cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Software for managing complex learning: Examples from an educational psychology course

Inquiry-based instruction including problem-, project-, and case-based methods often incorporate complex sets of learning activities. The numerous activities run the risk of becoming disconnected in the minds of learners and teachers. STAR.Legacy is a software shell that can help designers organize learning activities into an inquiry cycle that is easy to understand and pedagogically sound. To ensure that classroom teachers can adapt the inquiry activities according to their local resources and needs, STAR.Legacy was built upon four types of design principles: learner centered, knowledge centered, assessment centered, and community centered. We describe how a STAR.Legacy constructed for an educational psychology course helped preservice teachers design and learn about effective inquiry-based instruction.
Toxicity of Erythromycin, Oxytetracycline, and Tetracycline Administered to Lake Trout in Water Baths, by Injection, or by Feeding

Abstract The toxicities of three antibiotics, each administered by three routes at doses up to five times the recommended concentrations, were determined in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). In water bath exposures, erythromycin phosphate was considerably less toxic than oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC) or tetracycline hydrochloride (TC); however, the toxicity of all three antibiotics was low. Injections of erythromycin produced no deleterious effects, even at concentrations four times the standard dose rate. Injections of OTC produced adverse effects and mortality at high treatment rates. A water-soluble form of TC was judged unsatisfactory for injections because of its low pH (2.5). In feeding studies, the palatability of erythromycin-treated feed was poor, but that of OTC- and TC-treated feeds was acceptable. Weight gains (as percent of original weight) for fish offered the erythromycin-treated diet ranged from 144.7% at the recommended therapeutic concentration to 111.6% at five times the recommen...
Field evidence of predator discrimination abilities in American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts

Abstract American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) and Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) are large ground-nesting shorebirds whose eggs and flightless chicks are exposed to a variety of predators during a period of approximately two months. Parents respond to potential predators by ignoring them, by performing a variety of diversionary displays, or by aggressive mobbing. I observed the responses of avocets and stilts to natural predators and to predator models placed near their nests. Responses to mammals were relatively weak, involving mostly aerial circling and terrestrial distraction displays, and mammals rarely were mobbed. Responses to birds were more aerial, with ground displays rarely used, and birds often were mobbed. The response to humans was intermediate between the responses to other mammalian predators and to avian predators, and involved both distraction displays and mobbing. The number of avocets and stilts participating in mobbing eight different avian predators correlated with a...
X-ray yields from pionic hydrogen

Abstract We have calculated the K X-ray yields from π − capture in gaseous hydrogen. While the calculated value for the total K yield (per π − p reaction) agrees fairly well with the experimental value of Bailey that for the relative K α yield does not.
Apolipoprotein E 4 allele and hippocampal volume in twins with normal cognition

We examined the relation of APOE-epsilon 4, hippocampal volume, and cognitive performance in ten pairs of cognitively normal twins who had a mean age of 62.5 years (SD = 7.8). There were no significant differences in neuropsychological measures of the groups categorized by the presence of an epsilon 4 allele. However, the mean normalized right and left hippocampal volumes were smaller in the epsilon 4 groups compared to the group without epsilon 4. Combined with prior reports, these findings suggest that epsilon 4 is associated with differences in brain morphology that may be evident when no symptoms of dementia are present.
Inheritance of Reactivity to Experimental Manipulation in Mice

The mode of inheritance of open-field defecation was found to differ according to earlier treatment of the mice. Activity of hybrids, however, was closer to that of the less active parent for all conditions of pretreatment. These results suggest that adequate sampling not only of gene pools, but also of both pretest and test environments, is necessary before statements concerning effects of prior treatment, or mode of inheritance of specific behavior, are valid.
Oxidative DNA Damage: Endogenous and Chemically Induced

A variety of types of DNA oxidation occur endogenously and mediated by xenobiotics. Certain forms are mutagenic and carcinogenic and may lead to other pathologies.
Two classes of N-methyl-D-aspartate recognition sites: differential distribution and differential regulation by glycine.

Abstract The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, a subtype of excitatory amino acid receptor, mediates synaptic responses in many regions of the central nervous system. This receptor plays a critical role in the mechanisms of both synaptic plasticity and excitotoxicity. Although these receptors were generally thought to be a single homogeneous receptor population, we report observations indicating that two anatomically distinct forms of the NMDA-receptor complex exist. (i) The distribution of NMDA receptors, as labeled by the NMDA agonist L-[3H]glutamate, differs from that obtained with the radiolabeled antagonist 3H-labeled 3-[(+/-)2-carboxypiperazine-4-yl]propyl-1-phosphonic acid [( 3H]CPP). Relative to L-[3H]glutamate, [3H]CPP binding is low in the striatum and septum and high in the thalamus and inner cerebral cortex. (ii) NMDA antagonists are relatively more potent than agonists at displacing L-[3H]glutamate binding in the thalamus and cerebral cortex; agonists are relatively more potent in the striatum and cerebellum. (iii) Glycine, which potentiates NMDA-receptor responses to glutamate, causes a greater percentage increase in L-[3H]glutamate binding to NMDA receptors in the thalamus and cerebral cortex than in the striatum, septum, and cerebellum. Radiolabeled NMDA-antagonist binding, in contrast, is inhibited by glycine. Thus, as observed for gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors, NMDA receptors have an agonist-preferring binding-site population and an antagonist-preferring binding site population. These may represent two distinct receptors and/or two interconverting forms. It could be of significant clinical importance if these two sites differ in their response to NMDA.
Decoy plasminogen receptor containing a selective Kunitz-inhibitory domain.

Kunitz domain 1 (KD1) of tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 in which P2′ residue Leu17 (bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor numbering) is mutated to Arg selectively inhibits the active site of plasmin with ∼5-fold improved affinity. Thrombin cleavage (24 h extended incubation at a 1:50 enzyme-to-substrate ratio) of the KD1 mutant (Leu17Arg) yielded a smaller molecule containing the intact Kunitz domain with no detectable change in the active-site inhibitory function. The N-terminal sequencing and MALDI-TOF/ESI data revealed that the starting molecule has a C-terminal valine (KD1L17R-VT), whereas the smaller molecule has a C-terminal lysine (KD1L17R-KT). Because KD1L17R-KT has C-terminal lysine, we examined whether it could serve as a decoy receptor for plasminogen/plasmin. Such a molecule might inhibit plasminogen activation as well as the active site of generated plasmin. In surface plasmon resonance experiments, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and Glu-plasminogen bound to KD1L17R-KT (Kd ∼ 0.2 to 0.3 μ...
Cuticular and non-cuticular substrate influence on expression of cuticle-degrading enzymes from conidia of an entomopathogenic fungus, Nomuraea rileyi

Larval cuticle fromTrichoplusia ni, Helicoverpa (=Heliothis)zea, andHeliothis virescens and a cellulose substrate were used to quantify release of proteolytic, chitinolytic, and lipolytic enzymes by germinating conidia of the entomopathogenic fungus,Nomuraea rileyi. There was no significant difference in conidial viability incubated withT. ni, H. zea or cellulose substrates. Conidial viability onH. virescens cuticle, however, was significantly lower (ca. 19–25%) than the other three substrates. The presence of cuticle substrates, especially cuticle ofT. ni, stimulated germination. The nature of the substrate influenced both the time and quantity of the enzymes expressed. Specific proteases (aminopeptidase, chymoelastase, trypsin) generally were expressed earlier and/or in greater quantities on cuticular than on the cellulose substrate. Although both chitinolytic enzymes (endochitinase, N-acetylglucosaminidase) were detected on all three cuticular substrates, their activity was substantially lower than that of the proteolytic enzymes. Lipase activity was only minimally present. Early concurrent release of both proteases and chitinases suggested that both may be important in the penetration of the larval integument by germinating conidia ofN. rileyi. Expression of proteases and chitinases, especially aminopeptidase and endochitinase was probably a specific response to cuticle, because little or no activity was expressed on the non-host, cellulose substrate.
Women Candidates and Judicial Elections: Telling an Untold Story

Although most states select their judges via merit selection or an appointive process, a number of states choose their trial and appellate judges on the basis of contested elections. Currently, approximately one-half of all state judges reach their state court benches by winning partisan or nonpartisan races. In the 21 states that elect their judges, women with judicial aspirations must be as competitive as men in these elections. Specifically, they must finance increasingly expensive judicial campaigns, garner widespread support from influential political elites, and, most importantly, convince voters that they are as capable as men. Do aspiring women judges experience similar barriers or challenges as women running for legislative or executive office?
Histological Predictors of Maximum Failure Loads Differ Between the Healing ACL and ACL Grafts After 6 and 12 Months In Vivo

Background:Bioenhanced anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair, where the suture repair is supplemented with a biological scaffold, is a promising novel technique to stimulate healing after ACL rupture. However, the histological properties of a successfully healing ACL and how they relate to the mechanical properties have not been fully described.Purpose:To determine which histological features best correlate with the mechanical properties of the healing ACL repairs and ACL grafts in a porcine model at 6 and 12 months after injury.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:A total of 48 Yucatan mini-pigs underwent ACL transection followed by: (1) conventional ACL reconstruction with bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) allograft, (2) bioenhanced ACL reconstruction with BPTB allograft using a bioactive scaffold, or (3) bioenhanced ACL repair using the same bioactive scaffold. After 6 and 12 months of healing, structural properties of the ACL or graft (yield and failure load, linear stiffness) were measur...
Estimating observation unit profitability with options modeling.

AbstractBackgroundOver the past two decades, the use of observation units to treat such common conditions as chest pain, asthma, and others has greatly increased. These units allow patients to be directed out of emergency department (ED) acute care beds while potentially avoiding inpatient admission
Origin of the Phase Lag in the Coherent Control of Photoionization and Photodissociation

The phase lag associated with coherent control by two-pathway excitation in the presence of autoionizing and/or predissociating resonances is studied experimentally and theoretically. For a mixture of HI and DI, the phase lag $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\delta}$ between the two-parent ion signals vanishes to within experimental accuracy, whereas for an $\mathrm{HI}/{\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{S}$ mixture, $|\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\delta}|$ reaches a maximum in the vicinity of the HI $5s\ensuremath{\sigma}$ resonance. These and previous observations are all explained within a single theoretical model which clarifies the origins of the phase lag in different atomic and molecular systems.
Effect of perfluorochemicals on BCNU chemotherapy in a 9L rat brain tumor model

Perfluorochemicals are characterized by their small size and high propensity for carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide. This study was undertaken to identify the combined effect of a perfluorochemical (Fluosol-43, 20 ml/kg) and a chemotherapeutic agent (BCNU, LD10 dose: 13.3 mg/kg) in a 9L rat brain tumor model. Brain tumor was induced by intracerebral implantation of 9L rat glioma cells (7×105 cells) into male CD Fisher 344 rats weighing about 100 g. The tumor growth curve of this model was exponential, and at 7 days after implantation, the control animals had a macrotumor weighing about 51 mg. The tumor-bearing rats on day 7 after implantation were randomly divided into 5 groups: control; BCNU alone; Fluosol-43 with oxygen; Fluosol-43 plus BCNU; and Fluosol-43 plus BCNU with oxygen. High oxygen was produced in an oxygen chamber with 95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide, and the PaO2 was maintained between 300 and 400 mmHg. Control animals had a mean survival time of 15.23 ± 2.84 (S.D.) days, and the Fluosol-43 with oxygen group showed no prolongation of the mean survival time (p>0.2). BCNU treatment alone prolonged the mean survival time to 20.90 ± 3.80 days (p<0.05), whereas the Fluosol-43 plus BCNU group had no further prolongation of the mean survival time: The Fluosol-43 plus BCNU with oxygen showed a mean survival time of 32.27 ± 4.80 days, which was significantly longer than that of the BCNU treatment alone (p < 0.005). Perfluorochemicals (Fluosol-43) with oxygen may have a synergistic effect on BCNU chemotherapy for malignant brain tumor. Fluosol-43 with oxygen might have oxygenated the hypoxic cells so that they became sensitized to BCNU. Also, the transport of BCNU into hypoxic and hypovascular areas might have been enhanced by Fluosol-43 and oxygen.
Determination of three-dimensional positions of known sparse objects from a single projection.

A new technique is developed for accurate determination of the three-dimensional position and orientation of known sparse objects, e.g., a configuration of points, from a single-perspective projection. In this technique, a computer model of the known object is translated and rotated so as to align it optimally in a least-squares sense with the projection lines connecting the image points with the focal spot by using a modification of the projection-Procrustes technique. The translational and rotational adjustments are repeated iteratively until the angular change between iterations is less than 0.25°. Simulations indicate that, for rms input image errors of 0.03 cm, the three-dimensional positions and orientations can be determined to within approximately 0.2 cm and 0.3° for a wide range of initially guessed positions and orientations, and positions can be determined with an accuracy of approximately 0.3 cm for objects having as few as four points. In phantom experiments, three-dimensional positions and orientations of a cube phantom were reproducibly determined to within 0.23 cm and 0.13°. The entire calculation requires only 10 s on a VAX 3500 to converge to the solution. The accuracy, precision, and speed of the technique indicate that it will be a useful tool for determination of three-dimensional positions and orientations of known sparse objects.
Synthesis of acute-phase proteins in perfused liver following administration of recombinant interleukin 1α to normal or adrenalectomized rats☆

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of recombinant interleukin lα (rIL-1α) on metabolic rate and synthesis of acute-phase proteins in intact and adrenalectomized rats. Animals were housed in metabolic cages with daily recording of food intake and body weight. Twice daily, for 3 days, the rats were injected intraperitoneally with 5000 LAF U of human rIL-1α, purified from Escherichia coli. Control animals were pair-fed and received corresponding injections with saline. In the morning of the fourth day, resting energy expenditure (REE) was determined by indirect calorimetry, and synthesis of total secreted proteins, albumin, complement component C3, and seromucoid fraction was measured by radioimmunological method using rat-specific antisera and [3H]leucine in livers perfused for 2 hr. Food intake decreased by approximately 30% during rIL-1α administration to intact rats. The decrease in food intake occurred later and was less pronounced in adrenalectomized rats receiving rIL-1α. Growth rate was significantly reduced on the first day of rIL-1α treatment in intact rats, while there was no effect on growth rate in adrenalectomized animals. After rIL-1α administration, REE was increased by 26% in intact rats (P < 0.001) and by 14% in adrenalectomized rats (N.S.). Increased synthesis rates of total secreted proteins, complement component C3, and seromucoid fraction were observed in livers of intact rats following rIL-1α administration. In adrenalectomized rats, only production of C3 was significantly increased after treatment with rIL-1α. Albumin synthesis rate was not changed in either group following rIL-1α injections. When heat-inactivated (100°C for 60 min) rIL-1α was administered, no changes in hepatic protein synthesis were observed, indicating that the small amounts of endotoxin present in the IL-1 solution did not account for the metabolic response in liver. The results suggest that IL-1α is at least a partial mediator of the acute-phase response in sepsis and that adrenal hormones may influence this response.
AgentX Protocol and the Implement of MasterAgent/SubAgent

This paper analyzes the limitations of simple network management protocol (SNMP) which adopts the centralized service model, discusses the basic idea of AgentX frame and the agent’s operating principle, and has a brief analysis on AgentX protocol packets. Based on my experiences, the paper describes the implementation of MasterAgent/ SubAgent based on AgentX communication protocol, using the related source-packet.
Adapting the judicial model of reasoning to the basic argumentation and debate course

Instructional adaptation of the judicial reasoning model aids in the fulfillment of fundamental information age educational goals. This paper facilitates such adaptation.
Efficient support of hardware debugging through FPGA physical design partitioning

Emulation based on FPGA technology, for functional verification, is becoming a widespread practice for digital integrated circuit designers. One drawback to this debugging and testing technique is the lengthy time spent in the back-end computer-aided design (CAD) tools for each design iteration. Even for small and localized debugging changes large portions of the design are typically re-placed-and-routed. We have developed a more fine-grained approach that allows the CAD tools to re-place-and-route only the portions of the design affected by the debugging changes. This goal is achieved by partitioning the design at the physical level into independent components. Design changes are localized to the affected components, allowing more limited re-placement-and-routing. The result is a shorter time between emulation and debugging iterations, and thus a shorter time-to-market for the design. Experiments on two large designs and six smaller MCNC benchmarks quantify the reduced back-end CAD tool time.
Pseudopotentials, correlations, and hierarchy states in quantum hall systems: When the composite Fermion picture works and why

Abstract A system of Fermions in a shell of angular momentum l can form a set of multiplets of total angular momentum L . The composite Fermion (CF) picture picks out the lowest lying energy multiplets by selecting from this set a subset that is “Laughlin correlated”, i.e. which maximally avoids pair orbits with the largest pair angular momentum L ′ (or smallest relative angular momentum R = 2 l − L ′ ). We demonstrate that Laughlin correlations occur only when the pseudopotential V ( L ′ ) (the interaction energy of a pair as a function of L ′ ) increases with L ′ more rapidly, than the eigenvalue of L ′ 2 at the value of L ′ (or R ) avoided in the Laughlin correlated state. This requirement is not satisfied for QEs and QHs of the Laughlin ν = 1 / 3 and ν = 1 / 5 states at R = 1 and R = 3 respectively. At ν QE = 1 / 3 and ν QH = 1 / 5 , clustering of QPs gives lower energy than Laughlin correlations. Novel spin polarized incompressible states at ν = 4 / 11 and ν = 4 / 13 cannot be explained as a second generation in the CF hierarchy.
Analysis of low-energy-electron diffraction intensity profiles from the (100) and (111) faces of copper

Low-energy-electron-diffraction (LEED) intensity profiles are calculated for the (100) and (111) faces of copper and compared with experimental measurements. Calculations using a self-consistent electron-ion-core potential due to Snow and Waber are compared with calculations using a potential constructed from a simple overlap of atomic charge densities. The differences are found to be inconsequential as far as analyzing LEED spectra. Five partial-wave components are used to describe the vibronically renormalized electron-ion-core elastic-scattering vertex. The value of the inner potential ${V}_{0}$ is determined by comparing the position of the Fermi level in Snow and Waber's band calculation with work-function measurements. Except for one set of data on the (111) face, this value of ${V}_{0}$ gives a good placement of peak positions for electron energies \ensuremath{\lesssim} 240 eV. It is found that the fine structure in the calculated profiles for the (111) face is considerably more sensitive to the value of the mean-free-path parameter used to describe the imaginary part of the one-electron self-energy than that in the calculated profiles for the (100) face. Analysis of the data indicates that the upper-layer spacing is the same as the bulk value (to within \ensuremath{\sim} 5%) for both faces.
Kojic acid as an insecticidal mycotoxin

Abstract Kojic acid was isolated as one insecticidal metabolic product of Aspergillus flavus var. columnaris grown in synthetic media. Kojic acid differs from mycotoxin(s) sought in fly-rearing media, but in many respects in mimics the insecticidal properties of the unknown toxin(s). Kojic acid is low in acute toxicity, but it acts to retard insect development and can be insecticidal by virtue of its presence in high concentrations.
A Short Basis for the Variety of Digroups

A digroup is an algebra defined on a set with two associative binary operations. Digroups play a prominent role in an important open problem from the theory of Leibniz algebras. We give a simple basis of independent axioms for the variety of digroups that emphasizes the two core semigroup structures undergirding each algebra in this variety.
A methodology for predicting fugitive emissions for incinerator facilities

A model of volatile organic compound (VOC) fugitive emissions from hazardous waste incinerators is presented. This model, comprised of a set of parameterized equations which employ facility design information and published equipment emission rates, is used to estimate incinerator facility fugitive emission rates for a wide variety of operating and waste conditions. An error analysis is then performed to determine emission rate ranges which could occur under these varying conditions by quantifying each equipment (pumps, flanges, valves, etc.) VOC emission. These ranges are found by assigning distributions to each parameter of the emission equations, sampling each parameter using Monte Carlo techniques, and computing a new emission rate estimation for each piece of equipment. Individual equipment emissions are then summed to compute a facility emission estimate. Predicted emission ranges are then compared to measured emission values and the significance of these comparisions is discussed.
Numerical modeling of turbulent supersonic reacting coaxial jets

The paper considers the mixing and subsequent combustion within turbulent reacting shear layers. A computer program was developed to solve the axisymmetric Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The numerical method integrates the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations using a finite volume approach while advancing the solution forward in time using a Runge-Kutta scheme. Three separate flowfields are investigated and it is found that no single turbulence model considered could accurately predict the degree of mixing for all three cases.
Predictors of survival in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Scully et al. reported that rituximab as an adjunct to plasma exchange and steroids for initial therapy of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) significantly reduces the risk of relapse compared with historical controls.1 In recent years increasing attention has been focused on improving our ability to identify patients at high risk for mortality or relapse. The recent results from the French TMA Reference Center (Benhamou et al., Haematologica 2012),2 where a predictive model for death has been proposed are interesting but one major consideration gives pause. Only patients with severe ADAMTS13 deficiency were included in the study. Although severe ADAMTS13 deficiency has high specificity for the diagnosis of TTP, its sensitivity is low, and as yet, undetermined. The Oklahoma TTP-HUS registry reported that only 13% of patients have severe ADAMTS13 deficiency and even in the category of idiopathic TTP this number was only 33%. Patients with severe ADAMTS13 deficiency were more likely to need more plasma exchanges to achieve remission, though they were also more likely to suffer relapses. Interestingly, this was a linear trend across all levels of ADAMTS13 activity and not merely a characteristic of patients with severe deficiency.3 By choosing this particular subset of patients for analysis, we run the risk of developing a model that is not applicable to the majority of patients with TTP, even idiopathic TTP. Also, several patients who are at risk for late mortality (>30 days) may elude identification by the proposed score. It is necessary to validate this score in a less selective group of patients before its utility can be established.
Advances in stroke therapy

Stroke is a leading cause of death, long-term disability, and socioeconomic costs, highlighting the urgent need for more effective treatments. Intravenous administration of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) is the only FDA-approved therapy to re-establish cerebral blood flow. However, because of increased risk of hemorrhage beyond 3 h post stroke, few stroke patients (1–2%) benefit from t-PA; t-PA, which has neurotoxic effects, can also aggravate the extent of reperfusion injury by increasing blood-brain barrier permeability. An alternative strategy is needed to extend the window of intervention, minimize damage from reperfusion injury, and promote brain repair leading to neurological recovery. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated soon after ischemia and during reperfusion and thereafter, are considered the main mediators of ischemic injury. Antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, etc. can neutralize ROS-mediated injury but their effective delivery to the brain remains a challenge. In this article, we review various therapeutic approaches including surgical interventions, and discuss the potential of nanoparticle-mediated delivery of antioxidants for stroke therapy.
A rapid fluorometric determination of cyanide

The toxicity of the cyanide ion is well documented and although there is some uncertainty as to the toxicity of metal-complexed cyanides, they too are potential sources of free cyanide. “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater” (I) estimates the threshold limit of toxicity at infinite time for fish to be 0.1 mg CN-/liter of water. The Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards call for less than 0.01 mg CN-/liter in the water supply (2). Yet there appear to be no convenient, direct methods capable of measuring CNconcentration accurately at or below 0.01 ppm in the presence of foreign ions. The standard methods most widely used employ titration with AgNO, if the [CN-] is greater than 1.0 ppm and a colorometric procedure using the pyridine pyrazolone method if it is less than 1 ppm (3). The titration for higher concentration is “fairly” accurate, but the precision is poor. The colorometric method at lower concentrations is neither accurate nor precise. Both of these methods are subject to a large number of interferences which are circumvented by the Serfass distillation procedure in which the samples are distilled in the presence of acid and the HCN is collected in NaOH prior to its determination. The recovery, especially at low concentrations, by this distillation is poor. The need for an improved method for the determination of CNis exemplified in a study conducted by the Analytical Reference Service of the U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (4). In this study, 59 laboratories analyzed a sample containing 1.10 ppm CNby titration with a standard deviation of 34%. Forty-seven laboratories analyzed a sample containing 0.02 ppm CNcalorimetrically with a standard deviation of 99%. Reported herein is a new method for the determination of CNwhich. should prove to be superior to the existing methods. The procedure is based upon the following reaction in which the fluorescent product (DANSe) is formed.
Claiming a Space in a Changing South Africa: The “Squatters” of Marconi Beam, Cape Town

Abstract The urban policies and processes during the political transition (1990–1994) in South Africa were more than a continuation of those employed in the late 1980s. These new policies together with the nature of the political transition created the conditions for two important changes in South Africa's urban environment: 1) the de jure desegregation of some formerly segregated urban areas; and 2) the seizure by small numbers of the urban poor of prime land within some previously “white” suburbs. This paper investigates these changes through a case study of the establishment of an informal settlement within a “white” suburb in Cape Town. In 1990 black squatters erected shacks on Marconi Beam, a piece of state-owned land within the white suburb of Milnerton. While these squatters managed to maintain their foothold in the area, they gained little access to the suburb's social and educational facilities and they were excluded from official local government institutions for the duration of the national pol...
On the use of the Nuttall-Carter technique for PSD estimation

The technique for nonparametric power spectral density (PSD) estimation introduced by A.H. Nuttall and G.C. Carter (1980, 1982) is essentially a combined time-domain/lag domain weighting method which offers the promise of reduced computations over traditional time-domain weighting methods. A lack of widely published test data, however, has perhaps reduced the widespread application of this technique. In addition, certain anomalies exist when using the technique with real data. These and other issues are discussed along with test cases to illustrate the various phenomena involved. Used correctly, the Nuttall-Carter technique does indeed offer reduced computational loading in certain situations. Used incorrectly, it can mask important spectral features extracted with traditional estimation methods. >
The Reliability of Dichotomous Judgments: Unequal Numbers of Judges per Subject:

Consider a reliability study in which different subjects are judged on a dichotomous trait by dif ferent sets of judges, possibly unequal in number. A kappa-like measure of reliability is proposed, its correspondence to an intraclass correlation co efficient is pointed out, and a test for its statistical significance is presented. A numerical example is given.
Interpretation and Use of Generator Reactive Capability Diagrams

The operating characteristics of generators are discussed with particular emphasis on those used in the generation of power for industry. Methods of operation of generators within safe limits are presented and related to a reactive capability curve.
On the complexity of connectivity binding

The complexity of the assignment of operations to hardware components to specify the design at a register-transfer level, which is referred to as connectivity binding, is discussed. Connectivity binding is an important issue in high-level behavior synthesis systems that start with abstract behavioral descriptions and synthesize register-transfer level architectures for implementation. The corresponding decision problem is shown to be NP-complete and the complexity of the optimization problem is discussed. This research is intended to provide insight into the nature of this problem. It is shown that problems as simple as performing optimal function unit binding for a hardware structure containing only one commutative operator are hard. >
Milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 attenuates acute lung injury in mice after intestinal ischemia and reperfusion.

Rationale: Milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) is a potent opsonin for the clearance of apoptotic cells and is produced by mononuclear cells of immune competent organs including the spleen and lungs. It attenuates chronic and acute inflammation such as autoimmune glomerulonephritis and bacterial sepsis by enhancing apoptotic cell clearance. Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of the gut results in severe inflammation, apoptosis, and remote organ damage, including acute lung injury (ALI).Objectives: To determine whether MFG-E8 attenuates intestinal and pulmonary inflammation after gut I/R.Methods: Wild-type (WT) and MFG-E8−/− mice underwent superior mesenteric artery occlusion for 90 minutes, followed by reperfusion for 4 hours. A group of WT mice was treated with 0.4 μg/20 g recombinant murine MFG-E8 (rmMFG-E8) at the beginning of reperfusion. Four hours after reperfusion, MFG-E8, cytokines, myeloperoxidase activity, apoptosis, and histopathology were assessed. A 24-hour survival study was c...
Comparison of mating disruption and mass trapping with Pyralidae and Sesiidae moths

Mating disruption and mass trapping for control of lepidopteran pests use synthetic sex pheromone to prevent males from finding and mating with females. Here, we identify the behavioral mechanism underlying mating disruption and mass trapping of American plum borer, Euzophera semifuneralis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa Say, and lesser peachtree borer, Synanthedon pictipes (Groeten) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae). In addition, we derive relative dispenseractivity(RelativeDa)fromthecompetitiveattractionequationtocomparethedisruptiveactivity of the devices used in mating disruption and mass trapping. Dispensers and traps were deployed in replicated 0.14-ha cherry or peach plots with E. semifuneralis or the Synanthedon moths, respectively. Dispenser densities were 0, 10, 20, 59, 185, and 371 per ha, whereas trap densities were 0, 10, 20, 40, 79, and 158 per ha. Moth catch in a centrally placed, pheromone-baited monitoring trap in each plot was used to evaluate the treatments. The profile of moth captures in mating disruption and mass trapping with the three species indicates that competitive attraction is the behavioral mechanism responsible for trap disruption. Relative Da is 0.27, 0.23, and 0.53 with American plum borer, peachtree borer, and lesser peachtree borer, respectively, which indicates that the traps are 1.9‐4.4 times more effective in reducing moth catch than the dispensers. Relative Da can be used to compare devices for pheromone-based behavioral manipulation of these and other species that are competitivelyattractedtoartificialpheromone sources. Whenthesametypeoftrap is employed formonitoringandmasstrapping,RelativeDaisthesameasdispenseractivityDa.
A major developmental transition in early xenopus embryos: I. characterization and timing of cellular changes at the midblastula stage

The Xenopus embryo undergoes 12 rapid synchronous cleavages followed by a period of slower asynchronous divisions more typical of somatic cells. This change in cell cleavage has been termed the midblastula transition (MBT). We show that at the MBT the blastomeres become motile and transcriptionally active for the first time. We have investigated the timing of the MBT and found that it does not depend on cell division, on time since fertilization or on a counting mechanism involving the sequential modification of DNA. Rather, the timing of the MBT depends on reaching a critical ratio of nucleus to cytoplasm. We view the MBT as a consequence of the titration of some substance, originally present in the egg, by the exponentially increasing nuclear material. When this substance is exhausted a new cell program is engaged, leading to the acquisition of several new cell properties.
A resource for analysis of microRNA expression and function in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 21-24 nucleotide RNA molecules that regulate the translation and stability of target messenger RNAs. Abnormal miRNA expression is a common feature of diverse cancers. Several previous studies have classified miRNA expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), although no uniform pattern of miRNA dysregulation has emerged. To clarify these previous findings as well as to set the stage for detailed functional analyses, we performed global miRNA expression profiling of 21 human PDAC cell lines, the most extensive panel studied to date. Overall, 39 miRNAs were found to be dysregulated and have at least two-fold or greater differential expression in PDAC cell lines compared to control nontransformed pancreatic ductal cell lines. Several of these miRNAs show comparable dysregulation in first-passage patient derived xenografts. Initial functional analyses demonstrate that enforced expression of miRNAs derived from the miR-200 family and the miR-17-92 cluster, both of which are overexpressed in PDAC cell lines, enhances proliferation. In contrast, inhibition of the miR-200 family, the miR-17-92 cluster, or miR-191 diminishes anchorage independent growth. Consistent with a known role for the miR-200 family in negatively regulating an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), the abundance of these miRNAs correlated positively with E-cadherin expression and negatively with the EMT-associated transcription factor and established miR-200 target ZEB1. Finally, restituted expression of miR-34a, a miRNA whose expression is frequently lost in PDAC cell lines, abrogates growth, demonstrating that the anti-proliferative activity of this miRNA is operative in PDAC. These results, and the widespread availability of PDAC cell lines wherein the aforementioned data were generated, provide a valuable resource for the pancreatic cancer research community and will greatly facilitate functional studies essential for elucidating the consequences of miRNA dysregulation in pancreatic cancer.
The effects of parachlorophenylalanine on lens ultrastructure.

Abstract An experimental study of model phenylketonuria was carried out by administering parachlorophenylalanine to newborn rats for 20 days. The weaned rats were then placed on a basic diet which contained both the drug and l -phenylalanine. Liver phenylalanine hydroxylase was inhibited and serum and tissue phenylalanine concentration rose. These animals developed a bilateral mature cataract by day 14 of the treatment regimen. Control rats fed a regular diet supplemented by 5% phenylalanine alone did not develop lenticular clouding. Both the normal and abnormal lenses were fixed in situ, removed, secondarily fixed, oriented and studied by electron microscopy. The capsule over the various zones of the lens epithelium showed no abnormalities in either the normal or abnormal lens. Control epithelial cells showed numerous fibrils which were aligned with the rough ER and the outer nuclear envelope and were especially numerous in interdigitating cellular profiles. There was an apparent increase in the fibrillar component of the epithelial cell cytoplasm in animals with cataract. When affected epithelial cells became dark and contracted, fibrils were not seen. Affected epithelial cells also showed cystic alterations of extracellular clefts, apparent increased numbers of polysomes in cytoplasm, and in the intermediate zone numerous lysosomes. In the underlying lens cells, amorphous and membranous dense material was found within membrane-bound bodies and free, in and about, cystic alterations in cytoplasm. Many tongues of cytoplasm projected from the posterior surface of the epithelial cell into lens cells. Discussion of a possible mechanism of the cataractogenesis is included.
A simple topological representation of protein structure: implications for new, fast, and robust structural classification.

A topological representation of proteins is developed that makes use of two metrics: the Euclidean metric for identifying natural nearest neighboring residues via the Delaunay tessellation in Cartesian space and the distance between resi- dues in sequence space. Using this representation, we introduce a quantitative and computationally inexpensive method for the comparison of protein structural topology. The method ultimately results in a numerical score quantifying the distance be- tween proteins in a heuristically defined topological space. The properties of this scoring scheme are investigated and correlated with the standard C distance root-mean-square deviation measure of pro- tein similarity calculated by rigid body structural alignment. The topological comparison method is shown to have a characteristic dependence on pro- tein conformational differences and secondary struc- ture. This distinctive behavior is also observed in the comparison of proteins within families of struc- tural relatives. The ability of the comparison method to successfully classify proteins into classes, super- families, folds, and families that are consistent with standard classification methods, both automated and human-driven, is demonstrated. Furthermore, it is shown that the scoring method allows for a fine-grained classification on the family, protein, and species level that agrees very well with cur- rently established phylogenetic hierarchies. This fine classification is achieved without requiring visual inspection of proteins, sequence analysis, or the use of structural superimposition methods. Im- plications of the method for a fast, automated, topo- logical hierarchical classification of proteins are discussed. Proteins 2004;56:487-501.
Lessons from an evolving rRNA: 16S and 23S rRNA structures from a comparative perspective.

The 16S and 23S rRNA higher-order structures inferred from comparative analysis are now quite refined. The models presented here differ from their immediate predecessors only in minor detail. Thus, it is safe to assert that all of the standard secondary-structure elements in (prokaryotic) rRNAs have been identified, with approximately 90% of the individual base pairs in each molecule having independent comparative support, and that at least some of the tertiary interactions have been revealed. It is interesting to compare the rRNAs in this respect with tRNA, whose higher-order structure is known in detail from its crystal structure (36) (Table 2). It can be seen that rRNAs have as great a fraction of their sequence in established secondary-structure elements as does tRNA. However, the fact that the former show a much lower fraction of identified tertiary interactions and a greater fraction of unpaired nucleotides than the latter implies that many of the rRNA tertiary interactions remain to be located. (Alternatively, the ribosome might involve protein-rRNA rather than intramolecular rRNA interactions to stabilize three-dimensional structure.) Experimental studies on rRNA are consistent to a first approximation with the structures proposed here, confirming the basic assumption of comparative analysis, i.e., that bases whose compositions strictly covary are physically interacting. In the exhaustive study of Moazed et al. (45) on protection of the bases in the small-subunit rRNA against chemical modification, the vast majority of bases inferred to pair by covariation are found to be protected from chemical modification, both in isolated small-subunit rRNA and in the 30S subunit. The majority of the tertiary interactions are reflected in the chemical protection data as well (45). On the other hand, many of the bases not shown as paired in Fig. 1 are accessible to chemical attack (45). However, in this case a sizeable fraction of them are also protected against chemical modification (in the isolated rRNA), which suggests that considerable higher-order structure remains to be found (although all of it may not involve base-base interactions and so may not be detectable by comparative analysis). The agreement between the higher-order structure of the small-subunit rRNA and protection against chemical modification is not perfect, however; some bases shown to covary canonically are accessible to chemical modification (45).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase: a novel modulator of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels and neuronal excitability.

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleo-tide-gated (HCN) channels are permeable to Na+/K+ and underlie the inwardly rectifying current termed I h, I (f), or I q ([Santoro and Tibbs, 1999][1]). Regulated by voltage and the binding of ligands, there are four HCN isoforms that vary in their
Pavement Layer Data Repository Using a Spatiotemporal Block Model

AbstractHistorical and in-service pavement layer data along with pavement maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction (MR&R) history is critical information for developing a reliable and accurate pavement performance model that is indispensably necessary for the support of a pavement management system. The conventional homogeneous segmentation method for pavement layer data repository has the problem of excessive segmentation, which may result in inefficient data storage and incomplete data. To address this issue, a spatiotemporal block model is proposed to eliminate the need of homogeneous segmentation, and thus avoid the excessive segmentation and the creation of tiny pavement segments. Three time factors are defined for each pavement layer block to maintain the temporal information of a pavement layer structure. A depth-first-search (DFS)—based cluster searching algorithm is used for reconstruction and visualization of pavement structures as well as for data manipulation. A case study is presented ...
Robust ANCOVA using a smoother with bootstrap bagging

Many robust analogs of the classic analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) method have been proposed, some of which are based on some type of regression smoother. A method that first appeared in this journal, which is relatively simple and performs well in simulations, is based on a running interval smoother combined with comparing medians or 20% trimmed means. It makes no parametric assumption about the regression lines and does not assume that the regression lines are parallel. A possible way of improving the efficiency of the running interval smoother is to use bootstrap bagging and a minor goal here is to report some results supporting this approach. The major goal is to consider how ANCOVA might be performed when bootstrap bagging is used. Simple extensions of extant approaches that use some type of bootstrap method were found to be unsatisfactory. However, a basic percentile bootstrap method was found to perform well in simulations. And a reanalysis of data dealing with teachers' expectations about the cognitive ability of students illustrates that bootstrap bagging can make a practical difference.