cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ASSESSING ADOLESCENT MOTHERS AND THEIR 9 MONTH OLDS IN THE LABORATORY

Children of adolescent mothers do less well behaviorally than children of adults. We are reporting on the development of a qualitative instrument, using 9-point scales to assess the interaction between adolescents and their 9 month olds from two 10-minute videotaped sequences (1 in a high chair; 1 free play on floor) in the laboratory. A manual was developed to describe the behavior for each scale and to define the degree of behavior represented by the points on the scale. Initially, two trained coders independently rated 10 videotapes using 25 maternal, 10 child, and one maternal-child scales. Intercoder agreement for each scale was calculated by dividing the number of items on which coders agreed within one scale point by the sum of the agreements and disagreements. Any scale with intercoderagreement of 0.7 (Rge. of 0.7-0.9). Maternal scales assess affect, communication, encouragement of motor, cognitive, and perceptual activities, and selected attachemnt (Ainsworth) items; child scales assess affect, communication, social contact, behavior toward mother; and the maternal-child scale assesses the quality of the interaction. The presentation will illustrate the utility of the scales to evaluate changes in the interaction of adolescents and their 9 month olds.
Differential expression of the HLA-DR genes in various melanoma cell lines treated with interferon-γ: Methylation of the HLA-DRα gene in these lines is not correlated with its expression

Abstract Melanoma cell lines treated with or without interferon-γ were tested for the presence of DRα mRNA and protein. The six lines examined fell into three general categories: (1) two that expressed high levels of DRα mRNA and protein before and after interferon-γ treatment, (2) one that expressed very low levels before treatment with interferon-γ, but was induced to express high levels after interferon-γ treatment, and (3) three that expressed very low levels before treatment, and were only slightly inducible after treatment with interferon-γ. The presence of DR-α protein on the melanoma cell surface was always positively correlated with the presence of DRα mRNA in the cells. Furthermore, in the cell line that was interferon-γ-inducible, the time at which DRα mRNA and protein appeared and the doses of interferon-γ needed to induce this appearance were directly correlated. Methylation patterns of the DRα gene in these cell lines were also studied in order to determine whether the degree of DRα gene methylation among the lines correlated with expression of the gene. Digestion of DNA with the restriction enzyme MspI, which recognizes the sequence 5′CCGG3′ and 5′C m CGG3′, led to the appearance of a 3.1 kb band from all lines tested. Hpa II digestion, which recognizes 5′CCGG3′, but not 5′C m CGG3′, led to the appearance of 3.1, 4.4, and 6.7 kb bands in all lines tested except for DUMEL 8, which showed only the 3.1 kb band. Interestingly, DUMEL 8 expressed very low levels of DRα mRNA and protein before and after interferon-γ treatment. We conclude that interferon-γ has a regulatory effect on DRα genes of various melanoma cell lines to varying degrees. This may reflect an effect of interferon-γ on certain subpopulations of melanocytes in vivo. Our data also indicate that partial methylation of the DRα gene does not inhibit its expression. Futhermore, interferon-γ does not appear to induce expression of the DR gene by altering methylation patterns within the region recognized by our probe.
Benefits and costs in controlling sheep bonded to cattle without wire fencing

Abstract Mixed grazing groups of 15 bonded ewes and five cows consistently (100%) remained together in one of two adjoining arid rangeland paddocks during each of three seasons beginning in September 1991. The paddocks were separated with only two strands of wire fence, the bottom wire being 0.7 m off the ground. In contrast, non-bonded ewes (controls) were found in the adjoining paddock without cattle 54% of the time. This created a mean separation distance between non-bonded ewes and cattle of 977 m. Locating ewes in the non-bonded treatment required additional time, thus reducing management efficiency and increasing costs by approx. $0.10/hd/d. In a separate study begun in January 1992 an enduring bond between sheep and cattle was produced by confining 65 to 86 day-old lambs with cattle in pens for 55 d at a cost of approx. $0.51/hd/d. Bonding may provide an economically viable alternative to conventional wire fencing on many properties as a means of controlling the spatial distribution of sheep under mixed grazing.
Automatic target recognition using a modular neural network with directional variance features

A modular neural network classifier has been applied to the problem of automatic target recognition (ATR) using forward- looking infrared (FLIR) imagery. This modular network classifier consists of several neural networks (expert networks) for classification. Each expert network in the modular network classifier receives distinct inputs from features extracted from only a local region of a target, known as a receptive field, and is trained independently from other expert networks. The classification decisions of the individual expert networks are combined to determine the final classification. Our experiments show that this modular network classifier is superior to a fully connected neural network classifier in terms of complexity (number of weights to be learned) and performance (probability of correct classification). The proposed classifier shows a high noise immunity to clutter or target obscuration due to the independence of the individual neural networks in the modular network, Performance of the proposed classifier is further improved by the use of multi-resolution features and by the introduction of a higher level neural network on the top of expert networks, a method known as stacked generalization.
Transcriptional response of avian cells to infection with Newcastle disease virus.

Abstract Newcastle disease virus (NDV) causes widespread disease in poultry and wild-birds throughout the world. cDNA microarray analysis was used to examine the effect of NDV infection on host cell transcription. The results show that NDV infection causes an apparent suppression of the interferon response genes during the early stages of infection. In addition, the results reveal transcriptional silencing of cytoskeletal proteins such as the α, β, and γ types of actin, and a downregulation of the thioredoxin gene, a likely mediator of apoptosis with possible implications in NDV pathogenesis. Comparative analyses show that a majority of genes that were transcriptionally regulated during infection with another common respiratory pathogen of poultry, the avian pneumovirus, remained unaltered during NDV infection, suggesting that even phylogenetically related viruses elicit unique or “signature” patterns of host transcriptional profiles during infection of host cells.
Integrating Information Literacy, the POGIL Method, and iPads into a Foundational Studies Program

Abstract This article provides an overview of the design, implementation, revision and informal assessment of an information literacy curriculum embedded in a new University Foundations (UF) program at a mid-sized public university. The library information literacy sessions incorporated team-based learning and Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) elements using iPads. Each session provided students an opportunity to develop and apply information literacy skills, and included critical thinking questions which led students to think about underlying concepts. A focus group with the librarians assessed the UF library curriculum, its impact on student engagement, and the training activities for librarian teaching preparation.
Role of fibroblast growth factors as inducing agents in early embryonic development.

To assess the potential role of a molecule in development we need to know three things: 1) what are the biological activities of the molecule, 2) what is its expression pattern, and 3) what are the consequences of removing it from the embryo: In the case of the FGF family in Xenopus embryos we have quite a lot of information about all three questions. Most members of the family can induce mesoderm from isolated animal caps, thus mimicking the natural «ventral vegetal» inducing signal operative in the blastula. This activity can be exerted on isolated, disaggregated cells and does not involve a change in division rate. When overexpressed from injected mRNA, the activity of FGFs depends largely on whether or not they possess a signal sequence, showing the importance of secretion in the inductive process
Large-Deformation Analysis and Experimental Validation of a Flexure-Based Mobile Sensor Node

This paper presents a new magnetic wall-climbing car as a mobile sensor node for health monitoring and dynamic testing of large civil (ferromagnetic) structures. Unlike traditional design, where the distance between the front and rear wheel pairs is fixed, the electromagnetically driven compliant beam connecting the axles not only offers an effective means to negotiate corners when maneuvering on ferromagnetic surfaces, but also serves as a sensor attachment device. Specifically, this paper presents the design concept of a novel magnetic flexonic mobile node incorporating a compliant beam and permanent magnets, and a 2-D model for simulating the deformed shape of the compliant beam. Simulation results show that there exist consistent relations between input/output displacements and rotation angle for control implementation in sensor attachment and corner negotiation regardless of gravity direction or the critical force for buckling. Experiment results are also provided to validate the theoretical model and compare with the analysis for sensor attachment and corner negotiation.
Computational Methods for Renewal Theory and Semi-Markov Processes with Illustrative Examples

Abstract Some illustrative applications of semi-Markov processes in biostatistics, demography, and queuing theory are discussed. Algorithms for implementing such processes on a computer are also described, with suggestions for statistical inference based on models constructed from renewal theory and semi-Markov processes. An illustrative numerical example, based on a simple illness-death process of Fix and Neyman, is also provided.
Mononuclear cell subsets in human renal disease enumeration in tissue sections with monoclonal antibodies

Abstract Mononuclear inflammatory cells (MIC) in renal biopsies from 37 patients with renal disease were studied by avidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase complex (ABC) technique, utilizing monoclonal antibodies to cell surface antigens: T11 (total T), T4 (inducer/helper), T8 (suppressor/cytotoxic), B1 (B cells), M1 (monocytes), and Leu-7 (natural killer, NK cells). Renal MIC consisted mostly of T cells and monocytes. T cells were a predominating cell type in the renal interstitium of all patients studied (64–88% of MIC). The T4:T8 ratios ranged from 0.4 ± 0.3 (mean ± SEM) in interstitial nephritis to 2.5 ± 0.9 in membranous glomerulonephritis. MI + cells constituted from 10 to 62% of glomerular MIC and from 5 to 24% of interstitial MIC. Glomerular MIC were rare or absent in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgA N). These results support the concept that in situ interactions of T lymphocytes and monocytes may modulate the events leading to the development of human renal disease The striking absence of glomerular MIC in IgA N could be related to persistance of immune deposits in the glomeruli of patients with this renal disorder.
Sensitivity of the Test of Memory and Learning to Attention and Memory Deficits in Children with ADHD

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit a number of cognitive deficits. The current study compared patterns of attention, learning, and memory impairment on the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL) between 80 children with ADHD and 80 normal comparisons who were matched for age and gender. Results demonstrated that children with ADHD performed significantly worse than matched controls on the Attention/Concentration Index and the Sequential Recall Index. ROC analysis indicated that these two indexes had good classification accuracy with AUCs of.76 and.77 respectively. There were also group differences on the other index scores except the Associative Recall Index. Factor analysis of the ADHD sample extracted five factors, including an Attention factor that significantly correlated with performance on nonverbal memory tasks. Significant correlations between the TOMAL Index scores and tests of intelligence and visuomotor integration supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the test. These results provide support for the criterion validity of the TOMAL in assessing neurocognitive deficits in children with ADHD.
The efficacy of stream power and flow duration on geomorphic responses to catastrophic flooding

Abstract Geomorphologists have long studied the impacts of extreme floods, yet the association between the magnitude of flow parameters (discharge, velocity, shear stress, or stream power) and resulting geomorphic effectiveness remains vague and non-deterministic. Attempts have been made to include flow duration and total expenditure of stream power, in combination with peak unit stream power, as important variables, but there has been minimal exploration of this hydraulic combination. Taking advantage of Tropical Storm Irene's rapid track through eastern Vermont (USA) in late summer 2011, this paper presents the array of geomorphic responses to a short duration (time to peak of
SPRINT Multi-Objective Model Racing

Multi-objective model selection, which is an important aspect of Machine Learning, refers to the problem of identifying a set of Pareto optimal models from a given ensemble of models. This paper proposes SPRINT-Race, a multi-objective racing algorithm based on the Sequential Probability Ratio Test with an Indifference Zone. In SPRINT-Race, a non-parametric ternary-decision sequential analogue of the sign test is adopted to identify pair-wise dominance and non-dominance relationship. In addition, a Bonferroni approach is employed to control the overall probability of any erroneous decisions. In the fixed confidence setting, SPRINT-Race tries to minimize the computational effort needed to achieve a predefined confidence about the quality of the returned models. The efficiency of SPRINT-Race is analyzed on artificially-constructed multi-objective model selection problems with known ground-truth. Moreover, SPRINT-Race is applied to identifying the Pareto optimal parameter settings of Ant Colony Optimization algorithms in the context of solving Traveling Salesman Problems. The experimental results confirm the advantages of SPRINT-Race for multi-objective model selection.
Recovery of peripherally injected materials from the heart at varying intervals after death.

Abstract 1. 1. Employing colorimetrically assayable dyes, radioisotopes and radiopaque materials we have demonstrated that these materials, given into peripheral veins at varying intervals postmortem, reach the right side of the heart. 2. 2. The effectiveness of intravenous administration is greater in the closed chest where “negative” intrathoracic pressures persist than in the open chest. 3. 3. Possible factors to explain this postmortem “transport” are discussed.
Younger parties, bigger spenders? Party age and political budget cycles

Abstract We identify a new explanation for political budget cycles (PBCs): politicians have stronger incentives to increase spending around elections in the presence of younger political parties. Previous research suggests that PBCs should be larger when voters are uninformed about politician characteristics and politicians are less credible. Research on political parties suggests that older parties are more likely to attenuate problems of both information and credible commitment. The effects of party age are robust to controls for numerous other political characteristics of countries. In particular, the arguments and evidence here illuminate a mechanism underlying recent robust findings that PBCs are larger in younger democracies: party age fully accounts for these effects.
Integrating the Russian émigré nurse into U.S. nursing.

To meet the challenges of nursing's agenda for healthcare reform, the nursing profession and schools of nursing must recruit and retain nurses who reflect the diversity of the client population they will serve. With the opening of the former Soviet Union to emigration in 1988, Russian emigres are entering this country in increasing numbers. Many of these newcomers are Russian trained nurses with bicultural sensitivity and Russian language skills who do not possess the skills to practice in the United States. The author describes a tri-institutional project that focused on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a unique training project that prepares Russian nurse emigres for employment in the U.S. healthcare industry.
Remote sounding of cloudy atmospheres. II - Multiple cloud formations

The dual frequency-range principle developed in Part I (Chahine, 1974) for infrared remote sounding of atmospheric temperature profiles in the presence of a single cloud layer is extended here to the case of multiple cloud formations. The approach requires no a priori knowledge of the spectral properties of the clouds or the number of cloud layers in the fields of view. The method of solution requires measurements over adjacent fields of view and leads to the determination of the clear-column atmospheric temperature profiles with the same degree of accuracy and vertical resolution permitted under cloudless conditions. Numerical verifications are carried out to illustrate the stability and accuracy of the method using simulated radiance data, from the 4.3 and 15 micron CO2 bands in the terrestrial atmosphere, in the presence of up to three cloud layers in the fields of view.
Age-Related Prognostic Factors in the Severity of Illness of Tourette's Syndrome in Monozygotic Twins

Tourette's syndrome (TS) was studied in 18 pairs of monozygotic twins where at least one member of the twin set had TS. Sixteen twin sets were concordant for motor tics and had different ages of onset of motor tics (as reported by the mothers and/or medical records). Among these pairs, the earlier motor ticquer was more likely to have a more severe course of illness as assayed by two different indices. In the 10 sets concordant for vocal tics, the earlier vocal ticquer had a more severe course as assayed by only one index. The authors conclude that an early age of onset of motor tics may be the strongest predictor of a more severe life-time course of a tic disorder.
Fabrication of an electrode-less E-field sensor

Optical waveguides, also known as dielectric waveguides are the structures that are used to confine and guide the light in the guided-wave devices and circuits of integrated optics.
Analysis of Data from Pre- and Posttest Designs: A Comment

The three methods of analysis of pretest-posttest data discussed by Huck and McLean (1975) are translated into correlational terms. This translation adds depth to their discussion. Their conclusion...
A new method for eliciting three speaking styles in the laboratory

In this study, a method was developed to elicit three different speaking styles, reduced, citation, and hyperarticulated, using controlled sentence materials in a laboratory setting. In the first set of experiments, the reduced style was elicited by having 12 talkers read a sentence while carrying out a distractor task that involved recalling from short-term memory an individually-calibrated number of digits. The citation style corresponded to read speech in the laboratory. The hyperarticulated style was elicited by prompting talkers (twice) to reread the sentences more carefully. The results of perceptual tests with naive listeners and an acoustic analysis showed that 6 of the 12 talkers produced a reduced style of speech for the test sentences in the distractor task relative to the same sentences in the citation style condition. In addition, all talkers consistently produced sentences in the citation and hyperarticulated styles. In the second set of experiments, the reduced style was elicited by increasing the number of digits in the distractor task by one (a heavier cognitive load). The procedures for eliciting citation and hyperarticulated sentences remained unchanged. Ten talkers were recorded in the second experiment. The results showed that 6 out of 10 talkers differentiated all three styles as predicted. In addition, all talkers consistently produced sentences in the citation and hyperarticulated styles. Overall, the results demonstrate that it is possible to elicit controlled sentence stimulus materials varying in speaking style in a laboratory setting, although the method requires further refinement to elicit these styles more consistently from individual participants.
Congenital Aortic Stenosis and Patent Ductus Arteriosus in the Adult

Concurrent aortic stenosis and patent ductus arteriosus are not infrequent in children but are rare in adults. An adult case is described with diagnosis by cardiac catheterization and magnetic resonance imaging and with management by combined aortic valve replacement and patent ductus ligation. Review of the English-language literature produced only 8 such cases in adults, 2 of which were managed by a single-stage operation. Successful diagnosis in the adult requires careful observation at cardiac catheterization, and simultaneous valve replacement and ductus ligation may be a useful option in patient management.
Bulk Properties of a Cyanogel Network: Toward an Understanding of the Elastic, Mechanical, and Physical Processes Associated with Sol-Gel Processing of Cyanide-Bridged Gel Systems

The reaction of aqueous solutions of Na2PdCl4 and K3Co(CN)6 results in gelatinous polymeric materials, characterized by bridging cyanides between the central metals of the adducts. Such materials are referred to as cyanogels. A mechanical perturbation method, three-point beam-bending, was used to measure the viscoelastic relaxation behavior and permeability of a series of Pd/Co cyanogels of differing concentrations. The shear and Young's modulii of the cyanogel network was found to increase with an increase in concentration. Permeability was found to decrease with an increase in concentration, and was found to range from 239 to 3.67 nm2 over the concentration range 0.175−0.600 M. This suggests that the Pd/Co cyanogel contains an average pore structure size with the radii ranging from 40 to 5 nm over the concentration range investigated.
Steady-state sample path derivative Estimators

Abstract Over a finite horizon, infinitesimal perturbation analysis (IPA) estimators are usually defined as sample path derivatives of performance measures. However, by using the M/M/1 queue as an illustrative example, we show that in steady-state an IPA estimator is not equal to the sample path derivative of the corresponding performance measure even though their expectations may be the same.
Calf Lung Surfactant Recovers Surface Functionality After Exposure to Aerosols Containing Polymeric Particles

Abstract Background: Recent studies have shown that colloidal particles can disrupt the interfacial properties of lung surfactant and thus key functional abilities of lung surfactant. However, the mechanisms underlying the interactions between aerosols and surfactant films remain poorly understood, as our ability to expose films to particles via the aerosol route has been limited. The aim of this study was to develop a method to reproducibly apply aerosols with a quantifiable particle dose on lung surfactant films and investigate particle-induced changes to the interfacial properties of the surfactant under conditions that more closely mimic those in vivo. Methods: Films of DPPC and Infasurf® were exposed to aerosols containing polystyrene particles generated using a Dry Powder Insufflator™. The dose of particles deposited on surfactant films was determined via light absorbance. The interfacial properties of the surfactant were studied using a Langmuir-Wilhelmy balance during surfactant compression to fil...
Alpha blockers: an effective extension to your patients' risk reduction program.

This symposium discusses a rapidly changing philosophy in how to manage hypertension. Many committees in the United States and Canada over the years have tried to make the treatment of hypertension simple. And in their goal to do that, they have made it difficult and led many down a primrose path with samewhat narrow vision. One Famous British physician in 1931 said, «the greatest danger to man with high blood pressure lies in its discovery since some fool is certain to try to reduce it»
Toward a Business Model of Executive Behavior: An Exploration of the Workdays of Four College of Education Deans at Large Research Universities

This study examined the workdays of college of education deans and then compared those findings to the workdays of business executives by analyzing activities performed during a traditional five-day work week. Results show that college of education deans exhibit behavior comparable to that of business executives and, in turn, suggest a possible transformation of administrative work in higher education toward that of business executives.
Macromolecules, Dendrimers, and Nanomaterials in Magnetic Resonance Imaging: The Interplay between Size, Function, and Pharmacokinetics

Magnetism in medicine has had a long and interesting history. In the 10 th century A.D., Egyptian physician and philosopher Avicenna prescribed a grain of magnetite dissolved in milk for the accidental swallowing of rust reasoning that magnetite would render the poisonous iron inert by attracting it and accelerating its excretion through the intestine.1 A thousand years later on July 3, 1977, “Indomitable”, the little machine that could, labored for five hours to produce one image, an event that used magnetism to change the landscape of modern medicine. 2 Looking at the homemade superconducting magnet constructed from 30 miles of niobiumtitanium wire that now resides in its rightful place at the Smithsonian Institution, it is incredible to comprehend how in a mere 30 years magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has gone from its crude, almost ugly, human scan to where physicians can now regularly order MRIs off their menu of diagnostic tools because of its exquisite anatomical resolution, routinely down to 0.5 to 1 mm. When the field was first reviewed in this journal in 1987, 3 only 39 papers were found in Medline with keywords “gado-“ and “MRI”. 4 Today, this same search on PubMed pulls out over 250,000 records, of which a significant component has been development of MR contrast agents. The human body is essentially a super-sized water bottle, with about two-thirds of its weight consisting of water. Water's hydrogen atoms are able to act as microscopic compass needles that stand “at attention” when placed in a strong magnetic field. When submitted to pulses of radio waves, their magnetic alignment is disrupted and the differences in how they relax to the previous state are used to generate images. Contrast agents can act to catalyze the process of the return to the ground relaxed state. Now commonplace in the clinic, paramagnetic or superparamagnetic metal ions are administered in 40–50% of the 7–10 million MR examinations per year. 5 These image-enhancing contrast agents add significant morphological and functional information to unenhanced MR images, allowing for enhanced tissue contrast, characterization of lesions, and evaluation of perfusion and flow-related abnormalities. In this review, we will introduce small molecule agents, but focus primarily on macromolecular MR contrast agents, particularly those containing gadolinium (Gd 3+ ) that are assembled or based in part on these same small molecules. A brief discussion on iron oxide and manganese (Mn 2+ ) agents is also provided.
The size of the nonstationary component and its effect on tests for unit roots

We consider a nonstationary time series that is composed of a stationary and nonstationary component. Monte Carlo experiments show that common unit root tests have probabilities of committing a type I error that significantly exceed the level of significance. We find that the probabilities vary according to the relative size of the nonstationary component.
Minimizing errors from linear and nonlinear weights of WENO scheme for broadband applications with shock waves

Abstract Improvements in the numerical algorithm for the dynamics of flows that involve discontinuities and broadband fluctuations simultaneously are proposed. These two flow features suggest numerical strategies of a paradoxical nature because the discontinuities demand dissipation, and the small-scale smooth features require the opposite. There may be several ways to approach such a complicated issue, but the natural choice is a numerical technique that can adjust adaptively with flow regimes. The weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme may be this choice. However, there are two sources of dissipation associated with the WENO procedure: the upwind optimal stencil and the nonlinear adaption mechanism. The current work suggests a robust and comprehensive treatment for the minimization of dissipation error from these two sources. The optimization technique, which is guided by restriction on the linear optimal weights derived from stability and consistency requirement, is used to delay the dissipation of the upwind optimal stencil to those wavenumbers for which the dispersion error is large. The parallel advantage of this technique is the improvement of the dispersion property. Nevertheless, optimization decreases the formal order of accuracy of the optimal stencil from fifth order to third order. This loss of accuracy is derived by Taylor series expansion. Using Taylor-series expansion and WENO procedure, the third-order accuracy is verified in the smooth region, except at the critical point of order two, where the order of accuracy reduces to at least second order. This possible loss of accuracy at the second-order critical point is restored in an attempt to reduce the dissipation induced by the nonlinear adaptive weights. Modification of the nonlinear weights to reduce the dissipation is introduced by redefining them with an additional smoothness indicator. Other suggestions to minimize the dissipation of the nonlinear weights are also reviewed. The numerical approximation of the spatial derivative is performed by means of a conservative and consistent finite difference method based on monotone local Lax–Friedrichs Riemann solver. The resulting scheme is then integrated by the optimal third-order TVD Runge–Kutta method to ensure the nonlinear stability of the overall numerical method. A variety of benchmark problems, ranging from non-broadband to broadband, are solved using the proposed schemes and compared with the existing ones. Most test problems are validated against exact or reference data. The numerical results with bandwidth optimization and modification of the nonlinear weights are consistently superior.
Control of cellular processes by the coupling of resonant energy to hydrogen transfer reactions I. Application to enzyme mechanisms

Abstract A hypothesis is presented that electronic and vibrational resonant energy states are important in biochemical reactions due to their coupling to hydrogen transfer reactions. The hypothesis is based upon (1) the involvement of hydrogen in most biochemical reactions, (2) the unique ability of hydrogen to act as an energy trap for resonant energy and (3) demonstrations of the coupling of resonant energy to hydrogen transfers in various systems. The dependence of the transfer of resonant energy upon the overlapping of energy levels, and upon molecular geometry, can be related to the sequence or coordination of'biochemical reactions, and to the requirement of structural integrity of cellular components for many biochemical processes. The reversibility of the hydrogen transfers may provide a means for the storage and subsequent liberation of the resonant energy. Some characteristics of resonant energy states, and the ability of hydrogen to act as a trap for resonant energy are discussed. The coupling of resonant energy to hydrogen transfers is'related to mechanisms of enzyme action. Possible means of confirming this hypothesis and a comparison of it to some other related processes are presented.
An expert system for selecting manufacturing workers for training

Abstract Intelligent real-time decision support systems are specialized domain-based tools for management. The intelligent component of decision support systems (DSS) assumes a certain level of human expertise that can be used to advise the manager on certain decision issues. In the domain of training, emphasis has been on tutoring and learning system developments. In the manufacturing industries, the problem of selecting employees for training is time consuming and belongs to a special class of multiattribute decision making. Although many manufacturing concerns have developed and implemented commendable training programs, there are still concerns of under training or overtraining based on the selection process of the employees. This paper describes a prototype knowledge-based training selection system that will identify and weight trainability factors and advise the manager on the employee trainability level. The simulation prototype, known as TSES (Trainability Selection Expert System), is a concept-driven expert system that evaluates the user subjective input data and gives some fuzzy ranking to aid management decisions. TSES behaves as a diagnostic “expert” in determining the selection and prioritizing of employee data.
Abstract 174: MicroRNA signatures of castration resistant human prostate cancer

Androgen-dependent (AD) prostate cancer (CaP) typically progresses to castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) after after some duration of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The mechanisms of this transition are at the beginning to be understood. MicroRNAs (miRs) are non-coding small RNAs (19-25nt) that play an important role in the regulation of gene expression. So far, only a few studies have looked at prostate cancer-specific miRNA signatures relevant to the development and progression of CaP. By performing genome-wide expression profiling of miRs, we found 7 miRs (miR-221, miR-222, miR-15a, miR-16-1, miR-203, miR-23b and miR-27b) differentially expressed in the AD prostate cancer LNCaP cell line and the LNCaP derived CRPC cell line- LNCaP-Abl. In particular miR-221 and miR-222, were most dramatically increased in the CRPC cell lines. Over-expression of miR-221 or -222 in LNCaP or another AD cell line, LAPC-4 significantly reduced the level of the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induced up-regulation of PSA expression and increased androgen independent (AI) growth of LNCaP cells. Knocking down the expression level of miR-221 and -222 with antagonist miRs in the LNCaP-Abl cell line restored the response to DHT induction of PSA transcription and also increased the growth response of LNCaP-Abl cells to androgen. To determine the clinical relevance of the differential expression patterns of these miRs, we compared the expression levels of these 7 miRs in 86 normal prostate tissues, 34 localized hormone naive primary tumors and 17 bone metastatic CRPC samples. Despite of the anticipated heterogeneity of CRPCs within each individual or among patients, surprisingly ∼90% of analyzed CRPC tumors can be characterized by significant up-regulation of miR-221/-222 and down-regulation of miR-23b/-27b. This finding suggests that the signature of altered miR-221/-222 and miR-23b/-27b expression is associated with the development of CRPC in human tumors. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 174. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-174
Parallel transport along a space curve and related phases

The authors investigate geometrical properties of a space curve and of its spherical images. They show that a space curve is characterised by two 'phase-like' quantities and comment on the relation of these quantities to the Berry phase.
Cytotoxic Phospholipid Oxidation Products: CELL DEATH FROM MITOCHONDRIAL DAMAGE AND THE INTRINSIC CASPASE CASCADE

Phospholipid oxidation products accumulate in the necrotic core of atherosclerotic lesions, in apoptotic cells, and circulate in oxidized low density lipoprotein. Phospholipid oxidation generates toxic products, but little is known about which specific products are cytotoxic, their receptors, or the mechanism(s) that induces cell death. We find the most common phospholipid oxidation product of oxidized low density lipoprotein, phosphatidylcholine with esterified sn-2-azelaic acid, induced apoptosis at low micromolar concentrations. The synthetic ether phospholipid hexadecyl azelaoyl phosphatidylcholine (HAzPC) was rapidly internalized, and overexpression of PLA2g7 (PAF acetylhydrolase) that specifically hydrolyzes such oxidized phospholipids suppressed apoptosis. Internalized HAzPC associated with mitochondria, and cytochrome c, and apoptosis-inducing factor escaped from mitochondria to the cytoplasm and nucleus, respectively, in cells exposed to HAzPC. Isolated mitochondria exposed to HAzPC rapidly swelled and released cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor. Other phospholipid oxidation products induced swelling, but HAzPC was the most effective and was twice as effective as its diacyl homolog. Cytoplasmic cytochrome c completes the apoptosome, and activated caspase 9 and 3 were present in cells exposed to HAzPC. Irreversible inhibition of caspase 9 blocked downstream caspase 3 activation and prevented apoptosis. Mitochondrial damage initiated this apoptotic cascade, because overexpression of Bcl-X(L), an anti-apoptotic protein localized to mitochondria, blocked cytochrome c escape and apoptosis. Thus, exogenous phospholipid oxidation products target intracellular mitochondria to activate the intrinsic apoptotic cascade.
Foliar fertilization of soybean at early vegetative stages

The yield response of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] to foliar fertilization during reproductive stages has been inconsistent. This study evaluated soybean responses to foliar applications of a 3-8-15 (N-P-K) fertilizer at early vegetative stages in 48 trials conducted on Iowa soils that tested mostly optimum or above in P and K. In 1994, the treatments were a control, single applications of 19, 28, or 38 L ha -1 at the V5 stage, and 38 or 56 L ha -1 split as one-half at the V5 stage and one-half 8 or 9 d later. In 1995 and 1996, only the single rate of 28 L ha -1 and the split rate of 38 L ha -1 were used The lowest and highest volumes used encompassed N-P-K rates of 0.8-2.1-3.9 to 2.4-6.3-11.7 kg ha -1 . All treatments were replicated four times. Some or all treatments increased yields in seven sites and decreased yields at two sites. Mean yield increases were 60 kg ha -1 in 1994 (not significant), 30 kg ha -1 in 1995 (not significant), 60 kg ha -1 in 1996, and 54 kg ha -1 across the 48 sites. Differences between treatments were small and inconsistent, and the single application of 28 L ha -1 (one of the lowest rates used) produced the highest mean yield increase across all responsive sites (375 kg ha -1 ). In 1994, the higher yield responses occurred on ridge-till and no-till fields and when the P concentration of young plants was low. No treatment caused leaf burning. Foliar fertilization seldom increased P and K concentrations of leaves at the R2 growth stage and did not affect plant maturity, grain moisture, or the weight of grains. No simple set of measurements explained the occurrence of yield responses. Results of factor and regression analyses suggested that responses tended to occur in soils with high cation exchange capacity, when plant-available P was low, and/or when rainfall in spring and midsummer was low. This group of variables explained only 14 to 23% of the responses in different years, however. Effective use of foliar fertilization of soybean at early growth stages in areas with predominantly high-testing soils requires further research to identify the conditions under which positive responses are more likely.
The impacts of education spending and finance reform on manufacturing property shadow values: a cost function approach

The effects of court-ordered education finance reform on property values and residential choice have received increasing attention in recent years (Fischel 2001). However, little attention has been focused on the effects of education finance reform on manufacturing sector property values within an optimizing framework. This is pursued here by modeling education expenditures and education finance reform as “free” variables to manufacturing firms in a cost function model together with input demand equations. This framework is applied to panel data on manufacturers’ capital (building and structures) stocks for the 48 continental US for 1982–1996 to estimate implicit (shadow) values to the manufacturing sector of education spending and school finance reform. On average, school finance reform lowers the implicit value of manufacturing firms’ stock of buildings and structures capital, while greater education spending lowers manufacturing variable costs.
Motivational Climate, Staff and Members' Behaviors, and Members' Psychological Well-Being at a National Fitness Franchise

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between members' perceptions of staff's behaviors, motivational climate, their own behaviors, commitment to future exercise, and life satisfaction in a group-fitness setting. The theory-driven hypothesized mediating role of perceptions of the climate was also tested. Method: Members (N = 5,541) of a national group-fitness studio franchise completed a survey regarding their class experiences. The survey included questions that measured participants' perceptions of the motivational climate (caring, task-involving, ego-involving), perceptions of staff's behaviors, their own behaviors, commitment to exercise, and life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling was used to assess both the association between variables and the theoretically driven predictive relationships. Results: The participants perceived the environment as highly caring and task-involving and low ego-involving. They reported high exercise commitment and moderately high life s...
Molecular-Level Interactions in Soils and Sediments: The Role of Aromatic π-Systems

This review intends to deepen our understanding of mechanisms by which molecules with aromatic moieties attach to organic and mineral components of terrestrial environments. We present published evidence for the existence of specific, sorptive interactions of aromatic moieties with environmental sorbents. We find that aromatic pi-systems within organic compounds have the capacity to adsorb to minerals and organic soil and sediment components such as natural organic matter (NOM) and fire-derived black carbon (BC) through specific sorptive forces other than hydrophobic interactions. Polar interactions of aromatic pi-donor and -acceptor compounds show adsorption energies between 4 and 167 kJ mol(-1). Bonding strengths of cation-pi interactions and pi-pi electron donor-acceptor (EDA) interactions appear to be larger than H bonding strengths and comparable to inner- and outer-sphere complex formation. We conclude that, in analogy to polar and ionizable functional groups, components with aromatic pi-donor and -acceptor systems equip organic molecules with a substantial sorptive potential. This observation has important implications for the fate and transport of aromatic contaminants. The resulting sorptive interactions might also play a yet-overlooked functional role in the complex chain of processes which preserve NOM against decomposition.
Agricultural Fitness of Smooth Bromegrass Populations Selected for Divergent Fiber Concentration

Selection for reduced neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration has been used as a mechanism of improving intake potential of perennial grasses by ruminant livestock. However, reduced NDF concentration is typically associated with reduced forage yield, although the reasons for this genetic correlation are unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine the relative contributions of pleiotropy, linkage, and drift to the genetic correlation of NDF concentration with four agricultural fitness traits: forage yield, survival, seed yield, and lodging. These traits were measured on four smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) populations that had undergone one cycle of divergent selection for NDF concentration. Selection responses for forage yield were linear and homogeneous, suggesting pleiotropic effects. Growth and expansion of the cell wall appears to be essential for accumulation of forage yield, lending a certain allometry to these two traits. However, natural selection within swards appeared to regulate this response, because forage yield responses disappeared by the third production year. Selection responses for survival and lodging were linear, but nonhomogeneous, suggesting linkage. Selection responses for seed yield appeared to be regulated by all three phenomena, with drift (asymmetry) the most important. Seed yield is highly sensitive to inbreeding depression, which occurs as a result of drift. Short-term divergent selection experiments, analyzed by a factorial ANOVA model, provide a mechanism to identify genetic phenomena responsible for observed genetic correlations.
Treatment Needs and Initial Outcomes of a Residential Recovery Program for African-American Women and their Children

The current research was designed to assess the treatment needs of 42 substance-abusing women and the efficacy of a women-based, culturally influenced, multifaceted residential treatment program for women and their children. Women presented with multidimensional treatment needs, including limited educational/employment histories, significant child-care needs, and histories of victimization and psychological distress. Women remained in residence for an average of 259 days. In all, 88% of the women remained substance-free at discharge; 49% had jobs or were enrolled in school/job training. This integrated, gender/culture-based approach provides a model for more effective substance-abuse treatment for women and their families.
27-year mortality in the Western Collaborative Group Study: construction of risk groups by recursive partitioning.

Abstract The relationship of selected biological and behavioral characteristics measured at baseline examination to 27-year mortality due to coronary heart disease (CHD), cancers of all sites, and total mortality in the 3154 men that form the Western Collaborative Group Study was investigated using tree-structured survival analysis or recursive partitioning (RP). Intake (1960–1961) characteristics included in the present analyses were age, serum cholesterol, systolic blood pressure (SBP), cigarette smoking, body mass index (BMI), Type A B behavior, and behavioral hostility. Tree-structured survival analysis for CHD mortality partitioned the cohort into six groups and identified five groups with distinct survival experience. Exceptionally high CHD mortality rates (17.3 and 14.6 per thousand) were experienced by 89 older men with elevated hostility ratings and SBP ⩽ 150, and 238 men whose initial SBP was greater than 150 mmHg. Younger men (age ⩽ 48) with SBP ⩽ 150 and with serum cholesterol levels 227 had a death rate of 4.8 per thousand, compared with a rate of 1.7 in similar men with lower cholesterol levels. Applied to 27-year cancer mortality, the RP algorithm partitioned the cohort into four distinct survival groups. Younger (age