cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactions of subjective contours with the Ponzo, Müller-Lyer, and vertical-horizontal illusions

The Ponzo, Muller-Lyer, and vertical-horizontal illusions were generated with real edges, subjective contours, and various control patterns. Subjective contours were differentially effective over control conditions only for the Ponzo illusion. The data are discussed in light of the various theories of subjective contours and illusions.
The effect of intravenously administrered γ-aminobutyric acid on afferent fiber polarization

Summary o (1) The effect of intravenously administered γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on afferent fiber polarization in the feline spinal cord was ascertained from fluctuations induced in the DC level of dorsal root filaments. (2) A dose-related depolarization of the filament, with a concomitant reduction in the magnitude of the dorsal root potential, was observed after 50 and 100 mg/kg GABA. (3) GABA also depolarized filaments of preparations in which interneuronal activity was suppressed by pretreatment with tetrodotoxin. Since the magnitude of the depolarization induced in these preparations was equal to that observed in nonpretreated animals, it is likely that the depolarization in the latter preparations reflects a direct effect on afferent terminals or fibers rather than an action on interneurons. (4) GABA failed to depolarize filaments in animals pretreated with bicuculline. This suggests that intravenously administered GABA interacted with receptors that are identical with or similar to those involved in neurally evoked primary afferent depolarization (PAD). (5) The direct depolarization of afferent fibers by intravenous GABA and the blockade thereof by bicuculline are characteristics compatible with those of the endogenous axo-axonic transmitter operating in pathways mediating neurally evoked PAD. These data, therefore, support the involvement of GABA at this synapse in the mammalian spinal cord.
Experimental Invalidation of the Principle of Competitive Exclusion

It is demonstrated that two species of Drosophila competing for limited resources of food and space can coexist. The principle of competitive exclusion, or “Gause's principle”, is thus rejected.
The state of R&D in the petroleum industry

This is a brief paper which describes the current state of expenditures in the areas of research and development in the petroleum industry and the associated support industries. It tracks the decline in research in the US with that of other countries. It also shows graphically how the research and development expenditures, as compared to other major US industries, is on the decline. It goes on to compare the methods of utilizing these research funds between petroleum companies to show that most research and development comes directly from a need of the company at a particular point in time. The paper closes by providing recommendations for a long-term research and development operation of the overall petroleum industry.
Biocompatibility studies of naltrexone sustained release formulations

Abstract In vivo implantation studies were carried out subcutaneously in rats and rabbits with naltrexone sustained release preparations which included placebo beads, naltrexone containing beads, and naltrexone microspheres. Naltrexone plasma concentrations in rats and rabbits, and the histopathological tissue reactions utilizing standard procedures and light microscopic evaluation to the respective naltrexone preparations were determined at days 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The total drug doses in rat and rabbit plasmas, respectively, vs. implantation times were also calculated. The only significant histological finding in both rats and rabbits at any time period was the inflammation that occurred focally around the beads or microspheres. The focal inflammatory cell density in both rats and rabbits was higher for the naltrexone beads than for the placebo beads at days 14, 21 and 28 respectively. This difference in inflammatory response between naltrexone beads and placebo beads increased with increasing time of implantation. Considering the resolution of the inflammatory response for the placebo beads with implantation time in both rats and rabbits, it is suggested that the naltrexone drug itself is the causative agent of the focal inflammation present surrounding the naltrexone beads in the implant sites.
Pharmacotherapy of respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common cause of severe lower respiratory disease in infants and young children. Its importance as a pathogen in the elderly and in the immunocompromised is becoming more clearly understood. RSV infection in infancy may lead to chronic lung disease ion later life. Newer forms of therapy are needed. This review will discuss the status of many types of compounds that interfere with RSV infection, including antibodies, inosine-5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) inhibitors, fusion inhibitors, entry inhibitors, anti-sense RNA inhibitors, and nucleoprotein inhibitors.
The impact of interpersonal anxiety on consumer information processing

Effects of interpersonal anxiety on consumer information processing were investigated from a psychoanalytic perspective. Findings indicate that increases in the number and importance of others in subjects' decision environments heighten experienced levels of anxiety. In addition, the relationship of anxiety to information processing was found to be curvilinear (inverted U-shaped) as indicated by the total amount of information and the processing mode selected by subjects during a decision task. Implications for marketers and future research directions are provided.
Variability of the depth of the 20°C isotherm along 6°N in the Bay of Bengal: its response to remote and local forcing and its relation to satellite SSH variability

Abstract The depth of the 20°C isotherm (hereafter referred to as D20) derived from expendable bathythermograph (XBT) measurements along 6°N in the southern Bay of Bengal (hereafter referred to as the Bay) shows pronounced seasonal-to-interannual variability and profound westward propagation. But not all these features are well depicted by satellite observations of sea-surface height (SSH). The cause of the thermocline variability for the period of 1988–1999 and the relationship to SSH variability were analyzed in this study with the addition of wind and salinity data sets. Local Ekman pumping and remote Kelvin/Rossby wave propagation are the two leading forcing mechanisms for the thermocline variability at the chosen XBT section. On seasonal timescales, the phase of the D20 semiannual variations is determined by a remote forcing signal, but the amplitude is determined by interaction with the annual background that is preconditioned by the local Ekman pumping. The local background has the phase oscillating in a way that it enhances the westward propagation of the remote semiannual signal during the first half of the year but suppresses the semiannual signal during the second half of the year. On interannual timescales, the D20 at 6°N is most sensitive to the remote equatorial wind variability, with local forcing variability being a secondary contributor. This study shows that the calculation of the Ekman pumping velocity should include the contribution from not only wind-stress curl but also zonal wind stress due to the β-effect at 6°N. Omitting the latter would augment the effect of local forcing. The relationship between satellite SSH and D20 is not linear in the Bay, as large salinity variation contributes considerably to the SSH variability. Compared to the structure of seasonal D20 anomalies, the SSH anomalies are more zonally aligned, less westward propagating, and have a weak semiannual signal. A relationship between the sea level and thermocline variation is derived by using a two-layered system that includes seasonal variations of temperature and salinity in upper-ocean density. This allows the structure of the satellite SSH to be examined from the XBT temperature and the salinity climatology and enables salinity effect to be quantified. At 6°N the amplitude of the SSH variations induced by the salinity effect is about 3 cm, equivalent to the amplitude induced by the temperature effect.
Passenger Train Crashworthiness—Primary Collisions

The results of computer simulations of passenger train collisions in which train coaches with unoccupied, crushable end zones are used to dissipate the collision energy are presented. The proper design of these crush zones and the passenger compartment features are shown to result in a controlled distribution of the crush along the length of the impacting trains and a reduction of the accelerations to which trains' occupants are subjected. The main design parameters for these crushable zones are studied for a variety of train configurations, coach load versus deformation characteristics, and inter-coach gaps. It is shown that well-designed crushable zones can absorb collision energy in a predictable manner, reducing the probability of occupant injuries and fatalities.
Decreased saliency processing as a neural measure of Barratt impulsivity in healthy adults

Abstract Cognitive control is necessary to navigating through an uncertain world. With the stop signal task (SST), we measure how cognitive control functions in a controlled environment. There has been conflicting evidence on whether trait impulsivity might reflect differences in cognitive control during the SST. While some studies find that trait impulsivity relates to measures of response inhibition, such as the stop signal reaction time (SSRT), other studies do not. Here, in 92 young adult participants (58 females; age 25 ± 4 years), we examined whether trait impulsivity, measured by the Barratt impulsivity scale (BIS-11), is associated with differences in performance and regional brain activations for the component processes of cognitive control during the SST. Across participants, trait impulsivity showed a trend-level correlation with SSRT (F(1.90) = 3.18, p
Development of an aptamer-based concentration method for the detection of Trypanosoma cruzi in blood.

Trypanosoma cruzi, a blood-borne parasite, is the etiological agent of Chagas disease. T. cruzi trypomastigotes, the infectious life cycle stage, can be detected in blood of infected individuals using PCR-based methods. However, soon after a natural infection, or during the chronic phase of Chagas disease, the number of parasites in blood may be very low and thus difficult to detect by PCR. To facilitate PCR-based detection methods, a parasite concentration approach was explored. A whole cell SELEX strategy was utilized to develop serum stable RNA aptamers that bind to live T. cruzi trypomastigotes. These aptamers bound to the parasite with high affinities (8–25 nM range). The highest affinity aptamer, Apt68, also demonstrated high specificity as it did not interact with the insect stage epimastigotes of T. cruzi nor with other related trypanosomatid parasites, L. donovani and T. brucei, suggesting that the target of Apt68 was expressed only on T. cruzi trypomastigotes. Biotinylated Apt68, immobilized on a solid phase, was able to capture live parasites. These captured parasites were visible microscopically, as large motile aggregates, formed when the aptamer coated paramagnetic beads bound to the surface of the trypomastigotes. Additionally, Apt68 was also able to capture and aggregate trypomastigotes from several isolates of the two major genotypes of the parasite. Using a magnet, these parasite-bead aggregates could be purified from parasite-spiked whole blood samples, even at concentrations as low as 5 parasites in 15 ml of whole blood, as detected by a real-time PCR assay. Our results show that aptamers can be used as pathogen specific ligands to capture and facilitate PCR-based detection of T. cruzi in blood.
Psychiatric comorbidity, family dysfunction, and social impairment in referred youth with oppositional defiant disorder

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to achieve an improved understanding of the diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder independent of its association with conduct disorder. METHOD: Family interactions, social functioning, and psychiatric comorbidity were compared in clinically referred male and female subjects with oppositional defiant disorder alone (N=643) or with comorbid conduct disorder (N=262) and a psychiatric comparison group with neither oppositional defiant disorder nor conduct disorder (N=695). RESULTS: Oppositional defiant disorder youth with or without conduct disorder were found to have significantly higher rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders and significantly greater family and social dysfunction relative to psychiatric comparison subjects. Differences between subjects with oppositional defiant disorder alone and those with comorbid conduct disorder were seen primarily in rates of mood disorders and social impairment. Oppositional defiant disorder was a significant correlate of adverse fa...
PREVALENCE OF INTRAUTERINE DEMISE IN FETUSES WITH CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS: 12-YEAR PROGRAMMATIC REVIEW

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are amongst the most common birth defects and impact ∼1% of all babies born in this country. Intrauterine demise (IUFD) in the fetus with CHD is reported to occur at higher rates than the overall population incidence of 6 per 1000 births. As such, fetal CHD is often
Conciencia Fonémica en Español (Phonemic Awareness in Spanish)

Studies conducted in many languages reveal that phonemic awareness is significantly related to success in learning to read. Research reveals a cross-linguistic transfer of phonemic awareness, indicating that phonemic awareness is a general rather than a language-specific ability and that skills developed in one language influence their development in a second language. Furthermore, there is evidence that phonemic awareness in one language supports reading development in a second language. The authors argue, therefore, that it is sound practice to stimulate phonemic awareness development in students' native language; children will benefit regardless of the language of reading instruction in schools. Given the large numbers of English learners in the United States, the majority of whom are Spanish-speaking, the authors share Spanish songs, poems, tongue twisters, and books that may be used in classrooms or in homes to develop children's sensitivity to the sound structure of language.
Synthetic biology evolves

Synthetic biology is advancing rapidly as biologists, physicists and engineers are combining their efforts to understand and program cell function. By characterizing isolated genetic components or modules, experimentalists have paved the way for more quantitative analyses of genetic networks. A recent paper presents a method of computational, or in silico, evolution in which a set of components can evolve into networks that display desired behaviors. An integrated approach that includes a strategy of in silico design by evolution, together with efforts exploiting directed evolution in vivo, is likely to be the next step in the evolution of synthetic biology.
Chemical analysis of single cells and exocytosis

Recent advances in the development of microscale analytical techniques have allowed minute amounts of compounds of biological interest to be monitored in microenvironments. Microcolumn separation techniques, such as microcolumn liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, provide a means of obtaining high-efficiency separations of analytes in picoliter to femtoliter volume samples. Voltammetric microelectrode techniques, such as amperometry and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, are ideally suited for monitoring transiently occurring chemical events in cellular and subcellular processes owing to their rapid response times and small structural dimensions. The principles and applications of these techniques in single-cell analysis are discussed throughout this review. Multicomponent separations and quantitations of large invertebrate neurons of the land snail Helix neurons and the pond snail Planorbis corneus dopamine neurons, and of small mammalian cells, bovine adrenal cells, rat PC12 cells, and human lymphocytes, by use of microcolumn liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis are presented. Electrochemical monitoring of neurotransmitter exocytosis from single adrenal cells, from PC12 cells, and from the cell body of the Planorbis dopamine neuron is highlighted. Results obtained from both separation and voltammetric techniques in single-cell analyses will provide a better understanding of cellular and/or neuronal chemistry and biology in complicated living environments.
Block Of The HERG Mutant D540K By Terfenadine Shows The Opposite Dependency On Extracellular Potassium Compared To Block Of WT HERG By Terfenadine

Block of the cardiac potassium channel HERG by a number of drugs has been shown by different investigators to depend on the extracellular potassium concentration. This dependency on extracellular potassium can be explained by at least two mechanisms: destabilization of the drug by the permeant ion or differential binding to the inactivated state. We previously reported that block of HERG by terfenadine shows the opposite dependency on extracellular potassium compared to quinidine. Thus HERG block by quinidine is greater in 0 mM K compared to 20 mM K whereas block by terfenadine is greater in 20 mM K compared to 0 mM K. In order to determine the mechanism underlying this difference in potassium dependency we measured block by terfenadine of the HERG mutant D540K which opens with both depolarization and hyperpolarization. Block of D540K by terfenadine showed the opposite dependency on extracellular potassium compared to block of WT HERG by terfenadine. Thus block of D540K by terfenadine is greater in 0 mM K compared to 20 mM K, similar to the extracellular potassium dependency of block of WT HERG by quinidine. Recent experiments indicate that terfenadine is trapped inside the channel after the channel closes, whereas quinidine is not1. In addition we have reported that block of HERG by quinidine shows a better correlation with the permeant ion than with inactivation. Together these results suggest that the permeant ion is not able to destabilize a trapped drug but is able to destabilize a drug that is not trapped and indicate a possible role for the activation gate in determining the extracellular potassium dependency of block of HERG.1 Stork et al. (2007) BJP 151:1368-1376.
Feedback control systems with dead-time lag or distributed lag by root-locus method

A FEEDBACK control system is composed of a group of elements, which may be electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and so forth, whose behavior may be linear or nonlinear. The analysis and synthesis of a feedback control system with linear elements which can be described by a linear differential equation with constant coefficients have been well developed. In such analysis and synthesis, the term "transfer function"1 frequently is employed to describe a servo element. It is a Laplace transform notation of the differential equation governing the behavior of the element.
Role of nitrogen in the cover gas over molten lithium hydride on corrosion of type 304L stainless steel containment

Abstract Nitrogen contamination of the nominal argon-30% hydrogen cover gas over molten lithium hydride dramatically influences corrosion of type 304L stainless steel containment. Compared to 0% nitrogen, 15% nitrogen in the cover gas changes the primary corrosion mechanism from nickel leaching to chromium leaching and increases weight loss and intergranular penetration of 304L by at least an order of magnitude at 800°C. At 715°C, weight loss and intergranular penetration are about a factor of 3 greater than at 800°C for the 15% nitrogen cover gas. Cover gas contamination with 0.5% nitrogen accelerates weight loss about 15% compared to the nitrogen-free experiment at 800°C and the 304L containment material experiences nickel and chromium leaching. It was postulated that nitrogen and lithium penetrate grain boundaries to form a soluble precipitate incorporating chromium that accelerates corrosion in the presence of nitrogen.
Tables for Best Linear Estimates by Order Statistics of the Parameters of Single Exponential Distributions from Singly and Doubly Censored Samples

Abstract Tables are provided covering sample sizes up to 10. Interpretations are made for the variation of the coefficients and variances of the estimates as the number of censored observations vary. An index of experimental efficiency termed “efficiency per unit of waiting time” can be constructed with the tabulations provided. It is shown that (1) For the one-parameter single exponential distribution, the estimate of σ obtained from singly censored samples from the left has a smaller variance than that based upon singly censored samples from the right, provided that the number of missing observations is equal on both sides. (2) For the two-parameter single exponential distribution: a. The minimum value can be estimated more efficiently in samples censored from the right than in samples censored from the left, provided that the number of missing observations is equal; b. the estimate of the standard deviation in singly and doubly censored samples does not depend upon the side from which censoring takes p...
An Application of Bayesian Option Pricing to the Soybean Market

Options pricing techniques have been an important part of finance for some time. Mostapproaches specify a particular stochastic process to represent the price dynamics of theunderlying asset and then derive an explicit pricing model. While this may be acceptablefor standard financial assets, it can be problematic for commodities. Many commoditieshave significant seasonalities and require a far more elaborate time-series specification ofthe price dynamics of the underlying asset. Hence, it becomes difficult at best to deriveexplicit pricing formulae. Further, with the additional complexity of a rich time-seriesspecification, estimation risk becomes a genuine concern.In this paper we suggest an alternative approach. We use numerical Bayestechniques to build a predictive density for the price of the underlying asset (for theexample in this paper we need to predict the soybean cash and futures prices at theoption’s expiration). Bayesian techniques allow for two very important additions. First, wecan integrate out any estimation risk. Second, it allows us to incorporate properly anynon-sample information that we may have. Once the predictive density has beencomputed, we use a procedure proposed by Stutzer (1996) to translate this density to itsrisk-neutral form. Once this is done, pricing European options is very straightforward.To illustrate this approach we consider recent prices of options on soybean futurestraded on The Chicago Board of Trade. We start with a simple vector autoregressivespecification of the spot price return and the basis (defined as the log difference betweenthe futures price and the spot price). We compare this procedure with traditionalapproaches as well as with a non-parametric procedure advocated by Stutzer (1996).
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for detection of explosives residues: a review of recent advances, challenges, and future prospects

In this review we discuss the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to the problem of detection of residues of explosives. Research in this area presented in open literature is reviewed. Both laboratory and field-tested standoff LIBS instruments have been used to detect explosive materials. Recent advances in instrumentation and data analysis techniques are discussed, including the use of double-pulse LIBS to reduce air entrainment in the analytical plasma and the application of advanced chemometric techniques such as partial least-squares discriminant analysis to discriminate between residues of explosives and non-explosives on various surfaces. A number of challenges associated with detection of explosives residues using LIBS have been identified, along with their possible solutions. Several groups have investigated methods for improving the sensitivity and selectivity of LIBS for detection of explosives, including the use of femtosecond-pulse lasers, supplemental enhancement of the laser-induced plasma emission, and complementary orthogonal techniques. Despite the associated challenges, researchers have demonstrated the tremendous potential of LIBS for real-time detection of explosives residues at standoff distances.
Solidification/stabilization of technetium in cement-based grouts

Abstract Mixed low-level radioactive and chemically hazardous process treatment wastes from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant are stabilized by solidification in cement-based grouts. Conventional portland cement and fly-ash grouts have been shown to be effective for retention of hydrolyzable metals (e.g., lead, cadmium, uranium, and nickel) but are marginally acceptable for retention of radioactive 99Tc, which is present in the waste as the highly mobile pertechnetate anion. Addition of ground blast furnace slag to the grout is shown to reduce the leachability of technetium by several orders of magnitude. The selective effect of slag is believed to be due to its ability to reduce Tc (VII) to the less soluble Tc (IV) species.
Retreat of a tidewater margin of the Laurentide ice sheet in eastern coastal Maine between ca. 14 000 and 13 000 14C yr B.P.

Ice-margin retreat, glacial processes, and associated marine environmental conditions were investigated along a tidewater margin of the Laurentide ice sheet in eastern coastal Maine. The ubiquitous presence of recessional moraines that typically show crosscutting relationships indicates that numerous stillstands and readvances interrupted net ice-margin retreat. Commonly, moraines exhibit changes in orientation associated with elevation changes, suggesting topographic control on retreat. Till, glaciofluvial facies, and glaciomarine sediment are the dominant components of the moraines. These sediments show that the ice terminated in the sea and that glacial meltwater played a key role in their deposition. The most continuous landforms in the study area are the Pond Ridge moraine and Pineo Ridge moraine system. Both landforms crosscut older moraines and contain ice-shove features, and crosscutting of moraines exists within the Pineo Ridge moraine system, indicating that the ice sheet readvanced during their formation. The Pond Ridge moraine and Pineo Ridge moraine system are straighter across elevation changes, compared to other moraines in the area, implying that during their formation, topography had less of a destabilizing influence on ice-margin dynamics. Foraminifera, Ostracoda, and mollusk species in ice-proximal and ice-distal glaciomarine sediments indicate that arctic to subarctic climatic conditions existed during deglaciation. Despite the persistence of a cold environment, 20 km of net ice-margin retreat occurred between ca. 14 000 and 13 000 14 C yr B.P., mostly in contact with the sea.
Allophone clustering for continuous speech recognition

Two methods are presented for subword clustering. The first method is an agglomerative clustering algorithm. This method is completely data-driven and finds clusters without any external guidance. The second method uses decision trees for clustering. This method uses an expert-generated list of questions about contexts and recursively selects the most appropriate question to split the allophones. Preliminary results showed that when the training set has a good coverage of the allophonic variations in the test set, both method are capable of high-performance recognition. However, under vocabulary-independent conditions, the method using tree-based allophones outperformed agglomerative clustering because of its superior generalization capability. >
Back to the SAT05 Competition: an a Posteriori Analysis of Solver Performance on Industrial Benchmarks

This paper analyzes the SAT05 solver competition on industrial instances. We carefully investigate the performance of solvers from the competition and demonstration categories. We also present details on solver performance per subsets of the benchmarks per contributor and on SAT versus UNSAT instances. Finally we give recommendations for next SAT competition.
4-port interleavers and fully circulating bi-directional circulators

A low-loss 4-port interleaver was demonstrated. The device becomes a 4-port fully-circulating wavelength-interleaving bi-directional circulator with the addition of a non-reciprocal element. This new device technology opens up a range of possibilities for bi-directional fiber devices.
Central obesity, leptin and cognitive decline: The sacramento area Latino study on aging

Background/Aims: Central obesity is a risk factor for cognitive decline. Leptin is secreted by adipose tissue and has been associated with better cognitive function. Aging Mexican Americans have higher levels of obesity than nonHispanic Whites, but no investigations examined the relationship between leptin and cognitive decline among them or the role of central obesity in this association. Methods: We analyzed 1,480 dementia-free older Mexican Americans who were followed over 10 years. Cognitive function was assessed every 12–15 months with the Modified Mini Mental State Exam (3MSE) and the Spanish and English Verbal Learning Test (SEVLT). Results: For females with a small waist circumference (≤35 inches), an interquartile range difference in leptin was associated with 35% less 3MSE errors and 22% less decline in the SEVLT score over 10 years. For males with a small waist circumference (≤40 inches), an interquartile range difference in leptin was associated with 44% less 3MSE errors and 30% less decline in the SEVLT score over 10 years. There was no association between leptin and cognitive decline among females or males with a large waist circumference. Conclusion: Leptin interacts with central obesity in shaping cognitive decline. Our findings provide valuable information about the effects of metabolic risk fac
Biomarkers of cardiovascular disease: molecular basis and practical considerations.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States.1 Primary prevention and secondary prevention of CVD are public health priorities.2 Substantial data indicate that CVD is a life course disease that begins with the evolution of risk factors that in turn contribute to the development of subclinical atherosclerosis.3,4 Subclinical disease culminates in overt CVD.5,6 The onset of CVD itself portends an adverse prognosis with greater risk of recurrent events, morbidity, and mortality.7,8 It is also increasingly clear that although clinical assessment is the keystone of patient management, such evaluation has its limitations.9–12 Clinicians have used additional tools to aid clinical assessment and to enhance their ability to identify the “vulnerable” patient at risk for CVD, as suggested by a recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) panel.13,14 Biomarkers are one such tool to better identify high-risk individuals, to diagnose disease conditions promptly and accurately, and to effectively prognosticate and treat patients with disease. This review provides an overview of the molecular basis of biomarker discovery and selection and the practical considerations that are a prerequisite to their clinical use. The term biomarker (biological marker) was introduced in 1989 as a Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) term: “measurable and quantifiable biological parameters (eg, specific enzyme concentration, specific hormone concentration, specific gene phenotype distribution in a population, presence of biological substances) which serve as indices for health- and physiology-related assessments, such as disease risk, psychiatric disorders, environmental exposure and its effects, disease diagnosis, metabolic processes, substance abuse, pregnancy, cell line development, epidemiologic studies, etc.” In 2001, an NIH working group standardized the definition of a biomarker as “a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention” …
Why Teachers Select Specific Literacy Assignments and Students' Reactions to Them

This study evaluated the literacy assignments elementary teachers use in their reading and language arts instruction, the reasons why they use a particular assignment, and how students react to different assignments. The project was initiated by teachers (three third-grade and three fourth-grade) and their principal because they believed students failed to see how various reading and language arts skills were related to one another, had difficulties applying such skills whenever they had to read or write lengthy prose, and did not want to complete assignments unless they received extrinsic rewards. Furthermore, teachers said teaching was no longer as satisfying as it had been in previous years. To evaluate their concerns we examined whether their literacy assignments included those characteristics that foster student learning and motivation and we interviewed the teachers and principal about why they believed teaching was no longer as satisfying as it had once been. Interviews indicated that teachers and the principal believed accountability pressures to increase standardized achievement test scores strongly influenced their school's reading and language arts instruction. Teachers said they attempted to raise students' scores by emphasizing the standardized achievement test skills. To maximize skill coverage, teachers said they avoided literacy assignments that required the reading of lengthy texts, sophisticated writing, and lengthy discussions. Evaluations of their literacy assignments confirmed their statements; students seldom completed classwork which required sophisticated writing or reading. Student interviews showed that they were bored with these assignments or did them because they expected extrinsic rewards. Whenever they completed a more complex literacy assignment (i.e., those that required the writing of single or multiple sentences or paragraphs), students said they were challenged and enjoyed learning for learning's sake. Discussion focuses on the implications
SUMO conjugation attenuates the activity of the gypsy chromatin insulator

Chromatin insulators have been implicated in the establishment of independent gene expression domains and in the nuclear organization of chromatin. Post-translational modification of proteins by Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) has been reported to regulate their activity and subnuclear localization. We present evidence suggesting that two protein components of the gypsy chromatin insulator of Dorsophila melanogaster, Mod(mdg4)2.2 and CP190, are sumoylated, and that SUMO is associated with a subset of genomic insulator sites. Disruption of the SUMO conjugation pathway improves the enhancer-blocking function of a partially active insulator, indicating that SUMO modification acts to regulate negatively the activity of the gypsy insulator. Sumoylation does not affect the ability of CP190 and Mod(mdg4)2.2 to bind chromatin, but instead appears to regulate the nuclear organization of gypsy insulator complexes. The results suggest that long-range interactions of insulator proteins are inhibited by sumoylation and that the establishment of chromatin domains can be regulated by SUMO conjugation.
High density 256-channel chip integration with flexible parylene pocket

Current state-of-the-art technologies for retinal prosthetics suffer greatly from complicated IC packaging with high lead count because there is the lack of high density and high lead-count connection. To overcome this challenge, we develop here a packaging technique that utilizes a flexible parylene pocket with metal pads to house a chip for aligned connection. This reported pocket can be designed with the right size to house any IC chip and/or a discrete component. As a demonstration, a 256-channel conduction chip along with an RFID chip have been connected and tested with this technique. The results show that this new technique can be further improved to achieve 10,000 connections within an area of 1 cm2.
The antique heroines of Elisabetta Sirani

The painter Elisabetta Sirani (1638-1665), a pivotal figure in promoting the prominence of women artists in her native city of Bologna, was innovative in her portrayals of heroines from classical antiquity. Avoiding the eroticism generally employed by male contemporaries like Guido Reni, Sirani characterized such figures as Portia, Timoclea, and Cleopatra by virtues more commonly associated with men than women during the early modern period in Italy. Sirani's unusual approaches to antique subjects, grounded in her knowledge of pertinent texts, mark the emergence of women's specialization in history painting in Bologna, a development that must be understood in the context of Bolognese humanism and contemporary advances by Bolognese women in the fields of music and literature.
The state of pulsar theory

Abstract I summarize the status of pulsar theory, now 35 years after their discovery. Although progress has been made in understanding the relevant processes involved, there are several widely held misconceptions that are inhibiting further advances. These include the idea that plasma “must” be accelerated from the magnetic polar caps (the basis for the “Hollow Cone Model”) and the idea that winds would be driven away by centrifugal forces, with large amplitude electromagnetic waves playing no role whatsoever. However, recent theoretical work is converging on a picture that closely resembles the latest HST and Chandra images, providing hope for the future. No less than three groups have recently confirmed the early Krause-Polstorff–Michel simulations showing that the fundamental plasma distribution around a rotating neutron star consists of two polar domes and an equatorial torus of trapped nonneutral plasma of opposite sign charges. Unless a lot of new physics can be added, this distribution renders the Goldreich–Julian model irrelevant (i.e., along with most of the theoretical publications over the last 33 years).
Effect of Lighting Program and Nutrition on Feather Replacement of Molted Single Comb White Leghorn Hens

Abstract This experiment concerned the induced molt of 320 60-wk old Single Comb White Leghorn hens placed two per cage in two adjoining sections of a light-tight, fan-ventilated poultry building. Treatments compared were: 1) lighting program: Washington (WSU) vs. North Carolina (NCSU). The WSU program used 8 h light/day for 28 days beginning 7 days before fast. The NCSU program used continuous light for 7 days prior to fast, followed by 12 h light/day for 21 days. The light portion of the photoperiod was then increased in steps in both treatments to 16 h. 2) Molt diet: cracked corn (CC) vs. 16% protein molt ration (MR) for 14 days. 3) Laying diet. A 14% protein mash calculated to contain .60% or .65% total sulfur amino acids (TSAA) or ascorbic acid (AA) at 0 or 50 ppm added to the laying mash. Day 1 was designated as the first day of photoperiod modification. Primary and secondary feather loss and subsequent primary feather growth were all significantly increased by the WSU light program at 56, 84, and 112 days. Total and average growth of new primaries was significantly increased by MR at 56 days and total primary feather growth by .65% TSAA at 112 days. No effects due to AA were observed. Photoperiod had the greatest effect on molt per se, with MR and .65% TSAA increasing early and late growth, respectively.
Do Factors Related to Endogenous and Exogenous Estrogens Modify the Relationship between Obesity and Risk of Colorectal Adenomas in Women

Obesity has consistently been associated with increased colorectal cancer risk in men, but not in women. In the absence of postmenopausal hormone use (PMH), adipose-derived estrogen is the primary determinant of circulating estrogen levels in postmenopausal women, perhaps ameliorating the mitogenic effects of obesity in this group. Using data from a case-control study in the United States, we examined associations among obesity, potential modifying effects of factors related to endogenous and exogenous estrogen levels, and risk of colorectal adenoma. Cases (n = 219) were women of ages 30 to 74 years with colonoscopy proven, incident, sporadic, pathology-confirmed, adenomatous polyps of the colon and rectum. Two control groups were recruited: colonoscopy-confirmed polyp-free women (n = 438) and age- and zip code frequency-matched women randomly selected from the community (n = 247). Multivariate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for obese [body mass index (BMI) >or=30.0; compared with nonobese, BMI <25.0] premenopausal women were 2.09 (95% CI, 0.81-5.41) versus colonoscopy controls, and 5.18 (95% CI, 1.40-19.32) versus population controls. For PMH users, the corresponding odds ratios were 0.29 (95% CI, 0.12-0.70) versus colonoscopy controls and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.23-1.83) versus population controls. There was no significant association of BMI with adenoma risk for PMH nonusers. Findings for waist-to-hip ratio were similar to those for BMI. These data support the hypothesis that risk for colorectal adenoma may be increased with obesity among premenopausal women but decreased among postmenopausal women, especially if they also take PMH.
LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT GTP-BINDING PROTEINS AND LEUKOCYTE SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION

Recent progress on the understanding of leu- kocyte signal transduction pathways indicates that many ofthese pathways are modulated by low-molecular-weight GTP-binding proteins (LMWGs). LMWGs are members of a growing family of GTP-bindmg proteins known as the Ras superfamily and act as molecular switches for regulating a wide range of signal-transduction pathways in virtually all cells. In leukocytes, LMWGs have been shown to participate in essential cellular functions such as growth control, differentiation, cytoskeletal organiza- tion, cytokine and chemoattractant-induced signaling events, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phos- phate oxidase activity, phospholipid metabolism, and intracellular vesicle transport and secretion, and many more of these functions will certainly be identified as we gain a further understanding of regulatory pathways modulating leukocyte signal transduction. This review will summarize our current understanding of this rapidly advancing area of research.J. Leukoc. Biol. 58, 263-276; 1995
A Case Study of the Suicide of a Gifted Female Adolescent: Implications for Prediction and Prevention

In this case study focusing on a gifted adolescent female who took her life at the age of 18 using a firearm, the researcher investigated the personal, environmental, and cultural variables that ma...
Lipid-free apolipoproteins A-I and A-II promote remodeling of reconstituted high density lipoproteins and alter their reactivity with lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase.

We examined the effect of lipid-free apolipopro- tein A-I (apoA-I) and apoA-II on the structure of reconsti- tuted high density lipoproteins (rHDL) and on their reactiv- ity as substrates for lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). First, homogeneous rHDL were prepared with either apoA-I or apoA-II using palmitoyloleoylphosphatidyl- choline (POPC) and cholesterol. Lipid-free apoA-I and apoA-II were labeled with the fluorescent probe dansyl chlo- ride (DNS). The binding kinetics of apoA-I-DNS to A-II- POPCrHDL and of apoA-II-DNS to A-I-POPCrHDL were monitored by fluorescence polarization, adding the lipid- free apolipoproteins to the rHDL particles in a 1:1 molar ra- tio. For both apolipoproteins, the binding to rHDL was rapid, occurring within 5 min. Next, the effect on rHDL structure and particle size was determined after incubations of lipid-free apolipoproteins with homogeneous rHDL at 37 8 C from 0.5 to 24 h. The products were analyzed by non- denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis followed by Western blotting. The effect of apoA-I or apoA-II on 103 A A-II- POPCrHDL was a rearrangement into 78 A particles con- taining apoA-I and/or apoA-II, and 90 A particles containing only apoA-II. The effect of apoA-I or apoA-II on 98 A A-I- POPCrHDL was a rearrangement into complexes ranging in size from 78 A to 105 A containing apoA-I and/or apoA-II, with main particles of 78 A, 88 A, and 98 A. Finally, the effect of lipid-free apoA-I and apoA-II on rHDL as sub- strates for LCAT was determined. The addition of apoA-I to A-II-POPCrHDL increased its reactivity with LCAT 24-fold, reflected by a 4-fold increase in apparent V max and a 6-fold de- crease in apparent K m , while the addition of apoA-II to A-II- POPCrHDL had no effect on its minimal reactivity with LCAT. In contrast, the addition of apoA-II to A-I-POPCrHDL decreased the reaction with LCAT by about one-half. The inhibition was due to a 2-fold increase in apparent K m ; there was no significant change in apparent V max . Likewise, the ad- dition of apoA-I to A-I-POPCrHDL inhibited the reaction with LCAT to about two-thirds that of A-I-POPCrHDL with- out added apoA-I. In summary, both lipid-free apoA-I and apoA-II can promote the remodeling of rHDL into hy- brid particles of primarily smaller size. Both apoA-I and apoA-II affect the reactivity of rHDL with LCAT, when added to the reaction in lipid-free form. These results have important implications for the roles of lipid-free apoA-I and apoA-II in HDL maturation and metabolism. —Durbin, D. M., and A. Jonas. Lipid-free apolipoprotein A-I and A-II promote remodeling of reconstituted high density lipopro- teins and alter their reactivity with lecithin:cholesterol acyl- transferase. J. Lipid Res. 1999. 40: 2293-2302.
Acute activation of the calcium-sensing receptor inhibits plasma renin activity in vivo

In vitro, the renin-secreting juxtaglomerular cells express the calcium-sensing receptor, and its activation with the calcimimetic cinacalcet inhibits renin release. To test whether the activation ...
Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety clearly has adaptive value both for the individual and in an evolutionary sense. Anxiety is considered pathologic if it is uncontrollably excessive or persistent so as to affect one’s functioning. Such dysregulation of anxiety may occur at several levels: genes, gene x environment interaction in childhood, and recent and current stress, both psychosocial and biological. The final common pathway brain dysfunction in the anxiety circuits underlies the anxiety syndrome. The recognition and treatment of secondary and primary anxiety syndromes are discussed.
Ozone from Soundings: A Vital Element of Regional and Global Measurement Strategies

131 Abstract. Satellite instruments measuring ozone, predictive models of atmospheric trace gases, and models employing assimilation require well-resolved, accurate, and precise ozone profiles in the stratosphere and troposphere. These are provided by the ozonesonde instrument, typically an electrochemical concentration cell device flown on a balloon with a standard radiosonde. The design elements of a successful network of ozonesondes in the tropics (SHADOZ = Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes; Thompson et al., 2003a,b) are described. Sondes are a vital component of a sensor web as described by Schoeberl and Talabac [this volume] because profile variability can optimize retrieval accuracy as air mass types change. More generally, combined with assimilation, profiles from sondes and aircraft, as well as ground-based measurements are essential for accurate global measurement of tropospheric ozone.