cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of statistical methods for evaluating matching performance of a biometric identification device: a preliminary report

AbstractCondence intervals are an important way to assess and estimate a parameter. Inthe case of biometric identication devices, several approaches to condence intervalsfor an error rate have been proposed. Here we evaluate six of these methods. Tocomplete this evaluation, we simulate data from a wide variety of parameter values.This data are simulated via a correlated binary distribution. We then determine howwell these methods do at what they say they do: capturing the parameter inside thecondence interval. In addition, the average widths of the various condence intervalsare recorded for each set of parameters. The complete results of this simulation arepresented graphically for easy comparison. We conclude by making a recommendationregarding which method performs best.KEYWORDS: False accept rate, False reject rate, Logit transformation, Beta-binomial, Intra-individual correlation, Bootstrap, Method of moments 1 Background For any system, assessing how well it performs is an important function to understandingthe system. This is especially true for biometric identication devices. In order to assesstheir matching performance several condence interval methodologies have been proposed.In this paper we compare these methodologies using statistical methodology to determinewhich methods work appropriately and under what circumstances they do so. In thispreliminary paper we report on methods proposed by Doddington et al. (2000), Manseld
The rotational spectrum, nuclear spin—spin coupling, nuclear quadrupole coupling, and molecular structure of KrHF

Abstract Rotational spectra have been assigned for the 82 Kr, 83 Kr, 84 Kr, and 86 Kr isotopic species of the KrHF and KrDF van der Waals molecules by using pulsed microwave Fourier transform spectroscopy in a Fabry—Perot cavity with a pulsed supersonic nozzle molecular source. The rotational, centrifugal distortion, nuclear spin—spin, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants are used to determine the structure and obtain intramolecular potential binding information. The 83 Kr nuclear quadrupole coupling constants are 10.28 ± 0.08 MHz and 13.83 ± 0.13 MHz for KrHF and KrDF respectively. The electric field gradient at the krypton nucleus is calculated from the coupling constant and the known nuclear quadrupole moment and explained by Sternheimer shielding and formation of the van der Waals bond. There is a negligible charge transfer in the KrHF bond.
Doubly Bound: The Impact of Gender and Race on the Politics of Black Women

Gender has been thought to be less salient than race among black women. Data from two national surveys of black Americans, conducted in 1984 and 1996, show that black women identify as strongly on the basis of their gender as their race, and that these gender and racial identities are mutually reinforcing. Nevertheless, among black women, their identification with their race more powerfully affected their political attitudes than did their identification on the basis of gender, except in instances where the interests of blacks directly conflict with the interests of women. These empirically based findings speak to the issue of why the attitudes of black women toward contemporary gender issues can sharply diverge from those of white women.
Size-dependent differential scaling in branches : the mechanical design of trees revisited

Size is a key factor in determining the mechanical and functional properties of any structure. Allometric analysis allows the comparison of dimensional form at different scales. Previous descriptions of branch scaling have attempted to define a single uniform relationship governing the proportions of trees and branches over their entire size range. A new general model of scaling in woody plants is proposed in which those plants and portions of plants below a certain critical size scale allometrically becoming more slender as size increases, while those above this limit become more robust as size increases. The basis for this differential scaling is the relationship between the bending mechanics of branches, the absolute size of the branch and possibly conductance requirements. Evidence for this model is derived from a review of size scaling in trees and shrubs and from a complete analysis of a silver maple (Acersaccharinum) 13 m in height and of 370 kg wet mass.
The absorption of peptides.

Abstract The absorptive pattern of a series of peptides has been investigated with an in vitro sac preparation from rat intestine. Results demonstrate a specificity of hydrolysis and ability to traverse the intestinal wall. The mechanism is discussed whereby accumulation of intact peptide may occur in the serosal solution.
Skipping class in college and exam performance: Evidence from a regression discontinuity classroom experiment

Abstract In this paper we estimate the effect of class attendance on exam performance by implementing a policy in three large economics classes that required students scoring below the median on the midterm exam to attend class. This policy generated a large discontinuity in the rate of post-midterm attendance at the median of the midterm score. We estimate that near the policy threshold, the post-midterm attendance rate was 36 percentage points higher for those students facing compulsory attendance. The discontinuous attendance policy is also associated with a significant difference in performance on the final exam. We estimate that a 10 percentage point increase in a student's overall attendance rate results in a 0.17 standard deviation increase in the final exam score without adversely affecting performance on other classes taken concurrently.
Long-term effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine on brain monoamines

Abstract 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (75 and 150 μg) was injected intraventricularly to adult male rats; animals were killed at various times after the injection and brains were examined for changes in the concentration of tryptophan, serotonin, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, norepinephrine and dopamine. Brain 5-hydroxyindoleamines were markedly depleted at all time periods examined, even after the administration of a tryptophan load (50 mg/kg). A small but significant decline in brain norepinephrine but not dopamine was also noted after the administration of the dihydroxytryptamine.
Solution to a Production Scheduling Problem with Fixed Costs

This study deals with a class of production scheduling problems characterized by a variable known demand and a fixed cost associated with each production run. The investigation originated from a problem encountered by a petroleum refinery. The refinery management was concerned with the high cost of manufacturing grease cans used for packaging of its grease products. This high cost resulted from the set-up cost incurred whenever the equipment (which was normally used to manufacture oil cans) was converted for manufacturing a relatively small quantity of grease cans with lithographed grade marking. The length of the production runs for making grease cans was severely restricted by a limited storage capacity. In order to meet the radically varying demand, the refinery frequently had to hand-stencil the grade on cans without grade marking. The problem faced by the management was to find a procedure for deciding when grease cans with lithographed grade marking should be produced so as to operate optimally.
Tributary loading of mercury to Lake Michigan: Importance of seasonal events and phase partitioning

Abstract As a component of a lakewide mass balance study for Lake Michigan, we measured total mercury (HgT) concentrations and fluxes in 11 selected tributaries. Unfiltered HgT concentrations ranged from 0.56 ng l−1 at the Pere Marquette River to 182 ng l−1 at the Fox River. Highest mean HgT concentrations were observed in the Fox R., Indiana Harbor Ship Canal, Grand R. and the Kalamazoo R. Mean particulate matter HgT content ranged from about 0.1 to 1.5 μg g−1, with highest levels from the industrialized basins of the Indiana Harbor and Fox River. Highest tributary loading rates (g day−1) were observed from the Fox, Grand, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph Rivers. Increased loading rates during spring melt and summer/fall storm events in these tributaries were generally associated with particulate loading from either sediment resuspension or erosional processes. In contrast, filtered HgT represented 80% of the HgT flux in the Manistique R., whose watershed is comprised almost entirely of wetlands and forest.
Uterine Cervix Adenocarcinoma with both Human Papillomavirus Type 18 and Tumor Suppressor Gene p53 Mutation from a Woman Having an Intact Hymen

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 18 DNA was found in an aggressively invasive adenocarcinoma tumor from a woman who had an intact hymen and denied any prior sexual intercourse. The viral DNA was detected within the tumor tissue by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using consensus primers for the L1 region of oncogenic high-risk genital HPVs. In order to determine mutations within the tumor suppressor gene p53, the gene exons were amplified by PCR followed by single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. The appearance of a mutation in exon 8 of the p53 gene suggested by SSCP was directly confirmed by DNA sequencing of the exon. The sequencing showed a single base deletion that may truncate the protein by introducing a early stop codon in the messenger RNA. This early truncation could be expected to affect the proper oligomerization of the p53 protein and hence its DNA-binding activity. The results show that genital oncogenic human papillomaviruses may be passed by nonsexual routes and suggest that the virus may work in concert with p53 mutations to help the infected tissue progress toward invasive cancer.
Effect of a family-based intervention on electronic media use and body composition among boys aged 8—11 years: a pilot study

This study measured the effect of a 20-week, family-centered electronic media intervention on electronic media use, body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; DXA), physical activity and dietary behaviors in boys. Twenty-two boys were assigned and 21 were analyzed in an experimental or control group. Boys in the experimental group set electronic media use goals and used TV Allowance device and ENUFF software to reduce electronic media use. Data were collected at baseline, 10 weeks and 20 weeks. Interactions were found in daily electronic media use and DXA. At 10 weeks, step counts increased by 543 steps per day in the experimental group and decreased by 340 steps per day in the controls. Steps in both groups were higher at 20 weeks. Meals or snacks eaten while using electronic media decreased in the experimental group only. In conclusion, a family-centered electronic media intervention may reduce electronic media use and contribute to desirable changes in body composition.
Characterization of soils from an industrial complex contaminated with elemental mercury

Historical use of liquid elemental mercury (Hg(0)l) at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN, USA, resulted in large deposits of Hg(0)l in the soils. The fate and distribution of the spilled Hg(0) are not well characterized. In this study we evaluated analytical tools for characterizing the speciation of Hg in the contaminated soils and then used the analytical techniques to examine the speciation of Hg in two soil cores collected at the site. These include x-ray fluorescence (XRF), soil Hg(0) headspace analysis, and total Hg determination by acid digestion coupled with cold vapor atomic absorption (HgT). XRF was not found to be suitable for evaluating Hg concentrations in heterogeneous soils containing low concentration of Hg or Hg(0) because Hg concentrations determined using this method were lower than those determined by HgT analysis and the XRF detection limit is 20 mg/kg. Hg(0)g headspace analysis coupled with HgT measurements yielded good results for examining the presence of Hg(0)l in soils and the speciation of Hg. The two soil cores are highly heterogeneous in both the depth and extent of Hg contamination, with Hg concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 8400mg/kg. In the first core, Hg(0)l was distributed throughout the 3.2m depth, whereas the second core, from a location 12m away, contained Hg(0)l in a 0.3m zone only. Sequential extractions showed organically associated Hg dominant at depths with low Hg concentration. Soil from the zone of groundwater saturation showed reducing conditions and the Hg is likely present as Hg-sulfide species. At this depth, lateral Hg transport in the groundwater may be a source of Hg detected in the soil at the deeper soil depths. Overall, characterization of soils containing Hg(0)l is difficult because of the heterogeneous distribution of Hg within the soils. This is exacerbated in industrial facilities where fill materials make up much of the soils and historical and continued reworking of the subsurface has remobilized the Hg.
Softening of magnetorotons in a semi-infinite Fibonacci superlattice

Calculations of interlayer and intralayer screening of the Coulomb interaction on the softening of bulk and surface magnetoroton modes are presented for density and position modulations of the two-dimensional (2D) electron gas (EG) layers of a semi-infinite quasiperiodic superlattice. It is shown that the softening of these modes is due to an increase in the screening by all other layers of the effective intralayer Coulomb interaction. Numerical results are obtained for variable thickness of a 2DEG layer, the separation between layers and the distance between the surface layer and the top metal gate. The critical values of the structure parameters, determining the interlayer and intralayer screening of the Coulomb interaction, are obtained and used in constructing the phase diagrams showing the separation between the quantum fluid and charge-density wave phases.
Free Amino-Acids on Human Fingers: The Question of Contamination in Microanalysis

Chromatographic study of free amino acids on human fingers as contamination factor in microanalysis of such acids on meteorites
Overlay Architectures Enabling Cloud Computing for Multi-level Security Environments

Herein, we consider how overlay architectures can be deployed in order to support usage management in cloud computing. We contrast filter-centric perimeter and policy-centric overlay approaches toward usage management of sensitive content from the perspective of cross-domain solutions and then demonstrate a path from current systems to distributed policy-centric overlay methods. We first cover the need for overlay networks supporting usage management by highlighting the pending migration to utility computing models and the current shortcomings of those kinds of systems from a variety of perspectives. We also briefly cover the state of usage management within these kinds of systems, also examining the known state of the art in proposed cross domain solutions. We then compare and contrast the advantages of policy-based overlay systems to solving usage management issues over sensitive materials within multi-level security environments. We then demonstrate a migration path from current to future solutions. We close with our current and future directions of research.
Purification and properties of hepatic glycogen synthetase of Rana catesbeiana

Abstract Glycogen synthetase (UDPG:glucan glucosyl transferase, EC 2.4.1.11) has been purified about 700-fold from the liver of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles. The enzyme has an absolute requirement for glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P. Glc-6-P lowers the Km for the substrate, UDPG, without affecting the υmax. The reaction is inhibited by nucleotides. UDP and ATP are both competitive inhibitors. While UDP inhibition is completely reversed by high concentrations of Glc-6-P, ATP inhibition is only partially reversed. At different concentrations of Glc-6-P, the number of interacting sites for ATP has been determined from Hill plots. The N number for ATP is 1 at high Glc-6-P concentrations and approaches 4 as the Glc-6-P concentration is lowered.
Familial Studies of Intelligence: A Review

A summary of 111 studies identified in a survey of the world literature on familial resemblances in measured intelligence reveals a profile of average correlations consistent with a polygenic mode of inheritance. There is, however, a marked degree of heterogeneity of the correlations within familial groupings, which is not moderated by sex of familial pairing or by type of intelligence test used.
The identification of myriocin-binding proteins

Background Myriocin is a natural product that potently induces apoptosis of a murine cytotoxic T lymphocyte cell line (CTLL-2) and inhibits a serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) activity that has been detected in cell extracts and is thought to initiate sphingolipid biosynthesis. Because SPT has never been biochemically purified and a comprehensive appraisal of myriocin-binding proteins has not been conducted, we isolated specific targets using myriocinbased affinity chromatography. Results Myriocin derivatives were synthesized and evaluated using CTLL-2 proliferation and SPT activity assays. Guided by these results, affinity chromatography matrices were prepared and two specific myriocin-binding proteins were isolated from CTLL-2 lysates. Analyses of these polypeptides establish conclusively that they are murine LCB1 and LCB2, mammalian homologs of two yeast proteins that have been genetically linked to sphingolipid biosynthesis. Conclusions The ability of myriocin-containing matrices to bind factors that have SPT activity and the exclusive isolation of LCB1 and LCB2 as myriocinbinding proteins demonstrates that the two proteins are directly responsible for SPT activity and that myriocin acts directly upon these polypeptides.
Non-carbon-based compact shadow shielding for 14 MeV neutrons

We are developing a scanning spectroscopy system to measure prompt gammas-rays induced by inelastic neutron scattering and thermal neutron capture to non-invasively analyze soil in situ. Using a radiation source, a 14 MeV (d,t) neutron generator (NG), in a close proximity to the detection system without any precautions will flood and saturate the detectors with direct radiation. Therefore, we devized and partially optimized a shadow shielding sited between the source and the detection system; we discuss our experimental results and basic Monte Carlo calculations.
Why do placentas evolve? A test of the life-history facilitation hypothesis in two clades in the genus Poeciliopsis representing two independent origins of placentas

Summary Most of what we know about placentas comes from mammals, yet little can be learned from them about the adaptive significance of the placental mode of reproduction because they all derived their placenta from a single common ancestor that lived over 100 million years ago. We can make inferences about the adaptive significance of placentation from fish in the family Poeciliidae because there have been multiple, recent origins of placentation, affording an opportunity to compare close relatives with and without placentas and to seek properties that are common to each origin of placentation. Here, we used field collections and a common garden study to quantify the degree of placentation and related it to aspects of the life history in two clades of live-bearing fish from the genus Poeciliopsis that each contains an independent origin of placentation. Doing so enables us to test the ‘life history facilitation hypothesis’, or the proposal that the placenta evolved to facilitate the evolution of some other feature of the life history. We found that the evolution of placentation in each clade is tightly correlated with the evolution of other components of the life history, but that the nature of the association is radically different across the two clades. In the Northern Clade the magnitude of post-fertilization maternal provisioning is negatively correlated with age at maturity, mass at maturity, offspring dry mass and interlitter interval. In contrast, degree of matrotrophy in the Southern Clade is positively correlated with age at maturity, mass at maturity, offspring dry mass and inter-litter interval. There is thus no consistent relationship between the evolution of placentas and other features of the life history, which negates those proposals that the placenta evolved to facilitate the evolution of other features of the life history. However, there is a negative correlation between degree of placentation and ovary dry mass and reproductive allocation common to both clades, suggesting that placentation may be an adaptation that facilitates a reduction in reproductive allocation.
Residual Stress Generation and Relaxation in Butt-Welded Pipes

A numerical scheme for the determination of thermally induced local residual stresses and their relaxation behavior during heat treatment in the case of butt-welded pipes is described. The procedure is illustrated by considering 304 stainless steel and SAE 1020 steel pipes. The results are compared with available experimental and numerical results.
Five-Factor Model and Difficulties in Career Decision Making: A Meta-Analysis

Meta-analysis was employed to investigate the relationship between personality constructs of the five-factor model (FFM) and difficulties in career decision making (DCDM). Twenty studies with one to five quantitative FFM constructs were selected for review. The present study found evidence that the traits of the FFM of personality can predict DCDM. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between Neuroticism and DCDM, and statistically significant negative relationships between Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Openness. Mean effect sizes were small (<.30) with Neuroticism being the highest, closely followed by Conscientiousness, and with Agreeableness being the lowest. Both age and nationality of sample were found to be significant moderators of FFM constructs and DCDM. The discussion includes implications for research and practice.
Jute in the world, worlds of jute

This paper is in two parts. The first sketches out the reach of jute round the world from ancient times to the present, and, through examples ranging from Brazil to Bangladesh and from Cote d'Ivoire to the USA, makes the case that jute has played such a significant role that it deserves a place in world history alongside other great commodities like spices, sugar, tea, cotton, coal, and oil, that have shaped global history. The second part of the paper opens up the worlds of jute - from peasants who grew the jute, to male and female workers in Calcutta and Dundee, to the factory owners and managers - and makes comparisons between jute settings in different countries. A key issue explored is the interplay between the economic and ideological forces inherent in the manufacturing and marketing of jute products and the local cultures and traditions of workers and peasants within which the drama of jute was played out.
Integrin β4 signaling promotes tumor angiogenesis

Mice carrying a targeted deletion of the signaling portion of the integrin beta4 subunit display drastically reduced angiogenesis in response to bFGF in the Matrigel plug assay and to hypoxia in the retinal neovascularization model. Molecular cytology indicates that alpha6beta4 signaling promotes branching of beta4+ medium- and small-size vessels into beta4- microvessels without exerting a direct effect on endothelial cell proliferation or survival. Signaling studies reveal that alpha6beta4 signaling induces endothelial cell migration and invasion by promoting nuclear translocation of P-ERK and NF-kappaB. Upon subcutaneous implantation of various cancer cells, the mutant mice develop smaller and significantly less vascularized tumors than wild-type controls. These results provide genetic evidence that alpha6beta4 signaling promotes the onset of the invasive phase of pathological angiogenesis and hence identify a novel target for antiangiogenic therapy.
Telerobotic-assisted laparoscopic right and sigmoid colectomies for benign disease.

PURPOSE: Telerobotic surgical systems attempt to provide technological solutions to the inherent limitations of traditional laparoscopic surgery. In this article, we present the first two reported cases of telerobotic-assisted laparoscopic colectomies performed on March 6 and 8, 2001. METHODS: In the first patient we performed a telerobotic-assisted laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy for diverticulitis. In the second patient, we accomplished a telerobotic-assisted laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for cecal diverticulitis. The Da Vinci telerobotic surgical system was used in both cases to mobilize the bowel. The mesenteric division, bowel transection, and anastomoses were accomplished with standard laparoscopic-assisted techniques. Both operations were completed with a three-trocar technique. RESULTS: We found that the Da Vinci system adequately replaced the camera holder. The three-dimensional virtual operative field helped to maintain the surgeon’s orientation during the operation. The combination of three-dimensional imaging and the hand-like motions of the telerobotic surgical instruments facilitated dissection. The Da Vinci console offered an ergonomically comfortable position for the surgeon. Operative times for the sigmoid colectomy was 340 minutes and for the right hemicolectomy 228 minutes. Teleroboticassisted laparoscopic colectomy is feasible, but required a longer operative time than our standard laparoscopic-assisted technique. CONCLUSION: Telerobotic-assisted laparoscopic colectomy is feasible and warrants further investigations in controlled trials.
Prey abundance vs diet breadth in a spider test system

‘Decisions’ made as to what prey types to include in the diet were analysed for two populations of the spider,Agelenopsis aperta existing under markedly different prey availability and predation levels. Potential prey types were ranked as to their relative profitabilities with respect to energy gain per handling effort and predation risk. Members of the population experiencing limited prey availability but low risk of predation to visually hunting predators exhibited a significantly higher capture attempt rate towards all prey encountered than the population for which prey were abundant but for which predation was a significant problem. Neither spider population preferentially attacked prey that exhibited higher profitability rankings. An experiment was completed that indicates thatA. aperta can discriminate between more and less profitable prey. Suggestions are made as to why the population experiencing abundant food did not exhibit a narrower diet when compared to the population existing under limited food.
Determination of betaine metabolites and dimethylsulfoniopropionate in coral tissues using liquid chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry and stable isotope-labeled internal standards

A convenient procedure for determination of seven betaine analogs and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in extracts of coral tissues using LC-MS stable isotope dilution is described. Extraction procedures were optimized for selective extraction of polar metabolites from coral tissues. The LC-MS protocol employed a pentafluorophenylpropyl (PFPP) column for HPLC separation, with chromatographic resolution of isobaric and isomeric zwitterionic metabolites optimized by adjusting the acidity of the mobile phase. A ternary gradient was used to exploit the unusual retention characteristics of cationic metabolites on the PFPP column, with incorporation of ammonium acetate in a later gradient stage promoting elution of more hydrophobic betaines which are retained at high organic content in the absence of ammonium acetate. We demonstrate that the new LC-MS based method provides accurate measurements from nanomolar to high micromolar concentrations, and can be applied for profiling of betaine metabolites and DMSP in corals or other aquatic organisms.
Effect of denisty on enthalpy and entropy of transfer for supercritical fluid chroamtography

Abstract The effect of density on the enthalpy of transfer and the entropy of transfer of the solute between the mobile and stationary phase was investigated for capillary supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) using carbon dioxide as the mobile phase. The solutes were n -alkanes and n -alkanols and the stationary phases were coated in-situ cross-linked SE-54 and OV-17. Enthalpies were seen to decrease as fluid density increased over a range of 0.20 to 0.50 g/cm 3 . The range of enthalpies were from −5.9 to −8.4 kcal/mol for OV-17 and −3.9 to −8.6 kcal/mol with Se-54. The entropy range from −7.1 to −16.2 cal/mol · K for SE-54 and −12.5 to −17.0 cal/mol · K for Ov-17. The results demonstrate the interdependence of enthalpy and entropy of transfer with supercritical fluid desnity during chromatographic separations.
Microwave Spectra of the Methylpolyynes CH3(C≡C)4H and CH3(C≡C)5H☆

Two new methylpolyynes, CH(3)(CtC)(6)H (tridecahexayne) and CH(3)(CtC)(7)H (pentadecaheptayne), have been detected in a supersonic molecular beam by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. A total of 20 transitions of CH(3)(CtC)(6)H in the K = 0 and 1 rotational ladders and 8 transitions of CH(3)(CtC)(7)H in the K = 0 ladder were observed between 5 and 11 GHz, allowing for both molecules precise determination of rotational and centrifugal distortion constants. Like other long carbon chains of similar length, the rotational constants of the two new methylpolyynes are well predicted by extrapolation from the shorter members of the sequence; the addition of successive C(2) units evidently little perturbs the structure of the rest of the molecule. Centrifugal distortion is well described by the same semiclassical model that works well for the cyanopolyynes, one which treats a carbon chain as a thin elastic rod with a Young's modulus independent of length. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.
Molecular and compound-specific hydrogen isotope analyses of insoluble organic matter from different carbonaceous chondrite groups

We have conducted the first systematic analyses of molecular distribution and δD values of individual compounds in pyrolysates of insoluble organic matter (IOM) from different carbonaceous chondrite groups, using flash pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and compound-specific D/H analysis. IOM samples from six meteorites of different classifications, Elephant Moraine (EET) 92042 (CR2), Orgueil (CI1), Allan Hills (ALH) 83100 (CM1/2), Murchison (CM2), ALH 85013 (CM2), and Tagish Lake (C2) were isolated and studied. Except for the pyrolysate of Tagish Lake IOM, pyrolysates of all five meteorite IOM samples were dominated by an extensive series of aromatic (C1 to C7 alkyl-substituted benzenes, C0 to C2 alkyl-substituted naphthalenes), with aliphatic (straight chain and branched C10 to C15 alkanes) hydrocarbons and several S- and O- containing compounds (C1 to C2 alkylthiophenes, benzothiophene, benzaldehyde) being also present. The strong similarity in the pyrolysates of different carbonaceous chondrites suggests certain common characteristics in the formation mechanisms of IOM from different meteorites. The Tagish Lake IOM sample is unique in that its pyrolysate lacks most of the alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons detected in other meteorite IOM samples, suggesting distinctively different formation processes. Both bulk δD values of meteorite IOMs and weighted-average δD values of individual compounds in pyrolysates show a decreasing trend: CR2 > CI1 > CM2 > C2 (Tagish Lake), with the EET 92042 (CR2) IOM having the highest δD values (∼2000‰ higher than other samples). We attribute the high D contents in the IOM to primitive interstellar organic sources.
The Effect of Diflubenzuron On the Reproduction of Free-Living Nematodes

Three species of free-living nematodes; Pelodera sp., Acrobeloides sp., and Panagrellus redivivus, were tested for their ability to reproduce in the presence of various concentrations of diflubenzuron. The nematodes were cultured on an oatmeal medium fortified with 0.01 to 10,000 ppm diflubenzuron. After 10 days the numbers of larvae in test treatments were compared to the control. On medium containing 10 ppm diflubenzuron the populations, expressed as a percent of the control, were 5, 47, and 94 for Pelodera, P. redivivus and Acrobeloides, respectively; on media containing 100 ppm the population of Acrobeloides was only 3% of the control. Since diflubenzuron was not found to be toxic to the larvae and because it is a specific inhibitor of chitin synthetase the results suggest that diflubenzuron inhibited chitin synthesis in the egg shells thus effectively inhibiting reproduction.
FUNCTION OF MENTZELIA NUDA (LOASACEAE) POSTFLORAL NECTARIES IN SEED DEFENSE

Mentzelia nuda is a coarse, short-lived perennial of the High Plains of North America. The flowers secrete nectar which serves as an attractant for pollinating bees. Postfloral nectar secretion attracts ants whose presence significantly enhances seed set. This is the first demonstration of advantage to postflowering activity of a floral nectary. RECENT STUDIES of nectaries that lie outside the flower (generally called "extrafloral nectaries") indicate that, like floral nectaries, they are involved in plant-insect mutualism. Whereas floral nectaries facilitate outcrossing by rewarding pollinators, extrafloral nectaries attract insects, especially ants, whose activities decrease herbivore damage to the plant (Bentley, 1977a, b; Deuth, 1977; Keeler, 1977, 1980; Tilman, 1978; Inouye and Taylor, 1979; Koptur, 1979; O'Dowd, 1979; Pickett and Clark, 1979). Floral nectar varies greatly in nectar content
Dual energy CT attenuation correction methods for quantitative assessment of response to cancer therapy with PET/CT imaging

We hypothesize that improved quantification for PET imaging of high atomic number materials can be achieved by combining low-dose x-ray imaging with dual energy CT for PET attenuation correction. Improved quantification of tracer uptake will lead to improved patient outcomes by providing more accurate information for therapeutic choices. Accurate PET/CT measurements of early response will be critical in determining the best cancer therapy option for each patient in a timely manner and in sparing patients the morbidity and cost of ineffective treatments. We first evaluate the potential errors in PET images arising from CT-based attenuation correction when iodine-based contrast is incorrectly classified as bone when forming the linear attenuation coefficient image. We then investigate two methods of reducing errors in the linear attenuation image: an approximate, but fast, hybrid classification/scaling algorithm and a model-based dual-energy CT method that incorporates the polyenergetic spectrum and a noise model in an iterative reconstruction method. Both methods are shown to reduce errors in the estimated linear attenuation coefficient image, but require further study to determine the effects of noise propagation if low-dose CT scans are used for the estimation of the linear attenuation image.
Sub-solidus dehydration of amphiboles in an andesitic magma

Several petrologic experiments have demonstrated that in igneous and metamorphic reactions amphibole minerals can break down by a subsolidus dehydration reaction, but evidence for the reaction in natural rocks has been lacking. Evidence for the breakdown of an edenite-pargasite amphibole by a subsolidus dehydration reaction has now been found in an andesite flow from Garner Mountain, southern Cascase Range. The andesite contains one modal percent of ‘crystal clots’ formed of crystallites of opx, cpx, plag, K-spar, opaque and quartz. The crystal clots retain the original amphibole morphology and intra-clot pyroxenes are aligned with crystallographic c parallel to c in the amphibole precursor; these conditions would not be duplicated by a melting reaction. Microprobe analyses of the bulk clot and the intra-clot minerals suggest the solid-state reaction: 100 amph+10 SiO2=>55 cpx+33 plag+22 opx+ 1 opq+1 kspar Pyroxene thermometry of the andesite groundmass pyroxenes and the intra-clot pyroxenes demonstrates that the amphibole dehydration reaction occurred in the xenocrystic amphiboles as a result of heating by the near-solidus andesite magma.
Draft Genome Sequence of Penicillium expansum Strain R19, Which Causes Postharvest Decay of Apple Fruit

ABSTRACT Among the species that cause blue mold, isolates of Penicillium expansum are the most prevalent and virulent species, causing more than 50 percent of postharvest decay. We report the draft genome sequence of P. expansum R19 in order to identify fungal virulence factors and to understand the mechanism of infection.
Nuclear entry of poliovirus protease-polymerase precursor 3CD: implications for host cell transcription shut-off.

Abstract Host cell transcription mediated by all three RNA polymerases is rapidly inhibited after infection of mammalian cells with poliovirus (PV). Both genetic and biochemical studies have shown that the virus-encoded protease 3C cleaves the TATA-binding protein and other transcription factors at glutamine–glycine sites and is directly responsible for host cell transcription shut-off. PV replicates in the cytoplasm of infected cells. To shut-off host cell transcription, 3C or a precursor of 3C must enter the nucleus of infected cells. Although the 3C protease itself lacks a nuclear localization signal (NLS), amino acid sequence examination of 3D identified a potential single basic type NLS, KKKRD, spanning amino acids 125–129 within this polypeptide. Thus, a plausible scenario is that 3C enters the nucleus in the form of its precursor, 3CD, which then generates 3C by auto-proteolysis ultimately leading to cleavage of transcription factors in the nucleus. Using transient transfection of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fusion polypeptides, we demonstrate here that both 3CD and 3D are capable of entering the nucleus in PV-infected cells. However, both polypeptides remain in the cytoplasm in uninfected HeLa cells. Mutagenesis of the NLS sequence in 3D prevents nuclear entry of 3D and 3CD in PV-infected cells. We also demonstrate that 3CD can be detected in the nuclear fraction from PV-infected HeLa cells as early as 2 h postinfection. Significant amount of 3CD is found associated with the nuclear fraction by 3–4 h of infection. Taken together, these results suggest that both the 3D NLS and PV infection are required for the entry of 3CD into the nucleus and that this may constitute a means by which viral protease 3C is delivered into the nucleus leading to host cell transcription shut-off.
Was There a Popular Culture in the Middle Ages

With Bruce A. Rosenberg's article, “Was There a Popular Culture in the Middle Ages,” we come full circle, returning to some of the comments made by Charles Altman. Rosenberg's cautionary remark that segmenting the experienced world into “popular,”“folk,” and “elite,” is arbitrary and artificial does not discount thepractical value and necessity of constructing analytic categories in popular culture studies. What is essential, however, is that those of us studying “kopular”artifacts must also examine the ways in which they interact with other cultural aspects or segments.
Wurster's blue mediated oxidation of NADH and phosphorylation in mitochondria.

Abstract The slow oxidation of NADH 2 in liver mitochondria is accelerated by Wurster's blue (WB), a semiquindiimine radical of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenedia-mine (TMPD). The inhibition of NADH oxidation by Rotenone, Seconal, or antimycin A is bypassed through WB; thus the NADH-WB system acts as an electron feeder to the terminal region of the respiratory chain. The oxidation of NADH-WB by liver mitochondria yields an ADP O ratio of nearly 2 when the concentration of WB added is low. This ratio is further decreased to about 1 in the presence of Rotenone, antimycin A, or high concentrations of WB, i.e., the conditions which prevent the oxidation of endogenous substrates and eliminate the first two phosphorylation sites. The oxidation of NADH-WB by liver mitochondria or cardiac submitochondrial particles, in the presence or absence of Rotenone, results in the reduction of all the cytochromes. In the presence of antimycin A, the addition of NADH-WB causes an oxidation of cytochrome b, but a reduction of cytochromes c1 + c and a + a3. This oxidation of cytochrome b is explained by the occurrence of a WB-mediated bypass of electron transfer over the antimycin-sensitive site. In the absence of antimycin A, the reduction of cytochrome b that occurs is the result of a reversed electron flow associated with the oxidation of NADH-WB system. This reduction of cytochrome b can be prevented under conditions in which the reversed electron flow is blocked, such as by addition of cyanide plus Rotenone. However, the cytochrome b reduction can also be induced in this inhibited system if ATP is used as an energy source to drive the reversed electron flow. These results have been interpreted with respect to the egresses and entries of electrons along the respiratory chain.
International Students' Attitudes toward L2-English Classroom Activities and Language Skills in the USA.

Abstract Pedagogical proponents of both communicative language teaching and the postmethod philosophy argue for the importance of considering learners' needs in classroom planning. This requires understanding learners' attitudes toward a variety of classroom realities. The present study reports on the attitudes of 131 adult, international learners of English, studying English for 20 hours a week in a US-based Intensive English Program. To investigate these learners' attitudes for classroom activities, I administered a questionnaire designed to measure attitudes toward various reading, writing, listening, speaking, and grammar activities. Factor analysis of the responses revealed four components: explicit grammar instruction activities, personal entertainment listening activities, interactive listening–speaking activities, and literacy activities. Learners across ages, genders, and course levels were largely homogeneous in their preferences for listening–speaking activities, and on several measures, learne...
A cognitive view of the performance appraisal process: A model and research propositions

Abstract This paper presents a model of performance appraisal which focuses on the cognitive processes employed by a rater attempting to form an evaluation. The model describes the method by which a rater collects, encodes, stores, and later retrieves information from memory, and the method by which he or she weights and combines this information to form an evaluation which is converted to a rating on a scale. The model is based on diverse bodies of literature which share a social-cognitive orientation, and it forms the foundation for a number of testable research propositions.
The relationship of bevels to the adaptation of intracoronal inlays.

Abstract The elongation of Types II and III gold alloys ranges from 20 to 35 per cent. 11 It has therefore been proposed that a nonbeveled margin could be "pulled" (elongation) to close the margin. However, in clinical practice, it is difficult to pull gold over an unsupported space to close the margin. Furthermore, the thin area of gold that would be pulled toward the margin could easily be sheared or abraded during finishing. Malleting or swaging a beveled margin is a more successful technique of adapting cast gold to the cavosurface angles.
Phase I clinical trial of combined therapy with 5-FU (NSC 19893) and CIS-platinum (II) diaminedichloride (NSC 119875).

Thirty-one loading courses of 5-FU and cis-platinum (II) diaminedichloride (CPD) were given to 27 patients with a variety of malignancies. Up to 16 mg/kg/day of 5-FU and 2.5 mg/kg of the platinum were reached with minimal toxicity. Nausea (27/31) and vomiting (23/31) were the most frequent symptoms, with few experiencing diarrhea (5) or stomatitis (1). Urinary abnormalities were transient, generally returning to baseline levels by completion of therapy. Leukopenia appeared less commonly during the loading courses than during weekly 5-FU and monthly CPD maintenance. Platelet counts consistently remained between 100,000 and 200,000 during maintenance. Asymptomatic high-tone hearing losses were detected by repeat audiograms in 2 patients. Although the primary objective of the program was to determine combined toxicity, four brief and five continuing responses were noted.
Gender differences in death anxiety and religious orientation among US high school and college students

Women report both a higher death anxiety and extrinsic religiosity than men, but it is unknown why. Research has not previously linked these findings. We provide two alternative theoretical models of causal links: (a) women's higher death anxiety promotes extrinsic religiosity or (b) women's higher extrinsic religiosity promotes greater death anxiety. High school and college students in the United States (118 young men and 257 young women) completed Templer's (1970) Death Anxiety Scale and the intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity subscales of Allport and Ross’ (1967) Religious Orientation Scale. Women reported significantly higher levels of death anxiety and extrinsic religiosity. Gender differences in extrinsic religiosity were partially explainable by gender differences in death anxiety. Also, gender differences in death anxiety could partially be explained by gender differences in extrinsic religiosity. This provides future research with some direction in the link between gender, religious orientation, ...
Molecular Recognition of an Amino Acid by a Novel Macrocyclic Monoxo‐tetraamine and Its ZnII Complex

The macrocycle monoxo-tetraamine, 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotridecane-5-one (mota), was found to be extremely efficient in the recognition of the amino acid, glycine (Gl), in aqueous solution. The single-crystal structure of a five-coordinated mota-ZnII complex is reported. This ZnII complex acts as host for Gl to form a stable ternary complex. The recognition constants and the recognition mechanism for the binary and ternary complexes are based on potentiometric data.
Perioperative Nursing Care When Sudden Patient Death Occurs in the OR

This article explores how nurses cope with sudden death in the OR. It reviews the literature on this topic and explores grief and bereavement models, as well as provides a discussion of clinical coping methods identified through nursing experience. An education model presents information about implementing nursing care for the patient and family members. Critical care nursing research has been used to develop the model with adaptation to the perioperative setting. The model discusses the value of support for perioperative nurses and peers experiencing sudden patient death.
Description of Female Ampulex (Rhinopsis) Ferruginea Bradley (Hymenoptera; Ampulicidae)

Ampulex ferruginea was described by Bradley in 1934 (Ent. News, 45: 273, 1936) from a single male taken at Liberty, Texas. (Mar. 18, 1908, by E. G. Tucker). This is the only published record of the species and since the female has never been described it seems worth while to present the following description and collection data.