cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Further psychometric evaluation of the Fear Questionnaire: responses of college students.

This study presents evidence for the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Fear Questionnaire for college undergraduates. Fit indices of the 4-and 5-factor models identified previously were inadequate. Exploratory principal components analysis identified three factors, using data from Sample 1 (n = 208). LISREL confirmatory factor analyses supported generalizability of the three-factor model to Sample 2 (n = 200). Satisfactory reliability coefficients were obtained for the factor-derived subscales. Significant gender differences were obtained on 4 of the 15 items but not on the factor subscales. Finally, we examined the correlations between scores on the scale and on other measures of social anxiety, social desirability, and general psychological distress of the Brief Symptom Inventory. Present results suggest that the Fear Questionnaire is a valuable research instrument for a nonclinical sample.
Accurate Thermal Conductance and Impedance Measurements of Transition Edge Sensors

Past measurements of the thermal coupling of superconducting transition edge sensor (TES) calorimeters suspended on SiN membranes produced wide-ranging values for the exponent of the thermal coupling through the membranes. We present a measurement technique that is less susceptible to current dependence of the phase transition than the previous measurements. An initial measurement produced the expected exponent for a 2-D phonon gas: thermal conductance is proportional to T 2. In doing these measurements, we employ a modification to Lindeman’s equivalent circuit technique for measuring TES complex impedance.
Estrane derivatives—I

Abstract Three of the four possible ring A/B isomeric estrane-17-ol-3-ones and their corresponding acetates, benzoates and diones were prepared for the purpose of biochemical studies. The positions of the hydrogens on C5 and C10 of these compounds have been assigned. One of the estrane-3,17-diones prepared was, according to the double melting points, identical with one of the diones described by Marker and co-workers, obtained from non-pregnant urine source and and synthetic means.
AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs strained-layer heterojunction bipolar transistors by molecular beam epitaxy

The growth and characteristics of the first AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs HBTs are reported. Layers with up to 10% indium content appeared to be free of misfit dislocations, and resulted in HBTs with good I/V characteristics which scaled with In content according to theory.
Prostaglandins mediate the endotoxin-induced suppression of pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone secretion in the ewe.

Five experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that PGs mediate the endotoxin-induced inhibition of pulsatile GnRH and LH secretion in the ewe. Our approach was to test whether the PG synthesis inhibitor, flurbiprofen, could reverse the inhibitory effects of endotoxin on pulsatile LH and GnRH secretion in ovariectomized ewes. Exp 1–4 were cross-over experiments in which ewes received either flurbiprofen or vehicle 2 weeks apart. Jugular blood samples were taken for LH analysis throughout a 9-h experimental period. Depending on the specific purpose of the experiment, flurbiprofen or vehicle was administered after 3.5 h, followed by endotoxin, vehicle, or ovarian steroids (estradiol plus progesterone) at 4 h. In Exp 1, flurbiprofen reversed the endotoxin-induced suppression of mean serum LH concentrations and the elevation of body temperature. In Exp 2, flurbiprofen prevented the endotoxin-induced inhibition of pulsatile LH secretion and stimulation of fever, reduced the stimulation of plasma cortis...
Jamaican and Black-American Migrant Farm Workers: A Comparative Analysis.

Previous writings indicate that black-American migrant farm workers in Northeast coastal labor camps do not tend to be very productive or to save much money. By comparison, a study of Jamaican migrant farm workers in a New York State camp shows that they are very productive and save most of their earnings. Two factors seem most important in explaining this contrast: (1) the relative value of the wages paid to Jamaicans and black Americans and (2) the actual, as well as perceived, opportunities for mobility of each group of migrants and their children. The social policy implications of this analysis are also discussed.
Graduation Rates of Students in Technical Programs at an Urban Community College

With an increasingly technological and competitive world economy, more jobs require employees to have achieved the advanced skills and knowledge gained only through postsecondary education. The data regarding the supply and demand between the workforce and higher education present a challenge for community college technical programs. These are the programs charged with training the new workforce. An effort to increase the persistence and three-year graduation rate for technical students is one initiative to prepare students for the workforce. Therefore, this study identified factors associated with the three-year graduation rates of students enrolled in technical programs at a major community college in Texas. A quantitative survey was implemented among 191 technical students. The results of the study showed that females who had established a degree plan and declared a major during the first two semesters at the college graduated in three years. The graduation rates for males in the study were lower than ...
Does inhibition of degradation of hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF) α always lead to activation of HIF? lessons learnt from the effect of proteasomal inhibition on HIF activity

At the cellular level hypoxia induces transcriptional response that is mediated by the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). HIF is regulated at the level of its alpha subunit by 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenases that hydroxylate specific prolyl and asparaginyl residues of HIF-alpha, affecting its stability and activity, respectively. In the presence of O(2), the alpha subunit is degraded in a complex process with several distinct steps. In the first step, the degradation process is initiated by prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs). In the second step, the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)/E3 ligase complex recognizes the hydroxylated HIF-alpha and mediates its polyubiquitylation by the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2. In the third step, the polyubiquitylated HIF-alpha is translocated to the proteasome where it is degraded. Degradation of HIF-alpha can be inhibited at any of the three levels either by various pharmacological inhibitors or due to inactivation of genes whose products regulate the HIF system. The emerging data about inactivation of HIF under conditions of proteasomal inhibition prompted us to provide an overview contrasting the outcome of inhibition at various stages of the degradative pathway for HIF activity.
Requirements for accurate quantification of self-affine roughness using the variogram method

Abstract Both stationary and non-stationary fractional Brownian profiles (self-affine profiles) with known values of fractal dimension, D, input standard deviation, σ, and data density, d, were generated. For different values of the input parameter of the variogram method (lag distance, h), D and another associated fractal parameter Kv were calculated for the aforementioned profiles. It was found that σ has no effect on calculated D. The estimated Kv was found to increase with D, σ and d according to the equation Kv = 2.0 × 10−5d0.35σ1.95D14.5. The parameter Kv seems to have potential to capture the scale effect of roughness profiles. Suitable ranges for h were estimated to obtain computed D within ±10% of the D used for the generation and also to satisfy a power functional relation between the variogram and h. Results indicated the importance of removal of non-stationarity of profiles to obtain accurate estimates for the fractal parameters. It was found that at least two parameters are required to quantify stationary roughness; the parameters D and Kv are suggested for use with the variogram method. In addition, one or more parameters should be used to quantify the non-stationary part of roughness, if it exists; at the basic level, the mean inclination/declination angle of the surface in the direction considered can be used to represent the non-stationarity. A new concept of feature size range of a roughness profile is introduced in this paper. The feature size range depends on d, D and σ. The suitable h range to use with the variogram method to produce accurate fractal parameter values for a roughness profile was found to depend on both d and D. It is shown that the feature size range of a roughness profile plays an important role in obtaining accurate roughness parameter values with both the divider and the variogram methods. The minimum suitable h was found to increase with decreasing d and increasing D. Procedures are given in this paper to estimate a suitable h range for a given natural rock joint profile to use with the variogram method to estimate D and Kv accurately for the profile.
The synthesis of [3H]gibberellin A3 and [3H]gibberellin A1 by the palladium-catalyzed actions of carrier-free tritium on gibberellin A3

Abstract Reaction of gibberellin A 3 (GA 3 ) with carrier-free tritium gas and 5% palladium on calcium carbonate as catalyst gave a complex mixture of products, several of which were isolated and identified. Three of the purified products are the radioactive forms of naturally occurring gibberellins: [ 3 H]GA 3 ( 1 ), [ 3 H]GA 1 ( 2 ) and [ 3 H]tetrahydro GA 3 ( 4 ). Another substance was isolated and tentatively identified as [ 3 H]16,17-dihydro GA 3 ( 3 ). GLC was used to determine the specific activities of 1 and 2 . [ 3 H]GA 3 likely arises from palladium catalysed nonspecific exchange of GA 3 alkane hydrogen atoms with tritium. [ 3 H]GA 1 is also exchange labeled but most of its radioactivity is due to tritium addition to the C-1,2 olefinic bond of GA 3 .
Electrosensory modulation of escape responses

Once initiated, rapid escape responses of teleost fishes are thought to be completed without additional sensory modification. This suggests that the motor program for a particular response is selected for by the constellation of sensory cues existing at the time of the releasing stimulus. This paper presents initial evidence that a highly specialized, phylogenetically recent electrosensory system is integrated with a primitive motor system and allows an animal to continuously monitor its environment for producing accurate escape behaviors. Behavioral testing for directed startle responses in a “Y-maze” demonstrates that when presented immediately before an acoustic startle stimulus, electric fish (Eigenmannia virescens), direct their response away from the cue (a transient shorting of their electric field). Thus, electrosensory cues as brief as 100 ms provide directional information to the escape motor network. In electric fish that are curarized to facilitate intracellular recording, the normal electric organ discharge is attenuated. When an electronically generated replacement field of the same frequency and amplitude as the fish's normal signal is shorted, a fast-rising, 7 ms latency post-synaptic potential is evoked from the Mauthner cell. Similar PSPs are generated by turning the replacement stimulus on and off. In some recordings, removing the S1 replacement field elicits a rebound of other afferent activity to the Mauthner cell; replacing the field suppresses this activity.
Resting EEG Alpha and Asymmetry of Reflective Lateral Eye Movements

A CONJUGATE lateral eye movement has been observed in humans in association with the shift from external to internal direction of attention1. When asked a question requiring reflexion (for example, mental arithmetic) an individual normally shifts his eyes either to the right or the left as he begins to reflect on an answer. It has been suggested that the direction of this lateral eye movement is related to a characteristic deployment of attention; left movers show a greater tendency to focus attention on internal subjective experiences, right movers show a greater tendency to external focus of attention2. It has been found that subjects who tend to move their eyes to the left are more likely to be hypnotizable3. Hypnotizability has also been shown to be related to amount of EEG alpha activity during an eyes-closed resting condition4,5. The relationship of both lateral direction of eye movements and amount of EEG alpha activity to hypnotizability seems to indicate the need for a study of the relationship between amount of resting EEG alpha activity and the direction of reflective lateral eye movements. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the tendency to move the eyes to the left is associated with more EEG alpha activity than is the tendency to move the eyes to the right.
Effect of a pre-exercise energy drink (Redline®) on upper-body muscular endurance performance

Background Energy supplements are frequently consumed by athletes and recreational fitness enthusiasts as a method of improving exercise performance. Recent research indicates that these types of supplements influence exercise performance by increasing the number of repetitions that can be performed during an acute bout of exercise, thus increasing the total volume of work that can be performed during training sessions (Hoffman et al., 2008). Therefore, when aiming to improve muscular endurance performance the use of such a supplement may enhance one’s ability to withstand fatigue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a high energy liquid supplement on upper-body muscular endurance performance. Methods Forty-one healthy males (21.73 ± 1.74 yrs; 176.48 ± 7.54 cm; 81.16 ± 10.94 kg) volunteered to participate in this study. All test subjects completed a health history and caffeine usage questionnaire, as well as an informed consent form, prior to participating. Subjects completed a pre and post push-up to fatigue test within a week of one another. During the post-test session subjects were either given four ounces of an energy supplement (Redline by VPX) or a placebo, 30 minutes prior to the push-up to fatigue test. Administration of the supplement was double blind. Twenty-three (n=23) subjects received the supplement, while eighteen (n=18) subjects received the placebo. A 2 x 2 factorial ANOVA was used to determine between group differences for the muscular endurance assessment, at an alpha level of 0.05. Results Data analysis revealed a significant interaction between the treatment effect and the trials, F (1, 40) = 4.13, p = 0.024. Moreover, no significant difference was found between the pretest treatment group and the pretest placebo group, F (1, 40) = 3.07, p = 0.09, indicating that all subjects began the study with similar upper-body muscular endurance. Further examination of posttest main effects revealed a significant difference between the treatment group and the placebo group, F (1, 40) = 6.99, p = 0.01. The pretest push-up scores were similar for the treatment (52.91 ± 18.93) and the placebo group (44.22 ± 10.28). However, the treatment group showed substantially greater push-up scores for the posttest (59.34 ± 19.58) than the placebo group (45.66 ± 11.16). This represented a 12.15% increase in the treatment group’s posttest scores and a 3.25% increase in the placebo group’s posttest scores. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that the pre-exercise, liquid energy drink energy supplement investigated in this research had a significant effect on upper-body muscular endurance as measured by the push-up to fatigue test.
Is that what I wanted to do? Cued vocalizations influence the phenomenology of controlling a moving object

Abstract The phenomenology of controlled action depends on comparisons between predicted and actually perceived sensory feedback called action-effects. We investigated if intervening task-irrelevant but semantically related information influences monitoring processes that give rise to a sense of control. Participants judged whether a moving box “obeyed” or “disobeyed” their own arrow keystrokes (Experiments 1 and 2) or visual cues representing the computer’s choices (Experiment 3). During 1 s delays between keystrokes/cues and box movements, participants vocalized directions (“up”, “down”, “left”, or “right”) cued by letters inside the box. Congruency of cued vocalizations was manipulated relative to previously selected keystrokes and upcoming box movements. In Experiment 1, reported obey moves and feelings of control reflected the true frequency of obey moves, but were also modulated by vocalizations. Incongruent vocalizations reduced reported obey moves, whereas congruent vocalizations increased them. In Experiment 2, vocalizations had stronger effects when their congruence with primary-task box movement was consistent for several consecutive moves before congruence changed. In Experiment 3, analogous impacts of vocalizations occurred when the computer selected the directions and participants judged whether the computer had control of the box. We conclude that predicted and perceived action-effects associated with semantically related but separate and ostensibly irrelevant actions can be conflated with one another. This interference is not restricted to actions performed with the same effector or within the same modality, or even by the same actor. Thus in estimating degrees of control, the mind integrates across ongoing action systems, whether or not they are logically task-relevant.
Validation of a New Coma Scale, the FOUR Score, in the Emergency Department

Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR) score has previously been validated scale in the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit. In this study, we sought to validate the use of FOUR score in the emergency department (ED) using non-neurology staff. We also compared its performance to the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and correlated it to functional outcome at hospital discharge and overall survival. We prospectively rated 69 patients with initial neurologic symptoms presenting to the ED. Three types of examiners performed the FOUR score: ED physician, ED resident, and ED nurse. Patients were followed through hospital discharge; functional outcome was measured using modified Rankin Score (mRS). Interrater reliability for FOUR score and GCS was excellent (respectively, κw = 0.88 and 0.86). Both FOUR score and GCS predicted functional outcome, and overall survival with and without adjustment for age, sex, and alertness group. The FOUR score can be reliably used in the ED by non-neurology staff. Both FOUR score and GCS performed equally well, but the neurologic detail incorporated in the FOUR score makes it more useful in management and triage of patients.
The Effects of Violence in the Home on Children's Emotional, Behavioral, and Social Functioning: A Review of the Literature

Violence is a pervasive force in the lives of children in the United States; too often children have been victims of violence or witnesses to violence in their own homes. Although there is broad ac...
Survival of Didymella bryoniae in Infested Muskmelon Crowns in South Carolina.

ABSTRACT The crowns of muskmelon (Cucumis melo subsp. melo) plants are susceptible to cankers caused by the fungal pathogen Didymella bryoniae. The objective of this study was to compare the length...
Dialectic and Indirect Proof

... it is not ultimately Hegel's theory of propositions that is placed at the center of critical reconstruction [of the Logic], but his doctrine of conclusive in ference. The question of justifying logic raised in the Wissenschaft der Logik is not how we can assert truth, but how we can represent the truth of our asser tions to an opponent who doubts them. It should not surprise us that, under these circumstances, nothing more emerges from Hegel's reconstruction of valid logic in the subjective logic than the traditional conception of the syllogism. . . . The function of legitimizing logic from the history of metaphysics ought also apply to classical logic. The argumentation-structure itself, however, transcends classical logic. ... 2
Philippine media in transition: The effect of issue salience on credibility assessments

A probability sample of 250 adults in the Philippines' Central Luzon region responded to personal interviews that asked to compare the credibility of today's media system with that which prevailed before the ouster of the Marcos regime in 1986; and to make assessments of how salient the agrarian reform issue is to them and to their families. It was then tested whether these salience estimates had any bearing on judgments of mass media credibility. The data provided support for a curvilinear relationship between extremity of issue salience and credibility of media coverage, but against the hypothesized direction: those who perceived the issue as either highly salient or of no salience to them gave higher credibility ratings to the media than those for whom agrarian reform was moderately salient.
Unmanned surface vehicles for undergraduate engineering education

For the past two years undergraduate engineering students from Olin College of Engineering have worked to develop unmanned surface vehicles as low cost educational platforms for scientific research. As an undergraduate project, the work on the USV involved the student team in a hands-on experience that included in-house design, fabrication, and field operations. Working dominantly out of the Olin Field Robotics Laboratory the first fully operational vehicle completed an unmanned field test in the spring of 2008. Previously in 2007, two students from this project team presented the academic benefits of this self-directed work for engineering and science education at the MTS/IEEE Ocean's Conference in Vancouver. Here we present the data collected from the first autonomous trials carried out by the vehicle as well as the continued work since the Oceans 2007 publication. This work includes the completion of the mechanical design, creation and verification of a mathematical model of the vehicle, and implementation of autonomous control. Lastly, this paper continues to testify to the core benefits of an unmanned vehicle as an undergraduate engineering project, leading not only a to viable vehicle platform but also an extremely valuable learning experience for the team involved.
Amino nitrogen and phenolic constituents of bark of American beech, Fagus grandifolia, and infestation by beech scale, Cryptococcus fagisuga

Concentrations of amino acids, total amino nitrogen, and phenols, ratio of phenol to amino nitrogen, and pH in the bark of American beech, Fagus grandifolia, were determined to see if these chemical constituents were correlated with susceptibility of trees to infestation by the beech scale, Cryptococcus fagisuga. The relationship of these bark constituents with scale infestation levels (none, light, and moderate), tree size (large vs. small trees), and bark shading was determined. Levels of some individual amino acids and total amino acid content in moderately infested trees were significantly higher than in uninfested trees. Large uninfested beech trees, which tend to be more readily infested by scale, had significantly higher concentrations of aspartic acid. Concentrations of phenol in the outer bark of both infested and uninfested trees were significantly higher than in the inner bark. However in bark infected by Nectria, phenol levels in the inner bark were significantly higher than in the outer bark.
Electrical resistivity of vacuum-arc-deposited platinum thin films

Abstract We report on our investigations of the electrical resistivity of very thin platinum films, with thickness in the range from 2.6 to 19 nm, formed using a filtered vacuum arc plasma deposition method. We find that the resistivity of these films can be well described by a grain-boundary scattering model, especially for thickness less than ∼5 nm. We also find that the grain size, and consequently the resistivity of the deposited film, is a function of the ion deposition energy, with measured grain size varying from ∼8 nm for ion deposition energy of 100 eV up to ∼11 nm at 2.2 keV.
Quantum-statistical models for multicomponent plasmas. II

The Thomas-Fermi-Dirac statistical model and one that adds a Debye-Hueckel interaction between particles is used to compute the Gibbs potential for mixtures. It is found that, in certain cases, the two models have different predictions with respect to phase separation. Calculations are presented for the mixtures of iron and hydrogen under astrophysical conditions.
Strange temperature dependence of the folding rate of a 16-residue β-hairpin

Abstract The folding/unfolding kinetics of a 16-residue β-hairpin that undergoes cold denaturation at ambient temperatures were investigated by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy coupled with the laser-induced temperature jump (T-jump) initiation method. We found that the relaxation kinetics of this β-hairpin following a T-jump, obtained by probing the amide I′ band of the peptide backbone, show strange temperature dependence. At temperatures below approximately 35 °C where this β-hairpin mainly exhibits cold denaturation, the T-jump induced relaxation rate is ∼5 μs−1, whereas at temperatures where heat denaturation takes place, the relaxation rate increases to ∼1 μs−1. These results cannot be readily explained by a two-state folding model that has been used to describe the folding thermodynamics of this β-hairpin. In addition, these results suggest that the folding free energy barrier separating the cold-denatured state from the folded state is different from that separating the heat-denatured state from the folded state, coinciding with the idea that the mechanism leading to cold denaturation is different from that leading to heat denaturation.
Ab Initio Molecular Orbital Study of the Structures of Purine Hydrates

The structures of the isomers of purine hydrates [4(5)-hydroxy-5(4)-hydropurines] have been geometry optimized with ab initio quantum chemical methods at the 6-31G* basis set and with the semiempirical method PM3. These hydrates which can result from reduction of radical species formed by attack of hydroxyl radical at the 4,5 double bond in the purines, show significant geometrical distortion when compared to the natural bases. More specifically, the cis isomers adopt a “butterfly” conformation, while in the trans isomers, the pyrimidine and imidazole rings tilt opposite to each other. Our results predict the cis purine hydrate isomers are far more stable than the trans isomers by 10−18 kcal/mol at the 6-31G* level, whereas the 4-hydroxy-5-hydropurines are found to be slightly more energetically stable than the 5-hydroxy-4-hydropurines. The “butterfly” conformation of the cis isomers constitutes a bulky lesion which will result in a significant distortion of the DNA helix.
Running a Best-Subsets Logistic Regression: An Alternative to Stepwise Methods.

Although the algorithm for generating a best-subsets variable-selection routine in logistic regression was presented more than a decade ago, a search of the literature reveals that the technique is seldom applied. A possible explanation is its omission from popular statistical computing packages. Newer versions of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) provide limited capabilities, and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) does not allow for its calculation. Using a sample data set, this article briefly describes in nonmathematical terms how to implement and interpret results from a best-subsets logistic regression using SAS.
Position and Time System for the RAX Small Satellite Mission

This paper presents the Position and Time System (PTS) for the Radio Aurora eXplorer (RAX) small spacecraft. The PTS is a critical mission component that provides accurate temporal and spatial information required for the science objectives. The system faces many challenges due to the restrictions of our CubeSat form-factor and the power, size, and cost limitations. We describe the design approach to selecting the primary PTS components, including the Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, antenna, and low noise amplifier (LNA). The testing environment, procedures, and performance metrics are described, and results of the PTS performance provided. We discuss the challenges faced in the design and integration stages of the PTS development, and provide important considerations for future missions. Driven by the performance test results, the on-orbit operations procedures are described to maximize our science return while satisfying the mission requirements and constraints. We complete the design cycle by describing how on-orbit data collected using the PTS will be handled and post-processed to provide accurate timing and position information required to satisfy the science objectives.
Expectancy-Value Theory in Persistence of Learning Effects in Schizophrenia: Role of Task Value and Perceived Competency

Expectancy-value theory, a widely accepted model of motivation, posits that expectations of success on a learning task and the individual value placed on the task are central determinants of motivation to learn. This is supported by research in healthy controls suggesting that beliefs of self-and-content mastery can be so influential they can predict the degree of improvement on challenging cognitive tasks even more so than general cognitive ability. We examined components of expectancy-value theory (perceived competency and task value), along with baseline arithmetic performance and neuropsychological performance, as possible predictors of learning outcome in a sample of 70 outpatients with schizophrenia randomized to 1 of 2 different arithmetic learning conditions and followed up after 3 months. Results indicated that as with nonpsychiatric samples, perceived self-competency for the learning task was significantly related to perceptions of task value attributed to the learning task. Baseline expectations of success predicted persistence of learning on the task at 3-month follow-up, even after accounting for variance attributable to different arithmetic instruction, baseline arithmetic ability, attention, and self-reports of task interest and task value. We also found that expectation of success is a malleable construct, with posttraining improvements persisting at follow-up. These findings support the notion that expectancy-value theory is operative in schizophrenia. Thus, similar to the nonpsychiatric population, treatment benefits may be enhanced and better maintained if remediation programs also focus on perceptions of self-competency for the training tasks. Treatment issues related to instilling self-efficacy in cognitive recovery programs are discussed.
Endogenous Hallucinogens in Cerebrospinal Fluid

The search for an endogenous psychotogen as a biochemical cause or biochemical indicator of schizophrenia was stimulated in 1952 when Harley-Mason, Osmond, and Smythies suggested that abnormal transmethylation of an endogenous amine could possibly produce a psychotomimetic compound.11 Much of the research activity in the years that followed focused on methylated metabolites of tryptamine, such as dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and O-methylbufotenin (OMB), as putative endogenous psychotogens. These compounds are strongly hallucinogenic, and biochemical evidence has been presented to show that precursors and enzymes required for their synthesis are found in mammalian brain in vivo.9,12 Many studies did, in fact, provide evidence for the presence of these compounds in urine and blood, but the significance of these findings with respect to the etiology of schizophrenia has been criticized on the grounds that the assays were not sufficiently specific or sensitive. More recent studies using sophisticated mass spectrometric analyses have confirmed earlier positive results on the presence of DMT in blood and urine and have provided more accurate quantification.10,15 However, direct correlations between the concentration of these hallucinogens in blood and psychiatric illness have not yet been described.
In Vitro Ruminal Degradation and Synthesis of Protein on Fractions Extracted from Alfalfa Hay and Silage

Net release of degraded N as NH3 and total AA plus microbial protein synthesis, quantified from incorporation of 15NH3 into microbial protein, was used to estimate the rate and extent of in vitro degradation of protein fractions isolated from alfalfa hay and silage. Seven proteins (casein, alfalfa hay, alfalfa silage, extracts from alfalfa hay and silage, and residues from alfalfa hay and silage) were studied. Results from (NH4)2SO4 and SDS-PAGE fractionations suggested that soluble proteins in alfalfa hay and silage differed in susceptibility to proteolytic attack. Although the net release of NH3 plus total AA N from alfalfa silage and alfalfa silage extract was twofold greater than that from alfalfa hay and alfalfa hay extract, net microbial protein synthesis on alfalfa hay and alfalfa hay extract was 33 and 43% greater. Despite greater NPN content in alfalfa silage, protein degradation rate and estimated escape were similar for intact alfalfa hay (0.103/h and 43%) and silage (0.067/h and 43%). This result might be explained by the less efficient microbial utilization of silage NPN, greater protozoal numbers on hay, greater soluble true protein in hay, or differences in molecular mass and stability of soluble proteins in hay versus silage. Use of a two-compartment model, based on water-soluble and insoluble CP fractions assumed to pass with the liquid and solid phases, respectively, yielded RUP estimates for alfalfa hay and silage that were similar to NRC estimates.
Cue use affects resource subdivision among three coexisting hummingbird species

Competition for food can influence the coexistence of species via habitat selection, and learned behavior can influence foraging decisions. I investigated whether learned behavior and competition act together to influence species interactions between three coexisting hummingbird species: black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri), blue-throated (Lampornis clemenciae), and magnificent (Eugenes fulgens) hummingbirds. I found that color cue use by individuals affects not only their foraging choices but also population-level responses to competition. I presented hummingbirds two types of habitats (rich and poor feeders). All birds shared a preference for the rich feeders, but shifted preference toward poor feeders in response to competition. I used color cues to manipulate the amount of information available to birds and examined the effects of two information states (complete or incomplete) on their foraging choices. I examined hummingbirds’ preferences for the rich feeders when both competitor densities and information varied. To relate foraging choices to energetic intake, I also analyzed energy gained during a single foraging bout. Males of all species exhibited strong preferences for rich feeders when they foraged with complete information and low competitor densities. Without complete information, the two subordinate species (black-chinned and magnificent) shifted preference away from rich feeders in response to high densities of the dominant species (blue-throated). Each subordinate species shifted in a unique way: black-chinned hummingbirds reduced foraging efficiency, while magnificent hummingbirds reduced foraging time. Birds foraging with complete information remained selective on rich feeders even at high competitor densities. Thus, learned information affected competitive interactions (for rich feeders) among these species.
Spatial and temporal changes in Louisiana's Barataria Basin marshes, 1945 1980

A computerized geographic information system with site-specific change-detection capabilities was developed to document amounts, rates, locations, and sequences of loss of coastal marsh to open water in Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA. Land-water interpretations based on 1945, 1956, 1969, and 1980 aerial photographs were used as input, and a modified version of the Earth Resources Laboratory Applications Software developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was used as a spatial data base management system. Analysis of these data sets indicates that rates of marsh loss have increased from 0.36% per year in the 1945–56 period, to 1.03% per year in 1956–69, and to 1.96% per year in 1969–80. The patterns of marsh loss indicate that the combination of processes causing degradation of the marsh surface does not affect all areas uniformly. Marsh loss rates have been highest where freshwater marshes have been subject to saltwater intrusion. The increase in the wetland loss rates corresponds to accelerated rates of subsidence and canal dredging and to a cumulative increase in the area of canals and spoil deposits.
Testing z/OS: the premier operating system for IBM's zSeries server

The “z” in zSeries™ stands for zero down time. As businesses have come to rely more and more on the continuous availability of their largest systems, the verification techniques used by IBM in developing those systems have had to evolve. Methodologies, techniques, and tools need continuous enhancements to develop the necessary verification processes that support development for a “zero down time” system. This paper describes the verification methodologies used in z/OS™ development, as well as test technologies and techniques. Special attention is paid to tool and test case reuse, and to techniques for testing for data integrity and system recovery. We also explain how these methodologies can be used for both traditional on-line transaction processing and newer Web-based or distributed applications.
Influence of phenoxybenzamine on gastric evacuation in rats.

Abstract It was noted that phenoxybenzamine caused a delay in gastric evacuation of rats. The onset and degree of this effect seem to be dose-dependent. The smallest dose of phenoxybenzamine (10 mg/kg) did not affect gastric emptying until after 18 hours. Thereafter, a significant delay in gastric emptying was noticed. The delaying effect of phenoxybenzamine at 40 and 100 mg/kg dose was seen 3 hours after administration. At this time the effect with the 40 mg/kg was not as great as with the 100 mg/kg. Both doses thereafter produced a highly significant delaying effect on gastric evacuation for at least 24 hours. Various possibilities are discussed to explain the mechanism or mechanisms responsible for the delaying effects of phenoxybenzamine on gastric evacuation in rats.
The capillary instability of annular layers and liquid threads

The capillary instability and break-up of an annular liquid layer coating the inner surface of a cylindrical tube while surrounding another core fluid is studied. In the limiting case where the thickness of the layer is almost equal to the radius of the tube, we obtain a thread of core fluid suspended in a virtually unbounded ambient liquid. The evolution of a layer or thread with a cylindrical or unduloidal interface subject to an axisymmetric perturbation is computed using a boundary integral method. It is shown that for large and moderate layer thicknesses the instability causes the core to transform into an alternating array of primary and secondary spherical drops along the centreline of the tube. The relative volume of the drops depends primarily on the ratio of the core radius to the tube radius, a/R, and the type of initial perturbation. The evolution of thin layers with a/R > 0.82 leads to formation of an array of lobes or collars. These results are used to assess the accuracy of previous approximate analyses based on lubrication flow and minimization of interfacial area.
Semi-automated microRNA ontology development based on artificial neural networks

microRNAs (miRNAs) are special non-coding RNAs that perform important roles through their target genes. Biologists' conventional miRNA knowledge discovery is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and error-prone. Semantic technologies, which are created upon domain ontologies, can greatly enhance miRNA knowledge discovery. Unfortunately, yet no specific miRNA domain ontologies currently exist. It thus motivates the construction of a miRNA ontology. In addition, a manual ontology development has many drawbacks. We present in this paper a semi-automated ontology development methodology. The developed ontology is the very first one of its kind that formally encodes miRNA domain knowledge. It aims to provide data exchange standards and common data elements and thus help identify novel data connections among heterogeneous sources.
Small RNAs and Their Roles in Plant Development

Small RNAs of 20–30 nucleotides guide regulatory processes at the DNA or RNA level in a wide range of eukaryotic organisms. Many, although not all, small RNAs are processed from double-stranded RNAs or single-stranded RNAs with local hairpin structures by RNase III enzymes and are loaded into argonaute-protein-containing effector complexes. Many eukaryotic organisms have evolved multiple members of RNase III and the argonaute family of proteins to accommodate different classes of small RNAs with specialized molecular functions. Some small RNAs cause transcriptional gene silencing by guiding heterochromatin formation at homologous loci, whereas others lead to posttranscriptional gene silencing through mRNA degradation or translational inhibition. Small RNAs are not only made from and target foreign nucleic acids such as viruses and transgenes, but are also derived from endogenous loci and regulate a multitude of developmental and physiological processes. Here I review the biogenesis and function of three major classes of endogenous small RNAs in plants: microRNAs, transacting siRNAs, and heterochromatic siRNAs, with an emphasis on the roles of these small RNAs in developmental regulation.
Read channels for patterned media

Patterned media may alleviate thermal decay and transition noise limits on the horizon for conventional continuous film media. A system analysis of oriented patterned media for magnetic recording is presented. Gbit/sec read channels for vertical and horizontal easy axis patterned media are analyzed at 100 Gb/in/sup 2/. Encouraging bit error rates of 10/sup -9/ are predicted by channel simulation using recording physics read pulses and electronic and patterning lithography noise.
Some efficiency bounds for semiparametric discrete choice models

Abstract This paper presents lower bounds on the asymptotic variance of estimators for various semiparametric models of discrete choice. No greatest lower bound exists for some partial observability models, where the dependent variable consists of a single binary indicator. No regular estimators exist for these models even though the models are identified. For other partial observability models the greatest lower bound is finite and coincides with the asymptotic efficiency of certain index estimators. However, some examples show that index estimators do not achieve the efficiency bound in general when choices are fully observed.
Erie Pier: Finding Sustainable Markets For Dredged Materials

The Port of Duluth is a public corporation charged with maintaining the infrastructure and facilities that allow shipping companies to profitability move large quantities of commodities through the port to their destination. One essential element of ongoing operations is dredging; that is maintaining adequate depth for the very large bulk carrier ships that frequent the Port of Duluth. A major challenge is finding a place to store the dredged materials. A number of Federal and State regulations restrict how and where the materials can be stored. In the Port of Duluth space to store the materials is quickly disappearing. Without a place to store the materials, both dredging and overall port operations will have to be seriously curtailed. The port’s management is searching for low cost alternatives to the contained disposal facility it is now using. Presently, sustainable markets are being developed as an alternative to storing dredged materials at the port’s facility.
Green Gold: Au30(S-t-C4H9)18 Molecules

Here, we report the synthesis and separation of Au30(tert-thiol)18 (tert-thiol = tert-butanethiol and 1-adamantanethiol) from a mixture of sizes of bulky-ligated nanoparticles. With precisely 30 gold metal atoms and 18 tertiary butyl ligands, this new 30 Au atom molecule is assigned a formula based on results obtained in high-resolution electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy shows a distinct electronic transition featured at 620 nm, with a valley in the green wavelength 520–570 nm region, explaining the green appearance. This lack of absorbance in the green region is uncommon, and therefore, metal nanoparticles of green color are extremely rare. Its optical band gap, 1.76 eV is much different than the 1.3 eV reported for Au25(SR)18. We report its reproducible direct synthesis (∼10 mg) in a one-pot reaction, with two different ligands. Because of the unique optical properties and altered-discrete sizes, there is a fundamental need for structural analysis of this nanoparticle.
Secrecy and Radiance in Marilynne Robinson's GILEAD and HOME

Except for reminiscences back in time, most of the action in Marilynne Robinson's Gilead and Home take place during the same six-month period of 1956 in the town of Gilead, Iowa. Gilead (2004) is n...
Abstract 4051: MiR-181b expression levels decreases during the progression of the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: a new potential prognostic tool

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC In patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) the prognosis is extremely variable, ranging from a very short to a normal lifespan. Classic clinical stages, based on biologic and clinical parameters, have been the most important factor for assessing prognosis in CLL patients; however, they are not devoid of limitations. Therefore, investigations are ongoing for searching new parameters in an attempt to add prognostic power to clinical stages. In this study we performed a genome-wide microRNA expression profiling to investigate the role of microRNA genes in the progression of CLL and to develop better prognostic indicators of these disease. We compared paired samples from CLL patients having an indolent and stable disease with their progressed aggressive form. We found that miR-181b was consistently down-regulated in the aggressive form of the disease compared to its previous stable counterpart. Further studies on serial time points from the same patient demonstrated that the strong decrease of the miR-181b expression levels occurs before the disease is clearly aggressive Moreover, we observed that the miR-181b expression remain constant over the time in two time points from CLL patients having a stable course; entailing a decreased levels of the miR-181b in the aggressive form of the CLL as a specific effect due to the progression of the disease. Finally in this study we investigate the biological role of the putative prognostic indicator related to the TCL1A, which is a critical gene in the pathogenesis of the CLL. In conclusion our data hint a prognostic role of the miR-181b in CLL. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4051.