cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microwave background anisotropy and hydrodynamic formation of large-scale structure

A test is proposed of the hypothesis that the large-scale distribution of galaxies is generated by large-scale pressure gradients in protogalactic gas, due to pregalactic explosions or other inhomogeneous energy sources at redshifts z< or approx. =10. Pressure inhomogeneities in hot gas lead to anisotropy in the microwae background via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Compton heating effect. The amplitude of the predicted anisotropy is estimated using simplified models is found to conflict with current upper limits. Several possible complications are considered and are found to increase the predicted anisotropy. Hydrodynamical effects may significantly affect the matter distribution on galactic scales but probably cannot produce the large-scale galaxy clustering on scales of the order of approx.10 Mpc without violating this constraint.
The Chemical Oxygen Demand of Waters and Biological Materials from Ponds

Abstract The rate of oxygen consumption by organisms in pond waters, as measured by a dark bottle technique for a 24-hr period, increased with increasing chemical oxygen demand (COD). Rate of oxygen consumption increased with temperature between 15 and 35 C (Q10values were 1.5 to 2.0). At the same level of COD, oxygen consumption was greater in unaltered pond water than in water in which the plankton was heat-killed and oxygen was utilized only by bacteria and other decomposers. COD was positively correlated with increasing concentrations of chlorophyll in pond waters. The amount of COD in soluble organic matter ranged from 20.2 to 95.0% of the total COD. The percentage of the COD in the soluble fraction decreased with increasing quantities of phytoplankton. The average amounts of oxygen (mg oxygen/mg dry wt) required to completely oxidize various types of biological material were; phytoplankton from pure cultures 1.29, macroscopic algae 1.00, higher aquatic plants 0.99, particulate matter from pond water...
Young research investigators honored at the 2008 and 2009 Gordon research conferences on photosynthesis: ambiance and a personal perspective

I provide here a personal perspective on (i) the awards that were given to young investigators at the 2008 and 2009 Gordon Research Conferences on Biochemistry/Biophysics of Photosynthesis; and (ii) the ambiance at these conferences through some photographs, particularly of the 2009 conference.
No need to be HAMLET or BAMLET to interact with histones: Binding of monomeric α-lactalbumin to histones and basic poly-amino acids

The ability of a specific complex of human α-lactalbumin with oleic acid (HAMLET) to induce cell death with selectivity for tumor and undifferentiated cells was shown recently to be mediated by interaction of HAMLET with histone proteins irreversibly disrupting chromatin structure [Duringer, C., et al. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 42131−42135]. Here we show that monomeric α-lactalbumin (α-LA) in the absence of fatty acids is also able to bind efficiently to the primary target of HAMLET, histone HIII, regardless of Ca2+ content. Thus, the modification of α-LA by oleic acid is not required for binding to histones. We suggest that interaction of negatively charged α-LA with the basic histone stabilizes apo-α-LA and destabilizes the Ca2+-bound protein due to compensation for excess negative charge of α-LA's Ca2+-binding loop by positively charged residues of the histone. Spectrofluorimetric curves of titration of α-LA by histone H3 were well approximated by a scheme of cooperative binding of four α-LA molecules...
Geometrical energy derivative evaluation with MRCI wave functions

The theory of MCSCF and CI energy derivatives with respect to geometrical variations is briefly reviewed with special attention given to the MCSCF and MRCI energy gradients. A computational procedure is proposed for MRCI energy gradients that does not require the solution to any “coupled-perturbed MCSCF” equations, it does not require any expensive direct-CI matrix-vector products involving derivative integrals, and it does not require any derivative integrals to be transformed from the AO basis to the MO basis. An additional feature is that it does not require any changes to existing MCSCF gradient evaluation programs in order to compute MRCI gradients. The only difference in the two cases is the exact nature of the data passed to the gradient evaluation program from the previous steps in the computational procedure. The additional effort required to compute the entire MRCI energy gradient vector is approximately that required for one additional iteration of the MRCI diagonalization procedure and for one additional MCSCF iteration. For large scale MRCI wave functions, the MRCI energy gradient evaluation should only require about 10% of the effort of computing the wave function itself. This computational procedure removes a major computational botleneck of potential energy surface evaluation.
SPECIES-SPECIFIC VISITATION AND REMOVAL OF BAITS FOR DELIVERY OF PHARMACEUTICALS TO FERAL SWINE

Within the domestic swine industry there is growing trepidation about the role feral swine (Sus scrofa) play in the maintenance and transmission of important swine diseases. Innovative disease management tools for feral swine are needed. We used field trials conducted in southern Texas from February to March 2006 to compare species-specific visitation and removal rates of fish-flavored and vegetable-flavored baits with and without commercially available raccoon (Procyon lotor) repellent (trial 1) and removal rates of baits deployed in a systematic and cluster arrangement (trial 2). During trial 1, 1) cumulative bait removal rates after four nights ranged from 93% to 98%; 2) bait removal rates by feral swine, raccoons, and collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) did not differ by treatment; and 3) coyotes (Canis latrans) removed more fish-flavored baits without raccoon repellent and white-tailed deer removed more vegetable-flavored baits without raccoon repellent than expected. During trial 2, feral swine removed fish-flavored baits distributed in a cluster arrangement (eight baits within 5 m 2 ) at a rate greater than expected. Our observed bait removal rates illustrate bait attractiveness to feral swine. However, the diverse assemblage of omnivores in the United States compared with Australia where the baits were manufactured adds complexity to the development of a feral swine-specific baiting system for pharmaceutical delivery.
NMR Paramagnetic Relaxation of the Spin 2 Complex MnIIITSPP: A Unique Mechanism

The S = 2 complex, manganese(III) meso-tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine chloride (MnIIITSPP) is a highly efficient relaxation agent with respect to water protons and has been studied extensively as a possible MRI contrast agent. The NMR relaxation mechanism has several unique aspects, key among which is the unusual role of zero-field splitting (zfs) interactions and the effect of these interactions on the electron spin dynamics. The principal determinant of the shape of the R1 magnetic relaxation dispersion (MRD) profile is the tetragonal 4th-order zfs tensor component, , which splits the levels of the mS = ±2 non-Kramers doublet. When the splitting due to exceeds the Zeeman splitting, the matrix elements of 〈Sz〉 are driven into coherent oscillation, with the result that the NMR paramagnetic relaxation enhancement is suppressed. To confirm the fundamental aspects of this mechanism, proton R1 MRD data have been collected on polyacrylamide gel samples in which MnIIITSPP is reorientationally immobilized. Sol...
The nature of the branches in poly(vinyl chloride)

The presence of branches in poly(vinyl chloride) as indicated by previous IR measurements on the polymer reduced to polyethylene by means of lithium aluminum hydride is believed to affect materially the morphology and solid state properties of poly(vinyl chloride); however, up to the present, the nature of these branches has not been known. By use of 13C-NMR on reduced poly(vinyl chloride) it is demonstrated that the brances are methyl groups, presumably corresponding to chloromethyl groups in the original polymer. In the sample studied, the frequency is ca. 3 methyl groups per 1000 CH2 groups, but this is expected to depend on the temperature of polymerization. There is also some evidence for long branches, probably not exceeding 1 per 1000 CH2 groups. IR-spektroskopische Untersuchungen von Polyathylen-Proben, dargestellt durch Reduktion von Polyvinylchlorid mit Lithiumaluminiumhydrid, liesen darauf schliesen, das Polyvinylchlorid Seitenketten enthalt, die seine Morphologie und Festkorpereigenschaften wesentlich beeinflussen. Die Natur dieser Seitenketten war bisher unbekannt. Es wird anhand von 13C-NMR Spektren gezeigt, das die Verzweigungen in reduziertem Polyvinylchlorid aus Methylgruppen bestehen, die vermutlich aus Chlormethylgruppen des ursprunglichen Polymeren entstanden sind. Die untersuchte Probe enthielt ca. 3 CH3-Gruppen pro 1000 CH2-Gruppen, jedoch is dieses Verhaltnis vermutlich von der Polymerisationstemperatur abhangig. Zusatzlich wurden Anzeichen fur langere Seitenketten gefunden, die allerdings nur in einem Ausmas von weniger als 1 pro 1000 CH2-Gruppen vorhanden sein durften.
Accurately quantifying low-abundant targets amid similar sequences by revealing hidden correlations in oligonucleotide microarray data

Microarrays have enabled the determination of how thousands of genes are expressed to coordinate function within single organisms. Yet applications to natural or engineered communities where different organisms interact to produce complex properties are hampered by theoretical and technological limitations. Here we describe a general method to accurately identify low-abundant targets in systems containing complex mixtures of homologous targets. We combined an analytical predictor of nonspecific probe-target interactions (cross-hybridization) with an optimization algorithm that iteratively deconvolutes true probe-target signal from raw signal affected by spurious contributions (cross-hybridization, noise, background, and unequal specific hybridization response). The method was capable of quantifying, with unprecedented specificity and accuracy, ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences in artificial and natural communities. Controlled experiments with spiked rRNA into artificial and natural communities demonstrated the accuracy of identification and quantitative behavior over different concentration ranges. Finally, we illustrated the power of this methodology for accurate detection of low-abundant targets in natural communities. We accurately identified Vibrio taxa in coastal marine samples at their natural concentrations (<0.05% of total bacteria), despite the high potential for cross-hybridization by hundreds of different coexisting rRNAs, suggesting this methodology should be expandable to any microarray platform and system requiring accurate identification of low-abundant targets amid pools of similar sequences.
Zirconium and hafnium in meteorites by activation analysis

Zirconium and hafnium have been determined in 28 chondrites and 7 achondritea by the use of thermal and 14 MeV neutron activation analyses. The distribution pattern of these elements in the three major classes of chondrites showed that the order of atomic abundances for both elements relative to silicon (Si = 106 atoms) was: carbonaceous chondrites > ordinary chondrites > enstatite chondrites. Average atomic abundances of 13 atoms Zr (Si = 106 atoms) and 0.19 atom Hf (Si = 106 atoms) were established for the chondrites. The calcium-rich achondrites were observed to be enriched in these elements relative to the chondrites while an opposite trend was noted for the calcium-poor achondrites. The average ZrHf ratio on a weight basis for all the stony meteorites analyzed in this work was 43, a value which is in good agreement with that reported in the literature for the earth's crust. Based on this ratio, no significant fractionation of these elements between the earth and meteorites is implied.
Regulating methylphenidate: enhancing cognition and social inequality.

Veljko Dubljevic (2013) contends that the appropriate regulation for extended-release methylphenidate is a moderately liberal permissive model. He claims the Economic Disincentives Model (EDM) is t...
Seismic gaps and source zones of recent large earthquakes in coastal Peru

The earthquakes of central coastal Peru occur principally in two distinct zones of shallow earthquake activity that are inland of and parallel to the axis of the Peru Trench. The interface-thrust (IT) zone includes the great thrust-fault earthquakes of 17 October 1966 and 3 October 1974. The coastal-plate interior (CPI) zone includes the great earthquake of 31 May 1970, and is located about 50 km inland of and 30 km deeper than the interface thrust zone. The occurrence of a large earthquake in one zone may not relieve elastic strain in the adjoining zone, thus complicating the application of the seismic gap concept to central coastal Peru. However, recognition of two seismic zones may facilitate detection of seismicity precursory to a large earthquake in a given zone ; removal of probable CPI-zone earthquakes from plots of seismicity prior to the 1974 main shock dramatically emphasizes the high seismic activity near the rupture zone of that earthquake in the five years preceding the main shock. Other conclusions on the seismicity of coastal Peru that affect the application of the seismic gap concept to this region are: (1) Aftershocks of the great earthquakes of 1966, 1970, and 1974 occurred in spatially separated clusters. Some clusters may represent distinct small source regions triggered by the main shock rather than delimiting the total extent of main-shock rupture. The uncertainty in the interpretation of aftershock clusters results in corresponding uncertainties in estimates of stress drop and estimates of the dimensions of the seismic gap that has been filled by a major earthquake. (2) Aftershocks of the great thrust-fault earthquakes of 1966 and 1974 generally did not extend seaward as far as the Peru Trench. (3) None of the three great earthquakes produced significant teleseismic activity in the following month in the source regions of the other two earthquakes. The earthquake hypocenters that form the basis of this study were relocated using station adjustments computed by the method of joint hypocenter determination.
Reducing the pixel density required for three-dimensional wavefront-modulating and two-dimensional displays

Wavefront-modulating (holographic) displays have the potential to become the ultimate 3D display, producing most of the visual cues necessary to experience depth. One of the main constraints in producing such displays is the high density of pixels that is required. Using gradient-index pixels (GrIPs), we show how the number of pixels, and hence the complexity of the display, may be reduced by orders of magnitude. With current liquid crystal display technology it is feasible to build such displays. The concept of the GrIPs may be applied to 2D displays, in which the amplitude rather than the phase is graded across each pixel. We show that these pixels have the potential to improve the image quality or reduce the pixel count in 2D displays.
Partiality and Intrinsic Value.

The fitting-attitudes analysis of value, which states that something's being good consists in its being the fitting object of some pro-attitude, has recently been the focus of intense debate. Many objections have been leveled against this analysis. One objection to it concerns the ‘challenge from partiality’, according to which it can be fitting to display partiality toward objects of equal value. Several responses to the challenge have been proposed. This paper criticizes these and other responses and then offers a response that, it is claimed, solves the challenge.
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Objectives To assess the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by U.S. adults reporting neuropsychiatric symptoms and whether this prevalence changes based on the number of symptoms reported. Additional objectives include identifying patterns of CAM use, reasons for use, and disclosure of use with conventional providers in U.S. adults with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Design Secondary database analysis of a prospective survey. Participants A total of 23,393 U.S. adults from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. Methods We compared CAM use between adults with and without neuropsychiatric symptoms. Symptoms included self-reported anxiety, depression, insomnia, headaches, memory deficits, attention deficits, and excessive sleepiness. CAM use was defined as use of mind−body therapies (eg, meditation), biological therapies (eg, herbs), or manipulation therapies (eg, massage) or alternative medical systems (eg, Ayurveda). Statistical analysis included bivariable comparisons and multivariable logistical regression analyses. Main Outcome Measures The prevalence of CAM use among adults with neuropsychiatric symptoms within the previous 12 months and the comparison of CAM use between those with and without neuropsychiatric symptoms. Results Adults with neuropsychiatric symptoms had a greater prevalence of CAM use compared with adults who did not have neuropsychiatric symptoms (43.8% versus 29.7%, P P P Conclusion More than 40% of adults with neuropsychiatric symptoms commonly observed in many diagnoses use CAM; an increasing number of symptoms was associated with an increased likelihood of CAM use.
Isolability of faults in sensor fault diagnosis

Abstract A major concern with fault detection and isolation (FDI) methods is their robustness with respect to noise and modeling uncertainties. With this in mind, several approaches have been proposed to minimize the vulnerability of FDI methods to these uncertainties. But, apart from the algorithm used, there is a theoretical limit on the minimum effect of noise on detectability and isolability. This limit has been quantified in this paper for the problem of sensor fault diagnosis based on direct redundancies. In this study, first a geometric approach to sensor fault detection is proposed. The sensor fault is isolated based on the direction of residuals found from a residual generator. This residual generator can be constructed from an input–output or a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based model. The simplicity of this technique, compared to the existing methods of sensor fault diagnosis, allows for more rational formulation of the isolability concepts in linear systems. Using this residual generator and the assumption of Gaussian noise, the effect of noise on isolability is studied, and the minimum magnitude of isolable fault in each sensor is found based on the distribution of noise in the measurement system. Finally, some numerical examples are presented to clarify this approach.
Effect of diet on caffeine elimination in healthy infants

This study was designed to assess the impact of infant diet on the acquisition of CYP1A2 activity in healthy infants as measured by caffeine (CAF) elimination. Methods: Neonates were seen at 2 wk, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 mo where they received oral CAF (7 mg/kg). Serum CAF concentrations were assessed on alternating visits for estimation of CAF elimination rate constant (ke). Urine was collected for 24 hr following dosing for metabolite determination. Results: To date, 33 infants have been enrolled with18 having completed all 6 study visits. Substantial inter-individual variation in CAF ke was observed at 2 wks (0.013±0.009 hr−1) that appeared unrelated to post-conceptional age, diet, gender, or tobacco smoke exposure. A marked increase in CAF ke was observed between 2 wks (0.011 hr−1 95%CI [0.009,0.014]) and 8 wks (0.027 hr−1 [0.018,0.040]) postnatal age (P<0.001) and continued to increase at subsequent visits. CAF ke was not different between breast- (BF) and formula-fed (FF) infants at their first study visit but was significantly greater in FF infants (0.038 hr−1 [0.027,0.054]) vs BF (0.013 hr−1 [0.007,0.029]) infants at 8 weeks postnatal age (p = .011). Conclusions: 1) The form of infant feeding appears to alter the developmental profile for CYP1A2 expression (as reflected by CAF elimination). 2) Accelerated caffeine elimination in FF as opposed to BF infants supports a role for dietary modulation of CYP1A2 activity in healthy infants. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P50–P50; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.188
Matrix-embedded silicon quantum dots for photovoltaic applications: a theoretical study of critical factors

Si Quantum dots (QD's) are offering the possibilities for improving the efficiency and lowering the cost of solar cells. In this paper we study the PV-related critical factors that may affect design of Si QDs solar cell by performing atomistic calculation including many-body interaction. First, we find that the weak absorption in bulk Si is significantly enhanced in Si QDs, specially in small dot size, due to quantum-confinement induced mixing of Γ-character into the X-like conduction band states. We demonstrate that the atomic symmetry of Si QD also plays an important role on its bandgap and absorption spectrum. Second, quantum confinement has a detrimental effect on another PV property – it significantly enhances the exciton binding energy in Si QDs, leading to difficulty in charge separation. We observe universal linear dependence of exciton binding energy versus excitonic gap for all Si QDs. Knowledge of this universal linear function will be helpful to obtain experimentally the exciton binding energy by just measuring the optical gap without requiring knowledge on dot shape, size, and surface treatment. Third, we evaluate the possibility of resonant charge transport in an array of Si QDs via miniband channels created by dot-dot coupling. We show that for such charge transport the Si QDs embedded into a matrix should have tight size tolerances and be very closely spaced. Fourth, we find that the loss of quantum confinement effect induced by dot-dot coupling is negligible – smaller than 70 meV even for two dots at intimate contact.
Needling Revision of Glaucoma Drainage Device Filtering Blebs

Abstract Purpose: Needling revision is an accepted method of management of poorly functioning trabeculectomy blebs. The authors present the outcome of the analogous needling revision of poorly functioning filtering blebs over glaucoma drainage device (GDD) reservoirs. Methods: Review of 20 patients (21 eyes) who underwent needling to the bleb overlying the GDD reservoir, with or without adjunctive 5-fluorouracil injection. Results: In the nine eyes (43%) that were considered successes (defined as intraocular pressure [IOP] less than or equal to 21 mmHg and decrease in IOP greater than or equal to 20% with no additional medication or glaucoma surgery), the mean IOP fell from 28.3 ± 6.4 mmHg to 13.9 ± 2.7 mmHg at last follow-up, after a mean of 1.7 needlings (range, 1–3 needlings) with mean follow-up of 14.6 months (range, 3–35 months). Needling success was associated with larger GDD surface area (mean, 267 ± 95 mm 2 vs. 179 ± 79 mm 2 in eyes needled unsuccessfully, P = 0.04) and use of Baerveldt implants (six of eight eyes needled successfully). Minor complications were few. Endophthalmitis developed in one patient (5% of all eyes) after needling. Conclusions: Needling revision can be useful in the management of poorly functioning GDD blebs, although the risk for severe complications exists.
Some optimal schemes for ALU implementation in VLSI technology

An efficient scheme for carry propagation in an ALU implemented in n-MOS technology is presented. An algorithm that determines the optimum division of the carry chain of a parallel adder for various data path sizes is developed. This yields an implementation of a fast ALU which due to its regular structure occupies a modest amount of silicon. The speed of the implementation described is comparable to the carry look-ahead scheme. Our method is based on the optimization of the carry path implemented in n-MOS technology but the results can be applied to other technologies.
Comparing Continuous versus Static Measurements in Music Listeners' Preferences

In this investigation, we compared listeners' preferential ratings of art music, derived by conventional static ratings taken through 10-point Likert-type scales, and continuous ratings taken throu...
Contemporary Athletics and Ancient Greek Ideals By Daniel A. Dombrowski. Published 2009 by The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. (167 pp.) ISBN 978-0-226-15546-3

(2010). Contemporary Athletics and Ancient Greek Ideals By Daniel A. Dombrowski. Published 2009 by The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. (167 pp.) ISBN 978-0-226-15546-3. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 122-125.
Functional differences between two classes of sodium channels in developing rat skeletal muscle

Excitability is generated in developing skeletal muscle by the incorporation of sodium-selective ion channels into the surface membrane. Whole-cell and patch voltage-clamp recording from myotubes and their embryologic precursors, myoblasts, indicated that voltage-activated sodium current in myoblasts was more resistant to block by tetrodotoxin (TTX) than that in myotubes. Single-channel recording from both cell types showed two classes of sodium channels. One class had a lower single-channel conductance, activated at more hyperpolarized voltages, and was more resistant to TTX than the other. The proportion of TTX-resistant to TTX-sensitive sodium channels was higher in myoblasts than in myotubes. Thus, the difference in TTX sensitivity between myoblasts and myotubes can be explained by a difference in the proportion of the two classes of sodium channels. In addition, the lower conductance of TTX-resistant channels provides insight into the relationship between the TTX binding site and the external mouth of the sodium channel.
Proteolytic elimination of N -myristoyl modifications by the Shigella virulence factor IpaJ

An irreversible mechanism of protein demyristoylation catalysed by invasion plasmid antigen J (IpaJ), a Shigella flexneri type III effector protein with cysteine protease activity, is described. Nearly one per cent of eukaryotic proteins are modified with N-myristoyl groups that facilitate dynamic protein–protein and protein–membrane interactions. This means that N-myristoylation is important for cellular signaling but also makes it an inviting target for pathogens seeking to modulate a host cell's signalling landscape. Neal Alto and colleagues describe a previously unrecognized pathogenic mechanism involving irreversible protein demyristoylation catalysed by IpaJ, a Shigella flexneri type III effector protein with cysteine protease activity. IpaJ cleaves an array of N-myristoylated proteins involved in cellular growth, signal transduction, autophagasome maturation and organelle function. Protein N-myristoylation is a 14-carbon fatty-acid modification that is conserved across eukaryotic species and occurs on nearly 1% of the cellular proteome1,2. The ability of the myristoyl group to facilitate dynamic protein–protein and protein–membrane interactions (known as the myristoyl switch) makes it an essential feature of many signal transduction systems3. Thus pathogenic strategies that facilitate protein demyristoylation would markedly alter the signalling landscape of infected host cells. Here we describe an irreversible mechanism of protein demyristoylation catalysed by invasion plasmid antigen J (IpaJ), a previously uncharacterized Shigella flexneri type III effector protein with cysteine protease activity. A yeast genetic screen for IpaJ substrates identified ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF)1p and ARF2p, small molecular mass GTPases that regulate cargo transport through the Golgi apparatus4. Mass spectrometry showed that IpaJ cleaved the peptide bond between N-myristoylated glycine-2 and asparagine-3 of human ARF1, thereby providing a new mechanism for host secretory inhibition by a bacterial pathogen5,6. We further demonstrate that IpaJ cleaves an array of N-myristoylated proteins involved in cellular growth, signal transduction, autophagasome maturation and organelle function. Taken together, these findings show a previously unrecognized pathogenic mechanism for the site-specific elimination of N-myristoyl protein modification.
Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders in Inclusive School Settings

Students with ASD present unique challenges to school systems. Despite these challenges, federal laws require that schools implement research-based practices in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The LRE is often deemed to be the general education classroom and the primary intervention agent is often the classroom teacher. Ensuring students with ASD receive effective intervention in these least restrictive and inclusive school settings will depend, in part, on the extent to which teachers and school personnel are prepared to implement research-based interventions. The purpose of this article is to provide a summary of research-based interventions for students with ASD. Our focus in this summary is on interventions that can be implemented in inclusive school settings by teachers and classroom support personnel. We first provide a general overview of interventions designed to reduce challenging behavior, teach communication skills, and improve social relationships. This is followed by a discussion of the obstacles to intervention implementation that may be present in school settings. Finally, we conclude by offering a list of intervention guidelines. P UBLIC schools should provide an ideal mechanism for delivering interventions for autism, as children are in school for many hours a day and for the majority of their developing years. This provides opportunity to deliver an intensive, comprehensive intervention focusing on improving communication and socialization, and expanding the autistic child's interests. Further, if the educational program is coordinated with parent education, a substantial portion of the child’s day can be covered with intervention in the natural environment. Such intensive and coordinated programs correspond with recommendations made by the National Research Council (2001) for comprehensive intervention for autism. Yet, delivering these services through the school system is challenging. Research findings related to addressing these challenges are described in detail in this article. The number of public school children in the United States diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased and may now be as high as 1 case per 110 students (Center for Disease Control, 2010). Students with ASD often fail to develop meaningful social relationships with teachers and classmates, may struggle to communicate (in some instances totally lacking spoken language), and are likely to engage in challenging behavior, ranging from tantrums to self-injury, aggression, and property destruction (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychi
Analysis of the Adhesion Step in the Herpes Simplex Virus Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity System

An antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) system in which herpes simplex virus-infected Chang liver cells are used was assessed for its dependency on cellular energy, ribonucleic acid and protein synthesis, and cytoskeletal structures such as microfilaments and microtubules. The cytotoxic reaction was only slightly inhibited when glycolysis was blocked in a glucose-free medium containing 10−2 M 2-deoxy-d-glucose. It was more substantially inhibited when respiration was blocked with 10−2 M sodium azide. The reaction was totally ablated, however, only when both glycolysis and respiration were suppressed. This inhibitory effect of energy deprivation was mediated solely at the level of the effector cell. Ribonucleic acid synthesis or protein synthesis by the effector cells was not required, as shown by the fact that neither actinomycin D, cycloheximide, nor emetine significantly inhibited ADCC. The ADCC reaction was partially inhibited by cytochalasin B, whose inhibitory effect was rapidly reversible, and was completely and irreversibly inhibited by cytochalasin A. Cytochalasin A acted on the effector cells rather than the target cells. The reaction was also partially inhibited by colchicine, whose inhibitory effect was directed solely against the effector cells and was slowly reversible. The inhibitory effects of cytochalasin B and colchicine, when used in tandem at submaximal inhibitory concentrations, were slightly more than additive. The results suggest a cooperative role for effector cell microfilaments and microtubules in mediating ADCC. Kinetic studies of ongoing herpes simplex virus ADCC reactions after initial centrifugation showed that the lytic step requires expenditure of metabolic energy as well as intact function of both microfilaments and microtubules. These findings, in concert with previous data, indicate that the ADCC process against herpes simplex virus-infected Chang liver cells can be resolved into adhesion and lytic steps. The lytic step can be readily distinguished from the adhesion step by its increased sensitivity to low ambient temperature or metabolic energy deprivation, its sensitivity to thermal inactivation, its requirements for extracellular divalent cations, and its dependence on normal function of both microfilaments and microtubules.
Mediators of Change for Multisystemic Therapy with Juvenile Sexual Offenders

The mediators of favorable multisystemic therapy (MST) outcomes achieved at 12 months postrecruitment were examined within the context of a randomized effectiveness trial with 127 juvenile sexual offenders and their caregivers. Outcome measures assessed youth delinquency, substance use, externalizing symptoms, and deviant sexual interest/risk behaviors; hypothesized mediators included measures of parenting and peer relations. Data were collected at pretreatment, 6 months postrecruitment, and 12 months postrecruitment. Consistent with the MST theory of change and the small extant literature in this area of research, analyses showed that favorable MST effects on youth antisocial behavior and deviant sexual interest/risk behaviors were mediated by increased caregiver follow-through on discipline practices as well as decreased caregiver disapproval of and concern about the youth's bad friends during the follow-up. These findings have important implications for the community-based treatment of juvenile sexual offenders.
Pearls & oy-sters: hyperdense or pseudohyperdense MCA sign: a Damocles sword?

Unenhanced CT of the head is usually the first diagnostic study performed for the investigation of acute neurologic signs and symptoms. Specific diagnostic features are helpful for accurate and prompt management of these patients. A hyperdense sign of the MCA was first described in 19831 as an indirect sign of ischemic stroke. Subsequently, numerous articles have detailed the causes of this sign, measured the attenuation differences …
Acute care surgery: defining mortality in emergency general surgery in the state of Maryland.

Background Emergency general surgery (EGS) is a major component of acute care surgery, however, limited data exist on mortality with respect to trauma center (TC) designation. We hypothesized that mortality would be lower for EGS patients treated at a TC vs non-TC (NTC). Study Design A retrospective review of the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission database from 2009 to 2013 was performed. The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma EGS ICD-9 codes were used to identify EGS patients. Data collected included demographics, TC designation, emergency department admissions, and All Patients Refined Severity of Illness (APR_SOI). Trauma center designation was used as a marker of a formal acute care surgery program. Primary outcomes included in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed controlling for age. Results There were 817,942 EGS encounters. Mean ± SD age of patients was 60.1 ± 18.7 years, 46.5% were males; 71.1% of encounters were at NTCs; and 75.8% were emergency department admissions. Overall mortality was 4.05%. Mortality was calculated based on TC designation controlling for age across APR_SOI strata. Multivariable logistic regression analysis did not show statistically significant differences in mortality between hospital levels for minor APR_SOI. For moderate APR_SOI, mortality was significantly lower for TCs compared with NTCs (p Conclusions Emergency general surgery patients treated at TCs had lower mortality for moderate APR_SOI, but increased mortality for extreme APR_SOI when compared with NTCs. Additional investigation is required to better evaluate this unexpected finding.
FastRoute: a step to integrate global routing into placement

Because of the increasing dominance of interconnect issues in advanced IC technology, placement has become a critical step in the IC design flow. To get accurate interconnect information during the placement process, it is desirable to incorporate global routing into it. However, previous global routers are computationally expensive. It is impractical to perform global routing repeatedly during placement. In this paper, we present an extremely fast and high-quality global router called FastRoute. In traditional global routing approaches, congestion is not considered during Steiner tree construction. So they have to rely on the time-consuming maze routing technique to eliminate routing congestion. Different from traditional approaches, we proposed a congestion-driven Steiner tree topology generation technique and an edge shifting technique to determine the good Steiner tree topologies and Steiner node positions. Based on the congestion-driven Steiner trees, we only need to apply maze routing to a small percentage of the two-pin nets once to obtain high quality global routing solutions. We also proposed a new cost function based on logistic function to direct the maze routing. Experimental results show that FastRoute generates less congested solutions in 132times and 64times faster runtimes than the state-of-the-art academic global routers Labyrinth (R. Kastner et al, 2000) and Chi Dispersion router (R. T. Hadsell and P. H. Madden, 2003), respectively. It is even faster than the highly-efficient congestion estimator FaDGloR (J. Westra and P. Groeneveld, 2005). The promising results make it possible to incorporate global routing directly into placement process without much runtime penalty. This could dramatically improve the placement solution quality. We believe this work will fundamentally change the way the EDA community look at and make use of global routing in the whole design flow
Rezagados durante la crisis económica: Pobreza entre adultos mayores en Costa Rica

The economic crisis at the beginning of the eighties had an impact on the 20 th -century Costa Rica in many different ways. Government programs were successful in reducing the proportion of poor people from a 35% in 1985 to a 23% in 2000. This article utilizes official household surveys corresponding to the period 1981-2002 and population census to perform an estimation of age, cohort and period effects, in order to show that poverty among the elderly can be understood as a cohort effect. Their poverty conditions are associated with their low schooling, mainly among men. The probability of having the right to a retirement pension and the fact that the people with lower educational level got low income during their late working years, mediate in the relationship between schooling and poverty as a cohort effect.
The discharge physics of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma sources

Summary form only given. In the past decade a number of inventive sources of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma have been introduced. Motivated by specific kinds of applications, these sources generate non-equilibrium plasmas that are either confined by electrodes or unbounded plasmas in the form of plasma-jets. In this paper the physics of these discharges is explored, with particular interest in their mechanisms for sustaining and stabilizing the discharge and also on their relation to low pressure discharges.
The Effects of Mandatory Seat Belt Laws on Motor Vehicle Fatalities in the United States

Objective. This article assesses the effectiveness of mandated seat belt usage. The theory of offsetting behavior asserts that when drivers feel safer, they compensate by driving less cautiously. As a consequence, any lifesaving effects from mandated safety devices such as seat belts could be significantly diminished or entirely offset. Methods. This article uses regression analysis and two years (1988 and 1997) of state-level data to test for the presence of offsetting behavior by estimating models explaining total and nonoccupant motor vehicle deaths. In addition to accounting for several factors generally acknowledged as being determinants of highway deaths, the models control for the impact of primary and secondary seat belt laws. Results. The findings suggest the existence of offsetting behavior by drivers of motor vehicles. Conclusions. We need to recognize the probability of such compensatory behavior and direct our efforts at ways of ameliorating the adverse effects.
Microarray Analysis of Uterine Epithelial Gene Expression during the Implantation Window in the Mouse

In mice, the uterus becomes transiently receptive to the hatched blastocyst on the day of implantation to allow its attachment to the luminal epithelium and subsequent invasion into the uterus. This uterine preparation for implantation is regulated by estradiol-17 and progesterone, acting through their transcription factor receptors. Using ovariectomized mice treated with physiological regimens of these hormones, combined with methods to isolate RNA specifically from the uterine epithelium followed by transcriptome analysis on cDNA microarrays, 222 genes whose transcript abundance was specifically increased by estradiol-17 and progesterone treatment were identified. Gene ontology analysis revealed an emphasis on genes involved with immune responses, extracellular matrix metabolism, and cell-to-cell communication. In situ hybridization to uterine sections isolated through the firs t6do fpregnancy identified novel sets of genes such as Bach, Myd88, Cd14, Isg20, and Lrp2 whose expression was restricted to the uterine epithelium during the implantation window. Particularly notable was the expression of the mRNA for members of the signaling pathway from the Toll-like receptors to its downstream targets such as Irg-1. The identification of these genes showing a cell type hormonally regulated pattern of expression in the uterus suggests novel functions for them during implantation. (Endocrinology 147: 4904–4916, 2006)
BODY TEMPERATURE AND ACTIVITY PATTERNS IN FREE-LIVING ARCTIC GROUND SQUIRRELS

We investigated influences of the thermal environment on patterns of body temperature (Tb), activity, and use of burrows during the active season in a population of free-living arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii). Arctic ground squirrels normally exhibited a daily 58C range in Tb, and had higher Tb when above ground than when in burrows (P , 0.0001). This difference decreased as standard operative temperature (Tes; an index of environmental heat load) increased. Ground squirrels entered burrows more frequently on warmer compared to average or cooler days and when Tb exceeded 398C. On cool days with heavy precipitation, ground squirrels remained almost exclusively below ground, and peaks in Tb were associated with brief aboveground forays. Time on the surface was maximal (about 80% between 0500 and 2200 h) at Tes ¼ 17‐338C and decreased proportionately with decreasing Tes from 178 Ct o� 28C. Forty-six percent of variation in timing of presence above ground could be explained by a series of thermal and nonthermal variables related to environmental heat transfer. This suggests that diurnal activity patterns in this arctic environment with 24-h daylight result from a strategy that minimizes thermoregulatory costs.
Single-step immunoaffinity purification and characterization of dodecylmaltoside-solubilized human neutrophil flavocytochrome b.

Abstract Flavocytochrome b (Cyt b) is a heterodimeric, integral membrane protein that serves as the central component of an electron transferase system employed by phagocytes for elimination of bacterial and fungal pathogens. This report describes a rapid and efficient single-step purification of Cyt b from human neutrophil plasma membranes by solubilization in the nonionic detergent dodecylmaltoside (DDM) and immunoaffinity chromatography. A similar procedure for isolation of Cyt b directly from intact neutrophils by a combination of heparin and immunoaffinity chromatography is also presented. The stability of Cyt b was enhanced in DDM relative to previously employed solubilizing agents as determined by both monitoring the heme spectrum in crude membrane extracts and assaying resistance to proteolytic degradation following purification. Gel filtration chromatography and dynamic light scattering indicated that DDM maintains a predominantly monodisperse population of Cyt b following immunoaffinity purification. The high degree of purity obtained with this isolation procedure allowed for direct determination of a 2:1 heme to protein stoichiometry, confirming previous structural models. Analysis of the isolated heterodimer by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry allowed for accurate mass determination of p22phox as indicated by the gene sequence. Affinity-purified Cyt b was functionally reconstituted into artificial bilayers and demonstrated that catalytic activity of the protein was efficiently retained throughout the purification procedure.
The Distribution and Development of Handedness for Manual Gestures in Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

This article describes the distribution and development of handedness for manual gestures in captive chimpanzees. Data on handedness for unimanual gestures were collected in a sample of 227 captive chimpanzees. Handedness for these gestures was compared with handedness for three other measures of hand use: tool use, reaching, and coordinated bimanual actions. Chimpanzees were significantly more right-handed for gestures than for all other measures of hand use. Hand use for simple reaching at 3 to 4 years of age predicted hand use for gestures 10 years later. Use of the right hand for gestures was significantly higher when gestures were accompanied by a vocalization than when they were not. The collective results suggest that left-hemisphere specialization for language may have evolved initially from asymmetries in manual gestures in the common ancestor of chimpanzees and humans, rather than from hand use associated with other, noncommunicative motor actions, including tool use and coordinated bimanual act...