cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of climate change on western Plethodon salamanders’ distribution

Aim Given that salamanders have experienced large shifts in their distributions over time, we determined how each species of Plethodon in the Pacific Northwest would respond to climate change. We incorporated several greenhouse scenarios both on a species-by-species basis, and also using phylogenetic groups, with the aim to determine the best course of action in managing land area to conserve diversity in this group. Location Pacific Northwest of the United States (northern CA, OR, WA, ID, and MT). Major taxa studied Western Plethodon salamanders. Methods Species distribution models were estimated using MaxEnt for the current time period and for several future climate scenarios using bioclimatic data layers. We used several methods to quantify the change in habitat suitability over time from the models. We explored aspects of the climate layers to determine whether we can expect a concerted response to climate change due to similarity in ecological niche or independent responses that could be harder to manage. Results The distribution of western Plethodon salamander species is strongly influenced by precipitation and less so by temperature. Species responses to climate change resulted in both increases and decreases in predicted suitable habitat, though most species ranges do not contract, especially when taken as a phylogenetic group. Main conclusions While some established habitats may become more or less climatically suitable, the overall distribution of species in this group is unlikely to be significantly affected. Clades of Plethodon species are unlikely to be in danger of extirpation despite the possibility that individual species may be threatened as a result of limited distributions. Grouping species into lineages with similar geographic ranges can be a viable method of determining conservation needs. More biotic and dispersal information is needed to determine the true impact that changes in climate will have on the distribution of Plethodon species.
Making sense of incentives: Taming business incentives to promote prosperity, by Timothy J. Bartik: >Kalamazoo, Michigan, Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, 2019

Amazon’s recent demand to know, King Lear-like, which city loves me the most in order to decide where to locate a second headquarters, its decision to land in New York given the offer of billions o...
Each Realistic Continuous Functional Dependence Implies a Relation Between Some Variables: A Theoretical Explanation of a Fuzzy-Related Empirical Phenomenon.

In principle, one can have a continuous functional dependence \(y=f(x_1,\ldots ,x_n)\) for which, for each proper subset of \(n+1\) variable \(x_1,\ldots ,x_n,y\), there is no relation: i.e., for each selection of n variables out of these \(n+1\), all combinations of these n values are possible. However, for fuzzy operations, there is always some non-trivial relation between y and one of the inputs \(x_i\); for example, for “and”-operations (t-norms) \( y=f_ \& (x_1,x_2)\), we have \(y\le x_1\); for “or”-operations (t-conorms) \(y=f_\vee (x_1,x_2)\) we have \(x_1\le y\), etc. In this paper, we prove a general mathematical explanation for this empirical fact.
Urban green space alone is not enough: A landscape analysis linking the spatial distribution of urban green space to mental health in the city of Chicago

Abstract Research on the association between urban green space and mental health has largely focused on the presence or quantity of green space, rather than on the spatial distribution of green spaces within the urban landscape. We therefore investigated the relationship between the amount, composition, and spatial distribution of urban green space and the level of psychological distress reported by residents of a large metropolitan city (Chicago, Illinois, USA). We used mental health data collected from 6405 residents in 61 communities by the Chicago Department of Public Health as part of their Healthy Chicago Survey, and quantified landscape metrics related to the amount and configuration of green space within these community ‘landscapes’. Using generalized linear mixed models that controlled for socio-economic confounds, we found that residents reported less psychological distress within urban landscapes that had small-sized water bodies and greater distances between forested areas, which tend to characterize the distribution of large forest parks throughout Chicago. In terms of total green space, however, psychological distress levels were lower in landscapes having a disaggregated distribution of urban green spaces (i.e., many small green spaces) relative to a single (or a few) large green spaces. Our study thus highlights that the configuration of urban green space may be as important as the amount of green space to the mental health of urban residents.
Ethical Challenges in Privatizing Government Services

The great flexibility and innovation that characterize the latest public management practices pose new and different values conflicts for responsible administrators who wish to sustain an ethical work environment. The trend toward privatization of government services requires that responsible administrators adopt policies that were not needed in the past. Fairness takes on a different form when public employees have to be encouraged and aided in competing against private or nonprofit contractors. The potential for cozy politics requires the adoption of innovative procurement policies. Most significant, the investment in contract administration necessitated by a commitment to quality service often entails unanticipated costs and effort.
ECT emergence agitation and methohexital-succinylcholine interaction : case report

Two separate methods of preventing post-ECT emergence agitation are increasing the succinylcholine dose to about 1.1 mg/kg and adding a methohexital bolus of about 0.67 mg/kg immediately at seizure end. These methods can work separately and additively without any expectation of diminishing treatment efficacy. A relevant case is described.
Metal Substitutions and Inhibition of Thermolysin: Spectra of the Cobalt Enzyme

Abstract Removal of zinc from thermolysin results in an inactive, metal-free apoenzyme. Zn2+, Co2+, and Mn2+, when added in stoichiometric amounts, restore 100, 200, and 10% of the activity of the native enzyme. Fe2+ in high molar excess restores about 60% of the native activity. Zinc is bound much more firmly than is cobalt, as shown by mutual displacement and the resultant enzymatic activities. Zinc in excess of that required to induce activity inhibits the enzyme, seemingly by binding to a specific, inhibitory site. The zinc atom does not seem to contribute to the stability of the protein toward heat denaturation. Chelating agents, e.g. 1,10-phenanthroline, inhibit native thermolysin by competing with the enzyme for its zinc atom and removing it. The inhibition is fully reversible on dilution or on addition of Zn2+ ions and is a function of concentrations of enzyme and chelating agents. The enzymatically active cobalt thermolysin exhibits absorption and circular dichroic spectra indicative of an unusual environment of the cobalt atom. There is a shoulder near 500 nm and a maximum at 555 nm (e ∼90). These data together with spectral perturbations of the CD, magnetic circular dichroic, and absorption spectra lead to the conclusion that the cobalt atom is coordinated in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. This deduction is consistent both with those other cobalt-substituted zinc enzymes which exhibit similarly unusual properties as compared with Co(II) complex ions and with interpretations of x-ray structure analysis of native thermolysin.
Controlled comparison of a new Becton Dickinson agar slant blood culture system with Roche Septi-Chek for the detection of bacteremia and fungemia.

Two commercially available agar slide blood culture systems, Septi-Chek (Roche Diagnostics, Div. Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Nutley, N.J.) and VACUTAINER agar slant (Becton Dickinson [BD] Vacutainer Systems, Rutherford, N.J.), were compared in 5,628 paired blood cultures from adult patients. The systems were inoculated with equal volumes (5 ml) of blood. There was no statistically significant difference between the two systems in the overall recovery of clinically important microorganisms; however, significantly more Escherichia coli (P less than 0.05) organisms were detected in the Septi-Chek system. Concurrently, significantly more contaminants (P less than 0.001) also were present in Septi-Chek bottles. When microorganisms grew in both systems, there was no significant difference in the time to recovery of important organisms, except that anaerobes were detected more quickly in the BD system. This study suggests that the BD VACUTAINER agar slant is an acceptable alternative to the Septi-Chek system for routine blood cultures.
Interaction of ect2 and Dbl with Rho-related GTPases.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the interaction of Ect2 and Dbl with Rho-related GTPases. The Ect2 and Dbl oncogenes encode proteins containing Dbl homology (DH) domains. The Ect2 oncogene was isolated as a transforming gene from the mouse epithelial cell line BALB/MK using cDNA cloning strategy. Transforming cDNA clones rescued from cells of each focus were designated Ect1, Ect2, and Ect3 (epithelial cell transforming genes). Structural analyses revealed that Ect1 encodes the keratinocyte growth factor receptor, Ect2 encodes a novel oncogene, and Ect3 represents an unprocessed N-ras transcript containing three introns. Thus, removal of the N -terminal domain of the proto - Ect2 product activates its transforming activity. The Dbl oncongene was originally isolated by the transfection of NIH 3T3 cells with DNA of a human diffuse B-lymphoma. The expression of Rho family GTPases in Escherichia coli is highlighted in the chapter. Dbl can also be activated by N-terminal truncation, although the overexpression of proto-Dbl results in a weak transforming activity.
Does an Economics Education Affect Behavior? Evidence from a Public Goods Experiment

Does an economics education affect an individual’s behavior? While it has been shown that choices made by those who have studied economics are different, what is unclear is whether differences in behavior are, in fact, due to the education or simply reflect the fact that those who choose to study economics differ from those who do not. This issue is addressed using experimental evidence from the Public Goods Game where individuals either contribute to improve group wealth or free ride. A survey on one’s beliefs regarding appropriate economic policy is administered. This acts as an instrument to separate the selection effects of students who choose to study economics from the impact of the education. It is shown that, accounting for the endogeneity, there is an inverse relationship between the number of economics courses a student has taken and the amount contributed to a public good.
Effectiveness of Work, Activities of Daily Living, Education, and Sleep Interventions for People With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.

Objective To examine interventions addressing work, activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), education, and sleep for people with autism spectrum disorder. Method A total of 23 studies were identified, and 9 work-, 11 ADL/IADL-, and 3 education-related interventions were examined. No sleep studies were identified. Results Use of mobile and tablet technologies for vocational skills was supported. Support for ADL/IADL intervention is variable, with indications that Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance, sensory integration, and contextual interventions may increase occupational performance. Preliminary evidence suggests that daily yoga and brief exercise may improve classroom performance and behavior; group physical activities may assist with school readiness variables. Evidence for using technologies for IADLs was limited, as was evidence determining effective interventions for feeding and eating issues. Conclusions Studies investigating interventions related to sleep are lacking. More studies are needed in all areas, presenting opportunities for the expansion of science-driven occupational therapy practice and research for people with ASD.
The hydraulic conductivity of Matrigel.

In this study, we measured the specific hydraulic conductivity (K) of Matrigel™ at 1% and 2% concentrations as a function of perfusion pressure (0 to 100 mmHg) and compared the results to predictions from two models: a fiber matrix model that predicted K of the gel based upon its composition, and a biphasic model that predicted changes in K caused by pressure induced compaction of the gels. The extent of gel compaction as a function of perfusion pressure was also assessed, allowing us to estimate the stiffness of the gels. As expected, 2% Matrigel™ had a lower K and a higher stiffness than did 1% Matrigel™. Measured values of K of both 1% and 2% Matrigel™ samples showed good agreement with the predictions of the fiber matrix model. Pressure-induced changes in K were better described by the biphasic model than a model in which uniform compression of the gel was assumed. We conclude that K of multi-component gels, such as Matrigel™, can be well characterized by fiber matrix models, and that pressure-induced changes in K of such gels can be well characterized by biphasic models.
Variability response functions for apparent material properties

Abstract The computation of apparent material properties for a random heterogeneous material requires the assumption of a solution field on a finite domain over which the apparent properties are to be computed. In this paper the assumed solution field is taken to be that defined by the shape functions that underpin the finite element method and it is shown that the variance of the apparent properties calculated using the shape functions to define the solution field can be expressed in terms of a variability response function (VRF) that is independent of the marginal distribution and spectral density function of the underlying random heterogeneous material property field. The variance of apparent material properties can be an important consideration in problems where the domain over which the apparent properties are computed is smaller than the representative volume element and the approach introduced here provides an efficient means of calculating that variance and performing sensitivity studies with respect to the characteristics of the material property field. The approach is illustrated using examples involving heat transfer problems and finite elements with linear and nonlinear shape functions and in one and two dimensions. Features of the VRF are described, including dependency on shape and scale of the finite element and the order of the shape functions.
Nucleotide Sequence Relationships of Avian RNA Tumor Viruses: Measurement of the Deletion in a Transformation-Defective Mutant of Rous Sarcoma Virus

Abstract Stocks of cloned helper-independent Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) spontaneously segregate transformation-defective (td) mutants that appear to have an RNA genome composed of smaller subunits than those of the patent virus. Differential hybridization and competitive hybridization techniques involving reactions between viral RNA and proviral sequences in host cell DNA (under conditions of initial DNA excess) were used to measure the extent of the deletion in a td mutant of Prague strain (Pr) of RSV (Pr RSV-C). Viral 60 to 70S RNA sequences labeled to 1 to 5 × 107 counts per min per μg with 125I were characterized with respect to their properties in hybridization reactions and used to reinforce data obtained with [3H]RNA of lower specific activity. By these techniques, about 13% ± 3% of the sequences Pr RSV-C that formed hybrids with DNA from virus-induced sarcomas appeared to be deleted from the genome of td Pr RSV-C. Studies comparing hybridization of RNA from Pr RSV-C and td Pr RSV-C with RSV-related sequences in normal cells, and competition experiments with RNA from the endogenous chicken oncornavirus Rous-associated virus type 0 (RAV-0) provided evidence that the majority, if not all, of the RNA sequences of Pr RSV-C deleted from its transformation-defective mutant are not represented in normal chicken DNA. Competition studies with a leukosis virus, RAV-7, indicated this virus also lacks a genome segment of about the same size as the deletion in the td mutant. Finally, the genome of all three “exogenous” viruses was found to lack a small segment (about 12%) of sequences present in the endogenous provirus of RAV-O.
3β‐Acetoxyetienic Acid

3β-Acetoxyetienic acid product: 3β-hydroxyetienic acid Keywords: acylation; haloform reaction; oxidation, COCH3 CO2H; sodium hypobromite, preparation of
The Dead Hand of the Past? Toward an Understanding of “Constitutional Veneration”

Some observers argue that excessive veneration of the U.S. Constitution has blinded Americans to its flaws and made them reluctant to consider necessary reforms. In this paper, we test the assumptions that underlie these claims. We report the results of two survey experiments that examine the existence and effects of constitutional status quo bias at both the state and federal levels. Our findings support the notion that a proposed policy involving constitutional change imbues the constitutional status quo with normative value and, in turn, disposes individuals to resist the proposal. These results hold even at the state level. In addition to the institutional obstacles to constitutional amendment, therefore, we find evidence of another, psychological barrier to constitutional change that is based specifically in a sense of constitutional attachment.
The Forgotten: Dementia and the Aging LGBT Community

Although research documenting the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered (LGBT) aging in general is gaining traction, and literature on dementia continues to proliferate, few articles attend to how dementia affects members of the aging LGBT community. This article reviews the current state of knowledge on the experience of dementia for LGBT older adults, and suggests areas for further research. In addition, it aims to promote social work's engagement with related disciplines and global dementia care. The article's ultimate goal is to encourage development of care practices tailored to the experiences, expectations and needs of older LGBT individuals affected by dementia.
Constraints on localized core-mantle boundary structure from multichannel, broadband SKS coda analysis

[1] In recent years, a wide range of geophysical results have offered evidence that Earth's lowermost mantle is characterized by strong lateral variations in material properties. Among the structures of particular interest are intermittent ultralow-velocity zones (ULVZs), located directly above the core-mantle boundary (CMB), which were originally inferred from the distortion of teleseismic SPdKS phases. ULVZs have been modeled as layers with sharp boundaries and seismic velocity reductions ≥10% and interpreted as regions of partial melt. In this study, we further constrain local ULVZ structure beneath North America by signal processing and waveform modeling of the SKS coda recorded at broadband seismic arrays. Secondary phases in the SKS coda are effectively isolated by eigenimage processing. Residual (i.e., SKS-less) data sections from various western Pacific events display clear SPdKS arrivals, followed by a secondary phase whose timing and slowness are consistent with CMB origins. One-dimensional modeling of these phases by reflectivity and generalized ray synthetics favors an asymmetric model, with ULVZ present at only one of the CMB intercepts. The preferred ULVZ is characterized by reductions in P and S velocities of 18% and 50%, respectively, and a diffuse upper boundary. These characteristics are consistent with local production and gravitational sinking of dense (e.g., iron rich) partial melt above the CMB. We postulate that a gradational ULVZ beneath North America may mark a lateral transition domain between regions of mantle upwelling, where more uniform ULVZs exist, and regions of downwelling, where ULVZs are either nonexistent or imperceptibly thin.
Expression of the Sex combs reduced protein in Drosophila larvae

We have generated a monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the protein product of the homeotic Sex combs reduced (Scr) gene of Drosophila, and have mapped the patterns of Scr expression in late third instar larvae. Virtually the entire prothoracic leg imaginal disc expresses the gene, although the levels of expression vary in different disc regions. This heterogeneity does not reflect the compartmental domains defined by engrailed gene expression. Expression is also observed in the cells of the humeral and labial discs, and there is a small patch of Scr-expressing cells in the antenna disc. The gene is expressed in adepithelial cells of the three thoracic leg discs, but not in the wing or haltere discs. In the central nervous system, Scr expression is confined to a narrow band of cells in the subesophageal region of the ventral ganglion. The results are discussed with respect to the known genetic requirements for Scr+ function.
Formation of helium induced nanostructure ‘fuzz’ on various tungsten grades

Abstract The response of a variety of W material grades to nanostructure ‘fuzz’ formation is explored. W targets are exposed to He or D 2 –0.2He plasmas in PISCES-B at 900–1320 K to below sputter threshold He + ions of energy 25–60 eV for up to 2.2 × 10 4 s. SEM and XPS reveal nanoscopic reorganization of the W surface to a layer of ‘fuzz’ of porosity ∼90% as determined by a ‘fuzz’ removal/weight loss method. The variability of ‘fuzz’ growth is examined at 1120 K for 1 h durations: SR, SC and doped W grades – La 2 O 3 (1% wt.), Re (5% and 10% wt.), and TiC (1.5% wt.) developed 2–3 μm thick ‘fuzz’ layers, while a VPS grade developed a layer 4 μm thick. An RC grade revealed additional ‘fuzz’ at deep (>100 μm) grain boundaries. However, heat treatment up to 1900 K produced reintegration of ‘fuzz’ with the bulk and He release at ∼1000 K and ∼1400–1800 K due to depopulation from vacancy complexes.
The Effect of Atrial and Ventricular Tachycardia on Cardiac Output, Coronary Blood Flow and Mean Arterial Blood Pressure

The effect of electrically induced auricular and ventricular tachycardia of various rates was studied in the anesthetized dog. When, the control heart ranging between 140 and 190 per minute, atrial tachycardia of a rate only slightly higher than the control rate was induced, a very temporary initial decrease in arterial blood pressure, cardiac output and coronary blood flow occurred, then all three parameters essentially returned to control level. With atrial tachycardia of a higher rate, blood pressure, cardiac output and coronary flow fell more markedly, then blood pressure and cardiac output rose to or toward control level, remaining below control level with higher rates of tachycardia, whereas the coronary flow rose to or above control level and only exceptionally remained below control level. Ventricular tachycardia had essentially the same effects as atrial tachycardia, but a ventricular tachycardia of a given rate had the same quantitative effect as an atrial tachycardia of a higher rate.
170-Megacycle radiation survey for bonneville system mobile coverage

The problems, equipment requirements, survey procedures, and record presentation involved in conducting a very-high-frequency radiation survey are presented together with the conclusions reached as a result of the project.
The rate-size trade-off structures intraspecific variation in Daphnia ambigua life history parameters.

The identification of trade-offs is necessary for understanding the evolution and maintenance of diversity. Here we employ the supply-demand (SD) body size optimization model to predict a trade-off between asymptotic body size and growth rate. We use the SD model to quantitatively predict the slope of the relationship between asymptotic body size and growth rate under high and low food regimes and then test the predictions against observations for Daphnia ambigua. Close quantitative agreement between observed and predicted slopes at both food levels lends support to the model and confirms that a ‘rate-size’ trade-off structures life history variation in this population. In contrast to classic life history expectations, growth and reproduction were positively correlated after controlling for the rate-size trade-off. We included 12 Daphnia clones in our study, but clone identity explained only some of the variation in life history traits. We also tested the hypothesis that growth rate would be positively related to intergenic spacer length (i.e. the growth rate hypothesis) across clones, but we found that clones with intermediate intergenic spacer lengths had larger asymptotic sizes and slower growth rates. Our results strongly support a resource-based optimization of body size following the SD model. Furthermore, because some resource allocation decisions necessarily precede others, understanding interdependent life history traits may require a more nested approach.
The study of bile salt kinetics in the experimental animal using a new technique.

Six female baboons (Papio) have undergone cholecystopexy to facilitate bile sampling from the gallbladder for experimental studies. The animals have had several measurements of bile salt pool size and kinetics utilizing 14C-labeled primary bile acids, cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids. The data presented confirm that the gallbladder functions normally following cholecystopexy and suggest that cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids may vary independently in their kinetic activity.
Agglomeration and Specialization Patterns when Firms and Workers Are Footloose

In new economic geography models, geographic concentration cant arise because of workers mobility or vertical linkages between firms. We examine a setup that combines those two approaches in conjunction with local congestion costs. We find that, as trade costs are lowered, the geographic concentration of total activity (agglomeration) follows an inverse u-shaped evolution, while the degree of specialization of regions increases. These results shed light on regional development within a country as integration proceeds: when trade costs are hight, firms evenly spread between the regions to supply local demand at low costs, hence diversified regions; at intermediate trade costs, we have coexistence of a diversified core and a specialized periphery and at low trade costs, each industry clusters in one region to fully exploit returns to scale externalities. US city centers and non-metropolitan areas during the period 1850-1990 depict such specialization and agglomeration patterns. These results show that a country’s effort to miprove accessibility across its porfolio of places can favor a win-win regional allocation of firms based on each location’s competitive advantage.
A nuclear protein-modifying enzyme is responsive to ordered chromatin structure

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, a nuclear protein-modifying enzyme, binds to the internucleosomal linker region of chromatin, although it modifies certain core nucleosomal histones in addition to histone H1. The activity per unit of DNA chromatin changes with the nucleosome repeat number. It reaches a maximum on chromatin of 8-10 nucleosomes in length. As the complexity of chromatin with respect to nucleosome repeat number and compactness increases, a decline and stabilization of specific activity is noted. The difference in specific activity is maintained through resedimentation and dialysis of particles. It does not appear due to differences in polymer chain length or differential degradation of poly (ADP-ribose). The data suggest a relationship between ADP-ribosylation and chromatin organization and vice versa.
Isocyanate intermediates in the reaction of NO and CO over noble metal catalysts

Abstract A comparative study of the infrared spectra of reaction intermediates and chemisorbed species during the reaction of NO + CO over Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, and Ru-on-alumina catalysts at elevated temperatures has been made. A strong band which is assigned to a surface isocyanate species has been found in the 2260–2270 cm−1 region on all the noble metals except Ru where the band is either quite weak or entirely absent. The weakness of the band on Ru Al 2 O 3 seems to correlate with its unique low ammonia-forming properties during NOx removal from automobile exhaust. Hydrolysis of the surface isocyanate species provides a pathway to NH3 which does not involve reduction of NO directly with hydrogen already present in the exhaust stream or generated via a water-gas shift mechanism. No assessment of the relative importance of this mechanism with respect to other mechanisms for ammonia formation in actual automobile exhaust can be made from the present results. Sulfur poisoning of the Rh and Ru catalysts is observed to inhibit the formation of the isocyanate species. However, this poisoning is temporary and the -NCO sites can be regenerated by oxidation treatment.
Changes in Liposome Morphology Induced by Actin Polymerization in Submicrometer Liposomes

A morphological change in actin-containing liposomes produced via extrusion across a 400 nm pore diameter polycarbonate membrane in low ionic strength buffer (G-buffer) is induced by the addition of high ionic strength buffer (F-buffer). The change in conformation is due to the polymerization of monomeric G-actin within the inner compartment of the liposome and the subsequent deformation of the initially spherical liposome into a disklike geometry. This result was elucidated by applying various form factors corresponding to different geometries to light scattering data derived from actin-containing liposome dispersions. The results of this analysis showed that empty (no actin) liposomes in G-buffer and F-buffer, as well as actin-containing liposomes in G-buffer, were all spherelike objects between 250 and 450 nm in diameter, depending on osmotic conditions. The findings further showed that the actin-containing liposomes in F-buffer took on a thin, disklike shape, a result of the internal polymerization of...
Differential accumulation of maysin and rhamnosylisoorientin in leaves of high-altitude landraces of maize after UV-B exposure

Flavonoid induction by UV-B was investigated in five maize landraces from high altitudes and a W23 inbred line lacking the B1 and Pl1 transcription factors required for anthocyanin synthesis. In their natural habitats these landraces receive much higher UV-B fluence than plants at lower altitudes at similar latitudes and would be predicted to have UV-B tolerance by recurrent selection against UV-B stress. We identified two flavones that are induced by UV-B in leaves of high-altitude lines: maysin and its biosynthetic precursor rhamnosylisoorientin. Accumulation is controlled by a p-homologous transcription factor expressed in leaves, and this factor is regulated by UV-B. The levels of either maysin or rhamnosylisoorientin are higher in seedling leaves than in subsequent leaves; the highest flavone concentration was detected in silks. Some landraces have only rhamnosylisoorientin; this likely reflects a mutation in salmon silk1 (sm1) or in a duplicate locus, as genetic crosses with W23 restore the production of maysin in heterozygous F1 plants. In conclusion, it is demonstrated that maize plants from high altitudes respond to UV-B radiation by accumulating UV-absorbing flavones in leaves; in contrast, these compounds are present at only very low levels in inbred lines such as W23 and are not regulated by UV-B.
Modeling, fabrication, and testing of a diamond-machined germanium immersion grating

ABSTRACT We investigated the fabrication of an immersion grating by diamond machining grooves on the hypotenuse of a right angle germanium prism. A numerical modeling code was used to optimize the blaze angle and to model grating efficiency over the wavelength range of 7.5 to 13.5 tim. The sensitivity in polarization is predicted to be small. We alsoquantified the effects of non-zero radius of curvature of the diamond tool. An atomic force microscope measured an rmsroughness of 1 . 1 nm on the grating facets. The diffracted wavefront error in reflection at 633 nm was 0.01 waves. Therefore optical aberration and scatter over the operating wavelengths will be negligible.Keywords: Immersion grating, germanium, diamond machining 1. INTRODUCTION Spectrometers are valuable tools for determining the composition and properties of distant, inaccessible objects both inastronomy and in environmental remote sensing. Diffraction gratings, which spectrally disperse electromagnetic wavesusing a periodic structure, are a key component in most modern spectrometers. The classic reflection grating consists of
URBAN HOSPITALIZATION COST ANALYSIS OF PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

A sample, from a 2 year period (1973-73), of hospital records for 57 patients with sickle cell anemia were examined to determine the cost of hospitalization and treatment to assess medical expenses and to obtain a tentative profile of age, length of stay, and type of services utilized. The average age of patients was 16.7 years (R:5 mos.-39 yrs.). Length of stay averaged 13.8 days (R:1-196 days). Breakdown of data per hospitalization is presented as averages: age (N=57) 16.7 yrs., days in hospital (N=57) 13.77, room and board (N=57) $474.73, operating-delivery room (N=2) $96.25, anesthesia (N=4) $38.13, x-ray (N=39) $53.90, laboratory (N=57) $166.13, EKG (N=20) $20.10, physical therapy (N=16) $325.71, med.-surg. supplies (N=51) $34.13, pharmacy (N=48) $32.79, inhalation therapy (N=5) $743.74, I.V. (N=15) $41.71, misc. (N=14) $46.63; total: (N=57) $876.40. In terms of age categories, the 0-11 year old group average hospital costs were nearly half the cost of the 20-39 year old group. Approximately 50% of the payments were made by health insurance companies, 31% by Medicaid, and 17% by private means. This information can be utilized in the comprehensive planning and management of patients with sickle cell anemia.
Discovery of 4-substituted methoxybenzoyl-aryl-thiazole as novel anticancer agents: synthesis, biological evaluation, and structure-activity relationships.

A series of 4-substituted methoxybenzoyl-aryl-thiazoles (SMART) have been discovered and synthesized as a result of structural modifications of the lead compound 2-arylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid amides (ATCAA). The antiproliferative activity of the SMART agents against melanoma and prostate cancer cells was improved from μM to low nM range compared with the ATCAA series. The structure−activity relationship was discussed from modifications of “A”, “B”, and “C” rings and the linker. Preliminary mechanism of action studies indicated that these compounds exert their anticancer activity through inhibition of tubulin polymerization.
Correlation and Prediction of the Viscosity and Thermal Conductivity of Dense Fluids

A method based on the rough-hard-sphere theory has been extended to the calculation of the viscosity and thermal conductivity of a wide range of compounds including alkanes, 1-alkanols, alkanediols, benzene, toluene, and 11 refrigerants. The method is simple to use and is capable of fitting data within experimental error. Generalized forms of the parameters for homologous series of alkanes, 1-alkanols, alkanediols, and halogentated methanes are presented. The extrapolation capability of the method was evaluated by predicting the viscosities of the higher alkanes and alkanols using parameters obtained from the properties of lower members of the homologous series.
“Everybody knows it’s true”: Social dominance orientation and right-wing authoritarianism moderate false consensus for stereotypic beliefs

Abstract European American university students (N = 89) judged the percentage of African Americans who possess 16 traits (e.g., poor, violent, and emotionally expressive) and then estimated how other students would make the same judgments. Participants also completed measures of social dominance orientation (SDO) and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA). Individuals with both high SDO and high RWA held the least positive views of African Americans. False consensus emerged in the form of a significant positive average within-person partial correlation between participants’ own ratings and their judgments of how other students would respond, controlling for the actual responses of other students. False consensus was positively related to SDO and a significant SDO × RWA interaction indicated that false consensus was highest for participants with both high SDO and high RWA. Results suggest that hierarchy-legitimizing beliefs in the form of stereotypes may be sustained internally through false consensus, especially among those most prone to prejudice.
Grain Boundary Composition Effects on Environmentally Induced Cracking of Engineering Materials

Abstract There is now clear evidence that intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) and hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of engineering materials depend on grain boundary composition. Two examples are used to illustrate this interrelationship: (1) stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of austenitic stainless steel (SS) in high temperature water and (2) HE of NiCrMoV rotor steels in acidic solutions. Grain boundary compositions are characterized by analytical electron microscopy and scanning Auger electron spectroscopy. Environmental cracking susceptibility is indicated by slow strain rate tests (SSRTs) in appropriate aqueous environments. Direct correlations are documented between measured grain boundary compositions and environmental cracking. The ability to establish these types of correlations enables diagnosis of embrittlement susceptibility and helps identify methods to control or eliminate embrittlement by bulk chemistry or processing modifications.
Recruitment of Colorado Potato Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to Solanaceous Hosts in the Field

Field recruitment on 10 solanaceous plant species by adult Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), and their oviposition, was investigated by frequent collection of adults and eggs from replicated Latin-square plots over 5 yr in Michigan, Maine, and Massachusetts. Preferred plants for adults were potato, Solanum tuberosum L.; bitter nightshade, Solanum dulcamara L., and buffalobur, Solanum rostratum Dunal; eggplant and horsenettle, Solanum melongena L. and Solanum carolinense L., were of intermediate rank in recruitment of adults. The remaining species (tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum L.; black nightshade, Solanum nigrum L.; silverleaf nightshade, Solanum eleaegnifolium Cavanilles; groundcherry, Physalis heterophylla Nees; jimsonweed, Datura stramonium L.) were not preferred. Adult recruitment and oviposition changed over the season and differed from site to site, but was not influenced by the host-plant origin of recruited adults. Daily collections of adults in Massachusetts in 1991 showed four distinct periods of adult recruitment. These differed in relative importance depending on whether plots were near or distant to previous and current year's potato fields. Early overwintered recruitment was highest and relatively less different between near and distant plots, reflecting the importance of flight during this period. Late overwintered recruitment was mostly by short-distance dispersal of adults that had already fed on potato plants, based on oviposition of collected females. Summer females also appeared to be previously fed, and their recruitment to distant plots suggested dispersal mostly by flight. Prediapause dispersal resulted in recruitment mostly to plots a short distance from potato fields. Reproduction, as measured by egg masses per adult, increased over the season, with summer adults showing the highest egg mass-adult ratio. Recruitment of adults and their oviposition in the field were positively associated with no-choice assays of fecundity and larval survival in the laboratory using the same plant species, but with relatively more rejection of intermediate-ranked hosts in the field.
Effects of sediment releases from a reservoir on stream macroinvertebrates

Effects of sediment release from Guernsey Reservoir on macroinvertebrates of the North Platte River, Wyoming, were investigated during summer 1981. Suspended solids concentrations during sediment release increased from 300 mg l−1. Because fine particulates remained in suspension, mean particle size of substrates was unaltered. Densities of chironomids decreased 90% + during sediment release but recovered to initial levels in 3 weeks after the release ended. Densities of mayflies and oligochaetes increased. Changes in benthic populations were highly correlated with increases in suspended solids.
Vulnerability of hippocampal GABA‐ergic interneurons to kainate‐induced excitotoxic injury during old age

Hippocampal inhibitory interneurons expressing glutamate decarboxylase-67 (GAD-67) considerably decline in number during old age. Studies in young adult animals further suggest that hippocampal GAD-67+ interneuron population is highly vulnerable to excitotoxic injury. However, the relative susceptibility of residual GAD-67+ interneurons in the aged hippocampus to excitotoxic injury is unknown. To elucidate this, using both adult and aged F344 rats, we performed stereological counting of GAD-67+ interneurons in different layers of the dentate gyrus and CA1 & CA3 sub-fields, at 3 months post-excitotoxic hippocampal injury inflicted through an intracerebroventricular administration of kainic acid (KA). Substantial reductions of GAD-67+ interneurons were found in all hippocampal layers and sub-fields after KA-induced injury in adult animals. Contrastingly, there was no significant change in GAD-67+ interneuron population in any of the hippocampal layers and sub-fields following similar injury in aged animals. Furthermore, the stability of GAD-67+ interneurons in aged rats after KA was not attributable to milder injury, as the overall extent of KA-induced hippocampal principal neuron loss was comparable between adult and aged rats. Interestingly, because of the age-related disparity in vulnerability of interneurons to injury, the surviving GAD-67+ interneuron population in the injured aged hippocampus remained comparable to that observed in the injured adult hippocampus despite enduring significant reductions in interneuron number with aging. Thus, unlike in the adult hippocampus, an excitotoxic injury to the aged hippocampus does not result in significantly decreased numbers of GAD-67+ interneurons. Persistence of GAD-67+ interneuron population in the injured aged hippocampus likely reflects an age-related change in the response of GAD-67+ interneurons to excitotoxic hippocampal injury. These results have implications towards understanding mechanisms underlying the evolution of initial precipitating injury into temporal lobe epilepsy in the elderly population.
A call for a statement of expectations for the global information infrastructure

This paper considers the relationship between ethics, technology and law, and the roles and limitations each has in this relationship. It argues that ethics has the key role in establishing a resilient, comprehensive and sensitive information infrastructure. It puts forward a Bill of Rights and Responsibilities for the electronic community.
A simple model for predicting the number of servers necessary to cover a region

Abstract A simple regression model is developed to estimate the number of servers necessary to cover a region. Data for the model were obtained within a research design that included five replications of 180 experimental conditions. A total of 300 rectangular regions were generated, and a set covering location problem was solved for each region using three distance metrics. Statistical results established coverage radius, compactness, and the number of nodes in the region to be significant factors. The resulting regression model was applied to a South Carolina county. Its estimates are seen to be very close to the number of units needed to cover. The model is shown to be a convenient technique for quickly estimating the number of servers while exhibiting an error distribution that is conservatively biased towards overestimation. This last property is desirable for public emergency services.
Effects of aliphatic acids on seed germination and seedling growth in soil

Abstract It is commonly assumed that the adverse effect of plant residues on crop yields is largely, or partly, due to phytotoxic compounds leached from these residues or produced by their decomposition, and it has been suggested that the phytotoxic compounds responsible for reduced crop yields are aliphatic acids such as acetic acid, butyric acid, and propionic acid. To test the validity of this hypothesis, we studied the effects of different amounts of acetic acid, butyric acid, and propionic acid on seed germination and seedling growth of corn (Zea mays L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in soils. The data obtained showed that the aliphatic acids tested had adverse effects on seed germination and seedling growth only when the amounts applied were much greater than the amounts reported to occur in soils treated with plant residues. We conclude that the adverse effect of plant residues on crop yields is not due to aliphatic acids derived from these residues.
Statistical Machine Learning and Computational Biology

Statistical machine learning is a field that combines algorithmic ideas with foundational concepts from probability and statistics. This combination makes statistical machine learning an essential tool for computational biology, in part because probabilistic notions are inherent in biology (arising, e.g., via thermodynamics, recombination and germline mutation) and in part because of the incomplete nature of most biological data sets. I will present several examples of applications of statistical machine learning to problems in biology, in the areas of protein functional annotation, protein structural modeling, protein structure prediction and multipopulation linkage and association analysis.
Characterization of a tobacco epoxide hydrolase gene induced during the resistance response to TMV

A clone encoding a putative soluble epoxide hydrolase (EH-1), an enzyme which converts epoxides to diols, was isolated by differential screening of a cDNA library prepared from tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-infected tobacco leaves. To confirm that EH-1 encodes an epoxide hydrolase, the recombinant EH-1 protein produced in bacteria was shown to have high epoxide hydrolase activity in vitro. Infection of resistant but not susceptible tobacco cultivars induced the accumulation of EH-1 transcripts in both the inoculated and uninoculated, systemic leaves. EH-1 expression was also induced in the inoculated and systemic tissues of TMV-infected NahG plants, which are unable to accumulate salicylic acid (SA). However, EH-1 expression in the inoculated leaves of NahG plants was delayed, whilst in the systemic leaves the induction was both later and weaker, compared to that observed in wild-type plants. Furthermore, exogenously applied SA or its functional analog 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid (INA) caused a rapid and transient accumulation of EH-1 transcripts, whereas an inactive SA analog did not. Thus, the induction of EH-1 gene expression appears to be regulated by both SA-independent and SA-dependent pathways. Since EH-1 was expressed only in TMV-resistant tobacco after infection, and the encoded enzyme is thought to help metabolize toxic compounds, we propose that EH-1 may play a role in protection from oxidative damage associated with defense responses. It may also play a role in generating signals for activation of certain defense responses.
Otolaryngologic manifestations of kabuki syndrome

A review of clinical findings in 12 children with Kabuki syndrome revealed a high prevalence of otolaryngologic problems, including dysmorphic pinnae (100%), ear disease (92%), hearing loss (82%) and airway problems (58%). The high prevalence of ear disease and hearing loss was not explained solely on the basis of prevalence of cleft palate. Patients with Kabuki syndrome require the diagnostic and treatment expertise of otolaryngologists on an ongoing basis.