis not otherwise specified (NOS) ( n = 20) were included. High rates of premorbid behavioral problems and academic difficulties were noted across all subjects. Youths with schizophrenia had higher rates of premorbid social withdrawal and global impairment. They also tended to have fewer friends. The psychosis NOS group had significantly higher rates of abuse histories and posttraumatic stress disorder. Conclusions Premorbid abnormalities are common features of early-onset psychotic disorders. The social withdrawal and peer problems specific to youths with schizophrenia likely represent early manifestations of negative symptoms. The abuse histories in the psychosis NOS group may explain the atypical nature of their reported psychotic symptoms, which in many cases are likely posttraumatic phenomena.
The Changing Nature of Mentoring in Organizations: An Introduction to the Special Issue on Mentoring in Organizations

Abstract Although the term “mentor” originated in Greek mythology, it has been only a decade since Kram's (1985) seminal book stimulated significant research on mentoring in organizations. This special issue brings together current empirical research and theory from diverse scholars who have been instrumental in advancing the field of mentoring. We first provide some background on the topic of mentoring and include a brief discussion of the changing nature of mentoring in organizations. Following this, we review the content of the special issue, starting with five research articles and concluding with four papers which describe new directions for theory building. We conclude with a discussion of needed research on mentoring in organizations.
Equibiaxial elongational viscosity measurements of commercial polymer melts

The equibiaxial elongational viscosity of six commercially available polymer melts is measured using a novel technique known as continuous lubricated squeezing flow. This technique is a modification of simple lubricated squeezing flow. The systems were chosen in order to investigate the dependence of equibiaxial elongational viscosity on molecular structure. Three of the melts are polyethylene with long chain branching, two are polyethylene with short chain branching, and one is polyisobutylene with linear chains. Each polymer was subjected to strain rates ranging from 0.003 to 0.1 s−1 and compared to the linear viscoelastic prediction so that the degree of strain hardening could be determined. For a modestly branched polymer, comparison of rheological behavior in both uniaxial and equibiaxial deformations was possible. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1012–1017, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Ground state and excitations in polyacetylene chains

While a nearest-neighbor-only Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model cannot distinguish {ital cis}- from {ital trans}-polyacetylene, a simple extension which includes a third-neighbor interaction can. This extended model gives a nondegenerate {ital cis} structure with a larger band gap and a smaller cohesive energy than {ital trans}, and yields the correct order of the total energies of the {ital trans}, {ital cis}-{ital transoid}, and {ital trans}-{ital cisoid} structures. It also produces bound bipolarons or excitons on doubly charged {ital cis} chains. All conformational excitations in both isomers are found to be repelled from the chain ends. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
An inference of high atom densities in solid tritium for nuclear magnetic resonance measurements.

At fixed temperature the ortho concentration in solid ${\mathrm{T}}_{2}$, as monitored by NMR, is found to decay exponentially in time with a time constant that has a minimum at 11.4 K. At 11.4 K the ortho to para conversion in ${\mathrm{T}}_{2}$ is 200 times larger than in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$. This enhanced conversion rate is attributed to diffusing atoms created by the tritium \ensuremath{\beta} decay. A hopping model is used to infer the atom number density and hopping frequency as functions of the temperature.
The reason that dermatologists should not send all their slides to dermatopathologists is a scope of practice argument, not an ethical argument.

D r Ackerman proposes that dermatologists should send all their slides to a dermatopathologist. In my opinion, this is really a scope of practice argument where one subspecialty is arguing that only they should get all the referrals. Dr Ackerman has suggested that his opinion is an ethical point. I would disagree. His point of view that dermatologists are greedy because they do not send all their slides to dermatopathologists is as false as saying dermatopathologists who want all slides sent to them are greedy. Are the dermatopathologists really ‘‘altruistic and academic?’’ Dermatopathologists are no more altruistic and academic than the plastic surgeons who do not want facial plastic surgeons, oculoplastic surgeons, or ‘‘dermasurgeons’’ intruding on their ‘‘turf.’’ The weakest part of Dr Ackerman’s opinion is that this issue is different from that of the generalists referring to specialists that exist in all of medicine. We all agree that there is nothing unethical about this type of referral pattern. Just as general pathologists diagnose disease from easy slides and send difficult ones to a dermatopathologist, dermatologists treat easy skin cancers and send difficult ones to a Mohs micrographic surgeon. A general practitioner also treats easy conditions and refers the difficult cases to a specialist. The analogy is the same for the generalist sending to the specialist and the dermatologist sending to the dermatopathologist. The referral is done on behalf of the patient.
Do pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and other organic waste water compounds persist when waste water is used for recharge?

A proof-of-concept experiment was devised to determine if pharmaceuticals and other organic waste water compounds (OWCs), as well as pathogens, found in treated effluent could be transported through a 2.4 m soil column and, thus, potentially reach ground water under recharge conditions similar to those in arid or semiarid climates. Treated effluent was applied at the top of the 2.4 m long, 32.5 cm diameter soil column over 23 days. Samples of the column inflow were collected from the effluent storage tank at the beginning (Tbegin) and end (Tend) of the experiment, and a sample of the soil column drainage at the base of the column (Bend) was collected at the end of the experiment. Samples were analyzed for 131 OWCs including veterinary and human antibiotics, other prescription and nonprescription drugs, widely used household and industrial chemicals, and steroids and reproductive hormones, as well as the pathogens Salmonella and Legionella. Analytical results for the two effluent samples taken at the beginning (Tbegin) and end (Tend) of the experiment indicate that the number of OWCs detected in the column inflow decreased by 25% (eight compounds) and the total concentration of OWCs decreased by 46% while the effluent was in the storage tank during the 23-day experiment. After percolating through the soil column, an additional 18 compounds detected in Tend (67% of OWCs) were no longer detected in the effluent (Bend) and the total concentration of OWCs decreased by more than 70%. These compounds may have been subject to transformation (biotic and abiotic), adsorption, and (or) volatilization in the storage tank and during travel through the soil column. Eight compounds—carbamazapine; sulfamethoxazole; benzophenone; 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole; N, N-diethyltoluamide; tributylphosphate; tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate; and cholesterol—were detected in all three samples indicating they have the potential to reach ground water under recharge conditions similar to those in arid and semiarid climates. Results from real-time polymerase chain reactions demonstrated the presence of Legionella in all three samples. Salmonella was detected only in Tbegin, suggesting that the bacteria died off in the effluent storage tank over the period of the experiment. This proof-of-concept experiment demonstrates that, under recharge conditions similar to those in arid or semiarid climates, some pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and other OWCs can persist in treated effluent after soil-aquifer treatment.
Dim light melatonin onset in alcohol-dependent men and women compared with healthy controls

Sleep disturbances in alcohol-dependent (AD) individuals may persist despite abstinence from alcohol and can influence the course of the disorder. Although the mechanisms of sleep disturbances of AD are not well understood and some evidence suggests dysregulation of circadian rhythms, dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) has not previously been assessed in AD versus healthy control (HC) individuals in a sample that varied by sex and race. The authors assessed 52 AD participants (mean ± SD age: 36.0 ± 11.0 yrs of age, 10 women) who were 3–12 wks since their last drink (abstinence: 57.9 ± 19.3 d) and 19 age- and sex-matched HCs (34.4 ± 10.6 yrs, 5 women). Following a 23:00–06:00 h at-home sleep schedule for at least 5 d and screening/baseline nights in the sleep laboratory, participants underwent a 3-h extension of wakefulness (02:00 h bedtime) during which salivary melatonin samples were collected every 30 min beginning at 19:30 h. The time of DLMO was the primary measure of circadian physiology and was assess...
Resolvable bibd and sols

The ideas of a base factorization and a resolvable grid system are introduced, and a construction of a resolvable balanced incomplete block design (BIBD) from these structures is given. Resolvable grid systems can be constructed from mutually orthogonal self-orthogonal latin squares (SOLS) with symmetric mate. Together these results prove, as a special case, that: if k-1 is an odd prime power and there exist12(k-2) mutually orthogonal SOLS of order n, with symmetric mate, then there exists a resolvable BIBD with block size k on v = kn points of index @l, where @l = k-1 ifk = 0 (mod 4) and @l = 2(k-1) if k = 2 (mod 4). The technique is illustrated for k = 4, @l = 3 and k = 6, @l = 10, in which cases v = 0 (mod k) is shown to be a necessary and sufficient condition (NASC) for the existence of a resolvable BIBD on v points. The pair (k, @l) = (6,10) thus becomes only the fifth pair for which NASC are known, the other pairs being (3,1), (4,1), (3,2), and (4,3).
Short-term adolescent nicotine exposure has immediate and persistent effects on cholinergic systems: critical periods, patterns of exposure, dose thresholds.

In adolescents, the symptoms of nicotine dependence can appear well before the onset of habitual smoking. We investigated short-term nicotine exposure in adolescent rats for corresponding cholinergic alterations. Beginning on postnatal day 30, rats were given a 1-week regimen of nicotine infusions or twice-daily injections, at doses (0.6, 2, and 6 mg/kg/day) set to achieve plasma levels found in occasional to regular smokers. In the cerebral cortex, midbrain, and hippocampus, we assessed nicotinic cholinergic receptor (nAChR) binding, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity, a constitutive marker for cholinergic nerve terminals, and [3H]hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) binding to the high-affinity choline transporter, which responds to cholinergic synaptic stimulation. nAChR upregulation was observed with either administration route, even at the lowest dose; in the hippocampus, increases could be detected with as little as 2 days' treatment at 0.6 mg/kg/day. In the midbrain, upregulation was still significant even 1 month post-treatment. Adolescent nicotine treatment also produced lasting decrements in HC-3 binding that were separable from effects on ChAT, suggesting cholinergic synaptic impairment. Again, these effects were obtained at the lowest dose and remained significant 1 month post-treatment. Our results indicate that in adolescence, even a brief period of continuous or intermittent nicotine exposure, elicits lasting alterations in cholinergic systems in brain regions associated with nicotine dependence. As the effects are detected at exposures that produce plasma concentrations as little as one-tenth of those in regular smokers, the exquisite sensitivity of the adolescent brain to nicotine may contribute to the onset of nicotine dependence even in occasional smokers.
Soft landing of mass-selected gold clusters: Influence of ion and ligand on charge retention and reactivity

Abstract We employ a combination of reduction synthesis in solution, soft landing of mass-selected precursor and product ions, and in situ time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to examine the influence of ion and the length of diphosphine ligands on the charge retention and reactivity of ligated gold clusters deposited onto self-assembled monolayer surfaces (SAMs). Product ions (Au10L42+, (10,4)2+, L = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino) propane, DPPP) were prepared through in-source collision induced dissociation (CID) and precursor ions [(8,4)2+, L = 1,6-bis(diphenylphosphino) hexane, DPPH] were synthesized in solution for comparison to (11,5)3+ precursor ions ligated with DPPP investigated previously (ACS Nano 2012, 6, 573 and J. Phys. Chem. C. 2012, 116, 24, 977). Similar to (11,5)3+ precursor ions, the (10,4)2+ product ions are shown to retain charge on 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol monolayers (FSAMs). Additional abundant peaks at higher m/z indicative of reactivity are observed in the TOF-SIMS spectrum of (10,4)2+ product ions that are not seen for (11,5)3+ precursor ions. The abundance of (10,4)2+ on 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (COOH SAMs) is demonstrated to be lower than on FSAMs, consistent with partial reduction of charge. The (10,4)2+ product ion on 1-dodecanethiol (HSAMs) exhibits peaks similar to those seen on the COOH SAM. On the HSAM, higher m/z peaks indicative of reactivity are observed similar to those on the FSAM. The (8,4)2+ DPPH precursor ions are shown to retain charge on FSAMs similar to (11,5)3+ precursor ions ligated with DPPP. An additional peak corresponding to attachment of one gold atom to (8,4)2+ is observed at higher m/z for DPPH-ligated clusters. On the COOH SAM, (8,4)2+ is less abundant than on the FSAM consistent with partial neutralization. The results indicate that although retention of charge by product ions generated by in-source CID is similar to precursor ions their reactivity during analysis with SIMS is different resulting in the formation of peaks corresponding to reaction products. The length of the diphosphine ligand exerts only a minor influence on the charge retention and reactivity of gold clusters. Based on the observed reactivity of (10,4)2+ product ions it is anticipated that in-source CID will be increasingly applied for the preparation of a distribution of ions, including undercoordinated and reactive species, for soft landing onto surfaces.
Student Political Engagement and the Renewal of Democracy

In this essay some emerging trends in college student political engagement are reviewed and ideas presented for educating this generation of students for democracy. Drawing upon their work with students on college campuses around the country, Hollander and Longo argue that students are not apathetic, but colleges and universities need to do more to tap into their interest in a different kind of politics by developing more opportunities for students to create a public life that is more open, participatory, relational, and inclusive.
Generation of high-flux hyperentangled photon pairs using a microstructure-fiber Sagnac interferometer

We demonstrate generation of hyperentangled (time-bin and polarization) photon pairs via four-wave mixing in a microstructure-fiber Sagnac interferometer. The two-photon interference visibility in the time-bin (polarization) degree of freedom is $88%\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2%$ $(84%\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1%)$ without subtraction of accidental coincidences, and Bell's inequality is violated by 27 standard deviations at a $1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kHz}$ coincidence rate.
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans QseBC is activated by catecholamines and iron and regulates genes encoding proteins associated with anaerobic respiration and metabolism

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans QseBC regulates its own expression and is essential for biofilm growth and virulence. However, the signal that activates the QseC sensor has not been identified and the qseBC regulon has not been defined. In this study, we show that QseC is activated by catecholamine hormones and iron but not by either component alone. Activation of QseC requires an EYRDD motif in the periplasmic domain of the sensor and site-specific mutations in EYRDD or the deletion of the periplasmic domain inhibits catecholamine/iron-dependent induction of the ygiW-qseBC operon. Catecholamine/iron-dependent induction of transcription also requires interaction of the QseB response regulator with its binding site in the ygiW-qseBC promoter. Whole genome microarrays were used to compare gene expression profiles of A. actinomycetemcomitans grown in a chemically defined medium with and without catecholamine and iron supplementation. Approximately 11.5% of the A. actinomycetemcomitans genome was differentially expressed by at least two-fold upon exposure to catecholamines and iron. The expression of ferritin was strongly induced, suggesting that intracellular iron storage capacity is increased upon QseBC activation. Consistent with this, genes encoding iron binding and transport proteins were down-regulated by QseBC. Strikingly, 57% of the QseBC up-regulated genes (56/99) encode proteins associated with anaerobic metabolism and respiration. Most of these up-regulated genes were recently reported to be induced during in vivo growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans. These results suggest that detection of catecholamines and iron by QseBC may alter the cellular metabolism of A. actinomycetemcomitans for increased fitness and growth in an anaerobic host environment.
Our History … Atlantic Coast Construction … Conferences

In March of 1959, Engineering News-Record announced the death of Frederich B. Spencer, retired vice president of Spencer, White & Prentis, constructors and engineers of New York. Mr. Spencer received a civil engineering degree from Columbia University in 1913, and after spending 10 years practicing in the Northeast, he joined Ford, Bacon & Davis as principal design engineer for an Army Base in New Orleans. From 1933 on, he was associated with Spencer, White & Prentis directing lock and dam work in the Mississippi Valley and drydock construction on the East Coast. The company has over the years tackled some very delicate and challenging projects. When President Harry S. Truman decided to “reconstruct” the White House it was a Spencer, White & Prentis engineer who developed the concept that actually made it possible to retain the old shell (exterior walls) for use with a new building. Truman’s commitment to the preservation of the essentials saved the White House as the home of the president of the United States. The wooden structural elements had deteriorated, and President Calvin Coolidge’s 1927 concrete third-floor addition added to the stress on everything below. The entire interior was dismantled and a modern structure built within the historic walls. In 1948, Truman appointed a committee that included Richard E. Dougherty, president of ASCE, and Douglas W. Orr, president of the American Institute of Architects. The committee agreed that the house needed a careful structural assessment. Truman thought the exterior walls of the White House could be saved—in fact, he insisted that the walls, built under the eye of George Washington, be retained. Mahmood K. Taher, with Spencer, White & Prentis, was the engineer who created the underpinning designs that enabled contractors to incorporate permanent steel columns into the temporary shoring. Taher was a structural engineer and a naturalized citizen born in Persia (Iran). His concepts represented the most important contribution to the overall shoring design that saved George Washington’s walls. Spencer, White & Prentis was also there when the twin towers of the World Trade Center were constructed. There is a very interesting archived New Yorker article written in 1972—“The Big-
Couples Therapy with a Personality-Disordered Couple

Couples presenting for couples therapy where both partners mani-fest significant psychopathology, particularly personality disorders, are not well served by systemic marital therapy approaches. How-ever, a treatment approach that focuses on the interlocking personality disorder dynamics of both partners in a systemic treatment context increases the likelihood of positive treatment outcomes. Such a therapeutic approach is described and illustrated with an extended couples therapy case.
Bionomics of Immature Stages and Ethology of Neochlamisus platani (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on American Sycamore

Oviposition by overwintered univoltine, monomorphic adults of Neochlamisus platani (Brown) beings in mid-May. Stalked eggs encased in fecal material are deposited usually on the abaxial surface of American sycamore and London planetree leaves. A small number is deposited on the adaxial surface, on the petiole, or on the stems. The eggs are highly parasitized by Tetrastichus chlamytis Ashmead during the 6-wk oviposition period. The field-collected egg case is bell-shaped with a mean length of 1.34 mm and 0.82 mm width at the top. Females confined to a Petri dish, and in a 180° reverse rotation from their situation in the field, construct egg cases wider than field-collected cases. Twelve caged females laid 1,826 eggs during 6 wk of adult life. Punctuated feeding by larva on expanding new leaves results in a pronounced shot-hole appearance. Case-bearing larvae use both mandibles and bifid tarsal claws to maintain defensive attachment to the leaf surface when disturbed. Last instars often wander from feeding site to mo< they attach at stipules and resemble leaf axillary buds. Eggs incubated under natural conditions develop in 13-15 d. Four groups of head capsule widths were identified by morphometric analysis and separated with a scatter diagram. Head capsule width increased at each molt by a factor of 1.40. Mean larval, pupal, and case length measurements are given. Adaptive protective behavior of larvae and adults is described. The egg, larva, and pupa are orange. Of eggs collected for seven successive weeks, 32% produced larvae, 37% produced parasites, and 27% were apparently fed upon by a predator.
Does intralaryngeal motor nerve sprouting occur following unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis

Reinnervation of paralyzed intralaryngeal muscles by axonal sprouting from adjacent intact muscles (the phenomenon of muscular neurotization) has been observed, but the source is uncertain. The potential for laryngeal reinnervation of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA) from contralateral PCA
Theory of acoustic mode vibrations of DNA fibers.

A previous model for acoustic mode vibrations of a DNA molecule in water is extended to the case of an array of many DNA molecules, as occurs in the fibers studied in most experimental work on DNA. The acoustic modes of this system are found to consist of coupled modes of water sound vibrations and DNA acoustic modes. This model is used to study the electrostatic coupling of acoustic vibrations to the relaxational modes of the orientational degrees of freedom of the water molecules. It is found that the long-range or macroscopic electric field generated by the acoustic mode vibrations of the water-DNA system gives too small a damping and frequency shift of the acoustic modes to account for the observations on DNA fibers. Therefore, the observed damping and frequency shifts are most likely due to either friction between the surrounding water and the vibrating DNA, or coupling to the water orientation degrees of freedom resulting from the short range (i.e., screened) Coulomb interaction. The latter explanation (which is most likely the correct one) implies that the relaxation time of the hydration shell water is longer than the observed relaxation time by a factor of the static dielectric constant of the hydration water.
Oxygen-dependent differences in exopolysaccharide production and aminoglycoside inhibitory-bactericidal interactions with Pseudomonas aeruginosa—implications for endocarditis

Antibiotic-induced growth inhibition and killing of a non-mucoid strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA-96) in vitro and ex vivo were studied at oxygen tensions approximating those of the right and left cardiac ventricles in vivo (pO2 = 40 VS. 80 mm Hg). This pseudomonal strain grew equally at the two oxygen tensions, yet only bacteria exposed to pO2 80 mm Hg revealed significant exopolysaccharide production as shown by PAS and ruthenium red staining. Similarly, scanning electron microscopy of pseudomonal cells within aortic (but not tricuspid) vegetations revealed surface excrescenses compatible with surrounding exopolysaccharide (glycocalyx). Amikacin at 10 x MIC caused significantly less in-vitro killing of pseudomonal cells at pO2 80 VS. 40 mm Hg. In vitro and ex vivo (within experimental aortic and tricuspid vegetations), post-antibiotic effect durations were about 50% shorter for cells exposed to amikacin at pO2 80 mm Hg than 40 mm Hg. These data demonstrate suboptimal aminoglycoside-induced growth inhibition and killing, as well as enhanced exopolysaccharide production of a non-mucoid P. aeruginosa strain at oxygen tensions reflective of the left side of the heart. These findings may in part explain the better results seen in aminoglycoside-treated right compared to left-sided pseudomonal endocarditis in man.
Lyme disease and seventh nerve paralysis in children

Abstract Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine the frequency of Lyme disease (LD) as a cause of transient facial nerve palsy (FNP) in children. Acute onset FNP in children has been primarily associated with acute otitis media (AOM). Recently, LID has emerged in regions where the deer-tick vector is present and has been associated with multiple cranial neuropathies. Patients and Methods: Fifty children with transient FNP were evaluated and treated at our institution over a 5.5-year period. Results: The rank of etiologies confirmed LID to now be the most common (50%), followed by AOM (12%), varicella (6%), Herpes zoster (4%), and coxsackievirus (2%). Thirteen children (26%) had idiopathic FNP consistent with Bell's palsy. Conclusion: We conclude that transient FNP in children is most commonly caused by LD for regions with endemic infections caused by Borrelia burgdorferi.
Location of the abi, col and imm genes on pHU011, a colicin Ib plasmid derivative

Abstract A cleavage site map of pHU011, a derivative of the colicin Ib plasmid containing the complete Sal I-B fragment ligated to pBR322, has been determined. Sites of cleavage by Pst I were determined using the Smith and Birnstiel [Nucl. Acids Res. 3 (1976) 2387–2398] method of mapping, whereas those for Xba I, Xho I, and Hind III were determined by double digestions or digestion of isolated fragments. In addition, the sites of the abi gene, which causes the abortive infection by T5 bacteriophage, and of the colicin ( col ) gene have been determined. The results indicate that these genes are not contiguous.
Evaluating methods to quantify anthropogenic stressors on wild animals

Humans have a variety of direct and indirect impacts on wildlife and a number of methods have been proposed to identify and quantify anthropogenic stressors that negatively impact wildlife. The ideal method would ultimately help predict the presence, absence, or population viability of animals living with a particular stressor. We critically review seven methods that have been used, or are potentially useful, to identify anthropogenic stressors on animals. We rank them from fitness indicators to disturbance indicators: breeding success, mate choice, fluctuating asymmetry, flight initiation distance, immunocompetence, glucocorticoids, and cardiac response. We describe each method’s ease of use, precision in quantifying the stressor, accuracy in predicting the presence, absence, or populationviability of a species experiencing a given stressor, and the repeatability of the results across populations and species. From this analysis, we conclude that there is no single optimal method to quantify anthropogenic stressors; method selection will depend on precise goals and fiscal constraints. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Current status of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Muscle-invasive transitional cell carcinoma occurs in approximately 30% of patients and is associated with a high risk of distant metastasis. Radical local therapy in the form of cystectomy or radiotherapy is curative in a portion of patients. Systemic therapy to treat occult micrometastasis at the time of local control is necessary to improve outcomes. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with a 5–6% improvement in overall survival at 5 years, and adjuvant chemotherapy may achieve similar results, although this remains unproven. Operative complications are not increased with neoadjuvant therapy. Perioperative treatment strategies remain underutilized, and many patients are not offered treatment to reduce the risk of relapse. Neoadjuvant strategies are a potent tool for research and should be employed to test new agents for the treatment of transitional cell carcinoma.
Low-power dual Vth pseudo dual Vdd domino circuits

Domino logic is a commonly used alternative to CMOS logic for designing circuits with high speed and/or low area requirements. Although it provides higher speed and lower area, domino logic has relatively higher dynamic power consumption than CMOS logic due to precharge/evaluate based operation. We propose a novel low-power domino gate design and also a methodology to use these low-power but slower gates with regular domino logic gates in combinational circuits to achieve low-power operation without changing the circuit delay. We apply our method on ISCAS'85 benchmark circuits and find that replacing the off-critical path normal domino gates with the proposed low-power gates reduces power consumption of the circuits by 20.6% on the average without affecting the circuit timing.
Localization of cysteine sulfinic acid uptake sites in rat brain by quantitative autoradiography.

Abstract In vitro autoradiography was employed to localize and quantify Na-dependent binding sites of [ 35 S]cysteic acid (CA), an analog of cysteine sulfinic acid (CSA). The heterogeneous anatomical distribution and pharmacological specificity of [ 35 S]CA differs from that of the glutamate/aspartate marker d -[ 3 H]aspartate, and appears to represent a specific uptake site for CSA. These results suggest that CSA may act as an excitatory transmitter in the central nervous system.
A First Look at the Damocloids

The Damocloids are objects thought, on dynamical grounds, to be inactive Halley-family and long-period comets. We present optical measurements of 12 such objects, finding that their mean Kron-Cousins colors are B - V = 0.79 ± 0.01, V - R = 0.48 ± 0.01, and R - I = 0.48 ± 0.01. The normalized reflectivity spectra are generally linear, with a mean gradient S' = 11.9% ± 1.0% per 1000 A. The latter is consistent with the mean S' = 11.6% ± 2.3% per 1000 A measured for the nuclei of (short-period) Jupiter-family comets, a surprising result given the expected very different formation locations and dynamical histories of these two types of body. The Damocloids are devoid of the ultrared matter (with S' ≥ 25% per 1000 A) that is present on many Kuiper belt objects and Centaurs, and the mean colors of the Damocloids are inconsistent with those of the Kuiper belt objects (S' = 21.1% ± 1.4% per 1000 A). The data suggest that the ultrared matter, widely thought to consist of a complex organic compound processed by prolonged exposure to cosmic rays, cannot survive long in the inner solar system. Timescales for ejection or burial of ultrared matter on the nuclei of both Jupiter-family comets and Damocloids are short. Such material may also be chemically unstable to the higher temperatures experienced in the inner planetary region.
Modeling the west Florida coastal ocean by downscaling from the deep ocean, across the continental shelf and into the estuaries

Abstract We arrive at a coastal ocean circulation model, suitable for downscaling from the deep ocean, across the continental shelf and into the estuaries, by nesting the unstructured grid, Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM, inner model) into the structured grid, Global Hybrid Coordinate Model (HYCOM, outer model). The coastal ocean circulation model is three-dimensional, density dependent and inclusive of tides (eight constituents). A calendar year 2007 simulation for the west Florida continental shelf is quantitatively tested against in situ observations of sea level from coastal tide gauges and water column currents and temperature from moored acoustic Doppler current profilers. Agreements between model simulations and observations for both tides and low frequency variability over the calendar year demonstrate the usefulness of our approach. Model horizontal resolution varies from around 12 km at the open boundary to 150 m in the estuaries. Sensitivity experiments for vertical resolution led to the adoption of 21 σ -layers. Several model limitations are discussed, including seasonal steric effects and deep ocean (outer) model errors that may propagate through the inner model. With adequate observations spanning the inner model domain, we may determine when the outer model is in error at the nesting zone. This finding further highlights the need for coordinating coastal ocean observing and modeling programs. The nesting of unstructured and structured grid models is a new approach to coastal ocean circulation modeling. It provides a means for circulation hindcasts and nowcasts/forecasts, and, after combining with biological process models, may provide a framework for multi-disciplinary modeling of coastal ocean ecology from the deep ocean to the head of tides.
Assessment of 3D proton MR echo-planar spectroscopic imaging using automated spectral analysis.

For many clinical applications of proton MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the brain, diagnostic assessment is limited by insufficient coverage provided by single- or multislice acquisition methods as well as by the use of volume preselection methods. Additionally, traditional spectral analysis methods may limit the operator to detailed analysis of only a few selected brain regions. It is therefore highly desirable to use a fully 3D approach, combined with spectral analysis procedures that enable automated assessment of 3D metabolite distributions over the whole brain. In this study, a 3D echo-planar MRSI technique has been implemented without volume preselection to provide sufficient spatial resolution with maximum coverage of the brain. Using MRSI acquisitions in normal subjects at 1.5T and a fully automated spectral analysis procedure, an assessment of the resultant spectral quality and the extent of viable data in human brain was carried out. The analysis found that 69% of brain voxels were obtained with acceptable spectral quality at TE = 135 ms, and 52% at TE = 25 ms. Most of the rejected voxels were located near the sinuses or temporal bones and demonstrated poor B0 homogeneity and additional regions were affected by stronger lipid contamination at TE = 25 ms.
The Dying Field of General Surgery: When Do We Intervene?

Background Although the number of residents choosing general surgery continues to decline, few studies have examined the factors that influence surgical residents to pursue general surgery as a career. Using a survey of former graduates, we evaluated factors that influenced residents' decisions to enter their chosen area of surgery. We then compared those residents who pursued general surgery with those that decided to subspecialize. Methods A 32-item web survey was sent to 99 graduates of a university general surgery program, all of whom matriculated between 1985 and 2006. Results were then analyzed using Fisher's exact test with significance determined as P ≤ 0.05. Results A total of 83 (84%) survey recipients replied. Of the respondents, 35 (42%) were general surgeons, 46 (55%) subspecialized, and two (3%) did not specify their field. Those that entered general surgery practices were significantly less likely to rank research opportunities and the ability to teach medical students and residents as important in choosing their current field. They were, however, more likely to rank duration of training as important compared with those who subspecialized. General surgeons were significantly more likely than those who specialized to have chosen their career paths prior to entering residency, 60% versus 4% ( P versus 36% ( P = 0.013). Conclusion In our survey, surgical residents who pursue general surgery were more likely to have chosen their career path prior to beginning residency, and to rank duration of training as an important factor in that decision. These findings suggest that the response to the decreasing numbers of general surgeons needs to happen prior to residency, and that a restructuring of surgical education may need to involve concentrating the training of general surgeons into a shorter time frame.
FOG-2: A novel GATA-family cofactor related to multitype zinc-finger proteins Friend of GATA-1 and U-shaped

GATA factors are transcriptional regulatory proteins that play critical roles in the differentiation of multiple cell types in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Recent evidence suggests that the biological activities of both mammalian and Drosophila GATA factors are controlled in part by physical interaction with multitype zinc-finger proteins, Friend of GATA-1 (FOG) and U-shaped (Ush), respectively. Here we describe a new FOG-related polypeptide, designated FOG-2, that is likely to participate in differentiation mediated by GATA factors in several tissues. Expression of FOG-2 mRNA differs from that of FOG and is largely restricted to heart, neurons, and gonads in the adult. Somewhat broader expression is evident during mouse embryonic development. Similar to FOG and Ush, FOG-2 protein interacts specifically with the amino finger of GATA factors in the yeast two-hybrid system and in mammalian cells. Remarkably, though FOG-2 is quite divergent from FOG in its primary sequence, forced expression of FOG-2 rescues terminal erythroid maturation of FOG−/− hematopoietic cells. Thus, members of the FOG family of cofactors share highly specific association with GATA factors and are substantially interchangeable with respect to some aspects of function in vivo. The interaction of GATA and FOG family members constitutes an evolutionarily conserved paradigm for transcriptional control in differentiation and organogenesis.
Control of floor heave with proper mine design—three case studies

Abstract The results of three case studies concerning the control of floor-heave problems are presented. Finite element modeling was employed to identify the causes of excessive floor heave, to propose remedial measures, and to evaluate the effectiveness of mine layout design in controlling floor heave. Five different chain pillar designs were modeled in this third study.
Ultrasonographic Determination of Pubic Symphyseal Widening in Trauma: The FAST-PS Study

Abstract Background: The focused abdominal sonography in trauma (FAST) examination is a routine component of the initial work-up of trauma patients. However, it does not identify patients with retroperitoneal hemorrhage associated with significant pelvic trauma. A wide pubic symphysis (PS) is indicative of an open book pelvic fracture and a high risk of retroperitoneal bleeding. Study Objectives: We hypothesized that an ultrasound image of the PS as part of the FAST examination (FAST-PS) would be an accurate method to determine if pubic symphysis diastasis was present. Methods: This is a comparative study of a diagnostic test on a convenience sample of 23 trauma patients at a Level 1 Trauma Center. The PS was measured sonographically in the Emergency Department (ED) and post-mortem (PM) at the State Medical Examiner. The ultrasound (US) measurements were then compared with PS width on anterior-posterior pelvis radiograph. Results: Twenty-three trauma patients were evaluated with both plain radiographs and US (11 PM, 12 ED). Four patients had radiographic PS widening (3 PM, 1 ED) and 19 patients had radiographically normal PS width; all were correctly identified with US. US measurements were compared with plain X-ray study by Bland-Altman plot. With one exception, US measurements were within 2 standard deviations of the radiographic measurements and, therefore, have excellent agreement. The only exception was a patient with pubic symphysis wider than the US probe. Conclusion: Bedside ultrasound examination may be able to identify pubic symphysis widening in trauma patients. This potentially could lead to faster application of a pelvic binder and tamponade of bleeding.