cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of pediatric vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the risk of bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia in adults.

Abstract Invasive pneumococcal disease in adults may be declining, reflecting a form of herd protection from a new pediatric pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Our aim was to determine whether vaccination of children protects adults in the same home from bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia. We conducted a case–control study with 43 participating hospitals across a five-county region in Pennsylvania. Eligible cases were adults with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia identified by the microbiology laboratories at participating hospitals. Controls were healthy adults from the region identified through random digit dialing. Cases and controls were interviewed by telephone. We analyzed vaccine protection in those adults who reported living in homes with at least one child ≤6 years of age. From April 2002 through June 2004, there was a significant decline in the proportion of adult pneumococcal bacteremia due to any of the seven serotypes in the conjugate vaccine ( p = 0.006). Within this time period, 17% of cases and controls reported living in homes with at least one child ≤6 years of age. In adjusted analysis, vaccination of the youngest child in the home was associated with an 80% reduction in the odds of bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia among adults with children in the home (OR = 0.2, 95% CI 0.1–0.8). We conclude that introduction of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for children has reduced the population rate of adult pneumococcal bacteremia due to vaccine serotypes and is associated with a reduced risk of bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia for adults with children in the home.
The Atlas Sirtf

This paper describes the status of NASA’s Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) program. SIRTF will be a cryogenically cooled observatory for infrared astronomy from space and is planned for launch early in the next decade. We summarize a newly modified SIRTF baseline, which is to be launched into a heliocentric orbit by an Atlas IIas rocket, and provide an overview of SIRTF’s scientific programs.
Neurophysiological alterations in caudate neurons in aged cats

These neurophysiological studies provide information on the alterations in functional capacity of neurons in the aging caudate nucleus (Cd) of the cat. The major finding is that there is a marked loss of excitation in the Cd during the aging process. This loss is most apparent in animals 11-14 years of age but is demonstrable in animals 6-7 years of age. Extracellular recording techniques were used to test the ability of Cd neurons to respond to activation of two of their major inputs, the precruciate cortex (CX) and the substantia nigra (SN). Types of responses that were evoked in both 1-3- and 11-14-year groups were similar and consisted of excitation, excitation followed by inhibition of action potentials or inhibition alone without preceding excitation. The frequency of occurrence of these responses was altered in the aged animals when either input was stimulated. In 1-3-year-old cats CX stimulation evoked initially excitatory responses in 75% of the cells tested while in 11-14-year-old cats excitatory responses occurred in 62% of the cells. When the SN was stimulated the decrease in initial excitation was greater (69% in 1-3- vs 35% in 11-14-year groups). In all aged animals but not in 1-3-year-old cats stimulation thresholds were higher (39-79%) for evoking excitatory responses than for evoking inhibitory responses. In order to assess synaptic security, the ability of Cd neurons to respond to iterative stimulation was determined. Distributions of the minimum interval necessary to evoke two excitatory responses were constructed. There was a marked increase in the proportion of longer intervals in the aged animals indicating that the synaptic response was less secure. There was a tendency for more of the responses in aged animals to have shorter latencies. This result was probably due to loss of less secure longer latency responses that are mediated via multisynaptic pathways. These findings indicate that there are functional changes in a population of Cd neurons in aged cats that impair their ability to process information.
FETAL GENDER AND COCAINE EXPOSURE AS DETERMINANTS OF CORD BLOOD GAMMA-GLUTAMYL TRANSFERASE (GGT) ACTIVITY. † 1130

FETAL GENDER AND COCAINE EXPOSURE AS DETERMINANTS OF CORD BLOOD GAMMA-GLUTAMYL TRANSFERASE (GGT) ACTIVITY. † 1130
Estimating Information Amount under Uncertainty: Algorithmic Solvability and Computational Complexity

Measurement results (and, more generally, estimates) are never absolutely accurate: there is always an uncertainty, the actual value x is, in general, different from the estimate . Sometimes, we know the probability of different values of the estimation error , sometimes, we only know the interval of possible values of , sometimes, we have interval bounds on the cumulative distribution function of . To compare different measuring instruments, it is desirable to know which of them brings more information – i.e. it is desirable to gauge the amount of information. For probabilistic uncertainty, this amount of information is described by Shannon's entropy; similar measures can be developed for interval and other types of uncertainty. In this paper, we analyse the computational complexity of the problem of estimating information amount under different types of uncertainty.
Discrepancies between verbal and performance IQs and subtest scatter on the WISC-R for juvenile delinquents.

Summary.-The present study examined discrepancies in Verbal and Performance IQs and subtest scatter on the WISC-R for 121 male juvenile delinquents. While statistically significant Verbal-Performance discrepancies and subtest scatter were evidenced, these indices of scatter did not differ from normative data provided by Kaufman in 1976. It was concluded that the WISC-R may not be useful as a differential diagnostic indicator for juvenile delinquency but may be beneficial as a tool for making remedial prescriptive recommendations. Psychologists have interpreted discrepancies in Verbal and Performance IQs and subtest scatter on the WISC as indicative of psychopathology in children (Sattler, 1974; Zimmerman & Woo-Sam, 1972). While the research is not conclusive, several studies indicate that juvenile delinquents (Henning & Levy, 1967), children with minimal brain dysfunction (Clements, 1966), and underachieving (Huelsman, 1970) and schizophrenic children (Wechsler & Jaros, 1965) all exhibit significant subtest scatter and significant discrepancy in Verbal and Performance IQs. The similarity of such findings suggests that specific patterns of scatter may not exist for various diagnostic groups but rather that subtest scatter andl Verbal-Performance discrepancy are reflective of child psychopathology in general. Kaufman ( 1976a, 1976b) has recently reported the occurrence of both discrepancy scores (Verbal IQ minus Performance IQ) and subtest scatter for the newly standardized Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), using the standardization sample as the source of data. While a difference between Verbal and Performance IQs of 15 points or more is statistically significant (Wechsler, 1974), Kaufman (1976b) demonstrated that a 15-point discrepancy occurred for one out of every four children in the standardization sample. Kaufman ( 1976a) also demonstrated considerable scatter among the WISC-R subtests for the standardization sample. Two indices of test scatter were investigated: scaled-score range (the difference between the highest and lowest scaled scores) and the number of subtests deviations (three or more points from own mean scaled-score). Unexpectedly, the median scaledscore ranges for the regular Verbal, Performance and Full Scales were four, five, and seven points, respectively. Further, the average child had about one subtest score which deviated significantly (three or more points) from both
Direct and inverse modeling for stochastic passive microbead rheology

The need in biology to understand the rheological properties of cells, tissues, membranes, and biological liquids, has led to new techniques in microrheology, where passive bead tracking is the fundamental probe of viscoelastic properties. We present stochastic methods for direct and inverse characterization based on noisy time series associated with either one or multiple beads, focusing on the distinctions in bead statistics due to bead-bead hydrodynamic interactions versus the ratio of bead separation distance and bead radii. Our modeling combines the seminal works of Mason & Weitz for single bead statistics and of Crocker-Levine-Lubensky for 2-bead statistics, together with the recent methods of the authors on direct and inverse simulation tools for generalized Langevin equations. The aim is to develop statistically accurate and fast direct simulation tools for bead-bead fluctuations, and then inversion methods derived from maximum likelihood methods and the Kalman filter. The application is to support experiments by R. Superfine and D. Hill and for characterization and simulations of transport mechanisms in lung airway surface liquids within the Virtual Lung Project at UNC Chapel Hill. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The Role of Extended Time and Item Content on a High-Stakes Mathematics Test

The premise of a great deal of current research guiding policy development has been that accommodations are the catalyst for student performance differences. Rather than accepting this premise, two studies were conducted to investigate the influence of extended time and content knowledge on the performance of ninth-grade students who took a statewide mathematics test with and without accommodations. Each study involved 1,250 accommodated students (extended time only) with learning disabilities and 1,250 nonaccommodated students demonstrating no disabilities. In Study One, a standard differential item functioning (DIF) analysis illustrated that the usual approach to studying the effects of accommodations contributes little to our understanding of the reason for performance differences across students. Next, a mixture item response theory DIF model was used to explore the most likely cause(s) for performance differences across the population. The results from both studies suggest that students for whom items were functioning differently were not accurately characterized by their accommodation status but rather by their content knowledge. That is, knowing students' accommodation status (i.e., accommodated or nonaccommodated) contributed little to understanding why accommodated and nonaccommodated students differed in their test performance. Rather, the data would suggest that a more likely explanation is that mathematics competency differentiated the groups of student learners regardless of their accommodation and/or reading levels.
Sustained Release d -Amphetamine Reduces Cocaine but not ‘Speedball’-Seeking in Buprenorphine-Maintained Volunteers: A Test of Dual-Agonist Pharmacotherapy for Cocaine/Heroin Polydrug Abusers

The aim of this study was to determine whether oral sustained release d-amphetamine (SR-AMP) reduces cocaine and opioid/cocaine combination (‘speedball’-like) seeking in volunteers with current opioid dependence and cocaine dependence. Following outpatient buprenorphine (BUP) 8 mg/day stabilization without SR-AMP, eight participants completed a 3-week in-patient study with continued BUP 8 mg/day maintenance and double-blind ascending SR-AMP weekly doses of 0, 30, and 60 mg/day, respectively. After 3 days (Saturday–Monday) stabilization at each SR-AMP weekly dose (0, 15, or 30 mg administered at 0700 and 1225 each day), on Tuesday–Friday mornings (0900–1200 hours), participants sampled four drug combinations in randomized, counterbalanced order under double-blind, double-dummy (intranasal cocaine and intramuscular hydromorphone) conditions: cocaine (COC 100 mg+saline); hydromorphone (COC 4 mg+HYD 24 mg); ‘speedball’ (COC 100 mg+HYD 24 mg); and placebo (COC 4 mg+saline). Subjective and physiological effects of these drug combinations were measured. From 1230 to 1530 hours, participants could respond on a choice, 12-trial progressive ratio schedule to earn drug units (1/12th of total morning dose) or money units (US$2). SR-AMP significantly reduced COC, but not HYD or speedball, choices and breakpoints. SR-AMP also significantly reduced COC subjective (eg, abuse-related) effects and did not potentiate COC-induced cardiovascular responses. This study shows the ability of SR-AMP to attenuate COC self-administration, as well as its selectivity, in cocaine/heroin polydrug abusers. Further research is warranted to ascertain whether SR-AMP combined with BUP could be a useful dual-agonist pharmacotherapy.
Underestimation of visual texture slant by human observers: a model

The perspective image of an obliquely inclined textured surface exhibits shape and density distortions of texture elements which allow a human observer to estimate the inclination angle of the surface. However, it has been known since the work of Gibson (1950) that, in the absence of other cues, humans tend to underestimate the slant angle of the surface, particularly when the texture is perceived as being "irregular." The perspective distortions which affect texture elements also shift the projected spatial frequencies of the texture in systematic ways. Using a suitable local spectral filter to measure these frequency gradients, the inclination angle of the surface may be estimated. A computational model has been developed which performs this task using distributions of outputs from filters found to be a good description of simple-cell receptive fields. However, for "irregular" textures the filter output distributions are more like those of "regular" textures at shallower angles of slant, leading the computational algorithm to underestimate the slant angle. This behavioral similarity between human and algorithm suggests the possibility that a similar visual computation is performed in cortex.
Electrostatic stability of a collisionless plane discharge

In a collisionless plane discharge the stream of ions falling to the walls is found to be stable against ion wave instabilities for the case in which the ionization function is constant. If ionization in the sheath region is suppressed, however, ion oscillations may be excited in the sheath. Such oscillations would resemble those recently observed by others.
The amino-terminal portion of CFTR forms a regulated CI− channel

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl- channel consists of two motifs (each containing a membrane-spanning domain [MSD] and a nucleotide-binding domain [NBD]) linked by an R domain. We tested the hypothesis that one MSD-NBD motif could form a Cl- channel. The amino-terminal portion of CFTR (D836X, which contains MSD1, NBD1, and the R domain) formed Cl- channels with conductive properties identical to those of CFTR. However, channel regulation differed. Although phosphorylation increased activity, channels opened without phosphorylation. MgATP stimulated D836X more potently than CFTR and may interact at more than one site. These data and migration of D836X on sucrose density gradients suggest that D836X may function as a multimer. Thus, the amino-terminal portion of CFTR contains all of the structures required to build a regulated Cl- channel.
Effects of Histone Variants MacroH2A and H2A.Z on Nucleosome Dynamics

The Nucleosome Core Particle (NCP) forms the fundamental unit of DNA packaging in chromatin fibers. Historically, the NCP has been considered static and in a closed conformation. However, recent evidence suggests that it may have dynamical properties that play a key role in its structural stability and transcriptional accessibility. Modifications to the NCP via histone variant substitutions can alter the stability of the complex. For example, replacement of the canonical histone H2A by variants macroH2A or H2A.Z has been linked to transcriptional repression, the mechanisms of which are not well understood. Here, we have used all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to provide insight into the mechanism by which variants macroH2A and H2A.Z stabilize the NCP. Our results show that dynamics of variant nucleosomes deviate from the canonical NCP primarily at the local level on the hundreds of nanoseconds timescale. Inclusion of variants alters the dynamics of the entry and exit segments of the DNA in the form of tighter DNA winding. Simulations also suggest that the presence of variants results in tighter dimer compaction. Furthermore, mutations to the dimer interface elucidate allosteric pathways to key locations of the complex.
Origin of Kink-banded eutectics

Abstract The origin of kink-bands in fiberlike eutectic mixtures was attributed to a periodic growht and termination of fibers in the presence of convection current and vibration in the melt during growth. The evidence supporting this conclusion was the growth of continuous NaF and LiF fibers embedded in a separate NaCl matrix in space where there is no convection current and vibration in the melt during solidification. Better transmission and transmittance properties were properties were obtained from samples grown in space as a result of a better alignment of these fibers in a NaCl matrix.
Novel sample preparation techniques in exposing die backside on molded packages

Two novel sample preparation methods to access the backside of a die in a molded package have been developed. The first approach is a chemical method to etch away the die paddle, and the other is a mechanical approach through peeling off of the paddle after mechanical thinning. Once the conductive die-attach is exposed, it is removed using nitric acid.
Preparation of bulk 13 C-enriched graphene materials

Arc-discharge has been widely used in the bulk production of various carbon nanomaterials, especially for structurally more robust single-walled carbon nanotubes. In this paper, the same bulk-production technique was applied to the synthesis of significantly 13C-enriched graphitic materials, from which graphene oxides similarly enriched with 13C were prepared and characterized. The results demonstrate that arc-discharge is a convenient method to produce bulk quantities of 13C-enriched graphene materials from relatively less expensive precursors (largely amorphous 13C powders).
Beta-adrenergic modulation in the heart. Independent regulation of K and Ca channels.

The temperature-dependence of the actions of β-receptor agonists and adenylate cyclase stimulation on both calcium and delayed rectifier potassium channel ionic currents were examined in patch-clamped guinea pig ventricular myocytes. We report that temperature can separate the β-receptor mediated modulation of potassium and calcium channels. Receptor-mediated increases in the delayed rectifier potassium current, but not the calcium current were very temperature-dependent over the range of 19 to 32°C. At room temperature (19–22°C) the β-agonist isoproterenol produced a large enhancement of the calcium current but had no effect on the delayed rectifier current. In contrast, at warmer temperatures (28–32°C) both currents increased in the presence of the agonist. This temperature-sensitivity also existed for direct stimulation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin. Thus, cardiac calcium and potassium channels appear to be independently regulated during adrenergic stimulation.
Inhibition of class A beta-lactamases by carbapenems: crystallographic observation of two conformations of meropenem in SHV-1.

Carbapenem antibiotics are often the “last resort” in the treatment of infections caused by bacteria resistant to penicillins and cephalosporins. To understand why meropenem is resistant to hydrolysis by the SHV-1 class A β-lactamase, the atomic structure of meropenem inactivated SHV-1 was solved to 1.05 A resolution. Two conformations of the Ser70 acylated intermediate are observed in the SHV-1-meropenem complex; the meropenem carbonyl oxygen atom of the acyl-enzyme is in the oxyanion hole in one conformation, while in the other conformation it is not. Although the structures of the SHV-1 apoenzyme and the SHV-1-meropenem complex are very similar (0.29 A rmsd for Cα atoms), the orientation of the conserved Ser130 is different. Notably, the Ser130-OH group of the SHV-1-meropenem complex is directed toward Lys234Nz, while the Ser130-OH of the apo enzyme is oriented toward the Lys73 amino group. This altered position may affect proton transfer via Ser130 and the rate of hydrolysis. A most intriguing finding is the crystallographic detection of protonation of the Glu166 known to be involved in the deacylation mechanism. The critical deacylation water molecule has an additional hydrogen-bonding interaction with the OH group of meropenem’s 6α-1R-hydroxyethyl substituent. This interaction may weaken the nucleophilicity and/or change the direction of the lone pair of electrons of the water molecule and result in poor turnover of meropenem by the SHV-1 β-lactamase. Using timed mass spectrometry, we further show that meropenem is covalently attached to SHV-1 β-lactamase for at least 60 min. These observations explain key properties of meropenem’s ability to resist hydrolysis by SHV-1 and lead to important insights regarding future carbapenem and β-lactamase inhibitor design.
The α-half-lives of 244Cm, 245Cm and 246Cm

Abstract The α-half-life of 244 Cm, determined from specific activity measurements, and the α-half-lives of 245 Cm and 246 Cm, determined by mass spectrometric analysis of curium and its plutonium daughters, have been determined to be 17·59 ± 0·06 years, 9320 ± 280 years and 5480 ± 170 years, respectively.
Intraoperative prosthetic valve dysfunction: Detection by transesophageal echocardiography

We describe the valuable role of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in the detection of immediate prosthetic valve dysfunction. Transesophageal echocardiography accurately diagnosed one leaflet of a St. Jude Medical mitral valve to be stuck. We recommend routine transesophageal echocardiography for mitral valve operations.
Mobilizing the Mobilized: The Electoral Recruitment Paradox:

The campaign mobilization literature argues that contacting will have the most influence on individuals who are socioeconomically or politically disadvantaged. Yet evidence persistently shows that the advantaged are disproportionately contacted. This paradox is explained once one recognizes that contacting during elections serves divergent goals that are tied to the election cycle and to election competitiveness. Broadly speaking, contacting in elections should be seen as having two participatory recruitment stages: a resource gathering stage—with resources coming from the advantaged—and a mass-mobilization stage—where every vote counts only when elections are competitive. This theory is supported with the 2000 Annenberg election data. In the resource gathering stage, income, education, and strong party identification increased the likelihood that an individual was contacted by the campaigns. In contrast, only income predicted mobilization stage campaign contact in nonbattleground states. Finally, a battl...
Electrocardiographic diagnosis of pacemaker catheter displacement

Abstract Displacement of permanent pacemaker catheters occurs in about 10 per cent of primary implantations, and can be a cause of “pacemaker failure.” If movement of the catheter tip is 2 cm. or less there is usually no change of the stimulus artifact on the standard ECG, but marked changes in catheter position do result in changes of the amplitude and direction of the pacemaker stimulus artifact. Four episodes of catheter displacement resulted in changes of the stimulus artifact vector direction of greater than 90 degrees in either the frontal or horizontal planes. Rapid screening of the routine ECG is an effective means of detecting catheter displacement, with or without loss of pacing.
Apoptosis. Gone but not forgotten.

Cells that have died by apoptosis are taken up by phagocytic cells, and a receptor on the phagocytes that allows them to recognize the apoptotic cells has now been identified. Binding of ligand to the receptor triggers the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines, ensuring that the apoptotic cell has a lasting effect on phagocyte behaviour.
Family Mass Hierarchy From Universal Seesaw Mechanism

The ``universal seesaw mechanism,'' which accounts for ${\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{e}}$,u,d\ensuremath{\ll}${\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{W}}$, predicts ${\mathrm{m}}_{{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{L}}{\mathrm{m}}_{{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{R}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\approxeq}}{\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{e}}^{2}}}$. Combined with an axial-vector symmetry principle, this mechanism allows for the coeexistence of heavy (\ensuremath{\lesssim}${\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{W}}$) families without appeal to a hierarchy in Yukawa couplings and without introduction of additional mass scales. It then follows that (i) the physical right-handed heavy (light) ordinary fermions are mostly SU(2${)}_{\mathrm{R}}$ singlets (doublets), (ii) there is no analogous neutrino mass hierarchy, and (iii) ${\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{PQ}{\mathrm{m}}_{{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{L}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\approxeq}}{\mathrm{m}}_{\mathrm{W}}^{2}}}$ sets the Peccei-Quinn mass scale.
Absence of an orientational electric field effect in superfluid 3 He-A

Measurements at 29.4 bar using zero-sound propagation, which is very sensitive to the orientation of the % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiiYdd9qrFfea0dXdf9vqai-hEir8Ve% ea0de9qq-hbrpepeea0db9q8as0-LqLs-Jirpepeea0-as0Fb9pgea% 0lrP0xe9Fve9Fve9qapdbaqaaeGacaGaaiaabeqaamaabaabcaGcba% GabmiBayaajaaaaa!3C6D!\[\hat l\] field in 3He-A, show that any steady orientational effect of an electric field is less than ±10−3 of the value expected from the simple theory.
Cropping systems for perennial ryegrass seed production: II. Minimum tillage systems for changing cultivars in certified seed production

Few studies have been conducted to evaluate certified grass seed crop establishment under no-till systems. Four field studies were conducted near Corvallis, OR, between 1985 and 1989, to evaluate the acceptability of 1- and 2-yr no-till crop rotation systems between two perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars grown for certified seed production under the genetic purity requirements of Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA). Four rotation systems were used : 1- and 2-yr red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), 1-yr meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba L.), and 2-yr meadowfoam-spring pea (Pisum sativum L.). Afterharvest residue from a diploid perennial ryegrass was either burned or flail-chopped (nonburned) before drill-seeding the rotation crops. A tetraploid perennial ryegrass followed after rotation crops to assess contamination from seedlings of the first perennial ryegrass (diploid) seed crop For all rotation sequences, the number of ryegrass plants growing between planted rows and the percentage of diploid seed in the harvested tetraploid seed crop exceeded AOSCA seed certification standards. Burning the stubble did not reduce the number of volunteer seedlings to the level acceptable for seed certification. We concluded that 1- or 2-yr rotation sequences out of perennial ryegrass seed production using minimum tillage systems were not sufficient to meet the cultivar purity standards for production of certified seed, even when burning preceded establishment of the rotation crops. Also, burning ryegrass stubble prior to establishment of the rotation species had little effect on seed yield of the following ryegrass crop. Burning the stubble of the first-year ryegrass crop established after rotation species, however, improved the seed yield of the second-year crop.
A finite element model for tidal and residual circulation

Harmonic decomposition is applied to the shallow water equations, thereby creating a system of equations for the amplitude of the various tidal constituents and for the residual motions. The resulting equations are elliptic in nature, are well posed and in practice are shown to be numerically well-behaved. There are a number of strategies for choosing elements: the two extremes are to use a few high-order elements with continous derivatives, or to use a large number of simpler linear elements. In this paper simple linear elements are used and prove effective.
Expeditious synthesis of a key C9–C21 subunit of the aplyslatoxine and oscillatoxins

Abstract The C9–C21 portion of the aplysiatoxin/oscillatoxin bluegreen algal metabolites was synthesized as the 9-aldehyde bearing a tert -butyldimethylsilyl ether group on the C11 hydroxyl and a trimethylsilylethoxymethyl ether group on the C20 hydroxyl. Featuring an asymmetric aldol and an asymmetric oxazaborolldine reduction, the synthesis proceeded with high (>90%) stereoselectivity in 13 steps and 5–7% overall yield from commercial starting material.
Phase transition behavior, protein adsorption, and cell adhesion resistance of poly(ethylene glycol) cross-linked microgel particles

Thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm) microgel particles cross-linked with various concentrations of PEG diacrylates of 3 different PEG chain lengths were synthesized via free-radical precipitation polymerization in order to investigate the phase transition and protein adsorption behavior as the hydrophilicity of the network is increased. Photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) reveals that, as the concentration of PEG cross-linker incorporated into the particles is increased, an increase in the temperature and breadth of the phase transition occurs. Qualitative differences in particle density using isopycnic centrifugation confirm that higher PEG concentrations result in denser networks. The efficient incorporation of PEG cross-linker was confirmed with 1H NMR, and variable temperature NMR studies suggest that, in the deswollen state, the longer PEG cross-links protrude from the dense globular network. This behavior apparently manifests itself as a decrease in nonspecific protein adsorption...
Weak decays of B mesons

Abstract I review the experimental information on weak decays of B mesons. The emphasis is on the measurements which determine the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix elements.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone-Responsive Cytoskeletal Genes in Rat Granulosa Cells: Class I β-Tubulin, Tropomyosin-4, and Kinesin Heavy Chain

FSH regulates gene expression for granulosa cell differentiation and follicular development. Therefore, FSH-responsive genes are crucial, but only a few genes have been identified for the early stage of follicular development. In particular, little is known about cytoskeletal genes, which likely play essential roles in the morphological changes such as the antrum formation, a major landmark. FSH is also known to induce the differentiation of an immature, undifferentiated rat ovary granulosa (ROG) cell line. Our data show that FSH induced massive yet distinct reorganization of microtubules and the actin cytoskeletons as well as morphological changes. To identify those genes responding to FSH during the differentiation, differential display was performed on ROG cells. Of the 80 FSH-responsive genes identified, there were three cytoskeleton-related genes (class I beta-tubulin, tropomyosin 4, and kinesin heavy chain), which are crucial for intracellular morphogenesis, transport, and differentiation. Northern blots show that the level of these gene transcripts reached a peak at 6 h after FSH treatment and subsided at 24 h. FSH induced the similar temporal expression not only in granulosa cells isolated from immature rats, but also in vivo. For instance, in situ hybridization showed that beta-tubulin mRNA was transiently expressed in the granulosa cells of large preantral and early antral follicles. Despite the same temporal expression, the regulatory mechanisms of the three genes were strikingly different. As an example, cycloheximide blocked the beta-tubulin mRNA expression, whereas it increased tropomyosin-4 (TM4) mRNA. Yet, it did not impact kinesin heavy chain (Khc) mRNA. In conclusion, FSH induces the massive reorganization of the cytoskeletons and morphological changes by the selective regulation of the gene expression, protein synthesis, and rearrangement of the cytoskeletal proteins in the ROG cells and probably, specific follicles and granulosa cells.
Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Plasmonic Bimetallic Nanoparticles

The importance of plasmonic nanoparticles in sensor development, imaging, photodiagnostics, and optoelectronics has resulted in a strong interest toward the development of straightforward synthetic methods for their preparation. In this article, we review some of the most significant advances that have been made in the synthesis of plasmonic bimetallic nanoparticles. Approaches to control morphology, with an emphasis on reactions that produce uniform particles with well-defined sizes and shapes and in high yields, are described. In addition, several characterization techniques that have been employed to elucidate the morphology of the particles are illustrated.
Lessons learned with the Mark II drift chamber and some early work on supercollider tracking

I describe aspects of the design, performance, and achievements of the Mark II drift chamber, and some design considerations for tracking at the Superconducting Supercollider (SSC). The emphasis is mainly on contributions made by Abe Seiden and his group at the Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, on the occasion of his 60th birthday.
Natural frequencies and modes of cylindrical polygonal ducts using receptance methods

Natural frequencies and modes of polygonal cylindrical ducts are obtained by using a receptance approach. Line receptances were formulated in two different ways, one being a closed form solution, the other a series solution in terms of the natural frequencies and modes of the plates that make up the polygonal duct, which offers certain conceptual advantages. The square, rectangular, triangular and pentagonal duct are investigated. Results show that there is a tendency for mode groups to cluster at common natural frequencies if the ducts are made of identical plates.
Thermal and physiological constraints on energy assimilation in a widespread lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)

Thermal constraint on energy assimilation is an important source of life history variation in geographically widespread ectotherms such as the eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus). Fence lizards in southern populations grow faster and produce more offspring per year than do those in northern populations. Biophysical models indicate that this difference in production is the result of thermal constraints on energy assimilation, but they do not exclude intraspecific variation in behavior or physiology. I quantified both thermoregulatory behavior and the thermal sensitivity of metabolizable energy intake (MEI) in lizards from New Jersey (NJ) and South Carolina (SC) populations of Sceloporus undulatus. In the laboratory, I conducted feeding trials to estimate MEI at body temperatures experienced by field-active lizards (20°, 30°, 33°, and 36°C). I also measured preferred body temperature (T p ) of lizards in a thermal gradient. In the field, I estimated the accuracy of thermoregulation by lizards. Both NJ and SC lizards exhibited a maximal MEI at their T p (33°C), but lizards from SC had a significantly higher MEI at this temperature than lizards from NJ. Although lizards in both populations thermoregulated within 2°C of T p , lizards in SC could maintain T p for a longer duration on a daily and annual basis. Therefore, lizards in SC could assimilate more energy because they had a higher maximal MEI during activity and were active for longer durations than lizards in NJ. Geographic variation in the life history of S. undulatus may be caused by differentiation of physiology between populations, as well as by differences in the thermal environments of populations.
Neurofibromin Colocalizes with Mitochondria in Cultured Cells

Mutations in neurofibromatosis type 1 target the gene coding for neurofibromin. While neurofibromin is able to accelerate the rate of GTP hydrolysis by cellular Ras proteins, its biological function is not well understood. To gain information regarding its function, the intracellular localization of neurofibromin was analyzed in cultured cell lines using polyclonal antisera raised against four neurofibromin-specific peptides, three from the carboxyl terminus and one from the amino terminus. In methanol-fixed cells distinct rod-like structures distributed throughout the cytoplasm were recognized by the antisera. Similar structures were seen with each antiserum, including affinity-purified antibodies, and in each of the cultured cell lines tested. Similar structures were seen in paraformaldehyde-fixed cells. Double staining experiments showed that these structures colocalize with mitochondria, but not with actin, beta-tubulin, or endoplasmic reticulum. When actin or tubulin structures within the cell were disrupted by separate antimitotic drugs, these stained structures retained their shape. Neurofibromin association with mitochondria was confirmed biochemically when highly purified mitochondrial fractions from bovine heart tissue were shown in Western analysis to contain neurofibromin. This association might be helpful in predicting identification of some of the cellular proteins with which neurofibromin interacts.
Characteristics of a precursor to vasopressin-associated bovine neurophysin.

The neurophysin produced by vasopressinergic neurons of the ox has been called vasopressinassociated bovine neurophysin (VP-BNP) [l] and it has long been suspected that such neurophysins are initially translated as part of the prohormone structure of vasopressin [2,3,4; for reviews see 5,6]. Some elegant work was recently performed to obtain the sequence of a cDNA encoding both vasopressin and its neurophysin from bovine hypothalamus [7]. This provided proof that both molecules arise as part of the same precursor. The primary structure of this precursor derived from a knowledge of the nucleotide sequence of an mRNA, places vasopressin on the N-terminal side of VP-BNP and joined to it by the tripeptide sequence, -Gly-Lys-Arg-. A 39-residue glycopeptide is bridged to the C-terminus of VP-BNP by an Arg. On the N-terminal side of vasopressin there is a 19-residue peptide believed to represent the leader sequence of the translated prohormone. The prohormone (possibly minus the leader sequence) is believed to be processed within neurosecretory granules during transport from the perikarya of neurons to axonal storage sites in the neural lobe from where the products of intragranular proteolysis, vasopressin and VP-BNP, are released [5,6]. We have earlier demonstrated the presence in neurosecretory granules of an enzyme which might be involved in such a transformation [8]. Here we describe the characteristics of precursors to VPBNP which were isolated from bovine neural lobes. These proteins provide us with a partial confirmation of the structure derived for the prohormone from nucleotide sequencing, and also provide information concerning the manner in which processing from prohormone to products might occur within the neurosecretory granules.
Assessment of business potential at retail sites: empirical findings from a US supermarket chain

We address the problem of estimating retail business potential at alternative sites, with concern for assessing performance relative to potential in existing markets and for identifying the best sites for expansion into new markets. At question is the utility of information typically used in formal retail patronage models, in comparison with additional information considered important by retail executives. Relevant data are gathered from secondary sources and intensive in-store surveys are conducted to produce a portfolio of information about neighbourhood demographics, store ambience, variety and quality of products and services, relative prices of selected products, etc. for stores in a retail grocery chain and competitive stores in the chain's markets. We experiment with alternative statistical models for store performance to determine the consequence of restricting the types of data available when constructing the models. Our findings suggest that while information about store location and surrounding...
Boll Weevil: Suppression with TH-6040 Applied in Cottonseed Oil as a Foliar Spray

In the laboratory, Thompson-Hayward TH-6040 ( N -4-chlorophenyl)-N′-(2,6-difluorobenzoyl) urea) formulated in cottonseed oil and applied to cotton plants was effective in preventing hatch of eggs laid by female Anthonomus grandis Boheman for 4–7 days after the females were exposed. In the field, TH-6040 (0.25 AI/acre) in cottonseed oil applied every 4 or 5 clays from initiation of squaring in mid-June until late Aug. either caused all eggs to fail to hatch or caused emerging larvae to die in the 1st instar. As a result, no 1st field-generation boll weevils could be detected by in-field trapping until Aug. 20. Even then, the population was very low and could be attributed partially to rainfall that washed off 2 successive treatments of TH-6040 in late July.
Homework Purpose Scale for High School Students: A Validation Study

The purpose of this study is to test the validity of scores on the Homework Purpose Scale using 681 rural and 306 urban high school students. First, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the rural sample. The results reveal that the Homework Purpose Scale comprises three separate yet related factors, including Learning-Oriented Reasons, Adult-Oriented Reasons, and Peer-Oriented Reasons. This factor structure is tested with the data from the urban sample. Given an adequate level of configural, factor loading, common error covariance, and intercept invariance, the difference between the group means is further tested. The results reveal that urban high school students, as compared with their rural counterparts, are more likely to do homework for adult-oriented reasons.
Biomarkers of environmental benzene exposure

Environmental exposures to benzene result in increases in body burden that are reflected in various biomarkers of exposure, including benzene in exhaled breath, benzene in blood and urinary trans-trans-muconic acid and S-phenylmercapturic acid. A review of the literature indicates that these biomarkers can be used to distinguish populations with different levels of exposure (such as smokers from nonsmokers and occupationally exposed from environmentally exposed populations) and to determine differences in metabolism. Biomarkers in humans have shown that the percentage of benzene metabolized by the ring-opening pathway is greater at environmental exposures than that at higher occupational exposures, a trend similar to that found in animal studies. This suggests that the dose-response curve is nonlinear; that potential different metabolic mechanisms exist at high and low doses; and that the validity of a linear extrapolation of adverse effects measured at high doses to a population exposed to lower, environmental levels of benzene is uncertain. Time-series measurements of the biomarker, exhaled breath, were used to evaluate a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. Biases were identified between the PBPK model predictions and experimental data that were adequately described using an empirical compartmental model. It is suggested that a mapping of the PBPK model tomore » a compartmental model can be done to optimize the parameters in the PBPK model to provide a future framework for developing a population physiologically based pharmacokinetic model. 44 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.« less
High-Pressure Effects on the Order−Disorder Transition in Block Copolymer Melts

We have measured the pressure dependence of the order−disorder transition temperature (TODT) in two styrene−isoprene diblock copolymers containing 24 and 48 wt % styrene (Mw = 20 500 and 16 500 g m...
Age‐specific survival and recruitment of piping plovers Charadrius melodus in the Great Lakes region

Juvenile survival and age at first breeding (i.e. recruitment) are critical parameters affecting population dynamics in birds, but high levels of natal dispersal preclude measurement of these variables in most species. We used multi-state capture–recapture models to measure age-specific survival and recruitment probabilities of piping plovers Charadrius melodus in the Great Lakes region during 1993–2012. This federally endangered population is thoroughly monitored throughout its entire breeding range, minimizing concerns that measures of survival and recruitment are confounded by temporary or permanent emigration. First-year survival (± SE) averaged 0.284 ± 0.019 from mean banding age (9 d) and 0.374 ± 0.023 from fledging age (23 d). Factors that increased first-year survival during the pre-fledging period (9–23 d) included earlier hatching dates, older age at banding, greater number of fledglings at a given site, and better body condition at time of banding. However, when chicks that died prior to fledging were excluded from analysis, only earlier hatching dates improved first-year survival estimates. Females had a higher probability (0.557 ± 0.066) of initiating breeding at age one than did males (0.353 ± 0.052), but virtually all plovers began breeding by age three. Adult survival was reduced by increased hurricane activity on the southeast U.S. Atlantic coast where Great Lakes piping plovers winter and by higher populations of merlins Falco columbarius. Mean annual adult survival declined from 1993 to 2012, and did not differ between males and females. Enhanced body condition led to higher survival to fledge and early breeding led to improved first-year survival; therefore, management actions focused on ensuring access to quality feeding habitat for growing young and protecting early nests may increase recruitment in this federally endangered population.
Annulated lamellae in the ductus epididymidis of fetal and castrated adult rats

A consistent feature of epithelial cells lining the initial segment of the ductus epididymidis of rats bilaterally castrated for about three months is the presence of stacks of annulated lamellae. They were occasionally observed by two months following gonadectomy but were not evident in one-month castrates nor in normal controls or unilaterally orchiectomized rats. Observation of epididymides from neonatal and fetal rats taken at daily intervals between the twelfth and twenty-first day following conception demonstrated that small and inconspicuous annulated lamellae occurred normally during differentiation. They were observed on several occasions in widely scattered cells during the fifteenth day of gestation. In the epididymis, annulated membranes may form from the outer nuclear membrane by a process of budding. The annulated membrane complex is “destroyed” in long term castrates following the subcutaneous injection of testosterone proprionate.