cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Molecular Mechanism of Substrate Engagement and Immunosuppressant Inhibition of Calcineurin

Ser/thr phosphatases dephosphorylate their targets with high specificity, yet the structural and sequence determinants of phosphosite recognition are poorly understood. Calcineurin (CN) is a conserved Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent ser/thr phosphatase and the target of immunosuppressants, FK506 and cyclosporin A (CSA). To investigate CN substrate recognition we used X-ray crystallography, biochemistry, modeling, and in vivo experiments to study A238L, a viral protein inhibitor of CN. We show that A238L competitively inhibits CN by occupying a critical substrate recognition site, while leaving the catalytic center fully accessible. Critically, the 1.7 A structure of the A238L-CN complex reveals how CN recognizes residues in A238L that are analogous to a substrate motif, “LxVP.” The structure enabled modeling of a peptide substrate bound to CN, which predicts substrate interactions beyond the catalytic center. Finally, this study establishes that “LxVP” sequences and immunosuppressants bind to the identical site on CN. Thus, FK506, CSA, and A238L all prevent “LxVP”-mediated substrate recognition by CN, highlighting the importance of this interaction for substrate dephosphorylation. Collectively, this work presents the first integrated structural model for substrate selection and dephosphorylation by CN and lays the groundwork for structure-based development of new CN inhibitors.
The influence of diffusion on sedimentational particle size analysis

Abstract Particle size analysis of submicrometer particles by gravity sedimentation is investigated to establish the influence of Brownian motion. Size distribution data from electron microscopic measurements are evaluated in terms of theoretical diffusion equations to determine the effect of diffusion. A parameter, defined as the mean ratio of Brownian to settling motion, is developed to guide the choice of system parameters so that Brownian diffusion effects can be minimized and reliable size results assured.
Non-surgical left atrial appendage closure for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation

Non-Surgical Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation. The most feared complication associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) is stroke, the risk of which increases with advanced age. Because of its complex anatomy and diminished blood flow during AF, the left atrial appendage (LAA) has been a common site of left atrial thrombi and presumed source of thromboembolism. Systemic anticoagulation to treat what may be largely a localized phenomenon is associated with significant complications. Newer anticoagulation agents hold great promise in facilitating dosing and eliminating drug and food interactions, but do not eliminate bleeding risk. These challenges have led to interest in mechanical exclusion of the LAA as a means of preventing thromboembolism in AF. Although surgery permits greater visualization and management of complications, the potential morbidity has limited adoption in often-frail elderly patients. In this paper, we review the current state of percutaneous left atrial exclusion for stroke prevention in AF, and the strengths and limitations of each of these strategies. The nonsurgical approaches to excluding the LAA from the central circulation can be divided into 3 broad categories: transseptally placed devices, percutaneous epicardial approach, and hybrid approaches. The availability of several approaches will allow physician selection of the optimal approach for a given patient based on clinical, physiological, and anatomical considerations. LAA exclusion stands to become an increasingly attractive option for patients with nonvalvular AF because it can be offered to elderly AF patients, and eliminates the long-term cumulative bleeding risks and adherence challenge of anticoagulants.
Pain in the Critically Ill Patient

Abstract The intensive care unit (ICU) presents a unique environment for the assessment and treatment of pain, given the potential compromise of both the patients’ physiologic stability and communication skills secondary to underlying disease processes. These present special challenges to clinicians that may not be seen in other arenas of pain control. The typical patient in the ICU may not be able to communicate with the nursing or physician staff his/her discomfort due to the level of discomfort caused by either the severity of the disease or impediments to communication. The problem of pain control in those patients in the ICU has been clearly documented. This may be partially due to the difficulty in assessing how much pain a critically ill patient, who may be obtunded secondary to the underlying disease process or physiologically compromised by a process, such as sepsis or shock, is having. Thus, patients who cannot verbalize pain may need more creative techniques of pain assessment, as well as an increased vigilance by both the physician and nursing staff to maintain an awareness of pain issues. Patients in the ICU, who typically may be intubated or are at higher risk for pulmonary complications, may especially be vulnerable to increased levels of pain after surgery. There are many options for pain control in these patients, including epidural analgesia, intrapleural analgesia, intravenous patient-controlled analgesia, and intercostal nerve blockade. In addition, organizational changes may improve pain control in the ICU.
Modern multistage depressed collectors&#8212;A review

Well performing multistage depressed collectors (MDC's) have been developed for traveling-wave tubes (TWT) in an sizes fitting the requirements of wide-band countermeasures, radars, and ground and space communications. In the case of NASA-type symmetric collectors, rigorous analytical tools were developed that permit accurate a priori designs of MDC's for any given helix-type tube. Although only few verified cases of MDC's augmenting communications klystrons are known, the resulting performance and available theories indicate significant gains in reducing power consumption by TV and other klystron amplifiers without the deleterious effects of backstreaming.
Steerable free space optical interconnect with corrugated waveguide gratings optically isolated by 2D photonic crystal

An optical phased array of corrugated waveguide gratings is fabricated to realize free space optical interconnects with wavelength routing. A 2D photonic crystal is experimentally shown to prevent optical crosstalk between closely spaced array elements.
On infinitesimal transformation and limit cycles: some further extensions†

In this note, some tests are developed to identify the limit cycles of a. second-order autonomous system invariant under an infinitesimal transformation. These test also establish whether the limit cycle is stable, unstable or semi-stable.
Update in Oncology

This Update discusses 3 important topics in oncology: screening (especially in the field of proteomics), prevention (including preventive measures for human papillomavirus), and therapeutics (inclu...
The Legacy of Violence on Post-Civil War Elections: The Case of El Salvador

Over the last several decades, numerous civil wars have ended as a consequence of negotiated settlements. Following many of these settlements, rebel groups have made the transition to political party and competed in democratic elections. In this paper, I assess the legacy of civil war on the performance of rebel groups as political parties. I argue that the ability of rebels to capture and control territory and their use of violence against the civilian population are two key factors explaining the performance of rebels as political parties. I test these hypotheses against the case of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) in El Salvador using one-way ANOVA and multivariate regression analyses. In analyzing the FMLN’s performance in the 1994 “elections of the century,” I find that, as a political party, the FMLN benefited both from the state’s violently disproportionate response and its ability to hold territory during the war.
RASH AND FEVER IN THE CRITICAL CARE UNIT

The approach to the patient with rash and fever is one of the most challenging diagnostic problems frequently faced by clinicians. The differential diagnostic approach is based on a careful analysis of the nature, location, and onset of the rash, as well as epidemiologic information, severity and acuteness of the illness, and the pattern of organ involvement. The clinical syndrome approach permits experienced infectious disease clinicians to make a rapid and accurate diagnosis.
Preface: Science for Regulation and Litigation

Scientific evidence plays a crucial role in regulation and law, particularly in the area of environmental health. In the courtroom, science helps judges and juries evaluate the disputed facts, whereas in the regulatory arena, science is a vital foundation for effective government decision making. Scientific research is increasingly conducted by parties who desire to influence litigation or regulatory action, and advocates draw readily on litigation or regulation-generated science when it supports their position. Scholars from in the fields of science, law, ethics, and public health met in March 2006 for a conference sponsored by the Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy at The George Washington University School of Public Health to explore the nature of scientific knowledge generated for use in adversarial or advocacy contexts. Participants at the conference “Truth and Advocacy: The Quality and Nature of Litigation and Regulatory Science” presented papers on whether litigation and regulation-generated studies should be judged by the same standards as those conducted outside of the legal and regulatory arenas, how the incentives and intentions that operate in the courtroom and regulatory arenas shape scientific inquiry, and what this implies about the “truth value” of the scientific work. Funding for the project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy (SKAPP) is provided by the Common Benefit Trust, a fund established pursuant to a court order in the Silicone Gel Breast Implant Products Liability litigation. SKAPP staff or planning committee do not provide the funders with advance notice or the opportunity to review or approve any documents or materials produced by the project.
Regulatory properties and cellular redistribution of zinc during macrophage differentiation of human leukemia cells.

Many proteins require the binding of trace metals such as Ca, Fe, Cu, or Zn, which may modulate their structure, function, or activity. To determine if there were any overall changes in metalloprotein distribution or metal concentration during the process of macrophage differentiation we induced human myeloid HL-60 leukemia cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and quantitatively mapped their metal content using hard X-ray fluorescence micro-analysis. We found a transient increase in the zinc content of HL-60 cell nuclei during the early stages of differentiation induction. This finding was confirmed by spectrofluorometry in HL-60 cells and extended to U-937 leukemia cells. A role for protein kinase C-β (PKC-β) in this process was established by examining zinc content in an HL-60 variant, HL-525, which is PKC-β deficient, and in HL-525 cells in which PKC-β was restored by stable overexpression. Chemical chelation of both Cu and Zn served to inhibit macrophage differentiation in HL-60 cells, indicating a requirement for these metals during this process. Finally, we demonstrate that growth of HL-60 cells in a low-zinc environment removes their susceptibility to PMA-induced differentiation, and that this capacity can be partially restored by the addition of exogenous zinc.
Refereed The availability of source code in relation to timely response to security vulnerabilities

Once a vulnerability has been found in an application or service that runs on a computer connected to the Internet, fixing that exploit in a timely fashion is of the utmost importance. There are two parts to fixing vulnerability: a party acting on behalf of the application's vendor gives instructions to fix it or makes a patch available that can be downloaded; then someone using that information fixes the computer or application in question. This paper considers the effects of proprietary software versus non-proprietary software in determining the speed with which a security fix is made available, since this can minimize the amount of time that the computer system remains vulnerable.
KCNQ1 and KCNE1 in the IKs channel complex make state-dependent contacts in their extracellular domains

KCNQ1 and KCNE1 (Q1 and E1) associate to form the slow delayed rectifier IKs channels in the heart. A short stretch of eight amino acids at the extracellular end of S1 in Q1 (positions 140–147) harbors six arrhythmia-associated mutations. Some of these mutations affect the Q1 channel function only when coexpressed with E1, suggesting that this Q1 region may engage in the interaction with E1 critical for the IKs channel function. Identifying the Q1/E1 contact points here may provide new insights into how the IKs channel operates. We focus on Q1 position 145 and E1 positions 40–43. Replacing all native cysteine (Cys) in Q1 and introducing Cys into the above Q1 and E1 positions do not significantly perturb the Q1 channel function or Q1/E1 interactions. Immunoblot experiments on COS-7 cells reveal that Q1 145C can form disulfide bonds with E1 40C and 41C, but not E1 42C or 43C. Correspondingly, voltage clamp experiments in oocytes reveal that Q1 145C coexpressed with E1 40C or E1 41C manifests unique gating behavior and DTT sensitivity. Our data suggest that E1 40C and 41C come close to Q1 145C in the activated and resting states, respectively, to allow disulfide bond formation. These data and those in the literature lead us to propose a structural model for the Q1/E1 channel complex, in which E1 is located between S1, S4, and S6 of three separate Q1 subunits. We propose that E1 is not a passive partner of the Q1 channel, but instead can engage in molecular motions during IKs gating.
Statistical MIMO controller performance monitoring. Part I: Data-driven covariance benchmark

In this paper, a data-based covariance benchmark is proposed for control performance monitoring. Within the covariance monitoring scheme, generalized eigenvalue analysis is used to extract the directions with the degraded or improved control performance against the benchmark. It is shown that the generalized eigenvalues and the covariance-based performance index are invariant to scaling of the data. A statistical inference method is further developed for the generalized eigenvalues and the corresponding confidence intervals are derived from asymptotic statistics. This procedure can be used to determine the directions or subspaces with significantly worse or better performance versus the benchmark. The covariance-based performance indices within the isolated worse and better performance subspaces are then derived to assess the performance degradation and improvement. Two simulated examples, a multiloop control and a multivariable MPC system, are provided to illustrate the utility of the proposed approach. Then an industrial wood waste burning power boiler unit is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.
Medium-wavelength infrared gas sensing with electrochemically fabricated porous silicon optical rugate filters

Porous silicon optical rugate filters are electrochemically fabricated to display reflectance peaks in the medium-wavelength infrared (MWIR) region from 4 to 8 μm. Etching conditions are adjusted to create filters with single and multiple infrared reflectance peaks overlapping specific infrared chemical absorbance bands. Additional infrared reflectance peaks are designed into the structures to provide internal optical reference channels. Samples containing optical reflectance features matching the absorbance band of CO2 at 2350 cm−1 are used to demonstrate gas sensing with optical filters, and a structure with a photonic stop band tuned to match the infrared absorbance band of the P=O functional group, found in G-series chemical warfare agents, is fabricated. With adequate electrolyte replenishment, the calibrated etch conditions generated reproducible spectral band features even for relatively long etch durations. This work represents the first example of a porous Si spectral filter prepared to match specific spectral features of molecules in the MWIR ("fingerprint") region.
Correlation of regional cerebral blood flow from perfusion MRI and SPECT in normal subjects

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) as measured with perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI) and single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT). rCBF was determined in 26 healthy subjects with pMRI and SPECT. After co-registration of pMRI with SPECT, rCBF was determined in 10 brain regions relative to the whole slice value. pMRI was evaluated with and without elimination of large vessels. rCBF from pMRI correlates significantly with rCBF from SPECT (r 5 0.69 with and r 5 0.59 without elimination of large vessels; p < 0.0001 for both). Elimination of large vessels reduced the interindividual variance of the pMRI measurements in most regions. rCBF from pMRI shows good correlation with rCBF from SPECT. Because pMRI is sensitive to flow in large vessels while SPECT is not, elimination of large vessels in pMRI reduces the interindividual variability of pMRI and improves the correlation between the two methods. pMRI is a reliable noninvasive method for rCBF measurements. © 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.
Formation of CLC-0 Chloride Channels from Separated Transmembrane and Cytoplasmic Domains

CLC-0, a member of the CLC family of Cl--conducting ion channels, consists of an N-terminal hydrophobic core and a C-terminal region that is thought to be cytoplasmic. This study provides evidence that the C-terminal region is a mechanistically relevant cytoplasmic domain of the CLC-0 ion channel. Both a point mutation and a 37-residue deletion in this region cause drastic alterations in voltage-dependent gating of CLC-0 current expressed in Xenopus oocytes. CLC-0 current is not observed when the entire C-terminal region is deleted, but functional channels are efficiently reconstituted by co-injection of separate cRNA constructs encoding the N-terminal transmembrane and the C-terminal cytoplasmic domains. Moreover, reconstitution of CLC-0 can be achieved by co-injection of cRNA encoding the transmembrane domain along with Escherichia coli-expressed C-terminal domain polypeptide.
Quantum mechanical engineering of short range potentials

The number, ordering, and bindings of the energy levels for various nodal and angular momentum quantum numbers are major indicators of the characteristics of a quantum mechanical potential. In the present study we develop explicit formulas which may be used to characterize the energy levels of a particle in a short range central potential. Such potentials arise in models of nuclear shell structure, of negative atomic ions, and of quark-antiquark bound states. One set of formulas is inferred by adapting the Morse potential eigenvalue formula. A second set is obtained by modifying the approximations of Sukhatme, Imbo, and Pagnamenta (SIP), which display particular accuracy for power law potentials such as the coulomb potential and the harmonic oscillator potential. To improve their accuracy and utility for short range potentials we here utilize a further expansion and introduction of parameters which may be obtained approximately from derivatives of the potential. We arrive at explicit formulas which by minor adjustment conform to the critical potential magnitude parameter and to the eigenvalues for a particle in a short range potential obtained by numerical solutions of Schrodinger's equation. We use the exponential potential to illustrate the method and the results.
UV Resonance Raman Ground and Excited State Studies of Amide and Peptide Isomerization Dynamics

We report the first measurements of the activation barrier for ground state trans−cis isomerization of secondary amides. We measured activation barriers of Ea = 13.8 ± 0.8 kcal/mol for aqueous solu...
The effect of inorganic nitrogen on macromolecular synthesis by Thalassiosira fluviatilis Hustedt and Cyclotella nana Hustedt grown in batch culture

Abstract Changes of the concentrations of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), carbohydrate (Car), chlorophyll a (Chl), and RNA of cells of Thalassiosira fluviatilis Hustedt and Cyclotella nana Hustedt growing in media with and without added NO3 were studied. In cultures with added NO3, ratios of N C>DE> (0.15–0.30, 0.20–0.24) and Chl C (0.043–0.068, 0.009–0.019) were relatively constant while the ratio of RNA C decreased as cell concentrations increased during most of the growth cycle. In cultures without added NO3, ratios of N C (0.022–0.083, 0.064–0.10), Chl C (0.010–0.038, 0.001–0.005), and RNA C were reduced and carbohydrate became an important cell constituent. The use of these ratios in the assessment of the nitrogen nutrition of natural populations of phytoplankton is discussed.
Rationalization of the enantioselectivity of subtilisin in DMF

Herein we examine the origin of enantioselectivity in the serine protease subtilisin in DMF through the use of molecular dynamics (MD) and free energy perturbation (FEP) simulations. In particular, we are interested in the resolution of a racemic mixture of sec-phenethyl alcohol by a transesterification reaction with the acylating agent vinyl acetate, catalyzed by subtilisin in anhydrous dimethylformamide (DMF). To study the enantioselectivity in this case, we examined the tetrahedral intermediate as a model of the enzyme transition state (as has been done in the past). A critical aspect of this study was the determination of the charge distribution of the two (R and S) tetrahedral intermediates through the use of a combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical electrostatic potential fitting methodology. In designing the active site charge model, we found that the R and S tetrahedral intermediates have significantly different charge distributions due to the presence of the stereodifferentiating enviro...
Mapping Farm-to-School Networks Implications for Research and Practice

In this article, the contemporary Farm-to-School movement is described as a system comprised of discrete actors operating at varying levels of geographic scale, social sector, and network function. Drawing on a literature review and case study research, the authors present and analyze a Farm-to-School network in Vermont as a series of relationships between network actors predicated on the flow of financial resources, whole and processed foods, information, and regulatory authority. Furthermore, the utility for using this map to critically examine the leverage points that may drive positive change within and across the system is discussed.
Precursors to regulatory peptides: their proteolytic processing

Precursors to regulatory peptides undergo maturation processes which include protelytic processing. The enzymes involved in this process remove the hydrophobic peptide located at the amino-terminus of the precursor. Endoprotease cleavage also occurs at single and two adjacent basic residues, this is followed by a removal of basic residues located at the C-terminus of the peptides by a carboxypeptidase-like enzyme.
Stability of lower central series of compact 3-Manifold groups

Abstract The length of a group G is the least ordinal α such that Gα = Gα + 1 where Gα is the αth term of the transfinite lower central series. We begin by establishing connections between lower central series length and the Parafree Conjecture, four-dimensional topological surgery, and link concordance. We prove that the length of all surface groups and most Fuchsian groups is at most ω. We show that the length of the group a Seifert fibration over a base of non-positive even Euler characteristic is at most ω. Our major result is the existence of closed hyperbolic 3-manifolds with length at least 2ω. We observe that any closed orientable 3-manifold group has the same lower central series quotients as a hyperbolic one.
Ki‐1—positive lymphoma developing 10 years after the diagnosis of hairy cell leukemia

The case is described of a 62-year-old man with a 10-year history of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) who subsequently had a large-cell anaplastic or so-called Ki-1-positive lymphoma. Immunocytochemical staining of the lymphomatous node revealed positivity for Ki-1 (CD30) and epithelial membrane antigen in the tumor cells, and flow cytometric analysis showed simultaneous expression of Leu M5 (CD11c) and Leu 14 (CD22). Although HCL has been reported to coexist with both Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the authors believe this is the first case in which a Ki-1-positive lymphoma developed in a patient with HCL. The clinicopathologic and immunologic features of both entities are discussed, as is the association of HCL with other neoplasms.
Ecotoxicological response of marine organisms to inorganic and organic sediment amendments in laboratory exposures.

Abstract Experimental materials currently being investigated for use as amendments for the in situ remediation of contaminated sediments were assessed for their potential impacts on marine benthos. Laboratory toxicity tests involving lethal and sublethal endpoints were conducted on sediments amended with apatite, organoclay, chitin, or acetate, with the polychaete Neanthes arenaceodentata, the amphipod Eohaustorius estuarius, and the larval sheepshead minnow Cyprinodon variegatus. Amendments were mixed loosely into uncontaminated or metal-contaminated sediments, and also added inside experimental geotextile mats, at sediment dry weight (dw) concentrations ranging from 0.5% to 10%. The geotextile mats, containing apatite (5 or 10% dw), and/or organoclay (5%) did not result in adverse effects on any of the test organisms. Chitin and acetate, however, repetitively resulted in adverse effects on survival and/or adverse or positive effects on organism growth at concentrations of ≤2.5% dw. The adverse effects were attributed to water quality degradation in the exposure vessels (notably ammonia and dissolved oxygen concentration, for chitin and acetate, respectively) as a result of the microbial breakdown of the amendments. For N. arenaceodentata, growth was enhanced in the presence of chitin at concentrations as low as 0.5% sediment dw, which stimulated bacterial growth that may have provided an additional food source for the polychaete. Sediment chitin concentrations of 0.5% resulted in a statistically significant reduction in N. arenaceodentata body burdens of 61%, 29%, and 54%, relative to unamended contaminated sediment, for Cu, Zn, and Cd, respectively. The studies suggest a lack of inherent toxicity of these materials on the experimental organisms, as the adverse or positive responses observed are likely related to artifacts associated with laboratory exposure. Assessments in field settings are needed to verify this conclusion.
The Effect of Target Language Use in Social Media on Intermediate-Level Chinese Language Learners' Writing Performance.

This quasi-experimental study examined whether there was any difference in the quantity and quality of the written texts produced by two groups (N=18) of intermediate Chinese language learners. Over one semester, students in the experimental (E) group wrote weekly updates and comments in Chinese on a designated Facebook group page, while students in the control (C) group did not post on the Facebook page. Three writing tasks were administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester. Results of a non-parametric statistical test revealed that there was a significant difference in writing quantity between the two groups. Specifically, while there was no significant difference between the two groups in the first writing task, the E group produced significantly more Chinese characters than the C group in the later writing tasks. However, in terms of the writing quality, results of a Mann-Whitney Test showed no significant differences between the two groups in all three writing tasks. As the small sample size may have had some impact on the study’s outcome with respect to the quality of students’ writing, the results are more promising in the area of quantity. These results indicate that Facebook could be used as an alternative pedagogical space for L2 literacy practice outside of class, with the potential for helping L2 learners improve at least some aspects of their writing performance.
A primal-dual simplex method for linear programs

Abstract A primal-dual algorithm is developed that optimizes a dual program in concert with improving primal infeasibility. The key distinction from the classic primal-dual simplex method is that our algorithm uses a much smaller working basis to determine a dual ascent direction quickly. By maintaining partial primal feasibility while improving the dual objective, the number of infeasible constraints is monotonically reduced to zero. Finite convergence to an optimal primal-dual pair can then be shown in the same manner as the simplex method. Computational experience on large generalized network linear programs demonstrates the algorithm's promise.
Repair of Left Ventricular-Aortic Discontinuity Complicating Endocarditis from an Aortic Valve Prosthesis

A case of bacterial endocarditis from an aortic valve prosthesis is described in which subannular pseudoaneurysm caused discontinuity of the aorta and left ventricle. Successful repair was accomplished using compound sponge-felt to bolster the left ventricular outflow tract and to obliterate the aneurysm.
Testing the flipped classroom with model-eliciting activities and video lectures in a mid-level undergraduate engineering course

This paper outlines an ongoing study of the flipped classroom with second and third-year undergraduate engineering students in a numerical methods course. The flipped classroom is a new pedagogical method, which employs asynchronous video lectures and practice problems as homework, and active, group-based problem-solving activities in the classroom. It represents the combination of learning theories once thought to be incompatible-active, problem-based learning activities founded upon constructivist ideals and instructional lectures derived from direct instruction methods founded upon behaviorist principles. Using a controlled quasi-experimental research design, we conduct a study with a full 15-week numerical methods course at Utah State University during the spring semester of 2013. Students in the experimental section completed model-eliciting activities inside the classroom and video lectures and homework outside the classroom. Students in the control section completed homework outside the classroom and group lectures inside the classroom. The two groups will be compared using scores from homework, examinations, and a sixteen-question numerical methods conceptual pre- post- test pair. The three main features that distinguish this study from previous research are: 1) This is a controlled study; 2) This study examines student performance on objective measures; 3) This study uses model-eliciting activities in the experimental classroom.
Mw 8.6 Sumatran earthquake of 11 April 2012: Rare seaward expression of oblique subduction

The magnitude 8.6 and 8.2 earthquakes off northwestern Sumatra on 11 April 2012 generated small tsunami waves that were recorded by stations around the Indian Ocean. Combining differential travel-time modeling of tsunami waves with results from back projection of seismic data reveals a complex source with a significant trench-parallel component. The oblique plate convergence indicates that ∼20–50 m of trench-parallel displacement could have accumulated since the last megathrust earthquake, only part of which has been taken up by the Great Sumatran fault. This suggests that the remaining trench-parallel motion was released during the magnitude 8.6 earthquake on 11 April 2012 within the subducting plate. The magnitude 8.6 earthquake is interpreted to be a result of oblique subduction as well as a reduction in normal stress due to the occurrence of the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake in 2004.
The relationship between website quality, trust and price premiums at online auctions

This study measures the value of website quality in terms of its impact on trust, intention to transact and price premiums. Prior research on online auctions has focused on the use of reputation systems for building trust in online auction vendors and subsequently to generate price premiums. This study examines the extent to which trust can be induced by improving the quality of online auction listings. A survey of 701 eBay users is conducted which compares the price premiums of two nearly identical online auction businesses, one that has online auction listings with a perceived high quality and the other that has substantially lower perceived quality. Results of this study indicate that website quality can explain 49% of the variation in the trust for eBay sellers. In fact, it shows that sellers with good website quality are all perceived to be equally trustworthy regardless of their eBay reputation; whereas sellers with poor website quality are not perceived to be trustworthy even if they have a high eBay reputation score. The results also show that the trust resulting from increased website quality increases intention to transact and results in price premiums of 12% (on average) for sellers with higher quality listings. Theories from marketing, economics, and social psychology are used to explain why website quality induces trust in unknown vendors without providing any concrete evidence regarding the vendor's past history.
Consumer acceptance of online auctions: An extension and revision of the TAM

The study extends and revises the original Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by applying it in the context of online auctions and introducing three new consumer-oriented variables: affinity with the computer, impulsiveness, and risk tolerance. It begins with an examination of eBay, the first and most successful online auction site, to show that its business is the technology that fuels growth and increased profits. The paper then addresses the original cognitive TAM variables, used mostly in business contexts, and then the revision designed to add emotional antecedents suitable to the consumer context. Hypotheses that incorporate all of the variables and the relationships among them are tested in a study of online auction consumer behavior, and support is found for the extended TAM. Findings thus reveal that the TAM is stable across contexts and that additional user variables help explain the acceptance of consumer technology use in personal scenarios. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
B cells and osteoblast and osteoclast development

The molecules that regulate bone cell development, particularly at the early stages of development, are only partially known. Data are accumulating that indicate a complex relationship exists between B cells and bone cell differentiation. Although the exact nature of this relationship is still evolving, it takes at least two forms. First, factors that regulate B-cell growth and development have striking effects on osteoclast and osteoblast lineage cells. Similarly, factors that regulate bone cell development influence B-cell maturation. Second, a series of transcription factors required for B-cell differentiation have been identified, and these factors function in a developmentally ordered circuit. These transcription factors have unpredicted, pronounced, and non-overlapping effects on osteoblast and/or osteoclast development. These data indicate that at least a regulatory relationship exists between B lymphopoiesis, osteoclastogenesis, and osteoblastogenesis.
Comparative primate energetics and hominid evolution

There is currently great interest in developing ecological models for investigating human evolution. Yet little attention has been given to energetics, one of the cornerstones of modern ecosystem ecology. This paper examines the ecological correlates of variation in metabolic requirements among extant primate species, and uses this information to draw inferences about the changes in energy demands over the course of human evolution. Data on body size, resting metabolism, and activity budgets for selected anthropoid species and human hunter-gatherers are used to estimate total energy expenditure (TEE). Analyses indicate that relative energy expenditure levels and day ranges are positively correlated with diet quality; that is, more active species tend to consume more energy-rich diets. Human foragers fall at the positive extremes for modern primates in having high expenditure levels, large ranges, and very high quality diets. During hominid evolution, it appears that TEE increased substantially with the emergence of Homo erectus. This increase is partly attributable to larger body size as well as likely increases in day range and activity level. Assuming similar activity budgets for all early hominid species, estimated TEE for H. erectus is 40-45% greater than for the australopithecines. If, however, it is assumed that the evolution of early Homo was also associated with a shift to a more "human-like" foraging strategy, estimated expenditure levels for H. erectus are 80-85% greater than in the australopithecines. Changing patterns of resource distribution associated with the expansion of African savannas between 2.5 and 1.5 mya may been the impetus for a shift in foraging behavior among early members of the genus Homo. Such ecological changes likely would have made animal foods a more attractive resource. Moreover, greater use of animal foods and the resulting higher quality diet would have been important for supporting the larger day ranges and greater energy requirements that appear to have been associated with the evolution of a human-like hunting and gathering strategy.
Preparation and polymerization of a sugar dithiol

2,4-O-Benzylidene-1,6-dithiol-D-glucitol is prepared by nucleophilic displacement of tosyloxy groups from 3,5-di-O-acetyl-2,4-O-benzylidene-1,6-di-O-tosyl-D-glucitol with thioacetate in N,N-dimethylformamide and deacetylation of the product. Oxidative polymerization with oxygen and selenium dioxide produces film-forming disulfide polymers with intrinsic viscosities up to 0.41. Other oxidizing agents produce polymers of lower viscosity. Condensation of the dithiol with benzaldehyde also gives polymers of low viscosity.
Effect of fiber waviness on the bending behavior of S-glass/epoxy composites

Abstract A study was conducted on the influence of localized ply waviness on the strength of uniaxial fiberglass composites subjected to three-point bending. A series of experimental three-point bending tests were performed to discover how wave geometry will affect the strength of these materials. It is shown that any waviness will decrease the strength, but this reduction is maximized by increased amplitude, deceased wavelength, and concave up waves as well as increased total specimen length. As much as 37% reduction in strength compared to a flat specimen is seen in the case of large concave up waves. The dominant failure mode for unidirectional wavy composites under bending was shown to be interlaminar shear, which in turn leads to microbuckling. Finally, a failure criterion is derived which can predict the load and location where failure will begin.
La enfermera clínica marca la diferencia

Un articulo que le muestra el rol fundamental de la enfermera clinica lider y el valor que aporta el sistema a los resultados de salud de los pacientes
Application of a drive and an associative theory to the effects of CR-contingent increments and decrements in unconditioned stimulus intensity

An analysis of data from classical aversive conditioning of the nictitating membrane of rabbits with the two-phase model was made in order to test predictions from Spence’s drive theory and the Rescorla-Wagner associative theory. While overall group means were ordered as expected from these theories, the interrelationships among estimates of parameters in the two-phase model showed that neither can account for more detailed analyses of the data. It was shown, for example, that the inferior performance of subjects receiving an avoidance treatment was not, as theoretically predicted, a result of the CR-contingent omission of the US leading to a decrement in response probability. Similarly, it was shown that increments in response probability followed trials on which the CR occurred even when CR-contingent US intensity was lower than that on non-CR trials, an effect which neither theory can predict since both are response independent. These two outcomes are opposite to what has been obtained in human aversive conditioning, which means that the two theories, while accounting for the behavior of one species, are of limited generality across species.
African-American Women in Higher Education: Struggling to Gain Identity

An examination of recent research on African-American women in higher education demonstrates that the literature holds a minority position not unlike that of African-American women in society. There is not a great deal of research on African-American women in higher education. Yet, the current and developing body of research on African-American women in higher education provides groundwork for realizing our history, dispelling myths, relating our experiences, formulating theoretical frameworks, and establishing our identity in higher education (and in the larger social structure). Why is there a lack of research about African-American women in higher education? In the introduction to their anthology of writings on AfricanAmerican women's studies, All the Women Are White, All the Blacks are Men, But Some of Us are Brave, Gloria T. Hull, Patricia Bell Scott, and Barbara Smith (1982) affirm that the intellectual void surrounding African-American women is totally related to the politics of a white male society. This society does not recognize, and denies, the importance of African-American women's lives and contributions through racial, sexual, and class oppression. Hull et al. call for an examination of the lives and experience of ordinary, as well as exceptional African-American women from a pro-
Testosterone-mediated sexual dimorphism of mitochondria and lysosomes in mouse kidney proximal tubules

In kidney proximal tubules of male mice the mitochondria are larger and more electron-lucent, autophagic vacuoles and lysosomes (predominantly myeloid bodies) more numerous and voluminous, and exocytosed intraluminal myeloid bodies more common than in females. Males also have higher kidney activities of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase and lysosomal hydrolases, and excrete larger quantities of hydrolases and protein in the urine. Orchiectomy evokes the feminine pattern whereas testosterone administration induces the male pattern. Endogenous testosterone modulates mitochondrial structure and function and enhances the activity of the lysosomal-vacuolar system in proximal tubule cells.
Estimation of glycosaminoglycans by atomic absorption determination of copper in their alcian blue complexes

Glycosaminoglycans can be quantitated by determining the copper content of their alcian blue complexes. The use of this method is demonstrated with mixtures containing heparan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate after they have been resolved by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Quantitation of alcian blue by atomic absorption is more sensitive than spectrophotometric techniques previously published. The method can be used to estimate the glycosaminoglycan composition in small amounts of tissue. This report demonstrates the use of this methodology in the quantitation of glycosaminoglycans in fetal and postnatal mouse brain and in the determination of the specific activities of glycosaminoglycans of fetal mouse brain labeled in vitro with [1-14C]glucosamine.
The Mars Observer laser altimeter investigation

The primary objective of the Mars Observer laser altimeter (MOLA) investigation is to determine globally the topography of Mars at a level suitable for addressing problems in geology and geophysics. Secondary objectives are to characterize the 1064-nm wavelength surface reflectivity of Mars to contribute to analyses of global surface mineralogy and seasonal albedo changes, to assist in addressing problems in atmospheric circulation, and to provide geodetic control and topographic context for the assessment of possible future Mars landing sites. The principal components of MOLA are a diode-pumped, neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser transmitter that emits 1064-nm wavelength laser pulses, a 0.5-m-diameter telescope, a silicon avalanche photodiode detector, and a time interval unit with 10-ns resolution. MOLA will provide measurements of the topography of Mars within approximately 160-m footprints and a center-to-center along-track foot print spacing of 300 m along the Mars Observer subspacecraft ground track. The elevation measurements will be quantized with 1.5 m vertical resolution before correction for orbit- and pointing induced errors. MOLA profiles will be assembled into a global 0.2 deg x 0.2 deg grid that will be referenced to Mars' center of mass with an absolute accuracy of approximately 30 m. Other data products will include a global grid of topographic gradients, corrected individual profiles, and a global 0.2 deg x 0.2 deg grid of 1064-nm surface reflectivity.
Organizational Justice and Job Satisfaction in Coaching

This study explored organizational climate perceptions within high school athletic departments from the point of view of coaches. Five key facets of job satisfaction and satisfaction with the job in general were assessed as well as the relationship between each facet and three distinctive dimensions of organizational justice. High school coaches (N = 392) indicated that their athletic departments maintained a fair operating climate and were satisfied with each of the five facets and their jobs in general. Also, a linear relationship (p ≤ 0.05) was found between each of the three fairness dimensions and each of the job satisfaction facets as well as the job itself.
Chemotherapy: Adding oxaliplatin to the equation.

Pooled analyses from the Adjuvant Treatment of Colon Cancer trial suggest that most patients with stage III colon cancer develop recurrence within the first 3 years following treatment. Improved disease-free survival and improved overall survival were observed for such patients who were treated with adjuvant combination therapy of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin versus those treated with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin.