cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spermatogenesis in the Mouse 2. Amino Acid Incorporation into Basic Nucleoproteins of Mouse Spermatids and Spermatozoa

The present studies were designed to identify mouse spermatid proteins into which intratesticularly injected [3 HI arginine and �3 HI lysine were initially incorporated and to determine the fates of those proteins during subsequent spermatid differentiation. At intervals between 2 h and 7 days after injections, elongated spermatid nuclei were isolated from the testes by virtue of their resistance to sonication, and mature sperm nuclei were isolated from the epididyrnides. Basic proteins were extracted from isolated spermatid and sperm nuclei and subjected to electrophoresis on acid-urea polyacrylamide gels. Two hours after injection, [3 HI arginine was seen in a number of spennatid basic proteins, including both the “testis’specific” protein (TP) and the protainines. As expected from previous studies, only one class of these labeled proteins, protamine, was retained through the completion of spermiogenesis and sperm maturation 7 days later. In striking contrast, [3 Hi lysine was initially incorporated only into the spermatid TP protein, was retained for only 3 days, and was then lost. Our previous autoradiographic study (Mayer and Zirkin, 1979) demonstrated that intratesticularly injected [3 HI lysine was initially incorporated into elongating sperinatid nuclei at the initiation of chromatin condensation (late step 12 and step 13), was retained for 3 days through the completion of chromatin condensation (step 14), and was then lost. The present results, taken together with the results of our previous autoradiographic study, demonstrate striking temporal relationships between the first appearance of newly synthesized TP protein and the initiation of chromatin condensation in spermatid nuclei of late step 12, and between the loss of TP protein and the completion of chromatin condensation in spermatid nudei of step 14.
Indirect fluorimetric detection and quantification in capillary zone electrophoresis of inorganic anions and necleotides

Abstract The combination of indirect fluorescence detection and separation by capillary zone electrophoresis is discussed. Differences in instrument configuration, compared with earlier experiments, resulted in a reversed peak elution order. Separation of a 5′-triphosphate nucleotide from its corresponding diphosphate and monophosphate homologues can be accomplished in 5 min by this method. A quantitative comparison is made between the injection methods of electromigration and injection by gravity flow for samples of inorganic anions diluted in water with varying total concentrations. With injection of electromigration, the amount of sample injected varies significantly with the total ionic concentration of the sample.
Reduced Plasma Dopamine-β-Hydroxylase Activity in Familial Dysautonomia

Abstract Dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH), the enzyme that converts dopamine to norepinephrine, was measured in the plasma of 146 normal subjects, 26 patients with familial dysautonomia and 33 parents ...
Normal and Keratoconic Corneal Epithelial Thickness Mapping using Fourier-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

The detection of early-stage keratoconus is one of the most important safety issues in screening candidates for corneal refractive surgeries. We propose to use epithelial thickness maps to assist the diagnosis of keratoconus. The corneal epithelial thickness in normal and keratoconic eyes was mapped with optical coherence tomography (OCT). A Fourier-domain OCT system capable of acquiring 26,000 axial-scans per second was used. It has an axial resolution of 5μm in cornea. A pachymetry scan pattern (8 radials, 1024 axial-scans each, 6mm diameter, repeat 3 times) centered at the pupil center was used to image the cornea. The 3 repeated radial scans on each meridian were registered and averaged. Then the anterior corneal, posterior corneal and epithelial boundaries were segmented automatically with a computer algorithm by increased signal intensity at corresponding boundaries. The epithelial thickness map was generated by interpolating epithelial thickness profile calculated from each meridian. Normal and keratoconic eyes (24 eyes each) were scanned 3 times. The central epithelial thickness in normal eyes was thicker than those of keratoconic eyes (mean difference 2.1 μm, t-test p=0.05). The epithelium was thinner superiorly than inferiorly in normal eyes (mean difference -1.4±1.1μm, p<0.001) while thicker superiorly than inferiorly in keratoconic eyes (2.0±4.1 μm, p=0.02).
Dengue virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes target NS1, NS3 and NS5 in infected Indian rhesus macaques

Every year, Dengue virus (DENV) infects approximately 100 million people. There are currently several vaccines undergoing clinical studies, but most target the induction of neutralizing antibodies. Unfortunately, DENV infection can be enhanced by subneutralizing levels of antibodies that bind virions and deliver them to cells of the myeloid lineage, thereby increasing viral replication (termed antibody-dependent enhancement [ADE]). T lymphocyte-based vaccines may offer an alternative that avoids ADE. The goal of our study was to describe the cellular immune response generated after primary DENV infection in Indian rhesus macaques. We infected eight rhesus macaques with 105 plaque-forming units (PFU) of DENV serotype 2 (DENV2) New Guinea C (NGC) strain, and monitored viral load and the cellular immune response to the virus. Viral replication peaked at day 4 post-infection and was resolved by day 10. DENV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes targeted nonstructural (NS) 1, NS3 and NS5 proteins after resolution of peak viremia. DENV-specific CD4+ cells expressed interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) along with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1β). In comparison, DENV-specific CD8+ cells expressed IFN-γ in addition to MIP-1β and TNF-α and were positive for the degranulation marker CD107a. Interestingly, a fraction of the DENV-specific CD4+ cells also stained for CD107a, suggesting that they might be cytotoxic. Our results provide a more complete understanding of the cellular immune response during DENV infection in rhesus macaques and contribute to the development of rhesus macaques as an animal model for DENV vaccine and pathogenicity studies.
3D structure determination of native mammalian cells using cryo-FIB and cryo-electron tomography.

Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) has enabled high resolution three-dimensional(3D) structural analysis of virus and host cell interactions and many cell signaling events; these studies, however, have largely been limited to very thin, peripheral regions of eukaryotic cells or to small prokaryotic cells. Recent efforts to make thin, vitreous sections using cryo-ultramicrotomy have been successful, however,this method is technically very challenging and with many artifacts. Here, we report a simple and robust method for creating in situ, frozen-hydrated cell lamellas using a focused ion beam at cryogenic temperature (cryo-FIB), allowing access to any interior cellular regions of interest. We demonstrate the utility of cryo-FIB with high resolution 3D cellular structures from both bacterial cells and large mammalian cells. The method will not only facilitate high-throughput 3D structural analysis of biological specimens, but is also broadly applicable to sample preparation of thin films and surface materials without the need for FIB “lift-out”.
Search for an Effect of Magnetic Fields on Electromagnetic Radiation

IT has been suggested that some anomalies in astronomical observations may involve a photon–photon interaction of the type1: where K is a constant equal to 2.6 × 10−15, l is the path length in cm, and U is the energy density in erg/cm3. It has further been suggested that the Mossbauer effect might be used to provide a test of this hypothesis if the radiation could be passed through a region of high photon density such as might be obtained in the vicinity of plasma2. Since the form of this proposed interaction does not contain any frequency-dependence and since if it were to exist it would contradict accepted electromagnetic theory, it seemed that assuming U to be the energy density due to a static electromagnetic field was not an unallowable extension of an already radical hypothesis. Since a static magnetic field is not quite analogous to the original circumstances discussed in ref. 1, this experiment does not fully test the hypothesis stated in equation (1). However, a magnetic field produces by far the largest electromagnetic energy density obtainable in the laboratory (this was pointed out to us by J. Heberle) and thus provides a conveniently easy experiment.
Pressure shift and/or broadening of lines in the electronic spectra of Cl2, Br2, I2, O2, HD, AlH and H2CO

Abstract Line positions and widths of the B 3 Π o + u − X 1 Σ + g electronic transitions of chlorine and bromine gases are measured in absorption as functions of pressure by means of a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer spectrometer (resolving power > 10 6 ). No dependences on quantum numbers are detected. Deconvolutions of measured full-widths-at-half-maxima (FWHM) reveal collision broadening for pressures between 1 and 225 torr. The ratio of self-broadening to shift is always less than that expected for a van der Waals interaction in the impact approximation, namely -2.77. Accordingly, the Lennard-Jones potential is used to determine the effect of the electronic transitions on C 6 and C 12 , and there are found 14 and 6% changes in C 6 for Cl 2 and Br 2 , respectively. If, instead, one uses the self-broadening only, and a pure van der Waals interaction, the changes are 6 and 5%. Because the effects are in either model unexpectedly small, comparisons are made with less complete measurements (from the literature) for self-broadening in I 2 , the B 1 Σ + g − X 3 Σ - g system of O 2 and the B ′ Σ + g − X 1 Σ + g system of HD, and for foreign-gas broadening in the A 1 Π− X 1 Σ system of A1H and the A 1 A 2 (π ∗ , n )−X 1 A 1 system of H 2 CO as well as the HD system.
Mandatory triage does not identify high-acuity patients within recommended time frames.

Study objective We determine whether mandatory formal triage of walk-in emergency department (ED) patients provides timely recognition of the most acutely ill. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at a US urban academic ED, annual census 39,000, which uses Emergency Severity Index-5 triage (ESI-5) for all arriving patients. ESI-5 recommends that level 1 and 2 patients be treated by a physician immediately or within 10 minutes, respectively. For all high-acuity (ESI 1 or 2) patients presenting between January 1 and December 31, 2008, data from electronic medical records and registration and tracking systems were used to determine elapsed time from arrival to completion of triage (median, range, 95th percentile), proportion of these intervals that met ESI-5 recommendations, and whether triage throughput differed during peak arrival hours. Results For 3,932 high-acuity walk-in visits (ESI 1=63; ESI 2=3,869), median time from arrival to triage completion was 12.3 minutes, range 0 to 128 minutes. Twenty-seven percent (95% confidence interval [CI] 26% to 29%) of high-acuity patients were taken to rooms on arrival; 41% (95% CI 40%, 43%), including those roomed immediately, completed triage within 10 minutes. Twenty-five percent (95% CI 24% to 26%) completed triage in greater than 20 minutes and 10% (95% CI 9% to 11%) greater than 30 minutes after arrival. Between 10 am and 10 pm (peak arrival hours), triage took longer for level 2 patients, and fewer met ESI recommendations. Conclusion Less than half of high-acuity patients in this urban ED completed triage within time frames recommended by the ESI-5, resulting in potentially unsafe delays. Although mandatory formal triage theoretically identifies patients who should be treated most quickly, the value and safety of this process should be reassessed.
Spatio-temporal Co-occurrence Pattern Mining in Data Sets with Evolving Regions

Spatio-temporal co-occurring patterns represent subsets of event types that occur together in both space and time. In comparison to previous work in this field, we present a general framework to identify spatio-temporal co occurring patterns for continuously evolving spatio-temporal events that have polygon-like representations. We also propose a set of measures to identify spatio-temporal co-occurring patterns and propose an Apriori-based spatio-temporal co-occurrence mining algorithm to find prevalent spatio-temporal co-occurring patterns for extended spatial representations that evolve over time. We evaluate our framework on real-life data to demonstrate the effectiveness of our measures and the algorithm. We present results highlighting the importance of our measures in identifying spatio-temporal co-occurrence patterns.
War and (the Democratic) Peace: Military Service, Citizenship, and the International Environment

Is there a significant relationship between military structure and political liberalization? If so, can military structure and organization be manipulated to influence the process of democratization for the purpose of enhancing inter-state peace? To test the implications of these questions, I will investigate a decidedly contentious premise. Military factors traditionally considered destabilizing in the international environment (to include large, well-trained armed forces organized for offensive or out-of-country operations) have, at critical junctions in the Western experience, had a distinctly positive impact on the emergence and maintenance of the liberal democratic state. If this is indeed the case, and liberal democracy can be shown structurally and normatively to produce inter-state peace, then the preferred policy of peace-desiring states should be to promote and implement military reform at home and abroad that most efficiently generates democratic structures and values, regardless of intuitive f...
Liver‐specific loss of glucose‐regulated protein 78 perturbs the unfolded protein response and exacerbates a spectrum of liver diseases in mice

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone protein glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78)/binding immunoglobulin protein is a master regulator of ER homeostasis and stress responses, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders. By applying the locus of X-over P1–cyclization recombination strategy, we generated mice with liver-specific GRP78 loss. Our studies using this novel mouse model revealed that liver GRP78 was required for neonatal survival, and a loss of GRP78 in the adult liver greater than 50% caused an ER stress response and dilation of the ER compartment, which was accompanied by the onset of apoptosis. This suggested the critical involvement of GRP78 in maintaining hepatocyte ER homeostasis and viability. Furthermore, these mice exhibited elevations of serum alanine aminotransferase and fat accumulation in the liver, and they were sensitized to a variety of acute and chronic hepatic disorders by alcohol, a high-fat diet, drugs, and toxins. These disorders were alleviated by the simultaneous administration of the molecular chaperone 4-phenylbutyrate. A microarray analysis and a two-dimensional protein profile revealed major perturbations of unfolded protein response targets, common enzymes/factors in lipogenesis, and new factors possibly contributing to liver steatosis or fibrosis under ER stress (e.g., major urinary proteins in the liver, fatty acid binding proteins, adipose differentiation-related protein, cysteine-rich with epidermal growth factor–like domains 2, nuclear protein 1, and growth differentiation factor 15). Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of GRP78 in managing the physiological client protein load and suppressing apoptosis in hepatocytes, and they support the pathological role of ER stress in the evolution of fatty liver disease under adverse conditions (i.e., drugs, diet, toxins, and alcohol). (HEPATOLOGY 2011;)
Fertilizer Applications and Trace Elements in Vegetable Production Soils of California

We collected and analyzed over 600 soil samples from the vegetable production fields in seven regions across California, examining the total As, Cd, Pb, P, and Zn concentrations of the soils. The ranges for baseline concentrations were determined for each region. The total P and Zn contents of the soils in comparison to the baseline ranges served as indicators on P fertilizers and micronutrients inputs through cultivation, the greater the total contents the larger the inputs. When the soil As, Cd, and Pb concentrations of each region were plotted with respect to those of P and Zn, three data distribution patterns emerged: (1) the soil As, Cd and Pb concentrations of the cropland soils remained within the baseline range regardless of the phosphorus or zinc inputs in 5, 2, 4 of the 7 regions, respectively, (2) the soil As, Cd and Pb concentrations of the cropland soils had moved upward and exceeded the baseline ranges but their concentrations did not rise in proportion to the phosphorus or zinc concentrations of soils in 1, 4, and 3 of the 7 regions, respectively. The enrichment was due to diffuse sources other than phosphorus fertilizers or micronutrients. (3) The soil As and Cd concentrations of the cropland soil in the Oxnard/Ventura Area and Fresno showed trends of increasing with respect to inputs of P and or Zn indicating P fertilizer or micronutrients applications over time have caused As and Cd to slowly accumulate in the cropland soils.
Representing Spatial Uncertainty Using Distances and Kernels

Assessing uncertainty of a spatial phenomenon requires the analysis of a large number of parameters which must be processed by a transfer function. To capture the possibly of a wide range of uncertainty in the transfer function response, a large set of geostatistical model realizations needs to be processed. Stochastic spatial simulation can rapidly provide multiple, equally probable realizations. However, since the transfer function is often computationally demanding, only a small number of models can be evaluated in practice, and are usually selected through a ranking procedure. Traditional ranking techniques for selection of probabilistic ranges of response (P10, P50 and P90) are highly dependent on the static property used. In this paper, we propose to parameterize the spatial uncertainty represented by a large set of geostatistical realizations through a distance function measuring “dissimilarity” between any two geostatistical realizations. The distance function allows a mapping of the space of uncertainty. The distance can be tailored to the particular problem. The multi-dimensional space of uncertainty can be modeled using kernel techniques, such as kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) or kernel clustering. These tools allow for the selection of a subset of representative realizations containing similar properties to the larger set. Without losing accuracy, decisions and strategies can then be performed applying a transfer function on the subset without the need to exhaustively evaluate each realization. This method is applied to a synthetic oil reservoir, where spatial uncertainty of channel facies is modeled through multiple realizations generated using a multi-point geostatistical algorithm and several training images.
Enrolling Vulnerable, Uninsured but Eligible Children in Public Health Insurance: Association With Health Status and Primary Care Access

OBJECTIVES. Given that more than two thirds of uninsured children in California are eligible for public health insurance coverage, this study examined differences in primary care access and health status between uninsured but eligible (UBE) children and those who were insured. METHODS. Using data on 19485 children from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey, this study examined differences in primary care access and health status for UBE children versus those who were enrolled in public coverage. Results are stratified by profiles of other risk factors (RF) for poor access: nonwhite, low income, low parent education, and non–English speaking. RESULTS. UBE children were less likely than publicly enrolled children to have a physician visit in the past year, dental visit in the past year, and a regular source of care. On the basis of differences between the UBE children and enrollees in the prevalence of each dependent measure, UBE children with multiple RFs experienced greater disparities than UBE children with fewer RFs. For example, enrollees were more likely than UBE children to have a regular source of care among children with 2, 3, or 4 RFs (differences of 26, 26, and 25 percentage points, respectively) compared with 1 RF (19 percentage points) and 0 RFs (12 percentage points). A similar pattern was found for dental visits but not physician visits. Although there was no difference in health status between UBE children and enrollees overall, enrollees were more likely than UBE children to have excellent/very good health status among children with 2 RFs (difference of 9 percentage points), 3 RFs (12 percentage points), and 4 RFs (11 percentage points). CONCLUSIONS. This study demonstrates that UBE children in California have poorer access to care compared with enrollees, and those with the highest levels of risk have poorer health status. This suggests that providing insurance to these children (and particularly those with multiple RFs) may lead to improved access and health for these vulnerable children.
Changes in the Numeric Descriptive Scale for Pain After Sublingual Nitroglycerin Do Not Predict Cardiac Etiology of Chest Pain

Study objective We determine whether the change in numeric descriptive scale for pain after sublingual nitroglycerin use can predict cardiac etiology of chest pain. Methods A prospective study of a convenience sample of patients who had chest pain, presented to the emergency department from May 24, 2001, to April 30, 2002, and received sublingual nitroglycerin during their evaluation was performed. The 11-point numeric descriptive scale for chest pain was recorded before and after the initial dose of sublingual nitroglycerin. Cardiac-related pain was defined as chest pain in a patient with a discharge diagnosis of myocardial infarction or the diagnosis of coronary artery disease based on a positive diagnostic study (cardiac catheterization or noninvasive stress imaging). Change in the numeric descriptive scale was divided into 4 categories: (1) significant/complete reduction; (2) moderate reduction; (3) minimal reduction; and (4) no change. Results The study cohort was composed of 664 patients: 345 women (52%) and 319 men (48%), mean age 52 years (±12.4 years). Cardiac-related chest pain was identified in 122 patients (18%). In the overall patient population, 125 (19%) patients had no change in pain, 206 (31%) patients had minimal reduction, 145 (22%) patients had moderate reduction, and 188 (28%) patients had significant or complete reduction in pain. There was no significant difference in any subgroup of numeric descriptive scale response to sublingual nitroglycerin administration in patients with and without a diagnosis of cardiac chest pain. Conclusion In this convenience sample, the response of chest pain to sublingual nitroglycerin was not a reliable indicator of a cardiac etiology.
Symplectic packings in cotangent bundles of tori

Finding optimal packings of a symplectic manifold with symplectic embeddings of balls is a well known problem. In the following, an alternate symplectic packing problem is explored where the target and domains are 2n-dimensional manifolds which have first homology group equal to Zn and the embeddings induce isomorphisms of first homology. When the target and domains are Tn × V and Tn × U in the cotangent bundle of the torus, all such symplectic packings give rise to packings of V by copies of U under GL(n, Z) and translations. For arbitrary dimensions, symplectic packing invariants are computed when packing a small number of objects. In dimensions 4 and 6, computer algorithms are used to calculate the invariants associated to packing a larger number of objects. These alternate and classic symplectic packing invariants have interesting similarities and differences.
Repensando a ação terapêutica

Like other core psychoanalytic constructs, the theory of therapeutic action is currently in flux, as theorists of differing persuasions propose different mechanisms. In this article, the authors attempt to integrate developments within and without psychoanalysis to provide a working model of the multifaceted processes involved in producing change in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. A theory of therapeutic action must describe both what changes (the aims of treatment) and what strategies are likely to be useful in facilitating those changes (technique). The authors believe that single-mechanism theories of therapeutic action, no matter how complex, are unlikely to prove useful at this point because of the variety of targets of change and the variety of methods useful in effecting change in those targets (such as techniques aimed at altering different kinds of conscious and unconscious processes). Interventions that facilitate change may be classified into one of three categories: those that foster insight, those that make use of various mutative aspects of the treatment relationship and a variety of secondary strategies that can be of tremendous importance. They propose that, in all forms of psychoanalytic treatment, we would be more accurate to speak of the therapeutic actions, rather than action.
A unified framework for approximation of general telecommunication networks

In this paper, we develop a unified framework for approximation of the performance of general telecommunication networks based on a decomposition strategy. The method is an extension of the work presented in [15]. The algorithms assume finite buffer space at each switch, state-dependent arrival rates of data packets, and general service time distribution at the switches. Two methods of buffer space allocation at the switches, and two congestion control mechanisms are modeled. The proposed algorithms have been extensively tested against simulation values. The results show that the proposed framework yields robust, reliable and accurate estimates of network performance measures, such as throughput, number of packets in the system, and switch and link utilization. The computation time required is minimal. The unified framework presents a useful set of tools for telecommunication network designers in evaluating numerous network designs.
Response statistics of ocean structures to non-linear hydrodynamic loading. Part I: gaussian ocean waves

Abstract This paper presents an analytical approach based on the stochastic averaging of the energy envelope to treat the dynamic behavior of single-degree-of-freedom elastic ocean structures. Such systems are usually subjected to a narrow-band random process which may be modelled as the output of a shaping filter. The response co-ordinates of the system and filter experience slow and fast variations with respect to time, respectively. For this class of problems, the method of stochastic averaging is used to establish stochastic Ito differential equations for the process of slow variation. This approach has not previously been used for non-linear mechanical problems. Three different shaping filters (including those possessing a Pierson-Moskowitz spectrum) are employed to model Gaussian random sea waves. The response statistics of the structure are estimated in terms of the excitation spectrum for different levels of non-linear hydrodynamic drag force. It is found that the hydrodynamic drag reduces the system response energy and consequently suppresses the motion of the structure. In addition, the response probability density deviates from normality as the non-linear hydrodynamic drag parameter increases. The case of non-Gaussian random sea waves will be considered in Part II.
Cocoa bean cell and embryo culture

Callus culture of cocoa bean was initiated from immature cotyledons on agar medium. By dispersing these callus cells, a liquid suspension culture was established. The lipid composition of cocoa suspension culture was investigated and compared with those of cocoa beans of different maturities. Factors affecting fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis in cocoa suspension cultures also were studied. In parallel studies, asexual embryos were proliferated from immature zygotic embryos cultured in semisolid or liquid medium. The factors affecting the lipid composition in cultured embryos are discussed.
The effects of spatial and temporal variations in acetate and sulfate on methane cycling in two Michigan peatlands

In this 3-yr study, we investigated temporal and spatial changes in pools of pore-water methane, sulfate, and acetate (a methanogenic substrate), along with corresponding methane fluxes. Acetate accumulated to high concentrations (>500 {mu}M) in the shallow pore waters in winter and spring, indicating that acetogenic bacteria were metabolically active at 2-10{degree}C. High sulfate concentrations in the upper pore water of one site delayed onset of acetate accumulation, suggesting that acetate consumption by sulfate-reducing bacteria or competition between H{sub 2}-consuming sulfate-reducers and autotrophic acetogens caused the delay. Sites dominated by grasses and sedges has larger accumulations of acetate; pore-water pools and fluxes of methane increased rapidly following diminution of the acetate pools at these sites. At a site dominated by chamaedaphne calyculata, an ericaceous shrub, methane fluxes were lower by 2-3 orders of magnitude; little accumulation of acetate or methane was observed, except in the third year of the study when water levels were consistently high. The seasonal accumulation of acetate and subsequent methane production and flux seem to be dependent on long-term anaerobic conditions in the upper 20 cm of surface peat. 42 refs., 7 figs.
Teaching and Learning Science for Transformative, Aesthetic Experience

Drawing from the Deweyan theory of experience (1934, 1938), the goal of teaching and learning for transformative, aesthetic experience is contrasted against teaching and learning from a cognitive, rational framework. A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate teaching and learning of fifth grade science from each perspective across an entire school year including three major units of instruction. Detailed comparisons of teaching are given and pre and post measures of interest in learning science, science identity affiliation, and efficacy beliefs are investigated. Tests of conceptual understanding before, after, and one month after instruction reveal teaching for transformative, aesthetic experience fosters more, and more enduring, learning of science concepts. Investigations of transfer also suggest students learning for transformative, aesthetic experiences learn to see the world differently and find more interest and excitement in the world outside of school.
Birth order and political behavior: This time the female side

Abstract Birth order has long been discussed as an important influence on human behavior; some have even posited an evolutionary basis for this phenomenon. One common hypothesis is that first born people are more achievement oriented and successful in life. However, data compiled on male political leaders do not provide much support for this expectation. This paper expands the study of birth order on achievement by looking at women political leaders, to see if birth order has an effect on their success. Results are not generally supportive of a significant role for birth order in women political leaders' success either.
Activation of Caspase 3 in HL-60 Cells Exposed to Hydrogen Peroxide

Recent studies have suggested that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a reactive compound formed endogenously in the breakdown of superoxide, may mediate the induction of apoptosis in various cell types in response to external stimuli. However, the role of H2O2 in the apoptotic pathway has not been clearly established. The purpose of this study was to determine if H2O2 treatment could induce apoptosis through the activation of caspases. Doses of H2O2 ranging from 10 microM to 100 microM, when added to HL-60 cells, resulted in the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) from its native 113 Kd form to a processed 89 Kd fragment, indicative of cells undergoing apoptosis. PARP was predominantly in the fragmented form when doses of 20 microM and greater were used. A time course study of changes in PARP processing in H2O2-treated cells revealed that 10 and 50 microM H2O2 required 6 and 3 h, respectively, to specifically degrade PARP, suggesting that the H2O2-induced PARP cleavage is both time and concentration dependent. Since PARP is cleaved by CPP32 (caspase-3), we next determined if H2O2 was capable of effecting changes in CPP32 activity. The caspase activity was assayed using a colorimetric substrate, DEVD-pNa. Results of these experiments showed that H2O2 increased caspase activity at 3 h, corresponding to the time of appearance of fragmented PARP. Also, CPP32 activity and PARP processing were both significantly suppressed by caspase-3 inhibitors. Taken together, these results suggest that H2O2 mediates specific cleavage of PARP and possibly apoptosis by activating caspase 3.
Laser Beam Divergence in Short Interferometers

The initial investigations of laser performance with short interferometers at RCA were performed with an electro-optic Q-Switch. These results showed that beam divergences of one to two milliradians were easily achieved with an interferometer length of about 2.5 inches. However when the dye Q-Switch was substituted for an electro-optic switch,1 and the interferometer shortened to 2.0 inches, the beam divergence increased to six milliradians or larger. Many tests were run with the 2.0 inch interferometer because it was found that the divergence varied with the quality of the Q-Switch material. The best that was achieved was five milliradians, independent of optical density or quality of the Q-Switch used. In all these tests the interferometer consisted of a 4mm x 40mm neodynium doped Y.A.G. laser rod and a flat 100% mirror that could be moved to vary the interferometer length.
Academic dishonesty among criminal justice majors: A research note

There is a limited, but growing body of literature on the academic integrity of criminal justice majors. This study adds to the research by surveying 850 students at a Midwestern university and comparing criminal justice majors to students majoring in other disciplines. The survey consisted of various academic dishonesty behaviors, rationales for being academically dishonest, and whether or not the behaviors were ethical. The results indicated that there were some differences between criminal justice and non-criminal justice majors; however, for most measures, the two groups of students were similar. Unfortunately, the overall level of cheating was high for both criminal justice and non-criminal justice students.
An Examination of the Role of Ethics in Tax Compliance Decisions

The relationship between ethical beliefs and tax compliance is well documented, but extant research has not explored the relationships among general ethical beliefs, contextual ethical beliefs, and tax compliance behavior. In this study we propose a model that is intended to clarify the mechanisms through which ethical beliefs impact tax compliance. In the model, contextual ethical beliefs represent the mechanism through which individuals' general ethical beliefs impact tax compliance behavior. The model is tested using participants' ethical orientations as measures of their general ethical beliefs and using participants' ethical evaluations of others' tax compliance decisions as measures of their contextual ethical beliefs. Tax compliance behavior is inferred from participants' estimates of the likelihood that they would evade. Overall, the findings from our study support the proposed model. Ethical orientations are directly related to ethical evaluations; ethical evaluations directly predict tax complia...
Characterization of robust feedback Nash equilibrium for multi-channel systems

In this paper, we consider the problem of robust state-feedback stabilization for multi-channel systems from a game-theoretic framework. In such a framework, we characterize the feedback Nash equilibria via a set of stabilizing state-feedback solutions corresponding to a family of perturbed multi-channel systems with dissipativity properties. Specifically, we show that the existence of a weak-optimal solution to a set of constrained dissipativity problems is a sufficient condition for the existence of a feedback Nash equilibrium, whereas the set of robust stabilizing state-feedback solutions is completely described in terms of a set of extended linear matrix inequalities.
Imatinib mesylate: clinical results in Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemias.

Targeted cancer therapy has long been sought by the oncology community as a potentially better approach than currently available therapies. One targeted therapy that has shown great success is the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (formerly STI571, [Gleevec]; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp, East Hanover, NJ) which was recently approved for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Basic scientific investigation into the molecular causes and pathogenesis of CML and encouraging preclinical investigations on the mechanism of action of imatinib mesylate led to the initiation of phase I clinical trials. Clinical development of imatinib mesylate continued with three large, multicenter, phase II trials. The majority (88%) of interferon-alpha-resistant or intolerant patients in chronic-phase CML achieved a complete hematologic response to imatinib mesylate. More importantly, approximately half of patients achieved a major cytogenetic response, a result historically associated with improved survival. Furthermore, 21% of patients in accelerated-phase CML and 13.5% of patients in blastic-phase CML (patient populations with typically poor prognosis before the advent of imatinib mesylate) achieved major cytogenetic responses. Results from ongoing studies will determine the durability of these responses and will evaluate ways to optimize treatment in advanced-stage patients using imatinib mesylate in combination with other therapies. Additional trials are planned to investigate the efficacy of imatinib mesylate to treat a variety of solid tumors whose pathogenesis is driven by the other tyrosine kinase targets, c-Kit and platelet-derived growth factor receptor.
Multiple squamous-cell carcinomas in fanconi's anemia

Fanconi's anemia is one of the chromosome instability syndromes that may predispose to the development of cancer. A 20-year-old woman is reported in whom microinvasive squamous-cell carcinomas of the vulva and tongue developed sequentially. The clinicopathologic findings of 13 other cases of Fanconi's anemia associated with squamous-cell carcinomas are reviewed. Anogenital and oral mucosal surfaces appear to be sites of predilection for these cancers. Patients with relatively mild bone marrow problems or the preanemic phase of the illness who are able to survive several decades appear to be at greatest risk for the development of squamous-cell carcinoma.
Trot-gallop transition in a macaque

At the trot-gallop transition, a rhesus monkey's stride rate was approximately half and its stride length double predicted values based on equations presented by Heglund et al. (1974). However, the monkey's trot-gallop transition speed was consistent with Heglund et al.'s (1974) prediction. The unusual primate footfall pattern may explain the discrepancy in stride rate and length.
Cardiac patients' perceived education and use of sub-lingual glyceryl trinitrate on commencement of outpatient cardiac rehabilitation

Summary Patients leaving hospital with a discharge diagnosis of myocardial infarction or angina are prescribed a variety of cardiac medications. Nitrates are the most common group of drugs used in the treatment of angina pectoris and post-infarction angina. Sub-lingual glyceryl trinitrate (SL GTN) represents the first line of self-medication for cardiac patients and thus, the questions of education and practical use of this drug arise. This study was designed to assess patients' use of SL GTN as part of the treatment for angina and to discover how they gained this knowledge, prior to attedance at outpatient cardiac rehabilitation. The conveniene sample consisted of 50 successive patients with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction or angina. All subjects were attending their first visit to the clinic, prior to commencing the cardiac rehabilitation programme. A standard questionnaire was designed to collect the data. Of the 50 patients questioned, 35 (70%) complained of post discharge angina. Sub-analysis showed that more patients diagnosed with angina pectoris presented with post-discharge angina 26 (89.5%), than those post MI n9 (42.8%). Thirty-four per cent of this group did not receive a prescription for SL GTN upon discharge. Only 14 (40%) patients remember receiving any advice or information about SL GTN. Patients who had suffered angina while an in-patient were significantly more likely to receive a prescription for GTN pre-discharge 21 out of 22 (χ2=18.66, P
Influence of Formulation Factors on the Preparation of Zein Nanoparticles

The main objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of various formulation parameters on the preparation of zein nanoparticles. 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (DHC) was used as a model hydrophobic compound. The influence of pH of the aqueous phase, buffer type, ionic strength, surfactant, and zein concentration on particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of DHC-loaded zein nanoparticles were studied. Smaller nanoparticles were formed when the pH was close to the isoelectric point of zein. DHC-loaded zein nanoparticles prepared using citrate buffer (pH 7.4) was better than phosphate buffer in preventing particle aggregation during lyophilization. The ionic strength did not have a significant influence on the particle size of DHC-loaded zein nanoparticles. A combination of Pluronic F68 and lecithin in 2:1 ratio stabilized the zein nanoparticles. An increase in zein concentration led to increase in particle size of DHC-loaded zein nanoparticles. The use of optimal conditions produced DHC-loaded nanoparticles of 256 ± 30 nm and an encapsulation efficiency of 78 ± 7%. Overall, the study demonstrated the optimal conditions to prepare zein nanoparticles for drug encapsulation.
Leveling and Dewetting Processes of Nanoindentation-Induced Defects on Thin Polymer Films

We study the effect of nanoindentation-induced indents on polystyrene (PS) films (thickness = h > 100 nm), spin-cast on silicon substrates. Indents with residual depths of penetration, zD, comparable to the film thicknesses leveled (healed) upon heating above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of bulk PS, resulting in a flat polymer surface. Deep indents which clearly penetrated the films and damaged the substrate dewetted from the silicon surface. The healing rate, dzD/dt, was measured for several molecular weight PS films and found to scale with the curvature of the hole bottom, HD, as (dzD/dt) ∼ . Measurements were performed using atomic force microscopy. The healing rate was found to be, in general, higher than the dewetting rate of the laterally expanded deep indents.
Numerical solutions to inverse problems of general planar motion

Abstract In this paper motion as a combination of translation of the base point O and rotation about axis Z of a plane mechanism. The equations of the fixed centrode (B), the trajectory (T) and the movable centrode (R) are obtained. Three inverse problems are studied: if two of these curves are known, find the third one. Implicit differential equations are obtained. Numerical methods to solve these implicit differential equations are presented.
Inhibitory effects of alcohol on glucose transport across the blood–brain barrier leads to neurodegeneration: preventive role of acetyl-l-carnitine

Purpose Evidence shows that alcohol intake causes oxidative neuronal injury and neurocognitive deficits that are distinct from the classical Wernicke-Korsakoff neuropathy. Our previous findings indicated that alcohol-elicited blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage leads to neuroinflammation and neuronal loss. The dynamic function of the BBB requires a constant supply and utilization of glucose. Here we examined whether interference of glucose uptake and transport at the endothelium by alcohol leads to BBB dysfunction and neuronal degeneration.
RANKL-Targeted Therapies: The Next Frontier in the Treatment of Male Osteoporosis

Male osteoporosis is an increasingly recognized problem in aging men. A common cause of male osteoporosis is hypogonadism. Thousands of men with prostate cancer are treated with androgen deprivation therapy, a treatment that dramatically reduces serum testosterone and causes severe hypogonadism. Men treated with androgen deprivation therapy experience a decline in bone mineral density and have an increased rate of fracture. This paper describes prostate cancer survivors as a model of hypogonadal osteoporosis and discusses the use of RANKL-targeted therapies in osteoporosis. Denosumab, the only RANKL-targeted therapy currently available, increases bone mineral density and decreases fracture rate in men with prostate cancer. Denosumab is also associated with delayed time to first skeletal-related event and an increase in bone metastasis-free survival in these men. It is reasonable to investigate the use of RANKL-targeted therapy in male osteoporosis in the general population.
El Niño related variations in nutrient and chlorophyll distributions off Oregon

Abstract As part of the NOAA-NSF supported Northeast Pacific GLOBEC program we have been studying the distribution of nutrients and chlorophyll off the coast of Oregon. Data from 1997–1999 allow the comparison of seasonal variations during the strong 1997–1998 El Nino with more normal seasonal distributions during 1998–1999. Maximum nutrient supplies and chlorophyll standing stocks were observed during the seasonal upwelling period (August/September 1998, July 1999). In comparison, both nutrients and chlorophyll standing stocks were severely depressed during the 1997 summer sampling, and nitrate availability appeared to limit primary production. Usually winter conditions result in intermediate nutrient levels with primary production being limited by light availability. During the 1997–1998 winter, the enhanced poleward flow of coastal water resulted in the movement of warm, high salinity water to the Oregon coast. This poleward moving southern water had a lower N:P ratio than typical coastal water. Thus, El Nino conditions had two direct effects on nutrient supply: (1) reduced upwelling resulted in severe nitrogen limitation during the normal upwelling season; and (2) enhanced poleward movement of warm, high salinity water resulted in anomalously low N:P ratios in the halocline. The latter effect contributed to nitrate limitation during the El Nino spring.