cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Malignant mixed müllerian tumor of the fallopian tube

Background. Malignant mixed mullerian tumor (MMT) of tubal origin is rare and optimal therapy is unknown. Methods. Five new cases of MMT of the fallopian tube are presented, and the previous literature is reviewed. Results. Eight of 10 patients disease-free at 36 months had long-term cancer-free survival. Surgery alone was inadequate therapy even for those with apparent Stage I disease. Five of six treated postoperatively with radiation and chemotherapy have lived disease-free for at least 45 months. Conclusions. Combination radiation and chemotherapy may offer improved outcome. Cancer 1993; 71:187-92.
Torpedo synaptophysin: evolution of a synaptic vesicle protein

Abstract Synaptophysin is an integral membrane protein of synaptic vesicles found in neurons and endocrine cells. Synaptophysin monomers associate into hexamers forming a large conductance channel. We present an analysis of synaptophysin from the nervous system of the marine ray Torpedo californica. Analysis of cDNA clones reveals a 62% amino acid similarity between the Torpedo and rat sequences. The 4 hydrophobic membrane spanning domains and the glycosylation site are conserved. In contrast, the two intravesicular loops connecting the membrane spanning regions, show varying degrees of sequence conservation, suggesting that portions of these domains may play critical functional roles. The carboxyterminal tail has been proposed to bind calcium and is a major site for tyrosine phosphorylation. The precise sequence of this region has almost completely diverged while the proline-tyrosine rich nature is maintained. Blotting studies reveal the RNA and protein in nervous system tissues and demonstrate that the molecule copurifies with cholinergic synaptic vesicles.
Average fade duration for amplify-and-forward relay networks in log-normal fading

We analyze the level crossing rate and the average fade duration of multihop amplify-and-forward relay networks. We obtain exact closed-form expressions for these statistics when the individual links are affected by log-normal fading with arbitrary autocorrelation. Using this analytical framework we characterize the dynamics of the equivalent multihop channel gain for different correlation models, and study the influence of sampling time, the number of hops and the relay mobility in the investigated scenarios.
Characteristics of nurse practitioners interested in participating in a practice‐based research network

Purpose: Practice-based Research Networks (PBRNs) have emerged as key laboratories for generating new knowledge that reflects community-based practice; however, the representativeness of nurse practitioners (NPs) interested in PBRN participation is not known. This study describes characteristics of NP members interested in participating in a regional PBRN in comparison with state and national data. Data sources: All 1016 NPs in northeast (NE) Ohio were surveyed by mail and Internet. The survey captured NP demographics, practice characteristics, and gauged interest in participating in future PBRN studies. Survey respondent's data were compared with Ohio and national data obtained from the 2004 AANP National Nurse Practitioner Sample Survey. Conclusions: NE Ohio NPs were similar to an Ohio and national sample of NPs. Northeast Ohio NPs practicing in ambulatory settings who were interested in participating in subsequent PBRN studies were not significantly different from non-interested NPs. Implications for practice: NPs interested in participation in a PBRN appear to be representative of the NE Ohio population of ambulatory practice NPs and are similar demographically to a national sample of NPs. Findings from studies conducted in the NE Ohio PBRN may generalize to other NPs practicing in the region and across the country.
Finite element vibration analysis of a helically wound tubular and laminated composite material beam

Finite element stiffness and consistent mass matrices are derived for helically wound, symmetrical composite tubes. The tubular element is considered to have constant cross-section and small deformations restricted to a plane. Each node has three degrees of freedom: axial and transverse displacement and rotation (slope of transverse displacement). Shell theory and lamination theory are used to formulate element stiffness matrices. The stiffness and mass matrices derived from the helically wound tubular composite material are reduced to symmetrically laminated composite beam. The free vibration and natural frequency are investigated for five different materials: steel, aluminum, carbon/N5280, Kevlar-49/epoxy and graphite/epoxy composites and various layup configurations. One application of a rotating flexible beam is investigated. The dynamic model of the flexible rotating beam includes the coupled effect between the rigid body motion and the flexible motion. The inverse dynamic simulation is performed by a prescribed driving torque in the numerical simulation. The influence of flexibility on rigid body motion are presented and discussed. From the numerical results, the composite material strongly possesses the lower power consumption and the passive control in damping the vibration of the structure.
A 7700 hour endurance test of a 30-cm Kaufman thruster

This paper describes an ongoing endurance test of the ion thruster which is expected to form the basis of future prime propulsion systems. The purpose of the test is to demonstrate the lifetime capability of such critical components as cathodes, vaporizers, isolators, and optics. The endurance test was preceded by development of an ion engine life test system and several intermediate duration tests. The elements of the test system are briefly described and the thruster modifications which resulted from the intermediate tests are evaluated in terms of the endurance test results. Thruster performance during the endurance test is described as well as the conclusions that can be drawn from the 8600 hours that have been completed as of March 6, 1975.
The structural basis for homotropic and heterotropic cooperativity of midazolam metabolism by human cytochrome P450 3A4.

Human cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) metabolizes a significant portion of clinically relevant drugs and often exhibits complex steady-state kinetics that can involve homotropic and heterotropic cooperativity between bound ligands. In previous studies, the hydroxylation of the sedative midazolam (MDZ) exhibited homotropic cooperativity via a decrease in the ratio of 1′-OH-MDZ to 4-OH-MDZ at higher drug concentrations. In this study, MDZ exhibited heterotropic cooperativity with the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine (CBZ) with characteristic decreases in the 1′-OH-MDZ to 4-OH-MDZ ratios. To unravel the structural basis of MDZ cooperativity, we probed MDZ and CBZ bound to CYP3A4 using longitudinal T1 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation and molecular docking with AutoDock 4.2. The distances calculated from longitudinal T1 NMR relaxation were used during simulated annealing to constrain the molecules to the substrate-free X-ray crystal structure of CYP3A4. These simulations revealed that either two MDZ mo...
An aid to the rapid diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections.

Although Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been isolated with fairly high frequency from the throats of patients infected with this agent [1-3], the patient is often discharged from the hospital before definitive results can be obtained. The cold agglutinin test [4; 5, p. 51] is widely used as a means of serologic diagnosis; however, cold agglutinins are not specific [6], and titers of less than 1:64 are generally considered inconclusive. In other serologic tests, such as complement fixation (CF) [7], hemagglutination inhibition (HI) [8], and tetrazolium reduction inhibition (TRI) [9], it has been necessary to demonstrate a significant rise in antibody titer between paired specimens of serum. The present method makes it possible, by the demonstration of early 19S CF antibody sensitive to 2-mercapto-ethanol (2-ME), to confirm the diagnosis using a single specimen of serum and to obtain the results within 1-2 days after the blood is drawn.
Evaluation of the reverberant environment of carbon-fiber composite airframes

The interior of a metallic aircraft can be modeled as a reverberant chamber to successfully predict the shielding effectiveness of aircraft. However, with the trajectory of aircraft design, planes will soon be constructed not with aluminum skin, which fits well with the reverberation chamber model, but with composite skin. It is not clear that a reverberation chamber constructed from composite materials will in fact reverberate. This study seeks to fill this void by constructing a carbon-fiber composite chamber and evaluating its reverberation characteristics through direct measurement. The results of the study can then be used to establish the validity of the reverberant assumption for carbon-fiber composite airframes. Chamber quality metrics such as the Max-to-Average Ratio (MAR) test and the Coefficient of Variation (CV) test are presented from 3 GHz to 6 GHz along with representative single frequency distributions. Measurement data from the chamber is in good agreement with theoretical values.
Interactive effects of brain catecholamines and variations in sexual and non-sexual arousal on copulatory behavior of male rats

Abstract In pargyline pretreated male rats, an intraventricular 6-hydroxydopamine procedure which resulted in subtotal brain catecholamine (CA) depletion produced a mild deficit in copulatory behavior followed by rapid recovery. Challenges employed to study the behavioral capacities of these ‘recovered’ animals revealed: (1) a heightened sensitivity to acute treatement with the CA synthesis inhibitor alpha-methyl tyrosine (AMT) as reflected in a reinstatement and exaggeration of the original copulation deficit; (2) a greater dependence on the sexual eliciting properties of the female, since abolishing her soliciting behavior also reinstated and exaggerated the sexual dysfunction; and (3) a pattern of behavioral impairment indicating increased difficulty in both initiating sexual activity and maintaining copulatory performance. Furthermore, in males not copulating after 6-OHDA/AMT treatment, copulation could easily be induced by the simple application of a non-specific activating stimulus. On the basis of these data and parallel findings reported for other behaviors, we have concluded that: (1) both the initiation and maintenance of copulatory behavior in the male rat is in part dependent on normal functioning in one or more of the brain CA-containing systems; and (2) this copulatory deficit is symptomatic of a broader functional impairment reflecting reduced behavioral responsiveness to stimuli that normally elicit appetitive or approach responses but not to stimuli requiring more automatic, inhibitory responses.
Serum uric acid concentrations and SLC2A9 genetic variation in Hispanic children: the Viva La Familia Study

Background: Elevated concentrations of serum uric acid are associated with increased risk of gout and renal and cardiovascular diseases. Genetic studies in adults have consistently identified associations of solute carrier family 2, member 9 (SLC2A9), polymorphisms with variation in serum uric acid. However, it is not known whether the association of serum uric acid with SLC2A9 polymorphisms manifests in children. Objective: The aim was to investigate whether variation in serum uric acid is under genetic influence and whether the association with SLC2A9 polymorphisms generalizes to Hispanic children of the Viva La Familia Study. Design: We conducted a genomewide association study with 1.1 million genetic markers in 815 children. Results: We found serum uric acid to be significantly heritable [h2 ± SD = 0.45 ± 0.08, P = 5.8 × 10−11] and associated with SLC2A9 variants (P values between 10−16 and 10−7). Several of the significantly associated polymorphisms were previously identified in studies in adults. We also found positive genetic correlations between serum uric acid and BMI z score (ρG = 0.45, P = 0.002), percentage of body fat (ρG = 0.28, P = 0.04), fat mass (ρG = 0.34, P = 0.02), waist circumference (ρG = 0.42, P = 0.003), and waist-to-height ratio (ρG = 0.46, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Our results show that variation in serum uric acid in Hispanic children is under considerable genetic influence and is associated with obesity-related phenotypes. As in adults, genetic variation in SLC2A9 is associated with serum uric acid concentrations, an important biomarker of renal and cardiovascular disease risk, in Hispanic children.
Complex Regulation of Symbiotic Functions Is Coordinated by MucR and Quorum Sensing in Sinorhizobium meliloti

In Sinorhizobium meliloti, the production of exopolysaccharides such as succinoglycan and exopolysaccharide II (EPS II) enables the bacterium to invade root nodules on Medicago sativa and establish a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. While extensive research has focused on succinoglycan, less is known concerning the regulation of EPS II or the mechanism by which it mediates entrance into the host plant. Previously, we reported that the ExpR/Sin quorum-sensing system is required to produce the symbiotically active low-molecular-weight fraction of this exopolysaccharide. Here, we show that this system induces EPS II production by increasing expression of the expG-expC operon, encoding both a transcriptional regulator (ExpG) and a glycosyl transferase (ExpC). ExpG derepresses EPS II production at the transcriptional level from MucR, a RosR homolog, while concurrently elevating expression of expC, resulting in the synthesis of the low-molecular-weight form. While the ExpR/Sin system abolishes the role of MucR on EPS II production, it preserves a multitude of other quorum-sensing-independent regulatory functions which promote the establishment of symbiosis. In planktonic S. meliloti, MucR properly coordinates a diverse set of bacterial behaviors by repressing a variety of genes intended for expression during symbiosis and enhancing the bacterial ability to induce root nodule formation. Quorum sensing precisely modulates the functions of MucR to take advantage of both the production of symbiotically active EPS II as well as the proper coordination of bacterial behavior required to promote symbiosis.
Extremely Low Frequency Modeling in Lossy Media Using FDTD with Application in Seafloor Characterization

ABSTRACT In this paper we discuss a low-frequency computational procedure based on the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) algorithm, for numerical modeling of electromagnetic scattering by buried objects in sediment layers under sea water. The FDTD algorithm is found to be accurate for modeling buried objects in sediment layers tens of meters away from a constant current dipole source of 1A in sea water. For validation of the low-frequency FDTD modeling, the computed FDTD results are compared with those calculated by using analytic expressions and integral,equation techniques. In this paper we also present a technique for detecting conductivity anomalies in sediments, e.g., a buried object in sedimentary layers under sea water, by using the neural network approach. The electric field values are used as the inputs to the neural network and the associated conductivities are used as the targets. The neural network is then trained to associate these conductivities and field values. It is shown in this paper...
A doubly responsive AB diblock copolymer: RAFT synthesis and aqueous solution properties of poly (N‐isopropylacrylamide‐block‐4‐vinylbenzoic acid)

We describe herein the synthesis and self-assembly characteristics of a doubly responsive AB diblock copolymer comprised of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and 4-vinylbenzoic acid (VBZ). The AB diblock copolymer was prepared via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization in DMF employing a trithiocarbonate-based RAFT agent. PolyNIPAM was employed as the macroRAFT agent. The NIPAM homopolymerization was shown to possess all the characteristics of a controlled process, and the blocking with VBZ was judged, by size exclusion chromatography, to be essentially quantitative. The NIPAM-VBZ block copolymer was subsequently demonstrated to be able to form normal and inverse micelles in the same aqueous solution by taking advantage of the stimuli responsive characteristics of both building blocks. Specifically, and as judged by NMR spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering, raising the temperature to 40 °C (above the lower critical solution temperature of the NIPAM block), while at pH 12 results in supramolecular self-assembly to yield nanosized species that are composed of a hydrophobic NIPAM core stabilized by a hydrophilic VBZ corona. Conversely, lowering the solution pH to 2.0 at ambient temperature results in the formation of aggregates in which the VBZ block is now hydrophobic and in the core, stabilized by the hydrophilic NIPAM block. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5864–5871, 2007
Immunoglobulin G Fc Receptor FcγRIIIa 158 V/F Polymorphism Correlates With Rituximab-Induced Neutropenia After Autologous Transplantation in Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Purpose Rituximab has been given after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation for recurrent or refractory B-cell lymphoma with the goal of eradicating minimal residual disease. Our previous report showed that administration of two courses of rituximab after transplantation is feasible, with encouraging clinical outcomes after a short follow-up. However, neutropenia after the first or second post-transplantation rituximab treatment occurred in 52% of patients. We previously reported that polymorphisms of two immunoglobulin G Fc receptors predict rituximab response, presumably because of their role in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. In the current report, we determine whether FcγR polymorphisms are correlated with clinical outcomes in 33 patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who received post-transplantation rituximab. Patients and Methods Genomic DNA was used for FcγRIIIa V/F or the FcγRIIa H/R genotyping. The FcγR polymorphisms were then correlated with the incidence of rituximab-in...
Relational Fuzzy Self-Organizing Maps for Cluster Visualization and Summarization

The notion of Best-Matching Unit (BMU) in the proposed Fuzzy Relational Self-Organizing (FRSOM) algorithm is replaced by a membership function where every neuron has a certain degree of matching to an input object. The FRSOM is an extension of the relational self-organizing map. In the proposed FRSOM we incorporate a monotonically increasing fuzzifier and a monotonically decreasing neighborhood kernel. Initially, FRSOM assigns winning neurons. However, as time progresses adjacent neurons begin communicating and sharing information about the stimulus received. The amount of information being shared at a given time is governed by the fuzzifier and the number of neurons sharing information is controlled by the neighborhood kernel. Additionally, in this paper we show that FRSOM is the relational dual of Fuzzy Batch SOM (FBSOM) followed by experimental results comparing both FBSOM and FRSOM on synthetic datasets. Then we will demonstrate the visualization and summarization capabilities of FRSOM on two real relational datasets, Gene Ontology and a patient data consisting of Activity of Daily Living score trajectories.
The Concept of Relevance and the Logic Diagram Tradition

What is logical relevance? Anderson and Belnap say that the “modern classical tradition [,] stemming from Frege and Whitehead-Russell, gave no consideration whatsoever to the classical notion of relevance.” But just what is this classical notion? I argue that the relevance tradition is implicitly most deeply concerned with the containment of truth-grounds, less deeply with the containment of classes, and least of all with variable sharing in the Anderson–Belnap manner. Thus modern classical logicians such as Peirce, Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, and Quine are implicit relevantists on the deepest level. In showing this, I reunite two fields of logic which, strangely from the traditional point of view, have become basically separated from each other: relevance logic and diagram logic. I argue that there are two main concepts of relevance, intensional and extensional. The first is that of the relevantists, who overlook the presence of the second in modern classical logic. The second is the concept of truth-ground containment as following from in Wittgenstein’s Tractatus. I show that this second concept belongs to the diagram tradition of showing that the premisses contain the conclusion by the fact that the conclusion is diagrammed in the very act of diagramming the premisses. I argue that the extensional concept is primary, with at least five usable modern classical filters or constraints and indefinitely many secondary intensional filters or constraints. For the extensional concept is the genus of deductive relevance, and the filters define species. Also following the Tractatus, deductive relevance, or full truth-ground containment, is the limit of inductive relevance, or partial truth-ground containment. Purely extensional inductive or partial relevance has its filters or species too. Thus extensional relevance is more properly a universal concept of relevance or summum genus with modern classical deductive logic, relevantist deductive logic, and inductive logic as its three main domains.
Navigation in virtual environments

NAVIGATION IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTSErik Arthur, Peter Hancock, and Susan TelkeUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaABSTRACTVirtual environments (VE) show great promise in the area oftraining. Although such syntheticenvironments project homeomorphic physical representations of real-world layouts, it is notknown how individuals develop models to match such environments. To evaluate this process, thepresent experiment examined the accuracy oftriadic representations of objects having learnedthem previously under different conditions. The layout consisted of four different colored spheresarranged on a flat plane. These objects could be viewed in either a free navigation virtualenvironment condition (NAV) or a single body position (SBP) virtual environment condition. Thefirst condition allowed active exploration ofthe environment while the latter condition allowedthe participant only a passive opportunity to observe from a single viewpoint. These viewingconditions were a between-subject variable with ten participants randomly assigned to eachcondition. Performance was assessed by the response latency to judge the accuracy of a layout ofthree objects over different rotations. Results showed linear increases in response latency as therotation angle increased from the initial perspective in SBP condition. The NAV condition did notshow a similar effect ofrotation angle. These results suggest that the spatial knowledgeacquisition from virtual environments through navigation is similar to actual navigation.2. INTRODUCTIONVirtual environments (VE) show a great deal of promise in the investigation of variouspsychological and cognitive science phenomena. VE have the potential to allow researchers togain a new level of control that was impossible or at the least difficult to obtain previously. Thispaper describes the first in a series of experiments focused on mental representations of threedimensional space.A method that is frequently used to convey spatial layout information is map learning. Mapsare easily created and modified, inexpensive and easy to use, and do not require much storagespace. However, there is a large amount of evidence that indicates that spatial knowledge acquiredfrom maps is qualitatively different from that acquired from navigation in the real
Base Excision Repair Defects Invoke Hypersensitivity to PARP Inhibition

PARP-1 is important for the recognition of both endogenous and exogenous DNA damage, and binds to DNA strand breaks including intermediates of base excision repair (BER). Once DNA-bound, PARP-1 becomes catalyticallyactivatedsynthesizingPARpolymersontoitselfandotherrepairfactors(PARylation).Asaresult,BER repair proteins such as XRCC1 and DNA polymerase b(pol b) are more efficiently and rapidly recruited to sites of DNAdamage.InthepresenceofaninhibitorofPARPactivity(PARPi),PARP-1bindstositesofDNAdamage,but PARylation is prevented. BER enzyme recruitment is hindered, but binding of PARP-1 to DNA is stabilized, impedingDNArepairandleadingtodouble-strandDNAbreaks(DSB).Deficienciesinpolb � /� andXrcc1 � /� cells resulted in hypersensitivity to the PARP inhibitor 4-AN and reexpression of pol b or XRCC1, in these contexts, reversed the 4-AN hypersensitivity phenotype. BER deficiencies also showed evidence of replication defects that leadtoDSB-inducedapoptosisuponPARPitreatment.Finally,theclinicallyrelevantPARPinhibitorsolapariband veliparib also exhibited hypersensitivity in both pol b � /� and Xrcc1 � /� BER-deficient cells. These results reveal
Survey results from a national survey of community rehabilitation providers holding special wage certificates

The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from a national survey of a random sample of community rehabilitation programs (CRPs) that hold Special Wage Certificates established under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. 214(c). The intent of the survey was to identify the types of services provided, the trends in the employment services, and the factors that were perceived as inhibiting and facilitating integrated employment outcomes. The survey results are categorized for this report in the following three areas: 1) characteristics of community rehabilitation programs, 2) organizational change trends, and 3) factors that influence the type of employment program utilized by consumers with disabilities. Representative results from the survey are that overall, facility-based programs continue to be the predominant service provided by community rehabilitation programs holding 14(c) certificates. Of the 20,075 staff members identified as serving consumers, only 1,741 (8.7%) are reported as working with individuals earning at least minimum wage. Although competitive employment and individual supported employment services among these CRPs are growing at a faster rate than other services, use of facility-based services continues to expand. Overall, the findings indicate that the organizations that provide daily services to those Americans with disabilities utilizing 14(c) certificates are continuing to predominately support facility-based work and non-work activities versus services leading to integrated employment outcomes.
Leadership across levels: Levels of leaders and their levels of impact

Abstract This article assesses 25 years of empirical leadership research in 11 top journals with the goal of understanding current practice and future needs for drawing solid conclusions about leadership at different hierarchical levels of the organization, as well as leadership’s effects on individuals, teams, units and organizations. We summarize the hierarchical level of leader and outcome level of analysis studied in different theoretical perspectives on leadership (traits, behavioral, transformational, LMX, strategic, shared) and by journal outlet. Among our findings, we observe that significantly less attention has been devoted to team- and unit-level emergent processes and outcomes, despite its conceptual relevance for leadership theory and practice. Four critical opportunities for advancing leadership science are presented.
Further preliminary findings on some effects of very fast sequential input rates on perception

A previous study, employing a computer-based CRT display system, showed that if the visual system is presented with a string of very fast sequential inputs approximately the first half of these inputs will not be perceived if display order is irregular and display input rate is in the range from approximately 10 to 20 msec. per letter and per interval between letters. In the present study, this phenomena called sequential blanking is examined further and the results suggest certain irregular display orders may also give rise to a spatial displacement of one letter away from another in the sequence, and this phenomena has been called sequential displacement.
A novel monolithic self-synchronized rectifier

A monolithic self-synchronized rectifier concept for DC/DC converter applications is presented in this paper. The smart rectifier integrated with a power MOSFET and control circuitry operates based on its drain-source voltage, and does not need external control input. The analysis, simulation, design considerations, and fabrication of the proposed concept are described in detail. Experimental results show that the proposed rectifier functions as designed. Since no dead-time control needs to be used to switch the SyncFET and CtrlFET, it is expected that the body diode losses can be reduced substantially comparing with the conventional synchronous rectifier. The proposed smart rectifier can be operated at high frequency and maintains high efficiency over a wide load range.
Deep analyses of nulling in Arecibo pulsars reveal further periodic behaviour

Numerous studies of conal pulsars, e.g. B1133+16, have revealed fluctuation features and a steady null fraction. Sensitive Arecibo observations provide an unprecedented ability to detect nulls and confirm previously found fluctuation features. By replacing each pulse with a scaled version of the average profile, we were able to quench all subpulse modulation, dubbed pulse-modulation quelling (PMQ). It was surprising to note that the low-frequency feature observed in the natural longitude resolved fluctuation spectra (LRF) persisted in the PMQ LRFs. It appears that we can conclude, then, that the nulls themselves reflect whatever underlying periodicity is responsible for the low-frequency feature. Conversely, the aggregate fluctuation power of the low frequency feature changes little whether the pulse modulation is quelled or not, implying that the feature fluctuations are produced by the nulls! These conclusions are perplexing because (with very unusual exceptions) no obvious or regular periodicities have heretofore been attributed to null occurrence.
Identification of the cAMP-Responsive Enhancer of the Murine ABCA1 Gene Requirement for CREB1 and STAT3/4 Elements

Objective— To determine the mechanism by which expression of the murine ABCA1 gene is highly induced by cAMP analogues. Methods and Results— ABCA1 mRNA turnover cannot account for its induction by cAMP. Thus cAMP induction of ABCA1 mRNA occurs at a transcriptional level. Shotgun cloning DNA fragments from the murine ABCA1 locus identified a strong cAMP responsive enhancer located in the first intron, which led to 25- to 100-fold cAMP-mediated induction of reporter gene activity. Deletions and mutations of this enhancer led to the identification a cAMP-responsive element (CRE) that was essential for the cAMP induction. Furthermore, the capacity of this CRE site to mediate the cAMP induction required the presence of a STAT3/4 element located 81 bp away. A dominant-negative CREB expression vector inhibited the cAMP induction of ABCA1, demonstrating that CREB was required for cAMP induction of ABCA1 expression in RAW264.7 cells. Conclusion— Phospho-CREB1 controls the cAMP-mediated induction of murine ABCA1 gene expression through a CRE site acting in cooperation with a nearby STAT element. This CRE site is not conserved in the human ABCA1 gene, explaining why human ABCA1 is not strongly stimulated by cAMP analogs.
Using "As If" Processes in Family Therapy Supervision

Experiences with using 2 formats of "as if' listening in the process of family therapy supervision are chronicled. "As if' listening involves listening to case material from a specific position (e.g., a particular family member's position) and then responding to the case presenter from that same position. The "as if' process promotes the creation of multiple understandings of clients, their situations, and the therapist's position in supervision. Participants' comments about the application of "as if'processes in supervision were analyzed using a qualitative organizational scheme. The themes that emerged from the inquiry are reported and discussed. The themes relate to both the usefulness of "as if" processes in family therapy supervision and the research process itself
An Exploration of the Range and Frequency of Occurrence of Forms in Potentially Variable Structures in Second-Language Spanish.

This article adds to the growing body of research focused on second-language (L2) variation and constitutes the first large-scale study of the production of potentially variable grammatical structures in Spanish by English-speaking learners. The overarching goal of the project is to assess the range of forms used and the degree to which native and L2 speakers of Spanish differ in several independently defined syntactic or discourse-based contexts. The contexts examined in the current study have been the object of sociolinguistic research in monolingual environments and include the following: copula contrast, mood distinction, past-time reference, future-time reference, and subject expression. Interview data from 16 English-speaking learners and 16 native speakers of Spanish from a variety of countries, all of whom are part of a single speech community in the United States, are examined. The analysis focuses on the range of forms used in each of the contexts investigated and the frequency with which these forms appear. A possible relation of individual characteristics, such as country of origin, years of language study, and time spent abroad, to this frequency of use is also considered.
Challenges and opportunities for technology in foreign language classrooms

We present the results of a two-month ethnographic study of three introductory Russian classrooms. Through observation and interviews, we identify several distinct roles played by physical artifacts in the classrooms, such as providing a reference to necessary foreign-language material and serving as props in creative role-play. The range of roles taken on by artifacts and the attitudes students have toward them provide a basis for our discussion about how technology might be more effectively introduced into the socially negotiated environment of the introductory foreign-language classroom. We identify the need to balance between collaborative and personal technology in a stressful, but social, context. Our findings inform a range of roles that technology can undertake in replacing or augmenting existing classroom artifacts.
Role of cysteine amino acid residues on the RNA binding activity of human thymidylate synthase

The role of cysteine sulfhydryl residues on the RNA binding activity of human thymidylate synthase (TS) was investigated by mutating each cysteine residue on human TS to a corresponding alanine residue. Enzymatic activities of TS:C43A and TS:C210A mutant proteins were nearly identical to wild-type TS, while TS:C180A and TS:C199A mutants expressed >80% of wild-type enzyme activity. In contrast, TS:C195A was completely inactive. Mutant proteins, TS:C195A, TS:C199A and TS:C210A, retained RNA binding activity to nearly the same degree as wild-type human TS. RNA binding activity of TS:C43A was reduced by 30% when compared to wild-type TS, while TS:C180A was completely devoid of RNA binding activity. In vitro translation studies confirmed that mutant proteins TS:C43A, TS:C195A, TS:C199A and TS:C210A, significantly repressed human TS mRNA translation, while TS:C180A was unable to do so. To confirm the in vivo significance of the cysteine sulfhydryl residue, mutant proteins TS:C180A and TS:C195A were each expressed in human colon cancer HCT-C18:TS(-) cells that expressed a functionally inactive TS. A recombinant luciferase reporter gene under the control of a TS-response element was co-transfected into these same cells, and luciferase activity increased in the presence of the TS:C195A mutant TS protein to a level similar to that observed upon expression of wild-type TS protein. In contrast, luciferase activity remained unchanged in cells expressing the TS:C180A mutant protein. Taken together, these findings identify Cys-180 as a critical residue for the in vitro and in vivo translational regulatory effects of human TS.
Floristic notes from Crete

TURLAND, N. J., 1992. Floristic notes from Crete. Phytogeographical and ecological notes are given for 24 taxa of vascular plants occurring on the south Aegean island of Crete. These cover infrequent, localized and endemic species and include five new records: Daphne gnidioides, D.jasminea, Fraxinus ornus, Hemarthria altissima and Teline monspessulana. The occurrence of Orobanche lavandulacea and Ranunculus velutinus is confirmed. A second site is reported for the extremely rare endemic Convolvulus argyrothamnos and additional sites for a number of other localized endemics are provided.
The role of radiotherapy for high-risk endometrial cancer

High-risk endometrial cancer comprises an uncommon group of tumors, which includes pathological stage III adenocarcinoma and all stages of papillary serous carcinoma. Optimal management of this class of malignant female genital neoplasms is surgical resection, including debulking of any gross abdominopelvic disease. This article analyzes the literature concerning the use of adjunctive radiotherapy. The data presented suggest that postoperative whole abdominal radiotherapy may improve outcome in selected subsets of patients within this high-risk group. Future clinical investigations will greatly benefit from the anticipated published results of two completed prospective cooperative group clinical trials that involve whole abdominal irradiation.
The Ear, Nose, and Throat

The ear, nose, and throat, together classically abbreviated as ENT before adoption of the more scholarly word otorhinolaryngology, are a cluster of structures geographically proximal to one another and, more or less, functionally connected in regard to breathing, swallowing, phonation, and hearing. In considering how to present my collection of ENT facts and pearls, I have chosen to order them as they are traditionally mentioned: ear first, then nose, and then throat (including the lips, tongue, teeth, and other oropharyngeal structures).
The Amplified Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (a-ELISA)

The current interest in immune regulation and in characterizing the immune response against pathogens and substances of interest to human and animal medicine, has prompted attempts to develop techniques capable of accurately and reliably measuring specific antibodies in serum and body fluids. Especially important is the ability to measure the response according to the isotype of the antibody. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) provides a sensitive and non-hazardous immunochemical basis for potentially making such determinations (Avrameas and Gilbert, 1972; Engvall et al. 1971). The amplified ELISA (a-ELISA) is a modification of the original ELISA which combines the principles of indirect detection with the use of a non-covalent enzyme-antibody detection system (Butler et al. 1978b). The latter avoids alteration of both enzyme and antibody, the complex in fact dissociating during the substrate reaction. The result is a system with improved sensitivity and broad flexibility. The a-ELISA serves as a useful means of measuring the isotypic distribution of specific immune responses in many species.
2,3-Di-O-picolinyl building blocks as glycosyl donors with switchable stereoselectivity

2-O-Picolinyl protected glycosyl donors lead to the formation of 1,2-trans glycosides with complete stereoselectivity. This is due to the participatory effect of the picolinyl nitrogen that is able to block the bottom face of the ring via a six-membered cyclic intermediate. Herein we demonstrate that if the nitrogen atom of the O-picolinyl moiety is temporarily blocked by coordination to the metal center (Pd), it becomes unavailable to participate in glycosylation and hence the stereoselectivity of 2-O-picolinyl-assisted glycosylations can be "switched".
Coexistence in the Face of Uncertainty

Over the past century, nonlinear difference and differential equations have been used to understand conditions for coexistence of interacting populations. However, these models fail to account for random fluctuations due to demographic and environmental stochasticity which are experienced by all populations. I review some recent mathematical results about persistence and coexistence for models accounting for each of these forms of stochasticity. Demographic stochasticity stems from populations and communities consisting of a finite number of interacting individuals, and often are represented by Markovian models with a countable number of states. For closed populations in a bounded world, extinction occurs in finite time but may be preceded by long-term transients. Quasi-stationary distributions (QSDs) of these Markov models characterize this meta-stable behavior. For sufficiently large “habitat sizes”, QSDs are shown to concentrate on the positive attractors of deterministic models. Moreover, the probability extinction decreases exponentially with habitat size. Alternatively, environmental stochasticity stems from fluctuations in environmental conditions which influence survival, growth, and reproduction. Stochastic difference equations can be used to model the effects of environmental stochasticity on population and community dynamics. For these models, stochastic persistence corresponds to empirical measures placing arbitrarily little weight on arbitrarily low population densities. Sufficient and necessary conditions for stochastic persistence are reviewed. These conditions involve weighted combinations of Lyapunov exponents corresponding to “average” per-capita growth rates of rare species. The results are illustrated with how climatic variability influenced the dynamics of Bay checkerspot butterflies, the persistence of coupled sink populations, coexistence of competitors through the storage effect, and stochastic rock-paper-scissor communities. Open problems and conjectures are presented.
Protein-Flavonoid Interaction Studies by a Taylor Dispersion Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Technique: A Novel Method to Assess Biomolecular Interactions.

Flavonoids are common polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in fruits and vegetables. These pigments have important pharmacological relevance because emerging research suggests possible anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties as well other beneficial health effects. These compounds are relatively hydrophobic molecules, suggesting the role of blood transport proteins in their delivery to tissues. In this study, we assess the binding interactions of four flavonoids (kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin, and resveratrol) with human serum albumin (HSA), the most abundant protein in the blood, and with glutathione S-transferase pi isoform-1 (GSTP1), an enzyme with well-characterized hydrophobic binding sites that plays an important role in detoxification of xenobiotics with reduced glutathione, using a novel Taylor dispersion surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique. For the first time, HSA sites revealed a high-affinity binding site for flavonoid interactions. Out of the four flavonoids that we examined, quercetin and kaempferol showed the strongest equilibrium binding affinities (KD) of 63 ± 0.03 nM and 37 ± 0.07 nM, respectively. GSTP1 displayed lower affinities in the micromolar range towards all of the flavonoids tested. The interactions of flavonoids with HSA and GSTP1 were studied successfully using this novel SPR assay method. The new method is compatible with both kinetic and equilibrium analyses.
Effect of growth hormone deficiency on glucagon secretion.

ConclusionsGrowth hormone deficiency does not result in impaired glucagon responses to arginine nor does HGH administration to HGH deficient subjects enhance their glucagon response to this stimulus. The insulino-penic response to arginine of HGH deficient subjects is confirmed.
Construction of a wheat-flour state diagram

We use pressure-variable differential scanning calorimetry to detect and characterize thermally induced transitions (glass, melting, gelatinization) in pre- and post-extruded wheat flour. The resulting data allow us to construct a two-dimensional state diagram which maps the physical states that pre- and post-extruded wheat flour can assume, at constant pressure, as a function of moisture content, temperature, and the specific mechanical energy, SME, generated in the extruder. We describe how this state diagram can be used to map the path of extrusion processing, to assess the impact of extrusion conditions, and, ultimately, to design formulations and processing conditions that result in desired end-product attributes. For the extrudates, we find that the extent of processing-induced fragmentation, as monitored by reductions in the extrudate glass transition temperature,Tg, increases with the SME generated in the extruder. We demonstrate that a wheat-flour state diagram, which includes the glass curve of the wheat-flour extrudates produced at various SME values, allows one to predict and control the impact of processing conditions on extrudate properties.
Scoring Fluctuations among Professional and Beginning Bowlers

The mean variance from an eight-game tournament for 50 beginning bowlers and that for 50 professional bowlers in the 1993 Tucson Open were significantly different, beginners showing less fluctuation in scores, despite their expectation to the contrary.
Tympanic thermometry for recording basal body temperatures

Evaluation of 12 menstrual cycles using oral, rectal, and TM temperature measuring devices (over 2,000 individual readings) confirmed the ovulatory thermal shift was equally detected with TM thermometry compared with the traditional methods. Although a single TM reading was satisfactory, an average of three successive readings provided a smoother graph (decreased variance). The device appears acceptable, and even preferred, for recording BBT charts, primarily because of its nearly instantaneous readings.
Fast and precise ranging based on Stepped-Frequency continuous wave radar measurements using compressive sensing algorithms

Stepped-Frequency continuous wave (SFCW) radar suffers from the drawback of long data acquisition time which discourages its wide usage for practical applications. In this paper, we introduce a compressive sensing (CS) based data measurement scheme which only uses a small sample of the total frequency points to increase the data acquisition speed. Typically amplitude information is used in these schemes. However, for some applications that require a high precision range measurement of the target, the use of phase information of the target's profile is also needed besides the amplitude information to improve the ranging precision; which is challenging. In this paper, we analyze the parameters of CS based method, which affect the accuracy of the recovered phase information of the target in detail. Simulation by an ideal point target and actual measurements by using our developed SFCW radar are carried out to investigate the effects of these parameters.
Social Referencing Gaze Behavior during a Videogame Task: Eye Tracking Evidence from Children with and without ASD.

The purpose of this study was to understand the social referencing behaviors of children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) while visually attending to a videogame stimulus depicting both the face of the videogame player and the videogame play action. Videogames appear to offer a uniquely well-suited environment for the emergence of friendships, but it is not known if children with and without ASD attend to and play videogames similarly. Eyetracking technology was used to investigate visual attention of participants matched based on chronological age. Parametric and nonparametric statistical analyses were used and results indicated the groups did not differ on percentage of time spent visually attending to any of the areas of interest, with one possible exception.