cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential Protein Synthesis During Sporulation in the Slime Mold Physarum polycephalum

The size distribution and synthesis of polypeptide chains and the polysome patterns were studied during sporulation of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum, and were compared with nonsporulating controls. The proteins were divided into a 27,000 × g supernatant (buffer-soluble proteins) and a pellet (buffer-insoluble proteins) while still native. The sodium dodecyl sulfate complexes of the denatured proteins were separated on polyacrylamide gels containing urea. The following differences were found between sporulating and nonsporulating cultures. (i) The distribution of the soluble proteins into bands from sporulating and control cultures was the same in stained patterns; however, there was a slight shift toward increased synthesis of larger polypeptide chains in the radioactivity patterns of the soluble proteins in sporulating cultures. (ii) The amount of histones in the sporulating cultures was less than 30% of the values in the controls. Also, histone synthesis was reduced to less than 10% of that in the nonsporulating controls. In addition, proteins in three defined regions, corresponding to molecular weights of 70,000 to 75,000 (I), 55,000 (II), and 41,000 (III), were synthesized in sporulating cultures at a rate at least twice that in controls. Polypeptides corresponding to peaks I and II could be extracted from purified walls of mature spores. (iii) The polysome pattern as revealed by sucrose density centrifugation showed a breakdown of heavy polysomes at 3 hr after illumination, with their reappearance 4 hr later. The latter pattern, however, differed from that of the nonsporulating control in that the amount of light polysomes was reduced. This might account for the reduction in histone synthesis.
Voiced-speech analysis based on the residual interfering signal canceler (RISC) algorithm

We describe an improved version of our previously proposed feed-back residual interfering signal canceler (RISC) algorithm that can now track the phases and amplitudes of the sinewave components present in a signal without any a priori knowledge. We also give the details of the feed-forward RISC algorithm for tracking the sinewave components present in voiced speech. The effectiveness of these algorithms is demonstrated by processing both synthetic and clean natural speech. >
Energy intake and adiponectin gene expression

Hypoadiponectinemia and decreased adiponectin gene expression in white adipose tissue (WAT) have been well observed in obese subjects and animal models. However, the mechanism for obesity-associated hypoadiponectinemia is still largely unknown. To investigate the regulatory role of energy intake, dietary fat, and adiposity in adiponectin gene expression and blood adiponectin level, a series of feeding regimens was employed to manipulate energy intake and dietary fat in obese-prone C57BL/6, genetically obese ob/ob, obese-resistant A/J and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α gene knockout (PPARα KO) mice. Adiponectin gene expression in WAT and circulating adiponectin levels were studied in these dietary intervention-treated mice. Our study showed that calorie restriction (CR) robustly increased adiponectin gene expression in epididymal fat and blood adiponectin levels in both low-fat (LF) and high-fat (HF) diet-fed C57BL/6 mice. Although HF pair-fed C57BL/6 mice received the same amount of calories as LF ad libitum-fed mice, HF diet clearly increased adiposity but showed no significant effects on adiponectin gene expression and blood adiponectin level. CR also significantly increased blood adiponectin levels in ob/ob and A/J mice. Neither CR nor HF feeding displayed any significant effect on blood adiponectin half-life in C57BL/6 mice. Interestingly, CR increased PPARα expression in epididymal fat of C57BL/6 mice. Low levels of blood adiponectin and adiponectin gene expression in WAT were observed in PPARα KO mice. PPARα agonist treatment increased adiponectin mRNA levels in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, CR failed to increase adiponectin gene expression and blood adiponectin levels in PPARα KO mice. Therefore, our study demonstrated that energy intake, not dietary fat, plays an important role in regulating adiponectin gene expression and blood adiponectin level. PPARα mediates CR-enhanced adiponectin gene expression in WAT.
Serum Protection Tests with the' Lansing Strain of Murine Poliomyelitis Virus.

SummarySerum protection tests in mice have been done and the results are significant as tested by a simple statistical method. The experiments are in favor of the view that the Lansing strain is immunologically related to human poliomyelitis.We acknowledge, with thanks, assistance from the following: Mr. Louis Mihelich and Miss Frances Love (technical assistance), and Doctor Martin Bronfenbrenner (advice on statistical method).
Attached-film media performance in psychrophilic anaerobic treatment of dairy cattle wastewater

Retention of microorganisms in anaerobic digesters by providing an attachment medium can potentially increase their productivity at lower operating temperatures. The objective of this work was to investigate the effectiveness of attached-film bioreactors for psychrophilic anaerobic digestion of dairy manure. Eight digesters were maintained in an environmental chamber, with the temperature varied between 37 and 10°C. Two digesters were packed with limestone gravel, two with pieces cut from non-woven polyester matting, two with a combination of limestone gravel and polyester pieces, and two had no packing. Digester operation was initiated at a temperature of 37°C. After the digesters reached stable operation at the initial temperature, the temperature was lowered slowly to 10°C. The temperature was held at 10°C for 5 weeks after stabilizing. The polyester medium with its high porosity and surface to volume ratio had the best overall performance for methane productivity at both 37 and 10°C. The biogas production (ml/d) and methane production (ml/d) were significantly higher for the polyester medium when compared to the limestone and combination media reactors (p < 0.0001 and 0.0002, respectively). At 10°C, the polyester medium reactors performed significantly better than all others for biogas (ml/d) and methane (ml/d) production (p < 0.0001). The polyester medium also yielded the maximum reductions in volatile solids (VS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) at 37°C.
Lung Transplantation: Current Status and Future Prospects

Lung transplantation recently marked its 35th anniversary. The period has been marked by 20 years of initially slow progress followed by 15 years of explosive growth and success. In 1997 the number of lung and heart-lung transplants exceeded 1000 in the United States and 1400 worldwide. Current 1-year survival exceeds 75% for most diagnoses. Functional results are excellent and durable with first second expired volume (FEV1) improving from 15% to 20% of the predicted normal preoperatively to 75% to 80% of the predicted normal postoperatively in most diagnoses. Problems facing lung transplant programs during the next century include the unavailability of graft lung donors, technical limitations of explanted graft lung preservation, and the prevention and treatment of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Current status and future trends for lung transplantation are reviewed.
Laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion precipitating pituitary apoplexy.

Objective. Pituitary apoplexy may be the first presentation of a previously undiagnosed pituitary adenoma. Although many mechanisms of pituitary apoplexy have been proposed in the literature, the exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Many predisposing events have been implicated in the pathogenesis, however, the role of laparoscopy precipitating pituitary apoplexy has not been previously described. The authors present a case of pituitary apoplexy in a previously undiagnosed pituitary adenoma, which presented in the immediate post-operative period after a laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Clinical Presentation. A 45-year-old man presented with a sudden onset of headache, photophobia, diplopia, visual field deficits, and decreased visual acuity in the immediate post-operative period after an uneventful laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Results of computed tomography of the brain revealed a hyperdense suprasellar mass without any signs of subarachnoid blood. The patient underwent magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a hemorrhagic pituitary tumor with lateral and suprasellar extension, with compression of the cavernous sinus and optic chiasm, respectively. An urgent transsphenoidal decompression of the hemorrhagic pituitary adenoma was performed. Post-operatively, the patient demonstrated marked neurological improvement with recovery of visual acuity and extraocular movements. Conclusion. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case reported in the literature of a laparoscopic procedure precipitating pituitary apoplexy. Recognition of this rare complication of laparoscopic surgery, and the importance of rapid diagnosis and urgent surgical treatment are emphasized.
ABNORMAL CT-SCANS IN MIGRAINE

SYNOPSIS Twenty-nine patients with migraine were examined by CT-Scans. Ten of these had abnormalities on the scans which consisted of cerebral parenchymal low densitometric areas, ventricular enlargements and conical atrophy. The cerebral parenchymal low densitometer zones tended to disappear on repeat scanning. Four cases in the series had hemiparetic migraine and all showed abnormalities on CT-scans. The incidence of complicated migraine was higher in patients who showed abnormalities on the scans than in those with normal scans. It is suggested that the parenchymal low density areas on CT-scans are the result of cerebral edema, but that repeated insults might lead to permanent changes in brain parenchyma which might be recognizable as cortical atrophy and ventricular enlargement.
Effect of several reward exposure procedures on the small trial PRE

Rats were run in a straight alley runway for five acquisition and 10 extinction trials. Partial reinforcement led to greater resistance to extinction than consistent reinforcement. The PRE evaluated in terms of mean extinction speed was greater for animals receiving exposure to the experimental apparatus prior to acquisition (either rewarded or nonrewarded placements) than for animals not receiving such exposure. The PRE evaluated in terms of rate of extinction did not differ across the three reward exposure conditions. The implications of these results were considered within the context of the frustration hypothesis.
The dual illusion of grants-in-aid on central and local expenditures: A reply

In this Journal, Chu (Chu, H. Y. (2003). Public Choice, 114: 349-359) offered cor- rections for "inconsistencies" in the Logan model of dual fiscal illusion. )Logan, R. R. (1986). Journal of Political Economy, 94: 1304-1318). This paper shows that Logan (1986) introduced two prevailing models of fiscal illusion and chose to follow one of them for generalization. Chu has not corrected any "inconsistencies". He has instead offered a generalization of the other type of illusion. This paper demonstrates that the Chu generalization suffers from multiple irrational and unachievable results, which is why Logan (1986) chose the original version in the first place.
Viewpoint: Climate change and planning: responding to the challenge

Climate is the typical behaviour of the atmosphere. It is usually described in terms of mean (or average) conditions and variations about these conditions, including extreme events and the frequency of their occurrence (Wuebbles and Edmonds, 1991). Climate change, then, is change in the average behaviour of the atmosphere as well as change in the patterns of variation around this behaviour. Climate scientists are as much, if not more, concerned about changes in variability as they are about changes in average conditions; changes in variability may entail fundamental changes in our knowledge base. Climate change is real, has been going on since the earth was formed, and is anticipated to continue for the foreseeable future. Since the industrial revolution, however, much of the change in climate has been discernibly induced by human activity and, in particular, activity producing emissions of so-called 'greenhouse gases' (GHGs) carbon monoxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases. It is anticipated that anthropogenic climate change will have consequences for human health, ecosystems, economic activity, and social wellbeing that are on the whole more negative than positive.1 The human beings who appear to be most vulnerable to climate change are low-income and minority populations living in societies with developed economies, especially in coastal areas, and populations in countries with developing economies in equatorial latitudes. It may be too late to avert such near-term effects of climate change as unusual fluctuations in temperature, the increased incidence of extreme weather events, persisting droughts in Australia, sub-Saharan Africa and other areas, flooding in coastal areas, and melting of glaciers and sea level rise, which may cover low-lying land masses such as islands in the South Pacific. But scientists (and environmental economists) generally agree that it is not too late to ward off possibly irreversible changes in climate and quality of life for future generations through efforts to mitigate emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change (Stern et al., 2006). Contributors to the Stern Review believe that mitigation of and adaptation to climate change can be brought about through a combination of command-and-control and market-inducement policies. They also estimate that the cost of effective mitigation and adaptation
Weakly continuously Urysohn spaces

Abstract We study weakly continuously Urysohn spaces, which were introduced in [P.L. Zenor, Continuously extending partial functions, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 135 (1) (2007) 305–312]. We show that every weakly continuously Urysohn w Δ-space has a base of countable order, that separable weakly continuously Urysohn spaces are submetrizable, hence continuously Urysohn, that monotonically normal weakly continuously Urysohn spaces are hereditarily paracompact, and that no linear extension of any uncountable subspace of the Sorgenfrey line is weakly continuously Urysohn. These results generalize various results in the literature concerning continuously Urysohn spaces.
Basaltic rocks in the Rensselaer Plateau and Chatham slices of the Taconic allochthon: Chemistry and tectonic setting

Tholeiitic to transitional alkalic basalt and basaltic tuff form widely separated but distinctive units within the Nassau Formation of late Proterozoic or Early Cambrian age, within the Rensselaer Plateau and Chatham slices of the Taconic allochthon in eastern New York State and western Massachusetts. Examination of all known occurrences of these basaltic rocks and detailed mapping of the enclosing strata indicate that these basalts are submarine lava flows and water-transported tuffaceous deposits restricted to the lower third of the stratigraphic section in both slices. In each slice, the basalts thicken to the west along with thickening and coarsening of enclosing graywacke beds (Rensselaer Graywacke Member of the Nassau Formation) and thin eastward into pillow basalt and tuffaceous basalt that is associated with fine-grained graywacke and thinly laminated purple and green turbidites of the Nassau Formation. These high-TiO 2 , low-MgO basalts resemble very closely late Proterozoic basalts and feeder dikes of the Catoctin Formation of the Blue Ridge in Virginia and late Proterozoic metadiabase dikes in the northern Reading Prong in New York, both of which intrude pre-Iapetan, eastern North American basement. Major-element and rare-earth chemistry and geology also establish a correlation between the Taconic metabasalts and metabasalts preserved in the Tibbit Hill Volcanic Member of the Pinnacle Formation that unconformably overlies middle Proterozoic basement, in central Vermont. Palinspastic reconstruction places the Chatham slice oceanward of the Rensselaer Plateau slice that contains abundant coarse-grained detritus of probable eastern North American Proterozoic basement These relations suggest a fault-bounded submarine basin (Nassau-Rensselaer basin) located near the continental margin that was fed by submarine fan deposits. Submarine morphology of the distributing fan complex may have channelized the basalts. The association of the tholeiitic to transitional alkalic basalts with interpreted marine-fan deposits suggests that the volcanism occurred after Iapetan rifting and thermal subsidence over tectonically thinned sialic crust, perhaps near the time and place of eventual separation.
The Impact of Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, Language, and Training Program on Teaching Choice Among New Teachers in California

Abstract The cultural disparity between teachers and students has been a concern among educators for quite some time. While the student body grows more ethnically heterogeneous, non-Hispanic Whites, especially women, continue to dominate the teaching profession. Ethnicity, language, and socioeconomic status (SES) all play a critical role in the education of our students. Starting in 1994, California has required teachers who provide instruction for Englishlanguage development to have the Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development or Bilingual Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development certificate. The purpose of this study was to compare beginning teachers from these two certification programs regarding their cultural backgrounds and initial employment placements. More specifically, the study investigated the linguistic, ethnic, and SES makeup of schools where they found initial employment. Secondly, this study investigated whether the two programs differentially attracted candidates by gender...
Side-chain crystallinity. V. Heats of fusion and melting temperatures on monomers whose homopolymers have long side chains

Heats of fusion and melting temperatures were obtained for selected monomeric n-alkyl acrylates, N-n-alkylacrylamides, and vinyl esters. The corresponding thermodynamic parameters for homopolymers, derived from these monomers, had been reported previously from this laboratory. The α-hexagonal crystal modification was indicated near the melting point for the higher n-alkyl acrylates, but a β form was stable at low temperatures for the entire series. The magnitude of the heats of fusion indicated β polymorphs for vinyl esters in support of x-ray diffraction analysis from the literature. Because hexagonal crystal geometry prevailed in all reported homopolymers having long side chains, greater emphasis was placed on thermodynamic data for monomers exhibiting this crystal modification. Accordingly, a convergence temperature was estimated statistically for the α-hexagonal crystal modification of these systems and appropriate literature values of the n-alkanes and ethyl esters. The convergence temperature was computed to be 135°C, uncorrected for the entropy of disorientation. The anomalously large interfacial end-packing-defect energy of the poly(n-alkyl acrylates) and the poly-N-n-alkylacrylamides was shown to be associated with a high energy barrier to molecular transport in the melt as the vitreous state was approached. In support of this conclusion, similarity of the glass and melting transition temperatures of these homopolymer homologs occurred near their critical side-chain lengths, below which the homopolymers are amorphous. A special critical requirement of nucleus length was not indicated from rough estimations of nucleation parameters for the poly(n-alkyl acrylates). These findings lent increased, but still not unqualified, support to an x-ray diffraction study from the literature. The latter had specified the inclusion of the entire side chain and the main-chain units in the crystal lattices of the higher poly(n-alkyl acrylates).
Probing adenylation: using a fluorescently labelled ATP probe to directly label and immunoprecipitate VopS substrates.

The bacterial effector VopS from Vibrio parahaemolyticus modifies host Rho GTPases to prevent downstream signalling, which leads to cell rounding and eventually apoptosis. While previous studies have used [α-32P] ATP for studying this enzyme, we sought to develop a non-radioactive chemical probe of VopS function. To guide these studies, the kinetic parameters were determined for a variety of nucleotides and the results indicated that the C6 position of adenosine was amenable to modification. Since Fl-ATP is a commercially available ATP analogue that is fluorescently tagged at the C6 position, we tested it as a VopS substrate, and the results show that VopS uses Fl-ATP to label Cdc42 in vitro and in MCF7 whole cell extracts. The utility of this probe was further demonstrated by immunoprecipitating Fl-ATP labeled Cdc42 as well as several novel substrate proteins. The proteins, which were identified by LC-MS/MS, include the small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42 as well as several proteins that are potential VopS substrates and may be important for V. parahaemolyticus pathology. In total, these studies identify Fl-ATP as a valuable chemical probe of protein AMPylation.
Raynaud phenomenon and mortality: 20+ years of follow-up of the Charleston Heart Study cohort.

BACKGROUND Raynaud phenomenon (RP) is a temporary vasoconstrictive condition that often manifests itself in the fingers in response to cold or stress. It often co-occurs with certain chronic diseases that impact mortality. Our objective was to determine whether RP has any independent association with survival. METHODS From 1987-1989, a total of 830 participants of the Charleston Heart Study cohort completed an in-person RP screening questionnaire. Two definitions of RP were used: a broad definition that included both blanching (pallor) and cyanotic color changes and a narrow definition that included only blanching. All-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality were compared between subjects with and without RP using race-specific survival models that adjusted for age, sex, baseline CVD, and 10-year risk of coronary heart disease. RESULTS Using the narrow RP definition, we identified a significant interaction between older age and the presence of RP on all-cause mortality. In the broad RP definition model, the presence of RP was not associated with CVD mortality among blacks; however, among whites, the presence of RP was associated with a 1.6-fold increase in the hazard associated with CVD-related death (hazard ratio: 1.55, 95% confidence interval: 1.10-2.20, P=0.013). CONCLUSION RP was independently associated with mortality among older adults in our cohort. Among whites, RP was associated with increased CVD-related death. It is possible that RP may be a sign of undiagnosed vascular disease.
The Action of Phloridzin and Sugars on (Na+-K+)-Activated ATPase

The action of phloridzin and simple sugars on the (Na(+)-K(+))-activated ATPase obtained from rabbit kidney has been studied. Phloridzin 10(-4)to 10(-3) M was found to inhibit the enzyme at Na(+):K(+) ratios less than optimal for enzyme activity, whereas stimulation was noted at Na(+):K(+) ratios greater than optimal for enzyme activity. Some sugars in concentrations of 0.1 to 0.5M were found to inhibit the (Na(+)-K(+))-activated ATPase. The sugars and related compounds could be ranked according to decreasing inhibitory potency as: D-mannose>D-arabinose, D-xylose>L-xylose>D-glucose>fructose, L-arabinose>D-galactose, myo-inositol, mannitol=0. No stimulatory effect or interaction with K(+) was found with these compounds. The action of these substances on the (Na(+)-K(+))-activated ATPase suggests an interaction of actively transported sugars and sodium-potassium transport at the level of the sodium pump that may be important in the biological coupling of the two systems.
Strengthening Academic Advising by Developing a Normative Theory

Discussions on academic advising theory have centered on application from many disciplines; however, academic advising is unlike any other field, and therefore, theories from other disciplines do not correspond with all of the unique goals of advising: assisting students in understanding the meaning of higher education, supporting students in their personal growth, and helping them set and achieve educational goals. To continue clarifying the role of advising within higher education, practitioners need to move from analogical theories to normative theories. The diversity and richness of current theories in advising will provide the foundation for developing a normative theory and strengthening the field of advising.
Heterologous transplantation of cerebral and cerebellar astrocytomas.

Twenty two cases of cerebral and so-called cerebellar astrocytomas were heterologously transplanted to guinea pigs. Although the fifteen cerebral astrocytomas were selected according to optimal conditions for transplantation, all failed to grow heterologously. The cerebral astrocytomas represent varieties of fibrillary, protoplasmic and pilocytic types, and all originated in adults. Of the seven randomly selected so-called cerebellar astrocytomas, all of which occurred in children, only one grew when transplanted intracerebrally to guinea pigs. This tumor before transplantation had all the histological characteristics of a so-called cerebellar astrocytoma. The prevailing cells were elongated, spongioblast-like elements; however, other cell types, e.g., astrocytes occurred in varying numbers. The heterotransplant was dominated by elongated, mostly bipolar cells with a very characteristic cytoarchitectural arrangement. The controversy regarding classification of cerebellar astrocytomas versus cerebellar spongioblastomas was discussed. Although the name “spongioblastoma” is not favored, the concept of classifying the so-called cerebellar astrocytoma together with other slow growing midline gliomas as proposed by Zulch has definite merits. Heterotransplantation studies clearly demonstrate that the so-called cerebellar astrocytoma has different biological properties than cerebral astrocytomas.
Desire to be thinner and weight control among children and their parents

Body weight, desire to be thinner, and weight control attempts were studied in fourth grade boys and girls and their parents. Parental modeling and communications to their children were of particular interest. Girls reported greater desire to be thinner than boys, but they did not report more dieting. For girls, but not boys, desire to be thinner was positively correlated with dieting; however, these correlations were not significant when the effects of body weight were controlled. Daughters' body weight, desire to be thinner, and dieting were positively correlated with their mothers' and fathers' reported encouragement of daughters to control weight. However, only the correlation between dieting and reported encouragement to control weight by fathers remained significant when body weight was controlled. Fewer correlations were significant for boys. Finally, there were no significant correlations between mothers' and fathers' desire to be thinner and weight control measures, and those of their sons and daughters.
Role of Risk Factors in the Modulation of Tissue Factor Activity and Blood Thrombogenicity

Background— Several studies suggest a role for an increased circulating pool of tissue factor (TF) in atherothrombotic diseases. Furthermore, certain cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes, hyperlipemia, and smoking, are associated with a higher incidence of thrombotic complications. We hypothesized that the observed increased blood thrombogenicity (BT) observed in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus may be mediated via an increased circulating tissue factor activity. We have extended our study to smokers and hyperlipidemic subjects. Methods and Results— Poorly controlled patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=36), smokers (n=10), and untreated hyperlipidemic subjects (n=10) were studied. Circulating TF was immunocaptured from plasma, relipidated, and quantified by factor Xa (FXa) generation in the presence of factor VIIa. BT was assessed as thrombus formation on the Badimon perfusion chamber. Patients with improvement in glycemic control showed a reduction in circulating TF (362±135 versus 2...
Structured outlier models for robust dictionary learning

Robust dictionary learning algorithms seek to learn a dictionary while being robust to the presence of outliers in the training set. Often, the elements of the training set have an underlying structure due to, for example, their spatial relation or their similarity. When outliers are present as elements of the training set, they often inherit the underlying structure of the training set. This work capitalizes on such structure, encoded as an undirected graph connecting elements of the training set, and on sparsity-aware outlier modeling tools to develop robust dictionary learning algorithms. Not only do these algorithms yield a robust dictionary, but they also identify the outliers in the training set. Computationally efficient algorithms based on block coordinate descent and proximal gradient methods are developed.
Maximum entropy and spectral estimation: A review

The method of maximum entropy is reviewed with emphasis on its relationship to entropy rate, Wiener filters, autoregressive processes, extrapolation, the Levinson algorithm, lattice, all-pole and all-pass filters, and stability.
Correlated isotopic and microstructural studies of turbostratic presolar graphites from the Murchison meteorite

We present data from TEM and NanoSIMS investigations of Murchison (CM2) KFC1 presolar graphites. TEM examinations of graphite ultramicrotome sections reveal varying degrees of graphite disorder, leading to distinctions between well-graphitized onions, more turbostratic platy graphites, and the most disordered cauliflower graphites. Aside from their larger size, platy graphites are roughly similar in isotopic composition and in internal grain properties to the well-graphitized onions. Most carbide-containing platy graphites exhibit large s-process element enrichments (~200 solar Mo/Ti ratios), suggesting origins predominantly in AGB carbon stars. The C isotopic distribution of platy graphites is similar to onions, with representatives in both 12C-depleted (5 < 12C/ 13C < 40) and 12C-enriched groups (100 < 12C/13C < 350) and a pronounced gap in the 40 < 12C/13C < 75 region that contains 75% of mainstream SiCs. The large 12C enrichments combined with the extreme s-process element enrichments suggest formation in an environment inhomogeneously enriched in the nucleosynthetic products of thermal pulses in AGB stars. In contrast, numerous scaly cauliflower graphites show 18O enrichments and lack s-process-enriched carbides, suggesting a SN origin, as was the case for many Murchison KE3 SN graphites. The more turbostratic graphites (platy and scaly) are on average larger than onions, likely resulting from formation in a gas with higher C number density. Oxygen content increases progressively with increasing degree of graphite disorder, which can stabilize these grains against further graphitization and may be a reflection of higher O/C ratios in their formation environments.
Polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci within cellulose synthase (PtoCesA) genes are associated with growth and wood properties in Populus tomentosa.

Summary Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa), an important commercial tree species for timber and pulp production in northern China, has been used to examine the individual genes and allelic diversity responsible for complex traits controlling growth and lignocellulosic biosynthesis. Taking advantage of the low degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) within P. tomentosa association populations, we examined associations between 15 cellulose synthase (PtoCesA) genes and traits including growth and wood properties. Thirty-six novel simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers within PtoCesA genes were detected by re-sequencing and genotyped in an association population (460 individuals). Single-marker and haplotype-based LD approaches were used to identify significant marker–trait associations. Family-based linkage studies and real-time PCR testing were conducted to validate the functional significance of SSR variation. Fifteen single-marker associations from seven PtoCesA genes and nine haplotype-based associations within six genes were identified in the association population (false discovery rate Q < 0.05). Next, five SSR marker–trait associations (Q < 0.05) from four PtoCesA genes were successfully validated in a linkage mapping population (1200 individuals). The results imply a functional role for these genes in mediating wood properties, demonstrating the potential of combining single-marker and haplotype-based LD approaches to detect functional allelic variation underlying quantitative traits in a low-LD population.
Design and construction of a long-term continuous video-EEG monitoring unit for simultaneous recording of multiple small animals

Abstract In recent years several new rat models of human limbic/mesial temporal lobe epilepsy have been described 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 11 , 15 , 16 , 17 . Unlike earlier models such as kindling in which the seizures are induced by an exogenous stimulus, these new models are characterized by seizures that occur spontaneously at random intervals. Although the spontaneity of the seizures makes these models more like human epilepsy, documentation of these seizures by direct observation is highly inefficient, and subbehavioral electrographic seizures could be missed. Continuous paper EEG and video recording have been used 5 , 6 , 7 , 15 , but these techniques are resource intensive. The slow paper speed required by long-term paper recordings limits the ability to differentiate between true seizure activity and electrical artifact. Subtle behavioral seizures are likely to be missed during rapid review of video recordings alone [16] . Ambulatory cassette EEG recordings have been used [3] , but the systems require expensive proprietary hardware, and the systems have limited channels for recording (8–16). To improve the utility of the models, we developed a long-term EEG/video monitoring system to detect the electrographic seizures and document their behavioral accompaniment. The system is based on commercially available components, including a computerized EEG seizure detection system that was initially developed for human seizure monitoring 8 , 9 , 13 . Seizures are reliably detected and the data are reduced so that 24 h of recording can be reviewed in 30–90 min. Although the computer program is accurate, special care must be taken in system design and construction to reduce sources of electrical artifact that can cause false detections when multiple animals are recorded simultaneously on a single EEG machine. During data review it is necessary to differentiate between electrical artifact induced by animal activity from true seizure activity by key EEG patterns. Certain seizure patterns (less than 3 Hz, low amplitude) will not be detected by the seizure detection program, but the system is highly effective for typical limbic seizures and may be useful for the animal models of absence epilepsy 12 , 14 . It can also be used as a continuous or intermittent EEG/physiological recording device for experiments that examine animals' spontaneous behavior and the EEG correlate (e.g. sleep/wake cycles, learning and memory tasks).
CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF A GENE ENCODING A CAMPOLETIS SONORENSIS POLYDNAVIRUS STRUCTURAL PROTEIN

Polydnaviruses are the only known group of mutualistic viruses. They are required for successful parasitization in many braconid and ichneumonid parasitoids. The intimacy of this mutualistic association is indicated by the integration and vertical transmission of polydnaviruses in wasp genomes and by their asymptomatic, developmentally regulated replication. The evolution of this mutualism raises several interesting issues that require a better understanding of the viral genome and viral replication. To develop probes for virus replication and morphogenesis, we have begun to characterize several viral structural proteins. A 699 bp cDNA encoding the p12 viral structural protein was cloned and sequenced. The p12 gene localizes to viral segment Y and encodes a predicted protein of 92 amino acids that does not encode a signal peptide and is unrelated to known peptide or nucleic acid sequences. The p12 mRNA is detected at the onset of virus replication. mRNA titers increase with increasing rates of virus replication. Polyclonal antisera raised against histidine-tagged p12 protein expressed in bacteria reacted specifically with the p12 polypeptide in Western blots of CsPDV virions. The p12 polypeptide was not detected in non-replicative wasp or lepidopteran tissues by Western blot analyses but was readily detected in protein extracts of wasp ovaries. The data indicate that the p12 gene is a viral gene encoding a virion protein and provides a specific probe for virus replication that will be useful for studying the evolution of this group of mutualistic viruses.
Information policy and the educated librarian

Abstract National and international information policy is an important part of the curriculum for library education at the Graduate Library School of the University of Arizona. Librarians and information professionals and their institutions are affected by and must be able to react to changes in policies at the local, national, and international level. This article describes the content and methodology of the course, and presents a bibliography of sources.
Neonatal Injections of Methoxychlor Decrease Adult Rat Female Reproductive Behavior.

Abstract Methoxychlor (MXC), a commonly used pesticide, has been labeled as an endocrine disruptor. To evaluate the impact of neonatal exposure to MXC on female reproduction, female Sprague-Dawley rats were given subcutaneous injections on postnatal days 1, 3, and 5. The injections contained 1.0 mg MXC, 2.0 mg MXC, 10 μg 17β-estradiol benzoate (positive control), or sesame oil (vehicle). The injections of MXC had no effect on anogenital distance or day of vaginal opening. Treatment with either 2.0 mg MXC or estradiol significantly increased the total number of days with vaginal keratinization. Treatment with MXC had no effect on ability to exhibit a mating response as an adult female, although the high dose MXC (2.0) and the positive control (estradiol) animals demonstrated a decrease in degree of receptivity, a decrease in proceptive behavior and an increase in rejection behavior. These data suggest that higher doses of MXC given directly to pups during the neonatal period can act as an estrogen and alter aspects of the nervous system, impacting adult reproductive characteristics.
984-25 Prolonged Local Infusion of Low Dose Angiopeptin Reduces Neointima After Balloon Injury in Swine Coronaries Using the DispatchTM Site-Specific Delivery Catheter

Local infusion of angiopeptin (AP) into injured swine coronary arteries using the porous balloon has been shown to reduce neointima. The purpose of this study was to compare prolonged (20 min) infusion of low dose AP (20 μg/kg) with a short (3 min) infusion of high dose AP (500 μg/kg) using the DispatchTM device which allows atraumatic and extended drug/arterial wall contact. 21 swine underwent overstretch balloon injury to the coronary arteries. AP was infused at either low or high dose immediately post-injury. Vessels were harvested at 14 days and the neointimal area (NEG), % neointima (NEO/Wall Area), % internal elastic lamina fracture (IEL break/IEL length) and residual lumen (lumen area/Iumen area + intimal area) were determined. Download : Download high-res image (62KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions Prolonged low dose local infusion of AP at the injury site reduced the neointima and improved the residual lumen in the treated vessel. The beneficial effect of AP was not demonstrated with the higher dose, shorter duration local infusion.
A double-input laboratory oscilloscope

THE ELECTRICAL engineering student engaged in a study of a-c theory is helped immensely in gaining a basic understanding of the interrelationships between the voltage and current quantities in a circuit when he is able to observe and study at least two of the quantities simultaneously. However, commercial apparatus which makes this possible, the oscillograph, the cathode-ray tube oscilloscope with “electronic-switches,” and double-beam cathode-ray tube oscilloscopes, have been little used by the student himself because the problems of interconnections, time-base adjustments, synchronizing, calibration adjustments, and the like are beyond the abilities of the average student commencing his study of a-c circuits.
PLASMA-ZINC AND COPPER IN PREGNANCY AND AFTER ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES

The authors have used a simplified method for trace-element analysis employing atomic-absorption spectrophotometry to determine plasma concentrations of zinc and copper. Patients were 25 women in the last trimester of pregnancy and 10 women who had been taking an oral contraceptive for periods of 1 month to 4 years. Findings in both instances were a lowered zinc concentration in the presence of considerable raised copper concentration as compared with normal controls. Zinc plasma-concentration diminished in those taking oral contraceptives from an average normal of 96 mcg per 100 ml to 69 mcg per 100 ml and in the pregnant patients to 250 mcg per 100 ml. No adverse effect of the oral contraceptives was apparent.
Monte Carlo simulation of the shapes of domains in phospholipid monolayers

The dispersed domains which result from phase separation in phospholipid monolayers have long been known to exhibit complex and intriguing geometries. Over the last decade, much work has gone into the theoretical prediction of these shapes using energy minimization calculations. While such studies have provided much insight into the behavior of domain shapes, they ignore the effect of entropy and thus are truly applicable only as the temperature approaches absolute zero. In this paper, we present a Monte Carlo approach for the prediction of domain shapes through simulation, thereby introducing temperature as an explicit parameter. Where applicable, results from this simulation are compared to prior shape calculations and to experimental results. We find that the first order transition predicted between circular and bilobed domains applies only at low temperature. Moreover, we find that bilobed domains should only be found when the domain elongation occurs slowly; rapid elongation produces multiple branched domains. Finally, we find that the width of these branches in elongated domains is independent of both the number of branches and the size of the domain. @S1063-651X~97!01701-7#
Impact of satellite breakup parameters on long-term orbital debris environment evolution

The purpose of this study is to examine the sensitivity of the orbital debris environment to fragmentation model parameters. Seven modeling parameters are varied to examine their impact on the future debris environment. Simulations for the future debris state up to the year 2081 are compared with evolution runs using 'standard' breakup models. Fragments from satellite-satellite collisions are shown to dominate the future evolution of the debris environment. Several parameters significantly affect the future environment evolution. This shows that further work to improve fragmentation model is warranted. By improving all aspects of debris modeling it could be shown that our models for the environment are accurate and justify taking measures to reduce our polluting of the orbital environment.
Using geometric properties of topographic manifold to detect and track eyes for human-computer interaction

Automatic eye detection and tracking is an important component for advanced human-computer interface design. Accurate eye localization can help develop a successful system for face recognition and emotion identification. In this article, we propose a novel approach to detect and track eyes using geometric surface features on topographic manifold of eye images. First, in the joint spatial-intensity domain, a facial image is treated as a 3D terrain surface or image topographic manifold. In particular, eye regions exhibit certain intrinsic geometric traits on this topographic manifold, namely, the pit-labeled center and hillside-like surround regions. Applying a terrain classification procedure on the topographic manifold of facial images, each location of the manifold can be labeled to generate a terrain map. We use the distribution of terrain labels to represent the eye terrain pattern. The Bhattacharyya affinity is employed to measure the distribution similarity between two topographic manifolds. Based on the Bhattacharyya kernel, a support vector machine is applied for selecting proper eye pairs from the pit-labeled candidates. Second, given detected eyes on the first frame of a video sequence, a mutual-information-based fitting function is defined to describe the similarity between two terrain surfaces of neighboring frames. By optimizing the fitting function, eye locations are updated for subsequent frames. The distinction of the proposed approach lies in that both eye detection and eye tracking are performed on the derived topographic manifold, rather than on an original-intensity image domain. The robustness of the approach is demonstrated under various imaging conditions and with different facial appearances, using both static images and video sequences without background constraints.
The development of seventh graders' views of nature of science

This study investigated the development in students' nature of science (NOS) views in the context of an explicit inquiry-oriented instructional approach. Participants were 18 seventh-grade students who were taught by a teacher with “appropriate” knowledge about NOS. The intervention spanned about 3 months. During this time, students were engaged in three inquiry-oriented activities that were followed by reflective discussions of NOS. The study emphasized the tentative, empirical, inferential, and creative aspects of NOS. An open-ended questionnaire, in conjunction with semi-structured interviews, was used to assess students' views before, during, and after the intervention. Before instruction, the majority of students held naive views of the four NOS aspects. During instruction, the students acquired more informed and “intermediary” views of the NOS aspects. By the end of the intervention, the students' views of the NOS aspects had developed further still into informed and “intermediary.” These findings suggest a developmental model in which students' views develop along a continuum during which they pass through intermediary views to reach more informed views. Implications for teaching and learning of NOS are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 470–496, 2008
The Domain Parallel Computation Model On Warp

This paper introduces a new computation model for distributed memory multiprocessor systems: the domain parallel computation model. This computation model does not depend on a specific communication mechanism, thus making a domain parallel program portable among different parallel and sequential machines. Based on the domain computation model, a programming language called AL was defined and its compiler was implemented for the Warp systolic computer, a linear array of 10 processors. AL has been successfully used as a programming tool for scientific computing on Warp. Examples of LU decomposition, QR decomposition, and singular value decomposition (S VD) were given in this paper to illustrate the use of AL in applications. These AL procedures were rewritten from the LINPACK FORTRAN programs; their algorithms and numerical properties were kept the same as the UNPACK implementations. More than 27 MFLOPS (out of 100 MFLOPS peak) on matrices of order 300 were achieved for these procedures.