cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Secretion of Insulin-like Growth Factor-Binding Proteins from Liver of Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis

In vitro secretion of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) from liver of striped bass (sb: Morone saxatilis) was studied using a simple organ-culture system. Liver cubes (1 mm3) were cultured in minimum essential medium with Earle's salts containing 0.1% bovine serum albumin and 100 U/ml penicillin in 5% CO2/95% O2 at 16 degrees. The amount of double-stranded DNA in these cultured liver cubes did not change by 192 hr in the culture, but decreased by 216 hr. Four IGFBPs (a 23- to 24-kDa protein, a 28- to 30-kDa protein, a 35- to 39-kDa protein, and an 85- to 90-kDa protein) were identified in striped bass serum by Western ligand blotting; two of these IGFBPs, 23-24 kDa (sbIGFBP-1) and 28-30 kDa (sbIGFBP-2), were consistently detected in culture media by Western ligand blot analysis. The intensity of the blot for sbIGFBP-2 was consistently greater than that of sbIGFBP-1, which was no longer secreted after 96 hr in culture. The effects of hormones and growth factors on IGFBP secretion by liver tissue were measured after 48 hr in culture. sbIGFBP-1 in the medium was significantly decreased by adding ovine prolactin (10 micrograms/ml), bovine insulin (100 micrograms/ml), and bovine IGF-I (100 ng/ml), but was increased by 17 beta-estradiol (E2: 5 and 50 ng/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Ultrasensitive Copper(II) Detection Using Plasmon-Enhanced and Photo-Brightened Luminescence of CdSe Quantum Dots

Here, we present a simple platform for the use of the enhanced emission of 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (16-MHA) capped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) as a probe for ultrasensitive copper(II) detection. In this study, the photoluminescence (PL) of the QDs was first enhanced by Ag nanoprisms which were self-assembled on Si surfaces and then further increased by photobrightening. Using this approach, the control and different analytes could be readily probed all on a single platform using fluorescence microscopy. The enhanced PL intensity of CdSe QDs was selectively quenched in the presence of Cu2+, accompanied by the emergence of a new red-shifted luminescence band. The quenching mechanism was found to be due to a cation exchange mechanism as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Herein, we have demonstrated that this simple methodology can offer a rapid and reliable detection of Cu2+ with a detection limit as low as 5 nM and a dynamic range up to 100 μM in a fixed fast reaction time o...
Cross-document Temporal and Spatial Person Tracking System Demonstration

Traditional Information Extraction (IE) systems identify many unconnected facts. The objective of this paper is to define a new cross-document information extraction task and demonstrate a system which can extract, rank and track events in two dimensions: temporal and spatial. The system can automatically label the person entities involved in significant events as 'centroid arguments', and then present the events involving the same centroid on a time line and on a geographical map.
Denosumab in patients with cancer and skeletal metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background We conducted a systematic review of the literature to determine the efficacy and safety of denosumab in reducing skeletal-related events (SRE) in patients with bone metastases.
An Analytical Method for Predicting CMOS SRAM Upsets with Application to Asymmetrical Memory Cells

An analytical method was developed to predict the heavy-ion-induced upset rate of static random access memory (SRAM) cells. The method was applied to the design of a memory with asymmetrical cells where the goal was to increase the upset rate in order to increase the number of observed upsets in a space environment. The asymmetry is achieved by increasing the drain area of selected transistors in the cell. Results from the analytical model for a space environment indicate the upset rate for the experimental asymmetrical cell (17.2 upsets/l kbit-year) will be 4.7 times larger than the upset rate for the minimum-geometry balanced cell (3.6 upsets/ 1 kbit-year). The asymmetrical SRAM was designed into a test chip intended for the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES).
Temporary external fixation is safe in a combat environment.

Abstract : Background: External fixation has been used extensively during recent wars as a damage control measure for fractures in coalition forces being evacuated. We hypothesize that external fixation is a safe and effective initial stabilization procedure for combat-related open fractures. Methods: Records on 55 consecutive type III tibia fractures between March 2003 and September 2007 were reviewed. We stratified the complications related to external fixation as major, potential, and minor complications. We defined major complications as neurovascular injury, mechanical failure, septic joint, and pin tract osteomyelitis. Potential complications were defined as pins within 1 inch of the fracture, pin over-penetration (greater than or equal to 26 mm), pin without cortical purchase, and intracapsular pin placement. Minor complications were defined as pin tract infections, addition of pins or bars, and pin over-penetration (9-25 mm). Successful application was defined as the absence of major or potential complications. Results: We recorded no major complications. There were 12 of 53 (22.6%) constructs and 21 of 228 (9.2%) pins inserted with potential complications. We detected minor complications in 27 of 53 (50.9%) constructs and 35 of 228 (15.3%) pins inserted; 41 of 53 (77.4%) constructs had no major or potential complications. Conclusions: Treatment of combat-related open tibia fractures with external fixation was 77% successful in our series. We recorded no major complications but demonstrated the possibility for technical improvement in one of the five constructs with potential complications. Despite the recorded potential and minor complications, external fixation is safe and effective as a temporary damage control in open fractures sustained in combat.
Serious video game effectiveness

Given the interactive media characteristics and intrinsically motivating appeal, computer games are often praised for their potential and value in education.allHowever, comprehensive research testing these assumptions is still missing. Preliminary comparative studies on the learning effects of games versus traditional media have shown some promise. In this paper, we describe a comparative study that thoroughly investigates the effects of interactivity and media richness on science learning among college students. We also discuss important results and implications yielded from comparisons among four conditions in our experiment (game, replay, hypertext and text).
Adjustable phase planar helical undulator

We present here the design description of a new type of planar helical undulator, which we are constructing for the SPEAR storage ring at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. It comprises four rows of pure permanent magnet blocks, one row in each quadrant about the axis defined by the electron beam. Rows may be translated longitudinally with respect to each other to change the helicity of the magnetic field they create at the position of the beam. They may also be translated longitudinally to vary the energy of the x-rays emitted, unlike designs where this function is performed by varying the gap between the rows. This work includes numerical calculations of the fields, electron trajectories, and x-ray spectra, including off-axis effects.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Variability in initial nicotine sensitivity due to sex, history of other drug use, and parental smoking.

Abstract Initial sensitivity to nicotine's effects during early exposure to tobacco may relate to dependence vulnerability. We examined the association of initial nicotine sensitivity with individual difference factors of sex, other drug use history (i.e. cross-tolerance or cross-sensitization), and parental smoking status in young adult nonsmokers (N = 131). Participants engaged in 4 sessions, the first 3 to assess the dose–response effects of nasal spray nicotine (0, 5, 10 μg/kg) on rewarding, mood, physiological, sensory processing, and performance effects, and the fourth to assess nicotine reinforcement using a choice procedure. Men had greater initial sensitivity than women to some self-reported effects of nicotine related to reward and incentive salience and to impairment in sensory processing, but men and women did not differ on most other effects. Prior marijuana use was associated with greater nicotine reward, nicotine reinforcement was greater in men versus women among those with prior marijuana use, and having parents who smoked was related to increased incentive salience. However, history of other drug use and parental smoking were not otherwise associated with initial nicotine sensitivity. These findings warrant replication with other methods of nicotine administration, especially cigarette smoking, and in more diverse samples of subjects naive to nicotine. Yet, they suggest that sex differences in initial sensitivity to nicotine reward occur before the onset of dependence. They also suggest that parental smoking may not increase risk of nicotine dependence in offspring by altering initial nicotine sensitivity, and that cross-tolerance between other drugs and nicotine may not be robust in humans.
The molecular machine for driving the coupled transports of Na+ and K+ is an (Na++K+)-activated ATPase

The (Na + +K + )-ATPase has been purified from mammalian kidney, shark rectal gland and electric organ of electric eel. The purified enzyme can be incorporated into phospholipid bilayer vesicles and the coupled transports of Na + and K + reconstituted.
Small-scale invasion pattern, spread rate, and lag-phase behavior of Rhamnus frangula L.

Abstract We tested the ability of the simple reaction–diffusion spread model to quantify the rate of spread of Rhamnus frangula L., a non-indigenous shrub, at the scale of a single forest stand in southeastern New Hampshire. Cut stems of R. frangula were collected in a Cartesian grid pattern within the invaded stand and aged. A contour map of the invasion pattern was produced using kriging. The empirical invasion rate was calculated as the linear distance per year since initial invasion. The intrinsic rate of increase and diffusion coefficient were estimated in the field and the model prediction calculated. Observed mean rate of linear expansion was measured to be 6.7 m per year with a standard deviation of 1.24 m per year, while the predicted linear asymptotic rate of spread was calculated be 6.3 m per year. Thus, the simple reaction–diffusion model yielded a very accurate prediction of actual spread rate. There may have been a lag-phase in the invasion at this site as the spread rate was found to be slower in the early stages of invasion compared to later stages. At the scale of single stands, the simple reaction–diffusion model may be accurate enough to predict the spread of new invaders without recourse to complex life-history spread rate models. Additionally, if lag-phases in spread rate occur with regular frequency, then attempts to retrospectively predict which species may be invasive will be hampered by incorrectly classifying a future invader as currently non-invasive.
Prognosis in stable angina pectoris and silent myocardial ischemia

The results of current investigation suggest that a former clinical standby, namely, the presence or absence of angina, is no longer the principal prognostic factor for determining a patient's risk of cardiac events, including myocardial infarction. In a retrospective analysis, patients with chronic stable angina were compared on the basis of presence or absence of angina during ischemia detected by thallium imaging. Patients were similar in terms of risk factors, clinical characteristics and catheterization data. At 30 months of follow-up, the myocardial infarction rate was 22% in the silent group compared with 4% in the group with angina. Transient asymptomatic ischemia has prognostic value independent of other variables such as exercise stress testing or cardiac catheterization data. Future prognostic studies should be careful to include patient populations with similar characteristics; they also will need to provide protracted follow-up and utilize sensitive and reproducible diagnostic techniques.
Thin-layer chromatographic separation of serotonin from epinephrine and norepinephrine

Abstract A thin-layer chromatographic procedure is reported for the separation of serotonin from epinephrine and norepinephrine. The method involves the use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-impregnated silica gel G plates and n -butanol-ethanol-acetic acid-water (8:2:1:3) as developer. Serotonin is well separated from both epinephrine and norepinephrine. Epinephrine and norepinephrine overlapped slightly but were both detectable. The procedure is thus applicable to the separation of all three biogenic amines in spite of the absence of an absolutely clear separation of epinephrine from norepinephrine.
How Many Authors Does It Take to Publish an Article? Trends and Patterns in Political Science

P olitical scientists have a tradition of reflecting on the evolution and state of their discipline. Numerous studies have examined rankings of departments (Klingemann 1986; Jackman and Siverson 1996; Lowery and Silver 1996; Miller, Tien, and Peebler 1996b; Morgan and Fitzgerald 1977), graduate programs (Katz and Eagles 1996), journals (Baum et al. 1976; Garand 1990; Giles and Wright 1975; Giles, Mizell, and Patterson 1989; Lester 1990), and citation rates (Cnudde 1986; Gleditsch 1993; Gleditsch 1996; Klingemann, Groffman, and Campagna 1989; Miller, Tien, and Peebler 1996a). The status of women in the profession-ascertained by, for example, counting the number of Ph.D.s granted over time-has also become a subject of study (Burton 1979; Sarkees and McGlen 1992; Kelly, Williams, and Fisher 1993; Hesli and Burrell 1995; Young 1995). We continue the self-study tradition by examining an area that has not received much attention among political scientists: trends and patterns of multiple-authored journal articles in political science over time (for an exception, see Miller, Tien, and Peebler 1996a, Table 7). In the social sciences more generally, patterns of multiple authorship have increasingly become the focus of scholarly attention and concern (Endersby 1996; Fisher et al. 1998; De Maio and Kushner 1981; Hudson 1996; Wildavsky 1986). About half of all articles published in toptiered professional social science journals are written by two or more scholars; two or three decades ago, the proportion of multiple-authored articles was one-quarter to one-third of all social science articles (Endersby 1996; Hudson 1996; Miller, Tien, and Peebler 1996a). The explanations offered for this increase in multiple authorships fall into three loosely defined categories (see Endersby 1996, Hudson 1996, Miller, Tien, and Peebler 1996a). First, the pool from which suitable collaborators can be found has
Prescribed Burning Cooperatives: Empowering and Equipping Ranchers to Manage Rangelands

Prescribed burning cooperatives: empowering and equipping ranchers to manage rangelands. DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v27i1_taylor
Heat capacity measurements of SnSe and SnSe2

Abstract The heat capacities of SnSe and SnSe2 were measured in the temperature range 230–580 K using a computer interfaced differential scanning calorimeter. From these measurements, the Debye temperatures of SnSe and SnSe2 were calculated as a function of temperature. An estimated Debye temperature of 220 K for SnSe was used to calculate the absolute entropy of SnSe at 298 K to be 85.2 ± 6.0 J K−1 mole−1. In the light of other work, the suitability of Debye temperatures for estimating low temperature heat capacities of SnSe2 is questioned.
A Comparison of Religious Orientation and Health Between Whites and Hispanics

The study of religious orientation thus far has neglected the influence of race/ethnicity as well as all four religious orientations (intrinsic, extrinsic, pro-religious and nonreligious) in explaining differences in both physical and psychological health. A representative sample of 250 Hispanics and 236 non-Hispanic Whites in Utah was drawn and analysed for differences in health (self-rated health, life satisfaction, exercise) according to race/ethnicity, religious orientation and religious attendance. Responses to the Religious Orientation Scale differed significantly by race/ethnicity, indicating that future studies of religious orientation should take cultural context into account. For both Whites and Hispanics, pro-religious individuals reported the highest life satisfaction scores, which highlight the utility of employing the fourfold religious orientation typology.
An investigation of factors affecting job satisfaction and career motivation of on‐air radio personalities

This study uses Herzberg's Two‐Factor Theory, Vroom ‘s Expectancy Theory, and London's Theory of Career Motivation as the theoretical framework for analyzing employee motivation. Radio personalities within the state of Indiana were mailed questionnaires and interviewed by phone to respond to questions regarding job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The results showed that small‐market radio personalities felt the work itself, advancement, recognition, and feedback from co‐workers and supervisors served as satisfiers while compensation and job security served as dissatisfiers. The study also found that small market radio personalities had career insight from a moderate to a large extent and career resilience from a moderate to a very large extent.
Effect of Clay and Alumina-Nanowhisker Reinforcements on the Mechanical Properties of Nanocomposites from Biobased Epoxy: A Comparative Study

The biobased epoxy nanocomposite materials containing functionalized vegetable oils (FVOs), such as epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) and epoxidized soybean oil (ESO), were processed with organomontmorillonite and silanized alumina nanowhiskers. The certain amount of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F (DGEBF) was replaced by ELO or ESO in the matrix. The selection of the DGEBF, FVO, an anhydride curing agent, and organomontmorillonite clay/alumina nanowhiskers resulted in an excellent combination, to provide new biobased epoxy nanocomposites showing a high elastic modulus, a high glass transition temperature, and a high fracture toughness with larger amounts of FVO. The Izod impact strength and fracture toughness of biobased neat epoxy were significantly improved depending on FVO, when phase separation was observed. The phase separation did not occur with the addition of exfoliated and intercalated clay nanoplatelets. The fracture toughness and the critical energy release rate of intercalated clay nanocomposites ...
Abstract 2061: Implication of NQO1 knockdown on prostate carcinogenesis

NAD(P)H-Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a key antioxidant enzyme that protects against quinone derived reactive intermediates and maintains a cellular pool of antioxidants. Recent studies from our laboratory and others have been found that the expression levels of NQO1 and several GST family genes are significantly suppressed in prostate tumors in preclinical mouse models. In this study, we investigated the role of NQO1 in prostate carcinogenesis. First, we characterized basal NQO1 expression in normal prostate cells (RWPE-1), initiated prostatic epithelium (BPH-1) and prostate cancer cells (LNCaP, C42B, PC-3 and DU145). Unlike in hormone-induced tumors in vivo, in-vitro study showed increased NQO1 expression in cancer cells compared to normal cells, and that finding was consistent with other cancer cell lines such as bladder, pancreatic and melanoma cells. Stable RNAi-mediated knockdown of NQO1 in prostate cancer cells increased cell proliferation and susceptibility to oxidant treatment. Furthermore, whole genome microarray revealed that NQO1 knockdown in LNCaP cells resulted in 1603 signature genes being deregulated. COL12A1, MCP-1/CCL2, IL-8, IL1R2 mRNA were among those that showed most highly significant increase (>6 fold; p 12 fold; p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2061. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2061
The chemical and electronic properties of oxygen-modified C/Mo(110): a model system for molybdenum oxycarbides

Abstract We have utilized oxygen-modified C/Mo(110) surfaces as model systems to determine the modification effect of oxygen in “oxycarbides.” Using cyclohexene, ethylene, and methanol as probe molecules, we observed that the reactivity of the O/C/Mo(110) surfaces depended strongly on the temperature at which oxygen was introduced onto the C/Mo(110) surface. The reaction pathways were determined using both temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). For example, the O/C/Mo(110) surface obtained by exposing the carbide surface to oxygen at 600 K became chemically inert toward all three molecules. On the other hand, the 900 K O/C/Mo(110) surface was active toward all three molecules, and for the most part retained the Pt-like reaction pathways observed on unmodified C/Mo(110). Furthermore, we have also compared the electronic properties of the O/C/Mo(110) surfaces using two synchrotron spectroscopies, soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SXPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS); the results revealed similar electronic properties between the 900 K O/C/Mo(110) and unmodified C/Mo(110) surfaces.
Cyanovirin-N binds to the viral surface glycoprotein, GP1,2 and inhibits infectivity of Ebola virus☆

Abstract Ebola virus (Ebo) causes severe hemorrhagic fever and high mortality in humans. There are currently no effective therapies. Here, we have explored potential anti-Ebo activity of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-inactivating protein cyanovirin-N (CV-N). CV-N is known to potently inhibit the infectivity of a broad spectrum of HIV strains at the level of viral entry. This involves CV-N binding to N-linked high-mannose oligossacharides on the viral glycoprotein gp120. The Ebola envelope contains somewhat similar oligosaccharide constituents, suggesting possible susceptibility to inhibition by CV-N. Our initial results revealed that CV-N had both in vitro and in vivo antiviral activity against the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus (Ebo-Z). Addition of CV-N to the cell culture medium at the time of Ebo-Z infection inhibited the development of viral cytopathic effects (CPEs). CV-N also delayed the death of Ebo-Z-infected mice, both when given as a series of daily subcutaneous injections and when the virus was incubated ex vivo together with CV-N before inoculation into the mice. Furthermore, similar to earlier results with HIV gp120, CV-N bound with considerable affinity to the Ebola surface envelope glycoprotein, GP1,2. Competition experiments with free oligosaccharides were consistent with the view that carbohydrate-mediated CV-N/GP1,2 interactions involve oligosaccharides residing on the Ebola viral envelope. Overall, these studies broaden the range of viruses known to be inhibited by CV-N, and further implicate carbohydrate moieties on viral surface proteins as common viral molecular targets for this novel protein.
Protean experience in discursive analysis

This article reflects on what we mean by experience in discursive analysis in light of James Cresswell’s critique (Cresswell, this issue). Experience does matter, but experience does not determine or presage the narrative or accounts we will give about it. Experience is a resource that we can draw upon and make relevant for our own purposes. Experience is malleable and can be used to tell various stories, depending on the context and the interlocutors. As analysts, our job is to ascertain how social actors show that experience matters to them through their discourse and embodied action.
Climate statistics: Natural or human effects?

Changes in the global climate may be caused by human activities or variations in the sun's energy—by both or by neither. The reports of two panels of the National Research Council (NRC) that examined the questions of the climate changes induced by humans and the changes of weather patterns caused by solar variations concluded independently that such effects cannot be established at the present time. For example, the Panel on Carbon Dioxide and Climate: A Second Assessment stated (NRC Report 1982): ‘understanding the climate's response to a given scenario of CO2 change in the atmosphere is hardly distinguishable from the fundamental problem of understanding the natural variation and change of climate.’ On the matter of natural variation, the Panel on Solar Variability, Weather, and Climate (Studies in Geophysics; NRC Report 1982) expressed the view that ‘the combined weight of all … of the statistical attempts to correlate solar variations … has not … proved sufficient to establish unequivocal connections between solar variability and meteorological response’ (National Academy of Sciences News Report, Sept. 1982).
Learning Through Internships: A Refugee Resettlement Program

Training and researching outside the United States can be very rewarding and an opportunity to work internationally can be exciting. Realistically, however, many students of applied anthropology do not have the freedom to live outside the United States. Therefore, they must look for employment closer to home which can be just as satisfying, both professionally and personally. This paper will briefly discuss my work as an intern for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Region IV, located. in Atlanta, Georgia, and my subsequent employment with the Refugee Health Care Program for the State of Georgia. Pros and cons of both interning and working for federal and state agencies will be examined.
The use of intravenous contrast in MRI of extremity infection

Infection of the musculoskeletal system encompasses a variety of conditions affecting skin, fascia, muscle, joints, tendon sheaths, and bone. In addition to features unique to each tissue site, these processes vary with respect to organism virulence, overall host condition, and the condition of the extremity itself, particularly its circulation. Treatment of musculoskeletal infection varies according to these features, and with respect to the presence of devitalized tissue. Unfortunately, while clinical examination is accurate for the presence of infection as a process in most circumstances, it lacks specificity for the variety of disorders within the spectrum of extremity infection. MRI examination using intravenous contrast is becoming the preferred modality to study complicated extremity infections, since it provides an accurate portrayal of the extent of osseous and non osseous involvement, and identifies areas of necrosis. This information provides a basis from which clinicians may more accurately choose from among treatment options.
Current-carrying Capacity of Carbon Nanofiber Interconnects

Current-carrying capacity of carbon nanofibers (CNF) is investigated for potential interconnect applications. The measured maximum current density in the suspended CNF in air is inversely proportional to nanofiber length and independent of diameter. This relationship can be described with a heat transport model that takes into account Joule heating and heat diffusion along the CNF, assuming that breakdown occurs when and where the temperature reaches a threshold or critical value. Supporting the CNFs with SiO 2 improves their current capacity, which implies effective heat dissipation to the oxide.
Soil temperature response to 21st century global warming: the role of and some implications for peat carbon in thawing permafrost soils in North America

Abstract. Northern peatlands contain a large terrestrial carbon pool that plays an important role in the Earth's carbon cycle. A considerable fraction of this carbon pool is currently in permafrost and is biogeochemically relatively inert; this will change with increasing soil temperatures as a result of climate warming in the 21st century. We use a geospatially explicit representation of peat areas and peat depth from a recently-compiled database and a geothermal model to estimate northern North America soil temperature responses to predicted changes in air temperature. We find that, despite a widespread decline in the areas classified as permafrost, soil temperatures in peatlands respond more slowly to increases in air temperature owing to the insulating properties of peat. We estimate that an additional 670 km3 of peat soils in North America, containing ~33 Pg C, could be seasonally thawed by the end of the century, representing ~20 % of the total peat volume in Alaska and Canada. Warming conditions result in a lengthening of the soil thaw period by ~40 days, averaged over the model domain. These changes have potentially important implications for the carbon balance of peat soils.
Beliefs and Achievement: A Study of Black, White, and Hispanic Children

School achievement among black, white, and Hispanic elementary school children was investigated, and efforts were made to study the beliefs about academic achievement of the children and their mothers. A total of approximately 3,000 first, third, and fifth graders enrolled in 20 schools in the Chicago metropolitan area were given achievement tests in mathematics and reading. Black and Hispanic children performed at a significantly lower level than white children, but at fifth grade ethnic differences in mathematics scores were no longer significant when mothers' education was statistically controlled. This was not the case in reading, where differences were found after controlling for the effects of mothers' education. Interviews with subsamples of approximately 1,000 mothers and children revealed greater emphasis on and concern about education among minority families than among white families. Black and Hispanic children and mothers evaluated the children and their academic abilities highly; they were positive about education and held high expectations about the children's future prospects for education. Mothers of minority children and teachers in minority schools believed more strongly than white mothers and teachers in the value of homework, competency testing, and a longer school day as means of improving children's education.
Solving the hierarchy problem with exponentially large dimensions

In theories with (sets of) two large extra dimensions and supersymmetry in the bulk, the presence of non-supersymmetric brane defects naturally induces a logarithmic potential for the volume of the transverse dimensions. Since the logarithm of the volume rather than the volume itself is the natural variable, parameters of O(10) in the potential can generate an exponentially large size for the extra dimensions. This provides a true solution to the hierarchy problem, on the same footing as technicolor or dynamical supersymmetry breaking. The area moduli have a Compton wavelength of about a millimeter and mediate Yukawa interactions with gravitational strength. We present a simple explicit example of this idea which generates two exponentially large dimensions. In this model, the area modulus mass is in the millimeter range even for six dimensional Planck scales as high as 100 TeV.
Towards Building a Multilingual Semantic Network: Identifying Interlingual Links in Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a Web based, freely available multilingual encyclopedia, constructed in a collaborative effort by thousands of contributors. Wikipedia articles on the same topic in different languages are connected via interlingual (or translational) links. These links serve as an excellent resource for obtaining lexical translations, or building multilingual dictionaries and semantic networks. As these links are manually built, many links are missing or simply wrong. This paper describes a supervised learning method for generating new links and detecting existing incorrect links. Since there is no dataset available to evaluate the resulting interlingual links, we create our own gold standard by sampling translational links from four language pairs using distance heuristics. We manually annotate the sampled translation links and used them to evaluate the output of our method for automatic link detection and correction.
The Effects of False Positive and False Negative Physiological Feedback on Sexual Arousal: A Comparison of Women with or without Sexual Arousal Disorder

The effects of false positive and false negative physiological feedback (vaginal photoplethymograph response print-out) on women's sexual arousal were examined. Participants included women without sexual dysfunction (n=16) and women with Sexual Arousal Disorder (SAD; n=15). Measures of subjective sexual arousal, physiological sexual arousal (vaginal pulse amplitude), expectancies, affect, and anxiety were obtained in response to viewing an erotic film. Results indicated that false positive feedback significantly increased subjective levels of sexual arousal, whereas false negative feedback significantly decreased subjective levels of sexual arousal in both groups. Sexually functional women had overall higher expectancies for sexual arousal than women with SAD. Unexpectedly, false positive feedback did not significantly impact physiological sexual arousal in sexually functional women; however, it resulted in significantly decreased responses in physiological sexual arousal in women with SAD. False negative feedback had no significant effect on physiological sexual response in sexually functional women or women with SAD.
Temperature-sensitive Chinese hamster fibroblast mutant with a defect in RNA metabolism.

We describe a new temperature-sensitive mutant of Chinese hamster cell fibroblasts. After a shift to the nonpermissive temperature of 40.5 degrees C, the rates of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis declined rapidly (to < or = 50% within 12 h) and the progression of unsynchronized cells through the cell cycle was affected. We believe that DNA synthesis came to a halt after a short time, because cells no longer entered the S phase. The decrease in protein synthesis at 40.5 degrees C was shown to be a consequence of a decrease in the number of polysomes, whereas free 80S ribosomes accumulated. We concluded that the components of the protein biosynthetic machinery were intact (ribosomes and soluble factors), but synthesis was limited by a shortage of mRNA. The decline in mRNA production had a significant effect on the synthesis of proteins (e.g., heat shock proteins) translated from short-lived messages. We observed that both polyadenylated and nonpolyadenylated RNA syntheses declined at 40.5 degrees C, whereas the synthesis of small RNAs (4 to 5S) was less reduced. The argument is made that the temperature-sensitive phenotype is the result of a defect affecting mRNA synthesis.
California Psychological Inventory: profile of a sample of first-year law students.

94 first-year male law students completed Gough's California Psychological Inventory. Although the 18 scales did not correlate significantly with first-year law grade point average, the group profile of the law students was striking. Class I measures described them as a group which is aggressive, persuasive, socially ascendant, self-seeking, and outspoken. Class II measures described them as awkward, moody, dogmatic, impulsive, defensive, insecure, and nervous. There is a great variance between their public and private personalities.
Analysis of dislocation microstructures: impact of force truncation and slip systems

We present a systematic investigation of the microstructures resulting from simulations of overdamped dislocation dynamics and quantitatively assess the impact of various slip system constraints and force truncation schemes. We show that the degree of local ordering in these structures correlates with the number of active slip planes. We compare the microstructures resulting from a common force cut-off scheme with those generated by applying full periodic boundary conditions and find that the dislocation structure is quite sensitive to the choice of boundary conditions.
Multispecies survey design for assessing reef-fish stocks, spatially explicit management performance, and ecosystem condition

Principles of statistical sampling design were used to guide refinement of a 30-year multispecies fisheryindependent diver visual survey of population abundance and size structure of more than 250 exploited and non-target fishes in the Florida coral reef ecosystem. Reef habitat features and no-take marine reserves (NTMRs) were used to partition the 885 km2 sampling domain into sub-areas (or strata) to control the variation of fish density. For the period 1999–2008, survey precision of population density and abundance (CV, coefficient of variation, ratio of standard error to mean) ranged from 7% to 20% for the majority of 13 primary exploited species in the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas regions. Population sustainability metrics like species average length in the exploited life stage were comparable between our fishery-independent survey and fishery-dependent catch-sampling. The survey design also performed well for non-target fishes, yielding CVs between 6% and 15% for population density for the majority of 36 species. Sampling efficiency was improved over time via an iterative learning process by which past survey data was used to refine the stratification and allocation schemes of future surveys. We show how survey data are used to support multispecies stock assessments, evaluate the effectiveness of NTMRs, and assess ecosystem condition for the reef fish community. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
An invasive fish species within its native range: community effects and population dynamics of Gambusia affinis in the central United States

Summary 1. Management of invasive species benefits from detailed information on the biology of the invaders, both from where they have already invaded, and from within their areas of origin. Western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, is a widely invasive and destructive freshwater fish. However, within its native range, G. affinis co-exists with many other fish species in a wide variety of habitats without obvious harm. 2. In this study, we used data on fish communities within the native range of G. affinis at 154 sites across a broad spatial scale to examine the effects of G. affinis on species richness and diversity of residual (species other than G. affinis) fish assemblages. We further used data based on annual samples at eight fixed river sites over 18 summers to examine temporal population dynamics of G. affinis and to test factors associated with population fluctuations. 3. Higher residual species richness occurred in the presence of G. affinis, but residual diversity did not differ. We found an inverse relationship between relative abundance of G. affinis and residual species richness (although effect size was extremely small), but no effect on residual diversity. 4. Gambusia affinis populations fluctuated markedly across summers at all eight fixed sites, but population sizes at a site over time were not autocorrelated. However, population fluctuations were highly correlated among sites across all years, suggesting that regional factors influenced population size. Regional abundance of G. affinis did not correlate with drought, rainfall or winter temperature, but varied with spring temperature. We suggest earlier onset of reproduction in warmer springs resulted in larger summer populations. 5. Overall, within its native range, G. affinis does not appear to impact negatively on the assemblages in which it occurs, possibly due to fluctuations in its density. These findings suggest that introduced Gambusia populations, and those of other invasive species, warrant careful monitoring over long periods of time where they have invaded. Long-term monitoring of new populations can establish if they are prone to ‘boom and bust’ dynamics, in which case the invader may be less a threat than sometimes assumed. Population information from long-term studies, either in their native ranges or at invaded sites, can thus help to form the basis of prudent, cost-effective management strategies for invasive organisms.
Short communication: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus detection in US bulk tank milk

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of mastitis in dairy cattle. This study estimated the herd prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA) among US dairy herds by testing bulk tank milk (BTM) samples using genotypic and phenotypic methods. A nationally representative sample of 542 operations had BTM cultured for Staph. aureus, and 218 BTM samples were positive upon initial culture. After 4 wk to 4 mo of frozen storage, 87% of 218 samples (n = 190) were still culture positive for Staph. aureus on blood agar, but none were positive for MRSA on the selective indicator medium CHROMagar MRSA. A duplex PCR was used to detect the Staph. aureus-specific nuc gene and the methicillin resistance gene, mecA, in mixed staphylococcal isolates from the 190 BTM samples that were positive for Staph. aureus after storage. Seven samples tested positive for nuc and mecA, and 2 samples tested positive for mecA only. MecA-positive Staphylococcus spp., but not MRSA, were subsequently isolated from 5 samples, whereas neither mecA-positive Staphylococcus spp. nor MRSA was isolated from the remaining 4 samples. Presence of methicillin-resistant, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. may complicate the detection of MRSA by means of PCR on BTM. Bulk tank milk in the United States is not a common source of MRSA.
A Normalized Minimum Error Entropy Stochastic Algorithm

We propose in this paper the normalized Minimum Error Entropy (NMEE). Following the same rational that lead to the normalized LMS, the weight update adjustment for Minimum Error Entropy (MEE) is constrained by the principle of minimum disturbance. Unexpectedly, we obtained an algorithm that not only is insensitive to the power of the input, but is also faster than the MEE for the same misadjustment, and also that is less sensitive to the kernel size. We explain these results analytically, and through system identification simulations.
Radioiodinated Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG): Radiochemistry, Biology, and Pharmacology

As an analogue of adrenergic neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE), metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) demonstrates high uptake both in normal sympathetically innervated tissues, such as the heart and salivary glands, and in tumors that express the NE transporter (NET), specifically those of neural crest and neuroendocrine origin. In 1994, (131)I-MIBG, also known as iobenguane I-131 intravenous, received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval as an imaging agent. In 2008, (123)I-MIBG was also approved by FDA as a tumor imaging agent. Commercial formulations of radioiodinated MIBG are prepared on the basis of radioiodide exchange reaction with unlabeled MIBG as a precursor and contain large mass amounts of unlabeled MIBG, or "cold carrier," molecules. Because the cold MIBG molecules competitively inhibit the uptake of radiolabeled MIBG molecules by adrenergic and neuroendocrine cells expressing NET, no-carrier-added (n.c.a.), high specific activity (SA) radioiodinated MIBG preparations have been developed on the basis of electrophilic radioiodination reaction and solid-phase technology by using dibutylstanyl benzylguanidine precursor linked to polymers. On the basis of n.c.a. synthetic procedures, therapeutic doses of [(131)I]MIBG can be administered with very high SA (1600 mCi/μmol or 5734 mCi/mg). The very high SA of n.c.a. [(131)I]MIBG drug would increase the specific cellular uptake of adrenergic neurons and neuroendocrine tumor cells expressing NET.
Preparation of Nickel-on-Charcoal (Ni/C): An Improved Protocol

A modified preparation of the inexpen- sive, heterogeneous precatalyst Ni(II)/C, has been developed which (1) reduces the number of solvent distillations; (2) generates no organic waste; (3) leads to complete impregnation of the Ni(II) salts in- vested; and (4) extends the number of sources of charcoal which can be used to make the catalyst. Several carbon-carbon, as well as carbon-nitrogen and carbon-hydrogen bond-forming reactions have been run which compare Ni/C prepared via this new protocol with those formed using the original proto- col. The results from each are virtually identical.
The provocative public sector: Domestic political protest and public sector growth in the OECD, 1965–1982

The results shown in Tables 1 through 8 above are consistent in that %GG is repeatedly shown to be significant whether making cross-national comparisons of DPP or predicting intra-national variations over time. Therefore, Hypotheses 1a and 1b are confirmed. The confirmation of Hypotheses 2a and 2b shows that, taking into account public sector size, government growth is most provocative in countries where it represents a major socio-economic change (i.e., where the public sector is small). Government growth has a neutral impact where the role of the public sector is long-established (i.e., where the public sector is large).
Miscibilization of reactive polymers during early-stage spinodal decomposition

Reactive compatibilization constitutes an important method by which to control the size scale of phase separation in immiscible polymer blends. If a polymer pair exhibits a miscibility window at experimentally accessible temperatures, then reactive chain coupling can also be used to enhance the miscibility of the blend during spinodal decomposition in the biphasic region. We consider here the simultaneous phase separation and chemical reaction of A and B homopolymer blends in which end-functionalized A chains react with a variety of functionalized B chains to form either AB diblock, ABA triblock, or n-armed B-g-A graft copolymers. Analytical expressions for the structure factors and Onsager kinetic coefficients are developed for each of these copolymer architectures in the kinetically controlled mean-field limit of early-stage spinodal decomposition. Multifunctional conversion-architecture-phase stability (CAPS) diagrams are introduced to facilitate comparison of the effect of copolymer architecture on reaction-driven blend miscibilization.
Short interpregnancy interval and the risk of low birthweight.

The effect of interpregnancy interval on the birthweight of the subsequent child was investigated in a cohort of 5,938 women who registered for two consecutive pregnancies in the Collaborative Perinatal Project. Mean birthweight increased from 3,101 grams for intervals of less than 3 months to 3,193 grams for intervals of 15-17.9 months and remained stable thereafter (p for trend = 0.006). However, women with shorter intervals were younger, lighter weight, and less educated at the beginning of the first pregnancy than were women with longer intervals; the birthweight of their previous child was lower, and they were of marginally lower socioeconomic status. Adjustment for confounders reduced the maximum difference in mean birthweight by interval length from 92 to 39 grams, and blunted the trend for lower birthweights with shorter intervals (p = 0.45). Similarly, adjustment reduced the increased risk of low birthweight among women with the shortest intervals from 52 per cent to 12 per cent. We conclude that...