cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2-Nitroimidazole potentiation of nitrosourea induced cytotoxicity in subcutaneous implants of rat 9L brain tumor cells.

To determine if the 2-nitroimidazole (2-NI) and the nitrosourea (NU) in a brain tumor chemopotentiation trial should be selected on the basis of known structure-activity relationships (electron affinity, lipophilicity, alkylating activity, carbamoylating activity), s.c. implants of rat 9L brain tumor cells were treated with combinations of misonidazole (MISO) or etanidazole (SR-2508) administered under oxic and hypoxic conditions, and BCNU, CCNU or chlorozotocin (CLZ) administered under oxic conditions. Cell kill was assessed by an in vivo to in vitro colony formation assay. To mimic the 'preincubation effect', the 2-NI was injected i.p., and 30 min later the tumor was clamped. After 2 hr, the clamp was released, and the NU administered immediately. MISO (2.5 mmole/kg) and SR-2508 (3.75 mmole/kg) reached the same peak tumor concentration in 30 min. Both 2-NIs were metabolized at the same rate in the clamped tumors; however, metabolism of the 2-NIs by hypoxic cells over the 2 hr clamping period did not produce any measurable s.c. 9L cell kill. The relative effectiveness of the NUs for killing oxic s.c. 9L tumor cells was: BCNU greater than CCNU greater than CLZ. Clamping the tumor prior to NU administration did not change the NU cytotoxicity. No potentiation of the NU cytotoxicity by the 2-NIs was observed in oxic tumors. Although metabolism of MISO by hypoxic cells did not result in potentiation of CLZ cytotoxicity at any dose, it resulted in potentiation of BCNU cytotoxicity at all doses and CCNU cytotoxicity at high doses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Investigation on Volt-VAr control using CVR at various photovoltaic penetration levels

This paper deals with the study of Volt-VAr control using Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) in distribution feeders penetrated at various levels of photovoltaic (PV) systems. For several decades, the practice of CVR has been implemented in utilities and the reports indicate that such practices have resulted in annual energy savings up to a few percentages, depending on factors such as the nature of the loads, climate, geographical area, etc. With more penetration of renewable sources of energy, such as photovoltaic systems, questions arise on how Volt-VAr control using CVR can be impacted and/or improved. Furthermore, it is desired to understand the behavior of aggregated loads at the main substation of the distribution system in order to estimate the effectiveness of CVR. As such, an actual distribution feeder has been simulated at various PV penetration levels, with and without implementation of CVR, and its CVR factor density has been calculated using aggregated load modeling based on ZIP parameters. Our results indicate that the increase in PV generation weakens the constant power component of the aggregated load, thus increasing the CVR factor density.
Domains of locality

A grammar formalism specifies a domain of locality, i.e., a domain over which various dependencies (syntactic and semantic) can be specified. This issue is related to the use of constrained formal/computational systems just adequate for modeling various aspects of language. It leads to some novel ways of describing locality of structures and brings out the relationship between the complexity of description of primitives and local computations over them. In this paper, we will briefly explore the extended domain of locality provided by the Lexicalized Tree-Adjoining Grammar (LTAG) in the context of some linguistic, computational, and statistical properties.
Determination of Sorbitol and Mannitol in Pharmaceuticals by GLC of Tris‐n‐Butyldiboronate Esters

A rapid method for determining sorbitol or mannitol in pharmaceuticals by GLC using the tris-n-butyldiboronate esters is described. An internal standard unrelated to the hexitols is utilized to avoid the problems of cross-contamination introduced by the use of other hexitols.
The disclosure processes model: understanding disclosure decision making and postdisclosure outcomes among people living with a concealable stigmatized identity.

Disclosure is a critical aspect of the experience of people who live with concealable stigmatized identities. This article presents the Disclosure Processes Model (DPM)— a framework that examines when and why interpersonal disclosure may be beneficial. The DPM suggests that antecedent goals representing approach and avoidance motivational systems moderate the effect of disclosure on numerous individual, dyadic, and social contextual outcomes and that these effects are mediated by three distinct processes: (1) alleviation of inhibition, (2) social support, and (3) changes in social information. Ultimately, the DPM provides a framework that advances disclosure theory and identifies strategies that can assist disclosers in maximizing the likelihood that disclosure will benefit well-being.
Solid free-form fabrication of drug delivery devices

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is used to create resorbable devices with complex concentration profiles within the device. 3DP is an example of a solid free-form fabrication method where both the macro- and microstructure of the device can be controlled since objects are built by addition of very small amounts of matter. Application of this novel technology for fabrication of polymeric drug delivery systems is described in this article. The drug concentration profile is first specified in a computer model of the device which is then built using the 3DP process. Complex drug delivery regimes can be created in this way, such as the release of multiple drugs or multiphasic release of a single drug. This study demonstrates several simple examples of such devices and several construction methods that can be used to control the release of the drugs. Two dyes are used as model drugs in a matrix of biocompatible polymers. The dye release rate and release time are controlled by either specifying the position of the dye within the device or by controlling the local composition and microstructure with the 3DP process. The mechanism of resorption can also be controlled by manipulating the composition and microstructure of the device during construction. Polyethylene oxide and polycaprolactone were selected as matrix materials and methylene blue and alizarin yellow were used as drug models. Devices with erosion and diffusion controls are described in this report. Spectrophotometric analysis of dye release yielded reproducible results.
Realization of infinite-impulse response filters using acousto-optic cells

Acousto-optic (AO) cells are widely used in real-time optical processing of RF signals because of their high computational throughput resulting from large modulation bandwidths and large parallel channel capacity. In this paper we discuss how an AO cell can be used to build a general purpose infinite impulse response (IIR) filter for processing sampled data or discrete time signals. The advantages of the system are high speed real time filtering of discrete time RF signals with sampling frequencies in the 10 MHz to a few GHz range. IIR filters are attractive because they can provide a good magnitude characteristics for a smaller number of taps than finite impulse response filters can. In our realization the filter coefficients are stored in spatial light modulators (SLMs) and thus can be changed in time to build adaptive IIR filters for various applications.
Evaporation kinetics of forsterite and implications for the early solar nebula

THE planets and meteorites originated in a disk of gas and dust—the solar nebula—in which thermal processing fractionated the elements to varying degrees between gaseous and condensed phases1,2. A record of these effects is preserved in the chemical, mineralogical and isotopic compositions of meteorites, which accreted in the nebula. Previous attempts to interpret these fractionation effects have been based largely on thermodynamic calculations3,4, which assume that phases remained in equilibrium with one another. Vapour–solid equilibria in the system Mg–Si–O–H have also been studied experimentally5. But equilibrium is only a first approximation to the real situation: internal evidence in the chondritic meteorites6 shows that the thermal processing was rapid, and kinetic effects (non-equilibrium fractionation) must have played an important part in the evaporation and condensation events that created the chondrules, refractory inclusions and dust grains that are preserved in chondrites. Here I report the results of experiments to study the kinetics of evaporation of Mg2SiO4 (forsterite), the most abundant mineral in planets and meteorites. Solid and liquid Mg2SiO4 evaporate very slowly, only about one-tenth as fast as they would if the vapour species produced by evaporation were those predicted by equilibrium thermodynamics, and if no energy barrier in excess of the energy of reaction impeded the process. This large kinetic effect is due mainly to the transient production of gaseous SiO2 on evaporation. As a result, forsterite may evaporate at the same rate as an intrinsically more refractory material.
Monte Carlo study of secondary electrons and X-rays produced by different angular distributions of primary precipitating electrons interacting with the atmosphere

Abstract We present Monte Carlo simulations of the energy deposited by energetic electrons from the outer Van Allen belt precipitating into the atmosphere below 100 km. Consideration of the possible mechanism for the precipitation of outer belt electrons suggests that the electrons should be moving nearly horizontally when the enter the atmosphere; therefore we simulate and compare the precipitation of close to horizontally moving, vertically moving, and isotropically distributed electrons. We find that there should be a number of observable differences between the energy deposition for these different angular distributions of electrons.
Huddling, locomotor, and nest-building behaviors of furred and furless Siberian hamsters.

Abstract Rodents living in the cold employ both behavioral and physiological mechanisms to achieve thermoregulation. We examined the impact of fur loss on behavioral thermoregulation in cold-challenged Siberian hamsters ( Phodopus sungorus ). Intact female hamsters exposed to an ambient temperature ( T a ) of 5 °C increased their general locomotor activity by 50% relative to animals maintained at 23 °C. At both T a 's, fur removal resulted in substantial increases in daily food intake (37% and 22% at 5 and 23 °C, respectively) but did not affect the amount of locomotor activity; increased food intake after fur loss evidently is not caused by increases in locomotor activity. Furred hamsters housed in groups of three at 5 °C consumed 16% less food per day than did singly housed individuals. Fur removal resulted in identical 39% increases in food intake in group- or singly housed animals. Energy savings that accrued from huddling were identical in furred and furless animals; this behavior conserves energy even in the absence of an insulative pelage. The availability of nesting material resulted in an 18% reduction in food consumption in intact animals kept at 5 °C. The increase in food intake produced by fur removal was attenuated by ∼80% when furless animals had access to nesting material. Huddling and nest-building behaviors each ameliorate energetic challenges posed by absence of fur; animals that concurrently employ several modes of thermoregulation realize substantial energy savings in the cold.
A Look at Chaucer and His Preachers

THE medieval sermon was a very flexible literary and dramatic form: a preacher composed his sermon to suit the needs and capacities of his audience, and he delivered it orally. A sermon could exhibit some characteristics of the university or formal sermon with its rigid divisional pattern, but it need not. Instead, it could be homiletic and discursive, possibly discussing such issues as evangelical poverty, politics, old age and death, free-will versus predestination, and antifeminism. Vernacular sermons were often delivered in verse, and occasionally they were even sung from the pulpit.' The sermon might be designed for a festival day or be written in celebration of a saint's life.2 One kind of monastic sermon was a reading of Scripture by a child or a monk who would be interrupted by the superior in order to gloss or explain certain passages, or a local preacher might deliver his sermon to a lay audience with all the histrionic and rhetorical arts that he could muster.3 Medieval sermons varied in form and content, yet by Chaucer's time, even a lay audience would recognize certain features of an oration as having the character of a sermon. In several of the Canterbury Tales and in the prologues and links between the tales, Chaucer shows that the pilgrim audience is aware of sermon conventions and aware of what a preacher sounds like: when a pilgrim adopts a certain theme, tone, and style of speaking, the audience reacts to him or her as a preacher. There is a consistency in the elements that the pilgrims define as a sermon, but Chaucer incorporated sermon conventions into a tale or prologue for many different reasons. Throughout the Canterbury Tales, he explored the relationship between the group of pilgrims and the one who becomes defined as the "prechour," but in some tales, he examined more closely the contradictions between preachers and their themes, and in others, he demonstrated some of the excesses of preaching rhetoric and style. The sermon, like other genres such as the confession or the dramatic monologue, was a literary form which could be used to explore character and the relationships among people, and a tale-telling contest on the way to the tomb of Saint Thomas Beckett was a perfect opportunity for Chaucer to manipulate some of the aspects of medieval preaching that intrigued him most.
Epidermal cell fate and patterning in leaves.

that ma- ture differentiated cells are distributed in a characteristic pattern. One of the simplest possible patterns in tissues is that in which a minimum distance is maintained between dif- ferentiated cells in a two-dimensional sheet of cells (Wolpert, 1971). Such a pattern could be created by several different mechanisms. For example, the initial positioning of precur- sor cells could be random within a field of equally compe- tent cells, with adjacent cells subsequently prevented from assuming the precursor cell fate by lateral inhibition. Alter- natively, a prepatterning could exist so that the selection or placement of the precursor cells is nonrandom. Regardless of how precursor cells are placed, the production of new cells from a precursor cell can also contribute to the final spacing pattern (Sachs, 1978). Although the molecular inter- actions guiding patterning are known for such model sys- tems as epidermal bristle formation in Drosophila (Ghysen et al., 1993), little is known about the nature of the intercellular signaling that establishes cell patterning in plants (see Clark, 1997; Kerstetter and Hake, 1997; Laux and Jurgens, 1997; McLean et al., 1997; Poethig, 1997; and Schiefelbein et al., 1997, in this issue, for further discussion). The epidermis of plant leaves provides an excellent
A comparative study of internally and externally capped balloons using small scale test balloons

Caps have been used to structurally reinforce scientific research balloons since the late 1950's. The scientific research balloons used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) use internal caps. A NASA cap placement specification does not exist since no empirical information exisits concerning cap placement. To develop a cap placement specification, NASA has completed two in-hangar inflation tests comparing the structural contributions of internal caps and external caps. The tests used small scale test balloons designed to develop the highest possible stresses within the constraints of the hangar and balloon materials. An externally capped test balloon and an internally capped test balloon were designed, built, inflated and simulated to determine the structural contributions and benefits of each. The results of the tests and simulations are presented.
Rapid Multiplex PCR Assay for Identification of USA300 Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates

Recent reports have noted a discernible increase in the number of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections in patients without traditional risk factors. In the United States, the most prominent CA-MRSA strain encodes Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) cytotoxin genes, belongs to pulsed field gel electrophoresis type USA300 and multilocus sequence type 8, and carries staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type IV. At present, molecular characterization of MRSA strains, such as USA300, can be time-consuming and is often beyond the technical capability of many clinical laboratories, making routine identification difficult. We analyzed the chromosomal regions flanking the SCCmec element in 44 USA300 MRSA isolates and identified a signature “AT repeat” sequence within the conserved hypothetical gene SACOL0058 located 1.4 kb downstream of the 3′ end of the J1-SCCmec chromosomal junction. Only USA300 isolates tested contained a sequence of ≥6 AT repeats in combination with PVL (e.g., related USA500 or Iberian strains had ≥6 AT repeats but were PVL negative). Using a locked nucleic acid primer specific for ≥6 AT repeats in combination with primers to detect PVL, we developed a multiplex PCR assay specific for the identification of USA300 strains. Multiplex results were 100% concordant with DNA sequencing, suggesting that the method has promise as a means of rapidly identifying USA300 isolates.
Injection-locked 1.55-/spl mu/m tunable VCSEL for uncooled WDM transmitter applications

We study the temperature effects on injection-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) for use in wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) transmitters. We show that injection locking can be used to lock an uncooled VCSEL to the WDM grid while improving its analog performance.
The voter initiative and the power of the governor: evidence from campaign expenditures

Although a great deal of research examines the impact of the voter initiative process on the state legislature, the consequences for the state executive branch have been largely ignored. The voter initiative process provides the governor with a method to circumvent the legislature, which may increase the power of the governor in theory. However, it also provides citizens with a means to bypass the traditional lawmaking process and avoid the governor’s veto. This may reduce the power of the governor and lead to policies farther from the preferences of the governor. This study examines the impact of the voter initiative process on the power of the state governor by estimating total election cycle spending. Campaign expenditures are expected to reflect any sustained gain or loss in power due to the availability of the voter initiative process. The results indicate that gubernatorial campaign expenditures are significantly lower in states in which the voter initiative process is available. This finding suggests that state governors sustain a loss in political power when the voter initiative is available. Additionally, the findings imply that individuals may employ the voter initiative process as a substitute for gubernatorial support.
Why University Students Don't Read: What Professors Can Do to Increase Compliance.

This article reports findings from two studies assessing reading compliance among first semester freshmen at a small Midwestern two-year liberal arts university. The first study assessed reading compliance of students enrolled in two sections of First Year Seminar, finding that 46% of students reported that they read assignments, yet only 55% of those students were able to demonstrate the most basic level of comprehension of the material they claimed to have read. Reasons most frequently cited by students to explain their failure to read and advice that noncompliant readers say will increase their compliance are identified. The second study assessed reading compliance in a 3-course learning community of first semester freshmen, incorporating one piece of noncompliant reader advice in each of the courses, finding that quizzes and graded journals greatly increased reading compliance.
The thermal analysis of polymers. V. Effects of crosslinking and hard block crystallinity on the mechanical behavior of polyurethane elastomers

Linear expansion measurements have been used to correlated the degree of molecular ordering of a polyurethane elastomer with the increase in hard block content. The lower the value of the linear coefficient of expansion, αL, the higher the degree of molecular fit. The soft block exerts the major influence on the coefficient of expansion below its fusion temperature (45°C), and the value usually decreases as the hard block content increases. Extenstion with aromatic diols causes the αL to decreases at 100°C as the hard block content increases. Crosslinking a urethane prepolymer with triol increases the expansivity over the diol-extended elastomer. Keeping the NCO/OH ratio in the range 0.975 to 1.06 causes the lowest coefficient of expansion. For elastomers of low crystallinity, no correlation can be made between hard block content and enthalpy.
Debiasing Balanced Scorecard Evaluations

Lipe and Salterio (2000) found that superiors disregarded half of the information when using a Balanced Scorecard to evaluate the performance of two divisional managers. Only common measures affected the superiors' holistic evaluations, defeating the purpose of the Balanced Scorecard. Our study examines whether disaggregating the Balanced Scorecard results in evaluations consistent with the intent of the Balanced Scorecard approach. Results indicate the disaggregated strategy allows superiors to utilize unique as well as common measures, thus overcoming the common‐measures bias. In addition, we find Balanced Scorecard performance evaluations explain more than half the variation in subsequent compensation decisions.
Are ecosystem services stabilized by differences among species? A test using crop pollination

Biological diversity could enhance ecosystem service provision by increasing the mean level of services provided, and/or by providing more consistent (stable) services over space and time. Ecological theory predicts that when an ecosystem service is provided by many species, it will be stabilized against disturbance by a variety of ‘stabilizing mechanisms.’ However, few studies have investigated whether stabilizing mechanisms occur in real landscapes affected by human disturbance. We used two datasets on crop pollination by wild native bees to screen for and differentiate among three stabilizing mechanisms: density compensation (negative co-variance among species' abundances); response diversity (differential response to environmental variables among species); and cross-scale resilience (response to the same environmental variable at different scales by different species). In both datasets, we found response diversity and cross-scale resilience, but not density compensation. We conclude that stabilizing mechanisms may contribute to the stability of pollination services in our study areas, emphasizing the insurance value of seemingly ‘redundant’ species. Furthermore, the absence of density compensation that we found at the landscape scale contrasts with findings of previous small-scale experimental and modelling work, suggesting that we should not assume that density compensation will stabilize ecosystem services in real landscapes.
Unions and wages in Nevada’s hotel-casino industry

A significant union presence in the Las Vegas hotelcasino industry juxtaposed to the near absence of union representation in the Reno area provides a unique setting to study union wage effects in the industry. Results of the analysis using state wage survey data indicate that after controlling for unobserved heterogeneity in the two locations median wages in occupations in Las Vegas with substantial union coverage are 24 percent higher than wages in identical occupations in Reno.
A COMPARISON OF THE ACADEMIC INDEX ON CDROM WITH FOUR WILSON INDEXES ON THE OPAC

Brooklyn College (BC) is a senior college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. It confers Bachelors and Masters degrees and cooperates with the CUNY Graduate Center in conferring PhD degrees. In the spring of 1993, approximately 12 000 undergraduates and 500 graduate students were enrolled. The BC library serves all these students plus faculty and staff.
The effects of global changes upon regional ozone pollution in the United States

Abstract. A comprehensive numerical modeling framework was developed to estimate the effects of collective global changes upon ozone pollution in the US in 2050. The framework consists of the global climate and chemistry models, PCM (Parallel Climate Model) and MOZART-2 (Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers v.2), coupled with regional meteorology and chemistry models, MM5 (Mesoscale Meteorological model) and CMAQ (Community Multi-scale Air Quality model). The modeling system was applied for two 10-year simulations: 1990–1999 as a present-day base case and 2045–2054 as a future case. For the current decade, the daily maximum 8-h moving average (DM8H) ozone mixing ratio distributions for spring, summer and fall showed good agreement with observations. The future case simulation followed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A2 scenario together with business-as-usual US emission projections and projected alterations in land use, land cover (LULC) due to urban expansion and changes in vegetation. For these projections, US anthropogenic NOx (NO+NO2) and VOC (volatile organic carbon) emissions increased by approximately 6% and 50%, respectively, while biogenic VOC emissions decreased, in spite of warmer temperatures, due to decreases in forested lands and expansion of croplands, grasslands and urban areas. A stochastic model for wildfire emissions was applied that projected 25% higher VOC emissions in the future. For the global and US emission projection used here, regional ozone pollution becomes worse in the 2045–2054 period for all months. Annually, the mean DM8H ozone was projected to increase by 9.6 ppbv (22%). The changes were higher in the spring and winter (25%) and smaller in the summer (17%). The area affected by elevated ozone within the US continent was projected to increase; areas with levels exceeding the 75 ppbv ozone standard at least once a year increased by 38%. In addition, the length of the ozone season was projected to increase with more pollution episodes in the spring and fall. For selected urban areas, the system projected a higher number of pollution events per year and these events had more consecutive days when DM8H ozone exceed 75 ppbv.
Biaxial shear of confined colloidal hard spheres: the structure and rheology of the vorticity-aligned string phase†

Using a novel biaxial confocal rheoscope, we investigate the flow of the shear induced vorticity aligned string phase [X. Cheng et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., 2011, 109, 63], which has a highly anisotropic microstructure. Using biaxial shear protocols we show that we have excellent control of the string phase anisotropic morphology. We choose a shear protocol that drives the system into the string phase. Subsequently, a biaxial force measurement device is used to determine the suspension rheology along both the flow and vorticity directions. We find no measurable dependence of the suspension stress response along the shear and vorticity directions due to the hydrodynamically induced string morphology. In particular, we find that the suspension's high frequency stress response is nearly identical along the two orthogonal directions. While we do observe an anisotropic stress response at lower shear frequencies associated with shear thinning, we show that this anisotropy is independent of the shear induced string structure. These results suggest that for the range of flows explored, Brownian and hydrodynamic contributions to the stress arising from the anisotropic suspension microstructure are sufficiently weak that they do not significantly contribute to the rheology. Collectively, this study presents a general and powerful approach for using biaxial confocal rheometry to elucidate the relationship between microstructure and rheology in complex fluids driven far-from-equilibrium.
Total synthesis and study of 6-deoxyerythronolide B by late-stage C-H oxidation

Among the frontier challenges in chemistry in the twenty-first century are the interconnected goals of increasing synthetic efficiency and diversity in the construction of complex molecules. Oxidation reactions of C–H bonds, particularly when applied at late stages of complex molecule syntheses, hold special promise for achieving both these goals. Here we report a late-stage C–H oxidation strategy in the total synthesis of 6-deoxyerythronolide B (6-dEB), the aglycone precursor to the erythromycin antibiotics. An advanced intermediate is cyclized to give the 14-membered macrocyclic core of 6-dEB using a late-stage (step 19 of 22) C–H oxidative macrolactonization reaction that proceeds with high regio-, chemo- and diastereoselectivity (>40:1). A chelate-controlled model for macrolactonization predicted the stereochemical outcome of C–O bond formation and guided the discovery of conditions for synthesizing the first diastereomeric 13-epi-6-dEB precursor. Overall, this C–H oxidation strategy affords a highly efficient and stereochemically versatile synthesis of the erythromycin core. A synthesis of 6-deoxyerythronolide B is reported that uses a late-stage C–H oxidative macrocyclization reaction to forge the key macrocyclic core found in the erythromycins. By installing oxygen at a late-stage, this strategy improves synthetic efficiency by minimizing the ‘oxygen load’, and provides stereochemical versatility at the site of oxidation.
Stimulus equivalence and rule following

The present study examined the occurrence of a novel behavior pattern with respect to a novel configuration of stimuli enabled by the participation of those stimuli in equivalence classes. In Experiment 1, functional substitutabilities were established via equivalence between two independent sets of musical stimuli. Aspects of stimuli from the two sets were then compounded to produce novel stimulus configurations. Behavioral components enabled by each separate class combined to produce novel musical performances and accurate descriptions of them. In Experiment 2, the impact of experimenter-provided names for equivalence classes on the musical performances was investigated in naive subjects by establishing similar classes without experimenter-provided names. The results indicated few differences in the playing performances under these conditions. These experiments demonstrated a possible method for the analysis of rule following.
Do species distribution models predict species richness in urban and natural green spaces? A case study using amphibians

Abstract Urban green spaces are potentially important to biodiversity conservation because they could provide patches of high quality habitat or connectivity to nearby habitat. Presence-only species distribution models (SDMs) represent a potential tool for assessing the biodiversity value of urban green space; however, there is limited research to validate SDM results with field surveys to see if the predictions accurately represent observed species richness. We generated a range of SDMs using multiple suitability thresholds for 23 species of amphibians that occur in southwest, Ohio, USA. The distributions were overlaid to enumerate species richness. We surveyed 20 sites for amphibian species to evaluate model predictions. Our models over-predicted species richness relative to survey data. For example, we observed a mean pairwise difference of 14 species between models of species richness and observed values. Our results suggest either SDMs built with landscape variables we selected did not represent accurately amphibian richness, or the amphibian surveys did not detect all species present. Analyzing sites that had more than three sampling events suggests the explanation of inadequate sampling effort is only partially correct. Differences such as that between predicted and observed values of species richness is a challenge for land managers and conservation biologists that need a tool for modeling biodiversity. Species distribution models did project relative species richness well in urban and non-urban green space, which suggests this technique offers a spatially explicit way to identify more species rich areas and may help managers and conservation biologists manage systems with greater efficiency.
Synthesis and Dopaminergic Activity of 3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-1-n-propylpyrrolidine Hydrobromide

3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-1-n-propylpyrrolidine hydrobromide was synthesized by a six-step reaction sequence and was evaluated, and compared with apomorphine, for central dopaminergic agonist activity. The compound produced behavioral and biochemical changes characteristic of central dopaminergic stimulation. Administration of 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-n-propylpyrrolidine hydrobromide to rats resulted in the reversal of the reserpine syndrome, stereotypic behavior, contralateral turning following 6-hydroxydopamine lesion of the substantia nigra, a decrease in dopamine turnover, and inhibition of prolactin release. These results indicate that 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-n-propylpyrrolidine hydrobromide is a dopaminergic agonist. However, the compound exhibited a lower potency but a slightly longer duration of action than apomorphine.
Balancing Service and Education in Residency Training: A Logical Fallacy

The system of residency training in the United States has at its core a perpetual tension between service and education. Graduate medical education (GME) is financed through prospective payments to teaching hospitals, where house officers compose a significant portion of the health care workforce. Numerous changes have occurred during the past 20 years that have put increasing pressure on this delicate balance. Radical transformation in the structure and process of GME training, most notably duty hour limitations, has led to compression of work, coupled with increasing emphasis on patient safety and quality. Hospitals have simultaneously undergone equally radical changes resulting from economic forces that have intensified pressure on faculty to increase clinical productivity to generate revenue. As a result, less time is available for faculty to teach and for trainees to learn.
Isolated Rupture of the Pronator Teres in an Amateur Golfer: A Case Report

We report a case of isolated rupture of the muscle belly of the pronator teres in an amateur golfer. This 59 year old male sustained an injury to his dominant arm while hitting a shot with his driver. He had no history of medial elbow pain. Physical exam revealed no instability, and no injury to the ulnar collateral ligament was seen on MRI. MRI demonstrated grade 3 strain of the pronator teres musculature without avulsion from the medial epicondyle. He was treated conservatively with rest and physical therapy, and he returned to play 4 weeks after injury. The pronator teres is often injured in cases of medial epicondylitis or ulnar collateral ligament tear, but ruptures without associated prodromal symptoms or ligamentous injury have rarely been described. We review the literature on injuries to the pronator teres and describe conservative management of this injury.
Applying the Law Therapeutically in Domestic Violence Cases

This Article applies the approach of therapeutic jurisprudence to the processing of domestic violence cases. It explores selected topics and controversies in domestic violence law, analyzing them through the lens of therapeutic jurisprudence. In addition to proposing changes in the law in this area, it offers suggestions about how the various legal actors that deal with domestic violence cases - police, judges and other court personnel, prosecutors, and defense lawyers - can perform their roles in ways that can help to rehabilitate offenders and bring about healing for their victims.
How We Do it

(1951). How We Do it. Journal of the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation: Vol. 22, No. 8, pp. 57-60.
The Unique Methodology of Policy Research

Most research methodologies are geared towards basic research. There is a need to develop a distinct methodology for policy research. Its most important attribute is that it must focus research on those variables that are malleable. For basic researchers, whether or not a given factor can be changed or - is a given condition, is not of more interest than any other significant differences in attributes. In principle, all worse knowing. In contrast, for a policy researcher, the level of malleability is central because policy research seeks not merely to understand the world but also to help change it. Next a policy researcher needs to rank variables according to their relative degree of malleability. Another key difference between basic and policy research is that the first kind of research can remain highly focused, and drill deep to study one or a few variables. Policy researchers best open their lenses wide - because when changes are sought it is not possible to ignore any of the variables that account for a significant part of the variance. Additional differences between the two kinds of research include the ways they are reported, whether the information is or is not public, and their normativity.
The Good, the Better, and the Beautiful Between(er) Cowboys and Indians Decolonizing the West

This coperformed autoethnographic inquiry explores “the West” as both a seductive and a subjugating narrative terrain on which betweener identities must navigate the colonizing structures of Western epistemologies. On this terrain, we collaboratively engage the metaphors and tropes of “Cowboys” and “Indians” within a broader critique of knowledge production in the Western academy. As a decolonizing performance, our journey invites a collective turning of the academic gaze away from objectifying the Other and toward making Western systems of knowledge themselves the objects of inquiry.
Efficient lipid-mediated gene transfer to articular chondrocytes.

We examined nonviral, lipid-mediated gene transfer methods as potential tools for efficient transfection of articular chondrocytes. Transfection conditions were determined for primary cultures of normal human articular, osteoarthritic human articular and normal bovine articular chondrocytes using a lacZ reporter gene construct with the commercially available cationic liposomes Cellfectin, DMRIE-C, LipofectAmine, Lipofectin, LipoTaxi, TransFast and the lipid-based reagent FuGENE 6. Optimized conditions were then evaluated in an ex vivo model of chondrocyte transplantation. FuGENE 6 transfection produced the maximum levels of transgene expression. Transfection efficiency was cell type specific and affected by DNA concentration, lipid/DNA ratio and the presence of hyaluronidase, a matrix-degrading enzyme. Analysis of X-gal staining demonstrated an efficiency of 41.0% in normal bovine articular chondrocytes, 20.7% in normal human articular chondrocytes and 7.8% in osteoarthritic human chondrocytes. Transfected chondrocytes were found to successfully populate the articular cartilage surface in explant cultures. Transplanted genetically modified chondrocytes adhered to the articular cartilage and continued to produce β-galactosidase for 2 weeks. This evaluation and optimization of lipid-based gene transfer into articular chondrocytes may serve as a useful tool in studies of genes involved in articular cartilage damage and repair and as a potential delivery method for therapeutic genes.
Effect of various plasma volume expanders on erythrocyte size.

ConclusionsDextran, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, serum albumin, gelatin, plasma and normal saline have no effect on erythrocyte size in vitro under conditions simulating those in the body.
The relation of p53 protein nuclear accumulation and angiogenesis in human prostatic carcinoma.

The relation of p53 protein nuclear accumulation and angiogenesis in human prostatic carcinoma
Bad Boys: Circumcellions and Fictive Violence

The circumcellions were roving bands of violent men and women found in late Roman Africa. The problem is that far more of them have been produced by literary fictions, ancient and modern, than once existed. The fictions have their own intriguing history, but they are otherwise useless for those who are interested in the banality of what actually happened.
Management of Spine Injuries in the Austere Environment

Spinal column injuries are potentially devastating events that pose many difficult challenges to those involved in their care. Management of these injuries in low- and middle-income countries is often far more challenging than in more developed nations for both the healthcare providers and the patients’ families. The majority of spinal injuries, particularly those with spinal cord involvement, are the result of high-energy trauma, and these patients often have multiple injuries – head, orthopedic, intra-abdominal, and urological – all which contribute to the morbidity and mortality of the patient. Spinal injuries have social, psychological, and financial consequences for the patient, their relatives, and the healthcare system as a whole.
Fast and Low Loss Gate Driver for SiC-MOSFET

This paper presents a gate driver with fast switching and low switching loss for silicon carbide-metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors. The proposed driver consists of a very simple gate boost circuit and a speed up circuit, and so is cost-effective. Normally, conventional gate drive methods include a trade-off between switching losses and noise. The proposed gate driver can reduce switching losses without increasing surge voltage as well as voltage and current fluctuations. The proposed gate driver is able to eliminate the trade-offs in the switching characteristics.
Role of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 γ34.5 in the Regulation of IRF3 Signaling.

Abstract During viral infection, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and their associated adaptors recruit TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) to activate interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), resulting in production of type I interferons (IFNs). ICP0 and ICP34.5 are amongst the proteins encoded by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) that modulate type I IFN signaling. We constructed a recombinant virus (ΔXX) which lacks amino acids 87 - 106, a portion of the previously described TBK1-binding domain of the γ34.5 gene (D. Verpooten, Y. Ma, S. Hou, Z. Yan, and B. He, J Biol Chem 284 (2):1097-105, 2009, doi:10.1074/JBC.M805905200). These 20 residues are outside of the γ34.5 beclin1-binding domain (BBD) that interacts with Beclin1 and regulates autophagy. Unexpectedly, ΔXX showed no deficit in replication in vivo in a variety of tissues and showed comparable virulence to wild-type and marker-rescued viruses following intracerebral infection. ΔXX was fully capable of mediating the dephosphorylation of eIF2α, and this virus was capable of controlling the phosphorylation of IRF3. In contrast, a null mutant in γ34.5 failed to control IRF3 phosphorylation due to an inability of this mutant to sustain expression of ICP0. Our data show that while γ34.5 regulates IRF3 phosphorylation, the TBK1-binding domain itself has no impact on IRF3 phosphorylation, or on replication and pathogenesis in mice.IMPORTANCE Interferons (IFNs) are potent activators of a variety of host responses that serve to control virus infections. The Herpesviridae have evolved countermeasures to IFN responses. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) encodes the multifunctional neurovirulence protein, ICP34.5. In this study, we investigated the biological relevance of the interaction between ICP34.5 and TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1), an activator of IFN responses. Here, we establish that although ICP34.5 binds TBK1 under certain conditions through a TBK1-binding domain (TBD), there was no direct impact of the TBD on viral replication or virulence in mice. Furthermore, we showed that activation of IRF3, a substrate of TBK1, was independent of the TBD. Instead, we provided evidence that the ability of ICP34.5 to control IRF3 activation is through its ability to reverse translational shutoff, and sustain the expression of other IFN inhibitors encoded by the virus. This work provides new insights into the immunomodulatory functions of ICP34.5.
Masters in Information Systems: A Web-Centric Model Curriculum

Web Technology has changed conventional Information Systems (IS) and conventional Information Technology (IT) as we know it. There is no doubt that Web technology will provide the foundation for most future software systems. IS curriculum therefore needs to be brought up to date to reflect this reality. In this paper we update our earlier research leading to the design of a graduate model curriculum for Information Systems and describe a generic web-centric Information Systems Masters curriculum model. It is strong on web-technology and its goal is to produce students who are comfortable with both today's technology and technology of the future. Universities and colleges can adapt this curriculum model to design a new Masters in IS curriculum or simply to bring up to date any existing IS/IT curriculum. The model suggests new core concentration courses, and concentration electives.
Non-g residuals of group factors predict ability tilt, college majors, and jobs: A non-g nexus

Abstract This study examined the predictive power of non-g residuals of group factors (based on multiple tests) for diverse criteria (e.g., aptitude tests, college majors, occupations). Test scores were drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (N = 1950). Four group factors (math, verbal, speed, shop/technical) were estimated using the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a diverse battery of 12 cognitive tests. The residuals of the group factors were estimated after removing g (variance common to all tests) and were correlated with aptitude test scores (SAT, ACT, PSAT), ability tilt (i.e., difference between math and verbal scores on the aptitude tests), and college majors and jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and the humanities. The math residuals correlated positively with math/STEM criteria and negatively with verbal/humanities criteria. In contrast, the verbal residuals showed the opposite pattern. The residuals of the two non-academic factors (speed and shop) generally correlated negligibly with all criteria. The results are the first to demonstrate the predictive power of group factor residuals for diverse criteria. The findings extend prior research on non-g factors for individual tests (SAT and ACT) and provide evidence of a non-g nexus involving group factors. The pattern of results supports investment theories, which predict that investment in one area (math) correlates positively with complementary criteria (math/STEM) but negatively with competing criteria (verbal/humanities).
Draft Genome Sequence of Cyanobacterium sp. Strain HL-69, Isolated from a Benthic Microbial Mat from a Magnesium Sulfate-Dominated Hypersaline Lake.

ABSTRACT The complete genome sequence of Cyanobacterium sp. strain HL-69 consists of 3,155,247 bp and contains 2,897 predicted genes comprising a chromosome and two plasmids. The genome is consistent with a halophilic nondiazotrophic phototrophic lifestyle, and this organism is able to synthesize most B vitamins and produces several secondary metabolites.
Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Coefficients of Si and GaAs in the Near-Infrared Spectral Region

The third-order optical nonlinearities of Si and GaAs have been characterized throughout the near-infrared spectral region (1.1-2 μm) using multiple ultrafast spectroscopic techniques. These results have been independently confirmed at two different laboratories.