cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of Spontaneous Displacement of RNA From Heteroduplexes by DNA

We have used R-loop formation and direct hybridization techniques to analyze the kinetics by which RNA is displaced from a heteroduplex by DNA of identical sequence. Using random walk simulations we were able to calculate the step times for a single displacement reaction. For RNA with a GC content of 57-60% the data indicate an RNA exchange probability of 50.06%, which is indicative of a modest destabilization of the heteroduplex compared with a DNA duplex in the presence of magnesium. The average step time for the reversible exchange of a single nucleotide is 345.0 (+/- 1.3) ms/step. An acceleration of the displacement reaction was observed in the absence of magnesium. A comparison with step times for elongation shows that RNA displacement would not be rate limiting to transcription elongation under two conditions: (i) if magnesium is eliminated from the newly synthesized heteroduplex; (ii) if displacement is kept in a forward only exchange mode through binding of the emerging RNA. Distamycin, a minor groove binding drug, is very effective as a 'catalyst' of RNA displacement. This effect is likely to be due to preferential binding of distamycin to the minor groove of the DNA duplex as opposed to the heteroduplex. This kinetic assay could therefore serve as a convenient assay for the determination of binding preferences of nucleic acid ligands.
Connections of some auditory-responsive posterior thalamic nuclei putatively involved in activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis in response to audiogenic stress in rats: an anterograde and retrograde tract tracing study combined with Fos expression.

Prior studies in our laboratory demonstrated that part of the thalamus is necessary for activating the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis in response to audiogenic stress in rats. The present studies were designed to determine how the auditory-responsive thalamic nuclei might activate the HPA axis. Both retrograde [Fluoro-Gold (FG)] and anterograde [Phasoleus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) and biotinylated dextran amines (BDA)] tracers were employed to study the putative connectivity between the thalamus and the medial parvocellular region of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PAmp). In addition, rats receiving FG in the PAmp were subjected to audiogenic stress, and the distribution of both FG and the protein product of the immediate-early gene c-fos, Fos, were determined by double immunohistochemistry, to help assess putative functional links between the auditory-responsive thalamic nuclei and PAmp. The results of PAmp FG placement indicated retrogradely labeled cells in several areas, including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, hypothalamic regions, the supramammillary nucleus, some thalamic regions, and importantly, a few multisensory nuclei of the thalamus, including the parvicellular division of the subparafascicular and posterior intralaminar nuclei. Injections of the tracers PHA-L or BDA into these auditory-responsive posterior thalamic nuclei provided further evidence of projections to the PAmp. In addition, several forebrain areas were observed to receive moderate to heavy innervation. These areas included most of the regions described above, which, in turn, project to the PAmp. Because cells in the multisensory thalamic nuclei, hypothalamic, and forebrain areas were double labeled with FG and Fos, the results suggest that either direct projections from the thalamus to PAmp neurons, or indirect projections from the thalamus to stress-responsive forebrain areas projecting to the PAmp, might mediate activation of the HPA axis by audiogenic stress.
Prolonged cortisol elevation in the infant squirrel monkey after reunion with mother

Abstract Pituitary-adrenal response in mother and infant squirrel monkeys was assessed following either 30 min separation or 5, 15 and 30 min after a brief separation and reunion of mother and infant. Basal (undisturbed) samples were also obtained. The results revealed that there was an increment (28%) in plasma cortisol levels in the separation-reunion condition. This change was slight however when compared to the changes in plasma cortisol following separation (120%). A second experiment assessed plasma cortisol levels in mothers and infants that were reunited following a 30 min separation. Blood samples obtained 30 min after reunion indicated that the plasma cortisol levels in mothers had returned to basal levels, whereas the infants remained highly elevated during this period. Thus the effects of reunion following a very brief separation show the operation of an inhibitory process which occurs as a result of the interaction between mother and infant. Reunion following a longer separation appears to be more effective in reducing the pituitary-adrenal response in the mother than in the infant.
Time scale modeling of sparse dynamic networks

This paper develops a time-scale approach to the decomposition and aggregation of dynamic networks with dense and sparse connections. Two parameters are used to characterize time-scale and weak coupling properties. Bounds in terms of these parameters determine when there are two time-scales in sparse networks. Simplified models of the slow and fast subsystems are proposed and physical interpretations are provided. The results are illustrated with a 2000-node power network.
14c)glucosamine Incorporation into specific products in the nerve ending fraction in vivo and in vitro.

Abstract The products ofin vivo andin vitro incorporation of radioactive glucosamine into glycoproteins associated with the nerve ending (synaptosome) fraction were studied by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and also by gel filtration of glycopeptides derived from these glycoproteins by pronase digestion. Afterin vivo labeling for 1 h a heterogeneous group of [14C]glucosamine labeled glycoproteins was found associated with the nerve ending fraction. The predominant [14C]glucosamine containing glycopeptide derived by pronase digestion of the nerve ending fraction had an apparent molecular weight of 1250. It constituted a larger percentage of the labeled glycopeptides associated with the nerve ending fraction, as compared with other subcellular fractions. After 4 h ofin vivo labeling other glycopeptides constituted a greater percentage of the total labeled glycopeptides derived from the nerve ending fraction. This suggests that a different group of [14C]glucosamine containing glycoproteins were now relatively abundant in nerve endings. Presumably they had arrived by axoplasmic transport to the nerve endings. Afterin vitro labeling the nerve ending fraction incorporated [14C]glucosamine more actively than the microsomal or mitochondrial fractions. The radioactive products found upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the nerve ending fraction appeared to be less heterogeneous than afterin vivo labeling. Upon pronase digestion a single class of labeled glycopeptides was found with the same apparent molecular weight as the predominant labeled glycopeptide in the nerve ending fraction afterin vivo labeling. The results indicate that some [14C]glucosamine is incorporated into specific products by components of the nerve ending fraction and that this glycosylation cannot readily be attributed to contamination with other particles containing glycosyl transferases. Other glucosamine containing products are apparently transported to the nerve endings after glycosylation in the nerve cell body.
Retroviral oncoprotein Tax deregulates NF‐κB by activating Tak1 and mediating the physical association of Tak1–IKK

The Tax oncoprotein of human T-cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I) persistently activates nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), which is required for HTLV-I-mediated T-cell transformation. Tax activates NF-kappaB by stimulating the activity of IkappaB kinase (IKK), but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we show that Tax functions as an intracellular stimulator of an IKK-activating kinase, Tak1 (TGF-beta-activating kinase 1). In addition, Tax physically interacts with Tak1 and mediates the recruitment of IKK to Tak1. In HTLV-I-infected T cells, Tak1 is constitutively activated and complexed with both Tax and IKK. We provide genetic evidence that Tak1 is essential for Tax-induced IKK activation. Furthermore, unlike cellular stimuli, the Tax-specific NF-kappaB signalling does not require the ubiquitin-binding function of IKKgamma. These findings show a pathological mechanism of IKK activation by Tax and provide an example for how IKK is persistently activated in cancer cells.
Verbal transformations and boredom susceptibility

Twelve high-boredom-susceptible and 12 low-boredom-susceptible college students were presented with seven neutral words for 7 min each on a tape recorder, repeated at a constant rate. Contrary to the arousal hypothesis, the low-boredom-susceptible students reported significantly more verbal transformations or word distortions than did the high-boredom-susceptible students. The differences were attributed to an attention factor.
Self-Determination and Student Perceptions in Environmental Service-Learning

An evaluation of Chesapeake Bay Foundation's environmental education programs provides context for this study exploring the role of student self-determination in service-learning. Research questions include (1) How do self-determination–related characteristics of service-learning programs affect students' attitudes toward service-learning (ASL), and (2) How do attitudes toward service-learning affect environmental education outcomes? Results demonstrate that one self-determination–related characteristic, service-learning graduation requirements, did not affect students' ASL. Other factors such as perceived student choice and participation in different service-learning programs, however, did impact ASL. Furthermore, ASL was strongly related to outcomes including environmental sensitivity, personal responsibility and intentions to help the environment.
The use of intravenous H2-receptor antagonists in a tertiary care hospital.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: The rationale for the widespread use of intravenous H 2 receptor antagonists(IVH 2 RA) in hospitalized patients is not clear. We therefore examined prescribing patterns and, using strict criteria, determined whether use was appropriate. Cost of administration and potential savings were also determined. METHODS: Data were obtained prospectively on 100 consecutive patients prescribed intravenous ranitidine and retrospectively on patients admitted with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. RESULTS: For the prospective study, various indications for prescribing intravenous ranitidine were given, including postoperative patients and patients treated with steroids. Using criteria from published literature 80% of the use was considered inappropriate. Nearly 40% of the doses were given while the patient was tolerating oral intake. Creatinine clearance was impaired in 26% of patients, though only one had dosage reduction. Estimated annual cost of intravenous ranitidine was $317,000. The retrospective study of 86 consecutive patients admitted with GI bleeding revealed that all patients received intravenous ranitidine on admission, none of which was considered appropriate. The final diagnoses were peptic ulcer (49), colonic process (11), esophagitis (seven), gastric erosions (five), esophageal varices (five), Mallory-Weiss tears (four), duodenitis (two), no diagnosis (three), and jejunal ulcer (one). CONCLUSIONS: Inappropriate use of intravenous ranitidine is common. This includes inappropriate indication, dosage, and duration of use. Large financial benefits could have been obtained if close attention was given to prescribing patterns.
The chemokine receptor CX3CR1 is directly involved in the arrest of breast cancer cells to the skeleton

Skeletal metastases from breast adenocarcinoma are responsible for most of the morbidity and mortality associated with this tumor and represent a significant and unmet need for therapy. The arrival of circulating cancer cells to the skeleton depends first on the adhesive interactions with the endothelial cells lining the bone marrow sinusoids, and then the extravasation toward chemoattractant molecules produced by the surrounding bone stroma. We have previously shown that the membrane-bound and cell-adhesive form of the chemokine fractalkine is exposed on the luminal side of human bone marrow endothelial cells and that bone stromal cells release the soluble and chemoattractant form of this chemokine. The goal of this study was to determine the role of fractalkine and its specific receptor CX3CR1 in the homing of circulating breast cancer cells to the skeleton. We employed a powerful pre-clinical animal model of hematogenous metastasis, in which fluorescent cancer cells are identified immediately after their arrival to the bone. We engineered cells to over-express either wild-type or functional mutants of CX3CR1 as well as employed transgenic mice knockout for fractalkine. CX3CR1 protein is detected in human tissue microarrays of normal and malignant mammary glands. We also found that breast cancer cells expressing high levels of this receptor have a higher propensity to spread to the skeleton. Furthermore, studies with fractalkine-null transgenic mice indicate that the ablation of the adhesive and chemotactic ligand of CX3CR1 dramatically impairs the skeletal dissemination of circulating cancer cells. Finally, we conclusively confirmed the crucial role of CX3CR1 on breast cancer cells for both adhesion to bone marrow endothelium and extravasation into the bone stroma. We provide compelling evidence that the functional interactions between fractalkine produced by both the endothelial and stromal cells of bone marrow and the CX3CR1 receptor on breast cancer cells are determinant in the arrest and initial lodging needed for skeletal dissemination.
Transcatheter arterial embolization of spontaneous life-threatening extraperitoneal hemorrhage

Abstract Purpose To determine the outcomes of patients with spontaneous extraperitoneal hemorrhage (SEH) referred for endovascular therapy. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis included 25 patients (13 male) with 28 spontaneous bleeding events that occurred during the period 1998–2009. All patients had a computed tomography (CT) scan showing extraperitoneal hematoma before angiography. Hematoma location, presence of contrast extravasation or hematocrit level on CT, angiographic findings, vessels that received embolization, angiographic outcome, transfusion requirements, and mortality were recorded. Patients' medications, lowest measured hemoglobin levels, serologic coagulation parameters, and comorbidities were also noted. Mean follow-up was 37.4 months (range 2–132 mo). Results Patients had received anticoagulation therapy before 20 of 28 bleeding events. Angiography showed contrast extravasation in 22 (79%) of 28 cases. Angiographic cessation of bleeding with embolization was achieved in all 22 cases. There was extravasation from more than one site in 17 (61%) of 28 cases. There was bleeding in more than one vascular territory in eight (29%) cases. Empiric embolization was performed in three cases. In the 48 hours following angiography, transfusion requirements decreased in 27 (96%) of 28 cases, and there were no deaths. All-cause mortality at 30 days was 29%, at 90 days was 32%, and at 12 months was 43%. Conclusions Multiple bleeding sites are typical in SEH. Transcatheter embolization is a safe and effective treatment; however, mortality is high in the time around angiography.
Engaging Faculty in Retention: Finding Traction through Accreditation

This chapter considers how addressing the essential role of faculty in an institution's retention efforts can be enhanced by leveraging new accreditation requirements regarding retention and graduation outcomes.
Counselor-Assisted Problem Solving Improves Caregiver Efficacy Following Adolescent Brain Injury

Purpose The purpose of the current study is to examine the efficacy of Counselor-Assisted Problem Solving (CAPS) in improving caregiver adaptation following traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Radiation Maculopathy after Proton Beam Irradiation for Choroidal Melanoma

Purpose: Radiation maculopathy is a microangiopathy of the retina, which is often observed after irradiation of the eye. To quantitatively determine the frequency of anatomic and functional features of this condition, the authors reviewed a large series of patients with choroidal melanomas who were treated by proton beam irradiation. Methods: Color photographs and/or fluorescein angiograms of 218 patients with paramacular choroidal melanomas were graded by two independent masked readers to determine the frequency of the various lesions of radiation maculopathy. Results: Overall, 194 (89%) of the 218 patients in this study developed some degree of radiation maculopathy. The earliest and most common finding was macular edema, which was observed in 87% of patients, overall, by the end of year 3. Microvascular changes (microaneurysms and/or telangiectasia), intraretinal hemorrhages, and capillary nonperfusion were noted in 76%, 70%, and 64% of eyes, respectively, by the end of postirradiation year 3. Visual acuity was retained at 20/200 or better in 90% of eyes 1 year after irradiation and in 67% of eyes 3 years after treatment. Conclusion: Radiation maculopathy is common after proton beam irradiation of paramacular choroidal melanomas. However, ambulatory vision is preserved in many eyes.
Soluble adenylate cyclase reveals the significance of compartmentalized cAMP on endothelial cell barrier function

Within pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells, activation of endogenous adenylate cyclase generates tightly regulated cAMP transitions in the subplasma membrane space. These cAMP fluxes strengthen contacts between adjacent cells to tighten their barrier function. However, pathogenic bacteria have devised a mechanism to transfer toxic adenylate cyclases into eukaryotic cells and generate a cytosolic pool of cAMP that disrupts the barrier. To determine whether membrane or cytosolic cAMP synthesis dominates in control of endothelial cell barrier function, we expressed a soluble mammalian adenylate cyclase chimaera. This chimaera is not constitutively active, but is activated by forskolin. Thus forskolin application increases cAMP in both the plasma membrane and cytosolic compartments. Forskolin induced inter-endothelial cell gaps in cells expressing the soluble adenylate cyclase, demonstrating that the cytosolic cAMP pool dominates over the plasma membrane cAMP pool in control of endothelial cell barrier strength. Indeed, when the soluble chimaera is relocalized to the plasma membrane, the forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity does not induce gaps. These results therefore support the growing paradigm that membrane and cytosolic cAMP pools target discrete effectors to control different physiological processes.
Observational definition of the Venus mesopause: vertical structure, diurnal variation, and temporal instability

Abstract Submillimeter line observations of CO in the Venus middle atmosphere (mesosphere) were observed with the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT, Mauna Kea) about the May 2000, February 2002 superior and July 1999, March 2001 inferior conjunctions of Venus. Combined 12 CO and 13 CO isotope spectral line measurements at 345 and 330 gHz frequencies, respectively, provided enhanced sensitivity and vertical coverage for simultaneous retrievals of atmospheric temperatures and CO mixing ratios over the altitude region 75–105 km with vertical resolution 4–5 km. Supporting millimeter 12 CO spectral line observations with the Kitt Peak 12-m telescope (Steward Observatories) provide enhanced temporal coverage and CO mixing sensitivity. Implementation of CO/temperature profile retrievals for the 2000, 2002 dayside (superior conjunction) and 1999, 2001 nightside (inferior conjunction) periods yields a first-time definition of the vertical structure and diurnal variation of a low-to-mid-latitude mesopause within the Venus atmosphere. At the times of these 1999–2002 observations, the Venus mesopause was located at a slightly lower level in the nightside (0.5 mbar, ∼87 km) versus the dayside (0.2 mbar, ∼91 km) atmosphere. Average diurnal variation of Venus mesospheric temperatures appears to be ≤ 5 K at and below the mesopause. Diurnal variation of Venus thermospheric temperatures increases abruptly just above the mesopause, reaching 50 K by the 0.01-mbar pressure level (∼102 km). Atmospheric temperatures above and below the Venus mesopause exhibited global-scale (≥4000 km horizontal) variations of large amplitude (7–15 K) on surprisingly short timescales (daily to monthly) during the 2001 nightside and 2002 dayside observing periods. Venus dayside mesospheric temperatures observed during the 2002 superior conjunction were also 10–15 K warmer than observed during the 2000 superior conjunction. A characteristic timescale for these global temperature variations is not defined, but their magnitude is comparable to previous determinations of secular variability in nightside mesospheric temperatures (Clancy and Muhleman, 1991) .
Abstract A35: Discovery of driver-type therapeutic targets to reverse glucocorticoid resistance in T-ALL

Glucocorticoid (GC) resistance is a major driver of therapeutic failure in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Here we developed a systems biology framework, Network-based Bayesian Inference of Disease Drivers (NetBID2), using transcriptomic data, to predict signaling or regulatory factors driving GC-resistance in T-ALL. With this algorithm, we identified the AKT1 kinase as a signaling modulator of GC-resistance. Mechanistically, AKT1 directly phosphorylates the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) NR3C1 protein at position S134 and blocks glucocorticoid-induced NR3C1 translocation to the nucleus. Consistently, pharmacologic inhibition of AKT1 increases the response of T-ALL cells to glucocorticoid therapy and effectively reverses glucocorticoid resistance in vitro and in vivo. These results warrant the clinical testing of ATK1 inhibitors and glucocorticoids in combination for the treatment of T-ALL. Genome-wide RNA interference screening emerges as a powerful tool for loss-of-function studies and searching for new therapeutic targets of diseases. We integrated this technology with our computational framework and identified 16 master regulators of GC-resistance in T-ALL, when repressed, sensitizing resistant cells. Out of 16 candidates, 13 were validated in vitro, and 10 outperformed positive controls. Moreover, 75% of only predicted drivers demonstrated significant effects on changing GC-sensitivity. Network analysis of validated drivers indicated that they might work cooperatively to induce resistance, suggesting potential combinatorial therapies to reverse GC-resistance in T-ALL. Citation Format: Jiyang Yu, Ericah Piovan, Maria Sol Flaherty, Jose Silva, Adolfo Ferrando, Andrea Califano. Discovery of driver-type therapeutic targets to reverse glucocorticoid resistance in T-ALL [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Chemical Systems Biology: Assembling and Interrogating Computational Models of the Cancer Cell by Chemical Perturbations; 2012 Jun 27-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(13 Suppl):Abstract nr A35.
Effect of nanotextured array of conical features on explosive boiling over a flat substrate: A nonequilibrium molecular dynamics study

Abstract Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the effects of size of nanocone array and types of wall material, i.e., aluminum and silver, on the explosive boiling of ultra-thin liquid argon film on nanostructure. An Embedded Atom Method (EAM) potential is used in describing the interatomic interaction between metal atoms. The results showed that the cone-like nanostructures drastically enhance heat transfer from solid to liquid and they have significant effects on temperature and pressure histories, net evaporation number, as well as the density distribution in the system. In all cases studied, the liquid molecules above the solid surface go into explosive boiling and a cluster of liquid is observed to move upward. It was also observed that the separation temperature associated with separation of liquid film from solid surface strongly depends on size of nanostructure while it is not sensitive to the type of materials. Furthermore, in all cases in a specific time after beginning of boiling, the evaporation on the hot wall stopped and a non-evaporating layer will form on the surface.
OR Practice-Development and Implementation of a Scheduling System for a Wafer Fabrication Facility

This paper describes a scheduling system developed and implemented at a semiconductor company that manufactures specialty epitaxial wafers. We discuss implementation issues and describe the algorithms that form the basis of the scheduling system. We present computational results with representative data, and illustrate that scheduling procedures can be simplified considerably when they are preceded by a planning stage. The authors learned this fact through interaction with managers of the firm, and this changed the preconceived direction of the work in this application. The result is a formalization of the planning and scheduling problems.
Analysis of vibration damping in a rotating composite beam with embedded carbon nanotubes

This study presents a numerical model describing the vibration damping effects of carbon nanotubes (CNT’s) embedded in the matrix of fiber-reinforced composite materials used in rotating structures. The energy dissipation from the incorporation of CNT’s into the composite matrix is modeled with a stick–slip damping term to describe the interaction between the CNT’s and surrounding matrix as the material deforms. A numerical model is developed using the Euler–Bernoulli beam equation in a rotating frame of reference and solved in a non-dimensional form using the finite element method. A parametric study is performed to examine the effects of various beam geometries, angular speed profiles, and CNT damping values on the vibration settling times of the numerically simulated beams. The results are illustrated in a dimensionless design space to demonstrate the use of CNT’s for improving the vibration damping characteristics of a rotating composite beam.
GEOGRAPHIC MODELS OF OLD ORDER AMISH SETTLEMENTS

(1969). GEOGRAPHIC MODELS OF OLD ORDER AMISH SETTLEMENTS. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 238-243.
Commitment theory of cellular aging: possibility of an immortal diploid cell strain.

Abstract Calculations based on the commitment theory of cellular aging indicate that the mean number of uncommitted cells is much greater than unity in populations consisting of 10 10 or more diploid cells. Consequently the probability that all of the uncommitted cells will be lost by in vitro subcultivation is very small. It may therefore be possible to establish a cell population in the laboratory which is, for all practical purposes, immortal.
X-Ray Fluorescence and Reflectivity Analysis of Multiple-Layer Thin Films

The use of X-ray fluorescence and reflectivity techniques for the characterization of the layer structures of multiple-layer thin films is described. The X-ray fluorescence technique is used for the precision determination of composition and layer thicknesses of two triple-layer NiFe, Cu, and Cr thin films. The X-ray reflectivity technique is used to determine the values of layer thickness, density, and roughness of a six-layer Ta/FeMn/NiFe/Cu/NiFe/Ta thin film. Both X-ray fluorescence and reflectivity techniques are used for the analysis of two Au/NiFe multilayers. The results showed that the X-ray fluorescence and reflectivity techniques are complimentary. The use of both techniques for layer-structure determinations improves the reliability of the analysis.
Impact of synthesis conditions on physicochemical and transport characteristics of graphene oxide laminates

Abstract In this study, the effect of oxidation conditions during the synthesis process of graphene oxide (GO) flakes on transport characteristics of GO laminates is investigated. Transport properties of the GO laminates synthesized by different oxidation methods are characterized by measuring their ionic conductivity (via proton conductivity) and mass diffusion of species (via methanol permeability). These properties are observed to be significantly different for each sample owing to the difference in their physicochemical properties. It is determined that the two key parameters that dictate the transport characteristics of a GO laminate are the GO oxidation level and flake size. Through a parametric study, it is determined that at a constant oxidation level methanol permeability decreases linearly with increasing the GO mean flake size while changes in proton conductivity remain insignificant. This behavior is attributed to difference in adopted conduction pathways of protons and methanol molecules. With increasing the oxidation level, proliferation of surface defects is deductively reasoned to be the dominant factor responsible for a large increase in the measured methanol permeability. The proton conductivity is also significantly increased with increasing the oxidation level because of greater number of ion exchange sites, shortened transport pathway and increased GO flakes inter-layer spacing.
Quasi-one-dimensional effects in submicron width silicon inversion layers

Abstract Evidence of spatial quantization is observed in narrow inversion layers when the electron inelastic length is greater than the channel width. The quasi-one-dimensional density of states is detected by variations in the localization resistance as a function of electron density.
Religion, Race, and Gender Differences in Political Ambition

Existing studies of political ambition tell two different stories, male and female. Most research on political ambition focuses on the desire of men and women to hold political office at the state or national level and examines the ambitions of those already employed in the labor force. Scholarly inattention to ambition among activists at the local, neighborhood level may lead us to erroneous conclusions about people's motivations for engaging in politics, particularly along racial lines. A focus on those already in the workforce may distort our understanding of the factors that drive the political ambitions of women in particular. This study confirms that men and women have distinct paths of family socialization, qualifications, high school and college socialization, and life situations on the trail to ambition. It also shows that the local context changes the explanations for ambition. In particular, race, combined with the holding of conservative religious beliefs, varies in its impact upon white and minority women's expressions of ambition for future public office. In addition, the experience of sex discrimination has the countersocialization effect of increasing women's ambition.Previous versions of this paper were presented at the 2003 meetings of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois and the 2005 meetings of the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans, Louisiana. I would like to thank William G. Jacoby, Marcia Moore, the editors and anonymous reviewers for their generous comments in the preparation of this manuscript. Also thanks to Kay Lehman Schlozman and David Campbell for their comments and redirection on a much earlier version of this work.
Prenatal Evaluation and Management of Fetuses Exposed to Anti-SSA/Ro Antibodies

Maternal anti-SSA antibodies are common, existing in up to 2 % of the general population. Fetuses exposed to these antibodies are at risk for both cardiac and noncardiac complications. The cardiac complications include arrhythmias, structural disease, and cardiomyopathy. Although rare, the cardiac disease associated with these antibodies is permanent and severe. Current fetal echocardiographic screening tools are nonspecific. The type and frequency of screening needed is controversial. Although promising transplacental treatment strategies exist, prospective randomized studies are lacking. Dexamethasone, the medication used most frequently, imposes significant risks to both mother and fetus. This report presents a discussion of the at-risk population, the spectrum of fetal cardiac disease associated with maternal anti-SSA antibodies, the current fetal echocardiographic screening tools, the therapeutic options, and the management and delivery planning strategies. With appropriate prenatal follow-up, assessment, and delivery planning, even high-risk fetuses can be delivered safely and managed effectively.
Dosage Effect of a Phex Mutation in a Murine Model of X-Linked Hypophosphatemia

X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is caused by mutations in the PHEX gene, which increase circulating levels of the phosphaturic hormone, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). Because XLH is a dominant disease, one mutant allele is sufficient for manifestation of the disease. However, the dosage effect of a PHEX mutation in XLH is not completely understood. To examine the effect of Phex genotypes, we compared serum biochemistries and skeletal measures between all five possible genotypes of a new murine model of XLH (Phex (K496X) or Phex (Jrt) ). Compared to sex-matched littermate controls, all Phex mutant mice had hypophosphatemia, mild hypocalcemia, and increased parathyroid hormone and alkaline phosphatase levels. Furthermore, mutant mice had markedly elevated serum Fgf23 levels due to increased Fgf23 expression and reduced cleavage of Fgf23. Although females with a homozygous Phex mutation were slightly more hypocalcemic and hypophosphatemic than heterozygous females, the two groups had comparable intact Fgf23 levels. Similarly, there was no difference in intact Fgf23 or phosphorus concentrations between hemizygous males and heterozygous females. Compared to heterozygous females, homozygous counterparts were significantly smaller and had shorter femurs with reduced bone mineral density, suggesting the existence of dosage effect in the skeletal phenotype of XLH. However, overall phenotypic trends in regards to mineral ion homeostasis were mostly unaffected by the presence of one or two mutant Phex allele(s). The lack of a gene dosage effect on circulating Fgf23 (and thus phosphorus) levels suggests that a Phex mutation may create the lower set point for extracellular phosphate concentrations.
Seismic observations of sea swell on the floating Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica

[1] A seismometer operating on the floating Ross Ice Shelf near its seaward ice front (Nascent Iceberg) for 340 days (out of 730 days) during the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Antarctic field seasons recorded the arrival of 93 distantly sourced ocean swell events displaying frequency dispersion characteristic of surface gravity waves propagating on deep water. Comparison of swell event dispersion with the NOAA Wave Watch III (NWW3) ocean wave model analysis reveals that 83 of these events were linked to specific storms located in the Pacific, Southern, and Indian oceans. Nearly all major storms in the NWW3 analysis of the Pacific Ocean were linked to signals observed at the Nascent site during the period of seismometer operation. Swell-induced motion of the Ross Ice Shelf is found to increase by several orders of magnitude over the time period that sea ice surrounding Antarctica decreases from its maximum extent (October) to its minimum extent (February). The amplitude of vertical vibration of the ice shelf in the frequency band between 0.025 and 0.14 Hz varies between tens of micrometers to millimeters as sea ice decays to its minimum seasonal extent. This suggests that climate influence on sea ice extent may indirectly modulate swell energy incident on the calving margins of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The largest swell signals observed on the Ross Ice Shelf come from storms in the tropical Pacific and Gulf of Alaska. These remote events emphasize how the iceberg calving margin of Antarctica is connected to environmental conditions well beyond Antarctica.
The interplay between law and social science in the age-segregation debate

Academics and policy-makers focused on protecting older inmates (ages 50 and above) in US prisons from medical neglect, psychological problems, victimization by younger inmates, and functional decline as a result of excessive environmental strain have long advocated for their placement in age-segregated units and facilities. In response, proponents of age-integrated units and facilities have argued that age-segregation violates the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 because older inmates in age-segregation are not provided equal access to facilities and programs. This paper examines the age-segregation debate through an analysis of the social science and legal literature to include court cases, the ADA, the ADA Amendment Act of 2008, and the related 2010 federal regulations. Exceptions to the ADA's integration mandate are assessed for their ability to provide legal support for the practice of age-segregation. This paper concludes with recommendations for creating and ...
Identification of phase transitions in simulated EEG signals

The KIV model is a biologically inspired hierarchical model that describes non-linear dynamics found in brains. Previous animal and human EEG measurements indicated the presence of jumps in the spatio-temporal EEG patterns, which are relevant to cognitive processing. The present work introduces the KIV model to simulate phase transitions in EEG signals. Phase transitions have non-stationary and intermittent characteristics, which make automated detection a very difficult task. We analyze the simulated EEG signals using various statistical methods. We describe various classification methods to identify simulated phase transitions, which will be used to automate the detection process in actual EEG signals.
Transient, stratified, enclosed gas and liquid behavior with concentrated heating from above

A computational study has been made of transient heat transfer and fluid flow in a cylindrical enclosure con- taining a two-layer gas-and-liquid system. The geometric configuration and the boundary conditions on the pro- blem are relevant to the analysis of the prevaporization and preignition processes during the fire accident situa- tion involving a pool of liquid fuel in the vicinity of an ignition source. It is demonstrated that the effects of the natural and thermocapillary convection, radiative transfer, and thermal inertia and conduction of the walls bounding the enclosure and the magnitude of the gravity field play important roles in the development of the temperature and velocity fields in the container. HEN a concentrated source of heat is placed above a pool of liquid fuel, a number of complex ther- mophysical processes are induced preceding the ignition of the fuel vapors. If the initial liquid fuel temperature is below the flash point, a substantial amount of thermal energy may be re- quired to evaporate some portion of the fuel and to create a combustible vapor air mixture. This energy is supplied from the hot source by several heat-transfer mechanisms, including heat conduction through the gas phase, natural convection in- duced in the gas near the source, and thermal radiation. The heat flux to the liquid surface is largest directly under the source and decreases monotonically with the distance from the hot source. The nonuniform heating of the fuel induces both buoyancy and surface-tension-driven currents in the subsur- face liquid layer. The latter effect is caused by the gradient in surface tension due to the temperature variation along the gas liquid interface. The first stage of the preignition period essentially consists of heating the liquid fuel near the surface. The second stage starts when the partial pressure of the fuel vapor becomes suf- ficient to yield a combustible mixture with the air above the fuel. At this stage (and during flame spreading), evaporation, diffusion, and chemical reactions play an important role.. An experimental study of liquid pool ignition has been reported by Murad et al.1 In particular, it was found that the heating of a fuel to the point of ignition is retarded con- siderably by the surface-tension-driven currents induced in the pool. Sirignano and Glassman2 found that the same subsur- face flows also govern the process of the flame spreading over liquid fuels. The latter phenomenon has been extensively studied by many authors. A comprehensive review on the sub- ject is presented in the recent paper by Furita et al. 3 These authors performed also a finite-differe nce study of a steady laminar flame spread over the shallow fuel pool. Momentum, energy, and mass conservation equations were solved simultaneously both in the gas and liquid phases. The combus- tion process was modeled using the flame sheet approxima- tion. Radiative transport was neglected. In contrast to steady-state flame spread, transient ignition has not been treated theoretically in the literature. However,
Roles and Relationships With Clients in Rehabilitation Counseling: Beyond the Concept of Dual Relationships:

This article describes the recent revision of the Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors , specifically addressing the Roles and Relationships With Clients ethical standard. A br...
Speculative improvements to verifiable bounds check elimination

As a safety measure, the Java programming language requires bounds checking of array accesses. This usually translates to dynamic checks each time an array element is accessed. Static analysis can help eliminate some of those checks by proving them to be redundant, reducing the runtime overhead. Compilation of Java programs is usually method-based, and dynamic dispatch complicates interprocedural analysis. The result is a severely restricted static analysis. This paper presents a novel combination of two techniques to alleviate this problem. By assuming constraints that cannot safely be inferred from the program, the amount of provable safe bounds can be greatly extended. These constraints, called speculations, can be derived automatically from the program code by an analyzer, which assumes that there will be no violation of the array bounds. To ensure that the speculations hold at runtime, additional checks have to be injected into the code. Finding good speculations that benefit the runtime performance can be expensive. This paper shows that the speculation technique can be combined with a verifiable annotation framework, allowing most of the work to be shifted to compile-time. Experimental results show that this combination of techniques increases the number of eliminated bounds checks and can result in speedups that approach unconditional bounds check removal.
Comparison of Flow Injection and Continuous Sample Introduction for Automatic Simultaneous Determination of As, Sb, and Se by Hydride Generation and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

The determination of As, Sb, and Se using flow injection sample introduction, hydride generation, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry has been studied. Measurements were made with the use of a simultaneous three-channel system and compared with continuous hydride generation using the same detection system. In general, peak signals obtained with the flow injection system, with 750-μL injections, were approximately three times lower than steady-state signals for the continuous introduction system. Detection limits obtained by flow injection (As, 3.5 μg/L; Se, 3.6 μ/L; Sb, 7.0 μ/L) were also approximately three times poorer than they were for continuous introduction. By contrast, precision was approximately 150% better with flow injection, due to reduced pump pulsations in the flow injection system. Other advantages of the flow injection system are the reduced sample size necessary for analysis (≤750 μL vs. 4 to 5 mL for the continuous introduction system) and the potential for a greatly increased rate of sample throughput. Recovery studies with surface water samples showed acceptable accuracy for the flow injection system.
Foraging by common ravens in the presence and absence of territory holders: an experimental analysis of social foraging

Immature common ravens, Corvus corax, are vagrant and aggregate into groups at large animal carcasses. In contrast, breeding adults are territorial and defend carcasses. Immature ravens may benefit by foraging socially because groups can acquire defended food. This hypothesis was tested by quantifying accessibility of defended foods and feeding rates of dominant and subordinate immature ravens foraging both free in nature and in a large outdoor enclosure. Groups of 9-29 immature birds were more likely to overcome adult territory defence and fed at higher rates on carcasses than did immature birds in smaller groups or solitary individuals. These benefits resulted from reductions in the neophobia of the foragers and reduced aggression of the adult defenders as group size increased. Dominant immature birds fed at higher rates than subordinates, but social foraging was also beneficial to subordinates when carcasses were large and adults were defensive (adults focused their attacks on dominant immature birds). Groups of immature ravens that arrived at carcasses from distant communal roosts were optimal in size. However, group size quickly exceeded the optimum because individuals that joined groups of 29 or more still fed at higher rates than those joining much smaller groups or those striking out on their own. Natural selection acts at the level of the individual, so the observation that animals often share plen- tiful food sources seems, at least superficially, counterintuitive. One would expect an individual to obtain more of the rich food source, and ultimately experience better survival and reproduction, if it defended rather than shared it. This quandary between the observed and expected has fuelled con- siderable theoretical and empirical research into the advantages and disadvantages of group forag- ing (reviewed by Pulliam 1973; Pulliam & Caraco 1984; Clark & Mangel 1986).
A DnaK Homolog in Myxococcus xanthus Is Involved in Social Motility and Fruiting Body Formation

Myxococcus xanthus is a gram-negative soil bacterium which exhibits a complex life cycle and social behavior. In this study, two developmental mutants of M. xanthus were isolated through Tn5 transposon mutagenesis. The mutants were found to be defective in cellular aggregation as well as in sporulation. Further phenotypic characterization indicated that the mutants were defective in social motility but normal in directed cell movements. Both mutations were cloned by a transposon-tagging method. Sequence analysis indicated that both insertions occurred in the same gene, which encodes a homolog of DnaK. Unlike the dnaK genes in other bacteria, this M. xanthus homolog appears not to be regulated by temperature or heat shock and is constitutively expressed during vegetative growth and under starvation. The defects of the mutants indicate that this DnaK homolog is important for the social motility and development of M. xanthus.