cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The biology and conservation status of Central and South American Falconiformes: a survey of current knowledge

Based on an extensive literature review for the 81 species of Falconiformes (excluding vultures) that breed primarily in Central and South America, I summarize the current state of our knowledge of the biology and conservation status of these birds. Most of what is known about the diurnal raptors in the region is based on studies carried out in the southern U.S.A., the Peten of Guatemala, extreme north-eastern South America (Venezuela through the Guianas) and Chile. The least-known species are residents of primary forest, especially in the genera Accipiter, Leucoptemis and Micrastur. Nests remain undescribed for 19 species, and less than five nests have been described for an additional 12 species. No prey data are available for six species and only anecdotal data have been published for a further 25 species. Breeding behaviour is unknown for 27 species and known only anecdotally for an additional 18. The migratory habits of 28 species are poorly understood. Available data permit a reasonable assessment of the conservation status for 39 species and a well-educated guess for another 31, but any assessment for the remaining 11 would be speculation at best.Basado en un estudio muy extensivo de la literatura para 81 especies de Falconiformes(excluyendo Cathartidae) que se aparean principalmente en Centro y Sur America, hago un resumen de nuestro conocimiento mas actual de la biologia y el estado de conservacion en que se encuentran estas aves. La mayor parte de la informacion que se tiene sobre raptores diurnos de la region esta basada en estudios que fueron llevados acabo en el sur de los Estados Unidos, el Peten en Guatemala, la parte noreste de America del Sur (Venezuela hasta las Guianas) y Chile. Las especies menos conocidos son residentes de bosque primario, especialmente de los generos Accipiter, Leucoptemis y Micrastur. Falta describir nidos para 19 especies y menos de cinco nidos han sido descritos para 12 especies adicionales. No hay informacion sobre la alimentation para seis especies y solamente informacion anecdotal ha sido publicada para 25 especies adicionales. Comportamiento de apareo se desconoce para 27 especies y solamente es conocido por anecdotas par 18 especies adicionales, Las costumbres migratorias de 28 especies se conocen muy poco. Informacion disponible permite juzgar razonablemente el estado de conservacion para 39 especies y se puede estimarlo para 31 mas, pero el juzgar de los 11 que restan seria solamente especulacion.
Pseudohypoparathyroidism Type II: Restoration of Normal Renal Responsiveness to Parathyroid Hormone by Calcium Administration

ABSTRACT A patient with the clinical features of pseudohypoparathyroidism and skeletal resistance to parathyroid hormone is described. The renal defect was similar to that previously reported in Pseudohypoparathyroidism Type II, e.g., increase in the urinary excretion of cyclic AMP in response to parathyroid hormone administration but no rise in the urinary excretion of phosphate. Further studies demonstrated that the renal response could be restoredto normal by the administration of calcium with or without elevated levels of endogenous immunoreactive parathyroid hormone. The renal defect in pseudohypoparathyroidism Type II may be related to abnormal permeability of the tubular cells to calcium in response to parathyroid hormone or cyclic AMP.
Polarization, energetics, and electrorheology in carbon nanotube suspensions under an applied electric field: An exact numerical approach

We theoretically investigate the polarization, aggregation, and yield stress in carbon nanotube suspensions under an electric field. The nanotubes are modeled as solid rods with hemispherical ends. An exact numerical approach, which includes self-consistent Coulomb interactions within classical electrostatics, is employed to derive nanotube surface charge densities. Two essential nanotube characteristics, i.e., large aspect ratios and end contributions, are included together. The reliability of the model is demonstrated by comparing the calculated emerging yields against experimental data. The onsets of system parameters can be used to control the phase transition in nanotube suspensions.
Distribution of TMEM100 in the mouse and human gastrointestinal tract--a novel marker of enteric nerves.

Identification of markers of enteric neurons has contributed substantially to our understanding of the development, normal physiology, and pathology of the gut. Previously identified markers of the enteric nervous system can be used to label all or most neuronal structures or for examining individual cells by labeling just the nucleus or cell body. Most of these markers are excellent but have some limitations. Transmembrane protein 100 (TMEM100) is a gene at locus 17q32 encoding a 134-amino acid protein with two hypothetical transmembrane domains. TMEM100 expression has not been reported in adult mammalian tissues but does appear in the ventral neural tube of embryonic mice and plays a role in signaling pathways associated with development of the enteric nervous system. We showed that TMEM100 messenger RNA is expressed in the gastrointestinal tract and demonstrated that TMEM100 is a membrane-associated protein. Furthermore TMEM100 immunoreactivity was restricted to enteric neurons and vascular tissue in the muscularis propria of all regions of the mouse and human gastrointestinal tract. TMEM100 immunoreactivity colocalized with labeling for the pan-neuronal marker protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) but not with the glial marker S100s or Kit, a marker of interstitial cells of Cajal. The signaling molecule, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 4, was also expressed in enteric neurons of the human colon and co-localized with TMEM100. TMEM100 is also expressed in neuronal cell bodies and fibers in the mouse brain and dorsal root ganglia. We conclude that TMEM100 is a novel, membrane-associated marker for enteric nerves and is as effective as PGP9.5 for identifying neuronal structures in the gastrointestinal tract. The expression of TMEM100 in the enteric nervous system may reflect a role in the development and differentiation of cells through a transforming growth factor β, BMP or related signaling pathway.
Molecular self-assembled monolayers and multilayers for organic and unconventional inorganic thin-film transistor applications

Principal goals in organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) gate dielectric research include achieving: (i) low gate leakage currents and good chemical/thermal stability, (ii) minimized interface trap state densities to maximize charge transport efficiency, (iii) compatibility with both p- and n- channel organic semiconductors, (iv) enhanced capacitance to lower OTFT operating voltages, and (v) efficient fabrication via solution-phase processing methods. In this Review, we focus on a prominent class of alternative gate dielectric materials: self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and multilayers (SAMTs) of organic molecules having good insulating properties and large capacitance values, requisite properties for addressing these challenges. We first describe the formation and properties of SAMs on various surfaces (metals and oxides), followed by a discussion of fundamental factors governing charge transport through SAMs. The last section focuses on the roles that SAMs and SAMTs play in OTFTs, such as surface treatments, gate dielectrics, and finally as the semiconductor layer in ultra-thin OTFTs.
Violent Masculinities as Tropes for School Shooters: The Montreal Massacre, the Columbine Attack, and Rethinking Schools

Attacks at Montreal Ecole Polytechnique and Columbine High frame a decade of school shootings and may offer insights into some other rampages. Though times, rationales, and sites of peer-group production differed at these two sites, “school shooter” encoded ways to react in situations where some young men felt unfairly subordinated in society; shooters used deadly violence to assert and reclaim the “rightful” places they felt denied. “School shooter” seemed to borrow from violent masculinities, common socioculturally produced images, or tropes, for acting, implicating not only shooters (who take up extreme versions of these tropes), but also simultaneously everyday sociocultural contexts where violent masculinities are produced, reinforced, and valorized. This article suggests the importance of context to the production of shooters and as such competes with attempts to develop remedies to school shootings grounded in de-contextualized, individualistic approaches that focus only on shooters.
Atmospheric semidiurnal lunar tide climatology simulated by the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model

[1] The atmospheric semidiurnal lunar tide is added to the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) through inclusion of an additional forcing mechanism. The simulated climatology of the semidiurnal lunar tide in surface pressure and zonal and meridional winds in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is presented. Prior observations and modeling results demonstrate characteristic seasonal and latitudinal variability of the semidiurnal lunar tide in surface pressure, and the WACCM reproduces these features. In the MLT, the WACCM simulations reveal a primarily semiannual variation with maxima near December and June solstice. The peak amplitudes in the MLT zonal and meridional winds are ∼5–10 ms−1, and occur at mid to high latitudes in the summer hemisphere. We have further compared the WACCM simulation results in the MLT with those from the Global Scale Wave Model (GSWM). The overall latitude and seasonal variations are consistent between these two models. However, the GSWM peak amplitudes are ∼2–3 times larger than those in the WACCM. This is thought to be related to deficiencies in the GSWM and not the WACCM simulations. With the exception of smaller amplitudes during Northern Hemisphere summer months, the WACCM simulations of the semidiurnal lunar tide in the MLT are also shown to be generally consistent with prior observations and modeling results. The reduced amplitudes in the WACCM simulations during Northern Hemisphere summer months are thought to be related to the influence of the cold-pole bias in WACCM on the propagation of the lunar tide during these months.
From Opposition to Engagement: Lessons from High Achieving African American Students

Influential research on African American students has examined their school failure in terms of students’ opposition to school achievement. Only a few studies have explored school engagement and success among these students, and even fewer have examined the experiences of high achieving black students. This study illustrates the school context and school processes that high achieving African American students identify as contributing to their academic success. The findings reveal three main school effects impacting the students’ performance: 1) teacher practices, engaging pedagogy versus disengaging pedagogy; 2) participation in extracurricular activities and; 3) the state scholarship as performance incentive. According to the students, teacher practices were the most instrumental school effect benefiting their outcomes. Recognizing the processes that promote high achievement among African American students can help to improve our understanding of student performance, while promoting success among these students.
Language Sampling Practices: A Survey of Nine States

A total of 239 school-based speech-language pathologists from nine midwestern states were surveyed about their language sampling practices. Survey data provided information on collection and analys...
Numerical study of the effects of radiative heat losses on diffusion flames

AbstractThe effects of thermal radiation are numerically investigated for a methane-air counterflow diffusion flame, using ‘detailed’ chemistry. The radiative losses from combustion products (CO2 and H2O) were considered by using a thin gas approximation. The results show a significant effect of radiative losses causing extinction at low strain rates. On the basis of the radiative losses from gaseous combustion products, an extinction limit was found to be 0.7 s−1. The presence of soot will move this limit to higher strain rates. The radiation effects are relatively less at moderate and high strain rates, where they may cause a reduction in the peak temperatures by ∼ 10 per cent. In addition to decreasing peak temperatures and combustion products, the radiative losses also reduce the flame width. The results show the importance of including detailed chemical mechanism in correctly predicting the extinction limit and the influence of radiative losses on flame structure.
Weight gain over 4 months in schizophrenia patients: a comparison of olanzapine and risperidone

Abstract Weight gain frequently accompanies treatment with antipsychotics. In order to determine whether newer antipsychotic agents differ from each other with respect to weight gain, we compared two cohorts of patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia who had newly started treatment with either risperidone or olanzapine. After obtaining informed consent, data regarding body weight and height were culled from existing medical records of 100 patients (50 patients in each treatment group). Baseline body weight, close to the time of starting the new medication, and body mass index [BMI=weight (kg)/height (m) squared] were compared to the body weight and BMI following 4 months of treatment. There was no significant change in mean body weight or BMI in the group treated with risperidone (baseline weight=83.1 kg±20.5, follow-up=82.8 kg±19.9; matched pair t=0.66, P=n.s.; baseline BMI=29.6±9.4, follow-up=29.5±9.1; matched pair t=0.79, P=n.s.). However, in the group treated with olanzapine, there was a significant increase in both mean body weight and BMI (baseline weight=84.9 kg±25.0, follow-up=87.1 kg±25.1; matched pair t=4.62, P
Solid-state NMR yields structural constraints on the V3 loop from HIV-1 Gp120 bound to the 447-52D antibody Fv fragment.

Solid-state NMR measurements were performed on the complex of an 18-residue peptide derived from the V3 loop sequence of the gp120 envelope glycoprotein of the HIV-1 MN strain with Fv fragments of the human anti-gp120 monoclonal antibody 447-52D in a frozen glycerol/water solution. The peptide was uniformly 15N- and 13C-labeled in a 7-residue segment containing the conserved GPGR motif in the epitope. 15N and 13C NMR chemical shift assignments for the labeled segment were obtained from two-dimensional 13C−13C and 15N−13C magic-angle spinning NMR spectra. Reductions in 13C NMR line widths and changes in chemical shifts upon complex formation indicate the adoption of a well-defined, antibody-dependent structure. Intramolecular 13C−13C distances in the complex, which constrain the peptide backbone and side chain conformations in the GPGR motif, were determined from an analysis of rotational resonance (RR) data. Structural constraints from chemical shifts and RR measurements are in good agreement with recent ...
Containerized handling to minimize hauling cost of herbaceous biomass.

Abstract Herbaceous biomass can contribute to the renewable energy supply for electricity, process steam, liquid fuel, and commodity chemicals. Efficient systems to harvest and store round bales of perennial grass in storage locations within 5 km of the production fields are available. The major limitations are loading these bales at the storage locations and hauling to meet a weekly demand schedule at a processing plant operating continuously for 50 weeks yr −1 . Analysis is presented for a 27 Mg h −1 plant. The concept is to pack 32, 1.5-m round bales into a container with the same dimensions as a 12.2-m (40-ft) ISO shipping container. These containers are loaded at a satellite storage location, hauled to a receiving facility at the processing plant, and unloaded. The analysis examines two options. Option 1 uses a forklift to place a loaded container onto a standard transport chassis at the satellite storage location. A similar forklift unloads the containers at the receiving facility. Option 2 uses a Swinglift trailer that loads and unloads the containers onto the trailer using on-board hydraulics. The cost for Option 1 was calculated at $7.80 dry Mg −1 , as compared with $8.37 dry Mg −1 calculated for Option 2. The cost for Option 1 is lower even though the forklift used at the satellite storage location in Option 1 is only operated at 27% of daily capacity, thus operating cost per dry Mg to load is higher than it would be if scheduling could be done such that more containers could be loaded each workday. The forklift spends most of the time waiting for the container to be packed with bales. The limiting factor established in this analysis is the feasibility of packing 32 bales into a container within an allowed 30 min.
The Role of Microcomputers in the Education of the Gifted

Microcomputers are appearing throughout our educational system. They are extremely powerful tools with great possibilities for use and abuse, and special potential for use with gifted students. The popular concept of “computer literacy” is addressed, with particular respect to computer literacy as differentiated for the gifted, and the desirability of teaching computer programming is examined.
Grafted Metallocalixarenes as Single-Site Surface Organometallic Catalysts

Metallocalixarenes were grafted onto silica using a surface organometallic approach and shown to be active and selective catalysts for epoxidation of alkenes using organic hydroperoxides. Calixarene−TiIV precursors were anchored at surface densities from 0.1 to near-monolayer coverages (0.025−0.25 calixarene nm-2). Several spectroscopic methods independently detected calixarene−TiIV connectivity before and after epoxidation catalysis. Kinetic analyses of cyclohexene epoxidation confirmed that the active sites were anchored on the silica surface and were significantly more active than their homogeneous analogues. The steric bulk and multidentate binding of the calixarenes led to structural stability and to single-site behavior during epoxidation catalysis. Rate constants were independent of surface density for cyclohexene epoxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (11.1 ± 0.3 M-2 s-1) or cumene hydroperoxide (25 ± 2 M-2 s-1). The materials and methods reported here allow the assembly of robust surface organ...
Alzheimer protease hitches a ride.

Activation of certain G protein–coupled receptors stimulates production of the neurotoxic amyloid-β peptide through internalization of a membrane-embedded protease ( pages 1390 – 1396 ).
The effects of marked caloric restriction on lipoprotein lipase-activators in obese subjects*

Abstract Lipoprotein lipase plays a major role in the clearance of triglyceride rich lipoproteins, chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins, from the circulation and also contributes to production of high density lipoproteins. To be functional lipoprotein lipase requires an activator which is present in the serum. Generally, serum triglyceride correlates positively with serum lipoprotein lipase-activator levels. During caloric restriction both serum triglyceride and adipose tissue liproprotein activity decrease. Affect of caloric restriction on serum lipoprotein lipase activator levels in not known. In this study we have evaluated the effect of marked caloric restriction on the levels of serum triglyceride, total cholesterol high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lipoprotein lipase-activator in morbidly obese subjects. Initially, twenty subjects were included in the study. Twenty subjects consumed a 320kcal protein supplemented modified fast diet for three weeks, fourteen subjects for seven weeks and eight subjects for eleven weeks. Weight loss was continuous throughout the study. Serum triglycerides decreased during the first three weeks (Baseline 156±9 mg/dl, third week 119±9 mg/dl, p Thus, it appears that severe caloric restriction in morbidly obese subjects was associated with a significant decrease in the serum total cholesterol, a significant decrease in HDL-cholesterol in women. These decreases seen in serum lipids were limited to the first five weeks despite a continuous weight loss throughout this study. Serum lipoprotein lipase-activator level increased steadily and changes in serum lipoprotein lipase activator levels did not follow the changes in serum triglyceride levels during the caloric restriction.
Photoinduced Reactions in Porous Systems: Reactions at the Solid−Liquid Interface1

Transient absorption spectroscopy is used to observe photoinduced reactions at a solid SiO2−liquid interface. Several different types of conditions are arranged for the reactants: (1) where both reactants are in the liquid contained in the SiO2 pore, (2) where one reactant is adsorbed to the SiO2 surface, with the other in the liquid, and (3) where both reactants are at the interface and where the surface captures one of the products of the photoreaction in the liquid. Pore size in the nanometer range plays a major role in the outcome of the photochemistry. Studies in category 1 show that the rate constants decrease with decreasing pore size. In category 2 the rate of approach of the liquid-borne reactants to the surface is efficient and can be explained by simple diffusion theory. On the contrary, the rate of capture by the surface of cations produced in the liquid phase is significantly less efficient than that of neutral species studied in category 2. Locating both reactants at the SiO2 surface can le...
Teen Internet Use: Relating Social Perceptions and Cognitive Models to Behavior

In order to provide Internet researchers with a better understanding of how and why individuals adopt some online behaviors and not others, this study targets teenage Internet users to examine the relationships among social influence and self-regulatory models as mechanisms to the behavior of Internet use. Information, entertainment, and social online activities are presented as three distinct uses of the Internet so corresponding behavioral models of adoption could be tested. Results from 173 high school students indicate that direct and vicarious social perceptions significantly influence self-regulation, which subsequently has an effect on use. Using path analyses to test the direct and indirect theoretical relationships among these constructs, the data indicates that while clearly fitting two of the three models tested, three unique processes to adoption are evident.
Contributing storage using the transparent file system

Contributory applications allow users to donate unused resources on their personal computers to a shared pool. Applications such as SETIchome, Foldingchome, and Freenet are now in wide use and provide a variety of services, including data processing and content distribution. However, while several research projects have proposed contributory applications that support peer-to-peer storage systems, their adoption has been comparatively limited. We believe that a key barrier to the adoption of contributory storage systems is that contributing a large quantity of local storage interferes with the principal user of the machine.To overcome this barrier, we introduce the Transparent File System (TFS). TFS provides background tasks with large amounts of unreliable storage—all of the currently available space—without impacting the performance of ordinary file access operations. We show that TFS allows a peer-to-peer contributory storage system to provide 40p more storage at twice the performance when compared to a user-space storage mechanism. We analyze the impact of TFS on replication in peer-to-peer storage systems and show that TFS does not appreciably increase the resources needed for file replication.
Strategies for developing cultural competency in an RN-BSN program.

It is crucial for nurses to acquire skills and a knowledge base to care for increasingly diverse cultural populations. Many nurses returning to school did not receive theoretical information relati...
John Vanderlyn’s view of Versailles: Spectacle, landscape, and the visual demands of panorama painting

One of the rare surviving early nineteenth-century panoramas, John Vanderlyn’s 1818–19 Panoramic View of the Palace and Gardens of Versailles is a visual anomaly: panoramic in form, but not in experience. It was, famously, a financial failure. This may be because the subject-matter did not resonate with early nineteenth-century American audiences, for whom Versailles symbolized monarchic excess; or perhaps because of Vanderlyn’s lack of commitment to showmanship. He seemingly felt more comfortable in the role of artist, and perhaps looked to Versailles as a subject that might work as both art and spectacle. Seventeenth-century French gardens were designed as comprehensible units, to be seen and understood rather than felt and explored. Seen from one of the many vantage-points built into the garden, the landscape at Versailles coalesced into a symmetrical, harmonious vision. Effectively, this splits the circular painting into two ideal views – of the palace and of the garden – that are each complete in the...
Role of fibronectin assembly in platelet thrombus formation

Fibronectin is a component of subendothelial matrices and abundant in plasma. A role of fibronectin in thrombogenesis has been suspected for three decades. Soluble fibronectin is assembled by adherent fibroblasts and platelets and thus converted to an insoluble form that mediates cell adhesion. Recently, in vivo studies using intravital videomicroscopy revealed that plasma fibronectin is important for stabilization of platelet aggregates after vascular injury. This review goes over roles of fibronectin in platelet functions with a focus on fibronectin assembly within developing platelet thrombi.
Hyperfine, Superhyperfine, and Quadrupole Interactions for V 4 + in Tetragonal Ge O 2

Single crystals of vanadium-doped tetragonal Ge${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ have been studied at 300 and 92 K by electron-spin resonance. The observed spectra are attributed to tetravalent vanadium ions ($3{d}^{1}$) substitutional at the two inequivalent cation sites. With the choice of axes $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{x}}\ensuremath{\parallel}[\overline{1}10]$, $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{y}}\ensuremath{\parallel}[001]$, and $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{z}}\ensuremath{\parallel}[110]$, the spin-Hamiltonian parameters obtained at 300 K from the hyperfine, super-hyperfine, and forbidden-transition spectra are ${g}_{x}=1.9467$, ${g}_{y}=1.9211$, ${g}_{z}=1.9638$; ${A}_{x}=18.48\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${A}_{y}=37.27\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${A}_{z}=134.63\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$; ${P}_{x}=\ensuremath{-}0.44\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${P}_{y}=\ensuremath{-}0.35\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${P}_{z}=+0.79\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$; ${A}_{\mathrm{ax}}=8.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${A}_{\mathrm{ay}}=8.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${A}_{\mathrm{az}}=8.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, where the last tensor corresponds to a shf interaction with a ${\mathrm{Ge}}^{73}$ nucleus at one of the nearest cation sites along the $c$ axis. Weaker interactions with other neighboring cations were also observed. On the basis of a molecular-orbital treatment of the unpaired spin, ligand-orbital-admixture coefficients were determined from these experimental results and from previously reported results ${\mathrm{V}}^{4+}$ in tetragonal Ti${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and Sn${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$. It is determined that the probability of finding the unpaired electron on the vanadium ion is about 0.71, while the probabilities for delocalization onto the anions and cations are about 0.27 and 0.02, respectively.
A comparative study of efficient initialization methods for the k-means clustering algorithm

K-means is undoubtedly the most widely used partitional clustering algorithm. Unfortunately, due to its gradient descent nature, this algorithm is highly sensitive to the initial placement of the cluster centers. Numerous initialization methods have been proposed to address this problem. In this paper, we first present an overview of these methods with an emphasis on their computational efficiency. We then compare eight commonly used linear time complexity initialization methods on a large and diverse collection of data sets using various performance criteria. Finally, we analyze the experimental results using non-parametric statistical tests and provide recommendations for practitioners. We demonstrate that popular initialization methods often perform poorly and that there are in fact strong alternatives to these methods.
Heterogeneity of the Local Electrostatic Environment of the Tyrosyl Radical in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ribonucleotide Reductase Observed by High-Field Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is a radical enzyme that catalyzes de novo biosynthesis of deoxyribonucleotides. The catalytically required tyrosyl free radical in class I RNRs is produced in conjun...
He Rode with Butch and Sundance: The Story of Harvey “Kid Curry” Logan. By Mark T. Smokov. (Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, 2012. Pp. xiv, 440. $29.95.)

The author of this book has written the definitive biography of Harvey “Kid Curry” Logan, sometime member of the “Wild Bunch,” a late nineteenth‐ and early twentieth‐century gang of desperadoes—the...
An efficient algorithm for metric correction forces in simulations of linear polymers with constrained bond lengths

The dynamical behavior and equilibrium distribution of linear bead-rod and bead-spring polymers differ even in the limit of infinitely stiff springs. Imposing metric pseudopotential forces on the bead-rod chains yields the behavior of bead-spring chains in Langevin and Brownian Dynamics simulations. Here we present a simple, compact, and efficient algorithm for computing the required metric correction forces at minimal computational cost.
Intrusion detection on oil pipeline right of way using monogenic signal representation

We present an object detection algorithm to automatically detect and identify possible intrusions such as construction vehicles and equipment on the regions designated as the pipeline right-of-way (ROW) from high resolution aerial imagery. The pipeline industry has buried millions of miles of oil pipelines throughout the country and these regions are under constant threat of unauthorized construction activities. We propose a multi-stage framework which uses a pyramidal template matching scheme in the local phase domain by taking a single high resolution training image to classify a construction vehicle. The proposed detection algorithm makes use of the monogenic signal representation to extract the local phase information. Computing the monogenic signal from a two dimensional object region enables us to separate out the local phase information (structural details) from the local energy (contrast) thereby achieving illumination invariance. The first stage involves the local phase based template matching using only a single high resolution training image in a local region at multiple scales. Then, using the local phase histogram matching, the orientation of the detected region is determined and a voting scheme gives a certain weightage to the resulting clusters. The final stage involves the selection of clusters based on the number of votes attained and using the histogram of oriented phase feature descriptor, the object is located at the correct orientation and scale. The algorithm is successfully tested on four different datasets containing imagery with varying image resolution and object orientation.
Eukaryotic coactivators associated with the TATA box binding protein

Recent studies of regulated RNA polymerase II transcription have uncovered a new class of molecules called coactivators. These are tightly associated with the TATA box binding protein and are required in addition to promoter-specific activators and the basal transcription factors in order to achieve stimulated levels of transcription.
The electrophysiology of incidental and intentional retrieval: ERP old/new effects in lexical decision and recognition memory.

Abstract Event-related brain potentials (ERPs), recorded from a 128-sensor array were used todifferentiate brain processes associated with intentional vs incidental memory retrieval. Twoexperiments examined ERP differences between old (studied) and new (non-studied) words andpseudowords while subjects performed either a recognition memory task or lexical decision task.Previous research has related a P600 old⧸new effect to the recollection of details, and the presentexperiments show that this effect was not amplified by intentional retrieval. The P600 effect waslarger for words than pseudowords. An earlier (300 to 500 ms), frontally maximal, N400-likeold⧸new effect (FN400) was similar for words and pseudowords. A third, previously unidentified,mid-frontal, old⧸new effect was associated with only pseudoword recognition from 300 to 500ms. Results are discussed with respect to dual-process theories of recognition memory.
A Spectral matching system for MS/MS data

Abstract An automated mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (MS/MS) search program has been developed which allows the user to match an unknown MS/MS spectrum against either primary or secondary spectra in a reference data base. The program employs several matching techniques for flexibility and avoids data compression or dependence on theoretical spectral properties. The strategy of the program is to eliminate the majority of candidate MS/MS spectra by prefiltering the candidates through inverted data files. An intensity-based matching algorithm then determines seven match factors to completely characterize the correspondence between the unknown and each remaining candidate spectrum. Parabolic fits to quotient spectra are also used, with limited success, to mask some deviations in spectra taken under different conditions. An experiment to characterize the program used 500 mass spectra from an old data base as unknowns for matching against the current MS/MS data base. The results indicated that the program retreived an identical or structurally closely related reference compound (when no identical compound was present), 93% of the time.
A computationally simple test of homogeneity of odds ratios for twin data.

It is of interest to compare measures of association of binary traits among samples of bivariate data. One example is the comparison of association within a sample of monozygotic (MZ) twins to that within a sample of dizygotic (DZ) twins. A larger association in the MZ twins suggests that the trait of interest may have a genetic component. The Bivariate data in this example are binary traits for the twins in each pair. Another example is the comparison of a measure of Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium across several populations. The bivariate data in this example are the two alleles comprising the genotype of interest. We propose using derived logistic regression equations from the full exponential model for the bivariate outcomes to test for homogeneity. We adjust for correlation among outcomes via generalized estimating equations. This modeling approach allows for adjustment for individual-level and pair-level covariates and thereby allows for testing for gene x environment interactions. Further, we extend the model to allow for simultaneous analysis of two diseases, which allows for testing for a genetic component to the coaggregation of two diseases. In contrast to approaches proposed by previous authors, no special software is required; our approach can be easily implemented in standard software packages. We compare our results to those of other methods proposed in the literature for data from the Vietnam Era Twins Study. We apply our methods also to the Anqing Twin Study and to data on major depression and generalized anxiety disorder from the Virginia Twin Register.
Facial expression in schizophrenia

Recent empirical studies have found that schizophrenics exhibit diminished observable facial expressivity in response to emotional stimuli (e.g., Berenbaum and Oltmanns 1992; Kring et al 1993; Kring and Neale 1996) yet report experiencing similar levels of emotion as their normal counterparts; however, it remains unclear whether schizophrenics are completely unexpressive, or if they exhibit more subtle, unobservable facial muscle activity that cannot be seen by observers. Additionally, the diminished facial expressiveness found in schizophrenia may be a function of affective flattening, a side effect of medication (akinesia), or both (Blanchard and Neale 1992). The present study sought to extend previous findings of emotional responding in schizophrenics in two ways. First, because schizophrenics exhibit very little observable facial expressivity, a more sensitive measure of facial expression, facial electromyographic (EMG) activity, was recorded during the presentation of emotional films. Second, to examine more closely the effects of medication on facial expressivity, a within subjects design was employed such that all patients were tested at two time points (approximately six months apart): when they were taking neuroleptic medication and when they were medication free. The present article presents preliminary results from an ongoing longitudinal study of affective response in schizophrenia.
Prevalence of malignancy in thyroid nodules with an initial nondiagnostic result after ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration.

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the rate of malignancy in thyroid nodules with an initial nondiagnostic fine needle aspiration. From October 2001 to April 2007, biopsies were performed on 1344 thyroid nodules in our practice. Biopsies were performed on nodules using 25–27 gauge needles, ultrasound guidance and multiple passes using both suction and capillary action. We retrospectively reviewed the results of these biopsies as well as any further management of nodules that received nondiagnostic results (IRB HUM00006459). Following initial biopsy, 295/1344 (21.9%) of nodules received nondiagnostic pathologic results. Of this population, 39 nodules (13.1%) were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 256 nodules that received a repeat FNA, surgical excision, or greater than 24 months of clinical and imaging follow-up, only five cancers were detected, representing only 2% of the population that received an initial nondiagnostic biopsy result. All of these cancers were papillary neoplasms. When rigorous, ultrasound-guided, fine needle aspiration of thyroid nodules is performed, a nondiagnostic histopathologic result should not be interpreted as suspicious for thyroid cancer. Given the low rate of malignancy in this population (2%), we suggest that clinical and imaging follow-up of these nodules, opposed to repeat sampling, is warranted.
Sortase‐Catalyzed Initiator Attachment Enables High Yield Growth of a Stealth Polymer from the C Terminus of a Protein

Conventional methods for synthesizing protein/peptide-polymer conjugates, as a means to improve the pharmacological properties of therapeutic biomolecules, typically have drawbacks including low yield, non-trivial separation of conjugates from reactants, and lack of site- specificity, which results in heterogeneous products with significantly compromised bioactivity. To address these limitations, the use of sortase A from Staphylococcus aureus is demonstrated to site-specifically attach an initiator solely at the C-terminus of green fluorescent protein (GFP), followed by in situ growth of a stealth polymer, poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Sortase-catalyzed initiator attachment proceeds with high specificity and near-complete (≈95%) product conversion. Subsequent in situ ATRP in aqueous buffer produces 1:1 stoichiometric conjugates with >90% yield, low dispersity, and no denaturation of the protein. This approach introduces a simple and useful method for high yield synthesis of protein/peptide-polymer conjugates.
Recovery of Anaerobic Bacteria from 3 Patients with Infection at a Pierced Body Site

We describe 3 adolescents who developed infections due to anaerobes at pierced body sites: the nipple, the umbilicus, and the nasal septum. Anaerobes (Prevotella intermedia and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius) were recovered from pure culture of specimens obtained from 1 patient with nipple infection and were mixed with aerobic bacteria in cultures of specimens obtained from 2 patients (Streptococcus aureus, Peptostreptococcus micros, and Prevotella melaninogenica were recovered from a patient with nasal septum infection, and Bacteroides fragilis and Enterococcus faecalis were recovered from a patient with umbilical infection). The infection resolved in all patients after removal of the ornaments and use of antimicrobial drug treatment.
Methods for investigating gene-environment interactions in candidate pathway and genome-wide association studies

Despite the considerable enthusiasm about the yield of novel and replicated discoveries of genetic associations from the new generation of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the proportion of the heritability of most complex diseases that have been studied to date remains small. Some of this "dark matter" could be due to gene-environment (G x E) interactions or more complex pathways involving multiple genes and exposures. We review the basic epidemiologic study design and statistical analysis approaches to studying G x E interactions individually and then consider more comprehensive approaches to studying entire pathways or GWAS data. In addition to the usual issues in genetic association studies, particular care is needed in exposure assessment, and very large sample sizes are required. Although hypothesis-driven, pathway-based and agnostic GWA study approaches are generally viewed as opposite poles, we suggest that the two can be usefully married using hierarchical modeling strategies that exploit external pathway knowledge in mining genome-wide data.
Therapy Related Cellular Changes as a Tool for Prognosis in AML

Background: The day of clearance of peripheral blood blast cells (PBBC) may be used as a prognostic marker in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with induction chemotherapy using cytarabine (ara-C) plus idarubicin (AI regimen: ara-C 1.5g/ m2 x 4 days, idarubicin 12mg/m2 x 3 days). Earlier PBBC correlates with improved overall survival (OS) in patients receiving AI. When extending this observation to other cohorts of patients receiving the AI regimen in combination with a targeted agent such as the FLT3 inhibitor sorafenib or the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat, faster clearance of PBBC does not necessarily correlate with improved survival. We sought other ways of evaluating cellular changes with AI therapy, as a tool for prognosis in patients with AML. Methods: PBBC clearance (defined as PBBC ¼ 0% by CBC differential) was examined for patients with non-APL AML undergoing AI alone (n ¼ 168). We performed separate analyses to evaluate cellular changes. First we modeled the disappearance of PBBC by fitting daily blast counts to a reverse sigmoidal curve, according to the equation y(t) ¼ a(1- (1/(1+e ˇ (-c(t-b))))), where y ¼ absolute blast count (fitted data), t ¼ time, a ¼ initial absolute blasts, b ¼ time to response, c ¼ slope of blast disappearance. Second, we evaluated OS based on the concurrent change of white blood cells (WBC) and PBBC in the 2 days following chemotherapy. We evaluated the ratio of the changes and the direction of the change for both cell types. Results: We evaluated OS for groups based on 5 derived features of fitted reverse sigmoidal curves: A) initial height of curve, B) time to decrease 5%, C) time to decrease 95%, D) difference in time between 5% and 95% decrease, and E) ratio of change to height (slope of PBBC decrease). Using these derived features, we identified a method equivalent, but not superior, to using day of blast disappearance to classify patients into prognostic groups. Using derived feature D), and a cutoff of 2.7 days, OS was different between groups (p-value <0.001). In our next analysis, we found that the ratio of change of PBBC/WBC was not prognostic for OS. However, we did find the direction of change in absolute PBBC and WBC on day 1 (but not day 2) after initiation of therapy was a powerful prognostic marker for certain patients. Specifically, patients who had a decrease in PBBC and an increase in WBC on day 1 (n ¼ 6) had an excellent prognosis, while patients with an increase in both PBBC and WBC on day 1 (n ¼ 6) had a poor prognosis. Patients who had PBBC increase and WBC decrease (n ¼ 15) or both PBBC and WBC decrease (n ¼ 122), demonstrated a similar intermediate prognosis (p ¼ 0.082). Conclusions:
Enhanced bandwidth “bull's eye” antenna using corrugated metalized plastic

This paper presents a plastic, surface plasmon (SP) enhanced bullseye antenna for millimeter wave and terahertz (THz) frequency range. A low refractive index plastic layer is used to confine incident electromagnetic energy to the structure. A metal grating layer focuses the incident wave through a subwavelength aperture via SP. The electromagnetic propagation characteristics were simulated and analyzed using both FDTD and commercial FEM software tools. The structure was also fabricated, and experimental data will be presented at the time of the conference.
The Obesity Paradox and Weight Loss

Abstract Background An "obesity paradox," in which overweight and obese individuals with established cardiovascular disease have a better prognosis than normal weight subjects, has been reported in a number of clinical cohorts, but little is known about the effects of weight loss on the obesity paradox and its association with health outcomes. Methods Weight was determined in 3834 men at the time of a clinically referred exercise test and again during a clinical evaluation a mean of 7 years later. The associations among weight changes, baseline fitness, and other risk markers with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality were determined by Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results During the follow-up period, 314 subjects died (72 of cardiovascular causes). In a multivariate analysis (including baseline weight, weight change, exercise capacity, and cardiovascular disease), weight gain was associated with lower mortality and weight loss was associated with higher mortality (4% higher per pound lost per year, P 001) compared with stable weight. For all-cause mortality, the relative risks for the no change, weight gain, and weight loss groups were 1.0 (referent), 0.64 (95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.83), and 1.49 (95% confidence interval, 1.17-1.89), respectively ( P 001). Those who died and exhibited weight loss had a significantly higher prevalence of deaths due to cancer and cardiovascular causes. Conclusion Weight loss was related to higher mortality and weight gain was related to lower mortality when compared with stable weight. The obesity paradox in our sample is explained in part by a combination of non-volitional weight loss related to occult disease and a protective effect of weight gain.