cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The jail and the community

The importance of jails and their neglect by social scientists are paradoxical themes in the literature on local jails. Although little effort has been made to examine the reasons for the limitations in our knowledge about jails, one possibility is that a consistent context for the research has not emerged. Such a context should help to organize existing studies and give direction to further research. Recent studies by Irwin and Gibbs are suggestive about the value of examining jails in the context of community. This essay uses the community context in reviews of existing studies of the role of the jail, the experience of jail confinement, change and reform in jails, and crowding and the future of the American jail.
Transonic analysis of the F-16A with under-wing fuel tanks - An application of the TranAir full-potential code

Initial results obtained using the TranAir transonic full-potential code are presented for a fully configured F-16A geometry, including two 370-gal under-wing fuel tanks, at freestream Mach numbers of 0.6 and 0.9 and angle of attack of 4 deg. The geometry is modeled using surface panels, and the flow field is defined by a rectangular array of flow-field grid points. The paneled geometry is embedded within this rectangular flow field. By avoiding the use of surface-conforming flow-field grids, the modeling generality afforded by surface panels can be utilized to analyze very complex configurations in the transonic flow regime.
Recruitment of Co-metabolic enzymes for environmental detoxification of organohalides

Polyhalogenated compounds are often environmentally persistent and toxic to mammals. Microorganisms that metabolize these compounds can detoxify contaminated environments. Different biochemical mec...
Neuropeptide Y administration into the amygdala suppresses ethanol drinking in alcohol-preferring (P) rats following multiple deprivations

The present experiment examines the effects of NPY administered into the amygdala on ethanol drinking by alcohol-preferring P rats following long-term continuous ethanol access, with and without multiple periods of imposed ethanol abstinence. P rats had access to 15% (v/v) ethanol and water for 11 weeks followed by 2 weeks of ethanol abstinence, re-exposure to ethanol for 2 weeks, 2 more weeks of ethanol abstinence, and a final ethanol re-exposure. Immediately prior to the second ethanol re-exposure, 4 groups of rats received bilateral infusions NPY (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 μg) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) into the amygdala. Two additional groups were given uninterrupted ethanol access and were infused with a single NPY dose (1.0 μg) or aCSF. The highest NPY dose (1.0 μg) suppressed ethanol intake for 24 h in rats with a history of ethanol abstinence (i.e. deprivation) periods, but had no effect in rats with a history of continuous ethanol access. Water and food intakes were not altered. These results suggest that the amygdala mediates the suppressive effects of centrally administered NPY on ethanol drinking, and that NPY may block relapse-like drinking by opposing the anxiogenic effects of ethanol abstinence.
Timing and Frequency of Between-Row Mowing and Band-Applied Herbicide for Annual Weed Control in Soybean

Alternative ways are needed to control weeds in field crops that reduce or prevent both herbicide contamination of surface and ground water and soil erosion. A new weed management system, which consisted of band-applied herbicides over the soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr., Morsoy 9137'] row and two or more between-row (BR) mowings, was optimized in a soybean field near Columbia, MO. Between-row mowing very close to the soil surface twice with a mower killed or suppressed annual grass and broadleaf weeds, chiefly giant foxtail (Setaria faberi R. Herrm.), common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.), and waterhemp species (Amaranthus spp.), when properly timed. When band-applied herbicide controlled weeds within the crop row, annual weeds between rows could be mowed once when the tallest weeds were 8 to 24 cm tall and again just before crop canopy closure, without yield loss. No more than two BR mowings were needed to control annual weeds. Shading by crop canopy closure contributed to weed suppression in this BR-mowing weed management system. Soybean yield in the BR-mowing weed management system could not be statistically distinguished from hoed, weed-free check plots or broadcast-herbicide treatments and was greater than the weedy check plots. Herbicide use was reduced 50% by banding because only 50% of the field area was sprayed. The BR-mowing weed management system may have use in environmentally sensitive areas to help reduce soil erosion and/or water contamination by herbicides.
Retention of a passive avoidance response in mice

Mice were trained to avoid electric shock by means of a single trial passive avoidance conditioning procedure. Retention of the avoidance response was examined as a function of the time interval between training and retention testing (0.5 to 512 hr.) and the duration of punishing electric shock during training. The relation between retention and the logarithm of time was a decreasing essentially linear function of flat-slope, which was independent of a 4-fold change in shock duration. The time required for 50% of the animals to “forget” the avoidance response was estimated to be 1500 hr. Retention at a single time interval was invariant over a 4-fold change in shock intensity during training.
Phase II study of paclitaxel in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma refractory to standard chemotherapy

BACKGROUND The authors conducted a single institution Phase II clinical trial to determine whether paclitaxel had antitumor activity in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma that was refractory to standard chemotherapy. METHODS Patients with metastatic breast carcinoma were eligible for the study if they had disease progression after at least 2 prior chemotherapy regimens. Patients who had received three prior regimens were treated in a separate cohort. All patients were required to have received doxorubicin in the past and were not eligible if they had received prior therapy with paclitaxel. The starting dose of paclitaxel for low risk patients was 175 mg/m2, administered as a 24-hour continuous infusion; the starting dose of paclitaxel was 150 mg/m2 for patients who had received ≥ 3 prior regimens. Therapy was given every 3 weeks and continued for at least 2 courses unless there was evidence of rapidly progressing disease, for at least 3 courses if there was no change in disease and Grade 3 or 4 (based on National Cancer Institute toxicity criteria) toxicity was not noted, and for 6 courses beyond the maximum response in patients who demonstrated complete or partial responses and showed no evidence of disease progression. RESULTS Sixty-eight of 69 patients entered in the study were evaluable for response: 35 patients who had received 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for Stage IV disease and 33 patients who had received ≥ 3 prior regimens. A partial response was observed in 7 patients who had received 2 prior regimens, for an objective response rate of 20% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 14–26%). In the group who had received ≥ 3 prior regimens, a total of 6 partial responses were observed, for an objective response rate of 18% (95% CI, 12–23%). The median response duration was 8.2 months (range, 2.7–10.1 months) for the group who had received 2 prior regimens and 5.8 months (range, 2.1–9.5 months) for patients who received ≥ 3 prior regimens. Responses were noted in patients with anthracycline-resistant tumors. CONCLUSIONS Paclitaxel was active in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic breast carcinoma, including anthracycline-resistant breast carcinoma. Cancer 2000;89:2195–201. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
Tissue protection and endothelial cell signaling by 20-HETE analogs in intact ex vivo lung slices

The capacity to follow cell type-specific signaling in intact lung remains limited. 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) is an endogenous fatty acid that mediates signaling for a number of key physiologic endpoints in the pulmonary vasculature, including cell survival and altered vascular tone. We used confocal microscopy to identify enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in endothelial cell (EC)s in intact lung evoked by two stable analogs of 20-HETE, 20-5,14-HEDE (20-hydroxyeicosa-5(Z),14(Z)-dienoic acid) and 20-5,14-HEDGE (N-[20-hydroxyeicosa-5(Z),14(Z)-dienoyl]glycine). These analogs generated increased ROS in cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells as well. 20-HETE analog treatment decreased apoptosis of pulmonary tissue exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) ex vivo. Enhanced ROS production and apoptosis were confirmed by biochemical assays. Our studies identify physiologically critical, graded ROS from ECs in live lung tissue ex vivo treated with 20-HETE analogs and protection from HR-induced apoptosis. These methodologies create exciting possibilities for studying signaling by stable 20-HETE analogs and other factors in pulmonary endothelial and other lung cell types in their native milieu.
Ocular complications of hemophilia.

This paper presents the ocular complications occurring in a series of 123 patients with hemophilia. In one of these patients a severe spontaneous retrobulbar hemorrhage resulted in loss of vision in the affected eye. Prolonged bleeding followed extraocular muscle surgery, enucleation, chalazion surgery, and cataract extraction in other patients. In addition, 20 patients with hemophilia were noted to have subconjunctival hemorrhage or other hemorrhages about the eye. Hemophilia is a hereditary disorder transmitted by the female and affecting males almost exclusively. The disease is due to a reduction or absence of a component in the blood essential for the formation of plasma thromboplastin. Common signs of hemophilia include subcutaneous and intramuscular hemorrhage, bleeding from the mouth or gums, gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract bleeding and hemorrhage into joints. Trivial injury can result in serious and prolonged bleeding. Ocular involvement has only rarely been reported. 1-4 Report of Cases Patient 1. —A
Association of reduced red blood cell deformability and diabetic nephropathy

Association of reduced red blood cell deformability and diabetic nephropathy. Background Impaired red blood cell deformability may play a key role in the pathogenesis of chronic vascular complications of diabetes mellitus and progression of renal failure. The present study was conducted to test whether impaired red blood cell deformability is indeed associated with development of diabetic nephropathy. Methods We studied 57 adult type 2 diabetic patients divided into three groups according to serum creatinine concentration. Group I comprised 28 diabetic patients with normal renal function (serum creatinine concentration Results In the diabetic cohort, we found substantially impaired red blood cell deformability in those with normal renal function (group I). With further renal function loss, an increased impairment in red blood cell deformability was observed. Diabetic patients with renal insufficiency (group II) when compared to non-diabetic controls (renal insufficiency) had a significantly greater impairment in red blood cell deformability ( P = 0.01). The nondiabetic cohort (renal insufficiency), on the other hand, manifested significant impairment in red blood cell deformability. Their degree of impairment was statistically higher than that in diabetic patients with normal renal function ( P = 0.0005). Interestingly, there was a progressive increase in red blood cell deformability impairment, along with progression of renal insufficiency, and thus no significant difference in the degree of red blood cell deformability impairment was observed between diabetic and nondiabetic patients with ESRD ( P = 0.52). There is significant correlation between serum creatinine and impairment in red blood cell deformability in both diabetic (group II plus III) ( r = 0.43, P = 0.02) and nondiabetic ( r = 0.62, P = 0.003) cohorts. Conclusion In diabetic patients, early impairment in red blood cell deformability appears in patients with normal renal function, and progressive impairment in red blood cell deformability is associated with renal function loss in all patients regardless of the presence or absence of diabetes.
Resident response to integration of simulation-based education into emergency medicine conference

Objectives: Utilization of simulation-based training has become increasingly prevalent in residency training. The authors compared emergency medicine (EM) resident feedback for simulation sessions to traditional lectures from an EM residency didactic program. Methods: The authors performed a retrospective review of all written EM conference evaluations over a 29-month period. Evaluation questions were scored on a 1–9 Likert scale. Results: Lectures and simulation accounted for 77.6 and 22.4% of the conferences, respectively. Scored means (±standard deviations [SDs]) were as follows: overall, lecture 7.97 ± 0.74 versus simulation 8.373 ± 0.44 (p < 0.01); Question 1, lecture 7.97 ± 0.74 versus simulation 8.40 ± 0.43 (p < 0.005); Question 2, lecture 7.92 ± 0.74 versus simulation 8.34 ± 0.48 (p < 0.01); Question 3, lecture 8.01 ± 0.77 versus simulation 8.26 ± 0.51 (p < 0.15); and Question 4, lecture 8.00 ± 0.75 versus simulation 8.42 ± 0.46 (p < 0.01). There was no longitudinal decay of scores. Conclusions: Emergency medicine residents scored simulation-based sessions higher than traditional lectures. The scores over time suggest that this preference for simulation can be sustainable long term. Residents perceive simulation as more desirable teaching method compared to the traditional lecture format. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2008; 15:1207–1210 a 2008 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Environmental failure to thrive: A clinical view*

A syndrome frequently encountered in children's hospitals and outpatient clinics has been designated by the term, “failure to thrive.” This syndrome is described as growth and developmental failure in the presence of considerable familial disturbance, with improvement during exposure to a nurturing environment. The clinical types of failure to thrive are divided into: (1) those without systemic symptoms; (2) those with systemic symptoms; (3) those with concurrent signs of inflicted injury; and (4) those resulting from or concurrent with another disease or abnormality. Case material is presented to illustrate these types. Diagnostic criteria of this syndrome are given to focus on the essential role of the physician in earlier case finding and intervention.
On understanding compatibility of student pair programmers

In recent years, educators have increasingly used pair programming in their computer science courses. Pair programming has been shown to be beneficial for both the teaching staff and the students in the courses. Occasionally, though, students are not compatible with their partners. An extensive study was done at the North Carolina State University to provide guidance on forming student pairs to improve the chances that pairs will be compatible and have a productive work relationship. We examined compatibility among freshman, advanced undergraduate, and graduate students. We have found that the students' perception of their partner's skill level has a significant influence on their compatibility. Graduate students work well with partners of similar actual skill level. Freshmen seem to work better with partners with different Myers Briggs personality type. Students' self-esteem does not appear to be a major contributor to pair compatibility.
The role of cell seeding density and nutrient supply for articular cartilage tissue engineering with deformational loading.

Abstract Objective: Functional tissue engineering (FTE) of articular cartilage involves the use of physiologically relevant mechanical signals to encourage the growth of engineered constructs. The goal of this study was to determine the utility of deformational loading in enhancing the mechanical properties of chondrocyte-seeded agarose hydrogels, and to investigate the role of initial cell seeding density and nutrient supply in this process. Design: Chondrocyte-seeded agarose hydrogels were cultured in free-swelling conditions or with intermittent deformational loading (10% deformation, 1Hz, 1h on/1h off, 3h per day, five days per week) over a two-month culture period. Disks were seeded at lower (10 million cells/ml) and higher (60 million cells/ml) seeding densities in the context of a greater medium supply than previous studies (decreasing the number of cells/ml feed medium/day) and with an increasing concentration of fetal bovine serum (10 or 20% FBS). Results: Under these more optimal nutrient conditions, at higher seeding densities and high serum concentration (20% FBS), dynamically loaded constructs show >2-fold increases in material properties relative to free-swelling controls. After two months of culture, dynamically loaded constructs achieved a Young's modulus of ∼185kPa and a dynamic modulus (at 1Hz) of ∼1.6MPa, with a frequency dependent response similar to that of the native tissue. These values represent ∼3/4 and ∼1/4 the values measured for the native tissue, respectively. While significant differences were found in mechanical properties, staining and bulk measurements of both proteoglycan and collagen content of higher seeding density constructs revealed no significant differences between free-swelling and loading groups. This finding indicates that deformational loading may act to increase material properties via differences in the structural organization, the production of small linker ECM molecules, or by modulating the size of macromolecular proteoglycan aggregates. Conclusions: Taken together, these results point to the utility of dynamic deformational loading in the mechanical preconditioning of engineered articular cartilage constructs and the necessity for increasing feed media volume and serum supplementation with increasing cell seeding densities.
Signaling Pathways Responsible for Fetal Gene Induction in the Failing Human Heart Evidence for Altered Thyroid Hormone Receptor Gene Expression

Background—We have previously demonstrated that changes in myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms that occur in failing human hearts resemble the pattern produced in rodent myocardium in response to hypothyroidism. Because thyroid hormone status is usually within normal limits in these patients, we hypothesized that failing/hypertrophied human myocardium might have a defect in thyroid hormone signaling due to alterations in expression of thyroid hormone receptors (TRs). Methods and Results—To examine this hypothesis, we used RNase protection assay to measure mRNA levels of TRs in failing left ventricles that exhibited a fetal pattern of gene expression, ie, decreased expression of α-MHC with increased β-MHC expression compared with left ventricles from age-matched controls. We detected expression of TR-α1, -α2, and -β1 isoforms in human left ventricles. In failing left ventricles, TR-α1 was downregulated, whereas TR-α2, a splice variant that does not bind thyroid hormone but inhibits responses to liganded TRs,...
What Contributes to Predicting Change in the Treatment of Dissociation: Initial Levels of Dissociation, PTSD, or Overall Distress?

Individuals with dissociative disorders (DDs) suffer from high levels of dissociation as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and general distress. No research has investigated how changes in dissociation relate to changes in other symptoms over the course of treatment in patients with DD. Using a prospective, naturalistic design, we collected reports of symptoms from a sample of therapists and their patients diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder or dissociative disorder not otherwise specified who participated in the Treatment Outcome of Patients with Dissociative Disorders study. The patients completed surveys at intake (Time 1) into the study and at 30-month follow-up (Time 4). We found that dissociative symptoms, including amnesia, depersonalization/derealization, and absorption, at the initial assessment of the study ("initial") were related to initial levels of PTSD and general distress and that changes in dissociative symptoms were related to changes in PTSD and general distress. Initial dissociation was a significant predictor of change in dissociation at 30 months when we controlled for length of time for follow-up, length of time practicing therapy, and length of time treating dissociative patients. Our results suggest that a reduction in dissociative symptoms in DD patients is associated with reductions in the overall severity of dissociative, posttraumatic stress, and distress symptoms.
3D computational modeling and simulation of leukocyte rolling adhesion and deformation

A 3D computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model is presented to simulate transient rolling adhesion and deformation of leukocytes over a P-selectin coated surface in shear flow. The computational model is based on immersed boundary method for cell deformation, and stochastic Monte Carlo simulation for receptor/ligand interaction. The model is shown to predict the characteristic 'stop-and-go' motion of rolling leukocytes. Here we examine the effect of cell deformation, shear rate, and microvilli distribution on the rolling characteristics. Comparison with experimental measurements is presented throughout the article. We observe that compliant cells roll more stably, and have longer pause times due to reduced bond force and increased bond lifetime. Microvilli presentation is shown to affect rolling characteristics by altering the step size, but not pause times. Our simulations predict a significant sideway motion of the cell arising purely due to receptor/ligand interaction, and discrete nature of microvilli distribution. Adhesion is seen to occur via multiple tethers, each of which forms multiple selectin bonds, but often one tether is sufficient to support rolling. The adhesion force is concentrated in only 1-3 tethered microvilli in the rear-most part of a cell. We also observe that the number of selectin bonds that hold the cell effectively against hydrodynamic shear is significantly less than the total adhesion bonds formed between a cell and the substrate. The force loading on individual microvillus and selectin bond is not continuous, rather occurs in steps. Further, we find that the peak force on a tethered microvillus is much higher than that measured to cause tether extrusion.
Direct and indirect 5-HT receptor agonists produce gender-specific effects on locomotor and vertical activities in C57 BL/6J mice

Abstract It is well established that the dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) systems have extensive and complex interactions. However, the effects of specific 5-HT receptor agonists on traditionally DA-related behaviors remain unclear. Our goal in these studies was to characterize the effects of 5-HT receptor agonists on measures of locomotor activity and vertical rearing. The SSRIs fluoxetine and citalopram produced significant decreases in locomotor activity and vertical rearing at the highest doses used with females significantly more sensitive to citalopram. The 5-HT 1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT and the 5-HT 2C agonist MK 212 significantly decreased activity in both male and female mice, with females more sensitive to 8-OH-DPAT. In contrast, the 5-HT 1B agonist RU 24969 and the 5-HT 2A agonist DOI both increased activity, with DOI exhibiting differential effects with regard to sex. Finally, the 5-HT 3 agonist SR 57227 produced significant locomotor increases only in female mice at the lowest dose. The results of these experiments define locomotor profiles of several 5-HT agonists in male and female C57BL/6J mice, providing a foundation for further explorations of 5-HT receptor effects on activity.
Commingled samples: A neglected source of bias in reliability analysis

Reliability is a property of test scores from individuals who have been sampled from a well-defined population. Reliability indices, such as coefficient α and related formulas for internal consistency reliability (KR-20, Hoyt's reliability), yield lower bound reliability estimates when (a) subjects have been sampled from a single population and when (b) test items are congeneric (i.e., when items are sampled from a single latent dimension). However, when samples are commingled—that is, when they are composed of scores that are drawn from multiple populations— coefficient α and related indices can be severely biased. In most cases the bias inflates α; in other cases α is attenuated. Equations are derived for elucidating this bias in two-group mixture distributions.
Cyclooxygenase gene expression in human endometrium and decidua

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine if genes for cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase, key enzymes in the synthesis of eicosanoids, are expressed in human endometrium and to determine if the level of expression is affected by decidualization or preeclampsia, a form of pregnancy-induced hypertension. RT-PCR was used to detect mRNA in tissues obtained from various patients. Results demonstrated that COX and 5-lipoxygenase genes are expressed in endometrium and decidua. COX gene expression in endometrium is 2-3-fold greater than in decidua while 5-lipoxygenase gene expression is similar. Neither COX nor 5-lipooxygenase gene expression in decidua is altered by changes resulting from preeclampsia. Thus, genes for key enzymes in the synthesis of eicosanoids are expressed in human endometrium and decidua. Selective down-regulation is evident as decidualization results in a significant reduction in the gene expression of COX, while 5-lipozygenase gene expression remains unchanged.
The processing of compound words in English: Effects of word length on eye movements during reading

Two experiments are reported which investigated morphological processing in English using bilexemic compound words. Long and short compound words were presented in neutral sentences and eye movements were recorded while participants read the sentences to investigate the time course of compound word recognition. In Experiment 1, the frequency of the beginning lexeme was manipulated in addition to word length while in Experiment 2 rated frequency was manipulated. These experiments represented attempts to extend Bertram and Hyona's (2003) work with Finnish compounds to English and to test the parallel dual-route model of compound processing. Predictions from this model would be that only long compound words should demonstrate a beginning lexeme frequency effect and short compound words should show an earlier effect of whole-word frequency. Contrary to this, short compound words did show a large beginning lexeme frequency effect as well as whole word frequency effects. These results will be problematic for pa...
An extension on a new formulation of the algebraic Riccati equation problem

In a recent paper [3], by utilizing the square root of a matrix approach a new formulation of the algebraic Riccati equation has been presented and a closed form solution has been obtained under the hypothesis that certain commutativity conditions are fulfilled on a transformed space. In this note the imposed conditions are weakened and the formulation is extended to a wider class of Riccati problems.
Interpreting What Speakers Say and Implicate

The traditional view in pragmatic theory is that a distinction exists between what speakers say and what they mean, communicate, or implicate in context. For example, when uttering Jane has three children, a speaker might only say that "Jane has three children but may have more than three," but the speaker implicates that "Jane has exactly three children." Under this view, pragmatics plays only a small role in determining what speakers say and has a primary part in interpreting speaker's intended messages. My aim in this article is to challenge this view. I describe empirical work showing that pragmatics has a fundamental role in determining both what speakers say and implicate. Thus, when a speaker utters Jane has three children, enriched pragmatic information is used to infer that the speaker says "Jane has exactly three children" and that in specific contexts, the speaker can go on to express additional pragmatic meanings, such as "Jane is married" or "Jane is very busy because she has three children." I also describe work on the importance of complex pragmatic, metarepresentational reasoning in understanding irony and metaphor. Finally, I briefly discuss the relevance of these new developments in pragmatics for neurolinguistic research.
Device-free people counting and localization

Device-free passive (DfP) localization has been proposed as an emerging technique for localizing people, without requiring them to carry any devices. Potential applications include elder-care, security enforcement, building occupancy statistics, etc. We first present PC-DfP, an accurate and efficient RF-based device-free localization solution. PC-DfP adopts a stochastic fingerprinting approach to mitigate the error caused by the multipath and meanwhile minimize the system calibration overhead. Second, we present SCPL, a RF-based device-free people counting and localization technique. SCPL takes the calibration data collected with one person and the map information to accurately count people sequentially and localize them in parallel. Finally we present Crowd++, an unsupervised speaker counting technique through audio inference with smartphones to estimate the number of people in social hotspot places.
Experimental and mathematical approaches to modeling plant metabolic networks

To support their sessile and autotrophic lifestyle higher plants have evolved elaborate networks of metabolic pathways. Dynamic changes in these metabolic networks are among the developmental forces underlying the functional differentiation of organs, tissues and specialized cell types. They are also important in the various interactions of a plant with its environment. Further complexity is added by the extensive compartmentation of the various interconnected metabolic pathways in plants. Thus, although being used widely for assessing the control of metabolic flux in microbes, mathematical modeling approaches that require steady-state approximations are of limited utility for understanding complex plant metabolic networks. However, considerable progress has been made when manageable metabolic subsystems were studied. In this article, we will explain in general terms and using simple examples the concepts underlying stoichiometric modeling (metabolic flux analysis and metabolic pathway analysis) and kinetic approaches to modeling (including metabolic control analysis as a special case). Selected studies demonstrating the prospects of these approaches, or combinations of them, for understanding the control of flux through particular plant pathways are discussed. We argue that iterative cycles of (dry) mathematical modeling and (wet) laboratory testing will become increasingly important for simulating the distribution of flux in plant metabolic networks and deriving rational experimental designs for metabolic engineering efforts.
Practical performance evaluation of a 10k × 10k CCD for electron cryo-microscopy

Abstract Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) images are commonly collected using either charge-coupled devices (CCD) or photographic film. Both film and the current generation of 16 megapixel (4k × 4k) CCD cameras have yielded high-resolution structures. Yet, despite the many advantages of CCD cameras, more than two times as many structures of biological macromolecules have been published in recent years using photographic film. The continued preference to film, especially for subnanometer-resolution structures, may be partially influenced by the finer sampling and larger effective specimen imaging area offered by film. Large format digital cameras may finally allow them to overtake film as the preferred detector for cryo-EM. We have evaluated a 111-megapixel (10k × 10k) CCD camera with a 9 μm pixel size. The spectral signal-to-noise ratios of low dose images of carbon film indicate that this detector is capable of providing signal up to at least 2/5 Nyquist frequency potentially retrievable for 3D reconstructions of biological specimens, resulting in more than double the effective specimen imaging area of existing 4k × 4k CCD cameras. We verified our estimates using frozen–hydrated e15 bacteriophage as a biological test specimen with previously determined structure, yielding a ∼7 A resolution single particle reconstruction from only 80 CCD frames. Finally, we explored the limits of current CCD technology by comparing the performance of this detector to various CCD cameras used for recording data yielding subnanometer resolution cryo-EM structures submitted to the electron microscopy data bank ( http://www.emdatabank.org/ ).
EFFECT OF TRANSFUSION THERAPY ON TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY VELOCITIES IN CHILDREN WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

Background Children with sickle cell disease and abnormal transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography have a high risk of stroke, but this risk is greatly reduced when chronic transfusion therapy is administered. The change in TCD velocities during chronic transfusion therapy and rate and frequency of normalization of TCD findings have not been studied extensively.
Arazoformyl dipeptide substrates for thermolysin. Confirmation of a reverse protonation catalytic mechanism.

Cleavage by thermolysin of N-(4-methoxyphenylazoformyl)-l-leucyl-l-leucine plus some congeneric peptides provides a highly sensitive new kinetic assay for proteolytic activity. The pH dependence of Michaelis−Menten parameters kcat and Km establishes kinetically a reverse protonation catalytic mechanism for this metalloprotease [Mock, W. L., & Aksamawati, M. (1994) Biochem. J. 302, 57−68]. An acidified water molecule (pKa of 5, seen in Km) becomes displaced by substrate carboxamide from the hypercationic Zn2+ of the enzyme, yielding potent Lewis acid activation of the peptide linkage for subsequent hydrolysis. Conversion to product is induced by the side chain of enzymic residue His 231 (pKa of 8, seen in kcat), which provides general base catalysis for addition of H2O to the zinc-activated scissile carboxamide of the bound substrate. A previously described “superactivation” through chemical modification of the enzyme with acetylphenylalanyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide is nonexistent in the case of the new substr...
Obesity surgery in the Philippines: experience in a private tertiary care hospital for years 2002 to 2004

Information on experience in bariatric surgery in the Asia-Pacific region is minimal: hence the need for more reports from this area. The procedures of bariatric surgery and outcome as part of a weight management program in a tertiary care private hospital in the Philippines is reported from years 2002 to 2004. 50 patients were included, of which 60% underwent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and 40% Roux-en- Y gastric bypass (RYGBP). There were more females than males (64% vs 36%) with the mean age 38 ±13.1 years. Initial mean BMI was 46.2 kg/m2, which decreased to 27.0 kg/m2 in 1 year. Initial mean weight was 126.7 ±25.4 kg, of which the 1 year weight loss was 32.3 kg for the morbidly obese and 58.0 kg for the super obese. %EWL at 1 year was 30.2%. There was greater weight loss with RYGBP compared to LAGB at 1 year (43.5 kg vs 30.2 kg). There was no mortality, and early complications were: wound infection (2/50 or 4%), and 1/50 or 2% each for pneumonia, dehydration, gastritis, and leakage. Late complications were: band slippage (2/20 or 10%), stomal stenosis (1/20 or 5%), and ventral hernia (1/5 or 20%). Bariatric surgery is safe with a low complication rate and the outcome was similar to the reported data from Asia and the western world.
Improving uniformity of solution spacing in biobjective evolution

We introduce a new synergistic combination of features, some of which have previously been used individually but not together, to improve uniformity of spacing in evolved non-dominated sets, especially in biobjective problems. On five standard biobjective benchmark tests, these features are shown to enhance performance in distinct and complementary ways.
Turbidite Outcrop 3-D Ground Penetrating Radar Imaging: Lewis Shale, WY

Development of deepwater turbidite reservoirs is an extremely costly undertaking. Because many of the geological features likely to control production from turbidite reservoirs are smaller that the resolution possible from even the highest quality ocean bottom cable 3-D seismic reflection surveys, it is necessary to examine equivalent outcrops on land where they are accessible to inspection. The characterization of such outcrop analogs by means of geological mapping, photomosaics, and behind outcrop coring and logging has helped lead to new deepwater discoveries, and programs for developing catalogs of digital outcrop models are presently being proposed for this purpose.
Hatchery production of blue tilapia, Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner), in small suspended hapa nets

Two-year-old blue tilapia, Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner), were stocked into five replicate breeding hapas (1·2 m × 1·2 m × 2·7 m) at a density of six males and six females per hapa. At stocking, males and females averaged 415 and 225g respectively. During the 50-day trial (July-August), 62900 seed (eggs and sac-fry) representing 78 spawns, were collected from 30 females. In comparative treatments, prestocking surgical removal of the male's maxillary bone did not influence hatchery productivity. However, removal of the female's maxillary bone significantly reduced frequency of repeat spawning and clutch size (P < 0·05). Removal of the maxillary bone also influenced weight gain of broodstock. It is hypothesized that these significant responses were due to the surgical removal of the maxillary bone and the subsequent breakdown in dominance hierarchies.
Effects of linear and nonlinear piezoelectricity on the electronic properties of In As ∕ Ga As quantum dots

The existence of enormous strain fields in self-assembled quantum dots has led to the expectation of dramatic effects of piezoelectricity. However, only linear piezoelectric tensors were used in all previous calculations. We calculate the piezoelectric properties of self-assembled quantum dots using the linear and quadratic piezoelectric tensors derived from first-principles density functional theory. We find that the previously ignored quadratic term has similar magnitude as the linear term and the two terms tend to cancel each other. We show the effect of piezoelectricity on electron and hole energy levels and wave functions as well as on correlated absorption spectra.
A model of persistent partial hindlimb ischemia in the rabbit

Abstract An animal model of resting limb ischemia in the rabbit was developed and studied. Anesthetized rabbits underwent unilateral common iliac artery (CIA) division, allowing comparisons between an experimental (ischemic) and the contralateral control limb in the same animal. The time course and severity of the ischemic insult were measured by quantitating muscle blood flow in seven muscle groups using 57 Co-radiolabeled microspheres, limb femoral arteriovenous oxygen differences (AVDO 2 ), and limb arterial pressure. Nine of 20 animals had objective evidence of functional limb impairment judged by abnormal resting posture and/or abnormal gait. Muscle blood flow in the experimental limbs became significantly less than blood flows of corresponding contralateral muscle groups ( P 2 increased from 4.8 ± 0.99 to 8.13 ± 2.26 ml O 2 /dl blood following CIA division and remained persistently greater than the control limb value until Day 31. Limb arterial pressure decreased markedly after CIA division and remained significantly depressed beyond 6 weeks when the study was terminated. The reasons for the differential time courses of these parameters of blood flow are discussed. Common iliac artery division in the rabbit appears to produce persistent, partial ischemia at least 17 days in duration, allowing in-depth study of the effects of persistent limb ischemia on muscle cell function in the laboratory setting, as well as permitting the assessment of various therapeutic manipulations for the treatment of prolonged muscle ischemia.
Interpretive Ambiguities and Scholarly Proclivities in Pauline Studies: A Treatment of Three Texts from 1 Thessalonians 4 as a Test Case:

Interpretive impasses are part and parcel of Pauline studies. This essay examines scholarly stalemates resulting from learned readings of Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians regarding sexual purity, work and grief in 1 Thess. 4.4, 11 and 13 respectively. Furthermore, this article observes the exegetical moves that interpreters make in treating these texts. The fact that specialists of 1 Thessalonians draw decidedly different conclusions as to the meaning of Paul’s instructions to his converts regarding marrying, laboring and mourning highlights the importance of the following issues in Pauline interpretation: (1) authorial intent; (2) cultural and contextual influences upon both the author and the audience; and (3) textual parallels. I conclude this paper by playing my own interpretive hand on the verses under discussion.
Helmet-mounted tracker and display (HMT/D) interfaces: developing a standardized helmet-vehicle interface (HVI)

The successful integration of technology and human factors meets its ultimate challenge in the area of military performance. Nowhere are the stakes so high and the competition so rigorous as in the arena of combat. This paper documents the attempt to define, develop, and test a 'standardized' interface for helmet-mounted tracker and displays as these systems begin to phase into the military inventory as standard equipment for USAF and USN fighter aircraft. The design that has been evolved is based upon active use and refinement in an environment that is as close to combat conditions, as resources permit. Many of the design ideas and lessons-learned covered in this paper came either directly or indirectly from pilots and support personnel of the USAF 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron located at Nellis AFB, NV.
Skin-Tone Preferences and Self-Representation in Hispanic Children.

Skin-tone preferences and colourism within Hispanic children have been largely unexamined in the psychological literature. The objectives of the current study were to investigate Hispanic children’s skin-tone preferences and the effect of assessor race and ethnicity on those preferences. To carry out the study, Clark and Clark’s colouring task was revised and administered to a sample of 52 Hispanic children aged five to seven years. The sample was divided into three conditions, varying by assessor background (Caucasian, Hispanic and African-American). A pronounced preference for lighter skin tones was found among children in the sample, although this preference was moderated by the race and ethnicity of the assessors administering the task. Hispanic children appear to be susceptible to a pro-light skin bias and influence from assessor skin colour as young as five.
Exploring Information Extraction Resilience

There are many challenges developers face when attempting to reliably extract data from the Web. One of these challenges is the resilience of the extraction system to changes in the web pages information is being extracted from. This article compares the resilience of infor- mation extraction systems that use position based extraction with an ontology based extraction system and a system that combines position based extraction with ontology based extraction. The findings demonstrate the advantages of using a system that combines multiple extraction tech- niques, especially in environments where web sites change frequently and where data collection is conducted over an extended period of time.
Purposeful Ephemera: The Implications of Self-Destructing Space Technology for the Future Practice of Archaeology

This chapter is presented from the perspective of a professional archaeologist who specializes in Greek archaeology, intercultural contact and exchange, and the ethics of cultural heritage. His chapter investigates the mandates for discard and “design for demise” of space objects in the wider context of cultural phenomena from all cultures. The chapter finds comparanda for purposeful ephemera in examples from the media of performance, architecture, and visual art.
Decoupling the Thermal and Plasma Effects on the Operation of a Xenon Hollow Cathode With Oxygen Poisoning Gas

Hollow cathodes are used as the electron source for generating the plasma discharge in electric thrusters. These cathodes contain porous tungsten emitters impregnated with BaO material to achieve a lower surface work function and are operated with xenon propellant. Reactive contaminants such as oxygen in the xenon gas can modify the surface chemistry and morphology of BaO dispenser cathodes and degrade the electron emission properties. Hollow cathodes that operate with reactive impurities in the propellant will experience higher operating temperatures, which increase the evaporation of the emission materials and reduce cathode life. A significant amount of work has been previously done to understand the effects of oxygen poisoning on vacuum cathodes; however, the xenon plasma adds complexity and its role during cathode poisoning is not completely understood. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms initiating cathode failure will improve the thruster operation, increase the lifetime, and ultimately reduce the cost. In this paper, we present the results of experiments in which the cathode was operated with 100 ppm of oxygen gas in the xenon plasma at two different discharge currents. Poisoning was indicated by an increase in the emitter temperature that was measured using a two-color pyrometer and thermocouples. The emitter temperature rose monotonically during poisoning and decayed to its original value when the oxygen flow was turned OFF, indicating that short exposures to oxygen do not result in permanent cathode damage. The experiments show that removal of oxygen adatoms from the cathode surface following poisoning is dominated by thermal desorption rather than xenon ion sputtering. Operation at higher discharge currents improves the resistance to poisoning as a result of the higher operating temperatures at these conditions.
What Parents Pay For: Child Care Characteristics, Quality, and Costs

Although most children whose mothers work receive some nonparental care, this “child care” varies tremendously in its characteristics, especially quality. Child development researchers and practitioners have explored in detail the characteristics of child care that provide the best environment for children. However, we know virtually nothing about which parents select “high-quality” care for their children, or which arrangements most often have the features associated with the best outcomes for children. This paper explores these issues, using parents' reports of characteristics of their child's care arrangement from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Results show that on several dimensions care in a home—the child's own, a nonrelative's, or a relative's—provides features linked to quality care. However, in general, parents do not pay more for the features of child care associated with high quality in the child development literature. The implications of these results are discussed.