cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk aggregation and the efficient selection of joint projects by a consortium

Abstract This paper analyzes the impact of risk attitudes on project funding decisions in research consortia. We outline an expected utility framework and show that aggregation of risk reduces risk aversion. We analyze the effects of managerial risk attitudes on the decision making process for R&D investment. We show that when funding research projects, firms should consider projects collectively rather than individually. The pooling of risk among projects can reduce inefficiencies in funding decisions. Furthermore, we show that participation in a consortium can increase efficiency in funding decisions, as the pooling of risk among firms can also alleviate risk aversion.
The Study of Heikhalot Literature: Between Mystical Experience and Textual Artifact

This essay outlines the fundamental methodological and empirical advances that the study of Heikhalot literature has experienced during the past 25 years with the aim of encouraging specialists and enabling non-specialists to approach this complex material with greater precision and sophistication. The field of early Jewish mysticism has been profoundly shaped by the increasing integration in the humanities of cultural and material histories, resulting in an increased focus on scribal practice and other material conditions that shaped the production and transmission of these texts. Against previous assumptions, recent research has shown Heikhalot literature to be a radically unstable literature. This article will review the research tools (editions, concordances, translations, etc.) that now allow for careful analysis of Heikhalot and related texts. Tracing recent research, I demonstrate how our new understanding of the fluid and heterogeneous nature of the Heikhalot corpus will better enable scholars to ...
Experimental and Computational Study of the Monomer-Dimer Equilibrium in Dehaloperoxidase from Amphitrite Ornata

The enzyme dehaloperoxidase (DHP) from the annelid Amphitrite ornata is a unique hemoglobin that functions as a peroxidase, capable of converting 2,4,6-trihalophenols (TBP, TCP, and TFP) into dihalogenated quinones and other products. The DHP protein crystallizes as a dimer. Yet, it was originally characterized as a monomer in solution. We have conducted small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in order to probe the monomer-dimer equilibrium in solution. The interest in this area arises from the fact that many hemoglobins are multimers that play an essential role in the cooperativity of oxygen uptake and release. For example, A. ornata possesses a giant hemoglobin (erythrocruorin) like many other marine organisms. Since there are only two known hemoglobin genes (DHP A and DHP B) in A. ornata, it is logical that one or both of these proteins associate with other proteins to form the giant hemoglobin. On the other hand, coelomic DHP does not appear to have a high degree of cooperativity. Moreover, the dimer interface in the X-ray crystal structure of both DHP A and DHP B consists of only 3 amino acid residues. The SAXS data show that the equilibrium for DHP favors the monomer form up to the highest concentrations studied (∼ 200 micromolar). However, is there a small amount of the dimer in solution. Thus, it is of interest to apply the known interfaces from study of the X-ray crystal structure to determine which surfaces of DHP may be interacting weakly in solution. We studied the monomer-dimer interface using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in order to ascertain the relative strength of these interfaces. These results are used to develop a systematic approach to characterization of monomer-multimer equilibria based SAXS and X-ray crystallography data.
Numerical Insight Into Flow and Thermal Patterns Within an Inlet Profile Generator Comparing to Experimental Results

Historically the design of gas turbine engines have not considered the interaction between the combustor and turbine stages. High pressure turbine vane stages have been designed assuming inlet conditions consistent with a standard turbulent boundary layer profile. However, combustor exit flow entering the vane is known to be highly non-uniform in both the primary and secondary flow regimes. In order to develop higher performance, more efficient, longer life stages, turbine design must take into account combustor exit non-uniformities. The Turbine Research Facility (TRF) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has installed a non-reactive full scale annular combustor simulator or more accurately a turbine inlet profile generator to study combustor-vane interaction. Several benchmark tests have been performed on the profile generator consisting of a Taguchi type matrix wherein nine independent variables were adjusted. Supplementing the experimental research at the TRF, a steady state, unstructured, fully three-dimensional CFD analysis was performed. This paper will make comparisons between the CFD and experimental profiles generated by the simulator. Furthermore, the computational study will help to give an understanding of the aerodynamic and aerothermal environment within the generator that experimental instrumentation alone cannot.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Early vasoreactive profile of skeletonized versus pedicled internal thoracic artery grafts

Abstract Background: No data are available on the early vasoreactive profile of skeletonized internal thoracic artery grafts. Methods: Fifteen patients undergoing primary isolated coronary artery bypass grafting were randomly assigned to receive a skeletonized or pedicled internal thoracic artery graft. On the second postoperative day all patients were subjected to follow-up angiography and endovascular infusion of serotonin, acetylcholine, and isosorbide dinitrate. Results: Internal thoracic artery grafts were widely patent in all cases. Mean diameters of the internal thoracic artery were 1.95 ± 0.17 mm in the pedicled group and 2.26 ± 0.40 mm in the skeletonized group. After serotonin challenge, mean internal thoracic artery diameters were reduced to 1.44 ± 0.34 mm and 1.64 ± 0.14 mm, respectively; acetylcholine challenge lead to a moderate degree of vasoconstriction (1.55 ± 0.59 mm in the pedicled group and 1.84 ± 0.15 mm in the skeletonized group). No statistically significant difference was evident between the two groups at any step. Conclusion: Skeletonization does not affect the early vasoreactive profile of internal thoracic artery grafts used for surgical myocardial revascularization. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2003;125:638-41
Line-width measurements on CO in an atmosphere of CO2

Abstract Line-width measurements have been performed in the fundamental and the first-overtone bands of CO broadened by CO2. The half-widths vary from 0.123±0.006 cm-1atm-1 for m = 1 to 0.0464±0.002 cm-1 atm-1 for m = 18 in both the bands. Comparison with self-broadened and nitrogen-broadened half-widths indicates that, due to its larger quadrupole moment and heavier mass, CO2 is more effective for low m, and less effective for large m, than CO and N2 in broadening of CO lines. Excellent agreement is obtained between our measured widths and line widths calculated according to Anderson's theory.
A possible explanation of the apparent breed-related resistance in cattle to bont tick (Amblyomma hebraeum) infestations.

Abstract Adult male Amblyomma hebraeum tick infestations and the weights of 20 Brahman steers and 38 Mashona heifers were measured at different periods at the Veterinary Quarantine Area at Mbizi, Zimbabwe. The experiment for the Brahmans lasted 108 weeks and that for the Mashona for 113 weeks. The Brahman steers weighed a maximum average of 478.4 kg (SE 7.9 kg), which was significantly different to the Mashona heifers maximum average of 391.4 kg (SE 5.6 kg) (P
Chemical Mechanism of Suppression of Copper Electrodeposition by Poly(ethylene glycol)

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is an important additive to electroplating baths used for the deposition of copper interconnects on semiconductor wafers. In an earlier paper, Yokoi et al., Denki Kagaku oyobi Kogyo Butsuri Kagaku, 52, 218 (1984) found a direct relationship between the deposition rate in the presence of PEG and chloride ions with the open-circuit potential measured after plating, suggesting that the rest potential reflects the chemical state of reactive copper ions within a surface polymer film. Here, these measurements were corroborated and then interpreted in terms of a proposed mechanism of copper deposition in the presence of PEG. In this mechanism, aqueous Cu 2 + ions are reduced to an intermediate complex at the PEG-Cu interface detected earlier by Raman spectroscopy [z. V. Feng et al., J. Phys. Chem. B, 107, 9415 (2003)], in which Cu + ions associate with adsorbed Cl - ions and ether oxygen ligands of PEG. The rest potential measurements are quantitatively explained on the basis of competition for these ligands at open circuit with Cu 2 + ions absorbing from solution. The results indicate that deposition is mediated though ions partially solvated with the polymer, the concentration of which is controlled by the PEG concentration and molecular weight. PEG then behaves as a polymer electrolyte film as opposed to a passive barrier.
Neighborhood Deprivation, Neighborhood Aculturation, and the Retail Food Environment in a U.S.-Mexico Border Urban Area

Retail food environments, which can be characterized by the availability of supermarkets and other food stores, provide an important context for dietary choices. Retail food environments in border metropolitan areas may not exhibit the same patterns of those observed in other areas and may influence dietary acculturation patterns. The availability of different types of food stores within a geographic information system (GIS) to test whether neighborhood deprivation and neighborhood acculturation were correlated with food store availability. After controlling for population density and neighborhood acculturation, high levels of neighborhood deprivation were associated with having 86% fewer chain supermarkets. In contrast, neighborhood acculturation was a more influential determinant in grocery and specialty store availability. Future research should examine the role of border retail food environments in shaping dietary acculturation patterns.
Electron beams formed by photoelectric field emission

Previous measurements of electron emission by cw laser-irradiated tungsten needles have been extended to pulsed laser irradiation using a 7-ns long, doubled Nd : YAG laser at intensities up to 10 11 W/m 2 . The results show that the mechanism for emission changes from the tunnelling mechanism observed in the cw case, characterized by exponential voltage dependence, to an ablative mechanism characterized by very weak voltage dependence. The observed emission has a threshold around 10 11 W/m 2 , just below the damage threshold for the needles. Using needles with a 1-mm tip radius at voltages up to 50 kV, current densities as high as 10 11 A/m 2 were observed. r 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. PACS: 41.75.Fr; 79.70.+q; 79.60.� i
Imaging Innovations in Temporal Bone Disorders

The development of new imaging techniques coupled with new treatment algorithms has created new possibilities in treating temporal bone diseases. This article provides an overview of recent imaging innovations that can be applied to temporal bone diseases. Topics covered include the role of magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion-weighted imaging in cholesteatomas and skull base epidermoids, whole-body molecular imaging in paragangliomas of the jugular foramen, and MR arterial spin labeling perfusion for dural arteriovenous fistulas and arteriovenous malformations.
The microtubule-associated protein, NUD-1, exhibits chaperone activity in vitro

Regulation of cell division requires the concerted function of proteins and protein complexes that properly mediate cytoskeletal dynamics. NudC is an evolutionarily conserved protein of undetermined function that associates with microtubules and interacts with several key regulators of mitosis, such as polo-kinase 1 (Plk1) and dynein. NudC is essential for proper mitotic progression, and homologs have been identified in species ranging from fungi to humans. In this paper, we report the characterization of the Caenorhabditis elegans NudC homolog, NUD-1, as a protein exhibiting molecular chaperone activity. All NudC/NUD-1 proteins share a conserved p23/HSP20 domain predicted by three-dimensional modeling [Garcia-Ranea, Mirey, Camonis, Valencia, FEBS Lett 529(2–3):162–167, 2002]. We demonstrate that nematode NUD-1 is able to prevent the aggregation of two substrate proteins, citrate synthase (CS) and luciferase, at stoichiometric concentrations. Further, NUD-1 also protects the native state of CS from thermal inactivation by significantly reducing the inactivation rate of this enzyme. To further determine if NUD-1/substrate complexes were productive or simply “dead-end” unfolding intermediates, a luciferase refolding assay was utilized. Following thermal denaturation, rabbit reticulocyte lysate and ATP were added and luciferase activity measured. In the presence of NUD-1, nearly all of the luciferase activity was regained, indicating that unfolded intermediates complexed with NUD-1 could be refolded. These studies represent the first functional evidence for a member of this mitotically essential protein family as having chaperone activity and facilitates elucidation of the role such proteins play in chaperone complexes utilized in cell division. C. elegans NUD-1 is a member of an evolutionary conserved protein family of unknown function involved in the regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics. NUD-1 and its mammalian homolog, NudC, function with the dynein motor complex to ensure proper cell division, and knockdown or overexpression of these proteins leads to disruption of mitosis. In this paper, we show that NUD-1 possesses ATP-independent chaperone activity comparable to that of small heat shock proteins and cochaperones and that changes in phosphorylation state functionally alter chaperone activity in a phosphomimetic NUD-1 mutant.
Real-Time Motion Tracking of Robot Manipulators Using Adaptive Genetic Algorithms

The paper presents a genetic algorithm approach to real-time motion tracking of redundant and non-redundant manipulators. The joint angle trajectories are found by applying genetic operators to a set of suitably generated configurations so that the end-effector follows a desired workspace trajectory accurately. The probability of applying a particular genetic operator is adapted on-line to achieve fast convergence to the solution. The adaptation is based on two measures, namely, diversity and fitness of the generated configurations. In order to achieve real time tracking, special provisions are made so that only an appropriate small region in the joint space is searched. The tracking problem is solved at the position level rather the then velocity level. As such the proposed method does not use the manipulator Jacobian inverse or pseudo-inverse matrix and is shown to be free from problems such as excessive joint velocities due to singularities. Simulation results are presented for the 6-DOF Puma and the 7-DOF Robotic Research arm that demonstrate good tracking accuracy and reasonable joint velocities.
Design flow of a wearable system for body posture assessment and fall detection with android smartphone

In this paper, we present a design flow of a wearable system for posture assessment and fall detection of a mobile individual using an Android smartphone. The proposed design architecture utilizes the smartphone as data gateway and analyzer in order to provide immediate information to the emergency contact person or a medical facility. We present and analyze the necessary components required to observe body orientation and fall detection. The system is designed to be low power, portable, lightweight and has wireless data communication capability. By capitalizing on multiple types of wireless connections available on the Android smartphone, our design captures posture information and transmit this information to emergency contact person as well as to a central location for data analysis by experts and also for data logging. The posture analyzer and the fall detecting system can be an essential component within a broader wireless body sensor network to monitor a mobile individual who needs constant monitoring and immediate medical treatments.
Solid support synthesis of 2-substituted dibenz[b,f]oxazepin-11(10H)-onesvia SNAr methodology on AMEBA resin

Abstract Efficient assembly of dibenz[b,f]oxazepin-11(10H)-ones utilizing the SNAr of fluorine in 2-fluoro-5-nitrobenzoic acid with the OH of various 2-aminophenols on solid support is reported. The flexibility of this synthesis, as well as the excellent purity (>90%) of the final products are the distinctive characteristics of the resulting library.
Modulation of steady state functional connectivity in the default mode and working memory networks by cognitive load

Interregional correlations between blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals in the resting state have been interpreted as measures of connectivity across the brain. Here we investigate whether such connectivity in the working memory and default mode networks is modulated by changes in cognitive load. Functional connectivity was measured in a steady-state verbal identity N-back task for three different conditions (N = 1, 2, and 3) as well as in the resting state. We found that as cognitive load increases, the functional connectivity within both the working memory the default mode network increases. In order to test whether functional connectivity between the working memory and the default mode networks changed, we constructed maps of functional connectivity to the working memory network as a whole and found that increasingly negative correlations emerged in a dorsal region of the posterior cingulate cortex. These results provide further evidence that low frequency fluctuations in BOLD signals reflect variations in neural activity and suggests interaction between the default mode network and other cognitive networks.
Personal epistemology and theory of mind: deciphering young children's beliefs about knowledge and knowing

The beliefs that individuals hold about knowledge and knowing have been the focus of a growing body of work on “personal epistemology.” There has been general agreement among researchers about a developmental trajectory of epistemological understanding that takes place in adolescence and adulthood. Rarely has this research included children, however, and we know little about the origins of epistemological awareness or its early development. A separate group of researchers have investigated children's “theory of mind,” or the ability to understand others’ beliefs, actions, and desires, with primary attention to the onset of this cognitive achievement between the ages of 3 and 5. This article reviews the theoretical foundation for a proposed relation between these constructs, and reports on an exploratory investigation with 3–5 year olds, in which epistemological level was significantly related to theory of mind ability. Results are discussed in relation to a general timeline depicting the development of children's beliefs about knowledge and knowing, a process that involves an ongoing tension between objective and subjective perspectives. We propose that the trajectory of epistemological development be expanded to include an initial period of egocentric subjectivity that characterizes epistemological thinking prior to the achievement of theory of mind.
Neutrophil migration across model intestinal epithelia: monolayer disruption and subsequent events in epithelial repair.

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Acute inflammation of the intestine is associated with transepithelial migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and epithelial wounds that rapidly reseal. The aim of this study was to determine mechanisms by which such PMN-induced epithelial wounds reseal. METHODS: Epithelial wound closure was modeled in vitro using T84 intestinal epithelial cells and PMNs. Wound closure was analyzed by confocal microscopy and by determination of barrier function. Wounds were highlighted by apical labeling with antibody to a basolaterally restricted ligand, beta1-integrin. RESULTS: High-density PMN transepithelial migration for 70-110 minutes produced multifocal epithelial wounds that were 1-120 microm in diameter and markedly diminished epithelial barrier function that returned to baseline within 12-20 hours. Large wound closure was initiated by cell flattening and extension of F-actin/vinculin/paxillin-enriched lamellipodia at the leading edge. As wounds became small (approximately CONCLUSIONS: These data model mucosal repair in acute inflammatory conditions and, for the first time, show sequential early and late mechanisms by which epithelial discontinuities repair. (Gastroenterology 1997 Nov;113(5):1489-500)
“There's a Better Word”: Urban Youth Rewriting Their Social Worlds Through Poetry

Recent studies undertaken with sociocultural perspectives on literacy offer a framework through which to explore poetry in youth's lives. This article draws upon works within New Literacy Studies to provide a glimpse of urban high school youth's experiences in a unique program called Poetry for the People (P4P). It identifies some ways in which these experiences have been valuable in acquisition of writing skills, confidence in learning, self-awareness, and development of social conscience. The view of poetry presented affirms the importance of students' voices in the writing and learning process. It highlights how acknowledging students' interests in and abilities to produce sophisticated poems can create different possibilities for enhancing students' literacy development. The import of poetry for young people's identities, in particular emergent identities as empowered citizens and writers, examined within the context of P4P advances current perspectives on how poetry can be used for effective writing instruction in and out of schools.
Tweens' Conceptions of Privacy Online: Implications for Educators

There is considerable debate about young people's concern for privacy today, given their frequent use of social media to share information and other content about themselves and others. While researchers have investigated the online privacy practices of teens and emerging adults, relatively little is known about the attitudes and behaviors of younger youth. Drawing on interviews with 42 middle school students, or ‘tweens’, we explore how youth in this age group think about and manage privacy issues online, as well as the messages they report hearing from educators about online privacy. Our findings suggest that most tweens value privacy, seek privacy from both strangers and known others online, and use a variety of strategies to protect their privacy online. Further, tweens' online privacy concerns are considerably broader than the ‘stranger danger’ messages they report hearing from teachers. We discuss the educational implications of these findings.
Immunoreactive Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) Peptides and POMC-Like Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Are Present in Many Rat Nonpituitary Tissues*

Immunoreactive (IR) POMC peptides have been found in several rat nonpituitary tissues. We found IR-ACTH, IR-beta-endorphin (beta END), and IR-gamma MSH in extracts from the following eight rat nonpituitary tissues, listed in order of decreasing POMC peptide concentrations: testis, duodenum, kidney, colon, liver, lung, stomach, and spleen, but not in adrenal or muscle extracts. Concentrations were very low and ranged from less than 0.00003% to 0.0005% of pituitary levels. In testis, duodenum, and colon, IR-gamma MSH and IR-beta END concentrations were only 5-37% of IR-ACTH levels. Gel filtration chromatography showed that IR-ACTH and IR-beta END coeluted in a major peak of 15,000 daltons, which is slightly larger than expected for a C-terminal peptide containing rat ACTH and beta-lipotropin. There were also a minor higher mol wt peak of IR-ACTH and IR-beta END and a minor IR-beta END peak that eluted in the position of mature beta END. There was no peak of IR-ACTH that corresponded to the size of mature ACTH. To determine whether these nonpituitary tissues also contained a POMC-like mRNA, which would confirm that the peptides were synthesized locally within the tissues, we examined poly(A) RNA prepared from 10 nonpituitary tissues and total RNA from pituitary by Northern blot hybridization for the presence of a POMC-like mRNA with an exon 3 riboprobe. Pituitary contained a single POMC mRNA species of about 1000 nucleotides. A short POMC-like mRNA of about 800 bases was found in all nonpituitary tissues, except spleen and muscle. Compared to POMC mRNA levels in pituitary, the concentration of POMC-like mRNA was 0.5% in testis and 0.03-0.07% in the other tissues. The ratio of POMC-like mRNA to IR-POMC peptide concentrations in nonpituitary tissues was at least 1000 times greater than that in the pituitary. We conclude that the POMC gene is expressed in many nonpituitary tissues and that either the short POMC-like mRNA is translated much less efficiently or POMC peptides are released or degraded much more rapidly in nonpituitary tissues than in the pituitary.
PARTIAL STRUCTURES OF FULLY DEHYDRATED NI30NA7CL12SI137AL55O384 (SOLID-STATE NICKEL(II)-EXCHANGED ZEOLITE Y) AND OF ITS D2O SORPTION COMPLEX BY PULSED -NEUTRON DIFFRACTION

Ni2+-exchanged zeolite Y was prepared by solid-state ion-exchange methods (Ni30Na7Cl12Si137Al55O384·nH2O per unit cell) and was fully dehydrated (Ni30−Y). Rehydration with D2O and evacuation at 24 °C yielded a second sample (Ni30−Y·D2O). Pulsed-neutron diffraction data were collected at 15 K; the structures were determined in the space group Fd3m; Rp = 0.0212 and 0.0184 and Rwp = 0.0287 and 0.0257 for the two structures, respectively. In Ni30−Y, 30 Ni2+ ions occupy 4 crystallographic sites: four ions are found at site I, at the centers of double 6-rings; 18 occupy two I‘ sites, outside double 6-rings, 2.09(1) and 2.50(2) A, respectively, from three nearest-framework oxygens; 8 are located at site II‘, adjacent to a single 6-ring, 2.13(1) A from three nearest-framework oxygens. Sites I‘ and II‘ are both 3-fold-axis sodalite-unit positions. The 12 Cl- ions each bridge between two site-I‘ Ni2+ ions (Ni−Cl = 2.60(1) and 2.73(4) A); each Cl- ion is 2.93(2) A from two framework oxygens and 3.14(2) A from two o...
Short-term effects of cover crops and compaction on soil properties and soybean production in Illinois

Published in Agron. J. 106:860–870 (2014) doi:10.2134/agronj13.0370 Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Agronomy, 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ABSTRACT
Studying Adolescent Male Sexuality: Where Are We?

This article critically reviews the literature about adolescent males’ sexuality in order to describe the state of the science and to identify promising concepts and research designs that have the potential to guide the next generation of research. A critique was conducted on 94 peer-reviewed studies of sexual behaviors that included a sample of adolescent males; 11 scholarly texts and 2 dissertations. Most studies lacked a theoretical foundation and had cross-sectional designs. For those studies with a theoretical base, 3 perspectives were most often used to guide research: cognitive, biological, or social-environmental. Studies frequently relied on older adolescents or young adult males to report behaviors during early adolescence. Male-only samples were infrequent. Findings include (a) the measurement of sexual activity is frequently limited to coitus and does not explore other forms of “sex”; (b) cognitive factors have been limited to knowledge, attitudes, and intent; (c) little is known about younger males based on their own self-reports; (d) little is known about the normative sexuality development of gay adolescent males; and (e) longitudinal studies did not take into account the complexities of biological, social, and emotional development in interaction with other influences. Research on adolescent sexuality generally is about sexual activity, with little research that includes cognitive competency or young males’ sense of self as a sexual being. The purpose of the paper is to critically review the literature about male sexuality in order to describe the state of the science as well as to identify potential directions to guide the next generation of adolescent male sexual being research.
General theory of population transfer by adiabatic rapid passage with intense, chirped laser pulses

We present a general theory of adiabatic rapid passage (ARP) with intense, linearly chirped laser pulses. For pulses with a Gaussian profile and a fixed bandwidth, we derive a rigorous formula for the maximum temporal chirp rate that can be sustained by the pulse. A modified Landau-Zener formula displays clearly the relationships among the pulse parameters. This formula is used to derive the optimal conditions for efficient, robust population transfer. As illustrations of the theory, we present results for two- and four-level systems, and selective vibronic excitation in the I2 molecule. We demonstrate that population transfer with chirped pulses is more robust and more selective than population transfer with transform-limited pulses.
SOME FUNCTION-THEORETIC ASPECTS OF DISCONJUGACY OF LINEAR-DIFFERENTIAL SYSTEMS

where y(z) is the column vector [y1(z),. ., yz(z)] and P(z) is the n x n matrix [Pik(Z)] where the n2 analytic functions Pik(Z) are regular in the bounded simplyconnected domain D. Following Schwarz [8], we shall say that (1.1) is disconjugate in D iffor every choice of n (not necessarily distinct) points zl, Z2,. . , Zn in D, the only solution of (1.1), which satisfies yi(zi) = 0, i= 1, 2,.. .,n, is the trivial one Y(z)-O. Various aspects and applications of systems disconjugacy were considered by Nehari [6], Schwarz [8], London and Schwarz [3], and Kim [1]. Considering disfocality of second-order differential equations Nehari pointed out the following principle [6, Theorem 1.1], which we state here as a necessary and sufficient condition for disconjugacy of the differential system
Criterion-Related Bias with the Guide to the Assessment of Test-Session Behavior for the WISC-III and WIAT: Possible Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and SES Effects.

Abstract Using the Guide to the Assessment of Test-Session Behavior for the WISC-III and WIAT (GATSB), Anglo examiners recorded test observations for 969 children between the ages of 6 and 16 years. The children came from the standardization and validity-study samples of GATSB ratings completed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WISC-III) (Wechsler, 1991). The sample differed by race (Anglo, black, Latino), socioeconomic status (SES) (high, middle, low), and gender. GATSB ratings and WISC-III Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs were compared. Correlations between the GATSB and WISC-III were generally moderate (average r = -.27). Children who exhibited higher levels of avoidance, inattentiveness, and uncooperative behaviors while being tested tended to exhibit lower WISC-III scores. This pattern held true for Anglos, blacks, and Latinos; for girls and boys; and for those from high-, middle-, and low-SES homes. Evidence was generally absent that Anglo examiners display bias in black-Anglo, gender, or SES comparisons. However, consistent differences were noted between Latino and Anglo children. Examiners tended to rate Latinos as displaying better test behaviors than Anglos when children's IQs were below average, but comparable when IQs were average and above. Thus, the GATSB generally displayed similar intrasession validities for children who differ by race/ethnicity, gender, and SES.
Pain disability index: construct and discriminant validity.

Abstract The Pain Disability Index (PDI) was developed as a self-report measure of general and domain-specific, pain-related disability. This study's purpose was twofold: (1) to assess construct validity of the scale relative to other measures of pain-related disability and psychologic distress and (2) to assess the strength of the PDI, independent of pain intensity, in accounting for behavioral and psychologic aspects of disability. Results indicated stronger correlations for PDI factor 1 (discretionary activities) than factor 2 (obligatory activities), with factor scores significantly related to both psychologic distress and behavioral measures of disability. Partial correlation controlling for pain intensity demonstrated PDI factor 1 was significantly related to depression, employment status, and medication usage. The finding supports the usefulness of the PDI in providing important information on functional disability beyond what is provided by a simple measure of pain intensity.
Is There a No-Effect Dose for Corticosteroid-Induced Cleft Palate? The Contribution of Endogenous Corticosterone to the Incidence of Cleft Palate in Mice

Teratology and genetic counselors are frequently asked whether very low exposures of drugs and chemicals can cause a child's congenital malformations. One critical factor on which the counseling is based is the dose. Because teratogenic effects follow a toxicologic dose-response curve with a no-effect dose, frequently counselors can refute a causal relationship because the dose was far below the no-observable-effect dose. Recently, some investigators have suggested that some teratogens which are present in physiologic levels such as cortisone, glucose, insulin, or sex steroids may contribute to the background incidence of congenital malformations and, therefore, there is no safe dose. Using corticosteroid-induced cleft palate in mice as the model, we conducted experiments to test this hypothesis. Adrenalectomy of A/J or CD-1 dams resulted in a reduction of endogenous corticosterone, but did not reduce the spontaneous incidence of cleft palate in the offspring. In A/J mice, the incidence of isolated cleft palate increased with adrenalectomy indicating that the spontaneous incidence of this defect is not due to endogenous corticosterone. Adrenalectomy did not affect the susceptibility of CD-1 mice to cortisone induced cleft palate demonstrating that endogenous corticosterone did not contribute significantly to the incidence of cleft palate induced by the exogenous corticosteroid. Finally, results in CD-1 mice clearly indicate that cortisone, like other teratogens, has a no-effect level for teratogenesis. These studies support the concept of a threshold in the dose-response relationship for corticosteroid-induced cleft palate in mice.
Pattern formation in the trigeminal system of the rat

At several levels of the trigeminal system of the rat, the terminations of afferent fibers are organized into a pattern which replicates the distribution of receptors on the face of the rat. Neonatal manipulations of this facial pattern result in the formation of altered central patterns. Study of pattern formation in this system may add to our understanding of the formation of ordered neuronal topographies.
Behavioral and physiological responses of wild-caught European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) to a minor, rapid change in ambient temperature.

Abstract Free-ranging animals continuously adjust to changes in their environment. The stress response, typified by increases in heart rate and glucocorticoids, is an important physiological response regulating these changes. This study investigated heart rate, corticosterone and behavioral responses of European starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) to a rapid 30 min decrease in temperature using an air-conditioning unit. Ten wild-caught birds were divided into pairs and exposed to four different trials. Three trials were controls: undisturbed birds; exposing birds to only the noise of the air-conditioning unit; and exposing the birds to 20 °C airflow. For the experimental trial birds were exposed to 12 °C air, leading to a rapid but modest 3 °C drop in ambient temperature inside the birdcages. Heart rate and behavior were recorded before and during trials, while blood samples were collected before and after each trial for corticosterone measurements. Cooling, but none of the control conditions, induced an increase in heart rate and corticosterone. Additionally, cooling led to an increase in perch hopping and feather ruffling. We conclude that minor changes in temperature can elicit a stress response in European starlings, which suggests that this may be an important mechanism by which animals cope with minor rapid environmental changes.
Morphine-induced μ-opioid receptor rapid desensitization is independent of receptor phosphorylation and β-arrestins

Receptor desensitization involving receptor phosphorylation and subsequent betaArrestin (betaArr) recruitment has been implicated in the tolerance development mediated by mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1). However, the roles of receptor phosphorylation and betaArr on morphine-induced OPRM1 desensitization remain to be demonstrated. Using OPRM1-induced intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i))release to monitor receptor activation, as predicted, [D-Ala(2), N-Me-Phe(4), Gly(5)-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO), induced OPRM1 desensitization in a receptor phosphorylation- and betaArr-dependent manner. The DAMGO-induced OPRM1 desensitization was attenuated significantly when phosphorylation deficient OPRM1 mutants or Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast (MEF) cells from betaArr1 and 2 knockout mice were used in the studies. Specifically, DAMGO-induced desensitization was blunted in HEK293 cells expressing the OPRM1S375A mutant and was eliminated in MEF cells isolated from betaArr2 knockout mice expressing the wild type OPRM1. However, although morphine also could induce a rapid desensitization on [Ca(2+)](i) release to a greater extent than that of DAMGO and could induce the phosphorylation of Ser(375) residue, morphine-induced desensitization was not influenced by mutating the phosphorylation sites or in MEF cells lacking betaArr1 and 2. Hence, morphine could induce OPRM1 desensitization via pathway independent of betaArr, thus suggesting the in vivo tolerance development to morphine can occur in the absence of betaArr.
Studies of the adrenal hyperfunction in 2 patients with atypical Cushing's syndrome.

The variation in both the clinical and biochemical response to administered adrenal steroids or corticotropin suggests that naturally occurring adrenal hypercorticism might not always be manifested as fully developed Cushing's syndrome. Until recently, the diagnosis of adrenal hyperfunction depended for the most part on typical clinical findings, since analytical methods for the corticosteroids were not quantitatively reliable. Within the past few years newer methods of steroid analysis have been developed which permit a more accurate measure of cortical function. One of these procedures (1, 2) has been used extensively in the course of evaluating many patients with one or more of the features of Cushing's syndrome. Among these were patients with obesity, hirsutism, diabetes, osteoporosis or hypertension. The 2 patients who are the subject of this report were found to have cortical hyperfunction. Their appearance so belied Cushing's syndrome that the correct diagnosis had not been made by many competent o...
Difference in 5′ terminal structure between the mRNA and the double-stranded virion RNA of reovirus

Abstract In the course of reovirus replication the double-stranded virion RNA serves as a template for reovirus mRNA (+ strand) formation. The reovirus mRNA in turn serves as a template for the synthesis of the complementary (−) strand. The latter remains associated with the template, thus forming double-stranded virion RNA. The virion associated enzymes can be activated in vitro to synthesize reovirus mRNAs with an m7G(5′)ppp(5′)GmpCp… 5′ terminal structure (cap 1 structure). We find that about 50% of reovirus mRNAs formed in L cells (between 5 and 11 hours after infection) have m7G(5′)ppp(5′)GmpCmp… as their 5′ terminal structure (cap 2 structure); the rest have a cap 1 structure. Interestingly, the large majority (over 95%) of the + strands in reovirion double-stranded RNA have cap 1 structures at their 5′ termini. These observations may indicate that reo mRNAs serve as a template in double-stranded RNA formation before their cap 1 termini become converted to cap 2 termini. It is also possible, however, that mRNAs with cap 1 type 5′ termini are preferred templates for double-stranded RNA formation over those with cap 2 type 5′ termini.
Robust and Stochastically Weighted Multiobjective Optimization Models and Reformulations

We introduce and study a family of models for multiexpert multiobjective/criteria decision making. These models use a concept of weight robustness to generate a risk-averse decision. In particular, the multiexpert multicriteria robust weighted sum approach (McRow) introduced in this paper identifies a (robust) Pareto decision that minimizes the worst-case weighted sum of objectives over a given weight region. The corresponding objective value, called the robust value of a decision, is shown to be increasing and concave in the weight set. We study compact reformulations of the McRow model with polyhedral and conic descriptions of the weight regions. The McRow model is developed further for stochastic multiexpert multicriteria decision making by allowing ambiguity or randomness in the weight region as well as the objective functions. The properties of the proposed approach are illustrated with a few textbook examples. The usefulness of the stochastic McRow model is demonstrated using a disaster planning example and an agriculture revenue management example.
The Adaptability of Pentecostalism: The Fit between Prosperity Theology and Globalized Individualization in a Los Angeles Church

Abstract A main theme in the study of global Pentecostalism is its adaptability to the modern world system; yet, the way in which adaptability “works” is not well theorized. Hannah Arendt’s analysis of “the private and public realm” and Ulrich Beck’s description of “individualization and self-culture” offer heuristic frameworks for understanding how prosperity theology is well-suited to macro-historical patterns that address the growing individualization of everyday life, especially in relation to uncertain career paths and risk-oriented work structures. Arendt’s and Beck’s theoretical conceptualizations move away from sect-like notions of Pentecostals cultivating a bounded system among the non-Spirit-filled natives. Instead, their theoretical conceptualizations reveal Pentecostalism — especially in its prosperity orientation — to be fully compatible with individualization processes experienced by and demanded from today’s workers. A case study of the ministry of Oasis Christian Center to Hollywood entertainment industry workers illustrates connections between the Prosperity/Word of Faith orientation of the congregation and overarching processes of individualization.
Functional effects of methylazoxymethanol-induced cerebellar hypoplasia in rats

Abstract The behavioral effects of a series of methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) injections in neonatal rats were investigated. Pups were injected twice daily on days 5–8 after birth with 4 mg/kg MAM or saline. Similar treatment paradigms cause cerebellar hypoplasia. which is a result of a depletion of granule cells. MAM treatment reduced adult cerebellar weight to 92% that of control and was without effect on weight of other brain regions examined. Postweaning body weight gain in males was reduced. Nest odor preference and emergence (light/dark box) assessments indicated no significant effects. Complex maze assessments and performance in an operant test battery demonstrated no cognitive deficits. Indeed, MAM-treated females performed better in a complex maze under lighted conditions than same-sex controls. Open field and running wheel activity levels in females were unaffected. Though not statistically significant, males exhibited a mild hyperactivity syndrome characterized by an increase in running wheel and open field activity, as well as a depressed startle response. Both sexes were hypersensitive to the locomotor-increasing effects of methamphetamine. These results suggest that the functional effects resulting from cerebellar hypoplasia produced by MAM treatment on PNDs 5–8 are milder than those resulting from MAM treatment beginning on the day of birth. The results are compared with other forms of cerebellar lesions and provide support for the hypothesis that early insult (day of birth or shortly after) produces hypoactivity whereas a later insult (day 4 or later after birth) produces a syndrome of hyperactivity.
Image recovery from signal-dependent noise.

It is well known that the noise processes corrupting an image are, in general, signal dependent. Under low signal-to-noise-ratio situations, the amount of signal information present in the signal-dependent noise may become a significant fraction of the total signal information. A simple technique designed to demonstrate the potential for signal extraction from signal-dependent noise is presented.
Formation of multimers of linear satellite RNAs.

Abstract A 22-base region of turnip crinkle virus satellite-RNA C (sat-RNA C) is involved in the accumulation of monomeric and dimeric forms. Deletions within the region inhibited the accumulation of sat-RNA C monomers. However, normal ratios of dimers to monomers occurred if the 22 bases were replaced by 22 unrelated bases or if the location of this region was altered. Therefore, these specific 22 bases are not involved in the accumulation of sat-RNA C monomers. Examination of the sequences at the junctions of multimers of all three turnip crinkle virus sat-RNAs revealed the deletion of bases corresponding to the 3′ and 5′ ends of monomeric units as well as the addition of nucleotides not present in monomers. Based on these results, we present a model to explain the formation of multimers of linear subviral RNAs associated with turnip crinkle virus. Our model suggests that multimers are formed by the reinitiation of replication by the replicase before release of the nascent strand. We have previously proposed the same mechanism for the formation of defective interfering RNAs, chimeric sat-RNAs, and sat-RNA recombinants in the turnip crinkle virus system (Cascone, Carpenter, Li,and Simon.
Interaction of D-amino acid oxidase with carbon nanotubes: implications in the design of biosensors.

We have investigated the interaction of d-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) with single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Dynamic adsorption experiments were performed at different experimental conditions. In addition, the activity of the enzyme adsorbed at different conditions was studied. Our results indicate that DAAO can be adsorbed to CNT at different pH values and concentrations by a combination of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Considering that the highest enzymatic activity was obtained by adsorbing the protein at pH 5.7 and 0.1 mg·mL−1, our results indicate that DAAO can adopt multiple orientations on the surface, which are ultimately responsible for significant differences in catalytic activity.