cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II CTD fragments results in tight binding to the WW domain from the yeast prolyl isomerase Ess1.

The yeast prolyl isomerase, Ess1, has recently been shown to interact via its WW domain with the hyperphosphorylated form of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain (CTD). We have investigated folding of the Ess1 WW domain and its binding to peptides representing the CTD by circular dichroism and fluorescence. Ess1 WW folds and unfolds reversibly, but in the absence of ligand is only marginally stable with a melting temperature of 19 °C. The WW domain is stabilized by the addition of anionic ligands, namely, chloride, inorganic phosphate, phosphoserine, and phosphorylated CTD peptides. Dissociation constants were measured to be 70−100 μM for CTD peptides phosphorylated at one serine, and 16−21 μM for peptides with two or more phosphorylated serines. Weaker or no affinity was observed for nonphosphorylated CTD peptides. There is surprisingly little difference in the affinity for peptides phosphorylated at Ser 2 or Ser 5 of the consensus repeat, or for peptides with different patterns of multiple phosphoryl...
Effects of common soil anions and pH on the uptake and accumulation of perchlorate in lettuce

A mechanistic understanding of perchlorate ( $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ ) entry into plants is important for establishing the human health risk associated with consumption of contaminated produce and for assessing the effectiveness of $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ phytoremediation. To determine whether common soil anions affect $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ uptake and accumulation in higher plants, a series of competition experiments using lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were conducted between $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ (50 nM) and $$ {\text{NO}}^{ - }_{3} $$ (4–12 mM), $$ {\text{SO}}^{{2 - }}_{4} $$ (1–10 mM), or Cl− (5–15 mM) in hydroponic solution. The effects of $$ {\text{HCO}}^{ - }_{3} $$ (0–5 mM) and pH (5.5–7.5) on $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ uptake were also examined. Increasing $$ {\text{NO}}^{ - }_{3} $$ in solution significantly reduced the amount of $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ taken up by green leaf, butter head, and crisphead lettuces. Sulfate and Cl− had no significant effects on $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ uptake in lettuce over the concentrations tested. Increasing pH significantly reduced the amount of $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ taken up by crisphead and green leaf lettuces, whereas increasing $$ {\text{HCO}}^{ - }_{3} $$ significantly reduced $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ uptake in butter head lettuce. The inhibition by $$ {\text{NO}}^{ - }_{3} $$ across all lettuce genotypes suggests that $$ {\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} $$ may share an ion carrier with $$ {\text{NO}}^{ - }_{3} $$ , and the decrease in uptake with increasing pH or $$ {\text{HCO}}^{ - }_{3} $$ provides macroscopic evidence for $$ {{\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{{\text{ClO}}^{ - }_{4} } {{\text{H}}^{ + } }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {{\text{H}}^{ + } } $$ cotransport across the plasma membrane.
Study of tropical cyclogenesis using satellite data

Satellite data are used to study the cloud development and water vapor supply during the genesis of Typhoon Nina (November 1987). Using satellite microwave and infrared data, the following physical parameters are retrieved and analyzed: water vapor path, surface wind, sea surface evaporation, precipitation, and cloud type.
Unstable invariant distributions for a class of stochastic delay equations

On etudie le comportement asymptotique de la trajectoire {x t ; t≥0} de l'equation dx(t)=H(x t )d√+G(x t )dW(t), t≥0 x t (s)=x(t+s), −r≤s≤0, ou l'equation deterministe dy(t)=H(y t )d√, t≥0, y t (s)=y(t+s), −r≤s≤0 est hyperbolique avec au moins une solution asymptotiquement instable
Early Communication Development and Intervention for Children With Autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by impairments in social and communication development, accompanied by stereotyped patterns of behavior and interest. The focus of this paper is on the early development of communication in autism, and early intervention for impairments in communication associated with this disorder. An overview of components of communication is provided. Communication characteristics that are diagnostic of autism are summarized, with consideration of the overlap between social and communication impairment, particularly for children with autism functioning at the prelinguistic level. Early communication development and predictors of communication functioning in autism are examined, based on a review of prospective and retrospective studies. The focus of the discussion then turns to intervention. Consideration is given to the rationale for beginning intervention as early in life as possible for children with autism. Implications of motor, imitation, and play deficits for communication-based intervention are examined. Finally, issues related to the design and delivery of intervention for young children with autism are presented, along with a review of the major early intervention approaches for autism.
Blood Pressure Comparison in a Selected Native American and White Population

This study compared the frequency of blood pressure elevation in a selected Native American and white population. Three hundred individuals participated: 87 Native Americans, 210 whites, and 3 others. Data were gathered using a questionnaire that addressed residence, sex, age, race, occupation, height, smoking, alcohol use, tea/coffee consumption, medications, and past or present illness. Weight and blood pressure were measured by the researchers at the time of data collection. The sample mean for systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 124 mm Hg (SD 14.78) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 77 mm Hg (SD 10.13). One-way analysis of variance showed age groups and sex to affect blood pressure significantly (P = 0.0001). Stepwise multiple regression indicated weight significantly predicted blood pressure (SBP multiple R = 0.39, P = 0.001; DBP multiple R = 0.43, P = 0.00001). The interaction of age, sex, tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine influenced SBP and DBP. Obviously, these findings have limited generalizeability due to the sampling frame used in this study.
The development of some dual-phase steel structures from different starting microstructures

The development of dual-phase structures with different morphologies has been studied in detail by intercritical annealing specimens of a steel containing 0.11 pct C and 1.6 pct Mn with different microstructures before annealing. The kinetics of formation of the two-phase structure at the annealing temperature and the redistribution of substitutional solute elements were measured in specimens quenched from the intercritical annealing temperature. The structure before annealing was either banded ferrite-pearlite, homogenized ferrite-pearlite, lath martensite, spheroidal cementite dispersed in ferrite, or austenite. No measurable partitioning of silicon or molybdenum, present in the steel in small concentrations, was found. However, close to equilibrium partitioning of manganese occurred on annealing specimens with either a ferrite-pearlite or a lath martensite structure, but during the separation of ferrite from austenite in step-quenched specimens there was no partitioning. Surprisingly, measurements of manganese concentrations using an electron beam of 1 nm diameter at intervals of 5 nm or less revealed the presence of narrow spikes in the concentration profile at many ferriteaustenite interfaces in specimens with a ferrite-pearlite or martensite starting structure as well as in those step-quenched from austenite. In some instances, a minimum in the concentration profile was found in ferrite, adjacent to a maximum at an interface. Thus, adsorption of manganese at ferriteaustenite interfaces produces concentrations in excess of the concentrations indicated by the equilibrium diagram. The probable diffusion processes controlling the kinetics of transformation in the different microstructures are identified.
POTENTIOSTATIC POLARIZATION STUDIES IN FUSED CARBONATES. PART 2. STAINLESS STEEL

Electrochemical studies at 600–700°C are reported for niobium-stabilized (347) and (304) chromium—nickel stainless steels in the ternary Li2CO3Na2CO3K2CO3 eutectic mixture by a potentiostatic polarization technique. The results leave little doubt that these stainless steels passivate in fused carbonates. The corrosion potentials for both steels, referred to a Ag/Ag+ reference half-cell, are −525 ± 30 mV (Au and Pt, on the same scale, are −470 and −475 mV), and this value is shown to vary qualitatively with environmental effects in accord with the mass-law controlled equilibrium CO32− CO2 + O2− in fused carbonates. Values of the primary passive potentials at 600 and 700°C are reported. It is clear that the passivity conferred by anodic electrolysis for these steels makes possible a performance as electrodes quite comparable to that of Au—20% Pd alloy or Pt in the electrolyses of fused carbonates. These properties for stainless steels are discussed relative to current viewpoints on metal passivity, and relative to structural changes found in the steels.
A Useful Skew Tree Framework for Inserting Large Safety Margins

The construction of clock trees for modern designs is challenging because the clock trees need to be constructed with adequate safety margins such that the skew constraints are satisfied even under variations. The amount of safety margin required in a skew constraint is dependent on the distance of the corresponding sequential elements in the tree topology. In certain cases, the amount of safety margin that can be inserted may be limited. Consequently, the corresponding sequential elements should be placed close in the topology, i.e., the point of divergence to these elements is low in the clock tree, in order to reduce the influence of variations. By using safety margins and lowering the point of divergence, we present a framework for the construction of useful skew trees with large safety margins inserted in the skew constraints. The framework, called UST-LSM, first identifies tight skew constraints by the detection of negative cycles in a weighted skew constraint graph. Next, the corresponding sequential elements of these skew constraints are clustered early in tree topology. Compared to earlier studies, we can allow larger safety margins in skew constraints spanning between sequential elements within a subtree. This translates into an improvement of yield from 46.8% to 98.8% on a synthesized benchmark with 7,674 sequential elements and 63,440 skew constraints.
An improved procedure for high-sensitivity microsequencing: use of aminoethyl aminopropyl glass beads in the Beckman sequencer and the ultrasphere ODS column for PTH amino acid identification.

Abstract An improved procedure for high-sensitivity microsequencing is described. The method employs (i) aminoethyl aminopropyl glass beads for in situ purification of quadrol by absorbing α-amino group reactive impurities commonly found even in highly purified quadrol and (ii) an Altex 5-μm Ultrasphere ODS column and highly purified methanol which is available commercially to identify phenylthiohydantoin derivatives of amino acids by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The efficiency of the method has been demonstrated by the results of sequence analyses of peptides obtained by acid and cyanogen bromide digestions of viral proteins. A significant increase in the initial and repetitive yields has been consistently observed by this procedure.
Expression of the Apolipoprotein E Gene Does Not Affect Motor Recovery After Sensorimotor Cortex Injury in the Mouse

Abstract Motor recovery after unilateral sensorimotor cortex ablation or sham-injury was measured in apolipoprotein E knockout and wild-type mice by testing their abilities to traverse a narrow beam. All mice trained without difficulty. Sham-operated mice performed perfectly regardless of genotype throughout testing. There was no difference in motor scores between lesioned apolipoprotein E knockout and wild-type mice on a first trial 24 h after injury ( P >0.05). There was a significant overall effect of lesion on motor performance (two-way repeated measures analysis of variance F 1,42 =304, P F 17,714 =58, P F 17,714 =58, P F 17,714 =0.33, P =1.00) and no effect of genotype on the final level of motor performance 12 days after the lesion (Kruskal–Wallis H =5.79, P =0.12). These data suggest that motor recovery after unilateral injury to the sensorimotor cortex does not vary with apolipoprotein E genotype.
English-Spanish Cognates and the Pura Belpré Children's Award Books: Reading the Word and the World.

English-Spanish cognates are an important subset of words in both the English and Spanish languages. Cognates are words that possess identical or nearly identical spellings and meanings in both languages as a result of being derived from Latin and Greek. Of major importance is the fact that many of the more than 20,000 cognates in English are academic vocabulary words, terms essential for comprehending school texts. The Pura Belpre Children's Book Award has been given since 1996 to outstanding children's and young adult literature that represents, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience. The books are judged for their literary and artistic quality. There are many English-Spanish cognates in each of the Pura Belpre picture books. The purpose of this article is to introduce the Pura Belpre Cognate Database, which lists all of the English-Spanish cognates for each of the children's picture books that have won the award or have been designated as honor books. Ideas for vocabulary, spelling, and...
Functionalized carbon nanotubes for polymeric nanocomposites

Functionalized carbon nanotubes are more favorable for the desired homogeneous dispersion of exfoliated nanotubes as nanoscale fillers in polymeric nanocomposites. However, the compatibility of the large amount of functional groups necessary for the nanotube functionalization with the polymeric matrices is critical to the properties and performance of the resulting nanocomposites. We have developed an approach of only using functional polymers that are structurally identical or maximally similar to the matrix polymers in the functionalization and solubilization of carbon nanotubes. Several representative examples are highlighted, and issues concerning the characterization and evaluation of the polymeric nanocomposites thus obtained are discussed.
Large-scale motion between Pacific and Atlantic hotspots

STUDIES of true polar wander (TPW), the rotation of the solid Earth with respect to the spin axis1, have suggested that there has been 10–15° of relative motion over the past 130 Myr (refs 2–4). In such studies, the orientation of the spin axis is recovered from continental palaeomagnetic poles (corrected for relative plate motions), and compared with a deep-mantle reference frame defined by hotspot locations. But deducing relative plate motions becomes increasingly difficult for older (Mesozoic) time periods, hindering tests of TPW on timescales comparable to those of large-scale mantle convection; moreover, the assumption of hotspot fixity is controversial5,6. We examine here a more direct approach7,8, using palaeolatitudes derived from Pacific guyots. Contrary to predictions from TPW models, these data suggest only minor latitudinal shifts of Pacific hotspots during the Cretaceous period. Instead of TPW, relative motion between the Atlantic and Pacific hotspot groups9 is required at a velocity of approximately 30 mm yr−1, more than 50% larger than previously proposed5.
High aspect ratio deep silicon etching

This paper reports an improved deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process for ultra high aspect ratio silicon trenches with reduced undercut. By ramping process pressure, etch power, and switching time, we are able to produce 5.7 μm trenches with an aspect ratio of 70 and 3 μm trenches with an aspect ratio of 97. We reduce undercut by half by adjusting the length and pressure of the passivation step.
Double refraction of flow studies on hyaluronic acid prepared from the vitreous body.

Abstract Hyaluronic acid was prepared by a method of electrophoretic separation. The protein impurity of this preparation was 2–3%. Double refraction of flow was measured at various concentrations and in media of varying viscosity, at velocity gradients ranging up to 22,000 sec −1 . The apparent molecular length varied between 1550 and 1750 A. The sign of the double refraction was positive with respect to the longitudinal axis of the particle. There were indications of a slight degree of polydispersity. The hyaluronic acid appears to be somewhat flexible under the influence of shearing stress. This behaviour is characterized by the following parameters: ηi = 4.2 · 10 −2 poise, shearing elasticity coefficient μ = 1.4 · 10 −3 dyne/cm 2 .
The pressure of sound

The Pressure of Sound: Relation between Pressure and Energy Density.—An argument is given, following a method used by Larmor, to show that a certain general type of radiation will exert a pressure. The pressure of small sound waves is found to agree with this result, but for finite waves the conditions for the application of the argument are not satisfied. These finite waves do exert a pressure which depends upon the relation between pressure and density, the pressure being zero in a certain important case. This theory has been developed by Lord Rayleigh. It however appears that any actual aerial wave does exert a pressure not zero. The pressure on an absorbing sphere is a second order effect in the product (ak), and is therefore not considered in the usual treatment of spherical obstacles. Waves of energy density of 0.5 ergs/cm.^3 or greater apparently must be treated as finite.
Emerging issues in child and youth care education: A platform for planning

The authors explore key ingredients in the preparation of child and youth care workers with a focus on the conceptual and practical interconnectedness required if the workers are to be enabled to work professionally and effectively.
Meson spectra with the power law potential in the dirac equation

The masses of the b¯b, c¯c, s¯s and u¯u mesons are obtained by solving the Dirac equation with the power law potential V(r) = A + Brα treated as a Lorentz scalar.
ACORN: A Local Customization Approach to DCVS Physical Design

Differential cascode voltage switch (DCVS) trees are high performance, high functionality CMOS circuits, which, because they have a large number of inputs and internal connections, are difficult to wire on a large scale. Wirability is substantially improved by local customization at the tree level. This paper describes a DCVS customization procedure that exploits the fact that a Boolean function has more than one physical realization. Using ACORN, an automated physical design system based on this concept, we have placed and wired several designs, the largest of which is a group of three interconnected macros comprising approximately 800 DCVS trees.
Improving introspection to inform free will regarding the choice by healthy individuals to use or not use cognitive enhancing drugs

A commentary in Nature entitled "Towards responsible use of cognitive-enhancing drugs by the healthy" (Greely et al 2008 Nature 456: 702–705) offers an opportunity to move toward a humane societal appreciation of mind-altering drugs. Using cognitive enhancing drugs as an exemplar, this article presents a series of hypotheses concerning how an individual might learn optimal use. The essence of the proposal is that individuals can cultivate sensitivity to the effects of ever-smaller amounts of psychoactive drugs thereby making harm less likely and benign effects more probable. Four interrelated hypotheses are presented and briefly discussed. 1. Humans can learn to discriminate ever-smaller doses of at least some mind-altering drugs; a learning program can be designed or discovered that will have this outcome. 2. The skill to discriminate drugs and dose can be generalized, i.e. if learned with one drug a second one is easier and so on. 3. Cultivating this skill/knack would be beneficial in leading to choices informed by a more accurate sense of mind-body interactions. 4. From a philosophical point of view learning the effects of ever-smaller doses of psychoactive agents offers a novel path into and to transcend the objective/subjective barrier and the mind/body problem. Whatever the fate of these specific hypotheses, discussion of cognitive enhancing drugs for healthy individuals has the potential to inspire innovative educational and public policy initiatives toward all types of mind-altering drugs and the people who use them.
Infiltration Induced Soil Instabilities

Theoretical analyses predicted and experimental observations—confirmed a mechanism by which strong capilary forces hindered instead of helped promote infiltration into soils. Infiltration into an unsaturated soil overlying an impermeable barrier displaces the air from the soil interstices. Unable to escape downward, the air may escape upward in bubbles travelling through large pores, or, if the pores are small and the capillary forces are large, the air is compressed between the wetting front and the barrier. This reduces the infiltration rate and may result in an almost stable wetting front. Under certain calculable conditions the air pressure build-up is sufficient to cause sudden localized horizontal rupturing of the soil at the wetting front and to lift it along with the infiltrating water, forming a cavity. The air-filled cavity breaks the flow passages and percolation ceases through pores terminating in the cavity. Observations with soil columns have shown that when provision was made fot the displaced air to escape less than one minute was required for the wetting front to move three inches; when the air was not free to escape and the soil raptured, two weeks were required for the wetting front to move this distance. Grain size and packing play a role by limiting the capillary pressure build-up and the bubbling pressure. This phenomenon should emphasize precautions to be followed in applying laboratory infiltration results to engineering predictions of field conditions.
Open Wilson lines and chiral condensates in thermal holographic QCD

We investigate various aspects of a proposal by Aharony and Kutasov [O. Aharony and D. Kutasov, Phys. Rev. D 78, 026005 (2008).] for the gravity dual of an open Wilson line in the Sakai-Sugimoto model or its noncompact version. In particular, we use their proposal to determine the effect of finite temperature, as well as background electric and magnetic fields, on the chiral symmetry breaking order parameter. We also generalize their prescription to more complicated worldsheets and identify the operators dual to such worldsheets.
The epistemology of Deep Brain Stimulation and neuronal pathophysiology

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a remarkable therapy succeeding where all manner of pharmacological manipulations and brain transplants fail. The success of DBS has resurrected the relevance of electrophysiology and dynamics on the order of milliseconds. Despite the remarkable effects of DBS, its mechanisms of action are largely unknown. There has been an expanding catalogue of various neuronal and neural responses to DBS or DBS-like stimulation but no clear conceptual encompassing explanatory scheme has emerged despite the technological prowess and intellectual sophistication of the scientists involved. Something is amiss. If the scientific observations are sound, then why has there not been more progress? The alternative is that it may be the hypotheses that frame the questions are at fault as well as the methods of inference (logic) used to validate the hypotheses. An analysis of the past and current notions of the DBS mechanisms of action is the subject in order to identify the presuppositions (premises) and logical fallacies that may be at fault. The hope is that these problems will be avoided in the future so the DBS can realize its full potential quickly. In this regard, the discussion of the methods of inference and presuppositions that underlie many current notions is no different then a critique of experimental methods common in scientific discussions and consequently, examinations of the epistemology and logic are appropriate. This analysis is in keeping with the growing appreciation among scientists and philosophers of science, the scientific observations (data) to not “speak for themselves” nor is the scientific method self-evidently true and that consideration of the underlying inferential methods is necessary.
Using implications to choose tests through suspect fault identification

As circuits continue to scale to smaller feature sizes, wearout and latent defects are expected to cause an increasing number of errors in the field. Online error detection techniques, including logic implication-based checker hardware, are capable of detecting at least some of these errors as they occur. However, recovery may be expensive, and the underlying problem may lead to multiple failures of a core over time. In this article, we will investigate the diagnostic capability of logic implications to identify possible failure locations when an error is detected online. We will then utilize this information to select a highly efficient test set that can be used to effectively test the identified suspect locations in both the failing core and in other identical cores in the system.
MDCT of the hand and wrist: beyond trauma

High-resolution multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) has played a pivotal role in assessing patients following trauma; however, recent advancements in technology including dual-energy CT, as well as multiplanar and three-dimensional (3D) capabilities, are expanding the potential clinical applications of CT to include nontraumatic pathologies. This article will review optimal technical parameters for the creation of MDCT and 3DCT images and illustrate the imaging capabilities of 3DCT imaging for demonstrating nontraumatic hand and wrist pathology.
An Experimental Earth-Satellite Transmission Of Radiological Information

The experiment now to be described was carried out more than two years ago and an account of it has already been published in a radiological journal(1). It is presented here, then, not because of its technical novelty (though it was, so far as we know, a "first" at the time it was performed) but rather because it complements other methods, reported at this meeting, of transmitting radiological images over long distances.© (1974) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Detecting and classifying scars, marks, and tattoos found in the wild

Within the forensics community, there is a growing interest in automatic biometric-based approaches for describing subjects in an image. By labeling scars, marks and tattoos, a collection of these discriminative attributes can be assigned to images and used to assist in large-scale person search and identification. Typically, the imagery considered in a forensics context consists to some degree of uncontrolled, unprofessionally generated photographs. Recent work has shown that it is quite feasible to detect scars and marks, as well as categorize tattoos, presuming that the source imagery is controlled in some manner. In this work, we introduce a new methodology for detecting and classifying scars, marks and tattoos found in unconstrained imagery typical of forensics scenarios. Novel approaches for initial feature detection and automatic segmentation are described. We also consider the “open set” nature of the classification problem, and describe an appropriate machine learning methodology that addresses it. An extensive series of experiments for representative unconstrained data is presented, highlighting the effectiveness of our approach for images found “in the wild”.
Capturing strain localization in dense sands with random density

SUMMARY This paper presents a three-invariant constitutive framework suitable for the numerical analyses of localization instabilities in granular materials exhibiting unstructured random density. A recently proposed elastoplastic model for sands based on critical state plasticity is enhanced with the third stress invariant to capture the difference in the compressive and extensional yield strengths commonly observed in geomaterials undergoing plastic deformation. The new three-invariant constitutive model, similar to its two-invariant predecessor, is capable of accounting for meso-scale inhomogeneities as well as material and geometric nonlinearities. Details regarding the numerical implementation of the model into a fully nonlinear finite element framework are presented and a closed-form expression for the consistent tangent operator, whose spectral form is used in the strain localization analyses, is derived. An algorithm based on the spectral form of the so-called acoustic tensor is proposed to search for the necessary conditions for deformation bands to develop. The aforementioned framework is utilized in a series of boundary-value problems on dense sand specimens whose density fields are modelled as exponentially distributed unstructured random fields to account for the effect of inhomogeneities at the meso-scale and the intrinsic uncertainty associated with them. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A web-shareable real-world imaging problem for enhancing an image-processing curriculum

A real-world laboratory exercise is presented for image processing and related curricula. The exercise is a traffic-monitoring problem in which a truck must be tracked as it moves across a bridge and its velocity measured. Sequential images are taken from a dedicated Web camera that views the Smart Composite Bridge on the University of Missouri-Rolla campus. The prototype bridge is a field laboratory for several interdisciplinary courses, including a Machine Vision elective. The Machine Vision image-processing elective uses the traffic-monitoring exercise to give students experience with processing complex images, tracking image markers, and applying theoretical orthographic concepts. The laboratory exercise uses an image sequence acquired during the springtime with multiple potential markers available on the truck for assignment flexibility. A wintertime image sequence with snowy conditions is also available for assignment flexibility. This paper discusses the bridge and camera resources, the traffic-monitoring laboratory exercise description, and the Machine Vision course implementation and evaluation. Two versions of the traffic-monitoring exercise, including two image sequences and orthographic MATLAB code, are available on the bridge Website.
Epidemiology and prevention of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in the United States.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are multidrug-resistant organisms with few treatment options that cause infections associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. CRE outbreaks have been increasingly reported worldwide and are mainly due to the emergence and spread of strains that produce carbapenemases. In the United States, transmission of CRE is primarily driven by the spread of organisms carrying the Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase enzyme, but other carbapenemase enzymes, such as the New-Delhi metallo-β-lactamase, have also emerged. Currently recommended control strategies for healthcare facilities include the detection of patients infected or colonized with CRE and implementation of measures to prevent further spread. In addition to efforts in individual facilities, effective CRE control requires coordination across all healthcare facilities in a region. This review describes the current epidemiology and surveillance of CRE in the United States and the recommended approach to p...
Reading the Stars: Age Bias in Morningstar Ratings

Comparisons of Morningstar ratings may be affected by fund age and market conditions during the evaluation period.
Effect of Sympathetic Nerve Stimulation on Pulmonary Vascular Resistance in the Dog

The effect of sympathetic nerve stimulation on the pulmonary circulation was studied in a hemodynamically separated dog lung in which blood flow was maintained constant with a pump. Electrical stimulation of the stellate ganglia at 3, 10, and 30 cps produced a significant increase in mean lobar arterial perfusion pressure. Since lobar blood flow and left atrial pressure did not change during nerve excitation, the increase in lobar arterial pressure reflected an increase in vascular resistance across the lung. The increase in pulmonary vascular resistance was dependent on the stimulus frequency, and the time from the onset of stimulation to the attainment of the peak response was inversely related to the stimulus frequency. The response to nerve stimulation was decreased by alpha-receptor blocking agents. Lobar perfusion with a roller pump had an effect similar to perfusion with a piston pump. The response to nerve stimulation was independent of changes in rate, rhythm, and volume of respiration, changes in aortic blood pressure, and changes in airway resistance. The effects of stellate stimulation and of injected norepinephrine on vascular resistance were similar in the hemodynamically separated lobe. In essence, sympathetic nerve stimulation produced an active increase in vascular resistance in the pulmonary circulation, and the contribution of passive factors such as changes in respiration, bronchomotor tone, and bronchial circulation was minimal. Since the response was blocked by phentolamine, the increase in pulmonary vascular resistance in response to nerve stimulation was attributed to activation of alpha receptors in the pulmonary vascular bed by neurally released norepinephrine. These results demonstrate that pulmonary vascular resistance can be increased at stimulus frequencies in the physiological range of discharge for the sympathetic nervous system.
Saturday, August 28, 2010—outskirts of Lafayette, IN

At 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, Mona turned her little green Geo into the dirt driveway of Susan and Jim Hack’s farm. Delta directed Mona to park between the house and the barn, immediately in front of what had been the pig pen on Delta’s last visit.
Analysis of notch lacking the carboxyl terminus identified in Drosophila embryos.

The cell surface receptor Notch is required during development of Drosophila melanogaster for differentiation of numerous tissues. Notch is often required for specification of precursor cells by lateral inhibition and subsequently for differentiation of tissues from these precursor cells. We report here that certain embryonic cells and tissues that develop after lateral inhibition, like the connectives and commissures of the central nervous system, are enriched for a form of Notch not recognized by antibodies made against the intracellular region carboxy-terminal of the CDC10/Ankyrin repeats. Western blotting and immunoprecipitation analyses show that Notch molecules lacking this region are produced during embryogenesis and form protein complexes with the ligand Delta. Experiments with cultured cells indicate that Delta promotes accumulation of a Notch intracellular fragment lacking the carboxyl terminus. Furthermore, Notch lacking the carboxyl terminus functions as a receptor for Delta. These results suggest that Notch activities during development include generation and activity of a truncated receptor we designate NΔCterm.
Prenatal origins of carpal fusions

As shown in 138 embryos and fetuses in the 40-285 mm crown-rump length range, carpal and carpal-metacarpal "fusions" arise from incomplete separation of the cartilaginous precursors rather than from failure of initiation, thus accounting for the "fusions" seen in postnatal radiographs and the grooves that are evident enough in adult fusions. Radiographs selected from over 20,000 apparently normal individuals provide postnatal counterparts for the prenatal examples shown in histological sections.
Arterial Switch Operation with Ventricular Septal Defect Repair and Aortic Arch Reconstruction

The arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries or double outlet right ventricle with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and aortic arch obstruction is a challenging procedure. One-stage neonatal repair is preferred; however, palliation may be indicated in the newborn who presents with Swiss cheese septum or the patient with extracardiac complications such as necrotizing enterocolitis or subarachnoid hemorrhage. The aortic arch repair is performed with continuous cerebral perfusion and includes patch enlargement of the transverse aortic arch and ascending aorta to control for the important diameter mismatch between the aorta and the pulmonary root. The VSD is no longer closed through the pulmonary valve. Instead, the VSD is approached through the aortic valve after harvesting of the coronary buttons and/or through the tricuspid valve and, if necessary, through an infundibulotomy. The coronary artery transfer is often complex because of the presence of unusual coronary artery patterns and requires precise technique. Subaortic obstruction is often present and requires correction. The right ventricle can be mildly hypoplastic but is not a contraindication to repair unless there is important tricuspid stenosis.
The Impact of Changing Pathogens of Serious Infections in Hospitalized Patients

New epidemiological patterns are being observed for multidrug-resistant nosocomial organisms. Current problems include the appearance of resistance determinants in organisms that are virulent enough to cause infection in patients with normal host defenses. In addition, multidrug-resistant organisms are spreading from health care to community settings, and organisms from the community are spreading to health care settings. The appearance and spread of resistance can be examined both at a molecular level and on a larger scale involving several pathways. Potential pathways within institutions include the following: introduction of new strains from outside sources (e.g., patients or health care workers from other institutions); exchange of resistance determinants via genetic mutation or transfer of genetic material; emergence or selection of resistant strains following exposure to antimicrobials; and clonal dissemination. Strategies such as multidisciplinary management of infections, appropriate infection control measures, and surveillance of resistance patterns are necessary to address the problem of resistance.
Transformation Plasticity and Toughening in CeO2‐Partially‐Stabilized Zirconia–Alumina (Ce‐TZP/Al2O3) Composites Doped with MnO

Microstructure, phase stability, and mechanical properties of CeO2-partially-stabilized zirconia (12 mol% Ce-TZP) containing 10 wt% Al2O3 and 1.5 wt% MnO were studied in relation to the base Ce-TZP and the Ce-TZP/Al2O3 composite without MnO. The MnO reacted with both CeO2 and Al2O3 to form a new phase of approximate composition CeMnAl11O19. The reacted phase had a magnetoplumbite structure and formed elongated, needlelike crystals. The MnO-doped Ce-TZP/Al2O3 composites sintered at an optimum temperature of 1550°C exhibited high strength (650 MPa in four-point bending) and rising crack-growth-resistance behavior, with fracture toughness increasing from 7.6 to 10.3 MPa.In12 in compact tension tests. These improved mechanical properties were associated with relatively high tetragonal-to-monoclinic transformation temperature (Ms=−42°C) at small grain size (2.5 μm), significant transformation plasticity in mechanical tests (bending, uniaxial tension, and uniaxial compression) and transformation zones at crack tips in compact tension specimens. The transformation yield stress, zone size, and fracture toughness were sensitive to the sintering temperature varied in the range 1500° to 1600°C. Analysis of the transformation zones using Raman microprobe spectroscopy and calculation of zone shielding for the observed zones indicated that a large fraction of the fracture toughness (∼70%) was derived from transformation toughening.
Chronic kidney disease and disasters: what may the societies do?

Patients with ESRD live in a complex medicosocial milieu, composed in part of nephrologists, physicians, nurses, dieticians, technicians, social workers, and custodial personnel, as well as family, friends, or neighbors. To add to the complexity, patients with ESRD must interface with local and federal governmental and insurance and large dialysis organizations (1). Patients who have ESRD and are treated with dialysis are utterly dependent on peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis techniques for survival. For these patients, water distribution systems, ground deliveries, and the existence and function of dialysis centers with adequate supplies, access, light, heat, water delivery systems, and transportation infrastructure are absolutely essential to life. Patients with chronic kidney disease have specific and critical needs regarding diet and medications. Disasters have shown us how tenuous our health care delivery systems may be, especially for patients with complex needs. Social support and networks are associated with differential survival of patients with and without renal disease (2). Residence is also a critical but poorly studied factor, which probably affects outcomes in patients with ESRD (3). Heart-rending stories of parents and children separated by airlifting to ensure provision of dialysis services to patients, perhaps at the expense of disruption of critical emotional relationships, highlight the essential nature of such family and social networks. Although Hurricane Katrina put these issues into stark focus recently, disasters that affect our patients can present in varied forms, including blackouts, floods, fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, explosions, and nuclear mishaps, as well as others that are perhaps too …
ACTIVITY AND RESISTANCE TO THERMAL INACTIVATION OF PEROXIDASE IN THE BLUE CRAB (Callinectes sapidus)

Peroxidase is one of the most heat resistant enzymes and may cause undesirable quality changes in thermally processed foods. Peroxidase activity and its resistance to thermal inactivation in fresh and pasteurized lump, claw and flake meat of both male and female blue crabs was determined spectrophotometrically. Male crabs usually exhibited a greater initial activity (ΔOD4 6 0/min/mg N) than did females of equal size. Heat inactivation curves indicated two straight line decreasing segments which varied by rate of descent. D values obtained for the enzyme based on the second straight line segment were D8 0=47 min, D1 1 0=18.2 min and D1 5 0= 11.2 min. A “z” value of 92°F was also obtained for the enzyme.
Why serial assessments of cardiac surgery patients' neurobehavioral performances are misleading.

thatreads: “The individual change in performance frombaseline to a time after operation is essential to anyevaluation of the impact of the operation or anyintervention associated with it” [1].We vigorously endorse standardized and rigorous neu-ropsychological methods and commend the efforts of theresearchers and clinicians who contributed to the
Across-site variation in detection thresholds and maximum comfortable loudness levels for cochlear implants.

In cochlear implants, variation across stimulation sites in psychophysical detection thresholds (T levels) and maximum comfortable loudness levels (C levels) can be large when narrow-bipolar (BP) stimulation is used. This across-site variation is typically smaller when monopolar (MP) stimulation is used. At least two models can account for across-site variation and the effects of electrode configuration on the magnitude of the variation. According to one model, across-site variation reflects site-to-site differences in the distances between the stimulating electrodes and the sites of action-potential initiation. Under this model, the lower across-site variation with MP stimulation is due to shallower current versus distance gradients. An alternative model assumes that T and C levels depend on integration of activity across the whole population of neurons and that MP stimulation activates neurons over a larger spatial extent than does BP stimulation. If T and C levels are determined by integration of activity across large overlapping populations of neurons, then their values at adjacent sites should be more similar than if these levels result from integration across smaller, more independent populations. We tested the models by examining the effects on across-site variation of three variables believed to affect the spatial extent of activation: electrode configuration, stimulus level within the dynamic range, and electrode-array design. T levels and C levels were measured in 13 subjects with Nucleus® CI24M (straight array) and 9 subjects with Nucleus® CI24R(CS) (Contour) cochlear implants using bipolar (BP) and monopolar (MP) electrode configurations. Site-to-site variation in T and C levels for BP stimulation was 2.1–3.3 times larger than that for MP stimulation. Contrary to the across-neuron integration hypothesis, no significant differences were found between across-site variation for T levels and that for C levels for the BP configuration. There was considerable overlap in site-to-site variation values for the two types of implants but mean site-to-site variation in C levels for CI24M implants was significantly lower than that for CI24R(CS) implants. Control studies suggested that these results were not an artifact of the scale, and not due to differences in inherent variability of the psychophysical measures, or to the method of quantifying across-site variation.
Beliefs of Science Teachers Toward the Teaching of Science/Technological/Social Issues: Are We Addressing National Standards?

As science educators, we must view the changing nature of society brought on by technology and the global nature of society as an impetus to reexamine the nature of science instruction. We have bee...
Silicic acid incorporation in marine diatoms on light:dark cycles: Use as an assay for phased cell division 1

The timing of silicon incorporation in diatom populations grown on 1ight:dark cycles was monitored using [68Ge]Ge(OH)4 as a tracer for Si(OH)4. The time-course of frustule formation closely followed the time-course of cell division in all species examined, and the timing of these processes relative to the 1ight:dark cycle was different for each species. Total uptake of Si(OH)4 was found to be higher than Si(OH) 4 incorporation in some species. Seawater samples from the Gulf of California and the Southern California Bight also showed periodicity in Si(OH)4 incorporation when incubated outside under ambient light and surface temperature. The degree of periodicity seems to be inversely correlated with diatom species diversity in the samples, which is consistent with the hypothesis that the pulses in Si(OH)4 incorporation reflect phased cell division in individual species of diatoms.
Meeting the World Challenges with Advanced System Organizations

We have been witnessing numerous world crises and disasters—from ecological to military to economic, with global dynamics likely to be increasing further. The paper highlights known holistic and gestalt principles mainly used for a single brain, extending them to any distributed systems which may need high integrity and performance in reaction to unpredictable situations. A higher organizational layer is proposed enabling any distributed resources to behave as an organism having global “consciousness” and pursuing global goals. This “over-operability” layer is established by implanting into key system points the same copy of a universal intelligent module, which can communicate with other such modules and interpret collectively global mission scenarios presented in a special Distributed Scenario Language. The behavioral scenarios can be injected from any module, and then self-replicate, self-modify, and self-spread throughout the system to be managed, tasking individual components, activating distributed resources, and establishing runtime infrastructures supporting system’s integrity. Existing and prospective applications are outlined and discussed, confirming the paradigm’s suitability for solving world problems.