cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface alignment of the N-octadecylazatriquinacenium cation as determined by sum frequency generation on the surface of H2O and D2O

Abstract The dimerization of two triquinacene hemispheres to give dodecahedrane is the holy grail of cycloaddition chemistry. Despite the substantial effort which has been invested in achieving this reaction over the years, no cycloaddition product has been reported. The reason for this failure is that the required endo–endo reactive configuration, involving six double bonds in an S6 symmetrical relationship, is difficult to achieve. In this preliminary report, the self-organization of a triquinacene-based amphiphile at the air–water interface is studied by the surface-sensitive vibrational sum frequency generation technique. The results indicate that the triquinacene bowl is directed into the aqueous subphase, which suggests dimerization of triquinacene may be possible in an aqueous monolayer.
Improved identification of acute coronary syndromes with delta cardiac serum marker measurements during the emergency department evaluation of chest pain patients.

Current findings from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) are that no serum marker reliably identifies or excludes acute myocardial infarction (AMI) within 6 h of symptom onset. The ACEP recommends repeat serum marker testing 6–10 h after symptom onset for CK-MB mass and subform, and 8–12 h after symptom onset for cardiac troponin I and T before making an exclusionary diagnosis of non-AMI chest pain. A new approach for identifying myocardial necrosis is to rely on time changes in the serum marker value over an abbreviated time interval (slope or delta values) as opposed to the traditional approach of relying on a value exceeding the threshold of normalcy. As assays become ever more sensitive and precise, this approach has the potential for both reliably identifying and excluding AMI (and subsets of high-risk unstable angina) at earlier time intervals with no loss in specificity. This article discusses some of the experimental evidence for this delta approach and some preliminary evidence for the potential of utilizing second-generation cTnl assays for the identification of acute coronary syndromes. Finally, we discuss a unique way of viewing receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves as catalogs of likelihood ratios, which we believe will be more useful to the clinician in the proper interpretation of serum marker values.
Characterization of Thigh and Shank Segment Angular Velocity During Jump Landing Tasks Commonly Used to Evaluate Risk for ACL Injury

The dynamic movements associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during jump landing suggest that limb segment angular velocity can provide important information for understanding the conditions that lead to an injury. Angular velocity measures could provide a quick and simple method of assessing injury risk without the constraints of a laboratory. The objective of this study was to assess the inter-subject variations and the sensitivity of the thigh and shank segment angular velocity in order to determine if these measures could be used to characterize jump landing mechanisms. Additionally, this study tested the correlation between angular velocity and the knee abduction moment. Thirty-six healthy participants (18 male) performed drop jumps with bilateral and unilateral landing. Thigh and shank angular velocities were measured by a wearable inertial-based system, and external knee moments were measured using a marker-based system. Discrete parameters were extracted from the data and compared between systems. For both jumping tasks, the angular velocity curves were well defined movement patterns with high inter-subject similarity in the sagittal plane and moderate to good similarity in the coronal and transverse planes. The angular velocity parameters were also able to detect differences between the two jumping tasks that were consistent across subjects. Furthermore, the coronal angular velocities were significantly correlated with the knee abduction moment (R of 0.28-0.51), which is a strong indicator of ACL injury risk. This study suggested that the thigh and shank angular velocities, which describe the angular dynamics of the movement, should be considered in future studies about ACL injury mechanisms.
Longitudinal study of the early neuropsychological and cerebral metabolic changes in dementia of the Alzheimer type

To examine the progression of neuropsychologic and metabolic changes in the early stages of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT), we studied 11 midly demented patients longitudinally. Three aspects of neuropsychological function were measured: memory, attention to complex sets and abstract reasoning, and lateralized functions, i.e., language and visuoconstruction. Regional cerebral metabolic rates for glucose were measured in frontal, parietal, and temporal association cortices. Our results show that, in general, memory deficits are the first neuropsychological impairments to occur in DAT, followed by problems with attention to complex cognitive sets and abstract reasoning, which are followed in turn by deficits in language and visuospatial abilities. In addition, neocortical metabolic abnormalities usually precede impairment of neocortically mediated attention and abstract reasoning by 8 to 16 months, and precede impairment of neocortically mediated language and visuospatial function by 12 to 37 months. These findings suggest that the first nonmnestic neuropsychological consequence of neocortical physiological dysfunction in DAT is a loss of attentional capacity. Since neocortical metabolic changes generally precede the appearance of neocortically mediated neuropsychological dysfunction, physiologic dysfunction may exist for some time before cognition is affected.
Group Differences in California Community College Transfers

This study explores the extent to which community colleges succeed in assisting students to transfer to four-year colleges. The study uses data from the California Community College system to test hypotheses about overall transfers and transfers of underrepresented students, It utilizes a framework based upon social reproduction theory (Bowles & Gintis, 1976) that also includes institutional factors. First, transfer rates differed significantly between groups, with African-American transfer rates being the lowest. Some of our hypotheses were supported, particularly those on the significance of communities with younger students and higher levels of education for transfer levels. A critical mass of students of underrepresented groups is also important for institutions that wish to transfer higher numbers of these students. Institutional effectiveness and level of funds spent on transfer programs did not appear to make any difference in transfer levels. One of the most important findings is that transfer dyn...
Infrared Spectral Mapping of Supernova Remnants. I. N63A and Its Environment

We present Spitzer Space Telescope spectra of the supernova remnant (SNR) N63A and its native H II region N63 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We measure nebular fine-structure lines, H2 lines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The lines contribute half of the flux in the Spitzer 24 μm image of N63A shocked lobes, but only ≤10% elsewhere. The mid-IR flux is largely due to thermal continuum emission from dust in and around N63A plasma. Electron densities are low everywhere; the differences in mid-IR line ratios separate N63A plasma and its high-excitation surroundings from N63A low-excitation optical lobes. We compare the observed line fluxes and ratios within N63A's shocked lobes and plasma with the predictions from models for moderate and fast shocks to constrain pre-shock densities and shock velocities. N63A's photoionized lobe contains a warm photodissociation region in pressure equilibrium with optically ionized gas. We apply a physical dust model to our spectra supplemented by MIPS photometry. We derive the intensity of radiation heating the dust, the mass fraction due to PAHs, and the masses of dust within our sampled regions and of cooler grains in the diffuse interstellar medium. N63A's shocked lobes and plasma contain ~0.07 M ☉ of hot grains, comparable to amounts in other SNRs. Within N63A there is ~0.7 M ☉ of warm grains exposed to ≥100 times the intensity of the local interstellar radiation field. Within the regions, 92% of the total dust mass resides in cool grains emitting ≤27% of their mid-IR luminosity.
Conceptual-model-based data extraction from multiple-record Web pages

Abstract Electronically available data on the Web is exploding at an ever increasing pace. Much of this data is unstructured, which makes searching hard and traditional database querying impossible. Many Web documents, however, contain an abundance of recognizable constants that together describe the essence of a document's content. For these kinds of data-rich, multiple-record documents (e.g., advertisements, movie reviews, weather reports, travel information, sports summaries, financial statements, obituaries, and many others) we can apply a conceptual-modeling approach to extract and structure data automatically. The approach is based on an ontology – a conceptual model instance – that describes the data of interest, including relationships, lexical appearance, and context keywords. By parsing the ontology, we can automatically produce a database scheme and recognizers for constants and keywords, and then invoke routines to recognize and extract data from unstructured documents and structure it according to the generated database scheme. Experiments show that it is possible to achieve good recall and precision ratios for documents that are rich in recognizable constants and narrow in ontological breadth. Our approach is less labor-intensive than other approaches that manually or semiautomatically generate wrappers, and it is generally insensitive to changes in Web-page format.
Natural Angiogenesis Inhibitor Signals through Erk5 Activation of Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor γ (PPARγ)

Erk-5, a member of the MAPK superfamily, has a catalytic domain similar to Erk1/2 and a unique C-terminal domain enabling binding with transcription factors. Aberrant vascularization in the Erk5-null mice suggested a link to angiogenesis. Ectopic expression of constitutively active Erk5 blocks endothelial cell morphogenesis and causes HIF1-α destabilization/degradation. However the mechanisms by which endogenous Erk5 regulates angiogenesis remain unknown. We show that Erk5 and its activating kinase MEK5 are the upstream mediators of the anti-angiogenic signal by the natural angiogenesis inhibitor, pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF). We demonstrate that Erk5 phosphorylation allows activation of PPARγ transcription factor by displacement of SMRT co-repressor. PPARγ, in turn is critical for NFκB activation, PEDF-dependent apoptosis, and anti-angiogenesis. The dominant negative MEK5 mutant and Erk5 shRNA diminished PEDF-dependent apoptosis, inhibition of the endothelial cell chemotaxis, and angiogenesis. This is the first evidence of Erk5-dependent transduction of signals by endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors.
An information-aware QoE-centric mobile video cache

Recent years have seen a tremendous growth in the volume of video traffic in mobile settings. In this paper, we present the design of a mobile video-centric proxy cache, named iProxy, that offers improved performance in terms of both hit rates and streaming quality. Our thesis in designing iProxy is that we need to elevate the traditional view of caching from "data" to "information" in order to optimally meet the stringent requirements of video streaming in mobile settings. iProxy relies on recent advances on information-bound references (IBRs) to collapse multiple related cache entries into a single one, improving hitrate while lowering storage costs. iProxy incorporates a novel dynamic linear rate adaptation scheme to ensure high stream quality in face of channel diversity and device heterogeneity. Our evaluation of iProxy using realistic traffic traces shows that it can improve hitrate, but we need to use novel information-aware replacement policies for optimal performance. We show that our linear encoder can adapt well to changes in bandwidth, and yield better bit rates, lower buffering and lower start up delays than state-of-the-art schemes.
EXPRESSION OF THE P150GLUED COMPONENT OF THE DYNACTIN COMPLEX IN DEVELOPING AND ADULT RAT BRAIN

p150Glued is a component of the dynactin (Glued) complex that has been shown in vitro to be a required activator of cytoplasmic dynein-mediated transport of vesicles along microtubules and, thus, may be an essential component of retrograde axonal transport. In vivo, a dominant mutation in the Drosophila homologue of p150Glued induces aberrant neuronal development when heterozygous and is lethal when homozygous. In order to characterize the role of the dynactin complex in the development and function of vertebrate neurons, the distribution of the p150Glued message was examined via in situ hybridization to serial sections of adult rat brain and to a developmental series of sections. In the adult rat brain, the most intense hybridization observed with the p150Glued probe was in the pyramidal cells of the hippocampus proper, the dentate granule neurons, the cingulate and piriform cortices, the ventromedial hypothalamus, and the granular cell layer of the cerebellum. White-matter fiber tracts and the neuropil were generally devoid of signal. The data indicate that the mRNA encoding p150Glued is highly enriched in the cell bodies of neurons within the central nervous system. In developing rat, p150Glued is expressed at very high levels in neural tissue from the earliest time points assayed. Particularly intense hybridization was observed in the multiple layers of the retina, which is consistent with the phenotype of the Drosophila mutation. Therefore, the distributions observed via in situ hybridization are consistent with an essential role for p150Glued in retrograde axonal transport.
Nile Red Detection of Bacterial Hydrocarbons and Ketones in a High-Throughput Format

ABSTRACT A method for use in high-throughput screening of bacteria for the production of long-chain hydrocarbons and ketones by monitoring fluorescent light emission in the presence of Nile red is described. Nile red has previously been used to screen for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and fatty acid esters, but this is the first report of screening for recombinant bacteria making hydrocarbons or ketones. The microtiter plate assay was evaluated using wild-type and recombinant strains of Shewanella oneidensis and Escherichia coli expressing the enzyme OleA, previously shown to initiate hydrocarbon biosynthesis. The strains expressing exogenous Stenotrophomonas maltophilia oleA , with increased levels of ketone production as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, were distinguished with Nile red fluorescence. Confocal microscopy images of S. oneidensis oleA -expressing strains stained with Nile red were consistent with a membrane localization of the ketones. This differed from Nile red staining of bacterial PHB or algal lipid droplets that showed intracellular inclusion bodies. These results demonstrated the applicability of Nile red in a high-throughput technique for the detection of bacterial hydrocarbons and ketones. IMPORTANCE In recent years, there has been renewed interest in advanced biofuel sources such as bacterial hydrocarbon production. Previous studies used solvent extraction of bacterial cultures followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect and quantify ketones and hydrocarbons (Beller HR, Goh EB, Keasling JD, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 76:1212–1223, 2010; Sukovich DJ, Seffernick JL, Richman JE, Gralnick JA, Wackett LP, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 76:3850–3862, 2010). While these analyses are powerful and accurate, their labor-intensive nature makes them intractable to high-throughput screening; therefore, methods for rapid identification of bacterial strains that are overproducing hydrocarbons are needed. The use of high-throughput evaluation of bacterial and algal hydrophobic molecule production via Nile red fluorescence from lipids and esters was extended in this study to include hydrocarbons and ketones. This work demonstrated accurate, high-throughput detection of high-level bacterial long-chain ketone and hydrocarbon production by screening for increased fluorescence of the hydrophobic dye Nile red.
12. Prevalence of and risk factors for abnormal anal cytology in an HIV colposcopy clinic

Background HIV-positive women with cervical dysplasia are at increased risk of anal dysplasia. Anal cancer screening may be an important prevention strategy. Recommendations for care are derived from studies on men who have sex with men, while limited information is available on women. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for abnormal anal cytology in HIV-positive women with established cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Methods: Anal Pap smear screening was offered to women in an HIV colposcopy clinic at an urban, university hospital as part of routine care. Variables examined included demographics, smoking, rectal symptoms, receptive anal intercourse, CD4 count, viral load, HAART, cervical Pap and biopsy results. Results: 124 anal Pap smears were performed from May 2012 to June 2013. The mean age of patients was 44.1 (s.d. 10.8), and the majority was black (80%). 114 (92%) anal Pap smears were abnormal: 67 (54%) ASCUS, 41 (33%) LSIL, 3 (2%) ASC-H, and 3 (2%) HSIL. The only statistically significant variable was CD4 count. The mean CD4 count of patients with LSIL, ASC-H, or HSIL anal Pap results was 407 and 522 (P ≤ 0.05) for those patients with normal or ASCUS results. Conclusions: Women attending an HIV colposcopy clinic are at high risk for abnormal anal cytology, especially women with lower CD4 counts. Our data supports screening in a high-risk colposcopy clinic for HIV-positive women as standard of care, particularly in South Florida, where HIV/AIDS rates are the highest in the country.
The Microstructure of Clouds in the High-Frequency Hail Area of Kenya

Abstract During June 1977 ground-based measurements of the CCN spectrum were made twice daily near Kericho, Kenya, and two flights were flown in that region to investigate the microstructure of the clouds. Both the CCN and the cloud-droplet distribution measurements show that the cloud microstructure is continental.
B-1 B Cell Subset Composition of DBA/2J Mice

Studies of B cell subpopulations have focused upon BALB/c mice and related strains. The B cell subset composition of DBA/2J mice, a prototype strain for BALB/c mice, has been investigated less thoroughly. This report provides the results of a study of the B-1 B cells of DBA/2J mice. In contrast to C.B-17 mice, in which B-1 B cells expressed both the CD5 and CD11b antigens, CD11b expression was most characteristic of DBA/2J B-1 B cells. This was particularly evident in the peritoneal cavity where CD5-CD11b+ B cells were the predominant B cell subpopulation. The number of B-1 B cells increased with age in both the spleen and peritoneal cavity. Strain-specific differences in B cell subset composition may be significant when considering B cell lymphomagenesis with aging.
Visualization of drug-nucleic acid interactions at atomic resolution. I. Structure of an ethidium/dinucleoside monophosphate crystalline complex, ethidium:5-iodouridylyl (3'-5') adenosine.

Abstract Ethidium forms a crystalline complex with the dinucleoside monophosphate 5-iodouridylyl(3′–5′)adenosine (iodoUpA). These crystals are monoclinic, space group C2, with unit cell dimensions, a = 28.45 A , b = 13.54 A , c = 34.13 A , β = 98.6 ° . The structure has been solved to atomic resolution by Patterson and Fourier methods, and refined by full matrix least-squares to a residual of 0.20 on 2017 observed reflections. The asymmetric unit contains two ethidium molecules, two iodoUpA molecules and 27 water molecules, a total of 155 atoms excluding hydrogens. The two iodoUpA molecules are held together by adenine · uracil Watson-Crick-type base-pairing. Adjacent base-pairs within this paired iodoUpA structure and between neighboring iodoUpA molecules in adjoining unit cells are separated by about 6.7 A; this separation results from intercalative binding by one ethidium molecule and stacking by the other ethidium molecule above and below the base-pairs. Non-crystallographic 2-fold symmetry is utilized in this model drug-nucleic acid interaction, the intercalated ethidium molecule being oriented such that its phenyl and ethyl groups lie in the narrow groove of the miniature nucleic acid double-helix. Base-pairs within the paired nucleotide units are related by a twist of 8 °. The magnitude of this angular twist is related to conformational changes in the sugar-phosphate chains that accompany drug intercalation. These changes partly reflect the differences in ribose sugar ring puckering that are observed (both iodouridine residues have C3′ endo sugar conformations, whereas both adenosine residues have C2′ endo sugar conformations), and alterations in the glycosidic torsional angles describing the base-sugar orientations. Additional small but systematic changes occur in torsional angles that involve the phosphodiester linkages and the C4′C5′ bond. Solution studies have indicated a marked sequence-specific binding preference in ethidium-dinucleotide interactions, and a probable structural explanation for this is provided by this study. This structure and the accompanying one described in the second paper [ethidium:5-idocytidylyl(3′–5′)guanosine] are examples of model drug-nucleic acid intercalative complexes, and the information provided by their structure analyses has led to a general understanding of intercalative drug binding to DNA. This is described in the third paper of this series.
Evidence for 5-HT2 receptor mediation in quipazine anorexia.

Doses ofd-amphetamine (3.2 mg/kg), fenfluramine (10 mg/kg) and quipazine (8 mg/kg) cause a significant reduction in food intake during a 30-min daily feeding session in food-deprived rats. Pirenperone and ritanserin, 5-HT2 receptor antagonists, significantly blocked the anorectic effect of quipazine, whiled-amphetamine and fenfluramine effects were not modified. Metergoline, a non-specific blocker of 5-HT receptors, significantly blocked the anorectic effects of fenfluramine and quipazine, but not thed-amphetamine effect. Pretreatment with alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists (prazosin, propranolol and pindolol), dopamine receptor antagonists (haloperidol and pimozide), the catecholamine synthesis inhibitor alphamethyl-para-tyrosine, and the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone failed to modify the anorectic effects of all three agents, with the exception that quipazine-induced anorexia was significantly reduced by pimozide. These results suggest that the quipazine anorexia is largely mediating through 5-HT2 receptors, although the effect of pimozide remains to be explained. Consistent with previous studies, the fenfluramine effect appears to be mediated through 5-HT1B receptors. Receptors involved in the anorectic effect of higher doses ofd-amphetamine are still unidentified by this analysis. Further investigation is required to define the mechanisms by which quipazine and larger doses ofd-amphetamine bring about a reduced appetite for food.
Art after 9/11: Critical Moments in Lean Times

This article presents fieldwork that I conducted on the response of several New York artists to the events of 9/11 and the representation of these events in the mainstream media. Through interviews, analysis of works of art, and the development of a theoretical framework derived from both Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin, I argue that the work of these artists constituted a critical response to historical events. I explain how Adorno’s argument concerning the critical dimension of aesthetic experience is useful for understanding this response. In addition, I invoke Adorno’s dialectical understanding of art’s ‘dual-character’ in order to explain how critical art is possible within an art world dominated by market concerns. I also explore Walter Benjamin’s contentions concerning the democratizing capacities of new media and the withering of the aura as an important corrective to Adorno’s narrow focus on modernist formal development.
Reduction of stomach ulceration by hypothalamic stimulation in the unrestrained rat

Abstract Gastric lesions were produced in unrestrained rats subjected to a 6 hr shock stress session followed by a 2 hr rest period. Electrical stimulation of the brain (posterior lateral hypothalamus) administered during the 2 hr post stress rest period significantly decreased ulcer development (i.e., percentage of animals showing lesions, number of lesions per animal, and severity of lesions) in the test group.
Mismatch repair protein expression in 1049 endometrial carcinomas, associations with body mass index, and other clinicopathologic variables

Abstract Objective Links between obesity, with its attendant estrogen abnormalities, and the endometrial carcinoma (EC) DNA Mismatch Repair Protein (MMR) system have recently been proposed. We investigated relationships between body mass index (BMI) and clinicopathological correlates including MMR expression in a large single institution EC cohort. Methods Clinical and pathological databases from 2007 to 2012 were used to identify consecutive hysterectomy specimens with EC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore relationships between BMI, age, stage, tumor type and immunohistochemical results for MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 and MSH6. Results 1049 EC were identified. Overall, BMI was higher amongst women with normal MMR (p=0.002). However, when stratified by age and specific MMR, statistically significant differences localized exclusively to women Conclusions BMI showed statistically significant associations with MMR expression, tumor grade and stage amongst 1049 consecutive EC. Obesity correlates with lower grade and stage EC. A link between BMI and maintenance of the MMR system is not supported by our data because the only statistically significant association occurred in women
Transceiver for the FASTBUS Cable Segment

A 4 mA differential transceiver circuit which meets the Fastbus Standard is described in this paper. It is planned to hybridize this circuit for use in Fastbus Cable Segment devices.
Structure of Mn2+ and Cu2+ complexes with L-methionine, S-methyl-L-cysteine, L-threonine and L-serine.

Abstract A comparison of the stability constants determined by several authors for complexes between metal ion, Mn 2+ through Zn 2+ , and potential tridentate amino acids, methionine, S -methylcysteine, threonine or serine, with those of the bidentate ligands, alanine or α-amino- n -butyric acid, showed that no significant increase in stability for the complexes with the potential tridentate ligands occurred. This does not necessarily suggest that an interaction between metal ions and the thioether or hydroxy groups, which are possible binding sites in these amino acids, is nonexistent. By means of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Mn 2+ and Cu 2+ complexes with the previously mentioned amino acids were investigated. Strong evidence has suggested that the sulfur atom of S- methyl- l -cysteine is involved in complex formation with Cu 2+ , while such interaction is either small or nonexistent with Mn 2+ . Neither metal ion interacted significantly with the sulfur of l -methionine. The hydroxy group of l -threonine was involved with the binding to Mn 2+ , while no interaction seemd to occur with Cu 2+ ; this behavior was probably due to the different preferred coordination numbers of these metal ions. The proton signals of l -serine resulted in a complex pattern; therefore, no detailed conclusions could be drawn for this ligand, although it was assumed that the structures of the complexes were similar to those for l -threonine. Structures for the investigated complexes are suggested, and the significance of weak interactions in metal ion-enzyme complexes is discussed.
Evaluation of teaching medical ethics by an assessment of moral reasoning

This study assessed the hypothesis that the formal teaching of medical ethics promotes a significant increase in the growth and development of moral reasoning in medical students. Results indicated a statistically significant increase (P less than or equal to 0.0005) in the level of moral reasoning of students exposed to a medical ethics course compared to the control group that was not exposed to the medical ethics course. When the posttest scores were adjusted by subtracting the pretest scores, the differences were even more significant (P less than or equal to 0.0002). This study confirmed similar findings of another study using a different instrument of assessment. Brief discussion is given of the fundamental premise that the appropriate function of teaching medical ethics in our modern pluralistic society is to improve students' moral reasoning about value issues regardless of what their particular set of moral values happens to be.
Synthesis of the Escherichia coli K12 isoenzymes of ornithine transcarbamylase, performed in vitro

The in vitro synthesis of enzymaticallyactive ornithine transcarbamylase (OTCase) directed by each of the E. coli K-12 OTCase genes (argF and argI) is described. The E. coli OTCase isoenzyme subunits are not identical, whether synthesized in vivo or in vitro, the argF-coded product being about 5% smaller. The OTCase protomers are enzymatically inactive but associate in vitro to an enzymatically active multimer. The rates of subunit association of argF and argI isoenzymes are considerably different. Utilizing the facile assay protocol presented, the regulation of in vitro OTCase synthesis by the specific holorepressor of the arginine regulon is demonstrated. Calculations based upon data presented indicate that there are about 65 molecules of argR gene product per bacterium, a substantially lower estimate than previously reported.
All-or-nothing information control

Abstract We examine an extension of the standard agency model in which the principal can choose the probability ( p ) with which the agent receives perfect private state information. A simple argument reveals that the principal will always set p at zero or at unity.
Variations within the fibrous skeleton and ventricular outflow tracts in tetralogy of Fallot

We studied 20 hearts with tetralogy of Fallot with particular reference to the morphology of the fibrous continuity between the aortic and atrioventricular valves and of the ventricular outflow tracts. The extent of valvar fibrous continuity varied with the degree of aortic override, with the extent of the perimembranous ventricular septal defect opening between the ventricular inlets, and with the development of the ventriculoinfundibular fold. This, when fused with the septomarginal trabeculation, produced discontinuity between the leaflets of the tricuspid valve and the continuous leaflets of the aortic and mitral valves, as well as a muscular posteroinferior rim to the defect. Rotation of the aortic root ranged through 119 degrees. Aortic override varied from 33% to 94%, with 35% of these hearts having more than half of the aortic circumference connected to the right ventricle. The pulmonary valves had three leaflets in 50%, two leaflets in 45%, and four leaflets in one (5%). All hearts had two main coronary arterial orifices, 45% of which were atypical in location. One heart displayed a transmural course of the left coronary artery arising from the nonfacing sinus. By measurement, the subpulmonary length was, on average, roughly 50% greater than the subaortic length, and, when the selected hearts were sectioned, much of the subpulmonary infundibulum was found to be composed of free-standing musculature rather than true outlet septum. The proportion of total right ventricular length represented by the infundibulum was 0.31 +/- 0.07, confirming that, compared with that of normal hearts, the narrowed infundibulum in tetralogy is longer rather than shorter.
Helping students build a path of understanding from ratio and proportion to decimal notation

Abstract Various studies have shown that students of all levels struggle to understand decimal numbers. This paper discusses a novel approach to increasing students’ conceptual understanding of decimal numbers. Rather than approach decimal notation as a discrete and separate mathematical topic, this approach enables students to work with contextual problems to gain a solid understanding of ratio and proportion. Using their understanding of ratio and proportion as a foundation, students can then build connected and related understandings of fractions, decimals and percents. The study discussed in this paper illustrates that grounding decimal instruction in the broader context of ratio can help students gain deeper conceptual understandings of decimal notation as well as fractions and percents.
Electronic structure of Y2Fe14B

Abstract The electronic structure of Y2Fe14B is calculated using a first-principles orthogonalized LCAO method. Results are presented for the total and site-decomposed densities of states which show a substantial degree of local environmental effects. The Fermi level is located in a valley between the peaks in the density of states of the Fe-3d band.
Paleosalinity of permian nonmarine deposits in antarctica.

Argillites of the Permian Mount Glossopteris Formation were analyzed for clay minerals, trace elements, and phosphate paleosalinity. Mainly degraded and stripped illites occur. The determined salinity range, 29 to 33 parts per mille is designated the "paleosalinity signature" of the formation. Analysis of trace elements supports phosphate paleosalinity determinations. Data from Leaia- bearing beds indicate a salinity range of 30 to 31 parts per mille that persisted some 137 years. Subsequent increase to 33 parts per mille corresponded to termination of leaiid occupancy of the area. These findings confirm and extend Nelson's study of phasphate paleosalinity.
Toward understanding social cues and signals in human-robot interaction: effects of robot gaze and proxemic behavior.

As robots are increasingly deployed in settings requiring social interaction, research is needed to examine the social signals perceived by humans when robots display certain social cues. In this paper, we report a study designed to examine how humans interpret social cues exhibited by robots. We first provide a brief overview of perspectives from social cognition in humans and how these processes are applicable to human-robot interaction (HRI). We then discuss the need to examine the relationship between social cues and signals as a function of the degree to which a robot is perceived as a socially present agent. We describe an experiment in which social cues were manipulated on an iRobot Ava™ Mobile Robotics Platform in a hallway navigation scenario. Cues associated with the robot’s proxemic behavior were found to significantly affect participant perceptions of the robot’s social presence and emotional state while cues associated with the robot’s gaze behavior were not found to be significant. Further, regardless of the proxemic behavior, participants attributed more social presence and emotional states to the robot over repeated interactions than when they first interacted with it. Generally, these results indicate the importance for HRI research to consider how social cues expressed by a robot can differentially affect perceptions of the robot’s mental states and intentions. The discussion focuses on implications for the design of robotic systems and future directions for research on the relationship between social cues and signals.
Measuring retinal blood flow in rats using Doppler optical coherence tomography without knowing eyeball axial length

Purpose: Doppler optical coherence tomography (OCT) is widely used for measuring retinal blood flow. Existing Doppler OCT methods require the eyeball axial length, in which empirical values are usually used. However, variations in the axial length can create a bias unaccounted for in the retinal blood flow measurement. The authors plan to develop a Doppler OCT method that can measure the total retinal blood flow rate without requiring the eyeball axial length. Methods: The authors measured the retinal blood flow rate using a dual-ring scanning protocol. The small and large scanning rings entered the eye at different incident angles (small ring: 4°; large ring: 6°), focused on different locations on the retina, and detected the projected velocities/phase shifts along the probing beams. The authors calculated the ratio of the projected velocities between the two rings, and then used this ratio to estimate absolute flow velocity. The authors tested this method in both Intralipid phantoms and in vivo rats. Results: In the Intralipid flow phantom experiments, the preset and measured flow rates were consistent with the coefficient of determination as 0.97. Linear fitting between preset and measured flow rates determined the fitting slope as 1.07 and the intercept as −0.28. In in vivo rat experiments, the measured average total retinal blood flow was 7.02 ± 0.31μl/min among four wild-type rats. The authors’ measured flow rates were consistent with results in the literature. Conclusions: By using a dual-ring scanning protocol with carefully controlled incident angle difference between the two scanning rings in Doppler OCT, the authors demonstrated that it is feasible to measure the absolute retinal blood flow without knowing the eyeball axial length.
Six-axis nano-positioning with planar magnetic levitation

Nanoscale science and engineering is an emerging technological field and,has immense economic and societal impacts. This paper presents a high-precision magnetic levitation (maglev) technology that can be used in many crucial research activities in nanotechnology and, other precision applications dealing with delicate motions and forces. They include manufacture of nanoscale structures, atomic-level manipulation, assembly and packaging of microparts, vibration isolation for instrumentation, and seismic motion detection. A compact, lightweight, single-moving part that holds the specimen can be magnetically levitated-in all six degrees of freedom. This paper has demonstrated the applicability of this maglev technology in nanoscale science and engineering.
Risk factors associated with Hepatitis C among female substance users enrolled in community-based HIV prevention studies

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the most frequent chronic blood-borne infections in the United States. The epidemiology of HCV transmission is not completely understood, particularly in women and minorities. Findings: We examined the HCV associated risk factors in substance abusing females involved in National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) funded HIV prevention studies of street recruited women. As a part of the 12 month follow-up, participants were interviewed about substance use and sexual risk behaviors, including drug implement sharing practices, tattoos, body piercing and blood transfusions and the sharing of personal hygiene equipment including tweezers, toothbrushes and razors. Urine and blood testing for HCV antibody (Ab), HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was conducted at the time of assessment. Among 782 predominantly African American women, 162 (21%) tested positive for HCV Ab. Older age (p < 0.001), history of injection drug use (p < 0.001), lifetime crack cocaine use (p = 0.004) and having a tattoo (p = 0.01) were significantly associated with HCV Ab positivity. Other risk factors previously reported in association with HCV Ab positivity such as sexual risk behaviors were not significantly associated with the presence of a positive HCV Ab. Conclusions: This large community based sample of predominantly African American substance abusing women showed high prevalence of HCV Ab positivity and low awareness of their HCV serostatus. Our study demonstrated that in addition to intravenous drug use (IDU), other factors were significantly associated with HCV Ab positivity such as having a tattoo and a lifetime history of crack use. Other potential routes of HCV transmission should be further studied among high risk female populations.
"Practical suggestions on facial plastic surgery--how i do it". The lower blepharoplasty.

The above-described operation is the musculocutaneous ("skin-muscle") flap procedure of blepharoplasty for the lower lid. The author is pleased to state that he has been very satisfied with this technique and that he has experienced no serious complications with it. Although the scar may be somewhat low by most standards, after several weeks it is hardly discernible (Fig. 7).
Adjunctive treatment of acute mania: a clinical overview.

Objective: To provide an overview of the available high quality evidence-base of studies of adjunctive pharmacologic treatment for acute mania. Method: Double-blind controlled trials with adequate samples (n > 100) were identified through search of PubMed/MEDLINE and computerized abstracts from 2004-2006 meetings of the American Psychiatric Association, International Conference on Bipolar Disorder, and Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacolium using key words mania, adjunct, and combination. Results: Placebo-controlled studies with positive results support the adjunctive use of five agents including valproate, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, and haloperidol. Agents with only negative or failed placebo-controlled studies included carbamazepine, gabapentin, lamotrigine, topiramate, oxcarbazepine, and ziprasidone. We found no placebo-controlled study of many commonly used agents including lithium, aripiprazole, and clozapine. No studies explicitly excluded subjects, based on prior treatment with the monotherapy being offered and several studies limited randomization to patients with documented inadequate response to the monotherapy arm. Conclusion: The available placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials support adjunctive therapy combining lithium or valproate with olanzapine, risperidone, haloperidol or quetiapine. The additional increment of antimanic efficacy of these combinations over monotherapy was similar in magnitude to that seen for the same agents as monotherapy in comparison with placebo. These additive benefits enhanced the tolerability of adverse effects sufficiently to allow a higher proportion of subjects receiving combination therapies to complete the studies than monotherapy treated patients. The available data has several shortcomings and the available studies are inadequate to conclusively determine whether combination treatment is more efficacious than monotherapy when used by subjects naive to both treatments. Nevertheless, adjunctive treatment, which combines agents with proven antimanic efficacy, offers an attractive option for patients with acute mania.
Design and testing of a lightweight, planar microwave lens

The authors outline the design, fabrication, and testing of a planar microwave lens. The lens consists of two planar arrays of lightweight printed circuit antennas interconnected by microstrip lines whose length varies as a function of position on the lens. Microwave energy is coupled from one face of the lens to the other by means of a slot etched in the ground plane. At 8.0 GHz the lens is ten wavelengths across, is less than 1/8 in thick, and weighs less than 4 lbs. The lens can scan a beam over a +or-30 degrees region in both the azimuth and elevation planes. The overall lens efficiency is 50%, a 25% increase over previous lens designs. >
A novel reinforcement learning framework for sensor subset selection

The problem of selecting a subset of sensors in a distributed object tracking environment that optimizes an objective function consisting of a trade-off between data accuracy and energy consumption is known to be NP-hard. The problem is exacerbated because of the uncertainty and dynamic nature of either sensor characteristics or the environment or both. We propose, for the first time, a novel framework based on a reinforcement learning approach, to deal with the problems of computational complexity, dynamic nature and uncertainty for sensor subset selection. Our proposed sensor subset selection approach is completely decentralized and sensors do not need to know even the presence of other sensors in the system. This makes our approach extremely scalable and easy to implement in a distributed system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of reinforcement learning to the domain of sensor subset selection.
Characterization of a Polyanhydride Series by Ftir

Using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy we have characterized a polyanhydride copolymer series composed of various ratios of the diacids 1,3-bis(p -carboxyphenoxy)propane (CPP) and sebacic acid (SA). Typical peaks corresponding to the aliphatic-aliphatic (SA-SA), aromatic-aliphatic (CPP-SA), and aromatic-aromatic (CPP-CPP) diads were found in the 1820- 1710 cm −1 wavenumber range. Further peaks corresponding to the SA-SA diads were identified in the fingerprint region at 1382, 1360, 1307, and 1286 cm −1 . These peak characterizations facilitate identification of bond distribution in the CPP-SA copolymer as well as other polyanhydride copolymers, and correlate well with previously presented information obtained with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction.
‘Zero is not good for me’: implications of infertility in Ghana

BACKGROUND: Given the high value placed on children in sub-Saharan Africa, previous research suggests that infertility increases the risk of psychological distress and marital conflict, encourages risky sexual behavior and deprives infertile individuals and couples of an important source of economic and social capital. This paper explores the implications of infertility for women in Ghana, West Africa. METHODS: Semi-structured interview data collected from 107 women (aged 21-48 years, mean 33 years) seeking treatment in gynecological and obstetric clinics in Accra, Ghana, are analyzed. Based on iterative open coding of the interviews, the focus of the analysis is on mental health, marital instability, social interaction and gendered experiences. RESULTS: Infertile women report facing severe social stigma, marital strain and a range of mental health difficulties. Many women feel that they shoulder a disproportionate share of the blame for infertility and, by extension, face greater social consequences than male partners for difficulties conceiving. Women who do not self-identify as infertile corroborate these findings, asserting that the social consequences of infertility are severe, particularly for women. CONCLUSIONS: Infertility in Ghana has important consequences for social interactions, marital stability and mental health. These consequences are not perceived to be shared equally by Ghanaian men.
Comparative analysis of the occupational stress profiles of male versus female administrators

Abstract This study sought: (1) to compare the occupational stress profiles of male versus female educational administrators to deternine whether there were significant differences in their profiles, and (2) to examine whether males and females were equally good candidates for administrative jobs, which positions are often associated with a high degree of job-related stress. A 35-item questionnaire, known as the Administrative Stress Index (ASI) was sent to all members of the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators ( n = 1855). The 1156 usable questionnaires were returned. Approximatley 9.3% (or 108) of the respondents were female. One-way analyses of variance showed that female administrators experienced substantially lower levels of self-perceived occupational stress than their male counterparts. Findings were disucssed primarily in terms of implications for recruitment of women into administrative positions.