cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NMDA receptors control cortical axonal projections via EPHRIN-B/EPHB signaling

Callosal projections from primary somatosensory cortex (S1) are key for processing somatosensory inputs and integrating sensory-motor information. How the callosal innervation pattern in S1 is formed during early postnatal development is not clear. We found that the normal termination pattern of these callosal projections is disrupted in cortex specific NMDAR mutants. Rather than projecting selectively to the primary/secondary somatosensory cortex (S1/S2) border, axons were uniformly distributed throughout S1. In addition, the density of this projection increased over postnatal life until the mice died by P30. By combining genetic and antibody-mediated loss of function, we demonstrated that it is NR2B-containing NMDA receptors in target S1 that mediate this guidance phenotype, thus playing a central role in interhemispheric connectivity. Furthermore, we found that this function of NMDA receptors in callosal circuit formation is independent of ion channel function and instead depends on interactions with EPHRIN-B/EPHB. Thus, NMDAR cooperates with EPHRIN-B/EPHB in target S1 to control the formation callosal circuits by acting as an accessory axon guidance receptor modulating EPH-dependent repulsion.
Hyperaldosteronism: How Current Concepts Are Transforming the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Paradigm

Nearly seven decades have elapsed since the clinical and biochemical features of primary hyperaldosteronism (PA) were described by Conn. PA is now widely recognized as the most common form of secondary hypertension. PA has a strong correlation with cardiovascular disease and failure to recognize and/or properly diagnose this condition has profound health consequences. With proper identification and management, PA has the potential to be surgically cured in a proportion of affected individuals. The diagnostic pursuit for PA is not a simplistic endeavor, particularly because an enhanced understanding of the disease process is continually redefining the diagnostic and treatment algorithm. These new concepts have emerged in all areas of this clinical condition, including identification, diagnosis, and treatment. Here, we review the recent advances in this field and summarize the effect these advances have on both diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.
Deprovincializing Climate Exterminism: History, Agency, and Universal Appeal in the Anthropocene

Catastrophic imagery is pervasive today in part as a reaction to increasingly dire predictions of global environmental crises. Some have suggested that the novelty of anthropogenic change signals e...
Laser transport and backscatter in low-density SiO2 and Ta2O5 foams

Experiments using a single 527 nm wavelength beam interacting with sub- and supercritical density SiO2 and Ta2O5 foams examined laser propagation and backscatter from laser–plasma instabilities such as Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS). Two densities of each material were examined, and multiple diagnostics were used to characterize the propagation and backscatter. For 5 mg/cc SiO2 (ne/nc = 0.375), the laser propagation distance was well approximated by treating the foam as a gas. However, for the 2 mg/cc SiO2 foam (ne/nc = 0.15), the same model over-predicts the propagation distance by ∼40%. Existing analytical theories on propagation through subcritical foams were able to account for this difference. The laser heat wave propagated ∼1/2 as far in Ta2O5 than SiO2 foams with similar electron density. We showed that this difference is due to the increased radiation losses in the higher Z foam. The fraction of backscattered light scales linearly with incident laser intensity for the range of intensities examined. Ta2O5 foams had significantly lower levels of backscatter (1–3%) than the SiO2 (4–8%), which is consistent with estimates of large Landau damping due to the presence of the oxygen atoms. The measured fraction of SBS backscattered laser energy for a 2 mg/cc SiO2 foam shot was ∼4 times lower than predicted by simulations assuming a gas-like foam. We found that we needed to assume increased ion heating such that Ti/Te ∼ 1.2–1.5 in the plasma to agree with the measured SBS reflectivity. Analytical models of laser-heated foams predict preferential heating of the ions as has been observed in previous experiments.
Performance-based control co-design of building structures with controlled rocking steel braced frames via neural dynamic model

Controlled rocking steel braced frames (CRSBFs) are modern systems for resilient building structures known for their effective energy dissipation and self-centering features. In a CRSBF, post-tensioned (PT) strands and shear fuses are the distinct features providing the self-centering and energy dissipation mechanisms. As a relatively new structural system, there is a need to study this system’s optimal design. Control co-design has gained interest in recent years as a class of integrated engineering system design methods as an alternative to the traditional approach of optimizing the structural design and sequentially optimizing the control system’s design. It considers the direct relationship between physical and control system design decisions to discover non-obvious design solutions that enable new performance and functionality levels. This paper proposes a performance-based control co-design methodology for building structures integrating CRSBFs that concurrently minimizes the mainframe weight and determines the CRSBF design parameters subject to design code requirements as the optimization constraints. The patented neural dynamic model of Adeli and Park is used in this research to solve the nonlinear optimization problem. The seismic performance evaluation of the proposed methodology includes a shear frame and a nonlinear 6-story 3D building structure. The 6-story building model consists of 282 nodes with 1,692 degrees of freedom. A total of 610 frame elements, 8 PT strands with nonlinear material, and 32 nonlinear links are determined without requiring high-performance computing. Results show that the energy dissipation mechanism effectively reduces the seismic demand in structural members. The proposed performance-based control co-design methodology can lead to 21% reduction in the total weight of the 6-story frame structure.
Disease-Modifying Treatments for Transthyretin Amyloidosis.

ABSTRACT The transthyretin (TTR) amyloidoses result from misfolding of the protein leading to fibril formation and aggregation as amyloid deposits in predominantly the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Cardiac involvement can manifest as heart failure, arrhythmias, and valvular disease. Neurologic involvement can cause sensorimotor polyneuropathies, mononeuropathies, and dysautonomia. Previously, treatment has focused on management of these symptoms and disease sequelae, with a high rate of mortality due to the absence of disease-modifying therapies. In this article, we review novel treatments focusing on 3 mechanistic pathways: (1) silencing of the TTR gene to suppress production, (2) stabilizing of TTR tetramers to prevent misfolding, or (3) disrupting of existing TTR amyloid fibrils to promote reabsorption.
Expression of Exosome Biogenesis Genes is Pervasively Altered by Aging in the Mouse and in the Human Brain During Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) like exosomes are secreted by numerous cell types in a variety of tissues. EVs have been implicated in both aging and age-related disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, how aging and AD affect EV biogenesis within and across cell types is poorly understood. Moreover, cells acquire characteristics based on tissue niche, but the impact of tissue residence on cell type EV biogenesis is unknown.We explored the Tabula Muris Senis, Mayo RNA-seq and ROSMAP data sets to characterize the cell and tissue-specific effects of aging and AD on genes involved in EV biogenesis. Specifically, we examined the age-dependent expression (age coefficient) of genes involved in EV biogenesis (22 genes), EV cargo (3 genes) and senescence (5 genes). Of the 131 cell populations (cell type x tissue) studied, 95 have at least one EV biogenesis gene impacted by age. The most common gene increased by age was charged multivesicular body protein 2A (CHMP2A) (54 cell populations). The most common gene decreased by age was syndecan binding protein (SDCBP) (58 cell populations). The senescence-associated genes cyclin-dependent kinase 1A (CDKN1A) and CDKN2A were not related to changes in CHMP2A and SDCBP and were altered by age in fewer cell populations. Finally, individuals with AD had decreased CHMP2A and increased SDCBP expression, opposite of what is observed with aging in the absence of diagnosed neurological disease. These findings indicate that age modifies exosome biogenesis gene expression in many cell populations mostly independent of senescence, and may be further altered in AD.
Insomnia symptoms and chronic pain: Outcomes of an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program.

OBJECTIVES Insomnia is a highly prevalent problem among patients with chronic pain. Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs (IPRPs) are a leading treatment option for chronic pain; however, research is limited and existing findings are mixed on the impact of insomnia symptoms on IPRP outcomes and the extent to which insomnia symptoms improve as a result of IPRP treatment. METHODS In this study, insomnia and pain-related outcomes following a 10-week IPRP were examined from a relatively large sample (N = 393) of adult patients with varying chronic pain conditions who completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) at program admission and discharge. Both group- and individual-level changes in insomnia severity were examined to evaluate statistically and clinically significant changes in insomnia symptoms, along with the impact of insomnia symptoms on measures of pain, emotional distress, and functioning. Participants were categorized as having no clinically significant insomnia symptoms (NCSI), mild, moderate, or severe insomnia based on ISI scores. RESULTS Higher levels of insomnia severity were associated with worse pain, functioning, and emotional distress. Most patients reporting mild, moderate, or severe insomnia symptoms at program admission moved to a lower insomnia symptom category at the time of discharge (62%); however, only 33% of these patients reported a meaningful score reduction (i.e., ISI change ≥8 points). In addition, insomnia symptoms had a negative impact on treatment gains related to pain interference and physical health-related quality of life. DISCUSSION These findings suggest that usual IPRP care confers overall treatment benefit for individuals with chronic pain and insomnia. However, insomnia symptoms may negatively impact pain treatment outcomes and usual care appears insufficient to address elevated insomnia symptoms for many patients. Additional insomnia-specific treatment may be warranted for patients with comorbid chronic pain.
Evolution and Revolution of the Like-Kind Exchange Market

Excerpt] Executive Summary Section 1031 has been part of the Internal Revenue Service tax code since 1921, but recent changes to Section 1031 and recent guidance provided by the IRS have significantly broadened the appeal and use of this provision within the U.S. commercial real estate industry. The exponential increase in Section 1031 transaction volume experienced over the past several years has generated recognition, both good and bad, for the many companies and investors who participate in this sector of the market.2 In this article I hope to shed some light upon these new like-kind transactions, explain why certain investors have embraced them, and discuss recent trends and observations which may influence how this industry will evolve over the next several years.
The Rise and Fall of the Norm of Budget Balance - Seeking a Budgetary Logic Behind Federal Budget Deficits

Deficits and debts are very complex issues for eternal public debate. The norm of budget balance - whether as a value judgment or ideal, as a political symbol or as a budgetary principle - often appears in literature and public debate over federal budgetary and fiscal policies. This paper offers a preliminary examination of this norm. The purpose is to provide a perspective on how federal budgeting has evolved, where it is going and how deficit and debt issues are to be tackled in a theoretically reasonable and practically acceptable way. The paper traces the genesis of the norm, dissects the different elements of the norm for their inner logic, and divides the elements into an annual component and a cyclical component. Using historical data, the paper finds that the norm of budget balance had its heyday from the 19th century till roughly 1960; the tax-smoothing theory well explains its operation. Since then, budget balance has been ignored, for which no theory offers adequate explanation. This paper finds that new functions of the federal government opened a window for entitlements while electoral politics developed downward pressure on taxation, which is the logic behind chronic deficits and increasing debts. The paper also finds that decline of the norm has left a vacuum in budgeting research; current literature identifies difficulties in federal budgeting but is shy of specific answers. This paper proposes the concept of "balanced budgeting" as a new paradigm for further discussion and as a potentially rich area for future research.
Half‐projected Hartree–Fock calculations on several small molecules

The half‐projected Hartree–Fock (HPHF) method is examined with respect to its ability to obtain molecular correlation, describe molecular potential energy surfaces, and provide a one particle basis for more elaborate treatments. The equivalence, aside from questions of efficiency, of two different HPHF algorithms is demonstrated. The results of calculations on H2O, C2, N2, and CH2 indicate that the performance of the HPHF method, with spin projection in appropriate cases, is roughly equivalent to limited MCSCF treatments. In particular, (1) a small but important fraction of the correlation energy, (2) qualitatively correct potential energy surfaces, and (3) good one particle orbital bases are obtained.
Problems to discover and to boost mathematical talent in early grades: A Challenging Situations Approach

Several studies of mathematical giftedness conducted in the past two decades reveal the importance of creation of learning and teaching environment favourable to the identification and nurturing mathematically talented students. Based on psychological , methodological and didactical models created by Krutetskii (1976), Shchedrovtiskii (1968), Brousseau (1997) and Sierpinska (1994), we have developed our challenging situation approach. During 7 years of field study in the elementary K-6 classroom, we collected sufficient amount of data that demonstrate how these challenging situations help to discover and to boost mathematical talent in very young children keeping and increasing their interest towards more advanced mathematics curriculum. In this article, we are going to present our model and illustrate how it works in the mixed-ability classroom. W e will also discuss different roles that teachers and students might play in this kind of environment and how each side could benefit from it.
Distribution of a putative kainic acid receptor in the frog central nervous system determined with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies: evidence for synaptic and extrasynaptic localization.

A frog brain kainic acid receptor (KAR) was studied using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against the affinity-purified receptor. Immunocytochemistry was done on sections of the frog CNS, and the distribution of immunostaining was compared with the distribution of high- and low-affinity 3H-kainic acid (3H-KA) binding sites determined with in vitro receptor autoradiography. These studies showed (1) similar distributions of high- and low-affinity 3H-KA binding sites, (2) identical patterns of immunostaining with the polyclonal antibodies and 2 monoclonal antibodies, and (3) an antibody binding distribution which closely matched that of 3H-KA binding, suggesting that the antibodies recognize the primary KAR in frog brain. In the frog brain, an anteroposterior gradient of immunostaining was observed, with the telencephalon intensely and uniformly immunoreactive. Other areas intensely immunoreactive included the cerebellum, the infundibulum, the tectal and posterior commissures, and the laminar nucleus of the torus semicircularis. The optic tectum showed selective staining of the plexiform layers 3 and 5–7. The pattern of staining was punctate and appeared to be associated with nerve fibers, among them dendritic arborizations. Electron microscopic observations showed staining at the cytoplasmic side of postsynaptic membranes. Extra-synaptic staining was observed as patches on the surface of unmyelinated nerve processes.
POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS Y DERECHOS HUMANOS

The article analyzes the human rights approach in the public policies. Explicit the distinction and the existing tension between right and human rights and ...
Metabolism of essential fatty acids. VII. Conversion of gamma-linolenic acid to arachidonic acid.

Methyl gamma -linolenate-1-C/sup 14/ was fed to rats, and the fatty acids of depot and organ lipides of the rats were separated chromatographically and counted. The sole highly active fatty acid was arachidonic, which, after hydrogenation and degradation in three steps, was found to have 97% of the activity in carbon atom 3. These results support the hypothesis that gamma - linolenic acid is an intermediate in the conversion of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid. (auth)
Brands Inspiring Creativity and Transpiring Meaning

ABSTRACTThis study uses participant observation to undertake an ethnographic exploration of the meanings of brands and objects in an online virtual world. Through the perspective of symbolic interactionism and the theory of self-presentation, the meanings of brands and objects emerge in relation to status in game play. Players create user-generated content with brands to gain status within and outside of the game. Game advertisers encourage players to create branded objects related to their avatars through clothing, accessories, pictures, and machinima. Similarly, players use nonadvertised brands to create avatar names, clothing designs, advertisements, and other communications. The process of social interaction influences status meanings in the multifaceted communication among players, the game, and advertisers, with impacts on self-presentation.
Chronic neurokinin-1 receptor antagonism fails to ameliorate clinical signs, airway hyper-responsiveness or airway eosinophilia in an experimental model of feline asthma

ObjectivesFeline allergic asthma is a common chronic lower airway disease characterized by clinical signs attributed to eosinophilic inflammation, airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) and airway remodeling. Tachykinins released from sensory nerves and immune cells bind neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors in the lung. The resultant neurogenic airway inflammation has been implicated in asthma pathogenesis. In mouse models and spontaneous human asthma, NK receptor antagonists reduce bronchospasm and inflammation. We hypothesized that chronic administration of maropitant, an NK-1 receptor antagonist, would decrease clinical signs of asthma, AHR and eosinophilic inflammation in experimentally asthmatic cats.MethodsCats (n = 6) induced to have asthma using Bermuda grass allergen (BGA) were enrolled in a randomized, prospective, placebo-controlled crossover design study. Cats received either oral maropitant (2 mg/kg) or placebo q48h for 4 weeks; following a 2 week washout, cats were crossed-over to the alternate treatmen...
One-shot controls for preventing loss of synchronism

This paper describes the authors' research toward using pattern recognition tools to automate the design of response-based, one-shot stability controls. Some power system controls such as generator and load tripping are one-shot by nature, while others such as HVDC fast power changes can be one-shot by design. Early investigations used event-specific information such as the outage of a major transmission line in order to facilitate progress. Pattern recognition tools were adapted for response-based control by converting the data from each simulation into a large number of input-output pairs for classifier training. Recent studies have focused on an application in which apparent resistance and its rate of change measured near the middle of an intertie are used to predict loss of synchronism across the intertie. One reason for studying this application is because the input vector is two-dimensional so that training data and decision regions can be visualized for better understanding.
Pseudofactorialism, response structures and collective responsibility

Pseudofactorialism is defined as ‘the invalid statistical analysis that results from the misidentification of two or more response variables as representing different levels of an experimental variable or treatment factor. Most often the invalid analysis consists of use of an (n + 1)-way anova in a situation where two or more n-way anovas would be the appropriate approach’. I and my students examined a total of 1362 papers published from the 1960s to 2009 reporting manipulative experiments, primarily in the field of ecology. The error was present in 7% of these, including 9% of 80 experimental papers examined in 2009 issues of Ecology and the Journal of Animal Ecology. Key features of 60 cases of pseudofactorialism are tabulated as a basis for discussion of the varied ways and circumstances in which the error can occur. As co-authors, colleagues, editors and anonymous referees and editors who approved them for publication, a total of 459 persons other than the senior authors shared responsibility for these 60 papers. Pseudofactorialism may sometimes be motivated by a desire to test whether different response variables respond in the same way to treatment factors. Proper procedures for doing that are briefly reviewed. A major cause of pseudofactorialism is the widespread failure in statistics texts, primary literature and documentation for statistics software packages to distinguish the three major components of experimental design – treatment structure, design structure, response structure – and clearly define key terms such as experimental unit, evaluation unit, split unit, factorial and repeated measures. A quick way to check for the possible presence of the pseudofactorialism is to determine whether the number of valid experimental units in a study is smaller than (i) the error degrees of freedom in a multi-way anova; or (ii) the total number of tallies (N) in a multi-way contingency table. Such situations also can indicate the commission of pseudoreplication, however.
Conditions determining the priority of new items in free recall

On successive tests of free recall there is a significant tendency for newly recalled items, i.e., those given for the first time, to be reproduced earlier than items which had been recalled previously. The priority of new items in recall has been viewed as inconsistent with the assumption that order of recall reflects relative item strength. The analysis presented in this paper indicates that the priority effect is due largely, if not entirely, to biases in the order of presentation such that new items occupy more favorable serial positions than old items during successive presentations of the list.
The effect of seating location on the injury of properly restrained children in child safety seats.

Abstract Properly restrained child passengers in the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS), General Estimates System (GES), were studied for the effect of seating position on the risk of injury. The analysis focused on children seated in a child safety seat in a rear seat location. A multiple logistic regression model was used to assess whether the center rear seat is a safer seating position than either of the outboard rear seats. Standard errors for the odds ratios (ORs) of injury for several correlates of injury including seating position were obtained using a jackknife procedure. This analysis of the data showed that the center rear seat is not a safer seating position than either of the outboard rear seats in terms of odds of injury (left seat OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.73–1.03; right seat OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.85–1.20). These results do not agree with those of previous studies that suggested the center rear seat is the safest position for parents to place a child safety seat.
"Species-Being" and "Human Nature" in Marx

It is generally recognized that Marx's account of human alienation (estrangement) presented in the 1844 Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts is dependent upon his notion of a human species-being. Since that concept is almost totally absent from Marx's later writings, it is not generally acknowledged that this concept continues to play a central function in Marx's writing and, in particular, in his critique of capitalist society. In this paper, I shall try to show the full range of implications that Marx draws from his claim that "Man is a species-being... and free conscious activity constitutes the species -character of man" (Marx, 1974, pp. 327-328 ). In the first sec tion, I will show how Marx's use of the concept of a human species-being is a radical reconceptualization of the philosophic tradition's use of the idea of a human essence. I will then, in the second section, show how this concept functions to ground both Marx's critique of capitalist society as well as his view of socialism as a positive alternative to that society. Finally, in the third section, I will show that this view of the human being leads to a critique of various "ahistorial" theories of human nature present in the philosophic and economic tradition. As a result, we shall see that Marx's conception of the human species-being is a genuine theoretical innovation that functions as the centerpiece of Marx's view of human beings and their society.
Hyperspectral measurement of the scattering of polarized light by skin

The goal of this study is to develop a spectropolarimeter for purposes of assessing polarization signatures in skin scattering on a regional scale. Prior research has that certain skin lesions have identifiable polarization signatures;1-3 however, those studies were limited to single lesion evaluation and are not convenient for screening patients with many suspicious legions. As a precursor to the future instrument, a simple actively illuminated Stokes spectropolarimeter was constructed to gather preliminary data about expected signatures and the required performance (resolution, wavelength, polarization state, etc.). This spectropolarimeter consists of a rotating retarder and a hyperspectral camera4 that scans through wavelengths by means of a Liquid Crystal Tunable Filter (LCTF). Data is captured in a serial fashion, where LCTF scans through eight wavelengths at each of the four retarder orientations. With a single acquisition taking 23 seconds to complete, it makes the issue of image registration very important. After proper alignment, the acquired images reveal that wavelength-dependent polarization signatures exist on a regional scale. In particular, it was found that polarization factors such as Degree of Linear Polarization (DoLP) tend to suppress many uninteresting skin features like wrinkles and skin texture, while capturing information that is not necessarily apparent in the intensity image.
Hybrid Formulations of smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Abstract In this paper the concept of hybrid methods or flux-limiter methods from the finite difference approach is applied to Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) to obtain improved results in problems which involve shocks. Several variations of the resulting hybrid SPH formulation are discussed and tested against the Riemann shock tube problem. This new technique allows the SPH continuity equation to be used successfully for this test problem. The work described here shows considerable promise and the methods should be further developed.
Delayed Activation of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptor/Src/MAPK/Egr-1 Signaling Regulates Clusterin Expression, a Pro-survival Factor

Secretory clusterin protein (sCLU) is a general genotoxic stress-induced, pro-survival gene product implicated in aging, obesity, heart disease, and cancer. However, the regulatory signal transduction processes that control sCLU expression remain undefined. Here, we report that induction of sCLU is delayed, peaking 72 h after low doses of ionizing radiation, and is dependent on the up-regulation of insulin-like growth factor-1 as well as phosphorylation-dependent activation of its receptor (IGF-1 and IGF-1R, respectively). Activated IGF-1R then stimulates the downstream Src-Mek-Erk signal transduction cascade to ultimately transactivate the early growth response-1 (Egr-1) transcription factor, required for sCLU expression. Thus, ionizing radiation exposure causes stress-induced activation of IGF-1R-Src-Mek-Erk-Egr-1 signaling that regulates the sCLU pro-survival cascade pathway, important for radiation resistance in cancer therapy.
Teaching at the Frustration Level

It is possible to teach reading at what many consider the frustration level—and do it with success.
The effect of temperature, salinity, and availability of food on the feeding and growth of the hogchoker, Trinectes maculatus (Bloch & Schneider)

Abstract The effects of temperature, salinity, and availability of food were determined on the feeding rate, growth rate, and food conversion efficiency of juvenile hogchokers, Trinectes maculatus. Bloch & Schneider. The experimental design was factorial with temperatures of 15, 25, and 35°C; salinities of 0, 15, and 30 %; and food availabilities, corresponding to maximum or ad lib. feeding, half ad lib. feeding and no food. Maximum feeding rate depended primarily on temperature. Food conversion efficiency was influenced by a temperature-salinity interaction. At any temperature the salinities giving the fastest growth or greatest growth efficiency were the same as when the smallest weight losses occurred during starvation. Growth rates calculated from published field data correspond to those calculated from laboratory data on fish held under similar temperature-salinity conditions and fed at approximately the maximum level. The seasonal distribution of hogchokers is discussed in terms of the relationship between temperature-salinity conditions and growth.
The Worldwide Governance Indicators: Six, One, or None?

Abstract Aggregate indexes of the quality of governance, covering large samples of countries, have become popular in comparative political analysis. Few studies examine the validity or reliability of these indexes. To partially fill this gap, this study uses factor, confirmatory factor and path analysis to test both measurement and causal models of the six Worldwide Governance indicators. They purportedly measure distinct concepts of control of corruption, rule of law, government effectiveness, rule quality, political stability, and voice and accountability. Rather than distinguishing among aspects of the quality of governance, we find that they appear to be measuring the same broad concept.
The inhibition of radical-initiated peroxidation of microsomal lipids by both α-tocopherol and β-carotene

Rat liver microsomal lipids in hexane solution were exposed to the lipid-soluble radical initiator, azobis-isobutyronitrile (AIBN), and the antioxidant activities of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene have been compared. Lipid peroxidation was monitored both by conjugated diene formation at 233 nm, and by malondialdehyde (MDA) formation in the thiobarbituric acid assay at 535 nm. Diene formation was continuous for at least 120 min in the presence of 85 micrograms/ml lipid and 4 mM AIBN. Both alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene acted as chain-breaking antioxidants, suppressing lipid peroxidation and producing an induction period at concentrations as low as 0.5 and 8 microM, respectively. When both of these lipid-soluble antioxidants were present together, the oxidation was strongly suppressed and the induction period was the sum of the individual antioxidants, alpha-Tocopherol and beta-carotene also inhibited MDA generation. In the presence of 170 micrograms/ml lipid and 8 mM AIBN, beta-carotene exhibited an IC50 of 1.1 microM and inhibited completely at 15 microM. Using beta-carotene, an induction period was observed, although much less pronounced than with alpha-tocopherol. Furthermore, beta-carotene inhibited MDA production in a concentration-dependent manner and exhibited an IC50 of 50 microM. In addition, added beta-carotene delayed the radical-initiated destruction of the endogenous alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in this system.
Electrically Conductive Thin Films Prepared from Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Graphite Platelets

Layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of carbon nanoparticles for low electrical contact resistance thin film applications is demonstrated. The nanoparticles consist of irregularly shaped graphite platelets, with acrylamide/β-methacryloxyethyl-trimethyl-ammonium copolymer as the cationic binder. Nanoparticle zeta (ζ) potential and thereby electrostatic interactions are varied by altering the pH of graphite suspension as well as that of the binder suspension. Film thickness as a function of zeta potential, immersion time, and the number of layers deposited is obtained using Monte Carlo simulation of the energy dispersive spectroscopy measurements. Multilayer film surface morphology is visualized via field-emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic-force microscopy. Thin film electrical properties are characterized using electrical contact resistance measurements. Graphite nanoparticles are found to self-assemble onto gold substrates through two distinct yet overlapping mechanisms. The first mechanism is characterized by logarithmic carbon uptake with respect to the number of deposition cycles and slow clustering of nanoparticles on the gold surface. The second mechanism results from more rapid LBL nanoparticle assembly and is characterized by linear weight uptake with respect to the number of deposition cycles and a constant bilayer thickness of 15 to 21 nm. Thin-film electrical contact resistance is found to be proportional to the thickness after equilibration of the bilayer structure. Measured values range from 1.6 mΩ cm -2 at 173 nm to 3.5 mΩ cm -2 at 276 nm. Coating volume resistivity is reduced when electrostatic interactions are enhanced during LBL assembly.
Global monthly averaged CO2 fluxes recovered using a geostatistical inverse modeling approach: 1. Results using atmospheric measurements

[1] This study presents monthly CO2 fluxes from 1997 to 2001 at a 3.75° latitude × 5° longitude resolution, inferred using a geostatistical inverse modeling approach. The approach focuses on quantifying the information content of measurements from the NOAA-ESRL cooperative air sampling network with regard to the global CO2 budget at different spatial and temporal scales. The geostatistical approach avoids the use of explicit prior flux estimates that have formed the basis of previous synthesis Bayesian inversions and does not prescribe spatial patterns of flux for large, aggregated regions. Instead, the method relies strongly on the atmospheric measurements and the inferred spatial autocorrelation of the fluxes to estimate sources and sinks and their associated uncertainties at the resolution of the atmospheric transport model. Results show that grid-scale estimates exhibit high uncertainty and relatively little small-scale variability, but generally reflect reasonable fluxes in areas that are relatively well constrained by measurements. The aggregated continental-scale fluxes are better constrained, and estimates are consistent with results from previous synthesis Bayesian inversion studies for many regions. Observed differences at the continental scale are primarily attributable to the choice of a priori assumptions in the current work relative to those in other synthesis Bayesian studies. Overall, the results indicate that the geostatistical inverse modeling approach is able to estimate global fluxes using the limited atmospheric measurement network without relying on assumptions about a priori estimates of the flux distribution. As such, the method provides a means of isolating the information content of the atmospheric measurements, and thus serves as a valuable tool for reconciling top-down and bottom-up estimates of CO2 flux variability.
Late Holocene climate change and human disturbance on Andros Island, Bahamas

A 2 m sediment core from Church's Blue Hole on Andros Island, Bahamas provides the first paleoecological record from the Bahama Archipelago. The timing of events in the lower portion of the core is uncertain due to inconsistencies in the radiocarbon chronology, but there is evidence that a late Holocene dry period altered the limnology of Church's Blue Hole and supported only dry shrubland around the site. The dry period on Andros may correlate with a widespread dry period in the Caribbean from 3200 to 1500 yr BP. After the dry period ended, a more mesic climate supported tropical hardwood thicket around Church's Blue Hole. At c. 740 radiocarbon yr BP there is a sudden rise in charcoal concentration and a rapid transition to pinewoods vegetation, while at c. 430 radiocarbon yr BP charcoal concentration drops, but is higher again near the top of the core. Although climatic shifts could have caused these changes in vegetation and charcoal concentration, the changes post-date human colonization of the Bahamas and may reflect human arrival, followed by the removal of humans c. 1530 AD and the recolonization of Andros Island c. 200 years later.
Solid state chemistry of organic polyvalent iodine compounds. II. The crystal structure of 2-iodo-3'-chlorodibenzoyl peroxide

Abstract The monoclinic crystal structures of 2-iododibenzoyl peroxide derivatives which undergo topotactic solid state transformations have very similar b as well as c axial lengths. The structures accordingly are composed of similarly packed molecular layers parallel to their respective (100) planes. However, they differ through the manner in which these layers are stacked to form the three dimensional structures. Translational stacking in the a direction characterizes one group (A) of peroxides, all of whose members are transformed to single crystals of the corresponding benzoxiodole isomers. The previously reported structure of bis-(orthoiodobenzoyl) peroxide belongs to this group. The second group (B) of peroxide structures, exemplified by the here-described 2-iodo-3′-chlorodibenzoyl peroxide structure, (C 14 H 8 ClI0 4 ; a = 22.28, b = 4.06, c = 15.38 A, β = 94.5°, P2 1 c , Z = 4 ), is characterized by an alternate stacking of the layers through inversion centers. The a axial lengths of group A structures accordingly are approximately half those of group B structures. Instead of isomerizing, at ∼22°C the latter are usually hydrolyzed to single crystal phases of “orthoiodosobenzoic acid.” Considerations of close interlayer iodine-oxygen and iodine-halogen distances suggest that group B structures are predisposed toward other intermolecular reactions and cannot readily form the crystal structures of their isomeric benzoxiodole phases. The oxygen-oxygen bond (1.46 A) in 2-iodo-3′-chlorodibenzoyl peroxide is coplanar with each of the carbonyl groups and the dihedral angle of the peroxide linkage is 117°. The dihedral angle between the two benzene planes is 5°.
Cognitive and Academic Performance of College Students with Learning Disabilities: A Synthesis of the Literature:

The literature pertaining to college students with learning disabilities was reviewed to arrive at a summary of empirical reports on the academic achievement and cognitive ability of this populatio...
Simplified new approach to endoscopic photography

Abstract Information obtained by endoscopic examination can be shared with others by viewing sequentially through the same endoscope, “teaching attachments” allowing viewing ports through the same instrument, drawings based on the observers' recollection of the findings, and by endoscopic photography. Of these methods, endoscopic photography has the important advantages of speed and faithfulness of reproduction. Herein, we describe a simple technique for endoscopic color still-photography with illustrations of normal and pathologic findings.
Structural and kinetic analysis of drug resistant mutants of HIV‐1 protease

Mutants of HIV-1 protease that are commonly selected on exposure to different drugs, V82S, G48V, N88D and L90M, showed reduced catalytic activity compared to the wild-type protease on cleavage site peptides, CA-p2, p6pol-PR and PR-RT, critical for viral maturation. Mutant V82S is the least active (2-20% of wild-type protease), mutants N88D, R8Q, and L90M exhibit activities ranging from 20 to 40% and G48V from 50 to 80% of the wild-type activity. In contrast, D30N is variable in its activity on different substrates (10-110% of wild-type), with the PR-RT site being the most affected. Mutants K45I and M46L, usually selected in combination with other mutations, showed activities that are similar to (60-110%) or greater than (110-530%) wild-type, respectively. No direct relationship was observed between catalytic activity, inhibition, and structural stability. The mutants D30N and V82S were similar to wild-type protease in their stability toward urea denaturation, while R8Q, G48V, and L90M showed 1.5 to 2.7-fold decreased stability, and N88D and K45I showed 1.6 to 1.7-fold increased stability. The crystal structures of R8Q, K45I and L90M mutants complexed with a CA-p2 analog inhibitor were determined at 2.0, 1.55 and 1.88 A resolution, respectively, and compared to the wild-type structure. The intersubunit hydrophobic contacts observed in the crystal structures are in good agreement with the relative structural stability of the mutant proteases. All these results suggest that viral resistance does not arise by a single mechanism.
Focused auditory attention and frequency selectivity.

The probe-signal method (Greenberg & Larkin, 1968) was used to determine the percentage of trials in which unpracticed subjects detected (two-interval, forced-choice) a soft, expected sound as compared with an unexpected sound. Pure tones at or near an expected frequency were detected in about 90% of the trials. Tones more than one-half critical band away were detected near chance (50%). Complex sounds (a band of noise or a multitone complex) were detected better if they were inside the same critical band as the expected signal than if they were outside the band. A signal that differed spectrally from the expected sound was not detected even though it had the same low pitch, based on a common fundamental frequency. The results may mean that under some conditions focused attention alters sensitivity in the auditory system.
The Crystal and Molecular Structure of Ethyl Chlorophyllide a.2H(2)O and Its Relationship to the Structure and Aggregation of Chlorophyll a.

Abstract Determination of the crystal structure of ethyl chlorophyllide a·2H2O by single crystal x-ray diffraction techniques has provided the first detailed molecular structural data available for a magnesium-containing derivative of chlorophyll. At the same time the aggregation observed in this structure serves as the basis for a model of chlorophyll aggregation in vitro and in vivo. The magnesium atom in ethyl chlorophyllide is displaced 0.4 A from the plane of the chlorin ring in the same direction as the methyl ester substituent. A water molecule occupies the fifth coordination site. A second water molecule is hydrogen bonded to the coordinated water molecule and also to the carbonyl oxygen atom of the methyl ester. Hydrogen bonds between the water molecules and carbonyl oxygen atoms link the chlorophyllide molecules into a two-dimensional aggregate of crosslinked one-dimensional polymers. The relationship of this aggregate to aggregates of chlorophyll both in vitro and in vivo is discussed, as is the efficiency of exciton transport within the polymer.
Families in the Gautreaux Housing Mobility Program: Perceptions and Responses to the U.S. Political Economy

This study examines how perceptions of shifts in the U.S. political economy such as those associated with the Great Migration(s), the Civil Rights Movement, and various housing policies influenced the lives of three generations of African American families and children. This study looks at the experiences of families living in Chicago, Illinois who participated in the Gautreaux Assisted Housing Program, which was a direct result of the Civil Rights Movement. A qualitative analysis is employed that analyzes the perceptions of Gautreaux participants (N = 25) about how changes in the U.S. political economy affect their life course development and the life courses of their parents (N = 50) and children (N = 72). Added to the perceptions of Gautreaux participants is an intergenerational analysis of educational achievement and occupational attainment in the context of a changing U.S. political economy from the Jim Crow era to the post-Civil Rights era. The findings suggest that in many cases participants perceived expanding opportunities but also recognized the persistence of structural constraints. They identified several structural changes that they believed influenced their families’ educational and occupational opportunities: industrial jobs in the North, civil rights protests by African Americans against employment and housing discrimination (and the resulting policies like “affirmative action”), as well as increased government funding for job training and education. The intergenerational analysis of educational and occupational achievement revealed that each Gautreaux generation has higher rates of college attendance and post-high school training, as well as a greater range of occupations. I argue that the interplay between changing structural forces and bundled acts of resistance over the three generations created pathways that significantly improved life course development within and across the generations.
Mathematical Models of Growth Data of Male and Female Wrolstad White Turkeys

Abstract A growth model for Wrolstad White turkeys was developed based on the growth data obtained weekly from a flock of 911 Wrolstad White turkeys. The Gompertz growth model was fitted to the data of mean weights as well as the data of the enveloping weight limits that formed the 95% enveloping curves of the mean weights. The Gompertz equation which provided an excellent fit was in the form: W = A · exp ( − B · exp ( − C · t ) ) where: W = weight at time t, kg. t = turkey age, days The parameters A, B and C were interpreted as: A = asymptotic weight approached; that is, the weight at time t = ∞, kg. A · exp(−B) = weight at time t = 0, kg. C = the rate of exponential decay of the specific growth rate, days−1 Values of the parameters A, B and C in the Gompertz equation were presented for the best fitting Gompertz equation to the means of: the weights of the entire flock, the weights of all the males, and the weights of all the females. The Gompertz equation was also fitted to the two enveloping curves for each curve of the mean weights.