cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in Seagrass-associated fish and crustacean communities on Florida Bay mud banks: The effects of recent ecosystem changes?

The fauna of seagrass-covered mud banks in Florida Bay, documented in the mid 1980s prior to recent seagrass die-off, phytoplankton blooms, and other ecosystem changes, was reexamined in the mid 1990s for faunal changes that might be associated with environmental perturbations. During both decades, decapod crustaceans and fishes were collected with 1-m2 throw traps from seagrass beds at six sites that differ in the amount of freshwater and/or marine influence and in seagrass community metrics. The most common faunal changes were declines in seagrass-canopydwelling forms and increases in benthic forms. At three sites with relatively lush seagrass meadows, above-ground seagrass standing crop declined and abundance of the benthic predatory fishOpsanus beta increased. The degree of faunal change among these sites appeared to be related either to salinity variability or to the degree of exposure to the ecosystem changes that have taken place in Florida Bay. At two sites with poorly developed seagrass meadows, seagrass standing crop and canopy height did not change significantly between decades, but there was an increase in shoot density and total leaf area. The animal communities at these sites were characterized by significant increases in the abundance of benthic crustaceans. At the site on the edge of Rankin Lake, the basin where seagrass die-off was first observed in Florida Bay during 1987, seagrass standing crop, canopy height, shoot density, and leaf area declined significantly between decades, but species richness of both crustaceans and fishes increased. The abundance of canopy-dwelling crustaceans and fishes declined markedly at this site, whereas the abundance of benthic forms less dependent on seagrass cover generally increased. In retrospect, we believe the fauma at this site during the 1980s, characterized by high productivity but few species, was already showing signs of the stresses that led to the seagrass die-off that began in 1987.
Welcome Message from the Technical Program Committee - GHTC 2012

The Technical Program Committee welcomes attendees to Seattle and to the 2012 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference. The TPC has worked hard to develop a truly international program featuring keynote speakers, panelists, papers and posters from across the spectrum of humanitarian engineering and technology. This year we received over one hundred full paper submissions from authors affiliated with NGOs, corporations, and universities. Over sixty reviewers participated in the peer-review process. The final program contains sessions focused on health; energy; education; water and agriculture; disaster response and preparation; communication and connectivity; and other specialized topics.
Spatial Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds from a Community-Based Air Toxics Monitoring Network in Deer Park, Texas, USA

In the summer of 2003, ambient air concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured at 12 sites within a 3-km radius in Deer Park, Texas near Houston. The purpose of the study was to assess local spatial influence of traffic and other urban sources and was part of a larger investigation of VOC spatial and temporal heterogeneity influences in selected areas of Houston. Seventy 2-h samples were collected using passive organic vapor monitors. Most measurements of 13 VOC species were greater than the method detection limits. Samplers were located at 10 residential sites, a regulatory air monitoring station, and a site located at the centroid of the census tract in which the regulatory station was located. For residential sites, sampler placement locations (e. g., covered porch vs. house eaves) had no effect on concentration with the exception of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE). Relatively high correlations (Pearson r > 0.8) were found between toluene, ethylbenzene, and o,m,p-xylenes suggesting petroleum-related influence. Chloroform was not correlated with these species or benzene (Pearson r < 0.35) suggesting a different source influence, possibly from process-related activities. As shown in other spatial studies, wind direction relative to source location had an effect on VOC concentrations.
Tolerability of omega-3 fatty acid supplements in perinatal women.

Abstract Background Benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in perinatal women are well documented, although fish intake has declined among perinatal women. Objective To determine the tolerability of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in perinatal women. Design Pregnant and postpartum women with major depressive disorder (MDD) entered an 8-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids. Four capsules provided 1.84 g/day of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or matching placebo (corn oil with 1% fish oil to maintain blind). Tolerability was assessed by clinician interview biweekly. Results Fifty-nine women enrolled. Thirteen (22%) reported mainly transient side effects including dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, burping, heartburn/reflux, difficulty swallowing capsules, unpleasant breath/bad taste or feeling tired. The most common were unpleasant breath/bad taste and heartburn/reflux. Six reporting side effects received omega-3 fatty acids; seven received placebo. Neither pregnant nor postpartum women discontinued due to intolerability. Conclusions Omega-3 fatty acid supplements were well tolerated by perinatal women.
Renal dysfunction is more likely in recipients bridged to heart transplantation with inotropes than with left ventricular assist devices: an analysis of pre-transplant characteristics in the modern era

mortality in this cohort: 11 factors were excluded (RECIPENT: large male, raised PVR, circulatory support prior to transplant, diagnosis, age, gender; DONOR: inotropic support, history of drug abuse, diabetic, gender and size mis-match) and 7 were retained RECIPIENT: peripheral vascular disease (Odds Ratio 3.5 (1.2– 10.0)), pre-transplant ventilation (2.6 (1.0 –7.1)), diabetes (2.0 (1.1–3.5)), creatinine clearance 50 mls/min at HTx (1.9 (1.2– 2.9)), 1 previous open heart operation (1.6 (0.9 –2.9)), ORGAN ischaemia time (1.4 (1.1–1.8) per increase in category from 2hrs to 2–3hrs to 3– 4 hrs to 4hrs) and DONOR age (1.3 (1.1–1.6) per increase in category from 26yrs to 26 – 40yrs to 41–55yrs to 55yrs). The model showed good calibration (test for lack of fit: p 0.57 for D and p 0.44 for V), and moderate discrimination (area under ROC curve: 0.67 for D and 0.74 for V). This model has been used to risk stratify cases for the purpose of both intra and inter-centre audit and could be used to inform decisions about case selection and also to assist patient consent based on individual risk.
Tactics of ingratiation among leaders and subordinates in a status hierarchy.

High and low status personnel in a Naval ROTC program were instructed to exchange written communications about themselves. Half of these pairs com­ municated under instructions stressing the importance of mutual attraction; half were under instructions emphasizing accuracy. From the communication messages it was possible to draw the following conclusions: (a) Conformity— low status subjects conformed more than highs as an increasing function of the relevance of the issue to the basis of the hierarchy, (b) Self-presentation—high status subjects became more modest when under pressure to make themselves attractive; low status subjects showed the same tendency on important items but became more self-enhancing on unimportant ones, (c) Other enhancement— low status subjects were more positive in their public appraisals of the high status subjects than vice versa. Th e present study explored some of the consequences of varying the importance of compatibility in pairs whose members clearly differ in status. Our hope was to shed some light on the social behavior of leaders and followers in task oriented groups. Pre­ sumably, all such groups face maintenance problems as well as problems associated with task achievement. This is clearly indicated by Homans' (19S0) well-documented distinction between the internal and the external systems. If the members of a functioning group are not at least minimally attracted to each other, the strain of interacting in the achievement of group goals should in the long run impair task performance. But how is this mutual attraction main­ tained when there are clear differences in role and status in a group? The research literature has thus far concentrated on affec
FEMA and the Witt Revolution: Testing the Hypothesis of “Bureaucratic Autonomy”

In the wake of widespread criticism for its poor performance in Hurricane Andrew in 1992, FEMA became a more effective organization under the leadership of James Witt (1993–2001). One answer to the question of how and why FEMA improved so rapidly and significantly during this period is Carpenter’s (2001) theory of “bureaucratic autonomy.” This paper defines the minimum conditions Carpenter considers necessary for the term, evaluates their applicability to FEMA during this period, and briefly examines alternative explanations for FEMA’s organizational transformation. It concludes that the innovation and entrepreneurship FEMA demonstrated during this period do indeed meet the criteria for “bureaucratic autonomy.”
In Support of the Concept of Underachievement

The term underachievement has still not been completely accepted by educators, although research findings suggest that it is associated with various developmental problems and that it begins early in a child's educational career and becomes increasingly worse with time. The achievement patterns of 1,078 fourth grade students in the public schools of west central Wisconsin were assessed by relating on a scattergram their performances on widely used achievement and intelligence tests. Underachievers, achievers, and overachievers were then determined through a regression equation. Comparisons of these groups on 9 developmental variables indicated differences favoring the overachievers and the achievers in each case. These differences reached the 1 per cent level of significance for 7 of the 9 variables.
Spin-Echo Decay of Spins Diffusing in a Bounded Region

An approximate expression for the spin-echo-decay envelope is obtained from Torrey's equation for spins diffusing in a magnetic field gradient $G$ and in a region that is small compared with ${(\frac{D}{\ensuremath{\gamma}G})}^{\frac{1}{3}}$ in the direction of the large uniform magnetic field, and large in the directions perpendicular to the field. (Here $D$ is the diffusion constant and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ the nuclear gyromagnetic ratio.) In a preceding paper, Wayne and Cotts compare this expression with experiment for regions that are large compared with ${(\frac{D}{\ensuremath{\gamma}G})}^{\frac{1}{3}}$ but small enough that the simple spin-echo-decay envelope for an infinitely large region does not apply.
The role of the telopeptide region of collagen in the platelet-collagen interaction

Abstract Removal of the telopeptide regions by pepsin inhibits platelet aggregation and release by monomeric collagen in PRP. This inhibitory effect appears to be due to the inability of pepsin modified collagen to form fibrils in plasma, since fibrils formed in buffer cause aggregation and [ 14 C] serotonin release in PRP. Fibrils formed from pepsin modified collagen appear to be quantitatively more effective in causing platelet aggregation and serotonin release than normal fibrils. When pepsin modified collagen is studied as a function of time of digestion, there is a dissociation between platelet aggregation and release. Fibrils formed from pepsin modified collagen become quantitatively more effective the longer the duration of digestion. Platelet aggregation but not release by fibrillar collagen can be inhibited by a 14 fold excess of pepsin soluble collagen. This effect can be overcome by increasing the concentration of fibrillar collagen. Pepsin modified soluble collagen appears to cause serotonin release of gel filtered platelet but not aggregation. These data suggest that the telopeptide regions play a role in collagen quaternary structure and that the atelopeptide tropocollagen may bind to the platelet but is not sufficient to produce platelet aggregation.
Application of new technology in clinical hyperthermia

Two areas of technical progress related to hyperthermic oncology are presented: (1) numerical modelling of absorbed power and temperature distributions; and (2) non-invasive thermometry using magnetic resonance imaging. The results represent achievements made during the past 5 years at Duke University Medical Center's Departments of Radiation Oncology and Radiology. They represent examples of progress in the technology of hyperthermia that have potential for greatly improving the delivery, monitoring and assessment of clinical hyperthermia.
Plant-induced dermatitis

Patients with plant-induced dermatitis frequently present to the emergency department. The range of responses varies from irritant to allergic to photo or granulomatous. To a certain extent the clinical presentations will vary; it is important to determine causation because appropriate emergency therapy treatment also will vary. This review considers the most common forms of plant dermatitis and emphasizes advances in the understanding of pathomechanisms and recommended therapy for each type.
Common polymorphic deletion of glutathione S-transferase theta predisposes to acquired aplastic anemia: Independent cohort and meta-analysis of 609 patients.

Acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is a rare life-threatening bone marrow failure syndrome, caused by autoimmune destruction of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Epidemiologic studies suggest that environmental exposures and metabolic gene polymorphisms contribute to disease pathogenesis. Several case–control studies linked homozygous deletion of the glutathione S-transferase theta (GSTT1) gene to AA; however, the role of GSTT1 deletion remains controversial as other studies failed to confirm the association. We asked whether a more precise relationship between the GSTT1 null polymorphism and aplastic anemia could be defined using a meta-analysis of 609 aplastic anemia patients, including an independent cohort of 67 patients from our institution. We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database for studies evaluating the association between GSTT1 null genotype and development of AA. Seven studies, involving a total of 609 patients and 3,914 controls, fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Meta-analysis revealed a significant association of GSTT1 null genotype and AA, with an OR = 1.74 (95% CI 1.31–2.31, P < 0.0001). The effect was not driven by any one individual result, nor was there evidence of significant publication bias. The association between AA and GSTT1 deletion suggests a role of glutathione-conjugation in AA, possibly through protecting the hematopoietic compartment from endogenous metabolites or environmental exposures. We propose a model whereby protein adducts generated by reactive metabolites serve as neo-epitopes to trigger autoimmunity in aplastic anemia. Am. J. Hematol. 88:862–867, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Socializing respect and knowledge in a racially integrated science classroom

Abstract In this article we examine the socialization of respect in a racially integrated science classroom in Northern California that employed a character education program called Tribes. We focus on the ways scripts derived from this program are enacted during Community Circle activities and how breaches to these scripts and the norms of respectful behavior they espouse create productive opportunities for explicit socialization in the classroom. We find that respect in this classroom consisted predominantly of controlling both bodily comportment and discursive production. Our analysis sheds light on the ways curricular initiatives, such as the one utilized in the Tribes approach, while purporting to democratize classroom learning, may in fact function as vehicles for reproducing institutional hierarchies of power.
The Effects of Weight-Fluctuations on the Performance of Null-Steering Adaptive Arrays

A new method employing a two-variable perturbation analysis is used to determine the effects of statistical fluctuations in the weights of an adaptive null-steering array. The analysis allows us to analytically determine the effects of additional loop noise caused by the element weight fluctuations and the resulting degradation of the signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of the array output. It is shown that the SINR can be significantly degraded by this additional loop noise which is usually ignored in most analyses. Comparison of these results with those found by using the mean value of the weights obtained by standard "averaging" assumptions is given. Numerical solutions of the first-order correction term of the weights are used to present curves which describe the effects of additional loop noise quantitatively.
Revealing Programmable Ion-Exchange in a G-quadruplex using the Nanopore Detector

Guanine-rich DNA and RNA can form high order G-quadruplexes through metal ion-coordinated guanine-guanine base-pairs. G-quadruplexes in genome actively participate in gene regulation, and in vitro designed G-quadruplexes are potent pharmaceuticals, biosensors and building bricks of nanostructures. We have electrically visualized the trapping of a single G-quadruplex in the nanocavity enclosed by the alpha-hemolysin nanopore. The characteristic conductance blocks allowed us to discriminate between a folded G-quadruplex that is trapped in the nanocavity and an unfolded linear-form DNA that simply translocates through the nanopore [J.Phys.Chem.B 112, 8354-8360 (2008)]. This ability has enabled the study on the ion-selective folding/unfolding of a single G-quadruplex [Nucl.Acids.Res 37, 972-982 (2009)]. In this report, we uncover another important G-quadruplex process, ion-exchange, by examining the G-quadruplex formed by the thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA) in various designated ion mixtures. In the mixture of Na+ and K+, the G-quadruplex residing time in nanopore was prolonged and the occurrence of unfolded linear TBA translocation was reduced as the K+ concentration gradually increases from 0 mM to 500 mM, convincing that K+ is highly sensitively binding with G-quadruplex, and the continuous K+ exchange in G-quadruplex elongates the lifetime of G-quadruplex. In contrast, in the mixture of Li+ and Na+, the G-quadrpulex stays shorter in nanocavity and the occurrence of linear TBA was reduced to the similar level with that by pure Na+, indicating that the Na+ is highly preferred, compared to Li+, to intrude into G-quaruplex after Li+ leaves, and unfolds G-quadruplex into linear TBA. This research is to support the understanding of molecular kinetics tuned by environmental factors, and the result may apply for ion-regulating programmable biosensors and novel nanobiotechnology.
Implementing cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus

The role of cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with diabetes mellitus is significant as several factors have been found to promote accelerated atherosclerosis in persons with diabetes including hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction, impaired fibrinolysis, increased platelet aggregation, plaque instability, dysfunctional arterial remodeling, and fibrotic and calcified coronary arteries. Recent attention has focused on identifying a cardiovascular biomarker that would propose a better noninvasive way to detect or visualize subclinical cardiovascular disease and prevent cardiovascular events. This article reviews the use of commonly used cardiovascular risk assessment tools and emerging biomarkers including coronary artery calcium scanning, metabolomics, genomics, and the role of optimal revascularization and risk reduction strategies and their impact on reducing risk in patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
REVALUATION PRESSURE AND NEW EXCHANGE RATE ARRANGEMENTS FOR EAST ASIA: A SYMPOSIUM

. This symposium offers a selection of significant research on the renminbi and broader East Asian exchange rate policy pressures and options first presented at a 22–27 May 2006 conference in Bellagio, Italy. Its venue, Villa Serbelloni, was made available by the Rockefeller Foundation. Reforms of the international monetary and financial system have been discussed there since the 1960s. As was the case then, the focus of the conference was once again on the declining international anchor functions and relations with the US dollar, but this time in and with continental East Asia, rather than Europe and Japan.
31P nuclear magnetic resonance observations in biological systems I. Intact tissue

Recent technological advances in nmr have pushed the practically observable concen- tration for phosphorus nuclei into the mil- limolar realm. As an example, a 100-90 MHz machine (refers to the frequency at which protons (‘H) resonate) using Fourier transform technology, can measure con- centrations of 0.3 mM overnight. With the addition of wide bore superconducting sys- tems, which can use tubes up to 20 mm in diameter, 1.0 mM concentrations can be detected in a few minutes. Because these are concentrations of interest in biological sciences, there has been a burst of studies of phosphorus nmr in biochemical systems. Greatest interest has arisen not just because of technological advances but also because recent observations have proven that whole tissue can give excellent spectra. Since sample inhomogeneity can lead to broadening of signals and make interpreta- tion of spectra difficult, one would be tempted to predict that whole tissue would give very broad signals. However, Moon and Richards [ 11 reported well-resolved *
Sense Malking in Multiple Sclerosis: The Information Needs of People during an Acute Exacerbation

Chronic illness has been described as a major disruption in one's everyday life. Studies have shown that people seek and use information to help them cope with their disease. Using the micro-moment time-line interview technique, this study focused on the information needs of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who had recently experienced an exacerbation of their disease. The results revealed gaps in people's knowledge about physical symptoms they were experiencing, emotions they felt, and drugs. Various sources of and barriers to obtaining information were identified. The results suggest that health professionals need to be aware of the continuing need for relevant, current, and specific information to help people with MS retain their independence and to empower them to make informed decisions.
First versus Second-Mover Advantage with Information Asymmetry about the Size of New Markets

Is it better to move first, or second— to innovate, or to imitate? We look at this in a context with both asymmetric information and payoff externalities. Suppose two players, one with superior information about market quality, consider entering one of two new markets immediately or waiting until the last possible date. We show that the more accurate the informed player’s information, the more he wants to delay to keep his information private. The less-informed player also wants to delay, but in order to learn. The less accurate the informed player’s information, the more both players want to move first to foreclose a market. More accurate information can lead to inefficiency by increasing the players’ incentive to delay. Thus, a moderate delay cost can increase industry profits.
Analysis of a dielectric resonator antenna in a cylindrical conducting cavity: TE and TM modes

A new configuration for a flushmounted resonator antenna is presented in which the antenna is formed by a conducting cavity with a dielectric post, and radiates through an annular slot in the upper ground plane. An aperture magnetic current integral equation is used to model the slot, and the effect of the post resonator and cavity are included via Green's function techniques. The formulation is presented for the azimuthally-independent TE and TM cases. The moment method is applied to the integral equation, and the complex resonant frequencies for the antenna structure are found by searching for the zeroes of the determinant of the impedance matrix in the complex-frequency plane. The radiation Q factor, slot-field distribution, and radiation field are subsequently computed at the resonant frequency. Various TE and TM modes have been investigated for different geometrical configurations.
Conditional protein alleles using knockin mice and a chemical inducer of dimerization

Abstract We have developed a general method of making conditional alleles that allows the rapid and reversible regulation of specific proteins. A mouse line was produced in which proteins encoded by the endogenous glycogen synthase kinase-3 β ( GSK-3 β) gene are fused to an 89 amino acid tag, FRB*. FRB* causes the destabilization of GSK-3β, producing a severe loss-of-function allele. In the presence of C20-MaRap, a highly specific, nontoxic, cell-permeable small molecule, GSK-3βFRB* binds to the ubiquitously expressed FKBP12 protein. This interaction stabilizes GSK-3βFRB* and restores both protein levels and activity. C20-MaRap-mediated stabilization is rapidly reversed by the addition of an FKBP12 binding competitor molecule. This technology may be applied to a wide range of FRB*-tagged mouse genes while retaining their native transcriptional control. Inducible stabilization could be valuable for many developmental and physiological studies and for drug target validation.
Properties of and improvements to time-domain dynamic thermal analysis algorithms

Temperature has a strong influence on integrated circuit (IC) performance, power consumption, and reliability. However, accurate thermal analysis can impose high computation costs during the IC design process. We analyze the performance and accuracies of a variety of time-domain dynamic thermal analysis techniques and use our findings to propose a new analysis technique that improves performance by 38--138x relative to popular methods such as the fourth-order globally adaptive Runge-Kutta method while maintaining accuracy. More precisely, we prove that the step sizes of step doubling based globally adaptive fourth-order Runge-Kutta method and Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg methods always converge to a constant value regardless of the initial power profile, thermal profile, and error threshold during dynamic thermal analysis. Thus, these widely-used techniques are unable to adapt to the requirements of individual problems, resulting in poor performance. We also determine the effect of using a number of temperature update functions and step size adaptation methods for dynamic thermal analysis, and identify the most promising approach considered. Based on these observations, we propose FATA, a temporally-adaptive technique for fast and accurate dynamic thermal analysis.
Synthesis, Toxicity, and Cardiovascular Properties of N-Aralkyl- and N-Acyl-5-aminoethylindans

Secondary amines and amides of 5-aminoethyl-6-methoxyindan and 5-aminoethyl-6-methylindan were synthesized, and the blood pressure lowering effects and accompanying changes in heart rate were evaluated in the unanesthetized desoxycorticosterone acetate hypertensive rat. The acute toxicities of the compounds were determined in mice. The amines were significantly more potent than the amides as antihypertensive agents and also were more toxic. 5-(3,4-Dimethoxybenzyl)aminoethyl-6-methylindan produced the greatest depression in systolic blood pressure at the dose level studied. Structure-activity relationships relevant to blood pressure lowering, heart rate, and toxicity are discussed.
The Effect of Triple Pelvic Osteotomy on Hip Force in Dysplastic Dogs: A Theoretical Analysis

The effect of a triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) procedure on the forces acting about the hip joint was examined in five dysplastic canine hips using a previously described theoretical analysis. Hip reaction force (Fh) and its angle of application (theta h) were calculated from radiographic measurements made before and after TPO procedures which sequentially increased acetabular ventroversion from 0 degree to 20 degrees, 30 degrees, and 40 degrees. The results of the in vitro study showed that Fh decreased with increasing acetabular ventroversion reaching an asymptotic value between 30 degrees and 40 degrees. The decrease in Fh corresponded to an increase in theta h toward the vertical, with statistical significance found in both Fh and theta h between 0 degree and 20 degrees. The changes observed in Fh and theta h after TPO were attributed to the medialization of the femoral head resulting from the reduction of the subluxated head. The results of this study suggest that the noted reduction in the magnitude of the forces acting on the hip joint may act in concert with increased coverage of the femoral head to effect the beneficial clinical results observed with the TPO procedure.
Exploratory Models of Intersite Variability in Mid to Late Holocene Central Alaska

IInterrelated aspects of technology, site structure, and subsistence patterns in central Alaska are synthesized using a comprehensive database of radiocarbon-dated components. Microblade technology is examined with respect to broad patterns of technology, settlement, and subsistence. Striking changes in the archaeological record during the Late Holocene (~1000 cal BP), including the loss of microblades, are explored through three general models: technological and economic change within existing populations, population replacement or assimilation, and taphonomic bias. The evidence most strongly supports the first: a shift from multiseasonal large mammal hunting strategies with associated high residential mobility to exploitation of seasonally overabundant resources (caribou, fish) and increased logistical mobility and reliance on storage.
TERM LIMITS IN OKLAHOMA

On September 18, 1990, Oklahoma voters became the first in the nation to limit the tenure of their state legislators. Since 1990, the movement has spread with term limits being applied to city, county, and state officials across the nation. Almost half of these states also elected to limit their congressional delegations; however, the United States Supreme Court in 1995 found such state-enacted congressional term limits violated the Constitution. Oklahoma is an important state to examine in the development of the term limit movement in the United States. In addition to being the first state to enact term limits, a term limit initiative of some form has appeared in the state at least three times since 1990. An analysis of these initiative campaigns partially illustrates the history of the national term limit movement. Here we examine the campaigns in Oklahoma as a portrait of the national movement and provide some indication as to the effects of term limits on politics in the Sooner State. To make this analysis easier for the reader, the term limit efforts will be identified as follows: Oklahoma I (1990), Oklahoma II (1994), Oklahoma III (campaign cut short in 1996), and Oklahoma IV ( 1997 -98).
Direct Interaction between DNA Methyltransferase DIM-2 and HP1 Is Required for DNA Methylation in Neurospora crassa

DNA methylation is involved in gene silencing and genomic stability in mammals, plants, and fungi. Genetics studies of Neurospora crassa have revealed that a DNA methyltransferase (DIM-2), a histone H3K9 methyltransferase (DIM-5), and heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) are required for DNA methylation. We explored the interrelationships of these components of the methylation machinery. A yeast two-hybrid screen revealed that HP1 interacts with DIM-2. We confirmed the interaction in vivo and demonstrated that it involves a pair of PXVXL-related motifs in the N-terminal region of DIM-2 and the chromo shadow domain of HP1. Both regions are essential for proper DNA methylation. We also determined that DIM-2 and HP1 form a stable complex independently of the trimethylation of histone H3K9, although the association of DIM-2 with its substrate sequences depends on trimethyl-H3K9. The DIM-2/HP1 complex does not include DIM-5. We conclude that DNA methylation in Neurospora is largely or exclusively the result of a unidirectional pathway in which DIM-5 methylates histone H3K9 and then the DIM-2/HP1 complex recognizes the resulting trimethyl-H3K9 mark via the chromo domain of HP1.
Thermal rejuvenation of the Yermak Plateau

The Yermak Plateau, bordering the Arctic Ocean and the Norwegian-Greenland Sea, and adjacent to the continental Svalbard Archipelago, is characterized by high heat flow relative to its surrounding region. South of and parallel to the trend of the plateau lies the formerly active-Spitsbergen Shear Zone (De Geer Zone), which is now occupied by the slowly spreading Knipovich and Molloy Ridges. An analysis of these heat flow data suggest that asymmetric spreading within the Norwegian-Greenland Sea propagated northwards along one of the faults associated with the Spitsbergen Shear Zone. The broad zone of faults, once associated with this paleo-shear zone, extends throughout Svalbard as well as on and to the west of the Knipovich Ridge. This network of faults may comprise a complex system of detachment surfaces along which magma may rise from a deep-seated source and across which simple shear extension may develop. Dike injection into the Yermak Plateau, north of the propagating ridge may have been initiated by the thermal response of the highly fractured litho- sphere to this propagating asthenospheric front. We suggest that one of these faults, acting as a secondary detachment to the main fault underlying the Knipovich Ridge, may be dissecting the Yermak Plateau. Based on an analysis of the thermal data, simple shear extension may have been taking place along a broad zone of intrusion. This region has undergone and is probably still under- going thermal rejuvenation. Multiple zones of intrusion may be a common phenomena along newly rifted continental margins espe- cially when they have been substantially faulted prior to rifting.
Anandamide-Induced Depressor Effect in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats. Role of the Vanilloid Receptor

To test the hypothesis that activation of the vanilloid receptor (VR1) contributes to the anandamide-induced depressor effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), we used a selective VR1 antagonist capsazepine (CAPZ) and a selective cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonist SR141716A in conjunction with a VR1 agonist capsaicin in both SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Mean arterial pressure was increased in SHR compared with WKY ( P P P P P P P
Fatty acids in esters and cerebrosides of human brain in phenylketonuria.

SUMMARY Fatty acids from cerebrosides and cerebroside sulfates and those bound by ester linkage from white and gray matter of frozen phenylketonuric brains were determined and compared with analyses of nonphenylketonuric brains. A decrease in the major monoenoic acid relative to the major saturated acid (18: 1/18: 0, or 24: 1/24 : 0, or 24h: 1/24h: 0) of each fraction analyzed is observed in this disease. The amounts of cholesterol, cerebroside, and cerebroside sulfate in the brain are not altered in phenylketonuria. The sum of the three polyunsaturated fatty acids 20:4, 22: 5, and 22: 6 constitute approximately 30% of the ester-bound fatty acids of human cortical gray matter.
African American and Latino patient versus provider perceptions of determinants of prenatal care initiation.

Few studies have compared provider and patient perceptions of barriers, motivators and facilitators of prenatal care (PNC) initiation. The current study compared these perceptions in providers and patients in Washington, DC, a city characterized by infant mortality and low birth weight rates that are among the highest in the nation, and poor utilization of PNC, particularly among minority groups. The results reported here were part of a larger study of barriers, motivators and facilitators influencing PNC utilization in Washington, DC. A convenience sample of 331 African American and Latino patients and 61 providers were interviewed to identify which of 63 motivators, facilitators, and barriers significantly influenced PNC initiation. Both sample groups were recruited at 14 PNC facilities, selected to represent all sites in DC known to serve high-risk, low-income minority women, including hospital-based clinics, community-based clinics, and private practices. Data were analyzed using Fisher exact tests and Kendall’s concordance tests. Results indicated that there was good agreement between patients and providers about the relative importance of the various barriers (especially psychosocial), motivators, and facilitators. However, differences were found between patients and providers in the response frequencies. Providers were more likely to report barriers while patients were more likely to report certain motivators (especially learning better health habits and how to protect health). These results indicate that despite widespread agreement on most issues, especially psychosocial barriers, patients rated health education higher than providers.
Cellular phone and cellular phone accessory dermatitis due to nickel allergy: report of five cases.

: Cellular phone dermatitis, also known as mobile phone dermatitis, is a recently recognized condition due to either nickel or chromate allergy. Cellular phone dermatitis has most often been reported in young adults and less commonly in adolescents. We describe five adolescents whose cellular phone dermatitis was caused by nickel allergy.
Microphase and Macrophase Separation in Multicomponent A/B/A−C Polymer Blends with Attractive and Repulsive Interactions

A balanced A-C diblock copolymer surfactant was used to organize mixtures of immiscible A and B homopolymers. The C block of the copolymer exhibits repulsive and attractive interactions with the A and B homopolymers, respectively, leading to rich phase behavior. Experimental results indicate the existence of a microphase-separated state at low temperatures, a homogeneous phase at intermediate temperatures, and macrophase separation at high temperatures. It is unusual for a microphase-separated blend to exhibit a homogeneous phase prior to macrophase separation. In this study, component A was saturated polybutadiene with 89% 1,2-addition, component B was polyisobutylene, block A of the diblock copolymer was chemically equivalent to component A, and block C of the diblock copolymer was saturated polybutadiene with 63% 1,2-addition. We use a combination of Flory-Huggins theory (FHT), self-consistent field theory (SCFT) and the random-phase approximation (RPA) to understand the origin of our observations. All of the parameters needed for the SCFT, FHT, and RPA calculations were obtained from independent measurements. The measured length scale of the periodic concentration fluctuations in the homogeneous state and the domain spacing of the microphase-separated blends were in close agreement with RPA and SCFT, respectively. The transition temperatures between phases predicted with theory were in reasonable agreement with the experimental measurements.
Improving file system reliability with I/O shepherding

We introduce a new reliability infrastructure for file systems called I/O shepherding. I/O shepherding allows a file system developer to craft nuanced reliability policies to detect and recover from a wide range of storage system failures. We incorporate shepherding into the Linux ext3 file system through a set of changes to the consistency management subsystem, layout engine, disk scheduler, and buffer cache. The resulting file system, CrookFS, enables a broad class of policies to be easily and correctly specified. We implement numerous policies, incorporating data protection techniques such as retry, parity, mirrors, checksums, sanity checks, and data structure repairs; even complex policies can be implemented in less than 100 lines of code, confirming the power and simplicity of the shepherding framework. We also demonstrate that shepherding is properly integrated, adding less than 5% overhead to the I/O path.
Lessons from Developing Countries: Health Education in the Global Village

(2003). Lessons from Developing Countries: Health Education in the Global Village. American Journal of Health Education: Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 101-103.
Is cardiovascular remodeling in patients with essential hypertension related to more than high blood pressure ? A LIFE substudy

Abstract Background Blocking the renin-aldosterone-angiotensin II system has been hypothesized to induce blood pressure-dependent as well as blood pressure-independent regression of cardiovascular hypertrophy. However, the relative influence of elevated blood pressure (BP) and various neurohormonal factors on cardiovascular remodeling in hypertension is unclear. Methods In 43 untreated patients with hypertension with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, we measured relative wall thickness and left ventricular mass index by echocardiography and by magnetic resonance imaging (n = 32), intima-media cross-sectional area, and distensibility of the common carotid arteries by ultrasound, media/lumen ratio of isolated subcutaneous resistance arteries by myography, and median 24-hour systolic BP (n = 40), serum insulin, and plasma levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, renin, angiotensin II, aldosterone, and endothelin. Results In multiple regression analyses, left ventricular mass index by echocardiography (R 2 = 0.14, P 2 = 0.32, P =.001) were associated with 24-hour systolic BP, whereas relative wall thickness was associated with plasma epinephrine (R 2 = 0.12, P 2 = 0.10, P 2 = 0.32, P 2 = 0.30, P 2 = 0.22, P Conclusion Apart from being associated with a high BP burden, cardiovascular remodeling was associated with high levels of circulating epinephrine, aldosterone, as well as angiotensin II, suggesting a beneficial effect above and beyond the effect of BP reduction when using antihypertensive agents blocking the receptors of these neurohormonal factors. (Am Heart J 2002;144:530-7.)
A case for fault tolerance and performance enhancement using chip multi-processors

This paper makes a case for using multi-core processors to simultaneously achieve transient-fault tolerance and performance enhancement. Our approach is extended from a recent latency-tolerance proposal, dual-core execution (DCE). In DCE, a program is executed twice in two processors, named the front and back processors. The front processor pre-processes instructions in a very fast yet highly accurate way and the back processor re-executes the instruction stream retired from the front processor. The front processor runs faster as it has no correctness constraints whereas its results, including timely prefetching and prompt branch misprediction resolution, help the back processor make faster progress. In this paper, we propose to entrust the speculative results of the front processor and use them to check the un-speculative results of the back processor. A discrepancy, either due to a transient fault or a mispeculation, is then handled with the existing mispeculation recovery mechanism. In this way, both transient-fault tolerance and performance improvement can be delivered simultaneously with little hardware overhead
Incidence and distribution of peanut mottle virus in peanut in the United States.

Abstract Peanut mottle virus (PMV) was isolated from commercially grown peanuts in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. This is the first report of PMV in the Southwestern United States and shows PMV to be present in all states with major peanut production. The incidence of PMV in Texas and Oklahoma was low in comparison to New Mexico and the Southeastern states. PMV was found in both seed and leaves of plants grown in the various states. The mild strain of PMV is the predominant strain in the United States. Since the source of primary inoculum is infected plants that have grown from infected seeds, it is theorized that the use of seed grown in areas with little or no PMV (Texas and Oklahoma) gives the greatest possibility of eliminating or delaying PMV epidemics.
Switching hysteresis for fast MOS logic

The approximations of hysteresis switching loops describing the dynamic performance of basic MOS gates are presented and discussed for different input signals. Empirical formulas to calculate the width of switching hystereses are outlined. The results may be useful for development of the CMOS/NMOS logic simulation software eliminating the time-consuming transient analysis. >
Comparison of virtual and physical treadmill environments for training stepping after spinal cord injury

We are developing robotic devices for locomotion training after spinal cord injury. In this paper, we compare two approaches to controlling and quantifying bipedal stepping of spinal rats with robots. In the first approach, the rats stepped on a physical treadmill with robot arms attached to their lower shanks. In the second, the rats stepped on a virtual treadmill generated by the robots. The rats could step on the virtual treadmill, but stepping was more consistent, step height greater, and interlimb coordination improved on the physical treadmill. Implications for the role of sensory input in the control of locomotion and the design robotic of step trainers are discussed.
Could immunosignatures technology enable the development of a preventative cancer vaccine

The exciting prospect of developing a universal prophylactic cancer vaccine now seems more possible due to advances in technology and basic knowledge. However, the problem of testing the efficacy of such a vaccine in a clinical trial seems daunting. The low incidence and long lead-time to diagnosis of cancer would make a standard clinical trial long and expensive. Recently, we demonstrated that the immunosignatures diagnostic technology could be useful in evaluating vaccines. The technology is based on profiling the antibody diversity in an individual on a peptide chip platform. Here we propose that this technology may also enable a clinical trial of a preventative vaccine. Preliminary evidence supports the prospect of immunosignatures detecting cancer at very early stages, well before conventional diagnosis. Because the technology is simple and inexpensive, it could be used to monitor the occurrence of cancer in participants and shorten the clinical trial.
High performance liquid chromatography of mycotoxin metabolites in human urine.

Because mycotoxins occur worldwide in grain and grain products, evaluating their effects on the health of the population has become important. The development of a high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure was investigated for the analysis of aflatoxin B1, citrinin, and ochratoxin A, from hydrolyzed human urine. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was used for sample clean-up and concentration. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) was used with fluorescence detection for sample analysis. The presence of aflatoxin B1 was confirmed by converting it to the hemiacetal. With 10 mL of urine, the detection limit for aflatoxin Bt and ochratoxin A was in the high parts per trillion (ppt) and that for citrinin was about 10 ppb. a biosynthetic precursor to aflatoxin, is carcinogenic in animals, but little is known about its health effects in humans. Zearalenone, a Fusarium metabolite, has been recognized as the cause of hyperestrogenism in swine (21). Many mycotoxins are produced by the same fungus or by fungi that coexist. Aflatoxin, citrinin, ochratoxin A, sterigmatocystin, and zearalenone (Figure 1) are frequently found as food contaminants and are highly toxic, carcinogenic, and/or synergistic. A method that analyzes for multiple mycotoxins in biological matrices could help to assess the frequency, the level, and the combinations of these mycotoxins that occur in a population. This paper describes a partially successful attempt to develop a sensitive analytical method for the detection of these mycotoxins in samples of human urine.