cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
No detectable changes in crayfish behavior due to sublethal dietary mercury exposure

Abstract Mercury, and particularly its organic form, methylmercury (MeHg), is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant with documented dosage-dependent adverse effects on endpoints spanning many levels of biological organization. However, relatively little is known about the sublethal impacts of environmentally-relevant exposures on behavioral characteristics that may impact predator-prey relationships, and thus the potential for Hg bioaccumulation within food webs due to behavioral impairments. This study investigated the potential for dietary mercury exposure to impair two behavioral outcomes in the highly invasive rusty crayfish, Faxonius rusticus, which are expected to influence interactions with their fish predators: the tail-flip escape response and chelae pinch strength. Field-caught animals were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with mean (±1 SE) dry-weight total Hg (THg) concentrations of 3.52 ± 0.57, 114.01 ± 4.05, 274.10 ± 0.38, and 565.79 ± 1.33 ng/g in the control, low, moderate and high exposure treatments, respectively, for 16 weeks. After initial observations, exposures began and mass and behavior were measured every two weeks. At the end of the experiment, THg concentrations in tail muscle tissue were significantly higher in the high exposure treatment than in the control and low exposure treatments (Tukey’s HSD, family-wise α = 0.05). Exposure-dependent declines in survival, mass, pinch strength, or tail-flip escape response velocity were not detected within the 12- to 16-week experimental exposure period, which represents one season of the crayfish’s 3–4 year lifespan. This suggests that crayfish may be relatively tolerant of dietary exposure to sublethal concentrations of mercury within a single season. Further investigation of the physiological underpinnings of this tolerance is warranted.
Evaluating surgical outcomes in pediatric extremity vascular trauma.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology and management of pediatric vascular extremity trauma to assess injury patterns and other factors that may contribute to poor outcomes. Methods Using the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development discharge database, we identified pediatric patients with extremity arterial trauma admitted to acute-care hospitals from 2007 to 2014. Demographics, management patterns, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results A total of 775 patients were treated for an extremity arterial injury. Overall, 40% were admitted to pediatric trauma centers and 39% to adult trauma centers. Management was predominantly by open surgical repair. Injury to the common femoral artery was associated with mortality (Hazard Ratio 3.9; 95% CI 1.1–14.5; p Conclusions Pediatric extremity arterial injuries are rare. In California, outcomes are similar by hospital type. Common femoral artery injuries are associated with an increased risk of mortality, while popliteal and anterior tibial artery injuries are associated with an increased risk of amputation. Type of Study Prognosis Study. Level of Evidence Level III.
Psychopharmacology of Anxiety Disorders

This chapter will review our current understanding of the neurobiology of anxiety disorders, the general principles of pharmacotherapy approaches to anxiety disorders, and the specific medications indicated for panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD). While the etiology of anxiety disorders is likely multifactorial, dysfunctions of several neurotransmitters including serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA are the targets of psychopharmacological approaches to these disorders. SSRIs and SNRIs antidepressants are the first-line pharmacological agents for all anxiety disorders, given their favorable tolerability profile and broad efficacy that extend to frequent comorbid depression. Benzodiazepines, although effective for acute anxiety symptoms, should be used only in the short term for the majority of patients due to potential to develop chemical dependence and tolerance to these drugs’ anxiolytic properties. For patients with significant substance use disorders, benzodiazepines should be avoided altogether given high risk of misuse in this population. Among the other pharmacological treatments, anticonvulsants and atypical antipsychotics may play a role in the pharmacological management of anxiety disorders especially when a mood disorder is associated. Despite the efficacy of available pharmacological approaches, many patients do not achieve full remission, and novel treatment approaches are warranted.
Carotid Intraplaque Hemorrhage Is Associated with Cardiovascular Risk Factors

INTRODUCTION Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) is a known predictor of symptomatic cervical carotid artery disease. However, the association between IPH and modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, patient demographics, and pertinent laboratory values has not been extensively studied. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of consecutive patients who have undergone dedicated carotid plaque imaging over a 3-year period. Patients were excluded if the MR examination did not include high-resolution carotid plaque imaging. Intraplaque hyperintense signal on carotid plaque images was presumed to represent IPH. The presence or absence of IPH was compared to various demographic and clinical variables. Multivariable regression analysis was performed in order to determine an independent association between variables and IPH. RESULTS Of 643 included patients, 114 patients (17.7%) had IPH in one or both carotids, 529 patients (82.3%) did not; 39.5% of patients with IPH had coronary artery disease compared to 23.1% of patients without (p = 0.0003). Patients with IPH also had higher proportions of hypertension (77.2 vs. 60.7%, p = 0.009), hyperlipidemia (HLD; 89.5 vs. 62.4%, p < 0.0001), diabetes mellitus (29.0 vs. 18.7%, p = 0.01), and a history of tobacco smoking (63.2 vs. 52.6%, p = 0.003). Patients without IPH had, on average, higher high-density lipoprotein levels (46.1 vs. 56.7%, p = 0.003). Factors independently associated with IPH were advanced age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.1, 95% CI: [1.0-1.05], p <0.0001), male sex (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: [1.4-4.4], p = 0.0001), presence of carotid stenosis (OR: 8.4, 95% CI: [4.6-15.3], p < 0.0001), and HLD (OR: 2.6, 95% CI: [1.3-5.2], p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS IPH is associated with multiple cardiovascular risk factors, in particular advanced age, male sex, presence of carotid stenosis, and HLD. Such risk factors likely play a role in the development of IPH and may provide insight into the pathophysiology of unstable carotid plaques.
Do Socioeconomic Disparities Exist in Postoperative Opioid Prescription and Consumption

BackgroundSince 1999, >200 000 people in the United States have died from a prescription opioid overdose. Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is one important risk factor. This study investigates soci...
Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Density, Prognostic Characteristics, and Recurrence in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis.

Introduction The progression and clinical course of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) relies on complex interactions between cancer and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Among the most abundant of these stromal cells are cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). While their contribution to tumor progression is widely acknowledged, and various CAF-targeted treatments are under development, the relationship between CAF density and the clinicopathologic course of HNSCC has not been clearly defined. Here we examine the published evidence investigating the relationship of cancer-associated fibroblasts to local recurrence and indicators of prognostic significance in HNSCC. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis of existing publications that compare the relationship between CAF density, local recurrence, and clinically significant pathologic criteria of disease development (T stage, nodal positivity, clinical stage, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, Ki67 expression, and differentiation). Thirteen studies met the selection criteria, providing a total study population of 926 patients. Forest plots and risk ratios were generated to illustrate overall relationships. Results Higher CAF density within the tumor microenvironment is associated with advanced T stage, nodal infiltration, clinical stage, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, Ki67 expression, and differentiation (p <0.05). High CAF density is also associated with increased rates of local recurrence (p <0.001). Conclusions Across multiple studies, increased CAF density is correlated with histopathological criteria of poor prognosis in HNSCC. These findings highlight that CAFs may play a pivotal role in HNSCC development and progression. Staining for CAFs may represent a valuable addition to current pathologic analysis and help to guide prognosis and treatment. Understanding the mechanisms by which CAFs reciprocally interact with cancer cells will be crucial for optimization of TME-focused treatment of HNSCC.
Currency Choice and Exchange Rate Pass-Through

A central assumption of open economy macro models with nominal rigidities relates to the currency in which goods are priced, whether there is so-called producer currency pricing or local currency pricing. This has important implications for exchange rate pass-through and optimal exchange rate policy. We show, using novel transaction level information on currency and prices for U.S. imports, that even conditional on a price change, there is a large difference in the pass-through of the average good priced in dollars (25%) versus non-dollars (95%). This finding is contrary to the assumption in a large class of models that the currency of pricing is exogenous and is evidence of an important selection effect that results from endogenous currency choice. We describe a model of optimal currency choice in an environment of staggered price setting and show that the empirical evidence strongly supports the model's predictions of the relation between currency choice and pass-through. We further document evidence of significant real rigidities, with the pass-through of dollar pricers increasing above 50% in the long-run. Lastly, we numerically illustrate the currency choice decision in both a Calvo and a menu-cost model with variable mark-ups and imported intermediate inputs and evaluate the ability of these models to match pass-through patterns documented in the data.
Evidence Matters: Spring 2018

Local zoning and land use regulations, as well as “not in my backyard” opposition, the focus of this edition of Evidence Matters, increase development costs and contribute to a shortage of affordable housing in many places that desperately need it. Density limitations, height restrictions, and parking requirements, among other rules, limit the amount of land available for development, driving up land prices. Lengthy permitting and approval processes and community hearings create costly delays and uncertainty for developers. Consequently, less affordable housing is constructed, and the price of the housing that is built increases. Not only do renters end up paying higher prices, many becoming cost burdened, but economic growth is also stifled when workers cannot afford to live in places where they can be most productive. This issue examines some of the policies and practices that state and local governments are implementing to address the many regulatory barriers to affordable housing.
Accurate and Transferable Reactive MolecularDynamics Models from Constrained DensityFunctional Theory

Chemical reactions constitute the central feature of many liquid, material, and biomolecular processes. Conventional molecular dynamics (MD) is inadequate for simulating chemical reactions given the fixed bonding topology of most force fields, while modeling chemical reactions using ab initio molecular dynamics is limited to shorter time and length scales given its high computational cost. As such, the multiscale reactive molecular dynamics method provides one promising alternative for simulating complex chemical systems at atomistic detail on a reactive potential energy surface. However, the parameterization of such models is a key barrier to their applicability and success. In this work, we present reactive MD models derived from constrained density functional theory that are both accurate and transferable. We illustrate the features of these models for proton dissociation reactions of amino acids in both aqueous and protein environments. Specifically, we present models for ionizable glutamate and lysine that predict accurate absolute pKa values in water, as well as their significantly shifted pKa in staphylococcal nuclease (SNase) without any modification of the models. As one outcome of the new methodology, the simulations show that the deprotonation of ionizable residues in SNase can be closely coupled with sidechain rotations, which is a concept likely generalizable to many other proteins. Furthermore, the present approach is not limited to only pKa prediction, but can enable the fully atomistic simulation of many other reactive systems along with a determination of the key aspects of the reaction mechanisms.
Beyond Ownership: Lessees and Idiosyncratic Valuation

Lessees and Idiosyncratic Valuation 2 Beyond Ownership: Lessees and Idiosyncratic Valuation Introduction It is widely accepted that willingness to accept exceeds willingness to pay at least in part due to the endowment effect, the “increased value of a good to an individual when the good becomes part of the individual's endowment (as citied in Kahneman, Knetsch, & Thaler, 1990, p. 2).” The numerous studies on the effect support the existence of an “instant endowment effect,” since the value of the good increases immediately after the person receives it (Kahneman et al., 1990, p. 1342). Different from greedy strategies, reluctance to participate in the market, or a preference for the status quo, the endowment effect acts on sellers. Additionally, the vast literature on the endowment effect includes findings that although the effect begins immediately after receipt of a good, it strengthens as duration of ownership increases, such that the owner’s valuation of the good also escalates (Strahilevitz & Loewenstein, 1998). What do these findings tell us about the most complex and important type of property: real estate? Real estate stands out among other types of property because homeownership is defined by a host of characteristics that are not shared by any other type of property ownership. First, since no two sections of the earth are exactly alike, ownership of a piece of real estate is a unique experience (Fennel, 2009). So long as property protection rules remain in place, each owner controls something that no one else can provide. Additionally, a home often becomes a sentimental experience. One might invest time, energy, and funds into improving the home, reach certain milestones within the house, or build a social network of family and friends within the home’s vicinity.
Inverting the Object of Study: Recalibrating the Frame of Reference in Study Abroad Experiences

This essay is concerned with study abroad experiences as opportunities for student cognitive development, using the interpretive lens of educational psychologist William G. Perry. A standard and often valuable assignment in courses on world religions is a site visit to a religious institution in one's local area. This may concretize otherwise abstract materials and help students reflect on ways in which the lived experience of religion differs from its presentation in course texts and other academic materials. Increasingly, study abroad trips are being offered as extended and more intensive ways of bringing this material to life, offering students opportunity to see lived religion within another cultural framework. At the heart of this paper is the contention that such study abroad experiences function not simply as longer, more intense versions of site visits but, rather, as experiences that invert the subject and object of study. The worldview of the student becomes a primary object of study, which is examined, as it were, by the particulars of the religion(s) under investigation and the cultures of which said religion(s) are a part. Where site visits offer students an opportunity to visit the strange amidst the familiar, study abroad trips provide opportunities for students to become the strange within a recalibrated familiar. The subject becomes the object and is interrogated by the context of study. While local, stateside site visits can offer a degree of such dislocation, their brevity, together with some degree of assimilation to the larger culture flows on the part of the local religious institution being visited, most often mitigates any significant inversion. Students generally see such institutions as either mildly or wildly exotic, but always within their frame of reference, which constitutes the norm. When abroad, the normative experience of students is often subverted in ways that lay bare the assumptions behind such views and makes possible another world in which to live. Simply put, the subject and object of study change places. If this inversion is carefully attended to, it can provide rich insight into not only the topics nominally being studied but also occasion opportunity for real cognitive development on the part of the student. This essay is published alongside of six other essays, including a response from John Barbour, comprising a special section of the journal (see Teaching Theology and Religion 18:1, January 2015).
Measurement of variations in free-hand renderings using image analysis of geometric tasks

The ability to analyze pixel image data for variations from the expected or ideal pixel locations is useful in such diverse disciplines as machine vision, industrial quality control, military target selection, child psychomotor development, geometric instruction, and computer games. This tutorial is a gentle, but interesting, exercise introducing students to the elementary concepts of bit-mapped formats, using pixel level data, and establishing local standards for valid statistical measures. Beyond presenting one of the simplest black and white bit-mapped formats, the tutorial emphasizes development of a locally standardized way to capture each image, use of a mathematical model to describe the ideal pixel locations, a sampling scheme, a nested loop scanning scheme to locate pixels of interest, and an operational definition of variation. The looping scans and measurement algorithms are implemented in C++, but could be implemented in other languages. The example images, on 5"X 8" index cards, are responses from such free-hand tasks as drawing a line between two given points, or drawing a line parallel to a given line through a given point. Average errors smaller than .002 inches and standard deviations near zero have been achieved. Once students understand the basic concepts, they can easily progress to more advanced statistical and practical image analysis applications.
GIGs: restricted context-sensitive descriptive power in bounded polynomial-time

We present Global Index Grammars, a grammar formalism that uses a stack of indices associated to its productions. This formalism has restricted context-sensitive descriptive power. The recognition problem for this class of grammars is polynomial: the time complexity of the algorithm presented here is O(n6).
IκBβ acts to inhibit and activate gene expression during the inflammatory response

The activation of pro-inflammatory gene programs by nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is primarily regulated through cytoplasmic sequestration of NF-kappaB by the inhibitor of kappaB (IkappaB) family of proteins. IkappaBbeta, a major isoform of IkappaB, can sequester NF-kappaB in the cytoplasm, although its biological role remains unclear. Although cells lacking IkappaBbeta have been reported, in vivo studies have been limited and suggested redundancy between IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta. Like IkappaBalpha, IkappaBbeta is also inducibly degraded; however, upon stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), it is degraded slowly and re-synthesized as a hypophosphorylated form that can be detected in the nucleus. The crystal structure of IkappaBbeta bound to p65 suggested this complex might bind DNA. In vitro, hypophosphorylated IkappaBbeta can bind DNA with p65 and c-Rel, and the DNA-bound NF-kappaB:IkappaBbeta complexes are resistant to IkappaBalpha, suggesting hypophosphorylated, nuclear IkappaBbeta may prolong the expression of certain genes. Here we report that in vivo IkappaBbeta serves both to inhibit and facilitate the inflammatory response. IkappaBbeta degradation releases NF-kappaB dimers which upregulate pro-inflammatory target genes such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Surprisingly, absence of IkappaBbeta results in a dramatic reduction of TNF-alpha in response to LPS even though activation of NF-kappaB is normal. The inhibition of TNF-alpha messenger RNA (mRNA) expression correlates with the absence of nuclear, hypophosphorylated-IkappaBbeta bound to p65:c-Rel heterodimers at a specific kappaB site on the TNF-alpha promoter. Therefore IkappaBbeta acts through p65:c-Rel dimers to maintain prolonged expression of TNF-alpha. As a result, IkappaBbeta(-/-) mice are resistant to LPS-induced septic shock and collagen-induced arthritis. Blocking IkappaBbeta might be a promising new strategy for selectively inhibiting the chronic phase of TNF-alpha production during the inflammatory response.
Corn is Our Blood: Culture and Ethnic Identity in a Contemporary Aztec Indian Village

Corn is Our Blood: Culture and Ethnic Identity in a Contemporary Aztec Indian Village. Alan R. Sandstrom Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991. xxvii + 420 pp. $39.95 (cloth), $21.95 (paper). ISBN 0-8061-2399-0, ISBN 0-8061-2403-2.
PSR: Practical synchronous rendezvous in low-duty-cycle wireless networks

Low-duty-cycle radio operations have been proposed for wireless networks facing severe energy constraints. Despite energy savings, duty-cycling the radio creates transient-available wireless links, making communication rendezvous a challenging task under the practical issue of clock drift. To overcome limitations of prior work, this paper presents PSR, a practical design for synchronous rendezvous in low-duty-cycle wireless networks. The key idea behind PSR is to extract timing information naturally embedded in the pattern of radio duty-cycling, so that normal traffic in the network can be utilized as a “free” input for drift detection, which helps reduce (or even eliminate) the overhead of traditional time-stamp exchange with dedicated packets or bits. To prevent an overuse of such free information, leading to energy waste, an energy-driven adaptive mechanism is developed for clock calibration to balance between energy efficiency and rendezvous accuracy. PSR is evaluated with both test-bed experiments and extensive simulations, by augmenting and comparing with four different MAC protocols. Results show that PSR is practical and effective under different levels of traffic load, and can be fused with those MAC protocols to improve their energy efficiency without major change of the original designs.
Regulation of cellular α-MSH and β-endorphin during stimulated secretion from intermediate pituitary cells: involvement of aspartyl and cysteine proteases in the control of cellular levels of α-MSH and β-endorphin

Abstract The regulation of cellular levels of α-melanocyte stimulating factor (α-MSH) and β-endorphin in response to stimulated secretion from intermediate pituitary cells in primary culture was investigated in this study. Regulation of the cell content of α-MSH and β-endorphin occurred in two phases consisting of (a) initial depletion of cellular levels of these peptide hormones during short-term secretion (3 h) induced by isoproterenol, forskolin, or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) which was followed by (b) long-term (24 h) increases in cellular levels of α-MSH and β-endorphin in response to stimulated secretion induced by isoproterenol and PMA. In short-term experiments (3 h), cellular levels of α-MSH and β-endorphin were reduced by 30–50% during stimulated secretion of these peptide hormones by isoproterenol (agonist for the β-adrenergic receptor), forskolin that activates protein kinase A (PKA), and PMA that activates protein kinase C (PKC). Moreover, dopamine inhibited isoproterenol-induced depletion of cellular α-MSH and β-endorphin. During long-term incubation of cells (24 h) with isoproterenol, cellular α-MSH and β-endorphin were increased to twice that of controls (unstimulated cells). Treatment with PMA for 24 h also increased cellular levels of α-MSH and β-endorphin. Moreover, cellular levels of α-MSH and β-endorphin were decreased during long-term treatment of cells with an aspartyl protease inhibitor, pepstatin A, and with the cysteine protease inhibitor E64c. These results implicate aspartyl and cysteine proteases in the cellular production of α-MSH and β-endorphin that requires proteolytic processing of their common precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC). These findings demonstrate the parallel regulation of cellular levels of α-MSH and β-endorphin during their cosecretion, which may involve aspartyl and cysteine proteases in the metabolism of these peptide hormones.
Global Optimization in Parameter Estimation of Nonlinear Algebraic Models via the Error-in-Variables Approach

The estimation of parameters in nonlinear algebraic models through the error-in-variables method has been widely studied from a computational standpoint. The method involves the minimization of a weighted sum of squared errors subject to the model equations. Due to the nonlinear nature of the models used, the resulting formulation is nonconvex and may contain several local minima in the region of interest. Current methods tailored for this formulation, although computationally efficient, can only attain convergence to a local solution. In this paper, a global optimization approach based on a branch and bound framework and convexification techniques for general twice differentiable nonlinear optimization problems is proposed for the parameter estimation of nonlinear algebraic models. The proposed convexification techniques exploit the mathematical properties of the formulation. Classical nonlinear estimation problems were solved and will be used to illustrate the various theoretical and computational aspec...
Prediction of homologous protein structures based on conformational searches and energetics

A "knowledge-based" method of predicting the unknown structure of a protein from a homologous known structure using energetics to determine a sidechain conformation is proposed. The method consists of exchanging the residues in the known structure for the sequence of the unknown protein. Then a conformational search with molecular mechanics energy minimization is done on the exchanged residues. The lowest energy conformer is the one picked to be the predicted structure. In the structure of bovine trypsin, the importance of including a solvation energy term in the search is demonstrated for solvent accessible residues, while molecular mechanics alone is enough to correctly predict the conformation of internal residues. The correctness of the model is assessed by a volume error overlap of the predicted structure compared to the crystal structure. Finally, the structure of rat trypsin is predicted from the crystal structure of bovine trypsin. The sequences of these two proteins are 74% identical and all of the significant changes between them are on external residues. Thus, the inclusion of solvation energy in the conformational search is necessary to accurately predict the structure of the exchanged residues.
An Experimental Test of two Theories of Social Smiling in Infants

(Resume) Un Test Experimental de Deux Theories du Sourire Social Chez les Enfants en Bas Âge On a suppose habituellement que la forme et la voix humaines sont des stimuli instinctifs au sourire chez les enfants en bas ǎge ou qu'il y a quelque stimulus instinctif, peut-ětre la satiete ou le contact, auquel la presence humaine devient conditionnee. On a eleve deux enfants de sorte que la voix de l'adulte n'a pas ete associee au sourire cause par d'autres agents. Dans ces conditions, la voix humaine n'a jamais cause de sourire. Le sourire a la vue de l'adulte s'est developpe cependant a un haut degre. On a constate qu'a partir du commencement de l'etude actuelle nul stimulus n'a ete plus efficace que la presence de l'adulte. Aussi est-il difficile de nommer un autre stimulus comme plus primaire. On a constate que le sourire social s'est montre le plus souvent comme l'adulte s'est penche vers l'enfant pour donner quelque soin mais avant que le soin soit donne. Ces faits ont fait la formulation de la theorie q...
A threaded SPIKE algorithm for solving general banded systems

A parallel SPIKE algorithm for solving banded diagonally-dominant and non-diagonally dominant linear systems, has been implemented for shared-memory architectures. The numerical experiments demonstrate that the SPIKE-OpenMP solvers offer a highly competitive threaded alternative strategy to the LAPACK BLAS-threaded LU model, for solving banded linear systems on current multicore architectures.
Polysaccharides from thermal polymerization of glucosides

Abstract As a first step towards synthesis of labeled polysaccharides for studies of mechanisms of pyrolysis, the acid-catalyzed thermal polymerizations of methyl α- d - and phenyl β- d -glucopyranosides have been studied and the optimum yields of polymer determined. The phenyl aglycone is a more facile leaving group than methyl and hence the phenyl glucoside yields polymer more rapidly at lower temperature. However, the byproduct phenol is less rapidly removed than methanol during polymerization, and the polysaccharide products from the phenyl glucoside are less pure. The polymer from methyl α- d -glucopyranoside is a mixed glucopyranan of average degree of polymerization (d.p.) 10–13, as determined by three different methods. The end groups are methyl α- d -glycopyranoside units, the predominant in-chain linkage, determined by methylation analysis, is 1→6, and the predominant branch points are 3,6-linked. Both α- and β-glucopyranosidic linkages are present in-chain in the approximate ratio 2:1. The similar, acid-catalyzed thermal polymerization of 1,6-anhydro-β- d -glucopyranose (levoglucosan, LG) has also been studied, and the mechanisms of the polymerizations are discussed.
Versican, a hyaluronate-binding proteoglycan of embryonal precartilaginous mesenchyma, is mainly expressed postnatally in rat brain.

The localization of versican, a large hyaluronatebinding fibroblast proteoglycan, was studies in rat prenatal and postnatal development. In adult rat white matter and cerebellum, the distribution of versican was identical to that previously reported for brain-specific glial hyaluronate-binding protein (GHAP). Versican was also found in gray matter where it formed characteristic coats around large neurons. It was also found in peripheral tissues, namely, kidney medulla, myotendinous junctions, and endoneurial and endomysial sheaths. In rat embryo the most notable finding was the presence of large amounts of versican immunoreactive material in precartilaginous mesenchyma. In embryonal CNS, versican was mainly confined to the marginal zone on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres. Versican expression mainly occurred postnatally in brain and spinal cord. In spinal cord white matter, versican immunoreactivity was already present in 3-day-old rats and preceded the appearance of GHAP, which was first detected on day 13 after the onset of myelination. Versican expression was markedly delayed in gray matter. The characteristic perineuronal coats were first observed on day 21 in the cerebral cortex. It is concluded that, with the exception of hyaluronate, brain extracellular matrix (ECM) is mainly produced postnatally and that the ECM protein produced by brain cells, most likely astrocytes, is similar to that produced by precartilaginous mesenchyma. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Making Place: The First Birth in an Intergenerational Family Context

Interaction among parents, grandparents, and firstborn infants was studied in three healthy families over a period of 15 months, beginning in the last trimester of pregnancy and ending on the infant's first birthday. The grounded theory research method of constant comparative analysis resulted in the identification of an evolutionary family process that reflected reorganized interpersonal patterns and expanded the three-generational intrafamilial boundaries. Making place is defined as the process occurring in a family through which a newborn individual receives recognition as a member of that family. It is an integrative process in that it facilitates the creation of new relational connections within the family as well as giving new meaning to already existing ones. The concept of making place offers a useful focus for family nursing, namely, the importance of the relational context of family health.
IGNITION OF THE GASLESS SHS REACTION PRODUCING TITANIUM CARBIDE

ABSTRACT Based on a conduction equation with an intrinsic reaction rate term, a methodology has been developed to systematically study the factors affecting the forced ignition of a long pellet compressed out of a mixture of titanium and carbon reactant powders. This methodology enables identification of the parameters that determine whether or not ignition would occur under a given set of conditions and the time to ignition if it occurs. The ignition process is accountable through four nondimensional parameters: the intensity of ignition source, the Damkohler number, a reaction energy parameter and the Arrhenius number. Sample calculations show that the methodology is physically reasonable.
Coordinated action in local public goods models: The case of secession without exclusion

Abstract This paper investigates threats of coordinated exit (secession) when coalitions cannot choose their members by exclusion. This is modeled by a three-stage noncooperative game in which voters choose a proportional tax rate and the level of public services, and may choose to exit jointly. A modified Perfectly Coalition-Proof Nash concept is applied to rule out dynamically inconsistent threats and behavior by coalitions that is not self-enforcing. The major result is that cooption of potential seceding coalitions will not occur. This result relies on the assumption that seceding coalitions cannot exclude potential members.
The effect of pH and cold acclimation upon glucose-6-phosphatase activity in the goldfish, Carassius auratus

Abstract 1. 1. The pH optimum and specific activity of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase were examined in the golfish, Carassisius auratus , acclimated to 1, 10 and 20°C. 10 and 20°C. 2. 2. No changes in pH optimum or activity occurred at any of the acclimation temperatures investigated. 3. 3. The pH optimum of goldfish hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase, pH 5.4, is compared to optima of other organisms. 4. 4. The relationship of glucose-6-phosphatase to the hyperglycemia often found in cold-acclimated organisms is discussed.
Using arcs in clusters of galaxies as probes to cluster potentials and the faint blue galaxies

An extensive study of the statistical properties of highly magnified gravitational images of background galaxies produced by clusters of galaxies (generally known as arcs) is undertaken. After summarizing the results obtained from present observations (described in detail elsewhere), techniques are described for observations to improve upon these results, and to obtain further information on the potentials of the lensing clusters and the faint blue galaxies acting as sources. The most important information that can be obtained from the arcs is, with respect to the clusters, on the total density profile and the substructure at the small scales probed by the arcs, and, with respect to the background sources, on their angular sizes and redshifts.
Evaluation of IgE tests in an allergy practice.

Abstract We measured serum IgE in 264 patients seen in the course of an allergy practice during the summer of 1970. IgE values were elevated in 21 per cent of patients who had idiopathic asthma and 10 per cent of patients who had idiopathic rhinitis. The elevated IgE was of no immediate clinical help in this idiopathic group because we were unable to detect hidden allergenic factors on further review of the history and skin tests. The finding of such an elevation, however, will prompt us to a continuing search for an allergic etiology or other condition associated with elevation of IgE. In patients who had hypersensitivity to stinging insects, IgE was elevated in 9 of 29 (31 per cent), and in patients with asthma and aspirin intolerance it was elevated in one of 5. Results in small numbers of patients with several other conditions including cold urticaria, chronic urticaria, and drug allergy are also presented.
Reliability and validity of the Classroom Observations of Student–Teacher Interactions (COSTI) for kindergarten reading instruction

Abstract This paper describes the technical adequacy and potential uses of an observation system used to measure the quality of literacy instruction in kindergarten classrooms. The Classroom Observations of Student–Teacher Interactions (COSTI) documents the frequency of four student–teacher interactions during beginning reading instruction: explicit teacher demonstrations, student independent practice, student errors, and teacher corrective feedback. Data were collected during kindergarten reading instruction, and the analyses address reliability, stability of the coded teaching behaviors, and predictive validity. Results indicated that data could be collected reliably and that teachers’ provision of opportunities for independent student practice was stable across the school year. Student independent practice opportunities also predicted gains in several important reading outcomes. Implications are discussed, including potential uses of the instrument for providing teachers with feedback on their literacy instruction and for extending the knowledge base on effective literacy instructional practices.
Fixed Point Iterations for Certain Nonlinear Mappings

Abstract In a recent paper Schu established the convergence of the Mann iterates of a completely continuous asymptotically nonexpansive mapping on a Hilbert space. In this paper we extend the result of Schu to uniformly convex spaces. We also obtain the same generalization for the Ishikawa iteration process.
Evaluation of the accuracy and reproducibility of a practical PCR panel assay for rapid detection and differentiation of Mycobacterium avium subspecies.

The Mycobacterium avium subspecies (MAs) include the closely related MAs avium and MAsparatuberculosis . This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of a PCR panel assay as a diagnostic tool to detect and differentiate MAs avium and MAs paratuberculosis infection. Specific oligonucleotides primers derived from the 16 S rRNA (MAs) sequence, insertion elements IS 901 (MAs avium), IS 1245 Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), IS 900 (MAs paratuberculosis), and the hspX (MAs paratuberculosis) gene sequences were synthesized and used in preassembled PCR reaction mixtures. These five primer sets made up the PCR panel assay. To determine the accuracy of the PCR panel assay for MAs avium and MAs paratuberculosis strain detection and differentiation, lysates of mycobacterial DNA from 120 (n=120) strains were tested with the PCR panel assay by one laboratory (#1). The PCR panel assay specifically detected and differentiated 91/91 (100%) of MAs avium and MAsparatuberculosis strains tested in this study. The PCR panel assay also specifically differentiated all MAs avium and MAs paratuberculosis strains from all but one (M. intracellulare, serovar 23) of the other mycobacterial strains tested. To confirm the accuracy and evaluate the reproducibility of the PCR panel assay, samples were numbered and given to a different laboratory (#2) as «unknowns» for identification by the PCR panel assay. In this study, the overall accuracy for strain identification using the PCR panel assay was 99·2% (119/120). The reproducibility of the PCR panel assay when comparing data from laboratory #1 with laboratory #2 was found to be 100% (120/120). These results indicate that this «easy-to-use», rapid PCR method can accurately and reliably detect and differentiate closely related MAs avium and MAs paratuberculosis from each other and from other mycobacterial species. The PCR panel assay can also differentiate mixed cultures of MAs. The simplicity of this PCR method could be beneficial to laboratories that test for members of MA.
Influence of endophyte (Neotyphodium lolii) infection of perennial ryegrass on susceptibility of the black cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to a baculovirus

Abstract Plant secondary chemicals can alter herbivores’ susceptibility to pathogens by weakening the host, by affecting exposure through feeding, or by synergizing or deactivating pathogenic microbes in the gut. This study examined how feeding on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) with (E+) or without (E−) its alkaloid-producing fungal endophyte, Neotyphodium lolii, affects susceptibility of a grass-feeding caterpillar to a baculovirus. In separate experiments, black cutworms (Agrotis ipsilon) were reared on E+ or E− grass that had been sprayed with different rates of A. ipsilon multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgipMNPV), or were droplet-fed a single dose of the virus while developing on those grasses. Larvae grew more quickly on E− than on E+ grass, and mortality from virus increased at higher doses, but there was no endophyte × virus interaction in either trial. Despite larger size, larvae that fed ad libitum on virus-sprayed E− grass died more quickly than counterparts feeding on virus-sprayed E+ ryegrass, but such an effect was not seen when the virus was consumed as a single dose. Together, the results suggest that feeding on E+ grass neither compromises nor synergizes infectivity of AgipMNPV in the A. ipsilon midgut. Reduced consumption or avoidance of less-palatable E+ grass could, however, decrease ingestion of virus and rates of subsequent mortality in the field. Net benefits of integrating endophytic grasses and baculoviruses for managing A. ipsilon may depend on the extent to which reduced intake of virus on E+ grass is counterbalanced by slower growth and increased mortality from other natural enemies.
Atomic chemisorption on simple metals: Chemical trends and core-hole relaxation effects

Abstract We have obtained essentially exact numerical solutions for a simple model of atomic chemisorption on simple metals. The approximations constituting the model are the semi-infinite jellium simulation of the metal substrate and the self-consistent local density theory of exchange and correlation. The solutions provide a detailed picture of the electronic charge making up the chemisorption bond. The variation of this picture with the valence of the adatom exhibits in a direct and microscopic way the roles of electronegativity, charge transfer, and covalency. Predicted bond energies, bond lengths, and dipole moments are consistent with measurements and independent theoretical considerations.
The Impact of Early Institutionalization on Child and Family Outcomes

ABSTRACT This research examined the impact of early institutionalization on child and family outcomes among 159 children adopted from orphanages during the first year of placement. At the time of adoption, substantial developmental delays were identified, but at post-adoption many delays had been made up. However, about one third of the children still exhibited speech and language delays and later placed children exhibited more parent-reported behavior problems. The findings show that families positively influence their children's development and that adoption has for the most part been very successful.
Verification and training of real-time forecasting of multi-scale ocean dynamics for maritime rapid environmental assessment

Abstract The Harvard Ocean Prediction System (HOPS) provides real-time and hindcast, multi-scale oceanic field estimates for Maritime Rapid Environmental Assessment (MREA). Results of aspects of the validation, calibration and verification of HOPS for MREA03 and MREA04 are presented, with implications for future MREA exercises. A new method of model training, via bias correction through the use of limited data, was applied to MREA03 and shown to produce significant forecast improvement while reducing computational requirements. Advances in, and the demand for, adaptive modeling, require that aspects of validation, calibration and verification be carried out in real-time in order to expand the usage and relevance of dynamical forecast-based MREA tactical decision aids.
Medical students’ development of self‐ and peer‐assessment skills: A longitudinal study

This study was undertaken to investigate the changes in medical students’ self‐and peer‐evaluative abilities as they progress through both the preclinical and clinical phases of their academic careers. Second‐year medical students were videotaped performing a randomly assigned physical examination. Based on behaviorally anchored checklists, students reviewed and rated their own performances as well as those of two of their peers; faculty also rated the students’ performances. These same students, as seniors, reviewed once again the videotapes of themselves and their peers and rated the performances. The students’ second‐year self‐ and peer‐evaluation ratings were significantly higher than those of the faculty ratings, whereas those same students’ ratings as seniors were not significantly different from the faculty ratings. Implications for integrating the use of self‐evaluation in undergraduate medical education programs are discussed.
Cardinality concepts for type-two fuzzy sets

In this paper, we define generalized concepts of cardinality of a fuzzy-valued function and obtained some properties of these new concepts. Also, we investigate examples for the calculation of two generalized cardinality of fuzzy-valued functions and compared with concepts of cardinality of a fuzzy set and a fuzzy-valued function.
770-5 Chamber Specific Regulation of the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase Pump In Human Heart Failure

Alterations in the expression of Ca2+ channels have been described in failing human left ventricle, including down regulation of the ryanodine receptor (RyR)/Ca2+ release channel and the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase pump (SERCA) which are involved in excitation-contraction coupling and relaxation (Cir Res 71: 18, 1992). We previously reported chamber specific regulation of the RyR during end-stage human heart failure (Clin Res 42(2):166A. 1994). We investigated whether SERCA is also regulated in the other cardiac chambers during human heart failure. Total RNA and protein homogenates were isolated from the left and right atria (LA, RA) and left and right ventricles (LV, RV) obtained prospectively from 32 cardiac transplant patients and 4 normal controls. Messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of SERCA were quantified using Northern and slot blot hybridizations with a 1.6 kb rat cardiac SERCA cDNA probe and normalized to 28S ribosomal levels. Protein levels of SERCA were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with monoclonal antibodies directed against dog cardiac SERCA. Northern analyses detected a single ≈4 kb mRNA in all regions. Compared to controls. SERCA mRNA expression in failing hearts was decreased in LV by 39% (p l 0.005), unchanged in RV, and increased in LA by 255% (p l 0.005) and in RA by 338% (p l 0.025). Consistent with the mRNA data. immunodetectable levels of SERCA were also reduced in LV by 30% (p l 0.05) and unchanged in RV; however, protein levels appeared unchanged or reduced in both atria in contrast to the mRNA. This is the first study reporting simultaneous measurements of SERCA mRNA and protein levels in the human heart. We conclude that chamber specific regulation of SERCA mRNA occurs during end-stage heart failure. corroborated by protein expression in the ventricles. Down regulations of SERCA may contribute to impaired relaxation and increased diastolic tone during heart failure.