cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward peptide receptor ligand drugs: Progress on nonpeptides

The goal of this chapter is to review the rapid progress that has recently been made toward developing selective peptide receptor ligands with appropriate properties to be drug molecules. Essentially all of these agents are novel, small molecule, nonpeptide compounds. With the exception of the opioid receptor agonists and antagonists, most of the ligands to be discussed have been discovered within the last ten years. In the three year period since this author last reviewed this field [1], new discoveries have been numerous. This chapter will attempt to highlight key representative nonpeptide ligands for peptide receptors to illustrate the structural diversity as well as relationships across receptor classes. Somewhat greater emphasis will be placed on cholecystokinin antagonists since this field has served as a prototype for much of the recent progress. As much as possible, the scientific literature through the middle of 1992 will be covered. Patent literature has mostly not been included.
Pregnancy Options Counseling

Half of all US pregnancies are unintended. How women decide to manage the unintended pregnancy is influenced by age, socioeconomic status, and access to care. Pregnancy options counseling provides the opportunity for the adolescent or young adult woman to explore her feelings about all available options in order to help her come to the decision that is best for her given her life circumstances, values, and desires. Pregnancy options counseling should be unbiased, nonjudgmental, and nondirective. The counselor should provide medically accurate and factual information about all options available including pregnancy continuation, prenatal care and delivery, adoption, and abortion. An effective counselor helps a woman prepare for how her choice may affect her relationships, goals, and sense of well-being. It is particularly important to be direct and concrete with adolescents as their ability to understand the concept of consequence is still in development. Issues specific to adolescents addressed in this chapter include parental involvement and the law, family involvement, sexual abuse/incest, and adolescents’ coping/mental health.
Factors Influencing Cataract Formation After Nd:YAG Laser Peripheral Iridotomy

PURPOSE The benign nature of Nd:YAG laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) has recently been questioned because of increased cataract formation and other complications. This retrospective study includes 522 consecutive eyes of 275 individuals (group 1) on whom LPI was performed between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 2000, for which at least 5 years of complete follow-up was available. METHODS Patients were all operated on by a single surgeon using a Zeiss Meditec Nd:YAG laser for all procedures. Total energy delivered, degree of cataract at time of LPI and at last visit, interval to cataract surgery if needed, intraocular pressure (IOP), use of ocular and systemic medications, and associated medical and ocular conditions were recorded. One hundred-fifty eyes of 75 individuals without evidence of glaucoma were used for comparison of outcomes (group 2). RESULTS Group 1A consisted of 146 eyes (27.9%) that underwent cataract surgery 5.9 (95% CI, 5.6-6.3) years after LPI. The remaining 376 eyes composed group 1B. Groups 1A and 1B differed significantly in patient age, grade of cataract at time of LPI, and length of follow-up. Groups 1 and 2 differed significantly in patient age and frequency of use of topical medication to control IOP, but not in frequency of cataract surgery. CONCLUSIONS LPI does not increase the incidence of cataract surgery, and cataract surgery should not be used as primary therapy for angle-closure glaucoma. Patients who have LPI are at greater risk of requiring therapy to control IOP, even if they have a successful procedure.
Bumble Boosters : Students Doing Real Science

Bumble Boosters was a lottery grant funded cooperative project between the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Department of Entomology, the Lincoln Public Schools Science Focus Program, and the Lincoln Folsom Children's Zoo. The primary education goal of the project was to create a community of learners to conduct authentic research on bumble bees in Nebraska. Participants were actively engaged in collecting bumble bees and placing nesting domiciles. Internet technology was employed to facilitate networking between project participants. Systematic evaluation was conducted during and after the project.
Initial experiences with point-of-care rapid thrombelastography for management of life-threatening postinjury coagulopathy

BACKGROUND: Massive transfusion (MTP) protocol design is hindered by lack of accurate assessment of coagulation. Rapid thrombelastography (r-TEG) provides point-of-care (POC) analysis of clot formation. We designed a prospective study to test the hypothesis that integrating TEG into our MTP would facilitate goal-directed therapy and provide equivalent outcomes compared to conventional coagulation testing. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Thiry-four patients who received more than 6 units of red blood cells (RBCs)/6 hours who were admitted to our Level 1 trauma center after r-TEG implementation (TEG) were compared to 34 patients admitted prior to TEG implementation (Pre-TEG). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. RESULTS: Emergency department pre-TEG versus TEG shock, and coagulation indices, were not different: systolic blood pressure (94 mmHg vs.101 mmHg), temperature (35.3°C vs. 35.9°C), pH (7.16 vs. 7.11), base deficit (−13.0 vs. −14.7), lactate (6.5 vs. 8.1), international normalized ratio (INR; 1.59 vs. 1.83), and partial thromboplastin time (48.3 vs. 57.9). Although not significant, patients with Injury Severity Score range 26 to 35 were more frequent in the pre-TEG group. Fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) : RBCs, platelets : RBCs, and cryoprecipitate (cryo) : RBC ratios were not significantly different at 6 or 12 hours. INR at 6 hours did not discriminate between survivors and nonsurvivors (p = 0.10), whereas r-TEG “G” value was significantly associated with survival (p = 0.03), as was the maximum rate of thrombin generation (MRTG; mm/min) and total thrombin generation (TG; area under the curve) (p = 0.03 for both). Patients with MRTG of more than 9.2 received significantly less components of RBCs, FFP, and cryo (p = 0.048, p = 0.03, and p = 0.04, respectively). CONCLUSION: Goal-directed resuscitation via r-TEG appears useful for management of trauma-induced coagulopathy. Further experience with POC monitoring could result in more efficient management leading to a reduction of transfusion requirements.
Double power law for basic creep of concrete

The dependence of creep on load duration (t−t′) as well as age at loading t′ is described by the law [1+ϕ1t′-m(t-t′)n]/E0 in which m, n,ϕ1 E0=material parameters which are determined from test data by optimization techniques. The law is limited to basic creep, but with different values of material parameters it can also describe drying creep up to a certain time. The previous formulations are extended by introducing the age dependence. This also enhances the reliability in long-term extrapolation of creep data. Substituting t−t′=0.001 day, the law also yields the correct age dependance of the conventional elastic modulus, E. If E0, which is much larger than E, were replaced by E (as implied by previous power laws without age dependence), the age dependence of creep curves obtained by data analysis would be more scattered, the age dependence of E would have to be described by a separate formula, and more material parameters would be necessary to fit test data. The simplicity of the double power law is a major advantage for statistical evaluation of test data.
Bifurcations of the Complex Henon Map

The complex Henon map H(z,ω) = (z 2 + c + dω, dz) is the complex version of the real map studied by Henon [H]. It is also the first interesting generalization of the quadratic polynomial P c (z) = z 2 + c to two complex variables. There are some essential differences between the one and two complex variables mappings. In particular, the bifurcation locus of the Henon map is not the connectivity locus of the Julia set as in the one-complex-variable case. We will relate the complex mapping to the mapping of two real variables and to one-complex-variable mappings. We will outline a computer assisted proof to compute the location of one particular type of bifurcation and describe its relationship with attracting orbits. The study of the bifurcation locus of the complex Henon map is particularly important because it gives insight into the chaotic behavior of the real Henon map.
Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in People Aged 85 and Older

Objectives To describe the characteristics and treatment patterns of differentiated thyroid cancer in older adults. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting The National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Participants Individuals age 85 and older with a primary thyroid cancer diagnosis of papillary or follicular histology diagnosed between 1988 and 2007 (N = 424). Measurements Age, sex, histology, extent of disease, tumor size, treatment, type of surgery, cause of death, and length of survival. Results Tumor size and extent of disease were significantly related to cause of death (P = .02). Participants who did not have surgery were more likely to die of their thyroid cancer than of any other cause (P = .01), and whether a participant had surgery was significantly related to age (P = .002). Participants who had surgery had significantly longer survival than those who did not (P < .001). Type of surgery (P = .92) and adding radioactive iodine after surgery (P = .07) did not appear to influence length of survival. Conclusion Although differentiated thyroid cancer is typically considered a relatively indolent disease, this is not the case in older adults. Surgery appears to reduce the likelihood of death from thyroid cancer in this population and confers a survival benefit. Type of surgery and adding radioactive iodine therapy do not seem to improve the survival benefit of surgical management.
Inner- and outer-membrane enzymes of mitochondria during liver regeneration

1. Marker enzymes for the mitochondrial matrix, inner membrane, inter-membrane space and outer membrane were measured in mitochondria isolated from control and regenerating rat liver. The specific activity of these enzymes was then followed for up to 30 days after operation. 2. The specific activity of marker enzymes for the matrix, inner membrane and inter-membrane space remained constant during liver regeneration. 3. However, the specific activities of monoamine oxidase and kynurenine hydroxylase, both outer-membrane markers, fell by 67% and 49% respectively from their control values at 4 days after operation, and returned to normal by about 3 weeks. 4. The repression of kynurenine hydroxylase activity was shown to be unrelated to any independent variation in tryptophan catabolism, based on tryptophan pyrrolase assays. 5. These results are considered to indicate that enzymes of the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes are synthesized asynchronously during morphogenesis. 6. The enzyme complement of purified outer membrane at 4 days after operation was about 50% of that of the appropriate control. Thus the composition of the outer membrane itself may vary dramatically, and supports the concept that constitutive enzymes may turn over independently of a membrane's existence. 7. The behaviour of the rotenone-insensitive, NADH cytochrome c reductase did not parallel the other outer-membrane enzymes for intact mitochondria, but did so when assayed in highly purified fractions of outer membrane. This suggests a labile binding to the outer membrane during the early stages of morphogenesis. 8. Electrophoresis of inner- and outer-membrane proteins revealed little difference between control and experimental mitochondria at 4 days, except for an increase in several, high-molecular-weight components of the outer membrane. These bands closely correspond to similar bands derived from smooth endoplasmic reticulum. 9. The results are discussed in relation to the biogenesis and turnover of mitochondria, and are considered to provide evidence for turnover as a unit, at least for the matrix, inner membrane, inter-membrane space and possibly some form of primary outer membrane.
Regulation of Glutamine Synthetase VI. Interactions of Inhibitors for Bacillus licheniformis Glutamine Synthetase

The relationships of five feedback inhibitors for the Bacillus licheniformis glutamine synthetase were investigated. The inhibitors were distinguishable by differences in their competitive relationship for the substrates of the enzyme. Mixtures of l-glutamine and adenosine-5′-monophosphate (AMP) or histidine and AMP caused synergistic inhibition of glutamine synthesis. Histidine, alanine, and glycine acted antagonistically toward the l-glutamine inhibition. Alanine acted antagonistically toward the glycine and histidine inhibitions. Independence of inhibitory action was observed with the other pairs of effectors. Possible mechanisms by which the inhibitors may interact to control glutamine synthesis are discussed. The low rate of catalysis of the glutamyl transfer reaction by the B. licheniformis glutamine synthetase can be attributed to the fact that l-glutamine serves both as a substrate and an inhibitor for the enzyme. Effectors which act antagonistically toward the l-glutamine inhibition stimulated glutamotransferase activity. The stimulation was not observed when d-glutamine was used as substrate for the glutamyl transfer reaction.
Hopping conductivity in granular disordered systems

We study the temperature dependence of conductivity for high-resistivity granular disordered systems in terms of the critical-path method. It is shown that the low-field conductivity $\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\frac{A}{{T}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}})$ with $\ensuremath{\alpha}=\frac{1}{2}$ is obeyed over large temperature ranges with possible crossovers to $\ensuremath{\alpha}=\frac{1}{4}$ at low temperatures and to $\ensuremath{\alpha}g\frac{1}{2}$ at high temperatures. The temperatures at which the crossovers occur depend on the distribution of grain sizes. Comparisons are made with experiments and with other theoretical approaches.
A routine method for the determination of retronecine

A method for the routine determination of the necine base retronecine from biological matrices is described, using gas chromatography for quantification. The biological matrices studied included blended sheep whole rumen fluid and bacterial growth media. The structurally similar compound 2,6-dimethoxypyridine was utilized as an internal standard. Prior to gas chromatography, the bis(heptafluorobutyrate) derivatives of both compounds were formed. The relative percent recoveries of retronecine and the internal standard were 73% and 82%, respectively. The detection limit of retronecine in blended whole rumen fluid was found to be 0.09 μg/mL, and 0.02 μg/mL in bacterial growth media. The precision of the peak area ratio (retronecine to internal standard) was 10% from blended whole rumen fluid, and 14% from bacterial growth media. This method was used to analyze samples from viable cultures incubated with retronecine.
Magnetic Spectra of Manganese Ferrites

The complex initial permeability of a series of polycrystalline manganese-rich manganese ferrites (${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1+x}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$) has been measured between 20 Mc/sec and 2000 Mc/sec. Three resonances are detected; the two lower-frequency resonances, which occur below 200 Mc/sec, are associated with domain wall motion. The higher-frequency resonance, which varies between 300 and 600 Mc/sec depending on the composition, allows the calculation of an effective polycrystalline anisotropy constant, ${K}_{e}$. Microwave resonance measurements on single crystals of the same composition give the real anisotropy constant ${K}_{1}$. Comparison of these two experiments show that ${K}_{e}\ensuremath{\approx}2{K}_{1}$. Measurement of the magnetic moment indicates that in these compounds the ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{3+}$ ion assumes a value of approximately two Bohr magnetons instead of the expected four Bohr magnetons.
Bilingual Education: An Introductory Reader edited by GARCÍA, OFELIA, & COLIN BAKER

The article reviews the book "Bilingual Education: An Introductory Reader," edited by Ofelia Garcia and Colin Baker.
Effects of statin therapy on the development and progression of heart failure: mechanisms and clinical trials.

Abstract Background Statin therapy has been shown to effectively lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and reduce cardiovascular events. Statins also appear to exert other favorable effects, including anti-inflammatory actions and improvement in endothelial function. Statin therapy may therefore yield important clinical benefits in patients with heart failure—a physiologic state characterized by systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Methods and Results This review summarizes basic and clinical investigations regarding the role of statin therapy in heart failure, focusing on potential mechanisms and preliminary clinical data. There is now extensive evidence suggesting that statins improve endothelial function, inhibit neurohormonal activation, restore autonomic balance, reduce inflammation, and prevent ventricular remodeling. Retrospective and small-scale prospective studies suggest that statins prevent the development of heart failure and reduce mortality in patients with established HF. Conclusion Preliminary evidence supports a role for statins in improving surrogate markers and clinical outcomes in ischemic and nonischemic heart failure. Large-scale randomized clinical trials are needed to definitively address this important topic.
Consequences of developmental exposure to concentrated ambient ultrafine particle air pollution combined with the adult paraquat and maneb model of the Parkinson's disease phenotype in male mice

Current evidence suggests suceptibility of both the substantia nigra and striatum to exposure to components of air pollution. Further, air pollution has been associated with increased risk of PD diagnsosis in humans or PD-like pathology in animals. This study examined whether exposure of mice to concentrated ambient ultrafine particles (CAPS; <100nm diameter) during the first two weeks of life would alter susceptibility to induction of the Parkinson's disease phenyotype (PDP) in a pesticide-based paraquat and maneb (PQ+MB) model during adulthood utilizing i.p. injections of 10mg/kg PQ and 30mg/kg MB 2× per week for 6 weeks. Evidence of CAPS-induced enhancement of the PQ+MB PDP was limited primarily to delayed recovery of locomotor activity 24 post-injection of PQ+MB that could be related to alterations in striatal GABA inhibitory function. Absence of more extensive interactions might also reflect the finding that CAPS and PQ+MB appeared to differentially target the nigrostriatal dopamine and amino acid systems, with CAPS impacting striatum and PQ+MB impacting dopamine-glutamate function in midbrain; both CAPS and PQ+MB elevated glutamate levels in these specific regions, consistent with potential excitotoxicity. These findings demonstrate the ability of postnatal CAPS to produce locomotor dysfunction and dopaminergic and glutamateric changes, independent of PQ+MB, in brain regions involved in the PDP.
The Dollar of the Middle Ages

The gold money of the Byzantine Empire “is accepted everywhere from end to end of the earth. It is admired by all men and in all kingdoms, because no kingdom has a currency that can be compared to it.” These boastful words of Cosmas Indicopleustes, a contemporary of Justinian die Great, are a typical expression of die pride of die Greek nation. Cosmas was a monk who tried to demonstrate from the Scriptures that the earth was flat, but in his youth he had been an adventurous merchant and traveler, and well he knew where the true primacy of his nation lay. While die armies of Justinian had not marched as far as those of Trajan, and his law was not enforced in all die countries which had obeyed Theodosius, the monetary empire of New Rome was even greater than that of Old Rome. The gold nomisma (or bezant, as die Westerners later called it) was as peerless as die sovereign whose effigy it bore. Procopius, another contemporary of Justinian die Great, stated: “It is not right for die Persian king or for any odier sovereign in die whole barbarian world to imprint his own likeness on a gold stater, and that, too, though he has gold in his own kingdom; for they are unable to tender such a coin to those widi whom they transact business.”
Water Chain Formation and Possible Proton Pumping Routes in Rhodobacter sphaeroides Cytochrome c Oxidase: A Molecular Dynamics Comparison of the Wild Type and R481K Mutant†

Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) converts the energy from redox and oxygen chemistry to support proton translocation and create a transmembrane ΔμH+ used for ATP production. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to probe for the formation water chains capable of participating in proton translocation. Attention was focused on the region between and above the a and a3 hemes where well-defined water chains have not been identified in crystallographic studies. An arginine (R481) (Rhodobacter sphaeroides numbering), positioned between the D-propionates of the hemes, had been mutated in vivo to lysine and showed to have altered activity consistent with an altered proton conductance [Qian, J., Mills, D. A., Geren, L., Wang, K. F., Hoganson, C. W., Schmidt, B., Hiser, C., Babcock, G. T., Durham, B., Millett, F., and Ferguson-Miller, S. (2004) Role of the conserved arginine pair in proton and electron transfer in cytochrome c oxidase, Biochemistry 43, 5748−5756; also see the accompanying paper by Mills et...
A multisatellite case study of the expansion of a substorm current wedge in the near-earth magnetotail

Results are presented on observations from four satellites (GOES 5, GOES 6, AMPTE CCE, and AMPTE IRM) and two ground stations (San Juan and Tucson) on a substorm that occurred on April 19, 1985 at about 0830 UT. The four spacecraft were arrayed in a configuration that made it possible to separate the effects arising from the longitudinal versus the radial expansion of the substorm current wedge and thus to examine its spatial evolution. The sequence of events that was observed suggests that, during this substorm, the disruption of the cross-tail current sheet, the formation of the substorm current wedge, and the expansion of the plasma sheet began in the near-earth region, and subsequently spread tailward as well as longitudinally.
Chertification of crinoids may yield a product resembling "dedolomite"

Rhombobedral calcite crystals may not be pseudomorphous after dolomite. Petrographic evidence indicates that chertification of crinoidal sediment is selective parallel to cleavage traces of the crinoidal calcite. Incomplete chertification may leave remnant calcite which morphologically is similar to "dedolomite."
Development of a HeCd laser-based fluorescence detector for analysis of derivatized biogenic amines

The development of a highly sensitive laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detector for HPLC is described. It was specifically designed to monitor the fluorescence emitted from biogenic amines which were derivatized by naphthalenedicarboxaldehyde (NDA) in the presence of cyanide ion. The product of the amine derivatization, cyanobenz[f]isoindole (CBI), absorbs radiation at the output wavelength of the HeCd laser (441.6 nm). Optimization of detector sensitivity included evaluation of both optical components and cell configurations. A laser dye, coumarin 7, served as the test analyte because its native spectral properties coincided with those of the CBI-amine adducts and because no derivatization step was required for each injection. A limit of detection (LOD) on the order of 2 × 10−12 M was reproducibly observed.
Evidence for non-Gaussian tail in a three-dimensional pion emission source at SPS

The NA49 experiment has acquired a huge data set of Pb+Pb events over a broad range of energy at CERN SPS. This high statistics data set, coupled with a state-of-the-art analysis technique, allows for the first model-independent extraction of 3D two-pion emission sources at SPS energies. These sources provide new insights into the nature of a long-range source previously reported by PHENIX at RHIC. The new results indicate that the pion source displays significant non-Gaussian tails in the longitudinal direction at 40 and 158 A GeV and in the outward direction at 158 A GeV.
Infection prevention needs assessment in Colorado hospitals: Rural and urban settings

Background The purpose of our study was to conduct a needs assessment for infection prevention programs in both rural and urban hospitals in Colorado. Methods Infection control professionals (ICPs) from Colorado hospitals participated in an online survey on training, personnel, and experience; ICP time allocation; and types of surveillance. Responses were evaluated and compared based on hospital status (rural or urban). Additionally, rural ICPs participated in an interview about resources and training. Results Surveys were received from 62 hospitals (77.5% response); 33 rural (75.0% response) and 29 urban (80.6% response). Fifty-two percent of rural ICPs reported multiple job responsibilities compared with 17.2% of urban ICPs. Median length of experience for rural ICPs was 4.0 years compared with 11.5 years for urban ICPs ( P = .008). Fifty-one percent of rural ICPs reported no access to infectious disease physicians (0.0% urban) and 81.8% of rural hospitals reported no antimicrobial stewardship programs (31.0% urban). Through the interviews it was revealed that priorities for rural ICPs were training and communication. Conclusions Our study revealed numerous differences between infection prevention programs in rural versus urban hospitals. An infection prevention outreach program established in Colorado could potentially address the challenges faced by rural hospital infection prevention departments.
The intersections between O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation: implications for multiple signaling pathways

A paradigm-changing discovery in biology came about when it was found that nuclear and cytosolic proteins could be dynamically glycosylated with a single O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) moiety. O-GlcNAcylation is akin to phosphorylation: it occurs on serine and/or threonine side chains of proteins, and cycles rapidly upon cellular activation. O-GlcNAc and phosphate show a complex interplay: they can either competitively occupy a single site or proximal sites, or noncompetitively occupy different sites on a substrate. Phosphorylation regulates O-GlcNAc-cycling enzymes and, conversely, O-GlcNAcylation controls phosphate-cycling enzymes. Such crosstalk is evident in all compartments of the cell, a finding that is congruent with the fundamental role of O-GlcNAc in regulating nutrient- and stress-induced signal transduction. O-GlcNAc transferase is recruited to the plasma membrane in response to insulin and is targeted to substrates by forming transient holoenzyme complexes that have different specificities. Cytosolic O-GlcNAcylation is important for the proper transduction of signaling cascades such as the NFκB pathway, whereas nuclear O-GlcNAc is crucial for regulating the activity of numerous transcription factors. This Commentary focuses on recent findings supporting an emerging concept that continuous crosstalk between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation is essential for the control of vital cellular processes and for understanding the mechanisms that underlie certain neuropathologies.
Performance of Pullets Debeaked at Various Times During the Laying Year

Abstract THE experimental evidence indicates that chicks or growing pullets debeaked prior to the onset of sexual maturity retain their full potential to lay, Morgan (1957). However, a critical examination of the effects of debeaking laying birds has not come to the authors’ attention. In the studies reported herein, spring-hatched pullets were debeaked during the following fall, winter and spring and the effects measured by trends in egg production and body weight as compared to control populations. EXPERIMENTAL White Leghorn pullets hatched March 12, 1958, were used in experiments 1 and 2. New Hampshire pullets hatched January 9 and White Rock and Rhode Island Red pullets hatched February 26 were used in the second experiment. The pullets were floor brooded, range reared, and housed at maturity in groups of 25 and 24 pullets each in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Combined floor and dropping pit space was approximately 3½ square feet …
Arctic climate warming leads to increased storm surge activity

Recent declining summer sea ice extent over the Arctic Ocean, a climatic shift driven by rising air temperatures, is causing surface winds to have increased contact with the ocean waters, in turn increasing the size of surface waves. Researchers also anticipate that ongoing climate change will increase the strength and frequency of Arctic summer and fall storms. Together, these climatic shifts are expected to lead to an increase in both the frequency and size of storm surges, flooding events that can dramatically affect Arctic coastal regions. In 1999, for instance, a strong storm surge covered more than 12,000 hectares of the Mackenzie Delta landscape in seawater, killing local vegetation and disrupting the freshwater ecosystems. This particular storm surge is an event from which much of this northern ecosystem has yet to recover.
Comparison and extension of theories of Zipf and Halstead

Il est montre que les deux modeles analyses (Zipf et Halstead) ont des distributions de la frequence de termes tout a fait differentes meme s'ils proviennent d'une approche unifiee du probleme d'evaluation de logiciel
Process intensification: oxidation of benzyl alcohol using a continuous isothermal reactor under microwave irradiation

In the past two decades, several investigations have been carried out using microwave radiation for performing chemical transformations. These transformations have been largely performed in conventional batch reactors with limited mixing and heat transfer capabilities. The reactions were performed under adiabatic conditions where the enhancements in the reaction rate reported in these publications may be due to the rapid increase in the reaction temperature during the course of the reaction. The concept of process intensification has been used to develop a narrow channel reactor that is capable of carrying out reactions under isothermal conditions while being exposed to microwave irradiation. Oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde has been carried out using the above-mentioned isothermal micro reactor. Results and the findings of this investigation are discussed in this paper.
Connected in Seattle? An exploratory study of student perceptions of discipline and attachments to teachers

How do students' perceptions about their treatment in school differ along racial and gender lines?
Correlation of gp140trk expression and NGF-induced neuroblast chemotaxis in the embryonic rat spinal cord.

Abstract During rat embryogenesis, fibers containing nerve growth factor (NGF) are present near the target destinations of migratory spinal neuroblasts, suggesting that diffusible gradients of NGF provide signals to newly generated neurons in the developing cord. In vitro, pM concentrations of NGF induce neuroblast chemotaxis (directed migration along a chemical gradient), indicating evoked motility is mediated by high-affinity receptors. Binding of 125 I-labelled NGF to fetal cord cells provides additional evidence that rat spinal neuroblasts express the high-affinity receptors; however, their presence has not been directly demonstrated. In the present study, we used immunocytochemistry to show that the high-affinity NGF receptor protein, gp140 trk ( trk ) is detectable in embryonic spinal tissue sections and in cord dissociates. Correlation of trk expression with NGF-induced chemotaxis revealed that both the receptor protein expression and functional responses to NGF develop along a ventro-dorsal gradient that parallels the in vivo pattern of neurogenesis and migration. Analysis of the temporal changes in trk immunoreactivity demonstrated that expression of gp140 trk is bimodal, possibly reflecting multiple effects of NGF during development. Chemotaxis to NGF was blocked by nM concentrations of the kinase inhibitor, K252a, suggesting that NGF stimulates motility via high-affinity receptors coupled to kinase activity. Elevated 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) also attenuated NGF-induced chemotaxis, presenting preliminary evidence that protein kinase A (PKA) may regulate motility responses to NGF.
Hyperfine Splitting of Er and Yb Resonances in Au: A Separation between the Atomic and Covalent Contributions to the Exchange Integral

The hyperfine splitting has been observed in the magnetic resonance spectrum of dilute Au: Er and Au: Yb alloys. In both cases, the observed hyperfine coupling constant was larger (more positive) than in cubic nonmetallic hosts. Attributing this increase to conduction-electron polarization, and utilizing independent estimates of the $6s$ contribution to the hyperfine coupling constant, the atomic and covalent contributions to the localized-conduction-electron exchange integral are separated. It is found that the latter increases by an order of magnitude from Er to Yb in Au. This increase is attributed to the nearness of the $4{f}^{14}$ level to the Fermi surface in Au: Yb alloys, noting that Ag: Yb is diamagnetic.
Achieving dependability in sensor networks through automated requirements-based programming

A sensor network can be viewed as a distributed system consisting of many nodes (processes) that communicate and exchange data. Such a system, including an application running on top of the sensor network, is inherently difficult to model and validate. System requirements and actual application code may not be consistent, with the implementation failing to implement all of the requirements, or failing to implement them correctly. Requirements can be expressed as a set of services that the sensor network should provide. Each service may be described using one or more scenarios. For the classes of systems whose behavior can be described as a finite (but significant) set of scenarios, we offer a method for mechanically transforming requirements (expressed in restricted natural language, or in other appropriate notations) into a provably equivalent formal model that can be used as the basis for code generation and other transformations. This represents a significant step forward toward high-dependability system engineering for numerous possible application domains, including sensor networks.
Pediatric Drowning: Current Management Strategies for Immediate Care

This review will introduce new universal terminology recommended for drowning, review the pathophysiology of drowning, and discuss current management strategies for treating the drowning victim. Drowning is a major burden of injury for children. The drowning process results in hypoxia, the degree of which ultimately determines clinical outcome. No single or combination of variables has proven to be reliably predictive of poor outcome. Initial care is focused on reversing the hypoxia and maintaining cardiovascular stability. Injuries associated with drowning can be complicated by hypothermia as well as predisposing medical and traumatic conditions, all of which will need to be addressed concomitantly. Posthypoxic cerebral encephalopathy is a delayed outcome of drowning associated with the greatest morbidity. Thus, early measures to prevent secondary brain injury are important.
The uptake and localization of radioactive DOPA by amphibian melanoblasts in vitro

Abstract Neural crest explants from different anteroposterior levels of axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) embryos were grown in a modified hanging drop system. The cultures were treated with 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-alanine-α-β-3H (DOPA-3H) at various ages, and tritium incorporation was determined by radioautography. By day 7 after explantation, all the potential melanophores in both trunk and cranial cultures have synthesized sufficient melanin to make their positive identification possible. When treated with DOPA-3H on day 7, 8, or 9, only cells that contain melanin incorporate labeled DOPA, and all cells that contain melanin are also radioactive. This demonstrates that definitive melanoblasts selectively incorporate DOPA, and that DOPA serves as a specific melanin precursor in these cells. Since DOPA can arise only from tyrosine, it is concluded that a tyrosine-DOPA-melanin pathway is operative during melanogenesis in amphibian pigment cells. When treated with DOPA-3H on day 3 after explantation, one-fourth of the anterior trunk outgrowths are composed almost entirely of radioactive cells. In the remaining 3-day anterior trunk cultures, and in all the 3-day posterior trunk, anterior cranial, and posterior cranial cultures, none of the cells of any of the outgrowths are labeled. Prior to the third day, there is no incorporation of DOPA. When treated on the fourth day, or thereafter, trunk outgrowths are composed almost exclusively of radioactive cells. In the cranial outgrowths, the labeled cell population does not exceed one-third of the total. The trunk and cranial regions of neural crest are also significantly different from each other with respect to pigment cell potential in vitro. The trunk segments give rise to outgrowths which consist almost exclusively of melanophores, and the cranial segments give rise to outgrowths in which melanophores comprise less than one-third of the total cell population. The close correspondence between the frequencies of radioactive cells and the frequencies of pigment cells indicates that melanoblasts, prior to visible differentiation, selectively incorporate DOPA. The time at which presumptive pigment cells are first able to utilize exogenously administered DOPA coincides with the time at which migration ceases, indicating that the capacity to synthesize melanin is not acquired until migration has ended. The incorporation of label by the presumptive pigment cells contained in cultures 3, 4, 5, and 6 days old permits the identification of melanoblasts earlier than has previously been possible and demonstrates that these cells have developed a highly specialized biochemical system before any outward signs of it are manifest. It is clear, moreover, that amphibian melanoblasts can utilize exogenous substrate in spite of their ample internal reserves.
Teacher Ratings in the Validation of Guglielmino's Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale.

The complexity of life and the increasing importance of learning across the lifespan puts an added emphasis on self-direction in learning. Guglielmino's Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) is one of the most frequently reported instruments designed to measure self-directed learning readiness. Therefore, the validity of the instrument is an important topic. This is the second study by the authors that is designed to contribute to knowledge of the validity of the SDLRS. In the first study, the authors concluded that general findings support the validity of the instrument. Questions generated by the lack of association between faculty ratings on self-direction and student scores on the SDLRS, however, needed further study.
High-temperature superconductivity: The great quantum conundrum.

Twenty-five years on from its discovery, high-temperature superconductivity remains without a satisfactory explanation. The latest studies on the electronic phase diagram of copper oxide compounds reveal why this is so. See Letter p.73 The relative importance of phenomena such as spin and charge (stripe) order and a pseudogap phase are still a matter of great debate with regard to the high-transition-temperature copper oxides. In electron-doped materials, the absence of a pseudogap phase in the underdoped region of the phase diagram and weaker electron correlations suggest that antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations are the dominant feature. Jin et al. report a study of magnetotransport in thin films of the electron-doped copper oxide La2 − xCexCuO4 (LCCO). They show that a linear-temperature (T-linear) scattering rate is correlated with the electron pairing. Comparison with similar behaviour found in organic superconductors strongly suggests that the T-linear resistivity is caused by spin-fluctuation scattering.
Is the sympathoexcitatory effect of yohimbine determined by brain yohimbine concentration

Plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations, plasma renin concentration (PRC), and serum and brain yohimbine concentrations were measured in conscious Sprague-Dawley rats after the s. c. and i. v. injection of yohimbine. The s.c. and i.v. administration of 1 and 3 mg/kg of yohimbine (30 min post-injection) elicited equivalent and dose-related increases in plasma noradrenaline concentration. At 30 min post-injection, the 1 mg/kg dose given s. c. or i. v. did not increase plasma adrenaline concentration or PRC, whereas the 3 mg/kg dose caused comparable increases in plasma adrenaline concentration and PRC when given s. c. or i. v. Brain yohimbine concentration increased in a dose-related manner whereas serum yohimbine concentration was not significantly different 30 min after treatment with the 1 and 3 mg/kg doses regardless of the route of injection. Despite the fact that serum yohimbine concentration was 5-fold greater after i. v. injection as compared to s. c. administration (1 and 3mg/kg doses), brain yohimbine concentrations were comparable after s. c. and i. v. injection and thus not dependent on either the route of administration or serum yohimbine concentration. The fact that the s. c. and i. v. injection of yohimbine lead to comparable dose-related increases in both brain yohimbine concentrations and neuroendocrine responses suggests that increased sympathetic outflow resulted primarily from an action of yohimbine at central, rather than peripheral, a2-adrenoceptors. However, the data also are consistent with a purely peripheral prejunctional action of the 1 mg/kg dose and a combined central and peripheral action of the 3 mg/kg dose.
Directional in-quadrature orthogonal-coil antenna and an array thereof for localization within a human body in a Fresnel region

Body Area Networks (BANs) at a center frequency of 400MHz are not subject to the quasi-static limit, σ ≫ eω. This makes it possible to capitalize on established theoretical results for small antennas. Though the bulk of the body volume at 400MHz is still within the Fresnel region, major features of the classic far-field solutions may be readily applicable to BANs. In this study, we introduce the concept of a small directional receiving/transmitting antenna comprised of two small orthogonal coils (magnetic dipoles) driven/acquired in quadrature to create a highly-directional single-lobe beam into the body. An array of such radiators operating in the Fresnel region makes it possible to develop a simple yet effective localization algorithm within the body using RSS (Received Signal Strength) estimates for each individual element and superior to a receiving array of single-coil antennas.
Quantum kinetics of a superconducting tunnel junction: Theory and comparison with experiment.

We develop a kinetic theory for the real-time response of a quantum particle interacting with a macroscopic reservoir. We discuss the equilibrium and long-time behavior of the solution of the kinetic equation for such a system. In the limit of low damping, the kinetic equation reduces to a master equation. Using the theory to model a Josephson junction loaded with an external impedance, we make contact with the experiments of Clark, Devoret, Esteve, and Martinis. We argue that a stationary solution of the master equation sufficiently describes the experiments, and make detailed comparison with data.
Human Social Genomics

A growing literature in human social genomics has begun to analyze how everyday life circumstances influence human gene expression. Social-environmental conditions such as urbanity, low socioeconomic status, social isolation, social threat, and low or unstable social status have been found to associate with differential expression of hundreds of gene transcripts in leukocytes and diseased tissues such as metastatic cancers. In leukocytes, diverse types of social adversity evoke a common conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) characterized by increased expression of proinflammatory genes and decreased expression of genes involved in innate antiviral responses and antibody synthesis. Mechanistic analyses have mapped the neural “social signal transduction” pathways that stimulate CTRA gene expression in response to social threat and may contribute to social gradients in health. Research has also begun to analyze the functional genomics of optimal health and thriving. Two emerging opportunities now stand to revolutionize our understanding of the everyday life of the human genome: network genomics analyses examining how systems-level capabilities emerge from groups of individual socially sensitive genomes and near-real-time transcriptional biofeedback to empirically optimize individual well-being in the context of the unique genetic, geographic, historical, developmental, and social contexts that jointly shape the transcriptional realization of our innate human genomic potential for thriving.
Introductory computer science for general education: laboratories, textbooks, and the Internet

Many colleges and universities are experiencing the need to offer an introductory computer science course that meets some but perhaps not all the guidelines suggested for a CS 1 course. This course frequently meets institutional general education requirements and must be more than a literacy course.We discuss the implementation of such a course at Hope College. We outline the goals of the course and some novel features of the implementation, including an emphasis on graphics. We give examples of our approach to laboratories. Finally we show how we utilize the World Wide Web as a substitute for a textbook and for course administration.
Successful specification development for radio test systems

The simple walkie-talkie radio is no longer quite so simple. Voice communication now utilizes advanced digital modulation techniques, and that old reliable handheld radio may now include data communications capabilities that allow the user to receive real-time battlefield data updates or even browse the Internet. Radios have become complicated. As radio designs have become more complicated, testing those radios has become accordingly more difficult. Test stations must now be able to demodulate digital waveforms and deal with complex data. An RF test system can no longer be designed by a person, no matter how experienced, who has only a general knowledge of radio operations. The details are important. Likewise, when writing specifications in advance of test system procurement, it's critical to understand exactly what needs to be tested. This paper focuses on methods that can be used to determine RF test system specifications in advance of procurement. For any complex design problem there exists a set of best practices that usually leads to success, and there exists a set of common design practices that frequently leads to failure. Based upon Agilent Technologies' decades of experience, this paper discusses some of each. Examples gleaned from recent test system specifications will be used as highlights, but the techniques described in this paper will be useful to anyone who is tasked with writing specifications of any kind.