cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The non-enzymic oxidation of NADH by nitrosobenzene

Abstract Nitrosobenzene caused a biphasic oxidation of NADH or NADPH. The initial rapid phase of this oxidation, which is a stoichiometric reaction, was not associated with oxygen consumption and was unaffected by EDTA. In contrast, the slower phase of the NADH oxidation was inhibited by EDTA. It was associated with oxygen uptake and was catalytic, in the sense that many moles of NADH could be oxidized per mole of nitrosobenzene. Copper catalyzed this reaction. A mechanism which explains these observations is proposed.
Strengthening Homeless Parents with Young Children through Meaningful Parent Education and Support.

Homeless parents of young children confront several barriers to developing effective parenting skills and dispositions. Perhaps the major barrier is that of the negative stereotype that many people use to label them. They also often have not had positive parent role models and in many cases have had to deal with the issues of violence. Parent education and support strategies can play a key role in helping homeless parents develop positive and nurturing parenting skills.
DSMC study of homogeneous condensation of water in supersonic expansions

A model of homogeneous condensation of water vapor in supersonic expansions was revisited to improve the kinetic parameters of smaller clusters. Previously published Monte Carlo canonical ensemble and molecular dynamics results were integrated into direct simulation Monte Carlo simulations. Simulated Rayleigh scattering intensity data and terminal dimer mole fraction data for an expansion flow were compared with experimental data to test the new models.
Representation of weakly harmonizable processes.

Abstract Weakly harmonizable processes are represented by a family of positive definite contractive linear operators in a Hilbert space. This generalizes the known result on weakly stationary processes involving a unitary family. A characterization of the vector Fourier integral of a measure on R → [unk], a reflexive space, is given, and this yields another characterization of weakly harmonizable processes when [unk] is a Hilbert space. Also these processes are shown to have associated spectra, yielding a positive solution to a problem of Rozanov.
Microwave-assisted syntheses of highly CO2-selective organic cage frameworks (OCFs)

A series of organic cage frameworks (OCFs) were successfully synthesized through microwave-assisted Sonogashira coupling of 3-D molecular cage building blocks with various diacetylene linkers. These novel framework materials exhibited unprecedented, high ideal selectivity (up to 213/1) in adsorption of CO2 over N2 under ambient conditions.
Dopaminergic activity is reduced in diabetic rats

Dopamine synthesis rates in synaptosomes prepared from the striata of alloxan-diabetic rats were considerably lower than in control preparations. Striatal dopamine metabolite levels, after an initial increase, were also reduced at 3 and 6 weeks after alloxan administration. These findings suggest that dopaminergic functioning may be impaired in diabetic rats.
INCENSE: A system for displaying data structures

Many modern computer languages allow the programmer to define and use a variety of data types. Few programming systems, however, allow the programmer similar flexibility when displaying the data structures for debugging, monitoring and documenting programs. Incense is a working prototype system that allows the programmer to interactively investigate data structures in actual programs. The desired displays can be specified by the programmer or a default can be used. The default displays provided by Incense present the standard form for literals of the basic types, the actual names for scalar types, stacked boxes for records and arrays, and curved lines with arrowheads for pointers. In addition to displaying data structures, Incense also allows the user to select, move, erase and redimension the resulting displays. These interactions are provided in a uniform, natural manner using a pointing device (mouse) and keyboard.
MD 240928 and harmaline: Opposite selectivity in antagonism of the inactivation of types A and B monoamine oxidase by pargyline in mice.

In mice treated 24 hrs earlier with pargyline (20 mg/kg i.p), both type A and type B monoamine oxidase (MAO-A and MAO-B) were partially inactivated in brain, heart and liver. The abilities of two short-acting, reversible inhibitors of MAO to antagonize that inactivation were compared. Pretreatment with MD 240928 at doses of 10, 20 or 30 mg/kg i.p. antagonized the inactivation of type B MAO but did not alter the inactivation of type A MAO in all three tissues. In contrast, pretreatment with harmaline at a dose of 10 mg/kg i.p. antagonized the inactivation of type A MAO but did not alter the inactivation of type B MAO. Antagonism of the pargyline-induced inactivation is interpreted as being due to the transient selective inhibition of MAO-A by harmaline and of MAO-B by MD 240928, preventing the mechanism-based inactivation of those enzymes by pargyline. The selective protection by harmaline is in agreement with earlier results with that compound in rats; the selective protection by MD 240928 is the first report of selective protection against MAO-B inactivation.
Relaxation and hypnosis in the treatment of insomnia.

Abstract The study compared the effectiveness of hypnosis and relaxation training in the treatment of insomnia among 22 student volunteers. Using a subjective rating scale, subjects in both the hypnosis and relaxation conditions reported substantial improvement in their sleep problem following training, but objective records showed that only subjects in the relaxation condition achieved a significant reduction in the actual incidence of insomnia. The difference between conditions may have been the result of lower expectation of success on the part of hypnosis subjects.
Smart grid congestion management through demand response

This paper proposes a novel cost-effective congestion management (CM) scheme for smart grids through demand response (DR). In this congestion management, two objectives i.e. acceptable congestion and congestion cost including DR are optimized by choosing optimal mix of generation rescheduling and DR of participating buses by minimizing the impact on revenues and customer satisfaction. Participating generators for rescheduling and loads for DR are selected using an sensitivity index which combines both biding cost and sensitivity to alleviate the congestion. The scheme employs a meta-heuristic optimization technique called Ant Colony Optimization to optimize the individual options and uses a fuzzy satisfying technique to choose the best compromise solution from the set of Pareto optimal solutions. The proposed system has been evaluated on benchmark IEEE 30 bus test systems and the results of this evaluation are presented in this paper.
Vasculogenic Mimicry and Tumor Angiogenesis

Tumors require a blood supply for growth and hematogenous dissemination. Much attention has been focused on the role of angiogenesis—the recruitment of new vessels into a tumor from pre-existing vessels. However, angiogenesis may not be the only mechanism by which tumors acquire a microcirculation. Highly aggressive and metastatic melanoma cells are capable of forming highly patterned vascular channels in vitro that are composed of a basement membrane that stains positive with the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reagent in the absence of endothelial cells and fibroblasts. These channels formed in vitro are identical morphologically to PAS-positive channels in histological preparations from highly aggressive primary uveal melanomas, in the vertical growth phase of cutaneous melanomas, and in metastatic uveal and cutaneous melanoma. The generation of microvascular channels by genetically deregulated, aggressive tumor cells was termed “vasculogenic mimicry” to emphasize their de novo generation without participation by endothelial cells and independent of angiogenesis. Techniques designed to identify the tumor microcirculation by the staining of endothelial cells may not be applicable to tumors that express vasculogenic mimicry. Although it is not known if therapeutic strategies targeting endothelial cells will be effective in tumors whose blood supply is formed by tumor cells in the absence of angiogenesis, the biomechanical and molecular events that regulate vasculogenic mimicry provide opportunities for the development of novel forms of tumor-targeted treatments. The unique patterning characteristic of vasculogenic mimicry provides an opportunity to design noninvasive imaging techniques to detect highly aggressive neoplasms and their metastases.
FEASIBILITY OF A FIXED PLATFORM FOR 1300 FEET OF WATER

A deepwater fixed platform for use in drilling and production operations in the Bass Strait off the coast of Australia seems technically feasible. This conclusion is based on analysis and preliminary design of a fixed-bottom steel platform for 1300 feet of water. Wave forces, wave-induced dynamic response, cyclic load considerations (fatigue), hydrostatic collapse, and axial buckling were included in the analysis. Fabrication and installation procedures were investigated, but this paper emphasizes the analytic results, particularly the dynamic response, which plays a significant part in the design of the platform.
Are cash discounts in the farm supply industry profitable

The profitability of cash discounts offered by farm supply firms in southern Illinois is determined using a net present value model. Results suggest that cash discounts may reduce the profitability of farm supply firms: Among the 33 agribusinesses whose cash discounts were analyzed, over one-half had unprofitable cash discounts. The average cost to the firms with unprofitable cash discounts was $38,800. Firms with profitable cash discount policies added, on average, about $67,600 to their firms' total profits. It was found that reducing cash discount rates is a major way to improve the profitability of cash discount policies.
Thermal rearrangements of unsaturated polymers

Thermal anaerobic uncatalyzed cyclizations and cis-trans isomerizations observed in unsaturated hydrocarbon polymers are surveyed. Three main types of cyclizations are described. Type I is a radical reaction which is caused by chain rupture and gives rise to six-membered rings; this reaction occurs during pyrolysis of polymers with double bonds in a 1,5- or 1,6-diene configuration. Type II is a (2 + 2) thermal cycloaddition of double bonds in certain polymers with a 1,6-diene structure; bicycloheptane structures result. Type III is an intramolecular ene reaction. Many polymers containing a double bond linking CH units display thermal cis-trans isomerization. The common activation energy is approximately 130 kJ/mol, and the initial rate constants are lower, for homologous polymers, the greater the separation of the carbon-carbon double bonds.
The role of cell calcium in current approaches to toxicology.

All cells contain elaborate systems for the spatial and temporal regulation of the calcium ion, [Ca2+]i, and diverse Ca2+ receptor and biochemical response systems that are regulated by these chang...
Detection of epitope-tagged proteins in flow cytometry: fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based assays on beads with femtomole resolution.

Epitope tagging of expressed proteins is a versatile tool for the detection and purification of the proteins. This approach has been used in protein-protein interaction studies, protein localization, and immunoprecipitation. Among the most popular tag systems is the FLAG epitope tag, which is recognized by three monoclonal antibodies M1, M2, and M5. We describe novel approaches to the detection of epitope-tagged proteins via fluorescence resonance energy transfer on beads. We have synthesized and characterized biotinylated and fluorescein-labeled FLAG peptides and examined the binding of FLAG peptides to commercial streptavidin beads using flow cytometric analysis. A requirement of assay development is the elucidation of parameters that characterize the binding interactions between component systems. We have thus compiled a set of Kd values determined from a series of equilibrium binding experiments with beads, peptides, and antibodies. We have defined conditions for binding biotinylated and fluoresceinated FLAG peptides to beads. Site occupancies of the peptides were determined to be on the order of several million sites per bead and Kd values in the 0.3-2.0 nM range. The affinity for antibody attachment to peptides was determined to be in the low nanomolar range (less than 10 nM) for measurements on beads and solution. We demonstrate the applicability of this methodology to assay development, by detecting femtomole amounts of N-terminal FLAG-bacteria alkaline phosphatase fusion protein. These characterizations form the basis of generalizable and high throughput assays for proteins with known epitopes, for research, proteomic, or clinical applications.
Reflective training and causal attributions in impulsive mildly retarded children

Abstract Modification of an impulsive conceptual tempo in a population of 30 mildly retarded young (MA=8.17) and older (MA=10.13) children was examined. An operant treatment, involving contingent social reinforcement, was not effective in reducing impulsive responding on the MFFT. Limited and extended self‐instructional training did produce a posttrain‐ing increase in reflective responding which was maintained two weeks after training ceased. Age‐related performance effects were found in the two self‐instructional conditions, with young children showing better performance than older children. There was no paper‐and‐pencil task generalization to the Porteus Mazes, although evidence of relatively less hyperactive classroom behavior was found on the Conners Teachers Rating Scale for the experimental groups. A Treatment X Locus of Achievement Responsibility interaction was found for MFFT errors.
Photoelectric and Metastable Atom Emission of Electrons from Surfaces in the Rare Gases

The causes of conductivity observed at considerable distances beyond the end of a rare gas discharge are investigated at pressures of 0.5-2 mm. In pure gases, currents from negatively charged electrodes are found to be mainly caused by photoelectric action thereon of the resonance or other extreme ultraviolet radiations. For similar discharge conditions, currents are roughly 10-fold greater in Ne than in He and 20-fold greater in Ne than in A. When traces of impurities (ionizable by metastable atoms) are added, the currents are increased because of the ionization of the former by metastable atoms (volume effect). Under these circumstances strong irradiation with light of the gas in question (which is found to destroy more than half the metastable atoms formed) causes marked decreases in the currents; but the currents in pure gases are only negligibly so reduced. Electron currents from a thin metal disk are several times greater when the plane of the disk is perpendicular to the direction of the radiation than when it is parallel thereto. The fraction of the currents in Ne which may be caused by the emission of electrons from surfaces by metastable atoms is 10 percent for the parallel position of the above disk and 3 percent for the perpendicular position. This fraction is still smaller in A but may be considerably higher in He. The fraction of the scattered resonance quanta which are converted into metastable atoms before reaching the walls may be as high as 50 percent in He but is probably 5 percent in Ne. The small value of this fraction in Ne is in accord with other evidence for the abnormally long free paths of resonance radiation in this gas. The efficiency of metastable atom emission of electrons from surfaces under the present conditions is found to be 1 and is probably not much greater in order of magnitude than the photoelectric efficiency of the radiations concerned. The effective cross section for the ionization of A by metastable Ne atoms is estimated. A convenient method of detecting and measuring small traces of impurities in Ne and He is described. Evidence is given that, on account of wall reflections, visible radiation, and probably also (but for gaseous absorption) extreme ultraviolet radiation, passing down a glass tube will, over a considerable range, decrease approximately with the inverse first power of the distance.
Superquadric representation of 3D faces: Toward reducing time complexity of recognition

Human faces are smooth and symmetrical, making superquadrics a good choice for representation and normalization. We present a novel approach to parameterize 3D faces using the powerful superquadric model in combination with an Eigen decomposition which represents the finer features of faces. The superquadric fit also provides axes of symmetry that yield a normalized face coordinate space necessary for applying PCA. Results of fitting on our data set, of 2 scans each from 107 people, show reliable representation for yaw, pitch, and roll with average rotations of the order 10 -3 radians, about each axis. Parameterization can be used to partition the search space into smaller bins, thus effectively reducing the search space complexity for matching and recognition. We show that it is possible to create about 20-40 clusters with as few as 30 parameters. The accuracy of the clustering algorithm, in some cases, is as high as 90%. We believe this approach to indexing 3D faces is an interesting extension to existing literature.
Differing views of the role of selenium in thioredoxin reductase

This review covers three different chemical explanations that could account for the requirement of selenium in the form of selenocysteine in the active site of mammalian thioredoxin reductase. These views are the following: (1) the traditional view of selenocysteine as a superior nucleophile relative to cysteine, (2) the superior leaving group ability of a selenol relative to a thiol due to its significantly lower pK a and, (3) the superior ability of selenium to accept electrons (electrophilicity) relative to sulfur. We term these chemical explanations as the “chemico-enzymatic” function of selenium in an enzyme. We formally define the chemico-enzymatic function of selenium as its specific chemical property that allows a selenoenzyme to catalyze its individual reaction. However we, and others, question whether selenocysteine is chemically necessary to catalyze an enzymatic reaction since cysteine-homologs of selenocysteine-containing enzymes catalyze their specific enzymatic reactions with high catalytic efficiency. There must be a unique chemical reason for the presence of selenocysteine in enzymes that explains the biological pressure on the genome to maintain the complex selenocysteine-insertion machinery. We term this biological pressure the “chemico-biological” function of selenocysteine. We discuss evidence that this chemico-biological function is the ability of selenoenzymes to resist inactivation by irreversible oxidation. The way in which selenocysteine confers resistance to oxidation could be due to the superior ability of the oxidized form of selenocysteine (Sec-SeO2 −, seleninic acid) to be recycled back to its parent form (Sec-SeH, selenocysteine) in comparison to the same cycling of cysteine-sulfinic acid to cysteine (Cys-SO2 − to Cys-SH).
Glutathione biosynthesis and its inhibition.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the Glutathione Biosynthesis and its inhibition. Glutathione (GSH) is synthesized in two steps that are catalyzed, respectively, by γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (glutamate-cysteine ligase) and GSH synthetase. The reaction catalyzed by T-glutamylcysteine synthetase is feedback inhibited by GSH, and thus the enzyme functions normally at less than its maximal rate. Inhibition by GSH is not allosteric, but is competitive with respect to glutamate. Inhibition is associated with binding of the glutamyl moiety of GSH to the glutamate binding site of the enzyme, and there is evidence that the thiol moiety of GSH binds to another site on the enzyme, possibly to the cysteine binding site. Studies on the mapping of the active site of glutamine synthetase led to the conclusion that the S-methyl group of methionine sulfoximine binds to the ammonia binding site of the enzyme. Sulfoximines with larger S-alkyl moieties were found not to inhibit glutamine synthetase significantly because they are hindered from binding to the ammonia binding site of this enzyme. However, such compounds effectively bind to and inactivate γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase. Thus, Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) does not inhibit glutamine synthetase significantly and thus decreases GSH levels without affecting the synthesis of glutamine (and does not produce convulsions).
Developmental Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Aroclor 1254) Reduces Circulating Thyroid Hormone Concentrations and Causes Hearing Deficits in Rats

Developmental hypothyroidism causes growth deficits, motor dysfunction, and hearing disorders in humans and animals. Therefore, environmental toxicants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), may secondarily affect these endpoints via thyrotoxicity. In this study, Long-Evans rats were given Aroclor 1254 (po), at 0, 1, 4, or 8 mg/kg from Gestation Day 6 through Postnatal Day (PND) 21. We evaluated the offspring at various age intervals for circulating thyroid hormone concentrations [thyroid-stimulating hormone, and free and total triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4)], body weight, eye opening, survival, motor activity development, auditory startle response, and auditory thresholds. Circulating T4 concentrations were sharply reduced in a dose-dependent fashion in PCB-exposed groups at PND 1, 7, 14, 21, and 30 but recovered to control levels by PND 45. Moderate reductions in T3 concentrations were apparent in the 4 and 8 mg/kg groups on PND 21 and 30. Deficits in body weight gain and early eye opening were apparent in the treated pups; by weaning, pup mortality was 20% in the 4 mg/kg group and 50% at the highest dose. Motor activity was also transiently reduced in 15 day old offspring from the 8 mg/kg group. At this dose, animals showed reduced auditory startle amplitudes at PND 24, but not when tested as adults. Importantly, Aroclor 1254 caused permanent auditory deficits (20-30 dB threshold shift) at the lowest frequency tested (1 kHz) in both the 4 and 8 mg/kg groups, whereas auditory thresholds were not significantly affected at higher frequencies (4, 16, 32, or 40 kHz). These data indicate that while some effects of Aroclor 1254 exposure are dissimilar to drug-induced hypothyroidism (e.g., age of eye opening), effects on hormone levels and body weight are comparable. Detection of auditory deficits in PCB-treated animals is a novel finding and may reflect the effects of thyroid hormone disruption on the development of the cochlea.
Assessing the Utility of Beach Ecolabels for Use by Local Management

Ecolabels for beaches have been around since 1985 and have grown rapidly over the past decade. However, effects from ecolabels on beach ecology and local coastal cultures are unknown. This study reviews the literature on tourism ecolabels and environmental certification for beaches, analyzes the criteria of the most prominent beach ecolabel, and identifies considerations and proposes recommendations for local management that address sandy beach ecology and local cultures. The Blue Flag ecolabel is evaluated for how well the program criteria balance tourism, the processes of sandy beach ecology, and accommodate for local cultural values. This Blue Flag's criteria leave out protecting sandy beach ecology and fail to incorporate local community values in program design. The results of the study include three areas that beach managers need to consider for better understanding the utility of beach ecolabel programs: opportunity costs of participation and consequences of losing certification; evaluate investmen...
Nutrition and kidney disease workshop: Increasing knowledge and skills among nutrition professionals who serve American Indians/Alaska Natives

Abstract Because of the increasing number of Native Americans approaching end stage renal disease, the Indian Health Service (IHS) Kidney Disease Program, and IHS Nutrition and Dietetics Training Program developed a workshop for nutrition professionals who serve IHS, tribal, and urban Indian program patients. The objective is to improve awareness of renal disease in regards to nutrition care. The Pre-End Stage Renal Disease Worksheet, used for case studies, incorporates many of the concepts presented during the 2.5-day workshop. Predicting creatinine clearance and information about the nephrotic syndrome were rated highly useful on follow-up surveys.
Rarity, specialization and extinction in primates

Aim To determine and explain biological traits that distinguish rare from common primate taxa. Location Africa, Americas, Asia, Madagascar. Methods We compare the biology of rare primate taxa with the biology of common taxa. Rarity is defined by (1) small size of geographic range; (2) small geographic range plus low local population density; and (3) small geographic range plus low local density plus narrow habitat specificity. After a linear comparison of size of geographic range with various biological traits, globally and by realm, extremes of rarity and commonness per realm are identified, and then combined for a global analysis. Tests are done both with genera treated as independent data points (n=62), and also with phylogenetic control by use of an independent contrasts test. Extinction risk in vertebrates, including primates, often correlates with high resource requirements, slow population recovery rate, and specialization. The three indices of rarity are therefore compared with these three general traits. Measures of resource use are body mass, local density, annual range size, and group size; of recovery rate, interbirth interval, and maximum intrinsic rate of natural population increase; and of degree of specialization, variety of diet, of habitats, maximum latitude, and morphological variety. All data come from the literature. Because several measures are compared, probabilities are Bonferroni corrected. Results If rarity in primates correlates with any biological attribute, it consistently correlates with only measures of specialization, and not with measures of high resource use, or slow population recovery rate. Without phylogenetic correction, the first two indices of rarity associate significantly with all four measures of specialization, and the third with maximum latitude. With phylogenetic correction, the first index still associates with all four, the second with two (maximum latitude, number of species per genus), and the third shows no significant associations. While the four measures of specialization are strongly interrelated, stepwise regressions on geographic range indicate that maximum latitude has the strongest effect, followed by dietary variety and number of species per genus and, finally, habitat variety. Main conclusions The most commonly demonstrated traits of susceptibility to extinction are those of high resource use, slow recovery rate, and specialization. Yet, while rarity (almost however, it is defined) is an inevitable precursor to extinction, specialization is the only trait found to correlate with rarity in this study. We cannot explain this apparent contradiction.
Race, the War on Drugs, and the Collateral Consequences of Criminal Conviction

This essay explores the impact of racial discrimination on the imposition of collateral consequences on those convicted of crime. The category of serious crime which is intrinsically most subject to discretionary enforcement is drug law violations; the number of violators far exceeds the criminal justice resources available to investigate, prosecute and punish them. Accordingly, a high level of selectivity is inevitable. At the same time, the best evidence for racially discriminatory prosecution is in the area of drug violations; while most drug offenders are white, most people imprisoned for drug violations are not. African Americans are imprisoned for drug offenses at rates that far exceed their representation in the general population, in the population of drug offenders, in the population of those arrested for drug crimes, and in the population of those convicted of drug crimes. The essay also notes that of all categories of crime, drug convictions have been freighted with the most severe collateral consequences. Under statutes which do not apply to convicted rapists, murderers or terrorists, drug offenders may lose student loans and other educational benefits, their drivers' licenses, access to public housing, food stamps and other benefit providing necessities of life. These collateral consequences are so numerous and burdensome that they may interfere with former prisoners' ability to reenter society and support themselves without reoffending. Unfortunately, the legislative history of the development of collateral consequences such as disenfranchisement, like the development of the drug laws themselves, suggests that the laws were enacted with racial minorities in mind. The essay concludes by proposing that jurisdictions reexamine the way in which collateral consequences are imposed.
Adaptive-size physically-based models for nonrigid motion analysis

Adaptive-size physically based models suitable for nonrigid motion analysis are presented. The mesh size increases or decreases dynamically during the surface reconstruction process to locate nodes near surface areas of interests (like high curvature points) and to optimize the fitting error. A priori information about nonrigidity can be included so that the surface model deforms to fit moving data points while preserving some basic nonrigid constraints (e.g. isometry or conformality). Implementation of the proposed algorithm with and without isometric/conformal constraints is presented. Performance and accuracy of derived algorithms are demonstrated on data simulating deforming ellipsoidal and bending planar shapes. The algorithm is applied to the real range data for bending paper and to volumetric temporal left ventricular data. >
I m proved Statistical Techniques for the Measurement of Recidivism

In a recent paper in this journal, Kantrowitz discussed the use of cohort conditional-life tables in the analysis of correctional outcomes, and referred to some related work by Stollmack and Harris on failure-rate analysis. These two approaches are indeed closely related, but the latter does provide some important additional statistical power not otherwise available. These kinds of methodologies provide key insights on program performance and ultimately permit more appropriate statistical assessment of alternative correctional pro grams. The purpose of this paper then is to bring the criminal justice, and crime and delinquency research, communities up to date on developments in the application of failure-rate methods. The fundamental concept used in the approach is the modeling of program outcomes as failure patterns or rates over time. The method has been applied in a number of specific cases, includ ing to the data from Kantrowitz's California parole study.It is our view that the general adoption of thi...
Alterations in axonal transport motor proteins in sporadic and experimental Parkinson's disease.

The progressive loss of the nigrostriatal pathway is a distinguishing feature of Parkinson’s disease. As terminal field loss seems to precede cell body loss, we tested whether alterations of axonal transport motor proteins would be early features in Parkinson’s disease. There was a decline in axonal transport motor proteins in sporadic Parkinson’s disease that preceded other well-known nigral cell-related pathology such as phenotypic downregulation of dopamine. Reductions in conventional kinesin levels precede the alterations in dopaminergic phenotypic markers (tyrosine hydroxylase) in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. This reduction was significantly greater in nigral neurons containing α-synuclein inclusions. Unlike conventional kinesin, reductions in the levels of the cytoplasmic dynein light chain Tctex type 3 subunit were only observed at late Parkinson’s disease stages. Reductions in levels of conventional kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein subunits were recapitulated in a rat genetic Parkinson’s disease model based on over-expression of human mutant α-synuclein (A30P). Together, our data suggest that α-synuclein aggregation is a key feature associated with reductions of axonal transport motor proteins in Parkinson’s disease and support the hypothesis that dopaminergic neurodegeneration following a ‘dying-back’ pattern involving axonal transport disruption.
Promoting Student Academic Success: Paying Attention To Learning Environmental Factors

Achievement gaps become greater for schools with high-poverty and high-minority school population in the United States in recent years (Dillon, 2005; Lee & Slaughter-Defoe, 2004). The academic success of minority students is important because the nation cannot successfully compete in a global market when a considerable portion of its school population is under-educated. This study examines the academic success of African-American pre-service teachers. Analyzed qualitative data reveals that to promote academic success of minority students, nurturing successful personal factors through supportive learning environments is important. In the light of the study findings, suggestions are provided for teachers to assure student academic success.
Sympathetic and hemodynamic adjustments to hemorrhage: A possible role for endogenous opioid peptides

The traditional view of the decrease in blood pressure during blood loss is that it is a passive phenomenon. Blood pressure falls due to the inability of the compensatory mechanisms to keep pace with blood loss. However, recent evidence indicates that this transition from normotension to hypotension may involve an active decrease in compensation by the sympathetic nervous system. In the conscious, chronically prepared rabbit, blood pressure is maintained early in hemorrhage primarily by sympathetically mediated compensatory increases in vascular resistance and heart rate. When blood loss exceeds approximately 20% of total blood volume, hypotension develops abruptly due to a decrease in vascular resistance. This vasodilation is accompanied by decreased plasma norepinephrine (NE) levels and decreased sympathetic nerve activity. Therefore, the transition from normotension to hypotension during hemorrhage involves an active change, a decrease in vascular resistance, associated with a decrease in sympathetic nerve activity. Opioid receptor blockade with naloxone reverses acute hemorrhagic hypotension by increasing vascular resistance. The increase in resistance is accompanied by increased plasma NE and increased sympathetic nerve activity. Thus, the transition to hypotension during acute hemorrhage may be an active event brought on by a decrease in sympathetic outflow. Naloxone's reversal of the hypotension is consistent with the central involvement of endogenous opioid peptides in this phenomenon and thus in the pathogenesis of hypotension during blood loss.
Using A Two Treatment Factorial Design To Analyze The First Day Percent Change In Price For Initial Public Offerings

An area of considerable interest in finance is the behavior of IPO stock prices on the first day of issue. This paper uses a sample of 282 IPOs from 2002 through 2007 to investigate the performance of the first day percent change in price (FDPCP) of these stocks. A two treatment factorial design is utilized to determine if two factors impact the mean value of this variable. The first factor, or treatment, is the relationship between the final offer price and the price range found in the prospectus associated with SEC Form S-1, also known as the "red herring." The second treatment is the state of the market at the time of issue, bull or bear. This experimental design allows for the testing of three hypotheses. The first hypothesis looks at the relationship between the mean value of the FDPCP and the value of the final offer price relative to the filing range found in the initial prospectus. The second hypothesis looks at the relationship between the mean value of the FDPCP and the state of the market at the time of issue, while the third hypothesis seeks to determine if there is an interaction between the two treatments.
Globally distributed software development using an immersive virtual environment

Increasingly, business pressures drive development projects toward global development in which the systems and software development team is distributed over two or more geographical locations. Co-location allows improved communication, confidence, familiarity, and trust that facilitate rapid information sharing, mentoring, problem resolution, and so on. Previous observations indicate that improving the speed and cost of software development while distributing it across a global team requires remediation, likely the acquisition and deployment of collaboration technology. This paper describes an ongoing corporate experiment aimed at improving collaborative software development that is increasingly spread over 4 continents, 7 countries, and over 20 regional facilities. It involves the use of an immersive networked virtual environment (NVE) for the development of aviation electronics.
Surface Interactions of Actinide Ions with Geologic Materials Studied by XAFS

We have investigated the interaction of the actinyl ion, U22+, with silica, alumina, and montmorillonite surfaces under ambient atmosphere and aqueous conditions using x-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) Spectroscopy. In acid solution (pH ∼ 3.5), the uranyl ion shows a strong interaction with the silica and alumina surfaces, and a relatively weak association with the montmorillonite surface. The extent of direct surface interaction is determined by comparing structural distortions in the equatorial bonding environment of the uranyl ion relative to the structure of a “free” uranyl aquo complex. Based on this formalism, surface complexation on silica and alumina occurs through an inner-sphere mechanism with surface oxygen atoms binding directly to the equatorial region of the uranyl ion. In contrast, sorption on montmorillonite occurs by an outer sphere mechanism in which the uranyl ion retains the simple aquo complex structure and binds to the surface via ion-exchange. In near-neutral solutions (pH ∼ 6), sorption on all of the materials is dominated by an inner-sphere mechanism. The formation of surface oligomeric species is also observed on silica and alumina.
Song Learning in Birds

Birds sing to communicate. Male birds use song to advertise their territories and attract females. Each bird species has a unique song or set of songs. Song conveys both species and individual identity. In most species, young birds learn some features of adult song. Song develops gradually from amorphous to fixed patterns of vocalization as if crystals form out of liquid. Learning of a song proceeds in two steps; birds commit the song to memory in the first stage and then they vocally reproduce it in the second stage. The two stages overlap each other in some species, while they are separated by several months in other species. The ability of a bird to commit a song to memory is restricted to a period known as the sensitive phase. Vocal reproduction of the memorized song requires auditory feedback. Birds deafened before the second stage cannot reproduce the memorized song. Birds change vocal output until it matches with the memorized song, which thus serves as a template. Birds use a built-in template when a tutor model is not available. Exposure to a tutor model modifies this innate template.
Digital Sleep Logs Reveal Potential Impacts of Modern Temporal Structure on Class Performance in Different Chronotypes

Stability of sleep and circadian rhythms are important for healthy learning and memory. While experimental manipulations of lifestyle and learning outcomes present major obstacles, the ongoing increase in data sources allows retrospective data mining of people's sleep timing variation. Here I use digital sleep-log data generated by 1109 students in a biology lab course at the University of Washington to test the hypothesis that higher variance in time asleep and later sleep-onset times negatively correlate with class performance, used here as a real-world proxy for learning and memory. I find that sleep duration variance and mean sleep-onset times both significantly correlate with class performance. These correlations are powerful on weeknights but undetectable on Friday and Saturday nights ("free nights"). Finally, although these data come with no demographic information beyond sex, the constructed demographic groups of "larks" and "owls" within the sexes reveal a significant decrease in performance of owls relative to larks in male students, whereas the correlation of performance with sleep-onset time for all male students was only a near-significant trend. This provides a proof of concept that deeper demographic mining of digital logs in the future may identify subgroups for which certain sleep phenotypes have greater predictive value for performance outcomes. The data analyzed are consistent with known patterns, including sleep-timing delays from weeknights to free nights and sleep-timing delays in men relative to women. These findings support the hypothesis that modern schedule impositions on sleep and circadian timing have consequences for real-world learning and memory. This study also highlights the low-cost, large-scale benefits of personal, daily, digital records as an augmentation of sleep and circadian studies.
A new approach for finding weaker conditions for the convergence of Newton's method

The Newton–Kantorovich hypothesis (15) has been used for a long time as a sufficient condition for convergence of Newton’s method to a locally unique solution of a nonlinear equation in a Banach space setting. Recently in [3], [4] we showed that this hypothesis can always be replaced by a condition weaker in general (see (18), (19) or (20)) whose verification requires the same computational cost. Moreover, finer error bounds and at least as precise information on the location of the solution can be obtained this way. Here we show that we can further weaken conditions (18)–(20) and still improve on the error bounds given in [3], [4] (see Remark 1(c)).
A quantized Euclidean soft-decision maximum likelihood sequence decoder for TCM

The authors discuss the use of quantized Euclidean soft-decision maximum-likelihood sequence decoders on trellis-coded 8-PSK communication schemes. A model is developed for the circularly quantized Euclidean decoder, and computer simulations are used to evaluate it. Degradation is determined as a function of the number of sectors used in the circular quantization. >
Immigrants, Migration, and Worker Turnover at the Hog Pride Pork Packing Plant

Employee turnover is pervasive in industries and services that offer low pay, low status, little career advancement, and stressful work environments. Turnover rates are particularly high in meatpacking. The focus of this article is a large meatpacking plant in Iowa that experienced annual turnover of 80%. Two themes emerged from this study: tension between the plant's predominate ethnic groups, Anglos and Latino immigrants, and working conditions. In terms of ethnic relations, Anglo workers and managers were frustrated by Latino migration strategies that attempted to recreate packing jobs as "seasonal." Difficult and dangerous working conditions led to injuries, worker exhaustion, and turnover. Managers refused to recognize that the lack of meaningful work in the plant also contributed to workers' departure. They also refused to "reskill" jobs to provide ways for workers to take control of their work environment and create a personal relationship with their tools.
Pathfinding in a large vertebrate axon tract: isotypic interactions guide retinotectal axons at multiple choice points

Navigating axons respond to environmental guidance signals, but can also follow axons that have gone before - pioneer axons. Pioneers have been studied extensively in simple systems, but the role of axon-axon interactions remains largely unexplored in large vertebrate axon tracts, where cohorts of identical axons could potentially use isotypic interactions to guide each other through multiple choice points. Furthermore, the relative importance of axon-axon interactions compared with axon-autonomous receptor function has not been assessed. Here, we test the role of axon-axon interactions in retinotectal development, by devising a technique to selectively remove or replace early-born retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). We find that early RGCs are both necessary and sufficient for later axons to exit the eye. Furthermore, introducing misrouted axons by transplantation reveals that guidance from eye to tectum relies heavily on interactions between axons, including both pioneer-follower and community effects. We conclude that axon-axon interactions and ligand-receptor signaling have co-equal roles, cooperating to ensure the fidelity of axon guidance in developing vertebrate tracts.
Synthesis and characterization of poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate) copolymers containing pendant, self-complementary multiple-hydrogen-bonding sites

The synthesis and characterization of copolymers containing 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate and a quadruple-hydrogen-bonding site, 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidone methacrylate (UPyMA), are described. An analogous dimeric hydrogen-bond-containing copolymer based on 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid (PEHMA-co-MAA) was also synthesized for comparative purposes. The glass-transition temperatures of the poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate-co-2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidone methacrylate) (PEHMA-co-UPyMA) series increased linearly with increasing UPyMA content. Creep compliance measurements as a function of temperature indicated a decrease in the creep compliance with increasing UPyMA content over the range of 1–10 mol % UPyMA. Melt rheological analysis also showed an increase and lengthening of the plateau modulus as a function of frequency with increasing UPyMA content, as well as increasing complex viscosity as a function of temperature. The analogous PEHMA-co-MAA copolymer, which contained 11 mol % methacrylic acid, showed, in the melt rheological analysis, behavior similar to that of the PEHMA-co-UPyMA copolymer containing only 1 mol % UPyMA units. The multiple-hydrogen-bond-containing copolymers were successfully analyzed with time–temperature superposition for the construction of master curves. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4618–4631, 2005
Muscle capillary supply in harbor seals

The purpose of this study was to examine muscle capillary supply in harbor seals. Locomotory and nonlocomotory muscles of four harbor seals (mass = 17.5–41 kg) were glutaraldehyde-perfusion fixed a...
Non-Additive Beliefs: From Decision to Game Theory

In game theory, the concept of a Nash equilibrium in capacities often permits a richer set of equilibrium predictions than Nash equilibrium in mixed strategies. Moreover, capacities can serve as a modelling tool for strategic uncertainty. However, four novel issues come up when the modelling device of non-additive probabilities (capacities) is transplanted from decision to game theory. First, there is the tension between the desire for more predictions versus the aim for more precise predictions (equilibrium refinements, equilibrium selection). The second important issue hitherto not addressed in decision theory is how to define the support of a capacity. A third important issue which does not arise in decision theory is the proper definition of product capacities. A fourth issue which is potentially important for both decision and game theory is the proper definition of conditional capacities.