cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acid-Responsive Linear Polyethylenimine for Efficient, Specific, and Biocompatible siRNA Delivery

Efficient intracellular processes including cytosolic release and unpackaging of siRNA from the carrier in the cytoplasm are efficiency-determining steps in achieving successful gene silencing. In this study, acid-degradable ketalized linear polyethylenimine (KL-PEI) was synthesized for efficient, intracellular target-specific, and biocompatible siRNA delivery. The siRNA/KL-PEI polyplexes resulted in much higher RNA interference efficiency than unmodified L-PEI via selective cytoplasmic localization of the polyplexes and efficient disassembly of siRNA from the polyplexes, which were promoted upon acid-hydrolysis of amino ketal linkages. Confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that siRNA was efficiently disassembled from the siRNA/KL-PEI polyplexes that were selectively localized in the cytoplasm. On the contrary, siRNA and unmodified linear PEI were colocalized in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus, and limited unpackaging of siRNA from the polyplexes was observed. In addition, ketalization further reduced the cytotoxicity of linear PEI but did not alter its serum-independent gene delivery efficiency. Therefore, KL-PEI is a promising nonviral vector for efficient and biocompatible siRNA delivery.
A meta-control algorithm for generating approximate solutions to binary integer programming problems

Binary integer program problems, which are known to be difficult to solve, have long been an important research area. We use a new approach with continualization techniques to find approximate solutions to binary integer programming problems. The algorithm constructs a sequence of approximations to a solution using a meta-control approach that has low polynomial time complexity. The algorithm is illustrated with a BIP example.
The effects of mandatory seat belt legislation on self-reported seat belt use among male and female college students

The effect of seat belt legislation on self-reported seat belt use among male and female college students was investigated. Questionnaires inquiring about seat belt use were administered to college students on three separate occasions: (i) two months prior to the time a mandatory seat belt law went into effect, (ii) two months after the law went into effect, and (iii) 16 months after the law went into effect. Reported seat belt use increased significantly for male and female college students two months after the law took effect. At 16 months postlaw, reported seat belt use remained high for female students but declined almost to the prelaw level for males. Possible reasons offered for these findings are that male college students may be more resistant to having their behavior regulated and, therefore, less likely to internalize changes forced on them, and college-age males may be more inclined to engage in risk-taking behavior than college-age females. The importance of considering males and females separately with respect to seat belt use and interventions designed to increase seat belt use is discussed.
The elastic strain energy associated with the olivine-spinel transformation and its implications

Abstract Eshelby's theory is used to calculate the elastic strain energy associated with coherent homogeneous nucleation for the olivine-spinel transformation. Incorporating the elastic strain energy, the activation energy, ΔG ∗ , for homogeneous nucleation is estimated using a quasi-Newton's method, a finite-difference gradient, and assuming an orientation-independent interfacial energy. For the limiting case of coherent, homogeneous nucleation and interface-controlled growth, the overall transformation rate along a relatively cold subducting slab (approximately 500°C at 400 km depth) is calculated for various nucleation rates (theoretical) and previously published growth rates (experimental). The result indicates that the transformation rate assuming coherent, homogeneous nucleation and interface-controlled growth may be comparable with that for grain boundary nucleation and interface-controlled growth in a relatively cold subducting slab. The large transformation strain energy and stresses can be greatly relaxed by plastic deformation of the olivine matrix. In a cold subducting slab, the deformation of olivine around a growing spinel grain or cluster of grains probably proceeds by the mechanism of low-temperature plasticity (dislocation glide). Under the influence of externally applied differential stresses, the interaction between the residual stresses around individual spinel inclusions may cause the formation of a through-going fault and initiate deep-focus earthquakes.
Challenges faced by international women professionals.

During the first half of the last century, female physicians of international origin arrived in the U.S. in significant numbers, predominantly from Western Europe. During the second half of the last century, they came from almost every part of the world. Most of these female physicians were not trained as psychiatrists in their country of origin, nor did their medical schools offer an education in psychiatry during their medical school clinical training that was equivalent to clinical training in the U.S. In fact, only select international medical schools offer opportunities to receive postgraduate psychiatry training. However, female physicians entering psychiatry training in the U.S. present a wide spectrum, varying from being directly out of medical school to practicing other medical specialties in their country of origin prior to arriving in the U.S. For international women, the decision to pursue psychiatry is not a simple task. Training opportunities usually have to be balanced with the needs of their spouses and the needs of their families. Opportunities to train in the U.S. are available based on academic credentials such as scores on USMLE and the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) Exam, visa status, ability to communicate in English, and clinical experience in the U.S. For international physicians, most opportunities to train in psychiatry as a specialty exist in the U.S., especially since most training programs offer more training positions than can be filled by American medical graduates. Several female physicians pursue psychiatry to balance career and family needs and to pursue their interest in child psychiatry. Empirical data indicates that the majority of female physicians arrive in the U.S. with their spouses. Conflicting demands (some of which are derived from within their own culture, and others are external) are often made on these women to receive appropriate training, provide financial support to their families, and fulfill the cultural expectation to carry out their domestic responsibilities, and they constantly juggle between family and career, which frequently leads to tremendous stress. Male psychiatrists, on the other hand, can leave the bulk of responsibility for running the family and household to their wives. Most international women do not have professional women as role models and mentors during their professional training in their country of origin. This often leads to self-imposed as well as culturally imposed expectations to be a superwoman and do it all. While some international female psychiatrists have succeeded in cultural adaptation, managing time, and receiving professional satisfaction, others have compromised by not pursuing leadership positions and sacrificing promotions and financial opportunities.
Circulation, Moisture, and Precipitation Relationships along the South Pacific Convergence Zone in Reanalyses and CMIP5 Models

AbstractOne theorized control on the position of the South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ) is the amount of low-level inflow from the relatively dry southeastern Pacific basin. Building on an analysis of observed SPCZ region synoptic-scale variability by Lintner and Neelin, composite analysis is performed here on two reanalysis products as well as output from 17 models in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Using low-level zonal wind as a compositing index, it is shown that the CMIP5 ensemble mean, as well as many of the individual models, captures patterns of wind, specific humidity, and precipitation anomalies resembling those obtained for reanalysis fields between weak- and strong-inflow phases. Lead–lag analysis of both the reanalyses and models is used to develop a conceptual model for the formation of each composite phase. This analysis indicates that an equatorward-displaced Southern Hemisphere storm track and an eastward-displaced equatorial eastern Pacific westerly (wind...
Binding of Full-Length HIV-1 gp120 to CD4 Induces Structural Reorientation around the gp120 Core

Small-angle x-ray scattering data on the unliganded full-length fully glycosylated HIV-1 gp120, the soluble CD4 (domains 1-2) receptor, and their complex in solution are presented. Ab initio structure restorations using these data provides the first look at the envelope shape for the unliganded and the complexed gp120 molecule. Fitting known crystal structures of the unliganded SIV and the complexed HIV gp120 core regions within our resultant shape constraints reveals movement of the V3 loop upon binding.
Quantum Critical Scaling and Temperature-Dependent Logarithmic Corrections in the Spin-Half Heisenberg Chain

Low temperature dynamics of the S=(1)/(2) Heisenberg chain is studied via a simple ansatz generalizing the conformal mapping and analytic continuation procedures to correlation functions with multiplicative logarithmic factors. Closed form expressions for the dynamic susceptibility and the NMR relaxation rates 1/T{sub 1} and 1/T{sub 2G} are obtained, and are argued to improve the agreement with recent experiments. Scaling in q/T and {omega}/T are violated due to these logarithmic terms. Numerical results show that the logarithmic corrections are very robust. While not yet in the asymptotic low temperature regime, they provide striking qualitative confirmation of the theoretical results. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Blindness, empathy, and ‘feeling seeing’: Literary and insider accounts of blind experience

Abstract This article charts something of the complicated relation between the sighted reader and the articulation of experiences of blindness by the non-sighted and the becoming-blind. This is achieved, firstly, through an analysis of tropes and folk myths derived from Presocratic myths dealing with conceptions of blindness by the sighted, and secondly through related instances of autobiographical writing by blind subjects that explore or explode such tropes. Throughout the article is an underlying notion of empathic vision, or ‘feeling seeing’. For, alongside an enduring fascination with what the blind ‘see’ (e.g. Sacks, 2003 ), for the sighted reader there is an allied inquisitiveness concerning what the blind feel.
Construction of the affine Lie algebra A1 (1)

We give an explicit construction of the affine Lie algebraA 1 (1) as an algebra of differential operators on ℂ[x 1,x 3,x 5, ...]. This algebra is spanned by the creation and annihilation operators and by the homogeneous components of a certain “exponential generating function” which is strikingly similar to the vertex operator in the string model.
Performance comparison of fundamental anisotropic diffusion algorithms

Anisotropic diffusion (AD), first introduced by Perona and Malik (PM), provides image enhancement a strong benefit as it favors intra-region over inter-region smoothing. Early updates on the original PM algorithm focused on the cures for its drawbacks. Later some authors provided their own versions of AD techniques with a wide variety of applications. We surveyed the pros and cons of many fundamental AD techniques. To put our purpose into perspective, we compared the performances of fundamental AD algorithms to simple traditional filters and to more sophisticated tools such as wavelets. Visual inspection and two mathematical criteria are used for performance comparison: Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and universal image quality index (UIQI). We believe that a good overview of its simplicity and power will show the rightful reason of so much interest in anisotropic diffusion since its introduction.
Characterization of agitation environments in 250 ml spinner vessel, 3 L, and 20 L reactor vessels used for animal cell microcarrier culture

Three dimensional particle tracking velocimetry (3-D PTV) was used to characterize the flow fields in the impeller region of three microcarrier reactor vessels. Three typical cell culture bioreactors were chosen: 250 ml small-scale spinner vessels, 3 L bench-scale reactor, and 20 L medium-scale reactor. Conditions studied correspond to the actual operating conditions in industrial setting and were determined based on the current scale-up paradigm: the Kolmogorov eddy length criterion. In this paper we present characterization of hydrodynamics on the basis of flow structures produced because of agitation. Flow structures were determined from 3-D mean velocity results obtained using 3-D PTV. Although the impellers used in 3 L and 20 L reactors were almost identical, the flow structures produced in the two reactors differed considerably. Results indicate that near geometric scale up does not necessarily amount to scale-up of flow patterns and indicates that intensity as well as distribution of energy may vary considerably during such a scale-up.
Collective Bargaining in the Twenty‐First Century: A Negotiations Institution at Risk

Collective bargaining, a core social institution, faces a fundamental transformational challenge. National survey data provide unique insights into the current status of the bargaining process — revealing challenges and opportunities. Awareness and use of interest-based bargaining principles is widespread but complicated by underlying tensions between labor and management. The findings illustrate the value of conducting an institutional-level analysis of a negotiations process.
Programmed ventricular stimulation in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and ventricular tachycardia: effects of acute hemodynamic improvement due to nitroprusside.

Abstract To assess the electrophysiologic effects of acute hemodynamic improvement in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction, 12 patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction The right ventricular effective refractory period, measured during ventricular drive trains at cycle lengths of 400 and 600 ms, were similar during baseline and nitroprus-side periods (271 ± 30 versus 274 ± 31 ms at 600 ms, and 249 ± 25 versus 246 ± 18 ms at 400 ms). In 2 patients no ventricular arrhythmias were induced during either study period; in the other 10, ventricular tachyarrhythmias were induced during both periods. The mean number of extra-stimuli required to induce a ventricular tachyarrhythmia was similar during the baseline period (1.8 ± 0.6) and during nitroprusside infusion (1.9 ± 0.7). As well, the mean cycle length of ventricular tachycardia induced was similar during the baseline period (347 ± 61 ms) and during nitroprusside infusion (342 ± 70 ms). Thus, in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and ventricular tachycardia due to coronary artery disease, acute hemodynamic improvement with a reduction in left ventricular size does not affect characteristics of ventricular tachycardia induction. Determination of whether long-term vasodilator treatment affects these characteristics requires further study.
Developmental patterns associated with founding and swarming in colonies of the African honey bee race, Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier

The developmental patterns of naturally occurring, recently founded colonies of the African honey bee race, Apis mellifera scutellata, were examined in the Okavango River Delta, Botswana. Colonies moved into the study area beginning in mid-June. During the first 3-4 months after founding, colonies devoted most comb area to worker brood production, reared few or no drones, emphasized pollen collection, yet stored little food. Reproductive swarming occurred in October-November, at which time brood production declined, and food storage and drone production increased. Thus, the developmental strategy of newly founded colonies in the Okavango is geared towards rapid growth and the immediate channeling of harvested resources into worker brood, which culminates in a relatively brief period of reproductive swarming
THE PROGNOSTIC UTILITY OF A MODIFIED HEART SCORE IN PATIENTS WITH CHEST PAIN IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT APPLIED TO THE TRAPID-AMI STUDY

The TRAPID-AMI study was a multicenter trial evaluating the high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) assay in a rapid “rule-out” acute myocardial infarction (AMI) strategy in the Emergency Department (ED). We evaluated a modified HEART score (HS) to identify a low-risk group that involves
A radiometric assay for methyl red azoreductase DT-diaphorase [EC 1.6.99.2].

Abstract A rapid radiometric assay for measuring oxygen insensitive methyl red azoreductase has been developed. [14C]Methyl red was synthesized from [U-14C]aniline; the final product had a radiochemical purity of ≥98%. [14C]Methyl red was then used as the substrate to assay azoreductase activity using a modification of a previously published procedure. Results obtained by the radiometric assay were comparable to those obtained using the fluorescent procedure. The radiometric assay is quick, simple, and reliable. Methyl red azoreductase has been shown to be identical with DT-diaphorase [EC 1.6.99.2]. The assay described can therefore be used to assay DT-diaphorase activity and does not suffer from the limitations, such as lack of specificity and low sensitivity, usually associated with DT-diaphorase assays.
International "Decentering" and Democratization: The Case of Thailand

Democratization is an international process resulting from the socialization of state-society units into the modern global culture which originated some two centuries ago in the West. Contrary to the assumptions of world-polity and some democratization theorists, however, state socialization to democracy as a constitutive norm is far from assured, and in particular, some states (guardians) resist socialization fiercely while others (gatekeepers) embrace it. Guardian states such as China and Burma developed their traditions of resistance as a result of being unable to resolve the "tiyong crisis" in a way that would finesse geopolitical and geo-symbolic decentering. In contrast, gatekeeper states such as Thailand and Taiwan have never evinced concern for decentering. Elites in the pre-modern Siamese state resolved their tiyong crisis by re-imagining the Thai national essence as consistent with modernity's basic presuppositions--a development that eventually helped facilitate Thailand's democratization. Once transformed in the 1990s, the Thai state became an agent of socialization by proselytizing for democracy within ASEAN. Successful democratization is a complex historical process resulting from, among other things, the socialization of state-society units into an international normative order "modern" and Western in origin. Numerous actors at home and abroad promote democratization in the process of socializing non-democratic states into what Stanford sociologist John Meyer and his prot6g6s have called a "world polity" informed by a modernist "global culture."' Agents of socialization include other states, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), journalists, academics, labor activists, religious leaders, and others. Not all states yield to socialization pressures and undergo successful democratization, of course; and some, in fact, steadfastly resist. Resister states, this essay
Reduction of Theta Rhythm Dissociates Grid Cell Spatial Periodicity from Directional Tuning

Grid cells recorded in the medial entorhinal cortex of freely moving rats exhibit firing at regular spatial locations and temporal modulation with theta rhythm oscillations (4 to 11 hertz). We analyzed grid cell spatial coding during reduction of network theta rhythm oscillations caused by medial septum (MS) inactivation with muscimol. During MS inactivation, grid cells lost their spatial periodicity, whereas head-direction cells maintained their selectivity. Conjunctive grid–by–head-direction cells lost grid cell spatial periodicity but retained head-direction specificity. All cells showed reduced rhythmicity in autocorrelations and cross-correlations. This supports the hypothesis that spatial coding by grid cells requires theta oscillations, and dissociates the mechanisms underlying the generation of entorhinal grid cell periodicity and head-direction selectivity.
The effect of composition on the density of Indian Ocean waters

Abstract The conductivity and density was measured on samples collected in the Indian Ocean during the I9 Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) cruise. The relative densities ρ − ρ 0 were compared to those determined from the equation of state of seawater. The excess densities Δ ρ = ρ Meas − ρ Calc ranged from 0 in surface waters to 0.025 kg m −3 in deep waters due to additions of nutrients and carbonates. The values Δ ρ were found to be a linear function of the increases of TA, TCO 2 , Si(OH) 4 and NO 3 in the deep waters ( σ =0.004−0.005 kg m −3 ). The correlations with changes in Si(OH) 4 gave the best estimates since the concentrations do not have a large effect on the conductivity. By combining the Indian and earlier Pacific measurements ( N =249), we have10 3 Δ ρ /kg m −3 =0.12+104ΔSi(OH) 4 ( σ =0.0041 kg m −3 ). These results indicate that the effect of changes in the composition of seawater for most of the world oceans can be estimated from the combined results in the Pacific and Indian oceans. The excess densities can also be accounted for by determining the change in the absolute salinity of seawater, defined as S A = S +Δ S , where S is the conductivity salinity and Δ S is equal to the mass of added nutrients and carbonates. S A can then be used in the equation of state to calculate the density ( σ =0.0041×10 −6 kg m −3 ). Measurements made on artificial seawater ( S =35) agree with the values determined from the equations of state, indicating that the dissolved organic compounds in seawater do not affect the conductivity to density relationships for real seawater. We recommended either S A or ΔSi(OH) 4 be used to estimate the changes in the density of seawater due to the addition of nutrients and carbonates to ocean waters.
Synthesis and Analysis of a Digital Droplet-Size Control System

Abstract Iaminar jet break-up caused by Rayleigh's instability. First, the control plant is represented as an algebraic affine nonlinear system with disturbances. To obtain an on-line droplet diameter measurement, an imaging system was employed and an image processing algorithm was developed. Then, a digital integral controller was synthesized, and explicit stability conditions were derived and incorporated in the design of the controller. The proposed control system is shown to provide uniformly sized droplets of molten metals with the melting temperatures of up to 1200°C., with less than 3% variation over the diameter range of 100μm -800μm, despite the existence of disturbances.
Reducing inventories in a multi-echelon manufacturing firm A case study

Abstract The effective planning and control of inventories in multi-echelon operations continues to be difficult in modern manufacturing firms. Theoretical models tend to require substantial amounts of data and to make many restrictive assumptions, thus they generally are not often used in practical business situations. On the other hand, the simplistic rules of thumb and the lack of coordination between echelons (levels) typically found in many multi-echelon manufacturing situations frequently lead to excessive inventories both in the firm and throughout the supply chain. This paper presents the experience of the author in helping a firm identify the relative impact of the various determinants of inventories as a means of setting priorities for inventory reduction. The results lead to some interesting generalizations concerning practical ways of managing multi-echelon inventories. The paper first reviews the methods typically used by large multi-national firms to manage multi-echelon operations, and then proceeds to a description of the industrial situation dealt with. The remainder of the paper describes the modeling approach used to estimate inventory behavior under a variety of inventory reduction initiatives, the results of the study, and several new insights gleaned in the process.
A new heuristic for the multi-mode resource investment problem

This paper considers the problem of minimizing resource investment required to execute the tasks in a project network by a given project due date. A project consists of non-pre-emptive tasks executed in a known and required precedence order. Each task is completed in one of its feasible modes, which may differ not only in task duration but also in consumption of renewable resources. A priority rule heuristic with polynomial computational complexity is presented for this computationally intractable problem. This heuristic simultaneously considers due date constraints and resource usage to select and schedule tasks with one decision rule. This differs from prior multi-mode priority rule scheduling heuristics that apply two consecutive decision rules to schedule tasks. Extensive computational testing indicates promising results.
Determinants of Random Matrices and Jack Polynomials of Rectangular Shape

We consider an N-dimensional real integral, indexed by a parameter that specifies the power of a Vandermonde determinant. For two particular values of the parameter, this integral arises from matrix integrals, over real symmetric and complex Hermitian N x N matrices. When it is normalized, it gives the expectation of an arbitrary power of the determinant. The results are given as finite summations, using terminating hypergeometric series. We relate the integral to a specific coefficient in the Jack polynomial indexed by a partition of rectangular shape, and present data for this coefficient in terms of the parameter a.
954 FAT THICKNESS AS A PREDICTOR OF RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME IN INFANTS OF DIABETIC MOTHERS

954 FAT THICKNESS AS A PREDICTOR OF RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME IN INFANTS OF DIABETIC MOTHERS
The tip temperature of a freely growing dendrite: the influence of various modifications to the Ivantsov solution

Abstract The space shuttle dendritic growth data for high-purity succinonitrile (SCN) are reinterpreted here in terms of the model proposed earlier by the present author. Unlike other recent growth models that have been used to rationalize the SCN growth data, all of which include two adjustable parameters, the present model includes only one unknown parameter, λt. It has been shown that λt = 1/Nu, the reciprocal of the “local” value of the heat transfer Nusselt number at the dendrite tip. Thus λt may also be interpreted as a measure of the heat flux generated by the dendritic sidebranches. Estimates for λt based on the space shuttle dendritic growth data are provided. A comparison of this model with the solutions to the heat transfer problem for simple geometric shapes, such as a slowly growing sphere (λt = 1), the Fisher solution for a cylindrical body with a hemispherical tip (λt = 1/2), and the Ivantsov paraboloid, λt = (φt/2pt), suggest that λt can be bounded between the values of 1/2 ≤ λt ≤ φt/2pt.
Structure and conserved RNA binding of the PAZ domain

The discovery of RNA-mediated gene-silencing pathways, including RNA interference1,2,3, highlights a fundamental role of short RNAs in eukaryotic gene regulation4,5,6,7,8,9,10 and antiviral defence11,12. Members of the Dicer and Argonaute protein families are essential components of these RNA-silencing pathways13,14,15,16,17,18,19. Notably, these two families possess an evolutionarily conserved PAZ (Piwi/Argonaute/Zwille) domain whose biochemical function is unknown. Here we report the nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure of the PAZ domain from Drosophila melanogaster Argonaute 1 (Ago1). The structure consists of a left-handed, six-stranded β-barrel capped at one end by two α-helices and wrapped on one side by a distinctive appendage, which comprises a long β-hairpin and a short α-helix. Using structural and biochemical analyses, we demonstrate that the PAZ domain binds a 5-nucleotide RNA with 1:1 stoichiometry. We map the RNA-binding surface to the open face of the β-barrel, which contains amino acids conserved within the PAZ domain family, and we define the 5′-to-3′ orientation of single-stranded RNA bound within that site. Furthermore, we show that PAZ domains from different human Argonaute proteins also bind RNA, establishing a conserved function for this domain.
Understanding the link between population dynamics and biodiversity conservation through remote sensing and gridded population data integration

While some progress has been made in stemming forest loss in the tropics, deforestation continues to threaten tropical biodiversity. Many tropical protected areas exist as “islands” surrounded by continuing land use change and development. To understand the interconnections between land cover, biodiversity, and population growth, we use a unique dataset from the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) Network together with Landsat derived land cover products, population data from the Gridded Population of the World (GPW), and roads data from the Global Roads Open Access Dataset (gROADS). We find significant relationships between road network length and forest loss and between road network length and agricultural development, but no clear links between population growth and land use change. This reaffirms the importance of planning future road extensions to limit their effects on tropical protected areas.
Post-occupancy evaluation in the zoo

Abstract Post-occupancy evaluations (POE) of the built environment provide systematic information about the success or failure of environmental designs. Research instruments developed for application in human settings can also be adapted for use in zoos. The zoo environment must be evaluated for its impact on animal residents, zoo visitors and staff. Evaluations conducted by our Atlanta research team included studies of the Atlanta Zoo and zoos in nearby cities. The range of available methodologies are reviewed, and the unique constraints of zoo settings are discussed. Our studies indicate that naturalistic environments facilitate the expression of normal and complex animal behavior patterns and tend to enhance the visitor experience. POE represents an exciting new dimension in zoo research and promises to contribute to the success of future generations of zoo design.
“Mythbusters”: Dispelling the Culture of Poverty Myth in the Urban Classroom

Abstract Scholars have provided numerous critical analyses of the structural causes of poverty. Unfortunately, many teachers are still led to believe, via best selling books and mainstream discourse, that behaviors, neighborhoods, and families determine educational outcomes. This “culture of poverty” theory must be disproved; educators need to be informed about the structural causes of poverty and gain in-depth knowledge of their students' lives. Through geo-literacy projects aimed at uncovering children's perceptions of their neighborhoods and parents' roles in their children's education, incorrect assumptions about low-income students can be dispelled. The result is more equitable power relations among students, families, and teachers, thus improving teacher effectiveness and educational outcomes.
Evaluation of compression schemes for wide area video

Current and upcoming wide-area aerial video collectors have very large effective focal plane arrays, and can generate a tremendous amount of data. This presents significant challenges for onboard storage and for real-time downlink. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of a number of different image and video compression schemes on wide-area video. In general, we found that video compression produces 3 to 5 times more compression than single image compression, at equivalent quality. The quality was measured using the Structural Similarity metric. We also found that the stream can be compressed by a factor of 100-200 without a perceptual loss in quality.
Inhibition of FKBP rotamase activity by immunosuppressant FK506: Twisted amide surrogate

The immunosuppressive agents cyclosporin A and FK506 inhibit the transcription of early T cell activation genes. The binding proteins for cyclosporin A and FK506, cyclophilin and FKBP, respectively, are peptidyl-prolyl-cis-trans isomerases, or rotamases. One proposed mechanism for rotamase catalysis by cyclophilin involves a tetrahedral adduct of an amide carbonyl and an enzyme-bound nucleophile. The potent FKBP rotamase inhibitor FK506 has a highly electrophilic carbonyl that is adjacent to an acyl-pipicolinyl (homoprolyl) amide bond. Such a functional group would be expected to form a stabilized, enzyme-bound tetrahedral adduct. Spectroscopic and chemical evidence reveals that the drug interacts noncovalently with its receptor, suggesting that the alpha-keto amid of FK506 serves as a surrogate for the twisted amide of a bound peptide substrate.
Characterization of medium-range order in self-assembled organic-inorganic hybrid by fluctuation X-ray microscopy

The control of formation and ordering of self assembled nanostructures, with medium- to long-range order, is a challenge that limits advances in many fields of nanotechnology. We have developed a technique, which we call fluctuation x-ray microscopy, that offers quantitative insight into medium-range correlations in disordered materials at nanometer- and larger-length scales. We examined the influence of sol-gel process variables on medium range order in PI-b-PEO/ aluminosilicate bulk using this technique. The nano-structuring of inorganic materials was directed by polymer self-assembly. The medium range correlation between the nanostructures in two hybrids was quantitatively examined and compared.
Proteomic Analysis of Mammalian Primary Cilia

The primary cilium is a microtubule-based organelle that senses extracellular signals as a cellular antenna. Primary cilia are found on many types of cells in our body and play important roles in development and physiology. Defects of primary cilia cause a broad class of human genetic diseases called ciliopathies. To gain new insights into ciliary functions and better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying ciliopathies, it is of high importance to generate a catalog of primary cilia proteins. In this study, we isolated primary cilia from mouse kidney cells by using a calcium-shock method and identified 195 candidate primary cilia proteins by MudPIT (multidimensional protein identification technology), protein correlation profiling, and subtractive proteomic analysis. Based on comparisons with other proteomic studies of cilia, around 75% of our candidate primary cilia proteins are shared components with motile or specialized sensory cilia. The remaining 25% of the candidate proteins are possible primary cilia-specific proteins. These possible primary cilia-specific proteins include EVC2, INPP5E, and inversin, several of which have been linked to known ciliopathies. We have performed the first reported proteomic analysis of primary cilia from mammalian cells. These results provide new insights into primary cilia structure and function.
Story understanding through multi-representation model construction

We present an implemented model of story understanding and apply it to the understanding of a children's story. We argue that understanding a story consists of building multi-representation models of the story and that story models are efficiently constructed using a satisfiability solver. We present a computer program that contains multiple representations of commonsense knowledge, takes a narrative as input, transforms the narrative and representations of commonsense knowledge into a satisfiability problem, runs a satisfiability solver, and produces models of the story as output. The narrative, models, and representations are expressed in the language of Shanahan's event calculus.
The Shape, Multiplicity, and Evolution of Superclusters in ΛCDM Cosmology

We determine the shape, multiplicity, size, and radial structure of superclusters in the ΛCDM concordance cosmology from z = 0 to z = 2. Superclusters are defined as clusters of clusters in our large-scale cosmological simulation. We find that superclusters are triaxial in shape; many have flattened since early times to become nearly two-dimensional structures at present, with a small fraction of filamentary systems. The size and multiplicity functions are presented at different redshifts. Supercluster sizes extend to scales of ~100-200 h-1 Mpc. The supercluster multiplicity (richness) increases linearly with supercluster size. The density profile in superclusters is approximately isothermal (~R-2) and steepens on larger scales. These results can be used as a new test of the current cosmology when compared with upcoming observations of large-scale surveys.
Acute and subchronic effects of neuroleptics on quantitative measures of discriminative motor control in rats

Operant-conditioning methods were used to train rats to reach through an opening in an operant chamber to exert forces on a silent, neraly isometric force-sensing manipulandum. The reinforcement contingency required the rat to hold forelimb force at 20–50 g for a minimum of 2 s. Once established, this ‘hold-in-the-band’ behavior yielded three measures of performance (time on task, number of reinforcers, variance of in-band force). Variance of in-band force was presumed to reflect steadiness of forelimb control. Acute drug effects on the three dependent variables were assessed for dose ranges of haloperidol (HAL), chlorpromazine (CPZ), clozapine (CLZ), and chlordiazepoxide (CDP). Moreover, the effects of HAL (0.5 mg/kg) and CLZ (5.0 mg/kg) were examined in a subchronic (28 day) dosing regimen. The acutely administered neuroleptics (HAL, CPZ, CLZ) produced dose-related decreases in time on task and number of reinforcers, but did not significantly affect variance of in-band force. The subchronic paradigm produced similar results. CDP did not significantly affect variance of in-band force and the 5.0 mg/kg dose produced a slight, but non-significant increase in time on task while significantly decreasing number of reinforcers; a trend opposite to that seen for the neuroleptics, which produced parallel effects on these two measures. The results suggest that the neuroleptics impaired performance by affecting the tendency to initiate responding instead of affecting the capacity to maintain steady forelimb force once a response was started.
Effects of exogenous interferon in cytomegalovirus infections complicating bone marrow transplantation.

Abstract Human leukocyte interferon was administered to two patients with cytomegalovirus infection which developed following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. In one patient with hepatitis and evidence of concurrent graft-vs-host disease, significant clinical improvement and disappearance of viremia was observed. Interferon therapy was associated with suppression of lymphocyte responses to mitogens and, in one case, with a decrease of complement-fixing antibody titers to cytomegalovirus. Other immunologic parameters were unchanged. No suppression of marrow engraftment was observed.
An investigation of two measures of career indecision

Abstract The present study compared two recent scales developed to measure career indecision, the Career Decision Scale and the Vocational Decision-Making Difficulty Scale. The subjects were 857 male and female undergraduates. The scales were factor analyzed, the total scores were correlated, and the factor structures were examined for similarities and differences. Test-retest correlations were performed on the items, the total scores, and the factor scores of both measures. Subjects who were satisfied with their career choices were compared with subjects who were unsure, dissatisfied, or undecided about their career choices using the items, total scores, and factor scores. The results are discussed along with the implications for the future development of the scales.
The Hydrogenase Activity of the Molybdenum/Copper-containing Carbon Monoxide Dehydrogenase of Oligotropha carboxidovorans

The reaction of the air-tolerant CO dehydrogenase from Oligotropha carboxidovorans with H2 has been examined. Like the Ni-Fe CO dehydrogenase, the enzyme can be reduced by H2 with a limiting rate constant of 5.3 s−1 and a dissociation constant Kd of 525 μm; both kred and kred/Kd, reflecting the breakdown of the Michaelis complex and the reaction of free enzyme with free substrate in the low [S] regime, respectively, are largely pH-independent. During the reaction with H2, a new EPR signal arising from the Mo/Cu-containing active site of the enzyme is observed which is distinct from the signal seen when the enzyme is reduced by CO, with greater g anisotropy and larger hyperfine coupling to the active site 63,65Cu. The signal also exhibits hyperfine coupling to at least two solvent-exchangeable protons of bound substrate that are rapidly exchanged with solvent. Proton coupling is also evident in the EPR signal seen with the dithionite-reduced native enzyme, and this coupling is lost in the presence of bicarbonate. We attribute the coupled protons in the dithionite-reduced enzyme to coordinated water at the copper site in the native enzyme and conclude that bicarbonate is able to displace this water from the copper coordination sphere. On the basis of our results, a mechanism for H2 oxidation is proposed which involves initial binding of H2 to the copper of the binuclear center, displacing the bound water, followed by sequential deprotonation through a copper-hydride intermediate to reduce the binuclear center.
Paradigm clash in the field of eating disorders: a critical examination of the biopsychiatric model from a sociocultural perspective

This article explores the clash between the biopsychiatric paradigm and the sociocultural paradigm. After considering their essential assumptions, it is argued that the biopsychiatric paradigm has a number of significant problems, including a misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the sociocultural perspective it purports to have minimised or circumscribed. An important aspect of this critique involves careful consideration of what is meant by ‘scientific’ and ‘evidence-based’ in relation to theory, methodology, and conclusions about etiology. We conclude by offering suggestions for a new paradigm that incorporates principles of developmental psychopathology and redefines the relationship between the sociocultural, the biological, and the psychological. This new paradigm recognises the need to abandon the notion of a ‘biologically-based’ illness in favour of a focus on the reciprocal, mutually constituent influence of biological and sociocultural factors, varying across time and development. This artic...
Photoacoustically guided wavefront shaping for enhanced optical focusing in scattering media

Non-invasively focusing light into strongly scattering media, such as biological tissue, is highly desirable but challenging. Recently, ultrasonically guided wavefront shaping technologies have been developed to address this limitation. So far, the focusing resolution of most implementations has been limited by acoustic diffraction. Here, we introduce nonlinear photoacoustically guided wavefront shaping (PAWS), which achieves optical diffraction-limited focusing in scattering media. We develop an efficient dual-pulse excitation approach to generate strong nonlinear photoacoustic (PA) signals based on the Grueneisen relaxation effect. These nonlinear PA signals are used as feedback to guide iterative wavefront optimization. As a result, light is effectively focused to a single optical speckle grain on the scale of 5-7 µm, which is ~10 times smaller than the acoustic focus with an enhancement factor of ~6,000 in peak fluence. This technology has the potential to benefit many applications that desire highly confined strong optical focus in tissue.
The value of an assessment of skeletal maturity in orthodontic diagnosis

The diagnosis of an orthodontic case includes not only an assessment of present structure and function but estimates of the extent to which further natural growth is to be expected. This natural growth may assist manipulative treatment; its absence may indicate a need for surgical correction. Estimates of facial growth potential, while not precise, are assisted greatly by assessments of skeletal maturity.
Directed discovery of bivalent peptide ligands to an SH3 domain.

The Caenorhabditis elegans SEM-5 SH3 domains recognize proline-rich peptide segments with modest affinity. We developed a bivalent peptide ligand that contains a naturally occurring proline-rich binding sequence, tethered by a glycine linker to a disulfide-closed loop segment containing six variable residues. The glycine linker allows the loop segment to explore regions of greatest diversity in sequence and structure of the SH3 domain: the RT and n-Src loops. The bivalent ligand was optimized using phage display, leading to a peptide (PP-G4-L) with 1000-fold increased affinity for the SEM-5 C-terminal SH3 domain over that of a natural ligand. NMR analysis of the complex confirms that the peptide loop segment is targeted to the RT and n-Src loops and parts of the β-sheet scaffold of this SH3 domain. This binding region is comparable to that targeted by a natural non-PXXP peptide to the p67phox SH3 domain, a region not known to be targeted in the Grb2 SH3 domain family. PP-G4-L may aid in the discovery of additional binding partners of Grb2 family SH3 domains.
Evoked potential correlates of intelligence in nonpatient subjects.

Abstract To evaluate possible influences of intelligence on evoked potential (EP) characteristics in nonpatients, EPs of age and gender matched groups ( N = 19 each) of ‘high’, ‘medium’, and ‘low’ IQ groups were compared. EPs elicited by left and right median nerve stimulation, checkerboard pattern visual flash, and acoustic clicks were recorded from 15 scalp leads. The results confirmed previous findings showing that higher IQs are associated with higher EP amplitudes. An unexpected finding was a trend towards higher IQ/EP correlations for left than right recording sites. It appears that intelligence is an important subject variable to be controlled in any EP investigation, and furthermore that EP topography should be considered in seeking IQ/EP correlations.
An Improved Statistical Transfer System for French-English Machine Translation

This paper presents the Carnegie Mellon University statistical transfer MT system submitted to the 2009 WMT shared task in French-to-English translation. We describe a syntax-based approach that incorporates both syntactic and non-syntactic phrase pairs in addition to a syntactic grammar. After reporting development test results, we conduct a preliminary analysis of the coverage and effectiveness of the system's components.
The Use of White Mutants of Penicillium roqueforti in Cheese Making

Summary Two white mutants of Penicillium roqueforti have been compared with their parent strain in a series of cheese-making experiments. One of these mutants was found to be superior to the other. Comparative data on flavor, body, texture, appearance, acid number, total volatile acidity, and pH have been presented. Excellent cheese can be made with a white mutant of Penicillium roqueforti. Its color, body, texture, and comparatively milder flavor are enough different from Blue cheese to constitute a new cheese, which may be classed within the semi-soft, mold-ripened group of cheese.