cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative analysis of the nuclear basic proteins in rat, human, guinea pig, mouse and rabbit spermatozoa

Abstract Cysteine-rich protamines (Arg  47–61%; Cys  8–16%) were isolated from the sperm of an individual guinea pig, human and rabbit and from pooled samples of mouse and rat sperm. Appreciable concentrations of histones were not found in the sperm nuclei of these species. In addition to the protamines, a substance of relatively low molecular weight, which reacted with the Lowry reagent, appeared in crude acid-soluble extracts of sperm nucleoprotein. This unidentified contaminent was resolved from the protamines by chromatography on Bio-Rex 70. Heterogeneity of human and mouse protamines was revealed by electrophoresis at pH 2.7, in the presence of 2.5 M urea, and confirmed by amino acid analysis, which also suggested the presence of 2 or more species of protamine in the rabbit. By contrast, the guinea pig and rat preparations displayed nearly stoichiometric ratios of amino acid residues, approaching homogeneity by this criterion. The functional consequences of crosslinks between cysteine residues of these proteins and the possible species-specific significance of their differing percentages of histidine are discussed. Potentially analogous functions are suggested for phosphorylated serine and threonine, and for ionized cysteine and tyrosine, within the protamines of developing spermatids. Their amino acid compositions indicate that the protamines of eutherian mammals are coded by a C·G-rich genome which has been unusually susceptible to genetic drift. An especially high rate of G a A transitions seems to have occurred in the human protamine genes.
Student preferences for domestic‐made or imported apparel as influenced by shopping habits

Information regarding consumer awareness of imports has been an ongoing concern of the textile and apparel industries. This study was undertaken to provide additional information about attitudes of apparel imports from the viewpoints of college students. The results support those of earlier studies for the most part. Data analysis, in contrast to other studies, showed no clear preference toward either domestic or imported apparel. However, there was concern and strong support for the U.S. textile and apparel industries. Most students indicated that they would purchase domestic apparel over imported apparel to help the U.S. economy.
George Campbell and the revolution in inventional theory

(1950). George Campbell and the revolution in inventional theory. The Southern Speech Journal: Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 270-276.
Choosing to Avoid: Coping with Negatively Emotion-Laden Consumer Decisions

This article addresses how consumers resolve decisions involving conflict between attributes linked to highly valued goals, such as an automobile purchase decision requiring determination of how much safety one is willing to sacrifice in order to obtain other benefits. One salient goal for these decisions may be coping with or minimizing the negative emotion generated during decision making. The conceptual framework developed in this article predicts that choosing avoidant options (e.g., the option to maintain the status quo) can satisfy coping goals by minimizing explicit confrontation of negative potential decision consequences and difficult trade-offs. Two experiments demonstrate that reported emotion can be altered by manipulating decision attributes, that the opportunity to choose an avoidant option mitigates levels of reported emotion, and that increasingly emotion-laden decision environments are associated with more choice of avoidant options. Mediation analyses indicate that actual choice of an avoidant option results in less retrospective negative emotion (in experiment 1) and that increased initial negative emotion results in increased choice of avoidant options (in experiment 2). Mediation analyses for experiment 2 also indicate that increased response times mediate avoidant choice, in contrast to explanations of the status quo bias and similar choice phenomena that appeal to decision makers' desires to minimize cognitive effort.
Solid electrochemical modification of semiconductors

Abstract It is shown that the properties of semiconductors can be modified by solid electrochemical cells. These cells can be used as dopant sources for introduction of impurities into the semiconductor lattice. The solid electrolyte is so chosen that the ionic conducting species are the desired dopants. The controllability of the doping operation is very sensitive and either a constant concentration or a specified concentration profile can be achieved. These cells can also be used to modify the semiconductor surfaces such that only limited penetration of impurities is achieved.
Death of the TonB Shuttle Hypothesis

A complex of ExbB, ExbD, and TonB transduces cytoplasmic membrane (CM) proton motive force (pmf) to outer membrane (OM) transporters so that large, scarce, and important nutrients can be released into the periplasmic space for subsequent transport across the CM. TonB is the component that interacts with the OM transporters and enables ligand transport, and several mechanical models and a shuttle model explain how TonB might work. In the mechanical models, TonB remains attached to the CM during energy transduction, while in the shuttle model the TonB N terminus leaves the CM to deliver conformationally stored potential energy to OM transporters. Previous efforts to test the shuttle model by anchoring TonB to the CM by fusion to a large globular cytoplasmic protein have been hampered by the proteolytic susceptibility of the fusion constructs. Here we confirm that GFP-TonB, tested in a previous study by another laboratory, again gave rise to full-length TonB and slightly larger potentially “shuttleable” fragments that prevented unambiguous interpretation of the data. Recently, we discovered that a fusion of the Vibrio cholerae ToxR cytoplasmic domain to the N terminus of TonB was proteolytically stable. ToxR-TonB was able to be completely converted into a proteinase K-resistant conformation in response to loss of pmf in spheroplasts and exhibited an ability to form a pmf-dependent formaldehyde crosslink to ExbD, both indicators of its location in the CM. Most importantly, ToxR-TonB had the same relative specific activity as wild-type TonB. Taken together, these results provide the first conclusive evidence that TonB does not shuttle during energy transduction. The interpretations of our previous study, which concluded that TonB shuttled in vivo, were complicated by the fact that the probe used in those studies, Oregon Green® 488 maleimide, was permeant to the CM and could label proteins, including a TonB ∆TMD derivative, confined exclusively to the cytoplasm.
Metastatic colorectal cancer cells induce matrix metalloproteinase release by human monocytes

Matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) and -9 (MMP-9) facilitate tumor invasion and metastasis via basement membrane degradation. In colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens, MMP production is largely stromal in origin, implicating monocytes (Mϕs) and fibroblasts. We hypothesize that CRC cells induce stromal cell MMP production. This study examines the differential effect of metastatic and non-metastatic CRC cells on Mϕ MMP production. The human Mϕ line THP-1 was co-cultured with either a non-metastatic human CRC cell line (SW620-P) or a metastatic clone (SW620-S5) established by serial cecal transplantation of SW620-P in nude mice. Conditioned medium MMP activity and cellular MMP mRNA expression were assessed by gelatinase zymography and Northern blot analysis, respectively. Neither CRC line released MMP-2 or MMP-9. Isolated THP-1 Mϕs produced basal levels of both MMP-2 and MMP-9. The level of MMP-9 activity was increased moderately by co-culture of Mϕs with the metastatic SW620-S5 clone, but decreased by the non-metastatic SW620-P cells. MMP-2 activity was greatly augmented by co-culturing Mϕs with SW620-S5 cells, but was not affected by SW620-P cells. The stimulatory effect of SW620-S5 cells on MMP-2 secretion was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Both isolated and co-cultured (Mϕs) expressed MMP-2 mRNA while SW620-S5 cells under similar conditions did not, implicating Mϕs as the source of increased MMP-2 activity. Since the induction of MMP-2 activity was not associated with a parallel increase in Mϕ MMP-2 mRNA, the modulation of Mϕ MMP-2 release appears to be post-transcriptionally regulated. Metastatic CRC cells are distinct from non-metastatic cells in their ability to induce Mϕ MMP release. This observation emphasizes the role of Mϕ-derived MMPs in facilitating CRC invasion and metastasis and suggests modulation of stromal cell MMP production by CRC cells in a paracrine fashion.
Giant enhancement in UV response of ZnO nanobelts by polymer surface-functionalization.

High sensitivity photodetectors are of great significance in developing a new generation of optoelectronic devices in sensing, imaging, and other applications. In this Communication, highly sensitive UV detectors based on ZnO nanobelts (NBs) are achieved by polymer surface-functionalization. The UV-induced photoconductance in ZnO NBs increases by 5 orders of magnitude after functionalizing, using a polymer that exhibits large UV absorption. The huge increase in photoconductance is attributed to an electron−hole generation process as assisted by the energy states in the polymer. This study suggests that, by selecting polymers with different wavelengths of UV absorption, highly sensitive UV detectors with a large range of detection wavelengths can be fabricated using ZnO NBs.
Nicotinamide-NAD sequence: electrochemical and allied chemical behavior☆

Abstract Electrochemical redox mechanisms in aqueous and non-aqueous media, including associated chemical reactions, structure and behaviour of intermediate species, and phenomena such as adsorption, have been elucidated for a sequence of compounds ranging from nicotinamide to NAD+. Dimerization rates of the free radicals, produced on the initial one-electron reduction, have been measured. The electrochemical behaviour has been correlated with structural, solvation, molecular orbital and other pertinent characteristics and parameters.
Interleukin-1β Induces Differential Adhesiveness on Human Endothelial Cell Surfaces

Abstract The adhesive strength between HL-60 and endothelial cells activated with IL-1β was investigated according to the region (area) on the endothelial cell surface where the HL-60 cell was attached (nuclear, junctional, or cytoplasmic). Using a micropipette single-cell manipulation system, we demonstrated that the increase of adhesive force was due to the activation of the endothelial cell with IL-1β and a function of the region of the endothelial cell. The increase in adhesion strength due to the increased expression of E-Selectin on the endothelial cell was studied by the addition of monoclonal antibodies against E-Selectin, ICAM-1, VCAM, and PECAM-1. Our findings suggest that the greatest adhesive strength was seen in the junctional region where the antibodies could not block the adhesion. However, the contribution of E-Selectin was significant in the nuclear region.
Instructional strategies for long-term success.

Through a qualitative research study we developed a model of employment success based on the experiences of successful adults with learning disabilities. This model may be particularly useful to students with learning disabilities in helping them experience success both in school and beyond. We suggest that the components of the model—internal decisions comprising desire, goal orientation, and reframing, and external manifestations or behaviors of persistence, goodness of fit, learned creativity, and favorable social ecologies—can be systematically taught and then used. By focusing on what has worked for adults with learning disabilities, we propose that the model taps into inherent strengths that can compensate for significant limitations associated with learning disabilities. The model does not guarantee success, but it does equip students with learning disabilities with a readiness to capitalize on opportunities that they might otherwise miss.
Economic Costs and Benefits of Healthy Eating

Most Americans fail to meet federal dietary recommendations. This may be partly due to the costs of healthy eating. This article reviews the costs and benefits of healthy eating. On the cost side, we discuss food prices, food preparation and other time costs, transportation costs, psychological costs, costs of obtaining nutrition information, and costs of longer life expectancy. We do not summarize these costs with a single dollar value as the current literature does not provide estimates to support such quantification. In terms of benefits, we focus on five health conditions for which poor diet is a major risk factor: coronary heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and osteoporotic hip fractures. We estimate the benefits of healthy eating in the United States to be $114.5 billion per year (in 2012 dollars) in medical savings, increased productivity, and the value of prolonged life that are associated with reductions in these five conditions.
Effects of aging on the size, density, and number of rhesus monkey lateral geniculate neurons.

Visual abilities decline during aging, and many of these declines are due to neural changes in the retina or brain. We have begun studies of the monkey visual system to investigate the location and nature of these changes as well as to answer general questions about the effects of aging on neural structure and function. We began with the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) because it is the main structure through which visual information passes on the way to cortex and because the parallel parvicellular and magnocellular pathways are most easily identified and studied in the LGN. In the present experiment, we determined the sizes, densities, and numbers of LGN neurons in young-adult (5 to 12.5 years) and old (23 to 27.5 years) rhesus monkeys. The measures were corrected for tissue shrinkage, and stereological procedures were used that yield unbiased estimates. In young-adult monkeys, neuron densities were lower in the magnocellular layers (about 14,000/mm3) than in the parvicellular layers (23,000/mm3). Neuron density increased about 28% from anterior to posterior in both types of layers. There was an average of approximately 1,267,000 neurons in the parvicellular layers and 148,000 neurons in the magnocellular layers; however, there was substantial variability (1.9-fold) among five brains studied. Aging produced a statistically significant decrease in neuron density in both the magnocellular (29% average decrease) and parvicellular (41% average decrease) layers. However, there was no significant loss of neurons. Rather, the density decrease was due to a small (nonsignificant) decrease in the number of neurons combined with a small (nonsignificant) increase in LGN volume. The increase in LGN volume was due to a significant increase in neuron soma-size and proportional increases in the volume of glial cells, blood vessels, and neuropil. These results, together with those of other studies, suggest that the effects of aging on the primate visual pathway from retina through striate cortex are relatively subtle. It is possible that the major neural changes occur more centrally. Alternatively, individual differences in the effects of aging may require much larger samples or prior screening to observe consistent changes. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Qubit metrology and decoherence

Quantum properties of the probes used to estimate a classical parameter can be used to attain accuracies that beat the standard quantum limit. When qubits are used to construct a quantum probe, it is known that initializing n qubits in an entangled state, rather than in a separable state, can improve the measurement uncertainty by a factor of 1/{radical}(n). We investigate how the measurement uncertainty is affected when the individual qubits in a probe are subjected to decoherence. In the face of such decoherence, we regard the rate R at which qubits can be generated and the total duration {tau} of a measurement as fixed resources, and we determine the optimal use of entanglement among the qubits and the resulting optimal measurement uncertainty as functions of R and {tau}.
Sediment modeling system enhances education and research

The Community Sediment Modeling System (CSMS) is a new Earth sciences initiative to develop a community-built and freely available suite of integrated, ever-improving software modules that predict the transport and accumulation of sediment in landscapes and sedimentary basins over a broad range of time and space scales. The initiative will allow sedimentary modelers from the geological, oceanographic, and engineering communities to determine the optimum algorithms, input parameters, feedback loops, and observations to better predict sedimentary processes and their products.
The structure of illudol

Abstract Detailed evidence is given for the structure and partial stereochemistry of illudol, a sesquiterpenoid triol obtained from the Basidiomycete Clitocybe illudens .
Co-occurrence of γ-aminobutyric acid, parvalbumin and the neurotensin-related neuropeptide LANT6 in pallidal, nigral and striatal neurons in pigeons and monkeys

Abstract Immunohistochemical double-labeling techniques were used to examine the co-localization of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin and the neurotensin-related hexapeptide LANT6 in neurons of the striatum and its target areas in pigeons and monkeys. The studies revealed the existence of a population of striatal interneurons apparently containing all three of these substances in both monkeys and pigeons. The results also revealed that GABA and LANT6 were co-localized in numerous pallidal and nigral reticulata neurons that also contained parvalbumin in both species. Examination of diverse other cell groups in avian forebrain and midbrain revealed that parvalbumin and LANT6 were typically co-localized to GABAergic neurons. In light of the presence of pallidal, reticulata and striatal neurons containing these three substances in two widely divergent amniote groups such as pigeons and monkeys, it seems likely that: (1) comparable neuronal populations are present in other avian and mammalian species; and (2) these neuronal populations play a fundamental role in basal ganglia functions that requires these three substances.
COUNTING EUROPEAN SLAVES ON THE BARBARY COAST

A partir des sources documentaires disponibles, l'A. tente d'evaluer l'impact global de la piraterie des corsaires musulmans dans et autour du Bassin mediterraneen entre les 16 eme et 19 eme siecles. S'il existe des etudes partielles, aucune evaluation de l'impact global sur l'economie sociale regionale n'a ete realisee jusqu'a present, notamment en ce qui concerne l'estimation du nombre d'esclaves chretiens, blancs et europeens captures en Mediterranee. Selon l'A., l'importance de la traite des esclaves sur la Cote barbaresque est plus importante que ne le laisse penser les etudes ponctuelles, les chiffres reels pouvant depasser le million d'esclaves captures.
Common Patterns of Person-Environment Interaction in Persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis

This study’s purpose was to identify and describe common patterns of person-environment interaction in persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Newman’s propositions about pattern provided the theoretical foundation, and a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques were used to recognize pattern. Sixty-six adults diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis completed questionnaires that assessed characteristic ways of functioning. Iterative cluster analysis of the data identified five distinct groups of individuals with similar response profiles. Content analysis of each group’s characteristics produced a core theme representing the nature of the common pattern. The finding of multiple, distinct common patterns of person-environment interaction within the population of persons with RA is consistent with findings in other populations. Further study of the common patterns, in relation to health outcomes, has potential for increasing knowledge about the sources of different health experiences among persons with...
π‐Electron systems: Recent developments in electronic spectroscopy and the PPP model

The PPP model gives good account of the recently measured MCD signs and polarizations of ππ* transitions in hydrocarbons. The previously predicted mirror-image relation between the MCD spectra of two species paired in the sense of alternant symmetry has now been verified experimentally. Consideration of pairing properties suggests a classification of π-electron chromophores into “hard,” whose MCD sign pattern is intrinsic and little affected by substituents, and “soft” (those paired with themselves), whose MCD sign pattern is dominated by the substituents and heteroatoms present. In many instances, prediction of the substituent-induced signs requires no more than an inspection of the Huckel orbitals of the parent hydrocarbon. Agreement with experiment is very good for low-energy transitions.
Pericardial Fat and Myocardial Perfusion in Asymptomatic Adults from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background Pericardial fat has adverse effects on the surrounding vasculature. Previous studies suggest that pericardial fat may contribute to myocardial ischemia in symptomatic individuals. However, it is unknown if pericardial fat has similar effects in asymptomatic individuals.
In situ analysis of the cardiac muscle gene program during embryogenesis.

During the last decade, gene expression in cardiac muscle of the developing embryo has been examined in situ with the use of nucleic acid probes and antibodies. With growth and maturation from a simple tube to a four-chambered organ, the myocardium undergoes a complex series of developmental changes in the temporal and spatial expression patterns of a number of structural and transcription factor genes. Studies of embryonic hearts suggest that different populations of cardiac myocytes might appear during development. These in vivo results are summarized and discussed in the context of the morphogenetic events that shape the myocardium.
Nitrogen retention in the hyporheic zone of a glacial river in interior Alaska

We examined the hydrologic controls on nitrogen biogeochemistry in the hyporheic zone of the Tanana River, a glacially-fed river, in interior Alaska. We measured hyporheic solute concentrations, gas partial pressures, water table height, and flow rates along subsurface flowpaths on two islands for three summers. Denitrification was quantified using an in situ 15NO 3 − push–pull technique. Hyporheic water level responded rapidly to change in river stage, with the sites flooding periodically in mid−July to early−August. Nitrate concentration was nearly 3-fold greater in river (ca. 100 μg NO 3 − –N l−1) than hyporheic water (ca. 38 μg NO 3 − –N l−1), but approximately 60–80% of river nitrate was removed during the first 50 m of hyporheic flowpath. Denitrification during high river stage ranged from 1.9 to 29.4 mg N kg sediment−1 day−1. Hotspots of methane partial pressure, averaging 50,000 ppmv, occurred in densely vegetated sites in conjunction with mean oxygen concentration below 0.5 mgO2 l−1. Hyporheic flow was an important mechanism of nitrogen supply to microbes and plant roots, transporting on average 0.41 gNO 3 − –N m−2 day−1, 0.22 g NH 4 + –N m−2 day−1, and 3.6 g DON m−2 day−1 through surface sediment (top 2 m). Our results suggest that denitrification can be a major sink for river nitrate in boreal forest floodplain soils, particularly at the river-sediment interface. The stability of the river hydrograph and the resulting duration of soil saturation are key factors regulating the redox environment and anaerobic metabolism in the hyporheic zone.
Journal Use by Graduate Students as Indicated by Master's Theses Bibliographies at an Urban Commuter College, 1991-2004.

Abstract Citation analyses were carried out on master's theses in three disciplines: forensic psychology, forensic science, and criminal justice, completed and deposited in the John Jay College Library from 1991 to 2004. The aim was to determine the effect of availability of electronic journals on students' choice of references. The number of journal citations and the ratio of journal articles to all citations were assessed. Criminal justice theses listed more citations than either science or psychology theses, but relatively fewer journal articles. An increase over time was seen in the number of journal articles cited and in the ratio of journal articles to all citations only for the psychology theses. Few students identified whether the work cited was consulted in electronic or print format.
On the probabilistic approach to heterogeneous structure interactions in agent-based computational models

The paper suggests a unified stochastic method in order to simulate multi-agent interactions in heterogeneous complex systems. This approach (which appears phenomenological if it is not agent-based) can describe precisely the average outcomes of multiple agent-based computations (where there is a lack of probabilistic insight). The recent discussions about the gap between agent-based computational models (ABM) and stochastic analytical models have stimulated the present research (Feng et al., 2012 [1] and Kononovicius and Gontis, 2013 [2]). In general, agent-based modeling is currently a technique widely used to simulate complex systems in computer science and social sciences. The present developments in the physics of complex systems, in particular the structural relaxation of supercooled liquids and glasses, are also discussed by using such probabilistic approach. It is possible to depict the impact of interface between the nucleus considered as a cluster of a certain number of molecules and the liquid phase for the enhancement of the overall nucleation process. In this study, a useful aggregation procedure for representing the three-dimensional distribution of states and a general equation that describes clustering process among interacting agents in heterogeneous populations are proposed.
The Television Social Network: Exploring TV Characters

This article explores changes in television criticism through the lens of the online social network. This new lens reinvigorates television scholarship to reinterpret character relationships as central to the television text. By looking at the complex connections between text, character, and audience the network engenders, we can see how today's television links audience to character through a “social networking mode” within the text, redefining and updating television scholarship for the twenty-first century.
Disentangling the Life Domain:How Does Serious Leisure Influence Task Performance at Work?

Although significant research has shown how the family domain crosses over to influence the work domain, the family literature entangles personal, leisure activities as part of the family domain, t...
Successful outpatient management of patients with ventricular assist devices: A 14 year experience

ment has become an accepted method of extending the life of these patients. An abdominal only approach (AOA) has been used in an effort to minimize the morbidity and mortality for these patients. Methods: From May 2001 to December 2003 fourteen patients required HeartMate LVAD (Thoratec Corporation, Pleasanton, CA) replacements. Eleven (79%) patients were found to be suitable candidates for the abdominal only approach. Results: Ten (91%) procedures were completed using the abdominal only approach, while one (9%) was converted to sternotomy intraoperatively. Perioperative mortality was 10% for AOA replacement. Patients who underwent pump replacement via AOA required less time to recover than they did for their initial implant. The average ICU stay for initial pump placement was 9.6 days, while the ICU stay following AOA pump replacement was 5.9 days, a decrease of 38.5%. The average implant to discharge time for initial implant patients was 25.5 days. The average implant to discharge time following AOA pump replacement was 12.2 days, resulting in a 52.2% decrease. Conclusions: Our single center experience suggests that patients who undergo pump replacement using an abdominal only approach have shorter ICU and implant to discharge durations than they did during their initial pump implant. An abdominal only approach for LVAD replacement should be considered as a viable alternative to sternotomy when possible.
Objectively measured physical activity predicts hip and spine bone mineral content in children and adolescents ages 5-15 years: iowa bone development study.

This study examined the association between physical activity (PA) and bone mineral content (BMC; g) from middle childhood to middle adolescence and compared the impact of vigorous-intensity PA (VPA) over moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA). Participants from the Iowa Bone Development Study were examined at ages 5, 8, 11, 13, and 15 yr (n=369, 449, 452, 410, 307, respectively). MVPA and VPA (min/day) were measured using ActiGraph accelerometers. Anthropometry was used to measure body size and somatic maturity. Spine BMC and hip BMC were measured via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Sex-specific multi-level linear models were fit for spine BMC and hip BMC, adjusted for weight (kg), height (cm), linear age (yr), non-linear age (yr2), and maturity (pre peak height velocity vs. at/post peak height velocity). The interaction effects of PA×maturity and PA×age were tested. We also examined differences in spine BMC and hip BMC between the least (10th percentile) and most (90th percentile) active participants at each examination period. Results indicated that PA added to prediction of BMC throughout the 10-year follow-up, except MVPA did not predict spine BMC in females. Maturity and age did not modify the PA effect for males nor females. At age 5, the males at the 90th percentile for VPA had 8.5% more hip BMC than males in the 10th percentile for VPA. At age 15, this difference was 2.0%. Females at age 5 in the 90th percentile for VPA had 6.1% more hip BMC than those in the 10th percentile for VPA. The age 15 difference was 1.8%. VPA was associated with BMC at weight-bearing skeletal sites from childhood to adolescence, and the effect was not modified by maturity or age. Our findings indicate the importance of early and sustained interventions that focus on VPA. Approaches focused on MVPA may be inadequate for optimal bone health, particularly for females.
Dependence of X-Ray Generation of Interface Traps on Gate Metal Induced Interfacial Stress in MOS Structures

In a series of experiments, we deliberately altered the interfacial stress distribution in MOS structures by varying the mechanical properties of the gate Al films. Subsequently, we found that the generation of interface traps resulting from exposure to X-ray was strongly correlated to this stress distribution. For a given oxide process and radiation dose, a universal curve could be established, which relates the density of radiation-induced interface traps to the interfacial stress distribution. An explanation based on the strained bond model will be proposed, which incorporates the effect of the gate-induced stress distribution on the oxide bond strain gradient near the SiO2/Si interface.
Synthetic battery cycling

The use of interactive computer graphics is suggested as an aid in battery system development. Mathematical representations of simplistic but fully representative functions of many electrochemical concepts of current practical interest will permit battery level charge and discharge phenomena to be analyzed in a qualitative manner prior to the assembly and testing of actual hardware. This technique is a useful addition to the variety of tools available to the battery system designer as he bridges the gap between interesting single cell life test data and reliable energy storage subsystems.
Seasonal variations in circulating levels of progesterone and estradiol in unmated adult female woodchucks (Marmota monax) in captivity.

Abstract The annual profile of serum levels of progesterone (P) and estradiol-17s (E2) was characterized in a seasonally breeding rodent, the woodchuck ( Marmota monax ). Hormonal levels are determined in serum samples taken at weekly or biweekly intervals from unmated female woodchucks maintained all year indoors under controlled conditions of photoperiod and temperature. Annual fluctuations included a rise of E2 levels during late January through February, followed by a modest increase in plasma P concentrations by late March, the latter attaining peak values during April and May. A temporal dissociation of peak values of circulating levels of P and E2 during the annual reproductive cycle was also detected. The timing of changes in serum levels of P and E2 in these captive woodchucks corresponded to reproductive events during the normal breeding season of the woodchuck in the southern part of its range.
Linear asymptotic equilibrium and uniform, exponential, and strict stability of linear difference systems

Following an idea originated by Conti for continuous matrix functions, an equivalence relation called summable similarity is defined on pairs of n × n matrix functions A and B. Special cases of the results show that if A and B are summably similar and the system (A) Δxm = Amxm, m = 0, 1, 2, ... is uniformly, exponentially, or strictly stable, or has linear asymptotic equilibrium, then the system (B) Δym = Bmym, m = 0, 1, 2,... has the same property. More generally, the same conclusion is obtained under weaker conditions relating A and B.
Can Users Judge the Stair-Climbing Abilities of Two-Wheeled Self-Balancing Robots?

This experiment examined users’ abilities to judge whether an autonomous robot can accomplish a given task. It was predicted that 1) participants would differentiate the action-capabilities of short and tall robots, 2) participants would base their judgments on an action-relevant scalar, and 3) participants’ judgments would be accurate. All three predictions were supported. This is important because it suggests that users may be able to accurately judge whether an autonomous robot can accomplish a given task without having previously observed that robot perform that task. The ability to do so will be very important as users increasingly ask their robots to perform tasks that the robots’ designers may have never considered.
Treatment planning for negative pi-meson radiation therapy: Simultaneous multi-port irradiation with the Stanford Medical Pion Generator (SMPG)

Abstract The cylindrical geometry of the Stanford Medical Pion Generator (SMPG) offers promise in achieving pion star fractions from 0.57 to 0.67 within the tumor volume and tumor to entrance region dose ratios of greater than 25:1 for tumor volumes up to 10 cm dia. The star fractions and tumor to entrance region dose ratios decrease slightly with increasing tumor diameters in the same water phantom but do not change for the same tumor diameter in water phantoms with radii from 10 to 20 cm. Although the radial pseudo-penumbrae (distance between the 90% and 20% isodose lines) for 60 beams with a ±2% momentum spread are 2.6 and 3.1 cm for 15 and 20 cm range (in water) pion beams, the dose distributions are superior to those achievable with X-rays and neutrons. In addition, the sparing of normal tissues can be further improved by selectively omitting some of the 60 pion beams, by using a smaller momentum spread or by using pious of lower mean momentum. The tailoring of the irradiation volume along the axis of symmetry of the SMPG is influenced primarily by the length of the pion production target and will require a compromise between the ideal tumor volume configuration and the inherent focal properties of the SMPG. Thus each treatment plan will require careful consideration of the numerous interrelationships between the physical characteristics of the patient and tumor volume and the treatment parameters of the SMPG.
WAVE SLAM ON HORIZONTAL MEMBERS OF AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM

This paper deals with wave slam on a horizontal member in the splash zone of an offshore platform. The results reported are from the first phase of a test program designed to develop an understanding of wave slam. An experimental study was performed in which a model was subjected to the action of regular waves in a laboratory tank. Results of this preliminary work, while not immediately applicable to design, provide greater insight into the nature of the forces involved, and clearly show the necessity of additional study and the questions such study must answer. This test also has demonstrated the feasibility of carrying out such studies in a laboratory environment at small scale.
Seizure recurrence risk following a first seizure in neurologically normal children.

SUMMARY Purpose: To define seizure recurrence rates in normal children who had had a single seizure and to define electroencephalography (EEG) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utility in predicting seizure recurrence. Methods: We studied 150 children (6 to 14 years) with a first afebrile, unprovoked seizure. Inclusion criteria were: Normal physical and neurological examination, undergone EEG and MRI studies of the brain, and followed for at least 27 months. These children participated in an ongoing prospective study of new onset seizures in childhood. Results:The seizure recurrence rate was 66.4%. An abnormal EEG had no association with seizure recurrence at 9, 18, or 27 months (p ¼ 0.1806, p ¼ 0.2792, and p ¼ 0.2379, respectively). A ‘‘significant’’ MRI abnormality, which occurred in 16.0% of patients, was associated with an increased seizure recurrence risk at 9 months (p ¼ 0.0389) but not at 18 or 27 months. Discussion: EEG findings poorly predict recurrence after a single seizure. The high rate of MRI abnormalities suggests that MRI may need consideration as a routine test to evaluate epilepsy in normal children.
Significance and detection of conductive lesions in children with multiple handicaps.

Abstract This report discusses the importance of finding conductive lesions in multiply handicapped children both from a medical and communicative point of view. The use of acoustic impedance measurements is discussed as a procedure for determining the presence or absence of conductive lesions. It is emphasized that children may have conductive lesions along with sensorineural hearing losses and that care must be taken to find out if this is the case.
Attitudes, style, and socialization: Predictors of commitment and satisfaction in workgroups

Employees reported attitudes about working in workgroups, their communicator style (relaxed, friendly, and attentiveness), and perceptions of socialization in groups at work. They also reported their commitment to the organization, job satisfaction, and satisfaction with the workplace (ORGSAT). Positive relationships were found between ORGSAT and attitudes, relaxed and friendly styles, and socialization. Multiple Regression analysis demonstrated that socialization best predicted ORGSAT and mediated the relationship between attitudes and friendly style with ORGSAT. Discussion includes the implications for research and the applied value of the findings.
The dynamics and control of fluctuating pressure loads in the reattachment region of a supersonic free shear layer

The primary aim is to investigate the mechanisms which cause the unsteady wall-pressure fluctuations in shock wave turbulent shear layer interactions. The secondary aim is to find means to reduce the magnitude of the fluctuating pressure loads by controlling the unsteady shock motion. The particular flow proposed for study is the unsteady shock wave interaction formed in the reattachment zone of a separated supersonic flow. Similar flows are encountered in many practical situations, and they are associated with high levels of fluctuating wall pressure. Wall pressure fluctuations were measured in the reattachment region of the supersonic free shear layer. The free shear layer was formed by the separation of a Mach 2.9 turbulent boundary layer from a backward facing step. Reattachment occurred on a 20 deg ramp. By adjusting the position of the ramp, the base pressure was set equal to the freestream pressure, and the free shear layer formed in the absence of a separation shock. An array of flush-mounted, miniature, high-frequency pressure transducers was used to make multichannel measurements of the fluctuating wall pressure in the vicinity of the reattachment region. Contrary to previous observations of this flow, the reattachment region was found to be highly unsteady, and the pressure fluctuations were found to be significant. The overall behavior of the wall pressure loading is similar in scale and magnitude to the unsteadiness of the wall pressure field in compression ramp flows at the same Mach number. Rayleigh scattering was used to visualize the instantaneous shock structure in the streamwise and spanwise direction. Spanwise wrinkles on the order of half the boundary layer thickness were observed.
Investigation of geotextile–soil interaction under a cyclic vertical load using the discrete element method

Geotextiles are often used in roadway construction as separation, filtration, and reinforcement. Their performance as reinforcement in geotextile-reinforced bases depends on geotextile–soil interaction. This paper investigates the geotextile–soil interaction under a cyclic wheel load using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). In this study, soil was modeled as unbonded particles using the linear contact stiffness model, and the geotextile was modeled as bonded particles. The micro-parameters of the soil and the geotextile were determined using biaxial tests and a tensile test, respectively. The influence of the placement depth and the stiffness of the geotextile on the performance of the reinforced base was investigated. The DEM results show that the depth of the geotextile significantly affected the degree of interaction between the geotextile and the soil. Under the applied cyclic vertical load, the geotextile developed a low tensile strain. The effect of the stiffness of the geotextile on the deformation was more significant when the geotextile was placed at a shallower location than when placed at a deeper location.
AAV2 delivery of Flt23k intraceptors inhibits murine choroidal neovascularization.

Long-term inhibition of extracellular vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may induce retinal neuronal toxicity and risk other side effects. We developed a novel strategy which inhibits retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-derived VEGF, sparing other highly sensitive retinal tissues. Flt23k, an intraceptor inhibitor of VEGF, was able to inhibit VEGF in vitro. Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2)–mediated expression of Flt23k was maintained for up to 6 months postsubretinal injection in mice. Flt23k was able to effectively inhibit laser-induced murine choroidal neovascularization (CNV). VEGF levels in the RPE/choroid complex decreased significantly in AAV2.Flt23k treated eyes. Neither retinal structure detected by Heidelberg Spectralis nor function measured by electroretinography (ERG) was adversely affected by treatment with AAV2.Flt23k. Hence AAV2.Flt23k can effectively maintain long-term expression and inhibit laser-induced CNV in mice through downregulation of VEGF while maintaining a sound retinal safety profile. These findings suggest a promising novel approach for the treatment of CNV.
The applicability of the burgess zonal hypothesis to urban Canada

A replication for Canada of Schnore's studies of socio-economic differentiation between United States central cities and suburbs produces generally similar results, although the Canadian patterns are by no means as pronounced or conclusive. Older, larger and highly suburbanized Canadian areas are most apt to have high-status groups over-represented in the suburbs and low-status groups over-represented in the central city. Furthermore, this pattern of socio-economic differentiation is found less often in Canadian areas than in the United States areas which tend to be older and larger. A study of change over time also suggests a movement toward socio-economic differentiation between city and suburb. These results are consistent with the Burgess zonal hypothesis which argues that lower-status groups increasingly inhabit the central section and upperstatus groups the outskirts as cities grow.
Contribution of metapelitic sediments to the composition, heat production, and seismic velocity of the lower crust of southern New Mexico, U.S.A.

Abstract Granulite xenoliths erupted at Kilbourne Hole maar were recently extracted from the lower crust of southern New Mexico. Garnet- and sillimanite-bearing quartzofeldspathic xenoliths had pelitic protoliths and were probably emplaced in the lower crust by tectonic underplating at a lower Proterozoic subduction zone. Thus the Kilbourne Hole metapelitic xenoliths illustrate the potential role of tectonosedimentary processes at convergent margins in determining the ultimate composition of the crust. Average P-wave velocities for metapelitic xenoliths from Kilbourne Hole are ∼ 7 km/s at 6 kbar, like those of mafic metagabbros and anorthosites. However, in contrast to mafic lithologies, the major element composition of the representative pelitic paragneiss (RPP) described in this paper is relatively siliceous and like that of average upper crust. Except for depletions of U and Cs, the trace element characteristics of the RPP are like those of pelitic sediments and are 3–10 times higher than those typically estimated for the lower crust. The heat production of the RPP is high (1.0 μW/m3) as are those of many granulite- and amphibolite-grade metapelites. In general, portions of the lower crust in which sediments are present may be high in light ion lithophile and rare earth element abundances, heat production, δ18O, and87Sr/86Sr. Moreover, the high Pb contents and unradiogenic Pb isotope signatures of metapelites provide an important reservoir for unradiogenic Pb in the earth as a whole.
Sailing to Jamestown, 1606-7: Five Classroom Activities

The author presents five classroom activities that involve students in the settlement at Jamestown. Activity 1 simulates the problems encountered on the Godspeed, a fifty-two-foot foot boat with fifty-two passengers traveling across the Atlantic in 1607 for three slow months. In Activity 2, students plot their route, ocean currents, and wind affecting the speed of their 1607 boat crossing the Atlantic from London to Jamestown. In Activity 3, student teams analyze and try to solve problems encountered in the first year at Jamestown when over 70 percent of the adventurers died. In Activity 4, students participate in a skit describing the interesting relationship between Captain Smith and Pocahontas. In Activity 5, students compare and contrast information about Malinche, Pocahontas, and Sacajawea, three Native American women who played significant roles in the history of North America.
The slowpoke channel binding protein Slob from Drosophila melanogaster exhibits regulatable protein kinase activity

The slowpoke channel binding protein Slob from Drosophila melanogaster contains a putative protein kinase domain within its amino acid sequence. We find that Slob exhibits weak and barely detectable protein kinase activity in vitro, as evidenced by autophosphorylation and by phosphorylation of exogenously added histone as substrate. The phosphorylation of histone is enhanced markedly when Slob is pretreated with the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKAc). Mass spectrometric and mutational analysis demonstrates that the major site of phosphorylation by PKAc within Slob is serine 54. The enhancement of Slob kinase activity by PKAc pretreatment is eliminated when serine 54 in Slob is mutated to alanine (S54A). Furthermore, Slob kinase activity is enhanced in an S54E mutant that mimics phosphorylation at serine 54, and there is no further enhancement of S54E Slob kinase activity by pretreatment with PKAc. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that Slob exhibits regulatable protein kinase activity, whose activity is enhanced by phosphorylation at serine 54.