cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Environmental policies to reduce college drinking: options and research findings.

Objective: The goal of this article is to provide an overview of environmental strategies that may reduce college drinking. Drinking behavior is influenced by many environmental factors, including messages in the media, community norms and attitudes, public and institutional policies and practices and economic factors. College student drinking may be influenced by environmental factors on and off campus. Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, ETOH, Current Contents and Social Science Abstracts databases was conducted to identify research studies evaluating effects of environmental strategies on college and general populations. Results: The identified environmental strategies fall into four categories: (1) increasing compliance with minimum legal drinking age laws, (2) reducing consumption and risky alcohol use, (3) decreasing specific types of alcohol-related problems and (4) de-emphasizing the role of alcohol on campus and promoting academics and citizenship. Although the extant research indicates t...
Common Attractant for the Tobacco Horn-worm, Protoparce sexta (Johan.) and the Colorado Potato Beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)

THE specificities of oligophagous insects to groups of related plants have been postulated and demonstrated in several instances to be mediated by secondary plant substances of limited distribution (reviewed by Dethier1 and Fraenkel2,3). These substances are variously called attractants, token stimuli, or phagostimulants when they serve in such capacity and are generally tested on the feeding stages of the insects concerned by applying the substances on various artifices such as filter paper, pith disks, non-host leaves or agar gel diets. The insects are then allowed to discriminate the presence of the attractants by biting or feeding.
Science education in the Boy Scouts of America

ABSTRACT Boy Scout geoscience education is not “desk” education—it is an informal, hands-on, real-world education where Scouts learn through activities, trips, and the outdoors, as well as in meetings and in the merit badge program. Merit badge requirements, many of which meet National Science Education Standards for Earth and Space Science, give boys foundational experiences and familiarity with geoscience topics. Earning a Geology merit badge at any location resulted in a significant gain of content knowledge (P < 0.001). The combined treatment groups for all location types had a 9.2% gain in content knowledge, but the amount of content knowledge acquired through the merit badge program varied with location. The longitudinal posttest scores, with a 15.0% increase from the attributed average pretest score, were higher than the posttest scores from any location except summer camp. No gains were seen in the control group; age and grade were not significant factors. Combining interview data with quantitativ...
Direct marketing usage by older men: Chronological age versus retirement

Abstract The use of nonstore retailing by older adults has been well documented. Unfortunately, many of the findings are contradictory and there is still confusion as to the role they play in this sector. The contention tested in this study is that using chronological age as a determinant of old age confuses findings, and that retirement is a much better indicator. By comparing several direct marketing behaviors and related attitudes, it is evident that retirement is a better predictor of nonstore retailer use than chronological age. The general marketing implications are discussed.
Gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells as treatment for primary immunodeficiency diseases

Gene transfer into the hematopoietic stem cell has shown curative potential for a variety of hematological disorders. Primary immunodeficiency diseases have led to the way in this field of gene therapy as an example and a model. Clinical results from the past 15 years have shown that significant improvement and even cure can be achieved for diseases such as X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency, adenosine deaminase deficiency, chronic granulomatous disease and Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome. Unfortunately, with the initial clear clinical benefits, the first serious complications of gene therapy have also occurred. In a significant number of patients treated using vectors based on murine gamma-retroviruses and carrying powerful viral enhancer elements, insertional oncogenesis events have resulted in acute leukemias that, in some cases, have had fatal outcomes. These serious adverse events have sparked a revision of the assessment of risks and benefits of integrating gene transfer for hematological diseases and prompted the development and application of new generations of viral vectors with recognized superior safety characteristics. This review summarizes the clinical experience of gene therapy for primary immunodeficiencies and discusses the likely avenues of progress in the future development of this expanding field of clinical investigations.
Laminar Flow Control Leading Edge Systems in Simulated Airline Service

Achieving laminar flow on the wings of a commercial transport involves difficult problems associated with the wing leading edge. The NASA Leading Edge Flight Test Program has made major progress toward the solution of these problems. The effectiveness and paracticality of candidate laminar flow leading edge systems were proven under representative airline service conditions. This was accomplished in a series of simulated airline service flights by modifying a JetStar aircraft with laminar flow leading edge systems and operating it out of three commercial airports in the United States. The aircraft was operated as an airliner would under actual air traffic conditions, in bad weather, and in insect infested environments. Two leading edge systems were flown. One used a perforated titanium suction surface with approximately 1 million, 0.0025 inch diameter, electron beam drilled holes to maintain laminar flow on the wing upper surface to the front spar. This leading edge also had a Krueger-type flap which served as a protective shield against insect impacts. The second leading edge had suction through a slotted titanium skin with 27 spanwise slots (about 0.004 inch wide) on the upper and lower surface; fluid dispensed through some of these slots near the attachment line provided wing surface wetting during takeoff to protect against insect impacts. Both leading edges were equipped with de-icing and fluid purge systems.
Sol-gel synthesis of rare-earth-doped fluoride glass thin films

This paper describes ZBLA fluoride glass thin films produced via an inexpensive, low-temperature reactive atmosphere sol-gel approach. Luminescence from erbium at 1.55 μm has been observed in x-ray-amorphous doped films deposited on calcium fluoride, polyimide, sapphire, and silicon substrates. Fluorescence studies of the erbium 4S3/2 → 4I13/2 transition, a characteristic emission for a reduced phonon energy host, were conducted for both sol-gel-derived films and conventionally prepared glass rods. The peak intensity observed from the sol-gel films was blue-shifted by 16 nm with a FWHM value approximately half that measured for the melt-quenched rods. Excitation studies indicate that, unlike conventionally prepared glasses, sol-gel materials suffer from nonradiative relaxation of the 4S3/2 excited state to the 4I9/2 level, where subsequent radiative emission to the 4I15/2 ground state occurs. The proposed source of the quenching mechanism are remnant species inherent to the sol-gel process. While this causes the luminescence behavior of rare-earth-doped sol-gel-derived fluoride materials to be similar to oxide hosts, these remnant species modify the branching ratios, resultantly leading to a novel 824 nm emission when excited at 488 nm.
Nonlocal Hidden-Variable Theories and Quantum Mechanics: An Incompatibility Theorem

It is argued that among possible nonlocal hidden-variable theories a particular class (called here “crypto-nonlocal” or CN) is relatively plausible on physical grounds. CN theories have the property that (for example) the two photons emitted in an atomic cascade process are indistinguishable in their individual statistical properties from photons emitted singly, and that in the latter case the effects of nonlocality are unobservable. It is demonstrated that all CN theories are constrained by inequalities which are violated by the quantum-mechanical predictions; these inequalities bear no simple relation to Bell's inequalities, and an explicit example is constructed of a CN theory which violates the latter. It is also shown that while existing experiments cannot rule out general CN theories, they do rule out (subject to a few caveats such as the usual ones concerning the well-known “loopholes”) the subclass in which the photon polarizations are linear.
Caloric restriction and body weight independently affect longevity in Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the independent effects of caloric restriction (CR) and body weight (BW) on mortality rate (MR) and the extent to which BW may mediate the effect of CR on MR. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Data were from the Biosure Study, a randomized, controlled, prospective intervention study of diet regimens in 1200 Wistar rats. Animals were followed until they died spontaneously, were euthanized because of illness, or reached age 30 months. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Cox regression was performed to evaluate the effects of CR and BW on MR. Bootstrap procedures were used to test the contribution of BW to the effect of CR on MR. RESULTS: CR initiated after age 13 weeks decreased the rate of subsequent mortality. The MR increased with higher BW in early adulthood (21 weeks) and this effect persisted even after adjustment for CR. After adjustment for BW in early adulthood, we did not find a similar relation between mortality and BW in late adulthood (105 weeks). Mediation analysis indicated that low BW associated with CR appeared to mediate some of the mortality-reducing effects of CR, but CR clearly had effects independent of BW. The reductions in BW appeared to account for approximately 11% of the effect of CR. CONCLUSION: CR and BW have independent effects on MR in Wistar rats. BW may mediate a small part of the CR effects on MR.
Intravenous regional anesthesia.

A series of 33 patients who underwent intravenous regional anesthesia for treatment of orthopedic and surgical procedures is reported. Intravenous regional anesthesia is a safe and reliable alternative to general or other regional anesthesia techniques for use in the emergency department. The technique is easily mastered and requires minimal special equipment. The agent of choice is lidocaine in a dosage of 3 mg/kg administered as a 0.5% solution. Complications are few and are usually related to rapid systemic absorption of the anesthetic agent or minor mistakes in techniques.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Impact of Fission Fragment Energy Deposition on Ion Tracks in Uranium Dioxide

In fission based nuclear reactors, uranium dioxide fuel is subject to an intense neutron environment that drives the fission chain reaction. In this process, fission fragments will be produced with an energy reaching 1 MeV/amu. These fragments will initially lose energy through inelastic interactions resulting in excitations of the electronic structure. The excitations subsequently transfer energy to the atomic lattice through electron-phonon (e-p) coupling resulting in a thermal spike which may enhance mobility of fuel atoms. Consequently, the enhanced mobility resulting from fission energy deposition is expected to promote annealing of lattice defects such as ion tracks. Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of uranium dioxide were performed using the LAMMPS code to investigate the effects of fission enhanced mobility on ion tracks formed in the fuel. The MD model was composed of 10×60×60 unit cells, 432000 atoms, and used a Buckingham potential to describe interatomic interactions. A two-temperature model was used to capture the process of fission energy deposition in the electronic subsystem and its transfer to the atomic lattice through e-p coupling. Previous MD simulations demonstrated that fission-enhanced diffusion became more pronounced as the electronic system behavior was varied from metal-like to insulator-like, i.e., increasing the e-p coupling strength. In the present MD simulations, the annealing of an existing ion track (radius nearly 3.0 nm) due to the interaction with 18 keV/nm and 22 keV/nm fission fragments was observed. For a metal-like system (weak e-p coupling), it was found that the track persisted with a radius of nearly 3.0 nm. For an insulator-like system (strong e-p coupling), it was found that the track can be reduced significantly in size approaching a radius of 1.4 nm.
Gender Differences in Environmental Concern: Revisiting the Institutional Trust Hypothesis in the USA

Research on environmental concern has consistently found that women have modestly stronger pro-environmental values, beliefs, and attitudes than do men. Scholars have proposed and examined several ...
Spectral shifts of ultrasonic propagation: A study of theoretical and experimental models

The theoretical relationship between center frequency downshift and the spectral bandwidth was investigated for pulses with a sinc(x) spectrum propagating through lossy media. Power law and exponential models for frequency dependence of attenuation were used. Six target materials encompassing a range of attenuation parameters were used to verify the theoretical model. The frequency downshift data from these materials was used to calculate their respective attenuation parameters. It was shown theoretically and verified experimentally that for small frequency downshifts, the sinc(x) model yields the same material parameters as the Gaussian model. The choice of the model for the attenuation of the material was found to be inconsequential.
Fabrication of a configurable, single-use microfluidic device.

This paper describes microfluidic devices that contain connections that can be opened by the user after fabrication. The devices are fabricated in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and comprise disconnected fluidic channels that are separated by 20 μm of PDMS. Applying voltages above the breakdown voltage of PDMS (21 V/μm) opened pathways between disconnected channels. Fluids could then be pumped through the openings. The voltage used and the ionic strength of the buffer in the channels determined the size of the opening. Opening connections in a specific order provides the means to control complex reactions on the device. A device for ELISA was fabricated to demonstrate the ability to store and deliver fluids on demand.
Collective quantum tunneling model of high-Tc superconductors

Abstract It is proposed that because of the existence of mixed valence and multipotential wells the electrons in high-T c superconductors are weakly localized and can tunnel through oxygen bridges. The microscopic origin of high-T c superconductivity is attributed to 4-particle (or higher order) quantum tunneling cyclic loops (QTCLs). As a result of strong correlations between neighboring QTCLs, we propose that superconductivity will occur if the connectivity of the loops creates an infinite cluster.
Ventricular tachycardia produced by a normally functioning AV sequential demand (DVI) pacemaker with “Committed” ventricular stimulation

A case of recurrent ventricular tachycardia produced by an asynchronous ventricular stimulus of a normally functioning “committed” atrioventricular (AV) sequential demand (DVI) pacemaker is described. The characteristics of these units are compared with those of the “noncommitted” type of AV sequential pacemaker. Caution is suggested in the use of committed DVI pacemakers in situations where ventricular vulnerability may occur.
Effect of vitamin D metabolites on calcitriol degradative enzymes in renal failure.

Effect of vitamin D metabolites on calcitriol degradative enzymes in renal failure. We have demonstrated that in renal failure calcitriol degradation is decreased and that administration of vitamin D metabolites increases the degradation. In this study, we measured intestinal 24- and 26-hydroxylase activities and the effects of chronic infusion (7 days) of vitamin D metabolites on these enzymes' activities in rats with experimental renal failure. The enzymatic activity of intestinal 24-hydroxylase, but not 26-hydroxylase, was significantly lower in renal failure rats compared to control sham operated rats. Replacement of calcitriol (3 ng/day) significantly increased 24-hydroxylase activity by 17% in rats with renal failure (P 3 (600 ng/day) and 24,25(OH) 2 D 3 (1 µg/day) reduced the conversion of calcitriol to 1,24,25(OH) 3 D 3 by more than 50% and to 1,25,26(OH) 3 D 3 by more than 38%, respectively. We conclude that calcitriol increased its own degradation in renal failure by increasing the enzymatic activities of both 24- and 26-hydroxylase. However, the mechanisms of increased calcitriol degradation by 25(OH)D 3 and 24,25(OH) 2 D 3 in renal failure remain unknown.
Synaptic transmission between rat spinal cord explants and dissociated superior cervical ganglion neurons in tissue culture.

Abstract Physiological properties of the synapses formed betweeen explants of spinal cord and dissociated autonomic ganglion neurons in tissue culture were studied using intracellular and extracellular stimulation and recording techniques (as well as iontophoresis) with a culture perfusion system allowing continuous microscopic observation during repeated changes of the bathing medium. The principal neurons of the superior cervical ganglion (SCGN) were dissociated from perinatal rats and the spinal cord explants were obtained from 15-day rat fetuses; these were allowed to mature for 3–10 weeks in co-culture. Recordings from over 1000 SCGN established that: (a) spontaneous small depolarizations and action potentials occurred in 20% of the SCGN studied, (b) the EPSPs observed in SCGN after spinal cord stimulation were sensitive to decreased Ca2+ and increased Mg2+, as well as to d -tubocurare, hexamethonium and mecamylamine, but not to atropine (at 10−6M concentration) or to the alpha-adrenergic blocking agents phentolamine or phenoxybenzamine; no potentiation of the EPSPs was seen with neostigmine or eserine, (c) acetylcholine directly applied to the SCGN was seen to mimic the responses seen after spinal cord stimulation; tetrodotoxin blocked both direct and iontophoretically fired action potentials, with only a suprathreshold acetylcholine potential remaining. These synapses were not sensitive to α-bungarotoxin. It is concluded that the synapses formed by spinal cord neurites on principal SCGN in tissue culture are nicotinic cholinergic, and that removal of the suprasegmental inputs in an analogous fashion to the fibrillation seen in denervated muscle fibers72. Alternatively, the spinal cord tissue may be more active due to the loss of supraspinal inhibitory influences8. The source of spontaneous synaptic activity observed in SCGN cultures after removal of the spinal cord explants or in pure SCGN networks64 (Wakshull and Burton, unpublished observations) must be propagated synaptic activity from other sympathetic neurons11,46,64. The origin of this activity may be intrinsic pacemaker-like responses in some SCGN. Direct recording of these intrinsic responses has not been obtained even in reduced Ca2+ medium, although this possibility still cannot be ruled out. No spontaneous potentials were noted in denervated frog41 and mammalian sympathetic ganglia54,56 but reinnervation, which occurs in culture, may impart some unknown instability to these neurons. Alternatively, some changes in the composition or flow of the medium may activate a response that then propagates through the synaptic networks in the culture eventually reaching the recorded neuron. This suggestion is tenable provided that the SCGN are synaptically connected in vitro to a great extent46.
Observation of strong azimuthal asymmetry between slow and fast particles from high energy nuclear collisions

Evidence is presented for the strong azimuthal asymmetry between slow and fast fragments in nuclear collisions in the energy interval of 0.4 to 1 GeV per nucleon. The asymmetry gets stronger when incident energy and impact parameter decrease. The results on theA dependence of the azimuthal asymmetry are also presented.
A novel CaSR mutation presenting as a severe case of neonatal familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia

Familial Hypocalciuric Hypercalcemia (FHH) is a generally benign disorder caused by heterozygous inactivating mutations in the Calcium-Sensing Receptor (CaSR) gene resulting in altered calcium metabolism. We report a case of unusually severe neonatal FHH due to a novel CaSR gene mutation that presented with perinatal fractures and moderate hypercalcemia. A female infant was admitted at 2 weeks of age for suspected non-accidental trauma (NAT). Laboratory testing revealed hypercalcemia (3.08 mmol/L), elevated iPTH (20.4 pmol/L) and low urinary calcium clearance (0.0004). Radiographs demonstrated multiple healing metaphyseal and rib fractures and bilateral femoral bowing. The femoral deformity and stage of healing were consistent with prenatal injuries rather than non-accidental trauma (NAT). Treatment was initiated with cholecalciferol, 400 IU/day, and by 6 weeks of age, iPTH levels had decreased into the high-normal range. Follow up radiographs demonstrated marked improvement of bone lesions by 3 months. A CaSR gene mutation study showed heterozygosity for a T>C nucleotide substitution at c.1664 in exon 6, resulting in amino acid change I555T in the extracellular domain consistent with a missense mutation. Her mother does not carry the mutation and the father is unknown. At 18 months of age, the child continues to have relative hyperparathyroidism and moderate hypercalcemia but is otherwise normal. This neonate with intrauterine fractures and demineralization, moderate hypercalcemia and hyperparathyroidism was found to have a novel inactivating missense mutation of the CaSR not detected in her mother. Resolution of bone lesions and reduction of hyperparathyroidism was likely attributable to the natural evolution of the disorder in infancy as well as the mitigating effect of cholecalciferol treatment.
Risk for infection following oral corticosteroid use in children with asthma♦ 44

To assess if one course of oral steroids increases the risk for bacterial infection in children with asthma, we used New York Medicaid data for children 2-15 yo with asthma. We made cohorts of oral steroid users and non-users, and determined the percentage of children in each cohort with antibiotic prescriptions filled in the 30 days after index dates. Index dates were dates oral steroids were started (for steroid users) or matched dates (for steroid non-users). Analyses adjusted for age, month of index date, and recent antibiotic use. Among children who did not receive antibiotics on their index dates, antibiotic prescriptions were filled in the next 30 days for 438 (20%) of 2,145 steroid non-users and 130 (19%) of 698 steroid users (p=NS); compared to non-users, oral steroid users had an adjusted odds ratio of subsequent antibiotic use of 0.92 (95% CI 0.73, 1.15). Among children who received antibiotics on their index dates, antibiotic prescriptions were filled in the next 30 days for 116 (26%) of 451 steroid non-users and 50 (19%) of 260 steroid users (p=0.05); compared to non-users, oral steroid users had an adjusted odds ratio of subsequent antibiotic use of 0.65 (95% CI 0.44, 0.97). Among children with asthma, one course of oral steroids is not associated with an increased use of antibiotics in the 30 days after the course is initiated, suggesting it does not increase the risk for bacterial infections. Compared to asthmatic children given antibiotics without oral steroids, asthmatic children given antibiotics when oral steroids are started have a lower rate of antibiotic use in the next 30 days, probably because of differences in the infections initially treated.
Streptococcal Pharyngitis: Is penicillin still the drug of choice?

With the advent of cephalosporins, penicillin appears to have lost some ground for treatment of Acute Group A Beta Hemolytic Streptococcal Pharyngitis. It has been argued for some time now whether penicillin should remain the drug of choice for the management of this infection. Evidence has been presented both in favour and against using penicillin for Group A beta hemolytic streptoccal (GABHS) pharyngotonsillitis. In this commentary, we review the available data in the current literature and conclude that penicillin should still remain the drug of first consideration for GABHS pharyngitis. If penicillin treatments were less effective now, the clinical and bacteriologic failure rates should be on the rise compared to the previous years.
The Silencing Effect of Canonicity: Authorship and the Written Word in Amy Tan's Novels

In the past twenty years, novels such as Maxine Hong Kingston's Woman Warrior, Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony, and works by an array of African American women writers have become relatively common occurrences on university syllabi. The inclusion of these female authored texts is often a function of their difference from the grand narratives of "traditional" American literature. University instructors and literary critics alike have tended to highlight traditionally oral forms of narration, especially women's oral story-telling, found in many of these ethnic women's texts as equal to the traditional grand narratives of Western literature. While the attention given to these authors has broadened our definitions and understanding of what we consider literary, it has at the same time highlighted these authors' difference to such an extent that they remain always in some respect outside of or in opposition to a traditional conception of the canon. In some cases, the effect of this limitation has been to valorize texts that fit into the neat models of what writing by ethnic American authors should do and has relegated writers who do not fit into these models to the outskirts of our critical interest. Thus, certain writers become naturalized as intrinsically important, while others are relegated to the realm of the popular.' In the realm of Asian American women's literature, we can see this exclusionary effect in discussions about Amy Tan's works. The criticism about Tan's works centers on the way that the
Hepatic uptake of proteins coupled to fetuin glycopeptide

Abstract The glycopeptides of fetuin and γ G immunoglobulin have been covalently linked to lysozyme and albumin with the coupling reagent toluene 2,4 diisocyanate. When the fetuin glycopeptide-protein compounds were treated with neuraminidase to remove sialic acid, and then injected into rats, the coupled compounds were rapidly and selectively removed from the circulation by the liver, most likely by the hepatocytes. Removal of the exposed galactose residues of the asialofetuin-proteins with β-galactosidase prevented this clearance. Neither the native proteins nor the γ G glycopeptide-proteins are taken up by the liver, demonstrating the specificity of the phenomenon. Once the asialofetuin-protein complexes enter the hepatocytes, they are degraded within two hours.
Is He Being Bad? Social and Language Brain Networks during Social Judgment in Children with Autism

Individuals with autism often violate social rules and have lower accuracy in identifying and explaining inappropriate social behavior. Twelve children with autism (AD) and thirteen children with typical development (TD) participated in this fMRI study of the neurofunctional basis of social judgment. Participants indicated in which of two pictures a boy was being bad (Social condition) or which of two pictures was outdoors (Physical condition). In the within-group Social–Physical comparison, TD children used components of mentalizing and language networks [bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and bilateral posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS)], whereas AD children used a network that was primarily right IFG and bilateral pSTS, suggesting reduced use of social and language networks during this social judgment task. A direct group comparison on the Social–Physical contrast showed that the TD group had greater mPFC, bilateral IFG, and left superior temporal pole activity than the AD group. No regions were more active in the AD group than in the group with TD in this comparison. Both groups successfully performed the task, which required minimal language. The groups also performed similarly on eyetracking measures, indicating that the activation results probably reflect the use of a more basic strategy by the autism group rather than performance disparities. Even though language was unnecessary, the children with TD recruited language areas during the social task, suggesting automatic encoding of their knowledge into language; however, this was not the case for the children with autism. These findings support behavioral research indicating that, whereas children with autism may recognize socially inappropriate behavior, they have difficulty using spoken language to explain why it is inappropriate. The fMRI results indicate that AD children may not automatically use language to encode their social understanding, making expression and generalization of this knowledge more difficult.
Magnaporthe grisea Pth11p Is a Novel Plasma Membrane Protein That Mediates Appressorium Differentiation in Response to Inductive Substrate Cues

Mutagenesis of Magnaporthe grisea strain 4091-5-8 led to the identification of PTH11, a pathogenicity gene predicted to encode a novel transmembrane protein. We localized a Pth11-green fluorescent protein fusion to the cell membrane and vacuoles. pth11 mutants of strain 4091-5-8 are nonpathogenic due to a defect in appressorium differentiation. This defect is reminiscent of wild-type strains on poorly inductive surfaces; conidia germinate and undergo early differentiation events, but appressorium maturation is impaired. Functional appressoria are formed by pth11 mutants at 10 to 15% of wild-type frequencies, suggesting that the protein encoded by PTH11 (Pth11p) is not required for appressorium morphogenesis but is involved in host surface recognition. We assayed Pth11p function in multiple M. grisea strains. These experiments indicated that Pth11p can activate appressorium differentiation in response to inductive surface cues and repress differentiation on poorly inductive surfaces and that multiple signaling pathways mediate differentiation. PTH11 genes from diverged M. grisea strains complemented the 4091-5-8 pth11 mutant, indicating functional conservation. Exogenous activation of cellular signaling suppressed pth11 defects. These findings suggest that Pth11p functions at the cell cortex as an upstream effector of appressorium differentiation in response to surface cues.
Reflections on Active Networking

Abstract : Interactions among telecommunications networks, computers, and other peripheral devices have been of interest since the earliest distributed computing systems. A key architectural question is the location (and nature) of programmability. One perspective, that examined in this paper, is that network elements should be as programmable as possible, in order to build the most flexible distributed computing systems. This paper presents my personal view of the history of programmable networking over the last two decades, and in the spirit of "vox audita perit, littera scripta manet", includes an account of how what is now called "Active Networking" came into being. It demonstrates the deep roots Active Networking has in the programming languages, networking and operating systems communities, and shows how interdisciplinary approaches can have impacts greater than the sums of their parts. Lessons are drawn both from the broader research agenda, and the specific goals pursued in the SwitchWare project. I close by speculating on possible futures for Active Networking.
Broadband macromodeling of sampled frequency data using z-domain vector-fitting method

The vector-fitting algorithm has been used as the main macromodeling tool for approximating frequency domain responses of complex interconnects and electrical packages [Gustavsen and Semlyen, 1999]. In this paper, a new methodology is proposed to fit transfer functions of frequency response data obtained from numerical electromagnetic simulation or measured frequency-domain or time-domain response data. This new method, z-domain vector- fitting (ZDVF), is a formulation of vector-fitting method in the Z domain; it has an advantage of faster convergence and better numerical stability compared to the s-domain vector-fitting method (VF). The fast convergence of the method reduces the overall macromodel generation time. The accuracy, numerical stability and convergence speed of VF and ZDVF are compared. Examples are provided to demonstrate the advantage of the ZDVF.
Adaptive steering control for uncertain vehicle dynamics with crosswind effects and steering angle constraints

Automatic steering control has a direct impact on satisfaction of various vehicle performance requirements including obstacle avoidance, lane tracking accuracy, and passenger comfort. The presence of unknown vehicle dynamics in steering applications requires a robust control design potentially reducing the unexpected effects of uncertain driving conditions and minimizing vehicle path deviations in case particularly strong lateral forces are experienced. Among the issues which remain to be addressed are possible design conflicts between steering angle limitations and vehicle stability. We present an adaptive steering controller for uncertain vehicle dynamics subject to input constraints without compromising system safety under changing road conditions and crosswind effects. The proposed yaw rate control strategy is shown to yield improvements in the steering performance despite the uncertain vehicle mass and velocity in addition to unknown road adhesion factor. Several maneuvering scenarios are simulated to verify the effectiveness of our control design approach.
Genomic Test Validation for Incidental Findings

In March of 2013, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) issued recommendations for the reporting of incidental findings produced by clinical exome and genome sequencing (1, 2). This guideline on incidental findings has been controversial, because the recommendations are a departure from previous ethical concepts of patient autonomy and the reporting of adult-onset disease in children (3–5). One aspect of the incidental-findings guideline that has not been discussed is the lack of required analytical validation for the reporting of a subset of pathogenic variants known to cause severe disease. Analytical validation of any clinical test is critical before its implementation. In the case of genetic testing, clinical laboratories should neither interpret nor report sequence changes that have not been previously validated. More importantly, test results that do not meet the minimum requirements of analytical performance should not be used for clinical decision-making. The ethical concerns raised by the general clinical community in response to the incidental-findings guideline are justified. The clinical laboratory community must specifically consider the ethical and regulatory implications of returning life-changing results from tests that have not been analytically validated or have not met the minimal quality standards established by the laboratory. The incidental-findings guideline was based on a working group appointed by the ACMG. The guideline is for clinical exome/genome laboratories to report a limited number of pathogenic DNA variants; there are 57 genes in the current guideline. The criteria on which the selection of genes was based include only “unequivocally pathogenic mutations in genes where pathogenic variants lead to disease with very high probability and …
γ-Glutamyl Transpeptidase in Lactating Mammary Secretory Tissue of Cow and Rat

Abstract Lactating cow and rat tissues were examined for γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. The specificity of the enzyme for various amino acid acceptors was determined for mammary tissue. The relative specific activity of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase was high in cow mammary tissue and lower in rat mammary tissue in relation to the activity in kidney of the respective mammals. However, activity per gram wet weight of mammary tissues appeared equivalent. γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase activity towards specific amino acids agreed with the percent extractions of these amino acids by the mammary gland of the lactating cow in vivo. We believe this is the first evidence of a possible system of amino acid transport by mammary tissues.
Supporting membrane shape instability in the presence of strongly adsorbed flexible polymers

Strongly adsorbed polymers are shown to undergo an isotropic-nematic surface-ordering transition as a consequence of interactions mediated by the supporting elastic membrane. Depending on the elastic coupling ratio between the membrane and polymer elasticity, the supporting membrane can concurrently undergo a transition into either preferred saddle or tubular shapes. It is argued that this scenario is relevant for the initial stages of the DNA-cationic liposome interactions.
A stochastic automaton-based algorithm for flexible and distributed network partitioning

This paper proposes a flexible stochastic automaton-based network partitioning algorithm that is capable of #nd-ing the optimal k-way partition with respect to a broad range of cost functions, and given various constraints, in directed and weighted graphs. Further, this iterative algorithm requires only local computation, with respect to the graph. Hence, by incorporating a distributed stopping criterion, we have been able to solve certain partitioning problems in a totally distributed manner. In this article, this influence model-based partitioning algorithm is motivated and introduced, and is shown to #nd the optimal partition for a large class of problems. Also, a conceptual discussion of why the algorithm might be expected to #nd good partitions quickly is included, and the performance of the algorithm is illustrated through examples. Applications in partitioning distributed communicating-agent networks, sensor systems, and power grids are discussed.
P02.80. Safety and feasibility of modified chair-yoga on functional outcome among seniors at risk for falls

Results Among sixteen seniors (median age of 88) with a previous history of falls, 87% provided data for assessment at the end of the intervention. Two patients withdrew, one due to a fall outside the institution and the other due to lack of time and interest. There were no adverse events during the yoga sessions. Paired-t tests compared pre-post changes and gains were noted in Fear of Falling (5.27 to 2.60; p=0.029) and the SPPB sit to stand subscale (0.31 to 1.00; p=.022). Improved trends were noted in the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (6.10 to 4.86, p=.072) and the Timed Up and Go (22.57 to 18.97, p= 0.052) assessments. Conclusion We found the modified chair-yoga program is safe and recruitment is feasible. To provide a skillful framework for teaching yoga to seniors, specific principles of practice are important to ensure safety of this intervention. Our data suggest that yoga may be beneficial in improving mobility and reducing fear of falling which warrants additional research via randomized controlled trials.
Trend of Age at First Calving

Mean ages at first calving were computed from over 6 million cow records from 1960 through 1982 for six breeds. Average Jerseys first calved at 26.18 mo compared with 28.75 mo for Ayrshires. Other breed means were intermediate: Holsteins, 27.52 mo; Guernseys, 27.72 mo; Brown Swiss, 28.04 mo; and Milking Shorthorns, 28.11 mo. Mean age at first calving in 1982 was .16 to .32 mo less than for all data. Standard deviations of annual mean ages were similar and ranged from 3.23 to 3.67 mo for the 138 breed-year means. Frequency distributions for calving ages were skewed to the left. Cows born from January through March were about .5 mo older at first calving than those born in August and September for most breeds. Annual means did not show a significant trend although all breeds had highest means around 1976 and regressions of age on year of -.075 to -.111 mo per year for 1976 through 1982. Heifer fertility as indicated by age at first calving did not appear to change over 23 yr.
Borehole temperatures and tree rings: Seasonality and estimates of extratropical Northern Hemispheric warming

Received 28 February 2005; revised 18 July 2005; accepted 24 August 2005; published 14 October 2005. [1] We construct an extratropical reduced temperature–depth profile for land areas north of 20N latitude from the global borehole temperature database compiled for climate reconstruction. The mean reduced temperature profile compares well with a time series constructed from an initial baseline temperature (0.6 ±0 .1C) and the last 140 years of gridded annual surface air temperature data diffused into the ground. This analysis yields a root-mean-square misfit of only 15 mK and indicates warming of 1.1C over the past 500 years. In contrast, a tree ring analysis from the same area (Briffa et al., 2001) indicates considerably less warming over the same time period. The recognition that tree rings correlate most strongly with warm season temperatures (April–September), while boreholes reflect annual temperatures, offers an explanation for the discrepancy in warming estimates. This analysis yields a reconstruction of surface temperature over the past 500 years that is consistent with both the borehole and tree ring analysis and also provides an estimate of long-term cold season temperature. We estimate that continental extratropical Northern Hemisphere annual and cold season (October–March) temperatures have warmed by 0.2 ±0 .1C and 0.3 ±0 .3C, respectively, between 1500 and 1856, prior to the start of the instrumental surface air temperature record.
Cell Death Serves as a Single Etiological Cause of a Wide Spectrum of Congenital Urinary Tract Defects

Purpose: We genetically disrupted the wolffian duct in mice to study the affected organogenesis processes and to test the hypothesis that cell loss can be the developmental basis for a wide spectrum of congenital anomalies in the kidney and urinary tract.Materials and Methods: We used Hoxb7-Cre transgenic lines (HC1 and HC2) to induce diphtheria toxin production from a ROSADTA allele, disrupting the wolffian duct and derivatives.Results: The first set of mutants (HC1;ROSADTA/+) exhibited agenesis of the kidney, ureter and reproductive tracts. The second set of mutants (HC2;ROSADTA/+) exhibited diverse defects, including renal agenesis/hypoplasia, hydronephrosis, hydroureter, ureter-vas deferens fistulas in males and ureter-oviduct/uterus fistulas in females. The phenotypic differences correspond to the degree of apoptosis induced caudal truncation of the wolffian duct, which is less severe and more variable in HC2;ROSADTA/+ mice. Whenever the wolffian duct failed to reach the urogenital sinus, the ureter ...
Overexpression of Full-Length Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein in SW872 Cells Reduces Lipid Accumulation

Cells produce two cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) isoforms, full-length and a shorter variant produced by alternative splicing. Blocking synthesis of both isoforms disrupts lipid metabolism and storage. To further define the role of CETP in cellular lipid metabolism, we stably overexpressed full-length CETP in SW872 cells. These CETP+ cells had several-fold higher intracellular CETP and accumulated 50% less TG due to a 26% decrease in TG synthesis and 2.5-fold higher TG turnover rate. Reduced TG synthesis was due to decreased fatty acid uptake and impaired conversion of diglyceride to TG even though diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity was normal. Sterol-regulatory element binding protein 1 mRNA levels were normal, and although PPARγ expression was reduced, the expression of several of its target genes including adipocyte triglyceride lipase, FASN, and APOE was normal. CETP+ cells contained smaller lipid droplets, consistent with their higher levels of perilipin protein family (PLIN) 3 compared with PLIN1 and PLIN2. Intracellular CETP was mostly associated with the endoplasmic reticulum, although CETP near lipid droplets poorly colocalized with this membrane. A small pool of CETP resided in the cytoplasm, and a subfraction coisolated with lipid droplets. These data show that overexpression of full-length CETP disrupts lipid homeostasis resulting in the formation of smaller, more metabolically active lipid droplets.
El fin del antiguo régimen agrario chileno (1955-1965)

Este articulo analiza la estructura agraria del sistema hacendal chileno durante el periodo inmediato anterior a la aplicacion de la reforma agraria (1955-1965). Observa la transicion al capitalismo agrario moderno, el desarrollo agricola y la cuestion de la tierra. Argumenta que dicho sistema monopolizaba la mayoria de los recursos agricolas en Chile, de manera especial la propiedad de la tierra. Sostieneque desde 1930 en adelante, el desempeno de la agricultura estuvo en franco estancamiento.Ademas, sugiere que la razon principal de este retraso agricola radicaba en la incapacidaddel sistema hacendal para transformarse en un moderno sistema agrario.
The Rhetoric of Huey P. Newton

Popular and scholarly approaches emphasizing the radicality of Huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party neglect the more traditional aspects of Newton's rhetorical vision. Specifically, I analyze Newton's 1970 address to the Revolutionary Peoples Constitutional Convention as a hallmark jeremiad. This analysis illustrates the conventional aspects of Newton's discourse as well as the amenability of the jeremiad to arguments for substantial social change.
Biological Response Modifiers for the Therapy of Metastases

A wide variety of biological response modifiers, with the ability to affect a diverse range of host resistance mechanisms, have considerable potential for the treatment of tumor metastases (1). Several biological response modifying approaches were discussed in detail in other manuscripts in this proceedings. Therefore, the emphasis here will be on alternative approaches which have yielded promising results.
Investment Banking: Immediate Challenges and Future Directions

This article discusses the organizational nature of the integrated (or full-service) investment bank, the incidence of conflicts of interest in the financial services industry and the role and effectiveness of information barriers such as Chinese walls as an arrangement for managing conflicts. The paper also describes the growing importance to investment banks of proprietary trading and principal investing, the conflicts of interest that they can produce, and the recent responses of financial regulators to these developments. The paper was presented at a discussion forum involving senior investment bankers, lawyers and scholars in August 2006, organized against the backdrop of litigation recently brought by Australia's financial regulator against a major investment bank for alleged conflicts of interest and insider trading.
One-dimensional penetration of molten UO/sub 2/ into substrate limestone concrete

An experimental study of the downward penetration of molten UO/sub 2/ into substrate limestone concrete was conducted. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively understand penetration of UO/sub 2/ into concrete and the dissolution nature of concrete constituents in UO/sub 2/. 11 refs.
Mapping Your Network

This exercise is designed to help students and professionals map their professional networks and to identify areas of strength and weakness in their networks. "Network" refers to the set of relationships that is critical to someone's ability to learn new skills and competencies, get things done, advance in his or her career, and develop personally and professionally. The exercise takes 15-20 minutes to complete.