cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunization with a recombinant envelope protein (rgp90) of EIAV produces a spectrum of vaccine efficacy ranging from lack of clinical disease to severe enhancement.

Abstract We have previously reported that immunization of ponies with a baculovirus-expressed recombinant surface unit envelope protein (rgp90) for equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) resulted in enhancement of disease symptoms and virus replication in 4 of 4 vaccine recipients subjected to a heterologous virus challenge (rgp90 I vaccine trial) (Wang et al., 1994). To extend these studies of EIAV vaccine enhancement, two additional and independent rgp90 vaccine trials (rgp90 II and rgp90 III) were performed. Combined, a total of 13 ponies were immunized with the rgp90 immunogen using our standard vaccination procedures and challenged with a heterologous strain of EIAV. In contrast to the uniform enhancement observed in the rgp90 I vaccine trial, the severity of clinical symptoms varied markedly among the rgp90 recipients: 5 ponies experienced enhanced disease symptoms, 5 ponies experienced moderate disease symptoms, and 3 ponies remained asymptomatic. Of particular interest, in the 5 ponies with enhanced clinical symptoms was a severe thrombocytopenia (≤105,000 platelets/μl) evident coincident with the first febrile episode following virus challenge. Thrombocytopenia was either absent (7/10 ponies) or substantially delayed (3/10 ponies) in naive control ponies inoculated with the standard EIAV PV challenge. Measurements of virus replication in the challenged vaccine recipients indicated a correlation between the level of viral RNA in plasma and the severity of the disease. Interestingly, an association was not observed between serum antibody reactivity to the vaccine or native viral antigens and the frequency of enhancement. Thus, these observations demonstrate a previously unrecognized complexity of rgp90 vaccine efficacy that has important implications for AIDS vaccine development.
Lateralization for orientation in split-brain monkeys

Split-brain monkeys learned with each cerebral hemisphere to discriminate lines differing in slope by 15 degrees. This type of spatial discrimination is usually performed better by the right hemisphere of humans. The left hemisphere of 8 monkeys learned this type of problem much more readily than did the right hemisphere. Learning to discriminate simple patterns in the same apparatus was done equally well by either hemisphere, demonstrating that the lateralized ability is specific to the stimuli employed.
Assessing Administrative and Leadership Components of Program Implementation in an Innovative ECE Program

Abstract This study reports the results of developing and pilot testing assessment procedures for evaluating the level of program implementation of administrative and leadership roles in an innovative ECE program. Interview and survey instrument design procedures are described and the results of a test of the assessment procedure in five urban schools with school principals, ECE education program specialists and classroom teachers are presented. Implications for the assessment of administrative and leadership behavior as elements of total program implementation in ECE programs are discussed in view of recent findings from studies of effective schools and school productivity.
Gibberellic Acid Induces Asymbiotic Germination of the Obligate Mycoheterotroph Pterospora andromedea (Ericaceae)

Studies of the Monotropoideae (monotropes; Ericaceae), a monophyletic group of non-photosynthetic, mycoheterotrophic, and often rare or endangered plants, have been limited by the inability to propagate them. Monotropes associate with specific fungal hosts, and the only previously known method of seed germination was induction by host fungi or closely related fungi. In order to overcome very low monotrope seed germination rates and to facilitate further study and conservation efforts, we developed a method using gibberellic acid (GA) to induce asymbiotic germination. Pterospora andromedea Nutt. (Monotropoideae, Ericaceae) and Sarcodes sanguinea Torr. (Monotropoideae, Ericaceae) seeds from California were exposed to their fungal symbiont or to agarose infused with 0–1 mM GA and then scored for germination. Continuous exposure to 0.5 mM GA for two months induced 75% P. andromedea germination, compared to only 21% with its host fungus, Rhizopogon salebrosus A.H. Sm. (Basidiomycota). Even short GA exposure (one or three days) significantly enhanced germination (69% and 90%, respectively). The highest germination rate was observed with exposure to 0.5 mM GA for three or 14 d. The closely related S. sanguinea required a three-month exposure to GA and even then produced far lower germination rates (∼1%). Nevertheless, this is the only known method of inducing monotrope germination without the presence of a specific fungal symbiont. In the case of P. andromedea, exogenous GA stimulates germination at rates far higher than that achieved with its fungal symbiont. Application of GA to induce monotrope germination may be used to examine the early stages of mycoheterotroph development, to improve assays for seed viability, and potentially to aid conservation efforts.
The Zoonotic Potential of Daptomycin Non‐susceptible Enterococci

© 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH. Summary: Daptomycin non-susceptible Enterococcus (DNSE) is an emerging clinical problem. Little is known about how de novo DNSE infections develop or the risk factors associated with them. Determining risk factors associated with de novo DNSE infections will aid in understanding the mechanisms of daptomycin non-susceptibility. Humans in contact with animals worldwide are at risk of carriage of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Herein, I review the scientific evidence that supports the hypothesis that transport of daptomycin non-susceptibility genes between animals and humans may be a possible mechanism for development of de novo daptomycin non-susceptibility in enterococci.
Signal space geometry

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to show the usefulness of the concepts of differential geometry for the problem of multiple frequency determination or multiple frequency demodulation. The exterior algebra of Grassmann provides the tool which is natural for analysing the problem. We describe a distance between k-dimensional subspaces in Rn and a geometric “least squares” which allows us to uniquely associate with each r-dimensional subspace determined by the observations an r-dimensional subspace which determines the r unknown frequencies.
Strangers, indigenes and settlers: Contested geographies of citizenship in Nigeria

This paper addresses contested geographies of citizenship in Nigeria. There, a confluence of geo-historical forces (cultural pluralism, colonialism, the political economy of oil and military rule) ...
Two Methyl Tri-O-benzoyl-hex-enopyranosides Are Amongst the Products of the Reaction of Methyl 2,3,6-Tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-galactopyranoside with Dimethylaminosulfur Trifluoride (DAST)

Abstract In the past, we have used deoxyfluoro sugars as probes for studies of ligand-anti-body interactions.1–3 Investigations of the putative role of hydrogen bonding in the binding process involving antibodies that show specificity for epitopes containing β-D-glucopyranose required hitherto unknown methyl 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-β-D-glucopyranoside (5). For the synthesis of 5, we have chosen the readily available4 methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (1) as the starting material, and diethylaminosulfur trifluoride DAST) as the fluorinating reagent. Although DAST has been frequently used to produce fluorinated carbohydrates in high yields, the outcome of the reaction is somewhat unpredictable. Treatment of carbohydrates with the reagent has occasionally resulted in the formation of unexpected side products.5–9 and no specific rules exist regarding the application of DAST for the preparation of fluorosugars. In fact, high yields of the desired products of the substitution with fluoride ion have been...
Documenting comparability of clinical experience on the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship.

Objective This study was undertaken to develop a process that provides Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)-required documentation of obstetric/gynecology (OB/GYN) clinical experience comparability and mid-clerkship feedback. Study design Institutional review board approval was obtained. OB/GYN clerkship students at the University of North Carolina (UNCSOM) from June 2004 through June 2005 were given Clinical Activities Tools (CATs) to guide clinical work. CAT books listed Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics–recommended topics/procedures/skills and had a section for mid-clerkship feedback. Residents/faculty signed CAT sections to document student completion of topics/procedures/skills/feedback. CAT tool data were analyzed with univariate, χ 2 , and analysis of variance statistics. Results CATs were submitted by 81% (134/165) of students; 71% of CAT clinical activities had teacher signatures. CAT comparability was successfully documented for all topics/procedures/skills and for mid-clerkship feedback across sites and across rotation blocks. CATs provided active learning/communication opportunities and data used for curriculum revision. Conclusion CATs facilitated successful documentation of clinical experience comparability and mid-clerkship feedback. The process is feasible and likely will be helpful to other institutions.
A Relationship Between Antibiotics, Vitamin B12 and Choline and Methionine in Chick Growth

Abstract MOORE et al. (1946) reported that the addition of streptomycin and sulfasuxidine to a purified diet brought about a growth response in chicks. The antibiotics did not cause a sterilization of the intestinal tract of chicks, but did produce a marked reduction in the coliform bacteria of the cecal contents. In 1947, Newell et al. reported that with a practical ration, combinations of dried penicillin mycelium and fish press water resulted in excellent growth of chicks. Later work by Cunha et al. (1949a), McGinnis et al. (1949) showed that an aureomycin mash A.P.F. concentrate was superior to vitamin B12 for swine and turkey poults. Stokstad et al. (1950) and Whitehill et al. (1950) reported the activity of the antibiotics in stimulating growth of chicks fed all vegetable type rations. Thayer et al. (1950) presented data which indicated that an A.P.F. concentrate has a sparing effect on the protein needs of . . .
Excitoprotective effect of felbamate in cultured cortical neurons

Abstract The effect of felbamate on excitatory amino acid-induced biochemical changes was investigated in cultured cortical neurons. Felbamate inhibited NMDA- and glutamate-induced neuronal injury in a dose-dependent manner, but it did not rescue cells from kainate-induced neurotoxicity. The neuroprotective effect was accompanied by a decrease in NMDA- and glutamate-induced neuronal calcium (Ca 2+ ) influx. Exogenous addition of glycine failed to modulate the effect of felbamate on NMDA-induced neurotoxicity or Ca 2+ influx, although corresponding changes induced by the strychnine-insensitive glycine antagonist, 5,7-dichlorokynurenic acid could be modulated with glycine. Taken together, these results suggest that felbamate acts through a site on the NMDA receptor that is distinct from the strychnine-insensitive site, and that the effect of the drug on neuronal Ca 2+ may be pivotal to its neuroprotective mechanism.
FT-Raman studies of langmuir-blodgett monolayer components containing absorbing chromophores

Structural studies of Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers and multilayers have revealed that both the hydrophilic and the hydrophobic parts of an amphiphilic molecule can influence the exent of 2-dimensional packing which occurs within a film. In particular, dye chromophores to which are appended long hydrocarbon tails will usually form films dominated by the interaction of the chromophores unless a small amount of hydrocarbon liquid is added. In this case the packing will be dominated by the intermolecular interaction of the hydrocarbon tails. FT-Raman studies of these amphiphilic molecules provides information about both parts of the molecule without resonance enhancement since the laser wavelength used for excitation is far removed from any absorption maxima of the dye chromophore. Specific examples of thiocyanine and merocyanine dyes will be discussed.
Formally enhanced runtime verification to ensure NoC functional correctness

As silicon technology scales, modern processors and embedded systems are rapidly shifting towards complex chip multi-processor (CMP) and system-on-chip (SoC) designs, comprising several processor cores and IP components communicating via a network-on-chip (NoC). As a side-effect of this trend, ensuring their correctness has become increasingly problematic. In particular, the network-on-chip often includes complex features and components to support the required communication bandwidth among the nodes in the system. In this landscape, it is no wonder that design errors in the NoC may go undetected and escape into the final silicon, with potential detrimental impact on the overall system. In this work, we propose ForEVeR, a solution that complements the use of formal methods and runtime verification to ensure functional correctness in NoCs. Formal verification, due to its scalability limitations, is used to verify the smaller modules, such as individual router components. We complete the protection against escaped design errors with a runtime technique, a network-level error detection and recovery solution, which monitors the traffic in the NoC and protects it against escaped functional bugs that affect the communication paths in the network. To this end, ForEVeR augments the baseline NoC with a lightweight checker network that alerts destination nodes of incoming packets ahead of time. If a bug is detected, flagged by missed packet arrivals, a recovery mechanism delivers the in-flight data safely to the intended destination via the checker network. ForEVeR's experimental evaluation shows that it can recover from NoC design errors at only 4.8% area cost for an 8×8 mesh interconnect, with a recovery performance cost of less than 30K cycles per functional bug manifestation. Additionally, it incurs no performance overhead in the absence of errors.
Neural and delay based heuristics for the Steiner problem in networks

High speed networks such as the B-ISDN must be adequately equipped to handle multipoint communication in a fast and economical manner. Multicast applications include desktop video conferencing, distance learning, distributed database applications, etc. In networks employing the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology, routing a multicast is achieved by constructing a tree that spans the source and all the destinations. For the purpose of routing, the network is modeled as a weighted, undirected graph. The graph-theoretic solution is to find a minimum Steiner tree for the graph given a set of destinations. This formulation suffices for building multicast trees with a single optimization constraint as would be the xcase for best effort transport. For real-time traffic, however, it is necessary to ensure that the delay between the sender and each of the receivers is bounded. In this case the network is modeled as an undirected graph, where the edges have both a cost and a delay associated with them. The graph-theoretic solution is then to find a constrained minimum Steiner tree such that the delay between the source and each of the destinations does not violate the specified bound. Both of these problems are NP-complete. In this paper we review prior work on the multipoint routing problem and discuss the formulation of the unconstrained and constrained Steiner problems. We use the random neural network (RNN) to significantly improve the quality of trees found by the two existing best heuristics for finding Steiner trees - the minimum spanning tree heuristic and the average distance heuristic. We also develop a new heuristic for finding delay constrained Steiner trees. Experimental results are presented which show that the new heuristics improve significantly over existing ones.
Magnetoencephalography: applications in psychiatry.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) measures the extracranial magnetic fields produced by intraneuronal ionic current flow within appropriately oriented cortical pyramidal cells. Based upon superconducting quantum interference device technology operating at liquid helium temperatures (4 K), MEG offers excellent temporal and spatial resolution for selected sources, and complements information obtained from electroencephalograms and other functional imaging strategies. Current instrumentation permits recording up to several hundred channels simultaneously with head-shaped dewars, although the cost of such systems is high. The fact that magnetic fields fall off with the square of the distance from the source is both a benefit (when separating activity in the two hemispheres) and a limitation (when attempting to record deep sources). The lack of skin contact facilitates using MEG to record direct current and very high frequency (>600 Hz) brain activity. The clinical utility of MEG includes presurgical mapping of sensory cortical areas and localization of epileptiform abnormalities, and localization of areas of brain hypoperfusion in stroke patients. MEG studies in psychiatric disorders have contributed materially to improved understanding of anomalous brain lateralization in the psychoses, have suggested that P50 abnormalities may reflect altered gamma band activity, and have provided evidence of hemisphere-specific abnormalities of short-term auditory memory function.
Vascular relaxation mediated by hydroxylamines and oximes: Their conversion to nitrites and mechanism of endothelium dependent vascular relaxation

Hydroxylamines (RNHOH) and oximes (RNOH) relax rat aortic rings independent of the presence of the endothelium. The relaxation is inhibited by methylene blue, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase and by hemoglobin, an inhibitor of the endothelium dependent relaxing factor (EDRF). Both the oximes and hydroxylamines generate NONO2− ions on treatment with iodine in glacial acetic acid. However, there is no correlation between relaxation and NONO2− formation. Compared to hydroxylamines, the oximes are less potent relaxing agents and not efficiently converted to NONO2− ions. We suggest that endothelium dependent relaxation is associated with a hydroxylamine like compound and is not directly related to NO.
The Relationship of Age to Motivation and Skill Development Level in Outdoor Adventure Programs for Older Adults

AbstractAs the number of adventure-based programs has increased in the past 40 years, the opportunities for older adults to participate in outdoor adventure experiences have grown steadily. Research by Sugerman (2000) indicated a variety of formats ranging from beginner (day hiking) to advanced programs (extended wilderness trips). As previous research has suggested different leisure motivations by age group (McPherson, 1991) and a relationship between motivation and skill development level (Bryan, 1979; Ewert & Hollenhorst, 1989; Kaufman, 1984; Robinson, 1992; Schreyer, Lime, & Williams, 1984), the current study examined the role played by age (pre-retirement aged adults versus older adults) in the relationship between motivation and skill development level in outdoor adventure programs. The data revealed significant differences in motivations according to age grouping and skill development level. Age also was determined to be an important factor in level of skill development. Significantly more people i...
The parathyroid/pituitary variant of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 usually has causes other than p27Kip1 mutations.

Context: One variant of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is defined by sporadic tumors of both the parathyroids and pituitary. The prevalence of identified MEN1 mutations in this variant is lower than in familial MEN1 (7% vs. 90%), suggesting different causes. Recently, one case of this variant had a germline mutation of p27Kip1/CDKN1B. Objective: The objective was to test p27 in germline DNA from cases with tumors of both the parathyroids and pituitary. Design: Medical record review and sequence analysis in DNA were performed. Setting: This study involved an inpatient and outpatient referral program for cases of endocrine tumors. Patients: Sixteen index cases had sporadic tumors of two organs, both the parathyroids and the pituitary. There were 18 additional index cases with related features of familial tumors. Five subjects were normal controls. No case had an identified MEN1 mutation. Interventions: Clinical status of endocrine tumors was tabulated. Sequencing of germline DNA from index cases...
Transcribed heteroplasmic repeated sequences in the porcine mitochondrial DNA D-loop region

The mitochondrial D-loop region of the pig, Sus scrofa, was found to be several hundred base pairs larger than the corresponding region in cow, a related artiodactyl species, primarily because of an insertion containing the tandemly repeated sequence CGTGCGTACA. Porcine mitochondrial DNA from the tissue of a single animal exhibits a large population of length polymorphs, each member of which may have as few as 14 or as many as 29 of these repeat units. This intracellular variability may be due to the repeated and self-complementary properties of this sequence, which would favor mispairing and lead to replication slippage. The repeat domain is unusual in that symmetry properties suggest it may assume alternative conformations including cruciforms and left-handed (Z) DNA. It also appears to be the longest known, naturally occurring, alternating purine-pyrimidine sequence. In order to understand the functional significance of this heteroplasmic domain that potentially disrupts a key regulatory region in the mitochondrial genome, RNA and DNA mapping studies were conducted which located this region between the H-strand replication origin and the putative L-strand transcriptional start site. H-strand RNA analysis demonstrated that this heteroplasmic region is transcribed and, therefore, that priming for H-strand DNA replication in mitochondria is independent of the primer RNA length or secondary structure.
The connection between ab initio calculations and interface adhesion measurements on metal/oxide systems: Ni/Al2O3 and Cu/Al2O3

The Ni/Al2O3 and Cu/Al2O3 interfaces have been examined by atomistic, first-principles computations. Relationships have been established with such metallurgical variables as the activity of aluminum and the partial pressure of oxygen. The calculations reveal that the interfaces could be either stoichiometric, or Al-rich, or O-rich, depending on the Al activity. The results are amenable to comparison with available sessile drop and fracture measurements. For conditions applicable to sessile drop experiments performed with Ni(Al) or Cu(Al), the calculations reveal that, as the Al activity increases, initially the work of adhesion increases, reaches a maximum, and finally decreases to that for pure Al. This trend is consistent with the known measurements. Interfaces generated by diffusion-bonding with ‘pure’ Ni or Cu are predicted to be O-rich, with a large work of separation, Wsep. The implication is that the separation process induces substantial plastic dissipation in the metal, consistent with the high interface toughness. For interfaces formed through Al2O3 growth on Ni(Al) alloys, the interface is predicted to be Al terminated, with Wsep several times smaller than for either bulk Ni or Al2O3. This reduction is in accordance with observations that these interfaces fail in a brittle manner with no noticeable plasticity.
Thermal neutrons could be a cause of biological extinctions 65 Myr ago

Tabulations1–4 of the number of genera present before and after the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinctions have revealed certain patterns1–6. Marine organisms were much more susceptible to extinction than were freshwater or terrestrial organisms. Benthic marine organisms were affected as much as those organisms that swam or floated. However, some marine genera were unaffected whilst some terrestrial ones were severely affected. Organisms making calcium-containing skeletons were the most sensitive. Among the hypotheses2,5–9 proposed for the extinctions is that they were caused by ionizing radiations2,8,9. The hypothesis proposed here is that the pattern of extinction in the fossil record emerged as a consequence of neutron activation of certain elements in organisms and in their environment.
Impacts of underwater turbulence on acoustical and optical signals and their linkage

Acoustical and optical signal transmission underwater is of vital interest for both civilian and military applications. The range and signal to noise during the transmission, as a function of system and water optical properties, in terms of absorption and scattering, determines the effectiveness of deployed electro-optical (EO) technology. The impacts from turbulence have been demonstrated to affect system performance comparable to those from particles by recent studies. This paper examines the impacts from underwater turbulence on both acoustic scattering and EO imaging degradation, and establishes a framework that can be used to correlate these. It is hypothesized here that underwater turbulence would influence the acoustic scattering cross section and the optical turbulence intensity coefficient in a similar manner. Data from a recent field campaign, Skaneateles Optical Turbulence Exercise (SOTEX, July, 2010) is used to examine the above relationship. Results presented here show strong correlation between the acoustic scattering cross-sections and the intensity coefficient related to the modulation transfer function of an EO imaging system. This significant finding will pave ways to utilize long range acoustical returns to predict EO system performance.
Effects of 0.7 ppm ozone exposure on thymocytes: in vivo and in vitro studies

AbstractInhalation of ozone has adverse effects on lung and other organs including the thy-mus, the main source of T-lymphocytes that play a central role in cellular immunity. We analyzed the effects of inhalation of ozone on different subpopulations of thymo-cytes to uncover the possible mechanisms for ozone action on the thymus. The study included in vivo and in vitro experiments on BALB/c mice exposed to 0.7ppm ozone. In the in vivo experiments, thymocytes were quantitated using monoclonal antibodies and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and thymocyte DNA synthesis was determined. Thymus, tissue, and blood plasma were analyzed for lipid peroxidation products using the thiobarbituric acid method. In vitro experiments determined peroxidation products and the cellular toxicity of serum and components of culture media exposed to the same concentration of ozone. Results indicated that ozone exposure induced the following: (1) significant decrease in absolute thymocyte and thymocyte subpopulation numbers;...
Modeling the interactions between geothermal energy use and urban structure

Abstract The geophysical, technological and economic characteristics of low-temperature geothermal district heating systems are analyzed and illustrated by a review of actual systems around the world. The various interactions and cost trade-offs which characterize such systems are then integrated within an optimization planning model aimed at minimizing total energy supply costs. The approach emphasizes the spatial dimension of such systems and the interface between their spatial layout and the structure of the urban areas they are designed to serve.
Problems of the n-Type Diamond Doping

This paper is a review on would-be donor impurities in diamond lattice: N, P, Li, and Na. Other impurities like oxygen and sulfur are also discussed. As the solubility of donor impurities in the diamond lattice is predicted to be low, new methods of forcing the introduction of impurities into the diamond lattice are discussed. We propose a new method of electric-field-assisted diffusion and a method of increasing the sticking coefficient of the impurities by growth under electric bias. We also discuss the method of ion-assisted doping during growth proposed by a research group from SI Technologies.
Widely tunable optically pumped mid-IR DFB laser

A new method has been developed to fabricate chirped grating for type-II optically pumped tunable DFB lasers with a reduced longitudinal variation. Over 80 nm of continuous tuning has been achieved around 3.1 μm.
Tetrahymena thermophila, a unicellular eukaryote with separate germline and somatic genomes.

Abstract Tetrahymena thermophila is a ciliate – a unicellular eukaryote. Remarkably, every cell maintains differentiated germline and somatic genomes: one silent, the other expressed. Moreover, the two genomes undergo diverse processes, some as extreme as life and death, simultaneously in the same cytoplasm . Conserved eukaryotic mechanisms have been modified in ciliates to selectively deal with the two genomes. We describe research in several areas of Tetrahymena biology, including meiosis, amitosis, genetic assortment, selective nuclear pore transport, somatic RNAi-guided heterochromatin formation, DNA excision and programmed nuclear death by autophagy, which has enriched and broadened knowledge of those mechanisms.
REHABILITATION, RESISTANCE, AND RETURN: SERVICE LEARNING AND THE QUEST FOR CIVIL SOCIETY IN BOSNIA

In 1996, shortly after termination of the Bosnian civil war and the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords, the University of Denver established a service learning program in the Balkans. Now, about to enter its eighth consecutive year of operation, “Project Bosnia” has become the university's longest-running service learning/field school initiative. Each summer, from ten to 15 students (representing disciplines as diverse as anthropology, international relations, and law) participate in on-site, agency-based activities that allow them to hone both their community outreach and applied research skills. Some serve as summer school teachers in the small town of Vares. Many work with refugees and internally displaced persons in Sarajevo, the capitol. Placement agencies include the International Commission on Missing Persons, America's Development Foundation, the International Crisis Group, World Vision, the Mine Action Center, and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. In-class, academic work directed by the author complements each student's fieldwork.
Learning to label : socialisation, gender, and the hidden curriculum of high-stakes testing

Although high‐stakes tests play an increasing role in students’ schooling experiences, scholars have not examined these tests as sites for socialisation. Drawing on qualitative data collected at an American urban primary school, this study explores what educators teach students about motivation and effort through high‐stakes testing, how students interpret and internalise these messages, and how student hierarchies develop as a result. I found that teachers located boys’ failure in their poor behavior and attitudes, while arguing that girls simply needed more self‐esteem to pass the test. Most boys accepted their teachers’ diagnosis of the problem. However, the boys who felt that they were already ‘doing their best’ and ‘working hard’ began to doubt that educational success is a function of merit and effort. I conclude that students learn about much more than the three Rs through their experiences with high‐stakes testing, and argue that future research should attend to the social dimensions of these expe...
A Computational Study of Metal-Mediated Decomposition of Nitrene Transfer Reagents

Metal-mediated decomposition to form nitrene complexes is investigated by using DFT for prototypical organic azides and iodonium imides used in organic synthesis. Each system exhibited exothermic p...
Synthesis and pharmacological characterization of new neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ligands derived from Sazetidine-A.

Abstract The enantiomers of two analogs of Sazetidine-A as well as several other novel biosteric analogues were synthesized. Their binding affinities at three major nAChRs subtypes and selectivity profiles were determined. Though many (S)-enantiomers of Sazetidine-A analogs have high binding affinities and good subtype selectivities, it is not a general rule that (S)-enantiomers are better than their (R) counterparts. Compound 11, of which the ethynyl group was replaced by its’ bioisostere—the triazole via click chemistry, showed a high binding affinity to α4β2 subtype (Ki = 1.3 nM) and better selectivity to the α4β2 subtype over α3β4 subtype with that of Sazetidine-A. The azide compound 15, a potential photoaffinity label, showed improved high selectivity and similar binding property profile with that of Sazetidine-A. The biaryl analog 17 exhibited a much lower affinity as compared to Sazetidine-A indicating the importance of a ‘long tail’ side chain for α4β2 nAChR binding.
Correlated heart/limb anomalies in Mendelian syndromes provide evidence for a cardiomelic developmental field

Coordinated development of heart and limbs is suggested by a review of human abortus, chromosomal, and teratogenic syndromes, and characterized by an analysis of Mendelian disorders that affect the limbs, heart, or both (672, 202, or 107, respectively). Mendelian syndromes with altered limb patterns often include cardiac anomalies, as shown by limb duplications (34%), deficiencies (30%), hypoplasias (23%), or dysplasias (9.3%). Syndromes with particular cardiac anomalies, illustrated by VSD (85%) or ASD (90%), frequently include limb defects. Positional correlations of anterior (preaxial/conotruncal), posterior (postaxial/atrial), or lateral (mirror hand/atrial isometry) heart/limb anomalies are consistent with the existence of a cardiomelic developmental field. Vertebrate comparisons suggest an early D-V limb-heart gradient, influenced by the neural crest, with distal limb segments (80% of syndromic defects) at its dorsal extreme. The proposed cardiomelic field relates the genetic heterogeneity of disorders such as Holt-Oram syndrome to a cascade of molecules, including the brachyury, sonic hedgehog, bone morphogenetic protein, retinoic acid receptor, and transforming growth factor-beta families.
Pressure dependence of the elastic moduli in aluminum-rich Al-Li compounds.

I have carried out numerical first-principles calculations of the pressure dependence of the elastic moduli for several ordered structures in the aluminum-lithium system, specifically fcc Al, fcc and bcc Li, L${1}_{2}$${\mathrm{Al}}_{3}$Li, and an ordered fcc ${\mathrm{Al}}_{7}$Li supercell. The calculations were performed using the full-potential linear augmented plane-wave method (LAPW) to calculate the total energy as a function of strain, after which the data were fit to a polynomial function of the strain to determine the modulus. A procedure for estimating the errors in this process is also given. The predicted equilibrium lattice parameters are slightly smaller than found experimentally, consistent with other local-density-approximation (LDA) calculations. The computed elastic moduli are within approximately 10% of the experimentally measured moduli, provided the calculations are carried out at the experimental lattice constant. The LDA equilibrium shear modulus ${\mathit{C}}_{11}$-${\mathit{C}}_{12}$ increases from 59.3 GPa in Al, to 76.0 GPa in ${\mathrm{Al}}_{7}$Li, to 106.2 GPa in ${\mathrm{Al}}_{3}$Li. The modulus ${\mathit{C}}_{44}$ increases from 38.4 GPa in Al to 46.1 GPa in ${\mathrm{Al}}_{7}$Li, then falls to 40.7 GPa in ${\mathrm{Al}}_{3}$Li. All of the calculated elastic moduli increase with pressure with the exception of bcc Li, which becomes elastically unstable at about 2 GPa, where ${\mathit{C}}_{11}$-${\mathit{C}}_{12}$ vanishes.
Safety of Contrast Venography prior to Caval Interruption in Patients with Renal Insufficiency

We undertook this study to determine whether the use of contrast venography would adversely affect renal function in patients with renal insufficiency requiring caval interruption. We conducted a retrospective review of all inferior vena cava (IVC) filters inserted at our institution over a 2-year period (January 2002 to January 2004). The indication for caval interruption, insertion technique, type of filter used, pre- and postintervention creatinine level, and the presence of diabetes and hypertension were analyzed. A total of 282 IVC filters were inserted, with 38 of them placed in patients with renal insufficiency as defined by a serum creatinine level of > 1.5 mg/dL. Contrast venography with 15 to 30 mL of iohexol (Omnipaque 300) was used in all cases, and no special measures other than proper hydration were used for renal protection. All filters were successfully deployed. The mean ± SD preintervention creatinine level was 2.38 ± 0.79 mg/dL. The mean ± SD postintervention creatinine levels at 2 and 30 days were 2.26 ± 0.45 mg/dL and 2.12 ± 0.94 mg/dL, respectively. No patients required hemodialysis following caval interruption, and no adverse effect on renal function was noted. Contrast venography accurately delineates venous anatomy and facilitates proper caval filter placement with no apparent adverse effect on renal function. We believe contrast venography is safe even in the presence of renal insufficiency.
The myth about einstein

In common perception, Einstein comes out as a strong mathematical physicist. This is however a myth. The {dy1905} Einstein was close to real life phenomena. This article presents how he used simple mathematics to understand experiments, especially on Brownian Motion and Photoelectric Effect, employing the underlying concept of thermodynamic fluctuations.
Magnetostrictive bending of a film-substrate system.

Relations are derived between the curvatures produced by magnetization of a very thin epitaxial film on a substrate of finite thickness and the magnetoelastic coefficients of the film material. Relations are found both for a free system and for one constrained to be flat in one direction. The derivation includes the important effects of the discontinuity in strain at the interface, which interacts with the changing strain in the film as the system bends. This interaction, which has been omitted in previous derivations, produces curvatures twice as large as previous calculations for given magnetoelastic coefficients. The derivation is based on a specific simple form for the magnetoelastic energy as a function of strains and magnetization direction and proceeds by minimizing the total energy with respect to the two curvatures. Quantitative application is made to a measured system and compared to the results of previous theories. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Aerodynamics of Stardust Sample Return Capsule

Successful return of interstellar dust and cometary material by the Stardust Sample Return Capsule requires an accurate description of the Earth entry vehicle''s aerodynamics. This desciption must span the hypersonic-rarefied, hypersonic-continuum, supersonic, transonic, and subsonic flow regimes. Data from numerous sources are compiled to accomplish this objective. These include Direct Simulation Monte Carlo analyses, thermochemical nonequilibrium computational fluid dynamics, transonic computational fluid dynamics, existing wind tunnel data, and new wind tunnel data. Four observations are highlighted: 1) a static instability is revealed in the free-molecular and early transitional-flow regime due to aft location of the vehicle''s center-of-gravity, 2) the aerodynamics across the hypersonic regime are compared with the Newtonian flow approximation and a correlation between the accuracy of the Newtonian flow assumption and the sonic line position is noted, 3) the primary effect of shape change due to ablation is shown to be a reduction in drag, and 4) a subsonic dynamic instability is revealed which will necessitate either a change in the vehicle''s center-of-gravity location or the use of a stabilizing drogue parachute.
1,2‐Dimethylcyclobutenes by Reductive Ring‐Contraction of Sulfolanes: cis‐7,8‐Dimethylbicyclo[4.2.0]oct‐7‐ene

1,2-Dimethylcyclobutenes by reductive ring-contraction of sulfolanes: cis-7,8-dimethylbicyclo[4.2.0]oct-7-ene intermediate: cis-1,2-cyclohexanedimethanol intermediate: cis-8-Thiabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane. intermediate: 95 g. (0.32 mole) of cis-1,2-cyclohexanedimethanol dimethanesulfonate intermediate: cis-8-Thiabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane 8,8-dioxide [benzo[c]thiophene 2,2-dioxide, cis-octahydro-] intermediate: 7,9-Dimethyl-cis-8-thiabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane 8,8-dioxide. product: cis-7,8-Dimethylbicyclo[4.2.0]oct-7-ene. Keywords: alkylation, C-alkylation; annulation, heterocyclic-[5]; oxidation, miscellaneous; reduction, miscellaneous; replacement reactions, miscellaneous; sodium sulfide; methyl iodide
Ouabain and Insulin Induce Sodium Pump Endocytosis in Renal Epithelium

Cardiotonic steroids signaling through the basolateral sodium pump (Na/K-ATPase) have been shown to alter renal salt handling in intact animals. Because the relationship between renal salt handling and blood pressure is a key determinant of hypertension, and patients with insulin resistance are frequently hypertensive, we chose to examine whether there might be competition for resources necessary for receptor-mediated endocytosis. In LLC-PK1 cells, the Na/K-ATPase-α1 and carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1, a plasma membrane protein that promotes receptor-mediated endocytosis, colocalized in the plasma membranes and translocated to the intracellular region in response to ouabain. Either ouabain or insulin alone caused accumulation of and carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule, as well as insulin receptor-β, and epidermal growth factor receptor in early endosomes, but no synergy was demonstrable. Like ouabain, insulin also caused c-Src activation. When caveolin or Na/K-ATPase-α1 expression was knocked down with small interfering RNA, insulin but not ouabain induced carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1, insulin receptor-β, and epidermal growth factor receptor endocytosis. To determine whether this might be relevant to salt handling in vivo, we examined salt loading in mice with null renal carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 2 expression. The null renal carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 2 animals demonstrated greater increases in blood pressure with increases in dietary salt than control animals. These data demonstrate that cardiotonic steroids and insulin compete for cellular endocytosis resources and suggest that, under conditions where circulating insulin concentrations are high, cardiotonic steroid-mediated natriuresis could be impaired.
Characteristics of group development of diagrams

One contributing factor to the lack of widespread usage of software for collaborative development of diagrams is the high degree of variability in the requirements for such software. The requirements are categorized in terms of diagram characteristics and diagram creation strategies. Various measures are proposed to characterize a potential collaborative diagramming need and to compare it to potential software systems. The categories and measures are also appropriate for evaluating the match between existing software and specific requirements. They can serve to guide future collaborative diagram software development.
A new paradigm: innate immune sensing of viruses via the unfolded protein response.

The immune system depends upon combinations of signals to mount appropriate responses: pathogen specific signals in the context of co-stimulatory “danger” signals drive immune strength and accuracy. Viral infections trigger anti-viral type I interferon (IFN) responses by stimulating endosomal and cytosolic pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). However, viruses have also evolved many strategies to counteract IFN responses. Are there intracellular danger signals that enhance immune responses to viruses? During infection, viruses place a heavy demand on the protein folding machinery of the host endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To survive ER stress, host cells mount an Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) to decrease ER protein load and enhance protein-folding capacity. Viruses also directly elicit the UPR to enhance their replication. Increasing evidence supports an intersection between the host UPR and inflammation, in particular the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and type I IFN. The UPR directly activates pro-inflammatory cytokine transcription factors and dramatically enhances cytokine production in response to viral PRR engagement. Additionally, viral PRR engagement may stimulate specific pathways within the UPR to enhance cytokine production. Through these mechanisms, viral detection via the UPR and inflammatory cytokine production are intertwined. Consequently, the UPR response is perfectly poised to act as an infection-triggered “danger” signal. The UPR may serve as an internal “co-stimulatory” signal that 1) provides specificity and 2) critically augments responses to overcome viral subterfuge. Further work is needed to test this hypothesis during viral infections.
The piezoelectronic transistor: A nanoactuator-based post-CMOS digital switch with high speed and low power

Moore’s law of transistor scaling, the exponential increase in the number of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors per unit area, continues unabated; however, computer clock speeds have remained frozen since 2003. The development of a new digital switch, the piezoelectronic transistor (PET), is designed to circumvent the speed and power limitations of the CMOS transistor. The PET operates on a novel principle: an electrical input is transduced into an acoustic pulse by a piezoelectric element which, in turn, is used to drive a continuous insulator-to-metal transition in a piezoresistive element, thus switching on the device. Performance is enabled by the use of key high response materials, a relaxor piezoelectric, and a rare-earth chalcogenide piezoresistor. Theory and simulation predict, using bulk material properties, that PETs can operate at one-tenth the present voltage of CMOS technology and consuming 100 times less power while running at multi-GHz clock speeds. A program to fabricate prototype PET devices is under way.