cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polarized Granzyme Release Is Required for Antigen-Driven Transendothelial Migration of Human Effector Memory CD4 T Cells

Human effector memory CD4 T cells may transmigrate across endothelial cell (EC) monolayers either in response to inflammatory chemokines or in response to TCR recognition of Ag presented on the surface of the EC. The kinetics, morphologic manifestations, and molecular requirements of chemokine- and TCR-driven transendothelial migration (TEM) differ significantly. In this study, we report that, whereas the microtubule organizing center (MTOC) and cytosolic granules follow the nucleus across the endothelium in a uropod during chemokine-driven TEM, MTOC reorientation to the contact region between the T cell and the EC, accompanied by dynein-driven transport of granzyme-containing granules to and exocytosis at the contact region, are early events in TCR-driven, but not chemokine-driven TEM. Inhibitors of either granule function or granzyme proteolytic activity can arrest TCR-driven TEM, implying a requirement for granule discharge in the process. In the final stages of TCR-driven TEM, the MTOC precedes, rather than follows, the nucleus across the endothelium. Thus, TCR-driven TEM of effector memory CD4 T cells appears to be a novel process that more closely resembles immune synapse formation than it does conventional chemotaxis.
Sexual Practices in Africa

The discourse on sexual practices in Africa is still very limited, despite the evidence that such practices are associated with health risks (Djamba 2005). This is partly because most research on African sexuality has focused on the behavioral aspects of sexual permissiveness. In addition, sexuality remains a taboo topic in many African societies. As a result, the definition of sexual practices itself remains largely elusive. For some researchers, sexual practices of interest primarily include age of sexual debut and number of sexual partners, probably because of their strong association with HIV/AIDS (Urassa et al. 2008). Others consider only those practices that can lead to sexual and reproductive complications (WHO 2008).
A Change of Service Leads to a Welcome Change

ABSTRACT The library implemented a new service model focusing on improved expertise, efficiency, and morale during a period of leadership change and workforce reduction. Implementation of a Disney-type service model helped identify skill sets for departmental reorganization. Hiring methods targeted candidates that best fit expectations for the changing needs of the library. New service goals led to improved skills, better personnel matches, and increased dedication. Results included several University Library monetary awards, as well as patron comments that directly related to the changes. The goal-oriented plan implemented by the library addressed a work-force reduction and created a new, highly appreciated service model.
Laser spot size and beam profile studies for tissue welding applications

We evaluated the effect of changes in laser spot size and beam profile on the thermal denaturation zone produced during laser skin welding. Our objective was to limit heating of the tissue surface, while creating enough thermal denaturation in the deeper layers of the dermis to produce full-thickness welds. Two-cm-long, full-thickness incisions were made on the backs of guinea pigs, in vivo. India ink was used as an absorber. Continuous-wave, 1.06-μm, Nd:YAG laser radiation was scanned over the incisions, producing approximately 100 ms pulses. Cooling times of 10.0 s between scans were used. Laser spot diameters of 1, 2, 4, and 6 mm were studied, with powers of 1, 4, 16, and 36 W, respectively. The irradiance remained constant at 127 W/cm2. 1, 2, and 4 mm diameter spots produced thermal denaturation to a depth of 570 ± 100 μm, 970 ± 210 μm, and 1470 ± 190 μm, respectively. The 6-mm- diameter spot produced full-thickness welds (1900 μm), but also burns due to the high incident power. Monte Carlo simulations were also conducted, varying the laser spot diameter and beam profile. The simulations verified that an increase in laser spot diameter result in an increase in the penetration depth of radiation into the tissue.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mutation to Herbicide Resistance Maps within the psbA Gene of Anacystis nidulans R2

A psbA gene encoding the target of photosystem II herbicide inhibition, the 32,000-dalton thylakoid membrane protein, has been cloned from a mutant of Anacystis nidulans R2, which is resistant to 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea-(diuron). A cloned DNA fragment from within the coding region of this gene transforms wild-type cells to herbicide resistance, proving that mutation within psbA is responsible for that phenotype. The mutation consists of a single nucleotide change that replaces serine at position 264 of the wild-type protein with alanine in that of the diuron-resistant mutant.
Fabry-Perot fringes and their application to study the film growth, chain rearrangement, and erosion of hydrogen-bonded PVPON/PAA films

We observed Fabry-Perot fringes in the absorption spectra of hydrogen-bonded layer-by-layer (LBL) films of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVPON) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), which stem from the interferences between beams transmitted and partially reflected at the highly smooth film-air interface and film-quartz interface. The appearance and disappearance of Fabry-Perot fringes can be used to evaluate the homogeneity of the film. They also provide information about the film thickness. Using this optical phenomenon, with a minimal requirement of instrumentation, we studied the effect of several experimental conditions on the film buildup and structure. The film grows linearly with dipping cycles. Films fabricated from higher molecular weight polymers tend to be thicker. Increasing the concentration of the assembly solutions can also make thicker films. However, films from high molecular weight polymers or high concentration assembly solutions may be heterogeneous and do not display Fabry-Perot fringes in their absorption spectra. The defects in these heterogeneous films can be healed by a postannealing in water or diluted HCl to allow the chain rearrangement to complete. We further found the PVPON/PAA films can be eroded by long-term annealing in water or diluted HCl by monitoring the movement of the Fabry-Perot fringes. In most cases, the erosion rate is constant with annealing time. The erosion rate decreases with a decrease in the pH of the media and an increase in the molecular weight of the polymers.
The hypertension detection and follow-up program design, methods, and baseline characteristics and blood pressure response of the study population

THE HYPERTENSION Detection and Follow-up Program (HDFP) was a national, multicenter, randomized, 5-year clinical trial of the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy in reducing all-cause mortality in hypertensive participants screened from the general population. The study was funded under contract by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Clinical centers in 14 US communities were selected by competitive contract review to participate in the study. Also selected were a Central Laboratory for standardized determinations of participant biochemical values, an ECG Center for standardized ECG interpretations, and a Coordinating Center for (1) data collection, (2) monitoring and analysis, (3) standardization, staff training, and regulation of study protocol, and (4) overall project coordination.
Racial differences in the association between sex hormone-binding globulin and adiposity in premenopausal women: the BioCycle study.

Abstract Objective: To assess the associations between measures of adiposity and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and to evaluate whether such associations differ by race. Research Design and Methods: Adiposity was measured by anthropometry and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry among women (146 White, 50 Black, and 25 Asian) aged 18-44 years in the BioCycle study. SHBG was repeatedly measured over 1-2 menstrual cycles. The ratio of trunkal to leg fat (T/L) was used to assess upper to lower body adiposity. Results: Among Whites, all adiposity measures were significantly and inversely associated with SHBG. Among Blacks, BMI (beta=−0.032), waist circumference (beta=−0.016), and T/L (beta=−.033), were significantly associated with SHBG whereas total and trunkal fat were not (p-interaction with race Conclusions: Associations between SHBG and adiposity differs by race among premenopausal women.
Novel Oral Anticoagulants for Stroke Prevention in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: Dawn of a New Era

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important cause of ischemic stroke and is the underlying cause of > 20% of all strokes, with increasing age being a risk factor. Until recently, warfarin was the only available oral anticoagulant used to decrease this risk in patients with AF. However, there are several disadvantages of warfarin use, such as the requirement for monitoring the international normalized ratio, its wide range of drug-food interactions, and its narrow therapeutic index. Thus, there has been a strong impetus for the development of newer oral anticoagulants with predictable pharmacokinetics that obviate the need for monitoring the international normalized ratio. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a direct thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran) and 2 factor Xa inhibitors (rivaroxaban and apixaban) for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular AF. There are several other new oral anticoagulant agents on the horizon, including the factor Xa inhibitor edoxaban. This review article discusses the pharmacological properties, clinical trial data, and practical issues associated with the use of these novel oral anticoagulants.
AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 gates injurious signals in ischemic stroke.

Ischemic stroke, or a brain attack, is the third leading cause of death in developed countries. A critical feature of the disease is a highly selective pattern of neuronal loss; certain identifiable subsets of neurons—particularly CA1 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus—are severely damaged, whereas others remain intact. A key step in this selective neuronal injury is Ca2+/Zn2+ entry into vulnerable neurons through α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor channels, a principle subtype of glutamate receptors. AMPA receptor channels are assembled from glutamate receptor (GluR)1, -2, -3, and -4 subunits. Circumstance data have indicated that the GluR2 subunits dictate Ca2+/Zn2+ permeability of AMPA receptor channels and gate injurious Ca2+/Zn2+ signals in vulnerable neurons. Therefore, targeting to the AMPA receptor subunit GluR2 can be considered a practical strategy for stroke therapy.
Asymtomatic diabetics do not have a higher prevalence of abnormal myocardial perfusion scans as compared to non-diabetics in Blacks and Hispanics

Abstract Background: Diabetes is a CAD equivalent. Performing MPI SPECT Tc99m-MIBI in asymptomatic diabetics would identify higher proportions of silent CAD earlier and may translate into better prevention, healthcare and lower healthcare cost. Methods: Retrospective review of 231 MPIs of patients asymptomatic for CAD. Patients with H/O CAD, PAD, MI, angina pectoris, revascularization were excluded. MPIs interpreted by two independent cardiologists blinded to histories. Two groups, non-diabetics (156) and diabetics (75). Results: Blacks & Hispanics 95%.Diabetics were significantly older (66±11vs 62.5±13, p=0.045), more hypertensives (92% vs 67%, p= Conclusions: First of its kind study in Blacks and Hispanics. Asymtomatic diabetics, despite having significantly lower EF and being older and more hypertensives had similar prevalence of abnormal stress EKG and MPIs as compared to non-diabetics. Routine screening of asymptomatic diabetics does not detect more CAD than among non-diabetics and may not be cost effective. A large scale, prospective, randomized study is warranted. MPI Findings Non-Diabetics N = 156 Diabetics N = 75 p value Normal 80% 80% 0.98 Ischemia only 10% 5% 0.14 Scar only 4% 7% 0.35 Scar and Ischemia 6% 8% 0.52 Gated EF% 53.8 ± 14.4 47.5 ± 18.4 0.009
Directly observed antiretroviral therapy eliminates adverse effects of active drug use on adherence.

Abstract Background The impact of adherence enhancing interventions on the relationship between active drug use and adherence is largely unknown. Methods We conducted a 24-week randomized controlled trial of antiretroviral directly observed therapy (DOT) vs. treatment as usual (TAU) among HIV-infected methadone patients. Our outcome measure was pill count antiretroviral adherence, and our major independent variables were treatment arm (DOT vs. TAU) and active drug use (opiates, cocaine, or both opiates and cocaine). We defined any drug use as ≥1 positive urine toxicology result, and frequent drug use as ≥50% tested urines positive. We used mixed-effects linear models to evaluate associations between adherence and drug use, and included a treatment arm-by-drug use interaction term to evaluate whether DOT moderates associations between drug use and adherence. Results 39 participants were randomized to DOT and 38 to TAU. We observed significant associations between adherence and active drug use, but these were limited to TAU participants. Adherence was worse in TAU participants with any opiate use than in TAU participants without (63% vs. 75%, p p = 0.01). We also observed significant decreases in adherence among TAU participants with frequent opiate or frequent polysubstance use, compared to no drug use. Among DOT participants, active drug use was not associated with worse adherence. Conclusions Active opiate or polysubstance use decreases antiretroviral adherence, but the negative impact of drug use on adherence is eliminated by antiretroviral DOT.
Public restroom detection on mobile phone via active probing

Although there are clear benefits to automatic image capture services by wearable devices, image capture sometimes happens in sensitive spaces where camera use is not appropriate. In this paper, we tackle this problem by focusing on detecting when the user of a wearable device is located in a specific type of private space---the public restroom---so that the image capture can be disabled. We present an infrastructure-independent method that uses just the microphone and the speaker on a commodity mobile phone. Our method actively probes the environment by playing a 0.1 seconds sine wave sweep sound and then analyzes the impulse response (IR) by extracting MFCCs features. These features are then used to train an SVM model. Our evaluation results show that we can train a general restroom model which is able to recognize new restrooms. We demonstrate that this approach works on different phone hardware. Furthermore, the volume levels, occupancy and presence of other sounds do not affect recognition in significant ways. We discuss three types of errors that the prediction model has and evaluate two proposed smoothing algorithms for improving recognition.
Complex borides based on AlLiB14 as high-temperature thermoelectric compounds.

AlLiB14 is examined as a potential high-temperature thermoelectric material. First-principles methods are used to investigate the thermoelectric behavior and it is found to have a band gap of 2.13 eV, and an electronic dispersion with characteristic indicative of having a high Seebeck coefficient. Semiclassical Boltzmann transport theory predicts that AlLiB14 will have a Seebeck coefficient greater than 200 μV K−1, at temperatures near 1000 K and carrier concentrations around 1 × 1020 cm−3. Using a elasticity based expression for the thermal conductivity, the thermoelectric figure of merit is approximated to be 0.45 × 10−3 T at moderate doping levels.
The relationship between Kohlberg's moral judgment stages and emotional empathy

The study examined the relationship between emotional empathy and moral reasoning in college students. Subjects were given the three-story version of the Defining Issues Test (Rest, Cooper, Coder, Masanz, & Anderson, 1974) and Mehrabian and Epstein’s (1972) empathy scale. The results indicated a significant correlation between empathy and conventional morality (Stage 4). No significant correlations were found between empathy and post-conventional moral reasoning. The possible negative role of emotional empathy on Stage 5 and Stage 6 morality is discussed.
On childhood obesity prevention: “Exercise is medicine” vs. “exercise is vaccine”

The most recent report on the obesity epidemic by the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) has painted a bleak picture of reality in the U.S.1 It reports that two third of adults and almost one third of children are either overweight or obese by any counts of measures. Situations in other countries do not seem optimistic either. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the numbers of obese children have increased during the last decade to an estimated 35 million in developing countries and 8 million in developed countriesworldwide.2 In China childhood overweight and obesity rates increased by approximately five-fold from 1985 to 2000.3 Recent statistics show that 20.3% and 13.4% boys were classified as overweight or obese, respectively; while 13.5% and 4.1% of the girls were overweight or obese.4
Sensitive and reproducible quantitation of mucosal HIV-1 RNA and DNA viral burden in patients with detectable and undetectable plasma viral HIV-1 RNA using endoscopic biopsies.

Mucosal tissue is the main portal of entry for HIV-1 infection and, in macaques, has been demonstrated to be a significant compartment for viral replication and CD4 + T lymphocyte depletion. Quantitating tissue viral burden in addition to plasma viral load provides insights into HIV-1 pathogenesis and an additional means to gauge antiretroviral response. The aim of this study was to develop reliable, reproducible, and sensitive assays to quantitate tissue viral burden of HIV-1 RNA and DNA using 1–3 endoscopically acquired, rectosigmoid biopsies. Total DNA and RNA were simultaneously extracted following homogenization from the same tissue samples. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in the HIV-1 LTR region was used to detect viral DNA and RT-PCR for viral RNA. It was determined that HIV-1 RNA and DNA can be reproducibly quantified from a single rectosigmoid biopsy with minimal intra-assay or intra-patient variability. These results reflect high recovery of extracted nucleic acids with calculated results accurately reflecting in vivo levels. The techniques outlined differ from currently available approaches by incorporating control standards to identify loss or degradation of RNA and DNA from acquisition through the in vitro assay and permit extraction with high yields of RNA and DNA from the same tissue sample. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
An evaluation of the potential toxicity of treated bleached kraft mill effluent to striped bass (Morone saxatilis walbaum) larvae exposed through metamorphosis to the juvenile stage

Abstract Twenty-day-old striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ) larvae were exposed to a range of treated bleached kraft mill effluent (BKME) concentrations from 0 to 20% effluent by volume (v/v) under continuous flow test conditins. The experimental test concentrations in the 2–20% BKME test aquaria had a BOD 5 which ranged from to 5 mg l −1 , TSS 12–17 mg l −1 , and true color 35–416 mg l −1 . Bleached kraft mill effluent did not kill larvae exposed to it for 20 days through metamorphosis to the juvenile stage. The BKME did not alter growth in length, weight or condition factor in larvae over the 20-day exposure period as determined by multiple regression analysis. A linear regression analysis on the dry weight data at Day 20 only, however, indicated a trend of decreasing weight with increasing BKME concentration. Effluent-exposed larvae also developed normally during the 20-day study. All individuals examined completed the transformation from postlarvae to juveniles by the age of 40 days.
Investigation of the conducting polymer microsensors generated using an intermediate-layer lithography method

Conducting polymers have received much attention since their discovery in 1977. Applications of conducting polymer microsystems span from electronic devices to sensors. Traditional sensors had one-to-one correspondence between the detector and the target. Multiple conducting polymer micropattern arrays on a common substrate, when used for sensing, can effectively broaden the scope of a sensor. The Intermediate-layer lithography (ILL) technique was developed to generate multiple conducting polymer micropatterns, of desired dimensions on a common substrate. In this method, the sizes of the micropatterns can be scaled down effectively. Compared to films, micropatterns exhibited higher sensitivity at lower analyte concentrations. Also, the response of film sensors was not accurate when the conducting polymer film was partially covered, indicating that rare concentrations of analytes would be difficult to detect using the conventional conducting polymer film sensors. In the current work, conducting polymer micropatterns of varying dimensions have been fabricated using the ILL method and tested for their responses to organic vapors at low concentrations. The relationship between the surface-to-volume ratios of the micropatterns and their corresponding sensitivities is found for various target concentrations. The research results would provide insights regarding optimization of the micropattern sensors for maximizing their sensitivities.
Over-the-wire placement of large bore thoracostomy tubes

A simple method is described for placement of large caliber thoracostomy tubes utilizing an over-the-wire (Seldinger) technique. The method employs an angioplasty balloon catheter on which a renal fascial dilator and sheath are mounted. Through the sheath a large caliber thoracostomy tube is placed into the pleural space.
Shock emission model for gamma-ray bursts.

We discuss an emission model for classical gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) based on impulsively driven MHD relativistic winds shocked by interactions in optically thin environments. We show that GRB spectra can be modeled by synchrotron radiation of relativistic particles accelerated by a very efficient shock mechanism from a preshock Maxwellian distribution. In its simplest realization, the model predicts a quasiuniversal spectrum consistent with recently determined broadband spectra of bright GRBs. The emission model is applicable to both cosmological and galactic interpretations of GRBs. We discuss future tests aimed at clarifying the nature of the acceleration process in GRBs.
644 AN IMPROVED MODEL FOR NITROGEN BALANCE IN PREMATURE INFANTS IN THE CLINICAL SETTING

Nitrogen balance in the clinical setting is useful in assessing efficacy of nutritional therapy and evaluating nutrient products. Multiple often uncontrollable variables influence nitrogen balance. Expression of nitrogen balance as a function of nitrogen intake is therefore an oversimplification. Using stepwise linear regression techniques we examined 8 potentially influential variables for effects on nitrogen balance in 20 premature infants receiving intravenous alimentation as sole nutrient source: gest. age,day of life, birth weight, nitrogen intake, total calorie intake, weight for age, length for age and fat intake. Analyses disclosed nitrogen and calorie intake to be the most important independent variables. Their simultaneous consideration yielded a highly significant regression equation: N bal (mg) = 2.13[Kcal/kg] + 0.64 [N intake mg/kg] - 164, R2 = 0.86 (p <0.001). Inclusion of any of the above remaining variables in the equation produced no improvement in estimate. Consideration of 3-methyl-histidine(3MH) output, an index of muscle catabolism improved the estimate of nitrogen balance based on the above two variables yielding another equation: N bal (mg) = 2.08 [Kcal/kg]+0.65 [N intake mg/kg] - 13.34 3MH[nmoles/kg]- 131, R2 = 0.90 p <0.001 . The first equation allows one to predict nitrogen balance as a function of two known variables. The second equation permits analysis of nitrogen balance when intake and clinical status vary. The inclusion of 3MH output corrects the regression estimate for catabolism.
Mobile Web access using eNetwork Web Express

The mobile computing environment poses severe problems for Web browsing and Web-based applications. Mobile communication links are typically slow, expensive, and unreliable. This is especially true of wide-area wireless networks, which are becoming increasingly popular. Furthermore, both voluntary and involuntary disconnections from servers are common in the mobile environment, and the standard browsing model provides no support for disconnected operation. In addition, the usual request/response model of browsing is synchronous, which means that congestion in the network and Web servers cannot be masked from users. This article describes eNetwork Web Express, a software system that addresses these issues. Paired proxies are used to optimize communication in low-bandwidth networks and to enable a browsing model in which both disconnected and asynchronous operations are supported. The resulting environment allows Web-based applications to be used effectively in a mobile setting.
Gender Matters: Ethnographers Bring Gender from the Periphery toward the Core of Migration Studies

Ethnographers from anthropology, sociology, and other disciplines have been at the forefront of efforts to bring gender into scholarship on international and transnational migration. This article traces the long and often arduous history of these scholars’ efforts, arguing that though gender is now less rarely treated merely as a variable in social science writing on migration, it is still not viewed by most researchers in the field as a key constitutive element of migrations. The article highlights critical advances in the labor to engender migration studies, identifies under-researched topics, and argues that there have been opportunities when, had gender been construed as a critical force shaping migrations, the course of research likely would have shifted. The main example developed is the inattention paid to how gendered recruitment practices structure migrations – the fact that gender sways recruiters’ conceptions of appropriate employment niches for men versus women.
Reconceptualizing knowledge accumulation in sociology

Let me begin with a simple paradox. On the one hand, we have today descriptive data on social life at a level undreamed of a hundred years ago. Sociological data-gathering provides only the tiniest fraction of this, of course; most of it is gathered passively in the course of activities like paying wages, selling goods and services, collecting taxes, and monitoring compliance with laws and regulations. But wherever it comes from, the sheer amount of data is utterly astounding. On the other hand, it is equally clear that our foundational approaches to social life are little different from what they were a century ago. There are four approaches: the utilitarian individual framework, the social forces framework, the dialectical and other conflict frameworks, and the process/ecologies framework. To these over the past cen tury has been added perhaps one new general approach, appropriate enough for the "information century": the view that social life is basically about the working out of symbolic systems. Between these two extremes?the vast amount of data on the one hand and the five basic theoretical schemes on the other?are myriad levels of theories and generaliza tions and hypotheses and stylized facts and so on. The question of cumulation in sociol ogy is basically concerned with these layers in between, with levels of sociological work that change at a medium rate, something between the grand stasis of our theoretical paradigms and the Brownian churning of micro data. We can approach this cumulation question in several ways. We can take it as a ques tion about exactly how the work of the past is used, a question about knowledge and citation of past work. Or we can take it as a question about the fate of particular theories, a question of what happened to labeling theory or neoinstitutionalism or status attain ment. Both these questions?about citation and about research programs?are more or less empirical versions of the underlying question of cumulativity. We can, second, take the question of cumulativity as basically a theoretical question, turning ourselves towards the philosophy of science and inquiry. What is real cumulativity as opposed to mere repetition? Is cumulativity a matter of piling up facts? of developing theories? of paradigm shifts? What are the alternatives to cumulativity as models of scientific life? These are the theoretical versions of the cumulativity question.
Why There Should Not be a Fourth Family

To my knowledge there are no really good arguments that fix the number of generations of quarks and leptons. Nevertheless, to be provocative, in this symposium on the fourth family, I have tried to muster some arguments against the existence of more than three families of fundamental fermions. I begin by giving a purely prejudicial tirade against a fourth family.
Synthesis of 7-keto-Gö6976 (ICP-103)

Abstract An efficient synthesis of 7‐keto‐Go6976 (ICP‐103) (3) is described that employs palladium(II) triflate in the final oxidative cyclization step.
SUMMER DECLINE OF ULVA LACTUCA (CHLOROPHYTA) IN A EUTROPHIC EMBAYMENT: INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND NITROGEN AVAILABILITY?1

Throughout the summer, abundance of Ulva lactuca L. declined while biomass of Cladophora vagabunda (L.) van den Hoek and Gracilaria tikvahiae McLachlan increased in a New England embayment undergoing eu-trophication (Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts). We investigated the physiological basis for the summer dieback, focusing on temporal variations in photosynthetic performance and tissue nitrogen (N). We also compared photosynthetic and N uptake capabilities of U. lactuca with other abundant species in this eutrophic system. Photosynthetic egiciency and capacity of U. lactuca declined markedly at 25°C, compared with a spring (15°C) peak in photosynthetic performance; Pmax was 4.6 ± 0.3 and 1.8 ± 0.6 μmol O2.m−2.s−1 during spring and summer, respectively. Notably, summer pmax of other abundant species of the embayment was 1.5–3 × higher than that measured for U. lactuca. Ulva lactuca showed a signifciant photosynthetic response to dissolved inorganic carbon enrichment during summer, when water-column-dissolved CO2 levels were 20% of spring values. Although ammonium uptake rates of U. lactuca were extremely high at both subsaturating (15μM) and saturating (75 μM) N concentrations, as predicted by the functional-form hypothesis, tissue N fell to 1% by late summer. We suggest that a carbon imbalance, initiated by rising water temperatures and declining water-column N; thermal stress; and biological factors (competition, grazing) all contribute to the recurrent summer decline of U. lactuca in this shallow, eutrophic embayment. Thus, while the morphology of U. lactuca might be considered a successful strategy for disturbed, or “stressed” (sensu Littler and Littler 1980), habitats, its inability to persist and flourish in this environment emphasizes the complexity of factors at work in natural systems.
The Cultivation of Racism

At many universities and colleges across this nation there is an annual commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his vision of “a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” At these ceremonies, it is common for various campus leaders and administrators to vow renewed commitment to Dr. King’s vision; however, these claims increasingly ring hollow as more universities and colleges become places that define, stereotype, and treat people according to their skin pigment or the origins of their ancestors. In one eloquent phrase, Dr. King defined both the essence of racism and its cure. Judging someone by race or skin color is racism, and moving toward judging someone only by their demonstrated character is the cure for racism. Michael S. Berliner and Gary Hull explain it well when they write that “[a]dvocates of ‘diversity’ are true racists in the basic meaning of that term: they see the world through colored lenses, colored by race and gender. To the multiculturalist, race is what counts—for values, for thinking, for human identity in general.” Berliner and Hull’s definition closely correlates with Acad. Quest. (2012) 25:389–393 DOI 10.1007/s12129-012-9310-y
Systematic Analysis of microRNA Targeting Impacted by Small Insertions and Deletions in Human Genome

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA that play an important role in posttranscriptional regulation of mRNA. Genetic variations in miRNAs or their target sites have been shown to alter miRNA function and have been associated with risk for several diseases. Previous studies have focused on the most abundant type of genetic variations, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that affect miRNA-mRNA interactions. Here, we systematically identified small insertions and deletions (indels) in miRNAs and their target sites, and investigated the effects of indels on miRNA targeting. We studied the distribution of indels in miRNAs and their target sites and found that indels in mature miRNAs, experimentally supported miRNA target sites and PAR-CLIP footprints have significantly lower density compared to flanking regions. We identified over 20 indels in the seed regions of miRNAs, which may disrupt the interactions between these miRNAs and their target genes. We also identified hundreds of indels that alter experimentally supported miRNA target sites. We mapped these genes to human disease pathways to identify indels that affect miRNA targeting in these pathways. We also used the results of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify potential links between miRNA-related indels and diseases.
Increased all-cause and cardiac morbidity and mortality associated with the diagonal earlobe crease: a prospective cohort study.

Abstract purpose: To ascertain whether the diagonal earlobe crease (ELC) is associated prospectively with future death or cardiac events over 8 years of follow-up in two sets of patients: those with known coronary artery disease (CAD) and those without evidence for CAD. patients and methods: We performed a prospective, observational study of 108 patients in four cohorts (each matched for age, sex, and race, but differing in the presence or absence of both a diagonal ELC and CAD in 1979 to 1982). Follow-up information was gathered by telephone interviews, and dates and causes of death were determined by reference to death certificates (n = 48), hospital records (n = 9), or attending physician statements (n = 1). results: During 8 to 10 years of follow-up, 58 of the patients had died. Patients with ELCs had poorer survival rates than those without creases, by stratified log-rank test (p = 0.006 for the cohorts thought not to have CAD, and p=0.058 for those with CAD). Cardiac death rates (due to acute myocardial infarction, "sudden cardiac death," or heart failure) were also higher for patients with ELCs: 8.0 versus 0.9 cardiac deaths per 100 patient-years (p conclusion: These results suggest that a diagonal ELC is associated with increased all-cause and cardiac morbidity and mortality. Patients with ELCs may be at higher risk for coronary events, and might be especially cautioned to control or reduce other cardiac risk factors, even if currently without diagnostic evidence of CAD.
THE QUESTION OF THERAPY FOR THE TRAINEE IN THE PSYCHIATRIC TRAINING PROGRAM

How to help a trainee learn to practice psychotherapy has long been a subject of some controversy. When individual supervision became a more general method used in the training of psychiatrists, there appeared in the literature on this subject a general agreement that the method was clearly and, in the minds of most teachers, strictly a pedagogic one. That is, the subjects of the discussion between student and supervisor were primarily the verbal and nonverbal behavior of the patient in the therapeutic session with the student therapist, its possible or probable meaning, and, in the light of this, the most appropriate or effective responses of the therapist. In particular, the student's motivation and its sources or ramifications were dearly beyond the province of the pedagogic relation of supervisor and trainee. Any problems of the student with his patient or his supervisor could be defined and discussed, according to some writers (e.g., Ekstein and Wallerstein, 1958), but only as "problems in learning" of the student. With all this, i.e., the strictly pedagogical view, the present writers concur completely. The purpose of the following discussion, however, is to present some experience and considerations for the opposite point of view. That is, that under clearly specifiable conditions and for specific reasons, the individual hours with a trainee could be offered to him by the
Stochastic hysteresis and resonance in a kinetic Ising system

We study hysteresis for a two-dimensional, spin-1/2, nearest-neighbor, kinetic Ising ferromagnet in an oscillating field, using Monte Carlo simulations and analytical theory. Attention is focused on small systems and weak field amplitudes at a temperature below T{sub c}. For these restricted parameters, the magnetization switches through random nucleation of a {ital single} droplet of spins aligned with the applied field. We analyze the stochastic hysteresis observed in this parameter regime, using time-dependent nucleation theory and the theory of variable-rate Markov processes. The theory enables us to accurately predict the results of extensive Monte Carlo simulations, without the use of any adjustable parameters. The stochastic response is qualitatively different from what is observed, either in mean-field models or in simulations of larger spatially extended systems. We consider the frequency dependence of the probability density for the hysteresis-loop area and show that its average slowly crosses over to a logarithmic decay with frequency and amplitude for asymptotically low frequencies. Both the average loop area and the residence-time distributions for the magnetization show evidence of stochastic resonance. We also demonstrate a connection between the residence-time distributions and the power spectral densities of the magnetization time series. In addition to their significance for themore » interpretation of recent experiments in condensed-matter physics, including studies of switching in ferromagnetic and ferroelectric nanoparticles and ultrathin films, our results are relevant to the general theory of periodically driven arrays of coupled, bistable systems with stochastic noise. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}« less
Perceptions of Parents and Self Among College Students Reporting Learning Disabilities

Abstract Of 1773 college students who completed self‐administered questionnaires, 80 indicated they had been diagnosed as having a learning disability (LD). Those students were then compared on measures of self concept and recalled family stress, and reported personal problems with those who indicated no LD. It was found that the LD participants, in comparison with their non‐LD peers, tended to view themselves and their parents more negatively, recall more family stress during childhood and adolescence and report more drug abuse problems, delinquency and suicidal thoughts.
An inexpensive device for monitoring patients’ weights via automated hovering

Daily weight monitoring is integral to the management of heart failure (HF) [1]. Indeed, weight gain is a marker of HF decompensation, and daily weight monitoring has been associated with favorable prognosis [2]. Until now, assessment of weight has required patients to attend an in-person visit, which provides only an infrequent snapshot of their weight. Remote hovering practices have gained considerable traction during the past several years [3–7], but their use outside of research settings has been limited. We tested the accuracy of remote weight monitoring using the Fitbit® Aria™ weight scale, a commercially available, inexpensive device that communicates data wirelessly, can transmit data remotely to healthcare providers, and yields data that can be banked into medical data repositories. We recruited 33 healthy employees from an academic medical center. Participants were at least 18 years of age, could read or write in English, and were routinely on campus at least 4 days per week. Participants were excluded if they failed to complete their daily weight assessments. Each day participants weighed themselves using both the Fitbit® Aria™ and seca 769 scales, the latter of which served as a gold standard comparator. Participants recorded the date and time of their scale reading and the weights reported by both scales to the nearest 0.1lb. Participants provided informed consent, and the study protocol was approved by the local institutional review board. 32 participants provided at least 10 weight readings (minimum, 12; maximum, 41; mean, 26; standard deviation [SD], 7.2). Participants’ weights ranged from 89.8lbs to 224.6lbs, with a mean weight of 150.9lbs (31.2lbs) on the Aria™ scale and a mean weight of 150.2lbs (31.0lbs) on the seca 769. The Aria™ demonstrated excellent agreement with the seca 769. Multilevel linear regression analysis revealed that the Aria™ systematically provided a weight reading that was 0.6lbs greater than the seca 769, although the two scales did not differ in their assessment of weight over time (Figure). Figure Association of weight (lbs.) and time in days for the Fitbit® Aria™ weighing scale (in red) and the seca 769 clinic scale (in blue) The flood of inexpensive monitoring devices to the consumer market has introduced new possibilities for remote HF management, but little is known about their accuracy. We demonstrated the accuracy of the Fitbit® Aria™ scale compared to the seca 769, a conventional scale designed for use in clinical practice. Daily information about patients’ weights can alert clinicians to HF patients who are at high risk for hospitalization [8]. Hovering remotely over patients may also engage patients in their own self-management [3, 4].
International Research Institute/Applied Research Centers (IRI/ARCs) regional model intercomparison over South America

[1] A regional modeling intercomparison project for South America among the (1) Scripps Experimental Climate Prediction Center regional spectral model (RSM), (2) Florida State University nested regional spectral model (FSUNRSM), (3) Goddard Institute for Space Studies regional climate model (RCM), and (4) IRI regional climate model (RegCM2) is described herein. All regional models were driven by the NCEP/NCAR I global reanalysis over a South American domain centered on Brazil. In comparison to new Xie and Arkin 0.5° land observations, the regional models had a seasonal systematic precipitation error that was somewhat similar to the driving NCEP/NCAR reanalysis systematic error, although the regional model ensemble mean error was somewhat smaller, indicating a potential value for using multiple model ensembles. However, correlations, threat scores and biases were not noticeably better. In short, at their current levels of skill, regional models do not yet provide a noticable improvement over large-scale analyses.
''It's Not Just a Job'' : Shifting Meanings of Work in the Wake of 9/11

This article explores the impact of the World Trade Center disaster on the meanings that people attach to their work. In the wake of the attacks, several examples of people changing occupations app...
Gitana Dress and Dress à la Gitana

This essay describes the history of the gitana (gypsy) dress as worn by gypsies and by non-gypsies for portraiture, masquerade, and festivals from the mid-eighteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries. In addition essential accessories to the costume, the manton de Manila or Spanish shawl, the panuela or fichu, jewelry, head coverings, and shoes and stockings are also identified, described, and their symbolic use discussed. The article includes nine illustrations from the period of both gypsy and non-gypsy women wearing gitana dress. Changes over time in the form, use, and symbolic meaning are described.
A water sampler for microbiological studies

Abstract A bellows type water sampler consisting of a spring-activated metal frame and a detachable two-litre, sterile, disposable container, is described. The device can operate at any oceanic depth.
The protection of primates against soman poisoning by pretreatment with pyridostigmine

The effectiveness of pyridostigmine pretreatment against soman poisoning has been determined in rhesus monkeys and marmosets receiving atropine therapy. Pretreatment with the maximum sign-free dose (200 microgram kg-1, i.v.) raised the subcutaneous LD50 of soman by a factor of 28 in rhesus monkeys and 15 in marmosets. The protection afforded by a quarter of the sign-free dose of pyridostigmine was not significantly less. These levels of protection are higher than any reported in non-primate species.
A stochastic frontier analysis of technical progress, efficiency change and productivity growth in the Pacific Northwest sawmill industry

Abstract Stochastic frontier analysis was employed to investigate technical efficiency and productivity growth in the sawmilling industry of the U.S. Pacific Northwest over the period 1968–2002. The results of our analysis indicate that productivity growth was strong over the 30-year study period, due almost exclusively to technical progress. The model developed in this analysis was used to examine the cause of employment declines in the sawmilling industry between 1988 and 1994. We found that that 62% of the decline was due to changes in output and non-labor input factors and 38% was due to technical change alone.
Adsorption and Dimerization of NO Inside Single-Walled Carbon NanotubesAn Infrared Spectroscopic Study

The physical adsorption of NO on purified single-walled carbon nanotubes was investigated at low temperatures by means of transmission infrared spectroscopy. Ozone treatment followed by annealing was used as the method of opening the entry ports for adsorption into the interior of the nanotubes. The IR spectra show that the NO that is adsorbed inside nanotubes exists exclusively in its dimer form, with no infrared bands of the monomer visible at a sensitivity level of 5 mol % NO. The internally adsorbed NO dimer species observed is cis-(NO)2, with ν1(symmetric) = 1853 cm-1 and ν5(asymmetric) = 1754 cm-1. Introduction of Xe into the system leads to selective displacement of the internally bound cis-(NO)2 dimer. A large spectroscopic red shift of the symmetric (−0.80%) and the asymmetric (−1.96%) modes for cis-(NO)2 adsorbed inside nanotubes [relative to gas-phase cis-(NO)2] points to the strong interaction of the dimer with the nanotube interior. The enthalpy of dissociation of the adsorbed dimer molecule ...
The Variance of Present Worth of Cash Flows Under Uncertain Timing

(1977). The Variance of Present Worth of Cash Flows Under Uncertain Timing. The Engineering Economist: Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 163-170.
Solar-Sail Navigation: Estimation of Force, Moments, and Optical Parameters

Determining a solar sail's mathematical model on the ground is an inherently difficult task. Uncertainties in the sail shape are always present because the sail's precise curvature and surface structure may change after deployment in space. These changes may invalidate previous measurements and computations. For accurate navigation, it is essential that the postlaunch sail mathematical model is estimated. In this paper, we provide a methodology for estimating the force and moment generated by a sail of arbitrary, but constant, shape based on in-flight data. This is accomplished by finding the force and moment tensor coefficients defined by the generalized sail model, which analytically models the characteristics of solar sails with arbitrary shapes. Several data sampling examples are studied to determine the attitudes that allow for better estimation of the sail's force and moment coefficients.