cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metacognitive Training in Chemistry Tutor Sessions Increases First Year Students’ Self-Efficacy

Recent educational research emphasizes the importance of personal social cognitive beliefs and metacognitive knowledge and skills for achievement in science as well as retention in the field. In this project, a mandatory evening tutorial program was developed to provide direct instruction in metacognitive skills for first year students enrolled in an introductory chemistry course. As measured by student surveys and grade outcomes, this approach directly increased students’ self-efficacy in STEM and increased students’ achievement. In addition, these effects were more pronounced for women in the course. These results suggest that teaching metacognition to students in introductory chemistry courses could improve achievement and potentially improve retention in the field, particularly for women in physical sciences.
Testing Assumptions: Can Performance Rating Feedback Result in Objective Performance Improvements?

Performance appraisal is intended to be an instrument for performance improvement and the use of ratings is based on the assumption that rating feedback will have an impact on objective performance outcomes. Yet, most studies measure improvement as changes in performance ratings over time and there is limited empirical evidence to support this assumption. The present experiment was designed to address this gap in the literature by directly testing the effect of rating feedback on objective performance. Groups completed two problem solving tasks, receiving rating feedback on several team performance dimensions after the first task. Improvement in ratings and objective performance scores on the second task was measured to evaluate the impact of the feedback. Results replicated past research, demonstrating that rating feedback leads to improvement in subsequent ratings. Further, this experiment provides empirical evidence in support of the assumption that rating feedback can result in objective performance improvement.
Cultural Studies, Teaching and Critical Pedagogy: An Introduction

This chapter introduces the whole project of the anthology. The latter is based on the assumption that cultural studies is both a specific intellectual-political project and a critical pedagogical project. The chapter opens with an attempt to answer afresh the rather “old” question of what cultural studies is/should be and then moves to survey existing work on cultural studies teaching and pedagogy to reveal its general tendency to be more highly theoretical and abstract in nature, without due consideration of actual teaching practices at the level of the curriculum, the course, and the classroom. The chapter introduces the project of the anthology as an attempt to fill this gap in the literature and present work which tries to establish the right balance between both the theoretical and pragmatic/practical aspects of teaching labor and practice. The chapter then reviews each of the contributions to the collection, highlighting their merits and value in the context of the broader project.
Beyond the “basic stuff”: Authentic caring and digital storytelling with youth

Concepts such as “subtractive schooling,” explain that schools that de-value young immigrants’ perspectives, strip them of their social and cultural resources and make them especially prone to acad...
ASSOCIATION OF HABITUAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WITH HOME BLOOD PRESSURE: INSIGHTS FROM THE ELECTRONIC FRAMINGHAM HEART STUDY

A sedentary lifestyle is associated with increased risk for hypertension. Smartwatches enable accurate measurement of habitual physical activity. We hypothesize that higher habitual physical activity is associated with lower home blood pressure (BP). Electronic Framingham Heart Study (eFHS)
Adrenalectomy for Secondary Malignancy: Patients, Outcomes, and Indications.

Objective The goal of this study was to examine a multi-institutional experience with adrenal metastases to describe survival outcomes and identify subpopulations who benefit from adrenal metastasectomy. Background Adrenalectomy for metastatic disease is well-described, although indications and outcomes are incompletely defined. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed of patients undergoing adrenalectomy for secondary malignancy (2002-2015) at 6 institutions. The primary outcomes were disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Analysis methods included Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards. Results Of 269 patients, mean age was 60.1 years; 50% were male. The most common primary malignancies were lung (n = 125, 47%), renal cell (n = 38, 14%), melanoma (n = 33, 12%), sarcoma (n = 18, 7%), and colorectal (n = 12, 5%). The median time to detection of adrenal metastasis after initial diagnosis of the primary tumor was 17 months (interquartile range: 6-41). Post-adrenalectomy, the median DFS was 18 months (1-year DFS: 54%, 5-year DFS: 31%). On multivariable analysis, lung primary was associated with longer DFS [hazard ratio (HR): 0.49, P = 0.008). Extra-adrenal oligometastatic disease at initial presentation (HR: 1.84, P = 0.016), larger tumor size (HR: 1.07, P = 0.013), chemotherapy as treatment of the primary tumor (HR: 2.07 P = 0.027) and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR: 1.95, P = 0.009) were associated with shorter DFS. Median OS was 53 months (1-year OS: 83%, 5-year OS: 43%). On multivariable analysis, extra-adrenal oligometastatic disease at adrenalectomy (HR: 1.74, P = 0.031), and incomplete resection of adrenal metastasis (R1 margins; HR: 1.62, P = 0.034; R2 margins; HR: 5.45, P = 0.002) were associated with shorter OS. Conclusions Durable survival is observed in patients undergoing adrenal metastasectomy and should be considered for subjects with isolated adrenal metastases.
Dynamic Adsorption of Functionalized Zwitterionic Copolymers on Carbonate Surfaces under Extreme Reservoir Conditions

The injection of aqueous polymer solutions into reservoirs for enhanced oil recovery has attracted considerable interest in the petroleum industry. Polymers increase the viscosity of the fluids and thereby improve the volumetric sweep efficiency. However, significant polymer retention in reservoirs by adsorption to surfaces limits the propagation through the reservoir and can reduce the efficiency of the polymer flooding. To explore the structure–property relationships that can direct improvements in future polymer designs, we have investigated the dynamic adsorption of a model system of five zwitterionic copolymers using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation and core-flooding experiments at high temperatures and salinities. The results indicate that the degree of dynamic polymer retention is sensitive to a low percentage of functional comonomers on the polymer backbone. The concept of using a small fraction of comonomers to tune the adsorption of polymers is an attractive cost-effective method for modifying the properties of the polymers employed in the oil and gas industry.
Impact of intrauterine fetal resuscitation with oxygen on oxidative stress in the developing rat brain

Use of maternal oxygen for intrauterine resuscitation is contentious because of the lack of evidence for its efficacy and the possibility of fetal harm through oxidative stress. Because the developing brain is rich in lipids and low in antioxidants, it remains vulnerable to oxidative stress. Here, we tested this hypothesis in a term pregnant rat model with oxytocin-induced fetal distress followed by treatment with either room air or 100% oxygen for 6 h. Fetal brains from both sexes were subjected to assays for biomarkers of oxidative stress (4-hydroxynonenal, protein carbonyl, or 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine), expression of genes mediating oxidative stress, and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Contrary to our hypothesis, maternal hyperoxia was not associated with increased biomarkers of oxidative stress in the fetal brain. However, there was significant upregulation of the expression of select genes mediating oxidative stress, of which some were male-specific. These observations, however, were not accompanied by changes in the expression of proteins from the mitochondrial electron transport chain. In summary, maternal hyperoxia in the setting of acute uteroplacental ischemia-hypoxia does not appear to cause oxidative damage to the developing brain.
Variable embedded agent in Sason Arabic

The paper investigates the syntax and semantics of an indirect causative construction, ‘make’ causatives, in Sason Arabic with a focus on the syntax of the embedded structure and the status of the implicit embedded agent. On the basis of several diagnostics, the study demonstrates that ‘make’ embeds an agentive VoiceP, which also manifests an active-passive alternation despite the absence of any morphological reflex. Regarding the nature of the implicit embedded agent, the paper argues that it is present as a free variable a la Heim (1982) generated on the Voice head itself. In so doing, it adds to the ontology of null arguments as well as suggesting that licensing of a grammatical object is dissociated from the projection of a specifier.
An eye for fractals: a graphic/photographic essay

Fractional geometry posits that a natural visual complexity can arise from iteration of simple rules and simple shapes. An Eye for Fractals is a fascinating study of the converse premise: that natures complexity implies an underlying simplicity that can be traced back to fractal geometry.The book effectively integrates art with science, illustrating the natural occurrence of mathematics and geometry in lava flows, kelp beds, cloud formations and aspen groves. The book is enhanced with more than 150 photographs and drawings, including some color illustrations. An Eye for Fractals is a beautiful introduction to fractal geometry, a graphic, visual approach that should appeal to all who feel the fascination of this artful mathematics.
Utilitarianism, Hedonism, and Desert: Essays in Moral Philosophy

Introduction Part I. Utilitarianism: 1. World utilitarianism 2. On the extensional equivalence of simple and general utilitarianism 3. The principle of moral harmony 4. On the consistency of act and motive utilitarianism Part II. Hedonism: 5. Two questions about pleasure 6. Mill, Moore, and the consistency of qualified Hedonism 7. On the intrinsic value of pleasures Part III. Desert: 8. Adjusting utility for justice 9. Desert: reconsideration of some received wisdom 10. Justice, desert, and the repugnant conclusion Index of subjects Index of persons Index of cases.
Depositional Environments of the Byrd Group, Byrd Glacier Area: A Cambrian Record of Sedimentation, Tectonism, and Magmatism

The geology of the Byrd Group immediately south of Byrd Glacier records a major sequence of geologic events, beginning with the development of a carbonate platform (Shackleton Limestone) during the early Atdabanian (approximately 525 Ma), followed by a transitional interval of siliciclastic deposition and volcanism (Starshot Formation) during the late Botomian (approximately 512 Ma), and ending with a coarse cover of clastic molasse deposition (Douglas Conglomerate), no younger than plutonism at 492 ±2 Ma. Thus, the Byrd Group was deposited during a span of less than 33 myr, as a sequence of passive shelf-margin sedimentation through active uplift and erosion related to the Ross Orogeny. The newly subdivided Shackleton Limestone records at least two major depositional cycles, interrupted by a significant karst event. A layer of volcanic ash overlain by a thick layer of argillite in the uppermost Shackleton Limestone records the timing of a conformable carbonate to siliciclastic transition, accompanied by basalt volcanism of the Starshot Formation. Continued clastic deposition of the Starshot Formation coarsens upwards into the Douglas Conglomerate, where the primary sources of clastic detritus are derived from the Shackleton Limestone and possibly much of the Starshot Formation itself.
The Impact of Capital Requirements on Banks' Performance: The Case of Egypt

In 1991, the Central Bank of Egypt increased the minimum capital requirements for the banking industry vis-a-vis risk weighted assets to 8 percent, along the lines of the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision. We investigate the effects of capital regulations on cost of intermediation and profitability. A number of factors have pushed up an increase in the cost of intermediation in the post-capital regulation period: higher capital to assets ratio, an increase in banks' size and a reduction in inflation. The reduction in banks' concentration and output growth countered these effects. A number of factors contributed positively to banks' profitability in the post-regulation period: higher capital requirements, the reduction in implicit cost and the increase in banks' size. The reduction in economic activity had counter effects on bank's profitability. Overall, the results support the Central Bank's efforts to enforce capital regulations towards improving the performance of the banking sector in Egypt.
Design Strategies for Rewrite Rules

Term rewriting systems employed for the specification of abstract data types and for very high level programming languages based on rewrite rules are often required to have properties, such as confluence, termination, and sufficient-completeness, which are undecidable. Rather than attempting, as it is usually done, to check these properties in a system a posteriori, i.e. after the rules have been designed, we propose two strategies for addressing this problem a priori, i.e. during the design phase of rules. We propose the concepts of under- and over-specification, determine sufficient and/or necessary conditions to avoid them, show how to obtain these conditions in a constructive way, and relate them to a number of desirable properties which have appeared in the literature. Our approach is based on the completeness and parsimony properties of sets of tuples of terms and on a recursive mechanism which extends primitive recursion from natural numbers to abstract data types. We prove a number of results, illustrate their application to the design of rewriting systems by means of examples, and discuss the power and the limitations of our approach.
Simulation of leader speeds at gigantic jet altitudes

[1] Lightning leaders advance in space by creating a heating conversion zone in their tips (i.e., streamer-to-leader transition) in which Joule heating produced by currents of many non-thermal corona streamers transforms into a hot and conducting leader channel. It is believed that the initial stages of transient luminous events termed gigantic jets (GJs) propagating toward the lower ionosphere are directly related to leaders initiated by conventional intra-cloud lightning discharges and escaping upward from thundercloud tops. In the present work we provide quantitative description of speeds of these leaders as a function of leader current and ambient air density (altitude). The direct comparisons with available experimental data indicate that the initial speeds of GJs of ∼50 km/s are consistent with leaders possessing currents 2–8 A. The observed acceleration of GJs can be explained by growth of the leader current, and at high altitudes (low air densities) may be significantly affected by predominance of non-thermal (i.e., streamer) discharge forms.
Supply chain management and Learning Organization: a merging of literatures

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the potential of applying the concept of the Learning Organization to the understanding of, and potentially the assessment of, an organization's supply chain collaboration capability. Collaborative supply chain management (SCM) literature was transposed against that of the literature of the Learning Organization to investigate overlapping themes to explore benefits of applying the framework of the Learning Organization to SCM. Design/methodology/approach – The author conducted an in-depth review of the collaborative SCM and Learning Organization literature. This allowed for a comparative analysis of the literature and identification of the extent of common themes. Themes were identified, future research questions were posed and implications were delineated. Findings – Findings indicate multiple themes in common between collaborative SCM and the Learning Organization. This serves as support for the suggestion to approach SCM with the framework of the Learning Organizati...
Final sequences and final coalgebras for measurable spaces

A measure polynomial functor is a functor in the category Meas built up from constant measurable spaces, the identity functor and using products, coproducts and the probability measure functor Δ. In [1] it was proved that these functors have final coalgebras. We present here a different proof of that fact, one that uses the final sequence of the functor, instead of an ad hoc language. We also show how this method works for certain functors in Set and explore the connection with results in the literature that use the final sequence in other ways.
Wolf-Rayet Binaries and Atmospheric Stratification

Considerable effort has been expanded on both of these topics ever since the binary nature of most bright WR stars was revealed by radial velocity and eclipse observations and the basic correlation of line-width with ionization potential was discovered. I would like to describe briefly the methods of detection of binaries, to review the percentage of known binaries and to summarize the mass determinations that result from the study of WR binaries.
Chapter 4. Secretase inhibitors as therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes the therapeutic role of secretase inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease, which is defined by the co-occurrence of two histologic lesions in brain—extracellular deposits (senile plaques), whose principal component is a fibrillar form of a predominantly 40-42 amino acid peptide known as β-amyloid (Aβ), and intracellular tangles of a hyperphosphorylated form of the microtubule associated protein tau. Tau dysfunction appears to have a role in the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease. However, considerable evidence points to a causative role for the accumulation of Aβ peptide, potentially related to the neurotoxicity shown by Aβ in in vitro and in vivo models. Progress in characterizing the proteolytic enzymes responsible for the production of β-amyloid (Aβ) has been summarized and recent work towards identifying secretase inhibitors for treatment of Alzheimer's disease is discussed. Basics of the amyloid hypothesis are elaborated and details of APP Processing and FAD mutations are provided. Concepts related to cloning and isolation of β-secretase are discussed and characterization of gammaa-secretase is elaborated. Role of presenilins is also described.
Absence of missense mutations in activated c-myc genes in avian leukosis virus-induced B-cell lymphomas.

Abstract We have determined the nucleotide sequences of two independent DNA clones which contained the activated c-myc genes from avian leukosis virus-induced B-cell lymphomas. Neither of these c-myc genes contained missense mutations. This strongly supports the notion that the c-myc proto-oncogene in avian leukosis virus-induced B-cell lymphomas can be oncogenically activated by altered expression of the gene without a change in the primary structure of the gene product.
Genetic Characterization of Pathogenic Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Isolates

Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates from human patients have been genetically analyzed. Some of the characteristics of these isolates are very different from laboratory and industrial strains of S. cerevisiae and, for this reason, stringent genetic tests have been used to confirm their identity as S. cerevisiae. Most of these clinical isolates are able to grow at 42 degrees, a temperature that completely inhibits the growth of most other S. cerevisiae strains. This property can be considered a virulence trait and may help explain the presence of these isolates in human hosts. The ability to grow at 42 degrees is shown to be polygenic with primarily additive effects between loci. S. cerevisiae will be a useful model for the evolution and genetic analysis of fungal virulence and the study of polygenic traits.
Adolescent suicide and health risk behaviors: Rhode Island's 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Background Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among high school students in the U.S. Purpose This study examined the relationships among indicators of depressed mood, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and demographics and risk behaviors in Rhode Island high school students. Methods Data from Rhode Island's 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey were utilized for this study. The statewide sample contained 2210 randomly selected public high school students. Data were analyzed in 2008 to model for each of five depressed mood/suicide indicators using multivariable logistic regression. Results By examining depressed mood and suicide indicators through a multivariable approach, the strongest predictors were identified, for multiple as well as specific suicide indicators. These predictors included being female, having low grades, speaking a language other than English at home, being lesbian/gay/bisexual/unsure of sexual orientation, not going to school as a result of feeling unsafe, having been a victim of forced sexual intercourse, being a current cigarette smoker, and having a self-perception of being overweight. Conclusions The strength of associations between three factors (immigrant status, feeling unsafe, and having forced sex) and suicide indicators adds new information about potential predictors of suicidal behavior in adolescents.
Bile acid accelerates erbB2-induced pro-tumorigenic activities in biliary tract cancer.

Although very few studies have addressed the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the development of biliary tract cancer (BTC), several lines of evidence suggest a role for the erbB receptor family. Overexpression and activation of erbB2 has been reported in a significant percentage of human BTC. Further, we previously reported that overexpression of erbB2 basal epithelial cells of the biliary tract (BK5.erbB2 mouse) led to the development of BTC. However, the mechanisms by which erbB2 overexpression led to the spontaneous development of tumors specifically in the biliary tract are not completely understood. The goals of the current study were to (1) determine whether a cooperative relationship between bile acid exposure and erbB2 activation exists during biliary tract carcinogenesis and (2) to characterize the mechanism(s) underlying bile acid-mediated biliary tract carcinogenesis in cells with activated erbB2. In this study, we demonstrated that the secondary conjugated bile acid, taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDC), increased proliferation of primary cultured gallbladder epithelial cells from BK5.erbB2 mice and human BTC cells. TCDC treatment activated EGFR/erbB2 and downstream signaling molecules in both primary cultured cells and human BTC cells. TCDC also increased the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligands and TACE activity in human BTC cells. Inhibition of src activation led to attenuation of bile-induced upregulation of TACE activity as well as signaling through the EGFR/erbB2, suggesting that during the development of BTC erbB2 overexpression/activation accelerates the bile acid-induced signaling cascade: bile acid src TACE EGFR/erbB2 downstream signaling. We also provide direct evidence that bile acids possess tumor promoting capacity in epithelial cells overexpressing erbB2 using the two-stage skin carcinogenesis model. Collectively these findings suggest cooperative roles for bile acid and erbB2 activation in epithelial cell proliferation; bile acid appears to accelerate erbB2-induced pro-tumorigenic activities in the biliary tract and skin. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Elevated urinary secretory IgA in children with urinary tract infection.

Urinary immunoglobulins, especially locally secreted IgA, are a measure of the immune response to urinary tract infection (UTI). Urinary immunoglobulins have been quantitated in normal children and children with glomerulonephritis, the nephrotic syndrome, and urinary tract infection. Children with urinary tract infection show a unique elevation of urinary secretory IgA. The highest levels of urinary secretory IgA were found in children with severe anatomic derangements. Secretory IgA was elevated after UTI in 36% of female children without an identifiable anatomic abnormality and 77% of those with an abnormality. Maturation of the local immune response of the urinary tract is evidenced by increasing urinary secretory IgA levels with age.
The Nightly Round: Space, Social Capital, and Urban Black Nightlife

Using data generated from participant observation and semistructured interviews, I consider the ways in which nightlife, or what might be imagined as the nightly round—a process encompassing the so...
On semi-infinite systems of linear inequalities

The ordered fieldR(M) consists of the realsR with a transcendentalM adjoined, which is larger than any realr ∈R. Given any semi-infinite matrix (s.i.m.) interpreted as linear inequalities:u tPi≧c i, ∀ i ∈I, an arbitrary index set, it is also shown that the following are equivalent. (1) For every finiteJ ⊆I the systemu tPi≧c i,i ∈J is consistent, and (2) the s.i.m. has a solutionu ∈R(M) n. Some consequences for “duality gaps” are also given.
Intravenous pantoprazole utilization in a level 1 trauma center.

Background In recent years there has been a rapid increase in the use of proton pump inhibitors. Our institution has recently had several shortages of IV pantoprazole, each lasting 7–10 days. The purpose of our study was to evaluate in-patient usage of IV pantoprazole. We hypothesized that hospitalized patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) or risk for stress ulcers inappropriately received IV pantoprazole based on current literature.
Computational Prediction of Antibody Binding Sites on Tetracycline Antibiotics: Electrostatic Potentials and Average Local Ionization Energies on Molecular Surfaces

Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the analysis of tetracycline, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, and their transformed compounds in environmental water samples. The antibodies employed in ELISA showed high relative affinity for tetracycline, epitetracycline, chlortetracycline, and epichlortetracycline as compared to anhydrotetracycline, epianhydrotetracycline, and anhydrochlortetracycline. The specificity and crossreactivity of these antibodies are discussed in relation to the electrostatic potentials and average local ionization energies computed on the molecular surfaces of tetracycline antibiotics and their transformed compounds with an objective of identifying common features as well as differences that may be related to the experimentally observed variation in cross-reactivity values. The computations were performed at both the HF/STO-3G and HF/6-31+G* levels using the Gaussian 98 program. The results in this study are based upon molecular electrostatic potentials and local io...
Optimal radio resource management using hybrid handoffs in cellular networks

The optimal radio resource management (RRM) design is formulated as a Semi-Markov Decision Process optimization problem in this research. The stationary optimal call admission control policy, which adopts a hybrid handoff scheme, is determined by solving a set of linear programming equations under users' QoS constraints. The call admission control policy can choose actions of hard- or soft-handoff or simply rejecting the request, depending on the traffic conditions and QoS metrics. The performance is analyzed via simulation and compared with those of the non-controlled scheme and the fixed RRM scheme. Simulations are conducted by OPNET to study the performance under different traffic conditions.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II-associated myelopathy: Clinical and immunologic profiles

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) is endemic in several ethnic tribes and among intravenous drug users in metropolitan areas. Despite the presence of HTLV-II in these various populations, the association of HTLV-II with disease is sparse and mainly limited to isolated case reports. This study is an extension of an earlier description of an HTLV-II-infected patient with neurologic disease and presents the clinical and immunologic findings of 4 patients with HTLV-II seropositivity and spastic paraparesis. The patients are of African-American origin with 3 of the patients being of Amerindian descent. All of the patients are seronegative for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The patients progressed to a nonambulatory state in less than 5 years. Magnetic resonance imaging studies obtained from 3 of the patients demonstrated white matter disease in the cerebrum and spinal cord. The cerebrospinal fluid and serum contained antibodies to HTLV-II. The presence of proviral HTLV-II was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). A spinal cord biopsy from 1 patient demonstrated HTLV RNA within a lesion. Immunologic studies on 2 patients demonstrated that spontaneous lymphoproliferation of PBLs was present but decreased relative to HTLV-I-infected patients. The clinical and immunologic findings from these HTLV-II-infected patient resemble those found in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis.
Fe2+ oxidation of α-crystallin produces a 43,000 Da aggregate composed of A and B chains cross-linked by non-reducible covalent bonds

Summary The structure of a 43,000 Da aggregate generated from bovine lens α-crystallin polypeptides of 20,000 Da using Fe2+ catalyzed oxidation, was studied by sequence analysis of a 30,000 Da proteolytic fragment. Three polypeptide components were simultaneously sequenced in the electroblotted 30,000 Da fragment, corresponding to Phe114-Ser130… of the αA chain, and His111-Ser135… and Ser35-Leu49… of the αB chain. The relative proportions of the components suggests that the three polypeptides are present in equimolar amounts. It is concluded that the 30,000 Da fragment and, therefore, the 43,000 Da aggregate is constructed of both the A and B polypeptide chains covalently cross-linked with non-reducible bonds. At least one of these cross-links is present towards the carboxy-terminus of the A and B chains after Phe114 and His111, respectively.
Emerging therapies for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: drugs in the pipeline.

Topic Discuss the emerging therapies that could improve the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Clinical Relevance Current antiangiogenic therapies require frequent injections, and not all patients respond to these therapies. Thus, there is a need to identify additional therapies that could improve the treatment of neovascular AMD. Methods Review of medical literature and ongoing clinical trials as well as their results in the area of neovascular AMD treatment. Results There are numerous areas of investigation into new treatment for AMD, including the newly approved aflibercept eye; sustained-release compounds that may allow for fewer injections, combination therapy with anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy and ionizing radiation, and investigational drugs that address different targets along the angiogenic signaling cascade, or other pathways related to the pathophysiology of neovascular AMD altogether. Conclusions Despite the outstanding advances made in the treatment of neovascular AMD with anti-VEGF therapies, patients still require numerous injections and office visits. Future therapies, however, have the potential not only to reduce patient visits and injections, but also to improve outcomes by targeting additional pathways, increasing target affinity, and lengthening treatment durability. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Physiatric management of two neonates with limb deficiencies and prenatal cocaine exposure.

Abstract We evaluated two neonates born within nine weeks of each other who had limb malformations and whose urine toxicology screenings were positive for cocaine metabolites and other drugs. Review of the literature indicates that fetal exposure to cocaine could lead to limb reduction deficits. The purpose of this report is to alert the physiatrist to a possible increase in incidence of limb malformation related to maternal cocaine use during pregnancy. The two cases are detailed, etiology is discussed, and the initial physiatric management is explained.
Correlation between Surface Diffusion and Molecular Diffusion in Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography

Surface diffusion data previously measured for different compounds, mobile phase solvents, stationary phases, and temperatures in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) were reevaluated to derive information related to the mechanism and characteristic features of surface diffusion. First, a comparison of the surface diffusion coefficient (Ds) and the corresponding molecular diffusivity (Dm) suggests that the dependence of Ds on the RPLC conditions is a consequence of that of Dm. There is a correlation between surface diffusion coefficients and molecular diffusivity. Second, we showed that Ds correlates with the adsorption equilibrium constant (K) and the isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst). These two parameters represent the intensity of the adsorptive interactions between the sample molecules and the surface of the stationary phase. Finally, the ratio Ds/Dm increases with decreasing K and −Qst and Ds becomes of the same order of magnitude as Dm when the adsorptive interactions become small. These res...
Systematic Interpretation of Unconformities: ABSTRACT

The term unconformity is applied to first-order discontinuities which bound major continental framework sequences. Regional and interregional identity and continuity of most unconformities have remained unappreciated because: (1) they normally are erased in many areas by later degradation; (2) empirical criteria are inconsistently developed and commonly obscure the unconformities; (3) most empirical criteria do not make it possible to distinguish between unconformities and countless small-magnitude discontinuities; (4) conventional stratigraphy is depositionally, but not degradationally, oriented; (5) unconformably separated sequences commonly are erroneously equated and thus mistakenly interpreted as facies; (6) miscomprehension of the base-level concept has resulted in ailure to relate episodically contemporaneous marine, non-marine, and volcanic successions; (7) individual unconformities are too commonly conceived to be of a single type rather than to represent several or all types; (8) diagnostic faunas commonly are absent from critical strata; and (9) many biostratigraphic standards are inadequate to define unconformities. Failure to recognize these obstacles has led in many cases to the fallacious expedient of interpreting events directly from the unconformity-riddled and thus degradationally fragmented stratal record. As a result, the occurrence of alternating interregional depositional and degradational episodes generally has remained unappreciated, and many conventional interpretations are erroneous. Because all unconformities have certain phenomena in common, particularly in regard to their manner of development, and because the beds above and below an unconformity repeatedly have certain relations to one another and to the unconformity separating them, certain axioms and corollaries can be stated that apply specifically to unconformities. It is believed that analytical procedures devised and carried out in the light of these axioms and corollaries provide a systematic basis for the interpretation of unconformities and for their distinction from the myriads of minor breaks. End_of_Article - Last_Page 640------------
Free radical mediated oxidative stress and toxic side effects in brain induced by the anti cancer drug adriamycin: Insight into chemobrain

Adriamycin (ADR) is a chemotherapeutic agent useful in treating various cancers. ADR is a quinone-containing anthracycline chemotherapeutic and is known to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in heart. Application of this drug can have serious side effects in various tissues, including brain, apart from the known cardiotoxic side effects, which limit the successful use of this drug in treatment of cancer. Neurons treated with ADR demonstrate significant protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation. Patients under treatment with this drug often complain of forgetfulness, lack of concentration, dizziness (collectively called somnolence or sometimes called chemobrain). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that ADR induces oxidative stress in brain. Accordingly, we examined the in vivo levels of brain protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation induced by i.p. injection of ADR. We also measured levels of the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP1) in brain isolated from ADR- or saline-injected mice. MRP1 mediates ATP-dependent export of cytotoxic organic anions, glutathione S-conjugates and sulphates. The current results demonstrated a significant increase in levels of protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation and increased expression of MRP1 in brain isolated from mice, 72 h post i.p injection of ADR. These results are discussed with reference to potential use of this redox cycling chemotheraputic agent in the treatement of cancer and its chemobrain side effect in brain.
Electoral Incentives, Public Policy, and the New Deal Realignment

This paper develops a model of the effects of electoral incentives on policy, then applies the model to the New Deal realignment. In the model, policy is the outcome of an agenda-setter game between the president and legislators. Specifically, the president sets policy subject to legislative approval. The president's ability to concentrate benefits in states with high electoral payoffs depends in part on his or her power to influence legislators' prospects for reelection. Regression analysis shows that New Deal spending and roll call voting patterns in the House of Representatives support the model. Historical accounts of other aspects of New Deal policy, including labor and civil rights issues, are consistent with the model. Together, the theoretical results and the empirical evidence help to explain several striking features of the policy and politics of the 1930s, including (i) why a government dominated by the Democratic Party would provide high benefits to swing states and much lower benefits to the traditionally Democratic South, (ii) why favoritism of swing states increased from the 1933-1934 period to the 19371938 period, (iii) why favoritism of swing states decreased from 1938 to 1939, and (iv) why, with the rise of the conservative coalition in Congress in the late 1930s, it was the representatives from traditionally loyal Democratic districts that created the strongest Democratic opposition to Roosevelt and the New Deal. This paper develops a model of the effects of electoral incentives on policy, then applies the model to the New Deal realignment. In the model, policy is the outcome of an agenda-setter game between the president and legislators. Specifically, the president sets policy subject to legislative approval. The president's ability to concentrate benefits in states with high electoral payoffs depends in part on his or her power to influence legislators' prospects for reelection. Regression analysis shows that New Deal spending and roll call voting patterns in the House of Representatives strongly support the model. Historical accounts of other aspects of New Deal policy, including positions on labor and civil rights issues, are also consistent with the model. Together, the theoretical results and the empirical evidence contribute to the understanding of several striking features of the policy and politics of the 1930s.
Neuropsychological functioning in cocaine abusers with and without alcohol dependence

Thirty codependent cocaine and alcohol users were compared with age-, education-, race-, and sex-matched cocaine abusers (N = 30) and normals (N = 30) using an extended Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery to determine whether cocaine abusers with alcohol dependence were more cognitively impaired than singly addicted cocaine abusers. Tests were grouped and analyzed according to 8 major ability areas. Participants who abused both cocaine and alcohol did not differ from normals on the majority of test measures. An unexpected but consistent finding was the poorer performance of the cocaine sample relative to cocaine and alcohol abusers on measures of complex psychomotor and simple motor functioning (ps < .001). Pure cocaine abusers, but not abusers of both cocaine and alcohol, also performed more poorly than normals on a measure of global neuropsychological functioning (p < .01). These results are consistent with previous reports of generally mild cognitive dysfunction in cocaine abusers. The findings also suggest that cocaine and alcohol abusers of relatively young ages may be less cognitively impaired than demographically comparable cocaine abusers. Evidence from studies of vascular functioning in abusers of cocaine and alcohol alone and in combination is discussed as possible explanation for these findings. (JINS, 1999, 5, 10–19.)
Derivation of Fixed Partial Charges for Amino Acids Accommodating a Specific Water Model and Implicit Polarization

We have developed the IPolQ method for fitting nonpolarizable point charges to implicitly represent the energy of polarization for systems in pure water. The method involves iterative cycles of molecular dynamics simulations to estimate the water charge density around the solute of interest, followed by quantum mechanical calculations at the MP2/cc-pV(T+d)Z level to determine updated solute charges. Lennard-Jones parameters are updated starting from the Amber FF99SB nonbonded parameter set to accommodate the new charge model, guided by the comparisons to experimental hydration free energies (HFEs) of neutral amino acid side chain analogs and assumptions about the computed HFEs for charged side chains. These Lennard-Jones parameter adjustments for side-chain analogs are assumed to be transferable to amino acids generally, and new charges for all standard amino acids are then derived in the presence of water modeled by TIP4P-Ew. Overall, the new charges depict substantially more polarized amino acids, parti...
Comparative physiology of nitrogenase activity and vesicle development for Frankia strains CpI1, ACN1ag, EAN1pec and EUN1f

The relationship between nitrogen fixation and development of a specialized cell structure, called the vesicle, was studied using four Frankia isolates. Nitrogenase activity was repressed in all four strains during growth with ammonia. Strain CpI1 formed no vesicles during NH4 growth. Strains ACN1 ag , EAN1pec and EUN1f produced low numbers of vesicles in the presence of ammonia. Following transfer to nitrogen-free media, a parallel increase in nitrogenase activity and vesicle numbers occurred with all four isolates. Appearance of nitrogenase activity was more rapid in those strains that possessed some vesicles at the time of shift to N2 as a nitrogen source. The ratio of vesicle numbers to level of nitrogenase activity varied widely among the four strains and in response to different growth conditions and culture age of the individual strains. Optimum conditions of temperature, carbon and energy source, nitrogen source and availability of iron and molybdenum were different for each of the four strains. Those conditions that significantly reduced nitrogenase activity were always associated with decreased numbers of vesicles.
A Personal Assessment of Lewin's Major Contributions

The author, a student of Lewin's, views his most important contributions as stimulating scientific creativity in many colleagues, aiding the downfall of stimulus—response theory, suggesting many useful concepts, and initiating experiments on formerly intractable topics. Lewin's limitations included lack of interest in unconscious factors and in social misperception, and less rigorous thinking and use of mathematics than he seemed to claim. In an overall assessment the positives greatly outweigh the negatives.
Microcomputers: A Technique for Electronic Control

The advent of microcomputers has provided an inexpensive, flexible, and sophisticated means for electronic control. This paper is an introduction to microcomputers. Typical applications are listed, and a comparison is made between minicomputers, microcomputers, and logic chips. Terminology and function of hardware components are defined. Key microcomputer selection parameters, with specifications of several microprocessors currently available, are presented. Finally, an example is presented to show programming techniques.
Kinetic energy distributions of positive ions in an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer

A simple method is described for the approximate measurement of the ion energy distribution in an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) with a continuum flow sampling interface. The average ion kinetic energy, kinetic energy spread, and maximum kinetic energy are evaluated from a plot of ion signal as a function of retarding voltage applied to the quadrupole mass analyzer. The effects of plasma operating parameters on ion signals and energies are described. In particular, kinetic energy is a sensitive function of aerosol gas flow rate. This behavior is attributed to a nonthermal, possibly electrical, interaction between the plasma and the sampling interface, which is induced by the presence of the axial channel in the ICP.
Automated analysis of digital relay data based on expert system

Modern digital protective relays generate various flies and reports which contain abundant data regarding fault disturbances and protection system operation. This paper presents an expert system based application for automated analysis of digital relay data. In this application, forward chaining reasoning is used to predict expected protection operation while backward chaining reasoning is employed to validate and diagnosis of actual protection operation. An EMTP/C++ based digital relay model with capability of insertion of user-defined errors and generation of files and reports is developed. The analysis capability of this application is tested using the relay model.