cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Test-taking anxiety and psychological needs.

Facilitating (F) and debilitating (D) test-taking anxieties as measured by the Alpert-Haber Achievement Anxiety Test were correlated with psychological needs as measured by the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (PPS). Ss were 201 members (98 males, 103 females) of a sophomore social science class. For F anxiety, significant correlations for males were obtained with Needs-Achievement, Affiliation, Intraception, Succorance, Exhibition and Nurturance. For D anxiety, the significant correlations for males were Needs-Abasement, Exhibition, Achievement, Deference and Dominance. For females, F anxiety was only correlated with Needs-Achievement, while D anxiety was related to Needs-Intraception, Order and Exhibition. It appears that certain personality needs seem related to these types of anxieties, particularly for males.
Effects of androgen administration on the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor I axis in men with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome wasting.

It is unknown whether hypogonadism contributes to decreased insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) production and/or how testosterone administration may effect the GH-IGF-I axis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) wasting syndrome (AWS). In this study, we investigate the GH-IGF-I axis in men with the AWS and determine the effects of testosterone on GH secretory dynamics, pulse characteristics determined from overnight frequent sampling, arginine stimulation, and total and free IGF-I levels. Baseline GH-IGF-I parameters in hypogonadal men with AWS (n = 51) were compared before testosterone administration (300 mg, im, every 3 weeks vs. placebo for 6 months) with cross-sectional data obtained in two age-matched control groups: eugonadal men with AIDS wasting (n = 10) and healthy age-matched normal men (n = 15). The changes in GH-IGF-I parameters were then compared prospectively in testosterone- and placebo-treated patients. Mean overnight GH lev...
The stratigraphic expression of a large negative carbon isotope excursion from the Ediacaran Johnnie Formation, Death Valley

The Rainstorm Member of the Ediacaran Johnnie Formation of the southern Basin and Range, US, records a large negative excursion in carbon isotope ratios of carbonate strata (δ^(13)C_VPDB > −6‰). The character of the excursion raises fundamental questions about whether this isotopic pattern is accurately capturing the time-series behavior of marine dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) or is a product of diagenesis. To explore this issue, we examined the expression of this isotopic excursion within the Johnnie oolite, a ~2 m thick marker bed, which records the highest rate of change in δ^(13)C. Sedimentologically, the oolite unit is thought to be time-transgressive; if the isotopic excursion reflects time-series behavior of the carbon cycle, its expression in the oolite across the basin should systematically align the sections according to their slight diachroneity. Detailed carbon and oxygen isotopic stratigraphy of the oolite at seven different locations indicates the magnitude of the excursion at the base of the oolite is spatially variable such that after a palinspastic reconstruction the sections align along a systematic north to south gradient in the isotopic data. The oolite preserved in the Old Dad Mountains, the most southerly section measured, is an outlier to this trend (and the most difficult to ordinate accurately in the reconstruction), showing the largest isotopic range between the onset of carbonate deposition and top of the oolite. Several hypotheses are congruent with these data, but the sum of observations is best explained by a scenario wherein the oolite is time-transgressive and deposited in a north to south manner throughout the onset of the isotopic excursion. If correct, this implies that the stratigraphic δ^(13)C pattern reflects time series behavior of marine DIC.
MybP-C Slow: a Novel Phosphoprotein of Skeletal Muscles

Myosin Binding Protein-C slow (MyBP-C slow) is a thick filament associated protein, consisting of seven immunoglobulin (Ig) and three fibronectin-III (Fn-III) motifs, arranged in tandem. Four alternatively spliced forms of MyBP-C slow, referred to as variants 1-4, have been characterized in skeletal muscles. These differ in three regions; variants 1 and 2 contain a 25-residues long insertion at the extreme, non-modular NH2-terminus, variant 3 carries an 18-amino acid long segment within Ig7 and variant 1 contains a unique COOH-terminus consisting of 26-amino acids, while variant 4 does not possess any of these insertions. Our recent work has indicated that variants 1-4 are expressed in different amounts in distinct skeletal muscles and exhibit diverse topographies. To date, the regulatory mechanisms that modulate the activities of MyBP-C slow are unknown. We used proteomics tools to examine the profile of MyBP-C slow in flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscle. To this end, protein homogenates prepared from adult FDB muscles of mouse origin were treated with different kinases, phosphatases or their inhibitors, and analyzed by isoelectric focusing and 2-dimensional SDS-PAGE. We found that MyBP-C slow, similar to its cardiac counterpart, is phosphorylated by Protein Kinase A, and additional, yet unidentified, kinases. Using high-stringency phosphorylation prediction software, we also found that the three novel insertions present in variants 1-3 contain consensus phosphorylation motifs for PKA and other Ser/Thr kinases. We are currently mutagenizing the predicted sites and examining their ability to be phosphorylated in vitro by PKA, as well as two other major kinases associated with the thick filaments: titin kinase and obscurin kinase. Our studies are the first to show that MyBP-C slow is a phosphoprotein and a substrate of PKA, and to suggest a novel mechanism that may regulate its activities in skeletal muscle.
Clinical Verifocal Mirror Display System At The University Of Utah

A verifocal mirror display system has been constructed at the University of Utah for medical imaging applications. The device has undergone trials in the Department of Radiology with X-ray CT, ultrasound, and NMR data. Potential applications for an improved portable display system are described.
Stereovision Bias Removal by Autocorrelation

Sub pixel interpolation of stereo disparity is essential to achieve adequate range resolution for many applications, especially in autonomous navigation. Sub pixel interpolation is plagued by systematic biases caused by pixel-locking, foreshortening, and scaling phenomena. Prior work on this problem has produced partial solutions or solutions that are undesirably slow for real-time applications. We describe a new algorithm ? Stereovision Bias Removal by Autocorrelation (SBRA) ? to correct these biases. SBRA addresses all three of these causes of bias, achieving 0.02 pixel RMS disparity error in synthetic stereo image data and a significant error reduction on real stereo images for which no ground truth is available. SBRA is simple and fast, increasing the runtime of a sum square difference (SSD) stereo matching algorithm by about 10%.
Broadcast with Hitch-hiking in Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks (Invited Talk Abstract)

Summary form only given. There have been papers indicating that the maximal ratio combiner device can result in energy savings in wireless ad hoc networks by using hitch-hiking. We study the min-energy broadcast with hitch-hiking problem, an idealized version of broadcast using hitch-hiking, a problem studied experimentally in the INFOCOM 2004 paper of Agarwal et al. min-energy broadcast with hitch-hiking captures the maximum savings one can achieve in broadcasting using maximal ratio combiners. We show that the optimum of the classical min-energy broadcast problem is at most O(log2 n) times the optimum of min-energy broadcast with hitch-hiking, where n is the number of nodes in the networks. We show that this bound is tight up to a constant. Moreover, the same bounds hold for Unicast. In the special case when the nodes are on a line and the power requirement for node u to reach node v is d(u, v)K, where d(u, v) the Euclidean distance between u and v and k is the signal attenuation exponent, which is assumed to be in between 2 and 5, we show that the optimum of the min-energy broadcast problem is at most a constant times optimum of min-energy broadcast with hitch-hiking. A formal definition of min-energy broadcast with hitch-hiking is given below. The input consists of a complete directed graph G = (V, E) with power requirement function c : E rarr R+ , and a source s epsi V. The output consists of a permutation tau = of V with vn = s and power assignment p(v) of every vertex v. For every 1 les i les i 1 we have Sigmai = 1 j - 1 q(vivj) ges 1. The objective is to minimize Sigmai = 1 n p(vi)
Cultural control of cotton insect pests in the United States

Abstract During the past two decades, cotton production in the United States has largely shifted from production systems heavily dependent on broad-spectrum pesticides to systems utilizing an array of cultural and biological controls. Cultural controls embody an array of potential pest-control tactics, ranging from initial cultivar selection to a sequence of agronomic practices starting before planting and ending after harvest. Many of these strategies are singularly effective against one or more cotton insect pests, and may become particularly potent when used in conjunction with other cultural practices in an organized community-wide pest-management effort. The principal cultural practices employed against cotton insect pests in the United States are discussed, and an emerging programme of cultural controls in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (USA) is summarized.
Neural development: How cadherins zipper up neural circuits

Recent studies suggest that members of the cadherin family of homophilic cell adhesion molecules play an important role in the formation and stabilization of the complex neural circuitry of the brain.
Late ureteral obstruction after endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux with polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer.

Objective To investigate the incidence and presentation of ureteral obstruction after endoscopic injection of polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer (PPC) for the treatment of vesicoureteral reflux, and to analyze its possible causes, together with histopathologic assessment. Patients and Methods The data of 189 patients who underwent endoscopic injection of PPC between May 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. After the injection, patients were followed up by urinalysis and ultrasonography monthly for 3 months. Control voiding cystouretrography was performed in the third postoperative month. Patients were then followed up by ultrasound every 3 months. If a new-onset hydroureteronephrosis (HUN) was observed, control ultrasound was performed monthly to follow the change in the degree of HUN. If a moderate or severe HUN was observed, technetium-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine or dimercaptosuccinic acid scintigraphy was performed. For patients who needed open surgery, Cohen ureteroneocystostomy was performed. The distal 1 cm of the ureters was resected and examined histopathologically. Results One hundred eighty-nine patients with 268 refluxing ureters underwent endoscopic injection of PPC. Ureteral obstruction was observed in 3 ureters (1.1%), in 3 female patients of whom the degrees of reflux were grade 4, 5, and 5, respectively. Obstruction showed late onset in all 3 patients. Manifestations of obstruction included pain in 2 patients and recurrent febrile urinary tract infection with loss of function in scintigraphy in 1. All 3 patients underwent open ureteroneocystostomy. Conclusion PPC may cause ureteral obstruction several months or even years after injection. Patients who undergo endoscopic treatment of PPC need long-term follow-up, despite reflux showing complete resolution.
Transmission delays in hardware clock synchronization

Various methods, both with software and hardware, have been proposed to synchronize a set of physical clocks in the system. Software methods are very flexible and economical but suffer an excessive time overhead, whereas hardware methods require no time overhead but are unable to handle transmission delays in clock signals. The effects of nonzero transmission delays in synchronization have been studied extensively in the communication area in the absence of malicious or Byzantine faults. The authors show that it is easy to incorporate the ideas from the communication area into the existing hardware clock synchronization algorithms in order to take into account the presence of both malicious faults and nonzero transmission delays. >
How Will Exercise Capacity Gain Enough Respect

In July 1984, Jim Fixx collapsed suddenly during a run, dying at 52 years of age of autopsy-proven coronary atherosclerosis. Fixx had popularized interest in the benefits of exercise, in part through his writings about his own self-transformation from a sedentary to a physically active life. In the wake of his sudden death, medical professionals and public followers were confused, and in some cases, dumbfounded. It can be argued that Fixx had beaten the odds by quitting smoking, losing weight, and becoming fit, thereby gaining years of life over what his genetic background foretold. Still, how was it possible that he should succumb to heart disease at a relatively young age, when, through his own hard work, he had realized the highest levels of physical fitness? Fixx and others had argued that physical activity and fitness were powerful promoters of good health and long life, and they had scientific data to back them up. Or so they thought. In one of the many newspaper articles that appeared after Fixx's death, Dr Robert Ascheim, a Cornell University cardiologist, admitted, “Does running benefit you? Nobody really has a clear answer.”1 Article see p 1377 In the 27 years since Fixx's death, scientists from many disciplines have published an enormous body of work on the physiological and metabolic effects of exercise. Higher levels of physical activity and exercise capacity are correlated with lower levels of blood pressure, heart rate, and tendency to thrombosis, and with higher levels of parasympathetic tone, cardiovascular reserve, endogenous thrombolysis, and endothelial function.2 Population-based and clinical epidemiological investigators have consistently observed a strong and inverse association between exercise capacity and adverse health outcomes.3 Scientists from the Cooper Clinic have been among the leaders in showing that men and women with greater exercise capacity have lower rates …
Effects of Repeated Alcohol Deprivations on Operant Ethanol Self-Administration by Alcohol-Preferring (P) Rats

We reported that repeated alcohol deprivations prolonged the expression of an alcohol-deprivation effect (ADE) under 24-h free-choice alcohol-drinking access and that the duration of the initial deprivation period had a positive effect of prolonging the duration of the ADE. In the present study, operant techniques (including progressive ratio measures) were used to examine the effects of initial deprivation length and number of deprivation cycles on the magnitude and duration of the ADE in alcohol-preferring (P) rats to test the hypothesis that repeated deprivations can increase the reinforcing effects of ethanol (ETOH). Adult male P rats were trained in two-lever operant chambers to self-administer 15% ETOH (v/v) on a fixed-ratio 5 (FR-5) and water on a FR-1 schedule of reinforcement in daily 1-h sessions. Following 6 weeks of daily 1-h sessions, the P rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n=10/group): nondeprived or deprived of alcohol for 2, 5, or 8 weeks. Following this initial period, the deprived groups were given 15% ETOH again in the operant chambers for a 2-week period, following which they were deprived again for 2 weeks (all three deprived groups). Following the fourth deprivation, the rats underwent a progressive ratio test to determine the breakpoints (FR values) for the nondeprived and the deprived groups. Repeated deprivations increased both the magnitude and duration of the ADE as indicated by increased responding on the ETOH lever. However, the length of the initial deprivation had little effect on expression of the ADE except following the first deprivation, where an ADE was not observed for the 8-week group. Breakpoint values for responding on the ETOH lever for all three deprived groups were two-fold higher than the value for the nondeprived group. The results suggest that repeated cycles of alcohol deprivation and alcohol access increased the reinforcing effects of ETOH in the P rats.
Infant Feeding Styles: Barriers and Opportunities for Good Nutrition in India

India has the lion's share of malnourished children in the world. Poverty and social exclusion contribute to this rate of malnutrition, but care practices also play a role. Breastfeeding is rarely exclusive, sanitation tends to be limited, complementary feeding often begins late, and the quantities are small. In the past, government programs have focused on the supply of food rather than caring practices. A research agenda will include both operational research on the nutrition programs, and formative and intervention research to improve caring practices, particularly those around infant and young child feeding.
Case Reports: Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Typical Atrial Flutter and the Atrioventricular Junction via the Superior Vena Caval Approach in a Patient with a Congenital Absence of an Inferior Vena Cava

The absence of an inferior vena cava is a rare congenital condition often without clinical significance. Alternative venous approaches are often needed to treat these patients. We report a case of successful ablation of both isthmus dependent flutter and the AV junction using the superior vena cava in a patient with an inferior vena cava anomaly.
Geology of San Nicolas Island, Ventura County, California: ABSTRACT

San Nicolas Island is the outermost of a group of eight islands off southern California. Point Mugu is the nearest point on the mainland, about 63 miles north; Los Angeles City Hall is approximately 90 miles northeast. A geologic study of San Nicolas Island was begun by personnel of the U. S. Geological Survey in March, 1955, at the request of the director of Naval Petroleum Reserves. About 3,550 feet of alternating sandstone, siltstone, and conglomerate constitute the exposed Tertiary section on the island. Foraminiferal studies indicate that these rocks are of late Eocene age. Several small igneous dikes that may be Miocene cut the sedimentary rocks in the southeastern part of the island. Quaternary dune sand and marine terrace deposits cover much of the central and western parts of the island. Structurally, San Nicolas Island is a broad complexly faulted anticline with a southeast plunge. The axis roughly parallels the long dimension of the island and lies near the southwest shoreline. Two sets of intersecting faults which trend approximately north-south and east-west appear to have formed almost simultaneously. Most of these faults are high-angle normal faults, the largest having maximum apparent vertical displacement of about 400 feet. Geologic diving operations were conducted off the west end of the island in an attempt to trace the seaward extent of the anticline mapped on shore. Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus was used by the divers in the study of approximately 5 square miles of sea floor at depths ranging from 30 to 120 feet. End_of_Article - Last_Page 354------------
Strategy for a DoD Software Initiative

The US has lost its lead in many of the mature technologies from which our industrial base and military power were built. The threat of a similar strategic loss now faces the electronics, computer, and software industries and cannot be tolerated. The military and even the economic position of this country is inextricably tied to the ability to exploit advantages of computer technology. The US Department of Defense (DoD), which has consistently moved to ensure the vitality of the US computer technology base, has established the VHSIC and Ada programs to further develop this important technology. Now, the DoD is preparing to launch a software initiative to complement the VHSIC and Ada programs. One of its objectives is to develop the systems and software techniques through which we can maintain our lead in this important industry. This software initiative will demand the cooperation of industry, government, and academia. This article describes DoD's motivation for establishing the software initiative and reviews its goal and objectives. The plan is a combination of technology transfer, incentive programs to build software expertise, and various quality control measures, which is hoped may help alleviate some of the DoD's software ills. This plan, which is by no means complete, has been developed with the assistance of many people. It must undergo considerable refinement and coordination before it is submitted to Congress this spring.
Dioxins and dibenzofurans in potentially exposed workers: Serial tissue levels in a worker exposed in a PCB transformer fire cleanup and blood levels in three exposed chemists

Abstract Four individuals who were potentially exposed to dioxins and dibenzofurans had blood and adipose tissue measurements taken which in some instances, documented elevated dioxin body burden as long as 35 years after exposure. The first worker, an engineer, was involved in a PCB transformer fire cleanup in New York State, and had serial fat and blood dioxin measurements performed annually over a 7 year period. The other three workers were chemists. The first is an American who became ill after synthesis of 2,3,7,8-TBrDD and also 2,3,7,8-TCDD; his blood 35 years after exposure, showed elevations of both congeners. The second chemist, also American, was involved in a chick edema disease evaluation from 1963-65; his blood sample taken in 1990 shows no elevation of dioxin and dibenzofuran congener levels. The third was a European dioxin chemist who had blood taken during the time he was working with various dioxins and dibenzofurans. Although his dioxin and dibenzofuran levels prior to exposure were not available, the current results are close to average German blood levels with possible elevation of one congener. In two of the four workers, blood dioxin analysis clearly demonstrated occupational exposure and elevated body burden.
Long-term health effects of early life exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE)-contaminated drinking water: a retrospective cohort study

While adult exposure to PCE is known to have toxic effects, there is little information on the long-term impact of prenatal and early childhood exposure. We undertook a retrospective cohort study to examine the effects of their early life exposure to PCE-contaminated drinking water. This retrospective cohort study examined whether prenatal and early childhood exposure to PCE-contaminated drinking water influenced the risk of a variety of chronic conditions among adults who were born between 1969 and 1983 in the Cape Cod area of Massachusetts. Eight hundred and thirty-one participants with prenatal and early childhood PCE exposure and 547 unexposed participants were studied. Individuals completed questionnaires to gather information on demographic characteristics, chronic conditions, and other sources of solvent exposure. The location of residences from birth through 1990 were used to estimate PCE exposure with U.S. EPA’s water distribution system modeling software (EPANET) modified to incorporate a leaching and transport model. No associations were observed between early life PCE exposure and current occurrence of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, color blindness, near- and far sightedness and dry eyes. In contrast, a 1.8-fold increased risk of cancer (95% CI: 0.8, 4.0) was seen among individuals with any early life exposure. These results were based on 31 participants (23 exposed and 8 unexposed) who reported cancers at a variety of anatomical sites, particularly the cervix. A 1.5-fold increase in the risk of epilepsy (95% CI: 0.6, 3.6, based on 16 exposed and 7 unexposed participants) was also observed among individuals with any early life exposure that was further increased to 1.8 (95% CI: 0.7, 4.6) among those with exposure at or above the sample median. These results suggest that the risk of epilepsy and certain types of cancer such as cervical cancer may be increased among adults who were exposed to PCE-contaminated drinking water exposure during gestation and early childhood. These findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the study limitations and confirmed in follow-up investigations of similarly exposed populations with medically-confirmed diagnoses. This relatively young study population should also be monitored periodically for subsequent changes in disease risk.
Electron Fokker-Planck equation for collisions with ions in a magnetized plasma.

For those electrons whose Larmor radius is less than the Debye length, by averaging over binary collisions with ions and using a guiding-center approximation, a simple collision operator has been obtained which reproduces accurately the moments obtained from the existing more complex operators.
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in children with pectus excavatum

1. Bloom HJG, Wallace ENK, Henk JM. The treatment and prognosis of medulloblastoma in children. Am J Roentgenol 1969;105:43-62. 2. Bloom HJG. Tumours of the central nervous system. In: Voute PA, Barrett A, Bloom HJG, Lemerle J, Neidhart MK, eds. Cancer in childreni clinical management. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1986:197-222. 3. Ahmed SR, Shalet SM, Campbell RHA, Deakin DP. Primary gonadal damage following treatment of brain tumors in childhood. J PEDIATR 1983;103:562-5. 4. Whitehead E, Shalet SM, Morris Jones PH, Beardwell CG, Deakin DP. Gonadal function after combination chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease in childhood. Arch Dis Child 1982;47:287-91. 5. Tanner JM. Growth at adolescence, 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 1962. 6. Shalet SM, Hann IA, Lendon M, Morris Jones PH, Beardwell CG. Testicular function after combination chemotherapy in childhood for acute lymphoblastie leukaemia. Arch Dis Child 1981;56:275-8. 7. Conte FA, Grumbach MM, Kaplan SL, Reiter EO. Correlation of luteinizing hormone-releasing factor-induced luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone release from infancy to 19 years with the changing pattern of gonadotropin secretion in agonadal patients: relation to the restraint of puberty. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1980;50:163-8. 8. Salbenblatt JA, Bender BG, Puck MH, Robinson A, Faiman C, Winter JSD. Pituitary-gonadal function in Klinefelter syndrome before and during puberty. Pediatr Res 1985;19:826. 9. Kulin HE, Santner SJ. The assessment of diminished testicular function in boys of pubertal age. Clin Endocrinol i986;25:283-92. 10. Lee IP, Dixon RL. Effects 0f procarbazine on spermatogenesis determined by velocity sedimentation cell separation technique and serial mating. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1972;181:219-26. 11. Sieber SM, Correa P, Dalgard DW, Adamson RH. Carcinogenic and other adverse effects of procarbazine in nonhuman primates. Cancer Res 1978;38:2125-34. 12. Sherins R J, Olweny CLM, Ziegler JL. Gynecomastia and gonadal dysfunction in adolescent boys treated with combination chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease. N Engl J Med i978;299:12-6. 13. Takihara H, Cosentino M J, Sakatoku J, Cockett ATK. Significance of testicular size measurement in urology, ii. Correlation of testicular size with testicular function. J Urol 1987;137:416-9. 14. Brown IH, Lee TJ, Eden OB, Bullimore JA, Savage DCL. Growth and endocrine function after treatment for medulloblastoma. Arch Dis Child 1983;58:722-7. 15. Hahn EW, Feingold SM, Simpson L, Batata M. Recovery from aspermia induced by low-dose radiation in seminoma patients. Cancer 1982;50:337-40. 16. Watson AR, Rance CP, Bain J. Long-term effects of cyclophosphamide on testicular function. Br Med J 1985; 291 : 1457-60.
CLONING AND FUNCTIONAL STUDIES OF A NOVEL GENE ABERRANTLY EXPRESSED IN RB-DEFICIENT EMBRYOS

Abstract The tumor suppressor RB regulates diverse cellular processes such as G1/S transition, cell differentiation, and cell survival. Indeed,Rb-knockout mice exhibit phenotypes including ectopic mitosis, defective differentiation, and extensive apoptosis in the neurons. Using differential display, a novel gene,Rig-1,was isolated based on its elevated expression in the hindbrain and spinal cord ofRb-knockout embryos. The longest open reading frame ofRig-1encoded a polypeptide that consists of a putative extracellular segment with five immunoglobulin-like domains and three fibronectin III-like domains, a putative transmembrane domain, and a distinct intracellular segment. The Rig-1 sequence was 40% identical to the recently identified roundabout protein. Consistent with the predicted transmembrane nature of the protein, Rig-1 protein was present in the membranous fraction. Antisera raised against the putative extracellular and intracellular segments of Rig-1 reacted with an ∼210-kDa protein in mouse embryonic CNS. Rig-1 mRNA was transiently expressed in the embryonic hindbrain and spinal cord. Elevated levels of Rig-1 mRNA and protein were found inRb−/−embryos. Ectopic expression of a transmembrane form of Rig-1, but not the secreted form, promoted neuronal cell entrance to S phase and repressed the expression of a marker of differentiated neuron, Tα1 tubulin. ThusRig-1,a possible distant relative ofroundabout,may mediate some of the pleiotropic roles of RB in the developing neurons.
Histologically confirmed necrotizing fasciitis: risk factors, microbiology, and mortality in Hawaii

Tsai et al.1 recently reported a retrospective study of 143 patients with surgically confirmed necrotizing fasciitis (NF) in southwest Taiwan. Although the authors concluded that hypotensive shock, hypoalbuminemia, and increased banded leukocytes were predictors of mortality, these risk factors necessitate immediate surgical intervention. These indicators may reflect the high severity of disease in these NF patients. Once NF is suspected, prompt surgical intervention should be performed. We conducted a retrospective study at a major tertiary care hospital in Hawaii between 1998 and 2005 to specifically examine the risk factors and microbiology associated with mortality in histologi-cally confirmed NF. One hundred and twenty NF cases were identified by ICD-9 code (rate of 75 cases/100 000 hospital admissions). Among 58 cases confirmed by histopathology, the median age was 58 years; 69% were male and 36% Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. Demographic information, bacteriology, co-morbidities, ethnicity, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and APACHE II scores were determined, along with the time from admission to surgery and the length of hospital stay. These factors were compared between those who survived and those who died (Table 1). An APACHE II score >17 was a significant independent predictor of mortality. The majority of NF wound infections in our study were polymicrobial (58.6%), which is different to the study of Tsai et al. and others.1–3 Table 1 Comparison of characteristics and mortality of necrotizing fasciitis survivors versus non-survivors Group A Streptococcus (GAS) was also found to be associated with higher mortality.4 Erdem et al.5 reported molecular epidemi-ologic components of GAS in six NF patients (from two clusters of fatal GAS skin infection in 1997 and 2002) and 116 community-associated GAS infections in Hawaii in 2005. The results showed no predominant emm types from NF patients (emm types 1, 12, 74, 99, and 103), but emm type 64 was the most common type in GAS isolated in Hawaii and this may account for the increased mortality in Hawaii. Although Hawaii has a high prevalence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections,6 our study did not show a high prevalence of MRSA infection in NF compared to a study from California.7 The mortality rate of 22% in our cohort was significantly associated with GAS, age over 60 years, ICU admission, and APACHE II score >17. Overall, the mortality of patients with NF was related to patients with severe clinical diseases. Rapid detection and regional differences in pathogens can provide additional insight into severity and mortality risks. The prompt institution of broad-spectrum antibiotics, surgical intervention, and intensive support are essential for the effective management of NF patients.
Expression of CD56/Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule Correlates with the Presence of Lytic Bone Lesions in Multiple Myeloma and Distinguishes Myeloma from Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance and Lymphomas with Plasmacytoid Differentiation

Unlike monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) with plasmacytoid differentiation, multiple myeloma (MM) is commonly associated with lytic bone lesions. Although the mechanisms of increased osteoclast activity are partially understood, comparatively little is known about the mechanisms that lead to the observed decrease in osteoblast function. Studies have shown neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) homophilic binding between MM cell lines and osteosarcoma cell lines, and that binding results in decreased osteoid production in vitro. Thus, we postulated that the expression of NCAM by MM cells contributes to lytic lesion formation by causing decreased osteoid production in vivo. We used immunohistochemistry in bone marrow core biopsies to assess NCAM expression in osteoblasts and plasma cells (PCs) in vitro. We found consistent, strong, uniform NCAM expression by the osteoblasts in all bone marrow core biopsies (352 of 352, 100%). Strong expression of NCAM by PCs correlated with the presence of lytic bone lesions (chi-square, 33.39: P <0.000; odds ratio, 16.9). There was also a strong correlation between NCAM expression and the diagnosis of MM in comparison to reactive PCs, MGUS, or NHLs with plasmacytoid differentiation (all P values <0.000). In conclusion, using immunohistochemistry, we found strong expression of NCAM by osteoblasts and that when equal to the intensity of osteoblast expression, NCAM expression by PCs correlates with the presence of lytic bone lesions and distinguishes MM from reactive plasmacytosis, NHLs with plasmacytoid differentiation, and most cases of MGUS.
In situ TEM observations of room temperature dislocation climb at interfaces in nanolayered Al/Nb composites

Using in situ nanoindentation, we investigated dislocation–interface interactions in Al/Nb multilayers. Preferential storage of dislocations at interfaces, as opposed to within layers, was observed. Recovery of dislocations was observed to occur through climb in the interfaces. The rapid climb of dislocations is ascribed to high vacancy diffusivity and vacancy concentration in the interfaces. The vacancy formation energy at interfaces, 0.12 eV, as estimated from the experimentally measured climb rates, was found to be significantly lower than in the bulk.
Frequency tuning AFM optical levers using a slot

Presented here is a theoretical analysis and experimental validation for the passive frequency tuning of atomic force microscope (AFM) optical levers. The natural frequencies of the optical lever are a function of material, geometry, and elastic properties of the microstructure. In this regard, the geometry of the structure can be altered in post-fabrication using such methods as laser drilling or focused ion beam machining. Several slot sizes are investigated and the eigenvalues obtained are mapped as a function of the slot length and width. In this regard, the elastic property of the optical lever can be tuned through material removal in either a mass or stiffness reduction arrangement in which a particular slot size and configuration is machined into the optical lever structure. In this work a slot cut into the optical lever using focused ion beam machining is used to passively tune the natural frequencies and mode shapes of suspended microcantilever structures used for optical lever scanning such as in AFM probes. This analysis will contribute to the performance optimization of AFM probes and microresonators. The Rayleigh–Ritz energy method is used for the theoretical analysis and a non-contact optical test method is used to obtain the natural frequency of several slotted AFM optical levers.
Microbial transformations of natural antitumor agents XXII: Conversion of bouvardin to O-desmethylbouvardin and bouvardin catechol

Bouvardin is a cyclic hexapeptide antitumor agent which undergoes two major microbial transformation reactions. Screening with 220 cultures revealed 17 different strains capable of producing O-desmethylbouvardin in good yield. O-Desmethylbouvardin was isolated and characterized from preparative scale incubations with Streptomyces rutgersensis NRRL B-1256. Four aspergilli and one streptomycete formed bouvardin catechol when O-desmethylbouvardin was used as substrate. Bouvardin catechol was isolated and characterized from a preparative scale incubation with Aspergillus ochraceous UI 398.
Effects of Anti-Oxidant Migration on Friction and Wear of C/C Aircraft Brakes

The surfaces of carbon-carbon (C/C) aircraft brakes are usually coated with anti-oxidant to protect them from oxidation. These surfaces do not include the friction surfaces since it is known that when anti-oxidant get onto the friction surface, the friction coefficient decreases. The anti-oxidant migration (AOM), however, happens during processing, heat treatment and application. In this study, phosphorus based anti-oxidants inhibited 3-D C/C aircraft brake system was investigated. The effects of their migration on friction and wear in the 3-D C/C brakes were revealed by sub-scale dynamometer tests and microscopic analysis. Dynamometer results showed that when AOM occurred, both landing and taxi coefficients decreased in humid environment and the wear was slightly lowered. Microscopic study showed that under high humidity conditions there was no formation of the friction film.
A Note on the Characteristics of the Two-Antenna Array

The definition for the "effective length" of a transmitting antenna, which was recently brought to the attention of PROCEEDINGS readers, is used in deriving expressions for the radiation function, radiation resistance, directivity, and gain of a two-vertical-antenna array, when the relative phase of excitation and current amplitudes are of arbitrary value. The formulas derived for computation of the array characteristics are so simple that they may be applied by anyone having a rudimentary knowledge of antennas and mathematics. Since the assumption of a perfect earth is made, the results are precise only for antennas operated at broadcast frequencies, and at longer wavelengths.
Cryogenic storage on the moon.

Cryogenic fluid storage on moon surface, considering Lambert reflection law, thermal insulation performance, incident heat flux and boil-off rates
Adaptive noise cancellation for time-domain EM data

A typical time‐domain electromagnetic (TDEM) survey is carried out by recording the transient response of the target area due to currents induced by the abrupt turnoff of the current in a large ungrounded loop at the surface. The depth of exploration is controlled by the strength of the transient signal at late times, when the natural fields become comparable in amplitude to the controlled‐source response (Spies, 1989). Nichols et al. (1988) claim that it should be possible to reduce the natural magnetic fields in controlled source electromagnetic data by 40–60 dB because the fields are coherent over large distances, thus reducing the needed transmitter power and averaging time dramatically. This study tests a method using adaptive filtering of remotely measured magnetic fields to improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio for the late‐time response.
An overview of venous thromboembolism: Impact, risks, and issues in prophylaxis

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of cardiovascular death, and its close association with increased age portends an increasing clinical and economic impact for VTE as the US population ages. Studies show that rates of VTE prophylaxis remain inadequate both in the hospital and at the time of discharge. Health care accreditation and quality organizations are taking interest in VTE risk assessment and prophylaxis as a measure for hospital performance ratings and even reimbursement. To set the stage for the rest of this supplement, this article reviews the rationale for VTE prophylaxis, surveys current prophylaxis rates and strategies to increase those rates, and provides an overview of risk factors for VTE and therapeutic options for VTE prophylaxis.
A linear algorithm for the cutting center of a tree

Abstract As a measure of the extent to which the removal of a node disconnects a graph, the cutting number c(v) of a node v in a connected graph G has been defined to be the number of pairs of nodes in different components of G−{v}. We present a linear algorithm for determining c(v) for all nodes of a tree, and hence for identifying the cutting center, which consists of the nodes v at which c(v) is maximized.
Sws1 is a conserved regulator of homologous recombination in eukaryotic cells

Rad52-dependent homologous recombination (HR) is regulated by the antirecombinase activities of Srs2 and Rqh1/Sgs1 DNA helicases in fission yeast and budding yeast. Functional analysis of Srs2 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe led us to the discovery of Sws1, a novel HR protein with a SWIM-type Zn finger. Inactivation of Sws1 suppresses the genotoxic sensitivity of srs2Δ and rqh1Δ mutants and rescues the inviability of srs2Δ rqh1Δ cells. Sws1 functions at an early step of recombination in a pro-recombinogenic complex with Rlp1 and Rdl1, two RecA-like proteins that are most closely related to the human Rad51 paralogs XRCC2 and RAD51D, respectively. This finding indicates that the XRCC2–RAD51D complex is conserved in lower eukaryotes. A SWS1 homolog exists in human cells. It associates with RAD51D and ablating its expression reduces the number of RAD51 foci. These studies unveil a conserved pathway for the initiation and control of HR in eukaryotic cells.
Persistence of Sham Feeding after Intragastric Meals in Rats

In rats on a stringent deprivation schedule and at reduced body weight, an intragastric load of liquid diet that equals or exceeds normal meal size has no effect at all on subsequent sham feeding of milk diet or of glucose. Removing the acute deprivation period and reversing, or preventing, severe weight reduction has no effect on this "persistence" of sham feeding: a full intragastric meal may leave sham feeding quite unaffected, even if that meal follows the previous meal at a physiological interval, in rats at normal weight. These data contrast with graded, dose-dependent effects of other manipulations by other investigators. Perhaps such effects depend on conditioned or anticipatory controls of feeding, whereas our findings apply to unconditioned controls.
Fabrication of Protein Tubules: Immobilization of Proteins on Peptide Tubules

Peptide tubules, self-assemblies of bis(N-α-amido-glycylglycine)-1,7-heptane dicarboxylate, were functionalized by poly(l-lysine), d-biotin, avidin, and albumin bovine. Proteins were covalently immobilized on the peptide tubules via NHS ester intermediates, while amide groups of the peptide tubules were also capable of intercalating proteins via hydrogen bonds. These entities, tagged with fluorescein isothiocyanate, uniformly coated the peptide tubules as confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. Avidin coated the peptide tubules without denaturing, confirmed by fluorescein-tagged d-biotin attachment onto the avidin-coated peptide tubules. This result indicates that the protein tubules may be attached at desired surfaces using biological interactions such as antibody−antigen recognition. Such protein tubules may be used as building blocks for microdevice fabrication such as microelectronics and protein array biosensors.
Parameterization of Faceted Surfaces for Meshing using Angle-Based Flattening

We propose a new method to compute planar triangulations of faceted surfaces for surface parameterization. In contrast to previous approaches that define the flattening problem as a mapping of the three-dimensional node locations to the plane, our method defines the flattening problem as a constrained optimization problem in terms of angles (only). After applying a scaling that derives from the ‘curvature’ at a node, we minimize the relative deformation of the angles in the plane with respect to their counterparts in the three-dimensional surface. This approach makes the method more stable and robust than previous approaches, which used node locations in their formulations. The new method can handle any manifold surface for which a connected, valid, two-dimensional parameterization exists, including surfaces with large curvature gradients. It does not require the boundary of the flat two-dimensional domain to be prede-fined or convex. We use only the necessary and sufficient constraints for a valid two-dimensional triangulation. As a result, the existence of a theoretical solution to the minimization procedure is guaranteed.
Transfer effects of synonyms and antonyms in mixed and unmixed lists

Recent experiments employing unmixed-list designs have shown high positive transfer for antonym response relationships. This experiment investigated the effects of this relationship along with synonym and unrelated (A-C) response relations in a mixed-list design. Antonym response interlist relationships were shown to produce significant facilitation effects in an unmixed-list design, but mild inhibitory effects in a mixed-list design.
Increased frequency of depressive episodes during the menopausal transition in women with bipolar disorder: preliminary report.

Abstract Objective Data are emerging in bipolar disorder regarding mood across phases of the female reproductive life, yet information about mood during the menopausal transition remains limited. The menopausal transition in women without mood disorders is associated with an increase in depression. This study assesses mood course during the menopausal transition in women with bipolar disorder. Methods We monitored mood episodes in 47 women with bipolar disorder ages 45–55 for 17.0 ± 14.0 months with systematic treatment enhancement program for bipolar disorder (STEP-BD) standardized evaluations. Charts were additionally reviewed for menstrual status and menstrual history, as well as mood episode type, duration, frequency and history. Results During the menopausal transition 68% of women with bipolar disorder experienced at least one depressive episode. Depression (but not mood elevation) episode frequency significantly increased during the menopausal transition compared to reported frequency during patients’ reproductive years. History of pre-menstrual and or post-partum mood instability did not predict perimenopausal mood episodes. Conclusions Women with bipolar disorder experience a high frequency of depressive episodes during perimenopausal years and this frequency appears greater than during prior reproductive years. Prospective controlled studies are needed to better understand the course of mood episodes and to enhance the effectiveness of managing bipolar disorder during the menopausal transition.