cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiometry And Spectroscopy Of The Upper Atmosphere From Aircraft

Infrared radiometry and spectroscopy provide information related to many important problems of the upper atmosphere, such as specification of the radiative terms in the energy balance, composition of the atmosphere and transport of chemical species, and the chemical reactions producing the ozone balance. For studies of the stratosphere and higher layers, observations usually must be made above the troposphere; aircraft often are suitable platforms because of their large load carrying capacity, comparatively benign environment, and ability to operate easily at remote locations. Radiometry is useful chiefly in studying radiative energy balance and in measuring constituents, such as water vapor and ozone, which have strong bands with little interference from other molecules. Absorption spectroscopy, with the sun as a source, or emission spectroscopy, using radiation emitted by the atmosphere itself, may be used to detect and measure chemical species with concentrations less than one part per billion. Grating spectrometers and interferometric spectrometers have been used for both emission and absorption spectroscopy. Measurements have been made throughout the infrared. Techniques used for spectroscopy and radiometry from aircraft are discussed and some typical results by various observers are presented to illustrate the range of data which may be obtained.
The origin of the extrinsic adrenergic innervation to the rat ovary

Cutting the suspensory ligament reduced the ovarian content of norepinephrine (NE) to less than half that of controls and only a few blood vessels had perivascular fibers and an occasional nerve remained in the interstitial gland. Cutting the ovarian plexus had a less drastic, but similar effect on the ovarian content of NE and on the pattern of ovarian adrenergic nerves. Cutting both the suspensory ligament and ovarian plexus eliminated visualization of ovarian adrenergic nerves, but some ovarian NE was still measurable. Fluorescence and electron microscopic studies of the suspensory liagament revealed a large adrenergic nerve embedded in smooth muscle of the ligament. The nerve was also acetylcholinesterase-positive. Cutting the celiac plexus or incising a small nerve lateral to the plexus and medial to the origin of the suspensory ligament, had the same effect on the ovarian adrenergic nerves as cutting the suspensory ligament. It is concluded that the extrinsic adrenergic nerves to the rat ovary reach the organ by two routes: one via the nerve in the suspensory ligament (superior ovarian nerve), and one via the traditionally described ovarian plexus along the ovarian artery.
Beliefs and attitudes of caregivers toward compliance with childhood immunisations in Cameroon.

This study analysed factors associated with caregiver compliance and childhood immunisation schedules using a framework based on the Health Belief Model and a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Participants were caregivers who were enrolling their children (average age 5 y) into class one at randomly selected primary schools in Bamenda, Cameroon. Schools were selected using a stratified random sampling methodology. Seventy-two percent of the 550 participants responded that their children were up-to-date with their immunisations. Perceived susceptibility with an odds ratio (OR) = 0.75, perceived severity (OR = 0.74), and self-efficacy (OR = 1.57) were found to be associated with caregiver compliance to childhood immunisations. Higher level of education and living in an urban location were also found to be associated with increased likelihood of caregivers being up-to-date with their children's immunisations. Results suggest that health service planning should include health education and health promotion programs targeting caregiver compliance with recommended immunisation schedules with resultant improvements in communicable disease control and child health in Cameroon.
A software system for the collection of retrospective protocols prompted by eye fixations

A software system is capable of recording eye position, reducing these data to a sequence of eye fixations, and immediately replaying this fixation sequence superimposed over the original stimulus. The replay can be controlled by the subject to produce various speeds, to pause, or to back up to earlier fixations. The purpose of the replay software is to enable the eye fixations to prompt a retrospective verbal protocol. Such a prompted protocol should reduce the forgetting and fabrication problems that are often associated with retrospective protocols. In a preliminary experimental test, the prompted protocol method yielded longer protocols and contained more words than those generated by either the concurrent or retrospective protocol methods.
Combined Epstein-Barr Virus and Human Papillomavirus Infection in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma†

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been shown to be a likely etiologic agent in nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) have previously been identified in numerous upper aerodigestive tract carcinomas. This pilot study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of combined EBV and HPV infection in 17 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPCA) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The primary goal was to determine if the presence of HPV could be correlated with molecular, histologic, or clinical parameters. There were seven patients with undifferentiated NPCA (World Health Organization [WHO] type III) and 10 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (WHO type I). All 17 patients had stage IV disease at presentation. EBV was identified in 15 patients (88.2%), and HPV subtypes were identified in samples from nine patients (52.9%). All HPV-positive cases were also EBV positive. Western blot analysis of six samples showed a high level of expression of c-myc and cdc2 kinase and a low level of p53 protein in NPCAs that contained both HPV and EBV (n = 3). Increased expression of c-myc and cdc2 kinase was seen in the cases that contained EBV only, but to a lesser extent (n = 2). These findings indicate an effect of the virus on cellular proliferation and differentiation. Similarly, an elevated level of Rb protein was found only in the HPV-containing NPCAs. Moderate differentiation (keratinization) occurred in four of eight HPV-negative and none of the nine HPV-positive NPCAs. (All HPV-positive cases were poorly differentiated or undifferentiated.) This difference is statistically significant for this sample size (P < 0.03). There was a trend for the group that was HPV positive to have WHO III histology and for the HPV-negative group to have WHO I. The presence of HPV could not be correlated with any clinical parameters in this small group of patients with advanced disease; however, these data suggest that coexistence of EBV and HPV infection may be a factor in the pathogenesis of NPCA and may have an effect on regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation.
A Cutaneous Marker in the Hunter Syndrome: A Report of Four Cases

• A report of four patients and review of the literature suggest that a cutaneous marker exists for the Hunter syndrome. All previously described patients with this eruption have been males with clear corneas. The distinctive lesions consist of firm ivory-white papules and nodules that may coalesce to form ridges or a reticular pattern. The papules are usually seen in symmetrical areas between the angles of the scapulas and posterior axillary lines, the pectoral regions, the nape of the neck and/or on the lateral aspects of the upper arms and thighs. These lesions are seen in both allelic forms and cannot be used to separate a benign from a rapid course. (Arch Dermatol113:602-605, 1977)
PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF LABORATORY AND COMMERCIAL REACTORS USING THE UCKRON-I REACTION SYSTEM

Abstract A reactor model which includes axial and radial mass and heat dispersion was developed to compare the performance of laboratory and commercial reactors for the UCKRON-I reaction system. The program for the model allowed selection of either the ideal gas assumption or the real gas assumption for estimating physical properties and fugacities of each component. The two dimensional model using ideal gas assumptions gave essentially the same coolant temperature, 485.5 K, for the onset of thermal instability for commercial reactors as published values obtained using one dimensional models. Use of real gas assumptions reduced the coolant temperature at which thermal instability occurred for the commercial reactor by about 3 K. The coolant temperature at which thermal instability occurred for the laboratory reactor was about 50 K lower for both ideal and real gases assumptions.
Cauliflower mosaic virus 35 S RNA leader region inhibits translation of downstream genes.

Abstract The cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35 S RNA is a full-length transcript of the viral genome. It encodes the genes VII and I–V, arranged in tandem along the RNA, preceded by a long leader region (600 bases) containing many short open reading frames. We have examined the effects of the leader and the first gene (gene VII) on downstream gene I translation in vitro and in an in vivo transient expression system (carrot protoplasts). RNAs from constructs containing the intact leader, and from various deletion constructs, were translated in a rabbit reticulocyte system. Gene I was translated efficiently only when the long leader region and the upstream gene VII were deleted. Translational fusions of gene VII or I to the firefly luciferase reporter gene were also constructed, and a similar series of leader sequence deletion mutants were examined in vivo and in vitro. The 600-base leader region was found to repress translation of gene VII 8- to 30-fold as compared to the truncated gene lacking the leader region. Gene I expression as compared to that of gene VII was reduced an additional 7- to 20-fold by the presence of the upstream leader region including gene VII. This represented an overall reduction in gene I expression of greater than 100-fold as compared to expression in the absence of any leader sequence. The reduced translation of gene I in the context of the 35 S RNA leader region was not due to the action of the gene VII protein product but may result from efficient blocking of scanning 40 S ribosomes by translation of upstream open reading frames.
An Appreciation of Balanced Loss Functions Via Regret Loss

We examine balanced loss functions, which account for both estimation error and goodness of fit (or proximity to a “target” estimator), in terms of their regret losses, providing new insight and interpretations. This also shows a connection between quadratic balanced loss and usual quadratic loss, which easily converts frequentist and Bayesian results for quadratic loss to related results for quadratic balanced loss and vice versa. Some implications of these results for Stein-rule estimators under linear regression are discussed. We also examine regret losses corresponding to several non-quadratic balanced loss functions.
Advances in limb lengthening and reconstruction: editorial comment.

This Symposium represents both clinical and basic science work presented at recent Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society (LLRS) meetings. The Society, now entering its 20th year, was initially founded in 1989 as “The Association for Study and Application of the Methods of Ilizarov-North America” (ASAMI-NA) modeled after a similar group created in Italy several years earlier. Nearly a decade ago, our organization joined the Council of Musculoskeletal Societies (COMSS) of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and changed its name to reflect a broadening interest in all matters related to limb elongation and reconstruction. The LLRS has members from all over the world. The Society promotes and funds basic science research into bone growth and healing.
The world of smoking guns.

I begin with a conundrum—freshly devised, but I hope adequately old-fashioned in spirit. What’s the difference between guns and cigarettes? The answer is that guns fire and kill first, and then they smoke, whereas cigarettes smoke first, and then they fire and kill. But if this contrast is right, then gun smoke has an evidential value that cigarette smoke does not immediately have, as the casualty from smoking is yet to come and might therefore be, to some extent, a matter of conjecture. This leads to the further question that must be dealt with in one form or another in a world conference like this one: how can we sensibly assess the harm that smoking does? Only after coming to grip with this question can we go on to decide what needs to be done here and now. This deliberative perspective may seem a bit too hesitant, especially in a gathering of this kind where the participants are basically convinced that the facts and the values involved in assessing smoking as a practice are all fairly well sorted out, and all that is needed now is urgent action. The connection between smoking and morbidity (including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other ailments) is indeed well established, but the idea of social harm raises, as the critics of interventionist policies have discussed, other issues as well. It is important for tobacco control enthusiasts to recognise that a huge proportion of the population at large as well as a great many caring and kind intellectuals are not at all convinced yet that extensive tobacco control is the right way to go. The counterpoints are many, and they all need to be dealt with, for the battle for tobacco control is not just for new laws or new government policies but also for the …
Vasovagal syncope: an update on the latest pharmacological therapies.

Introduction: Syncope is an abrupt loss of consciousness in response to reduced perfusion to the brain. Neurocardiogenic or vasovagal syncope results from a complex neurologic reflex, and treatments to prevent recurrence attempt to modulate aspects of that reflex.Areas covered: Pharmacologic treatments for vasovagal syncope address the syncope reflex in multiple ways. Fludrocortisone and sodium chloride increase systemic fluid volume. Midodrine, β blockers and norepinephrine transport inhibitors modulate the sympathetic nervous system. Other treatments for syncope modulate other neurotransmitters or affect heart rate. The most recent trials evaluating established and novel therapies are reviewed.Expert opinion: To reduce recurrence of vasovagal syncope, conservative measures are first line. If these fail to prevent recurrence, the most promising medical therapy includes midodrine. Randomized placebo-controlled data evaluating fludrocortisone, midodrine and β blockers in older patients are awaited. Because...
Electrokinetic chromatography using thermodynamically stable vesicles and mixed micelles formed from oppositely charged surfactants.

The electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) of a novel mixed surfactant system consisting of oppositely charged surfactants, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and n-dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), was investigated. The chromatographic characteristics of large liposome-like spontaneous vesicles and rodlike mixed micelles formed from the mixture were explored and compared with those of SDS micelles. Separations of a series of n-alkylphenones showed that the spontaneous vesicles provided about a 2 times wider elution window than SDS micelles. Both vesicle and mixed micelle systems were found to provide larger methylene selectivity than SDS. The different elution order of a group of nitrotoluene geometric isomers with DTAB/SDS spontaneous vesicles and SDS micelles pseudostationary phases suggested the possibility of different separation mechanisms with these two systems. Comparisons of polar group selectivity, retention, and efficiency were made between vesicles, mixed micelles, and SDS micelles. The correlat...
Modeling of a Metal-Ferroelectric-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor NAND Gate

The modeling of a NAND gate constructed of Metal-Ferroelectric-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MFSFETs) has been investigated. Initially, an inverter circuit was modeled using a n-channel MFSFET with positive polarization for a standard CMOS inverter n-channel transistor and a n-channel MFSFET with negative polarization for the standard CMOS inverter p-channel transistor. The MFSFETs were simulated by using a previously developed MFSFET model which utilized a partitioned ferroelectric layer. Then a 2-input NAND gate was modeled similar to the inverter gate. The data shows that it is feasible to construct a NAND gate with MFSFET transistors.
Automation for individualization of Kinect-based quantitative progressive exercise regimen

The Smart Health paradigm has opened up immense possibilities for designing cyber-physical systems with integrated sensing and analysis for data-driven healthcare decision-making. Clinical motor-rehabilitation has traditionally tended to entail labor-intensive approaches with limited quantitative methods and numerous logistics deployment challenges. We believe such labor-intensive rehabilitation procedures offer a fertile application field for robotics and automation technologies. We seek to concretize this Smart Health paradigm in the context of alleviating knee osteoarthritis (OA). Our long-term goal is the creation, analysis and validation of a low-cost cyber-physical framework for individualized but quantitative motor-rehabilitation. We seek build upon parameterized exercise-protocols, low-cost data-acquisition capabilities of the Kinect sensor and appropriate statistical data-processing to aid individualized-assessment and close the quantitative feedback-loop. Specifically, in this paper, we focus our attention on quantitative evaluation of a clinically-relevant deep-squatting exercise. Data for multiple trials with multiple of squatting motions were captured by Kinect system and examined to aid our individualization goals. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) approaches facilitated both dimension-reduction and filtering of the noisy-data while the K-Nearest Neighbors (K-NN) method was adapted for subject classification. Our preliminary deployment of this approach with 5 subjects achieved 95.6% classification accuracy.
A highly conserved mechanism of regulated ribosome stalling mediated by fungal arginine attenuator peptides that appears independent of the charging status of arginyl-tRNAs

The Arg attenuator peptide (AAP) is an evolutionarily conserved peptide involved in Arg-specific negative translational control. It is encoded as an upstream open reading frame (uORF) in fungal mRNAs specifying the small subunit of Arg-specific carbamoyl phosphate synthetase. We examined the functions of theSaccharomyces cerevisiae CPA1 and Neurospora crassa arg-2 AAPs using translation extracts from S. cerevisiae, N. crassa, and wheat germ. Synthetic RNA containing AAP and firefly luciferase (LUC) sequences were used to program translation; analyses of LUC activity indicated that the AAPs conferred Arg-specific negative regulation in each system. The AAPs functioned either as uORFs or fused in-frame at the N terminus of LUC. Mutant AAPs lacking function in vivo did not functionin vitro. Therefore, trans-acting factors conferring AAP-mediated regulation are in both fungal and plant systems. Analyses of ribosome stalling in the fungal extracts by primer extension inhibition (toeprint) assays showed that these AAPs acted similarly to stall ribosomes in the region immediately distal to the AAP coding region in response to Arg. The regulatory effect increased as the Arg concentration increased; all of the arginyl-tRNAs examined appeared maximally charged at low Arg concentrations. Therefore, AAP-mediated Arg-specific regulation appeared independent of the charging status of arginyl-tRNA.
NMR in the quadrupole regime: Measurement of quadrupole and chemical shift parameters in single-crystal paradibromobenzene

Abstract The exact theory for the frequency of transition between the two lowest levels of a spin I = 3 2 nucleus experiencing a large asymmetric electric field gradient, an applied magnetic field, and an anistropic chemical interaction was presented in an earlier paper. Using the assumption that the quadrupolar and chemical shift tensors have the same principal axis system, the Hamiltonian was solved exactly — analytically for the applied field aligned along each of the three axes of the quadrupolar principal axis system, and numerically for arbitrary orientations. This theory is reviewed here and applied to our room-temperature experiments in single-crystal paradibromobenzene. The self-consistent least-squares fit to the field-dependencies and simultaneously the angular dependence (rotational pattern) of the resonance frequency was performed using the literature value for the pure quadrupole frequency ν Q (1 + η 2 3 ) 1 2 = 223·8 MHz . The fit yielded values for the quadrupolar asymmetry η = 0·0461 ± 0·0004 and the chemical shift components σ x = −0·001 ± 0·001, σ v = σ z = 0·000 ± 0·001. Our value for η is in good agreement with values determined by other methods; it and our shift values are consistent with the information obtained by this method using a powdered specimen. The process of using the NMR signal itself to align the specimen yielded sufficient information for an unambiguous determination of the Euler angles of orientation of the crystal in its mounting within ± 0.6°.
Effect of marital discord on parental reports on the Child Behavior Checklist.

The relationship between indicators of marital discord and differences between parents' reports of the behavior of their children on a symptom/behavior checklist was investigated for a sample of 18 consecutive admissions to an inpatient child psychiatry program. The parents independently and separately were administered the Achenbach and Edelbrock Child Behavior Checklist. An experienced clinician rated the families on three indices of marital discord following a paired-comparison procedure. The findings indicated that the greater the marital difficulty, the greater the difference in the adults' ratings of behavior difficulties in the children. Since marital discord can influence parents' perceptions of their children's behavior, sex of parent cannot be ignored as a variable in studies utilizing behavioral checklists for such purposes as a dependent measure of therapeutic change.
Cytochrome function in the cyclic electron transport pathway of chloroplasts.

Flash excitation of isolated intact chloroplasts promoted absorbance transients corresponding to the electrochromic effect (P-518) and the α-bands of cytochrome b6 and cytochrome f. Under conditions supporting coupled cyclic electron flow, the oxidation of cytochrome b6 and the reduction of cytochrome f had relaxation half-times of 15 and 17 ms, respectively. Optimal poising of cyclic electron flow, achieved by addition of 0.1 μM 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, increased phosphorylation of endogenous ADP and prolonged these relaxation times. The presence of NH4Cl, or monensin plus NaCl, decreased the half-times for cytochrome relaxation to approximately 2 ms. Uncouplers also revealed the presence of a slow rise component in the electrochromic absorption shift, with formation half-time of about 2 ms. The inhibitors of cyclic phosphorylation antimycin and 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone abolished the slow rise in the electrochromic shift and prolonged the uncoupled relaxation times of cytochromes b6 and f by factors of ten or more. These observations indicate that cytochrome b6, plastoquinone and cytochrome f participate in a coupled electron transport process responsible for cyclic phosphorylation in intact chloroplasts. Estimations of cyclic phosphorylation rates from 40 to 120 μmol ATP/mg chlorophyll per h suggest that this process can provide a substantial fraction of the ATP needed for CO2 fixation.
Disparities in the availability of fruits and vegetables between racially segregated urban neighbourhoods

Objective Public health professionals continue to see the benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption on population health. While studies that evaluate the availability of produce are sparse in the medical literature, disparities in availability may explain the disproportional intake of produce for some people. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the availability and variety of produce located in two racially and economically diverse urban neighbourhoods. Design A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 50% of the supermarkets, small grocery stores, delicatessens, and fruit and vegetable markets located in specific neighbourhoods were randomly sampled and surveyed between September 2004 and July 2005. Food stores were evaluated for the availability of 20 types of fresh fruits and 19 types of fresh vegetables, as well as their varieties and whether they were canned, frozen or previously prepared. 2000 US Census information was used to determine characteristics of the geo-coded census tracts where the food stores were located. Setting Brooklyn, New York. Results A supermarket was located in approximately every third census tract in predominantly white areas (prevalence = 0.33) and every fourth census tract in racially mixed areas (prevalence = 0.27). There were no supermarkets located in the predominantly black areas. With the exception of bananas, potatoes, okra and yucca, a lower proportion of predominantly black area stores carried fresh produce, while supermarkets carried the largest variety of produce types. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables were found in the majority of stores, whereas prepared and organic produce was limited to predominantly white area stores. Conclusions These data demonstrate that the availability and variety of fresh produce is associated with neighbourhood racial composition and may be a factor contributing to differences in intake among residents.
The future of systems research

After 20 years in academia and the Silicon Valley, the new Provost of Stanford University calls for a shift in focus for systems research. Performance-long the centerpiece-needs to share the spotlight with availability, maintainability, and other qualities. Although performance increases over the past 15 years have been truly amazing, it will be hard to continue these trends by sticking to the basically evolutionary path that the research community is currently on. The author advocates a more evolutionary approach to systems problems and thinks the approach needs to be more integrated. Researchers need to think about hardware and software as a continuum, not as separate parts. He sees society on the threshold of a "post PC" era, in which computing is ubiquitous, and everyone will use information services and everyday utilities. When everyone starts using these systems, guess what? They expect them to work and to be easy to use. So this era will drive system design toward greater availability, maintainability, and scalability, which will require a real refocusing of current research directions.
Lower Extremity Weight Bearing Under Various Standing Conditions in Independently Ambulatory Patients with Hemiparesis

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if differences exist in weight bearing through the paretic and nonparetic lower extremities during various bilateral standing conditions. We used digital scales to measure weight bearing among 25 hemiparetic patients as they stood comfortably, as they alternately shifted as much weight as possible to each lower extremity, and as they alternately stood with each foot on a step. Patients bore significantly more weight ( p < .001) on their nonparetic than on their paretic lower limb during comfortable standing. They bore significantly more weight on their nonparetic extremity when shifting as much weight as possible to it than they did on their paretic extremity when shifting as much weight as possible to it ( p < .001). They bore significantly more weight ( p < .001) on the lower extremity that was not on the step during step standing. For patients comparable to those tested, standing with one lower limb on a 17-cm step should facilitate weight bearing through the contralateral lower limb.
Genetic Exceptionalism vs. Paradigm Shift: Lessons from HIV

The term “exceptionalism” was introduced into health care in 1991 when Bayer described “HIV exceptionalism” as the policy of treating the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) different from other infectious diseases, particularly other sexually transmitted diseases. It was reflected in the following practices: pre- and post-HIV test counseling, the development of specific separate consent forms for HIV testing, and stringent requirements for confidentiality of HIV test results. The justification for these practices was the belief that testing was essential for prevention and that patients might not seek HIV testing if confidentiality were not guaranteed. Confidentiality was believed to be particularly important given the degree of discrimination and stigmatization associated with the illness. Anonymous testing was a further step in ensuring strict confidentiality, even though such a practice prevented public officials from contacting partners and others who were at risk.
Chronic exposure to dim light at night suppresses immune responses in Siberian hamsters

Species have been adapted to specific niches optimizing survival and reproduction; however, urbanization by humans has dramatically altered natural habitats. Artificial light at night (LAN), termed ‘light pollution’, is an often overlooked, yet increasing disruptor of habitats, which perturbs physiological processes that rely on precise light information. For example, LAN alters the timing of reproduction and activity in some species, which decreases the odds of successful breeding and increases the threat of predation for these individuals, leading to reduced fitness. LAN also suppresses immune function, an important proxy for survival. To investigate the impact of LAN in a species naive to light pollution in its native habitat, immune function was examined in Siberian hamsters derived from wild-caught stock. After four weeks exposure to dim LAN, immune responses to three different challenges were assessed: (i) delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), (ii) lipopolysaccharide-induced fever, and (iii) bactericide activity of blood. LAN suppressed DTH response and reduced bactericide activity of blood after lipopolysaccharide treatment, in addition to altering daily patterns of locomotor activity, suggesting that human encroachment on habitats via night-time lighting may inadvertently compromise immune function and ultimately fitness.
Understanding educator perceptions of "quality" in digital libraries

The purpose of the study was to identify educators' expectations and requirements for the design of educational digital collections for classroom use. A series of five focus groups was conducted with practicing teachers, pre-service teachers, and science librarians, drawn from different educational contexts (i.e., K-5, 6--12, College). Participants' expect that the added value of educational digital collections is the provision of: (1) 'high quality' teaching and learning resources, and (2) additional contextual information beyond that in the resource. Key factors that influence educators' perceptions of quality were identified: scientific accuracy, bias, advertising, design and usability, and the potential for student distraction. The data showed that participants judged these criteria along a continuum of tolerance, combining consideration of several factors in their final judgements. Implications for collections accessioning policies, peer review, and digital library service design are discussed.
The Arabidopsis Histidine Phosphotransfer Proteins Are Redundant Positive Regulators of Cytokinin Signaling

Arabidopsis thaliana histidine phosphotransfer proteins (AHPs) are similar to bacterial and yeast histidine phosphotransfer proteins (HPts), which act in multistep phosphorelay signaling pathways. A phosphorelay pathway is the current model for cytokinin signaling. To assess the role of AHPs in cytokinin signaling, we isolated T-DNA insertions in the five AHP genes that are predicted to encode functional HPts and constructed multiple insertion mutants, including an ahp1,2,3,4,5 quintuple mutant. Single ahp mutants were indistinguishable from wild-type seedlings in cytokinin response assays. However, various higher-order mutants displayed reduced sensitivity to cytokinin in diverse cytokinin assays, indicating both a positive role for AHPs in cytokinin signaling and functional overlap among the AHPs. In contrast with the other four AHPs, AHP4 may play a negative role in some cytokinin responses. The quintuple ahp mutant showed various abnormalities in growth and development, including reduced fertility, increased seed size, reduced vascular development, and a shortened primary root. These data indicate that most of the AHPs are redundant, positive regulators of cytokinin signaling and affect multiple aspects of plant development.
FGF-23 and PTH levels in patients with acute kidney injury: A cross-sectional case series study

Background Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), a novel regulator of mineral metabolism, is markedly elevated in chronic kidney disease and has been associated with poor long-term outcomes. However, whether FGF-23 has an analogous role in acute kidney injury is unknown. The goal of this study was to measure FGF-23 levels in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury to determine whether FGF-23 levels were elevated, as in chronic kidney disease.
An On-Site Heavy Metal Analyzer With Polymer Lab-on-a-Chips for Continuous Sampling and Monitoring

An on-site analyzer system for monitoring of heavy metals has been presented. This analyzer can automatically perform long-term continuous water sampling and on-site heavy metals measurement using an array of disposable polymer lab-on-a-chips (lab chip) and a continuous flow sensing method. The system consists of a plastic fluidic motherboard with a microchannels network, microvalves and pump, control circuits, a wireless communication module, a potentiostat, LabVIEW control, and seven disposable heavy metal lab chips. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry was performed using a microfabricated planar bismuth electrode on the chip for detecting heavy metal (e.g., cadmium, Cd) concentrations. Sensing performance sensitivity was improved with by the continuous flow sensing method propelled by the analyzer. On-site measurement of the Cd concentration change of the soil pore and ground water samples from a lab-scale reactor was automatically performed to evaluate the performance of the analyzer with lab chips.
Rivers, William Halse Rivers

In England, as in Germany, there was a long tradition of theorizing about the peoples of the world and the place of those peoples relative to the English. Common were questions about civilization, especially the civilizing influence on “savages” or “primitive” peoples, and questions about human progress. By the end of the nineteenth century, a small group of men interested in anthropological questions began to create a discipline of anthropology. Several psychologists were among those involved in creating the discipline, chief among them the young physician, William H. R. Rivers. Keywords: anthropology; perception; senses
Are CB1 receptor antagonists nootropic or cognitive impairing agents

For more than a decade, a considerable amount of research has examined the effects of rimonabant (SR 141716) and other CB(1) receptor antagonists in both in vivo and in vitro models of learning and memory. In addition to its utility in determining whether the effects of drugs are mediated though a CB(1) receptor mechanism of action, these antagonists are useful in providing insight into the physiological function of the endogenous cannabinoid system. Several groups have reported that CB(1) receptor antagonists enhance memory duration in a variety of spatial and operant paradigms, but not in all paradigms. Conversely, disruption of CB(1) receptor signaling also impairs extinction learning in which the animal actively suppresses a learned response when reinforcement has been withheld. These extinction deficits occur in aversively motivated tasks, such as in fear conditioning or escape behavior in the Morris water maze task, but not in appetitively motivated tasks. Similarly, in electrophysiological models, CB(1) receptor antagonists elicit a variety of effects, including enhancement of long-term potentiation (LTP), while disrupting long-term depression (LTD) and interfering with transient forms of plasticity, including depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI) and depolarization-induced suppression of excitation (DSE). The collective results of the in vivo and in vitro studies employing CB(1) receptor antagonists, demonstrate that these receptors play integral roles in different components of cognitive processing. Functionally, pharmacological blockade of CB(1) receptors may strengthen memory duration, but interferes with extinction of learned behaviors that are associated with traumatic or aversive memories.
Handicapped Students and Competency Testing

Individualized educational programming for handicapped students and the requirement to pass a competency test appear paradoxical. Competing tests require that handicapped students attain a specified level of academic achievement that may not be commensurate with their educational progress. In the present article, three policy options on the competency testing of handicapped students are analyzed: (1) Handicapped students should be required to pass a competency test prerequisite to receiving a diploma; (2) handicapped students should be exempt from taking the competency test, and granted a regular high school diploma based upon successful completion of their Individualized Education Plan requirements; and (3) differential competency standards should be developed for handicapped students. The strengths and limitations of these policy options are discussed.
A Skew-Slit Collimator for Small-Animal SPECT

The main objective of this work was the development of a skew-slit collimator for small-animal SPECT to replace the state-of-the-art multipinhole collimator. Methods: A pinhole forms a cone-beam imaging geometry. If the collimator rotates around the object in a circular orbit, the projection measurements acquired by the cone-beam imaging geometry are incomplete and not enough for artifact-free image reconstruction. The severity of the artifact is proportional to the cone angle of the pinhole in the direction of the axis of rotation. Multipinhole geometry can greatly reduce the data-insufficiency artifacts; however, image magnification is sacrificed. By transforming a pinhole into a pair of skewed slits, we are able to use a large cone angle in the transaxial direction to increase image magnification and a small cone angle in the direction of the axis of rotation to reduce data-insufficiency artifacts. This transformation is achieved by placing a vertical slit (i.e., the slit is parallel to the axis of rotation) close to the object and placing a horizontal slit farther out. Similar to the multipinhole collimator, we also propose a multiple–skew-slit collimator that has a single vertical slit and several horizontal slits. Results: Computer simulations were performed to verify the working principle of the skew-slit collimator. A prototype multiple–skew-slit collimator was fabricated, and phantom experiments were performed on a SPECT system. The smallest channels (of 0.75-mm diameter) in the phantom were clearly separated in the reconstructed image. Conclusion: This study suggests a novel technology in small-animal SPECT to replace the multipinhole collimator, resulting in significantly reduced image artifacts and increased transaxial resolution. A physical multiple–skew-slit system was built and tested. Compared with the multipinhole system, the multiple–skew-slit system has a larger image magnification in the transaxial direction and thus has better image resolution.
A numerical implementation of the maximum-likelihood method of parameter estimation for tracer-kinetic data

Abstract The performance is compared of several nonlinear optimization techniques applied to the maximum-likelihood function for Poisson-distributed radiotracer data having a multiexponential intensity function. A new method is described in which the Fisher information matrix associated with the data is employed in place of the Hessian matrix to insure non-negative-definiteness. This method reaches a solution in a few iterations for a wide spread in initial parameter estimates. Moreover, it is more accurate and simple computationally than least-squares techniques currently in use.
The Haar System

In this chapter we will present an example of an orthonormal system on [0,1] known as the Haar system. The Haar basis is the simplest and historically the first example of an orthonormal wavelet basis. Many of its properties stand in sharp contrast to the corresponding properties of the trigonometric basis (Definition 2.5). For example, (1) the Haar basis functions are supported on small subintervals of [0,1], whereas the Fourier basis functions are nonzero on all of [0,1]; (2) the Haar basis functions are step functions with jump discontinuities, whereas the Fourier basis functions are C ∞ on [0,1]; (3) the Haar basis replaces the notion of frequency (represented by the index n in the Fourier basis) with the dual notions of scale and location (separately indexed by j and k); and (4) the Haar basis provides a very efficient representation of functions that consist of smooth, slowly varying segments punctuated by sharp peaks and discontinuities, whereas the Fourier basis best represents functions that exhibit long term oscillatory behavior. More will be said about this contrast in Section 5.4.
Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA in Bulb Onion and Its Use to Assess Inbred Integrity

Commercial bulb-onion (Allium cepa L.) growers often complain that hybrids they have grown successfully for a few years fail to perform at the expected level. Inbreds used to produce hybrid-onion seed rarely have been self-pollinated for more than two generations and retain a high level of heterozygosity. Over time, selection, drift, or contamination of inbreds may contribute to disappointing hybrid performance. We identified randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) between two inbred onion lines, demonstrated their Mendelian inheritance, and tried to distinguish among and examine changes in independently maintained, publicly released inbred lines of onion. We observed poor agreement between data sets based on genetically characterized and uncharacterized RAPD markers. Our analyses used only genetically characterized RAPD markers and revealed that contamination, in addition to-drift and/or selection, likely contributed to differences among independently maintained, publicly released inbreds. However, RAPD markers were not able to distinguish confidently among four related inbreds. RAPD markers will be useful in Allium genetics and breeding, but identifying and characterizing reliable polymorphisms is critical.
The Challenge for Engineering

The engineering profession is shown to be under continuous challenge from neo-Ludditism, and its mistakes, which were without guilt, are being used to adversely influence public opinion. Engineers today need expanding knowledge in the social and behavioral sciences to be able to meet their expanding responsibilities. The future for civil engineering is examined in detail for impacts from zero population growth, the computer revolution, narrow technical decisions, mass education, and the nation's economic outlook: it is shown that civil engineers might well devote more of their energies to developing skills in public policy.
A Tribute Honoring James E. Jones, Jr.

This piece is a tribute to Professor James E. Jones, Jr., the Nathan P. Feinsinger Professor of Labor Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School and School of Industrial Relations. Professor Jones was one of the principal architects of the field of employment discrimination law. His career, spanning several decades of important developments in American labor and employment law and civil rights law, should be of great interest to legal historians and to everyone who wants to make a difference in the law.
Values of Beauty: Free and Adherent Beauty

There have been three different approaches to the interpretation of Kant's concept of adherent beauty. In one, an object's satisfaction of constraints imposed on its form by its intended function is just a necessary condition for our pleasure in its beauty, but makes no direct contribution to our pleasure in it. In the second, our pleasures in an object's function and in its form are thought to be separate pleasures that combine into a compound pleasure greater than either of its parts. In the third, our pleasure in adherent beauty is thought to be a special pleasure in the interaction between an object's function and its form. I argue that each of these interpretations has a basis in Kant's statements, and properly so, because they represent three different ways in which form and function can actually relate in our experience and appreciation of objects that do have intended functions. Kant opens §16 of the “Analytic of the Beautiful” in the Critique of the Power of Judgment with his famous distinction between “free” and “adherent” beauty: There are two kinds of beauty: free beauty ( pulchritudo vaga ) or merely adherent beauty ( pulchritudo adhaerens ). The first presupposes no concept of what the object ought to be; the second does presuppose a concept and the perfection of the object in accordance with it. The first are called (self-subsisting) beauties of this or that thing; the latter, as adhering to a concept (conditioned beauty), are ascribed to objects that stand under the concept of a particular end. ( CPJ , §16, 5:229)
Thermal Regulation of the Brain—An Anatomical and Physiological Review for Clinical Neuroscientists

Humans, like all mammals and birds, maintain a nearly constant core body temperature (36 -37.5°C) over a wide range of environmental conditions and are thus referred to as endotherms. The evolution of the brain and its supporting structures in mammals and birds coincided with this development of endothermy. Despite the recognition that a more evolved and complicated brain with all of its temperature-dependent cerebral circuitry and neuronal processes would require more sophisticated thermal control mechanisms, the current understanding of brain temperature regulation remains limited. To optimize the development and maintenance of the brain in health and to accelerate its healing and restoration in illness, focused and committed efforts are much needed to advance the fundamental understanding of brain temperature. In order to effectively study and examine brain temperature regulation, it is critical to first understand the relevant anatomical and physiological properties in the head-neck regions.
Metal-specific interactions of H2 adsorbed within isostructural metal-organic frameworks.

Diffuse reflectance infrared (IR) spectroscopy performed over a wide temperature range (35–298 K) is used to study the dynamics of H2 adsorbed within the isostructural metal–organic frameworks M2L (M = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni and Zn; L = 2,5-dioxidobenzene-1,4-dicarboxylate) referred to as MOF-74 and CPO-27. Spectra collected at H2 concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 H2 per metal cation reveal that strongly red-shifted vibrational modes arise from isolated H2 bound to the available metal coordination site. The red shift of the bands associated with this site correlate with reported isosteric enthalpies of adsorption (at small surface coverage), which in turn depend on the identity of M. In contrast, the bands assigned to H2 adsorbed at positions >3 A from the metal site exhibit only minor differences among the five materials. Our results are consistent with previous models based on neutron diffraction data and independent IR studies, but they do not support a recently proposed adsorption mechanism that invokes ...