cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What Matters in Maintaining Effective Open Government Data Systems?: The Role of Government Managerial Capacity, and Political and Legal Environment

This paper aims to identify key institutional factors that contribute to effective open data systems. Rapid advancement in new technologies such as machine learning, algorithms, IoT, and Cloud Computing has amplified the importance of national open data systems. The availability of relevant public data has become a crucial factor in creating sophisticated machine learning platforms or algorithms that will have a considerable impact on national competitiveness. Effective national open data strategies will matter in shaping an environment that will facilitate data production, dissemination, and utilization. Using multiple sources of data that measure the qualities of open data systems and various political, governmental, and legal attributes at the national level, we seek to identify key institutional factors that contribute to robust open data policies and outcomes. Our findings point to the importance of the existence of a national open data strategy and support (especially "open by default" strategy), pre-existing e-government capability, and countries operating under full democracy with its guarantees to civil liberties and political freedom. In addition, the nature of the open data matters as different managerial, political, and demographic conditions affected the quality of different open data systems. Policy implications of our findings are discussed.
Striking a Grotian Moment: How the Syria Airstrikes Changed International Law Relating to Humanitarian Interventions

In the years since the 1999 NATO airstrikes on Serbia to prevent ethnic cleansing of the Kosovar Albanians, international law has been moving in fits and starts toward recognition of a limited right of humanitarian intervention in the absence of Security Council approval. But all the ingredients necessary for the crystallization of customary international law were not present until the April 14, 2018 U.S./French/U.K. airstrikes on Syrian chemical weapons facilities. This article examines the unique features of the April 2018 airstrikes – the context of a crisis of historic proportions, the focus on preventing the use of chemical weapons, the collectivity of the action taken, the limited targets and collateral damage, the explicit invocation of humanitarian intervention by the UK as the legal justification, and the subsequent statements of international support and opposition – and analyzes how the Syrian airstrikes have changed international law concerning humanitarian intervention.
The role of internal control and financial audit in implementing European financed projects from European social fund category

In the beginning we have discussed the role of internal control in implementing European financed projects by the European Social Fund, type POSDRU and PODCA. The paper continues by emphasizing the main requirements presented in ISRS 4400 entitled “Missions based on agreed-upon procedures regarding financial data” for the auditing of ESF financed programs. Later on, we have focused on some defining criteria incorporated in CAFR guides and resolutions for POSDRU type European projects according to the European Directives standards. Furthermore we have analyzed some requirements mentioned in the Beneficiary Manual elaborated by AMPOSDRU and AMPODCA in relation to the audit for POSDRU and PODCA type projects. In the end, we have presented the conclusions and suggestions we have come along as a result of our research.
Contemporary Era of History

The final section covers the 20th and 21st centuries. Marked as one of the bloodiest centuries in history, the presentation and discussion on the 20th century uncovers the major wars and their justifications, as well as their connections to the development of the canon. This section concludes with a preview into the 21st century and the rise of globalization, inequalities, and cultural conflicts surrounding power, economics, social status, politics, and religious fundamentalism.
Transition to an oscillator for double phase-conjugate mirror

Summary form only given. Some of the novel quantified characteristics for double phase conjugate mirrors are analysed including the effects of the nonlinearity on the critical dynamics (approach to saturation) and on the spatial distribution of the grating (large scale distortion of the beams and conjugation fidelity) and sensitivity to noise (seeding). The approach used also clarifies the question of linear instability and predicts a new transition to an oscillatory regime.
Crude protein and amino acid requirements of growing-finishing Holstein steers gaining 1.43 kilograms per day.

Holstein steers (164 kg) were used in a 70-d growing-finishing trial. Treatments were 1) basal diet (85% concentrate); 2) basal diet plus 1.5% blood meal (BM); 3) basal diet plus 3.0% BM and 4) basal diet plus 4.5% BM. Dietary crude protein levels were 12.5, 13.7, 14.8 and 15.9% for Treatments 1 through 4, respectively. Energy intake was restricted to allow for a daily weight gain of 1.43 kg. There were no treatment effects on animal performance. The influence of protein supplementation on characteristics of ruminal and total tract digestion was evaluated in a crossover design experiment involving six ruminally and intestinally cannulated steers (191 kg). Treatments consisted of Diets 1 and 4 of the feeding trial, with chromic oxide added as a digesta marker. There were no treatment effects on ruminal or total tract digestion of organic matter. Blood meal supplementation increased (P less than .01) non-NH3-N passage to the small intestine by 27.3% and N disappearance posterior to the abomasum by 32.5%. Ruminal escape of BM was 83.2%. Extrapolating to the level of intakes achieved in the performance trial, intestinal supplies of non-NH3-N, arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and valine for steers consuming Treatment 1 were 119.5, 42.6, 14.7, 28.5, 49.8, 38.7, 14.1, 27.0, 28.5 and 39.0 g/d, respectively. A dietary crude protein intake of 695 g/d was adequate to meet the amino acid requirements of Holstein calves within the weight range of 163 to 267 kg and gaining 1.48 kg/d.
Relational regulation in the Brazilian Ministério Publico: The organizational basis of regulatory responsiveness

Recent research on regulatory enforcement has been showing that the best way to enforce protective regulations is to thoroughly adapt the remedy to the problem at hand. Unfortunately, this is far from easy, as organizations and work environments all too often encourage street-level bureaucrats to standardize and simplify their practices. In an attempt to bridge this gap, many scholars equate responsiveness to preprogrammed escalation. This article analyzes how the Brazilian Ministerio Publico (MP) promotes a more ambitious form of responsiveness, here called relational regulation. While most of the formal features of the MP encourage routinization, groups of reformist prosecutors identify important cases, recruit external allies, and jointly devise innovative and context-specific solutions to problems of non-compliance. Crucially, this mode of action is not an anomaly, the result of individual proclivities or specific and formal job assignments. Rather, it is systematically produced by a mostly parallel and covert organization that operates within and expands beyond the MP itself. These two logics – routinized and custom-made responses – compete, cooperate, interpenetrate, and find common ground within the same organizational umbrella, and through their interaction they create an enforcement agency that is more robust, reliable, and responsive than allowed by current theory.
Efficient automatic selection and combination of EEG features in least squares classifiers for motor imagery brain-computer interfaces.

Discriminative features have to be properly extracted and selected from the electroencephalographic (EEG) signals of each specific subject in order to achieve an adaptive brain–computer interface (BCI) system. This work presents an efficient wrapper-based methodology for feature selection and least squares discrimination of high-dimensional EEG data with low computational complexity. Features are computed in different time segments using three widely used methods for motor imagery tasks and, then, they are concatenated or averaged in order to take into account the time course variability of the EEG signals. Once EEG features have been extracted, proposed framework comprises two stages. The first stage entails feature ranking and, in this work, two different procedures have been considered, the least angle regression (LARS) and the Wilcoxon rank sum test, to compare the performance of each one. The second stage selects the most relevant features using an efficient leave-one-out (LOO) estimation based on the Allen's PRESS statistic. Experimental comparisons with the state-of-the-art BCI methods shows that this approach gives better results than current state-of-the-art approaches in terms of recognition rates and computational requirements and, also with respect to the first ranking stage, it is confirmed that the LARS algorithm provides better results than the Wilcoxon rank sum test for these experiments.
ELECT++: Faster conformational search method for docking flexible molecules using molecular similarity

We have developed a program, ELECT++ (Effective LEssening of Conformations by Template molecules in C++), to speed up the conformational search for small flexible molecules using the similar property principle. We apply this principle to molecular shape and, importantly, to molecular flexibility. After molecules in a database are clustered according to flexibility and shape (FCLUST++), additional reagents are generated to screen the conformational space of molecules in each cluster (TEMPLATE++). We call these representative reagents of each cluster template reagents. Template reagents and clustered reagents produce, after reaction, template molecules and clustered molecules, respectively (tREACT++). The conformations of a template molecule are searched in the context of a macromolecular target. Acceptable conformational choices are then applied to all molecules in its cluster, thus effectively biasing conformational space to speed up conformational searches (tSEARCH++). In our incremental search method, it is necessary to calculate the root-mean-square deviations (RMSD) matrix of distances between different conformations of the same molecule to reduce the number of conformations. Instead of calculating the RMSD matrix for all molecules in a cluster, the RMSD matrix of a template molecule is chosen as a reference and applied to all the molecules in its cluster. We demonstrate that FCLUST++ clusters the primary amine reagents from the Available Chemicals Directory (ACD) successfully. The program tSEARCH++ was applied to dihydrofolate reductase with virtual molecules generated by tREACT++ using clustered primary amine reagents. The conformational search by the program tSEARCH++ was about 4.8 times faster than by SEARCH++, with an acceptable range of errors. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 1834–1852, 1998
When Duty Calls, Do Citizens Answer?

This article proposes that campaigns can serve a social function by drawing citizens into thinking about politics. Through an analysis of experimental data, the article reports that when subtle reminders of citizen duty appear in campaign discourse, citizens respond. Individuals who are reminded of citizen duty are more likely to learn where the candidates stand on issues, to think more about the candidates, and to search for information in an open-minded way. The results suggest that how citizens think about politics is flexible, rather than fixed, and can be shaped in consequential ways by the nature of elite appeals during election campaigns.
Alteration of the Behavioral Effects of Nicotine by Chronic Caffeine Exposure

The prevalence of tobacco smoking and coffee drinking place nicotine and caffeine among the most used licit drugs in many societies and their consumption is often characterised by concurrent use. The pharmacological basis for any putative interaction between these drugs remains unclear. Some epidemiological reports support anecdotal evidence, which suggests that smokers consume caffeine to enhance the effects of nicotine. This paper reviews various aspects of the pharmacology of caffeine and nicotine, in humans and experimental animals, important for the understanding of the interactions between these drugs. In particular, recent experiments are reviewed in which chronic exposure to caffeine in the drinking water of rats facilitated acquisition of self-adminstration behavior, enhanced nicotine-induced increases in dopamine levels in the shell of the nucleus accumbens and altered the dopaminergic component of a nicotine discrimination. These studies provide evidence that the rewarding and subjective properties of nicotine can be changed by chronic caffeine exposure and indicate that caffeine exposure may be an important environmental factor in shaping and maintaining tobacco smoking.
Cost effectiveness of smoking-cessation therapies. Interpretation of the evidence-and implications for coverage.

Smoking cessation has been called the ‘gold standard’ of healthcare cost effectiveness, producing additional years of life at costs that are well below those estimated for a wide range of healthcare interventions. However, the most effective approaches to smoking cessation are not the most cost effective. As we move from the least resource-intensive interventions (e.g distribution of self-help cessation guides) to those that are most resource-intensive (e.g. medical treatments, including the use of nicotine replacement products), both cost and effectiveness increase, but cost increases more rapidly. Nevertheless, it must be considered that different interventions are effective for different people. Resource-intensive treatments may actually be far more cost effective for many people who may not respond to less-intensive interventions. A considered review of the evidence recommends support of all of the major forms of smoking-cessation intervention; even the most expensive are highly cost effective compared with the majority of medical practices that have been studied. Despite their cost effectiveness, smoking-cessation services are not covered by many healthcare providers. This review concludes that such coverage is warranted, primarily because much less cost-effective secondary and tertiary care is covered, encouraging its utilisation, rather than primary prevention. However, the argument favouring coverage is not as clear-cut as might be assumed. Coverage of smoking cessation amounts to a direct subsidy for smokers who want to quit. It is not health ‘insurance’ in the theoretical meaning of the term. The distinction is important as healthcare systems contemplate future coverage of a range of behaviour-related preventive interventions.
Source Contributions to the Size and Composition Distribution of Atmospheric Particles: Southern California in September 1996

An air quality model that follows the evolution of single particles in the atmosphere has been combined with new emissions measurements and then used to predict the size distribution and chemical composition of the airborne fine particle mixture observed at Long Beach, Fullerton, and Riverside, CA, during September 1996. Model predictions show good agreement with ambient measurements of particle size and chemical composition at all three air monitoring sites. The air quality model is used to separately track individual particles released from different sources as they evolve over time. Four major classes of particles are observed: (1) large mineral dust and road dust particles that accumulate only small amounts of secondary aerosol products; (2) primary combustion particles (released initially from diesel vehicles, noncatalyst gasoline-powered vehicles, and food processing) that grow by accumulation of secondary reaction products; (3) sea salt particles that are almost completely transformed by conversion from NaCl to NaNO_3 during transport across the air basin; and (4) sulfate-containing nonsea salt background particles advected into the air basin from upwind over the ocean. The sulfate-containing nonsea salt background particles have an initial PM2.5 concentration of only 8 μg m^(-3), but they accumulate significant secondary aerosol reaction products to produce a largely nitrate-containing aerosol having a PM2.5 concentration of 40 μg m^(-3) by the time that the air masses studied here reach Riverside, CA.
Bifunctional Adsorbent-Catalytic Nanoparticles for the Refining of Renewable Feedstocks

A hybrid adsorbent-catalytic nanostructured material consisting of aminopropyl groups and nickel nanoparticles immobilized in mesoporous silica nanoparticles (AP-Ni-MSN) was employed to selectively capture free fatty acids (FFAs) and convert them into saturated hydrocarbons. The working principle of these sorbent-catalytic particles was initially tested in the hydrogenation of oleic acid. Besides providing selectivity for the capture of FFAs, the adsorbent groups also affected the selectivity of the hydrogenation reaction, shifting the chemistry from hydrocracking-based (Ni) to hydrotreating-based and improving the carbon economy of the process. This approach was ultimately evaluated by the selective sequestration of FFAs from crude microalgal oil and their subsequent conversion into liquid hydrocarbons, demonstrating the suitability of this design for the refinery of renewable feedstocks.
Definable structures in the lattice of recursively enumerable sets

It will be shown that in the lattice of recursively enumerable sets one can define elementarily with parameters a structure isomorphic to ( ), i.e. isomorphic to the lattice of sets together with a unary predicate selecting out exactly the sets.
In vitro evaluation of activities of azithromycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline against Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Abstract The in vitro activities of azithromycin (CP-62,993; Pfizer), erythromycin, and tetracycline were evaluated by inhibiting Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae, formerly TWAR, propagation in vitro in McCoy cells, HeLa cells, and HL cells. Eleven clinical isolates of C. trachomatis (serovars D, E, F, J, K, and L2) and four strains of C. pneumoniae were tested with an inoculum of 10(3) inclusion-forming units in a 96-well microtiter plate. The MIC ranges of these antimicrobial agents against C. trachomatis were as follows: azithromycin, 0.125 to 0.5 microgram/ml; erythromycin, 0.25 to 0.1 microgram/ml; and tetracycline, 0.0625 to 1.0 microgram/ml. The MBC ranges, calculated from passage into antibiotic-free medium, were as follows: azithromycin, 0.125 to 4.0 micrograms/ml; erythromycin, 0.5 to 8.0 micrograms/ml; and tetracycline, 0.0625 to 4.0 micrograms/ml. The MIC ranges for C. pneumoniae in both HeLa and HL cells were as follows: azithromycin, 0.125 to 1.0 micrograms/ml; erythromycin, 0.0625 to 1.0 microgram/ml; and tetracycline, 0.125 to 1.0 microgram/ml. The MBC ranges were as follows: azithromycin, 0.25 to 1.0 microgram/ml; erythromycin, 0.25 to 1.0 microgram/ml; and tetracycline, 0.125 to 4.0 micrograms/ml. From the results of this in vitro study, azithromycin appears to be an effective antibiotic comparable to tetracycline and erythromycin for use in the treatment of both C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae infections.
Impact of ATRP initiator spacer length on grafting poly(methyl methacrylate) from silica nanoparticles.

We quantified the impact of the carbon spacer length (CSL) of immobilized alkoxysilanes initiators on grafting poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) from the surfaces of monodisperse silica nanoparticles. PMMA was grafted using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), a facile technique to produce well-controlled polymer brushes. The polymerizations were carried out in environmentally friendly 4:1 (v/v) methanol−water solutions at room temperature. Monoethoxysilane initiators of 3, 11, and 15 carbon spacer lengths were synthesized and characterized with 1H NMR and 13C NMR. The initiators were then used to modify the surfaces of monodisperse silica nanoparticles in methyl isobutyl ketone, producing dense initiator monolayers with site densities between 1.8−3.6 initiators/nm2. PMMA was subsequently grafted from the functionalized nanoparticles using both CuCl and CuBr catalysts. We found that polymerizations performed with CuBr were uncontrolled, whereas those with CuCl were controlled. ...
Coalbed Methane Multicomponent 3-D Reservoir Characterization Study, Cedar Hill Field, San Juan Basin, New Mexico

The ability to detect zones of tectonically enhanced fracture permeability can reduce risk and uncertainty in coalbed methane development. At the western side of Cedar Hill Field, San Juan Basin, New Mexico, enhanced natural fracture permeability occurs at fault block intersections where wrench fault tectonics caused extensional fractures to develop. Enhanced fracture zones in the coalbeds, characterized by a multicomponent 3-D seismic survey acquired through the Colorado School of Mines Reservoir Characterization Project, have been confirmed in the Hamilton No. 3R well. The well hit a naturally fractured zone at a fault block intersection interpreted on the multicomponent 3-D survey. A cavity completion in the well increased the drainage area to the wellbore and linked it to the open fracture system in the coalbed reservoir. As a result, the well is now the most prolific in the field, producing 5 MMCFD. Pressure tests in the well indicate that the drainage area of the reservoir is limited to 100 acres. Compartmentalization has been further confirmed by ongoing reservoir simulation studies. Trends of higher well productivity in the Cedar Hill Field correspond to zones of lower in situ stress. Seismic characterization of enhanced permeability and pressure compartments from multicomponent 3-D surveys will maximize recovery and minimize risk in coalbed methane development at Cedar Hill Field and elsewhere in the basin.
On the dimension of bivariate spline spaces of smoothnessr and degreed=3r+1

We consider the well-known spaces of bivariate piecewise polynomials of degreed defined over arbitrary triangulations of a polygonal domain and possessingr continuous derivatives globally. To date, dimension formulae for such spaces have been established only whend?3r+2, (except for the special case wherer=1 andd=4). In this paper we establish dimension formulae for allr?1 andd=3r+1 for almost all triangulations.
Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Enhances Endothelial Cell Proliferation via Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Release

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma is currently being investigated for a wide range of clinical applications, including skin sterilization, blood coagulation [1, 2], malignant cell apoptosis [1], and wound healing [1]. However, the effect of non-thermal plasma on the vasculature is unclear. Blood vessels are affected during plasma treatment of all tissues, and vessels themselves may be an important potential target for clinical plasma therapy.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
The mechanism of the S1 → T1 electronic energy relaxation process in tetrachlorobenzene

Abstract The low field Zeeman effect on the 0,0 band phosphorescence intensity is studied for tetrachlorobenzene (TCB) in durene at 1.6 K. The observed results can best be accounted for by assuming a direct S 1 → T 1 mechanisms for the intersystem crossing process in this molecule. From this result and the symmetry of the most populated zero-field level, the most effective promoting mode is concluded to be of b zg symmetry. The observed phosphorescence spectrum might suggest this mode to be the C-Cl out-of-plane vibration.
Post-operative delay in return of function following guided growth tension plating and use of corrective physical therapy

Abstract Purpose Guided growth has long been used to treat growth deformities, but the Eight-Plate® system has recently become more widely used by pediatric orthopaedists. Because the current literature lacks evaluation of functional status in the immediate post-operative period, we investigated functional status following use of the Eight-Plate® system. Methods We evaluated post-operative delay in return of function following treatment with the Eight-Plate® system at two weeks after surgery. Fifty-one consecutive patients with a growth deformity were treated with the Eight-Plate® system. Patients were comprised of 32 male and 19 female patients with an average age of 11 years (range 2–17.9 years). Results Among study participants, 19 patients (37.3 %) had post-operative delay of function. The rate of delayed function for patients 10 years of age or younger and 11 years of age or older was respectively 11.8 and 50 % (P = 0.002). Six of the 19 patients were treated with four or more plates, of which five p...
Synthesis and utility of 5-thiocyanato deoxyuridine and uridine phosphoramidites as masked synthons

Abstract 5-Thiocyanato-2′-deoxyuridine and 5-thiocyanato-uridine phosphoramidites have been synthesized and incorporated into DNA and RNA trimers via automated methodology. The SCN group has been removed with DTT treatment, and a photocrosslinking aryl azide has been added to the DNA trinucleotide through the resulting thiol group.
Type design patterns for computer mathematics

Proof assistants such as the Coq system have traditionally been a laboratory for exotic type features such as dependent and computable types, and first-class type classes. Although these features have been introduced independently, it turns out they can be com-bined in novel and nontrivial ways to solve some of the more challenging problems posed by the formalization of advanced mathematics. Many of these patterns could also be useful for general programming.
Rate laws for the U(IV)-U(VI) exchange reaction in aqueous-organic mixed solvent systems

Abstract Rate laws have been written and discussed for the U(IV)-U(VI) exchange reaction in the following mixed solvents: 30, 60, 90, and 98 volume per cent ethanol-water; 30, 60, 90, and 98 volume per cent ethylene glycol-water; and 30, 60, and 90 volume per cent acetone-water.
Neurotoxicity of quinolinic acid and its derivatives in hypoxic rat hippocampal slices

Abstract The excitotoxicity of quinolinic acid (2, 3-pyridinedicar☐ylic acid), a potent endogenousN-methyl- D -aspartate (NMDA)-type agonist, was characterized in the hypoxic hippocampal slice preparation. A series of other pyridinedicar☐ylic acids was also tested in this preparation in order to obtain information about the structural requirements for the interaction between the NMDA receptor and its agonists. Of the 7 pyridinedicar☐ylic acids tested, only quinolinic acid and its anhydride exerted their excitotoxicity by enhancing hypoxic neuronal damage in rat hippocampal slices at a relatively low concentration (100 μM). Much higher concentration (1 mM) of 3, 4-pyridinedicar☐ylic acid was required to exhibit any enhancement of hypoxic neuronal damage. The rest of the derivatives were innocuous. The effect of quinolinic acid was blocked by DL -2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid, by elevated magnesium levels in the incubation medium or by perfusion with a medium depleted of calcium. Aglycemic damage was also enhanced by quinolinic acid. It appears from the present study that two adjacent car☐ylic groups on the pyridine ring, preferably at positions 2 and 3, are a prerequisite for an interaction between the NMDA receptor and its agonist. However, other factors may have great influence on that interaction as was evident from the total impotency of 6-methyl-quinolinic acid. The hypoxic hippocampal slice preparation and its neuronal function is an inexpensive model system, sensitized to the neurotoxins, and thus, allows the easy screening and evaluation of potential ligands of the glutamate receptor and its subtypes.
Radioimmunoassay of prolactin in the urine of mouse and man.

There are detectable amounts of prolactin (PRL) in unextracted urine. The urinary excretion of PRL appears to be greater in men than in women, greater in C3H/St mice than in C57BL/St. It is suggested that in certain situations measuring the hormone in urine may provide useful information.
Introduction of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates into intact cells by electroporation

Abstract A simple method, employing high-voltage electric discharge (electroporation), was developed to introduce phosphorylated nucleosides into the cytoplasm of viable cells. HL-60 leukemia cells permeabilized by this technique remained viable and incorporated deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates into nuclear DNA. Furthermore, DNA synthesis was depressed for at least 24 h in HL-60 cells made permeable to 1-β- d -arabinosylcytosine 5′-triphosphate by this methodology. Electroporation was found to be applicable to the permeabilization of a wide variety of cell lines in culture to nucleotides, suggesting that this methodology may be useful for the introduction into intact cells of a wide variety of molecules that are not normally transported effectively.
Development of acetylchilinesterase during embryogenesis of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis.

We have characterized the embryonic muscle cell cholinesterase of the solitary ascidian, Ciona intestinalis (L.). The effects of selective enzyme inhibitors and the inhibition of enzyme activity at high concentrations of substrate suggest that the muscle cell enzyme is an acetylcholinesterase (E.C. 3.1.1.7). After gastrulation and before hatching, acetylcholinesterase activity increased 35- to 40-fold; after hatching (18 hours postfertilization) this activity continued to increase, leveling off at about 36 hours of development. Histochemical observations showed that before hatching acetylcholinesterase was located principally in the muscle cells of the tail and, after hatching, it began to develop in cells of the adult musculature and brain. Inhibition of protein syntnesis by puromycin and of RNA synthesis by actinomycin D, suggest that both protein and RNA synthesis were required for the increase in acetylcholinesterase activity observed in unhatched embryos. Although the continued increase in enzyme activity duirng embryonic development was sensitive to puromycin at all times tested, the actinomycin D sensitivity of this increase was restricted to a discrete time that was completed by about 11 hours of development.
Serum‐free conditions for the growth of avian granulocyte and monocyte clones and primary leukemic cells induced by AMV, and the apparent conversion of granulocytic progenitors into monocytic cells by a factor in chicken serum

The supportive activity of chicken serum for the soft-agar growth of chicken granulocyte and monocyte clones could be replaced with defined ingredients [bovine serum albumin (BSA), conalbumin, selenium, linoleic acid and for routine work, a liquid soy lecithin preparation (59% phospholipids, 39% linoleic acid, and less than 2% of inositol and choline)]. The lecithin preparation could be replaced with L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine. The source of colony-stimulating factor was medium conditioned by fibroblasts cultured under protein-free conditions. AMV-induced leukemic cells could be cloned under identical conditions. In the presence of both chicken serum (10%) and the replacement ingredients, most of the proliferative clones produced were monocytic (84%). In the presence of serum alone, all of them were monocytic. Under serum-free conditions, all the clones produced were granulocytic when a day-3 conditioned medium (CM) was used; monocytic ones were also present when a day-6 CM was used. When the serum was serially diluted in the presence of the replacement ingredients, the number of proliferative monocytic clones progressively decreased while the number of proliferative granulocytic clones progressively increased and the kinetics of each were essentially the same, only opposite in direction. Moreover, the total number of proliferative clones did not change more than 33% at any dilution (or in the absence of serum). We postulate the existence in the chick system of a serum macrophage differentiation factor (M-DF) which converts early granulocytic progenitors (or exclusively diverts a common progenitor) into monocytic cells.
Control-Structure Integrated Design with Closed-Form Design Metrics Using Physical Programming

The technological area of Control-Struc ture Integrated Design (CSID) has witnessed significant evolution over the past decade and a half. This paper builds on recent developments in the area of computational optimization, and on new analytical methods developed herein, to make three distinct but synergistic contributions. First, this paper explores the application of the Physical Programming optimization method to the CSID problem. Second, a new approach is developed for the closed-form evaluation of time-domain performance metrics for highorder systems (e.g., settling-time). Third, a method for design-variable-linking that uses splines is proposed and is shown to be computationally beneficial while also leading to more physically meaningful structural designs. The numerical results obtained for a controlled idealized rotating structure suggest that the analytical developments of this paper might have practical applicability
Studies of the Mo(V) Center of the Y343F Mutant of Human Sulfite Oxidase by Variable Frequency Pulsed EPR Spectroscopy

The Mo(V) forms of the Tyr343Phe (Y343F) mutant of human sulfite oxidase (SO) have been investigated by continuous wave (CW) and variable frequency pulsed EPR spectroscopies as a function of pH. The CW EPR spectrum recorded at low-pH (∼6.9) has g-values similar to those known for the low-pH form of the native vertebrate SO (original lpH form); however, unlike the spectrum of original lpH SO, it does not show any hyperfine splittings from a nearby exchangeable proton. The detailed electron spin echo (ESE) envelope modulation (ESEEM) and pulsed electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) experiments also did not reveal any nearby protons that could belong to an exchangeable ligand at the molybdenum center. These results suggest that under low-pH conditions the active site of Y343F SO is in the “blocked” form, with the Mo(V) center coordinated by sulfate. With increasing pH the EPR signal from the “blocked” form decreases, while a signal similar to that of the original lpH form appears and becomes the dominant signal at pH >9. In addition, both the CW EPR and ESE-detected field-sweep spectra reveal a considerable contribution from a signal similar to that usually detected for the high-pH form of native vertebrate SO (original hpH form). The nearby exchangeable protons in both of the component forms observed at high-pH were studied by the ESEEM spectroscopy. These results indicate that the Y343F mutation increases the apparent pKa of the transition from the lpH to hpH forms by ∼2 pH units.
Comparison of semiquantitative and quantitative techniques for the assessment of prevalent and incident vertebral fractures

To compare visual semiquantitative (SQ) reading and quantitative morphometry (QM) for assessing prevalent and incident vertebral fractures, radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine were evaluated in 400 (only baseline films) and 335 (baseline and follow-up films) postmenopausal women with osteopenia as defined by aT-score of less than 2 SD below young normals. QM was performed using different cutoff thresholds, and the SQ reading was performed by three radiologists independently. A joint consensus reading of the radiographs by all participating radiologists was used as a reference standard. Our results indicate that the concordance within SQ methods is excellent, and it is higher than that between SQ and QM regardless of the cutoff criteria used. This finding was consistent for the diagnosis of prevalent as well as incident vertebral fractures. For prevalent fractures the use of the 2.5 SD cutoff criterion provided the highest concordance with the consensus reading and with the radiologists' reading, thereby providing high sensitivity (70.23%) with moderate specificity (98.76%) relative to the consensus reading when compared with the 3 SD or 4 SD cutoff criteria. For the diagnosis of incident vertebral fractures the best agreement between our consensus reading and QM was found for an absolute reduction of 6 mm and for a combination of relative and absolute reduction of 15% and 3 mm in vertebral height. The respective sensitivities and specificities for the two criteria were 51%/99.9% and 75.4%/98.9%, respectively. Even though the consensus reading may favor the reader's evaluation over QM, the assessment of prevalent and incident fractures using QM alone may not be sufficiently reliable for detection of vertebral fractures in epidemiological studies and clinical trials. It should be performed principally in conjunction with a trained radiologist or a highly experienced clinician.
Beyond Addresses: IPv6 Value for the GIG

This paper provides responses to some common misconceptions about the value of IPv6 for DoD and the information industry at large. It then describes net-centric benefits of implementing IPv6 with the emphasis on machine-to-machine communications in two environments. IPv6-based "large machines", defined here as having reliable power supply and adequate processing capacity, are making their way into mobile and grid communications. In contrast, while the multiplicity of sensors and other "small machines" makes them perfect candidates for IPv6-based networking, their limitations in processing and transmission power require new architecture approaches. The paper reviews IPv6 standardization work in the global grid forum and IETF and emerging IPv6 applications. It then affirms the strategic value of the GIG transition to IPv6.
CO monolayer oxidation at Pt(100) probed by potential step measurements in comparison to Pt(111) and Pt nanoparticle catalyst

Abstract The oxidation of CO adsorbed to high coverage on Pt(1 0 0) electrodes in 0.5 M H2SO4 is investigated through comparative measurements with Pt(1 1 1). In potential step experiments, current–time transients recorded during CO oxidation on Pt(1 1 1) display the same peak times and adherence to a Langmuir–Hinshelwood (LH) model for adsorbed CO electrochemical oxidation as literature benchmarks. For potentials in the vicinity of 0.8–0.9 V (versus a reversible hydrogen electrode reference), CO oxidation was faster on ordered Pt(1 0 0) electrodes than on Pt(1 1 1), and responses for ordered Pt(1 0 0) were close to, but somewhat more complicated than those predicted by the LH model. On Pt(1 0 0) with defects intentionally introduced by eliminating H2 gas from the cooling atmosphere, current–time transients recorded during CO monolayer oxidation showed tailing at long times and responses similar to those for the reaction over nanometer-scale (
CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS AND SUPPORT FOR INSTRUCTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

This study focused on the level of perceived commitment for instructional improvement among 2‐year college chief academic officers (CAOs). A second aspect of the research was to determine if the level of perceived commitment to instructional effectiveness differed between 2‐year and 4‐year CAOs and, if so, in what ways. Data were collected through mail surveys to 1,243 2‐year college CAOs. Survey data from 712 community college CAOs confirmed limited support and commitment among these respondents for instructional effectiveness in their institutions. A comparison of these data with data collected from an earlier study of 1,328 4‐year college chief academic officers showed that both types of administrators reported a relatively low level of perceived commitment to activities designed to improve the teaching/learning process. In a number of instances, 4‐year college and university CAOs reported higher levels of support for specific instructional improvement activities than their 2‐year college counterparts.
Lycopene and apo-10′-lycopenal do not alter DNA methylation of GSTP1 in LNCaP cells

DNA hypermethylation and silencing of tumor-suppressor genes are commonly seen in human cancers, and likely contribute to the process of carcinogenesis. A growing body of evidence suggests that dietary compounds may alter cancer risk through epigenetic modifications. Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) is hypermethylated in >90% of prostate cancer cases making it one of the most common genome alterations in prostate cancer. LNCaP cells were treated either with lycopene or apo-10′-lycopenal for 7 days, and mRNA expression and DNA methylation of GSTP1 were evaluated. Neither compound significantly altered expression nor methylation of GSTP1 while treatment with 5-azacytidine decreased methylation by 78%. These findings demonstrate that lycopene and apo-10′-lycopenal are not effective demethylating agents of GSTP1 in the human LNCaP cell line.
Introduction to Atlantic Approaches on Resistance Against Slavery in the Americas

This article provides an overview of this thematic collection of four studies focusing on various forms of resistance against slavery in different regions of the Americas. The authors examine unexplored aspects of individual and collective actions led by enslaved men and women, by developing a broad definition of resistance that does not always encompass violence, but also includes cultural and religious forms of resistance. Using several kinds of primary sources and approaching resistance from an Atlantic perspective, the authors examine slave rebellions, runaway slave communities, slave and abolitionist networks, as well as African religious traditions.
In Vivo and In Vitro Characterization of the Sequence Requirement for Oligomer Formation of Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase IIα

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II) is a multifunctional serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates ion channels, metabolic enzymes, cytoskeletal proteins, and possibly transcription factors. CaMK II holoenzymes have been shown to be large oligomers built from eight or more subunits. The oligomeric structure of CaMK II is required for a critical trans-autophosphorylation step by which each subunit traps bound calmodulin and renders the enzyme partially active in the absence of Ca2+/calmodulin. Here we define a minimal C-terminal domain of alphaCaMK II that is necessary and sufficient for oligomerization. The oligomeric structure of alphaCaMK II deletion mutants was investigated in vitro by gel filtration chromatography and in living cells by measuring nuclear exclusion and diffusion coefficients of green fluorescent protein-tagged mutants. These studies showed that a C-terminal region of alphaCaMK II of 135 amino acids is sufficient for oligomer formation. Oligomer formation was abolished by further C-terminal and N-terminal deletions, indicating that the same region is not only sufficient but also necessary for oligomerization. Thus, an oligomerization domain of only 15 kDa is sufficient to build the circular structure of CaMK II holoenzyme.
Analysis methods for comparison of multiple molecular dynamics trajectories: applications to protein unfolding pathways and denatured ensembles.

In molecular dynamics simulations of protein unfolding, the pathway of one protein molecule is studied at a time. In contrast, experimental denaturation studies sample from large ensembles of molecules passing from the native to unfolded state. If reasonable comparisons with experiment are to be made, then the generality of the simulations needs to be confirmed by performing multiple unfolding simulations. Given that protein unfolding trajectories are very complicated functions of the proteins and the environment, comparing different trajectories, even under the same conditions, is not straightforward. Several methods are presented here that attempt to accomplish this task at different levels of complexity. The simpler methods are geometry based and make use of the root-mean-squared deviations between structures, while the more complicated methods are based on the time variation of the various properties of the system during the unfolding process. These methods are applied to multiple simulations of three different proteins, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, chymotrypsin inhibitor 2, and barnase. In general, for these three proteins protein unfolding proceeded via expansion of the core and fraying of secondary structure to yield the major transition state. Once past the transition state, the trajectories for a given protein diverged as the protein lost further secondary and tertiary structure by a variety of mechanisms. Although the unfolding pathways diverged, similar conformations were populated in the denatured state even when the unfolding occurred via different pathways. The multitude of different pathways leading to the denatured state agrees with the funnel description of protein folding. Although the pathways differed in conformational space, the physical properties of the conformations were often similar, highlighting the danger of assuming that similar observed properties imply similar conformations. In fact, there may be many different "conformational pathways" of unfolding that fit within a preferred "property space pathway".
Parental response to written eczema action plans in children with eczema.

The treatment of eczema in the pediatric population can be a complex and dynamic process. A typical care plan may include over-the-counter and prescription topical agents, oral medications, as well as bathing and dietary recommendations. Inevitable disease fluctuations demand treatment modification and thus parental and patient confusion can easily occur. Unsurprisingly, adherence in eczema management is poor and has been reported to be as low as 32% with simple regimens.1 Similar to eczema, asthma is a fluctuating disease with evolving treatment plans. To address this, written asthma action plans provide an educational framework for disease self-management and are effective at improving adherence and decreasing exacerbations.2, 3 Previous studies have suggested that an individualized written Eczema Action Plan (EAP) has the potential to serve as a specific treatment guideline that addresses each patient’s fluctuating treatment regimen.4,5 In this quality improvement study, we hypothesize that EAPs would be well-received by parents and improve their treatment confidence, particularly when managing eczema flares.
Development and psychometric properties of the Washington Primary Care Interest Inventory

Purpose To describe the development of the Washington Primary Care Interest Inventory (WPCII), which was designed to assess attitudes toward what constitutes appropriate psychosocial concerns for visiting a family physician, and to demonstrate the relationship between these attitudes and specialty selection in matriculating medical students. Method Five entering classes of medical students (1990 to 1995, without 1992) at the University of Washington were administered the WPCII during orientation. Reliability, factor, and predictive validity analyses were performed to measure the utility of the WPCII. Results Factor analysis revealed three interpretable factors to underlie the WPCII: stressors, physical complaints, and familial complaints. Scales developed from these factors correlated with students' early career preferences and showed significant differences across students who were selected under different interviewing formats. Differences between the sexes were found for both specific items and scales. Conclusion The WPCII is a reliable and valid measure of attitudes toward the appropriateness of family physicians' treating psychosocial complaints. These attitudes have implications for the selection of medical students, curriculum development, assessment, and health education research.