cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
School Engagement Among Youth Entering Probation

Strong school engagement is crucial for school success among adolescents and particularly important for reducing recidivism. Yet, little is known about school engagement among youth serving probation while attending community schools. This study tested the multivariate associations between risk and promotive factors with three components of school engagement (behavioral, cognitive, and emotional). The study’s sample was derived from 5,378 intake assessments (23.6% female) of youth entering juvenile probation in a Pacific Northwest county who were assessed as either moderate or high risk for recidivism. The racial composition of the sample was predominantly White or European American (56.0%) and Black or African American (24.2%) and ranged in age from 10 to 19 years old (M = 15.5, SD = 1.46). The results suggest that dimensions of school engagement can be strengthened by increased relational and skill-building supports throughout youth’s social ecologies. The promotive factors of prosocial attitudes and prosocial community connections were significantly associated with increased school engagement. The implications of these findings are discussed regarding opportunities and strategies that promote school engagement for youth on probation.
SOD1 regulates ribosome biogenesis in KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer

SOD1 is known as the major cytoplasmic superoxide dismutase and an anticancer target. However, the role of SOD1 in cancer is not fully understood. Herein we describe the generation of an inducible Sod1 knockout in KRAS-driven NSCLC mouse model. Sod1 knockout markedly reduces tumor burden in vivo and blocks growth of KRAS mutant NSCLC cells in vitro. Intriguingly, SOD1 is enriched in the nucleus and notably in the nucleolus of NSCLC cells. The nuclear and nucleolar, not cytoplasmic, form of SOD1 is essential for lung cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, SOD1 interacts with PeBoW complex and controls its assembly necessary for pre-60S ribosomal subunit maturation. Mechanistically, SOD1 regulates co-localization of PeBoW with and processing of pre-rRNA, and maturation of cytoplasmic 60S ribosomal subunits in KRAS mutant lung cancer cells. Collectively, our study unravels a nuclear SOD1 function essential for ribosome biogenesis and proliferation in KRAS-driven lung cancer.
The effect of post-consumer recycled polyethylene (PCRPE) on the properties of polyethylene blends of different densities

Abstract Polyethylene (PE), a versatile polymer present nearly everywhere, poses many challenges as more of it becomes terrestrial and marine waste and used for everything from packaging such as plastic bag production (LDPE) to construction pipes (HDPE). As more companies are required to follow government regulations and consumers’ requests to produce more sustainable products, the general interest in PE recycling continues to gain momentum. Several processes have been developed to recycle PE, but current data gaps exist on the impact of adding post-consumer recycled polyethylene (PCRPE) to different virgin feedstocks on final product performance. To better understand this impact, a single source of PCRPE was melt blended with four different virgin PE grades at different concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 wt% of PCRPE), and changes in the physical, thermal, and mechanical properties were evaluated. Different trends and behaviors were observed depending on the PE density, however, most properties still followed the Law of Mixtures. For example, low-density PE's mechanical strength improved up to 70% increase in tensile modules and 56% in yield strength. The density was increased by ~5%, and no toxic heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb) were found, with less than 4 ppm of Al, Fe, and Ti detected. The insights obtained when mixing polyethylene of different densities with a single recycled grade PE allows plastic manufacturers and recyclers to gain a more comprehensive view of possibilities associated with PCRPE. The results presented herein and previously from our group suggest most physical properties of PCRPE blends follow the Law of Mixtures, enabling the possibility for performance property predictive modeling of different compositions by understanding properties from the virgin and PCR materials alone. The introduction of PCRPE blends also reduces costs by tailoring products to optimal performance and maximum recycled content.
Petroleum Mergers and Competition in the Northeast United States

Sunoco’s 2004 acquisition of El Paso’s, New Jersey refinery and Valero’s 2005 acquisition of Premcor’s Delaware refinery significantly consolidated refinery control in the U.S. Northeast. The Federal Trade Commission investigated both transactions but challenged neither. We examine the FTC’s enforcement rationale and test whether these mergers were associated with post-merger price increases in either gasoline or diesel at retail and wholesale levels. Our findings indicate that the transactions were largely competitively neutral. There was some indication that some unbranded rack prices may have increased after the mergers, but this result was not robust across controls or assumptions. In some other instances, prices in merger affected areas may have fallen relative to prices elsewhere after the transactions.
Syrinx shunts for syringomyelia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of syringosubarachnoid, syringoperitoneal, and syringopleural shunting.

Objective Syringomyelia is a debilitating, progressive disease process that can lead to loss of neurological function in patients already experiencing significant compromise. Syringosubarachnoid, syringoperitoneal, and syringopleural shunts are accepted treatment options for patients with persistent syringomyelia, but direct comparisons have been lacking to date. The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis to compare clinical outcomes between these three syrinx shunt modalities. Methods Utilizing PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for systematic reviews, Ovid Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, American College of Physicians Journal Club, and Database of Abstracts of Review of Effectiveness were searched to identify all potentially relevant studies published from inception until July 2020. Data were extracted and analyzed using meta-analysis of proportions. The primary study outcome was the rate of reoperation based on the initial shunt modality. Secondary outcomes included clinical improvement, clinical deterioration, and complications following shunt placement. Results A total of 22 articles describing 27 distinct treatment cohorts published between 1984 and 2019 satisfied the inclusion criteria. This captured 473 syrinx shunt procedures, 193 (41%) by syringosubarachnoid shunt, 153 (32%) by syringoperitoneal shunt, and 127 (27%) by syringopleural shunt, with an overall median clinical follow-up of 44 months. The pooled incidences of revision surgery were estimated as 13% for syringosubarachnoid, 28% for syringoperitoneal, and 10% for syringopleural shunts, respectively (p-interaction = 0.27). The rate of clinical improvement was estimated as 61% for syringosubarachnoid, 64% for syringoperitoneal, and 71% for syringopleural shunts. The rate of clinical deterioration following placement was estimated as 13% for syringosubarachnoid, 13% for syringoperitoneal, and 10% for syringopleural shunts. Conclusions The preferred modality of syrinx shunting remains a controversial topic for symptomatic syringomyelia. This study suggests that while all three modalities offer similar rates of clinical improvement and deterioration after placement, syringoperitoneal shunts have a greater rate of malfunction requiring surgical revision. These data also suggest that syringopleural shunts may offer the best rate of clinical improvement with the lowest rate of reoperation.
The Effect of Response Model Misspecification and Uncertainty on the Psychometric Properties of Estimates

In this paper, we explore the effects of response model misspecification and uncertainty on the psychometric properties of estimates. Although model misspecification and uncertainty arises as an important consideration in many settings (e.g., measurement invariance, impression management), most literature has focused on quantifying the magnitude of potential misspecification, rather than its impact. Here, we review the broader statistical literature on misspecification and its effects on estimation, and explore how misspecification affects the estimates in prototypical scenarios. Interestingly, using analytic and simulation results, we show that although misspecification often decreases the accuracy of estimates, somewhat counterintuitively, it actually may also increase accuracy under certain circumstances. Moreover, depending on the form of misspecification, reliability can actually be increased under misspecification, in a way that provides a misleading characterization of test precision. Finally, we explore methods for integrating model uncertainty into the trait estimation process, and conclude with recommendations for applied use of tests when model uncertainty is a prominent concern.
Interaction of N-terminal fragments of fibronectin with synthetic and recombinant D motifs from its binding protein on Staphylococcus aureus studied using fluorescence anisotropy.

Abstract The N-terminal 29-kDa fragment of fibronectin (Fn29K) contains five type I "finger" modules. It binds to heparin, fibrin, and bacteria and is involved in fibronectin (Fn) matrix assembly. Binding to Staphylococcus aureus involves a cell wall-associated protein that contains approximately three repeats of a 38-residue D motif (Signas, C., Raucci, G., Jonsson, K., Lindgren, P.-E., Anantharamaiah, G.M., Hook, M., and Lindberg, M. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 699-703). Synthetic peptides representing D1, D2, and D3, when labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), exhibited increases in fluorescence anisotropy upon addition of Fn29K but not other Fn fragments. The response could be reversed by titration with unlabeled peptides to yield inhibition constants that agreed with the dissociation constants obtained by fitting the initial response. Values of Kd ranged between 2 and 12 microM, with D3 having the highest affinity. Specificity of D3 for Fn29K was further illustrated by the fact that its C-terminal half (D3b, Lys801 to Lys821), when immobilized, selectively adsorbed Fn29K from a thermolysin digest of fibronectin. The binding site in Fn was further localized within Fn29K by analyzing smaller proteolytic or recombinant subfragments. Those containing fingers, F3-5 and F4-5, were purified on D3b-Sepharose and bound FITC-D3b with Kd values of 4-6 microM. Subfragments containing pairs of fingers 1-2, 2-3, or single fingers 1, 4, or 5 were inactive. Whole D1-3, expressed in Escherichia coli and labeled with fluorescein, bound 1.9 mol/mol of Fn29K with Kd = 1.5 nM. F4-5 and F2-3 bound with respective Kd values of 0.35 and 4.4 microM. These and other results indicate that binding of the individual D region peptides is mediated through their C-terminal halves, primarily to fingers 4 and 5 of fibronectin. The possible basis of the much higher affinity of D1-3 is discussed.
A hierarchical internet object cache

This paper discusses the design and performance of a hierarchical proxy-cache designed to make Internet information systems scale better. The design was motivated by our earlier trace-driven simulation study of Internet traffic. We challenge the conventional wisdom that the benefits of hierarchical file caching do not merit the costs, and believe the issue merits reconsideration in the Internet environment. The cache implementation supports a highly concurrent stream of requests. We present performance measurements that show that our cache outperforms other popular Internet cache implementations by an order of magnitude under concurrent load. These measurements indicate that hierarchy does not measurably increase access latency. Our software can also be configured as a Web-server accelerator; we present data that our httpd-accelerator is ten times faster than Netscape's Netsite and NCSA 1.4 servers. Finally, we relate our experience fitting the cache into the increasingly complex and operational world of Internet information systems, including issues related to security, transparency to cache-unaware clients, and the role of file systems in support of ubiquitous wide-area information systems.
Expansion of Juniperus virginiana L. in the Great Plains: Changes in soil organic carbon dynamics

[1] Woody encroachment by Juniperus virginiana into Great Plains grasslands allowed us to answer: Does changing the type of plant input to soils alter soil organic carbon (SOC) distribution or soil carbon (C) storage? The answer is critical because woody encroachment may alter C cycling over millions of hectares in the Great Plains and Midwest. We predicted that (1) forest SOC would become concentrated in shallow soil layers compared to SOC distribution in grassland, (2) woody expansion would increase soil C storage, and (3) forest C would be apparent in the larger soil organic matter fractions. Using δ13C signatures of SOC, 1/5 of the C from 0 to 25 cm in juniper forest soils was derived from C3 juniper trees. Forest C3 input occurred primarily in shallow surface layers: Forest soils developed over former C4 prairie contained 42% C3-SOC from 0 to 2.5 cm depth, and decreased to 6% at 25 cm. Isotopic analysis of SOC size fractions revealed that at 0–2.5 cm, the forest soil fraction >212 μm was −25.7‰. The fraction <2 μm had a 13C isotope ratio of −17.0‰ at the same depth, reflecting the predominance of residual prairie C in the smallest fraction. In spite of fast dynamics of soil C turnover, there was no net change in SOC amounts over 40–60 years (cumulative mineral and organic SOC in forest, 8782 g C/m2 ± 810; in grassland, 7699 ± 1004). Thus as junipers expand into mesic areas of the Great Plains, juniper forests will provide little additional soil C storage.
Mexican Immigrant Health: Health Insurance Coverage Implications

A key facet of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is the expansion of health insurance coverage. However, even with the PPACA, an estimated 11.2 million undocumented immigrants will remain uncovered. The majority of the remaining uncovered immigrant population is of Mexican origin. We assess the long- term benefits and short- term costs of providing coverage to male migrants from Mexico, employing data from the 2007- 2011 Mexican Migration Project (MMP) and the 2009 Medical Expenditures Panel (MEPS) survey. Our results show that health status prior to migration, age at time of interview, emigrating from Central Mexico, and use of health services in the U.S. all predict declines in health at a significant level. We also find that having spent more than 10 cumulative years in the U.S. has borderline significance in predicting health decline (p=.052). Estimated coverage costs for health insurance for largely undocumented immi- grants increase over time, but remain lower than those of comparable U.S.-born individuals. We conclude with several policy implications.
The analytical–Continental divide: Styles of dealing with problems

What today divides analytical from Continental philosophy? This paper argues that the present divide is not what it once was. Today, the divide concerns the styles in which philosophers deal with intellectual problems: solving them, pressing them, resolving them, or dissolving them. Using ‘the boundary problem’, or ‘the democratic paradox’, as an example, we argue for two theses. First, the difference between most analytical and most Continental philosophers today is that Continental philosophers find intelligible two styles of dealing with problems that most analytical philosophers find unintelligible: pressing them and resolving them. Second, when it comes to a genuine divide in which not understanding the other side’s basic philosophical purposes combines with disagreement on fundamental questions of doctrine, the only such divide today is that between those analytical philosophers who tend to solve problems and those Continental philosophers who tend to press problems (roughly, the heirs of Derrida). ...
Media Use and Obesity in Adolescent Females

Author(s): Schneider, Margaret; Dunton, Genevieve Fridlund; Cooper, Dan Michael | Abstract: ObjectiveIn the context of growing public health concern with the obesity rates among children and adolescents, much attention has focused on the role of television as a contributor to the problem. Less attention has been devoted to interactive media (internet surfing and video games), despite the fact that these forms of entertainment are fast gaining in popularity among youth. This study investigated the relative associations of TV viewing and interactive media use with body fat and BMI, controlling for both physical activity participation and cardiovascular fitness.Research methods and proceduresFemale high-school adolescents (N = 194) were assessed for cardiovascular fitness (cycle ergometer), percent body fat (DXA), and BMI. Time spent in moderate, vigorous, and sedentary activities was assessed with a 3-day recall.ResultsMultivariate regression analysis showed that only interactive media use was associated with percentage body fat and BMI, and the relationship remained strong even after controlling for physical activity participation and cardiovascular fitness.DiscussionIt appears that, among this group of adolescent females, the association between interactive media use and obesity is not explained by a reduction in moderate or vigorous activity commensurate with media use.
A systematic method of generating biquadratic filter sections

Biquadratic filter sections for use alone or as building blocks for higher-order active filters can be generated by a simple two-step synthesis technique The first step is aimed at synthesis of the poles realizing not only the polo-Q and resonant frequency, but also the type of feedback present in the circuit. Since the type of feedback can be specified, circuits with predictable gain and sensitivity properties can be synthesized. The second step results in realizing the appropriate numerator without affecting the polo-producing network, The technique has been used to realize numerous now active filter circuits.
Mitotic Activity in the Chick Embryo Epidermis

AT the age of 9–10 days, the epidermis of the developing chick embryo is composed of two to three undifferentiated cell layers. In the next 10 days of embryonic life, proliferation and differentiation occur in the epidermis which results in the development of a layer of keratinized epidermis, six to ten cells deep. Interrelationship between proliferation and differentiation during the 10 day period has been reported1, but the extent of the interreaction is not clear. An interrelationship has been suggested2–4, in which differentiation (keratinization) only begins when cell division has begun to decline. Tonofilaments and tonofibrils, the first indicators of differentiation, are detected2 for the first time in the basal cells of the embryonic epidermis on the thirteenth day. Also on the thirteenth day, labelling experiments with thymidine indicate a reduction in the total number of labelled nuclei3 and these are present only in the basal cell layer after that day.
Multiple-description framework for oblivious watermarking

It is believed that digital watermarking can be a powerful tool that can be used to protect digital contents from illegal copying and distribution. Detecting the presence/absence of a watermark in a given digital content such as image/video data without using the unwatermarked orignial data is called oblivious watermark detection and the watermarking process is oblivious watermarking. Oblivious watermarking has many important practical applications such as secure video streaming or wireless image/video transmission where the intended receiver typically has access only to the received data. We propose for the first time a multiple description framework for oblivious watermarking. Parallels between multiple description source coding and the watermarking are drawn. An information theoretic definition of the problem is given. A spread-spectrum watermarking algorithm for DCT based multiple descriptions is described. Performance of the proposed framework for various attack channels such as additive white Gaussian noise, JPEG compression, and random bit error channels shows that the proposed method performs reasonably well compared to non-oblivious schemes. We believe the proposed framework can be further improved in conjunction with other methods such as error control coding. This framework can find applications in scalable watermarking (such as scalable video coding), rate controlled multimedia multicasting, secure wireless transmission, watermarking for distributed storage, and packet networks.
Upgrade of the Muon Sorter in the Cathode Strip Chamber Level 1 Trigger System at CMS

The top level of the Level 1 Trigger System in the Cathode Strip Chamber (CSC) detector at CMS consists of the Track Finder (TF) crate with 12 Sector Processors (SP) and one Muon Sorter (MS) board. The MS provides sorting of up to 36 trigger objects from the SP boards, selects the four best (by a definable criterion) ones, and transmits then to the Global Trigger crate of CMS. With the anticipated LHC luminosity increase above 1034 cm−2s−1 at an energy of 6.5–7 TeV/beam the CSC TF needs to be upgraded. The new CSCTF will be robust to higher occupancies, provide improved transverse momentum assignment and increased precision of the muon output variables. A transition from the current 9U VME electronic standard to the more flexible uTCA and utilization of the Xilinx Virtex-6 and Virtex-7 FPGAs, with multiple embedded gigabit links, will allow us to build a higher performance TF such that the MS functions can be performed by one of the SP modules. We present here the results of our efforts in the past year to upgrade the CSC Muon Sorter, including the short term modifications of the existing VME board, long-term transition to the uTCA as well as firmware development for both of these projects.
Interhelical interactions in the gp41 core: implications for activation of HIV-1 membrane fusion.

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein complex (gp120−gp41) promotes viral entry by mediating the fusion of viral and cellular membranes. Formation of a stable trimer-of-hairpins structure in the gp41 ectodomain brings the two membranes into proximity, leading to membrane fusion. The core of this hairpin structure is a six-helix bundle in which three carboxyl-terminal outer helices pack against an inner trimeric coiled coil. Here we investigate the role of these conserved interhelical interactions on the structure and function of both the envelope glycoprotein and the gp41 core. We have replaced each of the eight amino acids at the buried face of the carboxyl-terminal helix with a representative amino acid, alanine. Structural and physicochemical characterization of the alanine mutants shows that hydrophobic interactions are a dominant factor in the stabilization of the six-helix bundle. Alanine substitutions at the Trp628, Trp631, Ile635, and Ile642 residues also affected e...
Remarks on the mutual solubilities and superconductivity of hexaborides

Abstract X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe data indicate that the mutual solubility of LaB6 and YB6 depend strongly on the method of alloy preparation. Superconducting transition temperatures of these alloys are reported.
What Did Merchants Do? Reflections on British Overseas Trade, 1660–1790

The relative dynamism of English and Scottish foreign trade from 1675 to 1775 can largely be explained by the interrelated phenomena of the growing domestic demand for American and Asian consumer goods and North European raw materials; the growing market in northern and western Europe for re-exports of American and Asian consumables; and the growing protected market for British manufactures in the American colonies and Africa. Trade growth depended on development of a wide variety of credit practices, supported primarily by big wholesalers and export merchants. Wholesalers and merchants also accounted for important institutional innovations.
Variation in the TLR10/TLR1/TLR6 locus is the major genetic determinant of interindividual difference in TLR1/2-mediated responses

Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated innate immune responses are important in early host defense. Using a candidate gene approach, we previously identified genetic variation within TLR1 that is associated with hyper-responsiveness to a TLR1/2 agonist in vitro and with death and organ dysfunction in patients with sepsis. Here we report a genome-wide association study (GWAS) designed to identify genetic loci controlling whole blood cytokine responses to the TLR1/2 lipopeptide agonist, Pam(3)CSK(4) (N-palmitoyl-S-dipalmitoylglyceryl Cys-Ser-(Lys)(4)) ex vivo. We identified a very strong association (P<1 × 10(-27)) between genetic variation within the TLR10/1/6 locus on chromosome 4, and Pam(3)CSK(4)-induced cytokine responses. This was the predominant association explaining over 35% of the population variance for this phenotype. Notably, strong associations were observed within TLR10, suggesting that genetic variation in TLR10 may influence bacterial lipoprotein-induced responses. These findings establish the TLR10/1/6 locus as the dominant common genetic factor controlling interindividual variability in Pam(3)CSK(4)-induced whole blood responses in the healthy population.
CEREBRAL ABSCESSES IN CHILDREN AFTER PENCIL-TIP INJURIES

Cerebral abscesses developed in three children after intracranial penetration by pencils. In two the pencil tip penetrated the orbital roof and in the third, the temporal bone. Intracranial penetration was not suspected in any of the cases at the time of injury and neurological problems developed 3 days to 3 weeks afterwards. The potential dangers of these unusual injuries may not be appreciated because the skin wounds are innocuous and initially the children are well. Surgical exploration is mandatory when there is a possibility of cranial penetration. Should a cerebral abscess develop, management should be by repeated aspiration, intravenous antibiotics, and elective excision of the residual abscess and foreign-body fragments together with a formal dural repair.
Evidence for negative control of growth by adenosine in the mammalian embryo: induction of Hmx/+ mutant limb outgrowth by adenosine deaminase.

Abstract We investigated the growth-regulatory actions of adenosine and adenosine deaminase (ADA) during embryonic limb development in the mouse. Polydactylous outgrowth, an expression of the Hemimelia-extra toe (Hm x ) mutant phenotype, was experimentally regulated in hind-limb buds explanted into a serum-free in vitro system at stage 18 of gestation. Its expression was promoted by exposure to 0.1 or 0.2 IU/ml exogenous ADA and suppressed by co-exposure to 10 nM (—)-N 6 -(R-phenylisopropy1)-adenosine (N 6 -PIA). Evidence that N 6 -PIA acted as a high-affinity agonist against the external adenosine receptor was provided by experiments in which 100 μM caffeine, a known antagonist, competitively blocked its effect. The endogenous adenosine content was analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection following its conversion to the 1,N 6 ethenoadenosine derivative. At stage 18. the adenosine levels were 0.5 pmol/μg DNA in whole embryos and 0.08 pmol/pg DNA in hindlimb buds. At the same stage, partially purified extracts of the embryonal plasma enriched fraction contained high levels of ADA activity (0.04-0.06 IU/embryo, or 0.7-1.0 IU/mg protein). In contrast, blood cells contained 0.0001 IU/embryo (or 0.01 IU/mg protein). This enzyme occurred as a single kinetic form with a molecular weight of 4500047000 daltons and an apparent K m of 36-38 μM. Its presence in the embryonal plasma argues against an endocrine mechanism of adenosine secretion in favor of autocrine (self-regulatory) or paracrine (proximate-regulatory) mechanisms. Taken together, our results suggest that the in vitro outgrowth of the prospective polydactylous region is induced upon escape from the local growth-inhibitory influence of extracellular adenosine. It is concluded that growth during early limb development is under systemic as well as local control.
Feline inductive odontogenic tumor (inductive fibroameloblastoma)--a tumor unique to cats

The inductive fibroameloblastoma is a rare odontogenic tumor that occurs in young cats of either sex, predominantly in the anterior maxilla. This article critically reviews the previously published examples with emphasis on microscopic features, relationship to ameloblastic fibroma, and biologic behavior; an additional example is described. This tumor differs microscopically from human ameloblastic fibromas in that it is not well-circumscribed but rather originates multifocally within the supporting connective tissue as characteristic, spherical condensations of fibroblastic connective tissue (ectomesenchyme) associated with islands of odontogenic epithelium. Its biologic behavior requires further study but the tumor apparently is unique to cats and is distinct from human ameloblastic fibroma. Consequently, feline inductive odontogenic tumor is suggested as being a more appropriate designation than inductive fibroameloblastoma.
An unusual promoter controls cell‐cycle regulation and dependence on DNA replication of the Caulobacter fliLM early flagellar operon

Summary Transcription of flagellar genes in Caulobacter crescentus is programmed to occur during the predivisional stage of the cell cycle. The mechanism of activation of Class II flagellar genes, the highest identified genes in the Caulobacter flagellar hierarchy, is unknown. As a step toward understanding this process, we have defined cis-acting sequences necessary for expression of a Class II flagellar operon, fliLM. Deletion analysis indicated that a 55 bp DNA fragment was sufficient for normal, temporally regulated promoter activity. Transcription from this promoter-containing fragment was severely reduced when chromosomal DNA replication was inhibited. Extensive mutational analysis of the promoter region from -42 to -5 identified functionally important nucleotides at -36 and -35, between -29 and -22 and at -12, which correlates well with sequences conserved between fliLM and the analogous regions of two other Class II flagellar operons. The promoter sequence does not resemble that recognized by any known bacterial sigma factor. Models for regulation of Caulobacter early flagellar promoters are discussed in which RNA polymerase containing a novel Sigma subunit interacts with an activation factor bound to the central region of the promoter.
Enzymic hydrolysis of steroid phosphates

Abstract Steroid phosphates were used as substrates for alkaline and acid phospliatases from different sources to determine the structural specificity of the compounds that undergo enzymic hydrolysis. The steroid 21-, 3β- and 3α-phosphates were hydrolyzed by the acid and alkaline phosphatases tested. In contrast, the steroid 17β-phosphates were hydrolyzed principally by the acid phosphatases. A comparative study of the phosphatase activities with steroid 17β-phosphates showed a maximum effect with testosterone 17β-phosphate, less with estradiol-17β-phosphate, and none with polyestradiol-17β-phosphate. Polyestradiol-17β-phosphate was not hydrolyzed by any of the phosphatases tested. None of the steroid phosphates tested were substrates of 5-nucleotidase obtained from Crotahis adamanteus venom.
PXI-based non-contact vital sign detection system

This paper presents a novel noncontact vital sign detection (VSD) system, which integrates an entire radar transceiver along with advanced signal processing algorithms in one compact PXI (Peripheral Component Interconnect eXtensions for Instrumentation) system. Realtime signal processing has been implemented using automatic DC calibration based on compressed sensing algorithm and ‘differentiate and cross-multiply’ (DACM) demodulation algorithm. Experimental results show that the proposed compact instrument based radar is able to measure respiration motions with simple hardware configuration. This facilitates many proof-of-concept studies for noncontact vital sign detection.
Electrical Characteristics and Photoresponse of ZnO/ZnTe Heterojunction Diodes

Heterojunction diodes consisting of n-type ZnO and p-type ZnTe were grown by pulsed laser deposition and molecular beam epitaxy, respectively, on GaAs (001) substrates. Strong diode rectifying behavior was observed in the current–voltage characteristics with a current on/off ratio of J on /J off = 1 × 105 and a diode ideality factor of n = 1.5. A strong photoresponse in the energy range of 2.3 eV to 3.6 eV was observed, corresponding to the bandgap energies of ZnTe and ZnO, respectively. A photovoltaic response was observed with a relatively small fill factor with a short-circuit current J sc ~ 0.8 mA/cm2 and open-circuit voltage of V oc ~ 60 mV subject to illumination by a tungsten lamp. The photovoltaic response and reverse saturation current are believed to be limited by defects related to the mismatch between the ZnTe and ZnO structures and defects in the ZnO layer deposited at low temperature. The spectral response of the diodes is modeled with a close match to experimental measurements.
Preschool Home Environment and Classroom Behavior

A longitudinal investigation was made of the relationship between home-environment processes when children are between 3 and 5 years of age, and children’s classroom behavior in the primary grades. A generally moderate relationship was observed between the two sets of variables. Encouragement of social maturity showed the strongest relationship with classroom behavior, particularly patience, internal reliance, and inattentiveness. Of the seven classroom behavior variables examined, comprehension showed the largest number of significant relationships with early environment variables.
Essential theory, processes, and procedures for successful group psychotherapy: Group cohesion as exemplar

With few exceptions or at the very least cautions (cf. Burlingame, MacKenzie & Strauss, 2003) group psychotherapy has proven to be an effective and efficient treatment for a number of psychological disorders (Burlingame, Kapetanovic, & Ross, 2005). This article will briefly describe a theory that underlies successful group therapies. In addition, certain group processes—those elements that occur during the group itself that appear to be necessary conditions for improved patient outcomes—will also be addressed, although unfortunately, the sufficient conditions tying moment-to-moment process to actual outcome (improved patient functioning by the end of therapy, and at 6-month follow-up, for instance) are not quite as easily delineated. A closer study of the group therapeutic factor cohesion will be utilized as an example of these practice and research dilemmas. Finally, suggestions for future directions, which might more clearly uncover important connections between process and outcome, are addressed.
Earnings and education in Venezuela: An update from the 1987 household survey☆

Abstract The paper uses data from the 1987 Household Survey to update the returns to education and compare them to those available for 1975 and 1984. The results indicate that the returns to education have been largely maintained despite the educational explosion that took place in Venezuela during the 12 year period under investigation. Higher education is the most heavily subsidized educational level, although primary education continues to be the most attractive opportunity in terms of educational investment.
The anterior cavernous sinus space

The anterior cavernous sinus space is the venous space anterior to the cavernous carotid artery. It is tetrahedral in shape with the anterior apex at the superior orbital fissure. The superomedial wall is formed by the base of the anterior clinoid process. The inferomedial wall is formed by the sphenoid bone. The lateral wall consists of two layers of dura with the oculomotor, trochlear, ophthalmic and abducens nerves in the inner layer. Medially, the posterior wall consists of the cavernous carotid artery. Laterally, it communicates with the lateral cavernous sinus space. Paraclinoid and carotid cave aneurysms may occupy this space and its microanatomy is important in the surgery of these aneurysms.
Probes bound to myosin Cys-707 rotate during length transients in contraction

It is widely conjectured that muscle shortens because portions of myosin molecules (the “cross-bridges”) impel the actin filament to which they transiently attach and that the impulses result from rotation of the cross-bridges. Crystallography indicates that a cross-bridge is articulated–consisting of a globular catalytic/actin-binding domain and a long lever arm that may rotate. Conveniently, a rhodamine probe with detectable attitude can be attached between the globular domain and the lever arm, enabling the observer to tell whether the anchoring region rotates. Well-established signature effects observed in shortening are tension changes resulting from the sudden release or quick stretch of active muscle fibers. In this investigation we found that closely correlated with such tension changes are changes in the attitude of the rhodamine probes. This correlation strongly supports the conjecture about how shortening is achieved.
Polynomial path for the calculation of liquid state free energies from computer simulations tested on liquid water

as well as its range of appli- cability in conjunction with Monte Carlo computer simulations using thermodynamic integration based on Gaussian quadratures. The technique employed is compared with the slow growth method (an other vari- ant of thermodynamic integration), with the perturbation method and with the use of the grand-canonical ensemble. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The calculation of the free energy, long recognized as a computationally exacting task, is of special importance due to the role of the free energy in determininig chemical equilibria. As reviewed recently, 1 4 free energy simulation techniques are characterized by the path selected that connects the two systems in the configuration space (e.g. the choice of the coupling parameter, vide infra) and by the quantity chosen whose Boltzmann average is related to the free energy — with the exception of calculations in the grand-canonical ensemble where the chemical potential is fixed at the outset. The various choices of the coupling parameter, described in detail in ref. 2, fall into two distinct classes:
A New World Geographic Reference System

A new global georeferencing system-the World Geographic Reference System (WGRS)-is proposed. This system has particular advantages for location description and communication with electronic devices, i.e.., in digital environments that are shared between humans and machines. The new World Geographic Reference System strikes a compromise between the dominant use of numbers in established scientific coordinate systems, such as latitude/longitude, and the colloquial preference for names, particularly names of administrative units and populated places, in everyday life. Specifically, WGRS defines a system of uniform regional grids, each 100x 100 km in extent, anchored on and named by prominent cultural and/or physical features. Subsets of these regional grids, called local grids, which are particularly adapted to smaller places, also may be defined. A location within a regional or local grid is georeferenced by suffixing the grid identifier with a coordinate string of dotted-digit-pairs that represent interleaved Cartesian x-y displacements from the grid origin. A typical WGRS locator, for example, is us.DC.wns.54.18.28, representing a 100x100 m area, the southwest corner of which is 0.512 of the way across (east) and 0.488 of the way up (north) in the Washington, D.C., grid, roughly the lawn surrounding the Washington Monument. This locator, which is easily interpreted by both humans and machines, also may be effectively communicated between them via computer networks using a notation, such as "wgrp://us.DC.wAS.54.18.28" in web code. The similarity of WGRS locators (WGLs) to Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) on the Internet is intentional, facilitating their use in Web and wireless application interfaces, especially those employed in location-based service systems.
Phase behavior of siloxane-based amphiphiles in supercritical carbon dioxide

Abstract Silicone-functional analogs to conventional surfactants have been synthesized, and their phase behavior in carbon dioxide explored at 65°C and room temperature. In agreement with work by other researchers, we have observed that these silicone amphiphiles exhibited UCST type behavior in CO2, such that miscibility pressures tend to decrease as the temperature increases. Phase behavior is sensitive to the number and type of the CO2-phobic groups, moreso than to the molecular wt. of the silicone component.
Analysis of cis-acting elements required for replication of barley stripe mosaic virus RNAs.

Abstract The replicative abilities of mutant RNA transcripts derived from barley stripe mosaic virus cDNA clones were investigated in barley protoplasts that had been coinoculated with wild-type RNAα and -γ transcripts. The 5′ and 3′ noncoding regions were required for replication, and lack of a 5′ cap structure (GpppG) reduced the replicative ability substantially. All internal deletions within RNAα abrogated replication in trans. A 2-base change that produced a truncated αa protein lacking the first 16 amino acids also compromised the ability of RNAα to be replicated. In contrast, RNAβ transcripts containing deletions involving each ORF and the downstream poly(A) tract were effectively amplified by RNAs α and γ, but collective deletion of all four ORFs drastically reduced accumulation. The intergenic region between βa and βb was not absolutely required for replication, but small deletions within this region reduced the abundance of RNAβ by at least 10-fold. Deletions within the first 507 nt of the γa ORF abrogated replication. However, transcripts containing deletions within the central and 3′ regions of the γa ORF, the γa–γb intergenic region, and the γb ORF could be amplified in trans. Two mutants containing extensive deletions encompassing the central region of the γa ORF and most of γb behaved like defective interfering RNAs because they multiplied to high levels in trans and caused a pronounced reduction in accumulation of the coinoculated wild-type RNAs α and γ.
Dusty Relic to Shining Treasure: Embedded in a Multicultural Environment

Far from being dusty old relics who are guardians of the book, embedded librarians need to be proactively leading students through the digital maze of the virtual library. Working with students more than 7,000 miles away changed perceptions of how to teach and learn, and how people interact online. We will share how as embedded librarians we repositioned ourselves, and our services, to be an integral part of the educational experience. Working with students whose cultural norms are centuries different than our own and for whom English is a second or third language, librarians must be information gurus.
Simple and inexpensive brain slicer.

Abstract The maintenance of thin brain slices in vitro is an important technique in neurobiological research. Crucial to prolonged viability of the brain slices is rapid and accurate slicing with a minimum of tissue trauma. This article describes the construction and operation of an effective yet inexpensive brain slicing device.
Synthesis of Porous Ceramics Through Directional Solidification and Freeze-Drying

This study investigated the microstructural characteristics of directionally solidified freeze-dried silica sols. Porous structures were formed by depositing silica sol on silicon (100) single crystals. The deposited sols were unidirectionaly solidified by placing the silicon substrate on a copper block immersed in liquid nitrogen and then subsequently freeze-dried. Freeze drying removal of ice crystals created three-dimensional pore channels ranging from 3 to10 micrometers in diameter aggregated in grain like colonies 50–100 micrometers in diameter. Pore size, spacing, colony size and microstructure were determined using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) while the structure of the amorphous SiO2 was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The microstructure results are compared and contrasted with silica aerogel obtained through conventional processing using supercritical CO2.
An Optimization Model for Freeway Stationary Emergency Service Systems

This study is concerned with the analysis of a stationary emergency service system, and includes the application of this analytic procedure to the Los Angeles Freeway Surveillance and Control Project. The stationary emergency service system is interpreted as an ordinary queuing system and is approximated by an M/G/∞ model. In conjunction with queuing theory, dynamic programming is used to determine the best locations for service facilities, the optimal number of service vehicles at each service location, and the service area covered by an individual service location.
Role of calcium in ripening and senescence

Abstract In view of the possibility that senescence may be a consequence of the deterioration of cell walls and membrane compartments, calcium was studied as a possible agent which might defer senescence. Calcium treatment delayed leaf senescence in corn leaf discs. The effect of calcium on senescencse was additive to the cytokinin deferral of senescence. An increase in hydraulic permeability to [3H] water during senescence was demonstrataed and this increase was deferred by calcium; calcium plus benzyladenine was even more effective. Analysis of inorganic ions in the pericarp of nonripening rin mutant tomajc fruits and isogenic Rutgers revealed higher levels of bound Ca in rin at advanced stages of maturity. In the normal fruits, bound Ca decreased about 3‐fold during maturity. In rin fruits, no change in polygalacturonase (PG) activity was detected, whereas in Rutgers, an increase in PG activity was observed at advanced stages of maturity. Each of the measured changes associated with senescence (pigment...
Fluorescence and fiber-optics based real-time thickness sensor for dynamic liquid films

To overcome the limitations/disadvantages of many known liquid film thickness sensing devices (viz. conductivity probes, reflectance based fiber-optics probes, capacitance probes, etc.), a new liquid film thickness sensor that utilizes fluorescence phenomena and fiber-optic technology has been developed and reported here. Measurements from this sensor are expected to facilitate better understanding of liquid film dynamics in various adiabatic, evaporating, and condensing film flows. The sensor accurately measures the instantaneous thickness of a dynamically changing liquid film in such a way that the probe does not perturb the flow dynamics in the proximity of the probe's tip. This is achieved by having the probe's exposed surface embedded flush with the surface over which the liquid film flows, and by making arrangements for processing the signals associated with the emission and collection of light (in distinctly different wavelength windows) at the probe's flush surface. Instantaneous film thickness in the range of 0.5― 3.0 mm can accurately (with a resolution that is within ±0.09 mm over 0.5―1.5 mm range and within ±0.18 mm over 1.5―3.0 mm range) be measured by the sensor described in this paper. Although this paper only demonstrates the sensor's ability for dynamic film thickness measurements carried out for a doped liquid called FC-72 (perfluorohexane or C 6 F 14 from 3M Corporation, Minneapolis, MN), the approach and development/calibration procedure described here can be extended, under similar circumstances, to some other liquid films and other thickness ranges as well.