cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gene expression profiling of aging using DNA microarrays

We have previously employed high density oligonucleotide arrays representing thousands of genes to determine the gene expression profile of the aging process in skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius) and brain (cerebellum and neocortex) of male C57BL/6 mice. Specific gene expression profiles are associated with the aging process of individual organs, and caloric restriction can prevent or retard the establishment of these gene expression alterations. The use of DNA microarrays may provide a new tool to measure biological age on a tissue-specific basis and to evaluate at the molecular level the efficacy of interventions designed to retard the aging process.
An Undergraduate Experiment Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry: A Study of the Thermal Properties of a Binary Eutectic Alloy of Tin and Lead

An alloy is an intimate association of two or more metals, with or without a definite composition, which has metallic properties. Heterogeneous alloys, such as tin–lead (Sn/Pb) solders, consist of ...
Effect of base pair mismatches on recombination via the RecBCD pathway.

The effect of base pair mismatches on recombination via the RecBCD pathway was studied in mutS and wild-type Escherichia coli, using substrates that contain single or multiple mismatches. Recombination between homologous DNA inserts in lambda phage and pBR322-derived plasmids forms phage-plasmid cointegrates that result from an odd number of crossovers. In the mutS host, when the sequence homology of a pair of 405 bp substrates decreased from 100% to 89%, the recombinant frequency decreased by about 9-fold, while in the wild-type host the decrease was about 240-fold. These results suggest that multiple mismatches can reduce recombinant frequencies by impeding the mechanism of recombination itself, and by provoking mismatch repair. Single mismatches in 31 bp substrates caused reductions in recombinant frequencies of 2-or 12-fold, depending on the location of the mismatch. However, unlike the reduction by multiple mismatches, the reduction of the recombinant frequencies by single mismatches was the same in both mutS and wild-type hosts. Thus a single match repair seems unable to act on single mismatches in very short homologies during recombination.
Identification of eating disorder pathology in college students: a comparison of DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria

The purpose of this study was to use responses to the self-report Eating Disorders Questionnaire (EDE-Q) to compare the proportion of individuals identified as having eating disorder pathology using the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria versus DSM-5 criteria. An ethnically diverse sample of college students (n = 2430; 56% White; 64% female) from three US universities completed an online survey that included the EDE-Q and psychological measurements (i.e. depression and anxiety severity). Diagnostic algorithms generated from DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 criteria were applied to EDE-Q responses. DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 diagnostic criteria identified the same proportion of participants (54.2%) as having some type of eating disorder pathology. However, participants were more likely to be classified into a full-threshold eating disorder pathology group (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder) when using the DSM-5 criteria (57.0%) v...
Measurements of N1 — N2 and η in steady shear flow and η′, η″, and birefringence in small-strain oscillatory shear for the polyisobutylene solution M1

Steady shear flow Stressmeter data for N1 — N2 and shear stress σ near 20 ° C for increasing and decreasing values of shear rate γ. in the range 14–427 s−1 exhibit hysteresis and evidence of polymer degradation; N1 and N2 denote the first and second normal stress differences in steady shear flow. Comparison with BASF cone-plate data for N1 shows that N2/N1 lies in the range from −0.1 to −0.2. Values of η′ at temperatures in the range 0–40 ° C and values of angular frequency ω in the range 1–3600 s−1, obtained with a coaxial cylinder rheometer in which the inner cylinder oscillates along its axis, give satisfactory time-temperature superposition; values of η″, however, show small but significant deviations from time-temperature superposition. The curves ηr(γ.r) and η′r(ωr) intersect; the limiting value of (N1 - N2)r/(2γ.2r) obtained by extrapolation to low γ.r equals the value of G′r/ω2r at low ωr. Oscillatory shear birefringence data (0–40 ° C, 5 s−1 < ω < 6280 s−1), obtained with a parallel plate apparatus in which one plate oscillates in its plane, show small but significant deviations from the equation n = AI + Cp, where n and p denote the solution refractive index and stress tensors and A, C are ω-independent scalars. Solvent contributions were not subtracted from n or p.
Cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum: Chemical and electron microscope studies of calcium accumulation

A sucrose gradient preparation (35–45 % sucrose layer) of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (FSR) from canine myocardium has been examined by electron microscopy after ATP-induced accumulation of calcium oxalate crystals within vesicles. In sectioned pellets, the loaded vesicles appear centrifugally concentrated in the lowermost 10% of the pellet thickness. The high ratio of empty to full vesicles was also observed in suspensions deposited on electron microscope grids, examined without staining. Furthermore, black calcium oxalate crystals were produced in vesicles, adsorbed to the carbon foil, by floating the grid on a drop of incubation medium. Centrifugal isolation of loaded vesicles has produced a FSR fraction with more than half of the vesicles containing calcium oxalate. The enriched pellets contain only 15–20% of the original FSR protein in association with 80–90% of the total calcium from the incubation mixture, or 22–26 μmoles Ca/mg FSR protein. ATPase activity demonstrable with the loaded vesicle fraction corresponded to 45% of the original total FSR activity, including calcium-activated “extra ATPase” corresponding to 22–33 % of that in the original total FSR, while the specific activity was increased 2- and 3-fold, respectively.
Polyanion induced physical changes in isolated nuclei.

Abstract Small angle light scattering techniques were used to determine the effects of selected polyanions on isolated mouse spleen nuclei. The light scattering measurements made it possible to distinguish nuclear swelling from lysis and/or aggregation. Heparin and dextran sulfate were shown to induce nuclear swelling. Chondroitin sulfate, although structurally similar to heparin, had no observable effect on the nuclei. Polystyrene sulfonate and pyran copolymer caused nuclear aggregation and lysis, respectively.
Quality-of-Life Measures in Children With Neurological Conditions Pediatric Neuro-QOL

Background. A comprehensive, reliable, and valid measurement system is needed to monitor changes in children with neurological conditions who experience lifelong functional limitations. Objective. ...
Highly concentrated suspensions of nontransparent fused quartz and materials based on them

On the basis of nontransparent quartz glass, using the wet milling method in a porcelain mill and uralit balls, we obtained casting suspensions with volume concentrations of solid phase equal to 70–73%. By means of stabilization with mechanical gravitation stirring we attained a sharp reduction in the slip's viscosity, and increases in density and strength.
The O2 dissociation curve of blood of the rhesus monkey (Macaca Mulatta)

The O2 dissociation curve of blood of rhesus monkeys was constructed using blood samples from six animals. The mean O2 tension necessary for 50% saturation of hemoglobin (T50) was 32.3 mm Hg at 38 °C and plasma pH of 7.40. This is considerably to the right of the previously published curve for this species.
A quantitative determination of sources in the Boston urban aerosol.

Abstract Target transformation factor analysis was used to determine the number and nature of sources in the Boston urban aerosol. The data were best represented with six sources : soil, residual fuel oil, refuse, motor vehicle, marine, and road dust. This form of factor analysis allows determination of actual elemental source profiles as well as the amount of material that each source contributed to each sample.
Valuing improvements to threatened and endangered marine species: an application of stated preference choice experiments.

Non-market valuation research has produced value estimates for over forty threatened and endangered (T&E) species, including mammals, fish, birds, and crustaceans. Increasingly, Stated Preference Choice Experiments (SPCE) are utilized for valuation, as the format offers flexibility for policy analysis and may reduce certain types of response biases relative to the more traditional Contingent Valuation method. Additionally, SPCE formats can allow respondents to make trade-offs among multiple species, providing information on the distinctiveness of preferences for different T&E species. In this paper we present results of an SPCE involving three U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed species: the Puget Sound Chinook salmon, the Hawaiian monk seal, and the smalltooth sawfish. We estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for improving each species’ ESA listing status and statistically compare these values between the three species using a method of convolutions approach. Our results suggest that respondents have distinct preferences for the three species, and that WTP estimates differ depending on the species and the level of improvement to their ESA status. Our results should be of interest to researchers and policy-makers, as we provide value estimates for three species that have limited, if any, estimates available in the economics literature, as well as new information about the way respondents make trade-offs among three taxonomically different species.
Informal Science Experience, Attitudes, Future Interest in Science, and Gender of High-Ability Students: An Exploratory Study

The present study examined specific science-related attitudes, informal science-related experiences, future interest in science, and gender of young high-ability students. The sample consisted of 111 high-ability students between the ages of 9 and 13. Students completed the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA), the Science Experience Survey, and the Course Selection Sheet. Two regression models were developed to predict number of physical science and life science courses selected. In the first model, gender, TOSRA subscale Career Interest in Science, and informal physical science related experience predicted 42% of the variance related to number of physical science courses selected. The second model (R2= .24) predicted number of life science courses based on informal life science related experience, informal physical science related experience, and TOSRA subscale Enjoyment of Science Lessons. Recommendations were made recognizing differences regarding gender and ability level.
Cyan or not cyan

Increasing the current through some light-emitting diodes changes their colour. This article describes how to demonstrate and measure the change.
Matter-wave interference in s -wave and p -wave Fermi condensates

We discuss the time evolution and matter-wave interference of Fermi condensates on the Bose-Einstein condensate side of Feshbach resonances for $s$- and $p$-wave superfluids, upon release from harmonic traps. In $s$-wave systems, where the order parameter is a complex scalar, we find that the interference patterns depend on the relative phase of the order parameters of the condensates. In $p$-wave systems involving the mixture of two hyperfine states, we show that the interference pattern exhibits a polarization effect depending on the relative orientation of the two vector order parameters. Lastly, we also point out that $p$-wave Fermi condensates exhibit an anisotropic expansion, reflecting the spatial anisotropy of the underlying interaction between fermions and the orbital nature of the vector order parameter. Potential applications of our results include systems of ultracold atoms that exhibit $p$-wave Feshbach resonances, such as $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ or $^{40}\mathrm{K}$.
An exceptionally large linear electro‐optic effect in the organic solid MNA

The dc linear electro‐optic effect and the x‐ray crystal structure of the organic molecular solid 2‐methyl‐4‐nitroaniline (MNA) have been studied. Of two crystal orientations measured, one polar orientation was found to have an exceptionally large figure of merit for electro‐optic phase retardation, comparable to that of LiNbO3. Comparison with second harmonic generation results demonstrates that the linear electro‐optic effect in MNA is primarily electronic in nature. The origin of the large macroscopic second order nonlinear optical susceptibility is traced to a single large component of the corresponding microscopic molecular susceptibility.
Coupled and complex: Human–environment interaction in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA

Abstract Complexity theory has received considerable attention over the past decade from a wide variety of disciplines. Some who write on this topic suggest that complexity theory will lead to a unifying understanding of complex phenomena; others dismiss it as a passing and disruptive fad. We suggest that for the analysis of coupled natural/human systems, the truth emerges from the middle ground. As an approach focused as much on the connections among system elements as the elements themselves, we argue that complexity theory provides a useful conceptual framework for the study of coupled natural/human systems. It is, if nothing else, a framework that leads us to ask interesting questions about, for example, sustainability, resilience, threshold events, and predictability. In this paper we attempt to demystify the ongoing discussions on complexity theory by linking its evocative and overloaded terminology to real-world processes. We illustrate how a shift in focus from system elements to connections among elements can lead to meaningful insight into human–environment interactions that might otherwise be overlooked. We ground our discussion in ongoing interdisciplinary research surrounding Yellowstone National Park’s northern elk winter range; a tightly coupled natural/human system that has been the center of debate, conflict, and compromise for more than 135 years.
Divalproex, lithium and suicide among Medicaid patients with bipolar disorder

Abstract Background Suicide completion and attempted suicide are major concerns for people with bipolar disorder. Studies in the private sector have suggested that lithium treatment may be superior to divalproex therapy with regard to minimizing suicidal behavior among individuals with bipolar disorder. However, few data are available regarding Medicaid patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Methods Subjects were 12,662 Oregon Medicaid patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and treated with medication between 1998 and 2003. Outcomes measures were completed suicide and emergency department visits for suicide attempts (including non-fatal poisoning). Cox proportional hazards models were used to adjust for demographics, co-morbidity, and concurrent psychotropic medication use. Results Divalproex was the most common mood stabilizer (used by 33% of subjects) followed by gabapentin (32%), lithium (25%), and carbamazepine (3%). There were 11 suicide deaths and 79 attempts. Adjusted hazard ratios (versus lithium users) for suicide attempts were 2.7 for divalproex users ( p p Limitations It should be noted that subjects were not assigned at random to medication use, data on prior suicide attempts were not available, medication use was measured by automated pharmacy records, and duration of mood stabilizer utilization may have been brief. Conclusions Lithium may have a protective effect with regard to suicide attempts among Medicaid patients with bipolar disorder. It remains unclear whether or not lithium protects these patients against completed suicide.
Urban empowerment: a successful example of service learning

This paper describes and demonstrates a creative way to implement Service Learning while assisting the urban community to improve visibility through empowering them to participate in the information age. 'Service Learning combines community service with classroom instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking as well as personal and civic responsibility.'[1].To make Service Learning effective, there must be integration into College curriculum and sustainability. This paper will explain how a program was developed with just that objective in mind incorporating a Federal grant supported by a local bank that collaborated with the University of Cincinnati to benefit both students and the local community. As part of the Service Learning program of the Web Publishing class, which I teach, students learned Web development from a technical perspective by learning and writing XHTML code. Students also gained interpersonal communication skills and awareness of civic engagement. They worked with community partners to create websites for their small businesses and provide other electronic access for them so they would not be left out of the digital age. In addition, sustainability was maintained because of the prospects for future maintenance and further development of the websites to enhance functionality and provide continuation for the students as they pursue further courses within the Web Development sequence. This is a good example of a successful use of Service Learning that could be replicated in other institutions.
Model-free trajectory optimisation for wireless data ferries

Networks consisting of stationary data sources and sinks linked by mobile ferries allow high-latency communication over large distances. Network performance depends on the trajectory of the ferry, which usually should aim to take the shortest path that allows it to exchange all waiting data with each node. An accurate model of the system would permit optimal trajectory planning, but such a model is hard to discover. Consequently, extant ferry flight planners make simplistic assumptions about data rates, ignoring signal reflections and occlusions from aircraft and ground, noise sources, and aircraft dynamics. We present an approach based on reinforcement learning, which allows a ferry to learn to improve its performance while in service, obviating considerable effort in system identification. We compare hand-coded and learned trajectories through radio fields with a complex data rate model, and show that learning trajectory planners can quickly discover good flight paths, outperforming a standard handcoded policy.
The effects of false feedback on attributed arousal and rated attractiveness in female subjects1

In an expanded version of the Valins false feedback paradigm, female subjects viewed ten slides of seminude males accompanied by either an increase or no change in amplified heart beats. Heart rate increase slides were rated as both more attractive and more arousing than no-change slides. These two measures were highly correlated, and did not differ significantly in the degree to which they were influenced by feedback. Subjects also showed significantly greater changes in actual heart rate for the increasing feedback slides than for the no-change slides, although the feedback produced no corresponding differences in GSR. Despite the effects on both subjective report and cardiac activity, correlations between these two measures were generally nonsignificant. Subjects classified as high in autonomic perception showed no significant relationship between actual cardiac activity and slide ratings, nor were they more influenced in their ratings by the feedback than subjects low in autonomic perception. Implications for the false feedback paradigm and for current issues in the social psychology and psychophysiology of emotion are discussed.
Assessment of the sensitivity of hydrogen inhalation in the detection of left-to-right shunting

For the detection of left-to-right intracardiac shunting, the oximetric and standard indocyanine green techniques are relatively insensitive, in that neither can reliably detect a shunt with a ratio of pulmonary to systemic flow (Qp/Qs) less than 1.3 (percentage shunt, 23%). Although the hydrogen inhalation method is said to be much more sensitive in this regard, no previous study has measured its sensitivity. Accordingly, in 15 patients (4 men, 11 women, aged 38 to 67 years) without intracardiac shunting, hydrogen inhalation was performed 1) without and 2) with an artificially created femoral arteriovenous shunt of known size, and cardiac output was measured by thermodilution. For the 15 subjects with cardiac outputs of 3.64 to 8.10 liters/min, shunts of 22 to 248 ml/min were created, so that the shunts ranged from 0.5% to 3.3%. Hydrogen inhalation detected all shunts greater than or equal to 1.3% (Qp/Qs greater than or equal to 1.01). Of the 10 shunts less than 1.3%, it detected 5, with the smallest being 0.7%. Thus, the hydrogen inhalation technique is extremely sensitive in identifying the presence of left-to-right shunting, far more sensitive than the oximetric and standard indocyanine green methods.
Wide range pure bending strains of Nb3Sn wires

Pure bending behavior of Nb3Sn wire over a wide range of bending has been characterized. A previously developed test device designed to apply variable bending strains to Nb3Sn strands using a beam style sample holder was used. Based on finite element and experimental investigations, two sample holder beams were developed to cover pure bending strains up to 1.25% for ITER-type Nb3Sn wires. These newly designed beams were optimized to apply consistent and uniform pure bending strains to Nb3Sn strands over the entire bending range. Their performance was evaluated by testing two ITER-type Nb3Sn wires including one internal tin and one bronze route. The internal tin strands experienced around 55% critical current degradation at 1.25% bending strain while the critical current of the bronze route strands were only reduced by 40%. Upon removal of the bending load, the internal tin wires experienced significant permanent degradation whereas the bronze route wires were completely reversible. These critical current results were evaluated and explained using an existing integrated model accounting for neutral axis shift, current transfer length, filament breakage and uniaxial strain release under pure bending loads.
Girls' Dormitory: Women's Islam and Iranian Horror

This article concerns representations of popular Muslim belief and practice in modern Iran. Of primary interest here will be a horror film called Khvabgah-i dukhtaran/Girls' Dormitory, in which a young woman becomes the target of a crazed killer claiming to be under the command of jinn. I discuss how the film, which some have reported is of particular appeal to young girls and women, engages with elite discourses on the essentially female character of popular (religious) culture. I also examine what the “horror” of the film reveals about many people's understandings of cosmology and anthropology in Iran, especially with respect to the modern articulation of a “national theology.” Such understandings in turn problematize the film's place in horror cinema from a Western perspective and perhaps explain the genre's relative absence from Iranian screens over the years. Finally, I turn to the broader significance of this release in terms of filmmaking and filmgoing in Iran as well as its possible connections to female-centered horror film movements elsewhere.
Performance Management Routines that Work? An Early Assessment of the GPRA Modernization Act

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 provided a well-studied framework for U.S. federal performance management initiatives. In the aftermath of the update of GPRA in 2010 with the GPRA Modernization Act, the authors offer the first systematic scholarly assessment of the new legislation. Managerial use of performance data was an explicit goal of the Modernization Act, an objective that eluded prior federal reforms. The Modernization Act established a new series of performance routines to encourage performance information use. The analysis shows that as federal managers experience those routines, they are more likely to report using performance data to make decisions. Specifically, routines centered on the pursuit of cross-agency priority goals, the prioritization of a small number of agency goals, and data-driven reviews are all associated with higher rates of performance information use. The authors also find that managers in better-run data-driven reviews report greater use of performance data.
Regulation of a lightweight one-link flexible robot arm using an exponentially stable variable structure controller

An exponentially stable variable structure controller is presented for regulation of the angular velocity of a lightweight one-link flexible robot arm, while simultaneously stabilizing vibration transient in the arm. By properly selecting a sliding hyperplane, the non-homogenous governing equations are converted to homogenous ones, and hence, analytically solvable. The controller is then designed based on the original infinite dimensional distributed system which, in turn, removes some disadvantages associated with the truncated-model-base controllers. Utilizing only the arm base angular position and tip deflection for the controller, an on-line perturbation estimation routine is introduced to overcome the measurement imperfections and the ever-present unmodeled dynamics. Depending on the composition of the controller, some favorable features appear such as elimination of control spillovers, suppression of residual oscillations and simplicity of the control implementation. Numerical simulations along with an experimental setup are provided to verify the theoretical concept and validate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Intermolecular interactions between cholecystokinin-8 and the third extracellular loop of the cholecystokinin-2 receptor.

The structure of the third extracellular loop of the human cholecystokinin-2 receptor, CCK2-R(352−379), and its interactions with the C-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin (CCK-8) have been determined by high-resolution NMR and computer simulations. In the presence of dodecylphosphocholine micelles, the structure of the receptor fragment consisted of three helices, with the first and third corresponding to residues of the extracellular ends of transmembrane helices (TM) 6 and 7, respectively. The central, extracellular helix, consisting of residues 363−368, was found to be closely associated with the membrane mimetic used during the spectroscopic studies and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Upon titration of CCK-8 to the receptor domain, chemical shift perturbation and intermolecular NOEs (Trp30, Met31 of CCK-8 and P371, F374 of CCK2-R) indicated the formation of a stable complex and specific ligand/receptor interactions. Using the NOE-generated intermolecular contact points, extensive MD simulati...
Detection of Fluconazole-Resistant Isolates of Candida glabrata by Using an Agar Screen Assay

The ability of a fluconazole-containing agar screen assay to accurately detect isolates of Candida glabrata resistant to the azole antifungal agent fluconazole was evaluated on a collection of 100 clinical isolates of this organism. Results were correlated with the MIC of fluconazole for these isolates and compared with the results of a previously published disk diffusion-based fluconazole resistance screening test. Agar screen assay results were in categorical agreement with MIC-based determinations for 97% (97/100) of the isolates tested. This correlation was higher than that obtained with the disk diffusion technique, which categorized only 87% (87/100) of isolates correctly, and suggests that the agar screening approach can effectively expedite fluconazole susceptibility testing of C. glabrata isolates.
A prospective study of conservative surgery without radiation therapy in select patients with Stage I breast cancer.

Purpose: The effectiveness of radiation therapy (RT) in reducing local recurrence after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in unselected patients with early stage invasive breast cancer has been demonstrated in multiple randomized trials. Whether a subset of women can achieve local control without RT is unknown. In 1986, we initiated a prospective one-arm trial of BCS alone for highly selected breast-cancer patients. This report updates those results. Methods and Materials: Eighty-seven (of 90 planned) patients enrolled from 1986 until closure in 1992, when a predefined stopping boundary was crossed. Patients were required to have a unicentric, T1, pathologic node-negative invasive ductal, mucinous, or tubular carcinoma without an extensive intraductal component or lymphatic-vessel invasion. Surgery included local excision with margins of at least 1 cm or a negative re-excision. No RT or systemic therapy was given. Results: Results are available on 81 patients (median follow-up, 86 months). Nineteen patients (23%) had local recurrence (LR) as a first site of failure (average annual LR: 3.5 per 100 patient-years of follow-up). Other sites of first failure included 1 ipsilateral axilla, 2 contralateral breast cancers, and 4 distant metastases. Six patients developed other (nonbreast) malignancies. Nine patients have died, 4 of metastatic breast cancer and 5 of unrelated causes. Conclusions: Even in this highly selected cohort, a substantial risk of local recurrence occurred after BCS alone with margins of 1.0 cm or more. These results suggest that with the possible exception of elderly women with comorbid conditions, radiation therapy after BCS remains standard treatment.
Digital image manipulation and avatar configuration: implications for inclusive classrooms

This paper outlines concerns for inclusive classrooms involving personal digital image modifications and selections, as well as avatar configurations. Classroom interactions incorporate various dimensions of personal appearance; however, educators try to make them primarily about knowledge and wisdom. Students in environments where they can interact with each other face-to-face are constantly immersed in issues involving their exterior manifestations. However, the utilisations of digital media in the classroom and in the online delivery of instruction are providing new ways of manipulating the digitised images of individuals, as well as their characteristic patterns of speech and motion. The rising popularity of avatars in education (such as in Second Life) also provides a new spectrum of representational choices. Individuals who reconstitute their images so as to appear more ‘normal’ may achieve results that are more problematic than liberating, however. Fostering the development of manipulated images and avatars for the purposes of educational interaction can also be construed as an attempt to ‘erase’ stigma and in effect disempower individuals, especially those with disabilities. Likewise, image modification can be incorporated into bullying initiatives as part of efforts to ridicule and marginalise. In endeavours to mitigate these problems, faculty and staff can model the creative and empowering use of digital image and avatar technologies while celebrating (and not eradicating) their own idiosyncratic personal characteristics.
β-Lactamase Activity in Chromobacterium violaceum

A strain of Chromobacterium violaceum isolated from a fatally infected patient was found to produce a P-lactamase. When the organism was grown in drug-free medium, p-lactamase activity was barely detectable, but when it was grown in the presence of penicillin G, a much larger amount of activity was produced. The P-lactamase was active primarily against cephalosporins; it was sensitive to inhibition by cloxacillin but resistant to p-chloromercuribenzoate. Thus this enzyme closely resembled the common type of P-lactamase found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The organism was relatively susceptible to ticarcillin, carbenicillin, and cefoxitin, which resisted hydrolysis by its fP-lactamase, but was quite resistant to 11 other P-lactam antibiotics. Production of the P-lactamase appeared to be mediated by chromosomal genes.
Bandwidth efficient low complexity multiple turbo coded modulation on frequency-selective fading channels

As applications of wireless communications have grown in recent years, the development of high rate and reliable transmission schemes for band-limited mobile channels has become a major research goal. The combination of channel coding and multilevel signaling known as coded modulation can provide both very good error rate performance and high spectral efficiency for these channels. In this paper, we investigate a scheme using low complexity multiple turbo coded modulation with dense signal sets (16/32/64-QAM) and reduced-state soft-output MAP equalization on a frequency-selective fading channel, focusing on the rate 1/2 codes, thereby achieving spectral efficiencies of 2 bps/Hz, 2.5 bps/Hz, and 3 bps/Hz. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated by computer simulation.
Lateralized caudate metabolic abnormalities in adolescent major depressive disorder: a proton MR spectroscopy study.

tine, and N-acetylaspartate in the left and right caudate, putamen, and thalamus were scaled into concentrations using phantom replacement, and levels were compared for the two cohorts. Results: Relative to comparison subjects, adolescents with major depressive disorder had significantly elevated concentrations of choline (2.11 mM versus 1.56 mM) and creatine (6.65 mM versus 5.26 mM) in the left caudate. No other neurochemical differences were observed between the groups. Conclusions: These findings most likely reflect accelerated membrane turnover and impaired metabolism in the left caudate. The results are consistent with prior imaging reports of focal and lateralized abnormalities in the caudate in adult major depression.
Principles of ex ovo competitive exclusion and in ovo administration of Lactobacillus reuteri

Abstract The data that have been presented indicate that the in ovo use of competitive exclusion (CE) agents is feasible for both chickens and turkeys. However, there are many pitfalls that await the use of in ovo application of CE agents, including the use of nonspecies-specific intestinal microbes and the use of harmful proteolytic, gas-producing and toxin-producing intestinal microbes. Of the potential CE agents that have posthatch application, only Lactobacillus reuteri has been shown to be safe and effective in terms of not affecting hatchability and in having a prolonged effect in the hatched chick or poult. Lactobacillus reuteri administration in ovo increases its rate of intestinal colonization and decreases the colonization of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in both chicks and poults. Additionally, mortality due to in-hatcher exposure to E. coli or Salmonella is reduced with in ovo L. reuteri. Use of antibiotics in ovo may preclude the use of co-administered CE agents, but Gentamicin and L. reuteri are a compatible mixture when administered in ovo in separate compartments. Nevertheless, the intestinal morphology can be affected by both the CE agent and by antibiotics. Lactobacillus reuteri both in ovo and ex ovo will increase villus height and crypt depth, and Gentamicin in ovo causes a shortening and blunting of the villus. Both Gentamicin and L. reuteri in ovo suppress potentially pathogenic enteric microbes, but with diminished antibiotic effects shortening and blunting of the intestinal villi does not correct itself. Goblet cell numbers increase significantly on the ileum villus of chicks treated with Gentamicin in ovo, and this is presumably due to the increase in potentially pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal tract. Diminishing antibiotic effects posthatch would then negatively affect the absorption of nutrients and reduce growth at least in a transitory manner. Thus, L reuteri administration in ovo singly or in combination with Gentamicin followed by L reuteri via drinking water or feed appears to have potential to control many enteric pathogens in poultry. Additional work in the use of in ovo CE cultures is mandated because there is a world-wide movement to reduce antibiotic use in poultry due to increased microbial resistance to antibiotics. Use of naturally occurring intestinal bacterial cultures, either in mixed culture or as single well-defined cultures, has potential for immediate use in the poultry industry.
The Determinants of Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivity

Using firm-level estimates of investment-cash flow sensitivity, I classify firms into groups of high, low, and negative sensitivity. I find that investment-cash flow sensitivity is non-monotonic with respect to financial constraints, cash flows, and growth opportunities. Specifically, firms with negative cash flow sensitivity have the lowest cash flows and highest growth opportunities, and appear the most financially constrained. Cash flow insensitive firms have the highest cash flows and lowest growth opportunities, and appear the least financially constrained. At least partially, negative cash flow sensitivity is driven by high investment and low cash flow levels at the inception of firms as public companies, which decrease and increase, respectively, with age.
Shallow Junction Formation in As-Implanted Si by Low-Temperature Rapid Thermal Annealing

Shallow junctions were formed in single-crystal Si(100) by implantation of As at energies between 2 and 17.5 keV followed by conventional furnace annealing or by rapid thermal annealing (RTA). Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) showed that defect-free shallow junctions could be formed at temperatures as low as 700/degree/C by RTA, with about 60% dopant activation. From a comparison of short-time and long-time annealing, it is proposed that surface image forces are responsible for the efficient removal of end-of-range (EOR) dislocation loops. 25 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.
Sources of data for developing and maintaining a nutrient database

A nutrient database that contains current, reliable data is a prerequisite for accurate calculation of dietary intakes. Most nutrient databases are expanded from data supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and may include additional foods or nutrients or data from more recent analyses, food manufacturers, or foreign food tables. Guidelines must be established for selection of reliable values from appropriate sources. A system for precise documentation of data sources provides a means for determining whether individual nutrient values were derived from chemical analyses, recipe calculations, or imputations. This article identifies data sources used by the Nutrition Coordinating Center at the University of Minnesota for its nutrient database and describes the procedures used to select and document nutrient values.
Pay for Play: A Theory of Hybrid Relationships

Numerous “arrangements,” such as hybrids, alliances, joint ventures, are formed with the goal of creating a new product, such as a new drug or software application. Arrangements commonly require parties to make sunk-cost investments that the arrangement partner cannot observe, to disclose private information, and to make financing commitments. The requirements of efficient contracting—individual rationality, incentive compatibility, and budget balance—are difficult to satisfy in arrangement contexts, so that, as the literature suggests, parties’ best response is to form firms. We show, in contrast, that flexible and efficient contracting is possible for arrangements. With the arrival of new information, each party is asked to “pay-to -play” which requires the firms to agree to future terms of exchange that are mutually beneficial. When properly negotiated, these payments to play support the efficient multistage joint development of the new product, with hybrid relationships that are governed by conventional control rights and legal enforcement.
Monte Carlo Simulations of One-dimensional Fermion Systems

We discuss a new method to perform numerical simulations of one-dimensional systems with fermion and boson degrees of freedom. The method is based on a direct-space, imaginary-time representation of the fermion field. It is fast so that systems having up to 100 sites can easily be simulated. In addition, the method provides an intuitive physical "picture" of the ground state of a one-dimensional many-body system. We discuss in detail how to implement the method and how to compute various physical quantities. In particular, we show how to extend the method to study averages of off-diagonal quantities in an occupation-number representation. To assess the accuracy of our procedure, we apply it to free fermions in one dimension and compare with exact results. We then study a model of spinless interacting fermions and obtain the expected phase structure and behavior of correlation functions. We also consider the extended Hubbard model at various points in its phase diagram and study the behavior of spin-density, charge-density, and pairing correlation functions. We then study the Gross-Neveu model and show how the behavior depends on the number of fermion flavors. Finally, we consider an electron-phonon model and study its behavior both in the one-particle polaron sector and in the half-filled-band case. Along the way we show pictures of the ground-state configurations that give physical insight into the properties of the systems, like charge-density-wave, spin-density-wave, and superconducting states, "fractional charges," and solitons. We conclude by comparing our method with other methods and discuss the possibility of extending it to higher dimensions.
Rapamycin for androgen-independent prostrate cancer (AIPC)

14584 Background: Genetic alterations targeting the PTEN tumor-suppressive gene are among the most frequently noted mutations in human cancers. Prostate cancer has been reported as a PTEN-null canc...
Some Observations on Legislative Capacity in Constitutional Interpretation

AbstractHow well can legislatures evaluate the constitutional questions that are inevitably bound up with regulation of the political process? Modern parliamentary systems have developed forms of “rights-vetting” using specialized committees and ministry units to consider constitutional questions. Designing such institutions requires careful consideration of their ability to perform rights-vetting in a timely manner. The United States lacks such institutions in Congress, and creating them would be difficult in light of the congressional committee structure.
Characteristics of Fast Excitatory Postsynaptic Current in Bullfrog Sympathetic Ganglion Cells

The membrane current underlying the fast excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSC) of bullfrog sympathetic ganglion cells was studied. The relationship between the EPSC amplitude and membrane potential was linear at negative levels of membrane potential, but deviated from the linearity toward a smaller amplitude at positive levels. The falling phase of EPSC almost followed a single exponential decay. The half-decay time (HDT) of EPSC's increased exponentially with an increase in the negativity of membrane potential. The rise time (RT) was also prolonged slightly with membrane hyperpolarization. Lowering of temperature decreased the EPSC amplitude, lengthened markedly the HDT and increased the slope relating the logarithm of the HDT to membrane potential. Neostigmine (1×10−5 M) prolonged both the RT and HDT. A decrease in Ca2+ concentration caused a marked reduction in the EPSC amplitude, and a slight shortening in the RT and HDT. An increase in Ca2+ concentration significantly prolonged the RT and HDT without altering the slope of the relationship between the HDT and membrane potential, while the amplitude of EPSC was increased slightly. The HDT was independent of EPSC amplitude. It is suggested that the mechanism responsible for closing the ion channels of the nicotinic receptor at the subsynaptic membrane is regulated by membrane potential. The possible mechanisms of the action of Ca2+ on the decay phase of EPSC were discussed.
Effects of Soil Moisture on Dry Matter Accumulation and Yield In Rice

The hybrid rice varieties Nei 2 you 6 and ⅡYou 7954 were tested to investigate effects of soil moisture on the dry matter accumulation and yield in the field.The results showed that there was no significant difference in the yield between Nei 2 you 6 and CK under the light water stress and the yield reduced by 15.2% under severe water stress compared with CK.The yield of ⅡYou 7954 increased under the soil water stress.Nei 2 you 6 is more sensitive than Ⅱyou 7954 to soil water stress.The dry matter accumulation of Nei 2 you 6 decreased by 22.0% under severe water stress.The dry matter accumulation of Ⅱyou 7954 averagely increased by 8.4% and 4.7% under light and severe water stress separately.The soil water stress inhibited the transmission of dry matter from stems and sheaths to panicle in Nei 2 you 6 and promoted the transmission of dry matter from stems and sheaths to panicle in ⅡYou 7954.
The role of metallothionein in cadmium-induced bone resorption

Cadmium (Cd) causes bone loss independent of renal dysfunction at occupational exposure levels [1–3]. In vitro, Cd accelerates the formation of osteoclasts, the bone resorbing cells, to cause a transient increase in their numbers [4–5] and increases their activation and/or activity [5]. The cellular mechanism for the Cd-induced increase in bone resorption is still unclear.
Cleft Palate in Infants Exposed to Lamotrigine During Pregnancy

Infants with major malformations bom to 791 women who had taken lamotrigine as monotherapy during the first trimester of pregnancy, and had enrolled in the North American AED Pregnancy Registry, were identified in a study at the Genetics and Teratology Unit, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, and Boston University School of Medicine, MA.
Abstract 120: Increased Mitochondrial Superoxide in the Brain, but not Periphery, Sensitizes Mice to Angiotensin II-Mediated Hypertension

Mitochondrial superoxide (O 2 [[Unable to Display Character: ●]]- ) is a critical signaling intermediate in angiotensin II (AngII)-dependent hypertension. However, it remains unknown if increased mitochondrial O 2 [[Unable to Display Character: ●]]- flux in the absence of hypertensive stimuli is sufficient to affect blood pressure. We hypothesized that elevated levels of systemic mitochondrial O 2 [[Unable to Display Character: ●]]- leads to increased blood pressure and exacerbates AngII-induced hypertension. To test this, we utilized a conditional mouse model of manganese superoxide dismutase knock-out (MnSOD lox/lox ), which we have shown amplifies steady-state mitochondrial O 2 [[Unable to Display Character: ●]]- levels in all cell types examined. When combining the MnSOD lox/lox mouse with a tamoxifen-inducible cre recombinase expressed by the systemic ROSA26 promoter, MnSOD was knocked-down (30-98%, p 2 [[Unable to Display Character: ●]]- levels specifically in the brain subfornical organ (SFO) by targeting the loss of MnSOD to this critical AngII-sensitive region. We observed a 60% decrease of MnSOD (p 2 [[Unable to Display Character: ●]]- , as measured by MitoSox Red fluorescence, in the SFO following adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of cre recombinase to the SFO in MnSOD lox/lox mice. Intriguingly, these mice demonstrated no change in baseline MAP (92.8 ± 0.4 mmHg in knock-down vs. 93.1 ± 0.4 mmHg in control mice), but did show a significant elevation in MAP upon peripheral AngII infusion (MAP max = 137.8 ± 2.7 mmHg in knock-down vs. 128.3 ± 3.3 mmHg in control mice, p 2 [[Unable to Display Character: ●]]- in the absence of hypertensive stimuli is not sufficient to alter baseline hemodynamics, but dysregulation of mitochondrial redox status in the SFO may be a predisposition to increased responsiveness to hypertensive stimuli, such as AngII.