cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Holmium oxide solution as a prototype intrinsic standard in molecular absorption spectrophotometry

Intrinsic standards can become an efficient mechanism for providing traceable reference materials for chemical spectrophotometry. The sealed holmium oxide (Ho2O3) in dilute acidic aqueous solution used by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology as Standard Reference Material 2034 is a candidate material for an intrinsic wavelength standard in the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions. Low mass fractions of Ho2O3 in glass and as Ho3+(aq) solutions have long been favored for use as wavelength calibration materials in molecular absorption spectrophotometry on the basis of their spectral coverage and absorption band shape. Three national metrology institutes of the North American Cooperation in Metrology evaluated the performance of Ho3+(aq) certified reference materials under "routine" operating conditions using commercial instrumentation. The resulting data show a substantial level of agreement while also demonstrating that the wavelength comparability of the five instruments used by the participants can actually be improved by calibrating all of the instruments to the consensus band locations of Ho3+(aq) solution. A similar approach is being considered to establish intrinsic absorbance standards.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Toxicity of extracts from disposable chopsticks, toothpicks, and paper cups on L-929 cells

Objective: To evaluate the toxicity of extracts from disposable chopsticks, toothpicks, and paper cups on L-929 cells. Methods: We followed national standards to prepare the extracts from disposable chopsticks, toothpicks, and paper cups used for the cell culture media, and the morphology of L-929 cells was observed with an optical microscope. The loss rate for adherent cells was evaluated with the trypan blue exclusion method, and cell proliferation was determined using the WST-1 assay. Results: Compared with the control group, the cells cultured in media containing the extracts showed signs of apoptosis and necrosis after culturing for 4 or 7 days, and the loss rate for adherent cells was significantly increased (P < 0.05). An obvious decrease in cell viability was also observed (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The extracts from disposable chopsticks, toothpicks, and paper cups can affect the growth and proliferation of L-929 cells and are potentially toxic to humans.
dGTP-dependent processivity and possible template switching of Euplotes telomerase

We have measured the processivity of telomeric DNA extension by Euplotes aediculatus telomerase at various concentrations of the nucleotide substrates dGTP and dTTP. The maximum processivity (approximately 3 repeats) was observed at approximately 100 microM of each dNTP. Processivity decreased as the dNTP concentrations were reduced and, surprisingly, as the concentration of dGTP was increased. Also, the characteristic banding pattern generated by telomerase extension of DNA primers shifted in response to changes in dGTP concentration. One pattern with 8 nt periodicity was predominant at dGTP concentrations /= 250 microM an 8 nt repeat pattern out-of-phase with the first was observed; at intermediate concentrations the two patterns coexisted. We propose that two different segments of the RNA subunit can serve as the template for repeat synthesis; nt 42-49 at low dGTP concentrations and nt 36-43 at high dGTP concentrations. An alternative model for the low dGTP pattern involves an internal pause site but no pause at the end of the template and is, therefore, considered less likely. Because the effects of dGTP on processivity and banding pattern appear to be distinct from nucleotide binding in the polymerase active site, we propose a second dGTP binding site involved in template selection and processivity.
Evaluation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Axonal Transport 1 and 2 Weeks After 8 Hours of Acute Intraocular Pressure Elevation in Rats

Purpose. To compare in vivo retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and axonal transport at 1 and 2 weeks after an 8-hour acute IOP elevation in rats.
The Bacillus subtilis dinR Gene Codes for the Analogue of Escherichia coli LexA PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DinR PROTEIN

The Bacillus subtilis dinR gene encodes a 23-kDa protein that shares about 34% homology with the Escherichia coli LexA protein. We have purified the dinR gene product to near homogeneity, and we describe its activities. The purified DinR protein binds specifically to the promoter regions of three B. subtilis SOS genes: dinB, dinC, and recA. Electrophoretic mobility of DinR-promoter complexes in each case is identical to that of promoters bound by the B. subtilis SOS repressor (Lovett, et al., (1993) J. Bacteriol. 175, 6842-6849). Analysis of hydroxyl radical footprints of DinR bound to the dinC promoter indicates that DinR interacts with one side of the DNA providing access to the consensus operator site (5′-GAACN4GTTC-3′) within two adjacent major grooves. Consistent with its proposed role as a transcriptional repressor, purified DinR displaces B. subtilis RNA polymerase from the recA promoter and represses transcription of the recA gene in vitro. We also show that purified DinR protein undergoes general base-catalyzed autodigestion as well as RecA-mediated cleavage at the peptide bond between Ala-91 and Gly-92. Corresponding to its cleavage by activated RecA following DNA damage, the level of DinR is significantly reduced in RecA+ B. subtilis cells following exposure to mitomycin C. Thus, the DinR protein is structurally and functionally analogous to the E. coli LexA protein, and accordingly, we propose renaming the protein B. subtilis LexA.
Chronic ethanol consumption increases plasma leptin levels and alters leptin receptors in the hypothalamus and the perigonadal fat of C57BL/6 mice.

Background: Leptin, a protein secreted from adipocytes, and leptin receptors, expressed in the hypothalamus and fat tissue, regulate energy balance and adiposity. Leptin receptors exist as several forms that are delineated by the length of their cytoplasmic domains. Only the longest form is physiologically active through stimulation of the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) second messenger system. Previous studies demonstrated that chronic ethanol consumption increases body adiposity and circulating leptin levels. This study examined the effect of chronic alcohol intake on the expression of leptin receptors and associated STAT second messengers in the hypothalamus and fat tissue. Methods: Female C57BL/6 mice were given water or 20% w/v ethanol and Purina 5001 laboratory chow ad libitum for 2 or 5 weeks. Plasma leptin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay and body adiposity was evaluated by measuring the amount of perigonadal fat. Expression of leptin receptors as well as STAT molecules in whole-cell lysates of the hypothalamus and the perigonadal fat were assayed by Western blot analysis. Results: Plasma leptin and perigonadal fat were increased after 5 weeks. The overall expression of leptin receptors was increased while the expression of the physiologically active long form of leptin receptor was decreased in the hypothalamus and the perigonadal fat of ethanol-consuming mice. Ethanol consumption also decreased hypothalamic expression of STAT3, a protein associated with leptin receptor activation in this region of the brain. In contrast, STAT1, a protein associated with leptin receptor activation in adipose tissue, was significantly elevated in the perigonadal fat of ethanol-consuming mice. Conclusions: Chronic ethanol consumption increases the circulating level of leptin, and this is accompanied by altered expression of leptin-sensing molecules in the hypothalamus and peripheral adipose tissue. These results suggest that chronic ethanol intake affects metabolism by altering the leptin system that regulates energy balance.
Algorithm 930: FACTORIZE: An object-oriented linear system solver for MATLAB

The MATLAB™ backslash (x=A\b) is an elegant and powerful interface to a suite of high-performance factorization methods for the direct solution of the linear system Ax = b and the least-squares problem minx Vb - AxV. It is a meta-algorithm that selects the best factorization method for a particular matrix, whether sparse or dense. However, the simplicity and elegance of its single-character interface prohibits the reuse of its factorization for subsequent systems. Requiring MATLAB users to find the best factorization method on their own can lead to suboptimal choices; even MATLAB experts can make the wrong choice. Furthermore, naive MATLAB users have a tendency to translate mathematical expressions from linear algebra directly into MATLAB, so that x = A-1b becomes the inferior yet all-to-prevalent x=inv(A)*b. To address these issues, an object-oriented FACTORIZE method is presented. Via simple-to-use operator overloading, solving two linear systems can be written as F=factorize(A); x=F\b; y=F\c, where A is factorized only once. The selection of the best factorization method (LU, Cholesky, LDLT, QR, or a complete orthogonal decomposition for rank-deficient matrices) is hidden from the user. The mathematical expression x = A-1b directly translates into the MATLAB expression x=inverse(A)*b, which does not compute the inverse at all, but does the right thing by factorizing A and solving the corresponding triangular systems.
Small deformations on large deformations in BKZ viscoelastic liquids

Abstract Small deformations superposed on large deformations in a BKZ viscoelastic fluid are considered. The general constitutive form for small on large is determined. The base motion is taken to be any continuous isochoric motion while the perturbation is assumed to be of small order, in the sense that terms involving the products of the perturbation and its gradients will be neglected. In the case of steady base motions a reduction in the constitutive form is found. For a certain class of perturbations on steady base flows it is shown that the constitutive relation takes on a convolution form. An exact solution is presented to small in-plane disturbances on steady simple shearing of a special type of BKZ fluid between two parallel walls.
Wegener's Granulomatosis

SELECTED CASES Patient 1 A previously healthy 20-year-old man experienced the subacute onset of an influenzalike illness characterized by diffuse arthralgias, malaise, fever, nonproductive cough, nasal congestion, epistaxis, and frontal headaches. His symptoms were unresponsive to decongestants and multiple courses of oral antibiotics. During the next several weeks he developed pain and swelling over the bridge of his nose and migratory pain and swelling of multiple joints. Because of persistent epistaxis he consulted an otolaryngologist, who noted diffusely inflamed nasal mucosa and performed a biopsy, which showed acute and chronic inflammation. The patient was referred to the National Institutes of Health 4 months after his symptoms began. Laboratory evaluation showed a white blood cell count of 10.8×10 9 /L, hemoglobin of 126 g/L, erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 71 mm/h, creatinine of 80 μmol/L (0.90 mg/dL), and a normal urinalysis. Radiographic studies revealed pansinusitis and a nodule in the upper lobe
Tensile properties and microstructure of Haynes 25 alloy after aging at elevated temperatures for extended times

The tensile properties of Haynes 25 alloy have been measured after various aging treatments, time, and temperature: as received; and aged at 600 °C for three months; 800 °C for 6 and 12 months; and 1000 °C for 3 and 6 months. Contour plots in temperature-ln (time) space were constructed based on the literature and our own data, detailing changes in yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and tensile elongation. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations of the Haynes 25 alloy microstructure provided an explanation of why the properties changed with aging. Intense lattice distortions after aging at 600 °C, the presence of an α-Co3W, a L12-ordered, fcc phase, a=0.357 nm, after aging at 800 °C, and the nucleation and growth of W3Co3C carbides from aging at 800 °C and 1000 °C produced the changes in tensile properties. We did not observe either the Co2W Laves phase or Co7W6 γ phase in any of the material conditions we examined, using TEM of thin foils: as received and aged at 600 °C, 800 °C, and 1000 °C. Other researchers believe these phases cause a loss of ductility in the Haynes 25 alloy with prolonged high-temperature exposure.
Another chapter of Peru's comedie grotesque

(1978). Another chapter of Peru's comedie grotesque. Review: Literature and Arts of the Americas: Vol. 12, No. 23, pp. 54-61.
Air quality measurements in the coal fired power plant environment of Colstrip, Montana☆

Abstract A network of up to six air monitoring and sampling stations were operated (4–23 km) downwind of the 700 MW coal-fired power plants at Colstrip, Montana. Continuous monitoring identified background SO 2 levels in the surrounding air at approx 1 ppb (2.6 μg m −3 ). Average air concentrations measured in 1978 from power plant source directions increased to about 2 ppb (5.2 βg m −3 ). Meteorological and aerosol correlations with SO 2 concentrations helped identify and isolate the major source. The high sensitivity for SO 2 measurement provided resolution of all significant power plant plume fumigations at ground level. The magnitude of longer range SO 2 exposures were higher than predicted in this rough terrain environment.
The Short Chain Fatty Acid Butyrate Induces Promoter Demethylation and Reactivation of RARβ2 in Colon Cancer Cells

It has been proposed that cancer prevention results from multiple dietary agents acting together as “action packages.” Here we obtain evidence that butyrate, which is generated from dietary fiber, enhances the responsiveness of colon cancer cells to all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). Evidence was obtained that this interaction depends on histone deactylase one (HDAC1) inhibition by butyrate and retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) activation by ATRA. The enhancement of RAR beta 2 (RARβ2) activation was accompanied by a rapid demethylation of the RARβ2 promoter. This demethylation could be achieved by butyrate alone, and it differed from that triggered by the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2′ deoxycytidine in that it was 1) sporadic on the RARβ2 promoter, 2) not genome wide, and 3) independent of extensive DNA replication. An analysis of inter-methylated sites assay indicated that only a few percent of loci analyzed showed reduced methylation. In colon cancer cells that were particularly resistant to RA...
Human epithelial cells immortalized by SV40 retain differentiation capabilities in an in vitro raft system and maintain viral DNA extrachromosomally.

Abstract Carcinomas are the predominant type of cancer found in man, yet in vitro studies on the transformation of epithelial cells have been limited. In an attempt to extend our knowledge of the mechanisms involved in the development of epithelial cancers, we have examined the effects of oncogenes on keratinocytes in vitro using both the ability to immortalize and the ability to alter differentiation as criteria for transformation. SV40 T-antigen was observed to be an efficient immortalizing agent in human keratinocytes consistent with previous studies in other human cell types. Using an in vitro cell culture system (rafts) for epithelial stratification at the air-liquid interface, we observed that the morphology of rafts of SV40-immortalized keratinocytes was similar to that of untransfected epithelial cells, demonstrating that although immortal these cells retain differentiation capabilities. The ability to differentiate was lost only upon prolonged passage in culture, suggesting that this effect is separable from immortalization. In these immortalized epithelial cells, SV40 genomes were found to be maintained as a heterogeneous population of extrachromosomal molecules dependent upon the SV40 origin of replication. It is not clear whether these molecules arise continuously as a result of excission events from integrated copies or are stably maintained as episomes.
Statistical Fatigue of Graphite/Epoxy Angle-Ply Laminates in Shear1

A three-parameter fatigue and residual strength degradation model has been proposed to predict statistically the fatigue behavior of composite laminae under axial shear loadings. The fatigue behavior includes the fatigue life and the fatigue damage expressed in terms of the residual strength degradation. An experimental test program using graphite/epoxy /+ or - 45 deg/2s laminates has been conducted to generate statistically meaningful data in order to examine the validity of the theoretical model. It is shown that the correlation between the theoretical predictions and the test results on the statistical distributions of the fatigue life and the residual strength is excellent. Test results on the shear modulus degradation are also presented and discussed in detail in order to provide insight for the establishment of a shear modulus degradation model.
Phonotaxis and aggression in the coneheaded katydid Neoconocephalus affinis

Positive phonotaxis to tape recorded conspecific song by males of the katydid Neoconocephalus uffinis (Beauvois) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) was studied in the field, in Puerto Rico. N.affinis males stridulated loudly during evening hours, and most males were territorial. Aggression between neighbours occurred, albeit rarely, and playback experiments using tape recordings of N.affiinis song showed that aggressive behaviour, in the form of jumps directed toward a loudspeak- er, could be elicited from a male by song broadcast above a threshold sound intensity. Response thresholds for different males varied from 76 to 93 dB, intensities that corresponded to calculated inter-neighbour distances of 1.6-0.26 m, respectively. Insects that had lower response thresholds were on average more isolated from neighbours and also stridulated more persistently and at a higher sound intensity than insects with higher response thresholds. N. uffiinis males displayed no phonota- xis toward the song of Neoconocephulus muxillosus, a sympatric species whose song is similar to that of N.uffinis in principal frequency but differs in wingstroke rate. Phonotaxis toward conspecific song could only be elicited from males while they were silent.
Prognostic significance of pretreatment hemoglobin for local control and overall survival in T1-T2N0 larynx cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy.

Abstract Purpose To elucidate a relationship between pretreatment hemoglobin and local control in patients with T1-T2N0 larynx cancer treated with radiotherapy. Methods and materials A total of 246 patients with T1-T2N0 cancer of the larynx were included in this analysis. Patients were treated using a median daily fraction of 200 cGy to a total median dose of 66 Gy within 47 days. Prognostic factors included pretreatment hemoglobin, age, gender, race, T stage, tumor subsite, beam energy, biologically equivalent dose, and therapy duration. Results Fifty patients developed local relapse, for an actuarial 5-year relapse-free rate of 77.3%. The actuarial 5-year survival rate was 69.8%. The pretreatment hemoglobin levels were assessed using the following hemoglobin quartiles: 10.1–13.3, 13.4–14.1, 14.2–14.9, and 15.0–18.3 g/dL. On Cox multivariate analysis, the pretreatment hemoglobin level predicted for local failure and poorer overall survival. The relative risk for 5-year local relapse by hemoglobin quartile was 2.70, 2.33, 1.91, and 1.00 ( p = 0.034). The relative risk for poorer 5-year overall survival by hemoglobin quartile was 2.23 1.30, 0.80, and 1.00 ( p Conclusion Pretreatment hemoglobin levels predicted for local control and overall survival for larynx cancer in a multivariate model. This relationship has potential therapeutic implications regarding correcting anemia before the initiation of radiotherapy for optimal outcome.
Vapor Pressure and Liquid Heat Capacity of Alkylene Carbonates

New experimental data on vapor pressure (T = 397 to 523 K) and liquid heat capacity, Cp, (T = 283 to 393 K) of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, and glycerine carbonate were developed using ebulliometery and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. These vapor pressure and liquid heat capacity data were combined with selected literature data and correlated using Wagner, Clapeyron, and polynomial-type equations.
Body composition, age and femoral bone mass of young adult women.

Maximum bone mineral density of the femur was measured by dual-photon densitometry in 282 healthy white women, aged 20 to 40 years. Femoral sites included the neck, Wards triangle, and the trochanter. Quetelet Index was used as a measure of weight adjusted for height, and body composition was measured using four-point bioelectrical impedance and anthropometry. Maximum bone mass is believed to be an important measure if the level established which remain characteristic or predict bone mineral density during the aging process. Body weight was correlated with each measure of femoral bone density, including the femoral neck (r = .42), Wards triangle (r = .34), and the trochanter (r = .44). Weight was more highly correlated with bone mass than with other measures of body composition, including fat-free mass, percent body fat, humeral muscle area, and humeral fat area. We observed that age was negatively associated with bone mass at all three femoral sites, even in subjects within the age range of 20 to 40 years, and the relationship was significant after controlling for Quetelet Index. There was no evidence of a nonlinear relationship that would indicate when maximal femoral bone mass reaches its peak within this age range.
Theory of piezoelectricity in nematic liquid crystals, and of the cholesteric ordering

A statistical-mechanical theory of the elastic constants of a liquid crystal based on the Onsager expansion is reexamined, with emphasis on the terms linear in the gradients of the director. This gives a microscopic theory of the piezoelectric effect in nematic liquid crystals, and of the spontaneous twisting of a cholesteric. Model cases of tapered rods, bent rods, and threaded rods are considered.
Chemical promotion of pistillate flower formation inCucurbita

Blattspritzungen mit 1,1,5,5,-Tetramethyl-3-dimethyl Amino-dithiobiuret (MATB) induzierten die Bildung weiblicher Bluten bei Gurken (C. sativa) und Kurbis (C. maxima). Diese Wirkung von MATB wurde von Gibberellin A3 vollstandig aufgehoben. Es wurden keine Anzeichen fur die Abgabe von Athylen bei den mit MATB behandelten Pflanzen beobachtet.
Inhibition of photosynthesis in Arabidopsis mutants lacking leaf glutamate synthase activity

The CO2 released in photorespiration is believed to result from a complex mitochondrial reaction in which glycine is converted to equimolar amounts of CO2, NH3 and the C-1 group of N5,N10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate 1–3. Because photorespiratory CO2 production may amount to 80 μmol per h per g fresh weight4,5 the stoichiometry of the decarboxylation reaction indicates that NH3 release from glycine exceeds primary NO3− reduction6,7. Leaf cells must therefore be capable of rapid NH3 reassimilation in photorespiratory conditions. It has been suggested8 that NH3 could be refixed directly into glutamate by mitochondrial glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), utilizing the NADH generated during glycine decarboxylation1,9,10. This seems unlikely11,12 because of the high Km for NH3 exhibited by GDH in vitro. An alternative suggestion11,12, that photorespiratory NH3 could be re-assimilated into glutamate by the sequential action of cytoplasmic glutamine synthetase (GS) and the chloroplast enzyme glutamate synthase (GOGAT)13,14, is supported by circumstantial evidence from in vitro studies12,15. Here we provide direct evidence for such a pathway, based on the results of experiments with mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh which are deficient in leaf GOGAT activity.
High dose rate brachytherapy to prevent recurrent benign hyperplasia in lung transplant bronchi: theoretical and clinical considerations.

Abstract Background: Significant anastomotic stenosis and malacia is reported to affect 7% to 15% of lung transplant recipients. Laser debridement, dilation and stenting can be used effectively to treat the majority of these patients. However, persistent, as well as reactive hyperplastic tissue reaction, will occur in some of these patients, requiring multiple bronchoscopic interventions. The experience of 2 patients who received intraluminal brachytherapy irradiation to prevent recurrence of hyperplastic tissue causing airway obstruction is reported. Both had failed multiple attempts of local control, including wall stent, laser ablation and balloon dilation. They suffered from shortness of breath and progressive decrease in quality of life because of airway obstruction. Methods Two patients received intraluminal irradiation immediately following removal of severe post-lung transplant obstruction. Both patients developed airway obstruction 3 to 4 months after left lung transplantation. High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy (192Ir). Afterloader was used to treat Patient 1 on two occasions. Patient 2 required a single treatment. The radiation dose of 3Gy/fraction was calculated at 1 cm from the catheter for all applications. Results Follow up for both patients included bronchoscopy at 3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after radiation therapy. Follow up for Patient 1 is 7 months, and patient 2 is 6 months. Each patient had an initial complete response after radiation. There were no treatment-related complications, and both patients experienced significant improvement in respiratory function. Conclusions Symptomatic benign airway obstruction from hyperplastic tissue in the bronchus after lung transplantation can be successfully treated with intraluminal radiation therapy. Patients who develop recurrent benign granulation tissue after stent and laser therapy may be considered for this type of treatment.
Memory stem cells sustain disease.

A rare memory stem cell has been discovered that sustains graft-versus-host disease in animal models (pages 1299–1305)
An Introduction to Indian Philosophy: Perspectives on Reality, Knowledge, and Freedom, by Bina Gupta, Routledge: New York, 2012, xiii + 343 pp. ISBN 978 0 415 80002 0, US$115.00 (hardback); ISBN 978 0 415 80003 7, US$36.95 (paperback)

An Introduction to Indian Philosophy: Perspectives on Reality, Knowledge, and Freedom , by Bina Gupta, Routledge: New York, 2012, xiii + 343 pp. ISBN 978 0 415 80002 0, US$115.00 (hardback); ISBN 9...
Ingeneue: a versatile tool for reconstituting genetic networks, with examples from the segment polarity network.

Here we describe a software tool for synthesizing molecular genetic data into models of genetic networks. Our software program Ingeneue, written in Java, lets the user quickly turn a map of a genetic network into a dynamical model consisting of a set of ordinary differential equations. We developed Ingeneue as part of an ongoing effort to explore the design and evolvability of genetic networks. Ingeneue has three principal advantages over other available mathematical software: it automates instantiation of the same network model in each cell in a 2-D sheet of cells; it constructs model equations from pre-made building blocks corresponding to common biochemical processes; and it automates searches through parameter space, sensitivity analyses, and other common tasks. Here we discuss the structure of the software and some of the issues we have dealt with. We conclude with some examples of results we have achieved with Ingeneue for the Drosophila segment polarity network.
Implementation and evaluation of urban school-wide social–emotional learning programs

Abstract This article describes the third and, primarily, fourth years of a multi-year collaboration between the Social–Emotional Learning (SEL) Lab and the Plainfield, New Jersey schools, to build students' SEL skills to a school-wide level across multiple schools. The first three years were devoted to implementing an evidence-backed, classroom-based SEL curriculum, ‘Talking with TJ.’ Year 4 focused on expanding the SEL principles in the curriculum to complementary school building activities outside the classroom designed to help create a school-wide culture of SEL, complementing which is provided by a classroom-based SEL curriculum. The conceptual model guiding the program included principles from community/preventive psychology and the SEL movement; and the conceptual model guiding the evaluation was action research. As a result of a collaborative assessment of intervention needs outside the classroom, four concerns and the interventions to address them were identified: Discipline Difficulties/Positive Recognition Program; Lack of Student Empathy/Service Learning Opportunities; Inadequate Building Safety and Cohesiveness/Positive School Climate Initiatives; and Inadequate Student Services/Group Counseling. Within the scope and context of the one-year process described in the study, a formal, quantitative outcome study of this SEL initiative was not viewed as appropriate. Rather, what was viewed as of central importance was to assess, in the subsequent year, the extent of the school's commitment to the program and to the process of action research as a way of meeting ongoing school needs. The article concludes with a discussion of specific lessons learned.
Time-Dependent Sorption-Desorption Behavior of 2,4-Dichlorophenol and Its Polymerization Products in Surface Soils

Contact time-dependent sorption−desorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) and DCP polymerization products (DPP) was investigated in the context of agricultural and woodland soils. DPP was generated in soil slurry reactors by the addition of H2O2 to solutions containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and DCP. Size-exclusion chromatography confirmed the formation of oligomeric products including dimers, trimers, and tetramers. DCP removal from HRP-amended, soil-free solutions occurred as a result of DPP formation and sorption of DCP to the oligomeric precipitate. In reactors containing soil particles, additional removal occurred due to sorption of residual DCP and DPP to the soil. Sorption of DCP and DPP to the surface soils was rapid and appeared to be complete within 1 day. DPP sorbed to a greater extent than DCP, especially at higher solute concentrations. Water-extraction data indicated that while sorbed DCP was readily released into solution, sorbed DPP was more resistant to desorption. Both DCP and DPP wer...
Geophysics guides particles physics

When geophysicists from the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory (AFGL), Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., presented evidence of a sixth fundamental force at the AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco last month, an uncommon thing happened. Particle physicists responded, in t h e press and elsewhere, to a potential scientific breakthrough made by a group of earth scientists. The event is uncommon because theoretical physicists have been leading the game of leapfrog between the theoreticians, who use mathematics to present new hypotheses and provide rigor for observations, and the experimentalists, who use measurements to test old theories or demonstrate the need for new ones. In recent years, particle physicists have published dozens of theories to explain the behavior of matter and energy on a subatomic scale, according to Purdue physicist Ephraim Fischbach. Some theories, with names like “supersymmetry” or “supergravity,” predict the existence of fundamental forces in addition to the four now known to exist: electromagnetism, gravity, and the strong and weak nuclear forces
Application of virtual energy storage to partially mitigate unscheduled interchange caused by wind power

Each balance authority (BA) in a grid conforms to a schedule that sets forth how much capacity will be allowed to pass through the area at given times of the day. However, because wind generation is variable and non-dispatchable source of energy, it causes additional unscheduled deviation of interchange and complicates the problem of system balancing. Thus, BAs need to procure more fast regulation capacity to meet Control Performance Standards (CPS) requirements. A fast-response storage device with appropriate duration is more effective than conventional generation for regulation service. However, depending on technologies, capital costs of energy storages are very high. As such, in this paper, a novel concept of virtual energy storage is proposed to respond to a filtered area control error (ACE) signal. This will bring about benefits include less amount of regulation that can be procured (lower regulation service cost), and decreased area control errors. The simulations performed on the Northwestern power grid demonstrated the effectiveness and efficiency of this method.
A Pilot Study of the Association Between Sleep Disturbance in Children With Liver Transplants and Parent and Family Health-Related Quality of Life

Objective To investigate the relationship between sleep disturbance in children with liver transplants and parent and family health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Method 47 parents of children with liver transplants completed measures of child sleep and family HRQOL. Relationships between sleep and HRQOL and differences in HRQOL between groups with scores above and below the cutoff on a pediatric sleep measure were examined. Results Parents endorsed higher rates of sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD) and restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements during sleep (RLS/PLMS) and lower HRQOL compared with published data. Significant correlations were found between SRBD and RLS/PLMS and HRQOL, and significant group differences in HRQOL were found between groups above and below the cutoff for behavior problems and RLS/PLMS. Conclusion There are significant relationships between symptoms of SRBD and RLS/PLMS in children with liver transplants and family HRQOL. Behavior problems may account for these strong relationships.
A History Lesson for Stem Cells

When President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order on 9 March 2009 rolling back the previous administration's restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research, he took pains to temper Americans' hopes for quick fixes. “At this moment, the full promise of stem cell research remains unknown and it should not be overstated,” the president said. “I cannot guarantee that we will find the treatments and cures we seek” ( 1 ). Unfortunately, some stakeholders in hESC research have failed to exhibit the same restraint, effectively promising cures for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, macular degeneration, and hearing loss, to name a few.
Studies on antibody production. IV. The role of a wax fraction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in adjuvant emulsions on the production of antibody to egg albumin.

After injection of ovalbumin as a water-in-oil emulsion a pronounced adjuvant effect is demonstrable following the incorporation of tubercle bacillary wax into the oily phase of the mixture. With single doses of antigen (10 mg. ovalbumin) there is a 4- to 5-fold increase in the amount of antibody at the median of 3 week serum levels in animals receiving a small dose of wax (40 µg.). With a 5 mg. dose of wax there is an 8-fold increase in serum antibody levels at the median. A striking feature of the action of wax is the stimulation of a macrophage proliferation locally at the site of injection, and the production of morphological abnormalities in these cells. As judged by staining techniques for antibody content, these locally assembled cells are not active in the formation of antibody. Wax injected in mineral oil results in a remarkable systematized stimulation of the reticulo-endothelial system. The greatly increased serum antibody levels demonstrated after the use of tubercle bacillary wax in antigen mixtures is attributed to a widespread proliferation of plasma cell elements in the lymphatic glands, spleen and liver.
Mixed genetic strategies for point pattern reconstruction with substantially incomplete information

Two dimensional point patterns with n points can be uniquely represented by as few as an appropriately chosen 2n-3 out of a total of n(n-1)/2 interpoint distances. This paper first considers reconstruction of such patterns when the distances measurements are exact, and then considers the more general, and more interesting, problem of reconstruction when the distances contain possible measurement errors. Reconstructions using genetic algorithms (GA) are compared to those using multidimensional scaling (MDS) and it is shown that when the number of measured distances approaches the theoretical minimum of 2n-3, mixed strategies based on GA's prove most efficient.
The natural hierarchy and quasi-hierarchy of constructibility degrees

Definition d'un ensemble de reels a la maniere de A. Kechris dans sa theorie des ensembles analytiques denombrables. Etude d'une hierarchie naturelle et d'une quasi-hierarchie des degres de constructibilite
A strategy-centric approach to the design of end-user debugging tools

End-user programmers' code is notoriously buggy. This problem is amplified by the increasing complexity of end users' programs. To help end users catch errors early and reliably, we employ a novel approach for the design of end-user debugging tools: a focus on supporting end users' effective debugging strategies. This paper makes two contributions. We first demonstrate the potential of a strategy-centric approach to tool design by presenting StratCel, an add-in for Excel. Second, we show the benefits of this design approach: participants using StratCel found twice as many bugs as participants using standard Excel, they fixed four times as many bugs, and all this in only a small fraction of the time. Other contributions included: a boost in novices' debugging performance near experienced participants' improved levels, validated design guidelines, a discussion of the generalizability of this approach, and several opportunities for future research.
Stressful Life Events and Behavior Change: A Qualitative Examination of African American Women's Participation in a Weight Loss Program.

We qualitatively assessed how life stressors affected African American women’s participation in a weight reduction program. A sample of 9 women, who completed a behavioral lifestyle intervention, participated in individual, structured, in-depth interviews. Life stressors, ranging from personal illness to changes in employment status, had varied effects on participation. Some women coped with life stressors by using them as a motivational tool to improve their own health, while others reported limited ability to devote time to attend meetings or engage in the prescribed lifestyle changes due to life stressors. A critical key to improving weight loss outcomes for African American women may be using intervention strategies that teach positive coping skills to alter
Inherited disposition to cardiac myxoma development

Carney complex is a genetic condition in which affected individuals develop benign tumours in various tissues, including the heart. Most individuals with Carney complex have a mutation in the PRKAR1A gene, which encodes the regulatory R1alpha subunit of protein kinase A - a significant component of the cyclic-AMP signalling pathway. Genetically engineered mutant Prkar1a mouse models show an increased propensity to develop tumours, and have established a role for R1alpha in initiating tumour formation and, potentially, in maintaining cell proliferation. Ongoing investigations are exploring the intersection of R1alpha-dependent cell signalling with other gene products such as perinatal myosin, mutation of which can also cause cardiac myxomas.
Design of Single-Feed Reflectarray Antennas With Asymmetric Multiple Beams Using the Particle Swarm Optimization Method

Single-feed reflectarrays with asymmetric multiple beams are studied in this paper. The conventional methods for designing multibeam reflectarrays are first reviewed and the limitations of these approaches are delineated for asymmetric designs. A generalized design approach based on a global search optimization technique, namely the particle swarm optimization, is proposed for single-feed asymmetric multibeam reflectarray designs. Practical considerations in implementing a global search for phase optimization of reflectarrays with several hundreds of elements are addressed, and several designs of multiple beam reflectarrays with asymmetric beam directions and gain levels are presented. Furthermore, a single-feed asymmetric quad-beam Ka-band reflectarray prototype is fabricated and tested, which shows a good multibeam performance. This study demonstrates the effectiveness and robustness of the particle swarm optimization approach for designing complicated multibeam reflectarray antennas where conventional design approaches fail.
Environmental learning: reflections on practice, research and theory

The environmental and interdisciplinary nature of environmental education presents extraordinary challenges to our abilities as a field to clearly conceptualize, theorize and communicate findings a...
Autoregulation of Connexin43 Gap Junction Formation by Internally Translated Isoforms

During each heartbeat, intercellular electrical coupling via connexin43 (Cx43) gap junctions enables synchronous cardiac contraction. In failing hearts, impaired Cx43 trafficking reduces gap junction coupling, resulting in arrhythmias. Here we report that internal translation within Cx43 (GJA1) mRNA occurs, resulting in truncated isoforms that autoregulate Cx43 trafficking. We find that at least four truncated Cx43 isoforms occur in the human heart, with a 20 kDa isoform predominating. In-frame AUG codons within GJA1 mRNA are the translation initiation sites and their ablation arrests trafficking of full-length Cx43. The 20 kDa isoform is sufficient to rescue this trafficking defect in trans, suggesting it as a trafficking chaperone for Cx43. Limiting cap-dependent translation through inhibition of mTOR enhances truncated isoform expression, increasing Cx43 gap junction size. The results suggest that internal translation is a mechanism of membrane protein autoregulation and a potent target for therapies aimed at restoring normal electrical coupling in diseased hearts.
Precooling prevents overheating of subcutaneous fat in the use of RF capacitive heating.

Abstract The usefulness of precooling subcutaneous tissue in the hyperthermic treatment of deep-seated human tumors with capacitive application of radio-frequency (RF) was investigated. A capacitive hyperthermia unit operated at 8 MHz of radiofrequency was used to heat deep-seated human tumors. The electrode surfaces were covered with flexible vinyl sheets and the space between the electrode and the vinyl sheets perfused with 0.4% saline. The temperature of the saline was controlled by circulating the saline through built-in heat exchangers. The depth of heating was controlled by pairing electrodes of different diameters. When subcutaneous fat was less than 1 cm thick, various deep-seated tumors could be heated to a therapeutic temperature without significant discomfort in the subcutaneous tissue as long as the skin was properly cooled with the cold saline bolus. However, the same cooling method could not prevent the occurrence of pain in subcutaneous tissue in obese patients. The pain usually developed when the temperature of subcutaneous fat 1–2 cm below the skin surface exceeded 42°C. We observed that cooling the human skin surface with 10°C bolus for 20 min could substantially lower the temperature of fat as deep as 2.0–2.5 cm. Therefore, when the subcutaneous tissue was precooled with 10°C saline for 20 min or longer before heating, it was possible to prevent successfully the overheating of subcutaneous fat as thick as 2.0–2.5 cm and to raise the temperature of deep-seated tumors to therapeutic levels.
A case of hyperthymesia: rethinking the role of the amygdala in autobiographical memory

Much controversy has been focused on the extent to which the amygdala belongs to the autobiographical memory (AM) core network. Early evidence suggested the amygdala played a vital role in emotional processing, likely helping to encode emotionally charged stimuli. However, recent work has highlighted the amygdala's role in social and self-referential processing, leading to speculation that the amygdala likely supports the encoding and retrieval of AM. Here, cognitive as well as structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data was collected from an extremely rare individual with near-perfect AM, or hyperthymesia. Right amygdala hypertrophy (approximately 20%) and enhanced amygdala-to-hippocampus connectivity (>10 SDs) was observed in this volunteer relative to controls. Based on these findings and previous literature, we speculate that the amygdala likely charges AMs with emotional, social, and self-relevance. In heightened memory, this system may be hyperactive, allowing for many types of autobiographical information, including emotionally benign, to be more efficiently processed as self-relevant for encoding and storage.
Globalization Of Entrepreneurship: Overwhelming Institutional Response In Favor Of SMEs In India

India’s approach to the promotion of entrepreneurial firms is unique, and to some extent, overwhelming. The country has a dedicated ministry for small scale industries at the federal level supported by several agencies at federal and state levels. Besides, numerous commercial banks, regional rural banks, urban and cooperative credit lending institutions participate in funding the micro, small, and medium enterprises. Such an effort, though seemingly superfluous, is the dire need for a country to enhance the competitiveness of entrepreneurial firms in order to unite them under an organized structure and integrate their operations into that of major global firms. Three national-level Entrepreneurship Development Institutes are engaged in skill development. This paper offers a critique of the present policy with regards to the SMEs with a prospective outlook into their future.
Effect of Spectrum Editing on Fatigue Crack Initiation and Propagation in a Notched Member

A method for eliminating small, nondamaging cycles from irregular loading histories is described. Analytic estimates of crack initiation, crack propagation, and total fatigue lives are compared to experimental data for full and edited load histories from the Society of Automotive Engineers Cumulative Fatigue Damage Test Program. Load histories edited to have equal crack initiation lives do not have equal crack propagation lives.
Dynamic Panel Data Models With Irregular Spacing: With an Application to Early Childhood Development

Summary With the increased availability of longitudinal data, dynamic panel data models have become commonplace. Moreover, the properties of various estimators of such models are well known. However, we show that these estimators break down when the data are irregularly spaced along the time dimension. Unfortunately, this is an increasingly frequent occurrence as many longitudinal surveys are collected at non-uniform intervals and no solution is currently available when time-varying covariates are included in the model. In this paper, we propose two new estimators for dynamic panel data models when data are irregularly spaced and compare their finite-sample performance to the naive application of existing estimators. We illustrate the practical importance of this issue in an application concerning early childhood development. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.