cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Omecamtiv mecarbil lowers the contractile deficit in a mouse model of nebulin-based nemaline myopathy

Nemaline myopathy (NEM) is a congenital neuromuscular disorder primarily caused by nebulin gene (NEB) mutations. NEM is characterized by muscle weakness for which currently no treatments exist. In NEM patients a predominance of type I fibers has been found. Thus, therapeutic options targeting type I fibers could be highly beneficial for NEM patients. Because type I muscle fibers express the same myosin isoform as cardiac muscle (Myh7), the effect of omecamtiv mecarbil (OM), a small molecule activator of Myh7, was studied in a nebulin-based NEM mouse model (Neb cKO). Skinned single fibers were activated by exogenous calcium and force was measured at a wide range of calcium concentrations. Maximal specific force of type I fibers was much less in fibers from Neb cKO animals and calcium sensitivity of permeabilized single fibers was reduced (pCa50 6.12 ±0.08 (cKO) vs 6.36 ±0.08 (CON)). OM increased the calcium sensitivity of type I single muscle fibers. The greatest effect occurred in type I fibers from Neb cKO muscle where OM restored the calcium sensitivity to that of the control type I fibers. Forces at submaximal activation levels (pCa 6.0-6.5) were significantly increased in Neb cKO fibers (~50%) but remained below that of control fibers. OM also increased isometric force and power during isotonic shortening of intact whole soleus muscle of Neb cKO mice, with the largest effects at physiological stimulation frequencies. We conclude that OM has the potential to improve the quality of life of NEM patients by increasing the force of type I fibers at submaximal activation levels.
Five Ways to Increase the Effectiveness of Instructional Video.

This paper reviews five ways to increase the effectiveness of instructional video and one way not to use instructional video. People learn better from an instructional video when the onscreen instructor draws graphics on the board while lecturing (dynamic drawing principle), the onscreen instructor shifts eye gaze between the audience and the board while lecturing (gaze guidance principle), the lesson contains prompts to engage in summarizing or explaining the material (generative activity principle), a demonstration is filmed from a first-person perspective (perspective principle), or subtitles are added to a narrated video that contains speech in the learner’s second language (subtitle principle). People do not learn better from a multimedia lesson when interesting but extraneous video is added (seductive details principle). Additional work is needed to determine the conditions under which these principles apply and the underlying learning mechanisms.
Corruption Detection in Networks of Bi-directional Dynamical Systems

Modeling complex networked systems as graphs is prevalent, with nodes representing the agents and the links describing a notion of dynamic coupling between them. Passive methods to identify such influence pathways from data are central to many applications. However, dynamically related data-streams originating at different sources are prone to corruption caused by asynchronous time-stamps of different streams, packet drops and noise. Earlier results have shown that spurious links are inferred in the graph structure identified using corrupt data-streams. In this article, we provide a novel approach to detect the location of corrupt agents in the network solely by observing the inferred directed graph. Here, the generative system that yields the data admits bidirectionally coupled nonlinear dynamic influences between agents. A simple, but novel and effective approach, using graph theory tools is presented to arrive at the results.
A Dynamic Recovery Module for In-band Control Channel Failure In Software Defined Networking

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is a recently proposed networking pattern that facilitates a centralized system of computer networks where a controller maintains the management of a global view of the network. One of the characteristics of SDNs is that by decoupling the control and data plane from each other, the controllability and manageability of a network is improved. In this arrangement, the connections between the controller (control plane) and the switches (data plane) are established by either an in-band or an out-of-band control mechanism. Despite all the advantages of SDNs, new challenges arise regarding the connection availability between the data and control planes. A disconnection between the two planes could result in performance degradation. To achieve reliable control traffic between data and control planes, in this work, we design and implement an in-band control protection approach that finds a set of ideal paths for control channel, where as much control traffic as possible can be protected by the proposed protection mechanism. This design enables switches to locally react to failures without involving the controller. Through simulation experiments, we show that our proposed approach significantly improves the control reliability of an in-band control network.
High-handed sin and the Promised Land: The rhetorical relationship between law and narrative in Numbers 15

The rhetorical relationship between law and narrative has received increasing attention in recent Pentateuchal scholarship. An especially interesting case study is the legal material of Num. 15, wh...
Impact of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Findings on Management of Symptomatic Patients Following Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) of Osteoid Osteoma (OO).

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of MRI findings on management of symptomatic patients following RFA of OO. Retrospective review of 43 patients with RFA for OO between June 2010 and June 2017 was performed. Patient, nidus, and ablation data were reviewed. Pre- and 6–8 weeks post-procedural MRI (n = 32) were compared for coverage of nidus by ablation zone, bone marrow edema, nidus hyperintensity, and other findings. Baseline pain levels and analgesic use were compared with post-procedural follow-up visit at 6–8 weeks. Three groups of clinical and MRI outcomes of complete (CR), partial (PR), and no response (NR) were defined. A weighted kappa statistic was used to assess for agreement. Clinical responses were CR in 34/43 (79.1%, 95% CI: 64.0–90.0%), PR in 8/43 (18.6%), and NR in 1/43 (2.3%) patients. All 19/32 patients with MRI CR experienced clinical CR. One patient with MRI NR had clinical NR. All 7/32 patients with clinical PR had MRI PR. All 4/43 complications were in MRI PR or NR groups. Substantial agreement was observed between MRI and clinical outcomes (kappa: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.45–0.95). MRI helped determine etiologies in all symptomatic patients and their management (n = 8). MRI is recommended for symptomatic patients after ablation.
On the Nature of the Peculiar Hot Star in the Young Large Magellanic CloudCluster NGC 1818

The blue star reported in the field of the young LMC cluster NGC 1818 by Elson et al. in 1998 has the wrong luminosity and radius to be a "luminous white dwarf" member of the cluster. In addition, unless the effective temperature range quoted by the authors is a drastic underestimate, the luminosity is much too low for it to be a cluster member in the post-asymptotic giant branch phase. Other possibilities, including that of binary evolution, are briefly discussed. However, the implication that the massive main-sequence turnoff stars in this cluster can produce white dwarfs (instead of neutron stars) from single-star evolution needs to be reconsidered.
A scalable algorithm based on spike train distance to select stimulation patterns for sensory feedback

In this work, we develop an algorithm to optimally select a set of output spiking channels from a set of input sensing channels in order to deliver naturalistic sensory feedback to an amputee. The growing discrepancy between the number of sensing channels (~103) and the number of stimulation channels (~102) in neural interface devices leads to a combinatorially explosive search problem that quickly becomes intractable through brute force methods. This algorithm is tested using a dataset of 13 textures that was collected using a tactile sensor array with 9 tactile pixels (taxels). The sensor readings are transformed into neuron-like (neuromorphic) spiking activity that resemble the output of slowly adapting (SA) and rapidly adapting (RA) mechanoreceptors in the skin which encode different features of tactile information. The channel selection algorithm uses a spike train distance metric to create an optimal set of output channels that are highly differentiated and complementary. The effectiveness of the channel selection algorithm is tested by comparing texture classification performance between the chosen set and a set of random channels. The selected channels have slightly better classification accuracy but a much smaller standard deviation. As the input channels get noisier and grow in number, the channel selection algorithm will provide even better accuracy in comparison to random selection and much lower computational cost in comparison to brute force search. This work paves the way to provide sensory feedback systems that will deliver more informative stimulation patterns to amputees.
From Protein Interaction Networks to Protein Function

The recent availability of large-scale protein-protein interaction data provides new opportunities for characterizing a protein’s function within the context of its cellular interactions, pathways and networks. In this paper, we review computational approaches that have been developed for analyzing protein interaction networks in order to predict protein function.
Techno-Economic Analysis of Single-Pass Maize Biomass Harvest Systems

This study was focused on the economic impact of corn residue harvest systems on typical grain harvesting. In Chapter 2, the single-pass stover harvest system with several equipment application logistics is examined; in Chapter 3, both existing and potential single-pass cob harvest systems were evaluated with respect to harvest work time length, equipment and labor requirements, harvest cost, and post-harvest costs related to residue collection. Residue collection actually increased harvest time due to the lower harvest rate caused by additional material passing through the combine. Field traffic increased as additional equipment is required during harvesting; an increased labor requirement was also an important result in all harvest scenarios. In the stover single-pass harvest scenario, increasing on-board stover density helped to significantly reduce equipment and labor requirements. Nutrient replacement and long-term field side storage needs related to the residue harvest also contributed to harvest cost and could not be neglected.
Trauma, Proximity, and Developmental Psychopathology: The Effects of War and Terrorism on Children

This report summarizes recent literature relevant to the effects of terrorism on children's mental health. The paper addresses three aspects of this topic. In the first section of the paper, data are reviewed concerning the relationships among stress, trauma, and developmental psychopathology. A particular emphasis is placed on associations with indirect forms of trauma, given that terrorism involves high levels of indirect trauma. Second, the paper delineates a set of key principles to be considered when considering ways in which the effects of terrorism on children's mental health can be minimized. Third, data are reviewed from studies in developmental psychobiology. These data are designed to illustrate the mechanisms through which children exhibit unique effects in the wake of traumatic circumstances.
Relapse in the addictive behaviors

Abstract Understanding and preventing relapse are among the greatest challenges facing those working in the field of addictions. In response, this special issue was conceived and developed (1) to provide comprehensive reviews of the literature on important topics relevant to relapse to addictive behaviors and (2) to identify issues of central importance to advancing our understanding of the process of relapse and ultimately its amelioration. These articles as a group serve to consolidate as well as advance our knowledge about and understanding of relapse in the addictive behaviors.
Autonomic Dysfunction in Childhood Guillain-Barré Syndrome

This investigation correlated incidence and degree of autonomic dysfunction with the degree of motor impairment in children hospitalized with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Motor weakness varies, as does the effect on autonomic function including heart rate, vasomotor stability, sweating, continence, and blood pressure. After Institutional Review Board approval, hospitalized patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome <19 years were included for retrospective chart review. There were 26 patients (12 boys), with a mean age of 11.3 years (range, 6-17 years). The average hospital stay was 10.6 days. Twenty-four (92%) recovered by 2 to 6 months without functional disability. Bradycardia and sweating disturbances were not observed. Hypertension occurred in 18 of 26 (69%) and tachycardia in 20 of 26 (77%) patients. The proportion of children with hypertension and/or tachycardia increased, as did the motor disability grade (P < .043 and P < .018, respectively). Hypertension occurred 9 to 15 days from symptom onset and within 24 to 48 hours of maximum motor disability in 89%. Multiple autonomic disturbances compound the course of childhood Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Diaphragm dimensions of the healthy term infant.

Aim Human neonatal diaphragm development has not been extensively studied. Previous work in children and adults suggests that diaphragm thickness (t(di)) is in scale with body size such that maximal transdiaphragmatic pressure (P(dimax)) remains relatively constant. Such assessments have not been made in healthy term infants. This study was designed to evaluate the relationships among t(di), body dimensions and P(dimax) in healthy term infants. Methods It was hypothesized that in healthy term infants 1) t(di) is positively correlated with body size and 2) calculated P(dimax) is independent of body weight and length. Fifteen clinically stable term infants (8 males and 7 females) were recruited [birthweight (BW), 3.3 +/- 0.7 kg, (mean +/- SD); head circumference (HC), 33.7 +/- 2 cm; body length (BL) 50 +/- 3 cm; gestational age (GA) 39 +/- 1 wk; and postnatal age 1.7 +/- 0.8 day]. Ultrasound was used to visualize the diaphragm at the level of the zone of apposition and measure t(di). Standard techniques were used to measure the anthropometric dimensions of the rib cage. P(dimax) was calculated using the piston-in-cylinder model of diaphragm function. Results Significant correlations were found among t(di) and BW (R = 0.58), BL (R = 0.58) and HC (R = 0.65) but not between GA (R = 0.20). Larger infants tended to have thicker diaphragms and larger cross-sectional areas of the lower rib cage (A(ZAP)). For the group, calculated P(dimax) was independent of either body weight or length and was greater than that calculated for adults. Conclusion It is concluded that diaphragm mass in healthy term infants is proportional to body size, whereas calcuated P(dimax) is independent of body size. Since calculated P(dimax) is greater than that predicted for adults, there may be perinatal diaphragm strengthening. This may assist the infant in generating sufficient pressure to overcome the enormous elastic and resistive loads imposed during perinatal pulmonary transition.
Deformation and recrystallization texture of heavily drawn OFHC copper

Deformation and recrystallization texture has been investigated in Oxygen free high conducting (OFHC) copper wires drawn at room temperature to true strain of 2.31, and isothermally annealed at various temperatures between 150°C and 750°C. Local orientations of the microstructures were measured by means of electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) technique. While the drawn wire was characterized by a major + minor duplex fiber texture, recrystallization occurred at annealing temperatures between 250°C and 400°C and resulted into a major+minor recrystallization texture. At temperatures above 500°C, the dominated recrystallization texture changed to the dominated growth texture due to secondary recrystallization, which favored the orientation at the expense of the component.
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in separate brain regions exhibit different affinities for methyllycaconitine

The family of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors contains numerous subtypes. Since the subunit compositions of most native neuronal nicotinic receptors are unknown, an important method for distinguishing subtypes of functional neuronal receptors is based on pharmacological criteria, such as affinity for snake toxins. We have now examined the affinities of native chick nicotinic receptors for methyllycaconitine, a toxin purified from Delphinium. We find that methyllycaconitine is a potent antagonist at central nicotinic receptors located on Edinger-Westphal neurons, producing nearly complete functional blockade of nicotinic responses at 10 nM. In marked contrast, methyllycaconitine is 1000-fold less potent at blocking nicotinic responses in the lateral spiriform nucleus. Methyllycaconitine inhibits kappa-bungarotoxin-sensitive nicotinic receptors in ciliary ganglia at 0.5-1.0 microM. Radioligand binding studies also reveal heterogeneity in the affinity of the toxin for nicotinic receptors. Methyllycaconitine binds most avidly to [125I] alpha-bungarotoxin sites in brain (Ki = 5.4 nM), and is 200-fold less potent at muscle nicotinic receptors (IC50 = 1.1 microM). The least potent binding of the toxin is to [3H]nicotine sites in brain (Ki = 3.7 microM). Methyllycaconitine is thus a useful pharmacological tool for distinguishing certain subtypes of native nicotinic receptors. The relatively low affinity of the toxin for nicotinic receptors in the lateral spiriform nucleus is consistent with the known properties of these receptors, which include a high affinity for [3H]nicotine and a lack of sensitivity to alpha- and kappa-bungarotoxin. On the basis of high affinity for methyllycaconitine and insensitivity to alpha-bungarotoxin, the nicotinic receptors in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus are unlike any previously described nicotinic receptor subtype.
A Multi-purpose Brain-Computer Interface Output Device

While brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are a promising alternative access pathway for individuals with severe motor impairments, many BCI systems are designed as stand-alone communication and control systems, rather than as interfaces to existing systems built for these purposes. An individual communication and control system may be powerful or flexible, but no single system can compete with the variety of options available in the commercial assistive technology (AT) market. BCls could instead be used as an interface to these existing AT devices and products, which are designed for improving access and agency of people with disabilities and are highly configurable to individual user needs. However, interfacing with each AT device and program requires significant time and effort on the part of researchers and clinicians. This work presents the Multi-Purpose BCI Output Device (MBOD), a tool to help researchers and clinicians provide BCI control of many forms of AT in a plug-and-play fashion, i.e., without the installation of drivers or software on the AT device, and a proof-of-concept of the practicality of such an approach. The MBOD was designed to meet the goals of target device compatibility, BCI input device compatibility, convenience, and intuitive command structure. The MBOD was successfully used to interface a BCI with multiple AT devices (including two wheelchair seating systems), as well as computers running Windows (XP and 7), Mac and Ubuntu Linux operating systems.
Incidence of bleeding complications in pediatric patients with type 1 von Willebrand disease undergoing adenotonsillar procedures.

Objective To review the incidence of postoperative bleeding in children with type 1 von Willebrand disease (VWD) who were treated with a single institution protocol. Study design We performed a retrospective study to determine the postoperative hemorrhage rate in pediatric patients with type 1 VWD who were treated via the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia institutional protocol. This protocol utilizes intravenous desmopressin (DDAVP), oral aminocaproic acid, and overnight observation. Results Between the years of 2000 to 2006, 41 children with type 1 VWD underwent an adenotonsillar procedure and were treated with this protocol. Seven patients (17%) experienced delayed (>24 hours after surgery) postoperative hemorrhage requiring intervention. Five of the 7 patients required cautery to control the bleeding, and the remaining 2 patients responded to DDAVP and aminocaproic acid alone. Older age and lower VW antigen levels were associated with postoperative hemorrhage ( P = .05). Conclusions Despite therapeutic intervention to decrease the risk of postoperative hemorrhage, the incidence of hemorrhage was higher in pretreated patients with type 1 VWD than in children without bleeding disorders. Further prospective studies are necessary to determine the optimal treatment to reduce bleeding complications in these patients.
Influence of climate model biases and daily-scale temperature and precipitation events on hydrological impacts assessment: A case study of the United States

[1] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report concludes that climate change is now unequivocal, and associated increases in evaporation and atmospheric water content could intensify the hydrological cycle. However, the biases and coarse spatial resolution of global climate models limit their usefulness in hydrological impact assessment. In order to reduce these limitations, we use a high-resolution regional climate model (RegCM3) to drive a hydrological model (variable infiltration capacity) for the full contiguous United States. The simulations cover 1961–1990 in the historic period and 2071–2100 in the future (A2) period. A quantile-based bias correction technique is applied to the times series of RegCM3-simulated precipitation and temperature. Our results show that biases in the RegCM3 fields not only affect the magnitude of hydrometeorological variables in the baseline hydrological simulation, but they also affect the response of hydrological variables to projected future anthropogenic increases in greenhouse forcing. Further, we find that changes in the intensity and occurrence of severe wet and hot events are critical in determining the sign of hydrologic change. These results have important implications for the assessment of potential future hydrologic changes, as well as for developing approaches for quantitative impacts assessment.
Neocortical integration of transplanted GABA progenitor cells from wild type and GABAB receptor knockout mouse donors

Most cortical interneurons originate in a region of the embryonic subpallium called the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE). When MGE cells are transplanted into cerebral cortex, these progenitors migrate extensively and differentiate into functional inhibitory neurons. Although MGE progenitors have therapeutic potential following transplantation, it is unknown precisely how these cells distribute within neocortical lamina of the recipient brain. Here we transplanted mouse embryonic day 12.5 MGE progenitors into postnatal neocortex and evaluated laminar distribution of interneuron subtypes using double- and triple-label immunohistochemistry. Studies were performed using wild type (WT) or donor mice lacking a metabotropic GABA(B) receptor subunit (GABA(B1)R KO). MGE-derived neurons from WT and GABA(B1)R KO mice preferentially and densely distributed in neocortical layers 2/3, 5 and 6. As expected, MGE-derived neurons differentiated into parvalbumin+ and somatostatin+ interneurons within these neocortical lamina. Our findings provide insights into the anatomical integration of MGE-derived interneurons following transplantation.
Computational modeling of the imaging system matrix for the CTIS imaging spectrometer

ABSTRACT Imaging systems such as the Computed Tomographic Imaging Spectrometer (CTIS) are modeled by the matrix equationg = Hf , which is the discretized form of the general imaging integral equation.. The matrix H describes the contributionto each element of the image g from each element of the hyperspectral object cube f. The vector g is the image of thespatial/spectral projections of f on a focal plane array (FPA). The matrix H is enormous, sparse and rectangular. It isextremely difficult to discretize the integral operator to obtain the matrix operator H .NormallyH is constructedempirically from a series of monochromatic calibration images, which is a time consuming process. However we havebeen able to synthetically construct H by numerically modeling how the optical and diffractive elements in the CTISproject monochromatic point source data onto the FPA. We can evaluate a CTIS system by solving the imagingequation for f using both the empirical and synthetic H from some test data g. Comparison between the two resultsprovides a means to evaluate and improve CTIS system calibration procedures noting that the synthetic system matrix Hrepresents a baseline ideal system.Keywords: Hyperspectral Imaging, Tomographic Imaging Systems, Diffractive Optics
The Effect of Translation on Multinational Corporations' Internal Performance Evaluation

This study investigated the effect that FASB No. 8 has had on the internal performance evaluation practices of 70 U.S.-based MNCs. Questionnaire data were gathered and analyzed while additional information was obtained through personal interviews. The results indicated that FASB No. 8 caused changes in corporate managerial reporting policies. Thirty-one participants (44.2 percent) changed to the temporal method of translating financial information for internal reporting purposes. Twenty-seven (38.6 percent) began using an income figure that had been adjusted for translation gains and losses to evaluate foreign subsidiary managers. Forty-six (65.7 percent) stated that financial statements presented in local currency provide better information that U.S. dollar statements for the internal evaluation of foreign operations. The author argues that MNCs need performance evaluation systems that are developed independently of FASB external reporting standards and that advocate a local perspective relative to foreign operating environments.
The “80/20 Rule” and Core Journals

ABSTRACT This column examines the 80/20 rule, also termed a Pareto distribution, and explains these terms' historical origins. The column focuses on this pattern in the use of print serials, downloads from electronic databases, and citations to journals. The rule's relationship to Bradford's Law is explored, and some of the research pertaining to the 80/20 rule is reviewed. The pattern's utility for defining the core collection and serials collection management is discussed, whereas a number of limitations are pointed out. Some questions for further research are suggested. It is concluded that the 80/20 ratio (80% of use is derived from 20% of the titles), when found as an approximate pattern, is a valid method for determining the core concept in journal collection management.
A Data Base for Separations Chemistry

Abstract Computer retrieval of information related to hydrometallurgical separations from most data bases is limited and is also complicated because the terms solvent extraction, ion exchange, chromatography, etc. have widespread use in a variety of disciplines and widely varying meanings in each. A data base called Separations Science Data Base, designed specifically for retrieval of information needed in chemical separations problems, has been assembled. The indexing is structured in such a way as to allow accommodation of a variety of separations methods (distillation, precipitation, flotation, etc.), but liquid-liquid (solvent) extraction and solid-liquid ion exchange are being emphasized initially. The reference material can be retrieved not only in terms of the standard author, title, source, and date-of-publication entries, but also in terms of the substance separated (both those recovered and those rejected), the separations system and the separation agent used, the matrix from which the separatio...
Correlation between ozone exposure and visible foliar injury in ponderosa and Jeffrey pines

Abstract Ozone exposure was related to ozone-induced visible foliar injury in ponderosa and Jeffrey pines growing on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Measurements of ozone exposure, chlorotic mottle and fascicle retention were collected during the years 1992–1994 for 11 sites located throughout the Sierra Nevada. From these data, summer season (1 June–15 October) hourly ozone concentrations were used to calculate various ozone exposure indices. Injury scores based on fascicle retention, chlorotic mottle and an index containing both were correlated with exposure. It is shown that the combined injury index correlates with exposure better than either single variable index. For the relatively low levels of injury measured, exposure indices which included 14 h of daylight exposure (06:00–19:59) or full-day exposure consistently correlated better with injury than did exposure indices in which only 7 h (09:00–15:59) exposures were included. Conversely, the W95 index and the 7 h indices were less well correlated with injury.
School Desegregation: The Role of the Courts and Means of Achievement

This article examines the role that the courts have played in desegregating American public schools in the 40 years since Brown v. Board of Educa tion of Topeka, Kansas, and discusses reasons why d...
Cranial growth in Homo erectus: how credible are the Ngandong juveniles?

Confusion exists regarding the developmental ages of numerous Asian and southeast Asian Homo erectus fossils because of Weidenreich's contention that Pithecanthropus fused its sutures prematurely relative to H. sapiens. I reevaluate the cranial developmental ages of the Ngandong “juveniles” (2, 5, 8, 9) based on a series of indicators of youth (superstructure development, suture development/fusion, and cranial thickness) and cranial contours. The Ngandong juveniles are compared with H. sapiens adults (n = 281) and subadults (n = 81) and with Ngandong and other H. erectus adults (n = 20) and subadults (n = 4). Cranial contours are assessed using bivariate plots of arc vs. chord measurements. All indicators suggest that Ngandong 5 and 9 are adults, whereas Ngandong 8 is an older juvenile or young adult and Ngandong 2 is a juvenile with a developmental age range of greater than 6 and less than 11 years. In addition, adult cranial contours and the pattern of contour development are similar between Ngandong adults and other H. erectus adults. There is nothing in the cranial contour data to suggest that Ngandong is, despite a relatively large brain, transitional in vault shape between H. erectus and H. sapiens. Am J Phys Anthropol 108:223–236, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Business Government Relations: The Case of the International Coffee Agreement

Relations between official agencies and private business concerning international coffee policy suggest that the power of the state dominates the international economic arena. The International Coffee Agreement did not benefit the United States coffee industry. Despite this, some large coffee roasting companies supported the Agreement. Without their support it would not have received Congressional approval. The action of the roasters can be explained by the behavioral theory of the firm, which emphasizes managerial discretion and risk avoidance. Large oligopolistic companies, potentially the most powerful of business enterprises, are also the ones least likely to oppose the state. However, the ability of one company to determine American policy toward the import of soluble coffee from Brazil shows that when the economic interests of an oligopolistic firm are unambiguously threatened, it can severely constrain official actors.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF PHYTOCHROME TO ITS PHYSIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE FORM

— The phototransformation of phytochrome (Pr) to its physiologically active form (Pfr) can be best described by a tautomeric proton shift in ring A without a substantial con formational change of the chromophore. The electronic aspect of this transformation is discussed.
An Investigation of Variable Spindle Speed Face Milling for Tool-Work Structures With Complex Dynamics, Part 2: Physical Explanation

Part 2 of this paper focuses on the explanation, both on theoretical grounds and through model simulations, of why the technique of variable spindle speed machining is an effective tool for increasing the quality and productivity of machining operations. in particular, Part 2 explains why, by disturbing the regenerative and forced vibration excitation frequencies which generate large amplitudes of vibration during constant speed machining, variable speed machining has the potential to reduce the vibration of the tool-work system and be robust with respect to the cutting process dynamics. The explanation is based on the work done by the cutting forces, the chip load variation, tool-work displacements, cutting forces, and workpiece surface error generated by both constant and variable speed machining. By investigating the effects of regeneration and forced vibration during variable speed machining on the vibration of tool-work systems having different cutter diameter-to-workpiece width ratios, it has been shown that variable speed machining is also robust with respect to the geometry of the tool-work system. This work concludes that variable speed machining is safer to use than constant speed machining when the effects of the tool-work dynamics and geometry on the vibration of the cutting process are hard to determine.
Comorbid Substance Use and HIV Risk in Older African American Drug Users

Objectives: This analysis examines substance abuse/dependence and related HIV risk behaviors among older drug users in comparison to their younger counterparts. Methods: Data related to substance use disorders and HIVrelated behaviors were collected from 1,079 African American drug users recruited using a street outreach method. Results: Older users were less likely to have engaged in recent sexual activity, but those who did engage did not vary significantly in their sexual risk behaviors than did drug users aged 25 to 44. Older users were more likely to abuse cocaine and be opiate dependent than younger users were, and this abuse and dependence, along with alcohol abuse, were associated with older users' perception of their risk for HIV/AIDS. Discussion: Although the years 25 to 44 are considered a critical age for HIV risk, older substance users have similar levels of risk for HIV/AIDS. However, older users may not understand how some behaviors contribute to HIV risk.
A rainfall intensity-duration threshold for landslides in a humid- tropical environment, Puerto Rico

Landslides are triggered by factors such as heavy rainfall, seismic activity, and construction on hillslopes. The leading cause of landslides in Puerto Rico is intense and/or prolonged rainfall. A ...
Managed Care as a Target of Distrust

MANAGED CARE includes a wide range of strategies and approaches difficult to monitor and evaluate and is poorly understood by the public. The variety of organizational options and their changing character also pose difficult problems for evaluators and regulators. The goal is to have sufficient understanding to encourage good practices and eliminate perverse ones, but the rush of legislators to micromanage developments may overshadow any such efforts. There is increasing community mobilization in opposition to managed care practices reflected in a range of proposed legislation and referenda and new regulatory initiatives. In 1996 more than 1000 bills were introduced in state legislatures to control managed care practices and 56 laws were passed. 1 Managed care also has been a significant area for congressional interest and presidential politics. Legislative initiatives range from establishing norms for length of inpatient stays to efforts to define acceptable transfer of risk to physicians, protect confidentiality,
RESEARCH ARTICLE: Public Lands Litigation Alliances between Native American and Public Interest Groups

Native American tribes and organizations and other public interest groups, including environmental and religious ones, sometimes partner in litigation about public lands management. This study examines three such litigation alliances involving disputes over National Park Service and US Forest Service policies and management concerning public land containing sites considered sacred by Native Americans. Specifically, it explores factors such as trust, complementary resources, and compatibility that are considered in deciding whether to create a litigation alliance between indigenous and non-indigenous partners. Questions asked in this research relate to the Yin method of case study research: How did these alliances come about and why were these allies chosen? More importantly, what are the key elements in a successful alliance? Based on the proposition that “organizations collaborate (ally) because they derive mutual benefits,” this article explores, through archival research and interview format, what real...
Nif1, a novel mitotic inhibitor in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the activity of the M-phase-inducing Cdc2/Cdc13 cyclin-dependent kinase is inhibited by Wee1 and Mik1 tyrosine kinases, and activated by Cdc25 and Pyp3 tyrosine phosphatases. Cdc2/Cdc13 activity is also indirectly regulated by the approximately 70 kDa Nim1 (Cdrl) serine/threonine kinase, which promotes mitosis by inhibiting Wee1 via direct phosphorylation. To understand better the function and regulation of Nim1, the yeast two-hybrid system was used to isolate S.pombe cDNA clones encoding proteins that interact with Nim1. Sixteen of the 17 cDNA clones were derived from the same gene, named nif1 + (nim1 interacting factor-1). Nif1 is a novel approximately 75 kDa protein containing a leucine zipper motif. The Nif1-Nim1 interaction requires a small region of Nim1 that immediately follows the N-terminal catalytic domain. This region is required for Nim1 activity both in vivo and in vitro. delta nif1 mutants are approximately 10% smaller than wild type, indicating that Nif1 is involved in inhibiting the onset of mitosis. Consistent with this proposal, overproduction of Nif1 was found to cause a cell elongation phenotype that is very similar to delta nim1 mutants. Nif1 overproduction causes cell cycle arrest in cells that are partly defective for Cdc25 activity, but has no effect in delta nim1 or delta wee1 mutants. Nif1 also inhibits Nim1-mediated phosphorylation of Wee1 in an insect cell expression system. These observations strongly suggest that Nif1 negatively regulates the onset of mitosis by a novel mechanism, namely inhibiting Nim1 kinase.
Heat shock of porcine zygotes immediately after oocyte activation increases viability

We evaluated the effect of different timing variations of an applied heat shock on parthenogenetically activated (PA) porcine embryos. PA embryos were heat shocked for 9 hr at 42 degrees C from either 0-9 hr post activation (hpa; 09HS), 13-22 hpa (1322HS), or 22-31 hpa (2231HS). Analysis of 24-hr cleavage rates (P 0.1) improvement as compared with control embryos. In summary, exposing PA embryos to elevated temperatures immediately after oocyte activation results in dramatically enhanced developmental potential. A thorough characterization of this phenomenon may yield findings that can serve to increase the efficiency with which PA, IVF, and SCNT embryos are produced in vitro.
Estimation of a linear function of the parameters of an exponential distribution from doubly censored samples

Abstract In this paper improved estimators of the scale and its reciprocal, θ(0−1), and the location, μ, of a two-parameter exponential distribution are given based on a doubly censored sample. Also the problem of estimating the linear function μ + zθ is considered, where z is a given constant. It is shown that the improved estimators are better than the best affine equivariant estimators.
Architectural Diversity and Elastic Networks in Hydrogen-Bonded Host Frameworks: From Molecular Jaws to Cylinders

Guest-free guanidinium organomonosulfonates (GMS) and their inclusion compounds display a variety of lamellar crystalline architectures distinguished by different “up−down” projections of the organomonosulfonate residues on either side of a two-dimensional (2D) hydrogen-bonding network of complementary guanidinium ions (G) and sulfonate moieties (S), the so-called GS sheet. Using a combinatorial library of 24 GMS hosts and 26 guest molecules, a total of 304 inclusion compounds out of a possible 624 possible host−guest combinations were realized, revealing a remarkable capacity of the GMS hosts to form inclusion compounds despite the facile formation of the corresponding guest-free compounds and the absence of “predestined” inclusion cavities like those in related guanidinium organodisulfonate host frameworks. The GS sheets in the inclusion compounds behave as “molecular jaws” in which organomonosulfonate groups projecting from opposing sheets clamp down on the guest molecules, forming ordered interdigitat...
Elliptic equations with critical nonlinear exponent

The positive solutions of a semilinear second order elliptic equation with critical non linear exponent are studied and existence and nonexistence theorems of a solution are given.
Upregulation of Macrophage Plasma Membrane and Nuclear Phospholipase D Activity on Ligation of the α2-Macroglobulin Signaling Receptor: Involvement of Heterotrimeric and Monomeric G Proteins

Abstract The effect of ligating the α 2 -macroglobulin signaling receptor (α 2 MSR) with receptor-recognized forms of α 2 M (α 2 M*) was studied with respect to phospholipase D (PLD) activity in murine macrophages, their plasma membranes, and nuclei. PLD activity in plasma membranes and nuclei increased linearly up to a ligand concentration of about 100 pM of either α 2 M* or a cloned and expressed receptor binding fragment (RBF). The RBF binding site mutant K1370A, which binds with high affinity to α 2 MSR, also increased nuclear PLD activity comparable to RBF and α 2 M*. Phorbol dibutyrate caused a two- to threefold stimulation of membrane and nuclear PLD activity, whereas PLD activity was nearly abolished by downregulation of protein kinase C; prior treatment with staurosporin, genestein, cyclosporin A, actinomycin D; or chelation of intracellular Ca 2+ . In permeabilized macrophages, isolated plasma membranes, and nuclei, GTP-γ-S increased α 2 M*-stimulated PLD activity via a pertussis toxin-insensitive G protein and this effect was abolished on preincubation with GDP-β-S. Incubation of plasma membranes with polyclonal antibody against sARFII, or the addition of cytosol which was immunoprecipitated with antibody against sARFII, greatly reduced α 2 M*-stimulated PLD activity in the presence of GTP-γ-S. Preincubation of plasma membranes with GDP-β-S prior to the addition of GTP-γ-S and recombinant ARF1 significantly inhibited α 2 M*-stimulation of PLD activity. Nuclear PLD activity was maximally stimulated in the presence of both GTP-γ-S and rARF1, whereas plasma membrane PLD activity was maximally stimulated in the presence of rARF1, GTP-γ-S, RhoA, and ATP. In contrast, nuclear PLD activity was not affected by RhoA either alone or in combination with GTP-γ-S or ATP.
Multi-method assessment of ADHD characteristics in preschool children: Relations between measures

Several forms of assessment tools, including behavioral rating scales and objective tests such as the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), can be used to measure inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, research with school-age children has shown that the correlations between parent ratings, teacher ratings, and scores on objective measures of ADHD-characteristic behaviors are modest at best. In this study, we examined the relations between parent and teacher ratings of ADHD and CPT scores in a sample of 65 preschoolers ranging from 50 to 72 months of age. No significant associations between teacher and parent ratings of ADHD were found. Parent-ratings of both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity accounted for variance in CPT omission errors but not CPT commission errors. Teacher ratings showed evidence of convergent and discriminant validity when entered simultaneously in a hierarchical regression. These tools may be measuring different aspects of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.
Multi-dimensional simulations of cold-start transients in a catalytic converter under steady inflow conditions

A multi-channel model is used to study the impact of flow non-uniformity during cold-start transient operations of a catalytic converter. It is seen that inlet zone recirculation can lead to significant non-uniformity of the flow in the monolith, and this non-uniformity can lead to significant differences in ignition characteristics among the channels. These ignition differences are especially pronounced at lower exhaust temperatures, where the axial location of ignition can vary from one channel to another. It is suggested that this strong effect of temperature on ignition may explain some of the apparently contradictory conclusions about the impact of flow non-uniformities in the literature. The simulations here show that the index of non-uniformity, as defined in many past studies, is an inadequate measure of the full impact on ignition characteristics. For the same index of non-uniformity, the non-uniformity effects on ignition become less significant with increasing exhaust flow rate. This implies that more detailed simulations of flow and temperatures non-uniformities caused by the recirculation zones, heat losses at the boundaries and insufficient mixing upstream of the monolith can be relevant to practical applications.
Developmental and environmental regulation of two ribosomal protein genes in tobacco.

Two cDNA clones, TSC29 and TSC40, were isolated from a cDNA library prepared from three-day-old tobacco cell suspension grown to early exponential stage. DNA sequence analyses and database searches revealed that the TSC29 transcript encodes a protein which is highly homologous to eukaryotic 60S ribosomal (r)-protein L25 and that the TSC40 product is homologous to rat 60S r-protein L34. Southern blot analysis showed that the putative r-protein genes are members of multigene families. Transcript levels of both genes were most abundant in three-day-old cell suspension and declined in older cultures. Transcripts were also present in plant vegetative and reproductive organs. However, for TSC40 in particular, the mRNA levels were lower in plant organs than in three-day-old cell suspension. Stems and roots exhibited higher expression than leaves and flowers, indicating that these clones are differentially regulated in various cell types. Both genes were expressed at low levels in mature seeds but transcript levels significantly increased after one day of germination, remained at a high level until day 4, and declined after day 5.in situ localization experiments with germinating seedlings revealed that the TSC29 transcript was preferentially localized in root tips, epidermis, and endosperm. Wounding increased the steady-state mRNA amounts of these r-protein genes, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and benzyladenine further increased the transcript level.