cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Responses of corn root protoplasts to exogenous reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide: Oxygen consumption, ion uptake, and membrane potential

Abstract Addition of 1.5 mM NADH tripled the O2 consumption in corn root protoplasts. The stimulation was temperature and pH dependent, specific to NADH, and accompanied by a 2- to 3-fold increase in K+ and Pi uptake into protoplasts. The increase in ion uptake was not due to the accumulation of NADH into protoplasts. The effect of exogenous NADH on O2 consumption and ion uptake was also evident in corn root segments but to a lesser extent. A 20-mV hyperpolarization of protoplast membrane potential occurred on addition of NADH and was abolished by the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone. Increases in cell volume of 30% and 40% were detected in response to NADH/H+ and NADH/H+/K+, respectively. The data are discussed in terms of a transmembrane redox reaction and the possibility that some part of the energy-linked ion transport may be driven by a NADH → O2 electron-transport system in the plasmalemma.
Longistrongylus curvispiculum (Nematoda: Trichostrongyloidea) in Free-ranging Exotic Antelope in Texas

Longistrongylus curvispiculum was recovered from free ranging sable (Hippotragus niger), addax (Addax nasomaculatus) and biesa oryx (Oryx beisa) on two ranches in central Texas (USA). These nematodes represented a small portion of the total abomasal worm burden dominated by Haemonchus contortus. Female L. curvispiculum easily could be confused with other ostertaginae, but the spicules of the males were diagnostic.
The psychological representation of speech sounds

If one listens to a meaningless syllable that is repeated over and over, he will hear it undergo a variety of changes. These changes are extremely systematic in character and can be described phone...
Editorial: Journal of Statistical Distributions and Applications

© A m Introduction Statistical distributions are the foundations of statistical methodology in both theory and applications. They are the back bone of every parametric statistical method, including inference, modeling, survival, reliability, and others. In recent years, partly due to the advanced computing technology, there have been a series of developments of new methodology for generating new families of statistical distributions, which have greatly enhanced parametric statistical methods for handling real world scenarios that could not be modeled using existing distributions. One main reason for the need of generalized families is that each of the useful basic statistical distributions has its own weakness in real-world applications. The real-world phenomena are often much more complex for these commonly known basic statistical distributions to provide adequate fit. For example, Johnson et al. (2005) presented various modifications and generalizations of the Poisson distribution. Some of these distributions were developed in an attempt to explain the unequal mean and variance in the numerical data observed in different fields of applications. The history of statistical distributions started in the 18 century. The first major gathering on statistical distributions and their applications was in 1963 at McGill, Canada where experts participated in the International Symposium on Classical and Contagious Discrete Distributions. Another major gathering, the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Statistical Distributions in Scientific Work, was held at the University of Calgary, Canada from July 29 to August 10, 1974. Patil et al. (1974) in their preface to the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, referred to the McGill symposium as “a milestone in the recognition and development of the theory and application of statistical distributions.” According to Professor Kotz in his Foreword to the book by Consul and Famoye (2006) “The main impetus for the development of an orderly investigation of statistical distributions and their applications was the International Symposium on Classical and Contagious Discrete Distributions, organized by G.P. Patil in August of 1969 (1963) ...” Since then, various conferences and meetings have been organized on statistical distributions. However, no dedicated journal on statistical distributions was ever launched. In one of the Lukacs Symposia in the early 1990s held at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, Dr. Adrienne Kemp (University of St. Andrews in Scotland) in her address stated that all research articles on statistical distributions are scattered in various journals and there is no dedicated journal for statistical distributions. To
Optimized RNA Targets of Two Closely Related Triple KH Domain Proteins, Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K and αCP-2KL, Suggest Distinct Modes of RNA Recognition

The KH domain mediates RNA binding in a wide range of proteins. Here we investigate the RNA-binding properties of two abundant RNA-binding proteins, alphaCP-2KL and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K. These proteins constitute the major poly(C) binding activity in mammalian cells, are closely related on the basis of the structures and positioning of their respective triplicated KH domains, and have been implicated in a variety of post-transcriptional controls. By using SELEX, we have obtained sets of high affinity RNA targets for both proteins. The primary and secondary structures necessary for optimal protein binding were inferred in each case from SELEX RNA sequence comparisons and confirmed by mutagenesis and structural mapping. The target sites for alphaCP-2KL and hnRNP K were both enriched for cytosine bases and were presented in a single-stranded conformation. In contrast to these shared characteristics, the optimal target sequence for hnRNP K is composed of a single short "C-patch" compatible with recognition by a single KH domain whereas that for alphaCP-2KL encompassed three such C-patches suggesting more extensive interactions. The binding specificities of the respective SELEX RNAs were confirmed by testing their interactions with native proteins in cell extracts, and the importance of the secondary structure in establishing an optimized alphaCP-2KL-binding site was supported by comparison of SELEX target structure with that of the native human alpha-globin 3'-untranslated region. These data indicate that modes of macromolecular interactions of arrayed KH domains can differ even among closely related KH proteins and that binding affinities are substantially dependent on the presentation of the target site within the RNA secondary structure.
Ivermectin Interaction with Transmembrane Helices Reveals Widespread Rearrangements during Opening of P2X Receptor Channels

Summary P2X receptors are trimeric cation channels that open in response to binding of extracellular ATP. Each subunit contains a large extracellular ligand binding domain and two flanking transmembrane (TM) helices that form the pore, but the extent of gating motions of the TM helices is unclear. We probed these motions using ivermectin (IVM), a macrocyclic lactone that stabilizes the open state of P2X 4 receptor channels. We find that IVM partitions into lipid membranes and that transfer of the TM regions of P2X 4 receptors is sufficient to convey sensitivity to the lactone, suggesting that IVM interacts most favorably with the open conformation of the two TM helices at the protein-lipid interface. Scanning mutagenesis of the two TMs identifies residues that change environment between closed and open states, and substitutions at a subset of these positions weaken IVM binding. The emerging patterns point to widespread rearrangements of the TM helices during opening of P2X receptor channels.
Graphene Nonlinear and Ultrafast Optoelectronics: Stepping up to the Surface

Enabled by the unique Dirac fermionic structure of graphene, we describe graphene-silicon circuits for optical signal processing. The single atomic layer has spectroscopically-fast carrier dynamics and dramatically-large nonlinearities for frequency conversion and advanced data formats.
Prediction of thermal conductivity in reservoir rocks using fabric theory

An accurate prediction of the thermal conductivity of reservoir rocks in the subsurface is extremely important for a quantitative analysis of basin thermal history and hydrocarbon maturation. A model for calculating the thermal conductivity of reservoir rocks as a function of mineral composition, porosity, fluid type, and temperature has been developed based on fabric theory and experimental data. The study indicates that thermal conductivities of reservoir rocks are dependent on the volume fraction of components (minerals, porosity, and fluids), the temperature, and the fraction of series elements (FSE) which represents the way that the mineral components aggregate. The sensitivity test of the fabric model shows that quartz is the most sensitive mineral for the thermal conductivity of clastic rocks. The study results indicate that the FSE value is very critical. Different lithologies have different optimum FSE values because of different textures and sedimentary structures. The optimum FSE values are defined as those which result in the least error in the model computation of the thermal conductivity of the rocks. These values are 0.444 for water-saturated clay rocks, 0.498 for water-saturated sandstones, and 0.337 for water-saturated carbonates. Compared with the geometric mean model, the fabric model yields better results for the thermal conductivity, largely because the model parameters can be adjusted to satisfy different lithologies and to minimize the mean errors. The fabric model provides a good approach for estimating paleothermal conductivity in complex rock systems based on the mineral composition and pore fluid saturation of the rocks.
Complement-Activating Antibodies in Sera from Infected Individuals and Vaccinated Volunteers That Target Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 to Complement Receptor Type 1 (CR1, CD35)

Abstract Complement receptor type 1 (CR1) plays a central role in clearing immune complexes from the circulation and probably contributes to the retention of immune complexes on the surface of follicular dendritic cells. Virus-specific, complement-activating antibodies can target human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) to CR1-bearing cells but the potential impact that these antibodies have on HIV-1 pathogenesis is unknown. To study these antibodies, an assay was developed in which immune complexes containing HIV-1, antibody, and complement were formed in vitro and captured on the surface of 96-well immunoplates coated with recombinant soluble human CR1 (rsCR1). Captured virus was detected by p24 immunoassay or by infection of human CD4 + lymphocytes. Two laboratory strains of HIV-1 (IIIB and MN) and primary isolates could be captured using sera from infected individuals or vaccinated volunteers as a source of complement-activating antibodies. HIV-1 immune complexes captured by solid-phase rsCR1 could be transferred to MT-2 cells for productive infection. Antibodies had no activity in this assay when the normal human serum used as a source of complement had been heat-inactivated or depleted of complement component C3, confirming a requirement for complement. These complement-activating antibodies in sera from infected individuals showed strong cross-reactivity with HIV-1 IIIB, MN, and a heterologous primary isolate, but reacted poorly with the autologous isolate obtained at the time of serum collection. Average titers of these antibodies measured with HIV-1 IIIB were moderately lower in HIV-1-infected progressors compared to nonprogressors. In contrast to sera from infected individuals, sera from gp160 IIIB -vaccinated volunteers showed specificity for the vaccine strain of virus. These results provide supporting evidence that envelope-specific, complement-activating antibodies induced by infection or gp160 immunization can target HIV-1 immune complexes to CR1. In addition, they demonstrate that such antibodies may sometimes be type-specific and that HIV-1 immune complexes bound to CR1 are infectious.
Using Cue Cards Throughout the K–12 Curriculum

AbstractAs a flexible instructional tool, cue cards offer support for students with and without disabilities. By providing different amounts of support, they also can be used to differentiate instruction in a variety of subject areas and grade levels. This article describes various strategies for using cue cards and includes examples from K–12 classrooms.
Influence of concentration and rate of intravenous administration on the toxicity of cyclohexanone in beagle dogs.

Abstract The importance of concentration and rate of intravenous administration in affecting the toxicity of cyclohexanone was investigated. Four groups (I–IV) comprised of three male dogs each received a dosage of 284 mg/kg/day for 18–21 days as follows: 6% ( v v ) solution at 75 (I) or 5 ml/min (II); or 0.75% solution at 75 (III) or 5 ml/min (IV). Signs of toxicity observed included vocalization, lacrimation, scleral vasodilation, mydriasis, salivation, urination, defecation, restlessness, stupor, ataxia, occasional convulsive movements, hyperpnea, and/or dyspnea. Also, regimen I produced a metabolic acidosis with an apparent respiratory component. The severity of the responses correlated well to the maximal plasma concentrations of cyclohexanone attained, which ranged from 80 to 320 μg/ml, and to the conditions of administration as follows: I > II > III > IV. This distinction became even more apparent with repeated administrations and affected the prognosis for recovery. The concentration of cyclohexanone given was more critical than the rate of injection in producing localized tissue inflammation at injection sites, hemolysis, and secondary responses, e.g., bone marrow hyperplasia and extramedullary hematopoiesis. The rate of administration was also important since, at either concentration of cyclohexanone employed, the group receiving the compound at a faster rate had a greater response. Thus, the influence of iv administration factors on cyclohexanone toxicity was great, showing the importance of taking such factors into account in any safety evaluation study.
Process and device characteristics of self-assembled metal nano-crystal EEPROM

Abstract Metal nanocrystals self-assembled on gate tunneling oxide can be used to replace the conventional Si/Ge nanocrystals as the floating gate in EEPROM cells. We have demonstrated the successful use of Au and W with their respective process dependence and self-assembly characteristics. The new material options can potentially enhance the applicability and functionality of the nanocrystal EEPROM device. Implications on process integration, in particular the control oxide growth and overall thermal budget, are examined by microscopy, gate current injection and channel mobility monitoring. Charging by hot-carrier injection and control gate tunneling have both been observed by shifts in I – V characteristics. The electrostatic behavior of metal nanocrystals is similar to that of Si nanocrystals in terms of the asymmetrical threshold voltage on source–drain reversal after hot-carrier injection and the Coulomb blockade effects. The electrodynamic behavior is expected to be quite different due to the density of states, but further study is required for quantitative analysis.
Photoelectrochemical studies on aqueous suspensions of 3‐dodecyl 2–5 di‐thionyl pyrrole/metal oxide photoactive interfaces

Colloidal ZnO, Fe2O3 and Cu2O solutions were used to explore photonic activities at metal oxides/organic semiconductors interfaces. Fluorescence spectroscopic and dynamic electrochemical techniques were performed on colloidal metal oxides articles modified with 3-dodecyl 2–5 di-thionyl pyrrole (3-DODTh-Py) to investigate the quantum absorbance efficiency at this inorganic/organic interface (IOI). The IOI assemblies were p-n junction-type interfaces, where 3-DODTh-Py) functions as electron donor. Results were interpreted using the optical and electrochemical parameters of the organic monomer such as IP (ionization potential), EA (electron affinity), and Eg (Energy band gap), and the barrier height at the IOI interface. One of the driving forces for great absorption at IOI was the great difference in electronegativity between inorganic and organic interface. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation and characterization of MgMnO3 and ZnMnO3

Abstract Two new ilmenites of tetravalent manganese have been prepared at high pressures: MgMnO3 : a = 4.945 A, c = 13.73 A; and ZnMnO3 : a = 4.965 A, c = 13.80A. The compounds were found to be antiferromagnetic, and MgMnO3 possessed semiconducting electrical properties.
‘Sowing the Seeds of Their Own Destruction’: Southern Planters, State Policy and the Market, 1933–1975

In this article, I examine the relationship between class, state and market. I analyse the process of class transformation, tracing the demise of the Southern planters. Scholars analysing the retrenchment of US agricultural policy in the 1970s frequently overlook the profound influence that this class segment had on the agricultural policy of price supports and production controls. Yet, this policy of supply management contributed to the transformation of the plantation–tenant system in the South. This transformation created an opportunity for the emergence of the civil rights movement, which further weakened the Southern planters and allowed for changes in agricultural policy. The retrenchment of agricultural policy between 1950 and 1975, then, must be understood in light of this process of class transformation.
Patterned direct-write and screen-printing of NIR-to-visible upconverting inks for security applications.

Two methods of direct-write printing for producing highly resolved features of a polymer impregnated with luminescent upconversion phosphors for security applications are presented. The printed polymer structures range in shape from features to text. The thin polymer features were deposited by direct-write printing of atomized material as well as by screen-printing techniques. These films contain highly luminescent lanthanide-doped, rare-earth nanocrystals, ?-NaYF4:3%Er, 17%Yb, which are capped with oleic acid. This capping agent allows the nanocrystals to disperse throughout the films for full detailing of printed features. Upconversion of deposited features was obtained using a 980?nm wavelength laser with emission of upconverted light in the visible region at both 540 and 660?nm. Features were deposited onto high bond paper, Kapton?, and glass to demonstrate possible covert and forensic security printing applications, as they are printed in various features and invisible to ?naked-eye? viewing at low concentrations of nanocrystals.
Strength and reliability of notched fiber-reinforced composites

The strength and reliability of a 3-D unidirectional fiber-reinforced composite containing an initial defect in the form of a cluster of initial fiber breaks are studied analytically and by simulation. The simulation model uses a Monte Carlo technique based on 3-D lattice Green's functions to calculate the stress field, damage evolution, and faiure in composites under ''Local Load Sharing'' (LLS) conditions in which the stress from broken fibers is transferred predominantly to the nearby unbroken fibers. Failure of ''notched'' composites, after the matrix has reached its fully cracked/yielded stare, is observed to occur by local accumulation of a critical amount of fiber damage around the notch. The decrease in tensile strength, but increasing reliability, with increasing size of the initial cluster of broken fibers is characterized. An analytic model for strength and reliability is developed which follows from the strength and reliability of un-notched composites by including, in a surprisingly simple manner, the effects of the stress concentration factor owing to the notch and the fiber pull-out stress around the notch. The model captures all of the details of the simulation results and includes the important effects of composite volume. (C) 1997 Acta Metallurgica Inc.
A numerical analysis of arborescent communities in the rain forest of the Luquillo mountains, Puerto Rico

Cluster analysis and canonical ordination were used as complementary techniques to identify major associations in a lower montane rain forest in Puerto Rico. These techniques were applied to forestry inventories from both secondary and primary communities. Eight major forest types were identified from the analyses and were confirmed by field checks. Distribution of these types was strongly correlated with past land-use and topographic position.
Learners of a New Generation

To identify educational practices that will best facilitate the development of expertise, we must first understand the learner. Student cohorts in post K-12 education are generally composed of learners from multiple generations. Learning cohorts from previous generations who were accustomed to a limited range of educational resources acclimated to learning through primarily aural and read/write modalities. The educational environment for millennial generation learners has been dominated by technology. As a result a variety of learning styles, not apparent in previous generations, have become common. These learning styles are incidental to novel resources to which learners now have access. Strategies designed to promote successful knowledge acquisition for learners of any style should incorporate a variety of the ever-increasing array of available innovative educational paradigms and digital resources. In addition to resources, other factors that should be considered in the design of strategies which can influence the success of next generation learning include their (1) tendency to learn via real-world applications, (2) unfamiliarity with educational technology, (3) weakness in information literacy, (4) need for frequent feedback, and (5) predilection to work in teams. A multifactorial approach to facilitate the development of expertise will best support individual scholarly effort and preparation for lifelong learning.
Simulation of self-stabilizing algorithms in distributed systems

The property of self-stabilization in distributed systems was originally introduced by Dijkstra (1974). Depending on the connectivity and propagation delay in the system, each machine gets a partial view of the global state. The set of global states can be split up into two categories, legal and illegal. In a self-stabilizing system, regardless of the initial state of the system, legal or illegal, the system automatically converges to a legal state in a finite number of steps. Also, if an error occurs in the system causing the system to be put into an illegal state, the system again corrects itself and converges to a legal state in a finite amount of time. Many self-stabilizing algorithms have been developed, but the complexity of self-stabilizing algorithms is difficult to determine. This paper provides an experimental analysis of various self-stabilizing algorithms in order to help determine the efficiency of these algorithms and to compare algorithms which solve the same problem. >
Feedback induced cooperation

In this paper, we demonstrate how feedback from receiver can induce cooperation between nodes, even without a direct cooperative link between cooperating nodes. To demonstrate the concept, we consider a multiuser two-way channel where all nodes have data for each other, thereby jointly considering uplink and downlink communication. We present a achievable rate region and explain a specific construction for a general channel. Numerical results for Gaussian channels clearly show the benefits of feedback, especially for weak users in near-far multiuser cases.
Opportunism and its critics

Although there is growing agreement that bounded rationality is the appropriate cognitive assumption for describing economic organization,' there is less agreement on how the self-interestedness of economic actors should be described. Transaction cost economics has proposed that economic agents be described as opportunistic, where this contemplates self-interest seeking with guile. That has turned out to be a controversial formulation. I begin with a brief discussion of behavioral assumptions, including an explanation of why opportunism is centrally implicated. Recent approaches to economic organization that emphasize trust are considered in the following section. The effects of suppressing opportunism are examined in the third section and conclusions follow.
Relation of Exercise to MHPG Excretion in Normal Subjects

Five normal subjects exercised for two hours on two of three consecutive days using isometric and isotonic exercise procedures. Urinary levels of norepinephrine (NE), normetanephrine (NM), metanephrine (M), and urine and plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were measured for the two-hour periods before, during, and after exercise. A ten-fold increase in urinary NE levels was Present after both exercise procedures. No increase in urinary levels of MHPG or M was observed during or two hours after exercise. Slight increases of plasma MHPG levels and urinary NM levels were observed during one of the two exercise periods compared to the two hours preceding exercise. Since urinary MHPG, NM, and M levels did not parallel the large increase in NE levels produced by exercise, it is probable that the NE produced by exercise is largely excreted or removed from circulation without metabolic breakdown. Thus, changes in urine MHPG levels in Patients with affective psychoses are not likely to be due to variations in the amounts of isotonic or isometric motor activity.
Enhancing molecularly imprinted polymer binding properties via controlled/living radical polymerization and reaction analysis

Abstract Fractional double bond conversion and associated template binding parameters of molecularly imprinted polymers were explored in this study in relation to initiator type and concentration, crosslinking monomer length, temperature, and solvent concentration. Controlled/living polymerization techniques were used to synthesize recognitive poly(methacrylic acid- co -ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (poly(MAA- co -EGDMA)) networks which resulted in a 63% increase in the number of binding sites at approximately equivalent average binding affinity while retaining selectivity of the target molecule, ethyladenine-9-acetate. This is hypothesized to be attributed to a decrease in kinetic chain length and/or a more narrow dispersity of kinetic chains which leads to increased structural homogeneity and increased stability and integrity of binding sites. Reaction analysis of a typical poly(MAA- co -EGDMA) molecularly imprinted network measured via differential scanning calorimetry revealed low double bond conversion (35 ± 2.3% at 0 °C to 54 ± 1.9% at 50 °C) which is due to severely constrained network formation; therefore, the final composition of imprinted polymers does not represent the initial formulation when using significant amounts of short bifunctional crosslinking monomer. Optimization of conventional photoinitiator was shown to lead to a small improvement in template selectivity at equivalent affinity and capacity. However, the use of controlled/living polymerization techniques within the field of imprinted polymers has the greatest potential to improve the structural homogeneity and drastically enhance the binding parameters. Polymerization reaction analysis and the use of controlled polymerization strategies will lead to a greater understanding of the imprinting mechanism, optimization of binding parameters, and an increase in the application potential of imprinted networks.
The effect of temperature on potassium equilibria in chick embryo muscle.

The effect of temperature upon the exchange rates between intra- and extracellular potassium in chick embryo muscle was determined by the use of radioactive potassium. The temperature coefficient of at least four-fifths of the cell potassium is large. At temperatures below 15°C., potassium is lost from the cell and is regained on warming. The results suggest the possibility that 20 per cent or less of the cell potassium may differ from the rest by being more rapidly exchangeable with the medium.
The devil is in the details (or the surface): impact of surface structure and surface energetics on understanding the behavior of nanomaterials in the environment

Metal and metal oxide nanomaterials are found in many consumer products for use in a wide range of applications including catalysis, sensors and contaminant remediation. Because of the extensive use of metal-based nanomaterials, there are concerns that these materials have the potential to get into the environment sometime during production, distribution, use and/or disposal. In particular, there exists the potential that they will make their way into water systems, e.g. drinking water systems, ground water systems, estuaries and lakes. In this review, some of the uncertainties in understanding nanoparticle behavior, which is often due to a lack of fundamental knowledge of the surface structure and surface energetics for very small particles, are discussed. Although classical models may provide guidance for understanding dissolution and aggregation of nanoparticles in water, it is the detailed surface structure and surface chemistry that are needed to accurately describe the surface free energy, a large component of the total free energy, in order to fully understand these processes. Without this information, it is difficult to develop a conceptual framework for understanding the fate, transport and potential toxicity of nanomaterials. Needed research areas to fill this void are discussed.
Sorption of humic acids and α‐endosulfan by clay minerals

Sorption of alpha-endosulfan by kaolinite and montmorillonite alone and in the presence of sorbed and dissolved humic acid (HA) was investigated (pH 8 and 25 degrees C). Three types of HA, Elliot soil HA (EHA), Peat HA (PHA), and Summit Hill HA (SHHA), were used to represent typical humic substances found in soils. For sorption of HA by either mineral, Freundlich sorption coefficient (K(f)) values appeared to decrease in the order of EHA > PHA > SHHA, which followed increasing polarity (expressed as the O/C atomic ratio) and decreasing percent-carbon content. For both clays, sorption of alpha-endosulfan by the HA mineral complex was greater than for sorption by the clay alone. Sorption of alpha-endosulfan by the HA mineral complexes followed the same order as the K(f) of the HAs (EHA > PHA > SHHA). Based on the amount of HA adsorbed by each mineral, organic carbon partition coefficients (K(oc)) were determined for sorption of alpha-endosulfan by two of the HA mineral complexes. The value of K(oc) for alpha-endosulfan sorption was greater for kaolinite EHA than kaolinite SHHA. However, the opposite trend was found with the montmorillonite HA complexes. Montmorillonite appeared to sorb alpha-endosulfan and/or HA with higher affinity than kaolinite, which likely is due to its 2:1 layer structure and higher surface area. Sorption of endosulfan diol, a hydrolysis product, by the minerals was much less than the parent pesticide.
Pericellular oxygen concentration of cultured primary human trophoblasts

Introduction Oxygen is pivotal in placental development and function. In vitro culture of human trophoblasts provides a useful model to study this phenomenon, but a hotly debated issue is whether or not the oxygen tension of the culture conditions mimics in vivo conditions. We tested the hypothesis that ambient oxygen tensions in culture reflect the pericellular oxygen levels.
Neural differences in the processing of semantic relationships across cultures

State University of New York at StonyBrook, Stony Brook, MA, 11794, USAThe current study employed functional MRI to investigate the contribution of domain-general (e.g. executive functions) anddomain-specific (e.g. semantic knowledge) processes to differences in semantic judgments across cultures. Previous behavioralexperiments have identified cross-cultural differences in categorization, with East Asians preferring strategies involving thematicor functional relationships (e.g. cow-grass) and Americans preferring categorical relationships (e.g. cow-chicken). East Asians andAmerican participants underwent functional imaging while alternating between categorical or thematic strategies to sort triadsof words, as well as matching words on control trials. Many similarities were observed. However, across both category andrelationship trials compared to match (control) trials, East Asians activated a frontal-parietal network implicated in controlledexecutive processes, whereas Americans engaged regions of the temporal lobes and the cingulate, possibly in response toconflict in the semantic content of information. The results suggest that cultures differ in the strategies employed to resolveconflict between competing semantic judgments.Keywords: cognition; culture; executive function; fMRI; semantic
A relationship between apparent extent and alignment in the Poggendorff illusion

Based upon the suggestion that apparent misalignment of transversals in the Poggendorff illusion is attributable to an underestimation of the linear extent between the parallels, 50 subjects made alignment and extent estimates in a diagonally oriented variation of the Poggendorff figure. Previous findings of significant misalignment and underestimation were verified, and a significant correlation was found between alignment judgments and extent judgments. Thus, additional evidence was provided for the relationship between misalignment and underestimation in the Poggendorff illusion.
The Physical Structure of Regional Educational Service Agencies: Implications for Service and Equity Goals

One ofthe assumptions underlying the organization and maintenance of regional educational service agencies, or, educationalcooperatives, is that they enable districts tobenefitfrom economiesofscale. This study, usingdatafrom New York state's Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES), examines the interaction of district size and wealth factors with BOCESsize and wealthfactors as they are related to expenditure levels for service provision. A regression analysis shows that thephysical characteristics ofBOCESare significantly related to expenditure levels. ANOVA studies reveal a systematic interaction between district and BOCES characteristics, indicating that the investment levels of similarly structured districts in differently structured BOCESare significantly different. These results suggest that the opportunities available to districts through regional educational service agencies may depend upon their location, afact that violated a basic premise ofschoolfinance equity.
Death and Harmless Error: A Rhetorical Response to Judging Innocence

Professor Garrett’s impressive empirical analysis of the first 200 post conviction DNA exonerations in the United States (“Garrett Study”) has the potential to affect contemporary debates surrounding our nation’s criminal justice system. This Response explores this potential by harnessing the Study’s data in support of arguments for and against a contested doctrinal proposition — that guilt-based harmless error rules should never apply in death penalty appeals.My analysis starts with the premise that the Study’s real world impact will necessarily depend on how jurists, politicians, and scholars extrapolate the explanatory power of the data beyond the 200 cases themselves. While critics of contemporary criminal justice policies will likely see Professor Garrett’s data as revealing the tip of an iceberg of deeper structural flaws, defenders of the status quo will predictably resist generalizations from this closed data set to any larger picture of criminal justice administration. Much therefore rides on the perceived inductive reach of these 200 cases.
Confronting Prior Convictions: On Issues of Prior Sensitivity and Likelihood Robustness in Bayesian Analysis

In this review we explore issues of the sensitivity of Bayes estimates to the prior and form of the likelihood. With respect to the prior, we argue that non-Bayesian analyses also incorporate prior information, illustrate that the Bayes posterior mean and the frequentist maximum likelihood estimator are often asymptotically equivalent, review a simple computational strategy for analyzing sensitivity to the prior in practice, and finally document the potentially important role of the prior in Bayesian model comparison. With respect to issues of likelihood robustness, we review a variety of computational strategies for significantly expanding the maintained sampling model, including the use of finite Gaussian mixture models and models based on Dirichlet process priors.
LOWER LID BLEPHAROPLASTY

Lower lid rejuvenation is a complex process. Attention to detail is important. Several aspects are discussed in detail to assist the surgeon in obtaining good results with minimal complication risk.
Utilizing regulatory T cells against rheumatoid arthritis.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are essential for normal immune surveillance systems, and their dysfunction leads to development of diseases, such as autoimmune disorders. CD4+ CD25+ Treg cells are well-known suppressive cells which express the transcription factor Foxp3, are indispensable for the maintenance of immune self-tolerance and homeostasis by suppressing aberrant or excessive immune response. Other Foxp3- Treg cells include Tr1, Th3, CD8+CD28-/-, and Qa1-restricted T cells; however, the contribution of these Treg cells to self-tolerance, immune homeostasis as well as preventing autoimmunity is not well defined. Here we discuss the phenotypes and function of Foxp3+ Treg cells and the potential use of such Treg cells against rheumatoid arthritis. Of note, even though most expanded populations of Foxp3+ Treg cells exhibit suppressive activity, tissue-associated or antigen-specific Treg cells appear superior in suppressing local autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, utilizing tissue-associated Foxp3+ Treg cells from stem cells may stable Foxp3 expression and avoid induction of a potentially detrimental systemic immunosuppression.
Automatic three‐dimensional correlation of CT‐CT, CT‐MRI, and CT‐SPECT using chamfer matching

Image correlation is often required to utilize the complementary information in CT, MRI, and SPECT. A practical method for automatic image correlation in three-dimensions (3D) based on chamfer matching is described. The method starts with automatic extraction of contour points in one modality and automatic segmentation of the corresponding feature in the other modality. A distance transform is applied to the segmented volume and a cost function is defined that operates between the contour points and the distance transform. Matching is performed by iteratively optimizing the cost function for 3D translation, rotation, and scaling of the contour points. The complete matching process including segmentation requires no user interaction and takes about 100 s on an HP715/50 workstation. Perturbation tests on clinical data with cost functions based on mean, rms, and maximum distances in combination with two general purpose optimization procedures have been performed. The performance of the methods has been quantified in terms of accuracy, capture range, and reliability. The best results on clinical data are obtained with the cost function based on the mean distance and the simplex optimization method. The accuracy is 0.3 mm for CT-CT, 1.0 mm for CT-MRI, and 0.7 mm for CT-SPECT correlation of the head. The accuracy is usually at subpixel level but is limited by global geometric distortions, e.g., for CT-MRI correlation. Both for CT-CT and CT-MRI correlation the capture range is about 6 cm, which is higher than normal differences in patient setup found on the scanners (less than 4 cm). This means that the correlation procedure seldom fails (better than 98% reliability) and user interaction is unnecessary. For CT-SPECT matching the capture range is about 3 cm (80% reliability), and must be further improved. The method has already been introduced in clinical practice.
Association of Dishevelled with the clathrin AP-2 adaptor is required for Frizzled endocytosis and planar cell polarity signaling.

Upon activation by Wnt, the Frizzled receptor is internalized in a process that requires the recruitment of Dishevelled. We describe a novel interaction between Dishevelled2 (Dvl2) and μ2-adaptin, a subunit of the clathrin adaptor AP-2; this interaction is required to engage activated Frizzled4 with the endocytic machinery and for its internalization. The interaction of Dvl2 with AP-2 requires simultaneous association of the DEP domain and a peptide YHEL motif within Dvl2 with the C terminus of μ2. Dvl2 mutants in the YHEL motif fail to associate with μ2 and AP-2, and prevent Frizzled4 internalization. Corresponding Xenopus Dishevelled mutants show compromised ability to interfere with gastrulation mediated by the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway. Conversely, a Dvl2 mutant in its DEP domain impaired in PCP signaling exhibits defective AP-2 interaction and prevents the internalization of Frizzled4. We suggest that the direct interaction of Dvl2 with AP-2 is important for Frizzled internalization and Frizzled/PCP signaling.
Do Bills of Rights Matter? The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Although constitutional protection for rights is increasingly popular, there is little systematic research on the extent to which bills of rights affect the process of government. This article examines the effects a bill of rights may be expected to produce, and then uses a quasi-experimental design to analyze the effects of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on the Canadian Supreme Court's agenda. The data suggest that the Charter indeed has influenced the Court's agenda, although the effects are more limited than generally recognized. More important, the data suggest that a number of the influences often attributed to the Charter likely resulted instead from the growth of what I call the support structure for legal mobilization, consisting of various resources that enable litigants to pursue rights-claims in court. The political significance of a bill of rights, then, depends on factors in civil society that are independent of constitutional structure.
A regulatory code for neurogenic gene expression in the Drosophila embryo

Bioinformatics methods have identified enhancers that mediate restricted expression in the Drosophila embryo. However, only a small fraction of the predicted enhancers actually work when tested in vivo. In the present study, co-regulated neurogenic enhancers that are activated by intermediate levels of the Dorsal regulatory gradient are shown to contain several shared sequence motifs. These motifs permitted the identification of new neurogenic enhancers with high precision: five out of seven predicted enhancers direct restricted expression within ventral regions of the neurogenic ectoderm. Mutations in some of the shared motifs disrupt enhancer function, and evidence is presented that the Twist and Su(H) regulatory proteins are essential for the specification of the ventral neurogenic ectoderm prior to gastrulation. The regulatory model of neurogenic gene expression defined in this study permitted the identification of a neurogenic enhancer in the distant Anopheles genome. We discuss the prospects for deciphering regulatory codes that link primary DNA sequence information with predicted patterns of gene expression.
Minority and Public Insurance Status: Is There a Delay to Alveolar Bone Grafting Surgery?

Objective: This study sought to determine the timing of alveolar bone grafting (ABG) surgery among children with cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL±P) with regard to race and insurance status. Design: A retrospective chart review of consecutive patients receiving ABG surgery was conducted. A multivariate regression model was constructed using predetermined clinical and demographic variables. Setting: A large, urban cleft referral center. Patients, Participants: Nonsyndromic patients with CL±P were eligible for study inclusion. Interventions: ABG surgery using autogenous bone harvested from the anterior iliac crest. Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome of interest was age at ABG surgery. Results: A total of 233 patients underwent ABG surgery at 8.1 ± 2.3 years of age. African American and Hispanic patients received delayed ABG surgery compared with Caucasian patients by approximately 1 year (P .05). Conclusio...
Design of a feedback-feedforward steering controller for accurate path tracking and stability at the limits of handling

This paper presents a feedback-feedforward steering controller that simultaneously maintains vehicle stability at the limits of handling while minimising lateral path tracking deviation. The design begins by considering the performance of a baseline controller with a lookahead feedback scheme and a feedforward algorithm based on a nonlinear vehicle handling diagram. While this initial design exhibits desirable stability properties at the limits of handling, the steady-state path deviation increases significantly at highway speeds. Results from both linear and nonlinear analyses indicate that lateral path tracking deviations are minimised when vehicle sideslip is held tangent to the desired path at all times. Analytical results show that directly incorporating this sideslip tangency condition into the steering feedback dramatically improves lateral path tracking, but at the expense of poor closed-loop stability margins. However, incorporating the desired sideslip behaviour into the feedforward loop creates...
A Hamiltonian-Krein (instability) index theory for KdV-like eigenvalue problems

The Hamiltonian-Krein (instability) index is concerned with determining the number of eigenvalues with positive real part for the Hamiltonian eigenvalue problem $ J L u=\lambda u$, where $J$ is skew-symmetric and $L$ is self-adjoint. If $J$ has a bounded inverse the index is well-established, and it is given by the number of negative eigenvalues of the operator $L$ constrained to act on some finite-codimensional subspace. There is an important class of problems - namely, those of KdV-type - for which $J$ does not have a bounded inverse. In this paper we overcome this difficulty and derive the index for eigenvalue problems of KdV-type. We use the index to discuss the spectral stability of homoclinic traveling waves for KdV-like problems and BBM-type problems.
The epidemiology of substance use disorders in US Veterans: A systematic review and analysis of assessment methods.

Background Substance use disorders (SUDs), which encompass alcohol and drug use disorders (AUDs, DUDs), constitute a major public health challenge among US veterans. SUDs are among the most common and costly of all health conditions among veterans. Objectives This study sought to examine the epidemiology of SUDs among US veterans, compare the prevalence of SUDs in studies using diagnostic and administrative criteria assessment methods, and summarize trends in the prevalence of SUDs reported in studies sampling US veterans over time. Methods Comprehensive electronic database searches were conducted. A total of 3,490 studies were identified. We analyzed studies sampling US veterans and reporting prevalence, distribution, and examining AUDs and DUDs. Results Of the studies identified, 72 met inclusion criteria. The studies were published between 1995 and 2013. Studies using diagnostic criteria reported higher prevalence of AUDs (32% vs. 10%) and DUDs (20% vs. 5%) than administrative criteria, respectively. Regardless of assessment method, both the lifetime and past year prevalence of AUDs in studies sampling US veterans has declined gradually over time. Conclusion The prevalence of SUDs reported in studies sampling US veterans are affected by assessment method. Given the significant public health problems of SUDs among US veterans, improved guidelines for clinical screening using validated diagnostic criteria to assess AUDs and DUDs in US veteran populations are needed. Scientific Significance These findings may inform VA and other healthcare systems in prevention, diagnosis, and intervention for SUDs among US veterans. (Am J Addict 2016;25:7-24) Language: en