cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Golgi-enriched membrane fractions from rat brain and liver contain long-chain polyisoprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase activity.

The subcellular distribution of polyisoprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase activity has been examined in rat brain by assaying the release of 32Pi from [beta-32P]dolichyl pyrophosphate (Dol-P-P) as described previously (Scher,M.G. and Waechter, C.J. (1984) J. Biol. Chem., 259, 14580-14585). The highest specific activities of Dol-P-P phosphatase in rat brain were found in the Golgi-enriched light microsomal, synaptic plasma membrane and heavy microsomal fractions. A comparative analysis of the distribution of galactosyltransferase and dolichol kinase reveals that Dol-P-P phosphatase activity co-fractionates with galactosyltransferase activity, and that the high level found in the Golgi-enriched fraction is not due to cross-contamination with heavy microsomes. When beta-labelled C95 Dol-P-P and the C95 allylic polyisoprenyl pyrophosphate (Poly-P-P) were compared as substrates for the Golgi-enriched light microsomal and heavy microsomal fractions, similar Km values were calculated for the two pyrophosphorylated substrates for each membrane fraction. Based on these kinetic analyses, the enzyme(s) catalysing this reaction do not distinguish between substrates containing saturated or allylic alpha-isoprene units. When Dol-P-P phosphatase activity was assessed in submicrosomal fractions obtained from rat liver by two separate procedures, the highest specific activity was also detected in the Golgi-enriched fraction. While the specific activities for Dol-P-P phosphatase and sialyltransferase were in the relative order of Golgi greater than smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER) greater than rough ER, the relative order of dolichol kinase was rough ER greater than smooth ER greater than Golgi.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A novel mutation in the GRHPR gene in a Japanese patient with primary hyperoxaluria type 2

Primary hyperoxaluria type 2 (PH2) is a rare monogenic genetic disorder with an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance. The disease is caused by mutations in the GRHPR gene encoding the glyoxylate/hydroxypyruvate reductase enzyme [2,12]. The high urinary excretion of oxalate and L-glycerate is a characteristic biochemical feature of PH2. Pathologically, the increased plasma and urinary oxalate leads to calcium oxalate supersaturation in the collecting ducts, which causes progressive renal deposition of calcium oxalate in the kidney, in the form of urolithiasis and/or nephrocalcinosis. In severe cases, this occasionally leads to renal failure and/or systemic oxalosis. The diagnostic tools of PH2 include the measurement of urinary oxalate and L-glycerate, genotyping for mutations of the GRHPR gene, the measurement of GRHPR enzymatic activity in the blood cells [5,13] and measurement of enzymatic activity in liver tissue. None of these assays are ideal. Measurement of enzymatic activity in liver biopsy is complicated by comorbidity, measurement in blood cells requires sensitive assays not generally available. Measurement of urinary metabolites can occasionally lead to misdiagnosis. While genetic screening offers potential solutions to problems created by other methods, there are currently too few mutations described and evaluated for functional consequences to use this method for efficient diagnosis. The GRHPR gene is located in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 9 [2]. The gene has 9 exons and encodes a 328 amino acid, 36 kDa protein [2,8]. To date, 13 mutations have been identified [2-4,6,11,12]. All mutations reported lead to a loss of enzyme expression or function. The most common of all the mutations is 103delG in exon 2, which results in a frameshift and induces a premature stop at codon 45 [2]. The prevalence of this mutation in PH2 is around 40% [3,11] of all reported mutations and appears to have originated in a founder of Northern European origin [11]. However, it has not been found in any patient of Asian origin. The 103delG mutation is a candidate mutation for DNA screening especially in patients of Caucasian origin. The sensitivity of diagnosis using 103delG mutation in DNA samples from the individuals referred for PH2 was 33% [9]. We describe a Japanese patient with PH2 who suffers from recurrent urolithiasis without nephrocalcinosis. This 19 year old patient was diagnosed through biochemical urine analysis by gas chromatographymass spectrometry at 10 months of age [14]. In the current report, we provide the molecular basis of PH2 in this patient.
Sorption of Tertiary Butyl Mercaptan to Indoor Materials in Contact with Air or Water

This study reports sorption of the malodorant 2-methyl-2-propanethiol, commonly known as tertiary butyl mercaptan (TBM), to selected indoor materials. The phase distribution of TBM in gas-solid and aqueous-solid systems was evaluated using batch reactors. Sorbents used in the study included two carpets, two wallpapers, a soil, and granular activated carbon (GAC). Sorption was studied for gaseous and aqueous TBM concentrations spanning three orders of magnitude and contact times ranging from 1 to 28 days. The phase distribution data were plotted and fitted using linear and Freundlich relationships. Results indicated that all solids sorbed environmentally significant quantities of TBM, with the likelihood of producing concentrations above the odor threshold during subsequent remediation using mechanical ventilation. TBM retention by sorbents was greater from air than from water. The malodorant partitioned readily into wallpapers and slowly into the carpet materials. Sorption was nonlinear in the case of GAC and the nonlinearity appeared to increase with sorption contact time. GAC sorbed TBM strongly from both air and water.
Evaluation of histological techniques for quantifying haemodialysis arteriovenous (AV) graft hyperplasia

Background. Assessing treatment efficacies for preventing haemodialysis arteriovenous (AV) graft stenosis requires a reproducible method for quantifying intimal hyperplasia. We identified sources of variability in three histological methods for assessing hyperplasia in a porcine AV graft model. Methods. Carotid-jugular synthetic grafts were placed in pigs. After explantation at 3–6 weeks, the tissue was stained with haematoxylin and eosin (HE medial area CV ¼ 32.7%; I/M ratio CV ¼ 44.0%) than with the H/G method (intra-graft hyperplasia area CV ¼ 7.3%, graft area CV ¼ 5.3%; H/G ratio CV ¼ 6.9%) or by visual scoring (CV ¼ 26.8%). The H/G ratios correlated positively with visual scores (r ¼ 0.941; P ¼ 0.0007; n ¼ 14) and the I/M ratio (r ¼ 0.719; P ¼ 0.0095; n ¼ 14). While hyperplasia was seen in both native vessel and graft lumen, in only one of the 14 anastomoses was the degree of hyperplasia greater in the native vessel than in the graft lumen, suggesting that the degree of hyperplasia occurring within the graft lumen predicted the total hyperplasia around the anastomosis. Conclusions. The H/G method for assessing hyperplasia is preferred in a porcine model of AV graft because it is quantitative, less variable and does not require the delineation of the elastic lamina, although it infrequently underestimates the total hyperplasia that occurs.
Hard scattering factorization with heavy quarks: A General treatment

A detailed proof of hard-scattering factorization is given with the inclusion of heavy quark masses. Although the proof is explicitly given for deep-inelastic scattering, the methods apply more generally. The power-suppressed corrections to the factorization formula are uniformly suppressed by a power of �/Q, independently of the size of heavy quark masses, M, relative to Q.
A Spiral-Resonator Radio-Frequency Quadrupole Accelerator Structure

A radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) structure operating at low frequency has been developed for possible use in accelerators for heavy ion fusion or Tokamak plasma heating. The structure uses a series of shunt spiral inductors placed periodically along the electrodes of an electric quadrupole to achieve resonance at the desired frequency. A 1.2-m-long model has been constructed for low-power testing. The model resonates near 12 MHz and has radial dimensions that are reduced by a factor of 15 compared to the commonly used four-vane resonator.
Experimental seawater-basalt interaction at 300°C, 500 bars, chemical exchange, secondary mineral formation and implications for the transport of heavy metals

Seawater and NaCl solutions were reacted with basalt (basalt glass and diabase) for several months at 300°C, 500 bars and a water/rock ratio of 10. During reaction, seawater was significantly modified, increasing in Ca, H2S, CO2. SiO2, K. Fe, Mn. Ba, Al and H+, and decreasing in Mg and SO4. Basalt glass was completely replaced by smectite, wairakite, anhydrite and hematite, and diabase was partially replaced by mixed layered smectite-chlorite, anhydrite and magnetite (?). Diabase was altered more slowly than basalt glass and the corresponding changes in seawater chemistry were less pronounced. Basalt glass reacted with a 0.45 m NaCl solution resulted in the formation of smectite, albite. truscottite and wairakite. Solutions from this experiment were characterized by a relatively high pH and dominated by Ca for Na exchange reactions. At no point in this experiment were heavy metals solubilized, in contrast to the seawater experiments. This behavior illustrates the fundamental importance of seawater chemistry to heavy-metal solubility; that is, the removal of Mg from seawater generates acidity which maintains heavy metals in solution. Apparently seawater chlorinity is not capable of enhancing heavy-metal solubility by chloride complexing. Seafloor heavy-metal deposits can result from the following: 1. (a) Seawater-basalt interaction at moderate temperature (∼-300°C and high effective water/rock ratios; or 2. (b) at relatively high temperatures (∼-400°C) and low (e.g.< 10) water/rock ratios.
VGrADS: enabling e-Science workflows on grids and clouds with fault tolerance

Today's scientific workflows use distributed heterogeneous resources through diverse grid and cloud interfaces that are often hard to program. In addition, especially for time-sensitive critical applications, predictable quality of service is necessary across these distributed resources. VGrADS' virtual grid execution system (vgES) provides an uniform qualitative resource abstraction over grid and cloud systems. We apply vgES for scheduling a set of deadline sensitive weather forecasting workflows. Specifically, this paper reports on our experiences with (1) virtualized reservations for batchqueue systems, (2) coordinated usage of TeraGrid (batch queue), Amazon EC2 (cloud), our own clusters (batch queue) and Eucalyptus (cloud) resources, and (3) fault tolerance through automated task replication. The combined effect of these techniques was to enable a new workflow planning method to balance performance, reliability and cost considerations. The results point toward improved resource selection and execution management support for a variety of e-Science applications over grids and cloud systems.
Individual variation in predator behavior and demographics affects consumption of non-native prey

Non-native species can serve as a prey resource for native predators. Yet because there is often no shared evolutionary history between the predator and prey, individuals within a predator population may vary greatly in their willingness to consume a recently introduced, yet profitable prey. Here, we measured individual variation in diet, behavior, and demographic traits of the native predatory mud crab, Panopeus herbstii, and evaluated how these traits influenced an individual’s consumption of a recently introduced, non-native crab, Petrolisthes armatus, using both simultaneous and no-choice assays. These same individual predatory mud crabs were also assayed to quantify their antipredator reaction and exploratory behavior. Results indicated significant variation in the diets of individual predators with 45% specializing on native mussels, 14% specializing on non-native Petrolisthes, and the remainder eating multiple prey species. When given a choice of alternative prey, individual Panopeus predators that consumed a larger proportion of Petrolisthes were female, smaller, and more likely to flee in response to predators. When given no choice of alternative prey, Petrolisthes was consumed more frequently by Panopeus that were female and less exploratory. We suggest that individuals that more readily consume non-native Petrolisthes may be attempting to reduce competition with conspecifics that are larger, more aggressive, exploratory, and male. Our results suggest that at least initially following invasion, adoption of a non-native prey species into the diet of a native predator may not occur universally within the population. Such nonuniform predation pressure could contribute to the non-native prey’s release from natural enemies.
Transport of K42+, Na24+, and I131+ by the Pulmonary Circulation Calculations of Cardiac Output and Volume from Dilution Curves Obtained in the Canine Heart-Lung Preparation

The transport of K42+, Na24+, and I131+ by blood through the heart and lungs in the canine heart-lung preparation was studied. Simultaneous injection of each tracer was performed together with nondiffusible Risa as a reference label. The data show that in a single passage through the lung, a fraction of the injected radioactive electrolyte moves out from the blood and partially returns. This alters the shapes of the dilution curves and the results of cardiac output and central volume calculations. The implications of these findings in the suggested use of radioactive electrolytes for the application of the Stew art-Hamilton method in human and animal investigations is discussed. The possibility is suggested that in the Starling preparation, the difference in flows calculated from the extrapolated and complete dilution curves of a non-diffusible tracer may he related to the coronary flow.
Optimum linear periodically time-varying filter

We study the optimum (in the minimum mean-square error sense) linear periodically time-varying deconvolution filter of finite size. We show that the filter can be in the form of lapped transform or multirate filter-bank, and it includes the FIR Wiener filter as a special case. We demonstrate that the proposed filter always possesses a gain over the Wiener filter.
Floor control for multimedia conferencing and collaboration

Floor control allows users of networked multimedia applications to utilize and share resources such as remote devices, distributed data sets, telepointers, or continuous media such as video and audio without access conflicts. Floors are temporary permissions granted dynamically to collaborating users in order to mitigate race conditions and guarantee mutually exclusive resource usage.A general framework for floor control is presented. Collaborative environments are characterized and the requirements for realization of floor control will be identified. The differences to session control, as well as concurrency control and access control are elicited. Based upon a brief taxonomy of collaboration-relevant parameters, system design issues for floor control are discussed. Floor control mechanisms are discerned from service policies and principal architectures of collaborative systems are compared. The structure of control packets and an application programmer's interface are proposed and further implementation aspects are elaborated. User-related aspects such as floor presentation, assignment, and the timely stages of floor-controlled interaction in relation to user-interface design are also presented.
What is the future of assessment for autism spectrum disorders: Short and long term

Abstract The autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are common, debilitating and life long. Thus, early identification of the disorder is considered to be critically important. Furthermore, periodic and life long assessment is necessary to calibrate the level and type of supports each person requires. The heterogeneity of ASD further highlights the need for reliable and valid methods which can establish overall severity of ASD, as well as specific skills for intervention. The methods and procedures used to achieve these goals have evolved considerably in the last 60 years with the rate of change accelerating. This paper highlights past practices, current methods and future directions in assessment.
Coping with Stressors on the Home Front

This article seeks to correct the paucity of attention to the psychological impact on families of having a member engaged in war. The initial section focuses on the impact of the Persian Gulf War on military families, drawing upon family stress and coping and Miller's biological systems theory to help categorize and account for the stressors affecting these families at various strategic points in the Persian Gulf War: deployment, during the war, homecoming and reintegration, and long-term reactions. The middle section focuses on the stress reactions and the factors that tend to mediate these reactions, such as effective methods of coping. Among the most significant yet widely overlooked reactions is secondary traumatization. The final section—based on both the extant research and the theoretical orientation articulated in section one—focuses on intervention. Among those interventions listed are programs that were successful during the Persian Gulf War. Implications for research and policy are noted.
Actions Against Poverty: The Impact of Career Technical Education

There is clear and convincing evidence that students with disabilities living in poverty are facing the double jeopardy of dealing with issues associated with their disability, as well as the challenges of living in minimal conditions. Improving outcomes for this population requires the identification and implementation of effective programs. This study analyzed program factors and post-school outcomes of 500 former students with disabilities to determine to what extent predictions regarding employment for these students can be determined. Findings suggest that in high-relative poverty areas, participation in career technical education is associated with higher rates of employment during and after high school.
Tuning shims for high field quality in superconducting magnets

A high field quality in quadrupoles for the interaction region is crucial to the luminosity performance of high energy colliders such as the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The field quality in magnets is limited in part by manufacturing tolerances in the parts and assembly. A tuning shim method has been developed to reduce the relative field errors (/spl Delta/B/B) from /spl sim/10/sup -4/ to /spl sim/10/sup -5/ at 2/3 of the coil radius. Eight tuning shims having a variable thickness of iron are inserted after the construction and measurement of field harmonics in the magnet. In this paper the tuning shim technique is described for RHIC interaction region quadrupoles. The results of calculations and measurement are also presented.
Monsoon: an explicit token-store architecture

Dataflow architectures tolerate long unpredictable communication delays and support generation and coordination of parallel activities directly in hardware, rather than assuming that program mapping will cause these issues to disappear. However, the proposed mechanisms are complex and introduce new mapping complications. This paper presents a greatly simplified approach to dataflow execution, called the explicit token store (ETS) architecture, and its current realization in Monsoon. The essence of dynamic dataflow execution is captured by a simple transition on state bits associated with storage local to a processor. Low-level storage management is performed by the compiler in assigning nodes to slots in an activation frame, rather than dynamically in hardware. The processor is simple, highly pipelined, and quite general. It may be viewed as a generalization of a fairly primitive von Neumann architecture. Although the addressing capability is restrictive, there is exactly one instruction executed for each action on the dataflow graph. Thus, the machine oriented ETS model provides new understanding of the merits and the real cost of direct execution of dataflow graphs.
Reversible basilar artery blood flow in subclavian steal syndrome

Transcranial Doppler ultrasound examination of intracranial vertebral and basilar arteries was performed on a 61-year-old man who presented with symptoms of amaurosis fugax and subclavian steal syndrome. During arm exercise, flow in the basilar artery reversed direction from cephalad to caudal, coincident with symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Following bilateral carotid endarterectomies, exercise-induced reverse flow velocities in the basilar artery were markedly increased, and the patient remained asymptomatic. These findings suggest that collateral flow from the anterior cerebral circulation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of brainstem ischemia in subclavian steal syndrome and that transcranial Doppler may identify a subgroup of patients who will benefit from procedures to augment cerebral blood flow.
Where is client/server software headed?

Computers have moved to desktops; now, the underlying software is itself evolving. The direction computing will take is clear, but the route it will take is a matter for some speculation. We examine several promising software ideas, especially distributed software and its underlying infrastructure called middleware. Industrial software is being driven by document-centric design, reusable component implementation based on industry standards, and end-user programming. >
Imaging colloidal gold labels in LVSEM

On biological samples, the topographic imaging capabilities of the new generation of scanning electron microscopes (SEM) (those having both field-emission guns and low aberration lenses) rival those of the replica techniques. In addition, they permit the localization of specific molecules on the sample surface using one of several labeling techniques utilizing heavy metal colloids. Normally, colloidal gold can be detected in the SEM both by the secondary electron signal (shape) and by the backscattered electron signal (BSE, Z-contrast). The new instruments seem to produce their best topographic images using low-beam voltage (1–5 kV) where topographic contrast is higher and the required thickness of the metal coating is less (Haggis and Pawley 1988, Ris and Pawley 1988). Although the detection of backscattered electrons is more difficult at low-beam voltage, we are able to show here that the secondary electron (SE) signal produced with a 2–5-kV beam permits the unambiguous detection of gold particles as small as 5 nm on carbon-coated specimens while a 1-kV beam produces a high-quality topographic image of the same sample.
Liver fatty acid composition correlates with body fat and sex in a multigenic mouse model of obesity

To determine whether there is altered liver lipid-fraction fatty acid distribution in a multigenic obese mouse model, we examined livers from eight lean (0.2-4.2% carcass fat), seven intermediate (5.7-13.8%), and five obese (20.2-48.7%) backcross progeny [(C57BL/6J x Mus spretus) x C57BL/6J] aged 2-3 mo. Thirteen males and seven females were fed a nonpurified stock diet. Liver lipid fractions were separated and fatty acids quantitated by thin-layer and gas chromatography. There was a significant effect of obesity on 18:2 omega 6 in liver phospholipids (PL), cholesteryl esters, and triglycerides. PL 18:2 omega 6 was negatively correlated with carcass fat (r = -0.74, P < 0.001); 20:3 omega 6 was elevated in PL with increased obesity (P < 0.0001), and was correlated with carcass fat (r = 0.92, P < 0.0001); and 20:4 omega 6 in PL did not differ with obesity status. PL 20:3 omega 6 and 20:4 omega 6 were lower in males (P < 0.01 and 0.02, respectively) than in females. We conclude that obesity and sex affect distribution of omega 6 essential fatty acids in mouse liver lipid fractions.
Unraveling the Threads of White Teachers’ Conceptions of Caring: Repositioning White Privilege

This study explored two White inservice teachers’ understandings of Whiteness in relation to privilege and caring. A yearlong professional development set of courses used a multimodal construction of three significant course experiences designed to reposition Whiteness and illuminate White teachers’ predisposition to care for their students in ways aligned with their own conceptions of caring.
Southern Parties in State and Nation

One-half century ago, V. 0. Key, Jr., published his masterpiece, Southern Politics in State and Nation. Key's analysis of the failure of democracy in the South must count as one of the great achievements of our discipline. His explanation is rich and complex. Certainly the anti-liberal basis of society in the midtwentieth-century South was crucial-"Whatever phase of the southern political process one seeks to understand, sooner or later the trail of inquiry leads to the Negro," he wrote (1984[1949], 5). But it was not only that the South was an illiberal society, what really mattered was that the South was also non-democratic. The failure of democracy can be traced to the absence of party competition and, according to Key, the consequent failure of a coherent and organized party system to emerge. His explanation is that the lack of organized partisan competition to win the support of the great body of the people, as James Madison might have put it, by itself accounts for the failure of democracy. In this account, therefore, if only there was regularized competition, there would be organized parties, and if only there were at least two organized political parties, democracy would inevitably follow. A cottage industry then arose to study, first, the possibility of partisan realignment in the South (e.g., Converse 1966; Phillips 1970), subsequently it sought to assess the inroads Republicans were making in their ability to compete in the South (e.g., Beck 1977; Black and Black 1987), and most recently that industry turned to examine the culmination of the process, ending with a fully competitive (perhaps even dominant) GOP in the South (e.g., Aistrup 1996; Black 1998; Lamis 1990). The attraction of this stream of research is understandable. These are scholars considering whether trends are pointing toward sustained, organized partisan competition. If that were to be so, we would then conclude that the full flowering of democracy would at last be expected to appear in the South.
Effect of phonon interactions on limiting the f.Q product of micromechanical resonators

We discuss the contribution of phonon interactions in determining the upper limit of f.Q product in micromechanical resonators. There is a perception in the MEMS community that the maximum f.Q product of a microresonator is limited to a “frequency-independent constant” determined by the material properties of the resonator [1]. In this paper, we discuss that for frequencies higher than ω τ = 1/τ, where τ is the phonon relaxation time, the f.Q product is no longer constant but a linear function of frequency. This makes it possible to reach very high Qs in GHz micromechanical resonators. Moreover, we show that 〈100〉 is the preferred crystalline orientation for obtaining very high Q in bulk-acoustic-mode silicon resonators above ∼750 MHz, while 〈100〉 is the preferred direction for achieving high-Q at lower frequencies.
Relationship of pathology to function in congenital hearing loss. II. The auditory function in congenital hearing loss.

The pathological entities are of value to audiologists because the hearing function of each individual represented is known. Such knowledge permits us to make prediction in similar cases as to what can be expected auditorally of other young children. From this information a more rational selection of therapeutic techniques can be made for the child. In the cases of the polytomograms shown previously, standard audiometric tests reveal the amount of hearing present or absent; in the cases of the histo-pathological studies, hearing tests using observations of responses were taken shortly after birth, before the infants expired. Logical extrapolation to other children can be made, and a system of assigning each child to the appropriate habilitation procedure is described. Manual, oral, and auditory approaches – or some combinations of these – must all be considered, in view of the findings reported.
Can Men Make Time for Family? Paid Work, Care Work, Work-family Reconciliation Policies, and Gender Equality

This article reviews changes in the economy and demographic change in family life to argue that men (especially working-class men) will be increasingly compelled and able to do more family care work (childcare, eldercare, and self-care). Although there is evidence that a younger generation of fathers is more family centered than its predecessors, there is little evidence that the workplace has changed to better enable men to reconcile work and family responsibilities. Yet, across a range of states in the United States, elements of a Nordic-style package of work-family reconciliation policies—including paid family leave, eldercare, early childhood education, paid sick leave, and minimum wage increases—have been implemented, and these policy initiatives will likely continue (and expand) in the future. I conclude with a review of research on men’s uptake of work-family reconciliation policies, and offer some propositions (and call for further research) on how doing so would alter the pattern of gender inequa...
Large Correlation Structures in Pools of Defaults: A Large Deviations Analysis

Investment-grade tranches of pools of assets by design suffer losses only rarely. The rarity of the events, or equivalently, the size of the tail, depend crucially upon the correlation between the assets. We here study the asymptotics of a model for credit assets, where correlations are due to a two-stage hierarchy of randomness. We find that this gives a richer structure of possibilities than are present in a one-stage model of many idiosyncratic random variables and a small number of systemic random variables. Our calculations take advantage of the theory of large deviations.
Population Densities of Birds Derived from Transect Counts

GoOD estimates of absolute population density as distinct from indices of relative abundance have been virtually unavailable for nonflocking land birds except in the breeding season when singing males, representing mated pairs, restrict themselves to more or less fixed territories where they or their nests can be counted. The lack of efficient and reasonably accurate census methods applicable at any season has seriously hampered the progress of quantitative studies of avian population ecology. This paper, after reviewing the potentialities and limitations of currently available methods, describes a new method that is, 1) applicable at all seasons, 2) more efficient in terms of area covered per unit of effort than the nest or territory count methods, and 3) comparable in accuracy. The method uses the lateral distribution pattern of all detection points for each species to derive coefficients of detectability with which trail counts may be converted directly to density values in units of birds per 100 acres. The method was developed over a period of 3 years while the author was gathering data on the ecological distribution of birds in mesquite grasslands in southern Texas, pine forests in Florida and the Bahamas, and mixed woodlands in Wisconsin and Michigan.
A Generalization of the Mean Value Theorem for Integrals

Let f(x) be a continuous function on [a, b]. The Mean Value Theorem for Integrals asserts that there is a point c in (a, b) such that fab f(x) dx = f(c)(b a). Unlike the proof of the Mean Value Theorem for derivatives, the proof of the Mean Value Theorem for Integrals typically does not use Rolle's Theorem. In this note, we use Rolle's Theorem to introduce a generalization of the Mean Value Theorem for Integrals. Our generalization involves two functions instead of one, and has a very clear geometric explanation.
Serum protein synthesis by embryonic and neonatal chicks.

The chick embryo is an ideal organism for the study of serum protein synthesis since it is separated from the maternal circulation during its development. Heim and Schechtman(1) and others(2,3) have indicated that both qualitative and quantitative changes occur in the sera of developing embryos and neonatal chicks. It has not been determined what part, if any, of these changes is the result of protein synthesis by the animal, and what part is the result of absorption of proteins from the yolk(4). This problem has been investigated in our laboratory, using incorporation of radioactively labeled amino acid as a criterion for protein production, and autoradiography of immunoelectrophoretic patterns(5) to identify the labeled proteins.Materials and methods. Animals. Seventeen- to nineteen-day-old chick embryos were given 100 μc (∼50 μg) S-35 methionine intravenously; 3-day-old and 12-day-old chicks received 200 μc intraperitoneally. All animals were bled one day following injection.Immunoelectrophoresis and a...
A hybrid real-time UNIX controller for the Donner 600-crystal positron tomograph

A hybrid real-time control system for the Donner 600-crystal positron tomograph has been implemented using a UNIX host computer interfaced to CAMAC via SCSI. Coincidence logic and front-end electronics have been previously described. Low-level data acquisition is carried out in this system using eight LeCroy 3588 histogrammers, which together after derandomization, acquire events at rates up to 4 MHz, and two dedicated Motorola 6809 microprocessors, which arbitrate fine timing control during acquisition. A SUN Microsystems UNIX workstation is used for high level control. Communications between the high and low level units is carried out via a Jorway 73A SCSI-CAMAC crate controller and a serial interface. Use of the workstation allows an easily-extensible user-friendly interface in an X-windows environment, as well as real-time communication to the low-end acquisition units. In the UNIX configuration, a general purpose process serves as a message center between the user interface and the CAMAC devices. The message center transfers user-specified data acquisition protocols to the tomograph hardware. A separate high priority UNIX process is used to rapidly receive sinogram data into memory during active acquisitions. This hybrid approach allows user interface and programming simplicity at the UNIX end, while supporting rapid data transfer for dynamic positron emission tomography. >
Multitarget Tracking via Mixed Integer Optimization

Given a set of target detections over several time periods, this paper addresses the multitarget tracking (MTT) problem of optimally assigning detections to targets and estimating the trajectory of the targets over time. MTT has been studied in the literature via predominantly probabilistic methods. In contrast, we propose the use of mixed integer optimization (MIO) along with relaxations and local-search-based heuristic algorithms that are: scalable, as they provide near optimal solutions for six targets and ten time periods in milliseconds to seconds; general, as they make no probabilistic assumptions on the detection process; robust, as they can accommodate missed and false detections of the targets; and easily implementable, as they use at most two tuning parameters. We evaluate the performance of the new methods using a novel metric for the complexity of an instance, and find that they provide high quality solutions both reliably and quickly for a large range of scenarios, resulting in a promising approach to the area of MTT.
Phylogenetic analysis of ionotropic L-glutamate receptor genes in the Bilateria, with special notes on Aplysia californica.

The neurotransmitter L-Glutamate (L-Glu) acting at ionotropic L-Glu receptors (iGluR) conveys fast excitatory signal transmission in the nervous systems of all animals. iGluR-dependent neurotransmission is a key component of the synaptic plasticity that underlies learning and memory. During learning, two subtypes of iGluR, α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPAR) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR), are dynamically regulated postsynaptically in vertebrates. Invertebrate organisms such as Aplysia californica (Aplysia) are well-studied models for iGluR-mediated function, yet no studies to date have analyzed the evolutionary relationships between iGluR genes in these species and those in vertebrates, to identify genes that may mediate plasticity. We conducted a thorough phylogenetic analysis spanning Bilateria to elucidate these relationships. The expression status of iGluR genes in the Aplysia nervous system was also examined. Our analysis shows that ancestral genes for both NMDAR and AMPAR subtypes were present in the common bilaterian ancestor. NMDAR genes show very high conservation in motifs responsible for forming the conductance pore of the ion channel. The number of NMDAR subunits is greater in vertebrates due to an increased number of splice variants and an increased number of genes, likely due to gene duplication events. AMPAR subunits form an orthologous group, and there is high variability in the number of AMPAR genes in each species due to extensive taxon specific gene gain and loss. qPCR results show that all 12 Aplysia iGluR subunits are expressed in all nervous system ganglia. Orthologous NMDAR subunits in all species studied suggests conserved function across Bilateria, and potentially a conserved mechanism of neuroplasticity and learning. Vertebrates display an increased number of NMDAR genes and splice variants, which may play a role in their greater diversity of physiological responses. Extensive gene gain and loss of AMPAR genes may result in different physiological properties that are taxon specific. Our results suggest a significant role for L-Glu mediated responses throughout the Aplysia nervous system, consistent with L-Glu’s role as the primary excitatory neurotransmitter.
Representations of the Multicast Network Problem

We approach the problem of linear network coding for multicast networks from different perspectives. We introduce the notion of the coding points of a network, which are edges of the network where messages combine and coding occurs. We give an integer linear program that leads to choices of paths through the network that minimize the number of coding points. We introduce the code graph of a network, a simplified directed graph that maintains the information essential to understanding the coding properties of the network. One of the main problems in network coding is to understand when the capacity of a multicast network is achieved with linear network coding over a finite field of size q. We explain how this problem can be interpreted in terms of rational points on certain algebraic varieties.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ON TRANSFORMATION GEOMETRY COURSE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION RECIPROCAL TEACHING MODEL AT MATHEMATICS EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM IN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY OF TENTENA

The study aims at improving the coerse quality by implementing Reciprocal Teaching model to students of Mathematics Education Department in Christian University of Tentena of academic year 2012/2013. The course using Reciprocal Teaching model implements summarizing strategi, questions, clarifying and predicting. At this cours, students conducted those four strategies in a small group determined by the lecturer. The lecturer acted as the facilitator in this course.Based on the observation by the observer, the lecturer and students’ activities are in goog category; whereas, the result of final test of students is also in good category. Based on those findings, it is concluded that the course procedures of Transformation Geometry by implementing Reciprocal Teaching model are (1) students in group conducted summarizing which summarized the material of LKM, (2) students in group conducted questioning which arranged the questins and answers based on the material of LKM, (3) students in group conducted clarifying which clarified the summary, questions or answer from class presentation, (4) students in group conducted predicting which made prediction concerning Transformation geometry. The implementatin of Reciprocal Teaching model can improve the course and learning outcomes of students. The learning process of students improves from fair category to good category; whereas, students’ learning outcomes improve from 52,38% to 80,95%. Students’ response is stated as positive toward the learning activities which implemented Reciprocal Teaching model because 76% students gave positive response toward 97% of the aspects stated
Gender Equality: How Bait-and-Switch Male Dominance Undermines Gender Equality Policymaking

This chapter examines how bait-and-switch male dominance undermines gender equality policymaking through the examination of the most prominent issue in both countries, domestic violence. Johnson argues that informal politics confounds each of the policy stages used within feminist policy studies, illustrated through the comparison of Russia and Iceland. The chapter shows how issue framing is often accomplished through style-switching (the modulation of language for different audiences and contexts) and “speaking in code” (encrypting the problem within language about other problems), and getting policy adopted and implemented requires informal rule changes. Evaluating policy is muddled by the politics of statistics, in which both sides manipulate their data, and feminists, boxed in as they are, can be more successful using “secret handshakes” with elites than formal channels.
Possible Role of MicroRNA in Equine Insulin Resistance: A Pilot Study

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small endogenous single-stranded noncoding RNA molecules that have important roles in several biological processes. Research in human and laboratory animals has shown that miRNAs can regulate genes associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, and that the levels of specific miRNAs circulating in the bloodstream can serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of these diseases. We hypothesized that insulin-resistant (IR) horses would have a different circulating miRNA profile than those that are healthy. Fifteen nonpregnant mares housed at the Virginia Tech Middelburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center were evaluated for insulin sensitivity, with the frequent sampling intravenous glucose tolerance test. Selected mares, representing the most insulin-sensitive (IS, n = 3) and IR (n = 3) states, and paired for age, weight, and body condition, underwent miRNA profiling. Serum samples were collected, miRNA extracted, and microarray analysis performed to investigate the presence and relative amount of 340 equine miRNAs. Confirmation by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that miRNA was present in the serum of all animals. Results demonstrated different miRNA profiles between groups: Six miRNAs were expressed only in IS mares, five miRNAs were found to have lower quantity in IR mares relative to the IS ones, and three miRNAs were higher quantity in IR mares relative to the IS ones. The novel results of this preliminary study suggest potential new tools that could be developed for the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic syndrome in horses.
Cross-AS (X-AS) Internet topology mapping

Abstract The global communication infrastructure of the Internet is formed by tens of thousands of Autonomous Systems (ASes) connecting various organizations and individuals together. In the last two decades researchers have developed many techniques to infer the topology of individual ASes as well as the whole Internet at the interface, router, subnet, point of presence and AS levels. In this study we extend the AS level Internet topology maps by introducing cross-AS (X-AS) topology maps. X-AS maps capture both ASes and cross connections between the ASes observed at the network layer. We propose a set of techniques to infer X-AS topology maps by employing datasets obtained through common tools such as traceroute, ping and BGP data collectors. X-AS maps allow us to go beyond the simple AS level graphs and abstract the topology of the Internet as a multigraph supporting multiple connections among the ASes. We verify the proof of concept using several research and commercial networks and investigate various features of the Internet’s X-AS map and its multigraph representation. We believe that X-AS Internet topology maps will allow us to (i) gain further insight into the structural and operational characteristics of the Internet; (ii) enhance current and future IP stack protocols; (iii) optimize networking infrastructures; and (iv) improve synthetic network generators and simulation tools.
An Analysis of Individual Differences in Recognizing Monosyllabic Words Under the Speech Intelligibility Index Framework.

Individual differences in the recognition of monosyllabic words, either in isolation (NU6 test) or in sentence context (SPIN test), were investigated under the theoretical framework of the speech intelligibility index (SII). An adaptive psychophysical procedure, namely the quick-band-importance-function procedure, was developed to enable the fitting of the SII model to individual listeners. Using this procedure, the band importance function (i.e., the relative weights of speech information across the spectrum) and the link function relating the SII to recognition scores can be simultaneously estimated while requiring only 200 to 300 trials of testing. Octave-frequency band importance functions and link functions were estimated separately for NU6 and SPIN materials from 30 normal-hearing listeners who were naive to speech recognition experiments. For each type of speech material, considerable individual differences in the spectral weights were observed in some but not all frequency regions. At frequencies where the greatest intersubject variability was found, the spectral weights were correlated between the two speech materials, suggesting that the variability in spectral weights reflected listener-originated factors.
People who inject drugs and HIV crisis in Pence's Indiana: A media analysis using two policymaking theories.

Abstract Background In 2015, Scott County, Indiana was the center of an HIV outbreak related to injection drug use. Critiques of the government response exist; however, none examine the response through policymaking theories. This paper examines policy changes affecting people who use drugs (PWID) in Indiana through two theories: the social construction of target populations and punctuated equilibrium. Methods A media analysis was performed to examine the prevailing image of PWID in Indiana ten years prior to the outbreak and two years after the crisis emerged. Article tone was assessed to examine the social construction of PWID, and how this construction related to incremental, then punctuated policy making. Results A total of 372 news articles were examined. Media tone towards PWID was significantly more negative in the 10 years before the outbreak. Most articles regarding PWID pre-outbreak were crime-related, while during crisis, articles types varied and reframed PWID. Conclusion News article tone changed significantly, allowing new approaches to health related to PWID to be considered. This paper demonstrates the utility of these policy frameworks and analysis of target populations through media depictions. Implications for public health practitioners are discussed.