cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NUCLEIC ACID ECONOMY IN BACTERIA INFECTED WITH BACTERIOPHAGE T2 I. PURINE AND PYRIMIDINE COMPOSITION

1. The phosphorus content per infective particle of isolated bacteriophage T2 has been redetermined. It does not exceed 1.8 to 2.2 x 10(-11) microg. The equivalent amount of DNA has been defined in terms of several analytical methods and taken as a unit of measurement of intrabacterial DNA. 2. The DNA of E. coli contains guanine, adenine, cytosine, and thymine in approximately equal amounts, but no hydroxymethylcytosine. One bacterial cell contains 40 to 150 units of DNA, depending on the conditions of growth and the method of measurement. 3. The DNA of phage T2 (one unit per particle by definition) contains guanine, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, and relatively large amounts of adenine and thymine, but no cytosine. 4. Infected bacteria contain DNA of a composition that varies systematically during the course of viral growth. At all times it resembles a mixture of bacterial and viral DNA. 5. The characteristic bacterial DNA is decomposed after infection, measuring about one-third its initial amount at 20 minutes. The characteristic viral DNA increases in amount, after a short delay, reaching a level of 100 to 400 units per bacterium 30 minutes after infection. At 10 minutes after infection, the two kinds of DNA are approximately equal in amount. 6. The characteristic viral DNA present in infected cells exists in two forms, one consisting of infective particles and one not. The portion not contained in infective particles builds up to 40 to 80 units per cell during the first 10 minutes after infection and afterwards remains roughly constant in amount. Infective particles begin to appear at 10 minutes and account for all or most of the increase thereafter.
Mechanical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) bone cements

Samples of low viscosity poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), graphite reinforced PMMA, and graphite reinforced low viscosity PMMA were evaluated for their compression strength and fracture toughness. These results were compared with two currently used plain PMMA bone cements. There were no statistically significant differences in compression strength between the five cements. Graphite reinforcement of plain cement produced a 32% increase in fracture toughness over plain cement. Graphite reinforcement of low viscosity cement also produced a significant increase in toughness (31%) over low viscosity cement with fiber reinforcement. However, low viscosity cement demonstrated significantly less fracture toughness than plain PMMA.
Modeling potential dangers in car video for collision alarming

This work models various dangerous situations that may happen to a driving vehicle on road in probability, and determines how such events are mapped to the visual field of the camera. Depending on the motion flows detected in the camera, our algorithm will identify the potential dangers and compute the time to collision for alarming. The identification of dangerous events is based on the location-specific motion information modeled in the likelihood probability distributions. The originality of the proposed approach is at the location dependent motion modeling using the knowledge of road environment. This will link the detected motion to the potential danger directly for accident avoidance. The mechanism from visual motion to the dangerous events omits the complex shape recognition so that the system can response without delay.
Selecting nonprofessional counselor trainees with the Group Assessment of Interpersonal Traits (GAIT).

The GAIT is a procedure for sampling and measuring communication behavior. Candidates for a counselor-training program (136 Ss; 86% women; average age 44 yr.) took the GAIT in 18 groups and completed written forms for staff screening. Data included pre-GAIT first impression peer ratings and GAIT Empathy. Acceptance, and Openness ratings by peers and by trained audiotape judges. After nine months of training, 26 remaining Ss were judged on a counseling readiness criterion. First impression and peer GAIT ratings were positively intercorrelated, but none predicted counseling readiness. The criterion was correlated with both trained GAIT Empathy (Kendall tau = .40) and staff ratings (.41. both ps less than .01). Suggestions were made for using the GAIT as a counselor selection instrument.
Attractants for the Screwworm: Irradiation Effects on Bacteria-inoculated Media

A dose of ca. 2000 krad was required to kill bacteria in media prepared from homogenized 3rd-instar screwworm larvae, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), and in sterile whole and defibrinated blood. The production of substances attractive to screwworm flies was reduced when the media were irradiated at 2000 krad in 60Co gamma ray source. However, blood irradiated at 20 krad then inoculated and incubated was more attractive than unirradiated and incubated blood.
Inventory rotation policies for slow moving items

In this article we present a stochastic model for determining inventory rotation policies for a retail firm which must stock many hundreds of distinctive items having uncertain heterogeneous sales patterns. The model develops explicit decision rules for determining (1) the length of time that an item should remain in inventory before the decision is made on whether or not to rotate the item out of inventory and (2) the minimum sales level necessary for retaining the item in inventory. Two inventory rotation policies are developed, the first of which maximizes cumulative expected sales over a finite planning horizon and the second of which maximizes cumulative expected profit. We also consider the statistical behavior of items having uncertain, discrete, and heterogeneous sales patterns using a two-period prediction methodology where period 1 is used to accumulate information on individual sales rates and this knowledge is then used, in a Bayesian context, to make sales predictions for period 2. This methodology assumes that over an arbitrary time interval sales for each item are Poisson with unknown but stationary mean sales rates and the mean sales rates are distributed gamma across all items. We also report the application of the model to a retail firm which stocks many hundreds of distinctive unframed poster art titles. The application provides some useful insights into the behavior of the model as well as some interesting aspects pertaining to the implementation of the results in a “real-world” situation.
Understanding multiplicative contexts involving fractions

Numerous studies indicate that performance in solving single-step multiplicative word problems is influenced by both problem structure and the types of numbers involved in the problem. For example, including numbers less than 1 often increases the difficulty of a probem. What remains unclear is how problem structure and number type interact in influencing difficulty. This study systematically investigates these 2 factors with math-proficient and remedial college students. Pedagogical strategies for improving students' ability to perceive and represent multiplicative word problems are discussed
Steric and Electrostatic Effects in DNA Synthesis by the SOS- Induced DNA Polymerases II and IV of Escherichia coli

The SOS-induced DNA polymerases II and IV (pol II and pol IV, respectively) of Escherichia coli play important roles in processing lesions that occur in genomic DNA. Here we study how electrostatic and steric effects play different roles in influencing the efficiency and fidelity of DNA synthesis by these two enzymes. These effects were probed by the use of nonpolar shape analogues of thymidine, in which substituted toluenes replace the polar thymine base. We compared thymine with nonpolar analogues to evaluate the importance of hydrogen bonding in the polymerase active sites, while we used comparisons among a set of variably sized thymine analogues to measure the role of steric effects in the two enzymes. Steady-state kinetics measurements were carried out to evaluate activities for nucleotide insertion and extension. The results showed that both enzymes inserted nucleotides opposite nonpolar template bases with moderate to low efficiency, suggesting that both polymerases benefit from hydrogen bonding or other electrostatic effects involving the template base. Surprisingly, however, pol II inserted nonpolar nucleotide (dNTP) analogues into a primer strand with high (wild-type) efficiency, while pol IV handled them with an extremely low efficiency. Base pair extension studies showed that both enzymes bypass non-hydrogen-bonding template bases with moderately low efficiency, suggesting a possible beneficial role of minor groove hydrogen bonding interactions at the N-1 position. Measurement of the two polymerases' sensitivity to steric size changes showed that both enzymes were relatively flexible, yielding only small kinetic differences with increases or decreases in nucleotide size. Comparisons are made to recent data for DNA pol I (Klenow fragment), the archaeal polymerase Dpo4, and human pol kappa.
An S = 2 Cyanide-Bridged Trinuclear FeIII2NiII Single-Molecule Magnet

Treatment of [NEt4][(pzTp)FeIII(CN)3] (1) with NiII(OTf)2 (OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate) and 1,5,8,12-tetraazadodecane (L) affords {[(pzTp)FeIII(CN)3]2[NiIIL]}·1/2MeOH (2), while 2,2‘-bipyridine (bipy) affords {[(pzTp)FeIII(CN)3]2[NiII(bipy)2]}·2H2O (3). Magnetic measurements indicate that 2 and 3 have S = 2 ground states and that 3 exhibits slow relaxation of the magnetization above 2 K.
Fractures in women lacrosse players: Preventable injuries

Women field-lacrosse players, except the goalkeeper, do not wear protective equipment and are therefore susceptible to bony injuries by either the lacrosse stick or ball. The purpose of this article is to document one case of a finger fracture and another of a nasal fracture caused by an impact injury from lacrosse sticks in women field-lacrosse players. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 73.6% of the fractures in women field-lacrosse players that occur annually are located in the head, face, hand, or fingers. These injuries could be easily prevented by protective equipment (face mask or helmet) or gloves.
The War on Crime as Precursor to the War on Terror

Article Outline: 1. Introduction 2. Framing and fighting the "War on Crime": a brief history 3. Four features of the "War on Crime" 3.1. Crime and politics: the uses of fear 3.2. Rejection of the courts and due process 3.3. Zero-tolerance policing and the rise of the pretextual arrest 3.4. Mass incarceration, physical displacement, and exile 4. Four features of the "War on Terror" 4.1. Fearful politics, mark two 4.2. Extinguishing due process 4.3. Zero tolerance policies and pretextual arrests 4.4. Mass exile: displacement and incarceration as solutions for terrorism 5. Conclusion
Neurofibrillary lesions in experimental aluminum-induced encephalopathy and Alzheimer's disease share immunoreactivity for amyloid precursor protein, Aβ, α1-antichymotrypsin and ubiquitin-protein conjugates

Neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease contain predominantly tau protein and to a lesser degree amyloid precursor protein (APP), A beta protein, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) and ubiquitin. Previously we have demonstrated the presence of phosphorylated tau and neurofilament proteins in neurofibrillary degeneration (NFD) induced by aluminum (Al) maltolate in rabbits [Savory et al., Brain Res. 669 (1995) 325-329; Savory et al., Brain Res. 707 (1996) 272-281]. Using the same animal system we have now detected APP, A beta, ACT and ubiquitin-like immunoreactivities in NFD-bearing neurons, often colocalizing in the NFD. Diffuse cytoplasmic staining for APP, A beta and ubiquitin was also present in neurons without NFD from Al maltolate-treated rabbits. This study provides additional support for immunochemical similarities between Al-induced NFD in rabbits and the neurofibrillary tangles in human subjects with Alzheimer's disease.
Birth weight in pigs descended from irradiated spermatogonia

Abstract Birth weights of individual descending from irradiated spermatogonia were studied in 2 breeds of domestic pigs. The data included measurement on 30965 pigs born between 1960 and 1966 on a single farm. The average birth weight was 1.3 kg. The weights were adjusted for season of birth, litter size, parity and sex, and the adjusted weights were analyzed for the effect of paternal exposure to 300 R X-irradiation. Pigs from irradiated sires were 0.003 kg lighter than the contemporary controls, a difference of approximately half of the standard error and representing only 0.2% of the total variance. The absence of any important changes in the average birth weight ascribable to radiation was accompanied by a lack of detechable differences in the range or variance. Genetic control of the birth weight was evidenced by distinct breed differences, but no additive genetic variance was detected within the breeds. A correlation of +0.3 among the birth weights of litter mates was probably the result of common uterine environment, with possible contributions from nonadditive genetic variance. The mutations induced in the spermatogonia by the radiation treatment either had no influence on birth weight or were largely recessive.
Analysis and Steady-State Behavior of an Optimized AC Converter Machine

AC machines presently designed to operate from a solid state power converter retain a sinusoidal winding distribution even though such machines were originally intended only for operation with sinusoidal rather than rectangular power supplies. This paper describes a unique type of concentrated winding machine in which the winding distribution is intentionally rectangular to better accomodate the rectangular waveforms of conventional six pulse converters. Equations which define steady state are derived and compared with tested results on an actual prototype. Both generating and motoring modes are investigated and conditions are identified for optimal operation of this new machine.
Poly[[di­aqua­[μ-1,4-bis(pyridin-4-ylmeth­yl)piperazine-κ2N:N′]{μ-2,2′-[(1,4-phenyl­ene)bis(­oxy)]di­acetato-κ2O:O′}cobalt(II)] penta­hydrate]

In the title compound, {[Co(C10H8O6)(C16H20N4)(H2O)2]·5H2O}n, octa­hedrally coordinated CoII ions on crystallographic inversion centres are bound by trans O atoms belonging to two hydro­quinone-O,O′-di­acetate (hqda) anions {systematic name: 2,2′-[(1,4-phenyl­ene)bis­(­oxy)]di­acetate}, two trans-pyridine N-donor atoms from two bis­(pyridin-4-ylmeth­yl)piperazine (4-bpmp) ligands, and two trans aqua ligands. The exobidentate hqda and 4-bpmp ligands form [Co(hqda)(4-bpmp)(H2O)2]n coordination polymer layers parallel to (110) that are anchored into the full crystal structure by O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding between aqua ligands and ligated hqda O atoms. Disordered water mol­ecules of crystallization occupy incipient channels along [100]. However, these could not modeled reliably and so they were treated with SQUEEZE in PLATON [Spek (2009). Acta Cryst. D65, 148–155]; the crystal data take the presence of these mol­ecules into account. The crystal under investigation was twinned by non-merohedry, the twin fraction of the components being 53.3% and 46.7%. Only data from the major twin component were used in the refinement.
Understanding Preemptive Parenting: Relations With Toddlers' Misbehavior, Overreactive and Lax Discipline, and Praise

The relations among preemptive parenting (i.e., a hypothetical set of strategies parents can use prior to child misbehavior that serves to prevent or avoid undesirable child behaviors), dysfunctional discipline, and praise were examined. Forty mother–toddler (M age = 26.15 months, SD = 5.60) dyads interacted in a standard laboratory task designed to elicit misbehavior and discipline. Observational data indicated that preemptive parenting contributed to the prediction of child misbehavior above and beyond the prediction from dysfunctional discipline and praise but did not contribute uniquely to the prediction of mother-reported externalizing behavior problems. Further analyses indicated that child misbehavior mediated the relation between preemptive parenting and overreactive, but not lax, discipline.
Mayer coefficients in two-dimensional Coulomb systems

We show that, for neutral systems of particles of arbitrary charges in two dimensions, with hard cores, coefficients of the Mayer series for the pressure exist in the thermodynamic limit below certain thresholds in the temperature. Our methods apply also to correlation functions and yield bounds on the asymptotic behavior of their Mayer coefficients.
Phosphaalkene vs. phosphinidene: the nature of the P–C bond in carbonyl-decorated carbene → PPh adducts

Treatment of dichlorophenylphosphine with two equivalents of carbonyl-decorated carbenes results in a two-electron reduction of the phosphorus centre concomitant with carbene oxidation to afford novel phosphaalkenes as confirmed via crystallographic, spectroscopic, and DFT analyses.
Estimation of sticking and contact efficiencies in aggregation of phytoplankton: The 1993 SIGMA tank experiment

Abstract The coagulation of phytoplankton, a fundamental mechanism for vertical flux in the oceans and a possible predatory escape mechanism, is a function of the density of suspended particles and at least three enigmatic system processes: the encounter rate of the particles; the contact efficiency of various sized particles upon encounter; and the efficiency of sticking upon contact. A variant of a continuous coagulation model, including the second-order aggregation rate representation and data obtained from the 1993 SIGMA tank experiment at Santa Barbara, are used first to estimate ‘stickiness’, the efficiency of sticking given that a collision occurs. Primary tools are an inverse, least squares methodology, an aggregation model, and an individual growth model for phytoplankton. The model output corresponds well with the data for smaller sized particles (
Femtosecond Laser Nanomachining Applications in Fused Silica

Focused femtosecond laser light can produce beautifully arrayed self-organized nanocracks inside fused silica. These nanocracks provide a unique capability for nanomachining micro- and nanofluidic channels, nanoporous capillaries and rewritable data storage elements.
The effect of modulation in a bistable system with delay

Abstract We study the dynamical response of a hybrid bistable system with a delay in the feedback loop when the input intensity undergoes a simple sinusoidal modulation. As a function of the driving frequency and modulation depth, we predict the appearance of frequency-locking phenomena and period-doubling bifurcations into chaos.
Induction of DNA synthesis in amphibian erythroid nuclei in Rana eggs following conditioning in meiotic oocytes

Abstract Erythrocyte nuclei from adult Rana pipiens were injected into the cytoplasm of diplotene oocytes, which were then stimulated to mature in vitro with progesterone. Thirty percent of the nuclei transformed into condensed chromosomes aligned on metaphase spindles. After the matured oocytes were activated parthenogenetically, 56% of the nuclei enlarged and transformed into pronuclei and over 75% synthesized DNA. A larger percentage of adult erythroblast nuclei responded in a similar fashion. These induced chromosomal and nuclear changes of injected nuclei simulated the events occurring in the oocyte's own nucleus. Since only 0.1% of erythrocyte nuclei synthesized DNA in vitro and only 24% did so in a limited way after injection into eggs, we suggest that the cytoplasm of meiotic oocytes contains molecular factors which act on the chromatin of noncycling and terminally differentiated erythrocyte nuclei and prepare them to respond to activated egg cytoplasm where they are induced to synthesize DNA. These results indicate that conditioning in meiotic oocyte cytoplasm may enhance the genetic and developmental potential of nuclei from specialized cells.
Continuum-based sensitivity analysis for coupled atomistic and continuum simulations for 2-D applications using bridging scale decomposition

The concept of linking simulations at multiple length and time scales is found useful for studying local physical phenomena such as crack propagation. Many multi-scale methods, which couple molecular dynamics models with continuum models, have been proposed over the last decade. One of the most advanced methods developed recently is the bridging scale method, in which the total displacement is decomposed into orthogonal coarse and fine scales. This paper presents the continuum-based sensitivity analysis for two-dimensional coupled atomistic and continuum problems using the bridging scale method. A variational formulation for the bridging scale decomposition is developed based on the Hamilton's principle. The continuum-based variational formulation provides a uniform and generalized system of equations from which the differential equations can be obtained naturally. The sensitivity expressions for both direct differentiation method (DDM) and adjoint variable method (AVM) are derived in a continuum setting. Due to its efficiency for crack problems, the direct differentiation method is chosen to be implemented numerically and applied to two examples, including a crack propagation problem. Both material and sizing design variables are included to reveal the impact of design changes at the macroscopic level to the responses at the atomistic level. Also demonstrated is the feasibility of achieving the variation of the time history kernel computed using numerical procedures. The sensitivity coefficients calculated are shown to be accurate compared with overall finite difference method. The physical implications of the sensitivity results are also discussed, which accurately predict the behavior of the structural responses.
A unified treatment of spectral formalisms of light propagation and their application to acousto-optics

Abstract We present a unified treatment of four spectral formalisms of light propagation, establish their connection and show the fundamental spectral formulations of strong acousto-optic interaction in two-dimensional isotropic media.
Teacher as Student: Lessons Learned in an Online Teaching Fellows Program

This article explores various models of online faculty development programs as described in the literature, and finds that they fall into a wide range of models from those that are highly structured to more organically grown examples. The Online Teaching Fellows program at the University of Rhode Island is shown to be an example of an internally-created course that follows best practices of both the structured and organic models. The author's experience as a participant in the course is described illustrating how the lessons learned informed his strategies for effective teaching in an online credit course in information literacy.
Effect of excitation energy on dentine bond strength and composite properties

A number of available dentine adhesives and dental composites require light activation for polymerization. There are many variables which affect the light absorbing properties (e.g. bond strength) of these materials. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of excitation energy (EE) on the dentine shear bond strength (SBS) of two lengths (2.1 mm and 3.25 mm) of light-cured (or dual-cured) dentine adhesives/dental composites. Diametral tensile (DTS) and compressive (CS) strengths of the same composites were also studied as a function of EE. Three resin composites with their respective adhesives (Marathon One/Tenure, Z100/Scotchbond Multi-Purpose and Herculite XRV/Optibond) were used. Five commercial curing lights were used to produce spectra of 100-650 mW cm-2. The data were analysed using ANOVA and the Tukey LSD test. No significant correlation was observed at the P > 0.05 level between EE and SBS in the shorter specimens. The SBS of Optibond is independent of EE and composite length. The SBS data were also analysed with Weibull statistics. The characteristic strengths calculated varied between 14 and 27 MPa. For the composites tested, mean values of DTS varied between 33 and 54 MPa and CS varied between 167 and 414 MPa. The DTS and CS of Z100 were significantly greater than those of the other materials. Intensities > or = 250 mW cm-2 produced equivalent mechanical properties within all composite materials and equivalent bond strengths in systems which included dentine, adhesive and composite resin.
Structure of apo, unactivated insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor kinase at 1.5 Å resolution

The crystal structure of the wild-type unactivated kinase domain (IGFRK-0P) of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor has been reported previously at 2.7 A resolution [Munshi et al. (2002), J. Biol. Chem. 277, 38797–38802]. In order to obtain a high-resolution structure, a number of variants of IGFRK-0P were prepared and screened for crystallization. A double mutant with E1067A and E1069A substitutions within the kinase-insert region resulted in crystals that diffracted to 1.5 A resolution. Overall, the structure of the mutant IGFRK-0P is similar to that of the wild-type IGFRK-0P structure, with the exception of the previously disordered kinase-insert region in the wild type having become fixed. In addition, amino-acid residues 947–952 at the N-terminus are well defined in the mutant structure. The monomeric protein structure is folded into two lobes connected by a hinge region, with the catalytic center situated at the interface of the two lobes. Two molecules of IGFRK-0P in the asymmetric unit are associated as a dimer and two different types of dimers with their ATP-binding clefts either facing towards or away from each other are observed. The current refined model consists of a dimer and 635 water molecules.
Epicardial vasomotor responses to acetylcholine are not predicted by coronary atherosclerosis as assessed by intracoronary ultrasound

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to use intravascular ultrasound to determine the morphologic appearance of the coronary arteries, relating the absence, presence and extent of atherosclerosis to the response of the coronary arteries to acetylcholine infusion. Background. Endothelial function plays a major role in the pathophysiology of myocardial ischemia and angina pectoris. The response of the coronary arteries to selective infusion of acetylcholine has been used to examine endothelial function, with vasoconstriction occurring in the absence of intact endothelial function. Vasoconstriction to acetylcholine infusion in humans without overt coronary artery disease has been attributed to early atherosclerosis not detected by coronary angiography. Methods. Twenty-nine patients without overt coronary artery disease underwent selective coronary angiography and selective intracoronary infusion of increasing concentrations of acetylcholine (10 −6 , 10 −5 and 10 −4 mol/liter), followed by intravascular ultrasound imaging. Results. The response of the coronary arteries to acetylcholine infusion was not dependent on the absence or presence of atherosclerotic plaque, as detected by intravascular ultrasound. The percent change in epicardial coronary artery diameter during acetylcholine infusion versus baseline was −14 ± 28% (mean ± SD) in the seven patients with no visible atherosclerosis on intravascular ultrasound versus −9 ± 20% in the 22 patients with visible atherosclerosis on intravascular ultrasound (p = NS, confidence interval −14% to 25%). There was a greater vasoconstrictive response to acetylcholine infusion in patients with risk factors for coronary artery disease than in those without risk factors (p = 0.003). Conclusions. The vasoreactive response to acetylcholine is not necessarily dependent on ultrasound detection of the presence or absence of atherosclerosis.
Cloning of a retinoic acid-sensitive mRNA expressed in cartilage and during chondrogenesis.

Retinoic acid (RA) is known to play a role in various aspects of skeletal development in vivo, including morphogenesis, growth plate maturation, and apoptosis. In cell culture, RA treatment of chondrocytes suppresses the differentiated phenotype characterized by production of type II collagen and aggrecan. In an effort to discover molecules involved in regulation of the chondrocyte phenotype or related to developmental processes such as chondrogenesis, mRNAs from bovine chondrocytes cultured with and without RA were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and compared by differential display. PCR products whose expression was inhibited by RA treatment were cloned. One cDNA encodes a molecule we call cartilage-derived retinoic acid-sensitive protein (CD-RAP), and its properties are described here. The full-length bovine CD-RAP mRNA was cloned after amplification by the rapid amplification of cDNA ends procedure, and a part of the rat CD-RAP mRNA was amplified by reverse transcription-PCR using sequence-specific primers. The bovine CD-RAP mRNA contains an open reading frame of 130 amino acids. CD-RAP mRNA expression, as determined by Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization, was present only in cartilage primordia and cartilage. The inhibition of CD-RAP mRNA expression by RA in vitro was time- and dose-dependent and was tested over concentrations from 10−8 to 10−6M. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA indicated that CD-RAP was encoded by a single copy gene and that no other genes were closely related. What appears to be the human homologue of CD-RAP was recently isolated and cloned from a melanoma cell line and shown to function as a growth inhibitory protein (Blesch, A., Boberhoff, A.-K., Apfel, R., Behl, C., Hessdoerfer, B., Schmitt, A., Jachimcza, P., Lottspeich, F., Buettner, R., and Bogdahn, U.(1994) Cancer Res. 54, 5695-5701). Neither CD-RAP nor this protein showed any homology to known proteins. We speculate that, in vivo, CD-RAP functions during cartilage development and maintenance.
Block of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels by tetracaine derivatives: Role of apolar interactions at two distinct locations

A series of new tetracaine derivatives was synthesized to explore the effects of hydrophobic character on blockade of cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels. Increasing the hydrophobicity at either of two positions on the tetracaine scaffold, the tertiary amine or the butyl tail, yields blockers with increased potency. However, shape also plays an important role. While gradual increases in length of the butyl tail lead to increased potency, substitution of the butyl tail with branched alkyl or cyclic groups is deleterious.
Contextual encoding and recovery from interference in the Brown-Peterson paradigm

Short-term memory in the Brown-Peterson paradigm has consistently shown enhanced performance on a trial following a long intertrial interval (ITI) as compared to performance in the absence of such an ITI. Whereas the fact of dissipation of interference has been clearly documented, the mechanism of such is not as well understood. The nature of the activity required of the subject during the long ITI was manipulated to assess the hypothesis that the amount of improvement obtained is a function of the contextual change produced during the ITI. The data indicated that such an interpretation is a tenable explanation of release from proactive interference over a long ITI.
Are blogs putting youth at risk for online sexual solicitation or harassment

Objective In light of public concern about the dangers to young people from maintaining online journals or “blogs,” this exploratory paper examines whether bloggers are at increased risk for online sexual solicitation or harassment. Method A national telephone survey of 1,500 youth Internet users, ages 10–17, conducted between March and June 2005. Results Sixteen percent of youth Internet users reported blogging in the past year. Teenagers and girls were the most common bloggers, and bloggers were more likely than other youth to post personal information online. However, bloggers were not more likely to interact with people they met online and did not know in person. Youth who interacted with people they met online, regardless of whether (AOR = 2.42, p < .01) or not (AOR = 2.36, p < .001) they blogged, had higher odds of receiving online sexual solicitations. Bloggers who did not interact with people they met online were at no increased risk for sexual solicitation (AOR = 1.41, ns). Moreover, posting personal information did not add to risk. However, youthful bloggers were at increased risk for online harassment, regardless of whether they also interacted with others online (AOR = 2.65, p < .01) or not (AOR = 2.55, p < .01). Conclusion Prevention messages about blogging need to directly address the risks of interacting with people youth meet online and the risk of online harassment.
Random Field Representation and Synthesis Using Wavelet Bases

The paper addresses the representation and simulation of random fields using wavelet bases. The probabilistic description of the wavelet coefficients involved in the representation of the random field is discussed. It is shown that a broad class of random fields is amenable to a simplified representation. Further, it is shown that a judicious use of the local and multiscale structure of Daubechies wavelets leads to an efficient simulation algorithm. The synthesis of random field samples is based on a wavelet reconstruction algorithm which can be associated with a dynamic system in the scale domain. Implementation aspects are considered and simulation errors are estimated. Examples of simulating random fields encountered in engineering applications are discussed.
Critical dynamics of the bcc classical Heisenberg magnets

Abstract Using spin dynamics simulations of the bcc Heisenberg ferromagnet and antiferromagnet we extracted the neutron-scattering function near T c to find the dynamic critical exponent z . For the ferromagnet z was in agreement with existing theory and experiment. For the antiferromagnet z was slightly lower than the theoretical prediction.
Exotic Multiquark States with Charm

Once upon a time physicists believed that nucleons and pions were elementary like electrons and photons, and that Yukawa’s theory of nuclear forces was the analog of QED for strong interactions. Then the △ was discovered, and then the ρ and other pion resonances, and it became apparent that neither the pion nor the nucleon was elementary and that both had a composite structure. Today pions and nucleons seem to be very similar objects, instead of being very different like the electron and photon, and made of the same basic building blocks: spin 1/2 quarks bound by colored gluons. But perhaps history will repeat itself. Maybe 25 years from now a lecture at Erice will begin with the statement “Once upon a time physicists believed that quarks and gluons were elementary, and that Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) was the analog of QED for strong interactions. Then …..????”
Congenital Defects in Calves from Maternal Ingestion of Nicotiana glauca of High Anabasine Content

Administration of Nicotiana glauca to four cows from the 50th to the 75th days of gestation induced congenital deformities in their calves. All four calves had arthrogryposis of forelimbs and one also had spinal curvature and rib cage deformity. The plant material contained 0.113% of the piperidine alkaloid anabasine as authenticated by gas chromatography and by infrared spectroscopy. Because of the presence of anabasine at a high concentration and because of its structural relationship to known teratogens, anabasine may be responsible teratogen.
Note on the photoproduction of the charged A1.

Arguments made nearly 15 years ago by Fox and Hey are updated in the light of recent experimental findings. These indicate that the charge-exchange photoproduction of the ${A}_{1}$ should dominate that of the ${A}_{2}$. Consistency with the experimental data demands an ${A}_{1}$ mass of 1335\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}20 MeV and width of 180\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}55 MeV.
Systems of Benevolent Utility Functions

Suppose that each person's utility depends on his or her own consumption as well as on the utilities of others. We consider the question of when a system of interdependent utility functions induces unique utility functions over allocations and identifies the class of transformations on interdependent utility functions that are equivalent in the sense of inducing the same preferences over allocations. We show that well-behaved systems of this kind can be studied by means of the theory of dominant-diagonal matrices and that the theory of dominant-diagonal matrices with finitely many elements extends in a satisfactory way to denumerable matrices. The theory of denumerable dominant diagonal matrices allows an elegant analysis of systems of intergenerational benevolence. We also revisit and extend the theory of two-sided altruism as formulated by Kimball and by Hori and Kanaya.
Positive Ions in Nitric Oxide Afterglows

Reported in this paper are results of measurements performed on a stationary nitric oxide afterglow. The nitric oxide was contained in a large gold-plated cylinder in which it was ionized by krypton resonance radiation. The ions from the afterglow were sampled through an electrically insulated orifice; it was observed that the potentials (in the mV range) applied to the orifice had a pronounced effect on the measured time constant of the afterglow decay. After the ions emerged from the sampling orifice, they were quantitatively detected by time-resolved mass spectrometry. An extensive study was made of the assumptions involved in the data-analysis model in order to establish the validity of the measurement techniques. In pure nitric oxide the only reaction observed over the pressure range investigated (10-300 m Torr) was $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}^{+}+\mathrm{NO}+\mathrm{NO}\stackrel{k}{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}^{+}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\mathrm{NO}+\mathrm{NO}$. The rate constant $k$ was determined to be 5 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}30}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{6}$/sec. Measurements were also made of the diffusion coefficients for N${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ and N${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$. NO in nitric oxide gas. The afterglow plasma exhibits a sharp transition from positive-ion-electron ambipolar-diffusion domination ${D}_{+,e}$ to positive-ion-negative-ion ambipolar-diffusion domination ${D}_{+,\ensuremath{-}}$. The negative ion participating in this latter diffusion process is N${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. These data represent the first reported observation of such a transition. For N${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ the experimental values are ${D}_{+,e}p=85\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ Torr/sec and ${D}_{+,\ensuremath{-}}p=42\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ Torr/sec. Similarly, for N${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$. NO the values are ${D}_{+,e}p=84\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}13$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ Torr/sec and ${D}_{+,\ensuremath{-}}p=41\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ Torr/sec.
Guidelines on the Use and Medical Effects of Psychostimulant Drugs in Therapy

Psychostimulant drugs have been used for the past 30 years in the treatment of children with behavior disorders, hyperactivity, and learning problems. Difficulties with operational definitions and complicated methodology which haw hampered the determination of efficacy of such medication are discussed. Research on the site and mechanism of action of psychostimulant drugs is reviewed. The decision to initiate drug therapy for children with minimal cerebral dysfunction is now complicated by the climate the times - the social revolution, particularly among the young, and above ail, the present drug culture. A discussion of the therapeutic regimen is included.
Sagnac effect in vortex superposition states of Bose-Einstein condensates

Creating vortex state superposition in Bose-Einstein Condensates (BEC) has been studied by coupling BEC with superpositions of orbital angular momentum states of light. We study the Sagnac effect occurring in superpositions of BEC vortex states.
Distribution kinetics of thermolytic macromolecular reactions

Essential elements of thermolytic reaction kinetics for distributions of polymers are reviewed. Bond scission, occurring randomly along a chain backbone or at the chain end, is the major reaction process in polymer thermolysis. Underlying this bond scission are free radical mechanisms, including initiation and termination, hydrogen abstraction, and beta scission. Population-balance equations for the molecular-weight distributions of macromolecules or their radicals describe the dynamics of the reactions. The governing integrodifferential equations for continuous distributions can be solved by moment methods, similarity techniques, other analytical procedures, or numerical methods. The approach has been applied to analytical thermolysis and pyrolysis, polymer degradation for stability characterization or plastics recycling, and coal thermolysis to produce fuels and feedstocks. Experiments have demonstrated the usefulness of the continuous distribution kinetics approach for polymer thermolysis with additives, including hydrogen donors, peroxides, and other polymers. Molecular-weight distributions and their moments can be measured by size exclusion chromatography, Experimental data can be interpreted by evaluating rate parameters, which may be composites of rate coefficients for elementary steps in complex reaction mechanisms.
Seizure-induced disinhibition of the HPA axis increases seizure susceptibility

Stress is the most commonly reported precipitating factor for seizures. The proconvulsant actions of stress hormones are thought to mediate the effects of stress on seizure susceptibility. Interestingly, epileptic patients have increased basal levels of stress hormones, including corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and corticosterone, which are further increased following seizures. Given the proconvulsant actions of stress hormones, we proposed that seizure-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may contribute to future seizure susceptibility. Consistent with this hypothesis, our data demonstrate that pharmacological induction of seizures in mice with kainic acid or pilocarpine increases circulating levels of the stress hormone, corticosterone, and exogenous corticosterone administration is sufficient to increase seizure susceptibility. However, the mechanism(s) whereby seizures activate the HPA axis remain unknown. Here we demonstrate that seizure-induced activation of the HPA axis involves compromised GABAergic control of CRH neurons, which govern HPA axis function. Following seizure activity, there is a collapse of the chloride gradient due to changes in NKCC1 and KCC2 expression, resulting in reduced amplitude of sIPSPs and even depolarizing effects of GABA on CRH neurons. Seizure-induced activation of the HPA axis results in future seizure susceptibility which can be blocked by treatment with an NKCC1 inhibitor, bumetanide, or blocking the CRH signaling with Antalarmin. These data suggest that compromised GABAergic control of CRH neurons following an initial seizure event may cause hyperexcitability of the HPA axis and increase future seizure susceptibility.
Phonological development in Down syndrome

This article provides an overview of the literature on phonological development in infants and children with Down syndrome. The review is divided into four major sections: the first summarizes studies of factors that may impede normal phonological development in this population: hearing loss and abnormalities of the middle ear; anatomical and physiological features of the speech mechanism; characteristics of input; and perceptual and encoding abilities. The second section examines prelinguistic vocal development and the links between babble and speech. The third section reviews literature on phonological acquisition after the onset of meaningful speech and briefly summarizes research on speech intelligibility in Down syndrome individuals. The fourth section discusses recommendations for intervention programs aimed at improving articulation and phonology in children with Down syndrome. MRDD Research Reviews 1997;3:300–306. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Visually weighted assessment of image degradation resulting from image compression

This investigation is a preliminary attempt to derive a figure-of-merit (FOM) characterizing the image degradation that can occur as a result of image compression. The usefulness of a visible difference predictor (VDP), which is based on previously published psychophysical models, is assessed. Specifically, this is a preliminary attempt to relate physical differences between an original image and a compressed version of the original to visible differences and then to calculate a FOM indicating the degree to which images have been degraded based on this visible difference. The FOM was applied to phantom images and to CT images that had been compressed at various ratios using either the JPEG algorithm or a wavelet compression algorithm. Comparisons between the VDP based measures and more traditional measures of image degradation suggest that, while this FOM may overcome some of the shortcomings of simpler measures such as root-mean-square (RMSE), the use of a VDP has limitations of its own.
Further improvement of air filtration efficiency of cellulose filters coated with nanofibers via inclusion of electrostatically active nanoparticles

Abstract Air filtration efficiency and pressure drop of nanofibrous filter media based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers with and without TiO 2 nanoparticles were evaluated. The nanofibrous filter media were fabricated by covering a cellulose substrate with varying masses of PAN fiber or PAN/TiO 2 hybrid nanofiber. Capillary flow porometry tests revealed that the hybrid nanofibrous filter media showed larger pore size and broader pore size distribution than their counterpart pure PAN nanofibrous filter media. The pressure drop of the filter media covered with the PAN/TiO 2 hybrid nanofibers (0.5 g/ft 2 ) was 4 times less than that of the counterpart filter media at an air velocity of 80 cm/s. Despite less fiber coverage density on the cellulose substrate and a greatly reduced pressure drop, the filtration efficiency of the nanofibrous filter media made with PAN/TiO 2 hybrid fibers was found to be much greater than that of those made with just pure PAN fibers, especially for smaller particles in the range 0.1–0.5 μm. These results might be influenced by the added electric charge caused by the insertion of TiO 2 nanoparticles in the fibers. Therefore, the improvement of two important features, enhanced filtration efficiency and reduced pressure drop can be simultaneously achieved through the use of polymer/TiO 2 hybrid nanofibrous filter media. This holds promise for facile development of energy-saving, high performance filters.
The growth, crystallographic and electrical assessment of epitaxial layers of aluminium nitride on corundum substrates

Abstract Epitaxial layers of aluminium nitride have been grown on corundum substrates by vapour phase deposition, with aluminium chloride and ammonia as reactants. The structural perfection of the AIN material thus formed has been assessed using optical, X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction techniques. Although some oriented and unoriented polycrystalline deposits have been found, many highly oriented or single crystal layers have been produced. The two main epitaxial relationships developed are (2 1 1 0) A1N//(01 1 2) A1 2 O 3 and (2 1 1 6) A1N//(01 1 2) A1 2 O 3 . The factors which govern the occurrence of these relationships are discussed. Measurements of the piezoelectric coupling of aluminium nitride on α-A1 2 O 3 have been made and simple delay lines have been fabricated.