cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a Vaccinia Virus Mutant Expressing a Nonpalmitylated Form of p37, a Mediator of Virion Envelopment

Vaccinia virus encodes a 37-kDa palmitylated protein (p37) that is required for envelopment, translocation, and cell-to-cell spread of virions. We have analyzed the biological significance of the palmitate modification by constructing a recombinant vaccinia virus that expresses a nonpalmitylated p37 and comparing its biological activity to that of the wild-type virus. The mutant virus is inefficient at cell-to-cell spread and does not produce or release enveloped virions, although it produces normal amounts of nonenveloped virions. Furthermore, the mutant virus is not able to nucleate actin to propel itself through and out of the cell, a function requiring the indirect participation of p37. The deficiency in protein function appears to result from a lack of appropriate targeting to the membranes of the trans-Golgi network (TGN) which leaves p37 soluble in the cytoplasm. We conclude that the palmitate moiety is necessary for targeting or anchoring p37 to the TGN membrane, where, along with other vaccinia virus-encoded proteins, p37 is involved in the complex process of virion envelopment and release.
Deadbeats, Deadbrokes, and Prisoners

Historically, child support policy has targeted absent parents with aggressive enforcement measures. Such an approach is based on an economic resource model that is increasingly irrelevant, even counterproductive, for many low-income families. Specifically, modern day mass incarceration has radically skewed the paradigm on which the child support system is based, removing millions of parents from the formal economy entirely, diminishing their income opportunities after release, and rendering them ineffective economic actors. Such a flawed policy approach creates unintended consequences for the children of these parents by compromising a core non-monetary goal of child support system – parent-child engagement – as enforcement measures serve to alienate parents from the formal economy after reentry and drive them underground and away from their families.In this article I propose that lawmakers harmonize child well-being rhetoric with policy by mitigating the counterproductive effects of federal and state law on incarcerated parents, an issue that is undoubtedly of national concern. I also invite readers to reimagine the normative contours of child supportive practices by recognizing that child support alone will never be an effective substitute for broader antipoverty measures.
Making Sense of Changing Animal Embryos

The Evolution of Developmental Pathways . Adam S. Wilkins. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA, 2001. 621 pp. $54.95. ISBN 0-87893-916-4. Wilkins explores the nature of the genetic, molecular, and selectional events that affect genetic pathways and determine how shape and form in complex organisms change during evolution.
Series-cascaded absorptive notch-filters for 4G-LTE radios

This paper focuses on novel filtering architectures for LTE-band transmit and receive RF-filters. For the first time, it is demonstrated that advanced filtering components with low insertion loss (2.8–4.9 dB) and large attenuation stopbands (25–50 dB) can be created by series-cascaded absorptive bandstop filters with quality factors even as low as 12–45. Transmit and receive filter modules for LTE-band 1 duplex circuits are shown. Lumped-element absorptive bandstop filters with the highest reported Q of 43 at 2 GHz are presented. Tunability of the presented filter arc hitectures is also discussed.
Lymphocyte Subsets in Normal Bone Marrow

Bone marrow aspirates and biopsies from ten normal donors were stained directly with monoclonal antibodies specific for lymphocyte, monocyte, and myeloid antigens, and were analyzed by flow cytometry. To avoid cell loss, lymphocytes were not specifically isolated prior to staining. T cells comprised 46% of aspirate lymphocytes and 22% of biopsy lymphocytes. Further, the Leu-3:Leu-2 ratio of bone marrow T cells was below 1.0. B cells comprised 8% to 11% of bone marrow lymphocytes in both aspirates and biopsies, and there was a substantial percentage of cells in the lymphocyte window that was negative for all B and T cell markers. The lymphocyte window had very little myeloid contamination; however, when the myeloid window was examined, staining was greater than 90%.
Comprehension of Sexual Consent as a Key Factor in the Perpetration of Sexual Aggression Among College Men

The comprehension of sexual consent is a crucial factor in healthy sexual relationships. This study examined the connection between the understanding of sexual consent and perpetration of sexual aggression. We surveyed 217 heterosexual male college students (M age = 20.9 years) using measures of sexual aggression, comprehension of sexual consent, rape myth acceptance, conformity to masculine norms, peer support of abuse, and attachment to abusive peers. We tested models examining factors related to comprehension of consent and the extent to which comprehension of consent was related to perpetration of sexual aggression. Rape myth acceptance, peer support of abuse, and conformity to masculine norms were found to predict comprehension of consent, which mediated the relationship between the social and cognitive variables and sexual aggression.
A Demonstration Project Implementing Extended-Release Naltrexone in Los Angeles County

ABSTRACTBackground: Extended-released naltrexone (XR-NTX) is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication associated with higher rates of abstinence, reduced cravings, and delayed relapse to use. However, there is a dearth of literature on real-world implementation of XR-NTX. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, in collaboration with UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, developed a demonstration project to inc`rease access to XR-NTX. This article describes that project, along with data on the expansion of XR-NTX service delivery and patient uptake. Methods: A secondary descriptive data analysis of demographics, substance use history, current substance use behaviors, health-related variables, and dosing records was conducted on 609 patients who received XR-NTX from Los Angeles County substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities from April 2010 through July 2013. A geographic information system approach mapped the distribution of XR-NTX–referring agencies across Los Ange...
Glucosylation by housefly microsomes and effect of monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Abstract Glucosylation by housefly microsomes was studied using 1-14C-1-naphthol as the substrate. With Tris-HCl buffer the optimum pH for the formation of naphthyl-β- d -glucoside was 8.5. Magnesium was the most effective divalent ion for activity when compared with cobalt, nickel and manganese. The apparent Km for UDPG was 2 × 10 −4 M and for 1-naphthol 5–7 × 10 −5 M. p-Nitrophenol was a competitive inhibitor for 1-naphthol glucosylation. The monoamine oxidase inhibitors. harmaline and tranylcy-promine, non competitively inhibited the conjugation of 1-naphthol.
The developmental autonomy of extra sex combs in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract In males of Drosophila melanogaster the first legs possess a sex comb, certain tibial transverse rows of bristles, and certain basitarsal transverse rows. These structures are absent on the second and third legs. The recessive autosomal mutant esc (extra sex comb) transforms certain features of the second and third into those of first legs. In different legs the transformation may be incomplete. The different parts may be transformed independently of each other, resulting in an array of partially transformed legs which are epigenetic mosaics of changed and unchanged areas. Genetic mosaics consisting of esc esc patches on esc + legs were obtained in consequence of X-ray induced somatic crossing over. By means of a translocation the esc esc areas were marked by genetically yellow pigmentation on the background of wild-type esc + . In the genetic mosaics esc acts autonomously in causing the appearance of sex combs and both types of transverse rows even in very small esc esc areas. Wild-type colored sex comb teeth on second and third legs were induced by X-ray irradiation of esc + males. The second legs of males with the combination esc D en +en of esc d , a dominant allele of esc, and en (engrailed) had a typical (primary) sex comb as well as the secondary comb normally placed by en on the first leg only. The gene esc as compared to esc+ controls the terminal pattern of leg differentiation by changing the competence of imaginal disk cells to respond to a prepattern that is alike for both alleles. The changed response consists in a tendency in certain areas toward growth in a transverse direction coupled with differentiation in a closely packed row, of bristles or teeth.
An internal friction study of vacancies in a quenched AuNi solid solution

Abstract Changes in the vacancy concentration in a quenched Au-30 at. % Ni alloy are followed using isothermal internal friction measurements of the Zener relaxation rate. Analysis of the vacancy annealing yields a value of approximately 21 kcal/mole for the energy for vacancy motion. From this energy of motion, typical rates of shifting of the Zener peak temperature are obtained. This peak shift is used to interpret a previously unexplained internal friction peak observed in this alloy.
Forage Nutritional Quality Evaluation of Bahiagrass Selections during Autumn in Florida

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) is the major pasture forage in the southern Gulf Coast, USA. A bahiagrass selection breeding program has been ongoing since 1960 at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station at Tifton, Georgia, USA, to increase forage yield in Pensacola (P. notatum var. sanese) bahiagrass. However, the impact of selecting for forage yield on forage nutritional quality is unknown. Forage quality was evaluated on four Pensacola derived selection cycles (C) of bahiagrass [C0 (Pensacola), C4, C9 (Tifton 9), and C23]. A total of 175 plants per cycle were grown. Forage from individual 1-year-old plants was harvested by hand on 3 October and again on 15 November 2000. The samples were dried, ground, and analyzed using internally calibrated near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for dry matter (DM), in vitro–digestible organic matter (IVDOM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and crude protein (CP). Cycle means (g kg–1 DM basis combined over both harvest dates) for IVDOM, NDF, and CP were 497, ...
Subgingival microflora and periodontitis.

Predominant bacterial flora resident in subgingival plaque was characterized and evaluated in relation to the etiology of periodontal disease. Small groups of clinically and radiographically identified periodontal patients and control subjects were studied. A comprehensive inventory of cultivable flora was made. The most common group of organisms were the Gram-positive rods, the majority of which were Actinomyces. A larger proportion of anaerobic Gram-negative rods were isolated than indicated in the results of previous studies. Considerable variability in floral content was found in different sites in the same patient. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the flora between clinically normal and pathological sites of the same patients. A significantly greater number of facultative Actinomyces was present in the flora of periodontal patients as compared to control subjects. Sera from the same nine subjects were assayed by indirect immunofluorescence for circulating antibodies to 12 strains of plaque bacteria. No differences in antibody titers were observed between sera from periodontal patients and control subjects.
Ultrafast 2D IR microscopy.

We describe a microscope for measuring two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectra of heterogeneous samples with μm-scale spatial resolution, sub-picosecond time resolution, and the molecular structure information of 2D IR, enabling the measurement of vibrational dynamics through correlations in frequency, time, and space. The setup is based on a fully collinear “one beam” geometry in which all pulses propagate along the same optics. Polarization, chopping, and phase cycling are used to isolate the 2D IR signals of interest. In addition, we demonstrate the use of vibrational lifetime as a contrast agent for imaging microscopic variations in molecular environments.
A Modified ML Approach To Multiple Source Parameter Estimation

A modification of the Maximum-Likelihood method of spatial spectrum estimation is here described which yields unbiased estimates of the covariance matrix of a subset of the signal arrivals without requiring estimates of directions-of-arrival of signals outside the subset. The method works provided the subset is comprised of members uncorrelated with arrivals outside the subset, and provided the matrix is of full rank. To obtain it, the overall covariance matrix of the array outputs, the noise power, and the arrival directions of the members of the subset, are required. The latter two may be found via the MUSIC method. The procedure is useful in reducing the computational burden when only emissions from a limited region of space are of interest. An application is described wherein the method is used to more clearly observe totally coherent arrivals immersed in a larger set by using the data obtained via the modified ML procedure to eliminate all but the coherent arrivals.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of an 11-Year-Old Male Presenting With Emetophobia: A Case Study

The goal of the current case study was to illustrate an evidence-based assessment and the cognitive-behavioral treatment of an 11-year-old male with emetophobia. A multimodal assessment of the chil...
On the Truth-Conduciveness of Coherence

I argue that coherence is truth-conducive in that coherence implies an increase in the probability of truth. Central to my argument is a certain principle for transitivity in probabilistic support. I then address a question concerning the truth-conduciveness of coherence as it relates to (something else I argue for) the truth-conduciveness of consistency, and consider how the truth-conduciveness of coherence bears on coherentist theories of justification.
Adsorption of Organic Macromolecules by Granular Activated Carbon. 2. Influence of Dissolved Oxygen

The influence of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the uptake of natural and synthetic macromolecular dissolved organic materials (DOMs) from aqueous solutions by granular activated carbon (GAC) was investigated. The sorption behaviors of six of the nine DOMs tested were enhanced by the presence of DO; these included polymaleic acid, peat humic acid, Leonardite humic acid, Suwannee River fulvic acid, and Laurentian fulvic and humic acids. The sorptions of Aldrich and soil humic acids and polystyrene sulfonate were not sensitive to the presence or absence of DO. Sensitivity of sorption to DO generally increased with decreasing molecular size, polydispersity, and aromaticity and with increasing acidity for the five natural DOMs. Oxygen-sensitive sorption of the low molecular weight fractions of peat humic acid, a slightly oxygen-sensitive DOM, was noticeably greater than that of the whole material. Sorption of the low molecular weight fractions of Aldrich humic acid, an oxygen-insensitive DOM, did not show any parti...
Nefazodone in the treatment of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs in patients who have undergone a traumatic experience and manifests itself through a cluster of symptoms, including re-experiencing, avoidance and hyperarousal. Post-traumatic stress disorder is commonly found among veterans of war and victims of sexual trauma, natural disasters and accidents. Nefazodone is a medication that has an FDA-approved indication for treating depression. Nefazodone has also been reported to be efficacious in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite recent reports of hepatotoxicity, when used appropriately, nefazodone is generally as well-tolerated as the medications currently FDA-indicated for post-traumatic stress disorder, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Through its mechanism inhibiting neuronal uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine and as a potent postsynaptic serotonergic antagonist, nefazodone has proven to be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder in several open-label trials. The results of such tria...
Independent Contractors, Employees, andEntrepreneurialism Under the NationalLabor Relations Act: A Worker-by-Worker Approach

Table of ContentsI. Introduction 313A. Worker Classification Is a Critically Important Issue in Today's Economy 315B. It Can Be Done Better 317II. Hard Cases and Bad Law: A Short History of Independent Contractors and Employees Under the National Labor Relations Act 318A. Hearst Publications, the Taft-Hartley Act, and United Insurance Co. : The Establishment of the Common Law Agency Test 320B. The Board's Shifting Focus 323III. Recent Evolution of the Common Law Agency Test 324A. FedEx Home Delivery v. NLRB: From Right to Control to Entrepreneurial Potential 3251. Factual Background 3252. Legal Analysis and Conclusions 327B. NLRB v. Friendly Cab Co.: Entrepreneurialism as a Subset of the Control Test 330IV. FedEx Home Delivery Illustrates the Need for the Legislature to Squarely Address Worker Classification Under the NLRA 331A. Any Substantive, Non-Legislative Reform Will Be Arbitrary and Incomplete 333B. There Are Viable Statutory Alternatives to the Common Law Test 3351. A Definitional Compromise: The Dependent Contractor 3372. A Return to Economic Realities and Dependence 3383. Universal Coverage 339V. In the Absence of Legislative Action, the Board and the Courts Must Continue to Refine the Common-Law Test with a Focus on the Individual Worker 341A. EntrepreneuriaUsm Is a Potentially Useful Focus 343B. Worker-by-Worker Analysis Is Justified by Current Law and Would Lead to More Logical Results 346VI. Conclusion 352"We do not 'find out' who or what an employee (legally speaking) is. It is open for us as a society to decide."1"In the law, there has always been a difference, and a big difference, between 'employees' and 'independent contractors.'"2I. IntroductionWhere legal rights and protections are concerned, the difference between employees and independent contractors in American labor and employment law is monumental. Employees are protected by numerous statutes, from state workers' compensation laws to the Fair Labor Standards Act; independent contractors are not.3 Unfortunately, as a matter of classification, the difference can be elusive. In fact, "[t]here are innumerable situations . . . where it is difficult to say whether a particular individual is an employee or an independent contractor."4 Truckers, construction workers, package deliverers, taxi drivers, freelance artists, engineers, and many other types of workers may exhibit some characteristics associated with employee status, but in other ways resemble independent contractors.5 In such borderline cases, the courts have generally failed to articulate convincingly just what the distinction should be.6 Thus the perennial question of how the law should classify workers "in the borderland between what is clearly an employer-employee relationship and what is clearly one of independent entrepreneurial dealing"7 stubbornly remains unsettled despite decades of debate in the courts, legislatures, and journals. …
The effect of constant infusion of unlabeled dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on maternal plasma androgens and estrogens.

A bolus iv injection of 50 mg dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DS) followed by a constant 2-h infusion of 200 eg DS/min was administered to 5 pregnant patients at term and to 5 postpartum patients. Its effect on plasma androgen and estrogen concentrations wasdetermined by frequent plasma hormone determinations. At the end of the constant infusion plasma DS concentrations were 7-fold higher than pre-treatment levels in both postpartum and pregnant patients. The metabolic clearance rates (MCR) of the infused DS for pregnant and postpartum patients were 1.2 and 1.0 liter/kg/day, and the half-lives 146 and 179 min, respectively (P > 0.05). A 3-fold rise of plasma dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations, which was observed in pregnant as well as postpartum patients, suggested that the rise of plasma dehydroepiandrosterone was due to peripheral rather than placental metabolism of DS. The rise of plasma androstenedione and testosterone following DS infusion, which was greater in postpartum than in pregnant patients...
De Kooning: The Kick, the Twist, the Woman, the Rowboat

As a painter of the human figure, Willem de Kooning was unusual among the New York School artists. He had no commitment to abstract (non-figurative, non-representational) art, and even spoke agains...
Diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary emboli by MR imaging: an experimental study in dogs.

Abstract The peripheral pulmonary arteries of 5 dogs were embolized with boiled autologous clots via the external right jugular vein. Angiography determined the location and approximate size of the emboli in the peripheral pulmonary arteries. With spin echo techniques, transverse axial magnetic resonance (MR) images (0.3 T, 12.77 MHz) were obtained in each animal from apex to thorax base, on a permanent magnet scanner. The sensitivity of MR imaging was assessed to detect these clots and to determine their size and location. In 2 dogs, scans were also obtained before embolization in order to exclude possible artifactual areas of increased signal. Fourteen out of 19 emboli were identified on the MR scans as areas of increased signal. Their diameter measured a minimum of 2.7 mm matching the filling defects seen on the angiograms. There were three false positive emboli on MR probably related to slow blood flow in the inferior vena cava. There were 9 false negative emboli on MR. The increased MR signal seen in dogs with pulmonary emboli results from the embolus itself and from slow blood flow distal to the obstructive embolus.
Stoichiometry in producer-grazer systems: linking energy flow with element cycling.

All organisms are composed of multiple chemical elements such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. While energy flow and element cycling are two fundamental and unifying principles in ecosystem theory, population models usually ignore the latter. Such models implicitly assume chemical homogeneity of all trophic levels by concentrating on a single constituent, generally an equivalent of energy. In this paper, we examine ramifications of an explicit assumption that both producer and grazer are composed of two essential elements: carbon and phosphorous. Using stoichiometric principles, we construct a two-dimensional Lotka-Volterra type model that incorporates chemical heterogeneity of the first two trophic levels of a food chain. The analysis shows that indirect competition between two populations for phosphorus can shift predator—prey interactions from a (+, −) type to an unusual (−, −) class. This leads to complex dynamics with multiple positive equilibria, where bistability and deterministic extinction of the grazer are possible. We derive simple graphical tests for the local stability of all equilibria and show that system dynamics are confined to a bounded region. Numerical simulations supported by qualitative analysis reveal that Rosenzweig’s paradox of enrichment holds only in the part of the phase plane where the grazer is energy limited; a new phenomenon, the paradox of energy enrichment, arises in the other part, where the grazer is phosphorus limited. A bifurcation diagram shows that energy enrichment of producer—grazer systems differs radically from nutrient enrichment. Hence, expressing producer—grazer interactions in stoichiometrically realistic terms reveals qualitatively new dynamical behavior.
Pitfalls in the supramolecular assembly of silver(I) coordination compounds

Abstract The syntheses and crystal structures of (6-methylnicotinic acid) (6- methylnicotinato)silver(I), di (6-methylnicotinic acid) silver(I) nitrate, (2-chloro-6-methylnicotinato) silver(I), di (2-chloro-6-methylnicotinic acid) silver(I) nitrate, and (2-methylni-cotinic acid) (2-methylnicotinato) silver(I) are described. These coordination complexes were synthesized under the same conditions and with very similar ligands but their resulting structures are quite different, in part due to the degree of protonation of the nicotinic acid ligand(s). The structures vary from coordination polymers to hydrogen-bonded coordination dimers, to linear structures linked by anion-carboxylic acid hydrogen bonds. This study illustrates some of the difficulties involved in predicting hydrogen-bonded networks in transition-metal systems which contain carboxylic acid moieties and coordinatively unsaturated metal ions.
QT and JT dispersion in children with long QT syndrome.

QT and JT Dispersion in Long QT Syndrome. Introduction: Abnormalities of ventricular repolarization leading to ventricular arrhythmias place children with long QT syndrome at high risk for sudden death. Dispersion of the QT (QTd) and JT (JTd) intervals, as markers of cardiac electrical heterogeneity, may be helpful in evaluating children with long QT syndrome and identifying a subset of patients at high risk for development of critical ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia, torsades de pointes, and/or cardiac arrest). Methods and Results: The QTd and JTd intervals in 39 children with long QT syndrome were compared to those of 50 normal age-matched children. In the long QT syndrome group, QTd measured 81 ± 70 msec compared to 28 ± 14 msec in the control group (P < 0.05), and JTd in the long QT syndrome group was 80 ± 69 msec compared to 25 ± 15 msec in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Children with long QT syndrome have an increased QTd and JTd when compared to normal controls. A QTd or JTd ≥ 55 msec correlates with the presence of critical ventricular arrhythmias. These ECG measures of dispersion can be useful in stratifying children with the long QT syndrome who are at higher risk for developing critical ventricular arrhythmias.
Language and Play of Preschool Children Learning English as a Second Language and Native English Speakers

To study the frequency and complexity of language in relation to levels of social play, 5 preschool children learning English as a second language and 5 English-speaking peers were observed during free play in the fall and 6 mo. later in the spring. In the fall native English speakers were observed proportionately more often in group play. In the spring, both groups were observed more in group play and less in solitary play. All children spoke more often and used more complex speech during group play than during solitary or parallel play. Observed social interactions were primarily positive for both groups. The relation between developing language and play is discussed in the context of the total social environment.
Migration in Colonial Spanish America

Migration in Colonial Spanish America. David J. Robinson (editor). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. xvii + 399pp. $62.00(cloth), $28.00 (paper). ISBN 0-226-72258-9, ISBN 0-226-72259-7.
Bacillus thuringiensis resistant colorado potato beetle and transgenic plants: Some operational and ecological implications for deployment

The Colorado potato beetle is a severe pest of potatoes in the US. It has developed field resistance to almost every insecticide used against it, and is considered to be a model species for insecticide resistance. We have recently reported the selection of a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) resistant strain of beetle (Bt‐R). We have tested this strain and susceptible beetles (Bt‐S) against transgenic potato plants in 96‐h (first instars through adults) and complete development bioassays (second instars through adults). The Bt‐R strain first instars were almost as susceptible to transgenic plants as the Bt‐S strain, but second instars were significantly different from controls in longevity and weight gained (P<0.01). Adult Bt‐R beetles averaged 25% mortality over 14 days, and each of the younger instars (fourth, third and second) experienced greater mortality. The operational and ecological implications of potential Bt resistance on deployment of transgenic potato plants are discussed.
Asynchronous neural activity recorded from the round window

Voltage recorded from an electrode on the round window (RW) of guinea pig has characteristics that reflect the activity of auditory‐nerve fibers in the absence of acoustic stimulation. Fast Fourier transformation (FFT) of the noise recorded from the RW electrode shows a broad spectral peak from 0.8–1.0 kHz. The magnitude of the biological noise is increased by high‐frequency, bandlimited acoustic noise stimulation. Pure tones can suppress or enhance the spectral components around 0.8–1.0 kHz depending on frequency and intensity. Kainic acid applied to the intact RW membrane eliminates the biological noise (and the evoked cochlear whole‐nerve responses) without alteration of the cochlear microphonic or the summating potential. The spectral characteristics of the biological noise seem to be related to the elemental waveform contributed by the individual auditory‐nerve fibers to the voltage recorded at the RW electrode [Kiang et al., Electrocochleography, edited by R. J. Ruben, C. Elbering, and G. Solomon (U...
A method to measure the development of song preferences in female cowbirds, Molothrus ater

Male song development has been studied in detail across a range of different songbird species. Very little, however, is known about the development of preferences for songs in females. Here we describe a method to study female preferences outside the breeding season by documenting female responses to playbacks of songs of different developmental stages and of varying quality. We compared ‘wingstroke’ responses of juvenile and adult females in four groups across autumn, winter and spring. We found that adult, but not juvenile, females showed preferences for variable song that was developmentally advanced. We assessed female preferences for the songs in the breeding season by playing back songs in sound-attenuation chambers and recording the number of copulation solicitation displays females gave to each song. We detected a strong relationship between wingstroke patterns in spring and song preferences, but we did not detect this relationship in the autumn or winter. Female preferences, like male songs, appear to show seasonal and developmental plasticity.
Perceptions of communication content and life satisfaction among the elderly

This investigation examines the reported conversational content of elderly interaction as it relates to the ability of aged individuals to adapt successfully to life. One hundred twenty individuals over the age of 65 living in three separate environments completed the Adult Communication Survey. Results indicate that reports of certain topics of conversation covary with reported life satisfaction. This result is complex mitigated by living environment. The theoretical as well as pragmatic implications of these results are discussed.
Intra- and Intermolecular Transfers of Protein Radicals in the Reactions of Sperm Whale Myoglobin with Hydrogen Peroxide

Reaction of sperm whale metmyoglobin (SwMb) with H2O2 produces a ferryl (MbFeIV=O) species and a protein radical and leads to the formation of oligomeric products. The ferryl species is maximally formed with one equivalent of H2O2, and the maximum yields of the dimer (28%) and trimer (17%) with 1 or 2 eq. Co-incubation of the SwMb Y151F mutant with native apoSwMb and H2O2 produced dimeric products, which requires radical transfer from the nondimerizing Y151F mutant to apoSwMb. Autoreduction of ferryl SwMb to the ferric state is biphasic with t = 3.4 and 25.9 min. An intramolecular autoreduction process is implicated at low protein concentrations, but oligomerization decreases the lifetime of the ferryl species at high protein concentrations. A fraction of the protein remained monomeric. This dimerization-resistant protein was in the ferryl state, but after autoreduction it underwent normal dimerization with H2O2. Proteolytic digestion established the presence of both dityrosine and isodityrosine cross-links in the oligomeric proteins, with the isodityrosine links primarily forged by Tyr151-Tyr151 coupling. The tyrosine content decreased by 47% in the dimer and 14% in the recovered monomer, but the yields of isodityrosine and dityrosine in the dimer were only 15.2 and 6.8% of the original tyrosine content. Approximately 23% of the lost tyrosines therefore have an alternative but unknown fate. The results clearly demonstrate the concurrence of intra- and intermolecular electron transfer processes involving Mb protein radicals. Intermolecular electron transfers that generate protein radicals on bystander proteins are likely to propagate the cellular damage initiated by the reaction of metalloproteins with H2O2.
A limited-interconnect synthetic neural IC

A report is presented of the first design and simulation of a limited-interconnect, multilayered perceptron-like network. The network is isomorphic to fully connected layered architectures, but satisfies the interconnection length and density constraints imposed by VLSI technology. The authors show simulations that illustrate the ability of the architecture to generalize and tolerate faults. A very compact analog neural cell is described that can be fabricated on a production DRAM line. This chip architecture allows dynamic storage of weights, shunting inhibition, and pipelined behavior, and it readily scales to very large numbers of processing elements. A 512-element, feedforward neural chip is described. >
Surgical Volume and the Risk of Surgical Site Infection in Community Hospitals : Size Matters

Objective: To determine if surgical volume affects the risk of surgical site infections (SSI) in community hospitals. Background: The utility of public reporting and the optimal methods to employ when reporting SSI rates remain controversial and contentious issues. Studies examining the association between surgical volume and SSI risk have included few community hospitals and have reported conflicting results. Methods: A prospective study of surgical procedures performed at 18 community hospitals from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2005, was performed. Hospitals were separated based on average surgical volume per year: small (< 1500 procedures), medium (1500 ≤ procedures < 4000), and large (≥4000 procedures). The risk of SSI for each category was determined using multivariable Poisson regression. Results: Prospective surveillance identified 1434 SSIs after 132,111 surgical procedures (prevalence rate = 1.09/100 procedures). In unadjusted analysis, the risk of SSI was almost twice as high at small hospitals [prevalence rate ratio (PRR) = 1.9 (95% CI 1.78-2.05)] and large hospitals [PRR = 1.79 (95% CI 1.70-1.90)] compared with medium hospitals. After adjusting for differences between hospital category and important confounders, the risk of SSI at small hospitals was still 1.5 times higher than medium hospitals [adjusted PRR = 1.49 (95% Cl 1.39-1.60)], whereas the risk at large hospitals was substantially decreased compared with medium hospitals [adjusted PRR = 1.29 (95% CI 1.22-1.36)]. Outcomes: The relationship between hospital surgical volume and rates of SSI in community hospitals is important and complex. As public reporting of SSI rates expands, improved methods for risk-adjusting infection rates are needed.
Socio-cultural correlates of incidence of impotence: a cross-cultural study.

Abstract Data on the social structural characteristics, sexual attitudes and sexual practices of thirty preindustrial and industrializing societies are examined in an attempt to identify some of the major sociological (as opposed to purely psychological) correlates of impotence. Results suggest two major conclusions: First, socio‐cultural characteristics are clearly related to the incidence of impotence reported across societies; second, among the variables investigated those reflecting the degree of a society's sexual restrictiveness were most predictive of incidence of impotence.
Response of SiC/Ti under Combined Loading. Part I: Theory and Experiment for Imperfect Bondin

Results from cyclic multiaxial tests on unidirectional [04] and angle-ply [±45], silicon carbide/titanium (SiC/Ti) tubular specimens are compared with theoretical predictions from a micromechanical model that includes imperfect bonding between the fiber and matrix. Comparison of theory and experiment indicates that damage to the fiber/matrix interface often is a major factor in the stress-strain response of SiC/Ti composites. The axial shear (torsional) response of a [04] tube displayed a distinct knee associated with damage at the shear stress of 276 MPa (40 ksi). Transverse tensile (internal pressure) loading of a [04] tube and axial tensile loading of a [±45], tube resulted in inelastic deformation due to damage well before initial yielding was predicted to occur in perfectly bonded composites. Substantial differences were observed in the effects of damage on the response of [04] and [±45], tubes subjected to combined loading.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Dendrimer-Encapsulated Zero-Valent Ni Nanoparticles as Antimicrobial Agents

Dendrimers have emerged as one of the most promising, cost-effective synthesizing methodologies in which highly monodispersed metallic nanoparticles can be produced with varied chemical functionalities. In this report, we have investigated the synthesis and application of as-synthesized dendrimer-encapsulated zero-valent nickel “Ni(0)” nanoparticles (NPs), using a fourth generation (G4) NH2-terminated poly(amido)amine (PAMAM) dendrimer as the host template, as potential antimicrobial agents. Apparently, based on ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses, Ni(0) NPs with an average measured size less than 10 nm in diameter were formed within the interior void cavity of the dendrimer structure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that the NPs exhibited a single-phased, face-centered-cubic (fcc) crystallographic structure. Furthermore, to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the dendrimer-encapsulated Ni(0) NPs, disk diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) examinations, both antimicrobial tests, were conducted. Subsequently, UV-vis analyses, after exposure of the dendrimer-encapsulated Ni(0) NPs to both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, revealed that the dendrimer-encapsulated particles prevented the growth of bacteria during the culturing stage.
Implementing strategies for the rural economy: Lessons from Zimbabwe, options for South Africa

Abstract The growing likelihood that a new government will soon take power in South Africa means that many decisions must be made about the objectives, design, and implementation of a strategy for the rural economy in general and agricultural development in particular. The paper examines several lessons pertaining to the design and implementation of agricultural policy, based on the experience of Zimbabwe.
A method for the rapid sequence-independent amplification of microdissected chromosomal material.

Abstract We have developed a simple, efficient method by which microdissected material can be amplified directly in the collection container in a few hours. The procedure involves two initial rounds of DNA synthesis with T7 DNA polymerase, using a primer that contains a random pentanucleotide sequence at its 3′ end and a defined sequence at its 5′ end, followed by PCR amplification with the defined sequence as the primer. The resulting products can be biotinylated and used for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to confirm their chromosomal location. As few as 17 dissected chromosomal regions provide sufficient material for a specific FISH signal on the appropriate band of metaphase chromosomes. We have obtained a chromosome 6q25-qter-specific painting probe in this way.
Evaluating vehicle re-entrained road dust and its potential to deposit to Lake Tahoe: A bottom-up inventory approach

Identifying hotspot areas impacted by emissions of dust from roadways is an essential step for mitigation. This paper develops a detailed road dust PM10 emission inventory using a bottom-up approach and evaluates the potential for the dust to deposit to Lake Tahoe where it can affect water clarity. Previous studies of estimates of quantities of atmospheric deposition of fine sediment particles (“FSP”, < 16 μm in diameter) to the lake were questioned due to low confidence in the results and insufficient data. A bottom-up approach that integrates measured road dust emission factors, five years of meteorological data, a traffic demand model and GIS analysis was used to estimate the near field deposition of airborne particulate matter < 16 μm, and assess the relationship between trip location and the potential magnitude of this source of atmospheric deposition to the lake. Approximately ~ 20 Mg year− 1 of PM10 and ~ 36 Mg year− 1 Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) from roadway emissions of dust are estimated to reach the lake. We estimate that the atmospheric dry deposition of particles to the lake attributable to vehicle travel on paved roads is approximately 0.6% of the Total Maximum Daily Loadings (TMDL) of FSP that the lake can receive and still meet water quality standards.
We Are All Probing Each Other, All the Time

The recent scandal of the National Security Agency (NSA) “Hoovering” up the metadata on US and foreign citizens from Google, Facebook and Yahoo exposes in the full light of day the central paradox of the new digital age: The Internet enables us to know and learn more than ever before, but enables more to be known and learned about us by both snooping governments and monetizing information corporations alike. In this section, Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen discuss this paradox. We also reprint an interview from 2009 with Mike McConnell, a former chief of the National Security Agency and the driving force behind Booz, Allen, Hamilton's digital security operation. Edward Snowden, the systems administrator who blew the whistle, was employed by the NSA as a subcontractor from Booz, Allen, Hamilton.
PRESERVICE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE TEACHERS IN AN INTEGRATED TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR GRADES 7–12: A 3-YEAR STUDY OF ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS RELATED TO INTEGRATION

The purpose of this article is twofold: (a) to describe a unique teacher licensure program for grades 7–12 that integrates mathematics, science, and technology education and (b) to explore the attitudes and perceptions related to the integration of mathematics, science, and technology education of three cohorts of preservice teachers enrolled in the first 3 years of the program. Eighty-one preservice teachers responded to a semantic differential to measure attitudes and perceptions related to “mathematics, science, and technology education integration.” Principal components and internal consistency reliability analyses were computed to provide validity and reliability evidence. Preservice teachers also responded to one open-ended, free-response written question, “What does the integration of mathematics, science, and technology education mean to you?” Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance with repeated measures and Pearson cross-tabulation chi-square analyses were computed to identify pretest–posttest differences for the value and difficulty scales, identified by the principal components analysis. Analytic inductive methods were used to identify emergent themes in student written responses to the open-ended question. Results indicated no change in preservice teacher attitudes and perceptions related to the value of integration—they clearly valued integration at the onset and completion of the program, often citing student benefits. However, a significant change in preservice teacher attitudes and perceptions related to difficulty was noted. Upon completion of the program, preservice teachers perceived integration to be more difficult and identified barriers and challenges—demonstrating a more realistic, practical, and cautious approach to the integration of mathematics, science, and technology education.
RemoteFS: accessing remote file systems for desktop grid computing

We propose a remote file system for use in desktop grid applications. The proposed system provides programs with the ability to query and update files on remote machines without requiring any changes to the program code. The system (a) generates a profile of the program file operations and (b) uses the profile to implement collective and pre-fetched I/O.
Visual field dependence as a navigational strategy

Visual perception is an important component of environmental navigation. Previous research has revealed large individual differences in navigational strategies (i.e., the body’s kinesthetic and embodied approach to movement) and the perception of environmental surfaces (via distance estimations), but little research has investigated the potential relationship between these sources of individual variation. An important navigational strategy is the interaction between reliance on visual cues and vestibular or proprioceptive cues. We investigated the role of this navigational strategy in the perception of environmental surfaces. The results supported three embodied evolutionary predictions: Individuals who were most reliant on visual context (1) overestimated vertical surfaces significantly more, and (2) feared falling significantly more, than did those who were least reliant on visual context; and (3) all individuals had roughly accurate horizontal distance estimates, regardless of their navigational strategy. These are among the first data to suggest that individual differences in perception are closely related to the individual differences in navigation that derive from navigational risks. Variable navigational strategies may reflect variable capacities to perceive and navigate the environment.
PTS2 Protein Import into Mammalian Peroxisomes

Peroxisome targeting signal (PTS)2 directs proteins from their site of synthesis in the cytosol to the lumen of the peroxisome. Unlike PTS1 which is present in the great majority of peroxisomal matrix proteins and whose import mechanics have been dissected in considerable detail, PTS2 is a relatively rare topogenic signal whose import mechanisms are far less well understood. However, as is the case for PTS1 proteins, an inability to import PTS2 proteins leads to human disease. In this report, we describe the biochemical characterization of mammalian PTS2 protein import using a semi-permeabilized cell system. We show that a PTS2-containing reporter molecule is taken up by peroxisomes in a reaction that is time-, temperature-, ATP-, and cytosol-dependent. Furthermore, the import process is specific, saturable, and requires action of the chaperone Hsc70, the cochaperone Hsp40, and the peroxins Pex5p and Pex14p. We also demonstrate peroxisomal translocation of PTS2 reporter/antibody complexes confirming the import competence of higher order structures. Importantly, cultured fibroblasts from patients with the rhizomelic form of chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP) which are deficient for the PTS2 receptor protein, Pex7p, are unable to import the PTS2 reporter in this assay. The ability to monitor PTS2 import in vitro will permit, for the first time, a detailed comparison of the biochemical properties of PTS1 and PTS2 protein import.
Action of Alkali Metals on Papillary-Cortical Sodium Gradient Of Dog Kidney.

SummaryAnesthetized dogs were infused with isotonic solutions of LiCl, RbCl or CsCl and the cortico-papillary ion gradients of the kidneys were studied by tissue analysis. Lithium content increases from cortex to papilla. Tissue content for rubidium and caesium decreases from cortex to papilla. None of the alkali metals changed the relationship between papillary urinary sodium content and urine osmolality.