cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B46: Roles for LKB1 at the immune synapse during B-cell activation and antitumor responses

Defense from infection or cancer is provided by coordinated actions of the innate and adaptive immune system, including B lymphocytes that generate antibodies (Abs) against pathogens or tumor antigens. B cells establish immune synapses with antigen-presenting cells during activation to initiate Ab-production, which may include entrance into a germinal center (GC) reaction to generate very high-affinity Abs. Establishment of an immune synapse requires polarity proteins to coordinate uptake and processing of external antigens. For this, there is a highly conserved family of partitioning defective (Par) proteins that mediates cell polarity in multiple cell types. In particular, Par-3, a member of the Par polarity complex (Par-3, aPKC, Par-6), is a key protein that localizes to the immune synapse and is required for B cell polarization and immune synapse formation. Recently, we showed that LKB1, the mammalian homolog of Par-4 and a regulator of energy metabolism, controls B cell activation, GC formation and differentiation into Ab-producing plasma cells. However, roles for LKB1 in B cell polarity, immune synapse formation and anti-tumor immunity are unknown. Based on previous studies showing that LKB1 induces cell polarity and co-localizes with Par-3, we hypothesize that LKB1 is required for Par complex assembly and controls immune synapse formation during B cell activation. Subcellular analysis of LKB1 by immunofluorescence microscopy in mouse primary B cells reveals LKB1 co-localization with aPKC in membrane protrusions required for immune synapse formation. Interestingly, B cell specific LKB1 knock out (BKO) mice exhibit mislocalization of aPKC/Par complex, loss of lymphoid tissue polarity and spontaneous B cell activation that results in the formation of giant GCs and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Similar inflammatory profiles with T cell chemoattractants are known to recruit CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) into solid tumors, such as melanoma. These similarities suggest that LKB1 inactivated B cells in the tumor microenvironment could stimulate T cell infiltrates into solid tumors. Our studies suggest that physiologic inactivation of LKB1 in B cells controls B cell activation, GC formation and potentially infiltration of T cells in the tumor microenvironment during anti-tumor responses. We are currently utilizing an exciting genetic mouse melanoma model to examine the role of LKB1 in promoting anti-tumor immunity. Together, our studies assess LKB1 as a target for augmenting adaptive immunity against cancer. Citation Format: Laura Jimenez, Lynnea Waters, Diane N.H. Kim, Nicole Walsh, Michael A. Teitell. Roles for LKB1 at the immune synapse during B-cell activation and antitumor responses [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2017 Oct 1-4; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2018;6(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B46.
Trust me, my neighbors say it's raining outside: ensuring data trustworthiness for crowdsourced weather stations

Decision making in utilities, municipal, and energy companies depends on accurate and trustworthy weather information and predictions. Recently, crowdsourced personal weather stations (PWS) are being increasingly used to provide a higher spatial and temporal resolution of weather measurements. However, tools and methods to ensure the trustworthiness of the crowdsourced data in real-time are lacking. In this paper, we present a Reputation System for Crowdsourced Rainfall Networks (RSCRN) to assign trust scores to personal weather stations in a region. Using real PWS data from the Weather Underground service in the high flood risk region of Norfolk, Virginia, we evaluate the performance of the proposed RSCRN. The proposed method is able to converge to a confident trust score for a PWS within 10--20 observations after installation. Collectively, the results indicate that the trust score derived from the RSCRN can reflect the collective measure of trustworthiness to the PWS, ensuring both useful and trustworthy data for modeling and decision-making in the future.
Reweighting ensemble probabilities with experimental histogram data constraints using a maximum entropy principle

Entropy maximization methods that update a probability distribution P0(x) to a new distribution P(x) with the use of externally known, averaged constraints find use in diverse areas. Jaynes developed a Maximum Entropy Procedure (MEP) that is an objective approach to incorporate external data to update P0(x) to P(x). In this work, we consider the MEP in the context of external data known from a probability distribution versus that from a mean and a few higher moments. An immediate problem is that the conventional iterative Lagrange multiplier method, which relies on inverting a certain covariance matrix, is not applicable here because the covariance matrix is not invertible. We introduce an indicator function method that does not suffer from this problem. It leads to an analytic solution to this version of a MEP. As an example, a previously generated ensemble of peptide conformations used to characterize an intrinsically disordered protein is analyzed. The external constraint is on the radius of gyration probability distribution, p(RG), of this peptide. Ensemble observables such as geometric, shape characteristics, the residue end-to-end distance distribution, the all atom-pair distribution function related to the scattering intensity, the polyproline II content, and NMR 3JHNHα three bond couplings are evaluated with the initial and updated ensembles. Some observables are found to be insensitive and others sensitive to the external information. An example of a 24-residue peptide, histatin 5, where an experimentally derived p(RG) is available, is also analyzed.
Teaching Ophthalmology Residents Clinical Optics Via a Flipped Classroom Curriculum

Background Clinical optics is an essential part of ophthalmology resident education that can be challenging for both learners and teachers when taught using a lecture format. The effectiveness of a flipped classroom approach in this context has not been formally evaluated. Objective The main purpose of this article is to compare the effectiveness of flipped classroom versus lecture-based clinical optics curricula in a graduate medical education setting. Design Retrospective, nonrandomized, pre- and post-interventional study from 2009 to 2016. Setting, Participants Ophthalmology residency program at the Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, an academic medical center in the United States. Participants included all ophthalmology residents able to take at least one Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) examination during the years 2009 to 2016. Methods The clinical optics curriculum was changed from a lecture-based series to a flipped classroom curriculum and moved from the fall to winter during the 2012 to 2013 academic year. No major changes were made to the curriculum in other subject areas during the study period. Resident performance on the OKAP annual national in-service examination for the 4 years before and after the optics curriculum change was compared. Specifically, the scaled subtest scores from the Optics, Refraction, and Contact Lens subsection were examined, while scores from the 10 nonoptics subsections served as controls. Results Scores from 57 resident test administrations before the optics curriculum change and 59 after the optic curriculum change were available for comparison. The Optics, Refraction, and Contact Lens subsection mean scores were 50.37 ± 2.31 and 57.27 ± 2.47 before and after the optics curriculum change, respectively (mean ± 95% confidence interval). This was the only subsection score to show a statistically significant difference after the optics curriculum change (p = 0.00008). Conclusions and Relevance In comparison to a lecture-based curriculum, a flipped classroom approach to clinical optics education was found to be associated with higher ophthalmology resident performance on the optics subsection of the OKAP examination. Our study suggests that a flipped classroom format may be more effective than traditional lectures for teaching clinical optics in a graduate medical education setting.
An outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis caused by human adenovirus type 8 in primary school, southwest China

Two outbreaks of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) occurred successively with an interval of 5 days in two primary boarding schools in Weixi Lisu Autonomous County, Diqing, and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan. The aims of this study were to determine the intensity and characteristics of the outbreaks, as well as the clinical manifestations in the patients, the risk factors for infection and the pathogen responsible for the two outbreaks. An outbreak investigation was conducted in two primary schools, and a case-control study including patients from the Weixi County Ethnic Primary School was performed. Relevant specimens were collected according to the case definition, and next-generation sequencing was employed to identify the pathogen. An epidemiological investigation method was used to analyse the related epidemiological characteristics, such as risk factors. The phylogenetic tree was constructed by MEGA 7.0. A total of 331 acute conjunctivitis cases, including probable cases of EKC, were reported in the two schools, and the attack rates were 30.59% (171/559, 95%CI: 26.76–34.42) and 20.41% (160/784, 95%CI: 17.58–23.24), respectively. Cases occurred in all grades and classes in both schools, and only one staff member in each school presented illness. The epidemics lasted for 54 days and 45 days, respectively. The patients had typical manifestations of EKC, such as acute onset, follicular hyperplasia, pseudomembrane formation, preauricular lymphadenopathy, corneal involvement and blurred vision, and a relatively long disease course (average 9.40 days, longest 23 days and shortest 7 days). The risk factor for infection was close contact with a patient or personal items contaminated by a patient. The pathogen responsible for the outbreaks was HAdV-8. The virus was highly similar to the 2016 HAdV-8 strain from Tibet, China. This study strongly suggests that HAdV-8 could lead to serious consequences. This is the second report of a HAdV-8-associated EKC outbreak in mainland China. Tibetan HAdV-8 might be circulating in southwest China; therefore, it is necessary to monitor the pathogens causing acute conjunctivitis in this area.
Model-based assessment and neural correlates of spatial memory deficits in mild cognitive impairment.

Abstract Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by subjective and objective memory impairments within the context of generally intact everyday functioning. Such memory deficits are typically thought to arise from medial temporal lobe dysfunction; however, differences in memory task performance can arise from a variety of altered processes (e.g., strategy adjustments) rather than, or in addition to, “pure” memory deficits. To address this problem, we applied the linear ballistic accumulator (LBA: Brown and Heathcote, 2008) model to data from individuals with MCI (n = 18) and healthy older adults (HOA; n = 16) who performed an object-location association memory retrieval task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The primary goals were to 1) assess between-group differences in model parameters indexing processes of interest (memory sensitivity, accumulation speed, caution and time spent on peripheral perceptual and motor processes) and 2) determine whether differences in model-based metrics were consistent with fMRI data. The LBA provided evidence that, relative to the HOA group, those with MCI displayed lower sensitivity (i.e., difficulty discriminating targets from lures), suggestive of memory impairment, and displayed higher evidence accumulation speed and greater caution, suggestive of increased arousal and strategic changes in this group, although these changes had little impact on MCI-related accuracy differences. Consistent with these findings, fMRI revealed reduced activation in brain regions previously linked to evidence accumulation and to the implementation of caution reductions in the MCI group. Findings suggest that multiple cognitive mechanisms differ during memory retrieval in MCI, and that these mechanisms may explain neuroimaging alterations outside of the medial temporal lobes.
Correlation Between the PROMIS Pediatric Mobility Instrument and the Hospital for Special Surgery Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (HSS Pedi-FABS)

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are an important resource for clinicians wishing to provide high-quality, patient-centered care. Finding PROMs to use in a pediatric clinical practice that are reliable, age appropriate, succinct, and not redundant is challenging. We sought to determine the degree of correlation between two pediatric PROMs, the Hospital for Special Surgery Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (HSS Pedi-FABS) and the PROMIS Pediatric Mobility (PROMIS PM) instrument, when administered at patients’ initial visit. We hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation between the two questionnaires because of their focus on physical function. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional review of 294 pediatric patients (mean age, 13.7 years) with localized lower-extremity joint pathologies at our high-volume urban pediatric sports practice. The patients had been asked to complete both PROMs on a computerized platform. We found a positive and statistically significant—albeit modest—correlation between the scores obtained on the HSS Pedi-FABS and the PROMIS PM. Neither instrument significantly correlated with patient age, nor were floor and ceiling effects observed. The study shows that although both PROM instruments provide valuable information about pediatric physical function, they are not redundant because they measure slightly different constructs. Future studies should further investigate the correlation between these questionnaires in specific subpopulations of pediatric patients with lower-extremity pathology.
What Is Rural? Challenges And Implications Of Definitions That Inadequately Encompass Rural People And Places

Monitoring and improving rural health is challenging because of varied and conflicting concepts of just what rural means. Federal, state, and local agencies and data resources use different definitions, which may lead to confusion and inequity in the distribution of resources depending on the definition used. This article highlights how inconsistent definitions of rural may lead to measurement bias in research, the interpretation of research outcomes, and differential eligibility for rural-focused grants and other funding. We conclude by making specific recommendations on how policy makers and researchers could use these definitions more appropriately, along with definitions we propose, to better serve rural residents. We also describe concepts that may improve the definition of and frame the concept of rurality.
Which Aspects of Education Matter for Early Adult Mortality? Evidence from the High School and Beyond Cohort.

What dimensions of education matter for people’s chances of surviving young adulthood? Do cognitive skills, noncognitive skills, course-taking patterns, and school social contexts matter for young ...
Targeting the blood-nerve barrier for the management of immune-mediated peripheral neuropathies

Healthy peripheral nerves encounter, with increased frequency, numerous chemical, biological, and biomechanical forces. Over time and with increasing age, these forces collectively contribute to the pathophysiology of a spectrum of traumatic, metabolic, and/or immune-mediated peripheral nerve disorders. The blood-nerve barrier (BNB) serves as a critical first-line defense against chemical and biologic insults while biomechanical forces are continuously buffered by a dense array of longitudinally orientated epineural collagen fibers exhibiting high-tensile strength. As emphasized throughout this Experimental Neurology Special Issue, the BNB is best characterized as a functionally dynamic multicellular vascular unit comprised of not only highly specialized endoneurial endothelial cells, but also associated perineurial cells, pericytes, Schwann cells, basement membrane, and invested axons. The composition of the BNB, while anatomically distinct, is not functionally dissimilar to that of the well characterized neurovascular unit of the central nervous system. While the BNB lacks a glial limitans and an astrocytic endfoot layer, the primary function of both vascular units is to establish, maintain, and protect an optimal endoneurial (PNS) or interstitial (CNS) fluid microenvironment that is vital for proper neuronal function. Altered endoneurial homeostasis as a secondary consequence of BNB dysregulation is considered an early pathological event in the course of a variety of traumatic, immune-mediated, or metabolically acquired peripheral neuropathies. In this review, emerging experimental advancements targeting the endoneurial microvasculature for the therapeutic management of immune-mediated inflammatory peripheral neuropathies, including the AIDP variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome, are discussed.
Evidence of thermophilic waste decomposition at a landfill exhibiting elevated temperature regions.

Abstract There have been several reports of landfills exhibiting temperatures as high as 80 to 100 °C. This observation has motivated researchers to understand the causes of the elevated temperatures and to develop predictive models of landfill temperature. The objective of this research was to characterize the methanogenic activity of microbial communities that were derived from landfill samples excavated from a section of a landfill exhibiting gas well temperatures above 55 °C. Specific objectives were to: (1) determine the upper temperature limit for methane production; (2) evaluate the kinetics of methane generation when landfill-derived microcosms are incubated above and below their excavation temperature and derive a temperature inhibition function; and (3) evaluate microbial community shifts in response to temperature perturbations. Landfill microcosms were derived from 57 excavated landfill samples and incubated within ± 2.5 °C of their excavation temperature between 42.5 °C and 87.5 °C. Results showed an optimum temperature for methane generation of ~57 °C and a 95% reduction in methane yield at ~72 °C. When select cultures were perturbed between 5 °C below and 15 °C above their in-situ temperature, both the rate and maximum methane production decreased as incubation temperature increased. Microbial community characterization using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing suggests that thermophilic methanogenic activity can be attributed to methanogens of the genus Methanothermobacter. This study demonstrated that from a microbiological standpoint, landfills may maintain active methanogenic processes while experiencing temperatures in the thermophilic regime (
Frozen Section of Breast and Sentinel Lymph Node

Specimens submitted for intraoperative frozen sections from breast cancer patients most often include axillary sentinel lymph nodes and subareolar margins. Sentinel lymph node frozen section use has declined following the publication of the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z0011 trial. It is currently indicated for clinically node-negative patients undergoing mastectomy and for those that have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Nipple-sparing mastectomy has become increasingly popular as a procedure associated with superior aesthetic outcomes while being oncologically safe. Subareolar tissue biopsies from patients undergoing nipple-sparing mastectomy are often submitted for frozen section to exclude occult carcinoma. This chapter will provide a practical approach for evaluating frozen sections of sentinel lymph node and subareolar margin specimens. Pertinent data from clinical trials will provide context for the current use of frozen sections for breast carcinoma patients. Instructive examples of both routine and difficult cases will highlight challenges and pitfalls associated with frozen section interpretation.
Comprehensive Analysis and Visualization Method of Online and Offline Operation Modes of Power System

The AC / DC hybrid power grid has already been built in China using Ultra-High Voltage (UHV) grid as its backbone. Operation modes of power grid become more complex and diverse. With the development of online and offline analysis of the power system, more and more operation mode data have been accumulated. However, it is difficult to study the offline and online data together because of their different distributions. Offline data are distributed on the boundary of security region, while online data are concentrated in some parts for a period of time. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis and visualization method should be proposed to demonstrate the relationship between them. Firstly, a simulation sample database is constructed including both online and offline data. Then, the research of sample distribution is carried out based on an introduced similarity degree index that calculated by designated features. Finally, a new method is proposed to represent the closeness degree of simulation samples, which maps the high-dimensional and complicated relations into 2D images by using t-distribution stochastic neighbor embedding algorithm (t-SNE) to give dispatcher more intuitive impressions. The method is verified by taking the actual data of regional power grid.
STEM Identities: A Communication Theory of Identity Approach:

Education and psychology research has established STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) identities as an important factor in explaining student persistence in STEM fields. Few st...
La igualdad de género en la investigación de alto rango en la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México: una lente feminista

This case study of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico's oldest and largest university, examines the persistence of gender hierarchies in Mexican higher education. The chapter explores ways to address such hierarchies and contribute to women’s emancipation from a human rights perspective. The analysis delves into the presence and influence of women academics across career levels, fields of study, and access to higher wages in the University. It shows that, overall, the creation of universal laws that support gender equality has led to advances in parity among men and women academics. However, it also reveals that women still struggle to achieve high-rank research positions because persistent hierarchies and the glass ceiling impede women's achievements more often than those of their male colleagues. The first part of the chapter explains the positive changes towards gender equality in international law documents, which in turn influenced Mexican laws. It then builds on Nathalie Heinich’s theory on the visibility of women in academia to explain why women face a glass ceiling barrier in the higher echelons of research, knowledge production and leadership positions.
Nuclear translocation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in response to oxidative stress involves phosphorylation of mitogen activated protein kinases.

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 3136 Enzymatic biotransformation of many chemicals to carcinogens is mediated by cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) that is regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The AhR binds ligands, including 2‘3‘7‘8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD), benzo[ a ]pyrene (B[ a ]P) and β -napthoflavone (BNF), which induce its translocation into the nucleus. In the nucleus, AhR heterodimerizes with the aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator (ARNT) and transcribes genes possessing the xenobiotic response element (XRE) 5′- GCGTG -3′. Recent evidence suggests that the AhR can translocate independently of traditional ligands in response to electrophiles, endogenous stimuli and some phytochemicals. The chemopreventive effect of benzyl isothiocyanate (BIT) and other phytochemicals may involve oxidative stress. This might enhance or diminish activity of carcinogen metabolizing and detoxification enzymes due to altered nuclear translocation and DNA binding affinity of AhR and NF-E2 related factor-2 (Nrf-2) for their respective response elements. We previously observed that AhR partially translocated to the nucleus in Hepa1 and HepG2 liver carcinoma cells treated with BIT. This occurred independently of ligands and suggests that oxidative stress might activate carcinogens. In this study, we determined whether phosphorylated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK are required for AhR nuclear translocation in response to BIT. These kinases might provide a molecular switch between AhR and other proteins in vivo and may be essential for signal transduction in AhR-mediated transcription. Hepa1 cells were treated with 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 μM BIT or DMSO alone (≤0.2%v/v) and phosphorylated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK detected using specific antibodies and western blot. In other experiments, cells were treated with 5 μM BIT or 10 μM BNF alone, or in combination with 10 μM U2016, a potent MEK inhibitor, which prevents phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Nuclear translocation of AhR was visualized using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, and confirmed by western blot of Hepa1 nuclear and cytoplasmic lysates. To assess AhR nuclear translocation following inhibition of p38 MAPK, cells were treated as described above except SB202190 was used to inhibit p38 MAPK. BIT induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK, suggesting that these kinases function in the stress response to phytochemical treatments. Inhibition of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK resulted in reduced nuclear translocation of AhR in both BIT and BNF treated cells. These data provide preliminary evidence that ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK might function in AhR-mediated signaling in response to phytochemicals. The results also provide insight into mechanisms that might be altered by phytochemicals thus affecting transcriptional regulation of carcinogen metabolizing and detoxification enzymes (Support: NIH MBRS/GM; RCMI RR033032).
Regulation of the Initiation of Endospore Formation in Bacillus subtilis

Under certain environmental conditions, cells of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis can initiate a developmental process leading to the formation of dormant endospores. Much of the work on sporulation in B. subtilis has focused on several key questions such as What are the environmental conditions that control sporulation? The authors describe some of the regulatory circuits that control the initiation of sporulation and the conditions that influence the activity of the regulatory factors. The responses of the gram-positive soil bacterium B. subtilis to changing nutrient conditions have been studied extensively. Regulatory mechanisms exist to help ensure that cells do not initiate sporulation unless it is likely that they will be able to complete the process successfully. spo0A and spo0H encode transcription factors that are required for the initiation of sporulation. Both spo0A and spo0H are required for asymmetric division and for transcription of the genes required for establishing cell-type-specific gene expression. The genes controlled by Spo0A that are involved in formation of the axial filament and the polar FtsZ rings are not known. Extracellular and intracellular signals are generated by nutrient deprivation, cell density, DNA replication, DNA damage, glucose metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and chromosome-partitioning proteins. Understanding both the signals that regulate these pathways and the organization of the pathways into networks regulating gene expression will contribute significantly to an integrated view of the interplay among cell physiology, gene expression, adaptation, and development.
SU‐E‐E‐01: Revamping the Classroom for An Active Learning Environment

Purpose: Removing traditional didactic lecture from session contact time provides the opportunity to keep the classroom interaction active, keeping both the students and instructor engaged. Methods: Participant survey evaluation analysis for a non-traditional teaching environment during a technical graduate course, conducted over three course offerings (81 sessions, total) and 23 graduate medical physics student participants is offered. The modified course structure utilizes multiple alternate teaching methods, including the flipped classroom, online lecture offerings, peer teaching, problem based learning and guided discussions for each session. Viewing online lectures and textbook reading were prerequisites for class sessions, while scheduled open question time, guided interrogative sections, problem-based whiteboard activities and peer teaching were the focus of class designated contact time. Effectiveness and student perception/satisfaction were gauged by end of course, participant survey responses (both scaled questions and free-form response). Results: In general, students responded with positive feedback and indicated better understanding when the course was viewed as a whole. Granularity of understanding was further broken into the various components in broad categories which includes utilizing only the online lecture material, using only the interrogative classroom experience and the use of the text book as the sole source of learning material. Analysis of the survey results and a description of the classroom activities are presented. Conclusion: The modified classroom environment is conducive to more active engagement between the students and the instructor, leading to better perceived information retention and overall satisfaction with the course offering.
Neurocognitive effects following an overnight call shift on faculty anesthesiologists

Background The impact of sleep deprivation on neurocognitive performance is a significant concern to both the health of patients and to the physicians caring for them, as demonstrated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education enforced resident work hours. This study examined the effects of an overnight call at a level 1 trauma hospital on neurocognitive performance of faculty anesthesiologists. Methods Eleven faculty anesthesiologists completed a series of computerized tests that were designed to evaluate different areas of neurocognition, such as working memory, verbal learning, and concentration. The anesthesiologists completed the tests following an overnight call in the morning at 6:30 and again following a normal night's rest at 6:30 on a different date. Results Within-subjects, repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant difference on post-call vs. control performance on measures of learning and memory (P = 0.04). However, there were no significant differences on performance on measures of working memory or sustained attention and vigilance. Pre-call vs. control performances were also evaluated, but no significant differences were detected. Conclusions Following a night call shift, performance on learning and memory was significantly reduced. Other areas were not significantly affected, which may have been due to certain possibilities, such as practice effect or variability in the call shifts. The real-world relevance of the decline in performance on these measures remains unclear.
A unified analysis of roundoff noise reduction in digital filters

Two seemingly unrelated roundoff noise reduction approaches, which lead to two distinct digital filter structures, i.e., the error-cancellation structure and the minimum roundoff-noise state-space structure, can be shown to share a common idea. This common idea is the following. The transfer function for the round-off errors is to be altered in such a way that the output noise is reduced in some sense, while the signal transfer function should remain intact. This idea is evident in the error-cancellation structure, however, it is disguised as the similarity transform in the state-space structure. This common idea can be formulated to relate the two approaches and form a new combined approach which seems to offer further insight and other low-noise structures.
Estrogen content of colostrum and milk of dairy cattle.

Summary A study of the permeability of the secreting mammary gland epithelial cell to circulating blood estrogens is reported. Milks were dried and fed to ovariectomized mice for ten days. The increase in uterine weight of these mice was compared to controls and to those fed graded amounts of diethylstilbestrol added to dried whole milk, to estimate the estrogen in milk. Milks from 11 nonpregnant cows, producing from 26.9 to 66.8lb. per day, were assayed. The average uterine weight of the group was 10.48mg., and uterine weight/% of body weight was 0.05. The milk of nonpregnant cows either is free of estrogen or it contains amounts which can not be detected by the assay method. Milks from 32 cows, pregnant from 27 to 268 days, were assayed. The milk of ten cows, pregnant from 27 to 97 days, averaged mouse uterine weights of 11.35mg., with an average uterine weight/% body weight of 0.06. Milk of 11 cows, from 104 to 193 days pregnant, averaged uterine weights of 13.71mg., with an average uterine weight/% body weight of 0.07. Milk from 11 cows, from 200 to 268 days pregnant, averaged uterine weights of 16.45mg., with an average uterine weight/% body weight of 0.09. These data indicate that the normal lactating cells are only slightly permeable to the normal circulating estrogen of the cow's blood, even in late pregnancy, when estrogen secretion is high and secretion of milk is low. Commercial market milk samples were obtained monthly for 18 mo. The average uterine weight of mice was 11.32mg. and uterine weight/% body weight was 0.06. Samples of colostrum from six normal cows and from three cows experimentally induced to lactate showed low uterine weight increases. These observations are significant, because the secretion of estrogen in late pregnancy is at a maximum and the rate of colostrum (milk) secretion is minimal. Seven nonpregnant cows, producing from 5.4 to 26.8lb. per day, were fed diethylstilbestrol at from 10 to 20mg. per day per 1,000lb. live weight, for 2 wk. or more. Nine samples from cows fed 10 mg/day showed average uterine weight of 12.07mg. and an average uterine weight/% body weight of 0.07. These data indicate that the secreting mammary gland epithelial cell either is nonpermeable or is only slightly permeable, to circulating natural estrogenic hormones or to synthetic estrogens (diethylstilbestrol) when fed at levels of from 10 to 20mg/day/1,000lb. body weight.
Informality judgment at sentence level and experiments with formality score

Formality and its converse, informality, are important dimensions of authorial style that serve to determine the social background a particular document is coming from, and the potential audience it is targeted to. In this paper we explored the concept of formality at the sentence level from two different perspectives. One was the Formality Score (F-score) and its distribution across different datasets, how they compared with each other and how F-score could be linked to human-annotated sentences. The other was to measure the inherent agreement between two independent judges on a sentence annotation task. It gave us an idea how subjective the concept of formality was at the sentence level. Finally, we looked into the related issue of document readability and measured its correlation with document formality.
Oxidative stress responses - what have genome-scale studies taught us?

Oxidative stress arises from an imbalance between generation and elimination of reactive oxygen species, often leading to cell death. Genomic tools are expanding our understanding of the antioxidant defenses aerobes have evolved and the recently discovered role(s) of reactive oxygen species in signaling.
Needed: A Multicultural Perspective for Adult Education Research:

Educators have recently taken interest in understanding the needs of racial and ethnic minority youth in the schools. A review of adult education research literature over the last five years suggests the adult education research community has not shown a similar interest. Given the traditional un-derrepresentation of minority adults in adult education programs and considering the changing demographics of the U.S., this omission gives cause for concern. Presented are data revealing the paucity of publications addressing multicultural issues in adult education, despite a small but growing number of dissertations. In an effort to stimulate discussion and research in the area, the author suggests a number of questions worthy of investigation. Methodological issues particularly relevant to research on minority populations are also discussed.
The Art of E-Teaching

All genuine education comes about through experience.—John Dewey, 1938 (Knowles, 1978) As we have discussed in earlier columns, teachers are facing a new generation of students. According to The Ch...
Tropical Rainfall: A Comparison of Satellite-derived Rainfall Estimates with Model Precipitation Forecasts, Climatologies, and Observations

Abstract Quantitative estimates of rainfall, as derived from satellite observations of cloud-top temperature, have been produced for each 2.5° lat-long location from 30°N to 30°S for the period 1986–89. These remotely sensed estimates are a preliminary product of the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP), which is charged with the development of a global rainfall dataset during the period 1986–95, using all available in situ data supplemented with satellite-derived estimates of precipitation. Four-year means (1986–89) of monthly satellite-derived rainfall estimates were compared to the climatological rainfall datasets compiled by Jaeger and Legates and Willmott in the tropics, to assess the performance of the satellite estimates in the context of existing state-of-the-art global precipitation datasets. It is shown that the satellite estimates and the climatologies are in reasonable agreement both in temporal and spatial variation, although some large regional differences were found. A more quant...
Intimate Partner Violence and Monogamy among Women in Methadone Treatment

It is now becoming clear how important it is to understand women's HIV risk in the context of their sexual relationships with male partners, particularly among more vulnerable populations of women such as drug-involved women and women with physically abusive partners. Drawing from in-depth interviews with a sample of 38 ethnically diverse women, this study explores the meanings of monogamy and concurrent sexual partnerships in the relationships of women in methadone treatment with a history of physical abuse. Moreover, the ways in which having a history of intimate partner violence influences women's desire and ability to insist on monogamy is addressed. The women's narratives indicated that the majority valued monogamy and reported practicing it; however, many women were indifferent to this ideal or were unable to challenge non-monogamous partners for fear of severe reprisals. In addition, men's suspicions about violations of monogamy on the part of the women often resulted in extreme violence.
Persistence of host response against glochidia larvae in Micropterus salmoides.

Abstract Host fish acquire resistance to the parasitic larvae (glochidia) of freshwater mussels (Unionidae). Glochidia metamorphose into juvenile mussels while encysted on host fish. We investigated the duration of acquired resistance of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede, 1802) to glochidia of the broken rays mussel, Lampsilis reeveiana (Call, 1887). Fish received three successive priming infections with glochidia to induce an immune response. Primed fish were held at 22–23 °C and were challenged (re-infected) at intervals after priming. Metamorphosis success was quantified as the percent of attached glochidia that metamorphosed to the juvenile stage and were recovered alive. Metamorphosis success at 3, 7, and 12 months after priming was significantly lower on primed fish (26%, 40%, and 68% respectively) than on control fish (85%, 93%, and 92% respectively). A second group of largemouth bass was similarly primed and blood was extracted. Immunoblotting was used to detect host serum antibodies to L. reeveiana glochidia proteins. Serum antibodies were evident in primed fish, but not in naive control fish. Acquired resistance of host fish potentially affects natural reproduction and artificial propagation of unionids, many of which are of conservation concern.
Structure of carbon monoxide monolayers physisorbed on graphite

A low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) study of carbon monoxide physisorbed on the graphite basal plane is reported. For temperatures lower than 25 K, the submonolayer forms a commensurate structure with the molecular axes ordered in a (23 × 3)30° superlattice with an in-plane herringbone arrangement. There is apparently end-to-end disorder and no systematic tilt in this structure. For high coverage, a pinwheel structure similar to the (111) plane of bulk α-CO is proposed for the incommensurate phase with a (2 × 2) molecular axis ordering. These structures are in good agreement with several theoretical calculations. A tentative phase diagram is proposed.
Stability of State and Trait Anxiety

The stability of state and trait anxiety in a normal college population was assessed on four separate occasions over a 10-mo. period. The results indicate the transitory nature of state anxiety while simultaneously emphasizing the stability of trait anxiety.
REFLECTION OF WAVES IN AN INHOMOGENEOUS ABSORBING MEDIUM.

The problem of wave propagation in a conducting and absorbing medium was approached from the point of view of geometrical optics in a preceding paper.(1) The purpose of it was to answer the question whether it is permissible to apply the ordinary rules for constructing the path of a ray to problems of radio-telegraphy, since certain layers of the atmosphere possess a considerable conductivity.
Comparison of the Distribution of Tobramycin and Gentamicin in Body Fluids of Dogs

Tobramycin serum, thoracic lymph, renal lymph, and urine concentrations were measured in mongrel dogs after intravenously administered 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg doses. These were compared with intravenous gentamicin delivered at 5 and 20 mg/kg. Both drugs achieved similar concentrations in serum and thoracic lymph. At 20 mg/kg, tobramycin showed consistently higher renal lymph and urine concentrations than gentamicin. At 5 mg of tobramycin per kg, renal lymph and urine concentrations were higher than with gentamicin only within the 1st h after administration. Thereafter the difference was no longer significant. These data suggest that on the basis of distribution in the body fluids of dogs, tobramycin is a reasonable alternative to gentamicin.
Equilibrium nanostructure of primary soot particles

This paper addresses the origin of the characteristic shell/core nanostructure of primary soot particles, in which a zone of concentrically oriented graphene layers surrounds a disordered core. In situ microscopy is used to examine the liquid crystalline optical textures on the external surfaces of droplets and pools of molten mesophase pitch, taken as a model system for investigating the self-organization of high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in condensed phases. A general thermodynamic theory is then developed that governs the equilibrium configuration of ensembles of disk-like polyaromatic compounds with and without chemical reactivity at edge sites. The experiments and theory indicate that the shell/core nanostructure is the equilibrium configuration of nearly planar polyaromatic clusters under the high-temperature reactive conditions of soot formation. The boundary between the concentric shell and the disordered core is predicted to be the point where orientational elastic strain overcomes the free energy difference between bulk isotropic and ordered phases. The theory also yields a quantitative estimate of the size of the core regions, 4–6 nm, in agreement with the observed core diameters in many mature soot particles. Implications for the soot formation process are discussed.
Partitioning of previously-accumulated nitrate to translocation, reduction, and efflux in corn roots

The effect of nitrate uptake, or its absence, on the utilization of nitrate previously accumulated by dark-grown, decpitated maize (Zea mays L., cv. DeKalb XL-45) seedlings was examined. Five-d-old plants that had been pretreated with 50 mM (14)NO 3 (-) for 20 h were exposed for 8 h to nutrient solutions containing either no nitrate or 50 mM (15)NO 3 (-) , 98.7 atom % (15)N. The ambient solution, xylem exudate, and plant tissue were analyzed to determine the quantities of previously-accumulated (endogenous) (14)NO 3 (-) that were translocated to the xylem, lost to the solution, or reduced within the tissue during the 8-h period. Energy was continuously available to the roots from the attached endosperm. In the absence of incoming nitrate, appreciable reduction and translocation of the endogenous (14)NO 3 (-) occurred, but efflux of (14)NO 3 (-) to the external solution was minimal. In contrast, during (15)NO 3 (-) uptake, there was considerable efflux of (14)NO 3 (-) as well as translocation of (14)NO 3 (-) to the xylem, but little (14)NO 3 (-) was reduced. Thus there appeared to be an inverse relationship between (14)NO 3 (-) efflux and reduction. The data are tentatively interpreted on the basis of a model which envisages (a) two storage locations within roots, one of which primarily supplies nitrate for translocation and the other of which primarily supplies nitrate for outward passage through plasmalemma, and (b) the majority of nitrate reduction as occurring during or immediately following influx across the plasmalemma, with endogenous (14)NO 3 (-) initially moving outward being recycled inward and thereby being reduced.
The future of Quechua and the Quechua of the future: language ideologies and language planning in Bolivia

Current language policies in Bolivia are based on ideological assumptions that reflect the language practice of Spanish speakers, rather than sociolinguistic evidence. These assumptions include: that standardization is key to Quechua language revitalization and political empowerment; that etymological criteria are the best guide for elaborating a standard; and that literacy- and school-based functions are the most crucial to Quechua's future. Inasmuch as these assumptions conflict with the language ideologies of Quechua communities, policies' chances for success are diminished. Rather than focusing exclusively on domains where Spanish is dominant, language planners should address language shift in those domains that constitute Quechua's stronghold: the home and the community.
Single-particle kinetic energies in liquid neon.

High-energy neutron-scattering experiments are reported on three samples of liquid natural neon. One was at 25.8 K at low pressure and two near 35 K were pressurized to densities differing by 9%. Measurements were made at wave-vector transfers Q in the range 200--280 ${\mathrm{nm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, within the impulse approximation, with accounting for spectrometer resolution and multiple-scattering effects. Single-particle kinetic energies, 〈${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{k}}$〉, were determined by assuming a Gaussian atomic momentum distribution. The value 〈${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{k}}$〉/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$=52.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3.7 K at 25.8 K is found to be somewhat larger than a deduction in the literature from experimental work at Q values below 100 ${\mathrm{nm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$. The difference between current measurements and the previous deduction can be attributed to the failure of previous measurements to operate within the impulse approximation. Our two values of 〈${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{k}}$〉 near 35 K differ by (4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3)%, a small relative difference. A comparison of the present results for 〈${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{k}}$〉 with calculated values dependent upon S(Q) measurements (and inferred pair-correlation functions) shows only qualitative agreement, as does a comparison with a published Wigner-Kirkwood expansion of the density matrix, using a Lennard-Jones potential.