cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic Art and the Aesthetics of Biology

The creation of Alba, the first mammal genetically engineered to be a work of art, accents the increasing number of artists who take as their medium plants, cells, genes and other biological materials. Like traditional artists, these bioartists raise traditional art issues; but since their work collapses the gap between art and science, representation and biological form, they also marry the rich tradition of manipulating nature for aesthetic reasons, the ethical complexities created by today's biotech revolution and the historical ramifications of applying aesthetic judgment to humans.
Effects of previous angina pectoris in patients with first acute myocardial infarction not receiving thrombolytics

Abstract In summary, a history of previous angina before a nonthrombolized AMI is a marker of increased risk of infarct extension, recurrent ischemic pain, and mitral regurgitation. However, a history of previous angina was associated with trends toward smaller infarct size in patients who had spontaneous thrombolysis.
Glycine decarboxylase is confined to the bundle-sheath cells of leaves of C3−C4 intermediate species

Immunogold labelling has been used to determine the cellular distribution of glycine decarboxylase in leaves of C3, C3−C4 intermediate and C4 species in the genera Moricandia, Panicum, Flaveria and Mollugo. In the C3 species Moricandia foleyi and Panicum laxum, glycine decarboxylase was present in the mitochondria of both mesophyll and bundle-sheath cells. However, in all the C3−C4 intermediate (M. arvensis var. garamatum, M. nitens, M. sinaica, M. spinosa, M. suffruticosa, P. milioides, Flaveria floridana, F. linearis, Mollugo verticillata) and C4 (P. prionitis, F. trinervia) species studied glycine decarboxylase was present in the mitochondria of only the bundle-sheath cells. The bundle-sheath cells of all the C3−C4 intermediate species have on their centripetal faces numerous mitochondria which are larger in profile area than those in mesophyll cells and are in close association with chloroplasts and peroxisomes. Confinement of glycine decarboxylase to the bundle-sheath cells is likely to improve the potential for recapture of photorespired CO2 via the Calvin cycle and could account for the low rate of photorespiration in all C3−C4 intermediate species.
The relationship of pyridoxine and riboflavin to the nutritional value of polymerized fats.

The nutritive value of polymerized fats was compared by feeding them at a 10% level to weanling rats kept on three different basal rations and various vitamin supplements. Autoxidatively or thermally autoxidatively polymerized fats depressed growth, and thermally polymerized fats were toxic to rats. The results indicated that the dietary level of riboflavin and pyridoxine and the manner in which the fats were polymerized had an important bearing on their nutritional value. The protein level also influenced the nutritional value of the oils and, at lower levels, appeared to be related to pyridoxine intake as the growth depression and the toxicity were partially overcome by supplementation of the diet with pyridoxine. Riboflavin apparently aided the animals in coping with autoxidized fat but did not contribute any protective action against thermal polymers.
Optimal strategies in couple therapy: Treating couples dealing with the trauma of infidelity

Infidelity is one of the most difficult problems to address in couple therapy, most likely because it involves a traumatic relationship event that alters the ways in which couples process information about each other and established behavioral patterns. This article presents a three-stage treatment designed to address the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional sequelae of affairs that integrates cognitive-behavioral and insight-oriented strategies with the literatures on traumatic response and forgiveness. Critical and unique features of this treatment are discussed and a case study is presented to illustrate the treatment methods.
Material and Financial Hardship and Income-Based Poverty Measures in the USA

Individuals and families may encounter difficulty making ends meet on many dimensions and there are a large number of measures designed to identify this group. In general, there is agreement that all of the approaches capture different pieces of the puzzle, while no single indicator can yield a complete picture. In an attempt to understand this multidimensional aspect of poverty, several measures are examined in this article: the official US poverty measure, a relative poverty measure, an experimental measure following recommendations of the US National Academy of Sciences, an index of material hardship, a measure of household debt, and responses to a question about inability to meet expenses. This study uses the 1996 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The SIPP is a longitudinal survey that allows us to examine all of these various indicators for the same people over the period from 1996 to 1998. The study uses regression analysis to assess the relationship between and among the various indicators of economic hardship.
Equilibrium vacancy concentration in pure Pb and dilute Pb-Tl and Pb-In alloys

Abstract The equilibrium concentration of vacancies near the melting point was measured for pure Pb, and for Pb + 1 % In, Pb + 0·5 % T1 and Pb + 5% T1 alloys by comparison of the macroscopic thermal expansion with the microscopic expansion obtained from precision lattice parameter measurements. Previous work (d'Heurle et al. 1963) had indicated that the alloys have a much lower vacancy concentration at the melting point, Δ/N(T m) than pure Pb. The present work has repeated the dilatometric measurements, using an inter -ferometric dilatometer for the absolute expansion of pure Pb, and a high precision differential method for the alloys. The results for pure Pb show that Δ/N(T m) = 17×10−5, and give a vacancy formation energy of 0·49±0·10 ev and formation entropy of 0·7±2·0 (in units of k), from the semi-logarithmic plot of ΔN/N versus 1/T. The results for the alloys show no detectable difference from those for the pure Pb.
Autoregressive modelling for the analysis of longitudinal data with unequally spaced examinations

Missing and/or unequally spaced examinations are often present in longitudinal studies. An autoregressive model is presented for the analysis of such data for continuous outcome variables. The fitting of the model can be accomplished by weighted non-linear regression methods available in standard statistical packages. Some features of the model include consideration of both time-dependent and fixed covariates, assessment of the relationships between changes in outcome and exposure over short periods of time, and use of all available person-time for an individual. An illustration looking at the role of personal cigarette smoking on changes in pulmonary function in children is included.
Saccular aneurysm induction by elastase digestion of the arterial wall: a new animal model.

Objective To develop a rabbit aneurysm model that is more realistic in gross appearance and histological features than previous models and to enable the development of a larger animal model. Methods Ten rabbits received porcine pancreatic elastase, five at the right common carotid artery bifurcation and five others at the right superior thyroid artery origin. One control animal received collagenase and another received papaverine, each at the right superior thyroid artery origin. The agents were topically delivered to the arterial adventitia with a microsyringe after surgical exposure of the targeted arteries. The arteries were monitored for aneurysm growth with a video camera for up to 3 hours and were then removed and processed for histology. Results Saccular aneurysms developed in one of five animals after elastase application at the carotid bifurcation and in all five animals receiving elastase at the superior thyroid artery origin. Among the six aneurysms, recurrent minor hemorrhages occurred in four, thrombosis of the aneurysm sac in three, and rupture causing severe bleeding in one. Histological sections revealed thin-walled aneurysms composed only of collagen fibers and some cellular elements. No saccular dilation resulted from papaverine application. Collagenase application resulted in a hemorrhagic-thrombotic lesion in the arterial wall but no aneurysm formation. Conclusion Arterial saccular aneurysms were induced in rabbits by topical application of elastase with an easy and efficient method. These aneurysms are histologically similar to natural aneurysms, and their arterial nature renders them more authentic than those of surgical models. This aneurysm model may serve as a foundation for further aneurysm research.
The association between risk factors for tardive dyskinesia and phenylalanine-induced abnormal movements in schizophrenia.

We examined whether an oral challenge dose of the amino acid phenylalanine (a dopamine precursor) exacerbates the abnormal movements of tardive dyskinesia (TD). We also examined age, gender, treatment duration, and baseline movement severity in relation to phenylalanine-induced changes in movements. Lastly, we assessed the influence of fasting amino acid levels on phenylalanine-induced movements. In a placebo-controlled fashion, the abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS) was obtained on 25 patients before and after a phenylalanine challenge drink. A general linear model determined the relative effects of age, gender, treatment duration, and fasting amino acid levels on the magnitude of induced movements. Age and treatment duration did not affect phenylalanine-induced movements. Lower fasting levels of phenylalanine were associated with greater movements after controlling for age, F = 11.89, p < 0.003. The severity of abnormal movements at baseline also predicted response to phenylalanine, F = 8.62, p = 0.0079. Brain amino acid and neurotransmitter pools are influenced by changes in dietary protein, which may have implications in the development and prevention of movement disorders. This study suggests that fasting amino acid levels may predict differences in vulnerability to movements during an influx of neurotransmitter precursors, perhaps due to long-term compensatory changes in receptor sensitivity. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hemostatic and Inflammatory Markers as Risk Factors for Coronary Disease in the Elderly

Inflammation has been recognized as an integral component of atherothrombotic disease, and inflammatory markers are strongly related to future cardiovascular disease risk in elderly men, and to a certain extent in elderly women. The association is complicated by the prevalence of hormone replacement therapy among older women, and the variety of the underlying vascular disease. For fatal events, inflammation markers exhibit a time-to-event dependency in the elderly that has not been noted to the same degree in younger people. Hemostatic markers that represent inflammatory processes or coagulation activation also predict future risk in older individuals, but there is little evidence for associations between cardiovascular disease risk and ambient levels of coagulation or fibrinolytic factors.
Auditory evoked response in chinchilla: Application to animal audiometry

In chinchilla a neural response to tone pips or the onset of pure tones can be recorded from scalp electrodes. If 64 responses are averaged by a computer the response can be recognized reliably at sound pressure levels at or near chinchilla’s usual behavioral thresholds of hearing. Detection is possible at slightly lower levels if the number of responses is increased to 500 to 1000. The response is an initiallypositive diphasic wave with latency to foot between 1.6 and 4.0 msec. It apparently arises from several structures in the brainstem but chiefly from the inferior colliculus. The technique may be useful in assessing quickly the sensitivity of the peripheral auditory mechanism in small laboratory animals.
Propiconazole Sensitivity in Populations of Geotrichum candidum, the Cause of Sour Rot of Peach and Nectarine, in California.

Abstract The sour rot pathogen of peach (Prunus persica var. persica) and nectarine (P. persica var. nectarina) fruit, Geotrichum candidum, can cause significant postharvest losses in California fruit production. Harvested peach and nectarine fruit, treated with fungicide at the packinghouse but culled after inspection because of disease and defects, were collected for further assessment and pathogen isolation. The incidence of fruit with sour rot was 3.4 ± 1.0 to 26.1 ± 2.3%. Culled fruit that had been treated with postharvest fungicides from five different orchards had a significantly higher incidence of sour rot when compared with nontreated fruit. Since August 2006, propiconazole has been used as a postharvest treatment to protect peach and nectarine fruit against sour rot. The mean effective concentration that inhibits 50% of mycelial growth (EC50) value of 57 isolates of G. candidum to propiconazole collected before and during 2006 was 0.072 μg/ml. However, 61 isolates from propiconazole-treated, di...
Binding of corroded ions to human saliva.

Abstract Employing equilibrium dialysis, the binding abilities of Cu, AI, Co and Cr ions from corroded Cu-AI and Co-Cr dental casting alloys towards human saliva and two of its gel Chromatographic fractions were determined. Results indicate that both Cu and Co bind to human saliva i.e. 0.045 and 0.027 mg/mg protein, respectively. Besides possessing the largest binding ability, Cu also possessed the largest binding capacity. The saturation of Cu binding was not reached up to the limit of 0.35 mg protein/ml employed in the tests, while Co reached full saturation at about 0.2 mg protein/ml. Chromium showed absolutely no binding to human saliva while AI ions did not pass through the dialysis membranes. Compared to the binding with solutions that were synthetically made up to contain added salivary-type proteins, it is shown that the binding to human saliva is about 1 order of magnitude larger, at least for Cu ions.
Site-Specific Loading at the Fifth Metatarsal Base in Rehabilitative Devices: Implications for Jones Fracture Treatment

Background Fractures of the fifth metatarsal base are a relatively common injury. Whether treated surgically or nonsurgically, injury rehabilitation typically involves immobilization in a rigid sandal or short controlled ankle movement (CAM) walker boot. Objective To determine the peak pressure, contact pressure, and impulse at the base of the fifth metatarsal in 3 common footwear devices during common gait activities. Design This was a retrospective comparative study. Setting Research was conducted in a sports performance laboratory at a university. Participants Twenty subjects without a recent history of foot injuries volunteered to participate. Methods Each subject performed 3 common gait activities (walking, heel walking, and pivoting) in 3 footwear devices (short CAM walker boot, postoperative sandal, running shoe). Pressure data were sampled (100 Hz) using individually sized plantar pressure insoles and software (Tekscan). Walking trials were collected at 1.0 m/s ± 5% (FusionSport Timing Gates). Outcome Measurements Peak pressure, contact pressure, and impulse at the fifth metatarsal base region were determined for all trials for all subjects. Mixed-effect regression models were used to compare pairwise differences in outcome variables between footwear devices. Results The CAM walker boot resulted in significantly lower peak pressure at the fifth metatarsal during walking and heel-walking relative to the postoperative sandal ( P P P P Conclusions Our results suggest that the short CAM walker boot more effectively offloads the fifth metatarsal during common gait activities than a postoperative sandal or a standard athletic shoe. A short CAM walker boot may be a beneficial rehabilitative tool for patients undergoing rehabilitation after treatment of Jones fractures and other base of fifth metatarsal fractures.
Mindfulness training and neural integration: differentiation of distinct streams of awareness and the cultivation of well-being

In recent years, the ancient practice of being aware of one’s sensory experience in the present moment—of “being mindful”—has taken a prominent place in discussions among clinicians, educators, and the general public (Bishop et al, 2004; Epstein, 1999; Germer et al, 2005; Kabat-Zinn, 2003). Found in most cultures throughout history and now resurfacing in modern times, in both the East and in the West, the practice of living in the present has been offered as a way to cultivate well-being in our minds, our bodies, and even in our relationships with each other (Kornfield, 2008). Science has taken note of these suggestions and a number of investigators have focused their objective lens on this form of subjective, inner focus of the mind on present experience. Evidence from these studies supports the notion that being mindful, being aware of the present moment without grasping on to judgments, does indeed improve immune function, enhance a sense of equanimity and clarity, and may even increase empathy and relational satisfaction (Davidson et al, 2003, and see Siegel, 2007, for a summary of these research studies).
Brief Hospital Treatment Plans: Innovations in Practice and Research

Hospital care for persons with mental health problems has changed dramatically in the past two decades. The emphasis on community-based models of care, cost containment, and the concern that psychiatric hospitalization may be ineffective or even harmful for some clients has led to the development of innovative hospital treatment programs. In this paper, the author examines a brief hospital treatment program developed for persons who have been identified, either previously or currently, with borderline personality disorder. The typical features of brief hospital plans, the lived experiences of five participants, and the changes in hospital utilization before and after the involvement in the program are discussed. The findings reveal the benefits as well as the limitations of this innovative program in improving the day-to-day lives of people with mental health problems. The methodology and results of this study provide direction for innovation and diversification in psychiatric nursing practice and research.
Impact of Temperature, Osmotic Potential, and Osmoregulant on the Growth of Three Ectotrophic Root-Infecting Fungi of Kentucky Bluegrass.

ABSTRACT Two isolates each of Magnaporthe poae, Gaeumannomyces incrustans, and Leptosphaeria korrae were grown at 25°C in liquid shake culture in minimal salts medium (-0.12 MPa) or minimal salts medium adjusted to -0.5 MPa with KCl, MgCl2, or polyethylene glycol (PEG). Fungal dry weight of all three species was greater in minimal salts medium amended to -0.5 MPa with MgCl2 than in nonamended medium, and dry weight in medium amended with PEG was not different from dry weights in nonamended medium or medium amended with KCl. Fungi were incubated at varying temperatures on a minimal salts solid-agar medium (-0.12 MPa) adjusted to osmotic potentials ranging from -0.5 to -5.0 MPa with KCl or MgCl2. Optimum growth of M. poae, G. incrustans, and L. korrae on nonamended medium occurred at 30, 30, and 25°C, respectively. At optimum temperatures for each species, fungal growth was greatest at the higher osmotic potentials tested (-0.5 to -1.0 MPa) and decreased in a linear manner as osmotic potential decreased. In...
Effects of differing absolute and relative doses of progesterone and estrone on implantation and fetal survival in ovariectomized rats

Rats were inseminated, then ovariectomized and treated with different doses of progesterone (P) and estrone (E), to determine the minimal and optimal daily doses of P and E required for implantation and fetal survival in ovariectomized rats. The minimal daily dose of P and E required for an optimal rate of implantation and fetal survival in ovariectomized rats was between 0.4 and 4.0 mg of P, and 0.1 and 1.0 μg of E. The daily 5.0 μg E dose was too high to realize implantation or fetal survival when it was injected with P beginning on the day after insemination. If, however, 7 days of daily P treatment preceded the daily 5.0 μg E, combined with 20 mg P, delayed implantation was realized but subsequent fetal survival was not. High P doses alone did not substitute for combining E with lower P doses.
Cyclophosphamide-Potentiated West Nile Viral Encephalitis: Relative Influence of Cellular and Humoral Factors

Intraperitoneal inoculation of 106 LD50 of West Nile virus produces an inapparent infection in the central nervous system of the mouse; the infection is converted into lethal encephalitis by a single dose of cyclophosphamide (150 mg/kg) given 24 hr after infection. Cyclophosphamide-potentiated infection is characterized by suppressed response of neutralizing antibody, prolonged viremia, enhanced titers of virus in the brain, and concomitant histologic encephalitis; death occurs eight to 16 days after infection. A single intraperitoneal injection of immune serum given as late as six days after infection reduces mortality to 15%. A comparable reduction in mortality follows the transfer of 108 syngeneic splenocytes from mice immune to West Nile virus. However, these cells are effective only when given within two days after infection. In this model neutralizing antibody appears to play a critical role in recovery from potentially fatal encephalitis, and immune lymphoid cells may act primarily through production of antibody.
Dynamic light scattering for gold nanorod size characterization and study of nanorod–protein interactions

In recent years, there has been considerable interest and research activity in using gold nanoparticle materials for biomedical applications including biomolecular detection, bioimaging, drug delivery, and photothermal therapy. In order to apply gold nanoparticles in the real biological world, we need to have a better understanding of the potential interactions between gold nanoparticle materials and biomolecules in vivo and in vitro. Here, we report the use of dynamic light scattering (DLS) for gold nanorods characterization and nanorod–protein interaction study. In the size distribution diagram, gold nanorods with certain aspect ratios exhibit two size distribution peaks, one with an average hydrodynamic diameter at 5–7 nm, and one at 70–80 nm. The small size peak is attributed to the rotational diffusion of the nanorods instead of an actual dimension of the nanorods. When proteins are adsorbed to the gold nanorods, the average particle size of the nanorods increases and the rotational diffusion-related size distribution peak also changes dramatically. We examined the interaction between four different proteins, bovine serum albumin, human serum albumin, immunoglobulin G, and immunoglobulin A (IgA) with four gold nanorods that have the same diameter but different aspect ratios. From this study, we found that protein adsorption to gold nanorods is strongly dependent on the aspect ratio of the nanorods, and varies significantly from protein to protein. The two serum albumin proteins caused nanorod aggregation upon interaction with the nanorods, while the two immunoglobulin proteins formed a stable protein corona on the nanorod surface without causing significant nanorod aggregation. This study demonstrates that DLS is a valuable tool for nanorod characterization. It reveals information complementary to molecular spectroscopic techniques on gold nanorod–protein interactions.
Effects of the antiandrogens cyproterone acetate and flutamide on male reproductive behavior in a lizard (Anolis sagrei)

This study examined the effects of the antiandrogens cyproterone acetate (CA) and flutamide (F) on male reproductive behavior in the lizard Anolis sagrei. Reproductively active males were implanted with subcutaneous pellets of either CA, F, or placebo (P). Pellets delivered CA and F at a constant rate of 0.1 mg/day. Three weeks after implantation, males were tested with stimulus males and two days later with stimulus females. Cyproterone acetate inhibited aspects of male aggressive and sexual behavior, and reduced testis weight and size of the renal sex segment. Plasma testosterone (T) levels in CA-treated males were not significantly different than those of P-treated males. Flutamide did not inhibit aggressive or sexual behavior, but did decrease testis weight as well as the size of the renal sex segment. Plasma T levels were significantly higher in F-treated males than in P-treated males. These data suggest that CA, an antiandrogen with antigonadotropic activity, may be used to inhibit reproductive behavior in male lizards.
Telecommunications-A Revolution in Progress

Putting together a special issue of the ORSA journal that concentrates on the application of operations research in telecommunications was a pleasant task of assembling some of the best papers on different modeling and analysis techniques. At the same time, it was disappointing to realize how little operation researchers know about recent and emerging developments in the field and the opportunities they present for innovative research applied to telecommunication problems. In an attempt to remedy this situation, I decided to accomplish two tasks in writing the preface: To present and highlight some of the important research issues in telecommunications vying for contributions by operation researchers, applied mathematicians, and economists, and to link them, in the appropriate places, to the papers published in the special issue.
Extended pelvic resections for recurrent or persistent uterine and cervical malignancies: an update on out of the box surgery.

Abstract Objective To update our report on the outcome of patients who underwent extended pelvic resection (EPR) for recurrent or persistent uterine and cervical malignancies. Methods We reviewed the records of all patients who underwent EPR between 6/2000 and 07/2011. EPR was defined as an en-bloc resection of a pelvic tumor with sidewall muscle, bone, major nerve, and/or major vascular structure. Complications up to 180 days post surgery were analyzed. Survivals were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results We identified 22 patients. Median age at the time of EPR was 58 years (range, 36–74). Median tumor diameter was 5.4 cm (range, 1.5–11.2). Primary tumor sites included: uterus, 13; cervix, 7; synchronous uterus/cervix, 1; and synchronous uterus/ovary, 1. The EPR structures were: muscle, 13; nerve, 10; bone, 8; vessel, 5. Complete gross resection with microscopically negative margins (R0 resection) was achieved in 17 patients (77%). There were no perioperative mortalities. Major postoperative complications occurred in 14 patients (64%). The two most common morbidities were pelvic abscesses and peripheral neuropathies. Median follow-up time was 28 months (range, 6–99). The 5-year overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 34% (95% CI, 13–57). For the 17 patients who had an R0 resection, the 5-year OS was 48% (95% CI, 19–73). In patients with positive pathologic margins (n = 5), the 5-year OS was 0%. Conclusion EPR was associated with prolonged survival when an R0 resection was achieved. The high rate of postoperative complications remains a hallmark of these procedures and properly selected patients should be extensively counseled preoperatively.
On the Production of Mean Zonal Currents in the Atmosphere by Large Disturbances

The problem of the production of mean zonal currents by large-scale horizontal disturbances in the atmosphere is attacked by computation of time-tendencies from the vorticity equation. It is shown that the earth's rotation, acting through the variable Coriolis parameter, generally produces a mean northward transport of westerly momentum, with the maximum transport occurring south of the middle of the zonal belt occupied by the disturbances, and therefore creating mean westerly and easterly currents in the central and outer parts respectively. Its effect on the disturbance may either be a damping or an amplification, depending on the asymmetry of the mean flow profile. Six different mean flow profiles have been investigated to determine the nature of the interaction between a disturbance and the mean flow. For three profiles with inflection points, the interaction depends upon the wave length of the disturbance. If the wave length is longer than a critical value, an amplifying effect on the disturbance is produced accompanied by a divergence of westerly momentum in the region of maximum mean flow, and if shorter, a damping effect with a convergence of westerly momentum. On the other hand, the interaction produces only a damping effect for three mean flow profiles without inflection point. Since the zonal currents in the atmosphere are seldom very strong and not far from symmetrical, the total effect of the earth's rotation and of the mean flow leads to horizontal damping, in which the contrast in the mean flow at different latitudes is increased and a mean northward transport of westerly momentum is produced. This is in qualitative agreement with observations, indicating that these factors are of real importance in the development and maintenance of the mean zonal flow. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1953.tb01078.x
Postnatal body growth is dependent on the transcription factors signal transducers and activators of transcription 5a/b in muscle : A role for autocrine/ paracrine insulin-like growth factor I

The transcription factors signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)5a and STAT5b (STAT5) are essential mediators of many actions of GH, including transcription of the IGF-I gene. Here, we present evidence that skeletal muscle STAT5 is important for postnatal growth and suggest that this is conveyed by the production of localized IGF-I. To investigate the role of STAT5 signaling in skeletal muscle, mice with a skeletal-muscle-specific deletion of the Stat5a and Stat5b genes (Stat5MKO mice) were used. IGF-I mRNA levels were reduced by 60% in muscle tissue of these mice. Despite only a 15% decrease in circulating IGF-I, 8-wk-old male Stat5MKO mice displayed approximately 20% reduction in body weight that was accounted for by a reduction in lean mass. The skeletons of Stat5MKO mice were found to be smaller than controls, indicating the growth defect was not restricted to skeletal muscle. These results demonstrate an as yet unreported critical role for STAT5 in skeletal muscle for local IGF-I production and postnatal growth and suggest the skeletal muscle as a major site of GH action.
Understanding the behavior of compiler optimizations

Compiler optimizations are difficult to implement and add complexity to a compiler. For this reason, compiler writers are selective about implementing them: they implement only the ones that they believe will be beneficial. To support compiler writers in this, we describe a method for measuring the cost and benefits of compiler optimizations, both individually and in synergy with other optimizations. We demonstrate our method by presenting results for the optimizations implemented in the Jikes Research Virtual Machine on the PowerPC and IA32 platforms. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new treefrog of the Litoria gracilenta group (Hylidae) from Papua New Guinea

Abstract I describe a new treefrog of the Litoria gracilenta group from the lowlands along an outlying volcanic peak in southeastern Papua New Guinea. The new species is distinctive among members of that group in a combination of details of color pattern and morphometric characters, and it is further unique within that group in being the only species known to have a call consisting of several notes. It is also unusual for the group in having been found breeding in a stream. This species complex has an extensive but disjunct range spanning the entire extent of New Guinea, outlying islands to the west and the east, and eastern Australia. The new species fills in a range gap of 830 km between its nearest relatives to the northwest and southeast.
Time and Complexity in Historical Ecology: Studies in the Neotropical Lowlands

Time and Complexity in Historical Ecology: Studies in the Neotropical Lowlands. William Balee and Clark L. Erickson, eds. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. 417 pp.
State-of-the-Art Treatment of Chronic Venous Disease

The article summarizes the epidemiology, classification and differential diagnosis of venous disease and its complications. Theories of venous ulceration and diagnostic and treatment modalities are reviewed.
The Recent US Preventive Services Task Force Guidelines Are Not Supported by the Scientific Evidence and Should Be Rescinded

The recent US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines on mammographic screening ignore the scientific evidence and should be rescinded. There are no data to support the age of 50 years as a threshold for screening. There are no data to support screening women aged 40 to 49 years on the basis of risk. The USPSTF failed to understand the randomized controlled trials and used the lowest possible benefit in its calculations. The death rate from breast cancer has decreased by 30%, primarily because of screening. The agency ignored direct data with regard to decreasing deaths in real populations in favor of computer models. The USPSTF admits that its guidelines will result in unnecessary deaths from breast cancer that could be avoided by screening annually beginning at the age of 40 years.
Cryobiology of Rat Embryos I: Determination of Zygote Membrane Permeability Coefficients for Water and Cryoprotectants, Their Activation Energies, and the Development of Improved Cryopreservation Methods

New rat models are being developed at an exponential rate, making improved methods to cryopreserve rat embryos extremely important. However, cryopreservation of rat embryos has proven to be difficult and expensive. In this study, a series of experiments was performed to characterize the fundamental cryobiology of rat fertilized 1-cell embryos (zygotes) and to investigate the effects of different cryoprotective agents (CPAs) and two different plunging temperatures (Tp) on post-thaw survival of embryos from three genetic backgrounds. In the initial experiments, information on the fundamental cryobiology of rat zygotes was determined, including 1) the hydraulic conductivity in the presence of CPAs (Lp), 2) the cryoprotectant permeability (PCPA), 3) the reflection coefficient (s), and 4) the activation energies for these parameters. PCPA values were determined for the CPAs, ethylene glycol (EG), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and propylene glycol (PG). Using this information, a cryopreservation method was developed and the cryosurvival and fetal development of Sprague-Dawley zygotes cryopreserved in either EG, DMSO, or PG and plunged at either 230 or 2808C, were assessed. The highest fetal developmental rates were obtained using a Tp of 2308C and EG (61.2% 6 2.4%), which was not different (P . 0.05) from nonfrozen control zygotes (54.6% 6 3.0%). assisted reproductive technology, embryo
The Center for Civil Force Protection

This paper describes the Center for Civil Force Protection (CCFP) which is operated by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to provide technical assistance to governmental organizations and communities to improve their ability to resist terrorist attacks before they occur.
A Call for Sharing: Adapting Pharmaceutical Research to New Realities

From the dawn of time, the sharing of knowledge has been one of the main forces driving science and innovation. Yet in recent decades, a proprietary culture, which wrongly posits that all intellectual property must be restricted, has spread across the pharmaceutical industry and threatens to stall the engine that has given us so many valuable treatments. This paper argues that pharmaceutical companies, together with universities and government agencies, stand to gain much from reversing that trend and engaging in widespread collaboration early in the research process to expand foundational knowledge and create a shared infrastructure to tap it.
The Use of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Techniques to Facilitate Recovery from Post-stroke Aphasia

Aphasia is a common symptom after left hemispheric stroke. Neuroimaging techniques over the last 10–15 years have described two general trends: Patients with small left hemisphere strokes tend to recruit perilesional areas, while patients with large left hemisphere lesions recruit mainly homotopic regions in the right hemisphere. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been employed to facilitate recovery by stimulating lesional and contralesional regions. The majority of these brain stimulation studies have attempted to block homotopic regions in the right posterior inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) to affect a presumed disinhibited right IFG (triangular portion). Other studies have used anodal or excitatory tDCS to stimulate the contralesional (right) fronto-temporal region or parts of the intact left IFG and perilesional regions to improve speech-motor output. It remains unclear whether the interhemispheric disinhibition model, which is the basis for motor cortex stimulation studies, also applies to the language system. Future studies could address a number of issues, including: the effect of lesion location on current density distribution, timing of the intervention with regard to stroke onset, whether brain stimulation should be combined with behavioral therapy, and whether multiple brain sites should be stimulated. A better understanding of the predictors of recovery from natural outcome studies would also help to inform study design, and the selection of clinically meaningful outcome measures in future studies.
Hypocapnia is a biological marker for orthostatic intolerance in some patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and those with orthostatic intolerance share many symptoms, yet questions exist as to whether CFS patients have physiological evidence of orthostatic intolerance. To determine if some CFS patients have increased rates of orthostatic hypotension, hypertension, tachycardia, or hypocapnia relative to age-matched controls. Assess blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, end tidal CO2 and visual analog scales for orthostatic symptoms when supine and when standing for 8 minutes without moving legs. Referral practice and research center. 60 women and 15 men with CFS and 36 women and 4 men serving as age matched controls with analyses confined to 62 patients and 35 controls showing either normal orthostatic testing or a physiological abnormal test. Orthostatic tachycardia; orthostatic hypotension; orthostatic hypertension; orthostatic hypocapnia or combinations thereof. CFS patients had higher rates of abnormal tests than controls (53% vs 20%, p < .002), but rates of orthostatic tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension, and orthostatic hypertension did not differ significantly between patients and controls (11.3% vs 5.7%, 6.5% vs 2.9%, 19.4% vs 11.4%, respectively). In contrast, rates of orthostatic hypocapnia were significantly higher in CFS than in controls (20.6% vs 2.9%, p < .02). This CFS group reported significantly more feelings of illness and shortness of breath than either controls or CFS patients with normal physiological tests. A substantial number of CFS patients have orthostatic intolerance in the form of orthostatic hypocapnia. This allows subgrouping of patients with CFS and thus reduces patient pool heterogeneity engendered by use of a clinical case definition.
Adaptive homography-based visual servo tracking for a fixed camera configuration with a camera-in-hand extension

In this brief, a homography-based adaptive visual servo controller is developed to enable a robot end-effector to track a desired Euclidean trajectory as determined by a sequence of images for both the camera-in-hand and fixed-camera configurations. To achieve the objectives, a Lyapunov-based adaptive control strategy is employed to actively compensate for the lack of unknown depth measurements and the lack of an object model. The error systems are constructed as a hybrid of pixel information and reconstructed Euclidean variables obtained by comparing the images and decomposing a homographic relationship. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the performance of the developed controller for the fixed camera configuration.
Blazing angels or resident evil? Can violent video games be a force for good?

Violent video games have been a source of controversy in the United States and elsewhere for several decades. Considerable concern has been raised in the public and scientific communities about the alleged deleterious effects of violent games. These concerns may coincide with periodic moral panics about media's influence, particularly on youth. This paper argues that the negative effects of violent games have been exaggerated by some elements of the scientific community, fitting with past cycles of media-focused moral panics. By contrast, potential positive effects of violent video game play have been ignored in the debate on violent games. The current paper considers research in several areas, including aggression, but also the nascent research fields of visuospatial cognition, social networking, and use as educational tools. It is argued that the debate on video game violence should be broadened to include both potential negative and positive effects.
Magnesium in Disease Prevention and Overall Health

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral and the second most abundant intracellular divalent cation and has been recognized as a cofactor for >300 metabolic reactions in the body. Some of the processes in which magnesium is a cofactor include, but are not limited to, protein synthesis, cellular energy production and storage, reproduction, DNA and RNA synthesis, and stabilizing mitochondrial membranes. Magnesium also plays a critical role in nerve transmission, cardiac excitability, neuromuscular conduction, muscular contraction, vasomotor tone, blood pressure, and glucose and insulin metabolism. Because of magnesium’s many functions within the body, it plays a major role in disease prevention and overall health. Low levels of magnesium have been associated with a number of chronic diseases including migraine headaches, Alzheimer’s disease, cerebrovascular accident (stroke), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Good food sources of magnesium include unrefined (whole) grains, spinach, nuts, legumes, and white potatoes (tubers). This review presents recent research in the areas of magnesium and chronic disease, with the goal of emphasizing magnesium’s role in disease prevention and overall health.
Morphological transformation by 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells.

8-Hydroxy-2*-deoxyguanosine (OH8dG) is one of the most prevalent oxidative DNA modifications found in eukaryotic cells. Previous studies have suggested an association between OH8dG formation and carcinogenesis. However, it is unclear whether OH8dG formation results in the necessary genotoxic events for cancer development. In the present study, the formation of OH8dG and its ability to transform Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells was examined. Methylene blue, a photosensitizer that in the presence of light can generate singlet oxygen by a type II mechanism, was used to produce oxidative DNA damage (predominantly OH8dG) in SHE cells. Photoactivated methylene blue produced a dosedependent increase in OH8dG as well as a dose-dependent increase in morphological transformation in SHE cells. SHE cells transfected with DNA that contained increasing concentrations of OH8dG displayed a dose-dependent increase in morphological transformation. Treatment with b-carotene (a singlet oxygen quencher) inhibited both the formation of OH8dG and the induction of morphological transformation in photoactivated methylene blue‐treated SHE cells. These results suggest that formation of OH8dG can induce morphological transformation and provide further support for a role of OH8dG formation in the carcinogen
A simplified module interface style for synthesis education

In the synthesis course at Stony Brook we have made it possible for students to complete the tasks of specification, simulation, synthesis, FPGA fitting, low level verification, both on homework sets and on a non-trivial project, all within one semester. We do it by using a set of standard components and a consistent and standardized interface throughout: for the library components, for the designs themselves, and for the testbenches. It is possible to get designs working quickly because the control is implicit and the synthesis scripts are standardised, even though the projects covered a range from radix 4 multiplication and division, memory interleaver, a synchrotron controller, and parts for a 3 dimensional graphics engine. The paper summarizes the method and illustrates it on a design for a RAM built-in self-test.
An Unusual Case of Obstruction Due to Colonic Intussusception in a Scleroderma Patient

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that can affect multiple organ systems, including the gastrointestinal tract. Intussusception, the telescoping of the bowel that can lead to intestinal obstruction, is an uncommon phenomenon in adults. We report the first case of sigmoid intussusception in a patient with scleroderma.
Production of nitrogen-based platform chemical: cyanophycin biosynthesis using recombinant Escherichia coli and renewable media substitutes

Background Cyanophycin (CGP) is a sustainable polymer that can be converted to a derivative with reduced arginine content, or to completely biodegradable poly-aspartic acid, which can substitute for non-biodegradable polyacrylates. In nature, it is produced by most cyanobacteria; however, these microbes are not suitable for large-scale production due to slow growth and low polymer content. Results Cyanophycin synthetase gene (cphA) from Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413 was PCR amplified and cloned into Escherichia coli. Different renewable media components, such as soybean meal, potato wastes and corn-derived zein hydrolysate, were evaluated for their feasibility for CGP production at shake flask level. The optimized conditions were then tested in a 7 L bioreactor; a maximum cell weight of 10.2 g L-1 was obtained. CGP comprised 23 g g-1 of cell dry matter (CDM) with molecular weight between 21.5 and 31 kDa and was composed of aspartic acid, arginine and lysine in the ratio of 1.05:1:0.2 (mass basis). Conclusion The efficient use of renewable biomass for cyanophycin production could achieve competitive price, and in return, promote the use of this platform chemical to produce innovative polymers and materials.© 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
CRISS: A Collaborative Route Information Sharing System for Visually Impaired Travelers

Limited sensory information about a new environment often requires people with a visual impairment to rely on sighted guides for showing or describing routes around the environment. However, route descriptions provided by other blind independent navigators, (e.g., over a cell phone), can also be used to guide a traveler along a previously unknown route. A visually impaired guide can often describe a route as well or better than a sighted person since the guide is familiar with the issues of blind navigation. This chapter introduces a Collaborative Route Information Sharing System (CRISS). CRISS is a collaborative online environment where visually impaired and sighted people will be able to share and manage route descriptions for indoor and outdoor environments. It then describes the system’s Route Analysis Engine module which takes advantage of information extraction techniques to find landmarks in natural language route descriptions written by independent blind navigators.