cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Partial Resolution of Acid Phosphatase of Rat Liver Lysosomes into a Nucleotidase and a Sugar Phosphate Phosphohydrolase

Abstract The lysosomal fraction of rat liver has been investigated with the view to determining the possible multiplicity of enzymes exhibiting phosphatase activity. After ammonium sulfate purification, diethylaminoethyl cellulose chromatography resolved the enzyme mixture into a nucleotidase with maximum activity at pH 5.0, and a fraction possessing sugar phosphate phosphohydrolase activity with a pH optimum at 4.0.
Aclacinomycin A Stabilizes Topoisomerase I Covalent Complexes

Aclacinomycin A (aclarubicin) is an anthracycline anticancer agent with demonstrated activity against both leukemias and solid tumors. Previous results suggested that a major activity of aclacinomycin A is the inhibition of topoisomerase II catalytic activity. We have applied a yeast system to test whether aclacinomycin A is a topoisomerase II inhibitor in vivo and to test whether we could identify other important targets of this drug. We have found that overexpression of yeast topoisomerase II confers resistance to aclacinomycin A in yeast, consistent with the hypothesis that this drug is a catalytic inhibitor of topoisomerase II. Interestingly, we have also found that in yeast, aclacinomycin A, like camptothecin, stabilizes topoisomerase I cleavage. We carried out biochemical analysis with purified human topoisomerase I and demonstrated that this drug efficiently stabilizes topoisomerase I covalent complexes, indicating that aclacinomycin A represents a novel class of combined topoisomerase I/II inhibitor.
Up-regulation of cyclooxygenase 2 gene expression in human colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas

Abstract Background/Aims: Several clinical, epidemiological, and animal studies indicate that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may alter the incidence of colorectal cancer. A likely target for NSAIDs is cyclooxygenase, a key enzyme in arachidonic acid metabolism. Two isoforms of this enzyme have been identified; cyclooxygenase (COX) 1 and COX-2. The present study was undertaken to determine if there is differential expression of these isoforms in colorectal neoplasia, and, if so, at what stage in malignant transformation this occurs. Methods: COX-1 and COX-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were determined by Northern blot analysis of poly(A) + RNA isolated from human colorectal cancers, adenomas, and accompanying normal mucosa. Results: There was a marked increase in COX-2 mRNA levels in 12 of 14 carcinomas (86%) compared with paired normal mucosa. In contrast, there was equivalent intensity of the COX-1 mRNA transcript between the normal mucosa and cancer in all 14 cases. In six pairs of colorectal adenomas and normal mucosa, three showed up-regulation of COX-2 in the adenoma compared with the normal mucosa. Because COX-2 expression is low to undetectable in normal colorectal mucosa, 14 unpaired adenomas were examined for COX-2 expression; a clearly detectable transcript was identified in six (43%). Conclusions: COX-2, but not COX-1, gene expression is markedly elevated in most human colorectal cancers compared with accompanying normal mucosa. Furthermore, COX-2 expression seems to be increased in a subset of adenomas. COX-2 may provide an attractive therapeutic target in colorectal neoplasia.
Toward Improved Legal Service Delivery: A Look at Four Mechanisms

A legal service delivery system intended to facilitate the providing of services by private practitioners should, to be complete, include among its functions three that are of special importance. First, it should diagnose legal problems. Second, it should make available to a person with a legal problem the information needed for informed selection of a lawyer. And third, it should, when necessary, help the prospective client to make the initial contact with a lawyer. Lawyer advertising, specialty certification, lawyer directories, and lawyer referral services perform some of these functions, but no one mechanism performs all three adequately. A system combining the lawyer directory with an expanded lawyer referral service might do so and thus might be a more complete answer to the problem of delivery of legal services.
Polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene and moderators of prolactin response to meta-chlorophenylpiperazine in African-American cocaine abusers and controls ☆

Serotonin (5-HT) function is altered in several psychiatric disorders, including cocaine dependence (CD), and its role in impulsive-aggressive behaviors has been widely studied. However, the relationship between psychopathological and behavioral dimensions and mechanisms of 5-HT alterations remains unclear. We investigated the relationship of a polymorphism in the 5' promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) with prolactin (PRL) response to meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) in a sample of 68 African-American individuals, 35 CD subjects and 33 controls. We also examined whether measures of impulsivity, hostility and sensation seeking influenced the relationship between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and PRL response to m-CPP in this sample. Individuals with the SS genotype showed significantly heightened PRL response to the challenge compared with the LL and LS genotypes. No influence of gender or substance abuse condition was observed. Hostility was associated with blunted PRL response in the total sample. Cocaine abuse was the most significant moderator of DeltaPRL (peak PRL-baseline PRL), and the interaction of genetic, behavioral and psychopathological measures helped predict most of the observed DeltaPRL (62.5%). Although these results need replication, variation in the 5-HTTLPR gene appears to influence measures of 5-HT function and interact with disease state and personality dimensions to account for 5-HT disturbances in African-American populations.
Visualization of temporal change in soundscape power of a Michigan lake habitat over a 4-year period

article i nfo Soundscape Ecology is an emerging area of science that does not focus on the identification of species in the soundscape butattempts to characterize sounds byorganizingtheminto thoseproducedbybiologicalorganisms such as birds, amphibians, insects or mammals; physicalenvironmental factors such as thunder, rainfall or wind; and sounds produced by human entities such as airplanes, automobiles or air conditioners. The soundscape changes throughout the day and throughout the seasons. The soundscape components that create the sound occur at different frequencies. A set of metrics termed soundscape power was computed and visualized to exam- ine the patterns of daily and seasonal change in the soundscape. Automated recorders were used to record soundscape samples every half hour for one minute duration from six sites on an uninhabited island in Twin Lakes located near Cheboygan in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula. Each recording was divided into 1 kHz frequency intervals and visualization tools were used to examine the soundscape power in each interval during 48 half-hour time segments from April-October for four consecutive years. Daily pat- terns of soundscape power change were also examined during the seven month sample period. To synthesize the data set, three dimensional contour plots were used to visualize day of the year (x), time of day (y) and soundscape power (z) for several frequency intervals. A further synthesis was developed to visualize soundscape change using a Normalized Difference Soundscape Index (NDSI) which is a ratio of low to high frequencies. The visualization of the soundscape revealed discrete patterns in the soundscape including striking changes in the time of the occurrence of dawn and dusk choruses. The patterns in the soundscape were remarkably similar overthefour-yearinvestigation.Soundscapepowerinthelowerfrequency examined(1-2 kHz)wasadominant featureofthesoundscapeatTwinLakesandthelowfrequencysoundscapepowerwasnegativelycorrelatedwith higher frequency sounds. The soundscape power metrics and the visualizations of the soundscape produced in this study should provide a means of rapidly synthesizing large numbers of recordings into meaningful patterns to examine soundscape change. Thisisespecially useful because of theneedto develop indicesof ecologicalmetricsbasedon soundscape attributes to assist resource managers in making decisions about ecosystem integrity. Visualization can also be of immense benefittoexamine patternsinlargesoundscape time seriesdata sets thatcan be producedbyautomat- ed recording devices.
Microscope Imagery as Carrier Communication

An analogy is drawn in which the optical system in a microscope corresponds to a communication channel; the illumination, to a carrier; and the effect of the object on the illumination, to modulation of the carrier. It is hoped that new techniques in each field can be suggested by their analogs in the other. One such suggestion concerning a new method for obtaining phase contrast microscopy is presented.In the analogy, axial lighting of an object the transparency of which varies from point to point corresponds to a carrier, amplitude modulated and passed before detection through a channel that extends on both sides of the carrier frequency. Dark field illumination of an object corresponds to passing only one side band of a carrier to the detector. Illumination of a transparent object with varying optical thickness corresponds to phase modulation of a carrier. The phase ring in a phase contrast microscope has an analog in one method of recovering phase modulation, and the optical analog of another method is presented as another way to obtain phase contrast.
Infrared determination of structural units in organic compounds by integrated intensity measurements: Alkanes, alkenes and monosubstituted alkyl benzenes☆

Abstract Structural unit integrated intensities in practical units (cm −2 1. mole −1 ) have been obtained for the methyl, methylene, methylidene, vinyl, vinylidene, cis ethylenic and trans ethylenic groups in alkanes and alkenes and for phenyl rings in monosubstituted alkyl-benzenes. In addition, structural unit intensities for hydrogen attached to paraffinic, olefinic and aromatic groups have been evaluated for purposes of structural and analytical determinations. Integrated intensities by region were obtained for unsaturated CH stretching vibrations (3050 cm −1 region), saturated CH stretching vibrations (2900 cm −1 region), CC stretching vibration (1500–1600 cm −1 region), CH in plane deformations (1350–1650 cm −1 region) and for CH out of plane deformations (675–1000 cm −1 region). Values were obtained at resolutions of 1·5–3·0 cm −1 on a grating infrared spectrophotometer.
A Nominator-Selector Two-Stage Signal Detection Scheme

A two-stage approach to computationally efficient signal detection is to nominate candidate signal vectors using a suboptimal, but computationally cheap, detection scheme, and subsequently perform optimal detection on the candidates. Bounds on the detection performance of this approach are presented along with sufficient conditions for optimality. Examples are presented of an optimal and nearly optimal two-stage detection scheme where computational costs are drastically reduced relative to the singli-stage optimal detector.
The Lee Path Connection Algorithm

The Lee path connection algorithm is probably the most widely used method for finding wire paths on printed circuit boards. It is shown that the original claim of generality for the path cost function is incorrect, and a restriction, called the pathconsistency property, is introduced. The Lee algorithm holds for those path cost functions having this property. Codings for the cells of the grid are proposed which will allow the correct operation of the algorithm under the most general path cost function, using the minimum number of states possible, six states per cell. Then methods for reducing the number of calculations by increasing the number of states are presented.
Schizophrenia and Matricide: An Integrative Review

Though a modest number of studies dating back several decades have addressed a possible relationship between schizophrenia and matricide, or mother-killing, this literature to date remains largely unintegrated and findings have yet to be aggregated in any meaningful way. To address this, a qualitative review of studies related to both schizophrenia and matricide was conducted. Sixty-one publications were identified, consisting of case reports, descriptive studies, and comparison studies. Results indicated variable rates across studies of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders among samples of matricidal offenders, though these rates appeared to be elevated in comparison to base rates of schizophrenia in the general population. Additionally, matricidal offenders with and without schizophrenia were in many cases characterized by negative family dynamics, pathological relationships with their mothers, and excessive offense violence. Though only limited generalizations can be made from qualitative synthesis of the literature in its current state, future investigations could lead to the establishment of a schizophrenia--matricide relationship which could have important implications in research, treatment, and criminal investigative areas of forensic psychology.
The effect of bile duct ligation and bile diversion on FK506 pharmacokinetics in dogs.

Mongrel or beagle dogs were submitted to bile duct ligation, or to extraenteric biliary diversion by means of choledochoureterostomy. The kinetics of intravenously administered FK506 was not changed from control status two weeks after bile duct ligation, but the bioavailability of orally administered FK506 was nearly quadrupled. Following oral administration, the absorption of FK506 was highly variable. The results indicate that in dogs FK506 is absorbed from the intestine just as efficiently in the absence of enteric bile and in presence of exogenous bile salt supplement when compared with its absorption in presence of normal bile drainage. These findings with FK506 are different from those with cyclosporine after biliary obstruction or diversion and will have important practical as well as experimental ramifications. © 1992 by Williams & Wilkins.
Oxidation Products Which Contribute to the Oxidation Resistance of Tic‐Base Cermets

The oxidation of Tic-base cermets can be minimized if two processes are stopped: (1) diffusion of oxygen into the cermet body and (2) diffusion of cermet components through the oxide to the oxide-air interface. Two methods of curtailing these diffusion processes are considered: (1) the formation of an amorphous glassy oxide and (2) the formation of oxidation products which enable certain types of crystalline oxides to occur in a definite order. Both these methods are discussed by means of representative examples. The cermet TiC-TiB2-CoSi represents the first method; the cermet (Ti, Ta, Nb)C + Co represents the second method.
Sociobehavioral influences on smoking initiation of hispanic adolescents

Purpose: To study the sociobehavioral influences on smoking initiation of Hispanic adolescents over a 3-year period using a national sample. Methods: Hispanic adolescents ( N = 385), ages 15–22 years, from the 1989 and 1993 Teenage Attitudes and Practices Surveys (TAPS I and II), were selected for analyses. Data collected included measures of smoking initiation and attitudes, beliefs toward smoking of the adolescent, and smoking status of family and peers. Results: At the 3-year follow up, 43.4% of nonsmokers at TAPS I had initiated smoking. Risk factors associated with initiating smoking were having male and/or female friends who smoked, and positive attitudes and beliefs towards smoking. Parental and sibling smoking status had little effect on adolescent smoking status. Conclusions: The peer influence on Hispanic adolescent smoking is consistent with previous research on Caucasian and African-American adolescents. The formation of attitudes and beliefs toward smoking in this population warrants further examination given the influence of attitudes and beliefs on smoking initiation in this study.
The Spatial, Ionization, and Kinematic Conditions of the z=1.39 Damped Ly-alpha Absorber in Q0957+561 A,B

We examined the sizes of the absorption clouds in a z=1.3911 damped Ly-alpha absorber (DLA) in the double image lensed quasar Q0957+561 A,B (separation 135 pc at the absorber redshift). Using HIRES/Keck spectra, we studied the MgII 2796,2803 doublet, FeII multiplet, and MgI 2853 transition in absorption. We defined six "clouds" in the system of sightline A and seven clouds in the system of sightline B. An examination of the N(v) profiles, using the apparent optical depth method, reveals no clear physical connection between the clouds in A and those in B. The observed column density ratios of all clouds is log[N(MgI)/N(FeII)] ~ -2 across the full velocity range in both systems and also spatially (in both sightlines). This is a remarkable uniformity not seen in Lyman limit systems. The uniformity of the cloud properties suggests that the multiple clouds are not part of a "halo". Based upon photoionization modeling, we constrain the ionization parameters in the range -6.2 < log(U) < -5.1, where the range brackets known abundance ratio and dust depletion patterns. The inferred cloud properties are densities of 2 < n_H < 20 cm^-3, and line of sight sizes of 1 < D < 25 pc. The masses of the clouds in system A are 10 < M/M_sun < 1000 and in system B are 1 < M/M_sun < 60 for spherical clouds. For planar clouds, the upper limits are 400 M_sun and 160 M_sun for A and B, respectively. We favor a model of the absorber in which the DLA region itself is a single cloud in thiscomplex, which could be a parcel of gas in a galactic ISM. A spherical cloud of ~10 pc would be limited to one of the sightlines (A) and imply a covering factor less than 0.1 for the DLA complex. We infer that the DLA cloud properties are consistent with those of lower density, cold clouds in the Galactic interstellar medium.
Effect of environmental conditions (ph, oxygenation and temperature) on the cytotoxicity of flavone acetic acid and its dimethylaminoethyl ester

Bioflavonoids are known to inhibit enzymes in the glycolytic pathway and have been reported to decrease tumour blood flow. The antineoplastic capabilities of flavone acetic acid (FAA), dimethylaminoethyl-flavone-8-acetate (FAA ester) and quercitin (Q) as a function of pH, level of oxygenation and in conjunction with hyperthermia or SR-4233. In vitro, exposure of FSaIIC murine fibrosarcoma cells to various concentrations of FAA or FAA ester for 1 h demonstrated that both drugs were slightly more toxic toward hypoxic cells at 37 degrees C and pH 7.40 (but were somewhat less cytotoxic at pH 6.45 and 37 degrees C) than towards normally oxygenated cells. The cytotoxicity of FAA and FAA ester increased only minimally by concomitant treatment of cells at 42 degrees C or 43 degrees C. When temperatures of tumour-bearing mice anaesthetized with chloral hydrate and pentobarbital were measured both FAA (200 mg/kg) and Q (200 mg/kg) caused a more rapid drop in tumour versus core temperature, indicating a relative shutdown of tumour blood flow had been produced by these flavonoids. In Hoechst 33342 dye-defined subpopulations, both FAA and Q were only minimally cytotoxic in the subpopulation enriched in euoxic (bright) cells, producing surviving fractions of 0.70 and 0.29, respectively but were approximately 2-fold and 3-fold respectively more toxic towards the subpopulation enriched in hypoxic (dim) cells. When FAA preceded hyperthermia approximately a 3-4-fold increase in cell kill resulted from the combination in both subpopulations. Finally, when SR-4233, a selective hypoxic cell cytotoxic agent, was administered prior to FAA or Q and followed by hyperthermia the level of tumour cell killing increased so that the surviving fractions were 0.009 and 0.0055, respectively, in the dim cell subpopulation. These results indicate that FAA, FAA ester and Q may be most effectively used in a setting involving a combined modality regimen with a focus on the hypoxic tumour cell population.
Energy detector's performance analysis over the wireless channels with composite multipath fading and shadowing effects using the AUC approach

In this paper, energy detector's performance over the wireless channels with composite multipath fading and shadowing effects is analyzed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) in contrast to the conventional ROC measurement. AUC is a single statistical parameter which can be used to describe energy detector's performance more meaningfully. An energy detector may not see the transmitter due to the shadowing and fading. Generalized-K (KG) distribution is considered to describe the composite effects because of its simplicity than the other available models such as the Nakagami-lognormal distribution. The analysis is then extended to the cases with diversity receptions including maximal ratio combining (MRC), square law combining (SLC), and selection combining (SC) as the representative of diverse receiver combining techniques. The developed framework is very simple and the analytical results could be used readily to design energy detection based cognitive radio network. Energy detector's performance analysis with the AUC parameter over the composite effects is new and thus this work contributes significantly in the wireless communications areas.
High-throughput functional screening using a homemade dual-glow luciferase assay

We present a rapid and inexpensive high-throughput screening protocol to identify transcriptional regulators of alpha-synuclein, a gene associated with Parkinson's disease. 293T cells are transiently transfected with plasmids from an arrayed ORF expression library, together with luciferase reporter plasmids, in a one-gene-per-well microplate format. Firefly luciferase activity is assayed after 48 hr to determine the effects of each library gene upon alpha-synuclein transcription, normalized to expression from an internal control construct (a hCMV promoter directing Renilla luciferase). This protocol is facilitated by a bench-top robot enclosed in a biosafety cabinet, which performs aseptic liquid handling in 96-well format. Our automated transfection protocol is readily adaptable to high-throughput lentiviral library production or other functional screening protocols requiring triple-transfections of large numbers of unique library plasmids in conjunction with a common set of helper plasmids. We also present an inexpensive and validated alternative to commercially-available, dual luciferase reagents which employs PTC124, EDTA, and pyrophosphate to suppress firefly luciferase activity prior to measurement of Renilla luciferase. Using these methods, we screened 7,670 human genes and identified 68 regulators of alpha-synuclein. This protocol is easily modifiable to target other genes of interest.
Fiscal neutrality and local choice in public education

Abstract Feldstein's (1975) [ Am. Econ. Rev. 65 , 75–89] notion of wealth neutrality is extended to one of fiscal neutrality in the context of a representative consumer. The almost ideal demand system is employed to model the school district expenditure pattern in a general equilibrium framework. The constant price and income elasticity demand model frequently employed by previous researchers is tested and rejected. Variable income and price elasticities allow the fiscally neutral tax price elasticity (a policy variable) to vary by income and prices.
Innovation spending and productivity growth in the German economy 1980–1986

A newly developed technique involving vertically integrated input-output sectors is used to examine the relationship between labour productivity and innovation expenditures in the German economy during the period 1980 to 1986. The productivity measures used, dubbed Harrod-Robinson-Read (HRR), take into account the direct and indirect labour used in each consumption goods sector. Included in these measures is the labour content of new capital investment. The HRR measures show higher rates of productivity growth in most sectors, compared to the simple direct labour requirements measures. This is due to the fact that the HRR measures take into account the increased efficiency with which new capital is produced. The second part of the study examines the relationship between labour productivity and innovation expenditures as measured by the IFO (Institute for Economic Research – Munich) innovation survey. Using cross section data for 58 German industries, a strong correlation was found between direct labour pr...
Hepatic-Specific Accessibility of Igf1 Gene Enhancers Is Independent of Growth Hormone Signaling

The diverse roles of IGF-1 in physiology include acting as the endocrine intermediate to elicit the anabolic actions of GH. The majority of serum IGF-1 is synthesized in liver, where GH stimulates Igf1 gene transcription via the transcription factor, signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat)5b. We and others have identified multiple Stat5-binding domains at the Igf1 locus that function in gene regulation, but it remains unclear whether the roles of these domains are tissue specific. Survey of the chromatin landscape of regulatory domains can provide insight about mechanisms of gene regulation, with chromatin accessibility regarded as a hallmark feature of regulatory domains. We prepared chromatin from liver, kidney, and spleen of C57BL/6 mice, and used formaldehyde-associated isolation of regulatory elements to assess chromatin accessibility at the major Igf1 promoter and 7 -binding enhancers. Whereas the promoters of other prototypical tissue-specific genes are open in a tissue-specific way...
Interpolation error-based a posteriori error estimation for hp -refinement using first and second derivative jumps

Hp-adaptive finite element methods require estimates of the error in the solution at the current prder and one order higher. Interpolation-error based a posteriori error estimates offer one solution to this problem. I show how such estimates at the current order can be obtained in one dimension for odd (even) order bases by using jumps in the first (second) derivative of the finite element solution at element boundaries. Additionally the jumps in the second (first) derivative for odd (even) order elements furnish error estimates of the finite element solution one order higher than the current order to be computed. These estimates are compared with interpolation-error based methods that use high-order derivative approximations of the finite element solution. Computational results illustrate the theory and the impact of the estimation strategy on the refinement algorithm is discussed.
The conformation of cyclosporin a bound to cyclophilin is altered (once again) following binding to calcineurin: an analysis of receptor-ligand-receptor interactions

Analyses of the complexation of cyclosporin A (CsA) by cyclophilin and the unusual properties of MeBmztl-CsA lead us to propose a conformational change upon binding of the cyclophilin-CsA complex to the protein phosphatase, calcineurin. Structural analyses of natural products bound to their protein receptors can provide a detailed understanding of phenomena ranging from enzymatic catalysis to signal transduction. This is especially true when such analy- ses are combined with experimental results from other disciplines such as synthetic chemistry and molecular bi- ology. In fact, it may be argued that the power of structure determination resides primarily in its ability to ex- plain experimental data, and in doing so to facilitate the formulation of hypotheses which then can direct further experiments. In this report we describe a proposed model for the interactions in a multimeric complex involving two proteins and a natural product ligand. The model is based on crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic anal- yses of one of the proteins and its complex with the natural product, and on biochemical and biological data on a synthetic analog of the natural product.
Small group design meetings: an analysis of collaboration

The development of schemes to support group work, whether behavioral methods or new technologies like groupware, should be based on detailed knowledge about how groups work, what they do well, and what they have trouble with. Such data can be used to suggest what kinds of tools people might need as well as to provide a baseline for evaluating the effects of schemes for improvement. We present details of how real groups engage in a representative collaborative task - early software design meetings - to provide such knowledge. We studied 10 design meetings from four projects in two organizations. The meetings were videotaped, transcribed, and then analyzed using a coding scheme that looked at participants' problem solving and the activities they used to coordinate and manage themselves. We also analyzed the structure of their design arguments. We found, to our surprise, that although the meetings differed in how many issues were covered they were strikingly similar in both how people spent their time and in the sequential organization of that activity. Overall, only 40% of the time was spent in direct discussions of design, with many swift transitions between alternative ideas and their evaluation. The groups spent another 30% taking stock of their progress through walkthroughs and summaries. Pure coordination activities consumed about 20 %, and clarification of ideas-a crosscutting classification-took one third of the time, indicating how much time was spent in both orchestrating and sharing expertise among group members. The pattern of transitions revealed these activities were clustered into two general classes - design and management. Although most issues had more than one alternative offered and discussed, there was rarely a wide set discussed, and one third of them were never explicitly evaluated. The results have implications for both the characterization of collaboration itself and for the way in which it might be supported through technology. Finally, the coding schemes developed may be useful for a wide range of problem-solving meetings other than design.
Transitioning from Face-to-Face to Online Instruction: How to Increase Presence and Cognitive/Social Interaction in an Online Information Security Risk Assessment Class

This article briefly reviews two important goals in online education: interaction and presence. These are important goals in online education because they are linked to learning and motivation to learn. The article provides guidelines and an extended example of how to design an online course in information security in a manner that will enhance interaction and presence. This article’s contribution is to provide guidelines with a corresponding extended and concrete example for those who are tasked with designing and delivering online courses. Although the guidelines and example were targeted to the field of information security, they can be readily adopted by other disciplines.
Applications of queuing theory to some problems in neuronal circuitry

This paper discusses mathematical models for neurons and neuron-pair networks. Models are developed in which the parameters are related to basic physiological properties. Single-neuron models are treated first. The membrane-potential decay is modeled as a linear function, making it analogous to the virtual waiting time in a queue. Both spatial and temporal summation are incorporated into the model. Networks consisting of two neurons are then analyzed. It is shown that even though each neuron generates a renewal process, the interaction of the spike trains produces a nonrenewal process. A feedback inhibitory network is found to generate a bursting pattern of spikes. Expressions for the interspike-interval density function and the serial correlogram are derived based on the points of regenerating in the process, and verified by computer simulation. Finally, the feedback neuron-pair model is applied to spike-train data from the hippocampus of a rabbit.
Embedding empirical mode decomposition within an FPGA-based design: challenges and progress

This paper presents further advancements made in an ongoing project following a series of presentations made at the same SPIE conference in the past. Compared with traditional microprocessor-based systems, rapidly advancing field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology offers a more powerful, efficient and flexible hardware platform. An FPGA-based design is developed to classify three types of nonlinearities (including linear, hardening and softening) of a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system subjected to free vibration. This significantly advances the team's previous work on using FPGAs for wireless structural health monitoring. The classification is achieved by embedding two important algorithms - empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and backbone curve analysis. A series of systematic efforts is made to embed EMD, which involves cubic spline fitting, in an FPGA-based hardware design. Throughout the process, we take advantage of concurrent operation and strive for a trade-off between computational efficiency and resource utilization. We have started to pursue our work in the context of FPGA-based computation. In particular, handling fixed-point precision is framed under data-path optimization. Our approach for data-path optimization is necessarily manual and thus may not guarantee an optimal design. Nonetheless, our study could provide a baseline case for future work using analytical data-path optimization for this and numerous other powerful algorithms for wireless structural health monitoring.
Expression of L-selectin ligand MECA-79 as a predictive marker of human uterine receptivity

Problem Patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF) represent a subgroup of couples who suffer from unexplained infertility. Human blastocysts utilize L-selectin to initiate implantation by binding to endometrial ligands composed of oligosaccharide moieties on the surface glycoproteins. The absence of these ligands could lead to recurrent implantation failure (RIF) in some of these couples.
Liver transplantation in patients with hepatitis B virus infection: Outcome in asian versus white patients

Previous studies have found that Asian patients transplanted for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection had worse outcomes than white patients. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes in Asian and white patients listed for liver transplantation for HBV infection. Data of all patients with HBV infection listed for liver transplantation between January 1996 and June 1998 from 20 centers in North America were collected using a survey. Total patients enrolled were 325 (171 whites, 126 Asians, 28 other races). There was no difference in demographics, liver biochemistry, and HBV replicative status between Asians and whites at the time of listing. More Asians had hepatocellular carcinoma and fewer Asians had hepatitis C or D virus coinfection. At the time of this survey, 70 Asians (55%) and 99 whites (58%) had been transplanted. Actuarial 2-year survival posttransplantation for Asians (88%) and whites (92%) was similar. Recurrent HBV infection occurred in 8 (11%) Asians and 12 (12%) whites. Five patients with recurrent HBV infection died, 4 of whom were Asian. Actuarial 2-year survival for Asians versus whites with recurrent HBV infection was 60% versus 90% (P =.04). In this large cohort of patients, overall survival and recurrent HBV infection posttransplantation were comparable between Asians and whites. However, Asians with recurrent HBV infection posttransplantation had significantly higher mortality.
Absorption and secretion of iodide by the intestine of the rat

THE study of the absorption of iodide by the intestinal tract was initiated by Cohn (1), who showed that iodide was well absorbed by the ileum, jejunum and colon of the dog, and poorly by the stomach. Albert et al. (2) found that the rat also absorbed iodide well from the small and large bowel and only slightly from the stomach. Pearlman, Morton and Chaikoff (3) demonstrated in the rat that the tissue of the entire small intestine accumulated at the end of one hour 0.6% of the I131 administered into the stomach. The studies of Johnson and Albert (4) revealed I131 in the contents of the small intestine of the rat in significant concentrations, but they did not establish whether it was gastric iodide being passed down the intestinal tract or actively secreted at that site. Furthermore, Honour et al. (5) concluded that while the iodide concentration of stomach secretions was thirty times that of plasma, the iodide concentration of duodenal secretions was approximately equal to that of plasma.
The X family portrait: structural insights into biological functions of X family polymerases.

The mammalian family X DNA polymerases (DNA polymerases β, λ, μ, and TdT) contribute to base excision repair and double-strand break repair by virtue of their ability to fill short gaps in DNA. Structural information now exists for all four of these enzymes, making this the first mammalian polymerase family whose structural portrait is complete. Here we consider how distinctive structural features of these enzymes contribute to their biological functions in vivo.
Contributions of different feedback assistance to text memorial representation

Subjects were assigned to read one of two descriptions of a town. The route version was based on the town as a driver would encounter it, while the survey version provided a spatial description. Three feedback conditions were provided: (1) limited access to a map, (2) limited review of previously read sentences, and (3) an opportunity to read the entire text after processing. There were no differences in amount of material recalled or discrimination between old text and paraphrases, but feedback differentially assisted inferential reasoning. Feedback that supplemented the version provided proved more efficacious.
Avian macrophage metabolism

Abstract This review considers the role of avian macrophages as a source of immune effector and immunoregulatory metabolites. Although considerable attention has been given to the importance of leukocytic cytokines, particularly the monokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), metabolites produced by macrophages appear to be of equal importance in determining the progression of immune responses. The three metabolite categories that have received the greatest attention are the reactive oxygen species (ROS), the reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI), and the eicosanoids. Additionally, the xenobiotic metabolites produced via cytochrome P450 activity mediate some immune-environmental interactions. Each of these four metabolite categories is subject to different requirements for metabolite production, and each has distinct effector functions. An understanding of macrophage metabolite regulation could allow improvements in avian health management and production via the effective control of metabolite production. The present review considers prior and recent information on the production of the metabolites by avian macrophages. Additionally, the potential ramifications of metabolite production and regulation are discussed.
The enumeration of bipartite graphs

The standard construction of graphs with n connected components is modified here for bicolored graphs by letting S"n x H act on the function space Y^*where X={1,2,...,n}, Y is the set of connected bicolored graphs, and H is the group that interchanges the vertex colors. Then DeBruijn's Generalization of Polya's Theorem is applied to arrive at a direct algebraic relationship between the generating functions for bicolored and connected bicolored graphs. As the former generating function is easily computable, this relationship gives us the latter generating function which is precisely the generating function for connected bipartite graphs.
Deep sedation for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging: a comparison with cardiac anesthesia.

Objective To test the hypothesis that safety, efficacy, and image quality in pediatric patients who undergo deep sedation for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) for congenital heart disease (CHD) is similar to general anesthesia (GA). Study design Retrospective review of all CMR records from 1997-2006. Six hundred sixty patients underwent deep sedation (DS) and 161 underwent GA. Statistics included analysis of variance, χ2 analysis, and the coefficient of variation. Results Diagnoses included a broad spectrum of CHD. No serious adverse events (AE) including mortalities and hospitalizations occurred because of DS. There were 18 (2.8%) self-limited events in the DS group with a success rate of 97.9%. The AE rate for patients undergoing GA was 3.9% (n = 6), including 2 overnight hospital stays with a success rate of 100%. AE and success rates did not differ between the 2 groups. Observers blinded to the patient’s group found no difference in image quality. Even in young infants, excellent image quality was obtained. Conclusions Sedation of appropriately screened pediatric patients with CHD undergoing CMR is safe and well tolerated and yields high-quality images similar to GA. GA should be considered for patients with CHD with hemodynamic or airway compromise, in whom sedation has failed, or who have special circumstances.
Secondhand smoke risk in infants discharged from an NICU: potential for significant health disparities?

Introduction: Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) threatens fragile infants discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Smoking practices were examined in families with a high respiratory risk infant (born at very low birth weight; ventilated > 12 hr) in a Houston, Texas, NICU. Socioeconomic status, race, and mental health status were hypothesized to be related to SHSe and household smoking bans. Methods: Data were collected as part of The Baby’s Breath Project, a hospital-based SHSe intervention trial targeting parents with a high-risk infant in the NICU who reported a smoker in the household (N = 99). Measures of sociodemographics, smoking, home and car smoking bans, and depression were collected. Results: Overall, 26% of all families with a high-risk infant in the NICU reported a household smoker. Almost half of the families with a smoker reported an annual income of less than $25,000. 46.2% of families reported having a total smoking ban in place in both their homes and cars. Only 27.8% families earning less than $25,000 reported having a total smoking ban in place relative to almost 60% of families earning more (p < .01). African American and Caucasian families were less likely to have a smoking ban compared with Hispanics (p < .05). Mothers who reported no smoking ban were more depressed than those who had a household smoking ban (p < .02). Conclusions: The most disadvantaged families were least likely to have protective health behaviors in place to reduce SHSe and, consequently, are most at-risk for tobacco exposure and subsequent tobacco-related health disparities. Innovative SHSe interventions for this vulnerable population are sorely needed. Over one-third (34.4%) of all children live with at least one parent who smokes cigarettes (King et al., 2009). Even more striking, almost half (49.4%) of children living at or below the poverty level live with a smoker, and often with multiple smokers, compared with those of higher SES (King et al., 2009). Children
Correlation of neuromuscular pathology in acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients with cytomegalovirus infection and zidovudine treatment

Peripheral nerve and skeletal muscle specimens from 115 autopsied adult AIDS patients were examined for types and incidence of histological abnormalities. Focal perivascular chronic inflammatory infiltrates featuring plasma cells were found in 85% of nerve and muscle specimens. These foci were specifically associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected capillary or venous endothelial cells in neuromuscular specimens of 31/115 patients, with increasing incidence in patients surviving longer with the diagnosis of AIDS. Neuromuscular CMV was identified histologically in 19% of AIDS patients with an AIDS-defining illness for 3 months or less, with the incidence increasing to 46% of patients who had the diagnosis for 2 years or longer. Vascular damage from CMV endothelial infection may result in regional ischemic and/or inflammatory damage to nerves, producing myelinated fiber loss and axonal degeneration, leading to denervation atrophy of myofibers found in skeletal muscle specimens in a majority of the patients. Myelinated fiber loss within the sural sural nerve was determined by morphometric quantitation for a subset of 50 patients, and correlated with the presence of histologically identifiable neuromuscular CMV, clinical history of zidovudine administration, and chemotherapy for alleviation of Kaposi's sarcoma. CMV infection and zidovudine treatment were both positively correlated with myelinated fiber loss, while Kaposi's sarcoma chemotherapy did not independently increase the incidence of myelinated fiber loss.
Nonlinear optics with finite geometry

Coupled amplitude equations are derived to describe the interaction of three light waves propagating in a nonlinear dielectric waveguide. The coupling coefficients reflect the combined effect of the nonlinear susceptibility and the finite geometry.
Titration and subunit localization of active center cysteine in fibrinoligase (thrombin-activated fibrin stabilizing factor)

Abstract Fibrinoligase activity, measured in a fully synthetic substrate system, was shown to be inhibited by prior incubation of the enzyme with iodoacetamide. Using 1-14C-iodoacetamide, the amount of incorporated radio-activity increased in proportion to the loss of enzyme activity. Labelling of the enzyme was totally dependent on the addition of calcium ions and, under the conditions described, occurred predominantly in the a ′ protomer. Acid hydrolysis of labelled fibrinoligase gave rise to S-carboxymethylcysteine as the only radioactive amino acid derivative.
A highly sensitive analytical method for metal-labelled amino acids by HPLC/ICP-MS

A highly sensitive method for the determination of amino acids by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), after separation by high performance liquid chromatography, was developed. Amino acids in the presence of a 0.1 mol L−1sodium tetraborate solution were derivatized with a six-coordinated complex of ruthenium, bis(2,2′-bipyridine)-4′-methyl-4-carboxybipyridine-ruthenium N-succinimidyl ester-bis(hexafluorophosphate), dissolved in dimethylformamide. The derivatives were stable and were remained associated during separation on an octadecyl reversed phase column with a linear gradient elution using 100 mmol L−1sodium phosphate buffer and acetonitrile. Ten kinds of amino acids derivatized with the reagent were successfully separated from each other. The ruthenium in the derivative was detected by quadrupole-based ICP-MS, and the detection limit for the amino acids (signal-to-noise ratio of 3) was 5 fmol per injection.