cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laterality of motor control revisited: directionality of callosal traffic and its rehabilitative implications.

Based on evidence derived from personal data and a comprehensive review of the literature, this article provides a perspective of laterality of motor control in humans. The evidence supports existence of directionality in callosal traffic, codified in handedness. However, it is the neural handedness that definitively reveals the directionality of signal traffic between the executive and the minor hemisphere; the minor hemisphere is devoted to the affairs occurring on or toward the nondominant side of the body. Thus, moving the nondominant side of the body (and sensing from it) are bi-hemispherical events that require callosal participation. Time-resolved data are provided that indicate the absence of any ipsilateral corticospinal tract innervation in humans. The rehabilitative aspects of the new circuitry (i.e., one-way callosal traffic scheme) is reviewed, establishing that previously described plasticity or reorganization of cortical structure was a reflection of the newly described anatomy underpinning...
A Measure of Mortality Risk for Elderly Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

The objective of this study was to derive and validate a simple scoring system that predicts risk of short-term mortality in elderly patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to compare this derived score with the MedisGroups admission severity score. A myocardial infarction severity score (MISS) was derived from a database of clinical infor mation abstracted using MedisGroups and follow-up information on 30-day mortality status. The MISS was validated and compared with the MedisGroups Admission Severity Groups (ASGs) in a separate database. The derivation set included 2,037 Medicare patients 65 years old or older with confirmed AMI who were randomly selected from patients discharged from hospitals in seven states during 1985. The validation set consisted of 6,323 patients from the 1988 MedisGroups comparative database who were at least 65 years of age and had confirmed AMI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found a set of nine abnormal patient characteristics that independe...
Induction of gentamicin resistance by visible light.

Recent studies have demonstrated the ability of visible light or phototherapy to modify the intracellular DNA of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of phototherapy on drug resistance in prokaryotic cells using a tester strain of gentamycin sensitive E. coli. A growing population of the tester strain was inoculated onto agar plates containing minimal medium and gentamycin. The plates were divided into two populations, one which was illuminated while the other was kept in the dark to serve as a control. The cells were illuminated under a standard phototherapy unit (Dura Test Vita Lite). The unit was protected from direct sunlight and air cooled to maintain the cultures at 23°. The sample distance from the light source was adjusted to maintain a fluence rate (450 nm) of 141 μWcm2. An increased mutation frequency to gentamycin resistance was seen in the irradiated population. The relationship between light induced antimicrobial resistance and the recent emergence of drug resistant bacteria in neonatal nurseries needs to be determined.
DRINKING-RELATED CONTROL ORIENTATION AND ALCOHOL INTOXICATION

Locus of control is a personality construct reflecting one's belief or perception about who controls behavior and life events (Roner, 1966). The range of beliefs extend from internal ro external locus of control. The prediction that persons who expect a contingent relationship between personal actions and outcomes (internals) will respond differently in a variety of situations from persons who expect that personal effort and reward are uncorrelated (external scorers) has been substantiated (Joe, 1971; Lefcourr, 1966; Phares, 1976). Belief in personal control is both a general predisposition which influences behavior across a wide range of situations and a rather specific set of beliefs which may apply to a more limited situation (Connolly, 1980). Roner's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (Rotter, 1966) measures one's general control orientation. Recently, the Drinkingrelated Locus of Control Scale was developed with items specific to alcohol use/misuse (Donovan & O'Leary, 1978). These items assess a drinker's ability to resist the temptation to drink and drinking to overcome negative emotions (the intrapersonal control factor). The drinker's ability to resist peer pressure to drink or drinking to cope better with people is also assessed (the interpersonal control factor). More internality is correlated with better control. Based on scores from the Drinking-related I-E scale, internal scorers were usually better at setting limits on their drinking than external scorers. For instance, Donovan and O'Leary (1978) found that hospitalized alcoholics having an external orientation based on Drinking-related I-E scores: (a) were more preoccupied with alcohol; (b) had more prolonged drinking problems, as indicated by higher levels of physical, social, and psychological impairment; and (c) manifested more loss of control when drinking, as indicated by belligerence, blackouts, passing out, gulping drinks, stumbling, and physically .harming themselves or others. The purpose of this smdy was to extend the aforementioned findings by examining the relationship between Drinking-related I-E scores and alcohol intoxication rates in non-hospitalized subjects. It was specifically hypothesized that greater internality would reliably correlate wich lower intoxication rates.
Soft-Error Charge-Sharing Mechanisms at Sub-100nm Technology Nodes

Analyses of ion-induced charge sharing effects at the 90 nm CMOS technology node are discussed. Two mechanisms leading to enhanced charge collection and increased soft error sensitivity are presented.
Hydrocele formation in patients with Hodgkin's disease

Hydroceles developed in 12 (7.7%) of 155 consecutive male patients who had Hodgkin's disease treated between 1962 and 1981. Except for one patient who had a hydrocele at diagnosis, all developed this complication during remission, 8 months to 7.5 years after inverted-Y or abdominopelvic 60Co irradiation (3000-3800 rad). Hydroceles were bilateral in five patients and on the right side in seven. No tumor was found in the hydrocele sacs of the ten patients who underwent hydrocelectomy. Lymphatic obstruction was evidenced by lymphatic dilation in the hernia sac in six patients. The authors believe postirradiation fibrosis of the lymphatic pathway was the main cause of hydrocele formation.
A flawed implementation of sustainable tourism: the experience of Akamas, Cyprus

Abstract Alternative tourism is increasingly regarded as a key to sustainable development. The rationale is that contrary to mass tourism with its commonplace negative effects on receiving areas, alternative tourism promotes a balanced growth form more in tune with local environmental and sociocultural concerns. Yet, academics are becoming increasingly skeptical as to whether alternative tourism can be truly sustainable. This paper examines a case study of the Cypriot government's recent efforts to introduce alternative tourism as a rural development strategy in the Akamas peninsula. Evidence reveals that failure to involve the local rural communities in the decision-making process plus the inability of policy makers to form an integrated vision for the entire region form major obstacles towards realizing the goal of sustainable development.
Molecular modeling study of the resistance of PLA to hydrolysis based on the blending of PLLA and PDLA

Abstract Molecular modeling has been used to explain how the blending of poly( l -lactide) (PLLA) and poly( d -lactide) (PDLA) affects the resistance of poly(lactide) (PLA) to hydrolysis. Amorphous PLLA/PDLA blends were created using molecular modeling, and the minimum potential energy of the blends before and after hydrolysis were obtained. The 50/50 blend has the greatest resistance to hydrolysis, which agrees with past experiments and is due to its having stronger hydrogen-bonding and dipole–dipole interactions than pure PLLA or PDLA. This is based on the 50/50 blend having more of these interactions and shorter average lengths for the hydrogen-bonds and dipole–dipole interactions compared to pure PLLA and PDLA. Hydrogen-bonding possibly has a greater effect than the dipole–dipole interactions on the resistance to hydrolysis. The change in potential energy for hydrolysis decreases linearly with increasing % PLLA or % PDLA from 0 to 50%.
Electroanalytical study of isomeric trifluoromethyl-nitrosobenzene intermediates

Abstract The relative lifetimes of the o-, m- and p-trifluoromethylnitrosobenzene anion radicals produced in the electroreduction of the corresponding nitro compounds in N,N-dimethylformamide are compared. Potential step experiments coupled with cyclic voltammetry facilitate the comparison. The fate of the nitroso species is discussed in relation to the results of experiments in which o-, m- and p-trifluoromethylnitrobenzene were mass electrolyzed and the products spectrophotometrically identified.
Gold thioglucose selectively damages dorsal vagal nuclei

Abstract To characterize the lesion produced in the medulla oblongata by gold thioglucose (GTG), the present experiment quantified the medullary damage in C57B1 mice that had become obese after treatment with 800 mg/kg of GTG at 30 days of age. At the rostrocaudal level of the area postrema, the neurotoxin destroyed up to 75% of the neurons in the medial cell column of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMX), while sparing the lateral pole of the nucleus. GTG also produced significant tissue loss in the central and commissural subnuclei of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST). In contrast, the GTG lesion did not affect cell number in the hypoglossal nucleus or reduce the volume of the area postrema. Additional observations indicated that at 48–72 h after GTG administration the affected regions of the medulla already show advanced necrosis including cell loss and gliosis; and when the relative contributions of hypothalamic. DMX, and NST damage to the obesity that develops are evaluated statistically with partial correlational analysis, it appears the the obesity primarily correlates with the hypothalamic lesion produced by GTG.
Balancing Religious Identity and Academic Reputation at a Christian University

In recent years the secularization of religious universities has become a popular topic of research and scholarship. One facet of secularizing processes is the effect of the pursuit of national reputations by these institutions on their religious identity. A neglected aspect of this research is faculty perception. This study examines the issue as viewed by 18 senior faculty at a Christian university. Data analysis demonstrates that faculty perceptions fall into three distinct categories. The first group saw no inherent conflict between religious identity and academic reputation. The second group acknowledged a potential conflict, but was optimistic the university was remaining vigilant. The third group perceived a conflict between the two, expressing the belief that the threat to the university's religious identity was quite real and secularization was already taking place. Implications exist for all types of religious colleges and universities.
Identifying and using referents in sentence comprehension

Two experiments examined characteristics of text that determine when a repeated noun has a clearly identified referent. Subjects read context-target sentence pairs in which one noun was repeated or used synonymously across the pair. The contexts varied according to (a) whether the verb directed an action, or described a nondirect action or psychological state (e.g., throw vs. need), and (b) whether the modifier of the antecedent was definite or indefinite. In Experiment I, directive verbs led to similar target comprehension times for both modifiers. With nondirective verbs, however, indefinite articles slowed comprehension. Experiment II demonstrated identical effects with synonyms. We argue that verbs and article modifiers influence whether a noun is merely a repeated word in a text, or whether it is redundant at the propositional level.
Re-evaluation of possible historical relationship between magnetic intensity and climate

HYPOTHESES concerning changes in the internal component of the geomagnetic field and consequent effects on climate1–10 are usually based on palaeomagnetic and palaeoclimatic data. Results are often ambiguous due to poor temporal and spatial resolution and difficulties in interpreting the proxy data10–12. Use of historic data partially avoids these problems. Thus, Wollin et al.13 tentatively conclude “that the trends in intensity from most of the magnetic observatories in the world with records over at least 30 yr correlate negatively with the 10-yr means of air temperature”. Because temperature and magnetic field intensity both have regional characteristics, this conclusion implies that the relationship is a local phenomenon although it will be valid globally. This further suggests that the relationship is causal. Wollin et al. presented graphs of mean annual magnetic intensities from 16 magnetic observatories along with 10-yr mean temperatures from nearby meteorological stations; one example is given using a 10-yr running average of winter temperatures and five examples use annual temperatures. Although the graphical data are suggestive of the proposed relationship, the study suffers in three respects. First, data from only 22 of the 43 magnetic observatories listed are presented. Second, the use of 10-yr temperature means yields only three or four data points which may not properly represent the trend of the temperature data. Third, the degree of correlation is not quantitatively evaluated. Here we present statistical evidence that there is no globally valid inverse relationship between geomagnetic intensity and climate for the period covered by observatory records.
The revival of the sociology of culture: The case of collective memory

In the last decade or two, American sociology has witnessed a pronounced revival of cultural studies. After a long interval marked by the predominance of structural explanatory schemes, cultural types of explanation have again come to the fore. This is perhaps most salient in the reception of the work of Durkheim in the American sociology of the last 50 years or so. Those of us who went to graduate school in the late 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were largely led to see in Durkheim the father of most structural explanation in sociology. Hence, The Division of Labor in Society (Durkheim, 1893/1984), The Rules of Sociological Method (Durkheim, 1895/1982), as well as Suicide (Durkheim, 1897/1951), were the works we were encouraged and required to study. We knew that around the turn of the century Durkheim concentrated his attention on the crucial importance of what he called "collective representations," that is, socially generated sets of ideas that were not simply aggregates of individual ideas but belonged to a reality sui generis, which was the preeminent domain of sociological explanation. But most of us paid relatively little attention to this aspect of Durkheim's thought. His later approach in The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (Durkheim, 1912/1947), which explores the importance of religious ideas and practices and the emergence of the categories of his sociology of knowledge, was generally neglected. To put it into current sociological terminology, in the last phase of his thought, Durkheim redirected attention to the relevance of cultural elements in the analysis of social systems. Or as Jeffrey Alexander (1989:157) recently put it, "Only in the studies of the later 1890s did Durkheim have an explicit theory of symbolic processes firmly in hand."
Effect of Application Methods on 1,3-Dichloropropene Volatilization from Soil under Controlled Conditions

Emissions of fumigants can be an important source of air pollution at soil fumigation sites, and the high emission rates result partly from the use of application methods that are high in volatilization potential. In this study, we compared volatilization of fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D ) from a sandy loam in 60-cm packed columns after applied hy different methods. The most volatilization was found with injection into uncovered soil at a shallow depth (e.g., 56% loss for the 20-cm injection) and application via surface drip irrigation (>90%). Volatilization fluxes and cumulative losses, however. rapidly decreased as the injection depth was increased, and the total loss was only 27% for the 40-cm injection. The commonly used polyethylene plastic was ineffective in reducing the volatilization because of its high permeability to 1,3-D. Water application after the 20-cm injection resulted in substantially reduced volatilization, but the least loss (22%) was obtained when an emulsifiable formulation of 1,3-D, Telone SL, was drip-applied to the subsurface at 20 cm. Our results indicate that variables most influencing 1,3-D volatilization are injection depth and water management. By optimizing these variables, application methods with low emission potential can be developed.
MU2 and HP1a Regulate the Recognition of Double Strand Breaks in Drosophila melanogaster

Chromatin structure regulates the dynamics of the recognition and repair of DNA double strand breaks; open chromatin enhances the recruitment of DNA damage response factors, while compact chromatin is refractory to the assembly of radiation-induced repair foci. MU2, an orthologue of human MDC1, a scaffold for ionizing radiation-induced repair foci, is a widely distributed chromosomal protein in Drosophila melanogaster that moves to DNA repair foci after irradiation. Here we show using yeast 2 hybrid screens and co-immunoprecipitation that MU2 binds the chromoshadow domain of the heterochromatin protein HP1 in untreated cells. We asked what role HP1 plays in the formation of repair foci and cell cycle control in response to DNA damage. After irradiation repair foci form in heterochromatin but are shunted to the edge of heterochromatic regions an HP1-dependent manner, suggesting compartmentalized repair. Hydroxyurea-induced repair foci that form at collapsed replication forks, however, remain in the heterochromatic compartment. HP1a depletion in irradiated imaginal disc cells increases apoptosis and disrupts G2/M arrest. Further, cells irradiated in mitosis produced more and brighter repair foci than to cells irradiated during interphase. Thus, the interplay between MU2 and HP1a is dynamic and may be different in euchromatin and heterochromatin during DNA break recognition and repair.
Ceth, electronic text centers, and the humanities community

To a great extent the work of humanists and electronic text center librarians is at the forefront of realizing the potential of new media for research and instruction. It goes beyond how the library typically is viewed in the digital arena, which is providing access to digital content for information retrieval. The skills that electronic text center librarians have developed have much to offer other disciplines about the potential of the text for creative exploration and the overall development of the digital library. These include the understanding of interoperability, knowledge of standards, text markup and quality control, connection with users and disciplinary needs, technical skills for text creation and scanning and an understanding of the intrinsic qualities of the material to be studied. CETH and electronic text centers have helped to create a community of users by focussing attention on common goals and themes. These goals and themes now can be encompassed in a larger arena.
Exploring Bias in Math Teachers’ Perceptions of Students’ Ability by Gender and Race/Ethnicity

This study explores whether gender stereotypes about math ability shape high school teachers’ assessments of the students with whom they interact daily, resulting in the presence of conditional bias. It builds on theories of intersectionality by exploring teachers’ perceptions of students in different gender and racial/ethnic subgroups and advances the literature on the salience of gender across contexts by considering variation across levels of math course-taking in the academic hierarchy. Analyses of nationally representative data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS) reveal that disparities in teachers’ perceptions of ability that favored white males over minority students of both genders are explained away by student achievement in the form of test scores and grades. However, we find evidence of a consistent bias against white females, which although relatively small in magnitude, suggests that teachers hold the belief that math is just easier for white males than it is for white females...
A Comparison of Macaque Behavior and Superior Colliculus Neuronal Activity to Predictions From Models of Two-Choice Decisions

Recently, models in psychology have been shown capable of accounting for the full range of behavioral data from simple two-choice decision tasks: mean reaction times for correct and error responses, accuracy, and the reaction time distributions for correct and error responses. At the same time, recent data from neural recordings have allowed investigation of the neural systems that implement such decisions. In the experiment presented here, neural recordings were obtained from superior colliculus prelude/buildup cells in two monkeys while they performed a two-choice task that has been used in humans for testing psychological models of the decision process. The best-developed psychological model, the diffusion model, and a competing model, the Poisson counter model, were explicitly fit to the behavioral data. The pattern of activity shown in the prelude/buildup cells, including the point at which response choices were discriminated, was matched by the evidence accumulation process predicted from the diffusion model using the parameters from the fits to the behavioral data but not by the Poisson counter model. These results suggest that prelude/buildup cells in the superior colliculus, or cells in circuits in which the superior colliculus cells participate, implement a diffusion decision process or a variant of the diffusion process.
dPIRPLE: a joint estimation framework for deformable registration and penalized-likelihood CT image reconstruction using prior images

Sequential imaging studies are conducted in many clinical scenarios. Prior images from previous studies contain a great deal of patient-specific anatomical information and can be used in conjunction with subsequent imaging acquisitions to maintain image quality while enabling radiation dose reduction (e.g., through sparse angular sampling, reduction in fluence, etc). However, patient motion between images in such sequences results in misregistration between the prior image and current anatomy. Existing prior-image-based approaches often include only a simple rigid registration step that can be insufficient for capturing complex anatomical motion, introducing detrimental effects in subsequent image reconstruction. In this work, we propose a joint framework that estimates the 3D deformation between an unregistered prior image and the current anatomy (based on a subsequent data acquisition) and reconstructs the current anatomical image using a model-based reconstruction approach that includes regularization based on the deformed prior image. This framework is referred to as deformable prior image registration, penalized-likelihood estimation (dPIRPLE). Central to this framework is the inclusion of a 3D B-spline-based free-form-deformation model into the joint registration-reconstruction objective function. The proposed framework is solved using a maximization strategy whereby alternating updates to the registration parameters and image estimates are applied allowing for improvements in both the registration and reconstruction throughout the optimization process. Cadaver experiments were conducted on a cone-beam CT testbench emulating a lung nodule surveillance scenario. Superior reconstruction accuracy and image quality were demonstrated using the dPIRPLE algorithm as compared to more traditional reconstruction methods including filtered backprojection, penalized-likelihood estimation (PLE), prior image penalized-likelihood estimation (PIPLE) without registration, and prior image penalized-likelihood estimation with rigid registration of a prior image (PIRPLE) over a wide range of sampling sparsity and exposure levels.
The influence of electric current pulses on the microstructure of the MnBi/Bi eutectic

The MnBi/Bi eutectic was directionally solidified with freezing rate oscillations caused by electric current pulses. The influence of current pulsing on microstructure depended on the ampoule translation rate V and pulsing conditions. Continuous electric current had a small eect on the microstructure. Current pulsing with the solid positive had a substantial influence, greater than with the solid negative. For V52cm/h, current pulsing transformed sections of the ingot from a quasi-regular microstructure to irregular MnBi, broken lamellae or completely void of MnBi. The reverse was true at 1.1cm/h. For the quasi-regular portions, the average MnBi rod spacing l decreased almost linearly with the average current. This result contradicts the hypothesis that freezing rate fluctuations were responsible for the eect of convection on MnBi‐Bi microstructure. The decrease of l with current pulsing was less at high V, where the rods were more rounded. Current pulsing also increased the roundness of the MnBi rods. The percent MnBi in the grains with a quasi-regular structure decreased with increasing current pulsing amplitude. # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
KINEMATICS OF AQUATIC PREY CAPTURE IN THE SNAPPING TURTLE CHELYDRA SERPENTINA

The kinematics of feeding on two prey types is studied quantitatively in the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina , to provide a description of prey capture mechanisms and to determine whether kinematic patterns can be altered in response to prey that vary in escape capability. High-speed video recordings of prey capture (200 fields s−1) provide data for field-by-field analysis of 12 kinematic variables characterizing head and neck movement. Feedings on fish were accomplished in 78ms, with peak head extension velocities of 152.5cms−1. Worm feedings lasted 98ms with maximum head extension velocities of 54cms−1. Both univariate and multivariate statistical analyses demonstrate significant differences in kinematic patterns between fish and earthworm feedings: Chelydra serpentina possesses the ability to modulate its kinematic pattern depending on the prey. The pattern of bone movement during the fast opening phase of the gape cycle is similar to that found in ray-finned fishes, lungfishes and aquatic salamanders. However, movements of the cranium and lower jaw during the closing phase are markedly different. Our data show Chelydra to be predominantly a ram-feeder, with any intraoral negative pressures generated during the strike having a negligible effect on the prey, which remains largely stationary relative to a fixed background. Hyoid and esophageal expansion during the closing phase may function to allow a unidirectional flow of water and prey into the mouth until the gape closes and to delay reverse flow until the prey has been trapped inside the mouth. The independent evolutionary acquisition of aquatic feeding in fishes and turtles reveals some kinematic similarities that may be the result of hydrodynamic constraints on aquatic prey capture systems, as well as kinematic differences that result from the fundamentally different morphological design of the prey capture apparatus.
CasOT: a genome-wide Cas9/gRNA off-target searching tool

Summary: The CRISPR/Cas or Cas9/guide RNA system is a newly developed, easily engineered and highly effective tool for gene targeting; it has considerable off-target effects in cultured human cells and in several organisms. However, the Cas9/guide RNA target site is too short for existing alignment tools to exhaustively and effectively identify potential off-target sites. CasOT is a local tool designed to find potential off-target sites in any given genome or user-provided sequence, with user-specified types of protospacer adjacent motif, and number of mismatches allowed in the seed and non-seed regions. Availability: http://eendb.zfgenetics.org/casot/
Poleward Shift of Subtropical Jets Inferred from Satellite-Observed Lower-Stratospheric Temperatures

AbstractOne pronounced feature in observed latitudinal dependence of lower-stratospheric temperature trends is the enhanced cooling near 30° latitude in both hemispheres. The observed phenomenon has not, to date, been explained in the literature. This study shows that the enhanced cooling is a direct response of the lower-stratospheric temperature to the poleward shift of subtropical jets. Furthermore, this enhanced lower-stratospheric cooling can be used to quantify the poleward shift of subtropical jets. Using the lower-stratospheric temperatures observed by satellite-borne microwave sounding units, it is shown that the subtropical jets have shifted poleward by 0.6° ± 0.1° and 1.0° ± 0.3° latitude in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, respectively, in last 30 years since 1979, indicating a widening of tropical belt by 1.6° ± 0.4° latitude.
Drifting Plasma Confinement With a Spatially Periodic Field

Some possible plasma confinement configurations are identified in which a spatially periodic electrostatic or magnetostatic field may provide or enhance ion confinement. The plasma drifts at a speed much faster than the ion thermal speed. The periodic field has a spatial period that is much smaller than the plasma size, and the field has a nonnegligible strength only at the plasma edge. The periodic field could be produced, for example, by a sequence of electrodes with alternating applied voltages or a sequence of wires with alternating current directions. Classical trajectory Monte Carlo simulation results are used to develop expressions for predicting the conditions under which ions are reflected away from an artificially structured boundary that produces a spatially periodic field, without the ions reaching the artificially structured boundary.
Analysis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Matrix Binding to Membranes and Nucleic Acids

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) matrix (MA) protein targets HIV-1 precursor Gag (PrGag) proteins to assembly sites at plasma membrane (PM) sites that are enriched in cholesterol and phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2]. MA is myristoylated, which enhances membrane binding, and specifically binds PI(4,5)P2 through headgroup and 2′ acyl chain contacts. MA also binds nucleic acids, although the significance of this association with regard to the viral life cycle is unclear. We have devised a novel MA binding assay and used it to examine MA interactions with membranes and nucleic acids. Our results indicate that cholesterol increases the selectivity of MA for PI(4,5)P2-containing membranes, that PI(4,5)P2 binding tolerates 2′ acyl chain variation, and that the MA myristate enhances membrane binding efficiency but not selectivity. We also observed that soluble PI(4,5)P2 analogues do not compete effectively with PI(4,5)P2-containing liposomes for MA binding but surprisingly do increase nonspecific binding to liposomes. Finally, we have demonstrated that PI(4,5)P2-containing liposomes successfully outcompete nucleic acids for MA binding, whereas other liposomes do not. These results support a model in which RNA binding protects MA from associating with inappropriate cellular membranes prior to PrGag delivery to PM assembly sites.
Why and How Bacteria Localize Proteins

Despite their small size, bacteria have a remarkably intricate internal organization. Bacteria deploy proteins and protein complexes to particular locations and do so in a dynamic manner in lockstep with the organized deployment of their chromosome. The dynamic subcellular localization of protein complexes is an integral feature of regulatory processes of bacterial cells.
A terrestrial positioning and timing system (TPTS)

This paper investigates the concepts of a Terrestrial Position and Timing System (TPTS) that could be used within the National Airspace System (NAS) in the event of a GPS outage to provide a positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service to aviation users. Concepts for a TPTS are presented for an L-band based system to be integrated/compatible with the distance measuring equipment (DME) system. The TPTS will be based upon a CDMA and TDMA signal structure. Three main operational modes are presented for a TPTS: 1) Autonomous Broadcast Mode, and 2) Active Interrogation/Response (IR/XP) Mode, and 3) a Hybrid solution. With a fully operational TPTS, an active TPTS aviation user could calculate a position, velocity, and time (PVT) solution from a single TPTS Site. The passive TPTS aviation user could calculate a PVT solution using the signals broadcast by two TPTS ground sites. With three TPTS sites in view, the passive TPTS aviation user equipment can calculate an “all-in-view” PVT solution using a subset of the signals transmitted from the TPTS ground sites. Additional studies will be needed to further explore the concepts of a TPTS for refinement, investigate compatibility with current systems, and validate these concepts, parameters, and techniques.
Structural Complementation of a Monomeric Ribosomal-Inactivating Protein

Exotoxin A (ETA) from the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ribosomal-inactivating protein (RIP) that acts by ADP-ribosylation of the post-translationally modified histidine, diphthamide, in elongation factor 2. Apoptotic cell death typically ensues upon intoxication. Distinct from toxins with multiple subunits, ETA is a single-chain protein with three functional domains. The catalytic domain (domain III, or PE3) of pseudomonal exotoxin A is a 213-residue monomer with extensive sequence and structural homology with the A chain of diphtheria toxin and the more recently-characterized cholix toxin from Vibrio cholerae. We are interested in developing split fragments of PE3 capable of structural complementation. Based on B-factors in the crystal structure of PE3, we have identified several disordered loops as candidates for severance, none of which are spatially close to the active site. We have produced and characterized fusion constructs each consisting of a split fragment and one subunit of a heterospecific, antiparallel coiled-coil. We report one such pair that remains inactive individually but undergoes complementation to yield a functionally active RIP in vitro and we are characterizing its biophysical properties. To our knowledge, this pair of split PE3 fragments represents the first example structural complementation of a monomeric protein toxin and may have significant biotechnological and therapeutic applications. Our ultimate goal is to engineer a cellular toxin with multiple specificities to be achieved by conditional co-expression inside a target cell.
Antarctic Miniature Lidar

A second Antarctic Miniature Lidar instrument (Ant Lidar II) has been assembled, tested, and deployed to the NOAA Clean Air Facility (CAF) at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. This instrument deployed in February of this year replaces the first Antarctic Lidar (Ant Lidar I) which operated at the South Pole Station from February to July 1995. The new lidar, as in the first instrument, uses redundant commercially available, single element diode lasers, a 20 cm Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, and a silicon avalanche photodiode (APD) operated in the photon counting mode. The authors present measurements from the Ant Lidar I instrument as well as the design of the Ant Lidar II instrument and measurements made both prior to and following its installation at the NOAA CAF in February, 1996.
The Effectiveness of Policies and Programs That Attempt to Reduce Firearm Violence: A Meta-Analysis

In response to rising rates of firearms violence that peaked in the mid-1990s, a wide range of policy interventions have been developed in an attempt to reduce violent crimes committed with firearms. Although some of these approaches appear to be effective at reducing gun violence, methodological variations make comparing effects across program evaluations difficult. Accordingly, in this article, the authors use meta-analytic techniques to determine what works in reducing gun violence. The results indicate that comprehensive community-based law enforcement initiatives have performed the best at reducing gun violence.
Interaction of waves with two-dimensional obstacles: a relation between the radiation and scattering problems

A relation connecting the reflexion and transmission coefficients for scattering of water waves by a fixed body with the far-field radiated waves due to forced motions of the same body is derived. Two alternative derivations are given, including a simple argument based on the analysis of an appropriate linear superposition of the two problems, and a more formal application of Green's theorem to the two potentials. For bodies with horizontal symmetry, the transmission and reflexion coefficients are related to the phase angles of the far-field radiated waves associated with symmetric and antisymmetric forced motions of the body. Some general conclusions follow for arbitrary symmetric bodies, and these are verified in specific cases by comparison with existing solutions. The applicability of these relations to other types of wave problem is noted.
Plasma Treated Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) for Epoxy Nanocomposites

Plasma nanocoating of allylamine were deposited on the surfaces of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to provide desirable functionalities and thus to tailor the surface characteristics of MWCNTs for improved dispersion and interfacial adhesion in epoxy matrices. Plasma nanocoated MWCNTs were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), surface contact angle, and pH change measurements. Mechanical testing results showed that epoxy reinforced with 1.0 wt % plasma coated MWCNTs increased the tensile strength by 54% as compared with the pure epoxy control, while epoxy reinforced with untreated MWCNTs have lower tensile strength than the pure epoxy control. Optical and electron microscopic images show enhanced dispersion of plasma coated MWCNTs in epoxy compared to untreated MWCNTs. Plasma nanocoatings from allylamine on MWCNTs could significantly enhance their dispersion and interfacial adhesion in epoxy matrices. Simulation results based on the shear-lag model derived from micromechanics
Indoor Millimeter Wave MIMO: Feasibility and Performance

In this paper, we investigate spatial multiplexing at millimeter (mm) wave carrier frequencies for short-range indoor applications by quantifying fundamental limits in line-of-sight (LOS) environments and then investigating performance in the presence of multipath and LOS blockage. Our contributions are summarized as follows. For linear arrays with constrained form factor, an asymptotic analysis based on the properties of prolate spheroidal wave functions shows that a sparse array producing a spatially uncorrelated channel matrix effectively provides the maximum number of spatial degrees of freedom in a LOS environment, although substantial beamforming gains can be obtained by using denser arrays. This motivates our proposed mm-wave MIMO architecture, which utilizes arrays of subarrays to provide both directivity and spatial multiplexing gains. System performance is evaluated in a simulated indoor environment using a ray-tracing model that incorporates multipath effects and potential LOS blockage. Eigenmode transmission with waterfilling power allocation serves as a performance benchmark, and is compared to the simpler scheme of beamsteering transmission with MMSE reception and a fixed signal constellation. Our numerical results provide insight into the spatial variations of attainable capacity within a room, and the combinations of beamsteering and spatial multiplexing used in different scenarios.
The effect of cold-air anesthesia during fractionated carbon-dioxide laser treatment: Prospective study and review of the literature.

Background Forced cold–air anesthesia has been reported to decrease the discomfort associated with various dermatologic laser therapies. Objective We sought to evaluate the effect of cold-air anesthesia on patient comfort during ablative fractionated carbon-dioxide (CO 2 ) laser treatment for photoaging. Methods We conducted a prospective split-face study to evaluate the effect of cold-air anesthesia on patient comfort during ablative fractionated CO 2 laser treatment for photoaging. Both patients and physicians rated the perceived discomfort of the treatment on each half of the face on a pain scale of 0 to 10. In addition, patients were asked to evaluate the side effects of the procedure (erythema, edema, crusting, scaling) on each half of the face. At 6 months posttreatment, blinded physician photograph evaluation was performed of 5 clinical indicators of photoaging. Results For the side of the face treated with topical anesthesia alone, the mean patient-reported pain score was 7.47. On the side treated with cold-air anesthesia and topical anesthesia, the mean pain score was 4.27 ( P P Limitations Although significant differences were found in pain tolerance with fractionated CO 2 laser with the use and absence of forced-air cooling, additional large-scale studies are needed to confirm the device's use in patient tolerability and side-effect profile. Conclusion The use of forced cold–air device in conjunction with topical anesthesia provides a well-accepted modality for patient comfort during ablative fractionated CO 2 resurfacing.
Methods for Determining Amino Acid Availability of Feeds

Abstract ALTHOUGH protein values have been well established and amino acid values are rapidly being determined for feeds, there is limited information concerning biological availability of individual amino acids in grain and protein concentrates. Price et al. (1953) employed chick carcass and excreta analysis to evaluate dietary amino acids and proteins. It was shown that neither dietary level nor age of chick markedly affected the content of the various amino acids of the carcass. However, excreta from chicks fed high protein diets were higher in certain amino acids when compared to excreta from those fed low protein diets. De Muelenaere et al. (1967) determined lysine availability of cereal products by fecal and growth analysis. These workers concluded that growth analysis often yielded values which exceeded 100% and that method of evaluation may influence availability values. For the above reasons it appeared that a measurement of digestibility or the actual disappearance of…
The Series MgCr2O4‐MgFe2O4

The characteristics of spinels in the series MgCr2O4-MgFe2O4 were determined. The plot of cell size vs. molar composition is unusual in series showing complete solid solution because an unusually large deviation from Vegard's law was observed. This deviation is caused by changes in spinel structure with composition and temperature, and an equation was derived which applies a correction in terms of the degree of inversion. The effects of temperature on compositions high in MgFe2O4 include changes in density and refractive index. Solid solution of forsterite in MgCr2O4 decreases the cell size to 8.329 A but apparently is less than 1%. Changes in composition caused by vapor loss or by dissociation are small enough that this series is essentially binary below 1400° C.
Lipid regulation: A clinician's view of patient management

Abstract Practicing physicians now have the capability as well as the responsibility to treat hyperlipidemia. Recent conclusive trials have demonstrated the link between lipid elevations and coronary heart disease, as well as the likelihood of reducing coronary heart disease risk by lowering blood lipids via diet and/or drug intervention. Screening criteria for hyperlipidemia in normal patients and in special patient subgroups are described, and recommendations for treatment are proposed. The diet recommended by the American Heart Association—which limits fat intake to 25% to 30% of all calories in a 1:1:1 ratio of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and limits cholesterol to less than 300 mg/day—is discussed. Guidelines are suggested for drug therapy with lipid-lowering agents to reduce abnormal lipid levels when diet alone proves insufficient after 2- to 3-month trial.
Electron beam generation from a superemissive cathode

An experimental study of electron beams produced by a superemissive cathode in the Back-Lighted Thyratron (BLT) and the pseudospark is presented. This work is motivated by experiments demonstrating very high current densities (>or=10 kA/cm/sup 2/ over an area of 1 cm/sup 2/) from the pseudospark and BTL cathode. This high-density current is produced by field-enhanced thermionic emission from the ion beam-heated surface of a molybdenum cathode. This work reports the use of this cathode as a beam source, and is to be distinguished from previous work reporting hollow cathode-produced electron beams. An electron beam of more than 260 A peak current has been produced with 15 kV applied voltage. An efficiency of approximately=10% is estimated. >
A major in computer applications for small liberal arts colleges

A major in computer applications for small, liberal arts colleges is proposed in this article. The proposed program has characteristics to allow students to engage in a breadth of study, to integrate knowledge from a variety of fields, and to apply what is studied to their career lives. By emphasizing an inter-disciplinary approach to higher education, small, liberal arts colleges are able to interweave general education courses into the computer applications major without making large demands for additional staff. Furthermore, students who earn their computer majors in such an interdisciplinary context can be expected to furnish employers with diversity and flexibility in problem solving -- just the sort of new blood many companies and entire industries are crying for.
Review of control strategies for robotic movement training after neurologic injury

There is increasing interest in using robotic devices to assist in movement training following neurologic injuries such as stroke and spinal cord injury. This paper reviews control strategies for robotic therapy devices. Several categories of strategies have been proposed, including, assistive, challenge-based, haptic simulation, and coaching. The greatest amount of work has been done on developing assistive strategies, and thus the majority of this review summarizes techniques for implementing assistive strategies, including impedance-, counterbalance-, and EMG- based controllers, as well as adaptive controllers that modify control parameters based on ongoing participant performance. Clinical evidence regarding the relative effectiveness of different types of robotic therapy controllers is limited, but there is initial evidence that some control strategies are more effective than others. It is also now apparent there may be mechanisms by which some robotic control approaches might actually decrease the recovery possible with comparable, non-robotic forms of training. In future research, there is a need for head-to-head comparison of control algorithms in randomized, controlled clinical trials, and for improved models of human motor recovery to provide a more rational framework for designing robotic therapy control strategies.