cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The frequency of leaf transfer in Atta cephalotes along horizontal and vertical surfaces near the bases of trees

Leaf transfer is a specific type of task partitioning in leafcutter ants defined as the passing of fragments between two ants (direct transfer) or dropping leaf fragments along the trail for others to pick up later (indirect transfer). While research on leaf transfer has been conducted along horizontal paths, we aimed to discover how traveling down a tree may change this behavior in the leafcutter ant, Atta cephalotes. We conducted an observational study that compared the frequency of leaf transfer on the trunk, at the base of the tree, and on the ground of Atta cephalotes foraging trails. For direct transfer, there were no significant differences in mean transfer frequency among trail sections. However, mean indirect transfer frequency was significantly affected by trail section, with ants engaging in significantly less indirect transfer on the trunk of trees, and more at the base. This suggests that leaf caches at the bases of trees are primarily a consequence of indirect transfer at the base and not on the trunk. The observed increased transfer at the base also suggests that ants treat the base of the tree as a trail junction, similar to those between novel and established trails.
A Novel and Smart Wireless Sensor Network System for Real Time Aquaculture Applications

In this paper we have analyzed the network routing for aquaculture dealing with internet of things using network simulator to improve the performance. In the implementation of this system we have gone through three levels. In first level we have analyzed the network topology with 4, 10 and 20 nodes and extracted the parameters like throughput, delay, Transmitted and Received data with the help of network simulation tool. In the level of implementation, we interfaced multiple sensors with the ARM processor which acts as one sensor node then we have incorporated it with the LPWAN technology based Lo-Ra module as a gateway which helps to improve the battery life, cost efficiency and development. Later we used the MYSQL database which is a backed open source relational database management system (RDBMS). Here the database is mainly used for storing day to day output values that are gathered by the sensor nodes and user information. In the final level we have designed a web application using HTML (hyper text markup language) programming for creating the web pages with the text and images. We also used the PHP (hypertext processor) that will be embedded in a HTML code and it can support in a web server. Here we used HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol) that provides communication to the World Wide Web. Finally, to make network as secure as possible we have assigned OTP based login authentication. Only authorized persons are allowed to access the database.
Drowned Maiden, A Sustainable and Contemporary Take on 16th Century Scottish Fashion

The purpose of this garment is to tell a cultural story while showcasing the techniques I have learned and illustrating the importance of sustainability and the possible applications for it in evening wear and couture applications. This outfit is part of a five-look collection called “Rose and Thistle” that was inspired by Scottish history, culture, and folklore. The formulation of this idea came about from a study abroad trip to Scotland. As I learned about the historical hardship of the Scottish people from my personal research while living there, it drove me to want to create a collection that was a visual representation of the beauty and destruction that surrounds Scotland. This collection builds upon my past sustainable and couture collections by utilizing my love for detail, knowledge on sustainable methods, strong research skills, and hand sewing techniques.
Competing for government procurement contracts: The role of corporate social responsibility

Research Summary: This study examines whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) improves firms’ competitiveness in the market for government procurement contracts. To obtain exogenous variation in firms’ social engagement, I exploit a quasi‐natural experiment provided by the enactment of state‐level constituency statutes, which allow directors to consider stakeholders’ interests when making business decisions. Using constituency statutes as instrumental variable (IV) for CSR, I find that companies with higher CSR receive more procurement contracts. The effect is stronger for more complex contracts and in the early years of the government‐company relationship, suggesting that CSR helps mitigate information asymmetries by signaling trustworthiness. Moreover, the effect is stronger in competitive industries, indicating that CSR can serve as a differentiation strategy to compete against other bidders. Managerial Summary: This study examines how companies can strategically improve their competitiveness in the market for government procurement contracts—a market of economic importance (15–20% of GDP). It shows that companies with higher social and environmental performance (CSR) receive more procurement contracts. This effect is stronger for more complex contracts, in the early years of the government–company relationship, and in more competitive industries. These findings indicate that firms’ CSR can serve as a signaling and differentiation strategy that influences the purchasing decision of government agencies. Accordingly, managers operating in the business‐to‐government (B2G) sector could benefit from integrating social and environmental considerations into their strategic decision making.
On the Analysis of SAR Derived Wind and Sea Surface Currents

Use of the SAR image intensity for estimation of waves and wind over the sea surface is rather well-established. Interpretation of surface currents estimated from SAR data is, as reported in literature, a much more complex issue. In this work we summarize a methodology exploited for the analysis of sea surface currents estimated via the Doppler Centroid Anomaly. The analysis is based on the integration of sea surface current data derived from the wind information by means of the wind-Doppler model proposed in [1]. Experiments acquired by the Envisat system over the coastal area corresponding to an acquisition frame located in South of Italy around Naples.
The mycobacterial proteasomal ATPase Mpa forms a gapped ring to engage the 20S proteasome

Although many bacterial species do not possess proteasome systems, the actinobacteria, including the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, use proteasome systems for targeted protein removal. Previous structural analyses of the mycobacterial proteasome ATPase Mpa revealed a general structural conservation with the archaeal proteasome-activating nucleotidase and eukaryotic proteasomal Rpt1–6 ATPases, such as the N-terminal coiled-coil domain, oligosaccharide-/oligonucleotide-binding domain, and ATPase domain. However, Mpa has a unique β-grasp domain that in the ADP-bound crystal structure appears to interfere with the docking to the 20S proteasome core particle (CP). Thus, it is unclear how Mpa binds to proteasome CPs. In this report, we show by cryo-EM that the Mpa hexamer in the presence of a degradation substrate and ATP forms a gapped ring, with two of its six ATPase domains being highly flexible. We found that the linkers between the oligonucleotide-binding and ATPase domains undergo conformational changes that are important for function, revealing a previously unappreciated role of the linker region in ATP hydrolysis–driven protein unfolding. We propose that this gapped ring configuration is an intermediate state that helps rearrange its β-grasp domains and activating C termini to facilitate engagement with proteasome CPs. This work provides new insights into the crucial process of how an ATPase interacts with a bacterial proteasome protease.
Advances in targeting ‘undruggable’ transcription factors with small molecules

Transcription factors (TFs) represent key biological players in diseases including cancer, autoimmunity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, outside nuclear receptors, TFs have traditionally been considered 'undruggable' by small-molecule ligands due to significant structural disorder and lack of defined small-molecule binding pockets. Renewed interest in the field has been ignited by significant progress in chemical biology approaches to ligand discovery and optimization, especially the advent of targeted protein degradation approaches, along with increasing appreciation of the critical role a limited number of collaborators play in the regulation of key TF effector genes. Here, we review current understanding of TF-mediated gene regulation, discuss successful targeting strategies and highlight ongoing challenges and emerging approaches to address them.
Optimization of 1,4-bis(arylsulfonamido)naphthalene-N,N'-diacetic acids as inhibitors of Keap1-Nrf2 protein-protein interaction to suppress neuroinflammation.

Abstract The protein–protein interaction (PPI) between kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is recognized as a promising target for the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-related inflammatory diseases. Herein, a series of novel 1,4-bis(arylsulfonamido)naphthalene-N,N'-diacetic acid analogs (7p-t and 8c) were designed to further explore the structure–activity relationships of the series. Their activities were measured first with a fluorescence polarization (FP) assay and more potent compounds were further evaluated using a more sensitive time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay, demonstrating IC50 values between 7.2 and 31.3 nM. In cytotoxicity studies, the naphthalene derivatives did not show noticeable toxicity to human HepG2-C8 and mouse brain BV-2 microglia cells. Among them, compound 7q bearing oxygen-containing fused rings was shown to significantly stimulate the cellular Nrf2 signaling pathway, including activation of antioxidant response element (ARE)-controlled expression of Nrf2 target genes and proteins. More importantly, 7q suppressed up-regulation of several pro-inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged BV-2 microglial cells, representing a potential therapeutic application for controlling neuroinflammatory disorders.
Co-Attendance Communities: A Multilevel Egocentric Network Analysis of American Soccer Supporters' Groups.

The growth of professional soccer in the United States is evident through the rapid expansion of franchises and increased game attendance within Major League Soccer (MLS) and the United Soccer League (USL). Coinciding with this growth is the emergence of European-style supporters’ groups filling sections of MLS and USL stadiums. In this study, the authors utilized an egocentric network analysis to explore relationships among supporters’ group members for two professional soccer clubs based in the United States. Egocentric network research focuses on the immediate social environment of individuals and is often viewed as an alternative approach to sociocentric (i.e., whole network) analyses. This study employed hierarchical linear modeling as an example of multilevel modeling with egocentric data, using ego- and alter-level variables to explain the strength of co-attendance ties. The results indicate the perceived commitment of fellow fans to the team, shared membership in a supporters’ group, age, and interactions with other fans in team settings related to higher levels of co-attendance. The outcomes of this study are both theoretical, as they advance an understanding of sport consumer behavior within soccer supporters’ groups, and methodological, as they illustrate the unique value of employing egocentric network analysis in sport fan research.
Clinical analysis of 15 patients with epileptic spasms and focal seizures as a single ictal event in neonatal period

Objective: To investigate the phenomenon of epileptic spasms (ES) and focal seizures (FS) in a single ictal event (FS-ES phenomenon) and to study the etiology, manifestations, and prognosis of this phenomenon. Methods: The data of the 15 neonates who had ES and FS in a single ictal event, according to video-electroencephalography (VEEG) recording in Department of Neonatology of Children's Hospital of Fudan University during the period of January 2018 to December 2019, was analyzed retrospectively. Results: Of the 15 neonates, 7 were male and 8 were female. Gestational age was 39 (32-42) weeks. Birth weight was 3 100 (1 825-3 850) g. The initial onset age of convulsions was 2 (1-10) days. The age of the first discovery of FS-ES phenomenon was 25 (14-32) days. The age of seizure-free was 7(1-27) months. All of the initial seizure types were FS. The FS-ES phenomenon of 15 patients started with FS. The FS-ES phenomenon manifested in 2 forms: FS followed by ES (12 cases), ES appeared during an FS without interrupting FS (2 cases). In 1 neonate the spasm occurred in both forms. The etiology included genetic factors (9 cases), intracranial infection (1 case), abnormal brain tissue structure (2 cases), and etiology was unknown in 3 cases. All the neonates had a poor prognosis except one. Conclusions: The FS-ES phenomenon in the neonatal period starts with FS. There are various etiologies. Etiologies of most patients are genetic factors. Most of the patients have a poor prognosis.
Light Scattering from Cells

There is an aspect of application of quasielastic light scattering which deals with measurements of directed motions of particles. The particles can be motile bacteria, swimming spermatozoa or streaming water droplets. The simplest objective in these experiments is to measure the directed speed or speed distribution of the particles. For simplicity let us ignore initially the size effects in the light scattering spectra. This simplication is allowed for instance when the particle dimension is much smaller compared to the wave length of light used, or when the particle has a spheric symmetry so that its light scattering property is independent of its orientation. Using the photon correlation technique we are in effect measuring the Doppler shift in time domain.
Chapter 7 Metabolism of high density lipoproteins

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights high-density lipoproteins (HDL) metabolism in humans. HDL concentration in plasma is expressed as HDL cholesterol that remains in the supernatant after precipitation of the apolipoprotein (apo)B-containing lipoproteins and represents a minor fraction of cholesterol in plasma. HDL particles have a spherical shape and possess a core of neutral lipids comprising mostly of cholesteryl esters. Variable amounts of triglycerides are present in the core, depending on the plasma triglyceride levels. The hydrophobic core is surrounded by a surface monolayer consisting of phospholipids, cholesterol, and apolipoproteins. HDL particles are heterogeneous with respect to size, composition, and density. The two major apolipoproteins in HDL are apoA-I and apoA-II. The primary translation product of human apoA-I mRNA possesses an additional peptide that contains 18 amino acids that is cleaved intracellularly by a signal peptidase of the endoplasmic reticulum leaving pro-apoA. The apoA-I gene contains six homologous tandemly repeated 66 bp regions indicating internal gene duplication.
"Silence and Cowardice" at the University of Michigan: World War I and the Pursuit of Un-American Faculty.

In September 1915, Minne Allen traveled from her native Germany to the United States, where her new husband Edward was set to begin a position as math instructor in the University of Michigan's College of Engineering. Although Minne was nervous about moving from cosmopolitan Berlin to a small college town and worried about the war ravaging Europe, she was excited to begin her married life. Four years later, the University of Michigan Board of Regents initiated dismissal proceedings against her husband, alleging that he had supported Germany in the recently concluded war. Even before Edward's removal, Minne had grown tired of the constant suspicion and surveillance that the university and her hyper-patriotic neighbors forced her and her husband to endure. She wrote to her mother: The unwillingness to subscribe voluntarily to the purchase of war bonds was and is still enough to dismiss an employee, especially if he is an independently thinking and acting employee who dares openly to criticize and to make suggestions for an honorable government policy and to work for peace and reconciliation…. Forced by many considerations, the educational institutions, which should have the greatest freedom of thought, have become places of silence and cowardice.
Factors influencing survival in acinic cell carcinoma: A retrospective survival analysis of 2061 patients

Background Acinic cell carcinoma is an uncommon salivary neoplasm with clinical and histologic features known to influence prognosis. The purpose of this study was to further describe variables influencing survival in a large cohort of patients with acinic cell carcinoma. Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry, we obtained demographic, clinicopathologic, and treatment data pertaining to patients diagnosed with acinic cell carcinoma. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to compare survival with various clinical and pathological parameters. Results We identified 2061 patients with acinic cell carcinoma from 1973 to 2009. Sex, staging, grade, subsite, and treatment were significant predictors of disease-specific survival (DSS). Patients who received surgery alone had the highest 20-year DSS (92.4%), followed by those treated with surgery and radiation (71.9%) or radiation alone (62.3%). Conclusion Our results suggest that histologic grade is a stronger predictor of survival than TNM classification, survival after surgical resection alone is excellent, and adjuvant radiation may be of limited benefit. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: 870–877, 2015
On a puzzle posed by the Kurien-Sreenivasan boundary layer experiment

The Kolmogorov inertial range ratio of the mixed- to- longitudinal third-order structure functions of isotropic and homogeneous turbulence is $\frac{S_{1,2}}{S_{3,0}}=1/3$. Recent measurements by Kurien and Sreenivasan (Phys. Rev. E {\bf 64}, 056302 (2001)), showed that, while the longitudinal structure function was extremely close to Kolmogorov's, the measured ratio was very far: $\frac{S_{1,2}}{S_{3,0}}\approx 0.43$. Explanation of this puzzle is presented in this letter.
Dignity, Rights and Responsibilities

Taking as its point of departure, a Green Paper published by the UK government in 2008 urging greater emphasis on responsibilities, this essay considers various senses of "responsibility" that may be thought important in and around the topic of individual rights. Most likely, the authors of the Green Paper had in mind responsibilities that are correlative to rights and responsibilities that qualify rights or limit their exercise. But an additional idea - which has not been properly considered - is the idea of rights which ARE (in large part) responsibilities, rights which embody responsibilities. An obvious example is the right of a parent to bring up his or her child; it is certainly a right, but it makes reference to an important task that has to be fulfilled in society (the upbringing and nurture of this child) and it assigns that task as a responsibility to the parents and protects them in that assignment (while also supervising them in their performance of it). Once you start thinking in these terms, many rights or claims of right have this structure: think, for example, of the right of gay people to serve in the military; or, from an earlier period, the right of women to serve on juries. In exploring this conception of "responsibility-rights," I relate it to the topic of dignity, inasmuch as the human dignity principle retains some aspects of dignity's earlier association with rank and role. I consider the possibility that human dignity generally can be understood as a source of responsibilities as well as rights, or - along the lines of my conception - as a source of protected normative positions which comprise elements of both. I don't suggest that all rights have this form, but I believe it is a highly illuminating conception nonetheless.
Biotin: the forgotten vitamin

When one heats the yolk, changes occur in the fragile elements that serve to support the vital life force within the egg. The egg yolk, in many ways, is not very different from your own cells. Once your temperature goes above 105 degrees you will start to suffer serious health problems. Similarly, heating the yolk above 105 degrees will also start to cause structural changes in many of the highly perishable components present in the yolk.
Comparative Effects of 3-Ethyl-8-Methyl-1,3,8-Triazabicyclo[4,4,0]Decan-2-one and Diethylcarbamazine Against Litomosoides carinii in Rodents

3-Ethyl-8-methyl-1,3,8-triazabicyclo[4,4,0]decan-2-one and diethylcarbamazine were tested comparatively against Litomosoides carinii in Mongolian jirds and cotton rats. The drugs were compared in jirds by oral and by intraperitoneal administration. Comparisons in cotton rats were done by intraperitoneal administration. The drugs were given in a wide range of doses twice daily for 4 consecutive days. Parameters used for judging efficacy included the rate, degree, and duration of microfilaremia suppression as well as effects on adult worms. The two drugs exhibited similar strong but transient effect against microfilariae; neither drug had appreciable effect in killing adult worms.
Tracheal stenosis after percutaneous dilational tracheotomy.

Abstract Objective: In many critical care units percutaneous dilational tracheotomy (PDT) has become an alternative to open tracheotomy. Although significant tracheal stenosis after PDT has been reported, the exact incidence is unknown. We report our findings on endoscopic laryngotracheoscopy for a group of patients who had undergone PDT more than 6 months before their examination. Study Design and Setting: We did a retrospective review of 108 trauma patients who underwent PDT at least 6 months before enrollment in the study. Twenty-eight patients were either deceased or ineligible. Participation requests were mailed to the last recorded address of 80 patients. Thirty-four of those patients were contacted by phone, and 14 indicated their willingness to participate. Only 10 patients were able to make it to the clinic for examination. After transorally anesthetizing the hypopharynx and larynx with 4% lidocaine, each patient underwent flexible laryngotracheoscopy. Findings were categorized as normal or tracheal stenosis ( 50%). Results: The tracheotomy site was virtually undetectable in 5 patients. In 4 patients, a scar was visible at the tracheotomy site, but there was no decrease in cross-sectional area. In 1 patient there was a 25% to 50% stenosis. All patients were completely asymptomatic with regard to airway and voice quality. Conclusion: One out of 10 patients in our series had a significant but asymptomatic stenosis after PDT. The risk of tracheal stenosis in PDT appears to be the same as that of open tracheotomy. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;126:58-62.)
Venture capital: Investor and investee perspectives

Abstract The venture capitalist plays a crucial role in, the startup and growth phases of entrepreneurial firms. Yet, the burgeoning but still relatively modest venture capital research literature continues to be characterized by isolated studies of how venture capitalists raise capital and select investments; little effort has been made to consolidate and integrate these findings. In particular, little is known about the impact of the venture capitalist's decision upon the entrepreneurial process. This paper has two objectives: The first is to review the available material and literature on venture capital decision-making and its impact on entrepreneurship. The second objective is to elucidate a research methodology which involves three different units of analysis as they relate to venture capital decision-making: the venture capitalist, the deal which was funded, and the proposal which was denied. Results from these three inter-related studies by the authors are reported.
New Insight Into the Flow Around a Wind Turbine Airfoil Section

The objective of this paper is an improved understanding of the physics of the aeroelastic motion of wind turbine blades in order to improve the numerical models used for their design. Two- and three-dimensional Navier-Stokes calculations of the flow around a wind turbine airfoil using the k-ω SST and Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) turbulence models, as well as an engineering semiempirical dynamic stall model, are conducted. The computational results are compared to the experimental results that are available for both the static airfoil and the pitching airfoil. It is shown that the Navier-Stokes simulations can reproduce the main characteristic features of the flow. The DES model seems to be able to reproduce most of the details of the unsteady aerodynamics. Aerodynamic work computations indicate that a plunging motion of the airfoil can become unstable.
The decay of long-lived photoproducts in the isolated bullfrog rod outer segment: relationship to other dark reactions.

Abstract Isolated bullfrogrodouter segments have been used to investigate whetherrhodopsinregeneration, light activated rhodopsinphosphorylationor aspects of “dark adaptation” in vitro are correlated with rhodopsin photoproduct decay. We find that the presence ofphotoproductsdoes limit rhodopsin regeneration initiated by addition of excess 11-cis retinal. This regeneration proceeds with a biphasic time course only as metarhodopsin II and metarhodopsin III decay into opsin and all-trans retinal. Regeneration initiated after decay of these photoproducts is about 20 times faster and is proportional to the concentration of visual pigment molecules still in the bleached state. The presence of long-lived photoproducts does not alter the light activated phosphorylation of outer segment membranes, suggesting that this reaction must arise at an earlier step in the photolytic sequence. Further, photoproduct decay and rhodopsin regeneration have no effect on the recovery of the sodium permeability of the plasma membrane in dark adapting outer segments.
Morphological Development in Solvent-Cast Polystyrene−Polybutadiene−Polystyrene (SBS) Triblock Copolymer Thin Films

This paper describes morphological development in solvent-cast polystyrene (PS)−polybutadiene (PB)−polystyrene (SBS) triblock copolymer thin films (30 wt % PS) as a function of solvent evaporation ...
Dispersal polymorphisms in subdivided populations

Price's method for analyzing natural selection in subdivided populations is applied to the problem of dispersal polymorphism strategies in a stable habitat. The results agree with the more traditional Mendelian models for this same problem that have recently been published. Further, by using Price's method, the results obtained are simpler and more general, and the causal evolutionary mechanisms underlying the predicted patterns are more easily recognized. The most interesting new result is that the equilibrium proportion of dispersed individuals is a simple function of the risk of dispersing and the regression coefficient of relatedness among individuals who, in the absence of dispersal, would compete for a limited, local resource. This regression coefficient refers to the genotypes that control the dispersal phenotype. For example, when mothers control the phenotype of their progeny, then the regression is from the mother onto an offspring chosen randomly from the local group before dispersal; while when offspring control their own phenotype, the regression is taken directly from offspring onto a randomly chosen cohort member before dispersal. This use of controlling genotypes to calculate regressions explains the form of the parent-offspring conflict over dispersal noted by previous authors. The simplicity and generality of these results suggest that Price's method is a useful approach for studying the class of phenomena known as “games among relatives”.
Identifying common normal distributions

Consider a one-way layout where random samples of data are available from k populations, where the distributions of the data from each population are considered to be completely unknown. This paper discusses a methodology for investigating whether it can be concluded that the k unknown distributions, or any subsets of these distributions, can be taken to be equal to a common normal distribution, and if so it is shown how to identify these common normal distributions. This is accomplished with an exact specified error rate by constructing confidence sets for the parameters of the common normal distributions using Kolmogorov’s (G. Ist. Ital. Attuari 4:83–91, 1933) procedure. The relationship of this methodology to standard tests of normality and to standard procedures for constructing confidence sets for the parameters of a normal distribution are discussed, together with its relationship to functional data analysis and other standard test procedures for data of this kind. Some examples of the implementation of the methodology are provided.
Modulated potential electrogenerated chemiluminescence of luminol and Ru(bpy)32

Chemiluminescence emission intensity is modulated by modulating the potential of a working electrode which is used to generate a key species in the electrogenerated Chemiluminescence (ECL) reaction. The emission is monitored synchronously using a lock-in amplifier. The reactions used in the characterization are luminol with hydrogen peroxide and tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium (II) (or Ru(bpy)32+) with oxalate. Modulation widths of ± 50 mV yield maximum signals for luminol when centered at 0.45 V (vs Ag/AgCl) and for Ru(bpy)32+ when centered at 1.05 V. The resulting signal decreases with increasing modulation frequency and shows that luminol/H2O2 is a faster ECL system than Ru(bpy)32+/oxalate. Working curves for luminol and for oxalate have essentially the same linear range and slope with the modulated potential approach as with a DC electrode potential. This approach provides capability for differentiating the analytical signal from constant background emission or stray light.
Modularizing Information Literacy Training via the Blackboard eCommunity

ABSTRACT The eCommunity feature of the course management software, Blackboard, is used by the librarians at Henderson Community College to determine student success with their information literacy program. Pre- and post-tests are used along with brief lessons on a variety of library and course-specific topics to create learning modules. Advantages of this new electronic information literacy tool include greater collaboration with faculty, immediate feedback for students, convenient access from remote locations, and compliance with accreditation guidelines. Progress is documented, and popularity of the eCommunity is increasing throughout the community and technical colleges of Kentucky.
Overview of special issue on intrinsic motivation

This issue of Motivation and Emotion is devoted to research and theory on intrinsic motivation. Individuals who were instrumental in defining the initial issues in this area of research were invited to submit papers. Initially, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation were conceived as a dichotomy, although now many researchers no longer hold to this notion. This point of view is summarized in the first article by Rigby, Deci, Patrick, and Ryan. Lepper and Cordova, on the other hand, pursue the question of what makes learning “fun.” Harter and Jackson also question the dichotomy of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, suggesting instead that sometimes motivational orientation is a trait, and other times it is situation-specific. Heyman and Dweck take a “goals approach” to the question of motivation in the schools, contrasting learning goals with performance goals. Sansone and Morgan argue that the sources of motivation are not static but can change across individuals, activities, surrounding context, and time. Boggiano and her colleagues, in the final article, present a diathesis-stress model to account for students' divergent achievement patterns. In all, these articles address the question of whether an intrinsic motivational orientation can be implemented in the schools, and if so how and where will it be effective?
Annealing of proton radiation damage in silicon solar cells

Abstract A thermal annealing study of silicon solar cells irradiated by 4.6 MeV protons at 30°C revealed that the radiation-induced degradation in the photovoltaic was annealed in two stages. The first stage occurs in the range from 50° to 200°C while the second is observed between 325° and 450°C.
Posterior Fossa Cyst on Prenatal Ultrasonography

Posterior fossa cyst on prenatal ultrasonography. (Figure 1) Figure 1. Postnatal sagittal T1-weighted and contrast enhanced axial T1-weighted images demonstrate intact cerebellar vermis and retrocerebellar cerebrospinal fluid containing cystic structure with dura folds (arrows). ### Prenatal and Birth Histories The caesarian section delivery at 35 weeks of gestation had no complications. ### Physical Examination Routine laboratory results were within normal limits. Urine cytomegalovirus culture result was negative. Feeding, voiding, and stooling were progressing uneventfully. A postnatal head ultrasonogram confirmed the earlier finding of a posterior fossa cyst. The infant and her mother were transferred to the level 3 neonatology unit of the hospital for further evaluation and precise diagnosis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an intact cerebellar vermis and a retrocerebellar cerebrospinal fluid–containing cystic structure that demonstrated dura folds. There …
A Model Simulation for Decreased Left Ventricular Stroke Volume in Obstructive Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Background. Increased negative intrathoracic pressures are recognized to exacerbate left ventricular dysfunction in obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. Reportedly left ventricular stroke volume (LVSV) decline appeared greater than predicted by the obstruction alone. Objectives. Whether this effect is more dependent on biventricular elasticity and fluid shifts than on breathing-related transmural pressures could be inferred from a mathematical model simulation. Design. A previously validated cardiopulmonary model in healthy subjects during inspiratory loading was modified by parameter adjustments to fit its ventricular volumes output to published clinical data of decreased LVSV in obstructed breathing. Results. Reduced left ventricular end-diastolic compliance and increased central blood volume from baseline each simulated a 20% drop in LVSV whereas twice as much change was the result of increasing a mere 400 mL to the unstressed volume of systemic veins. An intermediate value was obtained by decreasing right ventricular end-diastolic compliance and higher systemic venous compliance. Conclusions. Simulations encompassing a wide range of decreased stroke volume at comparable intrathoracic pressures suggested a prominent role of decreased myocardial distensibility (possibly coupled to fluid migration) in the stroke volume fall.
Averaging sets: A generalization of mean values and spherical designs

: [0, 1 ] + R, one cannot of course expect there to be a single point x at which every one assumes its mean value, but there is an easy generalization in terms of weighted averages: there exist at most m points xi and positive weights oi summing to 1 so that \’ aifj(Xi) = I”fi dt for j = 1, 2 ,..., m.
Relationship of the urban fabric of Lawrence, Kansas with satellite-derived thermal infrared data

Many of the twelve land-use types and ten surface materials that comprise Lawrence, Kansas correlate significantly with afternoon and evening temperatures derived from thermal infrared data of the Heat Capacity Mapping Mission satellite. Three afternoon temperature patterns and six evening patterns were analyzed covering late spring through the middle of fall. Land uses account for a mean of 49% of the temperature variance in the daytime; the mean explained variance for the evening data is 37%. The temperature variation accounted for by surface materials is nearly the reverse of that of land use: the daytime and evening mean values are 32% and 49%, respectively. With the primary exception of trees, the correlations closely coincide with previously reported results relating the land uses and surface materials with temperatures for the city obtained from autotraverses.
Mycophenolic acid inhibits dengue virus infection by preventing replication of viral RNA.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease of global importance with no available antiviral therapy. We assessed the ability of mycophenolic acid (MPA), a drug currently used as an immunosuppressive agent, to inhibit dengue virus (DV) antigen expression, RNA replication, and virus production. Pharmacological concentrations of MPA effectively blocked DV infection, decreasing the percentage of infected cells by 99% and the levels of secreted virus by up to a millionfold. Results were reproduced with four hepatoma cell lines and different flaviviruses, including a recent West Nile virus isolate. Experiments were performed to define the stage in the viral lifecycle at which MPA abrogates infection. Early steps in viral infection, such as viral entry and nucleocapsid uncoating, were not the primary targets of MPA action since its inhibitory effect was retained when naked DV RNA was transfected directly into cells. Biosynthetic labeling experiments showed that MPA did not block the initial phase of viral translation but did interfere with viral protein synthesis in the amplification phase. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that MPA prevented the accumulation of viral positive- and negative-strand RNA as the infection proceeded. We conclude that MPA inhibits flavivirus infection by preventing synthesis and accumulation of viral RNA.
Survey of nursing and medical profile prior to deinstitutionalization of a population with profound mental retardation.

During the planning stages of deinstitutionalization, the importance of nursing services must be recognized and given priority consideration in the community placement of persons with serious developmental disabilities. The objective of this study was to survey the medical and nursing profile of a group of non-ambulatory, institutionalized individuals with profound mental retardation in anticipation of their nursing and medical needs in the community. Data were collected from the Individual Habilitation Plans of 55 individuals who had resided in a residential facility for individuals with mental retardation and were scheduled for community placement. Serious medical problems in decreasing frequency were constipation (96%), seizure disorder (70%), poor dental hygiene (67%), cerebral palsy (62%), scoliosis (61%), contractions (41%), aspiration risk (44%), skin lesions (40%), and dysphagia (22%). Considering the complexity of health issues encountered in this population, adequate nursing and medical planning...
p75NTR mediates ephrin-A reverse signaling required for axon repulsion and mapping

Summary Reverse signaling by ephrin-As upon binding EphAs controls axon guidance and mapping. Ephrin-As are GPI-anchored to the membrane, requiring that they complex with transmembrane proteins that transduce their signals. We show that the p75 neurotrophin receptor (NTR) serves this role in retinal axons. p75 NTR and ephrin-A colocalize within caveolae along retinal axons and form a complex required for Fyn phosphorylation upon binding EphAs, activating a signaling pathway leading to cytoskeletal changes. In vitro, retinal axon repulsion to EphAs by ephrin-A reverse signaling requires p75 NTR , but repulsion to ephrin-As by EphA forward signaling does not. Constitutive and retina-specific p75 NTR knockout mice have aberrant anterior shifts in retinal axon terminations in superior colliculus, consistent with diminished repellent activity mediated by graded ephrin-A reverse signaling induced by graded collicular EphAs. We conclude that p75 NTR is a signaling partner for ephrin-As and the ephrin-A- p75 NTR complex reverse signals to mediate axon repulsion required for guidance and mapping.
Optimal control with quadratic performance index and fixed terminal time

The conventional solution for the optimal control of a linear-stationary regulator with quadratic performance index and fixed terminal time leads to a linear control law with time-varying gain coefficients [1]. In addition to the usual disadvantages of time-variable controllers, some of the time-varying gain coefficients approach infinity as the specified terminal time is approached. In the present paper, it is shown that the optimal control for the above problem can be expressed in the form of a time-invariant non-linear control law. Certain parameters in the nonlinear control law are functions of the initial time and initial state of the system. The conventional time-varying linear control law can be obtained directly from the time-invariant nonlinear control law. The results of the present paper are applicable to a more general class of optimal control problems involving linear and nonlinear systems. Two examples are given to illustrate the method.
The Amino-Terminal Extracellular Domain of the MCP-1 Receptor, but Not the RANTES/MIP-1alpha Receptor, Confers Chemokine Selectivity. Evidence for a Two-Step Mechanism for MCP-1 Receptor Activation

The chemoattractant cytokines, MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein) and MIP-1α (macrophage inflammatory protein), are recognized by highly homologous but distinct receptors. To identify receptor domains involved in determining ligand specificity, we created a series of chimeric MCP-1 and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted)/MIP-1α receptors that progressively interchanged the amino terminus and each of the three extracellular loops. Radiolabeled MCP-1 bound with high affinity to the wild-type MCP-1 receptor, but not to the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor (C-C CKR-1). Chimeras that retained the amino-terminal extension of the MCP-1 receptor bound MCP-1 with high affinity. In contrast, chimeric MCP-1 receptors, in which the wild-type amino terminus was replaced with the corresponding portion of the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor, bound MCP-1 with low affinity. These data indicate that the amino terminus of the MCP-1 receptor is necessary for high affinity binding of the ligand. Very different results were obtained using the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor. Radiolabeled MIP-1α bound with high affinity to chimeras that expressed the extracellular loops of the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor. In contrast to the MCP-1 receptor, substitution of the wild-type amino-terminal extension had little or no effect on MIP-1α binding. For the MCP-1, but not the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor, the presence of the wild-type amino terminus also significantly lowered the ligand concentration required for maximal signaling. We conclude that the amino-terminal extension of the MCP-1 receptor, but not the RANTES/MIP-1α receptor, is critically involved in ligand binding and signal transduction. These data reveal significant functional differences between the two C-C chemokine receptors and suggest a two-step mechanism for activation of the MCP-1 receptor.
Demonstration of the presence of lipid peroxide-modified proteins in human atherosclerotic lesions using a novel lipid peroxide-modified anti-peptide antibody

Immunohistochemical demonstration of oxidation-specific epitopes using antibodies developed against oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL), LDL modified by products of lipid peroxidation (e.g. malondialdehyde-modified LDL), and lipid peroxide-modified albumin has been considered as strong evidence for the presence of oxidatively modified proteins in atherosclerotic lesions. However, the antigens used in the development of these antibodies were derived from lipoproteins and other proteins that are constituents of both normal and atherosclerotic arteries. In order to demonstrate the unequivocal presence of oxidatively modified proteins, we have used a 15 amino acid synthetic peptide derived from the sequence of human glycodelin. Using an antibody developed against this peptide and the second antibody developed against the lipid peroxide-modified peptide, we immunostained progressive human atherosclerotic lesions. Antibody to the unmodified peptide did not react with antigenic epitopes present in mild, moderate, or severe human atherosclerotic lesions. In contrast, the antibody developed against lipid peroxide-modified peptide highly reacted with tissue samples and provided strong evidence for the presence of lipid peroxide-modified proteins. This study suggests the presence of lipid peroxide-modified proteins in the lesion and that these epitopes are derived by direct interaction of lysine residues with lipid peroxides.
Sovereign Wealth Funds and National Security: The Dog that Will Refuse to Bark

Concerns have been raised that Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) might be used by governments to advance international political goals, raising red flags about their possible economic and national security consequences. These concerns are overstated. Warnings about national security threats related to foreign investment have been sounded repeatedly throughout history, but they have invariably been false alarms. Although there are novel attributes about SWFs in contemporary world politics, establishing their national security consequences is much more difficult than it might seem. And in those instances where theoretical connections between SWFs and “high politics” can be established, on closer inspection the SWFs appear to be intervening variables – manifestations of other pathologies – rather than the root cause of the postulated problem. The potential geopolitical problems caused by SWFs are the result of shifts in wealth in the international system, and not by the establishment or functioning of wealth funds.
Mutagenicity of ultraviolet A radiation in the lacI transgene in Big Blue mouse embryonic fibroblasts

Sunlight ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation has been implicated in the etiology of human skin cancer. A genotoxic mode of action for UVA radiation has been suggested that involves photosensitization reactions giving rise to promutagenic DNA lesions. We investigated the mutagenicity of UVA in the lacI transgene in Big Blue mouse embryonic fibroblasts. UVA irradiation of these cells at a physiologically relevant dose of 18J/cm(2) caused a 2.8-fold increase in the lacI mutant frequency relative to control, i.e., 12.12+/-1.84 versus 4.39+/-1.99 x 10(-5) (mean+/-S.D.). DNA sequencing analysis showed that of 100 UVA-induced mutant plaques and 54 spontaneously arisen control plaques, 97 and 51, respectively, contained a minimum of one mutation along the lacI transgene. The vast majority of both induced- and spontaneous mutations were single base substitutions, although less frequently, there were also single and multiple base deletions and insertions, and tandem base substitutions. Detailed mutation spectrometry analysis revealed that G:C-->T:A transversions, the signature mutations of oxidative DNA damage, were significantly induced by UVA irradiation (P<0.003). The absolute frequency of this type of mutations was 7.4-fold increased consequent to UVA irradiation as compared to control (3.38 versus 0.454 x 10(-5); P<0.00001). These findings are in complete agreement with those previously observed in the cII transgene of the same model system, and reaffirm the notion that intracellular photosensitization reactions causing promutagenic oxidative DNA damage are involved in UVA genotoxicity.
Quantification of vestibular-induced eye movements in zebrafish larvae

Background Vestibular reflexes coordinate movements or sensory input with changes in body or head position. Vestibular-evoked responses that involve the extraocular muscles include the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), a compensatory eye movement to stabilize retinal images. Although an angular VOR attributable to semicircular canal stimulation was reported to be absent in free-swimming zebrafish larvae, recent studies reveal that vestibular-induced eye movements can be evoked in zebrafish larvae by both static tilts and dynamic rotations that tilt the head with respect to gravity.