cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generation of anNco I restriction site for translational fusions using PCR-mediated, site-directed mutagenesis

A polymerase chain reaction-based method of site-directed mutagenesis was used to introduce anNco I restriction site on the translation start site of a tomato peroxidase gene. This quick and efficient method utilized two overlapping synthetic oligonucleotide primers containing the requisite base pair changes on the ATG translation start site and two flanking primers in PCR. The resulting DNA amplified fragments were fused together byNco I digestion at the mutated ends followed by a T4 ligation reaction. A rapid alternative method utilizing the overlapping fragments and the flanking primers in PCR can also be used for ligating the two fragments. Cloning and sequencing of the PCR-amplified fragments provided additional evidence for the presence of the site-specific mutations. Unique restriction sites upstream and downstream of the site-specific mutation allows for the easy transfer of this mutated region into the wild type peroxidase gene.
Determining the stability and realizability of a type of identified power system linear dynamic equivalent model

Abstract The linear multi-input multi-output dynamic equivalent system model for power system studies is often required to be stable and realizable. The stability and realizability may be checked after the continuous state space model has been obtained, but it will result in excessive computing time for model identification. This paper gives the conditions on the poles of an autoregression model for checking its stability and realizability. Along with the assumption of output decoupling, application of these conditions can greatly reduce the computing time for model identification.
The response of state agencies to AIDS, addiction, and alcoholism.

State agencies have been profoundly impacted by the AIDS epidemic. In the absence of a vaccine that would prevent AIDS or of medacines that would cure it, the primary strategies of such agencies have focused on reducing the spread of AIDS by promoting cessation of high risk behaviors and thus preventing or slowing its transmission. Recent research indicates that the primary route of AIDS transmission into the general heterosexual population is by intravenous (IV) drug abusers, who directly account for about 17% of AIDS cases nationwide. Reducing the spread of AIDS within this group would not only reduce the overall toll of the disease but should limit its spread to the population at large. Infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be minimized by reducing or eliminating certain high-risk activities. In the IV drug using community, the primary intervention strategies include: educating IV drug users about the hazards of AIDS and sharing of needles; enrolling them in treatment programs to redu...
Education for Menarche

: Educational programs to prepare young women for menarche potentially can affect their self-view, peer interaction, decision-making, and self-care capabilities. A review of literature on menarche and menarcheal education is presented with implications for program development. References that can assist health educators in developing appropriate content and strategies are identified.
Caspase-3 cleavage of GGA3 stabilizes BACE: implications for Alzheimer's disease

BACE initiates the production of β-amyloid (Aβ), the likely cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this issue of Neuron , Tesco et al. show that during apoptosis caspase-3 cleaves the adaptor protein GGA3, which is required for BACE lysosomal degradation, consequently stabilizing BACE and elevating Aβ generation.
Identifying the Etiology of a “Finger-Like” Structure Inside the Left Ventricle Using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance

![Figure][1] [![Graphic][3] ][3][![Graphic][4] ][4] A 59-year-old woman was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989. In 2002, she was diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma. A left ventricular mass was incidentally noted on a breast magnetic resonance imaging scan for routine screening.
Weak absolute helicity direction in Ni–salen by trans-cyclohexane-(1R,2R)-diamine

Abstract Helical Ni–salen foldamers were synthesized from enantiomerically pure cyclohexane-(1R,2R)-diamine, N,N′-bis-(N-phenyl (4-diphenylphosphine)-3-salicylidenato carboxamide)-(1R,2R)-cyclohexanediaminato-nickel(II). X-ray structural characterization of the absolute helicities observed confirms our earlier assertions, based on solution spectroscopic evidence, that trans-cyclohexane-diamine, a common component of chiral salen catalysts, is a weak director of absolute helicity for Ni–salen.
Unbound Unconjugated Hyperbilirubinemia Is Associated with Central Apnea in Premature Infants

Objective To evaluate whether jaundice, indexed by unbound bilirubin (UB), is associated with central apnea in premature infants. Study design A prospective observational study was performed with 27-33 weeks' gestational age infants who were not requiring either mechanical ventilation or noninvasive ventilation with continuous positive airway pressure beyond 24 hours after birth. Infants with congenital infections, chromosomal disorders, craniofacial anomalies, and/or family history of hearing loss were excluded. Total serum bilirubin and UB were measured twice daily during the first postnatal week and then when clinically indicated. Central apnea was evaluated by visual inspection of continuous, electronic cardiorespiratory recordings until 2 weeks of age. Results One hundred infants were subdivided into 2 groups via median peak UB level: the high UB group (greater than median) and low UB group (less than median). The high UB group had an increased frequency of apnea events during the first 2 weeks compared with infants in the low UB group. After we controlled for confounders, the high UB group had more events of apnea during the first 2 postnatal weeks compared with the low UB group (incidence rate ratio: 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.2). Conclusions Our findings suggest that jaundice, as indexed by UB, is associated with central apnea in premature infants.
Decomposition of nitrilotriacetate (NTA) in soils

Abstract The trisodium salt of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) has been proposed as a substitute for phosphate in detergents. The decomposition of this chelating agent in soils was studied by performing analyses for NTA and inorganic nitrogen after incubation of NTA-treated soils for various times. The results showed that NTA is readily decomposed by soil micro-organisms under aerobic or anaerobic conditions and that NTA-nitrogen is converted to nitrate under aerobic conditions. The latter finding indicates that use of detergents containing NTA may lead to nitrate enrichment of water resources.
Brain Imaging in Late-life Schizophrenia and Related Psychoses

Despite disagreements about nomenclature, patients who develop schizophrenic or schizophrenia-like symptoms in later life are often seen in clinical practice. Questions about the etiology of late-life psychotic disorders and about their similarities or differences from early-onset disorders remain unanswered. Neuro-imaging techniques have been used to study patients with late onset of psychosis, and in substantial subgroups of patients (from 25% to 100% in various studies) compared with age-matched control subjects, structural and functional abnormalities have been found. We review the literature on imaging in late-life schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, and we present data from our own investigations of patients with these disorders. We discuss the potential usefulness of imaging evaluations in patients with late-onset disorders, and we offer suggestions for future investigations.
Inflammatory markers are elevated in overweight Mexican-American children

Objective. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of body weight on blood lipid profile, insulin resistance and inflammatory biomarkers in Mexican-American children. Methods. ...
Orbital Surgery in Two Horses

The case histories of 2 horses that required surgery within the orbit are described. In 1 horse, severely comminuted fractures of the left facial area and orbit were repaired in 2 stages, the first consisting of elevation and wiring of the depressed fractures. In the second stage, an autogenous tendon graft from the lateral digital extensor tendon of the left front leg was used to reconstruct the orbital floor and elevate the globe in the orbit. In the second horse, a retrobulbar tumor causing exophthalmos and prolapse of the nictitans was removed by creating a bone flap of the zygomatic process of the frontal bone for exposure.
Lysosomal Phospholipase A2 Is Selectively Expressed in Alveolar Macrophages

Lung surfactant is the surface-active agent comprised of phospholipids and proteins that lines pulmonary alveoli. Surfactant stabilizes the alveolar volume by reducing surface tension. Previously, we identified a lysosomal phospholipase A2, termed LPLA2, with specificity toward phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The phospholipase is localized to lysosomes, is calcium-independent, has an acidic pH optimum, and transacylates ceramide. Here, we demonstrate that LPLA2 is selectively expressed in alveolar macrophages but not in peritoneal macrophages, peripheral blood monocytes, or other tissues. Other macrophage-associated phospholipase A2s do not show a comparable distribution. LPLA2 is of high specific activity and recognizes disaturated phosphatidylcholine as a substrate. The lysosomal phospholipase A2 activity is six times lower in alveolar macrophages from mice with a targeted deletion of the granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a model of impaired surfactant catabolism, compared with those from wild-type mice. However, LPLA2 activity and protein levels are measured in GM-CSF null mice in which GM-CSF is expressed as a transgene under the control of the surfactant protein C promoter. Thus LPLA2 may be a major enzyme of pulmonary surfactant phospholipid degradation by alveolar macrophages and may be deficient in disorders of surfactant metabolism.
Social networking with frientegrity: privacy and integrity with an untrusted provider

Today's social networking services require users to trust the service provider with the confidentiality and integrity of their data. But with their history of data leaks and privacy controversies, these services are not always deserving of this trust. Indeed, a malicious provider could not only violate users' privacy, it could equivocate and show different users divergent views of the system's state. Such misbehavior can lead to numerous harms including surreptitious censorship. In light of these threats, this paper presents Frientegrity, a framework for social networking applications that can be realized with an untrusted service provider. In Frientegrity, a provider observes only encrypted data and cannot deviate from correct execution without being detected. Prior secure social networking systems have either been decentralized, sacrificing the availability and convenience of a centralized provider, or have focused almost entirely on users' privacy while ignoring the threat of equivocation. On the other hand, existing systems that are robust to equivocation do not scale to the needs social networking applications in which users may have hundreds of friends, and in which users are mainly interested the latest updates, not in the thousands that may have come before. To address these challenges, we present a novel method for detecting provider equivocation in which clients collaborate to verify correctness. In addition, we introduce an access control mechanism that offers efficient revocation and scales logarithmically with the number of friends. We present a prototype implementation demonstrating that Frientegrity provides latency and throughput that meet the needs of a realistic workload.
Invasive Mold Infections in Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients

Invasive mold infections (IMIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients who are undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). To examine the epidemiology, risk factors, and outcome of IMIs in allogeneic BMT recipients, all cases of mold infection among 94 adult patients who underwent allogeneic BMT at this institution from 1 January 1997 through 31 December 1998 were reviewed retrospectively. Fifteen cases of IMI were identified; infection occurred a median of 102 days after BMT. Aspergillus species was the most common cause of disease, and species other than Aspergillus fumigatus were present in 53% of patients. By multivariate analysis, the variable associated with infection risk was systemic glucocorticosteroid use. Prophylactic antifungal therapy that was targeted to high-risk patients had little effect on disease incidence. These observations suggest that early identification of high-risk patients and better approaches to prevention should be explored, to reduce incidence and severity of disease in this population.
Relativistic wave equation for anyons.

Construction of one-particle states as unitary representations of the Poincar\'e algebra in 2+1 dimensions shows that an anyon has one polarization state. However, for nonzero spin manifestly linear and covariant realizations of Lorentz transformations require more than one field component, and an infinite number is needed when the value of spin is not an integer or half-integer. We discuss the relation between these two aspects of Poincar\'e symmetry. In particular, we construct a relativistic equation for anyons where the number of physical polarizations is reduced to one by virtue of a gauge symmetry or equivalent constraint.
Long-term kinetic study of β-carotene, using accelerator mass spectrometry in an adult volunteer

We present a sensitive tracer method, suitable for in vivo human research, that uses beta-[(14)C]carotene coupled with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) detection. Using this approach, the concentration-time course of a physiological (306 microgram 200 nCi) oral dose of beta-[(14)C]carotene was determined for 209 days in plasma. Analytes included beta-[(14)C]carotene, [(14)C]retinyl esters, [(14)C]retinol, and several [(14)C]retinoic acids. There was a 5.5-h lag between dosing and the appearance of (14)C in plasma. Labeled beta-carotene and [(14)C]retinyl esters rose and displayed several maxima with virtually identical kinetic profiles over the first 24-h period; elevated [(14)C]retinyl ester concentrations were sustained in the plasma compartment for >21 h postdosing. The appearance of [(14)C]retinol in plasma was also delayed 5.5 h postdosing and its concentration rose linearly for 28 h before declining. Cumulative urine and stool were collected for 17 and 10 days, respectively, and 57.4% of the dose was recovered in the stool within 48 h postdosing. The stool was the major excretion route for the absorbed dose. The turnover times (1/k(el)) for beta-carotene and retinol were 58 and 302 days, respectively. Area under the curve analysis of the plasma response curves suggested a molar vitamin A value of 0.53 for beta-carotene, with a minimum of 62% of the absorbed beta-carotene being cleaved to vitamin A.In summary, AMS is an excellent tool for defining the in vivo metabolic behavior of beta-carotene and related compounds at physiological concentrations. Further, our data suggest that retinyl esters derived from beta-carotene may undergo hepatic resecretion with VLDL in a process similar to that observed for beta-carotene.
Saturated High-Speed Homopolar Alternators at Balanced Loads

A former paper of the authors is extended to find the radial component of the magnetic induction in the airgap of homopolar alternators when supplying balanced loads. The armature currents are represented by sinusoidal current sheets at the stator bore. The partial differential equations, the boundary conditions, and the method of solution are reviewed. Numerical results were obtained for a 95 KVA, 115/200 v., 3,400 cps developmental homopolar alternator. Equations for the calculations of the armature impedances are given. A phasor diagram for the finding of the terminal voltage of the alternator at balanced loads is explained. Calculated results compare well with tests.
Restricted Translocation across the Cell Wall Regulates Secretion of the Broad-Range Phospholipase C of Listeria monocytogenes

The virulence of Listeria monocytogenes is directly related to its ability to spread from cell to cell without leaving the intracellular milieu. During cell-to-cell spread, bacteria become temporarily confined to secondary vacuoles. Among the bacterial factors involved in escape from these vacuoles is a secreted broad-range phospholipase C (PC-PLC), the activation of which requires processing of an N-terminal prodomain. Mpl, a secreted metalloprotease of Listeria, is involved in the proteolytic activation of PC-PLC. We previously showed that, during intracellular growth, bacteria maintain a pool of PC-PLC that is not accessible to antibodies and that is rapidly released in its active form in response to a decrease in pH. pH-regulated release of active PC-PLC is Mpl dependent. To further characterize the mechanism regulating secretion of PC-PLC, the bacterial localization of PC-PLC and Mpl was investigated. Both proteins were detected in the bacterial supernatant and lysate with no apparent changes in molecular weight. Extraction of bacteria-associated PC-PLC and Mpl required cell wall hydrolysis, but there was no indication that either protein was covalently bound to the bacterial cell wall. Results from pulse-chase experiments performed with infected macrophages indicated that the rate of synthesis of PC-PLC exceeded the rate of translocation across the bacterial cell wall and confirmed that the pool of PC-PLC associated with bacteria was efficiently activated and secreted upon acidification of the host cell cytosol. These data suggest that bacterially associated PC-PLC and Mpl localize at the cell wall-membrane interface and that translocation of PC-PLC across the bacterial cell wall is rate limiting, resulting in the formation of a bacterially associated pool of PC-PLC that would readily be accessible for activation and release into nascent secondary vacuoles.
Wall Stud-To-Track Gap: Experimental Investigation

Because of an increasing interest in the use of cold-formed steel for commercial and residential framing, both design and installation guidelines are needed. The wall framing, which typically consists of axial load bearing C-section studs, is laterally braced and attached at the bottom and top of the wall to a track section. The common bottom and top attachment consists of the wall stud and track of nominally the same cross-section depth. Because the nominal depths of the C-section and the track are similar, a tight connection is often not achieved and a gap occurs. The Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing—General Provisions specifies that the gap between the wall stud and track in a wall assembly must not exceed 1∕8 in. This gap dimension is consistent with the gap specified by ASTM C 1007. The value of 1∕8 in. is based on industry experience and practice but had not been experimentally verified. To explore both the stud-to-track connection strength and the aesthetic concerns associated with a gap betw...
The intracorporeal use of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate resin to control air leaks after lung resection

Objective: To describe the outcome of patients who had 2-octyl cyanoacrylate used as an adjunct to control air leaks after lung resection by application directly onto the visceral pleura. Methods: A retrospective review of these patients from 2007 to 2009 from a single surgeon’s practice. Results: Seven challenging patients had 2-octyl cyanoacrylate used to control difficult air leaks after lung resection. The indications included lack of standard sealants in patients with emphysematous lung that would not hold suture and vast air leaks after decortications or extensive nonanatomic resections in patients that would not tolerate the loss of tidal volume. All air leaks sealed immediately and none of the patients left the operating theater with an air leak, including three patients who underwent difficult decortications for empyema. All patients recovered uneventfully, except one patient who died from acute respiratory distress syndrome. His postmortem examination revealed that the resin remained intact on the lung without signs of degradation after being in an intracorporeal environment for weeks. There were no complications nor toxicity directly related to the 2-octyl cyanoacrylate resin. Conclusions: 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate is extremely effective in immediately controlling air leaks, with the results being seen instantly. It dries quickly, does not wash off the lung, and remains intact on the visceral pleura for several weeks. 2-Octyl cyanoacrylate deserves additional testing as an adjunct to control air leaks after lung resection. # 2010 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Crossing gender boundaries: from Lagash to Lowell

Deeply embedded cultural assumptions about appropriate women's and men's work have persisted throughout human history. Embedded in attitudes about professions and technologies are cultural notions of manhood and womanhood. The author discusses two examples, one from the ancient province of Lagash in present day Iraq around 4000 years ago and the other from mid-19th century America. These examples illustrate the hidden dimensions and gendered assumptions that underlay historical processes. They also demonstrate that barriers to change can be culturally mediated by employing effective strategies that balance present needs with prevailing perceptions about appropriate gendered workplaces and professions.
Collections at Risk: Revisiting Serial Cancellations in Academic Libraries

In 1993, Tina E. Chrzastowski and Karen A. Schmidt published a longitudinal study of serial cancellations from five midwestern academic research libraries.' The study found that actual title cancellation overlap was small (4.3%), meaning that many unique titles were being cancelled. A profile for an at-risk serial title, one most likely to be cancelled, was also determined. The titles most often cancelled were English-language titles in the sciences having a higher-than-average subscription price. The present study builds on the original research, adding two more years of cancellation data as well as serial order data. Results show that the rate of cancellations accelerated and that cancellation overlap increased by 55 percent in the two years following the original study. Science titles are still most likely to be cancelled, and less likely to be ordered. Also, the cost of serial cancellations in the sciences is not balanced by orders in the sciences, which are for fewer, lower-priced journals, in contrast with serials in the social sciences and humanities. Overlap in serial orders was less than expected.
Optimal facility placement and discriminatory congestion pricing in neighborhoods with different time costs

In many urban areas, time costs or wages vary between neighborhoods, but there is little wage variation within a given neighborhood. Neighborhoods are often labelled “working class,”“middle class,” or even “wealthy.” For this reason, there are many efficiency and distributional issues related to location because location largely determines access costs. Congestion also affects time costs and access. Many public policies are geared towards improving access for households in low-wage neighborhoods. Public facilities are built; some firms receive nonprofit status. In order to evaluate these policies, normative theory is needed. This paper develops theory on the optimal placement of facilities and their congestion prices in urban areas with wage variation between neighborhoods. The results show that optimal locations and prices depend on the extent of wage inequality.
How Should Heritage Languages Be Taught?: The Effects of a Free Voluntary Reading Program

ABSTRACT The United States has experienced a sharp rise in recent years in the number of heritage language (HL) bilinguals, students who speak a language other than English at home. Due to a lack of advanced language development in other settings, many of these students enroll in foreign language courses in their respective home languages. This paper reports on a program designed to promote heritage language and literacy development in one university-level HL course, Spanish for Native Speakers (SNS). The ten-week program involved two classes of mostly English-dominant SNS students participating in an experimental course that included a combination of the following elements: free voluntary reading (FVR) outside the classroom, in-class literature circles (small group book discussions), a survey of popular literature in Spanish, and individual inquiry learning projects. Three measures of the course were used to evaluate its success in terms of vocabulary acquisition, attitudes toward Spanish literacy development, and reading habits. The experimental group made significant gains in word knowledge, read more than a comparison group of SNS students, and exhibited positive attitudes toward Spanish literacy at the end of the ten-week course. The evidence in favor of FVR, theoretical justifications for the approach in SNS courses, and implications for redesigning heritage language curricula at the secondary and university levels are discussed.
Bilateral and unilateral stenting for malignant hilar obstruction: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Stents are used for palliating inoperable malignant bile duct hilar obstruction. It is not clear if bilateral stenting provides any advantage over unilateral stenting in these patients. Compare bilateral and unilateral stenting in malignant hilar obstruction.
The Status of and Challenges in CdTe Thin-Film Solar-Cell Technology

Polycrystalline CdTe thin-film solar cells have shown high potential for low cost, large-area module fabrication. But successful large-scale commercial production has been elusive. Fabrication of the basic n-CdS / p-CdTe heterojunction is possible by a wide variety of methods, including close-spaced sublimation, vapor-transport deposition, electrodeposition, chemical bath deposition, and magnetron sputtering. An overview of these methods is presented as well as the role of the postdeposition “activation” treatment using CdCl2 and issues related to the difficulty of obtaining low resistance back contacts to CdTe. We present some of our recent fabrication results using rf magnetron sputtering and discuss some of the advantages that appear possible from the use of sputtering methods in this class of materials. Some of these advantages are particularly relevant as the polycrystalline thin-film PV community addresses the challenges of fabricating tandem cells with efficiencies over 25%.
Shear localization in dynamic deformation of materials: microstructural evolution and self-organization

The plastic deformation of crystalline and non-crystalline solids incorporates microscopically localized deformation modes that can be precursors to shear localization. Shear localization has been found to be an important and sometimes dominant deformation and fracture mode in metals, fractured and granular ceramics, polymers, and metallic glasses at high strains and strain rates. Experiments involving the collapse of a thick walled cylinder enable controlled and reproducible application of plastic deformation at very high strain rates to specimens. These experiments were supplemented by hat-shaped specimens tested in a compression Hopkinson bar. The initiation and propagation of shear bands has been studied in metals (Ti, Ta, Ti–6Al–4V, and stainless steel), granular and prefractured ceramics (Al2O3 and SiC), a polymer (teflon) and a metallic glass (Co58Ni10Fe5Si11B16). The first aspect that was investigated is the microstructural evolution inside the shear bands. A fine recrystallized structure is observed in Ti, Cu, Al–Li, and Ta, and it is becoming clear that a recrystallization mechanism is operating. The fast deformation and short cooling times inhibit grain-boundary migration; it is shown, for the first time, that a rotational mechanism, presented in terms of dislocation energetics and grain-boundary reorientation, can operate within the time of the deformation process. In pre-fractured and granular ceramics, a process of comminution takes place when the particles are greater than a critical size ac. When they are smaller than ac, particle deformation takes place. For the granular SiC, a novel mechanism of shear-induced bonding was experimentally identified inside the shear bands. For all materials, shear bands exhibit a clear self-organization, with a characteristic spacing that is a function of a number of parameters. This self-organization is analyzed in terms of fundamental material parameters in the frame of Grady–Kipp (momentum diffusion), Wright–Ockendon, and Molinari (perturbation) models. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Seeds of Collaboration The Illicit Networks Workshop

This introduction to the JCCJ special issue on illicit networks seeks to accomplish three objectives. First, we offer a brief explanation of the network paradigm and its importance to criminology; our purpose is to convince readers of the utility of social network analysis (SNA). Second, we summarize the benefits of working groups with the aim of providing readers with the context from which they can understand why these informal collectives are critical to the advancement of science. And finally, the remainder of the article introduces the research assembled for this special issue.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Community Collective Efficacy following the 2004 Florida Hurricanes

There is a paucity of research investigating the relationship of community-level characteristics such as collective efficacy and posttraumatic stress following disasters. We examine the association of collective efficacy with probable posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity in Florida public health workers (n = 2249) exposed to the 2004 hurricane season using a multilevel approach. Anonymous questionnaires were distributed electronically to all Florida Department of Health personnel nine months after the 2004 hurricane season. The collected data were used to assess posttraumatic stress disorder and collective efficacy measured at both the individual and zip code levels. The majority of participants were female (80.42%), and ages ranged from 20 to 78 years (median = 49 years); 73.91% were European American, 13.25% were African American, and 8.65% were Hispanic. Using multi-level analysis, our data indicate that higher community-level and individual-level collective efficacy were associated with a lower likelihood of having posttraumatic stress disorder (OR = 0.93, CI = 0.88-0.98; and OR = 0.94, CI = 0.92-0.97, respectively), even after adjusting for individual sociodemographic variables, community socioeconomic characteristic variables, individual injury/damage, and community storm damage. Higher levels of community-level collective efficacy and individual-level collective efficacy were also associated with significantly lower posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity (b = -0.22, p Language: en
Virucidal Activity of a GT-Rich Oligonucleotide against Herpes Simplex Virus Mediated by Glycoprotein B

We have investigated the antiviral mechanism of a phosphorothioate oligonucleotide, ISIS 5652, which has activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV) in the low micromolar range in plaque reduction assays. We isolated a mutant that is resistant to this compound. Marker rescue and sequencing experiments showed that resistance was due to at least one of three mutations in the UL27 gene which result in amino acid changes in glycoprotein B (gB). Because gB has a role in attachment and entry of HSV, we tested the effects of ISIS 5652 at these stages of infection. The oligonucleotide potently inhibited attachment of virus to cells at 4 degrees C; however, the resistant mutant did not exhibit resistance at this stage. Moreover, a different oligonucleotide with little activity in plaque reduction assays was as potent as ISIS 5652 in inhibiting attachment. Similarly, ISIS 5652 was able to inhibit entry of pre-attached virions into cells at 37 degrees C, but the mutant did not exhibit resistance in this assay. The mutant did not attach to or enter cells more quickly than did wild-type virus. Strikingly, incubation of wild-type virus with 1 to 2 microM ISIS 5652 at 37 degrees C led to a time-dependent, irreversible loss of infectivity (virucidal activity). No virucidal activity was detected at 4 degrees C or with an unrelated oligonucleotide at 37 degrees C. The resistant mutant and a marker-rescued derivative containing its gB mutations exhibited substantial resistance to this virucidal activity of ISIS 5652. We hypothesize that the GT-rich oligonucleotide induces a conformational change in gB that results in inactivation of infectivity.
Finding a hider by an unknown deadline

An object is hidden among several locations. Each search at the object's location independently finds the object with some location-dependent probability. The goal is to find the object by a deadline, but the deadline is unknown. Assuming the worst-case scenario, where Nature knows the deadline and uses this knowledge to hide the object to hinder the search, this paper shows that there is a randomized search strategy that simultaneously maximizes the probability of finding the object by any deadline.
In Vitro Effects of Zinc Chloride on Spontaneous Sheep Red Blood Cell (E) Rosette Formation by Lymphocytes from Cancer Patients and Normal Subjects

The in vitro spontaneous formation of sheep red blood cell (SRBC) (E) rosettes by peripheral blood lymphocytes is altered in vitro by the addition of micro-molar quantities of zinc chloride. Appropriate concentrations of zinc chloride cause marked enhancement of rosette formation, both in normal subjects and in cancer patients with low initial E rosette values. The effect is dependent upon zinc treatment of the lymphocyte and not the SRBC. Other zinc-induced effects on E rosettes include retardation of temperature-dependent spontaneous decay, increased mechanical stability due to enhanced SRBC-lymphocyte bonding, and retardation of “capping.” The formation of EAC rosettes is not altered by the presence of zinc.
Effects of positive and negative constraints on postural sway temporal structure : new insights for postural control.

While traditional measures of postural sway focus mostly on describing the ‘amount’ or ‘area’ of sway, recently developed nonlinear time-series analyses such as Approximate Entropy (ApEn) and Lyapunov Exponent (LyE) provide means to assess the degree of determinism (or predictability) in sway ‘temporal structure’. In three experiments these newer analyses were used to examine the effects of Age and Balance Training on postural sway. Results from Experiment 1 showed that temporal structure in postural sway became more deterministic with Age in healthy men 18 to 65 years old. This was thought to reflect a more deliberate and/or rigid postural control in older men. In Experiment 2, postural sway was assessed in healthy students following a six-week balance training intervention that closely mimicked the types of interventions used by physical fitness and rehabilitation professionals. Following the intervention, postural sway became less deterministic for stance on a non-compliant (Hard) surface (thought to indicate a more flexible/dynamic postural control), but more deterministic for stance on a compliant (Foam) surface. Experiment 3 was designed to replicate and extend these later findings by having two groups of participants engage in a five-day balance training intervention comprised of a single balance training exercise (single leg stance) performed on a non-compliant or compliant surface while engaged in a suprapostural task (simulated target shooting). Results showed that while both groups realized improved task performance over the intervention, ONLY the group that trained on the compliant surface (Disc group) experience changes in sway temporal structure. Specifically, the Disc group their sway become more deterministic for stance conditions performed on the compliant surface, but less deterministic for stance conditions performed on the non-compliant surface at post-test. These findings imply that unique coordination strategies were learned by those who trained on the compliant surface for stance on different support surfaces. Together, these experiments show that nonlinear time-series analyses are sensitive to, and provide unique information about, the effects of various constraints on postural control.
Emily Dickinson and the psychoanalyst

This essay is a consideration of John Cody's book After great pain: the inner life of Emily Dickinson. It reveals not only the distortions created when psychoanalysis is applied to Dickinson, but also the kinds of distortions that can result when the method is applied to authors in general. Este artigo e uma ponderacao sobre o livro de autoria do psiquiatra John Cody, After great pain: the inner life of Emily Dickinson . O artigo revela nao so as distorcoes criadas quando a psicanalise e aplicada a poetisa, mas tambem os tipos de distorcoes que podem resultar da aplicacao do metodo a escritores em geral.
Flow around Bends in Stable Channels

The purpose of the project discussed herein was to make careful flow measurements under laboratory conditions, to record, and to study the phenomenon of flow around a stable curved channel. An open...
Cloning of the aspartate-β-semialdehyde dehydrogenase structural gene fromEscherichia coli K12

Transformation ofEscherichia coli strains with the recombinant plasmid, prepared by “shot gun cloning” with pBR322 and containing the geneasd, the structural gene of aspartate-β-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, results in an increase in specific activity of 65-fold of the enzyme in crude extracts. Approximately 60 mg of pure enzyme may be obtained from 10 g of transformed cells (wet weight) in a simplified purification procedure. The molecular weight, amino acid composition, and kinetic properties of the enzyme appear to be the same as previously reported, and the first 36 amino acids of the N-terminal sequence have been determined.
THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY ON STRATEGIC ALLIANCES: AN APPLICATION OF THE UTTERBACK AND ABERNATHY MODEL OF PROCESS AND PRODUCT INNOVATION.

This paper examines the influences of the innovation cycle on strategic alliances. Propositions based on Utterback and Abernathy's model are tested using 86 strategic alliances. The statistical res...
Is intracranial hemorrhage increased in cirrhosis?: An autopsy-based case control study

AbstractBackground: Patients with cirrhosis are perceived to be at increased risk for bleeding given the presence of coagulopathy leading to unnecessary head imaging studies. Our aim is to determine the prevalence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with cirrhosis using gold standard autopsy data. Methods: An autopsy-based case control study was performed in a tertiary care hospital with a specialized Liver Unit. Autopsies without both head and abdominal examinations were excluded. Results: Between 1986 and 2003, a total of 679 autopsies were performed. 37 autopsies were excluded and 642 autopsies were available for final review. A total of 21 (4.3%) patients in the cirrhosis group had ICH compared to 12 (7.9%) patients in the control group (p = 0.115). Since Alzheimer’s patients may be at higher risk for ICH given the presence of cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a separate analysis was performed after excluding these patients. The results were similar (4.3% vs. 9.3%, p = 0.061). The prevalence of ol...
Race, Ethnicity, and Assimilation: The Influence of American Anthropology on Christian-Muslim Relations in British Northern Nigeria

This article traces the influences of American anthropology and racial discourse on Christian missions and indigenous converts in British Northern Nigeria from the 1920s. While colonial ethnological studies of religious and racial difference had represented non-Muslim Northern Nigerians as inherently different from the Muslim Hausa and Fulani peoples, the American missionary Albert Helser, a student of Franz Boas, applied American theories and practices of racial assimilation to Christian evangelism to renegotiate interreligious and interethnic relations in Northern Nigeria. Helser successfully convinced the British colonial authorities to allow greater mobility and influence of “pagan” converts in Muslim areas, thus fostering more regular and more complicated Christian-Muslim interactions. For their part, Christian Northern Nigerians developed the identity of being modernizers, developed from their narratives of uplift from historical enslavement and oppression at the hands of Muslims. Using new sources, this article shows that a region long assumed to be frozen and reactionary experienced changes similar to those occurring in other parts of Africa. Building on recent studies of religion, empire, and the politics of knowledge, it shows that cultural studies did not remain academic or a matter of colonial knowledge. Northern Nigerians’ religious identity shaped their desire for cultural autonomy and their transformation from converts into missionaries themselves.
Amplified Changes: An Analysis of Four Dynamic Fertility Models

Fertility change over time can be modeled in a variety of ways. Implicit in each model is a story of the behavior driving fertility, and the assumptions behind each model provide insights into the forces that influence fertility. We present Ryder’s classic formulation of the translation between period and cohort measures of fertility, Lee’s moving-target model connecting fertility goals with period rates, the period-shift model of Bongaarts and Feeney, and the Goldstein and Cassidy cohort-shift model. All of these models have in common a simplified view of how fertility change occurs. An important lesson of all these formulations is that small variations in timing or targets can produce large fluctuations in period fertility, telling us that period fertility is particularly sensitive to changes in underlying aspects of the fertility process.
Why Development Programmes Fail: William Easterly and the Political Economy of Intervention

Throughout his considerable body of work, William Easterly has identified several critical problems with foreign aid and economic development programmes. In particular, he argues that many working in areas of development act as ‘planners’, who believe they can implement effective policies but who in fact lack the necessary knowledge. Moreover, Easterly claims that these agents face perverse incentives that lead to suboptimal development outcomes. This article explores the theoretical roots of Easterly's critiques and relates them to the work of two Nobel prize-winning economists, F.A. Hayek and James M. Buchanan. It explores the broader applicability of Easterly's criticisms by applying a similar framework to military activity.
A case of giant cell arteritis with lower extremity myositis on MRI

Giant cell arteritis (GCA), seen mainly in elders and rarely in children, has a female predominance. The present study discusses a case of biopsy-proven GCA with associated bilateral lower extremity myositis diagnosed on MRI and normal muscle enzymes. There are case studies on the occurrence of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in GCA, but the involvement of lower limbs has not been reported. This report reiterates the importance of high clinical suspicion in the setting of occult and atypical presentations to avoid diagnostic delays.
Innovations in Surgery Simulation: A Review of Past, Current and Future Techniques

As a result of recent work-hours limitations and concerns for patient safety, innovations in extraclinical surgical simulation have become a desired part of residency education. Current simulation models, including cadaveric, animal, bench-top, virtual reality (VR) and robotic simulators are increasingly used in surgical training programs. Advances in telesurgery, three-dimensional (3D) printing, and the incorporation of patient-specific anatomy are paving the way for simulators to become integral components of medical training in the future. Evidence from the literature highlights the benefits of including simulations in surgical training; skills acquired through simulations translate into improvements in operating room performance. Moreover, simulations are rapidly incorporating new medical technologies and offer increasingly high-fidelity recreations of procedures. As a result, both novice and expert surgeons are able to benefit from their use. As dedicated, structured curricula are developed that incorporate simulations into daily resident training, simulated surgeries will strengthen the surgeon’s skill set, decrease hospital costs, and improve patient outcomes.
Modeling chronic hepatitis B virus infections with survival probability metrics

Abstract Progressions of chronic diseases can be modeled as Markov processes. Frequently, the model parameters are concluded based on distinct short-term clinical studies because of the difficulty of observing the entire progression process in one clinical study. Though this piece-by-piece approach provides a global picture to the disease progression process, it could lead to unrealistic results under in-depth analysis. For instance, without careful calibration, patients’ life expectancy computed from the model might be longer than that of the general population. Such results usually arise from that the effect of population mortality is not sensible or not well included in these short-term clinical studies. For chronic diseases with which patients may experience a long chain of successive states, this inaccuracy is more obvious. Beck and Pauker propose that the population mortality may be integrated into a disease progression model in their work. Their method provides a solution to the aforementioned difficulty. However, their approach to integrate the population mortality into the model implicitly assumes that the population mortality solely affects the transition probabilities for transitions to the death state and for self-transitions remaining in the initial states. They do not explain why only these two types of transitions are affected by the imposed population mortality. From realistic situations, no matter what state transitions patients experience, they are all under the risk of death caused by population mortality. Based on this observation, a new modeling approach is proposed in this study. The proposed approach assumes that population mortality independently affects all state transitions of a Markov model. This extends Beck and Pauker’s idea and makes their method more reasonable. The proposed approach is applied to disease progression analysis of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and considered for further applications. Specifically, with the natural history of chronic HBV infection originally described by a coarse Markov model a new model is developed by calibrating the coarse model with the proposed method. Numerical results show that the new model can obtain realistic estimates to patients’ life expectancy and survival probabilities. Meanwhile, the concept of first hitting time can find its interesting application in deriving the probabilities for patients’ first experiencing critical medical status during a specified duration. This delivers valuable information to chronic HBV patients. The model’s possible extensions such as its application to different countries and taking patients’ risk factors into account are also discussed for future study.