cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disability management: Key concepts and techniques for an aging workforce

The aging workforce is likely to result in increasing numbers of workers with disabilities. The US Census Bureau projects that the 45- to 54- and 55- to 64-year-old population in the United States will grow by nearly 44.2 million (17%) and 35 million (39%) in the next 10 years (US Census Bureau, 2004). By the year 2010, this group will account for nearly half (44%) of the working age population (20-64), and the number of people with disabilities between the ages of 50 and 65 will almost double (Weathers, 2006). Disability management and accommodation policies and practices readily lend themselves to addressing the challenges employers will face with an aging workforce, and the increasing prevalence of disability that these demographics bring. Proactive education about ways to maximise the productivity of an aging workforce, effective case management, and workplace accommodation can significantly contribute to maximising aging worker retention.
Atomic Force Microscope Studies of the Fusion of Floating Lipid Bilayers

This study investigated the fusion of apposing floating bilayers of egg L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (egg PC) or 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Atomic force microscope measurements of fusion forces under different compression rates were acquired to reveal the energy landscape of the fusion process under varied lipid composition and temperature. Between compression rates of approximately 1000 and approximately 100,000 pN/s, applied forces in the range from approximately 100 to approximately 500 pN resulted in fusion of floating bilayers. Our atomic force microscope measurements indicated that one main energy barrier dominated the fusion process. The acquired dynamic force spectra were fit with a simple model based on the transition state theory with the assumption that the fusion activation potential is linear. A significant shift in the energy landscape was observed when bilayer fluidity and composition were modified, respectively, by temperature and different cholesterol concentrations (15% < or = chol < or = 25%). Such modifications resulted in a more than twofold increase in the width of the fusion energy barrier for egg PC and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine floating bilayers. The addition of 25% cholesterol to egg PC bilayers increased the activation energy by approximately 1.0 k(B)T compared with that of bilayers with egg PC alone. These results reveal that widening of the energy barrier and consequently reduction in its slope facilitated membrane fusion.
Characterization of α-adrenoceptors in the late pregnant ovine uterine artery

Ring segments of uterine artery from pregnant ewes within two weeks of term were used to study alpha-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions in vitro. The order of potency for the agonists giving the same maximum contractile effect was norepinephrine greater than epinephrine greater than phenylephrine much greater than methoxamine; whereas the maximum contraction to clonidine was about 42% of that to norepinephrine. Medetomidine caused inconsistent responses and B-HT 920 was ineffective. Phentolamine (10(-7) M) and prazosin (10(-7) M), significantly (P less than 0.005) inhibited epinephrine-induced contractions, whereas yohimbine (10(-7) M) was ineffective. Clonidine-induced contractions were blocked by prazosin (10(-8) and 10(-7) M) but were insensitive to yohimbine (10(-7) M). The dissociation constant (KB) of the competitive antagonist prazosin was determined with phenylephrine. The slope of the Schild plot was not significantly different from unity. The pA2 value of prazosin with phenylephrine was 9.1 +/- 0.2. The dissociation constant (KA) and the relationship between receptor occupancy and response for the full agonists norepinephrine and phenylephrine were analyzed using the irreversible antagonist dibenamine. The KA values of norepinephrine and phenylephrine were 1.5 +/- 0.4 x 10(-6) M and 2.5 +/- 0.8 x 10(-6) M, respectively. The occupancy response relationship was nearly linear and the half-maximal response to norepinephrine or phenylephrine was obtained with a 50% receptor occupancy. These results suggest that contraction to alpha-adrenoceptor agonists in the late pregnant ovine uterine artery is mediated primarily by alpha 1-adrenoceptors, and there appears to be no substantial alpha 1-adrenoceptor reserve in this tissue. The mediation of contraction via alpha 2-adrenoceptors is not prominent in this tissue.
Sequential protein and peptide immunoaffinity capture for mass spectrometry-based quantification of total human β-nerve growth factor

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin that is implicated in the modulation of pain perception. Tanezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for NGF, is highly potent in sequestering NGF and has demonstrated efficacy for treatment of chronic pain in clinical trials. We describe a novel, sensitive immunoaffinity liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assay for quantitative determination of human serum NGF levels at baseline and after tanezumab treatment. The assay combines magnetic bead-based NGF immunoaffinity enrichment using a non-neutralizing polyclonal antibody followed by digestion and quantitation of a NGF-derived tryptic peptide via high-flow peptide immunoaffinity enrichment and nanoflow LC–MS/MS. Following validation, the assay was employed to measure total NGF concentrations in samples from clinical studies. The assay had a <10% interassay relative error and <15% interassay coefficient of variation across a range from 7.03 to 450 pg/mL human NGF. Generally, h...
Price discovery and sentiment

Abstract This paper investigates the influence of sentimental noise traders on the security price adjustment. We use De Long et al.'s (1990) definition of noise traders, who falsely believe they have special information, to extend Easley and O'Hara's (1992) seminal model. Our extended model demonstrates the existence of noise traders in the market narrows bid-ask spreads and slows down the speed of price reversion to the fundamental value. Furthermore, the bid-ask spread widens when noise trader sentiment aligns with the market maker's prior beliefs. We show that the market maker's ability to accurately predict noise traders' sentiment is positively related to the quoted bid-ask spread and to the speed of price reversion. We demonstrate that Easley and O'Hara's model is a special case of our model. Their conclusion that time is a factor in the security price adjustment process is strengthened in the presence of the erroneous sentiment of noise traders.
An ACIR Perspective on Intergovernmental Institutional Development

This article traces the creation and demise of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) and assesses the prospects for restoring an ACIR-like capability to the federal system. Recent initiatives by the National Academy of Public Administration, the Big 7 state and local government official associations, and Congress are summarized, and the facilitating and inhibiting factors associated with intergovernmental institutional development are examined. At least three ingredients in the formula that gave birth to the ACIR in 1959 will need to be present more than 50 years later: (1) support from congressional champions, the president, and public interest groups; (2) visibility and urgency of intergovernmental fiscal and management issues and the need for a permanent intergovernmental presence to address them; and (3) “homework and spadework” to enlist potential conservative and liberal interest group and think tank backers.
A Cultural‐Psychological Theory of Contemporary Islamic Martyrdom

What political, economic, religious, and emotional factors are involved in a person's decision to kill civilians and military personnel through the sacrifice of his or her own life? Data for this research were secondary analyses of interviews with Islamic martyrs, as well as their leaders’ speeches. This investigation into the cultural-psychological explanations for Islamic martyrdom leads to a model explaining a person's decision to carry out the mission as resulting from a combination of four factors: the historical-cultural context, group processes, immediate and anticipated rewards, and mechanisms to eradicate possible doubts and guilt regarding this decision. Compared to existing models, this model is more integrative and focused on the psychological processes involved.
ACCELERATED SHELF‐LIFE TESTING OF AN INTERMEDIATE MOISTURE FOOD IN AIR AND IN AN OXYGEN‐FREE ATMOSPHERE

An intermediate moisture food at water activity 0.85 was stored in air and an oxygen-free atmosphere at 25, 35 and 45°C. Various modes of deterioration were studied including rancidity, nonenzymatic browning, vitamin C loss, and organoleptic panel evaluation. It was found that all modes of deterioration deviated from an Arrhenius relationship of log (rate) vs °K−1 when higher temperature data were projected to lower temperature. These projections underestimate the true shelf life which is of benefit to the processor. This deviation may be due to mechanism changes, but most likely is a result of the heterogeneity of the system. The major mode of organoleptic deterioration was related to browning. Lysine and vitamin C losses were also very rapid. A special low oxygen scavenger web film increased shelf life significantly.
Self‐Actualization Need Strength: Moderator of Relationships Between Job Characteristics and Job Outcomes

The moderating effect of self-actualization need strength on the relationships between job characteristics and job outcomes was investigated. Results provide strong support for its effect on the relationships between job complexity and four of five outcome measures and suggest that responses of workers in the public and private sectors are similar.
A 3-valued wakeup protocol

A protocol for the wakeup problem is presented that uses a single 3-valued shared variable. This result is the best possible, settling an open question raised by Fischer et al. and also reducing the number of values necessary to solve the consensus and leader election problems.
Nucleation‐ or Growth‐Controlled Orientation Development in Chemically Derived Ferroelectric Lead Zirconate Titanate (Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3, x= 0.4) Thin Films

The profound influence of low-temperature processing steps, hitherto assumed benign from the viewpoint of texture development, is reported. On inclusion of a 400°C step and further heat treatment at 700°C, PZT (40/60) sol-gel thin films with a strong (111) texture were obtained. When the 400°C step was excluded, the films exhibited a strong (100) texture. The (111) PZT texture development is nucleation-controlled and is attributed to the solid-phase epitaxial effect. The (100) texture is considered growth-controlled in that (100) oriented grains grow preferentially so as to minimize surface energy.
A state-space approach for the dynamic analysis of viscoelastic systems

This paper presents a state-space method for the calculation of dynamic response of systems made of viscoelastic materials with exponential type relaxation kernels. Equivalent first-order systems in state-space, which respectively correspond to the homogeneous and particular solutions of the viscoelastic system, are formulated and analyzed. These two equivalent systems are solved using standard state-space methods, which greatly simplifies the analysis procedure of viscoelastic systems. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the present approach and highlight the improvement as compared to previous methods.
Notes on an Easter Ramadan

NEARLY TWENTY YEARS AGO a respected anthropologist wrote an article published in this journal about his experience of the Muslim month of fasting in a town in Aegean Turkey, "Notes on an Advent Ramadan" (Fallers). It is one of comparatively few publications on religious practice in the modem Turkish Republic, an avowedly and at times aggressively secular state that, for much of its 70-year history, has not encouraged research about religious practices within its borders. This essay, valuable and appealing in its way, is a peculiar one, particularly so coming from an anthropologist. Fallers presents himself as someone as much concerned with his own Christian responses to Islam as with his Muslim informants' meaning systems and behavior. His focus, moreover, is not so much the practices and beliefs associated with the Ramadan fast itself. Rather, central to the article are a more general interest in Islam in modem Turkey and the kinds of reactions it stimulated in Fallers' self-consciously Christian sensibility. The years intervening since 1968 when Fallers was doing the research on which his Ramadan essay is based have moved the Muslim calendar forward to a point where in the spring of 1990 Ramadan fell in late March and April rather than November-December. Those same years have witnessed scholars of religion taking to the field in ever increasing numbers to conduct research that sometimes resembles what anthropologists do. Furthermore, anthropologists now talk about being "positioned subjects" (Rosaldo), and some among them reflect on their own subjectivity and individual values somewhat more readily than before.
Vanin-1 expression and methylation discriminate pediatric asthma corticosteroid treatment response

Background There is considerable heterogeneity in asthma treatment response. Objective We sought to identify biomarkers of corticosteroid treatment response in children with asthma and evaluate the utility and mechanistic basis of these biomarkers. Methods Children (5-18 years) presenting to the emergency department with an acute asthma exacerbation were recruited and followed during hospitalization. Nasal epithelial cells were collected on presentation to the emergency department (T 0 ) and 18 to 24 hours later (T 1 ), and T 1 /T 0 gene expression ratios were analyzed to identify genes associated with good and poor corticosteroid treatment response phenotypes. The utility of these genes in discriminating between systemic corticosteroid treatment response groups was then tested prospectively in a new cohort of patients. A gene candidate (vanin-1 [VNN1] ) that consistently distinguished good versus poor response phenotypes was further studied in an experimental asthma model, and VNN1 promoter methylation was measured by means of bisulfite pyrosequencing in patients. Results VNN1 mRNA expression changes were associated with systemic corticosteroid treatment response in children with acute asthma, and VNN1 was required for optimal response to corticosteroid treatment in an experimental asthma model. A CpG site within the VNN1 promoter was differentially methylated between good versus poor treatment response groups, and methylation at this site correlated with VNN1 mRNA expression. Conclusions We have identified a biological basis for poor corticosteroid treatment response that can be used to distinguish a subgroup of asthmatic children who respond poorly to systemic corticosteroid treatment. VNN1 contributes to corticosteroid responsiveness, and changes in VNN1 nasal epithelial mRNA expression and VNN1 promoter methylation might be clinically useful biomarkers of treatment response in asthmatic children.
Spectroscopic study of the proton dynamics in manganese dioxide electrode materials

Proton or lithium diffusion is a critical electrode process that occurs in manganese dioxide electrode materials during cycling of either aqueous (alkaline) or non-aqueous (lithium) batteries. The structural and electrochemical properties of a number of hydrated alpha-phase manganese dioxide compounds ({alpha}-MnO{sub 2}{lg_bullet}nH{sub 2}O; n{approx}0.2-0.33), the heat-treated products (n{approx}0-0.1), as well as their more stable lithia-doped derivatives, {alpha}-[xLi{sub 2}O]{lg_bullet}MnO{sub 2} (0 {le} x {le} 0.25), have been investigated. Inelastic neutron scattering was used as a means to differentiate and interrogate the key proton or water interactions in these MnO{sub 2} structures. The neutron spectra reveal excitations associated with the hydrogen vibrations centered at 4, 13, 16, 26, 36, 65, 90, 110, 140, 200, 420, and 490 meV in the alpha-phase and 14, 24, 65, 84, 100, 202, and 425 meV in the lithia-doped derivatives. Band assignments were carried out by comparing these frequencies with those reported for structurally similar hydrated {gamma}-MnO{sub 2} compounds and comparison with infrared data.
Ramification in iterated towers for rational functions

Let \({\phi(x)}\) be a rational function of degree > 1 defined over a number field K and let \({\Phi_{n}(x,t) = \phi^{(n)}(x)-t \in K(x,t)}\) where \({\phi^{(n)}(x)}\) is the nth iterate of \({\phi(x)}\). We give a formula for the discriminant of the numerator of Φn(x, t) and show that, if \({\phi(x)}\) is postcritically finite, for each specialization t0 of t to K, there exists a finite set \({S_{t_0}}\) of primes of K such that for all n, the primes dividing the discriminant are contained in \({S_{t_0}}\).
Selective Excitation of Multiple-Quantum Coherence in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Wideband selective n-quantum excitation in the NMR of coupled spins is demonstrated for the first time. By a combination of multiple pulse averaging and phase shifts ϕ a pure n-quantum excitation operator can be produced (n=2π / ϕ). This allows enhancement of normally weak n-quantum transitions. Selective excitation of the zero- and four-quantum transitions in benzene illustrates this approach. Extensions to selective absorption of only groups of n photons in other regimes of spectroscopy are straight-forward, in principle.
Pathogenesis of silicosis: current concepts and hypotheses.

Silicosis is caused by the inhalation of crystalline silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2) in various forms. This review proposes that the cascade of inflammatory and fibrotic events involved in cell-mediated, and possibly humoral, immune responses also produces silicosis. The hypothesis rests on the central concept that interactions between silica and pulmonary macrophages are the pivotal events in the pathogenesis of silicosis. Resident and recruited pulmonary macrophages demonstrate intimate contact with silica from the moment of deposition, and throughout the time the particles remain in the lung. The silica probably exerts its effects on the macrophages that ingest it by altering their function while they are alive, rather than merely by disrupting them. The macrophage appears to be stimulated to secrete mediator substances, such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), which alter the function and behavior of other cells. Lymphocytes and macrophages appear in close proximity to one another in developing silicotic nodules, and increased proportions of lymphocytes are found in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from animals and humans with silica dust exposure. Hypothetically, macrophages influence and activate lymphocytes, which then feed back to amplify the response by stimulating the same or other recruited macrophages. An expanded and activated population of lymphocytes under the influence of IL-1 in turn can secrete a variety of lymphokines which profoundly alter monocyte/macrophage function. The macrophage has been implicated as a major cause for the fibrosis that accompanies silicosis. The products of activated T-lymphocytes, particularly interferon-gamma (IF-g), are potent stimulators of secretion from macrophages of a fibroblast growth competence factor, macrophage-derived growth factor (MDGF). IL-1 may have an additional stimulatory effect on fibroblasts. Neutrophils and macrophages also may be important in silicosis because of their potent ability to cause lung tissue injury. Silicosis provides a model of chronic diffuse interstitial immunologic and fibrotic lung disease in which the cause is known, can be applied in defined doses, and tracked in the lung throughout the course of the disease. Further studies should provide better understanding of the mechanisms that goven pulmonary injury, inflammation, repair, and fibrosis.
Effect of visual experience on gene expression during the development of stimulus specificity in cat brain.

Abstract The eyelids of newborn kittens were bilaterally sutured in an experiment to test the effect of patterned visual experience on genetic transcription. A comparison was made of total RNA complexity between brain RNAs from kittens with sutured eyelids and those of their unsutured littermates. The complexity of visual cortex RNA from normally sighted animals was greater than that of lid-sutured animals. In contrast, RNAs from total nonvisual cortices of sutured and unsutured kittens contained indistinguishable RNA sequence complexities, as did RNAs from subcortical structures. Thus, the normal maturation of visual cortex which is dependent on visual experience appears to involve a greater amount of genetic expression than occurs in the absence of visual experience.
Functional Expression of the Dihydrofolate Reductase Domain ofLeishmania majorDihydrofolate Reductase–Thymidylate Synthase Bifunctional Protein

Abstract The dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) domain of the bifunctional dihydrofolate reductase–thymidylate synthase from Leishmania major has been subcloned and expressed as a soluble protein in Escherichia coli strain PA414 harboring plasmid pLMDHFR. Homogeneous L. major DHFR was obtained by chromatography on methotrexate–Sepharose followed by DE52. The purified enzyme migrated as a single 25-kDa protein on SDS–PAGE. The native molecular weight was determined to be 26 kDa, indicating that the isolated domain is a monomer. N-terminal sequence analysis revealed that serine, the second amino acid in the coding sequence, was the N-terminal amino acid of the protein. The enzyme showed a pH optimum similar to that of the bifunctional protein. For purified DHFR, the K m values were m for H 2 folate and m for NADPH. The k cat of the most active DHFR preparation was 5 s −1 . The K m and k cat values were similar to those of the bifunctional enzyme.
U.S. Defense Spending, Electoral Cycles, and Soviet-American Relations:

We investigate whether U.S. defense spending has been systematically increased (or decreased) during national election years for the presumed purpose of influencing the economy in general and the electorate in particular. Our analysis of five major kinds of defense spending essentially showed no support for a two- or four-year electoral-defense spending cycle. Instead, we find that two international factors, war and the state of U.S.-Soviet relations, have been largely responsible for the distinctively irregular pattern of post-1945 U.S. defense spending.
Olfactory morphology of carcharhinid and sphyrnid sharks: does the cephalofoil confer a sensory advantage?

Many hypotheses have been advanced to explain the adaptive significance of the sphyrnid cephalo- foil, including potential advantages of spacing the olfac- tory organs at the distal tips of the broad surface. We employed comparative morphology to test whether the sphyrnid cephalofoil provides better stereo-olfaction, in- creases olfactory acuity, and samples a greater volume of the medium compared to the situation in carcharhiniform sharks. The broadly spaced nares provide sphyrnid spe- cies with a significantly greater separation between the olfactory rosettes, which could lead to an enhanced ability to resolve odor gradients. In addition, most sphyrnid spe- cies possess prenarial grooves that greatly increase the volume of water sampled by the nares and thus increase the probability of odorant encounter. However, despite a much greater head width, and a significantly greater number of olfactory lamellae, scalloped hammerhead sharks do not possess a greater amount of olfactory epi- thelial surface area than the carcharhiniform sandbar sharks. Therefore, sphyrnid sharks might not possess any greater olfactory acuity than carcharhinids. Despite this, there are clear olfactory advantages to the cephalofoil head morphology that could have led to its evolution, persistence, and diversification. J. Morphol. 264:253-263, 2005. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. "…it would appear that the fish, by a sort of centrifugal action, go on shaking out the comparatively soft materi- als of the head more and more to the sides." (Kyle, 1926) The eight species of hammerhead sharks (Car- charhiniformes, Sphyrnidae) possess a head mor- phology that is unique among extant vertebrate taxa. Their name is derived from their dorsoven- trally compressed and laterally expanded neurocra- nial morphology, which, when viewed dorsally, re- sembles a doubled-ended mallet or hammer. This peculiar cranial morphology has been termed the "cephalofoil" in recognition of its wing-like appear- ance (Compagno, 1984, 1988). Various hypotheses have been advanced to explain the function and adaptive significance of the cephalofoil but only a few have been empirically tested (Table 1). Several hypothetical sensory advantages have been ascribed to the cephalofoil including various perceived ad- vances in olfactory capability. The olfactory hypoth-
Feeding Mechanism of the Atlantic Guitarfish Rhinobatos Lentiginosus: Modulation of Kinematic and Motor Activity

The kinematics and muscle activity pattern of the head and jaws during feeding in the Atlantic guitarfish Rhinobatos lentiginosus are described and quantified using high-speed video and electromyography to test hypotheses regarding the conservation and modulation of the feeding mechanism. Prey is captured by the guitarfish using suction. Suction capture, bite manipulation and suction transport behaviors in the guitarfish are similar to one another in the relative sequence of kinematic and motor activity, but can be distinguished from one another by variation in absolute muscle activation time, in the presence or absence of muscle activity and in the duration of muscle activity. A novel compression transport behavior was observed that is strikingly different from the other feeding behaviors and has not been described previously in elasmobranchs. The mechanism of upper jaw protrusion in the guitarfish differs from that described in other elasmobranchs. Muscle function and motor pattern during feeding are similar in the plesiomorphic cranial muscles in the guitarfish and the spiny dogfish probably because of their shared ancestral morphology. Modulation in recruitment of jaw and hyoid depressor muscles among feeding behaviors in the guitarfish may be a consequence of duplication of muscles and decoupling of the jaws and hyoid apparatus in batoids. Summary
Kinematic and thermal evolution during two-stage exhumation of a Mediterranean subduction complex

[1] We examine the kinematic and thermal evolution of the Nevado-Filabride Complex (NFC), an Early to Middle Miocene subduction complex within the Betic Cordillera of southern Spain. Thermobarometry from the NFC in the Sierra Alhamilla reveals an inverted geothermal gradient, with peak temperatures and pressures of 560°C and 13 kbar reached in the uppermost tectonic unit. The NFC cooled during exhumation, defining a linear PT path that remained within the stability field of kyanite until the aluminosilicate breakdown reaction. Geo- and thermochronology suggest the NFC was subducted and exhumed to the surface within ∼10 m.y., recording an early stage of fast cooling from peak T through ∼250°C, followed by a late stage of slower cooling as the rocks approached the surface. The exhumation is associated with a progressive change in kinematics, with early co-axial fabrics showing NNE-SSW-trending stretching lineations, and late non-coaxial fabrics showing SSW-trending lineations. A new tectonic model is proposed to explain these data, in which rocks at the leading edge of the Iberian margin were subducted southeastward beneath the thin, hot, Alboran lithosphere to form the NFC. The rocks at the top of the slab began to be exhumed once they reached 48–67 km depth. They were initially exhumed rapidly along the top of the subducting slab, in a subduction channel geometry; then upon reaching the middle crust, were captured by a low-angle detachment fault with a WSW shear sense and final exhumation was accommodated more slowly in a core-complex geometry.
Japanese Models of Conflict Resolution

The sumo wrestlers on the cover provide an interesting initial perspective. Social scientists examine various aspects of the subject in industrial relations, the labor market, religion, leisure, bureaucracy and government. Considers how Japanese capitalism differs from Western capitalism how Japanes
Nicotine Dependence and Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders: Examination of Specific Genetic Variants in the CHRNA5-A3-B4 Nicotinic Receptor Genes

a b s t r a c t Background: The associations between nicotine dependence and specific variants in the nicotinic receptor CHRNA5-A3-B4 subunit genes are irrefutable with replications in many studies. The relationship between the newly identified genetic risk variants for nicotine dependence and comorbid psychiatric disorders is unclear. We examined whether these genetic variants were associated with comorbid disorders and whether comorbid psychiatric disorders modified the genetic risk of nicotine dependence. Methods: In a case control study of nicotine dependence with 2032 subjects of European descent, we used logistic regression models to examine the pleiotropy and risk moderation. Comorbid disorders examined were alcohol dependence, cannabis dependence, major depressive disorder, panic attack, social phobia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Results: Nicotine dependence was associated with every examined comorbid psychiatric disorders, with odds ratio varying from 1.75 to 3.33. No evidence supported the associations between the genetic variants and the comorbid disorders (pleiotropy). No evidence suggested that the risks for nicotine dependence associated with the genetic variants vary with comorbid psychiatric disorders in general, but the power was limited in detecting interactions. Conclusions: The genetic risks of nicotine dependence associated with the CHRNA5-A3-B4 subunit genes are specific, and not shared among commonly comorbid psychiatric disorders. The risks for nicotine dependence associated with these genetic variants are not modified by comorbid psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder or alcohol dependence. However, the power is an important limitation in studying the interplay of comorbidity and genetic variants.
PROGmiR: a tool for identifying prognostic miRNA biomarkers in multiple cancers using publicly available data

Identification of prognostic biomarkers is hallmark of cancer genomics. Since miRNAs regulate expression of multiple genes, they act as potent biomarkers in several cancers. Identification of miRNAs that are prognostically important has been done sporadically, but no resource is available till date that allows users to study prognostics of miRNAs of interest, utilizing the wealth of available data, in major cancer types. In this paper, we present a web based tool that allows users to study prognostic properties of miRNAs in several cancer types, using publicly available data. We have compiled data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and recently developed “The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)”, to create this tool. The tool is called “PROGmiR” and it is available at http://www.compbio.iupui.edu/progmir . Currently, our tool can be used to study overall survival implications for approximately 1050 human miRNAs in 16 major cancer types. We believe this resource, as a hypothesis generation tool, will be helpful for researchers to link miRNA expression with cancer outcome and to design mechanistic studies. We studied performance of our tool using identified miRNA biomarkers from published studies. The prognostic plots created using our tool for specific miRNAs in specific cancer types corroborated with the findings in the studies.
Fractal-based compression of motion video sequences

An approach is presented for the compression of motion video sequences using iterated function systems. In the proposed approach, the video stream is partitioned into three-dimensional range regions. Each range region consists of a variable number of rectangular blocks that belong to consecutive frames along motion trajectory. The approach exploits correlation between consecutive blocks in the direction of motion by predicting the IFS map of a given range block with that of a parent range block along the trajectory of motion. The proposed approach shows good promise for efficient modeling and compression of motion video sequences at an affordable computational cost. >
Observed allocations of productivity and biomass, and turnover times in tropical forests are not accurately represented in CMIP5 Earth system models

A significant fraction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions is assimilated by tropical forests and stored as biomass, slowing the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere. Because different plant tissues have different functional roles and turnover times, predictions of carbon balance of tropical forests depend on how earth system models (ESMs) represent the dynamic allocation of productivity to different tree compartments. This study shows that observed allocation of productivity, biomass, and turnover times of main tree compartments (leaves, wood, and roots) are not accurately represented in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 ESMs. In particular, observations indicate that biomass saturates with increasing productivity. In contrast, most models predict continuous increases in biomass with increases in productivity. This bias may lead to an over-prediction of carbon uptake in response to CO2 or climate-driven changes in productivity. Compartment-specific productivity and biomass are useful benchmarks to assess terrestrial ecosystem model performance. Improvements in the predicted allocation patterns and turnover times by ESMs will reduce uncertainties in climate predictions.
Amyloid precursor protein-induced axonopathies are independent of amyloid-β peptides

Overexpression of amyloid precursor protein (APP), as well as mutations in the APP and presenilin genes, causes rare forms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). These genetic changes have been proposed to cause AD by elevating levels of amyloid-b peptides (Ab), which are thought to be neurotoxic. Since overexpression of APP also causes defects in axonal transport, we tested whether defects in axonal transport were the result of Ab poisoning of the axonal transport machinery. Because directly varying APP levels also alters APP domains in addition to Ab, we perturbed Ab generation selectively by combining APP transgenes in Drosophila and mice with presenilin-1 (PS1) transgenes harboring mutations that cause familial AD (FAD). We found that combining FAD mutant PS1 with FAD mutant APP increased Ab42/Ab40 ratios and enhanced amyloid deposition as previously reported. Surprisingly, however, this combination suppressed rather than increased APP-induced axonal transport defects in both Drosophila and mice. In addition, neuronal apoptosis induced by expression of FAD mutant human APP in Drosophila was suppressed by co-expressing FAD mutant PS1. We also observed that directly elevating Ab with fusions to the Familial British and Danish Dementia-related BRI protein did not enhance axonal transport phenotypes in APP transgenic mice. Finally, we observed that perturbing Ab ratios in the mouse by combining FAD mutant PS1 with FAD mutant APP did not enhance APP-induced behavioral defects. A potential mechanism to explain these findings was suggested by direct analysis of axonal transport in the mouse, which revealed that axonal transport or entry of APP into axons is reduced by FAD mutant PS1. Thus, we suggest that APP-induced axonal defects are not caused by Ab.
Effects of photodynamic therapy on the endocytic pathway

In this report, we describe an effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on membrane trafficking in murine 1c1c7 hepatoma cells. A brief exposure of 1c1c7 cells to a 20 nM concentration of the phosphatidylinositol kinase class-3 antagonist wortmannin led to the rapid appearance of cytoplasmic vacuoles. Fluorescence monitoring of plasma membrane-associated 1-[4-(trimethylamino)phenyl]-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene (TDPH) over time demonstrated that the wortmannin-induced vacuoles were derived from endocytosed plasma membrane. Low-dose photodamage catalyzed by the lysosomal photosensitizer NPe6, prior to the addition of wortmannin, prevented formation of these vacuoles. NPe6 was found to suppress for several hours the normal trafficking of TDPH-labeled plasma membrane to the cytosol, and the formation of punctate TDPH-labeled cytoplasmic vesicles. The ability of NPe6-induced photodamage to suppress wortmannin-induced vacuolization occurred under conditions that did not disrupt lysosomes and were at or below the threshold of cytostatic/cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, the suppressive effects of NPe6-PDT were not prevented by inclusion of an agent that stabilized lysosomal membranes, or by E64d, an inhibitor of lysosomal cathepsin proteases. Mitochondrial photodamage was less effective at preventing wortmannin-induced vacuole formation and PDT directed against the ER had no effect. The role of photodamage to the endocytic pathway may be a hitherto unexplored effect on cells that selectively accumulate photosensitizing agents. These results indicate that photodamage directed against endosomes/lysosomes has effects independent of the release of lysosomal proteases.
The Wayward Flock: Catholic Youth in Postwar West Germany, 1945-1965

The Wayward Flock: Catholic Youth in Postwar West Germany offers readers an elegantly written analysis of German Catholic subculture, or “milieu.” Ruff examines how it once successfully operated in the mid-nineteenth century and then explores why the same strategies failed to win the continued support of young Catholics in the postwar era of the Federal Republic. Ruff modifies the standard interpretation of the 1950s as a static time in German history, examines the impact of consumer culture on the Catholic subculture, and offers his own contribution to the theories of secularization.
A New and Rather Long Proof of the Pythagorean Theorem by Way of a Proposition on Isosceles Triangles

This paper provides a new proof of the Pythagoras Theorem on right-angled triangles via two new lemmas pertaining to, respectively, isosceles triangles and right-angled triangles, which are of pedagogical value in themselves.
Observability of gamma rays from neutralino annihilations in the Milky Way substructure

We estimate the probability of detecting gamma rays from the annihilation of neutralino dark matter in dense, central regions of Milky Way substructure. We characterize galactic substructure statistically based on Monte Carlo realizations of the formation of a Milky Way--like halo using a semianalytic method that has been calibrated against the results of high-resolution N-body simulations. We find that it may be possible for the upcoming experiments GLAST and VERITAS, working in concert, to detect gamma rays from dark matter substructure if the neutralino is relatively light ${(M}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}\ensuremath{\lesssim}100\mathrm{GeV}),$ while for ${M}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}500\mathrm{GeV}$ such a detection would be unlikely. We perform most of our calculations within the framework of the standard $\ensuremath{\Lambda}\mathrm{CDM}$ cosmological model; however, we also investigate the robustness of our results to various assumptions and find that the probability of detection is sensitive to poorly constrained input parameters, particularly those that characterize the primordial power spectrum. Specifically, the best-fitting power spectrum of the WMAP team, with a running spectral index, predicts roughly a factor of fifty fewer detectable subhalos compared to the standard $\ensuremath{\Lambda}\mathrm{CDM}$ cosmological model with scale-invariant power spectrum. We conclude that the lack of a detected gamma-ray signal gives very little information about the supersymmetric parameter space due to uncertainties associated with both the properties of substructure and cosmological parameters.
Myopericytoma of the oral cavity.

Background. Myopericytoma is a rare mesenchy- mal neoplasm of pericytic cells demonstrating myoid differentia- tion. The lesion typically arises within the subcutaneous tissue of the extremities. We report a case that, to the best of our knowl- edge, is the first case of myopericytoma involving the soft tissue of the oral cavity. Methods. A 36-year-old woman had a 5-mm sessile, whitish- pink, firm tongue nodule. The patient underwent excisional bi- opsy, and histopathologic examination as well as immunohisto- chemical analysis were performed. Results. The differential diagnosis by histologic analysis included solitary fibrous tumor, myofibroma, glomus tumor, and myopericytoma. The results of immunohistochemical analysis, when combined with the histologic features, led to a diagnosis of myopericytoma. Conclusions. Applying strict morphologic criteria and appropri- ately selective immunohistochemical markers will help to distinguish myopericytoma in the oral cavity. V C 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 29: 605-608, 2007
Coronary Vasospasm Induced During Isoproterenol Head-Up Tilt Test

C spasm has been reported to be related to syncope and sudden death.1 The head-up tilt test is known as a useful method in the evaluation of syncope of unknown origin.2 No report has shown that the tilt test can provoke coronary spasm. We present 3 cases in which coronary spasm was induced during an isoproterenol tilt-table test and discuss the mechanism. • • • CASE 1: A 47-year-old man was admitted for workup of recurrent syncope, which followed chest tightness in the early morning. Physical examination, resting 12lead electrocardiogram, chest xray, echocardiogram, and biochemistry were normal. Exercise stress testing did not provoke an ischemic response and his coronary angiogram showed normal coronary arteries. Then, a tilt test was performed with an isoproterenol infusion at doses of 1, 2, and 3 mg/min at each stage including supine and 70° head-up tilt for 6 minutes. The baseline heart rate was 59 beats/min. After progressively increasing the dose of isoproterenol to 3 mg/min for 6 minutes, his heart rate increased a little to 61 beats/ min with a blood pressure of 96/48 mm Hg. Five minutes after head upright tilting with a 3 mg/min isoproterenol infusion, blood pressure and heart rate increased to 109/54 mm Hg and to 90 beats/min respectively, and meanwhile, a progressive elevation in the ST segment in multiple leads was also noted (Figure 1). The initial ST-segment elevation was found in leads II, III, and aVF, subsequently shifting to leads I, aVL, and precordial leads V1 to V6. Thereafter, chest tightness developed with marked hypotension (blood pressure 58/34 mm Hg). These conditions resolved after lying down and after sublingual nitroglycerin was administered. Electrocardiographic abnormalities returned to normal completely after 24 hours. Holter monitoring documented transient ST-segment elevation with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia at 1:30 A.M. (Figure 2). After treatment with nifedipine and isosorbide nitrate, this patient was free of chest pain and syncope, and no more ST-segment changes were induced by repeat tilt test. CASE 2: A 65-year-old man had 4 episodes of near syncope following typical chest discomfort in the morning. Resting electrocardiogram and coronary angiogram were normal. A tilt test were performed with a blood pressure of 115/85 mm Hg and a heart rate of 78 beats/min at baseline. During From the Cardiology Section, Department of Medicine, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan. Dr. Cherng’s address is: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 222 Mai Chin Road, Keelung, Taiwan. Manuscript received June 12, 1997; revised manuscript received and accepted September 5, 1997. FIGURE 1. Twelve-lead electrocardiogram (Case 1) showing ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF after a 5-minute head-up tilt with an isoproterenol infusion at a rate of 3 mg/min. ST elevation migrated to leads I, aVL, and V1 to V6 8 minutes later with complete resolution after 24 hours.
Decentralized Path Planner for Multi-robot Systems

In this paper, a distributed path planner is presented based on a hierarchical control structure for a virtual vehicle system. The high-level planner cooperates closely with lower level planners to determine the shortest path for the virtual vehicle. The computation task is distributed among all the mobile robots to achieve better load balancing and efficient use of available computational resources. Moreover, a dynamic environment is considered in the path planner. With prior knowledge about the environment, the planner efficiently adjusts the original planned path and generates a new collision-free path when the sensor readings in the mobile robots report that a new obstacle has been detected. A virtual structure for a rigid-body transportation system that employs a large number of robots to lift a rigid body and transport it to a user specified location is presented along with the distributed path planner.
L-cone pigment genes expressed in normal colour vision

Abstract To directly test the hypothesis that only two pigment genes are expressed from the X-chromosome array, we examined expressed M and L pigment gene sequences from >100 male eye donors. In this sample, there were eight men who expressed high levels of more than one L pigment gene in addition to M pigment genes. The fact that these eyes expressed both L and M pigment genes at significant levels suggests they were from men with normal colour vision. We reject the hypothesis that only two pigment genes from one X-chromosome array can be expressed.
2009: signaling breakthroughs of the year.

Nominations for this year9s signaling breakthroughs spanned physiology, therapeutics and drug development, neuroscience, and plant signaling. Among the most exciting advances in mammalian biology were therapeutic applications of research that are overturning the conventional boundaries of signaling pathways, unexpected mechanisms to prolong life and prevent aging, new insights into schizophrenia and memory, development of a transgenic primate model, and the discovery that the cells in the lungs can “taste” noxious substances. In plant signaling, the nominations converged on the identification of the elusive receptor for the plant stress hormone abscisic acid. Finally, methodological advances were also noted with new techniques in synthetic biology enabling the precise spatiotemporal control of signaling events and increasingly facile methods for creation and analysis of proteomic data yielding tremendous increases in raw data and insights into cellular regulation.
Large eddy simulation of indoor airflow with a filtered dynamic subgrid scale model

Abstract Accurate prediction of the distributions of indoor airflow is very important for designing a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. This paper uses a large eddy simulation (LES) program with a filtered dynamic subgrid scale model to calculate natural, forced and mixed convection flows in rooms. The predicted air velocity, air temperature and turbulence distributions agree reasonably well with the corresponding experimental data. The LES has great potential for the simulation of indoor airflow.
The Influence of Piezoelectric Grain Resonance on the Dielectric Spectra of LiNbO3 Ceramics

It has often been suggested that the higher frequency dispersion (f∼107∼108 Hz) evident in the dielectric response of high-permittivity ferroelectric ceramics might be associated with piezoelectrically driven resonant mechanical motion of individual grains. The hypothesis certainly appears reasonable, but so far no direct verification appears to have been attempted. Our discovery that the individual crystallite resonances are well preserved in poled LiNbO3 bicrystals suggested that we explore the dispersion of LiNbO3 ceramics. In both conventionally sintered and uniaxially hot-pressed ceramics, the dielectric dispersion around 108 Hz has obvious resonant character. Using a modified ECAP computer program demonstrated that both the real and imaginary components of the impedance can be quantitatively described using the equivalent circuit models for the coupled individual grain resonances.