cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differentiation of AmpC beta-lactamase binders vs. decoys using classification kNN QSAR modeling and application of the QSAR classifier to virtual screening

The use of inaccurate scoring functions in docking algorithms may result in the selection of compounds with high predicted binding affinity that nevertheless are known experimentally not to bind to the target receptor. Such falsely predicted binders have been termed 'binding decoys'. We posed a question as to whether true binders and decoys could be distinguished based only on their structural chemical descriptors using approaches commonly used in ligand based drug design. We have applied the k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN) classification QSAR approach to a dataset of compounds characterized as binders or binding decoys of AmpC beta-lactamase. Models were subjected to rigorous internal and external validation as part of our standard workflow and a special QSAR modeling scheme was employed that took into account the imbalanced ratio of inhibitors to non-binders (1:4) in this dataset. 342 predictive models were obtained with correct classification rate (CCR) for both training and test sets as high as 0.90 or higher. The prediction accuracy was as high as 100% (CCR = 1.00) for the external validation set composed of 10 compounds (5 true binders and 5 decoys) selected randomly from the original dataset. For an additional external set of 50 known non-binders, we have achieved the CCR of 0.87 using very conservative model applicability domain threshold. The validated binary kNN QSAR models were further employed for mining the NCGC AmpC screening dataset (69653 compounds). The consensus prediction of 64 compounds identified as screening hits in the AmpC PubChem assay disagreed with their annotation in PubChem but was in agreement with the results of secondary assays. At the same time, 15 compounds were identified as potential binders contrary to their annotation in PubChem. Five of them were tested experimentally and showed inhibitory activities in millimolar range with the highest binding constant K(i) of 135 microM. Our studies suggest that validated QSAR models could complement structure based docking and scoring approaches in identifying promising hits by virtual screening of molecular libraries.
Single-stage reconstruction of Achilles tendon injuries and distal lower extremity soft tissue defects with the reverse sural fasciocutaneous flap

Summary Objective Complex wounds of the lower extremity with concomitant Achilles tendon injury can be difficult to reconstruct. We favour the reverse sural artery fasciocutaneous flap because in a single step, flap elevation affords Achilles tendon exposure and adequate soft tissue for reconstruction. It also provides significant time and resource savings for both plastic and orthopaedic surgical teams. Materials and methods Our case series involved four consecutive patients who presented with Achilles tendon injuries and concomitant complex soft tissue defects. The reverse sural artery flap was planned in conjunction with the orthopaedic service to facilitate their approach for Achilles tendon repair. Outcome was measured as flap survival, time for flap elevation and total operative time. Results Partial flap loss occurred in one patient. The Achilles repair was performed successfully in all cases. The mean time for flap elevation and Achilles exposure was 43min (range, 37–52min). Total operative time was 287min (range, 211–347min). Conclusion The reverse sural artery fasciocutaneous flap is a durable, efficient option for simultaneous Achilles tendon reconstruction and wound coverage. Simple flap elevation provides necessary exposure of the Achilles tendon for repair while the flap itself provides ample soft tissue with a reliable blood supply. In our experience, the reverse sural artery fasciocutaneous flap affords a practical method to address two reconstructive challenges in a single procedure.
Upper and Lower Bounds for Deflections of Laminated Cantilever Beams Including the Effect of Transverse Shear Deformation

A previous paper (reference [3]) has formulated a version of the well-known plane stress problem of the end-loaded cantilever beam of narrow rectangular cross section in a way which allowed the statement of upper and lower bounds for the deflection of the beam, through use of the principles of minimum potential and complementary energy.
Computer Simulation of Pit Formation in Metals by Ion Bombardment

Computer simulations of ion-bombardment events which recrystallize the target demonstrate pit formation at 1.0 keV. Atoms are ejected from the first two target layers in the pit region. The remainder of the pit is created by replacement-collision sequences. Linear-cascade and spike-regime events are dynamically indistinguishable. © 1983 The American Physical Society.
Preparation and evaluation of spore-specific affinity-augmented bio-imprinted beads

A novel, affinity-augmented, bacterial spore-imprinted, bead material was synthesized, based on a procedure developed for vegetative bacteria. The imprinted beads were intended as a front-end spore capture/concentration stage of an integrated biological detection system. Our approach involved embedding bead surfaces with Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Bt) spores (as a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis) during synthesis. Subsequent steps involved lithographic deactivation using a perfluoroether; spore removal to create imprint sites; and coating imprints with the lectin, concanavalin A, to provide general affinity. The synthesis of the intended material with the desired imprints was verified by scanning electron and confocal laser-scanning microscopy. The material was evaluated using spore-binding assays with either Bt or Bacillus subtilis (Bs) spores. The binding assays indicated strong spore-binding capability and a robust imprinting effect that accounted for 25% additional binding over non-imprinted controls. The binding assay results also indicated that further refinement of the surface deactivation procedure would enhance the performance of the imprinted substrate.
Effects of thickness and fiber volume fraction variations on strain field inhomogeneity

Abstract In this study, variations in thickness and fiber volume fraction are investigated as causes of elastic strain inhomogeneity in composite laminates under an applied transverse load. Standard carbon/epoxy tensile specimens were fabricated from unidirectional pre-impregnated material using two different manufacturing techniques that produced two different levels of surface roughness. Fiber volume fraction variation was computed by analyzing optical micrographs of the samples. During loading and unloading of the samples two-dimensional surface strain fields were measured on the specimen using digital image correlation. It was shown that in both cases the strain in the specimen is not uniform, as is generally assumed. Using finite element simulations the effects of fiber volume fraction variation and thickness variation were modeled individually and in combination. The simulations agree well with the experimental results and suggest that thickness variations are the dominant mechanisms involved in this elastic strain inhomogeneity.
Cavity QED, Single-Photon Nonlinear Optics and Quantum Information Processing with Quantum Dots in Photonic Crystals

We have performed coherent probing of a strongly coupled quantum dot-photonic crystal cavity system, and employed this platform to demonstrate effects including controlled phase shift at the single photon level and photon blockade.
Some effects of temperature on the growth and metabolic rate of juvenile blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus , in the laboratory

Juvenile blue crabs, Callinectes sapidusRathbun, were grown in the laboratory at different temperatures, and metabolic-rate determinations were made. Growth is shown to be dependent upon temperature. Crabs kept at high temperatures (34° and 27°C) grow faster than those kept at lower temperatures (13°, 15°, and 20°C). Increase in size per molt is less at higher temperatures than at lower ones. Mortality is directly proportional to temperature between 13° and 34°C and is very high during ecdysis at elevated temperatures. Metabolic rate increases with temperature, but various degrees of acclimation are seen after 4 weeks exposure. No acclimation of general activity to temperature was found. The findings are applied theoretically to crabs living in the region of heated discharge canals of electrical generators: the motile blue crab could extend its growing season without decreasing size at maturity by active selection of thermal surroundings.
A marginal‐mean ANOVA approach for analyzing multireader multicase radiological imaging data

The correlated-error ANOVA method proposed by Obuchowski and Rockette (OR) has been a useful procedure for analyzing reader-performance outcomes, such as the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve, resulting from multireader multicase radiological imaging data. This approach, however, has only been formally derived for the test-by-reader-by-case factorial study design. In this paper, I show that the OR model can be viewed as a marginal-mean ANOVA model. Viewing the OR model within this marginal-mean ANOVA framework is the basis for the marginal-mean ANOVA approach, the topic of this paper. This approach (1) provides an intuitive motivation for the OR model, including its covariance-parameter constraints; (2) provides easy derivations of OR test statistics and parameter estimates, as well as their distributions and confidence intervals; and (3) allows for easy generalization of the OR procedure to other study designs. In particular, I show how one can easily derive OR-type analysis formulas for any balanced study design by following an algorithm that only requires an understanding of conventional ANOVA methods.
Excitation of Nitrogen Gas by Fission Fragments along the Entire Track

Luminescence produced in nitrogen in small segments of the tracks of fission fragments was studied with a pulse technique. The amount of formation of the C3πu state of nitrogen per unit distance, L*, was measured over the entire path length of the low‐mass fragment group as a function of track length. The energy loss per unit distance dE/dr can be approximated by L* over the entire fission fragment path length. The observance of light produced from the second positive group (C3πu→B3πg) near the end of the track, despite a major change in the primary mode of energy deposition by the fission fragments, indicates that a more detailed theory of chemical production from the deposition of energy by a heavy charged particle needs to be formulated in the regime of nuclear elastic collisions which exists at the end of the particle's range.
Sampling Mast for Measuring Volatile Organic Compounds in the Near‐Surface Atmosphere

Accurate measurement of the atmospheric concentration of volatile organic compounds is essential when estimating the emission rate from the soil surface or in studies relating to worker exposure to volatile compounds. For estimating the surface flux, many methods are available which, in general, require profiles of the concentration during the experimental period. For example, the aerodynamic and the integrated horizontal flux methods require precise determination of the atmospheric concentration so that either the concentration gradients or the concentration profiles can be obtained. The accuracy of this information has a direct effect on the accuracy of the flux measurements. The proposed air sampling device provides a suitable method for measuring the atmospheric concentration of volatile compounds. Two designs are illustrated along with a description of their construction and operation. Their use is illustrated with concentration profiles observed in the field.
Scattering of Negative Pions by Hydrogen

The scattering of negative pions by liquid hydrogen has been studied with the 450-Mev synchrocyclotron, using the pion beams of energy 169 Mev, 194 Mev, and 210 Mev. Angular distributions for ordinary scattering and for photon production are presented for each of the three primary energies. The differential cross sections for ordinary scattering and for charge-exchange scattering are computed for the center-of-mass system. The charge-exchange cross sections when plotted as a function of the energy appear to go through a maximum at about 180 Mev. On the other hand, the ordinary scattering cross sections appear to increase steadily with the energy. The charge exchange cross sections, which at lower energies are predominantly backward, become rapidly forward as the energy increases, and are strongly forward at the highest energy.
Vegetables, Not Dessert: Teaching Sociological Research Principles in an Evaluation Course

The author recounts her journey from graduate school researcher to full time evaluator to criminal justice professor teaching research and evaluation. With some humor, she describes the disconnect between her enjoyment of research and evaluation and her students’ disdain for the same disciplines, eventually arriving at a happy medium whereby she has learned how to teach criminal justice graduate students some basic evaluation concepts.
Accelerated High Speed Water Erosion Test for Concrete Wear Debris Analysis

This paper contains investigations of wear particles generated during the erosive wear of four different concrete, mixtures by high velocity water flow at velocities of about 700 m/s.i The wear particles were collected, dried and analyzed by sieve experiments. Based on the sieve analysis, specific surface and average grain diameter of the particle samples were estimated. 'Using simple, comminution relations, the specific crack length of every' sample is calculated. It is shown that all estimated parameters exhibit a strong relationship to characteristic material properties, such as compressive strength, Young's modulus, and absorbed fracture energy. It was found by regression analysis that the average debris wear size can be effectively characterized by the absorbed fracture energy of the concrete sample. It is concluded that these relations are the result of different paths of fracture propagation through the materials during the generation of a microcrack network. Presented as a Society of Tribologists ...
Compensation for MR geometric image distortion caused by the implantable drug infusion pump

Implantable devices often cause serious MR image artifacts in the vicinity of their implanted locations as the result of susceptibility-induced image distortion, and the resulting artifacts may render the MR images useless for diagnosis. To reduce the MR artifacts in the stage of image acquisition, we have implemented a scheme by which the field inhomogeneity is compensated in a spin echo imaging sequence by introducing a readout-like gradient pulse along the slice-select gradient direction temporally concurrent with the read-out gradient (TE equals 20 msec). It can be shown that this slice direction compensation gradient pulse during the read-out period compensates the field inhomogeneity during the image data collection period.
Identifying heterogeneous anisotropic properties in cerebral aneurysms: a pointwise approach.

The traditional approaches of estimating heterogeneous properties in a soft tissue structure using optimization-based inverse methods often face difficulties because of the large number of unknowns to be simultaneously determined. This article proposes a new method for identifying the heterogeneous anisotropic nonlinear elastic properties in cerebral aneurysms. In this method, the local properties are determined directly from the pointwise stress–strain data, thus avoiding the need for simultaneously optimizing for the property values at all points/regions in the aneurysm. The stress distributions needed for a pointwise identification are computed using an inverse elastostatic method without invoking the material properties in question. This paradigm is tested numerically through simulated inflation tests on an image-based cerebral aneurysm sac. The wall tissue is modeled as an eight-ply laminate whose constitutive behavior is described by an anisotropic hyperelastic strain energy function containing four parameters. The parameters are assumed to vary continuously in the sac. Deformed configurations generated from forward finite element analysis are taken as input to inversely establish the parameter distributions. The delineated and the assigned distributions are in excellent agreement. A forward verification is conducted by comparing the displacement solutions obtained from the delineated and the assigned material parameters at a different pressure. The deviations in nodal displacements are found to be within 0.2% in most part of the sac. The study highlights some distinct features of the proposed method, and demonstrates the feasibility of organ level identification of the distributive anisotropic nonlinear properties in cerebral aneurysms.
The role of cortisol in PTSD among women exposed to a trauma-related stressor.

Abstract Research linking post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to hypercortisolism in laboratory experiments was extended to a natural clinical setting. Mothers of children diagnosed with a life-threatening illness (N = 92) completed standardized measures of PTSD and provided a salivary cortisol sample during their child's medical check-up (Time 1) and again 24 h later, after the threat of possible negative medical reports was removed (Time 2). Women who met diagnostic criteria for PTSD exhibited significantly higher cortisol levels at Time 1 compared to women who did not meet criteria for a diagnosis. No significant differences were observed for cortisol levels at Time 2 between the women with and without PTSD. These findings extend current laboratory findings linking hypercortisolism and PTSD to a natural, stressful situation. Implications for understanding the etiology of PTSD as well as for possible prevention and intervention options are discussed.
The prepared mind of the worm

In C. elegans , dauer pheromone is an indicator of population density and influences pathways that regulate metabolism, development, and aging. In a recent publication in Nature , Paik and coworkers (Jeong et al., 2005) show the purified substance to be a pyran ring conjugated to heptanoic acid, setting the stage for dissecting downstream signaling pathways.
The proof is not in the P value.

The following Editorial is discussed in the subsequent letter: Curran-Everett D and Benos DJ . Guidelines for reporting statistics in journals published by the American Physiological Society. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 287: R247-249, 2004. To the Editor : No doubt you have received a
Synthesis of distillation sequences with several multicomponent feed and product streams

Abstract In this paper the synthesis problem of distillation-based separation sequences that separate a number of multicomponent feed streams into a number of multicomponent products is addressed. A synthesis strategy is proposed that consists of: (a) the development of a distillation-based superstructure that has embedded many separation configurations as well as options for splitting, mixing and by-passing; (b) simulation runs performed for each of the distinct distillation columns involved in the superstructure; and (c) the mathematical formulation of the distillation-based superstructure as a mixed-integer linear programming problem which has as unknowns the stream interconnections. The solution of this mathematical formulation results in the optimal configuration of distillation columns that can perform the desired separation task, as well as in the optimal allocation of by-passes. The synthesis strategy is illustrated with the first two example problems while the third example demonstrates the use of the proposed approach as an initialization procedure for the general separation problem.
Comparing Medication Adherence Methods in Lipid-Modifying Therapy:

Background:Investigators have employed a number of different methods to calculate adherence estimates for patients taking lipid-modifying therapy (LMT), including measures with different numerator and denominator options. Although at least one method is known to correlate well with cardiovascular outcomes, most have not been evaluated in outcomes studies.Objectives:To evaluate different methods for measuring adherence, using LMT as a case example, and to determine whether estimates for adherence differ statistically and/or whether different methods can lead to different conclusions about patient adherence.Methods:Adherence ratios were calculated using 8 different methods for 12,448 patients who were in a managed-care system and were considered new starts with statin therapy. The calculated measures were compared and tested for differences. Patients were categorized as adherent by each method, using a threshold of 0.8, and the proportions of patients categorized as adherent were compared for differences be...
First-principles energy density and its applications to selected polar surfaces.

Density-functional theory has been successfully applied in solid-state calculations where it has been customary to extract a single number, the total energy. Within this formalism, we show that one can, in addition, define a local energy density scrE(r) which is a sum of kinetic, Maxwell, exchange-correlation, and other contributions that depend on the external potential. Despite the inherent nonuniqueness of scrE(r), we show that it can be used to calculate well-defined energies from integrals over regions, e.g., at surfaces. We present explicit calculations for the Si(111) ideal surface as a test case and we demonstrate the power and efficiency of the method by determining energies of two inequivalent GaAs(100) surfaces from a single calculation.
CB5-03: Beyond the IRB: Reviewing Projects With Respect to Organizational Risk and Benefits

Background/Aims Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are charged with protecting human subjects, balancing experimental risks against potential benefits. IRB members sometimes raise concerns that project findings may create risks for an organization. Even if the concerns are legitimate, IRBs have neither the responsibility nor the appropriate expertise to address them. These concerns arise not from research processes potentially addressable by changing the study methods, but from potential findings. Ex ante reviews are speculative; ensuring low probability scenarios never occur means avoiding most delivery system research. Ex post review and approval allows projects to begin, but are generally unacceptable to researchers, funders, and journals. A two-phase process incorporating ex post reviews, but not approvals, offers a solution.
Sequential unbiased estimation of parameters in a two-way contingency table

Classical analysis of contingency tables employs (i) fixed sample sizes and (ii) the maximum likelihood and weighted least squares approach to parameter estimation. It is well-known, however, that certain important parameters, such as the main effect and interaction parameters, can neverbe estimated unbiasedly when the sample size is fixed a priori We introduce a sequential unbiased estimator for the cell probabilities subject to log linear constraints. As a simple consequence, we show how parameters such as those mentioned above may. be estimated unbiasedly. Our unbiased estimator for the vector of cell probabilities is shown to be consistent in the sense of Wolfowitz (Ann. Math. Statist. (1947) 18). We give a sufficient condition on a multinomial stopping rule for the corresponding sufficient statistic to be complete. When this condition holds, we have a unique minimum variance unbiased estimator for the cell probabilities.
Experimental Results on Charge-Changing Collisions of Hydrogen and Helium Atoms and Ions at Kinetic Energies above 0.2 kev

Experimental results on charge-changing collisions of hydrogen and helinum are reviewed. Theoretical attempts to compute the charge-changing cross sections are not discussed, but a list of theoretical papers is given as a separate bibliography. (W.D.M.)
Interaction of heparin with antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) from the sera of women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).

PROBLEM: To determine if heparin may act directly with antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) to prevent recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). METHOD: Patients were seen at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Twenty women with a history of RPL (≥3 miscarriages), positive APA, and an otherwise normal evaluation were treated with heparin in two daily subcutaneous dosages during a successful pregnancy. APA levels were obtained prior to conception and again at 6, 20, and 30 weeks. RESULTS: Heparin reduced APA binding to cardiolipin and phosphatidylserine in a dosedependent fashion in ELISA. Heparin affinity chromatography absorbed over 80% of the IgG anticardiolipin antibody in serum from women with high levels of APA. Women treated with increasing dosages of heparin during pregnancy had inversely decreasing levels of IgG anticardiolipin antibody, CONCLUSION: Heparin may act by directly binding APA in vivo, thereby decreasing the adverse effects of APA in women with APA associated RPL
Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis by ketoconazole

To determine if ketoconazole influences cholesterol metabolism in humans, plasma lipid levels were studied in seven men with advanced prostate cancer who were being treated with high-dose ketoconazole. Additionally, the effects of ketoconazole on cholesterol synthesis in cultured normal human fibroblasts were studied. High-dose ketoconazole therapy caused a 27 percent reduction in total serum cholesterol values without affecting serum triglyceride levels. The reduction in serum cholesterol levels was maintained for five months in six of seven patients. The fall in total cholesterol levels was due to a 38 percent reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels without associated changes in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Serum lanosterol levels increased 46 percent during ketoconazole treatment. Studies in cultured normal human fibroblasts showed that ketoconazole inhibited cholesterol synthesis by blocking the conversion of lanosterol to cholesterol. These results establish that ketoconazole is a potent inhibitor of cholesterol production in vivo and in vitro.
Test of a vision-based autonomous space station robotic task

An area of increasing interest in Al Robotics and Computer Vision is integrating techniques from these fields to the problem of controlling autonomous systems. Space-based systems such as NASA''s robotic assembly of Orbital Replacement Units (ORU''s) provide a complex realistic domain for this integration research. In this paper we report on current MITRE research in the use of situated control for autonomous robotic assembly of ORUs. A wrist-mounted camera is used to acquire the pose of ORU''s. An on-line control module uses the pose data to refine the on-going robot actions so that the planned task can be executed both safely and robustly. Experimental results on a Cincinnati Milacron T3 Industrial robot at Goddard Space Right Center (GSFC) Intelligent Robotic Laboratory will be included.
Estimating a Distribution Function for Censored Time Series Data

Consider a long term study, where a series of dependent and possibly censored failure times is observed. Suppose that the failure times have a common marginal distribution function, but they exhibit a mode of time series structure such as ?-mixing. The inference on the marginal distribution function is of interest to us. The main results of this article show that, under some regularity conditions, the Kaplan?Meier estimator enjoys uniform consistency with rates, and a stochastic process generated by the Kaplan?Meier estimator converges weakly to a certain Gaussian process with a specified covariance structure. Finally, an estimator of the limiting variance of the Kaplan?Meier estimator is proposed and its consistency is established.
Effects of ambient gas density on the structure of pressure-atomizedsprays

A theoretical and experimental study of the dense-spray region of pressure-atomized nonevaporating sprays is described, emphasizing effects of ambient gas density in the atomization breakup regime. Mean liquid volume fraction distributions were measured for 9.5 mm diameter water jets in still air at pressures of 1-8 atm. Mixing was strongly affected by the gaslliquid density ratio and the degree of flow development at the jet exit, with the largest gadliquid density ratio and fully-developed turbulent pipe flow yielding the fastest mixing rates. Predictions based on the locally homogeneous flow approximation, where relative velocities between the phases are assumed to be small in comparison to mean flow ve!ocities, were in good agreement with measurements, including representation of effects of gashiquid density ratio and flow development at the jet exit.
Carbon Film Electrodes from the Pyrolysis of Two Aromatic Anhydrides

Abstract Two new carbon film electrodes have been prepared from the low pressure pyrolysis of aromatic anhydrides onto quartz substrates. The anhydrides employed are safer and more volatile than those previously used for preparing carbon film electrodes. The voltammetric response of the film electrodes both in millimolar dopamine and in background electrolyte was studied. The differential pulse voltammetry response with a mixture of dopamine, homovanillic acid and ascorbic acid was studied. Also, the application of the electrode as an optically transparent carbon electrode was examined. The film electrodes had lower background current than glassy carbon, but the reversibility with dopamine was not ideal. These two new films appear to have utility similar to previously studied films, with the advantage of rapid and safe production.
Yield and composition of soybeans as influenced by soil pH, phosphorus, zinc, and copper

Abstract The absorption and utilization of most elements by plants are strongly influenced by factors other than elemental concentration in the soil solution such as soil pH, organic matter, CEC and interactions with other nutrients. This field study was conducted to determine the response of soybean cultivars with different tolerance to P induced growth disorders to applied P, Zn, and Cu at different soil pH levels. Both Wright (tolerant) and Hutton (sensitive) soybean cultivars showed a significant response to applied Zn. The greatest response was observed for Hutton although Wright had seed yields as great or greater than those for Hutton. Yield of both cultivars was significantly correlated with leaf Zn concentration and the P/Zn ratio. The highest yields for both cultivars were associated with leaf Zn concentrations of approximately 26 μg/g and P/Zn ratios of 115. Applied P did not affect yield or P absorption of either cultivar. Copper fertilization increased Cu concentration in plant tissue by 38% ...
The law of aggregate demand and welfare in the two-sided matching market

Abstract In the college admission problem, we show that the student-optimal stable matching is weakly Pareto optimal for students if colleges' preferences satisfy substitutability and the law of aggregate demand. We also show that both of these properties are important for the result.
Alternative Conceptions of Poverty and their Implications for Income Maintenance

This paper speaks to the problem of designing income maintenance programs from the perspective of sociological theory. First, the underlying logic of situational and cultural theories of poverty is delineated, and some of their general implications are explored. Afterwards, the predictions of these theories with respect to the response by poor persons to an income maintenance program are examined. It is argued that, in place of seeking whether one or the other type of explanation is valid in general, we ascertain for which groups in poverty and for what types of response a particular theory is likely to be more useful. The discussion is illustrated by a consideration of how an individual's response to income maintenance is likely to vary with ethnicity and neighborhood organization.
Message-passing and local heuristics as decimation strategies for satisfiability

Decimation is a simple process for solving constraint satisfaction problems, by repeatedly fixing variable values and simplifying without reconsidering earlier decisions. We investigate different decimation strategies, contrasting those based on local, syntactic information from those based on message passing, such as statistical physics based Survey Propagation (SP) and the related and more well-known Belief Propagation (BP). Our results reveal that once we resolve convergence issues, BP itself can solve fairly hard random k-SAT formulas through decimation; the gap between BP and SP narrows down quickly as k increases. We also investigate observable differences between BP/SP and other common CSP heuristics as decimation proceeds, exploring the hardness of the decimated formulas and identifying a somewhat unexpected feature of message passing heuristics, namely, unlike other heuristics for satisfiability, they avoid unit propagation as variables are fixed.
Special education disproportionality and the influence of intelligence test selection.

Examiners responsible for the assessment of children of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds are frequently uncertain which intelligence tests provide the most reliable, valid, and equitable r...
Decreased apoptosis during CAR-mediated hepatoprotection against lithocholic acid-induced liver injury in mice

Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) is an anti-apoptotic protein that is regulated by the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). Activation of CAR can protect the liver against bile acid-induced toxicity and it may have a role in cell death via apoptosis by altering expression of Bcl-2 family proteins such as myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1). Our aim was to determine if activation of CAR reduces hepatocellular apoptosis during cholestasis as a mechanism of hepatoprotection. CAR+/+ (WT) and CAR−/− (CAR-null) mice were pre-treated with compounds known to activate CAR prior to induction of intrahepatic cholestasis using the secondary bile acid lithocholic acid (LCA). Pre-treatment with the CAR activators phenobarbital (PB) and TCPOBOP (TC), as well as the non-CAR activator pregnenolone 16α-carbontrile (PCN), protected against LCA-induced liver injury in WT mice, whereas liver injury was more extensive without CAR (CAR-null). Unexpectedly, expression of anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL was not increased in hepatoprotected mice. Compared to unprotected groups, apoptosis was decreased in hepatoprotected mice as evidenced by the absence of cleaved caspase 3 (cCasp3). In contrast to the cytoplasmic localization in the injured livers (LCA and oltipraz), Mcl-1 protein was localized in the nucleus of hepatoprotected livers to potentially promote cell survival. This study demonstrates that although apoptosis is reduced in hepatoprotected mice pre-treated with CAR and non-CAR activators; hepatoprotection is not directly a result of CAR-induced Mcl-1 expression.
Developing and implementing culturally competent evaluation: A discussion of multicultural validity in two HIV prevention programs for Latinos

This chapter describes two projects and develops from them a set of five factors that facilitate multicultural validity. The chapter also includes a discussion of some limitations of these case examples and suggestions for further testing and refinement of multicultural validity in the more general context of validity within the evaluation field.
Site-directed isotope labeling and ATR-FTIR difference spectroscopy of bacteriorhodopsin: The peptide carbonyl group of Tyr 185 is structurally active during the bR → N transition

The largest secondary structural change occurs in the bacteriorhodopsin (bR) photocycle during the M-->N transition. In this work site-directed isotope labeling (SDIL) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) difference spectroscopy were used to investigate this conformational change. L-Tyrosine containing a 13C isotope at the carbonyl carbon was selectively incorporated at Tyr 57, Tyr 147, and Tyr 185 by SDIL. This involves the cell-free expression of bR in the presence of Escherichia coli suppressor tRNA(CUATyr) aminoacylated with L-[1-13C]Tyr. ATR-FTIR difference spectroscopy reveals that of the 11 tyrosines, only the peptide carbonyl group of Tyr 185 undergoes a significant structural change during the bR-->N transition. Along with other spectroscopic evidence, this result suggests that the Tyr 185-Pro 186 region of the protein is structurally active and may function as a hinge which facilitates the tilt of the cytoplasmic portion of the F-helix in bacteriorhodopsin during the M-->N transition.
Articulating Environmental Policy Decision to the Public

Relations between policy makers (as well as other public officials) and the media are a crucial, but often neglected, element of public management. In this article, the authors seek to illuminate the relationship between public policy and the mass media by focusing on how policy matters are communicated, while emphasizing the important role played by public officials in this communication process. Recommendations thus ensue as to how public managers can more effectively disseminate information about environmental policies to a diverse, and often hostile, clientele which public policy makers and managers must be prepared to engage.
A hybrid finite element method for heterogeneous materials with randomly dispersed rigid inclusions

A hybrid finite element approach is proposed for the mechanical response of two-dimensional heterogeneous materials with linearly elastic matrix and randomly dispersed rigid circular inclusions of arbitrary sizes. In conventional finite element methods, many elements must be used to represent one inclusion. In this work, each inclusion is embedded inside a polygonal element and only one element is required to represent one inclusion. In numerically approximating stress and displacement distributions around the inclusion, classical elasticity solutions for a multiply-connected region are employed. A modified hybrid functional is used as the basis of the element formulation where the displacement boundary conditions of the element are automatically considered in a variational sense. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated by two boundary value problems. In one example, the results based on the proposed method with only 64 hybrid elements (450 degrees of freedom) are shown to be almost identical to those based on the traditional method with 2928 conventional elements (5526 degrees of freedom).
A practical guide to incorporating service learning into development economics classes

Abstract Service learning has been proven to increase learning outcomes and can provide an effective teaching pedagogy for applied development economics classes. This paper discusses three different types of service learning used in an Economics of Poverty course including volunteerism, class field trips, and field experiments. Pre and post-course evaluations of service learning show strong student enthusiasm and positive learning outcomes. The paper provides a set of practical guidelines that help to enhance the service learning experience. By taking into account planning, logistics, communication, and follow-through, the instructor can help mitigate many of the problems that can arise with service learning.
Construction of screened multiloop operator for su ( 2 ) k Kač-Moody algebra

An extension of the Feigin-Fuchs construction of the ${\mathrm{su}(2)}_{k}$ Ka\ifmmode \check{c}\else \v{c}\fi{}-Moody algebra to higher-genus Riemann surfaces is considered. Following the argument of Bernard and Felder for the Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin cohomology of this construction, we derive a screened multiloop operator. This operator is expected to determine the structure of the corresponding conformal field theory on higher-genus Riemann surfaces completely. We show some demonstrative calculations of correlators. The factorization and the modular transformation properties of the genus-two result are investigated.
An inverse method for calculating basement geometries in foreland basins

Abstract Flexural plate inversion uses a computer simulation program to model the characteristic patterns of subsidence, deformation, uplift and erosion of basement under sediment load and compressive thrusting. In this modelling it is assumed that lithosphere is an elastic material, which will deform when a force is applied and will return to its original shape when the force is removed. The program is effective in a given geological setting such as a foreland basin formed by compressive thrusting. The program is an inverse model which employs both non-linear least squares and linear search techniques to determine the best values of flexural parameters. Therefore, a user can set a dynamic range for the sizes of input parameters, based on geological and geophysical data, to understand the influence of these parameter changes on the evolution of a foreland basin. In this system, input data include a profile of the present-day basement. The parameters which determine the deformation of the basement consist of flexural rigidity (D), horizontal compressive force (P), bending moment (M0), applied initial load (V0), the dip angle (θ) and the “added length” (L) of the basement. The outputs are a profile of the deformed basement configuration, which matches the present day basement and also a section of unloaded basin which represents the basement configuration prior to any sediment or thrust loading in the section. The results of synthetic data tests and real data from the Po Basin, Italy show that this system can be used to assess the evolutionary processes affecting a basin under compressive thrusting.
Substrate inactivation of fructose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase from Bacillus stearothermophilus

The fructose diphosphate aldolase (fructose-1,6-diphosphate d-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate lyase, EC 4.1.2.13) from Bacillus stearothermophilus is inactivated at 60° by fructose 1,6-diphosphate (Fru-1,6-P2), dihydroxyacetone phosphate or glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. Inactivation occurs in phosphate, triethanolamine or N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (TES) buffer but does not occur in Tris or glycylglycine buffers. Inactivation is also prevented by addition of EDTA, dithiothreitol or manganous ion to phosphate, triethanolamine, or TES. An increase in the molar ellipticity at 220 nm accompanies inactivation of the thermophilic aldolase by Fru-1,6-P2.
Substrate specificity of the RNase activity of yeast RNA polymerase III.

Using yeast RNA polymerase III ternary complexes stalled at various positions on the template, we have analyzed the cleavage products that are retained and released by the transcription complexes. The retained 5′ products result from cleavage at uridine residues during retraction, whereas the yield of mononucleotides and dinucleotides released indicates that multiple cuts occur near the 3′ end. Comparison of the cleavage patterns of uridine-containing and 5-bromouridine-containing transcripts suggests that RNA within an RNA-DNA hybrid duplex is the substrate for the 3′-5′ exonuclease. During transcription of the SUP4 tRNATyr gene, RNA polymerase III produces not only full-length pre-tRNATyr but also short oligonucleotides, indicating that exonuclease digestion and transcription are concurrent processes. To explore the possibility that these oligonucleotides are released by the action of the RNA polymerase III nuclease at previously observed uridine-rich pause sites, we tested modified templates lacking the arrest sites present in the SUP4 tRNATyr gene. Comparative studies of cleavage during transcription for these templates show a direct correlation between the number of natural pause sites and the yield of 3′ products made. At the natural arrest sites and the terminator, RNA polymerase III carries out multiple cleavage resynthesis steps, producing short oligoribonucleotides with uridine residues at the 3′ terminus.
Condensed matter: An insulator with a twist

Experiment has now proved the existence of the predicted three-dimensional 'topological insulator' in the semiconducting alloy Bi1−xSbx.
Further progress in systematics of free diatomic-molecule electronic-transition intensity constants

Abstract Literature absolute intensity constants have been compiled and critically assessed for A-X and related (0, 0) molecular bands. Shown plotted for isovalent sequences, they indicate, as do earlier results, that simple and useful trends exist.
A Spectrophotometric Study Of The Gold (III)-5-(p-Ethoxyanilino)-5,6-Di-Hydrouracil Chelate

Abstract The optimum pH for the formation of a chelate between Au(III) and 5-(p-ethoxyanilino)-5,6-dihydrouracil was found to be 6.2. The wavelength of maximum absorption was 520 nm. The pKa for the ligand was 4.32 and the molar absorptivity was 1,300. Interference studies were made. The chelate, in a solution of pH 6.0 to 6.5, can be quantitatively extracted by a 1:1 mixture (v/v) of CHCl3 and toluene.
Proximal femur shape differs between subjects with lateral and medial knee osteoarthritis and controls: the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Summary Objective This study examined the association of proximal femur shape with ipsilateral medial and lateral compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design Radiographs were obtained from the NIH-funded Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI). Cases of isolated radiographic lateral compartment knee OA were defined on baseline radiographs as Kellgren/Lawrence (K/L) Grade ≥ 2 and joint space narrowing (JSN) > 0 in the lateral compartment and JSN = 0 in the medial compartment; isolated medial compartment knee OA had K/L ≥ 2 and JSN > 0 medially with JSN = 0 in the lateral compartment. Controls had K/L Results There were 168 lateral compartment knee OA cases (mean body mass index (BMI) 29.72 ± 5.26), 169 medial compartment knee OA cases (mean BMI 29.68 ± 4.83) and 168 controls (mean BMI 26.87 ± 4.2). Thirteen modes were derived for femur shape which described 95.5% of the total variance in proximal femur shape in the population. Modes 6, 8 and 12 were associated with prevalent lateral compartment knee OA. Medial compartment knee OA was associated with proximal femur modes 1, 5, 8, and 12. Conclusions Prevalent lateral and medial compartment knee OA are associated with different ipsilateral proximal femur shapes. Additional studies are needed to better define how the shape of the proximal femur influences compartment-specific knee OA.
Sustainable transboundary groundwater management under shifting political scenarios: the Ceylanpinar Aquifer and Turkey–Syria relations

Recent scholarship evaluates how peace and conflict affect resource sustainability. The authors of this article address how enhanced Turkey–Syria cooperation could impact management of the Ceylanpinar Aquifer, which flows beneath both countries and accounts for over10% of Turkey's transboundary groundwater discharge. Although the Euphrates–Tigris river system apportionment has been critical for bilateral relations, allocation of the Ceylanpinar Aquifer has been neglected. The authors develop a simplified conceptual model to simulate water flow in the aquifer. Taking this model as a reference point, this article explores how political changes may impact aquifer sustainability, and proposes data-integrated modelling for sustainable management.