cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning for Learners with Different Learning Styles

AbstractThis study takes a close look at the effects of learning style with regard to an example of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) called “Toward an Integrated Learning Environment” (TILE). It focuses on learning style changes, learning outcomes, and learner satisfaction. Formal data, such as the measurement of student learning style by Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory, were collected in several TILE-based courses. No changes in student learning styles and no significant differences in learning outcomes and learner satisfaction with regard to different learning styles were found. However, the results suggest that a potential benefit of CSCL environments is the support of diverse learning styles.
Synthesis of actin by cultured guinea pig megakaryocytes. Complex formation with fibrin.

Abstract Guine pig megakaryocytes were isolated from femoral marrow and cultured in the presence of radioactive amino acids. Radioactivity was incorporated into several proteins including a 42 000 dalton polypeptide ideitified as actin by DNAase agarose affinity chromatography. Quantitative immunonoelectrophoresis of megakaryocytes extract revealed that 3.0% of the total solubilized cellular protein was fibrinogen. Immunoabsorption studies using anti guinea pig fibrinogen beads failed to revealed the presence of newly synthesized radioactive fibrinogen in the cellular extract, however, radioactive actin was detected in the eluates obtained from the immune beads. When guinea pig fibrinogen was clotted with trombin in the presence of radioactive megakaryocyte extract, a complex fromed between a high molecular weight species of fibrin and actin. No actin · fibrinogen complex was detected. The results suggest that actin synthesized by megakartocytes complexes with fibrin formed from a relatively large pool of non-radioactive intracellular fibrinogen.
Image-Processing Techniques Applied to Road Problems

Relevant areas of imageprocessing applications were reviewed, and several initial investigations were carried out to assess the potential of applying digital imaging techniques to road problems. Th...
The effect of motivational states on ECS-induced perseveration

Forty-eight naive male albino rats were given 6 days of acquisition training in a straight runway. Following training on the first 5 days of acquisition, all Ss received 10 g of Lab Chow approximately 10 min after the experimental session. Upon completion of acquisition, Ss received either ECS or no treatment and were given 0, 10, or 20 g of food. All Ss were tested in extinction 24 h after treatment, and results showed that as motivational level decreased, the running speed of no-treatment Ss declined at a greater rate than did the running speed of Ss receiving ECS. This was interpreted in terms of the perseveration effect of ECS on the runway response.
Integration of MTConnect and Standard-Based Sensor Networks for Manufacturing Equipment Monitoring

MTConnect is an open and extensible protocol designed for the exchange of data between shop floor devices and software applications. MTConnect allows manufacturers to facilitate retrieval of information and data from factory devices, such as machine tools, sensors, and controllers. Currently, MTConnect users read data from sensors through proprietary sensor interfaces using adaptors. The suite of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1451 standards defines a set of open, common communication interfaces for sensor networks, including both sensor interfaces and network interfaces.This paper proposes an integration architecture of MTConnect with IEEE 1451 standard-based sensor networks. In the architecture, MTConnect plays a network interface role in the IEEE 1451 standard-based sensor networks via an MTConnect Agent. An adaptor is used to provide the mapping between the MTConnect Agent and the IEEE 1451 sensor network. A prototype system integrating MTConnect with IEEE 1451.2-based sensor network has been developed. Two case studies are provided to illustrate the integration.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Blood groups of apes and monkeys. VII. The human‐type A‐B‐H factors in gelada monkeys (Theropithecus gelada)

A series of 21 gelada monkeys (Theropithecus gelada) all showed strong reactivity of their saliva for H substance, but no reactivity for either A or B. Tests on their sera in no case showed the simultaneous presence of both the agglutinins anti-A and anti-B; instead some animals had only anti-A, others had only anti-B, while the remainder had neither anti-A nor anti-B. These findings distinguish gelada monkeys from all other species of Old World monkeys tested to date. They also provide further evidence supporting the genetic independence of the H substance and the A-B-O blood groups.
Competition for food between an introduced crayfish and two fishes endemic to the Colorado River basin

Crayfish are not native to the Colorado River basin (CRB), however they are now established in portions of the mainstem and in many tributaries. I used density manipulation experiments in a laboratory setting to determine intra- and interspecific competition for food between Orconectes virilis, an aggressive polytrophic crayfish now common in the CRB, and two native fishes: Gila chub, Gila intermedia, and flannelmouth sucker, Catostomus latipinnis. I tested each fish species in separate trials. Growth of Gila chub decreased when animal densities increased, however they were more affected by intraspecific competition than by crayfish presence. In contrast, growth of flannelmouth suckers was more affected by crayfish than by intraspecific competition. Crayfish growth was not significantly altered by presence of either fish. Crayfish thus reduced fish growth by competition for food, but the effect differed markedly between the two species.
A Case Study of the Vertical Distribution of Atmospheric Ozone.

Abstract Vertical distributions of ozone observed at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and at Fort Collins, Colorado, on 5, 6 and 7 May 1963 by means of the chemiluminescent ozone-sonde are compared with the structure of the wind and temperature fields during this period. The comparison indicates that during the passage of an upper trough, accompanied by a trough in the conventionally defined middle tropopause, the increase in partial pressure of ozone with altitude begins at a level considerably lower than the level of the tropopause. In general, secondary maxima in the partial pressure of ozone between the level of the main ozone maximum and the level of the middle tropopause at the time of the sounding are associated with tongues, or layers, of polar or middle-latitude stratospheric air injected into tropical air. Tongues of tropical air injected into higher-latitude stratospheric air are associated with a decrease in the partial pressure of ozone. Small-scale features as well as large-scale features of such in...
Charge-coupled-device-addressed liquid-crystal light valve: an update

The status of the Hughes CCD-addressed liquid crystal light valve is reported. 256 X 256 array devices with good output uniformity and full video operations are demonstrated.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Glycosylated Serum Proteins and Glycosylated Hemoglobin in the Assessment of Glycemic Control in Insulin-Dependent and Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract To evaluate the relative value of glycosylated serum proteins (GSPs) versus glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ) in assessing glycemic control in diabetes mellitus, we performed regular monitoring of GSPs and HbA 1c in 30 subjects with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) who performed frequent selfglucose monitoring. Analysis of the relationship between patterns of glycemic control and GSPs and HbA 1c demonstrated that subjects with IDDM and NIDDM appeared similar when the more traditional indicators of glycemic control such as mean blood glucose level (166.9 ± 20.9 v 177.4 ± 39.6 mg/dL) or HbA 1c (83.57 ± 12.8 v 80.24 ± 15.7 mmol hydroxymethyl furfuraldehyde [HMF]/mol hemoglobin [Hgb]) were used. However, when GSP levels or the standard deviation of mean glucose levels (SDMG) were used to assess glycemic control, higher levels were found in subjects with IDDM (52 ± 10.3 mg/g protein and 28.59 ± 7.60 mg/dL) versus NIDDM (44.6 ± 15.2 mg/g protein and 21.6 ± 15.9 mg/dL). Using multivariate analysis, GSPs were predictive of SDMG ( P = .046), whereas HbA 1c added no significant further information ( P = .27). Our results suggest that GSPs may be more sensitive than HbA 1c assay to the greater fluctuations in blood glucose levels generally associated with IDDM.
Anaerobic Degradation of Benzene in Diverse Anoxic Environments

Benzene has often been observed to be resistant to microbial degradation under anoxic conditions. A number of recent studies, however, have demonstrated that anaerobic benzene utilization can occur. This study extends the previous reports of anaerobic benzene degradation to sediments that varied with respect to contamination input, predominant redox condition, and salinity. In spite of differences in methodology, microbial degradation of benzene was noted in slurries constructed with sediments from various geographical locations and range from aquifer sands to fine-grained estuarine muds, under methanogenic, sulfate-reducing, and iron-reducing conditions. In aquifer sediments under methanogenic conditions, benzene loss was concomitant with methane production, and microbial utilization of [14C]benzene yielded 14CO2 and 14CH4. In slurries with estuarine and aquifer sediments under sulfate-reducing conditions, the loss of sulfate in amounts consistent with the stoichiometric degradation of benzene or the con...
Electrophysiological effects of dronedarone (SR33589), a noniodinated benzofuran derivative, in the rabbit heart : comparison with amiodarone.

Background—To overcome the side effects of amiodarone (AM), its noniodinated analogue, dronedarone (SR), was synthesized. In this study, its electrophysiological effects were compared with those of AM in rabbit hearts. Methods and Results—Five animal groups (n=7 each) for 3 weeks received daily oral treatment of 1 of these regimens: (1) control, vehicle only; (2) AM 50 mg/kg (AM50); (3) AM 100 mg/kg (AM100); (4) SR 50 mg/kg (SR50); and (5) SR 100 mg/kg (SR100). ECGs were recorded before drug and at 3 weeks of drug before euthanasia. Action potentials were recorded from isolated papillary muscle and sinoatrial node by microelectrode techniques. The short-term effects were studied in controls (n=5) at various concentrations of SR (0 to 10 μmol/L) in tissue bath. Action potential duration at 50% (APD50) and 90% (APD90) repolarization and upstroke dV/dt (Vmax) at various cycle lengths were compared by ANOVA with repeated measures. Compared with control, AM and SR increased RR, QT, and QTc intervals (P<0.0001 ...
Effects of cocaine on briefly signaled versus completely signaled delays to reinforcement.

Key pecking by 4 pigeons was maintained by a multiple schedule consisting of two variable-interval 60-s schedules wherein each food presentation followed a nonresetting 27-s delay that was either briefly signaled at its outset or completely signaled. Brief-signal duration was adjusted so that response rates maintained by the briefly and completely signaled delays of reinforcement were similar. In general, acute administration of small to intermediate doses (0.3 to 3.0 mg/kg) of cocaine produced either small increases in response rates in both components or no change, and larger doses (5.6 to 13.0 mg/kg) decreased response rates. Chronic (i.e., daily) cocaine administration (10.0 mg/kg) resulted in tolerance to the rate-decreasing effects in both components. Cocaine's effects were generally similar whether delays were completely or briefly signaled. Discontinuation of cocaine administration and subsequent removal of the delay signals also had similar effects in both components of the multiple schedule. Taken together, these results are consistent with the view that the two types of delay signals were equally effective in maintaining responding during the variable-interval schedules.
New observations of a nanoscaled pseudomorphic bcc Co phase in bulk Co-Al-(W,Ta) superalloys

Abstract The influence of composition on microstructural phase stability has been assessed for an emerging class of Co-based superalloys. This has been achieved using a combinatorial approach that incorporates both material synthesis and state-of-the-art characterization techniques. A compositionally graded Co–11Al–xW–yTa alloy (x ⩽ 10, y = 10 − x, all in wt.%) was produced using Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS™) and subsequently solutionized and water quenched. At selected locations along the gradient, the microstructures present were characterized in detail, and phase identification was conducted on site-specific thin specimens using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), providing details regarding the earliest stages of microstructural evolution in these alloys. The partitioning behavior of the alloying elements W, Ta and Al was characterized using a 3-D local electrode atom probe, revealing the existence of Co-rich clusters. In addition, high-resolution TEM and precession electron diffraction have revealed and confirmed that these clusters are a pseudomorphic body-centered cubic (bcc) structure that has resulted from the decomposition of a B2 ordered region. Although bcc Co has previously been reported in some thin-film multilayers, owing to the relative stabilities of the bcc phase and the face-centered cubic (fcc) phase, this observation has not been previously reported in bulk structural materials. It is argued that this nanoscaled pseudomorphic bcc Co phase may be a precursor to the fcc phase.
Progress towards the synthesis of piperazimycin A: synthesis of the non-proteogenic amino acids and elaboration into dipeptides

Abstract This Letter describes the synthesis of the five non-proteogenic amino acids required for the total synthesis of piperazimycin A, and synthetic elaboration into multiple dipeptides. Importantly, this Letter details the first example of an elusive piperazic acid–piperazic acid coupling to form this key C5–C14 dipeptide.
Teaching Evaluation from an Experiential Framework: Connecting Theory and Organizational Development with Grant Making.

The authors present an approach for educating future evaluators by connecting evaluation theory and practice, organizational development, and grant making through experiential learning. They positi...
Collegiate heavy drinking prospectively predicts change in sensation seeking and impulsivity.

Recent models of alcohol use in youth and young adulthood have incorporated personality change and maturation as causal factors underlying variability in developmental changes in heavy drinking. Whereas these models assume that personality affects alcohol use, the current prospective study tested the converse relation. That is, we tested whether, after accounting for the effect of traits on drinking, collegiate heavy drinking in turn predicted individual differences in change in alcohol-related aspects of personality. We also examined whether affiliation with heavy-drinking peers better accounted for this relation. Following a cohort of recent high school graduates (N = 1,434) through the college years, we found evidence for transactional relations between heavy drinking and changes in impulsivity and sensation seeking. Both traits predicted increases in heavy drinking, but more important, heavy drinking predicted increases in sensation seeking and impulsivity. In final models, social influences did not underlie the effect of heavy drinking on increases in sensation seeking and impulsivity. The results of this investigation suggest that collegiate heavy drinking may negatively and pervasively impact a wide range of behaviors because of its effect on personality change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Application of the Advanced Distillation Curve Method to the Aviation Fuel Avgas 100LL

We have recently introduced several important improvements in the measurement of distillation curves for complex fluids. First, we incorporate a composition explicit data channel for each distillate fraction (for qualitative, quantitative, and trace analysis). Moreover, the temperature, volume, and pressure measurements are of low uncertainty, and the temperatures are true thermodynamic state points that can be modeled with an equation of state. These two features make the measurements suitable for equation of state development. The approach also provides consistency with a century of historical data, an assessment of the energy content of each distillate fraction, and, where needed, a corrosivity assessment of each distillate fraction. The most significant modification is achieved with a new on-the-fly sampling approach that allows precise qualitative identification as well as quantitative analyses of each fraction. We have applied this new method, the advanced distillation curve method, to the measureme...
Case studies in the acquisition of belief 1982–1987: A critical perspective

This is one of a series of studies on how and why public school administrators at various status levels arrive at beliefs regarding selected school policy and implementation decisions. In this study the subjects were building and central office administrators who participated in curriculum decision making during the years 1982–1987. Of particular interest was identification of internal and external system sources which the participants thought had influenced them to believe that effected changes were or were not needed. Estimates of the power of major influence origins and the sources of such power were sought as well. A very large majority of administrators attributed major curriculum change influence to internal system sources. On the other hand, the highest ranking study participant presented the most notable exception to that view. Explanation of these phenomena is the focus of this work.
Interrelationships between microstructures and mechanical properties of physically vapor-deposited NiAl2O3 alloys☆

Thick free-standing films (t = 250 μm) of Ni+Al2O3 deposits were prepared by high rate (4 μm min−1) electron beam evaporation and condensation in the temperature range 0.3−0.5Tm. Fine dispersions of Al2O3 particles, 20–70 A in size, were randomly dispersed throughout the fine-grained near equiaxed structure (d = 0.3 μm) in deposits with Al2O3 contents ranging from ƒ = 0.25 vol.% to ƒ = 0.76 vol.%. The presence of the Al2O3 particles stabilizes the grain size, produces strengthening effects and reduces the creep ductility. Compared with conventionally processed Ni, the Ni+Al2O3 deposits creep at a faster rate owing to the fine grain sizes. Low temperature creep deformation involves dislocation-controlled processes, whereas high temperature (T ≈ 535 and 625°C) deformation appears to exhibit a change in deformation mode from dislocation glide at low stresses to grain boundary sliding at high stresses. The contribution from the two processes is determined by a comparison of the total creep elongations with the mean grain elongations along the strain axis as measured in the transmission electron microscope. The high temperature deformation is characterized by a high ductility and a low stress exponent (n = 25) at higher than strain rates, indicating superplastic-like behavior.
Tradeoff analysis of non-linear dynamical systems under stochastic excitation

An efficient methodology to carry out multi-objective optimization of non-linear structural systems under stochastic excitation is presented. Specifically, an efficient determination of particular Pareto or non-inferior solutions is implemented. Pareto solutions are obtained by compromise programming which is based on the minimization of the distance between the point that contains the individual optima of each of the objective functions and the Pareto set. The response of the structural system is characterized in terms of the first two statistical moments of the response process, i.e. the mean and variance. An efficient sensitivity analysis of non-inferior solutions with respect to the design variables becomes possible with the proposed formulation. Such information is used for decision making and tradeoff analysis. The compromise programming problem is solved by an efficient procedure that combines a local statistical linearization approach, modal analysis, global approximation concepts, and a sequential optimization scheme. Numerical results show that the total number of stochastic analyses required during the multi-objective optimization process is in general very small. Hence, different compromise solutions including the design that best represents the outcome that the designer considers potentially satisfactory are obtained in an efficient manner. In this way, the analyst can conduct a decision-making analysis through an efficient interactive procedure.
Relationship of developmental disfluency and episodes of stuttering to the emergence of cognitive stages in children

Abstract This article explores the ways in which stuttering and normal developmental disfluency relate to cognitive stages of development. The episodic nature of stuttering is hypothesized to mark the emergence of new stages of cognitive development within the Piagetian framework. Support for this positive is found in studies of relationships between the development of speech fluency and the emerging cognitive and linguistic skills of normal children. The effect of syntactic and cognitive complexity on speech fluency in both normal speakers and stutterers is also discussed. Several studies that relate developmental stages of cognition to those of language are reviewed. The need for further study of the relationship between stuttering and cognitive development is discussed.
Developmental Changes in Achievement Evaluation: Motivational Implications of Self‐Other Differences

In order to explore the development of self-evaluative biases, children at 3 age levels (5–6, 7–8, 9–10) evaluated themselves or another child when given social or temporal comparison feedback. Evaluative biases were indicated by higher evaluations for the self than another, especially after failure. Children at different ages were not differentially responsive to temporal vs. social comparison information. However, evaluative bias in response to the type of evaluation differed by age; there was greater bias for general ability evaluations by older children and greater bias for specific performance evaluations by younger children. Alternative explanations for these self-other differences were minimized, as differences in visual orientation were held constant and differences in knowledge of effort were controlled statistically. Other aspects of the design as well as sex differences support a motivational interpretation of these biases. How these biases are manifested is related to children's level of understanding and concerns at different ages.
Continuity of care and poisoning prevention education

Abstract A poisoning-prevention parent education program was evaluated by telephone survey of 46 families, which scored parents' retention of the information presented. Parents in families with a history of high continuity of care (as least 75% of all visits with their own family physician) scored significantly better than those with low continuity. parents instructed by their own family physician scored better than those instructed by other physicians or by nonphysicians (family nurse practitioner, nurse, or dentist). Parents who scored highest were those naming their family physician as their primary source of poisoning prevention information. No association was found between parents' scores and family demographic characteristics, purpose of clinic visit, family history of poisoning, clinicians' rating of parent interest and understanding during instruction, or provision of free syrup of ipecac. Duration of instruction was inversely correlated with parents' scores. These findings suggest that continuity of care is important in improving parent education.
Recent Developments in the Analysis and Design of Extended Surface

Earlier papers by the authors developed a new set of parameters for characterizing heat transfer properties of single fins and fins in arrays of extended surface. The use of these parameters has facilitated the solutions to several interesting fin problems namely: a more careful characterization of one-dimensional flow configurations, a method for accomodating continuously distributed heat sources along the fin, a perturbating approach for the approximate computation of the parameters, and new insights into the precepts of the optimal fin shape. These developments are reported in this paper.
DAG signaling taught us a lesson: what diverges can converge

One of the most intriguing and complex issues in signal transduction relates to convergence-divergence of the receptor-effector coupling and second messenger function. Tyrosine kinase and 7 transmembrane receptors couple to multiple effectors to elicit a broad spectrum of signaling events.
Effects of practolol, a new adrenergic receptor blocking agent on cardiovascular responses.

The claim that practolol, 4-(2-hydroxy-3-isopropyl-aminopropoxy)acetanilid, is a cardioselective β-adrenergic receptor blocking agent was investigated by testing this compound in cats and in hyperthyroid rabbits for its ability to block certain cardiovascular responses. Doses of 1, 2, 5, and 10 mg./kg. administered intravenously were ineffective in abolishing completely the pressor response to bilateral carotid occlusion. After the administration of either 2, 5, or 10 mg./kg. of this agent, the pressor response due to injected norepinephrine (3 mcg./kg.) was unaffected. However, these doses produced a moderate to marked depression of the increase in chronotropic response caused by the injection of norepinephrine (3 mcg./kg.) and isoproterenol (0.3 mcg./kg.) and the tachycardia attendant with hyperthyroid states. The blockade of the resting tachycardia in hyperthyroid rabbits was significant at all dose levels of practolol (p ⪕0.01 or 0.02). Only the 10-mg./kg. dose was found to produce a transient hypotension in cats.
Psychometric evaluation of the Demands of Immigration Scale with Taiwanese-Chinese immigrants: a pilot study.

Background. Each year thousands of people move across national borders and become immigrants of another country. They face several demands and sources of distress during resettlement. The Demands of Immigration (DI) Scale developed by Aroian et al . (1998), is the only instrument available to nurses (and other clinicians and researchers) to measure immigration-specific distresses. This scale, however, is written in English and has only been tested with former Soviet immigrants in the Boston area of United States of America (USA) for psychometrics. Aim. This instrumentation pilot study is designed to evaluate the readability and psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the DI Scale. Instrument. This selected scale is a 23-item, 6-point Liket type scale. Six dimensions are included: loss, novelty, occupation adjustment, language accommodation, discriminations, and not feeling at home. High scores indicate high levels of distress related to the demands of immigration. Methods. The study uses a descriptive, cross-sectional design with a multimethod approach. Seventy-three Taiwanese–Chinese immigrants (≥18 years) in the USA responded to the scale and a demographic questionnaire. Eighteen of them contributed to the interview data that were collected for assessing content validity of the scale. Observations during the interviews and participants' questions were also documented for the evaluation. Scale format, wording of items, distribution of responses, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, content validity, and construct validity are examined. Findings and conclusion. Analyses suggest that the Chinese version is easy to read and understand. The internal consistency and test–retest reliability are satisfactory. This scale could be used with Taiwanese–Chinese immigrants as a generic measure of immigration-related distress. Nonetheless, three main problems with its use with Taiwanese–Chinese immigrants and Chinese immigrants at large are revealed in the study. Each problem is discussed. Suggestions for further development of the Chinese DI Scale are addressed.
Regulation of NOS2-derived bioactivity through GSNOR inhibition

The S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO)-metabolizing enzyme, GSNO reductase (GSNOR), is a central regulator of protein S-nitrosylation. Accumulating data suggests that GSNOR inhibition might be a useful therapeutic strategy, but the in vitro and in vivo effects of GSNOR inhibitors have not been fully investigated. We have found that a GSNOR inhibitor (GSNORi) can increase protein S-nitrosylation, and induce nitrosative response pathways, in macrophage stimulated to express the inducible isoform of NO synthase (NOS2). More recently, we have found that NOS2 is important for modulation of allergic asthma phenotypes by GSNORi. We will discuss these findings and their implications for GSNORi therapy in acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.
Growth and Scanning Probe Microscopy of Buckytubes and Buckycones

Nucleation and growth of fullerenes and other carbon nanostructures are little understood. We show that there is an alternative to the arc-source generator. Spherical, tubular, and conical carbon-shell structures can be synthesized in the vapor phase. Very hot carbon vapor, deposited onto highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), forms small carbon clusters, single-shell tubes, multishell tubes, bundles of tubes, and cones. The structures were analyzed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). High-resolution images show the surface atomic structures of the tubes and their helicities. A growth pathway is proposed for fullerenes, tubes, and cones.
Enzyme pathology of the liver in patients with and without nonhepatic cancer

Preliminary studies of 13 enzymes subserving various metabolic pathways were undertaken in tumor-free liver biopsy samples from cancer patients and control subjects. The observations indicate that as a result of nonhepatic neoplasms, with (7 cases) or without (6 cases) hepatic involvement, the biochemical composition of the liver becomes partially undifferentiated. Quantification of appropriate enzymes in histologically normal liver samples could thus distinguish clearly between cancer hosts and controls. The best discriminators include two hepatic enzymes whose concentrations were decreased to less than 30% of normal (soluble glutamate dehydrogenase and the cold stable pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase) and three for which it was elevated two to four-fold (hexokinase, peptidyl proline hydroxylase and thymidine kinase) in response to distant neoplasms. The same alterations in hepatic enzyme pattern were not seen in any cancer-free patients with or without morphologic liver damage.
Collisional decomposition of SF6

The SF6− ion formed by electron attachment has been impacted upon helium at controlled energies and two thresholds for the formation of SF5− have been determined. The lower energy threshold at 0.13-eV center of mass (CM) results from excited SF6−. The higher energy threshold at 1.03-eV CM arises from ground state SF6−. The implications of these results are discussed.
Crystallographic Study of Formylmethionine tRNA from Baker's Yeast

WE report here crystals of pure formylmethionine tRNA (fMet-tRNA) from baker's yeast which produce X-ray diffraction patterns indicating that the crystals are suitable for a structure determination at 6–7 A resolution.
Variation in the development of postcranial robusticity: an example from Çatalhöyük, Turkey

While the study of variation in adult postcranial robusticity has a long history, few analyses have examined the acquisition of postcranial robusticity within an ontogenetic context. This research evaluates differences in the ontogenetic trajectories of immature femora from three samples, in order to assess the point at which differences in levels of adult postcranial robusticity arise during development. Femoral midshaft cross-sectional properties were compared between three diverse samples: Neolithic agriculturalists from Catalhoyuk, Turkey (n = 42); Byzantine agriculturalists from Catalhoyuk, Turkey (n = 24); and urban Americans from the Denver Growth Study (n = 151). While the two adult samples from Catalhoyuk do not differ statistically, both Neolithic and Byzantine adults have relatively larger cortical and total areas than the American urban adults, and these differences are clearly established by the age of six. In addition, by the age of three, individuals from the Denver Growth Study have already attained a greater percentage of their adult length, total area, and cortical area relative to those in both the Neolithic and Byzantine samples. These results indicate that the differing levels of postcranial robusticity characterising adult populations appear relatively early during development, and that populations vary in the rate and pattern through which adult levels of postcranial robusticity are achieved. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural studies of bovine liver thiosulfate sulfurtransferase II. S-carboxymethylation of the enzyme and sequence analysis of the tryptic cysteinyl peptides

Abstract 1. 1. Alkylation7 of the two free sulfhydryl groups in the monomer of thiosulfatesulfurtransferase A by iodo[14C]acetate has been studied with both the native enzyme and the reduced and denatured protein. Carboxymethylation of thiosulfate sulfurtransferase at 0 °C in 0.1 M glycine, pH 9.0, is attended by rapid inactivation of the enzyme and the structural modification is restricted essentially to one of the two cysteine residues. Inactivation of the enzyme by iodoacetate is also observed in a system in which glycine is replaced by 0.1 M Tris, pH 9.0, but under these conditions both cysteines undergo alkylation. The specific radioactivities of the tryptic [14C]carboxymethylcysteinyl peptides isolated from this derivative after reduction and alkylation with non-labeled reagent indicated that complete substitution of the active-site cysteine and 50% labeling of the second, non-essential sulfhydryl group had occurred in the Tris-buffer system. Modification of side chains other than the two sulfhydryl groups was not observed. 2. 2. Two tryptic [14C]carboxymethylcysteinyl peptides were isolated in high yield by gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography and paper electrophoresis. One of the fragments, a basic dodecapeptide, was shown to contain the active-site cysteine; the amino acid sequence is Lys-Val-Asn-Leu-Thr-Cys(Cm)-Pro-Leu-Thr-Ile-Ala-Arg. The sequence of the second acidic octapeptide containing the non-essential cysteine is Thr-Cys(Cm)-Ser-Glu-Asp-Leu-Val-Arg. 3. 3. Studies of the effect of glycine on the alkylation of native thiosulfate sulfurtransferase suggest that this amino acid may block reaction with the two non-essential cysteine residues in enzyme dimer. The maximal labeling of these sites observed in the reaction of native dimer with iodo[14C]acetate in the absence of glycine was 50%. These findings provide support for the contention that the two non-essential sulfhydryl groups in thiosulfate sulfurtransferase dimer may be proximally located in a region of the molecule that binds glycine, and that alkylation of one sulfhydryl prevents reaction with its counterpart in the adjacent monomeric subunit.
Ecological issues related to wetland preservation, restoration, creation and assessment

Abstract A wide range of local, state, federal, and private programs are available to support the national (USA) policy of wetland ‘No Net Loss’. Implementation of programs, however, has resulted in the continued loss of natural wetlands on the premise that restored or created wetlands will replace the functions and values lost by destruction of natural wetlands. What are the ecological implications and consequences of these programs from a biodiversity and ecosystem perspective? From a biodiversity perspective, ongoing wetland protection policies may not be working because restored or created wetlands are often very different from natural wetlands. Wetland protection policies may also be inadequate to preserve and restore ecological processes such as nutrient cycling because they mostly focus on individual wetlands and ignore the fact that wetlands are integral parts of landscapes. Wetland mitigation projects, for example, often result in the exchange of one type of wetland for another and result in a loss of wetland functions at the landscape level. The most striking weakness in the current national wetlands policy is the lack of protection for ‘dry-end’ wetlands that are often the focus of debate for what is and what is not a wetland. From an ecological perspective, dry-end wetlands such as isolated seasonal wetlands and riparian wetlands associated with first order streams may be the most important landscape elements. They often support a high biodiversity and they are impacted by human activities more than other types of wetlands. The failings of current wetland protection and mitigation policies are also due, in part, to the lack of ecologically sound wetland assessment methods for guiding decision making processes. The ecologically based Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) approach to wetland assessment has the potential to be an effective tool in managing biodiversity and wetland ecosystem function in support of the national ‘No Net Loss’ policy.
Eigenpolarizations, Nonreciprocity, And "Isolas" Multiatability In Degenerated Four-Wave Mixing

It is shown that interaction of two waves counterpropagating in Kerr nonlinear medium results in a cross-induced transformation of polarization of the waves. We show that some particular polarizations are preserved (so called nonlinear eigenpolarizations); in such cases the light-induced nonreciprocity is observed which depends on the type of eigen-polarization. We were also able to find the general solution of the spatial dynamics of the polarization of the beams in the case of arbitrary polarizations and to demonstrate that this solution suggests the existence of new multiple isolated branches ("isolas") in the "input-output" characteristic of such a system.© (1986) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Common actions of adenosine receptor agonists in modulating human trabecular meshwork cell transport.

A1 adenosine receptors (ARs) reduce, and A2ARs increase intraocular pressure, partly by differentially altering resistance to aqueous humor outflow. It is unknown whether the opposing effects of A1AR and A2AR agonists are mediated at different outflow-pathway cell targets or by opposing actions on a single cell target. We tested whether a major outflow-pathway cell, the trabecular meshwork (TM) cell might constitute the primary AR-agonist target and respond differentially to A1, A2Aa and A3AR agonists. Receptor activation in human TM cells was identified by applying subtype-selective AR agonists: CPA and ADAC for A1 ARs, CGS 21680 and DPMA for A2AARs, and Cl-IB-MECA and IB-MECA for A3ARs. Stimulation of A1 A2A and A3ARs elevated Ca2+, measured with fura-2. Whole-cell patch clamping indicated that AR agonists activated ion channels non-uniformly, possibly reflecting variability in magnitude of agonist-triggered second-messenger responses. A], A2A and A3AR agonists all reduced volume, determined by calcein cell imaging. The endogenous source of adenosine delivery to the outflow pathway could be the TM cells since these cells were stimulated to release ATP by hypotonic perfusion. We conclude that: (1) TM cells express functional A1, A2A and A3ARs; and (2) the reported differential effects of AR agonists on aqueous humor outflow are not mediated by differential actions on TM-cell Ca2+ and volume, but likely by actions on separate cell targets.
A solid-liquid composite model of the red cell membrane.

Direct mechanical experiments and analyses support the view that the red cell membrane is a composite with a solid structural matrix, which can behave as either a viscoelastic or viscoplastic material.
Implementing a surgical checklist: More than checking a box

Background Perioperative checklists are mandated by many hospitals as determined by the reduction in morbidity and mortality seen with the use of the World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist. An adapted perioperative checklist was implemented within our hospital system, and compliance with the checklist was reported to be 100%. We hypothesized that compliance does not measure the fidelity of implementation. Methods During a 7-week period, a prospective study was performed to evaluate the completion of all preincision components of the surgical checklist. Pediatric surgical operations were selected for direct observation. In addition, a poststudy survey was used to assess perception and understanding of the checklist process. Results A total of 142 pediatric surgical cases were observed. Hospital reported data demonstrated 100% compliance with the preincision phase of the checklist for these cases. None of the cases completely executed all items on the checklist, and the average number of checklist items performed in the observed cases was 4 of 13. The most commonly performed checkpoint were the confirmation of patient name and procedure (99%) and the “timeout” at the start of the checklist (97%). The rest of the checkpoints were performed in less than 60% of cases. Adherence did not increase during the observation period. Conclusion These data show that despite the 100% documented completion of the preincision phase of the checklist; most of the individual checkpoints are either not executed as designed or not executed at all. These findings demonstrate lack of checklist implementation fidelity, which may be a reflection a poor implementation and dissemination strategy.
A transient, multi-phase and multi-component model of a new passive DMFC

A 2-dimensional, transient multi-phase, multi-component fuel cell model is developed to model a passive fuel delivery system including the fuel cell itself for a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). This model captures evaporative effects, as water and fuel management are crucial issues. The evaporation/condensation rates are formulated in a manner to capture non-equilibrium effects between the phases. Also, the full kinetics are modeled at both the anode and cathode catalyst layers, along with the electric potential of the membrane, catalyst and gas diffusion layers. The fuel cell operation is examined by quantifying the fuel consumption due to chemical reaction and evaporation as a function of feed concentration. The passive delivery system utilizes a porous media to passively deliver methanol to the fuel cell while controlling the concentration of methanol at the anode side to limit the amount of methanol cross-over. The results illustrate the feasibility of the passive thermal-management system, and characterize the relevant transport phenomena.
IB-12LUNG MASS AND IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT RESPONSIVE SEIZURES: VGKC AUTOIMMUNITY MASQUERADING AS ETIOLOGY OR ACTING AS REACTIVE MARKER?

Voltage gated potassium channel complex antibody (VGKC Ab) has been associated with many neurological illnesses including seizures. VGKC Ab related seizures are less responsive to antiepileptic drugs alone, and often require immunosuppression to achieve seizure freedom. Recently, specific antigenic targets such as LGI1 and CASPR2 within VGKC have been found and have been associated with specific syndromes. It has also been noted that the term "VGKC Ab" itself is problematic because it groups LGI1 and CASPR2 mediated disorders with other illnesses with unknown antigenic specificity. We describe a case of faciobrachial dystonia seizures refractory to multiple antiepileptic agents. Video EEG monitoring revealed mesial frontal epileptic discharges and serum test was positive for VGKC Ab. Patient's seizures were controlled after intravenous corticosteroid then oral mycophenolate maintenance, however, seizures returned with immunotherapy taper and cessation. When the seizures recurred, serum VGKC Ab, CSF CASPR 2 and LGI1 Abs were negative. Interestingly, she was subsequently found to have a lung mass consistent with sarcoidosis. Seizure control was achieved again with restarting of mycophenolate. Most VGKC Ab related illnesses are autoimmune even though it is a part of readily available commercial paraneoplastic testing panels. There has been no previously reported VGKC Ab related seizures associated with sarcoidosis. Although sarcoidosis is also an autoimmune entity, it is of T-cell mediated condition. It has been proposed that VGKC Ab may be a part of normal autoantibodies found in otherwise healthy individuals, which can rise to detectable levels under some circumstances. This patient suffered recurrent seizures responsive to immunotherapy even though VGKC, LGI1, and CASPR2 Abs were negative, suggesting another underlying autoimmune pathogenesis and VGKC Ab may have been a mere reactive marker of such underlying process. This raises the question of clinical significance of these antibodies and whether they are causative or reactive of the pathology.
Sweating the Vote: Heat and Abstention in the US House of Representatives

Several recent studies noted systematic links between weather conditions and voting turnout amid the mass public. This article extends this logic to the elite level by exploring the relationship between summer heat and abstentions in the US House of Representatives. In controlled multivariate regressions, heat is a significant predictor of abstentions across all votes held between 1991 and 2000. This finding provides new insight into legislative behavior as well as the motivation behind some abstentions, which could inform the understanding of the literature on legislative shirking.
On the Gibbs paradox: what does indistinguishability really mean?

The Gibbs paradox concerns the entropy of mixing of ideal gases: although the entropy change of mixing samples of different gases is unequal to the entropy change of mixing samples of the same gas, it is not clear within the framework of classical thermodynamics how the identity of the particles effects the analysis. An explicit examination of the concept of indistinguishability can clarify some of the implications of the quantum-mechanical resolution of the Gibbs paradox.
A stability model for steam generators

Abstract A mathematical model to analyze the stability of the two-phase flow in a generalized steam generator is developed. A counter flow heat exchanger in which a high temperature primary fluid heats and vaporizes a lower temperature secondary fluid is considered as the system. The governing equations of this system is obtained by using the transient field equations, constitutive relations, boundary conditions and the initial conditions of both the primary and the secondary fluids. The governing equations of the secondary fluid are decoupled from the equations of the primary fluid by determining a heat flux profile and superimposing it on the wall of the channel of the secondary fluid. With this superimposed heat flux profile an equivalent system is obtained which utilizes the fundamental equations of the secondary fluid to analyze the stability of the flow. To investigate the stability of the system, a relation between the variation of the inlet velocity and the variation of the total channel pressure drop is needed. The Laplace transform of this relation is called the transfer function of this system and is obtained by using a small perturbation technique and linearization. Liapunav's theorem is used to investigate the stability of the nonlinear system from linearized system. The theoretical predictions of this model are observed to be in agreement with experimental results.