cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Processing of GaN vertical devices: Static Induction Transistors

In this presentation we will see how vertical GaN devices have made progress over the last decade. Beyond CAVET and MOSFET, we are observing very interesting device performances in more simple geometry device like Static Induction transistor (SIT). We will focus on the recent advancement made in SIT development. Lack of avalanche continues to stay as an issue that although observed and reported in GaN devices, is not yet a routine phenomenon. We will discuss key issues in device processing that we have to overcome to enable a viable path into next-generation power electronics applications.
DolphinNext: A graphical user interface for creating Nextflow pipelines

ABSTRACT The emergence of high throughput technologies that produce vast amounts of genomic data, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) are transforming biological research. The dramatic increase in the volume of data makes analysis the main bottleneck for scientific discovery. The processing of high throughput datasets typically involves many different computational programs, each of which performs a specific step in a pipeline. Given the wide range of applications and organizational infrastructures, there is a great need for a highly-parallel, flexible, portable, and reproducible data processing frameworks. Flexibility ensures that pipelines can support a variety of applications without requiring one-off modifications. Portability ensures that users can leverage computationally available resources and work within economic constraints. Reproducibility warrants credibility to the results, and is particularly challenging in the face of the sheer volume of data and the complexity of processing pipelines that vary widely between users. Several platforms currently exist for the design and execution of complex pipelines (e.g. Galaxy, GenePattern, GeneProf). Unfortunately, these platforms lack the necessary combination of parallelism, portability, flexibility and/or reproducibility that are required by the current research environment. To address these shortcomings, Nextflow was implemented to simplify portable, scalable, and reproducible scientific pipelines using containers. We have used Nextflow capabilities as a leverage and developed a user interface, DolphinNext, for creating, deploying, and executing complex Nextflow pipelines for high throughput data processing. The guiding principle of DolphinNext is to facilitate the building and deployment of complex pipelines using a modular approach implemented in a graphical interface. DolphinNext provides: 1. A drag and drop user interface that abstracts pipelines and allows users to create pipelines without familiarity in underlying programming languages. 2. A user interface to monitor pipeline execution that allows the re-initiation of pipelines at intermediate steps 3. Reproducible pipelines with version tracking and stand-alone versions that can be run independently. 4. Seamless portability to distributed computational environments such as high performance clusters or cloud computing environments.
Can We Say the “r” Word?: Identifying and Disrupting Colorblind Epistemologies in a Teacher Education Methods Course

Several educational researchers have critiqued the increasing marginalization of foundations coursework in teacher education programs within the United States. Situated within a teacher certificati...
The Diagnosis of HIV: Right Test, Right Interpretation, Right Away

Abstract Diagnostic strategies for HIV infection have evolved to keep pace with the development of reliable and sensitive laboratory methods. FDA-approved fourth-generation antigen (Ag)-antibody immunoassays afford improved diagnosis but can result in interpretive challenges when used in unique patient populations, including infants, pregnant women, the setting of post-exposure prophylaxis, and CAR-T cell recipients. The ordering and reporting challenges for serological and molecular methods are further complicated by the availability of a CLIA-waived rapid test platform, as well as a fifth-generation immunoassay that differentiates HIV types simultaneously with detection. However, these assays do not precisely align with the current CDC/Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) guidelines. Finally, the notable absence of test platforms for FDA-approved qualitative HIV-1 RNA and integrated proviral DNA detection impacts the clinical and diagnostic approach. Here, we describe challenges and opportunities regarding the diagnosis of HIV infection in both routine and unique patient populations.
The “Bay-Region” Theory of Carcinogenic Activity; Application of Perturbational Molecular Orbital Theory

This chapter focuses on the bay-region theory of carcinogenic activity. A chemical basis for assessing the carcinogenicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's) based on diol epoxides as ultimate carcinogens has been advanced by Jerina and coworkers. It is contended that a so-called bay-region is required adjacent to the epoxy group on the saturated angular benzo-ring to account for the carcinogenic activity exhibited by certain members of PAHs. The bay-region theory has also proved to be highly effective in explaining and predicting the relative carcinogenicity of various methyl- and fluoro-substituted hydrocarbons. In general, substitution on the angular benzo-ring tends to exert a significant decrease in carcinogenic activity on the parent hydrocarbon by inhibiting metabolic activation to a bay-region epoxide. In contrast, substitution elsewhere in the molecule may result in an enhancement of carcinogenicity as the substituents may block the metabolism at these sites and, thus, direct metabolic activation to the benzo-ring. Moreover, the bay-region theory is also useful in explaining the inactivity of the series of linear fused aromatic polynuclear hydrocarbons such as naphthalene, anthracene, and pentacene whose structures preclude formation of bay-region epoxides.
Cartography and Code: Incorporating Automation in the Exploration of Medieval Mappaemundi

The study of medieval mappaemundi has traditionally relied on comparative analysis as one of the methods to examine and identify possible centres of map production, common sources and conceptions of space and place, as well as possible social, institutional, ideological, and economic connections between maps. The comparison of place names between medieval mappaemundi is one of the ways scholars can compare toponyms across maps, but this has, until now, been conducted by hand, usually on a case by case study. This paper introduces a new digital tool called veccompare, designed to facilitate an in-depth study of the relationships between mappaemundi vis a vis their textual content. As a case study, veccompare has been used for the comparison of two Psalter maps. Veccompare’s output report and visualization of data has led to a better understanding of the Psalter maps’ close physical proximity, namely on the same folio in the same manuscript. It may be pursuant not to a direct, one-to-one, model-derivative type of relationship between the maps, but rather to an indirect relationship stemming from a common textual source used by both mapmakers.
Improving Behavior Challenges and Quality of Life in the Autism Learning Health Network.

OBJECTIVES: To summarize baseline data and lessons learned from the Autism Learning Health Network, designed to improve care and outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We describe challenging behaviors, co-occurring medical conditions, quality of life (QoL), receipt of recommended health services, and next steps. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of children 3 to 12 years old with ASD receiving care at 13 sites. Parent-reported characteristics of children with ASD were collected as outcome measures aligned with our network’s aims of reducing rates of challenging behaviors, improving QoL, and ensuring receipt of recommended health services. Parents completed a survey about behavioral challenges, co-occurring conditions, health services, and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health Measure and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist to assess QoL and behavior symptoms, respectively. RESULTS: Analysis included 530 children. Challenging behaviors were reported by the majority of parents (93%), frequently noting attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, irritability, and anxiety. Mean (SD) scores on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist hyperactivity and irritability subscales were 17.9 (10.5) and 13.5 (9.2), respectively. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health Measure total score of 23.6 (3.7) was lower than scores reported in a general pediatric population. Most children had received recommended well-child (94%) and dental (85%) care in the past 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: This baseline data (1) affirmed the focus on addressing challenging behaviors; (2) prioritized 3 behavior domains, that of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, irritability, and anxiety; and (3) identified targets for reducing severity of behaviors and strategies to improve data collection.
Social Emotional Learning for Teachers (SELF-T): A Short-term, Online Intervention to Increase Early Childhood Educators’ Resilience

Early childhood teachers’ social emotional well-being is important for their quality of life, and is associated with their classroom practices, their relationships with children, and with child fun...
Patient and Family Descriptions of Ethical Concerns.

Ethically challenging situations routinely arise in the course of illness and healthcare. However, very few studies have surveyed patients and family members about their experiences with ethically ...
Multi-component communication intervention for children with autism: A randomized controlled trial:

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component communication intervention on social communication for young children with autism. As many as half of children with...
The intrinsic apoptotic pathway lies upstream of oxidative stress in multiple organs

Oxidative stress increases with age in multiple organ systems and is implicated in the development of age-related pathologies in them. Studies from our laboratory show that the intrinsic pathway proapoptotic proteins BAX and caspase-3 (CASP3) lie upstream of mitochondrial production of oxidative stress-inducing reactive species (RS) such as reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) in apoptotic and nonapoptotic neurons in cell culture. Our objective in this study was to determine if these findings could be generalized to the development of oxidative stress in nonneuronal tissues in vivo. We first investigated the effect of genetic deletion of Bax on DNA damage in the liver, heart and kidneys of female mice of increasing ages (5, 14, 22 months). The organs of the aged mice showed increased oxidative DNA strand breaks compared to young animals (5 month). Ablation of Bax greatly reduced this damage. We next assessed lipid peroxidation, DNA oxidation, and protein tyrosine nitration to determine whether Casp3 deletion reduces oxidative stress in the hearts, livers, and kidneys of 12-month-old female mice. Lipid peroxides and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels were much lower in organs from mice with depleted Casp3 than in those of wild type animals. Nitration of protein tyrosine residues, caused by RNS, was also significantly suppressed in the tissues of Casp3 null mice compared to those in wild type mice. Our findings indicate that BAX and CASP3 have a vital role in the generation of oxidative stress in organs of aged mice.
A Conversation Between Hong Wu and Johannes Czernin

![Figure][1] Hong Wu, MD, PhD Johannes Czernin, MD, talked with Hong Wu, MD, PhD, professor and dean of the School of Life Sciences and a senior investigator of the Peking–Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at Peking University (Beijing, China). Dr. Wu received her medical degree from
Hoof trimming made easy

One segment of herd health that is being almost totally ignored is hoof trimming. An individual or two should be professionally trained to trim feet and be part of a dairy practice group. Hoof trimming, as it is presently performed, can be markedly improved because this procedure often predisposes animals to lameness when it is not properly performed.
Enduring problems in the offspring of depressed parents followed up to 38 years.

Abstract Background while the increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in offspring of depressed parents is one of the best-replicated findings in psychiatry, their long-term outcomes are less well known. The clinical outcomes of biological offspring of depressed (high-risk) and not depressed (low-risk) parents who have been directly interviewed over the years are presented. Methods a longitudinal retrospective cohort study began in 1982, and 276 biological offspring of moderately-to-severely depressed or non-depressed parents from the same community were followed up to 38 years. Rates of psychiatric disorders for offspring were collected by clinically trained interviewers. Final diagnoses were made by M.D. or Ph.D. clinicians. Mortality and cause of death were obtained from relatives and registries. Findings high- compared to low-risk offspring continue to have about a three-fold increased risk of MDD, increased rates of anxiety disorder, substance dependence, and poorer functioning over the life course. Adolescence and early adulthood remain prime age of first onsets. Within high-risk group only, the death rate due to unnatural causes, suicides and overdose was 4·97/100 in the offspring and 5·36/100 in their parents. This subsample of White, lower-educated, often unemployed persons, who died by unnatural causes are similar demographically to those described as having a recent increase in ‘deaths of despair’. Interpretation family history of MDD continues to be a powerful predictor of clinical course and mortality and should be probed in clinical visits, especially in youth when depression usually first appears. Funding This work is supported by NIMH grant R01MH-036,197 (P.I.s: Weissman, Posner).
Problem solving: an assessment of student attitudes, expectations, and beliefs

We describe a study of student attitudes, expectations, and beliefs about problem solving in the electrical engineering technology classroom as they relate to learning strategies for problem solving based examinations. We have developed an assessment instrument which asks students to respond to four kinds of items: their expectations about problem solving; their strategies for preparing for exams; their self-assessment of their problem solving skills; and their appreciation of mathematics, physics, algebra word problems, and puzzles. Student responses were analyzed statistically to determine if there were any significant relationships among the items.
Part 2. Putting principles into practice

In this article, we present a clinical case scenario that illustrates howto put the principles of initial assessment and treatment intopractice.1
Book review: Usability Inspection Methods edited by Jakob Nielsen and Robert L. Mack (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1994)

In recent years, organizations have become more and more concerned with the concept of "usability," the ease with which customers will be able to employ an artifact, be it a computer program or a voice mail system. Usability Inspection is a rapidly growing science concerned with developing tools and techniques for identifying potential problems that will face customers using the artifact during the design process, rather than discovering them after the product has gone to market. This edited volume fills an important niche, by describing a variety of methods employed by usability engineers and comparing their effectiveness. The editors planned the volume, which arose out of a CHI 1992 workshop, to be used as a primer for students or user interface practitioners. Many of the chapters are very useful for this purpose, however the book as a whole is somewhat redundant, and some of the contributions are too vague to be of much value to a novice in the field.
Characterization of a 40S ribosomal subunit complex in polyribosomes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae treated with cycloheximide.

Abstract Under specific conditions cycloheximide treatment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae caused the accumulation of a type of polyribosome called "halfmer." Limited ribonuclease digestion of halfmers released particles from the polyribosomes identified as 40S ribosomal subunits. The data demonstrated that halfmers are polyribosomes containing an additional 40S ribosomal subunit attached to the messenger ribonucleic acid. Protein gel electrophoretic analysis of halfmers revealed numerous nonribosomal proteins. Two of these proteins comigrate with subunits of yeast initiation factor eIF2.
Landmark methods for forms without landmarks: morphometrics of group differences in outline shape

Morphometrics, a new branch of statistics, combines tools from geometry, computer graphics and biometrics in techniques for the multivariate analysis of biological shape variation. Although medical image analysts typically prefer to represent scenes by way of curving outlines or surfaces, the most recent developments in this associated statistical methodology have emphasized the domain of landmark data: size and shape of configurations of discrete, named points in two or three dimensions. This paper introduces a combination of Procrustes analysis and thin-plate splines, the two most powerful tools of landmark-based morphometrics, for multivariate analysis of curving outlines in samples of biomedical images. The thin-plate spline is used to assign point-to-point correspondences, called semi-landmarks, between curves of similar but variable shape, while the standard algorithm for Procrustes shape averages and shape coordinates is altered to accord with the ways in which semi-landmarks formally differ from more traditional landmark loci. Subsequent multivariate statistics and visualization proceed mainly as in the landmark-based methods. The combination provides a range of complementary filters, from high pass to low pass, for effects on outline shape in grouped studies. The low-pass version is based on the spectrum of the spline, the high pass, on a familiar special case of Procrustes analysis. This hybrid method is demonstrated in a comparison of the shape of the corpus callosum from mid-sagittal sections of MRI of 25 human brains, 12 normal and 13 with schizophrenia.
Organ scarcity and the psychological pre-heart transplant evaluation: a simulation study using community residents.

Context—Although research examining medical outcomes in heart transplantation has progressed, there are few studies examining the impact of organ scarcity and wait list demand on the transplant candidate evaluation process.Objective—To examine the influence of transplant knowledge pertaining to organ scarcity and wait list demand on simulated ratings of psychological distress provided by community residents participating in a simulated pre-heart transplant evaluation.Design—A randomized, controlled design. We used a vignette simulation to experimentally manipulate the effect of transplant knowledge pertaining to organ scarcity in a group of community residents with no previous knowledge or experience with the transplant selection process.Participants—One hundred forty-three community residents visiting a department of motor vehicles office in north central Florida were recruited. Community residents were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 experimental conditions, with either mention (n = 66) or no mention (n = 7...
cDNA cloning and sequence analysis of the Xenopus laevis egg envelope glycoprotein gp43

The glycoproteins of the Xenopus laevis egg envelope function in fertilization and development. As the unfertilizable coelomic egg transits the pars recta region of the oviduct, it is converted to a fertilizable egg by limited proteolysis of the envelope glycoprotein gp43 to gp41. This conversion is caused by an oviductally secreted serine active site protease, oviductin. We cloned a cDNA for gp43 from an oocyte cDNA library. The cDNA encoded a 454 amino acid protein homologous to the ZPC family of glycoproteins previously shown to be present in mammalian and fish egg envelopes. Conserved ZPC domains and motifs present in the Xenopus sequence included a signal peptide sequence, an N-linked glycosylation site, and 12 aligned Cys residues. In mammalian and Xenopus sequences, a furin-like (convertase) site and a C-terminal transmembrane domain were present reflecting the biosynthesis of ZPC in these species via the secretory glycoprotein pathway. However, fish envelope glycoproteins lack these sequences since they are synthesized via a different route (in the liver, transported to the ovary, and assembled into the egg envelope surrounding the oocyte). Consensus amino acid residues were identified by sequence comparisons of seven ZPC family members; 19% of the amino acid residues were invariant and 48% of the residues were identical in at least four of the seven sequences. The consensus sequence was used to make structure-fertilization function predictions for this phylogenetically conserved family of glycoproteins.
NMDA receptor subunit gene expression in the rat brain: a quantitative analysis of endogenous mRNA levels of NR1Com, NR2A, NR2B, NR2C, NR2D and NR3A.

Electrophysiological recordings have shown NMDA receptors to be heterogenous structures capable of responding to selected antagonists and agonists in multiple ways. This diversity in functional response has led investigators to conclude that these channels are comprised of unique combinations of receptor subunits which determine a cell's functional NMDA-signature [H. Meguro, H. Mori, K. Araki, E. Kushiya, T. Kutsuwada, M. Yamazaki, T. Kumanishi, M. Arakawa, K. Sakimura, M. Mishina, Functional characterization of a heteromeric NMDA receptor channel expressed from cloned cDNAs, Nature (London) 357 (1992) 70-74; T. Ishii, K. Moriyoshi, H. Sugihara, K. Sakurada, H. Kadotani, M. Yokoi, C. Akazawa, R. Shigemoto, N. Mizuno, S. Nakanishi, Molecular characterization of the family of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunits, J. Biol. Chem. 268 (1993) 2836-2843; K.A. Wafford, C.J. Bain, B. Le Bourdelles, P.J. Whiting, J.A. Kemp, Preferential co-assembly of recombinant NMDA receptors composed of three different subunits, NeuroReport 4 (1993) 1347-1349; T. Priestley, P. Laughton, J. Myers, B. Le Bourdelles, J. Kerby, P.J. Whiting, Pharmacological properties of recombinant human N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors comprising NR1a/NR2A and NR1a/NR2B subunit assemblies expressed in permanently transfected mouse fiberblast cells, Mol. Pharmacol. 48 (1995) 841-848; P.H. Seeburg, N. Burnashev, G. Kohr, T. Kuner, R. Sprengel, H. Monyer, The NMDA receptor channel: molecular design of a coincidence detector, Recent Prog. Horm. Res. 50 (1995) 19-34; A.L. Buller, D.T. Monagahan, Pharmacological heterogeneity of NMDA receptors: characterization of NR1a/NR2D heteromers expressed in Xenopus oocytes, Eur. J. Pharmacol. 320 (1997) 87-94]. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemical studies have shown that there is a spatio-temporal level of expression throughout the brain for each of the receptor subunits with some regions showing a strong preference for a particular subunit. Although these studies collectively show that there are regional differences with respect to NMDA receptor subunit expression in the brain, it has not been determined at what level(s) these genes are expressed or whether each region displays a unique NMDA-subunit signature. The present study was undertaken to examine the level of gene expression for the NR1, NR2A, NR2B, NR2C, NR2D and NR3A receptor subunits in isolated regions of rat brain using the nuclease protection assay. Results show that each of the brain regions examined expresses all six NMDA receptor subunits. The level of message expression for NR1 greatly exceeded that of the other subunits combined, with values ranging from 67-88% of the total subunit gene expression. The relative proportions of the other subunits (NR2A-D and NR3A) varied widely, suggesting that NMDA receptor composition is unique to each region of the brain.
Repair of insufficient bicuspid aortic valves

A technique for the repair of bicuspid aortic valves that includes resection of the flail segment of the prolapsing leaflet, annuloplasty, and resection of the raphe, when present, has been reported. To assess the efficacy of this technique in the repair of insufficient bicuspid aortic valves, the results in 72 consecutive patients were assessed. The mean age of the patients was 39 +/- 11 years; 94% were male. Fifty-six patients (78%) underwent isolated aortic valve repair, 9 (12.5%) underwent aortic and mitral valve repair, and 7 (9.7%) had other associated procedures. All patients underwent leaflet resection, including 35 (48%) at the raphe. The mean aortic occlusion time was 39 +/- 12 minutes. There were no operative deaths. The severity of aortic insufficiency, as assessed by Doppler echocardiography (graded from 0 to 4) preoperatively and intraoperatively and at late follow-up, was 3.6 +/- 0.6, 0.4 +/- 0.4, and 0.9 +/- 0.8, respectively, with a p value of < 0.0001 for the latter two values versus the preoperative one. There have been no postoperative deaths. Patients did not receive anticoagulation treatment and there were no strokes or episodes of endocarditis. Six patients have required reoperation; 3 underwent repeat repair. The Kaplan-Meier freedom from aortic valve reoperation probabilities at 12 and 24 months were 94% and 89.5%, respectively. We conclude that valvuloplasty for insufficient bicuspid aortic valves is technically safe, is associated with a low incidence of recurrent insufficiency, and has been associated with no other valve-related complications.
c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase Phosphorylation of Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K Regulates Vertebrate Axon Outgrowth via a Posttranscriptional Mechanism

c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) mediates cell signaling essential for axon outgrowth, but the associated substrates and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We identified in Xenopus laevis embryos a novel posttranscriptional mechanism whereby JNK regulates axonogenesis by phosphorylating a specific site on heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K). Both JNK inhibition and hnRNP K knockdown inhibited axon outgrowth and translation of hnRNP K-regulated cytoskeletal RNAs (tau and neurofilament medium), effects that were alleviated by expressing phosphomimetic, but not phosphodeficient, forms of hnRNP K. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses indicated that JNK phosphorylation of hnRNP K occurred within the cytoplasm and was necessary for the translational initiation of hnRNP K-targeted RNAs but not for hnRNP K intracellular localization or RNA binding. Thus, in addition to its known roles in transcription and cytoskeletal organization, JNK acts posttranscriptionally through hnRNP K to regulate translation of proteins crucial for axonogenesis.
Effect of selenium evaporation rate on ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 films

The selenium (Se) rate has been shown to have a significant influence on the deposition of high quality Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 thin films. This has been observed primarily by exsitu experiments on thick Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 films. In this paper, we present the influence of the Se rate on the properties of both thick and ultrathin CIGS films as measured by in-situ real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE). These measurements were correlated with ex-situ measurements performed by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to analyze the crystal structure, surface morphology, composition ratio and the fundamental optical constants of Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 thin films deposited with different Se evaporation rates.
Timing of favorable conditions, competition and fertility interact to govern recruitment of invasive Chinese tallow tree in stressful environments.

The rate of new exotic recruitment following removal of adult invaders (reinvasion pressure) influences restoration outcomes and costs but is highly variable and poorly understood. We hypothesize that broad variation in average reinvasion pressure of Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree, a major invader) arises from differences among habitats in spatiotemporal availability of realized recruitment windows. These windows are periods of variable duration long enough to permit establishment given local environmental conditions. We tested this hypothesis via a greenhouse mesocosm experiment that quantified how the duration of favorable moisture conditions prior to flood or drought stress (window duration), competition and nutrient availability influenced Triadica success in high stress environments. Window duration influenced pre-stress seedling abundance and size, growth during stress and final abundance; it interacted with other factors to affect final biomass and germination during stress. Stress type and competition impacted final size and biomass, plus germination, mortality and changes in size during stress. Final abundance also depended on competition and the interaction of window duration, stress type and competition. Fertilization interacted with competition and stress to influence biomass and changes in height, respectively, but did not affect Triadica abundance. Overall, longer window durations promoted Triadica establishment, competition and drought (relative to flood) suppressed establishment, and fertilization had weak effects. Interactions among factors frequently produced different effects in specific contexts. Results support our ‘outgrow the stress’ hypothesis and show that temporal availability of abiotic windows and factors that influence growth rates govern Triadica recruitment in stressful environments. These findings suggest that native seed addition can effectively suppress superior competitors in stressful environments. We also describe environmental scenarios where specific management methods may be more or less effective. Our results enable better niche-based estimates of local reinvasion pressure, which can improve restoration efficacy and efficiency by informing site selection and optimal management.
Changing the Borders of Our Minds

This article, originally delivered as a keynote address at the 1999 Chicago World Mission Institute, points to personal and communal transformation as the key to societal change, particularly in regard to the world's refugees and displaced people. We must, in other words, "change the borders of our minds." As the article's last paragraph expresses it: As we approach the twenty-first century, we can change the way we think and act. We can change the borders of our minds and move toward creating a peace that can take root and flourish in our homes, in our communities, and throughout our world. We can effect change if we envision and believe that we do belong to one another, if we are willing to act with justice; and if we see that, in the words of the poet Archibald MacLeish, "we are brothers (and sisters), riders on the earth together."
Fruit ripening characteristics in a transgenic ‘Galia’ male parental muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus Ser.) line

'Galia' is a high-quality muskmelon cultivar that is grown in greenhouses or tunnels to maximize fruit quality and yield. 'Galia' has a short shelf life of 2-3 weeks due to rapid fruit softening. In vitro regeneration and transformation of 'Galia' melon parental lines with antisense technology, targeting enzymes involved in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway, is a feasible strategy that can be used to increase its fruit shelf-life. In this study, the male parental line of 'Galia' muskmelon was transformed with two different constructs: one plasmid was bearing the uidA (GUS) reporter gene and another the ACC oxidase gene (CMACO-1) in antisense orientation. Transgenic ACC oxidase antisense (TGM-AS), azygous (PCR negative), transgenic GUS (TGM-GUS) and wild type (WT) fruit, from plants grown in the greenhouse, were harvested at zero-, half-, and full-slip developmental stages. Fruit firmness of full-slip TGM-AS was almost twice that of wild type, azygous and TGM-GUS. Ethylene production and ACC oxidase in half-slip wild type, azygous and TGM-GUS fruit were greater than those from TGM-AS fruit. TGM-AS 'Galia' male parental melon fruit exhibited delayed softening compared to wild type fruit.
Investigation of interdiffusion behavior in the Mo–Zr binary system via diffusion couple studies

Abstract Zirconium has recently garnered attention for use as a diffusion barrier between U–Mo metallic nuclear fuels and Al alloy cladding. In order to gain a fundamental understanding of the diffusional interactions, the interdiffusion behavior in the binary Mo–Zr system was investigated via solid-to-solid diffusion couples annealed in the temperature range of 750 to 1050 °C. A combination of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and electron probe microanalysis were used to examine the microstructure and concentration profiles across the interdiffusion zone. A large β-Zr (cI2) solid solution layer and a thin (~ 1–2 μm) layer of Mo2Zr (cF24) developed in all couples. Parabolic growth constants and concentration dependent interdiffusion coefficients were calculated for the Mo2Zr and Zr solid solution phases, respectively. The pre-exponential factor and activation energy for growth of the Mo2Zr phase were determined to be approximately 6.5 × 10− 15 m2/s and 90 kJ/mol, respectively. The interdiffusion coefficient in β-Zr solid solution decreased with an increase in Mo concentration. Both the pre-exponential factors (2 × 10− 8 m2/s at 2 at.% Mo to near 5 × 10− 8 m2/s at 9 at.% Mo) and activation energies (140 kJ/mol at 2 at.% Mo to approximately 155 kJ/mol at 9 at.% Mo) of interdiffusion coefficients were determined to increase with an increase in Mo concentration.
Decarbonylation of MgO-Supported PtRh5 Clusters Characterized by Infrared and Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopies

[PtRh5(CO)15]- was synthesized from RhCl3, Na2PtCl6, and CO in methanol slurried with MgO powder; after removal of the methanol, [PtRh5(CO)15]- remained adsorbed on the MgO surface. In addition to the metal carbonyl clusters, X-ray absorption near edge spectra indicated the presence of cationic rhodium species on the MgO surface. When the sample was treated in He or H2, decarbonylation took place, accompanied by temperature-dependent aggregation of the metals, as indicated by infrared spectra and EXAFS spectra measured at both the Rh K and Pt LIII edges. The resultant decarbonylated clusters and aggregates were bimetallic and not significantly segregated into separate metals. The smallest supported bimetallic clusters incorporated only about 6−10 atoms each; on averagethese are among the smallest supported bimetallic clusters yet reported. The smallest supported clusters were not fully decarbonylated; complete decarbonylation resulted in aggregation of the metal without significant segregation of the meta...
Development of a high-affinity GABA uptake system in embryonic amphibian spinal neurons.

Abstract High-affinity uptake systems for amino acid neurotransmitter precursors have been highly correlated with the use of the particular amino acid or its derivative as a transmitter. We have found interneurons in the Xenopus embryo spinal cord which accumulate GABA by a high-affinity uptake system. They originate near the end of gastrulation and their ability to accumulate GABA first appears at the early tail bud stage. By position and appearance they are comparable to some of the embryonic interneurons described by A. Roberts and J. D. W. Clarke (1982, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London Ser. B 296, 195–212). GABA-accumulating neurons also develop in dissociated cell cultures made from the presumptive spinal cord of neural plate stage Xenopus embryos. GABA accumulation in cultured neurons, as in cells in vivo , occurs via a high-affinity uptake system; GABA-accumulating cells have the same time of origin as the cells in vivo , and the ability to accumulate GABA in the population of cultured neurons appears at a time equivalent to that observed in intact sibling embryos. Thus it seems likely that the population of GABA-accumulating neurons developing in cell culture corresponds to the GABA-accumulating interneurons in vivo . The development of these neurons in dissociated cell cultures permits perturbation experiments that would be difficult to perform in vivo . We have examined the development of high-affinity GABA uptake in conditions that permit no electrical impulse activity in the cultures. The onset and extent of development of GABA accumulation in the neuronal population are normal under these conditions.
A determination of the dynamic response of softballs

An apparatus is described for measuring the stiffness and coefficient of restitution (COR) of balls with application to softballs. While standardized test methods currently exist to measure these properties, they do not represent the displacement rate and magnitude that occur in play. The apparatus described herein involves impacting a fixed, solid cylindrical surface (matched to the diameter of the bat) with a ball and measuring the impact force during impact and speed of the ball before and after impact. The ratio of the ball speeds determines the COR, while the impact force is used to derive a ball stiffness. For an example of the contribution of the new ball test, the performance of hollow bats, which is sensitive to ball stiffness, was compared. Bat performance showed a much stronger dependence on the proposed ball stiffness than the traditional measure. Finally, it was shown that to achieve similar conditions between impacts with fixed and recoiling objects, the impact speed should be chosen so that the centre of mass energy was the same in the two cases. The method has application to associations wishing an improved method to regulate ball and bat performance.
Additional law enforcement as a deterrent to criminal behavior: empirical evidence from the National Hockey League

Abstract This paper attempts to determine if changes in the number of law enforcement officers leads to a more significant change in petty criminal activity or in relatively more harmful criminal activity. Because of the number of potential infractions, the variation in sentence duration based on the ferocity of the offense, and the addition of a second official to games, the National Hockey League functions as a reasonable economic laboratory for this evaluation. In applying economic crime theory to game-by-game data, it is found that relatively major, potentially harmful offenses are deterred at a greater level than are petty rule violations.
Improved assay for phenylpyruvic acid

An improved method for the assay of phenylpyruvate using 1 M borate/2 M phosphate (pH 6.5) to develop the phenylpyruvate enolborate complex is described. A reinvestigation of the extinction coefficient of phenylpyruvate in various normalities of NaOH is also reported. Both methods are compared for the assay of chorismate mutase.
Priorities and strategies for education — A world bank review: The process and the key messages

Abstract This paper reviews the reasons for the 1995 World Bank sector review Priorities and Strategies for Education, and describes the consultative process followed in its preparation. Despite enormous progress, developing and transitional economies face major challenges of enrollments, equity, quality and in delaying reform. They can meet these challenges by giving a higher priority to education, paying more attention to learning and labor market outcomes, focusing public investment on basic education, attending to equity, involving households and encouraging autonomous educational iinstitutions.
Corpora lutea in submerged organ cultures at low incubation temperatures.

Corpora lutea in submerged organ cultures of mouse ovary retained viability when incubated at 24°C. At harvest, whole corpora lutea appeared uniformly viable, and mitotic figures were occasionally seen among the luteal cells. At 24°C, the observed excellent cytological condition of the corpora lutea was in contrast to the necrosis seen when the explants were incubated at 34°C.
Energetic electrons in strong-field ionization

A strong-field theory is extended to the description of energetic photoelectron spectra. Experimental spectra are accurately described for both linear and circular polarizations, subject only to a single adjustment of reported peak laser intensities. Examined are single and (sequential) double ionization of helium, to energies of about 1 keV. An approximation of the spectrum as a Maxwellian distribution yields a temperature dependent on the spectrometer viewing angle. Final-state Coulomb effects in circular polarization are examined.
Military display market segment: wearable and portable

The military display market (MDM) is analyzed in terms of one of its segments, wearable and portable displays. Wearable and portable displays are those embedded in gear worn or carried by warfighters. Categories include hand-mobile (direct-view and monocular/binocular), palm-held, head/helmet-mounted, body-strapped, knee-attached, lap-born, neck-lanyard, and pocket/backpack-stowed. Some 62 fielded and developmental display sizes are identified in this wearable/portable MDM segment. Parameters requiring special consideration, such as weight, luminance ranges, light emission, viewing angles, and chromaticity coordinates, are summarized and compared. Ruggedized commercial versus commercial off-the-shelf designs are contrasted; and a number of custom displays are also found in this MDM category. Display sizes having aggregate quantities of 5,000 units or greater or having 2 or more program applications are identified. Wearable and portable displays are also analyzed by technology (LCD, LED, CRT, OLED and plasma). The technical specifications and program history of several high-profile military programs are discussed to provide a systems context for some representative displays and their function. As of August 2002 our defense-wide military display market study has documented 438,882 total display units distributed across 1,163 display sizes and 438 weapon systems. Wearable and portable displays account for 202,593 displays (46% of total DoD) yet comprise just 62 sizes (5% of total DoD) in 120 weapons systems (27% of total DoD). Some 66% of these wearable and portable applications involve low information content displays comprising just a few characters in one color; however, there is an accelerating trend towards higher information content units capable of showing changeable graphics, color and video.
Coordination between Ca2+ release and subsequent re-uptake in the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

We here report the results of our recent effort to produce, in the isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), a biphasic Ca2+ release and Ca2+ re-uptake transient and to resolve the kinetic relationship...
Geographic Information Engineering and Social Ground Truth in Attappadi, Kerala State, India

The use of geographic information systems (GIS) and related technologies by private organizations or government agencies toward applied objectives may be defined as geographic information engineeri...
Object identification by multispectral fusion and Haar classification

An approach to identify and classify objects in real time by multispectral imaging, wavelets based fusion, and Haar classification is presented. The specific object of interest is a cardboard box placed on the roadside. The proposed approach involves capturing a scene in the visible and infra red spectrum. Fusing the spectra is performed by using the wavelet transform. Further, Haar training is performed using sample positives and negatives prior to classification. The presented approach is tested to work in real time with very good accuracy. If successful, the method will be applied to the detection of a variety of anomalous objects placed at the roadside.
Investigation of Pt catalytic effects on carbon support corrosion of the cathode catalyst in PEM fuel cells using DEMS spectra

Abstract Differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) spectra of cathode exhaust gases, CO 2 , H 2 and O 2 , are presented for the first time to characterize the Pt redox reactions and Pt-catalyzed oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), as well as correlate them to carbon support corrosion (CSC) of the cathode catalyst in a real proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Furthermore, different oxidation states of Pt with catalytic capacity for CSC are indicated.
A critical analysis of the use of p53 as a marker for management of bladder cancer.

As progress occurs in molecular biology and technology, translational research has become increasingly important in attempts to assess the clinical applicability of these advances. Information on important regulatory pathways has been obtained by comparing the molecular and cellular differences between normal and neoplastic cells. One of the most common molecular differences between normal and neoplastic cells is an alteration in the p53 tumor suppressor gene. 29 Cancer biologists have attempted to target important cellular regulatory pathways, including p53, for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in various neoplastic entities. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in men and the seventh most common malignancy in women in the nited States. 34 It has served as an excellent model for testing molecular advances in the laboratory in the clinical setting. After a brief overview of the cellular function of p53, this article reviews clinical studies that have used p53 as a marker to aid in diagnosis, to predict treatment outcome after intravesical therapy, to predict the risk of tumor progression, and to determine the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy in the management of bladder carcinoma.
Effect of Activation of Protein Phosphatase 1 on Sulfhydryl Reactivity

Abstract Myofibril protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) from bovine heart, identified as PP1α, was purified in a latent form which was dependent on Co 2+ or Mn 2+ for activity (Y. Chu, S. E. Wilson, and K. K. Schlender (1994) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1208, 45–54). This was also true for recombinant PP1α expressed in Escherichia coli (Z. Zhang, G. Bai, S. Deans-Zirattu, M. F. Browner, and E. Y. C. Lee (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 1484–1490). Here we report on the change in the sulfhydryl reactivity during the cation activation process. The activation of myofibrillar PP1 by Co 2+ was prevented by 10 m m dithiothreitol (DTT) and incubation of the Co 2+ -activated enzyme with 50 m m DTT reversed the activation. Activation of recombinant PP1α was associated with 57 Co 2+ incorporation into PP1. DTT reversal of Co 2+ -activated PP1 was accompanied by release of Co 2+ from the enzyme. The latent PP1 modified with 2-nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic acid (NTCB) or N -ethylmaleimide (NEM) did not bind Co 2+ and could not be activated by Co 2+ . Conversely, the Co 2+ -activated PP1 was resistant to inactivation with NTCB and less sensitive to NEM. Similarly, PP1 pretreated with NTCB was not activated by Mn 2+ and the Mn 2+ -activated enzyme was also resistant to NTCB inhibition. The number of sulfhydryls of nondenatured PP1, reactive with 5, 5′-dithio-bis[2-nitrobenzoic acid] (DTNB), was reduced from approximately 8 to 2–3 mol/mol when the enzyme was activated with Co 2+ or Mn 2+ . After denaturation with guanidine–HCl, the number of reactive sulfhydryls of nonactivated PP1 and Co 2+ -activated PP1 was approximately 10 mol/mol enzyme. These results suggest that when PP1 is activated by Co 2+ or Mn 2+ , the enzyme undergoes a conformational change resulting in some of the cysteine sulfhydryls no longer being accessable to chemical modification.