cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lovastatin inhibits amyloid precursor protein (APP) β‐cleavage through reduction of APP distribution in Lubrol WX extractable low density lipid rafts

Previous studies have described that statins (inhibitors of cholesterol and isoprenoid biosynthesis) inhibit the output of amyloid-beta (Abeta) in the animal model and thus decrease risk of Alzheimer's disease. However, their action mechanism(s) in Abeta precursor protein (APP) processing and Abeta generation is not fully understood. In this study, we report that lovastatin treatment reduced Abeta output in cultured hippocampal neurons as a result of reduced APP levels and beta-secretase activities in low density Lubrol WX (non-ionic detergent) extractable lipid rafts (LDLR). Rather than altering cholesterol levels in lipid raft fractions and thus disrupting lipid raft structure, lovastatin decreased Abeta generation through down-regulating geranylgeranyl-pyrophosphate dependent endocytosis pathway. The inhibition of APP endocytosis by treatment with lovastatin and reduction of APP levels in LDLR fractions by treatment with phenylarsine oxide (a general endocytosis inhibitor) support the involvement of APP endocytosis in APP distribution in LDLR fractions and subsequent APP beta-cleavage. Moreover, lovastatin-mediated down-regulation of endocytosis regulators, such as early endosomal antigen 1, dynamin-1, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity, indicates that lovastatin modulates APP endocytosis possibly through its pleiotropic effects on endocytic regulators. Collectively, these data report that lovastatin mediates inhibition of LDLR distribution and beta-cleavage of APP in a geranylgeranyl-pyrophosphate and endocytosis-dependent manner.
Persistent catalepsy associated with severe dyskinesias in rats treated with chronic injections of haloperidol decanoate

Patients who develop persistent parkinsonism while on chronic neuroleptic therapy may be predisposed towards the development of tardive dyskinesia (TD). We investigated this issue in an animal model of TD by examining the association between catalepsy and the syndrome of neuroleptic-induced vacuous chewing movements (VCMs). VCMs were measured every 3 weeks for 33 weeks while rats received injections of haloperidol decanoate. Catalepsy was measured after the second through the seventh injections of the depot neuroleptic. There were no correlations between the severity of catalepsy scores after the second or third injections of haloperidol and the severity of the overall VCM syndrome. However, the severity of the catalepsy score following the third through seventh injections of haloperidol strongly correlated with the concurrent number of VCMs. Persistent high catalepsy scores across the six catalepsy rating sessions were strongly associated with the development of persistent severe VCMs. These findings suggest that, to the extent that persistent parkinsonian signs in humans are associated with a propensity towards the development of TD, the VCM syndrome in rats is at least a partially faithful animal model of this relationship.
Validation of AMSU-B water vapor profile retrievals with GOES infrared observations in the 6.5-micron band

One-dimensional variational (1DVAR) retrievals of humidity profiles over ocean are generated from AMSU-B observations and a Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Predication System (NOGAPS) background. Retrievals of water vapor profiles from AMSU-B are validated by intercomparing GOES water vapor channel observations with simulated GOES brightness temperatures calculated by the RTTOV-7 forward model from the background and retrieved atmospheric profiles. Brightness temperatures simulated from the retrieved profiles matched the GOES observations much more closely than those calculated from the background profile. After screening out clouds, GOES Imager 6.7-mm brightness temperatures from GOES-10 were reproduced with a correlation of 0.94, a bias of 2.97 K, and a standard deviation of -1.60 K. The impact of AMSU-B retrievals assimilated using NAVDAS is tested by comparing two data assimilation runs. 500-mb and 300-mb specific humidity fields are compared to GOES imagery. Large-scale moisture features such as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) at 500 mb are sharper and better defined in the AMSU-B run, agreeing qualitatively with GOES observations. However, differences in simulated GOES water vapor channel brightness temperatures from the two model runs are very small, due to the limited impact of amsu-b in the upper troposphere in this run.
The Poet As Map-Maker: The Cartographic Inspiration and Influence of Elizabeth Bishop’s “The Map”

New Year’s Eve of 1934 found Elizabeth Bishop recuperating from the flu. Out of her isolation, the recently orphaned 23-year-old created “The Map.” Inspired by a map’s depiction of the North Atlantic, Bishop’s exquisite poem alludes in part to the “seashore towns” and coastal waters of her childhood home, Nova Scotia. A seminal twentieth-century poem about maps, Bishop’s “The Map” has inspired a host of other mappoems since it opened her Pulitzer prize-winning collection, Poems: North & South—A Cold Spring, in 1955. My paper, the third in a series advocating the use of poetry in the teaching of geography, will attempt to elucidate Bishop’s masterpiece and introduce the map that, I believe, inspired her poem. The paper also will present two works influenced by “The Map”: Howard Nemerov’s “The Map-Maker on His Art” (1957) and Mark Strand’s “The Map” (1960). Linking these three acclaimed American poets even further is their recognition of an intimate and explicit connection between poets and cartographers.
The lack of cancer surveillance data on sexual minorities and strategies for change

Objective To consider options for gathering cancer incidence and risk factor data in sexual minority individuals.
Knowledge as tracking

One popular theory of knowledge identifies knowledge with reliably formed bel iefJ I think there is much to be said in favor of the reliability theory. I do not, however, agree with the popular reading o f reliably formed belief. Proposed reliability theories all identify knowledge with belief that reliably indicates its own truth. Recently, reliable indication theories of knowledge have come under attack. 2 In my opinion, however, these attacks have been less than decisive. (I respond to the most sustained at tack below.) My aim in this paper is the negative one of providing firm grounds for rejecting the reliable indication theories. My attention will be limited to the way these theories handle troublesome examples, most ly of failed knowledge (Gettier examples). I restrict the focus of the paper in this way, not because I think the handling of examples is the chief test of a theory of knowledge, but because the reliable indication theories have been motivated almost entirely by examples, and because examples best illuminate what is missing from the theories. I will have room at the end for a gesture in the direction of an alternative reliability approach. My target will be the most recently proposed reliable indication theory, Robert Nozick's, in Philosophical Explanations. 3 It is a suitable choice because it is also the simplest and most elegant version yet proposed, and claims to handle the widest array o f examples. It begins: for any subject S and proposit ion p,
Self-attention, concept activation, and the causal self

Abstract Two experiments examined the relationship between the accessibility of selfreferent information and attributions of causal responsibility to the self. The first study introduced a priming technique, in which subjects used either first-person or third-person terms in a story construction task, to directly access self-referent or other-referent thought. It was found that self-attributions for hypothetical outcomes were greater for those subjects whose earlier stories were focused on the self. The second study, rather than activate self-referent cognition in a general fashion, sought to explicitly prime the notion of a “causal self.” In addition to self-referent or other-referent words, subjects were also given words that evoked notions of either causality or noncausality to be incorporated into their stories. Contingent activation of both “self” and “causal” notions subsequently resulted in greater self-attributions than any other experimental condition. Recall and recognition data from Experiment 2 were generally consistent with the contention that a specific and differentiated component of the self-schema had been accessed. The results of both studies, as well as the novel “self-priming” technique, are discussed in terms of self-awareness theory.
Erratum: Numerical evaluation of multi-loop integrals using subtraction terms

This erratum corrects the finite parts of the two-loop examples in ref. [1], as a result of fixing a mismatch in prefactor conventions. The correct numbers are shown in table 1 and 2, which replace tables 2 and 3, respectively, in the original publication [1]. Note that there is now perfect agreement in the comparison between the results obtained with the numerical method of this work and ref. [2] within integration errors, see table 1.
Phosphorylation and glycosylation of nucleoporins.

The nuclear pore complex mediates macromolecular transport between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Many nuclear pore components (nucleoporins) are modified by both phosphate and O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc). Among its many functions, protein phosphorylation plays essential roles in cell cycle progression. The role of O-GlcNAc addition is unknown. Here, levels of nucleoporin phosphorylation and glycosylation during cell cycle progression are examined. Whereas nuclear pore glycoproteins are phosphorylated in a cell-cycle-dependent manner, levels of O-GlcNAc remain constant. The major nucleoporin p62 can be phosphorylated in vitro by protein kinase A and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3α but not by cyclin B/cdc2 or GSK-3β. The consensus sites of these kinases resemble sites which can be glycosylated by O-GlcNAc transferase. These data are consistent with a model that O-GlcNAc limits nucleoporin hyperphosphorylation during M-phase and hastens the resumption of regulated nuclear transport at the completion of cell division.
Hydrogen chemisorption on Si surfaces analyzed by magnetic-sector, atom-probe, field-ion microscopy

An atom-probe field-ion microscope was successfully employed for the first time to study semiconductor Si surfaces. Using a magnetic-sector type we have observed pure silicon Si+, monohydride SiH, and dihydride SiH2+ ions from the well-ordered H-covered (111) and (110) planes, and pure silicon Si+, monohydride SiH+, and silane SiH4+ ions from the disordered {311)areas. This observation is taken as the evidence for the formation of the silicon dihydride and trihydride surface phases suggested by recent ultraviolet photoemission studies.
JPF verification of habanero Java programs

Habanero Java (HJ), a mid-level concurrent language, provides several correctness advantages if it is data race free: deadlock freedom, determinism, serialization, etc. An HJ program execution can only demonstrate data race freedom for one scheduling path, but the correctness property only holds if it is data race free for all paths. Verifying an HJ program with a tool such as Java Path Finder (JPF) for complete data race freedom is time and memory consuming because of the numerous JPF state expansions. This paper provides a small, stand-alone, alternative, HJ verification runtime (VR) that is more suited for verification in JPF. Additionally, this paper presents an alternative JPF scheduler that will explore only relevant HJ related scheduling paths in the VR. Finally, this paper shows state expansion results in JPF using HJ benchmarks with the HJ library, VR with and without the scheduler. The results indicate a reduction using the VR with the schedule when compared to the HJ runtime.
Works in Progress: Searching for Solutions to the Difficult Problems of Homelessness

Our interest in editing this special issue stemmed from our experiences researching homelessness alleviation projects in Chicago including the Chicago Housing for Health Partnership (CHHP) and Chic...
Hemopoietic stem cells: stochastic differentiation and humoral control of proliferation.

The central feature of hemopoiesis is life-long, stable cell renewal. This process is supported by hemopoietic stem cells which, in the steady state, appear to be dormant in cell cycling. The entry...
Scaling of In 0.7 Ga 0.3 As buried-channel MOSFETs

Sub-100 nm short-channel In0.7Ga0.3As MOSFETs are demonstrated for both depletion- and enhancement-mode devices. High current of 960 muA/mum and record transconductance of 793 muS/mum have been achieved. Scaling behavior is investigated experimentally down to 80 nm for the first time in III-V MOSFETs. Good scaling behavior is observed for on-state current, transconductance, as well as the virtual source velocity.
Collisional Excitation of Interstellar Methyl Cyanide

Theoretical calculations are used to determine the collisional excitation rates of methyl cyanide under interstellar molecular cloud conditions. The required Q(L,M) as a function of kinetic temperature were determined by averaging fixed energy IOS (infinite order sudden) results over appropriate Boltzmann distributions of collision energies. At a kinetic temperature of 40 K, rates within a K ladder were found to be accurate to generally better than about 30 percent.
Enhancing stability and expression of recombinant human hemoglobin in E. coli: Progress in the development of a recombinant HBOC source

The commercial feasibility of recombinant human Hb (rHb) as an O(2) delivery pharmaceutical is limited by the production yield of holoprotein in E. coli. Currently the production of rHb is not cost effective for use as a source in the development of third and fourth generation Hb-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs). The major problems appear to be aggregation and degradation of apoglobin at the nominal expression temperatures, 28-37 degrees C, and the limited amount of free heme that is available for holohemoglobin assembly. One approach to solve the first problem is to inhibit apoglobin precipitation by a comparative mutagenesis strategy to improve apoglobin stability. alpha Gly15 to Ala and beta Gly16 to Ala mutations have been constructed to increase the stability of the alpha helices of both subunits of HbA, based on comparison with the sequences of the more stable sperm whale hemoglobin subunits. Fetal hemoglobin is also known to be more stable than human HbA, and sequence comparisons between human beta and gamma (fetal Hb) chains indicate several substitutions that stabilize the alpha1beta1 interface, one of which, beta His116 to Ile, increases resistance to denaturation and enhances expression in E. coli. These favorable effects of enhanced globin stability can be augmented by co-expression of bacterial membrane heme transport systems to increase the rate and extent of heme uptake through the bacterial cell membranes. The combination of increased apoglobin stability and active heme transport appear to enhance holohemoglobin production to levels that may make rHb a plausible starting material for all extracellular Hb-based oxygen carriers.
Temperature-induced changes in photosynthetic activities and thylakoid membrane properties of Euglena gracilis

Euglena gracilis Klebs strain Z Pringsheim was grown at 26°C, and the effects of temperature on photosynthesis and thylakoid parameters were determined. Arrhenius plots of oxygen evolution accompanying CO2 or p-benzoquinone reduction by intact cells showed a discontinuity at approx. 6–7°C. Plots of oxygen evolution accompanying ferricyanide or benzoquinone reduction by isolated thylakoids showed a discontinuity at approximately 5.5–7°C. A high sensitivity differential scanning calorimetric study of isolated thylakoids showed that a very sharp and reversible transition occurred at 6.2°C. We conclude that a temperature-induced change in the structure of thylakoid lipids resulted in the discontinuity observed in the Arrhenius plots. Calorimetric experiments also demonstrated that several transitions occurred at temperatures higher than 20°C with one at approx. 63°C being the most prominent. As in the case of thylakoids of most higher plants, all of the higher temperature transitions were irreversible.
An assessment technique for children with auditory-language processing problems

The purpose of this study was to develop a new multilayer clinical assessment technique to evaluate auditory-language processing abilities in children. Following a 90-min in-service workshop on auditory-language processing problems, 46 nonhandicapped first-, second-, and third-grade students were referred by their classroom teachers for an evaluation of auditory-language processing abilities. Twelve "normally" achieving first-, second-, and third-grade students were randomly selected as controls. Standardized and nonstandardized measures included a pure tone and impedance test, selected subtests of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Functions (Linguistic Concepts, Relationships and Ambiguities, Oral Directions, Spoken Paragraphs, Word Associations, and Model Sentences), the Goldman-Fristoe-Woodcock (GFW) Memory for Sequence Test, Sound Mimicry Test, Sound-Symbol Association Test, and the GFW Test of Auditory Discrimination. Nonstandardized measures included an Observational Profile of Classroom Communication and an informal language sample. Results indicated 87% of 46 (n = 40) children were identified as having auditory-language processing problems. In-service training was an effective means to heighten teachers' awareness for referring subjects. Additionally, the Observational Profile of Classroom Communication was an effective procedure for teachers to systematically observe and document communication behaviors in the context of the classroom.
Homologous interference in Aedes aegypti cell cultures infected with Sindbis virus.

The establishment of persistent infection by Sindbis virus inAedes aegypti cell cultures is independent of the initial multiplicity of infection. Persistently infected cultures yield a small plaque-forming virus mutant, SV-S, which interferes with the growth of the wild type Sindbis virus, SV-W, but not with Eastern equine encephalitis virus, another group A togavirus. The interfering capacity of SV-S was demonstrated in BHK-21 and KB cells as well as in mosquito cells.
Effectiveness of Interactive Videodisc Instructional Programs in Elementary Teacher Education.

Level three interactive videodisc instructional programs used in ways that create cognitive conflict are more effective in elementary teacher education than are those programs which do not create this involvement. Conflict can be provided through use of the engaging and engrossing videodisc examples either inductively when students work alone or deductively when students engage in peer discussion.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Restrictive Lung Impairment Secondary to Osteoporotic Sternal Fracture: A Case Report

We report a case of a spontaneous sternal fracture secondary to idiopathic osteoporosis in a man in his late forties. His restrictive lung disorder from thoracic kyphoscoliosis was exacerbated by surgery to repair the sternal fracture. Inpatient cardiopulmonary rehabilitation helped this patient regain independence in functional status and ambulation after repair of the fractured sternum.
Slender-body approximation for slowly-varying wave loads in multi-directional waves

Abstract Second-order slowly-varying wave forces can, in principle, be obtained from the second-order diffraction potential. However, the theory is complicated and relevant computation is very costly. Instead, in this paper, a very simple second-order slender-body approximation is developed, which can be used when inertia effects are important and characteristic length scale of the structure is small compared to the wave length. In the slender-body approximation, the second-order difference-frequency inertia force is obtained from the complete description of the second-order acceleration field which includes both temporal and convective terms. Additional second-order contributions due to the axial divergence correction and fluctuation of the free surface are also included. The resulting explicit force quadratic transfer functions (QTFs) are obtained for both uni- and multi-directional waves. The slender-body analysis is applied to the computation of slowly-varying pitch moments on an articulated loading platform (ALP) and the results agree well with the second-order diffraction computation. In particular, the approximation method is found to be several orders of magnitude faster than the second-order diffraction computation. From our numerical results, it is seen that slowly-varying-force spectra are in many cases sensitive to the wave directional spreading, hence wave directionality needs to be considered for the reliable or cost-effective design of future compliant offshore platforms.
Effective Modeling and Nonlinear Shell Analysis of Thin Membranes Exhibiting Structural Wrinkling

Thin solar sail membranes of very large span are being envisioned for near-term space missions. One major design issue that is inherent to these very flexible structures is the formation of wrinkling patterns. Structural wrinkles may deteriorate a solar sail's performance and, in certain cases, structural integrity. A geometrically nonlinear, updated Lagrangian shell formulation is employed using the ABAQUS finite element code to simulate the formation of wrinkled deformations in thin-film membranes. The restrictive assumptions of true membranes as defined by tension field theory are not invoked. Two effective modeling strategies are introduced to facilitate convergent solutions of wrinkled equilibrium states. They include 1) the application of small, pseudorandom, out-of-plane geometric imperfections that ensure initiation of the requisite membrane-to-bending coupling in a geometrically nonlinear analysis and 2) the truncation of corner regions, where concentrated loads are prescribed, to improve load transfer, mesh quality, and kinematics and to reduce severe concentration of membrane stresses. The corner truncation necessitates replacing the concentrated force with a statically equivalent distributed traction. Several numerical studies are carried out, and the results are compared with recent experimental data. Good agreement is observed between the numerical simulations and experimental data.
An uncertainty analysis of the spectral correction factor

Whenever a photovoltaic device is evaluated with respect to a reference spectrum, there is a spectral mismatch error. The photocurrent can be corrected for this error with a spectral correction factor, as is routinely done for primary and secondary terrestrial reference solar cell calibrations at laboratories throughout the world. The spectral correction factor has also been used to accurately measure the performance of cells and modules of any technology with respect to an arbitrary set of reference conditions. This uncertainty analysis considers the sensitivity of the spectral correction factor, and thus the measurement to which it applies, to choices of integration limits and uncertainties in the source irradiance and spectral response measurements from which it is derived. The uncertainty analysis involves Monte Carlo simulations of wavelength-dependent random errors and addition of systematic (bias) errors to the calculation's factors. It is demonstrated that error can be reduced or increased by reducing the wavelength range of the irradiance or spectral response measurement. The uncertainty in the spectral correction factor for standard lamp calibrations is found to exceed that for outdoor global normal calibrations. Correction factor sensitivities to resolution in spectral response data, and temporal instability of a Xenon arc-lamp solar simulator are discussed. Correction factor uncertainty is found to rise with correction factor magnitude. >
Effects of Lime on Salmonella enteritidis Survival In Vitro

SUMMARY The presence of Salmonella or Campylobacter in poultry litter may contribute to contaminated processed carcasses by increasing the bacterial load of skin and feathers or by providing a source for upper gastrointestinal contamination during preharvest feed withdrawal. Presently, we evaluated the effect of added lime on survival of Salmonella enteritidis in used poultry litter during room temperature incubations for 24, 48, or 96 h. Addition of any concentration of lime evaluated markedly increased pH (control: 8.36; 5%: 12.13; 10%: 12.53; 20%: 12.57). Addition of lime resulted in significantly reduced Salmonella recovery incidence at 24 h. Interestingly, no further lime-associated reduction in Salmonella recovery was observed at 48 h. These data suggest that the addition of hydrated lime can markedly reduce Salmonella recovery in a relatively short time (<24 h). The effect and persistence of lime-associated pH elevations under commercial conditions remains to be evaluated.
Neural crest anomaly syndromes in children with spina bifida.

A hereditary contribution to the etiology of neural tube defects (NTDs) has been suggested by clinical studies and animal models. To evaluate the hypothesis that common genes are important for both neural tube defects and neural crest anomalies, we examined children with developmental abnormalities of the spinal cord for anomalies of neural crest-derived structures. Neural crest anomalies, particularly auditory and pigmentary disorders, were identified and classified according to inheritance and type of anomaly. Of the 515 children screened, 44 (8.5%) had neural crest anomalies, 20 (3.9%) of which were apparently familial. Another 19 (3.7%) families had neural crest anomalies in two or more close relations, but the NTD subject was unaffected. Sixteen (3.1%) children with NTDs had a recognizable syndrome, including nine (1.7%) with a subtype of the Waardenburg syndromes. The coincidence of familial neural crest anomaly syndromes in subjects with spina bifida implies that defects in genes underlying neural crest development may contribute to the etiology of neural tube defects in a fraction of cases. The rate of anomalies and familial syndromes of neural crest-derived structures must be assessed in an adequate control sample to evaluate whether or not these abnormalities constitute risk factors for NTDs.
Theoretical Components of STD Counselors' Messages to Promote Clients' Use of Condoms

A survey of 34 counselors on sexually transmitted diseases from a large Midwestern state was conducted to compare their responses to promote condom use with clients' attitudes and normative beliefs regarding condoms. Four vignettes were developed using predictor variables about condom use based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA). Results indicate subjects responded minimally to TRA variables mentioned in the vignettes. Moralistic messages about condoms were the most frequent responses reported, followed by those on education, disease prevention, and fear. In some cases information provided was not relevant to behavior described in vignettes. Implications for health care professionals are that messages meant to change behaviors should reinforce clients' attitudes and normative influences, and moralistic or fear messages should be minimized.
Particle phase acidity and oligomer formation in secondary organic aerosol.

A series of controlled laboratory experiments are carried out in dual Teflon chambers to examine the presence of oligomers in secondary organic aerosols (SOA) from hydrocarbon ozonolysis as well as to explore the effect of particle phase acidity on SOA formation. In all seven hydrocarbon systems studied (i.e., α-pinene, cyclohexene, 1-methyl cyclopentene, cycloheptene, 1-methyl cyclohexene, cyclooctene, and terpinolene), oligomers with MW from 250 to 1600 are present in the SOA formed, both in the absence and presence of seed particles and regardless of the seed particle acidity. These oligomers are comparable to, and in some cases, exceed the low molecular weight species (MW < 250) in ion intensities in the ion trap mass spectra, suggesting they may comprise a substantial fraction of the total aerosol mass. It is possible that oligomers are widely present in atmospheric organic aerosols, formed through acid- or base-catalyzed heterogeneous reactions. In addition, as the seed particle acidity increases, larger oligomers are formed more abundantly in the SOA; consequently, the overall SOA yield also increases. This explicit effect of particle phase acidity on the composition and yield of SOA may have important climatic consequences and need to be considered in relevant models.
Vaccination with the T Cell Antigen Mtb 8.4 Protects Against Challenge with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The development of an effective vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a research area of intense interest. Mounting evidence suggests that protective immunity to M. tuberculosis relies on both MHC class II-restricted CD4(+) T cells and MHC class I-restricted CD8(+) T cells. By purifying polypeptides present in the culture filtrate of M. tuberculosis and evaluating these molecules for their ability to stimulate PBMC from purified protein derivative-positive healthy individuals, we previously identified a low-m.w. immunoreactive T cell Ag, Mtb 8.4, which elicited strong Th1 T cell responses in healthy purified protein derivative-positive human PBMC and in mice immunized with recombinant Mtb 8.4. Herein we report that Mtb 8.4-specific T cells can be detected in mice immunized with the current live attenuated vaccine, Mycobacterium bovis-bacillus Calmette-Guerin as well as in mice infected i.v. with M. tuberculosis. More importantly, immunization of mice with either plasmid DNA encoding Mtb 8.4 or Mtb 8.4 recombinant protein formulated with IFA elicited strong CD4(+) T cell and CD8(+) CTL responses and induced protection on challenge with virulent M. tuberculosis. Thus, these results suggest that Mtb 8.4 is a potential candidate for inclusion in a subunit vaccine against TB.
Role of diabetes in congestive heart failure: the Framingham study.

Abstract The incidence of congestive heart failure was determined in relation to prior diabetic status in 5,209 men and women aged 30 to 62 years followed up for 18 years in the Framingham study. Men aged 45 to 74 years had more than twice the frequency of congestive failure as their nondiabetic cohorts, and diabetic women had a fivefold increased risk. This excessive risk appears to be caused by factors other than accelerated atherogenesis and coronary heart disease. Even when patients with prior coronary or rheumatic heart disease were excluded, the diabetic subjects had a four- to fivefold increased risk of congestive heart failure. In women (but not men) with prior coronary disease, diabetes also imposed a threefold increased risk of congestive failure. Furthermore, the increased risk of heart failure in the diabetic patients persisted after taking into account age, blood pressure, weight and cholesterol values as well as coronary heart disease. Women with diabetes appeared to be especially vulnerable and, irrespective of coronary disease status, had twice the frequency of congestive heart failure as men. The excessive risk of heart failure among diabetic subjects was confined to those treated with insulin. The data suggest that diabetes is another discrete cause of congestive heart failure and that some form of cardiomyopathy is associated with diabetes, as a result of either small vessel disease or metabolic disorders.
Tumor lysis syndrome and acute anemia in an African-American man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a life-threating hematologic emergency caused by massive lysis of tumor cells into the blood stream. TLS can be prevented and treated with rasburicase. Rasburicase-induced hemolysis and methemoglobinemia is a rare but serious complication. Screening for G6PD should be considered for patients at higher risk for G6PD deficiency who may be also at high risk for TLS on the basis of clinical parameters. G6PD level in G6PD-deficient patients may be normal during an acute hemolytic episode and may not help to clarify the diagnosis at the time of presentation. The characteristic peripheral blood smear findings of ‘bite’ and ‘blister’ cells representing oxidative damage to red blood cells can help to quickly establish the diagnosis of G6PD deficiency-related hemolysis. The treatment of an acute hemolytic episode in a patient with G6PD deficiency requires avoiding the source of oxidative stress and using transfusion support as needed.
Predicting a set of minimal free energy RNA secondary structures common to two sequences

Motivation: Function derives from structure, therefore, there is need for methods to predict functional RNA structures. Results: The Dynalign algorithm, which predicts the lowest free energy secondary structure common to two unaligned RNA sequences, is extended to the prediction of a set of low-energy structures. Dot plots can be drawn to show all base pairs in structures within an energy increment. Dynalign predicts more well-defined structures than structure prediction using a single sequence; in 5S rRNA sequences, the average number of base pairs in structures with energy within 20% of the lowest energy structure is 317 using Dynalign, but 569 using a single sequence. Structure prediction with Dynalign can also be constrained according to experiment or comparative analysis. The accuracy, measured as sensitivity and positive predictive value, of Dynalign is greater than predictions with a single sequence. Availability: Dynalign can be downloaded at http://rna.urmc.rochester.edu Contact: David_Mathews@urmc.rochester.edu Supplementary information: http://rna.urmc.rochester.edu/supplementary.html
Robust Correlation of Encrypted Attack Traffic through Stepping Stones by Flow Watermarking

Network-based intruders seldom attack their victims directly from their own computer. Often, they stage their attacks through intermediate “stepping stones” in order to conceal their identity and origin. To identify the source of the attack behind the stepping stone(s), it is necessary to correlate the incoming and outgoing flows or connections of a stepping stone. To resist attempts at correlation, the attacker may encrypt or otherwise manipulate the connection traffic. Timing-based correlation approaches have been shown to be quite effective in correlating encrypted connections. However, timing-based correlation approaches are subject to timing perturbations that may be deliberately introduced by the attacker at stepping stones. In this paper, we propose a novel watermark-based-correlation scheme that is designed specifically to be robust against timing perturbations. Unlike most previous timing-based correlation approaches, our watermark-based approach is “active” in that it embeds a unique watermark into the encrypted flows by slightly adjusting the timing of selected packets. The unique watermark that is embedded in the encrypted flow gives us a number of advantages over passive timing-based correlation in resisting timing perturbations by the attacker. In contrast to the existing passive correlation approaches, our active watermark-based correlation does not make any limiting assumptions about the distribution or random process of the original interpacket timing of the packet flow. In theory, our watermark-based correlation can achieve arbitrarily close to 100 percent correlation true positive rate (TPR), and arbitrarily close to 0 percent false positive rate (FPR) at the same time for sufficiently long flows, despite arbitrarily large (but bounded) timing perturbations of any distribution by the attacker. Our paper is the first that identifies 1) accurate quantitative tradeoffs between the achievable correlation effectiveness and the defining characteristics of the timing perturbation; and 2) a provable upper bound on the number of packets needed to achieve a desired correlation effectiveness, given the amount of timing perturbation. Experimental results show that our active watermark-based correlation performs better and requires fewer packets than existing, passive timing-based correlation methods in the presence of random timing perturbations.
Longitudinal Study of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Dissemination on Four Dairy Farms in Wisconsin

A 14-month longitudinal study was conducted on four dairy farms (C, H, R, and X) in Wisconsin to ascertain the source(s) and dissemination of Escherichia coli O157:H7. A cohort of 15 heifer calves from each farm were sampled weekly by digital rectal retrieval from birth to a minimum of 7 months of age (range, 7 to 13 months). Over the 14 months of the study, the cohort heifers and other randomly selected cattle from farms C and H tested negative. Farm R had two separate periods of E. coli O157:H7 shedding lasting 4 months (November 1995 to February 1996) and 1 month (July to August 1996), while farm X had at least one positive cohort animal for a 5-month period (May to October 1996). Heifers shed O157:H7 strains in feces for 1 to 16 weeks at levels ranging from 2.0 × 102 to 8.7 × 104 CFU per g. E. coli O157:H7 was also isolated from other noncohort cattle, feed, flies, a pigeon, and water associated with the cohort heifers on farms R and/or X. When present in animal drinking water, E. coli O157:H7 disseminated through the cohort cattle and other cattle that used the water source. E. coli O157:H7 was found in water at <1 to 23 CFU/ml. Genomic subtyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis demonstrated that a single O157:H7 strain comprised a majority of the isolates from cohort and noncohort cattle, water, and other positive samples (i.e., from feed, flies, and a pigeon, etc.) on a farm. The isolates from farm R displayed two predominant XbaI restriction endonuclease digestion profiles (REDP), REDP 3 and REDP 7, during the first and second periods of shedding, respectively. Six additional REDP that were ≥89% similar to REDP 3 or REDP 7 were identified among the farm R isolates. Additionally, the REDP of an O157:H7 isolate from a heifer on farm R in 1994 was indistinguishable from REDP 3. Farm X had one O157:H7 strain that predominated (96% of positive samples had strains with REDP 9), and the REDP of an isolate from a heifer in 1994 was indistinguishable from REDP 9. These results suggest that E. coli O157:H7 is disseminated from a common source on farms and that strains can persist in a herd for a 2-year period.
Dual Resolution Molecular Simulation of Bisphenol-A Polycarbonate Adsorption onto Nickel (111): Chain Length Effects

We discuss results of molecular dynamics simulations of dense liquids of BPA-PC adjacent to (111) nickel surfaces. The BPA-PC molecule is modeled using a dual-resolution coarse-grained representation, in which the chemical repeat unit is represented by four spherical beads, each roughly corresponding to a comonomeric functional group, except at the chain ends, where the terminal carbonate groups are represented atomistically. This dual resolution scheme is necessary to give access to an orientational degree of freedom upon which the polymer/surface interaction potential sensitively depends. The results expand upon those of Ref. [Abr03b], in which chains of length N = 10 repeat units were considered, by considering chains of length N = 20. We observe that the structure of the liquid near the wall is sensitively affected by the strong attraction of the chain ends to the surface for both chain lengths. The liquid forms two layers: in the innermost layer near the wall, most chains have both ends adsorbed, while in the outermost layer, most chains have a single end adsorbed. This structure leads to an interesting profile in chain orientation, where chains are flattened in the innermost layer and stretched in the outermost layer. The overlap between these two layers is more diffuse in the case of the N = 20 chains.
Cat Fights and Gang Fights: Preference for Work in a Male-Dominated Organization

This article uses Joan Acker's (1990) theory of gendered organizations to frame an analysis of the construction of occupational choice. Utilizing interview data collected from correctional officers...
Surfactant/Water Interactions at the Air/Water Interface Probed by Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation

The molecular structure and orientation of water molecules at an air/water interface has been measured in the presence of cationic and anionic surfactants. We have employed vibrational sum frequency generation to obtain the vibrational spectrum of both the surfactant and water molecules at the water surface. In the presence of the charged surfactant, the water molecules show a high degree of orientation with the directionality dependent upon the anionic or cationic nature of the surfactant headgroup. Relative to the charged surfactants, uncharged surfactants show minimal impact on interfacial water ordering. The results presented here provide valuable new insight into how the interfacial water molecules orient at the air/water interface in the presence of surfactants with different headgroups as well as how the relative order of the surfactants differ for these different amphiphiles.
Residual Stresses in MEMS Structures

The magnitude and origin of residual stresses in thin polysilicon MEMS structures are discussed in this article. The curvature of polysilicon beams were determined at different temperatures. An accurate method of analysis that avoids the thick substrate approximation is described. The polysilicon beams without an Au layer exhibited temperature-independent curvatures, indicating that their residual stresses were largely process related. Beams with an Au top-coat exhibited a strong temperaturedependent effect, and allowed derivation of a stress-free temperature of 143°C. The technique allowed an independent estimate of the thermal expansion coefficient of polysilicon, namely 2.5×10-6 to 3.1×10-6/°C.
Temperature control during laser vessel welding

A technique is described for the computer control of temperature during laser vessel welding. The technique is based on the use of thermal feedback from a calibrated IR sensor. The utilization of thermal feedback makes it possible for welding to be performed at a quasiconstant temperature. An experimental system based on this concept has been developed and evaluated in mock anastomoses with vascular tissue. A computer simulation of laser vessel welding with a one-dimensional heat conduction model has been performed. Model parameters have been adjusted so that the relative effect of laser penetration depth and tissue dehydration as well as the role of thermal feedback in limiting the peak surface temperature can be studied. The results of the mock anastomoses are discussed in light of the computer model.
SO2 scrubbing technologies: A review

Electricity generating units may use sulfur dioxide (SO2) scrubbers to meet the requirements of Phase II of the Acid Rain SO2 Reduction Program. Additionally, the use of scrubbers can reduce mercury emissions. It is timely, therefore, to review the commercially available flue gas desulfurization (FGD) technologies that have an established record of performance. Data on worldwide applications reflect that wet FGD technologies have been used at most of the installations, 522 out of 668, completed through 1998. In reviewing the SO2 removal performance of scrubbers, data reflect that most wet limestone and lime spray drying installations appear to be capable of about 90% SO2 removal. Advanced, state-of-the-art wet scrubbers can provide removal in excess of 95%. This paper also reviews recently reported advances in SO2 scrubbing technologies. Some of these advances have been aimed at improving the performance and cost-effectiveness of established processes. Others, like wet ammonia FGD, have focused on developing new processes. Costs associated with limestone forced oxidation (LSFO) technology are analyzed.
Progression to bacteremia in critical care patients colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus expressing Panton-Valentine leukocidin.

Abstract The role of Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL) in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections is unclear. PVL has been long associated with soft tissue infections and necrotizing pneumonia, but inconsistently with other site infections or mortality. The retrospective cohort study explores the association between PVL and bacteremia in colonized medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients with surveillance isolates and blood cultures. A total of 840 patients were screened by nasal swab, with 266 patients found to be colonized and 46 with bacteremia. Colonization by PVL + MRSA increased the odds of bacteremia (odds ratio, 2.40; confidence interval, 1.23–4.57), and invasive infection developed earlier in these patients (relative risk, 0.44; confidence interval 0.25–0.85) compared to those colonized with PVL 0 MRSA. PVL was not associated with infections at other sites, length of ICU stay, or mortality. PVL decreases the time to bacteremia in colonized patients but does not otherwise contribute to disease course or clinical outcome.
Energy, density, and constraints to species richness: ant assemblages along a productivity gradient.

Abstract: Species richness describes the number of species of a given taxon in a given time and space. The energy limitation hypothesis links the species richness of consumer taxa to net primary productivity (NPP) through two relationships: NPP limits a taxon's density, and taxon density limits species richness. We study both relationships with a survey of 15 ground ant assemblages, along a productivity gradient from deserts to rain forests. Ant density (colonies m−2) was a positive, decelerating function of net aboveground productivity (NAP). A stepwise regression suggests that the efficiency with which NAP is converted to ant colonies increases with maximum summer temperature and decreases with precipitation. Ant species richness was a positive decelerating function of density at three spatial scales. This supports the energy limitation hypothesis' assumption that average population densities are higher in environments that are more productive. These two nonlinear functions (NAP‐density and density‐spec...
Computer-aided phase-shift mask design with reduced complexity

We propose a new approach to systematic phase shift mask design. In doing so, we constrain the complexity of the mask at a pre-specified level by limiting the number of `features' on the mask. We then optimize the location, size, and phase of the features so as to achieve a desired intensity pattern on the wafer. The main advantage of this object-oriented approach over our previous pixel-based solution is that it results in substantially larger assisting phase shift features, and is therefore easier to fabricate. Our approach can also be used to design masks with proper bias and/or extension of the depth of focus. We show examples of contact hole, bright line, and chromeless line-space mask designs.