cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examining Effects of Poverty, Maternal Depression, and Children’s Self-Regulation Abilities on the Development of Language and Cognition in Early Childhood: An Early Head Start Perspective

Early childhood poverty is a prevalent social issue, both in the United States and in the wider international community. It has been well established that factors associated with poverty, including familial income and parental education level, can negatively affect children’s language and cognitive development, which can result in academic achievement deficits that compound across the lifespan. Additional environmental factors, specifically maternal and children’s own social–emotional development, have also been shown to impact these sensitive early childhood developmental processes. Although individual components that relate to language and cognitive development in young children have been identified, additional examination of potential associative relationships between these components is warranted. Therefore, this study explored socio-economical, health, and developmental relationships between 122 caregiver–child dyads enrolled in an Early Head Start Program where children were 1–36 months old. Results indicated strong bidirectional correlations between children’s cognitive and language development. Multiple linear regression path analysis indicated that children’s cognition and social–emotional wellbeing have a significant direct effect on their language development. Additionally, language and fine motor development were found to have a significant direct effect and social–emotional wellbeing mediated an indirect effect through language on children’s cognitive development. In light of socioeconomic and sociocultural challenges, the importance of nurturing children’s social–emotional development in relation to language and cognitive development is discussed.
Deception and Drug Acquisition: Correlates of "Success" Among Drug-Seeking Patients.

Purpose: Most research examining patient-based drug diversion neglects to assess physician deception directly. We attempt to determine if motives for deception are linked to success, and, similarly, if any health, demographic, or substance use history characteristics of the patients are predictive of being able to successfully deceive a physician. Methods: Stratified random sampling was utilized to obtain a sample of 2349 young adults. Respondents completed a survey detailing their substance use histories and whether they had ever deceived a physician for medication. Ninety-three of these respondents reported attempting to deceive a physician for a medication and compose the analytic sample for the study. Results: Of the 93 young adults who reported having attempted to deceive a physician for pharmaceuticals (4.0% of the general sample), 64 (68.8%) were successful. This included 24 only seeking medications for their own use, 9 only for financial purposes, and 31 with both motives. Respondents who reported...
An Approach to the Analysis of the Style of Liang Kai's Oil Paintings

Liang Kai's oil painting works can be classified into two types: one type includes those precisely and orderly painted with obvious Nan Song dynasty;the other type contains those with new style quite different from the painting style at that time.And these paintings were painted with compendiary and elegant drawing emphasizing the implying meaning particularly expressed by ink and brought a new field for the paintings in the Nan Song dynasty with the creation of portrait wash.In his paintings,there is the combination of the image painting and Zen theme.
Medical Appropriateness: A Systems Approach

The governing body of a health facility or operation is expected to hold the medical staff responsible for monitoring and evaluating the medical appropriateness of the services provided and to expect periodic performance reports. The purpose of this paper is to review the systems involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the quality and appropriateness of medical care as an institutional responsibility.
The Electrochemical Behavior of Early Metal Metallocene Cp2MCl2 Complexes under CO2

Abstract The electrochemical behaviors of seven early metal (groups 4–6) Cp 2 MCl 2 species (M = Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Mo, and W; Cp = cyclopentadienyl) were examined under CO 2 using cyclic voltammetry. In the presence of CO 2 , Cp 2 TiCl 2 , Cp 2 NbCl 2 , Cp 2 MoCl 2 and Cp 2 WCl 2 showed increases in current compared to an argon atmosphere at reductions corresponding to the formation of Cp 2 M species. The Cp 2 NbCl 2 complex displayed the most current enhancement under CO 2 , but the electrochemical behavior was suppressed by the addition of excess water. The cyclic voltammograms of Cp 2 WCl 2 displayed similar behavior in the presence of added water as the conditions under CO 2 without added water. Bulk electrolysis of the Nb, Mo, and W species resulted in CO and H 2 at low faradaic efficiencies. The geometries of the Cp 2 M and Cp 2 M(CO 2 ) species were optimized using Density Functional Theory (DFT) to examine trends in reactivity.
INFLUENCES OF RECOVERY MEDIA AND INCUBATION TEMPERATURES ON THE TYPES OF MICROORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM SEAFOODS1

Four hundred fifty-five microbial isolates from seafoods were replicated on tryptone-peptone-yeast extract agar with 0.5% NaCl (TPE), trypticase soy agar with 3.0% NaCl (TSA), and plate count agar with no added NaCl (PCA). Daughter plates were incubated at 5, 25, 35, and 37 C, and colonies that developed on the plates were identified. At 25 C, 7% of TPE isolates failed to grow on PCA and 4% on TSA. The difference was mainly caused by Pseudomonas type III species, 24% of which failed to grow on PCA; Pseudomonas type II species, 13% of which failed on PCA; and Flavobacterium-Cutophaga species, 18% of which failed on TSA. Except for the reference mesophilic, cultures of Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Escherichia coli, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus—which grew equally well at 25 and 35 C but failed to grow at 5 C—49% of colonies growing at 25 C failed to grow at 35 C, and 17% at 5 C. Microbial groups in order of sensitivity to 35 C were Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas, Moraxella, Micrococcus, Flavobacterium-Cytophaga, a...
Psoriasis and Other Papulosquamous Skin Disorders

There are a number of diseases in children categorized as “papulosquamous”, literally meaning raised and scaly. Some are quite common, while others are exceedingly rare. Papulosquamous diseases are sometimes difficult to distinguish from one another clinically and may need additional testing. Most, if not all, seem to be related to dysfunction of the skin’s local immune system and thus, treatment of these disorders generally focuses on decreasing inflammation. In this chapter, we will cover management approaches for psoriasis, the most common papulosquamous disorder, as well as for eight other skin conditions occurring with varying frequency in the pediatric population.
To separate or not to separate: Stanza boundaries and poetic structure

This article examines two related matters that have heretofore received little attention in the scholarly literature. The first is whether the division into stanzas shown on the page always reflects the thematic and formal structure of the poem. For instance, may 8-line stanzas with a repeated rhyme scheme (such as ababcdcd) in fact represent pairs of quatrains arbitrarily joined together? Conversely, are there cases when a poem written in couplets actually consists of 4-line or 6-line stanzas that have been divided? The second issue is whether a poet’s decision to write verse in which stanzas are not demarcated on the page leads to works that differ in their formal features from those where the stanzas are (as is more typically the case) separated by blank lines. The latter portion of the article shows the effects of this decision in the verse of Aleksandr Kushner.
Testing targeted demethylation to overcome resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) blocking agents in wild-type (wt) KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer patients (mCRC).

3057 Background: Panitumumab, a monoclonal antibody against EGFR, led to improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with (wt)KRAS mCRC. However, the benefit of panitumumab is limited to a...
Environmental and Technology Policy Options in the Electricity Sector: Are We Deploying Too Many?

Myriad policy measures aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector, promote generation from renewable sources, and encourage energy efficiency (EE). Prior literature has argued that overlapping policies reduce the efficiency of emissions markets, absent other market failures. We extend the model of Fischer and Newell to incorporate knowledge spillovers for both advanced and conventional renewable energy technologies, as well as imperfections in demand for EE investments. EE undervaluation can justify interventions and raises the importance of fully pricing the social costs of electricity, making policies (like renewable subsidies) that lower electricity prices less desirable. Innovation market failures justify some technology policies, particularly correcting R&D incentives, but aggressive deployment policies seem unlikely to enhance welfare when placed alongside sufficient emissions pricing. Even with multiple market failures, emissions pricing remains the most cost-effective option for reducing emissions. However, technology-oriented policies can involve less redistribution of surplus.
Competing effects of surface albedo and orographic elevated heating on regional climate

All else being equal, a given atmospheric pressure-level is thought to be warmer over a plateau than over surrounding non-elevated terrain because of orographic “elevated heating”. However, elevated surfaces are also typically brighter due to reduced vegetation and increased ice cover. Here we assess the degree to which surface albedo compensates for orographic elevated heating. We confirm that land surface albedo generally increases with surface elevation in observations. Using a cloud system-resolving model, we show that increased surface albedo strongly compensates for orographic elevated heating in radiative-convective equilibrium. A non-elevated surface with the albedo of modern India would enter a runaway greenhouse regime without ventilation by monsoonal winds, while a surface with the albedo and elevation of Tibet would achieve a cooler radiative-convective equilibrium. Surface albedo changes may thus be just as important as surface elevation changes for the evolution of low-latitude regional climate throughout Earth's history.
Metacognitive Knowledge, Skills, and Awareness: A Possible Solution to Enhancing Academic Achievement in African American Adolescents:

The resegregation of public schools in the United States continues to place African American students at an academic disadvantage with—oftentimes—limited educational resources and fewer qualified t...
Estimation of Immature Age From the Dentition

Abstract Although other areas of the immature skeleton can provide some information for the estimation of age, the dentition offers especially useful perspective. In particular, the stage of formation of the teeth demonstrates a stronger association with age than other dental features such as loss of deciduous teeth and dental eruption. The recommended approach to estimate age from the dentition involves assessing the stage of formation of individual teeth in consideration of population variation. Experience is required to determine if teeth are deciduous or permanent and to assess what tooth is represented in the evaluation.
Regulatory considerations for clinical pharmacology during development of antibody-drug conjugates.

2569 Background: Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) provide unique challenges during clinical development, as these products are a heterogeneous mixture of a monoclonal antibody and a small molecule p...
Association of added sugar intake and caries-related experiences among individuals of Mexican origin.

OBJECTIVE Determine the association between key dental outcomes and added sugar intake using a survey instrument to assess added sugars, which was specifically tailored to immigrant and US-born adults of Mexican origin. METHODS Hispanic adults of Mexican origin (n = 326; 36.2 ± 12.1 years) completed a self-administered survey to gather acculturation, self-reported dental experiences and self-care practices (eg brushing, flossing, pain, bleeding gums), and socio-demographic information. The survey included a culturally tailored 22-item Added Sugar Intake Estimate (ASIE) that assessed added sugar intake from processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages in a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire format. Linear regression, 2-sample t test, and ANOVA were used to evaluate associations of demographic and dental outcomes with daily added sugar intake. RESULTS Of the mean total daily added sugar intake (99.6 ± 94.6 g), 36.5 ± 44.4 g was derived from sugar-containing foods and snacks, and 63.1 ± 68.2 g from beverages. Participants who reported greater added sugar intake were more likely to have reported the presence of a toothache in the preceding 12 months, having been prescribed antibiotics for dental reasons, being less likely to floss daily, have reported eating or drinking within 1 hour before bed and have lower psychological acculturation (P < .05 for all). Results were comparable when assessing intake from sugar-containing foods/snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed the association between added sugar intake and self-reported dental outcomes among adults of Mexican origin and points to an urgent need to improve dietary behaviours in this population.
The Oedipus Complex and the Role of Religion in the Neurosis of Father Hunger

This essay discusses Freud's writings on the Oedipus Complex to illumine his distinction between a boy's object-choice and identification with his father. Explains why object-choice is relinquished in favor of identification in the “demolition” of the Oedipus Complex. Identifies homophobia as an effect of this outcome, and indicates how the Judaeo-Christian religion is implicated in the fact that love between boys and their fathers is unrealized, and thus why men are inflicted with the neurosis of “father hunger.”
Role of Proteases in Sporulation

Publisher Summary There are several points that can be made concerning protease activity and its relationship to the sporulation process. The extracellular neutral metal proteases are not directly related to the sporulation, as mutants that have little or no metal protease activity can sporulate normally. Furthermore, the rate of protein turnover during sporulation of these mutants is normal. Therefore, no function during sporulation is known for this enzyme. However, its synthesis is regulated in a fashion similar to that of the serine proteases and they are produced coordinately during the initial stages of sporulation. The role of the serine protease has been defined at least partially. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments indicate that the serine protease is involved in the modification of RNA polymerase during sporulation. Although its level is low intracellularly relative to that found extracellularly, its function as a modifying enzyme plays a crucial role in initiating and continuing the sporulation process.
Direct and Indirect Associations of Sleep Knowledge and Attitudes With Objective and Subjective Sleep Duration and Quality via Sleep Hygiene

Although a few studies have examined sleep knowledge and attitudes as predictors of sleep behavior, the question of which better predicts actual sleep behavior is still open. Furthermore, the construct of sleep attitudes has been inconsistently defined and measured. We examined both sleep knowledge and attitudes to determine their unique associations with sleep hygiene behaviors, and direct and indirect associations with objective and subjective sleep outcomes. College students (N = 218) completed a series of questionnaires before and after wearing a FitBit Flex accelerometer for 7 days. We collected objective sleep duration and quality using this apparatus, while participants reported subjective sleep outcomes, hygiene behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes. Analyses controlled for self-reported depression, diagnosed sleep disorder, and sleep-related medications. For both objective and subjective measures, more positive sleep attitudes but not greater sleep knowledge was directly associated with longer sleep duration, and indirectly (through sleep hygiene) with better sleep quality. The role of sleep attitudes in sleep-related behaviors and outcomes deserves further investigation as a potentially modifiable factor in sleep intervention efforts.
Who Should Be Admitted? Who Can Be Discharged Safely and with What Instructions?

Abdominal pain is one of the most common presenting complaints, and many of those patients have some degree of immunosuppression. The indicators used to identify pathology are often unreliable in the immunocompromised patient. Providers must expand their differential to include the less common opportunistic infections that can occur in these patients. Regardless of the findings, discharge home is rarely ever appropriate for these patients. This is especially true because the typical indicators for return upon discharge are often nonexistent.
An Inquiry into AI University Curriculum and Market Demand: Facts, Fits, and Future Trends

This study aims at exploring the fit/misfit between artificial intelligence (AI) curriculum objectives and AI-relevant job qualifications. In our preliminary analysis, we applied the data collected from a major employment website and multiple university programs to extricate dimensions and properties for academic curriculum design and job qualifications, respectively. After investigating AI career market demand and supply, we recommend aligning AI curriculum with current and future market demands. Envisioning our future research, further theoretical development with supportive evidence should be leveraged to interpret the fit/misfit between AI curriculum design and market needs.
Student Assessment Opt Out and the Impact on Value-Added Measures of Teacher Quality:

Student assessment nonparticipation (or opt out) has increased substantially in K-12 schools in states across the country. This increase in opt out has the potential to impact achievement and growth (or value-added) measures used for educator and institutional accountability. In this simulation study, we investigated the extent to which value-added measures of teacher quality are affected as a result of varying degrees of opt out, as well as a result of various types of nonrandom opt out. Results show that the magnitude of opt out and choice of classification scheme has a greater impact on value-added estimates than the type of opt-out patterns simulated in this study. Specifically, root mean square differences in value-added estimates increased as magnitude of opt out increased. In addition, teacher effectiveness classification agreement decreased as opt out magnitude increased. One type of opt out, where the highest achieving students in the highest achieving classrooms opted out, had the largest impact on stability than the other types of opt outs.
Utility of NKX3.1 Immunostaining in the Detection of Metastatic Prostatic Carcinoma on Fine-Needle Aspiration Smears

Objectives NK3 homeobox 1 (NKX3.1) has been increasingly used to diagnose metastatic prostatic carcinoma in histologic samples. However, its utility and reliability in cytologic direct smears have not been studied. Methods A total of 59 fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cases with a definitive diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma from the prostate were included. The cases were grouped based on different Gleason score in their corresponding primary tumors and morphologic variants. For each case, tumor cells were immunostained with NKX3.1, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) on cell-transferred smears. Results NKX3.1 was strongly and diffusely positive in all 40 metastatic prostatic adenocarcinomas, including those with ductal features, but negative for the 19 small cell carcinoma (SmCC) cases. NKX3.1 had a better detection rate than PSA (13/50, 26%) and PAP (0/47, 0%). Conclusions NKX3.1 immunostaining on FNA smears is highly reliable for detecting metastatic prostatic carcinomas of conventional and ductal types but not for SmCC.
Accelerating the Computation of UCB and Related Indices for Reinforcement Learning.

In this paper we derive an efficient method for computing the indices associated with an asymptotically optimal upper confidence bound algorithm (MDP-UCB) of Burnetas and Katehakis (1997) that only requires solving a system of two non-linear equations with two unknowns, irrespective of the cardinality of the state space of the Markovian decision process (MDP). In addition, we develop a similar acceleration for computing the indices for the MDP-Deterministic Minimum Empirical Divergence (MDP-DMED) algorithm developed in Cowan et al. (2019), based on ideas from Honda and Takemura (2011), that involves solving a single equation of one variable. We provide experimental results demonstrating the computational time savings and regret performance of these algorithms. In these comparison we also consider the Optimistic Linear Programming (OLP) algorithm (Tewari and Bartlett, 2008) and a method based on Posterior sampling (MDP-PS).
Introduction to Ocean Remote Sensing

Overleaf: Examples of satellites for oceanography. TOPEX, NASA’s ocean topography experiment, is planned as a dedicated precise radar altimeter to measure sea surface topography. NOAA/TIROS is an operational meteorological satellite with sensors that can measure sea surface temperature, and locate Lagrangian drifters. NROSS, the Navy Remote Ocean Sensing System, is planned by the U.S. Navy with instruments for measuring surface winds, sea surface topography, ice concentrations, and location of oceanic fronts. GEOSAT, the U.S. Navy’s Geopotential Satellite, has a SEASAT-type altimeter for improving the global geoid and for wind speed determination. NIMBUS-7, the last of the NASA series, has an ocean color scanner and a multichannel microwave scanner. SEASAT, the first satellite dedicated to oceanography, had five sensors for measuring surface winds, topography, temperature, ice concentration, and wave patterns. Figure courtesy of NASA JPL; original in color.
Ischemic Versus Bleeding Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in Patients With High Bleeding Risk

Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) often have high-bleeding-risk (HBR) factors. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) further increases this risk of bleeding. We sought to compare clinical outcomes according to presence or absence of HBR factors in patients with elevated ischemic risk (DAPT score ≥ 2) undergoing PCI. We evaluated all patients undergoing PCI at MedStar Washington Hospital Center (January 2009 to July 2018) with DAPT score ≥2, which is associated with elevated risk of ischemic events. Patients were categorized as HBR group (HBR score ≥1) or low-bleeding-risk (LBR) group (HBR score = 0). Outcomes included major adverse cardiac events such as target vessel revascularization, stent thrombosis, death, and bleeding events at 30 days, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. The final cohort consisted of 7,499 patients: 3,949 patients had LBR features, and 3,550 patients had HBR features. The 2 groups were different at baseline, with HBR patients being older and having a higher prevalence of congestive heart failure and renal dysfunction than the LBR group. The mean DAPT score was 2.96±1.1 for the LBR group and 3.7±1.4 for the HBR group (p
Role of particle shape in determining tensile strength and energy release in diametrical compression of natural silica grains

Abstract Extensive particle fracture has been noticed in projectile penetration tests. However current models for predicting projectile penetration depths do not consider particle fracture. Therefore, in order to understand the role of particle shape on single grain strength and the subsequent comminution process, single grain crushing tests on sand grains of different shapes and sizes were performed. High-resolution, three dimensional images of grain surface, were created using confocal microscope and fracture of the grains were captured with high-speed imaging. Acoustic emissions during single grain crushing was used to estimate the energy released during grain fracture. It was found that local stress fields influence particle strength and in natural granular material surface flaws maybe the critical flaw causing fracture. The estimated critical flaw size causing fracture were submicron in size. The mass specific fracture energy increased with increasing failure stress and decreasing particle size and is significantly greater than that computed from pure diametrical breaking. Except for large angular grains, mass specific energies for different shapes were similar. Angular sands required multiple events to break. The outcome of this work can be utilized in geomechanics to understand the comminution process and in power industry to estimate the energy required for comminution.
Neuronal and synaptic plasticity in the visual thalamus in mouse models of glaucoma

Abstract Homeostatic plasticity plays important roles in regulating synaptic and intrinsic neuronal function to stabilize output following perturbations to circuit activity. In glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease of the visual system commonly associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), early disease is associated with altered synaptic inputs to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), changes in RGC intrinsic excitability, and deficits in optic nerve transport and energy metabolism. These early functional changes can precede RGC degeneration and are likely to alter RGC outputs to their target structures in the brain and thereby trigger homeostatic changes in synaptic and neuronal properties in those brain regions. In this study, we sought to determine whether and how neuronal and synaptic function is altered in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), an important RGC projection target in the thalamus, and how functional changes relate to IOP. We accomplished this using patch-clamp recordings from thalamocortical (TC) relay neurons in the dLGN in two established mouse models of glaucoma – the DBA/2J (D2) genetic mouse model and an inducible glaucoma model with intracameral microbead injections to elevate IOP. We found that the intrinsic excitability of TC neurons was enhanced in D2 mice and these functional changes were mirrored in recordings of TC neurons from microbead-injected mice. Notably, many neuronal properties were correlated with IOP in older D2 mice, but not younger D2 mice or microbead-injected mice. The frequency of miniature excitatory synaptic currents (mEPSCs) was reduced in both ages of D2 mice, and vGlut2 staining of RGC synaptic terminals was reduced in an IOP-dependent manner in older D2 mice. Among D2 mice, functional changes observed in younger mice without elevated IOP were distinct from those observed in older mice with elevated IOP and RGC degeneration, suggesting that glaucoma-associated changes to neurons in the dLGN might represent a combination of stabilizing/homeostatic plasticity at earlier stages and pathological dysfunction at later stages.
Perioperative outcomes of the Geriatric Assessment and Medical Preoperative Screening (GrAMPS) program pilot for older hernia patients: does chronological age predict outcomes?

BACKGROUND The Geriatric Assessment and Medical Preoperative Screening (GrAMPS) program was an initial attempt to understand and to define the prevalence of age-related risk factors in older patients undergoing elective ventral hernia repair (VHR) or inguinal hernia repair (IHR). Preliminary analysis found significant rates of previously unrecognized objective cognitive dysfunction, multimorbidity and polypharmacy. We now examine whether chronological age as a sole risk factor can predict a patient's perioperative outcomes, and if traditional risk calculators that rely heavily on chronological age can accurately capture a patient's true risk. METHODS This was a retrospective secondary analysis of the previously reported GrAMPS trial enrolling patients 60 years and older with a planned elective repair of a ventral or inguinal hernia. The rates of key postoperative outcomes were compared between various cohorts stratified by chronological age. Previously validated risk screening calculators [Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP)] were compared between cohorts. RESULTS In total, 55 (78.6%) of the 70 patients enrolled in GrAMPS underwent operative intervention by May 2021, including 26 VHR and 29 IHRs. Cohorts stratified by chronological age had similar rates of key perioperative wound and age-related outcomes including readmissions, postoperative complications, non-home discharges, and length of stay. Additionally, while the commonly used risk calculators, CCI and NSQIP, consistently predicted worse outcomes for older hernia patients (stratified by both median age and age-tertiles), screening positive on these risk assessments were not actually predictive of a greater incidence of postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS Chronological age does not accurately predict worse adverse postoperative complications in older hernia patients. Additionally, traditional risk screening calculators that rely heavily on age to risk stratify may not accurately capture a patient's true surgical risk. Surgeons should continue to explore nuanced patient risk assessments that more accurately capture age-related risk factors to better individualize perioperative risk.
The use of gelatin substrates for traction force microscopy in rapidly moving cells.

Abstract The study of traction forces generated by rapidly moving cells requires the use of substrates that are highly elastic because these cells typically generate weaker traction forces than slower moving cells. Gelatin substrates are soft enough to allow deformation by rapidly moving cells such as fish epidermal keratocytes and Dictyostelium discoideum amoebas. In addition, gelatin substrates are thin (∼30–40μm) and transparent, allowing them to be used in combination with high‐resolution calcium imaging. Importantly, the responsiveness of gelatin substrates allows changes in traction force generation to be detected within seconds, corresponding to the timescale of calcium transients. Here we describe the manufacture and application of gelatin substrates to study the role of mechanochemical signaling in the regulation of keratocyte movement. We show how patterns of traction force generation can be analyzed from a time series of traction vector maps, and how to interpret them in relation to cell movement. In addition, we discuss how the gelatin traction force assay is being used to study the mechanics of Dictyostelium cell motility, and future applications such as the study of neuronal path finding.
Low-level analysis of oligonucleotide expression arrays

High-density oligonucleotide microarray technology has been widely used in many biomedical research areas (Lockhart et al., 1996; Lipshutz et al., 1999). This section gives a brief introduction of oligonucleotide expression microarrays and low-level microarray data analysis, including feature extraction, normalization, and expression index calculation. Keywords: high-density oligonucleotide microarray; image; feature extraction; presence call; normalization; background adjustment; expression index; comparison; software
Induction of Specific Chromosomal Aberrations by Adenovirus Type 12 in Human Embryonic Kidney Cells

Nonrandom chromosomal breaks in chromosomes 1 and 17 were provoked in human embryonic kidney cells 24 hr after infection with adenovirus type 12. These chromosomal changes disappeared in persistently infected cultures. Neutralization of the virus with type-specific antiviral serum prior to infection prevented the occurrence of chromosomal aberrations. No viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis, as determined by autoradiography, was seen in metaphases containing adenovirus type 12-induced chromosomal aberrations. Ultraviolet irradiation of the virus reduced chromosomal aberrations linearly. This reduction in aberrations was fourfold slower than the inactivation of viral infectivity. At 24 hr after infection of cells with purified (3)H-labeled adenovirus type 12, the isotope was found to be associated with the nuclei. The uptake of isotope was reduced ninefold when the labeled virus was neutralized with type-specific antiviral serum. This difference is considered to account for neutralization of labeled virions. In metaphases infected with labeled viruses, most of the clustered grains were seen only on one arm of the chromatid, even after 72 hr. Isochromatid labeling was found, however, in a small percentage of chromosomes, and increased with time after infection. This increase was threefold between 24 and 72 hr after infection, whereas the mean grain counts decreased twofold during the same period. This has been tentatively interpreted to mean that most of the viral DNA molecules or parts thereof are merely attached to cellular chromatin, but a small fraction of them becomes gradually integrated as time proceeds. Certain chromosomal sites appeared to be preferentially labeled when chromosome 2 was used as a model for evaluation.
The major transcription initiation site of the p27Kip1 gene is conserved in human and mouse and produces a long 5'-UTR

Background The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1 is essential for proper control of cell cycle progression. The levels of p27Kip1 are regulated by several mechanisms including transcriptional and translational controls. In order to delineate the molecular details of these regulatory mechanisms it is important to identify the transcription initiation site within the p27Kip1 gene, thereby defining the promoter region of the gene and the 5'-untranslated region of the p27Kip1 mRNA. Although several previous studies have attempted to map p27Kip1 transcription start sites, the results vary widely for both the mouse and human genes. In addition, even though the mouse and human p27Kip1 gene sequences are very highly conserved, the reported start sites are notably different.
Language Development and Age: Behind time: process and schedule of second language acquisition

Introduction Alice Kaplan (1993, 47) describes the initial phase of her time in a French Swiss boarding school when she hears her roommates speaking German, a language she doesn't know. “Then I started discriminating the vowels from the consonants. The same sounds repeated themselves again and again – those were words – and then I could hear the difference between the verbs and the nouns. I heard the articles that went with the nouns, and then I heard where the nouns and the verbs went in sentences.” Kaplan, in this early encounter with German, starts where all language learners must, with the segmentation of the speech stream into phonemes, morphemes, syntactic categories and combinatorial syntax. Her autobiographical account takes her from high school in Switzerland to a position as professor of French literature at Yale University, an odyssey that covers the progressive refinement of her French language skills. While Kaplan's mastery of French gives her competence comparable to a native speaker, the path to that competence seems to differ from the pattern of L1A. The apparent lack of generalized process and schedule for second language acquisition is at first glance quite different from the tightly choreographed timeline of first language acquisition, to the point that some linguists claim that the two enterprises are not at all similar (Bley-Vroman 1990; Clahsen and Muysken 1996; Meisel 1997a).
CarD uses a minor groove wedge mechanism to stabilize the RNA polymerase open promoter complex

Inside cells, molecules of double-stranded DNA encode the instructions needed to make proteins. To make a protein, the two strands of DNA that make up a gene are separated and one strand acts as a template to make molecules of messenger ribonucleic acid (or mRNA for short). This process is called transcription. The mRNA is then used as a template to assemble the protein. An enzyme called RNA polymerase carries out transcription and is found in all cells ranging from bacteria to humans and other animals. Bacteria have the simplest form of RNA polymerase and provide an excellent system to study how it controls transcription. It is made up of several proteins that work together to make RNA using DNA as a template. However, it requires the help of another protein called sigma factor to direct it to regions of DNA called promoters, which are just before the start of the gene. When RNA polymerase and the sigma factor interact the resulting group of proteins is known as the RNA polymerase ‘holoenzyme’. Transcription takes place in several stages. To start with, the RNA polymerase holoenzyme locates and binds to promoter DNA. Next, it separates the two strands of DNA and exposes a portion of the template strand. At this point, the DNA and the holoenzyme are said to be in an ‘open promoter complex’ and the section of promoter DNA that is within it is known as a ‘transcription bubble’. Another protein called CarD helps to speed up transcription but it is not clear how this stage of the process works. Bae et al. have now used X-ray crystallography to reveal the structure of CarD bound to the RNA polymerase holoenyzme and a DNA promoter. The structures show that one part of CarD interacts with the DNA at the start of the transcription bubble, and another part binds to the RNA polymerase. CarD fits between the two strands of DNA in the promoter, like a wedge, to keep the strands apart. Therefore, CarD stabilizes the open promoter complex and prevents the transcription bubble from collapsing. These findings reveal a previously unseen mechanism involved in activating transcription and will guide further experiments probing the role of CarD in living cells. Another study by Bae, Feklistov et al.—which involves some of the same researchers as this study—reveals that the sigma factor also binds to DNA at the start of the transcription bubble. The general principles outlined by these studies may help to identify other proteins that regulate transcription.
A Geometrical Explanation for the Enhanced Small-Scale Roughness of a Liquid Surface

The small-scale motion of a liquid surface is discussed in terms of the behavior of Gaussian local modes when the discrete molecular structure of the surface becomes important. The observed enhance...
Near or full occlusal vertical dimension increase of severely reduced interarch distance in complete dentures

Abstract The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether a large occlusal vertical dimension increase could be restored immediately with new complete dentures. The increase was recorded with cephalograms and was measured. After a six-month period, a third cephalogram was made to record any change of the occlusal vertical dimension. No destruction of tissue was in evidence by this immediate occlusal vertical dimension increase, and subject acceptance was good.
Electron-energy losses in silicon: Bulk and surface plasmons and Čerenkov radiation

Characteristic electron-energy-loss processes in crystalline silicon foils are examined for scattering angles less than 2.5 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ rad. The relatively high energy of the electron beam (75 keV), combined with a low angular divergence (8 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ rad), allows identification of retardation effects in both volume and surface excitations. The results are consistent with complete probability distribution maps, calculated as a function of energy loss $\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}$ and scattering angle $\ensuremath{\theta}$, using recent optical data for the dielectric constants of Si. The half-width of the angular intensity distribution in the volume plasmon ($\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}=16.6$ eV) agrees with the theoretical value to within 3%. Below 4 eV (${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{1}g10$), a dispersive peak in the loss spectrum is observed which is interpreted as a volume loss due to \ifmmode \check{C}\else \v{C}\fi{}erenkov radiation for $\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\ge}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ rad, and which, at small angles, transforms into multiple surface modes propagating parallel to the specimen surface in a waveguide fashion. Between 4.3 eV and $\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{p}=16.6$ eV (${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{1}$ negative), the prominent excitation is the surface plasmon in which the wave fields decay exponentially on both sides of the surface. The dispersion follows the light line and then approaches an asymptotic energy (8.2 eV) which is less than the energy calculated for a clean Si surface ($\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{s}=11.0$ eV), but dispersion curves calculated for 20- and 50-\AA{} $\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{O}}_{x}$ ($x\ensuremath{\approx}1.5$) approximately fit the data.
Temperature aware refresh for DRAM performance improvement in 3D ICs

Three-dimensional (3D) integration allows IC designs to stack DRAM directly on the top of execution units, which greatly reduces DRAM access latency and optimizes energy consumption. Unfortunately, the heat generated by the processor unit cannot be effectively dissipated. As a result, DRAM operation temperature is undesirably increased. Due to the fact that 3D stacked DRAM operates under a severe thermal condition, conventional designs based on the peak temperature lead to a high refresh rate, which introduces large performance penalty in 3D stacked DRAM. To address this problem, we propose the Temperature Aware Refresh (TAR) technique for 3D stacked DRAM. The goal is to mitigate this performance penalty by adjusting the refresh rates of DRAM banks based on the actual thermal conditions at their locations. As a result, only banks that work in the peak temperature refresh frequently, and the rest of banks can be refreshed at a lower rate. This enables more read and write accesses which improvements the overall system performance.
Interactions between Substrate Analogues and Heme Ligands in Nitric Oxide Synthase

The substrate binding site in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) can accommodate the physiological substrates, l-arginine and Nω-hydroxy l-arginine as well as many substrate analogues and inhibitors. Resonance Raman spectra of carbon monoxide-bound NOS were measured to determine how these substrates and analogues interact with heme, the prosthetic group which activates oxygen for the catalytic generation of NO and citrulline from arginine in the enzyme. Two distinct conformations of the Fe−C−O moiety were detected in the resonance Raman spectra, although in the optical absorption spectra the two species are indistinguishable. In one, termed the β-form, the Fe−CO stretching frequency and the C−O stretching frequency, located at ∼487 and ∼1949 cm-1, respectively, demonstrate that the Fe−C−O group adopts a linear conformation perpendicular to the heme plane (“open” structure). In the other, termed the α-form, frequencies of ∼502 and ∼1929 cm-1, respectively, indicate that the binding properties of bound CO are sign...
Effect of drag-reducing polymers on annular gas–liquid flow in a horizontal pipe

Abstract Measurements of drag-reduction are presented for air and water flowing in a horizontal 0.0953 m pipe. The fluids had an annular configuration. The injection of polymer solution produced drag-reductions of about 48% with concentrations of only 10–15 ppm in the liquid. The effectiveness of the drag-reducing polymer is sensitive to the method of injection and the concentration of the polymer solution that is injected.
Denunciation and the Illusion of Social Control: The Case of the Nevada Black Book

In Nevada, individuals me excluded from entering licensed casinos when their names have been listed by state regulatory bodies in what is popularly known as the Black Book. As a state regulatory procedure, Nevada's Black Book is officially aimed at excluding organized crime figures from the gaming industry. Beyond its manifest function, however, we believe that the drama of entering persons' names into the Black Book symbolically affirms the legitimacy of gaming and the efficacy of its regulatory body against perceived threats to the industry. Application of the procedure solely to the southern part of the state—Las Vegas— and chiefly to Italians reflects the group interests, culture conflicts, and stereotypes that underlie regulation of gaming. Central issues explored are the relationships of perceived threats to the origin and implementation of the Black Book; the perceptions of threat to the industry as emanating from those most alien to established groups; the sharp distinctions between the ethnic origins of the regulators and of those selected for inclusion in the Book; and the dramatization of the disreputability of those whose names are entered.
Love Poverty in Modern Culture and Sensitivity Training

The social institutions of modern technological culture often fail to provide adequate opportunity for the exchange of emotions and personal feelings of affect and esteem. The widespread development of alternative institutions such as sensitivity training can be seen as an attempt to compensate for the scarcity of this type of interpersonal communication. Reasons for this scarcity are examined in terms of a structural model of individual and societal resource differentiation.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of two-phase Fe30Ni20Mn20Al30. Part I: Microstructure

The microstructure of Fe30Ni20Mn20Al30 in both the as-cast condition and after annealing at 823 K for various times up to 72 h was characterized using transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction, and atom probe tomography. The microstructure exhibited a basketweave morphology of (Mn, Fe)-rich B2-ordered (ordered b.c.c.) and (Ni, Al)-rich L21-ordered (Heusler type) phases with a lattice misfit of only 0.85 % and interfaces aligned along 〈100〉. The phase width increased from 5 nm for the as-cast alloy to 25 nm for 72 h annealed material, with no change in the elemental partitioning between the phases, with a time exponent for the coarsening kinetics of 0.19. Surprisingly, it was found that the room temperature hardness was largely independent of the phase width.
Phylogeny and Evolution of Mecochiridae (Decapoda: Reptantia: Glypheoidea): An Integrated Morphometric and Cladistic Approach

This study provides a systematic and phylogenetic overview of the extinct reptant decapod family Mecochiridae. Mecochiridae are distinguished from both their traditional out-groups, Glypheidae and Erymidae, using cladistic and geometric morphometric techniques. Cladistic analysis of 12 species using 21 traditional and new characters verifies the in-group genera Mecochirus and Pseudoglyphea. Glyphea emerges as a sister group to Pseudoglyphea, suggesting a re-assignment of the genus to Glypheidae. The genus Meyeria is recovered as paraphyletic, suggesting the establishment of a new taxonomic group for species of Meyeria that exhibit a posterior tuberculated ridge, a well-developed hepatic bulge or ridge, and unornamented pleura. Both relative warp and Eigenshape analysis of the carapace and groove patterns that have long been used as descriptive morphological features succeeded in highlighting modes of shape change that when subjected to a discriminant analysis proved useful in distinguishing members of Mecochiridae. This study shows that landmark geometric morphometric methods and eigenshape analysis can be used to investigate the fidelity of existing taxonomic groupings based on other methods, and that an integrated cladistic and morphometric methodology has the potential to aid in resolving relationships among other unknown or problematic fossil taxa.