cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of class II MHC genes requires both the X ☐ region and the class II transactivator (CIITA)

Abstract CIITA , a gene that can complement a transcriptional mutation of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes, was tested for its ability to function as a coactivator. CIITA cDNA clones isolated showed alternative RNA splicing, but only one splice site combination was able to restore class II MHC gene expression. DNA-mediated transfection experiments showed that CIITA directs its activity through the X ☐ element; the presence of CIITA leads to the formation of a higher order complex at the X ☐ region; and CIITA contains a potent activation domain. These findings support the hypothesis that CIITA directly interacts with the MHC class l1-specific transcription factors and is required for expression.
Raman frequencies of fluorite crystals

Abstract The frequency of th Raman active mode in CaF2, EuF2, PbF2, SrCl2, BaF2 and BaCl2 has been measured at 300 and 77°K.
The formation of pyrene:cyclomalto-oligosaccharide complexes in the presence of non-ionic surfactants

Abstract Examination of the interactions of pyrene, cyclomalto-oligosaccharides (cyclodextrins), and selected non-ionic surfactants by measurements of fluorescence life-times indicates that ternary complexes are formed. Studies of surface tensiometry indicate that binary complexes occur between cyclodextrins and non-ionic surfactants.
The relationship between density and demographic variation within a population of Larrea tridentata.

Larrea tridentata is a dominant desert shrub throughout the warm deserts of North America. We studied a Larrea population we believed to be in the process of invading adjacent grasslands. To determine whether our hypothesis was correct we developed a set of predictions about characteristics of invading populations and examined the relationship between Larrea den- sity and demographic variation. For an invading Larrea population we predicted that: 1) individuals in low density areas would exhibit attributes indicating higher intrinsic rates of increase-individ- uals would have greater fruit production, 2) individuals in high density areas would exhibit the effects of negative density-dependence-plants would have canopies in poor condition (with at least 20% dead branches) and be small in size, and 3) low density areas would be below carrying capacity-plots would have a lower total Larrea biomass than high density areas. We measured height, average width, canopy condition, and fruit set for 2,000 plants sampled from 40 plots varying in density. We also estimated the total Larrea biomass for each plot. We collected data on two measures of microenvironmental variation, cover of the common grassland species, and cover of gravel on the soil surface. All plant characters were significantly correlated with Larrea density and both measures of microenvironmental variation were significantly correlated with density. In contrast, results for total Larrea biomass did not conform to our predition. Although the relation- ship between Larrea density and the plant characters supported our predictions for an invading Larrea population, results for total Larrea biomass did not. An alternative explanation that the pattern of demographic variation within the study population was determined by microenviron- mental variation was more strongly supported.
Modulation of basal L-type Ca2+ current by adenosine in ferret isolated right ventricular myocytes.

1. The whole-cell configuration of the gigaohm seal voltage clamp and an internal perfusion technique were used to study the effects of adenosine on the basal L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) in enzymatically isolated right ventricular myocytes of ferrets. Basal L-type ICa was isolated by using a Na(+)- and K(+)-free saline (replacement by N-methyl-D-glucamine+, Cs+ and TEA+, respectively). All experiments were conducted at room temperature (22-24 degrees C). 2. Basal ICa was markedly reduced during exposure to adenosine in a concentration-dependent manner with a half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.3 microM and maximum inhibition of 35%. This effect was completely abolished by 50 nM 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (CPDPX), a specific A1 adenosine receptor antagonist with an inhibition constant, Ki = 0.48 nM. Inhibition was also observed in the presence of 1 microM atropine. 3. Adenosine decreased basal ICa by decreasing the peak amplitude of ICa without significantly altering (i) the voltage dependence of the current-voltage relationship, (ii) the apparent reversal potential, (iii) the voltage dependence of steady-state activation and inactivation, (iv) the kinetics of inactivation at 0 mV, and (v) the kinetics of recovery from inactivation at -70 mV. 4. Pretreatment of cells with 0.4 microns/ml pertussis toxin (PTX) for 4 h at 37 degrees C produced greater than 90% ADP ribosylation of PTX-sensitive G proteins. PTX pretreatment significantly attenuated the adenosine-mediated decrease in ICa (35% in control; 4.6% after PTX pretreatment). 5. The peptide inhibitor (PKI) of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A at a concentration of 2 microM neither inhibited basal ICa nor attenuated the effects of adenosine on basal ICa. However, PKI decreased the stimulatory effects of 100 microM cAMP on ICa. 6. Increasing intracellular cAMP to a supra-saturable level by using 10 mM cAMP and 100 microM papaverine did not prevent adenosine from inhibiting ICa. 7. Consistent with the reduction of basal ICa, adenosine produced an inhibitory effect on the action potential under basal conditions, i.e. hyperpolarization of the plateau phase and marked shortening of action potential duration. These effects were concentration dependent. 8. These results demonstrate a reduction of the basal L-type ICa by adenosine in ferret ventricular myocardium. This reduction is not mediated by modification of voltage-dependent properties of macroscopic ICa. The shortening of action potentials may be explained in part by the reduction in ICa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
CSF opioids in panic disorder.

Investigation of the potential role for endogenous opiates as a modulator of anxiety states has yielded variable results. Increased plasma [3-endorphin has been reported accompanying surgical stress (Pickar et al 1982) and with high anxiety ratings in women during menstruation (Veith et al 1984). Can" et al (1986) found no significant change in plasma [3-endorphin during lactate infusion before and after treatment with alprazolam in panic disorder patients or controls but did note a slight decrease in 13-endorphin over time secondary to acclimatiza~'ion. Dager et al (1989) found higher 13-endorphin levels in panic disorder than in depressed patients and a slight decrease in plasma [3-endorphin during lactate infusion in panic disorder patients, depressed patients, and controls. George et al (1989) found significantly higher
The representation of permutations by trees

Abstract Representation of permutations and combinations of N elements in lexicographical order by elements of a tree are considered. An algorithm for generating the nodes is presented and some examples are given. The algorithm could be implemented in any programming language that allows for recursive calls.
On Submodular and Supermodular Functions on Lattices and Related Structures

We give single-operations characterizations for submodular and supermodular functions on lattices that have monotonicity properties. We associate to such functions metrics on lattices and we investigate corresponding metrics on the sets of partitions.
The Off-Farm Labor Supply of Farmers

Theoretical and empirical models are developed to examine the off-farm wages, labor force participation, and hours of work of farmers. Econometric estimates use data from a 1971 survey of Illinois farmers. The off-farm wage depends on farmer human capital and the local labor market. The major result confirms the. sensitivity of off-farm work to economic incentives. A 10% increase in the off-farm wage entails an 11% increase in hours of off-farm work holding farm characteristics constant. Results also indicate effects of seasonality, risk, and life cycle factors on off-farm work.
Associations between behavioral disinhibition and cocaine use history in individuals with cocaine dependence.

Background Behavioral disinhibition has been suggested as both a cause and consequence of substance use disorders. Many studies examining associations between behavioral disinhibition and substance use history have focused on individuals with alcohol dependence or non-dependent college students. In the present study, the relationship between behavioral disinhibition and cocaine use history in individuals with cocaine dependence is examined.
Time course of O2-pulse during various tests of aerobic power.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that oxygen pulse typically reaches a maximum before maximal oxygen consumption by observing the time course of oxygen pulse throughout exercise to maximal stress and to discern those physiologic variables which might predispose an individual to reach a peak in oxygen pulse before achieving maximal oxygen consumption. Thirty male volunteers ranging in age from 18–25 (¯X=20.5) years were recruited for this study. Maximal oxygen uptake was assessed on both bicycle ergometer and treadmill. Based upon the results of the exercise tests, subjects were classified into subgroups as a consequence of whether or not a maximal oxygen pulse or a plateau in oxygen pulse was demonstrated during submaximal exercise. The results indicate that submaximal peaking or at least the achieving of plateau values of oxygen pulse does in fact occur in some but not all individuals. It was observed that this phenomenon occurs at a relatively high percentage of maximal heart rate and maximal oxygen consumption. It appeared that individuals who demonstrate low heart rates at low-work intensities, high maximal heart rates, and a disproportionate increase in R for a given ventilation are most likely to reach a submaximal peak in oxygen pulse. Oxygen pulse during submaximal exercise appears to provide a good indication of cardiorespiratory fitness.
(Still) waiting in the wings: Group-based biases in leaders' decisions about to whom power is relinquished

Abstract This research examined whether leaders exhibit race-based and gender-based biases in decisions about to whom to relinquish power. Across three studies, participants were placed in leadership roles in a simulated, online competition with either White male and/or Black male co-workers (Study 1a/1b) or White male and White female co-workers (Study 2). Results showed that after learning of their poor performance as leaders, participants relinquished more power to White male co-workers than Black male co-worker and more power to White male co-workers than White female co-workers. Together, the findings offer a novel examination of when and to whom power is given which can further inform our understanding of the underrepresentation of disadvantaged groups in leadership domains.
The structural changes of bituminous coal particles during the initial stages of pulverized-coal combustion

Abstract The effect of the chemical composition of pulverized bituminous coal particles on their physical transformation during the initial stages of combustion has been investigated. The results suggested that cenosphere formation does not require extensive thermal decomposition of the coal particles. The vitrinites in the bituminous coal softened earlier and developed larger cenospheres than the other macerals. The coal particles swelled to a higher extend during combustion than in pyrolysis; however, the cenospheres formed in the former process experienced a higher extent of fragmentation. The formation of micropores in char particles appeared to be related to the thermoplasticity and secondary devolatilization. The increase in microporosity occurred predominantly during the shrinkage of the cenospheres. Inertinite-rich samples developed higher microporosity than liptinite-rich particles during both pyrolysis and combustion for a given extent of weight loss.
Philostratos and the Pentathlon

One of the most vexing problems facing students of ancient athletics has been the method by which overall victory in the pentathlon was determined. Testimony from ancient sources assures us that the overall victor won three events of the five contested, but that a man of lesser talent could very well emerge victorious. Because one athlete in a large field of competitors could not be expected to outclass his opponents in three of five events, two interpretations of what occurred in the pentathlon have arisen. One theory suggests a progressive elimination of competitors so as to reduce the field and facilitate the emergence of one champion. Another theory allots points to contestants for higher and lower finishes and sometimes allows elimination of athletes who consistently finish behind others.
Program Enhancement: Responding to the Call for Special EducationTeachers to be Highly Qualified

The alignment of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 states that special education teachers are expected to have content area expertise in every content area that they teach and for which they are the teacher of record. The academic content requirements put in place by NCLB and IDEA have created the need to rethink pre-service education for special educators. This article will describe higher education efforts to improve special education teacher training and ultimately the educational experiences for students with exceptionalities. In addition, a brief description of the efforts of an institution of higher education (IHE) in northeast Ohio to better prepare preservice special education teacher candidates to meet highly qualified teacher (HQT) standards by enhancing their current intervention specialist high incidence program will be provided.
Patterns of physical activity and overweight among 7-13-year-old Russian children: a 7-year nationally representative monitoring study.

This is a repeated cross-sectional study of overweight and physical activity (PA) and inactivity patterns of successive samples of 7–13-year-old Russian children who were surveyed six times between 1995 and 2002 as part of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey. This analysis focused on moderate/vigorous (MOD/VIG) PA (e.g., active commuting to school, during school MOD/VIG PA as part of physical education classes, and/or before/after school MOD/VIG PA) and inactivity patterns (e.g., television viewing habits) obtained through parent proxy-reports of 3,507 boys (M age = 10.1 years, SD = 2.0; body mass index = 17.5 kg/m2, SD = 3.0) and 3,273 girls (M age = 10.1 years, SD = 2.0; body mass index = 17.2 kg/m2, SD = 3.0). Time spent in MOD/VIG PA appears to be on the rise, while the proportion of those actively commuting to school is decreasing, especially among girls.
Control of the transition to flowering

Abstract Genetic analysis of flowering mutants and the recent cloning of genes that specifically regulate flowering time have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. Encouraging results from transgenic plants suggest that altering the flowering time of agriculturally important plants will soon be possible.
Gas control and wall conditioning in TMX

The Tandem Mirror Experiment (TMX) is a magnetic fusion research device at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, which confines a center-cell plasma between two higher density end-plug plasmas. The end-plug plasmas are separated from the metal end walls by an end-fan chamber. This paper describes how to minimize the power lost through charge-exchange and electron conduction. To isolate the end-plug plasma from the end wall, wall conditioning, gas pumping, and magnetic-field expansion are used in the end-fan chamber. The plasma density is reduced from above 10/sup 13/cm/sup -3/ in the end-plug to well below 10/sup 10/cm/sup -3/ at the end wall. A peak plasma potential of more than 1 kV above the grounded end wall is maintained in steady-state and gas buildup near the end wall is avoided. Gas flow in the end plug is controlled and the end-plug walls are conditioned so that the end-plug plasma is not eroded by large fluxes of cold gas. Wall conditioning in the center cell provides reproducible conditions. The center cell is fueled by gas from a gas box or a pulsed valve.
Acute effects of methyl mercury toxicity in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) liver

The results of this study have demonstrated that in the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) a single intraperitoneal injection of 15 mg/kg methyl mercuric chloride caused: 1. Deposition of mercury in the liver. 2. Accumulation and concentration of mercury over the time period of 96 hours. 3. Marked pathology as evidenced by necrosis of exocrine pancreatic and parenchymal cells at 72 and 96 hours. 4. Inflammation at the hepatic capsular surface.
Activity-dependent matching of excitatory and inhibitory inputs during refinement of visual receptive fields.

Summary The receptive field (RF) of single visual neurons undergoes progressive refinement during development. It remains largely unknown how the excitatory and inhibitory inputs on single developing neurons are refined in a coordinated manner to allow the formation of functionally correct circuits. Using whole-cell voltage-clamp recording from Xenopus tectal neurons, we found that RFs determined by excitatory and inhibitory inputs in more mature tectal neurons are spatially matched, with each spot stimulus evoking balanced synaptic excitation and inhibition. This emerges during development through a gradual reduction in the RF size and a transition from disparate to matched topography of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the tectal neurons. Altering normal spiking activity of tectal neurons by either blocking or elevating GABA A receptor activity significantly impeded the developmental reduction and topographic matching of RFs. Thus, appropriate inhibitory activity is essential for the coordinated refinement of excitatory and inhibitory connections.
Influence of shrub encroachment on the soil microbial community composition of remnant hill prairies.

Hill prairies are remnant grasslands perched on the bluffs of major river valleys, and because their steep slopes make them unsuitable for traditional row crop agriculture, they have some of the lowest levels of anthropogenic disturbance of any prairie ecosystems in the Midwestern USA. However, many decades of fire suppression have allowed for shrub encroachment from the surrounding forests. While shrub encroachment of grasslands can modify soil respiration rates and nutrient storage, it is not known whether shrubs also alter the community composition of soil microorganisms. We conducted transect sampling of nine different hill prairie remnants showing varying degrees of shrub encroachment, and we used DNA-based community profiling (automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis) to characterize the composition of bacterial and fungal communities in the open prairie habitat, the shrub-encroached border, and the surrounding forest. While both bacterial and fungal communities showed statistically significant variation across these habitats, their predominant patterns were different. Bacterial communities of forest soils were distinct from those of the open prairie and the shrub-encroached areas, while fungal communities of the open prairie were distinct from those of the forest and the shrub-encroached border. Shrub encroachment significantly altered the community composition of soil fungal communities. Furthermore, fungal communities of heavily encroached prairie remnants more closely resembled those of the surrounding forest than those of lightly encroached prairies. Thus, shrub encroachment can cause soil fungi to shift from a “grassland” community to a “woody” community, with potential consequences for soil processes and plant-microbe interactions.
Form perception: some effects of brightness and motion.

A solid white bow tie moving horizontally across a black background appears distorted when the observer fixates a stationary spot: The points on the trailing half of the bow tie develop prominent “fins,” and the trailing half appears longer in the horizontal dimension than the leading half of the moving figure. Visually tracking the moving bow tie eliminates these effects. A black bow tie moving across a white background does not produce these distortions. These effects are due in part to the differential visual persistence of the narrower and wider portions of the moving white display.
Honoring the Trust: Quality and Cost Containment in Higher Education (review)

(2004). Honoring the Trust: Quality and Cost Containment in Higher Education. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 75, No. 5, pp. 596-598.
Selenocysteine lyase activity in a cysteine-requiring mutant ofEscherichia coli K-12

Selenocysteine lyase activity was detected in crude extracts from a cysteine-requiring mutant ofEscherichia coli K-12. The level of activity was the same whether cells had been grown aerobically or anaerobically, with or without selenocysteine. Selenocysteine lyase catalyzes the conversion of selenocysteine to alanine and elemental Se, a reaction that is followed by a nonenzymatic reduction of the Se to hydrogen selenide. Both of these end products were identified in this study. With cysteine as the substrate, alanine and H2S were formed, but only at levels 50% less than the products formed from selenocysteine. Selenocysteine lyase has been identified in a number of mammals and bacteria; its presence in a cysK mutant ofE. coli K-12 suggests a common route whereby hydrogen selenide, derived from selenocysteine, can then be assimilated into selenoproteins.
A Study of the Downstream Migrations of Anadromous Fishes in the Taku River, Alaska

Abstract A modified scoop trap was designed and constructed to sample downstream-migrant juvenile salmon in the Taku River, a turbid river in southeastern Alaska. A sampling program was designed to determine the behavior of these migrants with respect to their seasonal and daily timing, the size and age composition of the various species, and the correlation between certain of these biological measurements and the physical characteristics of the environment. The length-weight relationships and condition factors of chinook, coho, and sockeye smolts were determined; differences in these relationships by week and by time of day are discussed.
The Effect of Denture Cleansing Solutions on the Retention of Pink Locator Attachments: An in Vitro Study

Purpose: To evaluate the changes in retention of pink Locator attachments after exposure to various denture cleansers. Materials and Methods: Six groups (20 pairs each) of pink Locator attachments (3.0 lb. Light Retention replacement patrix attachments) were soaked for the equivalent of 6 months of clinical use in the following solutions: Water (control), Polident Regular, Efferdent, 6.15% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCL, 1:10 dilution), Polident Overnight, and Cool Mint Listerine mouthwash. A universal testing machine set at a crosshead speed of 2 in/min was used to perform one pull. The peak load-to-dislodgement was recorded to reflect changes in the retention of the Locator attachments after soaking. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference test. A p≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Denture cleansing solutions significantly affected the retentive values of pink Locator attachments (F = 344.3, p≤ 0.0001). Cool Mint Listerine mouthwash increased the retentive values of the attachments (51.10 ± 5.31 N) when compared to the control group (45.25 ± 3.49 N). There was no significant difference in the retentive values of attachments soaked in Polident Regular or Polident Overnight when compared to the control group. Efferdent caused a small reduction in the retentive values (40.81 ± 2.56 N) and most importantly, diluted NaOCl caused a large reduction in the retentive values (7.83 ± 2.50 N) of pink Locator attachments. In addition, Cool Mint Listerine mouthwash caused blue discoloration of the Locator attachments, and NaOCl caused whitening and softening of the pink Locator attachments. Conclusion: Cool Mint Listerine and Efferdent's small effect on the retentive values of the Locators might be clinically unimportant; however, NaOCl caused a large reduction in the retentive values of the attachments. Because of their effect on retentive values and on the color of the Locator attachments, NaOCl and Cool Mint Listerine are not recommended. These results should be interpreted clinically with caution, realizing that different results may be obtained when fatigue stress during function and multiple pulls (in vivo) are combined with the chemical action of denture cleansers.
The entropic energy of geophysical fluid systems

The main objective of this work is to develop an integral theory for a wide class of fluid systems that not only includes the concepts of balance of mass, momentum, and energy, but also of entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. This theory provides an explicit relationship between the integrals of kinetic energy and of entropy in terms of a new energy form, the entropic energy. Linearly viscous fluids whose entropy functions are strictly concave are defined as equilibrium regular fluids. A fluid system consists of an equilibrium regular fluid of fixed mass M, whose body force is a consequence of a steady, positive, monotonic potential field, and whose bounds satisfy certain specified conditions. Geophysical fluid systems are a non-degenerate set of fluid systems. In geophysical fluid systems there exists a unique state for given values of system mass and system total energy E , called the associated equilibrium state, that is motionless, hydrostatic, and isothermal (Theorem 2.1). The product of the temperature T 0 of this state and the difference S 0 — S in system entropies between it and a natural state is equal to the entropic energy N , the sum of the system kinetic energy K and a static energy form T 0 ?. The entropic energy is a positive measure, resembling an -norm, of the deviation of the natural state from its associated equilibrium state, and thus the associated equilibrium state is thermodynamically stable in Gibbs sense (Theorem 2.2). If a geophysical fluid system is in isolation ( ? = 0, S ? 0) entropic energy is bounded by its value at the time isolation occurs and its rate of change can never become positive for as long as the system remains in isolation (Theorem 2.3). When a system is energetically isolated ( ? = 0), the rate of change of circulation intensity (as measured by ?) is controlled only by the rate of entropy production, and necessary conditions for an increase or maintenance of intensity in certain physically-realistic systems can be formulated solely in terms of the average temperatures in regions of heating and cooling (Theorem 3.3). Finally, suppose the sum of the convergences of radiation and heat fluxes vanishes somewhere in the domain of a geophysical fluid system. Then, whether in energetic or complete isolation or neither, the system must contain accelerations or motions at a given instant if its rate of change of entropic energy is non-zero at that instant (Theorem 3.1). Moreover, the system must be in motion on part of an interval of time if its entropic energy is constantly changing on that interval (Theorem 3.2). DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1976.tb00662.x
Continuum thermomechanics of the nonlocal granular rheology

We formulate a nonlocal, or scale-dependent, elasto-viscoplastic continuum model for granular materials, consistent with the principles of modern continuum thermomechanics. Importantly, the theory contains a scalar, energetic order parameter, referred to as the granular fluidity. We assume power to be expended over the rate of change of the fluidity and its gradient and undertake a derivation based upon the principle of virtual power in the style of Gurtin (1996). This approach results in a non-standard microforce balance, which when combined with our choice of specific constitutive equations, takes the form of a partial differential relation that the fluidity must obey. Finally, we simplify the equations into a form appropriate for steady granular flows. The resulting boundary-value problem was previously shown to be capable of describing a wide array of experimental granular flow data.
Non-immune Gel Precipitin Tests with an Enzyme Antigen

THE appearance of non-immune precipitin bands in gel diffusion tests may result from manipulation of the physical environment while the immuno-diffusion test is in progress1. Interactions of serum with granulocytes2 and tissue extracts3, or reaction of albumin with haemoglobin4 though not antigen–antibody reactions also produce precipitates in agar. When one of the react ants can express a second biological function other than its anti-genicity under the conditions of the gel test, then such non-specific precipitin lines are likely to occur. Our experience with bovine carboxypeptidase A and its rabbit antiserum ultimately revealed two independent artefacts of a type we had not seen referred to elsewhere.
Web- and Cloud-based Software Infrastructure for Materials Design

Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations play an important role in materials design. However, the effective use of the most widely used MD simulators require significant expertise of the scientific domain and deep knowledge of the given software tool itself. In this paper, we present a tool that offers an intuitive, component-oriented approach to design complex molecular systems and set up initial conditions of the simulations. We integrate this tool into a web- and cloud-based software infrastructure, called MetaMDS, that lowers the barrier of entry into MD simulations for practitioners. The web interface makes it possible for experts to build a rich library of simulation components and for ordinary users to create full simulations by parameterizing and composing the components. A visual programming interface makes it possible to create optimization workflows where the simulators are invoked multiple times with various parameter configurations based on results of earlier simulation runs. Simulation configurations including the various parameters, the version of tools utilized and the results are stored in a database to support searching and browsing of existing simulation outputs and facilitating the reproducibility of scientific results.
The Racial Achievement Gap, Segregated Schools, and Segregated Neighborhoods: A Constitutional Insult

Social and economic disadvantage—not only poverty, but a host of associated conditions—depresses student performance. Concentrating students with these disadvantages in racially and economically homogenous schools depresses it further. Schools that the most disadvantaged black children attend are segregated because they are located in segregated high-poverty neighborhoods, far distant from truly middle-class neighborhoods. Living in such high-poverty neighborhoods for multiple generations adds an additional barrier to achievement, and multigenerational segregated poverty characterizes many African American children today. Education policy is constrained by housing policy: it is not possible to desegregate schools without desegregating both low-income and affluent neighborhoods. However, the policy motivation to desegregate neighborhoods is hobbled by a growing ignorance of the nation’s racial history. It has become conventional for policymakers to assert that the residential isolation of low-income black children is now “de facto,” the accident of economic circumstance, demographic trends, personal preference, and private discrimination. But the historical record demonstrates that residential segregation is “de jure,” resulting from racially motivated and explicit public policy whose effects endure to the present. Without awareness of the history of state-sponsored residential segregation, policymakers are unlikely to take meaningful steps to understand or fulfill the constitutional mandate to remedy the racial isolation of neighborhoods, or the school segregation that flows from it.
A tool for enhancement and scoring of DNA repair foci.

Upon induction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), Mre11 and Rad50 proteins of the Mre11 DNA repair complex accumulate at the sites of DSBs and form discrete nuclear foci. Precision in scoring of Mre11/Rad50-containing foci depends upon detection of those foci, some of which have a fluorescence staining intensity that is too close to the fluorescence staining intensity of the remaining Mre11 and Rad50 proteins that have not been incorporated into foci. Human U-1 melanoma cells in exponential growth were irradiated with various doses of X-rays (0-12 Gy) to induce the formation of repair foci. Four hours after irradiation, cells were simultaneously labeled for Mre11 and Rad50 proteins, using a two-color immunofluorescence staining technique. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to collect the composite images of randomly selected cell nuclei. Intensity correlation analysis (ICA) of equally intense fluorescence signals from Mre11 and Rad50 proteins was performed to obtain the regions with correlated pixels. ICA permitted enhanced detection of low level fluorescence of Mre11/Rad50 foci (“hidden” foci) that can be barely detected upon imaging of only one protein. For example, while imaging of only one protein (either Mre11 or Rad50) in the nucleus of a 6 Gy-irradiated cell revealed 9 foci, imaging of two proteins with ICA revealed 11 foci. ICA permitted an evaluation of the dose dependence of nuclear foci in cells irradiated with various doses of X-rays, with focus formation increasing up to a dose of 6 Gy. Our data accumulated using two-color immunofluorescence staining of Mre11 and Rad50 proteins and ICA of these two target proteins provide a basis for enhanced detection and accuracy in the scoring of DNA repair foci. © 2008 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Fiber Optic Multiple Fibersigmoidoscope

Proctoscopes have long been the conventional device for examining the lower intestine for carcinoma, polyps and other disorders. Their inflexible design has restricted examinations at best up to 20 to 25 cms. A manipulable, flexible fiber optic instrument has been developed which allows up to 55 cms of the lower intestinal tract to be examined without the need of surgery. The development of the fibersigmoidoscope and its use in examining patients in addition to other diagnostic instruments using synthetic fiber optics will be discussed. This work is under development through Health, Education and Welfare with Dr. B. G. Overholt, of the University of Michigan.
Community Mental Health Provider Reluctance to Provide Pharmacotherapy May Be a Barrier to Addressing Perinatal Depression: A Preliminary Study

This is the first study evaluating obstetrics and gynecology (OB/Gyn) provider and staff perceptions of barriers to accessing pharmacotherapy for perinatal depression outside the obstetric setting. Four, 90 min focus groups were conducted with OB/Gyn physicians, advance practice nurses, and support and nursing staff (n = 28). Data were analyzed with a grounded theory approach. Participants perceived that community mental health providers and pharmacists often do not want to participate in pharmacotherapy for perinatal women. Participants believed the solution is training for community mental health providers in the risks and benefits of pharmacotherapy for perinatal depression and improved communication between OB/Gyn’s and community mental health providers. Community mental health provider and pharmacist reluctance to provide pharmacotherapy hinders OB/Gyn’s perceived ability to address perinatal depression. Community mental health provider and pharmacist training are needed to mitigate precipitous discontinuation of treatment and to improve access to pharmacotherapy for perinatal women.
A groundwater model to explain past lake levels at Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, USA:

The response of a lake level to a shift in climate depends on characteristics of surficial and groundwater hydrology that are unique to that lake. Determination of the past levels of several lakes, rather than just one, can help provide a more precise determination of past hydrology and climate for a given region. The levels of several closed-basin lakes in the Parkers Prairie sandplain in west-central Minnesota were lowest about 7 ka. A steady-state analytic-element groundwater model was used to quantify the effect of changing regional groundwater recharge (N) on the altitude of the water table surrounding these lakes. Because overland flow on the sandplain is limited, the surficial hydrology of the lakes can be simplified to the net quantity lake evaporation minus precipitation (E-P). Both N and E - P were manipulated to force the model water table to coincide with the palaeolake levels. Model results indicate that lake levels at 7 ka can be explained primarily by reducing N to about 50-60 mm yr-1 (40-5...
Effect of Fumonisin-B1 Exposure on Chicken Macrophage Functions in vitro

Fumonisin-B1 (FB1) is one of the recently discovered metabolites of Fusarium moniliforme (Sheldon) occurring naturally in infected corn. It is hepatocarcinogenic and causes death in several animal species including rats, horses, swine, and ducklings. In the present study, chicken peritoneal macrophages (PM) and a chicken macrophage cell line, MQ-NCSU, were exposed in vitro to various doses of FB1. Exposure to .5, 5, and 10 micrograms FB1/mL caused significant cytotoxicity in PM after 2 and 4 h of exposure. Morphological alterations induced by FB1 in PM included cytoplasmic blebing or nuclear disintegration or both, which were maximal in cultures treated with 20 micrograms FB1/mL. Significant depression in the phagocytic potential of PM occurred after 4 h treatment with 20, 40, and 100 micrograms FB1. However, exposure to FB1 alone, as well as after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, induced secretion of a cytolytic factor by MQ-NCSU cells. These findings, which showed that FB1 exposure induced morphological and functional alterations in chicken macrophages, imply that FB1 exposure may result in increased susceptibility of chickens to bacterial infection.
Cloning, genomic organization and chromosomal assignment of the mouse p190-B gene

Abstract The p190 family of GTPases consists of at least two different isoforms both containing an N-terminal GTPase and a C-terminal Rho GAP domain. Here we have isolated and characterized genomic and cDNA clones spanning the entire coding region of the mouse p190-B gene. Genomic data were obtained by sequencing plasmid subclones of two overlapping mouse genomic phage clones. Interestingly, a single 3.9 kb exon was found to contain approx. 80% of the coding region of the mouse p190-B protein (amino acid residues 1–1238) including the 5′-untranslated region, the N-terminal GTPase domain and a middle domain of unknown function. Missing from this exon, however, was the C-terminal Rho GAP domain, which was cloned from mouse brain mRNA using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Comparison of the mouse with the human p190-B proteins revealed that approx. 97% of the amino acid residues were identical. Northern analysis of total RNA from a variety of mouse tissues detected ubiquitous expression of two p190-B transcripts of 4.0 and 6.8 kb in size. Analysis of two multilocus genetic crosses localized the mouse gene, Gfi2, to a position on chromosome 12, consistent with the mapping of the human gene to a position of conserved synteny on chromosome 14. The high level of sequence homology between the human and the mouse suggests that there is a strong selective pressure to maintain the p190-B protein structure.
A deltatheroidan mammal from the Upper Cretaceous Baynshiree Formation, eastern Mongolia

Abstract Deltatheroidans are a specialized group of basal metatherians with a long fossil history and a broad geographic distribution across Asia and North America. The group was among the first Mesozoic mammals known by relatively complete cranial material, recovered from the Gobi Desert by the American Museum expeditions in the 1920s. Deltatheroidans exhibit trends in their dentition towards apparent specializations for carnivory, including strongly developed postmetacrista, pronounced postvallum-prevallid shear, and a reduction of the ultimate molar. While the oldest undisputed deltatheroidans hail from the Early Cretaceous of North America, Upper Cretaceous rocks in central Asia have yielded the best preserved specimens and the bulk of the diversity. Here we describe a new deltatheroidan, Tsagandelta dashzevegi, gen. et sp. nov., from the Upper Cretaceous Baynshiree Formation of eastern Mongolia. This taxon adds to the diversity of the group in central Asia and provides further evidence of uniformity among the Late Cretaceous vertebrate faunas across the Gobi Desert.
On the Radial Appearance of the Corona

WOULD an indefinitely extending solar atmosphere, if its existence could be proved, be in itself sufficient to explain the appearance of the solar corona? Should we not still have to explain the apparent radiation which is so distinctly part of the phenomenon?—If the light or heat of the sun which radiates symmetrically outwards as from a point at its centre be the cause of the illumination, surely the figure of the corona would bear some relation to the figure of the atmosphere or medium on which the light or heat acts? Yet I think I may say that it is quite impossible to conceive a medium so distributed and arranged as to form rays such as those seen in the corona. If the recent photographs had not shown beyond a doubt that this irregular radiating appearance belongs to the corona and the neighbourhood of the sun,* it would have gone a long way to prove that the corona is at least partly due to the earth's atmosphere or mere optical effect. But, as it is, I think this radiation clearly proves that the corona cannot be due to the direct aci ion of the light and heat of the sun on any surrounding matter. In fact, I cannot conceive an atmosphere the character of which varies in a radial manner, however rapidly either its nature or density may vary with the distance from the surface of the sun. If, instead of an atmosphere, we try to conceive a ring of meteors, still the radial gaps so clearly marked on the photographs present insurmountable difficulty. This, moreover, is impossible on other grounds. It is impossible that there can be an almost homogeneous mass of meteoric matter circulating round the sun in the form of an outer sphere, and if it circulated in the ecliptic or any other plane, it would present the appearance of Saturn's belt, whereas the corona appears altogether different from this, and cannot possibly be a film of light in any plane but that of the sun's limb.
Endpoint estimates for some maximal operators associated to the circular conical surface

Abstract For ψ ∈ C 0 ∞ ( R d ) and m > 0 we consider the maximal operator given by M m f ( x , t ) = sup r > 0 | ∫ R d f ( x − y , t − | y | m ) 1 r d ψ ( y r ) d y | . It is well known that M m is a L p -bounded operator for 1 p ⩽ ∞ . Also A. Seeger and T. Tao proved that M m is of weak-type L log log L if m ≠ 1 . In this paper we consider the case m = 1 and prove M 1 maps the standard Hardy space H 1 to weak L 1 if d ⩾ 4 .
Proposed mapping of ultrasonic fields with conventional light diffraction

A theory is proposed from which a cross-sectional mapping of a beam of progressive ultrasonic waves can be obtained by conventional light-diffraction techniques, i.e., by passing a collimated beam of light through the sound field. To obtain sufficient information, the sound field must be rotated around its major axis for a series of optical measurements. These measurements, along a line perpendicular to the sound-beam axis, are to yield the strength and phase of the effective phase grating. As an extensive amount of data is needed to compute one map by two-dimensional Fourier transformation, a data-acquisition system and digital computer are required. However, in the constraint of linear acoustics, one set of measurements will permit the calculation of the sound field in all space.
A new mapping method for propagating data

Satellite altimetry data have been very useful in the study of oceanic eddies. However, eddies are only detected while they cross the satellite tracks but are missed when they are between tracks. A natural question is: should we use information of both time and space to do the data mapping? A new satellite data processing method combines propagating empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) analysis and an interpolation algorithm based on variance decomposition and maps the data into new time and/or space grids objectively. Here, as an example, the method is applied to the TOPEX/Poseidon along-track sea surface height (SSH) anomaly data. For each EOF mode, space and time information is obtained, and later mapped onto a finer grid. Finally, the field is reconstructed onto the new grid by summing the top several significant modes. The method was tested by performing three simple experiments and another experiment using synthetic SSH from a realistic high resolution model. Then a reconstruction of SSH from satellite data was applied to the Gulf of Mexico.
Comparison of spirometric thresholds in diagnosing smoking-related airflow obstruction: authors’ response

We thank Dr Miller for his comments1 on our recent article.2 While we agree that age is an important factor in this longstanding controversy, we would like to debate some of the points he makes. First, contrary to his assertions, strong relationships have been shown between CT measures of emphysema and pathological findings.3 While there has, in the past, been discussion regarding the ‘best’ Hounsfield Unit (HU) threshold to define CT emphysema, our use of −950 HU, correlating with more severe disease, has been used widely to demonstrate the power of CT-based density metrics in identifying COPD phenotypes, monitoring longitudinal changes and reducing the population size needed to power pharmaceutical studies.4 ,5 Second, while we agree with Dr Miller that age may impact the CT-based emphysema score, the effect size is considerably smaller than suggested. Recent data from COPDGene examining normal subjects with a similar age range as our study, with identical scanner protocols, was unable to detect a significant age effect.6 Analyses of data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Lung study, which included a much larger and older population, (n=854) showed a small age effect (0.2% for every 10 years) on CT-emphysema.7 In another large multicentre study, Coxson et al 8 noted that the progression of CT-emphysema with advancing age is low. …
RFVP: Rollback-Free Value Prediction with Safe-to-Approximate Loads

This article aims to tackle two fundamental memory bottlenecks: limited off-chip bandwidth (bandwidth wall) and long access latency (memory wall). To achieve this goal, our approach exploits the inherent error resilience of a wide range of applications. We introduce an approximation technique, called Rollback-Free Value Prediction (RFVP). When certain safe-to-approximate load operations miss in the cache, RFVP predicts the requested values. However, RFVP does not check for or recover from load-value mispredictions, hence, avoiding the high cost of pipeline flushes and re-executions. RFVP mitigates the memory wall by enabling the execution to continue without stalling for long-latency memory accesses. To mitigate the bandwidth wall, RFVP drops a fraction of load requests that miss in the cache after predicting their values. Dropping requests reduces memory bandwidth contention by removing them from the system. The drop rate is a knob to control the trade-off between performance/energy efficiency and output quality. Our extensive evaluations show that RFVP, when used in GPUs, yields significant performance improvement and energy reduction for a wide range of quality-loss levels. We also evaluate RFVP’s latency benefits for a single core CPU. The results show performance improvement and energy reduction for a wide variety of applications with less than 1p loss in quality.