cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutritional status of institutionalized children and adolescents with developmental disabilities

The relationship was explored between anomalies associated with developmental disabilities and nutritional status of institutionalized children and adolescents who received comprehensive interdisciplinary services. Variables included dietary intake, serum laboratory values, anthropometric measurements, feeding skills assessment, and clinical assessment. Mean intakes of nutrients were greater than 67% of Recommended Daily Allowances. Laboratory values were within normal ranges with the exceptions of serum ferritin, which was borderline or below normal in 46% of the males and 55% of the females, and alkaline phosphatase, which was elevated in 70% of residents receiving anticonvulsants. Energy intake was highest in residents with adequate feeding skills, followed by nonfeeders and feeders requiring behavior management. Subjects had greater triceps skinfold and lower mid-arm muscle circumference and weight measurements as compared to reference data. Findings of this study suggest that these developmentally disabled children and adolescents who received comprehensive interdisciplinary nutritional services, in general, are adequately nourished and have nutrient intakes that meet the RDA requirements.
Preattentive Control of Serial Auditory Processing in Dichotic Listening

Abstract Dichotic listening performance was examined in an auditory selective attention task where subjects responded to occasional consonant-vowel (CV) or shaped broadband noise-burst (NB) targets in rapid serial auditory presentation (RASP). Trial types were randomized and included monaural CVs and NBs as well as dichotic CV-CV and CV-NB pairings. CVs were spoken by two different voices (male and female), and the two NB stimuli differed in their filter slopes at higher frequencies. The target was designated by stimulus category (/ba/, /da/, /ga/, or NB) and voice (e.g., “female /ba/”). Performance was compared for targets in the left and right ears on monaural and dichotic trials using accuracy and reaction time (RT) measures. Right ear advantages (REAs) were present for CV targets with either CV or NB distractors, but not for monaural CVs. The REA found for monaural NB targets was eliminated by CV distractors, yielding a left ear advantage (LEA) for the distractor effect of CVs on NB targets. The pattern of results suggests initial preprocessing of speech stimuli through phonetic feature analysis, followed by serial attentional processing of the objects in the auditory field. REAs are attributed to a rightward asymmetry in the preattentive control of auditory attention similar to that found in visual search.
Green fab innovative and design of intelligent system concept implementation of energy efficient

In Taiwan, due to improved domestic living standards, power consumption due to residential and industrial air conditioning systems has risen rapidly, resulting in peak power shortages. During the summer months, air conditioning power consumption takes up over 45% of the total power consumption. Therefore, energy-saving designs for air conditioning systems could be improved, energy-saving could be achieved.
Nanostructured Cu/Nb multilayers subjected to helium ion-irradiation

Helium ion-irradiation experiments have been performed in single layer Cu films, Nb films and Cu/Nb multilayer films with layer thickness varying from 2.5 nm to 100 nm each layer. Peak helium concentration approaches a few atomic percent with 6-9 displacement-per-atom in Cu and Nb. He bubbles were observed in single layer Cu and Nb films, as well as in Cu 100 nm/Nb 100 nm multilayers with helium bubbles aligned along layer interfaces. Helium bubbles are not resolved via transmission electron microscopy in Cu 2.5 nm/Nb 2.5 nm multilayers. These studies indicate that layer interface may play an important role in annihilating ion-irradiation induced defects such as vacancies and interstitials and have implications in improving the radiation tolerance of metallic materials using nanostructured multilayers.
Automated Essay Scoring feedback for second language writers: How does it compare to instructor feedback?

Abstract Writing is an essential component of students’ academic English development, yet it requires a considerable amount of time and effort on the part of both students and teachers. In an effort to reduce their workload, many instructors are looking into the use of Automated Essay Scoring (AES) systems to complement more traditional ways of providing feedback. This paper investigates the use of an AES system in a college ESL writing classroom. Participants included 14 advanced students from various linguistic backgrounds who wrote on three prompts and received feedback from the instructor and the AES system (Criterion). Instructor feedback on the drafts (n = 37) was compared to AES feedback and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively across the feedback categories of grammar (e.g., subject-verb agreement, ill-formed verbs), usage (e.g., incorrect articles, prepositions), mechanics (e.g., spelling, capitalization), and perceived quality by an additional ESL instructor. Data were triangulated with opinion surveys regarding student perceptions of the feedback received. The results show large discrepancies between the two feedback types (the instructor provided more and better quality feedback) and suggest important pedagogical implications by providing ESL writing instructors with insights regarding the use of AES systems in their classrooms.
Thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy for achalasia: preoperative patterns of acid reflux and long-term follow-up.

Abstract Background. The best technique for surgical esophagomyotomy to treat achalasia remains contentious. The controversies include the best approach (thoracoscopic or laparoscopic) and the need for an antireflux procedure. Postoperative pH studies have suggested pathologic gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in many cases; however, control studies of reflux patterns are scarce. This study presents pH studies before esophagomyotomy as well as long-term follow-up of patients undergoing esophagomyotomy. Methods. Forty-nine patients underwent esophagomyotomy (45 thoracoscopically, 4 laparoscopically) for achalasia. Before treatment, 24-hour pH studies were conducted for 38 patients with achalasia. The patients were evaluated postoperatively for dysphagia and reflux. Results were classified as excellent, good, fair, or poor. Results. The findings of the pretreatment pH studies were abnormal in 15 patients (39%). Twelve patients (32%) had GER either with esophageal fermentation (6 patients [16%]) or without fermentation (6 patients [16%]). Eight percent had esophageal fermentation alone. There was no correlation between GER and previous pneumatic dilatation. Twenty-three patients (60%) had normal pH scores; of these, 24% had esophageal fermentation, whereas 29% had neither reflux nor fermentation. Operative results were excellent in 70% of patients, good in 10%, and fair in 20%. All patients considered their conditions improved. Four patients required a subsequent operation because of dysphagia (n = 3) or reflux (n = 1), and their original procedures were classified as failures. Their current status is fair (n = 2), good (n = 1), and excellent (n = 1). GER was documented before the original operation in 3 of the 4 patients in whom the procedure failed. Fifteen patients were eligible for 5-year follow-up. Their results are excellent or good (n = 11) (73%) and fair (n = 4) (27%). Conclusions. A high percentage of patients with achalasia exhibit pathologic GER before surgical therapy and seem to be at higher risk for failed surgical treatment. Thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy resulted in improvement in 92% of patients, and long-term follow-up indicates that these results are durable. (Surgery 2001;130:570-7.)
4/16: Public Tragedy Collides With Personal Trauma:

When the massacre of 32 students plus the suicide of the shooter occurred at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, this author watched the external events from the relative safety of her office located directly across the Drillfield from Norris Hall, where the shootings occurred. Subsequently, the author fell into a deep state of depression following the day now known as 4/16. Throughout the numbness of the day, the author scribbled poems on post-it notes, later tucked into the journals where she chronicled the depression that held her captive for almost 3 years. In this article, the author performed the journey that helped her survive the collision of public tragedy and personal trauma by connecting the autoethnographic to the public. The author narrated a scene, to tell her story, connecting life and art, writing as inquiry to understand her journey from depression to wholeness.
Securing observance of UN mandates through the employment of military force

The complexities of post‐1987 UN military operations have caused much conceptual confusion. Contrary to what may be the prevailing opinion, the way out of the confusion is to accept that there are three (not two) options open to the UN when it deploys military force: peacekeeping, inducement and enforcement. Of the three options, inducement is the most difficult to see through to success. Whether conducting inducement or enforcement, the UN is confronted with the same challenges facing any military coalition. Working in the context of a UN‐based coalition magnifies those challenges, generally making them more difficult to resolve, while also creating new ones. The Secretariat has recognized that the procedures devised for traditional peacekeeping are not adequate to contend with those challenges and is instituting extensive reforms so that it can be better prepared to act promptly. For the foreseeable future, there are limits to what the Secretariat can do to improve its capabilities for inducement and en...
Infrared Absorption Induced by a Charge Defect in an Ionic Crystal

An expression is derived for the impurity-induced infrared absorption in an ionic crystal, using a slightly more general model for the defect than considered previously. This model includes not only changes in mass and force constant but also changes in the effective charge tensors of the impurity and its neighbors. A $T$-matrix formulation is used, assuming a low concentration of defects. Calculations are made to explicitly demonstrate the effects of a charge-mass-force-constant defect in NaCl. In some cases the absorption is seen to increase with decreasing effective charge. For a charge-mass defect, there exists a frequency at which the dipole moment of the crystal changes sign and at which the absorption is exactly zero.
Simple and reliable enumeration of micronucleated reticulocytes with a single-laser flow cytometer.

Abstract A flow cytometric procedure for scoring micronuclei in mouse peripherral blood erythrocytes, especially reticulocytes, is described. The methods reported herein were developed in an effort to simplify the techniques and to reduce the equipment requirements associated with automated micronucleus analyses. With this procedure, fluorescein-conjugated monoclonal antibodies which bind to the CD71-defined antigen (the transferrin receptor) are used to label reticulocytes. The nucleic acid dye propidium iodide is used to identify cells with micronuclei. Given 488 nm excitation, four populations of erythrocytes are clearly resolved: normochromatic erythrocytes with and without micronuclei, and reticulocytes with and without micronuclei. Since the method is capable of simultaneously providing the incidence of micronuclei in both mature and immature erythrocyte populations, it is compatible with either chronic or acute treatment regimens. To demonstrate cell handling and flow cytometric procedures for quantitatively analyzing peripheral blood micronuclei, an experiment with the model clastogen methyl methanesulfonate is described. Additionally, a reconstruction experiment was performed whereby three mouse blood samples were spiked with successively greater volumes of blood from a clastogen-treated animal so each preparation differed slightly, but definitely, in micronucleus content. Each sample was scored six times by conventional microscopy and by flow cytometry so that the two methods could be directly compared. Collectively, the results from the methyl methanesulfonate experiment and the reconstruction study demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the flow cytometric method. Furthermore, advantages associated with objective, high throughput scoring methodology are clearly indicated.
Purification and characterization of a folate binding protein from porcine choroid plexus

Abstract A folate binding protein (binder) from hog choroid plexus was solubilized with Triton X-100 and subsequently purified to homogeneity in four steps: (1) affinity chromatography, (2) Sephadex G-200 column chromatography, (3) DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, and (4) polyacrylamide gel eletrophoresis. When the purified binder was eluted from the gel and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, it appeared as a single protein-staining band ( M r = 51,000). Binding activity of the purified binder decreased below pH 6.0 and above pH 8.0, was unaffected by treatment with ribonuclease or deoxyribonuclease, but was abolished with trypsin, chymotrypsin, or protease ( Streptomyces griseus ). Bound folic acid corresponded to 0.63 mol/mol of binding protein. The binding of labeled folate to the purified binder was inhibited by folate l -methyltetrahydrofolate ≅ tetrahydrofolate > pteroate ≅ dihydrofolate > aminopterin ≅ methotrexate. All seven mammalian species tested contained concentrations of folate binder of 0.7 to 4.0 nmol per gram of choroid plexus.
Crystallographic orientation of clinoenstatite produced by deformation of orthoenstatite.

Uniaxial compression at 800°C and 5 kilobars confining pressure of a specimen cored from a single crystal of orthoenstatite [(Mg,Fe)SiO 3 ] produced fine lamellae 100 to 1000 angstroms thick of untwinned clinoenstatite. The two phases are joined along (100) planes and have b and c axes in common. The orientation of the clinoenstatite a axis contradicts several previously suggested transformation mechanisms and reduces the set of possible mechanisms by a factor of 2.
Retaining and Advancing Librarians of Color

This paper will explore the concept of group mentoring and the possible impact of creating learning communities on retention. It will consider one model, a training institute held biennially at the University of Minnesota, which is directed to early-career librarians of color, and will explore the impact of this institute, which includes group mentoring, on retention and professional contributions.
Who owns England's game? American professional sporting influences and foreign ownership in the Premier League

Changes to the organization of, and commercialism in, the Barclay's Premier League in England have made clubs attractive to international investors. Recently, in particular, there has been a rapid increase in American ownership of Premier League teams with Aston Villa, Liverpool and Manchester United owned by Americans and a large minority shareholder at Arsenal is American. Beyond directorship/ownership issues, North American organizational and marketing structures of professional sport have increased their influence within the Premier League. These include a focus on diverse revenue streams including media rights, luxury seating, commodification and branding of clubs and their heritage, and diversified services as well as differing patterns of club ownership and administration. Although these have merged with English traditions within professional football, there is no doubt that North American influences have begun to change the nature of marketing within the game and have also made leading English clu...
BK virus nephropathy in a pediatric autologous stem-cell transplant recipient.

BK virus (BKV) is an increasingly identified cause of pathology in immunocompromised transplant recipients. BKV is a well-known cause of graft dysfunction following renal transplantation and has also been reported in the native kidneys of other solid organ recipients. Less commonly, BKV nephropathy occurs in allogeneic stem-cell transplant (SCT) recipients. We now describe the first reported case of BKV nephropathy after pediatric autologous SCT. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:495–497. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Evaluation of octanol-water partition coefficients by using high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary The use of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the measurement of octanol-water partition coefficients is demonstrated. Solutes are equilibrated between the two phases by using the conventional “shake flask” approach. An internal reference having a known partition coefficient, which is similar to that of the substance of interest, is added to the system. Samples of both phases are chromatographed by HPLC. The area ratios for the solute and internal reference in both phases are measured and used together with the known partition coefficient of the internal reference to calculate the partition coefficient of the solute in question. The results obtained with a variety of substances having partition coefficients in the range from 10 −3 to 104 showed excellent agreement with literature data. The technique is rapid and has the advantages that small samples suffice, the substances need not be pure and the exact volume of the phases need not be known. Furthermore, it could readily be developed into a micromethod for measurements with submicrogram quantities.
Improvement in the bioconversion of penicillin G to deacetoxycephalosporin G by elimination of agitation and addition of decane.

The bioconversion of penicillin G to deacetoxycephalosporin G (DAOG) using resting cells of Streptomycesclavuligerus could be a very valuable step in the economical production of semisynthetic cephalosporin antibiotics. The extent of the reaction, however, is very low due to inactivation of the ring expansion enzyme deacetoxycephalosporin C synthetase ("expandase") by reaction components. We show that elimination of agitation during the reaction lowers the rate but increases the amount of DAOG produced, presumably because the inactivation requires high levels of oxygen. Many additives to the medium were examined for their effect on the reaction. Clearly, the most effective compound was the organic solvent, decane.
Proteinase assay by capillary electrophoresis employing fluorescence-quenched protein-dye conjugates.

Determination of proteinases – enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds – is often difficult due to the presence of interferences in complex biological media and limited sample size. Capillary electrophoresis (CE), with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) can serve as a useful tool for such determinations. LIF detection offers the advantages of increased sensitivity and increased selectivity. However, direct LIF detection requires the proteinase analyte to be fluorescently derivatized prior to analysis. A viable alternative is offered by the present work, in which protein substrates are first labeled with BODIPY dye, a relatively pH-insensitive, high-fluorescence quantum yield dye. Upon binding of some 4–10 molecules of dye to a single protein, the dye is effectively fluorescence-quenched. Digestion of the BODIPY – labeled and quenched protein by an unlabeled enzyme yields smaller peptide fragments in which the fluorescence of associated BODIPY tags is restored. We will present how the fragmentation pattern of BODIPY-labeled casein changes as a function of incubation time with trypsin, as well as the effect of varying concentrations of trypsin on the BODIPY-casein digest.
Forensic signatures for Marburgviruses

Abstract Marburgvirus is one of the most important hemorrhagic fever viruses with extremely high infectivity and fatality rate (∼90%). It is transmitted easily in human populations through a respiratory route and therefore considered as a major biothreat agent. Although detection assays have been developed, no assay is available for forensic analysis. Here we report development of forensic assays for Marburgvirus . We performed detailed phylogenetic analysis of strains and isolates from all known Marburg virus outbreaks as well as from several laboratory strains and identified canonical SNPs for all major clades (outbreaks) and strains. TaqMan-MGB allelic discrimination assays targeting these SNPs were designed and experimentally screened against synthetic RNA templates and genomic RNAs. A total of 45 assays were validated to provide 100% coverage of the clades (outbreaks) and 91% at the strain level (21 out of the 23 targeted Marburgvirus strains) with built-in redundancy for increased robustness. Using these validated assays, we were able to provide accurate forensic analysis on 3 "unknown" Marburgviruses. These high-resolution forensic assays allow rapid and accurate genotyping of Marburgviruses for forensic investigations.
Who Lacks Support and Why? an Examination of Mothers' Personal Safety Nets

We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 12,140 person-waves) to identify characteristics associated with mothers' having or lacking "personal safety net" support from family and friends. We focus on characteristics that are likely to increase the importance of having support available but may also interfere with the maintenance of supportive ties: poverty, poor physical and mental health, and challenging child rearing responsibilities. By capitalizing on distinctions among these types of personal disadvantages and among types of personal safety nets (financial, housing, child care, and emotional), we help to explain why personal disadvantages are associated with weaker support. Our paper contributes to the literature emphasizing the importance of reciprocity in support relationships and introduces the idea that families that are more difficult to help will have less support available.
Transforming health care service delivery and provider selection.

Commoditization pressures in medicine have risked transforming service provider selection from “survival of the fittest” to “survival of the cheapest.” Quality- and safety-oriented mandates by the Institute of Medicine have led to the creation of a number of data-driven quality-centric initiatives including Pay for Performance and Evidence-Based Medicine. A synergistic approach to creating quantitative accountability in medical service delivery is through the creation of consumer-oriented performance metrics which provide patients with objective data related to individual service provider quality, safety, cost-efficacy, efficiency, and customer service. These performance metrics could in turn be customized to the individual preferences and health care needs of each individual patient, thereby providing an objective methodology for service provider selection while empowering health care consumers.
Chemotherapy-associated renal dysfunction

The presence of renal dysfunction in a patient receiving chemotherapy can be devastating. Although many patients with cancer have underlying compromised renal function, some chemotherapeutic agents can actually induce renal abnormalities. An understanding of which traditional and newer chemotherapy agents can affect renal function is useful for physicians so that they can monitor patients for renal abnormalities and initiate preventive strategies to minimize renal complications. This Review highlights renal abnormalities associated with current chemotherapy agents and provides suggestions for preventive measures.
Role of Hydrocarbon Deposits in the Enhanced Performance of Direct-Oxidation SOFCs

We have examined the changes that occur in the performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with Cu-ceria-yttria-stabilized zirconia anodes at 973 K following exposure to various hydrocarbon fuels, including methane, propane, n-butane, n-decane, and toluene. For cells with Cu contents of 20 wt % or less, large increases were observed in the power densities for operation in after the anode had been exposed to any of the hydrocarbons except methane. The increased performance is completely reversible upon oxidation of the anode and subsequent reduction in The enhancement decreases with increasing Cu content, implying that the deposits improve the connectivity of the metallic phase in the anode. Impedance spectra taken on cells before and after exposure to hydrocarbon fuels confirm that the conductivity of the anode improves after exposure. Temperature-programmed oxidation and weight changes were used to show that the deposits that enhance performance correspond to of the anode and are probably not graphitic. Measurements of the open-circuit voltages in hydrocarbon fuels suggest that equilibrium is established with partial oxidation products and that the chemical structure of the deposits change upon current flow. Finally, the implications of these results for operation of SOFC on hydrocarbons without added steam and with low copper contents are discussed. © 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
Selective inhibition of TGF-beta responsive genes by Smad-interacting peptide aptamers from FoxH1, Lef1 and CBP

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) stimulation results in the assembly of Smad-containing protein complexes that mediate activation or repression of TGF-β responsive genes. To determine if disruption of specific Smad protein–protein interactions would selectively inhibit responses to TGF-β or generally interfere with Smad-dependent signaling, we developed three Smad-binding peptide aptamers by introducing Smad interaction motifs from Smad-binding proteins CBP, FoxH1 and Lef1 into the scaffold protein E. coli thioredoxin A (Trx). All three classes of aptamers bound to Smads by GST pulldown assays and co-immunoprecipitation from mammalian cells. Expression of the aptamers in HepG2 cells did not generally inhibit Smad-dependent signaling as evaluated using seven TGF-β responsive luciferase reporter genes. The Trx-xFoxH1b aptamer inhibited TGF-β-induced expression from a reporter dependent on the Smad–FoxH1 interaction, A3-lux, by 50%. Trx-xFoxH1b also partially inhibited two reporters not dependent on a Smad–FoxH1 interaction, 3TP-lux and Twntop, and endogenous PAI-1 expression. Trx-Lef1 aptamer only inhibited expression of the Smad–Lef1 responsive reporter gene TwnTop. The Trx-CBP aptamer had no significant effect on reporter gene expression. The results suggest that Smad-binding peptide aptamers can be developed to selectively inhibit TGF-β-induced gene expression.
A model for the active site of skeletal muscle myosin.

Abstract A model for a main element of the active site of skeletal muscle myosin is presented that relates directly to the 92 amino acid fragment (p 10 ) of myosin recently described by Elzinga & Collins (1977) . In this model, the substrate, an eight-membered cyclic complex of MgATP, fits tightly into a 16 amino acid segment of p 10 and interacts with seven of its amino acids. A main feature of the model is the important role played by the one molecule of N τ -methylhistidine † that is present in each myosin heavy chain. At the site, it is postulated that this rare amino acid functions as a donor ligand to Mg 2+ . Once N τ -methylhistidine is put in place next to the metal, the other amino acids that appear to form a pocket come easily into position around the MgATP. These amino acids with their postulated functions are: tyrosine 72, which through a Mg-bound water, or perhaps directly, is attached to the Mg; histidine 76, which donates a proton to the P γ of ATP; lysine 78, which binds electrostatically to P β of ATP; phenylalanines 80 and 81, which flank the purine ring of ATP; and aspartate 66, which forms a hydrogen bond to the 6-amino group of adenine. The Mg-coordination role ascribed to N τ -methylhistidine 69 in skeletal muscle myosin could be taken by histidine 69 in cardiac myosin and in other muscle myosins that do not contain the methylated amino acid. The choice of p 10 to contain a main element of the active site is based on: (a) the presence in p 10 of the essential sulfhydryl groups, SH1 and SH2, whose modification affects the ATPase activity of myosin; (b) the presence in ρ 10 of N τ -methylhistidine, an unusual amino acid whose methylation in skeletal muscle we take as an indicator for a special function at the active site; (c) the position of p 10 in the primary structure near the junction between subfragment 1 and subfragment 2 (the hinge region) where, we postulate, enzymatic events at the active site are coupled to movements of the hinge that occur during contraction; (d) indications that the DTNB light chain, probably involved in regulation, is also near the hinge; (e) the effects of MgATP at the active site on the chemical reactivity of three SH groups (SH1, SH2 and SH3) located near the hinge; and (f) the effect of hinge cleavage on the oxygen exchange reaction catalyzed at the active site. The correlation of all these observations forms the basis for our placement of part of the active site on p 10 near the subfragment 1-subfragment 2 hinge.
Real-time Linux in real time

The increasing market demand for systems characterized by low-latency, deterministic behavior and the emphasis on the use of commodity hardware and software have led to a new breed of real-time operating systems (OSs), known as enterprise real-time OSs. In response to the demand for accelerated access to such features in a Linux™ kernel, the IBM Linux and Java™ Technology Centers collaborated to provide the first commercially available enterprise real-time Linux kernel with real-time Java support. Extending the PREEMPT RT patch from Ingo Molnar of Red Hat, Inc., the kernel contains additional features that were required to meet the demands of enterprise real-time OS customers. This paper describes how IBM developers helped to direct, implement, and test the real-time Linux kernel, bringing it from software patches to a finished product in nine months.
Intragroup Decision Making in Intergroup Negotiation: Majority/Minority Effects and Hawkishness of Member Preferences

University of UtahParticipants took part in an intergroup negotiation. In the ﬁrst stage participantsrecorded their individual preferences (i.e., which of several possible options theyshould strive to achieve during the negotiation) for each negotiation issue. In the secondstage they repeated this process as part of a 3-person cooperative group in preparationfor the negotiation task. Our results show that the decision aggregation of negotiationteams is driven by 2 factors: The majority/minority status of the members advocatinga given option and the extent to which the option advocated by a member was morehawkish (i.e., advantageous to the ingroup) than that of fellow members.
A tunable ratchet driving human RNA polymerase II translocation adjusted by accurately templated nucleoside triphosphates loaded at downstream sites and by elongation factors.

When nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) substrates and α-amanitin are added to a human RNA polymerase II elongation complex simultaneously, the reaction becomes stalled in the core of the bond synthesis mechanism. The mode of stalling is influenced by NTP substrates at the active site and at downstream sites and by transcription factor IIF (TFIIF) and TFIIS. NTP substrates templated at i+2, i+3, and i+4 downstream DNA sites can reverse the previously stable binding of an NTP loaded at the i+1 substrate site. Deoxy-(d)NTPs and NDPs (nucleoside diphosphates) do not substitute for NTPs at the i+2 and i+3 positions (considered together) or the i+4, i+5, and i+6 positions (considered together). The mode of stalling is altered by changing the number of downstream template sites that are accurately occupied by NTPs and by changing NTP concentration. In the presence of the translocation blocker α-amanitin, a steady state condition is established in which RNA polymerase II stably loads an NTP substrate at i+1 and forms a phosphodiester bond but cannot rapidly complete bond synthesis by releasing pyrophosphate. These observations support a role for incoming NTP substrates in stimulating translocation; results appear inconsistent with the secondary pore being the sole route of NTP entry for human RNA polymerase II, and results indicate mechanisms of dynamic error avoidance and error correction during rapid RNA synthesis.
Bimanual coordination in monkeys.

Abstract In respect to their agility and muscular coordination, monkeys in which the corpus callosum has been sectioned are hardly distinguishable from normal animals. Nevertheless, certain movement patterns involving the use of both hands might be expected to depend on direct connections between the hemispheres since the main cortical motor centers for each hand lie in opposite hemispheres. In these experiments a behavioral test was used to measure the proficiency in aim and timing of hand movements where the sensory information for direction, distance, and timing of the target came from proprioceptive and kinesthetic cues originating in the other arm. Testing of monkeys with various midline brain lesions showed that section of either the corpus callosum or tectal cross-connections alone produced only a transient loss of skill in the task. If forebrain and midbrain commissures were both severed, however, a long-lasting deficit became apparent when the task was attempted without vision. With visual guidance of hand movement, performance remained essentially normal. With continued postoperative practice over several months the accuracy of spatial coordination of hand movements slowly improved until even when working blind, performance scores were once again normal and further were unaffected by an almost complete midline division of the cerebellum.
An NADH-Dependent Acetoacetyl-CoA Reductase from Euglena gracilis: Purification and Characterization, Including Inhibition by Acyl Carrier Protein

An NADH-dependent acetoacetyl-CoA reductase from Euglena gracilis variety bacillaris was extensively purified and characterized. Two different isoelectric forms of the reductase with identical characteristics otherwise were found. The reductase was noncompetitively inhibited by acyl carrier protein, K(i) 5.6 micromolar at pH 5.4; this inhibition decreased with increasing pH or ionic strength. Coenzyme A was a competitive inhibitor, K(i) 230 micromolar. Kinetic parameters with respect to acetoacetyl-CoA and NADH were sensitive to changes in pH and ionic strength.
Upholding the Principle of Distinction in Counter-Terrorist Operations: A Dialogue

Abstract Asa Kasher and Amos Yadlin have recently argued for a revised principle of distinction under which states should prioritize the protection of their own soldiers over that of noncombatants in certain combat scenarios. The situations that they envision are those in which a state's army is forced to fight terrorists on terrain which is not under the state's effective control. Kasher dramatizes the argument that the soldiers' safety should be prioritized by setting up a hypothetical conversation between the state and a soldier who asks ‘Why should my state prefer an enemy citizen over me?’ Kasher challenges his readers to offer the soldier a morally compelling answer. This article responds to Kasher's challenge by presenting a dialogue in which a commander (representing the state) offers the soldier four arguments which together provide a convincing answer. The commander grounds his arguments in differences in the amount of choice exercised by soldiers and civilians, the divergent ways the operation ...
Seeded growth of HgZnTe by directional solidification using an initial composition profile simulating a “diffusion-boundary” layer

Hg 0.84 Zn 0.16 Te crystals were grown vertically by back-melting a series of precast segments followed by directional solidification. The predetermined composition profiles of these segments simulate the distribution of a diffusion boundary layer in the melt ahead of the solid-melt interface during the directional solidification experiment. Composition analysis of the grown crystals confirm that steady-state growth were achieved from the beginning of the growth process.
The Gastrointestinal Tract and AIDS Pathogenesis

Gastrointestinal disease has been recognized as a major manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus infection since the earliest recognition of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Originally, these disease manifestations were considered to be sequelae of the immune destruction that characterizes AIDS rather than being central to the pathogenesis of AIDS. Over time, it has become clear that the mucosal immune system in general and the intestinal immune system in particular are central to the pathogenesis of AIDS, with most of the critical events (eg, transmission, viral amplification, CD4+ T-cell destruction) occurring in the gastrointestinal tract. Compared with peripheral blood, these tissues are not easily accessible for analysis and have only begun to be examined in detail recently. In addition, although the resulting disease can progress over years, many critical events happen within the first few weeks of infection, when most patients are unaware that they are infected. Moreover, breakdown of the mucosal barrier and resulting microbial translocation are believed to be major drivers of AIDS progression. In this review, we focus on the interaction between primate lentiviruses and the gastrointestinal tract and discuss how this interaction promotes the pathogenesis of AIDS and drives immune dysfunction and progression to AIDS. This article draws extensively on work done in the nonhuman primate model of AIDS to fill gaps in our understanding of AIDS in humans.
Dynamics and hydrodynamic limits of the inelastic Boltzmann equation

We investigate the macroscopic description of a dilute, gas-like system of particles, which interact through binary collisions that conserve momentum and mass, but which dissipate energy, as in the case of granular media with inelastic collisions. Our starting point is on the mesoscopic level, through the Boltzmann equation. We deduce hydrodynamic equations for the macroscopic description that would reduce to the compressible Navier–Stokes equations if there were no energy dissipation. We do this in a regime where both the Knudsen number (the ratio of mesoscopic to macroscopic length scales) and the restitution deficit (which measures the inelasticity) are small but non-zero. In this regime, we show that for small values of the Knudsen number and small inelasticity it is possible to relate the actual dynamics to a reduced dynamics on a 'slow manifold', which in the limit of zero inelasticity and zero Knudsen number is simply the 'manifold' of local Maxwellians. Instead of expanding the Boltzmann equation itself, we expand this manifold in terms of these two small parameters. In this way, a number of ideas from the theory of dynamical systems, and especially geometric singular perturbation theory, enter our analysis. We discuss the resulting hydrodynamic equations, and compare them with those obtained by other researchers using other methods (suited to other regimes). As we explain here, the particular regime we investigate is especially interesting in the context of pattern formation in driven granular media.
Associations between Age, Gender, and Group Acceptance and Three Components of Friendship Quality

Associations between age, gender, and group acceptance and friendship interactions, communication, and perceptions were investigated among middle-childhood (8 through 10 years of age) and early-ado...
Active sodium transport and the electrophysiology of rabbit colon.

The electrophysiologic properties of rabbit colonic epithelial cells were investigated employing microelectrode techniques. Under open-circuit conditions, the transepithelial electrical potential difference (PD) averaged 20 mV, serosa positive, and the intracellular electrical potential (ψ mc ) averaged −32 mV, cell interior negative with respect to the mucosal solution; under short-circuit conditions,ψ mc averaged −46 mV. The addition of amiloride to the mucosal solution abolishes the transepithelialPD and active Na transport, andψ mc is hyperpolarized to an average value of −53 mV. These results indicate that Na entry into the mucosal cell is a conductive process which, normally, depolarizesψ mc . The data obtained were interpreted using a double-membrane equivalent electrical circuit model of the “active Na transport pathway” involving two voltage-independent electromotive forces (emf's) and two voltage-independent resistances arrayed in series. Our observations are consistent with the notions that:
Parent-Reported Temperament Trajectories Among Infant Siblings of Children with Autism

Temperament atypicalities have been documented in infancy and early development in children who develop autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The current study investigates whether there are differences in developmental trajectories of temperament between infants and toddlers with and without ASD. Parents of infant siblings of children with autism completed the Carey Temperament Scales about their child at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months of age. Temperament trajectories of children with ASD reflected increases over time in activity level, and decreasing adaptability and approach behaviors relative to high-risk typically developing (TD) children. This study is the first to compare temperament trajectories between high-risk TD infants and infants subsequently diagnosed with ASD in the developmental window when overt symptoms of ASD first emerge.
Digital processing of microradiographic and fluorochromic images from bone biopsy

Bone biopsy is an essential technique for the diagnosis of metabolic bone disease and the skeletal response to remedial therapeutic maneuvers. Among many approaches in analyzing the biopsy specimen, the imaging technique offers the greatest potential. The objective of this paper is to describe the methodologies developed for digital processing of microradiographic and fluorochromic images from bone biopsy. This procedure requires a microscope with conventional and ultraviolet illuminations, a vidicon camera with three color filters, a general purpose image processing system with three image memories, a digital computer with some specially tailored software programs. A good specimen preparation from bone biopsy is a prerequisite in assuring the success of the method. The methodology for processing the microradiographs is based on a completely developed procedure of black and white image processing. Production run is in progress. The methodology for processing the fluorochromic images is based on true color imaging, although the procedure is still preliminary, early results obtained so far are promising.
The orchestration of conscious experience by subcortical structures

It is argued that conscious emotional feelings can not be adequately explained by just particular circuits or coherent activations within the brain, as is conventionally believed; nor by activations representing environmental stimuli going to the brain. According to the model suggested herein, the limbic system responds to sensory and other inputs according to how closely they are associated with built-in rewards or punishments. It does this by (a) activating the autonomic nervous system so that it prepares the body to acquire a reward or avoid a punishment, and (b) also activating the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The PFC activations are temporally correlated with the autonomic activations and the feedback to them, so that they become identified with the autonomic attempts to acquire (a reward) or avoid (a punishment). The PFC circuit thus acquires a valence. The valence, along with arousal in a given context, underlies conscious emotional feelings. The model is related to: (a) how attention progresses along networks within working memory; (b) how a single, unified percept is formed; (c) how both value-based and cognitive-based responses are formulated; and (d) how the stream of consciousness is put together and driven forward. These concepts are integrated into a scenario of the orchestration of conscious experience and behaviour by subcortical-limbic system structures interacting with the cortex, and are shown to be consistent with much of the literature.
Whole beam method for photorefractive nonlinear optics

Abstract A whole beam split step method is developed for photorefractive nonlinear optics. The nonlinear optical beam coupling process is separated into short steps of diffractive propagation and application of calculated nonlinearity. The method includes the effects of diffractive propagation without using multi-wave coupled wave theory. Two-beam coupling of continous wave, femtosecond and reduced spatial coherence gaussian beams is used to illustrate the method.
Abnormal signal transduction: A hypothetical model for bipolar affective disorder

The molecular basis of bipolar affective disorder is poorly understood at this time. The episodic nature of the condition in which relatively euthymic periods of variable duration separate periods of mania and depression, and the specificity of lithium therapy suggests that a molecular target of the illness may be a system that bidirectionally influences neurotransmission and is affected by lithium. Signal transduction pathways, which are important mediators of neurotransmitter generated signals, may represent such a system because they: 1) generate second messenger molecules that stimulate neurotransmission and also mediate negative feedback mechanisms, and 2) appear to be a direct target of lithium's action on cells. In this paper, we present a model in which abnormal regulation of signal transduction could lead to the episodic accumulation of biologically active transducers or second messengers. These alterations may result in prolonged effector stimulation which may underlie mania, followed by excessive receptor desensitization, which may result in depression. Using our model we suggest a plausible hypothesis that can explain the clinical spectrum of the disorder and the therapeutic action of lithium.
Benefits of implementing a link nurse group across both an acute and a primary care trust

This paper describes how two tissue viability nurses, one from an acute trust and one from a primary care trust, joined forces to set up a link nurse group. This helped raise the profile of wound care and improve standards of care.
Reduction of Anxiety about Death: Need for Beliefs about Immortality

It was hypothesized that individuals who are reminded of their own mortality will experience anxiety which is reduced by an increased need for belief in immortality. A questionnaire assessing the need for literal and two forms of symbolic immortality was developed. Analysis showed that awareness of mortality increased scores on the need for literal immortality but not on either form of symbolic immortality.
Proof of three-flavor scattering formulas.

We detail the derivation of the two recently published formulas governing three-flavor meson-baryon scattering in the large-N/sub c/ limit.
Tubular aggregates in the nonpigmented epithelial cells of the ciliary body of the rhesus monkey

During a study of the ultrastructure of the ciliary body of rhesus monkeys, we found tubular aggregates in the nonpigmented epithelial cells of one adult. The tubular aggregates appeared in two structural forms. The less-abundant form consisted of a hexagonal array of strictly parallel tubules, 30 nm in diameter, contained within enlarged cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The more-abundant form consisted of apparently identical tubules individually surrounded by rough endoplasmic reticulum and arranged in groups in which a high degree of parallelism was displayed. The observations strongly suggest that these two forms are related. We conclude that the most likely relationship is that the individual tubules progressively organize, leading to the highly organized aggregates by fusion of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Similar tubular aggregates reported from a metastatic human melanoma suggest to us that this might be an early stage of neoplasia.