cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Media’s Role in Enhancing Sustainable Development in Zambia

The dual pressures of climate change and population growth in Africa make enhancing sustainable development an important focus of initiatives hoping to reach as many people as possible with appropriate innovations. Resource and infrastructure challenges often limit the ability of programs to expand through the use of extension and other forms of in-person training. Although media such as radio, television, and mobile phones cannot replace the value of interpersonal communication, they can offer a low-cost alternative for reaching large audiences in even some of the most remote regions. With the increasing use of media for sustainable development come questions relating to the ability of these channels to move beyond a one-way flow of information to include and respond to local knowledge and experiences and to create dialogue, both farmer to farmer and between farmers and designers of educational messaging. This article evaluates the role of media in promoting sustainable agriculture in Zambia. Specificall...
A novel read-through transcript JMJD7-PLA2G4B regulates head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation and survival.

// Yingduan Cheng 1 , Yi Wang 1 , Jiong Li 1 , Insoon Chang 1 and Cun-Yu Wang 1 1 The Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA Correspondence to: Cun-Yu Wang, email: // Keywords : head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, conjoined gene, JMJD7-PLA2G4B, cell cycle, apoptosis Received : September 20, 2016 Accepted : December 15, 2016 Published : December 21, 2016 Abstract Recent findings on the existence of oncogenic fusion genes in a wide array of solid tumors, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), suggests that fusion genes have become attractive targets for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we showed for the first time that a read-through fusion gene JMJD7-PLA2G4B is presented in HNSCC, splicing neighboring jumonji domain containing 7 ( JMJD7 ) and phospholipase A2, group IVB ( PLA2G4B ) genes together. Ablation of JMJD7-PLA2G4B significantly inhibited proliferation of HNSCC cells by promoting G1 cell cycle arrest and increased starvation-induced cell death compared to JMJD7-only knockdown HNSCC cells. Mechanistically, we found that JMJD7-PLA2G4B modulates phosphorylation of Protein Kinase B (AKT) to promote HNSCC cell survival. Moreover, JMJD7-PLA2G4B also regulated an E3 ligase S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2) to control the cell cycle progression from G1 phase to S phase by inhibiting Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21) and 1B (p27) expression. Our study provides novel insights into the oncogenic control of JMJD7-PLA2G4B in HNSCC cell proliferation and survival, and suggests that JMJD7-PLA2G4B may serve as an important therapeutic target and prognostic marker for HNSCC development and progression.
Obstacle and Connectivity Aware Wireless Video Sensor Deployment for 3D Indoor Monitoring: Poster Abstract

Wireless Video Sensor Networks (WVSNs) have been widely proposed for monitoring spatial environments. Dissimilar from traditional Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) where nodes such as thermal and light sensors are often considered in 2D and with omnidirectional sensing ranges, the sensing range of a video sensor in WVSNs is deemed as directional and usually cognized as a rectangular pyramid shape in 3D environments. Moreover, within indoor spaces, obstacles such as ceiling lights and furniture can easily block the line-of-sight of a video sensor. These new challenges render the traditional deployment solutions for WSNs or 2D modeling environments as impractical to solve the WVSN deployment problem for 3D indoor monitoring. In this poster, we strive to tackle the WVSN deployment problem for 3D indoor monitoring with the consideration of ensuring coverage, connectivity and obstacle awareness. We first model the general problem in a continuous 3D space to minimize the total number of required video sensors. We then convert it into a discrete version problem by incorporating 3D grids, which can achieve arbitrary approximation precision by adjusting the grid granularity. We develop a series of mechanisms to handle the obstacles in the 3D environment and propose an efficient greedy heuristic and enhanced DFS algorithms yielding high quality solutions.
Micro-negotiation in the Security Sector Advising Context: A Case Study from Afghanistan

The field of security sector reform and advising provides a rich context for examining the conduct of negotiations. In this chapter, the author uses his experience as a security sector advisor in Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012 as a case study to explore improved strategies for negotiations while analyzing the interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics of these interactions. Through this analysis, and associated recommendations for improving how security sector advisors are trained and how they conduct their work, it may be possible for countries and external stakeholders to achieve improved security sector reform results. Better security sector reform processes, enhanced through improved advising negotiations, can be instrumental to fostering international stability and peace. Security sector advisors often operate with the overarching purpose of building a country’s capacity. Building capacity is normally viewed as a development objective; however, when mixed with the diplomatic and/or defense and law enforcement objectives of security sector advising, a number of contradictions emerge. This chapter identifies a number of best practices for advisors, to include demonstrating empathy and humility, upholding development standards such as doing no harm, and focusing on value set identification to improve negotiation outcomes. The day-to-day realities of the micro-negotiations an advisor will need to conduct are also examined, and this chapter presents ways for these micro-negotiations to advance capacity building in small, measured ways over an advisor’s tenure. The author concludes by examining the importance of training security sector advisors for their work and describing why this training is often incomplete or insufficient. Ultimately, improved security can lead to better protection of their populations from threats and increased chances for economic development to lead to national prosperity.
Assessing Self-Regulated Learning Using Microanalytic Methods

This chapter primary focuses on one type of event measure called self-regulated learning (SRL) micro-analysis. It then reviews research that explores the predictive validity of microanalytic protocols (in terms of achievement outcomes), when considered as a sole predictor and in conjunction with other SRL measures. Researchers in the domains of human development and counseling have used microanalytic assessment approaches to observe micro-level behaviors exhibited during interpersonal interactions, such as relations among family members, mother-infant attachment, and therapist-client exchanges. Microanalysis has also been used as an approach to assess fine-grained instances of individuals' motivation beliefs and regulatory processes. The chapter further examines whether there is "added value" to using multiple measures when attempting to understand how students engage in regulation and whether SRL processes influence important performance and learning outcomes. The chapter concludes by discussing applications of SRL microanalysis to educational contexts and offer several directions for future research.
Outcomes of Heart Failure Admissions Under Observation Versus Short Inpatient Stay

BackgroundPatients with heart failure (HF) are admitted either under observation (OBS) or inpatient stays; however, there is little data on whether this designation reflects the clinical status of ...
Probing Energy-Dependent Feshbach Resonances by Optical Control

Optical control enables new high resolution probes of narrow collisional (Feshbach) resonances, which are strongly dependent on the relative momentum of colliding atom pairs, and important for simulating neutron matter with ultracold atomic gases. We demonstrate a two-field optical vernier, which expands kHz (mG) magnetic field detunings near a narrow resonance into MHz optical field detunings, enabling precise control and characterization of the momentum-dependent scattering amplitude. Two-photon loss spectra are measured for the narrow resonance in ^{6}Li, revealing rich structure in very good agreement with our theoretical model. However, anomalous overall frequency shifts between the measured and predicted two-photon spectra are not yet explained.
Implanted Deuterium Retention and Release in Carbon-Coated Beryllium

Deuterium implantation experiments have been conducted on samples of clean and carbon-coated beryllium. These studies entailed preparation and characterization of beryllium samples coated with carbon thicknesses of 100, 500, and 1000 A. Heat treatment of a beryllium sample coated with carbon to a thickness of approximately 100 A revealed that exposure to a temperature of 400°C under high vacuum conditions was sufficient to cause substantial diffusion of beryllium through the carbon layer, resulting in more beryllium than carbon at the surface. Comparable concentrations of carbon and beryllium were observed in the bulk of the coating layer. Higher than expected oxygen levels were observed throughout the coating layer as well. Samples were exposed to deuterium implantation followed by thermal desorption without exposure to air. Differences were observed in deuterium retention and postimplantation release behavior in the carbon-coated samples as compared with bare samples. For comparable implantation conditions (sample temperature of 400°C and an incident deuterium flux of approximately 6 × 1019 D/m2-s), the quantity of deuterium retained in the bare sample was less than that retained in the carbon-coated samples. Further, the release of the deuterium took place at lower temperatures for the bare beryllium surfaces than for carbon-coated beryllium samples.
A Better Conformal Bernstein's Theorem

This paper shows that a simply connected, oriented, time-like surface S in E31 that is complete as a surface in Euclidean 3-space E3 is C∞ conformally equivalent to the Minkowski plane E21 provided that the integral of the absolute value of E31 mean curvature on S with respect to the E3 area element is finite. This provides the broadest generalization to date for the conformal Bernstein's theorem, which states that any entire timelike minimal surface in E31 is C∞ conformally equivalent to E31.
Baby boomers' expectations of health and medicine.

Baby boomers are different from the generations that preceded them. They are more savvy, assertive, health-conscious, and engaged in their care.
Malignant Melanoma: Diagnostic and Management Update.

Learning Objectives:After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Summarize the changes to the American Joint Committee on Cancer Eighth Edition Melanoma Staging System. 2. List advances in genetic, molecular, and histopathologic melanoma diagnosis and prognostication. 3. Recomm
Configuring of Excessive Onboard Equipment Sets

We develop a unified approach to controlling the configuration of the onboard equipment sets constructed on principles of integrated modular avionics and avionics of the unstaffed onboard equipment. We design a tool to analytically generate alternative configurations of onboard equipment sets that are surplus to achieve the required structural properties of the configurations. We analyze the interconnection between analytic solutions and supervisors of the configuration of the equipment sets. A methodological example for the flight control system of a plane is provided.
Wearable musical haptic sleeves for people with hearing impairment

Music is a multi-dimensional entity and can be experienced in different forms, such as sound, vibrations or visual displays. This experience is typically confined to people without hearing impairments, but for people with hearing impairments, it can be difficult or impossible to enjoy and experience this form of art. Recent technological advancement offers some opportunities through which attempts can be made to provide musical experience to people with hearing impairment. The purpose of this research is to develop an affordable wearable haptic device for people with hearing disabilities to experience music. This device can be helpful for people with reduced hearing as well as with complete deafness. In this project, we adopt a design development strategy which is based on testing different assistive technologies and to check their efficacy to transmit musical notes into other human sensory inputs.The final prototype consists of Vibrotactile sleeves with bone conduction speakers. These sleeves provide sensory input of vibrations via bone conduction speakers. The prototype is developed based on subjects' surveys and feedback on different assistive technologies. To test our prototype, we developed a visualization system which gives visual clues that represent the given musical notes. A formal user testing with five participants suggests that this system can be used to provide the musical experience to people with hearing impairments.
Robotic Hartmann’s Reversal

Hartmann’s resection is a frequently performed procedure in an emergency setting including a colectomy with creation of an end colostomy and a blind rectal stump. Not all colostomies are subsequently reversed in an elective setting due to concerns of complications in a higher-risk patient population. A robotic reversal is presented in the chapter which facilitates a minimal invasive approach decreasing morbidity.
Culture and Value in Nietzsche

This review essay discusses a recent book by Andrew Huddleston that examines Nietzsche's views on culture, in particular, culture understood as “the collective life of a people, understood as akin to a great work of art." Huddelston argues against “individualist” readers of Nietzsche (including this author) who hold that after the early 1870s, Nietzsche changes his view and “instead of reposing his hopes in culture…comes to occupy himself with the fate of a few great individuals” like Beethoven and Goethe. I argue that Huddleston's own evidence shows the individualist readings to be correct, although in the process Huddleston usefully illuminates the influence of Romanticism on Nietzsche's early work. I also discuss the relationship between culture and slavery, the idea of "decadence," and the objectivity of value in Nietzsche's work.
Gold Nanorod Synthesis with Small Thiolated Molecules.

Size and shape tunability have been widely demonstrated for gold nanorods (AuNRs), but reproducible and reliable protocols for the synthesis of small nanocrystals with high yield are still needed f...
Vitamin B6 Fuels Acute Myeloid Leukemia Growth

Mounting evidence indicates that vitamins C and D are linked to tumor growth, but the relevance of vitamin B6 remains uncertain. In a recent study, Chen et al. demonstrate that pyridoxal kinase promotes vitamin B6 phosphorylation, producing the active form pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, which regulates two key metabolic enzymes required for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell growth.
Daily Vaginal Microbiota Fluctuations Associated with Natural Hormonal Cycle, Contraceptives, Diet, and Exercise

ABSTRACT The microorganisms of the vaginal tract are critical for vaginal and reproductive health. However, the regulation of these microorganisms is not well understood. Therefore, we investigated whether different factors regulate the vaginal microbiota of healthy college-aged women (n = 26) with high temporal resolution by collecting daily self-administered vaginal swabs and using 16S rRNA sequencing for bacterial identification. As expected, vaginal microbiota clustered into five predefined community state types. Vaginal microbial diversity, stability, and Lactobacillus abundances were associated with the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptive use. Vaginal microbial diversity, as measured using the Shannon index, increased during menses (P IMPORTANCE The vaginal microbiome is a critical component of women’s sexual and reproductive health, with variations in microbial composition, particularly the loss of Lactobacillus species, being implicated in gynecologic and obstetric diseases. Given that the vaginal microbiome is so crucial, why do vaginal microbial profiles vary strikingly from person to person and even change over time within the same person? In the present study, which tracked the daily vaginal microbiomes of young healthy women through different lifestyles, we found that use of a locally released progestin contraceptive, a vegetarian diet, and intense exercise appear to lead to vaginal microbiome alterations and loss of Lactobacillus species. The impact of these vaginal microbiome changes on immediate and long-term health remain to be investigated.
The Role of Flexibility at Work on Residential Location: From the Work-Life Balance Perspective

As Information and Communication Technology (ICT) advances, working conditions become more flexible with the help of telecommuting. Indeed, this change improves the work-life balance for existing employees and provides new job opportunities in a regional economy. This paper aims to describe how flexible working conditions contribute to the distance to work by using the National Household Travel Survey 2009 and 2017. First, the Geographic Information System (GIS) illustrates a distance increase from home to work at the state level. Then, the nested multinomial logit models examine how flexibility at work correlates with the distance between home and work. The results support that flexible working conditions correlate with employees’ distant residence from work, which potentially contributes to affordable housings and work-life balance.
What Is Slowing Us Down? Six Challenges to Accelerating Advances in Health Behavior Change

Background Accelerating advances in health behavior change requires releasing the brake, as well as applying the throttle. This paper discusses six challenges or "brakes" that have slowed progress. Purpose/methods/results We engage with six issues that limit investigators' ability to delineate and test the strategy-target and target-behavior relations that underlie effective interventions according to the experimental medicine approach. We discuss the need for guidance on how to identify the relevant mechanism of action (target) in an intervention and whether a periodic table of health behavior constructs might aid investigators. Experimental and correlational analyses (prospective surveys and behavior change techniques) have been used to test the validity of targets, and we present evidence that there is little agreement among the findings from different research designs. Whereas target engagement is typically analyzed in terms of increasing scores on constructs that impel behavior change, we discuss the role of impeding targets and the benefits of adopting a broader construal of potential targets and approaches to engagement. There is presently a paucity of competitive tests regarding which strategies best engage targets and we discuss empirical criteria and conceptual developments that could enhance the evidence base. Finally, we highlight the need to take "context" or conditional intervention effects more seriously by leveraging the interplay between questions about why interventions work and questions about when and for whom they work. Conclusion Candid appraisal of the challenges facing research on health behavior change can generate new opportunities for theoretical development and offer direction and cumulative impetus for empirical work.
Obstructive sleep apnoea and polymorphisms: implications for anaesthesia care

With a worldwide obesity pandemic, the incidence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is increasing; obesity is the most significant risk factor in children. Increasing evidence suggests that OSA is in part mediated through markers of inflammation. Systemic and pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy, prediabetes, and other conditions are common. Adenotonsillectomy improves only ~70% of children; 30% require other interventions, e.g. weight loss programs. The gold standard for diagnosis is a sleep-polysomnogram which are expensive and not readily available. The McGill oximetry score (saw-tooth desaturations during obstruction and arousal) is more cost-effective. Repeated episodes of desaturation alter the opioid receptors such that analgesia is achieved at much lower levels of opioid than in patients undergoing the same procedure but without OSA. This response is of great concern because a standard dose of opioids may be a relative overdose. Polymorphism variations in cytochrome CYP2D6 have major effects upon drug efficacy and side effects. Codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and tramadol are all prodrugs that require CYP2D6 for conversion to the active compound. CYP2D6 is quite variable and patients can be divided into 4 classes: For codeine for example, poor metaboliser (PM) have virtually no conversion to morphine, intermediate metabolisers (IM) have some conversion to morphine, extensive metabolisers (EM) have a normal rate of conversion to morphine, and ultra-rapid metabolisers (RM) convert excessive amounts of codeine to morphine. Such variations result in some patients achieving no analgesia because there is reduced conversion to the active moiety whereas others convert an excessive amount of drug to the active compound thus resulting in relative or actual overdose despite appropriate dosing. Thus, OSA patients may have both opioid sensitivity due to recurrent desaturations and altered drug metabolism resulting in higher than intended blood levels of opioid. OSA patients should only receive one-third to half the usual dose of opioid. In those under the age of six, an effort should be made to avoid opioids altogether and use opioid sparing techniques such as alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Hepatotoxicity reports in the FDA adverse event reporting system database: A comparison of drugs that cause injury via mitochondrial or other mechanisms

Abstract Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a leading reason for preclinical safety attrition and post-market drug withdrawals. Drug-induced mitochondrial toxicity has been shown to play an essential role in various forms of DILI, especially in idiosyncratic liver injury. This study examined liver injury reports submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) for drugs associated with hepatotoxicity via mitochondrial mechanisms compared with non-mitochondrial mechanisms of toxicity. The frequency of hepatotoxicity was determined at a group level and individual drug level. A reporting odds ratio (ROR) was calculated as the measure of effect. Between the two DILI groups, reports for DILI involving mitochondrial mechanisms of toxicity had a 1.43 (95% CI 1.42–1.45; P 18: benzbromarone, troglitazone, isoniazid, rifampin) were associated with mitochondrial mechanisms of toxicity. The major demographic influence for DILI risk was also examined. There was a higher mean patient age among reports for drugs that were associated with mitochondrial mechanisms of toxicity [56.1 ± 18.33 (SD)] compared to non-mitochondrial mechanisms [48 ± 19.53 (SD)] (P
CRIMES AND OFFENSES Offenses Against Public Order and Safety: Reserve to the State the Right to Bring Certain Civil Actions Against Firearms Manufacturers, Trade Associations, and Dealers

The Act declares that the lawful design, marketing, manufacture, or sale of firearms or ammunition do not constitute unreasonably dangerous activities and do not create a nuisance per se. The Act also gives the State of Georgia the right to bring suit against any trade association or dealer who conducts the activities listed above on behalf of any governmental unit created by the General Assembly or the Constitution of Georgia. However, the Act does not prohibit local governmental units from filing lawsuits based on breach of contract or breach of warranty theories of liability for firearms or ammunition purchased from the manufacturer or dealer. The Act codifies the rule of law stated in Division 1 of Rhodes v. R.G. Industries, Inc., 1 which held that the fact that the General Assembly had enacted comprehensive licensing schemes for suppliers and purchasers of handguns indicates that the legislature does not intend to ban the manufacture, sale, or use of such weapons and that legislators do not consider the marketing of such weapons to the public as an unreasonably dangerous activity. The Act applies to any action pending or brought on or after the Act takes effect.
Diblock and Triblock Copolymers

Block copolymers, among the newer creations of modern chemistry, provide one of the more exciting classes of materials in terms of both intellectual stimulation and practical utility. This chapter will be primarily concerned with AB and ABA types of block copolymers, where the A’s and B’s represent fairly long subchains. The ABABABAB... types with short repeating blocks, exemplified by the segmented polyurethanes, will be treated in Chapter 5.
Diatom productivity in the equatorial Pacific Ocean from the last glacial period to the present: A test of the silicic acid leakage hypothesis

[1] The silicic acid leakage hypothesis (SALH) suggests that during glacial periods, unused silicic acid escaped the Southern Ocean into the equatorial oceans, causing an ecological shift favoring diatoms relative to coccolithophorids and a drawdown of CO2. The 230Th normalized opal fluxes and 231Pa/230Th ratios were measured in eleven equatorial Pacific cores to reconstruct diatom productivity over the past 30 kyr and to test the SALH. Holocene spatial patterns of opal flux are strongly correlated with 231Pa/230Th ratios and with satellite estimates of primary productivity. Down-core opal flux records do not support the SALH but show Holocene opal burial to exceed that of the late glacial period by 35%, or 2.8 Gt opal/kyr, across the equatorial Pacific. This suggests that the SALH may not account for lower atmospheric CO2 levels during the late glacial. However, the data do support results from previous studies that invoke increased El Nino–like conditions during this time.
Determination of Energy and Charge Deposition Profiles in Elemental Slabs From an Isotropically Equivalent Electron Source Using Monte Carlo Simulations

Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNP5 transport code have been made for electrons with 10.0 keV to 5.0 MeV kinetic energies incident on thick slabs of elemental materials with atomic numbers in the range 6–79. An electron point source near the surface of the target slab was used to simulate isotropic incidence, allowing for the inclusion of backscatter and secondary-electron emissions in the simulation. Thus, the results should be uniquely useful for the modeling of deep-dielectric charging in spacecraft over a large range of energies and materials. Due to the minimum electron energy cutoff of MCNP5, accuracy of the simulations decreases at the lowest incident energies. A path has been identified for developing an algorithm that can quickly reproduce and interpolate between the Monte Carlo results for both incident energies and target materials in the ranges studied. Such an algorithm should prove useful to modelers of deep-dielectric charging in realistic spacecraft environments.
Pressure and temperature dependence kinetics study of the NO + BrO yielding NO2 + Br reaction - Implications for stratospheric bromine photochemistry

The reactivity of NO with BrO radicals over a wide range of pressure (100-700 torr) and temperature (224-398 K) is investigated using the flash photolysis-ultraviolet absorption technique. The flash photolysis system consists of a high-pressure xenon arc light source, a reaction cell/gas filter/flash lamp combination, and a 216.5 half-meter monochromator/polychromator/spectrography for wavelength selectivity. The details of the reaction and its corresponding Arrhenius expression are identified. The results are compared with previous measurements, and atmospheric implications of the reaction are discussed. The NO + BrO yielding NO2 + Br reaction is shown to be important in controlling the concentration ratios of BrO/Br and BrO/HBr in the stratosphere, but this reaction does not affect the catalytic efficiency of BrOx in ozone destruction.
A transient method for measuring thermal properties of soils

In connection with energy conservation studies by subsurface construction, thermal properties of soils are needed for a wide range of temperature and moisture levels. Because of several disadvantages of steady state methods, including the problem of moisture migration, a transient method has been developed which requires substantially less time than steady state tests, reduces the problem of moisture migration, and provides simultaneously thermal conductivities and thermal diffusivities. The design of the apparatus and the test procedure are discussed. The agreement of sample results with steady state measurements assures reliability of the equipment which will be used for generating a wide spectrum of thermal soil data.
Two and Four Flux Theory

This chapter contains sections titled: Kubelka-Munk Two Flux Theory Coefficients K and S for the Two Flux Theory Four Flux Theory This chapter contains sections titled: Appendix 10A
Effectiveness of School-Based Drug Prevention Programs: A Meta-Analysis of the Research

Effectiveness of different types of drug prevention programs was examined in a meta-analysis of 120 school-based programs (5th-12th) that evaluated success on self-reported drug use measures. Hypothesis tests using Weighted Least Squares regressions were conducted of an a priori classification scheme that was based on program content and its method of delivery. Two major types of programs were identified: Interactive and Non-Interactive. Six factors related to program effectiveness (sample size, targeted drug, type of control group, special populations, type of leader, and attrition) were included as covariates. The superiority of the Interactive programs was both clinically and statistically significant to the Non-Interactive programs for tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and illicit drugs and for all adolescents including minority populations. The larger Interactive programs were less effective, although still significantly superior to the Non-Interactive programs, which suggests implementation failures.
Evidence from oxygen exchange measurements for a cooperative interaction between the two heads of myosin.

THE present view of the molecular mechanism of muscle contraction1 does not explain why myosin has two structurally similar globular heads2. Each of these heads can interact with actin and with ATP, and each seems to hydrolyse ATP at about the same rate3. To investigate possible functional differences between the two heads of myosin, we have compared the rates of intermediate oxygen exchange4–6 catalysed by heavy meromyosin (HMM), which has two heads, and subfragment 1(S1), which has one head, at different levels of actin activation. This oxygen exchange occurs between water and the γ-phosphoryl groups of two enzyme–nucleoside phosphate intermediates along the pathway of coupled ATP hydrolysis7. Thus, measurements of oxygen exchange can be used to probe the kinetics of intermediate steps in the hydrolytic and contractile mechanism. Any difference in the rate of oxygen exchange indicates either a difference in the lifetimes of the exchanging intermediates, or in the kinetic constants of the exchange reaction itself4–6,8.
A taxonomy of 2-primal rings

Abstract Various conditions on a noncommutative ring imply that it is 2-primal (i.e., the ring's prime radical coincides with the set of nilpotent elements of the ring). We will examine several such conditions and show that their known interdependencies are their only ones. Of particular interest will be the (PS I) condition on a ring (i.e., every factor ring modulo the right annihilator of a principal right ideal is 2-primal). We will see that even within a fairly narrow class of rings, (PS I) is a strictly stronger condition than 2-primal. We will show that the (PS I) condition is left-right asymmetric. We will also study the interplay between various types of semilocal rings and various types of 2-primal rings. The Kothe Conjecture will make a cameo appearance. In Section 6, we will examine subideals of prime ideals of commutative rings that are invariant under derivations.
“Superinduction” of tyrosine aminotransferase by actinomycin D: a reevaluation

Abstract Reexamination of the effects of actinomycin D (AMD) on the intracellular level and rate of synthesis of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) in hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells reveals that much apparent controversy can be resolved with acknowledgment of the multi-faceted nature of this inhibitor's action. AMD can slow overall protein synthesis and inhibit the degradation of both TAT and its mRNA as well as block the synthesis of RNA. The extent of these secondary actions of the inhibitor depend somewhat upon the growth condition of the cells. The effects of cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine) on the metabolism of TAT and its mRNA are also complex, but differ in several respects from those of AMD.
Prostaglandin production in human coronary artery endothelial cells is modulated differentially by selective phospholipase A2 inhibitors

Abstract Atherosclerotic plaque formation is a dynamic process involving repeated injury and inflammation of the endothelium. We have demonstrated previously that thrombin and tryptase stimulation of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) leads to increased phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) activity and generation of membrane phospholipid derived inflammatory metabolites, including eicosanoids and platelet activating factor. Thus, our hypothesis is that selective PLA 2 inhibitors have therapeutic potential as anti-inflammatory agents. Stimulation of confluent HCAEC monolayers with thrombin or tryptase resulted in a concentration and time-dependent increase in both prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) and prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) production. Pretreatment with PX-18 to inhibit secretory PLA 2 or BEL to inhibit calcium-independent PLA 2 prior to thrombin or tryptase stimulation resulted in a significant inhibition of both PGI 2 and PGE 2 release. However, pretreatment with methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate (MAFP), a widely used inhibitor of cytosolic PLA 2 isoforms, resulted in a significant potentiation of both thrombin and tryptase stimulated PGI 2 and PGE 2 release as a consequence of increased free arachidonic acid production. We conclude that the use of selective PLA 2 inhibitors may be of therapeutic benefit in the development and progression of atherosclerosis, however, the development of such an agent requires rigorous screening.
Peptide signaling paths related to intoxication, memory and addiction.

Abstract Many peptides bind to G protein-coupled receptors and activate intracellular signaling paths for adaptive cellular responses. The components of these paths can be affected by signals from other neurotransmitters to produce overall integrated results not easily predicted from customary a priori considerations. This intracellular cross-talk among signaling paths provides a "filter" through which long-term tonic signals affect short-term phasic signals as they progress toward the nucleus and induce long-term adaptation of gene expression which provide enduring attributes of acquired memories and addictions. Peptides of the PACAP family provide intracellular signaling that involves kinases, scaffolding interactions, Ca2 + mobilization, and gene expression to facilitate development of tolerance to alcohol and development of associative memories. The peptide-induced enhancement of NMDA receptor responses to extracellular glutamate also may increase behavioral sensitization to the low doses of alcohol that occur at the onset of each bout of drinking. Because many gene products participate in each signaling path, each behavioral response to alcohol is a polygenic process of many steps with no single gene product sufficient to interpret fully the adaptive response to alcohol. Different susceptibility of individuals to alcohol addiction may be a cumulative result of small differences among the many signaling components. Understanding this network of signals may help interpret future "magic bullets" proposed to treat addiction.
Peripherization of immigrant professionals: Korean physicians in the United States.

Using data on the characteristics of 1043 physicians who graduated from a medical school in Korea the authors analyze the effects of immigrant status gender and year of graduation on their choice of medical practice specialty. The specialty areas are categorized into 2 groups "core" and "periphery" on the basis of the reported median income of practitioners in each specialty. The results of log-linear model analyses indicate that female physicians are more likely to immigrate to the United States than male physicians although the general trend of immigration does not notably change over time. In the main equation immigration status shows a significant peripheral effect as immigrant physicians are much more likely to practice in peripheral areas than their home-staying counterparts. Gender status is also found to have a significant peripheral effect. When these Korean immigrant physicians are compared with the US-educated physicians in regard to their areas of practice the same pattern of peripherization is observed among the immigrants. The findings suggest that despite their secular image of "success" immigrant professionals in the United States carry on the same kind of marginal economic activities within the professional labor market as unskilled immigrant workers do within the nonprofessional labor market. (authors)
Assessment of the Suitability of Microsimulation as a Tool for the Evaluation of Macroscopically Optimized Traffic Signal Timings

In practice, traffic signal timings are derived using macroscopic tools that are essentially deterministic. Traffic flows, signal phasing, and street geometry are processed to deliver optimized signal timings. Objective functions strive for efficiency through minimizing measures such as delay and journey time. We now have traffic microsimulation tools that model traffic by imitating its stochastic nature. This paper looks at microsimulation as a means of testing optimized signal timings. We assess the suitability of evaluating signal timings optimized macroscopically through microsimulation. We analyze a range of traffic demand and traffic control scenarios. A real-world arterial with 12 signalized intersections serves as a test bed for the experiments. The results show that when macroscopically optimized signal timings are subject to extensive evaluation through microsimulation, their efficiency is shown to be inconsistent. The paper concludes that the traffic microsimulation tools cannot always be relied upon to evaluate macroscopically optimized traffic signal timings because these timings sometimes perform worse, in microsimulation, than the nonoptimized signal timings.
Characterization of zinc-substituted cytochrome c by circular dichroism and resonance Raman spectroscopic methods.

Abstract Iron(III) in cytochrome c is replaced with zinc(II) by a modification of a method published by others, and the procedure is described in full detail. Three forms of cytochrome c—those containing iron(III), iron(II), and zinc(II)—are examined by circular dichroism spectroscopy and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Spectra of both kinds show that introduction of zinc(II) ions does not appreciably alter the overall structure and conformation of cytochrome c. Resonance Raman spectra indicate the size of the porphyrin “core” that is inconsistent with six-coordination and consistent with five-coordination. Unlike the iron(III) and iron(II) ions, which are bound to two axial ligands (His 18 and Met 80), the zinc(II) ion in cytochrome c seems to be bound to only one, most probably His 18. Evidence pertaining to the question of axial coordination is discussed.
Organic petrology of Carbondale Formation coal beds and marine roof shales in Western Kentucky, Eastern Interior (Illinois) Basin, USA

Abstract Ten samples of Carbondale Formation (late Middle Pennsylvanian, Westphalian D) roof shale strata from the Western Kentucky Coal Field (Eastern Interior Basin, USA) were analyzed petrographically to gain a better understanding of the organic composition of the shales. The samples were collected in conjunction with a coal bed methane exploration program, so a direct comparison of the organic composition of the shales, and the coal beds that directly underlie them, could be made. Petrographically, total vitrinite contents in the shales average 20.8% (mineral matter free basis, mmf), which is significantly lower than the average vitrinite content of Carbondale Formation coal beds (avg. 81.8%, mmf; n = 32). In contrast, total liptinite contents average 49.7% (mmf) in the shales, which is significantly higher than the average liptinite content of Carbondale coals (avg. 7.0%, mmf). Amorphinite and bituminite were found to be the most abundant liptinite macerals in the shales, but were not recorded from the coal samples. Likewise, total inertinite contents were much higher in the shales (avg. 29.6%, mmf), than in the coals (avg. 11.0%, mmf). A type of macrinite identified as “granular macrinite” was the dominant inertinite maceral in the shales, but was absent in the coal samples. Although the average desorbed gas contents of Carbondale Formation coals and shales are low and currently uneconomical (avg. 0.9 ml/g [28.8 scf/ton] for the shales, 2.4 ml/g [76.9 scf/ton] for the coals, as received basis), they nonetheless represent a potential future gas resource.
Fast-Paced, Romantic, Set in Savannah: A Comparison of Results from Readers' Advisory Databases in the Public Library

Readers' advisory databases are used by public librarians to assist patrons in finding books based on the facts of the plot, the factors used to describe the appeal of the book, or read titles similar to another book they have read. Librarians depend on these databases to give a complete view of the titles available given these limiters, and may assume that identical searches in each database would give similar results. This study compares search results from four databases to see the extent of crossover within those results, using fact-based searches, appeal factor searches, and read-alike searches.
Maximizing access to resources: A distance learning librarian joins forces with colleagues at supporting (proximal) libraries

ABSTRACT Saint Leo University faculty provide instruction at SCE sites located on eight community college campuses and three military bases in the Florida region. This article will examine ways in which the Distance Learning/Reference (DL/Ref) librarian facilitates off-campus student access to both the university library's online and print resources and to library resources at nearby supporting, or “proximal,” libraries for students who are too far from the University Campus to use anything except the Ask-a-Librarian, 1–800 reference, and Interlibrary Loan services. These students must rely on proximal libraries, which include large public library systems, library consortia, community college libraries, and military base libraries, for access to print resources as well as Internet access to the university's online content. Providing library access services for such a large, disparate group requires the additional combined efforts of administrators, other faculty librarians, and supporting libraries.
How Heterosexist Are Health and Human Services Organizations?: An Exploratory Study of Tolerance in Western New York

Heterosexism in HHS and other organizations has deeply affected lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer workers. However, there are positive signs that heterosexism at work is changing. This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined a convenience sample of HHS providers’ (N = 69) perceptions of organizational tolerance for heterosexism. Findings of the study are that these HHS providers perceived low tolerance for heterosexism within their organizations. There were slight differences when the perpetrator of heterosexism was a work supervisor. This article also considers how HHS administrators can foster environments that support the unique contributions of sexual minorities in the workplace.
Simplest atomic system for sub-Doppler laser cooling

Sub-Doppler laser cooling requires optical pumping among differently light-shifted ground-state sublevels. We describe a study of the simplest possible angular-momentum configuration that permits all sub-Doppler cooling phenomena. The Jg = 1 ⇒ Je = 0 angular-momentum configuration shows recoil-limited cooling in the two most well-known types of polarization gradient, magnetically induced laser cooling, velocity-selective resonances, transient cooling, and velocity-selective population trapping.
Percent free base nicotine in the tobacco smoke particulate matter of selected commercial and reference cigarettes.

The available evidence suggests that most of the nicotine in mainstream tobacco smoke is in the smoke particle matter (PM) phase. Nicotine can exist in protonated and free base forms in the smoke PM, and αfb is the fraction of the PM nicotine that is in the free base form. Because only the free base form can volatilize from the smoke PM phase to the gas phase of an inhaled aerosol and because gaseous nicotine deposits rapidly in the respiratory tract (RT), the magnitude and rate of nicotine deposition in the RT will depend on αfb. The types of values that αfb can assume in the PM of cigarette smoke aerosols have not been well-known. The conventional view has been that mainstream cigarette smoke PM contains relatively little free base nicotine so that the cigarette smoker must absorb nicotine mostly from deposited particles. A prior study concluded that because cigarette smoke is at “pH 5.3”, there is very little free base nicotine in such smoke. A 1994 internal tobacco company document discusses the view ...
Image Processing By Smoothing Spline Functions

Spline functions, because of their highly desirable interpolating and approximating characteristics, are an interesting alternative to the conventional pulse approximation method in digital image modeling. For uniformly spaced knots, a class of spline functions called B-splines is used as a basis in a linear imaging system. A controllable smoothing criteria based on the local statistics and minimization of the second derivative is defined, and the corresponding filter is obtained for restoration of noisy blurred images.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Image Restorations Constrained With A Multiply-Exposed Picture

There are a number of possible industrial and scientific applications of nanosecond cineradiographs. While the technology exists to produce closely spaced pulses of X rays for this application, the quality of the time-resolved radiographs is severely limited. The limitations arise from the necessity of using a fluorescent screen to convert the transmitted X rays to light and then using electro-optical imaging systems to gate and to record the images with conventional high-speed cameras. It has been proposed that in addition to the time-resolved images, a conventional multiply-exposed radiograph be obtained. This paper uses simulations to demonstrate that the additional information supplied by the multiply-exposed radiograph can be used to improve the quality of digital image restorations of the time-resolved pictures over what could be achieved with the degraded images alone. Because of the need for image registration and rubber sheet transformations, this problem is one which can best be solved on a digital, as opposed to an optical, computer.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.