cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AN X‐RAY DIFFRACTION STUDY OF HEAT‐TREATED CHERT AND ITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

It has been established that on occasion prehistoric man heat-treated siliceous stones in order to improve their flaking qualities. In this work we have examined samples of heat-treated chert by means of X-ray diffraction and have established that, in most cases, heat treatment causes an X-ray diffraction line broadening which can be interpreted as a decrease in range of crystalline order of up to 40%, in the most extreme case. The implications of this to an understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of fracture and as a tool for archaeological studies are discussed.
Factors Which Influence Precision of School-Level IRT Ability Estimates

The precision of the group-level IRT model applied to school ability estimation is described, assuming use of Bayesian estimation with precision represented by the standard deviation of the posterior distribution. Similarities and differences between the school-level model and the familiar individual-level IRT model are considered. School size and between-school variability, two factors not relevant at the student level, are dominant determinants of school-level precision. Under the multiple-matrix sampling design required for the school-level IRT, the number of items associated with a scale does not influence the precision at the school level. Also, the effects of school ability and item quality on school-level precision are often relatively weak. It was found that the use of Bayesian estimation could result in a systematic distortion of the true ranking of schools based on ability because of an estimation bias which is a function of school size. The familiar individual-level item response theoretic (IRT) model has been extended by Bock and Mislevy (1981) and Mislevy (1983) to multiple-matrix sampling designs, allowing the efficient estimation of means of individual abilities within groups (hereafter simply group abilities) for each of a relatively large number of scales. The group-level model assumes that individual responses are collected with multiple test forms using a sampling design in which each form contains only one item for each group-level scale of interest. Estimates of the group ability, (I, are based on the within-group aggregation of individual responses over the multiple forms. This group-level extension is based on an item characteristic curve which is identical in form to the
Implications of the use of neonatal birth weight, growth, viability, and survival data for predicting developmental neurotoxicity: A survey of the literature

Abstract Current screening strategies for developmental neurotoxicants emphasize extensive behavioral and histological examination of the nervous system of maternally exposed offspring. In an ongoing effort to identify more rapid screening techniques which accurately predict developmental neurotoxicity, we conducted a literature review to investigate the suggestion that the Chernoff/Kavlock assay may adequately identify developmental neurotoxicants as well as developmental toxicants (58). We included information on a broad range of chemical classes including: pesticides, heavy metals, solvents, antiproliferative agents, and neuroactive drugs. For each chemical/agent, we recorded evidence of developmental neurotoxicity, teratological malformations of the nervous system, and associated information on the effects of that chemical on birth weight, growth, fetal viability, and/or neonatal survival (neonatal endpoints included in the Chernoff/Kavlock assay). Although complete Chernoff/Kavlock data were not always available, our results indicate that only 65% of developmental neurotoxicants affected at least one of the neonatal endpoints in the assay. Based on these results, we believe that reliance on the Chernoff/Kavlock assay as a primary developmental neurotoxicity screen could lead to a number of “false negatives” in hazard identification studies, and this assay should not be used to replace more comprehensive developmental neurotoxicity screening procedures
The MELANIE project: From a biopsy to automatic protein map interpretation by computer

The goals of the MELANIE project are to determine if disease-associated patterns can be detected in high resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (HR 2D-PAGE) images and if a diagnosis can be established automatically by computer. The ELSIE/MELANIE system is a set of computer programs which automatically detect, quantify, and compare protein spots shown on HR 2D-PAGE images. Classification programs help the physician to find disease-associated patterns from a given set of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis images and to form diagnostic rules. Prototype expert systems that use these rules to establish a diagnosis from new HR 2D-PAGE images have been developed. They successfully diagnosed cirrhosis of the liver and were able to distinguish a variety of cancer types from biopsies known to be cancerous.
A protocol for in vitro maturation and fertilization of sheep oocytes

Abstract Two in vitro maturation (IVM) and fertilization (IVF) protocols were evaluated with the objective of improving upon a protocol that will optimize IVF-assisted reproduction in sheep. There was no attempt to compare possible confounding effects within protocol. The addition of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) to the maturation (IVM) medium significantly enhanced ovine oocyte maturation as compared to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) alone. Oocytes fertilized in vitro with spermatozoa treated with calcium ionophore A23187 and caffeine in Brackett and Oliphant medium (Protocol 1) significantly improved oocyte fertilization and embryo development in vitro than with spermatozoa separated by swim-up in synthetic oviduct fluid containing estrus ewe serum (Protocol 2). Embryos derived from oocytes matured in medium containing FSH and LH and fertilized with Protocol 1 were transferred to synchronized recipients and resulted in the birth of lambs. This protocol may be useful for assisted reproduction in sheep.
Attracting an expert, or what nurse leaders look for in academic jobs

What factors might induce a senior nurse researcher or faculty member to respond to a job posting and accept a job offer? Results of a survey of members of the American Academy of Nursing regarding the job characteristics that initially interest them in an academic position and those that finally persuade them to take a post provide implications for attracting seasoned nurse experts.
Insecticide bark bands and control of the elm leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in northern California.

A single spring application of 2% carbaryl applied as a bark band persisted for at least 15 wk and killed most elm leaf beetle, Xanthogaleruca luteola (Muller), larvae, which migrated down the trunk after feeding in the canopy. Foliage damage, but not insect density. was significantly lower on insecticide-banded elms in northern California. Foliage damage did not exceed an apparently tolerable 35% on banded Siberian elms ( Ulmus pumtla L.), but treated and untreated English elm ( Ulmus procera Salisbury) were severely defoliated (50-100%).
A Non-Native Riparian Tree ( Elaeagnus angustifolia ) Changes Nutrient Dynamics in Streams

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) is a non-native riparian tree that has become common and continues to rapidly spread throughout the western United States. Due to its dinitrogen (N2)-fixing ability and proximity to streams, Russian olive has the potential to subsidize stream ecosystems with nitrogen (N), which may in turn alter nutrient processing in these systems. We tested these potential effects by comparing background N concentrations; nutrient limitation of biofilms; and uptake of ammonium (NH4-N), nitrate (NO3-N), and phosphate (PO4-P) in paired upstream-reference and downstream-invaded reaches in streams in southeastern Idaho and central Wyoming. We found that stream reaches invaded by Russian olive had higher organic N concentrations and exhibited reduced N limitation of biofilms compared to reference reaches. However, at low inorganic N background concentrations, reaches invaded by Russian olive exhibited higher demand for both NH4-N and NO3-N compared to their paired reference reaches, suggesting these streams have the potential to retain the N subsidy from Russian olive N2 fixation and diminish its downstream export and effects. Our findings demonstrate the potential for a non-native riparian plant to significantly alter biogeochemical cycling in streams. Finally, we used our results to develop a conceptual model that describes predicted effects of Russian olive and other non-native riparian N2 fixers on in-stream N dynamics.
Expression and Regulation of Heme Oxygenase Isozymes in the Developing Mouse Cortex

Heme oxygenase (HO), the rate-limiting enzyme in heme degradation, plays a role in neonatal jaundice. Understanding the regulation of the developmental expression patterns of the two HO isozymes, HO-1 and HO-2, is essential for targeting HO to control pathologic jaundice, and uncovering the fundamental role that they play in mammalian development. Here we characterized the ontogeny of HO-1 and HO-2 expression in the developing mouse cortex by in vivo bioluminescence imaging, quantitative RT-PCR, and Western blot. HO-2, the predominant isoform in the adult cortex, was relatively stable throughout all ages. HO-1 was observed to be progressively down-regulated in an age-related manner. HO-1 expression in the adult cortex was also the lowest among the eight adult tissues analyzed. Because there is a 283-bp CpG island region in the HO-1 promoter, we hypothesized that methylation of the island is responsible for the age-related HO-1 down-regulation in the cortex. Methylation status was assessed using regular and quantitative methylation-specific PCR and the CpG island was found to be hypomethylated at all ages. Therefore, we conclude that HO-1 gene expression in the cortex is developmentally-regulated and that methylation of the HO-1 CpG island is not associated with the down-regulation of the gene.
Prostaglandin E2 output by isolated rat gastric parietal cells and non-parietal epithelial cells

Abstract Prostaglandins have acid antisecretory and cytoprotective effects in gastric mucosa when given exogenously. This study's purpose was to isolate preparations of parietal and non-parietal cells from rat stomachs and to compare prostaglandin output by these cells. Gastric epithelial cells were isolated from rat stomachs using pronase. Cells from different incubation times were collected separately and enriched by discontinuous Percoll gradient. Cell types were identified by hematoxylin and eosin stain, succinic dehydrogenase activity (parietal cells), periodic acid Schiff staining (mucous cells), Bowie staining (chief cells) and electron microscopy. Prostaglandin E 2 activity was measured by radioimmunoassay. Parietal cells were purified to over 90% while the non-parietal preparation contained 67% chief cells and over 31% mucous cells. By electron-microscopy, cell integrity was seen to be maintained. The parietal cell enriched fraction contained two and one-half times the amount of prostaglandin E 2 that the non-parietal chief cell enriched fraction did, p 2 by parietal cells could play a role in modulating gastric acid secretion directly by parietal cells as well as in protecting the deeper layers of gastric mucosa against damaging agents in-vivo.
In vivo activation of equine eosinophils and neutrophils by experimental Strongylus vulgaris infections.

Eosinophils and neutrophils from ponies with Strongylus vulgaris-induced eosinophilia (eosinophilic ponies; activated eosinophils and neutrophils) were assayed in vitro for chemotactic and chemokinetic responses to zymosan-activated serum (ZAS) using the filter system in Boyden chambers, for Fc and complement (C) receptors using the EA and EAC-rosette assays, respectively, and for phagocytic and bactericidal activities using opsonized Escherichia coli and the acridine orange method. The responses of activated eosinophils and neutrophils in the above assays were compared with those of eosinophils and neutrophils from S. vulgaris-naive ponies without eosinophilia (noneosinophilic ponies; nonactivated eosinophils and neutrophils). Differences in cell density following centrifugation in a continuous Percoll gradient were used to further characterize the heterogeneity of activated eosinophils and neutrophils. Activated and nonactivated eosinophils demonstrated similar chemotactic responses to ZAS while activated and nonactivated neutrophils demonstrated similar chemokinetic responses to ZAS. A higher percentage of activated eosinophils and neutrophils expressed Fc and C receptors compared with nonactivated cells (P < 0.05). Generally, higher percentages of eosinophils and neutrophils expressed C than Fc receptors. However, the percentage of neutrophils with both receptors was higher than that of eosinophils. Phagocytosis and killing of E. coli by either type of eosinophil were not consistently observed. Both activated and nonactivated neutrophils phagocytized E. coli and significant differences between the two cell types were not observed. The bacterial activity, however, of activated neutrophils was significantly greater than that obtained using nonactivated neutrophils (P < 0.05). Activated eosinophils and neutrophils were both separated into two distinct fractions based on differences in cell densities. A higher percentage of band 2 eosinophils (density of 1.106) expressed C receptors than did band 1 eosinophils (density of 1.049) (P < 0.05). A higher percentage of band 1 neutrophils (density of 1.072) expressed both Fc and C receptors and these neutrophils were more phagocytic and bactericidal than were band 2 neutrophils (density of 1.082) (P < 0.05). These data suggest that equine eosinophils and neutrophils are activated by chronic S. vulgaris infections.
Lower bounds for collusion-secure fingerprinting

Collusion-secure fingerprinting codes are an important primitive used by many digital watermarking schemes [1, 10, 9]. Boneh and Shaw [3] define a model for these types of codes and present an explicit construction. Their code has length O(c3 log(l/e)) and attains security against coalitions of size c with e error. Boneh and Shaw also present a lower bound of Ω (c3log(1/ce)) on the length of any collusion-secure code.We give new lower bounds on the length of collusion-secure codes by analyzing a weighted coinflipping strategy for the coalition. As an illustration of our methods, we give a simple proof that the Boneh-Shaw construction cannot be asymptotically improved. Next, we prove a general lower bound: no secure code can have length O(c21og(1/ce)), which improves the previous known bound by a factor of c. In particular, we show that any secure code will have length Ω(c2 log(1/ce)) as long as log(l/e) ≥ Kk log c, where K is a constant and k is the number of columns in the code (in some sense, a measure of the code's complexity). Finally, we describe a general paradigm for constructing fingerprinting codes which encompasses the construction of [3], and show that no secure code that follows this paradigm can have length O((c3/log c) log(1/ce)) follows this (again, by showing a lower bound for large values of ln(1/e)). This suggests that any attempts at improvement should be directed toward techniques that lie outside our paradigm.
Analysis of a Signal Processor for an Antenna Array

A signal processor that provides ratio-squared predetection combining, has been investigated for application in an adaptive antenna array. The analysis and experimental data presented here pertain to the signal processing gain when the antenna array is illuminated by a coherent signal source and a partially coherent noise source. For a noise source which is coherent, the processing gain depends on relative strength of the signal and noise, relative directions of arrival, and the usual "array factor." The array exhibits capturing effects much as in an FM receiver. The effective antenna pattern is a superposition of two beams of different magnitudes, one directed to the signal source and the other to the noise source. When the noise is partially coherent, the behavior of the signal processor is quite complex. Analytical prediction and experimental simulation measurement on a four-channel system indicate that the partially coherent noise may be regarded as the source of an incoherent noise component plus a coherent noise component with the magnitude of the latter determined by the coherence coefficient for the noise source.
Group therapy for nonorgasmic women: two age levels.

A group method of therapy was used for the treatment of primary orgasmic dysfunction in ten women below and ten women above 35 years of age to determine the appropriateness of this therapy for younger and older females. The treatment combined a Masters and Johnson style of behavioral therapy and self-stimulation therapy. At termination, 70% of the younger women were orgasmic, with 80% orgasmic at 6-month follow-up. Zero percent were coitally orgasmic. Forty percent of the older women were orgasmic at therapy termination, with 60% orgasmic at 6-month follow-up. One woman was orgasmic during intercourse. There was general enhancement of the sexual relationship in all participating couples. Group therapy may be less successful for older women, who may be more successfully treated individually.
T-cell receptor-γ in gamma-delta phenotype cutaneous T-cell lymphoma can be accompanied by atypical expression of CD30, CD4, or TCRβF1 and an indolent clinical course.

clinical features were heterogeneous, and the diagnosis of CGDTCL was based on extensive immunophenotypic characterization, including T-cell receptor (TCR)-g expression. The novel finding of this study is the presence of unusual immunophenotypical profiles in most of these patients, including CD4-postive (CD4 þ ), CD30 þ or TCR-bF1 þ , which are typical of less aggressive cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (TCL). In the minority of cases, with the classic CGDTCL immunophenotype profile, aggressive therapy initiated early induced resolution of lesions in 1 patient. Our data suggest that CGDTCLs diagnosed according to TCRg expression are not always associated with the aggressive phenotype. These findings call into question the diagnostic power of TCRg alone as a marker of CGDTCL, especially in cases where certain immune markers are also present. The presence of these markers might explain the indolent disease course in these patients.
Modeling the effects of temperature on growth and persistence of tree species: A critical review of tree population models

Abstract Global climatic change is expected to affect growth and survival of trees and will likely change the geographical distribution of many temperate and boreal tree species. Models that calculate the effects of environmental factors, as well as biotic factors, such as intra- and interspecific competition, on growth and survival of trees have been widely used to calculate the potential effects of temperature changes on tree populations. The methods to calculate thermal effects in such models are described and analyzed for the soundness and consistency of underlying assumptions. They are compared to the evidence from studies of tree physiology, growth, and biogeography. The use of thermal indices, especially temperature sums, in studies of tree growth and development is discussed. It is concluded that the majority of modeling studies to date have been based on faulty and internally inconsistent assumptions and/or do not utilize basic findings from more than a century of tree research. Only a small number of recent studies are based on assumptions that are consistent with such findings. Because of a lack of mechanistic explanations for many observations regarding tree growth and development, only empirical modeling approaches are currently available for these aspects of tree ecology. Hybrid approaches, partly mechanistic, partly empirical, are a promising alternative to purely empirical models, as long as the different aspects are well defined in the models. Several aspects of modeling studies remain problematic. Future studies will have to find methods of parameterization that do not infer fundamental growth and survival limits from the geographical distribution of tree species. A consideration of intraspecific genetic variation in trees will greatly improve models of tree growth and survival.
Study of emissivity dependence upon concentration in CdTe quantum dots

Due to their unique optical properties, quantum dots (QDs) have received a great deal of interest for their potential applications, such as in quantum computing, photovoltaic cells, and electronics. With such increased usage, the effect that altering QD concentration has on optical properties of the solution should be explored. Characterization of the emissivity of CdTe QDs as a function of concentration was conducted on three commercially available CdTe QDs. All have optimal absorption around 400-500 nm with peak emission wavelengths at 530 nm, 550 nm, and 570 nm, respectively. The QDs were suspended in an aqueous solution at 13 different concentrations ranging from 0.37 mg/ml to 10 mg/ml. The samples were excited at room temperature by a 50 mW diode laser emitting at a central wavelength of 405 nm and the fluorescence of the QDs was measured with a free-space CCD spectrometer. The measured spectra showed a general redshift in peak emission wavelength with increasing concentration. A +6.12 nm per mg/ml shift for the 530 nm QDs was observed when a linear fit with a coefficient of determination (R-squared) of 0.96 was applied. The 550 nm QDs and the 570 nm QDs showed a +8.70 nm per mg/ml shift (R-squared=0.94) and a +10.27 nm per mg/ml shift (R-squared=0.97), respectively. The redshift is attributed to a Foster resonance energy transfer (FRET) which causes energy transfer between two light-sensitive molecules.
The importance of alignment accuracy for molecular replacement.

Many crystallographic protein structures are being determined using molecular replacement (MR), a model-based phasing method that has become increasingly important with the steady growth of the PDB. While there are several highly automated software packages for MR, the methods for preparing optimal search models for MR are relatively unexplored. Recent advances in sequence-comparison methods allow the detection of more distantly related homologs and more accurate alignment of their sequences. It was investigated whether simple homology models (without modeling of unaligned regions) based on alignments from these improved methods are able to increase the potential of MR. 27 crystal structures were determined using a highly parallelized MR pipeline that facilitates all steps including homology detection, model preparation, MR searches, automated refinement and rebuilding. Several types of search models prepared with standard sequence–sequence alignment (BLAST) and more accurate profile–sequence and profile–profile methods (PSI-BLAST, FFAS) were compared in MR trials. The analysis shows that models based on more accurate alignments have a higher success rate in cases where the unknown structure and the search model share less than 35% sequence identity. It is concluded that by using different types of simple models based on accurate alignments, the success rate of MR can be significantly increased.
Finite-element modeling of heat transfer in carbon/carbon composites

A finite-element model has been developed to predict the thermal conductivities, parallel and transverse to the fiber axis, of unidirectional carbon/carbon composites. This versatile model incorporates fiber morphology, matrix morphology, fiber/matrix bonding, and random distribution of fibers, porosity, and cracks. The model first examines the effects of the preceding variables on the thermal conductivity at the microscopic level and then utilizes those results to determine the overall thermal conductivity. The model was able accurately to predict the average thermal conductivity of standard pitch-based carbon/carbon composites. The model was also used to study the effect of different composite architectures on the bulk thermal conductivity. The effects of fiber morphology, fiber/matrix interface, and the ratio of transverse fiber conductivity to matrix conductivity on the overall composite conductivity was examined.
A lemma for cost attained

Abstract A treeable ergodic equivalence relation of integer cost is generated by a free action of the free group on the corresponding number of generators. Every countable treeable ergodic equivalence relation is induced by the free action of some countable group.
Development and evaluation of SST algorithms for GOES-R ABI using MSG SEVIRI as a proxy

Cross-evaluation of sea surface temperature (SST) algorithms was undertaken using split-window channels of Meteosat Second Generation Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) as a proxy for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R (GOES-R) Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI). The goal of the study was to select the algorithm which provides the highest and the most uniform SST accuracy within the area observed by the geostationary sensor. The previously established algorithms, such as Non-Linear Regression (NLR) and Optimal Estimation (OE) were implemented along with two new algorithms, Incremental Regression (IncR) and Corrected Non-Linear Regression (CNLR), developed within preparations for the GOES-R ABI mission. OE, IncR and CNLR adopt the first guesses for SST and brightness temperatures (BT) and retrieve deviations of SST from the first guess (increments). OE retrieves SST increments with inversion of the radiative transfer model, whereas CNLR and IncR use regression equations. The difference between CNLR and IncR is that CNLR uses NLR coefficients, whereas IncR implies optimization of coefficients specifically for incremental formulation. Accuracy and precision of SST retrievals were evaluated by comparison with drifting buoys. The major observations from this study are as follows: 1) all algorithms adopting first guesses for SST and BTs are capable of improving SST accuracy and precision over NLR; and 2) IncR delivers the highest overall SST precision and the most uniform distributions of regional SST accuracy and precision. This paper also addresses implementation and validation issues such as bias correction in simulated BTs; preserving sensitivity of incremental SST retrievals to true SST variations; and selection of criteria for optimization and validation of incremental algorithms.
Engineering for development: An international service learning collaboration

This paper describes a collaboration between the PUCP in Lima, Peru and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) in which engineering students from the United States travelled to Peru to participate in collaborative engineering projects with rural communities. Two projects were completed in the community of Paru Paru, near Cusco, Peru, in July 2012 and July 2013. The UNCC students participated in the projects as a component of a course entitled, "Engineering for Development Workers." The students arrived in Lima, Peru, attended theoretical and practical seminars on the PUCP campus, and then traveled to Paru Paru, where they designed reinforced concrete bridges which were constructed in collaboration with community members (2012) and a local municipality (2013). This article describes the program activities and the lessons learned by the collaborating professors and students, illustrates the value of a study abroad experience, and emphasizes the importance of community service learning projects as essential elements for the integral formation of engineering students.
Alignment Between the Science Curriculum and Assessment in Selected NY State Regents Exams

This article reports on an analysis of alignment between NY state core curricula and NY Regents tests in physics and chemistry. Both the curriculum and test were represented by a two dimensional table consisting of topics and cognitive demands. The cell values of the table were numbers of major understandings in the curriculum and points of test items in the test. The Porter alignment index was computed for each test. It was found that, overall, there was a high alignment between the NY core curriculum and the NY Regents test, and the alignment remained fairly stable from test to test. However, there were considerable dis- crepancies in emphases on different cognitive levels and topics between the core curriculum and the test. Issues related to the nature of alignment, and the nature and validity of content standards were raised, and implications for sci- ence curriculum and instructions were also discussed.
133 HEMODYNAMIC AND LEFT VENTRICULAR VOLUME AND FUNCTION CHARACTERISTICS IN THALASSEMIA MAJOR (Thal)

Hemodynamic and left ventricular (LV) volume and function characteristics obtained at cardiac catheterization were evaluated in 12 patients with Thal aged 11-28 years (mean 20.4 years) and compared to values in 17 normal subjects.At the time of study, hemoglobin was 10.9 ± 1.6 Gm%.Right atrial and ventricular (RV), and pulmonary artery and wedge pressures were normal.LV and aortic pressures and RV and LV dP/dt were normal.Oxygen consumption [220.7 ± 47.5 cc/min] and cardiac index (Qs) [4.9 ± 0.8 Lit/min/M2] were normal.LV end-diastolic (EDV) and end-systolic (ESV) volumes were increased [138.4 ± 38.9%, p< 0.01; 183.1 ± 49.5%, p< 0.001 respectively] . Stroke volume, however, remained normal, as did forward flow and stroke work. Ejection fraction (EF) was significantly reduced [90.7 ± 7.1%, p< 0.01] . Myocardial contractility index, Mass and VCF were not altered. Left atrial maximal volume (LAMV) was significantly increased [140.1 ± 23.8%, p<0.01] but LAMV/LVEDV remained normal. Isometric exercise resulted in no significant change in hemodynamic parameters.Cardiac rate increased less than 18.7% [from 90.9 ± 20.0 to 107.5 ± 17.9 beats/min] and Qs did not rise significantly. LVESV increased with no EDV change resulting in a fall in EF and VCF. We conclude that in Thal: (1) Surprisingly good ventricular function was maintained despite duration and severity of disease; (2) LV volume changes resulted from the anemic high output state; (3) although normal, LVEF was slightly but significantly reduced; (4) isometric exercise with marked fall in EF and VCF suggested poor myocardial reserve.
Effects of subacute cadmium exposure on a hardwater mountain stream microcosm

Abstract Open stream microcosms in the RIFFLE facility were exposed to 22 μg l −1 cadmium for 21 days. Although less than 0.3% of the metal passing through the streams remained in the microcosms, more than 1000 μg g −1 dry wt accumulated in the Aufwuchs community, apparently in response to photosynthetically induced CdCO 3 precipitation. Accumulation decreased with increasing trophic level in the order: Aufwuchs > macrophytes > grazers/collectors > predators. Although no effect on periphyton community structure was observed, invertebrate grazers and collectors in the riffles were adversely affected by cadmium exposure, while populations of pool chronomida and riffle predators increased. Open lotic microcosms are shown to provide valuable hypotheses regarding metal fate and effects, but cannot be used as simple screening tools because of the nature of the invertebrate population data likely to be produced.
THE MEANING OF UNCERTAINTY AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF MEANING

The interrelation between “processes” and “structures” is addressed in this article with a discussion of quantum theory and classical physics, on the one hand and pragmatic theories of meaning and structuralist ones, on the other. It is concluded that just as quantum theory needs the apparatus of classical physics to establish its own phenomena, pragmatic theories need structuralist apparatus to establish their own. It is argued that both in the case of quanta as in that of meaning, measurement procedures create similar relations of uncertainty: Heisenberg relations in physics and Meadian relations in sociopsychology.
Theory meets practice: the localization of wraparound services for youth with serious emotional disturbance.

This study identified statewide variation in implementation of wraparound for children on the severe emotional disturbance (SED) Waiver in Kansas. SED Waivers allow Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) to offer an array of community-based services to high risk youth. Qualitative methods, including interviews, reviews of charts and billing records, and a survey, were employed. Stratified random sampling was used to select seven CMHCs, and random sampling was used to select individual cases for interviews. Although CMHCs shared similar wraparound philosophy and service initiation processes, each developed their own localized wraparound model within the confines of Medicaid eligibility and documentation rules. Eight models for wraparound team composition were identified. Findings demonstrate implementation of wraparound with fidelity to a central model is difficult on a large scale. The balance of standardized wraparound practices, localized innovations, and agency compliance with Medicaid is essential for optimizing children’s mental health services.
Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Treatment of Multiantibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcal Endocarditis and Meningitis

The successful treatment of a multiantibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis and meningitis with oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is reported.
Is There an Association Between Weight and Dental Caries Among Pediatric Patients in an Urban Dental School? A Correlation Study

Obesity in the young is a public health priority. The prevalence of overweight children in the United States has risen almost threefold in the last two decades. An association between weight and oral health has been suggested in adults, whereas evidence supporting this association in children is controversial at best. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between weight and dental caries in a random prospective cohort of children at their initial visit at an urban dental school. One hundred and thirty-five children were recruited in a four-month period. The DS/ds index was used to assess caries, and BMI percentile was calculated based on age and gender-adjusted published scales. Correlation analyses, linear, and multivariate regression including age, gender, and BMI were calculated with a significance threshold of p>0.05. No correlation between dental decay in obese and non-obese children was detected (p=0.99). These findings support recent U.S. population-based literature that reports an inverse association between caries and weight in certain pediatric groups. Nevertheless, the impact of interventions to address the epidemic in the dental setting has not been investigated. As part of a health care team, dental students should be exposed to the changing demographics and sequelae of overweight in children.
Grid-based asynchronous replica exchange

Replica exchange is a powerful sampling algorithm and can be effectively used for applications such as simulating the structure, function, folding, and dynamics of proteins and drug design. However, Grid-based implementations of the algorithm present significant challenges due to its synchronization and communication requirements. This paper presents an asynchronous formulation of the replica exchange algorithm and the design and implementation of a Grid-based asynchronous replica exchange engine (GARE). GARE is based on CometG, a decentralized computational infrastructure for Desktop Grid environments that provides a scalable communication and interaction substrate and presents a virtual semantically specialized shared space abstraction. It enables the dynamic and asynchronous interactions required by the algorithm to be simply expressed and efficiently implemented. The design and implementation of GARE/CometG and the replica exchange simulations that it enables are presented. Experimental evaluations using the PlanetLab |1| wide-area test bed as well as a campus Grid environment arc presented.
Egg capsules of nucella lapillus (l.) Protect against low-salinity stress

Abstract The osmotic concentration of intracapsular fluid declines abruptly upon transfer of egg capsules of Nucella lapillus (L.) to water of reduced salinity. The magnitude of the decline reached at equilibrium is completely accounted for by loss of solute from the capsular fluid to the surrounding medium. Comparisons of solute efflux rates with rates of NaCl influx suggest that the exiting solute molecules are inorganic ions. Such salts account for at least 80% of the osmotically active solute molecules in the capsular fluid. The capsule wall of N. lapillus is readily permeable to both NaCl and water, but it is substantially less permeable to small organic molecules (amino acids, glucose and sucrose). At equilibrium with water of about 150 mOsm/l, the osmotic concentration of intracapsular fluid remains about 25–30 mOsm/l above ambient. This result is most likely due to the presence of large molecular weight, non-diffusible, organic components of the capsular fluid. The greater tolerance of encapsulated individuals relative to that of excapsulated individuals exposed to the same levels of stress may reflect the effects of encapsulation on both the rate of salinity change and the magnitude of the salinity decline.
A Note on the Effect of Soil Reaction and Zinc Concentration on Peanut Tissue Zinc

Abstract Zinc uptake by peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) is affected by both soil pH and extractable Zn concentration, but the combined effect of these two factors is not well defined. An experiment with lime rates was conducted using NC7 peanuts that showed an exponential decrease in leaf Zn as the soil pH increased from 4.3 to 6.1. The decrease was very rapid when the soil was more acid, and less rapid as acidity decreased. Plant Zn was also shown to increase quadratically with increasing soil Zn with a data set from Georgia. These two relationships were combined, assuming no interaction exists, to be able to predict peanut tissue Zn as a function of both soil pH and extractable Zn with either the Mehlich-1 or Mehlich-3 solutions. Equations are presented that conform closely with currently assumed values of critical deficient and toxic concentrations in the tissue and soil for peanuts. These should be especially helpful in predicting potential toxicities over a range of pH and soil Zn levels.
Psychological Research in Pediatric Settings: Lessons From the Field

Described the practical problems that threaten the progress of psychological research conducted in pediatric settings and strategies to manage these problems. Research collaborations with physicians and setting-based constraints on data collection and research participants place strenuous demands on investigators. Special efforts are needed to enhance the quality of interdisciplinary research collaboration, lessen constraints on research participants, set priorities for research activities, and develop necessary support for research. To facilitate the progress of psychological research in pediatric settings, research training and continuing education should equip researchers to deal with the problems of applied research with pediatric populations.
Terahertz-emitting devices based on boron-doped silicon

Terahertz light emission was observed near 8 THz from electrically pumped boron-doped Si mesas. Samples were fabricated by depositing contacts using metal evaporation and a standard lift-off technique, followed by multi-step reactive ion etching. At a sample temperature of 4.4 K, we observed total emitted time-resolved powers of up to 31 /spl mu/W, integrated over three closely spaced spectral lines. The spectral positions of these lines show excellent agreement with published data for transitions between hydrogenic states of the boron acceptor impurity in Si. Our findings suggest that moderate power CMOS-compatible terahertz sources can be fabricated without epitaxially grown quantum wells.
High performance 5 : 2 compressor architectures

Fast arithmetic circuits are key elements of high performance computers and data processing systems. In the majority of these applications, multipliers have been a critical and obligatory component in dictating the overall circuit performance when constrained by power consumption and computation speed. Compressors are a critical component of the multiplier circuit, which greatly influence the overall multiplier speed. The authors propose two novel high performance 5 : 2 compressor architectures. The main objective of their designs is to limit the carry propagation to a single stage, thereby reducing the overall propagation delay. The designs are compared with the best one in the literature in terms of delay and are found to have lower values. The analytical techniques use the node capacitances in the signal delay paths to identify the worst delay path. The architectures are implemented with various XOR-XNOR circuits to identify the best one in terms of power and delay. The simulation results of the proposed architectures show lower power and 25% improvement in speed compared to the best architecture reported in the literature for supply voltages ranging from 1.5 V to 3.3 V
Distinct Roles for the AAA ATPases NSF and p97 in the Secretory Pathway

NSF and p97 are related AAA proteins implicated in membrane trafficking and organelle biogenesis. p97 is also involved in pathways that lead to ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, including ER-associated degradation (ERAD). In this study, we have used dominant interfering ATP-hydrolysis deficient mutants (NSF(E329Q) and p97(E578Q)) to compare the function of these AAA proteins in the secretory pathway of mammalian cells. Expressing NSF(E329Q) promotes disassembly of Golgi stacks into dispersed vesicular structures. It also rapidly inhibits glycosaminoglycan sulfation, reflecting disruption of intra-Golgi transport. In contrast, expressing p97(E578Q) does not affect Golgi structure or function; glycosaminoglycans are normally sulfated and secreted, as is the VSV-G ts045 protein. Instead, expression of p97(E578Q) causes ubiquitinated proteins to accumulate on ER membranes and slows degradation of the ERAD substrate cystic-fibrosis transmembrane-conductance regulator. In addition, expression of p97(E578Q) eventually causes the ER to swell. More specific assessment of effects of p97(E578Q) on organelle assembly shows that the Golgi apparatus disperses and reassembles normally after treatment with brefeldin A and during mitosis. These findings demonstrate that ATP-hydrolysis-dependent activities of NSF and p97 in the cell are not equivalent and suggest that only NSF is directly involved in regulating membrane fusion.
Toxicity of a dissolved pyrethroid mixture to Hyalella azteca at environmentally relevant concentrations

Use of pyrethroid pesticides, which are highly toxic to aquatic organisms, has increased substantially over the past decade. In 2006, the pyrethroid pesticides cyfluthrin and permethrin were measured in Sacramento-San Joaquin (SSJ) Delta (CA, USA) water at 5 and 24 ng/L (pptr), respectively. To elucidate any interactions between the two pyrethroids, a 10-d laboratory exposure was performed with 7- to 14-d-old amphipods (Hyalella azteca). Cyfluthrin and permethrin were tested singly and in combination at detected levels and also at half and twice the detected levels, both with and without the addition of 25 ppb of piperonyl butoxide (PBO). Mortality in all treatments was significantly higher than in controls, with the median lethal concentration (LC50) for permethrin with PBO (13.9 ng/L) and the LC50s with and without PBO for cyfluthrin (5.7 and 2.9 ng/L, respectively) at or below levels measured in SSJ Delta water samples. The LC50 for permethrin alone was estimated to be 48.9 ng/L. To evaluate combined toxicity, logistic regression models containing terms for concentrations of cyfluthrin, permethrin, and PBO, as well as models containing all possible combinations of these terms and interactions, were run and compared using Akaike's information criterion. The most parsimonious set of models indicated slight antagonism between cyfluthrin and permethrin. Results indicate that a dissolved mixture of cyfluthrin and permethrin is toxic at environmentally relevant concentrations in the water column.
Nanotechnology approaches for drug and small molecule delivery across the blood brain barrier

Nanotechnology involves the design, synthesis, and characterization of materials and devices that have a functional organization in at least one dimension on the nanometer (ie, one billionth of a meter) scale. One area in which nanotechnology may have a significant clinical impact in neuroscience is the selective transport and delivery of drugs and other small molecules across the blood brain barrier that cannot cross otherwise. Using a variety of nanoparticles composed of different chemical compositions, different groups are exploring proof-of-concept approaches for the delivery of different antineoplastic drugs, oligonucleotides, genes, and magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents. This review discusses some of the main technical challenges associated with the development of nanotechnologies for delivery across the blood brain barrier and summarizes ongoing work.
Perceptually motivated automatic dance motion generation for music

In this paper, we describe a novel method to automatically generate synchronized dance motion that is perceptually matched to a given musical piece. The proposed method extracts 30 musical features from musical data as well as 37 motion features from motion data. A matching process is then performed between the two feature spaces considering the correspondence of the relative changes in both feature spaces and the correlations between musical and motion features. Similarity matrices are introduced to match the amount of relative changes in both feature spaces and correlation coefficients are used to establish the correlations between musical features and motion features by measuring the strength of correlation between each pair of the musical and motion features. By doing this, the progressions of musical and dance motion patterns and perceptual changes between two consecutive musical and motion segments are matched. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, we designed and carried out a user opinion study to assess the perceived quality of the proposed approach. The statistical analysis of the user study results showed that the proposed approach generated results that were significantly better than those produced using a random walk through the dance motion database. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. A novel method to automatically generate synchronized dance motion that is perceptually matched to a given musical piece is described. A matching process was performed between the musical and motion feature spaces considering the correspondence of the relative changes in both feature spaces and the correlations between musical and motion features. A user opinion study was designed and carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
A capacitively based MEMS affinity glucose sensor

This paper presents a capacitively based MEMS affinity sensor for continuous glucose monitoring applications. This sensor consists of a vibrating Parylene diaphragm, which is remotely driven by a magnetic field and situated inside a microchamber. A solution of poly(acrylamide-ran-3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid) (PAA-ran-PAAPBA), a biocompatible glucose-sensitive polymer, fills the microchamber, which is separated from its surroundings by a semi-permeable membrane. As glucose concentration is varied, viscosity changes induced by glucose/polymer binding cause a detectable change in the Parylene diaphragm vibration which can be measured capacitively. The response time of the sensor to glucose concentration changes is approximately 3 minutes which can be further improved with optimized device designs. The device has been tested at physiologically relevant glucose concentrations ranging from 27 to 324 mg/dL, showing excellent reversibility and stability.