cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression and site-directed mutagenesis of hepatic glucokinase

Soluble rat liver glucokinase was expressed at high levels at 22 degrees C in the BL21(DE3)pLysS strain of Escherichia coli. Aspartate-211 of yeast hexokinase has been implicated as a catalytic residue from crystallographic data. The corresponding residue in rat liver glucokinase, aspartate-205, was mutated to alanine and the expressed mutant had 1/500th of the activity of the wild type, with no change in the Km values for glucose or ATP. The results support a role for this residue as a base catalyst in the glucokinase reaction and, most probably, a similar role in the reactions of all members of the hexokinase family.
Vitamin E supplementation strategies during feedlot receiving: effects on beef steer performance, antibody response to vaccination, and antioxidant defense1

This study utilized 204 Angus-based beef steers (249 ± 23 kg SD) from a single ranch with initial serum α-tocopherol concentrations of 3.9 ± 1.0 mg/L to determine the effect of varying doses of vitamin E (VE) on feedlot performance, antibody response to vaccination, and antioxidant defense. Seven days after arrival, steers were blocked by body weight and weaning protocol (preweaned, unweaned heavy, and unweaned light) and randomly assigned to pens within blocks (12 pens per block). Preweaned steers had been weaned for approximately 35 d prior to arrival, and unweaned steers were weaned when leaving the origin ranch. Pens within block were randomly assigned to supplemental VE (ROVIMIX E-50 Adsorbate, DSM Nutritional Products, Heerlen, The Netherlands) treatments (n = 9 pens per treatment): no supplemental VE (CON), 25 IU/kg dry matter (DM; LOW), 500 IU per steer daily (MED), or 1,000 IU per steer daily (HIGH). Back-calculated supplemental VE intake was 0, 151 (24.8 IU/kg DM), 484, and 995 IU/d for CON, LOW, MED, and HIGH, respectively. On day 6, all steers received a booster vaccine against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV; Bovi-Shield Gold, One Shot, Zoetis, Parsippany, NJ). Steers were weighed on day -1, 0, 14, 26, and 27. One steer per pen representative of the average body weight of the pen was chosen as a sampling animal for blood (day -1, 6, 14, 26, and 28) and liver (day -3 and 24). Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design using Proc Mixed of SAS with pen as the experimental unit and the fixed effects of treatment and block. Linear, quadratic, and cubic contrast statements were constructed using Proc IML; morbidity data were analyzed using Proc Glimmix. Day 24 liver and day 26 serum α-tocopherol concentrations were linearly increased by supplemental VE (P < 0.01). Supplemental VE did not affect DM intake, average daily gain, or gain:feed from day 0 to 27 (P ≥ 0.37), or the percentage of steers treated for respiratory disease (P ≥ 0.44). Day 24 liver glutathione concentrations decreased linearly due to supplemental VE (P ≤ 0.02). Total- and Mn-superoxide dismutase activities were quadratically affected by supplemental VE (P ≤ 0.07), with MED steers exhibiting the greatest activity. Over time, BVDV type 1 and 2 antibody titers numerically decreased, whereas the decrease in BVDV type 1 titers was lesser for HIGH steers (linear P = 0.04). Increasing doses of VE improved VE status but did not affect overall receiving period performance in steers with minimal to adequate VE status upon arrival.
Augmented Spatial Modulation (ASM): Secure and Efficient IoT Compatible MIMO Based VLC Links

Spatial Modulation (SM) is a renowned multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique for its high spectral efficiency, when compared to repetition coding, and its receiver simplicity compared to that of spatial multiplexing (SMP). Thus, SM is a strong contender to meet the demands of high throughput and low complexity Internet-of-Things (IoT) use cases. Still, SM performance significantly suffers when spatial channels are highly correlated as in the case of visible light communications (VLC). For the first time, we propose augmented SM (ASM) for high throughput and low complexity IoT devices using VLC. ASM tackles the dilemma of reliability in determining the transmitter index without scarifying spectral efficiency, while adding an extra degree of physical-layer (PHY) security. The concept behind ASM is that it allows each transmitter element to have its own identity that is embedded in the transmitted signal and can only be decoded by a legitimate IoT receiver. Hence, on top of the conventional SM throughput, ASM allows a reliable estimation of the transmitter index, independent of channel conditions, and offers an additional layer of security in the PHY layer by design. Results show above 96% accuracy in estimating transmitter’s identity even at a signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) values as low as 12 dBm. The bit-error-rate (BER) performance is also validated using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and at different modulation orders. Additionally, the results prove that ASM enforces the BER of an eavesdropper to be above 10−1, hence eradicating illegitimate data reception.
Behavioural profiling of autism connectivity abnormalities.

Background Brain regions are functionally diverse, and a given region may engage in a variety of tasks. This functional diversity of brain regions may be one factor that has prevented the finding of consistent biomarkers for brain disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thus, methods to characterise brain regions would help to determine how functional abnormalities contribute to affected behaviours. Aims As the first illustration of the meta-analytic behavioural profiling procedure, we evaluated how the regions with disrupted connectivity in ASD contributed to various behaviours. Method Connectivity abnormalities were determined from a published degree centrality group comparison based on functional magnetic resonance imaging data from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange. Using BrainMap's database of task-based neuroimaging studies, behavioural profiles were created for abnormally connected regions by relating these regions to tasks activating them. Results Hyperconnectivity in ASD brains was significantly related to memory, attention, reasoning, social, execution and speech behaviours. Hypoconnectivity was related to vision, execution and speech behaviours. Conclusions The procedure outlines the first clinical neuroimaging application of a behavioural profiling method that estimates the functional diversity of brain regions, allowing for the relation of abnormal functional connectivity to diagnostic criteria. Behavioural profiling and the computational insights it provides can facilitate better understanding of the functional manifestations of various disorders, including ASD.
Academic librarian burnout: A survey using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI)

In the Spring of 2018, the authors administered the highly validated and reliable Copenhagen Burnout Inventory work-related sub-scale to 1,628 academic librarians employed within the United States....
Scaling transformative change in America's community colleges through TAACCCT

Ensuring that the federal investment in [Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training] TAACCCT has a lasting legacy is important to community colleges and the nation. Exploring the notion of transformative change, this chapter describes research and development associated with the Transformative Change Initiative (TCI), including seven guiding principles to sustain and scale change in community colleges. The TCI was used to support research and development to scale reforms and innovations funded by TAACCCT. Using this framework, four cases are presented from Round 1 TAACCCT grants, designed to impact outcomes for underserved student populations.
Deliberation and Global Criminal Justice: Juries in the International Criminal Court

This paper argues that the World Court periodically convene global juries and provides both a philosophical justification and suggestions for how to handle the logisitical complexities of such a body.
Inequality within a System of Entangled Political Economy: Reflections on Mikayla Novak’S Disentanglement of Fact and Value

In Inequality: An Entangled Political Economy Perspective, Mikayla Novak takes the analysis of inequality in a new direction by exploring the tension between fact and value that pervades most analyses of inequality. Novak offers new insights into the entangled character of political economic systems. It is customary to treat those systems as operating independently of one another, but Novak recognizes that this customary treatment leads thought astray. Inequality is a fact of social life, and a useful one at that, though Novak also recognizes the problematic qualities that can stem from inequality, while also recognizing that some of those qualities are intensified and not softened by political action. The overall thrust of Novak’s Inequality is to generate a deeper understanding of how it is that many of the traditional concerns about inequality are more effectively treated by an expansion of economic liberty than by a continued injection of political domination into society.
Policing gentrification or policing displacement? Testing the relationship between order maintenance policing and neighbourhood change in Los Angeles:

Urban scholars increasingly contend that local police departments play a central role in facilitating neighbourhood change. Recent critics warn that ‘order maintenance’ policing and other low-level...
Device Non-Ideality Effects and Architecture-Aware Training in RRAM In-Memory Computing Modules

We studied factors that could degrade model performance in analog RRAM in-memory-computing (IMC) systems, including limited array size, ADC resolution, on/off ratio, and device conductance variations. Different levels of architecture-aware training methods were developed to mitigate these factors and allow the system to achieve accuracy comparable to floating-point baseline with realistic device parameters.
Probing and pushing the limit of emerging electronic materials via van der Waals integration

The continued scaling of silicon-based electronics is quickly approaching its fundamental material limit, which has motivated worldwide efforts in exploring new electronic materials and unconventional device architectures. In particular, two-dimensional (2D) atomic crystals, halide perovskites, and self-assembled molecular monolayers represent prominent examples of emerging electronic materials with significant promise for the continued miniaturization or function diversification. However, probing the fundamental transport properties and capturing the intrinsic merits of these emerging electronic materials are not always straightforward because they are usually delicate and prone to degradation during the conventional material integration and device fabrication steps. To this end, an alternative bond-free integration strategy, in which the pre-synthesized/fabricated material components are physically transferred and assembled together through weak van der Waals (vdW) force, offers a mild process for seamlessly combining highly disparate materials to form artificial heterostructures with atomically clean and electronically sharp interfaces, enabling the creation of high-performance devices for probing and pushing the limit of the emerging electronic materials. In this article, we summarize the efforts in our laboratory over the past 12 years, in developing, optimizing, and expanding the vdW integration strategy for creating and investigating high-performance devices from 2D atomic crystals, soft lattice halide perovskites, and self-assembled molecular monolayers. We also discuss how flexible vdW integration may enable a new generation of artificial materials, including vdW superlattices, vdW thin films or 3D frameworks. We conclude with a brief prospect on the critical challenges and emerging opportunities arising with this unique material integration strategy.
From the Root to the SUM: Reflections on Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in Mathematics

My focus in this reflection is on the role of mathematics teacher education in the preparation of culturally relevant teachers for urban schools. Drawing from the sociology of urban mathematics edu...
A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Factors Associated with Appointment Completion and Visit Modality during Virtual Urology Visits

AbstractIntroduction:The necessary transition to telehealth during COVID-19 generated new challenges for providers and patients, with the opportunity to exacerbate or mitigate standing care inequit...
Funding Conservation in Idaho: A Survey of Federal, State & Local Resources Assisting Conservation on Private Lands

The purpose of this publication is to provide a guide to the most common funding resources available for conservation on private land in Idaho. Conservation funding sources discussed include: North American Wetlands Conservation Act; Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund; Partners for Fish and Wildlife Fund; Recovery Land Acquisition Grants; Land and Water Conservation Fund; National Fish Passage Program; Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation; Environmental Quality Incentives Program; Forest Legacy Program; the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements; Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easements; Bonneville Power Administration – Wildlife Mitigation; Conservation Stewardship Program; Clean Water Act § 319 Funds; Boise City Foothills Levy; and Blaine County Land, Water and Wildlife Program.The publication also introduces the major federal and state agencies, as well as most land trusts, working on private land conservation efforts in Idaho. This publication was a project of the Unversity of Idaho College of Law Economic Development Clinic in association with the Idaho Coalition of Land Trusts.
Computing intramolecular charge and energy transfer rates using optimal modes

In our recent work [X. Yang and E. R. Bittner, J. Phys. Chem. A 118, 5196 (2014)], we showed how to construct a reduced set of nuclear motions that capture the coupling between electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom over the course of an electronic transition. We construct these modes, referred to as “Lanczos modes,” by applying a search algorithm to find linear combinations of vibrational normal modes that optimize the electronic/nuclear coupling operator. Here, we analyze the irreducible representations of the dominant contributions of these modes and find that for the cases considered here, these belong to totally symmetric irreducible representations of the donor and acceptor moieties. Upon investigating the molecular geometry changes following the transition, we propose that the electronic transition process can be broken into two steps, in the agreement of Born-Oppenheimer approximation: a fast excitation transfer occurs, facilitated by the “primary Lanczos mode,” followed by slow nuclear relaxation on the final electronic diabatic surface.
Media streaming over mobile networks

Summary form only given. Robust multimedia transmission over wireless channels is a challenging problem due to the high bit error rate (BER) and its impact on compressed media quality. We propose an adaptive quality-of-service control scheme to achieve end-to-end image and video quality improvement with the following two new components: (1) an optimal mode decision algorithm that provides the best tradeoff between compression efficiency and error-resilience in rate-distortion (R-D) sense, which works in the compression layer; and (2) delay-constrained hybrid ARQ capable of reducing the residual BER for the compression layer while guaranteeing delay bound and achieving high throughput. Simulation results for MPEG4 video are demonstrated to show the effectiveness of the new scheme. We believe the proposed approach provide a promising technology for streaming rich media contents over emerging mobile networks such as 3G wireless framework.
Lidocaine, quinidine, and theophylline binding to human milk

Lidocaine, quinidine, and theophylline binding to normal pooled mature human milk was determined using equilibrium dialysis at 4 degrees C. Binding to milk was compared with binding to pooled human serum. The observed binding was related to the relative lipid solubility of each drug in milk. The potential for the excretion of each drug into milk was also evaluated.
Social Cognition and Aging

Contributors. Foreword. F. Blanchard-Fields and T.M. Hess, The Social Cognitive Perspective and the Study of. Focus on Self: L.M. Soederberg-Miller and M.E. Lachman, The Sense of Control and Cognitive Aging: Toward a Model of Mediational Processes. C. Hertzog, T.T. Lineweaver, and C.L. McGuire, Beliefs About Memory and Aging. J.M. Berry, Memory Self-Efficacy in Its Social Cognitive Context. K. Hooker, Possible Selves in Adulthood: Incorporating Telenomic Relevance into Studies of the Self. J. Brandtstadter, Sources of Resilience in the Aging Self: Toward Integrating Perspectives. J.M. Fitzgerald, Autobiographical Memory and Social Cognition: Development of the Remembered Self in Adulthood. Section II. Focus on Others: M.L. Hummert, A Social Cognitive Perspective on Age Stereotypes. J.T. Erber and I.G. Prager, Age and Memory: Perceptions of Forgetful Young and Older Adults. F. Blanchard-Fields, Social Schematicity and Causal Attributions. T.M. Hess, Cognitive and Knowledge-Based Influences on Social Representations. Focus on the Social Context: Interactions Between Self and Other: R.A. Dixon, Exploring Cognition in Interactive Situations: The Aging of N+ 1 Minds. M.W. Pratt and J.E. Norris, Moral Development in Maturity: Life-Span Perspectives on the Processes of Successful Aging. S.T. Charles and L.L. Carstensen, The Role of Time in the Setting of Social Goals Across the Life Span. U.M. Staudinger, Social Cognition and a Psychological Approach to an Art of Life. Index.
Load balancing and density dependent jump Markov processes

We provide a new approach for analyzing both static and dynamic randomized load balancing strategies. We demonstrate the approach by providing the first analysis of the following model: customers arrive as a Poisson stream of rate /spl lambda//sub n/, /spl lambda/<1, at a collection of n servers. Each customer chooses some constant d servers independently and uniformly at random from the n servers, and waits for service at the one with the fewest customers. Customers are served according to the first-in first-out (FIFO) protocol, and the service time for a customer is exponentially distributed with mean 1. We call this problem the supermarket model. We wish to know how the system behaves, and in particular we are interested in the expected time a customer spends in the system in equilibrium. The model provides a good abstraction of a simple, efficient load balancing scheme in the setting where jobs arrive at a large system of parallel processors. This model appears more realistic than similar models studied previously, in that it is both dynamic and open: that is, customers arrive over time, and the number of customers is not fixed.
Nonlinear Refraction at the Band Gap in InAs

The observation of large nonlinear refraction near the fundamental absorption edge in InSb (Ref. 1) has brought considerable interest in the possible application of narrow-band-gap semiconductors in all-optical signal processing. The mechanism of the nonlinear refraction has been studied by a number of authors.2 The different approaches that have been taken in explaining the effect have put varying emphasis on electron-hole correlation effects, band-gap renormalization, and T2 broadening of conduction-band states. So far comparison between theory and experiment has been limited by the dearth of experimental data. Qualitative agreement with theory has been demonstrated in InSb (Ref. 3) and HgCdTe.4,6 What is needed is a quantitative comparison using well-characterized samples with all free parameters known (e.g., carrier lifetime). InAs offers an excellent opportunity to do this. Its band parameters are all well known, and its band gap happens to match the HF laser.
Data-driven personalized drama management

A drama manager is an omniscient background agent responsible for guiding players through the story space and delivering an enjoyable and coherent experience. Most previous drama managers only consider the designer's intent. We present a drama manager that uses data-driven techniques to model players and provides personalized guidance in the story space without removing player agency. In order to guide players' experiences, our drama manager manipulates the story space to maximize the probability of the players making choices intended by the drama manager. Our system is evaluated on an interactive storytelling game. Results show that our drama manager can significantly increase the likelihood of the drama manager's desired story continuation.
Interpersonal contact experiences with gay men: a qualitative investigation of "fag hags" and gay-supportive heterosexual men.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this investigation was to understand how “fag hags” and gay-supportive heterosexual men (GSHM) describe the nature and quality of their interpersonal contact experiences with gay men. Eight archival interviews were analyzed using the methodologies outlined in Hill, Thompson, and Williams (1997); i.e., consensual qualitative research. The results yielded suggest that the nature of contact experiences relates to direct contact with gay men in institutional or social settings or via indirect, formative experiences. The possible roles that contact plays in attitudes formation include: (1) normalizing homosexuality, (2) challenging previously held myths and stereotypes, and (3) increasing a person's likelihood of having contact experiences with gay men and developing gay-supportive attitudes. Participants described the quality of the contact as taking place in the context of a friendship that developed between them and a gay male that strengthened after the gay friend came out. Furtherm...
Observations on the gastric secretion in two duodenal ulcer patients during the prolonged injections of an enterogastrone concentrate.

Summary Two patients with chronic duodenal ulcers were given an enterogastrone concentrate intramuscularly in average daily doses of 200 mg. six times a week for seven to nine months. The effect of the prolonged administration of this enterogastrone concentrate on the nine hour nocturnal secretion and on the secretory response to histamine and insulin was noted. There was no significant change observed in pH, free and total acid values as expressed in clinical units (m.eq./l.) or peptic activity in the nocturnal, histamine, and insulin studies during the course of treatment as compared with the control periods. In both cases during the course of treatment a decrease in total volume and the m.eq. of total HCl output was observed in the nocturnal secretions. There was a reduction of total volume and m.eq. of both free and total HCl output in the insulin stimulated gastric secretions. These values were not affected with the histamine test. It is realized that the overall significance of these observations is limited because the study was confined to only two patients.
Modeling of observed mineral dust aerosols in the arctic and the impact on winter season low‐level clouds

[1] Mineral dust aerosol is the main ice nucleus (IN) in the Arctic. Observed dust concentrations at Alert, Canada, are lowest in winter and summer and highest in spring and autumn. In this study, we simulate transport and deposition of dust in a global chemical transport model. The model predicts the spring maximum caused by natural dust from desert sources in Asia and Sahara but underestimates the observations in autumn. Both natural and pollution sources contribute to the wintertime dust burden, as suggested by previous measurements of elemental compositions. Cloud parcel model simulations were carried out to study the impact of dust aerosol on the formation of mixed-phase and ice clouds in the Arctic lower troposphere. The liquid water path of low-level cloud is most sensitive to dust aerosol concentration from winter to early spring when air temperature is at its lowest in the annual cycle. The global and parcel models together suggest that low concentrations and acid coating of dust particles are favorable conditions for occurrence of mixed-phase clouds and that anthropogenic pollution can cause significant perturbations to Arctic IN and clouds in winter.
Nonverbal Working Memory as a Predictor of Anomia Treatment Success

Purpose The purpose of the study was to determine (a) reliability of the spatial span as a nonverbal working memory (WM) task in individuals with aphasia, (b) whether participation in anomia treatm...
Antiviral Resistance by the Polyinosinic Acid-Poly(1-vinylcytosine) Complex

The antiviral activities of analogs of the double-stranded complex of polyinosinic and polycytidylic acids [poly(I)·poly(C)], which is a potent interferon inducer, have been studied. Structural changes that modify the polymer backbone substantially, such as loops or 29 → 59 phosphodiester bonds, lead to decreased antiviral activity. Unexpectedly, however, the complex of polyinosinic acid and poly(1-vinylcytosine), which is only a much more distantly related analog of poly(I) · poly(C), shows high activity. It is postulated that the high activity is related to the reduction of the charge/mass ratio and to the existence of this complex in an aggregated state; these are two factors that generally enhance the uptake of compo unds by cells.
Structure of the regulatory domain of scallop myosin at 2 å resolution: implications for regulation

Abstract Background: In contrast to the myosins of vertebrate skeletal muscle, molluscan myosins are regulated molecules whose enzymatic activity is switched on by the direct binding of Ca 2+ . The head portion (S1) of the molecule consists of a motor domain and a regulatory domain (RD) containing a ‘regulatory' and an ‘essential' light chain (RLC and ELC, respectively). The structures of scallop myosin RD with bound Ca 2+ , as well as the S1 fragment of chicken skeletal muscle myosin, have been determined previously to 2.8 a resolution. Results We have determined the structure at 2.0 a resolution of scallop myosin RD with bound Ca 2+ . The unusual coordination at the specific Ca 2+ -binding site in the ELC has now been clarified, as has the structural basis for Mg 2+ binding to the RLC. A comparison of the scallop RD structure with that in the chicken S1 structure shows differences in the bending of the two RDs in two different places. Conclusion Based on these structural results, a model for regulation is proposed in which the Ca 2+ -bound RD is a rigid structure, and transient flexibility of the Ca 2+ -free RD allows the myosin heads to make stabilizing intramolecular linkages which shut off the motor.
3′-End Polishing of the Kinetoplastid Spliced Leader RNA Is Performed by SNIP, a 3′→5′ Exonuclease with a Motley Assortment of Small RNA Substrates

In all trypanosomatids, trans splicing of the spliced leader (SL) RNA is a required step in the maturation of all nucleus-derived mRNAs. The SL RNA is transcribed with an oligo-U 3' extension that is removed prior to trans splicing. Here we report the identification and characterization of a nonexosomal, 3'-->5' exonuclease required for SL RNA 3'-end formation in Trypanosoma brucei. We named this enzyme SNIP (for snRNA incomplete 3' processing). The central 158-amino-acid domain of SNIP is related to the exonuclease III (ExoIII) domain of the 3'-->5' proofreading epsilon subunit of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. SNIP had a preference for oligo(U) 3' extensions in vitro. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of SNIP resulted in a growth defect and correlated with the accumulation of one- to two- nucleotide 3' extensions of SL RNA, U2 and U4 snRNAs, a five-nucleotide extension of 5S rRNA, and the destabilization of U3 snoRNA and U2 snRNA. SNIP-green fluorescent protein localized to the nucleoplasm, and substrate SL RNA derived from SNIP knockdown cells showed wild-type cap 4 modification, indicating that SNIP acts on SL RNA after cytosolic trafficking. Since the primary SL RNA transcript was not the accumulating species in SNIP knockdown cells, SL RNA 3'-end formation is a multistep process in which SNIP provides the ultimate 3'-end polishing. We speculate that SNIP is part of an organized nucleoplasmic machinery responsible for processing of SL RNA.
Frequency distributions of hourly wind speed measurements

Abstract Statistical models for wind speed frequency distributions are presented which cover the range from calm to the maximum observed wind speed. Low wind speed data, ⩽ 6 mph (2.5 m s−1), are modeled as a Johnson SL distribution, but data for the entire speed range from calm to the maximum observed value are modeled as a Johnson SB distribution. In the SB distribution, the four parameters, mean, standard deviation, minimum wind speed and maximum wind speed, are estimated by the method of maximum likelihood. Data from the Tennessee Valley Authority and Naval Weather Service are used to demonstrate the use of SL and SB models to correlate wind speed data. Although in each case the chi-square test leads to the rejection of the hypothesis that wind speed data are SL or SB distributed, the models appear to fit the data well enough for engineering calculations.
Comparison of Heat-testing Methodology

Abstract Introduction Patients with irreversible pulpitis occasionally present with a chief complaint of sensitivity to heat. To appropriately diagnose the offending tooth, a variety of techniques have been developed to reproduce this chief complaint. Such techniques cause temperature increases that are potentially damaging to the pulp. Newer electronic instruments control the temperature of a heat-testing tip that is placed directly against a tooth. The aim of this study was to determine which method produced the most consistent and safe temperature increase within the pulp. This consistency facilitates the clinician's ability to differentiate between a normal pulp and irreversible pulpitis. Methods Four operators applied the following methods to each of 4 extracted maxillary premolars (for a total of 16 trials per method): heated gutta-percha, heated ball burnisher, hot water, and a System B unit or Elements unit with a heat-testing tip. Each test was performed for 60 seconds, and the temperatures were recorded via a thermocouple in the pulp chamber. Analysis of the data was performed by using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Results The least consistent warming was found with hot water. The heat-testing tip also demonstrated greater consistency between operators compared with the other methods. Hot water and the heated ball burnisher caused temperature increases high enough to damage pulp tissue. Conclusions The Elements unit with a heat-testing tip provides the most consistent warming of the dental pulp.
Congenital self-healing reticulohistiocytosis

A new case of congenital self-healing reticulohistiocytosis was studied with S-100 antibody and electron microscopy. Many tumor cells were 5-100-positive and contained Langerhans cell (LC) granules and concentrically laminated dense bodies. Octopus-like bodies and wormlike bodies were also found. The formation of LC granules at the cytomembrane was frequently found, not only between the cytomembrane and its own villi, but also between the cytomembranes of adjoining cells. These findings strongly support the cytomembrane origin of LC granules in general.
Deposition of circulating antigen--antibody complexes in the gastrointestinal tract of rabbits with chronic serum sickness.

The possible role of circulating immune complexes (IC) in the production of gastrointestinal lesions was studied in rabbits with chronic serum sickness (CSS) induced by multiple daily injections of bovine serum albumin (BSA). All rabbits generating a marked antibody response developed IC glomerulonephritis. In approximately 50% of these rabbits granular deposits of BSA, rabbit IgG, and C3 were also found in the gastrointestinal tract. The immune deposits in the gastrointestinal tract were mainly present in the vessel walls, close to the intestinal glands and the surface epithelium, and between the smooth muscle cells. This was accompanied by slight to moderate edema of the mucosa and the submucosa and mild infiltration of inflammatory cells. Electron-dense deposits were found in a pattern corresponding to that observed for BSA, rabbit IgG, and C3. Degranulated neutrophils, basophils, and mast cells were noticed in the interstitium. The presence in the same areas of granular deposits of BSA, IgG, and C3, corresponding to electron-dense deposits, suggests that the deposits contain BSA-anti-BSA complexes. These findings show that in rabbits with CSS circulating IC may localize and induce injury in the gastrointestinal tract.
Selective fraction of Scutellaria baicalensis and its chemopreventive effects on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Based on our previous observation, the whole Scutellaria baicalensis extract (SbE) did not show significant breast cancer cell inhibitory effect. In this study, we isolated a baicalin-deprived-fraction (SbF1) of Scutellaria baicalensis, and baicalin-fraction (SbF3), and evaluated their anti-breast cancer properties using MCF-7 cells. The content of four flavonoids in extract/fractions were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Analytical data showed that in SbF1, the major constituents are baicalein and wogonin, while SbF3 only contains baicalin. The antiproliferative effects of fractions and SbE were assayed using modified trichrome stain method. SbF1 showed significant antiproliferative effect. Treated with 100 μg/ml of SbF1 for 72 h inhibited MCF-7 cell growth by 81.6%, while in the same treatment concentration, SbF3 increased cell growth by 22.6%. SbF1 was recognized as an active fraction of SbE. The effects of four flavonoids in SbE, scutellarin, baicalin, baicalein and wogonin, were determined, and data showed that baicalein and wogonin significantly inhibited MCF-7 cell growth. In contrast, in certain concentrations, scutellarin and baicalin increased cancer cell growth. The effects of SbF1 on cell cycle and apoptosis were assayed using flow cytometry. SbF1 arrested MCF-7 cells in S- and G2/M-phases, and significantly increased induction of cell apoptosis. These combined phytochemical and biological data provide evidence for further chemopreventive studies of the baicalin-deprived SbE on breast cancer.
Modulating effects of prostaglandins on parasympathetic-mediated secretory activities of rat salivary glands

Abstract Exogenously administered PGE 1 or PGE 2 , like atropine, markedly decreased both the flow and calcium concentration of parasympathetically evoked rat parotid saliva: PGF 2α was less effective. Despite the fact that prostaglandins greatly reduced the Ca concentration of nerve-evoked saliva, they did not change the glandular Ca concentration of either control or parasympathetically stimulated parotid glands. Prostaglandins (20 μg/kg, i.a.) decreased the Na or K concentration of nerve-evoked parotid saliva, but at lower doses had no significant effect. PGE 1 , PGE 2 , PGF 2α or atropine markedly decreased flow rates of similarly evoked rat submandibular saliva. Prostaglandins and atropine, however, decreased the Na concentration and increased the K concentration of parasympathetically evoked submandibular saliva. PGF 2α , like atropine, increased the Ca concentration of such saliva. Drug vehicle, ethanol, slightly decreased the flow of both parotid and submandibular saliva but not the ion secretion. Endogenous prostaglandins themselves may not play a role in a secretory activities during parasympathetic nerve stimulation of rat salivary glands, since administration of indomethacin, an inhibitor of prostaglandins biosynthesis, prior to or during nerve stimulation did not significantly alter nerve-evoked salivary secretion. The mechanisms by which prostaglandins modulate secretory responses of salivary glands during parasympathetic stimulation are not understood.
The Multi-Goal, Theory-Driven Approach to Evaluation: A Model Linking Basic and Applied Social Science

A source of one of the more serious problems of evaluation research is the typical finding that evaluated programs have little or no effectiveness. Recently, claims have been made that the problem of no effect may be attributed to the inadequacy of current evaluation methodology. In this paper, the reasons for no effect in current program evaluation are analyzed theoretically. In order to cope with this problem, an alternative evaluation method, the "multi-goal, theory-driven" approach, is proposed. The principles, procedures, and justification of this new evaluation approach are discussed. Finally, the advantages of applying the multi-goal, theory-driven approach to program evaluation are illustrated.
Small Size Turbo-Machines for HTR Plants

This paper investigated the effects of working fluid, turbine inlet temperature and shaft rotation speed on the size, number of stages and performance of turbo-machines for high temperature reactor (HTR) plants with indirect Closed Brayton Cycles (CBCs). Working fluids considered are He and 15 g/mole He-Xe and He-N2 binary mixtures. Analysis increased the shaft speed from 3000 to 9000 rpm and the turbine inlet temperature from 923 K to 1173 K. The number of compression and turbine stages for He-Xe and He-N2 are significantly lower than for He. Increasing the shaft speed from 3000 to 5400 rpm decreases the number of compression stages for He by ∼ 44% to 47%, by ∼ 40% to 46% for He-N2 and ∼ 40% to 43% for He-Xe over the range of inlet turbine temperatures considered. For He, the number of turbine stages decreases by ∼ 22% to 30%, but those for He-Xe and He-N2 turbines either stay the same or decrease by one or two stages. For a shaft speed of 3000 rpm and turbine inlet temperature of 923 K, the number of compression and turbine stages for He are 27 and 9, while those for He-Xe are 7 and 2 stages, respectively. Increasing the turbine inlet temperature to 1173 K increases the number of compression stages for He-Xe to 10 (compared to 34 for He) and the number of turbine stages to 4 (compared to 13 for He). Even though He-Xe and He-N2 have the same molecular weight, the latter requires more compression and turbine stages, though still considerably less than for He.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Girl gamers: the controversy of girl games and the relevance of female‐oriented game design for instructional design

Digital games have typically been considered a male leisure activity; however, recent statistics indicate that increasing numbers of females are now playing games. The purpose of this review is to investigate how the influx of girl gamers and the emergence of female-oriented game design can inform instructional design for the construction of interactive learning environments. This review presents an overview of digital games and gender, an outline of girl games and ‘pink’ software, a discussion of the controversy of girl games, and a review and discussion of the research and implications of female-oriented game design for instructional design. The goal of this review is to examine the influx of girl gamers into a male pastime and to analyse the implications of this for the design of interactive learning environments.
Protection by Low-Dose Kanamycin against Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice: Dependence on Dosing Regimen and Genetic Background

Abstract We recently demonstrated that sub-chronic low-dose kanamycin (KM, 300 mg/kg sc, 2×/day, 10 days) dramatically reduces permanent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and hair cell loss in 1 month old CBA/J mice ( Fernandez et al., 2010 , J. Assoc. Res. Otolaryngol. 11, 235–244). Protection by KM remained for at least 48 h after the last dose, and appeared to involve a cumulative effect of multiple doses as part of a preconditioning process. The first month of life lies within the early ‘sensitive period’ for both cochlear noise and ototoxic injury in mice, and CBA/J mice appear exquisitely vulnerable to noise during this period ( Ohlemiller et al., 2011 ; Hearing Res. 272, 13–20). From our initial data, we could not rule out 1) that less rigorous treatment protocols than the intensive one we applied may be equally—or more—protective; 2) that protection by KM is tightly linked to processes unique to the sensitive period for noise or ototoxins; or 3) that protection by KM is exclusive to CBA/J mice. The present experiments address these questions by varying the number and timing of fixed doses (300 mg/kg sc) of KM, as well as the age at treatment in CBA/J mice. We also tested for protection in young C57BL/6J (B6) mice. We find that nearly complete protection against at least 2 h of intense (110 dB SPL) broadband noise can be observed in CBA/J mice at least for ages up to 1 year. Reducing dosing frequency to as little as once every other day (a four-fold decrease in dosing frequency) appeared as protective as twice per day. However, reducing the number of doses to just 1 or 2, followed by noise 24 or 48 h later greatly reduced protection. Notably, hearing thresholds and hair cells in young B6 mice appeared completely unprotected by the same regimen that dramatically protects CBA/J mice. We conclude that protective effects of KM against NIHL in CBA/J mice can be engaged by a wide range of dosing regimens, and are not exclusive to the sensitive period for noise or ototoxins. While we cannot presently judge the generality of protection across genetic backgrounds, it appears not to be universal, since B6 showed no benefit. Classical genetic approaches based on CBA/J × B6 crosses may reveal loci critical to protective cascades engaged by kanamycin and perhaps other preconditioners. Their human analogs may partly determine who is at elevated risk of acquired hearing loss.
Biochemical responses in aquatic animals: A review of determinants of oxidative stress

The study of biochemical responses in aquatic animals comprises a vigorous area of inquiry within ecotoxicology for a number of reasons, including the perceived need for basic research in the field, the desire for highly sensitive biomarkers useful for biomonitoring and the particular concern for elevated rates of neoplasia observed in some aquatic systems. In this paper, an approach only recently investigated by aquatic toxicologists will be described and reviewed in detail. This approach is based on theories of oxyradical generation and subsequent oxidative stress in biological systems. Of particular concern to environmental toxicologists with respect to these phenomena are the abilities of a number of common and diverse compounds to undergo enzymatically facilitated redox cycling in cells and thereby generate oxyradicals under aerobic conditions. Mechanisms of oxyradical generation, toxicological consequences of these processes and endogenous antioxidant defense systems are described. In addition, methodologies for studying these phenomena are discussed and recent studies demonstrating their applicability to aquatic toxicology are reviewed.
The Martian Zonal-Mean Circulation: Angular Momentum and Potential Vorticity Structure in GCM Simulations

Abstract Analysis of simulations performed with the NASA/Ames Mars GCM shows that under dusty conditions the Northern Hemisphere winter solstice circulation becomes characterized by a zonally averaged state in which the potential vorticity at upper levels is very small outside of high latitudes. The available observational data-in particular the 15-µm observations obtained by the Viking IRTM during the 1977 winter solstice global dust storm-provide evidence for changes in the Martian circulation that are basically like those found in the GCM. In the Mars GCM simulations for dusty solstice conditions, an extremely intense and approximately angular-momentum-conserving Hadley circulation is responsible for creating the low potential vorticity configuration. This can be contrasted with the Venus-Titan numerical simulations discussed by Allison et al. in which quasi-barotropic eddies appear to be largely responsible for the existence of low potential vorticity in lower and midlatitudes. At a near-equinox seaso...
Selection for seed set in a wheat population treated with a chemical hybridizing agent

Production of hybrid seed is an important component of hybrid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) utilization. A recurrent selection program was initiated using gridded mass selection to select for increased seed set on individual plants that had ben treated with a chemical hybridizing agent (CHA). Four cycles of selection with recombination were completed using the spring wheat random-mating population NDP1. To determine the effectiveness of this selection procedure, 32 random half-sib selfed families from both the CO and the C4 cycles of selection, 32 random inbreds from the original NDP1 population, and 32 inbred lines from several wheat breeding programs were compared for both fertile seed yield (no CHA) and hybrid seed yield (0.6 kg ha −1 CHA) in replicated tests at two location in 1986
New Evidence Regarding Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Mental Health: Policy Implications

Minorities have, in general, equal or better mental health than white Americans, yet they suffer from disparities in mental health care. This paper reviews the evidence for mental health and mental health care disparities, comparing them to patterns in health. Strategies for addressing disparities in health care, such as improving access to and quality of care, should also work to eliminate mental health care disparities. In addition, a diverse mental health workforce, as well as provider and patient education, are important to eliminating mental health care disparities.
Authenticity in tourism: The San Angel Inns

Abstract Although theorists have questioned and modified anthropology's culture concept, most anthropologists have continued to employ it in one form or other. Certainly, work on “tourist culture”, “traditional culture”, “the invention of tradition”, and “authentic vs. inauthentic” culture has proceeded “as if” culture existed and “as if” social actors consciously employed cultural symbols. This paper examines the revisionist literature on the culture concept in light of an examination of the two San Angel Inns, the original in Mexico City and its “daughter” inn at Disney World, Florida. Both versions of the San Angel Inn are found to be authentic, each in its own way, thereby shedding light on the very meaning of the concept of authenticity itself.
Renal, Transcapillary, Net Exchange in the Dog

The transcapillary net exchanges of inulin, para-aminohippurate, thiocyanate and heavy water were determined in the renal circulation. It was found that the tracer substances larger than heavy water diffused more freely through renal than through previously studied peripheral or pulmonary capillaries. The results are consistent with the concept of a larger pore size in renal capillaries.