cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Federal Policy and Educational Research: Insight into the Relationship

For more than a decade educational policymakers have expected research to provide answers and advice to help their debating, and decision making. Researchers have often promised this help. As a result, a one-way relationship has predominated in which research was expected to help policy. But what can researchers gain from policymakers? Recently an effort was made to help researchers gain a better understanding of the processes, personalities and pressures which shape federal education policy. At the request of AERA, the Ninth Washington Policy Seminar was organized and conducted in the Spring in the nation's capital by the Institute for Educational Leader-
Fluid flow in pulsed-laser-irradiated gases: modeling and measurement

Abstract Fluid flow processes following laser irradiation of gaseous mixtures have been modeled in order to facilitate quantitative interpretation of experimental observations. Results of computer simulations are compared with experimental measurements of the temporal changes in temperature and density obtained using the recently developed mercury tracer technique. The model outlined in this work accurately reproduces the experimentally observed changes in temperature and density in pulsed-laser-irradiated gas mixtures using a variety of cell and laser irradiation geometries. Comparison of the modeled results with experimental data shows how mercury tracer technique measurements may be influenced by fluid flow.
Affective, Cognitive, and Behavioral Responses to Economic Stress

The purposes of the study were to test the hypotheses of stress and management theories concerning responses to an economic stressor and to identify differences between farm men and women in responses to the same event. The study verified by path analysis that the behavioral economic adjustment strategies activated by 298 women and 294 men were influenced by the affective responses of perceiving emotional stress and the cognitive deciding processes. The analysisfailed to support the hypotheses that perceiving emotional stress would motivate respondents to initiate cognitive deciding processes. There were gender differences in the importance of age and education in explaining the variance of cognitive deciding processes and behavioral economic adjustment strategies in the household.
SU-GG-T-533: Remote PC Application Access to a Stereotactic Treatment Planning System SQL Database

Purpose: To implement remote access using Matlab to a PostgreSQL database, which supports the Leksell GammaPlan (LGP) version 8.1 treatment planning system. Method and Materials: A postgreSQL Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) driver was downloaded from the official website of postgreSQL. The class path that specifies a series of files and directories, pointing to classes accessible to Matlab, must be edited to include the database driver. Table patients maintains information on patients. Table examinations maintains information on each examination. Table skulls maintains information on skull coordinates. Table plans minal information on each target . Table targets maintains information on each target. Table shots maintains information on each shot. lann examinations is related to table patients through examination ID. Table skulls is related to table examinations through examination ID. Table plans is also related to table examinations through examination ID. Table targets is related to table plans through plan ID. Table shots is related to table targets through target ID. Results: An application was implemented in Matlab. By entering the patient ID, any information about any treatment performed on any specific patient, from patient's name and birthday to the shot time of each shot, could be retrieved remotely on a PC from the database in a well‐maintained data structure. The retrieved data were further used to verify LGP treatment plans through independent dose calculation and display. Conclusion: A remote access to PostgreSQL database behind LGP is feasible in Matlab. Similar application could also be implemented in other environments like Visual C#. It is of great convenience for users who desire to develop their own applications that use information found in the LGP SQL database.
The structure of CO2-C2H2 from near infrared spectroscopy

Abstract The structure of the carbon dioxide-acetylene binary complex has been determined from near infrared laser-molecular beam spectroscopy. Accurate ground and excited state constants have been determined from two vibrational bands and the dipole moment of the complex (0.167 (8) D) has been obtained from infrared-Stark measurement.
Atrial natriuretic peptide response to cardioversion of atrial flutter and fibrillation and role of associated heart failure.

Abstract Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentrations were measured before and 1 hour after cardioversion in 40 patients (27 with atrial flutter and 13 with atrial fibrillation) admitted for elective cardioversion. Fourteen (11 with atrial flutter and 3 with atrial fibrillation) had clinical evidence of congestive heart failure (CHF). Conversion to sinus rhythm was successful in 39 patients. The mean ANP concentration in the entire group decreased after cardioversion from 38 ± 4 to 17 ± 2 pmol/liter (p
Thermoforming Simulation of Natural Fiber Filled Polyolefins

Thermoformed natural fiber filled polyolefin composites are becoming increasingly important because of their combination of low cost, good formability and high strength-to-weight ratio. During thermoforming, ex truded sheets are stretched into a mold by either mechanical force or pressure/ vacuum. As the sheet stretches into the mold it thins. Hence, it is important to optimize the process in order to form an acceptable final part. Often, optimiza tion is an expensive and time-consuming trial-and-error process. However, with microcomputers, numerical simulation of the thermoforming process is becom ing increasingly accurate and powerful. In this study, a one-dimensional finite element simulation was developed to predict the thinning of axisymmetric and rectangular thermoformed parts. This simulation uses an empirical model de veloped from experimental data to represent the temperature-dependent stress-strain behavior of wood flour filled polypropylene. To predict sheet thin ning, the simulation solves the...
Influence of numerical precision on the calibration of AEM-based groundwater flow models

Groundwater modelers have embraced the use of automated calibration tools based on classical nonlinear regression techniques. While clearly an improvement over trial-and-error calibration, it is not clear to what extent these popular inverse modeling tools yield accurate parameter sets for groundwater flow models. The impact of model configuration and precision upon automated parameter estimation is also unclear. An extensive set of numerical experiments was performed to explore the influence of model configuration on the calibration of a regional groundwater flow model developed using the analytic element method. The results provided insight into the manner in which the specified level of model precision and the location of observation points influence the results of inverse modeling based on nonlinear regression. While the importance of these issues is application-specific, obtaining an accurate model calibration for the case study required both a careful placement of test observations and a greater-than-anticipated level of model precision. The required level of model precision for calibration was more than necessary to produce an acceptable flow solution.
Contributions of Altered Stretch Reflex Coordination to Arm Impairments Following Stroke

Patterns of stereotyped muscle coactivation, clinically referred to as synergies, emerge following stroke and impair arm function. Although researchers have focused on cortical contributions, there...
Processing speed as a mental capacity

Throughout the lifespan, there are pronounced age differences in speed of processing, differences that are consistently related to performance on measures of higher-order cognition. In this article, we examine domain-specific and global explanations of these age differences in processing speed; we conclude that although experience can play a role in age differences in speed, there is also evidence that a general mechanism limits speeded performance. We also review research that shows the influence of processing speed on the quality of performance on nonspeeded tasks such as reasoning and memory. We suggest that speed of processing should be viewed as a fundamental part of the architecture of the cognitive system as it develops across the entire lifespan.
Diet composition from allozyme analysis in the predatory cladoceran Bythotrephes cederstroemi

Investigating diet composition with visual analyses of gut contents requires that the predator consume recognizable hard parts. Soft tissue remains of prey in the gut of the predatory cladoceran Bythotrephes cederstroemi were identified with cellulose acetate electrophoresis. We found that B. cederstroemi collected from an offshore station in Lake Michigan had fed on cyclopoid and calanoid copepods and Daphnia galeata. Many individuals had eaten more than one prey type. Allozyme electrophoresis is a relatively simple way to analyze trophic relationships in freshwater systems, especially when traditional analyses are not feasible.
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and School-Based Drug Prevention: Evidence for a Synergistic Effect in ALERT Plus

This analysis examined the possible synergistic effect of exposure to the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and a classroom-based drug prevention curriculum among 9th grade students participating in a randomized trial of ALERT Plus. A total of 45 South Dakota high schools and their middle-school feeder(s) were randomly assigned to an ALERT condition (basic prevention curriculum delivered in 7th and 8th grades), an ALERT Plus condition (basic curriculum with booster lessons added for 9th and 10th grades), or a control condition. Marijuana use in the past month was significantly less likely among ALERT Plus students reporting at least weekly exposure to anti-drug media messages. The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign may have led to reductions in marijuana use among youth who simultaneously received school-based drug prevention.
Calibrated lateral crus stabilizer.

Background Fundamental shortcomings of the currently available instrumentation prompted the need for a device that facilitates stabilization of the lateral crus while at the same time allowing for precise measurement of the retained cartilage fragment along the anatomic axis of the lateral crus. Methods This article presents a new instrument, the calibrated lateral crus stabilizer, and highlights its unique features, which facilitate the precise and symmetric excision of the lateral crural cartilage. Results A lateral crus stabilizer with a calibration mechanism is introduced that provides the means for precise removal of the excess portion of the lower lateral cartilage during rhinoplasty. Conclusions There was a need for improved instrumentation to stabilize the alar cartilage than what is currently available. New instrumentation is presented that answers that need.
Work capacity, heart rate and blood lactate responses to iron treatment.

Changes in haemoglobin (Hb), work performance, heart rate and postexercise blood lactate were studied in iron deficient, anaemic subjects for 16 d following total dosage infusion of iron dextran, i.v. (30-50 ml). Six adult men and 14 women were subjects with initial Hb levels of 6.6 +/- 0.6 g/dl (mean +/- SEM) for the iron treatment group (n=10) and 8.0 +/- 0.7 for the placebo group (saline infusion, n=10). Serum levels were 0.51 +/- 0.15 and 0.67 +/- 0.12 mg/l for the two groups, respectively. Haemoglobin and maximal work time increased significantly within 4 d after iron treatment and continued to increase up to 16 d. No changes were found in the placebo subjects. Heart rates at a given exercise intensity were lower in the iron treatment group than in control subjects who had the same Hb levels but had not been treated with iron. Post-exercise venous blood lactate was similar on succeeding days after iron treatment even though the subjects reached higher work loads. These results demonstrate the treatment of iron deficient, anaemic subjects with iron dextran results in improved work capacity within 4 d and a lower heart rate at a given work load after treatment which cannot be accounted for totally by the elevation of Hb concentration.
The properties and amino-acid sequence of cytochrome c from Euglena gracilis.

CYTOCHROME c, by virtue of its relatively slow evolution and the large number of sequences already determined, is particularly well suited for investigating the phylogenetic relationships among major taxonomic groups, including the relationship of the protozoans to the metazoans. Among the metazoans, more than fifty cytochromes c have been sequenced from fungi, plants, insects and vertebrates. Already one protozoan sequence has been determined, that of Crithidia oncopelti1, and here we describe a second, from the protozoan, Euglena gracilis.
Collaborative jamming and collaborative defense in cognitive radio networks

Abstract In cognitive radio networks, cognitive nodes operate on a common pool of spectrum where they opportunistically access and use parts of the spectrum not being used by others. Though cooperation among nodes is desirable for efficient network operations and performance, there might be some malicious nodes whose objective could be to hinder communications and disrupt network operations. The absence of a central authority or any policy enforcement mechanism makes these kinds of open-access network more vulnerable and susceptible to attacks. In this paper, we analyze a common form of denial-of-service attack, i.e., collaborative jamming. We consider a network in which a group of jammers tries to jam the channels being used by legitimate users who in turn try to evade the jammed channels. First, we compute the distribution of the jamming signal that a node experiences by considering a random deployment of jammers. Then, we propose different jamming and defending schemes that are employed by the jammers and legitimate users, respectively. In particular, we model and analyze the channel availability when the legitimate users randomly choose available channels and the jammers jam different channels randomly. We propose a multi-tier proxy-based cooperative defense strategy to exploit the temporal and spatial diversity for the legitimate secondary users in an infrastructure-based centralized cognitive radio network. Illustrative results on spectrum availability rates show how to improve resiliency in cognitive radio networks in the presence of jammers.
Weight loss following a clinic-based weight loss program among adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to compare obese patients screening positive or negative for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on pretreatment body mass index (BMI), weight loss following a 16 week clinic-based behavioral weight loss program, weight loss attempts, dietary and physical activity habits, perceived difficulty of weight control skills, and eating self-efficacy. DESIGN: Patients who completed a behavioral weight loss program were approached to complete questionnaires on ADHD and eating habits. Medical charts were reviewed to obtain weight at pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS: Participants (N=63) were 75% female, mean age was 49 (SD=10.3), mean body mass index (BMI) was 41.4 kg/m2 (SD=6.8) and 30% screened positive for ADHD on the Adult ADHD Symptom Rating Scale. Participants screening positive for ADHD did not have a higher BMI at baseline (p=0.41), but reported more previous weight loss attempts (p=0.01) and lost less weight (p=0.02) than participants who screened negative. Participants screening positive also reported consuming fast food meals more frequently (p=0.04), higher levels of emotional eating (p=0.002), greater difficulty with weight control skills (p=0.01), and lower eating self-efficacy (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Attention-related problems appear to be common among weight treatment-seeking samples and represent a significant barrier to weight control that has not yet been addressed in the literature.
Language requirements for large-scale generic libraries

The past decade of experience has demonstrated that the generic programming methodology is highly effective for the design, implementation, and use of large-scale software libraries. The fundamental principle of generic programming is the realization of interfaces for entire sets of components, based on their essential syntactic and semantic requirements, rather than for any particular components. Many programming languages have features for describing interfaces between software components, but none completely support the approach used in generic programming. We have recently developed $\mathcal{G}$, a language designed to provide first-class language support for generic programming and large-scale libraries. In this paper, we present an overview of $\mathcal{G}$ and analyze the interdependence between language features and library design in light of a complete implementation of the Standard Template Library using $\mathcal{G}$. In addition, we discuss important issues related to modularity and encapsulation in large-scale libraries and how language support for validation of components in isolation can prevent many common problems in component integration.
Michael J. Benton (ed.): The Phylogeny and Classification of the Tetrapods, Volume 2: Mammals

(1989). Michael J. Benton (ed.): The Phylogeny and Classification of the Tetrapods, Volume 2: Mammals. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology: Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 237-238.
Working Memory Differences Between Children Living in Rural and Urban Poverty

This study was designed to investigate if the working memory profiles of children living in rural poverty are distinct from the working memory profiles of children living in urban poverty. Verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks were administered to sixth-grade students living in low-income rural, low-income urban, high-income rural, and high-income urban developmental contexts. Both low-income rural and low-income urban children showed working memory deficits compared with their high-income counterparts, but their deficits were distinct. Low-income urban children exhibited symmetrical verbal and visuospatial working memory deficits compared with their high-income urban counterparts. Meanwhile, low-income rural children exhibited asymmetrical deficits when compared with their high-income rural counterparts, with more extreme visuospatial working memory deficits than verbal working memory deficits. These results suggest that different types of poverty are associated with different working memory abilities.
High-Energy Single-Arm Inelastic e − p and e − d Scattering at 6 and 10°

Differential cross sections for electron scattering from hydrogen and deuterium in the deep-inelastic region show that the neutron cross section is significantly smaller than the proton cross section over a large part of the kinematic region studied. Although $\ensuremath{\nu}{{W}_{2}}^{d}$ differs in magnitude from $\ensuremath{\nu}{{W}_{2}}^{p}$, it exhibits a similar scaling behavior.
Electronic platform for real-time multi-parametric analysis of cellular behavior post-exposure to single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Abstract Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) implementation in a variety of biomedical applications from bioimaging, to controlled drug delivery and cellular-directed alignment for muscle myofiber fabrication, has raised awareness of their potential toxicity. Nanotubes structural aspects which resemble asbestos, as well as their ability to induce cyto and genotoxicity upon interaction with biological systems by generating reactive oxygen species or inducing membrane damage, just to name a few, have led to focused efforts aimed to assess associated risks prior their user implementation. In this study, we employed a non-invasive and real-time electric cell impedance sensing (ECIS) platform to monitor behavior of lung epithelial cells upon exposure to a library of SWCNTs with user-defined physico-chemical properties. Using the natural sensitivity of the cells, we evaluated SWCNT-induced cellular changes in relation to cell attachment, cell–cell interactions and cell viability respectively. Our methods have the potential to lead to the development of standardized assays for risk assessment of other nanomaterials as well as risk differentiation based on the nanomaterials surface chemistry, purity and agglomeration state.
Persistence Length of RNA

A set of 10 double-stranded RNAs ranging in length from 92 to 317 base pairs has been synthesized, and their rotational diffusion times were measured by transient electric birefringence. A hydrodynamic analysis of the birefringence decay data yields a helix persistence length of 720 +/- 70 A, based on a helix with an effective hydrodynamic diameter of 26 A and a rise per base pair of 2.7 A in the presence of Mg2+ ions. Thus, duplex RNA is somewhat stiffer than DNA, for which the persistence length is 450-500 A. The measurements also suggest that (i) current hydrodynamic theory for the rotational decay times is applicable to RNA molecules that are longer than 100 base pairs and (ii) weak Mg(2+)-RNA association decreases the rise per base pair slightly, by no more than 0.1 A.
Breast carcinoma metastatic to the esophagus:CT Findings with pathologic correlation

Abstract The common sites of metastasis from breast carcinoma include local and distant lymph nodes, lung parenchyma, bone, liver, and brain. While less common, gastrointestinal carcinoma, involving everything from the tip of the tongue to the rectum, secondary to metastatic breast carcinoma have been reported. Many of these lesions occur years after treatment of the primary breast cancer and they can be confused with a second primary. We present a case of breast cancer metastatic to the esophagus which produced symptoms of progressive dysphagia in a woman thirteen years after mastectomy and radiation therapy for breast cancer.
GENETIC ALGORITHM APPROACH FOR TRANSIT ROUTE PLANNING AND DESIGN

The problem of determining an optimal feeder bus route, feeding a major intermodal transfer station (or a central business district), in a service area is considered. Subject to geographic, capacity, and budget constraints, a total cost function, consisting of user and supplier costs, is developed for determining the optimal bus route location and its headway considering intersection delays, irregular grid street patterns, heterogeneous demand distributions, and realistically geographic variations. The criterion for the optimality is to minimize the total cost objective function. The number of feasible bus routes increases drastically with the increased number of the links (streets), and thus this problem is computationally intractable for realistic urban networks. This paper presents examples and demonstrates that the proposed genetic algorithm efficiently converges to the optimal solution, which is validated by the optimal solution obtained by applying an exhaustive search algorithm.
Dopaminergic influence on gonadotropin secretion in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

The effects of dopamine on the secretion of two sturgeon gonadotropins (stGTH I and stGTH II) in sexually mature male white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) were evaluated. In Experiment I, sturgeon were given intraperitoneal injections of physiological saline (PS), dopamine (100 mg kg−1), the gonadotropin releasing hormone analog D-Ala6-des-Gly10-GnRH ethylamide (GnRHA) (10 μg/kg−1), and a combination of GnRHa and dopamine. Fish receiving only GnRHa had significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of plasma stGTH I and stGTH II compared to fish receiving PS, dopamine, or a combination of GnRHa and dopamine. Two hours following its administration, dopamine was effective in decreasing plasma concentrations of both stGTHs that were previously elevated by GnRHa. Dopamine or PS administered by themselves did not alter plasma concentrations of either stGTH. In Experiment II, sturgeon injected intraperitoneally with a combination of GnRHa and pimozide had significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of plasma stGTH I and stGTH II compared to males receiving GnRHa or pimozide alone. While this effect of GnRHAa + pimozide was observed in the spring, no such potentiation was seen in these fish during the summer (Experiment III). These results represent the first evidence of dopaminergic inhibition of GnRH-induced pituitary gonadotropin secretion in Chondrostean fish.
American higher education system: consumerism versus professorialism

Suggests that institutions of higher education in the USA encounter problems that are unique to the market environment. These problems include competition for resources, escalating costs, and resource constraints. In response to these problems, higher education systems within this kind of environment tend to borrow strategies from organizations operating under the most competitive environment ‐ the business sector. Discusses specific strategies adopted by institutions of higher education in North America. Examines how these strategies have affected the culture of higher education. Discusses the shift occurring between the consumerism‐ professorialism continuum. Calls for the need to understand the dual nature of higher education so that strategies can be selectively adapted.
Infant categorization of left-right spatial relations

The ability of 3- to 4-month-old infants to categorize left-right spatial relations was investigated in two experiments employing the paired-preference procedure. In Expt 1, infants were familiarized with different pictures of horse-zebra pairs that varied in size, orientation and location on the stimulus card, but maintained the same left-right relation between the animals. They were then tested with two novel stimuli, each showing a new horse-zebra pair in a new size and location, with the familiar left-right relation between the animals maintained in one pair and reversed in the other. A visual preference for the latter was observed. Expt 2 demonstrated that infants were able to distinguish the familiarization exemplars both from one another and from the test-phase stimuli with the familiar spatial relation between the animals. These data thus supported the view that infants in Expt 1 extracted and categorized the left-right relations between the animals seen during familiarization. The ability of infants to represent left-right spatial relations is discussed in terms of the development of spatial knowledge.
The general harmonic force field of fluoroform

Abstract Anharmonicity constants and harmonic frequencies of HC 12 F 3 and DC 12 F 3 are obtained for the first time. These data are combined with ζ z , ζ x , y and centrifugal distortion constants and carbon-13 frequency shifts to obtain, using the display method, the general harmonic force field (GHFF) of fluoroform. All 12 force constants in the GHFF, including off-diagonal elements in the A 1 block, are determined with significance . The carbon-13 frequency shifts proved to be most important for precise determination of A 1 off-diagonal elements. The GHFF is compared with the predictions of the Hybrid Orbital Force Field (HOFF).
An Approach of Adaptive Control for Robot Manipulators

This paper presents the study of an adaptive control which tracks a desired time-based trajectory as closely as possible for all times over a wide range of manipulator motion and payloads both in joint-variable coordinates and Cartesian coordinates. The proposed adaptive control is based on the linearized perturbation equations in the vicinity of a nominal trajectory. The controlled system is characterized by feedforward and feedback components which can be computed separately and simultaneously. The feedforward component computes the nominal torques from the Newton-Euler equations of motion either using the resolved joint information or the joint information from the trajectory planning program. This computation can be completed in O(n) time. The feedback component consisting of recursive least square identification and one-step optimal control algorithms for the linearized system computes the perturbation torques in O(n3) time. Because of the parallel structure, the computations of the adaptive control may be implemented in low-cost microprocessors. A computer simulation study Was conducted to evaluate the performance of the adaptive control in joint-variable coordinates for a three-joint robot arm. The feasibility of implementing the adaptive control in Cartesian coordinates using present day low-cost microprocessors is discussed.
Walking a tightrope: Dilemmas of participant observation of groups in conflict

This article addresses issues that develop in the conduct of comparative participant observation research. The two groups in which the authors became involved as participant observers were the Unification Church of the Korean evangelist Reverend Sun Myung Moon and the emerging network of organizations involved in the practice of deprogramming. Each group was dedicated to the destruction of the other. Five major methodological problems, common to conducting investigation on single groups, are discussed in the context of researching these two antagonistic groups: 1) role definition and justification; 2) pressures to go native; 3) public pressure to take a stand; 4) evolving commitments; and 5) gaining comparable information and insights. The authors describe their efforts to resolve these problems and maintain a good rapport with both groups.
Structure and mechanism in protein science. A guide to enzyme catalysis and protein folding, by A. Fersht. 1999. New York: Freeman. 631 pp. $67.95 (hardcover)

Alan Fersht has revised his classic text Structure and Mechanism (Freeman, 1985) and extended it to include applications of the protein engineering method to characterizing transition states in protein folding and enzyme catalysis. His earlier textbook was so good it scared off possible competitors, and its notable features are preserved in the new text. It provides enough information about techniques to make close connections between discussions of mechanism and actual data. It packs an amazing amount of information and viewpoint into a short space without losing readability. It does not just derive equations, it explains their physical meanings and it aims to develop the reader's physical insight. The assumptions behind an approach are laid out clearly and, when a topic is controversial, the author gives his own viewpoint at the end. The pace of research today is such that few leading scientists find time to write textbooks, and the scientific community is surely grateful to Alan Fersht for revising his. However, as he points out, a main section of the book covering classical enzymology has not been revised.
Accurate and efficient double-bootstrap confidence limit method

Abstract The original percentile method takes the [(B + 1)α]th smallest value among B bootstrapped ĝq∗'s as an upper 100α% confidence limit for θ. The double-bootstrap confidence limit method modifies the percentile method by taking the [(B+1)β]th smallest value with β estimated through an efficient double-bootstrap equation. It turns out that the method is accurate in general, and exact for the mean of both Normal and Exponential distributions under parametric bootstrap.
Spectroscopic characterization and assignment of reduction potentials in the tetraheme cytochrome C554 from Nitrosomonas europaea.

The tetraheme cytochrome c554 (cyt c554) from Nitrosomonas europaea is an essential electron transfer component in the biological oxidation of ammonia. The protein contains one 5-coordinate heme and three bis-His coordinated hemes in a 3D arrangement common to a newly characterized class of multiheme proteins. The ligand binding, electrochemical properties, and heme-heme interactions are investigated with Mossbauer and X- and Q-band (parallel/perpendicular mode) EPR spectroscopy. The results indicate that the 5-coordinate heme will not bind the common heme ligands, CN - ,F - , CO, and NO in a wide pH range. Thus, cyt c554 functions only in electron transfer. Analysis of a series of electrochemically poised and chemically reduced samples allows assignment of reduction potentials for heme 1 through 4 of +47, +47, -147, and -276 mV, respectively. The spectroscopic results indicate that the hemes are weakly exchange-coupled (J -0.5 cm -1 ) in two separate pairs and in accordance with the structure: hemes 2/4 (high-spin/low-spin), hemes 1/3 (low-spin/low-spin). There is no evidence of exchange coupling between the pairs. A comparison of the reduction potentials between homologous hemes of cyt c554 and other members of this new class of multiheme proteins is discussed. Heme 1 has a unique axial N ‰-His coordination which contributes to a higher potential relative to the homologous hemes of hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (HAO) and the split-Soret cytochrome. Heme 2 is 300 mV more positive than heme 4 of HAO, which is attributed to hydroxide coordination to heme 4 of HAO.
National Cooperative Commercial Banking and Development Strategy in Guyana

The evolution of the cooperative movement in Guyana re- sulted in the adoption of a new development strategy. In it a leadership role is given to a new type of government bank, the Guyana National Cooperative Bank. Its mission is to protect and nurture the developing country's cooperative societies, organized mostly on Rochdale principles or on those of the Scandinavian marketing cooperatives. Basically a de- velopment savings bank, the GNCB is also an organ through which the Government is minimizing the role of foreign banks in the export sector of the national economy.
Analysis, War, and Decision: Why Intelligence Failures Are Inevitable

Strategic intelligence failures cannot be prevented by organizational solutions to problems of analysis and communication. Analytic certainty is precluded by ambiguity of evidence, ambivalence of judgment, and atrophy of institutional reforms designed to avert failures. Many sources of error are unresolvable paradoxes and dilemmas rather than curable pathologies. Major failures in attack warning, operational evaluation, and intelligence for strategic planning are due primarily to leaders’ psychological attributes rather than to analysts’ failures to detect relevant data. Since analysis and decision are interactive rather than sequential processes, and authorities often hear but dismiss correct estimates, intelligence failure is inseparable from policy failure. Solutions most often proposed—worst-case analysis, multiple advocacy, devil's advocacy, organizational consolidation, sanctions and incentives for analysts, and cognitive rehabilitation—are either impractical because of constraints on the leaders’ time, or they are mixed blessings because they create new problems in the course of solving old ones.
NAT1, NOS3, and TYMS genotypes and the risk of conotruncal cardiac defects.

BACKGROUND Although congenital heart defects (CHDs) are a common and serious group of birth defects, relatively little is known about the causes of these conditions, and there are no established prevention strategies. There is, however, evidence suggesting that the risk of CHDs in general, and conotruncal and related defects (CTRDs) in particular, may be associated with maternal folate status and genetic variants of folate-related genes. Although several folate-related genes have been studied as they relate to CHDs and CTRDs (e.g., MTHFR), others have not been adequately assessed. METHODS Case-parent triads were examined using log-linear analyses to assess the associations between CTRDs and both the genotype inherited by the case and the maternal genotype for the following variants: NAT1 1095C>A, NOS3 894G>T, and TYMS 1494del6. Subgroup analyses were also conducted among cases with classic conotruncal defects and cases with normally related great arteries. RESULTS The results provided little evidence that CTRD risk was associated with the genotype inherited by the case for any of the analyzed variants. However, our results suggest that CTRD risk may be associated with the maternal genotype for NOS3 894G>T (p = 0.024 in the subgroup with normally related great arteries) and TYMS 1494del6 (p = 0.048 in the subgroup with classicconotruncal defects). However, these results were not significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. CONCLUSION This study provides further evidence that CTRD risk may be related to variation within folate-pathway genes and suggests that these associations are, at least in part, mediated through the maternal genotype. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Procedure for Decomposing the Myoelectric Signal Into Its Constituent Action Potentials-Part II: Execution and Test for Accuracy

The scheme for decomposing a myoelectric signal into its constituent motor unit action potential trains described in the paper [3] requires interaction from the human operator. In this paper, guidelines to be employed by the operator in assisting the computerized algorithms in identifying (classifying) a motor unit action potential are presented. The accuracy of the decomposition scheme was evaluated by decomposing a mathematically synthesized myoelectric signal. This signal was constructed by linearly superimposing eight mathematically generated motor unit action potential trains along with Gaussian noise. A skilled operator was able to decompose this signal with an accuracy of 99.8 percent, incurring one error in a total of 435 classifications. The decomposition reproducibility was evaluated by having two experienced operators independently decompose the same record of empirically obtained myoelectric signal. Their results were in total agreement for 479 motor unit action potential classifications belonging to five motor unit action potential trains. Up to eight motor unit action potential trains have been decomposed from one myoelectric signal.
Individual Rationality and Nash's Solution to the Bargaining Problem

The axiom of Pareto optimally in Nash's definition of a solution to the bargaining problem may be replaced by an axiom of individual rationality, without altering the result.
Open power morcellation versus contained power morcellation within an insufflated isolation bag: comparison of perioperative outcomes.

Abstract Study Objective To compare perioperative outcomes, particularly operative time, between uncontained and in-bag power morcellation of uterine tissue at the time of laparoscopic surgery. Design Canadian Task Force classification II-3. Setting Academic tertiary care hospitals. Patients Women undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy or myomectomy who required morcellation of uterine tissue for specimen extraction. Interventions Outcomes among patients who had in-bag power morcellation were compared with outcomes among patients who had traditional power morcellation. The technique for in-bag morcellation entails placing the specimen into a large containment bag within the abdomen, insufflating the bag within the peritoneal cavity, and then using a power morcellator to remove the specimen from inside the bag. Measurements and Main Results The cohort consisted of 85 consecutive patients who underwent surgery with morcellation of uterine tissue. Prospective data collected from 36 patients who underwent in-bag morcellation were compared with retrospective data collected from the immediately preceding 49 patients who had uncontained power morcellation. Baseline demographics were comparable between the 2 groups although women who underwent in-bag morcellation were on average older than the open morcellation group (mean age in years [standard deviation], 49.19 [1.12] vs 44.06 [8.93]; p = .01). The mean operating room time was longer in the in-bag morcellation group (mean time in minutes [standard deviation], 119.0 [55.91] vs 93.13 [44.90]; p = .02). The estimated blood loss, specimen weight, hospital length of stay, and perioperative complication rate did not vary between the 2 groups. Operative times did not vary significantly by surgeon. There were no cases of malignancy or isolation bag disruption. Conclusions In-bag power morcellation, a tissue extraction technique developed to reduce the risk of tissue dissemination, results in perioperative outcomes comparable with the traditional laparoscopic approach. In this cohort, the mean operative time was prolonged by 26 minutes with in-bag morcellation but may potentially be reduced with further refinement of the technique.
Cell-phone-based platform for biomedical device development and education applications.

In this paper we report the development of two attachments to a commercial cell phone that transform the phone's integrated lens and image sensor into a 350× microscope and visible-light spectrometer. The microscope is capable of transmission and polarized microscopy modes and is shown to have 1.5 micron resolution and a usable field-of-view of 150×150 with no image processing, and approximately 350×350 when post-processing is applied. The spectrometer has a 300 nm bandwidth with a limiting spectral resolution of close to 5 nm. We show applications of the devices to medically relevant problems. In the case of the microscope, we image both stained and unstained blood-smears showing the ability to acquire images of similar quality to commercial microscope platforms, thus allowing diagnosis of clinical pathologies. With the spectrometer we demonstrate acquisition of a white-light transmission spectrum through diffuse tissue as well as the acquisition of a fluorescence spectrum. We also envision the devices to have immediate relevance in the educational field.
OntologyTraverser: an R package for GO analysis

Summary: Gene Ontology (GO) annotations have become a major tool for analysis of genome-scale experiments. We have created OntologyTraverser---an R package for GO analysis of gene lists. Our system is a major advance over previous work because (1) the system can be installed as an R package, (2) the system uses Java to instantiate the GO structure and the SJava system to integrate R and Java and (3) the system is also deployed as a publicly available web tool. Availability: Our software is academically available through http://franklin.imgen.bcm.tmc.edu/OntologyTraverser/. Both the R package and the web tool are accessible. Contact: cashaw@bcm.tmc.edu
Emotion-Work Performance Among Dual-Earner Couples: Testing Four Theoretical Perspectives

This study compares four theories of domestic labor in their ability to predict relative emotion-work performance among dual-earner couples. Specifically, the authors investigate the effects of gender ideology, time availability, relative resources, and crossover factors on the dependent variable of relative emotion-work performance using seemingly unrelated regression. The analysis is performed on data from a random sample (N = 156) of dual-earner couples in northern Utah. Results suggest that for men, partner's work-to-family spillover is negatively related to relative emotion work performance and men with more traditional gender ideologies report performing more emotion work relative to their partners. For both men and women, relative housework performance is positively related to relative emotion-work performance. The findings from the study suggest that new theories are needed to adequately predict this particular form of domestic labor.
CASE STUDY: The pig pheromone androstenone, acting as an interomone, stops dogs from barking

ABSTRACT Some dogs display behaviors such as excessive barking and jumping. Unwanted behaviors can often lead to animal abuse or pet relinquishment to a shelter. This study focused on the effects of androstenone on the behavior of dogs showing a barking and jumping syndrome. In the first study, barking dogs were sprayed with (a) nothing, (b) a placebo spray with sound or noise, (c) the same as (b) plus 0.1 μg/mL androstenone in isopropyl alcohol, (d) the same as (b) plus 1.0 μg/mL androstenone in isopropyl alcohol. Dogs were videotaped for 1 min after treatment was applied. Treatments were effective at stopping barking and jumping in 25, 44, 78, and 100% of the barking and jumping dogs, respectively. Videos of the behavioral effects are available for viewing online (see Methods). A second study examined the effects of androstenone on heart rate and behavior while dogs were calm. Four “anxious” dogs were fitted with telemetry jackets and transmitters, heart rate was monitored continually, and cameras recorded behavior. Dog heart-rate data were measured for 10 min before and treatment, 10 min after isopropyl alcohol spray, and 10 min after a spray in the snout with androstenone. Neither androstenone nor isopropyl alcohol changed the heart rate of dogs compared with baseline. The pig pheromone, androstenone, working as an interomone reduced excitable behaviors of dogs. Behavior modification using pheromones can improve animal welfare by reducing the incidence of unwanted barking and jumping behaviors in dogs. Androstenone stops dog excitability through the olfactory system. Androstenone is a pheromone produced by pigs but acts as a powerful interomone in the dog.
Influence of Carbon‐Black Nanoparticles on Poly(butylene terephthalate) Fractionated Crystallization in Bicomponent Poly(butylene terephthalate)/Poly[ethylene‐co‐(ethyl acrylate)] Blends

The crystallization of the PBT minor phase in an EEA continuous matrix has been studied by DSC and SEM. When PBT is the minor phase, PBT crystallizes at a lower temperature, as expected, near T c.f1 = 105°C. Introducing different CB nanoparticles into the EEA continuous phase at contents increasing from 0.02 to 5 wt.-% leads to important modifications of the PBT crystallization. A new PBT exotherm appears at T c,f2 = 144 °C on the addition of CB, becoming really visible at T c,f3 = 158 °C and finally moving to T c,n =185°C at high content. The areas corresponding to these new peaks were found to increase to the detriment of that of the fractionated crystallization at 7 c,f1 = 105 °C. Morphological studies and interfacial tension measurements were made to understand the surprising activity of the CB. Moreover, the substitution of the EEA phase with the less polar LLDPE confirmed the importance of the strong interactions developed by EEA with CB aggregates.
Inhibitory Control During Emotional Distraction Across Adolescence and Early Adulthood

This study investigated the changing relation between emotion and inhibitory control during adolescence. One hundred participants between 11 and 25 years of age performed a go-nogo task in which task-relevant stimuli (letters) were presented at the center of large task-irrelevant images depicting negative, positive, or neutral scenes selected from the International Affective Picture System. Longer reaction times for negative trials were found across all age groups, suggesting that negative but not positive emotional images captured attention across this age range. However, age differences in accuracy on inhibitory trials suggest that response inhibition is more readily disrupted by negative emotional distraction in early adolescence relative to late childhood, late adolescence, or early adulthood.