cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ligatin from embryonic chick neural retina inhibits retinal cell adhesion

Abstract Ligatin, a filamentous cell-surface protein purified from embryonic chick neural retina, has been found to inhibit the reassociation of dissociated retinal cells. This inhibition was demonstrated using two methods, a single cell disappearance assay and an improved monolayer collection assay utilizing microtiter plates. Monomeric ligatin at approximately 20 μg/ml inhibited rates of adhesion, but polymeric ligatin and tryptic fragments of ligatin were ineffective. Ligatin's inhibitory effect is suggested to be mediated through binding to retinal cell surfaces since preincubation of dissociated retinal cells with monomeric ligatin inhibited the cells' adhesiveness and removed the inhibitory activity from the culture media. Ligatin homologues prepared from mammalian tissues were ineffective in inhibiting retinal cell adhesion, suggesting a tissue and/or species specificity. Similarities in physicochemical and biological properties suggest that ligatin may be the inhibitor of adhesion previously described by Merrell et al. [Merrell, R., Gottlieb, D. I., and Glaser, L. (1975). J. Biol. Chem. , 250, 4825].
Phacomatosis pigmentokeratotica associated with hemihypertrophy and a rhabdomyosarcoma of the abdominal wall

Phacomatosis pigmentokeratotica (PPK) represents a specific "twin nevus" syndrome in which a speckled lentiginous nevus (SLN) is associated with an organoid nevus with sebaceous differentiation. A boy with a large nevus sebaceus on the left face and upper part of the trunk, a giant segmental SLN extending from the abdomen to the feet bilaterally, and right hemihypertrophy developed an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the right abdominal wall at age 6 months. A variety of musculoskeletal, neurologic, and ocular anomalies have been observed in patients with PPK, reflecting the individual manifestations of both SLN and Schimmelpenning syndromes. This report adds hemihypertrophy to the spectrum of extracutaneous manifestations of PPK and, to our knowledge, represents the first observation of a rhabdomyosarcoma arising in contiguity with an SLN in a patient with PPK. The development of a rhabdomyosarcoma in our patient likely reflects both increased propensity for growth (as evidenced by the hemihypertrophy) and the pluripotent nature of neural-crest derived cells within the field defect that underlies an SLN.
Sleep problems predict comorbid externalizing behaviors and depression in young adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience high rates of sleep problems and are also at increased risk for experiencing comorbid mental health problems. This study provides an initial examination of the 1-year prospective association between sleep problems and comorbid symptoms in youth diagnosed with ADHD. Participants were 81 young adolescents (75 % male) carefully diagnosed with ADHD and their parents. Parents completed measures of their child's sleep problems and ADHD symptoms, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms, and general externalizing behavior problems at baseline (M age = 12.2) and externalizing behaviors were assessed again 1 year later. Adolescents completed measures of anxiety and depression at both time-points. Medication use was not associated with sleep problems or comorbid psychopathology symptoms. Regression analyses indicated that, above and beyond demographic characteristics, ADHD symptom severity, and initial levels of comorbidity, sleep problems significantly predicted greater ODD symptoms, general externalizing behavior problems, and depressive symptoms 1 year later. Sleep problems were not concurrently or prospectively associated with anxiety. Although this study precludes making causal inferences, it does nonetheless provide initial evidence of sleep problems predicting later comorbid externalizing behaviors and depression symptoms in youth with ADHD. Additional research is needed with larger samples and multiple time-points to further examine the interrelations of sleep problems and comorbidity.
85. Environmental mold, brain inflammation, cognitive deficits, and increased anxiety and fear

Exposure to mold in water-damaged buildings can have severe adverse effects on human health. Despite evidence that mold exposure causes increased anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, pain, and cognitive problems, no animal research has been published examining how mold exposure causes these problems. We examined the effects of exposing mice to spores of Stachybotrys chartarum, probably the most studied of the damp-building molds. Mice were exposed to either intact Stachybotrys spores, containing a variety of potent toxins and proteinases (IN), to spores extracted twice with alcohol to remove spore contents (EX), or to saline vehicle (VEH). Both types of spores cause significant memory deficits on a contextual memory task. Mice treated with extracted spores show significantly higher levels of anxiety, while mice treated with intact spores are more fearful of an auditory tone previously paired with a mild footshock. Spore inhalation significantly increased numbers of interleukin-1β-immunoreactive cells in the dorsomedial hippocampus In IN males, with EX males being intermediate between IN and VEH males. EX treatment significantly decreased numbers of immature new neurons as quantified by doublecortin, while IN treatment significantly reduced numbers of mature new neurons as quantified by double labeling with BrdU and NeuN. Our data suggest that respiratory exposure to any mold, not just the particularly toxic ones like Stachybotrys, may be capable of causing brain inflammation, cognitive deficits, and emotional problems.
Structural studies of proteins by paramagnetic solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Abstract Paramagnetism-based nuclear pseudocontact shifts and spin relaxation enhancements contain a wealth of information in solid-state NMR spectra about electron–nucleus distances on the ∼20 A length scale, far beyond that normally probed through measurements of nuclear dipolar couplings. Such data are especially vital in the context of structural studies of proteins and other biological molecules that suffer from a sparse number of experimentally-accessible atomic distances constraining their three-dimensional fold or intermolecular interactions. This perspective provides a brief overview of the recent developments and applications of paramagnetic magic-angle spinning NMR to biological systems, with primary focus on the investigations of metalloproteins and natively diamagnetic proteins modified with covalent paramagnetic tags.
Small and Productive: Kenyan Women and Crop Choice

The question of gender differences in agricultural productivity has received particular attention in the development literature. The stylized fact that women produce less than men, while on average occupying smaller farms, presents a quandary as it is also a stylized fact that smaller farms have higher yields per unit of area. Using data from the 2006 Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey, this study examines whether there is a gap in output per acre between men and women farmers in Kenya. Using ordinary and two-stage least-squares (OLS and 2SLS) analyses, it shows that when crop choice is taken into account, women are as productive as men. Specifically, the study finds that market-oriented crops are the source of differences. This suggests that further research into what determines crop choice is needed, in addition to policy that ensures that women have the same access as men to support for market-oriented crops.
The occurrence of fin rot in mullet (Mugil cephalus) associated with crude oil contamination of an estuarine pond-ecosystem

Four estuarine pond-ecosystems equipped with tidal simulation were established and stocked with mullet, shrimp, and oysters. A 6 month pre-spill sampling period established a consistently low incidence of disease in the mullet, Mugil cephalus, from all ponds. Following the preliminary study period, Empire Mix crude oil (4.0-5.0 p.p.m.) was spilled on each of two of the ponds in mid-July, 1974. Six to eight days following the oil spill all the mullet examined from the treated ponds had varying degrees of fin rot on one or more of their fins. The fin erosion involved primarily the caudal, pectoral, and pelvic fins with the caudal fin the most severely damaged. The degree of damage to the fins varied from a slight discoloration with no visible fraying to complete erosion of all of the fin elements. A gram negative rod tentatively identified as Vibrio sp. is considered the primary pathogen responsible for the fin erosion. Although the condition of the infected fish indicated the possibility of a systemic infection, only a low percentage of the kidney cultures taken from the diseased fish were positive indicating the infection was mostly external. The course of the infection was documented over a 56-day period following the oil spill. Significantly, 96% of the mullet observed from the treated ponds had some degree of fin damage while only 6 % of those observed from the control ponds had eroded fins. The high incidence of fin rot which occurred in the estuarine-pond ecosystems did not occur during numerous acute exposures of mullet to crude oil in the laboratory.
Isolation, culture and regeneration of protoplasts from potato and several related Solanum species

Abstract Thirty-six cultivars, breeding lines and accessions from five Solanum species were examined for isolation, culture and regeneration of leaf mesophyll protoplasts. These included diploid and tetraploid Solanum tuberosum clones as well as accessions of S.brevidens, S. demissum, S. etuberosum and S. pennellii . Test lines were chosen because of desirable disease resistances or markers that could be used for studies of somaclonal variation and somatic fusions. Stock plants and test lines were grown aseptically on a modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. These plants were particularly good sources of protoplasts and routinely yielded 10–20 million protoplasts from 1 g of leaf tissue. All tested clones yielded some viable protoplasts and all but three yielded protoplasts that were capable of at least one cell division. Callus tissues were obtained from 32 of the 36 clones and 22 of these produced shoots.
Long‐range convective ozone transport during INTEX

[1] Ozone transport across the tropopause near a convective region in the central Pacific is calculated for a 1-day period using a nested grid, high-resolution simulation with the University of Wisconsin Nonhydrostatic Modeling System (UWNMS). This ozone is then tracked into the region where DC-8 lidar ozone observations on 6 July 2004 were taken over the United States during the Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment-North America (INTEX-NA). On 2 July a convective complex developed north of the Midway Islands and intensified as it propagated eastward. Satellite observations captured this event well, and the UWNMS simulation placed the convection just east of an upper level trough along the subtropical jet. The proximity of the strong convection to the lowered tropopause resulted in significant stratospheric ozone contribution (SOC) to the troposphere. During the 24 h period starting at 1200 UTC 2 July, total net ozone flux into the troposphere was calculated to be about 0.2 Tg across the nested grid domain. Because the convective outflow was feeding the subtropical jet, the SOC was quickly transported across the eastern Pacific and into the INTEX-NA region. Using an “SOC tracer” we show that a small but significant percentage of observed ozone on the DC8 flight can be attributed to SOC from this one convective event. This supports the idea that the stratosphere over the Pacific is an important source of ozone for air entering North America from the west.
Modeling acoustic backscatter from kidney microstructure using an anisotropic correlation function

Techniques for investigating acoustic backscatter from anisotropic biological tissues are examined. This empirical study combines single‐scatter theory with the known elastic properties and histology of the renal cortex to predict the backscatter coefficient from kidney parenchyma. A transverse isotropic correlation model is developed to explain how backscattered energy, which varies with the incident sound wave direction, is related to the anisotropic structure of the tissue. From the results we conclude that renal morphology scatters sound incoherently, and that complex mixtures of scattering structures of different sizes, number densities, and scattering strengths can be distinguished by analyzing backscatter in specific frequency channels—a spectroscopic approach. A K‐space description of backscatter measurements from kidney cortex, including the effects of anisotopy, provides further support of our hypothesis regarding sources of acoustic scattering.
The Relationship Among Self-Determination, Self-Concept, and Academic Achievement for Students With Learning Disabilities

Research suggests that self-determination skills are positively correlated with factors that have been shown to improve academic achievement, but the direct relationship among self-determination, self-concept, and academic achievement is not fully understood. This study offers an empirical explanation of how self-determination and self-concept affect academic achievement for adolescents with learning disabilities after taking into consideration the covariates of gender, income, and urbanicity. In a nationally representative sample (N = 560), the proposed model closely fit the data, with all proposed path coefficients being statistically significant. The results indicated that there were significant correlations among the three latent variables (i.e., self-determination, self-concept, and academic achievement), with self-determination being a potential predictor of academic achievement for students with learning disabilities.
Third‐order quasidegenerate many‐body perturbation theory calculations for valence state correlation energies of the nitrogen and oxygen atoms and their ions

Third order quasidegenerate many-body perturbation theory (QDMBPT) is used to calculate all [2s, 2p] valence state correlation energies of nitrogen and oxygen for all numbers of valence electrons, Nv. The average deviations from experiment for all energies are 0.31 eV for nitrogen and 0.26 eV for oxygen. Rather than using the conventional QDMBPT treatment in which the NN electron matrix elements of the appropriate effective Hamiltonian (HH) are calculated directly, HH is separated into a sum of individual many-electron operators which are independent of Nv. The effective many-electron integrals for a given species are therefore calculated once and then used to construct HH for all values of Nv. This two step procedure has the special virtue of yielding all valence state correlation energies for all valence ions from a single calculation.
Trends in large space structure control theory: Fondest hopes, wildest dreams

This paper presents a mathematical framework for discussion of large space structure (LSS) control theory. Within this framework, current trends in LSS control theory and related topics in general control science are surveyed.
Righi--Leduc effect in the mixed state of a type-II superconductor

A transverse temperature gradient odd in magnetic field has been observed in the presence of longitudinal temperature gradient in a thin strip of Pb + 7.5 at. % In with its plane perpendicular to the field. At 2.5°K, the ratio of the transverse to the longitudinal temperature gradient is proportional to field above the upper critical field, and has a maximum in the mixed state below this field. The Righi-Leduc effect has the same sign in the mixed state as in the normal state.
Transition state chirality and role of the vicinal hydroxyl in the ribosomal peptidyl transferase reaction

The ribosomal peptidyl transferase is a biologically essential catalyst responsible for protein synthesis. The reaction is expected to proceed through a transition state approaching tetrahedral geometry with a specific chirality. To establish that stereospecificity, we synthesized two diastereomers of a transition state inhibitor with mimics for each of the four ligands around the reactive chiral center. Preferential binding of the inhibitor that mimics a transition state with S chirality establishes the spatial position of the nascent peptide, the oxyanion and places the amine near the critical A76 2′-OH on the P-site tRNA. Another inhibitor series with 2′-NH2 and 2′-SH substitutions at the critical 2′-OH group was used to test the neutrality of the 2′-OH as predicted if the hydroxyl functions as a proton shuttle in the transition state. Lack of significant pH dependent binding by these inhibitors argues that the 2′-OH remains neutral in the transition state. Both of these observations are consistent with a proton shuttle mechanism for the peptidyl transferase reaction.
Large sample theory for distributions on the hypersphere with rotational symmetries

A distribution on the unit sphere inℝ q with a densityf(‖x v ‖) is considered where Open image in new window is ans(<q) dimensional subspace andx v is the part ofx in Open image in new window . For a large sample the estimation of Open image in new window , a test that Open image in new window and a test for rotational symmetry within Open image in new window is given. For several samples with possibly different subspaces Open image in new window but the samef, a test that Open image in new window is given. For all tests power functions for contiguous alternatives are given. For the special density proportional to expk‖x v ‖ 2, additional results are given.
Problem solving as a social process: A theoretical and empirical analysis

Abstract Despite increasing studies of problem solving in organizational settings, relatively little attention has been directed at how groups discover problems, what happens after a solution is implemented, and how the various stages in the problem solving process are interrelated over time. This field study of a major R&D project analyzes these phenomena. Among other findings, the results suggest that some problems are virtually impossible to detect early, that some solutions beget additional problems, and that the problem solving process is even more iterative than usually thought.
Effect of a word prediction feature on user performance

This study examines the influence of a word prediction feature on several measures of user performance during text entry tasks. Fourteen subjects transcribed text with and without a word prediction feature for seven test sessions. Eight subjects were able-bodied and used mouthstick typing, while six subjects had high-level spinal cord injuries and used their usual method of keyboard access. Use of word prediction significantly decreased text generation rate for the spinal cord injured (SCI) subjects and only modestly enhanced it for the able-bodied (AB) subjects. While fewer selections were required with the word prediction system, each selection took significantly longer to make, which we attribute to the additional cognitive and perceptual processes associated with use of word prediction. Performance was further analyzed by deriving subjects' times for keypress and list search actions during word prediction use. All subjects had slower keypress times during word prediction use as compared to letters-onl...
Performance and digestion by calves from limestone added to milk replacers containing soy protein concentrate.

Abstract Sixteen male Holstein calves were fed milk replacers containing milk protein or 50% of the protein from soy protein concentrate for study of limestone as a buffer in the small intestine. Experimental diets were: A) 19% of crude protein as milk protein; B) same as A but containing .8% limestone; C) 19% crude protein, 9.5% milk protein, and 9.5% soy protein; and D) same as C but containing .8% limestone. Milk replacers were reconstituted with water to 14% solids and fed at 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 12% body weight from 1 to 6 wk of age. Calves were fed twice daily, and clean fresh water was available at all times. Soy protein concentrate in the replacer resulted in 20% lower weight gains, lower dry matter and protein digestibilities. Apparent crude protein retention also was reduced, but intake of nutrients, feed efficiencies, fecal scores, and rectal temperatures were not different between protein sources. Limestone did not change any of these measurements. Xylose absorption tests at 3 and 6 wk of age showed differences from age but not treatment. Analysis of digesta from different sections of the gut of 6-wk-old calves sacrificed 6h after feeding revealed that pH throughout the small intestine was above 6 for both proteins, which may explain the ineffectiveness of added limestone. Compared to milk protein, soy protein concentrate produced a lower pH in the large intestine and feces.
Application of Multi-Component Damage Assessment Model (MDAM) for the Toxicity of Metabolized PAH in Hyalella azteca

Biotransformation and time-dependent toxicity of pyrene and fluorene, in the presence and absence of the biotransformation inhibitor 6-propylpiperonyl butyl diethylene glycol ether known as piperonyl butoxide (PBO), were investigated in Hyalella azteca. Toxicokinetics and biotransformation were determined in both short- and long-term experiments. For pyrene, the uptake rate coefficient (ku = 99 ± 9 L kg-1 h-1), elimination rate constant for parent compound (kep = 0.050 ± 0.008 h-1), biotransformation rate constant (km = 0.016 ± 0.003 h-1), and elimination rate constant for metabolites (kem = 0.021 ± 0.007 h-1) were determined from a short-term study. For fluorene, ku (130 ± 30 L kg-1 h-1) and kep (1.7 ± 0.2 h-1) were estimated based on km (0.015 ± 0.002 h-1) and kem (0.011 ± 0.002 h-1) determined from a long-term study. At steady state, the percent metabolites for pyrene and fluorene were 43% and 58%, respectively, determined from km/(km + kem). Time-dependent toxicity was determined as both lethal water ...
Ideologies of Gender on Television in India

Content analyses of Indian television programmes on the national network Doordarshan in the 1980s have shown that prime-time shows cast women as docile homemakers and as objects of male desire. This paper uses a critical postcolonial theoretical framework and narrative analysis method to detect ideologies of gender from programmes randomly selected from a months menu of the transnational national and regional television networks in the country. A broad conclusion is that Indian television in the late 1990s perpetuates across channels the 1980s stereotypical images of women images that have their roots in Vedic colonial and nationalist literature. The status quo is explained through a critical discussion of the framing of "woman" in colonial and postcolonial nation-building efforts. The paper also points to the emerging genre of hybrid programming where the greater incidence of female veejays and talk show hosts paves the way for the expression of female leadership and desire and leads to more positive television portrayals of women in the 21st century. (authors)
Directional discrimination — Tolerance of visual cortical cells to severe stimulus degradation

Die Wirkung von induzierten Undeutlichkeiten auf die Reaktionsfahigkeit der Zellen im visuellen Kortex auf Bewegungsanregungen werden beschrieben.
Favorable effect of pulmonic vein isolation by partial circumferential ablation on ostial flow velocity

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the effect of electrical isolation of pulmonic vein (PV) on flow velocity. Background We report our experience with electrical isolation of PV by partial circumferential ablation and its effect on ostial peak flow velocity as assessed by phased-array ultrasound catheter imaging. Methods Sixty-two patients participated in the study. Magnetic electroanatomic mapping, ultrasound catheter imaging, and Lasso mapping catheter were used. Electrical isolation was achieved by delivering radiofrequency ablation (RFA) lesions proximal to Lasso mapping catheter bipoles showing PV entry. Following this, the number of RFA lesions/PV and their segment-wise distribution (maximum 4/PV) were assessed. Results Fifty right superior, 51 left superior, 32 left inferior, and 17 right inferior PVs were isolated. RFA involved 4 segments in 42 PVs, 3 segments in 61 PVs, and ≤2 segments in 47 PVs. Electrical isolation augmented ostial peak flow velocity (55 ± 15 cm/s to 96 ± 26 cm/s). This net increase was higher for superior versus inferior PVs (43 ± 23 cm/s and 34 ± 18 cm/s; P = .02). For ≤2, 3, and 4 segments ablated per vein, the net increase in peak flow velocity was 33 ± 22 cm/s, 42 ± 23 cm/s, and 46 ± 23 cm/s, respectively ( P = .02). Over a mean follow-up of 16 ± 7 months, freedom from atrial fibrillation (AF) or >90% reduction in AF burden, either with or without previously ineffective antiarrhythmic agents, was achieved in 54 patients (87%). Conclusions In the majority of PVs (72%), electrical isolation can be achieved by partial circumferential ablation (targeting ≤3 segments/PV) with lower acute increase in ostial peak flow velocity and good AF control.
The regulatory function of vitamine E

Abstract 1. 1. A rise in the creatine phosphokinase (CPK) of skeletal muscle of vitamin-E-deficient rabbits precedes the appearance of significant amounts of enzyme in the blood. 2. 2. Injected rabbit muscle CPK is catabolized in normal, deficient, and treated rabbits with a half-time of 1.5 hr. 3. 3. Treatment of deficient rabbits having elevated serum CPK values with α-tocopherol or ethionine results in a sharp decline of CPK activity in plasma with a half-time of 12 hr. Ethionine has no effect on the assay method for CPK. 4. 4. It is suggested that vitamin E deficiency may represent a state of excessive synthesis of catabolic and redundant enzymes which is repressed by vitamin E and inhibited by ethionine. If the hereditary muscular dystrophies are caused by a mutation in a regulatory gene, the similarity of these disorders to vitamin E deficiency and the ineffectiveness of α-tocopherol as a therapeutic agent is explained.
Resource Selection Functions for Wood Stork Foraging Habitat in the Southern Everglades

Abstract. Modeling habitat selection of species with specific foraging requirements is an effective means to evaluate landscape quality for restoration and conservation purposes. Proportional hazards regression, a discrete choice model, was used to develop resource selection functions for breeding Wood Stork in the southern Everglades during the 2006 nesting season. Wood Storks showed the highest probability of habitat selection in a narrow range of shallow water depths. The quadratic form of water depth (depth+depth2) was an important indicator of habitat selection with mean water depths between -25 and 25 cm receiving the highest probability of use (a negative water depth is below average ground elevation). Foraging sites within 20 km of nesting colonies were selected over farther sites. Shrub swamp, mangrove swamp and saltwater marsh vegetation types were used in higher proportions than they occurred in the landscape. Results exemplify the importance of shallow water depths near established stork breed...
Suggesting novel but related topics: towards context-based support for knowledge model extension

Much intelligent user interfaces research addresses the problem of providing information relevant to a current user topic. However, little work addresses the complementary question of helping the user identify potential topics to explore next. In knowledge acquisition, this question is crucial to deciding how to extend previously-captured knowledge. This paper examines requirements for effective topic suggestion and presents a domain-independent topic-generation algorithm designed to generate candidate topics that are novel but related to the current context. The algorithm iteratively performs a cycle of topic formation, Web search for connected material, and context-based filtering. An experimental study shows that this approach significantly outperforms a baseline at developing new topics similar to those chosen by an expert for a hand-coded knowledge model.
Perceptions of Institutional Commitment to Diversity as a Predictor of College Students' Openness to Diverse Perspectives

This study examined longitudinal data by multiple regression analyses to determine personal and institutional characteristics associated with students' openness to diverse perspectives. Students' openness was positively associated with (a) feeling that the university was committed to diversity issues, (b) taking diversity courses, and (c) interacting with students of a different racial or ethnic group. Among students of color, openness was significantly predicted by (a) the racial diversity of students' friendship group, (b) feeling that the university supported ethnic and religious support networks, and (c) taking diversity courses. Among White students, the unique predictor was interacting with students of a different race at informal social events.
Electromagnetic Susceptibility of a Folded Cable of Finite Thickness in a Shielded Enclosure To External Excitation

A numerically efficient Fourier series approach to the analysis of a folded cable of finite thickness enclosed in a rectangular cavity is presented. The electromagnetic susceptibility of the cable to external excitation is considered by computing the electromagnetic fields that exist within the cavity enclosure, and the current response induced on the cable. The cable penetrating through the top face of the cavity is folded at right angle within it. This boundary-value problem is an idealization of a folded cable in some shielded enclosure. The formulation is based on the Fourier series approach developed by the author. The current response on the cable is approximated by a truncated Fourier series. The current on the cable, in turn, results in an electromagnetic field within the cavity which is associated with a triply infinite sum. By using the Fourier series technique, the unknown mode amplitudes and hence the unknown Fourier coefficients are evaluated. Other information pertaining to cable-shielded en...
Guaranteed stimulus-processing in the evaluation of memory and learning.

Abstract A test of memory and learning with guaranteed initial stimulus-processing was validated and is here presented with norms for 70–79 year old and 80–89 year old community residents vs. nursing-home residents. The test procedure also allows incidental observation of stereognosis, object-naming, and left-right orientation, screens for depression, and elicits rapid retrieval of words from semantic categories — all common aspects of evaluation for dementia. A validation study showed a significant difference between 21 moderately impaired and 21 unimpaired elderly nursing home residents grouped by their scores on Blessed, Tomlinson and Roth's (1968) “mental test”. Reliability was determined by coefficient alpha, which yielded an estimated correlation of .84 between recall (retrieval) scores and errorless true scores. Storage scores were correlated .72 with retention after three weeks (p. Norms for community-active vs. nursing-home-residing 70 and 80 year olds are provided which allow the separate evaluation of total recall, storage, retrieval, and response to reminders.
Product data markup language: a new paradigm for product data exchange and integration

Product Data Markup Language (PDML) is a set of XML vocabularies and a usage structure for deploying product data on the Internet and making it visible to DoD weapon system support personnel. PDML offers a new paradigm for product data exchange based on existing technology that facilitates the integration and interoperability of business processes across the DoD and contracting organizations, particularly among those using PDM systems for process control and product data management. The Internet provides a ubiquitous platform for connectivity; XML provides a web-friendly and well-understood syntax for the exchange of data; and STEP/ISO 10303 provides a methodology for satisfying and integrating the information needs of the diverse collection of data-usage communities that comprise the DoD weapon system support personnel.PDML defines a set of Application Transaction Sets (ATS) that define the data requirements for communities defined by the users of particular legacy systems and standards. The Integration Schema is an encompassing generalization of the ATSs that provides an integrated view across the ATSs. Mapping specifications define the relationships between the specialized vocabularies in the ATSs and the generic vocabulary in the Integration Schema.
Role of vitamin d on the inhibition of gastrin production after Cisplatin treatment.

In rats cisplatin induces hypocalcemia, bloating of the stomach, and ulceration ameliorated through calcium supplements. This study was undertaken to test the role of calcium on the gastrin mRNA production in vitro and in vivo. RIN B6 cells were cultured in medium with calcium (1.8, 3.6 and 7.2 mM) and the active form of vitamin D (calcijex). Cisplatin was added (10 μg/ml) for 12 hrs and cells were harvested for RNA from various treatment groups. Male Wistar rats were treated with cisplatin (9 mg/kg), before and after vitamin D (0.3 mg/100g/week). The rats were killed and stomach tissues excised on 1, 6, 10 and 15 days after cisplatin treatment. RNA from the stomach was analyzed using the northern blot technique. Gastrin mRNA was suppressed after cisplatin treatment both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro calcium but not vitamin D additions partially prevented the gastrin mRNA. In vivo, however, vitamin D and calcium were equally effective in preventing gastrin mRNA loss.
Use of sodium bicarbonate and increased liquid levels in baked products containing sour mash corn dried distillers' grains

The effect of using sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) as an alkalizing agent and additional liquid in oatmeal muffins containing 17%, 33%, and 40% flour replacement levels of sour mash corn DDGS was investigated. Addition of NaHCO3 improved volume while increased liquid levels improved mouth-feel and product appearance. Consumer testing of yeast leavened dinner rolls, nut rolls, oatmeal muffin and carrot coconut breads containing NaHCO3 and additional liquid indicated that products were acceptable and that increased sodium levels due to NaHCO3 could be reduced by eliminating salt either partially or totally from the formulations.
Collection development administration at selected major US research libraries

Despite a wide variety of institutional environments and management styles, collection development officers at major research libraries in the USA generally share the same major areas of concern for program administration. Strong support from central library administration is important, and the best environments place a high value on fostering communication and collegiality among staff. Other important elements of an effective program include: dedicated staff positions responsible for selection in major subject areas; an accurate and informative collection‐development policy; a detailed budget allocation system, where selection staff have accountability; regular appraisals of approval plan vendors and collection assessment studies; and articulated priorities for preservation. Cites examples of effective practices found at selected institutions.
A balloon strain gage

This paper describes the development of a unique strain measuring device which is intended to monitor the state of strain in thin balloon films during flight. The gate is bonded directly to the film without significantly altering the state of strain or stress in the wall of the balloon. Results of a model balloon inflation are presented which indicate the gage to measure strain in a deployed balloon.
Decrement curves for specific systems

GENERAL curves showing the current decay during system short circuits are given in the companion paper “Standard Decrement Curves.” Inasmuch as arrangements of systems and characteristics of synchronous machinery vary considerably, a single set of general curves based upon certain assumptions as to system layouts, time constants, etc., will be only approximate, and in some cases considerably in error. It is desirable therefore to have available more accurate methods for obtaining decrement factors. It is the purpose of the present paper to describe the methods by which are obtained these more accurate decrement factors especially adaptable to specific arrangements.
The Limits of Political Citizenship

Policy makers tend to focus on the extension of citizenship as the primary means by which new populations become incorporated into a society. Although acquiring formal citizenship is necessary in order to participate in many aspects of a state's civic, social, and political life, the extension of legal citizenship is far from a guarantee for full membership. Instead of focusing exclusively on naturalizing immigrants, we need to consider T.H. Marshall's three spheres of citizenship—the civil, political, and social. By extending social elements of citizenship prior to or at the same time as we extend other benefits, we will move towards more complete citizenship for and greater civil and political engagement among all residents in our society—non-citizens, naturalized, and native-born, alike.
Maintenance of Thoracic Kyphosis in the 3D Correction of Thoracic Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Using Direct Vertebral Derotation

Abstract Objectives Through a review of prospectively collected data, we sought to analyze the outcomes related to 3-dimensional correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) after posterior spinal fusion (PSF) and instrumentation using an aggressive combination of correction strategies. Background Summary New techniques have been used to address sagittal plane deformity while maximizing coronal and axial correction, including Ponte osteotomy, differential rod over-contouring, and direct vertebral rotation with uniplanar screws. Methods This is a consecutive single-center series of AIS patients with thoracic curves (Lenke 1 and 2) with 2-year follow-up who underwent PSF and instrumentation with the use of the following correction strategies: segmental uniplanar screws, ultra high-strength 5.5 mm steel rods, aggressive differential rod contouring, periapical Ponte osteotomies, and segmental direct vertebral derotation. Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22, radiographic and clinical parameters were evaluated at preoperative and 2-year time points. Results Twenty-six patients were included (mean age 13.6 ± 1.5 years). Preoperative thoracic Cobb measured 52 ± 9°, which improved to 17 ± 4° at 2-year follow-up, resulting in 68 ± 9% correction. The average thoracic kyphosis from T5-T12 did not significantly change (21 ± 10° to 22 ± 5° at 2 years); however, in patients with kyphosis less than 20° preoperatively (avg. 13 ± 5°) kyphosis increased significantly at 2-year follow-up (avg. 20 ± 4°, p Conclusion A high degree of coronal correction can be achieved in association with vertebral derotation without sacrificing sagittal plane alignment. High-strength rods aggressively bent to create kyphosis allow both restoration of kyphosis and axial plane derotation in thoracic idiopathic scoliosis.
Chromosome Interactions and Expression in Fused Bacillus Protoplasts

A review of bacterial protoplast fusion could start by recalling that Stahelin (1954) specifically described fusion of Bacillus anthracis which could be occasionally observed among protoplasts in monotype cultures. Lederberg and St. Clair (1958), after summarizing similar occasional observations by others, described unfruitful attempts to fuse protoplasts of genetically marked Escherichia coli strains. But systematic experimental efforts to fuse heterologous strains of bacteria were first achieved with the use of fusogenic agents, particularly polyethyleneglycol, or PEG, by two workers, P. Schaeffer in Orsay, and L. Alfoldi in Szeged, with their associates (Schaeffer et al. 1976; Fodor, Alfoldi 1976). The authors of the present paper were fortunate to be able to collaborate with these workers as they began their pioneering work about 1974. We pause to mention that essentially independent work on Streptonyces fusion appeared soon afterward (Hopwood et al. 1977, 1979).
Valuable Assistance or Missed Opportunities? Shelters and the Family Violence Option

Do shelters help battered women navigate the welfare system and access waivers under the Family Violence Option (FVO)? Data on sheltered battered women's experiences with the New York State welfare system suggest that the answer is both yes and no. Sheltered women are granted waivers at a far higher rate than the general welfare population in New York State, and sheltered women report that shelter staff assistance makes it easier to apply for welfare. However, even sheltered women report problems with the FVO screening, referral, and waiver processes and complain about the problems of linking shelter with welfare.
Morphological Processing of Severely Occluded Digital Elevation Images to Extract and Connect Stream Channels

Recent advances in technology have enabled the acquisition of high-resolution topographic data by means of airborne laser swath mapping (ALSM), which can yield digital elevation models (DEMs) with horizontal resolutions of 1m. A DEM is a grayscale image wherein pixel value corresponds to elevation. Using ALSM imaging systems over forested terrain, we filter out the laser returns from the occluding foliage and estimate bare-surface DEMs. Extracting stream networks from DEMs is important for modeling many hydrological processes. We apply a sequence of morphological operations to an ALSM DEM to detect stream channels in forested terrain. We verify the accuracy of the results using a set of error measures over simulated terrain and also using GPS ground truth over real terrain. For linking disconnected stream segments, a measure of pixel connectivity is used.
Radiofrequency ablation therapy in three patients with paroxysmal atrial tachycardia.

Radiofrequency ablation therapy was performed in three patients with paroxysmal atrial tachycardia. There were two females and one male, aged 80, 63, and 75 years, respectiveiy. All three patients had induction of sustained atrial tachycardia. The tachycardia could be terminated by overdrive atrial pacing or atrial premature stimulation; it could also be terminated by intravenous bolus of adenosine triphosphate. In all three patients, there was no fragmented atrial electrograms recorded within the right atrium, and there was no ventriculo-atrial conduction during ventricular pacing. Tiie earliest atrial activation during tachycardia in these three patients was registered, respectively, at a site slightly posterior and inferior to the His-bundle recording site, at the anterior-superior border of Koch's triangle slightly posterior to the His-bundle recording site, and at the mid-lateral aspect of the right atrium over the crista terminalis at the junction of right atrial appendage and sinus venarum. Radiofrequency current was deiivered to the site of the earliest atrial activation during tachycardia through a 4-mm tip electrode catheter. It resulted in termination of tachycardia and ablation of the tachycardia focus. FoIIow-up observation over a period of 16, 15, and 4 months, respectively, in these three patients showed no recurrence of tachycardia. A repeat eiectrophysiological study was performed 52 and 63 days after ablation in two patients and revealed no induction of atrial tachycardia.
Development of a Spanish-Language Version of the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module

A survey module used to monitor the prevalence of household food insecurity and hunger in the United States was developed by a broadly based collaborative project with leadership from the USDA and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). It has been administered annually since 1995 as a supplement to the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS) and is part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and other national surveys. Spanish is the second most common language in the United States, yet no standardized Spanish-language version of this instrument has yet been sanctioned by the relevant federal agencies. In the CPS, interviewers free-translate the questions while interviewing respondents who prefer to have the interview conducted in Spanish. National prevalence data indicate relatively high rates of food insecurity for Hispanic households, raising the question whether methodological artifacts may contribute to these rates. We analyzed eight Spanish-language versions of the instrument that have been used in published work for variability in wording and phrasing. We then conducted focus groups of low-income Spanish-speaking participants from Mexico, Central America, Puerto Rico and Cuba to refine a single Spanish-language instrument. We also employed professional translators to render the English instrument into "standard" Spanish; both instruments were then back-translated. The focus group-derived instrument uses simpler language and grammar; its back-translation integrity to the English version was slightly better than the professionally translated version. We provide the instrument for use and further testing by other investigators.
Seed size and provenance mediate the joint effects of disturbance and seed predation on community assembly

Summary 1. Local plant community assembly is influenced by a series of filters that affect the recruitment and establishment of species. These filters include regional factors that limit seeds of any given species from reaching a local site as well as local interactions such as post-dispersal seed predation and disturbance, which dictate what species actually establish. How these filters interact to influence recruitment into local assemblages, and whether they act differentially on individual species based on traits such as seed size or their provenance (i.e. native vs. exotic), has not been well examined. Such studies, however, are crucial for understanding community assembly and for making predictions about what species might be favoured under specific ecological circumstances. 2. We added 20 native and 19 exotic species that varied in seed size to undisturbed or experimentally disturbed subplots in and out of larger rodent exclusion plots at ten grassland sites across the Blackfoot River drainage in western Montana, USA. 3. Individually, exclusion of rodent seed predators and disturbance substantially increased cumulative (summed across all species) seedling recruitment. Exclusion of rodent seed predators enhanced recruitment to a greater extent in disturbed rather than undisturbed plots and for native species compared with exotics, while disturbance enhanced recruitment to a greater extent for exotics compared with natives. Examination of individual species responses indicated that results were generalizable across species within each group and not driven by the response of a few species. 4. Seed size mediated these patterns. Notably, the positive effect of rodent exclusion on recruitment was greater for large- versus small-seeded species, while the impact of disturbance on recruitment was more pronounced for small-seeded exotics relative to other groups. 5. Synthesis. These results reveal that local ‘filters’ such as post-dispersal seed predation and disturbance can individually and collectively impose strong limitation on seedling recruitment into local assemblages. Seed size importantly predicts how strongly individual species are influenced by these local filters. Interestingly, in situ community filters have differential effects on native versus exotic species, suggesting that processes that limit native recruitment may not have the same inhibitory influence on exotics.