cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Specialized Behavioral Therapies for Children with Special Needs

This article describes common mental health problems in children and adolescents, and the types of specialized, evidence-based treatments that are most effective in treating these needs. The value of using an evidence-based treatment is now widely acknowledged, and the number of interventions with empirical support is increasing. This article provides an overview of the effects of trauma on developing children, with an emphasis on common maladaptive responses in infancy, toddlerhood, young childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. This is followed by descriptions of several well-researched interventions that have the greatest utility for each distinct phase of child development.
Implementing information technology to effectively utilize enterprise information resources

This is a typical case of implementing information technology in order to assist an enterprise to effectively utilize its production information resources. The enterprise, a world-class leader in the pharmaceutical industry, currently keeps a large number of technical research reports on shared network media. These reports contain scientific specifications extremely essential to the enterprise's final products. In order to utilize these reports, a researcher has to navigate and literarly read through each report to identify whether it is relevant to what he/she is currently working on. Often times, researchers find it more feasible to create their own reports rather than wasting time and energy on the searching process. Our solution to the problem is to create an information system which will keep track of these reports, provide a concise synopsis of each report, enable the researchers to search using keywords, and give a direct link to locate that report via a friendly Web-based user-interface.
Friends in High Places, the Bechtel Story: The Most Secret Corporation and How It Engineered the World

(1989). Friends in High Places, the Bechtel Story: The Most Secret Corporation and How It Engineered the World. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 275-279.
An unintentional pro-Black bias in judgement among educators

Background Previous work indicates widespread preference for White over Black people in attitudes and behaviour. However, there are instances where Black people receive preferential treatment over White people. Aims This study aimed to investigate whether a sample of education professionals would favour Black or White applicants to an academic honour society, and the extent to which any biases were related to conscious intentions. Sample Participants were education professionals (N = 618; 75.5% White) who completed an online study. Methods Participants completed a hypothetical admissions task where they evaluated more and less qualified applicants for an academic honour society, and applicants were either White or Black. Participants also completed measures of implicit and explicit racial attitudes. Results Educational professionals at all levels showed a pro-Black bias in judgement, adopting a lower acceptance criterion for Black compared to White applicants, replicating previous work using online and undergraduate samples. The bias was present among participants reporting they did not want to be biased or believed they were unbiased, suggesting that bias arose without conscious awareness or intention. Bias was also weakly but reliably related to racial attitudes. Conclusions These findings are consistent with the notion that educators automatically hold lower standards for Black versus White applicants. While education professionals likely have experience evaluating students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, these professionals were, nevertheless, unable to eliminate the impact of race in their decision-making.
Goal-striving Stress and Self-concept: The Moderating Role of Perceived Divine Control:

No study has investigated whether personal religiousness could modulate goal-striving stress. To address this gap in the literature, the current study tests whether beliefs in divine control modera...
THE GENOME OF PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE TOMATO DC3000 AND FUNCTIONAL GENOMIC STUDIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND PLANT PATHOGENESIS

Pseudomonas syringae is a member of the gamma subgroup of the Proteobacteria and a plant pathogen that infects many different plants30, Certain P syringae strains can infect only one or a few plant species, and on this basis, P syringae has been separated into greater than 50 pathovars106. While P syringae will eventually kill plant cells (i.e., it is necrogenic), it is typically considered a biotrophic pathogen and it can live on plant leaves as an epiphyte3, 49. The host specificity that P syringae displays is at least partly due to pathogen avirulence genes that encode proteins (i.e., Avr proteins) that trigger the disease resistance (R)-gene-based plant innate immune system in resistant plants53, One of the plant defense responses triggered by Avr proteins is the hypersensitive response (HR), which is a programmed cell death of plant tissue that is associated with successful defense against pathogens. P syringae mutants unable to elicit an HR led to the discovery of hrp genes—the genes that encode the P syringae type III proteins secretion system (TT88) 63. P syringae pathogenesis relies on the TT88 and the effector proteins it translocates into host cells similar to most of the animal and plant pathogens that possess TT88s27.
Gender, Age, Race and Lactose Intolerance: Is There Evidence to Support a Differential Symptom Response? A Scoping Review

Research evaluating the relationship between lactose intolerance (LI) symptoms and age, gender and race is reviewed. An exhaustive search was conducted on the Google Scholar and PubMed databases. The evidence suggests that women, the elderly or specific racial groups are not more susceptible to LI, but rather dose, body size and genetic differences in lactase non-persistence (LNP) are the primary drivers of intolerance symptoms.
Is reactor multiphase thermal-hydraulics a mature field of engineering science?

Abstract The progress in multiphase science and technology has been driven to a considerable extent by the problems arising from nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics. However, the needs for obtaining solutions to a variety of practical questions have had both pros and cons. The former have been reflected in the role of needs as an obvious research stimulation factor, the latter have been due to fact that the urgency of producing results often limited systematic investigations of the underlying physics. Consequently, the maturity of this field has been frequently questioned in the past, in particular as compared to the single-phase fluid mechanics and heat transfer. The objective of this paper is to present an overview of selected issues which, in the author’s personal opinion, illustrate the current state of knowledge in regard to various aspects of multiphase physics and its application to reactor thermal-hydraulics (TH). The discussed issues include: theoretical fundamentals of multiphase fluid mechanics and heat transfer, formulation and limitations of closure laws, transition from correlations to models, consistency vs. accuracy (or validation vs. tuning), and challenges associated with the multicomponent/multiphase modeling of core degradation phenomena. Examples shown to illustrate selected issues come from several studies performed by the author and his collaborators and associates. They cover a broad range of scales, from micro-scale phenomena at, or below, the individual bubble level, to the scale of reactor fuel assemblies. Given the complexity of the multiphase thermal-hydraulics, the author is aware that a lot of room is still available for different opinions on the current state of affairs in this field. So, the overall goal of the paper is to stimulate constructive criticism and future discussions among members of the nuclear TH community.
Understanding the Role of Racism in Contemporary US Public Opinion

In the contemporary context, it is inescapable that racism is a factor in US public opinion. When scholars take stock of the way we typically measure and conceptualize racism, we find reason to rec...
Muslims’ Religious Freedom and Religiosity: Measurement and Impact

Multiple measures of religious freedom and states’ regulation of religion are at work in sociology of religion. These scales apply one score to a country or to a subset of its policies. A uniform state score conceals the internal religious diversity and the heterogeneous experiences of religious freedom that can result. These, in turn, encourage ecological fallacies and mask the disparate impact that religious freedom for one’s own community and for other groups can have on individuals’ preferences and decisions. To demonstrate the value of measuring and studying religious freedom at the individual level, this study applies individual-level assessments of freedom and religiosity from Sunni-Muslim-majority countries to the religious market theory literature. It shows that restricting individuals’ religious freedom suppresses religious belief and behavior. Restrictions placed on other groups, however, can have independent positive and negative effects on religiosity. The study also raises concerns about the ability of current measures of religious freedom to measure individuals’ freedom, at least in Muslim-majority countries.
Electronic Assessment and Tracking of Pain at Home: A Prospective Study in Children With Hematologic or Solid Tumors.

This study aimed to evaluate the intensity and characteristics of pain, which was assessed at home by children with cancer or their parents using an app for mobile devices, for a 1-month poststudy enrollment. The participants of this observational prospective study were outpatients at the hematology/oncology department of an academic hospital in Italy, aged between 0 and 21 years, and receiving hospital-at-home care. Patients or their parents were asked to assess pain levels for one month at home using the Faces, Legs, Arms, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) scale for patients aged <4 years and the Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu (OPBG) tool for patients aged 4 to 21 years. At study conclusion, parents were asked to complete a survey about their satisfaction with the app and to rate their child's health in general, pain intensity, and frequency in the past 4 weeks. Of the 124 participants using the app, 94 (75.8%) reported pain (≥1) at least once during the 1 month. Of these, 53 (56.4%) at most reported mild pain, 33 (35.1%) moderate pain, and eight (8.5%) severe pain. The abdomen was identified as the most frequent (56.3%) pain site by patients aged 4 to 21 years. The child's maximum pain intensity during the study period was negatively correlated with the parent's report of the child's health during the past month (r = -.29, p < .01). Most of the participants were satisfied with the app and the information received about app usage. In conclusion, the app facilitated pain assessment and tracking in patients receiving hospital-at-home care.
Does Voluntary Disclosure Substitute for Mandatory Disclosure? Evidence from Contract Redactions

This study addresses whether firms provide more voluntary disclosures when they redact otherwise mandatorily disclosed contract information and have higher information uncertainty when they redact, and whether the disclosures mitigate this higher uncertainty. Redactions are significantly positively associated with more total, earnings, and non-earnings voluntary disclosures made within 90 days after redaction, and are significantly positively associated with information uncertainty up to 180 days. The disclosures mitigate the higher uncertainty, but do not offset it fully. Regarding contract types, firms provide significantly more disclosures primarily when redactions relate to R&D and license, manufacturing and purchase and sales, and investment contracts, and provide disclosures in anticipation of redactions in R&D and license contracts. We find that the disclosures relating to contract types mitigate the higher information uncertainty associated with redaction. This evidence can inform the SEC in its consideration of the effects on information available to investors of reducing mandatory disclosure.
How Do I Know If I Am Morally Responsible

In this note, a chef perceives that a website reviewer is responsible for his slowing business because the reviewer allowed fake reviews about his restaurant to be posted; it follows that the chef would like this behavior to stop. Excerpt UVA-E-0414 Sept. 11, 2017 How Do I Know If I Am Morally Responsible? Javier Torres Mazza was the owner and webmaster of the most popular restaurant review website in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Each day, thousands of people would browse his site to select where they were going to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and hundreds of patrons wrote helpful reviews about their dining experiences. One afternoon, Torres Mazza received an e-mail from an angry chef accusing him of publicizing lies about his new contemporary restaurant, ArCo. The chef alleged that several reviews displayed on the restaurant website were fake and costing him business. He wondered if competitors were paying people to write these negative reviews because they were jealous of his recent success. The chef wanted these reviews removed from the website. Torres Mazza had always seen his website as a neutral place for customers to express their honest opinions about their dining experiences, but after reading the reviews in question, he doubted their veracity. Posted almost simultaneously, the wording in the reviews were suspiciously similar and came from IP addresses in countries from which paid reviewers typically posted content. Although he did not condone this use of his site and he clearly did not write the negative reviews, he worried that policing reviews could hurt his site's healthy traffic and require a considerable amount of his time and resources, so he was reluctant to start vetting every review. Still, he wondered, was he responsible in some way for ArCo's suffering business? What is Responsibility, and Why Do We Need It? . . .
Pandemic Injustice: Spatial and Social Distributions of COVID-19 in the US Epicenter

We examine the uneven social and spatial distributions of COVID-19 and their relationships with indicators of social vulnerability in the U.S. epicenter, New York City (NYC). As of July 17th, 2020,...
Cytochrome P450-Catalyzed Metabolism of Cannabidiol to the Active Metabolite 7-Hydroxy-Cannabidiol.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring nonpsychotoxic phytocannabinoid that has gained increasing attention as a popular consumer product and for its use in Food and Drug Administration–approved Epidiolex (CBD oral solution) for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. CBD was previously reported to be metabolized primarily by CYP2C19 and CYP3A4, with minor contributions from UDP-glucuronosyltransferases. 7-Hydroxy-CBD (7-OH-CBD) is the primary active metabolite with equipotent activity compared with CBD. Given the polymorphic nature of CYP2C19, we hypothesized that variable CYP2C19 expression may lead to interindividual differences in CBD metabolism to 7-OH-CBD. The objectives of this study were to further characterize the roles of cytochrome P450 enzymes in CBD metabolism, specifically to the active metabolite 7-OH-CBD, and to investigate the impact of CYP2C19 polymorphism on CBD metabolism in genotyped human liver microsomes. The results from reaction phenotyping experiments with recombinant cytochrome P450 enzymes and cytochrome P450–selective chemical inhibitors indicated that both CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 are capable of CBD metabolism to 7-OH-CBD. CYP3A played a major role in CBD metabolic clearance via oxidation at sites other than the 7-position. In genotyped human liver microsomes, 7-OH-CBD formation was positively correlated with CYP2C19 activity but was not associated with CYP2C19 genotype. In a subset of single-donor human liver microsomes with moderate to low CYP2C19 activity, CYP2C9 inhibition significantly reduced 7-OH-CBD formation, suggesting that CYP2C9 may play a greater role in CBD 7-hydroxylation than previously thought. Collectively, these data indicate that both CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 are important contributors in CBD metabolism to the active metabolite 7-OH-CBD. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study demonstrates that both CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 are involved in CBD metabolism to the active metabolite 7-OH-CBD and that CYP3A4 is a major contributor to CBD metabolism through pathways other than 7-hydroxylation. 7-OH-CBD formation was associated with human liver microsomal CYP2C19 activity, but not CYP2C19 genotype, and CYP2C9 was found to contribute significantly to 7-OH-CBD generation. These findings have implications for patients taking CBD who may be at risk for clinically important cytochrome P450–mediated drug interactions.
Stochastic and Resonant Layers in Nonlinear Hamiltonian Systems

In this chapter, stochastic and resonant layers in 2-dimensional nonlinear Hamiltonian systems are presented. The chaos in the stochastic layer is formed by the primary resonance interaction in nonlinear Hamiltonians systems. However, the chaos in the resonant layer is formed by the sub-resonance interaction. The chapter presented herein is to memorize Professor George M. Zaslavsky for his contributions in stochastic layers.
Wavelength tunability of femtosecond Yb fiber lasers

We mode-locked Yb fiber lasers can generate 100-fs pulses in the range of 1020-1070 nm. The tuning provides good solutions for medical/biological applications and seed in high-power ultrashort pulse fiber amplifiers.
A Kernel-Based Collocation Method for Elliptic Partial Differential Equations With Random Coefficients

This paper is an extension of previous work where we laid the foundation for the kernel-based collocation solution of stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs), but dealt only with the simpler problem of right-hand-side Gaussian noises. In the present paper we show that kernel-based collocation methods can be used to approximate the solutions of high-dimensional elliptic partial differential equations with potentially non-Gaussian random coefficients on the left-hand-side. The kernel-based method is a meshfree approximation method, which does not require an underlying computational mesh. The kernel-based solution is a linear combination of a reproducing kernel derived from the related random differential and boundary operators of SPDEs centered at collocation points to be chosen by the user. The random expansion coefficients are obtained by solving a system of random linear equations. For a given kernel function, we show that the convergence of our estimator depends only on the fill distance of the collocation points for the bounded domain of the SPDEs when the random coefficients in the differential operator are random variables. According to our numerical experiments, the kernel-based method produces well-behaved approximate probability distributions of the solutions of SPDEs.
Scaling hyporheic exchange and its influence on biogeochemical reactions in aquatic ecosystems

[1] Hyporheic exchange and biogeochemical reactions are difficult to quantify because of the range in fluid-flow and sediment conditions inherent to streams, wetlands, and nearshore marine ecosystems. Field measurements of biogeochemical reactions in aquatic systems are impeded by the difficulty of measuring hyporheic flow simultaneously with chemical gradients in sediments. Simplified models of hyporheic exchange have been developed using Darcy's law generated by flow and bed topography at the sediment-water interface. However, many modes of transport are potentially involved (molecular diffusion, bioturbation, advection, shear, bed mobility, and turbulence) with even simple models being difficult to apply in complex natural systems characterized by variable sediment sizes and irregular bed geometries. In this study, we synthesize information from published hyporheic exchange investigations to develop a scaling relationship for estimating mass transfer in near-surface sediments across a range in fluid-flow and sediment conditions. Net hyporheic exchange was quantified using an effective diffusion coefficient (De) that integrates all of the various transport processes that occur simultaneously in sediments, and dimensional analysis was used to scale De to shear stress velocity, roughness height, and permeability that describe fluid-flow and sediment characteristics. We demonstrated the value of the derived scaling relationship by using it to quantify dissolved oxygen (DO) uptake rates on the basis of DO profiles in sediments and compared them to independent flux measurements. The results support a broad application of the De scaling relationship for quantifying coupled hyporheic exchange and biogeochemical reaction rates in streams and other aquatic ecosystems characterized by complex fluid-flow and sediment conditions.
Russia's Warped Transition: The Destructive Consequences of Ethically Unconstrained Utility Seeking

The Russian transition economy is best understood as a system that decriminalizes all power-seeking behaviors proscribed by textbook general competition. It is failing because the government sanctions oligopoly, monopoly, asset-grabbing, rent-seeking, elite misappropriation of state funds, the mis-administration of state assets, the mis-regulation of the private sector, and the forced suppression of competition. The efficiency losses caused by these abuses are examined in the factor, product, finance, distribution, and redistribution markets. The analysis suggests that the Russian economy won't recover until it empowers competitive efficiency and recriminalizes private and social exploitation.
Iron loss calculation for synchronous reluctance machines

A numerical method for electric machine iron loss calculation is presented in this paper. The method is suitable for any synchronous and most DC machines, especially if the current waveforms are known a priori. This technique will be principally useful for high-speed machines and in particular for the synchronous reluctance machine, where the iron losses are often an important issue. The calculation is based on finite element analysis, which provides the flux density waveforms in the iron, and on the Fourier analysis of these waveforms. Several finite element simulations are necessary to obtain the induced voltage versus time waveforms. To reduce the post-processing time, the majority of the elements of the model are grouped together to create super elements. Also the periodicity of the motor can be used to reduce the number of required simulations. The method is applied to the calculation of the iron losses of a synchronous reluctance generator, and a number of interesting results are discussed in the paper.
Recombinant Erythropoietin in Anemia of Prematurity: Five Years Later

In 1988, Dr James Stockman discussed the anemia of prematurity in a fascinating editorial that anticipated much of what has unfolded as therapeutic trials using recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) were initiated. Dr Stockman began by addressing the implications of then-recent results from my laboratory and from that of Robert Christensen which demonstrated large numbers of committed erythroid progenitors in the blood and bone marrow of small premature babies that responded normally to r-HuEPO in vitro. These data effectively closed the pathophysiologic loop in anemia of prematurity and strongly implicated inadequate production of erythropoietin (EPO) as the underlying reason erythropoiesis is quantitatively insufficient in this clinical setting (see reference 4 for a review). By then, early studies had shown that treatment with r-HuEPO corrects the anemia associated with chronic renal failure, a disorder that resembles anemia of prematurity in that it is characterized by low EPO levels and inadequate red cell production.
Inhibition of IP3 and IP3-dependent Ca2+ mobilization by cyclic nucleotides in isolated gastric muscle cells

The mechanisms by which cAMP and cGMP and agents that stimulate one (isoproterenol and nitroprusside) or both cyclic nucleotides (VIP) decrease cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and inhibit contraction were examined in dispersed, intact, and saponin-permeabilized gastric muscle cells. In these cells, the [Ca2+]i transient responsible for initial contraction is mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-dependent Ca2+ release (K. N. Bitar, P. G. Bradford, J. W. Putney, Jr., and G. M. Makhlouf, Science Wash. DC 232: 1143-1145, 1986, and J. Biol. Chem. 261: 16591-16596, 1986). In intact muscle cells, dibutyryl cAMP and all three relaxant agents inhibited contraction, [Ca2+]i, and net Ca2+ efflux (i.e., Ca2+ release) in a concentration-dependent fashion. In permeabilized muscle cells, cAMP, cGMP, and all three relaxant agents 1) inhibited cholecystokinin (CCK)-induced IP3 production (maximal 38-48%), 2) inhibited CCK- and IP3-induced Ca2+ efflux (maximal 55-59%) and contraction (maximal 59-66%), and 3) stimulated Ca2+ uptake (maximal 25-30%), in a concentration-dependent fashion. cAMP and cGMP were equipotent inhibitors of IP3 production and of CCK- and IP3-induced Ca2+ efflux and contraction, whereas cGMP was distinctly more potent as a stimulant of Ca2+ uptake. For all functions, maximal effects induced by cAMP and cGMP were similar to those induced by the three relaxant agents. Inhibition of Ca2+ release was the main determinant of inhibition of contraction; stimulation of Ca2+ uptake was relatively minor (< 5% of Ca2+ efflux). Decrease in IP3 production did not contribute to inhibition of Ca2+ efflux and contraction since inhibition of IP3-induced Ca2+ efflux was similar to inhibition of CCK-induced IP3-dependent Ca2+ efflux.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Uncertainty assessment of climate change impacts for hydrologically distinct river basins

Summary The hydrologic uncertainty of climate change impacts in two river basins in the Pacific Northwest of US is investigated. One basin is dominated by snowfall in winter, resulting in snowmelt in spring and early summer, and the other basin is dominated by rainfall in all seasons. In addition to hydrologic uncertainties, we consider the combined effect of two emission scenarios and eight general circulation models (GCMs) in our analyses. Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) is employed to sample the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) parameter space and the behavioral parameter sets were obtained according to a statistical performance measure. The results suggest that the relative impacts of uncertainties from different sources vary between the two basins. It is shown that changes in winter runoff are more affected by hydrologic model parameter uncertainty in the snow-dominated basin, while they are less influenced in the rain-dominated basin. The differences in the amount and timing of snowmelt as a result of model parameter uncertainty contribute to the variations of change in winter runoff in the snowfall-dominated basin. This result indicates that climate change impact studies for snow-dominated regions require more cautious interpretation of runoff projections due to considerable uncertainty in estimated hydrologic model parameters.
Remote synthesis of [11C]acetate

Abstract This remote synthesis greatly simplifies previously reported liquid—liquid extraction techniques for remote production of [ 11 C]acetate. The use of solid phase extraction has reduced the total volume of solvents employed while providing [ 11 C]acetate free of labeled by-products. Remotely actuated loop flow valves have been utilized to efficiently and quickly introduce reagents. [ 11 C]Acetate is obtained within 15 min from the end of bombardment in 43% (EOB) radiochemical yield and with radiochemical purity >98%.
Atypical modulation of medial prefrontal cortex to self-referential comments in generalized social phobia

Abstract Generalized social phobia (GSP) involves the fear of being negatively evaluated. Previous work suggests that self-referentiality, mediated by the medial prefrontal cortex (MFPC), plays an important role in the disorder. However, it is not clear whether this anomalous MPFC response to self-related information in patients with GSP concerns an increased representation of their own or others' opinions. In this article, we examine whether GSP is associated with increased response to own (1st person) or other individuals' (2nd person) opinions relative to healthy individuals. Unmedicated individuals with GSP ( n =15) and age-, IQ-, and gender-matched comparison individuals ( n =15) read 1st (e.g., I'm ugly ), and 2nd (e.g., You're ugly ) person viewpoint comments during functional magnetic resonance imaging. We observed significant group-by-viewpoint interactions within the ventral MPFC. Whereas the healthy comparison individuals showed significantly increased (or less decreased) BOLD responses to 1st relative to 2nd person viewpoints, the patients showed significantly increased responses to 2nd relative to 1st person viewpoints. The reduced BOLD responses to 1st person viewpoint comments shown by the patients correlated significantly with severity of social anxiety symptom severity. These results underscore the importance of dysfunctional self-referential processing and MPFC in GSP. We believe that these data reflect a reorganization of self-referential reasoning in the disorder with a self-concept perhaps atypically related to the view of others.
Unraveling a Connection between DNA Demethylation Repair and Cancer

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Dango and Mosammaparast discover that the human oxidative demethylase ALKBH3 functions in complex with a DNA helicase to eliminate N3-methylcytosine lesions from ssDNA and that specific cancer cell lines are dependent on this activity for proliferation (Dango et al., 2011).
Differential Fertility Within an Ethnic Minority: The Effect of “Trying Harder” Among Chinese-American Women

In this paper we introduce a mechanism by which membership in a minority group can depress fertility. Institutionalized discrimination against Chinese-American women is commonplace in U.S. society. Chinese women who want to overcome labor market discrimination and achieve social and economic equality with women in the majority population must therefore try harder or make extra effort. Not all women choose this path, but those who do and who succeed generally do so at a price in terms of time and energy. The price is also reflected in reduced numbers of children. We simultaneously test the hypothesized fertility effect of efforts to overcome structural discrimination against other theories of fertility determinants concerning the effects of (1) pro-natalist subcultural norms and (2) socioeconomic and cultural assimilation. We fit Poisson regression models for the number of children ever born to individual-level data from the 1980 U.S. Census of Population and find strong empirical support for each of the three hypotheses. In particular, the measure of the extra effort Chinese-Americans make in combatting structural discrimination is negatively related to their fertility, and this effect is highly significant across several models. Chinese-American women who are the most successful in achieving social and economic equality with non-Hispanic white women have 18 percent fewer children than their Chinese sisters who have made little effort to overcome discrimination. This effect is twice as large as the net differential impact on fertility of being foreign-born versus native-born.
Occurrence and role ofcis peptide bonds in protein structures

It has been widely assumed that the occurrence of cis peptide bonds in proteins is quite rare due to unfavorable contacts between adjacent amino acid residues in this isomeric form. To investigate this assumption, the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank was examined for the occurrences of cis peptide bonds. Out of 31,005 amide bonds, only 17, or 0.05%, are cis , while 99 of the 1534 imide bonds (X-Pro), or 6.5%, are cis . These figures are considerably less than the distribution predicted on the basis of the potential energy difference between the cis and trans isomeric forms and experimental data on small peptides. It is not known whether the lower than expected occurrence of cis peptide bonds arises from constraints imposed by the protein environment, or from assumptions made in the solution of the X-ray crystal structures. However, when the occurrence of cis bonds in the data base is examined relative to the resolution of the structures, the number of cis bonds increases with increasing resolution. The distributions seen for these peptide ω bonds in the data base are not the same shape as the distributions predicted from simple potential energy barriers. They are sharper in the main, but they are also broader at the base with significant numbers of non-planar peptide bonds. Cis peptide bonds are found primarily in bends and turns and, in the case of cis imide bonds (X-PRO), this correlation is so high that it suggests a specific role for cis imide groups in such structures.
The sup-7(st5) X gene of Caenorhabditis elegans encodes a tRNATrpUAG amber suppressor

Abstract In earlier studies, we identified in Caenorhabditis elegans two informational suppressors sup-5 III and sup-7 X and recently showed that these suppressors acted via an altered tRNA to suppress translational termination at amber (UAG) stop codons. We now show that the sup-7 (st5) suppressor is a tRNATrpUAG amber suppressor. These studies utilized a radiolabeled purified tRNA fraction to identify hybridizing genomic sequences in a phage genomic library. DNA sequence analysis of the hybridizing segment of one clone showed that the probe recognized a tRNATrpUGG sequence. The sup-7 gene was shown to be one of an 11 or 12 member tRNATrp family by Southern blot analysis, taking advantage of an Xba I restriction site induced in the anticodon sequence by the mutational event to suppressor. Sequence analysis of a recombinant lambda clone containing sup-7 gene proved that sup-7(st5) is a tRNATrpUAG. This conclusive proof of the nature of sup7(st5) will permit unambiguous interpretation in genetic applications, and the availability of the cloned sequences may allow the sup-7 gene to be used to select for the reintroduction of DNA into C. elegans.
An unusual cause of acute renal failure.

A 55-year-old man presented with hematuria, proteinuria, and acute renal failure. Serum creatinine at presentation was 10 mg dl–1, and urinary protein excretion was >300 mg dl–1. Urinalysis showed dysmorphic red blood cells, few bacteria, and white blood cells too numerous to count. Complement levels were normal, and serologic tests were negative.
Honey Bees: Do They Use the Direction Information Contained in Their Dance Maneuver?

Direction communication experiments, when controlled against unilateral visitation of trained foragers at the experimental site, exhibited no evidence supporting the precision of communication suggested in the dance "language" hypothesis. Results compare well with those which might be expected on the basis of the geometric arrangement of the feeding dishes.
The association between perception of relationship with caregivers and behaviours of youth in foster care: a child and caregiver perspective

The transition into foster care can be difficult for children. Research has consistently shown an increased risk for children in foster care to exhibit higher levels of problem behaviours in comparison to youth in the general population. The purpose of this study was to analyse the associations between the youths' perception of their relationship with their caregiver on their perception of their own internalizing and externalizing behaviours as well as the youths' perception of the relationships with caregivers and how caregivers report of youths' internalizing and externalizing behaviours. This study utilized the secondary data from the general release version of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being [National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (2009) Introduction to the wave 1 general and restricted use releases, Nation Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect, Ithaca, NY]. Significant relationships between youths' perception of relationship with their caregiver were found with bo...
STIMULATION AND INHIBITION OF MYOBLAST DIFFERENTIATION BY HORMONES

The growth and differentiation of L6 myoblasts are subject to control by two proteins secreted by cells of the Buffalo rat liver line. The first of these, rat insulinlike growth factor-II (formerly designated multiplication stimulating activity) is a potent stimulator of myoblast proliferation and differentiation, as well as associated processes such as amino acid uptake and incroporation into protein, RNA synthesis, and thymidine incorporation into DNA. In addition, this hormone causes a significant decrease in the rate of protein degradation. All of these actions seem to be attributable to a single molecular species, although their time courses and sensitivity to the hormone differ substantially. The second protein, the differentiation inhibitor (DI), is a nonmitogenic inhibitor of all tested aspects of myoblast differentiation, including fusion and the elevation of creatine kinase. Indirect immunofluorescence experiments demonstrated that DI also blocks accumulation of myosin heavy chain and myomesin. Upon removal of DI after 72 h incubation, all of these effects were reversed and normal myotubes containing the usual complement of muscle-specific proteins were formed. Thus, this system makes it possible to achieve specific stimulation or inhibition of muscle cell differentiation by addition of purified proteins to cloned cells in serum-free medium.
Particle-induced bridging in immiscible polymer blends

Pickering emulsions are emulsions whose drops are stabilized against coalescence by particles adsorbed at their interface. Recent research on oil/water/particle systems shows that particles can sometimes adsorb at two oil/water interfaces. Such “bridging particles” can glue together drops of oil in water or vice versa. We hypothesize that the same effect should apply in immiscible polymer blends with droplet-matrix morphologies, viz., added particles should glue together drops and give rise to particle-bridged drop clusters. We test this hypothesis in PIB-in-PDMS blends [PIB, poly(isobutylene); PDMS, poly(dimethylsiloxane)] with fumed silica particles. Direct visualization shows that the particles can indeed induce clustering of the drops, and the blends appear to show gel-like behavior. Such gel-like behavior is confirmed by dynamic oscillatory experiments. However, we are unable to conclusively attribute the gel-like behavior to droplet clustering: Association of the fumed silica particles in the bulk, which itself causes gel-like behavior, confounds the results and prevents clear analysis of the gluing effect of the particles. We conclude that PIB/PDMS/fumed silica is not a good model system, for studying particle-containing polymer blends. We instead propose that spherical monodisperse silica particles can offer a far more convenient model system, and provide direct visual evidence of gluing of PIB drops in a PDMS matrix.
Phospholipid composition and acyltransferase activity of lamellar bodies isolated from rat lung

Abstract The role of the lamellar body of the type II pneumocyte in the synthesis and storage of the phospholipids of the surfactant lipoprotein lining the alveolar surface has been investigated. Electron microscopy has been used to establish the purity of the isolated lamellar body, microsomal, and mitochondrial fractions. Additional proof of lamellar body purity was obtained by enzyme marker studies. The phospholipid:protein ratio of each of the above fractions was determined as well as that of surfactant lipoprotein isolated from rat lung. Lamellar body phospholipid:protein ratio was highest, 3.7 μmol of lipid phosphorus/mg of lung protein. The phospholipid composition of the lamellar body fraction was found to be similar to that of the isolated surfactant lipoprotein. Lamellar body phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol each contained over 90% saturated fatty acids. The lamellar body fraction was found to possess significant acyltransferase activity between [1- 14 C]palmitoyl-CoA and phosphatidylcholine. This activity was somewhat higher than in the microsomal fraction and much greater than in the mitochondrial fraction. The activity in all fractions was stimulated by Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ . [1- 14 C]oleoyl-CoA did not serve as an effective acyl donor. When 1-palmitoyl-2-lysophosphatidylcholine was used as the acceptor molecule and [1- 14 C]palmitoyl-CoA the donor, acyltransferase activity was increased over that found with phosphatidylcholine as donor in all fractions. The microsomal fraction had the greatest activity and the lamellar body fraction the least. The data obtained support the hypothesis that the lamellar body is involved in the synthesis and storage of the phospholipids of the surfactant lipoprotein complex.
Single machine stochastic scheduling to minimize the expected number of tardy jobs using mathematical programming models

This paper studies the single machine scheduling problem for the objective of minimizing the expected number of tardy jobs. Jobs have normally distributed processing times and a common deterministic due date. We develop new approaches for this problem that generate near optimal solutions. The original stochastic problem is transformed into a non-linear integer programming model and its relaxations. Computational study validates their effectiveness by comparison with optimal solutions.
Inhibition of estrogen-induced proliferation of cultured rabbit uterine epithelial cells by a cell density-dependent factor produced by the same cells

Abstract When primary cultures of rabbit uterine epithelial cells are incubated with 17β-estradiol, in serum-free medium, an increase in proliferation can be detected by incubation with [ 3 H]-thymidine followed by autoradiography or by counting cell numbers. This hormonal effect was found to be present only in low density cultures. Moderate increases in cell density resulted in disappearance of the estrogenic effect. Prostaglandm F 2 α and epidermal growth factor were effective growth factors in either low or high density cultures, implying, therefore, a specific inhibition of the estrogen effect. Conditioned medium experiments suggest the production of a cell density-dependent estrogen inhibitory factor which is heat and trypsin sensitive, nondialysable. precipitable at high concentrations of ammonium sulfate, and had an approximate molecular weight of 10–20 K. A similar inhibitory activity was detected in homogenales of high density cultured cells but not of low density cultures. We present preliminary evidence suggesting that the mechanism of action of this inhibitory factor does not involve a decrease in the total number of estrogen receptors measured in whole cells. Our data shows for the first time that a factor (s) produced by cultured cells can inhibit specifically estrogen-stimulated proliferation.
Sibling rivalry: competition between pol X family members in V(D)J recombination and general double strand break repair

The nonhomologous end-joining pathway is a major means for repairing double-strand breaks (DSBs) in all mitotic cell types. This repair pathway is also the only efficient means for resolving DSB intermediates in V(D)J recombination, a lymphocyte-specific genome rearrangement required for assembly of antigen receptors. A role for polymerases in end-joining has been well established. They are a major factor in determining the character of repair junctions but, in contrast to 'core' end-joining factors, typically appear to have a subtle impact on the efficiency of end-joining. Recent work implicates several members of the Pol X family in end-joining and suggests surprising complexity in the control of how these different polymerases are employed in this pathway.
Surgeon-performed ultrasound in the ICU setting

Surgeons in the United States first began performing their own ultrasound examinations as part of the initial evaluation of trauma patients [1]. Increasing experience with this diagnostic modality brought about the recognition that the learning curve was reasonable [2], and that ultrasonography had several distinct advantages that could be applied to patient care. Surgeon-performed ultrasonography has since found use in the office, intraoperative, and critical care settings. Evaluation of critically ill patients often proves to be challenging. The combination of altered sensorium, underlying disease, and presence of multiple drains/monitoring devices often hampers a thorough physical examination [3]. Ultrasonography may, in such circumstances, serve as a useful adjunct, as both a diagnostic and a therapeutic modality. With increasing experience, the list of potential applications continues to grow. The current indications for ultrasonography in the critical care setting are enumerated in Box 1. This review will focus on the application of surgeon-performed ultrasonography in the evaluation and management of critically ill patients in the intensive care setting.
Phenotypic analysis of first-year traits in a pseudo-backcross {(slash x loblolly) x slash} and the open-pollinated families of the pure-species progenitors

A single test, including one pseudo-backcross (Pinus elliottii x Pinus taeda) x P. elliottii and open-pollinated families of the pure species progenitors, was established in North Central Florida in December 2007 to study the transfer of the fast-growing characteristics from a P. taeda L. (loblolly pine) parent into the P. elliottii Engelm. (slash pine) background. Several traits were measured in the first growing season: height growth, phenology, tip moth incidence, stem traits, crown architectural and needle traits. Heterosis was evaluated for each trait using analyses of variance by fitting a linear mixed model. All traits were significantly (p value < 0.05) different among families while the significance for heterosis varied by trait. Positive heterosis was found for average rate of shoot elongation (ASRE), total growth (TG), total height and number of needles per fascicle while the opposite was true for base diameter, top diameter, fascicle length, fascicle diameter, crown projected area and phenological traits (cessation, duration and day to reach 50% of the height). Average performance (i.e., no heterosis) was found for initiation of growth, number of branches, number of nodes, tip moth incidence, sheath length and specific leaf area. The analyses indicated that introgression of loblolly pine alleles into slash pine was effective and novel trait combinations were achieved. The pseudo-backcross had larger variation in early height growth than the slash pine families and was taller than all open-pollinated families at the end of the first season. Tip moth incidence was much lower than the loblolly pine family.
A mastermind revealed

Comment on Maillard et al, page [1696][1] Retroviral transduction of hematopoietic stem cells with a dominant interfering form of Mastermind has revealed an in vivo role in vertebrates for the Mastermind-like family of Notch regulators during lymphocyte development. T he Notch mutation in
Digging deeper: high-resolution genome-scale data yields new insights into root biology.

Development in multicellular organisms is the result of designated cellular programs occurring at specific points in time and space. The root is an excellent model to address how spatio-temporal complexity impacts organ development. High-resolution ‘omic’ approaches have delineated the transcriptional, proteomic, metabolomic, and small RNA profiles of multiple cell types in the Arabidopsis root. Similar approaches have shed light on root cell-type specific transcriptional programs in rice and soybean. These data are being used to identify specific spatio-temporal mechanisms of root development, dissect regulatory networks that control cell identity, and understand hormone responses in the root. Computational modeling of these data combined with new advances in imaging technologies is generating new biological insights into root growth and development.