cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating Modularity for Mass Customization of IoT Wireless Sensor Systems

As data collection and analysis grows in demand across a diverse spectrum of industries, data is collected from many sensors at different ranges with different quantities and types of data. One general approach taken by commercial firms to integrate wireless sensor data is to develop proprietary "ecosystems" of products; home automation companies like NEST, home security companies like SimpliSafe, and agricultural companies like Davis Instruments each require that customers use their hubs with their peripheral sensors. The work in this paper applies a flipped approach where a heterogeneous set of sensors from a range of suppliers connects to a hub over a variety of wireless protocols. The design of the hub, therefore, needs to easily accommodate a wide range of communication and wireless protocols. The focus of this work is on exploring how modularity can be designed into the architecture of a product to facilitate quick and low-cost customization of the hub to a particular need.This particular work focuses on designing such a hub for various low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) applications. LPWANs are technologies and protocols that have longer ranges and lower power usage than higher bandwidth protocols like Wi-Fi. LPWANs, like LoRa, specialize in applications where many sensors are distributed over larger distances and, due to the small amounts of data they intermittently send, require less power. This modular hub needs to be able to recognize the type of radio connected to it and the type of communication (I2C, SPI, UART) used by the radio. Such recognition will enable variable quantities of different radios to be connected to the hub without significant redesign of the electronics or the firmware. Furthermore, the housing for the hub needs to be sufficiently modular so that any radio could be inserted without requiring a new design. Using custom components in only certain interfaces is central to the electronics design, and such modularity depends heavily on the firmware. With respect to the housing, a key trade-off for integrating modularity is accommodating variability in radios while maintaining ergonomic design. A key consideration in both housing and electronic design is incorporating modularity only where needed, and creating components in-house when necessary.
Exploring technological preventive methods for school shootings

The horrific and tragic deaths that have resulted from infamous school shootings have deprived Americans of the sense of security in what has traditionally been a nurturing and safe environment. This paper will discuss different preventive methods for school shootings. The most current preventive methods are examined for fitness based on a variety of school shootings that have occurred in the past. Then a framework for a new school shooting protection device is proposed and evaluated. Concepts from computer vision, anomaly detection, and electromagnetic propulsion are discussed with respect to the proposed framework. Ideally, the goal of the framework presented in this paper is to prevent deaths and injuries from occurring during a school shooting. With the framework, an efficient and comparatively affordable preventive method could be released in the near future.
Increased circulating CSF-1 (M-CSF) in myeloproliferative disease: association with myeloid metaplasia and peripheral bone marrow extension

Myeloproliferative disease (MPD) is heterogeneous in phenotypic expression and may display features consistent with expansion and activation of the monocyte/macrophage population during its course. The role of colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) in the pathophysiology of MPD was investigated by measuring circulating CSF-1 levels and examining their relationship to disease phenotype. Serum CSF-1 concentrations, measured by radioimmunoassay, were elevated in all MPD phenotypes. CSF-1 levels differed significantly between groups of patients with essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, and postpolycythemic or agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (in ascending order). CSF-1 serum levels were positively correlated with spleen size and the degree of peripheral bone marrow extension, determined by scintigraphy using a macrophage-seeking isotope. There was no correlation between CSF-1 concentration and circulating levels of erythrocytes, neutrophils or platelets, or the presence of bone marrow fibrosis. Elevated serum CSF-1 levels appear to be associated with an expanded monocyte/macrophage population in MPD. In view of the known cooperativity between CSF-1 and other growth factors in regulating hematopoiesis, the finding of increased serum CSF-1 concentrations and its association with myeloid metaplasia and bone marrow extension may indicate a pathophysiologic role for CSF-1 in determining the phenotypic expression of MPD.
On the Regulation of a Bacterial Deoxycytidylate Deaminase

Abstract The presence of deoxycytidylate deaminase in extracts of Lactobacillus acidophilus has been confirmed. The partially purified enzyme is specifically stimulated by deoxycytidine triphosphate (Km = 1.7 x 10-7 m) and inhibited by deoxythymidine triphosphate (Ki = 1.7 x 10-6 m). Activation by the positive effector is probably mediated through a change in the interaction of the substrate (deoxycytidylate) with the enzyme, since deoxycytidine triphosphate influences the Michaelis constant, the Hill coefficient, and the shape of the substrate-saturation curve, but it has no effect on the maximal velocity of the reaction.
Analyzing Firm Performance in the Insurance Industry Using Frontier Efficiency and Productivity Methods

This chapter reviews the modern frontier efficiency and productivity methodologies that have been developed to analyze firm performance, emphasizing applications to the insurance industry. The focus is on the two most prominent methodologies—stochastic frontier analysis using econometrics and non-parametric frontier analysis using mathematical programming. The chapter considers the underlying theory of the methodologies as well as estimation techniques and the definition of inputs, outputs, and prices. Seventy-four insurance efficiency studies are identified from 1983 to 2011, and 37 chapters published in upper tier journals from 2000 to 2011 are reviewed in detail. Of the 74 total studies, 59.5% utilize data envelopment analysis as the primary methodology. There is growing consensus among researches on the definitions of inputs, outputs, and prices.
Active gravitational mass of electromagnetic radiation

The decay of a particle into two pulses of electromagnetic radiation is investigated to learn if the active gravitational mass of the radiation is twice that of the particle. The results show that, to first order ingij, the radiation tends to destroy the gravitational field; this is expressed mathematically by the equationRijkl = 0 for all space points lying inside the future light-cone whose apex is at the decay event. In addition the decay produces an impulse on a stationary particle which is perpendicular to the axis of propagation of the radiation and whose magnitude is inversely proportional to the normal distance between the particle and the axis of propagation.
The role of myostatin and activin receptor IIB in the regulation of unloading-induced myofiber type-specific skeletal muscle atrophy

Chronic unloading induces decrements in muscle size and strength. This adaptation is governed by a number of molecular factors including myostatin, a potent negative regulator of muscle mass. Myost...
The interaction of soybean aphids and soybean cyst nematodes on selected resistant and susceptible soybean lines

Soybean aphids, Aphis glycines Matsumura, and soybean cyst nematodes, Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, are economic pests of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., in the north-central United States. Combined, these pests may account for 20–50% of yield reductions in a soybean crop. Only limited information is available concerning the interaction of these two pests on soybean production. During the summers of 2006 and 2007, we conducted a field-experiment near Urbana, IL, to evaluate the effect of resistant and susceptible soybean lines on the development and reproduction of both pests in combination with each other. We also examined how each pest, as well as their interaction, affected the yield of susceptible and resistant soybean lines. Soybean plants grown within caged plots were infested with soybean aphids and soybean cyst nematodes; cumulative aphid days and soybean cyst nematode egg densities were determined at the end of each growing season. Soybean aphids were able to survive on all four soybean lines in both years of this study; however, aphid-resistant lines generally had fewer cumulative aphid days than aphid-susceptible lines. Likewise, nematode-resistant lines typically had fewer eggs than nematode-susceptible lines. During both years, we failed to observe a significant interaction between these two pests on the reproduction of one another. Yield data from 2006 was inconclusive; however, results from 2007 suggest that yield-loss when soybean aphids and soybean cyst nematodes occur jointly is not significantly greater than when these two pests occur independently. The relationship between these two pests, and our inability to observe an interaction, are discussed.
The isolation and identification of para-aminobenzoic acid produced by staphylococci resistant to sulfonamide.

Previous studies have shown that when Staphylococcus aureus becomes resistant to sulfonamides, an antisulfonamide substance is produced in the growth medium. Although these studies suggested that the substance was p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), isolation and positive identification were not achieved. Because of the importance of these observations, unequivocal identification of the product was attempted. A strain of Stapkylococcus aureus resistant to sulfonamides was cultivated on a simplified medium, the organisms separated in a Sharples centrifuge and the diazotisable amine absorbed on amberlite IR-120 previously acidified. Elution was accomplished with pyridine and the amine recovered by ether extraction at pH 3.7. Paper chromatography revealed one amine resembling PABA and another contaminating diazotizable amine present in very small amounts. The PABA-like amine was further separated by chromatography; its R(f) value and its spectrum in the ultraviolet then equalled those obtained with PABA. A 2,4-dlnltrophenyl derivative of the amine was prepared and the m.p. was similar to that of the derivative made from PABA. On the basis of the physical and chemical properties described, it would appear unequivocal that this bacterial amine is PABA.
Teacher Educators' Varied Definitions of Learning Disabilities

Research continues to demonstrate that the ways in which current federal and working definitions of “learning disability” (LD) are troubling for researchers, teachers, parents and students. We are therefore interested in how teacher educators present the dilemmas associated with learning disabilities to their students, and the discursive repertoires (Wetherell, 1998) that they deploy while discussing learning disabilities. We orient to the idea of learning disabilities as a troubled construct, with people deploying multiple, polarized metaphors and themes when attempting to make sense of the meaning and “realness” of an LD. Since teachers’ knowledge, skills, and mindsets prior to teaching have an impact on their actions and orientations as teachers (Brownlee, 2001, 2004; Brownlee, Purdie, & Boulton-Lewis, 2001), we argue it is paramount to investigate teachers’ first exposure to complex constructs such as learning disabilities, attending to ways in which it is described and made relevant in talk. As such, we present the findings from a qualitative study, situated within a critical discursive psychology framework (Wetherell, 1998), focused on the ways in which teacher educators who were responsible for formally introducing preservice teachers to the construct of LD discussed and defined learning disabilities.
Effect of temperature on the threshold current and wavelength of MQW InGaAs/GaAs circular-grating, surface-emitting, distributed Bragg reflector (CG-SE-DBR) diode lasers

Results will be presented on the variation of threshold current and emission wavelength with temperature of MQW InGaAs/GaAs circular-grating, surface-emitting, distributed Bragg reflector (CG-SE-DBR) lasers, in the range 10 - 90 degree(s)C. The structures were grown by one-step MBE and the circular gratings were defined by electron-beam lithography. Measurements were made pulsed and CW. The characteristic temperature ranged between 18 - 48 K. A wavelength variation with temperature of around 0.1 nm/ degree(s)C was obtained. The results are compared with those of linear, GaAs-based DBR lasers.
Success and Failure: Static Concepts in a Dynamic Society.

Since program participants are inclined to view evaluators as a threat to themselves and their program, and since such a perception can restrict the flow of information about a program to the evalu...
Drug-releasing scaffolds fabricated from drug-loaded microspheres.

Biodegradable scaffolds serve a central role in many strategies for engineering tissue replacements or in guiding tissue regeneration. Typically, these scaffolds function to create and maintain a space and to provide a support for cell adhesion. However, these scaffolds also can serve as vehicles for the delivery of bioactive factors (e.g., protein or DNA) in order to manipulate cellular processes within the scaffold microenvironment. This study presents a novel approach to fabricate tissue-engineering scaffolds capable of sustained drug delivery whereby drug-loaded microspheres are fabricated into structures with controlled porosity. A double-emulsion process was used to fabricate microspheres with encapsulated DNA that retained its integrity and was released from the microspheres within 24 h. These DNA-loaded microspheres subsequently were formed into a nonporous disk or an interconnected open-pore scaffold (>94% porosity) via a gas-foaming process. The disks and scaffolds exhibited sustained plasmid release for at least 21 days and had minimal burst during the initial phase of release. This approach of assembling drug-loaded microspheres into porous and nonporous structures may find great utility in the fabrication of synthetic matrices that direct tissue formation.
Computational optimum conditions for FOX-7 synthesis – A comparative synthesis route

Abstract 1,1-Diamino-2,2-dinitroethene (FOX-7) was theoretically synthesized in both aqueous and gaseous environment in this study, based on experience of experimental methods, from 2-methylimidazole via oxidation followed by nitration and aminolysis. Reaction routes closely related to experimental processes were successfully constructed, and the corresponding kinetic rate constants and energy barriers were estimated for each elementary reaction. Furthermore, other reaction conditions that are distinct from those reported in the literature (including the use of a solvated oxidative reaction system, the replacement of nitrating agent HNO 3 by N 2 O 5 , and the adoption of cupric oxide or ferrous oxide catalysts for aminolysis) were employed in the corresponding reaction systems. The modeling results suggest that water is a good medium for the oxidation reaction, N 2 O 5 is the better agent for nitration, and ferrous oxide is a suitable catalyst for aminolysis in hydrated systems. In contrast with the computed activation energies of the experimental routes, the comparable data estimates throughout the reaction stages were considered to imply more feasible pathways for FOX-7 synthesis.
Delivery of Well-Child Care: A Look Inside the Door

Abstract Objective To describe the delivery of well-child care and its components; to compare that delivery with recommendations in Bright Futures ; and to compare delivery of well-child care for children with special health care needs with that for children without special needs. Methods Over a 10-week period, 2 medical students observed and documented characteristics of well-child care visits by general pediatricians and midlevel pediatric providers. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire and a screener for children with special health care needs. Results A total of 483 visits by 43 pediatricians and 9 midlevel providers with patients from 0 to 19 years of age were observed. Adjusted mean visit duration was 20.3 minutes; 38.9% of visits began with an open-ended question about parent/child concerns. A mean of 7.2 health supervision/anticipatory guidance topics were addressed per visit. Clinicians addressed a mean of 42% of Bright Futures –recommended age-specific health supervision/anticipatory guidance topics. Topics addressed less frequently than recommended included family support, parental well-being, behavior/discipline, physical activity, media screen time, risk reduction/substance use, puberty/sex, social-peer interactions, and violence. Shorter visits were associated with asking about parent/child concerns and with addressing greater proportions of recommended health supervision/anticipatory guidance topics. Well-child care visits with children with special health care needs were 36% longer than those with children without special needs and addressed similar numbers of age-specific health supervision/anticipatory guidance topics. More time was spent with children with special health care needs addressing health supervision/anticipatory guidance topics, other conditions (usually their chronic condition), and testing, prescriptions, and referrals. Conclusions Utilizing direct observation of visits with pediatric clinicians, we found that solicitation of parent/child concerns occurred less frequently than recommended. Fewer than half of recommended visit-specific health supervision/anticipatory guidance topics were addressed, and there was little congruence with some Bright Futures age group–specific recommendations. Notably, both solicitation of patient/parent concerns and greater adherence to health supervision/anticipatory guidance recommendations were associated with shorter visits. Well-child care visits with children with special health care needs were longer than those with children without special needs; more time was spent addressing similar numbers of health supervision/anticipatory guidance topics as well as their chronic conditions.
Outlier Detection in the Framework of Dimensionality Reduction

We propose an effective outlier detection algorithm for high-dimensional data. We consider manifold models of data as is typically assumed in dimensionality reduction/manifold learning. Namely, we consider a noisy data set sampled from a low-dimensional manifold in a high-dimensional data space. Our algorithm uses local geometric structure to determine inliers, from which the outliers are identified. The algorithm is applicable to both linear and nonlinear models of data. We also discuss various implementation issues and we present several examples to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new approach.
Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Studies of Off-Center Displacements in CuCl

The unusual properties of CuCl have previously been interpreted using models that focus either on anharmonicity or off-center displacements from the zinc blende structure. We use ab initio molecular dynamics to show that both are important in determining the behavior of CuCl. At low temperatures, most of the Cu ions are located in off-center sites along the (111) directions. The lattice undergoes a gradual transition from static to dynamic disorder with rising temperature. Increasing pressure favors the zinc blende structure, in agreement with recent Raman experiments.
Structural analyses of polyelectrolyte sequence domains within the adhesive elastomeric biomineralization protein Lustrin A

The lustrin superfamily represents a unique group of biomineralization proteins localized between layered aragonite mineral plates (i.e., nacre layers) in mollusk shell. These proteins exhibit elastomeric and adhesive behavior within the mineralized matrix. One member of the lustrin superfamily, Lustrin A, has been sequenced; the protein is organized into defined, modular sequence domains that are hypothesized to perform separate functions (e.g., force unfolding, mineral interaction, intermolecular binding) within the Lustrin A protein. Using NMR, CD spectrometry, and model peptides, we investigated the solution structure of two Lustrin A polyelectrolyte modular domains that represent putative sites for Lustrin A−nacre component interaction: the 30-AA Arg, Lys, Tyr, Ser-rich (RKSY), and 24-AA Asp-rich (D4) domains. The results indicate that both sequences adopt open unfolded structures, with RKSY exhibiting structural features of an extended conformer, and D4, a more labile, random-coil conformation. The...
Protease Pathways in Peptide Neurotransmission and Neurodegenerative Diseases

1. Recent research demonstrates the critical importance of neuroproteases for the production of peptide neurotransmitters, and for the production of toxic peptides in major neurodegenerative diseases that include Alzheimer's (AD) and Huntington's diseases. This review describes the strategies utilized to identify the appropriate proteases responsible for producing active peptides for neurotransmission, with application of such approaches for defining protease mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases. 2. Integration of multidisciplinary approaches in neurobiology, biochemistry, chemistry, proteomics, molecular biology, and genetics has been utilized for neuroprotease studies. These investigations have identified secretory vesicle cathepsin L for the production of the enkephalin opioid peptide neurotransmitter and other neuropeptides. Furthermore, new results using these strategies have identified secretory vesicle cathepsin B for the production of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the major regulated secretory pathway that provides activity-dependent secretion of Aβ peptides, which accumulate in AD. 3. CNS neuroproteases that participate in peptide neurotransmission and in neurodegenerative diseases represent new candidate drug targets that may be explored in future research for the development of novel therapeutic agents for neurological conditions.
Drug–Biomolecule Interactions: Spin‐Probe Study of Effects of Anesthetics on Membrane Lipids

The electron spin resonance spectra of probes were used to study the organization and motion of molecules in hydrated stacked bilayer or liposome model membrane systems. The same steroid structures required for reduction of membrane permeability were required to produce well-ordered films of brain lipid. Alcohols and anesthetic agents influence the structure of model membranes, with their order of efficacy paralleling their pharmacological effectiveness. Spin probes were also used to demonstrate effects of calcium and local anesthetics on the rate of penetration of ascorbate into lipid bilayers.
Social factors influence haloperidol-induced catalepsy in rat.

This study employed manipulations which presumably influence social interactions in rats: (1) paired housing with a heavier conspecific and (2) exposure to the odors of other rats. The dependent variable was the akinetic state induced by haloperidol, a neuroleptic and dopamine antagonist. In Experiment 1, adult male Long—Evans hooded rats were matched by weight and caged alone or in pairs with one rat 30 g heavier than its cagemate. All rats received haloperidol (1.5 mg/kg) and catalepsy testing. Heavy rats showed more catalepsy than the lighter member of pairs or weight-matched, singly housed controls. In Experiment 2, adult male rats were left unrecaged or were recaged into cages with bedding recently soiled by females or other adult males. After haloperidol (1.0 mg/kg), the rats exposed to bedding soiled by other adult males showed more catalepsy than did the control groups. Thus, the results of both experiments indicated that social factors can influence the akinesia induced by dopamine antagonists.
Photoinhibition and recovery of the kelp Laminaria saccharina at optimal and superoptimal temperatures

Effects of high irradiance on photosynthetic characteristics were examined in sporophytes of the kelp Laminaria saccharina Lamour. from 1992 to 1994. Exposure to high irradiance (700 μmol photons m-2s-1) for 1 h at optimal temperature (12°C) caused a 40 to 60% decline in photosynthetic efficiency (alpha), quantum yield, and the ratio of variable to maximum chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), an indicator of Photosystem II efficiency. Although the photoinhibition effects were partly attributable to protective mechanisms, a concurrent increase in minimal fluorescence (Fo) indicated damage to Photosystem II reaction centers. The magnitude of photoinhibition was proportional to irradiance and duration; however, Fv/Fm was significantly reduced after exposure to irradiances as low as 40 to 50 μmol photons m-2s-1 for 1 h, or to 700 μmol photons m-2s-1 for only 5 min. In contrast, photosynthetic capacity (Pmax) was affected only at much higher irradiance. Superoptimal temperatures up to 24°C did not exacerbate high-light effects. At 25°C, however, alpha and Pmax were more susceptible to photoinhibition than at lower temperatures. Recovery from photoinhibition was examined by following Fv/Fm and Fo for 24 h after exposure to high light. Recovery of Fv/Fm was fastest during the first 1 to 3 h, and slowed or ceased after 6 to 12 h, while recovery of Fo was relatively constant over 12 h. Dithiothreitol, which blocks formation of energy-dissipating xanthophylls, reduced both the initial rate and extent of recovery. Chloramphenicol, which blocks chloroplast-encoded protein synthesis, had little effect on initial rates of recovery, but stopped recovery after 3 h. Thus, L. saccharina appears to rely on the xanthophyll cycle to protect the photosynthetic apparatus, and reversal of this protective mechanism causes the rapid initial recovery in Fv/Fm. Longterm recovery depends on repair of damaged reaction centers. Both the rate and extent of recovery were temperature-dependent. The initial rate was higher at 18 to 22°C than at 12°C, but the extent of recovery over 24 h declined with increasing temperature. High temperatures, therefore, appear to enhance protective mechanisms, but disrupt repair processes. L. saccharina from Long Island Sound, an ecotype adapted to low light and high temperature, showed slightly but consistently greater effects of photoinhibition than plants from the Atlantic coast of Maine, but exhibited faster recovery at superoptimal temperatures.
Mammalian sperm-egg interaction: fertilization of mouse eggs triggers modification of the major zona pellucida glycoprotein, ZP2.

Sperm-egg interaction in mammals is initiated by binding of sperm to the zona pellucida, an acellular coat completely surrounding the plasma membrane of unfertilized eggs and preimplantation embryos. Fertilization results in transformation of the zona pellucida (“zona reaction”), such that additional sperm are unable to bind to the zona pellucida of fertilized eggs and embryos, and sperm that had partially penetrated the zona pellucida of eggs prior to fertilization are prevented from further penetration after fertilization. The failure of sperm to bind to fertilized mouse eggs and embryos is attributable to modification of the sperm receptor, ZP3, an 83,000-molecular weight glycoprotein present in zonae pellucidae isolated from both eggs and embryos [Bleil, J. D., and Wassarman, P. M. (1980). Cell, 20, 873–882]. In this investigation, ZP2, the major glycoprotein found in mouse zonae pellucidae [Bleil, J. D., and Wassarman, P. M. (1980). Develop. Biol., 76, 185–202] was analyzed by gel electrophoresis under a variety of conditions in order to determine whether or not it undergoes modification as a result of fertilization. Under nonreducing conditions, ZP2 present in solubilized zonae pellucidae that were isolated individually from mouse oocytes, eggs, and embryos migrates on SDS-polyacrylamide gels with an apparent molecular weight of 120,000. However, under reducing conditions, ZP2 from embryos, but not from oocytes or unfertilized eggs, migrates with an apparent molecular weight of 90,000 and has been designated ZP2f. The evidence presented suggests that modification of ZP2 following fertilization involves proteolysis of the glycoprotein, but that intramolecular disulfide bonds prevent the release of peptide fragments. It is shown that the same change in ZP2 can be generated in vitro by artificial activation of unfertilized mouse eggs with the calcium ionophore A23187, thus eliminating the possibility that a sperm component is responsible for the modification of ZP2 following fertilization. These results suggest that some of the changes in the biochemical and biological properties of zonae pellucidae, observed following fertilization or activation of mouse eggs, result from modification of the major zona pellucida glycoprotein, ZP2.
Nonlinear buckled states of rectangular plates

A constructive method is developed to establish the existence of buckled states of a thin, flat elastic plate that is rectangular in shape, simply supported along its edges, and subjected to a constant compressive thrust applied normal to its two short edges. Under the assumption that the stress function and the deformation of the plate are described by the nonlinear von Karman equations, the approach used yields information regarding not only the number of buckled states near an eigenvalue of the linearized problem, but also the continuous dependence of such states on the load parameter and the possible selection of that buckled state “preferred” by the plate. In particular, the methods used provide a rigorous approach to studying the existence of buckled states near the first eigenvalue of the linearized problem (that is, near the “buckling load”) even when the first eigenvalue is not simple.
Two classes of arginine vasopressin binding sites on rat brain membranes.

Specific binding sites for arginine vasopressin (AVP) were demonstrated on rat brain membranes using [3H]AVP of high specific activity. At pH 7.4 in the presence of 5 mM MgCl2, one class of sites was measured with aK D of 0.56 nM and aB max of 4.3 fmol/mg protein. At pH 8.0 in the presence of MgCl2, two distinct sites were observed, havingK D values of 0.42 and 13 nM andB max values of 5.6 and 68 fmol/mg protein, respectively, and similar results were obtained at pH 7.4 after repeatedly freezing and thawing the membranes. Binding increased with pH, apparently representing increased occupancy of the high capacity, lower affinity site. Binding to the lower affinity site was also enhanced by freezing and thawing membranes, or by adding 5 mM NiCl2 or 10 μM ZnCl2 to the incubation medium, whereas binding to the high affinity site was dependent on the addition of Mg. AVP was over 35 times more active in displacing 0.4 nM AVP than oxytocin or arginine-vasotocin, and 10,000 times more active than somatostatin. A number of other peptides had no effect on [3H]AVP binding at concentrations up to 10−5 M. Autoradiography and regional dissection studies revealed a marked concentration of high affinity AVP-binding sites in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus, and Mg significantly enhanced the binding in these regions.
Graphitization of diamond powders of different sizes at high pressure–high temperature

Abstract Diamond powders of different sizes ranging from 5 nm to 40 μm were heat treated at temperatures between 973 and 1673 K, at high pressures from 2 to 8 GPa. Elevated temperatures accelerate diamond to graphite phase transition and we studied this process by analyzing X-ray diffraction patterns, Raman spectra and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images. Increasing activation energy was obtained for diamond powders of increasing sizes, and the critical pressure of the diamond to graphite phase transition decreased. Onion-like carbon was obtained after the graphitization of nano and sub-micron diamond, and attributed to closure of graphite shells. Microcrystalline graphite was formed after graphitization of micron size diamond, mainly due to the good crystallinity of the micron diamond precursor.
The block bootstrap test of Hausman's exogeneity in the presence of serial correlation

Abstract The conventional Hausman's exogeneity test is corrected for models with serial correlation of unknown form. Using simulations we find that the corrected Hausman test based on the block bootstrap outperforms the corrected test based on the first-order asymptotics.
Tattoo ink darkening of a yellow tattoo after Q-switched laser treatment.

The popularity of tattoos is burgeoning with 20-30 million tattooed individuals in the Western World. Requests for removal can be expected to rise concurrently with increased applications. Laser removal of tattoos is potentially a more cosmetically acceptable method of removing tattoos than surgical excision or dermabrasion. Nevertheless, complications and side-effects can result from laser treatment and include scarring, hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, partial removal, infection, bleeding and tattoo ink darkening. The latter has been reported for flesh-toned and red tattoos. Such a complication has never been reported for the laser treatment of a yellow tattoo in the dermatological literature. We describe a case of tattoo ink darkening of a yellow tattoo after treatment with the 532 nm quality-switched Neodymium : Ytrrium-Aluminium Garnet laser to highlight clinicopathological features. The mechanism by which some tattoos darken after laser treatment is not clearly understood. We review darkening of tattoos after laser treatment to raise awareness of this important complication. This paper will help to facilitate discussions with the patient and in obtaining informed consent prior to commencing treatment. Tattoo ink darkening of a yellow tattoo adds to the growing list of complications resulting from attempts at tattoo removal.
Development of portal fatty liver in rats on corn diets; response to lipotropic agents.

SummaryRats subsisting on a diet containing 76% corn and 3% or less casein, developed a fatty liver characterized by initial and preponderant accumulation of lipid in the portal areas. Rats of the same strain on a diet in which the only protein was casein, developed a centrolobular type of fatty liver. Methionine, choline, and vit. B12 were able to decrease the liver lipid. However, methionine was rarely capable of preventing the deposition of some excess fat while, under certain conditions, the lipotropic action of vit. Bi2 was unpredictable.
Evaluation of liver metastases after radiofrequency ablation: utility of 18F-FDG PET and PET/CT.

OBJECTIVE. Our objective was to review the CT appearance of liver metastases after radiofrequency ablation and to describe the imaging findings of and utility of 18F-FDG PET and PET/CT in assessing tumor recurrence after ablation.CONCLUSION. 18F-FDG PET and PET/CT can provide added diagnostic information compared with conventional imaging in patients after radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases and can be useful in guiding repeat ablation procedures.
Inhibition by uranyl nitrate of adenosine triphosphatases derived from animal and human tissues

Abstract Inhibition of adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) by uranyl nitrate (UO 2 2+ or U 6+ ) was studied in microsomal fractions and tissue homogenates of several organs and species. U 6+ inhibited ouabain-sensitive (Na + + K + -dependent) ATPase and ouabain-insensitive (Mg 2+ -dependent) ATPase with I50 of 2 × 10 −5 to 2 × 10 −4 m . Higher concentrations of U 6+ were required to inhibit the enzyme in homogenates than in microsomal fractions. Mg 2+ ATPase was somewhat more sensitive to U 6+ than was Na + + K + ATPase when data were corrected for protein content of enzyme preparations. The inhibition of Na + + K + ATPase, but not Mg 2+ ATPase, was markedly antagonized by Na + . This suggests that U 6+ may inhibit Na + + K + ATPase at the Na + site on the enzyme, whereas ouabain inhibits at the K + site. ATP decreased and Mg 2+ increased the inhibition of both enzymes. K + had no effect. The remaining studies were done with Na + + K + ATPase. Increasing pH enhanced inhibition. The enzyme was protected by bovine serum albumin and citric acid. Ascorbic acid increased inhibition possibly by reducing U 6+ to U 4+ , thus rendering the new ionic species reactive with sulfhydryl groups in addition to organic anions.
Field ion microscopy of alpha uranium

Abstract Field ion micrographs of alpha uranium show atomic details of many orthorhombic crystal planes. Images of the (010) and (001) plane edges are examined and discussed in particular. Micrographs indicate that a surface hydride phase is formed readily under hydrogen imaging conditions. Some micrographs indicate possible hydride particle precipitation at a major crystal defect boundary. No evidence was found, however, of hydrogen/stress induced surface cracks. Procedures used to prepare alpha uranium for field ion microscopy are described.
Stimulation of growth hormone by luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone in active acromegaly.

ABSTRACT Synthetic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone was given to six patients (3 men and 3 women) with active acromegaly. All three men had rapid increases in growth hormone, as well as luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones. This represents further evidence that the pituitary gland remains under hypothalamic control in some cases of acromegaly.
Integration error controls for a finite element viscoelastic analysis

Abstract Two-dimensional initial boundary value problems for isotropic viscoelastic materials undergoing small deformations are solved by a finite element analysis. An integral form of the viscoelastic constitutive equations based on an intrinsic time scale that can vary with time and position is used. Displacement increments are calculated by satisfying equilibrium conditions at discrete points in time while using constant values of strain rates within a given time step. The use of fixed integration methods, such as the trapezoidal rule, to approximate the time integrals arising from the constitutive equations can produce significant solution errors unless the time steps are selected to assure accuracy. This decreases the efficacy of the method by increasing the number of time steps required to obtain the transient response. A self-adaptive method based on linear approximations and Taylor's series expansions is proposed to control the numerical integration errors and thereby permit the choice of time steps to be based on the accuracy of the constant strain rate assumption. The importance of accurate integration is demonstrated by considering an example problem involving the pressurization of a thick-walled cylinder.
Mathematics, computers, and young children as a research-oriented learning environment for a teacher candidate

The advent of computer technology in the classroom raised the issue of its appropriate use by teachers and their students alike. It has been recommended that teacher education programs provide more opportunities for teacher candidates’ use of technology including teaching their own technology-enhanced lessons. With a goal of integrating scholarship into student teaching, a teacher candidate enrolled in a graduate program in childhood education carried out a technology-enhanced research project within a professional development school. Examining the impact of the project on the teacher candidate, this article describes how one’s pedagogical content knowledge and technological competence can be developed through a research-oriented teaching experience. The article also demonstrates the emergence of a community of practice that shares the goal of providing learning spaces for the teacher candidate and young children in the context of mathematics enrichment with computers.
The limitations of IgM assays in the serological diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections

The most useful and reliable serological investigations for the diagnosis of current Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, including reinfection, were investigated. Paired sera and respiratory specimens from 115 patients with lower respiratory tract symptoms were examined for evidence of current M. pneumoniae infection by serological response, as measured by complement-fixation and indirect immunofluorescence tests for specific IgM, IgA and IgG, and also by culture of M. pneumoniae from respiratory material. Specific IgM was not always detectable in cases where other criteria indicated current or recent infection. On the basis of the present results, it is postulated that primary infection and reinfection may be differentiated by the presence or absence of specific IgM in the presence of elevated specific IgA levels and, therefore, that estimation of both IgM and IgA is necessary for the maximal detection of current M. pneumoniae infection, including reinfections. Specific IgG levels remained elevated for many weeks and were not useful diagnostically.
‘IN THE BEGINNING’: A CHRISTOLOGICAL TRANSPARENCY

In an earlier article, ‘The Johannine Origins of the Johannine Logos’, I proposed that the prevailing explanations of the background and origin of the celebrated Logos concept/title of the Gospel of John are misguided in their attempts to trace the title to some extraneous source. I argued, rather, that the development of the christological title Logos had a beginning, middle, and end, and that this may be demonstrated from the Gospel and First Epistle themselves. Crucial to my argument was the chronological ordering of the three documents: the Gospel of John ‘proper’ (John 1.19–20.31), the First Epistle, and then the substance of the Prologue (John 1.1–18). The thesis itself, more specifically, was that (1) λoγoς and ρημα were employed in the Gospel ‘proper’ with a demonstrably ‘christological transparency’, (2) λoγoς was employed with a quasi-titular force in the first verses of 1 John, and (3) λoγoς reflects a full-fledged christological title in the Prologue material, which was composed still later. At the end of that article I suggested that a similar development could be traced in the case of the Johannine term αρχη´ – immediately related to λoγoς in the very first line of the Gospel – and that, if so, this would surely enhance my argument concerning λoγoς. Here I attempt to make the argument for a similar christological development of the Johannine αρχη´. Even aside from its relevance for my thesis about λoγoς, the prominent and recurring αρχη´ justifies the attention. And it does confront us, after all, with the majestic phrase with which the Gospel opens: ‘In the beginning’.
Update on novel familial forms of Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy

Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are progressive neurodegenerative disorders classified as synucleinopathies, which are defined by the presence of α-synuclein protein pathology. Genetic studies have identified a total of 18 PARK loci that are associated with PD. The SNCA gene encodes the α-synuclein protein. The first pathogenic α-synuclein p.A53T substitution was discovered in 1997; this was followed by the identification of p.A30P and p.E46K pathogenic substitutions in 1998 and 2004, respectively. In the last year, two possible α-synuclein pathogenic substitutions, p.A18T and p.A29S, and two probable pathogenic substitutions, p.H50Q and p.G51D have been nominated. Next-generation sequencing approaches in familial PD have identified mutations in the VPS35 gene. A VPS35 p.D620N substitution remains the only confirmed pathogenic substitution. A second synucleinopathy, MSA, originally was considered a sporadic condition with little or no familial aggregation. However, recessive COQ2 mutations recently were nominated to be the genetic cause in a subset of familial and sporadic MSA cases. Further studies on the clinicogenetics and pathology of parkinsonian disorders will facilitate clarification of the molecular characteristics and pathomechanisms underlying these disorders.
Health access and status of adolescents and young adults using youth employment and training programs in an urban environment

Abstract Purpose To describe the health status and access to healthcare of adolescents and young adults disconnected from traditional education and work settings. The health status of these disconnected youth is largely unknown, although it is suspected to be quite poor. Most information about the health of youth in the United States relies on school-based samples. Method In-person interviews with 1037 adolescents and young adults (aged 16–24 years) enrolled in an employment and training program in Baltimore were used to measure access to health services and health status in four domains: violent behavior, mental health, substance use, and reproductive health. Differences in healthcare access and health status by age and gender were examined. In addition, youth in the employment and training sample are compared with Baltimore youth in school and of comparable ages, as measured by the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Results Nearly 50% of young adults in the employment and training program were found to lack health insurance, and about 20% reported a time when they needed medical care but did not receive it. Youth in the program exhibited notable health status concerns, often exceeding the risk prevalence of students in school. In particular, adolescents and young adults disconnected from traditional employment and work settings were more likely to be in physical fights, to smoke cigarettes, and to use marijuana than their in-school counterparts. In-school youth were more likely to have considered harming themselves and to have made a suicide plan in the last year. Conclusions Given high levels of health risk among youth disconnected from traditional education and work settings, adolescent health providers must increasingly pay attention to integrating health promotion and disease prevention strategies into youth employment and training programs, where sizable numbers of these youth can be reached.
Expression of the platelet-activating factor receptor in human spermatozoa: differences in messenger ribonucleic acid content and protein distribution between normal and abnormal spermatozoa.

Abstract Objective: To determine the expression and distribution of the platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor in normal and abnormal specimens of human spermatozoa. Design: Prospective analysis of membrane-bound PAF receptors by immunofluorescence and PAF receptor messenger RNA by quantitated reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction in normal and abnormal spermatozoa. Setting: University-based reproductive genetics laboratory. Patient(s): Men undergoing routine semen analysis. Intervention(s): Normal and abnormal spermatozoa were exposed to rabbit anti–PAF receptor antibody, fluorescein isothiocyanate–conjugated goat anti-rabbit antibody, and fluorescent microscopy or subjected to RNA isolation by acid-phenol extraction and quantitated (MIMIC Construction Kit [Clontech Laboratories, Inc., Palo Alto, CA]) reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Main Outcome Measure(s): Fluorescent intensities at six locations along spermatozoa (end piece, principal tail, midpiece, neck, proximal head, and acrosomal region) and PAF receptor expression (messenger RNA) levels. Result(s): Immunofluorescence demonstrated a significant difference in PAF receptor distribution between normal and abnormal human spermatozoa, specifically at the neck region. Additionally, abnormal spermatozoa were found to have statistically significantly more PAF receptor messenger RNA than normal spermatozoa. Conclusion(s): Platelet-activating factor receptor expression and distribution are significantly altered in abnormal spermatozoa and this may be the result of some defect in gene transcription.