cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ex vivo tissue preservation solutions for ultrasonic atomization

Tissue water content has been observed to influence ultrasonic atomization efficiency, which raises questions regarding ex vivo tissue storage time and viability. Here, we investigate the influence of tissue preservation solutions on acoustic properties and atomization efficiency. Samples from ten bovine livers were immediately submerged in phosphate-buffered saline (PBSaline), phosphate-buffered sucrose (PBSucrose), phosphate-buffered raffinose (PBRaffinose), or ViaSpan® clinical organ transplantation solution; no solution was also tested. Acoustic attenuation, sound speed, water content, and atomization efficiency were evaluated on either day 1 or day 2. For atomization efficiency, samples were partially submerged in water with the liver-air interface aligned with a 2-MHz focused transducer operating with 10-ms pulses at 1 Hz and peak pressures of 65/-16 MPa. Overall, no difference in atomization efficiency was observed. Water content in tissue was 66–78%, with PBSaline showing a significant increase between days (p = 0.0013). Only tissues in no solution showed a significant difference between days in acoustic attenuation (p = 0.0003). Sound speed measurements had more variation with only ViaSpan and PBSucrose showing no significant differences. As ViaSpan and PBSurcrose showed the most similarities in the tested acoustic properties, PBSurcose may be a low-cost alternative to the clinical ViaSpan solution for preserving ex vivo tissues. [Work supported by NIH DK043881 and EB017857.]Tissue water content has been observed to influence ultrasonic atomization efficiency, which raises questions regarding ex vivo tissue storage time and viability. Here, we investigate the influence of tissue preservation solutions on acoustic properties and atomization efficiency. Samples from ten bovine livers were immediately submerged in phosphate-buffered saline (PBSaline), phosphate-buffered sucrose (PBSucrose), phosphate-buffered raffinose (PBRaffinose), or ViaSpan® clinical organ transplantation solution; no solution was also tested. Acoustic attenuation, sound speed, water content, and atomization efficiency were evaluated on either day 1 or day 2. For atomization efficiency, samples were partially submerged in water with the liver-air interface aligned with a 2-MHz focused transducer operating with 10-ms pulses at 1 Hz and peak pressures of 65/-16 MPa. Overall, no difference in atomization efficiency was observed. Water content in tissue was 66–78%, with PBSaline showing a significant increase be...
Molecular Genetics and Diagnostics of Thyroid Cancer

Molecular testing of thyroid fine-needle aspirates of indeterminate nodules is increasingly being utilized in combination with cytology to guide clinical management. The major molecular testing methodologies of gene mutation/rearrangement panel testing and gene expression classifier have been described in validation studies, and the initial experience with these tests at other institutions has been reported. These molecular tests, as well as newer, expanded, or combined panels, have shown promise in ruling in or ruling out malignancy. In addition, gene mutation/rearrangement panels can provide helpful prognostic information and potential therapeutic targets.
Color fluctuation phenomena in gamma A collisions at the LHC

We explain that color fluctuations (CFs) in the light-cone photon wave function lead to much stronger shadowing in the coherent production both in the soft regime ($\rho$ -meson photoproduction) and in the hard regime ($J/\psi$ photoproduction). We make CF based predictions for the distribution over the number of wounded nucleons $\nu$ in the inelastic photon--nucleus scattering. We show that CFs lead to a dramatic enhancement of this distribution at $\nu=1$ and large $\nu > 10$. Our predictions can be tested in proton--nucleus and nucleus--nucleus ultraperipheral collisions.
Generalized Count Data Regression Models and Their Applications to Health Care Data

A method for developing generalized parametric regression models for count data is proposed and studied. The method is based on the framework of the T-geometric family of distributions. A T-geometric family consists of discrete distributions, which are analogues to the continuous distributions for the random variable T. The general methodology is applied to derive some generalized regression models for count data. These regression models can fit count data that are under-dispersed, equi-dispersed or over-dispersed. The extension to model truncated or inflated data is addressed. Some new generalized T-geometric regression models are applied to real world data sets to illustrate the flexibility of the models. The models were fitted to four response variables from health care data and their performance compared. No single regression model outperforms other models for all the four response variables. Thus, a researcher should evaluate different models before selecting a final regression model for a count response variable.
La ausencia en “Y todos estábamos vivos”, de Olvido García Valdés

espanolEste ensayo analiza la idea de la ausencia en los versos de “Y todos estabamos vivos” (2006) de Olvido Garcia Valdes. El filosofo y critico aleman Hans-Georg Gadamer ha dicho que “[e]l critico se enfrenta a la tarea de reconocer en la creacion contemporanea, en medio de abundantes imitaciones a la moda formalmente correctas, lo verdaderamente original, lo solido, lo realmente productivo” (1999: 144). El articulo toma como punto de partida estas palabras de Gadamer para analizar el lugar desde el que nacen los versos de la poeta asturiana: lo evaporado, lo disgregado, lo perdido. Siguiendo esta idea, la ausencia contribuye a dar solidez al poemario en base a cuatro axiomas o parametros: (1) el tiempo, (2) el lenguaje, (3) el espacio, y (4) la memoria, a los que se atiende de forma individual, pero no como compartimentos estancos. Explorando a partir de aqui la unidad tematica y estilistica de los versos de Garcia Valdes se plantea una forma de interpretarlos que trata de dar respuesta a las preocupaciones de la poesia espanola contemporanea. EnglishThis essay analyzes the idea of absence in Olvido Garcia Valdes’ “Y todos estabamos vivos” (2006). The German philosopher and critic Hans-Georg Gadamer said that “the literary critic today faces the challenge of being able to identify, in contemporary creation, and amongst a myriad of imitations which are formally correct, the truly original, solid, and productive” (1999: 144). This article takes as a point of departure these words by Gadamer to analyze the place where Garcia Valdes’ poems come from: the evaporated, scattered, lost. Following this idea, absence is suggested as the main theme giving solidity to these poems where it is present on four different axioms or parameters: (1) time, (2) language, (3) space, and (4) memory. Examining each of these parameters separately, but taking into account their possible interrelations, an evaluation of the thematic and stylistic unity of this collection of poems is offered as well as an interpretation for them as an answer to contemporary Spanish poetry’s concerns.
The Regulation and Effects of Myometrial Activity on the Fetus

In a review at the CIBA Foundation symposium meeting on The Fetus at Birth, in 1976, we described our early observations on the temporal relationships between myometrial contractures and fetal electrocorticogram (ECOG; Fig.1). We observed long-term epochs of myometrial contractility as reflected by an increased intrauterine pressure (IUP) lasting 5–15 min which we designated contractures to distinguish them from labor and delivery contractions. We stated that in several instances there was a suggestion that high amplitude fetal ECOG activity may in some way be temporally related to these contractures. Our early hypothesis was that contractures in some way affected the fetus either by decreasing oxygenation or by a sensory stimulus (Nathanielsz et al. 1976).
Body adiposity measured by bioelectrical impedance is an alternative to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in black Africans: The Africans in America Study

Abstract Objectives The prevalence of cardiometabolic disease has risen in Africa and parallels the obesity epidemic. To assess cardiometabolic risk, body composition measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) are ideal. In communities with limited resources, alternative measures may be useful but have not been compared extensively in black Africans. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify alternative methods of body composition assessment, such as body adiposity index (BAI) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), for use in African-born blacks. Methods This was a cross-sectional study with African-born blacks. BAI and five BIA predictive equations (using variations of height, weight, age, sex, and impedance) were compared with DXA to estimate percent fat. Participants were 266 African-born blacks (39 ± 10 y, body mass index 28 ± 4 kg/m2, and 68% men) living in metropolitan Washington DC. Equivalence (90% confidence interval, –3 to 3), concordance, and Bland–Altman analyses (bias Results DXA percent fat was 27.2% ± 5.5% and 40.3% ± 6.9% in men and women, respectively. BAI underestimated percent fat in men (bias: 1.88 ± 4.71, R2 = 0.25, P Conclusion BIA with the Sun et al. predictive equation was the best alternative to DXA for body fat assessment in African-born blacks.
A novel rind puncture technique to measure rind thickness and diameter in plant stalks

Measurements of rind and culm thickness and stem radius/diameter are important to biomechanical, ecological and physiological plant studies. However, many methods of measuring rind thickness and diameter are labor intensive and induce plant fatality. A novel rind puncture methodology for obtaining measurements of rind thickness and diameter has been developed. The suitability of the new method for implementation in plant studies is presented. The novel rind puncture technique was used to obtain measurements of rind thickness and diameter for samples of Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum). The rind puncture measurements were strongly correlated with caliper measurements (R2 > 0.97) and photographic image analysis measurements (R2 > 0.84). The capacity for high throughput measurements using the rind puncture technique was determined to exceed that of caliper measurements and image analysis techniques. The rind puncture technique shows promise as a high throughput method for determining rind thickness and diameter as it is cost effective and non-lethal. The authors are currently working to develop a custom handheld apparatus to allow the novel rind puncture method to be used in field work. High throughput field-based measurements of rind thickness and diameter are needed to help address the problem of stalk lodging (failure of grain crops to remain upright until harvest).
3,4 Diaminopyridine

3,4 Diaminopyridine, a voltage-sensitive potassium channel antagonist, is used to treat the muscle weakness and fatigue associated with myasthenic syndromes and multiple sclerosis.
Dawn of the lively dead: Living queerly with rot in the sustainable city

This paper presents stories of living with dead trees in Baltimore, MD, USA to explore where, how, and with whom tree remains become lively through art, farming, and sustainability practices. These...
Stock or Print? Impact of 3D Printing on Spare Parts Logistics

We present a general framework to analyze and quantify the impact of 3D printing on spare parts logistics. We consider multiple parts facing stochastic demands. To minimize long-run average system cost, our model determines which parts should be printed and which should be stocked and the corresponding base-stock levels. When a demand for a stocked part encounters a stockout, it can either be backlogged or overflowed to the 3D printer. We derive various structural properties and characterize the optimal policy for several special systems, which lead to efficient near-optimal heuristic solutions for the general system. We demonstrate that adopting 3D technology can yield significant cost savings and this impact increases in part variety. Also, “a little flexibility goes a long way” in the sense that allowing both the stock and print options can substantially slash system inventory and cost, while the utilization of the 3D printer is surprisingly low.
Fasting-induced FOXO4 blunts human CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness.

Intermittent fasting blunts inflammation in asthma1 and rheumatoid arthritis2, suggesting that fasting may be exploited as an immune-modulatory intervention. However, the mechanisms underpinning the anti-inflammatory effects of fasting are poorly characterized3–5. Here, we show that fasting in humans is sufficient to blunt CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness. RNA sequencing and flow cytometry immunophenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from volunteers subjected to overnight or 24-h fasting and 3 h of refeeding suggest that fasting blunts CD4+ T helper cell activation and differentiation. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that longer fasting has a more robust effect on CD4+ T-cell biology. Through bioinformatics analyses, we identify the transcription factor FOXO4 and its canonical target FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) as a potential fasting-responsive regulatory axis. Genetic gain- or loss-of-function of FOXO4 and FKBP5 is sufficient to modulate TH1 and TH17 cytokine production. Moreover, we find that fasting-induced or genetic overexpression of FOXO4 and FKBP5 is sufficient to downregulate mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signalling and suppress signal transducer and activator of transcription 1/3 activation. Our results identify FOXO4–FKBP5 as a new fasting-induced, signal transducer and activator of transcription–mediated regulatory pathway to blunt human CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness. In a screen of peripheral blood cells from fasted or fed individuals, Han et al. identify FOXO4 and its target FKBP5 as fasting-induced modulators of CD4+ T helper cell responsiveness.
Trends in telehealth and in-person transitional care management visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background/objectives Transitional care management (TCM) visits delivered following hospitalization have been associated with reductions in mortality, readmissions, and total costs; however, uptake remains low. We sought to describe trends in TCM visit delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design Cross-sectional study of ambulatory electronic health records from December 30, 2019 and January 3, 2021. Setting United States. Participants Forty four thousand six hundred and eighty-one patients receiving transitional care management services. Measurements Weekly rates of in-person and telehealth TCM visits before COVID-19 was declared a national emergency (December 30, 2019 to March 15, 2020), during the initial pandemic period (March 16, 2020 to April 12, 2020) and later period (April 12, 2020 to January 3, 2021). Characteristics of patients receiving in-person and telehealth TCM visits were compared. Results A total of 44,681 TCM visits occurred during the study period with the majority of patients receiving TCM visits age 65 years and older (68.0%) and female (55.0%) Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all TCM visits were conducted in-person. In the initial pandemic, there was an immediate decline in overall TCM visits and a rise in telehealth TCM visits, accounting for 15.4% of TCM visits during this period. In the later pandemic, the average weekly number of TCM visits was 841 and 14.0% were telehealth. During the initial and later pandemic periods, 73.3% and 33.6% of COVID-19-related TCM visits were conducted by telehealth, respectively. Across periods, patterns of telehealth use for TCM visits were similar for younger and older adults. Conclusion The study findings highlight a novel and sustained shift to providing TCM services via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may reduce barriers to accessing a high-value service for older adults during a vulnerable transition period. Further investigations comparing outcomes of in-person and telehealth TCM visits are needed to inform innovation in ambulatory post-discharge care.
Signifying Aggrieved White Selves: Trump Supporters’ Racial Identity Work:

Based on 29 in-depth interviews during the run-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, we examine how Trump supporters engaged in a form of identity work that we call signifying aggrieved white ...
Pupil correlates of decision variables in mice playing a competitive mixed-strategy game

In a competitive game involving an animal and an opponent, the outcome is contingent on the choices of both players. To succeed, the animal must continually adapt to competitive pressure, or else risk being exploited and lose out on rewards. In this study, we demonstrate that head-fixed mice can be trained to play the iterative competitive game 9matching pennies9 against a virtual computer opponent. We find that the animals9 performance is well described by a hybrid computational model that includes Q-learning and choice kernels. Comparing between matching pennies and a non-competitive two-armed bandit task, we show that the tasks encourage animals to operate at different regimes of reinforcement learning. To understand the involvement of neuromodulatory mechanisms, we measure fluctuations in pupil size and use multiple linear regression to relate the trial-by-trial transient pupil responses to decision-related variables. The analysis reveals that pupil responses are modulated by observable variables, including choice and outcome, as well as latent variables for value updating, but not action selection. Collectively, these results establish a paradigm for studying competitive decision-making in head-fixed mice and provide insights into the role of arousal-linked neuromodulation in the decision process.
Ortega, Phenomenology and Idealism

This chapter evaluates Ortega’s philosophy at the beginning of the 1930s, after his 1929 masterpiece What is Philosophy? We will focus on the three editions of the Course Lessons on Metaphysics according to Vital Reason, in 1932–1933, 1934–1935, and 1935–1936. We will also mention the originally unpublished “Prologue to Germans” from 1934 and make some glimpses to the unfinished The Idea of Principle in Leibniz, which Ortega began to write in his Lisbon residence. If, on the one hand, idealism (especially of the Neokantian kind) was always the target of Ortega’s criticisms since 1912, phenomenology seemed, at least until 1929, to offer him a good alternative as a realistic-oriented doctrine of essences. Against the constructivism of the Neokantians, making reality dependent on the subjective activity of the transcendental Ego, phenomenology was backed by intuition and the search for ultimate evidences.
Multi-Level Reconstruction of Visual Surfaces: Variational Principles and Finite Element Representations

Computational modules early in the human vision system typically generate sparse information about the shapes of visible surfaces in the scene. Moreover, visual processes such as stereopsis can provide such information at a number of levels spanning a range of resolutions. In this paper, we extend this multi-level structure to encompass the subsequent task of reconstructing full surface descriptions from the sparse information. The mathematical development proceeds in three steps. First, the surface most consistent with the sparse constraints is characterized as the solution to an equilibrium state of a thin flexible plate. Second, local, finite element representations of surfaces are introduced and, by applying the finite element method, the continuous variational principle is transformed into a discrete problem in the form of a large system of linear algebraic equations whose solution is computable by local-support, cooperative mechanisms. Third, to exploit the information available at each level of resolution, a hierarchy of discrete problems is formulated and a highly efficient multi-level algorithm, involving both intra-level relaxation processes and bi-directional inter-level algorithm, involving both intra- level relaxation processes and bidirectional inter-level local interpolation processes is applied to their simultaneous solution.. Examples of the generation of hierarchies of surface representations from stereo constraints are given. Finally, the basic surface approximation problem is revisited in a broader mathematical context whose implications are of relevance to vision.
Properties of human parainfluenza virus type 3 RNA polymerase/replicase activity in vitro : consensus with other negative-stranded RNA viruses

Abstract A cell-free system supporting transcription, replication, and nucleocapsid assembly of the genome RNA of human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPF3) is described. Cytoplasmic extracts from infected CV-1 or BHK cells catalyzed the transcription of the entire HPF3 genome, the replication of genome RNA, and the assembly of this RNA into nucleocapsidlike structures. Newly replicated RNA was resistant to micrococcal nuclease digestion and was stable in CsCl gradients, exhibiting the density of authentic HPF3 nucleocapsids. After fractionation of the extracts, the nucleocapsid-containing pellet fraction synthesized viral mRNAs. Reconstitution with the soluble protein fraction was necessary for genome RNA replication and nucleocapsid assembly.
How Long To Treat

When should a child be discharged from language intervention? We address this issue by integrating the concept of multiple treatment outcomes into existing frameworks of treatment dismissal. Rosen and Proctor (1978) define three dimensions of treatment outcome: ultimate, intermediate, and instrumental. This article provides definitions of each of these and offers techniques for evaluating a child’s progress toward their attainment.
REAL-TIME DYNAMICS SIMULATION - A DESIGN OPTIMIZATION TOOL

Recent developments in multibody dynamic formulations that lead to inherently high speed simulation and, more important, to implementation on emerging high speed parallel processing computer architectures are presented and their use as a tool for dynamic system design optimization is outlined. A design system, using parallel processors, network computing, and high speed graphics subsystems, is described that permits the engineer to modify design parameters and immediately obtain an animation of dynamic performance of the system. This new capability provides a tool that experienced engineers can use effectively to develop a qualitative and quantitative understanding of the dependence of dynamic on design parameters. For the covering abstract see IRRD 863693.
Widescreen Worldwide, edited by John Belton, Sheldon Hall, and Steve Neale

For historians of media technology, the collection Widescreen Worldwide arrives as a welcome addition to the body of literature on film aspect ratios, a corpus that has grown little in the nearly 2...
A New System for Inductive Learning in Attribute-Based Spaces

Despite the fact that the theory and methodology of inductive learning has previously been described, actual symbolic systems for learning descriptions in attribute-based spaces use other algorithms. The AQ family of programs uses properly guided logic-based negation, union, and intersection operators. The ID family of programs uses the idea of iteratively partitioning the search space. The inductive methodology, on the other hand, describes a number of generalization and specialization operators, some of which can be restricted to the attribute-based spaces. Why, then, they are not used in practice? The reasons are the immense search spaces of inductive learning and its weak heuristics.
Structure of the phosphosaccharide-inositol core of the Leishmania donovani lipophosphoglycan.

Abstract The phosphosaccharide-inositol core of the lipophosphoglycan of Leishmania donovani was generated by treatment of the glycoconjugate with mild acid and digestion with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. The core was purified and examined by one- and two-dimensional 1H-1H NMR and by methylation analysis. From the results, the carbohydrate core was elucidated as a phosphosaccharide attached to the inositol residue of the lyso-alkylphosphatidylinositol anchor of lipophosphoglycan as follows: PO4----6GalP(alpha 1----6)GalP(alpha 1----3)Galf(alpha 1----3)ManP(alpha 1----3)ManP(alpha 1----4)GlcNP(alpha 1----6)myo-inositol. The presence of an internal galactofuranose residue is highly unusual and the ManP(alpha 1----4)GlcNP(alpha 1----6)myo-inositol sequence is homologous to the respective portion of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors reported for both the Trypanosoma brucei variant surface glycoprotein and the rat brain Thy-1 glycoprotein.
Identifying localized changes in large systems: Change-point detection for biomolecular simulations

Research on change-point detection, the classical problem of detecting abrupt changes in sequential data, has focused predominantly on datasets with a single observable. A growing number of time series datasets, however, involve many observables, often with the property that a given change typically affects only a few of the observables. We introduce a general statistical method that, given many noisy observables, detects points in time at which various subsets of the observables exhibit simultaneous changes in data distribution and explicitly identifies those subsets. Our work is motivated by the problem of identifying the nature and timing of biologically interesting conformational changes that occur during atomic-level simulations of biomolecules such as proteins. This problem has proved challenging both because each such conformational change might involve only a small region of the molecule and because these changes are often subtle relative to the ever-present background of faster structural fluctuations. We show that our method is effective in detecting biologically interesting conformational changes in molecular dynamics simulations of both folded and unfolded proteins, even in cases where these changes are difficult to detect using alternative techniques. This method may also facilitate the detection of change points in other types of sequential data involving large numbers of observables—a problem likely to become increasingly important as such data continue to proliferate in a variety of application domains.
The Critical Role of LIGHT, a TNF Family Member, in T Cell Development

Negative selection refers to the selective deletion of autoreactive thymocytes but its molecular events have not been well defined. In this study, we demonstrate that a cellular ligand for herpes virus entry mediator and lymphotoxin receptor (LIGHT), a newly identified member of the TNF superfamily, may play a critical role in negative selection. Using TCR transgenic mice, we find that the blockade of LIGHT signaling in vitro and in vivo prevents negative selection induced by peptide and intrathymically expressed Ags, resulting in the rescue of thymocytes from apoptosis. Furthermore, the thymi of LIGHT transgenic mice show severe atrophy with remarkably reduced CD4 + CD8 + double-positive cells caused by increased apoptosis, suggesting that LIGHT can delete immature T cells in vivo. Taken together, these results demonstrate a critical role of LIGHT in thymic negative selection of the T cell repertoire.
Multilevel analysis of environmental Salmonella prevalences and management practices on 49 broiler breeder farms in four south-eastern States, USA.

Impacts • Salmonella was detected in 88% of the broiler breeder houses that were sampled in four south-eastern states and was identified on all 49 farms enrolled in the study. • Management characteristics associated with increased environmental Salmonella prevalence included treatment of the flock for any disease, dusty conditions in the house, dry conditions under the slats and picking-up dead birds more than one time per day. • The intraclass correlations for samples collected from the same house (0.27) and from different houses on the same farm (0.24) were relatively high, indicating that farm-level clustering is an important consideration when evaluating Salmonella prevalences.
Specialized Health Care Procedures in the Schools: Training and Service Delivery

Students who require specialized health care procedures at school need school personnel with specific knowledge and skills to promote a safe, healthy environment and to assist with procedures. This comprehensive national study examined the extent to which nonmedical personnel were responsible for performing health care procedures, training and supervising health care procedures, training in basic health skills to promote a safe environment for all students, and involving students in performing their own health care procedures. Results indicated that while teachers and paraprofessionals regularly perform these specialized health care procedures, although only about half reported being very knowledgeable about them. Results raise several issues regarding appropriate service delivery, training, and maintaining an appropriate instructional and healthy environment for students requiring these specialized health care procedures.
Growth of a bacterium under a high-pressure oxy-helium atmosphere.

Growth of a barotolerant marine organism, EP-4, in a glutamate medium equilibrated with an oxy-helium atmosphere at 500 atmospheres (atm; total pressure) (20°C) was compared with control cultures incubated at hydrostatic pressures of 1 and 500 atm. Relative to the 1-atm control culture, incubation of EP-4 at 500 atm in the absence of an atmosphere resulted in an approximately fivefold reduction in the growth rate and a significant but time variant reduction in the rate constants for the incorporation of substrate into cell material and respiration. Distinct from the pressurized control and separate from potential effects of dissolution of helium upon decompression of subsamples, exposure of the organism to high-pressure oxy-helium resulted in either a loss of viability of a large fraction of the cells or the arrest of growth for one-third of the experimental period. After these initial effects, however, the culture grew exponentially at a rate which was three times greater than the 500-atm control culture. The rate constant for the incorporation of substrate into cell material was also enhanced twofold in the presence of high-pressure oxy-helium. Dissolved oxygen was well controlled in all of the cultures, minimizing any potential toxic effects of this gas.
A monolithic CMOS 10.4-GHz phase locked loop

A 10.4-GHz PLL with a 256/257 dual modulus prescaler implemented in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS process is presented. The prescaler with a 4/5 synchronous counter operates up to 14 GHz. The counter achieves this by using feedback. The phase noise levels of the PLL and VCO at a 3-MHz offset with I/sub VCO/=8.1 mA are -122 dBc/Hz. The PLL operates between 9.7 10.4 GHz, while drawing 34 mA at V/sub DD/=1.8 V.
Trypanosoma equiperdum minicircles encode three distinct primary transcripts which exhibit guide RNA characteristics.

Abstract The mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes is composed of maxicircle and minicircle DNAs catenated into a network, called the kinetoplast. Maxicircles encode proteins and RNAs necessary for mitochondrial assembly. Minicircles encode small transcripts which are believed to serve as guide RNAs in the process of RNA editing of maxicircle transcripts. Trypanosoma equiperdum minicircles contain three transcription units which produce three distinct transcripts. The genes for these transcripts are flanked by imperfect 18-bp repeats separated by approximately 110 bp. The transcripts have a 5' triphosphate, indicating that they are primary transcripts. Minicircle transcription initiates at a purine within a conserved sequence, 5'-AYAYA-3', where Y is a pyrimidine, 32 bp from the upstream inverted repeat, suggesting that the repeats may function in transcript initiation. Transcripts from a single minicircle transcription unit range in size from 55 to 70 nucleotides. This size heterogeneity within a single sequence class is due to the variable length of nontemplated uridine residues composing a 3' tail. The size range and heterogeneous polyuridylate 3' end of the minicircle transcripts appear to be conserved features and may be related to transcript function.
Multiple description decoding of overcomplete expansions using projections onto convex sets

This paper presents a POCS-based algorithm for consistent reconstruction of a signal x/spl isin/R/sup K/ from any subset of quantized coefficients y/spl epsiv/R/sup N/ in an N/spl times/K overcomplete frame expansion y=Fx, N=2K. By choosing the frame operator F to be the concatenation of two K/spl times/K invertible transforms, the projections may be computed in R/sup K/ using only the transforms and their inverses, rather than in the larger space R/sup N/ using the pseudo-inverse as proposed in earlier work. This enables practical reconstructions from overcomplete frame expansions based on wavelet, subband, or lapped transforms of an entire image, which has heretofore not been possible.
Maximizing congregational resources: Selection versus production

Abstract Unable to make individuals pay for services, many voluntary organizations are burdened with members paying little or nothing for their involvement. An extensive research literature has argued that demanding religious congregations increase organizational resources by screening out free-riders. This explanation focuses on membership selection and the effect of individual beliefs and commitment. Building on the implications of previous work we argue that congregational requirements do more than just screen-out the least committed; they also serve to increase the production of those who join. Using multi-level data we find that organizational monitoring and sanctioning interact with individual beliefs and involvement to explain financial giving to religious congregations. We conclude that high organizational demands not only serve to select members who are the most willing to give, they generate organizational properties that increase the contributions of those who join. In short, sanctions ensure that individuals do not believe without contributing, while monitoring ensures that individuals do not participate without contributing.
Complex syntax used by school-age children with specific language impairment (SLI) in child-adult conversation.

Abstract The present study is an investigation of complex sentence structures produced by school-age children in ordinary 100-utterance language samples. A total of 15 children with specific language impairment (SLI) and 15 of their classmates with typical language (TL) were the participants. Each child’s conversational sample was coded for several types of complex sentence structures. While a 100-utterance language sample was adequate to yield exemplars of several types of spoken syntactic complexity, findings raise concerns about the content validity of conversational language sampling in the assessment of spoken syntactic complexity. Results also indicated that, although the children with SLI produced fewer complex sentences as well as combined complex sentences than their classmates with TL, they produced some examples of most spoken complex sentence structures in their conversations. Implications for using conversational language sampling to assess complex syntax are discussed. Learning outcomes The reader will (a) explain the strengths and weaknesses of language sampling in assessment of spoken syntactic complexity in school-age children, and (b) describe differences in children with SLI and children with TL for spoken syntactic complexity in child–adult conversation, as well as how to account for those differences.
The catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with ammonia by [CuII (NH3)4]2+ complexes: a comparison of aqueous phase and zeolite catalysis

Abstract The role of [Cu II (NH 3 ) 4 ] 2+ complexes in aqueous solution has been investigated for the catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with ammonia, and these results have been compared with those reported previously in which a Y-type zeolite was employed as a support. In aqueous solution the reaction was found to go through a reversible rate maximum at 55 °C which is about 55 °C less than the temperature of the maximum in the zeolite. The decrease in activity at high temperatures was accompanied by a decrease in Cu(II) concentration. The reaction rate was second order in nitric oxide compared with first order in the zeolite. The addition of nitrite and nitrate ions to the aqueous catalytic solution yielded no observable effect on either the reaction rate or product distribution. A reaction mechanism has been proposed in which the rate limiting step at temperatures less than 55 °C is the reaction of N 2 O 2 with coordinated NH 3 . At temperatures above 55 °C, the reoxidation of Cu(I) back to the Cu(II) complex becomes the slow step. This study further demonstrates the marked differences which can occur when the same reaction is catalyzed by a transition metal complex in two different media.
Phase transitions of adsorbates. V. Aqueous sodium chloride solutions adsorbed of porous silica glass

Abstract Adsorption isotherms for water on porous silica glass containing various amounts of NaC1, determined at room temperature, can be superimposed if salt exclusion in the first monolayer and relative pressure values based on existing salt concentration are assumed. The changes in dimensions and heat content of the same glass specimens fully saturated with water were determined in nonequilibrium temperature cycles between +5 and −80°C. The results are explicable by the hypothesis that peculiarities result from the difference between the vapor pressure of the liquid-like adsorbate and that of the solid in the surroundings. No phase separation in the originally occupied pores was detected, but solidification of the solution after redistribution proceeded in a way similar to that of bulk two-component systems. Observations following first freezing were in full harmony with those for the salt-free system. Two aspects of the second freezing, however, were unlike the previously studied case: the magnitude of expansion on cooling was larger at slow rates than at rapid rates and expansion instead of contraction occurred on warming. Low vapor pressure, high viscosity and the presence of some ice in the larger pores are assumed to be the source of these anomalies. Results obtained with aqueous glycerine solutions as adsorbate appear to support this view.
Eγ−Eγ correlations from partial fusion reactions

Abstract A partial fusion reaction, 154 Sm ( 14 N , ( p, d, t )χ n ) 157–159 Er , is shown to be a viable alternative to heavier-ion complete fusion reactions for E γ − E γ correlation studies at very high spin. The valley observed in the present correlation plot, obtained with NaI detectors, indicates rotational band structure up to E γ ≈ 1.46 MeV and a corresponding estimated spin of I = 48. A numerical simulation of the experimental data to check the method shows the significance of this result.
Work design as an approach to person-environment fit

Abstract Job characteristics theory may be conceptualized as a model of person-environment fit which focuses on matching the characteristics of jobs to the abilities and needs of jobholders. In this paper, we explore the potential costs and benefits of person-job congruence, and use recent developments in the person-environment fit literature to suggest ways in which characteristics of jobs and characteristics of individuals may influence one another. Implications for future research in the work design area are discussed.
Dynamics of Brittle Fracture with Variable Elasticity.

Simulations show that brittle cracks approach six-tenths the Rayleigh speed and follow the highest surface energy path. Using an interatomic potential recently developed by J. P. Sethna, we find that the crack's limiting speed now approaches the theoretical prediction of the Rayleigh speed, but the crack path is still associated with greatest elastic stiffness and surface energy. We conclude that the crack's dynamics is governed by the anisotropic mean-field elasticity associated with large strains ( $\ensuremath{\ge}7%$).
RNA and protein synthesis in the unfertilized eggs of Urechis caupo

Abstract Mature, unfertilized eggs of Urechis caupo which are in the prophase of the first meiotic division and contain an intact germinal vesicle synthesize both RNA and protein. Incorporation of radioactive precursors into these macromolecules continues during very long (up to 2 months) incubations in seawater. Autoradiograms demonstrate that all eggs are engaged in synthetic activity. Amino acid label incorporated into protein appears throughout the nucleus and cytoplasm. RNA label, however, is predominantly nuclear and is particularly heavy over the nucleolus, even after several days' incubation with uridine-3H. The RNA synthesized by the unfertilized eggs includes ribosomal and transfer RNA's plus a third class of RNA which sediments heterogeneously in sucrose gradients, has a more DNA-like base composition, and includes rapidly sedimenting species. Although the sedimentation profiles and labeling kinetics of RNA extracted from these eggs indicate active ribosomal RNA synthesis, only a small portion of the radioactivity is associated with 80 S ribosomes, even after prolonged incubations. The heavier species of radioactive RNA extracted from ribosomes sediments at 28 S, like the bulk RNA, but a radioactivity peak at 30 S predominates in other fractions of egg homogenates, as well as in the total egg RNA extracted directly with phenol-SDS. The predominance of 30 S RNA may be related to the fact that most of the labeled RNA is retained within the nuclei. The RNA and protein synthesis in unfertilized Urechis eggs is not triggered by exposure to seawater, but can be demonstrated in coelomic fluid as well. Immature oocytes of a variety of sizes are active in RNA and protein synthesis when incubated in seawater with no follicle or other accessory cells present. Ribosomal RNA synthesis is active in immature oocytes labeled in seawater or in vivo.
Taking stock: Can the theory of reasoned action explain unethical conduct?

Extensive interest in business ethics has developed accompanied by an increase in empirical research on the determinants of unethical conduct. In setting forth the theory of reasoned action, Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) maintained that research attention on such variables as personality traits and demographic characteristics is misplaced and, instead, researchers should focus on behavioral intentions and the beliefs that shape those intentions. This study summarizes business ethics research which tests the theory of reasoned action and suggests directions for further research.
Osteoblast CFTR Inactivation Reduces Differentiation and Osteoprotegerin Expression in a Mouse Model of Cystic Fibrosis-Related Bone Disease

Low bone mass and increased fracture risk are recognized complications of cystic fibrosis (CF). CF-related bone disease (CFBD) is characterized by uncoupled bone turnover—impaired osteoblastic bone formation and enhanced osteoclastic bone resorption. Intestinal malabsorption, vitamin D deficiency and inflammatory cytokines contribute to CFBD. However, epidemiological investigations and animal models also support a direct causal link between inactivation of skeletal cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR), the gene that when mutated causes CF, and CFBD. The objective of this study was to examine the direct actions of CFTR on bone. Expression analyses revealed that CFTR mRNA and protein were expressed in murine osteoblasts, but not in osteoclasts. Functional studies were then performed to investigate the direct actions of CFTR on osteoblasts using a CFTR knockout (Cftr−/−) mouse model. In the murine calvarial organ culture assay, Cftr−/− calvariae displayed significantly less bone formation and osteoblast numbers than calvariae harvested from wildtype (Cftr+/+) littermates. CFTR inactivation also reduced alkaline phosphatase expression in cultured murine calvarial osteoblasts. Although CFTR was not expressed in murine osteoclasts, significantly more osteoclasts formed in Cftr−/− compared to Cftr+/+ bone marrow cultures. Indirect regulation of osteoclastogenesis by the osteoblast through RANK/RANKL/OPG signaling was next examined. Although no difference in receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (Rankl) mRNA was detected, significantly less osteoprotegerin (Opg) was expressed in Cftr−/− compared to Cftr+/+ osteoblasts. Together, the Rankl:Opg ratio was significantly higher in Cftr−/− murine calvarial osteoblasts contributing to a higher osteoclastogenesis potential. The combined findings of reduced osteoblast differentiation and lower Opg expression suggested a possible defect in canonical Wnt signaling. In fact, Wnt3a and PTH-stimulated canonical Wnt signaling was defective in Cftr−/− murine calvarial osteoblasts. These results support that genetic inactivation of CFTR in osteoblasts contributes to low bone mass and that targeting osteoblasts may represent an effective strategy to treat CFBD.
The Human–Macaque Interface: Conservation Implications of Current and Future Overlap and Conflict in Lore Lindu National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Here, I examine overlapping resource use of forest and cultivated resources by villagers and tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) in Lore Lindu National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia. An integrative research design was employed, using methods from primatology and cultural anthropology, in conjunction with quantitative measurements of cacao crop loss. The results indicate that the current patterns of overlapping resource use may not be severely affecting the tonkean macaques or villagers in Lindu. The research does, however, point to possible future difficulty if cacao crop raiding by macaques increases, and as changing socioeconomic trends and loss of traditional folklore result in further modification of macaque habitat. Successful strategies to ameliorate human–macaque conflict may require efforts aimed at the adoption of alternative buffer zone crops that use shade-management systems, the deliberate protection of important macaque food species, and increasing local tolerance to crop raiding by exploring the role of macaques in forest regeneration.
A test of the spew hypothesis using intralist repetition and a free-recall task.

The role of intralist repetition on free recall was investigated using 43 college students. In each of four lists, 5 words were repeated three times each and 15 words were given once. The same 20 words were used for all four lists, but the words that were repeated varied across lists. It was found that during output the repeated words had significantly higher mean position than did the nonrepeated words. The result agreed with the spew hypothesis of Underwood & Schulz, (1960).
A feasibility analysis of fixed-slash rational arithmetic

An investigation of the feasibility of a finite precision approximate rational arithmetic based on fixed-slash representation of rational numbers is presented. Worst-case and average-case complexity analyses of the involved rounding algorithm (an extended shift-subtract gcd algorithm) are presented. The results are applied to a proposed hardware realization of a fixed-slash arithmetic unit.