cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating character education into an elementary common core standards-aligned curriculum: a pilot study

This study describes the instructional resources that facilitated elementary teachers’ integration of character education into their content standards-aligned curriculum. This single-site case study utilized qualitative data, including curricular materials, teacher interviews, and researchers’ anecdotal notes from professional development sessions and committee meetings, collected from five teachers and one district character education coordinator, over the course of 1 year, as they designed and piloted the new character education-infused curriculum. Findings from this study indicated the importance of instructional resources for teachers to successfully integrate character education into an elementary, content standards-aligned curriculum. These resources include the provision of time for cross-grade level teacher collaboration, opportunities for co-teaching with a character education coordinator, utilizing literature to develop character traits, and community-based learning. The findings of this case study provide professional learning recommendations and resources for integrating character education into an elementary, content standards-aligned curriculum.
Doing Away with “Database:” Exploring Medical Library Website Design

Library users can become confused by library jargon, especially the term “databases.” This study utilized a combination of end-user surveys and library website usability testing to determine if lib...
Exploiting scene and body contexts in controlling continuous vision body cameras

Abstract Ever-increasing performance at decreasing price has fueled camera deployments in a wide variety of real-world applications—making the case stronger for battery-powered, continuous-vision camera systems. However, given the state-of-the-art battery technology and embedded systems, most battery-powered mobile devices still do not support continuous vision. In order to reduce energy and storage requirements, there have been proposals to offload energy-demanding computations to the cloud Naderiparizi et al. (2016) [1] , to discard uninteresting video frames Naderiparizi et al. (2017), and to use additional sensors to detect and predict when to turn on the camera Bahl et al. (2012) [2] . However, these proposals either require a fat communication bandwidth or have to sacrifice capturing of important events. In this paper, we present — ZenCam 1 ,which is an always-on body camera that exploits readily available information in the encoded video stream from the on-chip firmware to classify the dynamics of the scene. This scene-context is further combined with simple inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based activity level-context of the wearer to optimally control the camera configuration at run-time to keep the device under the desired energy budget. We describe the design and implementation of ZenCam and thoroughly evaluate its performance in real-world scenarios. Our evaluation shows a 29.8%–35% reduction in energy consumption and 48.1-49.5% reduction in storage usage when compared to a standard baseline setting of 1920x1080 at 30fps while maintaining a competitive or better video quality at the minimal computational overhead.
Microwave Sensing of Yeast Cell Species and Viability

We report the development of a simple interferometer-based microwave sensing system for multiple frequency characterization and differentiation of in-flow yeast cells. The interferometer uses a simple microstrip line, integrated with a microfluidic channel, for single-cell measurement. An algorithm was developed and verified with high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS) for complex permittivity, $\varepsilon ^{\ast }(f) = \varepsilon '(f)- j\varepsilon ''(f)$ , extraction from measured scattering parameters. The sensing system and the algorithm were evaluated by measuring polystyrene particles of different diameters and at different interferometer operating frequencies. Viable and nonviable Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces pastorianus cells were measured at those frequencies. The results showed frequency-dependent permittivity values for each species of yeast and viability as well as frequency-dependent permittivity differences between different yeast types. The differences at some frequency points are significant and enable the differentiation of cells in mixed suspension, which is also demonstrated with a prediction model developed in this work.
How Much is Enough? Public Perception of Minimum Surgeon Volumes.

A large body of literature supports an association between surgical volumes and outcomes. Research on this subject has resulted in attempts to quantify minimum volume standards for specific surgeries. However, the extent to which the public takes interest in or is able to interpret surgical volume information is not known. We designed a 38-question online survey to assess respondents’ knowledge and beliefs about minimum surgical volume standards, and other factors influencing choice of surgeon. Participants, recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk, an online crowdsourcing marketplace, were specifically asked to estimate minimum volume standards for four different operations (hernia repair, knee replacement, mitral valve repair, and Whipple) and to assess the implications of specific surgeon volumes for decision-making in two hypothetical scenarios. Among 2024 participants, 81% attested that surgeons should be subject to minimum volume standards. A small minority (19%) reported having prior knowledge of a link between surgeon volumes and outcomes. Respondents’ mean estimates for appropriate minimum annual volumes across four operations were directly correlated with surgical complexity (5 for inguinal hernia repair, 25 for Whipple), while published minimum standards fall with increasing surgical complexity (25 for hernia repair, 5 for Whipple). These findings were validated by participants’ stated intentions: 55% would proceed with a hernia repair by a surgeon with annual volume of 25, while 13% would proceed with a Whipple when annual volume was 5. The concept of minimum surgical volumes is intuitively important to the lay public. However, the general public’s skewed expectations of minimum volume standards demonstrate an inability to interpret surgical volume numbers meaningfully in clinical settings without appropriate context.
Personalized lung cancer screening: Are we ready to ENGAGE?

LAY SUMMARY The goal of delivering personalized lung cancer screening is a worthy one. It is inspiring to envision a future in which screening decisions are informed by the best available evidence, tailored to an individual's specific characteristics, and consistent with their preferences and values. At the societal level, tradeoffs between effectiveness, efficiency and equity are inevitable and will need to be balanced exquisitely, with ample input from patients and other stakeholders. Tools such as the ENGAGE framework will continue to enlighten and to shape the ongoing conversation.
Addressing pharmacy training expectations and the preceptor perspective: Essential components to COVID-19 training adjustments.

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles , AJHP is these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.
The Stability of Oligoadenylate-Polyuridylate Complexes As Measured by Thermal Chromatography

Abstract The complexes of defined oligoadenylic acids with polyuridylic acid have been investigated by observing their release from hydroxylapatite columns as a function of temperature. The temperature of release is a function of the chain length of the oligonucleotide, the presence of Mg++ ion, and the presence or absence of terminal phosphates on the oligonucleotide. This method provides a convenient way of characterizing the thermal stability of trace amounts or labeled oligonucleotide-polynucleotide complexes.
Feedback control utilizing packet dropping network links

The increasing availability of network connectivity has prompted the study of computer-based control methodologies that are implemented centrally or distributively using existing network infrastructure as the communications backbone. Recent work has looked at the stability of networked control systems (i.e., control systems in which feedback loops are closed through networks) and focused on performance guarantees under networked. induced delays and varying data packet rates. In this work, we extend these ideas in a probabilistic setting by modeling a packet dropping network as an erasure channel and by developing bounded variance stabilization schemes.
Japanese-Russian Relations, 1907-2007

Introduction: Continuing Patterns 1. The Patterns Begin 2. Cold War Patterns 3. Another Rapprochement 4. The International Context 5. The Domestic Political Context 6. The Ideational Context. Conclusion: Japan and Russia in 1996--2007
Chlorophyll bloom development and the subtropical front in the North Pacific

[1] In late summer, satellite ocean color data consistently show localized chlorophyll blooms in the oligotrophic NE Pacific. Based on historical data and the results from recent cruises, these blooms are associated with elevated diatom abundance. However, the physical dynamics that stimulate the blooms remain unknown. Mechanisms suggested to be driving the blooms include mixing at the subtropical front, breaking of internal waves at the critical latitude, shoaling of the mixed layer depth, eddy interactions, and winter mixing of nutrients. To examine these hypotheses, we use data from four summer cruises (2002, 2007, 2008, and 2009) in this region that sampled near a bloom temporally and/or spatially. Conditions associated with five blooms (two blooms were sampled in 2009) are examined. Each area was sampled at a different stage in bloom development, including prebloom, initiation, full bloom, decline, and postbloom conditions. No one variable is found which can explain unequivocally the development of a chlorophyll bloom at a certain location. We describe a set of conditions that could result in the injection of nutrients into the surface water to stimulate a bloom. This “perfect storm” of conditions requires a subsurface stratification minimum layer that intersects the nutricline and that this minimum is close to the base of the mixed layer. These conditions are not predictable in the sense of an annual climatology; however, they do occur often enough to create a reasonably certain, if spatially variable, summer NE Pacific bloom.
Large-scale analysis of the yeast genome by transposon tagging and gene disruption

Economical methods by which gene function may be analysed on a genomic scale are relatively scarce. To fill this need, we have developed a transposon-tagging strategy for the genome-wide analysis of disruption phenotypes, gene expression and protein localization, and have applied this method to the large-scale analysis of gene function in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we present the largest collection of defined yeast mutants ever generated within a single genetic background--a collection of over 11,000 strains, each carrying a transposon inserted within a region of the genome expressed during vegetative growth and/or sporulation. These insertions affect nearly 2,000 annotated genes, representing about one-third of the 6,200 predicted genes in the yeast genome. We have used this collection to determine disruption phenotypes for nearly 8,000 strains using 20 different growth conditions; the resulting data sets were clustered to identify groups of functionally related genes. We have also identified over 300 previously non-annotated open reading frames and analysed by indirect immunofluorescence over 1,300 transposon-tagged proteins. In total, our study encompasses over 260,000 data points, constituting the largest functional analysis of the yeast genome ever undertaken.
GeneKeyDB: A lightweight, gene-centric, relational database to support data mining environments

Background The analysis of biological data is greatly enhanced by existing or emerging databases. Most existing databases, with few exceptions are not designed to easily support large scale computational analysis, but rather offer exclusively a web interface to the resource. We have recognized the growing need for a database which can be used successfully as a backend to computational analysis tools and pipelines. Such database should be sufficiently versatile to allow easy system integration.
OLAP Formulations for supporting complex spatial objects in data warehouses

In recent years, there has been a large increase in the amount of spatial data obtained from remote sensing, GPS receivers, communication terminals and other domains. Data warehouses help in modeling and mining large amounts of data from heterogeneous sources over an extended period of time. However incorporating spatial data into data warehouses leads to several challenges in data modeling, management and the mining of spatial information. New multidimensional data types for spatial application objects require new OLAP formulations to support query and analysis operations on them. In this paper, we introduce a set of constructs called C3 for defining data cubes. These include categorization, containment and cubing operations, which present a fundamentally new, user-centric strategy for the conceptual modeling of data cubes. We also present a novel region-hierarchy concept that builds spatially ordered sets of polygon objects and employs them as first class citizens in the data cube. Further, new OLAP constructs to help define, manipulate, query and analyze spatial data have also been presented. Overall, the aim of this paper is to leverage support for spatial data in OLAP cubes and pave the way for the development of a user-centric SOLAP system.
An experimental study on physiological parameters toward driver emotion recognition

Although many emotion recognition methods have been developed, monitoring a driver's emotions during driving is still a challenge because some special requirements must be met. This study begins with the classification of emotion, and then proceeds to emotion recognition. In particular, this study presents the applications of blood volume pressure, skin conductance, skin temperature, gripping force, respiration rate, and facial expression in emotion recognition. Experiments are designed and carried out to find the mapping relation among heart rate, skin conductance, and skin temperature to two kinds of emotions: fear and amusement. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of using the selected physiological parameters to monitor drivers' emotions.
Challenging the Dominant Narrative: Critical Bilingual Leadership (Liderazgo) for Emergent Bilingual Latin@ Students

The growing “Latinization” of the United States is drastically changing the demographics of the students served in PK-12 public schools (Irizarry, 2011). To understand how educational leaders can best serve this changing student demographic, we use Critical Bilingual Leadership, i.e. Liderazgo, to interrogate institutional and structural racism through the use of the testimonios of members of a school community that aim to create a culturally and linguistically responsive school. We found that liderazgo was operationalized across the following themes: dual language programming as the foundation for equity; drawing on experiential knowledge as a strength; fostering relationships through transcaring; and instructional bilingual leadership.
Differential modulation of monoamine levels and turnover rates by estrogen and/or androgen in hypothalamic and vocal control nuclei of male zebra finches.

Abstract Sexual behaviors, including singing, in male zebra finches are under the combined control of androgens and estrogens. Treating castrates with androstenedione (AE), a hormone which provides both androgenic and estrogenic metabolites, restores catecholamine (CA; i.e., norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA)) function in brain areas known to be involved in the control of these behaviors. Since these behaviors can only be activated by the combined action of androgens and estrogens, the present study determined whether estrogen alone, androgen alone, or only their combination would restore CA function in these brain areas. Males were castrated for at least three weeks and then received one of three hormone implants: (1) estradiol (E) alone, (2) dihydrotestosterone (DHT) alone, or (3) E + DHT. Each male was then housed with a female for at least one week. Levels of NE, DA, epinephrine, serotonin and the latter's primary metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, were measured in 3 hypothalamic, one auditory and 6 vocal control areas in their brains. NE and DA turnover in these areas were also estimated using α-methylparatyrosine. CA function proved to be hormone sensitive in 64% of the comparisons in the three hypothalamic and six vocal control nuclei examined. As expected, the treatment which provided both estrogenic + androgenic stimulation (E + DHT) restored CA function in all of these cases. Although E + DHT restored CA function in these areas, only 22% required both estrogenic + androgenic 3timulation to restore normal CA function. For 57% of the comparisons, treatment with E alone also restored normal function, while in the remaining 22%, DHT alone was sufficient. All hormone-induced changes in noradrenergic neurotransmission were estrogen dependent; while modulation of DA function was much more variable, and frequently androgen dependent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that these types of functional differences in the role of estrogen versus androgen in the modulation of neurotransmitter systems has been demonstrated.
International patron-client relationships: A conceptual framework

Dependency theory has cast new light on the workings of the international political economy, and on the relations between more and less developed countries. Insofar as dependency theory aims at specifying generalsystemic constraints on the behavior of Third World states, its ability to explain/predict how particular Third World states respond to these constraints is limited. Our concern is with the foreign policy responses of the LDCs. The comparative foreign policy approach to this question has attempted to account for cross-national variation in foreign policy responses of LDCs with variation in theirdomestic features, i.e., attributes, capabilities, and regime types. Here we suggest that an understanding of the foreign policies of the LDCs can be enhanced by adding an explicitly dyadic perspective to dependency and comparative foreign policy approaches, conceptualized as a form of patron-cliency.
Load-based cascading failure analysis in finite Erdös-Rényi random networks

Large-scale cascading failures could be triggered by very few initial failures, which lead to serious damages in complex networks. This paper presents a load-based cascade model to analyze the vulnerability of a complex system such as the power grid under a random single-node attack, where the Erdos-Renyi (ER) random graph is used as the network model since it captures the exponential degree distribution present in power grids. Based on a step-by-step analysis, we derive an estimate for the average failure ratio at each step, which provides a framework to track the impacts of cascading failures. Such a result is critical in designing robust and resilient complex networks.
Simulations on aspects of elastomer structure that provide unusual toughness

A variety of examples are given to illustrate how computer-modeling techniques are being used to elucidate the structures of elastomeric polymer networks, and to provide guidance on how to control this structure to maximize mechanical properties such as toughness. One topic involves generation of distribution functions of chain end-to-end distances to replace the Gaussian limit, since non-Gaussian behavior can correspond to substantial increases in modulus and ultimate strength. Attempts are also being made to simulate the structure and properties of networks having trimodal distributions of chain lengths, in hopes of getting additional improvements beyond those shown in experiments on bimodal networks. Strain-induced crystallization has always been important in the area of elastomers (since the crystallites thus generated provide substantial in situ reinforcement) and is being simulated using Monte Carlo methods to generate chains having representative sequence distributions for different polymerization conditions. The chains are then placed alongside one another to determine matched-sequence runs that could lead to the formation of crystallites. Finally, the long-standing problem of clarifying exactly how fillers reinforce elastomeric materials is being approached using Monte Carlo simulations of chains in the vicinity of impenetrable filler particles. In this way it is possible to determine how reinforcement depends on the perturbation of distributions caused by this excluded-volume effect. Important extensions would include physical adsorption and chemisorption of the chains onto the filler particles.
Introduction to the special issue of the AERA education and world wide web special interest group (EdWeb/SIG)

Abstract An introduction to the Special Issue of the AERA Education and World Wide Web Special Interest Group (EdWeb/SIG), published in the Internet and Higher Education.
Conspecific threat, predation avoidance, and resource defense: implications for grouping in langurs

Data on langur (Presbytis entellus) populations were gathered from the literature to test the importance of three selective pressures in determining group size and composition: predation pressure, intergroup resource defense, and conspecific threat. There were no detectable difference in the size of groups in populations facing nearly intact predator communities compared to those populations where predators were severely reduced in number or absent, although there was a trend for the number of adult males per group to increase in areas with nearly intact predator communities. Using population density as an indirect measure of the frequency of intrusions into a group’s home range and thereby as an index of the demographic pressure favoring resource defense, we predicted that higher densities would result in larger defensive coalitions and higher numbers of females per group. This prediction was not upheld. Our third selective pressure, conspecific threat, encompasses those selective forces resulting from physical attack on females, infants, and juveniles. Our index of conspecific threat uses the number of non-group males divided by the number of bisexual groups, because in langurs, the major source of conspecific threat derives from non-group males who, following group take-over, kill infants, wound females, and expel juveniles from groups. This index of conspecific threat was strongly related to the mean number of resident females, was weakly related to the mean group size, but was not related to the number of males in the group. In addition, as predicted, populations with a high index of conspecific threat had higher levels of juvenile expulsion. These analyses were corroborated by a simulation model which used a computer-generated series of null populations to calculate expected slopes of immatures regressed on adult females. These randomly generated populations, matched to means and ranges of real populations, allowed us to determine if deviations of the observed slopes from the expected null slopes could be explained by variation in predation pressure, population density, or conspecific threat. We found no evidence that predation pressure was associated with decreases in immature survival in smaller groups, as would be predicted by the predation-avoidance hypothesis. We found no evidence that immature survival was compromised by small group size in high-density populations, as would be predicted by the resource-defense hypothesis. However, as the index of conspecific threat increased, groups with larger numbers of females were more successful than groups with fewer females in reducing mortality or expulsion of immatures. Overall, conspecific threat received the strongest support as a selective pressure influencing langur group size and composition, suggesting that this selective pressure should be evaluated more widely as a factor influencing composition of animal groups.
Contralateral visual masking may be an artifact.

There are serious methodological problems in studies which report contralateral visual masking. Contralateral masking occurs when detection of a hemifield target stimulus is impaired by a pattern-masking stimulus presented to the opposite hemifield. We demonstrate that, in studies which used positive stimuli (i.e., black letters on a white field), contralateral masking may be an artifact. Although we observed contralateral masking when positive stimuli were presented, there was no evidence of masking with negative stimuli (i.e., white letters on a black field). A special masking stimulus with a positive mask contralateral to the target and a black hemifield ipsilateral to the target also failed to produce masking. Contralateral masking in this experiment was due to the flash of light in the field ipsilateral to the target; it was this ipsilateral stimulation, rather than contralateral interference, which impeded target recognition.
Feasibility Analysis of the Utilization of Passive Filter to Suppress Harmonic Overvoltage Caused by Inrush Current

The feasibility analysis of the utilization of passive filter to suppress harmonic overvoltage caused by inrush current is proposed in this paper, against the grid of a Tibetan region in southwest China. Firstly, the author analyzes the risk of the overvoltage due to the excitation inrush current and proposes the design principle of the passive filter resonant frequency and the reactive power capacity under the risk. Finally, in this paper, the effect of the filter is checked with PSCAD software.
Imaging in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming the predominant form of HF. Understanding cardiac structure and function in this syndrome is highly relevant for diagnosis, prognosis, pathophysiology, and management. However, identifying cardiac dysfunction in HFpEF can be challenging and requires an integrated assessment of cardiac structure, systolic and diastolic function, and hemodynamics. Comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography is the noninvasive imaging test of choice for evaluating patients with HF. Importantly, cardiac dysfunction may not be present at rest in HFpEF but may be unmasked with exercise or pharmacologic stress testing. Imaging in HFpEF is reviewed.
Oxygen Absorption in M87: Evidence for a Warm+Hot Interstellar Medium

We present a reanalysis of the ROSAT PSPC data within the central 100 kpc of M87 to search for intrinsic oxygen absorption similar to that recently measured in several galaxies and groups. Since M87 is the brightest nearby galaxy or cluster possessing an average temperature (~2 keV) within the PSPC bandpass, it is the ideal target for this study. Using a spatial-spectral deprojection analysis we find the strongest evidence to date for intrinsic oxygen absorption in the hot gas of a galaxy, group, or cluster. Single-phase plasma models modified by intervening Galactic absorption cannot fit the 0.2-2.2 keV PSPC data as they underpredict the 0.2-0.4 keV region and overpredict the 0.5-0.8 keV region where the emission and absorption residuals are obvious upon visual inspection of the spectral fits. These absorption and emission features are significant out to the largest radii investigated. Since the excess emission between 0.2-0.4 keV rules out intrinsic absorption from cold gas or dust, the most reasonable model for the excess emission and absorption features is warm, collisionally ionized gas with a temperature of ~106 K. Simple multiphase models (cooling flow, two phases) modified by both intervening Galactic absorption and by a single oxygen edge provide good fits and yield temperatures and Fe abundances of the hot gas that agree with previous determinations by ASCA and SAX. The multiphase models of M87 inferred from the PSPC can account for the excess EUV emission observed with EUVE and the excess X-ray absorption inferred from Einstein and ASCA data above 0.5 keV. This evidence for a multiphase warm+hot interstellar medium in M87 essentially confirms the original detection by Canizares et al. within the central ~2' using the Einstein FPCS. Although the total mass of the warm gas implied by the oxygen absorption is consistent with the matter deposited by a cooling flow, the suppression of the mass deposition rate and the distortion of the X-ray isophotes in the region where the radio emission is most pronounced suggest some feedback effect from the active galactic nucleus on the cooling gas.
Predictability of EEG interictal spikes

To determine whether EEG spikes are predictable, time series of EEG spike intervals were generated from subdural and depth electrode recordings from four patients. The intervals between EEG spikes were hand edited to ensure high accuracy and eliminate false positive and negative spikes. Spike rates (per minute) were generated from longer time series, but for these data hand editing was usually not feasible. Linear and nonlinear models were fit to both types of data. One patient had no linear or nonlinear predictability, two had predictability that could be well accounted for with a linear stochastic model, and one had a degree of nonlinear predictability for both interval and rate data that no linear model could adequately account for.
An experimental investigation on the collision behaviour of hydrocarbon droplets

The collisional dynamics of equal-sized water and normal-alkane droplets, in the 150 μm radius range, have been experimentally studied for situations involving 0(1) droplet Weber numbers and head-on to grazing impact parameters. Results show that in the parametric range investigated the behaviour of hydrocarbon droplets is significantly more complex than that of water droplets. For head-on collisions, while permanent coalescence always results for water droplets, the outcome is quite nonmonotonic for the hydrocarbon droplets in that, with increasing droplet Weber number, the collision can result in permanent coalescence, bouncing, permanent coalescence again, and coalescence followed by separation with or without production of satellite droplets. Similar complexities exist for off-centre collisions. Phenomenological explanations are offered for these observations based on the material properties of the fluids, the relative influences of the normal and shearing aspects of the collision, and the nature and extent of energy dissipation due to droplet deformation during collision.
An average modeling approach for mobile refrigeration hybrid power systems with improved battery simulation

This paper presents averaging-based models of hybrid electric power systems for refrigeration units in delivery trucks. The model is intended to be used for a system-level power and energy flow study and eventually for a development of prototypes. Challenges unique to this hybrid application, including the thermal system interface, drive cycle response, and battery management, are introduced. The system topology is presented, including the hybrid power architecture, electrical-thermal system specifications, and the integrated model operation and controls. The modeling approach for each electrical component, including ac machines, the battery set, and converters, is discussed. An average modeling technique is used, because it can track system-level power and efficiency over a long time interval with fast simulation. Battery simulation is improved from previous literature to provide a more accurate and robust solution. The model, interfaced with the thermal system, is verified by simulation studies in MATLAB/Simulink. The average model is also validated through experiments, including an active front end test, a battery test, and a variable speed ac motor drive test. Using the model, energy and cost-effectiveness is analyzed and discussed.
Multiple Genes for Essential-Hypertension Susceptibility on Chromosome 1q

Essential hypertension, defined as elevated levels of blood pressure (BP) without any obvious cause, is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke, and renal disease. BP levels and susceptibility to development of essential hypertension are partially determined by genetic factors that are poorly understood. Similar to other efforts to understand complex, non-Mendelian phenotypes, genetic dissection of hypertension-related traits employs genomewide linkage analyses of families and association studies of patient cohorts, to uncover rare and common disease alleles, respectively. Family-based mapping studies of elevated BP cover the large intermediate ground for identification of genes with common variants of significant effect. Our genomewide linkage and candidate-gene-based association studies demonstrate that a replicated linkage peak for BP regulation on human chromosome 1q, homologous to mouse and rat quantitative trait loci for BP, contains at least three genes associated with BP levels in multiple samples: ATP1B1, RGS5, and SELE. Individual variants in these three genes account for 2-5-mm Hg differences in mean systolic BP levels, and the cumulative effect reaches 8-10 mm Hg. Because the associated alleles in these genes are relatively common (frequency >5%), these three genes are important contributors to elevated BP in the population at large.
Description of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in burn patients

Abstract Background Longer survival in burn patients has resulted in more infectious complications, typically with Klebsiella pneumoniae , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Acinetobacter baumannii , and Staphylococcus aureus . Although Streptococcus pneumoniae infections are common in the community and can cause nosocomial infections, the incidence and risk factors for pneumococcal infections in burn patients is unclear. Methods We performed an electronic retrospective chart review to collect rates of and risk factors for S. pneumoniae infections in patients with thermal burns from March 2003 through June 2008. Results Of the 1838 patients admitted to the burn center, 10 were infected (0.54% incidence). Patients presented with pneumonia (seven patients, 0.38% incidence) and bacteremia (three patients, 0.16% incidence) within a week of initial burn (median 1 day, range 0–8), often in the setting of bacterial co-infection (five patients). This group was mainly young males with median 28.8% total body surface area burns; 60% had concomitant inhalational injury. Most did not have traditional risk factors for pneumococcal infection but had objective signs of infection at time of positive culture and were treated with appropriate antibiotics. Two patients in this series died, although no mortality was attributed to S. pneumoniae . Conclusions Pneumococcal disease is not common in burn patients and generally occurs early on in hospitalization after burn making it more likely to be a community-acquired pathogen rather than nosocomial in the burn population. It should be considered in the setting of sepsis or new pulmonary infiltrates within a week after burn, but typical empiric antibiotics against the usual burn pathogens should be adequate to also treat for pneumococcal infection.
Fluoroscopically Guided Percutaneous Disk Aspiration in 10 Dogs With Diskospondylitis

Fluoroscopically guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration of the intervertebral disk space was performed in 10 dogs with diskospondylitis. Positive bacterial cultures were obtained from 9 of 12 aspirated disk spaces, 1 of 6 blood cultures, and 6 of 10 urine cultures. Positive disk cultures were obtained from 2 dogs with negative blood and urine cultures and from 2 additional dogs with low numbers of Staphylococcus in urine cultures. Adverse clinical sequelae of the procedure were not noted. Percutaneous fine-needle aspiration of the intervertebral disk space is an alternative technique to surgical biopsy to obtain positive bacterial cultures from dogs with diskospondylitis.
Changes in thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels in hippocampal subregions induced by a model of human temporal lobe epilepsy: effect of partial and complete kindling

Abstract Endogenous thyrotropin-releasing hormone has been hypothesized to modulate seizure activity, possibly by subserving an anticonvulsant function in limbic brain. A specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay was utilized to quantitate thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels in dorsoventrally dissected hippocampal subregions after partially (an experimental paradigm of complex partial epilepsy) or fully kindled (repeated generalized) seizures, to define specific seizure-related limbic pathways that may contain thyrotropin-releasing hormone. Samples were taken from electrode controls and 1, 6, 24, 48 and 144 h after a fully kindled seizure or 24 h after the first occurrence of a stage 3–4 (partially kindled) seizure in rats. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels were below controls in all subregions taken 1 h after a fully kindled seizure. They resembled control values 6 h after seizure, were substantially elevated at 24 and 48 h, and then returned to control levels by 144 h. Low thyrotropin-releasing hormone levels seen shortly after the seizure presumably indicate peptide depletion during the ictus. The higher levels seen at later times occurred during a postictal period coinciding with refraction to additional seizure-generating stimulation. These values probably reflect enhanced synthesis since the largest increases were seen in subregions (dentate gyrus, hilus/CA4, CA3) that contain perforant path terminals, and where previously observed intrinsic hippocampal thyrotropin-releasing hormone messenger RNA increases were seen. The thyrotropin-releasing hormone response was less robust in ventral hilus/CA4 and CA3 areas, leading to speculation that this smaller response could, in part, explain why the ventral (temporal) hippocampus may be more susceptible to seizure-induced damage. No changes in thyrotropin-releasing hormone were detected after partially kindled seizures, suggesting that thyrotropin-releasing hormone is not involved in epileptogenesis or its stereotypic motor behavior. The time-course and distribution of thyrotropin-releasing hormone elevations seen after a fully kindled (repeated generalized) seizure, and the lack of effect of partial kindling (complex partial seizure) are consistent with previous observations concerning postictal thyrotropin-releasing hormone messenger RNA expression. These neurochemical results support the hypothesis that endogenous thyrotropin-releasing hormone can serve an anticonvulsant neuromodulatory function in specific limbic pathways relevant to temporal lobe epilepsy.
Cell surface and substrate distribution of the 67-kDa laminin-binding protein determined by using a ligand photoaffinity probe.

Background: Peptide 11, a nine–amino acid sequence from the β1 chain of laminin-1, has been reported to inhibit tumor cell invasion of basement membranes, and to reduce tumor lung colonization (Iwamoto et al.: Science 238:1132–1134, 1987; Landowski et al.: Clin Exp Metastasis 13:357–372, 1995). The peptide is a ligand for the 32/67-kDa laminin-binding protein (LBP); however, the mechanism by which the 67-kDa LBP promotes invasion is unknown. Methods: We have synthesized a highly specific probe for the 67-kDa LBP by adding a biotinylated residue, and replacing the required tyrosine in peptide 11 with the photoactivatable bezophenone crosslinker, 4-benzoyl-l-phenylalanine. This probe was used to follow the distribution of the 67-kDa LBP by gel electrophoresis, fluorescence-activated cell scanning, and confocal microscopy techniques. Results: A single crosslinked protein, consistent with the high molecular weight form of the LBP, was found on Western blots of membrane detergent extracts from cells treated with the ligand probe. A CHO cell line, manipulated to overexpress the laminin-specific α6β1 integrin, exhibited increased invasiveness, and expressed more cell surface 67-kDa LBP. Membrane-associated 67-kDa LBP was found in the vicinity of focal adhesion plaques and also associated with the matrix substrate. Studies on conditioned medium indicated that the matrix-associated LBP derived from material that was shed from the cells, with more being shed from the more invasive CHO variants. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the utility of this novel probe in diverse experimental protocols, and suggest that shedding of the 67-kDa LBP may have a role in promoting tumor cell invasion. Cytometry 35:37-47, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comparison of equine pituitary extract and follicle stimulating hormone for superovulating mares.

Sixty light-horse, nonlactating mares were used to compare the efficacy of equine pituitary extract versus follicle stimulating hormone (FSH-P) for inducing multiple ovulations. On Day 12 of diestrus, mares were assigned to receive 1) no treatment, controls; 2) subcutaneous injections of 750 Fevold rat units of equine pituitary extract once daily; or 3) intramuscular injection of 150 mg of FSH-P twice daily. Ultrasound was used twice daily to visualize follicular changes and ovulation. For mares in Groups 2 and 3, treatment was initiated when two or more follicles > 20 mm were detected, and it continued until all large follicles (> 30 mm) had ovulated or regressed. Five milligrams of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2) were administered to mares in Groups 2 and 3 on the first day of treatment. Human chorionic gonadotropin (3,300 IU) was given to all groups of mares during estrus when a 35-mm follicle was detected. Ovulation rate was greater (P 30 mm and the size of the second largest follicle 1 and 2 d prior to ovulation when compared to controls. Overall, mares with multiple ovulations had more (P 30 mm on Day −6 through −1 (Day 0 = day of ovulation) than single ovulating mares. Those mares that had multiple ovulations had less (P < 0.05) size difference between the largest and second largest follicle when compared to single ovulating mares. In summary, FSH-P at the one dose studied was less effective than equine pituitary extract in inducing follicular activity and multiple ovulation in the mare.
Modeling of electrodialysis of metal ion removal from pulp and paper mill process stream

A theoretical model of an electrodialysis process for the removal of metal ions in process stream of the pulp and paper industry has been developed in this article. Based on a constant applied electric potential gradient as a power supply, the model starts from a differential equation of mass balance, and presents an analytical solution describing concentration profiles of cations as electrolytes in electrodialysis channels. The relationships among metal ion concentration, electrical current density, and removal efficiency are also discussed.
Palladium-catalyzed acylation of organozincs and other organometallics as a convenient route to ketones☆

Abstract The reaction of organozincs with acyl chlorides catalyzed by palladium-phosphine complexes, e.g., Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 , provides a highly general and convenient route to ketones.
THE PRO-APOPTOTIC PROTEIN BIM IS A CONVERGENCE POINT FOR CAMP/PROTEIN KINASE A- AND GLUCOCORTICOID-PROMOTED APOPTOSIS OF LYMPHOID CELLS

The mechanisms by which cAMP mediates apoptosis are not well understood. In the current studies, we used wild-type (WT) S49 T-lymphoma cells and the kin– variant (which lacks protein kinase A (PKA)) to examine cAMP/PKA-mediated apoptosis. The cAMP analog, 8-CPT-cAMP, increased phosphorylation of the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), activated caspase-3, and induced apoptosis in WT but not in kin– S49 cells. Using an array of 96 apoptosis-related genes, we found that treatment of WT cells with 8-CPT-cAMP for 24 h induced expression of mRNA for the pro-apoptotic gene, Bim. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that 8-CPT-cAMP increased Bim RNA in WT cells in 24 h. Bim protein expression increased in WT but not kin– cells treated with 8-CPT-cAMP or with the β-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol. Both apoptosis and Bim expression were reversible with removal of 8-CPT-cAMP after
ANTAGONISM BETWEEN PURINES IN PURINE-REQUIRING BACILLUS SUBTILIS MUTANTS.

Abstract Studies of antagonism between diaminopurine and adenine, and between guanine and adenine in four different types of purine-requiring mutants of Bacillus subtilis and in the parent strain, have revealed a specificity of antagonism that discriminates between the purine bases, the riboside and the ribotide, as well as between the ribotide isomers. Adenosine-3′-phosphate is more effective than the 2′-phosphate isomer as an inhibitor of one mutant strain, and as a growth factor for another. The relative efficiency of adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine in blocking the inhibitory effects of 6-mercaptopurine, 8-azaguanine, isoguanine, 2-azaadenine, and purine are compared. It appears that, at least in B. subtilis , the modes of action of 6-mercaptopurine, 2-azaadenine, and purine are each different and differ from the actions of 8-azaguanine and isoguanine. The latter two differ only in the blocking action of 2,6-diaminopurine.
Precision measurements of gamma-ray energies from 13.3 a 152Eu decay

Abstract The energies of 29 γ rays from the decay of 152 Eu have been determined in order to provide calibration energies for Ge γ-ray spectrometers. Particular emphasis is placed on those γ transitions resulting from the decay of the 152 Sm 1530 keV level. A least-squares adjustment to these 152 Sm γ transitions results in a set of recommended calibration lines.
The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope: Overview and early science results

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (formerly named GLAST) was designed and built by NASA, the United States Department of Energy, and agencies in France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Sweden. It launched in June of 2008 and has been observing the gamma-ray sky for over 6 months. This paper describes the mission overview and the mission systems; outlines how the instruments work; summarizes the on-orbit activation, and discusses the recent science highlights.
Geostatistical evaluation of permeability in an active fault zone

[1] This study presents a description of permeability in an active fault zone located in the Great Basin extensional province. The fault hydraulic structure is inferred from geostatistical analysis of temperatures in 143 geothermal springs, located along a fault trace in the Alvord Basin of southeast Oregon. Based on this analysis, we conclude that the fault zone is predominately low permeability, interspersed with relatively few, spatially-discrete, high-permeability channels. The conceptual model presented is in agreement with the findings of other investigators, but extends their work by offering a representation of fault properties at the tens to hundreds of meters scale.