cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expectations versus experiences: librarians using open source integrated library systems

Purpose – This paper compares the technical support-related experiences with the expectations of librarians using open source Integrated Library Systems (ILS). Design/methodology/approach – A combination of surveys and triangulating interviews was conducted to obtain the results presented. Findings – The results of this study indicate that there are many channels of technical support available to librarians who use open source ILS. Also, these channels of technical support perform at acceptable levels according to the expectations of librarians using open source software. Research limitations/implications – The results presented in this study are self-reported expectations and experiences of librarians and not observed experiences. Practical implications – The results from this study will provide an insight to librarians contemplating adoption or migration to open source ILS. The results presented here will be useful in decision-making as well as developing a strategy for technical support based on the pr...
Regional Economic Impacts of Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat and Barley

Fusarium Head Blight is a fungus affecting wheat and barley in the upper Midwest region of the United States. The purpose of this study is to estimate the direct and secondary regional economic impacts of Fusarium Head Blight infestations from 1998 to 2000. Cumulative direct production and price impacts from Fusarium Head Blight in hard red spring, soft red winter, durum wheat, and barley are estimated at $871 million over the period, with secondary economic losses of $1.8 billion. The total impacts of $2.7 billion were concentrated in North Dakota and Minnesota, which accounted for 55% of total losses over the period.
Lung tissue and capillary blood volumes by rebreathing and morphometric techniques.

Abstract Gas rebreathing measurements of lung tissue volume (Vt) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) were made in five anesthetized dogs. After the rebreathing measurements, the lungs were inflation fixed with glutaraldehyde and analyzed morphometrically. Each lung was morphometrically divided into alveolar and nonalveolar compartments and each compartment was divided into its air, tissue and blood components. Average rebreathing and morphometric measurements of Vc were 42 and 84 ml, respectively. The reasons for this difference remain unclear. The rebreathing Vt (198 ml) was 40 ml (25%) greater than the morphometric alveolar tissue and blood components (158 ml). Assuming that the rebreathing technique measures all of the alveolar compartment, the rebreathing measurements include a significant fraction of the nonalveolar compartment.
The Effects of China’s Grassland Contract Policy on Pastoralists’ Attitudes towards Cooperation in an Inner Mongolian Banner

China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is experiencing a marked decline in grassland quality partially as a result of government policies to sedentarize nomadic pastoralists and privatized collective grasslands. Previous research suggests that traditional forms of cooperation among Inner Mongolian pastoralists have deteriorated as a result of privatization and sedentarization. Herders in New Barag Right Banner (n = 50) representing both sedentary and mobile livestock management strategies were asked to respond to a scaled survey regarding their attitudes towards cooperation with other pastoralists. Inter-rater reliability and Mann–Whitney U Tests were utilized to compare the attitudes towards cooperation across sedentary and mobile settlement categories and to assess whether or not sedentary and mobile herders share the same cultural model regarding cooperation. The authors show that there is both high intra- and inter-group agreement on the survey variables across settlement categories, indicating that sedentary and mobile herders share the same cultural model regardless of their settlement pattern.
Thermal Properties and Degradation Behavior of Linear and Branched Poly(L‐lactide)s and Poly(L‐lactide‐co‐glycolide)s

Poly(lactide)s and poly(lactide-co-glycolide)s with different number of arms are synthesized from L-lactide and glycolide monomers using stannous(II) 2-ethylhexanoate and alcohols containing 1, 2, 25, and 51 hydroxyl groups. 1-dodecanol is used to produce the 1-arm polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) for the 2-arm polymer, and polyglycidols of appropriate molecular weight are used to initiate the 25- and 51-arm branched polyesters. The polymers are characterized by 1H NMR and GPC. The thermal properties of the polymers are studied using DSC. Their degradation behavior is indestigated using a combination of thermogravimetry, FTIR spectroscopy, and isoconversional kinetic analysis.
The haemoglobins of Artemia salina II. Isolation of three haemoglobins

Abstract 1. 1. In the haemolymph of the brine shrimp, Artemia salina , are 3 haemoglobins: Hb-1, Hb-2 and Hb-3. Each has been isolated from a whole animal homogenate by ammonium sulphate precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex chromatography and G-200 Scphadex gel filtration. 2. 2. In polyacrylamide disk electrophoresis, Hb-1 and Hb-2 are single bands whereas Hb-3 has 3 bands. The relative densities of the 3 bands shift with changes in concentration, suggesting an association-dissociation phenomenon for Hb-3. 3. 3. The 3 haemoglobins have the same sedimentation coefficient (11.3 S 20 w ), which suggests that they have similar molecular weights.
Thermodynamic Analysis of Sintering Waste Heat Power Generation

The current domestic conditions of sintering waste heat generation are introduced. The waste heat utilization methods are given according to waste heat characteristics of 360m2 sintering machine. The particle regenerative heat exchanger model is used to calculate heat transfer area of the first part of the circular-cooler. The logarithmic mean temperature difference method is used to calculate the heat transfer of closed cycle cooling air and the temperature of exhaust gas. The thermodynamic analysis of sintering heat generation process is completed. The power generation efficiency and quantity are calculated by using the heat balance and exergy analysis method.
Keeping calcium in its place: Ca2+-ATPase and phospholamban

Abstract Electron microscopy is gradually revealing more and more about the structure of the calcium pump from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, Ca 2+ -ATPase. The most recent result reveals the ATP-binding site, and two different avenues are being pursued towards achieving a higher resolution structure. Although no such structures are currently available for phospholamban, various spectroscopies and site-directed mutagenesis have been combined to produce a compelling structural model for its regulation of Ca 2+ -ATPase.
Polymer cell culture substrates with combined nanotopographical patterns and micropatterned chemical domains

A combination of nanoimprint lithography and microcontact printing was used to create cell substrates with well-defined nanotopographic patterns of grooves overlaid with independently controlled micropatterned chemical domains. Qualitative analysis of osteoblast-like cells cultured on the substrates showed alignment of cells and cell features to the nanotopographic grooves when surface chemistry was either uniform or a pattern of dots. When surface chemistry on the substrate was a pattern of lanes, cells aligned to the lanes. On all substrates, small cellular extensions, or filopodia, displayed no particular alignment to either nanotopographic grooves or chemical patterns. Large cell extensions were observed only parallel to either nanotopographic grooves or chemical lanes. The techniques used provide an easily scaleable approach to creating cell substrates that will aid in studying the relative impact and interplay of chemical patterns and mechanical topography on cellular responses.
Improved single-camera stereo system for mobile robotics

A single-camera stereo vision system offers a greatly simplified approach to image capture and analysis. In the original study by Lovegrove and Brame, they proposed a novel optical system that uses a single camera to capture two short, wide stereo images that can then be analyzed for real-time obstacle detection. In this paper, further analysis and refinement of the optical design results in two virtual cameras with perfectly parallel central axes. A new prototype camera design provides experimental verification of the analysis and also provides insight into practical construction. The experimental device showed that the virtual cameras' axes possessed a deviation from parallel of less than 12 minutes (or 0.2°). The calculation of distances to objects from the two overlapping images all showed errors smaller than the pixel resolution limitation. In addition, a barrel lens correction was used in processing the image to allow parallax distance determination in the whole horizontal view of the images.
Induction of Nitric Oxide Synthesis and Its Reactions in Cultured Human and Rat Hepatocytes Stimulated with Cytokines Plus LPS

We have examined the time course of appearance of mRNA for nitric oxide synthase (NOS), intracellular nonheme iron-nitrosyl complexes (NHFeNO, detected by EPR spectroscopy), and rates of medium appearance of NO2− + NO3− in cultured rat and human hepatocytes stimulated with a combination of cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β) and LPS. In both cells types, NOS mRNA precedes NHFeNO formation which in turn precedes maximum rates of NO2− + NO3− (NOx) formation. This profile occurs earlier in human hepatocytes than rat hepatocytes and the appearance of NOS mRNA is also more transient. These results indicate that (1) NOS is stable intracellularly (peak NOx production occurs substantially after peak mRNA levels), (2) intracellular iron is an early target (preceding maximum NOx production) for NO in both human and rat hepatocytes, and (3) decline in NHFeNO in the face of maximum NOx production indicates the presence of a "repair" or "removal" mechanism for these intracellular iron-nitrosyl complexes.
Chromosome 9 anomalies as the primary clonal alteration in a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the epiglottis

We present the cytogenetic characterization of a short-term culture of a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the epiglottis from a 67-year-old male patient who was admitted to this hospital for treatment. This patient had a history of chronic exposure to tobacco and alcohol, environmental carcinogens known to be related to the etiology of the disease. The tumor karyotype showed three distinct clones: 1) cells with chromosome 9 anomalies; 2) cells with chromosome 9 and other clonal structural anomalies involving chromosomes 1, 11, 14, and 17; and 3) cells whose chromosomes were partially or totally pulverized. The anomalies on chromosome 9 were homozygous inversion (p12q13), deletions at regions q22, q34.1, and p13, and i(9q) formation. Structural clonal anomalies on other chromosomes included translocations, deletions, and isochromosome formation. The presence of a chromosome 9 anomaly alone or in conjunction with other anomalies suggests that this aberration may be a nonrandom primary event in the progression of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
64 NEONATAL ABSTINENCE SYNDROME (NAS) AND INTERACTIVE BEHAVIORS AT 1 AND 30 DAYS OF LIFE

Several studies have investigated differences in the behavior of newborns with NAS and non-addicted infants, using the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (BNBAS). However, the most consistent differences found are for those items reflected in the clinical assessment of the abstinence syndrome, i.e. irritability, tremulousness, jerkiness of motor movement and increased muscle tone. In this study 25 infants born to drug dependent women were evaluated. The BNBAS was used but was scored using the a priori cluster method so that the infants' interactive organization could be evaluated. Scores given for Interaction Dimension were: 1=superior; 2=adequate; 3=deficient. At 1 day of age all infants who later would require pharmacotherapy for NAS had deficient interaction scores (x=3). Infants who never required treatment had a x of 2.1. At 30 days of age, infants who never required treatment had a x of 2.2 and infants who required treatment but were drug free by 30 days had a x of 1.7. Infants still receiving treatment at 30 days had a x of 2.2. There appear to be differences within the latter group. Infants whose mothers rarely came to visit had a x of 2.6 whereas infants whose mothers visited on a regular basis had a x of 1.8. Poor interaction of the infants may have caused avoidance by the mothers or maternal attention may have improved the infants' interaction. These data indicate the possibility that NAS has a deleterious and complex effect on infant-caregiver interaction.
Cancellous bone adaptation to tibial compression is not sex dependent in growing mice

Mechanical loading can be used to increase bone mass and thus attenuate pathological bone loss. Because the skeleton's adaptive response to loading is most robust before adulthood, elucidating sex-...
Microlocal analysis of asymptotically hyperbolic and Kerr-de Sitter spaces (with an appendix by Semyon Dyatlov)

In this paper we develop a general, systematic, microlocal framework for the Fredholm analysis of non-elliptic problems, including high energy (or semiclassical) estimates, which is stable under perturbations. This framework, described in Sect. 2, resides on a compact manifold without boundary, hence in the standard setting of microlocal analysis. Many natural applications arise in the setting of non-Riemannian b-metrics in the context of Melrose’s b-structures. These include asymptotically de Sitter-type metrics on a blow-up of the natural compactification, Kerr-de Sitter-type metrics, as well as asymptotically Minkowski metrics. The simplest application is a new approach to analysis on Riemannian or Lorentzian (or indeed, possibly of other signature) conformally compact spaces (such as asymptotically hyperbolic or de Sitter spaces), including a new construction of the meromorphic extension of the resolvent of the Laplacian in the Riemannian case, as well as high energy estimates for the spectral parameter in strips of the complex plane. These results are also available in a follow-up paper which is more expository in nature (Vasy in Uhlmann, G. (ed.) Inverse Problems and Applications. Inside Out II, 2012). The appendix written by Dyatlov relates his analysis of resonances on exact Kerr-de Sitter space (which then was used to analyze the wave equation in that setting) to the more general method described here.
Concentrations, turnover rates and fluxes of polyamines in coastal waters of the South Atlantic Bight

Polyamines are short-chain aliphatic compounds containing multiple amine groups. They are important components of the cytosol of eukaryotes and are present at mmol L−1 concentrations inside phytoplankton cells, while complex polyamines play a role in biosilica deposition. Concentrations of polyamines measured in seawater are typically in the sub-nmol L−1 range, implying rapid and efficient uptake by osmotrophs, likely bacterioplankton. We measured turnover rates of three polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) using 3H-labeled compounds and determined their concentrations by HPLC to estimate polyamine contributions to dissolved organic matter and bacterioplankton carbon and nitrogen demand. These measurements were made on transects from the inner shelf to the Gulf Stream across the South Atlantic Bight (SAB) during April and October of 2011 and in salt marsh estuaries on the Georgia coast during August of 2011 and April of 2012. We found that turnover rates of polyamines were similar to those of amino acids (arginine and glutamic acid) measured in the same samples; however, fluxes of polyamines into bacterioplankton were much lower than amino acid fluxes as a result of low ambient concentrations. Turnover rates and fluxes of polyamines decreased from near-shore waters to the shelf-break, following the pattern of chlorophyll a concentration. Polyamine uptake accounted for less than 10 % of bacterial N demand and 5 % of bacterial C demand on average, with a large variation among water masses.
Distributed cognition: a methodological note

Humans are closely coupled with their environments. They rely on being ‘embedded’ to help coordinate the use of their internal cognitive resources with external tools and resources. Consequently, everyday cognition, even cognition in the absence of others, may be viewed as partially distributed. As cognitive scientists our job is to discover and explain the principles governing this distribution: principles of coordination, externalization, and interaction. As designers our job is to use these principles, especially if they can be converted to metrics, in order to invent and evaluate candidate designs. After discussing a few principles of interaction and embedding I discuss the usefulness of a range of metrics derived from economics, computational complexity, and psychology.
Climate at high-obliquity

Abstract The question of climate at high obliquity is raised in the context of both exoplanet studies (e.g. habitability) and paleoclimates studies (evidence for low-latitude glaciation during the Neoproterozoic and the “Snowball Earth” hypothesis). States of high obliquity, ϕ, are distinctive in that, for ϕ ⩾ 54 ° , the poles receive more solar radiation in the annual mean than the equator, opposite to the present day situation. In addition, the seasonal cycle of insolation is extreme, with the poles alternatively “facing” the Sun and sheltering in the dark for months. The novelty of our approach is to consider the role of a dynamical ocean in controlling the surface climate at high obliquity, which in turn requires understanding of the surface winds patterns when temperature gradients are reversed. To address these questions, a coupled ocean–atmosphere–sea ice GCM configured on an Aquaplanet is employed. Except for the absence of topography and modified obliquity, the set-up is Earth-like. Two large obliquities ϕ, 54° and 90°, are compared to today’s Earth value, ϕ = 23.5°. Three key results emerge at high obliquity: (1) despite reversed temperature gradients, mid-latitudes surface winds are westerly and trade winds exist at the equator (as for ϕ = 23.5°) although the westerlies are confined to the summer hemisphere, (2) a habitable planet is possible with mid-latitude temperatures in the range 300–280 K and (3) a stable climate state with an ice cap limited to the equatorial region is unlikely. We clarify the dynamics behind these features (notably by an analysis of the potential vorticity structure and conditions for baroclinic instability of the atmosphere). Interestingly, we find that the absence of a stable partially glaciated state is critically linked to the absence of ocean heat transport during winter, a feature ultimately traced back to the high seasonality of baroclinic instability conditions in the atmosphere.
Indexed systems of sequents and cut-elimination

Cut reductions are defined for a Kripke-style formulation of modal logic in terms of indexed systems of sequents. A detailed proof of the normalization (cut-elimination) theorem is given. The proof is uniform for the propositional modal systems with all combinations of reflexivity, symmetry and transitivity for the accessibility relation. Some new transformations of derivations (compared to standard sequent formulations) are needed, and some additional properties are to be checked. The display formulations of the systems considered can be presented as encodings of Kripke-style formulations.
Seat belt usage in Kansas City

Abstract An observational survey was undertaken (1) to determine the extent to which Kansas City, Missouri, drivers use passenger vehicle restraint systems and (2) to suggest certain vehicle/driver/location parameters that appear to affect such usage. A stratified random sample of signalized intersections was selected for the study. Twelve locations were drawn from a list of city intersections that experienced at least 12 accidents in 1 of the past 3 years. Drivers at each of the intersections were unobtrusively observed at each of three time periods—morning rush period, evening rush period, and midday—when stopped for the red light. Results of the survey showed, on the average, that only about 1 out of 14 (7.4 % ) Kansas City drivers used some form of restraint system. Although usage rates varied throughout the city, even the locations with highest usage rates were below reported national averages.
Political ecology of tourism

Abstract This article uses a political ecology approach to examine the relationships among tourism development, water, and environmental health in the Bay Islands, Honduras. It identifies the various stakeholders involved in the tourism industry, their relative power with respect to control of water resources, and distributional outcomes related to water quality and environmental health. Integrating the findings of ethnographic, survey, and environmental research conducted since 1991 in three communities, it shows that while the Islands' freshwater, land, and marine resources are jeopardized by unchecked tourism development, adverse affects are not distributed equally among various stakeholders. Reinforcing earlier findings focused on socioeconomic and nutritional outcomes, it concludes that while significant environmental degradation is attributable to the actions of powerful national and international stakeholders, it is the Islands' impoverished ladino immigrants and poor Afro-Antillean residents who are the most vulnerable to environmental health risks emanating from those activities.
Self-organized epitaxial growth of low-dimensional structures

Abstract In heteroepitaxy, misfit strain can lead to a variety of fascinating phenomena during growth. These include self-organization of regular arrays of islands (“quantum dots”), of step bunches (which may serve as a template for growth of “quantum wires”), and of compositionally modulated layers (“quantum wells”). Some recent theoretical treatments of these phenomena are described.
Exploring the Dynamics of Power in Professionalizing Afterschool

Prevailing narrative in the afterschool literature is premised on the idea that becoming a profession is required to build and sustain the field. Little reflects the concerns of practitioners that current strategies to professionalize do not reflect the complex and diverse nature of the work. This article uses critical theory to explore the imbalance of power in current discussions. I will argue that there are both benefits and drawbacks to current strategies, but unless practitioners and youth lead the design and decision-making, efforts to professionalize will not fully advance the field.
Isolation of rat brain subcellular fraction enriched in putative neurotransmitter receptors and synaptic junctions.

A simple reliable method was developed for the rapid isolation of a synaptic plasma membrane-enriched fraction from rat brain. The procedure involves the direct lysis of a crude mitochondrial fraction followed by a combined flotation-sedimentation density gradient centrifugation in a fixed-angle centrifuge rotor. All fractions have been characterized with respect to relative enrichment of (Na+−K+) ATPase activity as well as putative cholinergic neurotransmitter receptors determined by [125I]α-bungarotoxin and [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding. The 2-to 4-fold relative enrichment of putative receptor binding sites correlated well with the 4-fold enrichment of morphologically identifiable synaptic junctions in the synaptic plasma membrane enriched fraction.
Abstract 4369: MMP9, MMP14, and MMP15 genes are induced by nicotine in an E2F-dependent manner

Cigarette smoking is strongly correlated with the onset of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nicotine, the addictive component of cigarettes, has been found to induce proliferation, confer resistance to apoptosis, and induce EMT like changes in breast, pancreatic, and lung cancer cell lines. In addition, nicotine also induces morphological changes characteristic of a migratory, mesenchymal phenotype in NSCLCs. Correspondingly, the exact molecular mechanism for this acquired invasiveness in NSCLCs has been partially elucidated, but still remains somewhat unclear. To determine whether this increased invasion is due to up-regulation of proteolytic proteins, we first examined the mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase genes, which are crucial proteins for the mechanical degradation of the ECM, after exposure to nicotine. MMP9, MMP14, and MMP15 mRNA levels were significantly induced by treatment with nicotine when compared to serum starved A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. Transient transfection experiments in H1650, A549, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines also show that a 2kb MMP9-luc promoter is induced by treatment with nicotine. In order to identify a possible factor responsible for this induction, we next analyzed the promoters of MMP genes. Chip assays show that these MMPs had multiple functional E2F binding sites. Wound healing assays on these cells showed that cells lacking E2F1 were impaired in their ability to migrate on plastic. In addition, cells lacking E2F1 showed a lower capacity for invasion, as determined by Boyden Chamber assays. The effect of depleting E2F1 on MMP expression was assessed by Real-time PCR assays. It was found that MMP 9, 14, and 15 were down-regulated in A549 cells lacking E2F1. Furthermore, these MMP9, 14, and 15 promoter reporters were induced upon co-transfection with either E2F1 or E2F3, both classical E2F activators. These data suggest that the Rb/E2F pathway is a likely downstream target of nicotine and mediates invasion by enhancing the levels of MMPs. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4369.
Binding of a simian virus 40 T antigen-related protein to DNA

Abstract The interaction between the simian virus 40 (SV40) T antigen-related protein D2T (Hassel et al., 1978) and DNA was investigated using monoclonal antibodies raised against D2T. DNA bound by D2T was separated from free DNA by a simple modification of the Staphylococcus aureus immunoprecipitation procedure. Three forms of D2T could be detected in extracts of cells infected with the adeno-SV40 hybrid virus Ad2D2. One form did not bind DNA, the second bound to any DNA non-specifically, and the third bound tightly to the region of SV40 DNA spanning the origin of replication. The half-life of the specific complex was approximately 100 minutes at 25 °C but the non-specific binding was very unstable ( t 1 2 d = 1 min ). Mutants of SV40 that lack the second and third binding sites show undiminished ability to bind D2T specifically; but mutant DNAs that lack the first and second binding sites interact poorly with D2T. Finally, another region of the SV40 genome showed preferential binding to D2T. However, the decay rate of this site in the EcoRII/D fragment was rapid and, under these conditions, could not be distinguished from non-specific binding.
Food store access and household fruit and vegetable use among participants in the US Food Stamp Program

Objective Recent research on access to food among low-income populations in industrialised countries has begun to focus on neighbourhood food availability as a key determinant of dietary behaviour. This study examined the relationship between various measures of food store access and household fruit and vegetable use among participants in the Food Stamp Program, America's largest domestic food assistance programme. Design A secondary data analysis was conducted using the 1996-97 National Food Stamp Program Survey. The survey employed a 1-week food inventory method, including two at-home interviews, to determine household food use. Separate linear regression models were developed to analyse fruit and vegetable use. Independent variables included distance to store, travel time to store, ownership of a car and difficulty of supermarket access. All models controlled for a full set of socio-economic variables. Subjects A nationally representative sample of participants (n=963) in the Food Stamp Program. Results After controlling for confounding variables, easy access to supermarket shopping was associated with increased household use of fruits (84 grams per adult equivalent per day; 95% confidence interval 5, 162). Distance from home to food store was inversely associated with fruit use by households. Similar patterns were seen with vegetable use, though associations were not significant. Conclusions Environmental factors are importantly related to dietary choice in a nationally representative sample of low-income households, reinforcing the importance of including such factors in interventions that seek to effect dietary improvements.
Hemodynamic effects of atrial interaction

BACKGROUND Ventricular pressure and volume overload may induce hemodynamically important ventricular interactions mediated by the thick interventricular septum. The purpose of this study was to determine whether analogous hemodynamically manifest atrial interactions occur across the thinner interatrial septum. METHODS Right atrial (RA) and left atrial (LA) pressures were measured with micromanometer-tipped catheters before and after atrial pressure and volume overload elicited by sequential right ventricular (RV), RA, and septal ischemia induced in nine open-chest dogs. RESULTS Following RV ischemia, RA pressure increased and RA contraction and relaxation were enhanced, as indicated by an augmented A wave and X descent. Despite decreased LV diastolic size, LA pressure increased, with similar increases in its A wave and X descent. RA ischemia depressed RA contraction and relaxation, resulting in diminished A wave and X descent. Parallel changes occurred in the LA waveform. Following septal ischemia, LA contraction and relaxation were enhanced, as reflected in an augmented A wave and X descent. Despite persistent RA ischemia, the RA A wave and X descent increased. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate interatrial transmission of pressure and waveform changes that may influence hemodynamic evaluation and cardiac function.
Methodologically Based Discrepancies in Compensatory Education Evaluations.

Meta-analysis of several hundred evaluations of Title I compensatory education programs shows that two distinct research designs consistently yield different results. The norm- referenced model portrays programs as positively effective while the regression-disconti nuity design shows them to be ineffective or even slightly harmful. Three potential biasing factors are discussed for each design—residual regression artifacts; attrition and time-of- testing problems in the norm-referenced design; and assignment, measurement, and data preparation problems in the regression-discontinuity design. In lieu of more definitive research the tentative conclusion is that in practice the norm-referenced design over estimates the program effect while the regression-discontinuity design underestimates it.
THE PROMISE OF REAL OPTIONS

In recent years, both practitioners and academics have argued that traditional discounted cash flow models do a poor job of capturing the value of the options embedded in many corporate actions. This paper shows how option pricing models used in valuing financial assets can be used to value three kinds of real options that are often built into corporate projects: the option to delay, the option to expand, and the option to abandon. As a number of examples in this paper suggest, corporate investments that would be rejected using conventional DCF analysis can sometimes be justified by the value of the strategic options they provide. As the illustrations also show, however, the pricing of real options is considerably more difficult than the pricing of financial options and adjustments must often be made to capture the complexity of real investments.
Immunologic analysis by quantitative fluorescent antibody methods of effects of prolonged cultivation on Histomonas meleagridis (Smith).

Antisera were developed in rabbits against homogenized antigens prepared from agnotobiotic cultures of two Histomonas meleagridis lines: Hm-L1 strain, highly virulent for turkeys and chickens, and avirulent Hm-L1/C24 substrain, derived from Hm-L1 by 24 weeks of in vitro cultivation. Globulin fractions of the two antisera were conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate and fractionated on DEAE-cellulose columns to yield highly specific fractions. Before use, these fractions were absorbed with the bacteria present in the histomonad cultures. Intact, formalin-fixed ameboflagellates of Hm-L1 strain and of three avirulent substrains, Hm-L1/C12, Hm-L1/C24, and Hm-L1/C52, derived from Hm-L1 during continuous in vitro cultivation for 12, 24, and 52 weeks respectively, were stained with each of the two labelled antisera under standardized conditions. Fluorescence emitted by individual organisms was measured with the aid of a special microfluorimetric apparatus. Experiments involving direct staining, one-step inhibition, and cross-absorption methods indicated that in vitro cultivation was accompanied by progressive quantitative, and apparently also qualitative increments in the antigenic content of the histomonads.
Predatory publishers are corrupting open access

Journals that exploit the author-pays model damage scholarly publishing and promote unethical behaviour by scientists, argues Jeffrey Beall.
Regulation of PURA gene transcription by three promoters generating distinctly spliced 5-prime leaders: a novel means of fine control over tissue specificity and viral signals

Purα is an evolutionarily conserved cellular protein participating in processes of DNA replication, transcription, and RNA transport; all involving binding to nucleic acids and altering conformation and physical positioning. The distinct but related roles of Purα suggest a need for expression regulated differently depending on intracellular and external signals. Here we report that human PURA (hPURA) transcription is regulated from three distinct and widely-separated transcription start sites (TSS). Each of these TSS is strongly homologous to a similar site in mouse chromosomal DNA. Transcripts from TSS I and II are characterized by the presence of large and overlapping 5'-UTR introns terminated at the same splice receptor site. Transfection of lung carcinoma cells with wild-type or mutated hPURA 5' upstream sequences identifies different regulatory elements. TSS III, located within 80 bp of the translational start codon, is upregulated by E2F1, CAAT and NF-Y binding elements. Transcription at TSS II is downregulated through the presence of adjacent consensus binding elements for interferon regulatory factors (IRFs). Chromatin immunoprecipitation reveals that IRF-3 protein binds hPURA promoter sequences at TSS II in vivo. By co-transfecting hPURA reporter plasmids with expression plasmids for IRF proteins we demonstrate that several IRFs, including IRF-3, down-regulate PURA transcription. Infection of NIH 3T3 cells with mouse cytomegalovirus results in a rapid decrease in levels of mPURA mRNA and Purα protein. The viral infection alters the degree of splicing of the 5'-UTR introns of TSS II transcripts. Results provide evidence for a novel mechanism of transcriptional control by multiple promoters used differently in various tissues and cells. Viral infection alters not only the use of PURA promoters but also the generation of different non-coding RNAs from 5'-UTRs of the resulting transcripts.
Social facilitation expectancies for smoking: Psychometric properties of a new measure

Abstract Objective: Expectancies about social outcomes for smoking are relevant to college student smokers, who frequently report “social smoking.” A new measure, the Social Facilitation Expectancies (SFE) scale, was developed to assess these beliefs. Participants: The SFE was administered to undergraduate college student smokers (N = 1,096; study completed in May 2011). Methods: Items were scored on a 5-point scale with a summed total score. The sample was randomly split and principle axis factoring and confirmatory factor analysis applied to determine scale structure. The structure was tested across sex and smoking groups and validation analyses were conducted. Results: A 9-item, 1-factor scale was replicated within each group. Higher SFE scores were observed among those with greater smoking experience and higher scores were associated with greater endorsement of other smoking-related beliefs. Conclusions: These preliminary findings provide support for the sound psychometric properties of this measure f...
Macro- and micronutrients in African-Americans with heart failure

An emerging body of evidence suggests secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) may be an important covariant of congestive heart failure (CHF), especially in African-Americans (AA) where hypovitaminosis D is prevalent given that melanin, a natural sunscreen, mandates prolonged exposure of skin to sunlight and where a housebound lifestyle imposed by symptomatic CHF limits outdoor activities and hence sunlight exposure. In addition to the role of hypovitaminosis D in contributing to SHPT is the increased urinary and fecal losses of macronutrients Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) associated with the aldosteronism of CHF and their heightened urinary losses with furosemide treatment of CHF. Thus, a precarious Ca(2+) balance seen with reduced serum 25(OH)D is further compromised when AA develop CHF with circulating RAAS activation and are then treated with a loop diuretic. SHPT accounts for a paradoxical Ca(2+) overloading of diverse tissues and the induction of oxidative stress at these sites which spills over to the systemic circulation. In addition to SHPT, hypozincemia and hyposelenemia have been found in AA with compensated and decompensated heart failure and where an insufficiency of these micronutrients may have its origins in inadequate dietary intake, altered rates of absorption or excretion and/or tissue redistribution, and treatment with an ACE inhibitor or AT(1) receptor antagonist. Zn and Se deficiencies, which compromise the activity of several endogenous antioxidant defenses, could prove contributory to the severity of heart failure and its progressive nature. These findings call into question the need for nutriceutical treatment of heart failure and which is complementary to today's pharmaceuticals, especially in AA.
Bootstrap Confidence Intervals for Medical Costs With Censored Observations

Medical costs data with administratively censored observations often arise in cost-effectiveness studies of treatments for life-threatening diseases. Mean of medical costs incurred from the start of a treatment until death or a certain time point after the implementation of treatment is frequently of interest. In many situations, due to the skewed nature of the cost distribution and non-uniform rate of cost accumulation over time, the currently available normal approximation confidence interval has poor coverage accuracy. In this paper, we propose a bootstrap confidence interval for the mean of medical costs with censored observations. In simulation studies, we show that the proposed bootstrap confidence interval had much better coverage accuracy than the normal approximation one when medical costs had a skewed distribution. When there is light censoring on medical costs (≤25 per cent), we found that the bootstrap confidence interval based on the simple weighted estimator is preferred due to its simplicity and good coverage accuracy. For heavily censored cost data (censoring rate ≥30 per cent) with larger sample sizes (n≥200), the bootstrap confidence intervals based on the partitioned estimator has superior performance in terms of both efficiency and coverage accuracy. We also illustrate the use of our methods in a real example.
Imaging for improved prediction of myelotoxicity after radioimmunotherapy

BACKGROUND The severity of myelotoxicity after radioimmunotherapy has been predicted from body and blood radiation doses to marrow. However, marrow radiation can be increased substantially if the marrow or skeleton contains the malignancy targeted by the radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies. A study of 29 patients treated with iodine-131 (131I)-Lym-1 showed that radiation doses to marrow from body and blood had little correlation with myelotoxicity. The purpose of the present study was to assess the significance of marrow targeting and other factors for prediction of myelotoxicity. METHODS Injected radioactivity and nontargeted radiation doses to marrow were compared with peripheral blood cell counts after the first therapy dose of 131I-Lym-1 in 16 heavily pretreated patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Bone marrow biopsy, targeted marrow radiation doses, marrow image uptake scores, age, Karnofsky performance score (KPS), previous chemotherapy, and tumor burden were also compared with blood counts. RESULTS Myelotoxicity was not predicted well by injected radioactivity, total body radiation, or body and blood radiation doses contributed to marrow (P > 0.1). Biopsy-proven bone marrow lymphoma also failed to predict myelotoxicity (P > 0.1). Thrombocytopenia and leukopenia were predicted well by targeted radiation dose to marrow (P < 0.05) obtained by 131I imaging. Similarly, marrow image scores predicted decreases in platelets and white blood cells (WBCs; P < 0.05). Prediction of myelotoxicity using marrow radiation dose methods was slightly improved when serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), age, KPS, and prior chemotherapy were included in the analysis (P ≤ 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Prediction of myelotoxicity was improved in this group of patients by assessment of the targeting component of marrow radiation and was better predicted and obtained more easily by semiquantitative marrow image scores. Further improvement in prediction was slight when other factors were considered. Cancer 1997; 80:2558-66. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Dependability of Measurement in Counseling Psychology An Introduction to Generalizability Theory

Classical approaches to the assessment of reliability neglect to take into account multiple sources of error and to consider diverse measurement contexts. Generalizability theory (GT) offers a flexible framework for assessing dependability of measurement. With GT, investigators can estimate the total proportion of variance in ratings that is due to error rather than focusing on one source of error at a time. Simultaneous consideration of multiple sources of error allows investigators to assess the overall impact of measurement error in terms of attenuation of study findings and reduction of statistical power. Estimation of variance components allows for flexible application of findings to a variety of possible future research designs. Illustrative analyses demonstrate the special advantages of GT for planning studies in which observer ratings will be used.
Radio propagation experiments in the outer solar system with Voyager

Microwave telecommunications transmissions from the two Voyager spacecraft are being used to make detailed studies of planetary atmospheres, ionospheres, rings, and magnetic fields in the outer solar system. Coherently related sinusoidal signals, at wavelengths of 3.6 and 13 cm, transmitted from Voyager but received and analyzed on Earth serve as an active probe of planetary environs. Such studies have been carried out during the spacecraft encounters of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus; observations of Neptune's system are planned for August, 1989. The required occultation geometries are obtained either as by-products of the gravity-assist trajectories employed to travel among the planets or, in some cases, by design. Both spacecraft and ground systems are specifically modified and improved to support radio investigations. In particular, the use of hydrogen maser frequency standards on the ground in conjunction with thermally controlled, radiation-hardened quartz oscillators on the spacecraft guarantees long coherence intervals and allows application of new signal processing techniques. These advances lead to spatial resolutions in the media of interest well below the Fresnel zone scale, to current limits of a few tens of meters in the rings of Uranus. The present theory and data reduction methods permit detailed studies of atmospheric structure and scintillation parameters, the radial structure and particle size distribution of planetary rings, and the magnetic control of small-scale ionospheric irregularities. Atmospheric measurements are made at pressures from a few tenths of a millibar to a few bars, extinction profiles of planetary rings have been made to slant optical depths of 8 to 10, and alignments of magnetic fields within ionized regions have been determined to within a few degrees. Fundamental information concerning planetary composition, evolution, and dynamics is obtained from these measurements. Future improvements in radio systems through the use of powerful (> 100 000-W) ground transmitters in conjunction with high-performance receiving and digital signal processing units aboard spacecraft would permit improvements in dynamic range and sensitivity of such propagation experiments of 20 to 40 dB.
Friend or foe? Role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ in human bladder cancer

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family is an important group of transcription factors that regulates immune surveillance, cell proliferation, fatty acid regulation, and angiogenesis—functions which have all been implicated in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer. One particular subtype, PPARγ, is expressed at higher levels in bladder cancer specimens than in benign urothelium, and is an attractive molecular target for the development of novel treatment strategies for bladder cancer. In this review, we summarize the data available regarding relevance of PPARγ in bladder cancer and discuss the potential value of PPAR-targeted treatment of bladder cancer.
Localized Sources of Neurotrophins Initiate Axon Collateral Sprouting

The sprouting of axon collateral branches is important in the establishment and refinement of neuronal connections during both development and regeneration. Collateral branches are initiated by the appearance of localized filopodial activity along quiescent axonal shafts. We report here that sensory neuron axonal shafts rapidly sprout filopodia at sites of contact with nerve growth factor-coated polystyrene beads. Some sprouts can extend up to at least 60 μm through multiple bead contacts. Axonal filopodial sprouts often contained microtubules and exhibited a debundling of axonal microtubules at the site of bead–axon contact. Cytochalasin treatment abolished the filopodial sprouting, but not the accumulation of actin filaments at sites of bead–axon contact. The axonal sprouting response is mediated by the trkA receptor and likely acts through a phosphoinositide-3 kinase-dependent pathway, in a manner independent of intracellular Ca2+ fluctuations. These findings implicate neurotrophins as local cues that directly stimulate the formation of collateral axon branches.
Transient thermal study of semiconductor devices

An analytical three-dimensional transient temperature solution of a two-layer semi-infinite plate structure with embedded heat sources is discussed. The thickness of the second layer is assumed to extend to infinity. By incorporating the method of images this solution can be used to approximate the structure with finite second-layer thickness. Exact temperature can also be obtained for the rectangular lateral boundaries by the use of the method of images. The correct derivation of the solution is verified by comparing it with the result of the steady-state temperature solution. A computer program has been written based upon the solution and the method of images. A variety of device structures have been studied. Results on the thermal risetime and the effect of the second-layer medium have been obtained. The software is particularly useful for devices operating under pulsed or switching conditions. >