cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on the mechanism of glucocorticoid hormone induced alterations in rat thymic transcription--I. Evidence from reconstituted cross-over transcription assays that sequential increases and decreases in transcription are due to changes in the activity of RNA polymerase II rather than in the activity of chromatin template.

Abstract In experiments to determine the mechanism of glucocorticoid induced decreases in thymic transcription, adrenalectomized rats were injected with hydrocortisone (50 mg/kg) or vehicle. Thymic nuclei were used to prepare chromatins and soluble nuclear extracts containing RNA polymerase II for cross-over experiments. With calf thymus DNA or rat thymic chromatins as templates limiting RNA polymerase II from rats treated with hydrocortisone 3 h previously had 130% of the [3H]UMP incorporating activity of RNA polymerase II from control vehicle treated rats. In contrast, limiting RNA polymerase II from rats treated with hydrocortisone 12 h previously had 40–50% of the [3H]UMP incorporating activity of RNA polymerase II from controls. When limiting calf thymus DNA or rat thymic chromatins were used in 12 h cross-over experiments. Individual RNA polymerases II produced equal [3H]UMP incorporations, but RNA polymerase II activity from hydrocortisone treated rats was again only 50% of control values. Thus with template saturation, RNA polymerase II from hydrocortisone treated rats could not transcribe rat thymic chromatin templates to the level achieved by RNA polymerase II from control rats. This suggests that the activity, rather than the amount, of RNA polymerase II from hydrocortisone treated rats is reduced. Double reciprocal plots of [3H]UMP incorporation on rat chromatins with increasing concentrations of RNA polymerases II were made at 12 h. The apparent Km for RNA polymerase II from animals treated with hydrocortisone was identical to that of RNA polymerase II from controls, but the Vmax of RNA polymerase II from hydrocortisone treated animals was reduced. These data suggest the presence of an inhibitor of transcription or an RNA polymerase II defective in its capacity to initiate and/or elongate RNA transcripts. Further experiments demonstrated that these effects were not due to steroid induced changes in ribonuclease or protease activities.
Primary semiclassical kinetic hydrogen isotope effects in identity carbon-to-carbon proton- and hydride-transfer reactions, an ab initio and DFT computational study.

Enthalpies of activation, transition state (ts) geometries, and primary semiclassical (without tunneling) kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) have been calculated for eleven bimolecular identity proton-transfer reactions, four intramolecular proton transfers, four nonidentity proton-transfer reactions, eleven identity hydride transfers, and two 1,2-intramolecular hydride shifts at the HF/6-311+G**, MP2/6-311+G**, and B3LYP/6-311++G** levels. We find the KIEs to be systematically smaller for hydride transfers than for proton transfers. This outcome is not the result of “bent” transition states, although extreme bending can lower the KIE. Rather, it is a consequence of generally greater total bonding in a hydride-transfer ts than in a proton-transfer ts, most prominently manifested as a reduced contribution from the zero-point vibrational energy difference between reactant and transition states (the ΔZPVE factor) for hydride transfers relative to proton transfers. This and other differences between proton and hy...
Effects of fine-scale forest habitat quality on movement and settling decisions in juvenile pond-breeding salamanders

A better understanding of how individuals respond to variation in habitat quality while moving through heterogeneous habitats is needed to predict ecological phenomena at larger scales, such as local population and metapopulation dynamics. We sought to identify how fine-scale habitat quality affects the decisions of juvenile pond-breeding salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum and A. annulatum) to cease dispersive movements away from their natal pond, select a refuge, and settle. Because of the acute susceptibility of juvenile amphibians to evaporative water loss in terrestrial habitats, we predicted that they possess mechanisms for adjusting their behavior in response to variations in fine-scale habitat quality. We used experimental field enclosures to isolate the effects of habitat quality on settling behavior and employed generalized linear mixed models to examine how manipulations in canopy cover (closed or open) and microhabitat (control, compacted soils, high coarse woody debris, high burrow density), along with environmental variables (rainfall and air temperature), affect the individual's probability of settling. Our results indicated that A. maculatum and A. annulatum had a 10% and 30% decreased probability of settling in open-canopy clearcut habitat, respectively, compared to closed-canopy forest habitat. In addition, A. annulatum were 24% less likely to settle in compacted soil treatments. Although the settlement probability of A. annulatum did not depend on refuge availability, A. maculatum were 18% and 25% more likely to settle under conditions of high burrow density and high coarse woody debris, respectively. These findings make a unique contribution to our understanding of amphibian movement ecology by demonstrating how the interplay of external factors and individual behavior produce observed patterns of movement and habitat selection.
Implications of the WMAP Age Measurement for Stellar Evolution and Dark Energy

The WMAP satellite has provided a new measurement of the age of the Universe, of $13.7 \pm 0.2$ Gyr. A comparison of this limit with constraints from stellar evolution imply that the oldest globular clusters in the Milky Way galaxy have a reasonable probability of have formed significantly after reionization. At the same time, one can derive a direct {\it upper limit} on the time after the big bang before globular clusters in our galaxies formed of $\approx 3$ Gyr, which significantly reduces our uncertainty since before the CMB age estimate. The WMAP age constraint can also be shown to provide a stringent {\it lower bound} on the equation of state of dark energy. A precise value of this lower bound would require a global analysis of the WMAP parameter constraints. However, making conservative assumptions about allowed parameter ranges and correlations one derives a lower bound of $ w > -1.22$. Combining this with the WMAP-quoted upper limit on $w$ thus gives roughly symmetric 95% confidence range $w =-1 \pm 0.22$.
Assessing the validity of a niche strategy model in predicting the potential and success of niche markets and products

Companies can increase market share and profitability through the use of a niche market strategy. Parrish examined how companies use a niche market strategy and developed the Parrish Niche Strategy Model. This paper presents results of a study testing the model in terms of: (1) predicting the potential of a niche market and/or product and (2) predicting the success of a niche market and/or product. In order to test the model, deductive logic was used to develop questions that would gather quantitative data related to market potential strategies and success variables. In order to determine the importance of variables in relation to predicting the potential and success of a niche market and/or product, instrument questions were developed that utilized rank order scales. In addition, three-point Likert scales were used in order to determine the level of importance for each of the market potential and success variables. The sample consisted of fiber and yarn manufacturers, fabric manufacturers, apparel manufa...
The host immune response is essential for the beneficial effect of adult stem cells after myocardial ischemia

Objective Multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs) are adult stem cells derived from bone marrow. We investigated the capacity of MAPCs to aid in tissue healing after myocardial ischemia in mice with different levels of immune competence. Methods Adult murine C57BL/6 MAPCs were labeled with firefly luciferase and DsRed2 fluorescent protein and injected into the myocardium of immunocompetent C57BL/6 or T-, B- and natural killer–cell severe combined immunodeficient C57BL/6 Rag2/IL-2Rγc −/− mice at the time of myocardial infarction (MI). Mice were sequentially analyzed using in vivo whole body bioluminescent imaging for MAPC persistence and high-resolution ultrasound biomicroscopy to assess cardiac function. Results Luciferase signals emitted from donor MAPCs were significantly higher in Rag2/IL-2Rγc −/− mice compared with C57BL/6 recipients of labeled MAPCs. At 100, 200, and 365 days after MI, left ventricular contractile function was significantly improved (and normalized) in C57BL/6 MAPC recipients. In contrast, despite a greater degree of MAPC persistence compared with C57BL/6 recipients, no cardiac improvement occurred in Rag2/IL-2Rγc −/− recipients of MAPCs. The improved cardiac contractile performance in response to syngeneic MAPC infusion correlated with a prominent increase of vascular density in infarcted and peri-infarcted myocardium, which was dependent upon host immune competency. Conclusion These data indicate that immune competence of the recipient modulates the therapeutic impact of the adult nonhematopoietic stem cells infused after acute MI injury and that a more vigorous immune response is advantageous for therapeutic myocardial repair after MI.
A Porous Convection Model for Grass Patterns

Abstract: Spatial ecological patterns are usually ascribed to Turing‐type reaction‐diffusion or scale‐dependent feedback processes, but morphologically indistinguishable patterns can be produced by instabilities in fluid flow. We present a new hypothesis that suggests that fluid convection and chill damage to plants could form vegetation patterns with wavelengths ≈1–2 times the plant height. Previous hypotheses for small‐scale vegetation pattern formation relied on a Turing process driven by competition for water, which is thought to occur in large vegetation patterns. Predictions of the new hypothesis were consistent with properties of natural grass patterns in North Carolina, contradicting the Turing hypothesis. These results indicate that similarities in pattern morphology should not be interpreted as implying similarities in the pattern‐forming processes, that small‐wavelength vegetation patterns may arise from mechanisms that are distinct from those generating long‐wavelength vegetation patterns, and...
Programming environments for highly parallel multiprocessors

Emerging highly parallel multiprocessors offer an exciting alternative to conventional pipelined supercomputers for a variety of computationally intensive scientific applications. A factor that has impeded the introduction of these multiprocessor systems is that conventional languages, such as Fortran, cannot be directly used and new programming techniques must be mastered. A key issue for highly parallel systems is the development of appropriate programming environments.Programming environments are very difficult to specify for multiprocessor systems because a wide range of different programming paradigms are possible. For example, on a hypercube system, different applications require different operating systems for optimal performance. A typical hypercube programming environment includes a conventional language, such as Fortran or C, coupled with some message passing extensions. While the environment has a superficially familiar appearance, the organization of programs is much more complex and the user is now expected to program many functions which are conventionally done by the operating system. New programming environments need to be developed which have provisions for graceful fault tolerance, dynamic load balancing, dynamic algorithm selection, and automatic task decomposition and allocation.
Sexual dimorphism in the permeability response of coronary microvessels to adenosine

Gender influences volume regulation via several mechanisms; whether these include microvascular exchange, especially in the heart, is not known. In response to adenosine (Ado), permeability (Ps) to...
Perturbation approximations for scattering amplitudes in ion-atom collisions.

Approximate amplitudes for excitation and electron capture in ion-atom collisions frequently employ plane waves of relative motion, even though it is known that higher-order terms in the formal expansion are frequently divergent when the fragments in the final state interact through long-range Coulomb interactions. The Coulomb-Born expansion is free of such divergences, but the higher-order terms are more difficult to evaluate than the corresponding terms with plane waves. We show how to use plane waves of relative motion without encountering divergent terms in higher order even with Coulomb potentials present. The procedures apply to several common expansions, but encounter conceptual difficulties when applied to multiple-scattering expansions.
Newborn Screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency

Newborn screening (NBS) for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) utilizing the T-cell receptor excision circle assay is a sensitive and specific method to detect T-cell lymphopenia in early infancy. Starting in 2008, several programs have implemented SCID NBS with successful detection of SCID-affected infants; currently over two thirds of U.S. infants receive SCID NBS. Population-based, unbiased screening has established an incidence of SCID to be 1 in 58,000 births, and has revealed a distribution of SCID genotypes different from prior reports from specific SCID treatment centers. Detecting SCID-affected infants in the newborn period allows for timely implementation of protective measures and optimal definitive treatment prior to the onset of life-threatening infections. Infants with non-SCID T-cell lymphopenia also detected by NBS may have one of several recognized syndromes in which lymphocyte development may be impaired, as well as other conditions associated with secondary T-cell lymphopenia.
On the vitali-hahn-saks and nikodym theorems.

Abstract We present simplified proofs of the well-known Vitali-Hahn-Saks and Nikodým theorems for measures.
Emphysema with hereditary alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency masquerading as asthma.

Abstract Ten patients among 11 persons homozygous for hereditary alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency had chronic obstructive lung disease with exertional dyspnea as the prime symptom. Some also had wheezing and sputum production. Early in the course of the illness 5 of the patients were erroneously considered to have asthma. One patient was unique, lacking detectable levels at all. Assay of serum of family members was consistent with an autosomal codominant mode of inheritance in all families. Autopsy of the 2 patients who died showed extensive panacinar emphysema. One had in addition peribronchial inflammation, extensive squamous metaplasia of the tracheal and bronchial epithelium, and distinct degenerative changes of the tracheobronchial cartilage plaques.
ATRP from a norbornenyl-functionalized initiator : Balancing of complementary reactivity for the preparation of α-norbornenyl macromonomers/ω -haloalkyl macroinitiators

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using a norbornenyl-functionalized initiator was established as a new synthetic method for the preparation of macromolecules that are both α-norbornenyl macromonomers and ω-haloalkyl macroinitiators. When styrene, methyl methacrylate, and tert-butyl methacrylate were used as monomer or constituted comonomer pairs, the (co)polymerization was well-controlled and the norbornenyl functionality was intact. The resulting homopolymer or statistical copolymer-based macromonomers had linear structures, quantitative α-norbornenyl functionality, controlled number-average molecular weights (Mn = 3600−24300 Da), and narrow monomodal molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn = 1.07−1.35). Their ω-halide terminals further allowed them to serve as macroinitiators for the syntheses of block copolymer-based α-norbornenyl macromonomers by ATRP. In contrast, the norbornenyl functionality exhibited considerable competitive reactivity in the polymerizations of methyl acrylate and tert-bu...
Phenotypic plasticity of Ammannia spp. in competition with rice

Summary The annual broadleaved weeds Ammannia auriculata Wild, and A. coccinea Rottb. are widespread and competitive in California rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields. We studied Ammannia spp. biology in a greenhouse pot experiment. Weeds were grown alone and in competition with rice (cv. M–202), and harvested six times over 122 days. Compared with growth alone, competition reduced Ammannia spp. total plant dry weight (DW), shoot DW and leaf area in all but the first harvest. However, weed height differed at only one harvest (85 days after planting). Ammannia spp. responded to competition with increased shoot:root DW ratios, increased stem:other shoot DW ratios, decreased stem diameters, fewer but elongated internodes and fewer branches. This suggests that light capture was more important than nutrient capture for maintaining Ammannia spp. growth. The weeds appear to lodge easily in rice fields because competitive growth responses make them top heavy and unstable. Weed seed DW declined by 97% in competition, which showed the importance of crop interference to Ammannia spp. control. Plasticity may help Ammannia spp. to escape common control practices (e.g. high crop plant densities or early herbicide application), and probably contributes to its widespread distribution. Thus, Ammannia spp. plasticity should be more fully considered when designing management strategies.
Friction-Factor Characteristics for Narrow Channels With Honeycomb Surfaces

The experimental determination of friction-factors for the flow of air in a narrow channel lined with various honeycomb geometries has been carried out. Test results show that, generally, the friction-factor is nearly constant or slightly decreases as the Reynolds number increases, a characteristic common to turbulent flow in pipes. However, in some test geometries this trend is remarkably different. The friction factor dramatically drops and then rises as the Reynolds number increases. This phenomenon can be characterized as a 'friction-factor jump'. Further investigations of the acoustic spectrum and friction-factor measurements for a broad range of Reynolds numbers indicate that the 'friction-factor jump' phenomenon is accompanied by an onset of a normal mode resonance excited coherent flow fluctuation structure, which occurs at Reynolds number of the order of 10,000. The purpose of this paper is to explain the friction-factor-jump phenomenon and friction-factor characteristics.
Fatigue and microstructural properties of quenched Ti- 6Al- 4V

The mechanical properties and microstructures of Ti-6A1-4V were determined for specimens heat treated at temperatures from 843 °C to 1065 °C for 10 minutes and water quenched; these properties were compared with those of α-β annealed specimens. Specimens heat treated at 900 °C and water quenched had higher fatigue lives by a factor of four to ten relative to the other treatments; in addition, this treatment resulted in high ductility, yield strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus. Micro-structure studies utilizing optical and transmission microscopy showed that the improved fatigue lives were a result of a strain induced transformation of retained β to martensite. The amount of retainedβ and its relative stability were shown to depend upon the heat treatment temperature. The lower the heat treatment temperature below theβ transus the smaller the amount ofβ phase present before the quench and the richer theβ phase inβ stabilizer. The greater the concentration ofβ stabilizer in theβ phase the greater the probability that theβ phase was retained. High heat treatment temperatures resulted in a greater amount ofβ that was less stable and more probable to transform to martensite during a water quench.
Aerosol Indirect Effects on Tropical Convection Characteristics under Conditions of Radiative-Convective Equilibrium

The impacts of enhanced aerosol concentrations such as those associated with dust intrusions on the trimodal distribution of tropical convection have been investigated through the use of large-domain (10 000 grid points), fine-resolution (1 km), long-duration (100 days), two-dimensional idealized cloud-resolving model simulations conducted under conditions of radiative‐convective equilibrium (RCE). The focus of this research is on those aerosols that serve primarily as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The results demonstrate that the large-scale organization of convection, the domain-averaged precipitation, and the total cloud fraction show only show aweak response to enhancedaerosolconcentrations. However,while the domainwide responsesto enhanced aerosol concentrations are weak, aerosol indirect effects on the three tropical cloud modes are found to be quite significant and often opposite in sign, a fact that appearsto contribute to the weaker domain response. The results suggest that aerosol indirect effects associated with shallow clouds may offset or compensate for the aerosol indirect effects associated with congestus and deep convection systems and vice versa, thus producing a more moderate domainwide response to aerosol indirect forcing. Finally, when assessing the impacts of aerosol indirect forcing associated with CCN on the characteristics of tropical convection, several aspects need to be considered, including which cloud mode or type is being investigated, the field of interest, and whether localized or systemwide responses are being examined.
Blood Levels of Ammonia and Nitrogen Scavenging Amino Acids in Patients with Inherited Hyperammonemia

Abstract Plasma levels of glutamine (456 determinations), alanine (434 determinations), and asparagine (431 determinations) and corresponding ammonia levels (260 determinations) were retrospectively analyzed in 30 patients with hyperammonemia secondary to urea cycle disorders (including 3 patients with amino acid transport defects) and 5 patients with propionic acidemia (PA). All patients had elevated glutamine levels on one or more testing except for 2 patients with severe PA and 1 patient with a mild urea cycle disorder. All but 4 patients with urea cycle disorders showed a maximal glutamine level higher than 100 μmol/dl, and 3 patients had a maximal glutamine level of higher than 200 μmol/dl. The only exceptions were 2 asymptomatic ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC)-deficient females, 1 male with mild OTC deficiency, and 1 patient with citrullinemia (CIT) whose plasma glutamine levels were never above 100 μmol/L. Patients with CIT and argininosuccinic aciduria (ASA) showed statistically significant lower levels of glutamine than patients with other urea cycle disorders. However, the maximal glutamine level did not directly correlate with severity of the disorder and within disorders correlated inversely with severity of outcome. Patients with PA showed statistically significant lower glutamine, alanine, and asparagine levels than patients with urea cycle disorders and the severity of this disorder correlated inversely with plasma glutamine levels. Plasma ammonia levels showed a positive correlation with glutamine in patients with carbamyl phosphate synthetase I and OTC deficiency and a negative correlation in patients with PA. Although, most patients also showed elevated levels of alanine and asparagine, their levels generally did not show a good correlation with glutamine (R2= 0.25 and 0.34, respectively).
Engines of Growth: The State and Transnational Auto Companies in Brazil

Acknowledgments 1. Approaches to state intervention 2. Why auto? 3. The determinants of firm entry 4. Rent redistribution and linkage effects 5. The automotive parts sector 6. Conclusion Appendices Index.
Genome-Enabled Approaches Shed New Light on Plant Metabolism

Plant metabolism research has experienced a second golden age resulting from synergies between genome-enabled technologies and classical biochemistry. The rapid rate at which genomics data are being accumulated creates increased needs for robust metabolomic technologies and fast and accurate methods for identifying the activities of enzymes.
THE HOUSEHOLD DISTRIBUTION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES FOR AGRICULTURE AND EDUCATION IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA IN 1974

The paper reports on several results from a comprehensive study of the household incidence of public expenditure in Peninsular Malaysia in 1974. The results for education show a pro-poor distribution of expenditure when measured as a share of household income. Using however the criterion of each according to his needs (that is the number of school-age children per household) reverses this outcome. In agriculture, because of the importance of land settlement, benefits from public expenditure distribute predominantly in favor of the poor. The research differs from the usual study of this kind in that individual government outputs such as school years, or fertilizer loans, were defined, and in the case of education their unit costs estimated and their distribution across households measured. In the case of education, both the costs of services from capital and the households’ out-of-pocket educational costs were added to the current subsidies. As one consequence, it was seen that total expenditure for education in Malaysia exceeds one-eighth of GNP, nearly double the conventional estimate. Equally important, for the poor the burden of private costs for education even within a public system were seen to be very high. The contrasts between the strong results for education, a broad based social service, and the less conclusive results for agriculture, an economic service which impacts directly on production, were instructive in suggesting the limitations of such research in measuring the effects of government budget activity on distribution.
Practical asynchronous neighbor discovery and rendezvous for mobile sensing applications

We present Disco, an asynchronous neighbor discovery and rendezvous protocol that allows two or more nodes to operate their radios at low duty cycles (e.g. 1%) and yet still discover and communicate with one another during infrequent, opportunistic encounters without requiring any prior synchronization information. The key challenge is to operate the radio at a low duty cycle but still ensure that discovery is fast, reliable, and predictable over a range of operating conditions. Disco nodes pick a pair of prime numbers such that the sum of their reciprocals is equal to the desired radio duty cycle. Each node increments a local counter with a globallyfixed period. If a node's local counter value is divisible by either of its primes, then the node turns on its radio for one period. This protocol ensures that two nodes will have some overlapping radio on-time within a bounded number of periods, even if nodes independently set their own duty cycle. Once a neighbor is discovered, and its wakeup schedule known, rendezvous is just a matter of being awake during the neighbor's next wakeup period,for synchronous rendezvous, or during an overlapping wake period, for asynchronous rendezvous.
Use of a differential subtraction method to identify genes that characterize the phenotype of cultured rheumatoid arthritis synoviocytes

Objective To identify the genes that characterize the distinctive phenotype of cultured rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblastoid synoviocytes. Methods A representational difference method was used to subtract complementary DNA (cDNA) from cultured RA fibroblastoid synoviocytes with cDNA from noninflammatory osteoarthritis synoviocytes. The genes were identified by DNA sequencing, and their relative expression was determined by Northern blot analysis. Results Twenty-four genes were identified, including novel genes such as a human homolog of mouse semaphorin E and one homologous to N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase. Eleven of these genes were constitutively overexpressed in the rheumatoid synoviocyte line, including a chemokine, stromal cell-derived factor 1, and several genes capable of mediating synoviocyte-leukocyte interactions, including vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and Mac-2 binding protein. Three genes (lumican, biglycan, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5) encoded extracellular matrix components, suggesting that distinct stromal-synoviocyte interactions may be mediated by this phenotype. Two interferon-inducible genes of unknown function were also found, emphasizing the presence of activation-like features in the phenotype. Conclusion A general method for the identification of differences in patterns of gene expression revealed that cultured RA fibroblastoid synoviocytes overexpress certain proinflammatory genes that are potentially relevant to lymphocyte and monocyte entry and interactions. The features of the genes identified in these mesenchymal cells suggest that they facilitate localization of immune reactions to the joint through leukocyte chemokinesis, cell-cell adhesion, and matrix specialization. The further characterization of these genes should help in resolving whether this phenotype is the consequence of modulation and imprinting by an inflammatory milieu or, more likely, whether it reflects the intrinsic lineage characteristics of intimal lining synoviocytes.
Visualizing polynucleotide polymerase machines at work

The structures of T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) captured in the initiation and elongation phases of transcription, that of phi29 DNA polymerase bound to a primer protein and those of the multisubunit RNAPs bound to initiating factors provide insights into how these proteins can initiate RNA synthesis and synthesize 6-10 nucleotides while remaining bound to the site of initiation. Structural insight into the translocation of the product transcript and the separation of the downstream duplex DNA is provided by the structures of the four states of nucleotide incorporation. Single molecule and biochemical studies show a distribution of primer terminus positions that is altered by the binding of NTP and PP(i) ligands. This article reviews the insights that imaging the structure of polynucleotide polymerases at different steps of the polymerization reaction has provided on the mechanisms of the polymerization reaction. Movies are shown that allow the direct visualization of the conformational changes that the polymerases undergo during the different steps of polymerization.
The Pan-American Mass, 1909–1914: A Rejected Contribution to Thanksgiving Day

The Right Reverend Monsignor William T. Russell, pastor of Saint Patrick's Church in Washington, D.C., since 1908 and reputedly one of the finest preachers in the country, agreed to an unusual interview during the spring of 1912. Five other clergy, including a rabbi, likewise participated in separate sessions with the same Protestant minister. The resulting six semiautobiographical accounts appeared as a weekly series in Collier's magazine at midyear.1 Unlike the companion pieces, however, the article devoted to Msgr. Russell appeared at a particularly timely moment. On the one hand, the Pan-American Thanksgiving Day celebration, although just three years old, seemed well on the way toward becoming an annual observance that neither the president of the United States nor the Latin American diplomatic contingent could slight idly. Yet, on the other hand, the article heralded a major Protestant protest that would call the entire basis of the celebration into public and even political question. Upon assuming the presidency in 1913, an unsuspecting Woodrow Wilson would find himself inadvertently drawn into an interdenominational dispute over the special Catholic service. Embarrassed to the point of privately admitting a clumsy mistake, Wilson eventually yielded to the critics and finally withdrew his support from an implied experiment in the cultural extension of a famous holiday. Msgr. Russell, formerly private secretary to James Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore and his representative in the capital "on matters of importance," conceived the Pan-American Thanksgiving Day in 1909 while reading President William Howard Taft's first Thanksgiving proclamation issued on 15 November.2 The proclamation, brief and uneffusive in comparison to
Electrical transport properties of TiCoSb half-Heusler phases that exhibit high resistivity

Electrical transport measurements have been performed on doped and undoped TiCoSb half-Heusler phases. The semiconducting properties are found to be more robust than those reported for MNiSn (M = Ti, Zr, Hf ). Undoped TiCoSb phases exhibit large n-type Seebeck coefficients and high resistivities that reach -500 µV K-1 at 300 K and ~1500 Ω cm at 4.2 K, respectively. A tendency towards carrier localization is seen in several disordered phases. The effects due to n-type and p-type dopants are readily manifested in the thermopower, from which moderately heavy electron and hole band masses are inferred. The unusual properties measured are consistent with the prediction of a wide bandgap for the TiCoSb phase. A resistivity minimum is observed at 500-600 K for undoped and V-doped TiCoSb. Consequently, the semiconducting gap has not been determined.
User-experience surveys with maternity services: a randomized comparison of two data collection models

Objective. To compare two ways of combining postal and electronic data collection for a maternity services user-experience survey. Design. Cross-sectional survey. Setting. Maternity services in Norway. Participants. All women who gave birth at a university hospital in Norway between 1 June and 27 July 2010. Intervention. Patients were randomized into the following groups (n ¼ 752): Group A, who were posted questionnaires with both electronic and paper response options for both the initial and reminder postal requests; and Group B, who were posted questionnaires with an electronic response option for the initial request, and both electronic and paper response options for the reminder postal request. Main outcome measures. Response rate, the amount of difference in background variables between respondents and nonrespondents, main study results and estimated cost-effectiveness. Results. The final response rate was significantly higher in Group A (51.9%) than Group B (41.1%). None of the background variables differed significantly between the respondents and non-respondents in Group A, while two variables differed significantly between the respondents and non-respondents in Group B. None of the 11 user-experience scales differed significantly between Groups A and B. The estimated costs per response for the forthcoming national survey was E11.7 for data collection Model A and E9.0 for Model B. Conclusions. The model with electronic-only response option in the first request had lowest response rate. However, this model performed equal to the other model on non-response bias and better on estimated cost-effectiveness, and is the better of the two models in large-scale user experiences surveys with maternity services.
Mammalian RNAi for the masses

Just a couple of years ago, only biologists working with plants or Caenorhabditis elegans could use RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) technology to gain insight into gene function. However, the recent groundbreaking discovery that in vitro synthesized, 21- to 23-nucleotide, double-stranded RNAs can act as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to elicit gene-specific inhibition in mammalian cells has made RNAi possible in mammalian systems too. Reported only a year ago, mammalian RNAi is already changing our way of studying gene function in higher eukaryotes. And, a recent exciting advance allows delivery of siRNAs into mammalian cells by a DNA vector. In addition to providing a low-cost alternative to the chemically synthesized siRNAs, this DNA-vector-based strategy is capable of mediating stable target gene inhibition, thus allowing gene function analysis over an extended period of time.
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and arrhythmic events in ICD patients undergoing gastrointestinal procedures

Background:The objective was to determine the effect of electromagnetic interference (EMI) in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy. The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is the primary therapeutic modality for patients at risk for sudden cardiac death. One potential problem with ICDs is interactions with electrical devices and medical procedures causing EMI or triggering arrhythmic events. Endoscopy frequently employs electrocautery (EC) for diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Current guidelines advise inactivating ICDs before any surgical procedure. There is limited information on management of ICDs during endoscopy with or without EC. We prospectively evaluated patients with ICDs undergoing endoscopic procedures at our institution. Methods and results:Forty-one ICD patients underwent 52 gastrointestinal endoscopies over 17 months. The mean age of the population was 66 years (51–83). There were 28 men and 13 women. Thirteen patients had single chamber devices, 25 had dual chamber devices, and 2 had biventricular ICDs. The mean tachyarrhythmia detection rate programmed was 164.7 bpm (125–188). Eighteen procedures (43.9%) required biopsy, coagulation, or polypectomy. Of these, 10 (55%) required the use of EC. Only unipolar EC with mean current 19.6 mA was used. All ICDs were programmed to detection-only with therapies off. Sensitivity was left at nominal programmed settings. Post procedure interrogation showed no detection of EMI or tachyarrhythmic events. Conclusions:Our study shows no EMI or arrhythmic events triggered during endoscopic procedures in patients with pectorally implanted transvenous ICDs. Routine practice of programming ICDs off for gastrointestinal procedures may not be necessary. However, larger studies are needed before change in current recommendations.
Panel: The Need for System Solutions to Improve Employment Outcomes of Cancer Survivors

The good news is that the number of cancer survivors and length of survival has increased due to early detection and treatment improvements. Of the estimated 10.5 million cancer survivors in the United States, approximately 40% are of working age (NCI, 2006). Unfortunately, one out of five survivors experience cancer-related disabilities that affect employment. Survivors may experience long-term and late-effects (including functional and general health changes) resulting in less than optimal employment outcomes, including long-term employment and work productivity. Although employment issues have been recognized in this area, to date, the majority of research on work productivity and return to work in human factors and ergonomics has focused on common occupational injuries and illnesses. The application of theories, methodologies, and perspectives from human factors research may serve to optimize employment outcomes for cancer survivors.
Reduced efficacy of hemorrhagic enteritis virus vaccine in turkeys exposed to avian pneumovirus.

SUMMARY. Avian pneumovirus (APV) is an immunosuppressive respiratory pathogen of turkeys. We examined the effect of APV infection on the vaccine efficacy of hemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV) vaccines. APV was inoculated in 2-wk-old turkeys. Two or four days later, an attenuated HEV vaccine (HEVp30) or marble spleen disease virus (MSDV) vaccine were administered. Virulent HEV challenge was given 19 days after HEV vaccination. APV exposure compromised the ability of HEVp30 and MSDV to protect turkeys against virulent HEV. The protective index values were as follows: MSDV (100%) versus APV + MSDV (0%) (P < 0.05); HEVp30 (60%) versus APV + HEVp30 (30%) (P < 0.05) (Experiment I) and HEVp30 (56%) versus APV + HEVp30 (20%) (P < 0.05) (Experiment II). These data indicated that APV reduced the efficacy of HEV vaccines in turkeys.
A Differential Model of Advocacy in Social Work Practice

Although advocacy is a central aspect of social work practice, there is considerable variation in its purpose, aims, and roles within human services, infusing it with a rich and diverse character. On the basis of a differentiation of who controls the ends or outcomes of advocacy and who controls its means or process, the authors offer a differential model that encompasses four major traditions of advocacy within the profession: protecting the vulnerable, creating supports to enhance functioning, protecting and advancing claims or appeals, and fostering identity and control. The authors then identify four forms of advocacy and examine the conditions under which social workers are likely to employ each of the four variants.
Inorganic Si-O-C Antireflection Coating at 193 nm for Cu Dual Damascene Process

Silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) films have been investigated as nitrogen (or amine)-free dielectric antireflection layer for a dual damascene structure at 193 nm. Films were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using trimethylsilane and oxygen. As the oxygen flow rate increased, both the refractive index and extinction coefficient decreased. It was found that reflectance was less than 10% for optimum SiOC, which is comparable to silicon oxynitride. Oxygen plasma treatment converted the top surface of SiOC to silicon oxide. The thickness of the oxide layer increased with the treatment time, however it saturated around 10 nm with treatment times above 90 s. The oxide layer was found to act as a passivation layer stabilizing the SiOC film. It showed reflectance of less than 5% and was successfully utilized as the antireflection layer for a dual damascene structure with no photoresist poisoning.
Statistics for Twenty-first Century Astrometry

H. K. Eichhorn had a lively interest in statistics during his entire scientific career, and made a number of significant contributions to the statistical treatment of astrometric problems. In the past decade, a strong movement has taken place for the reintroduction of Bayesian methods of statistics into astronomy, driven by new understandings of the power of these methods as well as by the adoption of computationally-intensive simulation methods to the practical solution of Bayesian problems. In this paper I will discuss how Bayesian methods may be applied to the statistical discussion of astrometric data, with special reference to several problems that were of interest to Eichhorn.
THE USE OF PHOSPHORUS 32 IN STUDIES ON PLASMODIUM GALLINACEUM I. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD FOR THE QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF PARASITE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN VITRO

A quantitative method for following parasite growth in vitro is described. The method is based on the determination of the degree of incorporation of phosphorus into the nucleic acids, in particular desoxypentose nucleic acids, of the parasitized cell. Phosphorus incorporation is measured by utilizing the radioactive isotope, P32. The degree of phosphorus incorporation into DNA was found to be closely correlated with estimates of parasite growth based on stained film examinations of intact cell preparations. The isotope was likewise found to be incorporated into the DNA of preparations in which the host cell had been disrupted by lysis and the extent of this incorporation also paralleled the impressions gained from smear examinations. It is suggested that this method provides a sensitive and objective method of studying parasite growth.
Implementing a Problem-Solving Intervention With Students With Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Students with mild and moderate disabilities need to be skillful at problem solving. This article provides an overview of a problem-solving intervention designed to teach students with mild and moderate disabilities the skills of problem solving. An explanation of the assessments, materials, instructional outline, and methods is presented.
Bistable optically controlled semiconductor switches in a frequency-agile RF source

The processes of persistent photoconductivity followed by photoquenching have been demonstrated at megawatt power levels in copper-compensated, silicon-doped, semi-insulating gallium arsenide. These processes allow a photoconductive switch to be developed that can be closed by the application of one laser pulse (/spl lambda/=1.06 /spl mu/m) and opened by the application of a second laser pulse with a wavelength equal to twice that of the first laser (/spl lambda/=2.13 /spl mu/m). This switch is called the bistable optically controlled semiconductor switch (BOSS). The opening phase of the BOSS requires a sufficient concentration of recombination centers (RC) in the material for opening to occur in the subnanosecond regime. These RC's are generated in the bulk GaAs material by fast-neutron irradiation (/spl sim/1 MeV). Neutron-irradiated BOSS devices have been opened against a rising average electric field of about 36 kV/cm (18 kV) in a time less than 1 ns while operating at a repetition rate, within a two-pulse burst, of about 1 GHz. The ability to modify the frequency content of the electrical pulses, by varying the time separation, is demonstrated. Results demonstrating the operation of two BOSS devices imbedded in a frequency-agile RF source configuration are also discussed.
Congressional Insider Trading: Is It Legal?

This paper addresses the concern the authors have surrounding the legislation that governs Congressional “insider trading”. While members of Congress can legally trade securities (with disclosure) for their personal account for financial gain, the authors believe that it is ethically wrong. This paper also addresses legal issues as well as the SEC position on why Congressional members are exempt from scrutiny or prosecution for insider trading. Since the last State of the Union Address and the call from President Obama for new legislative oversight that would provide visibility and rules designed to curb potential stock trading abuse by members of Congress, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK ACT) became law. However, the authors do not believe that the new legislation is sufficient. We contend that any privileged stock market trading activity or the passing of any “insider information” to others by Congress or the Senate for financial gain should be considered not only unethical but illegal. Finally, the paper also attempts to discuss why ethics, trust, and morality come into focus on this topic.
The effect of texture granularity on texture synthesis quality

Natural and artificial textures occur frequently in images and in video sequences. Image/video coding systems based on texture synthesis can make use of a reliable texture synthesis quality assessment method in order to improve the compression performance in terms of perceived quality and bit-rate. Existing objective visual quality assessment methods do not perform satisfactorily when predicting the synthesized texture quality. In our previous work, we showed that texture regularity can be used as an attribute for estimating the quality of synthesized textures. In this paper, we study the effect of another texture attribute, namely texture granularity, on the quality of synthesized textures. For this purpose, subjective studies are conducted to assess the quality of synthesized textures with different levels (low, medium, high) of perceived texture granularity using different types of texture synthesis methods.