cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-methylene-interrupted and ω4 dienoic fatty acids of the white shrimpPenaeus setiferus

The total lipid fatty acids from the white shrimpPenaeus setiferus were found to contain several unusual dienoic fatty acid species. These included two methylene-interrupted species: Δ11, 14-C18∶2 (18∶2ω4) and δ13, 16-C20∶2 (20∶2ω4). Also found were several non-methylene-interrupted dienoic fatty acids including δ7, 11 and Δ7, 13-C20∶2, Δ7, 13-C21∶2, Δ7, 13, Δ7, 15, Δ9, 13, Δ9, 15, and Δ7, 17-C22∶2. Many minor C20∶2 non-methylene-interrupted dienes were found but could not be unequivocally characterized.
Ant Species in the Diet of a Florida Population of Eastern Narrow-Mouthed Toads, Gastrophryne carolinensis

Abstract Gastrophryne carolinensis (Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad) is known to be an ant specialist, but prey identification has rarely progressed beyond family level. There are no prey records from Florida scrub, a rare upland habitat type. This study identifies species of 4859 individual ants retrieved from stomachs of 146 G. carolinensis collected in Florida scrub. All toads had consumed ants; ants comprised about 95% of all food items. Forty-three species of ants were recorded. About 77% were various species of Pheidole or Nylanderia. The ants consumed were mostly small (4 mm or less in length) and nocturnally active. Species that were eaten belong to ant genera known to contain venoms, chemical repellents, or other organic substances in exocrine glands. This finding suggests the possibility that Narrow-mouthed Toads have opportunities to sequester exocrine secretions of ants, in the manner of some other anurans. The diversity of ant species consumed by G. carolinensis suggests that this species might b...
Endothelial retention and phenotype on carbonized cardiovascular implant surfaces.

Abstract Heart valve disease is an increasing clinical burden for which there is no effective treatment outside of prosthetic replacement. Over the last 20 years, clinicians have increasingly preferred the use of biological prosthetics to mechanical valves despite their superior durability because of the lifelong anticoagulation therapy that is required. Mechanical valve surface engineering has largely focused on being as non-thrombogenic as possible, but despite decades of iteration has had insufficient impact on the anticoagulation burden. In this study, we systematically evaluate the potential for endothelialization of the pyrolytic carbon surface used in mechanical valves. We compared adsorbed adhesion ligand type (collagen I, fibronectin, laminin, and purified adhesion domain fragments GFOGER and FN 7-10 ) and concentration on endothelial adhesion rates and adhesion strength on Medtronic-Hall prosthetic valve surfaces. Regardless of ligand type or concentration, endothelial adhesion strengthening was insufficient for their intended ultra-high shear stress environment. We then hypothesized that microfabricated trenches would reduce shear stress to tolerable levels while maintaining endothelial access to the flow stream, thereby promoting a confluent and anticoagulant endothelial monolayer. Computational fluid dynamics simulations predicted an empirical relationship of channel width, depth, and spacing that would maintain interior surface shear stress within tolerable levels. Endothelial cells seeded to confluence in these channels retained a confluent monolayer when exposed to 600 dyn/cm 2 shear stress for 48 h regardless of applied adhesive ligand. Furthermore, sheared EC expressed a mature anti-coagulant profile, including endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), VE-cadherin, and significantly downregulated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). As a final test, channeled pyrolytic carbon surfaces with confluent EC reduced human platelet adhesion 1000-fold over pyrolytic carbon alone. These results advance a promising biohybrid approach to enable active moderation of local coagulative response in mechanical heart valves, which could significantly extend the utility of this important treatment for heart valve disease.
Tunable negative differential resistance in anti-dot diffraction field effect transistor

Quantum diffraction of two-dimensional electrons by a periodic array of nanoscale quantum antidots is considered in the channel of a high mobility field effect transistor. A charge control model within a self-consistent analysis shows that the current characteristics of the new anti-dot diffraction field effect transistor exhibits tunable negative differential resistance and hysteresises which could persist above nitrogen temperature.
Complementary chromatic adaptation: photoperception to gene regulation

Many photosynthetic organisms can acclimate to the quantity and quality of light present in their environment. In certain cyanobacteria the wavelengths of light in the environment control the synthesis of specific polypeptides of the light harvesting antenna complex or phycobilisome. This phenomenon, called complementary chromatic adaptation, is most dramatically observed in a comparison of cyanobacteria after growth in green light and red light. In red light-grown cells the phycobilisome is largely composed of phycocyanin and its associated linker polypeptides (the latter are important for the assembly of the phycocyanin subunits and their placement within the light harvesting structure); the organisms appear blue-green in color. In green light-grown cells the phycobilisome is largely composed of phycoerythrin and its associated linker polypeptides; the organisms appear red in color. The ways in which these cyanobacteria sense their changing light environment and the regulatory elements involved in controlling the process of complementary chromatic adaptation are discussed in this review.
Biodegradation of single-walled carbon nanotubes through enzymatic catalysis.

We show here the biodegradation of single-walled carbon nanotubes through natural, enzymatic catalysis. By incubating nanotubes with a natural horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and low concentrations of H2O2 (∼40 μM) at 4 °C over 12 weeks under static conditions, we show the increased degradation of nanotube structure. This reaction was monitored via multiple characterization methods, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and ultraviolet−visible−near-infrared (UV−vis−NIR) spectroscopy. These results mark a promising possibility for carbon nanotubes to be degraded by HRP in environmentally relevant settings. This is also tempting for future studies involving biotechnological and natural (plant peroxidases) ways for degradation of carbon nanotubes in the environment.
Mixed quantum–classical simulation of vibrational frequency modulations of a diatomic molecule in a rare gas fluid

Abstract A simple adaptation of the Lanczos algorithm is presented for use in vibrationally adiabatic mixed quantum–classical molecular dynamics simulations. As an illustration, results are given for the test case of a vibrating diatomic molecule in a rare gas fluid. The approach is found to be both efficient and accurate. Prospects for further improvements and applications are discussed.
Adolescent Risk Behavior Patterns: Effects of Structured Time-Use, Interpersonal Connections, Self-System Characteristics, and Socio-Demographic Influences

The relationships between risk behaviors and factors representing multiple ecological layers are examined among a sample of youth in grades seven through 12 (n = 2,701). Our primary interest is in the relationship between structured time-use as a protective factor and youth risk behavior patterns. Two other layers of protective factors are also examined, those dealing with interpersonal connections and with self-system characteristics. Concomitant demographic factors in the study are age, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. Stepwise multiple regression analysis reveals that less risk behavior is associated with greater attachment to school, greater school success, closer relationships with parents, and greater participation in structured time-use; significant predictors of more risk behavior are being older, being male, and having one good friend. Implications for professional practice include employing a comprehensive, ecological approach to prevention and intervention, and enacting social support initiatives at multiple levels.
Microfabrication of optical sensor array

Arrays of selective sensing regions are photopolymerized on the distal tip of a single imaging fiber. Important considerations for preparing sensors include surface modification for polymer adhesion, monomer preparation, micropositioning, polymerization kinetics, and instrument response. Using the technique described in this paper, we have prepared optical sensor arrays of upwards of eight discrete sensors all disposed on a single optical fiber.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
PHOSPHORYLATION OF CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS P PROTEIN BY PROTEIN KINASE C-ZETA AND CASEIN KINASE II

Transcription by nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses is mediated by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and transcriptional cofactor P. The P protein is activated by phosphorylation, an event initiated by cellular kinases. The kinase used differs among this group of RNA viruses; vesicular stomatitis virus and respiratory syncytial virus utilize casein kinase II (CKII), whereas human parainfluenza virus type 3 utilizes PKC isoform zeta (PKC-z) for activation of its P protein. To identify the cellular kinase(s) involved in the phosphorylation of the canine distemper virus (CDV) P protein, we used recombinant CDV P in phosphorylation assays with native kinase activities present in CV1 cell extracts or purified CKII and PKC isoforms. Here, we demonstrate that the CDV P protein is phosphorylated by two cellular kinases, where PKC-z has the major and CKII the minor activities. In contrast, the P protein of another member of the morbillivirus genus, measles virus, is phosphorylated predominantly by CKII, whereas PKC-z has only minor activity. Selective inhibition of PKC-z activity within CV1 cells eliminated permissiveness to CDV replication, indicating an in vivo role for PKC-z in the virus replication cycle. The broad tissue expression of PKC-z parallels the pantropic nature of CDV infections, suggesting that PKC-z activity is a determinant of cellular permissiveness to CDV replication. q 1997 Academic Press
Going home and returning to foster care

Abstract The study describes 210 children and families returning home from foster homes and group facilities in 20 agencies in New York City. It examines whether a child's reentering care within one and two years of discharge, as opposed to not reentering care, was associated with certain child, caregiver, and situational factors. At discharge, caseworkers assigned to each case filled out an 18-page questionnaire on child and family characteristics, child and family assessments, service needs and provision, and worker characteristics. Children's placement histories and reentry data were obtained from New York State's computerized files. A total of 19.5% of the children reentered within two years. Multivariate analyses showed lower ratings of caregivers' parenting skills and less social support the strongest predictors of reentry within 12 months of leaving care. Reentry during the second year was linked to the number and severity of caregiver problems. Implications for child welfare practice are discussed.
5-HT3 agonist-induced dopamine overflow during withdrawal from continuous or intermittent cocaine administration.

This experiment examined alterations in the ability of the highly selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide (mCPBG), to induce dopamine (DA) overflow in caudate brain slices obtained from rats withdrawn from continuous or intermittent cocaine administration. Rats were pretreated with 40 mg/kg per day cocaine for 14 days by either subcutaneous injections or osmotic minipumps, and then withdrawn from this regimen for 7 days. Caudate brain slices were obtained, and perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Following an equilibration period, the slices were then perfused with 25, 50, or 100 µM mCPBG. The samples were assayed for DA content by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The results indicated that the pretreatment with intermittent cocaine did not consistently alter the ability of mCPBG to induce DA overflow, although there was a reduction in the amount of DA released by the highest concentration of mCPBG. In contrast, pretreatment with continuous cocaine administration consistently and significantly attenuated the ability of mCPBG to induce DA overflow. The DA overflow induced by mCPBG was partially dependent on extracellular Ca2+ in the perfusion medium for the saline control and intermittent administration subjects: elimination of Ca2+ from the medium significantly reduced, but did not eliminate, DA overflow for these two groups. In contrast, elimination of Ca2+ from the perfusion medium had a significant enhancing effect on mCPBG-induced DA overflow in the continuous administration rats. These results suggest that distinct temporal patterns of cocaine administration differentially alter the ability of a 5-HT3 agonist to increase extracellular DA levels, and that this effect may be related to an impairment of Ca2+-dependent release. These results further suggest that 5-HT3 receptor subsensitivity may represent a partial mechanism for the tolerance following continuous cocaine administration.
Activation of apoptotic pathways in the absence of cell death in an inner-ear immortomouse cell line

Aminoglycoside antibiotics and cisplatin (CDDP) are the major ototoxins of clinical medicine due to their capacity to cause significant, as well as permanent hearing loss by targeting the mammalian sensory cells. Understanding the pathogenesis of damage is the first step in designing effective prevention of drug-induced hearing loss. In-vitro systems greatly enhance the efficiency of biochemical and molecular investigations through ease of access and manipulation. HEI-OC1, an inner ear cell line derived from the immortomouse, expresses markers for auditory sensory cells and, therefore, is a potential tool to study the ototoxic mechanisms of drugs like aminoglycoside antibiotics and CDDP. HEI-OC1 cells (and also HeLa cells) efficiently take up fluorescently tagged gentamicin and respond to drug treatment with changes in cell death and survival signaling pathways. Within hours, the C-jun N-terminal kinase pathway and the transcription factor AP-1 were activated and at later times, the “executioner caspase”, caspase-3. These responses were robust and elicited by both gentamicin and kanamycin. However, despite the initiation of apoptotic pathways and transient changes in nuclear morphology, cell death was not observed following aminoglycoside treatment, while administration of CDDP lead to significant cell death as determined by flow cytometric measurements; β-galactosidase analysis ruled out senescence in gentamicin-treated cells. The ability to withstand treatment with aminoglycosides but not with CDDP suggests that this cell line might be helpful in providing some insight into the differential actions of the two ototoxic drugs.
Validation of a method to assess ADHD-related impulsivity in animal models

Abstract Background Response inhibition capacity (RIC), the ability to withhold instrumentally reinforced responses, is compromised in ADHD. Most standard methods for assessing RIC in rodents potentially confound motivational, motor, learning, and inhibitory processes, lack sensitivity to pharmacological treatment, and have unknown reliability. New method The fixed minimum interval (FMI) schedule of reinforcement and its associated analytical techniques are designed to dissociate inhibitory processes from incentive-motivational and timing processes. This study is aimed at validating the FMI as a method for assessing RIC in animal models. FMI performance was compared across different withholding requirements (0.5, 3, 6 and 21 s), deprivation levels, reinforcement rates, and reinforcer magnitudes. Results and comparison with existing methods Motivational manipulations differentially affected estimates of incentive motivation but not the FMI-derived index of RIC, θ . Changes in the withholding requirement influenced timed IRTs in a manner consistent with extant timing theories. Individual estimates of RIC were resilient to prolonged changes in motivation but not to changes in FMI schedule. Results indicate that the FMI schedule is not vulnerable to the same limitations associated with existing methods for assessing RIC. Conclusions These results support the use of the FMI schedule and associated analytic techniques as tools for assessing RIC in animal models.
The Effect of Recipient Hepatitis C Virus Infection on Outcomes Following Heart Transplantation

Abstract Background Insufficient data exist on the clinical course of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in heart transplant (HT) recipients. Our study reports the outcomes of heart transplantation in pretransplantation HCV-positive (HCV+) recipients. Methods A retrospective analysis of the heart transplantation database at our institution was performed to identify HT recipients who were HCV+ prior to transplantation. Chart reviews yielded demographic features, liver function tests, graft function, incidence of posttransplantation acute hepatitis and transplant coronary artery disease, and patient survival data. Results Between 1995 and 2006, 10 HCV+ patients underwent cardiac transplantation. The recipient mean age was 47 years (range, 23–69). Seven recipients were males and 3 were females. At listing 9 patients had no cirrhosis. One patient with Child-B cirrhosis was listed for combined heart-liver transplantation. Two of 10 donors were known to be HCV carriers. Posttransplantation in-hospital survival rate was 100%. At a mean follow-up of 58 months (range, 1.6–145), 3 deaths occurred, yielding an overall survival rate of 70%. Only 1 death (10%) was linked to accelerated acute hepatitis. Transplant coronary artery disease was detected in 2 patients (20%). Echocardiograms of survivors at last follow-up revealed normal ejection fractions. In addition, there were no cases of hepatocellular carcinoma; all survivors were without evidence of hepatic dysfunction. Conclusions Transplanting recipients known to have HCV did not seem to affect overall posttransplantation survival or to increase the risk of liver dysfunction or graft-related complications.
Effects of preinjected helium on void formation in quenched aluminum

Abstract Rolled foils of pure aluminum were either alpha-particle bombarded or annealed in air before being quenched to introduce voids. Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the voids. The specimens that were alpha-particle bombarded before quenching were found to contain larger but fewer voids than the other specimens. The results of the investigation are discussed in terms of the effects of helium on void nueleation.
Intersectionality and Student Outcomes: Sharpening the Struggle against Racism, Sexism, Classism, Ableism, Heterosexism, Nationalism, and Linguistic, Religious, and Geographical Discrimination in Teaching and Learning

In this article the authors consider NAME's focus on intersectionality as a tool for theorizing, researching, and employing in pre-K through college practice at preservice and inservice levels. A review of research using three or more identity axes to investigate student outcomes is included. The authors also discuss the benefits of analyzing educational questions intersectionally, noting cautions.
Elasticity of microscale volumes of viscoelastic soft matter by cavitation rheometry

Measurement of the elastic modulus of soft, viscoelastic liquids with cavitation rheometry is demonstrated for specimens as small as 1 μl by application of elasticity theory and experiments on semi-dilute polymer solutions. Cavitation rheometry is the extraction of the elastic modulus of a material, E, by measuring the pressure necessary to create a cavity within it [J. A. Zimberlin, N. Sanabria-DeLong, G. N. Tew, and A. J. Crosby, Soft Matter 3, 763–767 (2007)]. This paper extends cavitation rheometry in three ways. First, we show that viscoelastic samples can be approximated with the neo-Hookean model provided that the time scale of the cavity formation is measured. Second, we extend the cavitation rheometry method to accommodate cases in which the sample size is no longer large relative to the cavity dimension. Finally, we implement cavitation rheometry to show that the theory accurately measures the elastic modulus of viscoelastic samples with volumes ranging from 4 ml to as low as 1 μl.
Alemtuzumab (Campath 1H) as Successful Salvage Therapy for Recurrent Steroid-resistant Heart Transplant Rejection

We report the case of a heart transplant recipient who presented twice in profound cardiogenic shock at Months 4 and 8 post-transplant. She had unsuccessful conventional rejection therapy, but responded dramatically to alemtuzumab salvage therapy. Both times, her recovery onset was strikingly parallel to that described after using alemtuzumab as salvage therapy in renal transplantation. The reported use of alemtuzumab in thoracic organ transplant is rare. We believe this is the first reported case of alemtuzumab as salvage therapy in heart transplantation.
Meson-glueball mixing in lattice QCD

Abstract We study the mixing of the 0 ++ glueball with a meson of the same quantum numbers in the framework of lattice QCD. The effect of dynamical quarks of bare mass ma = 0.1 is taken into account using the pseudofermion method.
The Far Infrared Spectrum of Vulcanized Natural Rubber.

EARLIER STUDIES OF THE INFRARED SPECTRA OF NATURAL RUBBER AND SOME VULCANIZATES OF RUBBER HAVE BEEN EXTENDED INTO THE 650 TO 33 CM FAR INFRARED REGION. SOME OF THE ABSORPTION BANDS ORIGINATING IN THE CRYSTALLINE PORTION OF UNVULCANIZED RUBBER HAVE BEEN STUDIED BY USING POLARIZED RADIATION AND SAMPLES ORIENTED BY STRETCHING. VULCANIZATION OF RUBBER WITH SULFUR ALONE PRODUCES A GENERAL WEAKENING OF ALL ABSORPTION BANDS AND NO NEW ABSORPTIONS. VULCANIZATION WITH SULFUR AND AN ACCELERATOR ALSO RESLUTS IN A REDUCTION IN INTENSITY OF THE RUBBER ABSORPTIONS, BUT IS ACCOMPANIED BY THE APPEARANCE OF NEW BANDS. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS TETRAMETHYLTHIURAM DISULFIDE (TMTD) THE NEW BANDS ARE PROBABLY INDICATIVE OF A THIOCARBAMATE STRUCTURE. WHEN ZINC DIBUTYLDITHIOCARBAMATE IS USED AS AN ACCELERATOR A BAND PROBABLY DUE TO ZINC SULFIDE OCCURS. VULCANIZATION WITH TMTD ALONE PRODUCES ONLY SLIGHT CHANGES IN THE FAR INFRARED SPECTRUM. HOWEVER, WHEN TMTD IS USED IN THE PRESENCE OF ZINC OXIDE A REACTION OCCURS IN WHICH ZINC DIMETHYLDITHIOCARBAMATE (ZNDMDC) IS FORMED. AFTER VULCANIZATION FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME STRONG TMTD BANDS REMAIN, BUT AFTER LONG VULCANIZATION THE TMTD BANDS ARE REPLACED BY ZNDMDC BANDS. /AUTHOR/
Vulnerability of the Dog Ventricle and Effects of Defibrillation

Vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation has been studied in 20 dogs by means of test stimuli of known strength and duration in order to ascertain the relationship between the vulnerable period and the recovery of excitability and to determine the effects of countershock defibrillation. The relative refractory period is found to be the only portion of the cycle during which fibrillation could be produced by this technique. Defibrillation was accomplished without producing significant changes in vulnerability or excitability.
Movimentação financeira: a base de uma contribuição para o INSS em substituição à folha de pagamentos

Wages and labor income are taxed in Brazil at the rate of 42.5% on the average, considering payments of both employers and employees. This makes it one of highest taxed labor markets in the world. The tax burden falls mostly on firms. Thus fact stimulates labor informality and outsourcing. This is one of the main reasons for the growing social security deficits. Payrolls are taxed in Brazil at the rate of approximately 35%, and social security contributions account for most of burden. After diagnosing the problem, this essay discusses issues related to the social security regimes used in Brazil, and the various forms of financing most adequate to each of them. It is shown that the basic social security regime, called general social security regime, became a program quite similar to a public system of complementary income. As such, this paper proposes replacing the social security contributions made by firms, which have a restricted pattern of incidence, by a general contribution based of bank transactions with a rate of 0,61%, which shows a universal pattern of incidence. It then compares the economic implications of such cumulative taxation with a conventional value added social security contribution. The analytical model is based on Leontief´s input-output framework, and it shows that a contribution levied on bank transactions implies a lighter sectoral tax load on consumer prices, and less distortionary effects on alocation of resources, than the revenue equivalent contribution of 20% on payrolls presently in use. This paper attempts to show tax pyramiding may not have such harmful economic effects as usually assumed by critics of cumulative taxation.
Determination of the pedestrian wind environment in the city of Ottawa using wind tunnel and field measurements

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the pedestrian-level wind conditions throughout the central area of the City of Ottawa, Canada. A 1:400 scale model, 7.3m in diameter, of the central area was tested in the NRCC 9×9m wind tunnel. Windspeeds were measured simultaneously at 615 pedestrian-level locations, and above three selected model buildings, for 16 directions of the approaching winds. Fullscale wind measurements were made for 7000 hours at the city airport and simultaneously above the same three buildings over a period of 15 months and for 217 hours with a mobile anemometer unit that measured the windspeed at a height of 2m. Special techniques used radio and telephone links to transmit wind data from both fixed and mobile remote sites. The objective was achieved by combining the modelscale and fullscale wind measurements with the long-term wind statistics from the airport. From these measurements we can now predict the mean and gust windspeeds which will occur with weekly, monthly, seasonal and per annum probabilities at each of the 615 locations, for each of the 16 wind directions.
The finite deformation field surrounding a mode I plane strain crack in a hyperelastic incompressible material under small-scale nonlinearity

A finite deformation analysis of a plane strain mode I crack in a hyperelastic incompressible material is presented. The nonlinear crack tip field was characterized in terms of its region of dominance under the assumptions of small-scale nonlinearity and compared to the theoretical dominant asymptotic solution for this problem. The influence of the material law (linear vs. third order) on the nonlinear crack tip field was also discussed. The finite element results for the third order material law determined that the maximum stress in the load direction was found along the deformed crack flank behind the crack tip. A local cavitation surface surrounding the crack tip was identified using the linear material law, enabling prediction of potential sites of cavitation.
Production of thin metallic single crystals

Abstract A technique is described for obtaining thin metallic single crystals for use in a variety of measurements. The method has been used successfully to make gallium and indium single crystal plates as thin as 25 μm.
Regulation of macromolecular synthesis during nutritional shift-up in the fungus Mucor

The dimorphic fungusMucor racemosus was grown anaerobically in the yeast form and shifted from a defined minimal medium (μ=0.17 doublings/h) to an enriched complex medium (μ=0.43 doublings/h). The measured rates of increase of several growth-related parameters displayed an immediate and complete adjustment to the higher growth rate without an intervening lag. Pulse-labeling experiments indicated that the rates of protein and RNA synthesis increased immediately and in parallel in response to the shift. The rate of polypeptide chain elongation immediately increased by approximately 60% to support the new higher rate of protein accumulation, but later declined to near pre-shift values. The accelerated rate of protein accretion was apparently sustained by a gradual increase in the total number of ribosomes per weight of cellular material and by a more rapid increase in the percentage of ribosomes recruited into polysomes at a given time. Thus, this simple eukaryote displays a much more rapid and varied mechanism of response to nutritional shift-up conditions than is classically observed in bacteria.
Constructing a fuzzy-knowledge-based-system: an application for assessing the financial condition of public schools

Abstract Financial evaluation in the public sector can utilize some of the tools developed for evaluation in the private sector. However, the emphasis on the bottom line characterized by productivity measures does not adequately address all of the issues faced by public institutions. Recent collaborations by researchers in management science and public administration have led to the successful development of an analytical approach that combines fuzzy set theory and knowledge based systems to produce a tool for evaluating the general performance of public institutions. Successful implementations have included evaluations of the management of state governments, the financial administration of large cities, and the credit worthiness of public institutions. This paper describes a recent collaborative project, funded by the State of New York, to develop a system to evaluate the financial condition of the state's nearly 700 school districts.
Increasing minority research participation through collaboration with community outpatient clinics: the STEP-BD Community Partners Experience.

Background Minority populations have been under-represented in mental health research studies. The systematic treatment enhancement program for bipolar disorder developed the Community Partners Pro...
Effects of subthalamic lesions on sensory-evoked potentials in the reticular formation and sensorimotor cortex.

Abstract Knowledge that descending subthalamic influences act to determine responsiveness of the reticular formation (RF) to various sensory inputs has been confirmed and extended. Subthalamic lesions not only led to reduction of sciatic-evoked potentials in the RF but also decreased click- and flash-evoked potentials. Because RF-conducted evoked potentials were reduced following subthalamic lesion, it appears that subthalamic facilitatory influences are effective by virtue of their action on the basic excitability of RF neurons themselves and not as a result of alterations strictly of sensory input mechanisms. The distribution of these facilitatory influences to the RF is widespread; evoked potentials in the anterior and posterior midbrain RF were severely affected and those in the medullary RF were also reduced, though not as consistently as in the midbrain. It also appears that subthalamic lesions are capable of altering the later components of the primary sensory, cortical response to sciatic stimulation. Amphetamine was not capable of restoring the depressed reticular evoked potentials. Sequential lesions of the subthalamus revealed that the facilitatory influences are diffusely organized and not limited to any specific region of the subthalamus. Subsequent ventral thalamic lesions demonstrated the existence of inhibitory influences passing through areas dorsal to the subthalamus.
Metamaterial-based source and scattering enhancements: from microwave to optical frequencies

A brief review of metamaterial applications to source and scattering problems in the microwave and optical frequency regimes is given. Issues associated with modelling these systems are discussed. Electrically small radiating and scattering systems are emphasized. Single negative, double negative, and zero-index versions of these metamaterial-based systems are introduced that provide a means to manipulate their efficiency, bandwidth, and directivity characteristics.
Changes in Understory Vegetation and Soil Characteristics Following Silvicultural Activities in a Southeastern Mixed Pine Forest1

Abstract A silvicultural chronosequence was studied in upland pine stands of Fort Benning, Georgia, to assess understory vegetation and soil characteristics following silvicultural disturbance activities. Hypotheses regarding patterns of understory vegetation distribution and abundance, and the impact of disturbance on soil properties were evaluated in 32 forest stands. The chronosequence encompassed various times following clear-cut regeneration: stand age (0–3 yrs), (8–10 yrs), (18–20 yrs), and (30–80 yrs). Soil pH, total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents, soil texture, and bulk density were used to characterize soil conditions across the chronosequence. Foliar cover by species was used to characterize vegetation across this same chronosequence. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was performed to determine the relationship between understory vegetation pattern and measured soil gradients and stand age. CCA identified stand age as the most important factor influencing distribution and abundance o...
MobiMix: Protecting location privacy with mix-zones over road networks

This paper presents MobiMix, a road network based mix-zone framework to protect location privacy of mobile users traveling on road networks. In contrast to spatial cloaking based location privacy protection, the approach in MobiMix is to break the continuity of location exposure by using mix-zones, where no applications can trace user movement. This paper makes two original contributions. First, we provide the formal analysis on the vulnerabilities of directly applying theoretical rectangle mix-zones to road networks in terms of anonymization effectiveness and attack resilience. We argue that effective mix-zones should be constructed and placed by carefully taking into consideration of multiple factors, such as the geometry of the zones, the statistical behavior of the user population, the spatial constraints on movement patterns of the users, and the temporal and spatial resolution of the location exposure. Second, we develop a suite of road network mix-zone construction methods that provide higher level of attack resilience and yield a specified lower-bound on the level of anonymity. We evaluate the MobiMix approach through extensive experiments conducted on traces produced by GTMobiSim on different scales of geographic maps. Our experiments show that MobiMix offers high level of anonymity and high level of resilience to attacks compared to existing mix-zone approaches.
The Feverfew plant-derived compound, parthenolide enhances platelet production and attenuates platelet activation through NF-κB inhibition

Introduction Few treatments are available that can safely and effectively stimulate new platelet production for thrombocytopenic patients. Additionally, recipients of transfused platelets may experience an inflammatory response due to stored platelets becoming unnecessarily activated, thus creating the need for suitable agents that will dampen undesirable platelet activation. We investigated the effect of the feverfew plant-derived compound, parthenolide on platelet production and platelet activation because of its well-studied ability to induce apoptosis or differentiation in some types of cancer.
Are endophytic fungi defensive plant mutualists

Endophytic fungi, especially asexual, systemic endophytes in grasses, are generally viewed as plant mutualists, mainly through the action of mycotoxins, such as alkaloids in infected grasses, which protect the host plant from herbivores. Most of the evidence for the defensive mutualism concept is derived from studies of agronomic grass cultivars, which may be atypical of many endophyte-host interactions. I argue that endophytes in native plants, even asexual, seed-borne ones, rarely act as defensive mutualists. In contrast to domesticated grasses where infection frequencies of highly toxic plants often approach 100%, natural grass populations are usually mosaics of uninfected and infected plants. The latter, however, usually vary enormously in alkaloid levels, from none to levels that may affect herbivores. This variation may result from diverse endophyte and host genotypic combinations that are maintained by changing selective pressures, such as competition, herbivory and abiotic factors. Other processes, such as spatial structuring of host populations and endophytes that act as reproductive parasites of their hosts, may maintain infection levels of seed-borne endophytes in natural populations, without the endophyte acting as a mutualist.
Overexpression of polyphenol oxidase in transgenic tomato plants results in enhanced bacterial disease resistance.

Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs; EC 1.10.3.2 or EC 1.14.18.1) catalyzing the oxygen-dependent oxidation of phenols to quinones are ubiquitous among angiosperms and assumed to be involved in plant defense against pests and pathogens. In order to investigate the role of PPO in plant disease resistance, we made transgenic tomato (Lycopersiconesculentum Mill. cv. Money Maker) plants that overexpressed a potato (Solanumtuberosum L.) PPO cDNA under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. The transgenic plants expressed up to 30-fold increases in PPO transcripts and 5- to 10-fold increases in PPO activity and immunodetectable PPO. As expected, these PPO-overexpressing transgenic plants oxidized the endogenous phenolic substrate pool at a higher rate than control plants. Three independent transgenic lines were selected to assess their interaction with the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonassyringae pv. tomato. The PPO-overexpressing tomato plants exhibited a great increase in resistance to P.syringae. Compared with control plants, these transgenic lines showed less severity of disease symptoms, with over 15-fold fewer lesions, and strong inhibition of bacterial growth, with over 100-fold reduction of bacterial population in the infected leaves. These results demonstrate the importance of PPO-mediated phenolic oxidation in restricting plant disease development.
CYTOCHROME P450 ISOZYMES INVOLVED IN LISOFYLLINE METABOLISM TO PENTOXIFYLLINE IN HUMAN LIVER MICROSOMES

We describe the kinetics of pentoxifylline formation from lisofylline in human liver microsomes using selective inhibitors of cytochrome P450 isozymes, correlation studies with specific isozyme activities, and cDNA-expressed human CYP1A2 and 2E1. A biphasic model fitted the data best for the formation of pentoxifylline, Km1 5 0.282 6 0.135 mM, Vmax1 5 0.003 6 0.001 nmol/min/mg protein, Km2 5 158 6 42.6 mM and Vmax2 50.928 6 0.308 nmol/ min/mg (N 5 4). Pentoxifylline formation by the low Km isoform (200 mM lisofylline) required NADPH, was not inhibited by any isozymespecific P450 inhibitor, and was inhibited only 10% and 20%, respectively, by aminobenzotriazole and N-octamylamine. We concluded that the low Km enzyme was not a cytochrome P450. At 5 mM of lisofylline the CYP1A2 inhibitor, furafylline, inhibited pentoxifylline formation by 58.8%, and the nonspecific CYP2E1 inhibitor, diethyldithiocarbamate, inhibited pentoxifylline formation by 21.7%. When preincubated with furafylline plus diethyldithiocarbamate, inhibition of pentoxifylline formation was increased 71.4%. Microsomal CYP1A2 activity correlated with pentoxifylline formation (r 2 5 0.870, p < 0.001). However, CYP2E1 activity did not correlate with pentoxifylline formation (r 2 5 0.143, p 5 0.181). Baculovirus insect cell expressed human CYP1A2 formed pentoxifylline at 0.987 nmol/min/nmol cytochrome P450 at 5 mM lisofylline. cDNA expressed CYP2E1 did not catalyze formation of pentoxifylline. Diethyldithiocarbamate inhibited pentoxifylline formation by 85.7% in cDNA expressed CYP1A2. We conclude that CYP1A2 is the high affinity enzyme catalyzing pentoxifylline formation from lisofylline.
Anisotropic rotational diffusion of perdeuterated HIV protease from 15N NMR relaxation measurements at two magnetic fields

15N NMR relaxation times in perdeuterated HIV-1 protease, complexed with the sub-nanomolar inhibitor DMP323, have been measured at 600 and 360 MHz 1H frequency. The relative magnitudes of the principal components of the inertia tensor, calculated from the X-ray coordinates of the protein-drug complex, are 1.0:0.85:0.44. The relation between the T1/T2 ratios observed for the individual backbone amides and their N-H orientation within the 3D structure of the protease dimer yields a rotational diffusion tensor oriented nearly collinear to the inertia tensor. The relative magnitudes of its principal components (1.00:1.11:1.42) are also in good agreement with hydrodynamic modeling results. The orientation and magnitude of the diffusion tensors derived from relaxation data obtained at 360 and 600 MHz are nearly identical. The anisotropic nature of the rotational diffusion has little influence on the order parameters derived from the 15N T1 and T2 relaxation times; however, if anisotropy is ignored, this can result in erroneous identification of either exchange broadening or internal motions on a nanosecond time scale. The average ratio of the T1 values measured at 360 and 600 MHz is 0.50 +/- 0.015, which is slightly larger than the value of 0.466 expected for an isotropic rigid rotor with tau c = 10.7 ns. The average ratio of the T2 values measured at 360 and 600 MHz is 1.14 +/- 0.04, which is also slightly larger than the expected ratio of 1.11. This magnetic field dependence of the T1 and T2 relaxation times suggests that the spectral density contribution from fast internal motions is not negligible, and that the chemical shift anisotropy of peptide backbone amides, on average, is larger than the 160 ppm value commonly used in 15N relaxation studies of proteins.
Ethernet topology discovery without network assistance

This work addresses the problem of layer 2 topology discovery. Current techniques concentrate on using SNMP to query information from Ethernet switches. In contrast, we present a technique that infers the Ethernet (layer 2) topology without assistance from the network elements by injecting suitable probe packets from the end-systems and observing where they are delivered. We describe the algorithm, formally characterize its correctness and completeness, and present our implementation and experimental results. Performance results show that although originally aimed at the home and small office the techniques scale to much larger networks.
Bcl-6 and NF-κB cistromes mediate opposing regulation of the innate immune response

In the macrophage, toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key sensors that trigger signaling cascades to activate inflammatory programs via the NF-κB gene network. However, the genomic network targeted by TLR/NF-κB activation and the molecular basis by which it is restrained to terminate activation and re-establish quiescence is poorly understood. Here, using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq), we define the NF-κB cistrome, which is comprised of 31,070 cis-acting binding sites responsive to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced signaling. In addition, we demonstrate that the transcriptional repressor B-cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl-6) regulates nearly a third of the Tlr4-regulated transcriptome, and that 90% of the Bcl-6 cistrome is collapsed following Tlr4 activation. Bcl-6-deficient macrophages are acutely hypersensitive to LPS and, using comparative ChIP-seq analyses, we found that the Bcl-6 and NF-κB cistromes intersect, within nucleosomal distance, at nearly half of Bcl-6-binding sites in stimulated macrophages to promote opposing epigenetic modifications of the local chromatin. These results reveal a genomic strategy for controlling the innate immune response in which repressive and inductive cistromes establish a dynamic balance between macrophage quiescence and activation via epigenetically marked cis-regulatory elements.
Splenogonadal fusion-limb defect "syndrome" and associated malformations.

Two types of splenogonadal fusion (SGF) have been proposed. In the continuous type the spleen is connected to the gonad, and often it is associated with limb defects and other anomalies such as micrognathia, microglossia, anal atresia, and hypoplastic lungs. Associated abnormalities are lower in the discontinuous type of SGF, where there is fusion between the gonad and accessory splenic tissue, without connection with the normal spleen. The cause of SGF and SGF with limb defects (SGFLD) is unknown. On the basis of associated orofacial limb abnormalities, some authors have suggested that SGFLD may be related to the Hanhart complex. Others have noted the overlap between SGFLD and femoral-facial syndrome (FFS). We consider SGFLD a developmental field defect that originates during blastogenesis. Although the cause is unknown, the earlier its action, the more severe the involvement resulting in SGFLD; later action may result only in SGF.
Determination of Non-Symmetric 3-D Fiber-Orientation Distribution and Average Fiber Length in Short-Fiber Composites

A mathematical procedure is proposed for recovering from image analysis the three-dimensional (3-D) non-symmetric density distribution of fiber orientation and the average fiber length in short-fiber composites. The determination of fiber-orientation distribution and average fiber length is essential for assessing the mechanical and physical properties of a short-fiber composite. The average fiber length can be obtained from one micrograph, while the determination of 3-D fiber orientation requires micrographs from two orthogonal planar faces of a composite sample. In addition, a simple procedure is proposed to obtain the single-angle fiber-orientation distribution from one micrograph. This distribution is often needed for predicting the mechanical and physical properties in the direction normal to the plane of the photographed sample cross section. In processing the fiber-orientation density data obtained from a micrograph, a cumulative fiber-orientation density curve is used to derive the fiber-orientati...
Academic–Practitioner Relationships: What NTL Started and What Management Scholarship Keeps Developing

At the time the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science (JABS) began publishing 50 years ago, much social science scholarship took the form of basic research, with relatively little attention to practice. Thanks to the impetus of Kurt Lewin and the National Training Laboratories, the focus of JABS was much more on relationships between theory and practice than was most other scholarship; the expectation was that JABS would focus on scholarly knowledge that would also inform practice. Over the course of the past half century, however, there has taken place some separation of academic scholarship and practice with regard to organization development. During this same time period there have been several developments in other areas of management inquiry in which academic–practitioner links have been fostered. In this article, I will explore the patterns that have occurred, indicate some questions they raise for JABS going forward, and suggest some possible implications for publishing practice in JABS. These impl...
Process variability analysis of a Si/SiGe HBT technology with greater than 200 GHz performance

A process tolerance analysis of a SiGe NPN HBT with >200 GHz f/sub T/ and >250 GHz f/sub MAX/ is presented. AC and DC device results on 200 mm wafers demonstrate a wide process window resulting in a highly manufacturable HBT technology.