cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical outcomes with airway stents for proximal versus distal malignant tracheobronchial obstructions.

PURPOSE This study evaluates the outcome of tracheobronchial stent placement in symptomatic patients with malignant disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS From 1993 to 2002, 30 patients had stents placed for malignant strictures. Five of 30 patients underwent stent placement distal to the mainstem bronchi, 13 received stents in both the proximal and distal airways, and 12 received stents in only the proximal airways. Clinical response and survival were determined from the patients' medical records. A positive clinical response was judged to have occurred if the patient improved in two of these three categories: subjective symptoms (patient-reported), objective signs (clinician-reported), and postprocedural imaging. RESULTS The condition of 29 of 30 patients improved within 4 weeks of stent placement. The mean survival duration after stent placement was 261 days (SD, 395.1 days). The location of stent placement was not associated with significant differences in clinical improvement or survival ( P = .51). Eight patients had additional airway segments that were too diffusely involved in which to place a stent or could not be recanalized. Mean survival in this group with incomplete stent placement was significantly reduced at 24.9 days (SD, 23.1 days), compared with 345.5 days (SD, 436 days) for the remaining patients who underwent complete stent placement ( P CONCLUSION Tracheobronchial stent placement effectively palliates malignant airway obstruction, and clinical improvement is independent of the location in which the stent is implanted. When patients had diffuse or highly obstructive airway involvement and underwent incomplete stent placement, clinical response was also satisfactory, even though survival was worse. Patients with mediastinal invasion were poor candidates for stent placement as a result of their short survival.
Relationship between heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) mRNA expression and resistance to platinum analogues in human ovarian and bladder carcinoma cell lines

Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) participates in protein assembly, folding and transport. Increased HSP60 mRNA expression is associated with cisplatin resistance in some in vitro models and with shorter survival among ovarian cancer patients. HSP60 mRNA expression was quantitated in three independent model systems by reverse-transcription PCR (A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cell line and sublines selected for cisplatin or oxaliplatin resistance in vitro and also in the UCRU-BL13 human bladder carcinoma cell line and a cisplatin-resistant subline). Increased HSP60 mRNA expression was observed in all resistant sublines (range 2.5-15 fold), correlated with relative resistance to cisplatin and oxaliplatin. No differences in HSP60 gene copy number were apparent in resistant sublines. These data provide further evidence of a strong association between in vitro resistance to platinum compounds and increased HSP60 mRNA expression.
Underlying fibre bundle structure of A(4) gauge theories

Abstract The underlying fibre bundle structure for gauge theories of gravitation and their extensions possessing the affine structure group A(4) is considered. We point out that the identification of the torsion as the R4-curvature leads to restricted A(4)-theories. Our results suggest immediate extensions for metric-affine type theories.
The Climate for Undergraduate Teaching and Learning in STEM Fields

Undergraduate education in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) needs improvement, a conclusion that multiple national reports over the past two decades have reached (American Association of Physics Teachers, 1996; National Research Council, 1989; National Science Foundation, 1996; Steen, 1987). In 2007, Brainard argued that efforts to enhance teaching in STEM fields continue to encounter resistance. Critiques of STEM education may emphasize different aspects of the STEM undergraduate education problem. Nevertheless, each delivers one clear and consistent message: undergraduate education in STEM fields is not adequate to the task of preparing workers for our technologically driven economy or developing a scientifically literate citizenry capable of engaging in informed dialogue and decision making on important public policy issues. The report of the National Research Council’s Committee on Undergraduate Science Education (1999) describes a nation divided into a technologically knowledgeable elite and a disadvantaged majority (National Research Council, 1999). The challenge facing educators in STEM is great. They need to “teach large numbers of students with diverse backgrounds and interests” (National Research Council, 2003, p. 2) and prepare them for a rapidly changing world where science and technology are increasingly important. As Nobel laureate Carl Wieman (2007) observed, “We need a more scientifically literate populace to address the global challenges that humanity now faces and that only science can explain and possibly mitigate, such as global warming, as well as to make wise decisions, informed
Special properties of cholinesterases in the cerebral cortex of Alzheimer's disease

Selective cholinesterase inhibitors such as BW284C51 and iso-OMPA showed that the plaques and tangles of Alzheimer's disease contain acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity. In comparison to the cholinesterases of the normal brain, the plaque and tangle-bound cholinesterases in Alzheimer's disease display major shifts in optimum pH and inhibitor sensitivity.
Weathering before the advent of land plants: Evidence from unaltered detrital K-feldspars in Cambrian-Ordovician arenites

Potassium chelation by land plants and the consequent depletion of K + ion activity in soil waters make K-feldspars unstable in present-day soils. Other factors remaining constant, the absence of land plants in pre-Silurian time would make K-feldspars stable. Dissolution of plagioclase under the action of soil water would be the same in both pre- and post-Silurian time. The presence of abundant fresh K-feldspars and the absence of plagioclase in the Cambrian-Ordovician arenites of Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas, Wyoming, and Montana are probably due to the absence of potassium chelating agents in the soils of the time.
Total residual chlorine: the effect of short-term exposure on the emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides (Rafinesque).

Chlorine is used extensively for the antifouling of cooling systems and as a bacteriocide in waste-water treatment. Spent chlorine is usually discharged into nearby lakes and streams. Aquatic organisms near discharge areas are then subjected to intermittent chlorine exposure, normally toxic over prolonged periods. Civil engineers report that several mg/l free chlorine must be maintained for 30 min for effective wastewater treatment. As a result, chlorine is often used in excess and, contrary to previous beliefs, chlorine is not readily converted to non-toxic anions by natural waters. Frequently total residual chlorine (TRC) concentrations in industrial discharges are both high and persistent. Although the use of chlorine as an antifouling agent is an intermittent procedure, aquatic organisms cannot anticipate this periodic treatment.
Solidification points of some binary mixtures of derivatives of stearic acid

The solidification points of binary mixtures of stearic acid-stearamide, stearic acid-stearonitrile, stearic acid-1-octadecanol, and stearonitrile-stearamide were determined.
Blade Load Mitigation Control Design for a Wind Turbine Operating in the Path of Vortices

Turbulence generated in the stable atmospheric boundary layer can contain vorticity that adversely affects wind turbine blade fatigue life. We investigated advanced control algorithms that mitigate the vortex/wind turbine interaction. State space control designs can meet multiple control objectives such as maintaining power regulation while mitigating blade flap bending moment amplitude. We implemented disturbance accommodating control (DAC) methods in a structural dynamics code to mitigate blade loads and maintain constant power production in above-rated wind speeds. As a best-case scenario, we implemented a disturbance model that incorporated very detailed vortex characteristics in full-state feedback. This reduced equivalent fatigue load as much as 30% compared to a standard proportional-integral (PI) controller. A realizable DAC controller that incorporates only the vertical shear component of the vortex reduced loads by 9% compared to a PI controller, and as much as 29% when the vortex was superimposed over normal turbulence.
Rate Your Plate: A Dietary Assessment and Educational Tool for Blood Cholesterol Control

Practitioners who wish to deliver targeted nutritional advice to their patients for the prevention and management of elevated serum cholesterol levels must first assess their patients' diets. Unfortunately, many primary care providers do not have sufficient training in nutrition to do this adequately. In this situation, dietary assessment instruments would be useful; however, standard dietary assessment methods such as 24-h recalls, food records, and food-frequency questionnaires are inappropriate for use in this clinical setting. Rate Your Plate (RYP), a simplified food-frequency questionnaire consisting of questions focusing on foods contributing the most fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol to the American diet, was developed by the Pawtucket Heart Health Program (PHHP) in the late 1980s and has been updated several times to reflect changes in national dietary recommendations. This review discusses the development and clinical applications of RYP and provides advice for its use in a primary care setting. A copy of a portion of the instrument is provided in the “Clinical Tools” section of this issue of Nutrition in Clinical Care.
Role of the Premotor Cortex in Human Motor Activity

SummaryThe premotor cortex of man gives rise to bundles passing (1) to the premotor cortex of the opposite side and (2) through the internal capsule to thalamus, brain stem nuclei, and spinal cord. Interruption of this pathway alleviates the involuntary movements incident to disease of the basal ganglia. The interrelationships of terminals at the final-common-path are considered important in explaining the mechanism of these movements.
Emerging diseases: the global express.

The expansion of global trade has ensured that the global economy continues to improve and that political liberalization promotes changes toward democracy and enhanced world peace. However, the inh...
Emacspeak—direct speech access

Emacspeak is a full-fledged speech output inter- face to Emacs, and is being used to provide direct speech access to a UNIX workstation. The kind of speech access provided by Emacspeak is qual- itatively different from what conventional screen- readers provide -emacspeak makes applications speak- as opposed to speaking the screen.Emacspeak is the first full-fledged speech output system that will allow someone who cannot see to work directly on a UNIX system (Until now, the only option available to visually impaired users has been to use a talking PC as a terminal.) Emacspeak is built on top of Emacs. Once Emacs is started, the user gets complete spoken feedback.I currently use Emacspeak at work on my SUN SparcStation and have also used it on a DECAL- FHA workstation under Digital UNIX while at Di- gital's CRL 1 . I also use Emacspeak as the only speech output system on my laptop running Linux. Emacspeak is available on the Internet:ftp://crl.dec.com/pub/digitallemacspeak/http://www.research.digital.com/CRL
Calculation of Jacobians for inverse radiative transfer: An efficient hybrid method

Abstract We present an accurate and numerically efficient procedure of calculating Jacobians by finite difference that consists of two components: (1) a method employing the saving of atmospheric layers that accelerates the solution to the equation of radiative transfer for solvers that use the Discrete Space formulation and (2) a method of perturbing the eigenmatrix spectrum associated with a reduced attenuation matrix. The procedure eliminates the need to call the eigenmatrix package, here, LAPACK a second time and provides insights into the fundamental properties of the attenuation matrix, useful for characterizing the accuracy of the derivatives calculated by finite difference methods. The computational complexity of the perturbation method is 8 n 3 + 22 n 2 , where n is one half the number of streams in the radiance field as opposed to 16 n 3 using LAPACK. The method is not limited to the calculation of base state radiances I ( ω ) and those associated with an ‘infinitesimal’ perturbation I ( ω + δ ω ) (from which the numerical derivative of I ( ω + δ ω ) with respect to δ ω may be approximated), but is also useful in the calculation of radiances associated with a ‘finite’ perturbation I ( ω + Δ ω ) from which a sensitivity can be calculated.
Rotational analysis of the BaI C2Π-X2Σ+ band system for the Δv = 0 progression (v ≤ 12)

Abstract High-resolution spectra of the P 12 -, R 1 -, P 2 -, and R 21 -branch members of the BaI C 2 Π- X 2 Σ + ( v , v ) bands with v = 0, 1, 4, 8, and 12 have been recorded using selectively detected laser-induced fluorescence (SDLIF). In addition, transitions involving high J ″ levels have been observed by undispersed fluorescence in the P 12 and P 2 branches of the (0, 0), (1, 1), (2, 2), and (3, 3) bands, and near the bandheads in the P 1 , Q 12 , P 21 , and Q 2 branches of the (0, 0) band. These data are combined with earlier optical measurements of the same electronic band system by Johnson et al. , Leach et al. , and Zhao et al. , and with microwave measurements of low J ″ levels for v = 0–5 of the X 2 Σ + state by Torring and Dobl. Spectroscopic constants are obtained for the C 2 Π and X 2 Σ + states using a weighted nonlinear least-squares fit to the optical and microwave transition wavenumbers, and bandhead positions for v ≤ 12. The present set of 31 constants reproduces the positions of 5032 optical transitions with a standard deviation of 2.4 × 10 −3 cm −1 . No frequency perturbations are observed in our data.
Angiographic assessment of right ventricular volumes and ejection fraction.

Since the advent of cardiovascular angiography only a few decades ago (1), a massive number of data related to the ventricular function have been accumulated. Specifically, left ventricular (LV) geometry, volumes, and patterns of contractility have been extensively investigated (2–7), especially in patients with coronary artery disease (8–11). In contrast, much less attention has been given to the characteristics of the right ventricle (RV). This has been due partially to the fact that the LV was always considered to be the more important chamber of the heart. The relative neglect of RV performance has been further compounded by difficulties in analyzing the geometry of the RV chamber: while the LV configuration approximately resembles an ellipsoid of revolution (and therefore lends itself to relatively simple mathematical analysis), the RV has always been considered a somewhat amorphous structure that does not yield to simple geometric manipulation. In this review, recent approaches to the angiographic measurements of RV volumes and ejection fraction are examined.
Prenatal diagnosis of a der(X)t(X;15)(p22.2;q11.2) inherited from a maternal translocation X;15.

A karyotype 46,X,der(X)t(X;15)(p22.2;q11.2) derived from a maternal translocation X;15 was ascertained in a female fetus through an abnormal triple screen test at 16 weeks that gave a 1/56 risk for Down syndrome. The pregnancy was terminated at 19·5 weeks and anatomopathologic studies showed fewer malformations than other fetal trisomies 15. This is the first prenatal identification of an unbalanced t(X;15). © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A method computing multiple roots of inexact polynomials

We present a combination of two novel algorithms that accurately calculate multiple roots of general polynomials. For a given multiplicity structure and initial root estimates, Algorithm I transforms the singular root-finding into a nonsingular least squares problem on a pejorative manifold, and calculates multiple roots simultaneously. To fulfill the input requirement of Algorithm I, we design a numerical GCD-finder, including a partial singular value decomposition and an iterative refinement, as the main engine for Algorithm II that calculates the multiplicity structure and the initial root approximation. The combined method calculates multiple roots with high forward accuracy without using multiprecision arithmetic, even if the coefficients are inexact. This is perhaps the first blackbox-type root-finder with such capabilities. To measure the true sensitivity of the multiple roots, a pejorative condition number is proposed and error bounds are given. Extensive computational experiments are presented. The error analysis and numerical results confirm that a polynomial being ill-conditioned in conventional sense can be well conditioned pejoratively. In those cases, the multiple roots can be computed with remarkable accuracy.
Thermodynamics and kinetics of Zr–Ti–Cu–Ni–Be bulk metallic glass forming liquids

Abstract The viscosity of the equilibrium melt as well as of the undercooled liquid of bulk metallic glass (BMG) forming Zr–Ti–Cu–Ni–Be alloys is several orders of magnitude higher than in pure metals and other alloys. The temperature dependence of the viscosity is consistent with that of a moderately strong liquid. Entropy, enthalpy and Gibbs free enthalpy of the supercooled liquids are closer to the crystalline mixture than in other alloys. Both, the sluggish kinetics and the relative thermodynamic stabilization are likely to have the same origin. The Zr–Ti–Cu–Ni–Be alloys are dense liquids with a small free volume and a pronounced tendency to develop short-range order. The viscosity can describe the crystallization kinetics at high temperatures, whereas at low temperatures it is controlled by solid like hopping of atoms.
Management of Hydrocephalus Complicating Childhood Posterior Fossa Tumors

We examined the treatment of hydrocephalus in children with posterior fossa tumors to (1) compare the use of external ventricular drainage (EVD) with ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS), (2) determine t
A Study of an Energetically Enhanced Plasma Ignition System for Internal Combustion Engines

The effects of a plasma enhanced ignition system on the performance of a small, single cylinder, and four-stroke gasoline engine are examined. Dynamometer testing of the 33.5- cm3 engine at various operating speeds was performed with both the engine's stock coil ignition system and a radio frequency (RF) plasma ignition system. The RF system is designed to provide a quasi-nonequilibrium plasma discharge that features a high voltage pulsar that provides 400 mJ of energy for each discharge and voltages of up to 30 kV. Tests show improvement of the engine's combustion stability at all operating conditions and the extension of the engine's lean flammability limit with the RF system. Particular attention is given to the improvements that the RF system provides while burning lean air fuel mixtures. In addition, gas analysis of the 33.5- cm3 engine's exhaust and high speed images of the RF system taken in a separate 0.4-L optical engine are also presented.
Cystic macular oedema on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in choroideremia patients without cystic changes on fundus examination

To determine the prevalence of cystic macular oedema (CME) in patients with choroideremia (CHM) by using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). A total 16 patients affected with CHM were enroled in the study. All patients underwent a complete eye examination. SD-OCT was performed using an OPKO spectral-domain OCT/SLO instrument. The average age of the study patients was 44.0±16.0 years (range, 13–63 years). Out of the 16 patients with CHM, 10 patients (62.5%) showed a degree of CME on SD-OCT testing in at least one eye, and 8 patients (50%) showed CME in both eyes. Because of its notable prevalence, it would seem prudent to screen CHM patients by SD-OCT for the possible presence of CME and to identify those amenable to future treatment strategies for their macular oedema.
Specific protein synthesis in cellular differentiation. Production of eggshell proteins by silkmoth follicular cells.

Silkmoth follicles, arranged in a precise developmental sequence within the ovariole, yield pure and uniform populations of follicular epithelial cells highly differentiated for synthesis of the proteinaceous eggshell (chorion). These cells can be maintained and labeled efficiently in organ culture; their in vitro (and cell free) protein synthetic activity reflects their activity in vivo. During differentiation the cells undergo dramatic changes in protein synthesis. For 2 days the cells are devoted almost exclusively to production of distinctive chorion proteins of low molecular weight and of unusual amino acid composition. Each protein has its own characteristic developmental kinetics of synthesis. Each is synthesized as a separate polypeptide, apparently on monocistronic messenger RNA (mRNA), and thus reflects the expression of a distinct gene. The rapid changes in this tissue do not result from corresponding changes in translational efficiency. Thus, the peptide chain elongation rate is comparable for chorion and for proteins synthesized at earlier developmental stages (1.3–1.9 amino acids/sec); moreover, the spacing of ribosomes on chorion mRNA (30–37 codons per ribosome) is similar to that encountered in other eukaryotic systems.
Using a fiber-optic probe for the measurement of volumetric expansion of liquids

A fiber-optic probe is developed for the fast, in-situ measurement of volumetric expansion of multiphase and multicomponent systems. An experiment with the binary mixtures of CO2−toluene and CO2−ethanol was conducted to demonstrate the usefulness of the fiber-optic probe in accurately tracking the isothermal volumetric expansion as a function of pressure. In the 1-L autoclave that has been used, the probe was shown to detect the liquid level height within a precision of 0.35% of the total height of the vessel. The results for the volumetric expansion of toluene and ethanol with CO2 correlate well with those found in the literature. The probe itself can be used up to pressures of 140 barg and temperatures of 120 °C.
Evaluation of monoclonal antibodies to human plasma low density lipoproteins. A requirement for lipids to maintain antigenic structure

Human plasma low density lipoproteins (LDL) are composed of approximately 25% apoproteins and 75% lipids (w/w). Immunochemical properties of LDL were studied using monoclonal antibodies. BALB/c mice were immunized with LDL and the spleen cells from these mice were then fused with a non-immunoglobulin secreting myeloma cell line (F0). The clones producing desirable antibodies were selected to study the antigenic properties of LDL by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay. First, it was found that the maximal binding of 125I-labeled LDL to polyvinyl chloride microtiter dishes was not temperature dependent. The binding affinity was high with a Ka value of approximately 1.9 X 10(10) M-1 while the monoclonal antibodies possessed an affinity to LDL of 5 X 10(8) M-1 which was 2 orders less than the affinity of LDL to the dishes. The former binding, once established, was irreversible as judged by a subsequent incubation with an excess of unlabeled LDL. The latter binding could be displaced by unlabeled LDL. Therefore, the ELISA technique offered a satisfactory approach to study the interaction between LDL and monoclonal antibodies. Removal of lipids from bound LDL by organic extraction resulted in a 50% loss of immunoreactivity, suggesting that the lipids of LDL are important in maintaining the antigenic structure of LDL. Since the apoprotein of LDL also constitutes approximately 40% of the mass (w/w) of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), the immunoreactivity of VLDL assessed by LDL-monoclonal antibodies was also carried out. Removal of triglycerides from VLDL by lipoprotein lipase resulted in a substantial loss of immunoreactivity as determined by radioimmunoassay. These findings are consistent with the concept that lipids play a role in maintaining the integrity of the antigenic structure of LDL.
Transport equations in moving material Part I: Neutrons and photons

Abstract Transport equations are usually formulated against a static material background in transport applications for neutral (neutrons, photons, mesons) and charged (electrons, protons, ions) particles. When the background is moving, the equations need be modified and corrected. We discuss these modifications and corrections, in both relativistic and nonrelativistic regimes, and contrast equations across applications. Neutron, photon, electron, neutrino, and meson transport are treated in a two part series. This review collects, collates, and expands published and unpublished developments and equations for moving material transport in different particle arenas. Hopefully, such provides a useful reference and source for readers across disciplines, linking basic underlying dynamics and representations. Part I centers on neutrons and photons, and Part II deals with electrons and neutrinos, almost an historical split. While transport equations for these particles share much in common, there are fundamental differences between particles that interact pointwise versus continuously, particles of zero rest mass versus nonzero rest mass, particles with relativistic energy versus nonrelativistic energy, and particles with short range versus long range. Our focuses are the fundamental equations and underlying dynamics of transport in moving backgrounds.The impacts in applications, important and legion, are detailed in the literature as cited. Accordingly, and invoking topic closure, applications are not recounted. Also, numerical techniques, developed with the emergence of supercomputing, are not treated herein. Both applications and numerical techniques are probably subjects of a separate communication Some modern transport codes dealing with moving material issues, however, are cited for reader reference. Many codes have been in existence for 25+ years, undergoing continuous updating, modification, improvement, and physical extension. For Part I, the main points of discussion and development are seen in the following Table of Contents, divided into neutron and photon moving material transport. An attempt at coverage of moving material transport with brevity is sought, and hopefully references provide details minimized, or not recounted, herein.
Dolder bar joint mandibular overdenture: A technique for nonparallel abutment teeth

A mandibular overdenture technique has been presented that utilizes the Dolder bar joint attachment. Endodontically treated lower canines were retained as abutments. Two techniques for attaching the bar to teeth with divergent root canals were discussed: (1) the Schubiger screw system for those teeth with extremely divergent canals and (2) the Stutz pivots system for teeth with only slightly divergent root canals. The use of the Dolder bar joint offers periodontally involved teeth an improved crown/root ratio and splinting of the teeth. Because the bar is close to the alveolar bone, forces of mastication exert much less leverage to the teeth. Finally, the bar joint offers slight vertical and rotational movement of the denture as well as a stressbreaker action.
Defining Coarse-Grained Representations of Large Biomolecules and Biomolecular Complexes from Elastic Network Models

Coarse-grained (CG) models of large biomolecular complexes enable simulations of these systems over long timescales that are not accessible for atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A systematic methodology, called essential dynamics coarse-graining (ED-CG), has been developed for defining coarse-grained sites in a large biomolecule. The method variationally determines the CG sites so that key dynamic domains in the protein are preserved in the CG representation. The original ED-CG method relies on a principal component analysis (PCA) of a MD trajectory. However, for many large proteins and multi-protein complexes such an analysis may not converge or even be possible. This work develops a new ED-CG scheme using an elastic network model (ENM) of the protein structure. In this procedure, the low-frequency normal modes obtained by ENM are used to define dynamic domains and to define the CG representation accordingly. The method is then applied to several proteins, such as the HIV-1 CA protein dimer, ATP-bound G-actin, and the Arp2/3 complex. Numerical results show that ED-CG with ENM (ENM-ED-CG) is much faster than ED-CG with PCA because no MD is necessary. The ENM-ED-CG models also capture functional essential dynamics of the proteins almost as well as those using full MD with PCA. Therefore, the ENM-ED-CG method may be better suited to coarse-grain a very large biomolecule or biomolecular complex that is too computationally expensive to be simulated by conventional MD, or when a high resolution atomic structure is not even available.
Easing the transition to kindergarten: demonstrating partnership through service‐learning

The transition to kindergarten can be difficult for both parents and children. Teachers, administrators and community providers can help ease this process by developing effective transition programs and materials for families in anticipation of the school year. However, such resources are often time‐consuming and costly. To offer a solution, a team of graduate students conducted a service‐learning project in collaboration with a small group of parents whose children attend a preschool in central Florida. The resulting product of this partnership was an informative brochure designed and disseminated with the goal of assisting parents in easing their child’s transition from preschool to kindergarten. This project also serves to illustrate the utility of the service‐learning model as a means of supporting children and families within a community preschool context. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Acylation of myelin Po protein is required for adhesion.

The extracellular domains of myelin Po protein interact homophilically and hence hold myelin compact at the intraperiod line. The cytoplasmic domain of Po, however, can also affect the interactions of its extracellular sequences. Po is acylated, mostly with palmitic acid, at Cys 153, just at the transmembrane:cytoplasmic domain interface. Here we show that Po mutated at Cys 153 to alanine (C153A), is not acylated and is not adhesive. Like wild-type Po, C153A Po clusters within the membrane and seems to interact with the cytoskeleton. On the other hand, the rate of turnover of C153A Po in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells is almost 4 times faster than wild-type Po. The increased instability of C153A Po compared to wild-type Po may account for its loss of adhesion. J. Neurosci. Res. 60:704–713, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In Search of a Dramatic Equilibrium: Was the Armenian Dram Overvalued?

This papers estimates the equilibrium exchange rate for Armenia using three different approaches: the purchasing power parity (PPP) approach, the behavioral equilibrium exchange rate (BEER) approach, and the external sustainability (ES) approach. All three approaches suggest that the dram was overvalued by about 20–30 percent prior to the devaluation of the dram in March 2009.
Properties of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation on a lattice

We add an on-site potential to the integrable lattice nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation and show how a number of interesting and novel features can be understood with the help of a simple soliton collective variable approximation. Results include: trapping of a soliton in a linear potential and on a maximum of a smooth potential; trapping of a soliton on a repulsive impurity and breaking into two solitons beyond a critical impurity strength; and a crossover from a soliton state to a local impurity mode upon increasing the strength of an attractive potential. In addition, we prove and illustrate the complete integrability of the system for a linear on-site potential. Results are compared with those for a nonintegrable discretization of the cubic Schr\"odinger equation.
Geographic structuring of chloroplast DNA genotypes in Tiarella Trifoliata (Saxifragaceae).

Tiarella trifoliata comprises varietieslaciniata, trifoliata, andunifoliata, and is distributed from southeastern Alaska to northern California. We analyzed restriction site variation of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) using 23 endonucleases in 76 populations representing the entire geographic range of the species and the three recognized varieties. We also employed comparative restriction site mapping of PCR-amplified chloroplast DNA fragments using 16 restriction endonucleases. This species exhibits low cpDNA restriction site variation. No differentiation is evident among varieties of this species based on cpDNA data; some plants of each variety were characterized by each of the two major cpDNA types detected. The two major cpDNA clades, which differ by only a single restriction site mutation, are geographically structured. A northern clade comprises populations from Alaska to central Oregon; most populations analyzed from southern Oregon and California form a southern clade. Populations that possess the typical northern cpDNA type also occur disjunctly to the south at high elevations in the Siskiyou—Klamath Mountain area of southern Oregon and northern California. Conversely, the southern cpDNA type is found disjunctly to the north in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Both geographic areas characterized by disjunct cytoplasms are considered glacial refugia.Tiarella trifoliata joins two other species,Tolmiea menziesii andTellima grandiflora, in having well-demarcated northern and southern cpDNA lineages. All three species have similar life-history traits and geographic distributions. We suggest that glaciation may have played a major role in the formation of the cpDNA discontinuities present in these three taxa. The pronounced relationship between cpDNA variation and geographic distribution suggests the potential applicability of “intraspecific phylogeography” to plants via the analysis of intraspecific cpDNA variation. These three examples also join a rapidly growing data base which indicates that cytoplasms are often geographically structured within species and species complexes.
Analyzing individual differences in sentence processing performance using multilevel models.

The use of multilevel models is increasingly common in the behavioral sciences for analyzing hierarchically structured data, including repeated measures data. These models are flexible and easily implemented via a variety of commercially available statistical software programs. We consider their application in the context of an eye-movement experiment testing readers’ responses to a semantic plausibility manipulation in temporarily ambiguous sentences. Multilevel models were used to study the relationship between working memory capacity and the extent to which readers were disrupted by syntactic misanalysis. This represented a cross-level interaction between an individual difference measure and a sentence-level characteristic. We compare a multilevel modeling approach to a standard approach based on ANOVA.
SIK1 Couples LKB1 to p53-Dependent Anoikis and Suppresses Metastasis

Resistance to anoikis, the subtype of apoptosis triggered by lack of adhesion, contributes to malignant transformation and the development of metastasis. Although several lines of evidence suggest that p53 plays a critical role in anoikis, the pathway(s) that connect cell detachment to p53 remain undefined. Here, through the use of a kinome-wide loss-of-function screen, we identify the serine-threonine kinase SIK1 (salt-inducible kinase 1) as a regulator of p53-dependent anoikis. Inactivation of SIK1 compromised p53 function in anoikis and allowed cells to grow in an anchorage-independent manner. In vivo, SIK1 loss facilitated metastatic spread and survival of disseminated cells as micrometastases in lungs. The presence of functional SIK1 was required for the activity of the kinase LKB1 in promoting p53-dependent anoikis and suppressing anchorage-independent growth, Matrigel invasion, and metastatic potential. In human cancers, decreased expression of the gene encoding SIK1 closely correlated with development of distal metastases in breast cancers from three independent cohorts. Together, these findings indicate that SIK1 links LKB1 to p53-dependent anoikis and suppresses metastasis.
RHEOLOGY OF MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS: MODELS AND MEASUREMENTS

Numerical and analytical models of magnetorheological fluid phenomena that account explicitly for the effects of magnetic nonlinearity and saturation are described. Finite-element analysis was used to calculate the field distribution in chains of magnetizable particles. The field-dependent stress required to shear the chains was then obtained using the Maxwell stress tensor. Three regimes are identified: at low applied fields, the stress increase quadratically, as expected from linear magnetostatics. In intermediate fields, the contact or polar regions of each particle saturate, reducing the rate of increase of the stress with increasing field. At high fields, the particles saturate completely, and the stress reaches its limiting value. Approximate analytical expressions for the yield stress and shear modulus in these regimes are also derived. The predictions of these models are compared to magnetorheological experiments in the literature and from our laboratory. These models predict successfully the magn...
Defining and characterising the progression of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease characterised by worsening of multiple abnormalities and loss of glycaemic control over time. An increasing need for glucose-lowering treatments is emphasised by the almost inevitable failure of monotherapy and occurrence of weight gain. Longer survival times and development of type 2 diabetes at a younger age also increase the risk of developing microvascular and macrovascular complications. A hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus is declining pancreatic β -cell function, which begins years before diagnosis and continues throughout the disease process. This deterioration continues despite initiation of numerous therapies, as these interventions lower glucose but do not directly slow β -cell decline and dysfunction. Defects in α-cell function are also important contributors to disease progression. New therapies that can counter these abnormalities without causing weight gain or hypoglycaemia continue to be assessed.Br J Diabetes Vasc Dis, 2008;8 (suppl 2): S3—S9
Scheduling data redistribution in distributed databases

In a distributed database system there is a need for periodic changes in data distribution due to such factors as changes in query patterns and network topology. A proper redistribution of data is necessary to provide acceptable system performance, as measured by the average execution time of transactions. The problem of properly scheduling data transfers in order to complete this redistribution process in minimum possible time is investigated. This problem takes into account the constraints on communication resources of the system. The complexity of the problem is discussed, and a useful upper bound for optimal solutions is presented. Also given are procedures for finding optimal and approximate solutions to this problem. >
Movements as Political Conditions for Diffusion: Anti-Corporate Movements and the Spread of Cooperative Forms in American Capitalism

Addressing the spread of cooperatives in the early 20th-century US economy, this study analyzes the role of anti-corporate movements in the diffusion of politically contested organizational innovations. It finds that institutional change can rest fundamentally on the combination of standard diffusion processes and collective mobilization in support of new practices. Specifically, it finds that the Grange, a leading anti-corporate social movement, was a political condition for the diffusion of cooperative alternatives to corporations in American capitalism. Cooperatives evoked fierce opposition by corporate forces, suppressing the diffusion of cooperative forms. When the Grange was weak or absent, cooperative organization in states or sectors had weak or no effects on cooperative organization in other states or sectors. But when the Grange was present and increased in strength, it amplified and even made possible the diffusion of cooperatives across states and industries. These findings shed new light on the contentious transactions between movements, corporations, and non-governmental organizations, expanding existing work on the trajectories, tactics, and organizational effects of anti-corporate movements.
Constraint-based analysis of metabolic capacity of Salmonella typhimurium during host-pathogen interaction

Infections with Salmonella cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Replication of Salmonella typhimurium inside its host cell is a model system for studying the pathogenesis of intracellular bacterial infections. Genome-scale modeling of bacterial metabolic networks provides a powerful tool to identify and analyze pathways required for successful intracellular replication during host-pathogen interaction.
Microinjection of anti-α-tubulin antibody (DM1A) inhibits progesterone-induced meiotic maturation and deranges the microtubule array in follicle-enclosed oocytes of the frog, Rana pipiens

Microinjection of anti-alpha-tubulin (Dm1A) inhibited progesterone-induced meiotic maturation in large follicle-enclosed oocytes of the frog, Rana pipiens. DM1A (46 nl; 10 mg/ml) injection significantly increased the ED50 value for progesterone as determined by germinal vesicle dissolution (GVD) bioassay. By contrast, low doses of microinjected DM1A (46 nl; 2.5 mg/ml), anti-actin (clone KJ43A), anti-cytokeratin (C-11), anti-intermediate filament antibody (IFA), generic IgG (46 nl; 20 mg/ml) or sodium azide (46 nl; 1 mg/ml), an antibody preservative, were without inhibitory effect in this bioassay. Microinjected, affinity-purified DM1A (46 nl; 7.5 mg/ml) was also inhibitory, but preabsorption with pure tubulin prior to injection significantly reduced the inhibitory effect. DM1A injection had no effect on centrifugation-induced germinal vesicle migration (GVM). Previous work indicated that drugs (e.g. demecolcine and nocodazole), which destabilise microtubules, enhance both centrifugation-induced GVM and progesterone-induced GVD in Rana oocytes. Taking these results together, it is suggested that DM1A injection may have differential effects on microtubules in this cell. Thus, while the majority of microtubules were apparently depolymerised by DM1A (46 nl; 10 mg/ml) injection, a small subpopulation appeared to be stabilised as bundles. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy of follicle-enclosed oocytes after DM1A injection revealed a major loss of microtubules throughout the cell; however, apparent sparse bundles of microtubules arranged in an approximately 600 microns shell were associated with the injectate region 24 h post-injection. By contrast, control follicle-enclosed oocytes topically labelled with DM1A post-fixation had extensive microtubule arrays similar to those previously reported in Xenopus oocytes. Intracellular recording after DM1A injection and progesterone treatment yielded an intermediate membrane potential (Vm = -31.8 mV) compared with control (immature) DM1A-injected cells (Vm = -44.7 mV) or potassium balanced salt solution (KBS)-injected cells matured with progesterone (Vm = -13.9 mV). These results suggest that DM1A injection does not completely inhibit electrophysiological changes initiated by progesterone. Working hypotheses are proposed that suggest a role for microtubules in the action of progesterone which normally lifts the prophase I block in the Rana follicle-enclosed oocyte.
Dysexecutive and amnesic AD subtypes defined by single indicator and modern psychometric approaches: relationships with SNPs in ADNI

Previous investigators have suggested the existence of distinct cognitive phenotypes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD): a dysexecutive subgroup with executive functioning worse than memory and an amnesic subgroup with memory worse than executive functioning. We evaluated data from the AD Neuroimaging Initiative. We assigned people with AD to dysexecutive and amnesic subgroups using single indicators, and analogously using the ADNI-Mem and ADNI-EF composite scores developed using modern psychometric approaches. We evaluated associations between subgroup membership, APOE genotype, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with AD, and brain vascular disease defined as white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and MRI-identified infarcts. We hypothesized that APOE e4 and alleles associated with higher risk for AD would predict amnesic subgroup membership; alleles associated with higher WMH or infarct burden would predict dysexecutive subgroup membership. Classification agreement between the two approaches was only fair (kappa = 0.23). There was no relationship between APOE alleles and the dysexecutive or amnesic phenotypes defined by either categorization approach. There were 58 AD-related and 25 WMH- or infarct-related SNPs for which odds ratios were > 1.5 or < 0.67 for dysexecutive vs. amnesic subgroup defined by either categorization approach. Higher proportions of SNPs had odds ratios in the hypothesized direction for the subgroups defined by the modern psychometric approach for AD-related (58 % vs. 38 %, p-value < 0.001) and brain vascular disease-related SNPs (48 vs. 32 %, p-value = 0.01). Genetic variation may underlie differential performance in memory and executive functioning among people with AD. Modern psychometric composite scores produced group assignments with more SNP associations in the hypothesized direction.
Social network theory: new insights and issues for behavioral ecologists

Until recently, few studies have used social network theory (SNT) and metrics to examine how social network structure (SNS) might influence social behavior and social dynamics in non-human animals. Here, we present an overview of why and how the social network approach might be useful for behavioral ecology. We first note four important aspects of SNS that are commonly observed, but relatively rarely quantified: (1) that within a social group, differences among individuals in their social experiences and connections affect individual and group outcomes; (2) that indirect connections can be important (e.g., partners of your partners matter); (3) that individuals differ in their importance in the social network (some can be considered keystone individuals); and (4) that social network traits often carry over across contexts (e.g., SN position in male–male competition can influence later male mating success). We then discuss how these four points, and the social network approach in general, can yield new insights and questions for a broad range of issues in behavioral ecology including: mate choice, alternative mating tactics, male–male competition, cooperation, reciprocal altruism, eavesdropping, kin selection, dominance hierarchies, social learning, information flow, social foraging, and cooperative antipredator behavior. Finally, we suggest future directions including: (1) integrating behavioral syndromes and SNT; (2) comparing space use and SNS; (3) adaptive partner choice and SNS; (4) the dynamics and stability (or instability) of social networks, and (5) group selection shaping SNS.
Valvular heart disease in the monkey (Macaca mulatta)

Abstract Valvular heart disease of unknown etiology is described in each of 2 monkeys. One had chronic scarring of the mitral valve, which was both stenotic and incompetent, and the second had acute nectrotizing inflammation of the aortic valve, which was stenotic, and of one cusp of the mitral valve.