cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of School Remote Drop-off Walking Programs: Results from Qualitative Interviews.

Abstract Background Remote drop-off programs allow children living “unwalkable” distances from school to walk partway by being dropped off by personal vehicle or bus closer to the school, supporting physical activity and health. However, little evidence exists to guide implementation of such programs. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from 7 remote drop-off programs to capture descriptive information and qualitative content (e.g., barriers, facilitators, outcomes). Qualitative content was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis and identified themes were organized within implementation science frameworks. Results Programs were from low and high socioeconomic areas (free/reduced price lunch range = 4%–92%) and initiated by various champions (school staff = 29%, parents = 29%, external = 42%). 29% of programs incorporated the yellow school bus, 43% involved >100 students, and 71% involved route distances ≥0.5 miles. Twenty themes were identified across 5 implementation science domains (Intervention Characteristics, Inner Setting, Outer Setting, Implementation Process, and Outcomes). Positive outcomes included physical activity, socialization, and improved focus for students; decreased traffic; and positive perceptions of the program by students, parents, and school staff/administrators. Barriers included traffic, weather, and student engagement. Facilitators included having a champion and support from school leaders and the community, conducting process improvements, and incentivizing participation. Conclusions Remote drop-offs are feasible for supporting active school commuting but underutilized. Promising strategies for supporting uptake and implementation of such programs include communicating benefits, developing champions, engaging school and community leaders, and improving the neighborhood built environment.
Representation without Parties: Reconsidering the One-Party South, 1930–62

Political scientists have long viewed the one-party South as exemplifying the impossibility of democracy in the absence of partisan competition. I argue that this view conflates the effects of disfranchisement and one-partyism. Despite the lack of partisan competition, Democratic primaries induced a qualified but real electoral connection between Southern members of Congress and the (white) eligible electorate. I show that Southern representatives exhibited strong responsiveness to the economic policy preferences of their median voter. I also demonstrate that Southern MCs’ collective shift from New Deal liberals to pivotal centrists in the 1930s and 1940s mirrored shifts in white public opinion in the South. These findings suggest important qualifications to the view of the one-party South as an “authoritarian” regime and to the conventional wisdom that that representation requires partisan competition.
Using inexpensive temperature sensors to monitor the duration and heterogeneity of snow-covered areas.

[1] Small, self-recording temperature sensors can be deployed quickly and inexpensively to monitor spatial and temporal patterns of snow accumulation and melt in complex environments. Burying these sensors slightly below the soil surface provides a record of the presence or absence of snow cover because near-surface soil temperatures only experience diurnal temperature oscillations when they are not covered by an insulating layer of snow. When combined with an air temperature record and snowmelt model, the date snow cover disappears can be used to approximate the amount of snow that accumulated at the start of the melt season.
TARGETED SMART GROWTH PLANNING INITIATIVES IN THE SUBURBS: EFFECTS ON HOME VALUES

Although many studies have examined the effects of regional growth management policies on housing prices, little is known about the impact of neighborhood-level smart growth strategies on home values in the targeted and nearby communities. The purpose of this article is to measure the impacts of a pair of geographically focused smart growth planning and development efforts on home values in the suburban context. This article examines two initiatives under the Atlanta Regional Commission's Livable Center Initiative (LCI) as examples of smart growth planning. The results show that smart growth developments focused both on a smaller scale town center LCI and on a larger scale activity center LCI have positive effects on housing prices inside the target area. However, their effects on adjacent areas differ, with the larger scale activity center having some positive effects on nearby property values, while the smaller scale effort resulted in lower values in some nearby areas. The results indicate that smart growth development programs may contribute to revitalizing old suburban downtown centers, but that the effects of smaller scale efforts may result in predominantly zero-sum outcomes, in which higher values within the target area are accompanied by lower values in adjacent areas.
Where Am I? How Can I Get There? Impact of Navigability and Narrative Transportation on Spatial Presence

From video games to virtual worlds on the World Wide Web, modern media are becoming increasingly spatial, with users traversing artificial spaces and experiencing a kind of immersion known as “spatial presence.” But how do these media induce spatial presence? Are the affordances for movement provided by these technologies responsible for this illusion? Or do narratives that accompany them persuade us to suspend disbelief and transport ourselves into a virtual space? We explore these theoretical questions by pitting the navigability affordances of a video game against narrative transportation and examining their relative contributions to the formation of spatial presence in a virtual reality context. Results from a large experiment (N = 240) reveal that the narrative actually detracts from spatial presence while traversibility (in the form of greater degrees of steering motion) enhances it even without invoking a mental model of the portrayed environment. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Distance and Private Information

Using a unique data set of loan applications by small businesses, we study the determinants of loan transactions focusing on the respective roles of private information and borrower proximity. Although credit availability and the offered loan rate decrease in the bank-borrower distance and increase in the borrower-competitor distance, the inclusion of proxies for the bank's proprietary and private information reduces these effects to the point of insignificance. Analyzing loan rates and borrowers' decision to switch lenders we find strong evidence for the informational capture of good credit risks. Our results shed new light on the importance of soft information in informationally opaque credit markets and show how borrower proximity facilitates the production of proprietary intelligence that helps banks to exploit information asymmetries and to locally carve out captive markets.
Some Physical Properties of Milk. IV. Maximum Density of Milk

Density determinations of milk-water mixtures were made, to determine if the temperature of maximum density is lower than that of water and if it is less as the milk in the mixture increases. It was found that as milk was diluted with water, the temperature of a maximum density of the mixture approached that of water in a linear way, but there were deviations at some points near the maxima. Linearity between temperature at maximum density and added water, and the large difference of temperatures for maximum density of milk and water, suggest a method for determining adulteration of milk. Variations of temperature of maximum density may indicate changes in the physical state of proteins. Editor.
Perspectives about Living on the Horns of Dilemmas: An Analysis of Gender Factors Related to Superintendent Decision-Making and Problem-Solving.

The major focus of this paper is a gender-based analysis of school superintendent decision-making and problem-solving as well as an investigation of contemporary leadership dilemmas. The findings are based on responses from 258 superintendents of K-12 school districts in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania collected over a period of three years (2009-2011). The researchers also conducted 18 comprehensive qualitative “face-to-face” interviews with self-selected superintendents who responded to the quantitative survey. The intended outcome of this article is for education policy makers, professors, and practitioners to comprehensively examine the extent and degree of various dilemmas confronting the Mid-Atlantic Region school superintendent sample and to evaluate the decision-making and problem-solving approaches used by them. The study results that are presented will serve as valuable references to not only individual superintendents but also to university administrator preparation professors and to state administrator licensure agencies because it is important for all aspiring superintendents to know the various issues associated with education leadership and the personal and professional dilemmas that they need to be prepared to face as they embark on a career to improve schooling in the United States.
What Your Opening Statement Should and Shouldn't Do: Some Surprising Advice

Prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys would do well to consider how civil trial lawyers fashion their opening statements. As with any other part of the trial, the primary question to be answered in constructing an opening statement is: What do I want to accomplish? In civil cases the answer is almost always that each lawyer wants to persuade the jurors that the lawyer's version ot the dispute is more likely to be correct than the opponent's. Opening statements in criminal trials, however, do not usually sound as if they were constructed with that goal in mind. Most fall into two categories: (1) long and detailed recitations of the evldene and the witnesses who will produce it, and (2) perfunctory appearances to comply with the trial list of "things to do" that includes "give opening statement."
Four of the seven zinc fingers of the Evi-1 myeloid-transforming gene are required for sequence-specific binding to GA(C/T)AAGA(T/C)AAGATAA.

Abstract Expression of the Evi-1 gene is activated in murine myeloid leukemias by retroviral insertions and in human acute myelogenous leukemia by translocations and inversions involving chromosome band 3q26 where the gene resides. Aberrant expression of the Evi-1 gene has been shown to interfere with myeloid differentiation, which is proposed to be the basis for its role in leukemias. The Evi-1 gene encodes a 145-kDa DNA-binding protein containing two domains of seven and three Cys2-His2 zinc fingers. Previous studies identified a portion of the consensus DNA-binding sequence for the first domain of zinc fingers. The experiments presented here extend these studies and demonstrate that the first domain recognizes a consensus of 15 nucleotides consisting of GA(C/T)AAGA(T/C)AAGATAA. The first three fingers of the first domain do not detectably bind DNA but contribute to the binding by conferring a relative specificity for GACAA verses GATAA in the first position. The first three fingers also contribute to optimal binding of the 15-nucleotide consensus sequence.
Perturbation analysis of convective heat transfer in helicoidal pipes with substantial pitch

Fully developed convective heat transfer in a coiled pipe with substantial pitch (the helicoidal pipe) is investigated by the perturbation method. The results of this study indicate that the effect of pitch on the temperature distribution appears in the second-order solution (T2 terms), and that it will rotate the high temperature contours that deviate from the outer wall, which are enhanced by increasing the Reynolds number, the Prandtl number, and the curvature of the coil. As a result, the peak of the Nusselt number along the periphery moves away from the outer wall. The results of the study also indicate that increasing pitch may slightly reduce the average Nusselt number.
Effects of genetic replacements of charged and H-bonding residues in the retinal pocket on Ca2+ binding to deionized bacteriorhodopsin.

Abstract Metal cations are known to be required for proton pumping by bacteriorhodopsin (bR). Previous studies found that bR has two high-affinity and four to six low-affinity Ca(2+)-binding sites. In our efforts to find the location of these Ca2+ sites, the effects of replacing charged (Asp-85, Asp-212, and Arg-82) and H-bonding (Tyr-185) residues in the retinal pocket on the color control and binding affinity of Ca2+ ions in Ca(2+)-regenerated bR were examined. The important results are as follows: (i) The removal of Ca2+ from recombinant bR in which charged residues were replaced by neutral ones shifted the retinal absorption to the blue, opposite to that observed in wild-type bR or in recombinant bR in which the H-bonding residue, Tyr-185, was replaced by a non-H-bonding amino acid (Phe). (ii) Similar to the observation in wild-type bR, the binding of Ca2+ to the second site gave the observed color change in the recombinant bR samples in which charged residues were replaced by neutral ones. (iii) The residue replacements had no effect on the affinity constants of the four to six weakly bound Ca2+. (iv) The two high-affinity sites exhibited reduced affinity with substitutions; while the extent of the reduction depended on the specific substitution, each site was reduced by the same factor for each of the charged residue substitutions but by different factors for the mutant where Tyr-185 was replaced with Phe(Y185F). The above results suggest that the two Ca2+ ions in the two high-affinity sites are within interaction distance with one another and with the charged residues in the retinal pocket. The results further suggest that, while the interaction between Tyr-185 and the high-affinity Ca2+ ions is relatively short range and specific (with more coupling to the Ca2+ ion in the second affinity site), between the charged residues and Ca2+ ions it seems to be of the electrostatic (e.g., ion-ion) long range, nonspecific type. Although neither Asp-85, Asp-212, nor Arg-82 is individually directly involved in the binding of Ca2+ in these two sites, they might all participate in it. Together with the protonated Schiff base, the charged residues along with Tyr-185 and one or two Ca2+ ions (and probably a few water molecules) seem to form an electrostatically coupled system that is part of a cavity that controls the color and function of bR.
The near-infrared spectrum of NeHCl

Abstract The near-infrared spectrum of jet-cooled NeHCl is reported. The HCl stretching fundamental and three combination bands are observed and analyzed to determine rotational constants and vibrational frequencies including those of the van der Waals stretching and bending modes. An unusual intensity distribution is observed, in which the fundamental is weak and the combination bands are strong; in part this is the result of nearly free internal rotation of the HCl subunit within the complex.
Envelope Glycoprotein Mutations Mediate Equine Amplification and Virulence of Epizootic Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus

Epidemics of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) result from high-titer equine viremia of IAB and IC subtype viruses that mediate increased mosquito transmission and spillover to humans. Previous genetic studies suggest that mutations in the E2 envelope glycoprotein allow relatively viremia-incompetent, enzootic subtype ID strains to adapt for equine replication, leading to VEE emergence. To test this hypothesis directly, chimeric VEEV strains containing the genetic backbone of enzootic subtype ID strains and the partial envelope glycoprotein genes of epizootic subtype IC and IAB strains, as well as reciprocal chimeras, were used for experimental infections of horses. Insertion of envelope genes from two different, closely related enzootic subtype ID strains into the epizootic backbones resulted in attenuation, demonstrating that the epizootic envelope genes are necessary for the equine-virulent and viremia-competent phenotypes. The partial epizootic envelope genes introduced into an enzootic ID backbone were sufficient to generate the virulent, viremia-competent equine phenotype. These results indicate that a small number of envelope gene mutations can generate an equine amplification-competent, epizootic VEEV from an enzootic progenitor and underscore the limitations of small animal models for evaluating and predicting the epizootic phenotype.
Rates of dissociation of enzyme-ouabain complexes and K0.5 values in (Na+ + K+) adenosine triphosphatase from different species

Abstract The half-lives of rabbit kidney and dog brain (Na+ + K+) adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase)-ouabain complexes were 10 and 89 min respectively. The ratios between these half-lives and those previously reported for guinea-pig kidney and rat brain enzyme-ouabain are more than sufficient to account for the differences in the K0.5 values for ouabain and those enzymes reported in the literature. The K0.5 values for the ouabain-enzyme interaction could be reduced up to 12-fold by pre-incubating the enzyme with Na+, Mg2+, ATP and ouabain prior to the addition of K+ to start the enzyme assay. These differences show that the K0.5 values are not obtained under equilibrium conditions and suggest that the true equilibrium position is intermediate between the measured K0.5 values. Ki values estimated from the dissociation rates of enzyme-ouabain fall between the measured K0.5 values. It appears that the differences in the dissociation rates alone are sufficient to account for the observed differences in the K0.5 values. The experiments also show a marked difference in glycoside sensitivity between rat brain and heart (Na+ + K+) ATPase.
Support Vector Machine Decision Trees with Rare Event Detection

Model selection and rare event detection are two major problems frequently encountered in support vector learning. This paper proposes a new support vector learning algorithm, to be referred to as Linear Support Vector Machine Decision Tree (LSVM-DT), that solves the two problems. It consists of a binary tree structure with linear support vector machines in all tree nodes and class labels in all leaves. During training, multiple linear hyperplanes are constructed while traversing down the tree. The LSVM-DT is capable of separating both linearly and nonlinearly separable data. The only parameter that needs to be chosen by the user is the regularization parameter C , thus eliminating the model selection problem. Its built-in rare event detection mechanism allows the LSVM-DT to solve classification problems with underrepresented or unproportional classes. This phenomenon occurs within the tree even if the classes initially have equal prior probabilities. Experiments with different data sets show that the LSV...
Excimer laser assisted in situ keratomileusis for hyperopia

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate hyperopic surgical correction with 6.0 mm optical zonehyperopic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) after various refractive procedures. Setting: Buzard Eye Institute, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Methods: This study followed 14 eyes of 14 patients who had hyperopic LASIK with a VISX Star laser. Mean follow-up was 8 months. The patients represented a variety of preoperative situations, including primary radial keratotomy (RK) (5 eyes), primary automated lamellar keratectomy (ALK) (2 eyes), primary LASIK (3 eyes), congenital hyperopia (1 eye), and combinations of ALK, RK, and LASIK. In all patients, a toroidal or “doughnut-shaped” ablation was constructed with the use of a 3.5 mm diameter soft contact lens as a blocking agent centrally with a 6.0 mm outside beam diameter. Results: Mean preoperative spherical equivalent was +1.33 diopters (D) ± 0.5 (SD)(range +0.50 to +1.88 D). The mean spherical equivalent was −0.32 ± 1.20 D (range −1.25 to +2.63 D) at 1 month postoperatively and −0.15 ± 0.60 D (range −1.13 to +1.25 D) at the last follow-up. Uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 was obtained by 13 eyes (93%). No eye lost 2 or more lines of best corrected visual acuity at last follow-up. Four eyes required a postoperative LASIK enhancement procedure to correct induced myopia. No significant complications were seen. Conclusion: Hyperopic LASIK with the technique used in this study appeared safe, predictable, and stable. It represents a simple way to add hyperopic correction to existing laser systems.
Expression of progesterone receptor is a favorable prognostic marker in ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objective Receptors for estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), or androgen (AR) are predictive and prognostic markers of malignancy of multiple endocrine organs, including endometrial and breast cancer. However, the role of ERs, PRs, or ARs in the carcinogenesis of ovarian cancer, another sex hormone-dependent malignancy, is still controversial despite numerous studies that have attempted to determine their role. The disagreement in the findings may result from the fact that the numbers of tumor samples in studies have been small and that different immunohistochemical methods have been used that can introduce variation in the scoring of the histology. We therefore examined the pattern of expression of ERs, PRs, and ARs in a large number of samples of primary ovarian carcinoma by using a tissue microarray technique. Methods We constructed a tissue microarray with 322 samples of primary ovarian carcinoma obtained at surgery performed at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1990 and 2000. Immunohistochemistry studies were performed by using the immunoperoxidase technique against primary antibodies (ER, PR, and AR). Results ERs, PRs, and ARs were differently expressed in different histotypes of ovarian cancer: ERs were expressed in 77.3% of all cases but more highly expressed in serous and endometrioid types; PRs were expressed in 26.2% of all cases but most highly expressed in the endometrioid type P Conclusions The PR is an independent marker, with its overexpression associated with a favorable prognosis in women with ovarian cancer.
Implications of a multi-disciplinary educational and research environment: Perspectives of future business, law, science, and engineering professionals in the technological innovation: Generating economic results (TI:GER®) program

Abstract Functioning well in a global, technology-driven, multi-disciplinary environment necessitates a more robust educational paradigm, especially in science and engineering. For a scientific education to be complete, it can no longer be restricted solely to technical areas. Similarly, law and business students will encounter a slew of technologies throughout the course of their careers. They will be required to comprehend the intricacies and corresponding implications of these technologies in order to impart their perspectives effectively and have an impact. In an effort to address this widely recognized need, a number of multi-disciplinary education and innovation programs have recently surfaced. Although several of these have been documented in the literature, the experiences of participants and the manner in which these will influence their future career plans as well as personal goals are not usually taken into account. Our focus in this paper is to shed light on this ‘end effect’ of being exposed ...
Dendrimer-templated Fe nanoparticles for the growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes by plasma-enhanced CVD.

A fourth-generation (G4) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer (G4-NH2) has been used as a template to deliver nearly monodispersed catalyst nanoparticles to SiO2/Si, Ti/Si, sapphire, and porous anodic alumina (PAA) substrates. Fe2O3 nanoparticles obtained after calcination of the immobilized Fe3+/G4-NH2 composite served as catalytic “seeds” for the growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by microwave plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD). To surmount the difficulty associated with SWNT growth via PECVD, reaction conditions that promote the stabilization of Fe nanoparticles, resulting in enhanced SWNT selectivity and quality, have been identified. In particular, in situ annealing of Fe catalyst in an N2 atmosphere was found to improve SWNT selectivity and quality. H2 prereduction at 900 °C for 5 min was also found to enhance SWNT selectivity and quality for SiO2/Si supported catalyst, albeit of lower quality for sapphire supported catalyst. The application of positive dc bias voltage (+200 V) during SWNT growth...
Imitations and echoes in autistic and dysphasic children.

Abstract This paper investigates suggestions that the amount and type of echolalic language used by autistic children may provide both diagnostic and prognostic information. The subjects of this study are 12 autistic and 12 dysphasic boys of matched ages (between 6; 6 and 11; 6 years), matched nonverbal IQs, and matched degrees of receptive language impairment with language ranging from use of only two word utterances to use of complex sentences. From this group, the 6 children having the most language are selected and compared with the 6 children having the least language. The amount and types of echoes used by these boys were somewhat different in the high and low language groups.
Min and max scorings for two sample partially ordered categorical data

Abstract For certain types of designed experiments the outcome variables are ordinal categorical variables. Such experiments are typical in many behavioral science and social science settings, as well as in certain types of clinical trials. The representation, analysis and summarization of the results of such experiments can be difficult and complex. We present one analytical approach to these settings that uses scalings for a simpler presentation of the results. The resulting scalings can be viewed as a technique for reducing the complexity of the multivariate ordinal response data and providing insightful data summaries. Utilizing some of the results for designed experiments with univariate ordinal responses, we introduce new techniques to handle responses taking values in a partially ordered set. These latter results are applied to scaling multivariate ordinal data. Several data sets are analyzed using this new approach.
Digital holographic microscopy for imaging growth and treatment response in 3D tumor models

While three-dimensional tumor models have emerged as valuable tools in cancer research, the ability to longitudinally visualize the 3D tumor architecture restored by these systems is limited with microscopy techniques that provide only qualitative insight into sample depth, or which require terminal fixation for depth-resolved 3D imaging. Here we report the use of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) as a viable microscopy approach for quantitative, non-destructive longitudinal imaging of in vitro 3D tumor models. Following established methods we prepared 3D cultures of pancreatic cancer cells in overlay geometry on extracellular matrix beds and obtained digital holograms at multiple timepoints throughout the duration of growth. The holograms were digitally processed and the unwrapped phase images were obtained to quantify nodule thickness over time under normal growth, and in cultures subject to chemotherapy treatment. In this manner total nodule volumes are rapidly estimated and demonstrated here to show contrasting time dependent changes during growth and in response to treatment. This work suggests the utility of DHM to quantify changes in 3D structure over time and suggests the further development of this approach for time-lapse monitoring of 3D morphological changes during growth and in response to treatment that would otherwise be impractical to visualize.
Influence of spatially dependent properties on the performance of a thermoelectric heat pump

Abstract A study is presented of the performance of thermoelectric heat pumps with spatially dependent properties. The Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity are assumed to vary linearly with position. The performance criteria of interest include maximum no-load temperature difference, maximum coefficient of performance, maximum heat pumping capacity, coefficient of performance under conditions giving maximum heat pumping capacity and heat pumping capacity under conditions giving maximum coefficient of performance. Throughout the investigation it is assumed that the longitudinal surface of the thermoelement is insulated and that the fin conductances at the hot and cold junctions are infinite. The effect of spatial dependence of each property on the performance criterion is analyzed individually and then in physically appropriate combinations. It is shown that certain small linear variations in the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical resistivity act to increase all the performance criteria. However, small linear variations in the thermal conductivity decrease the performance criteria. In addition, it is shown that the spatial dependence of the thermal conductivity is not nearly as important as the dependence of the electrical resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient. Therefore, a net increase in the performance criteria should be possible through the use of controlled spatial property dependence.
The circular dimension of a graph

Abstract A graph is a pair ( V, I ), V being the vertices and I being the relation of adjacency on V . Given a graph G , then a collection of functions { f i } m n = 1 , each f i mapping each vertex of V into anarc on a fixed circle, is said to define an m-arc intersection model for G if for all x,y ϵ V , xly ⇔ (∨ i ⩽ m )( f i ( x )∩ f i ( y )≠O). The circular dimension of a graph G is defined as the smallest integer m such that G has an m -arc intersection model. In this paper we establish that the maximum circular dimension of any complete partite graph having n vertices is the largest integer p such that 2 p + p ⩽ n +1.
Infrared spectra of matrix isolated BH3NH3, BD3ND3, and BH3ND3

Abstract The infrared spectra of ammonia-borane, BH 3 NH 3 , and two of its deuterated isotropic species, BD 3 ND 3 and BH 3 ND 3 , isolated in argon matrix at liquid hydrogen temperature have been measured. Well resolved bands for these three isotopic species have been observed for all the fundamentals. A complete frequency assignment based on C 3 v molecular symmetry has been made. A set of force constants have been calculated from the data for the two isotopes BH 3 NH 3 and BD 3 ND 3 using a valence force field. The agreement between experiment and frequencies calculated from these force constants for the mixed isotopic species, BH 3 ND 3 , substantiates the present assignment.
Immunolocalization of P2Y4 and P2Y2 purinergic receptors in strial marginal cells and vestibular dark cells.

Abstract K+ secretion by strial marginal cell and vestibular dark cell epithelia is regulated by UTP and ATP at both the apical and basolateral membranes, suggesting control by P2Y2 and/or P2Y4 purinergic receptors. Immunolocalization was used to determine the identity and distribution of these putative receptors. Membrane proteins from gerbil brain, gerbil vestibular labyrinth and gerbil stria vascularis were isolated and analyzed by Western blot. P2Y2 antibody stained one band at 42 kDa for each tissue, whereas P2Y4 antibody stained 3 bands on gerbil brain (75, 55 and 36 kDa), one band on gerbil stria vascularis (55 kDa) and two bands on vestibular labyrinth (42 and 56 kDa). All bands were absent when the antibodies were blocked with their respective antigenic peptide. P2Y4 was immunolocalized by fluorescence confocal microscopy to only the apical membrane of strial marginal cells and vestibular dark cells and was similar to apical immunostaining of KCNE1 in the same cells. By contrast, P2Y2 was observed on the basolateral but not the apical membrane of dark cells. Similarly, in the stria vascularis P2Y2 was observed in the basolateral region but not the apical membrane of marginal cells. Additional staining was observed in the spiral ligament underlying the stria vascularis. These findings identify the molecular bases of the regulation of K+ secretion by apical and basolateral UTP in the inner ear.
Effects of a diet deficient in vitamins A, D, and E on infectivity, growth, and development of Echinostoma trivolvis in domestic chicks.

The effects of a diet deficient in fat-soluble vitamins on infectivity, growth, and development of Echinostoma trivolvis in domestic chicks were studied. The vitamin-deficient diet (experimental) contained 21% protein, but lacked vitamins A, D, and E. The control diet was isocaloric, contained more than 18% protein, and a normal vitamin complement. There were no significant differences in chick infectivity or worm recovery at 7, 10, or 14 days postinfection (p.i.) from hosts on either diet. Likewise, there were no significant differences in chick weights at 7, 10, or 14 days p.i. in hosts maintained on either diet. However, worm weights and body and organ dimensions were significantly greater at 10 and 14 days p.i. in worms from control versus experimental hosts; worms from experimental hosts never became ovigerous. Our results support Beaver's speculation that E. trivolvis develop poorly in avian hosts lacking fat-soluble vitamins.
Using automatic differentiation with the quasi-procedural method for multidisciplinary design optimaization

As computers have become increasingly powerful, the field of design optimization has moved toward higher fidelity models (involving many more variables) in the early stages of design. One way in which this movement has manifested itself is in the increasing popularity of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO). Because the models used in MDO are large and very complicated, a modular design is desirable. Because there are many- design parameters to optimize, derivatives must be computed accurately and efficiently. This paper describes how the quasi-procedural program architecture developed by Takai and Kroo [9] and the technique of automatic differentiation [6] can be combined to effectively address these needs. The two techniques are explained, the manner in which they were integrated into a single framework is described, and the result of using this framework for an optimization problem in airplane design is presented.
The practical management of computer ethics problems

Power, its use and abuse, is a major topic of discussion in ethics. In the context of ethical problems in information technology, we will look at it as a tool, rather than as a subject. If you have been given the responsibility for some aspect of your school's computing environment, it can be assumed that you have a corresponding amount of authority. [If not, that should be immediately rectified.] This authority translates into a force that can be used in dealing with ethical problems.
The effect of application of cold natural smoke on the ripening of Cheddar cheese.

The present study was undertaken to study the effects of application of natural wood smoke on ripening of Cheddar cheese, and to determine the effects of smoking before or after ripening on cheese quality. A 20-kg block of Cheddar cheese obtained immediately after pressing was divided into six ∼3-kg blocks and ripened at 8°C for up to 270 d. One 3-kg block was taken after 1 d, 1, 3, 6, or 9 mo and smoked for 20 min, then returned to the ripening room for further ripening. Cheeses were sampled at intervals for lactobacilli counts, moisture, pH, and proteolysis. Sensory analysis was conducted on 6 and 9-mo-old cheeses by a trained sensory panel (n = 7). Results show that application of natural wood smoke did not significantly affect cheese pH or primary proteolysis during ripening. However, secondary proteolysis as assessed by the concentrations of free amino acids was generally higher in smoked cheeses than in control cheeses after 6 mo of ripening. Cheese smoked after 6 mo of ripening had better smoked flavor than that smoked after 9 mo of ripening. Cheese smoked after 3 mo of age and further ripened for 6 mo had the highest smoked flavor intensity. It is concluded that it is best to smoke cheese after ripening for at least 3 mo.
On the joint distribution of the number of renewals in a renewal process

The joint distribution function of the number of renewals in an ordinary renewal process is derived using a result from multiple integrals. The well-known Poisson process is generated. It is also shown that the distribution of the number of renewals in an ordinary renewal counting process is a solution to a set of birth equations with non-homogeneous state-dependent rates which are explicitly derived. This provides an example of a process which, although in general, does not satisfy the Chapman Kolmogorov equations, has nevertheless an unconditional distribution which satisfies a set of birth equations
Enhanced Remote Earthquake Triggering at Fluid-Injection Sites in the Midwestern United States

A recent dramatic increase in seismicity in the midwestern United States may be related to increases in deep wastewater injection. Here, we demonstrate that areas with suspected anthropogenic earthquakes are also more susceptible to earthquake-triggering from natural transient stresses generated by the seismic waves of large remote earthquakes. Enhanced triggering susceptibility suggests the presence of critically loaded faults and potentially high fluid pressures. Sensitivity to remote triggering is most clearly seen in sites with a long delay between the start of injection and the onset of seismicity and in regions that went on to host moderate magnitude earthquakes within 6 to 20 months. Triggering in induced seismic zones could therefore be an indicator that fluid injection has brought the fault system to a critical state.
A giant oocyte in a cohort of retrieved oocytes: does it have any effect on the in vitro fertilization cycle outcome?

Objective To investigate an association between the presence of a giant oocyte and outcome for the cohort in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Design Retrospective study. Setting Hospital-based academic medical center. Patient(s) IVF and IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles having at least one giant oocyte (study group; n=105), matched with cycles without a giant oocyte (external control group). A further subanalysis compared giant oocyte cycles with the next closest cycles within patients (internal control group; n=65). Intervention(s) Standard IVF protocols. Main Outcome Measure(s) Incidence of giant oocytes, fertilization rate, quality of cohort embryos, and pregnancy outcome. Result(s) Out of 97,556 oocytes, 117 (0.12%) were giant. Compared with the external control group, cleavage in the study group was abnormal (increased percentage of 1-cell and 10-cell embryos and decreased percentage of 6-cell and 7-cell embryos), although there was no difference for percentage of embryos with perfect symmetry, fragmentation, or implantation, clinical pregnancy, or ongoing/delivered rate. The study group had two cases of pregnancy termination due to chromosomal abnormalities (4.4%) versus none in external controls. No striking differences in embryo quality existed between the study and internal control groups. Conclusion(s) A giant oocyte is associated with abnormal cleavage in cohort embryos, but not with implantation or pregnancy rates. Giant oocytes occur sporadically and appear not to reflect quality of remaining oocytes in the ovary.
Exploring speed and energy tradeoffs in droplet transport for digital microfluidic biochips

This paper transforms the problem of droplet routing for digital microfluidic biochips (DMFBs) from the discrete into the continuous domain, based on the observation that droplet transport velocity is a function of the actuation voltage applied to electrodes that control the devices. A new formulation of the DMFB droplet routing problem is introduced for the continuous domain, which attempts to minimize total energy consumption while meeting a timing constraint. Henceforth, DMFBs should be viewed as continuous, highly integrated cyber-physical systems that interact with and manipulate physical quantities, as opposed to inherently discrete and fully synchronized devices.
On the transmission of exchange rate fluctuations to the macroeconomy: Contrasting evidence for developing and developed countries

Abstract The paper examines channels of interaction between exchange rate shifts and the macroeconomy. Exchange rate shifts are differentiated into anticipated and unanticipated components. Each component affects the demand and supply sides of the economy. Primarily, exchange rate shifts determine export competitiveness and the cost of imported inputs. The evidence reveals a relatively more important role for the cost channel in determining the real and inflationary effects in developing countries, compared with developed countries. Currency appreciation (depreciation), both anticipated and unanticipated, results in an increase (decrease) in output growth and a reduction (an increase) in price inflation in many developing countries. This evidence indicates the adverse effects of currency depreciation on macroeconomic performance in developing countries. Exchange rate policy should not be used to raise export competitiveness without considering the need for structural reforms in developing countries.
A note on a conjecture by Füredi

In [Z. Furedi, Turan type problems, in: Surveys in Combinatorics, Guildford, 1991, in: London Math. Soc. Lecture Note Ser., vol. 166, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 1991, pp. 253-300, MR1161467 (93d:05072)], Furedi raised a conjecture about the maximum size of L-intersecting families. In this note, we address a variant of this conjecture. In particular, we show that for any Steiner triple system S on [k], there exist a family F of k-sets on [n] with |F| = Ω(n2+e) and such that for every F0 ∈ F the family {F ∩ F0| F ∈ F, F ≠ F0} is isomorphic to S.
Women are at higher risk for failed percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-elevation myocardial infarction

(3+/4+), 8 had mild MR (2+/4+), 20 had trivial MR (1+/4+), and 4 had no MR. Moreover, both EROA (24.4±11.5 vs. 11.2±10.3 mm, Pb.001) and MR index (1.9±0.3 vs 1.3±0.7, Pb.001) showed a significant reduction independent from etiology of MR. Improvement in MR was directly correlated, by means of linear regression, with mean transaortic gradient reduction (Pb.01) but not with the increase in LVEF (P=.08). Subgroups analysis showed a significant reduction in the Edward Sapien group but not in the CoreValve group. Conclusion: MR significantly improves after TAVI. This result is independent from the etiology of the mitral disease and correlates with transaortic gradient reduction.
A Study of Methods for Comparing Several Variances

Abstract A variety of statistics are available for testing the homoscedasticity of several populations. In this article a number of these statistics are compared for power and for stability of error rates. Bartlett's statistic is seen to be very powerful in all the experimental cases considered here. Under a condition of non-normality the only statistic to maintain stable error rates is the one using the logarithmic transformation with the analysis of variance.
Observations on the dentition of the Indriidae

A review of the literature reveals a long history of disagreement on the interpretation of the lower deciduous and permanent dentition of the Indriidae. This disagreement has centered on the existence and/or replacement of a canine as a member of the indriid toothcomb. The presence of a pair of canines in the toothcomb of lemurids and lorisids has rarely been questioned, and there is no evidence to indicate that this interpretation is incorrect. There has, however, been no consistency nor substantiating evidence presented for any interpretation of the indriid toothcomb. By comparing the morphology of the teeth of the lemurid, lorisid, and indriid toothcomb, both deciduous and permanent, comparing the mode of dental development in these three families, identifying the indriid lower deciduous dentition, and by relating the data to an ontogenetic and phylogenetic framework, this study proposes: (1) in all three families, the lateral teeth of the toothcomb are canines, (2) the dental formula for the lower deciduous teeth of indriids is 1.1.4, (3) the dental formula for the lower permanent teeth of indriids is 1.1.2.3, and (4) that decrease in number of incisors during primate evolution was most likely I1 to I2 to I3.
Preliminary comparison of CloudSAT‐derived microphysical quantities with ground‐based measurements for mixed‐phase cloud research in the Arctic

[1] The omnipresent existence of thin, mixed-phase clouds in northern polar latitudes presents special challenges to CloudSAT as it attempts to map radiatively relevant cloudiness around the globe. In this work, retrieved cloud properties of Arctic mixed-phase clouds observed simultaneously in Eureka, Canada by ground-based cloud radar and lidar, and by the CloudSAT Cloud-Profiling Radar (CPR) are compared. Through these comparisons, we evaluate the efficacy of identification of precipitation and assignment of cloud type by the 2B-CLDCLASS product, as well as the accuracy of microphysical retrievals from the 2B-CWC-RO product. These preliminary comparisons result in the following findings with regard to the CloudSAT retrievals: (1) The cloud detection algorithm worked well, detecting all clouds observed from surface based sensors. (2) Precipitation was not well identified, and was often mislabeled as cloud. (3) Both liquid and ice particle number densities retrieved by CloudSAT are found to be 1 to 2 orders of magnitude too high when compared to surface-based retrievals and previous studies of these cloud types. (4) CloudSAT particle effective sizes are often too large, with the exception of the largest particles, which are misidentified as liquid. (5) Water contents show the best agreement between the two retrieval types, as well as with measured values from outside studies. All comparisons were completed for raw liquid and ice retrievals, as well as for “composite” retrievals that partition liquid and ice contributions to measured reflectivity through a temperature-dependent algorithm. Differences found for these limited cases imply that careful analysis is required for application of these cloud products to mixed-phase cloud research. Furthermore, these differences help highlight specific assumptions within the CloudSAT algorithms that are in need of improvement to complete mixed-phase cloud retrievals.
A possible immuno-cryothermic response in prostatic cancer.

Two patients with carcinoma of the prostate were treated by cryo-surgical destruction of the primary tumour: regression of metastases was then observed. The implications of this “immuno-cryothermic response” are discussed.