cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Species-specific escape behaviour in grasshoppers

A number of vertebrate species have been shown to flee at species-specific distances when approached by a predator but data on invertebrate escape behaviour are few. Grasshoppers are visually-orienting invertebrates that switch between walking when undisturbed to flying or jumping to flee from predators, thereby allowing the beginning and end of an escape attempt to be clearly defined. I&#160;studied the approach distances, escape distances, and angles of escape of nine sympatric species of acridid grasshoppers. Both approach distance and escape distance were correlated with each other and differed among species. Angle of escape showed no discernible trends. Within species some variation in escape behaviour was seen among sexes and colour morphs. The variation in escape behaviour among species was correlated with phylogeny but not with body size.
Understanding Data-Driven Organizational Culture: A Case Study of Family League of Baltimore

Human service organizations have long been encouraged to utilize performance measurement to track their efficiency and effectiveness. But recent trends move beyond the measurement of outcomes to th...
Assessment of Cognitive Training & Social Interaction in People with Mild to Moderate Dementia: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: To evaluate the cognitive, neuropsychiatric, and quality of life outcomes of computer-based cognitive training and social interaction on people with mild to moderate dementia. Methods: Ten individuals with dementia were recruited to complete a cognitive training regimen. They were randomly assigned to a high social interaction (HSI) group (n = 5) and low social interaction (LSI) group (n = 5). Eight of the original 10 participants completed the cognitive training and were evaluated on cognitive abilities, neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), and quality of life (QoL). Results: Mean scores for the HSI group increased on cognitive assessments, where mean scores for the LSI group saw decline, or stability. There was an overall reduction in the frequency and severity of NPS presentation in both the HSI and LSI group. Mixed results were found for mean changes in QoL. Discussion: These results support the idea of social interaction influencing cognitive outcomes, cognitive training influencing NPS, and both social interaction and cognitive training influencing QoL. The findings illustrate the feasibility and importance of incorporating social activity to computerized cognitive training for people with dementia. Clinical Implications: Cognitive training that incorporates social interaction may be a promising intervention for individuals with dementia experiencing NPS.
Parabolic Pulse Generation in Totally Passive Tapered Multimode Fibers

We propose a new method to generate self-similar parabolic pulses in exponentially tapered multimode fibers. In such broadband amplification-free settings the input pulse can quickly acquire a parabolic profile with a high quality linear chirp.
Abstract 1307: Inhibition of ERK by LY3214996 augments nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine combination chemotherapy efficacy in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is currently the third most frequent cause of cancer deaths in the US and is expected to be the second deadliest cancer by 2030. The 5-year survival rate in PDAC patients is only 6% and the poor prognosis is attributed to several factors including late-stage diagnosis, aggressive disease progression and high resistance to conventional therapies. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more effective systemic treatment strategies in PDAC patients. Nab-paclitaxel (Nab-pac) combined with gemcitabine (Gem) or FOLFIRINOX combination chemotherapy regimen are approved as standard of care treatment for frontline metastatic PDAC. Due to limited clinical efficacy of current cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens for PDAC patients, novel approaches are needed to further improve patient survival outcomes. In PDAC, activating mutations in KRAS occur at a frequency of ~90% rendering this a potential therapeutic target of interest. Developing drugs that directly target mutant KRAS protein remains challenging and alternative strategies focus on inhibition of downstream targets of the RAS-MAPK cascade. The addition of ERK inhibitor LY3214996 to the chemotherapy regimen (Nab-pac+Gem) was tested in MIA PaCa-2 (KRAS G12C), Capan-2 (KRAS G12V) and SW1990 (KRAS G12D) pancreatic cancer xenograft models. In the Capan-2 model, combination of LY3214996 with Gem alone was statistically additive (p Citation Format: Shripad V. Bhagwat, Wenjuan Wu, Baohui Zhao, Weihua Shen, Lisa Kindler, Jennifer Stephens, Jason Manro, William McMillen, Sajan Joseph, Sheng-Bin Peng, Ramon V. Tiu. Inhibition of ERK by LY3214996 augments nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine combination chemotherapy efficacy in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1307.
Identifying individual differences in adolescent neuropsychological function using the NIH Toolbox: An application of partially ordered classification modeling.

OBJECTIVE The Cognition Battery of the National Institutes of Heath Toolbox is a commonly utilized set of assessments of neuropsychological abilities, evaluating executive function, attention, working memory, processing speed, and episodic memory. We highlight the utility of an advanced statistical model in providing nuanced characterization of neurocognition in an adolescent population. We propose that partially ordered set (POSET) models are well suited to analyze polyfactorial tasks and identify distinct profiles of cognitive functioning. METHOD Two models were considered using POSET classification. The first modeled 5 distinct cognitive functions and allowed for multiple functions to contribute to task performance. The second simpler model involved only 2 broader-based functions without polyfactorial task specifications. Existing performance data from 745 adolescents aged 14-17 years were analyzed. Posterior probabilities of classification performance and the discriminatory properties of the estimated response distributions indicated how well the modeling approaches fit the data. RESULTS The larger first model resulted in 8 profiles or states characterized by combinations of high or low functioning in 5 distinct functions. The simpler second model involved 2 broader-based functions that resulted in 4 states. Comparing model fit criteria, we believe that the finer-grained first model may better reflect the cognitive constructs associated with the tasks. Notably, POSET modeling did not always provide adequate classification of working memory because of the limited design of the Cognition Battery. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that the use of POSET models is a feasible approach for detailed analysis of neurocognitive data that can extract information on cognitive functions, even when provided with limited task batteries. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
All Souls: Wittgenstein and ‘eine Einstellung zur Seele’

This chapter explores Wittgenstein’s contrast between attitudes and opinions in characterizing my relation toward the other as ensouled. I begin with what I call a privileging reading, which accords to the notion of attitude a kind of depth in relation to opinions. On this reading, the attitude Wittgenstein gestures toward provides the backdrop for the kinds of opinions that make sense in my relation to the other. Read with only a slight shift of emphasis, Wittgenstein’s remark allows for a similar sounding, but ultimately quite different, reading, which is exemplified in Daniel Dennett’s notion of the intentional stance. The different ways of construing Wittgenstein’s contrast make a difference in terms of how we understand Wittgenstein’s thought in relation to—and as having some bearing upon—scientific naturalism.
Empirically Estimated Electron Lifetimes in the Earth's Radiation Belts: Van Allen Probe Observations

We use measurements from NASA's Van Allen Probes to calculate the decay time constants for electrons over a wide range of energies (30 keV to 4 MeV) and L values ( L = 1.3-6.0) in the Earth's radiation belts. Using an automated routine to identify flux decay events, we construct a large database of lifetimes for near-equatorially mirroring electrons over a 5-year interval. We provide the first accurate estimates of the long decay timescales in the inner zone ( ∼ 100 days), which are highly resolved in energy and free from proton contamination. In the slot region and outer zone, we compare our lifetime calculations with prior empirical estimates and find good quantitative agreement (lifetimes ∼ 1-20 days). The comparisons suggest that some prior estimates may overestimate electron lifetimes between L≈ 2.5-4.5 due to instrumental effects and/or background contamination. Previously reported two-stage decays are explicitly demonstrated to be a consequence of using integral fluxes.
Binational Migration Perspectives: Mexico, Latin America, and the USA

Our understanding of the migration processes can be substantially improved by examining the “contexts of premigration experiences” including the environmental conditions that motivated migration and personal preparedness to facilitate the physical transition as well as the “contexts of reception” such as structural factors and social resistance to migrants encountered in local areas of resettlement. This section of the volume connects the worlds of migrating and non-migrating people of Mexican heritage in the U.S. and Mexico, and examines selected issues accompanying consequences of resettlement and rebuilding lives and lifestyles. The chapters reflect major domains of transnational research in aging: impacts of migration and social adjustment, processes of support in families and social networks, and the impact of changing demography and residential status for foreign-born migrants in the U.S. The studies presented in this section benefit from a higher quantity and quality of cross-sectional and longitudinal survey data to study migratory patterns and regional variation in resettlement, differences in societal integration, and the connection of these patterns with health and healthcare.
The temperature sensitivity of soil: microbial biodiversity, growth, and carbon mineralization

Microorganisms drive soil carbon mineralization and changes in their activity with increased temperature could feedback to climate change. Variation in microbial biodiversity and the temperature sensitivities (Q10) of individual taxa may explain differences in the Q10 of soil respiration, a possibility not previously examined due to methodological limitations. Here, we show phylogenetic and taxonomic variation in the Q10 of growth (5–35 °C) among soil bacteria from four sites, one from each of Arctic, boreal, temperate, and tropical biomes. Differences in the temperature sensitivities of taxa and the taxonomic composition of communities determined community-assembled bacterial growth Q10, which was strongly predictive of soil respiration Q10 within and across biomes. Our results suggest community-assembled traits of microbial taxa may enable enhanced prediction of carbon cycling feedbacks to climate change in ecosystems across the globe.
Efficient deep learning

The computational complexity of deep neural networks is a major obstacle of many application scenarios driven by low-power devices, including federated learning. A recent finding shows that random sketches can substantially reduce the model complexity without affecting prediction accuracy.
Children's exploratory play tracks the discriminability of hypotheses.

Effective curiosity-driven learning requires recognizing that the value of evidence for testing hypotheses depends on what other hypotheses are under consideration. Do we intuitively represent the discriminability of hypotheses? Here we show children alternative hypotheses for the contents of a box and then shake the box (or allow children to shake it themselves) so they can hear the sound of the contents. We find that children are able to compare the evidence they hear with imagined evidence they do not hear but might have heard under alternative hypotheses. Children (N = 160; mean: 5 years and 4 months) prefer easier discriminations (Experiments 1-3) and explore longer given harder ones (Experiments 4-7). Across 16 contrasts, children’s exploration time quantitatively tracks the discriminability of heard evidence from an unheard alternative. The results are consistent with the idea that children have an “intuitive psychophysics”: children represent their own perceptual abilities and explore longer when hypotheses are harder to distinguish. People can infer unobserved causes of perceptual data (e.g. the contents of a box from the sound made by shaking it). Here the authors show that children compare what they hear with what they would have heard given other causes, and explore longer when the heard and imagined sounds are hard to discriminate.
Me looking at you, looking at me: The stare-in-the-crowd effect and autism spectrum disorder.

Abstract Introduction The stare-in-the-crowd (SITC) effect describes the ability to detect self-directed gaze in a crowd. Given the importance of gaze detection in initiating and maintaining social interactions, there is a need to better characterize the SITC effect. Methods Autistic and neurotypical young adults were presented with four SITC conditions. Eye tracking outcomes and arousal were compared by diagnosis and condition using repeated measures analysis of variance. Hierarchical regression was used to explore behavioral measures. Results Significant interaction of diagnosis and condition was found for eye tracking outcomes. Overall, autistic participants exhibited less looking than neurotypical participants. Interest area dwell time, fixation count, and second fixation duration were significantly higher for conditions with shifting gaze, as well as conditions with more self-directed gaze across participants. Two hierarchical regression models of gaze behaviors with advanced theory of mind as a predictor were significant. Discussion Autistic individuals respond to various gaze conditions in similar patterns to neurotypical individuals, but to a lesser extent. These findings offer important targets for social interventions.
Biocatalytic One-Carbon Ring Expansion of Aziridines to Azetidines via a Highly Enantioselective [1,2]-Stevens Rearrangement

We report enantioselective one-carbon ring expansion of aziridines to make azetidines as a new, abiologcal activity of engineered ‘carbene transferase’ enzymes. A laboratory-evolved variant of cytochrome P450BM3, P411-AzetS, not only overrides the inherent reactivity of aziridinium ylides to undergo cheletropic extrusion of ethylene, it also exerts unparalleled stereocontrol (99:1 er) over a [1,2]-Stevens rearrangement, a notoriously challenging reaction class for asymmetric catalysis. These unprecedented selectivities enable an entirely new strategy for the synthesis of chiral azetidine products from readily available synthetic precursors. The utility of this reaction is highlighted by the synthesis of an enantiopure azetidine on gram scale. The exquisite selectivity of the enzyme enables new-to-nature ring-expansion chemistry that overcomes a longstanding synthetic problem
Following the Reaction

Thin-layer chromatography, silica gel, solvent selection, solvent selectivity triangle, eluotropic series, normal-phase chromatography, reverse-phase chromatography, ultraviolet detection, TLC stains, phosphomolybdic acid, vanillin, ninhydrin, capillary gas chromatography, ﬂame ionization detector, high performance liquid chromatography, refractive index, HPLC-mass spectrometry, internal standards, calibration curves, NMR spectroscopy.
Building a computer from scratch: a hardware lab sequence for computer science students

As computers become increasingly complex, computer science students have less tangible understanding of computer hardware. Most modern computer organization courses give students little hands-on experience in physically designing computers. The exceptions typically either have students work with FPGAs or pre-built single board computers, both of which shield students from the actual hardware underneath. This paper describes a computer design lab sequence that I included as part of my computer organization class. In the course of fourteen 50-minute labs, students built an 8085-based computer from discrete chips on a breadboard and constructed a communications interface with a laptop. My students are computer science students in a small department with limited resources. The labs were designed to require no expensive test equipment beyond a simple multimeter. Prior to this class the students have had no previous digital design experience or exposure to electronic circuits. Nevertheless, all students assigned the labs completed them successfully. Students found the labs stimulating and praised them in end-of-semester evaluations.
Efficient run-time support for irregular task computations with mixed granularities

Many irregular scientific computing problems can be modeled by directed acyclic task graphs (DAGs). We present an efficient run-time system for executing general asynchronous DAG schedules on distributed memory machines. Our solution tightly integrates the run-time scheme with a fast communication mechanism to eliminate unnecessary overhead in message buffering and copying, and takes advantage of task dependence properties to ensure the correctness of execution. We demonstrate the applications of this scheme in sparse LU and Cholesky factorizations for which actual speedups have been hard to obtain in the literature because parallelism in these problems is irregular and limited. Our experiments on Meiko CS-2 show the promising results of our approach in exploiting irregular task parallelism with mixed granularities.
Efficient linear supply-modulated PA with harmonic injection

This paper discusses the concept of partial supply modulation with harmonic injection at the output of a PA, resulting in constant high efficiency and linearity over a wide range of output power levels. Nonlinear simulations for the TriQuint TGF2023-01 6-W GaN device are validated with a proof-of-concept PA biased in class-AB mode at 2.45 GHz. Efficiencies in the range of 62-76% are achieved for a ≤ 7 dB variation in the output power. The corresponding range of drain voltage is 10-27V and injected harmonic power range is -33 to -10 dBc w.r.t. fundamental output power. This high efficiency amplifier simultaneously achieves high linearity. Simulated and measured third harmonic shows a ≥ 15 dB reduction as compared to a PA with no harmonic injection. It is also shown that simulated two-tone IMD3 follow a similar trend.
Is spread through alveolar spaces, the newly recognized pattern of invasion, a potential game changer in lung adenocarcinoma?

Lung adenocarcinoma, the most common histologic subtype of lung cancer, is detected at an early stage in 25% of cases. With the implementation of the new National Cancer Institute guidelines, which recommend low-dose CT screening of all high-risk smokers, the number of patients diagnosed with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma is expected to increase (1). Despite early detection, mortality from lung cancer continues to be the highest among all malignancies. As small lung nodules are detected more frequently, the role of surgical intervention and management for early-stage lung cancer will be of increasing interest to thoracic surgeons and oncologists.
Complex crowns of Riemannian symmetric spaces and non-compactly causal symmetric spaces

In this paper we define a distinguished boundary for the complex crowns Ξ ⊆ G C /K C of non-compact Riemannian symmetric spaces G/K. The basic result is that affine symmetric spaces of G can appear as a component of this boundary if and only if they are non-compactly causal symmetric spaces.
Ocular injury in the United States: Emergency department visits from 2006-2011.

INTRODUCTION: Ocular complaints represent a sizeable burden to emergency departments, accounting for an estimated 2.4 million ED visits annually. We sought to characterise visits associated with ocular injury and examine factors contributing to inpatient admission. METHODS: We searched the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample between 2006 and 2011 and identified cases in which patients presented with a primary or secondary diagnosis of ocular trauma. We described these cases according to age, sex, external mechanism of injury, payer status, and identified relationships between these variables. Logistic regression models were employed to identify crude and adjusted relative odds of admission to inpatient status based on patient demographics, mechanism of injury, payer status, and the existence of multiple injuries. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2011, a total of 5541,434 visits were made to EDs in the United States with a primary or other diagnosis of ocular trauma; ocular trauma was the primary diagnosis in 77.9% of these cases. Overall, mean age at presentation was 33.8 years and the majority of patients were male (64.8%). Male sex, older age, being struck by or against an object, the existence of multiple injuries, and Medicaid as a primary payer were all associated with significantly higher odds of hospital admission. DISCUSSION: The distribution of primary external mechanism of injury suggested that individuals are at higher risks for different injury types at each successive stage of life. Age and injury mechanism were correlated with odds of admission to inpatient status, with the highest odds among older adults who had been injured by being struck by or against an object. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular injury plays a substantial role in the ED. Further work is necessary to determine whether developing and implementing age- and sex-appropriate prevention strategies could reduce the incidence of ocular injury and reduce morbidity related to these types of injuries. Language: en
Novel series of 111In-labeled bombesin analogs as potential radiopharmaceuticals for specific targeting of gastrin-releasing peptide receptors expressed on human prostate cancer cells

Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receptors have been shown to be expressed with high densities on several types of cancer cells including prostate, breast, small cell lung, and pancreas cancers. Bombesin (BBN) has been known to bind to GRP receptors with high affinity and specificity. The aim of these studies was to develop new 111In-labeled BBN analogs having high tumor uptake and optimal pharmacokinetics for specific targeting of human prostate cancers. Methods: A novel series of dodecanetetraacetic acid (DOTA)-X-BBN[7–14]NH2 (X = 0, β-Ala, 5-Ava, 8-Aoc, or 11-Aun) conjugates and their In(III)/111In complexes exhibiting high GRP-receptor-binding affinities were synthesized and characterized. Results: In vitro competitive binding assays, using PC-3 androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells, demonstrated values of
Early neurolysis in the treatment of injury of the peripheral nerves due to faulty injection of antibiotics.

THE modern treatment of all types of infectious disease by repeated intramuscular administration of antibiotics has resulted in an increased incidence of injuries of the peripheral nerves due to im...
Stability of mechanical impedence controlled manipulators in workspace coordinates

The design of a controller for the implementation of impedance control for small interaction forces is considered. Impedance control refers to the specification of the mechanical impedance of the manipulator seen from the environment. The stability of the complete system with coordinate transformations is analyzed and a method for reducing the effect of Jacobian matrices with large condition numbers on stability test conservativeness is derived. An actual implementation of a stiffness controller (zero mass and damping) on the Rhino XR-1 robot is described.
The use of live models in the teaching of gross anatomy

Summary Live models were introduced into the first-year gross anatomy course to provide medical students with an opportunity to apply to the living person what they learned from cadaver dissection. After each major segment of the cadaver dissection, clinical correlation sessions were presented for the students by clinicians, using live models for demonstration, examination and correlation. At the completion of the course, an evaluation questionnaire was given to students. Their response indicated that the new teaching technique made anatomy seem more relevant to clinical medicine than using cadavers alone. Live models were rated superior to using cadavers, especially in demonstrating superficial anatomical structures and landmarks. On the basis of student response it was concluded that this programme provided medical students with a unique introduction to living human anatomy.
Adherence to guideline-recommended therapies among patients with diverse manifestations of vascular disease

Background Current guidelines recommend aspirin, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), and smoking abstinence for all patients with vascular disease. There is little data on the variation in adherence to guideline-recommended therapies among patients with different clinical manifestations of vascular disease.
The workflow application as an unintended medium for organizational learning: A longitudinal field study

Research on information technology (IT) and organizational learning has treated IT as either a subject of or an intentionally designed platform for organizational learning. In contrast, this study investigates the unintentional effects of IT use on organizational learning processes. The findings of this longitudinal field study suggest that an IT platform can serve as both reification and propagation media for experimentation with new work practices. The use of an IT platform can produce online profiles of new work practices and spread them within a user community immediately and simultaneously in a decontextualized fashion. As a consequence, the intensity of collective learning in the process of institutionalizing new work practices can be reduced.
Institutions, Inequalities, and the Impact of Agrarian Reform on Rural Mexican Communities

In 1992, Mexico revised its agrarian code ending the redistribution of land and allowing the privatization of Mexico's ejidos. This article examines the potential impacts of these changes through a comparison of two communities, one ejido, the other private property — a comparison that mirrors the changes introduced in the new agrarian reform. I document how the communities' foundation under these two different institutions profoundly shaped the historical and contemporary structure of landholdings and community relations. The ejido community was characterized by greater equality and community solidarity, and fewer social problems. The private property community had extreme inequalities, community relations divided by class interests, and newly-developed social problems. These differences, I argue, presage impending changes in agrarian communities throughout rural Mexico.
Modeling Compressive Reaction in Shock-Driven Secondary Granular Explosives

Hexanitrostilbene (HNS) is a secondary, granular explosive with a wide usage in commercial and governmental sectors. For example, HNS is used in the aerospace industry as boosters in rockets, in the oil and gas industry in linear shaped charge designs in wellbore perforating guns, and in a number of applications in the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DoD). In many of these applications, neat granules of HNS are pressed without binder and device performance is achieved with shock initiation of the powdered bed. Previous studies have demonstrated that powdered explosives do not transmit sharp shocks, but produce dispersive compaction waves. These compaction waves can induce combustion in the material, leading to a phenomenon termed Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition (DDT). The Baer-Nunziato (B-N) multiphase model was developed to predict compressive reaction in granular energetic materials due to shock and non-shock inputs using non-equilibrium multiphase mixture theory. The B-N model was fit to historical data of HNS, and this model was used to predict recent impact experiments where samples pressed to approximately 60% of theoretical maximum density (TMD) were shock loaded by high-velocity flyers [1]. Shock wave computations were performed using CTH, an Eulerian, multimaterial, multidimensional, finite-volume shock physics code developed at Sandia National Laboratories [2]. Predicted interface velocities using the B-N model were shown to be in good agreement with the measurements. Furthermore, an uncertainty quantification study was performed and the computational results are presented with best estimates of uncertainty.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
How Low is Low? Evolving Approaches to Sphincter-Sparing Resection Techniques

Although advances in rectal cancer staging may ultimately be accurate enough to reliably exclude disease outside the rectal wall (thereby allowing local approaches to be more widely and safely applied) and advances in the use of neoadjuvant chemo- and radiation therapy may ultimately produce more "complete responders" that can be accurately identified and spared surgery altogether, as it stands, radical resection forms the basis of curative treatment for rectal cancer. However, the concepts that guide the surgeon in choosing the optimal approach in radical resection are changing. In the past, the decision as to how to proceed surgically with radical resection was based primarily on the level of the tumor above the anal verge or anorectal ring. The issue was primarily "How low is the tumor?" and "Is the distal margin safe?" A more modern approach focuses attention on achieving a negative circumferential margin despite what historically may seem to be a very minimal distal margin, the current issue is not "How low is the tumor?" so much as it is "How deep does the tumor go?". This shift in focus has been a major impetus in the evolution of sphincter sparing resection techniques.
A minor sialoglycoprotein of the human erythrocyte membrane

Abstract The sialoglycoprotein periodate fuchsin sulfite 2 has about 8% of the sialic acid contained in the sialoglycoproteins of the human erythrocyte membrane. This polypeptide appears to have an apparent monomeric molecular weight of 35,000, somewhat smaller than the monomer of the major sialoglycoprotein (periodate fuchsin sulfite 1) as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacry lamide gel electrophoresis, and has frequently been confused with the monomer of the major sialoglycoprotein. Periodate fuchsin sulfite 2 is not labeled by the lactoperoxidase procedure in the intact cell, although it is accessible to neuraminidase and other hydrolases. On the other hand, this component can be labeled by lactoperoxidase on the cytoplasmic surface of open membranes or resealed ghosts. Thus, it is a trans membrane protein. Although most of the other transmembrane proteins of the human erythrocyte membrane are extracted from the membrane by 0.1% Triton X-100 in 7 m m phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, this component is not removed and may be a cytoskeletal component. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, and thermolysin peptides, as well as cyanogen bromide fragments, clearly indicate that the primary sequence of this polypeptide can be distinguished from dimeric or monomeric forms of the major sialoglycoprotein (periodate fuchsin sulfite 1).
The customer compatibility scale: measuring service customers' perceptions of fellow customers

Customers forced to share the service environment may not react favourably to one anothers' behaviour or presence-possibly jeopardizing customer satisfaction with the overall service experience and thereby risking future patronage. This study introduces a 19-item customer compatibility scale that measures the extent of interaction between customers within a business's physical environment and whether it leads to satisfaction or dissatisfaction. An overview of the scale's development is presented, including evidence indicating the reliability and validity of the scale. Recommendations are made for future research, and practitioner applications of the scale are discussed.
Distance learning and criminal justice education: Exploring the possibilities

This article reviews various methods of providing distance learning, including factors to be considered in establishing distance education programs and a list of resources useful in implementing such programs. The number of criminal justice degree programs available via distance learning is growing; trends in delivery systems are explored in this article, along with an example of how such a degree might be obtained through the University of Great Falls (UGF) Telecom Program. While the UGF Telecom program is only one of many distance learning programs, a description may increase understanding about how such programs generally operate.
Critical illness myopathy and polyneuropathy

Neuromuscular weakness commonly develops in the setting of critical illness. This weakness delays recovery and often causes prolonged ventilator dependence. An axonal sensory-motor polyneuropathy, critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP), is seen in up to one third of critically ill patients with the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (usually due to sepsis). An acute myopathy, critical illness myopathy (CIM), frequently develops in a similar setting, often in association with the use of corticosteroids and/or nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents. These patients are often difficult to evaluate due to the limitations imposed by the critical care setting and may be further complicated by the presence of both CIP and CIM in varying degrees. This paper reviews the clinical and electrophysiologic features of these disorders, as well as the putative pathophysiology. In the case of CIM, an animal model has provided evidence that weakness in this disorder is caused by muscle membrane inexcitability due to altered membrane sodium currents and loss of myosin thick filaments.
Management of complicated parapneumonic effusions in children

Pneumonia with complicated parapneumonic effusion is a significant source of morbidity in children seen in our institution. This affords us the opportunity to evaluate new treatment options. In an effort to ensure that we provide quality care to these pediatric patients presenting with complicated parapneumonic effusions, we performed a retrospective review of patient records as well as our interventional radiology database. Fifty-eight patients were identified who were treated with intrapleural placement of pigtail catheters and administration of tPA. Successful drainage and resolution of 54 of the 58 effusions were achieved with percutaneous methods alone. There was no mortality or 30-day recurrence. Mean hospital stay was 9.1 days (range 5-21). On average, the chest catheter was removed on day 6 postplacement (range 1.5-20). tPA was administered intrapleurally, utilizing a standardized hospital protocol developed conjointly by Interventional Radiology and Thoracic Surgery. Patients were afebrile within 72 hours. In most patients, one catheter was placed. However, five patients had more than one catheter placed initially. Of the four patients that failed percutaneous tube therapy, three underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and one had open thoracotomy with decortication. The complication associated with this treatment was an average drop in hemoglobin of 2 g/mL. Based on our experience, tPA administered through a small-bore chest tube for drainage of complicated parapneumonic effusions has become our standard practice.
A role for the S0 transmembrane segment in voltage-dependent gating of BK channels.

BK (Maxi-K) channel activity is allosterically regulated by a Ca2+ sensor, formed primarily by the channel's large cytoplasmic carboxyl tail segment, and a voltage sensor, formed by its transmembrane helices. As with other voltage-gated K channels, voltage sensing in the BK channel is accomplished through interactions of the S1–S4 transmembrane segments with the electric field. However, the BK channel is unique in that it contains an additional amino-terminal transmembrane segment, S0, which is important in the functional interaction between BK channel α and β subunits. In this study, we used perturbation mutagenesis to analyze the role of S0 in channel gating. Single residues in the S0 region of the BK channel were substituted with tryptophan to give a large change in side chain volume; native tryptophans in S0 were substituted with alanine. The effects of the mutations on voltage- and Ca2+-dependent gating were quantified using patch-clamp electrophysiology. Three of the S0 mutants (F25W, L26W, and S29W) showed especially large shifts in their conductance–voltage (G-V) relations along the voltage axis compared to wild type. The G-V shifts for these mutants persisted at nominally 0 Ca2+, suggesting that these effects cannot arise simply from altered Ca2+ sensitivity. The basal open probabilities for these mutants at hyperpolarized voltages (where voltage sensor activation is minimal) were similar to wild type, suggesting that these mutations may primarily perturb voltage sensor function. Further analysis using the dual allosteric model for BK channel gating showed that the major effects of the F25W, L26W, and S29W mutations could be accounted for primarily by decreasing the equilibrium constant for voltage sensor movement. We conclude that S0 may make functional contact with other transmembrane regions of the BK channel to modulate the equilibrium between resting and active states of the channel's voltage sensor.
The prenatal sono raphic diagnosis of lethal multiple pterygium syndrome: A heritable cause of recurrent abortion

Presumably, a large number of recurrent abortions are caused by lethal recessive syndromes whose diagnosis depends either on a known family history or on the identification of characteristic fetal phenotypic features on pathologic examination. Because these conditions are rare, family histories are seldom helpful, and nondirected postmortem examinations on degenerating samples are seldom enlightening. Serial ultrasonography beginning early in pregnancy may provide important information in the evaluation of recurrent abortion caused by lethal recessive disorders. Reported is the accurate prenatal sonographic diagnosis of lethal multiple pterygium syndrome in a patient with a history of recurrent abortions. This syndrome is characterized by multiple limb contractures with pterygia, facial clefting, intracranial abnormalities, cystic hygroma, progressive fetal edema, and fetal death by midgestation. Inheritance may be X-linked recessive. Lethal multiple pterygium syndrome should be considered in patients with a history of recurrent midtrimester losses.
Effects of aerosols and relative humidity on cumulus clouds

[1] The influences of the aerosol type and concentration and relative humidity (RH) on cumulus clouds have been investigated using a two-dimensional spectral-bin cloud model. Three simulations are conducted to represent the polluted continental, clean continental, and marine aerosol types. Under the same initial dynamic and thermodynamic conditions, the maritime aerosol case results in more intensive radar reflectivity in both developing and mature stages than the continental aerosol cases, because of enhanced warm rain by collisions and ice processes by deposition growth due to larger droplet sizes and higher supersaturation, respectively. The considerable delay in convective development due to reduced droplet condensation is responsible for the longer cloud lifetime in the marine aerosol case. For the continental case, the most noticeable effects of increasing aerosol number concentrations (with 15 different initial values) are the increases of the cloud droplet number concentration and cloud water content but a decrease in the effective droplet radius. More latent heat release from increasing condensation results in stronger convection and more melting precipitation at the higher aerosol concentrations. Melting precipitation and secondary clouds primarily contribute to enhanced precipitation with increasing aerosols. The precipitation, however, decreases with increasing aerosol in the extremely high aerosol cases (over 5 × 104 cm−3) due to suppression of convection from depleted water vapor and inefficient coalescence. When the initial aerosol concentration exceeds a critical level, most of the cloud properties become less sensitive to aerosols, implying that the aerosol effect on deep convection is more pronounced in relatively clean air than in heavily polluted air. The aerosol effect on the cloud properties is strongly dependent on RH. As the surface RH increases from 40 to 70%, the cloud changes from shallow warm to deep convective types due to a significant increase of convective available potential energy (CAPE). The aerosol effects on the cloud microphysical properties and precipitation are negligible in dry air (40% surface RH), but much more significant in humid air (60-70% surface RH). The rain delay is sensitive to RH, but not to aerosols under similar initial thermodynamic conditions.
Substitution of Ala for Tyr567 in RB69 DNA Polymerase Allows dAMP and dGMP To Be Inserted Opposite Guanidinohydantoin

Continuous oxidative damage inflicted on DNA produces 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), a commonly occurring lesion that can potentially cause cancer by producing G {yields} T transversions during DNA replication. Mild oxidation of 8-oxoG leads to the formation of hydantoins, specifically guanidinohydantoin (Gh) and spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp), which are 100% mutagenic because they encode almost exclusively the insertion of dAMP and dGMP (encoding G {yields} T and G {yields} C transversions, respectively). The wild-type (wt) pol {alpha} family DNA polymerase from bacteriophage RB69 (RB69pol) inserts dAMP and dGMP with low efficiency when situated opposite Gh. In contrast, the RB69pol Y567A mutant inserts both of these dNMPs opposite Gh with >100-fold higher efficiency than wt. We now report the crystal structure of the 'closed' preinsertion complex for the Y567A mutant with dATP opposite a templating Gh (R-configuration) in a 13/18mer primer-template (P/T) at 2.0 {angstrom} resolution. The structure data reveal that the Y to A substitution provides the nascent base pair binding pocket (NBP) with the flexibility to accommodate Gh by allowing G568 to move in the major-to-minor groove direction of the P/T. Thus, Gh is rejected as a templating base by wt RB69pol because G568 is inflexible, preventing Gh from pairing with the incomingmore » dATP or dGTP base.« less
Incremental Binding Energies of Gold (I) and Silver (I) Thiolate Clusters

Density functional theory is used to find incremental fragmentation energy, overall dissociation energy, and average monomer fragmentation energy of cyclic gold(I) thiolate clusters and anionic chain structures of gold(I) and silver(I) thiolate clusters as a measure of the relative stability of these systems. Two different functionals, BP86 and PBE, and two different basis sets, TZP and QZ4P, are employed. Anionic chains are examined with various residue groups including hydrogen, methyl, and phenyl. Hydrogen and methyl are shown to have approximately the same binding energy, which is higher than phenyl. Gold-thiolate clusters are bound more strongly than corresponding silver clusters. Lastly, binding energies are also calculated for pure Au(25)(SR)(18)(-), Ag(25)(SR)(18)(-), and mixed Au(13)(Ag(2)(SH)(3))(6)(-) and Ag(13)(Au(2)(SH)(3))(6)(-) nanoparticles.
Effect of water on the oxygen barrier properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polylactide films

The aim of this work was to study the variations in the oxygen diffusion, solubility, and permeability coefficients of polylactide (PLA) films at different temperatures (5, 23, and 40°C) and water activities (0–0.9). The results were compared with the oxygen diffusion, solubility, and permeability coefficients obtained for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films under the same experimental conditions. The water sorption isotherm for PLA films was also determined. Diffusion coefficients were determined with the half-sorption time method. Also, a consistency test for continuous-flow permeability experimental data was run to obtain the diffusion coefficient with the lowest experimental error and to confirm that oxygen underwent Fickian diffusion in the PLA films. The permeability coefficients were obtained from steady-state permeability experiments. The results indicated that the PLA films absorbed very low amounts of water, and no significant variation of the absorbed water with the temperature was found. The oxygen permeability coefficients obtained for PLA films (2–12 × 10−18 kg m/m2 s Pa) were higher than those obtained for PET films (1–6 × 10−19 kg m/m2 s Pa) at different temperatures and water activities. Moreover, the permeability coefficients for PLA and PET films did not change significantly with changes in the water activity at temperatures lower than 23°C. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 1790–1803, 2004
Distribution of glassy-winged sharpshooter and threecornered alfalfa hopper on plant hosts in the San Joaquin Valley, California.

Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) and Spissistilus festinus (Say) populations were surveyed bimonthly for 14 mo in Kern County, CA, at five agricultural sites made up of a variety of potential host plants. In addition, S. festinus populations were surveyed in four alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., fields in Kern and Tulare counties. Insects were collected by beats-sweeps and sticky traps. Data on host plant condition and phenology, and ground cover presence and composition were collected at the five agricultural sites, whereas data on mowing and insecticide use were collected at the four alfalfa sites. Populations of both insects persisted at the five agricultural locations despite insecticide applications applied as part of a H. vitripennis areawide management program and standard commercial operations. Plants colonized by H. vitripennis included eucalyptus (Eucalyptus L'Her.), jojoba [Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C. K. Schneid.], and citrus (Citrus spp.). Populations of S. festinus were much greater in collections from alfalfa fields than from the five agricultural sites. Insects collected from the five mixed agricultural sites were negative for presence of X. fastidiosa. In laboratory tests, S. festinus did not acquire or transmit X. fastidiosa in tests with infected grape (Vitis spp.) as an acquisition source and grape, almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb], and alfalfa as inoculation hosts. Recommendations for vector control, vegetation management, and targeted monitoring to reduce insect populations and inoculum potential are discussed.
Significantly different fatty acid profiles in various phospholipid head groups of neuroblastoma cell lines.

Abstract We studied lipid profiles of hybrid cells derived from fusion of sympathetic ganglia and neuroblastoma cells (NCB 20, F 11) and also CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cells. The proportion of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids changed significantly in different phospholipid fractions. We observed 35.4 % of total fatty acids as saturated fatty acids in the phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) fraction of NCB-20 cell lines while 47.2% of total fatty acids were saturated in the phosphatidyl inositol (PI) fraction. In general, in neuroblastoma cell lines, we observed the lowest proportion of saturated fatty acids in the PE fraction while the other lipid fraction showed a much higher proportion of saturated fatty acids. On the other hand the PE fraction of a non neuronal cell line, CHO, showed 57.4% saturated fatty acids in the PE fraction. This significant difference in saturated to unsaturated fatty acid ratios in different phospholipid head groups may be linked to the different biological functions of those hybrid cells.