cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carotid-radial pulse wave velocity responses following hyperemia in patients with congestive heart failure.

Abstract Carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (PWV) normally decreases following hyperemia and is an indicator of vasodilator reserve. This response is impaired in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). To identify specific factors related to an impaired response, we studied 50 patients (60 ± 14 years, 67% male) with chronic CHF. Baseline PWV was measured using applanation tonometry and repeated 1 minute after release of upper arm occlusion for 5 minutes. Percentage changes (Δ) of PWV were normally distributed and mean ΔPWV was −2.2 ± 15.3%. On univariate analyses, ΔPWV correlated with New York Heart Association class, mean arterial pressure, log brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, and baseline PWV, but not with left ventricular ejection fraction. Multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated log BNP levels, mean arterial pressure, and baseline PWV (all P
Extracellular ascorbate modulates glutamate dynamics: Role of behavioral activation

A physiological increase in extracellular ascorbate (AA), an antioxidant vitamin found throughout the striatum, elevates extracellular glutamate (GLU). To determine the role of behavioral arousal in this interaction, microdialysis was used to measure striatal GLU efflux in rats tested in either a lights-off or lights-on condition while reverse dialysis either maintained the concentration of AA at 250 μM or increased it to 1000 μM to approximate endogenous changes. When lights were off, both locomotion and GLU increased regardless of AA dose. In contrast, animals in the lights-on condition were behaviorally inactive, and infusion of 1000, but not 250, μM AA significantly increased extracellular GLU. Interestingly, when ambient light returned to the lights-off group, 1000 μM prolonged the GLU increase relative to the 250 μM group. Our results not only support evidence that elevated striatal AA increases extracellular GLU but also indicate that this effect depends on behavioral state and the corresponding level of endogenous GLU release.
Labeled albumin aggregates for detection of clots

Macroaggregates of albumin can be used to detect the presence of endothelial damage or clot surfaces in patients with suspected intravenous thrombosis. The method shows very few negatives when contrast venography is positive. It is recommended for use as a screening procedure: accuracy may be improved by combining the static scans of particle retention with flow studies indicating the pathways of flow. The mechanism for particle localization appears to be based either on adhesion, electrostatic forces, or less likely, mechanical entrapment. Localization of arterial lesions or capillary endothelial lesions, as in rejecting kidneys, are different manifestations of the same phenomenon. There appears to be a similarity of behavior of particles to platelets, suggesting that there may be common mechanisms to localization of both.
The role of calcium in UVB-induced damage in irradiated ocular lenses.

— The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of altered calcium homeostasis in the development of irreversible membrane damage in the UVB-irradiated ocular lens. In particular, experiments were designed to determine whether restricting calcium influx could prevent membrane damage that typically leads to ion imbalances and lens opacification following short-term exposure to ultraviolet light (UVB). The influx of calcium was reduced by culturing lenses in a low-calcium culture medium containing 0.3 mM Ca2+ rather than physiological concentrations of 1.6 mM. This low-calcium protocol retarded calcium accumulation in UVB-irradiated lenses for 2 days of culture, and opacification was delayed by 24 h. Loss of transparency did occur during the second day of culture, but more slowly than in irradiated lenses cultured in normal-calcium medium. Membrane damage was assessed by evaluating loss in cation transport activity, assessed by measuring 86Rb uptake into cultured lenses. Uptake was markedly inhibited in UVB-irradiated lenses and low-calcium culture did not prevent this inhibition of cation transport, a finding that explains why low-calcium protocol did not help maintain sodium homeostasis in irradiated lenses. Inhibition of cation transport and sodium accumulation eventually caused lens hydration and light scattering during extended culture in the absence of significant calcium elevation. Additional experiments were done to establish whether initial damage sustained by membranes could be repaired through the biosynthesis of new membrane proteins. Incorporation of 14C-histidine in membranes of the UVB-exposed lens was measured to assess membrane synthesis essential for repairing membrane damage. The rate of membrane protein synthesis, assessed by measuring incorporation of labeled amino acids, declined in UVB cataract, despite the prevention of calcium accumulation. These results suggest that one explanation for irreversible gain in sodium and calcium content accompanying opacification is the inability of lenses to replenish damaged membrane proteins comprising ion channels or transporters.
Splitting methods for decision tree induction: An exploration of the relative performance of two entropy-based families

Decision tree (DT) induction is among the more popular of the data mining techniques. An important component of DT induction algorithms is the splitting method, with the most commonly used method being based on the Conditional Entropy (CE) family. However, it is well known that there is no single splitting method that will give the best performance for all problem instances. In this paper we explore the relative performance of the Conditional Entropy family and another family that is based on the Class-Attribute Mutual Information (CAMI) measure. Our results suggest that while some datasets are insensitive to the choice of splitting methods, other datasets are very sensitive to the choice of splitting methods. For example, some of the CAMI family methods may be more appropriate than the popular Gain Ratio (GR) method for datasets which have nominal predictor attributes, and are competitive with the GR method for those datasets where all predictor attributes are numeric. Given that it is never known beforehand which splitting method will lead to the best DT for a given dataset, and given the relatively good performance of the CAMI methods, it seems appropriate to suggest that splitting methods from the CAMI family should be included in data mining toolsets.
Moral and Spiritual Inquiry in the Academic Classroom: A Featured Lecture for the 2006 Institute on College Student Values

College and university professors can provide many opportunities for students to search for meaning and purpose in their own lives. This lecture addresses how faculty can promote examination of students’ own values and beliefs in the academic classroom.
An integrative approach to understanding host–parasitoid population dynamics in real landscapes

Many of our advances regarding the spatial ecology of predators and prey have been attributed to research with insect parasitoids and their hosts. Host–parasitoid systems are ideal for spatial-ecological studies because of the small size of the organisms, the often discrete distribution of their resources, and the relative ease with which host mortality from parasitoids can be determined. We outline an integrated approach to studying host–parasitoid interactions in heterogeneous natural landscapes. This approach involves conducting experiments to obtain critically important information on dispersal and boundary behavior of the host and parasitoid, large-scale manipulations of landscape structure to reveal the impacts of landscape change on host–parasitoid interactions and temporal population dynamics, and the development of spatially realistic, behavior-based landscape models. The dividends from such an integrative approach are far reaching, as is illustrated in our research on the prairie planthopper Prokelisia crocea and its egg parasitoid Anagrus columbi that occurs in the tall-grass prairies of North America. Here, we describe the population structure of this system which is based on a long-term survey of planthoppers and parasitoids among host–plant patches. We also outline novel approaches to experimentally quantify and model the movement and boundary behavior of animals in general. The value of this information is revealed in a landscape-level field experiment that was designed to test predictions about how landscape change affects the spatial and temporal population dynamics of the host and parasitoid. Finally, with these empirical data as the foundation, we describe novel simulation models that are spatially realistic and behavior based. Drawing from this integrated approach and case study, we identify key research questions for the future.
Risk management and the landfill in hazardous waste disposal

Abstract Amidst the current dialogue surrounding drives at state and federal levels to ban the use of landfills for certain hazardous wastes, it is easy to lose
An improved method for utilization of peptide substrates for antibody characterization and enzymatic assays

Synthetic peptides have become an important tool in antibody production and enzyme characterization. The small size of peptides, however, has hindered their use in assays systems, such as Western blots, and as immunogens. Here, we present a facile method to improve the properties of peptides for multiple applications by ligating the peptides to intein-generated carrier proteins. The stoichiometric ligation of peptide and carrier achieved by intein-mediated protein ligation (IPL) results in the ligation product migrating as a single band on a SDS-PAGE gel. The carrier proteins, HhaI methylase (M.HhaI) and maltose-binding protein (MBP), were ligated to various peptides; the ligated carrier-peptide products gave sharp, reproducible bands when used as positive controls for antibodies raised against the same peptides during Western blot analysis. We further show that ligation of the peptide antigens to a different thioester-tagged carrier protein, paramyosin, produced immunogens for the production of antisera in rabbits or mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate the generation of a substrate for enzymatic assays by ligating a peptide containing the phosphorylation site for Abl protein tyrosine kinase to a carrier protein. This carrier-peptide protein was used as a kinase substrate that could easily be tested for phosphorylation using a phosphotyrosine antibody in Western blot analysis. These techniques do not require sophisticated equipment, reagents, or skills thereby providing a simple method for research and development.
Development and validation of a material-labeling method for powder process characterization using X-ray computed tomography

Abstract The material-labeling method presented in this paper, coupled with X-ray computed tomography (XRCT), allows in situ non-invasive 3D characterization of certain pharmaceutical processes using relevant materials and process geometry. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC, Celphere) particles were used in experiments, and lead (II) acetate trihydrate was used to label the MCC particles because it has both high water solubility and high X-ray attenuation coefficient. A 0.5-M lead acetate solution was used to impregnate the Celphere particles, and thus to deliver sufficient contrast in the XRCT shadow images. Selected physical properties of the impregnated particles were examined and found to be similar to the as-received material. The mixture of Pb-impregnated and as-received Celphere particles constituted a model pharmaceutical system to investigate die compaction and blending. Lead impregnation allows particles of low atomic weight to become visually traceable on XRCT by enhancing their X-ray absorption. For the compaction study, the in-die positions of Pb-impregnated particles were monitored as a function of compaction pressure. For the mixing study, a linear correlation between the gray scale of the cross-section images and the percentage of Pb-impregnated particles in the mixture was demonstrated. Two different initial fill configurations were compared: column-filling and layer-filling. Results show that the layer-filled configuration leads to better mixing than the column-filled configuration.
Improving power in genetic-association studies via wavelet transformation

Background A key to increasing the power of multilocus association tests is to reduce the number of degrees of freedom by suppressing noise from data. One of the difficulties is to decide how much noise to suppress. An often overlooked problem is that commonly used association tests based on genotype data cannot utilize the genetic information contained in spatial ordering of SNPs (see proof in the Appendix), which may prevent them from achieving higher power.
Nanowire Nanosensors for Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Biological and Chemical Species

Boron-doped silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were used to create highly sensitive, real-time electrically based sensors for biological and chemical species. Amine- and oxide-functionalized SiNWs exhibit pH-dependent conductance that was linear over a large dynamic range and could be understood in terms of the change in surface charge during protonation and deprotonation. Biotin-modified SiNWs were used to detect streptavidin down to at least a picomolar concentration range. In addition, antigen-functionalized SiNWs show reversible antibody binding and concentration-dependent detection in real time. Lastly, detection of the reversible binding of the metabolic indicator Ca2+ was demonstrated. The small size and capability of these semiconductor nanowires for sensitive, label-free, real-time detection of a wide range of chemical and biological species could be exploited in array-based screening and in vivo diagnostics.
Multipoint measurements in optically dense media by using two-photon excited fluorescence and a fiber-optic star coupler

Abstract Optical multiplexing with an N × N fiber optic star coupler (with N =3, 4, or 8) and two-photon excited fluorescence is used to achieve multipoint measurements in highly absorbing environments. Differentiation of fluorescence signals from various sampling points was attained by implementing the time-of-flight characteristics of fiber light-guides. Because the transit time of a light pulse through a fiber optic depends largely on the length of the fiber waveguide, fibers of various lengths permit discrimination of the different sampling points in time. With the help of nanosecond time-resolved detection, it was possible to determine the concentration information at several sensing locations simultaneously. Calibration graphs for 2-(1-napththyl)-5-phenyloxazole were linear for all sizes of star coupler, with submillimolar detection limits. Nonlinear excitation of dopants inside the fiber core resulted in an emission signal that depended quadratically on laser power and, as such, was used as an “internal” sensor to correct for power-squared source fluctuations.
Biosynthesis of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase subunits upon release of rifampicin inhibition.

Upon release of rifampicin inhibition of Escherichia coli cells, the initiation of transcription will resume. The sequential resumption of the synthesis of proteins after release of rifampicin inhibition reflects the genetic order and size of the corresponding transcriptional units. We have used this approach to analyze whether the genes for α and σ are on the same transcriptional unit as the gens for β and β′, employing a method, which allowed us to measure the amounts of RNA polymerase subunits, α, β, β′ and σ in crude extracts. We have found that the α and σ subunits are synthesized concurrently with the β subunit in the rifampicin restart experiment, which suggests that the genes for α and σ belongs to different transcriptional units.
Infarction induced myocardial apoptosis and ARC activation.

Background Apoptosis is thought to play a role in infarction induced ventricular remodeling. Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) has been shown to limit cardiomyocytes apoptosis; however, its role in the pathogenesis of heart failure is not established. This study examines the regional and temporal relationships of apoptosis, ARC, and remodeling. Methods Myocardium was harvested from the infarct borderzone and remote regions of the left ventricle (LV) at 2 ( n = 8), 8 ( n = 6), and 32 ( n = 5) wk after MI. Activated ARC was compared with myocardial apoptosis in each region at each time. Both were then compared with the progression of remodeling. Results LV systolic volume increased by a factor 1.56 ± 0.06 and 2.09 ± 0.07 at 2 and 8 wk, respectively then stabilized by 32 wk (2.08 ± 0.18). Activated ARC was elevated at 2 wk, diminished at 8 wk, and increased again at 32 wk in both regions. Apoptosis was elevated at 2 wk, and further increased at 8 wk. By 32 wk, apoptosis had diminished significantly. Conclusions In a large animal infarction model, remodeling varied directly with the degree of apoptosis and inversely with ARC activation, suggesting that ARC acts as a natural regulatory phenomenon that limits apoptosis induced ventricular remodeling.
Dream Imagery Becomes More Intense After 9/11/01

We examined a series of twenty dreams—the last ten dreams recorded before 9/11/01 and the first ten dreams recorded after 9/11/01—from each of sixteen individuals in the United States who regularly record all their dreams. Blind scoring using established scales demonstrated that dreams after 9/11/01 were characterized by more intense imagery, but were not longer nor more “dreamlike,” compared to data before 9/11/01. The dreams after 9/11/01 did not contain significantly more content related to the attacks. The results show that traumatic events such as the attacks of 9/11/01 have a detectable effect on dreams—specifically an increase in dream image intensity—in a population of dream recorders. Whether this finding can be generalized to the entire population is not clear from this preliminary study. The results of this study are consistent with previous findings that dream image intensity is related to emotional arousal.
Contextual Thematic Group Treatment for Individuals With Dementia

Abstract Purpose: Group treatment for individuals with dementia is an option to target activity and participation for residents in long-term care facilities to engage them in meaningful conversatio...
Influence of acid and phosphate on metastatic calcification.

Summary1. Rats fed high calcium, high phosphorus, acid or alternating acid and alkaline diets for a period of 15 days, show extensive soft tissue calcification, confirming previous experiments by others. 2. With acid or alternating diets high in calcium but not rich in phosphorus, no calcification takes place. 3. With an acid diet rich in phosphorus but without added calcium, calcification does not occur. 4. Neutral or alkaline diets rich in calcium and phosphorus do not result in calcium deposition. 5. An excess of calcium phosphorus and acid is necessary for the production of metastatic calcification under the conditions of these experiments. Neither acidity nor rapid alternation between acidity and alkalinity is sufficient to cause significant calcification unless both calcium and phosphorus are present in excess. 6. The presence of iron was demonstrated wherever calcium deposits occurred.
5f state interaction with inner coordination sphere ligands: Es3+ ion fluorescence in aqueous and organic phases☆

Abstract The interaction between the 5f electron states of the Es 3+ ion and coordinated ligands in solution was probed using laser-induced fluorescence. The aquo-Es 3+ ion was observed to fluoresce from its first excited J = 5 state in a broad band peaking at 9260 cm −1 . The observed fluorescence lifetimes were 1.05 us and 2.78 μs in H 2 O and D 2 O (minimum isotopic purity, 99 at.% D) respectively. The non-radiative decay rates derived from the lifetime data are compared with previously reported data for hydrated Cm 3+ , Sm 3+ , Eu 3+ , Tb 3+ and Dy 3+ ions. The 5f actinide states exhibit substantially greater non-radiative decay rates than do lanthanide 4f states with a similar energy gap. This provides evidence that actinide 5f electrons interact more strongly with their inner coordination sphere than do lanthanide ion 4f electrons. The fluorescence lifetime of Es 3+ complexed with 1 formal (1g formula weight (1 mol) dissolved in sufficient solvent to give 1 dm 3+ of solution) di(2-ethylhexyl)orthophosphoric acid in n -heptane was 2.34 μs.
Pharmacologic action of scorpion venom on intestinal smooth muscle

Abstract Venom from the scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus Ewing caused stimulation of visceral smooth muscle. Venom, added to isolated gut preparations of the rat ascending colon, rabbit duodenum, and guinea pig ileum, initially caused a reduction in spontaneous activity which was followed by an increase in baseline (tonus). Later slow rhythmic contractions developed. Atropine sulfate prevented the initial, but not the delayed, contractions. Hexamethonium chloride, a ganglionic blocking agent, failed to alter the activity of venom in the guinea pig ileum. Therefore, no ganglionic stimulating action of venom was demonstrated. Low concentrations of calcium in the Tyrode's solution reduced the responsiveness of rat colon to venom. All tissues tested became refractory to venom after an initial exposure.
Glucosamine sulfate might have no effect on pain or structural changes associated with osteoarthritis.

Clinical trials of glucosamine for the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis have produced conflicting results that seem to correlate with the form of glucosamine used. Trials of glucosamine hydrochloride have produced data indicating that this form of glucosamine is no more efficacious than placebo. Trials that have demonstrated a good efficacy of glucosamine are those that tested glucosamine sulfate, and are limited almost exclusively to those carried out by Rottapharm, a producer of one brand of glucosamine sulfate. Rozendaal et al. recently performed a well-designed, 2-year, randomized, double-blind clinical trial that tested glucosamine sulfate (compared with matched placebo) in patients with hip osteoarthritis. Although the authors did not use the Rottapharm product, they did use a regimen suggested by Rottapharm as being efficacious. The Rozendaal et al. trial found no effect of glucosamine sulfate on either pain or X-ray-detected structural changes associated with hip osteoarthritis. This study persuasively challenges claims that glucosamine acts as a disease modifier and that it alleviates pain. More publicly funded trials are needed, especially those of the Rottapharm glucosamine sulfate compound.
"Still Glides The Stream": Form And Function In Wordsworth'S River Duddon Sonnets

(2002). 'Still Glides The Stream': Form And Function In Wordsworth'S River Duddon Sonnets. European Romantic Review: Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 449-464.
Isolation and Identification of Volatile Compounds from Glassine Packages

The volatile flavor compounds in glassine packages were characterized using headspace concentration technique and GC/MS. The major compounds identified were 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, 3,3-di-methyl-4-hydroxybutanal, and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate. Compounds representing hydrocarbons, alcohols, and phthalates were also identified. The majority of these compounds could be attributed to residues from the lacquer applied to the glassine paper as a curable coating.
Cuticular lipids of insects—X. Normal and branched alkanes from the surface of the grasshopper Schistocerca americana

Abstract 1. 1. Normal alkanes and methyl branched alkanes make up over 80% of the cuticular lipid extract of third instar case skin, fifth instar cast skin and adult cuticular lipids of Schistocerca americana . 2. 2. Methyl branched alkanes comprise over 70% of the hydrocarbons and are internally branched monomethyl-, dimethyl- and trimethylalkanes. 3. 3. There are qualitative and quantitative differences in the hydrocarbons of S. americana, S. vaga and S. gregaria but there are also a number of similarities that are discussed.
The school principal's role in teacher professional development

Abstract School principals exercise significant influence on teacher professional development. We identify four areas where principals have the opportunity to have a substantial impact on teacher learning. These include: 1. the principal as an instructional leader and learner; 2. the creation of a learning environment; 3. direct involvement in the design, delivery and content of professional development; and 4. the assessment of professional development outcomes.
Cathode phenomena in a low-power magnetoplasmadynamic thruster

Mass-loss and surface-temperature measurements, filter photography, and scanning electron microscope surface characterization were used to study cathode phenomena in a steady-state, self-field magnetoplasmadynamic thruster operated at power levels between 15 and 30 kW. The steady-state cathode temperature was found to be above 3000 K over most of its length, and evaporation and simple thermionic emission adequately explained the measured erosion rates and current levels. The steady-state cathode power balance was dominated by electron cooling and radiation. The arc ignition phase was found to last approximately 2 s and was characterized by spot current attachment with associated high erosion rates.
The Gospel according to the Jesus seminar

This article is an assessment of the work of the highly publicized Jesus Seminar, directed by Robert W. Funk, as published in The Five Gospels (Macmillan, 1993). This work attempts to answer the question, What did Jesus really say? In the article the Seminar's project is put into its context in the history of modem 'quests of the historical Jesus', and its work is then assessed as to methodology, historical presuppositions, the Jesus' Seminar's translation of the five gospels (the canonical four plus Thomas), and its interpretation of the 18% of the Jesus tradition that they assign to the historical Jesus. In the concluding observations it is shown that this project, while claiming to be free of theological bias, is in fact ideologically driven.
Vehicle Backup Alarm Localization (or Not): Effects of Passive and Electronic Hearing Protectors, Ambient Noise Level, and Backup Alarm Spectral Content

A parametric human factors experiment employed a hemi-anechoic sound field in which listeners were required to localize a vehicular backup alarm warning signal in 360-degrees azimuth. Measures of localization performance included: 1) percentage correct localization, 2) percentage left/right localization errors, 3) percentage front/rear localization errors, and 4) the absolute deviation in degrees from the alarm's location. In summary, the data demonstrated that normal hearing listeners did not improve in their ability to localize the backup alarm warning signal in 360-degrees azimuth when wearing augmented hearing protectors (including dichotic sound transmission earmuffs, flat attenuation earplugs, and level-dependent earplugs), as compared to when wearing conventional passive earmuffs or earplugs of the foam or flanged types. Furthermore, a diotic sound transmission earmuff resulted in the poorest localization. Localization was also degraded in 90 dBA pink noise, as compared to the relatively quiet cond...
Pleiotropy of tumor necrosis factor-α in C2C12 myotubes: in vitro studies on genes, networks and pathways involved in TNF-α induced skeletal muscle atrophy

Background Skeletal muscle atrophy is one of the most common phenomenon occurring in a variety of conditions that range from muscular inactivity to disease states such as diabetes, and cancer. Activation of inflammatory pathways by various cytokines is one of the critical events leading to skeletal muscle atrophy. Though there is significant literature on the role that the cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) plays in the induction of nuclear factor-kappa B (NFB) and ubiquitin-proteasome pathways, the molecular mechanisms involved in TNF-a induced skeletal muscle wasting remain poorly understood. Understanding how TNF-a regulates the expression/activation of various gene networks and pathways is essential not only to understand the disease prognosis but also to obtain a better molecular insight in skeletal muscle development and wasting.
A role of lower semicontinuous functions in the combinatorial complexity of geometric problems

Abstract This paper studies an impact of geometric degeneracies on the complexity of geometric objects which are unions and intersections of open regions. We demonstrate a technique, based on the concept of lower semicontinuous functions, for proving that the maximum complexity is achieved on nondegenerate configurations of regions. We discuss in this context the complexity of stabbing regions, and arrangements of Jordan curves.
Subpicosecond kinetics of rhodopsin

(in either Ff20 or D20) and then solubilized in 20 mM n-dodecylmaltoside,0.1 M hydroxylamine, 10 mM HEPES, adjusted to pH (or pD) 7.0. Thesolubilized sample (optical density of about 2 at 500 nm) was placed in an anice-chilled reservoir and circulated through a 1 cm pathlength cuvette by aperistaltic pump.Two alternative laser systems were used. One was an amplified
Effects of experimentally enhanced flows on fishes of a small Texas (U.S.A.) stream: Assessing the impact of interbasin transfer

1. Completion of a large interbasin water transfer system in northern Texas (U.S.A.) provided the opportunity to test the effects of pre-planned, experimental increases (≈×30) in flow on the fish fauna of a small, low-gradient, natural stream that was included as part of the conveyance system. Water from Lake Texoma (Red River basin) was pumped via a 16-km pipeline to the headwaters of Sister Grove Creek (Trinity River basin), which then carried the donor water 50 km downstream to Lake Lavon. 2. Baseline (pre-transfer) data on the composition of fish assemblages at seven stations on the creek or at its confluence with the receiving reservoir were collected monthly for 3 years, and similar data were collected for 2 years during and after trial flows of Lake Texoma water to Sister Grove Creek. We also documented fish abundance at five creek stations immediately before and after three trial flow periods of 10–14 days each in summer and autumn. 3. Multivariate analysis of all routine monthly samples over the 5-year pre- and post-transfer period showed moderate changes in the fish fauna of the creek after initiation of the trial flows. Samples taken within a week before and after the artificial high flows showed little overall change in abundance of individual fish species, but at some stations the quantitative or qualitative change in composition of the local assemblage was substantial. 4. The trial flows lasted 2 weeks or less. Long-term effects of water transfer on the fish fauna of Sister Grove Creek can only be determined after the conveyance system goes into normal operation, with periods of artificial flow of longer duration.
Improved adenoviral vectors for gene therapy of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

We have been exploring the feasibility of gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy by characterizing parameters important for the design of therapeutic protocols. These studies have used transgenic mice to analyze expression patterns of multiple dystrophin vectors, and have been accompanied by the development of viral vectors for gene transfer to dystrophic mdx mouse muscle. Analysis of transgenic mdx mice indicates that greater than 50% of the fibers in a muscle group must express dystrophin to prevent development of a significant dystrophy, and that low-level expression of truncated dystrophins can function very well. These results suggest that gene therapy of DMD will require methods to transduce the majority of fibers in critical muscle groups with vectors that express moderate levels of dystrophin proteins. Strategies for the development of viral vectors able to deliver dystrophin genes to muscle include the use of muscle specific regulatory sequences coupled with deletion of viral gene sequences to limit virus-induced immune rejection of transduced tissues. These strategies should enable production of adenoviral vectors expressing full-length dystrophin proteins in muscle.
Non-Gaussian model for fundamental-mode field in single-mode optical fibres

The model fits the fundamental-mode field better than the Gaussian distribution. It reduces the differences, caused by non-Gaussian field shapes, among methods for measuring mode field radius. Formulas are provided for calculating Petermann's mode field radius from lateral offset, pinhole scan and VAMFF data.
An analysis on long term emission benefits of a government vehicle fleet replacement plan in northern illinois

There have been a number of studies of the effectiveness of vehicle scrappage programs, which offer incentives to accelerated scrappage of older vehicles often thought to be high emitters. These programs are voluntary and aimed at replacement of household vehicles. In contrast, there is a gap in knowledge related to the emissions benefits of government fleet replacement (retirement) programs. In this study, the efficacy of a fleet replacement program for a local government agency in Northern Illinois, the Forest Preserve of DuPage County (FPDC), is examined using a probabilistic vehicle survival model that accounts for time-varying covariates such as vehicle age and gasoline price. The vehicle lifetime operating emissions are calculated based on the estimated vehicle survival probabilities from the survival model and compared with those derived using the EPA default fleet used in MOBILE6 and the fleet represented by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) survival curve. The results suggest that while there may be short term emission benefits of the FPDC fleet replacement plan, the long-term emission benefits are highly sensitive to economic factors (e.g., future gasoline price) and exhibit a decreasing trend. This indicates that an adaptive multi-stage replacement strategy as opposed to a fixed one is preferable to achieve optimal cost effectiveness.
Correctly folded proteins make twice as many hydrophobic contacts.

A novel statistical analysis of non-bonded contacts in a set of known protein structures shows that the natural residue types fall into five or six groups distinguishable by nearest neighbor preference. The observed pattern of contact specificities clearly reflects residue hydrophobicity and charge. Its most striking feature is that residues in the hydrophobic group make about twice as many contacts with one another as would be expected on a random basis. A similar increase in hydrophobic contact frequency can be observed at the level of individual proteins. Native proteins make, on average, about twice as many hydrophobic contacts as corresponding misfolded proteins (1), generated by computer. On the basis of these observations increased hydrophobic contact frequency is proposed as a simple model of the hydrophobic effect.
The Pioneer Venus Orbiter Plasma Analyzer Experiment

The plasma analyzer experiment on the Pioneer Venus Orbiter was designed to determine the basic characteristics of the plasma environment of Venus and the nature of the solar wind interaction at Venus. The plasma analyzer experiment is an electrostatic energy-per-unit charge (E/Q) spectrometer which measures ions and electrons. There is a curved plate electrostatic analyzer system with multiple collectors. The experiment obtains the three dimensional plasma distribution function. Some of the scientific objectives of the instrument are briefly discussed, the general characteristics of the experiment are summarized, and some of the analyses based on the data are presented.
Energy metabolism in primordial germ cells of the mouse

Abstract Germ cells were collected from the gonadal ridges of 15-day-old mice and several aspects of energy metabolism in the cells examined. Carbon dioxide production from pyruvate (7.85 × 10 −14 moles/ cell/hour) and glucose (0.73 × 10 −14 moles/cell/hour) is about 1% of the production from fertilized one-cell ova, but the ratio of pyruvate to glucose oxidation is 10 for both cell types. However, on a unit volume basis, the germ cell produces 60% more CO 2 from pyruvate than the fertilized ovum. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the germ cell (0.91 × 10 −10 moles NADH oxidized/ cell/hour) is 30% that found in the ferilized ovum per unit volume but is still higher than found in any adult mouse tissue. The isozyme pattern of germ cell LDH indicates that the enzyme is composed of predominately B subunits, which is similar to the condition in unfertilized ova. Other embryonic tissues have predominately A subunits. The findings indicate a striking similarity between the newly ovulated ovum and the germ cell.
Challenging the dominant stories about the Boxer Rebellion: Chinese Minister Wu Ting‐Fang's narrative

Taking a narrative perspective, this paper analyzes a public address titled “the Causes of the Unpopularity of the Foreigner in China”. It was given by a Chinese envoy named Wu Ting‐fang in 1900 immediately following the Boxer Rebellion. First, the paper represents the narrative event and context – the Boxer Rebellion, within which Wu's speech was given. It then analyzes how Wu challenged the dominant Western construction of the Boxer Rebellion and constructed a different story. Finally, it discusses how Wu's personal background and experiences legitimized his ability and qualification to proffer an alternative construction. The rhetorical artifices Wu used to construct a coherent and factually grounded story include stating all the facts, reconstructing the ordering relations of these facts, and reestablishing the identities and images of the people involved in the story. Wu's special education and career background, which made him a welcome speaker on the topic of cultural differences in Western public ...
Multibubble dissolution in glass melts

Abstract A model is presented for the study of the growth and shrinkage of gas bubbles. The complexity of the mass transfer problem in a multibubble melt arises from the necessity of solving the diffusion equation subject to boundary conditions on the surface of each gas bubble. In order to circumvent this complicated boundary value problem, the multibubble system is replaced by a model system such that the complex boundary value problem is obviated. In this model each gas bubble is replaced by a point source (sink) of gas and a formal solution for the gas concentration in the melt is obtained employing a Green's function. A method of obtaining approximate solutions for the coupled integro-differential equations governing the rate of change of bubble size and gas concentration is outlined for the particular case of a three dimensional cubic array of bubbles.
A cognitive-behavioral treatment for incarcerated women with substance abuse disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder: findings from a pilot study☆

Treatment for comorbid substance use disorder (SUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is of particular relevance for incarcerated women, whose rates of PTSD and SUD are considerably higher than women in the general population. Yet virtually no treatments have been developed or systematically evaluated that target concurrently the symptoms of PTSD and SUD in this underserved population. This preliminary study evaluates the initial efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral treatment, Seeking Safety, as an adjunct to treatment-as-usual in an uncontrolled pilot study of incarcerated women with current SUD and comorbid PTSD. Of the 17 incarcerated women with PTSD and SUD who received Seeking Safety treatment and had outcome data, results show that nine (53%) no longer met criteria for PTSD at the end of treatment; at a followup 3 months later, seven (46%) still no longer met criteria for PTSD. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms from intake to posttreatment, which was maintained at the 3-month followup assessment. Based on results from a diagnostic interview and results of urinalyses, six (35%) of the women reported the use of illegal substances within 3 months from release from prison. Measures of client satisfaction with treatment were high. Recidivism rate (return to prison) was 33% at a 3-month followup. Overall, our data suggest that Seeking Safety treatment appears to be appealing to incarcerated women with SUD and PTSD and that the treatment has the potential to be beneficial, especially for improving PTSD symptoms. However, these findings are tentative given that there was no control group.
Defective suppressor T-cell activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic immunologic disease with a suspected autoimmune etiology. Recent studies in NZB mice have suggested a defect in T-suppressor cells, possibly related to an impairment of thymic hormone secretion, as a basis for autoimmunity. In the present report we analyzed the suppressive potential of lymphocytes from SLE patients. To obtain suppressor T cells, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from patients and healthy donors were stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) and then cocultured in a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLC). The level of suppressor activity mediated by the lectin-activated lymphocytes was not correlated with clinical disease activity, organ-system involvement, drug therapy, and anti-DNA antibodies. Thirty patients with lupus (14–60 years of age) were studied. Seventy percent showed a decrease in T-cell suppressor activity (mean = 37% suppression) as compared to that of controls (mean = 74%). Forty percent of those with abnormal activity showed a profound defect, while 60% showed a milder or partial defect. Of those considered to have inactive disease, mean suppression was 50%; those with active disease had a mean suppression of 34%. Although there was a trend for those with more active disease to show less T-cell suppression, no consistent correlations were noted with organ-system involvement, drug therapy, or DNA binding. No relationship between thymic hormone-factor levels and T-cell suppressive activity was found. Thus, the majority of patients with SLE demonstrate a loss of T-cell suppressor activity in a T-cell assay system, regardless of their disease status. This defect in T-suppressor cells may be important in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Heritage language maintenance and loss among the children of Eastern European immigrants in the USA

The present study offers an in-depth look at heritage language maintenance and loss among the children of immigrant professionals from Eastern Europe residing in the USA. Based on semi-structured interviews with 50 married mothers and fathers, I explore: (1) parental attitudes related to heritage language transmission to their children; (2) parental efforts to transmit heritage language; (3) reported barriers to heritage language transmission and maintenance; and (4) parental adjustments in response to children's diminishing heritage language skills. The roles of individual, family and community factors in the maintenance of heritage language in the second generation are discussed.
Distribution of carbohydrate residues in normal skin.

Sections of biopsies of normal skin obtained from 11 individuals were incubated with 8 lectins using an avidin-biotin complex (ABC). All sections when incubated with the appropriate lectin showed the presence of the following carbohydrate residues: l-fucose, β-(1–4)-d-GlcNAc)2 (N-acetylglucosamine), acetylneuraminic acid, Gal-β-(1–3)-GalNAc (N-acetyl-galactosamine), β-d-galactose, α-d-glucose, and α-d-mannose. In addition, sections of individuals with blood group A showed α-d-GalNAc and sections of individuals with blood group B showed α-d-galactose. In the stratum (str.) basale, carbohydrates were present in small quantities, but as the cells matured and moved upward, the incorporation of carbohydrates into the cell membranes increased considerably. In the str. granulosum, lectin reactivity was absent in many sections, probably due to masking by phospholipids. The dark cells in the eccrine glands showed reactivity with all lectins except in the one nonsecretor with blood group A1, whose dark cells showed no l-fucose and α-d-GalNAc. The endothelial cells of the blood vessels showed lectin reactivity except when incubated with concanavalin A. The sebaceous glands showed both cytoplasmic and membrane staining when incubated with various lectins.
Direct determination of serum zinc and copper by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Abstract The method for the determination of zinc and copper in serum which has been described in this paper is simple and rapid, requiring only undiluted serum. Absorbance is measured on a commercially available atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Mean reproducibility and recovery of this method for serum zinc is 103.4% and for serum copper is 103.3%. The results on normal adult and pediatric subjects are comparable to those reported in the literature. Preliminary studies show that this method lends itself to analyses of those trace minerals which are in low concentrations in human biological specimens, since no dilution factor is present. The addition of a direct concentration computer readout to the A.A.S. system simplifies determinations in a low concentration range. The most recent development in nonflame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, the carbon rod atomizer (CRA), is a promising technique for minerals in low ranges (39). However, the use of xylene impregnation to prevent sample absorption into the rod is not yet perfected and incomplete recovery remains a problem.
A framework for measuring changes in data characteristics

A data mining algorithm builds a model that captures interesting aspects of the underlying data. We develop a framework for quantifying the difference, called the deviation, between two datasets in terms of the models they induce. Our framework covers a wide variety of models including frequent itemsets, decision tree classifiers, and clusters, and captures standard measures of deviation such as the misclassification rate and the chi-squared metric as special cases. We also show how statistical techniques can be applied to the deviation measure to assess whether the difference between two models is meaningful (i.e., whether the underlying datasets have statistically significant differences in their characteristics), and discuss several practical applications.
Dopaminergic and glutamatergic microdomains in a subset of rodent mesoaccumbens axons

Mesoaccumbens fibers are thought to co-release dopamine and glutamate. However, the mechanism is unclear, and co-release by mesoaccumbens fibers has not been documented. Using electron microcopy, we found that some mesoaccumbens fibers have vesicular transporters for dopamine (VMAT2) in axon segments that are continuous with axon terminals that lack VMAT2, but contain vesicular glutamate transporters type 2 (VGluT2). In vivo overexpression of VMAT2 did not change the segregation of the two vesicular types, suggesting the existence of highly regulated mechanisms for maintaining this segregation. The mesoaccumbens axon terminals containing VGluT2 vesicles make asymmetric synapses, commonly associated with excitatory signaling. Using optogenetics, we found that dopamine and glutamate were released from the same mesoaccumbens fibers. These findings reveal a complex type of signaling by mesoaccumbens fibers in which dopamine and glutamate can be released from the same axons, but are not normally released at the same site or from the same synaptic vesicles.