cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opening the Floodgates? The Social Maladjustment Exclusion and State SED Prevalence Rates.

Abstract The social maladjustment exclusionary clause contained in the federal definition of serious emotional disturbance (SED) has caused confusion and controversy since the passage of PL 94-142. In order to address concerns that removal of the exclusionary clause from the definition of serious emotional disturbance would result in an influx of students identified as SED, state special education directors in the 50 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed regarding their practice in this area. The results indicate that approximately two thirds of the states include the social maladjustment clause or some form of exclusion in their SED definition. On the 34 states with an exclusionary clause, less than one third define the term, and only three specify methods for the differential diagnosis of social maladjustment. There was no significant relationship between the presence of the exclusionary clause in the state SED definition and the proportion of school-age children served as SED. These findings suggest that, rather than serving any useful function regarding prevalence, the exclusionary clause may simply create confusion and inconsistency at state and local levels.
Lactose and D-galactose metabolism in Staphylococcus aureus: Pathway of D-galactose 6-phosphate degradation

Abstract The pathway by which D-galactose 6-phosphate is degraded in Staphylococcus aureus has been elucidated. Galactose 6-phosphate is isomerized to tagatose 6-phosphate, which is phosphorylated with adenosine 5′-triphosphate, and the resulting tagatose 1,6-diphosphate is cleaved to dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. The isomerase, kinase, and aldolase that catalyze these reactions are inducible and are distinct from the corresponding enzymes of glucose 6-phosphate metabolism.
Conditions for the ignition of catastrophically erosive turbidity currents

Abstract The basic impediment to a clear understanding of eroding and depositing turbidity currents has been the lack of a proper formulation of bed sediment entrainment. This problem is addressed herein: a detailed analysis indicates that the Bagnold criterion is necessary but insufficient for self-sustaining turbidity currents. The analysis reveals two possible equilibrium states, a relatively low-velocity ignitive state, and a high-velocity, dense catastrophic state. A stability analysis indicates that the ignitive state is unstable; flows below it invariably die out, and flows above it “ignite”, i.e. accelerate and entrain sediment to the catastrophic state, which is stable. The ignitive state thus defines the criterion for a self-sustaining turbidity current. Estimates of the catastrophic state suggest that it is highly erosive and competent to scour out submarine canyons.
Protein Kinase A Regulates 3-Phosphatidylinositide Dynamics during Platelet-derived Growth Factor-induced Membrane Ruffling and Chemotaxis

Spatial regulation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) is required for chemotaxis in fibroblasts; however, the mechanism(s) by which PKA regulates the cell migration machinery remain largely unknown. Here we report that one function of PKA during platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced chemotaxis was to promote membrane ruffling by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) dynamics. Inhibition of PKA activity dramatically altered membrane dynamics and attenuated formation of peripheral membrane ruffles in response to PDGF. PKA inhibition also significantly decreased the number and size of PIP3-rich membrane ruffles in response to uniform stimulation and to gradients of PDGF. This ruffling defect was quantified using a newly developed method, based on computer vision edge-detection algorithms. PKA inhibition caused a marked attenuation in the bulk accumulation of PIP3 following PDGF stimulation, without effects on PI3-kinase (PI3K) activity. The deficits in PIP3 dynamics correlated with a significant inhibition of growth factor-induced membrane recruitment of endogenous Akt and Rac activation in PKA-inhibited cells. Simultaneous inhibition of PKA and Rac had an additive inhibitory effect on growth factor-induced ruffling dynamics. Conversely, the expression of a constitutively active Rac allele was able to rescue the defect in membrane ruffling and restore the localization of a fluorescent PIP3 marker to membrane ruffles in PKA-inhibited cells, even in the absence of PI3K activity. These data demonstrate that, like Rac, PKA contributes to PIP3 and membrane dynamics independently of direct regulation of PI3K activity and suggest that modulation of PIP3/3-phosphatidylinositol (3-PI) lipids represents a major target for PKA in the regulation of PDGF-induced chemotactic events.
Precession of angular momentum vector in a slowly rotating Kerr metric

Specializing Penrose and Floyd's resultF ab;c =F [ab;c] to the Kerr metric, we explicitly construct the skew symmetric tensorF ab and Carter's quadratic integral of geodesic motion.F ab is then shown to be closely related to the orbital angular momentum encountered in Newtonian mechanics. Furthermore, Fab can be decomposed additively intoL ab andM ab , whereL ab has the character of angular momentum, andM ab exists only for a nonzero rotation parameter,a, of the Kerr metric. It turns out that the equation of precession $$\dot L_a$$ =φ L b has a nontrivial solution only for the case of a slowly rotating Kerr metric valid to first order in rotation parameter. In this case, Carter's integral can be interpreted as the squared length of the precessing angular momentum vectorL a =L P b . The equation of precession is solved, and a vector Ωa describing angular velocity of precession is derived.
The methylsilylene-silaethylene-silylcarbene isomerization

Abstract The geometries for the closed shell states of methylsilylene and silylcarbene are optimized using STO4G. When the results are compared with previously published data, it is found that the silylene isomer is more than 20 kcal/mole more stable than silaethylene. Addition of d orbitals to silicon and configuration interaction both reduce this splitting. For the 3A″ isomers the relative stabilities are reversed, with the carbene lowest and the silylene highest in energy.
The deposition of a submicronic aerosol in the respiratory tract of dogs.

Particle deposition was measured in female dogs inhaling NaCl (mean diameter 0.04 ..mu..m, 10 to 30 mg/m/sup 3/) by analyses for NaCl in expired vs. inspired air. Exposures were 20 to 40 min. Mean deposition was 66.5% in 19 experiments with a range from 32.5 to 94%. Deposition increased with tidal volume, decreased with respiration rate, and increased with mean inspiratory air flow. Dog can be used as model for man within certain limits.
Demonstration Of A Tissue Specific Inhibitor Of Mitosis Of Human Epidermal Cells IN VITRO

The effects of human autopsy skin and liver extracts were studied on mitotic incidence in cultures of human epidermal cells. Whereas skin extracts inhibited mitosis significantly, liver extract had no effect. Neither skin nor liver extract had a significant inhibitory effect on mitosis of monkey kidney cells in vitro . These results demonstrate that the mitotic inhibitory effects of the skin extracts are tissue specific. The evidence also indicates that skin extracts act directly on the epidermal cells, a point which has not previously been demonstrated. Thus, human skin contains tissue-specific mitotic inhibitory factors similar to those described in non-human tissues.
Midazolam versus diazepam for combined esophogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy.

This study compares the effects of two different benzodiazepines used for conscious sedation during combined upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy. Subjects were assessed for their degree of analgesia and amnesia for the procedure, prior experience with endoscopy, and willingness to undergo another similar procedure should such be necessary. The patients were randomized single blind to receive either midazolam or diazepam for their preprocedure sedation. The amount of preprocedure sedation utilized was determined by titration of the dose to achieve slurring of speech. Prior to receiving either agent, the subjects were shown a standard card containing pictures of 10 common objects, were asked to name and remember them, and were told they would be “quizzed” (at 30 min and 24 hr) after being sedated for their recollection as to the objects pictured on the card. Each subject filled out a questionnaire addressing their perceived discomfort during the endoscopic procedure and their memory of the procedure 24 hr after the procedure. Sixty-three percent of the midazolam-sedated subjects reported total amnesia for their colonoscopy vs 20% of diazepam-sedated patients (P<0.001). Fifty-three percent of midazolam-sedated patients reported total amnesia of their upper gastrointestinal endoscopy vs only 23% of diazepam-sedated subjects (P<0.05). The midazolam-sedated subjects reported experiencing less pain with both upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (P<0.05) and colonoscopy (P<0.001) than did the diazepam-sedated group. Most importantly, the midazolam group was more willing to undergo another similar endoscopic procedure should they be asked to do so by their physician (P<0.05). Subjects greater than 60 years of age required significantly less midazolam for sedation than did the younger subjects (P<0.001). This difference in dosing based upon age was not observed in the diazepam-sedated group. Based upon these data we conclude that midazolam is superior to diazepam in producing conscious sedation for combined upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy with regard to: (1) amnesia for the procedures, (2) discomfort experienced at the time of the procedure, and (3) better patient acceptance of future gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures.
New low-energy theorems for γ →3 π and γγ→3π

Abstract New low energy theorems are obtained by relaxing the requirement that the γγ →3 π amplitudes vanish in the neutral soft pion limit. In the framework of a particular model it is shown that the relation eF3π = Fπf−2 may have to be generalized to involve also the γγ → 2π amplitudes.
A comparison of two methods of measuring particle size of Al2O3 produced by a small rocket motor

The size of aluminum oxide particles produced by small rocket motors is determined by tank collection and spectrophotometry. The size of the particulate determines loss in thrust due to particle lag, particulate radiant heat transfer, acoustic attenuation and impingement and rocket plume structure and properties.
Rehabilitation of Infrastructure in Infill Sites

Infrastructure deficiencies increase the problems of minorities in ghettos. The advantages of infrastructure rehabilitation are obvious. Examples and guidelines concerning successful rehabilitation should be studied. Rehabilitation of infrastructure on sites that have been leapfrogged and passed over can be more economical and face less resistance than the construction of new public improvements and services in newly developed areas. In addition to the analysis provided, more research concerning infill sites should be undertaken. The financing problems of needed infrastructure are due in large part to our governmental deficits, bad loans by saving and loans, speculation in takeovers leveraged beyond junk bond excess, and other wasteful economic practices. There is a need to educate Americans concerning the beneficial payoffs that can be yielded by intelligent infrastructure planning and implementation. Without such planning and implementation, current economic trends in the United States will persist. Thi...
Why ‘Victorian’? A Period and Its Problems

Why do literary historians still employ the term ‘Victorian’ to describe a sprawling period of some sixty or so years? This paper concentrates attention on how modern criticism has largely failed to analyze the introduction of the term ‘Victorian’ into British and American culture during the 1870s. By looking closely at the late nineteenth-century essays of Edmund Clarence Stedman, John Addington Symonds, Edward Dowden, and H. D. Traill, the discussion examines the appeal of the ‘Victorian’ label at a time when Her Majesty enjoyed greater popularity than before. The analysis shows that even in recent discussions of how the ‘Victorians’ and their epoch have been subject to much myth-making there remains scarcely any exploration of how ‘Victorian’ is a late nineteenth-century term. Contending that most of the writers whom scholars readily class as ‘Victorian’ were not, strictly speaking, ‘Victorian,’ the article concludes by suggesting that the term ‘nineteenth century’ serves as a more suitable label to identify the ways in which writers from the so-called ‘Victorian’ age conceptualized the period to which they belonged.
Evaluation and Modification of an Assay Procedure for Cysteine Dioxygenase Activity: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Method for Measurement of Cysteine Sulfinate and Demonstration of Physiological Relevance of Cysteine Dioxygenase Activity in Cysteine Catabolism

Conflicting reports in the literature of appropriate assay procedures for measurement of cysteine dioxygenase activity led us to evaluate the procedure for assay of cysteine dioxygenase activity in rat liver preparations. Cysteine dioxygenase activity was largely in the soluble fraction of liver and was stimulated by addition of NAD+ and Fe2+. The pH optimum of the enzyme was 6.1. Addition of an inhibitor of pyridoxal 5-phosphate-dependent enzymes was necessary to prevent rapid removal of the reaction product cysteine sulfinate. Cysteine sulfinate and cysteic acid were separated by anion-exchange HPLC on a polymer-based column with trimethylamino active groups, and the reaction products were quantitated by measurement of 35S radioactivity or by formation and measurement of fluorescent derivatives. This assay of cysteine dioxygenase under optimal conditions provides a physiologically relevant measure of cysteine dioxygenase activity in liver and hepatocytes based on the observation that this activity was highly correlated with the capacity for cysteine catabolism and taurine production by isolated hepatocytes.
BODY FAT DISTRIBUTION IS A PREDICTOR OF ARTERIAL STIFFNESS

Fat distribution affects metabolism and cardiovascular risk. Truncal obesity is associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Arterial stiffness and wave reflections are markers of cardiovascular health and outcomes. Although arterial health is influenced by weight, it is not
MODELING REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH WITH A FOCUS ON AMENITIES

While the literature is clear that areas endowed with scenic beauty, lakes, forests, and wildlife among other natural and built amenities are experiencing robust economic growth, the theoretical foundations for this work are weak. In this study, we employ a Bayesian Modeling Average (BMA) approach to address the problem of model specification. Using data for US counties, we estimate a neoclassical growth model while looking at growth over the 1990s. We look at three separate ways of measuring amenities and recreational opportunities that build on those amenities. While the results suggest that higher amenity areas experience faster growth, still some level of value-added development may be required to realize that growth.
Effect of a polymer additive on heat transport in turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection.

Measurements of heat transport, as expressed by the Nusselt number Nu, are reported for turbulent Rayleigh-Benard convection of water containing up to 120 ppm by weight of poly-[ethylene oxide] with a molecular weight of 4x10{6} g/mole. Over the Rayleigh number range 5x10{9} less than or approximately Ra less than or approximately 7x10{10} Nu is smaller than it is for pure water by up to 10%.
The concept of degraded images applied to hazard recognition training in mining for reduction of lost-time injuries.

Abstract Introduction: This paper discusses the application of a training intervention that uses degraded images for improving the hazard recognition skills of miners. Method: NIOSH researchers, in an extensive literature review, identified fundamental psychological principles on perception that may be employed to enhance the ability of miners to recognize and respond to hazards in their dangerous work environment. Three studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the degraded image training intervention. A model of hazard recognition was developed to guide the study. Results: In the first study, miners from Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Alabama, who were taught with the aid of degraded images, scored significantly better on follow-up hazard recognition performance measures than those trained using traditional instructional methodologies. The second and third studies investigated the effectiveness of the training intervention at two mining companies. Data collected over a 3-year period showed that lost-time injuries at mines in Alabama and Illinois declined soon after the training intervention was instituted. Impact on Industry: Further exploration of the hazard recognition model and the development of other interventions based on the model could support the validity of the steps in the hazard recognition model.
Three‐dimensional driven reconnection in magnetic loops

A numerical study of reconnection in a three-dimensional axially bounded magnetic flux tube is presented. An axial magnetic field is embedded in a conducting fluid, between conducting end plates. An applied flow in the end plates causes distortion and stretching of the magnetic field in the flux tube, and the creation of current sheets. After the current sheets form, the reconnection rate is fast; with a merging rate M of about 1. The reconnection mechanism resembles flux pileup in two dimensions. It is also similar to the nonlinear behavior of a subcritically excited current-driven MHD mode. The numerical model is relevant to a mechanism thought to be important for heating the solar corona, as well as producing solar flares.
Transfection of molecular beacons in microchannels for single-cell gene-expression analysis

Background: Efficient transfection of molecular beacons has to be performed in the microscale in order to fully utilize the potential of molecular beacons and microfluidics for studying the real-time gene-expression dynamics in living cells. Nevertheless, there has been relatively little study on transfection of molecular beacons in microfluidic channels. Results: In this work, the differences between transfection in conventional cell culture systems and in microfluidic cell culture systems were investigated systematically with a combination of computational and experimental methods. Comparison between a no-flow microchannel and a 96-well plate revealed that the scaledependence of reaction-diffusion kinetics contributes to the reduced transfection efficiency in the no-flow microchannel. Study on transfection in the microfluidic system under flow conditions suggested that the fluid flow enhances mass transfer, while the fluid shear stress can reduce the transfection efficiency. Conclusion: The results of this study will provide useful guidelines in optimizing molecular beacon transfection efficiency in microfluidic systems for studying gene-expression dynamics in living cells.
Collagen turnover in the gingiva and other mature connective tissues of the marmoset Saguinus oedipus.

Abstract Alterations in gingival collagen are a prominant feature of inflammatory gingival disease in man and other species. Investigation of the nature of these alterations is precluded by a lack of information regarding the normal molecular structure and biologic properties of gingival collagen. We have studied collagen turnover in gingiva, skin, tendon, palate and sponge granulation tissue using the primate Saguinus oedipus (the cotton-top marmoset) as the experimental animal, by measuring the extent of incorporation of [14C]-proline into collagen hydroxyproline and the subsequent loss of the label from the tissues over a 17-week period. Our data show that the turnover of collagen in normal gingiva is inordinately high when compared to the other connective tissues of the same animals. These observations provide the basis for a new hypothesis which states that the collagen loss observed in inflammatory gingival disease may result from interference with synthesis and turnover of collagen rather than from destruction.
On understanding mutual fund terminations

We examine the determinants of US mutual fund terminations and provide estimates of mutual fund hazard functions. We find that mutual fund termination correlates with a variety of fund specific variables as well as with market variables such as the S&P 500 index and the short-term interest rate. We also test the underlying assumptions of the semi-parametric Cox model and reject proportionality, thus calling to question the use of this model in forming estimates of mutual fund hazard functions. We find that different fund categories exhibit distinct hazard functions depending on the fund’s investment objectives.
Thermoelectric Properties of Composite PbTe – PbSnS2 Materials

The thermoelectric (Pb1-mSnmTe)1-x(PbS)x where m = 0.05 and x = 0.08 has been shown to produce PbS nanostructures that effectively scatter phonons, enhancing ZT. As Sn substitution is increased, a new phase of PbSnS2 precipitates. We find that incorporation of PbSnS2 in PbTe results in a significant reduction in lattice thermal conductivity around 0.6 W/mK at room temperature. We present preliminary characterization and thermoelectric properties.
The FTC in the 1980s

This paper reviews the antitrust activities of Federal Trade Commission during the 1980s with special emphasis on the role of economics and economists. We contrast the FTC during the 1980s to its record in the 1970s and conclude that the agency was more active during the 1980s than is popularly believed. Perhaps more significant than changes in the level of enforcement activity was the agency's move to a more economics-oriented approach to antitrust enforcement and an increased role for Commission economists. The paper also comments on what FTC economists learned about American industry during the 1980s.
Steroid-triggered, cell-autonomous death of a Drosophila motoneuron during metamorphosis

Background The metamorphosis of Drosophila melanogaster is accompanied by elimination of obsolete neurons via programmed cell death (PCD). Metamorphosis is regulated by ecdysteroids, including 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), but the roles and modes of action of hormones in regulating neuronal PCD are incompletely understood.
A learning algorithm for feedback neural network chips

A novel learning algorithm for dynamic continuous-time models of artificial neural networks (ANNs) is introduced. The authors apply the algorithm to their proposed neural network architecture and describe the learning procedure for a fabricated chip of the architecture. The learning algorithm was implemented in software on a PC; it interacts with the chip in real-time via a special-purpose interface. Experiments have been conducted where various images were stored and retrieved successfully. >
An Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay for Detection of North American Pit Viper Venoms

AbstractWe describe a method for immunodetection of North American pit viper venoms in clinical materials. Antibody-enzyme conjugates prepared against venoms of the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus), and copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) detect homologous venoms in concentrations of 0.1-.01mcg/ml using a double antibody sandwich technique. Venoms of 10 additional species of U.S. pit vipers were detected in concentrations of 10 mcg/ml or less. Venoms of 4 species could not be detected at levels likely to be encountered in clinical situations. There are extensive cross-reactions between venoms of certain species, hence specific identification of a given venom cannot always be made. Venom usually can be detected at injection sites of experimental animals receiving intramuscular doses of 0.5-1.5 mg of venom but can rarely be detected in urine or plasma specimens. Venom was readily detected in specimens from experimental animals bitten by pit vipers of...
Incidence of de novo cancer and lymphoproliferative disorders after liver transplantation in relation to age and duration of follow‐up

An increased incidence of de novo malignancies in immunocompromised patients was first predicted by Professor Thomas Starzl and coworkers in 1968 and was confirmed shortly afterwards by others. The immunocompromised state provides a permissive environment for malignant cells to grow, for an oncogenic virus to infect or reactivate within the host, for chronic antigen stimulation leading to a cytokine-rich milieu, and for impaired immune surveillance imposed by chronic immunosuppression. With the increasing success of liver transplantation (LTx) and fewer episodes of acute rejection with virtual freedom from chronic rejection, long-term survival rates have improved. In addition, with an aging population, older recipients are also being considered for LTx. Currently, long-term graft loss and death are not commonly related to rejection but are often due to age-related complications, such as cardiovascular disease and de novo cancers. The rate of de novo cancers after LTx has been reported to range from 3% to 26%, and the variation is partly due to the length of follow-up, different ways of reporting, and geographic variations in de novo malignancies. Although registry data of de novo cancers provide a valuable source for accounting for the various types of malignancies; these registries do not include the denominator of the population at risk. The cumulative number of years of follow-up is also unknown, and this makes it difficult to calculate the actuarial risk. In this respect, data from single centers with long-term follow-up have become an important source of information for the incidence and nature of de novo cancers, which can then be compared with surveillance epidemiological end results data. Furthermore, these data can be presented as a standard incident ratio (SIR). Also, the incidence of de novo cancers can be evaluated on the basis of the number of person years post-transplantation; the cumulative actual survival of patients after transplants is included until the last follow-up or time of death. Within the published literature, there are significant inconsistencies in the reporting of de novo malignancies. For example, some authors prefer to include posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) along with de novo solid cancers, whereas others prefer not to include them. This has caused a major discrepancy in reported rates of de novo cancers. Nonmelanoma, non-Kaposi’s skin cancers (squamous cell cancer and basal cell carcinoma) are the commonest types of de novo malignancies in the posttransplant population, with an up to 70 times higher incidence in comparison with nontransplant populations. One way to report this is to separate lymphoid lesions from nonlymphoid cancers and then separate the nonlymphoid cancers. Even after stratification of lymphoid and nonlymphoid cancers in this manner, there appears to be a wide variation in the different types of de novo cancers.
No Application Is an Island: Using Topes to Transform Strings during Data Transfer

Users and programmers frequently need to move information between applications, including desktop and web applications. Transferring data often involves reformatting strings such as phone numbers or extracting parts from them, but actually performing these transformations typically requires tedious, error-prone operations. For example, programmers must write messy code to parse and reformat strings passed between web services, while ordinary end users must manually reformat strings that they want to copy-paste between applications. In this paper, we show at an architectural level how topes can be used to smooth the flow of data between applications by automatically transforming strings on demand. We have demonstrated the generality and usefulness of this approach by using topes to automatically transform data moving between applications, web sites and web services, thereby showing how topes can make it simpler for both end users and programmers to transfer information between applications.
Evidence of changes in surface water temperature and productivity at the Cenomanian/Turonian Boundary

Calcareous nannofossil assemblages were investigated across the Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) at the Cenomanian/Turonian Boundary (CTB) in a section from the Western Interior Basin and a borehole from the New Jersey coastal plain. The objective was to determine the surface-water response to environmental perturbations during the OAE. A decrease in surface water fertility at the two localities is suggested by an increase in relative abundances of taxa with oligotrophic affinities and a concomitant decrease in taxa with mesotrophic or eutrophic affinities. Oligotrophy and anoxia at both localities are likely responses to increased water-column stratification associated with the incursion of warmer waters from lower latitudes.
Calcium channel diversity in the cardiovascular system

The flux of calcium ions (Ca2+) into the cytosol, where they serve as intracellular messengers, is regulated by two distinct families of Ca2+ channel proteins. These are the intracellular Ca2+ release channels, which allow Ca2+ to enter the cytosol from intracellular stores, and the plasma membrane Ca2+ channels, which control Ca2+ entry from the extracellular space. Each of these two families of channel proteins contains several subgroups. The intracellular channels include the large Ca2+ channels (“ryanodine receptors”) that participate in cardiac and skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling, and smaller inositol trisphosphate (InsP3)—activated Ca2+ channels. The latter serve several functions, including the pharmacomechanical coupling that activates smooth muscle contraction, and possibly regulation of diastolic tone in the heart. The InsP3-activated Ca2+ channels may also participate in signal transduction systems that regulate cell growth. The family of plasma membrane Ca2+ channels includes L-type channels, which respond to membrane depolarization by generating a signal that opens the intracellular Ca2+ release channels. Calcium ion entry through L-type Ca2+ channels in the sinoatrial (SA) node contributes to pacemaker activity, whereas L-type Ca2+ channels in the atrioventricular (AV) node are essential for AV conduction. The T-type Ca2+ channels, another member of the family of plasma membrane Ca2+ channels, participate in pharmacomechanical coupling in smooth muscle. Opening of these channels in response to membrane depolarization participates in SA node pacemaker currents, but their role in the working cells of the atria and ventricle is less clear. Like the InsP3-activated intracellular Ca2+ release channels, T-type plasma membrane channels may regulate cell growth. Because most of the familiar Ca2+ channel blocking agents currently used in cardiology, such as nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem, are selective for L-type Ca2+ channels, the recent development of drugs that selectively block T-type Ca2+ channels offers promise of new approaches to cardiovascular therapy.
EFFECT OF PSYCHROTOLERANT BACTERIA ON THE AMINO ACID CONTENT OF CHICKEN SKIN

SUMMARY Changes induced by type-cultures of Achromobacter, nonpigmented Pseudomonas, pigmented Pseudomonas and a mixture of all three types in the amino acid content of fresh chicken skin were studied during storage at PC for up to 21 days. The Achromobacter and nonpigmented Pseudomonas cultures reduced the amount of all amino acids to below detectable levels during the early log phase of growth and produced no detectable change subsequently. The pigmented Pseudomonas caused no appreciable change initially but produced a marked increase in the amount of most amino acids during the late log phase, after off-odor had developed; an increase in free and total extractable proline and hydroxyproline indicated that collagenous proteins were attacked. The mixed inoculum gave intermediate results, producing comparatively little change in the total free amino acid content throughout the incubation period. Results indicate that the pigmented pseudomonads are the most proteolytic of the common types of psychrotolerant spoilage bacteria and that they possess collagenase.
Perceived Parental Acceptance-Rejection and Children's Reported Behavioral Dispositions: A Comparative and Intracultural Study of American and Mexican Children

Drawing from a sample of 316 American and 174 Mexican children in the U.S.A. and in Mexico respectively, the hypothesis was supported that perceived parental acceptance-rejection among 8- to 15-year old school children in Mexico and the U.S.A. was generally related-as predicted by parental acceptance-rejection theory-to a specific constellation of reported behavioral dispositions. Perceived composite rejection was associated with approximately 46% of the variance in American children's self-reported behavioral dispositions, as measured on the Personality Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ); perceived composite rejection was associated with 41% of the variance in Mexican children's self-reported behavioral dispositions as assessed by the PAQ. Supportive evidence was also brought to bear on the postulate within parental acceptance-rejection theory that perceived parental acceptance-rejection and "culture" do not interact appreciably to produce differences in children's reports of their behavioral dispositions in...
Antisense Expression and Overexpression of Biotin Carboxylase in Tobacco Leaves

The plastid acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) catalyzes the first committed step of fatty acid synthesis and in most plants is present as a heteromeric complex of at least four different protein subunits: the biotin carboxylase (BC), the biotin carboxyl carrier protein, and the alpha and beta subunits of the carboxyltransferase. To gain insight into the subunit organization of this heteromeric enzyme complex and to further evaluate the role of ACCase in regulating fatty acid synthesis, BC expression was altered in transgenic plants. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) was transformed with antisense-expression and overexpression tobacco BC constructs, which resulted in the generation of plants with BC levels ranging from 20 to 500% of wild-type levels. Tobacco plants containing elevated or moderate decreases in leaf BC were phenotypically indistinguishable from wild-type plants. However, plants with less than 25% of wild-type BC levels showed severely retarded growth when grown under low-light conditions and a 26% lower leaf fatty acid content than wild-type plants. A comparison of leaf BC and biotin carboxyl carrier protein levels in plants with elevated and decreased BC expression revealed that these two subunits of the plastid ACCase are not maintained in a strict stoichiometric ratio.
SO2-induced stability of Ag-alumina catalysts in the SCR of NO with methane

We report on a stabilization effect on the structure and activity of Ag/Al2O3 for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with CH4 imparted by the presence of SO2 in the exhaust gas mixture. The reaction is carried out at temperature above 600 8C to keep the surface partially free of sulfates. In SO2-free gases, catalyst deactivation is fast and measurable at these temperatures. Time-resolved TEM analyses of used samples have determined that deactivation is due to sintering of silver from well-dispersed clusters to nanoparticles to micrometer-size particles with time-on-stream at 625 8C. However, sintering of silver was dramatically suppressed by the presence of SO2 in the reaction gas mixture. The structural stabilization by SO2 was accompanied by stable catalyst activity for the NO reduction to N2. The direct oxidation of methane was suppressed, thus the methane selectivity was improved in SO2-laden gas mixtures. In tests with high-content silver alumina with some of the silver present in metallic form, an increase in the SCR activity was found in SO2-containing gas mixtures. This is attributed to redispersion of the silver particles by SO2, an unexpected finding. The catalyst performance was reversible over many cycles of operation at 625 8C with the SO2 switched on and off in the gas mixture.
Identification and control of electrohydraulic actuator modeled as a linear periodic system

In the tracking of periodic signals, the nonlinear dynamics of electrohydraulic actuators are modeled as linear periodic systems perturbed along periodic input and output trajectories. System identification of linear periodic systems is first performed and then periodic repetitive controllers are designed and implemented within the valid range of the linear approximation. Successive iterations of the identification and control are then performed to drive the system output towards the desired output trajectory.
Hermitization and the Poisson bracket-commutator correspondence as a consequence of averaging

Here we present a study of the solutions and mathematical structure of the momentum-averaged Liouville (or Collisionless Boltzmann) equation in Fourier space. We show that the averaging procedure leads to a formalism identical to that of the density matrix of quantum mechanics. This mathematical mapping leaves the averages of all quantities unaltered and provides a unique way to construct the Hermitian version of a given operator. This seems to be the only method that resolves the ambiguity of Hermitization of operators that contain products of non-commuting variables. We also present a systematic perturbation scheme to evaluate correctly the classical solutions from the quantum ones and a formal proof of the approximate correspondence between the Poisson brackets and commutators.
Regulation of mouse Cyp24a1 expression via promoter-proximal and downstream-distal enhancers highlights new concepts of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 action

Abstract CYP24A1 functions in vitamin D target tissues to degrade 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ). Thus, the concentration of this enzyme and the regulation of its expression is a primary determinant of the overall biological activity of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 within cells. The principle regulator of CYP24A1 expression is 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 itself, which functions through the vitamin D receptor to upregulate the transcriptional activity of the Cyp24a1 gene. In this report, we explore the mechanism of this regulation using recently developed ChIP-chip and ChIP-seq techniques that permit an unbiased search for enhancer elements that participate in this transcriptional control. Our studies both confirm a regulatory region defined earlier and located proximal to the transcriptional start site (TSS) of mouse Cyp24a1 (−160 and −265 nt) and identify a novel intergenic region located downstream of the transcription unit that contains two enhancers (+35 and +37 kb) that facilitate 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 -dependent upregulation of Cyp24a1 expression. Interestingly, while C/EBPβ also binds under basal conditions to a site located immediately upstream of the Cyp24a1 promoter (−345 nt), occupancy by this factor is strikingly increased following 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 treatment. The locations and activities of these regulatory regions that mediate 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 actions were confirmed in mice in vivo. We conclude that the mechanism through which 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 induces the CYP24A1 enzyme, thereby autoregulating its own destruction, involves both promoter-proximal as well as downstream-distal enhancers. These findings highlight new concepts regarding the molecular mechanism of action of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 and other hormonal regulators.
Electrical property modelling of photodiode type CMOS active pixel sensor (APS)

In this research, few electrical characteristics of photodiode (PD) type CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) pixel were modeled. BSIM3v3 threshold voltage equation was simplified for hand calculation with better than 2% peak-to-peak error for full back-gate bias and supply voltages for CMOS process technologies that has minimum feature sizes between 0.18/spl mu/m and 2.0/spl mu/m. Two fitting function coefficients (FFC) were included in the BSIM threshold model equations for simplification of the equation. FFCs were extracted by using circuit simulation for given process. Using the simplified threshold equation, electrical characteristics of 3T CMOS PD-APS pixel were modeled. Models include; photodiode reset level, pixel amplifier signal range, and pixel reset level boosting factor. Models were evaluated by using wide variety of available CMOS process technologies and compared with the simulation results. Pixel reset level and signal range model equations produce better than 6% and 12% peak-to-peak accuracy with simple hand calculation, respectively. Models were also confirmed with a designed photodiode-type CMOS APS pixel. A CMOS photodiode type APS imager fabricated in a 0.5/spl mu/m, 2P3M, 5Volt CMOS process with 15/spl mu/m square pixel size was used for comparison.
Lens design with reduced sensitivity to thermally induced stress birefringence

In optical systems required to maintain the polarization states of the transiting light, mechanically induced stress birefringence can degrade performance, at least locally altering polarization phase and ultimately reducing polarization contrast. Although thermally induced stress birefringence can cause similar problems in imaging systems bearing high optical flux, appropriate design approaches to resolve this problem have been lacking. This paper first develops criteria to select optical glasses with reduced sensitivity to thermally induced stress birefringence. The design of projection lenses using the resulting thermal stress desensitized reduced glass list is then discussed, as is the application of such lenses in laser projection systems.
AGE‐GOVERNED RESPONSES OF DETACHED TOMATO LEAVES TO PHYTOKININS

Summary Young tomato leaves differed from older leaves in their response to phytokinin treatment after leaf detachment. N,6-benzyladenine kept old leaves at a ribonuclease (RNase) activity level similar to that of freshly harvested material while controls increased in RNase activity. RNase activity of younger leaves was not suppressed until after a longer period of detachment but the initial post-harvest treatment induced this effect. Young leaves treated with kinetin at first had a higher RNase activity level than controls but RNase activity in controls had increased by 8 days after detachment while activity in kinetin-treated tissue remained near the level observed 4 days after detachment. Early response in young leaves to phytokinins was interpreted as slightly toxic, reminiscent of the more toxic response of attached leaves to phytokinins. Loss of greenness was delayed by phytokinin in both young and old leaves but RNase activity was affected first. Young leaves detached from water-stressed plants showed an early response to N,6-benzyl-adenine which was similar to that obtained from older leaves after detachment. Water-stress altered an age-governed response to phytokinin. Phytokinins probably did not directly inhibit RNase activity, increase destruction of the enzyme, or preserve membrane-bound bodies containing the enzyme. It is suggested that phytokinins affect RNase synthesis directly and that this phase of leaf senescence is more fundamental to the life of the cells than mobilization phenomena.
Neuropsychometric Changes in Patients After Carotid Endarterectomy

Background and Purpose—One hundred twelve patients undergoing elective carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis were enrolled in a prospective study to evaluate the incidence of change in postoperative cerebral function. Methods—Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively before hospital discharge and at follow-up 1 and 5 months later with a battery of neuropsychometric tests. The results were analyzed by both event-rate and group-rate analyses. For event-rate analysis, change was defined as either a decline or improvement in postoperative neuropsychometric performance by 25% or more compared with a preoperative baseline. Results—Approximately 80% of patients showed decline in one or more test scores, and 60% had one or more improved test scores at the first follow-up examination. The percentage of declined test scores decreased and the percentage of improved test scores increased with subsequent follow-up examinations. Group-rate analysis was similar ...
Kerr-effect Studies of an Insulating Liquid under Varied High-Voltage Conditions

Refined Kerr electrooptical fringe-pattern methods are used to study time and space variations in the electric field between the electrodes of parallel-plate capacitors filled with liquid nitrobenzene. Photographs of fringe-pattern data recorded during application of high direct (both positive and negative) and sinusoidal voltages, ranging in frequency from 40 to 200 Hz, are compiled to enable computation of space-charge distortions of the field in bulk of the liquid during the stress of high-field (up to 85-kV/ cm) operation. The measurements reveal significant differences between the field and charge behavior under short pulse (microsecond) voltage conditions, during prolonged dc operation, after sudden changes in the dc voltage level and polarity, and, for the first time, at various intervals over the course of entire cycles of sinusoidal voltage. The results show that space-charge distortion in the interelectrode field is influenced by the level, frequency, and duration of applied voltage. Discussions of effects believed due to particulate charge carriers, to electrohydrodynamic motion of the liquid, and to the electrode materials are also included.
New Horizons in Conductive Polymers

One of the distinguishing features among materials, classified by the ancients as animal, vegetable or mineral, was the ability to serve as conductors of heat. The animal and vegetable classes were covalently-bonded organic compounds which were characterized by their inability to conduct heat. After the discovery of electricity, these compounds were also found to be nonconductors of electrical current, and hence they could be used as insulators for both heat and electricity.
Online Gaming as a Virtual Forum

As videogame scholarship takes hold in the academy, attracting the attention of researchers and critics from a variety of disciplines, a frequently asked and salient question is, “What existing theoretical frameworks are appropriate for this nascent field?” This short essay argues that Horace Newcomb and Paul Hirsch’s article, “Television as a Cultural Forum,” provides a useful starting point for conceptualizing the social meaningfulness of online, multiplayer gaming. Skins, mods, fan sites, and in-game communication channels emerge as a cultural network by which players can speak through, and about, their communal play.