cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Establishment of time-resolved fluoroimmunoassays for detection of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I in rainbow trout plasma.

Abstract The GH/IGF-I axis influences many aspects of salmonid life history and is involved in a variety of physiological processes that are related to somatic growth (e.g., reproduction, smoltification, and the response to fasting and stress). As such, fisheries studies utilize GH/IGF-I axis components as indicators of growth and metabolic status. This study established time-resolved fluoroimmunoassays (TR-FIAs) for rainbow trout plasma GH and IGF-I using commercially available reagents. For the GH TR-FIA, the ED80 and ED20 were 0.6 and 28.1 ng/mL, the minimum detection limit was 0.2 ng/mL, and the intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation (%CV) were 4.1% and 13.4%, respectively. Ethanol remaining from acid-ethanol cryoprecipitation (AEC) of plasma samples to remove IGF binding proteins reduced binding and increased variability in the IGF-I TR-FIA. Drying down and reconstituting extracted samples restored binding and reduced variability. The extraction efficiency of IGF-I standards through AEC, drying down, and reconstitution did not vary over the working range of the assay. For the IGF-I TR-FIA, the ED80 and ED20 were 0.2 and 6.5 ng/mL, the minimum detection limit was 0.03 ng/mL, and the intra- and inter-assay %CV were 3.0% and 6.5%, respectively. Biological validation was provided by GH injection and fasting studies in rainbow trout. Intraperitoneal injection with bovine GH increased plasma IGF-I levels. Four weeks of fasting decreased body weight, increased plasma GH levels, and decreased plasma IGF-I levels. The GH and IGF-I TR-FIAs established herein provide a cost-comparable, non-radioisotopic method for quantifying salmonid plasma GH and IGF-I using commercially available reagents.
The Smell of Smudge, the Work of Smoke: Reenacting Native American Ritual in an Anthropology Course

Drawing on exercises performed in several of his classes at Bucknell University, Ned Searles shows how ethnographic performances provide students with a set of learning experiences that texts, class discussions, and films cannot reproduce. In exposing his students to ethnographically-informed sensory experiences such as a prolonged moment of silence, the manipulation of one’s qi, and a thanksgiving ceremony involving smoke and prayer, he shows how performing ethnography in the classroom can broaden student perspectives, cultivate communitas, and encourage students to think more deeply—and question more critically—their taken-for-granted assumptions about the world. One of performances is a smudge ceremony that draws on elements of Haudenosaunee spirituality and cosmology. It is designed to enable students to experience firsthand how and why the Haudenosaunee, an indigenous people with longstanding ties to Bucknell, value rituals—as do other Native American groups—as key elements in the quest for cultural autonomy and collective resilience.
The US Government Bond Liquidity during the COVID-19 Pandemic

I study whether the Federal Reserve interventions had been effective in supporting the government bond liquidity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Treasuries illiquidity measures surpassed the Great Recession levels during the period. Illiquidity spikes do not seem to match with proposed explanatory events. It took the Federal Reserve two interventions and approximately two weeks to normalize the nominal bonds liquidity, including the most liquid on-the-run bonds. At the same time, the Federal Reserve interventions had almost no effect on the illiquidity spike in inflation-linked bonds, which, while milder, turned out to be much more persistent than in nominal Treasuries.
Social, Human and Positive Psychological Capital in the Labour Market Re‐integration of People Deported to the Dominican Republic

Author(s): Ceciliano-Navarro, Y; Golash-Boza, T | Abstract: More than six million people have been deported from the United States since 1996. The Dominican Republic is one of the top ten countries to which deportees are sent. Most scholarship on deportation focuses on the challenges deportees face post-deportation. There is also a long history of scholarship on how migrants draw from social, human and financial capital to integrate into host societies. This article thus asks what forms of capital are useful for deportees’ re-integration and focuses on the forms of capital deportees draw from to survive in the aftermath of deportation. An analysis of 60 in-depth interviews with Dominican deportees reveals how deportees’ combination of limited human capital, fractured social capital and positive psychological capital assists in their re-integration. Results also show that access to employment is not only an important step in social and economic integration, but that it also helps deportees to achieve emotional stability.
Multiscale assessment of land surface phenology from harmonized Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2, PlanetScope, and PhenoCam imagery

Abstract As the spatial and temporal resolution of remotely sensed imagery has improved over the last four decades, algorithms for monitoring and mapping seasonal changes in surface properties have evolved rapidly. Most recently, the availability of daily PlanetScope imagery has created new opportunities for monitoring the land surface phenology (LSP) of terrestrial ecosystems at high spatial resolution. However, the quality and value of LSP information from PlanetScope imagery have not been systematically examined. In this paper, we evaluate the character and quality of LSP information derived from PlanetScope by comparing time series of vegetation indices and LSP metrics from PlanetScope to corresponding time series and LSP metrics derived from Harmonized Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 (HLS) imagery and PhenoCams at six sites that span a diverse range of land cover types and climate. Results show that vegetation index time series from all three data sources show high temporal correlation, and LSP metrics derived from HLS, PlanetScope, and PhenoCam show high agreement with negligible bias. Semi-variograms for phenometrics estimated from PlanetScope imagery indicate that the majority of spatial variance captured in PlanetScope phenometrics occurs well below the spatial resolution HLS imagery. At the same time, LSP metrics from HLS are most strongly correlated with the 50–75% quantiles of 3 m LSP metrics from PlanetScope. This indicates that HLS captures the average phenology at sub-pixel scale captured in PlanetScope imagery. Our results represent the first comprehensive comparison of LSP metrics estimated from PlanetScope and publicly available moderate spatial resolution imagery, and provide insights regarding: (1) the quality and character of LSP metrics derived from HLS and PlanetScope; and (2) the relative merits and trade-offs associated with the use of each data source for LSP studies.
Minocycline fails to treat chronic traumatic brain injury-induced impulsivity and attention deficits

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) impacts millions worldwide and can cause lasting psychiatric symptoms. Chronic neuroinflammation is a characteristic of post-injury pathology and is also associated with psychiatric conditions such as ADHD and bipolar disorder. Therefore, the current study sought to determine whether TBI-induced impulsivity and inattention could be treated using minocycline, an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties. Rats were trained on the five-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRT), a measure of motor impulsivity and attention. After behavior was stable on the 5CSRT, rats received either a bilateral frontal TBI or sham procedure. Minocycline was given at either an early (1 h post-injury) or chronic (9 weeks post-injury) timepoint. Minocycline was delivered every 12 h for 5 days (45 mg/kg, i.p.). Behavioral testing on the 5CSRT began again after one week of recovery and continued for 12 more weeks, then rats were transcardially perfused. Impulsivity and inattention were both substantially increased following TBI. Minocycline had no therapeutic effects at either the early or late time points. TBI rats had increased lesion volume, but minocycline did not attenuate lesion size. Additionally, microglia count measured by IBA-1+ cells was only increased acutely after TBI, and minocycline did not differentially change the number of microglia in TBI rats. Despite this, minocycline had clear effects on the gut microbiome. Based on the results of this study, minocycline may have limited efficacy for post-injury psychiatric-like symptoms.
Information Processing in Mentally Retarded Individuals

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews a general stage model to reflect the various mental operations that comprise performance when a subject is rapidly processing visually presented stimuli. The memory research is based on paradigms substantially different from the information processing research. Changes may occur with development, but the crucial point is that the changes are not under the control of the individual. Tasks tapping central processes display varying results. The retarded perform similar to equal-MA control groups, indicating that the performance difference is because of the developmental immaturity rather than low intelligence. Non-retarded individuals display differential performance adjustments when variables affecting central processes or response processes are manipulated. Several intelligence X treatment interactions observed in tasks tapping central processes disappear when MA-matched controls are employed. Others are eliminated when experimental controls for differential familiarity with the stimuli are introduced. The results suggest that the retarded are characterized by a lag in the development of certain central processes structural defect in their processing systems. The performance differences in tasks tapping response processes are because of a developmental lag.
Rocket Immunoelectrophoresis of the Entomocidal Parasporal Crystal of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki

Rocket immunoelectrophoresis was used to quantitate the soluble parasporal crystal of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki. The method described is rapid, reliable, specific, and extremely accurate, and it can be used to measure crystal toxin in commercial microbial insecticides that contain a mixture of spores, vegetative cells, and carrier materials.
An assessment of group support systems research: results

Reports on the results of 200 group support system (GSS) experiments that have been published between 1971 and June 1998. 1582 hypotheses resulting from pairings of independent and dependent variables were categorized and analyzed. The results show that the modal outcome for GSSs compared to face-to-face (FtF) methods is "no difference", while the overall percentage of positive effects for hypotheses that compare GSSs to FtF is a disappointing 16.6%. These results vary by task type, the number of experimental groups per cell and the type of dependent variable measured. The purpose of this paper is to aid the GSS researcher by presenting detailed results of what has been studied and found in previous experiments, along with a discussion of what needs to be studied.
Biological information processing: bits of progress.

At a meeting held in Hanover, Germany, from 2 to 4 March 1997, researchers from a wide range of disciplines met to discuss information processing. Several common principles seem to apply across biological fields. Two themes emerged: Biochemical pathways are used in many contexts for computation, and pulses serve to code information in a variety of systems.
Screening for DSM‐IV‐TR cognitive disorder NOS in Parkinson's disease using the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale

Objective This study explores the utility of the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS) as a screening tool for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis cognitive disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods A total of 125 individuals with PD were diagnosed using DSM-IV-TR criteria for cognitive disorder NOS and dementia. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) tested the discriminant validity of the MDRS, with the clinician's diagnosis serving as the gold standard. Results The MDRS ROC curve to discriminate subjects with cognitive disorder NOS from non-demented subjects had an area under the curve of 0.59 (standard error = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.43–0.74). Conclusions The MDRS is not effective for identifying PD patients with cognitive disorder NOS without dementia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Communication in Naturally Mobile Sensor Networks

Naturally mobile sensors networks are ad-hoc sensor networks in which nodes move under the control of the environment, for example for nodes attached to animals or for nodes drifting with currents on the surface of the water. In this paper we study communication in one type of naturally mobile network, where motion can be modeled as a random walk approximation to Brownian motion. This model captures the movement of societies of animals such as grazing herds. We analyze information propagation in such networks using a reaction-diffusion approach.
Differential modulation of actin-severing activity of gelsolin by multiple isoforms of cultured rat cell tropomyosin. Potentiation of protective ability of tropomyosins by 83-kDa nonmuscle caldesmon.

Abstract Multiple isoforms of tropomyosin (TM) of rat cultured cells show differential effects on actin-severing activity of gelsolin. Flow birefringence measurements have revealed that tropomyosin isoforms with high Mr values (high Mr TMs) partially protect actin filaments from fragmentation by gelsolin, while tropomyosins with low Mr values (low Mr TMs) have no significant protection even when the actin filaments have been fully saturated with low Mr TMs. We have also examined effect of nonmuscle caldesmon on the severing activity of gelsolin because 83-kDa nonmuscle caldesmon stimulates actin binding of rat cell TMs (Yamashiro-Matsumura, S., and Matsumura, F. (1988) J. Cell Biol. 106, 1973-1983). While nonmuscle caldesmon alone or low Mr TMs alone show no significant protection against fragmentation by gelsolin, the low Mr TMs coupled with 83-kDa protein are able to protect actin filaments. Further, high Mr TMs together with 83-kDa protein appear to block the severing activity completely. Electron microscopic analyses of length distribution of actin filaments have confirmed the results. The average length of control actin filaments is measured as 1.46 +/- microns, and gelsolin shortens the average length to 0.084 +/- 0.039 micron. Similar short average lengths are obtained when gelsolin severs actin complexed with low Mr TMs (0.080 +/- 0.045 micron) or with nonmuscle caldesmon (0.11 +/- 0.072 micron) while longer average length (0.22 +/- 0.18 micron) is measured in the presence of high Mr TMs. The simultaneous addition of nonmuscle caldesmon makes the average length considerably longer, i.e. 0.61 +/- 0.37 micron in the presence of low Mr TMs and 1.57 +/- 0.97 micron in the presence of high Mr TMs. Furthermore, the actin binding of gelsolin is strongly inhibited by co-addition of high Mr TMs and nonmuscle caldesmon. These results suggest that TM and gelsolin share the same binding site on actin molecules and that the differences in the actin affinities between TMs are related to their abilities of protection against gelsolin.
Refractoriness of rhesus monkeys to repeated ovarian stimulation by exogenous gonadotropins is caused by nonprecipitating antibodies.

: Oocytes obtained from superstimulated rhesus monkeys are needed for in vitro fertilization experiments. The animals become refractory to repeated ovarian stimulation by pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG). Production of antibodies against PMSG was suspected. Antibodies were not detected by gel-diffusion tests, but were found using ELISA procedures in sera from all monkeys that had been treated with PMSG. Sera from seven of nine treated monkeys had antibodies that cross-reacted with FSH-P. An ovarian stimulation test using golden hamsters showed that sera from PMSG-treated rhesus monkeys completely blocked superstimulation of follicle development and ovarian weight gain by PMSG. This study demonstrates that the refractoriness of rhesus monkeys to repeated ovarian stimulation by PMSG is due to the production of nonprecipitating antibodies to PMSG that effectively block the activity of PMSG on the ovary. Formation of these antibodies may preclude use of other gonadotropin preparations in refractory monkeys. Alternative ovarian stimulation procedures avoiding use of gonadotropin preparations need to be developed to permit repeated treatment of rhesus monkeys for multiple oocyte collection.
Modeling and simulation of titania formation and growth in temporal mixing layers

Abstract Direct numerical simulation of the formation and growth of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in two-dimensional, temporal mixing layers is performed. Titania is produced by the gas-phase hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride at a temperature of 300 K. The flow field is obtained by solving the Navier–Stokes equations and evolution of the particle field is obtained via a nodal method. The approach approximates the aerosol general dynamic equation and is advantageous in that there are no a priori assumptions regarding the nature of the particle size distribution. The formation and growth of particles up to and including 128 nm in diameter in iso-thermal flows are studied. Simulations are performed for two initial reactant concentration levels. The evolution of the particle field as a function of space, time and size is presented. Results indicate that particle formation and growth is mixing limited and particles grow faster with increasing initial reactant levels. Additionally, the results indicate rather large geometric standard deviations that vary significantly throughout the computational domain.
An investigation on the conditions of pruning an induced decision tree

Abstract Empirical studies have shown that pruning a decision tree can increase the accuracy of a learned concept. A recent result identified conditions under which pruning techniques increase prediction accuracy. However, this result is based on samples of size three. This paper provides a generalization of previous results and investigates conditions where pruning is beneficial for concept accuracy as well as concept simplification. We show that pruning is theoretically useful in many situations.
Complex Temperature Dependent Equilibria Dictate DNA Polymerase Exchange Processes during Synthesis

Most organisms encode for multiple DNA polymerases with similar substrate affinities, but vastly different fidelities. Proper genomic maintenance by the high fidelity (PolB1) and lesion bypass polymerases (PolY) from Sulfolobus solfataricus involves a complex solution equilibria of protein complexes and specific recognition of appropriate DNA substrates. Using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and temperature dependent electrophoretic mobility shift assays (tEMSAs), we have found differences in oligomeric assemblies of Dpo1 and Dpo4 on DNA that include unusually strong temperature dependence changes in heat capacity (ΔCp), which switch from positive to negative values as temperature increases over a 60°C range. The thermodynamic data suggests that binding of PolB1 to DNA is favored over PolY by changes in solution multiequilibria (monomer-oligomer) with temperature that influence ΔCp values. We have also followed polymerase exchange events between PolB1 and PolY and themselves and with the sliding clamp, PCNA, during active DNA synthesis using ensemble kinetic and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays. Surprisingly, the assembled PolB1 holoenzyme complex synthesizes DNA distributively and with low processivity, unlike most other well-characterized DNA polymerase holoenzyme complexes. Exchange between polymerases is temperature and concentration dependent process that is orchestrated by several contacts with PCNA. Simultaneous binding of PolB1 and PolY1 to PCNA allows for dynamic exchange of polymerase active sites during replication and lesion bypass synthesis. Taken together, our results distinguish between specific thermodynamic parameters including temperature dependent coupled equilibria and structural complementary; kinetic processes; and protein contacts that direct binding for uninterrupted but dynamic DNA replication and repair processes at high temperatures.
Spatial summation properties of the human ocular following response (OFR): dependence upon the spatial frequency of the stimulus.

Ocular following responses (OFRs) are the initial tracking eye movements that can be elicited at ultra-short latency by sudden motion of a textured pattern. The OFR magnitude depends upon stimulus size, and also upon the spatial frequency (SF) of sine-wave gratings. Here we investigate the interaction of size and SF. We recorded initial OFRs in human subjects when 1D vertical sine-wave gratings were subject to horizontal motion. Gratings were restricted to elongated horizontal apertures—“strips”—aligned with the axis of motion. In Experiment 1 the SF and the height of a single strip was manipulated. The magnitude of the OFR increased with strip height up to some optimum value, while strip heights greater than this optimum produced smaller responses. This effect was strongly dependent on SF: the optimum strip height was smaller for higher SFs. In order to explore the underlying mechanism, Experiment 2 measured OFRs to stimuli composed of two thin horizontal strips—one in the upper visual field, the other in the lower visual field—whose vertical separation varied 32-fold. Stimuli of different sizes can be reconstructed from the sum of such horizontal strips. We found that the OFRs in Experiment 1 were smaller than the sum of the responses to the component stimuli, but greater than the average of those responses. We defined an averaging coefficient that described whether a given response was closer to the sum or to the average. For any one SF, the averaging coefficients were similar over a wide range of stimulus sizes, while they varied considerably (7-fold) for stimuli of different SFs.
Natural History of Cirrhosis

Significant strides have been made in the last few years in advancing our knowledge of the natural history of cirrhosis. These include (1) a better understanding of prognosis in compensated and decompensated cirrhosis, (2) improved estimates of the natural course of variceal bleeding in patients receiving standard of care therapy, (3) recognition of renal failure and infection as important determinants of mortality in the clinic course, (4) realization of the importance of hepatic venous pressure gradient as a marker of prognosis, progression, and treatment response, and (5) evolution of noninvasive studies of liver stiffness as potential predictors of decompensation. Further studies identifying cirrhotics at highest risk of transitioning from a compensated state to a decompensated state will be important in order to alter the natural history of cirrhosis.
Exploiting Partial Channel State Information for Secrecy over Wireless Channels

In this paper, we investigate the effect of partial channel state information on the achievable secure communication rates and secret-key generation rates over ergodic fading channels. In particular, we establish the strong secret-key capacity as well as lower bounds for the strong secrecy capacity of ergodic and block-ergodic fading channels with partial Channel State Information at the Transmitter(CSIT). Our analysis sheds light on the usefulness of CSIT to harness the benefits of fading for secrecy and allows us to quantify the penalty incurred by the lack of full CSIT. In particular, we numerically illustrate situations in which little CSIT is required to recover most of the benefits of fading and in which the legitimate terminals have an incentive to precisely characterize their channel.
Rodeo related large animal injury: is protective head-gear warranted?

To compare rodeo associated large animal injuries to large animal associated trauma from other aetiologies in order to determine whether mandatory protective head-gear during rodeo is warranted. Retrospective analysis related to injury involving large animal admissions between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1995.The setting is at the University of New Mexico Health Science Center, a level 1 trauma centre.All patients admitted with Injury Severity Scores of 1 or higher following large animal associated injuries.There were 140 admissions for which mechanism of injury was known. Thirty-nine occurred during rodeo competition and 101 occurred during other activities. Bovine associated activities were the aetiology in 34 (87%) of rodeo related injuries while equine related activities were the aetiology in 97 (96%) of non-rodeo related injuries (P<0.001). Rodeo related injuries involved the head and neck in five patients (13%) compared to 42 patients (42%) in non-rodeo activities (P=0.001). Mean Regional Injury Severity Score head and neck was 0.4 for injured rodeo riders and 1.5 for injured non-rodeo riders (P<0.001). Mean admission Glascow Coma Scale was 14.9 for rodeo-injured patients and 13.3 for non-rodeo-injured patients (P<0.001). Total ISS was significantly lower for rodeo injured patients (9.1 vs. 11.7, P=0.03). No rodeo injured patient died as a result of head injury. Mechanism of injury, ISS head, GCS, total ISS, and outcome differ between rodeo and non-rodeo injuries. While routine helmet use during non-rodeo events appears justified, mandatory use of helmets in rodeo events is unwarranted. Orthotics to protect the chest and abdomen are more likely to reduce morbidity and mortality for rodeo participants.
A semiclassical surface hopping formalism for solvent-induced vibrational relaxtion

Abstract A semiclassical surface hopping fomalism is developed for the time-dependent probability of transitions between vibrational states for a molecule in a solvent. An adiabatic separation of time scale is made between the fast vibrational motions and the comparatively slow solvents motions. The vibrational transition probability is evaluated by propagating the density for the system with the molecule in the initial vibrational state forward in time, and then projecting this propagated density onto the final vibrational state. Semiclassical non-adiabatic propagators are employed for the time propagation. The transitions take place in the from of discrete hops between the vibrational states, and integrations are performed over all possible hopping points. The method is quite general and allows for the interaction of any number of vibrational states and any number of hops.
Methylation and microRNA-mediated epigenetic regulation of SOCS3

Epigenetic gene silencing of several genes causes different pathological conditions in humans, and DNA methylation has been identified as one of the key mechanisms that underlie this evolutionarily conserved phenomenon associated with developmental and pathological gene regulation. Recent advances in the miRNA technology with high throughput analysis of gene regulation further increased our understanding on the role of miRNAs regulating multiple gene expression. There is increasing evidence supporting that the miRNAs not only regulate gene expression but they also are involved in the hypermethylation of promoter sequences, which cumulatively contributes to the epigenetic gene silencing. Here, we critically evaluated the recent progress on the transcriptional regulation of an important suppressor protein that inhibits cytokine-mediated signaling, SOCS3, whose expression is directly regulated both by promoter methylation and also by microRNAs, affecting its vital cell regulating functions. SOCS3 was identified as a potent inhibitor of Jak/Stat signaling pathway which is frequently upregulated in several pathologies, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, viral infections, and the expression of SOCS3 was inhibited or greatly reduced due to hypermethylation of the CpG islands in its promoter region or suppression of its expression by different microRNAs. Additionally, we discuss key intracellular signaling pathways regulated by SOCS3 involving cellular events, including cell proliferation, cell growth, cell migration and apoptosis. Identification of the pathway intermediates as specific targets would not only aid in the development of novel therapeutic drugs, but, would also assist in developing new treatment strategies that could successfully be employed in combination therapy to target multiple signaling pathways.
Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice: Practice Considerations and Challenges

Adult survivors of childhood trauma are an especially challenging group of clients, given the long-term effects of the victimization and the present day difficulties these individuals face. In this article, trauma-informed practice is explained, incorporating the most recent theoretical and empirical literature. The purpose is to educate and provide support to clinicians who encounter survivors of childhood trauma in a range of settings that are particularly likely to serve this population like addictions, mental health, forensics/corrections, and child welfare. The social worker neither ignores nor dwells exclusively on the past trauma. Rather, trauma-informed practitioners are sensitive to the ways in which the client’s current difficulties can be understood in the context of the past trauma. Further, they validate and normalize the client’s experiences. Trauma-informed practice requires the practitioner to understand how the working alliance, itself, can be used to address the long-term effects of the trauma. Emphasis is placed on helping survivors understand how their past influences the present and on empowering them to manage their present lives more effectively, using core skills of social work practice.
A process analysis of the effects of performance-contingent rewards on intrinsic motivation

Abstract In this study, the effects of performance-contingent rewards on intrinsic motivation were examined in comparison to no-reward controls receiving identical performance feedback. A path analytic process analysis was conducted to examine the mediation of reward effects on subsequent task interest. It was hypothesized that competence valuation, or the personal importance of doing well, would be an important mediator of interest in situations where performance feedback was available. Rewards were predicted to affect interest by influencing an individual's valuation of competence, and by altering the competence valuation mediation process. In addition, achievement orientation was hypothesized to interact with reward in affecting importance and the mediation process. Prior to performing an interesting puzzle, high school students were offered a performance-contingent reward, and then indicated how personally important it was to do well. After doing three puzzles, all subjects received positive feedback regarding their performance. Multiple regression analyses indicated that importance was affected by the experimental variables, and had a positive causal impact on subsequent intrinsic motivation. It was found that the promise of performance-contingent reward positively affected importance for low achievers relative to high achievers, and that the mediation of subsequent intrinsic interest by importance differed according to reward by achievement combinations. Additionally, a direct effect revealed that performance-contingent rewards significantly enhanced interest, relative to no-reward controls receiving identical performance feedback.
Vectors for plant transformation and cosmid libraries

A series of vectors has been constructed for the purpose of introducing cloned DNAs into plant genomes, using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation methods. One of these vectors, pCIT20, is a plasmid that contains a multiple cloning site (MCS), and a marker (Hph) that confers hygromycin resistance to plant cells. The others are all cosmid vectors which allow insertion of up to 46 kb of plant genomic DNA, and which also contain all of the necessary sequences for A. tumefaciens-mediated plant transformation. The cosmid vectors either contain a Hph marker (pCIT03), or a kanamycin-resistance marker (pCIT101–104). Three of the cosmid vectors (pCIT30, pCIT101, and pCIT103) carry bacteriophage T7 and SP6 promoters flanking the cloning Bg/II site, for synthesis of end-specific RNAs. The end-specific RNAs may be used as probes when labeled with radioactive or biotinylated nucleotides, for example, in a chromosome-walking experiment. The other two cosmid vectors (pCIT102 and pCIT104) carry restriction sites flanking the insertion site (XhoI) for convenient release of the insert by restriction digests. These sites, in combination with sites internal to the insert, allow the generation of end fragments for subcloning or labeling probes. These vectors should be valuable for isolation and analysis of plant genes, using transformation, library screening, and chromosome-walking approaches.
The Office of Management and Budget in a Changing Scene

Authors' Note: It is too early to provide a definitive view and appraisal of the Office of Management and Budget in the Reagan presidency. The discussion that follows is based partly on current and recent articles and a few recent monographs and books, many of which are credited in footnotes. In additon we have relied upon a considerable number of interviews with current participants and alumni of OMB as well as with some observers from outside. It would be impracticable to list those who helped us, but we are grateful to all of them. The substance of this article was completed in mid-July 1982.
The Test of Phoneme Identities: Predicting Alphabetic Insight in Prealphabetic Readers

To test the validity of the Test of Phoneme Identities (TPI), 97 kindergartners were administered the TPI and two other tests of phoneme awareness, measures of alphabet and nursery rhyme knowledge, and a measure of rudimentary decoding ability. The tpi proved reliable (α = .91) and comparable to the other phoneme awareness measures in predicting decoding ability in the full kindergarten sample. Thirty-four kindergartners identified as prealphabetic readers were taught to use the letters S and M as phonetic cues to distinguish rhyming printed words, an indicator of alphabetic insight. The tpi was shown to be more effective than the nursery rhyme and alphabet measures and the other phoneme awareness tests in predicting the number of lessons required for a student to learn to distinguish phonetic cues.
Time-dependent potentiation of insulin release induced by alpha-ketoisocaproate and leucine in rats: possible involvement of phosphoinositide hydrolysis

The ability of the amino acid leucine and its keto acid, alpha-ketoisocaproate, to induce insulin release, to initiate phosphoinositide hydrolysis, and to amplify the subsequent insulin secretory response to glucose was assessed. In islets whose inositol-containing lipids were prelabelled with myo[2-3H]inositol, the addition of either compound resulted in an increase in insulin output, an increase in 3H efflux, rapid and significant increases in labelled inositol phosphate accumulation and a sustained increase in 3H efflux after removal of the stimulant. Direct measurements of labelled inositol phosphate accumulation in islets previously stimulated with alpha-ketoisocaproate demonstrate that this sustained increase in 3H efflux was the result of a persistent increase in phosphoinositide hydrolysis and was not simply a consequence of the hydrolysis of preformed inositol phosphates into more membrane permeable species. Prior exposure of islets to alpha-ketoisocaproate or leucine also resulted in an amplified secretory response to a subsequent glucose (10 mmol/l) stimulus. While peak first phase insulin release averaged 66 +/- 4 (mean +/- SEM, n = 18) pg.islet-1. min-1 from control islets, this value increased to 204 +/- 14 and 246 +/- 11 pg.islet-1.min-1 in the leucine or alpha-keto-isocaproate pretreated islets respectively. The duration of this amplified response paralleled the duration of the persistent increase in 3H efflux. Prior alpha-ketoisocaproate exposure also amplified the subsequent insulin secretory response to tolbutamide and glyceraldehyde.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Coherent Super Continuum Generation in Photonic Crystal Fibers at Visible and Near Infrared Wavelengths

Physical mechanisms those interplay in generating super continuum from femto-second pulses propagated through photonic crystal fiber (PCF) have been investigated here. We compare spectrums from two distinct PCFs with different group velocity dispersion profiles to determine the most desirable spectral features such as stronger and ripple free output spectra at wavelength regions of interest, specifically around near infrared wavelength which we can use for coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering microscopy of lipid-rich structures. Coherency of the pulses from these two PCFs was also compared. The spectrums from theoretical model will provide us guidance for future experiments.
Environmental stimulation and fucose incorporation into brain and liver glycorproteins

Abstract Changes were observed in the amount of radioactive fucose incorporated into glycoproteins of brain and liver when mice were exposed to different environments. Mice were injected subcutaneously with 3H-L-fucose, placed in a small chamber with an electrifiable grid floor for 15 min, and killed 1 min later. Exposure to the apparatus without shocks increased the levels of incorporation in both and liver compared to mice placed in individual cages after the injection. Increasing amounts of footshock reduced the level of incorporation. Five to 40 sec of footshock resulted in incorporation levels inversely proportional to the number of shocks.
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy comes of age.

Patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer typically receive intravenous taxane and platinum-based chemotherapy in an attempt to eradicate residual disease after surgical debulking. This treatment yields overall median survivals of approximately 37 months in patients with suboptimally debulked disease (residual tumor, >1.0 cm in diameter) and 49 months in those with optimally debulked disease (residual tumor, ≤1.0 cm in diameter).1 Despite high response rates, in most patients relapse occurs, and efforts to improve treatment by escalating the doses of intravenous chemotherapy have been largely unsuccessful.2 In contrast to intravenous drug administration, the intraperitoneal route is capable of achieving high local . . .
Marital Status Transition, Alcohol Consumption, and Number of sex Partners Over Time in a Tri-Ethnic Sample

Abstract Longitudinal data from two waves of interviews with a tri-ethnic (Anglo, African American, and Mexican American) community sample of 892 regular drinkers are presented to replicate and extend cross-sectional research indicating increased numbers of reported sexual partners among the divorced, separated, and never married, relative to the continuously married. Analyses address whether observed marital transition differences in number of sex partners during a 12-month study interval can be accounted for by: the recency of separation/divorce, prior sexual history, prior drinking patterns, or changes in drinking patterns over the 12-month study interval. A major study focus is to assess racial/ethnic variation. Analyses replicate previous studies indicating significantly more partners among the non-married and suggest recency effects for the total sample, with the most partners reported by the most recently separated/divorced. However, covariance analyses indicated that marital transition differences...
Effect of silica shell thickness of Fe 3 O 4 -SiO x core-shell nanostructures on MRI contrast

Core–shell magnetic nanostructures (MNS) such as Fe3O4–SiOx, are being explored for their potential applications in biomedicine, such as a T2 (dark) contrast enhancement agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Herein, we present the effect of silica shell thickness on its r 2 relaxivity in MRI as it relates to other physical parameters. In this effort initially, monodispersed Fe3O4 MNS (nominally 9 nm size) were synthesized in organic phase via a simple chemical decomposition method. To study effect of shell thickness of silica of Fe3O4–SiOx core shell on r 2 relaxivity, the reverse micro-emulsion process was used to form silica coating of 5, 10 and 13 nm of silica shell around the MNS, while polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane was used to form very thin layer on the surface of MNS; synthesized nanostructures were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution TEM (HRTEM), superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry and MRI. Our observation suggests that, with increase in thickness of silica shell in Fe3O4–SiOx core–shell nanostructure, r 2 relaxivity decreases. The decrease in relaxivity could be attributed to increased distance between water molecules and magnetic core followed by change in the difference in Larmor frequencies (Δω) of water molecules. These results provide a rational basis for optimization of SiOx-coated MNS for biomedical applications.
Specific effect of zinc ions on DNA polymerase activity of avian myeloblastosis virus.

The effect of selected cations on DNA synthesis by DNA-polymerase of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) was studied. Zinc ions at low concentration (0.2 mm) in the assay system enhanced the activity about 2 × fold and at higher concentration (2.0 mm) inhibited the activity completely. In contrast, addition of lithium and potassium salts produced inhibitory effects in this ionic concentration range. Replacement of K+ ion had an inhibitory effect on the activity.
National trends in mortality of children with sickle cell disease, 1968-1992† 647

Detection of national trends in mortality of children with sickle cell disease has been impeded by several factors, including methodological differences among studies done in different time periods, and the cost of repeating prospective multicenter studies. To describe national trends in mortality of children with sickle cell disease, and the settings in which death occurred, we used United States death-certificate data from 1968 through 1992 to calculate mortality rates of black children with sickle cell disease 1- to 14-years old. Deaths from trauma, congenital anomalies, and perinatal conditions were excluded. Between 1968 and 1992, mortality rates of black children with sickle cell disease decreased 41% for 1- to 4-year olds, 47% for 5- to 9-year olds, and 53% for 10- to 14-year olds. During 1986 through 1992, children who died before hospital admission accounted for 41% of deaths for 1- to 4-year olds, 27% for 5- to 9-year olds, and 12% for 10- to 14-year olds. We conclude that survival of black children with sickle cell disease has improved markedly in all age groups since 1968. However, a substantial proportion of deaths of children with sickle cell disease continue to occur prior to hospital admission. It is known that some disease complications can cause death within hours, but this proportion still raises concern about whether care for acute illnesses is sought promptly and is readily accessible.
Natural killer-like activity mediated by activated T lymphocytes

Abstract Diverse types of lymphocytes mediate in vitro cytotoxic activity. In addition to CTLs (cytotoxic T lymphocytes) and NK (natural killer) cells which differ in their activation requirements, target specificities, and lytic mechanisms, a natural killer-like activity of activated cells (A-NK) has recently been described. The data presented here suggest that an activated T lymphocyte can mediate A-NK activity. A-NK activity can be separated from resting NK activity by its requirement for activation and an effector phenotype (T12 + ,Ia + ,Mol − ) which includes the presence of the T12 and la antigens and the absence of the Mol antigen. In contrast, resting NK activity is mediated by T12 − ,Ia − ,Mol + cells. Cells that mediate A-NK activity can be differentiated from CTLs by their differing kinetics of activation and susceptibility to inhibition by monoclonal antibodies. An additional distinguishing feature is the fact that A-NK cells are predominantly Ia + and are derived from either the T4 + or T8 + T-cell subsets whereas CTLs generated under similar conditions are predominantly T8 + ,T4 − ,Ia − . The in vivo relevance of this newly defined T-cell cytolytic activity remains to be defined.
Analysis of a wind compensation tool for the Relative Position Indicator (RPI)

The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) previously defined and prototyped the Relative Position Indicator (RPI), which is an aid to terminal air traffic control (ATC) for the task of merging and sequencing aircraft. In this paper a wind compensation tool for RPI is analyzed that would predict the effects of the wind on a merging aircraft. This prediction is displayed to the controller by adding an offset distance to the position of the aircraft indicator that RPI currently displays. It is shown that this wind compensation tool may be feasible given a sufficiently accurate source of wind predictions; however the currently available wind predictions, most notably the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) and upcoming Rapid Refresh (RR), are not accurate enough to make a useful wind compensation tool for RPI in the terminal area.
Leukotriene Activity Modulation in Asthma

Leukotrienes constitute a class of inflammatory mediators synthesised from arachidonic acid, a product of cell membrane metabolism. Synthesis occurs in the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme pathway, which produces several species of leukotrienes, each with characteristic biological activities. With regard to asthma, the leukotrienes are particularly important because of their ability to directly and potently mediate bronchoconstriction; in addition, they specifically stimulate the secretion of mucus into the airways and the extravasation of fluids and proteins into the airway tissues, both of which contribute to airway obstruction. A number of antileukotriene agents have been developed with the goal of modulating the inflammatory process in various disease states. These agents fall into 2 general classes: leukotriene receptor antagonists and leukotriene synthesis inhibitors. Results of antileukotriene agents in preclinical and clinical trials indicate that antileukotriene agents attenuate the response to challenges with inhaled leukotrienes, cold air, exercise, aspirin and allergen; in addition, they have shown efficacy in clinical asthma and have not been associated with serious adverse effects. Although results to date indicate that these medications are well tolerated and effective in the treatment of asthma, the recent approval by the FDA of 2 antileukotriene agents will give physicians further insight into how patients with asthma respond to them.