cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 regulates 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 binding to its chick intestinal receptor

We have studied the binding of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] to its crude chromatin chick intestinal receptor in the absence or presence of a ten-fold excess of 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [24R,25(OH)2D3] for each concentration of [3H]-1,25(OH)2D3 studied. We have found a significant shift to the right in the binding of 1,25(OH)2D3 to its receptor in the presence of this excess of 24R,25(OH)2D3. As a result, the affinity was found to be significantly reduced, the apparent dissociation constants varied from 0.97 +/- 0.09 (n = 5) to 1.36 +/- 0.04 nM (p less than 0.01). This reduction was related to a significant decrease in the positive cooperativity for the apparent Hill coefficient from nH = 1.49 +/- 0.06 to nH = 1.26 +/- 0.06 (p less than 0.03) in the binding of 1,25(OH)2D3 to its receptor. There was no significant change in the capacity of the receptor (189 +/- 11 compared to 200 +/- 9 fmoles/mg protein). These results suggest that the intestinal 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor must also have a binding recognition site for 24R,25(OH)2D3 which is postulated to play a regulatory role in the 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor's ligand binding properties.
Reproductive Fitness and Quinone Content of Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 Mutants Fed Coenzyme Q Isoforms of Varying Length

Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 mutants lack coenzyme Q9 and accumulate the biosynthetic intermediate demethoxy-Q9. A dietary source of ubiquinone (Q) is required for larval growth and development of the gonad and germ cells. We considered that uptake of the shorter Q8 isoform present in the Escherichia coli food may contribute to the Clk phenotypes of slowed development and reduced brood size observed when the animals are fed Q-replete E. coli. To test the effect of isoprene tail length, N2 and clk-1 animals were fed E. coli engineered to produce Q7, Q8, Q9, or Q10. Wild-type nematodes showed no change in reproductive fitness regardless of the Qn isoform fed. clk-1(e2519) fed the Q9 diet showed increased egg production; however, this diet did not improve reproductive fitness of the clk-1(qm30) animals. Furthermore, animals with the more severe clk-1(qm30) allele become sterile and their progeny inviable when fed Q7-containing bacteria. The content of Q7 in the mitochondria of clk-1 animals was decreased relative to Q8, suggesting less effective transport of Q7 to the mitochondria, impaired retention, or decreased stability. Additionally, regardless of E. coli diet, clk-1(qm30) animals contain a dysfunctional dense form of mitochondria. The gonads of clk-1(qm30) worms fed Q7-containing food were severely shrunken and disordered. The differential fertility of clk-1 mutant nematodes fed Q isoforms may result from changes in Q localization, altered recognition by Q-binding proteins, and/or potential defects in mitochondrial function resulting from the mutant CLK-1 polypeptide itself.
Reducing HIV Infections at Circuit Parties: From Description to Explanation and Principles of Intervention Design:

Circuit parties are weekend-long, erotically charged, drug-prevalent dance events attended by up to 25 000 self-identified gay and bisexual men who socialize and dance nonstop, sometimes for 24 hours or longer. Although these parties started originally as part of the gay community’s response to raise HIV/AIDS awareness and to build community and cultural identity, they may have become a site for transmitting HIV across geographical regions and socioeconomic groups of gay and bisexual men. This article reviews the descriptive published studies on circuit parties. The authors use these studies and the literature on drug use and high-risk sexual behavior in gay and bisexual communities, along with sociological and social psychological research, to propose a causal model of why circuit parties may contribute to unsafe sexual practices that increase HIV infection risk. The authors abstract 5 prevention messages relevant to circuit parties and review intervention studies in nonparty settings for insight into ho...
CTH04-5: A New Iterative Algorithm for Calculating the Capacity of Discrete Memoryless Channels

In this paper, we present a new iterative algorithm for calculating the capacity of discrete memoryless channels. The proposed algorithm is comparable in simplicity and effectiveness to the well-known Arimoto-Blahut algorithm. In addition, we provide a short and elementary proof for the convergence of the Arimoto-Blahut algorithm.
The effect of temperature on rates of sulfate reduction in marine sediments

Abstract Rates of sulfate reduction in sediments of Long Island Sound have been determined, as a function of temperature, via the 35S radiotracer method. Temperature dependence was measured either by following changes in rates in intact cores with seasonal changes in temperature, or by conducting laboratory experiments on homogenized sediments under controlled temperatures. At constant temperature, a large range of sulfate reduction rates were observed for the study sites. In both the intact cores and the laboratory experiments, sediments with lower rates of sulfate reduction exhibited a more pronounced temperature dependence. Apparent activation energies determined using the Arrhenius equation show a systematic trend with sulfate reduction rate when temperature was normalized. As the rate of sulfate reduction decreased, the apparent activation energy increased from 36 to 132 kJ/mole. Although this observation can be interpreted in a number of ways, it is suggested that susceptibility of organic matter to...
Destruction of Ion-Exchange Resin In Waste From the HFIR, T1 and T2 Tanks Using Fenton's Reagent

The use of Fenton's reagent (hydrogen peroxide and a ferrous iron catalyst) has been tested as a method for destroying ion-exchange resin in radioactive waste from three underground storage tanks at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The resin in these wastes must be destroyed before they can be transferred to the Melton Valley Storage Tanks (MVSTs) prior to solidification and disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The reaction with ion-exchange resin requires a dilute acidic solution (pH = 3 to 5) and moderate temperatures (T = 60 to 100 C). Laboratory-scale tests of the process have been successfully completed using both simulants and actual waste samples. The ion-exchange resin is oxidized to carbon dioxide and inorganic salts. The reaction rate is quite slow for temperatures below 70 C but increases almost linearly as the temperature of the slurry increases from 70 to 90 C. Pilot-scale tests have demonstrated the process using larger samples of actual waste slurries. A sample from the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) tank, containing 500 mL of settled solids (resin and inorganic sludge) in a total volume of 1800 mL, was successfully treated to meet MVST waste acceptance requirements in 9 h of processing time, using 1650 mL of 50 wt% hydrogen peroxide. A composite sample from the T1 and T2 tanks, which contained 1000 mL of settled solids in a total volume of 2000 mL required 8 h of treatment, using 1540 mL of 50 wt% peroxide, to meet waste acceptance requirements. Hydrogen peroxide reaction rates were 0.71 to 0.74 g H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/L/min, with very low (<2000 mg/L) concentrations of peroxide in the slurry. The reaction produces mostly carbon dioxide gas during the early part of the treatment, when organic carbon concentrations in the slurry are high, and then produces increasing amounts of oxygen as the organic carbon concentration drops. Small amounts (<3 vol%) of carbon monoxide are also generated. The off-gas from the pilot-scale tests, which was 81 vol% nitrogen purge gas and 19 vol% gas generated by the reaction, also showed trace quantities of numerous volatile organics. Maximum concentrations measured were 48 ppm diethylbenzene, 40 ppm acetone, and 21 ppm benzene, with a maximum total volatile organic concentration of 122 ppm.
Energy drink consumption and the risk of alcohol use disorder among a national sample of adolescents and young adults

Objective To assess the association between energy drink use and hazardous alcohol use among a national sample of adolescents and young adults. Study design Cross-sectional analysis of 3342 youth aged 15-23 years recruited for a national survey about media and alcohol use. Energy drink use was defined as recent use or ever mixed-use with alcohol. Outcomes were ever alcohol use and 3 hazardous alcohol use outcomes measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): ever consuming 6 or more drinks at once (6+ binge drinking) and clinical criteria for hazardous alcohol use as defined for adults (8+AUDIT) and for adolescents (4+AUDIT). Results Among 15-17 year olds (n = 1508), 13.3% recently consumed an energy drink, 9.7% ever consumed an energy drink mixed with alcohol, and 47.1% ever drank alcohol. Recent energy drink use predicted ever alcohol use among 15-17-year-olds only (OR 2.58; 95% CI 1.77-3.77). Of these 15-17-year-olds, 17% met the 6+ binge drinking criteria, 7.2% met the 8+AUDIT criteria, and 16.0% met the 4+AUDIT criteria. Rates of energy drink use and all alcohol use outcomes increased with age. Ever mixed-use with alcohol predicted 6+ binge drinking (OR 4.69; 95% CI 3.70-5.94), 8+AUDIT (OR 3.25; 95% CI 2.51-4.21), and 4+AUDIT (OR 4.15; 95% CI 3.27-5.25) criteria in adjusted models among all participants, with no evidence of modification by age. Conclusions Positive associations between energy drink use and hazardous alcohol use behaviors are not limited to youth in college settings.
Progress in The Development and Understanding of Ti3Al Based Intermetallic Materials

Recent results on the development of Ti3AI base materials, including orthorhombic alloys, are reviewed. Included in this discussion are new data and ideas concerning alloy development, phase equilibria, processing for improved toughness and ductility, environmental degradation, oxidation and corrosion resistance, and coating development. Several new families of alloys have been developed in recent years and the microstruc-ture%processing%property relationships in these alloys are reviewed. It is shown that errors in processing this class of alloy can lead to microstructural instabilities under service conditions. Finally, some immediate needs and some directions for further development are suggested.
Creating catalytically active nanoparticles via block copolymer templates for carbon nanotube and silicon nanowire growth

Using solution micelles formed by a block copolymer template, a variety of highly ordered catalytically active transition metal nanoparticles, ranging from single metallic nanoparticles of Fe, Co, Ni and Au to bimetallic nanoparticles such as Ni/Fe with uniform size and periodicity, have been created. These nanoparticles are excellent catalyst systems for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes and silicon nanowires. High quality, small diameter carbon nanotubes and silicon nanowires with narrow size distribution have been successfully produced. Since this block copolymer is fully compatible with conventional top-down photolithography, spatially selective growth of carbon nanotubes and silicon nanowires on a surface or carbon nanotubes suspended across trenches have been achieved using standard semiconductor processing techniques. The ability of the block copolymer template to generate catalyst with adjustable size and composition on a variety of surfaces not only enhance the manufacturability of these 1D nanobuilding blocks but also facilitates studying the growth mechanism.
ROLE OF DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE IN PROSTAGLANDIN‐THROMBOXANE AND PLATELET SYSTEMS AFTER CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA

Direct and empirical evidence indicates that intravenous administration of DMSO can arrest or reverse cerebral and extracerebral ischemia following experimental or clinical injury. When the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissue is deficient or unavailable (as in ischemia), cell damage or death with all its attending pathological consequences becomes an end-point. In the brain, this equates to build-up of intracranial pressure, impairment of neural transmission to vital centers, and loss of function or death. We have reviewed a number of studies that show the usefulness of DMSO in preventing significant pathology from developing in various experimental injury models and in clinical subjects. We have proposed that the action of DMSO in biochemical, morphological, and functional subsystems is not specific but rather interactive. Figure 5 illustrates this point. Any one effect by DMSO on these subsystems that does not affect the others seems highly unlikely. How DMSO or similar drugs affect these systems, could provide important clues in clarifying the pathogenesis of ischemia and in reducing its severity. We conclude from the available evidence that ischemic injury is a dynamic process constantly promoting biochemical, vascular, and morphological changes and that DMSO is able to intervene at various levels of this pathochemical cascade. DMSO may do this by its ability to normalize tissue perfusion when this is lacking or impaired. We speculate that this effect by DMSO is predominantly on the PG-TX and platelet systems, since these appear to be the most important candidates implicated in vessel occlusion and spasm. It is further concluded from the available and theoretical evidence presented here, that clinical trials using DMSO in cerebral and extracerebral organ ischemia should be designed in order to evaluate the efficacy of this compound to other antithrombogenic therapies. It is reasonable to assume that DMSO may provide a primary approach to the treatment of cerebral, myocardial, renal, and platelet-induced ischemic disorders.
Pressure-Induced Magnetic Crossover Driven by Hydrogen Bonding in CuF2(H2O)2(3-chloropyridine)

Hydrogen bonding plays a foundational role in the life, earth, and chemical sciences, with its richness and strength depending on the situation. In molecular materials, these interactions determine assembly mechanisms, control superconductivity, and even permit magnetic exchange. In spite of its long-standing importance, exquisite control of hydrogen bonding in molecule-based magnets has only been realized in limited form and remains as one of the major challenges. Here, we report the discovery that pressure can tune the dimensionality of hydrogen bonding networks in CuF₂(H₂O)₂(3-chloropyridine) to induce magnetic switching. Specifically, we reveal how the development of O-H···Cl exchange pathways under compression combined with an enhanced ab-plane hydrogen bonding network yields a three dimensional superexchange web between copper centers that triggers a reversible magnetic crossover. Similar pressure- and strain-driven crossover mechanisms involving coordinated motion of hydrogen bond networks may play out in other quantum magnets.
Strategies for Designing Engineering Courses

Some principles that have guided the development of engineering courses in the past are identified and applied to the development of strategies for contemporary circumstances. Implications of current changes in constraints are explored for class meetings and for student work outside of class. The realization that two-thirds of a typical university academic course, and most of the learning, occurs outside the class meeting times compels careful focus by faculty on the design of interactive learning experiences to help students learn proficiently outside the class room. Designing courses of study in which the learning activities outside, as well as inside, the class room form a coherent and effective whole can improve courses dramatically.
Effects of Cry34/35Ab1 corn on the survival and development of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera.

Background The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is a major agricultural pest that is managed with transgenic corn, Zea mays L., expressing genes from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt). The effects of Bt corn producing Cry34/35Ab1 (event DAS-59122–7) and entomopathogens on the survival and development of larval D. v. virgifera were examined in laboratory, field and greenhouse experiments. Results Larvae preferred non-Bt over Bt corn in a laboratory experiment, and there was higher recovery from non-Bt corn than from Bt corn in a field experiment. In a greenhouse study, survival at 17 days did not differ significantly among non-Bt corn, Bt corn and a blend of Bt and non-Bt corn, but development was delayed on Bt corn. Older larvae fed non-Bt corn had lower survival when entomopathogenic nematodes were added, but no other effects of pathogen were detected. Conclusion Bt corn producing Cry34/35Ab1 delayed larval development of D. v. virgifera and deterred feeding. In a mixture of Bt and non-Bt corn, larval development and survival were similar to non-Bt corn alone, suggesting that non-Bt plants in a blended refuge or a pure stand may produce a similar number of adult insects, and that timing of adult emergence may also be similar. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
The Personality of Corruption: A National-Level Analysis

Many other areas in the social sciences (e.g., economics, political science, and sociology) have devoted considerable research to understanding antecedents to national corruption. However, little r...
Multi-sample inference for simple-tree alternatives with ranked-set samples

Summary This paper develops a non-parametric multi-sample inference for simple-tree alternatives for ranked-set samples. The multi-sample inference provides simultaneous one-sample sign confidence intervals for the population medians. The decision rule compares these intervals to achieve the desired type I error. For the specified upper bounds on the experiment-wise error rates, corresponding individual confidence coefficients are presented. It is shown that the testing procedure is distribution-free. To achieve the desired confidence coefficients for multi-sample inference, a nonparametric confidence interval is constructed by interpolating the adjacent order statistics. Interpolation coefficients and coverage probabilities are provided, along with the nominal levels.
An in-field screen for early detection and monitoring of insect resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in transgenic crops.

Abstract We present a field-based approach to detect and monitor insects with resistance to insecticidal toxins produced by transgenic plants. Our objective is to estimate the phenotypic frequency of resistance in a population by relating the densities of insects on genetically transformed plants to densities on nontransformed plants. We focus on European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), in sweet corn, Zea mays L., expressing Cry1Ab from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Berliner to illustrate principles underlying the method. The probability of detecting one or more rare, resistant larvae depends on sample size, the density of larvae on nontransformed plants, and an assumed frequency of resistant phenotypes in a given population. Probability of detection increases with increases in sample size, background density, or the frequency of resistant individuals. Following binomial probability theory, if a frequency of 10−4 is expected, 103–104 samples must be collected from a B. thuringiensis (Bt)...
When Money Cannot Encourage Participation: Campaign Spending and Rolloff in Low Visibility Judicial Elections

Debates about the role of money in politics are commonplace. Although some critics point to the potentially negative impact spending has in elections, most recent scholarly evidence indicates that spending may actually promote greater participation in the political process. However, most of this research has uncovered this relationship in races for more visible offices; few studies have focused on whether the same linkage is present in low-information elections. For a variety of reasons, it is not altogether certain whether this relationship would exist for such offices. To test this proposition, we examine the impact of campaign spending on voter rolloff in 172 contested races for intermediate appellate courts (IAC) between 2000 and 2008. In contrast to other types of elections, combined candidate spending in these races had no effect on ballot rolloff.
Cloning and Biochemical Characterization of a Plant Protein Kinase That Phosphorylates Serine, Threonine, and Tyrosine*

Phosphorylation of proteins on serine, threonine, or tyrosine residues represents an important biochemical mechanism to regulate the activity of enzymes and is used in many cellular processes. In animals, protein serine/threonine and protein tyrosine kinases are known to perform essential roles in many pathways that transmit external stimuli from the cell surface to the cell inferior and the nucleus. In plants, although an increasing number of protein serine/threonine kinases have been cloned, the existence of protein tyrosine kinases remains yet to be demonstrated. Here, we report the cloning and biochemical characterization of a plant protein kinase, Arabidopsis dual specificity kinase 1 (ADK1), using a functional screening method, namely by screening an Arabidopsis expression library with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies. Four independent cDNA clones that define a polypeptide of 319 amino acids length with homology to protein kinases were identified in this screen. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the autophosphorylated kinase shows that ADK1 phosphorylates serine, threonine, and tyrosine. Using poly (Glu/Tyr) as a substrate, we confirm that ADK1 is capable of phosphorylating tyrosine residues.
Joule heating at high latitudes

Calculations based on simultaneous observations of the electric field magnitude, and individual measurements of ion drift velocity and particle precipitation, over the lifetime of the AE-C satellite, are used to determine high latitude Joule heating. Conductivities produced by an averaged seasonal illumination were included with those calculated from particle precipitation. It is found that high latitude Joule heating occurs in an approximately oval pattern, and consists of dayside cleft, dawn and dusk sunward convection, and night sector heating regions. On average, heating in the cleft and dawn-dusk regions contributes the largest heat input, and there is no apparent difference between hemispheres for similar seasons. Joule heat input is 50 percent greater in summer than in winter, due primarily to the greater conductivity caused by solar production.
Feedback system to control chemical flow for injection sprayers

A feedback system to control the flow rate of liquid chemical formulation for an injection sprayer is proposed. A pressurized tank generates the flow of chemical and a microprocessor-based system controls the position of a flow control valve, based on the chemical flow rate indicated by a piston flowmeter. A proportional controller was chosen after an attempt to use a proportional-integral-derivative controller resulted in an unstable system. The percent overshoot for the control system following a transition from a constant acceleration of 1.6 (km/h)/s to constant speed was 0.42% for a typical broadcast sprayer used by private applicators, 0.19% for a broadcast sprayer used by commercial applicators and 0.46% for a band sprayer used by private applicators. The controlled chemical flow rate lagged the ground speed input by only 0.13 s during acceleration.
prefuse: a toolkit for interactive information visualization

Although information visualization (infovis) technologies have proven indispensable tools for making sense of complex data, wide-spread deployment has yet to take hold, as successful infovis applications are often difficult to author and require domain-specific customization. To address these issues, we have created prefuse, a software framework for creating dynamic visualizations of both structured and unstructured data. prefuse provides theoretically-motivated abstractions for the design of a wide range of visualization applications, enabling programmers to string together desired components quickly to create and customize working visualizations. To evaluate prefuse we have built both existing and novel visualizations testing the toolkit's flexibility and performance, and have run usability studies and usage surveys finding that programmers find the toolkit usable and effective.
The Caenorhabditis elegans D2-like dopamine receptor DOP-2 physically interacts with GPA-14, a Gα i subunit

Dopaminergic inputs are sensed on the cell surface by the seven-transmembrane dopamine receptors that belong to a superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Dopamine receptors are classified as D1-like or D2-like receptors based on their homology and pharmacological profiles. In addition to well established G-protein coupled mechanism of dopamine receptors in mammalian system they can also interact with other signaling pathways. In C. elegans four dopamine receptors (dop-1, dop-2, dop-3 and dop-4) have been reported and they have been implicated in a wide array of behavioral and physiological processes. We performed this study to assign the signaling pathway for DOP-2, a D2-like dopamine receptor using a split-ubiquitin based yeast two-hybrid screening of a C. elegans cDNA library with a novel dop-2 variant (DOP-2XL) as bait. Our yeast two-hybrid screening resulted in identification of gpa-14, as one of the positively interacting partners. gpa-14 is a Gα coding sequence and shows expression overlap with dop-2 in C. elegans ADE deirid neurons. In-vitro pull down assays demonstrated physical coupling between dopamine receptor DOP-2XL and GPA-14. Further, we sought to determine the DOP-2 region necessary for GPA-14 coupling. We generated truncated DOP-2XL constructs and performed pair-wise yeast two-hybrid assay with GPA-14 followed by in-vitro interaction studies and here we report that the third intracellular loop is the key domain responsible for DOP-2 and GPA-14 coupling. Our results show that the extra-long C. elegans D2-like receptor is coupled to gpa-14 that has no mammalian homolog but shows close similarity to inhibitory G-proteins. Supplementing earlier investigations, our results demonstrate the importance of an invertebrate D2-like receptor's third intracellular loop in its G-protein interaction.
Improved method for electroporation of Staphylococcus aureus

We have developed a significantly improved method for the electroporation of plasmid DNA into Staphylococcus aureus. The highest transformation efficiency achieved with this procedure was 4.0 x 10(8) transformants per microgram of plasmid pSK265 DNA. This represents a 530-fold improvement over the previously reported optimum efficiency of 7.5 x 10(5) transformants per microgram of plasmid DNA after electroporation of S. aureus cells [9]. Identical results were obtained when electrocompetent cells, which had been stored frozen at -80 degrees C, were used. The improved efficiency is due primarily to the use of a modified medium (designated as B2 medium) and secondarily to the use of 0.1-cm cuvettes. Several other plasmids (pI258, pMH109, and pSK270) were also electrotransformed into competent cells using our procedure, and for each plasmid, the transformation efficiency was significantly reduced compared to that observed when pSK265 DNA was used. With respect to plasmid pI258, the transformation efficiency was 3500-fold higher than that reported previously for transformation of this plasmid into S. aureus RN4220 [9]. The optimized electroporation procedure was less successful in transforming other staphylococci. Electrocompetent cells of S. aureus ATCC 29213 and S. epidermidis ATCC 12228 produced 5.5 x 10(5) and 5 x 10(3) transformants per microgram of pSK265 DNA, respectively.
Biochemistry of the Soluble Methane Monooxygenase

The soluble form of methane monooxygenase (MMO) catalyzes the reaction NAD(P)H + O2 + CH4 + H+-->NAD(P)+ + H2O + CH3OH. Many other hydrocarbons serve as adventitious substrates. MMO consists of three protein components: component B, reductase, and hydroxylase (MMOH), the active site of which contains a hydroxo-bridged dinuclear iron cluster that is the site of catalysis. Such a cluster has not been previously associated with oxygenases, and spectroscopic studies have been conducted to ascertain its structural features and accessibility. The mechanism of MMO has been investigated through the use of diagnostic chemical reactions and transient kinetics. Both approaches are consistent with a mechanism in which the diiron cluster is first reduced to the diferrous state and then reacts with O2. The O-O bond is apparently cleaved heterolytically to yield water and an [Fe(IV).Fe(IV)]=O species, which purportedly abstracts a hydrogen atom from methane to yield a substrate radical and a diiron cluster-bound hydroxyl radical. Recombination of the radicals yields the product methanol. An intermediate with the properties of the novel [Fe(IV).Fe(IV)] = O species has been trapped and characterized. This is the first such species to be isolated in biology. Meanwhile, the reductase and component B have roles in catalysis beyond simple electron transfer from NAD(P)H. These roles appear to be related to regulation of catalysis, and are mediated by the formation of specific component complexes that alter the physical and catalytic properties of MMOH at different stages of the turnover cycle.
A Demonstrative Helps Opposing Expert Testimony Sensitize Jurors to the Validity of Scientific Evidence

This study examined whether a demonstrative (visual aid) could increase the ability of opposing expert testimony to sensitize jurors to variations in the validity of scientific evidence. Undergraduates (N = 246) viewed a videotaped reenactment of an armed robbery trial with an eyewitness identification as the key evidence. Both the validity of the defense expert’s study on eyewitness identification and the type of opposing expert testimony varied. Although participants were sensitive to the scientific quality of the defense expert’s testimony when an opposing expert addressed the defense expert’s study, regardless of the presence of a demonstrative, jurors’ verdicts were sensitive only when the opposing expert used a demonstrative to communicate about validity issues. Thus, an opposing expert who addresses a defense expert’s study with or without a demonstrative may be sufficient to improve jurors’ understanding of scientific evidence, but the addition of a demonstrative is necessary to translate this kno...
Mediating Effects of Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment on the Relationship between Public Service Motivation and Performance: A Meta-Analysis

The relationship between public service motivation (PSM) and its outcomes (e.g., performance, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment) remains a central concern of scholars and practitioners in the public management field. Although a wide variety of studies have been conducted, the findings have not completely dispelled the suspicion about whether a direct and actual influence of PSM on outcomes exists. Meta-analysis is a systematic and quantitative process that synthesizes numerous results from original studies and can provide better parameter estimates through computing a mean effect size. Using a structural analysis of meta-analytic correlations, this study investigates the overall average effect sizes and the possibility of alternative effects (i.e., mediating effects) of other variables (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational commitment) on the PSM-performance relationship in order to specify these relationships. The structural analyses of meta-analytic correlations among PSM and outcomes show that PSM has mostly indirect effects on performance; that is, job satisfaction and organizational commitment have partial mediation effects on the relationship between PSM and individual performance.
Revitalizing Iowa's Corporate Income Tax

The author says that Iowa's corporate tax revenues are declining; part of the decline is attributable to tax credits enacted since 1984. The author says the state should adopt combined reporting and should monitor incentives more closely.
An Empirical Test of Price Theories in the Market for Seasonal Goods

Three theories have been proposed in the literature to describe the reason behind sharp price declines observed over a product's short lifecycle in seasonal (perishable) goods markets: Prices decline as a result of (i) inter-temporal price discrimination; (2) a firm's uncertainty about product popularity at the start of the season; (3) decreasing opportunity costs due to product perishability. We first provide empirically testable implications of each theory. Then, using data from a large US specialty apparel retailer, we assess whether these theories have empirical support in the fashion apparel market. Our results indicate that inter-temporal price discrimination and product perishability both contribute to the observed price declines. We do not find empirical support for the impact of retailer’s initial demand uncertainty on observed price declines in our data.
Coordination and Agreement

In chapter 3 I argued that coordination involves a two identical projections that host the conjuncts in their respective specifiers. This analysis predicts that certain phenomena should affect only one of those segments. In this chapter I will argue that partial agreement is an operation restricted to one of the specifiers. Partial agreement displays two important characteristics. There is a typological correlation regarding word order and a division that depends on interpretive possibilities. After presenting the data, I will turn to the analysis of the different patterns in the current framework.
Venomous Speech: Problems with American Political Discourse on the Right and Left, Two Volumes

Venomous Speech: Problems with American Political Discourse on the Right and Left “offers a pessimistic view of political discourse to match the pessimistic political atmosphere in which it is writ...
Effects of Photoperiod History and Temperature on Male Collared Lemmings, Dicrostonyx groenlandicus

Adult collared lemmings, Dicrostonyx groenlandicus (87 days of age), transferred from long (20L:4D) to short (8L:16D) photoperiod showed an increase in body mass, while those transferred from 8L:16D to 20L:4D showed a decrease in body mass. Exposure to short photoperiod resulted in an increase in length of body relative to exposure to long photoperiod. Temperature affected body mass only under 20L:4D with animals housed at 5°C being significantly heavier than lemmings housed at 18°C. Temperature did not affect length of body. Changes in body mass in response to photoperiod exposure primarily were due to the deposition or loss of fat-free dry mass and water. The mass of the reproductive organs (testes and seminal vesicles) was significantly increased in lemmings maintained at 5°C relative to animals house at 18°C. Mass of reproductive organs at 87 days of age was not affected by the photoperiod experienced during the subadult stage. However, at 167 days of age, lemmings originally housed under 8L:16D conditions (from weaning to 87 days of age) had significantly heavier mass of reproductive organs than did lemmings maintained on 20L: 4D from weaning to 87 days of age, regardless of secondary photoperiod exposure (87–167 days of age). Photoperiod conditions seen early in life may have long-term effects on mass of reproductive tissues in this species.
Developing asthma-Friendly childcare centers with Online Training and evaluation

In 2011, the Florida Asthma Coalition (FAC) began offering its Asthma-Friendly Childcare Center (AFCC) training online. This course teaches childcare center employees the fundamentals of effective asthma management. It covers basic asthma physiology, ways to recognize asthma attacks, techniques to help children experiencing attacks, and strategies to create healthy environments for asthmatics. A team of health services researchers evaluated both years of the online training. Evaluators used a quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and follow-up assessment. Questions measured knowledge gain and retention, user satisfaction, and implementation of management strategies. Over 650 people from nearly all 67 Florida counties took AFCC training online between 2011 and 2013. Test scores improved by a minimum of 11% points in all program years evaluated. Gains in both knowledge and confidence were substantial and highly significant across years. While individual trainees did forget some content on follow-up, they seemed to retain the specific messages most relevant for their own workplaces. Most trainees also planned to implement multiple management strategies recommended by the training. A large majority of participants rated the training as excellent on all quality metrics, including relevance of content and time efficiency of the online format. Nearly all respondents perceived the training as useful for both providing improved care and fulfilling licensure or certification requirements. Many participants also indicated that their centers would pursue formal certification as AFCCs via the program offered by FAC. The online AFCC course performed strongly in its first years, yielding both high participant satisfaction and substantial improvement in workplace asthma management activity. This training holds promise for introducing and improving multidimensional asthma management strategies at childcare facilities nationwide.
Rearing Psychoda alternata (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the Laboratory on Digested Sewage Sludge, with Some Observations on Its Biology

Psychoda alternata Say (Diptera: Psychodidae)is reported emerging from sludge-amended agricultural fields, and a simple and efficient method for rearing this insect in the laboratory on liquid digested sewage sludge is described. Mean days from egg to adult emergence at 24°C for males was 11.2 ± 0.24 ( n = 45); for females it was 13.1 ± 0.52 ( n = 30). An experiment testing ovipositional attractiveness of three sludges of 3.02, 6.38, and 13.81% solids showed a significant preference for the latter. An examination of possible carnivorous tendencies of larvae proved negative
Influence of vitamin A on cholesterol blood levels.

SummaryOral administration of 100,000 I. U. of Vit. A acetate for 4 to 6 months significantly reduced the elevated serum cholesterol levels in atherosclerotic patients but had no effect on individuals with normal cholesterol levels.
The 1939 Pari-Mutuel Referendum in Saratoga Springs

The article examines the voting in Saratoga Springs, New York on the 1939 referendum to legalize pari-mutuel wagering.
Simple Interventions Improve the Quality of a Missed Lab Appointment Process

Simple interventions resolve the problem of missed lab appointments. It is essential that patients complete ordered laboratory studies. This maintains clinical quality and, potentially, keeps patients safe from harm. In our academic family medicine practice, baseline data demonstrated patients completed 94.7% of labs as ordered (26850/28348 patients per year) while 1498 (5.3%) did not. Our baseline patient reminder process, a mail or portal based generic letter, resulted in only 449 (30%) of patients ultimately completing them (1049 [70%] did not). Our baseline system was 96.3 % reliable. This process did not allow for provider review or input, and was not personalized for patients. We designed a quality improvement project involving three PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, and Act) cycles of about two months each. Desk staff created weekly reports of unresolved lab orders. A message in the electronic medical record (EMR) solicited provider input. Providers could elect to cancel studies (if already completed, reordered, or no longer clinically indicated) or have the patient receive a personalized reminder, including provider name and associated diagnoses. This reminder was sent by patient portal secure messaging (if an account existed) or with a mailed letter. These interventions resulted in 98.8 % process reliability. The frequency of unresolved lab orders decreased from 70% at baseline to 25%. In the second PDSA cycle, we contacted patients by the portal only if there was evidence of an active account. Otherwise, they were contacted by telephone. Patients without a portal account continued to receive a letter by mail. These modified processes resulted in an overall reliability rate of 99.2%. The frequency of unresolved lab orders decreased to 17%. A final PDSA cycle utilized only telephone contact with patients with unresolved lab orders. Schedulers offered patients a choice of appointment dates if they spoke personally. Otherwise, they were left messages with a future lab appointment date two weeks later.Overall process reliability now increased to 100%. The frequency of unresolved lab orders decreased to 0%. Our interventions resulted in increased system reliability.Provider input was not perceived as burdensome. Desk staff work effort was not increased.Telephone patient contact resulted in more frequent lab order completion than other methods.
Palliative strategies for the management of primary and metastatic spinal tumors.

Background Technological advances during the last few decades have improved the success rate of surgery for the treatment of malignant spinal tumors. Nonetheless, many patients present with widespread tumor burden and minimal life expectancy, which excludes them from being surgical candidates. For these patients, palliative management is recommended. Methods The authors reviewed prospective and retrospective clinical studies as well as case series regarding palliative treatments for primary and metastatic spinal tumors. Results Analgesics, ranging from nonopioids to strong opioids, may be used depending on the degree of pain. Steroids may also improve pain relief, although they are associated with a number of adverse events. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are conservative treatments with high rates of pain relief and vertebral body stabilization. Radiotherapy is the gold standard for palliative management, with approximately 60% of patients experiencing a decrease in tumor-related spinal pain and up to 35% experiencing complete relief. Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers high doses of radiation to patients to provide pain relief while also sparing delicate anatomical structures. Conclusion Palliative management of spinal tumors is diverse. Analgesics may be used in conjunction with radiotherapy and/or kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty to offer pain relief.
324 million minorities.

In his Editorial “ Einstein v. Roberts ” (25 March, p. [1371][1]), S. J. Gates Jr. describes how minorities can add to the creative scientific process by bringing a different perspective. He misses the point. Minorities bring their own perspective to every aspect of life, not just physics, and
Nucleic Acid Probe Technology

Publisher Summary In a hybridization solution, a probe preparation is said to be homogeneous if all probe molecules are the same whereas mixtures of two or more sequences that may be closely related in nucleotide sequence make heterogeneous probes. Probes are classified depending on the distribution of label with the probe molecule itself. End-labeled probes are those to which the label has been added at the 5΄end, as with the kinasing reaction, or at the 3΄ end by the action of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. There are three basic methods for labeling nucleic acids: radiolabeling; hapten incorporation (biotin, fluorescein, digoxigenin) that will support non-isotopic detection by chemiluminescence, chemifluorescence, or chromogenic techniques; and direct enzyme labeling. The key considerations in the selection of a probe labeling system are: required sensitivity and resolution; whether the probe is DNA or RNA; method of label incorporation, probe stability after labeling; type of hybridization; desired method of detection. RNA probes as hybridization tools remain popular because of several key advantages associated with their use. These probes are synthesized by in vitro transcription and can be substituted for DNA probes in nearly all applications. An integral part of the preparation of RNA probes is the transcription of antisense and sense transcripts from the same template construction. Antisense RNA is complementary to mRNA, and is therefore able to base pair to it.
Philosophically inspired concept acquisition for artificial general intelligence

We describe a Bayesian network implementation of a theory of concepts that is motivated by observations from the philosophical debate between Lexical Concept Empiricism and Lexical Concept Nativism. According to our theory, Baptizing Meanings for Concepts (BMC), concepts are acquired by hypothesizing latent kinds/categories to explain observed cooccurrences of sets of properties in a group of objects. The hypothesized kind/category is given a name and inferential relationships are stored between the name and representations for the observable properties. We argue that this process appeases tensions in the philosophical debate by allowing for the acquisition of concepts via perception and inference, while yielding the concepts simple, in the sense of being contingently associated with other representations. The BMC is inspired by a well-known process in the philosophy of language for assigning meanings to linguistic terms [1, 2, 3, 4].
Modeling nonlinear response of fractured rocks and reservoirs

Summary Since the early work of Athey (1930), there have been many attempts to describe the various nonlinear behaviors of rocks and soils in terms of functionals having only a few parameters, while nevertheless being able to fit the complicated available data with satisfactory accuracy. Such approaches have not been universally applied however, and the present analyses are intended to draw attention to the possibility of using such nonlinear fitting methods on old as well as new data sets. In particular, some special emphasis is placed here on re-examining the well-known laboratory data of Coyner (1984) on rocks in light of such modeling tools, and we find that the nonlinear approach again has several clear advantages – especially in terms of reducing the number of variables needed to describe the observed behavior of both bulk modulus and porosity of rocks undergoing large changes in pressure. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.