cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiation flux and damage at accelerator-driven spallation neutron sources

Abstract Radiation damage (displacement, helium, and hydrogen production) at proton-driven spallation neutron sources is analyzed and compared for SNS SB (316SS at the nose of the Hg-container vessel), SNS PEW (Al6061 at a hypothetical proton entrance window), and SINQ EW (Al–3 wt% Mg entrance window at Target 5). Spallation neutrons at the three components exhibit differential fluxes, ϕ ′, that increase monotonically with decreasing energy E. For SINQ EW, ϕ’ is roughly proportional to 1/E, which is attributed to the moderating effect of the D 2 O coolant and moderator tank. For 316SS at SNS SB, the calculated total displacement production rate due to protons and neutrons is 34 dpa/yr at full power, with about 37% due to protons. For the Al at SNS PEW and SINQ EW, however, the total rate is 4–5 dpa/yr, with about 90% due to protons. He and H production in all three components is dominated by the incident protons. For He, comparison of experimental and calculated production cross sections for protons on 316SS and Al indicates the need to employ the non-default Julich ILVDEN option in running LAHET. The resulting total production rates for SNS SB, SNS PEW, and SINQ EW are about 3000, 2400, and 1900 appmHe/yr, respectively. These rates are 1.5–2 times the rates previously calculated using the default GCCI ILVDEN option. The high mobility of H atoms promotes H escape from thin targets of 316SS and Al. For 0.1 cm-thick samples, we tallied the H where it comes to rest using IOPT 14, and obtained production rates at SNS SB, SNS PEW, and SINQ EW of 11500, 4300, and 3500 appmH/yr, respectively.
Is nasogastric suction necessary after elective colon resection

Summary It is commonly held that nasogastric suction is necessary after colon resection to prevent small and large bowel distension, wound complications, and anastomotic problems. In this retrospective study of 118 patients undergoing colon resection for malignancy or inflammatory disease, 83 underwent postoperative nasogastric suction and 35 did not. A wide variety of postoperative variables were evaluated in these two groups of patients and few differences were found. However, there were trends toward shorter postoperative hospital stays, and less abdominal distension, nausea, and vomiting could be discerned in the patients who did not undergo nasogastric suction. This retrospective study suggests that routine nasogastric suction may not be necessary or useful after elective colon resection.
An Observational Analysis of Classroom Behaviors of Children with Learning Disabilities

This study was designed to measure taskoriented and social behavior of learning disabled and normal children in the classroom. Using an Interaction Process Analysis, the classroom behaviors of children were coded for five days over a fivemonth period. Results indicate that the learning disabled children spent significantly less time engaged in attending behavior for a variety of school subjects and that learning disabled children had different interpersonal relationships with teachers and peers than did comparison children.
MARKOVIAN DETERIORATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE

Abstract We consider the classic equipment replacement problem under Markovian deterioration with the additional feature that the replacement technology is subject to change via a breakthrough. First, we examine the interaction between deterioration and technological change and derive some general properties regarding this relationship that can be used to rule out some suboptimal actions. Next, we show that although the possibility of a breakthrough does act as inducement to keep the existing technology longer in certain circumstances, this is not generally the case. Finally, we present an algorithmic forecast horizon approach to determining whether or not to keep the present piece of equipment that makes use of a finite amount of future forecasted data. We demonstrate that our approach, which is specifically designed for this problem, is both simple to implement and more “efficient” than existing general purpose approaches, in the sense that the forecast horizons generated are shorter.
Substrate and product inhibition initial rate kinetics of histone acetyltransferase

Initial velocity and product inhibition kinetics of the histone acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.48) reaction indicate that the rat liver nuclear enzyme operates under a rapid equilibrium ordered bireactant mechanism. Histone adds first to the enzyme, and under the conditions of the experiment Ka = 0 as acetyl coenzyme A (CoA) concentration approaches saturating conditions. The Km for acetyl-CoA was 2.10 +/- 0.48 micrometer. Inhibition with acetyllysine resulted in a Kiq for the enzyme-acetyllysine complex of 1.96 +/- 0.30 mM. Inhibition with CoA yielded Kip for the ternary complex of 3.19 +/- 0.48 micrometer. These results indicate that the enzyme activity is comparatively independent of histone concentration, and, since the enzyme is sensitive only to acetyl-CoA and CoA concentrations, the enzyme will tend to maintain histones in the acetylated state.
Gamma radiation-induced human B cell defects: Model for space flight

Abstract Rationale One of the most feared space flight conditions is radiation due to the potential to weaken the immune system. Leukocyte studies in space demonstrated a reduction in proliferative responses, alterations in signal transduction and cytokine production, along with reactivation of latent viruses. Utilizing our previously developed human B cell in vitro model, we present evidence of space-like gamma radiation-induced B cell defects. Methods CD40-activated purified human peripheral blood B cells were exposed to varying levels of gamma radiation (1-6 Gy) delivered by a 137Cs source. Determination of B cell responses and apoptotic processes were made by flow cytometric analysis, ELISA, colorometric, protein, and proliferative assays. Results Human B cells were significantly altered by 3 Gy gamma radiation (estimated radiation absorbed by humans on a two-year space journey). There was significant reduction in cell viability (40%), proliferation (70%), and CD79b (B cell receptor) expression (50%) (p Conclusion Exposure to gamma radiation significantly altered normal human B cell responses to defined ligands and induced enhanced apoptosis in B cells. Thus, these data will aid in the evaluation of the extremes of radiation that humans are likely to be exposed to in space exploration.
A study of the effect of jitter on UWB system positioning accuracy

The digital part of UWB system is replaced by a new one, which is more robust and provide an immense improvement of the system output data rate. The impact of the new sampling module on the system is being discussed. The effect of the clock jitter and drift on the system performance is also addressed, since jitter and drift is our biggest problem right now. System was operated for two times with time separation to test the system stability and repeatability over time.
Structural Rearrangements at the Translocation Pore of the Human Glutamate Transporter, EAAT1 *

Abstract Structure-function studies of mammalian and bacterial excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs), as well as the crystal structure of a related archaeal glutamate transporter, support a model in which TM7, TM8, and the re-entrant loops HP1 and HP2 participate in forming a substrate translocation pathway within each subunit of a trimer. However, the transport mechanism, including precise binding sites for substrates and co-transported ions and changes in the tertiary structure underlying transport, is still not known. In this study, we used chemical cross-linking of introduced cysteine pairs in a cysteine-less version of EAAT1 to examine the dynamics of key domains associated with the translocation pore. Here we show that cysteine substitution at Ala-395, Ala-367, and Ala-440 results in functional single and double cysteine transporters and that in the absence of glutamate or dl-threo-β-benzyloxyaspartate (dl-TBOA), A395C in the highly conserved TM7 can be cross-linked to A367C in HP1 and to A440C in HP2. The formation of these disulfide bonds is reversible and occurs intra-molecularly. Interestingly, cross-linking A395C to A367C appears to abolish transport, whereas cross-linking A395C to A440C lowers the affinities for glutamate and dl-TBOA but does not change the maximal transport rate. Additionally, glutamate and dl-TBOA binding prevent cross-linking in both double cysteine transporters, whereas sodium binding facilitates cross-linking in the A395C/A367C transporter. These data provide evidence that within each subunit of EAAT1, Ala-395 in TM7 resides close to a residue at the tip of each re-entrant loop (HP1 and HP2) and that these residues are repositioned relative to one another at different steps in the transport cycle. Such behavior likely reflects rearrangements in the tertiary structure of the translocation pore during transport and thus provides constraints for modeling the structural dynamics associated with transport.
Time course of antagonism of morphine antinociception by intracerebroventricularly administered naloxone in the rat

Abstract This kinetic profile and half-life of naloxone were studied for possible use in determination of pA2 and KB in vivo. Rats were given morphine subcutaneously and after 15 min naloxone or saline, intracerebroventricularly. A further 15 min later, and at 15 min intervals up to 135 min after morphine, the animals were tested for analgesia in the tail flick test. The dose-response curves of the naloxone group were shifted to the right of those for the saline group. Theamount of displacement decreased with time, indicative of the disappearance of naloxone. The graph of log (dose ratio-1) vs. time was linear with negative slope, in agreement with the time-dependent form of the equation for competitive antagonism. From this slope, the half-life of naloxone was calculated to be 13.3 min. These results demonstrate that the time-dependent method is useful in obtaining the kinetics of centrally acting opiate antagonists.
Scintillation kinetics and thermoluminescence of SrI2:Eu2+ single crystals

Abstract Single crystal of strontium iodide doped with 1% europium (SrI2:1% Eu2+) was grown by Vertical Gradient Freeze technique. UV excited emission spectra were studied as a function of temperature. Results indicate the thermal quenching of Eu2+ emission starts from ∼400 K with a thermal activation energy of 0.39 eV. Gamma and UV excited decay measurements indicate that the scintillation decay time of SrI2:Eu2+ is longer than the lifetime of Eu2+ luminescence center in the SrI2 host. The thermoluminescence glow curve revealed a highly concentrated charge carrier trap at 50 K. Elimination of this trap is expected to enhance the energy migration of charge carriers and result in faster scintillation decay.
Insulin initiation of lens fiber differentiation in culture: Elongation of embryonic lens epithelial cells

Abstract Insulin replaces serum as a stimulant of cell elongation in the cultured 6-day-old embryonic chick lens epithelium. Thus, cell elongation, which is characteristic of lens fiber differentiation, can now be studied under chemically defined conditions. This finding should facilitate further analyses of the mechanism of cell elongation.
The Issue of White Collar Crime for Collegiate Schools of Business

(1991). The Issue of White Collar Crime for Collegiate Schools of Business. Journal of Education for Business: Vol. 66, No. 5, pp. 287-290.
Frontiers in the spectroscopy of mass-selected molecular ions

Abstract Recent developments have made it possible to produce a variety of novel ionic molecular species and to study their spectroscopy. In this article, new ion production schemes and/or modified ion sources for these experiments are discussed, as are various mass spectrometry configurations used for mass selection. New kinds of ions and new forms of sensitive and selective spectroscopy in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelength regions for these ions are also reviewed.
Role of small, acid-soluble spore proteins in the resistance of Clostridium perfringens spores to chemicals

Abstract Previous work showed that C. perfringens spores lacking the majority of α/β-type small, acid-soluble spore proteins (SASPs) (termed α − β − spores) exhibit greatly decreased resistance to moist heat and UV radiation. The current study demonstrated that these α − β − spores had reduced resistance to hydrogen peroxide, hydrochloric acid, nitrous acid and formaldehyde. These results clearly demonstrate the important role of α/β-type SASPs in the resistance of C. perfringens spores to chemicals.
Promoting Stewardship Behavior in Organizations: A Leadership Model

This article explores the relational and motivational leadership behaviors that may promote stewardship in organizations. I conceptualize stewardship as an outcome of leadership behaviors that promote a sense of personal responsibility in followers for the long-term wellbeing of the organization and society. Building upon the themes presented in the stewardship literature, such as identification and intrinsic motivation, and drawing from other research streams to include factors such as interpersonal and institutional trust and moral courage, I posit that leaders foster stewardship in their followers through various relational, motivational, and contextually supportive leadership behaviors.
New initiatives in power engineering education at the University of Minnesota

This paper describes various efforts being undertaken at the University of Minnesota to revise the curriculum in power engineering and to promote these reforms to all universities that may be interested. These efforts include developing a new pedagogical approach and creating a consortium of a large number of universities.
Continuous isotropic-nematic liquid crystalline transition of F-actin solutions.

Physics Department, Indiana University, 727 East Third St, Bloomington, IN 47405, U.S.A.(Dated: February 2, 2008)The phase transition from the isotropic (I) to nematic (N) liquid crystalline suspension of F-actinof average length 3 µm or above was studied by local measurements of optical birefringence andprotein concentration. Both parameters were detected to be continuous in the transition region,suggesting that the I-N transition is higher than 1st order. This ﬁnding is consistent with a recenttheory by Lammert, Rokhsar & Toner (PRL, 1993, 70:1650), predicting that the I-N transition maybecome continuous due to suppression of disclinations. Indeed, few line defects occur in the alignedphase of F-actin. Individual ﬁlaments in solutions of a few mg/ml F-actin undergo fast translationaldiﬀusion along the ﬁlament axis, whereas both lateral and rotational diﬀusions are suppressed.
Motion analysis of long image sequence flow

Abstract There is much evidence to support the validity of the use of optical flow as a basis for many computational vision tasks. However, optical flow methods are problematic due to inherent errors in the computational methods involved in the processing. Many of the problems associated with the analysis of image flow can be alleviated if information extracted from a long sequences of image is utilized as a basis for the derivation of the flow information, rather than simple between-frame processing. We present discussion of work undertaken to study implementation of a method to provide the necessary long-sequence information. Using an algorithm providing results similar to those achieved in multi-image, overlay photography, we combine features from several sequential images, with each pair of successive images separated by a short time interval. Features are then associated according to the object features that generated them, and the resulting point lists are then analyzed to determine the long-sequence flow information. We apply flow-based computational vision methods (previously implemented using only simple flow) to the long-sequence flow. Since the long-sequence flow overcomes many of the effects of noise and quantization errors, the results is the derivation of robust visual information.
Secondary signalling mechanisms in angiotensin II-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells.

SUMMARY 1. Activation of vascular smooth muscle by angiotensin II results in the generation of two second messengers, inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DG). 2. IP3 is responsible for mobilizing calcium from endoplasmic reticulum. This signal is transient, most likely serving to initiate calcium events leading to contraction, and is attenuated by activation of protein kinase C. 3. DG stimulates protein kinase C and ultimately Na+/H+ exchange, leading to intracellular alkalinization. Accumulation of DG/activation of protein kinase C is sustained, and may be enhanced by concurrent intracellular alkalinization. The delay in induction of the sustained response appears to be related to cellular processing of the angiotensin II-receptor complex. 4. Angiotensin II-stimulated, phospholipase C-mediated IP3 formation is also modulated by a pertussis toxin-insensitive guanine nucleotide regulatory protein. 5. The GTP binding protein, movement of the receptor-ligand complex, and the signals generated by the two second messengers, IP3 and DG, interact in a complex manner to cause an integrated response of vascular smooth muscle cells to angiotensin II stimulation.
New Approaches to Old Shanghai

The study of Shanghai has become an increasingly prominent, international, and topically diverse sub-field within Sinology. Though much of the most interesting work has focused on the period from 1843 through 1943, when Shanghai was a subdivided treaty port, scholarship since the 1950s has seen important changes in theme and methodology. The availability of new archival materials in the 1980s had a dramatic effect on the analysis of the city's past,and a more comparative approach of late has placed Old Shanghai into a broadly international perspective.
Somatosensory cortex: a ‘new’ somatotopic representation

A 'new' and orderly representation of the body surface was found in the cerebral cortex of the cat. This somatotopic map was located in the anterior ectosylvian sulcus (AES), an area known to represent several modalities, but believed to be distinguished from primary sensory cortex by its lack of sensory topographies. Auditory and visual cells were also found in the AES, but were not randomly intermixed with the somatic representation. These data, coupled with those from previous studies strongly suggest the necessity for a revision of the traditional distinctions between cortical regions.
Evidence of accelerated aging among African Americans and its implications for mortality

Blacks experience morbidity and mortality earlier in the life course compared to whites. Such premature declines in health may be indicative of an acceleration of the aging process. The current study uses data on 7644 black and white participants, ages 30 and above, from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, to compare the biological ages of blacks and whites as indicated from a combination of ten biomarkers and to determine if such differences in biological age relative to chronological age account for racial disparities in mortality. At a specified chronological age, blacks are approximately 3 years older biologically than whites. Differences in biological age between blacks and whites appear to increase up until ages 60-65 and then decline, presumably due to mortality selection. Finally, differences in biological age were found to completely account for higher levels of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality among blacks. Overall, these results suggest that being black is associated with significantly higher biological age at a given chronological age and that this is a pathway to early death both overall and from the major age-related diseases.
Capsule Commentary on Rich et al., Higher Standards in Correctional Healthcare Could Improve Public Health

Anne C. Spaulding MD MPH, FACP In this opinion piece, a trio of authors call for “proactive, evidence-based correctional healthcare” in the areas of hepatitis C, mental health, and geriatric care. They advocate for a system that aspires to optimize both individual health and that of the community as a whole.1 Currently, too many jurisdictions engage in a “race to the bottom,” where the budget, rather than the well-being of patients, dictates the type of health services delivered to inmates. From the societal perspective, substandard healthcare may not be the best purchase. In order to identify the best return on the investment in the management of hepatitis C, mental illness and aging among prisoners, research is needed. A similar argument has been made in the past for HIV treatment in jails and prisons.2 Unfortunately, correctional health is an area of medicine with a thin evidence base. This lack of research into the needs of the incarcerated, a highly stigmatized population, is short sighted. The US incarcerates at a higher rate than any other nation on the face of the earth.3 If present trends continue, one out of 15 Americans and one out of three black men in the 2001 birth cohort will spend time imprisoned.4 Yet, by congressional mandate, public health surveys refrain from including inmates, and thereby distort the scope of health problems. For example, by not counting the incarcerated and recent releasees, the NHANES (National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey) ignores 30 % of the US hepatitis C epidemic.5 General internists need to join others in advocating for the health of their patients who become incarcerated. The Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health (www.ACCJH.org) has recently produced the “Chicago Declaration,” asserting the necessity of increasing knowledge and understanding of health care needs, optimum service delivery models, and health disparities in justice-involved populations through increased, rigorous scientific investigation. In the opinion of the ACCJH research committee, increased focus must be placed on relevant issues by investigators, funding agencies and policy-makers. Without dedicated human capital and funding, critical advances will not be forthcoming. Without such resources, the ideals espoused by Rich, Allen and Williams in their commentary will not be realized.
Selection of Preschool Language Tests

Clinicians are confronted with a wide range of norm-referenced tests designed to evaluate preschool language skills. This article approaches test selection from a data-based perspective. Twenty-one...
Physical signs during angina pectoris

Abstract Physical examination during attacks of angina pectoris frequently will reveal abnormalities that are absent when the patient is free from pain. The most important of these are tachycardia, rise in the arterial blood pressure and the occurrence of gallop rhythm. Observations should be made when possible before the application of measures designed to relieve the pain.
Fetal exposure to involuntary maternal smoking and childhood respiratory disease

Background Several studies have now gone beyond the effects of smoking during pregnancy to examine the effects of involuntary maternal smoke exposure on fetal development. A link has also been indicated between postnatal environmental smoke exposure and long-term respiratory problems in infants. Objective Our study examines whether an association exists between maternal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and childhood respiratory disorders. Methods A cross-sectional design was implemented utilizing a maternal questionnaire survey. The surveys were distributed throughout the county's health department and outlying clinic immunization sites. The county population is a diverse community of all racial and socioeconomic levels and includes a metropolitan population of approximately 300,000. The questionnaire comprised inquiries about the child's wheeze, acute respiratory illneses, and maternal and paternal exposure to passive smoke and/or other environmental air pollutants. Results Chi-square and logistic regression analysis showed no statistically significant difference between passively smoke-exposed in-utero subjects and non-smoke-exposed in-utero subjects on the outcomes of allergy and wheeze. Asthma, however, did show a statistically significant association to passive smoke exposure (χ 2 = 12.4, P = .05 and Log reg=8.7, P = .03). Conclusion Passive maternal exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy is associated with increased incidence of asthma and supports other research findings that children born of mothers who are passively exposed to smoke during pregnancy are at risk for patterns of negative developmental outcomes.
Comparison of four different immunoassays for detection of Toxoplasma-specific immunoglobulin G

Serum specimens from 246 women of childbearing age were tested for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by four different commercial assays: Abbott IMx microparticle enzyme immunoassay (EIA), Mercia Toxo-G EIA, Bartels Prima EIA, and bioMerieux Vitek (VIDAS) enzyme-linked fluorescent assay. A total of 27 specimens were initially positive with all four assays, 202 specimens were negative, and 17 specimens were discrepant (disagreement among the assays). After repeating tests for the 17 discrepant samples, five resolved (one was positive and four were negative). The 12 remaining discrepant samples were tested by an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assay for Toxoplasma IgG antibodies; five specimens were positive for Toxoplasma IgG by IFA. The resolved sensitivities of the various kits ranged from 88% (bioMerieux VIDAS) to 94% (Abbott IMx), and the specificities were all 98%-99%. These results show that the four serologic tests used for detection of Toxoplasma IgG give very similar results and can all be readily used by clinical laboratories for screening purposes.
A Simple Optical Method for Measuring the Statistical Distribution of Water Surface Slopes

A flash-photography technique for determining the statistical distribution of slopes of wind-created waves is described. The technique consists of taking photographs with a flash camera directed vertically downward toward the water surface. The resulting photographs are flash reflection patterns that can be readily interpreted in terms of wave slopes. Wave-slope dispersion curves, as determined from daytime flash photographs taken from a bridge about 45 feet above the water, are given for wind velocities up to 20 knots. For example, the standard deviation of the across-wind wave slopes was found to be approximately 2.5, 5, and 7.8 degrees for wind velocities of 5, 10, and 20 knots, respectively. Under the same conditions the with-wind wave-slope standard deviation was found to be 4.2, 7.5, and 10 degrees.
Differences in Workers' Narratives of Contention in Two Central Indian Towns

Contract work in India, though legally regulated by a 1970 Act, is widespread and mostly unrecognized. With the implementation of neoliberal policies in India since the 1990s, contract work has become the norm. There are now few spaces in which contract workers can get redress through the legal system. Using oral history narratives of contract workers' participation in a labor movement, this article shows how narratives of contention differ in the rendering of agency, success, and future, between one group of contract workers employed in the 1970s in a state-owned mine and another employed in the 1990s in an industrial area owned by private and foreign capital. The evidence for the article is ethnographic, collected in Chhattisgarh region in central India. This article suggests that these workers' narratives show the transformation in practices of citizenship, resistance, and militancy in India over time. Such differences are essential in understanding phenomena like the resurgence of the Maoist movement in Chhattisgarh.
Experimental studies on the role of the portal circulation in hepatic tumor vascularity

Whereas the predominance of arterial circulation in the nourishment of liver tumors has been well established, the portal circulation also appears to play a significant role under some circumstances. Studies were performed on Sprague-Dawley rats with Walker carcinosarcomas implanted in the liver, and vascularity was identified by portal and arterial injection of pigmented silicone rubber (Microfil, Canton Bio-Medical Products, Boulder, CO). Experimental groups consisted of animals with hepatic artery ligation at time of tumor implant with Microfil injection 3 or 7 days later, and animals with hepatic artery ligation 3 or 7 days after tumor implantation with immediate Microfil injection. In all groups, portal filling of tumor microcirculation was identified. Histologic examination of tumors in control animals randomly demonstrated portally injected Microfil in vessels within the substance of the tumors. These studies confirm earlier experiments demonstrating a portal component in the microcirculation of liver tumors, and justify attempts to use the portal circulation in anticancer therapy.
Immunological relationships between proteoglycans of different hydrodynamic size from articular cartilage of foetal and mature pigs

Abstract Proteoglycans were extracted from articular and laryngeal cartilages of foetal and mature pigs. Antisera were prepared to extracts containing protoglycans whose size had been determined by gel chromatography. The smallest, which were separated on 6% agarose, gave a single precipitin line without needing prior digestion with hyaluronidase. Proteoglycans large enough to be excluded from 6% agarose failed to react in double diffusion and were inacapable of absorbing specific antibody unless first digested with hyaluronides, implying a difference in structure between proteoglycans of different size. After digestion, however, the larger proteoglycans effectively absorbed specific antibody and produced multiple precipitation line, consistent with the presence of several core proteins. One of these lines which developed more rapidly than the rest appeared towards the antibody well and showed identify with the determinant of the smallest proteoglycans. This determinant however, was not dissociated from the intact proteoglycans by treatment with quanidine · HCl. When the largest proteoglycans were digested with hyaluronidase and diffused against antiserum to purified small proteoglycans two precipitin lines were produced. The one nearer the antibody well showed complete identity with the determinant of the small proteoglycans, while the other, nearer the antigen well, fused with the above, suggesting that this determinant may also be amongst those on the core proteins of larger proteglycans.
The Implementation of Problem-Solving Consultation: An Analysis of Problem Conceptualization in a Multiracial Context

The purpose of this study was to analyze how school psychologists engage racial/cultural diversity when conceptualizing problems during consultation in a multiracial context. Four school psychologists were recruited to engage in computer-simulated problem-solving consultation. Each school psychologist was presented with three fictional consultation cases. The participants then used a computer-simulated school environment to interact with fictional teachers in a school-based setting to complete the consultation cases. Three themes emerged: (a) limited use of ecological approach, (b) lack of cultural responsiveness, and (c) divergent approaches to problem identification for African American versus European American referrals. Implications for using problem-solving consultation in a multiracial environment are discussed.
A study of devirtualization techniques for a Java Just-In-Time compiler

Many devirtualization techniques have been proposed to reduce the runtime overhead of dynamic method calls for various object-oriented languages, however, most of them are less effective or cannot be applied for Java in a straightforward manner. This is partly because Java is a statically-typed language and thus transforming a dynamic call to a static one does not make a tangible performance gain (owing to the low overhead of accessing the method table) unless it is inlined, and partly because the dynamic class loading feature of Java prohibits the whole program analysis and optimizations from being applied.We propose a new technique called direct devirtualization with the code patching mechanism. For a given dynamic call site, our compiler first determines whether the call can be devirtualized, by analyzing the current class hierarchy. When the call is devirtualizable and the target method is suitably sized, the compiler generates the inlined code of the method, together with the backup code of making the dynamic call. Only the inlined code is actually executed until our assumption about the devirtualization becomes invalidated, at which time the compiler performs code patching to make the backup code executed subsequently. Since the new technique prevents some code motions across the merge point between the inlined code and the backup code, we have furthermore implemented recently-known analysis techniques, such as type analysis and preexistence analysis, which allow the backup code to be completely eliminated. We made various experiments using 16 real programs to understand the effectiveness and characteristics of the devirtualization techniques in our Java Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler. In summary, we reduced the number of dynamic calls by ranging from 8.9% to 97.3% (the average of 40.2%), and we improved the execution performance by ranging from -1% to 133% (with the geometric mean of 16%).
Selenium and Torula Yeast in Production of Exudative Diathesis in Chicks.

SummaryYit. E. dried brewers yeast, and 0.05 ppm selenium promoted growth and prevented symptoms of exudative diathesis in chicks fed a purified soybean protein diet. Any of the supplements completely replaced the others and maintained normal values for serum protein, A G ratio and blood hemoglobin. Chicks fed Vit E-free diet, containing purified soybean protein as source of protein, developed symptoms of exudative diathesis in 30 days, manifested by mild edema and exudation with subcutaneous hemorrhage in the abdomen. The affected birds had a reduced serum protein level, A G ratio, and blood hemoglobin level. Addition of 0.7% sodium, 0.5 ppm arsenic or a mixture of 1% potassium and 0.07% magnesium, to above Vit. E-free, soybean-protein diet failed to reduce the time needed for development of exudative diathesis. Addition of Torula yeast (20 or 30% of the diet) to Vit. E-free soybean protein diet hastened and increased incidence of exudative diathesis in chicks fed this diet. Thus it appears that some com...
Obesity is associated with the future risk of heavy truck crashes among newly recruited commercial drivers

This study estimates the dose-response relationship between body mass index (BMI) and crash risk in operators of heavy commercial motor vehicles. Intake data were collected during the first two weeks of instruction from 744 new truck drivers training for their commercial driver's licenses at a school operated by the cooperating trucking firm. Drivers were then followed prospectively on the job using the firm's operational data for two years, or until employment separation, whichever came first. Multivariate Poisson regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the relationship between crash risk and BMI, controlling for demographic characteristics and for variations in the exposure to risks on the road. Results from the Poisson regression, which used cumulative miles driven as an exposure control, indicated that compared to normal BMI (18.5 Language: en
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cdc42p Localizes to Cellular Membranes and Clusters at Sites of Polarized Growth

The Cdc42p GTPase controls polarized growth and cell cycle progression in eukaryotes from yeasts to mammals, and its precise subcellular localization is essential for its function. To examine the cell cycle-specific targeting of Cdc42p in living yeast cells, a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Cdc42 fusion protein was used. In contrast to previous immunolocalization data, GFP-Cdc42p was found at the plasma membrane around the entire cell periphery and at internal vacuolar and nuclear membranes throughout the cell cycle, and it accumulated or clustered at polarized growth sites, including incipient bud sites and mother-bud neck regions. These studies also showed that C-terminal CAAX and polylysine domains were sufficient for membrane localization but not for clustering. Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy showed that GFP-Cdc42p clustered at the incipient bud site prior to bud emergence and at the mother-bud neck region postanaphase as a diffuse, single band and persisted as two distinct bands on mother and daughter cells following cytokinesis and cell separation. Initial clustering occurred immediately prior to actomyosin ring contraction and persisted postcontraction. These results suggest that Cdc42p targeting occurs through a novel mechanism of membrane localization followed by cell cycle-specific clustering at polarized growth sites.
A model of relational turbulence: The role of intimacy, relational uncertainty, and interference from partners in appraisals of irritations

The development of romantic relationships is a complex process by which previously autonomous individuals come to perceive themselves as a social unit. We propose that the transition from casual dating to serious involvement coincides with relational turbulence in courtship, and we identify relational uncertainty and interference from partners as mechanisms that may explain why this turmoil occurs. We test our model by examining people’s appraisals of irritating circumstances as a marker of relational turbulence. We conducted a cross-sectional study in which individuals evaluated the degree of severity and relationship threat of potential irritations that had occurred recently in their dating relationship. Although the effect size was small, results consistent with our predictions indicated that negative appraisals were curvilinearly associated with intimacy. Also as anticipated, we documented positive associations between negative appraisals and both relational uncertainty and interference from partners....
Bioelectrical redox cycling of anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate coupled to perchlorate reduction

Electrochemical reactors can be used to deliver electrons to bacteria with soluble, redox-active shuttles, and this has been proposed for both biosynthetic and bioremediation purposes. In the case of perchlorate reduction in bioelectrical reactors, very little is known about the mechanism of shuttle oxidation, although this understanding is important for treatment system design and scaleup. In this work, electrochemical, physiological, and proteomic experiments were performed to investigate anthrahydroquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AH2DS) oxidation by Azospira suillum PS under perchlorate reducing conditions. In inoculated bioelectrical reactors with AH2DS as the sole electron donor, only small amounts of cathodic current were observed. However, acetate addition resulted in a rapid increase in cathodic current, concomitant with acetate oxidation. This effect was not seen with nitrate as the terminal electron acceptor or when cells were lysed. We hypothesized that co-utilization of electron donors was a result of normal organotrophic perchlorate reduction, in addition to non-enzymatic reactions between AH2DS and intermediates (chlorite, oxygen) of the pathway. These reactions are expected to result in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and toxicity, which was confirmed in batch growth experiments. Shotgun proteomics revealed significantly increased tandem spectral peptide counts of a diheme c-type cytochrome peroxidase; again, only when perchlorate, acetate, and AH2DS were present. Homologs of this protein relieve oxidative stress by reducing hydrogen peroxide to water. This work highlights the fact that oxidation of inorganic electron donors can occur non-enzymatically, as well as the challenge of targeting a specific metabolism with chemical shuttles that are highly reactive.
smFRET studies of the ‘encounter’ complexes and subsequent intermediate states that regulate the selectivity of ligand binding

The selectivity with which a biomolecule can bind its cognate ligand when confronted by the vast array of structurally similar, competing ligands that are present in the cell underlies the fidelity of some of the most fundamental processes in biology. Because they collectively comprise one of only a few methods that can sensitively detect the ‘encounter’ complexes and subsequent intermediate states that regulate the selectivity of ligand binding, single-molecule fluorescence, and particularly single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET), approaches have revolutionized studies of ligand-binding reactions. Here, we describe a widely used smFRET strategy that enables investigations of a large variety of ligand-binding reactions, and discuss two such reactions, aminoacyl-tRNA selection during translation elongation and splice site selection during spliceosome assembly, that highlight both the successes and challenges of smFRET studies of ligand-binding reactions. We conclude by reviewing a number of emerging experimental and computational approaches that are expanding the capabilities of smFRET approaches for studies of ligand-binding reactions and that promise to reveal the mechanisms that control the selectivity of ligand binding with unprecedented resolution.
Organic matter accumulation in sediments of hypersaline Mono Lake during a period of changing salinity

Finely laminated sediments of Mono Lake provide a detailed paleolimnological record oforganic matter accumulation during a period of large fluctuations in salinity that resulted from climatic variation and water diversions. In sedimentary profiles representing the last 170 yr, organic carbon content of the sediments varied from 6.6 to 16.1%. The accumulation rate of organic carbon at a sedimentation rate of 0.7 cm yr -1 varied from 76 to 164 g C m -2 yr -1 . The most notable change was a gradual increase in 5-yr mean accumulation rate from 87 to 153 g C m -2 yr -1 as salinity increased from ∼48 to 97 g liter -1 during the recent period of water diversions (1941-1982). Although the correlation between organic matter accumulation and salinity during the recent period may be due in part to the slow decay of organic matter under hypersaline conditions, a positive correlation between accumulation rates and estimated lake salinities at time of burial exists throughout the 170-yr record.
Tai chi training reduces self-report of inattention in healthy young adults

It is important to identify effective non-pharmacological alternatives to stimulant medications that reduce symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study of healthy young adults, we measured the effects of training in tai chi, which involves mindful attention to the body during movement. Using a non-randomized, controlled, parallel design, students in a 15-week introductory tai chi course (n=28) and control participants (n=44) were tested for ADHD indicators and cognitive function at three points over the course of the 15 weeks. The tai chi students' self-report of attention, but not hyperactivity-impulsivity, improved compared to controls. At baseline, inattention correlated positively with reaction time variability in an affective go/no-go task across all participants, and improvements in attention correlated with reductions in reaction time variability across the tai chi students. Affective bias changed in the tai chi students, as reaction times to positive- and negative-valenced words equalized over time. These results converge to suggest that tai chi training may help improve attention in healthy young adults. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and to evaluate tai chi as therapy for individuals with ADHD.
Respiration and heart rate at the surface between dives in northern elephant seals

All underwater activities of diving mammals are constrained by the need for surface gas exchange. Our aim was to measure respiratory rate (fB) and heart rate (fH) at the surface between dives in free-ranging northern elephant seals Mirounga angustirostris. We recorded fB and fH acoustically in six translocated juveniles, 1.8‐2.4 years old, and three migrating adult males from the rookery at Ano Nuevo, California, USA. To each seal, we attached a diving instrument to record the diving pattern, a satellite tag to track movements and location, a digital audio tape recorder or acoustic datalogger with an external hydrophone to record the sounds of respiration and fH at the surface, and a VHF transmitter to facilitate recovery. During surface intervals averaging 2.2±0.4 min, adult males breathed a mean of 32.7±5.4 times at a rate of 15.3±1.8 breaths min -1 (means ± S.D., N=57). Mean fH at the surface was 84±3 beats min -1 . The fB of juveniles was 26 % faster than that of adult males, averaging 19.2±2.2 breaths min -1 for a mean total of 41.2±5.0 breaths during surface intervals lasting 2.6±0.31 min. Mean fH at the surface was 106±3 beats min -1 . fB and fH did not change significantly over the course of surface intervals. Surface fB and fH were not clearly associated with levels of exertion, such as rapid horizontal transit or apparent foraging, or with measures of immediately previous or subsequent diving performance, such as diving duration, diving depth or swimming speed. Together, surface respiration rate and the duration of the preceding dive were significant predictors of surface interval duration. This implies that elephant seals minimize surface time spent loading oxygen depending on rates of oxygen uptake and previous depletion of stores.
Product Control in Oxidative Aryl-Benzyl Coupling of a Phenolic 1,4-Diarylbutane

Abstract In a recent communication we have described an unusual one step oxidative aryl-benzyl coupling reaction which provides efficient and direct access to the 1-aryltetralin ring system characteristic of podophyllin lignan lactones.1 The key step in our synthesis of such lactones was the oxidative cyclization of the phenolic 1,4-diarylbutane I with thallium (III) trifluoroacetate (TTFA)2 in 1,2-dichloroethane to give, upon reductive workup, mixtures of the cyclized catechol II and phenol III. These were convergently transformed to (±)-picropodophyllone (IV) by permethylation, C-4 oxidation and lactone construction.
The influence of viewpoint and object detail in blind people when matching pictures to complex objects

We examined haptic viewpoint effects in blindfolded-sighted (BS) and visually impaired subjects: early blind (EB), late blind (LB), and very low vision (VLV). Participants felt complex objects and matched tangible pictures to them. In experiment 1, the EB and BS subjects had similar overall performance. Experiment 2 showed that the presence of a detail on the target object lowered performance in the BS subjects, and that matching accuracy was lower overall for top views for the blind subjects. In experiments 3–5, EB, LB, VLV, and BS subjects made judgments about perspective pictures of a model house with more salient object details. In experiment 3, performance was higher for side views than for corner views. Elevated side views were identified more readily than elevated corner views in experiment 4. Performance for top views was higher than for elevated side views in experiment 5, given the relative simplicity of the top-view depictions and salient details. The EB and BS participants had somewhat lower m...