cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of formation of oxaloacetate and phosphoenol pyruvate from pyruvate.

The pathways by which pyruvate, oxaloa cetate and P-enolpyruvate are interlinked have been reviewed. The enzymes involved (see Table 1) and pathways differ markedly in different cells. Animals and yeast possessing pyruvate carboxylase are able to convert pyruvate to oxaloacetate directly by CO2 fixation, but the propionic acid bacteria and E. coli use an indirect mechanism. These bacteria lack pyruvate carboxylase but possess an enzyme, P-enolpyruvate synthetase, which phosphorylates pyruvate directly with ATP forming P-enolpyruvate, AMP and Pi. They then convert the P-enolpyruvate to oxaloacetate; E. coli by the enzyme, P-enolpyruvate carboxylase, and the propionic acid bacteria by P-enolpyruvate carboxytransphos-phorylase. Animals lack P-enolpyruvate synthetase and are not able with pyruvate kinase to catalyze the direct synthesis of P-enolpyruvate effectively from pyruvate. They make P-enolpyruvate from oxaloacetate by catalysis with P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase. Not only do the animal cells have different enzymes and use different mechanisms than bacteria, the distribution of the enzymes in the cytosol and mitochondria of cells differ in the different species of animals. This variation in distribution presents a possibility for control of metabolism which varies from species to species. The mechanisms of these controls are still subject to much speculation, but have been considered briefly.
The Requirement of Tyrosines 579 and 581 for Maximal Ligand-Dependent Activation of the βPDGFR Is Influenced by Noncytoplasmic Regions of the Receptor

Abstract Mutating tyrosines 579 and 581 of the β platelet-derived growth factor receptor (βPDGFR) tyrosine kinase to phenylalanines (the F2 mutation) impair activation of the receptor in response to ligand, but mutation of the analogous tyrosines in the αPDGFR has no effect on ligand-dependent receptor activation. We have found that the F2 mutation has only a modest effect on ligand-dependent activation of a chimeric PDGFR composed of the extracellular and transmembrane domains of the αPDGFR and the cytoplasmic domain of the βPDGFR by three measures: (1) the ability to phosphorylate endogenous and exogenous protein substrates in vitro, (2) phosphorylation of tyrosine 857, and (3) binding of the effector proteins PLCγ, RasGAP, and SHP-2. Conversely, the F2 mutation substantially impairs ligand-dependent activation of chimeric PDGFRs that consist of either the extracellular domain alone or the extracellular and transmembrane domains of the βPDGFR and all remaining sequence from the αPDGFR by two measures: (1) phosphorylation of endogenous protein substrates in vitro and (2) binding of PLCγ and SHP-2. Our results indicate that the requirement of tyrosines 579 and 581 for maximal activation of the βPDGFR in response to ligand is primarily determined by noncytoplasmic regions of the receptor.
Characteristics of Successful Boarding Home Parents of Eskimo and Athabascan Indian Students

The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of successful and unsuccessful boarding home parents for Athabascan Indian and Eskimo students. The applied research objective was to develop improved methods of boarding home parent selection. The theoretical objective was to develop a model defining psychological characteristics of whites who are effective in these types of cross-cultural assistance relationships.Using the framework of social exchange theory, interviews were held with 28 boarding home students and 30 boarding home parents to determine the rewards and costs perceived in the relationship and through what behaviors the successful boarding home parents increased students' rewards and reduced their costs.Preliminary research suggests that the dimensions of communicated warmth and perceived demands might be fruitful in distinguishing the psychological characteristics of effective and ineffective whites in other types of cross-cultural relationships with Athabascan Indians and Eskimos.
Electronic Structure of Glassy Chalcogenides As 4 Se 4 and As 2 Se 3 : A Joint Theoretical and Experimental Study

We present an interpretation of the x-ray absorption spectra of arsenic chalcogenide glasses, ${\mathrm{As}}_{4}{\mathrm{Se}}_{4}$ and ${\mathrm{As}}_{2}{\mathrm{Se}}_{3}$, from a first-principles calculation. Our calculation identifies the atomistic origins of the observed photoemission data. The importance of structural ``building blocks'' present in a particular glass to the electron states is emphasized. The effects of disorder on the electronic spectra are clearly demonstrated by a significant change in the electronic density of states, originating in the breakdown of long-range order coherence in the bonding states of the building blocks. We discuss the relation between observed in situ light-induced changes and the electronic structure.
A murine model for the study of immune memory in response to pneumococcal conjugate vaccination

We developed a murine model for assessment of immunological memory and antibody-induced protection to nasopharyngeal (NP) challenges. BALB/c female mice (n = 10 mice per study parameter) were immunized with two priming doses of the licensed 7-valent pneumococcal (Pnc) conjugate vaccine and immune responses [antibody immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, avidity and opsonophagocytic activity] were monitored for 26 weeks until IgG levels decreased to nearly baseline. A booster dose of either 2 microg conjugate or 5 microg polysaccharide vaccine was given at week 26. The ability of these two treatments to recall immune memory established by the conjugate vaccine was determined for types 4 and 14 for up to 63 days post-booster. The ability of challenge with pneumococcal type 14 to recall the immune response was also evaluated, as well as, the number of antibody secreting cells (ASC) specific to polysaccharide (Ps) 4, 6B, and 14. A higher dose of conjugate vaccine (2 microg) was necessary to elicit a significant increase in IgG levels after priming with one dose. Priming with lower doses (0.5 and 1.0 microg) only elicited modest increases in IgG levels. Recall of the immune response was found with either conjugate or Ps vaccines. NP challenge with type 14 at week 26 did not recall the immune response, although reduction in NP Pnc load was seen post-primary immunization at 5, 10 and 26 weeks. ASCs were detected in response to either conjugate or Ps booster doses. This model allows for the screening and determination of potential alternative vaccination regimens and the study of immunological markers of memory following Pnc vaccination.
Physiology and phylogenesis of emotional expression

Nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor mRNA was found to be widely distributed throughout the human central nervous system, with the highest levels in the basal forebrain; this suggests that NGF may function as a retrograde trophic messenger for basal forebrain magnocellular cholinergic nerve cells. The degeneration of the latter constitutes one of the main features of Alzheimer's disease and it may be responsible for some of the cognitive impairment that characterizes the disease
A Dividend Payment Effect in Stock Returns

This paper presents evidence for the period 7/62-12/89 that individual NYSE and AMEX stocks provide relatively high average excess returns on the payment dates of quarterly cash dividends and several subsequent trading days. Additional results indicate that returns during the payment period: (a) are not a manifestation of the January, monthly or dividend yield anomalies; (b) are positively related to the stock's dividend yield; and (c) are higher for firms that have dividend reinvestment plans. These findings are consistent with a tendency by stock-holders to reinvest dividend income into the stock of the paying firm, thereby increasing demand for the stock and raising its price. Additional evidence links the returns on these days with (previously-documented) excess returns around the ex-dividend date.
iMASS: Evolved NRF Simulations for More Accurate Detection of Nuclear Threats

The intelligent Model-Assisted Sensing System (iMASS) combines computer simulated nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF), real-time Monte Carlo analysis, and signal data processing for the detection of nuclear materials hidden in cargo containers. There are on average nine million cargo containers entering the US every year. Fast and robust scanning for nuclear materials and explosives is of the outmost importance for a country’s security and safety. This paper presents the Geant4 platform development for direct application in nuclear material detections, including: an improved module to simulate the bremsstrahlung spectra, a model for NRF simulations addressing the Compton continuum background that would be found during an actual scan, and the improvements in output data interpretation. The dynamic flexibility of Geant4 and the ability to be sped up with field programmable gate array (FPGA) and parallelization is also described.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Decision rules, types of error, and their consequences in medical diagnosis

“It can be of no importance to me of what religion my physician or my lawyer is; this consideration has nothing in common with the offices of friendship which they owe me.”—Montaigne Not so, says the author of this article: the moral code of a physician or a lawyer has a great deal to do with the professional services which he supplies to his clients. When a judge, a jury, or a doctor must decide a case or make a diagnosis on the basis of insufficient or conflicting evidence, the final decision is based to a considerable extent on moral and ethical standards. Some kinds of wrong decisions are felt to be less harmful than others, and when risk of error is present, the less harmful decision will usually be made. This article discusses a particular decision rule of the medical profession, and some possible harmful consequences of its application.
Glomerular prostaglandin production in diabetic rats with renovascular hypertension.

Glomerular prostaglandin production in diabetic rats with renovascular hypertension. A rat model combining two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) renovascular hypertension and streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus was used to assess the pathogenetic significance of vasodilator prostaglandins in diabetic glomerular injury. Glomeruli isolated from normotensive diabetic rats produced greater than normal amounts of PGE 2 and 6-keto PGF 1α under in vitro incubation conditions. In 2K1C hypertensive-diabetic rats, glomeruli from undipped kidneys (which are prone to accelerated diabetic glomerular injury) produced similarly elevated amounts of PGE 2 and 6-keto PGF 1α , which significantly exceeded the levels produced by glomeruli from clipped kidneys (which are relatively protected from glomerular injury), despite exposure to a similar diabetic environment. In contrast, glomeruli from both undipped and clipped kidneys of 2K1C hypertensive-non-diabetic rats produced normal amounts of PGE 2 and 6-keto PGF 1α . These results suggests a correlation between vasodilator prostaglandin metabolism and susceptibility to diabetic glomerular injury, and illustrate that enhanced glomerular prostaglandin production is not an invariable metabolic consequence of hyperglycemia or insulin deficiency. The data also demonstrate that hemodynamic as well as metabolic factors may influence glomerular prostaglandin metabolism in experimental diabetes mellitus.
Work and Family Influences on Departure from Public Accounting

Abstract This research examined work and family influences on the decision to leave the field of public accounting. Women were more likely than men to depart public accounting. However, contrary to prediction, the reason for the sex difference in departure rate was not because women experienced greater family pressures than men, but rather because women had less of a desire to be promoted to partner than men. Moreover, women and men left public accounting for similar reasons, which were more likely to be work related than family related. Areas for future research and implications for the profession of public accounting were discussed.
Experimental Design for the Optimization of Lipid Nanoparticles

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) have been extensively investigated as a promising drug delivery system for controlling the release of therapeutic agents. Currently, there are many manufacturing methods available for SLN, including the high pressure homogenization method and the microemulsion technique. In addition, the solvent diffusion method has been discussed as an alternative technique in the literature, and has attracted great interest due to its simplicity and ease of handling. In order to gain a deeper understanding of this method, a statistical central composite design was applied in this study to examine how the physicochemical properties of the SLN were influenced by the variation of process parameters, including injected solvent, lipid concentration, surfactant concentration, temperature, and stirring speed. Our study showed that lipid concentration and temperature seemed to be the crucial parameters for the particle size of the monostearin SLN prepared by the solvent diffusion method. However, neither of these factors had a significant quadratic relationship with the zeta potential.
An examination of college student money management tendencies

Determinants of college student money management decision-making were examined. A multi-variate model is hypothesized and tested that implicates attitude, affect, past behavior, and perceived control as predictors of intention to maintain a financial budget. Perceived control was also found to moderate budgeting intention, eliciting a shift from negative affect to subjective norm at high to low levels of perceived control. Further examination of an attitudinal model revealed positive expectancies toward budgeting utility and negative expectancies toward financial debt. Findings are discussed relative to debt prevention.
Remote terminal emulator development and application criteria

This paper is a general discussion of remote terminal emulation; its history, processes, implementation techniques, and application criteria. The remote terminal emulator is a measurement tool, and as such, requires a functional understanding of its operation for proper application. Too often the emulator has been applied as an external loading device without the user comprehending that it is also a network simulator operating under the constraints of the communication disciplines and limitations.This paper does not attempt to establish guidelines or rules respective to the emulator's usage, but rather, discusses areas which should be investigated and analyzed prior to the experiment definition.
Relief inversion by denudation of the Monte Nerone anticline, central Italy

Abstract A model of denudation processes leading to relief inversion is developed for a section of the plunging anticline at Monte Nerone, in the Umbro-Marchean Apennines of central Italy. This model differs from previous schemes, as it applies to an anticline in which only the core consists of resistant rock. Furthermore, erosion, a combination of gullying and mass movement, is concentrated on the flanks rather than the crest of the fold, as strata dip steeply on the former yet are shallow on the latter. Whereas in most models of the geomorphic evolution of anticlines the crest is first to be eroded away, in the case of Monte Nerone it is preserved by scarp retreat from the upper flanks. Cuestas and flatirons have formed on the lower flanks and are in some cases affected by gravitational deformation. Phases of talus production, debris flowage and gullying have occurred in the valleys between the flatirons, thus dissecting the Cretaceous and Tertiary strata on the limbs of the anticline. The denudation of Monte Nerone shows similarities to and differences from other models of the geomorphic evolution of anticlines, and is related in this article to general neotectonic processes and Quaternary sedimentation.
The hummingbird's restraint: A natural model for weight control

By day, a breeding male hummingbird gives priority to aerial performance over energy security, minimizing body weight gain to expedite flight activity. We observed behavior and monitored weight via perches on electronic balances in a territory with unlimited resources (artificial feeder). The male restricted his first feeding to less than 1/6 of crop capacity. In the ensuing 15 h, his body weight increased only 1% despite an unlimited resource of artificial nectar. This facilitated acceleration for pursuit and courtship flights and reduced energy cost. In 20 min at dusk, an intake of 34% of body weight provided adequate energy for temperature regulation all night. In July, cessation of territorial activity was accompanied by a regular upward drift of dawn weight, suggesting that weight had been regulated previously as a balance between expenditure and intake, perhaps without involving set-points.
Horizontal Stratification of Higher Education in Russia: Trends, Gender Differences, and Labor Market Outcomes

Using survey data collected in fall 2000, the authors analyzed four aspects of “horizontal” variation among Russian university students: field of specialization, cost (paid versus free), intensity (full- versus part-time study), and timing of study (Soviet versus post-Soviet era). For each type of variation, they examined trends over time, gender differences, and effects on earnings and employment opportunities. In Russia, as elsewhere, horizontal differentiation of higher education has stratifying consequences. Unlike in many countries, gender differences along horizontal dimensions have not narrowed in Russia; in fact, the gender gap in part-time study has widened. But the introduction of market forces in higher education and the economy has shaped both male and female distributions across specialty, cost, and intensity. The labor market advantages accruing to a university degree differ across these horizontal dimensions and by the timing of the degree. Some of the patterns observed in Russia resemble t...
Meta-analysis: probiotics in antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.

SummaryBackground Diarrhoea is a common occurrence in association with antibiotic administration. Earlier studies and meta-analyses have suggested that probiotic administration reduces the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD). Aim To estimate the reduction in risk of AAD with administration of probiotics in randomised placebo-controlled trials and to identify factors associated with such reduction. Methods Meta-analysis of randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials including patients treated with antibiotics and administered a probiotic for at least the duration of the antibiotic treatment. The outcome was incidence of diarrhoea irrespective of the presence of Clostridium difficile or the development of pseudomembranous colitis. Meta-analysis and meta-regression methods were used to synthesise data and to assess influence of: mean age, duration of antibiotics, risk of bias and incidence of diarrhoea in the placebo group on outcomes. Subgroup analyses explored effects of different probiotic species, patient populations and treatment indications. Results A total of 34 studies were included with 4138 patients. The pooled relative risk (RR) for AAD in the probiotic group vs. placebo was 0.53 (95% CI 0.44–0.63), corresponding to a number needed to treat (NNT) of 8 (95% CI 7–11). The preventive effect of probiotics remained significant when grouped by probiotic species, population age group, relative duration of antibiotics and probiotics, study risk of bias and probiotic administered. The pooled RR for AAD during treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) was 0.37 (95% CI 0.20–0.69), corresponding to a NNT of 5 (95% CI 4–10). Conclusions This updated meta-analysis confirms earlier results supporting the preventive effects of probiotics in AAD.
Estimation of the Hyperexponential Density with Applications in Sensor Networks

This paper solves the problem of estimation of the parameters of a hyperexponential density and presents a practical application of the solution in sensor networks. Two novel algorithms for estimating the parameters of the density are formulated. In the first algorithm, an objective function is constructed as a function of the unknown component means and an estimate of the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of the hyperexponential density. The component means are obtained by minimizing this objective function, using quasi-Newtonian techniques. The mixing probabilities are then computed using these known means and linear least squares analysis. In the second algorithm, an objective function of the unknown component means, mixing probabilities, and an estimate of the cdf is constructed. All the 2M parameters are computed by minimizing this objective function, using quasi-Newtonian techniques. The developed algorithms are also compared to the basic EM algorithm, and their relative advantages over the EM algorithm are discussed. The algorithms developed are computationally efficient and easily implemented, and hence, are suitable for low-power and sensor nodes with limited storage and computational capacity. In particular, we demonstrate how the structure of these algorithms may be exploited to be effectively utilized in practical situations, and are hence ideal for sensor networks.
Teaching Diagnostic Reasoning: Using a Classroom-as-Clinic Methodology With Videotapes

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a "classroom-as-clinic" format, using videotaped occupational therapy evaluations, on students' diagnostic reasoning skills. In the classroom-as-clinic format, students write a problem list on the basis of preliminary client information before viewing the videotape. METHOD A post-hoc experimental design was used to compare the accuracy of treatment plan problem lists for two groups of senior occupational therapy students--one group viewed two videotapes of client-therapist interactions without a classroom-as-clinic format (n = 82), and one group viewed the same videotapes within the context of a classroom-as-clinic format (n = 45). Both groups viewed the same two videotapes. Videotape 1 was of a client with a brain stem infarct, and Videotape 2 was of a client with traumatic brain injury. RESULTS Subjects experiencing a classroom-as-clinic format identified significantly more occupational therapy problems for Videotape 1 than those who did not have preevaluation information. There was no significant difference between the two subject groups in the accuracy of their problem lists for Videotape 2. Only subjects in the non-classroom-as-clinic group showed a significant improvement from Videotape 1 to Videotape 2 in occupational therapy problem identification. CONCLUSION This study suggests that to be truly effective when used videotapes, the classroom-as-clinic methodology needs to be combined with explicit coaching in problem sensing and problem definition.
Effect of methotrexate therapy upon choriocarcinoma and chorioadenoma.

Summary1) Two patients with choriocarcinoma and one with chorioadenoma destruens with proven progressive metastases were treated with methotrexate, a folic acid antagonist, according to intensive regimen of repeated courses of dosages producing substantial but reversible toxicity. Initially high urinary gonadotropin present in all 3 cases approached normal levels following this regimen and such low levels were sustained following cessation of treatment. 2) Unequivocal clinical improvement and radiological evidence of regression of pulmonary metastases was observed in all 3 cases. Nevertheless, extreme variations in pattern of clinical behavior of this type of tumor necessitate more observations before any definitive therapeutic implications may be drawn from these studies.
Whole Body Hyperthermia: A Phase-l Trial of a Potential Adjuvant to Chemotherapy

Abstract Fourteen patients with a variety of neoplasms not responsive to standard forms of therapy underwent whole body hyperthermia for a maximum 4 h at 41.8 °C. This was a phase-l cancer trial de...
An Alternative to Low-level-Sychrony-Based Methods for Speech Detection

Determining whether someone is talking has applications in many areas such as speech recognition, speaker diarization, social robotics, facial expression recognition, and human computer interaction. One popular approach to this problem is audio-visual synchrony detection [10, 21, 12]. A candidate speaker is deemed to be talking if the visual signal around that speaker correlates with the auditory signal. Here we show that with the proper visual features (in this case movements of various facial muscle groups), a very accurate detector of speech can be created that does not use the audio signal at all. Further we show that this person independent visual-only detector can be used to train very accurate audio-based person dependent voice models. The voice model has the advantage of being able to identify when a particular person is speaking even when they are not visible to the camera (e.g. in the case of a mobile robot). Moreover, we show that a simple sensory fusion scheme between the auditory and visual models improves performance on the task of talking detection. The work here provides dramatic evidence about the efficacy of two very different approaches to multimodal speech detection on a challenging database.
Framework for dynamic positioning of storage/retrieval machines in an automated storage/retrieval system

A methodology is presented based on linear programming formulation and which minimizes the service response time in an automated storage/retrieval system (AS/RS) through the optimal selection of the dwell point of the storage/retrieval (S/R) machine when idle. Two separate models are developed; one model is based on the minimization of expected travel time while the other is based on the minimization of the maximum travel time between points. The procedure is very suitable for dynamic control of an AS/RS. The architecture for the automated implementation of the dwell point selection methodology in an actual industrial setting is also given. An example problem is presented to illustrate the application of the control techniques.
Social Class and Corporal Punishment in Child Rearing - A Reassessment

In 1958, in his review of available literature on socialization and social class, Bronfenbrenner concluded that working class parents more often use physical punishment, while the middle class resorts to psychological techniques of punishment. The present paper updates this analysis drawing on more recent published studies and on secondary analysis of a national survey; it also examines the magnitude of class differences rather than only their statistical significance. This analysis suggests that, although various studies have found a statistically significant relationship, the relationship is weak. Analysis by type of indicator of punishment, quality of sample, age of children, or year of study does not alter this conclusion, However, none of the studies is definitive and suggestions are offered about topics to be pursued in future research.
Carotid Flow Time Changes With Volume Status in Acute Blood Loss.

Study objective Noninvasive predictors of volume responsiveness may improve patient care in the emergency department. Doppler measurements of arterial blood flow have been proposed as a predictor of volume responsiveness. We seek to determine the effect of acute blood loss and a passive leg raise maneuver on corrected carotid artery flow time. Methods In a prospective cohort of blood donors, we obtained a Doppler tracing of blood flow through the carotid artery before and after blood loss. Measurements of carotid flow time, cardiac cycle time, and peak blood velocity were obtained in supine position and after a passive leg raise. Measurements of flow time were corrected for pulse rate. Results Seventy-nine donors were screened for participation; 70 completed the study. Donors had a mean blood loss of 452 mL. Mean corrected carotid artery flow time before blood loss was 320 ms (95% confidence interval [CI] 315 to 325 ms); this decreased after blood loss to 299 ms (95% CI 294 to 304 ms). A passive leg raise had little effect on mean corrected carotid artery flow time before blood loss (mean increase 4 ms; 95% CI –1 to 9 ms), but increased mean corrected carotid artery flow time after blood loss (mean increase 23 ms; 95% CI 18 to 28 ms) to predonation levels. Conclusion Corrected carotid artery flow time decreased after acute blood loss. In the setting of acute hypovolemia, a passive leg raise restored corrected carotid artery flow time to predonation levels. Further investigation of corrected carotid artery flow time as a predictor of volume responsiveness is warranted.
Practical avian necropsy

This article is a review of the necropsy techniques utilized in birds with emphasis on psittacine and passerine species. The aim of this article is to assist the practitioner in systematically performing a gross necropsy in the veterinary practice setting and collecting and submitting appropriate samples with the goal of arriving at meaningful diagnoses. Common disease entities are discussed along with the tissues and other samples required for definitive diagnosis of these disorders.
Effects of seasonality and fish movement on tropical river food webs

Tropical rivers and their associated floodplain habitats are dynamic habitat mosaics to which fishes are challenged to respond in an adaptive manner. Migratory fishes create linkages among food webs that are partitioned along a nested hierarchy of spatial scales. Such linkages are examined across a hierarchy of spatio-temporal scales, ranging from small streams to entire drainage basins, for rivers in South America and Africa. Migratory herbivorous fishes originating from eutrophic, productive ecosystems may subsidize resident predators of oligotrophic river ecosystems, which may result in cascading direct and indirect eVects on other species in local food webs. Successful management of many of the most important stocks of tropical river fishes requires conceptual models of how fish movement influences food web structure and dynamics.
Quality Requirements and their Role in Successful Products

This panel will discuss the role of quality requirements in bringing products successfully to market. Techniques for eliciting, modeling, balancing, specifying, and measuring quality requirements will be explored.
Relationship Between Isokinetic Strength and Tibiofemoral Joint Space Width Changes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background:It has been hypothesized that quadriceps muscle weakness is directly associated with the onset and progression of posttraumatic osteoarthritis after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and reconstruction (ACLR). This relationship, however, has not been studied with a prospective approach that includes the use of tibiofemoral joint space width difference (JSW-D) measurements to characterize the onset of posttraumatic osteoarthritis before the clinical manifestation of the disease.Purpose:To assess the relationship between thigh muscle strength and JSW-D at presurgery baseline and at 1- and 4-year follow-up after ACLR compared with healthy, noninjured participants of similar sex, age, body mass index, and activity level.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A total of 39 unilateral ACL-injured patients and 32 healthy controls were followed prospectively. During each follow-up, JSW, isokinetic knee strength, single-legged hop, and clinical- and patient-oriented outcomes were ...
The Paradox of Immune Molecular Recognition of α-Galactosylceramide: Low Affinity, Low Specificity for CD1d, High Affinity for αβ TCRs

CD1 resembles both class I and class II MHC but differs by the important aspect of presenting lipid/glycolipids, instead of peptides, to T cells. Biophysical studies of lipid/CD1 interactions have been limited, and kinetics of binding are in contradiction with functional studies. We have revisited this issue by designing new assays to examine the loading of CD1 with lipids. As expected for hydrophobic interactions, binding affinity was not high and had limited specificity. Lipid critical micelle concentration set the limitation to these studies. Once loaded onto CD1d, the recognition of glycolipids by alphabeta T cell receptor was studied by surface plasmon resonance using soluble Valpha14-Vbeta8.2 T cell receptors. The Valpha14 Jalpha18 chain could be paired with NK1.1 cell-derived Vbeta chain, or any Vbeta8 chain, to achieve high affinity recognition of alpha-galactosylceramide. Biophysical analysis indicated little effect of temperature or ionic strength on the binding interaction, in contrast to what has been seen in peptide/MHC-TCR studies. This suggests that there is less accommodation made by this TCR in recognizing alpha-galactosylceramide, and it can be assumed that the most rigid part of the Ag, the sugar moiety, is critical in the interaction.
Stereospecific effects of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids on renal vascular tone and K(+)-channel activity

The present study examined the effects of 11,12- and 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) on the diameter of small renal arteries of the rat and assessed their action on K(+)-channel activity in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells isolated from these vessels. The R,S-isomer of 11,12-EET (1, 10, and 100 nM) increased the diameter of small renal arteries preconstricted with phenylephrine; however, the S,R-isomer was inactive. Both the R,S- and S,R-isomers of 14,15-EET had little effect on the diameter of these vessels even at a high concentration (100 nM). The vasodilator effect of 11(R),12(S)-EET was attenuated by tetraethylammonium (TEA, 1 mM) and iberiotoxin (100 nM), selective inhibitors of the large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ (KCa) channel. In contrast, apamin (100 nM) and 4-aminopyridine (2 mM), which are inhibitors of other types of K+ channels, had no effect on the vasodilatory effect of 11,12-EET. In patch-clamp experiments, 100 nM racemic 11,12-EET increased outward K+ currents in VSM cells. Addition of the R,S-isomer or racemic 11,12-EET (1-100 nM), but not the S,R-isomer, increased the activity of KCa channel recorded from renal VSM cells with cell-attached patches. However, racemic EET had no effect on this channel when added to the internal (inside-out) or external (outside-out) face of excised membrane patches. These results suggest that 11,12-EET is a potent dilator of small renal arteries and that the R,S-isomer is the active enantiomer. The vasodilator effect of 11,12-EET appears to involve activation of KCa channel.
A method for independent validation of surface fluxes from atmospheric inversion: Application to CO2

Validating fluxes from an atmospheric inversion is a challenging problem because there are often no direct flux measurements at comparable spatiotemporal scales whereas there are often relevant independent observables, e.g., trace gas concentrations. In this paper, we propose a method that validates posterior fluxes by projecting the errors between posterior and prior observable model states and independent data to the spatiotemporal differences between posterior and prior fluxes with an atmospheric transport adjoint model. We prove theoretically the conditions for which observed error reductions lead to error reductions in fluxes. We apply this approach to the atmospheric CO2 inversion problem using the NASA Carbon Monitoring System Flux project with an Observing System Simulation Experiment. We show that the posterior fluxes are more accurate than the prior over the region that significantly contributes to the reduction of CO2 errors, which is consistent with the theory.
Were Climate Change Research Funding Agencies Budget-Maximizing Bureaucracies?

Numerous scientists and public policy analysts have speculated that U.S. research funding agencies favored grant applicants who promoted, or at least were not publicly skeptical of, the threat posed by anthropogenic climate change. I use the Oregon Petition, a publicly observable measure of climate change skepticism, to investigate this theory empirically. I find that the evidence in support of the theory overall is weak.
Population Dynamics of Beach Mice (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates) in Southern Alabama

Population dynamics of Alabama beach mice ( Peromyscus polionotus ammobates ) were studied at two sites (Perdue and Ft. Morgan) on Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Baldwin Co., Alabama, from January 1987 to November 1989; 997 mice were marked and released. Closed population models (program CAPTURE) and minimum number of mice known alive were used to obtain population indices; open population models (program JOLLY) were used to estimate survival probabilities. Population numbers fluctuated seasonally, with mice most abundant in winter and spring. Sex ratios neither varied seasonally nor differed from 1:1, although numerically more males than females were captured in 19 of 24 trapping periods. Percentage of subadults was highest in winter and lowest in summer, whereas percentage of reproductively active females was highest in autumn and winter and lowest in summer. Mean body mass of adult mice did not vary seasonally; females weighed more than males during the winter.
Utilizing the desired results developmental profile as a measure of school readiness: evaluating factor structure and predictors of school readiness†

ABSTRACTA disconnect exists between definitions of school readiness used in research and early childhood education (ECE). While researchers often discuss school readiness as a single, multidimensional construct, the majority of studies operationalize it using multiple measures rather than as one outcome. In comparison, in ECE settings a single measurement tool including multiple dimensions is used. The current study attempted to bridge this gap by examining the factor structure of the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP), a measure of school readiness used in Head Start. We considered often-cited predictors of school readiness (parenting, effortful control) to replicate previous research findings. Analyses indicated a single factor was most appropriate for the DRDP. Measures of parenting and children’s effortful control were significant predictors of DRDP scores. Findings from the current study suggest an existing single factor, ECE-based measure of school readiness, such as the DRDP, can also be ...
Budgeted optimization with constrained experiments

Motivated by a real-world problem, we study a novel budgeted optimization problem where the goal is to optimize an unknown function f(ċ) given a budget by requesting a sequence of samples from the function. In our setting, however, evaluating the function at precisely specified points is not practically possible due to prohibitive costs. Instead, we can only request constrained experiments. A constrained experiment, denoted by Q, specifies a subset of the input space for the experimenter to sample the function from. The outcome of Q includes a sampled experiment x, and its function output f(x). Importantly, as the constraints of Q become looser, the cost of fulfilling the request decreases, but the uncertainty about the location x increases. Our goal is to manage this trade-off by selecting a set of constrained experiments that best optimize f(ċ) within the budget. We study this problem in two different settings, the non-sequential (or batch) setting where a set of constrained experiments is selected at once, and the sequential setting where experiments are selected one at a time. We evaluate our proposed methods for both settings using synthetic and real functions. The experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed methods.
Folding of Protein Ions in the Gas Phase after Cation-to-Anion Proton-Transfer Reactions.

The structure and folding of a protein in solution depends on noncovalent interactions within the protein and those with surrounding ions and molecules. Decoupling these interactions in solution is challenging, which has hindered the development of accurate physics-based models for structure prediction. Investigations of proteins in the gas phase can be used to selectively decouple factors affecting the structures of proteins. Here, we use cation-to-anion proton-transfer reactions (CAPTR) to reduce the charge states of denatured ubiquitin ions in the gas phase, and ion mobility to probe their structures. In CAPTR, a precursor charge state is selected (P) and reacted with monoanions to generate charge-reduced product ions (C). Following each CAPTR event, denatured ubiquitin ions (13+ to 6+) yield products that rapidly isomerize to structures that have smaller collision cross sections (Ω). The Ω values of CAPTR product ions depend strongly on C and very weakly on P. Pre- and post-CAPTR activation was then u...
Enzymatic Digestion for Improved Bacteria Separation from Leafy Green Vegetables

ABSTRACT An effective and rapid method for the separation of bacteria from food matrix remains a bottleneck for rapid bacteria detection for food safety. Bacteria can strongly attach to a food surface or internalize within the matrix, making their isolation extremely difficult. Traditional methods of separating bacteria from food routinely involve stomaching, blending, and shaking. However, these methods may not be efficient at removing all the bacteria from complex matrices. Here, we investigate the benefits of using enzyme digestion followed by immunomagnetic separation to isolate Salmonella from spinach and lettuce. Enzymatic digestion using pectinase and cellulase was able to break down the structure of the leafy green vegetables, resulting in the detachment and release of Salmonella from the leaves. Immunomagnetic separation of Salmonella from the liquefied sample allowed an additional separation step to achieve a more pure sample without leaf debris that may benefit additional downstream application...
Contribution of Mineral-Fragment Type Pseudo-Colloids to the Mobile Actinide Source Term of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is being developed in southeastern New Mexico by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as a repository for transuranic waste produced by defense programs. Regulations promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) place limits on the cumulative release of radionuclides to the accessible environment over 10,000 years and require performance assessments to demonstrate WIPP compliance with these regulatory standards.
Virtual clay modeling using the ISU exoskeleton

A deformable non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) based volume is programmed for the Iowa State University (ISU) force-reflecting exoskeleton haptic device. A direct free-form deformation (DFFD) technique is applied for realistic manipulation. In order to implement real-time deformation, a nodal mapping technique is used to connect points on the virtual object with the NURBS volume. This geometric modeling technique is ideally incorporated with the force-reflecting haptic device as a virtual interface. The results presented in this paper introduce details for the complete set-up for a realistic virtual clay modeling task with force feedback. The ISU force-reflecting exoskeleton, coupled with a supporting PUMA 560 manipulator and the virtual clay model are integrated with the WorldToolKit (WTK) graphics display, and the results show that the force feedback from the realistic physically-based virtual environment can greatly enhance the sense of immersion.
Disparities in emergency department visits in American children with asthma: 2006-2010.

ABSTRACTObjective: This article was to examine the trends in emergency department (ED) visits for asthma among American children in 2006–2010 across sociodemographic factors, parental smoking status, and children's body weight status. Methods: We analyzed 5,535 children aged 2–17 years with current asthma in the Asthma Call-Back Survey in 2006–2010. Multivariate log binomial regression was used to examine the disparities of ED visits by demographics, socioeconomic status, parental smoking status, children's body weight status, and the level of asthma control. We controlled for average state-level air pollutants. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Results: Minority children with current asthma had higher risks of ED visits compared with white children in 2009 and 2010, e.g., the PR (95% CI) for black children in 2009 was 3.64 (1.79, 7.41). Children who had current asthma and more highly educated parents experienced a higher risk of ED visits in 2007 (PRs [95% CI] = 2....
Modular Verification of Protocol Equivalence in the Presence of Randomness

Security protocols that provide privacy and anonymity guarantees are growing increasingly prevalent in the online world. The highly intricate nature of these protocols makes them vulnerable to subtle design flaws. Formal methods have been successfully deployed to detect these errors, where protocol correctness is formulated as a notion of equivalence (indistinguishably). The high overhead for verifying such equivalence properties, in conjunction with the fact that protocols are never run in isolation, has created a need for modular verification techniques. Existing approaches in formal modeling and (compositional) verification of protocols for privacy have abstracted away a fundamental ingredient in the effectiveness of these protocols, randomness. We present the first composition results for equivalence properties of protocols that are explicitly able to toss coins. Our results hold even when protocols share data (such as long term keys) provided that protocol messages are tagged with the information of which protocol they belong to.
Impacts of organizational ties for senior centers: Findings from a collective case study in Portland, Oregon.

• Senior centers varied in their organizational ties, social capital from ties, and how ties impacted centers' functioning.
Instituting Large Scale Change at a Research Intensive University: A Case Study

This paper uses Bolman and Deal's four analytic frames to examine the difficulty of instituting large-scale change at one research-intensive university. In this case, the partially successful attempt to implement a new curriculum for undergraduates at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is explored. The authors theorize that if an institution is to attempt a far-reaching, innovative transformation, it must have consistent leadership and the commitment of middle managers. Otherwise well-crafted plans are doomed to meet resistance.
Eliciting Meaningful Engagement in an Art History Survey Course: Reacting to the Past and Active Learning

This chapter explores two sections of an introductory art history course—the first, playing the Reacting to the Past (RTTP) Duomo game and, the second, utilizing other types of active learning pedagogies. Course sections were randomly assigned to the research conditions. Pre-unit and post-unit essays were evaluated by authors to assess the level of meaningful engagement achieved by the students in both the RTTP course and the non-RTTP class. Although the authors found inconclusive results regarding RTTP’s differing effect on meaningful engagement than instructing students using other active learning techniques, they believe the chapter provides a framework for additional, and perhaps, longitudinal studies.
Normal and Abnormal Growth of Spine

Axial skeleton has two rapid growth periods from birth to 5 years and during puberty. The length of spine will nearly triple in length between birth and adulthood: At birth the vertebral column (C1-sacrum) is approximately 24 cm long while at maturity 65 cm in women and 70 cm in men. The growth of spine, thoracic cage, and lungs are closely associated with each other. Disturbance within spinal or thoracic growth will adversely affect lung growth and maturation. A critical length for thoracic spine needed for sufficient lung volume appears to be 18 cm, which is the length of normal thoracic spine at the age of 5 years.
School-Based and Community-Based Gun Safety Educational Strategies for Injury Prevention:

Background. Nearly 1,300 children in the United States die because of firearm-related injury each year and another 5,790 survive gunshot wounds, making the prevention of firearm-related unintention...