cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inter-relations between migration and fertility: their significance for urbanisation in Malaysia.

The rapid growth of the urban population concurrent with the continuing growth of the rural populations the increasing number of big cities and the significant contribution of both migration and natural increase to urban growth emphasize the importance of assessing more fully interrelations between migration and natural increase in urban and rural segments of the less developed countries. This paper reports on research assessing these interrelations in Malaysia using life histories of ever-married women collected in the Malaysian Family Life Survey of 1976-77. To provide a contextual setting the general demographic and urban situation in Southeast Asia and Malaysia is described. The study reveals that residence in big cities has a major impact on the average number of children everborn. With age differentials controlled women living in the market centers of Malaysia averaged 3.7 children compared to an average of 4.6 children born to women in small urban places and 4.7 children to rural women. Comparisons of migrant/non-migrant fertility in urban and rual places suggest the operation of both selection and adaptation. Length of residence affects fertility levels and also suggests operation of these 2 factors. Because migration is age selective and therefore brings into urban areas considerable numbers of women in their peak reproduction ages migration contributes to the absolute number of births in cities and adds to the importance of natural increase in urban growth. Women were found likely to move if they had fewer children. Movement may lead to acquisition of more land. Selectivity and especially disruption were suggested from examining the childbearing adn migration experience of a single cohort of women. The disruption model was strongly supported by another analysis. Rapid adaptation by the migrants to the fertility behavior of women at destination is suggested. Given the complexity of the migration-fertility relation no clear overall policy implications emerge. Movement encouragecd solely for fertility reduction seems unlikely to realize its goal.
Steady-state oxidation of cholesterol catalyzed by cholesterol oxidase in lipid bilayer membranes on platinum electrodes

Abstract Cholesterol oxidase is immobilized in electrode-supported lipid bilayer membranes. Platinum electrodes are initially modified with a self-assembled monolayer of thiolipid. A vesicle fusion method is used to deposit an outer leaflet of phospholipids onto the thiolipid monolayer forming a thiolipid/lipid bilayer membrane on the electrode surface. Cholesterol oxidase spontaneously inserts into the electrode-supported lipid bilayer membrane from solution and is consequently immobilized to the electrode surface. Cholesterol partitions into the membrane from buffer solutions containing cyclodextrin. Cholesterol oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of cholesterol by molecular oxygen, forming hydrogen peroxide as a product. Amperometric detection of hydrogen peroxide for continuous solution flow experiments are presented, where flow was alternated between cholesterol solution and buffer containing no cholesterol. Steady-state anodic currents were observed during exposures of cholesterol solutions ranging in concentration from 10 to 1000 μM. These data are consistent with the Michaelis–Menten kinetic model for oxidation of cholesterol as catalyzed by cholesterol oxidase immobilized in the lipid bilayer membrane. The cholesterol detection limit is below 1 μM for cholesterol solution prepared in buffered cyclodextrin. The response of the electrodes to low density lipoprotein solutions is increased upon addition of cyclodextrin. Evidence for adsorption of low density lipoprotein to the electrode surface is presented.
Applications of proteomics in the study of inflammatory bowel diseases: Current status and future directions with available technologies

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic, heterogeneous, and multi-factorial intestinal inflammatory disorders. Major challenges in IBD research include identification of major pathogenic alterations of genes/proteins as well as effective biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of therapeutic response. Since proteins govern cellular structure and biological function, a wide selection of proteomic approaches enables effective characterization of IBD pathogenesis by investigating the dynamic nature of protein expression, cellular and subcellular distribution, post-translational modifications, and interactions at both cellular and subcellular levels. The aims of this review are to 1) highlight the current status of proteomic studies of IBD and 2) introduce the available and emerging proteomic technologies that have potential applications in the study of IBD. These technologies include various mass spectrometry technologies, quantitative proteomics (2D-PAGE, ICAT, SILAC, iTRAQ), protein/antibody arrays, and multi-epitope-ligand cartographie. This review also presents information and methodologies, from sample-selection and enrichment to protein-identification, that are not only essential but also particularly relevant to IBD research. The potential future application of these technologies is expected to have a significant impact on the discovery of novel biomarkers and key pathogenic factors for IBD.
Subpalpebral Lavage Antibiotic Treatment for Severe Infectious Scleritis and Keratitis

Objective: To report the subpalpebral lavage therapy for the treatment of infectious scleritis and keratitis. Method: Six patients were admitted for treatment of severe infectious scleritis and keratitis and were initiated on the subpalpebral lavage system after showing no improvement with topical fortified antibiotics. A continuous antibiotic lavage was applied until clinical sterility was achieved and topical steroids were gradually added to control concomitant inflammation. Results: All 6 patients had resolution of their infections and achieved a stable ocular surface with no inflammation. One patient required a corneal transplant for active inflammation and corneal thinning, 1 had a transplant for a dense central comeal scar, and 1 patient underwent comeal transplant and cataract extraction. One case was a Pseudomonas keratitis in a blind eye, which rapidly resolved and has remained stable. Four patients required additional surgeries, which included 3 comeal transplants, 2 cataract extractions, and 1 glaucoma aqueous shunt. Conclusion: Continuous irrigation of the eye can improve scleral penetration of antibiotics. Subpalpebral lavage provides continuous irrigation and may be effective in the treatment of infectious scleritis of a variety of etiologies.
Incidental learning of abstract rules for non-dominant word orders.

One way in which adult second language learners may acquire a word order that differs from their native language word order is through exposure-based incidental learning, but little is known about that process and what constrains it. The current studies examine whether a non-dominant word order can be learned incidentally, and if so, whether the rule can be generalized to new words not previously seen in the non-dominant order. Two studies examined the incidental learning of rules underlying the order of nouns and verbs in three-word strings. The self-timed reading speeds of native English speakers decreased as a result of practice with a non-dominant rule (words ordered either as “verb noun noun” or “noun noun verb”). The same pattern of results was also found for new words ordered according to the previously encountered rule, suggesting learning generalized beyond the specific instances encountered. A second experiment showed such rule learning could also occur when the nouns were replaced with pronounceable pseudowords. Learning was therefore possible in the absence of any pre-existing relationships between the items. Theoretical and educational implications are discussed.
Modulation of corneal lipoxygenase by ascorbic acid.

We have examined the influence of ascorbic acid on the generation of lipoxygenase products by the rabbit cornea, an avascular tissue which is continuously bathed by high concentrations of ascorbic acid present within the aqueous humor of the eye. Corneal homogenates were incubated with [14C]arachidonic acid and the resulting metabolites separated by thin-layer chromatography. The metabolites were then quantified by liquid scintillation counting techniques. The biosynthesis of the major lipoxygenase product formed by the cornea, 12-HETE, was significantly inhibited by physiological concentrations of ascorbic acid; PGE2 formation by the cornea was not altered in the presence of ascorbic acid. Furthermore, ascorbic acid inhibited the formation of 12-HETE in the presence of catalase, indicating that hydrogen peroxide generated by ascorbate was not responsible for diminishing the lipoxygenase activity of the cornea. However, high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (10−4 M) did inhibit the formation of 12-HETE by the corneal homogenates. Another antioxidant, 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol (10 μg ml−1), also inhibited the formation of 12-HETE by the cornea. Therefore, it appears that the inhibition of corneal lipoxygenase by ascorbic acid could be related to the antioxidant properties of this vitamin. These studies suggest that ascorbic acid within the aqueous humor might modulate lipoxygenase activity within the cornea.
A depth-integrated model for weakly dispersive, turbulent, and rotational fluid flows

A set of weakly dispersive Boussinesq-type equations, derived to include viscosity and vorticity terms in a physically consistent manner, is presented in conservative form. The model includes the approximate effects of bottom-induced turbulence, in a depth-integrated sense, as a second-order correction. Associated with this turbulence, vertical and horizontal rotational effects are captured. While the turbulence and horizontal vorticity models are simplified, a model with known physical limitations has been derived that includes the quadratic bottom friction term commonly added in an ad hoc manner to the inviscid equations. An interesting result of this derivation is that one should take care when adding such ad hoc models; it is clear from this exercise that (1) it is not necessary to do so – the terms can be included through a consistent derivation from the viscous primitive equations – and (2) one cannot properly add the quadratic bottom friction term without also adding a number of additional terms in the integrated governing equations. To solve these equations numerically, a highly accurate and stable model is developed. The numerical method uses a fourth-order MUSCL-TVD scheme to solve the leading order (shallow water) terms. For the dispersive terms, a cell averaged finite volume method is implemented. To verify the derived equations and the numerical model, four cases of verifications are given. First, solitary wave propagation is examined as a basic, yet fundamental, test of the models ability to predict dispersive and nonlinear wave propagation with minimal numerical error. Vertical velocity distributions of spatially uniform flows are compared with existing theory to investigate the effects of the newly included horizontal vorticity terms. Other test cases include comparisons with experiments that generate strong vorticity by the change of bottom bathymetry as well as by tidal jets through inlet structures. Very reasonable agreements are observed for the four cases, and the results provide some information as to the importance of dispersion and horizontal vorticity.
Neural network model to predict deoxynivalenol (DON) in barley using historic and forecasted weather conditions

Fusarium head blight, caused by Gibberella zeae, produces trichothecene mycotoxins, primarily deoxynivalenol (DON) in the grain of barley. Severe price discounting can occur at the sale of the crop if the grain contains a DON concentration of greater than or equal to 0.5 mg/kg. An artificial neural network model was developed to predict the risk of DON accumulation greater than or equal to 0.5 mg/kg using forecasted data up to 120-hours (5-days) at 36 locations in the U.S. Northern Great Plains. Weather data were collected at 313 location-years for three months (May, June and July) from two sources, quality controlled local climatological data (QCLCD) and extended range forecast model output statistics (MOS). Estimated ‘true’ risk of economic DON accumulation (DON ≥ 0.5 mg/kg) was calculated for each date using the data from QCLCD based on a previously developed logistic regression model (n=19,093). Four input novel variables were constructed by summarizing the weather data from both QCLCD and MOS sources. A single hidden layer neural network model was developed using 75% of the total observations and was then validated using the remaining 25% of the observations. The overall accuracy of the model was around 90% on both training and validation data sets. The results of this study demonstrate that the risk of DON accumulation of greater than or equal to 0.5 mg/kg can be predicted 5-days in advance during the period leading up to full head emergence using forecasted weather conditions.
Preliminary Experiments in the Separation of Globin Chains by high Performance Liquid Chromatography

The power of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the separation of complex mixtures of peptides from proteins is becoming increasingly evident (1–4 and references in 3). However, the application of HPLC to the separation of proteins is limited. Monch and Dehnen (5) separated artificial mixtures of proteins (5,400 to 450,000 daltons) and Rubenstein et al. used HPLC to purify interferon (6). In preliminary experiments, we have had some success in the separation of human globin chains by HPLC.
Baroreceptor involvement in the immobility reflex of the frog: Evidence for a cross-species mechanism

Baroreceptor activity has been implicated in the initiation of the immobility reflex in rabbits (Hatton, Lanthorn, Webster, & Meyer, 1978). In order to test the generality of the effect to other species, frogs, with the carotid labyrinth denervated or the glossopharyngeal nerve sectioned, were tested for the immobility reflex. The results indicate that sectioning of the glossopharyngeal nerve significantly reduced the incidence of immobility relative to controls, while frogs with the carotid labyrinth denervated were intermediate in suscept­ ibility to immobility in comparison to sectioned and control animals. The immobility reflex shares a number of common behavioral and physiological characteristics with the baroreceptor reflex. As pointed out by Gellhom (1967), increased pressure in the sino-aortic area or stimulation of the sinus nerve leads to a fall in blood pressure and heart rate, a loss in tone of striated muscle, and a tendency to sleep. In addition, spindling occurs in the cortical EEG and there is a reduced responsiveness to external stimuli. These effects are not present after denervation of the sino-aortic area. Likewise, during the immobility reflex in rabbits, there is marked hypoten­ sion of the muscles (Carli, 1969) and an initial decrease in blood pressure and heart rate, followed by a rapid increase and gradual decrease in these values over the course of the immobility episode (Carli, 1974; Hatton, Note 1); there is also a reduced responsiveness to external stimuli, and synchronization occurs in the corti­ cal EEG (Gerebtzoff, 1941; Hatton, Woodruff, & Meyer, 1975). As with the baroreceptor reflex, the incidence of occurrence of immobility is significantly reduced in rabbits following denervation of the carotid sinus or sectioning of the sinus nerve (Hatton et al., 1978). The present study was designed to examine the generality of the effect of denervation of the carotid sinus on the immobility reflex in another species.
Assessing Career Decision-Making Difficulties: A Cross-Cultural Study

This study examines the validity of the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ) in relation to its cultural relevance. Relationships between career decision-making difficulties and career indecision are also examined in relation to the two cultural groups, American and Taiwanese university students. Structural equation modeling (SEM) shows that the taxonomy of career decision-making difficulties can be reliably measured for American college students. However, the data based on the Taiwanese students has a relatively poor fit of the factorial model. Compared to the America students, Taiwanese students report more difficulties in career decision making and tend to be more indecisive in their career decision making. Differences in career decision- making difficulties between American and Taiwanese college students are discussed in light of cultural differences.
The influence of the neutron source spectrum on the infinite homogeneous reactor in subcritical condition

Abstract An analysis of the influence of the neutron source spectrum on some key parameters of a reactor system in subcritical condition is presented. The analysis is conducted on the infinite homogeneous reactor, a kind of approach useful to have a quick understanding of nuclear reactor phenomena. The main differences between the spectrum in critical and subcritical condition are highlighted. Among the results of the analysis we present the impact on the multiplication factor of neglecting the delayed neutron spectrum. The homogenization error on few-group cross sections due to using critical spectra in the standard homogenization procedures is also discussed.
Mouse models of Parkinson's disease associated with mitochondrial dysfunction

Despite years of intensive research, the understanding of Parkinson's disease (PD) is still rudimentary. Genetic causes of rare familial cases have offered venues of investigation, and interestingly, have strengthened the case for a mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of PD. Mouse models, where these and other mitochondrial-related genes are affected are helping not only in understanding PD, but also in providing a powerful tool to test therapeutics. In this review, we will discuss the different characteristics of these mouse models. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Mitochondrial function and dysfunction in neurodegeneration'.
Long-term Treatment with Tamoxifen Facilitates Translocation of Estrogen Receptor α out of the Nucleus and Enhances its Interaction with EGFR in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

The therapeutic benefit of tamoxifen in patients with hormone-dependent breast cancer is limited by acquired resistance to this drug. To investigate the biological alterations responsible for tamoxifen resistance, an in vitro model was established. After 6-month continuous exposure to tamoxifen (10(-7) mol/L), growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells was no longer inhibited by this antiestrogen. Although there was no significant increase in the basal levels of activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), tamoxifen-resistant (TAM-R) cells exhibited enhanced sensitivity to epidermal growth factor (EGF) and estradiol stimulated activation of MAPK. Tamoxifen elicited rapid phosphorylation of MAPK, in contrast to its antagonistic activity in control cells. Blockade of the EGF receptor (EGFR)/MAPK pathway caused more dramatic inhibition of growth of TAM-R cells than the control cells. An increased amount of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) was coimmunoprecipitated with EGFR from TAM-R cells although the total levels of these receptors were not increased. Notably, ERalpha seemed to redistribute to extranuclear sites in TAM-R cells. Increased ERalpha immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane of TAM-R cells was shown by fluorescent microscopy and by Western analysis of isolated cellular fractions. In TAM-R cells, an increased amount of c-Src was coprecipitated with EGFR or ERalpha. Blockade of c-Src activity resulted in redistribution of ERalpha back to the nucleus and in reduction of its interaction with EGFR. Prolonged blockade of c-Src activity restored sensitivity of TAM-R cells to tamoxifen. Our results suggest that enhanced nongenomic function of ERalpha via cooperation with the EGFR pathway is one of the mechanisms responsible for acquired tamoxifen resistance.
Stability and structure-forming properties of the two disulfide bonds of alpha-conotoxin GI.

α-Conotoxin GI is a 13 residue snail toxin peptide cross-linked by Cys2−Cys7 and Cys3−Cys13 disulfide bridges. The formation of the two disulfide bonds by thiol/disulfide exchange with oxidized glutathione (GSSG) has been characterized. To characterize formation of the first disulfide bond in each of the two pathways by which the two disulfide bonds can form, two model peptides were synthesized in which Cys3 and Cys13 (Cono-1) or Cys2 and Cys7 (Cono-2) were replaced by alanines. Equilibrium constants were determined for formation of the single disulfide bonds of Cono-1 and Cono-2, and an overall equilibrium constant was measured for formation of the two disulfide bonds of α-conotoxin GI in pH 7.00 buffer and in pH 7.00 buffer plus 8 M urea using concentrations obtained by HPLC analysis of equilibrium thiol/disulfide exchange reaction mixtures. The results indicate a modest amount of cooperativity in the formation of the second disulfide bond in both of the two-step pathways by which α-conotoxin GI folds i...
In Vitro Reconstitution of an NADPH-Dependent Superoxide Reduction Pathway from Pyrococcus furiosus

A scheme for the detoxification of superoxide in Pyrococcus furiosus has been previously proposed in which superoxide reductase (SOR) reduces (rather than dismutates) superoxide to hydrogen peroxide by using electrons from reduced rubredoxin (Rd). Rd is reduced with electrons from NAD(P)H by the enzyme NAD(P)H:rubredoxin oxidoreductase (NROR). The goal of the present work was to reconstitute this pathway in vitro using recombinant enzymes. While recombinant forms of SOR and Rd are available, the gene encoding P. furiosus NROR (PF1197) was found to be exceedingly toxic to Escherichia coli, and an active recombinant form (rNROR) was obtained via a fusion protein expression system, which produced an inactive form of NROR until cleavage. This allowed the complete pathway from NAD(P)H to the reduction of SOR via NROR and Rd to be reconstituted in vitro using recombinant proteins. rNROR is a 39.9-kDa protein whose sequence contains both flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)- and NAD(P)H-binding motifs, and it shares significant similarity with known and putative Rd-dependent oxidoreductases from several anaerobic bacteria, both mesophilic and hyperthermophilic. FAD was shown to be essential for activity in reconstitution assays and could not be replaced by flavin mononucleotide (FMN). The bound FAD has a midpoint potential of −173 mV at 23°C (−193 mV at 80°C). Like native NROR, the recombinant enzyme catalyzed the NADPH-dependent reduction of rubredoxin both at high (80°C) and low (23°C) temperatures, consistent with its proposed role in the superoxide reduction pathway. This is the first demonstration of in vitro superoxide reduction to hydrogen peroxide using NAD(P)H as the electron donor in an SOR-mediated pathway.
Risk factors for medication non-adherence among psychiatric patients with substance misuse histories

Medication non-adherence among psychiatric patients is known to be associated with poorer treatment outcomes. The study examined a comprehensive set of modifiable risk factors for non-adherence in a theoretical framework among a diverse, high risk sample of psychiatric patients with substance misuse histories (N=299). Medication side effects and excessive alcohol use were related to lower medication adherence and higher motivation for mental health treatment and recovery support were related to greater adherence. The results suggest that a multifaceted model for intervention to increase psychiatric medication adherence should be developed and tested.
Efficient race detection for message-passing programs with nonblocking sends and receives

This paper presents an algorithm for performing on-the-fly race detection for parallel message-passing programs. The algorithm reads a trace of the communication events in a message-passing parallel program and either finds a specific race condition or reports that the traced program is race-free. It supports a rich message-passing model, including blocking and non-blocking sends and receives, synchronous and asynchronous sends, receive selectivity by source and/or tag value, and arbitrary amounts of system buffering of messages. It runs in polynomial time and is very efficient for most types of executions. A key feature of the race detection algorithm is its use of several new types of logical clocks for determining ordering relations. It is likely that these logical clocks will also be useful in other settings.
Time‐Dependent Strength of Siliconized Silicon Carbide under Stress at 1000° and 1100°C

The time-dependent strength of a fine-grained siliconized silicon carbide under stress at 1000° and 1100°C was investigated. Both macroscopic stress redistribution and localized flaw blunting were found to contribute to the strengthening of siliconized silicon carbide in bending tests. Strengthening through macroscopic stress redistribution involved nonlinear creep behavior which decreased the maximum outer fiber stress in the bending beam. Localized flaw blunting processes were determined to be operative in this material through artificial flaw tests using a prestress to prevent flaw healing. The sharp artificial cracks were blunted during static load tests by localized deformation processes at the crack tip.
Patterns of rhizosphere carbon flux in sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and yellow birch (Betula allegheniensis) saplings

Despite its importance in the terrestrial C cycle rhizosphere carbon flux (RCF) has rarely been measured for intact root‐soil systems. We measured RCF for 8-year-old saplings of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and yellow birch (Betula allegheniensis) collected from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF), NH and transplanted into pots with native soil horizons intact. Five saplings of each species were pulse labeled with 13 CO2 at ambient CO2 concentrations for 4‐6h, and the 13 C label was chased through rhizosphere and bulk soil pools in organic and mineral horizons for 7 days. We hypothesized yellow birch roots would supply more labile C to the rhizosphere than sugar maple roots based on the presumed greater C requirements of ectomycorrhizal roots. We observed appearance of the label in rhizosphere soil of both species within the first 24h, and a striking difference between species in the timing of 13 C release to soil. In sugar maple, peak concentration of the label appeared 1 day after labeling and declined over time whereas in birch the label increased in concentration over the 7-day chase period. The sum of root and rhizomicrobial respiration in the pots was 19% and 26% of total soil respiration in sugar maple and yellow birch, respectively. Our estimate of the total amount of RCF released by roots was 6.9‐7.1% of assimilated C in sugar maple and 11.2‐ 13.0% of assimilated C in yellow birch. These fluxes extrapolate to 55‐57 and 90‐ 104gCm � 2 yr � 1 from sugar maple and yellow birch roots, respectively. These results
The Care of the Terminal Patient

According to the Institute of Medicine, “at the beginning of the 21st century, half of all patients diagnosed with cancer will die of their disease within a few years.” This statistic does not fully explain the reality of the illness and its repercussions for the individuals living with cancer and their families and friends. Many patients live through a final period of life when health professionals, in concert with the patient, must acknowledge that there are no reasonable treatments that remain untried. The patient will most probably die of complications of the cancer. This is a stressful period when health professionals must continue their efforts to treat the patient’s suffering and alleviate onerous symptoms.
Guidance and Control Design for Powered Descent and Landing on Mars

Future Mars landing missions must be capable of autonomously delivering highly capable and mobile rovers safely and gently in an upright orientation. The airbag landing system used to deliver earlier rovers (Mars Pathfinder and the two Mars Exploration vehicles) is incapable of landing the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)-class rover. The design of a novel sky-crane landing concept to land the proposed Mars Science Laboratory rover is presented here. The descent is guided and actively controlled in six degrees of freedom. Terminal guidance is robust to terrain variations-induced altimeter noise. A terminal descent sensor provides surface relative velocity and altitude measurements, the inertial measurement unit measurements help propagate the vehicle attitude and positions. Guidance and control system commands eight throttle-able Mars lander engines to actively control the vehicle attitude and translations. Computer simulations demonstrate the viability of this concept in the presence of various environmental, configuration, and hardware imperfections.
ATP synthesis in mitochondria

This is a brief account of the current status of knowledge regarding the mechanism of ATP synthesis by the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system. Where necessary, information from bacteria and chloroplasts will also be included to make the picture more complete. Excellent reviews on the structure of the ATP synthase complex from Escherichia coli and mitochondria and its mechanism of action, mainly in ATP hydrolysis, have appeared in recent years (Allison et al., 1992; Berden et al., 1991; Boyer, 1987, 1993; Capaldi et al., 1992; Fillingame, 1990, 1992; Futai et al., 1989; Issartel et al., 1992; Pedersen and Amzel, 1993; Penefsky and Cross, 1991; Senior, 1990, 1992).
Library Services for Great Plains IDEA Consortial Students

ABSTRACT The Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (Great Plains IDEA) is a multistate alliance of 11 universities that offer online master's degrees and certificate programs in human sciences. The authors surveyed librarians at Great Plains IDEA institutions to learn how each library provides distance services to students enrolled in Great Plains IDEA courses offered through this interinstitutional alliance.
Combining temperature and force to study folding of an RNA hairpin.

RNA folding in cells typically occurs at mesophilic temperatures. However, in vitro, RNA can be unfolded either by increasing temperature to values that are much higher than physiological, or by mechanically pulling structures apart at ambient temperature. To directly study RNA folding at physiological temperatures and to unify thermodynamics measured by melting and pulling, we developed temperature-controlled optical tweezers (thermal tweezers) that can be used to mechanically unfold single RNA molecules at mesophilic temperatures. Folding of a 20-base-pair tetraloop hairpin was studied under different ionic conditions and at temperatures ranging from 22 °C to 42 °C. At each temperature, single hairpin molecules were held at constant force, and their two-state folding equilibria were monitored. The change in free energy derived from these measurements was used to construct a phase diagram of RNA structure using force and temperature as variables. Furthermore, we derived ΔG0pN,T, the folding free energy at zero force and temperature T, by subtracting the stretching energy of unfolded RNA from the reversible mechanical work done to unfold the hairpin. ΔG0pN,T and its salt dependence agree reasonably well with the predictions by the nearest neighbor model. Under each ionic condition, ΔG0pN,T depended linearly on temperature, yielding ΔHexp and ΔSexp that also matched the predictions. The combination of force and temperature to study RNA folding is a step toward unifying thermodynamics measured by thermal melting and mechanical unfolding, and opens a new path for directly monitoring temperature induced RNA structural changes, as it occurs often in biology.
The Arabidopsis EDR1 Protein Kinase Negatively Regulates the ATL1 E3 Ubiquitin Ligase to Suppress Cell Death

Loss-of-function mutations in the Arabidopsis thaliana ENHANCED DISEASE RESISTANCE1 (EDR1) gene confer enhanced programmed cell death under a variety of abiotic and biotic stress conditions. All edr1 mutant phenotypes can be suppressed by missense mutations in the KEEP ON GOING gene, which encodes a trans-Golgi network/early endosome (TGN/EE)-localized E3 ubiquitin ligase. Here, we report that EDR1 interacts with a second E3 ubiquitin ligase, ARABIDOPSIS TOXICOS EN LEVADURA1 (ATL1), and negatively regulates its activity. Overexpression of ATL1 in transgenic Arabidopsis induced severe growth inhibition and patches of cell death, while transient overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves induced cell death and tissue collapse. The E3 ligase activity of ATL1 was required for both of these processes. Importantly, we found that ATL1 interacts with EDR1 on TGN/EE vesicles and that EDR1 suppresses ATL1-mediated cell death in N. benthamiana and Arabidopsis. Lastly, knockdown of ATL1 expression suppressed cell death phenotypes associated with the edr1 mutant and made Arabidopsis hypersusceptible to powdery mildew infection. Taken together, our data indicate that ATL1 is a positive regulator of programmed cell death and EDR1 negatively regulates ATL1 activity at the TGN/EE and thus controls stress responses initiated by ATL1-mediated ubiquitination events.
IMMUNE RESPONSES IN VITRO I. CELLULAR REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMMUNE RESPONSE BY NONPRIMED AND PRIMED SPLEEN CELLS IN VITRO

A cell suspension culture system combined with a procedure which separates most macrophages from lymphoid cells was used to investigate some of the cellular requirements for direct and indirect plaque-forming cell responses by nonprimed and primed mouse spleen cells in vitro. The plaque-forming cell response to heterologous erythrocytes in cultures of nonprimed spleen cells required both macrophages and lymphoid cells for its development. A significant indirect plaque-forming cell response did not develop in cultures of nonprimed spleen cells. In contrast, cultures of separated or macrophage-poor lymphoid cells from primed mice exhibited increasing responses relative to the response of unseparated spleen cells as the interval after priming increased. The cultures of separated lymphoid cells were not entirely free of phagocytic cells. Despite some evidence which suggests that these phagocytic cells had little function in the response, one cannot ascertain whether the lymphoid cells were responding directly to a second contact with antigen or whether the few contaminating phagocytic cells were performing a function essential to the response by the lymphoid cells. Physiologically different populations of cells appear to develop after priming and are able to respond in vitro in a macrophage-poor culture. Some of the properties of these populations suggest that they are "memory cell" pools containing precursors of direct and indirect plaque-forming cells highly susceptible to a second antigenic stimulus.
KnowledgeTree: a distributed architecture for adaptive e-learning

This paper presents KnowledgeTree, an architecture for adaptive E-Learning based on distributed reusable intelligent learning activities. The goal of KnowledgeTree is to bridge the gap between the currently popular approach to Web-based education, which is centered on learning management systems vs. the powerful but underused technologies in intelligent tutoring and adaptive hypermedia. This integrative architecture attempts to address both the component-based assembly of adaptive systems and teacher-level reusability.
What's the Risk? A simple approach for estimating adjusted risk measures from nonlinear models including logistic regression.

Objective To develop and validate a general method (called regression risk analysis) to estimate adjusted risk measures from logistic and other nonlinear multiple regression models. We show how to estimate standard errors for these estimates. These measures could supplant various approximations (e.g., adjusted odds ratio [AOR]) that may diverge, especially when outcomes are common.
Optimism and well-being: a prospective multi-method and multi-dimensional examination of optimism as a resilience factor following the occurrence of stressful life events

Optimism has been conceptualised variously as positive expectations (PE) for the future , optimistic attributions , illusion of control , and self-enhancing biases. Relatively little research has examined these multiple dimensions of optimism in relation to psychological and physical health. The current study assessed the multi-dimensional nature of optimism within a prospective vulnerability-stress framework. Initial principal component analyses revealed the following dimensions: PEs, Inferential Style (IS), Sense of Invulnerability (SI), and Overconfidence (O). Prospective follow-up analyses demonstrated that PE was associated with fewer depressive episodes and moderated the effect of stressful life events on depressive symptoms. SI also moderated the effect of life stress on anxiety symptoms. Generally, our findings indicated that optimism is a multifaceted construct and not all forms of optimism have the same effects on well-being. Specifically, our findings indicted that PE may be the most relevant to depression, whereas SI may be the most relevant to anxiety.
102 Inhibition of Reactive Oxygen Species Impairs Healing in a Model of Tissue Ischemia

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a major role in recruiting and activating inflammatory cells, inducing angiogenesis, fibroblast proliferation, and collagen synthesis, all processes essential to wound healing. However, the same mediators have been implicated in pulmonary and hepatic fibrosis, vascular occlusion, and necrotic tissue damage. We have previously shown that hyperbaric oxygen caused a prolonged elevation of VEGF and delayed wound healing in a rat model of tissue ischemia. In this study we examine the effect of the ROS scavenger, n-acetylcysteine (NAC), on ischemic wound healing. NAC is a virtually nontoxic free radical scavenger that has been used in many experimental studies to block ROS-mediated signaling. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent creation of the ischemic flap previously validated by this laboratory. This model provides two ischemic and two nonischemic excisional wounds. Rats were treated daily with HBO for 90 minutes at 2.4 atm, HBO plus 150 mg/kg NAC intraperitoneal, or control (neither HBO nor NAC). Wounds were analyzed for surface area, lactate, and VEGF. Results: The HBO/NAC-treated animals had markedly impaired healing of their ischemic wounds at day 7 (0.105 ± .005 cm vs. 0.068 ± .002 cm for ctl and 0.064 ± .006 for HBO) and a twofold elevation of VEGF (120 pg/mg protein vs. 60 pg/mg protein). Lactate levels were not altered by NAC treatment and non-ischemic wounds showed no difference in healing, lactate, or VEGF. Conclusion: Reactive oxygen species are required for wound healing. Our initial hypothesis was that the delay in wound closure with HBO treatment was due to excess ROS and that NAC would improve healing. The finding of elevated VEGF and delayed wound healing in the presence of a potent free radical scavenger suggests that blocking ROS signaling prevents the normal mitogenic response to VEGF. Additional studies to examine the VEGF receptor and tyrosine kinase activation will further elucidate the mechanism of ROS signaling in response to HBO treatment.
On-chip power supply noise measurement using Time Resolved Emission (TRE) waveforms of Light Emission from Off-State Leakage Current (LEOSLC)

In this paper, a new emission-based method for measuring the amplitude of on-chip power supply noise is presented. This technique uses Time Resolved Emission (TRE) waveforms of Light Emission from Off-State Leakage Current (LEOSLC) from CMOS gates, which are used as local probe points for the noise. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of this technique, we discuss the results obtained for two early microprocessor chips fabricated in 65 nm and 45 nm Silicon On Insulator (SOI) technologies.
Multireference configuration interaction study of temporary anion states in haloforms

Abstract Multireference configuration interaction study of potential energy curves for the ground and lowest excited states for dissociative electron attachment are presented for CHCl3/CHCl−3, CHBr3/CHBr−3 and CHI3/CHI−3 systems. Reasonable agreement has been found with available experimental data for electron affinities, and comparison with other theoretical data is also made.
Public interest programming: Taxation by regulation

(1979). Public interest programming: Taxation by regulation. Journal of Broadcasting: Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 319-330.
Metabolism of coronary arteries and arterioles: a histochemical study.

Abstract Because of sample size limitations, very little if any information is available concerning the biochemistry and metabolism of coronary arterioles. Using the histochemical approach, we studied glycolysis, β-oxidation of fatty acids, the Krebs cycle, and the respiratory chain in coronary arteriolar smooth muscle. In addition, the activities of myosin ATPase and other energy-consuming reactions were also determined. Our results suggest that the metabolism of coronary arterioles is predominately aerobic in nature with the strong possibility that fatty acids serve as the major energy source. The aerobic nature of microvascular metabolism is suggested by: (a) a low glycolytic potential as reflected in weak reactions for glycogen, α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, and lactate dehydrogenase; (b) high Krebs cycle activity as indicated by intensity of isocitrate, succinate, and malate dehydrogenase reactions; (c) high respiratory chain activity as reflected by heavy deposition of reaction products of ubiquinone and cytochrome oxidase; (d) preference for lipid as metabolic substrate as revealed by strong reactions for free fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. Myosin ATPase activity was greater in coronary arterioles than in the larger arteries, suggesting a more active contractile apparatus in the microvessels. When compared to the arterioles, the histochemical profile of small and intermediate coronary arteries revealed high potential for anaerobic glycolysis and very low oxidative activities. In view of this metabolic heterogeneity within the coronary vasculature, we suggest that data obtained from small coronary arteries cannot be extrapolated to the coronary microvasculature.
Children Creating Language: How Nicaraguan Sign Language Acquired a Spatial Grammar

It has long been postulated that language is not purely learned, but arises from an interaction between environmental expo- sure and innate abilities. The innate component becomes more evident in rare situations in which the environment is markedly impoverished. The present study investigated the language production of a genera- tion of deaf Nicaraguans who had not been exposed to a developed language. We examined the changing use of early linguistic structures (specifically, spatial modulations) in a sign language that has emerged since the Nicaraguan group first came together. In under two decades, sequential cohorts of learners systematized the grammar of this new sign language. We examined whether the systematicity being added to the language stems from children or adults; our results indicate that such changes originate in children aged 10 and younger. Thus, se- quential cohorts of interacting young children collectively possess the capacity not only to learn, but also to create, language.
Erythromycin failure with subsequent Pasteurella multocida meningitis and septic arthritis in a cat-bite victim

We report the case of a 75-year-old woman who developed Pasteurella multocida meningitis and septic arthritis while being treated for a cat-bite wound infection with erythromycin. Review of the literature revealed that erythromycin has poor in vitro activity against this bacterium and has been associated with serious clinical failures. We recommend that erythromycin not be prescribed for empiric therapy of established animal-bite infections. Suggestions for optimal empiric therapy of animal-bite infections and the differential diagnosis of severe cat-bite-associated sepsis are discussed.
Characteristics of malignant pleural mesothelioma in women.

Background The incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is higher in men than in women, likely due to increased occupational asbestos exposure among men. Women also appear to experience better long-term survival. This study evaluates the role of gender in relation to established prognostic factors in MPM. Methods We reviewed 715 cases of MPM treated with extrapleural pneumonectomy at our institution between July 1987 and December 2008. Data for patients with epithelial and nonepithelial tumors were analyzed separately. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to estimate survival for various cohorts to assess the relationship between gender and survival independent of age at surgery, stage, side, and preoperative laboratory studies. Results Of the 702 patients with complete data available, 114 out of 450 patients with epithelial tumors and 31 out of 252 patients with nonepithelial histology were women. Women with epithelial (and not nonepithelial) disease were found to differ significantly from men with respect to younger age, higher rate of thrombocytosis, and longer survival after surgery. The effect of gender on survival of patients with epithelial disease persisted when controlling for age, stage, thrombocytosis, leukocytosis, and anemia with a multivariable analysis. No significant differences in survival were seen among patients with nonepithelial disease with regard to gender, age, or anemia. Conclusions In the absence of other negative prognostic factors, women with epithelial MPM demonstrated a survival advantage. These findings support an aggressive approach to treating MPM including extrapleural pneumonectomy in individuals with favorable prognostic predictors, particularly women with epithelial histology and no other risk factors.
Analytical modeling of spatial variation of energy dissipation in cluster-based wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor network protocols commonly use clustering to reduce the rate of energy dissipation in the system. With this technique, some nodes are selected as cluster heads and the remaining as member nodes so that cluster heads mainly use energy transmitting to the base station and member nodes transmitting to their cluster head. For the latter, the amount of energy used depends on the distance to the nearest cluster head, which in turn depends on the node's position in the field. The cluster head of nodes near the edge is farther away on average than cluster heads of nodes near the center, resulting in uneven energy dissipation. This unevenness has an important impact on sensor coverage as node lifetime is shorter near to the edge of the field than in the center. In this paper we present an analytical model for both the distance to the nearest cluster head as a function of a node's position within the field and for energy use. Such an analytical model makes it easy for researchers to determine the impact of spatial factors such as edge effects and base station position without incurring the cost of simulation.
Temporal Dynamics of Shape Analysis in Macaque Visual Area V2

The firing rate of visual cortical neurons typically changes substantially during a sustained visual stimulus. To assess whether, and to what extent, the information about shape conveyed by neurons...